A/N: I think this took longer than expected. See I have a big problem with procrastination…I'm seeking help for it don't worry. When? I'll get back to you on that one. Any-whoo-be-doo, here's Chapter 2 to the highly anticipated (I'm getting way ahead of myself) Momiji's birthday! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't know own any characters from the Fruits Basket Series. But I do dream J
Momiji's Birthday - Chapter two
Momiji gave a grimace as he stared at himself inside the bathroom mirror. His hair was getting way too long – he was past due for a well-deserved haircut. He lifted his brush once more and brushed it into its usual style, with a few strands here or there. He gave a satisfied smile and spun around toward the door. He skipped to it and opened it, humming a soft tune. He made his merry way to his bed, which lay diagonal from Kyo and Yuki's, and jumped into it with his arms stretched wide.
"Wee!" he squealed out as his body bounced on the covered springs. He laughed for a few more short minutes until his body settled on the mattress. He let out a content sigh, with his eyes closed while facing the ceiling. He chuckled softly then opened his eyes, staring at the rotating ceiling fan. He gazed at it, as he lied there, unmoving.
"…I wonder if they noticed yet." He said under his breath, "I'm betting they're all wrapped up in their own worlds that they probably didn't." he sighed deeply, "Well, I guess it's good that they haven't noticed. That was the whole point in the first place." Momiji closed his eyes and shifted into his bed more, "Seems like everything is going to plan. I haven't heard anything from them yet. Not after that run-in with Tohru this morning…"
Momiji's eyes shot open with a sudden alarm.
"What if Tohru noticed!" he shouted, shooting up in his bed. He looked around for a bit then sighed, calming himself. "Nah." He lied back down, "Even if she did, I'm sure Tohru wouldn't mind…" Momiji closed his eyes, resting his arms behind his head. "I shouldn't be worried about it in the first place! I marked it out for them not to notice! It's not like Kyou and Shigure are on their way up to my room, getting ready to hang me upside down and make me confess. I have nothing to worry about!"
"I'm gonna kill 'im!" Kyou ranted as he stomped toward Momiji's door. He could have gotten there a lot quicker – if Tohru wasn't holding onto his waist, desperately trying to hold him back.
"Kyou-kun! Kyou-kun, stop!" Tohru pleaded with the neko, trying to slow his dangerous movements, "You mustn't act so brash!"
"Who are you calling 'brash'!" Kyou snapped back at Tohru, his cat ears twitching out of his head.
Tohru shrieked, letting go of Kyou but falling back toward the rail.
Yuki caught her by the arm before she fell down the steps.
"Tohru-kun is right, Kyou." Shigure stopped in front of the furious neko, crossing his arms over his chest. "We mustn't be too hotheaded. We just cannot stomp into Momiji's room demanding him to undo something that has already been done."
"And why the hell not?" Kyou stepped up to Shigure angrily, "And besides, you were about to chew his head off less than five minutes ago! Why the sudden change in attitude!"
Shigure cupped his chin in his hand, "Because, being so angry and reckless, just isn't me. I'd much rather stay calm and collected, as most men my age do."
Hatsuharu scoffed, "You don't even act like most men your age."
Shigure nodded, smiling, "Yes, I suppose I can be a bit immature about some manners." He lifted a finger into the air, "But in this case – I cannot!"
Everyone blinked as Shigure cleared his throat, putting his hands behind his back.
"I'll go in and talk with Momiji. You all wait out here."
"What!" Kyou erupted, "Why!"
Yuki sighed, drawing the neko's attention, "Because Momiji will become uneasy with all of us crowding around him and start to think he is in more trouble than he really is. It's unnecessary for all of us to go in there for something that really isn't such a big deal."
"That's right." Hatsuharu nodded.
"…" Kyou glared at Yuki, and then tisked, "Alright, fine, dammit. But that little runt better confess." With that, Kyou stomped over to the wall across from the room and leaned against it, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
Shigure sighed at Kyou's stubborn actions and then turned to Tohru with a friendly smile, "Tohru-kun, would you mind accompanying me?"
Tohru blinked blankly, "me?"
"Hai," Shigure nodded, "Momiji would feel less edgy if you are there to keep him settled."
"That's right, Honda-san." Yuki smiled as Tohru turned her head to him, "In Momiji's case, he doesn't like to get into trouble – even though he attracts a lot of it. And seeing is how he has a sense of comfort when he's around you, you should go in with Shigure."
"Oh…alright then," Tohru nodded to Yuki then turned back to Shigure, "But…why is it that he feels more comfortable around me?"
No one gave Tohru an answer. She only received a soft smile from Shigure, a distant look down the hall from Hatsuharu, a less-angered face from Kyou, and a sigh from Yuki. Tohru looked at each of them as the hall fell silent and looked back up to Shigure.
"Um…Shigure-san?"
"We'd better get in there and get this over with." Shigure said flatly, turning to Momiji's door.
"Oh…" Tohru seemed to lower her expression into a soft frown, "Okay."
With a slight huff, Shigure slid Momiji's door open.
"Momiji?" Shigure looked around the room and then to Momiji's bed, off in the corner of the room. Sure enough, the usagi was sitting there, Indian-style on the bed, intensely staring down at a manga in his hands. Shigure raised an eyebrow as Tohru came to his side.
"Momiji…?" she raised both eyebrows as Momiji lifted his head at the two then grinned widely.
"Hey, Tohru! Shi-chan! What brings you two in here?" he said cheerfully. He closed his manga and put it on the bed stand next to his bed and smiled back to them.
Tohru and Shigure exchanged confused glances. Why was Momiji acting so…normal? Like he was unaware of what he had did. It wasn't surprising to see Momiji this way. It was just surprising at this one moment.
Momiji noticed the odd looks Tohru and Shigure were exchanging and lifted his own eyebrow, "Uh, Shi-chan?" he turned to Tohru, "Tohru?"
They both snapped back to reality with a "oh".
Tohru smiled, walking over to Momiji's bed and sat on the edge. Shigure followed.
"Momiji, I think you know why we're here…" Shigure said firmly, looking Momiji in the eye.
Momiji swallowed at Shigure's stern look but shook it off with another smile, "Nope, I sure don't. But with that look you're giving me, I don't think it's about what I want for breakfast."
Sweat marks formed on the sides of Tohru's and Shigure's head.
"…Nani?" Momiji looked at both of them as they stared at him blankly.
Shigure smirked a bit then sighed, shaking his head, "How can I prolong being mad at you, Momiji?" he chuckled softly.
Momiji's eyes lit up, "So," he crawled next to Tohru and glanced at both of them, "So, you guys aren't mad at me for scribbling out March 17th on all of the calendars in the house?"
Tohru smiled as Shigure's chuckle lulled into a smile, "Well—"
The rice-paper door flew open.
"Aha! A confession!"
They all turned to see half of Kyou's body inside of the room. Hatsuharu and Yuki were holding the other half.
"Kyou?" Momiji asked, tilting his head to the side.
Shigure scowled, "You just couldn't wait outside, could you?"
Kyou groaned as he found the strength to barely drag his struggling cousins into the room, "The nerve, Momiji! The audacity! You think you can just go around and mess up other people's stuff?" He held onto a desk by the door and managed to pull himself into the room inch by inch. "I have half the mind to-" he looked back at Yuki and Hatsuharu as they held onto the doorway, preventing Kyou from getting any closer.
"Would you two let me go, dammit!" Kyou fumed.
Yuki and Hatsuharu shook their head from side to side quickly, groaning as they maintained their stance.
Shigure, Tohru, and Momiji watched as the three fought with each other and then Shigure turned his attention back to Momiji.
"Momiji, I'm no longer upset that you wrote on the calendars. Besides, it's not like we all haven't done anything silly in our years, ne?"
Momiji smiled, chuckling lightly, "Yeah. Arigato, Shi-chan! I'm so happy you're not mad at me."
Shigure nodded, crossing his arms once more, "Besides, I'm sure you have a perfect logically reason why you did it."
Momiji's expression faded into a slightly nervous smile, "Um…I…"
Tohru turned herself in Momiji's direction and smiled, "So…why did you cross out March 17th, Momiji-san?"
"Well...I...you see...it was" Momiji's eyes darted back and forth nervously. Shigure and Tohru blinked at him as he twindled his fingers together.
"Momiji..." Shigure leaned foward toward him as Tohru tilted her head to the side. "What was it"
Momiji gazed at Shigure until his eyes softened sadly. Tohru's eyes took on a more serious tone and she laid a hand on Momiji's as the boy lowered his head softly.
"Momiji-san..."
They all looked up as they heard Kyou groan loudly.
"Why so quiet now, Momiji, huh" He spat out, finally managing to get himself away from Yuki and Hatsuharu"Aren't you gonna run that big mouth of yours" He stomped over toward the bed until Shigure stood up, blocking his way.
"Kyou, stop." Shigure said flatly but Kyou didn't listen.
"Why are you defending him" Kyou yelled angrily, pointing to Momiji"He needs to be held responsible" He glared angrily at Momiji"You're not a little baby anymore! You can't count on cousin Shi-chan to protect you this time, runt." he scoffed"You can't act like a momma's boy all your life."
Hatsuharu's eyes narrowed on Kyou as Yuki looked away.
Tohru's eyes sadden"Kyou-kun..."
"I'm not..."
Everyone turned their attention on Momiji, finding his head lowered again. He tightened his hands slightly inside his lap.
"I'm not...counting on Shi-chan to protect me, Kyou. I'm...not a baby..." Momiji's hands softly began to shake"And...I..."
Kyou's eyes narrowed on him as Yuki and Hatsuharu came up behind him. Tohru looked up to Shigure as he looked down to her.
"I don't need my mommy" Momiji shouted, alarming everyone. Kyou's eyes widened as he stared at Momiji. Momiji kept his head down, his shoulders slowly beginning to shake. Tohru's eyes lowered as she felt a droplet of a tear fall onto her hand over Momiji's. Her eyes saddened once more as more of them began to fall. She looked back to Shigure as he looked back to Kyou. Kyou looked up to Shigure, finding them serious and stern. With a heavy sigh, Kyou looked away, at the floor.
"Kyou..." Shigure started.
"Yeah, I'm going." With that, Kyou turned, pushing his way past his cousins and left the room. Shigure sighed, shaking his head slowly. Tohru looked up to Yuki as he came to Momiji's bed and sat on the edge, opposite of her. He looked at Tohru and smiled softly. Tohru blinked slowly and brought her eyes back to Momiji. Momiji wiped the tears away from his cheeks, sniffling.
"I'm not a baby..." he said softly.
"We know, Momiji." Yuki said, lying a hand on his little cousin's shoulder"We know."
Momiji sniffed once more, lowering his hands back into his lap.
"Kyou says things out of anger without thinking" Hatsuharu said as he came to Shigure's side"Don't pay him any mind, Momiji."
Shigure nodded"Hai, we shall forget this thing has ever happened." he waved a hand"Let's just get through the day with smiles, ne"
Hatsuharu eyed Shigure"Amazing how you can just let by-gones be by-gones."
"No" Shigure pouted, tears streaking his cheeks"I just don't like to see everyone so glummy. It makes me sad..."
Hatsuharu rubbed his forehead"Oh boy..." he lowered his hand and looked to Yuki"I'm going to go talk to Kyou. Then we'll get started on the yard work today." he smiled and looked to Momiji"Feel better, kiddo."
Momiji sniffed again"Hai..."
"I'll go and see what vegetables are ready for picking this morning" Yuki announced as he stood up. He looked over to Tohru"If you need me, that's where I'll be."
Tohru nodded with a smile"Hai"
"Oh, Oh" Shigure clapped his hands together giddly"Let me help"
Yuki stopped and lifted an eyebrow at him"Why"
Shigure slumped his shoulders"Because I have nothing to do."
"Don't you have deadlines to meet"
Shigure's face went blank for a moment and then he shook his head, waving a hand at Yuki"Deadlines-shmeadlines! They can wait"
Yuki sighed, beginning to leave the room with Shigure skipping behind him"It's a wonder your editor hasn't quit yet..."
Tohru laughed softly as Shigure and Yuki left the room. She turned back to Momiji, finding him in the same position. Tohru's smile faded and she looked down at her own lap. For a long moment, everything was silent and Tohru thought of what to say. When a idea came to her, she smiled.
"Are you hungry, Momiji-san"
Momiji slowly shook his head.
"Oh..." Tohru looked away again and then smiled"Would you like to finish reading your manga"
Momiji sniffed softly and shook his head.
"I see..." Tohru nodded"Well"
"Tohru..." Momiji said gently.
"Hai"
Momiji waited for a moment and then looked up to her"Do you think I'm a baby"
"Nani? A baby" Tohru blinked.
Momiji nodded.
Tohru looked down sorrowfully at Momiji for a moment, her hand still over his. She then smiled sweetly and took his hand in hers"No..."
Momiji slowly raised his head, looking up into Tohru's smiling face.
"I think Momiji-san is Momiji-san, no matter what he does. Momiji-san is definitely not a baby..."
Momiji blinked childishly at her and then a smile slowly crept onto his face. Tohru held Momiji's hand up to his face and held it with both hands.
"And if Momiji-san is who he wants to be, that doesn't make him a baby. He makes him...unique."
Momiji's eyes widened"Unique"
Tohru nodded with a bright smile"Hai"
Momiji grinned at Tohru's kind words"Oh, Tohru" Without warning, he pulled his hand away and threw himself into hugging her, wrapping his arms around her neck. If he hadn't been a member of the Zodiac, maybe Tohru would have been less startled. But...she was. She screamed out as a large yellow cloud of smoke came with the impact of their bodies. Then, Tohru stared wide-eyed at a smiling yellow rabbit in her lap.
"Gomen ne, Tohru." Momiji-usagi said with a chuckle"I just couldn't help myself"
"N-No, that's quite alright, Momiji-san" Tohru stammered, gently shaking"Forgive me for my outburst! You startled me, is all."
Momiji-usagi giggled and snuggled into her lap"Tohru is so cute"
Tohru blinked and began to stroke Momiji-usagi's ears"So is Momiji-san" She smiled for a while, still petting him when a thought hit her and she frowned"Momiji-san"
"Hai" Momiji-usagi sang out as Tohru made his ears twitch delightfully.
"Why is that, earlier downstairs, you didn't change when we came into contact"
Momiji-usagi looked up at and blinked"To tell you the truth, Tohru...I don't know myself."
"Hmm." Tohru nodded, and then tilted her head to the side"Momiji-san...I won't be intrusive and ask you why you marked out March 17th on the calendars. You can tell me, but only if you feel like it."
Momiji-usagi looked into Tohru's eyes and then his saddened. He gently lay his head into her lap again, resting them on his arms.
"Tohru...March 17th...is my birthday."
Tohru's eyes widened"Your birthday"
He nodded"Hai."
"Then that means your birthday is on the last day of spring break..." Tohru grinned"How wonderful"
Momiji-usagi looked up as Tohru squealed in delight.
"We can spend the whole week doing fun activities! Like plan a trip or go shopping! Ah, there are so many things to do on Spring Break, Momiji-san! And to add to that, your birthday falls on it! Lucky"
"Lucky...huh"
Tohru smiled down at him and nodded"Hai, and two days before the school field day"
Momiji-usagi closed his eyes slowly"Tohru..."
Tohru opened her eyes as she heard a soft sniff. Her hand came away from Momiji-usagi's head as he began to shake softly. Tears began to steadily fall onto her thighs and Momiji-usagi's paws came over his eyes.
"Momiji-san..." Tohru lifted the rabbit from underneath his belly and brought him to her chest. Momiji-usagi sniffed and snuggled against her"Gomen ne...I shouldn't have"
"No, Tohru..." Momiji-usagi whispered"I...should have told you before..." He slowly opened his eyes and stared at a picture next to his bed. The image of his mother burned into his vision and he closed his eyes again.
"You can tell me, Momiji-san..." Tohru whispered back, laying her cheek against his furry side"I'll listen..."
Hatsuharu opened his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest. He stared emotionlessly down at Kyou, the cat perched on the front porch, his head inside of his arms cradled on his lap.
"Momiji has a reason why he did that, you know"
Kyou said nothing, keeping his vision ahead. Hatsuharu let out a sigh and brought his eyes to the forest beyond the house.
"Momiji's birthday is March 17th. Remember? That's why he crossed it out." Hatsuharu closed his eyes"With it being less than a week away, I guess he decided to erase it from existence. Or at least out of acknowledgement."
Kyou scoffed, closing his eyes"That's just stupid. Why would he go and do that? You can't stop the future from happening. Crossing a date out of a calendar won't stop the day from coming."
Hatsuharu nodded"True...but still" he looked back down to Kyou"If you were in Momiji's position, wouldn't you do the same"
Kyou opened his eyes slowly and looked to Hatsuharu from the corner of his eye"What are you saying"
"Momiji...he wants to forgive about his birthday. Because that's the day...he lost his mother."
Kyou brought his head out of his arms and looked to Hatsuharu as the cow looked up to the sky.
"That was the day his mother rejected him. That was the day his mother began to resent him...to hate him. If Momiji could somehow erase that memory, he would do anything possible. Even something as childish as scribbling on calendar."
Kyou stared at Hatsuharu as a breeze blew past, rattling the chime hanging above his head.
"Birthdays may be a celebration for some, but for Momiji...they are like reopening a flesh wound that won't ever fully heal. That's why he did it." He looked down at Kyou again"That's why Momiji wanted to cross out the 17th...to forget about that day."
Kyou brought his eyes slowly down to the cool wooden planks of the porch. His arms fell gently onto them and he lowered his head.
"Why...Why didn't he say anything" Kyou asked lowly. Hatsuharu raised an eyebrow as Kyou slammed his fist into the wood, denting it a bit"Dammit! Why does he act so happy and carefree all the time! If he's hurting like that, why doesn't he say anything"
"Think about it, Kyou" Hatsuharu said"Moping around all the time isn't Momiji. He'll do whatever it takes to brighten the mood. He's like sunshine, he wants to always be bright." Hatsuharu sighed"Even if there's a rainstorm inside of his heart."
Kyou sighed, taking his fist away from the porch"He and Tohru...they are like apples and oranges."
Just as Hatsuharu nodded, Yuki came from the side of the house to the porch, holding a small basket in his hand. He looked down at Kyou and then up to Hatsuharu.
"Did I miss something" he asked, blinking.
"Nothing you didn't already know" Hatsuharu said as he pulled away from the wooden support beam. He walked over and stopped a foot from Yuki, looking down at the basket"What's with the basket"
Yuki looked down at the basket and then back to Hatsuharu"I got some vegetables from the garden. Shigure was supposed to help me" Yuki suddenly glared, remembering Shigure's image rubbing his stomach"He suddenly wasn't feeling well."
"I can image." Hatsuharu looked back at Kyou, staring at the silent cat for a moment and then looked back to Yuki"I'm going to go upstairs and get ready for the yard work." He looked down at himself"I'm sure I can do the work in these jeans but I don't want to get my shirt dirty."
Yuki looked him over for a moment and turned to go inside"Then do it without a shirt, then."
Hatsuharu's cheeks heated as Yuki entered the house and he looked to the rat, baffled. Yuki stopped in the middle of the room and kept his back to him.
"I was just suggesting it. Don't read too much into it." he said sternly, beginning to walk again and disappeared into the kitchen. Hatsuharu closed his eyes as Yuki slammed the door and then blinked. He looked at Kyou from the corner of his eye, finding him in the same position. With a sigh, he walked over to him and bent down, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kyou looked up from where he was thinking and looked at Hatsuharu, finding a warm smile there.
"Come on, Kyou" Haru said as he stood upright"Working on that tree will take your mind off of things. It might even give you a chance to clear your head."
"Hmph" Kyou gruffed as he stood up"Unlikely." he pulled his shoulder away from Haru's hand and grimaced"Why are your cheeks all red for anyway"
Hatsuharu blinked at him for a moment then realized that the seemingly innocent comment from Yuki heated the cow's face into a blush. A blush he paid no attention to until now. Haru quickly turned away from Kyou, leaving the cat wondering why the sudden change in decorum.
"L-Let's get this over with before its lunchtime..." He stated, not waiting for a response before he entered the house and turned the corner toward the stairs. Kyou stood confused for a moment and then shrugged, following after him. As he past by the kitchen on the way to the stairs, Yuki's presence caught his eye for a moment. Kyou stopped, hidden by the wall, and watched as Yuki stood, transfixed on the calendar over the sink. He then began to look around and leaned over, pulling open a drawer to the right of the dishwasher. Kyou's eyes widened as Yuki fumbled through the drawer and picked up a permanent red marker. He popped open the top and leaned into the calendar, circling a day on there. Kyou backed away from the wall as Yuki closed the top, placed it back in the drawer, and went back to washing the newly picked vegetables in the sink. Kyou turned away from the kitchen and started back toward and up the stairs, his mind heavy with thoughts again.
"Mi-chan, Mi-chan, calm down! If you let me, I can explain everything"
"But, Senpai, you promised me! You promised me the transcripts would be done by today"
Shigure held the phone away from his ear, leaning his chin on the back of his hand as Mia babbled away. He sighed inwardly, giving the phone a stern look, and then put the receiver back to his ear.
"Hai, Hai, I understand you're doing everything you can and trust me, no one appreciates it more than I. It's just that - things have been very hectic this past few days. I've hardly had time to think about writing let alone meeting a deadline."
"Senpai, do you hear yourself" Mia whined into the phone"This is the third extension! There are no more after this! Either you get that in or we're both fired"
"Fired" Shigure actually sounded concern.
"Hai" Mia sniffed"And I'll have to go back and live at my mother's house..."
"Your mother, how is she by the way" Shigure grinned, his tone more cheerful.
"Errgh, that's beside the point"
Shigure's eyes looked up as he heard a gentle knock at his door. He watched as it slowly slid open and Tohru's figure stood half seen. His eyes widened a bit at the sadden expression on her face.
"Shigure-san..." she said softly. She looked surprised, seeing the phone in his hand and hearing the yelling on the other end. "Oh, gomen, I didn't know you were on the phone." she bowed.
"Ah, no, that's quite alright, Tohru-kun" Shigure smiled. He looked to the phone for a moment and then placed it on the hook, hanging up on Mia with a grin"I was just about finished anyway. Please come in."
Tohru nodded and entered Shigure's study, closing the door behind her.
Shigure grinned from behind his desk, motioning his hands toward a blue cushion in front of it"Come! Sit"
Tohru walked over and knelt before him, sitting her knees on the cushion.
"Ne, Tohru-kun" Shigure leaned back and tucked his hands away into his sleeves"What brings you in here"
"Um...well, it's..." Tohru hesitated for a bit, looking down at her hands as she held them together in her lap"I..."
Shigure noticed Tohru being hesitant and then nodded"You came to talk to me about Momiji, right"
Tohru quieted for a moment and then nodded"Hai..."
Shigure nodded again"Well...then by all means, speak whatever's on your mind."
Tohru nodded, keeping her eyes down on her hands until she found the sense to look up at Shigure.
"Shigure-san...did you know March 17th is Momiji-san's birthday"
"Can't say I remembered all too well, but now I think about it, it's coming back to me" Shigure smiled, his eyes going bright"Ah, so that is why he marked out the date on the calendars. Clever, that Momiji is. Though, I can't really blame him. Going through what Momiji has been through, I can't say I can blame him the least bit."
"Hai..." Tohru looked more determined, leaning a bit forward" That's why...I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
Tohru swallowed"I was wondering...if it would be okay...to throw...a little birthday party for Momiji-san."
Shigure's eyes opened widely"A birthday party"
Tohru nodded"Hai. It doesn't have to be a big one. We could have on right here, at the house. Just a little get-together between family and friends." Tohru bowed her head"If it is okay with Shigure-san. I wouldn't want to plan anything without your permission first."
Shigure blinked blankly at Tohru's modesty"Why...of course it's not bother." He grinned"No bother at all. In fact, that sounds like a excellent idea, Tohru-kun." He lowered his brow into a questioning look"Though, I am compelled to ask...why do you want to"
Tohru opened her eyes. The image of Momiji, sitting on his bed as a rabbit, with tiny tears coming down his furry cheeks played back into her mind.
"I...I want to show him that...his birth wasn't a mistake."
Shigure's eyes widened again.
"I" Tohru raised her head to him, a sad smile across her face"I want to show him that he is very special to all of us. No matter what he is..."
Shigure stared at Tohru, feeling a sudden rush of warmth flow through his body. He then smiled warmly at the girl"Tohru-kun..."
Tohru smiled a bit sweeter"I want to, Shigure-san...With everyone's help...I know we can show him." She placed a hand over her heart"I know it."
Shigure shook his head and lowered it"Such kind words...from such a kind flower."
Tohru blinked as Shigure lifted his head, tears streaking his cheeks.
"Ayah! Tohru is such a good girl! She makes a rainy day seem blissfully sunny" He shook his head quickly and then grinned"Tomorrow, I will go to the Main House. Before we can plan anything, I must speak with Akito. As you know, nothing may happen like this without his consent on it first."
Tohru nodded"Hai" She grinned"Then I will come as well"
Shigure gave a concerned stare for a moment and then smiled lightly"Hai. Tohru-kun will go too."
Tohru nodded, more happily this time and slowly got to her feet. "It must remain a secret from Momiji-san! We can't tell the others either until Akito-san says it's alright." With that she turned on her heel and began to head toward the door, beaming ear to ear"This is great! I'm sure Akito-san will say yes! I'm sure of it"
Shigure chuckled as Tohru bounced out the door and shut it just as the telephone rang. Shigure shot a look down at it and picked it up slowly.
"Mushi-Mushi"
"Shigure" a deep voice came from the other end.
"Ah, Ha'ri" Shigure smiled at the sound of Hatori's voice and grew a cunning smirk"Just the man I wanted to speak to..."