A/N: I'm on a roll! The last chapter was said to be a bit confusing to some people so this chapter explains everything. This was supposed to be part of chapter 10 but my italicizing stopped working and I cut it short…bah…Microsoft word…-_-;
Disclaimer: yaddy yaddy yah
Last time: …too lazy no flashback..bwahaha!
Chapter 11: Rin
By: Kisu
flashback
"Kyoko, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Gomen nasai, godfather." She replied, bowing her head. "But I have decided. I do not want to be part of this family anymore."
"Nani?" Akito's grandfather and current head of the family stood up.
"From this day forth, I will not be a Souma." Kyoko replied as she straightened.
"You!" Akito's grandfather hurled a vase to the floor and Kyoko sat staring straight ahead without a flinch. "The moment you step out of the door, you are no longer apart of this family."
"Thank you." Kyoko said as she got up. "Excuse me."
"Okaasan!" A little girl ran up to her and Kyoko took her hand. Akito watched silently as they walked out the door and out of their lives.
*End flashback*
His life.
flashback—italicizing didn't work..-_-;;
"That girl. She is Kyoko-san's daughter, isn't she?" Hatori asked his grandfather.
"Hai." The present doctor of the family sighed.
"Kyoko-san did the right thing." Hatori murmured. "This family is no good."
"What are you saying?" Akito yelled as he bursted in from outside the door. He ran in and clenched his fist, angrily. "That woman! She took her away from me!" Hatori gazed at his younger cousin with a solemn expression. Akito shook with rage and knelt down on the floor.
"Akito-sama…" The doctor began.
"Shut up!" Akito screamed. "You're as bad as the rest of them. I won't let any of you take her away! She's mine! MINE!"
end flashback
"Tohru—" He murmured.
"Nani?" She blinked as she peered up at his downcast face.
"I'm sorry." He whispered as he crushed her to him in front of everyone who stared at them in astonishment.
"Akito!" Someone growled in rage. "Don't touch her!"
Kyou jumped and landed in front of them. He quickly pushed them apart and Kyou placed himself between the two.
"Kyou-kun." Tohru blinked.
"So you remember now, Akito?" Kyou asked. "I overheard Shigure and Hatori talking. That damn inu has such a loud mouth."
"Remember what, Kyou?" Yuki asked with interest.
"You should remember also, kuso nezumi." Kyou glared. "Tohru was Kyoko-san's daughter. Souma Kyoko."
"Souma?" Yuki repeated in astonishment.
"Kyoko-san was the goddaughter of Akito's grandfather, Keiji. Kyoko's father had been one of Keiji's best friends. When he passed away due to heart failure, Keiji took Kyoko in as his adopted daughter and gifted her with the family name." Kyou explained.
"Okaasan never told me this." Tohru murmured. She blinked and started giggling. "Kyou-kun you almost had me." All of the males stared at her in utter silence as she giggled. When she noticed that she was the only one laughing, she opened her eyes to see their serious faces. "This isn't a joke?"
"Iie, baka. Kyoko left the family when you were at least six years old." Kyou told her. "However, Keiji never took your name off the family list. You're still part of our family as Souma Tohru."
"Souma?" Tohru breathed.
"This is great!" Momiji squealed in delight. He leaped forward with his arms outstretched. "Tohru you're a part of the family!"
"Momiji, no!" Hatsuharu yelled. But Momiji wrapped his arms around Tohru and POOF! When the smoke cleared a yellow rabbit was snuggled in Tohru's arms.
"Ano-" Tohru began as she absently stroked Momiji's soft velvet ears. "Are you sure that it is me? A lot of people are named Kyoko and Tohru."
"Kyoko-san, hm." Yuki crossed his arms and closed his eyes briefly. "Souma Kyoko."
"What are you thinking about, kuso nezumi?" Kyou demanded.
"None of your business, baka neko." Yuki replied as he continued to ponder.
"I remember." Hatsuharu said, suddenly. "Rin—Rin was very close to Kyoko-san." The others turned to stare at him. "Yes. That day when Akito was relentlessly beating up on Kyou, Kyoko-san stopped him. The next day, Kyoko-san renounced the family name." Hatsuharu looked up and met Tohru's eyes. "The situation became confusing after that. It seemed like a few weeks later you came back to the main house after you followed Yuki home and they erased your memory." Yuki slowly opened his eyes as the words settled in and his past began to unfurl. "Keiji had ordered Tohru's memories to be erased. A year later, he passed away. Kyoko had always been his favorite."
"So it is true." Tohru whispered. She gently deposited Momiji onto the ground and turned to walk away.
"Tohru-kun?" Yuki walked in front of her and she smiled at him.
"I need some time alone. I'm sorry." She told him, reassuringly.
"Should we follow her?" Kyou asked, quietly.
"Don't worry. Hana and I will take care of her." A loud voice came from behind them. They jumped unexpectedly because they seem to have forgotten that they were there. "By the way, is that rabbit, Momiji?"
"Okaasan, what should I do?" Tohru asked as she walked along. "They say that I am Souma Tohru, but I have always been Honda Tohru." She shook her head slowly. "But it's my dream come true, I'm part of a family now, one who loves me very much. They all take very good care of me. Even Akito, the darkest star has shown his light." A smile crossed her face and she laughed out loud. "Okaasan, Akito was just lonely. No one is pure evil." She bent down and picked a daisy to the bundle of flowers she had collected along the way to visit her mother's grave. As she rounded the corner, her eyes went wide when she spotted a familiar figure standing before her Okaasan's tombstone.
Souma Rin.
"Auntie Kyoko!"
"What is it, Rin?"
"Okaasan is sick today. She won't be able to take me to school." The little girl with black hair said, sadly.
"Hm. Then we'll have to take you, wouldn't we?" Kyoko smiled as she held out her hand. Rin grasped it firmly and skipped happily down the street.
"Auntie, can you pick me up after school?" She asked, hesitantly.
"Of course, Rin-chan and after that we can go to the park. Maybe the ice cream vendor is there."
"Honto ne?"
"Definitely."
"Auntie Kyoko." Rin smiled as she touched the cold grey granite. "So this is where you have been. I miss you so much, auntie."
"Rin-san." She stiffened at the sound of that irritating voice and turned around.
"Tohru." She replied, lightly.
"Rin-san, you have come to give your blessings to Okaasan?" She asked as she placed her bouquet of wildflowers onto the tombstone. Rin examined her silently as Tohru ran her hands over her mother's name and brushed some invisible dust away.
"Do you know why I hate you?" She asked, suddenly.
"Eh?" Tohru looked up with a puzzled expression.
"Your ignorance and fake innocence makes me sick." Rin spat. "Because of you, she left the family. That was when things turned even worse. Kyoko was like a mother to me and you took her away! You stole her away from me!"
"Ano—Rin-san…" Tohru protested.
"All the male jyunnishi flock to you. It is always Tohru this and Tohru that." Rin hissed. "I am sick of hearing your name." She narrowed her black eyes dangerously and clenched her fist as they glittered with tears. "Do us all a favor and leave. Go far away so you will not torment me any longer!"
"I'm sorry." Tohru whispered. Rin stared at her in amazement and grabbed her shoulder. Tohru looked up in surprise and Rin slapped her across the face. "Rin-san?" Tohru asked, questionably. Her hand reached up to touch her flaming cheek.
"How come you never get mad?" She screamed. "How come you take everything so lightly? Even when Akito hurt you, you voluntarily came back. What makes you so special?"
"Nothing." Tohru said, smiling kindly. "I am not any more special than anyone else."
"Then how do you explain the way everyone worships you? How do you bring joy into the jyunnishi's lives?" Rin asked, bitterly. "I don't understand. All you bring to me is misery!"
"Kyou-kun told me that my memories had been erased when I was 6. I don't know much about Okaasan's situation with the family." Tohru told her. "Demo--I think what makes me special is Okaasan. She raised me to be kind. She raised me to be open-minded and not to judge others. I am special because Okaasan made me special." Her eyes brightened as she stared at Kyoko's tombstone. "She had always said, 'Be yourself. Take things slowly. Be Tohru." She turned her gaze to Rin who now looked lost and hopeless. "I know I can't replace Okaasan in your life. But If you'll let me, I'll help you and I'll always be there for you. I'll be Okaasan."
As if a dam broke, Rin fell to her knees and covered her face as a flood of tears rushed out from her eyes. "I hate you! I truly hate you!" Tohru knelt down beside her and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Let it all out, Rin-chan. Let it all out." She told her, softly.
"Tadaima." Everyone around the table that was in a heat of an argument save for Shigure, Hatsuharu, Hatori, and Hana, stopped to stare at the person who had walked into the house. Tohru silently slid the door shut and took her shoes off her feet. When she looked up, they were still staring and she returned the stare with a confused expression. Suddenly she blushed and waved her hands wildly. "Gomen nasai! I didn't come home in time to fix dinner!" She quickly placed her shoes aside and made a beeline into the kitchen.
"Mou mou." Shigure said, lightly as he extended his arm outwards and making Tohru collide into it. He drew her slightly toward him and smiled brightly. "We ordered out today so you don't have to worry. Your bento box is in the kitchen."
"Thank you Shigure-san. Demo—" A sad expression crossed her face. "I'm not very hungry."
"YOU WILL EAT IT!" Kyou yelled as he popped up in front of her.
"H-Hai!" Tohru gasped.
"Baka—I mean you should eat even if you don't feel like it. You haven't eaten since lunch at school." Kyou corrected himself. He walked away muttering about stupid people and stupid messed up families.
"Are you all right?" Arisa asked as she approached her. "We tried to follow you but you disappeared so quickly."
"Yes. Your ample legs make you walk quickly, Tohru." Hana nodded.
"Er..yes." Arisa blinked. "Where have you been?"
"I'm sorry for making everyone worry. I needed some time to think and I wanted to confide in Okaasan." Tohru said.
"You talk like as if she's alive." Kyou blurted out suddenly. All heads turn to him and he reddened in anger and embarrassment. "Everything you do, you always refers to Okaasan. She's dead! You have to live your own life!"
"Nani?" Tohru blinked.
"Kyou!" Arisa warned.
"Let me finish." Kyou glared. "Tohru you have to accept your mother's death. You can't hold on to her forever, let her go. She can't help you anymore!"
"Kyou that's enough!" Yuki snapped as he got up.
"Wake up! She's dead! Don't depend on your Okaasan anymore. Tohru don't depend on yourself." Kyou continued. "Why won't you let us help you? Let us be the one who cries over spilt milk. Let us be the one who does the laundry. Let us be a shoulder for you to cry on. Why won't you let your Okaasan go?"
"That was harsh, Kyou." Shigure murmured.
"Because—" Tohru whispered as tears fell from her eyes. "Because if I let her go, I might forget her. I might forget how wonderful she was."
"Tohru." Momiji murmured, sadly.
"It's silly for me to be crying." Tohru laughed as tears continued to fall from her eyes. "I shouldn't be crying over a little thing like this."
"Tohru, just cry." Momiji said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Momiji, I'm just like you." Tohru sobbed as she clutched the rabbit to her chest.
"For once, baka neko is right." Yuki said as he knelt on his knee. "You don't have to be strong. We'll be strong for you." He pulled her into his embrace and Tohru looked down at the mouse on her knee. Kyou walked up to her and hugged her, which turned him into a cat.
"I get to hug a cute girl!" Shigure winked as he turned into a black dog. Hatsuharu also surprised them by wrapping his arms around Tohru and turning in a cow.
"Wow." Arisa stared. "You guys weren't kidding when you told us that you turn into animals. It's like a zoo in here." She glanced at Hatori who stood in the same spot with a tired expression. "What do you turn into?"
"It's not important." He replied.
"I sense a great need. Lungs aching. Eyes unfocusing." Hana said. "Water." Hatori stared at her in shock, before turning away.
"Hey Tohru." Arisa sat down next to her with Hana on the other side.
"I recognize you." Hana said as she stared at Shigure. Shigure barked, happily.
"Tohru. Just take things slowly. If you don't want to be a part of the family, you don't have to." Arisa said, softly.
"She's right." Hatori spoke up. "You don't have to decide right away but you could always leave the family. Fortunately, most of the family does not know about this situation."
"I don't want to leave you all!" Tohru gasped.
"You don't have to. But it is your decision whether you choose to take Souma as your last name." Hatori told her. Tohru looked down onto her lap where Yuki peered up at her with his bright violet eyes.
"I just need a little bit more time." She said as she stared at him. "You are the best friends I will ever have. I can't thank you for your kindness toward me." She smiled brightly and hugged Momiji. "I love you all."
"Tohru-chan." Hana cried as she swept her into a hug.
"We love you too!" Arisa beamed, tearfully, her arms wrapping around Tohru and Hana. Shigure licked Tohru's face happily while Hatsuharu mooed and Kyou placed a paw on her knee.
Okaasan. This family is wonderful. Even if you wanted to leave it, I might be glad that I belong in it. I finally understand your saying and I will change my life around and be myself. Because I am not you, Okaasan. I am Tohru. Thank you for all you have done for me.
Tohru glanced down at Kyou and swept him up in her right hand and nuzzled her nose in his fur. "Thank you, Kyou-kun." She whispered.
End of Chapter 11…TBC…sorry for any…bad..grammar..and stuff…XD