I'm shocked! 170 reviews? That's amazing. I wouldn't think my first story would have so many. Well keep it up. Also the alerts of chapters and reviews are finally working. I just realized that. Although they're really late. I'm getting alerts on chapters I written long time ago. Oh well. And here's chapter 36. Enjoy the chapter!
For days, Tohru couldn't get the thought of having Yuki as her danna out of her head. After all she only just met him! But thankfully, it may just be a 'maybe.'
"Tohru-chan, are you daydreaming again?" Hana asked.
"Uh sort of. Gomen!" Tohru said.
"No need to apologize. You just look so cute when you're thinking about Yuki-san," Hana laughed.
"Eh?!?!?! I wasn't thinking about him! Okay maybe just a little," Tohru said getting flustered.
"Now there's no time to be embarrassed. We have to visit someone very important today," Hana said.
"Ano, how many important people are in this world?" Tohru said.
"Well I'm trying to get you noticed and be the most popular in Gion. But the Sohmas are the only ones who can make most of it happen. That's why you've met so many of them," Hana pointed out. "Now go pick a kimono to wear for today."
Tohru just obeyed and went to her growing collection of kimono. She decided to wear the one that Yuki gave her the one with the design of Kyoto on it.
"Ah such a nice decision. You're lucky Tohru-chan. I didn't get a rare kimono until I was about 17 or so," Hana said. She decided to wear a simple black kimono with a violet obi. It had some iris flowers near the hem.
"Ano, but Hana-chan is perfect no matter what she wears!" Tohru exclaimed not wanting to be the center of attention.
"Well arigato for the comment. But I don't wear this one much. But black is my favorite color after all," Hana said.
"And the obi almost matches your eye color also!" Tohru said.
"You don't say? Well this is a first," Hana said looking at herself in the mirror.
"Clearly you're outfit only just matches your complexion, hair and eye color," Megumi said out of nowhere. Of course Tohru had the wits scared out of her.
"Ah sorry Tohru-san," Megumi said bowing.
"Eh it's alright Megumi-chan. Force of habit of me to jump like that, eh heh heh," Tohru said calming down a bit.
"Well we must be going now," Hana said already prepared to leave.
"Ano I didn't even get to fix my hair!" Tohru said.
Hana quickly brush Tohru's hair and put half her hair up and stuck some light blue chopsticks in her hair.
"There you are. Now you're done," Hana said admiring her quick but decent work.
"Wow Hana-chan, only in matter of seconds and it looks great!" Tohru exclaimed.
"Yes I know. I'm a natural as some say but we quickly need to get going," Hana said dragging Tohru out the door. "We'll be back later tonight so watch the house Megumi."
"Yes I'll do that," Megumi said closing the door as soon as Hana and Tohru left.
"You still haven't told me who we are going to see," Tohru said getting restless in the carriage.
"Well he's rather quite young actually. Maybe a year younger or two than you," Hana said. "His father is one of the greatest artists in all of Japan and his son seemed to pick up his talents quite a bit. He already painted some posters and paintings and such already!"
"Ano but who is he? Another Sohma?" Tohru asked filled with questions as usual.
"Yes, he is a Sohma. His name is Hiro Sohma to be exact. I hear he's not that friendly. He loves to be sarcastic so don't get a swell head in front of him or he may think badly of you," Hana warned. "But I hear that he has one special weakness."
"Oh do tell me Hana-chan!" Tohru pleaded.
"Well you know Kisa Sohma right? She went to your geisha school I think. Well they're cousins but I hear that he has a crush on her. I also hear that Hiro likes to draw her in his spare time! But don't tell him that for it's just rumors but I'm willing to believe it," Hana said with a wink.
"I think it sounds sweet. For a guy to like a girl so much that he's willing to draw a portrait of her!" Tohru said.
"Well when you put it that way, I wish now someone will draw a portrait of me," Hana said.
"But you're on posters everywhere!" Tohru exclaimed.
"Yes but a true portrait is rather special than seeing your face on posters. Which is why we're going to our destination," Hana said. "If we can convince Hiro to paint you on a poster, people will finally recognize you more making your extremely popular," Hana said. "But you must be willing to do anything to make him take notice of you. I hear he's quite the stubborn boy."
"I'll try my best!" Tohru said.
"No you will do your best," Hana said. "None of that trying stuff. So do your best."
"Yes, I will," Tohru said being determined.
"Good I'm glad to hear that. Now that you're getting older and more mature, you must try harder each time alright?" Hana said. Tohru just nodded since that was all she could do.
"Are you sure this is the right address? It's creepier than Akito-san's fortune teller shop," Tohru said nervously.
"Yes I know it's on the haunted house side but it's rather lovely inside well it was last time I visited. Hiro wasn't born then so I haven't met him just yet," Hana pointed out.
"Well if you say so," Tohru said sweat dropping.
The house looked kind of Victorian style like Hana's. Except it was bigger and had a hint of eerie to it. The atmosphere didn't feel welcoming either. Tohru gulped as she knocked on the door dropping the heavy iron door knocker.
A maid answered the door greeting the two guests. At least she was friendly.
As the maid went to go get the artist, Tohru gazed the insides of the house. Hana was right. It was rather lovely inside, more than outside anyhow. The furniture looked old and rare probably costing millions for such things. But what Tohru noticed was that there were many self drawn portraits on the walls. Tohru guessed it was the line of Sohma family for she even saw portraits of Shigure, Ayame, Akito, Hatori, Yuki, and even Kyo.
"Lovely aren't they?" Hana asked sneaking up on Tohru.
"Uwah you scared me Hana-chan! But yes they are quite spectacular. I wish I had that kind of talent," Tohru said staring in amazement.
"They aren't that great you know," a voice said. Tohru turned around to see a boy slightly shorter than her. Tohru guessed this must be the famous Hiro.
"Anyone could paint such things, but people are lazy nowadays," Hiro said scoffing.
"Ano, did you draw these portraits?" Tohru asked.
"Do you think I have that much talent you stupid girl? Of course not! I don't even know half of my relatives! I only drew our current family! Get with the program!" Hiro said sarcastically.
"Hiro, don't be rude with our guests," an elder man said which must've been Hiro's father.
"I wasn't being rude," Hiro muttered under his breath.
"It's nice to see you again Sensei," Hana bowed to the artist.
"And it's a pleasure to see you as well Hana-san. What may I ask of your accompany today?" the artist asked.
"Well it's not for me actually but for my younger sister, Tohru-chan," Hana said nodding her head to Tohru.
"Let me guess, you're here for me to paint some posters of you to put all around town so people would know what you look like and make you more popular am I right? What a selfish reason!" Hiro spat. Tohru couldn't believe that this kid was only 14 at the least who spoke such words.
"Hiro-chan! It's not a selfish reason! We do get paid doing this you know! We should accept the offer and do it without making such rude comments," The artist said.
As the two argued aimlessly Tohru leaned to Hana and whispered, "Ano, are you sure these two are related?"
Hana chuckled and said, "It's rather funny that they have two completely different personalities but their physical characters are so much alike. In fact, Hiro-san looks like a smaller version of his father.
"What about his mother? Was she like Hiro as in personality wise?" Tohru asked but didn't receive an answer since the artist and son was finish done arguing.
"I'll tell you later," Hana quipped and turned her attention back to the artist.
"Well Hiro has finally agreed to help me paint your beautiful portrait posters, Tohru-san," The artist said.
"I never agreed to such thing! Ugh I can't stand being around such selfish people!" Hiro said storming upstairs.
"Ano, was it something I said? If so, I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to make him upset," Tohru said taking the blame even though she barely said a word to the short-tempered fellow.
"Don't worry it's not your fault Tohru-chan. He's always been like that for quite some time now. Ever since his mother – my wife passed away," The artist said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Tohru didn't want to ask what happened but opened her mouth and asked anyways.
"I don't mean to be rude but what happened?" Tohru asked.
"It happened about a year or 2 ago. My wife was having difficulties giving birth to our baby Hinata," The artist said.
"In the end, she lost too much blood and had a miscarriage. Hiro felt terrible about the whole thing. Because he yelled at his mother about how he'll feel left out after the baby was born. But neither of them would come home that night. So to make up for it, Hiro painted a self portrait of his mother and Hinata," The artist said and showed a rather realistic painting of a beautiful woman cradling an infant in her arms.
"So it was like a sorry gift for bearing such a regret he held within himself. After that, he tried covering up the sadness within him by taking it out on others. But I know he doesn't mean anything bad. The only one he's nice to is Kisa Sohma. She's such a sweet caring girl. She even comforted him at the funeral. I'm also sad but I know my wife wouldn't want to see her family bear such sadness, so I try not to let it get the best of me," The artist and then he showed another portrait of the whole family. Hiro was even smiling also.
"I painted this before she barely knew that she was pregnant," The artist said.
Tohru fought back the tears stinging her eyes. No wonder Hiro acted such a smart aleck.
"Ano, do you think I can see Hiro?" Tohru asked. The artist nodded at her question and showed her to his studio.
Tohru was amazed on how large the studio was. It was rather messy with all the paints, posters, brushes, and other things lying around. Tohru then spotted Hiro in the corner of the studio painting one of his masterpieces. She silently went behind him and saw that he was painting Kisa. In the picture, she was in a beautiful sundress in a field of flowers. She seemed to hold her hat from the wind and she had a shy smile on her face.
"You're really talented Hiro-san!" Tohru said making Hiro drop his paints on the floor.
"Why are you sneaking up on me? Great now I have to clean up this mess!" Hiro said angrily.
"Ah I'm sorry! Here let me help!" Tohru said frantically get some towels to wipe up the mess.
"I don't need a stupid girl like you to help me!" Hiro snapped snatching the towels from Tohru.
"You know, you shouldn't keep your anger bottled up. It's unhealthy," Tohru said gently.
"Why do you care about what I do? I don't even like you and your presence it's being quite a bother to me," Hiro finally managed to get the mess cleaned up.
"I know exactly how you feel. Bearing such a sad past," Tohru said looking at other portraits. Since this was Hiro's personal studio he had lots of pictures mostly of his mother, the unborn baby, and of course Kisa.
"He told you didn't he?" Hiro said feeling rather ashamed about the situation.
"You shouldn't feel bad. My past is similar to yours you know," Tohru said.
"And I care why?" Hiro asked sarcastically.
"I was taken away from my home to live at an okiya. I then received a letter stating both my parents passed away and my sister ran away from her okiya and is nowhere to be found," Tohru said trying not to be sad.
"Were you sad? I mean it must've been tough to be separated from your family," Hiro said calming down.
"Oh yes the pain was so unbearable I wanted to wish the tragedy away. But you should never forget a single memory good or bad. Because you don't want them to take over your life. And don't live with regrets Hiro-san. It must've been hard to hear that your mom died. But lucky for you, you were by her side. I couldn't be by my parents side since they were so far away. But don't be sad for your mother and Hinata are watching over you. I don't think they would want you to be sad," Tohru pointed out.
Hiro took a moment to let Tohru's words sink in. Finally he spoke, "I'll do your posters and portrait."
"Eh? You don't have to if you don't want to. I mean considering that you don't even like me that much," Tohru babbled. He put up his hand signaling her to shut up for once.
"You babble too much nonsense. But your words are sort of inspiring and it taught me something. I felt really bad at yelling at my mother before she was going to labor. I was jealous that the new baby would make me feel left out and unwanted. So that's why I painted her picture to ask for forgiveness," Hiro said with a single tear rolling down his cheek.
"But I know she forgave you. You were just angry is all but your mother loves you very much that she wouldn't do anything to hurt you. There are kids out there who have been neglected and unloved. So you're rather lucky to have such loving parents," Tohru pointed out. "And I bet Kisa would be proud if you were to be a man who overcame his sad past."
"Who said I liked Kisa anyway?" Hiro said hiding his embarrassment.
Tohru pointed to all the pictures he painted of her which made him more embarrassed and bluntly said, "Whatever."
"But I felt like I let my mom down. So this is why I'll do my best on making the best portraits and become a famous artist like my dad!" Hiro said getting over his embarrassment.
"I bet you're mom and Hinata are rooting for you right now," Tohru said smiling at him. He gave her his smallest but rarest smile at her.
"But just so you know, I still don't like you. But I don't hate you either," Hiro said cautiously. "Now let me get to work so go away!"
Tohru just smiled and nodded before leaving. But before she closed the door she said, "Arigato for your kindness Hiro-san." He didn't say anything and continued to paint.
"So you talked some sense into my boy?" The artist asked laughing a bit.
"Yes. He was just upset is all but now he's willing to try his very best," Tohru reported.
"Well that's good to hear and I'm afraid we should be going now. Thank you for letting us stop by. We'll come back if you need any ideas or models," Hana joked.
The artist laughed and said, "Well we just might need you for other things but until then, another time."
Tohru and Hana bowed and bid their goodbyes before heading home.
Well there's chapter 36. Probably the last one I'm putting up until the next few days. Like I said, we have finals coming up so I might study but I will definitely get some chapters posted so I won't keep you guys waiting. Until next time!