DISCLAIMER: I do not own any parts of Fruits Basket. I only own my own imaginative ideas.

Tohru had never been to Shishou's house before, but she knew that that would most likely be where Kyo was hiding. But she didn't know where his house was. She only knew where the dojo was. So she decided to go there, since Shishou was teaching afterall.

When she walked in, the bell on the door jingled behind her. Shishou was in the middle of the room in his white garments with about 10 young kids near him. One was in front of him, copying a demonstration. Shishou looked up and he waved. Tohru just smiled and sat in a chair near the door. She didn't want to interrupt.

"Ok. Five minute break. Don't get too wild." he said to the children as the group of white moved to one of the back rooms. Shishou walked over.

"For what do I owe this honor, Miss Honda?" he asked as he took her hand and kissed it.

Tohru blushed. "Oh, Shishou, you're so silly. Sometimes I think you're as bad as Shigure. Anyways, the reason I'm here is because I thought Kyo might be here. Have you seen him around?"

"Oh, no I haven't. He hasn't come in today. So he ran off again did he? Did you check the roof? He's usually there." he suggested.

"I've looked there. I've looked everywhere"

"Did you look in a tree? Cat's always seem to get stuck in trees you know" Shishou joked.

"Come on now! Seriously. He's your son. Shouldn't you be worried?"

"First, not to be rude Miss Honda, but he's only my adoptive son. Kyo never would accept me as a father to him. And no, I'm not too worried. Kyo always does this kind of thing. I bet there's one more place that he would've gone. It's a place that only he and I know about. But he only goes there if something has really bothered him. Would there be a certain reason to why he ran off?"

"Well, yesterday we were working together on the flower garden and-"

"Wait, wait," Shishou cut in, " did you just say you and kyo were working on a FLOWER GARDEN?" Shishiou asked in disbelief.

"Mmmhhmmm!" Tohru's eyes sparkled.

"no wonder he ran off......." Shishou muttered under his breath.

"Hey, I heard that!" Tohru laughed. "Anyways, we were talking and he mentioned his plans after highschool. His plans that he had no control over." Tohru's smile turned to a frown, but she continued. "So I felt really bad for him when he told me, and I hugged him. The thing is, Kyo didn't transform into a cat like he usually does. He didn't change at all. He stayed normal. And it really surprised me. And I think it really surprised him too. So I ended up falling asleep, and he put me to bed, and everyone said he left after that. I haven't seen him since yesterday. And that's what happened."

"Hmmmm. That's very interesting. Well, I'm not exactly sure why that happened Tohru. Keep in mind it could just be temporary, or the curse could actually be broken. Though I don't know how. " Shishou looked troubled in thought but somehow delighted at the same time.

Tohru heard a pitter patter coming closer and closer. She looked over and noticed a little boy who looked about eight years old walking over.

"Sensei...it's been more than 5 minutes." he said sheepishly with his head down and drawing invisible circles on the gorund with his toe.

"Ah, thank you Minoru." he replied.

Shishou then smiled at Tohru.

"Well, my apologies. I must get back to my class now. And don't worry about Kyo. As long as you're around, he'll always come back." Shisou winked.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about how I interrupted your class! Gomenasai! And thanks Shishou." Tohru smiled as she walked to the door.

"Don't worry about it. Anytime!" Shishou called over his shoulder as Tohru walked out the door and he headed back over to the children.

Tohru sighed as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

~Where on earth could Kyo be? Shishou said he probably knew where, but he didn't say. It's like he dissappeared off the face of the earth. Oh, I just hope he's ok. I guess I'll just get back to the house and make lunch. I'm sure Yuki and Shigure are hungry.~ Tohru thought as she headed back home.

"Guys! I'm home." Tohru called as she slid the front door open.

She heard a muffled "hi" come from Shigure. He was in his office, working on a new novel. Of course, it was a chick romance book that was the cheesiest in the world. Strangely Hanajima-sama enjoyed it somehow.

Yuki walked down the stairs a few minutes later. "Hi Tohru. Did you have a nice outing?" Yuki smiled.

"Oh, hi Yuki! Um, yes, I suppose. I went to the dojo to ask Shishou if he had seen Kyo. He said he hadn't seen him."

"Oh...Miss Honda, not to be rude, but why should you worry? Why should it matter if he comes back or not? I mean, he's always rude to you and he yells, and destroys everything in the house. It's much more peaceful without him. Why do you want him to come back?" Yuki was glaring out the window without looking at her as he said it. His whole statement was coated in hatred and bitterness.

"Yuki....Kyo's my friend..." She couldn't really think of what to say.

"How can he be your friend when he's such an asshole!?"

Tohru could tell Yuki was trying to hold his anger. He didn't want to lash out on her the Kyo did all the time.

"Well, I understand he doesn't mean too. He has a short temper and I'm pretty used to it. It doesn't hurt my feelings." Tohru said reassuringly.

"FIne, but I just don't want him to hurt you Miss Honda. If he ever hurts you emotionally or physically, I'll kill him." Yuki stared right into her eyes as he said this.

Yuki's deep blue/purple eyes were so pretty, but she really didn't want to look in them when they were filled with hatred like that.

Yuki's stomach growled loudly.

Tohru burst out laughing. She just couldn't help it. Yuki was so serious, and then grrrrlllllrrruupppppll.... It was hilarious.

"Come on! I'll make lunch!" Tohru smiled, trying to forget about what Yuki had been saying. She couldn't recall a time when Yuki had ever looked so scary. He was always to calm, mild, soft-spoken and gentle....other than the times he was fighting Kyo. That's when he was fierce and ....undescribable.

Tohru could've sworn she heard him mutter "Baka Neko" under his breath. She looked at him and he just smiled his soft smile.

Tohru headed into the kitchen and turned on the rice cooker. She pulled some leeks out of the fridge and started to make leek oniguri. It was Yuki's favorite. Of course, it was Kyo's most hated food in the world. But Kyo wasn't there. And Tohru wanted Yuki just to be happy.

Tohru decided to make some tamago to go with the rice balls. She used to make Tamago all the time.

She called Shigure in when lunch was ready and brought it out into the dining room to eat. Yuki was reading a newspaper, which was odd because that's what Shigure usually did. Shigure had his previous volume with him of "Summer Love with Cupcakes". Hanajima-sama claimed it was the best so far. Tohru couldn't understand how.

"Here you go guys." She said puttig the main plate down and handing them chopsticks.

"Thank you Miss Honda" Yuki nodded her head towards her.

"Mmmm. How I do love your cooking Tohru!" Shigure said as he shoved his mouth full of oniguri.

Kyo was in town by 12:30. Just when he had planned on arriving. He knew that Shishou's class would've gotten out half an hour ago and that Shishou already went home for lunch. It was a typical routine that Kyo was used to.

He knocked on the door and waited for along time. He then knocked more.

"Dammit Shishou! Open up! I know you're here!" Kyo yelled, constantly banging on the door.

Shishou opened the door and Kyo about pounded him right in the head.

"Honestly now. Think you could've been any louder? Neighbors could be sleeping you know." Shishou complained.

"Oh, damaru! You don't even have any neighbors!" Kyo said as he invited himself inside.

"Tohru was worried you know. She stopped by the dojo earlier. You should at least tell here that you're leaving for a day or two so she won't worry."

Kyo looked up in surprise. "She came to the dojo? Geez, she is paranoid." Kyo rolled his eyes.

Kyo threw himself on the couch lazily and look at Shishou.

"You went to the area didn't you Kyo?" Shishou asked, already knwoing the answer.

"Yea, and that water was FREEZING!" Kyo yelled.

Shishou chuckled. Then he became serious.

"I believe I know why you left."

"Huh?"

"Tohru told me. I don't completely know why it happened either, though I have a hunch. Though I'm thinking it's a good thing."

"What are you even talking about?"

"You didn't change into a cat"

"Oh......that"

"'Do you know why Kyo?"

"Well, how the hell would I know?!"

"Well, I've been thinking about it...and I think I might know."

Kyo looked up. "Really?"

"Mmmhmmm. I thinks it all relates to when the curse first came to be. I remember hearing one of the stories when I was young. The story isn't told much anymore. Well, Kyo, you know the original story of the zodiac's right?"

"Of course I do! That damn rat tricked me and I couldn't make it in time and I was left out. I'm still gonna slaughter that rat, because he did this to me!"

"Yes, that is part of it. When the gods threw a party, the rat tricked the cat and told him it was the day after so the cat never showed up and he was left out of the twelve zodiacs. But that's not all." Shishou sat down in a chair across from the couch that Kyo was sprawled across. He leaned his chin on his hand and thought for a moment.

"They also say that once the cat was left out, he would never quit complaining and being jealous of the others. So the gods also cursed the cat. What the cat was unaware of was that this curse was even worse than the other animals. Since the cat could not learn to love others and accept the way things were, they created a monster within the cat that showed the true side of his jealousy and hatred. And until he could learn to tame his own monster, learn to love and appreciate, and have someone love him back, the curse would not break. The cat did not know of this though, so he never bothered to even try to break the curse."

"But that's just a stupid story, right? What does that have to do with anything Shishou!?"

Shishou sighed. "Are you really that dense?"

"Hey! Damaru! Shut up!" he yelled.

"Well, I think that's why you didn't transform. It's broken. And I hope you realize, this is very very good. With the curse broken, Akito no longer has any control over you. He won't make you be locked up for the rest of your life. I know he will not be happy when he discovers this, but oh well."

"Will you slow down for one damn second!? What the fuck are you saying?!?! How did the curse break???"

Shishou sighed once more. He really wanted to smack some sense in Kyo, but he resisted.

"Ok, Kyo. I have to ask you a question. Will you answer it truthfully?"

"Meh...."

"Fine, then I can't tell you"

"Ok, ok, fine. Just ask me and tell me already."

"Do you love Miss Tohru Honda?"

"What kind of question is that!?!?" Kyo yelled as he jumped out of his seat.

"A simple question really. Do you love her or do you not?" he asked.

"I-I...I can't answer that...." Kyo muttered.

"Mmmhmm. Just as I thought. You're in denial."

"What the fuck do you mean by that?"

Shishou just laughed.

"Kyo...I can tell. Tohru loves you. And not just as a friend. You mean everything to her. If you love her too, the curse is broken. You can hug Tohru. Don't scare her like that next time. You have somewhere you need to be right now, so you better be on your way." Shishou stated as he stood on his feet.

Kyo just sat there like a statue. He then looked up and looked Shishou right in the eyes. Kyo was never one to actually hug his adoptive father or any "close" relation between him. But Shishou could read it in Kyo's eye. His eyes said "thank you".

Kyo stood up, nodded to Shishou and left.

He watched Kyo walk down the street from the front window. He knew that his son would do the right thing.