Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. That is all.
---
It was Monday, and all the kids had just come home, having news that Haiiro and Yoku were gone.
"So... They just left? Out of the blue?" asked Hatsuharu.
"I suppose so..." said Yuki.
"That's not right..." Tohru said, "Did they leave any evidence?"
"... None at all." Yuki said.
Then, the phone rang. Kyou ran to it and pressed the speaker phone button.
"Who is it?" demanded Kyou.
"It's... It's Yoku." said the feminine voice. It was definitely Yoku.
"Yoku?" asked Tohru, "Where are you? Where is Haiiro?"
The was a pause.
"Well... I'm at a hotel..." said Yoku softly.
"And Haiiro?"
"Well..."
"What happened?"
Suddenly, Yoku burst into tears.
"I didn't know what to do! I didn't!" she cried.
"Yoku, it's alright! What happened?"
"We were in the subway station... and... well..."
"What did Haiiro do?"
"He... He got down into the tunnel... and a train came... I never saw what happened... but, you see... He never responded to me..."
The room was immediately drawn into silence. No one said a word. Panda felt a tear come into her own eye.
Yoku continued, "I went to find my cell phone, to call the police... But it was in the forest..."
"Why was it there?"
"We were escaping..."
"Escaping?"
"Yes, someone called... And said if we didn't leave, Panda would be killed... I don't know where she is now."
"She's right here!"
Again, there was a short pause.
"... What?" said Yoku weakly.
"She is right here, she's been here the whole night..."
"What are you talking about? She was gone in her bed with the door locked..."
"Gone!"
"Yes... Gone... Bed made and everything..."
Suddenly, Panda froze. She remembered that dream... That nightmare.
'Was it real?' she wondered, 'There is no explanation...'
"That makes no sense," Tohru said, "Not one bit..."
"I know, only a... a psychopath or something... could be able to do things like that... Maybe it was a nightmare..." said Yoku.
"It seems real to me..."
"Yes, but it doesn't fit right... Not at all."
"A missing piece... Like a puzzle?"
"I don't know... All I know is that Haiiro is dead now, and there is nothing we can do about that. And... I don't think I can talk to you guys anymore, considering the circumstances of this psycho... Farewell..."
"Goodbye..."
Kyou hung up the phone. Everyone stood still, pure silence was in the room.
Panda felt the tears of sadness flood into her eyes. It had seemed whenever she was happened something came to take it away. She ran upstairs and into her room. Haru followed.
"Panda? Please..." Hatsuharu said, closing Panda's screen door. Panda was on her bed, crying while Haru sat next to her.
Panda didn't say a word.
Haru lay down across from Panda, on his side. He cuddled with Panda and she cried on his chest.
"It's okay..." said Haru, "Shh..."
Soon, after about thirty minutes, Panda fell asleep. Haru stayed with her, watching her sleep.
---
Meanwhile, the four teens sat in the living room. Tohru, Seijitsu, Yuki and Kyou talked about Haiiro.
"Haiiro..." said Tohru, "Hit by a train?"
"Seems so," Yuki said, "But why was he down there?"
"He's not stupid..." Seijitsu said, "There had to be a reason. It's not logical."
"Stupid kid..." said Kyou, tossing a tennis ball into the air and catching it again. He squeezed it hard.
"Why couldn't he get to the emergency walkways?" Tohru asked, "He's really athletic..."
"Dunno..." said Yuki, "I really... don't know..."
"It's too bad for Panda..." Seijitsu said, "She doesn't deserve any of this. Not at all..."
"I really hope she is okay," said Tohru.
---
"Is it time for me to go home?" asked Shinkei, to himself. It was another sunset in the forest clearing. He sat on the same outcrop.
'No... Not yet...'
"But what about Yoku and Haiiro?"
'They are gone. No need to worry...'
"But I don't know what happened..."
'Does it matter? They are gone now... All gone...'
"I still want to talk to Panda."
'Later. It's still not time to depart.'
"Not time?"
'No... It's not like Haru wants you there anyways... It's not like he cares...'
"But what about Seijitsu? The others?"
'Seijitsu probably forgot about you anyways... And you honestly think the others care the least bit?'
"No... They do care... They have to..."
'Face it, Shinkei – you are worthless. They kept you in to pity you...'
"No... I wont believe that!"
'What do you have to believe, Shinkei? Nothing... Nothing at all...'
"Nothing?"
'Just like you...'