Fruits Basket FanFiction: After the End
A fanfiction made hoping to continue the story of Fruits Basket in a similar style and characterization as the manga. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its wonderful characters!
To my dearest roommate Jessica
The person who got me addicted to Fruits Basket
Chapter 1: Introduction
Snow was lightly falling into a blanket covering the quiet streets of the small town. The trees lay bare, and few shoppers darted between stores in hopes of avoiding the cold. The scene was pristine, only to be interrupted by a shock of orange hair belonging to a man pressing his face against the window display of a jewelry shop. Never before had someone looked more out of place than Kyo Sohma did currently. Eyes wide and cheeks red, he stared blankly into the shop, where various necklaces, rings, and bracelets were mocking him with exorbitant prices. Kyo sighed, turned to face the street, and leaned against the window.
"This is ridiculous, all that money just for a stupid ring," he muttered to himself. It had been a year since Kyo and Tohru Honda had left Tokyo for his studies, and they currently lived in a cheap apartment near the dojo where he trained. Kyo opened and examined his wallet, only to close it immediately after, since it was near empty. They didn't live luxuriously, but they were happy.
What appeared to be a couple with locked arms walked out of the jewelry shop, and Kyo, without glancing up, moved to the side to allow the display to be visible. The couple stopped where he had been standing and started inspecting the rings.
"Oh my, how extremely dazzling these rings are, my dear, could it be we've found something comparable to your beauty?" A man asked. Kyo gagged and turned away: he couldn't stand couples like this.
"Dearest, be careful when you tease, you may just hurt my feelings!" a second man replied.
"Yes!" they said in unison.
Kyo's head shot up only to realize that Ayame and Shigure were in fact the pair he assumed to be a couple.
"Wha…what…you two…why….here…?" Kyo faltered.
"What's wrong, Kyon-kichi, cat got your tongue?" Ayame asked. The two men roared with laughter.
Kyo turned around and began to quickly walk home.
"Now, now, Kyo-chan," Shigure chided, "Don't be so mean! Don't let us interfere with your shopping trip!"
Kyo smirked. As if they could do anything but that.
"Kyon-kichi," Ayame practically sang, "Could it be that you were looking for an engagement ring for our precious Tohru-kun?"
"Since his face is brighter than his hair, I'm guessing that's exactly what he was doing, Aya," Shig joined. "Oh dear, our little Kyo-Kyo is all grown up!"
Ayame threw his arms in the air, phone in hand, and promptly called the first number on speed dial.
"Tori-chan, you'll never guess who Shig and I just ran into! Little Kyon-kichi, and he's buying Tohru-chan an-"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPORT TO HATORI ALL THE TIME, YOU LOUSY SNAKE!" Kyo yelled, grabbing the phone out of Ayame's perfectly manicured hand. "What are you two doing here anyway?" he added suspiciously. "Where's your wife, Ayame, and where's Akito?"
"Why we're here? That, Kyo-chan, is a surprise. We would like to visit Miss Honda, if she's," Shigure threw a derisive glance at the engagement rings "…Available..?"
Shoppers slowed down when passing the group on the sidewalk, taking in the visual of the two grown men standing in the snow, one in complete traditional get-up and the other in a lace-embroidered gown. Kyo exhaled and begrudgingly led them towards the apartment.
He felt like he should call Tohru and warn her of the impending visitors, but Shigure firmly announced he wanted to surprise her. The three men trudged through the snow and made their way down the street.
"So Kyo-kun, how's the married life, are you a daddy yet? Shigure inquired.
"We're not married, and stop saying strange things, pervert!" Kyo reprimanded. They turned down a small side street and entered a snowy courtyard surrounded by old apartments constructed in a traditional style. Stairs led up to an outdoor hallway, where wall lights marked each apartment door with a luminous glow, giving the dwellings an almost ethereal feeling. The door closest to the stairs was different, though; it seemed brighter, more cheerful even, and just as Kyo glanced up, it swung open as if on cue. Dressed in a white knit dress with her dark hair loosely tied behind her head, Tohru beamed from the second floor down at the visitors that had just arrived.
"Ah! Welcome Ayame-san, Shigure-san! What a surprise! Please come in and get out of the cold, I will make some tea!" Tohru greeted them each with a quick nod as they walked through the door. When Kyo walked in last, she leaned up and pecked him on the cheek.
Ayame scooped Tohru up before she had a chance to get to the kitchen and whined, "Now, Tohru-chan, where's Uncle Aya's hug?"
"Sorry!" she laughed, "I always forget that we can do that now!"
Once the tea was ready, they all sat around the table, discussing the latest news.
"Well, I'm sure you've heard about Mine by now, yes? She's due in July to have a baby boy," Eyes sparkling, Ayame rejoiced "Yun-Yun will finally be an uncle, ah, how I hope the child is just like little brother!" He threw his silver hair over his shoulder and smiled blissfully at Tohru.
"And of course, I assume you've been in touch with Akito this past year?" Shigure added.
Tohru nodded and exclaimed, "Yes! She emailed me recently about the many trips you have taken this year, the photos were lovely! I'm surprised to see you actually, since you two just returned from Germany the other day, did you not? Please, excuse my discourtesy, but may I ask the purpose of your and Ayame-san's visit? Will you be staying with us for long? I can set up a spare room..?"
"Don't encourage them!" Kyo interjected, glaring at Shigure who was smiling sweetly at him in return.
"Do not worry yourself, Miss Honda," Shigure cooed, "We plan to leave for Tokyo today. However, we intend for you and Kyo-kun to come with us."
"Wha?" Kyo and Tohru said simultaneously.
"What's with this short notice?" Kyo hissed, "I train every day at the dojo, and Tohru works at the school as a guidance counselor! We can't just pick up our things and go!"
"Why do you plan to bring us to Tokyo, Shigure-san?" Tohru asked, "Did something happen?"
"As for your worries Kyo-kun, Aya and I already took the liberty to call the dojo and the Tohru's school to inform them of your absence. And to answer your question, Tohru.." Shigure turned and gazed out the window, watching the snow falling slowly outside.
"Akito wishes to uphold the tradition of New Years with a banquet for the zodiac." However, unlike past years, family and friends are invited, including you and Kyo-kun. Akito was very much hoping that Miss Honda could come." Tohru's eyes grew wide for a moment, and she stood up suddenly, still holding her tea.
"This is wonderful! Seeing everyone for New Years, ah, but I do not have gifts! But of course, we must pack quickly! Will anything in the refrigerator spoil while we are away? Ah, and Kyo-kun…" Tohru paused, horrified, and turned to face Kyo. "Ah, Kyo, I'm so sorry, I got carried away! I did not even ask if you wanted to go…"
Kyo returned her gaze for a moment, and then smiled. He joined her in standing and tenderly took the tea out of her hands and placed it on the table. She grabbed his hand, obviously still feeling like she horribly offended Kyo by accepting the invitation.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped," Kyo agreed. Tohru smiled cheerfully.
"He's gotten soft" Shigure whispered.
"Yep, soft!" Ayame agreed.
"Ah," Tohru stopped, "but how did you happen upon Kyo-kun in town? Did you all meet somewhere?"
Ayame immediately stood and proclaimed, "Yes, Yes, Tohru-chan! How could we forget? Shigure and I saw Kyon-kichi shopping for an engag-"
"SHUT IT YOU STUPID SNAKE!" Kyo yelled while leaping across the room, tackling Ayame to the floor.
"Oh dear, it seems Kyo-kun doesn't want you to know Miss Honda," Shigure tittered, "You should leave him for an honest man, like Aya and me."
"YOU CALL THAT A MAN?" Kyo snarled, struggling with an amused Ayame who had taken up an attempt to tickle Kyo.
Tohru smiled at them, thoroughly confused as to what had just happened, but happy that Kyo seemed so friendly around their guests.
"I should clean up and pack!" she excused herself from the room, shaking her head at Shigure's comment "Aya, I thought you only liked tickling me." Away from the noise, she hurriedly filled her and Kyo's bags with a few outfits. She also changed into clothes for the cold and wrapped herself in the scarf Kyo had bought for her. Before zipping up her bag, she sat down on their bed and picked up the photo of her parents from the bedside table.
"Mother, Father…" Tohru whispered, " Kyo-kun and I are going back to the Sohma residence to see our dear friends," She placed the photo back on the table, stood up, and grabbed the suitcases. "Please, watch over our home! We will return soon!"
With one last glance at the photo, Tohru switched off the lights and joined the group prepared to leave. Kyo, taking his suitcase and her outstretched hand, leaned down and asked, "Are you excited to see everyone?"
Grinning, she squeezed his hand and replied, "More than anything!"
Braving the cold, the group left the apartment and headed for the train station, eager to begin their journey back to Tokyo.
"Are they on their way?" Rin murmured, entranced by the patterns her breath made on the icy window.
"They should be on the train by now. She will be here soon," Hatsuharu assured, brushing his fingers through her long, black hair along the small of her back. Rin leaned into him and sighed.
"I don't know if I can tell her, Haru. She'll… I can't…"
"We will tell her, Rin. And she will listen. That's all we can do."
Still looking out at the snow, Rin felt him wipe a single tear off her face.
"Tohru," Rin breathed, "Please come back…"
To be continued