Thanks to all those who reviewed for the last chapter: SMOKe13, Ratava100d, B.D. Gerretson, animeprincess32, Kyki- The Late Night Writer, Hiro Sohma, LibraryLady08, buyokitty, -Azn-Grl-Furuba-Fan-, AliaraGen and UltimateShipper2008

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket.


Chapter Eight: Hungry

The silence of the room was replaced with a growl that emitted from within Manabe's stomach. "I'm hungry!" He whined. "Anybody has food?" Manabe looked at everyone in the room and found that none of them had any food on them.

"I can cook some food for you Manabe-kun!" Tohru volunteered, jumping from the floor and pumping a fist into the air.

"Honda-san you will not do anything of that kind, Manabe must learn how to cook himself." Yuki said, grabbing the arm of the petite teen and motioning for her to take a seat.

"Like you can even cook Yun-Yun!" Manabe made a sour face at him and stuck out his tongue.

"Again, I do not see why in the world I am here." Nao sighed as he rubbed his forehead. It was a bother being in a room filled with idiots.

"Kimi knows why you come! You come to see Kimi! Is Kimi right?" She began to pull on the sleeve of Nao's uniform and demanded an answer.

"I mean, I could be at home sleeping right now rather than being attacked by a drama queen!" Nao pushed Kimi away from him and shifted the opposite direction from her.

"You're calling Kimi a drama queen? Kimi is flattered!" She jumped from where she was sitting on the floor and flew into Nao's arm, which was pushing away with all his might. "That wasn't a compliment you idiot!"

"Where is Shigure today anyway?" Uo sighed impatiently. "You know what; we're going to do our own lesson today. Now who has a word?" She stood up and tried to avoid eye-contact with Manabe who was raising his hand up. But, that didn't work since he moved to every direction that Uo's head went. "Fine, what do you have?"

"HUNGRY, because I am hungry!" He whimpered as his stomach gave off another growl.

"Fine, today's word is hungry. I don't really care about today so you can make today's story."

And so, Manabe got to work and once he was done - he was much hungrier that before. In the end, he got:

"Yun-Yun decided to cook me dinner last night.

He's not a bad cook… but he's a better eater...

His range of culinary offering usually run to wraps, nachos, spag bog... that sort of thing, but he does love to watch me cook..

Last night, he cooked my Chicken Stew.

I opened the front door of The House Of Purple Lerve to be greeted by a decidedly fishy smell, and Furry bouncing around, waving a ladle gaily and talking about Chicken… while the strong smell of FISH permeated my nostrils..

Furry had browned cashews and garlic and onion and chicken, added zucc's and spinach and mushrooms and sun dried toms, and some chicken stock and crème.

And then he turned to me and said proudly

"And I know you like to add anchovies because they make your sauce richer, so I did that too!!"

Umm… No... he had found FOUR salted and breaded SARDINES and added the lot to the stew.

He's so proud of it, but it is seriously inedible... is there ANY way I can save it, tone down the fish, so I can eat it and beam proudly at him??

I skived out last night, by only having a mouthful or two and then claiming tiredness due to work, but he cheerfully informs me that "you tell me things get better when you let the flavors marry overnight, so we'll have it tomorrow and it'll be even NICER!!"

I'll be home an hour or so before him tonight.

Please PLEASE tell me there's something I can do!!"

Man, I am going to LOVE this place!!"
Manabe finished up. "And that... was my dream last night with Yun-Yun."

"Must I be involved in your silly little antics?" Yuki questioned.

"Why Yun-Yun, you are my sunshine when it is dark." He answered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, don't EVER do that again!" Yuki said, giving him a glare.

"Yuki, are you cheating on me?" Haru asked in a joking way.

"What in the world? You're cheating on my Yun-Yun?" Manabe removed his arm from shoulder and placed it around Kyo. "Fine, I bet Kyo is a better cooker!"

"Get your arm the hell off of me!"

But of course, Shigure chose this time to enter the room and saw Manabe's arm on Kyo's shoulder, Haru close up on Yuki's face and in the middle of it all the entertained: Hana, Uo, Tohru, Nao and Machi.

"How long was I in the bathroom?" Shigure asked.


End Chapter Eight.

Intense - Susceptible to strong emotion; emotional

Ice Cream - A frozen food containing cream or milk and butterfat, sugar, flavoring, and sometimes eggs.

DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AND VOTE FOR THE NEXT WORD!