Shigure put the phone back on the hook,and sighed. He rubbed his head,which was throbbing where Kyo had hit him,and went back into the living room.
"Hikaru,may I please speak with you? Alone?"he asked,and Kyo glared.
"No way,you perv."Kyo said,but Hikaru got up and made her way toward him.
"Thank you."Shigure said,leading Hikaru into the kitchen. He opened his mouth to speak,but instead sighed. "I just got off the phone with Hatori,and he told me Akito had been discussing whether he would allow you to keep your memories of the Sohma family,and our curse."he told her. Hikaru had guessed as much,since she had found out such a big secret,and plus Yuki had already told her about the whole 'if-Akito-says-so,we'll-have-to-erase-your-memories' thing.
"What did he say?"Hikaru asked after a moment.
"Akito said that it's your choice,but if you choose you keep them you must live with us in this household."he told her,and her eyes widened.
"Oh,b-but I shouldn't trouble you,I-"she cut herself off,remembering what Kyo had told her. What your mother made you believe,it's not true. You're not selfish,you're not a burden. You're you. And you just happen to be different than everyone else,like my family...
Hikaru looked at the floor.
"I know,it's a hard choice."Shigure said,placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Tell me... you don't want to 'burden us',right?"he asked,and she shook her head. "But,you don't want to forget us,either?"he asked again,and she shook her head again. "Choose whatever you wish,but remember:Each choice you make has a consequence. Think of the possible concenquences for each,then decided."he told her,and she nodded.
"I'll think about it while I clean the kitchen..."she murmurred,and Shigure left. Kyo looked at him,still glaring.
"What were you talking with her about?"Yuki asked,also giving Shigure a suspecting look. Shigure sat down with a sigh,rubbing his forehead.
"Akito has given Hikaru a very tough decision to make,on her part."he began,and they all stared at him with their full attention.
"What do you mean?"Kyo asked,squinting at him.
"Akito has been discussing the matter of erasing Hikaru's memories."Shigure explained,and they all stiffened,Kyo in particular. "But,"Shigure added,"he said it's her choice this time. He said that if she chooses to keep them,she must continue living here,but,if she chooses to leave,then her memories will be erased."Shigure told them.
Hikaru had cleaned half the kitchen,but she hardly noticed so.
'This is so confusing... Kyo-kun says I'm not a burden,but I can't help but think I am. I don't want to trouble them,so I'd have to leave,but then I'd have to forget them. I don't want that,because then they'd be sad about it. They'd know I'd never remember,and then I really would be troubling them. But,I'm troubling them,now... aren't I? No,Kyo-kun said I'm not. But,what if I am? What if Kyo-kun was just saying that? No,he wouldn't do that. Would he? No. Y-yes...? No... I don't know!'her thoughts raced until she felt dizzy. She leaned against the counter top with a sigh,and closed her eyes. 'Ugh. This is so confusing... It frustrating!'she thought again. 'Maybe... It'd be best if I forgot? If... If my memories could be erased,couldn't they just erase theirs? But... Kyo-kun said he was my friend,didn't he? Are they all my friends? I don't know... I still wouldn't want to forget them,even if they weren't...'she thought,and she then remembered that she still had to clean the rest of the kitchen. She began cleaning again,still trying to decide. After a few minutes,she finished,and walked back into the living room. The eyes of her friends fell upon her,and she looked at her feet,not wanting to meet their gazes. There was an awkward silence,and then she looked back up.
"I..."her voice trailed off. "I don't know."she got out. "I'm sorry,but I just don't know."
"Hikaru,you're not troubling-"Kyo started.
"Kyo,no. This is her decision,don't influence her by telling her any of that."Shigure cut him off,and Kyo glared at him.
"What are you saying? Do you think she's a burden?!"Kyo asked,cleching his fists.
"No,I'm just saying not to influence her anymore than you have."Shigure said,raising his hands up in defence. Hikaru looked back at her feet,not knowing what to tell them.
"I want..."her voice trailed off again as she thought about her decision more. "I want to stay here. I want to keep my memories,I want to be friends."she told them. "I want nothing more than to stay..."her voice was shaky,but she refused to cry again.
"Are you sure that's your decision?"Shigure asked,wanting her to be absolutely sure.
"Yes. I'm very sure."she told him,looking back up to see them all smiling at her.
"Well,then,I need to ask... What's your age?"Shigure asked Hikaru,who was taken off gaurd by that question. Yuki and Kyo were both ready to beat their cousin's face in,and Tohru was clueless as to what exactly Shigure meant.
"Oh,um... I-I just turned seventeen a few months ago..."she told him.
"Then you'll need to finish highschool,am I right?"he asked,and Yuki and Kyo both relaxed.
"Um,w-well,I... Yeah."she mumbled,looking away from them again.
"Alright,then. I'll go get you registered,the school year starts next week."Shigure said,standing up. "I'll be back in a little while."he told them as he opened the front door. As soon as he left,Tohru sqealed.
"Hikaru-san! You're staying!"she hugged Hikaru tightly.
"Tohru-chan! I can't breathe!"Hikaru gasped for air,and Tohru let her go with a gasp.
"I'm so sorry,Hikaru-san! Did I hurt you?!"she asked,waving her hands frantically in the air.
"I'm okay..."Hikaru caught her breath.
"I'm glad you decided to stay,Hikaru-san."Yuki smiled,and Hikaru smiled back.
"Thank you all,for everything you've done to make me feel welcome."she bowed.
"It's no trouble."Tohru told her with a smile. Hikaru thought of asking Tohru about Saki,but decided not to at the moment. Kyo left the room after a few minutes,and Yuki excused himself to go to his secret base. Tohru and Hikaru talked with eachother,mostly about school,and if Hikaru would like it or not. Shigure came home about half an hour later.
"I'm home!"he called. "You're officially a student at Kaibara High!"he gave her a smile,and she smiled back.
"Thank you,Shigure-sama."she bowed again.
--------------------------------------
Hikaru sleepily got out of bed,and stumbled down the stairs half-awake. She was the second one to get up;Kyo was sitting at the table drinking milk(Of course! X3). Kyo noticed Hikaru was slightly out-of-it,and raised an eyebrow:Hikaru wasn't really awake yet,she was sleep-walking.
"Uh,Hikaru? You awake?"he asked as she made her way toward the table. She blinked,but didn't respond. He waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Come on,wake up."Kyo sighed when she still didn't wake. She walked in a random direction,only to bump into a wall. "Oi! You're gonna get brain damage from all the times you've hit your head!"Kyo shot up from his seat. Hikaru still didn't wake up,and Kyo was getting annoyed. He grabbed her wrist,pulled her back to the table,and sat her down. She woke up,and yawned.
"Kyo-kun...?"she asked sleepily,rubbing her eyes.
"Finally,you woke up!"he sighed.
"Was I sleep-walking again?"she asked him.
"Again? You've done it before?"
"Ever since I was four."she giggled,and Kyo couldn't help but smile. "I guess I'm nervous about school... I sleepwalk when something's bothering me or if I'm nervous about something."she sighed.
"Hey everyone's nervous about going to a new school."Kyo commented,drinking more milk.
"I guess..."Hikaru sighed. Tohru then came down,and smiled as soon as she saw them.
"Good morning!"she said,setting her schoolbag down near the front door.
"Morning."Hikaru smiled back. Yuki came down twenty minutes later,and Tohru served breakfast. After they ate,and got completely ready,they left.
"Good morning-"Shigure yawned,then was cut off by the sound of the front door closing. "Ah,I'm all alone..."Shigure sighed sadly,sitting down at the table.
"Hikaru-san,do you want me to go with you to pick up your schedule?"Yuki asked Hikaru as the four of them walked to school,and Kyo glared at nothing in particular when he heard that question. "You know,since you don't know your way around the campus."
"Oh,um... Sure."she gave him a small smile. The four talked about random things until they reached school.
"We'll see you in class!"Tohru waved goodbye as she and Kyo went their separate ways from Yuki and Hikaru.
"This way."Yuki led Hikaru around the building,and they reached the Front Office. The assistant behind the desk gave Yuki a smile.
"Hello,Yuki."she said,and he gave her a smile.
"Hello. My friend needs her schedule."Yuki gestured to Hikaru,who was focusing her attention to the wall. They left after a minute,Hikaru's schedule in her hand,and walked back around to the entrance of the school. "What class are you in,Hikaru-san?"Yuki asked. Hikaru looked at her schedule for a moment.
"Class 2-A."she told him,and he smiled.
"Well,it looks like you're in our class."he was obviously referring to himself,Tohru,and Kyo. Hikaru smiled as well.
"Looks like it."she put the schedule in the pocket of her skirt,which she noticed was longer than most of the girls's skirts. She thought about what had happened the first time she lost control,and what it did to the others around her. She thought about her mother,her brother and sister. She thought about Saki. Why did she move so suddenly,anyway? They entered the classroom together,and the teacher greeted them with a smile.
"Hello,Mr. Sohma."she said,and Yuki bowed. Hikaru bowed as well,after receiving some stares from the others in the room.
"Hello,sensei."Yuki gave her a smile.
"I suppose you're Hikaru Ishiyama?"she looked at Hikaru,who nodded. "If you want,I'll intoduce you."she wanted Hikaru to feel welcome on her first day,and she sensed Hikaru was very nervous. Hikaru looked at the floor,and Ms. Inane(EE-naw-nay) turned to the class. "We have a new student this year."her voice rang throughout the classroom,and the talking from the students ceased immediately. "Please make Ishiyama,Hikaru feel welcome."she gestured to Hikaru,who was silent. "Hikaru,would you like to tell the class a little about yourself?"she asked her,and she looked up at the students. Hikaru opened her mouth,but nothing came out. This was her past all over again;her family had moved after her father died,and this was almost exactly like her first day at her new middle school. Her heart started pounding,she couldn't supress her memories. She closed her mouth,and swallowed a lump in her throat.
She was in middle school,and her class was laughing at her. She couldn't speak,her eyes were dull and blank-
No,she was with her friends,in high school. Her heart was pounding even more,and she could feel the students stares burning a large hole in her forehead.
Ms. Yanami was trying to quiet the rest of the students down,but they just kept laughing and pointing at her-
No,no! She was trying to introduce herself at the high school. She opened her mouth again,but couldn't speak. As she predicted,some of the others started laughing at her. Just like in middle school...
"Thank you for trying,Hikaru."Ms. Inane,placed her hand on Hikaru's shoulder,and Hikaru looked back down at the floor as the laughter grew louder. "That's enough!"she told the students,and they stopped laughing. "Hikaru,how about you sit with Miss Hanajima?"she suggested,and Hikaru's eyes widened. "Saki,please wave."she said,and Hana waved one of her hands. Hikaru looked up,and saw Hana waving. Hikaru knew those eyes anywhere:that was definitely Saki Hanajima. She had to use everything she had to not cry tears of joy upon seeing her best friend for the first time in years. She slowly made her way over to her,and sat down in the empty seat next to her. Hana sensed Hikaru was someone different,someone she knew but couldn't remember.