Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. If I did, the latest chapters of Fruits Basket would have gone differently.

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Drabble #4: The Birthday

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She hadn't noticed him before sitting all alone in his little corner all the time while in the classroom until the day that he helped her to get home. He was always pretty distant and quiet.

But today, he seemed more distant than usual.

So, being the kind, helpful child she was, she decided to ask what was wrong.

"Yuki-kun?"

Yuki didn't even look at her.

"Yuki-kun."

Tohru tried again. Still he did not look her way.

"Yuki-kun, please." She pleaded.

Yuki raised his head up to her, and she was shocked to see tears threatening to spill from his sad, hurt eyes.

"Yuki-kun, what's wrong? Please tell me, Yuki-kun!" Tohru began to get very worried about him.

Yuki finally started to cry, his little body shaking while his face was buried in his hands.

"M-m-my...birthday, no one...remembered..." He said very softly, choking a sob.

It was true in a way, Akito and the rest of the Sohma family would throw a party, but only because they had to, not because they wanted to. No one else even cared.

"Yuki-kun..." Tohru eyes softened deeply as tears began to form at the edge of her eyes, and she patted his back gently.

No one remembered his birthday? How sad! Thought Tohru.

Then she had an idea to cheer him up.

"Hey Yuki-kun, could you come over to my house this afternoon?"

Yuki's moist eyes glanced at her questioningly.

"It's really important, so could you please come?"

Seeing the serious look on her face, which was very rare to see, Yuki slowly nodded.

Tohru smiled. "Good! Be sure to come over!"

She bowed slightly and went back to the other children, leaving Yuki to sit and ponder curiously.

Later that day, Yuki walked over to Tohru's house. Opening the gate, he went over to the front door and knocked.

No one came to the door, so he knocked again.

Still no one answered the door, and Yuki began to get sad. Perhaps Tohru tricked him?

He then noticed that the door was unlocked. Curiously, he turned the doorknob and hesitantly stepped in.

"Surprise!"

"Surprise, Yuki-kun!"

Tohru and her mother popped out from their hiding places and smiled brightly.

The room was decorated with powder blue and light purple balloons and streamers, and a big sign that read 'Happy Birthday, Yuki!' hung from the ceiling.

Tohru had apparently ran home right after school and told her mother her plan, which her mother had completely went along with.

Yuki couldn't have been any more touched.

And once Tohru ran to the other room and came back with a small neatly wrapped present in her hands, and her mother came back with a lovely white cake decorated with strawberries, he felt that he couldn't have had a better birthday.

Because birthdays were a lot better when they were done out of free will than when they were done out of obligation.

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Stay tuned for Drabble #5!

I have been having lots of fun while writing this. True, I have other stories I have to update, but for the moment I would like to just relax and write childish drabbles. I like yukiru very much, so I am enjoying myself.

Any comments or constructive criticism would be appreciated. Please review if you can.

Thank you for reading!

-Mochi Dragon