Disclaimer: It's not mine! It's Natsuki T's!
Note: Ah! Sumimasen, yo! I know it took so long to get this up, but Chapter 12 has been taking longer than I thought. It's like 8 pages now. So I split it into two! But it still looks like there will be a Chapter 13 and maybe even 14. Good news, eh?
Chapter 12
Man, baka neko, how can you be so stupid…
Not knowing what else to do, I ran back to Shigure's house, since I was halfway there already.
"Shigure!" I panted, standing in the front entryway.
"Oh! Listen, Mit-chan," I heard him saying, "Kyo-kun needs something! I better go help, no da?"
He walked in, followed by his editor, who was practically screaming, until he distracted her by handing her a package.
"Soh-ma-kuuun! You don't have time for this! I'm on a deadline! You're on a deadline! I don't want to--eh? What's this?"
"Here you go! The manuscript is what you wanted, ne?"
"Sohma…you…I wasted an hour! Why didn't you tell me!" she said in an annoyed tone.
"You never asked, silly Mit-chan! Bye now!"
"You are so mean to that poor woman," I told him as she left.
"She just needs to learn to relax, no da?"
"I guess," I said with an exasperated sigh, "anyway, I needed your help."
"With what, Kyo-kun?"
"Do you know where Hanajima or that Yankee live?"
"No, why?"
"I've got to get them to stop their crazy plan! Otherwise all of Tohru and Kagura's work will be for nothing."
"Ah…that plan…" Shigure said slowly.
"What plan?" Yuki asked, coming down from upstairs.
"I think I wrote their numbers down in case we needed Tohru-kun when she was over there. I'll check," Shigure said, ignoring Yuki and going to look in his office.
"Thanks!" I called after him.
"What plan, Kyo?" Yuki repeated, staring at me.
"Were you just in Tohru's room?" I asked, not really meaning to change the subject, but just now realizing he had been upstairs. The only other rooms besides Tohru's was a small storage room and the bathroom. And there was already a bathroom downstairs, so why would he go upstairs?
"Don't change the subject, baka neko, just answer me."
"I don't have to! Tell me what you were doing in Tohru's room!"
"You give me your answer, and I shall give you mine."
"Who do you think you are, Lloyd Irving?"
Yuki looked at me confusedly, about to say something, but Shigure's voice interrupted him.
"Kyo-kun! Come here!"
"Have a little trouble finding the numbers?" I asked, stepping into his office, that looked like a tornado hit it.
"Just a little." he said nonchalantly with a grin and handing me the phone, "Here. Hanajima-san."
"Ah, thanks." I said, taking the phone.
"Hello?"
"Yo, Hanajima."
"Kyo, you needed Arisa and I for something?"
"Hai, I did. Could you call her and ask her to come over here with you?"
"She is here," Hanajima said, sounding like a psychic talking about a spirit, "at my house. I'll put the phone on speaker, so then you can just explain."
"Got it."
"Okay, go ahead, Kyo."
"Yo, Orange-head!"
"Yankee…" I muttered, "Anyway, my reason for calling is you need to cancel that little blackmail plan of yours."
"Hanajima! Little Kyo is worried about the Prince! Is hell frozen over?"
"Perhaps," Hanajima answered.
"Shut up, Yankee! It's not like that!"
"Sure it isn't. How…cute."
"Yes…'cute.'"
"Whatever," I said, "You have to cancel your plan, because--"
"Because you're worried about Yuki?" Uo interrupted.
"Damnit, let me finish! Yuki's birthday is in a week, and Tohru is going to throw him a party--"
"And all her efforts to snap him out of whatever daze he's in by throwing this party will be ruined," Hanajima finished for me.
"Exactly," I confirmed, "so then, don't do it, okay?"
"Alright, sure," Uo said.
"Would have been fun though," Hanajima added.
"Thanks," I said, breathing a sigh of relief and hanging up after saying goodbye.
"Taken care of, Kyo-kun?" Shigure asked, walking back in. He had been making sure Yuki didn't get close enough to overhear.
"Yea. Thanks again, Shigure."
"Sure. Get back before Kagura comes to drag you back or kill you."
"Right."
I turned and ran out of the house before Yuki could catch me, hoping Kagura wouldn't be too mad.
I made it back to the Sohma estate in record time, and stood breathless outside the main gate, where Kagura and Tohru were waiting.
"Oh! Kyo-kun! We were just going to come get you," Tohru said, Kagura nodding agreement beside her.
"Yea, you took awhile. What did you forget?"
"Uh…" I just kind of looked at Kagura speechless. I hadn't even thought of what it was I should say I had forgotten.
"Kyo-kun," Tohru started, "was it that you forgot to tell Shigure-san to not let Yuki leave the house?"
"Hai," I said, grateful Tohru had saved me, "we don't need him finding out."
"Good thing you went back, Kyo-kun!" Kagura told me.
"Yea, great thing. Let's get to work, shall we?"
I don't know if Tohru knew the real reason I'd gone back, though I was pretty sure she didn't. But she could tell I hadn't really forgotten something. She'd probably ask me about it later.
A few hours later, Kagura announced we were done for the day. After confirming we'd be back tomorrow and saying goodbye, Tohru and I headed home.
We walked in comfortable silence for a while, or maybe it only seemed comfortable. I was worrying that she'd ask me what I'd really gone back for. Then I'd have to tell her, because like I can lie to her, and then what if she's mad? Wait, this is Tohru. I'm safe, right?
"Kyo-kun?"
Damn. I was still hoping she wouldn't ask.
"Yea?"
"You didn't really forget something, did you?"
"No," I admitted, shifting my gaze to the sidewalk.
"What happened?"
So I explained to her about Hanajima and the Yankee's plan, how I had to rush home, tell them to cancel, and how Shigure's editor nearly killed him in the process. Because he was using me as an excuse to slack off.
"Kyo-kun, that's so…odd!" Tohru said, breaking into laughter.
"What did I do now?"
"You hate Sohma-kun, you know? And all he's ever been to you is an annoyance. But you've gone through so much trouble to help him. You even teamed up with Uo-chan!"
"I guess…but I think of it differently."
"How so?"
"Well…you're unhappy because he's being a bastard. So you asked me to help you help him. I didn't want to see you unhappy, so I guess instead of seeing it as helping him, I see it as helping you."
"I never thought of it like that," Tohru said, glancing up at the evening sky, "but I'm glad you do, because otherwise you wouldn't want to help Sohma-kun." She finished with a giggle and looked back at me.
"I would help him anyway. If I can prevent something from making you unhappy in anyway, then I will."
"Kyo-kun?"
"Huh?"
"Thanks." she said, kissing my cheek.
I was on the roof again, as always. And as always, Yuki came to annoy me. I was laying there, stretched out on my back, eyes closed, enjoying the light breeze, and just about to drift off to sleep.
"Kyo."
"Go away, rat-boy, I'm trying to sleep."
"What are you up to? You, Honda-san, and Kagura."
"I'm not up to anything, and I'm not going to deal with you right now."
"Tell me," he insisted, smiling to himself when I sat up. He thought he'd won. But I didn't even look at him, just headed down the ladder.
"Where are you going?" he asked as I headed to the forested area behind the house.
"To find some peace and quiet," I snapped, walking off. Yuki climbed down from the roof and ran after me, catching up in a few seconds. He was walking alongside me, but didn't say anything more. This lasted for five minutes, then I could stand it no more.
"What are you following me for? As if you couldn't tell, I'm trying to get away from you!"
A little harsh, I know, but damn.
He didn't say anything for a few minutes and I was about to run off. He could run as fast as me, but I could run further. I'd lose him eventually.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you're up to," he said simply, violet eyes staring into my crimson ones. There was a silence between us, and then I went way over the line.
"You know what, Yuki? You're just like Akito!"
"What?" he hissed, eyes narrowed to slits.
"You heard me," I said, my mind telling me how stupid I was, but my mouth not listening, "you think the world revolves around you, that everyone owes you everything, and if they aren't worshipping you, the must be out to get you. You'll stop at nothing to get what you want, and you're distancing yourself from everyone. You're becoming another Akito."
A loud crack resounded throughout the area.