Note: It is early March in the story.

Chapter 7: What You Sow

Takeshi was the first to speak, surprised that his girlfriend was already where he planned to take her.

"Tohru, this is my sister, Ayumi."

Ayumi was an enchanting beauty, her large round eyes and two dimples caught Tohru's attention first. Her face was perfectly angelic.

"Nice to meet you Tohru. Takeshi's told me all about you."

Tohru merely nodded like a dumb bobble head doll, too shocked that he was here.

Behind her, Shigure's voice rose, "Who do we have the pleasure of-"

His voice hitched and he sputtered a few times, like a broken car before continuing, "Hello Takeshi and-"

"Ayumi." Ayumi beamed under Shigure's intense gaze, offering her hand. Tohru could see the confusion in Takeshi's eyes and knew his mind was making judgments and decisions. She only hoped that he could forgive her. Shigure took the girl's hand and shook it gently.

"Lunch is ready." Everyone broke out of their staring contest and moved into the dining room, where Mrs. Ayamoto had laid out many dishes. Everything home-grown and home-made she proclaimed with clasped hands. First they started with a miso soup with seaweed and tofu. "We don't use any store bonito. We catch our own fish out back, season it, and dry it. I'll show you the river later."

Tohru barely had enough room in her stomach to sample everything.

For dessert they each had a fresh fruit bowl with persimmon, hami melon, lychee, and strawberries.

...

After lunch, Mrs. Ayamoto took them on a tour of the river bank. She checked up on several crates in the river to see if they had caught anything.

"Aiyahhh, I forgot, I was making steamed cake! I have to get back, I'll leave you guys to enjoy yourselves. When you get back, I'll have cake for you all."

The silence became unnerving after Mrs. Ayamoto left. The restless group wandered in a shaded area. While sitting on a rock, dipping her feet into the river, Takeshi called out her name.

"What are you doing here, Tohru?"

"Shigure invited me this morning without telling me where we were going."

"And you just went with him?" He asked, incredulous.

"Yes."

"You cancel on your boyfriend to hang out with someone who treats you with no respect, doesn't care about your well-being, has slept with every loose girl at our school, has no ambition, and is older than you by a decade?"

Feeling her cheeks burn, she turned away, planning to duck away from him under a low-hanging tree, but the rush of the currents pushed her into the free-flowing river.

'Tohru!"

Tohru's arms flailed, she felt sea grass wrapping itself tighter on her legs as she moves more. Takeshi saw her and dived into the water to save her, managing to reach her in time before she went under. He tugged her hard enough that he broke the anchor of the grass. He pulled her to the side and laid her down.

"Are you okay?"

Tohru nodded.

Just then Shigure came from behind the tree and looked down at them. "What the fuck just happened?"

'Nothing," Tohru says quickly, not wanting to incite Shigure.

Shigure looked at Takeshi condescendingly.

"Tohru accidentally fell into the water because of me."

"Because of you?!" Shigure shouted, kneeling down in the dirt next to her to assess any damages. He had a terrifying look of anxiety.

"Lift your arms," he asked. She did as he asked and he unbuttoned her tank top, and peeled the wet fabric away. He took off his cardigan and gave it to her. "Put this on. At least you won't get sick."

All this playing out like a tragic play, in front of Takeshi, told him that Tohru and Shigure were more than enemies.

So very much more.

Tohru listened to Shigure like a wife, or at least a partner. She had so openly removed her clothing in front of him. When she had seen him strip at his own house, she had covered her eyes and said, "Aiya!" But now she was putty in Shigure's hands. Hands that had touched her body like it knew it well, steady and assured. He couldn't help but feel intrusive, watching an intimate scene between a couple unfold.

"I knew something was wrong! When Ayumi fawned over Shigure during lunch, you watched like a sad puppy. What has gotten into you, Tohru! You weren't like this before! We laughed at him, remember?"

Tohru felt like utter despair. Everything had completely unraveled, here and now. Her secrets were spilled. The love she tried to hide, lying for everyone to trample upon.

Why couldn't she have just loved Takeshi instead?

Seeing Tohru dejected, wrought Shigure's insides. He picked her up under her armpits and slung her over his shoulder. "This is my woman now."

….

With his the crook of his arm still wrapped tightly around her neck, he pulled her away from the shocked Takeshi. Even after their "couple" display, he hadn't expected Shigure, the playboy to claim Tohru like that.

Hadn't be mere months ago ignored her and taunted her? Maybe this was a joke, but he really needed time to sort out his thoughts. The first of which was that Tohru had lied to him on the phone today. Ayumi broke his chaotic thoughts when she asked, "What's going on between those two? They seem rather close."

He grumbled, "I need to find out myself."

When Shigure finally the shed behind the house, he released his hold on Tohru.

"What are you going on about?" Tohru asked in a shrill tone. "You're giving Takeshi the wrong idea."

"The only wrong idea is that your with him when you have feelings for me."

"What are you talking about?" Tohru clasped her fidgety hands in exasperation.

Immediately, his body drew close to hers, making her stiffen. His sweet-scented fruity breath whispering in her ears, "I can sense the way your body reacts to mine."

"That's because I'm still in shock! And I'm nervous, and worried, and-"

He shut her up the only way he could think of, by slanting his lips over hers, collecting all of her muffled words until she was silent. She didn't push him away, like he had expected. Instead, she stood there, the pressure of his soft lips tracing the line of her jaw, before making its way to her collarbone, which rose up and down to match the quickening pace of her heart beat. Unable to stop herself, she moaned and put her hands tentatively around his waist to support herself. He roughly grabbed her hands and tightened them around his waist, hoping that this was a sign she was giving in, giving in to them, finally being together.

But alas, she broke out of this dream state, and pushed herself away from him, leaning against the side of the shed, not even feeling the splintered wood planks prickling her skin.

"It's a fleeting feeling. Don't give into it." She told herself aloud, as well as for Shigure's sake.

Shigure shot back, "Does he make you feel this way?"

"He doesn't make me cry."

His darkening eyes told her that was not what he wanted to hear. As she turned to leave, her eyes blurred with the first glaze of tears, he grabbed ahold of her wrist and tugged her to face him. He looked sternly into her eyes before utterly his final words. "Don't make a wrong decision because of you're afraid. If you don't give it a try, you'll never know."

….

It had been five months, two weeks, three days, four hours, thirty-three minutes since school started.

...

A/N: I love it in Asian dramas when the guy is like: This is my woman! RAWR! I had to use it.

Thanks for your support guys!

miaboo011: Haha, Takeshi is frustrated right now.

kouga's older woman: haha, left up your interpretation, but it wasn't my intention. Like it tho!

Tsukiakage: I wuv writing cliffies but hate reading them. Haha. Thanks!

LibraryLady08: agreed! The story is one-of-a-kind! I usually don't like movies/dramas/stories with too many characters, but this is an exception!