Joflower's Note: It just occurred to me… the "hugs" are little balls of yarn. Wouldn't Kyo like yarn? (lol, just my random silliness kicking in here) Hmmm… maybe his "cat" instincts will kick in some time… XD!


"Hug-Day"
Chapter 3

Tohru had finished "hugging" her friends when she turned to the four boys behind her. Momiji looked excited about this new school activity, Haru looked stoned – as was his "white" demeanor – about the idea, Kyo looked like he was about to kill the person who came up with this stupid activity, and Yuki looked as though he would die.

::sweatdrop:: That's right… they're cursed by the vengeful spirits of the Chinese Zodiac and turn into their selected animals when hugged by members of the opposite sex, Tohru thought.

"You're mine, carrot-top," exclaimed Uo with a devilish grin. She bent her knees, preparing to pounce.

"Gah!" Kyo jumped back with fear. His orange hair stood up on end as he replaced his horror with fury. He clenched his fists. "OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Uo stepped toward him slowly, flexing her 'claws'. "What's the matter carrot-top? Chicken?" she mocked in amusement.

"Uh…"

Tohru jumped in front of Uo with her arms outstretched, protecting Kyo and the other Sohmas behind her.

I can't let them find out the Sohma Secret!

"Wait!" she cried apprehensively.

Uo stopped and tilted her head slightly to one side to look at Tohru's bright red face more closely. Hana, who was completely silent during the whole ordeal, watched in speculation as Tohru fumbled over her words.

"Y-You can't just… um…" Tohru was stalling, trying to think of an excuse to stop Uo. "You can't… hug him yet… because he doesn't have a 'hug' ball yet!"

Kyo caught on and sneered at the blonde girl. "Yeah, damn Yankee!"

"What!?" Uo spat irritably. "Don't you 'damn Yankee' me!"

"I have to call Hatori," Yuki intervened faintly.

The Sohmas and the three girls turned to Yuki. Eyes closed, he hid his face in his right hand, as if he was tired. Uo and Hana exchanged puzzled looks to each other while the Sohmas nodded their heads in silent agreement.

"I'll go with you," Haru stated plainly.

"Ah, hai! I'll go too!" exclaimed Tohru.

"Me too! Me too!" piped up Momiji, bouncing up and down. He turned to Kyo, smiling. "You should come too in case someone tries to jump you."

Kyo spat, "WHY WOULD ANYONE TRY TO JUMP ME!?"

"Baka…"

"Baka…"

"OI!!!"

Kyo jammed his hands in his pockets and stomped after them as they all made their way to the office to use the phone. Hana and Uo stayed behind, looking at each other in bafflement.

"Wonder what their problem is. It's only 'Hug-Day'," Uo retorted.


"Damn it! What the hell is their problem!?" Kyo spat, trudging angrily behind his cousins and Tohru. "Who would come up with such a lame-ass day like 'Hug-Day'!?"

"I think it sounds like fun!"

BAM

"WAAAAAH! KYO HIT ME!"

"Are you crazy!? You think this is fun!?"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Don't be so hard on him," said Haru calmly.

"EASY FOR YOU TO SAY! NO ONE WANTS TO HUG YOU!"

"Would you just shut up already?" demanded Yuki as they reached the office.

"WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ME, KUSO NEZUMI!"

"Baka neko…"

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Here's your ball of yarn, Sohma-kun!"

They all jumped as Yuki slowly turned around, as if expecting to see a ghost. A second year girl smiled up at the tall boy. She held out a rather BIG, overly stuffed pompom to Yuki, while a herd of exceedingly excited girls bounced up and down impatiently behind her, waiting for Yuki to take the ball and put it around his neck.

Yuki smiled falsely and accepted the yarn, but refused to put it around his neck. The girls pleaded and pleaded with him, but eventually, Kyo's rage scared them away and Yuki was able to get a phone and call Hatori.

"Damn girls… what's with their excessive need to hug you anyway!?"

"Kyo's just jealous 'cause no one wants to hug him!"

SLAM

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! KYO'S BEING MEAN!"

"LIKE I WANT SOME CRAZY, OBSESSED FANGIRL TO HUG ME!"

"K-Kyo-kun!" cried Tohru in shock.

Yuki put the phone down, looking very nervous as he stared at it. "The line's busy. I can't get through."

"Ah! B-But this is an emergency!" Tohru cried hysterically.

"Why don't you try to call his cell phone number?" suggested Haru, who was not at all worried about the situation they were in. He seemed to not care at all.

"Yes, but I don't know his cell phone number, do you?" Yuki inquired the cow.

Haru thought for a moment. "I did at one time… but it's slipped my memory… a mystery…"

::sweatdrop::

"I'll have to call Shigure. He should know Hatori's cell phone number," Yuki sighed.

In the cramped office space, Yuki dialed Shigure's phone number as Kyo and Momiji bickered, Haru stared out the window watching the birds singing in a tree, Tohru stared blankly at a poster on the wall, and the growing group of fangirls standing in the doorway of the office, waiting and watching for their prince to leave and glomp him to death.

Shigure picked up the phone after four rings. "Hello hello!" he sang cheerfully.

"Shigure, this is really important-"

::gasp:: "KYO FINALLY BEAT YOU!?"

"…NO…"

"I never thought I'd see the day when Kyo finally beat you-"

"THAT ISN'T IT!" snapped Yuki impatiently.

Everyone in the office stopped whatever it was they were doing to stare in shock at their Prince Charming's outburst. For they had never seen someone so perfect get so upset all of a sudden. Little did they know how sensitive he was about the subject of that stupid cat ever beating him in martial arts…. He quickly composed himself though and everyone went back to admiring him.

"…Hm?" prodded Shigure on the phone, his over-the-top eagerness vanishing for only a split second.

"We need to get Hatori's cell phone number."

"'We'? My my, whatever do you need it for?" Shigure teased on the other end.

Yuki ::sweatdropped:: without answering.

"Well…?" badgered Shigure, giggling like an airhead fangirl.

"…It's 'Hug-Day' at school."

"…WAAAAH! YUKI-KUN, YOU'RE SO LUCKY!"

Yuki pushed the phone away from his ear with a double ::sweatdrop::. Shigure was screeching so loudly the secretaries in the next office were peeking in the doorway on the right, wondering where the loud (although incomprehensible) voice was erupting from.

"GETTING TO HUG ALL THOSE YOUTHFUL, BEAUTIFUL HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS!!!"

"…"

Shigure sighed dreamily, "Why can't I get to hug all those blossoming flowers…?"

"Think Shigure," retorted Yuki.

"Really Yuki-kun, I ENVY you!"

"…"

"Getting to hug all those pretty girls… with such long slender legs, thin waists, long flowing hair, glowing faces, full perky bre-"

"ENOUGH!" Yuki yelled cantankerously, which caught everyone off guard in and outside the office.

Shigure pleaded excitedly, "Can I come!?"

"…No."

"PLEASE!? PRETTY PLEASE!?" Shigure begged, no doubt with big puppy-dog eyes shining with ecstasy.

"NO," Yuki replied sternly, his head surrounded by sweatdrops.

Shigure pouted, "Aw, you're no fun Yuki-kun…"

"…And you don't think..."

"…hogging all the lovely young high school girls…"

"…Will you just give me Hatori's cell phone number?"

Shigure – suddenly changing moods – said, "Oh, yeah sure."

Yuki slapped his forehead exhaustedly. One of these days, I'm going to knock him through the roof, Yuki thought crossly as Shigure gave him Hatori's number.