[Disclaimer] Still not mine.

Chapter V

Only once she set her pencil down after finishing the last question on her last final, did she sigh a breath of relief. After placing her test on the teacher's desk, she walked out of the room with a definite spring in her step that wasn't there when she'd walked into the room.

Once outside the building, she stretched her arms out, basking momentarily in the warm sunlight that had graced the city with its presence after this morning's slight overcast. "I'm so glad this semester is finally over!" she mused aloud.

Normally, Tohru would have head straight home to finish her chores after class, but the day of her last final was always a special day to her. Instead, she headed over to the coffee house that was across the street from campus, and ordered an iced mocha latte. For most college students around here, iced coffee or cappuccinos was a staple. For Tohru, they were a treat that she only purchased on special occasions or when she was feeling down and needed something to cheer herself up. With her drink in hand and her backpack over her shoulder, she started walking towards home.

When she was about half way home, she spotted Kyo reading some paper on a bulletin board outside a clothing store. Seeing him, she put on her usual goofy grin and bounced her way towards him. It was a pleasant surprise despite the fact that he'd shown up on the last day of her finals each subsequent semester. On rainy days, she'd take the bus, but he'd always be waiting for her at the bus stop with an umbrella in hand if he knew she'd forgotten hers.

"Kyo! What are you doing here?" She knew exactly why he was here, but she liked to see the smile he gave her when she acted completely surprised.

Without fail, the sweet smile crossed his lips while a light rosy haze blushed his cheeks. "Umm... I thought it would be nice to have someone carry your backpack since it is the last day of your finals. You deserve it for all your hard work." With that he turned her around and held her backpack so that she could slip her arms out of the straps.

With a giggle and a blush to match Kyo's, Tohru let him take her bag off her shoulders. "You are too sweet to me, Kyo." That said, they walked the rest of the way home, Tohru chattering idly about how her finals had gone.

It was 4:30 when they got to the house, having taken their time walking and enjoying the warm weather and comfortable breeze. "Kyo, I'm going to start the laundry and then start dinner."

"Oh no you're not. First of all, the laundry can wait until tomorrow. Secondly, we are ordering take-out tonight. You deserve a break for all your hard work this term."

"No, no. I couldn't!" Tohru said with protest in her voice and slightly furrowed brows. "I can't put off till tomorrow what I can do today."

"Nope, you are going to take the night off whether you like it or not. Besides, I rented a couple movies and we are going to watch them this evening."

"Ok, ok. I'm just going to check on my gardens first. Then I'll come inside."

"Alright. Just don't take too long." Kyo glanced at her as he opened the front door, noting her goofy grin and that dazed look she got when she was flustered, then chuckled quietly.

Tohru watered her flowers while humming to herself, the far off look still in her eyes. She was making a list of all the things she needed to do before Yuki came to visit. Cleaning the guest room thoroughly and pulling out fresh sheets to wash were at the top of her list.

After running around back to check on her vegetable garden, she went inside to pick up any random items. She didn't know what she was going to do with her idle time if she wasn't doing chores. Since the semester was over, she didn't have any homework to do. She wrung her hands together lightly as she walked into the living room where she found Kyo watching the news.

Hearing her enter the room, Kyo looked up from the TV. Noting the dazed look was gone, he pointed upstairs with a serious expression on his face. "You, hot bath, go!" He smiled inwardly to himself when her dazed look returned.

"Alright."

"I'll call for dinner in a little bit, so you take your time and relax." He gave her a scowl that was obviously forced and not meant to upset her at all.

"Alright." Giggling at seeing his face, she turned, heading upstairs towards the bath.

Thirty minutes later, she came down and saw that pizza was waiting and a movie was set to go.