A Fruits Basket Fanfic by Riyuji and Rabid Lola
Authors' Notes: We just couldn't help but write something about the "Cinderella chapter" of Furuba from Hana to Yume.
Oh, and for anyone who is waiting for our Get Backers sequel… It's on hiatus. Yes, it is possible to be on hiatus even if you haven't posted something yet.
"If I ever do marry, he would be my ideal husband," Hanajima Saki said calmly, referring to Souma Kazuma.
Kyou stiffened before turning to his shishou. "Promise me you'll never get married!" he said, pointing indignantly.
Kazuma just looked oddly at his student.
"Or get a girlfriend," Kyou added hastily.
Kyou awokewith a start, finding himself in a tangled mess with his futon.
Damn, that was a scary dream.
He had a premonition it was a foreshadowing of what was to come.
Kazuma glanced over his shoulder, a creepy, electric sort of feeling tingling up his spine. Seeing nothing, he shrugged and turned away.
A few steps forward and he felt it again. Unnerved, he quickened his pace and was soon out of sight.
A dark shadow detached itself fro a nearby tree. Hanajima Saki turned her head and looked in the direction the dojo master had taken.
After a minute, she shrugged. "My emotions are getting out of hand. I should… tone them down a bit."
Kyou looked sideways at Hanajima, still creeped out by his dream last night. It had taken him a long, long time to get back to sleep, but ten minutes after he was finally able to, Shigure's happy yet annoying voice rang through the house. The dog probably thought it was a good time to wake the rest of the house's inhabitants… at four in the morning!
"Damn dog," he mumbled, burying his face into his arms trying to regain what little sleep he had the night before.
"I'm feeling some sort of negative vibe from him today," said the denpa, looking at the direction of the orange-haired Souma.
"What's up with Carrot top's long face this time, Tohru-kun?" asked the former yankee, jabbing a thumb at the subject of their conversation. "Did he lose to the prince again?"
Tohru sweatdropped but smiled nonetheless. "Well, you see, he said it had something to do with last night. A bad dream or something."
Uotani burst out laughing. "Carrot top had a bad dream?! Now that's rich!"
Hanajima shook her head. "No. It feels different. Something along the lines of… fear. And, it somehow feels personal."
"Fear? I was expecting that he was just pissed, like always. You're probably imagining things, Hana." Uotani said, shoving the hair out of her face only to have it fall back into place. "Come on, have you done anything to scare Carrot top lately?"
Hanajima gazed thoughtfully at the blackboard. "I don't… believe so."
"But I'm sure Hana-chan doesn't do that on purpose." Tohru then hit her palm with the side of her fist, eyes sparkling with an idea. "Uo-chan! Hana-chan! Maybe you two could come over later! We'll do something fun, and maybe that can cheer Kyou-kun up!"
Kyou shifted in his seat, his cat-like hearing picking up his name from the conversation across the room.
"Will Shigure-san mind that Uo and I will be coming over?"
Tohru shook her head. "I'm sure he won't mind. He said he will be meeting Mii-chan later regarding his next manuscript."
"Mii-chan? Oh, that suicidal editor of his," noted Uotani as she shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? It's not like we have anything better to do anyway."
Hanajima nodded. "Yes, that's a fine idea, Tohru-kun."
Tohru clapped her hands together. "That would be great! Wait till Souma-kun and Kyou-kun hear abo—"
"SAY WHAT?!"
Oh, I guess Kyou-kun already has, thought Tohru, taking back what she had just said.
Kyou was breathing heavily, his palms planted firmly against the desktop.
All noise in the classroom ceased just so that they could send an odd look at the Souma, who should be glad that he didn't do that during class. It was a surprise that cats didn't begin appearing all over him, like last time. Most people have seen Kyou when he loses his temper but by the tone of his voice, that was definitely not his temper going off.
Only then did Kyou realize what he just did. He sat back down on his chair, dropped his head on his desk and moaned quietly. Am I really THAT cursed?
Tohru walked up to the cat. "Kyou-kun, is everything all right?"
"Great. Just great."
Kyou stormed into the house and up the stairs.
Tohru spoke up, worried about the cat. "Kyou-kun, are you sure that you're okay?" she asked, catching him before he cut around the corner.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! Just call me when dinner is ready," he said harshly before continuing his trek to his room. Or when that Wave Girl leaves, whichever comes first.
Tohru sweatdropped. "Maybe this was a bad idea," she said nervously.
Uotani shook her head as she got into the house." If Kyon were a girl, I'd say he was PMS-ing."
"I HEARD THAT!"
The phone rang.
Tohru turned to her friends. "Just head to the dining room, I'll follow after I get this." Then she spun to face Yuki. "Souma-kun, could you bring them there?"
Tohru picked up the phone. "Moshi-moshi?"
"Is this Honda-san?"
"Yes?"
A loud wail emitted from the other end of the phone line. Tohru had practically moved the receiver within arm's length just so that she could protect her eardrums from the banshee-worthy cry. "Do you know where Sensei is?"
Tohru tensely brought the phone back to her ear. "Oh, Mii-chan?" Wasn't Shigure-san supposed to meet up with you today?"
"Was he?"
Tohru had finally gotten the idea that Shigure had used that excuse to play a prank on his editor yet again. She could almost see the tears flying out of the pitiful editor's eyes.
"Don't worry, Mii-chan. I promise you that I'll inform Shigure-san that you called as soon as he gets back."
"Please do, Honda-san! I need the draft by tomorrow!"
Just as Tohru returned the phone to its cradle, the main door slid open and the novelist soon walked into the hall. "Good afternoon, Tohru-kun. How was your day?"
"It was okay, Shigure-san. That was Mii-chan on the phone just now, looking for you."
"Hmm… Is that so?" mused Shigure, a snicker escaping his lips. Tohru was definitely sure that he was pulling another one on Mii-chan now.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I invited Uo-chan and Hana-chan over today. I hope you don't mind."
Shigure perked up. "They are…?" The tune of "High School Girls" began playing in his head. It was a surprise that he hadn't begun prancing to the dining room yet. Wait… there he goes.
"Tohru-kun, I see Shigure-san has arrived home," said the denpa.
Tohru sat across her friends. "Oh, yes, he has."
"Could you ask him if he has already written the next installment of Natsu Iro no Toiki?" (1)
Uotani raised her eyebrows at the denpa. "That dime-store smut again? Why are you even reading that?"
Hanajima gazed blankly at her friend. "I find it quite… interesting."
Shigure beamed, somehow appearing behind the denpa. "Oh, do you? I'm glad to know that my fans are entertained."
"Yes, it has a nice plot to it," she said monotonously, swiveling in her seat to fix her attention on him. "Well? Do you have the next installment?"
Uotani snickered as the man pulled out a ream of papers from an envelope at his side, handing it to the young psychic before inching slowly away. "That's… the draft."
Hanajima stared at the pile she held in her hands. "It will have to do." She slowly took hold of the cover, turned the page, and began reading.
Shigure took a seat beside Yuki, two people away from the psychic. He looked around noticing someone's presence, or lack thereof. "Where's Kyou-kun? No, wait. Don't answer that."
Kyou, who was up on the rooftop, heard his name the second time today somewhere in the unintelligible murmurs from below. He inched closer to the roof's edge, making sure he was able to hear the rest of the conversation here on out.
"Tohru-kun, I hope you don't mind, but it seems that we'll be having another housemate for a while."
Tohru clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling in excitement. "Really? I wouldn't mind, Shigure-san. I'm sure I will be able to cope with that. It's only going to be for a while after all."
Shigure chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. "I haven't even said who it was yet."
Hanajima's ears perked up, her eyes slowly moving from the book to the black-haired man. "Are you speaking of Kazuma-san, Shigure-san?"
Kyou sat in an Indian-sitting position and tilted his upper body past the edge of the rooftop. "Shishou?"
Shigure, not sure how to react to what seemed like real psychic powers, simply said. "Now that you mention it, yes, it is." He rested his chin on his palm, a certain tone of glee in his voice. "If you don't mind my asking, Hanajima-san, how did you know?"
"I happened to bumped into him today on my way to school."
"SAY WHAT?!" Kyou moved forward too fast, causing him to loose his balance and fall off the tiled roof, landing face first into the ground. Damn foreshadowing, cursed Kyou in the back of his head.
"Oh, I see," Shigure added before anyone could react to Kyou's fall.
"Kyou-kun, are you allright?!"
Yuki shook his head in disgust. "Stupid cat."
Uotani looked at the prince, "I agree with the stupid part but aren't cats supposed to land gracefully on their feet." The latter part dripped with sarcasm.
Hanajima just sat there before turning back to the novel in her hands.
Shigure let out another mischievous chuckle as a grin grew on his face. My, it looks like things will get interesting during your stay, Kazuma-dono.
To be continued…
Authors' Notes: (1) Natsu Iro no Toiki- From what we know, it means Summer's Sigh. Riyuji kept laughing at the title, shouting "Shigure, hentai!" repeatedly when he first found out.
Gasp Yuki only said one line throughout the chapter! Why is that so? Well, it was a challenge. Gasp Hear that Rabid Lola?! We did a challenge chapter and succeeded!