Disclaimer: As they say, I do not own anything that is of Fruits Basket and of course, I'm not earning any profit from this either. I take no credit for the creations of Furuba.
A Pledge of Onigiri – Chapter Two – By Cherry Chibi
'Nothing will ever be the same…'
Roses bloom each day
But each one is different
That is its beauty
- - - -
"Mum…? Would you like me to make breakfast again…?" Tohru opened her bedroom door expecting to hear a reply but none came. Instead, she saw the stacks of boxes. Once again the sadness swept over her sore eyes. 'I forgot… Mum, was it my fault that you went like that?' She could feel her eyes water again but she immediately brushed them back. 'Mum wouldn't want me to cry like this… she would want me to be happy.'
A loud and impatient knock banged on the apartment door. 'It must be my relatives…' She hurried and replied at the door with a smile on her face, "Um… Hello?"
"Tohru, we're here to pick up Kyoko's things." Her aunty said.
- - - -
Yuki sensed that a certain person had returned home and pretended to ignore the presence and continued on with his daily morning routines. He walked out to the verandah of the house to get some fresh morning air. 'It's interesting… he's finally come back…' Yuki thought as he leaned against the verandah's framing. 'I bet he's going to break something again…'
And in no time at all, crashing sounds exploded and disturbed the morning. Kyo had smashed through the verandah's roof. "Yo! Time to get your ass kicked Rat-boy…" Kyo flexed the muscles on his arms and sneered at Yuki.
Yuki smirked and glanced at Kyo over his shoulder. "Don't mean to disappoint you but there aren't any donkeys around here…" Yuki then took pleasure in watching Kyo's fury grow from the frustration but at the same time, he felt extremely annoyed from the fact that the stupid cat had disturbed the warm morning. He preferred to have a peaceful and quiet morning without a certain someone annoying him.
Kyo growled angrily and balled his hands into fists. "What a shame. Then I'll have to find a substitute… and that would be you!" He then charged forward at Yuki with full strength.
"Don't waste my time." Yuki replied as he dodged Kyo's attack easily. "I'm not in the mood Stupid-Cat."
"I'm the one who should be saying that to you!" Kyo then threw several punches at Yuki but each time the rat was able to dodge his attacks. Soon enough, the battle was silenced when Yuki delivered a kick across Kyo's face – sending him flying into the bushes.
Yuki landed gracefully and straightened his shirt. "You're pathetic." Without another glance, Yuki entered the house and soon walked into Shigure.
"Yuki, please don't tell me that Kyo has returned and broken something again…" Shigure said almost sighing.
"Why don't you ask the Stupid-Cat?" Yuki replied. "I'm going to go to the library for awhile."
Shigure shook his head slowly. 'Those two are always fighting. They can't even look at each other without starting a fight.' He walked out to the verandah and noticed the damage done to his beloved house. "I appreciate the Homecoming Present Kyo, but could you please fix it up? I don't know why you always have to wreck something when you come home."
"Shut up." Kyo snapped back. He staggered out of the bushes feeling agitated from the fact that even though he had gone through all of the training, he still wasn't even able to defeat the rat.
- - - -
"We'll be going now. I'm sure that you would be a dear and stay here for the time being? We still need to sort how who you'll be staying with." Her Aunt said calmly.
"It's alright, I can just stay here! I'll pay for my own expenses!" Tohru said enthusiastically. After all, everyone had to learn to live independently at some stage so starting sooner would be beneficial. She could see the pleasure spark in her Aunt's eyes. "I really don't want to trouble you on this…"
"I would much prefer that you come and stay with a relative but if you insist…" Her Aunt said smiling, "Bye." Carrying the last small box, her Aunt walked away. Tohru watched her leave for awhile longer before she closed the door and stared at the empty apartment. 'That means that I'll have to find a job…' She clenched her fist.
"I'll have to be strong and be grateful for what I still have!" It was going to be hard but she knew that she had to pull through. She was going to have to find a job and work really hard. 'No one else is going to take care of me, I have to do everything. I have to find a job… work hard so that I would be able to get enough money to pay for my school fees… for the rent and…' She stared into space for a while. 'Mum loved me so much… she brought me up all by herself… she worked really hard… I don't know if she knew how much I loved her…'
A while later, Tohru was out on the streets walking from shop to shop to see if any of them would like to hire her for work. No luck. She was soon in a tall building talking to the manager. "Um, I was wondering if there is any sort of job that I would be able to take to work…" Tohru asked.
"A high school student?" The manager sounded amused. "Well, we are looking for something to help the cleaners but it's a night shift that goes until late at night on weeknights." He said.
"Oh I don't mind! I'll work really hard! It doesn't matter what time it is!" Tohru said eagerly.
"Alright, then why don't you start tonight?" The manager said. "It starts at six and finishes at eleven."
"Thank you so much!"
- - - -
Kyo walked along the city path feeling furious from earlier. How can he be defeated so easily? What was he doing wrong? He didn't get it and it was really infuriating him. 'Damn that Yuki…' While he was walking, he didn't notice that he had caught the attention of a girl that just walked passed him. 'Damn him…'
"Kyo?"
He jumped up in surprise. "What the hell?! Don't creep up on me like that!" He shouted at the girl who was surprised at his reaction. Calming down immediately, he felt colour rise to his cheeks as other people had looked at him strangely. "Er… hi Tohru."
"Hello Kyo. It's nice to see you. I want to thank you for last night." Tohru said with a smile. Kyo then saw the necklace he had given her hanging around her neck. It really did suit her. "Are you doing anything today Kyo?" Tohru asked him with a smile.
"No…" He replied.
"Would you like to come to the library with me then?" Tohru asked him.
"No!" Kyo shouted automatically. The library was where Yuki was and he didn't want to go anywhere near that damn Yuki at that moment. Tohru was stunned by Kyo's reaction again. He had such a short temper. She smiled. "What are you smiling about?" Kyo asked her.
"Hm? Nothing." Tohru replied.
"Have you moved in with a relative yet?" Kyo asked her. The thought that she was alone in that apartment disturbed him somehow. When she shook her head he frowned. "So what are you going to do?"
"I've found a job." Tohru said smiling, "So I'm going to stay at the apartment and pay for all my expenses." She sounded as though she was proud of the fact she was doing everything herself but Kyo just cracked it.
"You mean your relatives aren't going to even help you?!" He asked quite loudly, "You've just lost someone close to you and they don't even show that they even care! Aren't you angry about this?!" When she shook her head he settled in amazement. 'She… still smiles.' He couldn't understand the girl and in some way, she was terrifying him. Although he had only met her for less that a day, he somehow felt that there was a connection between she and he. "That's it. Let's go…" He started walking.
"Where?" Tohru asked him amused.
"To where I'm staying." Kyo said, "And you're going to come and stay at that place!" He almost choked at his words. What was he saying? She couldn't stay at the house. Not with the family secret. But maybe it was a selfish way for him to show that he was better than someone. Well, whatever the reason, he did it.
"No-no-no… I can't possibly trouble you like that! I-…" Tohru was cut off when Kyo snapped at her.
"Listen, I said that you're going to stay at my place so you are!"
"But I barely know you!" She was quickly running out of arguments and was moving deeper in worry mode.
"Then I'm sure that you will get to know me better." Kyo said settling down to his calm state again. "A girl shouldn't have to live by herself like that. Right now your family should know that you're in one of your most needy times but they're not even sparing a second to make sure you're alright." He took her wrist, "Come on. You need a place where you can at least take your mind off things." From the corner of his eyes, he could see the tears forming at the corners of Tohru's eyes along with the expression that showed that she didn't want to show her tears. "Listen, it's alright to cry sometimes. You can't always be happy."
"T-Thank you so much." Tohru said as she starting trembling with tears. "You're so kind…"
"Whatever. Let's get going." Kyo was taken aback by Tohru's kind words. 'I don't get how her relatives would neglect her like that... I don't see anything that she would do wrong.' That thought made him even angrier. 'Those... people don't even know what kind of person she is I bet! She deserves better than them!'
- - - -
Yuki walked home with a couple of books in tucked under his left arm. 'What should I plant in the garden …?' He thought, 'The leeks are almost ready…' He had borrowed a couple of gardening books, hopefully they would help him with decide. Soon Shigure's house was in sight. Yuki stepped onto the verandah and immediately he sensed that something unusual was going on. 'Must be that Stupid-Cat.' Yuki thought irritated. Every time the thoughts of an orange haired person named Kyo… he could feel his blood boil.
When he opened the door, he didn't bother announcing his arrival home. Even so, he was then alarmed by the sounds of a familiar voice. 'What's going on?' He walked into the dining room to find Kyo seated at the table with a girl with long brown hair. 'That idiot! What is he doing bringing a girl here?' Suddenly it hit him. That girl was his class mate! "Miss Honda?" Yuki said with a surprised tone.
Tohru turned around equally surprised. "Sohma-kun!" She then blushed a light shade of pink. "Are you related to Kyo?" She turned back to Kyo and then to him, comparing their resemblances – but there weren't really any.
"You didn't kidnap her did you?" Yuki said questioning Kyo with accusing eyes. The cat glared at him.
"I didn't. Why are you always getting sick thoughts in your head?" Kyo snapped. He clearly was his normal self; hot tempered, defiant and idiotic – to Yuki anyway. "I'm not in the mood for fights right now. Get lost." He leaned back to the point where he was supporting his weight on his arms.
Yuki raised an eyebrow. 'His brain probably has finally grown a couple of cells.' He entered the dining room and took a seat beside nervous Tohru. "Miss Honda, the other day you were sent home quite early. Are you feeling better now?"
"Um, yes. I am." Tohru said. "I'm feeling great now!" She smiled.
"She's going to be staying here." Kyo stated.
Yuki shot a warning look at Kyo. "What are you talking about?" Who did that cat think he was? This wasn't even his house and he was already saying that Tohru was going to be staying at the house? It was rather stupid. Especially with the curse in the family and… Akito. "Why?"
"It's none of my business to tell you." Kyo snapped. "If you want to know ask Tohru."
"I really don't want to trouble any of you." Tohru said as she stood, "I really don't want to. It's alright Kyo. I can stay at the apartment. I'm ok. I really am. You see, even though I may be living alone, I have just got a job. I'll be fine." She was reaching panic mode again and it was beginning to agitate him. Yuki however, was slowly catching on to what was happening.
"Why is it that you're living alone?" Yuki asked, "Isn't your family taking care of you?"
"How about this Tohru, I'll let you stay here and in return, you can do the housework." A voice came from behind. Tohru yelped and jumped out of her skin. Shigure had somehow entered unnoticed and was smiling like a radiating light bulb. "How about that?"
Tohru stared at him bewildered. "Really?! Then I guess that would be a fair exchange." Before she could say anymore, Shigure had cut in.
"WELCOME TO THE SOHMA HOUSE!"
- - - -
AN: Hello everyone! Here's another chapter. The plot still seems to be boring (well, I can't really tell… I'm half asleep here…)… Now that Tohru is going to move in, things should get a bit more interesting. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting this! I'm really grateful! Next chapter will be a bit of fluffy stuff forming. Hehehe… Until next time!
Cherry Chibi.
