Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or Pocky. I love Pocky though… ((sticks a chocolate stick in mouth))
Chapter 9:
When he talked with Haru that morning, later that day, he couldn't help but remember all the things that happened right after graduation.
Graduation… That was supposed to be a time of happiness. Happy that you're being let out of school – forever, well, maybe not forever but mostly likely. But graduation was a time to remember all the happy times you had in high school.
That's what Yuki did.
Graduation forced you to remember the happy moments, the sad moments, all those moments. They were important whether you liked it or not.
Though sometimes, it was best to forget everything.
That's what happened to Tohru.
It wasn't like she chose to forget. But it wasn't like she was forced to forget anyways.
It was simply, because it was the best for everyone. It was for the best that she would leave the Sohma's, forget about their curse and everything about it.
Maybe it wasn't for the best though.
Nowadays, Yuki truly wanted her back. He truly wished he was in high school again. He truly wished he had gotten to know her better. Too many regrets had been hung on a web above him.
No doubt that Kyo had even more regrets hanging above him, laughing and mocking him to death.
He just wished for another year of high school. He just wished for more…
…more…
…more time…
Yuki shook his head and tried to get his running train of thoughts to stop. Was there a possible yet logical way to break the curse? He now truly wanted to be free.
He frowned and his eyebrows narrowed as he continued his way towards this room from Akito's. It was that far but he just had to go to the kitchen and get a drink of water. Or maybe it was just him spacing out and going there unconsciously. He sighed as he thought back to when they had arrived to the main house after graduation.
Tohru, Kyo and Yuki stood in front of the main house doors. The heavy wooden doors spelled doom out for the three of them. They had spent so much time together… Tohru tighten her grip on Kyo's hand and gulped. She knew that her memories would be erased and she would never get to tell Kyo that she loved him.
Yuki watched the two of them glance at each other before Shigure came and led Akito away. And then he saw… Akito was laughing manically outside but his eyes looked a bit…distanced. Yuki didn't have time to react to that because Hatori was now leading the three of them another way.
He had heard that Kyo would be locked up some time later.
Kyo clung tightly to Tohru's hand as they and Yuki followed Hatori to an empty room. It was where everyone's memories were to be erased. Kyo's first thought was to run away, but he didn't want to back down from a challenge. His pride was at stake.
There, Hatori only beckoned Tohru to follow him. Tohru turned to take one last glance at Kyo and Yuki and finally tried so hard to let her death grip go. She even started to stare at her fingers, as if willing them to let go but her fingers didn't obey. Finally, her other hand reached for the other and she pried them apart.
Of course, only Yuki and Kyo noticed. Kyo stared at Tohru with deep sorrow. He truly didn't want to let her go. As she finally freed her hand, Kyo made a grab for her arm and one last time, he bent down and kissed her freely on her soft lips.
Yuki and Hatori didn't look surprise. In fact, the both of them looked away. Hatori, wishing to be anywhere but there, and Yuki, wishing to be with Machi at the moment.
As the two broke apart, Tohru went to the waterworks and her eyes welled up with salty liquid. She turned away from Kyo and Hatori started towards the empty room – with Tohru following. Without another word, Tohru waved good-bye and followed the doctor.
The time between Tohru entering the room and leaving took a while. It was the most awkward conversation that Yuki had ever had with the cat alone. He truly believed that it was the first conversation he had with him.
At first, it went like, "How do you think the others are going to react to Tohru?" as Kyo first asked. He, surprisingly spoke up first. Yuki only looked surprised at the words but answered despite of it.
"I suppose we'll all cry."
Kyo didn't react to anything. He didn't even respond after that at all. After about a half an hour or so, Yuki had gotten a bit uncomfortable and wanted to know what was going on inside. After all, it didn't take anymore than two minutes to erase a person's memories. Kyo however, stayed put.
When the door had finally opened, Hatori came out first. He had two maids come out of nowhere went and picked up an unconscious Tohru. Her chocolate brown hair had flown over her face, covering her tear-stained cheeks.
Kyo started to go towards her, but Hatori had shook his head. "Akito would not approve of it," he had said simply and not another word left his lips that day.
Surprisingly, Akito allowed Yuki and Kyo to stay by Tohru's bedside until she had awoken. Maybe it was mercy or just the fact that he wanted the both of them to suffer because of the fact that one of the most important people in their lives had been taken away.
But when she woke up, she was her normal, cheerful self again. It pleased Yuki to see her like that. To see her carefree once more. To see her… with genuine happiness. Not the fake, strain smile he had seen earlier today.
They told her that she had passed out on the sidewalk on her way to a friends' and Yuki just happened to see her and helped her out since she was a classmate. That made sense and she seemed to buy it.
But her next words pained Yuki greatly. "Thank you so much Sohma-kun!" she had said smiling her huge grin once more. "I appreciate it very much!" she turned to face Kyo, "Thank you to you too, Sohma-san!"
Kyo also felt the pain.
Not being called by your name. Being forgotten. Being erased from one's mind. That hurt a lot. It was like… You never existed. You were never there. You were just somebody else.
Kyo never wanted to feel that again.
Of course, soon Tohru was on her feet and they were waving good-bye to her. For the last time. That was the last time they saw her that happy.
As soon as Tohru disappeared from sight, Akito appeared out of nowhere behind Yuki and his fingers made they way towards Yuki's neck. Yuki had froze and let Akito lead the way towards his chambers to have a little "talk" about what was happening.
Akito had glanced at Kyo before leaving though. That curve on the side of his creepy smile had sent shivers down Kyo's spine.
Hatori led Kyo into the small "cage" and soon Kyo found himself unable to move freely anymore.
The day that he graduated, was the day that spelled out doom for him. The day that he graduated, was the day that he lost Tohru, lost his freedom, and now, he almost lost his pride.
There was a deafening bang and he felt a sharp pain on his forehead.
"Yuki? What are you doing?" asked a curious voice. The owner's head tilted a little bit to add to the cute effect.
Yuki looked up from his sitting position. He rubbed his sore forehead and quietly, asked, "Momiji? What are you doing here?"
The blonde locks on the boy's head seemed to be laughing at the fallen boy, "Aw! Yuki doesn't want me here?" he asked in a sing-song voice. His bottom lip stuck out.
Yuki slowly got up and brushed off the invisible dirt. "Momiji, this is close to Akito's place. You know how picky he is when it comes to visitors," Yuki reasoned.
Momiji only grinned. "Who said I was visiting him?"
That got Yuki thinking. "Ah!" he realized, "then come in!" His hand reached for the sliding door and he slid it open. He invited his younger cousin in. Once inside, Yuki decided to get right to the point.
"How is she?"
A mischievous grin met Yuki's question. "Ahem," Momiji coughed as if waiting for something.
"Oh yeah…" Yuki remembered and got up. He disappeared for a moment and came back with a small box. "You know Momiji, you'll get fat if this keeps up."
"JA! I know! But us, Germans, don't get fat as easily! (1)" he replied as he quickly opened the package of Pocky. Once the box was opened, he tore off the seal for the plastic and stuck a chocolate stick in his mouth. "YUM!"
"My question…?" Yuki reminded the hyper blonde.
"Oh yeah!" Momiji said and got to the point. "She's doing GREAT! She's gotten so good at doing art nowadays! I think she's going to be a painter! I saw some of her artwork and it's so awesome! OH! You know what, Yuki? I'll ask her if I could keep a painting and I'll bring it and show you and the other Sohma's! Oh! That'd be so cool! Kyo would love it too! OH! I'll ask her to make a painting JUST for him! I'm sure he'll appreciate!"
Yuki watched the hyper blonde blab on and on about Tohru. His head rested on his chin as he switched his gaze. He stared out the window. It was still hot and sticky outside as it was summer. But he didn't been outside the Sohma estate yet and he was itching to go.
"Momiji," he interrupted the blonde.
The younger cousin stopped. "What is it Yuki?" he asked.
"I'd like to go out for a little while. Mind watching out for Akito for me?" he asked.
"YES SIR! DONE SIR!" Momiji immediately replied, as he made a salute. Yuki played along and did the same.
"Thank you, Momiji."
--
He turned over and laid on his right side this time. His other side was starting to get numb anyways… He sighed. It was days like these that he wished that even Akito was here.
Yes, he was already that crazy.
But he really wanted human contact. Plus, it would keep his mind off the fact that he had nothing to do in this stupid, god-forsaken, damned –-
What was that?
A feather had floated down from the bars of his window and he had looked up just in time to see it. His arm automatically reached for it and he held it in front of his face. It was, indeed, a feather. But a feather that he had never seen before. It was pure white, the end was long like a swan's or a goose's feather, but the strange markings on it told him otherwise.
The markings, in fact, were pretty hard to describe. It was a fancy heart in the near bottom, with leaves or diamond-shaped markings around the sides. The markings were pink.
But one of the most peculiar things about the feather was the fact that it glowed.
He sat up straight, still holding the feather. This was no ordinary feather. It couldn't be coincidence that he had found it – nor was it that the feather had floated down directly and into his barred windows.
It was a sign.
But of what? A sign that he would be freed? A sign that the curse was breaking? A sign that –-
No, he shouldn't even be thinking that. It was ridiculous after all! His curse wouldn't break… He would forever be cursed as the god-damned cat that everyone looked down on…
Except her…
His memories of her flooded through him like an open facet. From the first he met her (while breaking the roof at that), to the time at the hot springs, to the time they had the play (in which she said she would mind that fact that he would be gone), to the time they went out just to shop (in which Yuki had deliberately left because he felt the tension was too much), to the time he thought of himself as a pervert (yes, a dirty old pervert like Shigure), to the very last time he saw her – lying there… on the bed…
He sat up and leaned against the cold surface of the wall behind him. He clutched the feather in one hand and held it close to his chest.
How he missed Tohru…
Author's Note: I'm sooooo sorry! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! First, I had a minor case of writer's block, then my internet went POOF, so I started reading some new manga, then my internet came back to me, so I started to watch some anime that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY liked, and THEN my internet ran away again… ;-; I'm so sorry once again! I'll work hard on the next chapter! I'll try! I will!
Oh yeah… My sister and I got DDR: Mario Mix, it's fun. XD So we just started playing that.
Thank you to all reviewers!
Shel Death By Spork- Hopefully, I'll put Tohru in the next chapter. Thank you for reviewing!
midnight shadow 333- I'll try too. I might… Hm… Let's see… There are some characters that will be in here no matter what… Actually, screw that, I don't even know what I'm writing. XD Thank you for reviewing! BTW, do you have any request on character appearances?
jinxed4ever- Hai, hai! Here's your update! Thank you for reviewing!
fanggrl- Did I? I'm sooooo sorry! It's just that whenever I get so many hits and then when I look, there's only one reviewer, so I'm thinking, "Is it not good enough that people want to review?" I want to know what my readers think… If that's a good explanation… ((sweat drop)) Thank you for reviewing!
dark-ninja-ayana- Ah, it's okay. Thank you for telling me that, and thank you for reviewing! I love your pen name, too.
Hiroko Yamashita- Wow, long reviews. Thank you for reviewing every (was it?) chapter with each review being as long as, well, more than usual. Thank you so much! I love hearing your thoughts on each chapter, and I'm glad that you liked it despite some of the things happening. XD ((trying to sound intelligent)) Alas, I'm really as sorta thick in the head, and my sister tells me that I space out too much… (Sister: ((whistles))) Ahaha… Anyways, THANK YOU SO MUCH for every one of your reviews!
ATTENTION READERS! If you can guess where the feather came from, you'll receive…uh… an internet cookie and a character of choice (from Fruits Basket of course) to appear in this ficcie here!
Anyways, thank you for reading this. Review if you want the author to keep motivated to review. : D Oh yeah, BTW, don't expect the next chapter to be updated as quick. Sorry.
