Hikari turned to Tohru.
Hikari: Now, what's your name, dear?
Tohru was still reeling from her own blushing fit, but she heard enough of what Hikari said to be able to answer her question.
Tohru: My name is Tohru Honda.
Hikari was a bit confused by the very idea of a girl having what was clearly a boy's name. She tried not to rude about it, but couldn't help her curiosity being piqued by why this girl had such a masculine name.
Hikari: Why'd your parents give you a boy's name? They must've hated you or something.
Hikari's snide remark snapped Tohru out of her reeling dizziness just long enough for her eyes to tear up.
Yuki: Hikari, you insensitive little jerk.
Hikari saw her mistake, and tried to at least learn why this girl had a boy's name for some reason so she could fix what she did.
Hikari: I'm sorry for accusing your parents of hating you just because you happen to have a boy's name. I didn't know you were sensitive about your own name. But now, I'd to learn your parents reasons for actually doing it from you, yourself, Tohru.
Hikari struggled to call Tohru by her given name, but she finally managed to get her name out.
Tohru: It's my parents I'm sensitive about, not my name. I mean, I was sensitive about my name in the past when I was finally told by bullies that it was far too masculine to even qualify as a girl's name, but it's my parents I was actually sensitive about in this situation.
Hikari suddenly saw what the actual problem was with her comment about Tohru.
Hikari: I'm sorry, I don't know why I thought a name would be the problem when it was clearly about family. I guess I just didn't think that a girl who was really as feminine as you would actually have a boy's name. So, I'll ask this again, only in a more sensitive manner, this time around. Why do you have a boy's name?
Tohru listened to Hikari's explanation enough to stop tearing up and told her the story behind her name. Hikari listened closely to Tohru as best she could.
Tohru: So, actually my dad gave me the name 'Tohru' to increase my femininity, not reduce it. These are his words from before he died when I was the age of three.
Hikari scratched the side of her head at Tohru's explanation, trying her hardest to make sense of such an idea. Yuki, Kyo and Arisa noticed Hikari scratching the side of her head at the idea. Of course, Kyo was quick to be annoyed by the head scratching.
Kyo: What's with the sudden head scratching? Is it really that hard for you to believe?
Hikari: I'm just trying to make sense of the idea, but all of my efforts are drawing a blank. How does giving one's only child and daughter a boy's name to give said daughter more femininity make any sense?
Tohru decided she needed to be one end Hikari's head-scratching misery and make the explanation clearer.
Tohru: My dad called it like 'adding something salty to something sweet to make it taste better'. Those were his words back when I was born.
Hikari was still a little bit confused by the sentiment, but then something clicked in her mind, and she was finally able to put the pieces of her own little brain puzzle together with relative ease.
Hikari: Oh, I see now. It's kinda like a French fry dipped in a milkshake or bacon on top of ice cream.
It was now Tohru's turn to draw a blank on Hikari's statement. Tohru had never traveled much before, other than school field trips and vacations with the Sohmas. Tohru had also never been outside Japan, before. Even the Sohmas, themselves, all drew a blank on those food combinations.
Hikari's mind: What the hell am I telling them all? Of course, none of them are gonna know what that even means. I can't believe I keep forgetting that I'm back in Japan. I'm not traveling, anymore. You need to start learning to adapt to your surroundings better.
Hikari: I'm sorry for confusing you. It's a concept with American food as an example. I always act like whenever I return to Japan. I just completely forget that I'm not traveling, anymore.
Tohru suddenly forgot her confusion and became more interested in Hikari's lifestyle.
Tohru: Wait a minute, you travel the world for a living? What places have you been? When did you come back to the country? Do you go overseas a lot? And most all, what's your relationship to Soh_
Hikari suddenly put her hands on Tohru's shoulders when she couldn't keep with the girl's questions.
Hikari: Whoa, whoa, take it easy, girl! One question for me at a time, Tohruko?
Tohru: Well, I first wanted to ask you_
Tohru started to Hikari her first question, which was going to be "to what places have you been?". But upon hearing what Hikari called her, Tohru immediately replaced the first question with…
Tohru: Wait a minute, did you just call me 'Tohruko'?
Hikari: I'm sorry. I promise it was a slip of the tongue. I really didn't mean to call you by something that wasn't your given name.
Tohru: No, no, it's OK! You don't have to apologize. I don't mind it, at all. I just wanna know why the sudden renaming.
Hikari: I guess I still have a bit of a problem with the masculinity of your real name. I suppose I was trying to call you a name that sounded even a little bit more feminine. Guess I failed miserably, though. Not only that, but I hurt your feelings even more in the process.
Tohru: No, no, you didn't hurt my feelings, at all. Actually, my grandpa used to call me by my mom's given name, 'Kyoko', instead of mine. And, the name 'Tohruko' is also pretty cute, I guess. I mean, it kind of reminds me of a merge between what my grandpa used to call me and my given name. I was just a bit surprised by it, that's all. But, you can call me 'Tohruko' if you feel more comfortable that way.
Hikari wasn't sure what to think of Tohru's reaction, but she just went along with it.
Hikari: I really am sorry I misspoke when your name, but I'm also grateful to you being as understanding as you were.
Hikari was in tears, and suddenly she hugged Tohru. Tohru hugged her back, showing her that all was forgiven.
