Disclaimer Natsuki Takaya, unfortunately.
A Lone Gift
"Are you sure you still don't want to come over Hana-chan's house to celebrate?" Uotani asked as Hanajima placed her hand on Tohru's shoulder.
"Oh, no! I don't want to cause you any trouble just because it's my seventeenth birthday!" Tohru stuttered, smiling wearily.
"Alright, but whenever you need us, just come over, okay?" Hanajima informed warmly. Tohru nodded her head and bade her friends farewell as they began walking back over to Hana-chan's house.
Tohru stared downcast and began heading towards the graveyard not too far rom where she was. I think Kyo-kun and Yuki-kun are worried over by now but I'm sure they think I'm at work right now. I just hope they don't find about my birthday; I feel so guilty when people give me gifts when I don't deserve it.
As she arrived to her destination, she walked past many graves while Tohru warmed herself up with her hands as rubbed it up and down on her arms. She shivered a little from the coldness but she could bear with it. Her eyes were close to being really moist; something definitely she didn't want to happen.
She smiled slightly as she found her mother's grave, lying by itself. She placed the flowers that she got before heading over here and cleaned out the vines next to it.
Memories slowly flashed in her mind about when her mother always celebrated her birthday with her. When she came home from school, she always found a lone present on her porch with beautiful ribbons tied to it. It always seemed like vibrant colors were floating around it as she smiled brightly.
Small tears flowed down her cheek while silent sniffs filled her ears. Mom . . .
This was something she didn't usually do, always crying; She would only find herself crying when she was alone and her mother was always there.
Tohru moved her fingers along the engraved words on the stone. Kyoko Honda. She gritted angrily but tried to keep her composure.
"I can't be doing this; I promised my friends to be really happy today," she whispered to herself.
She got to her feet and started walking back to the Sohma house, full with regrets. She led herself into the woods and by the time she made it to the front of the house, she couldn't believe her eyes.
There, lain on the porch, was a small gift wrapped in shining ribbons, curled nicely in place. When she opened it, inside, it said:
You're sweeter than sixteen.