Of Winter and Spring
by: Eniar (nsmx_01@yahoo.com)
Standard disclaimers apply.
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Act 03 – Souma
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"Akito was right when he said that. 'It is a closed family.' The Souma Family is not what you seemed it is..." The following day and more months that passed after that incident, Hatori and I never talked about it nor did I ask questions concerning the Soumas. It was like one day Hatori was stuck by amnesia, I don't know…but the words kept echoing louder and louder, I know that there was something wrong, but I'm scared…I'm scare of what I might found out…I'm scare that I might not accept it.
But…the more I tried to avoid the issue, the more I was getting to know the Soumas…
"Come on!." Momiji said as he pulled my hand.
"A-anou wait! Hatori might---anou wait!" I said as I was looking for Hatori and Shigure, they seemed to be disappearing every now and then, It was becoming hard to control Momiji especially that Momiji knows that I'm powerless over him.
"There look!" Momiji pointed.
"Anou…" I said, looking around, not paying attention to what he's saying.
"Haruka…pleeease…" he begged.
"Sorry…" I muttered. There he goes again with that. Uh, I couldn't refuse him.
I looked at what Momiji was pointing. Now I know why I couldn't find Hatori and Shigure. We were at the façade of the pet shop while Hatori and Shigure were at the supermarket five blocks away from here. Well, since there were a lot of people today because there was a sale at various shops. It was natural that I couldn't keep track of where we are going, but the fact that I volunteered to help Hatori with the groceries…Well, that was a different matter.
"Wow…Ah! Look Momiji-san!" I pointed. "That rabbit seemed to like you very much!"
"Oh, it's natural that I get attracted by rabbits…" Momiji said in his cute soft voice.
"Just as I've suspected!" Shigure grabbed Momiji's shoulders. "You've dragged Haruka-san all the way here."
"A-anou…It was my fault…" I explained. "We were just---sorry!" I quickly bowed.
"Oh, it's okay," Shigure replied. "Look, look! the puppies like me!"
I watched in astonishment, the puppies were very much excited when they saw Shigure just like the way the rabbits were with Momiji, but when Shigure placed his hands near the rabbits, they were reaching for Shigure's hand nothing more, but the rabbits seemed much happier with Momiji…It was pretty natural that animals would like you, but not this much…what do Momiji mean by it was natural?
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"I always thought that Haruka was never aware of what was happening around her…" Hatori said.
"Then, did she know about the jyunishi?" Tohru asked.
"I don't think so that time…but she had some clues." He replied.
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"I'm really sorry Hatori." I apologized. "I wasn't able to help you with the groceries."
"It's alright."
"Ah, why don't you come to my house some time so we could talk and meet other Soumas there." Shigure said.
"Anou…" I looked at Hatori as if I was asking for his permission.
"I'll go with you." Hatori said. "Shigure is a very dangerous man."
"I'll go with you too, Haruka!" Momiji beamed.
"You're so mean, Ha-san!" Shigure whined.
I smiled happily. But then, I realized as I looked into their eyes there was sorrow in it. Especially Momiji who always smiled happily, as if those glitter in his eyes were tears that he never wanted to fall to his cheeks. I felt sad, I wanted to cry for Momiji. What I only did was watch and observe…Was it alright not to know anything? I guess Hatori was right about the Souma family.
I realized that I was staring at Hatori longer than I thought. His left eye…what happened to it? Why do he keep his distance from others?...from me? What's with the Souma family?
