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Here's the next chapter…hope you enjoy it ;-)
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Chapter 9 It wasn't Home
Hatori, Ayame, and Shigure tried o engage Yuki to talk in the car. They started with questioning Kureno and Ritsu.
"So you guys have been working for Yuki for a whole week, yet we've never even about it?" Ayame asked accusingly. In truth he was ecstatic to see his younger brother, Yuki had left for too long.
"Um…you see-" Kureno started, but was cut off by Ritsu, who yelled, "I'M SORRY! I'm so sorry that I didn't tell-" but he was cut off too, by Shigure taking out his fist.
"It's for liability reasons. There are many presidents of this company. I didn't see the need for them to have one that was superior to all." Yuki replied.
"But you did start the company." Kureno said, earning him a glare from Yuki.
Yuki hadn't wanted this knowledge to be public.
"You started Sohma Corporations?" Shigure asked.
Yuki shrugged and looked out the window. Ayame looked at his brother bewildered. His brother certainly was an enigma, an enigma of so many levels. He asked, "How is that possible? You were in school."
"I skipped a grade in college, so I graduated early. I told you that I was traveling, which I did, while earning my masters. I met a lot of people during my travels, and they seem to be interested to sponsor Sohma Corporations, so the company had enough to start off, and it built up." Yuki explained still looking out the window, avoiding the amazed gaze of Ayame and Shigure. Hatori was impressed too; Yuki had gone a long way from the sickly little boy who trembled at the name Akito. But what was the price? Hatori thought. Yuki seem to be even more distant and cold than his visit last year. Has all these negotiations and high society turned Yuki into a cold and unfeeling man?
Yuki was proud of his work, how far he had come since first leaving the Sohma family, but his life has always been missing that piece of sunshine that could only be fill by her.
"We're here." Hatori announced. Kureno looked out the window and saw a simple yet elegant restaurant. So like her, Yuki thought once his gaze fell on the restaurant. They went in, got their private pre-reserved room, and ordered tea. The members of the zodiac started to turn up a moment later.
There was certainly a moment of absolute silence, where the sounds of the people outside the room were defining even though the room was sound proof. Haru and Rin were the first to enter the room.
"Whoa Haru, you actually managed to find the right room." Rin said looking at her older cousins, then her gaze fell on Yuki and she gasped.
Haru turned to where her girlfriend was looking and his eyes slightly widened, "Whoa! A guy that looks just like Yuki! A mystery…"
"It is Yuki." Shigure answered trying not to laugh at the cow and horse's reactions, it was truly a sight.
Momiji ran in next, and upon seeing Yuki, screeched into a halt and shouted, "Yuki!"
"Hi, Momiji." Yuki replied.
"You're back! Oh! I've got to go and get Tohru!" Momiji yelled running out of the room again. Even in the two and a half years, he was still the hyper bunny that he once was. Although, he was considered much more of a bachelor now.
"Shut up, you hyper rabbit. What are you yelling about?" Kyo's voice traveled through the door. A second later, he walked in, followed by Kagura, and spotted Yuki. He opened his mouth and gaped, his arch-nemesis, sitting there, sipping tea, and focusing his attention on the table.
Truth was, Yuki was trying to calm his inner turmoil at the mention of Tohru. What am I suppose to say? No matter how many negotiations that Yuki has done in the past for the sake of his new company, he felt like he would never be prepared enough to talk with the brown haired girl, whom walked in at that second, with Kisa, Hiro, and Momiji.
They were complete, the thirteen cursed members and the girl who brought laughter into their frozen hearts. There was a minute of silence in which the room was filled with numerous expressions, mostly surprise. Kureno and Ritsu were the least affected, since they had already been working with Yuki for a week, Kureno was slightly grinning at the expressions of his fellow family members and friend, while Ritsu was looking around frantically trying to contain his apologies, he didn't feel right to burst the bubble of silence that had fallen upon the room since Tohru walked in.
Haru was gazing in awe at one of his best friends; he was slightly out of his usual monotone expression and had a look of surprise on his face, which lasted for a few moments before the look switched to happiness in seeing his cousin again. Rin was looking at her cousin with scrutinizing eyes; she didn't really know what to do about the situation.
Kyo looked at Yuki, first his face showed absolute surprise, then he seem to study Yuki for a moment, then his face was in anger, much like how he used to look before starting a fight with the rat. His girlfriend, Kagura, who laid a hand on his arm, calmed him. Kagura had a look of surprise in her eyes; her eyes began to gleam like they usually did before she began to beat someone up out of happiness, a beating that has been experienced by Kyo numerous times. This case, however, was because of the happiness of seeing her younger cousin again.
Hiro had a smirk on his sarcastic face and a look of surprise? The look stayed only for a second and his face was immediately masked with the non-caring expression again. Kisa, on the other hand, had a look of complete shock and happiness. She stood looking unbelieving her older cousin sitting there. Momiji was happily bouncing around and smiling, his eyes also showed immense bewilderment. His attention, however, bounced back and forth between Tohru and Yuki.
Tohru was the one that had the most expressions on her face. She showed, surprise, happiness, a little sadness, and more surprise. Tears had gathered in her eyes as the minute prolonged and she looked directly at Yuki. Yuki, feeling the stares on him, gave up his attention on the table and looked up, to gaze directly into Tohru's eyes. He saw her tears and anger, sadness and happiness battle in his heart. He was angry at himself for allowing Tohru to shed tears, he was sad that he wasn't able to go up and hug her because that would create and uproar among his family, and he was so happy to be able to see Tohru again. Tohru bit her lower lip as Yuki she held eye contact with Yuki. She smiled a little; Yuki was back!
Ayame and Shigure were trying their best to conceal their laughing (which was an useless attempt) at the reactions of their family and Tohru. Shigure held a wide grin on his face as he surveyed the room, while Ayame smiled (so widely that it's a wonder why his cheeks don't hurt) at the exchange of looks between his younger brother and the darling princess.
Hatori looked at Ayame and Shigure's shaking figure from their attempt to hide their laughter and broke the silence, "You two shouldn't be laughing, I believe you had even more amusing looks when you first saw Yuki."
The bubble of silence was broken, and the members of the zodiac and Tohru began to regain the use of their voice cords. Kyo looked at Yuki and said, "What the damn rat doing back?"
Yuki was unaffected and simply said, "Still a stupid cat, I see."
"You want to fight? Because I'll definitely beat you this time!" Kyo yelled. The tension in the room increased.
Tohru looked uneasily between the hot-tempered Kyo and the coolly unaffected Yuki. Kisa wasn't exactly a big fan of fights; she hated them. Momiji was excited and walked between Kyo and Yuki, shouting, "Loser pays for the food!"
Yuki smirked and said, "Have your skills improved stupid cat? I wouldn't want to waste my time."
"I'm going to show you the meaning of skill, you damn rat! And this time, you won't be able to run away." Kyo yelled.
Yuki's eyes grew colder. Kagura sighed and looked to Hatori for help. But it was Ayame who intervened, "Now, now, calm down you two. This is Tohru's party, you wouldn't want to ruin it." Ayame said smiling at the change of expression on his brother's face.
Yuki, who while talking to Kyo help an expression that was below zero, softened his eyes and gazed back to Tohru, who was looking worriedly, and smiled saying, "I'm sorry, To- Honda-san." He finished lamely.
Tohru was sad, but she didn't let it show on her face, Yuki was calling her 'Honda-san' again. They were back to formalities; their once strong bond seems to diminish into thin air. She smiled and said, "It's alright, Sohma-kun."
Yuki slightly raised his eyebrows at Tohru calling him formally again. He sighed and looked away.
Everyone felt uncomfortable in this tension filled room. Haru spoke up in his monotone voice, "Where did Yuki come from? He doesn't look like he got lost. And you three aren't skilled enough to pull a person out of a hat."
Ayame and Shigure stared at Haru for a moment and burst out laughing, Kureno was grinning widely now. "Not everyone is like you, you know." Hiro retorted.
Haru glared at the sheep and the sheep glared back. Kisa looked uneasily between the two and looked to Tohru for support. Hatori spoke up, "I think we should all sit down."
The members of the zodiac and Tohru sat around the table. Because of seating arrangements, there were a whole of argument of whom sitting next to whom. Kyo absolutely refused to sit next to Haru, who didn't care and wanted to sit next to Yuki, but that was impossible since Yuki was sitting next to his older brother (much to his dismay) and Kureno. Kisa and Momiji wanted to sit next to Tohru; Hiro wanted to sit next to Kisa and was glad when he was put between Kisa and Rin. Rin (who had become a very good friend of Tohru's) and Kagura sat down next to their boyfriends whom happily obliged.
So the seating arrangement goes as follows: Yuki, Kureno, Ritsu (who's apologizing to Kureno and Kyo for sitting between them and being a bother, to which, Kyo replied with a thud on Ritsu's head.), Kyo, Kagura, Momiji, Tohru, Kisa, Hiro, Rin, Haru, Shigure, Hatori (who only sat between the snake and the dog after Yuki threatened to leave again), and Ayame. The seating arrangements resulted in Tohru and Yuki sitting directly across each other, so every time they looked up, they were staring at each other, causing Tohru and Yuki to look away immediately.
They ordered, and the food arrived. They ate and talked, and laughed. Hatori explained how they 'found' Yuki, much to everyone's amazement, Tohru's eyes grew starry with admiration as she heard about Yuki starting his own company, Yuki blushed and put on his expressionless mask a moment later.
They talk some more, mostly to catch up on what had been going to since Yuki left. The couples were mentioned, Kyo blushed bright red and Kagura locked him in a breathless hug. Haru and Rin were unaffected. Kisa blushed bright red and Hiro started to change to topic. Hatori frowned as Shigure and Ayame yelled out his attachment to Mayuko, but there was happiness in his eyes. Kureno blushed slightly at the mention of Uo, who was visiting her relative and couldn't make it to the party. Ritsu began frantically yelling at the mention of him and Mit-chan, saying how he wasn't worthy of her. Of course, Akito and Hana were mentioned again, to which the zodiac commented that it was a perfect match, Tohru was grinning happily at the prospect that her friend has found love.
Yuki smiled at each announcement, but Tohru could see a hint of sadness behind his eyes. Yuki did feel sad, but he didn't want to. He wanted to feel happy for his family, he wanted to smile brightly at the thought they've been able to open their hearts to someone, but it only made Yuki think of his own heart, his own heartbreak, stop being so selfish! Yuki scolded himself. However, his smiled faltered when it came to Tohru's turn.
"And of course, my precious flower has found some one!" Shigure cried fake sobbing.
Yuki's attention was immediately caught; he looked at Tohru who was blushing madly and adverting Yuki's gaze.
"It's true!" Shigure wailed, and then turned normal, "I think you know him, Yuki. Kakeru Manabe. Wasn't he on the student council with- OW!" Shigure immediately cried out because of the pain in his foot, curtsey of Hatori and Haru. They both saw the look of hurt and sadness on Yuki's face, which lasted no longer than a few moments.
He's concealing his feelings again, Hatori thought sadly.
Yuki calmed himself and repressed the surge of jealousy that he felt, he replied calmly, "Yes, we were on the student council together in High School." Yuki looked at his teacup and drowned the tea. He didn't trust himself to speak. This was it; he lost her.
Ayame looked sadly at his brother, even Kyo didn't say anything rude. Tohru looked at Yuki and was unsure why he looked so sad.
Yuki took in a deep breath as if to calm himself, he smiled, and said, "So, what else has been going on?"
They went back to reminiscing on old times. They talked about everything, Kyo continued in his challenge comments towards Yuki, which Yuki always replied coolly to. They talked, and talked, the topic eventually traveled to Yuki. Yuki talked about his travels, the places and sights that have fascinated his mind. When Ayame asked whether or not Yuki had a girlfriend, Yuki glared at his brother and replied no. Tohru smiled at Yuki's stories, but it was a sad smile, Yuki had such a great time, he would never even consider her now.
"Why did you leave?" Haru asked, cutting his dessert.
Yuki didn't really want to spoil the good mood, he didn't want to fill it with tension again, "Another time, maybe."
Hatori, Ayame, and Shigure knew that Yuki wasn't going to give any more answer than that. Kyo asked, "Why did you come back?"
"Because it wasn't home." Yuki replied.
Everyone around the table smiled and Shigure raised his glass, which stood by the teacup, and said, "To home."
"To home!" Chorused everyone around the table as they clinked their glassed as the middle of the table and drained the contents. Yuki smiled, he was home!
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Done! What do you think?
I made a lot of the characters OC because I really didn't know enough about them to know their personality, so I'm very sorry if any of them are extremely not in character. As for the pairings, I'm really sorry if you don't like them, but I thought they were pretty good. As for Tohru and Yuki, they began to open up again to each other in the next chapter. So stay tuned!
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! Please tell me what you think! I love hearing comments!