[Disclaimer] I do not own, nor do I presume to own Fruits Basket. Just ask Takaya-sensei.

Chapter IV

Dear Yuki-kun,

As always, I was so glad to receive a letter from you. I know you must be very busy with school, and it amazes me every time that you manage to find time to write to me. I hope your classes are going as well as mine are.

As you know, I am working on my degree in General Education. I think I had mentioned to you that it was Kisa and Hiro that had inspired me to become a teacher. It was their desire to learn that helped me make that decision. Once I graduate, I will be moving back to Japan to become the Sohma family sensei. I thought I had mentioned to you that Akito-san offered this position to me. I know it will be a lot of work, but I am excited about it.

I am so glad that you want to come visit me this summer. I can't help but look forward to seeing you. I'm sure Kyo will be glad to see you too. Despite what he may say, I know he misses you, and the fights you both used to have. He doesn't have anyone to bicker with now.

You'll be proud of the little vegetable garden that I have behind the house. Of course, Kyo still hates the leeks I grow back there. It's funny to watch him scowl when I tell him we're having leeks with dinner. Oh, and I planted strawberries this year too. They should be ready to pick early this spring.

The dojo is going very well too. Kyo just had another student join. Now he has 5 regular students. They are all so full of energy. You'll get to meet all of them if they don't go out of town for their summer vacation. I'm sure they'll love to meet the one person that can beat their sensei. Kyo tells them stories all the time, though he does tend to over- exaggerate. You know, Yuki-kun, he's made a very good teacher for those children.

Well, unfortunately, I need to cut this letter shorter than usual. I have to go to the campus today and sign up for my classes for next semester. Let me know when you are planning to visit, so that I can make sure I don't have much planned. We need to take full advantage of you being here. There's a lot to see and do around here, and it would be a pity for you to miss any of it.

Tell Uo-chan and Hana-chan, that I miss them too. (I tell them that in every letter I send them, but I'm sure they would appreciate hearing it from a live person rather than a piece of paper.) I miss you too, Yuki- kun, and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Sincerely,
Tohru Honda

"Kyooooo, I'm hooome." She yelled as she ran upstairs after dropping her backpack in the study room. It had been an impossibly muggy day despite the biting chill in the air, and she was in much need of a shower. After grabbing her bathrobe, she went to the top of the stairs and yelled down, "I'll start dinner after I take my shower."

It was already the end of April, and it had on just begun warming up. The snowfall they'd had this year melted away in at the end of January and it stayed chilly through the next couple months. With April came the showers that draped the air with enough humidity to smother the entire city and the promise of Spring shortly after. Tohru's favorite time of year here was August, when the sweltering heat of summer would finally pass and the air would be crisp and clear.

Turning off the water in the shower, Tohru gave a compliant sigh and muttered aloud, "That definitely felt good." After drying off and wrapping herself in her bathrobe, she went back to her room to put on a clean pair of clothes. She smiled at herself in the mirror then headed downstairs to begin dinner, stopping by the living room first to see what Kyo was up to.

"I'm going to start dinner. I hope leeks are alright," she said with a twinkle in her eyes, knowing full well what his response would be. "I thought so." With that she headed to the kitchen to begin dinner.

In regards to her statement about dinner, Kyo scowled and let a low groan escape his lips, the same as usual when she would make any comment about leeks. As much as he disliked leeks, she always managed to make them tolerable enough to eat. Once she left the room, he returned his attention to the television and the news that was boring him practically to sleep.

From the kitchen, Kyo could hear Tohru humming some song that they'd been playing on the radio a lot lately. It was a catchy tune, and he could understand why she would be humming it. He could smell the beginnings of dinner and the broiling codfish that she usually made when they were having leeks with dinner. He smiled at that, and decided to go see how long it would be till dinner was ready. The wonderful smells were making him realize just how hungry he was.

"Tohru." The voice made her jump, since she had not heard him enter the kitchen.

With a sigh of relief after looking to make sure that it was in fact Kyo, Tohru put her smile back in place. "Kyo, you scared me. I told you not to sneak up on me like that. Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes. Is there something you needed?"

"Oh, no. You just answered my question." That amused smile that was so rare, crossed his lips, and that made Tohru smile even bigger.

Tohru turned her attention back to the dinner preparations. "Hey Kyo. Don't forget that Yuki-kun is coming to visit us this summer."

Kyo grimaced at this remark, and the smile slipped away from his lips. "I'd almost forgotten, but thank you for reminding me," he muttered.

"He'll be arriving at the end of June and staying for two weeks. I'm sure he'll appreciate us going to meet him at the airport when his flight arrives. I'm sure he'll just love the local fireworks display for the Fourth of July." She mused over that thought for a moment. 'Oh mom, I know you would love to have seen them too.'

"You know, Kyo, those the fireworks here always remind me of the New Year's fireworks back home. I think the Fourth of July is my favorite American holiday for that reason alone." After that comment, Tohru went back to working on dinner, humming the song she had been earlier.

Kyo sighed, turning to go back to the living room. "Let me know when dinner is ready."

Twenty minutes later on the dot, "Dinner's ready, Kyo!" Tohru sang.