THE RANDOM STORIES JUST KEEP ON COMING!!!

I swear that the inspiration behind the random stories is coming from absolutely nowhere.

This is set in Fruits Basket, volume 16, right after Kyoko got kicked out of her parent's house and based off of Katsuya's conversation; this is the first romance fic I have done. This is also--possibly--the shortest. I own nothing but plot--sorta--and I would insert a yaoi warning were there more than one male character in it. NO FLAMES!

I took a little bit of artistic license and altered the events a little bit, mainly because I don't own volume 16, so don't get on my case over it.

Enjoy.

"Choose me."

His words echoed through the young girl's mind as she stood in front of him, her brown eyes wide and with a still-panicked expression in them. Her long, almost copper colored hair fell in unstyled curls, her bangs falling into her eyes and framing her thin, pale face. One of her arms was in a cast, and there were similar scratches, cuts and bruises all over her.

Choose me...? she thought, panic welling in her thoughts. Why?

She was not perfect--in fact, she was the furthest thing from angelic. She might as well join the Yakuza...she was the Red Butterfly, for God's sake! She was nothing more than a miscreant, a punk, a reject! Last night had proved that, hadn't it?! She'd gotten into a fight and hurt herself seriously right before a major test. Following that, she was immediately disowned by her sire and dame. Perfect?! Give me a break!!

It wasn't the fight that bothered her. Nor was her parents kicking her out--she'd seen that coming years ago.

She had let Katsuya down.

That's what hurt.

This man, with his brown hair, gray eyes, and gentle ways, had stood by her when he had first come. He alone had seen beyond the mask that was put up to the world, had stayed with her when she needed a shoulder to cry on...and this was how he was repaid. She had broken her promise to take the entrance exam into high school; she had promised him.

He had always been her sensei, and Kyoko had always thought that their relationship was merely master and pupil; she had never even considered that the older man had any feelings for the rebellious teenager she had become.

Yet, he had boldly claimed her as his own, and in front of her parents.

"If you do not want this imperfect creature, then I'll have her," he had said so calmly, unruffled in the slightest by it all.

But that wasn't right! Katsuya did not deserve damaged goods like her! He deserved someone far more worthy than her--and she had even told him so when they were away from her parents, when the shock of having Katsuya drag her off had left. She had begged of him to find someone else, someone who would truly make him happy. Someone his own age--not some scrawny, battered, broken girl whose heart had hardened. She was not deserving of him.

"Choose me...Kyoko." Her name was almost breathed.

At the sound of her name, she froze, tears welling in her eyes.

"You may not be perfect, my little butterfly, but you are mine. I want no other," he continued softly, his eyes locking onto hers. "I want no one else but you.

"Choose me."

Kyoko trembled like a leaf in the wind, turning away and wiping the tears away with her good hand. She heard Katsuya come closer to her, and she said shakily, "You brought this on yourself, you know."

"...I'll remember that."

With that, he gently tilted her chin upward and delicately kissed her lips.

She returned it almost as gently as he had given it, though the salty taste of tears was present.

They stayed that way for a short time before breaking apart, and her gaze went to the ground. Kyoko felt Katsuya's arm drape over her shoulder and she allowed him to draw her into a gentle embrace. A few moments later, she heard a soft chuckle and he said in an amused tone, "Now, that wasn't so hard...was it?"

Kyoko contented herself with a simple, "Shut up."

But the two of them knew that there was a different meaning behind her words.

What she really meant was, "I love you, too."

 I will not be surprised if you think this is sappy.

Review...please?