A/N: I know I said I wasn't going to do this chapter with Mayuko, but it felt necessary. If you're wondering "What's up with the feathers?" well I can't explain it to you because anyone whose seen the finale of season 2 of Fruits Basket or/and are manga readers understand the significance of the feathers. I won't be explaining it because it's a spoiler. If you know Kureno character, then you'll understand.

This is more of an extra, I felt like I had to write this because she is an important character for Hatori and Kana. So enjoy a different focused. I'll probably do this again when I'm explaining backstories or something. I've been writing this story (and most of my stories) in 3rd person limited point of view, so I'm switching the focus to a different character.

'If there is a way to recover their happiness… I'll definitely… search for it.' Mayuko thought as she sat down on a chair at her family's bookstore. For some reason, Shigure had decided to come and visit her, on one of her few free days from being a teacher.

"I think Mayu should inherit this shop." Shigure said. "Rather than teaching I think… that being surrounded by books is even more interesting. Especially classics!"

"... If that's the case, I wouldn't mind if you take over my place right now!" She told him, he was always better at being around books than people, she knew that well enough.

"How lazy! That's right… Why are you looking after the shop today?" Shigure asked her as he placed a book back on the shelf.

"My father is down with the flu and hospitalized so my mother went to accompany him. This is not part time, I don't even get paid for it. So.. Since I'm the only daughter I have no choice but to help out temporarily!" She told him with a sigh. "... Really! Since they're only doing this out of interest, why can't they just close down for a while!"

"As a regular customer, if the shop closes it'd be a problem for me!" He said with a hand on his chin and looked back.

"Why am I so miserable, the guy I broke up with is our regular customer… As a reminder, the book you ordered will arrive tomorrow!"

"Isn't it a great thing that we still meet up even after our separation?" Shigure said with a smirk, she knew it was a lie, most of the time she couldn't understand why he even bothered coming here. Maybe in spite.

"It's not great at all!" She said angrily. 'Really… Is this 'fate'? Even at school I still encounter Sohma Family's children… and now, I occasionally get to see Shigure… from that day on.. Two years have passed…' She paused as she thought about a moment with Kana that she would never forget. '... Two years.. Huh? Feels as though.. It happened so long ago..'

Mayuko could remember the first time she meet him, and her. "Let me introduce you!" Kana said with a happy voice. "She is Shiraki Mayuko, the best friend I'm always taking about. Mayu, he is Sohma Hatori, I am his assistant." She looked up at Hatori and felt her heart sink

'Even though they didn't anything… but my instinct told me immediately they were lovers. I… knew it at once… I'm so dumb.. Why.. did I… fall for him then… 'love at first sight'... it sounds better this way..'

"Mayu, can I… Introduce your family's bookstore to Hatori? There are a lot of books he likes there.." She asked immediately after the introduction. 'In other words, I feel with my friends' boyfriend. Every time the innocent Kana smiled at me.. My conscience would stab through my heart.'

Hatori came a few days after she introduced him. "... Sorry, it's Kana who asked you right?" Hatori asked, he wore a similar suit, just like the first time she saw him.

"It's okay." Mayuko said with her back away from him as he looked at a book. 'I just never thought… you could come alone…'

"I can select it by myself, you don't have to accompany me. Mayu." Hatori said and Mayuko froze and showed a book, she didn't want to show him her smile.

"... Calling me by my first name already, you are really bold, huh?" Mayuko said.

"Ah, ah.. Sorry, Kana calls you that… so I got used to it… She always talks about you… both of you are really close. She trust you a lot." Her eyes narrowed with a sad smile on her eyes.

"... That's because we are best friend! We knew each other in university.. From our graduation until now, we are still very close. It's really unbelieve whenever I'm with Kana… I can feel myself softening. Crying during sad times, laughing during happy moments.. An unpretentious outgoing personality.." 'How I wished.. I was like that as well. She's my aspiration."

"..." Mayuko looked behind and saw Hatori with the softest expression she saw on his face, a small smile, but it was enough to show that he loved her. "I understand what you mean." It made her heart her as she paused for a second to frown and then returned it back. She didn't want him to notice. "I heard it from kana! Uh… They are called Shigrue and Ayame… I heard.. You also have good friends?"

"They are… my good friends?" Hatori asked confused.

"Don't ask me. I don't know." Mayuko said with a pause. 'I like him… His faint smile.. His voice, his eyes… His appearance… His everything.. I really liked. This feeling… can never be revealed… no matter how much I like him it's useless… If only… I could forget him just like that… But, after knowing Shigure and Aya-kun, I got to know him much better. I'm really stupid."

"Kana-chan suggested that we all gather again some time for a drink!" Shigure said to her as she was gardening.

"Yes.. she told me too." Mayuko said. "Both of them.. Are an item right? Why are they hiding it?"

There was a moment of pause and Mayuko knew that his expression wasn't a happy one, though he smiled. She always thought, Shigure was a mystery. "Somethings, it's better if you do not know. Just like how Kana-chan didn't discover your hidden feelings.. Days will pass by more peacefully like this."

Mayuko paused and looked up at him. "... How do you know?"

Shigure looked away with a smirk on his face. "I'm quite sensitive in these things! You can fight for him!"

".. Don't talk nonsense, how can I win against Kana?" Mayuko said and thought about Kana and Hatori, the atmosphere around them… 'It's because I can't win against her, that she's my aspiration.' "In fact, I just hope that both of them can obtain happiness. So blissful that I will feel 'Ah, I can't win after all' I hope they can go to a place where I can never catch up to them." The soft smile on both of their faces. 'I hope they become so distant that my hands can never reach!"

There was a moment of silence and Shigure a few paces behind her "That's pretty rational of you…" She looked back at him. "So, you want to try going out with me instead?"

"HA?" Mayuko said shocked. "How did it turn out like this?"

"Because you look lonely. Now you wish that someone could stay beside you, no matter who it is, right? I'm quite bored too. So can we go out?" He had a cold and sinister smile on his face. But she thought why not.

'When I told them, I was dating Shigure… Their reaction nearly made me laugh. Shigrue is a really 'indescribable' guy… he is like the ripples… we do not kiss or embrace. We got together even without realizing it….'

Mayuko looked outside at Hatori and Kana and their happy relationship. She looked over to Shigure and grabbed apart of his sleeve. "... What is it?" He asked as he flipped through a page in his book and she paused and released her hand.

"Nothing.." Mayuko said. A few days later, Kana asked her a question she wasn't expecting.

"Mayu… are you and Shigure-san doing well…?" Kana asked.

"Eh/ Why do you ask so suddenly?" Mayuko asked.

"Because.. Mayu sometimes care too much for others.. That you tend to suppress yourself.. I'm worried about you, whether you are really happy." Mayuko's face softened.

"I see.. So Shigrue isn't trustworthy to Kana, huh?" Mayuko said with a sigh,

"EH?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean that.." Kana said.

'.. Thank you. I'm all right.' Mayuko looked down at Kana's sweet face. "Therefore, Kana… you must obtain happiness… You must be happy…' It was what she hoped, because she cared for her friend and for Hatori.

But… something went wrong.

"Ah… Mayu… You… Came… to see me…?" Kana asked, her entire demenor had changed, she looked like she had broken, it made Mayuko pause at the door's entrance. "Sor-Sorry, we haven't met for a long time.. Letting you see me in such a miserable state…"

Mayuko came closer to Kana. "... We are good friends, don't fret about those small things!" Mayuko said, she wanted to make her happy, so her tone betrayed her feelings. She couldn't imagine what happened. "But, we really didn't meet for a long time.. I couldn't even contact you, I was so worried, today I pleaded Shigure to let me ins secretly."

"Did you see.. Hatori?" Kana asked as Mayuko kneeled down.

"Eh? No..?" Mayuko said.

"Hatori.. Hatori he… His eyes… are injured! It's me… Me… it's my fault!" Kana said as she looked down at her hands, with an expression that was hard to explain.

"Kana…" Mayuko said.

"How?" Kana asked and grabbed her shirt with her hands. They looked smaller now. "What should I do? This.. This… Irreversible mistake… it's all my fault.. I was right beside him.. Yet he still suffered from those injuries… I… I couldn't… Protect him…"Mayuko lifted Kana up and hugged her as tears fell down her eyes. "Protect…"

Mayuko stayed there, until Kana fell asleep. Once she did, she left the room where Shigure was waiting. "...Right? I told you it was better if you didn't see her." Shigure said after Mayuko didn't say anything. "Do you want to meet Hatori?"

'Whatever the reason, whatever happens… They no longer matter. Two people's happiness… Under this kind of condition… Has been destroyed… It has already… ended. This truth will not change.

But then after some time. Something in Kana changed. "I was ill for a long time, I'm really sorry to make you worry about me, Mayu." Kana said when she came to visit her. It was as though nothing had happened. "I'm already all right."

"Really? You face still looks pale." Mayuko teased and kana laughed..

"Of course! Hatori-san reminded me, he said I need some time to recuperate. That's why I said I want to return to my parents place to rest." Kana said and Mayuko paused.

".. You really have forgotten." Mayuko said.

"Eh?" Kana asked with a confused smile.

"... Nothing." Mayuko said. 'Shigrue told me only one thing… which was the removal of memories. What did he actually feel when he erased Kana's memories?'

"Ah.. That's right! Mayu, I heard you broke up with Shigure-san, is that true?" Kana asked.

"Ah, ah… yes…"

"I… actually feel relieved. I felt Shigure-san was very cold towards Mayu…" Kana said. "Mayu is more suited to… like.. That's right! I think guys like Hatori-san suits you best!" She nodded. "A really good match!"

Mayuko paused. "Kana matches him better…" It made Kana blush at the very thought.

"I can't! I don't match him at all! Even though I kind of admire him…" Kana said embarrassed.

'You must be happy… You must be happy…' That's what Kana said, yet she wasn't able to achieve her happiness. Mayuko looked down.

"Mayu…?" Kana asked, she didn't even feel her tears fall. "Mayu… What's wrong?"

'I'm saddened… I want to be by myself… There is no reason for us to fall in love with another person.. What should be forgotten… or disappeared… should not be those two from that day.'

"It feels like…" Shigure said making Mayu blink and realize that she must've zoned out. "You are the only one who still hasn't let go. It's already been two years."

"... What are you trying to say? Ever since that time you've never met Hatori again, that's the best evidence. I guess you didn't want to betray them, but you didn't have to be like this right? After all, Kana has already married! Besides…" Shigure paused and for the first time, Mayuko saw a true smile on his face. "It seems that Hatori is falling in love again." She couldn't find anything to say. "She doesn't look anything like Kana, you already know her, but they're not official yet. Not for a sometime."

"Like this.. Huh…" Mayuko said. 'Like this… He finally.. Like this..'

"Don't you feel… stupid? Both of them have already found their own paths to happiness… Only you still remain the same, your love towards Hatori still cannot materialize… Don't you feel lonely like this? If that's the case why don't you date me again then?"

"That's ok, I'll pass." Mayuko said immediately. "No, thank you!"

"You are cold…" Shigure said.

"Who is the one being cold? Shouldn't you stop being so carefree? I…" She stood up. "Won't give in to loneliness… and date other people.." 'Because I know.. That would only increase my loneliness.'

"... That kind of thinking… is called 'stupid'!" Shigure said and moved away.

"I relieved your boredom, didn't I?" Mayuko asked.

"That's right! Because I don't hate stupid women!" He then paused at the door. "Furthermore, I… do kind of like you." He paused and looked back. "Her name is… Minami, Honda Minami… she's a good girl don't you think? You'd make her feel sad if she saw you like this." He then left and shut the door living her stunned.

Only then, did Hatori open the door to her family's bookstore.

A/N: What did you think? I really like Mayuko, so I want to find some closure for her.