Yes, I'm back from the dead! Hope you're all still reading this! It's getting juicy now, so don't miss out!

- A-san

CHAPTER 13: Sell My Soul

Koharu woke up the next morning at eleven to the smell of bacon cooking.

"I was wondering when you were going to get up, sleepy-head." A familiar voice called from the kitchen.

"Aunt Kisa?" Koharu said blearily.

"Yah. I couldn't just leave you and Kazu to fend for yourselves now could I. Besides, you mom asked me to help, what I was supposed to say? She's helped me quite a bit over the years."

Koharu sat up, and then looked down to see why her arm wouldn't move. Kazu was lying on in. Ko blushed profusely. What if Aunt Kisa told her mom that she and Kazu had slept on the same cot?

Kisa winked at her, "Doesn't look like he's going to get up any time soon. Let him sleep, he stayed up half the night you know. Wanted to make sure you were okay. He's a good kid. Haru did a good job."

Now it was Koharu's turn to smile. Slowly she got up and moved her arm out from under him, then went to go enjoy a big breakfast.

That Afternoon, at the Hospital

"Mom, I have to go back to school!" Koharu tried in vain to convince Tohru to let her go to school.

"Darling, you cant! What if you collapse again?"

"But I'll fall behind!"

"How can you? It's almost summer vacation anyway."

"Then, I have something else I must do. I have to find them Mom. Uncle Hatori says it's the only way I can get better." Koharu didn't need to say who "they" were; they both already knew.

"Okay. Dad and I will help you." Tohru promised, putting on a smile, but on the inside she felt like crying. What if they wanted Koharu back? Ko had been with her for so long, how would they manage without her?

One Month Later

"Come play with me Ko!" Shinju shouted, running around in one of the Main House's courtyards. Koharu laughed, and ran after her sister.

"Don't wonder to far girls!" Tohru called after them. Everything was slowly drifting back to normal for her two daughters, and she was happy, but she knew it wouldn't stay like that. After a lot of searching and help from many different Sohma's, they finally located Koharu's family.

Koharu had given them her brother's full name and her birth country and town in Ireland. Tohru and Yuki had been surprised that she'd even told them that. Koharu never wanted to talk about her life before the Sohma's.

Slowly the two walked into what was supposed to be Shinju's office. As official head of the family, Shinju had a lot of pull. Sadly, she was also expected to join the Main House as soon as she turned fourteen, which was still three years away.

"Makoto-san. It's good to see you again. Do you have the information I requested?" Yuki asked the woman they had put in charge of finding Koharu's parents stiffly.

"Yes sir. It's all right here. And, as you requested, I have contacted the family. The three sons are living at an orphanage in Ireland. It appears that both of their parents are dead."

Slowly Tohru took this in. Dead. Koharu's parents were dead. This was not going to go over well.

"Please contact the orphanage and arrange it so that the children can come visit us. Tell them we are interested in adopting them." Yuki said this all to Makoto, but kept his eyes on Tohru. What if they could adopt the boys? What would Shinju think? What about Ko?

Tohru nodded. Before they got a head of themselves they needed to finally meet Koharu, or should she say Koshie's, family.

The Day of Arrival, Middle of Summer

"What am I going to do!" Koharu signed frantically, "I haven't seen them for eight years!"

"You'll be fine," Tohru assured her, "they obviously want to see you, to come all the way from Ireland."

They stood in the living room. The McClure family was do any minute. A cab was picking them up from the airport to bring them to the Honda-Sohma house.

Koharu wore a nice black, short-sleeved, shirt and a red skirt. Shinju had put on a frilly blue dress, similar to the ones she wore almost every day, but more fancy. She was just a little bit frill-obsessed. Tohru and Yuki had also dressed up to meet a new part of their family. Now the entire family stood, waiting.

"We'll just have to see what they're like when they get here, but I'm sure they'll all be gentlemen." Yuki said in his corporate-executive voice.

"And you're sure you're all okay with this?" Koharu asked for the hundredth time.

Her parents both smiled at her, but Shinju said nothing. She had been quiet all afternoon, and had showed no enthusiasm towards anything for days.

Then it happened. The doorbell rang. They were here.

Koharu walked over to the door. It had been decided that she has to greet them; they were her family after all.

As soon as she opened the door she has engulfed in a hug.

"Koshie!" A little boy yelled.

She slowly recognized her youngest brother, Jadric. He had been just a baby when she last saw him.

"It's me, Jadric! I recognized you in a second. You look just like mom!"

"Jadric, calm down!" The eldest boy scolded. Koharu recognized him at once. It was Tahnan, who was only a year younger then her.

The third boy stood quietly in the corner. That had to be Seriam, the middle brother.

"Thank you for having us Mr. And Mrs. Honda-Sohma." Seriam said politely as soon as all the boys had made it into the house, "Please excuse my brothers, I'm afraid Jadric's manners are a little bit lacking."

Tohru smiled, "Now, now, I think he has wonderful manners for and eight year old."

"Thank you Mrs. Honda-Sohma. It's wonderful that you've allowed us to stay with you for a while, and that you speak such wonderful English. While we were all taught Japanese by our dad," Tahnan explained, "I must say I am a little rusty."

"When's Koshie coming back with us?" Seriam asked quietly.

Then something just snapped. She couldn't stand it anymore. "Never! She's not coming back with you! This is her home now! We are her family! I'm her sister! You will never be part of this family!" Shinju exploded, getting up and running up the stairs to her room.

END OF CHAPTER

Trouble ahead, better watch out Shinju and Ko!