Blue: Dang this chapter is long. Do you think that since our update is so lengthy that the readers will forgive us for the delay?

Ivey: Can't hurt.

Blue: True… by the whips they'll use if they don't forgive us will. Oh well no since in worrying. Review time. Kerichi- Thanks! I kind of liked the idea. And if you liked the three of them in the previous chapters this one will make you go "Awwww…" Red herrings are so much fun! It strange how many people seem to sympathize with my original characters. Weird… Black Winged Angel Sami- I'm still planning on writing that one… eventually. I had some trouble getting the boarding school thing started. I dunno if it will happen any time soon. We'll see… Bubblewheel- I thought about making Akira Akito's father but decided against it for several reasons. First off since in my fic Akira is Hatori's father that would make Akito his brother, which just seemed downright weird to me, and second Akira has been sort of a manipulative father figure to Asa and the idea of that made me sick. Neely- Thanks a bunch. Here's chapter four. Animefreaks13- I'm glad you like it! See you guys this weekend:so excited: Birdcrazy- Lookie I updated! Hae-jang Lee- :blushing: You are so good for my confidence level unlike someone else I know :looks pointedly at Ivey:

Ivey:glare: Bite me! Blue doesn't own Fruits Basket, but she'd going to own a kitten starting next week. :grins wickedly: I'm going to have so much fun with that little furball.

Blue: You'd better leave my little Sheska alone:has already picked out the kitten's name:

Ivey:evil laughter:

Blue: O.O :worried:

Melancholy Requiem

By Blue

Chapter Four- Never Forgive me, Never Forget me

In a moderate sized house in the woods a young girl of seventeen, wearing a yellow apron, hummed merrily as she stirred a thick, chocolate colored batter in a large mixing bowl. Today she was attempting to make a western dessert she'd had the opportunity to sample while out with her two best friends, brownies. While the recipe she'd gotten from a cookbook at the library was simple enough she was worried that she'd miss a step or bake them too long or on too high a temperature and all together ruin them. Her worries were, of course, unfounded since she was such a natural when it came to domestics, however she couldn't help it. They were for Sohma Akito after all. 'I hope Akito-san likes chocolate…'

Outside of room 312 of Blue Creek Apartments Asano Hiroaki sat with his arms propped on his knees, thumbing through his study guide halfheartedly as he waited for Asa. He'd been sitting there for the last half-hour and while patience wasn't one of his most developed virtues he was reluctant to leave without talking to his friend first. The sound of footsteps echoing from the stairwell reached his ears and he lowered his book. After a moment Asa, along with someone Hiroaki had never laid eyes on, appeared at the top of the stairs. The boy was startled at the countenance of his friend; Asa had always seem to radiate cheer and her smile was always turned on, however, she was currently looking a little confused and afraid, yet determined. Her fingers were constantly twisting the hem of her shirt as she trudged down the hall towards her apartment and her eyes were locked on the floor.

"Asa-chan." At the sound of her name the young girl started and looked up with wide eyes. Before her, still in his navy colored school uniform with the stiff, itchy collar was Hiroaki getting to his feet and running a hand through his usually tidy brown hair. The sight of him caused her resolve to waver slightly as the knot that had formed in her stomach seemed to tighten. "Where have you been? We had a study date. Who's this?"

"Aki-kun… I… um… I'm sorry I forgot." At her confession that she'd forgotten him once again his face fell. Glancing back nervously at her blonde haired escort she wrung her hands. "This is Sohma Takeshi. Takeshi-san this is my friend Asano Hiroaki." At the introduction Takeshi smiled at the boy and bowed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Asano-san," he addressed him and then turned to Asa. "Asa-san if you'd like to take a moment to speak with your friend I'd be happy to start gathering your things for you." Asa nodded minutely and unlocked the door for him. Once Takeshi was inside Hiroaki turned his confused gaze back on the girl before him.

"Asa-chan… why is he getting your stuff? What's going on?" Asa's gaze returned to the floor as she wrung her hands and struggled for words. Glancing down at her hands he took them with his own to still the nervous movement. "Asa… Please tell me." The tenderness Hiroaki was showing to her brought tears to her eyes and she let her forehead drop onto his shoulder.

"Akira-san is dying," she told him in a voice heavy with sorrow. "H-he asked me to… to…" The young girl bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly. 'How can I tell him?' she thought. 'He won't understand. He'll get upset and make a fuss.' Swallowing thickly she did something she'd never imagined she'd do; she lied to Hiroaki. "He wants me to… come live at the main house."

For a moment Hiroaki just stood there silently trying to think of something reassuring to say, but what? He'd never had anyone close to him die so he couldn't say he understood. Saying that it would be all right would just sound stupid. Failing to come up with anything he released her hands and tentatively wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Actions did speak louder than words, after all. The two figured illuminated by the dim overhead florescent lights remained locked in an awkward, yet tender embrace. For an instant time seemed to stop and both feared that even a breath might end the moment that was both peaceful and heart wrenching.

Thinking of all the things she would be giving up the tears that she'd held at bay spilled over. She wouldn't be spending anymore late nights studying with Hiroaki; quizzing each other while munching on strawberry pocky and listening to the latest hits on the radio. He would enter secondary school and she would be living her life as a Sohma and a mother. 'When he finds out he'll probably be angry with me. He won't want anything to do with me.'

"Don't forget me, ok?" she whispered shakily. Hiroaki gently placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back, letting his hands remain.

"Of course I won't forget you. Why would I?" he asked with a smile.

"I won't be going to high school with you this year. I'm sorry…" His smile slipped slightly, but he just stepped back and picked up his bag and his study guide.

"You don't have to apologize. Family is important and if Akira-san doesn't have much time left… well, if it were me, I'd want to spend what time I have with those I care about. And you can always enroll next year, right?" Asa averted her eyes and nodded shortly. "Well, I better get home. I'll see you around?"

"Yeah…" Hiroaki gave her a reassuring grin and with a wave headed toward the stairwell. Asa watched silently as he descended and it was only after the sound of his footsteps had long since vanished that she headed inside to pack.

Sohma Hatori was working quietly on his subtraction homework in the library when he heard hurried footsteps approaching in the hall. Glancing through the open fusuma he cause the sight of his cousin Shigure dashing passed with a look a glee on his face. A look he only donned when he was up to something. The young dragon set down his pencil and entered the hall only to hear a cry of "Gure-san, wait for me!" before Ayame crashed into him, sending them both to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Ayame's face lit up when he saw whom he'd inadvertently tackled.

"Tori-san! You won't believe what's happened! It's simply marvelous! Asa-san said yes and she's going to be here any minute and Gure-san says we have to welcome her and then I said we should give her a gift and now we're going to find something to give her! You can help too, because we can't think of anything!" As Ayame blathered on Hatori struggled to breathe. The wind had been knocked out of him when he'd hit the floor and having Ayame lying on top of him didn't help. The sound of socked feet padding on the wood floor preceded Shigure's return and he slid around the corner to behold the comical sight of Ayame practically crushing Hatori, whose eyes were bulging slightly.

"Aya, you're squishing Haa-san! Come on we have to find something, before she gets here! You too Haa-san!" And with that he dashed off again while Ayame got up and taking a rather overwhelmed Hatori by the hand, hurried after him.

Asa's first impression of her new room was an overwhelming feeling of being a pauper in a princess's chambers. While she and her mother were by no means poor her bedroom in her mother's apartment was nothing compared to this. It was so beautiful that she was afraid to touch anything for fear of spoiling something. Takeshi had told her it was hers to do with as she please, but when he had left she just stood there in front of the fusuma next to her bags and fidgeted. In the tokonoma alcove was a stunning, yet simplistic arrangement of flowers that she couldn't possibly hope to identify. Like everything else in the room they were perfect. Not a single one of the white petals was browned or wilted. Next to the vase of flowers was a kakejiku depicting a heron among the reeds that appeared to be, like everything else in the room, an antique. She couldn't see where she and Mackenzie (the porcelain doll her father had given her for her third birthday) would fit in.

With a sigh she grabbed the handle of her overstuffed duffel bag and dragged it over to the tansu. Twenty minutes later all of her clothes were put away and she sat in the middle of the room surrounded by her remaining possessions, wondering where to put them. The self on in the tokonoma would be a perfect for her radio and her cassette tapes, but it was probably inappropriate to say the least. 'Well he did say I could move things around in here…' She thought and moved the vase to the center of the low table and stacked her cassettes on the shelf along with the radio. Next she organized the dozen or so books she'd brought with her on the bookshelf and then set Mackenzie on the futon. With all of her unpacking done she sat at the table, placed her crossed arms on it and laid her head down.

Just as her befuddled mind was dozing off a sharp knocking at the door caused her to flinch and she lifted her head. The knock sounded again and she could hear childish whispers coming from the other side. Getting up she padded quickly over to the fusuma and carefully slid it open to see three young boys looking up at her. Instantly recognizing Hatori (and vaguely recalling the other two) she smiled weakly and bowed.

"Hello Hatori-san and uh…" Asa blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry but I forgot your names." Shigure and Ayame shared a look and then fiend hurt.

"Gure-san, we've been forgotten!"

"Indeed we have Aya. How sad! Maybe she forgot, because she doesn't like us!" Asa's face blanched at their exchange and was about to apologize once again when Hatori intervened.

"She's only met you once before its no surprise that she doesn't remember you. Stop acting like idiots," he said and then looked at Asa again and bowed. "Ignore them. Shigure and Ayame are just teasing you."

"Ok…" she said uncertainly and stepped back. "Would you like to come in?" Before she could blink Ayame and Shigure were inside and looking at her things. Hatori fought to not roll his eyes and walked in. Asa closed the fusuma and watched in puzzlement as Shigure perused her collection of books, Ayame picked up Mackenzie, and Hatori stood solemnly next to the window. "Um…" Asa began and stepped over to Ayame in an attempt to retrieve her treasured doll.

"It's so well made! What's her name, Asa-nee?" he asked as he carefully inspected the blue satin material of the doll's dress. The young girl blinked in surprise at the honorific and thought 'Big sister Asa?' After a moment she smiled fondly at the silver haired boy.

"Her name is Mackenzie. My dad gave her to me. Isn't she pretty?" she replied and trailed her hand through the doll's golden locks. Ayame just smiled and took Asa's hand in his smaller one.

"We have something for you!" he exclaimed and dragged her to the other side of the room.

"Oh yeah! I forgot!" Shigure exclaimed and replaced Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales on the shelf. Reaching inside the sleeve of his yukata he pulled out a yellow, origami pinwheel and held it out to her. "Welcome to the House of Sohma!" Asa wrapped her fingers carefully around the pinwheel and then softly blew, causing it to spin. She laughed lightly as she watched it turn and smiled at the three boys.

"Thank you!" Shigure and Ayame both beamed while Hatori merely nodded.

"It was my clever idea! Though Gure-san found the paper and Tori-san folded it cause ours kept turning out lopsided. So from now on we'll be friends and you'll be our Onee-san, ok?" Ayame declared. Asa just stared at him in surprise for a moment and then tears welled up in her eyes and she smiled.

"Ok."

Blue: Please review! I'll try to get another chapter out soon, but I'm going to an anime convention this weekend so I don't know if I'll have time since I need to write another chapter for my Trigun fic. I'm going as Edward Elric!

Ivey: O.o You're crossplaying?

Blue:blink: Yes, why? Does that make me weird?

Ivey: You were already weird.

Blue: Oh… right then…