Hello, here's another chapter.
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Chapter 3: A Fleeting Moment – Part II
I look at my watch and then to her as I say, "Shall we go to eat?"
She looks to Kyo and says, "That's fine with me, what do you think, Kyo-kun?"
He blushes slightly and answers, "Uh, yeah, sure."
"Is there anything in particular that you'd like, Tohru-san?"
"Oh, no, you two can decide," she answers in a hurried manner.
His voice raised, Kyo responds, "No, you're supposed to decide – I mean, since it's your day."
I consider glaring at him, considering the rough manner of the first part of his response, but decide against it, since he realized his error and added the second statement.
Sounding still unconvinced, she answers, "There – there is a café that I think is near here that I've heard is nice."
"That sounds like a excellent idea, Tohru-san."
Kyo nods his head yes in response.
She moves ahead of us and looks around as she says, "I think the street it's on is around here."
She points to the right, and glances back at us as she says, "Ah, there it is, I can see it from here on that street."
She stops and the three of us walk in line again, her slightly in the lead.
To my surprise, and seemingly, to Kyo's, she opens the door and waits as the two of us walk through.
"Thank you very much, Tohru-san."
"Thanks."
She smiles in response.
A hostess seats us at a table and gives us each a menu. The three of us scan the menu, and, after I decide, I steal a glance at Tohru-san and am glad to see that she seems genuinely happy.
The server comes and we each place our order.
She looks at Kyo and I in turn and says, "It's so wonderful, spending time with both of you. I couldn't ask for anything more."
Kyo and I smile silently in return.
Quiet returns, and, against my will, my thoughts return to a recent conversation with Akito.
"Yuki."
"Yes, Akito."
He moves closer to me and places his icy hand on my chin, forcing up my face to look at his.
"Won't it be wonderful? It will be just like it was before, you and I together. Though, of course, now that you're older and you've rid yourself of that annoying cough, I won't let you relax and do nothing like before. It is, after all, the duty of the rat to serve the god - who has given him so much."
Not wanting him to destroy even these precious moments, I repress these thoughts and look to her with a smile.
The food arrives soon afterward and each of us begins to eat.
"Is it to your liking, Tohru-san?"
"Oh, very much so, thank you, Yuki-kun!"
"I'm glad to hear that," I answer, smiling.
Intermittent conversation fills the silence, and, sooner than expected, we have completed our meal.
Before she can say anything when the check arrives, Kyo says, "Tohru, you don't need to pay."
Surprised and nervous, she looks at each of us uncertainly.
"It's our treat today, Tohru-san."
"Thank you so much. You both are so kind."
"Tohru-san deserves it."
"It's no big deal."
After Kyo and I pay the check, the three of us, again in our line, walk out into the sunshine once more.
We take the train back to a shopping center close by to our home. After we disembark, we walk towards the store that I'd planned for us to go to next.
When we arrive, I turn to her and say, "Here we are."
She looks at me with a confused expression and says, "A clothing store?"
I move in closer to her and grin as I say, "After all, Tohru-san deserves a new dress to wear when the three of us go out for dinner the day of our graduation ceremony."
Taken back, she looks at each of us again, her eyes welling up with tears.
"I'd love to celebrate with Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun."
Kyo smiles kindly at her and I wipe away her tears as I say, "We'd love to as well."
I open the door and wait as she and Kyo walk through.
As I stand, my hand placed carefully on the arm of a chair, and Kyo relaxes against a wall, she begins to look around, uncertainly at first, but with more confidence and excitement as her search continues.
She picks out a few, and carries them over to the two of us.
Appearing somewhat embarrassed, she says, "Would – would you mind helping me choose which one to buy?"
Blushing, Kyo looks away and says, "Ok."
I answer, "Of course."
She proceeds to model five different outfits, three dresses and two skirts and matching blouses.
I notice that, as she tries on the light blue straight cut dress, her smile is broader and her eyes sparkle even more than when she is wearing the others.
After she finishes, I say, "They all looked lovely, Tohru-san, but the light blue dress was the most beautiful on you."
She blushes slightly and says, "Thank you, Yuki-kun."
I notice Kyo smiling as he says, "Yeah, I think that one looked the best."
"I'm happy that we all think so."
She returns the others and brings the dress to the counter. I notice a matching headband, so pick it up. Kyo and I follow her to the counter and, after I place the headband on the counter next to the dress, I take out my wallet, to her surprise.
"Oh, you've done so much for me today, I really can't let you do this, too," she says, sounding upset.
"This is a graduation gift to you from us, Tohru-san," I answer.
Kyo says nothing but shakes his head yes.
"I appreciate it so very much."
We both smile in response.
After we purchase the dress and headband, we realize that we should be returning home, so we make our way back.
As we stand before the door, she takes hold of one of my hands and one of Kyo's and looks at us as she says, "Thank you for today, it was even more than wonderful than I had thought it could be."
"I had a nice time, too, Tohru."
"It truly was wonderful, thank you, Tohru-san."
She moves her hands away and bows slightly before she starts to walk to the kitchen to make dinner.
As Kyo and I walk to our rooms, I feel glad and grateful to have had this opportunity, and look forward to the dinner we will spend together.