Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. Never did, never will.
An Onigiri's Family
By AnimeAngel
Chapter One: Grandmother
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"...I see..."
An eldery woman sat in a chair facing a male . He gave a warm smile, which the woman did not return. Her brows furrowed and a frown on her face, she stood up and started to leave. In her hand was a little crumpled piece of paper.
"Are you leaving already, Fujiko-san?"
"I have no other business here. Thank you for your time, Honda-san." She proceeded to put on her giant winter coat, and took her purse. Before exiting the door, she put the piece of paper in her bag. Although it was crumpled up, one word could be seen from its position - "Sohma."
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"Okaasan..." A little girl about 7 years old tugged on her mother's sleeve. The two of them were sitting at a table, and the mother turned to her daughter.
"Hmm? Nani?" she asked the little girl. Her small head staring up at her mother, and her eyes filled with curiousity, she said, "Where is obaachan?"
The woman was startled by the question, and her eyes widened in shock. "Why...Why do you ask?" she asked, trying to calm down.
"Because, Mika-chan said that she couldn't play with me today because she had to celebrate keiro no hi (Respect for the Aged Day) with her obaachan and ojiisan. Demo, I only have one ojiichan. Where is okaasan's mommy and daddy?"
A small, sad smile formed on the mother's face as she placed the girl on her lap and said, "Obaachan is too busy...she doesn't see things the way we see them."
"Eh?" Her daughter looked at her, confused, and she laughed.
"It's okay, you'll understand one day. Whether or not you meet, I don't know. But we'll always have each other..."
Honda Tohru woke up in her bed, and she rubbed her eyes groggily. Sitting up straight, she looked at her calendar and realized what day it was. "Keiro no hi...I have to be sure to visit ojiichan later." She got out of bed and looked out her window. She smiled.
"It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day!"
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"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun!" Tohru bustled about the kitchen as usual, trying to prepare breakfast for the three men she lived with. Yuki and Kyo had just come inside the kitchen.
"Ohayoo, Honda-san..." Yuki greeted with a smile. Tohru grinned back.
"Yuki-kun doesn't seem so tired this morning. That's good," she said, happily. "I have to be sure to cook a good breakfast though. Okaasan always reminded me to eat good foods so I have enough energy for the day."
Kyo wordlessly walked to the refrigerator and picked up a carton of milk. Tohru noticed his silence and said, "Kyo-kun, daijoubu?"
Before he got a chance to reply, Shigure burst into the room and yelled, "Ohayoo, my precious flower! It seems that everyone is in good spirits today...that is, except for Kyo-kun who's sulking because he didn't get to say 'Ohayoo' to Tohru-kun fir-st!" He finished off with a sing-songy voice.
"NANI!? Who would get upset over such a stupid thing, baka!" Kyo growled at the novelist and stormed out of the room.
Yuki sighed. Baka neko...getting so fired up in the morning. Then again, Shigure... He was about to help Tohru with the food when he thought he heard a faint knocking on the door. "...Did you hear that?"
"Eh? What, Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked, starting to carry food to put in the other room.
"I thought I heard knocking..." Yuki proceeded to walk to the door and open it. To his surprise, a small, elderly woman was standing there.
"Konnichi wa," she said. "Is this the Sohma residence?"
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"Hai...ano...may we help you?" Yuki asked the woman in the doorway.
"May I please speak to Honda Tohru-san?"
"..." Yuki was rather hesitant to respond. Who was this woman who knew Tohru lived with the Sohmas? If he said yes, it'd be definitely confessing her living there and he wasn't sure who the woman was. However, what if this woman had important news? "Ano..."
"Yuki-kun! Breakfast is..." Tohru stopped short when she saw the woman. "Oh, gomen nasai! You were busy."
"Tohru-san...do you recognize me?"
"Huh?" Tohru looked the woman over before her eyes widened with shock. "O...Obaachan!?" The word seemed foreign to her and she had almost a difficulty saying it.
Yuki's eyes widened. This woman is...Tohru's grandmother? Looking her over again, he could see certain similarities between grandmother and granddaughter. Their faces had similar aspects, particuarly their eyes. However, while Tohru's eyes and expression was always of joy, Fujiko's face was serious and her eyes were cold.
"It's nice to see you again, Tohru-san. I see you've been well," Fujiko said.
"Hai," Tohru said, a look of shock still evident on her face. "Please, come in. I'll go prepare some tea."
"Thank you, that would be lovely." Fujiko took off her shoes and followed Yuki into the living room. Shigure and Kyou looked up from the table.
"Ah? Who is this?" Shigure said, putting down his chopsticks.
"This is Honda-san's grandmother," Yuki explained.
"Konnichi wa, sorry to be intruding," Fujiko said, giving a polite bow. "Thank you for taking care of Tohru-san all this time."
"It's our pleasure, it's more like she's taking care of us," Shigure said, giving a grin.
Fujiko looked around the room, the tiny frown on her face increasing. "So...are you three the only ones here, besides Tohru-san?"
"Hai."
"Hmm...three males..." Fujiko muttered under her breath. She didn't even want to imagine what situations may have occurred. After all, she is Kyoko's child...
"Here's the tea!" Tohru said, entering and placing the tray on the table. Her heart was beating especially fast. She hadn't seen her grandmother for the longest time, and even then, it was just briefly.
"Please, sit," Yuki pulled a chair for Fujiko and after she sat down, Tohru handed her a cup of tea.
"Arigato," Fujiko said. She took a sip and said, "Tohru-san, this tea is quite good."
Tohru smiled. Then, she realized something. "Oh! Forgive me, I never introduced everyone formally. Obaachan, these are the Sohmas, Yuki-kun, Shigure-san, and Kyou-kun. They have been very kind to me."
"It's nice to meet you..."
"Oh, I apologize. Please, just refer to me as Fujiko," Fujiko said. "After all, you've taken care of my granddaughter all this time. There's no need for such formal politeness."
"Ano...may I ask, which side of Honda-san's family are you from?" Yuki asked.
"She's from my mother's side," Tohru replied with a grin.
"Yes...Kyoko was my only child..." Fujiko trailed off. The males in the room took note of the disappointed tone in the woman's voice.
Kyou gave Fujiko a scrutinizing look. She claimed to be from Tohru's mother side, so where had she been the whole time? Kyou had heard that her mother's side of the family had stayed away from both mother and daughter, due to Kyoko's wild nature and actions.
Then, Shigure asked the question that had been on everyone's mind. "So, what brings you here, Fujiko-san?"
Fujiko sighed and said, "I came here because I have some news for Tohru-san. After all, she is my only granddaughter."
Tohru sat on the floor next to her grandmother. Fujiko gave her a very strict look.
"Sit up straight, Tohru-san," she scolded. "Your posture is not acceptable. And what is that look on your face? Pay attention when others are speaking!"
"Oh, hai!" Tohru's eyes widened as she quickly tried to follow her grandmother's instructions. Her face was flushed with embarassment at both being scolded in front of everyone, and that she hadn't realized her own flaws quicker.
"Now," Fujiko began, "Tohru-san...you are quickly reaching the age of finishing your high school studies and moving onto the real world. Also, as the daughter of my only child, there are certain responsibilies that you are to take on. Now, Kyoko would've had also had that responsibility if she wasn't so...rebellious and wild. I understand that you took on your father's name and thus, you may not have many ties to your other family. However, there is really no one else to take this role, so it has fallen to you."
Tohru blinked, trying to consume all that information. "Ha?"
"So...exactly what does she have to do in this 'role' you have given her?" Kyou said, speaking to Fujiko for the first time the whole evening. He didn't trust her, even if she was Tohru's grandmother and kept giving her suspicious looks.
Fujiko glared back at Kyou. "Well...there are several things she must do, actually. One of which is training."
"Training?"
"Hai...Tohru-san, I'd like for you to join me weekly for certain...lessons, I suppose you can call them. Here is my address," Fujiko took out a pad and started scribbling on it. Then, she tore off the paper and handed it to Tohru. "If you can, please come this Friday after school. Is that alright?"
"Uh, uhh...haii..." Tohru was still lost. Everything was happening so fast!
"Please, wait for a second," Yuki said as Fujiko stood up to leave. "You haven't even explained what sort of training you'll be giving Honda-san."
Fujiko gave a secretive smile. "That will all be evident in due time. Have a good evening." She bowed and the dazed Tohru showed her out the door.
"...That old lady..." Kyou grumbled. His opinion of her had dropped even more due to all the secretive actions.
"...Hmm..." Shigure seemed in deep thought. Yuki noticed this and questioned him about it.
"What are you thinking of, Shigure?"
"I was just thinking..." he began in a serious tone. The two boys looked at him curiously and attentively. "...how cool that obaasan is!" he finished with a goofy grin. Kyou and Yuki sweatdropped.
"Where did you get that idea!?" Kyou exclaimed.
Yuki sighed and looked away from the bickering cat and mischevious author. Of course he would like her...the two of them are a pair of evil... "Honda-san, daijoubu?" he asked Tohru, who came back into the room and fell to the floor, looking stumped.
"Hai...demo..." She stared at the door where her grandmother left, and tried to think about all the things that happened in just a few minutes. Her grandmother, whom she hadn't seen for so long, suddenly appeared and told her that she was to receive lessons and gain some sort of responsibility. She didn't even know what she was to do but she, of course, agreed confusedly.
I wonder what is going to happen... she wondered. Okaasan...please watch over me!
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AnimeAngel: I hope that this was an okay first chapter! Right now, it may seem like it's turning out like "The Princess Diaries" (I didn't even realize this until later!), but the plot is definitely going to be different.Thanks very much for reading this fic, and I'd really appreciate some reviews! If anything is off, please feel free to tell me! Arigato gozaimasu!