Chapter 9: Comparisons
Kyo Sohma watched the three girls leave Shigure's house from his vantage point on the roof, Arisa going one way and Tohru going the other with Saki. "Damn… outdone not only by Yuki, but that weirdo girl? Not that I'm complaining, but…" Kyo stopped thinking aloud as he watched the horizon, seeing a suspicious cloud of dust rising; something was approaching the house, and Kyo knew exactly what, or rather who, it was. "Aw hell no… NOW I'm complaining!" Kyo jumped from his point on the roof to the south side, the opposite from which Kagura was approaching. 'Damn... Kagura has me all to herself now! What the hell am I gonna…' Kyo started to think. However, knowing how Kyo behaved, the boar eventually arrived and went around the villa to corner him at the clotheslines in the backyard.
"I'm back Kyo darling! I missed you!" She cried, holding his arm for dear life, almost ripping it off. "I saw you this morning you idiot! Why are you even here!" Kyo yelled, trying to get from but to no avail. "To go on a date of course!" Kyo froze, shocked by Kagura's sudden statement. 'Even she just doesn't yank me out on a date out of the blue…'
"OK… what's going on?" The cat asked with an impatient tone. Kagura just giggled again. "We're going to celebrate, silly… we're free now, I just wanted to take you out tonight," she explained, tightening her grip on his arm. "Why?" Kyo inquired, perplexed by Kagura's persisting emotions. "I know I asked you this before, but… why do you like me so much, huh? It's like you're almost forcing yourself to…" He stopped talking when he saw Kagura with a shocked expression, then she looked down at the ground, blushing. A sweatdrop formed on Kyo's neck and his jaw dropped as he guessed at what he was seeing. "Wait… don't tell I'm actually right about that shit, was I? I was just kidding! You're forcing…"
Kagura cut him off this time, letting go of him and sitting down on the ground. "Yes, you're right… I was forcing myself on you… ever since that time you transformed in the park… when we were kids… I ran away…" Tears began to fall from her brown eyes, signaling for Kyo to sit down beside her. "C'mon, don't cry now… you know I hate when you do that…" Kagura only barely heard him, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have ran away… I should have stayed! I wanted to let you know that there was someone that cared about you, so I… kind of overdid it. But… I still fell in love with you anyway." The boar placed her hand on Kyo's, squeezing it tightly. "I'm sorry I never told you, I'm sorry… I deceived you like that… but I still love you Kyo… I really do!"
The cat remained speechless, trying to take in everything she was saying without tossing it away like the usual garbage she spouted. 'She… she was just… trying to help me? I thought she was just trying to annoy me…' Finally, his lips decided to form words. "Kagura… you were… pretty annoying during that time… but the reason I was… tossing you away was because that… I was going to be confined soon. I… I didn't want anyone close to me when that happened…" Kagura found the courage to look back up at Kyo's face. "Listen, I really don't know if I want to settle for someone like you just yet. Let me finish!" He explained abruptly, seeing Kagura with a face that said 'What, I'm not good enough for you!' "But… I'll go out with you, if not just to get you off my back. We'll let time decide, all right?"
Kagura's tear-filled eyes overflowed when she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Kyo smirked when she backed away. "Don't push it." He stated jokingly, forcing a giggle from her. 'I'm probably going to kick myself in the ass for this later… oh well. Nothin' to lose, is there?'
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Hana and Tohru walked into the movie theater and sat down a few rows from the back. The brunette sighed as she plopped into her seat. "It's been a while since I've gone to see a movie at the theater. I usually wait until they come out on video… too much money involved, you know?" Hana nodded, sitting next to her. "How sad… going out to see a movie is becoming increasingly expensive over the years… but it is nice to go and see one when you're bored… with someone you care about." Tohru smiled even brighter than earlier before the lights faded. "That's true… thanks."
Looking at each other only to reach for popcorn or a drink, the film, "Dark Water" went at a normal horror-flick pace, with just enough twists to keep the two girls interested. During a somewhat tense scene, Hana's antenna perked up as she sensed familiar waves behind her. She turned her head enough to see none other than Kyo and Kagura in the back row. Kagura was grabbing onto him, her voice quivering, obviously from the movie. Kyo hesitantly put his arms around her, sighing half out of exasperation and half out of relief. Hana smiled before Tohru emulated Kagura's behavior, Hana not being as hesitant to return the hug. "It'll be okay…" she whispered into her ear, attempting to calm her, but still not wanting to let her go. "But… I'm s-scared…" Tohru protested, clinging tighter. "You don't have to be… I'm right here… I'm here with you…" Although comforted by Hana's assuring words, she didn't let go of her and barely had the courage to continue watching the movie.
Close to the movie's end, Hana looked back up to search for Kyo and Kagura again. Like she and Tohru, they hadn't moved from their position. Soon it finally ended, both the couples walking out holding hands. On the way out, Tohru 'unintentionally' bumped into Kagura, or so Hana would say. "Oh, Kagura! Hi… and Kyo! What are you doing here?" Kagura decided to answer, a smile finally returning to her face after the depressing movie. "We just saw Dark Water on our first date, didn't we Kyo-Kyo?" The cat's ears perked up to attention once more, his temper reaching a boiling point. "Don't you start calling me that too! Although I'll say that was fun, I didn't think I'd have to hold you the whole damn time, it was your decision to watch it, so why were you so scared!" Tohru interrupted them at this point.
"Wait… we just saw Dark Water too… were you in the same theater? And are you… actually dating now?" Kyo blushed, letting go of Kagura's head to scratch the back of his neck. "Well… I dunno… define 'dating' for me and you might get an answer…" At this point Kagura hugged him, pushing aside Kyo's modesty. "Yes we are, Kyo finally realized my love for him!" Tohru beamed at the other couple out of her overflowing joy for them. "Oh, that's great! I'm so happy for you two!" Hana then decided to break apart the conversation to leave the couples to their own business. "Maybe we should go, Tohru… I have to get home soon." Tohru's surprise jumped again at that statement. 'Is she heading back already? This weekend has just flown by…' She thought to herself before nodding and waving at the new couple to wish them good luck. Taking separate exits, Kagura smiled at her would-be boyfriend.
"So how did you like it?"
Kyo sighed again; he knew that that would be the first thing out of her mouth once they were alone outside the theater. "Well… Kagura… I have to admit, I'd say we're rushing things a little too fast right now… but… I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it a little bit." The boar woman didn't take her eyes off of the orange-top as they got on the bus leading back to the center of town, close to the Sohma estate. "It must feel great… knowing that you won't be confined anymore… we can be free to do what we want now." Kyo smiled, reassuring himself with those few words. "Yeah… it felt… neat… being close to someone like that… and knowing… that I wouldn't end up losing them. After the whole fiasco with Yuki and Tohru… it's… great to know someone's there for me." Kyo's hand hesitantly raised to caress Kagura's cheek, which bent back ever so slightly as she smiled even brighter than before. Leaning in and kissing him again, Kyo did not fight it and returned it after a second.
"I love you, Kyo." Kagura whispered above the noise of the bus. The once-cursed cat smiled with more vigor than ever. "I know." Was his response.
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Meanwhile, back at Shigure's…
"Are you packed, Hana?"
"I'm all set, Tohru…" she stated, flopping her full bag on the bed once more. She looked at the clock sitting beside the bed. 5:34, almost dinnertime back home. "I'd better go… I'll see you at school." Tohru looked down at the floor, not wanting to look up at her just yet. "Right…" Hana wanted to lift her face back up and ask what was wrong, but her signals were too conflicting, and didn't want to risk adding fuel to the fire. "What happened this weekend… will stay between us?" She nodded again, not saying another word as she let the girl take a few more steps. Finally, she could take the pressure no longer and stopped her.
"Hana, wait… Just a minute… Please?"
(A/N: Uh-Oh, Cliffer! What does Tohru wish to say? Has she made a decision for her romantic dilemma? And if so, who has she chosen? Will she become a true member of the Sohma family with Yuki, or will she throw caution to the wind and attempt a true relationship with her close friend Hana? Find out all this and more in the Final Chapter of the Triad of Secrets!)
P.S. In the epilogues included with the final chapter, we will see the progress of other couples in the Sohma family… as well as other reactions to the absence of the curse.
