Hello there, citizens of earth and possible aliens!
I don't know why this chapter became sooo long. And I am sorry if it is a little 'all over the place', or whatever you say in english. English is not my first language, sarcasm is.
Well, I do hope you will enjoy, and voice your opinions via reviews.
Let the reading begin!-
Kyo took her hand. It was shaking, her whole body was shaking.
She calmed visibly when he took it, though. Like she just realized that he was there, and that she didn't need to go threw this alone.
Kyo looked at her, at Tohru. She was wearing a black dress, and had matching ribbons in her hair. They were standing in front of the coffin. Her coffin. Kyoko's coffin. Tohru placed a bouquet of white flowers on it, and it now laid together with a bunch of other flowers. It had been a rough week for Tohru. She had, after the time on the bridge, comforted Uo and Hana. Uo had really appreciated it, for she knew that even though Tohru had it worse, she still took time to comfort her friends. They had cried together, they had made promises to each other, and they had grown even closer. Meanwhile, Kyo had been out shopping groceries for Tohru and him, he had insisted on staying with her, at her house, until the funeral, for after that, Tohru wouldn't be able to afford to keep the house any longer. He had helped her with the packing, and she had planned the funeral. And now they where here. Standing in front of the coffin, as it all became too real.
Tohru squeezed his hand, and Kyo squeezed back. A small smile spread across her lips.
The funeral was outside, Tohru had said that her mother would not have wanted to have it in a church, but outside, with the wind and the trees. Kyoko belonged outside, were she could be free. Uo, Hana and Tohru's grandfather couldn't agree more.
On the coffin stood a picture of Kyoko. In the picture was also Katsuya and Tohru, they all looked so happy. Kyo felt weird looking at the picture, knowing that two of those happy people was dead, and that Tohru was the only one remaining.
It wasn't many people there, Tohru had invited Kyoko's parents, even though she herself had never met them, and even though she knew how badly they had treated her mother, she had still invited them, and she thought they would come. But they didn't.
Tohru's grandfather was there, Katsuya's father. He sat on a chair in front of the casket, crying, silently. He cried for his son, he cried for the woman who he loved as a daughter, and he cried for his grandchild, who was left alone. But he also cried for himself. An old man who had been forced to bury two people who he had loved very dearly, and had gone long before their time.
Uo was also there, crying loudly, not caring how she sounded, she was burying her head in Hana's shoulder, who had a tear stained face. A few meters behind Hana, stood Hana's family. They all had tears running from their eyes, they knew Kyoko and Tohru had made a big impact on Hana's life, they had made her feel accepted, and not so alone.
The rest of the people who was there where mostly there for Tohru's sake, but they were all crying nonetheless. Momiji was sniffing loudly, as tears ran down his face, and Haru looked pain and had watery eyes. Yuki was looking down at the ground. Then there was Tohru's teacher, Mayu, who had insisted on coming, some of Kyoko's friends from work, and Kazuma, who had his hand on Kyo's shoulder. Kyo was, like mentioned, holding Tohru's hand.
It was time for some people to hold their speeches, and Tohru's grandfather was up first. Everybody sat down on the chairs they had taken out, and Kyo helped Tohru's grandfather walk, so that he stood, facing the audience, with the casket in front of him. He placed one hand on the brown coffin.
"Thank you, my boy" He whispered to Kyo, and Kyo returned to his seat next to Tohru, and once again took her hand.
"I have not felt such sadness since my Katsuya past away" He began, with his old man voice.
" Kyoko… She was like a daughter to me. I wasn't always close to Katsuya, but she brought us closer, where it had been a gap between me and my son, she had created a bridge. I became a good father. And I raised a good boy, I must have, if he succeed to get such a great girl like Kyoko to love him." Everyone, including the old man himself, started sniffing more, as they listened carefully.
"She also raised a very good daughter, I couldn't have wished for a better family. My only wish is that they would have lived, and that I would have gone long before them. They where in love, more than any couple I have ever seen. At least now, they are united again. Kyoko was free as the wind, she went where she wanted to go. She was wild, and she was beautiful. Maybe that's the reason she died, maybe humans aren't meant to be as free as Kyoko was. I am too old for this. I shouldn't be burying Kyoko, she should have been burying me. " He finished, no reaction from the audience, only silence as Kyo helped the crying old man to his seat.
Next was Uo, she was crying her eyes out, and you could hardly make out her words. But she told them how Kyoko had changed her life, but she could not finish her speech before she broke down. Tohru and Hana would not be making any speeches. Tohru was too sad, and Hana didn't want too. A few from Kyoko's work said a few words, then it was Kyo's turn. Tohru had asked him, since she would not be able to do it herself.
He made his way up, and looked at the audience, and then he locked eyes with Tohru.
"I didn't know Kyoko for so long, but I know she was a good person. I got to know her threw Tohru, and she was just as understanding and accepting as her daughter. She was also forgiving, and full of wisdoms based on her own experiences." He took a deep breath, and Tohru smiled, encouraging him to go on.
"I liked listening to her stories, she had many good stories about her life, but there was one that I liked particularly much." Everybody looked at him, they all liked her stories.
"She told me about her parents, and as you can see, they are not here. She told me lots of things that they did, but long story short, they were bad parents, which caused her to get an attitude and join a gang, and then they threw her out when she quitted and got hurt"
"I didn't like the story because it was good or happy, but because I could recognize myself in it" Kyo met Kazuma's eyes for a moment. They were filled with sympathy and understanding. But also pain. Kyo never talked about this, which worried Kazuma a lot.
" But in the ending, Kyoko's life became better when she left her parents. She married the guy she loved, she finally became loved back, and she had the most wonderful daughter in the whole world" Tohru blushed and smiled at that.
"My parents never liked me, my father threw me out after my mom died, and he made me feel as worthless as he told me that I was. But when Kyoko told me this, I realized, that my life too, had become a lot better after that" He once again looked at Kazuma who smiled.
"I finally got the love that I needed, but didn't know that I wanted. So what Kyoko taught me during our short time together was, that no matter how hard things can be, better things will come" There was a pause.
"Yeah. that's it. ehhh… rest in peace" Kyo finished awkwardly, and made his way to Tohru again, who looked at him with gratitude. After that, the ceremony was closed, and people gathered together in Tohru's house for some food. Only, no one ate.
Kyo watched Tohru from afar as she talked to her grandfather. He suddenly felt a familiar hand on his shoulder.
"I am very proud of you, Kyo" Kyo looked up and saw Kazuma standing there, wearing a black kimono. Kyo himself was wearing a suite. He wasn't that type of guy who wore kimonos. Maybe when he got older he would try it.
"You did something for someone else today, and you have been very responsible when it came to comforting, Tohru-kun. You helped her more than you think, but she has also helped you. She's good for you, don't loose her" Kazuma didn't wait for Kyo to respond, but just walked away, leaving his words in the air as he started talking with Tohru's grandfather instead. People began to leave, and Tohru took farewell of them all.
"Bye Tohru, and you are welcome to live with us if you still haven't found yourself a place to stay" Hana's mother said as she began to make her way out together with her family, and with Uo, since they were giving her a ride home.
"It's fine mrs. Hanamajima! That would be imposing, I couldn't possibly do that to you! But thanks for the offer" Tohru said, and the woman smiled back at her, her eyes full of sympathy.
"But tell us if you change your mind dear" She said and opened the door to leave.
"Yes Tohru, you are always welcome to stay with us" Hana said and gave her a hug, and was then gently pushed away from Tohru, by Uo.
"Call us in the morning" Uo said and gave Tohru a hug, and tears began to fall from the yankees eyes again. She then let go, and ran to Hana's familiy's car. Knowing that she could not handle another crying session, which she would surely get if she looked at Tohru.
" I belive in you" Megumi, Hana's younger brother, said with a monotone voice. Sounding just as creepy as his sister.
Tohru waved them off from the door.
"What did the lady mean by ' if you haven't founded a place to stay yet'? Don't you have any place to live yet!?" Kyo asked, angry that she didn't take properly care of herself, and that she hadn't told him. She always had to put everybody else needs before hers, and it pissed him off. She is not a burden.
"I thought she was gonna stay with you" He practically yelled and pointed an accusing finger at Tohru's grandpa who was also taking his leave.
"I did offer her, but I live in a very small and crowded house, together with my daughter and her family" He said, only to then ignore Kyo and started talking to Tohru, then he left.
" Goodbye Kyoko" He said, and Tohru smiled. Other people may think that the old man calle her 'Kyoko' because his memory started to get bad, but Tohru knew better then that. She knew, that he knew that her names wasn't Kyoko, but she also liked when she reminded people of her mother. So that's why he called her Kyoko, so that she would always be reminded that a part of her mother lived in her.
Tohru, once again, stood at the door and waved as the old man got into Tohru's aunts car. Her aunt, had not been attending the funeral. And was pretty mad over the fact that she had to pick up her father.
Now it was only —besides Kyo and Tohru— Haru, Yuki, Momiji and Mayu left. Mayu wanted to make sure her students were fine, since she felt like it was her obligation. Kazuma had left earlier, without Kyo.
"You should have told me" Kyo muttered, still annoyed that she didn't have a plays to stay.
"I'm sorry Kyo-kun, I have had a lot on my mind, and I guess I forgot" Tohru said, ashamed and looked at the ground. Now Kyo felt bad and angry at himself, instead of Tohru. He could never stay mad at her for too long, and it wasn't her fault. Or it was, but she didn't mean it. Kyo blushed as he brought her in to a hug. He knows that they had confessed their love to each other and all, but it felt kinda awkward for him with all of that 'romantic' stuff, and he hadn't kissed her, or told her that he loved her since the bridge incident.
"It's okay, I am not angry, I am just worried about you, that's all" He said softly as he kissed her forehead, and then rested his chin on top of her head. Then suddenly, Yuki came in to the room, and they broke apart. Yuki stared daggers at Kyo, and then Mayu came into the room, followed by Haru.
"What are you doing here?" Kyo said to Yuki, angry at him for ruining his moment with Tohru.
"I was here for the funeral you stupid carrot" Yuki answered, trying out new nicknames, he was getting kinda tired of the 'cat and rat' thing.
"I meant in this room dammit! And did you just call me a carrot?" Kyo said, very offended, even though he had been called carrot before, due to his hair color.
"You heard me you disgusting carrot" Yuki said.
"In that case you are a leek! For leeks are far more disgusting then a vitamin rich carrot!" Kyo said, but almost regretted it afterwards. Nobody deserved to be called a leek, not even Yuki. Yuki didn't seem too offended though. The leek was about to answer the carrot, but was interrupted by Haru.
"I think we should stick to the animal thing, I am feeling really confident as a cow" He said, causing everyone to look weirdly at him, once again.
"But if you choose the food thingy, I guess I could be a potato" He continued, and since nobody wanted to ask why, they ignored him and ended the fight.
"Stupid cat" Yuki muttered under his breath.
"Damn rat" Kyo muttered back. It was settled, they would stick to the animal nicknames. Haru looked at Yuki with gratitude in his eyes, for he thought that Yuki had called Kyo cat, so that Haru could stay as a cow.
"I knew I could count on you, Yuki" He said, and everyone got confused. Mayu couldn't take their stupid meaningless fight anymore.
"Shut up! Or I will dye your hairs black!" She snapped, and then turned to Tohru, with concern in her eyes.
"Will you be okay Tohru? Is there anything you need?" She asked as she put a hand on the orphans shoulder. Before the girl in question could answer, Kyo did.
"No she's not FINE! She has nowhere to live!" He snapped, and everyone looked at Tohru worried.
"What, Honda-san? Don't you have somewhere to go?" the prince asked worried.
" It is completely fine Yuki-kun, I will figure something out" She said, smiling back.
"Don't you 'FINE' me Tohru! This is serious!" Kyo said to her, sounding angrier then he had meant.
"I'm afraid the stupid boy is right" Mayu said to Tohru, who looked at the floor in shame, she had let everybody down.
"HEY" Kyo began, not tolerating being called stupid by his teacher, but he shut his mouth when Mayu glared at him.
"You need to find a place to stay Tohru, you are not eighteen yet, and couldn't handle living on your own, even if you had several part time jobs, you are underage, and would have a hard time keeping up in school" The teacher continued.
"You could come live with me Honda-san, Shigure wouldn't mind" Yuki said, but before Tohru could answer, or Kyo could snap at him, Mayu interrupted.
"I do not feel comfortable with Tohru living with a boy, or a pervert" Mayu stated.
"How did you know Shigure was a perver—" Yuki began asking Mayu.
"That's my business" She snapped, interrupting him.
" The hag is right, you can not live with the damn rat, you can come live with me and Kazuma, Tohru" Kyo said, saying the last part more gentle and softly, than the first. Mayu once again, answered for Tohru.
"That goes for you too carrot top, I actually think that you are more capable than girly boy, to do something indecent to Tohru" Mayu stated and Yuki felt slightly offended by being called 'girly boy' by his own teacher. Tohru just looked confused.
"I would never—" Kyo began, but stopped when his mind started speaking to him.
Yes you would, you would definitely do something indecent to Tohru.
No I wouldn't! Or… we are practically together now, so maybe someday….
Exactly.
NO! She is too sweet and innocent, I cant rush things…NO!
Kyo found that everyone was staring at him.
"She is right, you shouldn't live with me" Kyo said as he blushed and turned away. Before Tohru could begin to worry if she had done something wrong to cause Kyo to not wanting her in his home, there was a knock on the door. Tohru opened the door, and there stood the Sohma doctor.
"Hatori-san! Come in!" Tohru said in surprise, not expecting him, but she still gave him a big smile.
"Thank you Honda-san, I am sorry about your mother" Hatori said, and bowed in respect. The too of them had met once before at Yuki's and Shigure's house, before Kyoko had died. Hatori was quite fond of the girl, she reminded him of his late fiancé Kana, who had died in a airplane crash, five years ago. The doctor had felt very sorry for Tohru, he knew how it felt to lose the one you loved the most.
"Me too" Tohru whispered with a weak, sad voice, startling Yuki. He hadn't seen her since the day her mother died, and it always surprised him when she was not cheerful. He had excepted her to smile at Hatori, and say ' Don't be! It is not your fault!', as politely as always. Tohru stepped aside so Hatori could come in, and then she closed the door behind him.
"I am here to pick up Momiji, Haru and Yuki, I will be giving them a ride home" He said. Hatori was kind of tired of giving people rides. Apparently so was he the only one in the Sohma family who knew how to drive a car. Although, he had wanted to give his condolences to Tohru, so he didn't mind so much this time.
"Hatori?" Mayu asked surprised, and stiffened.
"Mayu-chan?" Hatori said, also startled. They looked at each other for awhile.
"Do you know each other or something" Kyo asked, but he received no answers. Mayu just turned around and blushed.
"Yes, but that is my business. Now, where is Momiji?" Hatori asked, noticing that only two of the three kids he was going to pick up, was there.
"I AM HERE!" A jolly voice said, and Momiji came rushing in to the room. Momiji had grown a little, finally starting to hit puberty, and he looked more like a boy then a girl now. He was not as tall as Kyo, Yuki or Haru, but he was now the same length as Tohru.
"Where have you been Momiji-kun?" Tohru asked the energetic boy with blonde locks.
" I got these for you Tohru" He said and held up a bouquet of white flowers, she took them gratefully into her hands.
" Thank you Momiji-kun, they are very pretty" Momiji gave her a wide smile, glad that he made her happy.
" It is time to go home now Momiji" Hatori said coldly.
"Hatori you are no fun!" Momiji exclaimed, but everyone ignored him, and Hatori turned to the orphaned girl.
"Are you alright miss Honda? Do you need anything?" Hatori asked, genuinely concerned.
"Yeah a place to stay" Kyo muttered angrily under his breath. Every time he thought of Tohru living on her own, he got angry.
Hatori became confused by Kyo's statement, but Mayu explained the situation. After some minutes of silence, Hatori spoke up.
"You can live with me Honda-san" Everyone looked at Hatori in shock. They didn't expect that. But Hatori had thought it threw. If he and Kana had a daughter, he guessed she would have been like Tohru. He lived alone, and Tohru would not be annoying to have as company, rather pleasant actually.
"I couldn't possibly impose on you like that Hatori-san! I would be to much of a burden I—" She began and waved her hands frantically in the air, but was interrupted by Kyo, who placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Tohru, you can't keep turning down every offer, or you will end up not having a place, and live in a tent!" He said, trying to stay calm.
"Why would I ever live in a tent Kyo-kun? What a dumb idea!" Tohru said.
"Yeah, yeah, never mind. What I'm trying to say Tohru is that Hatori is actually a decent guy, and I don't want you living by yourself, I want to know that the girl I love is being taken care of" Kyo said, blushing at the word love, and everyone else in the room stiffened. They didn't even know he could say that word. Tohru's heart had stopped a beat, he had said it too her once before, but that was almost a week ago! She felt so happy, like she was floating on cloud nine when he said that. She blushed and gave him a loving smile, but before she could say 'I love you' back, Yuki interrupted. Knowing he would not be able to hear her say that.
"I for once agree with the stupid cat, If someone in the Sohma family is capable of taking care of you Tohru, it's Hatori" He said, but once again, before Tohru could answer, she was interrupted, but this time by Hatori.
"It would not be a burden Honda-san, I live alone and you could always help out in my clinic, and clean and cook, I don't always have time for those things, and I could also use the company." He said, and now everyone was waiting for Tohru's answer. She hesitated.
"Are you sure Hatori-san? You are probably busy all day, and I thought you lived with Momiji, Haru, Kisa and Hiro" Tohru said.
"No, they all have their own house's, but I do live in a walking distance from them, and I sometimes watch over Kisa and Hiro, but I have been very busy lately, but if you lived with me, you could always work as a babysitter for them" Hatori said, he was good at convincing people, and after a minute of silence, Tohru beamed up at him with a big wide smile.
"Okay then Hatori-kun! Thank you so much" She said and bowed, they also heard that she switched the 'san' at the end of his name to a 'kun', meaning she really was okay with the whole living with Hatori thing. Kyo relaxed visibly, he had been worried for awhile that Tohru would have nowhere to go, of course, if that became the case, he would have convinced her to live with him, but it felt safer with Hatori. He was a grown mature man, who wouldn't cause to much work for Tohru, as he and Kazuma probably would, and as Yuki and Shigure would. And the best part of it, Hatori was not a pervert or a teenage boy full of hormones!
"Then I return in the morning to pick you up in the morning Honda-san, make sure you have all of your belongings packed by then" He said and made his way out of the door.
"I will! And if we are going to live together, you should call me 'Tohru'!" Tohru shouted after him, with a smile on her face. Hatori turned around and smiled weakly.
"Of course…Tohru-chan" When he said her name, her smile became even wider. She didn't want things to become awkward between them if they lived together, but she had a good feeling about the living arrangement. Even though she didn't know Hatori that well, she always gave people the benefit of the doubt, and he was a really respected person, and she trusted Kyo and Yuki's judgement. Momiji gave Tohru a hug, and a goodbye, while Haru and Yuki didn't dare to hug her, for they were much too polite.
Now they were three. Mayu, Kyo and Tohru stayed in a awkward silence, but Mayu broke it at last.
"I think I will take my leave now too, take care Honda-san" She said as she turned to walk out the door.
"Thank you! and Sensei…" Tohru said, and Mayu turned around in the doorway.
"I think Hatori-kun likes you!" Tohru said, and Mayu blushed and quickly turned away to walk, but her inside was screaming with happiness. Tohru closed the door after her, and turned to Kyo.
"Thank you Kyo, for staying with me, and helping me, I couldn't have done it without you" She said and blushed.
" Really , Kyo, if not for you, I would have probably declined Hatori's offer, and still have a problem with where to go." She continued, and Kyo took a step towards her and lifted her head up gently, by placing a hand under her chin.
"You will be just fine living with Hatori, and I will be with you all the time" He looked into her eyes, and she gazed into his. Tohru saw love, so much love and kindness in Kyo's eyes.
"You know I love you, right?" Kyo said, and Tohru blushed.
"I love you too" Tohru said, and they embraced each other.
"And Kyo, you will stay with me tonight too? Until Hatori picks me up in the morning, and can you help me pack a few things? most of it is already packed though" She asked him, worried he would leave her all alone in this empty house.
"I would have, even if you hadn't asked me" He answered and smiled, she smiled back. Then they went to pack the rest of the things in the house, which weren't much. Tohru's grandfather and her aunt had already got most of the things, the only things left where the things Tohru wanted to keep. In the morning, someone would come to pick up the furniture too, which Tohru had sold.
Tohru also put the Flowers that she got from Momiji in a vase. Before they knew it, night came, and it was time for bed. Kyo laid down in the living rooms sofa, where he had slept all of the other nights. Beside's the sofa, the room was completely empty, like most of the other rooms. Nothing decorated the walls anymore, the hallway was the only thing with much stuff, since all of the boxes was there.
"Kyo-kun?" Tohru asked, and Kyo turned around to see Tohru standing a few meters away in a pink nightgown which reach to her knees. He blushed, it didn't show much skin, it actually showed much less skin then the mini skirts Tohru wore to school. But it felt weird seeing people in their night clothes, like he was imposing on their personal life's.
"Yeah" He answered, now it was Tohru's turn to blush. She took a few steps towards him and then stopped, and tugged at her own elbow, and looked down at the ground.
"I just- I just feel so lonely Kyo… And you don't have too if you don't want too, but I wonder if you could maybe…" Kyo waited for her too continue, and blushed when she did.
"Sleep with me" She finished, her face turned even redder. Kyo got up and took her hand and led her to her bedroom.
"Of course I will" He said as soft and gently as he ever had before. Tohru smiled gratefully at him, and they cuddled up too each other, spooning. Kyo having his arm draped around her. He kissed the back of her head, his nose being filled with the smell of her hair, that smelled like strawberries.
" Goodnight Tohru, you can sleep, I will be here" Kyo whispered, and Tohru relaxed and fell asleep within a mere minute.
" I always will" Kyo whispered, before he too fell asleep.