Author's Note: I decided to stort of pull the focus away from Tohru and Hatori and this chapter so Tohru can spend some time thinking and having fun with her friends, but never fear! Hatori is definatly in the next chapter! Just you wait...evil laughter
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. So ha.
The next day, it was snowing some more as Tohru went to meet her friends at her mother's grave. Tohru sat near the grave, waiting for Saki and Arisa and started talking to her mother.
"Mom, Hatori-san is so filled with kindness! Yesterday, he hugged me just so I could feel better, since I was crying so hard. I really shouldn't have been so selfish to only be thinking about my feelings for Kyo-kun, right? That would be rude to everyone around me!" Tohru said to a picture of her mom.
"Yo! Tohru! You been waiting long?" Arisa asked as her and Saki approached Tohru.
"Oh no! It was me who got here early! I just wanted to tell her how happy I had been when Hatori-san showed so much kindness to me yesterday!" Tohru exclaimed putting away her mother's picture.
"Is this Hatori-san someone we should know of?" Saki asked putting out a picnic basket for the three of them.
"Oh! He's just a friend, and he's related to Yuki-kun, so that's how I know him," Tohru said getting a plate and putting some food onto it. Arisa and Saki looked at each other and grinned.
"Looks like Tohru's found herself a new hunk," Arisa said nudging Tohru in the side. Tohru laughed and said, "There's no way I'd ever think of Hatori-san like that, Uo-chan! Besides, I could never replace Kana-san! Well, he has been acting differently to me lately, but he's probably just trying to make me feel better. Hatori-san would know how to sweep a woman off her feet thought, I even felt nervous when he grabbed my arm yesterday!" Saki and Arisa exchanged looks before Saki said, "Well Tohru-kun, I hope you find true love someday. And I believe your mother does, too." Arisa lifted her glass and said, "To Kyoko-san and for true love!" And the three toasted each other while giggling at their own silliness.
"I hear from Arisa you got a letter from Kyo Sohma…might I read it?" Saki asked. Tohru nodded and got out the crumpled up letter and handed it to her. Saki read it over quickly before giving it back.
"There is no way Kyo could've meant that. He may be just trying to try and distance himself from his feelings for you. I'm sensing powerful emotion waves from Kyo's letter, and they're filled with sadness and love. Tohru-kun, I predict he misses you more than you miss him," Saki explained getting out an odango. Tohru gave a sad smile and said, "Well, either way, he's right. There could never be an "us" unless he came back or I went to America," She leaned back and sighed, "America, land of the free, they say. Maybe that's why Kyo-kun left, so he could be free," Saki took Tohru's hand and said, "Tohru-kun, if you leave for America, I think that I may die of loneliness," Arisa nodded extravagantly and took Tohru's other hand and added on to Saki's comment, "I may go back into the rut I was living before I met you if you leave."
"Hana-chan, Uo-chan," Tohru's eyes started watering up. She said, "I promise! I won't leave unless you two come with me!"
"Friends to the end!" Arisa said getting a tissue for Tohru.
"We're like the Three Musketeers of Japan…" Saki said as Tohru blew her nose loudly. Tohru smiled at her friends and said, "You two are two of the best things to ever happen to me. I want to thank you so much for always being by my side, even when my mom died and now when Kyo-kun is gone."
"It's nothing. Think of all the stuff you've done for us. You got me out of that gang, and you got Saki to feel normal!" Arisa said pushing the hair out of her eyes. Tohru looked shocked and said, "Oh no! I'm nothing like that! I didn't, well, you guys, I mean," she bowed her head and said gloomily, "I'm pathetic, aren't I?" Saki went over and hugged Tohru and said, "Of course not, Tohru-kun," Arisa tackled the two and yelled, "Group hug!" and the girls were left giggling as they recalled memories for the rest of the day.
In a small apartment in New York City, a boy with bright orange hair sat staring at the ceiling. He looked off into a small picture of a girl with long brown hair and frowned.
"I can't just go back after being gone for almost two months, Akito will lock me up on sight," he sat in silence a little longer before saying, "I don't care! I have to see if she still loves me and I have to tell her I love her before some other damn Sohma gets to her."
And that's how Kyo Sohma decided to go back to Japan.