8) Treat her as a friend, an equal and a fellow human being. This makes her practice meekness and simplicity to you and to other people.

"How is he, Hatori?" Gure asked as the doctor went out of the master's bedroom.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough."

"This can't be happening…" Kagura said sadly.

"If we all felt bad about it, what would Tohru feel, since it's her stepfather who died?" Momiji added.

Yuki stared at her bedroom, which was on the other end of the hall. "Honda-san…"

***Flashback***

"Honda-san, please stop crying…" he cupped her face. She looked weakly at him and her eyes were filled with tears. "Hatori will do anything to keep him alive."

"…"

"We need your strength, mistress…" he added.

"What strength can I give, if I don't have enough to protect my own father?" she whispered.

"That's not the strength that we wanted." He explained thoroughly. "We wanted the simplest strength you can give."

"What is it?"

"Your smile." He answered. "If you haven't notice, everybody had high hopes for you and your father because you, yourself, endured everything! Even if the worst comes, you had your smile with you and you kept this house alive because of that."

"Sohma-kun…"

"Please, smile for him…" he encouraged. "Smile for me, Honda-san…"

"But still, it won't stop Akito-san from---" She stopped once Yuki stepped forward and kissed her lightly. She looked up to him, knowing that what he did was---

"Don't say his name in this kind of situation." His face became serious. "It disgusts me."

"But I---"

"He won't get this close to you… because I won't let him." he kissed her again fully. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. Yuki broke the kiss and looked at her. "I would kill him if he would hurt you Honda-san, I promise."

She smiled weakly. "Thank you… but you shouldn't promise."

"Why? Is it wrong?"

"No… because I believe that promises are meant to be broken." She said sadly. "But I will wait, Sohma-kun. I hope you keep your promise… even if you just broke a promise."

"What did I do?"

"You promised not to fall in love…" she reminded. "How would explain what you did earlier?"

"Are you… disappointed?" he asked.

"No but… I felt that I'm losing your trust…" she explained. "Because you don't fear of consequences when you broke a promise."

"You don't trust me." He whispered.

It took her a while to think. "I don't know whom I should I trust…"

************

"…Yuki." Haru whispered.

"She's doubting…" the nezumi whispered.

"There's nothing we can do." Hatori placed his hand on Yuki's shoulder. "Just like the majority said, give her time to think."

"I hope she thinks well."

"HIRO!"

"Kisa…" he giggled.

"It's not funny!" she cried and ran towards her room.

"Kisa, wait!"

"Women…" Kyou whispered.

"What's wrong about us?" Kagura stared at him.

"Don't tell me you're going to cry to your room like they do."

"I don't think so." Kagura stared at Hiro, who was apologizing over and over again. "But still, men can control their feelings better than women. We just cry once we feel bad."

"Just cry?" he asked.

"Something like that." Kagura went down the stairs. "I'll prepare dinner."

"Oe, Kagura!" Haru called. "What can men do when women cry?"

She looked at back at them. "They'll wait… and hope that she doesn't commit suicide." She joked.

"That's not funny."

"Really, I mean it. Some women do that." She pointed out.

Shigure looked at Yuki worriedly. "Maybe you should talk her."

"What about Kisa?" Hiro asked.

"Because of your big mouth…" Haru smirked.

"I think it would better if we leave her alone." Hatori suggested. "But make sure she won't jump off the window or something."

"HATORI!"

"Just joking."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Finally, after a few hours, Tohru finally went out of her room. And Yuki was there to see her. They stared for a few moments and no words exchanged in between them.

Tohru walked towards the staircase when Yuki called out. "Are you angry, Honda-san?"

She looked at him closely. "No…" she whispered.

He accompanied her to the dining room where the other Sohmas are there. She silently sat on her seat and Yuki sat beside her.

"Are you alright, Tohru?" Momiji asked cheerfully. She didn't answer. Instead, she emptied her water glass, completely ignoring that question.

"We're sorry about your father." Hatori continued. "If it's our fault, or my fault, please forgive us."

"Don't blame yourselves." She smiled briefly. "It's not your fault."

"Good…" Hiro muttered. Kisa eyed him and he looked away.

"Um… I have something to say." She stood up and looked at them. "Your loyal service under my father ends here."

"What?" Shigure asked.

"My father hired you and paid you monthly. Since he… passed away, the business soon will be bankrupt and I won't have money to feed you all." She explained. "I would be truly happy if you stay but… I have no money to give."

Everyone was silent because it was so sudden. "If you want to leave, you may pack your things after dinner." She continued and sat down.

"Why…" Shigure murmured.

"I had no choice…" she whispered.

Yuki stood up. "I have something to say, too."

"Huh?"

"Honda-san, your father told me that I should protect you no matter what happens. He also told me that I would not leave your side for TWO WEEKS." He smiled. "It seems to me that my duty only covered for five days."

"Sohma-kun…"

"Since I have a valid reason, I would stay by your side, mistress."

"I have a reason too." Kyou stood up. "When the nezumi told you everything, we just swore that we are different from him." Kyou grinned. "We haven't proven it yet so, I'll stay by your side, as a friend and a driver."

"I have a duty to guard you inside the house, mistress." Shigure smiled.

"He might hurt you again so," Hatori looked at her. "I'm here to serve."

"I'm always here to help you in the house, mistress!" Kagura winked.

"I'll be always here to cheer you up and be your companion, Tohru-kun!" Momiji smiled.

"I don't know what I could do to help but I decided to stay!" Kisa smiled.

"Eh? I'm going where Kisa is." Hiro quickly said.

"I may fail sometimes but never will I stop delivering messages!" Haru declared.

"That is until you got in the wrong house." Hiro smirked.

"Quiet shrimp!"

"Maybe I should dedicate my life for you as well." Ayame went inside the room.

"Aya-san!"

"After what I heard from your father, I believe that you felt so sad about it." He explained. "I wish to weave clothes for you to be happy, Tohru-chan."

Tohru was speechless. Everyone decided to stay! "But… I don't know… I can't---"

"Honda-san, we decided to stay in our own free will, not because of your father's money." He smiled. "We wanted to stay to protect you and to take care of you."

"Don't hesitate to tell us your problems. We're right here for you." Kyou gave a thumbs-up sign.

"Thank you.., all of you… but…" she stopped. "Somebody's missing…"

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the front door. Ritsu dashed through the door and went beside Tohru. "GOMENASAI!!! I WAS LATE!!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME, TOHRU-KUN! I PROMISE AN ENDLESS SERVICE AS A SECRETARY, DESPITE THAT YOUR FATHER JUST PASSED AWAY!"

"Eh?" Tohru sweatdropped. "I understand, Rit-san."

"Now we're complete." Kyou looked around. "What do you say, Tohru?"

"Thank you. I'll… try to be strong, like you expected me to be, despite of all the hardships that we took." She said while she reached for a napkin to wipe off her tears. "I can't face the world alone so… please, I need your strength."

"We will, Honda-san." Yuki smiled at her. "Please, you've cried enough already."

"But I can't help it. This is just too sweet." She smiled. "I wish you all could stay with me till the end."

"If that's possible, then I'm going with you." Shigure said. The others nodded.

"That was a very optimistic reply." Hatori grinned.

"Cmon, let's stop all this crying and eat! The food's getting cold!" Kagura waved.

Father, thank you for letting me experience to be with a family whom I'm not really related by blood. Even if we weren't, I would still love them, as much as I love you and Okaa-san.

Especially, Okaa-san…

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Leave me here." Akito ordered as he entered an old hut in the forest.

The last hired assassin stood up and stared at his boss. "What should be do now, master?"

"I don't know." He glared. "Even if we tried everything, the others would protect her rather than obey their clan leader!"

"Can I suggest something?"

"You're free."

"Master, it's Honda Tohru's birthday next week. I believe the Sohmas are going to treat her in an outdoor picnic." The servant explained. "And their reserved spot would be near this forest."

"Picnic… interesting…" Akito grinned. "Very well, I have one last job for you. After this, you are free to go."

"I would stay as long as you like, Master---" he stopped talking once he saw Akito kneeled in front of him. He cupped his servant's face.

"You are my last hope." He whispered. "Please don't fail me, Kazuma…"

'Kazuma' smiled. "I won't master, I'll never will."