Chapter Eight: Tohru meets Rei Sohma
Tohru listened intently as Kyo took a deep breath.
"This is going to be kind of difficult for you to hear" Kyo began, "And believe me it's not easy for me to say either, but the reason my father hates me so much, is he blames me for my mom's death."
"Your mom's death? But how could you?"
"She committed suicide" he interrupted her.
"Suicide?" she replied shocked.
"Mhm. Now do you see? He and everyone else, especially him blamed me for her death. They believed it was because of my curse."
"But Kyo, you were how old? Four? Five? How could you possibly have any responsibility in that?"
"Huh?" he looked at her confused.
"You had no way of doing that? How could they think that you and innocent bystander was the one to blame?"
"Believe me my father was quick to blame me for everything, back then? Whenever there was a problem, it was always my fault."
"That's not right Kyo" Tohru replied firmly, "Surely you don't blame yourself do you?"
"I. Of course I don't."
"Good. Because the fact that he would blame you for something that was so out of your control is wrong. I'm sorry Kyo. I had no idea."
"It's no big deal" Kyo replied, "Don't worry about it."
"With all your dealing with right now" she said slowly then stopped.
"What?"
"Uh. Oh um I just realized I need to use the bathroom" she changed the subject standing up.
"Huh?"
"Well you go stand in line for the snacks and I'll be right back okay," she said with a smile, as he stood up confused.
She walked briskly away with her face forward. Kyo watched her walk for a moment with a slight frown on his face.
"What in the world was that all about?" he thought as he turned to the snack cart.
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Tohru finished and walked out of the restroom over to the drinking fountain.
"That was close" she thought, "I almost did it again."
She took a quick sip of water and started to walk back but she bumped into somebody.
"Oh I'm sorry" she replied, "I didn't mean to bump into" she stopped as she looked up, "you" she finished.
"My apologies" Rei Sohma said, "I didn't look where I was going either. But now that you're here I want to speak with you Miss Honda."
"Huh?" she looked up, "How do you know who I am?"
"I've spoken with Akito. He told me about you and of course I assumed yesterday that that's who you were. You are Tohru Honda are you not?"
"Yes" she bowed politely, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Sohma."
"Mhm" he nodded with no smile on his face, "Tell me Miss Honda, what is your relationship with the monster."
"The Monster? Who are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. Akito has already informed me that you have seen the grotesque shape."
"You mean Kyo don't you?"
"Who else would I be talking about?"
"Um well" she looked towards the snack cart, where Kyo was just about to order, "We're good friends."
"Friends?"
"Mhm" she nodded.
"Let me give you a piece of advice Miss Honda, being a member of this family. It's best that you don't associate yourself with any of those freaks."
"Huh?"
"In the long run you would be better off. You know that, that monster is going to be locked up?"
"Yes" Tohru nodded slowly.
"It's inevitable. I won't stop until he pays for what he did. I will see to it that that Thing is locked up for good."
"But."
"Rei?" Shigure suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Rei eyed him and turned to Tohru one last time.
"Remember you've been warned."
"Rei that's enough" Shigure replied angrily.
Rei turned on his heel once more and walked away. Shigure watched him leave with a frown on his face then he turned to Tohru.
"Tohru are you all right?" he asked.
"Uh huh" she nodded, "But what are you doing here Shigure?" she looked up at him.
"Oh" Shigure realized, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't find out till tomorrow, but if you promise to keep it a secret, I'll tell you."
"Okay" she agreed, "But not now. I have to go meet Kyo. He's waiting for me" she began to walk back.
"All right I'll tell you tonight" Shigure replied.
"Shigure" she said slowly turning around.
"Hmm?"
"Don't tell Kyo that I saw his father. He'll be upset."
"All right" Shigure nodded as she walked over to the snack cart.
"Bout time you got here" Kyo replied handing her a soda, "C'mon we're missing everything."
"Okay" she said with a smile.
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Shigure watched as they re-entered the pavilion, then turned around himself. He frowned as he remembered the way Rei had behaved.
"He's just like Akito" Shigure thought angrily as he walked to the other side of the festival.
**********************************************************
That night Tohru told Shigure all about the play they had seen. Kyo and Yuki listened as she told Shigure each and every detail. When she was finished Yuki told Shigure that they had run into Tai Ushida.
"Oh I bet that was pleasant" Shigure replied when Tohru had taken the dishes into the kitchen.
"Not really. But nothing I couldn't handle" Kyo said smugly.
"Show off" Yuki muttered.
"What did you just say you damn rat?" Kyo slammed down his fist.
"Nothing just stating the obvious" Yuki replied cynically.
"You trying to start something?"
**********************************************************
Later that evening Shigure told Tohru his secret. She promised to keep it till the next day when it would all come out. When she left his study, Shigure sighed and sat down. He picked up one of his many books and flipped it open. This book had memories written down, like a journal. It was Shigure's favorite, and he would often open it to relive some of his past memories. He flipped open to a particular date and read it aloud to himself.
"Tuesday June 21.
Today is a sad day for the Sohmas. It's not everyday that one of our own takes their own life. But it isn't uncommon, so I don't know which is worse. Aya, Hari, and I found out when we came home from school today. We were all quite shocked since it was someone that the three of us were very fond of. But Rei he's a wreck. He's yelling right now. Throwing stuff around the yard. The kid is staying with a nearby family member, Hari's dad I believe. He's the only one who can tolerate the little guy. I wonder how he's taking it."
Shigure stopped reading and looked up sadly.
"Oh Sakura" he thought, "Why did you do it? What was your reason?"
He continued to read.
"The funeral has been set for this weekend. I heard from Hari, that the little guy hasn't even shed a tear. Not once. Maybe he's still in shock. I know I would be if it had been me. But then again I'm not very close with my parents. No one in the Zodiac really is. Akito is the one who is really upset by this. He didn't know about Kyo's transformation and has informed Hari that he wants to see it. I wonder how he will take it?"
Shigure stopped again and closed the book. Then he stood up and turned off the light. He gazed sadly back at the book on the table. Then he walked out of the room, and off to bed. He heard Tohru on the phone as he walked up.
"That song sounds good. Will you play the piano?"
Shigure stopped and listened.
"Okay Hatsuharu, I will see you tomorrow" she said with a smile.
She hung up the phone then walked upstairs to go to bed herself. Shigure smiled slightly then walked to his room.
"She's all right" he thought, "That Tohru can pull herself out of anything."
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Authors Note: That's it for this week! Did you like getting a little more insight into Kyo's life? I hope you liked it!
Next Chapter: Festival Day Three
Shigure reveals his secret and Tohru and Hatsuharu enter the music competition. See you there for the last day of the festival!
Tohru listened intently as Kyo took a deep breath.
"This is going to be kind of difficult for you to hear" Kyo began, "And believe me it's not easy for me to say either, but the reason my father hates me so much, is he blames me for my mom's death."
"Your mom's death? But how could you?"
"She committed suicide" he interrupted her.
"Suicide?" she replied shocked.
"Mhm. Now do you see? He and everyone else, especially him blamed me for her death. They believed it was because of my curse."
"But Kyo, you were how old? Four? Five? How could you possibly have any responsibility in that?"
"Huh?" he looked at her confused.
"You had no way of doing that? How could they think that you and innocent bystander was the one to blame?"
"Believe me my father was quick to blame me for everything, back then? Whenever there was a problem, it was always my fault."
"That's not right Kyo" Tohru replied firmly, "Surely you don't blame yourself do you?"
"I. Of course I don't."
"Good. Because the fact that he would blame you for something that was so out of your control is wrong. I'm sorry Kyo. I had no idea."
"It's no big deal" Kyo replied, "Don't worry about it."
"With all your dealing with right now" she said slowly then stopped.
"What?"
"Uh. Oh um I just realized I need to use the bathroom" she changed the subject standing up.
"Huh?"
"Well you go stand in line for the snacks and I'll be right back okay," she said with a smile, as he stood up confused.
She walked briskly away with her face forward. Kyo watched her walk for a moment with a slight frown on his face.
"What in the world was that all about?" he thought as he turned to the snack cart.
**********************************************************
Tohru finished and walked out of the restroom over to the drinking fountain.
"That was close" she thought, "I almost did it again."
She took a quick sip of water and started to walk back but she bumped into somebody.
"Oh I'm sorry" she replied, "I didn't mean to bump into" she stopped as she looked up, "you" she finished.
"My apologies" Rei Sohma said, "I didn't look where I was going either. But now that you're here I want to speak with you Miss Honda."
"Huh?" she looked up, "How do you know who I am?"
"I've spoken with Akito. He told me about you and of course I assumed yesterday that that's who you were. You are Tohru Honda are you not?"
"Yes" she bowed politely, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Sohma."
"Mhm" he nodded with no smile on his face, "Tell me Miss Honda, what is your relationship with the monster."
"The Monster? Who are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. Akito has already informed me that you have seen the grotesque shape."
"You mean Kyo don't you?"
"Who else would I be talking about?"
"Um well" she looked towards the snack cart, where Kyo was just about to order, "We're good friends."
"Friends?"
"Mhm" she nodded.
"Let me give you a piece of advice Miss Honda, being a member of this family. It's best that you don't associate yourself with any of those freaks."
"Huh?"
"In the long run you would be better off. You know that, that monster is going to be locked up?"
"Yes" Tohru nodded slowly.
"It's inevitable. I won't stop until he pays for what he did. I will see to it that that Thing is locked up for good."
"But."
"Rei?" Shigure suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Rei eyed him and turned to Tohru one last time.
"Remember you've been warned."
"Rei that's enough" Shigure replied angrily.
Rei turned on his heel once more and walked away. Shigure watched him leave with a frown on his face then he turned to Tohru.
"Tohru are you all right?" he asked.
"Uh huh" she nodded, "But what are you doing here Shigure?" she looked up at him.
"Oh" Shigure realized, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't find out till tomorrow, but if you promise to keep it a secret, I'll tell you."
"Okay" she agreed, "But not now. I have to go meet Kyo. He's waiting for me" she began to walk back.
"All right I'll tell you tonight" Shigure replied.
"Shigure" she said slowly turning around.
"Hmm?"
"Don't tell Kyo that I saw his father. He'll be upset."
"All right" Shigure nodded as she walked over to the snack cart.
"Bout time you got here" Kyo replied handing her a soda, "C'mon we're missing everything."
"Okay" she said with a smile.
********************************************************
Shigure watched as they re-entered the pavilion, then turned around himself. He frowned as he remembered the way Rei had behaved.
"He's just like Akito" Shigure thought angrily as he walked to the other side of the festival.
**********************************************************
That night Tohru told Shigure all about the play they had seen. Kyo and Yuki listened as she told Shigure each and every detail. When she was finished Yuki told Shigure that they had run into Tai Ushida.
"Oh I bet that was pleasant" Shigure replied when Tohru had taken the dishes into the kitchen.
"Not really. But nothing I couldn't handle" Kyo said smugly.
"Show off" Yuki muttered.
"What did you just say you damn rat?" Kyo slammed down his fist.
"Nothing just stating the obvious" Yuki replied cynically.
"You trying to start something?"
**********************************************************
Later that evening Shigure told Tohru his secret. She promised to keep it till the next day when it would all come out. When she left his study, Shigure sighed and sat down. He picked up one of his many books and flipped it open. This book had memories written down, like a journal. It was Shigure's favorite, and he would often open it to relive some of his past memories. He flipped open to a particular date and read it aloud to himself.
"Tuesday June 21.
Today is a sad day for the Sohmas. It's not everyday that one of our own takes their own life. But it isn't uncommon, so I don't know which is worse. Aya, Hari, and I found out when we came home from school today. We were all quite shocked since it was someone that the three of us were very fond of. But Rei he's a wreck. He's yelling right now. Throwing stuff around the yard. The kid is staying with a nearby family member, Hari's dad I believe. He's the only one who can tolerate the little guy. I wonder how he's taking it."
Shigure stopped reading and looked up sadly.
"Oh Sakura" he thought, "Why did you do it? What was your reason?"
He continued to read.
"The funeral has been set for this weekend. I heard from Hari, that the little guy hasn't even shed a tear. Not once. Maybe he's still in shock. I know I would be if it had been me. But then again I'm not very close with my parents. No one in the Zodiac really is. Akito is the one who is really upset by this. He didn't know about Kyo's transformation and has informed Hari that he wants to see it. I wonder how he will take it?"
Shigure stopped again and closed the book. Then he stood up and turned off the light. He gazed sadly back at the book on the table. Then he walked out of the room, and off to bed. He heard Tohru on the phone as he walked up.
"That song sounds good. Will you play the piano?"
Shigure stopped and listened.
"Okay Hatsuharu, I will see you tomorrow" she said with a smile.
She hung up the phone then walked upstairs to go to bed herself. Shigure smiled slightly then walked to his room.
"She's all right" he thought, "That Tohru can pull herself out of anything."
**********************************************************
Authors Note: That's it for this week! Did you like getting a little more insight into Kyo's life? I hope you liked it!
Next Chapter: Festival Day Three
Shigure reveals his secret and Tohru and Hatsuharu enter the music competition. See you there for the last day of the festival!