"Fruits Basket"

Prologue

I placed my hands on the railing of the balcony looking at the sea. The breeze blew through my hair, making me smile. A door opened behind me.

"Koorina?"

"Hmm?" I said, turning to the man I lived with, a radiant smile on my face. "Isn't this beautiful Akito?"

He slightly smiled at me, coming out to greet me. "Koorina, do you understand how dangerous it is for if someone sees you out here?"

"Oh, but Akito! Look at this sunset! You can't tell me it isn't wonderful,"I said passionately, kissing his cheek. "It's almost as beautiful as you are."

He let out a chuckle. "You've always been the only one who could get by with words like those. You actually mean them don't you?"

I nodded, looking back at the ocean. "I don't like to flatter people."

He tugged on a strand of my light bluish-white hair thoughtfully, "why don't you come in and we----."

"May I watch the sunset, Akito? Please?" I asked, cutting him off.

He stood behind me and put his arms around my shoulders, resting his chin on the top of my head. "I have to send you away," he said, "I can't think when you're around."

I chuckled, knowing the words were true. Akito couldn't lie to me....but I had been lying to him the entire time I'd been living with him. I'd told him I was 17 years old; working as a nurse for Hatori Sohma. In reality I was 20 years old, going to a college in the states. I hadn't, however, lied to him about possessing a curse.

I stood content, watching the sea in my best friend's arms.

"Hi, guys!" I said happily when I arrived at Akito's relatives house. "You'll never believe this."

"What, Akito's mad because we skipped the meeting?" Kyo asked.

"Well, that, and I'm coming to live with you," I said conversationally, like it was no big deal.

"No way, Koorina. You're not living with us," Kyo objected, shaking his head.

I looked at Shigure. "Oh, please Shigure?" I hugged myself. "I have no where else to go." I sniffled, tears coming to my eyes. "I can't go back to Akito, because I mess up his concentration too much."

"Now, now a beautiful face like yours shouldn't be marred by tears," said a voice quite familiar to me. I looked up at Yuki's older brother Ayame, and went into his arms. "It's been so long since we've seen each other, Koori."

I nodded into his chest. "Yeah Aya. How have you been?"

"Good. I came to visit my little brother for a bit."

I moved back, smiling at him. "Oh. Well can you talk Shigure into letting me stay?"

"I think you've already got him hooked, Koorina," said Yuki, gesturing to Shigure, who had my backpack on his back.

Ayame took my hand. "Let's go eat. I'm hungry."

"Yeah, me too," I said. "But I have to help Shigure with my stuff."

"He's a big boy. He can do it," Ayame said with a grin, pulling me along with him. I tossed Shigure a "Thank-you and -I'm-sorry" glance. He's only reply was a wink and thumbs up.

"Wow, Aya! You really know how to treat a woman!" I said with a smile at my friend. "How did you know I love spaghetti?"

"Just a hunch," he said, taking a bite of his pasta.

"I like,' I said with a smile, "That hunch was good." I paused. "That was no hunch you jerk! You turned into a snake and somehow heard me say that I love spaghetti!"

He laughed. "I wondered how long it would take you to figure that out," he said.

I sighed, then ate some of my pasta. "Yup. I should have known that's how you work, Ayame Sohma."

He hugged me. "Yeah. Hey, have you met our newest resident yet?"

"No....."

"Akito didn't tell you about Tohru?"

"No. Who's Tohru? It sounds like another family member or something."

"She is.....In a way. Kyo and little brother don't fight nearly as much when she's around," he said cheerfully.

"Has she tried to take my Haru?!" I demanded, then checked to see if my heart was still beating.

"No, not yet," he replied as if it was no big deal. "Everyone talks about you, though, and she really wants to meet you."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, as long as she stays away from my Haru."

He laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, Koorina. You're just as jealous as ever."

"I have a right to be," I said, taking another bite of my pasta. "Akito is going to hurt Yuki and Kyo."

I sighed again, staring at the table, my heart hurting with the pain of seeing Yuki in my mind's eye, scared to death of my Akito. I remembered how angry Akito had been when Yuki was at least 12, sitting in a room by himself, nothing to keep him company.

"Hey, hey, stop. As long as your friends with Akito, nothing can hurt Yuki right?"

I looked at Ayame. "That's not true. Akito's furious with both of them for not showing at new years"

He ruffled my hair. "You'll get through to him, Koori. You always do," he told me, getting up. "Let's go home. Tohru's really is anxious to meet the most favored family member."

"K'ina! K'ina!" shouted my little bunny friend Momiji as I walked in the door. "Why are you here?"

I smiled at the 14-year-old. "Akito told me I messed up his concentration."

"You are beautiful enough to do so, Koorina," said my friend Hatsuharu. He's 25, just a little older than me.

"Looking good," I commented. "You haven't changed.

"You either," he said in a silky way, walking around behind me. I felt his hands on my arms. "You've maybe gotten more....." He put his mouth close to my ear. "Attractive...." He moved back in front of me, smiling in the mysterious way he always did. I caught myself taking a deep breath to try to keep my heart rate down.

"Are you okay K'ina?"

I looked at momiji. "Yeah.... I think so," I laughed. "Oh Haru, you're such a flirt."

He grinned. "It's nice for you to be here, Koorina."

Momiji wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me tightly. "Come! We will meet Tohru together!"

I laughed as Momiji took my hand and led me into the kitchen. I noticed a dark-haired girl wearing an apron.

"Tohru! Tohru! Look!" Momiji said, pushing me in.

"Hi, I'm—."

Tohru's face was bright with a radiant smile. "You're Koorina!"

I nodded. "Yes....the most favored Sohma."

"But—," Momiji started, stopping so I could finish.

"I'm not a Sohma." I finished for him. "I'm from a different household. Akito just Favors me above all."

"Why don't they change when they hug you?" she asked.

"I'm cursed with a possessed spirit as well, sweetie," I said, rolling up my sleeves to help the poor girl with dinner.

"Which one?"

"The sheep. Like Hiro," I answered, turning the water on to wash my hands.

"Wow," she said in wonder. I commenced to help her cut some vegetables for a salad. "You're very pretty, Koorina."

I couldn't keep my face from turning red. "Thanks, you too."

She laughed. "I'm not that pretty," she told me "I don't like spending time on myself."

"You're a sweet girl, Tohru. Have you met my Akito yet?"

She nodded, "Yes. He's very....gentle."

I let out a chuckle. "No he isn't."

"What do you mean?"

"He's a superb actor. He may genuinely like you, Tohru. Don't feel bad. I can ask him if he approves of you."

"Will you?" she asked.

I giggled. "Sure." she was cute, but still, I decided I'd wait a bit before trusting her.

"Ta da!" we announced when everyone came in for dinner. "What do you think?"

Hatsuharu looked at me and winked. "I like the waitress."

I blushed, suddenly self-conscious. I pulled my skirt down. "Really?" Then I grinned. "Will I get a tip, sir?"

"Most definitely," he said, coming to me. My heart started to pound, but I brushed off the unusual feeling.

"Oh? What might that tip be?"

"Come to my room and see," he said, and I detected a growl in his voice that I found very attractive.

"I may just take you up on that offer," I said playfully, putting my arms around his neck.

He put his forehead against mine. "Oh, I hope so, Rini," he whispered so only I could hear.

"There's children about, you two," Shigure said good-naturedly. "Get a room."

"I plan to," Haru said, giving a meaningful look at me.

My face felt like it was on fire when I sat down beside Tohru. "To think I'm not used to that by now," I muttered, which made her laugh.

"I'm not either," she said. "Aren't oxen and sheep supposed to fight?"

"She's an exception to the rule," said Haru, biting into his food. "Dogs and sheep are supposed to fight, but somehow she's wormed her way into Sensei's heart.

I nodded. "I'm different, I guess that's why I was ostracized by my family in the states.

"Different? How do you mean?" Tohru asked.

"Well, I turn into a sheep, for starters. I don't know. I guess my family was just looking for a way to get rid of me," I said cheerfully. "But other than that I'm good."

Tohru laughed, "Oh."

Shigure put his arm around my shoulders. "Yeah, she's my little sis."

"No I'm not!" I protested. "I don't wanna be related to you guys! I won't be able to date my Hatsuharu!"

"True....."

"See? Problem solved." I paused, eyeing Yuki and Kyo. "Hey Akito's mad at you by the way."

"Why is that not surprising?" Kyo said.

"Well you guys did choose to skip New Year's!" I said, eating my dinner.

"We wanted to be with Tohru," Yuki said.

I nodded, swallowing before I spoke. "Yeah but you know how Akito is. I may be able to save your butt's this time, but I can't keep doing that."

"Then don't," Kyo said forcefully. "We can take anything Akito can dish out."

"No, you can't!" I insisted. "That's what Hatori thought, but....you know what happened to him."

The table was quiet until I decided to break the silence. "I'll talk to him when I go back in a couple of days."

"But K'ina! I thought you were going t stay forever!" Momiji said, sounding as if he was going to burst into tears.

"No, sweetie. I'm just going to talk to him. I know I'll miss him terribly," I said, taking another bite. I looked at Haru, noticing that he was watching me. A tingle went down my spine, but I ignored it, trying to pass it off as a chill in the air.

"I'm going to my room, guys!" I called, waving behind me. Hatsuharu followed me down the dark hallway. "Koorina," he said, catching my arm. He somehow spun me and slammed my back against the wall. He put a hand over my mouth to muffle any kind of sound I might be making.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said removing his hand slowly. "I just want...."

He put his forehead against mine, like earlier, his hands trapping me. I stared into his eyes, hoping and praying that this wasn't the black Haru I was talking to. "What do you want?" I whispered, his body quite close to mine.

He smiled. "You know me by now. What do you think I want?"

His lips were only a breath away from mine. "But Haru.....Akito will..."

"Akito can go to hell," Haru said, narrowing his eyes.

My heart beat madly as if it was trying to burst out of my chest. My eyes widened at his dark expression. I forgot how fast my Haru can get mad... "Haru, I'm sorry," I said, my face feeling hot. I was blushing again. "Please give me some time to think!"

He moved away, his back to me. My heart beat painfully, as if telling me the quilt was going to bust it.

I sighed, knowing in my heart that something told me we'd get into a fight. We always do.

I went to bed, trying not to cry.