DiScLaImEr – Anyone wanna buy it for me?? I wouldn't mind, really!
aUtHoR's X-tRa NoTe – Before you start reading this…minna-san…gomen nasai!! I took sooo long to update this ficcy!! Hontoo ni gomen nasai ne… Pls dunt kill me…I was busy…honestly! But…::grins:: now I've finally got around to updating, I really hope you'll enjoy this chappie!! So saving the rest of my blabbering for the bottom…enjoy this chappie, and tell me what you think!
OtHeR aUtHoR's NoTe – yes yes…I'll stop blabbering eventually " Kekeke…but just wanna make a note that the words in (…) are asides…think manga style, I guess? Haha…hope you'll like this chappie!
Lest I Forget
Chapter 5 – Shall I Start Anew?
The sound of three beeping alarm clocks penetrated the silence in the house. With a groan, Sohma Yuki reached one slender arm out to slap his off and stayed in his bed, listening for hints of movement in the house. Only the sound of chirping morning birds greeted his ears in the still, cold morning. Hearing no sign of movement from the other two, he closed his eyes again, trying to get some of the rest that he had failed to catch all night. However, he was in no mood to sleep.
Honda-san…
The effects of the news from the night before had not yet worn off on the mouse. The worn and pained looks on his two other "housemates"' faces were still fresh in his memory.
And so was the squeezing pain in his heart.
With a sigh, Yuki sat up in bed and swung himself off gently, rubbing his temples lightly and feeling the effects of his sleepless night. His feet were soundless as he walked towards the window. The pre-dawn morning skies were clear. Outside, the trees were already bare, their leaves in yellow heaps on the ground. The air was crisp and chilly, signaling the arrival of winter. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and leaned against the window frame, feeling the painful grip of his heart.
He missed her so much.
Honda-san…why…why do you always do this to yourself? Can't you tell…can't you tell that we can't be without you? That we need you—that we treasure you—that we care for you—more than we all do ourselves? Our freedom…mean nothing…without you here. Can't you tell?
Can't you tell…that I can't be without you?
Can't you tell…how much I care for you?
With another sigh he pried his heavy eyelids open, gazing listlessly out at the beautiful purple-pink skies of dawn. Golden rays of sunlight outlined rooftops as far as the eye could see, coloring the skies to a brighter orange with hints of light red. Already the day promised to be a perfect one, without a single cloud to marr its pure beauty. All this went unnoticed by the youth, who could only think longingly of a certain chestnut-haired, smiling girl's face. Not even the magnificence before him could move him from his reserve. Through his eyes, the world appeared so bleak and cold…nothing seemed to be able to offer him warmth—the warmth that she had always given him.
Nothing seemed to be able to shake him from the loneliness in his heart.
Nothing seemed right.
The girl with the mane of honey-brown hair stared blankly at her ceiling as the alarm clock beside her beeped impatiently, as it has been for the last ten minutes. It wasn't that it wasn't loud enough to serve its purpose of waking its master—it just wasn't loud enough to break into the emptiness of her heart.
The loneliness of her heart.
Naze…?
Why…do I feel like…something is amiss…?
Why do I feel as if pieces of my life are missing?
As if pieces of myself are missing…?
Seemingly living in a trance, Honda Tohru reached out a slender arm to shut off her alarm clock and swung her legs over her bed. Getting up to walk towards the window, she almost tripped over the chair that she somehow does not remember.
Demo…I haven't moved anything since I got back…so why am I…so lost?
Why do I feel like…I don't belong here?
Grasping the window frame to support herself, the girl took her most treasured object in the world in her hands and hugged it tight against herself, feeling as though that was the last familiar thing for her on earth.
Why do I feel like…we don't belong here, Okaa-san? Onegai…tell me…
In the distance, birds chirped their greetings to the morning sun, already risen to glorify the skies of Tokyo. The perfectly trimmed trees swayed with the gentle morning breeze as rays of orange brilliance spilled into her unlit bedroom, illuminating her tear-stained face.
Gomen ne, 'Kaa-san…I promised you last night that I wouldn't cry anymore…demo…
Demo ne…sometimes it's just so hard…to keep the tears in…to keep smiling…when all I feel in my heart is loneliness and emptiness.
Who…who is there to understand me, now that you're gone?
Who's there for me to share my life with, now that you…you're…gone?
Closing her eyes, Tohru rested her forehead against the cool of the window frame, cradling her mother's picture.
Who…
"Doomo arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san, for taking care of me today!" a smiling Tohru said cheerfully as she bowed farewell to her newly-made friends. Eighteen and in her last year of high school, the girl had been bewildered to find that she had somehow been transferred to a new school for her last high school year, and had been completely lost.
:: Flashback ::
Oh no, I'm going to be late again!! Tohru thought to herself as she seemed to fly around yet another corner in her new school with neck breaking speed, her hair flying in her wake. Two students that had been chatting in that corner paused in their laughter as gush of wind suddenly whipped their faces, blowing up their skirts. Blinking stupidly, they turned to stare at each other in confusion.
"Hey what was that just now…??"
"I have no clue…looks like a brown meteorite…"
Turning their head down the halls again, they saw it was empty save for a lot of flying dust. ::sweatdrops::
Oh this is bad, this is bad…this is really bad!! A frantic Tohru thought as she turned yet another corner. I'm already losing count of corners I've been turning…plus I don't even know where I am anymore! Oh wait…what class was it that I was trying to get to again…?? Ano…ahhhhhhhh…everything is spinning…
BANG!
"Owowowowww…heh…why are there stars…??"
"Dai…daijoobu des ka?" a female voice asked, concerned. Opening her eyes, Tohru looked up to find herself staring into midnight blue eyes, offset by a full red mouth and curly jet-black hair…along with a few stars and flying pigs. Shaking her head violently in an attempt to clear her head and waving her arms almost violently trying to gesture that she was all right, she blushed and laughed slightly, feeling embarrassed.
"Gomen nasai!! Gomen…daijoobu desu! Daijoobu!" Taking the girl's hand, Tohru began to stand, still swaying on her feet while rubbing her head, when she began to hear muffled laughter coming from the girl supporting her. Turning her head to look, she found that the girl's face was almost as red as hers in attempt to restrain herself. Seeing Tohru staring, the girl blushed and laughed gently.
"Heh…gomen ne, I wasn't laughing at you desu. It's just that…how did you manage to run headfirst into the fire extinguisher?"
Turning to see the object in question, Tohru had to smile, somehow feeling oddly familiar with the scene. Shaking her head, she joined the girl, laughing slightly.
"Ano ne…I was in a hurry to get to my…oh no!" Honey-brown hair began to stand straight out in spikes. "Bag…books…class…where…??"
Laughter again interrupted Tohru's rampaging thoughts, its musical sound smoothing to hear. The girl that had helped Tohru to her feet now bend beside her, gathering Tohru's belongings as a few others around her also bend over to help.
"It's all right, so just…calm down a little, desu!" The girl smiled as she handed back a notebook. "I can show you to your next class…are you new here?"
Smiling her thanks as a few others helped her pack, Tohru nodded at her new friend. Before she can say anything else, however, the girl seemed to explode with energy and jumped up, startling Tohru (who had gone into shock mode once again).
"All right desu!! I'm gunna take care of this girl and show her around desu! Is everyone with me?!"
A chorus of rising fists and "YEAH!" filled the corridor as Tohru shrunk underneath the fire extinguisher, sweatdropping as she watched the scene of excited girls before her. Laughing with them as they turned to look at her…
"Ano… arigatou gozaimasu…demo…class…??"
:: End Flashback ::
"Iie, iie," Takaito Reika said animatedly, waving her arms and grinning at her new friend's politeness. "It was fun hanging around with you, Tohru-chan (oh can I call you Tohru-chan? It's got such a nice sound to it desu!) Besides, we couldn't just leave you running in to fire extinguishers all day desu, now can we?"
"Hai hai, it was nothing, Tohru-san" Kasuma Meredi said gently. "We'll see you in class tomorrow, okiee?"
Waving good-bye to her friends until they were out of sight, Tohru let her arm drop and turned to walk back to her apartment, her smile subsiding with every step she took. Closing the door behind her, Tohru san against the wall and closed her eyes to shut out the empty apartment that was supposed to be her home.
Okaa-san…Okaa-san…today was a good day. I met new friends, and they were so kind to me. It almost feels as if…
As if I'm not so alone anymore. Demo…
What is it…what is it that's missing? Why do I still feel as if something is amiss…
Something… important to me?
Or is it…
Someone important to me?
::wide grin:: It. is. finished!!! Hahaha…well, at least this chapter is #.# It's a lil shorter…but at least it's done, eh?? Kekeke…again, gomen ne, minna-san, for the lack-of updates. But I'm sure ya'll dunt wanna hear my reasons, even though they're good reasons!! ::smiles:: That aside…and hoping that some of you actually remember this ficcy and came to read it (=.=")…how did you like it? Or mebbe I should ask…how much more rust should I polish off before attempting to write again?? ::sweatdrops::
Well, either way…make sure you tell me what you think, oie?? Feedback is always welcomed, especially after such a long break… XD Oh yeah…character intro…haha, for once in this ficcy, I actually own a character!! The Sohmas are supposed to stay away from Tohru, remember?? But I couldn't leave her all lonely…kekeke…Takaito Reika is completely made-up (aka. She does not exist…and does not require a disclaimer, for once!!)…and if she bears any resemblance to an existing character… shrugs I guess you can think of her as…that lil black puffy thing (does anyone know that puffy's name?? haha…if u do, pls tell me!) from RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, human style! Hahah…I'm going to try to make her more animated to lighten the mood up a little. And Kasuma Meredi is also entirely made up…bearing a resemblance to…hehehe…I'll let you decide la. (I dunt even know myself! ") Hopefully, none of you will grow to hate either of her… "
Anyhow…I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible…no more waiting half a year for an update! Hahaha…a lil extreme eh…? Gomen gomen…! If any new readers would like an update notice, leave your email to me after you read this! Ff.net made getting emails a pain in da butt…so pls actually type your email out to me, and I'll be sure to give you a shout whenever I update, okiez?? Also, the polls about who Tohru ends up with is still in effect…so if you have a choice, feel free to tell me!
As usual, all criticisms, comments or suggestions are all very very much welcomed, especially after such a long break from writing!! Please tell me what you think!
Aqua Sunshine n.n