A/N: Finally! Chapter three! Ugh, I think I just confused myself with this chapter XD Oh well. Somehow I find this chapter very necessary. Anyways enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it.

Chapter Three: Surprising Gentleness

Despite Koshu's beginning fondness for Tohru, he was always so… distant. Each day that had passed had made Tohru wonder if something was wrong. Maybe it was like Kyou case. With him being the outcast as the cat in the zodiac, no one really cared to be around him. Perhaps Koshu felt like he was hated by her, or maybe he felt that though Tohru was kind, she wasn't genuine. Considering the fact that she was very giving and enchanting to almost everyone she met, it did seem to appear fake from one's view.

'If only he would just talk to me… Let me know what was on his mind.' The somber brunet turned another corner with her aunt, tears pricking at the edges of her eyes. 'It seems that lately, everyone has been leaving my side. Grandpa… I can't ever see him again.'

"Tohru, it is not good to cry out in public," her aunt lectured, "it shows everyone how weak you are." Hard brown eyes turned on blue. "I know you're sad about your grandfather being gone, but it was inventible. The old man had to go sooner or later." With a rude end to her sentence, she moved her eyes back to the front, leaving a distressed girl behind her.

"I… suppose you're right," Tohru whispered more to herself than anyone. Jogging sloppily, she attempted to catch up to her aunt despite the blurriness her tears had given her eyesight. Stepping into her Aunt's car, they headed to Mr. Honda's funeral in utter silence.


With each word the priest said, Tohru felt like she was fading farther and farther away into the darkness that seemed to surround her. Her happiness from earlier all but vanished as she curled up into a ball in her seat, sobbing quietly. The ones related to her didn't even try to offer any show of comfort to the girl. In all honesty, they didn't even care that the man was gone, they were only worried about the bills and who got what in the will that he left.

Everything and everyone around her slowly disappeared as she was soon left alone next to the grave of the last one that she considered the best people. She had no idea how to cope with this last loss. Her father left her at a very young age, and later on her mother passed on too. Both times she had a family member to lean on. But now that last one was gone, and she didn't know who to go to. It reached five P.M. when she finally stopped crying.

By now, the sun was fading into the horizon, making it cast a depressing light over the upset school girl. Slowly, the broken girl rose, wiping her now bloodshot eyes. Her orbs holding agonizing pain and depression looked to her observer's own. As the man began to speak, she crashed into him, locking her arms around the newly transformed person. Pools of soaked fur matted to the lion as he grown and purred soothingly to attempt to ease her pain.

"He's gone, he left, he won't come back," Tohru whimpered into the Leo's fur.

"Everyone parts with this world one way or another, no one can stay around forever, but everyone can try to ease the fears of loss with love and care while they are still here. Tohru, come, let us head home, we don't want to getting sick." Koshu glanced at her with his green eyes as he got up from the ground. Paws settling on the uncomfortable concrete, he nudged the arms off from around his mane. "Everyone is worried about you; let us return to the house." He gently moved her from the ground onto his back by carefully pushing and lifting with his mouth. "Everything will be alright. No matter where your grandfather resides, he'll always be with you. Just like your mother and father. Even if they may not be living, they will always flutter around your heart, no one ever fully leaves. Something is always going to be there to remind someone of them. Do not weep for the dead."

As they reached their home, he realized that the sobbing girl was asleep. Moving the rice paper door with his paw, he entered, walking up to her room and rolling on his side to unload his haul. Taking one last look at the quiet girl, he walked out.


A/N: Well, yeah, kinda sad. This was more of a filler chapter, so sorry for it not being long. . I will try harder for the next update, promise!

Peace!

Miko-Stone