Chapter 1: THE CAT

"Kyou-kun… Kyou-kun…"

He opened his eyes. Not really sure of what's happening. He was hearing her trembling voice. He's vision was blurred… but he knew it was her – the one he cared for most, the one he actually can't win from Yuki – Tohru.

"Tohru-kun… w-what am I doin' here?" Kyou asked as he tried to sit up realizing that he had dextrose on his hand. He suddenly fell out of balance and good thing Tohru's caring hand was there.

"Kyou-kun, don't force yourself!" she said with her teary eyes, pushing him back to his bed.

He rubbed his forehead feeling dizzy after attempting to get up. He felt some bandages around it and started to wonder… What happened?

"Kyou-kun…" she started with a husky voice which made Kyou face her, bowing her head to hide her teary eyes.

"You didn't have to do that…"

"Do what?" he wondered.

"Look at you… it's all my fault… Gomenasai… Kyou-kun..." she held her hands closed on her chest. Though she hid her eyes, Kyou still saw her tears, which made a part of his heart ache.

As he looked at her, he then remembered what had happened.

FLASHBACK

Earlier, Kyou was going to his job, and then suddenly someone called him.

"Kyoooouuu-kun!" he instantly looked at her waving as she smiled at him from the other side of the street.

"Tohru…" he whispered.

She crossed the street with her mind flying again in nowhere. Then a car rushed towards her and was beeping and beeping and beeping.

She got scared, making her feet as heavy as stones; it was like a slow-mo scene. Without thinking, Kyou ran and pushed her aside, and the one who has been hit was Kyou. full of exaggerations….(--)?

PRESENT

"Gomenasai Kyou-kun… Gomen." She repeated continuously. She can't help but cry… but what can her cries do?

Nothing. It already happened.

Kyou stared at her, feeling some pain inside, he knew it wasn't from the wounds he got from the accident, but from where? Wasn't he an adamant person? Where? Or maybe… why?

He turned his gaze at the window having a full view of the sky.

"Stop crying, Tohru." He said, still not facing her. "It's not your fault. Don't feel guilty 'bout it-"

He met her eyes.

"And besides, it was my decision to save you."

There was a long pause between the two. The curtains on the window danced gently with the soft breeze as his deep brown eyes looked intently at her. Suddenly, the door burst open.

"Kyou! I knew you'll make it!" Momiji exclaimed as he ran towards Kyou. "I knew you'll live!" Momiji said happily as he shook Kyou hardly, making his' eyes whorl.

"Momiji-chan… Shaking him like that won't do any good…" Tohru said trying to hold Momiji with her hands.

"Even though a train hits him, he'll still live." Haru said as he closed the door. He still looks hot in his school uniform.

"Oh, Haru-kun…" she greeted.

"Ogenki desu ka, Tohru? Looks like your having trouble here." (How are you, Tohru?)

"Shut up! You cow!" exclaimed Kyou.

"Ogenki desu. (I'm fine.) Ano… I'll be the one to take care of Kyou today." She smiled.

"Hmph. I didn't know Kyou's such a little boy that he needs someone to take care of him." Haru teased, making Kyou loose his temper.

"I DON'T NEED ANYONE TO TAKE CARE OF ME!"

"Kyou… yo – " he snapped Tohru's hand as she attempted to push him back to his bed again.

Kyou didn't mean it. He knew he didn't mean it. But why? Why did he did that? Why? Because of stupid PRIDE.

Tohru stood still, her eyes wide opened in shock. Kyou laid himself on the bed his back facing Tohru. No one spoke but when Haru's fist reached Kyou's injured head, it started a commotion.

"Damn you! You baka!" Kyou said as he faced Haru.

Haru was about to throw him another hit when Tohru hugged him and Poof!

"What the –?"

Momiji laughed so hard that almost made him cry. Tohru stood there, unmoving as Haru watched her, and Kyou, with a wandering expression.

"You look so cute Haru!" Momiji laughed.

Poof!

Tohru turned her back immediately, as Haru used that chance to dress up.

"What was that for?" Haru asked as he turned Tohru to face him. Momiji stopped laughing. He knew he would die if he'll continue to laugh.

"Gomen… Haru-kun…" she said as Haru held harder on her elbow.

"So to save little Kyou from me, huh?"

"Stop…" Kyou whispered which caught the attention of the people inside.

"Get out." He commanded.

"Kyou –"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Haru just smirked and pulled Momiji's collar to leave.

"Kyou-kun…" Tohru uttered.

"Get out."

Now, Kyou's alone. Alone – alone again in his own world. He was used to this. Being alone – since he was born, he knew he was alone.

Tohru went after Haru and Momiji. They were now walking back to Shigure's house.

"Tohru-kun, why did you do that?" Momiji whispered as he made a distance between them and the cow.

"Haru would definitely hit him harder the second time, so I thought if he'll be in his' zodiac form, he couldn't possibly do that." She whispered back.

"Oh I see…" Momiji smiled.

"What are two whispering about?" Haru interrupted which totally frightened the two.

"A – a – about the – a – my school project… Yah, my school project!" Momiji said, trying to convince the horrible cow.

The next day, after classes, Tohru immediately went to the hospital to see how Kyou's doing. She slowly opened the door, so that she wouldn't disturb him if he's asleep. Good thing he was not. As she opened the door, she saw him sitting on his bed and looking at nowhere again.

"Hajimemashite. Kyou-kun?" (How do you do, Kyou?)

"Fine."

"Look, I bought soba with tempura toppings! I thought you'd like it." She smiled as she prepared the food on the side table.

"The nurse said you were doing pretty well now."

"Of course." He smirked. "I'm not planning to stay any longer in this hospital."

"She said you weren't normal, either."

"WHAT! WHO'S THAT NURSE?"

"Calm down Kyou! She just said that… because… normally to other people who had been hit that badly by a car, it would take weeks before he could get up… so that's why…" she smiled.

"It's basically normal for me, that my wounds – would soon heal after I get some rest. Maybe because, I'm a cat, they say I have nine lives."

"Kyou-kun, Sou –…"

"What?"

"Ah, never mind." She smiled. "The soba doesn't taste good when eaten cold." She sat down the chair at Kyou's side, holding the soba in her hands, when suddenly she felt his' hand on her head. He struck his' forehead on hers which made two small pinks paint her cheeks. She saw his' eyes as it closed and definitely avoiding looking at her.

"Kyou-kun…"

"Don't leave me, Tohru – please." He whispered then he fell on her shoulder asleep as the rat opened the door.

"Honda-san…" Yuki's expression was obviously surprised to see the scene. Tohru wanted to lay Kyou down his' bed but she couldn't because of the soba she was holding.

"Souma-kun… I need help here… if you would like to help." She said frantically. Yuki immediately laid Kyou back to his' bed and he was sure enough that the cat's already asleep.

"He seemed to be dreaming, Yuki-kun." Tohru said as she put down the soba.

"Tohru-kun, have you told him about us already?"

"Demo… I was supposed to tell him… but you see… Kyou fell asleep." She giggled.

"You're still not good at lying, Tohru-kun. You were afraid to hurt him, are you?"

She looked down at her feet.

"Kyou has been alone for so long. I don't know how to –"

"Tohru-kun, do you think it's better to hide about us? But when he finds out, we'll hurt him more than it should be."

Well, that would be my first, and hopefully not the last. I'm working on the next chapters and hopefully waiting for your reviews.