A/N: So, are you ready…..? I hope so! This is going to be a big chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits-Basket or any of its characters.
Chapter 4: Surprises
I walked into the kitchen and reached for the other cordless phone.
I picked it up . . . and held the receiver to my ear.
"How could you do this?" Shigure demanded. I held my breath. "How could you do something so senseless? Especially with Tohru? You do realize─"
"YES I KNOW OKAY! You don't need to remind me of every little thing that's going to happen. Tohru wanted this too. So stop making me out to be the bad guy! YOU ALWAYS DO THIS!"
"But to run off to America? And, of all things, elope? Senseless, senseless, senseless . . . but then again, maybe I should have been expecting this. Maybe I should have realized that, underneath that rough exterior, there was an idiot inside all along."
"JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN OKAY! Tohru and I, we're probably not coming back─"
Just then my heart stopped. I let out a small scream and dropped the phone.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
"Kyo…I'm here. Oh no," Shigure said into the phone, and he leaned out of his study. "Kagura . . . Kagura!"
I left the phone on the floor and went running.
"Kagura! Kagura, WAIT!"
I continued running. There was no one that could help me now. I flew into the woods and let the tears pour down my face. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't go back. I just couldn't. How could face Shigure? What would I tell him?
As I ran deeper and deeper into the woods, the sun set and darkness developed. I realized that I was lost, but there was no where that I could go.
"Let's go play in the woods!" said the cat.
"No, I can't. It's scary," said the boar.
"Don't worry, Kagura. I'll be with you so we'll never get lost. I know where I'm going."
"Do you mean that, Kyou-kun?"
"Of course I do. I'll make sure that nothing happens when we go in the woods. That's what people do. We look out for each other."
The little girl reluctantly took the orange-haired boy's hand and followed him into the forest.
It was all coming back . . . all the memories, all the anxiety. For the first time in my life, I was lost. I wanted to run back to Shigure's. I wanted to tell him the pain I was in and have someone be there for me. Since I had no idea which direction to turn back, though, I stopped running and stayed where I was. I collapsed next to an old tree (A/N: she HAS been running for a really long time) and my eyes began to feel heavy. The last thing I remember was a shadow looming over me and cold, distant thunder.
The Next Day
I woke up to the wafting smell of coffee and the feeling of warm, fuzzy blankets. My eyes jumped open and I looked around. This wasn't where I was last night! Are my eyes deceiving me! I sat up and looked around . . . yes, I was definitely back at Shigure's house, but HOW?
"Morning," Shigure said, bringing me a cup of coffee. "And how are we feeling on this bright, sunny day?"
"How did you find me? What about the storm? And more importantly, why did you care?"
"First off, I found you by asking other dogs for help. The storm passed as we found you, and trust me, you were soaked. I'm surprised you don't have a cold. And finally, I cared because we've known each other for a long time. I wasn't expecting you to listen in on my phone conversation with Kyo, although now that I think about it, I should have been more prepared. I know you love him, but sadly, I don't think Kyo will ever come back. Not unless he actually wants to be beaten to death by Akito."
"No, I would never wish that on him," I said, and then I started to cry. Shigure moved over and gave me a hug, and we remained that way for a long time. I parted and stared into his eyes. There was still a secret inside those beautiful eyes that I couldn't grasp, mainly because he wouldn't let me inside.
"Shigure, what's burning?"
"Oops . . . I forgot, I was trying to make breakfast!"
"How do you forget something that important?"
"With me, anything is possible," Shigure said. I stared into his eyes one more time.
"You're hiding something."
"No, I'm not."
"Well, I think you are. Tell me. Tell me, Gure-san."
By this time the smoke detectors had gone off, and the kitchen was full of smoke. Shigure left me and grabbed the fire extinguisher. "If I was a fire extinguisher, how would I work?" he asked himself aloud.
Okay, he's really hiding something. I gave up and went back to Tohru's room, where I had left my guitar. I ascended the ladder and began to play again. (A/N: This song is called "The Good Kind" by The Wreckers; it's off the One Tree Hill soundtrack…really good cd!)
"Do you wanna run away together?"
I would say it was your best line, ever.
Too bad I fell for it . . .
And I walked alone
Waiting for you to come along
Take my tortured heart by the hand, and write me off . . .
Do you know I cry?
Do you know I die?
Do you know I cry?
And it's not the good kind . . .
Shigure walked outside to get the mail. Luckily, he didn't hear me or see me sitting on the roof, for I had started crying again.
You forced me to become strong
And I just cried, being weak.
And you think you know,
And I would like to think so,
But do you know that when you go
I fall apart?
Do you know I cry?
Do you know I die?
Do you know I cry?
And it's not the good kind . . .
I went inside to go the bathroom and placed my guitar inside Tohru's room again. The song continued to play inside my head though. I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
I'm tired of hiding behind these lying eyes
I'm tired of this smile that I don't even recognize
I wiped away my tears and continued to smile, even though my heart told me to do otherwise.
Do you know I cry?
Do you know I die?
Do you know I cry?
And it's not the good kind . . .
No you're not the good kind . . .
I walked out of the bathroom and stared at Shigure, writing away in his study. I pondered over what had happened this morning, at the secret he was hiding.
Do you know I cry?
Oh, it's not the good kind . . .
The door opened, and I jumped. At the same moment, Shigure looked up and saw me standing outside his study. He smiled and said "Do you know who that was?"
"No," I answered. "But whoever it is…sure likes to make noise." Noises continued throughout the house until the person returned downstairs. Shigure's face lost some of its color. Oh no . . . the student council trip . . . Yuki.
Yuki walked into the room with a look of confusion and anger stamped on his face, and I dreaded the question he was about to ask.
"Where is my girlfriend? Where is Tohru?"
A/N: Bet you weren't expecting that, were you? It's sort of a cliffhanger again . . . sorry! But it IS longer. I will update as soon as I know what will happen next (so probably within a day or too). Please review!