FRUITS BASKET: WHAT MUST BE DONE
by Vashkoda
(Disclaimer: This work of fiction uses characters belonging to Takaya Natsuki and Hakusensha without their permission. I am getting no profit from it. I only do it because I think Fruits Basket is a great story, and I want to help keep it alive!)
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Tohru's smile was so wide that she felt like her face was about to split in half.
Simply put: it was wonderful. The large banquet hall at a classy downtown hotel had been transformed into a festive ballroom. There were streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling, with multicolored spotlights sweeping across the dance floor and a professional DJ on the stage. At the sides of the room were tables covered in flowers and glittering confetti, holding glasses and bottles of cider and non-alcoholic champagne. A photographer stood close by taking pictures of friends and couples, looking stunning in their fine suits and long, beautiful dresses.
But most importantly, Tohru was with the people she cared about most. She locked arms with Uo and Hana and skipped happily around the room, the Soumas trailing behind with their escorts. Neither Yuki nor Kyo seemed particularly pleased with their dates, and their gaze tended to stray to Tohru and her friends rather than the girls beside them. Of course Tohru noticed none of this, and after a thorough exploration of the room, she returned breathless to the table that Yuki, his fanclub president, Kyo, and Kagura had selected.
"I can't believe how pretty everything is!" Tohru exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee.
"Not as pretty as you are, Tohru-chan!"
They turned around to see Shigure walking towards their table. The rest of them had arrived in a limousine, but the novelist had preferred to drive himself instead, 'giving the young lovebirds some privacy', as he put it. That comment had sent Kyo chasing after Shigure with a broom, while the rest of them just blushed and avoided looking at one another.
"Arigato, Shigure-san," said Tohru as she bowed. "But it's really the dress that's special. Hana-chan's grandmother made it. I am really very grateful to her," she added, glancing at Hana.
"Oh? I assumed this was one of Aya's. Your grandmother does excellent work."
Hana nodded seriously. "She will be very pleased to hear that. She is also a big fan of your work."
"Really?" said Shigure with a pleased grin. "Well then, I simply must meet her."
Kyo stuck out his tongue and made a face. "Ugh, don't you ever quit? That woman's probably over a hundred years old!" He suddenly noticed black sparks rising above Hana's head, and quickly excused himself and fled from the table. Kagura got up as well, calling after him.
"Sure, it looks nice and all, but this music is really lame," yawned Uo. "We need something fun and fast paced, not all this slow dance crap."
"You're just saying that because you don't have a boyfriend," shot back Yuki's date, clutching his arm possessively. The girl gave Tohru a smug look.
"Stop saying such childish nonsense," frowned Yuki, freeing himself from her grip as he stared down at her angrily. She shrank back from him, her expression hurt.
'Kyo-kun, be nice to the young lady! She's right, why don't you two go dancing for a bit? That's why you're here, ne?" asked Shigure, waving his hand casually at the dance floor. His tone, however, made it clear that this was not just a suggestion.
"Fine," growled Yuki, scraping his chair loudly against the floor as he rose. The fanclub president gasped as he grabbed her wrist, but his hold was gentle, and he led her to the center of the room where other couples had gathered.
Shigure sighed and stretched his legs out across Yuki's now vacant seat. "I sense it's going to be hard work, managing this crowd. The job of a school dance chaperone is never easy. There is pain and suffering and torment lying in wait for me. But I must be brave; I must carry out my sworn duty!"
As he said this, he stood up on his chair and pumped his arm into the air, his voice rising to a shout. Thankfully, the music was loud enough that most people around them hadn't noticed.
"Um ...right," said Uo, backing away from Shigure. "Well, if I have to dance to this sappy stuff, I...uh...might as well get started. Oh look, carrot-top's managed to lose his date. I'd better grab him before he escapes."
Before anyone could say anything, Uo was gone. Shigure didn't seem to mind. Tohru was disappointed at losing Uo's company, but then she told herself that her friend would be having fun dancing with Kyo, and that made Tohru feel a little better.
"Aren't you going to go dancing too?" Shigure asked Hana.
"That's all right," the denpa shrugged. "I'd rather just sit here and watch."
"Nani?" cried Shigure in astonishment. "No no, watching is my job. You're supposed to be out there having fun! Go on, shoo shoo," he said, prodding her out of her seat.
"But-"
"Ah yes, a dance partner," said Shigure, rubbing his hands together schemingly as he wandered among the students. "Let's see.... OUT OF THE WAY, CHAPERONE COMING THROUGH! Yes, that's it, move a little please--ah, you there. Yes you, come here."
Tohru was surprised to see Shigure pull Kenta Miyamoto out of the crowd. He motioned Hana forward.
"Here, this poor fellow was standing all by himself. Why don't you keep each other company?"
"But-"
"Er-"
"Come on, chop chop! Your chaperone has spoken!" cried Shigure in a dramatic tone.
Hana and Kenta slunk away from them to disappear among the dancers.
"Goodness, I thought they'd never leave," gasped Shigure, taking a seat across from her. "Now we can finally be alone, Tohru-chan!"
Tohru didn't quite know how to respond to this, so she said nothing.
"First off, I really must apologize for forcing you to accompany me to the prom."
Tohru blinked in surprise, quickly protesting, "No no, Shigure-san, I'm not upset! This way I can-"
"Yes, well, I admit my company is rather marvelous," continued Shigure with a wink, not letting Tohru finish. "But I think it was unfair to make you stay with me when you would have surely preferred Yuki or Kyo-kun, ne?"
"Oh...well...-"
"But you must understand, at the time, I thought it was in everyone's best interests that you not be forced to choose between them. Whoever won would be so smug as to be completely insufferable." Shigure sighed and shook his head as he poured himself a drink. Staring into his glass, he added, "And whoever lost...well, it would be very hard on them."
Tohru began to feel mildly uncomfortable. She had a sense of where this was going, but she tried her best to deny it. "I don't understand. What are they winning? What would they lose?"
Shigure looked up from his glass to stare at her in surprise. "Why...you of course. In the end, you can only be with one of them. You cannot love both."
"But...but I do!" Tohru insisted. "I love Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, all the Sohmas! You are my like my family!"
"Yes, well...I don't mean love that way," Shigure amended, taking a sip of the champagne and grimacing when he realized it was non-alcoholic. He glanced at Tohru to see if she understood.
Tohru was beginning to grasp Shigure's meaning. Her growing blush told him as much.
"Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun would certainly like your relationship to develop into something more...well, romantic. And in that sense, you must choose one or the other. Tell me, Tohru-chan, if I had not asked you to the dance, who would you have chosen?"
Tohru was at a loss. Her attention shifted to the napkin being nervously shredded between her fingers.
"You realize that they may not have much time," Shigure prodded, causing Tohru to look up at him in surprise. "Yes, Ha-san told me. That is why I've come to realize it might be best to finally ease their young hearts and have the matter decided. They've been patiently waiting for you to make your choice, Tohru-chan, but now they've run out of time. Will you grant one of them the blessing of your affections for what little time he has left?"
It was all so cruel. Cruel that the Sohmas should suffer under the curse when they were such wonderful people. Cruel that they would soon die...unless-
"But Hatori-san said I might be able to break the curse," she interjected hopefully.
"That would fantastic," agreed Shigure. "But do you have any idea how?" Tohru shook her miserably. "Then if the worst should happen, it would be best to at least grant them this small favor. Who would you choose, Tohru-chan?"
Cruel that she should be forced to decide.
Uo hadn't really wanted to dance with Kyo--she just wanted to get away from the freaky man at their table. She didn't know how Tohru was able to stand the guy, but then, Tohru was extremely tolerant. Uo hoped that at least this Shigure fellow would leave Tohru alone and not begin treating her like some prize. Uo was watching out for that. If he began parading Tohru on his arm and asking her to dance, Uo was ready to go over there and teach him some manners.
So far, it seemed like they were just talking. That was innocent enough, so Uo let her gaze momentarily wander across the room. There was Kyo, still hiding behind a cluster of people, looking out for his date. Uo decided to head over there to keep up her pretense in case Tohru should spot her.
As she focused her attention back on the table, she was startled to find that Tohru was no longer there! The man still was, which was of some comfort to Uo. She followed the direction of his gaze and spotted Tohru walking slowly to the other side of the room. Where could she be going?
Then Uo noticed Yuki standing alone at the far end, directly in Tohru's path. Tohru was going to speak to the Prince! Was she going to ask him to dance? The carrot-top would be furious!
Uo glanced back at Kyo. He hadn't noticed Tohru yet, but it wouldn't take long. Uo felt a momentary surge of pity for the boy. There was also a growing concern that if he saw what was going to happen, he might go over there and attempt to interfere.
Uo planted herself directly in Kyo's line of sight with Tohru. With her hands on her hips, she demanded, "Well, aren't you going to ask me to dance?"
Kyo looked annoyed. "Go away, yankee! I don't have time for your annoying little jokes."
"Who said I'm joking? I want to dance. So come on!" She grabbed his arm and turned him around so that his back was now to Tohru. Uo's view of her was also blocked, so Uo just had to hope and pray that everything went well for her friend.
"Let go! I don't want to dance!"
"If you don't, I'll tell your girlfriend you were hiding from her, and then I'll help her find you."
Kyo glowered and grumbled, but acquiesced. Uo soon began to enjoy
herself, and not just because she knew that she was tormenting Kyo.
Despite the curses he muttered nonstop under his breath, Uo was pleased to find
that he was actually a pretty good dancer.
She loved them both equally. No matter how many ways she looked at it, they both meant a lot to her, and she couldn't value one person over the other.
But Shigure had said that she must choose. He said they had both been waiting for Tohru to do so, and now they were almost out of time.
Was he right? she wondered. Did they really love her that way?
Maybe not. Or maybe it was more important to one than the other that she choose him. In that case, it would be best that she pick the one it would mean the most to.
Yuki, she remembered, had given her a White Day present. Kyo had not. Yuki had also recovered her mother's picture from the mudslide. And he had shared with her his passion for gardening, and grown strawberries for her.
Kyo had never been very open with her, but she had always just assumed that he was a very private person. His curse hadn't allowed him to make many friends, and that made him naturally suspicious about everyone and everything. Tohru understood. She let him learn and grow at his own pace. Unfortunately, it also meant that she didn't know him quite as well as she felt she knew Yuki. And so she wasn't totally sure just what his feelings for her were.
Yuki then.
Tohru took a deep breath and began walking.
Author's Note: See, I told you she would eventually have to choose! Or has she? Hmm....