"There he is Hatori." Tsubaki pointed in a certain direction. There was man in green kimono sitting under the canopy reading a book.
Hatori sighed and walked towards the said direction. "Mend your ways already and stop causing trouble for others." He started.
"Wow!" Shigure childishly exclaimed as his face brightened up. "Haa-san! Tsubaki-chan! I didn't think you'd actually come."
Tsubaki placed her head on her hand as she heard the human version of a headache talk. "You're the one who put such ideas into Akito's mind."
Hatori glared at the man as he pulled out a scalpel. "Don't get carried away with your jokes." He aimed the sharp object towards Shigure. "Or else I'll open your guts open."
"How rude!" Shigure denied as he closed his book. "I was concerned about your health Tsubaki so I thought it would be best for you to rest near the beach."
Currently most of the Sohma members were on the beach which was a private property of the said family. Upon Shigure saying useless words to Akito, the head of the family demanded they'd come to the beach.
"But it's a shame..." Shigure fake sobbed. "I wanted to see Tsubaki is a swim suit but I guess a sundress fits you beautifully as well."
Tsubaki walked towards Shigure and slapped him mercilessly across his face making Shigure dramatically fall down from his seat. With tears streaming down his face, his cupped his face and cried out. "How mean!"
Tsubaki clicked her tongue. "Don't look at me with such indecent eyes."
"Tsubaki-chan, I think you've miscalculated though." Shigure said in a serious voice making her turn her attention towards him. "I have a pain kink so I'm super aroused right now."
Tsubaki turned around and sobbed. "I can't deal with him anymore, Hatori..." Hatori rubbed Tsubaki's back, consoling the lady.
"But on a serious note." Shigure stood up. "Is Akito here?"
Tsubaki turned around and looked towards the sea. "That's why both I and Hatori are here."
"Shigure." Tsubaki started. "I need you to bring the others here as well. Akito wants to see all of you."
Shigure smiled as he then walked away from both Tsubaki and Hatori. "Sure sure~"
Soon enough, when the sun had almost set the rest of the zodiac entered. Tsubaki was the one to greet them of course. "Come in." She started. "I'll show you the room, Akito asked you to wait in."
As she turned around, the rest of them walked behind her without a word. Momiji was the first one who quickened her pace as he then walked beside Tsubaki. "I heard you were hospitalized recently. Are you okay?"
Tsubaki noticed Hiro flinch at the topic being brought up. Tsubaki smiled at Momiji "It wasn't anything serious." She lied.
Tsubaki had been passed out for 3 days after that incident, she also had lost alot of blood in the process. Rin had also been passed out but for only a day but then she had a large injury on her back which required her to get the wound stitched.
"Uhm..." A small voice squeaked out. "It has been a while, Tsubaki obaa-san."
She looked at Kisa who had her face flushed as she gripped the hem of her dress with all her might. Tsubaki walked towards her as she then kneeled down.
"You're speaking..." Tsubaki breathed out, without realizing a tear slipped making everyone around her panic. Last time she saw the small girl was in the hospital, bandages covering her body. Back then she refused to speak and after a while she even stopped going to school.
Yuki quickly ran towards her as he tried to dry her tears with a handkerchief. However Tsubaki pulled away. "Please don't pay mind to me." She stood up and pointed towards a door.
Tsubaki then quickly turned and walked away. "Wait in that room. I'll go get Akito."
The following day too,Akito invited the group to visit her again as once again there was an unofficial banquet yet without the cat.
"Yuki." Tsubaki called as she sat behind him. "You've grown." The once weak looking boy was no way taller than her and even carried a mature aura around him.
The boy looked up from the book he was reading and smiled upon the older woman's arrival. "Tsubaki-nee." He acknowledged.
"You're going to be in your senior year next year, right?" Tsubaki asked the boy. Yuki nodded making Tsubaki smiled. "Time really flies by huh?"
Yuki looked at her as if he was inspecting her, when suddenly a mark on her face caught his attention. He leaned forward as he inspected a scar below her eye. "This is... Did Akito hurt you?"
"Ah..."Tsubaki let out a breath."No, I got this injury when I fell recently." Making Yuki lean back but he still gave her a suspecting eye.
"Oh~Yuki." A new voice made an appearance. "Aren't you with Akito?" It was Shigure who approached Yuki and Tsubaki smiling.
"Akito is all over Haru today."
From the corner of her eyes, Tsubaki noticed someone pass by making her immediately stand up and walk after him. The person upon hearing footsteps behind her turn only for Tsubaki to grab his hand and pull him into the closest room.
As soon as they entered the room, Tsubaki tackled the man down, trapping him in between his arms. "Why didn't you show up, Kureno?"
Kureno who was below her stayed there in shock. Tsubaki bit her lips. She knew she was being childish and her actions right now were shameless yet...
Tsubaki cried. "I wanted to see you but then you never showed up."
Tsubaki knew it was not Kureno's fault. After returning home from the hospital, Akito never left Tsubaki and during the night Akito was with Kureno. There was never a moment they could have been alone.
"As soon as I woke up..." Tsubaki saw that a tear drop had fallen from her and landed on Kureno's face. "I searched for you. Everyone came to check up on me yet you never showed up..."
Tsubaki leaned down, her face buried in Kureno's chest, her hands clutching on Kureno's shirt. "Tsubaki..." Kureno called out as he gently cupped Tsubaki's cheek.
Kureno then smiled. "Long story short, you missed me?"
Tsubaki scrunched her nose as she drew in a deep breath. "That's right!" Tsubaki said. "As soon as I got my feeings figured out, I wanted to see you so bad!"
Kureno then straighten himself wrapping his arms around Tsubaki's waist as he pulled Tsubaki on his lap. His hand which was once on her cheeks were placed on her chin. He leaned in.
Tsubaki, too leaned in as she closed her eyes. She could feel warmth of Kureno so close her as his lips touched hers.
At first he simply placed his lips on her as Kureno pulled away. But as Tsubaki was about to open her eyes, Kureno kissed her again but this time it was an open mouth kiss.
He kissed her sensually, as he moved his lips against her. Tsubaki felt feverish with his actions yet she did not pull away. Instead she placed both hands behind his head as Tsubaki pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.
Kureno swiped his tongue against her lips making Tsubaki moan, as he picked up his pace. He then pulled away as Kureno started to trail his lips down along her neck. "Ku-Kureno." Tsubaki squeaked out.
Kureno then bit down on her neck making her grab a fistful of his hair. One hand of Kureno was placed on Tsubaki's back as the other one started to wander. One of his hands reached to the string of her sundress as he then-
"Ah!" Just then there was a sound accompanied with the sound of door sliding open. Tsubaki swung Kureno to the opposite side of the room as she looked towards the door, disheveled.
"Y-Yuki..." Tsubaki said as she started at the boy shocked. Yuki also returned the same expression back at her.
"I'm sorry for disturbing..." Yuki said quickly as he closed the door open.
Tsubaki felt bombs going off within her. "No wait Yuki!" She was about to follow her when Tsubaki felt a hand grab her.
"Tsubaki-" Kureno said but she did not let him complete. All the things the two of them were doing flooded in. If Yuki hadn't stepped in then-
"I'm going out for a bit!" Tsubaki shouted that as she ran away from Kureno.
Tsubaki huffed as her feet finally stopped. Without a thought she ran away from the house and now here she was in the middle of the forest. Recognizing the path she walked along the way. If I'm not mistaken...
And just as she had suspected a huge house came into view. It was the vacation house the others were staying in and right now the ones who should be here are Kyo and Honda Tohru.
"Excuse me." A gentle voice captured her attention as she turned. A girl with long brown hair, It was Honda Tohru. The girl beamed as she clapped her hands together. "It's the lady who accompanied Akito-san when you visited the school."
Tsubaki smiled, as her heart warmed at the way the girl was beaming, as she then walked towards her. She then bowed. "Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Sohma Tsubaki."
Tohru was in daze for a moment. The woman in front of her had such an unreal beauty with her feminine features and short silver hair. "Ah!" She snapped out of her daze as Tohru bowed back. "Nice to meet you too! My name is Honda Tohru."
Tohru then smiled at Tsubaki. "Please come inside the house, I'll get you a drink." Responded with a nod, Tohru walked back into the house alongside Tsubaki.
Entering the living room, both Tsubaki and Tohru sat on the same sofa. Tohru leaned in. "I was wondering who you were last time so you are also a part of the Sohmas."
Tsubaki chuckled as She looked at Tohru. "Yes. I'm the same age as Hatori and the rest." She continued. "Also I am the older sister of Sohma Akito."
"Akito..." The words which came out of Tsubaki baffled her. "Are you also part of the zodiacs?" But then only one stop remains. If Tsubaki san is the rooster than who is Akito?
"I'm a part of the bonds but I don't belong in the zodiacs." Tsubaki looked at Tohru's confused expression. "My existence is similar to the cat yet I do not transform." She then laughed at Tohru's ever growing confusion.
"What I mean to say is-"
"What are you doing here?" Tsubaki turned to look at the familiar voice to see a orange haired boy. "It's been a while since we last met, Kyo."
The look from the boy demanded answers from Tsubaki so she simply leaned back. "Don't worry. I was just on a walk so I thought I should visit."
Tohru let out a surprised sound in realization as she quickly stood up. "I forgot to get you a drink, Tsubaki-san."
Before the girl could leave, Tsubaki quickly held Tohru's hands. She then looked at Kyo. "Why don't you get a drink for me, Kyo?"
"Huh?!" The boy shouted, from the back Tohru was shaking her hands saying she would be the one getting the drinks. "Why would I do that?!"
But nevertheless Kyo walked towards the kitchen, whispering curses. Tsubaki softened at the boy's action. What an obedient kid.
"Actually I sent Kyo away because I had a lot of things to say to you, Tohru-san." Tsubaki leaned into her arm as she looked at the girl.
"First of all, I wanted to thank you for taking care of Kisa." Tsubaki said. "I heard from Shigure that the main reason Kisa is getting better was due to your,Yuki and Hatsuharu's care."
Tohru beamed at the mention of the young girl. "Kisa-san is very adorable so I like being with her."
Tsubaki started again but this time her voice was lower. "Also I heard you saw Kyo's true form?" She looked at the girl who had a surprised expression, with no words coming out of her.
"Actually the first time I saw Kyo's form I was so terrified." Those awful memories came rushing into her mind. "I couldn't even move from my spot as I stared at him in horror."
"But when Kyo took a step towards us, I was so afraid that he might injure Akito. So I quickly blocked him." Tsubaki faked a laugh. "Though I know Kyo wouldn't ever hurt anyone, I acted otherwise. And I think that I deeply hurted him then."
Tohru watched the woman slowly look at her. Her expression looked as if she was going to cry any moment but then she was smiling. Tsubaki said. "Thank you for not being afraid and accepting him, Tohru-san."
"That's not it!" Tohru raised her voice before she seemed to realize it, her face flushed. She lowered her eyes. "I was scared..."
"I was so scared. Even though I know he was Kyo-kun, his voice didn't sound like him and in a completely different form." Tohru's voice wavered as she explained herself. "But then I felt if I walked away then Kyo-kun would never return home."
"And that scared me more."
"I see..." Tsubaki looked away as she looked up., tears were pooling in her eyes at Tsubaki's explanation. How is person so, in the simplest word, kind? Akito...Tohru is the most beautiful person I've ever met.
Is it the way she speaks or is it simply the aura she gives? Each word coming from Tohru-san makes me feel very calm, her smile completely wipes my worries. Is she the reason why Yuki seemed to smile more? Is she the reason why Kisa and Momiji looked as if they were having so much fun? Is she the reason why Kyo seemed to look free?
"Tohru-san..." Tsubaki started. "Are you happy?" Honda Tohru was what Sohma Tsubaki always wanted to be.
Tohru without any hesitation, her lips curling into a smile, replied. "Of course! After living in Shigure san's house, my life has been filled with happiness. Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun have always been kind to me! And spending time with the rest of the zodiacs is always fun."
"I'm sure it's the same..."
Tohru tilted her head in confusion. "What is?"
"Everyone who is with you also feels the same way. When with you,I'm sure they also feel very happy and your presence comforts them to the very core." She smiled. "Because just from meeting you right now, that's how I feel about you."
"I'll be taking my leave. I'll love you meet you again, Tohru." Tsubaki then stood up and she walked towards the door. "You can also come out Kyo."
"Gah!" A red faced Kyo popped from behind the wall. "You knew I was already here?!"
Tsubaki laughed. "From the very start."
The next day, Akito surprised every one by inviting Kyo as well. Tsubaki wondered if it was to torment Kyo or to leave Tohru all alone. "Or maybe both..."
When night fell, Tsubaki was surprised with a call. "Hello, . Is something the matter?" She had received a call from the Sohma Hospital.
"Hello, Tsubaki-san. I'm sorry to call you so late." The man on the other side of the phone said. "But Isuzu-san has ran away from the hospital again."
Tsubaki sighed. It was a normal occurrence for the girl to run away from the hospital every time she was admitted but then it doesn't stop Tsubaki from worrying. "I'll talk to the head of the family and return soon."
With that the call ended as Tsubaki walked to Akito's room only to find Kureno near her door as well. "Kureno?"
The man turned to look at her. "We received call from the estate. Ren-san has been behaving odd so the head maid requested Akito to return."
"I see... I also have to return so it words out. But then..." Tsubaki opened the door only to find an empty room with an abandoned yukata. "Where is Akito?"
Both Kureno and Tsubaki rushed around in search of Akito. Upon not finding her in the house, they both decided to rush towards the vacation house.
Upon reaching the house, two silhouette came into view. Kureno sighed. "Akito, we were looking for you."
Tsubaki rushed in immediately covering her with her her umbrella. "Akito, we have to go back." Beside Akito, Tsubaki noticed Tohru with scratches on her face. Did Akito injure her?
Akito turned back to look at Tohru with a smile. "Let me introduce them." Akito smiled. "This is Sohma Kureno, the rooster and Sohma Tsubaki, God's beloved servant."
"Nice to meet you..." Kureno greeted.
Akito walked up to Tohru as she whispered. "Tohru-san, all the zodiac members will come back to me in the end. They can never be separated from me so stop trying to ruin our blessing."
"Stop meddling and behave or else you'll be punished."
"Akito!"
Akito turned around upon hearing Tsubaki's concerned voice. Tsubaki gulped. "The estate requests your presence immediately." In honesty Tsubaki simply wanted Akito away from Tohru.
"Then farewell..." Akito turned and walked away along with Kureno. Tsubaki looked behind to see Tohru on her knees. I'm sorry, Tohru...
Upon returning home Akito told Tsubaki to not leave her room, the reason being that Ren demanded Tsubaki's presence and of course Akito would ever give in. Tsubaki obliged but then her wind wandered to Isuzu.
However late into the light when Tsubaki was sleeping, the door to her room slides open. It was Ren.
Tsubaki immediately stood up as she approached her mother. "What are you doing here?"
Ren did not reply to her and look at Tsubaki as she then walked towards her and wrapped her hands around her. "I wanted to see you so bad."
Tsubaki bit her lips. Her mother once again came to her since Ren wanted to see Sohma Akira.
As her mother kept speaking, Tsubaki's mind went to Honda Tohru. The way she spoke about the zodiacs were so comforting whereby she seemed to love each person for their own traits, even parts which normal people would walk away from.
Tsubaki has been loved as well but the reason was never genuine. Kureno loves you for who you are... A part of her whispered.
"But I think your hair is getting longer." She mother said. "I think we should trim it abit."
"Mother." Tsubaki pulled away from Ren, as she stared at her in her eye. "I'm not Sohma Akira."
Ren looked shocked for a second before laughing. "Of course I know that-"
Tsubaki took one more step back. "I wish you would stop looking for him in me."
Silence engulfed the room until Ren fell on her knees. Ren brought her hands, covering her face as she sobbed. "I thought that at least you would love me, Tsubaki. But yet again I'm left alone."
Tsubaki stared at the woman resisting every urge within her to embrace and comfort her mother. Ren continued to cry. "Only Akira loves me but then in the present no one does."
"I simply wanted to be loved as Sohma Tsubaki." Tsubaki looked at her mother, her heart breaking. "I simply wanted to be loved as your daughter, mother."
With those words Ren stopped sobbing before she screamed. She stood up immediately as she grabbed Tsubaki by the shoulder. "Why would I love anyone than Akira?!"
"I've always only loved Akira." Ren shouted. "Why would I love anyone who makes Akira's attention off me?! You and Akito both!"
"You two have always been the barrier separating me and Akira!" The shouts must have got the attention of others as people came rushing in. As Ren kept cursing at Tsubaki, people started to restrain her as she was eventually taken back.
Tsubaki felt her heart crack to bits and pieces as she finally heard her mother's true feeling towards her. Ren had always whispered words of love towards her even if weren't genuine so to hear her very own mother cursing her own child with nothing but her truest feelings broke her.
But then at the same time it felt as if a huge weight was off her shoulders. Tsubaki felt free for the first time in her life.
...
Authors Note:
I made this chapter less intense as compare to others since I felt my others chapters were too dark.I also wrote my first kiss scene hahaha
ALSO! I kept up the running gag where Yuki always seems to find himself third wheeling fufufu
Hope you liked the chapter and see you in the next one!