Tohru Honda stood at the stove gently humming to herself, tunelessly.
"I just know that today is going to be a great day, Mom, just look at the weather! I love the spring," murmured the beautiful chestnut-haired girl to the picture on the ledge. The sun shone brightly through the window and landed on the face of the man who had just entered the kitchen. Shigure looked positively angelic with all that light beaming down on him. With a matching seraphic smile he yawned and stretched saying,
"Good morning my little flower, what might my lovely housewife be treating me with this morning?"
Tohru giggled warmly and blushed, "Oh, well it's nothing special really. And it's no trouble to cook for you. We're only having miso soup, gohan (steamed rice) and melon anyway."
There came a grunt and moan from the doorway as Kyo Souma trudged into the room sluggishly and snapped, "I didn't hear you. What are we having?"
Shigure popped up behind the grouchy cat and pinched his cheek playfully.
"Now, Kyon-Kyon I really do think that you should be more polite to our dear Tohru. If you upset her then she might decide that she's better off somewhere people appreciate her more. You wouldn't want to go back to Yuki's home cooking, would you?"
Gracefully Shigure ended up behind Tohru again and bent down low to her neck, drew her hair back with his delicate fingers and whispered into her ear,
"You know I'll always appreciate you, don't you?" The cool air tickled her neck and she blushed a deep crimson. A couple of months ago this type of behaviour from Shigure would have sent her into a tizzy and she would have felt uncomfortable. But now...
*CLONK!!!*
The rat let loose a vicious blow on the dog's head.
"Shigure, leave her alone or I'll call the police," the silver-haired youth said in a thick just-woken-up kind of voice.
"Aiieee! Yuki you're so mean I was only being nice!" Shigure said with a little laugh.
"Well, if I catch you being so nice to Miss Honda and bothering her again, I'll call Hatori and we'll see how amused he is."
Delicious smells filled the kitchen and a mutual grumble was heard from three stomachs. This familiar sight made Tohru smile. There was Kyo, who was never a morning person, Shigure, the funny flirty older man who still held the biggest element of mystery for Tohru and Yuki, the polite kind boy with the glittering silver hair who always looked out for her. Tohru Honda felt her heart swell and her eyes prick as she looked at them and smiled.
"Breakfast's ready!"
When they were all seated at the kotatsu and eating Shigure put down his chopsticks and cleared his throat, totally serious now.
"Yuki, Kyo, after school today there is something that I would like you to do for me please."
"What!" spat the cat, not in the best of moods.
"Well, Akito has requested your presence up at the main house and I thought that the sooner you see him, the better. So if you wouldn't mind, after school today."
"Do you have any idea what he wants?" Yuki asked,
"Well, I'm not sure but I think it has to do with your graduation."
The forthcoming date had been looming on the horizon for months now. The two teenage boys looked at each other with the same feeling of grief. It was apparent that they both had deep feelings for the girl that would probably soon be leaving them. Since she had been living in the Sohma household, Tohru's grades had improved dramatically and the boys were both certain that she would graduate and then be able to go and study Law at any university of her choice. However, their own future was still unclear.
Kyo's mind raced and as he thought of visiting Akito he was reminded that he was still not a true member of the Zodiac, and this gave him a little comfort because Akito had a lot less power over Kyo than he did Shigure and Yuki.
The room was silent apart from the sounds of chopsticks now and, feeling inclined to break the awkward silence, Tohru chimed,
"I don't have to work this evening because it's Mr. Kyouya's (my employer's) birthday and he is celebrating with his family. I thought maybe I could make a picnic and we could invite Momiji and Haru? But if Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun are busy I suppose that we'll just have to do it another time."
Shigure felt a tingle up his spine as he thought about spending precious time alone with this kind-hearted, attractive girl. Time that wouldn't be manipulated by those two, whom he was sure that she had feelings for. This was a chance to have Tohru to himself and he certainly wasn't going to waste it. A plan began to formulate in his mind.
"Another time? What and spoil all this careful planning that you have obviously done? No, no my little wifey you shall have your picnic! I'll call Momiji and Haru right away!" he said loudly and pranced his way to the phone.
"Oh yes. Arigato gozaimasu. Breakfast was delicious." He added as he popped his head back through the sliding doors.
Yuki pushed the remainder of his food around the bowl, looking thoughtful.
"Hmmm, I guess that's sorted then. I hope you have a good time Miss Honda. A few words of advice though, please be careful of Shigure. I know you have lived with us this long without incidence, but still… Don't be lulled by Shigure's outer appearances. Even we, who have spent years and years with him still don't feel like we know him." Yuki's words confused Tohru slightly, but she thought that she understood the basic message.
"Yeah Shigure's such a perve" Kyo added. Yep, that was the abridged lecture.
"I'm sure everything will be perfectly fine. I promise I'll save you some food for when you get back from the main house."
With that, Tohru Honda cleared all the plates, grabbed her school things and departed the house, making sure to wish Shigure a nice day before she left. He answered,
"You too Tohru-kun, I cant wait for our date tonight!" Winking, he waved her goodbye.
As she walked to school between her orange and silver haired companions, she felt a strange thrill. Even though Momiji-kun and Hatsuharu-san were going to be there, there would still be the walk home. Alone. With Shigure. Kyo and Yuki-kun's words of warning still rang in her ears but Tohru was unusually excited about spending time alone with the older enigmatic man, no bickering from the cat and the rat (whom, of course, she also loved dearly, even if they were a pain). She was no longer the young and innocent girl that had arrived at the Sohma household three years ago, and she had grown very close with all the memebers of the house. With a serene smile on her face, she and the boys walked into school. It was going to be the longest day of her life…