Chapter 3

As the day came to an end, the Sohma household gathered around the table for the delicious dinner Tohru and once again made up for them; Miso soup with rice and some cooked salmon in a seasoned sauce. Tohru fidgeted for a moment as everyone tried her cooking; "So…" She bit her lip in worry, "Is it good? Not too much is it?"

"It's good Miss Honda." Yuki said in approval.

"Wonderful!" Shigure cooed, "Absolutely wonderful my beautiful flower!" He begun to cry over his chop sticks, "Ah, Tohru's home cooking! I would live off this for the rest of my life!" He took more bites from the salmon with glee.

Tohru looked over at Rachel, who seemed to be picking at the salmon. "Bayley, do you like it?" She asked timidly.

Rachel looked up from the salmon, and smiled nervously, "I've, never had salmon before…" Her smile faltered slightly, "I don't know what to do, honestly." She picked up a slice clumsily with her chopsticks and went to take a bite, before it slipped and fell into her Miso soup. And began digging around for the slice, retrieving half of it from the bottom. She laughed nervously.

Tohru giggled along with Rachel, "Well, what type of things did you use to eat? When you were in Australia?" She watched Rachel pull a face as she took a bite from the salmon, and turning slightly green. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay Rachel?" She watched Rachel grab her stomach and shut her eyes tightly. Tohru ran over and helped Rachel up the stairs and outside the bathroom.

Rachel waved her off, "It's okay, I was just expecting something different…" She hiccupped, looking over at Tohru with her hand over her mouth. "Well, at least I got 'trying salmon' off my bucket list." She removed her hand and laughed, Tohru joining her. Rachel looked down when they stopped laughing, deep in thought. "Tohru…"

Tohru's smile turned into worry, "Bayley, are you okay?" She looked down to get a glimpse of her face. "You feel ill again?" She watched Rachel shake her head.

"No it's not that…" She murmured. "I just think, maybe, we should tell the others, you know, the fact I'm a girl?"

Tohru froze up, "Oh right! I completely forgot!" Her eyes softened, "Yeah, maybe we should go tell them, it would be for the best for them to know, right?" Rachel nodded in agreement. The two headed downstairs and back into the room. Tohru instantly became nervous and fidgeted with her skirt.

"What's wrong dear Tohru?" Shigure asked innocently, receiving glares from the other two boys at the table.

Tohru stuttered for a moment, she looked at Rachel who shrugged and gave her an approving smile. "Rachel, He- She- He- Knows! About- About the…" She stammered and pointed at Yuki, "And Yuki knows that he- she's and curse and-" She collapsed slightly to the ground with a moan, her face slightly red and swirling eyes. Kyo and Yuki both moved towards her with their hands up as if to attempt to catch her if she fell completely.

Shigure shook his head, "Tohru, Tohru, Tohru. Whatever it is I'm sure it's fine. Nothing to worry about, we can handle it." He got sceptical looks from everyone but Tohru. "So Tohru, what exactly did the little boy find out?"

Tohru quickly turned serious. "She found out the secret."

"She?"

"Yes."

"So Rachel's a girl?" Shigure asked, not too bothered, while Kyo little fell down to the ground with a huge thud. Kyo quickly got up and pointed at Shigure, "She just found out the secret and your more worried about if she's a girl or boy?"

Shigure laughed at Kyo, "Well, at least I know now not to walk in on her in the bathroom." He placed a hand behind his head and laughed loudly. Soon after he crashed to the ground.

"You-"

"-Sick-"

"-Pervert!"

Rachel walked back into the room, "Um, Tohru?" Tohru turned around to Rachel in interest. "Not that Yuki's clothes aren't comfortable and all but…" The shirt she was wearing was quite low, and as a 'boy' it wouldn't be too bad, but because they knew she was a girl…

Tohru nodded a determined look on her face. "Oh it's okay Rachel! I'll get you some of my clothes! I have some small ones that don't fit me, you can have them!" She got up and ran quickly upstairs and then back down with a bag. "Here you go Rachel!" She smiled brightly. Rachel looked at the bag with eyes wide, thinking how fast she was able to get all those clothes. Tohru handed over the clothes, nudging her in the direction of the stairs.

Rachel tripped over the first stair, just barely catching herself. "Um, thanks?" She said, more of a question than an actual thank you. She trudged up the stairs and to her room; her and Yuki's. 'I wonder if I'll change rooms...' She thought to herself, closing the door behind her. She opened the bag, sneezing at the little bit of dust that came out. Picking out a simple white shirt and green skirt that looked very old, she slipped into them. She found they were very comfortable, they must have been worn in. She trudged down the stairs, thumping her way down until she reached the living room, "Sorry about all this." She kneeled down and hung her head low.

Shigure smiled brightly, "Ah, what a cute little girl we have here, I can tell you're a girl just by looking at you now!" He shrunk down when he saw Yuki and Kyo's deadly glares. "Now, Rachel. Since you know of the curse, I believe there are some things you should know…" He suddenly was serious, "First off, yes. Yuki and I are all apart of the Zodiac, that's what we call the curse, Kyo transforms as well, however isn't apart of the group. He's what we call 'excluded'." – Kyo had veins popping everywhere on his head. – "On another note, it would be appreciated if you didn't tell anyone of the curse. Saves us the trouble of erasing the memories of others, and although you and Tohru are an exception by Akito, he may change at any time so…" His bright smile returned, "Until then, please stay as long as you like." He received a hesitant nod from Rachel. "Well…" – he got up and stretched. – "I'm going to sleep. It's been a long day…" He let go of the rest of his breath and headed to his room.

The rest of them sat in awkward silence, Tohru piped up; "So, you know what Yuki's Zodiac animal is. Can you guess Shigure's, or Kyo's?"

"Dog and cat." Rachel stated simply, she smiled at them despite their shocked glances. 'As long as I'm here I may as well act somewhat physic.' She inwardly laughed evilly to herself. "But personally, my favourite Zodiac would have to be the rat, if I had to pick. Although I was born a dog, and I'm allergic to cats." She moved towards Yuki, "So I guess we can be friends, right?" She smiled brightly at him.

Yuki leaned back a bit, "Of course Bayley." He said, slightly pink at the closeness, if she was a 'boy' still, he wouldn't feel bothered, but now he's just more aware to the fact that she's a girl now.

Rachel sat back into her original position and clapped happily, "You're so awesome! I love you!" She then grinned at him, "In a purely friendly way, of course." She turned to Kyo, "Kyo, you're the cat right?" – She received a grunt of annoyance from Kyo. – "That's so cool! And Tohru, you seem like the type to love the cat, from the story right?"

Tohru and Kyo blushed madly, "Well, I've always liked the cat of the Zodiac! Always." She looked down to her lap, "So… R-Rachel… What are you going to do with the school? I mean, you're known as a male student there…" She mumbled slightly.

Rachel pondered the thought, "Honestly, I was more worried about the fact I'm sharing a room with a boy at the moment…" She looked over at Yuki. "Not that I mind, it just, might give off the wrong impression. That's all." Yuki nodded in agreement.

"If you don't mind then why don't you just stay there? If you don't care and all." Kyo said, leaning back into his arms. "I mean if people find out they think you're a boy so they won't care. It's not a problem."

Rachel shrugged, "Guess you do have a point." She fell back onto the ground, "I can't be bothered changing anyway," – She turned her head to Yuki. – "Looks we're roomies for good huh?" She winked at him and laughed at the shocked face he pulled after the wink. She smiled and closed her eyes, feeling her mind drift off to sleep slightly. She sighed slightly at how comfortable she felt, despite the fact she was on the hard ground.

"Rachel's quite the character, isn't… He." Tohru said, almost saying she was a girl by mistake. They watched as Rachel scribbled various drawings on her new school shoe, taking the pale aqua slipper to a beautiful array of different pictures, such as waves, food and some pencils and erasers. Uo nodded with Tohru as they sat there in wonder.

"It is hard to believe he is a boy." Saki said blankly, nibbling on the chips she had packed for lunch, and reaching for another rice ball Tohru had made for everyone.

"And he seems to be clinging to the prince as well," - Uo pointed out, as Rachel and Yuki sat together. - "If I didn't know he was a boy, I would think that they would be a couple." They watched as Rachel pointed out something on her shoe and sneaked something small from Yuki's obento.

"Um, excuse me…"

The whole group turned towards the three girls who timidly stood at the door to the roof. Rachel piped up, 'It's those girls from before.' Rachel stood up, smiling. "Hey guys!" She waved at them, and then watched their shy expression; "Is something wrong?" She walked over to them, noticing something new and shiny on their uniform.

"No, nothing… Prince Bayley. We were, just wondering if you could help us with our… English homework." Maroke said, her long black hair pulled back with a headband and covering the shiny object on her uniform. She looked at Rachel, and then shyly lowered her head.

"Prince Bayley?" Rachel asked in shock, and then laughed slightly. "Oh you after Yuki too?" She watched as their all nod their heads thoroughly, and then Rachel saw it. The badge on their uniform, it was just like the Prince Yuki Fan Club's badge, but… The 'Y' that used to be there, was halved. And the other half of the badge was…

A 'B'.

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise, "Um…" She watched them look up at her with pleading eyes, "Okay. I'll help you." She gave in, still surprised about the members of the new-found club. She turned to the others with a confused expression, "Um Yuki do you want to help these girls with English homework with me?" She called to Yuki, who was watching the conversation the whole time, and received a nod from him. She turned back to the girls, who smiled shyly at her, she grinned at them, "Smart thinking, asking an Australian to help with English homework." She laughed lightly, causing the girls to laugh too.

The girls smiled brightly and happily up at Rachel, "Thank you so much!" Ri stated excitingly. Akaya nodded soon after, and led Rachel and Yuki to a school room, to help them with their 'homework'.

As they sat down in some of the chairs, Rachel comfortably drew a chair closer to the three girls, while Yuki kept a slight distance. "So," Rachel started, "What are you having trouble with?" She asked, while looking down at the sheet of paper. 'Hm, there's actual writing on this paper, and it looks like the type of things I learnt in grade 2. By the looks of it, they are studying how to speak about weekends…'

Akaya pointed to a few questions; "We're having trouble with these questions, there are some things in there that we haven't learnt yet because of the Prince Bay-" Ri covered her mouth quickly, "Because of other commitments!" She said quickly, glaring at her friend.

Rachel nodded, "Well," She laughed, "What can you pick up from the exercise anyway?"

The girls and Rachel continued on the homework for English, while Yuki simply sat there, wondering about how strange he felt to the newly-found girl. 'It's a girl, but everyone at school, especially the girls, think she's a boy.' He watched her slightly closely. 'She seems fine with it however, is it because she used to be mistaken for a boy at her old school?' He sighed lightly, catching the attention of the girls in front of him.

Rachel looked at him annoyingly, "Boring you are we?" She said, then in a slightly deeper voice she commented, "Well, you might have fun like us if you helped. Or are you secretly horrible at English?" The annoyed face smiled evilly at him, the girls next to her looked at her with shocked looks, their thoughts along the line of; "Why is he talking like that to Prince Yuki?" They looked at Yuki for his reaction.

Yuki frowned, "I can speak English perfectly fine." He stated, "It just seems like you are doing a good job, I don't think I'm needed."

Rachel's evil grin turned shocked, "You haven't been paying attention at all!" She waved her hand over the work page; "I'm not teaching them anything, I've just given them the answers." She sighed; "Because I suck at teaching of course."

The girls turned towards Rachel with big eyes and sympathetic expressions; "No not at all, Prince Bayley!" Maroke said, shaking her head. "You're doing a great job! Thank you so much!" Her friends nodded in agreement.

"To take your time to even come here and help us," Ri began, "We are eternally in your debt." They all bowed towards Rachel.

Rachel laughed, holding her hands in front of her; "I wouldn't say eternally… It's fine." They all heard the bell ring; "Ah…" Rachel huffed, "Sorry we couldn't help you anymore, but Yuki and I have to head to class." She stood at her seat and placed it back in its original spot.

Yuki also stood and bowed towards the girls; "Sorry I couldn't help you as much as Bayley." He placed his chair back too. With Rachel, they began heading out of the classroom, Rachel waved enthusiastically at the girls; "See ya!" She called.

The girls sat back in their seats, sighing happily.

"I can't believe how lucky we are; Prince Bayley and Prince Yuki helped us with our English homework." Akaya said dreamily, her head on her hands.

Ri giggled lightly, "They are both so handsome, but I think I prefer Prince Bayley to Prince Yuki," She sat up lightly to look at her friends, "He seems to be more comfortable around girls and well, nicer, if I may say so myself." She watched her friends gasp.

"Prince Yuki will always be my number one," Maroke interjected, "Prince Bayley looks too young, but still, he is undeniably cute." Maroke smiled, brushing back her long black hair.

"Wouldn't he be wonderful if Prince Yuki and Prince Bayley got together?" Akaya asked; excited by the thought. She received mad blushes from her friends.

"Prince Bayley and Prince Yuki? Together?" Maroke questioned; shocked.

End of Chapter 3

A/N: While I'm not fussed over getting reviews, nor do I like having Author Notes, but one or two reviews is a helpful reminder that the story is actually being read. It also helps to see if people like it, and that my effort isn't being wasted. Constructive critism is helpful too, dispite the fact the whole story is completely written. (So you don't have to worry about it stopping suddenly.)

So please, a review would remind me to update, and make me a little happier. :)

Thanks. Cookies for you.