Thanks everyone for your reviews! I really really appreciate them. I'm working hard to keep you all in suspense! XD
Arigatou Gosai-mas – Turdle San, Kachi-san, Kame-san, Catgirlversion3.0otakufan-san, Klove0511-san, AEM1-san, mangaluver749-san, animelover430-san, Crimson-sapphire-kun (luv ya), Sirius-sheelagh-san… thanks for reviewing! Keep it coming! XD
"You what, damn rat? I ain't goin nowhere, I ain't leaving these two alone! I ain't…"
"Snap out of it, Baka Neko!" Yuki hit Kyo hard across the face. Turning to face Shigure and Tohru, his face glowed pink.
"I-I-I would have… have thought better… of you, Sensei. When I came to live in your house I…"
"Relax Yuki-kun, please relax!" Shigure took a step over to the two boys. They reeled back instantly, Kyo's fangs gleaming.
"Okay… never mind, then." Shigure sat back down on the bed, bewildered.
"Sohma…kun? Kyo-kun?" Tohru looked at the boys unhappily, her face shining with tears.
"I-I-I'm… sorry!"
She jumped off the bed and ran out of the door, sobbing.
"NO!" Yuki started to run after her, but was stopped by Kyo.
"Yuki… leave her. She needs to think." He muttered, turning and walking out of the room.
…
Running down the path away from the Sohma house, Tohru's tears blinded her.
"I'm sorry, Sohma-kun, Kyo-kun! I don't know why Shigure kissed me, I don't know why I didn't reject his advances… I'm sorry!"
Tripping over a rock, she slid forwards into the mud, her hair mangled. Not bothering to move, she lay down and sobbed, caressing her bleeding hand.
"Oh, Tohru, Tohru, Tohru…" came a gentle voice from the bushes next to her. Sitting up, startled, she glanced at her surroundings.
"Y-y-yes?"
"Precious Tohru… saintly Tohru, as some would say. What are you doing, out here in the cold?" said the voice gently.
"Who are you? And where are you?"
"I…"
Tohru crossed her legs on the muddy ground, gazing at the bush the voice was coming from.
"…am god."
"I recognise that voice…" Tohru thought wildly. "Could it be…"
"My name is Akito Sohma. How wonderful to meet you… Tohru."
…
Sitting downstairs at the dining table, the mood was somber. Yuki sat, stabbing various pieces of vegetable in his takeout curry with his chopsticks. Kyo sat on the step outside, gazing out into the open fields. However, Shigure was nowhere to be seen.
"Baka Neko, have you seen Shigure?"
"Hell no." Kyo snapped, turning round. "I've avoided him since this afternoon. Why are you so bothered?"
"I am concerned for Tohru's welfare," Yuki said, putting his chopsticks down on the table.
"I don't think she responded to his advances."
"Are you kidding! You saw the way it was…"
"Correction," Yuki stood up and walked over to Kyo, who was hunched up in a ball, leaning against the wall. "I didn't actually see anything. I am taking your word."
"Well, good." Kyo stood up and stormed towards the kitchen.
"Honda-san…" Yuki stopped for a moment, and shut his eyes, trying to envision what happened with Shigure.
"You-you…you didn't kiss him, did you, Honda-san?"
He imagined her running through the forest, scared and alone, miserable and crying because he didn't give her a chance to explain…
"I'm coming, Honda-san!" He set off running from the house, when suddenly…
"Yuki? Where are you going, Yuki?"
Recognising the patronising voice, he turned around slowly.
"Hello… Yuki."
…
