Hello, everyone!! I was going to get this chapter up and ready for all to read in time for Christmas... but being a 15 year old, (all fifteen year olds noware in the year of the snake) and long time procrastinator, I didn't have it up until now. Wow, I guess you can call this chapter long. Well, enjoy!

Chapter 8: Genuine Feelings


"Wait a minute, Yuki!!" Kyo yelled. He climbed down the ladder and went back inside the house.

"What the hell did he mean by take care of her?!" Kyo thought painfully.

"Jeez, where the hell did you go, ya lil—"

"Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun just went out..." Shigure said with hands on his hips. He was apparently annoyed by Kyo's screams.

Kyo was about to bolt out the door, but something stopped him dead in his tracks.

"What the?!?!?! Yuki went outside in the rain?!?!" Kyo angrily asked Shigure.

"Um...yeah..." Shigure answered, clueless to the seriousness of the situation.

"Oh, whatever!!" Kyo yelled, and grabbed an umbrella to search for the rat.

"Wow, what is causing them to act so strangely...? They are actually starting to care about each other... surprisingly..." Shigure thought to himself. "This isn't Tohru's doing... They''re doing it by themselves. How nice (Smiles)"


Yuki slowly walked along the sidewalk path in the pounding rain. It was pretty late for a walk, wet as well, but Yuki felt that an isolated walk would help calm himself.

"What a mysterious thing this is... Love... My feelings for Tohru are the things that made everything more awkward... My dear Tohru-san... I love you... but you should be with Kyo, not me... I don't deserve your kindness, your beauty... your love... And Kyo... whatever it is that Akito told him... Akito must have verbally torn him..." Yuki thought with a forlorn expression.

He secretly wondered what next day would be like. How should he go up against the "god" of the Sohmas? What could he do...?

"Hey, rat!" Kyo's voice sounded behind him. He turned around frantically and saw Kyo staring at him with his usual cold glare and exhaustion.

"Kyo, what... are you doing here?!" Yuki tried to hide the little concern he had for his feline cousin, but Kyo could see it secretly, yet he dared not mention it since his eyes sparkled with the same unease beneath that icy glare as well.

"I should be asking you the...same....ques—" Kyo managed to say before he weakly dropped his umbrella and lost his balance.

"Kyo!!" Yuki held Kyo up, dropping his own umbrella out of reaction. Kyo pushed Yuki away and stood up again.

"Get...away...rat..." Kyo mustered those words before falling down.

"How can I get away, Kyo? When you came out here just to find me...and knowing your own condition..." thought Yuki, flinging Kyo's arm around his neck to drag him back home. (Their umbrellas were neglected, as was the heavy rain.)

The door slowly opened as Yuki, carrying Kyo, walked in quietly. He didn't want to wake Shigure and Tohru.

"Yuki-kun, wow, what happened...?" Shigure asked as he saw a passed out Kyo on the floor.

"Shigure, how did you hear me come in?!" Yuki asked, partly in shock. Yuki, being the rat of the Jyuunishi, has the ability to stir without much notice.

"I guess I couldn't sleep...knowing you and Kyo-kun hadn't come backyet." Shigure explained, " And don't worry about Tohru-kun, she's fast asleep."

"That's good to hear..." Yuki grinned in relief.

"Y'know...between you and me, Tohru-kun had said your name in her sleep." Shigure told him mischievously. Yuki immediately began to blush.

"A-A-Ano.... I'll...um...bring...K-Kyo to his room..." Yuki stuttered nervously.

Shigure smiled happily. "Nah, I can carry him in. You just get into dry clothes and get some rest. It's a school night, Yuki-kun..."

"Okay" Yuki replied and slowly walked up the stairs to his mom.

Shigure sighed when he was alone. He looked at Kyo with weary eyes. "Poor Kyo-kun... the fact of him and Tohru being siblings...It really wore him down. Could this truly be...the end of the Sohma's curse?" Shigure asked in his mind.


"Yuki-kun, did you sleep well last night?" Tohru asked the next morning.

"Hai, I did, Tohru-san. Kyo won't be coming down today..." Yuki said smiling as he sat down and wrapped the kotatsu around him.

"Eh?! What happened to him, is he alright?!" Tohru asked worriedly, and nervously balanced two plates of breakfast.

"Tohru-san, be careful!" Yuki hurriedly took the plates from her and set them on the table. "Kyo's alright... He..." Yuki panicked. He never lied to Tohru before, and did not want t start making it a habit, especially on the day of their first date.

"Kyo...is...." Yuki hesitated to tell her the truth, knowing full well she will worry. For her sake, he must lie to her.

"Kyo's lazy, that's all... Well, actually...he stayed up late last night...on the roof..." Yuki stammered. Anyone would realize his lie because of the pounding rain last night. Yuki realized the shoddy quality of his lie and looked away, not wanting to think about what she will say.

"Well, he should stay home then..."

Yuki looked up at her. She apparently believed his lie! That sad excuse for a lie!! Didn't she hear the rain??? Yuki's head spun dizzily. Could this morning get any worse??

As if by thought, Ritsu came in through the door. The two were speechless with shock for a while.

"Ritsu?!!?" Yuki shouted, half frightened and half shocked.

"R-R-R-Ritsu-san!!" Tohru called unsteadily. She definitely did not see that coming. (A/N: To be truthful, neither did I... O.O)

"EHH?! MY PRESENCE UPSETS YOU!!! YUKI-SAMA, TOHRU-SAMA!!! I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR MY HORRID INTRUSION!!" Ritsu screamed while excessively bowing to them.

"What's going on??" Shigure asked, from his office doorway, rubbing his eyes drowsily.

"Shigure-san, gomen ne! We woke you up!" Tohru apologized. Ritsu's apologies increased, if possible.

"Quite alright, Tohru-kun," Shigure said with a smile. "Ah, Kyo's still sleeping? How is he doing?"

Before anyone else could answer, Yuki chimed in. "He's alright!! He just stayed up late again counting stars!" Yuki hinted, hoping that Shigure got that.

"Impossible, it was—" Ritsu wanted to say, but Yuki and Shigure interfered.

"Yes, ah, yes! It was a school night!! Kyo probably forgot, ne, Yuki?" Shigure nervously said before Ritsu got them busted.

"Ano, hai, Shigure!" He then turned to Tohru. "Tohru-san, maybe we should go to school now? We are going to be late if we don't get a move on it..."

"But our breakfast..." Tohru didn't want Yuki to go on to school without a full meal first.

"Fret not, Tohru-san, Yuki. I brought Hatori-san's car over so I could drive you to school!! I just only hope that Hatori-san wouldn't mind." Ritsu started to apologize to non-present Hatori.

"Wow, domo arigatou, Ritsu-san!" Tohru said happily.

"Hai, arigatou!" Yuki said. Ritsu didn't seem to have heard them since he ran over to the telephone to apologize to Hatori. Hatori, on the other line, was really confused and annoyed that he was being bothered when he was sleeping.


"Well, you're ready to go, eh?" Shigure asked them, seeing Yuki and Tohru putting their shoes on.

"Hai, Shigure-san! Please be careful when you're by yourself." Tohru said to him.

"Hehe, I will." Tohru was slowly becoming amother figureto them, even him.

"Yuki-san, Tohru-san, please come in the car." Ritsu said, opening the door for them like a chauffeur.

Yuki and Tohru sat in silence while Ritsu drove the car. He may be the weirdest Sohma in the family, but he does understand a lot about Yuki'sfeelings. After all, he is a part of the Jyuunishi, and share the same predicament as he.

"Our curse...our beautiful curse... How it shatters our hearts and robs us of our humanity..." Shigure said aloud poetically after they had left.

The phone rang and he answered it with a cheerful "moshi moshi?"

"Shigure, in the best of moods I hear..." The voice on the other line commented. The voice had a sickly tone to it. It was....him.

"Akito-san.....?"

"Yes, it's me."

"You learned how to call my house...?" Shigure asked, humorously surprised. Akito was isolated for his whole life; therefore he wasn't very skilled at things like technology, telephones, in this case.

"Yes, I did. Well, Hatori dialed for me...Anyway... I request your presence here as soon as possible, Shigure!!" Akito ordered him. (A/N: Note my emphasis!)

"Hai, I shall..." Shigure told him. His voice lacked emotion. He hung up the phone silently soon afterwards. As much as it was impossible, the optimistic care-free dog of the Jyuunishi was in pain. A certain vision had engulfed his mind suddenly.


"What is it, I wonder..." Yuki thought. He looked at the monkey's face. So calm and showed a deep understanding expression. Quite the opposite from the rambunctious apologetic monkey he normally is.

When they arrived to school, Tohru got off first.

"Tohru-san, ano... you can go ahead. I have to talk to Ritsu." Yuki smiled at her.

"Ano, okay, but make sure you won't be late for class, Yuki-kun." Tohru advised, before walking into the school courtyard.

"Ritsu, tell me now." Yuki said, still watching Tohru walk towards the school building.

Ritsu was startled by Yuki's question. "Well, we were just concerned, Yuki..."

"Concerned?" He raised a brow at Ritsu, but his face was still facing Tohru's fleeting self.

"We know what happened yesterday."

"Who told you? And more importantly, does Akito know?" Yuki asked, giving his full attention to Ritsu's upcoming reply.

"We cannot tell you who, but Akito doesn't know...yet."

Yuki sighed in relief, then spoke, "It was Shigure who told, ne?" He then got out of the car and closed the door behind him before Ritsu could utter a word.


"Oi, Tohru, Prince!!" Arisa Uotani called to them. Yuki and Tohru just came into the classroom together.

"Uo-chan, Hana-chan!" Tohru cried enthusiastically. Yuki was deep in thought from his conversation with Ritsu. ("Why does Shigure always seem to be the one who tells everyone these things...? Is he secretly siding with Akito?!")

"What's wrong, Prince?" Uo asked curiously, seeing him so perplexed. "And where's Orangey?"

"Kyo-kun's staying home today." Tohru stated, and then looks at Yuki with a concerned expression on her face. Indeed he looked like he was filled with thoughts.

"Yuki-kun?"

"Um, I'm fine, everyone. Please don't worry about me." He told all the worried faces around him.

"Yuki..." Tohru said with concern as she slowly took his hand.

"Tohru-san...arigatou, but I'll be fine if you are happy. (Tohru looks up at him) Your happiness is most important to me right now..." He whispered to her. She blushed the shades of red repeatedly. Uo and Hana just stood there, looking overly confused.

"How peculiar..." thought Hana.


Kyo awoke to a disruptive feeling. The first thing he felt was a concrete wall and cold hard floor. He gasped in horror as he felt the wall and stood up. He was in a small room. Dank, with a small lighting on the ceiling. He glanced around the room frantically. A steel door was in front of him. He panicked as his fears became confirmed.

"No...No...It can't be!!!" He murmured, as he attempted to search for the slightest amount of hope by trying to open the bolted door.

Dissipated were his last hopes. Abandoned by his family. He had been shunned, but now he is truly in isolation.

"Noo!! Get me out of here! YUKI, TOHRU, SHIGURE!!!" He began to yell.

"Kyo-kun, please wake up!!" A very familiar and relieving voice called out. Kyo felt his hopes returning quickly. He opened his eyes.

Ritsu stared back at him with worried eyes.

"Ritsu...?" He asked, rubbing his eyes for a better vision of what was happening or had happened. "Where's—"

SQUEEEEZE!!!

A big hug was given by the monkey. Kyo's eyes widened in shock; a shock most disturbing.

"WHAT THE HELL?!?!" Kyo yelled at him, and pulled away from his "greeting".

"Kyo-kun, I thought you were going to die!! I was so worried!!" Ritsu said to him.

"What?! What happened?"

"Well, uh, from what Shigure told us... You had fainted from last night and Yuki had to carry you back. Tohru doesn't know because we don't want to worry her, and they went to school already. BUT THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE ALIVE!!"

"Ugh..." Kyo groaned.

"Leave it to Ritsu to exaggerate things. (Blushes slightly) I was saved by Yuki, my enemy!! I must seem like the weakest guy ever...." Kyo thought, feeling irritated.

"Wait! Why are YOU here?!" Kyo asked with a suspicious look on his face, looking at Ritsu.

"I came to drive Yuki and Tohru to school today and Shigure had gone out so I could look after you. But anyway... I'M SO SORRY FOR WAKING YOU FROM YOUR SLUMBER, KYO!!!! FORGIVE MEEEEE!!" Ritsu yelled excessively and incoherently.

Kyo ignored him and got out of bed and out of his room. He couldn't shake away what Yuki said before he left. "What did he mean...? 'Take care of her' He sounded as if he would die or run away or something big."

"What's going on?!" He murmured angrily as he went to the porch in the front door.


Tohru stood at the school entrance after school awaiting her Prince.

"Tohru-san, sorry, did you wait long?" Yuki asked her upon running out of the school building.

"No, I didn't wait long at all." She smiled at him.

"Okay, then, let's go." Yuki said, taking her hand.

"Um, Yuki-kun, I never had a boyfriend before so if I am too mediocre at this, please for—"

"Tohru-san, it's alright. I've never had a girlfriend before either. In fact, I'm pretty nervous myself." Yuki said, reading her mind. "Ano, would you be interested in the Sakura Festival?"

"Nani??? Of course!! I've not been there since my mom passed away!" She exclaimed happily.

"I'm glad you like it. Now let's hurry and grab ourselves a kimono and yukata!" Yuki said, running while holding his hand.

"Anything... I would like anything if it's with you, Yuki-kun..." Tohru thought with a blush spreading across her face.


"Kawaii!! I can't believe how beautiful these cherry blossoms are, Yuki-kun!!" She said happily, whirling around one particular sakura tree.

"Hai, they are beautiful, Tohru-san..." Yuki nodded with a smile. "Tohru-san, let's go do some fun activities!" He said, taking her hand and ran to the nearest table.

"Eh?" Tohru asked, letting him lead her there. "Origami, Yuki-kun?"

"Yes, do you know how to make anything?"

"Um... A little. Mother used to teach me how to make some."

"Tohru-san..." Yuki called, turning around, not letting Tohru see his front.

"Yuki-kun?" Tohru tries to peer over his shoulder. She sees an origami heart in his hands.

"Yuki-kun! That's really well done!" Tohru exclaimed with admiration.

"I hoped you would think that. It's for you." Yuki said, smiling at her. "Here." He handed her a pink heart.

"Domo arigatou gozaimasu!!" She said happily. "Could you teach me how to make one too? I want to make one for you!"

"Tohru-san, you really don't have to." Yuki said, blushing fervently.

"Please, Yuki-kun! I really want to. Yuki-kun has been absolutely wonderful to me. I must do something for you!" Tohru said desperately.

Yuki smiled at how cute her face looked whenever she was determined about something.

"Tohru-san, your smile, your kindness, and your nonjudgmental understanding... They are what you have given me and the other Sohmas. We will never be able to repay you for that." Yuki said to her.

"Yuki-kun... I, too, am grateful. Everyone....without all of you, I don't think I would be able to smile after what had happened to mom. You all helped me through that as well by giving me your friendship... Letting me live with you, cook for you, study with you, and simply....letting me be with you." Tohru said, looking at him with passionate gratitude.

"Tohru-san..." he murmured softly. She looked at his face with curiosity. "Hehe, Tohru-san, you are very cute... I'm sorry; I had to say what I was thinking..." Yuki laughed. Tohru stood there, unable to say what was on her mind at that moment.

"Yuki-kun...ai shiteru."

"Now, here you go. You must make a triangle first then—"


"Yuki-kun, I've finally made it. Here!" Tohru presented Yuki with a red heart. "I've finally know how to make a heart without error or flaw." She said, after the festival had ended.

"Wow, that's impressive, Tohru-san!" Yuki complimented, seeing the heart that Tohru made being presented to him.

"Thank you, Tohru-san." He said, gracefully taking her gift and bowing his head.

"Ah, Yuki-kun... I'm so happy today. This is the happiest day of my life, Yuki-kun. May we please go out again tomorrow?" Tohru asked him, stammering nervously.

"Tohru-san..." Yuki tried to reply to her, but reality had hit him hard. He remembered the whole deal with Akito.

Tohru looked at his face. He looked so disappointed. Did he not want to go out with her anymore?

"Yuki-kun?"

"I can't, Tohru-san." Yuki said, shading his eyes from her with his long dark purple bangs.

Tohru walked over to him. "What happened? Why did Yuki-kun get so sad just now?"

"The day after tomorrow?"

"No, Tohru-san, I—"

"Or the day after?" Tohru was confused. She knew she was being strangely aggressive. She knew her feelings for Yuki had been true, it was clarified tonight.

The silence was painful. Every second seemed to hurt more than the other.

"Yuki-kun" She murmured.

"Tohru, I love you." Yuki said, his face was blushing furiously, yet his eyes showed bittersweet sadness and fear.

"I love you, too!" Tohru exclaimed, running to him and clinging on his arm. Her head leaned against his shoulder.

"Tohru-san, forgive me for my behavior, but my guilt is slowly creeping up to me."

Tohru looked up at him, confused. "Guilt?"

"I've been entirely selfish. I did not mean to do this, but... please don't come after me. Go home." Yuki said, with tears streaming down his face. "Don't.....don't love me. Hate me and be with someone who will love you and not leave you for something selfish."

"Yuki??" Tohru was frightened by what he had said. His words were grim. He suddenly jolted away, leaving her there with only the setting sun to keep her company.

She wasn't sure what she should do now. Tohru stood there, being torn with the decision to follow him or not. "Yuki-kun...." She whispered.

"I hear it. Your fear... I can sense your pain... You're hurting, aren't you, Yuki-kun...? I won't let you face fear alone!" Tohru thought, before running after him.


"Ah!" Shigure suddenly uttered while sitting in silence with Akito.

"Shigure? What's wrong?" Akito asked him nonchalantly.

"I just remembered that I have to talk to Hatori. Please excuse me, Akito." Shigure said, bowing his head then left.

"Shigure?"


"I must find him!" Tohru thought with a panic as she was running. She didn't know where she was going, but she had a purpose, Yuki.

"His words, his fear, it sounded as if he was going to die!! And I can't do a single thing to help him!!" As she thought of this, she stopped suddenly to cry.


"I'm sorry, Tohru-san..." Yuki thought painfully. "It hurts me deeply to leave you like that... I promise that if I ever survive this, I will never do that to you ever again..."

He looked up, the sunset had vanished suddenly. The clouds gathered. A high chance of rain hung in the clouds. Slowly, Yuki opened the gate that leads into the main house.

"Will I be able to step through this door later on? I wonder..."

To be continued...


About the chapter: This chapter has two kinds of feelings. The beginning was a bit comical; the part of the Tohru and Yuki's date is just sweet, and the part of Yuki running away to break the curse was really angsty... The next chapter may the most angsty one I had ever written. Yes, I have half of it already written out. The first copy of the first one was just bitter sadness. Ah! I forgot to ask you all, did you get that whole dream scenario with Kyo? If not, then I'm not telling! For those who know already, hehehe, wasn't it just amazingly random?
Mogeta lightens the mood!

Mogeta: Mogie Mogie Mog Mogeta! (Hello, everyone!! Welcome to my show!)

Vee: Today's show will be an interview with Kyo and Yuki. Before they come on stage, let's have the Fangirl Protecto-Shield out! ((SHIELDS UP!!))

Mogeta: Mogeta Moget Mogie Mogeta Mog Mog. (I present to you, Yuki and Kyo Sohma!!!!)

Yuki: Konnichiwa!

Kyo: Oi...

Vee: Now, About today's episode... Yuki, how did you like this whole chapter?

Yuki: Well, it was pretty dramatic I think... I mean the whole Tohru thing was just cute and heart-warming.

Everyone: Awwwwww

Vee: yes, very 'aww' Kyo, you weren't in this chapter much because of Yuki-kun's attention. How did you react to this??

Kyo: I HATE HIM!!!! ((Yuki reacts to this indifferently and coolly))

Vee: Tell me something I don't know...

Kyo: Whatever... And what's with Ritsu being there and my dream?!

Vee: Yeah, about that... Well, I have a certain fondness for the monkey man and that dream part made you reeeally kawaii!

Kyo: Erm... ah, yeah... but why'd I just rush out and pass out in the rain?! I AM UNDER THE DEBT OF THAT DAMNED RAT!!!!

Vee: Kyo, calm down... If you haven't noticed yet, fangirls everywhere want you two to make up and be fwendy wendys! So I made you two cuuuuuute lil buddies.

Yuki: I liked this chapter...

Kyo: Because you got the spotlight!!!

Mogeta: Mogeta Mogeta Mogeeee!! (Since we are lacking humor with these two, as me some questions!!)

Vee: Let's have the audience ask them...

Obsessive FF Freak: Mogeta, are you related to Moogles in Final Fantasy???

Mogeta: ........... MOGETA HATRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obsessive FF Freak: eep, okay forget I asked....

Everyone stares at everyone...

Mogeta: Mogeta Moge Mogee... (Let's just end it here...)


Reviews from People:

kitsunedemon: Hehehe! I'm-not-telliiiiiiing! Heheh ::laughs:: Woot!! Kureno-san is just the best, ne?? I have lots and lots of spoilers for you about Mr. Birdy! But I'm make it a game as well. I'll tell you a whole bunch of stuff about Kureno and leave you guessing on which are real and which are fake. Hehehe!! Thanks for reviewing, Kitsyyyyyy!!!

genny62890: Otouto means 'little brother'. I thought it was kind of cute to call your younger brother that. My brother thinks I'm just weird when I call him that. I actually call a lot of people my brother wother!! I just find it soooo cute!!! Anyway, thanks very much for your review, Genny-san!

angelicjapgurl: Thank you lots and lots for your review, Angelic-san! Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's longer than all my other ones, I think... Thanksie, agaiiiin!

kiki: Thank you!!! Hope you enjoy this lil update!!

hyperkitty16: Wouldn't you like to know? ::X-Files Theme Song:: Hahah, yes, I pushed him off the Empire State building, promising him a Twinkie on thetop of the building, little did he know, I was planning to overthrow him! Literally! Because that is my tyranical nature!! MWAHAHAHAH!! I'M THE SPAWN OF AKITO!! I'll stop now. Thanks for you reviiiiew, Hyperkitty-san!

Hellfire: Ah! Okay! Whatever you say, Ifrit-san! Er.. I'm finishing Chapter 9 now! Weeee! Hope I get it up like maybe within next week. That is my goal!! Thanks for your review, Hellfire-san!


Bye bye, everyone!! Don't forget to review!! Oh, and be sure to read the next chapter. The confrontation with Akito may turn out to be very different indeed! Hehe, I love the next chapter... My ingenius mind at work!!!!!! Would you like to know what it's about?

Mogeta: MOGETTAAAAAA!!! (SHUT UP!!!!) Moget Mogeta Mogeta Mog! (Don't tell everyone what it's about! Keep them on a cliffhanger!!) ::To everyone:: Moget Mogee Mogeta Moget. ::shakes head:: Mogeta.. (Sorry about that, everyone, you may go review in peace now.::shakes head:: She's so demented...)

Mogeta and Vee: Bye byyyyyye!