"Ohayo!" Tohru greeted cheerfully that very next day. Yuki's eyes slowly opened and looked up at the excited Tohru beside him.
"Eh?"
"Yuki-kun! Tori-san said that I should wake you up! You have a meeting today!" she brushed away the thick blankets and tugged Yuki's shirt over and over again. "C'mon, it's a beautiful morning!"
"Honda-san…" he yawn lazily. "I hate mornings. Please let me sleep." He turned towards his side but found himself at the very edge of the bed. He slipped and landed on the floor.
"Yuki-kun!" Tohru ran towards the other side and found him rubbing his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Yes… it's just…ow…" he continuously rubbed his right shoulder.
"I'll call Hatori-san---"
"No."
Tohru stared at Yuki. "But---"
"I don't need his help." He said firmly. "I don't need him, Honda-san."
"Oh…" she sighed. He sounded angry…Stupid Tohru! Why did you say that???
"Ah…" Yuki started to speak. "Please don't think about it. I'm fine, really." He stood up and stretched his arms. "See? I'm fine. I don't feel any pain. Besides, I'm already up. If you tell Hatori that I'm still in bed, he might get me for sure."
"Yes, of course." She smiled as she opened the door. "Breakfast is ready, Yuki-kun."
"Thank you, Honda-san."
"Ano, Yuki-kun…" she began.
"What is it?" he asked.
She went out and returned inside with a small potted plant in her hands. "Um, I would like to give you this."
Yuki stared at the small plant in front of him and slowly held it in his hands. "What is it?"
"Oh, I should be giving you a bonsai… well, that's a plant of lilac." She explained. "I'm planning t give it you since… I heard that you're birthday is near…"
"I see…" he stared at the small plant. "Thank you, Honda-san. You've been so good to me."
"No worries, Yuki-kun!" she saluted obediently. "Please hurry. Your food might get cold."
"Hai." He replied.
"Where are you going?" Hatori asked before Shigure would leave his office.
"To Aya's house." He repled. "What's wrong?"
"You're up to something…"
Shigure laughed. "Am I that predictable?"
"Maybe, but if you're trying to come up with something not normal, don't go looking for me." The doctor warned blankly.
"Yes, yes, I know…" Shigure went towards the door and glanced at Hatori. "Does this look familiar?"
"Eh?"
"This situation… this happened years ago… to you Hatori…and…" the inu explained. "That was the time when Kana was here."
"Please Shigure, let her rest in peace---"
"Tohru is the reincarnation of Kana!"
"Shut up!!!" The doctor ordered. "Tohru is never Kana… and she won't replace her…"
"…whatever, Tori." The inu left silently.
"…"
Kagura glanced at her cousin at the end of the table. "You're pretty silent today."
Yuki frowned. "I don't want to attend Hatori's meeting."
"Oh, so, why don't you just forget it?"
"He knows where I go." He sighed. "I didn't matter where I run or where to go… it's just that… he KNOWS."
"Why don't you just go somewhere where he doesn't know… eh?" Kagura wondered. "I got confused with my own question…"
"… is she free today?"
Kagura glanced at him. "Eh?"
"Tohru-san?"
"Yuki, maids like us are never free from work. Besides, Akito's coming home. Hatori won't let her out."
"He won't…" he grinned slowly. "But I would."
That afternoon, Kagura silently dragged Tohru out towards the backyard. "Hurry!"
"Eh?! I can't just go anywhere, Kagura-san! Hatori-san can get angry!" Tohru resisted but Kagura gave her a stern look.
"I have something to show you!"
"What is it?!"
"Nan de— Don't be that grouchy! It will only take a minute. Tori-san wouldn't mind!" the boar continuously dragged the onigiri away from the mansion.
"But---"
"No buts! Let's go!"
"What do you mean you won't make it?!" Hatori held his phone tightly at his ear. "But Yuki's birthday is in two days! What happened to the plan?… There must be something wrong about that plane! I told you Akito to take the private jet I reserved for you!"
"I'm fine… I'll find another way to get home---"
"There's no other way!"
"Hatori!" the person on the other end of the line raised his voice. "Please be reminded that I'm still the clan head! Never raise your voice when you're talking to me!"
"…I'm sorry, Akito-san… it's just that…"
"Why do you want me to come home that badly?"
Should I tell him? Maybe I should… or else it is I that will be blamed. "Akito-san… we found Yuki."
"Really?" the cold voice became excited. "Where is he? Can I talk to him?"
"…actually, that's not all that we found." Hatori sighed. "There's also this girl…"
"WOW~!!!" Tohru stared at the huge garden in front of her. "Amazing!"
"Yes, it is." Kagura nodded continuously.
The onigiri turned to the Sohma. "And nobody knew about this?"
"… all knows except Hatori… and Akito." Kagura winked. "They shouldn't know that Yuki gained his intelligence of being a green thumb. He has started this about a year before he became the mayor. Now YOU know, so be careful, ok?"
"Hai! I'll keep this secret forever!" she raised her right hand and smiled happily. "SO this means, Yuki-kun knows more than Hatori expected him to know."
"Exactly. But that's not all. Follow me." Kagura took Tohru's hands and went further inside the garden until they found themselves in field full of fruits and vegetables.
"WOW~!" Tohru again, was awed by what she saw.
"Amazing isn't it? We Sohmas may be rich but we don't have enough time to go to the market and buy stuff to eat. So I just get the food here. Pretty impressive, right?"
"Yuki-kun doesn't mind?"
"Not at all. He believes that this can save me time and energy. Of course, this should be kept a secret." She laughed. "No Sohma can do this except Yuki because Hatori kept on telling us that a people who do these dirty works are peasants."
"I see… and agree as well." Tohru nodded. "It hard to believe that somebody so rich can do these kind of stuff…"
"Now you know the person behind me, Honda-san." A voice came.
Tohru turned around and was surprised to see… "Yuki-kun!"
He smiled softly at her. "At least you understand, right?"
"Of course I do! Anybody can!"
That is when you are wrong, Honda-san. Hatori doesn't understand… even Akito doesn't…"So… Yuki, can I get some now?" Kagura raised up her basket.
"Ok, but don't touch the tomatoes. They're not that red today." Yuki warned.
Okaa-san… I learned a lot today. Yuki may be rich but he's a person of nature. I believe that it is not his will to be with the Sohmas… or with Akito. If his mother were still here, she would have taken care of him and raised him to be a farmer… and have a good business and…
When I meet him then we'll be…
Stop it! Stupid Tohru! You shouldn't think that way!!! What is done is done! He's rich and famous! And I'm just a peasant!
Maybe I should face it. Even if I like him… he wouldn't like me!
"Honda-san," Yuki called out gently. "What do you want to eat? I have all the fruits you could taste!"
"No, thank you, Yuki-kun, I'm really not that hungry."
"C'mon, Tohru!" Kagura smiled as she got some carrots. "It's all for free!"
"Pick one." He called again.
She thought for a while and smiled. "Actually, do you have any strawberries?"
That night, Tohru placed all the strawberries on her closet. She couldn't resist so she picked one and ate it.
"Yuki-kun, you said pick one!"
"I did. But I didn't say GET one. It's like you named a food and I'll give you all of what's available."
"Nani? Yuki, I shouldn't eat this much! I might grow fat if I eat too much!" Tohru pouted.
He laughed. "I didn't say that you'll eat it now. Why don't you bring it to your room? Once in a while, get one and eat."
"But, Hatori-san said that I shouldn't eat in my room."
Yuki's face fell. "He told you that?"
"Yes… why?"
"Honda-san, he's manipulating you already. Once in a while, try to break some rules he made. Besides, I hold the mansion, not him."
"But---"
"Just stay away from him." he smiled. "That way, you wouldn't get caught, ok?"
"…ok."
Maybe he's right. She wondered. Hatori became so demanding ever since he announced that I'm a mad in the Sohma mansion. Maybe I shouldn't follow him that much. Besides, Yuki is the son of the clan head. Hatori is the clan doctor. They both may be Sohmas but Yuki has a higher rank than Hatori.
That's right. I should follow Yuki's orders better.
She silently left her quarters with an unfinished strawberry in her hand. As slowly walked at the halls, she finished her strawberry.
Okaa-san, this may be weird but… why is Yuki angry at Hatori? There must be something---She bumped carelessly at something…
…or someone…
"Eating at the halls, Honda Tohru-san?"
Tohru looked up and she shivered. Oh no…
It was Hatori right in front of her.
