Book Six: Overcoming the Past

Chapter One: Sleepless Night

She tossed and turned and finally sighed as she sat up in bed. It was impossible to sleep. It had been troubling her all day. She had eaten lunch with Uo and Hana and they had discussed it. As she brushed a hand through her bangs she thought about the earlier conversation.



"What a beautiful day" Uo commented.

"Yes" Hana agreed, "And to think, this is one of the few times left that we will get to enjoy it."

"Huh?" Tohru looked up.

"What do you mean Hana?" Uo asked.

"I mean. Summer is nearly here. And then autumn. It will be getting colder soon. Then winter will hit. And after that we will graduate."

"So?"

"So. Like I said before. This is one of the few times left that we will get to enjoy it. It will go by so fast you know. Soon we will graduate. It's inevitable."

"It's a good thing though" Tohru replied with a smile, "I will finally be able to fulfill my promise to my mom."

"That's right Tohru" Uo said with a grin of her own, "You keep thinking that way."

"Mhm" Tohru nodded.

"Still a part of it" Hana continued, "Will feel a bit bittersweet won't it?' she looked Tohru straight in the eye.

"What are you talking about Hana?" Uo asked.

"All I'm saying, is that it might be difficult for some of us to leave and start brand new lives. Right Tohru?"

Tohru looked up and saw the seriousness in her friend's eyes.

"Oh uh huh" she nodded, "Maybe."

Hana turned back to her bag of chips while Uo just scratched her head. Tohru turned her head slightly and saw Kyo talking with his friends as she ate lunch. She sighed and frowned a bit as she watched him.



She remembered that feeling that she felt that afternoon and winced a little at the thought. She crawled out of her bed and walked out the door, glancing briefly at the photograph of all the parents. The she quietly slipped out, so as not to disturb Kyoko, who was sound asleep on her bed. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. When she turned on the light, she happened to look into the sitting room and realized that she wasn't alone.



Yuki was sitting at the table staring into space. He looked exhausted and he looked her way as she came into the door. He smiled as she walked over to him.

"Yuki are you all right?" she asked in concern, "You're not sick are you?"

"No Miss Honda" he answered, "I just couldn't sleep."

"Oh me neither. Well since we're both up would you like a glass of warm milk?"

"You know what. That might help. Thank you Miss Honda," he replied with another princely smile.

"I'll be right back," she said with a smile of her own.

She was back in a few moments time and she sat down next to him as they slowly and quietly drank their milk. When Yuki was finished he once again stared into space.

"So did you have a bad dream?" she asked.

"Uh sort of" he replied hesitantly, "The truth is. I don't usually sleep very well. But for some reason, I felt compelled to come down here tonight."

"Is that why you are always so tired?"

"Mhm. Nightmares. They're just something that happen to me."

"Are they always the same?"

"No. They're different. But the theme is usually the same."

"Theme?"

"I don't think I can explain it any better than that. And I don't want to scare you."

"Oh okay."

"Incidentally" he replied, "Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"No" she shook her head, "Something's just on my mind."

"Something?"

"Yea. And it has been for awhile."

"I know how you feel. Something has been on my mind too."

"Really?"

"Yes. Something, to be honest I've wanted to tell you for quite some time."

"Tell me?"

"Mhm. Since last summer in fact."

"Last summer? Oh that's right" Tohru said, "You did want to tell me something, but you weren't ready to."

"That's right. But I think I am ready. Yes" he nodded, "It's going to plague me forever if I don't tell you."

"You don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No. I should. But first, I want to tell you a story."

"Okay."

"Do you remember when I told you about how when I was seven and I transformed in front of all those children, and their memories got erased?"

"Yes" Tohru nodded, "I remember that."

"At that time. I was so hurt. They were the first children my own age that I had ever interacted with and the truth is, I wasn't supposed to be out of the house. Akito never let me leave his side. It was just one of those times I couldn't resist. I paid for it though. My fun. I paid for it dearly. But I came up with something that I thought could solve the problem. I mean I was only seven. A few days later I turned eight. I felt old enough now to carry out what I liked to call at the time "freeing myself from the cage."

Yuki stood up to stretch. He had his back turned but he still spoke loud enough for Tohru to hear him.

"I had been so hurt by what Hatori did, and angry. That I decided to run away. To run away from Sohma house and never come back. I planned it all out really well too, surprisingly enough for my age. Akito and Kureno were both napping that afternoon, so I quietly waited till they were dead asleep then I snuck out of the room, walked down to mine, threw on some clothes that were not recognizable, and slowly made my way to the main gate. Strangely enough, no one saw me. No one. I managed to open the gate and walk out of there. And do you want to know the first thing that I did when I got out?"

"What?" she asked as he sat back down to face her.

"I ran. I ran so fast and so far. I ran faster then I have ever run in my life. That was the first time I had ever felt so free. Free from my burdens of being a member of the zodiac. Free of the pain I would never have to suffer again. But I was only eight, and as I got further away I realized how would I ever make it on my own? I didn't have money, or any clothes. Nothing. Clearly I didn't think things entirely through. As I pondered these things, I leaned against a wall that was outside of an alley. I felt like crying. But something stopped me from crying. Someone else's crying."

"Someone else's?"

"Yes. I walked to where the sound was coming from" Yuki looked away as he spoke and looked towards the outside, "And when I found the source, I was surprised. She couldn't of been any more older than me."

Tohru stared at him as he continued to talk with a bit of interest.

"She was crying on her lap and she was dirty. You could tell that she was definitely lost, but I had never been allowed to talk to anyone let alone see them, so I didn't know what to do. As I edged my way out of the alley, she saw me and looked up. She looked up at me with those big tear-stained eyes and I honestly felt very sorry for her. But I was afraid so I ran out. She called out to me for help, but I didn't listen at first. Then I remembered that I had seen a house, where in front a woman was screaming, crying frantically to the police officers that were outside, and I figured that that must be it. That's where she lives. So I found a way to help her without even saying anything. She'd lose sight of me and then I would appear again and then finally I led her all the way home. But before I left so she wouldn't say anything to me or see my face, I placed the red cap that I had been wearing on her head and I went straight home. Believe it or not, no one found out that I snuck out that afternoon. Just me. Me and that girl" he looked at Tohru who had tears forming in her eyes.

"So" she began, "You're the red cap boy?"

"Yes" he nodded, "I knew for some time now that you were the girl because I saw the cap, in your room. Remember? I asked about it?"

"Yes I remember. But why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared. I was afraid that you'd be disappointed."

"Disappointed? How could I be?" she said happily, "Yuki you reunited me with my mom. I can't thank you enough for that. To think I have known the red cap boy all this time. I guess Kandis was right. I did meet you didn't I?"

"I'm sorry, that it took me so long to say anything."

"It's all right. To be honest I kind of did think it was Kyo."

"I'm not surprised that you did think that" he smiled a bit, "It was his cap that you have. I can't quite recall how I got it, but it was definitely his. I never wore anything like that. Come to think of it I think those were his clothes that I borrowed too."

She laughed a bit.

"But why did you return to Sohma house?" she asked, "If you were so unhappy?"

"Well I saw another kid scared to death to be lost, who was just my age and I realized I didn't want to be like that. I didn't want to end up that way, so I went back. Besides running away never solves anything. Does it?"

She shook her head.

"Anyway" he sighed as if a tremendous load had been lifted off his shoulders, "That's what has been on my mind. What's been on yours?"

"Oh well, I" she stuttered.

"Do you not feel comfortable talking about it?" he asked.

"No it's not that. It's just it's difficult for me to say out loud. That means I have to admit it's happening."

"Happening?" he looked at her confused.



At that moment Kyo had just come down from the roof. He heard the talking and decided to listen in from the porch.

"It's just" she repeated, "Today Hana and Uo were talking about graduating."

"Uh huh" he nodded, "Go on."

"Well and how different everything is going to be once we have graduated. And I was happy at first but then I started thinking about something that has been bothering me."

"And what's that Miss Honda?"

"Um. It doesn't really involve you or Shigure."

"I didn't think it did, I sort of got the feeling it has to do with Kyo."

Kyo perked up his ears.

"You're right" she nodded, "It does. I found something out about Kyo."

"Oh no" Kyo thought to himself, "Please not that."

"Something? What's that Miss Honda?"

"No please" Kyo repeated to himself, "Anything but that. Tell me she doesn't know?"

"I found out that Kyo is going to be locked up after high school."

"No!" Kyo shouted in his head angrily.

"Who told you Miss Honda?" Yuki asked a bit angry.

"Akito did. Last summer."

"Akito did?" Yuki replied in shock.

"Akito?" Kyo thought.

"That's right" she nodded.

Yuki looked at her for a moment and then nodded to himself.

"Oh I see" he said, "That's when you got that?"

"Got what?"

"The bruise on your cheek."

Tohru reached up to touch the spot in complete surprise.

"What are you talking about?" she replied nervously, "Momiji and I got those in the woods you remember?"

"No Miss Honda" Yuki shook his head, "Trust me. I know what really happened. And not just because Momiji told me but I also know what his inflictions look like, having gotten a lot of them myself. He hit you didn't he?"

"Well I" she began.

"I know. Momiji said that Akito was striking him and that you stepped in to stop him and got hit in the process."

"It's not that big of a deal."

"It is a big deal Miss Honda."

"It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm fine. Anyway it's over. It doesn't matter right now. What has me more concerned is Kyo."

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was shaking as she looked up into the shocked eyes of Kyo.

"Don't" he replied shortly, "Don't do this."

"Kyo" she said slowly.

"JUST STOP CARING ABOUT ME!" he shouted.



Authors Note: Hello everyone! I'm sure you couldn't wait till Monday so I decided to write you one chapter to quench your thirst for now. Oh by the way Book six is only going to be half as many chapters so there are only five more after this one. It's a short storyline but a very powerful one I assure you. I hope you liked my version of the red cap boy story. I am getting pretty antsy waiting for her to let Yuki reveal to Tohru who he is, and I really liked the idea of him doing it this way. So one of the big questions has been answered according to me, that is. The next big question will be in chapters 3-6. And just so you know it's not who she is going to pick. I already told you. That is the biggest question and I really would like to see Takaya's take on that rather than on my own right now. Enough ranting on my part. I hope you liked the chapter and I will see you Monday for two and three. And Wednesday for four, five, and six!



Next Chapter: Difference of Opinion or is it?

Yuki and Kyo finally confront one another with how they really feel towards the other! Don't miss it!