Here's Chapter 7! Thank you, readers and reviewers. You're the best. On to the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.
"Helloooo~? Earth to Haru-kun? Hey!"
The sharp outcry on the last word made him jump nearly out of his skin. "Geez! Why don't you say that a little louder? I don't think all of Japan could hear you," he said out of the side of his mouth to his golden-haired companion. Hatsuharu looked around self-consciously, hoping that no one had seen him jump in such an uncool way. But the students were too wrapped up in their own lives to pay them much attention. This was their only break in the three hour class, and there was much to catch up on. Some students could be seen chatting animatedly in large groups, while others, like Hatsuharu and Momiji, were busy stuffing their faces with a quick snack or lunch during the interlude.
Hatsuharu looked down grimly at his slim pickings for lunch. Stumbling home at such a late hour hadn't brought out his culinary genius. Not that there was any culinary genius in him that he could claim whole-heartedly. His meal consisted of a few downtrodden riceballs with pickled plums in the middle that he had made messily a few nights ago. He wasn't even sure if they were still edible. He leaned in slightly to give the meal a covert whiff before daring to bite into one lopsided, half-heartedly made riceball. He sighed as he took one bite and placed the rest back down in his bento box. It was times like this that he truly missed Tohru's cooking.
Hatsuharu turned his tired eyes over to Momiji. The smiling boy hadn't changed much over the years. They were both college freshmen, but Momiji was still as innocent and sweet as a grade schooler. At the moment, his tea-colored eyes were round and wide as he looked back at him. His golden curls, the envy of many females and males alike, rippled down slightly over his forehead and down the nape of his neck. The shaggy-haired boy was due for a haircut, but his tousled curls made him look even more like a cherub.
Momiji just smiled back at him with such a sunny demeanor that it almost made him feel a regretful pang for snapping at him like that. He usually wasn't so short-tempered with the former Rabbit.
"What's gotten into you?" Momiji wondered as he took a hearty bite from his perfectly prepared ham and cheese crepe. He was quite the culinary maven these days, and didn't hesitate to show off his prowess with his unbelievably intricate bento lunches.
"Nevermind…" He trailed off to brush his bento box aside. He knocked his head once against the desk before folding his arms and letting his head rest. "Just tired… I guess. I've been pulling a lot of all-nighters lately. Gotta be more on top of things."
But he wasn't satisfied with that feeble excuse. Momiji leaned in close. He could smell the prosciutto on his breath, he was that close. "You don't fool me, Haru-kun," he singsonged as he poked Hatsuharu's cheek. "You're too mopey to be sleepy. And you've been mopey a lot lately. What's going on?"
"Arghhhhh. So tired. Just let it go, Momiji-kun. You're such a damn pest," he groaned in response as he buried his face deeper into his forearms.
"Waaahhh! Haru-kun isn't playing nice with me!" Momiji wailed. When he peeked out one gray eye, he saw that the overdramatic teen was wailing with genuine tears in his eyes. Hatsuharu let out a sigh. Momiji was hopeless.
"I want to go see Tohru-kun! She'll give me some love! I want to sit in her lap!" he chirped sunnily. He seemed to forget how devastated he was with Hatsuharu's crabbiness just moments before.
"Don't be stupid," Hatsuharu replied, straining to filter out any undue bitterness. He didn't have to take out his lovelorn frustrations on the poor kid after all. "Tohru-kun and Kyo-kun are busy planning their wedding. No need to bother them so much."
"Awww! But I wanna play with Tohru-kun!"
"Somehow, I don't think Kyo-kun would like that very much."
"I can't wait for the wedding!" he prattled on. It was confusing and exhausting all at once to keep track of all of Momiji's whims and moods.
His easygoing nature made him a great target for peer pressure. Momiji was incredibly trusting and naïve, as well as up for anything. It was so easy to get Momiji to sneak into nightclubs with him in high school because he truly did aim to please. But at the same time, his nature only made everyone want to protect him more, instead of fool him. He reminded Hatsuharu of that poor, foolish traveler in that story he told. No matter how much the foolish traveler was conned out of all of his possessions, he was just happy to give up until the very end. Hatsuharu's eyes softened. In the end, Momiji was more like a little brother to him than a cousin, and he would protect him until the end.
"It should be something else," Hatsuharu replied. He wasn't sure what else he could say. He looked up into the bright azure sky. White, gauzy clouds slid past slowly, and the sun was strong and bright.
Kyo hadn't wasted any time. As soon as Kyo and Tohru graduated high school, he immediately proposed to her as if he couldn't wait a single moment longer to make her his. The memory made Hatsuharu smile. Despite their conflicts, in the end he wanted his family to be happy. And nothing made Kyo happier than being with Tohru. She was his salvation, his muse, the love of his life, and his closest friend all wrapped into one. They had a pretty long engagement; it lasted for a couple of years now. Hatsuharu guessed it would be at least another year before they finally got hitched.
Momiji's palpable excitement was becoming contagious. Students around him were reacting to his positive vibes without truly knowing what Momiji was getting so excited about.
"I wanna wear a pretty dress!" Momiji cheered. A nearby male classmate whistled loudly, which drew forth a smattering of laughter. But the blond just smiled broadly as he rhapsodized about how Ayame would just have to make him a dress filled with taffeta, ribbons, lace, and tulle, and how it would be the most extravagant thing anyone had ever seen.
"I don't think you're supposed to upstage the bride," Hatsuharu cut in, but Momiji couldn't be reined in. He nearly had stars in his eyes as he basically sketched the idea out for his beautiful, one of a kind creation. Even some nearby female classmates were being roped in by his soliloquy. A couple of male students were intrigued by the thought of adorable Momiji looking even more like a girl.
Listening to Momiji prattle on about how beautiful and darling his dress would be made his stubborn heart soften. It was a much needed distraction from his struggles.
He felt grateful for Momiji in that moment. Not only was he a great friend, but he was a source of strength. Despite his childish ways, he was capable of being quite profound and wise beyond his years. He knew that Momiji missed Hatsuharu so much now that he was no longer living in the Main house. Their only source of prolonged contact was during school hours after all. Now that he had his own apartment, Hatsuharu lamented with more than a few drops of guilt on his conscious that he hadn't kept close ties with his cousins, not like he used to.
Moving away from the Main house had been a difficult choice, but a necessary one. Living in the same home as his ex-girlfriend Rin had just become too unbearable. Seeing her face every day after their brutal breakup was like living in a special type of purgatory. He couldn't move on because he had to keep seeing her, yet there was no possible way that they would reconcile and piece together the jagged pieces of their relationship. Every time he tried, he just got sliced into tiny pieces.
Of course, he had to convince his mother to allow him to live on his own. He was still her baby after all, just a child. She was rightfully concerned for his well-being. But she was slowly but surely persuaded to loosen the reins. But the most important person he had to gain acceptance from was their God, Akito. Her opinion was the only one that truly mattered after all. Hatsuharu was convinced that Akito wouldn't allow it. Akito wouldn't want to let a single member of the Jyuunishi out of her sight.
But to Hatsuharu's relief and surprise, Akito approved the request. Their God had almost seemed dismissive and uncaring of Hatsuharu's wish to move out. She only had a few requirements. Attending the New Year's banquet every year was a must. Hatsuharu had to make periodic visits to the Main house. He was still essentially at Akito's beck and call. At a moment's notice, no matter what, he had to answer Akito's summons right away. No exceptions.
But now the curse was broken. The former members of the Jyunnishi were free to love and hug who they wanted. But Hatsuharu still felt linked to Akito. She was powerful. She ended so many relationships, just crushed them into the ground. Hatsuharu never forgot that. He was still deeply afraid of her, of her power and what she was capable of. He knew he owed her so much at the same time. Akito never once demanded that Hatsuharu move back into the Main house. He certainly was in her debt for that small but meaningful token.
"Are you even listening to me, Haru-kun?! Geez," Momiji pouted.
Hatsuharu blinked to clear the fog of his recollections and smiled at the disgruntled teen. "Of course. Pretty dress. Bows and all. See, I was listening," he protested with a teasing grin.
Momiji paused to scrutinize Hatsuharu in a way that made him feel like he was a deeply fascinating science project. "You're really not acting like yourself," he murmured. His sunny smile dimmed. Momiji's brow furrowed. "I just wish you'd confide in me like you used to."
"No need to be so melodramatic," Hatsuharu countered as he took a bite of his terrible riceballs. "I'm fine. Just tired. Really. You're reading too much into this." But while he said those words, he felt his insides twist up into infinity signs. It was no use. Momiji wasn't stupid. They used to be so close, and now Hatsuharu was hiding things from him. He rationalized that he wanted to spare Momiji's feelings. He was way too empathetic sometimes. Confiding in Momiji about his love woes wasn't really a good idea. He was too much of a bleeding heart to hear about such things. Plus he had a feeling that the former Rabbit just wouldn't understand. In Momiji's mind, everything was simple. Especially love. But Hatsuharu knew better. The world was a ruthless place. Things were more complicated than Momiji would make them seem.
It was ironic considering that Momiji had faced such demons in his own life as well.
Hatsuharu pressed his head to the desk, sliding his face towards the view of the sunny day. Only a few minutes of their break left. He could certainly stall and then class would begin again and that would be the end of it.
"Just don't get involved with females, kid. That's all I really have to say," Hatsuharu mumbled. It just came out before his mind could restrain his tongue.
Now that he thought about it, getting mixed up with Uo had changed his life. He wasn't so sure if it was in a positive way anymore. He thought back to that cold night, when she pedaled away on his bike so fast, it seemed as though she were trying to outrace time itself. Now he was left without a bike as well as a warm body to sleep next to at night. He could hardly call her his girlfriend, not even in the past tense. But thinking of her in terms of just a body was hard too, despite the carnal nature of their involvement. He shook his head slightly as if trying to fix his jigsaw puzzle thoughts together.
Apparently, Momiji heard him thinking out loud, because he raised his eyebrows knowingly with a cheerful grin. "Oh, I already know that, Haru-kun," he chuckled before turning to his golden crepe. He took a hearty bite. "That's why I only date men."
With a nod, Hatsuharu bit into his riceball. "Yeah, good. Only date—Wait, what?!" Momiji's matter-of-fact statement made Hatsuharu's voice break in half over the large clump of rice making its way down his throat. He stared in wide-eyed fascination at his cousin, who was looking cool and calm in the face of Hatsuharu's bewilderment.
Closing his eyes, Momiji chucked bashfully. "I thought you knew, Haru-kun. Don't look so shocked now."
But how could I have known? he couldn't help wondering. His eyes started watering as a result of his near-choking fiasco, so he grabbed his water bottle and took a large gulp. Sure, Momiji was very… feminine. He was more comfortable in a dress (or in a high school girl's uniform, in his days as a student at Kaibara High) than in slacks and a crisp shirt. But he really didn't think of Momiji's love life at length. He was so cute and sweet, and flirty with everyone, so it just wasn't clear what his preference was.
It really wasn't a big deal, but it was a sharp sting that Momiji didn't trust him enough to confide in him.
Or maybe you just neglected your own cousin, your best friend, another voice nagged him.
"What else are you hiding from me? A secret boyfriend or something?"
The blush igniting the blond's cheeks was so red, Hatsuharu could swear he felt heat radiating around him. Momiji stuffed the last of his crepe in one large gulp and chewed loudly. "Mmm, yummy crepe," he mumbled while avoiding Hatsuharu's probing stare.
"Lemme guess," he teased with a huge grin. Seeing Momiji so flustered was so cute. "Oh, God, if it's that snot-nosed punk Hiro-kun, I'm going to tear out my hair. Oh, c'mon, tell me. Don't make me guess. Do I know the guy? Gotta make sure he deserves you, after all."
"Well… I am seeing someone." Momiji murmured his next reply in a strangled tone. He bit his lip shyly. "I'm dating Megumi-kun. Hana-chan's younger brother."
"Wait, really?!" he exclaimed in shock. Hatsuharu hadn't met the younger Hanajima, but he remembered Hana showing Tohru and the others a picture of them together. Megumi was like her doppelganger: same dark features, same solemn expression. An unexplained chill rolled over Hatsuharu's back. He didn't want to admit it, especially since Momiji had found love with this guy, but Hana (and by proxy, Megumi) kind of gave him the creeps. There was definitely something supernatural about the girl, and most likely, the brother too.
"Well… that's great," Hatsuharu said, sweatdropping. "Just stay on his good side, all right? I don't want him to hex you or something." Another shudder upset his broad shoulders.
Momiji, still blushing, managed to giggle, albeit a bit self-consciously. "He's a good guy. He'd never hurt me," he smiled warmly.
"Well… if he does… hurt you, I mean… you'll tell me, right?"
Momiji looked at Hatsuharu in wide-eyed surprise. "Why wouldn't I, Haru-kun? You're my best friend."
"Really?" he asked in a strangled tone. He wished he didn't sound so pitiful, but he found that hard to believe. Sure, it was a double standard. Hatsuharu could hide things from Momiji (like his secret relationship with Uo), but he expected full honesty from Momiji. He was happy for Momiji. Really. But he worried that if Momiji could keep his love life a secret from him, who knew what else he could be hiding. What if he wasn't as happy as he said he was?
But looking at his smile…
It was different.
Momiji's open and breezy nature attracted so many to him. Everyone wanted to be his friend. It made Hatsuharu jealous at times, even now. Especially back when they were all cursed, Hatsuharu was so closed off. He barely showed any emotion, except when Black Haru came to the surface. His aloof nature usually kept a pretty secure barrier around him. It was hard for him to make genuine friends. But Momiji, despite his hardships, was so open and honest. He had a natural gift for friendship. It was a talent he sorely lacked.
Momiji had an ocean of smiles for everyone he met, no matter their personality. But Hatsuharu knew when Momiji's smile was truly warm, and when it was just a farce. Their close bond just naturally made him in tune with the blond's emotions in a way that no one else quite knew.
The only one who ever brought that kind of warm, caring smile from him was Tohru.
And that smile, so warm and honeyed, was now beaming from Momiji's face.
At that moment, he understood.
"You love him," he murmured softly, almost in awe.
Momiji's smile deepened so much, a rare dimple popped up on his left cheek. His eyes softened and became dreamy. "Yeah. I really love him."
The professor's voice boomed over the din of the crowd. The students let out a collective groan, but he would have none of that, as evidenced by his no-nonsense tone. Everyone ambled back to their seats. A shuffle of papers, laptops being opened, and heavy textbooks being paged through formed a steady rhythm before fading into quiet as the professor resumed the class.
Hatsuharu quietly packed away his neglected lunch and opened up his laptop to take notes. But he couldn't get Momiji's words out of his mind for the rest of the day.