Chapter 7: The Sweet Spirit of Kindness

Tasukete…tasukete…

Tohru's mind was reeling. She was about to be raped! Her heart was calling only one name.

And all she could see was one face.

"Yuki!" she cried.

A shadow emerged from the darkness.

"Y-Yuki?" She then froze.

It was a life-sized mouse with big, violet eyes.

"Onee-chan?"

Her eyes flapped open.

Kisa looked at her worriedly. "You were screaming for help, and Yuki's name too."

She looked around. She was back in her room in the Sohma residence. She was safe.

She then remembered her nightmare in school. Just the very thought weakened her.

"Rest, onee-chan. Hatori-san told us to ensure that you get enough bed rest to recover from the trauma," explained the little girl.

"W-Where is Yuki?"

"He's in the police station with Kagura, Kyo and Shigure. They're pressing charges against that asshole who attacked you," said Hiro.

A handsome man appeared in the room. "Good, you're awake, Honda Tohru. How are you feeling now?"

She looked at Kisa inquiringly.

"He is Sohma Hatori, the clan doctor," explained the girl. The man nodded politely.

So this is Ha-san, the one Shigure was talking about.

"Shigure and the others will be home soon," Hatori continued. "I'll give them the rest of the instructions." He was about to leave the room when he faced her again. "Tell me, how are you related to the Sohma?"

"I-I'm their house helper," she replied.

"And lately, have you noticed anything strange or peculiar here in the house?"

"L-Like what?" she asked.

Kisa looked at Hiro then at Hatori. The doctor cleared his throat. "Never mind." He reached for the doorknob. "It was a good thing Yuki sensed you were in danger."

Her forehead creased.

"He came back to school after learning you weren't home yet," explained Hiro.

Her eyes widened. So her master didn't happen to just pass by. He knew she was in danger.

"Thank God," she murmured, holding her hands in prayer.

Kisa clasped her hands. "We are here," she said in quiet reassurance.

She smiled tearfully.

"You're back," said Hatori solemnly when Shigure and the others had arrived.

Kagura shot Kyo a worried look. He was the one most utterly destroyed when they learned of Tohru's near-rape.

"Screw him," cursed Kyo under his breath before he went straight up to the roof.

She sighed sadly then looked at the others. "It was a good thing I passed by school to check on Kyo. I found Tohru sleeping beside the nezumi."

Yuki nodded slowly. The minute Tohru's head laid on his chest and her arms flung around his neck, he transformed into a mouse. Fortunately for him, Tohru has already lost consciousness and no one was able to see what happened.

"So what happened to the criminal?" asked Hatori.

"Well, Yuki already gave him a huge dose of his martial arts skills, and Kyo gave him a second blow," Shigure smiled wanly. "And I delivered the coup de grace."

"Then he must be in a really bad shape," commented Hatori. "So will you still allow the girl to go to school?"

Yuki shook his head firmly.

"Onee-chan, don't stand up yet!" cried Kisa when Tohru weakly stood up. "You're not yet allowed by Hatori-san to walk!"

Tohru shook her head smilingly. "But I could hear everyone's voices! They're home! I want to see them already!" She hurriedly limped towards the living room. "Minnasan!"

All heads turned towards her.

"Tohru-kun!" smiled Shigure, relieved that she was fine.

Yuki's eyes echoed the same emotion. "Are you well enough to get out of bed, Honda-san?"

"I'm not sick!" she said defiantly. She twirled around for them. "See?" She straightened up. "So what do you guys want for dinner?"

"Don't bother," said Yuki. "I'll do the cooking tonight."

"Please don't," begged Shigure.

Tohru giggled. "I'll be fine. I'll be making some anti-leeks recipe just for Kyo." She scanned the room for him, but didn't see him. "W-Where's Kyo?"

Kagura looked pointedly at the roof.

"I'll go fetch him," decided Tohru, leaving the room.

Shigure looked at Kyo's fiancée, puzzled. "Normally, you don't let any female creature - not even a female cat - near Kyo. Why the sudden change?"

Kagura smiled. "She's so nice that I cannot find the will in my heart to even dislike her."

Tohru found Kyo lying on the roof, looking at the big full moon floating on the starless night sky. She was just about to walk towards him when he jumped up, alert, in a fighting stance. "Who's there?" he shouted. "Is that you, Kusu Yuki?"

"Matte-" Her words were cut off by Kyo's swift fist coming towards her face. "Kyo!"

He froze just in time. "Tohru!" His fist retreated. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I" She couldn't speak. Her heart was beating fast. Awhile ago, she was just a few inches away from getting a black eye courtesy of Kyo's powerful fist!

"You shouldn't have been here," he said gruffly.

"I-I'm sorry. I was just about to leave-" She turned her back when his hand touched her shoulder.

"N-No, it's ok. I mean," He sighed. "Sorry," he said curtly.

Apologies are never easy.

"I'm sorry too, for intruding on your privacy," she said. "I just-"

"Tohru-kun!"

Both of them looked down. Shigure was waving at them. "We're kinda starving down here already!"

"Oh my! I'll be down in a sec!" She looked at Kyo.

"I'll eat later," he promised. "I'm just not hungry now."

"O-Okay," she said before climbing down.

Shigure saw Yuki leaning on the wall, arms crossed, eyes shut in contemplation.

"Why did you have to make me the one to call them down to eat?" asked the writer. "You saw them first, right?"

He didn't reply. True, he followed Tohru outside and saw her with Kyo on the roof, his cousin touching her shoulder. He then felt the change of atmosphere, into a one cozy for two, leaving him out.

And he didn't like that one bit.

Shigure smiled knowingly. "You're jealous. Insanely jealous."

"Yeah," he replied absent-mindedly, then blinked. He shook his head vehemently. "HELL NO!!!"

"I already got the answer I needed the first time." Shigure patted his shoulders. "Don't worry. Aya will be delighted to help you out with your love woes."

"Whoever said anything about woes, least of all love?!" he snapped. He silently wondered which one was worse: Shigure, of all people, sensing his feelings for Tohru, or Shigure dragging his estranged elder brother into this.

"Tohru."

She turned around and saw Kyo. She smiled. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry if I wasn't there to protect you from that beast," he said softly.

She was rendered speechless.

"I feel so bad being the cause for what happened. If I didn't go to my remedial classes and left you alone, this wouldn't have happened," he admitted.

"Is that what's making you feel down?" she asked.

"The guilt is killing me," he confessed.

"Kyo, don't." She stepped towards him and looked straight at his troubled eyes. "Hearing from you the thought of protecting me is enough for me. None of these is your fault."

He was stunned. "Y-You're not mad at me?"

"No!" She pulled him into the house. "Now let's go get that leeks-free dinner, ok?"

He smiled, finally. "I hope we have lots of milk too."

"Oh, lots."

"Leeks-free too?"

"Definitely." She then saw Shigure and Yuki talking on the steps of the house. "Yuki-kun!" She dragged Kyo behind her. "Let's eat!"

Shigure grinned. "I'm going in. Hatori must be lonely in there, sitting all by himself."

Tohru grabbed Yuki's hand and pulled the cousins into the house. "Come on!"

Kisa watched Tohru pull her cousins into the house. "I like her," she said.

Hiro groaned. "She's babyish. She's scared of mice." But he didn't elaborate anymore.

The little girl giggled. "I hope she won't leave this place ever!"

She's the sweet spirit of kindness in the empty lives of the Sohmas. I cannot imagine what will happen to the volatile-tempered Kyo, cold, secretive Yuki, and impeccably cheerful Shigure without her.

tsuzuku