A mini-glossary of roughly translated English equivalents of Japanese:
hai – yes
iie – no
sumimasen – I'm sorry / excuse me
baka - idiot
maa – well
ne – 'hey' or 'right' depending on context
ano – sound of hesitation like saying 'well' or 'um'
arigatou gozaimasu – thank you very much
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CHAPTER 7: Call For Me
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RING! RING! RING!
"I'll get it!"
Tohru was as good as her word as she hurried towards the phone, which had started its incessant ringing just as they set foot within the house, before she'd even finished speaking. She moved with an eagerness that made Shigure hard-pressed not to frown.
"Oh, Yuki-kun!" she exclaimed happily into the receiver.
Shigure frowned anyway.
"How was the trip to Fukuoka?" Tohru bubbled in into the phone. "Did you have any problems getting there? Have you had a chance to check out the university's campus yet? And what about Kyou-kun? I hope the two of you didn't fight too much. And did you eat-?"
She broke off, giving an embarrassed giggle at whatever was being said on the other end of the line, no doubt something about calming down so Yuki could get a word in edgewise. Even though Shigure was several yards away, he could hear the sound of Yuki's voice emerging from the phone although he wasn't able to make out any specific words.
But whatever he was saying was making her laugh.
A happy laugh.
A laugh he suddenly didn't like hearing being elicited by someone else.
Especially a MALE someone else!
Irritation riding him with an intensity he would never have thought possible until experiencing it at that very moment, Shigure had to do something besides standing uselessly around like an idiot and attempting to melt the phone with his heated gaze. Much as he'd enjoy indulging in the pettiness of the act, it was beneath him – for a prolonged period of time anyway – so he decided to distract himself. And so, with distraction as his goal, he strode towards her with the grocery bags in his hands and motioned to her just before he passed by, whispering lowly so as not to interrupt their conversation.
"I'll just put these in the kitchen."
In response, Tohru flicked an absentminded smile in his direction in acknowledgment as she blushed and giggled again into the phone. A muscle twitched in Shigure's jaw as he strode away from his preoccupied companion, reigning in the urge to stomp loudly with every step, with grocery bags in tow before he did something rash that he might later come to regret.
Like smash the phone to smithereens.
He busied himself with the groceries, hoping to divert his attention from the conversation that was taking place outside the kitchen. He even went so far as to do something so out of character, so beyond the normal realms of his disorganized way of living, so disturbing that anyone who knew him well would have done a double take and made reservations for a place in the psychiatric ward had they been witness to his abnormal actions. The mighty had fallen to new lows and the one Shigure sank to was mired in a sticky pool of atypical domesticity.
Shigure was putting away the groceries!
Neatly.
In an organized easy-to-find-later fashion.
Hell MUST have frozen over.
Such was Shigure's disconcerted thought once he stopped moving long enough to realize what exactly he'd just done. Staring with no small amount of disbelief and consternation at his handiwork while the image of the newly organized contents of the refrigerator seemed to mock him with its orderly pristine, he could only shake his head over himself.
Unfortunately, his preoccupation with his aberrant behavior didn't last long.
The distraction over the organization of the groceries was all too fleeting. With nothing else left to do in the kitchen, which was unfamiliar territory to him despite its longtime existence in his home, Shigure had no other means to occupy himself aside from trying to decipher just what was being said out in the hallway. In other words –
Shigure was eavesdropping.
Or trying to anyway.
Too bad he could hear even less in the kitchen than when he'd been standing a few yards away from her in the hallway.
Muffled laughter and words were all that reached his ears. The obvious merriment in the sound had bad temper snapping at his mood on the heels of an uncomfortable jealousy that was, unfortunately, becoming an all too familiar presence.
It was almost enough make a fun-loving, dog-transforming, self-established writer brood.
Tucking his hands into the loose sleeves of his yukata, Shigure frowned and decided to stop hiding in the kitchen and just go out there. It was his house – he was free to go wherever he wanted, wasn't he? He didn't have to remain stuck in the kitchen until the hallway conversation was finished. It was one of those polite rules that he tended to ignore anyways. And, besides, it wasn't as if it were completely private. After all, Tohru hadn't asked to be excused to talk to the caller without anyone else around – he was the one who had done the excusing! And he was the one who -
With a huff, he stopped that train of thought. Dark eyes slid half closed in exasperation as he fought back the overwhelming urge to throttle himself when he realized –
He was trying to psyche himself up to step foot outside of his own kitchen!
Bah!
At least there was no one else around to witness his embarrassment.
Having had enough of his ridiculous behavior, he separated himself from the kitchen, striding down the hallway as the sounds of conversation became louder with every step. Pasting a friendly smile on his face, he came to a stop beside her, leaning lightly against a nearby wall as he tried to gain the conversing female's attention.
"Oh, Tohru-kun, Tohru-kun! I finished putting away the groceries!"
All conversation immediately stopped as she froze and a suspended stillness seemed to suddenly seize the atmosphere. Slowly, very slowly, her head turned to face him until she was regarding him with wide shocked eyes and a mouth parted in uncertain surprise. He might have been insulted – if he weren't just so happy that she was finally paying attention to him instead of her caller.
"S-Shigure-san...put away the groceries?" She blinked uncomprehendingly. "Really?"
Okay, perhaps he'd be insulted after all.
It was unfair. Absolutely unjust to think he couldn't be considerate or competent enough to every once in a while do something as simple as putting away groceries –
Even if it was true and he'd never actually done it before.
But that was beside the point!
"Hai," Shigure responded indulgently. "They're all neatly put way in the refrigerator."
"Neatly?" she echoed dazedly.
A dark brow arched. "You don't think I'm capable of that?"
That snapped her out of it. "Oh, iie, iie! Of course I'm sure that you did a wonderful job," she hastily said, flustered. "I didn't mean-" She blinked, jerking slightly as she pressed the receiver back against her ear. "Ah, Yuki-kun! Sumimasen, I was just talking to Shigure-san. Eh? Iie. Nothing's wrong. Shigure-san was just telling me that he put away the groceries."
There was a long pause.
"Ano, Yuki-kun? Yuki-kun?" Her tone was worried. "Are you still there?"
A brow twitched at the continued silence. Feeling irritated, Shigure wondered if it was really so hard to believe that he'd done what he did.
How bad of an opinion did people have of him anyway?
Hmph!
"Ah, Yuki-kun!" Tohru exclaimed in relief. "I was getting worried when you didn't answer. Did you go somewhere? Ah, I see. Iie, I did say that. Hai, Shigure-san put away the groceries." She blushed. "Yuki-kun, I don't think I need to check on that. I'm sure he did it properly."
That did it!
"Ah!" Tohru gasped in surprise when the receiver was suddenly snatched from her hand.
A smiling Shigure winked at her as he pressed it to his ear.
"Honda-san? Honda-san!"
"Iie, wrong person."
"Shigure?"
"Ah, Yuki-kun! I'm so happy you remembered the dulcet sounds of my voice." He gave a fake sob. "It brings tears to my eyes to know that you think of me so fondly that you carry the memory of my voice with you always."
"Baka! What did you do to Honda-san? And what's this about...groceries?"
"Don't worry, our little flower is still here – untouched and pristine as ever. Though who knows how long that will last?"
"Shigure!"
"It's a joke, a joke!"
Shigure imagined he could hear the grinding of teeth over the connection.
It made him grin.
"And as for the groceries...surely you don't think domesticity is totally devoid in this writer's heart?"
"Your domestic talents lie in dialing the phone for take-out," was the waspish reply.
"Oh, now that really hurts."
"Hmph. I'd sooner believe that you convinced Hatori join you in an orgy."
"Why, Yuki-kun! I'm shocked! I had no idea you thought of Ha-san that way!"
"W-what?"
"Kyou-kun mentioned those rumors at school about your being gay but I never really thought-"
"Argh! Shut up! That's not what I meant and you know it!"
"Maa, what else am I to think when you mention men and," aware of Tohru's wide eyes on him, he dropped his tone so she couldn't hear, "orgies. It's an obvious conclusion, ne?"
"Shigure, if this is how you talk around Honda-san, I'm going to transfer back home. It's becoming apparent that it was a mistake to leave Honda-san alone with you."
"Now, Yuki-kun. I'll have you know I've been a perfect gentleman." 'So far,' he finished mentally. "Ask Tohru-kun and she'll tell you."
"She already has."
Somewhat taken aback, he went, "She has?"
"Hai, but since it's Honda-san, I can't completely trust everything she's said about you."
'You have no idea...' Shigure thought.
"So...the grocery store." A long pause. "Fiancée?"
Shigure winced. So Tohru had even gone as far as to tell Yuki about that particular fiasco. Bracing himself for a long lecture and an angry tirade, he almost had a heart attack when –
He was praised!
"It's a good idea," Yuki said. "I wish I'd thought of it sooner."
Shigure blinked in shock.
"I never thought much about what it'd be like for her to be seen with us at someplace like that." A tired sigh. "It seems we can't protect her when we're nearby, and we can't protect her when we're far away either."
"Maa," Shigure found himself unexpectedly reassuring the caller, "It was just an oversight. Who would expect to think of something like that about a simple grocery store? Until today, I certainly never thought of it either – and you know how my mind works."
There was a disbelieving snort. "Shigure, I don't think there's anyone besides you who knows how your head works."
"Hmm, should I be insulted?"
"Take it however you want. I just...wanted to thank you for looking after Honda-san."
Shigure chuckled. "You're one of the last people I would have thought would be saying such words to me."
"Things are different now," was all he said. "We can't watch over her, and somebody has to. Until we can come back."
Shigure's grip on the phone cord unconsciously tightened.
"And this...Matsumoto Sanosuke that Honda-san mentioned...I think you should be careful of him. I've never met him but...I have a bad feeling about him."
"Oh, my." Despite his own tension on the matter, Shigure joked, "Is Kyushu air making Yuki-kun psychic?"
"I should have known better than to try having a serious conversation with you," was the muttered response. "Just watch out for him...and Honda-san. Because if you don't," his tone dropped to something more threatening, "you're really not going to like it when we see each other again."
Unmoved, Shigure responded easily, "I'll keep that in mind."
"You'd better. We'll be calling periodically to check on Honda-san."
He tilted his head. "This sounds like a 'sayonara' to me. Are you hanging up?"
"Hai, unless Kyou-"
A faint 'Just tell the bastard not to do anything perverted to her or else I'll kick his ass the next time I see him!' could be heard in the background.
"Ah, Kyou said-"
"There's no need to repeat it, Yuki-kun. I heard." He chuckled. "I see Kyushu air hasn't changed him either."
"Then I'll be going. We're still in the middle of unpacking."
Though he didn't really want to offer, he nevertheless said, "Did you want to talk to Tohru-kun again?"
After a considering pause, Yuki replied, "That's not necessary. I've already said what I wanted to tell her."
Resisting the urge to ask what that was, he inquired, "And Kyou-kun?"
"He already spoke to her earlier."
"Really?" Shigure blinked. How long had he been in that kitchen anyway?
"Hai." There was a muffled noise in the background. "I really have to go now. Just tell Honda-san that I-"
A faint yell from the phone.
"-that WE will call her later. In a few days maybe, next week at the latest."
"Hai, hai, hai. I'll tell her."
"And Shigure?"
"Hai?"
"Remember what I said. You'd better not let anything happen to her or else you'll find out just how scary a mouse can be."
A click and the dial tone sounded before he could form a reply.
'Maa...that was certainly different,' Shigure mused as he replaced the receiver in its cradle. 'I wonder what-'
"Shigure-san?"
He turned only to be caught in wide questioning eyes. An easy smile creased his features as he responded lightly, "No need to worry, Tohru-kun. Yuki-kun said they still had a lot of unpacking to do so they'll call you later, maybe next week."
"Eheh, that's good to know but...ano, what was that you said about Yuki-kun being...gay?"
He gaped. He'd totally forgotten about that!
"Is that true?"
Tempted to reply immediately in the affirmative, he held back. It was too easy a lie to be caught in and he knew that Yuki really would do his best to kill him for that alone. And a lie like that would only too easily come back to haunt him for he had no doubt that she'd probably let something slip to the mouse the next time they talked.
Suddenly, a wicked idea came to him.
It was harmless, really. Just a little fun...for him anyway.
"Er, it's a sensitive issue, Tohru-kun," he told her conspiratorially as he tried to look as innocent and scheme-free as possible. "So I don't really want to say too much about it. It might be best if you ask Yuki-kun yourself about it when he calls. I'm sure he'll respond much better if he can tell you himself, ne?"
"Okay," she replied thoughtfully.
She tilted her head and Shigure could practically see her filing that little bit of information in her head to be dredged up later. Probably whenever she had Yuki on the phone again. Resisting the childish urge to rub his hands together gleefully, he only hoped that he'd be around to hear that particular conversation when it occurred.
A man had to get his entertainment from somewhere.
"So, Tohru-kun?" he inquired as he trailed behind her to the kitchen. "What are you going to do for the rest of the day?"
"There's making dinner, of course. Then some cleaning I still have to do. Oh, and I have to call Hana-chan and Uo-chan!"
"Oh?"
"Hai! They wanted to set a date when we could go out together for some shopping. Hana-chan said that now that Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun are gone, it was a sign that we should spend more time together. They even suggested that one of these days they should stay overnight." She cast him a slightly anxious look. "If that's okay with Shigure-san?"
"Of course," he agreed. "This is your home as much as mine, Tohru-kun. And it's not like they haven't spent the night before."
"Arigatou gozaimasu," she thanked him brightly.
Reaching the kitchen, one of the first things she did was to head towards the refrigerator while Shigure stopped behind her when she did. But when she opened it, she stood silently as she stared at its contents. Meanwhile, a nearby Shigure found himself suddenly anxious, especially when seconds continued to tick by while she said nothing.
And Shigure just couldn't take the silence any more.
"I never really paid attention to how Tohru-kun kept it organized so I'm not sure if I set it up the way that you liked," he started babbling nervously. "I mean, I didn't know if you had a certain system set up – although you've been doing this so long that you probably do but – if you don't like it than we can fix it. Or I can fix it – or maybe you since-"
"Shigure-san," her soft voice interrupted him. "It's fine the way it is." She smiled at him. "You did a good job."
It was ridiculous, simply ridiculous how such words of praise made his heart swell inside – and over how the contents of a refrigerator were arranged, no less! Still...
It was a nice feeling.
"Since Shigure-san was so helpful and did such a wonderful job, I think a reward is a good idea," Tohru was saying as she removed something from the fridge, closing the door soundly before making her way to the cabinets.
Shigure watched her curiously as she pulled out a glass and tipped the chilled bottle she'd taken from the fridge until dark liquid poured out. She stopped before the liquid spilled over, setting aside the bottle as she offered the filled glass to him.
"Here," she said sweetly. "Shigure-san must be thirsty after all the walking and helping me with the groceries."
"What is it?" he asked, taking the glass from her and peering into the dark contents curiously. "Wine?"
"Iie, it's grape juice. It's very refreshing to have after any kind of exertion. And I know it's not something I usually buy since Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun don't really care for it, but since they're not here anymore I thought-"
"Say no more, Tohru-kun. I appreciate it." He took a sip, pleasantly surprised at his sweet-tartness. "It's delicious."
"I'm glad Shigure-san likes it," she said, pleased.
"I do. Although," one dark brow winged upwards suggestively, "perhaps I could have a different kind of reward next time."
"Oh?" A puzzled look crossed her features. "Like what?"
"Like..." No, he couldn't do it. Not just yet. "Like...something we can discuss later. Say, didn't you say you had some phone calls to make?"
"Ah, that's right!" She looked at the watch on her wrist she'd worn for today. "They should be available right now. I'll try calling Hana-chan and Uo-chan first, then Hatsuharu-san and Momiji-kun."
Shigure paused. "Haru and Momiji too?"
"Didn't I tell you?"
He shook his head. "Why would you need to call them?"
"Because Momiji-kun wanted to spend some time together before school started." She expression turned affectionate. "I think he wants to make sure I'm not too lonely since Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are gone."
"I see."
Though a hint of uneasiness curled through him, Shigure pushed it aside. The rabbit was always seeking out attention, it seemed. This was no different that how he acted before Yuki and Kyou had left. On the other hand...
"And Haru?" Shigure questioned casually.
"Ah, Hatsuharu-san...he...ano, there's just something that he said he needed to ask me."
Tohru was a terrible liar.
Although she wasn't lying exactly, it was clear she was trying to be evasive. His hand tightened its grip on the cool glass he held while suspicion ate at him as he took in her flustered features, the darting eyes that seemed to look everywhere but him, the way her fingers twisted the watch she wore around her wrist in a restless motion. An urgency within him demanded to be met and so, despite the tiny voice within him that told him to brush it off, he pressed.
"And what was it he needed to ask?" he inquired silkily.
"Eh?" She swallowed, staring out the floor. "Ano..."
"What, Tohru-kun?"
"A-Ano...i-it was-"
RING! RING! RING!
"I'll get it!" she exclaimed in obvious relief, disappearing from the kitchen before Shigure had time to say otherwise.
Scowling darkly, he trailed after her, stopping just before he rounded the corner into her line of vision. Keeping himself hidden from view, he felt no qualms this time about eavesdropping as she answered the phone.
"Ah, Hana-chan! How did you know I was just going to call you?"
His eyes narrowed at her cheerful words, feeling somehow that the denpa had done it deliberately by choosing that particular time to call, as if picking up on her friend's distress across whatever distance separated them and coming to the rescue in the form of a timely – or untimely depending on one's point of view – phone call.
But as it was just the denpa calling, Shigure thought as he wandered away towards his study, he had little use for listening in on the conversation. It was the other male Soumas that worried him.
Why did they seem to all be getting in his way?
Hatori's words came back to haunt him. As if his words had activated a dormant curse, Hatori's premonitions seemed to be coming true as the apparent demands of his cousins appeared to be encroaching upon his own plans.
All these interruptions, all these people both new and old that were constantly seeking her attention...they were all trying to monopolize her and interfering in his attempts to get closer to her by stealing her free time away from him. He had thought that, with Yuki and Kyou gone, she would have more time to spare. But things were not turning out that way. Instead, everyone left behind seemed to be trying to make up for the slack of the two teens' absence by demanding more of her for themselves.
Shigure didn't like it.
Something had to be done...but what?
As long as she was surrounded by the multitude of people who loved her, who wanted to be with her, her attentions were going to constantly drawn away from him. And even though Yuki and Kyou were far away in Kyushu, they'd still be monopolizing her attention periodically via phone. Everyone near and far was competing for her and because he was after the same thing, he was only going to be pulled further into the competition.
Unless...
A slow smile curled his lips as a plan began to form in his mind. He allowed himself a small chuckle that no one heard but him as he made a mental of list of those he needed to call.
Starting with Aya.
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Tohru hummed while she worked, hands moving with skillful efficiency as she prepared dinner for two. But because these were the same motions she was so used to performing to the point that she didn't even need to concentrate fully on what she was doing, it left her mind free to wander. And that path her mind took...
It led to Shigure.
He'd been acting oddly.
His recent strange behavior concerned her, confused her. And...
It kind of hurt her too.
She wondered if she'd done something wrong, something to make him distrust her. Why else would he make use of the long extension cord on the hallway phone to drag it all the way into his study just to make calls? It was obvious he wanted privacy to make whatever call he was making but he could have just told her and she would have stayed away. She didn't think she'd done anything to make him distrust her so and think that she might actually eavesdrop on him.
Maybe it was something else, she fretted.
After all, when he'd dragged the phone into his study, he had tried to reassure her that it was nothing against her – he just hadn't wanted to disturb her because the conversation might get a little loud and he didn't want to trouble her with the noise. And he hadn't acted as if he were angry with her for anything, smiling at her in his usual fashion. But...
Shigure was kind enough to do that anyway just so she wouldn't feel bad.
She sighed, wondering if she was just blowing things out of proportion again.
If he had appeared a bit more physically ill, she wouldn't have hesitated in calling Hatori to come and do a check-up on his friend. But for all his strange behavior, he seemed perfectly healthy physically. So, she deduced it must be something mental or emotional that was affecting him and while she did want to help, even if she wasn't the cause for the changes she sensed in him, she was afraid of broaching the subject for fear of offending him.
Despite his seemingly open and carefree nature, Tohru had a feeling that he was an intensely private person. She didn't think he'd open up to her even if she asked and she didn't want to risk things becoming uncomfortable between them if she offered and he refused. And, besides, he was older than her, had so much more experience. Surely he would know better than anyone whether or not he needed help from a fresh out of high school teenager or someone else.
Wouldn't he?
She sighed again, resisting the urge to rub at the ache building at her temple.
"Ne, Tohru-kun?"
For some reason, the sudden sound of his voice from behind her didn't startle her as it normally would have. Perhaps, because she'd been thinking about him in the first place, it seemed natural to hear him addressing her out of the blue. Whatever the case, she responded by turning towards his voice only to find him gazing at her with that cheerful trademark smile of his.
Full of joy, excitement, and touched with a hint of mischief, his smile was as inviting as it was somewhat alarming while his eyes practically twinkled at her when he asked –
"How would Tohru-kun like to spend a love-love weekend with me on the coast?"
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: I apologize for the time it took to update and I hope you all found this chapter to be worth the wait.
And I'd love to promise that you won't have to wait long for another update to come...but I can't. My muse is a fickle thing and time just doesn't always agree with fic writing. But keep your fingers crossed and hope that it at least won't take another year for the next chapter to come out. I'd do the same except...crossed fingers make it harder to type! =D
This fic might have actually sat longer without an update if not for certain people – you know who you are! – constantly prodding me for an update. So, thanks to all for the wonderful and encouraging comments everyone's been kind enough to send my way.
Many hugs and kisses to all you readers and reviewers out there!
hai – yes
iie – no
sumimasen – I'm sorry / excuse me
baka - idiot
maa – well
ne – 'hey' or 'right' depending on context
ano – sound of hesitation like saying 'well' or 'um'
arigatou gozaimasu – thank you very much
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CHAPTER 7: Call For Me
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RING! RING! RING!
"I'll get it!"
Tohru was as good as her word as she hurried towards the phone, which had started its incessant ringing just as they set foot within the house, before she'd even finished speaking. She moved with an eagerness that made Shigure hard-pressed not to frown.
"Oh, Yuki-kun!" she exclaimed happily into the receiver.
Shigure frowned anyway.
"How was the trip to Fukuoka?" Tohru bubbled in into the phone. "Did you have any problems getting there? Have you had a chance to check out the university's campus yet? And what about Kyou-kun? I hope the two of you didn't fight too much. And did you eat-?"
She broke off, giving an embarrassed giggle at whatever was being said on the other end of the line, no doubt something about calming down so Yuki could get a word in edgewise. Even though Shigure was several yards away, he could hear the sound of Yuki's voice emerging from the phone although he wasn't able to make out any specific words.
But whatever he was saying was making her laugh.
A happy laugh.
A laugh he suddenly didn't like hearing being elicited by someone else.
Especially a MALE someone else!
Irritation riding him with an intensity he would never have thought possible until experiencing it at that very moment, Shigure had to do something besides standing uselessly around like an idiot and attempting to melt the phone with his heated gaze. Much as he'd enjoy indulging in the pettiness of the act, it was beneath him – for a prolonged period of time anyway – so he decided to distract himself. And so, with distraction as his goal, he strode towards her with the grocery bags in his hands and motioned to her just before he passed by, whispering lowly so as not to interrupt their conversation.
"I'll just put these in the kitchen."
In response, Tohru flicked an absentminded smile in his direction in acknowledgment as she blushed and giggled again into the phone. A muscle twitched in Shigure's jaw as he strode away from his preoccupied companion, reigning in the urge to stomp loudly with every step, with grocery bags in tow before he did something rash that he might later come to regret.
Like smash the phone to smithereens.
He busied himself with the groceries, hoping to divert his attention from the conversation that was taking place outside the kitchen. He even went so far as to do something so out of character, so beyond the normal realms of his disorganized way of living, so disturbing that anyone who knew him well would have done a double take and made reservations for a place in the psychiatric ward had they been witness to his abnormal actions. The mighty had fallen to new lows and the one Shigure sank to was mired in a sticky pool of atypical domesticity.
Shigure was putting away the groceries!
Neatly.
In an organized easy-to-find-later fashion.
Hell MUST have frozen over.
Such was Shigure's disconcerted thought once he stopped moving long enough to realize what exactly he'd just done. Staring with no small amount of disbelief and consternation at his handiwork while the image of the newly organized contents of the refrigerator seemed to mock him with its orderly pristine, he could only shake his head over himself.
Unfortunately, his preoccupation with his aberrant behavior didn't last long.
The distraction over the organization of the groceries was all too fleeting. With nothing else left to do in the kitchen, which was unfamiliar territory to him despite its longtime existence in his home, Shigure had no other means to occupy himself aside from trying to decipher just what was being said out in the hallway. In other words –
Shigure was eavesdropping.
Or trying to anyway.
Too bad he could hear even less in the kitchen than when he'd been standing a few yards away from her in the hallway.
Muffled laughter and words were all that reached his ears. The obvious merriment in the sound had bad temper snapping at his mood on the heels of an uncomfortable jealousy that was, unfortunately, becoming an all too familiar presence.
It was almost enough make a fun-loving, dog-transforming, self-established writer brood.
Tucking his hands into the loose sleeves of his yukata, Shigure frowned and decided to stop hiding in the kitchen and just go out there. It was his house – he was free to go wherever he wanted, wasn't he? He didn't have to remain stuck in the kitchen until the hallway conversation was finished. It was one of those polite rules that he tended to ignore anyways. And, besides, it wasn't as if it were completely private. After all, Tohru hadn't asked to be excused to talk to the caller without anyone else around – he was the one who had done the excusing! And he was the one who -
With a huff, he stopped that train of thought. Dark eyes slid half closed in exasperation as he fought back the overwhelming urge to throttle himself when he realized –
He was trying to psyche himself up to step foot outside of his own kitchen!
Bah!
At least there was no one else around to witness his embarrassment.
Having had enough of his ridiculous behavior, he separated himself from the kitchen, striding down the hallway as the sounds of conversation became louder with every step. Pasting a friendly smile on his face, he came to a stop beside her, leaning lightly against a nearby wall as he tried to gain the conversing female's attention.
"Oh, Tohru-kun, Tohru-kun! I finished putting away the groceries!"
All conversation immediately stopped as she froze and a suspended stillness seemed to suddenly seize the atmosphere. Slowly, very slowly, her head turned to face him until she was regarding him with wide shocked eyes and a mouth parted in uncertain surprise. He might have been insulted – if he weren't just so happy that she was finally paying attention to him instead of her caller.
"S-Shigure-san...put away the groceries?" She blinked uncomprehendingly. "Really?"
Okay, perhaps he'd be insulted after all.
It was unfair. Absolutely unjust to think he couldn't be considerate or competent enough to every once in a while do something as simple as putting away groceries –
Even if it was true and he'd never actually done it before.
But that was beside the point!
"Hai," Shigure responded indulgently. "They're all neatly put way in the refrigerator."
"Neatly?" she echoed dazedly.
A dark brow arched. "You don't think I'm capable of that?"
That snapped her out of it. "Oh, iie, iie! Of course I'm sure that you did a wonderful job," she hastily said, flustered. "I didn't mean-" She blinked, jerking slightly as she pressed the receiver back against her ear. "Ah, Yuki-kun! Sumimasen, I was just talking to Shigure-san. Eh? Iie. Nothing's wrong. Shigure-san was just telling me that he put away the groceries."
There was a long pause.
"Ano, Yuki-kun? Yuki-kun?" Her tone was worried. "Are you still there?"
A brow twitched at the continued silence. Feeling irritated, Shigure wondered if it was really so hard to believe that he'd done what he did.
How bad of an opinion did people have of him anyway?
Hmph!
"Ah, Yuki-kun!" Tohru exclaimed in relief. "I was getting worried when you didn't answer. Did you go somewhere? Ah, I see. Iie, I did say that. Hai, Shigure-san put away the groceries." She blushed. "Yuki-kun, I don't think I need to check on that. I'm sure he did it properly."
That did it!
"Ah!" Tohru gasped in surprise when the receiver was suddenly snatched from her hand.
A smiling Shigure winked at her as he pressed it to his ear.
"Honda-san? Honda-san!"
"Iie, wrong person."
"Shigure?"
"Ah, Yuki-kun! I'm so happy you remembered the dulcet sounds of my voice." He gave a fake sob. "It brings tears to my eyes to know that you think of me so fondly that you carry the memory of my voice with you always."
"Baka! What did you do to Honda-san? And what's this about...groceries?"
"Don't worry, our little flower is still here – untouched and pristine as ever. Though who knows how long that will last?"
"Shigure!"
"It's a joke, a joke!"
Shigure imagined he could hear the grinding of teeth over the connection.
It made him grin.
"And as for the groceries...surely you don't think domesticity is totally devoid in this writer's heart?"
"Your domestic talents lie in dialing the phone for take-out," was the waspish reply.
"Oh, now that really hurts."
"Hmph. I'd sooner believe that you convinced Hatori join you in an orgy."
"Why, Yuki-kun! I'm shocked! I had no idea you thought of Ha-san that way!"
"W-what?"
"Kyou-kun mentioned those rumors at school about your being gay but I never really thought-"
"Argh! Shut up! That's not what I meant and you know it!"
"Maa, what else am I to think when you mention men and," aware of Tohru's wide eyes on him, he dropped his tone so she couldn't hear, "orgies. It's an obvious conclusion, ne?"
"Shigure, if this is how you talk around Honda-san, I'm going to transfer back home. It's becoming apparent that it was a mistake to leave Honda-san alone with you."
"Now, Yuki-kun. I'll have you know I've been a perfect gentleman." 'So far,' he finished mentally. "Ask Tohru-kun and she'll tell you."
"She already has."
Somewhat taken aback, he went, "She has?"
"Hai, but since it's Honda-san, I can't completely trust everything she's said about you."
'You have no idea...' Shigure thought.
"So...the grocery store." A long pause. "Fiancée?"
Shigure winced. So Tohru had even gone as far as to tell Yuki about that particular fiasco. Bracing himself for a long lecture and an angry tirade, he almost had a heart attack when –
He was praised!
"It's a good idea," Yuki said. "I wish I'd thought of it sooner."
Shigure blinked in shock.
"I never thought much about what it'd be like for her to be seen with us at someplace like that." A tired sigh. "It seems we can't protect her when we're nearby, and we can't protect her when we're far away either."
"Maa," Shigure found himself unexpectedly reassuring the caller, "It was just an oversight. Who would expect to think of something like that about a simple grocery store? Until today, I certainly never thought of it either – and you know how my mind works."
There was a disbelieving snort. "Shigure, I don't think there's anyone besides you who knows how your head works."
"Hmm, should I be insulted?"
"Take it however you want. I just...wanted to thank you for looking after Honda-san."
Shigure chuckled. "You're one of the last people I would have thought would be saying such words to me."
"Things are different now," was all he said. "We can't watch over her, and somebody has to. Until we can come back."
Shigure's grip on the phone cord unconsciously tightened.
"And this...Matsumoto Sanosuke that Honda-san mentioned...I think you should be careful of him. I've never met him but...I have a bad feeling about him."
"Oh, my." Despite his own tension on the matter, Shigure joked, "Is Kyushu air making Yuki-kun psychic?"
"I should have known better than to try having a serious conversation with you," was the muttered response. "Just watch out for him...and Honda-san. Because if you don't," his tone dropped to something more threatening, "you're really not going to like it when we see each other again."
Unmoved, Shigure responded easily, "I'll keep that in mind."
"You'd better. We'll be calling periodically to check on Honda-san."
He tilted his head. "This sounds like a 'sayonara' to me. Are you hanging up?"
"Hai, unless Kyou-"
A faint 'Just tell the bastard not to do anything perverted to her or else I'll kick his ass the next time I see him!' could be heard in the background.
"Ah, Kyou said-"
"There's no need to repeat it, Yuki-kun. I heard." He chuckled. "I see Kyushu air hasn't changed him either."
"Then I'll be going. We're still in the middle of unpacking."
Though he didn't really want to offer, he nevertheless said, "Did you want to talk to Tohru-kun again?"
After a considering pause, Yuki replied, "That's not necessary. I've already said what I wanted to tell her."
Resisting the urge to ask what that was, he inquired, "And Kyou-kun?"
"He already spoke to her earlier."
"Really?" Shigure blinked. How long had he been in that kitchen anyway?
"Hai." There was a muffled noise in the background. "I really have to go now. Just tell Honda-san that I-"
A faint yell from the phone.
"-that WE will call her later. In a few days maybe, next week at the latest."
"Hai, hai, hai. I'll tell her."
"And Shigure?"
"Hai?"
"Remember what I said. You'd better not let anything happen to her or else you'll find out just how scary a mouse can be."
A click and the dial tone sounded before he could form a reply.
'Maa...that was certainly different,' Shigure mused as he replaced the receiver in its cradle. 'I wonder what-'
"Shigure-san?"
He turned only to be caught in wide questioning eyes. An easy smile creased his features as he responded lightly, "No need to worry, Tohru-kun. Yuki-kun said they still had a lot of unpacking to do so they'll call you later, maybe next week."
"Eheh, that's good to know but...ano, what was that you said about Yuki-kun being...gay?"
He gaped. He'd totally forgotten about that!
"Is that true?"
Tempted to reply immediately in the affirmative, he held back. It was too easy a lie to be caught in and he knew that Yuki really would do his best to kill him for that alone. And a lie like that would only too easily come back to haunt him for he had no doubt that she'd probably let something slip to the mouse the next time they talked.
Suddenly, a wicked idea came to him.
It was harmless, really. Just a little fun...for him anyway.
"Er, it's a sensitive issue, Tohru-kun," he told her conspiratorially as he tried to look as innocent and scheme-free as possible. "So I don't really want to say too much about it. It might be best if you ask Yuki-kun yourself about it when he calls. I'm sure he'll respond much better if he can tell you himself, ne?"
"Okay," she replied thoughtfully.
She tilted her head and Shigure could practically see her filing that little bit of information in her head to be dredged up later. Probably whenever she had Yuki on the phone again. Resisting the childish urge to rub his hands together gleefully, he only hoped that he'd be around to hear that particular conversation when it occurred.
A man had to get his entertainment from somewhere.
"So, Tohru-kun?" he inquired as he trailed behind her to the kitchen. "What are you going to do for the rest of the day?"
"There's making dinner, of course. Then some cleaning I still have to do. Oh, and I have to call Hana-chan and Uo-chan!"
"Oh?"
"Hai! They wanted to set a date when we could go out together for some shopping. Hana-chan said that now that Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun are gone, it was a sign that we should spend more time together. They even suggested that one of these days they should stay overnight." She cast him a slightly anxious look. "If that's okay with Shigure-san?"
"Of course," he agreed. "This is your home as much as mine, Tohru-kun. And it's not like they haven't spent the night before."
"Arigatou gozaimasu," she thanked him brightly.
Reaching the kitchen, one of the first things she did was to head towards the refrigerator while Shigure stopped behind her when she did. But when she opened it, she stood silently as she stared at its contents. Meanwhile, a nearby Shigure found himself suddenly anxious, especially when seconds continued to tick by while she said nothing.
And Shigure just couldn't take the silence any more.
"I never really paid attention to how Tohru-kun kept it organized so I'm not sure if I set it up the way that you liked," he started babbling nervously. "I mean, I didn't know if you had a certain system set up – although you've been doing this so long that you probably do but – if you don't like it than we can fix it. Or I can fix it – or maybe you since-"
"Shigure-san," her soft voice interrupted him. "It's fine the way it is." She smiled at him. "You did a good job."
It was ridiculous, simply ridiculous how such words of praise made his heart swell inside – and over how the contents of a refrigerator were arranged, no less! Still...
It was a nice feeling.
"Since Shigure-san was so helpful and did such a wonderful job, I think a reward is a good idea," Tohru was saying as she removed something from the fridge, closing the door soundly before making her way to the cabinets.
Shigure watched her curiously as she pulled out a glass and tipped the chilled bottle she'd taken from the fridge until dark liquid poured out. She stopped before the liquid spilled over, setting aside the bottle as she offered the filled glass to him.
"Here," she said sweetly. "Shigure-san must be thirsty after all the walking and helping me with the groceries."
"What is it?" he asked, taking the glass from her and peering into the dark contents curiously. "Wine?"
"Iie, it's grape juice. It's very refreshing to have after any kind of exertion. And I know it's not something I usually buy since Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun don't really care for it, but since they're not here anymore I thought-"
"Say no more, Tohru-kun. I appreciate it." He took a sip, pleasantly surprised at his sweet-tartness. "It's delicious."
"I'm glad Shigure-san likes it," she said, pleased.
"I do. Although," one dark brow winged upwards suggestively, "perhaps I could have a different kind of reward next time."
"Oh?" A puzzled look crossed her features. "Like what?"
"Like..." No, he couldn't do it. Not just yet. "Like...something we can discuss later. Say, didn't you say you had some phone calls to make?"
"Ah, that's right!" She looked at the watch on her wrist she'd worn for today. "They should be available right now. I'll try calling Hana-chan and Uo-chan first, then Hatsuharu-san and Momiji-kun."
Shigure paused. "Haru and Momiji too?"
"Didn't I tell you?"
He shook his head. "Why would you need to call them?"
"Because Momiji-kun wanted to spend some time together before school started." She expression turned affectionate. "I think he wants to make sure I'm not too lonely since Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are gone."
"I see."
Though a hint of uneasiness curled through him, Shigure pushed it aside. The rabbit was always seeking out attention, it seemed. This was no different that how he acted before Yuki and Kyou had left. On the other hand...
"And Haru?" Shigure questioned casually.
"Ah, Hatsuharu-san...he...ano, there's just something that he said he needed to ask me."
Tohru was a terrible liar.
Although she wasn't lying exactly, it was clear she was trying to be evasive. His hand tightened its grip on the cool glass he held while suspicion ate at him as he took in her flustered features, the darting eyes that seemed to look everywhere but him, the way her fingers twisted the watch she wore around her wrist in a restless motion. An urgency within him demanded to be met and so, despite the tiny voice within him that told him to brush it off, he pressed.
"And what was it he needed to ask?" he inquired silkily.
"Eh?" She swallowed, staring out the floor. "Ano..."
"What, Tohru-kun?"
"A-Ano...i-it was-"
RING! RING! RING!
"I'll get it!" she exclaimed in obvious relief, disappearing from the kitchen before Shigure had time to say otherwise.
Scowling darkly, he trailed after her, stopping just before he rounded the corner into her line of vision. Keeping himself hidden from view, he felt no qualms this time about eavesdropping as she answered the phone.
"Ah, Hana-chan! How did you know I was just going to call you?"
His eyes narrowed at her cheerful words, feeling somehow that the denpa had done it deliberately by choosing that particular time to call, as if picking up on her friend's distress across whatever distance separated them and coming to the rescue in the form of a timely – or untimely depending on one's point of view – phone call.
But as it was just the denpa calling, Shigure thought as he wandered away towards his study, he had little use for listening in on the conversation. It was the other male Soumas that worried him.
Why did they seem to all be getting in his way?
Hatori's words came back to haunt him. As if his words had activated a dormant curse, Hatori's premonitions seemed to be coming true as the apparent demands of his cousins appeared to be encroaching upon his own plans.
All these interruptions, all these people both new and old that were constantly seeking her attention...they were all trying to monopolize her and interfering in his attempts to get closer to her by stealing her free time away from him. He had thought that, with Yuki and Kyou gone, she would have more time to spare. But things were not turning out that way. Instead, everyone left behind seemed to be trying to make up for the slack of the two teens' absence by demanding more of her for themselves.
Shigure didn't like it.
Something had to be done...but what?
As long as she was surrounded by the multitude of people who loved her, who wanted to be with her, her attentions were going to constantly drawn away from him. And even though Yuki and Kyou were far away in Kyushu, they'd still be monopolizing her attention periodically via phone. Everyone near and far was competing for her and because he was after the same thing, he was only going to be pulled further into the competition.
Unless...
A slow smile curled his lips as a plan began to form in his mind. He allowed himself a small chuckle that no one heard but him as he made a mental of list of those he needed to call.
Starting with Aya.
-
Tohru hummed while she worked, hands moving with skillful efficiency as she prepared dinner for two. But because these were the same motions she was so used to performing to the point that she didn't even need to concentrate fully on what she was doing, it left her mind free to wander. And that path her mind took...
It led to Shigure.
He'd been acting oddly.
His recent strange behavior concerned her, confused her. And...
It kind of hurt her too.
She wondered if she'd done something wrong, something to make him distrust her. Why else would he make use of the long extension cord on the hallway phone to drag it all the way into his study just to make calls? It was obvious he wanted privacy to make whatever call he was making but he could have just told her and she would have stayed away. She didn't think she'd done anything to make him distrust her so and think that she might actually eavesdrop on him.
Maybe it was something else, she fretted.
After all, when he'd dragged the phone into his study, he had tried to reassure her that it was nothing against her – he just hadn't wanted to disturb her because the conversation might get a little loud and he didn't want to trouble her with the noise. And he hadn't acted as if he were angry with her for anything, smiling at her in his usual fashion. But...
Shigure was kind enough to do that anyway just so she wouldn't feel bad.
She sighed, wondering if she was just blowing things out of proportion again.
If he had appeared a bit more physically ill, she wouldn't have hesitated in calling Hatori to come and do a check-up on his friend. But for all his strange behavior, he seemed perfectly healthy physically. So, she deduced it must be something mental or emotional that was affecting him and while she did want to help, even if she wasn't the cause for the changes she sensed in him, she was afraid of broaching the subject for fear of offending him.
Despite his seemingly open and carefree nature, Tohru had a feeling that he was an intensely private person. She didn't think he'd open up to her even if she asked and she didn't want to risk things becoming uncomfortable between them if she offered and he refused. And, besides, he was older than her, had so much more experience. Surely he would know better than anyone whether or not he needed help from a fresh out of high school teenager or someone else.
Wouldn't he?
She sighed again, resisting the urge to rub at the ache building at her temple.
"Ne, Tohru-kun?"
For some reason, the sudden sound of his voice from behind her didn't startle her as it normally would have. Perhaps, because she'd been thinking about him in the first place, it seemed natural to hear him addressing her out of the blue. Whatever the case, she responded by turning towards his voice only to find him gazing at her with that cheerful trademark smile of his.
Full of joy, excitement, and touched with a hint of mischief, his smile was as inviting as it was somewhat alarming while his eyes practically twinkled at her when he asked –
"How would Tohru-kun like to spend a love-love weekend with me on the coast?"
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: I apologize for the time it took to update and I hope you all found this chapter to be worth the wait.
And I'd love to promise that you won't have to wait long for another update to come...but I can't. My muse is a fickle thing and time just doesn't always agree with fic writing. But keep your fingers crossed and hope that it at least won't take another year for the next chapter to come out. I'd do the same except...crossed fingers make it harder to type! =D
This fic might have actually sat longer without an update if not for certain people – you know who you are! – constantly prodding me for an update. So, thanks to all for the wonderful and encouraging comments everyone's been kind enough to send my way.
Many hugs and kisses to all you readers and reviewers out there!
