A/N: Here's chapter two! (I couldn't help myself... its progressing so well... Although it might not be apparent yet in chapter two.) Kyou finally shows up in this chapter, and we learn a bit about all three girls, Yuki and Kyou. Even in an alternate universe, the Cat and Rat rule still applies! (Although there is no curse, just for the record!) Thanks for your reviews! On with the show!


Chapter Two –Dinner with Kyou

Notes:

Nira-Tama is a dish including leeks and egg.

Miso is a kind of soup… one which Kyou does not mind in this story. .

IT"Information Technologies" Is a degree based heavily upon computers.


"Finally home… I'm so glad you're okay Tohru." Uo said, hugging her friend tightly, accompanied by Hana. The trio entered their small apartment, which they shared while away at school. Letting go of Tohru , Hana made her way to the couch, which she flopped down on in lack of energy.

"Mmm…" Hana moaned.

"Thanks you guys." She grinned. "We should finish off that essay for Professor Taihoka. Let me take that bag from you Uo… thanks so much for carrying all the way home… you must be tired. I'll carry it for you next time." Tohru began to fuss. Hana smiled. Typical Tohru, even after an experience like that, she was so thoughtful.

"I don't mind Tohru." Uo smiled at her best friend. "Here." She removed the bag from her shoulders and carried it over to the table. "You're right, we should get working. It took a long time to get home. I'll order takeout and call Kyou… see if he'll pick it up for us." Arisa said, looking at her watch.

Uo finished ordering dinner and the three began working on their biology essays at the table.

"Man… This term at Tokyo University is sure tough… I hate midterms…" Uo growled, staring blankly at her notes. Tohru was almost finished her essay, having stayed up late all week working on it because she had to work for the three days before it's due date.

"We'll get through it." Tohru replied in a determined voice. She licked her ring finger and began to flip through countless pages of notes, biting her lip. "Do you have the notes on the chemical reactions in the body, Hana?" Tohru asked, looking up.

"Here." Hana flipped through a few pages in her binder, opened it and handed Tohru the notes. Breathing heavily once and resting her head in her palm, she brought up the subject of Yuki Sohma. "He had very peculiar waves…" She told them.

"Strange waves… but great reflexes." Tohru beamed, as if thanking him through telepathy.

"Didn't seem too fond of-" Uo paused as the door to the apartment opened. "Kyou! Hey there!" She grinned. "Thanks for picking up the Nira-Tama!"

"What? You ordered Nira-Tama?!" The orange-headed Kyou cringed. He was quite tall and muscular, with fiery eyes to match his flaming hair. Usually irritable, he was always civil and kind to Uo and her friends. "I hate leeks, Arisa." He growled, slightly irked.

"Relax, Mister Moody. I ordered you some Miso. That's why there are two buckets in your bag." Uo nodded, smirking and pointing at the second Styrofoam bucket clearly visible through the plastic bag that Kyou was now holding at arm's length.

"Oh…" Kyou answered, sweatdropping. "Thanks, I guess…" He hat down at the table with his girlfriend and her longtime friends that had become his as well.

"Hey Kyou." Tohru laughed, smiling at the frazzled 20-year-old who was now trying to serve Nira-Tama with one hand. The other was plugging his nose.

"I will do it, Kyou." Hana offered, standing up and placing her books beside her dinner cushion. "You just worry about this." She handed the redhead his own bucket, filled to the brim with piping hot miso soup.

"Thanks Hana." Kyou breathed in relief, helping Uo and Tohru get their books off the table too in preparation for their meal.

They all ate, chatting every now and then about University, classes and professors. Kyou was majoring in Phys-ED, while all three of the girls were in the Medical field; Tohru was working to become a pediatrician (doctor for children), while both Uo and Hana were in nursing. The room was pretty relaxed until…

"You cousin saved me at the train station today." Tohru grinned, looking at Kyou as she told him.

"My-cousin…" Kyou coughed, choking on miso. His eyes flashed dangerously. "Which one?" he grunted, staring intently at his soup. Hana seemed to be doing the same.

"Yuki Sohma. He caught me right before I fell down the space between the train and the platform. I'd probably be dead now if it weren't for him." Tohru answered, more serious now, tears welding up in her eyes.

"Tohru…" Hana comforted, coming to sit beside her friend followed by Uo.

"Yuki… I've never gotten along with him… He used to beat me at everything when we were younger. We're the same age, so I was stuck with him all the time." Kyou snorted quietly. "I think he works at the Sohma Corporation… Got a scholarship or something." He looked thoroughly disgusted. Hana looked away from Tohru, whom she now had her arm around, and at Kyou, a look of great concentration on her face.

"Hmm." Was all she said, but continued to stare.

"Sohma Corp, I knew I'd heard that name before…" Tohru sweatdropped. "Besides from your name, of course." She added, looking at Kyou. "That's the biggest company in Japan, they own everything. I wonder if we've seen him on campus, he looked familiar, too."

"Probably." Kyou huffed. "He graduated a year early or something. The whole family had some stupid partyfor it. Which I did not attend…" he finished under his breath. "Showoff… does this, then acts all heroic." This remark was greeted with a disgusted look from both Uo and Hana. "I'm glad you're okay, though… of course!" Kyou defended, looking slightly shocked at what he perceived as blame.

"What degree does he have?" Tohru asked, either ignoring the past remark or not so much as noticing it.

"Business in IT." Kyou answered again, now becoming annoyed with all the questions about his arch rival cousin. "Anyway, I have to get to work." He told them, hence changing the subject of conversation.

"Ah, me too." Tohru said, grinning like her old self again, cleaning up the remains of her Nira-Tama and standing up.

"Want a ride? I'm headed toward the Sohma buildings." Kyou offered, following suit in cleaning up what was left of dinner, then going to put his coat back on.

"Oh thanks Kyou, that'd be great! I'll just run and get changed, then." She answered, bustling off to her room.

"Her waves have changed. I wonder what she's thinking about…" Hana whispered to Uo.

"Three guesses Hana, after what she's been through today, I wouldn't be surprised…" Uo answered, taking a sip of tea as Tohru ran back into the dining room and grasped her coat in her arms.

"Bye!" she waved as she stepped out the door Kyou was holding open for her. He turned around, waved as well and walked off after Tohru, shutting the door behind him.


There's chapter two! The story is slowly starting... I don't know how many chapters there will be.. my guess is over 10, at least. Thanks for reading! R&R!!

-Sahariah