Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket nor its characters
Why hello everyone, terribly sorry its taken me so long to write a chapter for this story. I was off writing one for my other story, not to mention all the trouble I've been having in school. I hope you can all forgive me! Thanks :)
Chapter 37
Tohru said her goodbyes to Miki, and hugged her a million times. The two girls cried and hugged like they'd known each other their whole life, and promised each other they'd write.
"I'll write as soon as I get home Miki," Tohru smiled finally releasing her
"Send me more of your beautiful poems, I want to read about your tragedies," Miki pretended to rub her eyes like she'd been crying. "You really do have a gift for it Tohru, pursue it"
"You're starting to sound like Shigure, and we've only been here for two days!" Tohru laughed and gave her one last hug "Thank you so much for all the hospitality. I really hope we come back again soon, maybe I'll get another birthday trip here," Tohru smiled, knowing her birthday was about 10 months away since they'd only celebrated it a little while ago.
The Sohmas all piled into the car once more for the long car ride home. Shigure would look up in the rear view mirror to watch Momiji and Haru jam out to music while Yuki and Kyo stared out the windows. Sometimes Haru would glance up to look at Tohru, but she was already asleep in the car, it always made her sleep.
Hours later the Sohmas arrived home. The first thing Tohru did was check the answering machine. There were the laughing and screams of Uo and Hana saying they were home, and about a bazillion from Shigure's agent. Tohru looked at him with her hands on her hips. But Shigure shrugged and smiled sheepishly. The boys trudged in with the bags and threw them upstairs in their rooms, Tohru's included. Everyone sort of floated about the house aimlessly and bored, Tohru made them fast food styled dinners that they ate in front of the tv.
"Tohru aren't you going to eat?" Momiji called from the couch
"No thanks, I've got some stuff to take care of" Tohru called running up the stairs to her room.
"Hmm I wonder what that's about..." Momiji questioned watching her run up the stairs.
"I think Miss Honda just wants to talk to Uo or Hana on the phone. She's probably glad to know they're back," Yuki answered looking at the stairwell where Tohru had disappeared to.
Tohru wandered into her room and turned on the PC. She wrote a quick e-mail to Miki and signed it, then she picked up the phone and called Uo and Hana.
"HI Uo and Hana!" Tohru laughed and smiled into the receiver
"Hey hold on a sec," Uo told her as she clicked a button "Speaker phone, now we can both talk"
"Yes, hello Tohru-san, I'm feeling good electric waves from you, how are you?"
"Oh I'm great you guys! I made a new friend at the hot springs I visited, I told her all about you two and she says you guys sound amazingly cool!"
"That's great kiddo, how are the boys?"
"Yes, how are your mysterious Sohmas?"
"Oh they're great. We all got to go to the hot springs, they're all really relaxed. So, how was your trips to see your families?"
"Ehh, it was alright, gifts, old people drinking eggnog. The usual"
"Yes, I was nice spending time with my family. We enjoyed our good energies"
"I'm glad you enjoyed your holidays, it stinks though, school starts up again"
"Yeah, what a drag,"
"Indeed"
"But think of it this way, it'll be spring soon and that means white day and all those fun holidays are coming! We can watch the Yuki fan club fight over who's gonna give out the best chocolates for him"
Uo and Hana laughed into the receiver.
"So kiddo, you got any plans tomorrow?"
"Yes Tohru, are you free?"
"Tomorrow?" Tohru got up from her chair and looked at the calendar. Tomorrow was Saturday, the last weekend before school started up. "No, that's all free,"
"Good, we think its time we come back for another inspection"
"Yes, it is been far too long"
Tohru laughed "Oh okay, you gotta make sure these boys stay in line"
"That's right girl"
"Yup"
"So what time can I expect you tomorrow night?"
"Six thirty good Hana?"
"How about earlier?"
"Well, I have to go out and look for a job for a little while, you guys want to help me? We can make it a whole day event"
"Help you find a job?"
"Aren't you working in the building Momiji's father owns?"
"Yeah, but I'm sort of tired of that job. I don't get to see any kids, just the other nice old ladies"
"Alright!"
"Do you have any ideas Tohru?"
"There's a new ice cream parlor in town, its small and very cute. I figured I could try there"
"Sounds good"
"Yes, wise choice indeed. Free Ice Cream!"
"Hana for shame!" Tohru taunted her
"Alright, then we'll see you tomorrow at three in front of the parlor"
"Yes, three o clock"
"I won't be late"
"We know you won't, later kid"
"Bye"
Tohru listened to the moan of the receiver for a moment longer, and she shuffled downstairs to find Shigure. She knocked on his office door and waited for him to give her the okay
"Come on in"
"I come bearing tea and cookies!" Tohru smiled as she laid the tray down on the table beside him.
"Oh, thank you flower, seems as though I'm back to work like I had never left the office"
"You're very dedicated Shigure," She grinned "Uo and Hana are coming here tomorrow, for their usual "Inspection" I hope you don't mind"
"Of course I don't!" Shigure grinned, high school girls staying here oh what fun! "I would just put the warning out to the other's so they know"
"Thank you Shigure!" Tohru smiled and bowed leaving the room to find the others. The boys were still on the couches, drained from the car lag and the trip. They looked up from the tv to see her smiling.
"I'm not sure if I like that smile, that smile is sort of mischievous" Haru noted looking at her
"Uo and Hana are spending the night tomorrow! Its time for another one of their random inspections!" Tohru grinned
"Man, we just got home..." Kyo grumbled
"Oh come on Kyo! I haven't seen them in over a week! Its hard sometimes being around all guys!" Tohru pouted staring at him with puppy eyes "Pretty please?"
"Oh Tohru, why do they have to inspect the house? Do they think we have rabies?" Kyo groaned at her.
"Of course they don't think you have rabies! They're just protective of me, and they're my best friends! I'm sure Uo will want to play cards with you, so will you play with us tomorrow, please Kyo-kun?"
Kyo twitched, he wasn't called Kyo-kun very often, frankly it was rather rare. Tohru only called him that when she really genuinely wanted something that was important to her. Somehow, it made him smile, that she really would come to him and ask for something she really wanted, instead of being so selfless. "Alright you little squirt, only cause I owe you one," He rubbed her hair and she laughed.
"You'll play with us too, right Haru?" Tohru looked over at him on the other couch
"Sure I will, It'll be fun to have something to do," Haru smiled softly
"I'll play Tohru I'll play!" Momiji added jumping into her and transforming into a bunny
"Wow Momiji, its been a while since I've seen you this way," Tohru laughed a little post shock going on. She looked at Momiji who just smiled and licked at her
"Tohru you should get used to these forms of ours. We're always going to be cursed, and you have been so very careful. But if we ever did change, I'd want to know you would be able to identify us"
"Well it wouldn't be that hard to find Haru, he's the only cow that lives in this town" Kyo joked and laughed, him then being wacked in the head by a pillow Haru threw. "Damn cow!"
The following day Tohru waited patiently by the ice cream parlors entrance. Tohru had her bag in front of her and she rocked on her heels whistling as she waited. The boys had followed her, interested to why Tohru would meet her friends here and not at Shigure's house. They were a few buildings away, their heads around the corner of the wall watching her.
Uo and Hana came walking down the street the opposite way the boys were watching from waving at Tohru. Tohru ran up to them and they all hugged, Uo rubbing Tohru's hair and Hana by their side laughing.
"So, lets go see if we can go get you a job Tohru!" Uo smiled
"Agreed"
"Lets go!"
The three shuffled inside, the brass bells above the door ringing as the door opened and then closed. Tohru smiled looking around, there were many booths filled with kids of all ages and sizes smiling and laughing. Tohru walked up to the counter, a boy turned with his back to them cleaning off a utensil of some sort. He had a blue striped apron and a hat to match.
Kyo and the boys had slipped into the ice cream parlor, and grabbed some menus to hide themselves as they watched. It was like being a spy, and Momiji had to try really hard not to giggle with all the excitement. Kyo nailed him in the ribs to silence him.
"Umm hello? I saw the sign outside that said help wanted, I was wondering if you were still hiring." Tohru stood in front of the counter leaning over to talk to the boy. He turned around and smiled at her, and she was rather surprised at who she saw "Ki–Kira? What are you doing here?"
"Whoa hey Sakura!" Kira grinned waving the spoon around. "Well, I needed a job too, I can't pay off my loans without them don't ya know? I work here weekends mostly though, you want a job here?"
"Uhh yeah, I was kind of hoping to. I like working with kids, this would be better than my old job. But wow, this is like so weird, I didn't know you worked here!" Tohru laughed, and she was nudged by Uo. "Oh right sorry, Kira, these are my best friends Uo and Hana. Hana and Uo, this is Kira, he's from the band, you saw him perform with me once right?"
"Oh right, you just look different in a uniform. Its nice to meet you,"
"Yes, very nice to meet you. You have good waves"
"Right, and over there are the Sohmas. The shortest is Momiji, the one with the white hair Haru, you met. The purple haired boy is Yuki, and the orange haired boy is Kyo." Tohru pointed to where the boys were sitting. They threw their menus up and let the anime sweat drops drip down their faces
"NICE TO MEET YOU!" He called to them and waved with a chuckle.
The boys fell over in the booth and sighed "Busted..."
"Well Tohru, just fill out this application and we'll see what happens. I'll put in a good word for you, I know how hard you work." Kira winked and grinned
"Alright!"
"Can I interest you in some ice cream, free of charge for my princess" Kira flipped the spoon in the air. (Spoon meaning like that scouper thing...)
"Sure Kira, surprise me!" Tohru smiled. She wandered over to the booth with the boys, and the three girls grabbed some chairs and sat down with them as Tohru filled out the form
"Tohru, are you not going to work in daddy's building?" Momiji asked
"No I still will work there. I'll probably work there during the week, and this one on the weekends. This way I have more money to pay for school tuition and stuff. It was hard buying all those gifts and still making my deadline," Tohru told him with a smile as she continued filling out the form "Hey guys, would should I put down as a good quality in myself?"
"Well, why don't you say you're kind, or generous, or extremely hard working?" Kira suggested leaving a bowl of ice cream in front of her for her friends. He gave out spoons to each of them. The ice cream was like a mountain, but he grinned
"Oh Kira! This is so much I should pay for this! Its not fair!" Tohru gasped in awe at all the ice cream.
"No, don't worry about it, this one's on the house," Kira took the form. "Looks like you're all set, I'll call you with the results, then we can start planning for that festival thing."
"Alright, I'll be waiting for your call then" Tohru smiled and she took a spoonful of ice cream. Kira gave a wave and jogged off to help the other customers
"Well, he's pleasant" Uo told Tohru with a spoonful of ice cream
"Yes, very nice" Hana smiled, she loved ice cream.
"He's very nice Tohru," Haru added eating his share of the ice cream
"Eh, he's alright, loved the apron" Kyo teased with his mouth full.
Yuki didn't say anything. He watched Kira as he laughed and smiled with the kids. Yuki still could not rid the horrible picture of Tohru and Kira kissing under the mistletoe from his mind. He took a bite of the ice cream, but to him, it tasted bitter, just like the idea of the two of them working together. They already had the band, now it seemed like Kira would snatch Tohru away forever.
The group left, all waving goodbye to Kira and they wandered home.
"Alright, you ready for some hard core old maid!" Uo slammed the deck of cards in front of Kyo.
"Oh yeah bring it on wench!" Kyo growled. Their eyes connected and a bolt of static came between them.
The card game went on for hours, the others long since quitted after the fifteenth hand. They mostly watched in awe as Kyo and Uo went back and forth. Yuki all the time would look back to Tohru, but Tohru was always laughing and smiling. He didn't have the heart to warn her, or at least be mad at her for her naive ways.
In the end, Uo and Hana made a clean sweep out the house. Uo checking for food and dust while Hana checked the waves within the place. As usual, they got the all clear, it mostly just an excuse for them to come over. The boys were almost used to the visits now, and thankfully, there were not accidents. It had been a very eventful day.
Tohru was so glad, and happy with all that happened. She had run into Kira, such a coincidence and such a great surprise, she applied for the job, and mostly, she got to be with everyone she really did care about. The Sohmas, Uo and Hana, all together at once, laughing and screaming within the chaos of the home.
Thank you mom...for such a great day