Hi there! Thanks to a certain reader emailing me with a kick in the pants to start writing again, (thank you ^_^) I got back to this thing I started, now you get to read it. Guess we see where it goes…
This story will be uh… well a liiittle different from my other ones. Here we go…
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Tora no Kokoro (Tiger's Heart)
Kisa Sohma sat on her bed, staring out her window at the vibrant setting sky, daydreams painting her mind. Her chin rested upon a soft hand, and a light sigh escaped her lips. She was thinking of the one she loved, the one that made her heart flutter, and weep. In Kisa's mind, there was no way this person would like her back, so she kept it to herself. That and shame from it made her face go red just to think of exposing such admiration. Kisa had just turned 13, and puberty had kicked the poor girl in the rear. Her shyness may have had subsided a little since she had relearned to speak, and gone back to school, but even that didn't help her now to confess her feelings. She could barely confess it to herself after all.
"Kiiiisaaaa!" her mothers voice snapped Kisa from her thoughts, "Hiro-kun is here to see you!"
Kisa roller her eyes a bit, she had noticed adolescence hadn't only kicked in on her. Hiro had been coming over or phoning to come over almost everyday. She liked her friend, but lately things had been getting awkward. Like the other day when he tried to hold her hand while watching an anime. Also the day before that he had started playing with her hair and had put his face close to hers. These thoughts all played in Kisa's mind as she plodded down the stairs to meet the overzealous sheep. She got to the bottom of the stairs, and before you could blink, Hiro was standing right in front of her, mere centimeters away from her face.
"Kisa! Let's go for a walk. I want to talk to you," Hiro said in his pompous demanding tone.
She really didn't want to, but her mother had come up behind her, beaming, "Awe how cute! Off you go Kisa, have fun with Hiro-kun!" Before she knew it, she was suddenly scooted outside with the boy.
An annoyed look crossed her face for a moment, she wanted to be stuck outside with him even less than she did in the house. She didn't see how the other girls at school simply drooled over boys, particularly Hiro. He wasn't all that nice, especially to Onee-chan. He was decent looking; no pimples on his perfect Sohma face, but did that make up for his behavior? Kisa didn't think so; a meanie was a meanie, no matter how pretty, think of Akito!
She nodded a bit at his whining of school work and other things as they walked down the street, his hand holding hers. Hiro's face softened a bit and he moved closer to Kisa. Her level of distress went up, she didn't know what he thought he was doing till he had her clasped in a tight hug. She shut her eyes, thinking he'd get bored and let her go, but not Hiro Sohma. Hiro felt the need to explore with his hands a bit. Kisa's eyes widened a bit in surprise, and she shoved him away from her.
"Hiro?! What are you doing?" She asked her voice more intense than it had been in months.
The boy's face went crimson and he stuttered, "B-but Kisa, I thought we… I mean you know. I like you damnit! Stop being difficult!"
"But Hiro…" Kisa said softly, her eyes looking the sweet and innocent tone that hooked the sheep from the soul, or at least his pants. "Hiro, I don't like you like that, you're my friend." Kisa gently took his hand in her own, "Please understand that, I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you."
Hiro's eyes narrowed and watered. His feet carried him back a few steps, jerking his hand from her clasp.
"What do you mean you don't like me? Of course you do! Who else could you possibly like? You don't like the boys at school I know, you told me. Some other Sohma?! Is that it? Someone in the family?" he ranted, his voice erratic with anger.
At times like this, Kisa wished she was still locked behind her silent walls that she had been freed from. She looked to the ground and shook her head, "Stop it Hiro, you're not being fair."
"Fair?! No one likes you Kisa! No one but me. What do you think someone else does? That stupid cow perhaps? I know you two are close, that's who it is isn't it?" Hiro demanded cruelly.
She looked up at him, a rare heated look on her face, "No one else likes me? Thanks Hiro, good to know someone dares to like me! And it is not Haru-chan, he is like my brother. "
"Yeah right! You dirty pervert! Besides, he's a fag, he likes Yuki. I hate you Kisa! Stupid girl!" Hiro tore off down the street, tears stinging his eyes and frustration biting his mind.
Kisa sighed and shook her head, wandering back to her house to sleep, and put thoughts from her head.
~~~~next morning~~~~
Haru stood outside the door, when Kisa opened it, a small cheery smile on his face.
"Hello Kisa-chan ho- whoa, you look terrible," he said, interrupting himself, "Are you feeling well?"
Her tired eyes shut and she nodded. Unfortunately for the feline she hadn't have been able to push thoughts of Hiro and other things from her mind. When she was able to fall asleep, dreams that made her blush and feel dirty haunted her.
"I just didn't sleep well Haru-chan, its nothing."
The white haired boy raised an eyebrow as they started to walk, him accompanying her to school then off to his own like. He didn't buy it being nothing. Not with the look of worry she wore now. And not with some of the looks she had been making while staring blankly off at nothing. The girl was in love, plain and simple.
"Right then… Kisa why don't you swing by my house after school, we haven't hung out in a while," he said plainly, watching for a reaction.
Kisa simply nodded, "Alright."
They had reached her school now, and she froze, a small whimper escaping her lips.
"Ne?" Haru gave her a confused glance, then caught the hostile look from across the school yard. Hiro was murdering them in his imagination; anyone within a mile could've seen that.
"What's with him?" Haru asked, not to anyone in particular.
Kisa shook her head and started towards the school building, "Nothing, we'll talk later. Thanks for walking me to school Haru. See you later."
He gave a small wave to her, "Ja ne."
His eyes glanced back to the sheep, who still bore a look of disgust at him. Haru shrugged his shoulders and headed off to his own school.
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Kisa walked down the sidewalk, today had been hell, no doubt of it. She had avoided Hiro's fierce looks all day, but he still managed to make her feel awful.
"Stupid Hiro…" she muttered to herself. It wasn't that he was mad that worried her so much. The things he had said were bothering her though. Hiro's cracking voice kept haunting her, "Dirty pervert! He's a fag. No one likes you!"
The words burned deep inside, like butterflies in your stomach, except they were in Kisa's chest, and flaming. She sighed and looked up, hearing a shout from down the road. Haru was heading towards her, his hands in his pockets. She smiled a bit, glad to see a friend. Kisa's feet rushed her to his side, "hi"
"Hey there, so, how was school?"
Kisa and Haru had wandered back to the cow's house, and were sitting on his back porch, watching the sky turn to soft dusk. Kisa sat on Haru's lap, leaning against him.
"Haru?" Kisa called his name softly, still staring at the pink sky.
"Hmm?"
"Do… do you still love Yuki-kun?"
Haru sat for a moment, wondering why she would ask him this now. "Yes, I do. Of course I do, I want to be with him everyday."
The pair sat in silence for a moment, both thinking very different thoughts. Haru was confused, wondering why Kisa would ask a question with such an apparent answer. Kisa was thinking once again of the person who haunted her dreams.
"So… it's ok to love someone, even if some people don't think its right?" Kisa asked Haru, wringing her hands nervously.
Haru caught her anxious movements and realized she was putting great effort into just getting these words from her mouth. He thought for a moment, "If you truly love them… then yes I think so. But why are you asking me this? I know you like someone…. Why is it giving you such a headache?"
"Well…" The young tiger started off slowly, "for one, they're not my age…"
Haru narrowed his eyes a little, had a Lolita lover struck her heart? He had to admit that would even send him off. "How old are they?" He asked, keeping the same friendly calm voice he always held with her.
"High school, your's and Yuki's age," she replied quietly, "but… there's another problem too…"
Haru blinked a bit wondering what could possibly be another problem. He thought for a moment. She couldn't possibly like one of the Sohma's could she? If she did it would be either Yuki or… well himself. Neither would be good for any of them. Yuki liked Tohru; Haru knew this all too well. Haru liked Yuki, Kisa was his little sister. His mind groaned, knowing this would end in inevitable heartache.
He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around so their eyes locked, "Kisa-chan… lets not make this any more difficult ne? You know no matter what you tell me, I won't get mad."
She looked at him uncertainly, "You promise you won't hate me?"
He smiled, "Kisa-chan, I could never hate you."
Kisa nodded a little, "Ok… I'll tell you…"
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Did you honestly think I was going to put that much in one chapter? Oh naïve reader you. Read and review. ^_^ Till next time, Ja Ne.
