Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, so stop asking!
She ran through the traffic infested streets, caring very little for her own safety. Tohru knew something was wrong when Yuki didn't come to escort her home from her place of employment.
Actually Tohru had sensed it from the moment she first saw him that morning. He tried camouflaging it in smiles, but he was listlessly drifting through classes as if he was on autopilot.
Seeking a method of cheering Yuki up was difficult. Her previous attempts conjured "I'm fine"s but nothing that lifted his melancholic mood.
She remembered how at the cultural festival, Yuki wore a dress provided by the seniors. He complied with their request to please them. Even now, he was trying to please everyone.
He told Tohru that she'd look cute if she wore it back then. And now, the pink and white dress was on her slender frame.
"Yuki!" she cried.
The Sohma was sitting in the yard when she approached him. Yuki looked up to see with shocked irises Tohru panting. Her struggle to obtain the dress was shown with tousled hair and a long red scratch on her hand.
"I--I know there's something wrong. You were upset throughout the day. I hope you'll smile, you'll confide--"
She dropped to her knees. "You don't have to tell me. I just want to make you happy. I didn't want Hana and Uo's efforts of getting this for me to be in vain, but... I can't force you to smile. I was selfish. I'm sorry. Too sorry. Very sorry."
His hand brought her face upward. The same hand dried her tears.
"You are so kind. I feel like I can tell you anything. At the same time, I don't want to worry you."
"I'm here to help. I'll listen if I can't help."
"It has to do with the past. You weren't involved in that part of my life. Sometimes, although it's getting less frequent, I dwell on it." He held his heart as agony twisted his features. "It still hurts."
"Yuki..."
"But," he smiled, "you, along with Miss. Hanajima and Miss. Uotani, went through so much on my account. The friends I've made remove the pain. Thank you for caring, Miss. Honda. You not only look cute in this dress. You look beautiful."
Tohru reddened. "Not as good as you did."
"Better," he assured her.
With joined hands, they journeyed into their home.
"Don't you have to return this?" Yuki asked.
It was a balmy day full of sunshine and clouds. The identically dressed people stood side by side holding hands.
She smiled. "Uo asked the seniors for extra time for me to borrow it."
He shuddered at Uo's version of persuasion before looking into the camera.
"Both looking cute in matching dresses; it is I, Sohma Ayame, who will capture these two on film!" Yuki's elder brother announced while holding a camera to his eye. "Thank me, little brother, for making a carbon copy of your dress for you to wear alongside your woman."
"It is not my dress," Yuki stated firmly.
"Say cheese!"
Tohru and Yuki partially faced the camera. "Cheese!" they said simultaneously.
As Ayame danced around, he fully faced Tohru.
"I hope you did this because you wanted to," she said.
"To see you smile, I'd do anything," he answered.
He was amazed at her sacrifice. Yuki had to pay her back, and he felt this was the way to.
"Thank you, Yuki."
"Thank you."
To think a dress would change his life was amazing.
Doing anything in your power, especially facing the wrath of the Yuki fangirls...That's love, yo.