Author's Note: I really don't have an excuse as to why this chapter is so late other than that I have been not working on the story. I've been working on a short Yu Yu Hakusho fic instead. Plus, I've had to babysit, do the dishes, and mop the floor a lot, lately, so I've been a little busy with all of my other duties. Sorry! This chapter doesn't seem up to my standards, so if it seems a bit off to you, I felt the same way (personally, I thought there was too much dialogue and not enough movement). And when I reread it for editing, it seemed to go awfully fast for 5 pages of writing. Oh well...
Chapter 11
How am I going to tell Tani what I did? Kyo contemplated, lying on his bed in his room a day after his trip was over. He still hadn't told Tani about his little 'meeting' with Tohru. But he couldn't think of a way to do it. Kyo didn't want Tani to be upset enough to leave him, but he thought that she had a right to know what had happened. Just tell her, and hope that she doesn't get mad, he resolved, standing up and walking to Tani's room.
He rapped on the door and waited patiently for Tani to open it. When she did (after he had to knock a few more times), she was wearing a set of headphones, her music still audible. "What up?" she asked him, pulling off the headset and turning it off.
Kyo was quiet for a moment, regretting that he hadn't planned out what he was going to say. Tani arched an eyebrow at him, wondering if he was going to say anything. Just do it, Kyo told himself.
"Tani, I have something to tell you," Kyo said solemnly. He led her into the living room. Tani bit her lower lip in confusion and apprehension as she followed behind him. They both sat down on the couch, and Kyo looked at their magazine collection sitting on the coffee table, seeming to find it more interesting than what he had to say.
"You were going to tell me something?" Tani reminded him, looking at her boyfriend in worry.
"Tani, I didn't mean for it to happe-" Kyo began suddenly, stopping to look at the door skeptically, which somebody had just knocked upon. "I'll get it." He stood up and walked over to the entrance to their house, Tani looking down to the ground, wondering what Kyo had been about to say.
"What are you doing here?" Kyo asked the visitor.
Tohru gave a small smile and looked down at her feet. "I came to apologize to you and Tani for what I did."
Kyo took a deep breath and let it out forcibly. He leaned closer to Tohru so that Tani wouldn't here him say it. "I haven't told her yet," he muttered, leaning against the door frame after he did so.
"You haven't?"
He shook his head. "I was just about to," Kyo replied, jerking his head to where Tani was sitting. She was now looking curiously at Kyo, wondering who was at the door. "Why don't you come in?" Tohru nodded and stepped inside the house.
"Who's this?" Tani asked in surprise.
"Tani, this is Tohru Honda," Kyo answered, gesturing towards the girl now standing in their living room.
"To what do we owe this visit?" Tani asked, taken aback that neither herself or Kyo was informed of her arrival.
Tohru seemed to shrink when Tani asked her the question. "...Well, I would say... but Kyo hasn't explained things... so I'll let him talk first." She then looked at Kyo, who sighed.
"This is what I was going to tell you," Kyo said.
"You knew she was coming over here?" Tani asked, somewhat confused as to what the both of them were conversing about.
"No, but I was going to explain something to you," Kyo responded. He walked over and sat down next to his girlfriend. "Something happened while I was visiting Tohru." Tani looked away, already developing an idea of what they were talking about. "As I said, I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did." He placed his forehead into his palm, his elbow lying on the armrest for support, and looked at Tani from behind his arm. Kyo then continued, his voice much quieter. "I kissed her, Tani."
Kyo looked away, afraid of her reaction. "I was afraid of that," she replied, her voice full of hurt.
"I'm sorry, Tani," Kyo apologized, his voice still quiet.
"That is why I'm here," Tohru said, still standing next to the closed door, both Kyo and Tani forgetting she'd been there. "I came to apologize, too. I felt horrible after it happened, Tani. So I left my daughter at the babysitter's for the weekend, and came here to request forgiveness."
"You're forgiven, Tohru," Tani replied. "I don't blame you for what happened. And you didn't really do anything wrong."
"Thank you," Tohru said, bowing her head in respect.
"It's Kyo that I'm upset with," Tani finished, looking over at the orange haired man.
"You have every right to be," Kyo responded guiltily. "I knew I had a girlfriend, and I should have stopped myself. But I didn't, and it happened... Again, I am so sorry." He dropped his head in shame, wishing more than anything that Tohru would leave so that he could talk to his girlfriend alone.
"I know you are," Tani sighed, wishing the same thing as Kyo.
Tohru, appearing to understand what both of them were thinking, stepped toward the door and gripped the handle. "I should get going... My plane leaves in an hour..."
Both Kyo and Tani nodded, happy for the alone time to talk about what had just happened, and Tohru left, giving a slight wave and shutting the door on her way out.
The living room was silent for a short while after Tohru left. Kyo walked over to the couch and sat next to Tani, each wondering who was going to talk first.
It was Tani. "Why did you do it, Kyo?" she asked him softly, wondering whether her suspicions about Kyo she'd had from the beginning were accurate.
Kyo shrugged. "I don't know... It just sort of happened..."
"I don't buy that for a minute," Tani said flatly. "Why did you do it?"
"I said I don't know," Kyo said sternly, not sure why he was being defensive. He actually knew the answer to Tani's question, but he really didn't want to give it. Kyo guessed that a part of him didn't want to hurt her.
"You know why you did it, and I want you to tell me," Tani said, somewhat angered by his attitude.
Kyo sat in his chair uncomfortably. "Why don't you believe me when I say that I don't know why I did it?"
"Because I know that you do," Tani replied. "Now, please quit changing the subject and answer the question."
"Why do you want the answer?"
"Because I want the truth from you," Tani said, scooting over towards him and placing her hand on his knee.
"Even if it hurts you?" Kyo asked, his voice hushed. She nodded. "Why?"
"Because it will help you." Kyo still remained silent. Fed up, she said impatiently, "Fine then. I'll answer for you."
"If you knew the answer, then why did you keep asking me?" Kyo asked irritably.
"I wanted you to say it," she responded. Tani was quiet for a moment before saying what she thought.
"Well... Aren't you going to tell me the answer to your question?"
"... You love her," Tani said after another moment of silence, looking him straight in the eye as she said so. Kyo took a sharp intake of breath.
"Why do you say that?" he asked, his body almost rigid
"Oh, come on, Kyo," Tani said stubbornly. "You know I'm right."
"If that were true, why would I still be with you?" Kyo asked, still unsure as to why he was pretending. "I mean, she divorced her husband for me. If I loved her, why wouldn't I have left you?"
She rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. "You practically said so yourself. You don't want to hurt me."
He was quiet for a moment, but eventually, Kyo sighed, defeated. "You're right." Tani smiled at her own knowledge.
"So why aren't you with her?" she asked, changing the mood in the room. Kyo gave her a questioning look, wondering what she was talking about. "Tohru! Why aren't you with her?"
Kyo gave out an astounded laugh. "Because I'm with my girlfriend, that's why," he said, still shocked by Tani's question.
"But you love her," Tani protested.
"Tani..."
"Kyo, we both know that I'm just a replacement," Tani explained, her tone becoming serious once again. "You only went out with me because you couldn't have Tohru. You and I both know that you are meant to be with her, not me."
"Yeah, but-"
"And, I've got news for you," she continued, not listening to Kyo's protests. "She is no longer taken, and you can have her."
"Thing is, I'm taken, now, Tani," Kyo said, his words finally being listened to. "By you."
"... Not anymore," Tani announced after a moment of thought. Kyo looked at her, startled by what she'd said.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Tani explained. She paused, what she was about to say being difficult for her, because she didn't really want to do it. But she knew it was for the best, so she had to say it. "I- I... don't want... to be your girlfriend anymore."
"You don't mean that," Kyo replied with a slight chuckle in his voice, thinking it had been a joke. He stopped laughing when Tani didn't laugh along with him. "You do..." She nodded.
"You need to go after the woman you love, and quit wasting time with her replacement," Tani said, matter-of-factly. Kyo sat on the couch quietly for a moment. He wasn't sure what just happened or how he should feel about it. He ran over the events in his head. I just got dumped... Yet I'm not unhappy... And she seems fine with it. He looked up at Tani, hoping for some way to stop his confusion. She only said, "If you don't go now, I'll never speak to you again."
That last sentence resolving any doubt he had, a grin spread across Kyo's face. He pulled Tani into a hug. "Thank you for understanding about everything."
She smiled too, hugging him back. "No problem," Tani replied, holding in tears of both sadness and joy. She pulled out of his embrace. "Now, I meant what I said about not talking to you again. You'd better hurry."
Kyo nodded. He gave her a peck on the cheek, stood up and left out the front door with a wave good bye to Tani, who waved back. Kyo headed for the first place he would go to if he was leaving an awkward situation: the bus stop. He guessed that if Tohru had actually gone there, she would have just missed the previous bus, and would currently be waiting for the next one to arrive.
As he rounded the corner, Kyo saw his target sitting on a bench. He also saw the bus coming around the corner on the other end of the street, the bus being closer to Tohru than he was...
End Note: Ooh! Cliffhanger (not a very well written one, as it is 4:15am)! Remember, only one more chapter to go until the end! -several of my reviewers cry out in anger at me while I sit here at my computer listening to their anguish, able to do nothing about it- But remember, there will be a sequel! A oneshot, maybe, but it's still a sequel...
And a special thanks to my reviewers!
Eternal Serena: I can't help it. Sometimes I just can't sleep, and so I stay up and clean (my room has been clean for the past month because of this). But I have caught up on my sleep, and I am now well-rested. Anyways, I like to leave it with just a bit of one. Enough to make the readers wonder.
ILOVEInuyasha07: Yup. Well... only one now, but that's because you just read the other one. Anyways, enough of my confusing talk, I hope it ends good, too. I don't want all of my reviewers to be unhappy with the ending.
Unchained3011: That's okay. Everyone has sleepy days (I just seem to have them more than others. Lol).
Aria's Star: That's funny. And I'll be sure to read your Kyoru! If it's as good as your other stories... well... then it will be really good!
Soccergirl86: I'm glad you like my story. It puts a relief in my heart to know that you like it.
Bette Bavette: I've read up to the 15th volume, and from what data I've collected, Tohru will end up with Kyo. Yuki has another person he ends up with, so you can put the axe down... please... I'm afraid of axes... Anyways, Yuki won't end up with either of those two. I have other plans for him. Yeah, I tend to make people feel bad for the people they don't want to in my fics (well, my editor, anyways, who is basically the only person who's read my other fics yet). You need to catch up! Well, if you're reading this, that means you have caught up... so I guess you don't have to then...
Half-Demon628: I hope the end of the story will come out good. If not, I'll have failed as a writer. Okay, I'm being overly dramatic.
K40Sohma: Yes, they do. Everything will work out for both of them in the end, though. Promise! Thank you for the wondrous compliment! And if you can't wait for my story to be updated, that must mean I'm as good as you say I am.
The Fullmetal Alchemist2: Thank you for telling me who you previously reviewed as. A lot of my other reviewers don't do that, and I think I have a new reviewer and that my old reviewer disappeared. Anyways, I'm glad you liked it. I wasn't sure if people would like that part or not, but I had to put it in, and so far I have gotten a positive response. I feel bad for Tani, too. And I have read up to the 15th volume, but I'm not sure if that's all that are out right now (Only 11 books are printed here where I live, and I read the others online, but I think the 16th one is out). Well, I'm glad you didn't lose your mind, and I hope you didn't lose it waiting for this chapter.
Escapade08: You guessed that? Hm... Anyways, he's doing the right thing, yes. And it makes this fic have the correct ending. And I really don't know what I'm going to call the sequel, yet. I might just make it a 13th chapter and call it an epilogue if I can't think of a title.
Lilaznanimeluver: I like dramatic music! I have another reviewer! Yay!
Demon's Amaya: I have no idea how you could have possibly made that completely correct guess! I was sarcastisizing if you couldn't tell (for all of you people reading this who aren't Mary: inside joke). PS: Told you I'd update at like 4:00 in the morning.
Alicia: That is what I do best. Make people gasp. But I really hope that the suspense doesn't kill anybody. That wouldn't be good. Because there is a possibility of lawsuits, and I'm afraid of lawyers. Hey, I just noticed something. During a lawsuit, you have to wear a suit! Hmm... Now I must contemplate if the people who created the English language did that on purpose, or if they did it just to make me think these things...
PTDM: That's what I did. That's what I had planned all along. It's like you can read my mind... Weird...
RayxJade: I know! Isn't it just so kawaii! And it's great that you have a computer again! Now you can read my story!
Karen: Sorry! If I didn't have them, then my story would be one big run on chapter after another. I wouldn't want that. And as I said in Alicia's response, I really hope the suspense doesn't kill anybody.
Evilinupunk: That's okay. Everyone has computer troubles. Sometimes my computer restarts while I'm writing a chapter, and I didn't save. Then I have to rewrite everything. It's horrible. Thanks for the compliment!
Furubaluver: Yup. You guessed right. He ends up with Tohru. And Tani will be happy in the end (she ends up with someone else, but I won't say who).
Celeste Noir: Thank you for taking the time to read my story! I don't usually like to read long stories either (unless I start to read it when there are only a few chapters). I hope I have time to read your story. If I do, I'll be sure to read it.
Khknight: Yeah. Neither of them were planning on doing it, it just sort of happened. They both felt horrible about it afterwards, though (But Kyo's conscience wasn't feeling too upset, I might add).
Deathwaitsfornoone: Yes, you need to chill out. I'm sorry. I didn't know when you'd be back because you didn't tell me. With Mary, I knew when she'd be back, and I knew that she would be gone when I updated. So for all I knew, you were home and hadn't read the chapter yet, because I know how forgetful you are when it comes to checking things. Plus, all I said with Mary's was that I knew she would have reviewed if she'd have been home. It wasn't that much. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. I don't want you to think that I like Mary more than I like you. Because that's not true. You're both my best friends. Please get over this jealousy thing that you have, because it makes me feel horrible when I spend time with Mary and you're not there. And then I feel like I have confessed to a crime when I tell you about something Mary and I did together while you were camping (or doing something in which I couldn't reach you). Again, I'm sorry for making you feel bad, but really, you have no reason to feel that way. I hope I have cleared this up (And if it makes you feel any better, this response is longest. lol).
Kathy: I have found myself doing that a few times, staying up really late and reading an entire story. Thanks for reviewing my story!
Audley: Same here! All I do is sit at my computer. But I do also jump on my trampoline, go swimming, rock climb, go for walks... wait, what was my point again? I guess I don't sit on my computer all of the time, but a good majority of it. Anyways, I also find myself going insane sometimes. Especially when I don't get much sleep, like last night for instance. And I don't think I'd be willing to flash my panties, but I would dance (even if I would look like a moron when I did so)!
Wow, so many reviews for Chapter 10. Around 20. And I thought that people wouldn't like that chapter...