Hello! As I had hoped, I am updating before I leave for vacation! I'm actually leaving tomorrow (August 11th), so it's perfect timing! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and thank you for supporting me and my story! I'm really glad you all like it!
Title: Unexpected
Author: Swaying Cherry Blossoms
Chapter: A Modern Day Cinderella
Summary: Tohru Honda's mother and Kyo Sohma's father have been friends for thirty years and their children have never met. But on one fateful day, the two teens meet and their lives are changed forever.
There's pixies tugging at your hair
-
You're so beautiful tonight
-
There's pixies tugging at your hair
-
It's all beautiful tonight
-
Your hair …
-
You're so beautiful tonight
- Caterpillars by the Spill Canvas
It was now Friday, September twenty-third, the day of Tohru's school's production of Cinderella. Tohru was at school, which was now in an uproar because Saki Hanajima was absent due to a rather incontrollable fever. Her mother had called the school, explaining to the nurse that "Saki-chan has a strange fever … one minute it's over one hundred degrees and then the next it's ninety-eight … I've never seen that kind of fever in all my life … I'm sorry, but Saki-chan will not be able to perform in the play tonight … I'm very sorry, but at those moments when her temperature is over one hundred she gets very weak, and if that happens tonight it will be bad for both her and the play … Yes, thank you very much for understanding … I hope you will be able to find someone else to play Cinderella," and now teachers were making numerous amounts of phone calls to the costume fitter, Ayame Sohma, who was one of Yuki Sohma's relatives (Tohru thought he was possibly one of Kyo's too), asking him to please come over to the school and fit a new costume on the new Cinderella, yet the girl who was it be Cinderella was still unknown.
That's where the students came in. They all went about the school, looking for people who could possibly learn Cinderella's lines by that night. Every student who was asked refused, but it wasn't until Tohru was asked that a new light shone on the play.
"I know all of Cinderella's lines already!" Tohru said happily, waving the script she was holding as she practiced her lines with Arisa Uotani. Arisa was to be playing one of the prince's servants, one who was rather close to him and gave him advice. Although this character was a boy, Arisa didn't seem to mind playing it. "You do!" the student who had asked Tohru gasped in belief. "Then can you take Hanajima-san's place as Cinderella in the play? We can find someone to play your part, but we really need you to play her! She's the lead! We can't do it without her!" Tohru seemed a little uneasy about this. "Oh, um … I d-don't know … W-What if I g-get stage fright?"
"Cut it out, Tohru! You'd be a great Cinderella!" Arisa encouraged her. "Besides, you know all of her lines already—honestly, I don't know how you do it—so it'll be a cinch. Trust me."
And so, Tohru agreed to play Cinderella. Shortly after that Ayame Sohma arrived at the school with his assistant Mine, and together they fitted Tohru into a beautiful dress that she was to wear to the evening ball, and also an outfit that she would wear at the house. Both teachers and students were amazed at how the two costume fitters prepared Tohru's costumes so quickly, but they didn't complain, for they all were greatly relieved that the new Cinderella was found. A new girl was found to play Tohru's part, so everything was settled and calm at the school.
Due to the amount of time it would take to get ready for the play, Tohru stayed at school to help with the preparations. She phoned Kyoko to tell her that she would be at school for the rest of the day, and told her about the changes in the play. Kyoko was thrilled at the thought of her daughter playing Cinderella, and she bade her farewell, saying that she would be at the school for six forty-five with Kazuma, Kyo, and Kunimitsu.
Yes, Kazuma bought those last three tickets Tohru had left. That night after Kyo and Tohru had gone inside, and Kyo had asked if there were any tickets left, Tohru told him that there was just enough for him, Kazuma, and Kunimitsu and that she would be able to give them to Kazuma the following day. Kazuma was very happy to hear that Kyo had changed his mind about going once he was told, as was Tohru. Although Tohru didn't know what triggered Kyo's mind to make this decision, Kazuma had an idea.
It was now six-thirty, a half hour before the play was to commence. Tohru stood in the small dressing room she was given and looked herself in the mirror. She wore Cinderella's working outfit: a dark brown dress with extended sleeves (both of Saki's costumes had been black; Ayame had made alterations on an old dress that Mine had brought with them) and an off-white apron, along with a bandana that was snugly wrapped around her head. Tohru's hair was arranged in a neatly fashion, the way it always was. As she looked at her reflection she came to the conclusion that she would be a fairly good Cinderella. There was a knock at the door and Tohru let the knocker in. It was a member of the play committee, and they had come to tell Tohru that she was due on the stage in two minutes. Just then, before she went onto the stage, she thought of Kyoko, Kazuma, Kyo, and Kunimitsu, and how they must be sitting in the audience at that moment, waiting for the curtains to open.
Tohru was right: the group of four sat in the audience, third row center as a matter of fact, waiting for the production to begin. Kyo sat with his elbow propped up on his chair's armrest, his chin in his hand, ignoring the fact that Momiji Sohma, Kisa Sohma, Hiro Sohma, and Hatsuharu Sohma, all related to him, were in the front row. Kyo figured they were probably there to see Yuki perform. He had given Kazuma the impression earlier, when he had seen them as well, that he didn't want them to know he was there. To get his mind off of them, and to pass time before the play started, Kyo looked at the small little program he was given when he walked into the auditorium. So Tohru was playing Cinderella's step-sister, huh? Kyo found that hard to believe. And he wondered how Kyoko could hold her chin up and smile at everyone, knowing her daughter was playing someone who was considered one of the 'evil' characters. It just didn't make any sense.
Unbeknownst to Kyo, Kyoko had told Kazuma about the changes Tohru had told her about. Kazuma said that it was wonderful that Tohru was playing Cinderella, and Kunimitsu agreed. Since Kyo was sitting on the edge of the row, he wasn't able to hear the conversation, and he really didn't care either.
Finally the lights dimmed and the crowd began to hush. The curtains slowly opened, revealing a bunch of props that sat on the stage, including Tohru, who was sitting on the ground, pretending to wipe the floor with a small towel. Well, was this a surprise! Kyo was told that she was playing Cinderella's step-sister, not Cinderella herself! Kyo looked back and forth from the program to the stage, and heard Kyoko sniggering next to him. As Kyo regained himself, he didn't want to admit it, but Tohru looked rather … pretty. With a tint of blush on her face, the lights above the stage shining down on her, the bandana pushing her hair out of her face … she looked cute. Kyo found himself suddenly becoming slightly uncomfortable in his seat, as he did Wednesday evening while he and Tohru were outside. He shifted back and forth, not realizing that his eyes were on Tohru the whole time, until he felt more at ease when he saw a boy standing on the side of the stage. The spotlight was now on him, and he held a microphone as he browsed through the audience, a large smile on his face. Kyo looked at the program to see what this guy's name was. He saw the words 'Narrator' and next to it was the name Kakeru Manabe. Kakeru cleared his throat and began the narration of the play.
"Once upon a time," he started with a hint of amusement in his voice, "In a land faraway, there was a small house occupied by three women. The oldest woman was the mother of a young girl, and a step-mother to another. This woman's step-daughter was constantly put to work cleaning and cooking and catering her step-mother and step-sister. Her name is Cinderella, and this is the story of how her life is changed by a simple visit from a fairy godmother … Erm, priest." The audience all clapped as Kakeru stepped off the stage. The spotlight now shone on Minami Kinoshita (she was in one of the most popular clubs among the girls at Kaibara, the Prince Yuki Fan Club, dedicated to Yuki Sohma), who was playing Cinderella's step-mother. Minami walked across the stage, followed by Cinderella's step-sister, played by Mio Yamagashi, another member from the Prince Yuki Fan Club. As the step-mother reached Cinderella, she looked down at her, bellowing out orders as Cinderella cringed and stared up at her, apologizing for anything she might have done. Cinderella scurried up, slipping on the area she had been washing.
Watching Tohru being yelled at, even though it was only acting, made Kyo unconsciously ball his hand into a fist.
Before the first scene ended, and after the invitation to the ball was given, Cinderella's fairy godmother appeared, who was being played by a random boy named Ryuichi Suzuki. Kyo now understood why Kakeru Manabe had said 'fairy god priest'; Ryuichi was dressed in robes, rather than a dress, and somewhat resembled a priest.
After her visit from the fairy god priest, Cinderella continued cleaning as the curtains closed. The audience clapped, Kyoko standing on her feet shouting "Go Tohru!" It was another two minutes before the curtains reopened. The stage was now crowded, the scenery more elegant, and Kyo could guess even without looking at the program that this was the beginning of the ball scene. Kakeru appeared on the side of the stage, microphone in hand, and everyone turned their attention to Kakeru as the spotlight shone on him.
"After her visit from the fairy god priest, Cinderella was looking forward to the next evening, which was the night of the ball. Her step-mother and step-sister had no idea that she was going, and didn't even notice her slip into her room sometimes to try on the beautiful gown she was given. All throughout the next day, Cinderella heard her step-mother and step-sister go on and on about Cinderella's step-sister dancing with the Prince, and how she would be the most beautiful girl at the ball that night. Now it is the evening of the ball, and the Prince is sitting with his servant as girls ask him to join them for a dance."
Kyo looked to the program to see who was playing the Prince. He scrolled the program for the word 'Prince' and he found the name Yuki Sohma a few spaces after it. Kyo looked up to the stage and saw that it was indeed Yuki who sat on the throne at the head of the stage, looking out into the audience with a faint smile on his face. Kyo found himself slowly crumpling the program into a ball, disgusted that Yuki would have to kiss Tohru at the end of the play.
But then again, why did he care?
At that moment, Kyo forgot about everything he was thinking of. He even forgot where he was, for Tohru had just entered the stage, and Kyo had never seen any girl in his whole life look the way she did at that moment.
Tohru wore a big light blue gown with her hair pushed back into a fancy up-do. Her face seemed to shimmer and her eyes twinkled under the luminescent lights of the stage. She wore matching earrings and a necklace and lace gloves on her hands. Just visible at her feet were two glass slippers, just like in the story. Kyo heard Kyoko gasp as Tohru walked toward the center of the stage, but Kyo couldn't even find his voice. Her appearance at that moment had actually made him breathless.
The ball scene ended with Cinderella accidentally leaving her shoe at the ball after her dance with the Prince. Kyo noticed how Tohru's face was red the whole time she danced with Yuki, and she didn't even look him in the eye. Soon after the fifteen minute intermission, the play continued with the scenes of the Prince searching for the beautiful woman who had left her shoe at the ball and then the happy ending of Cinderella and the Prince being married. To Kyo's relief, Tohru and Yuki didn't have to kiss.
When the play was finished, Kyoko, Kazuma, Kunimitsu, and Kyo all waited for the auditorium to settle down before they went back stage to congratulate Tohru on her performance. Backstage was a big fiasco, but the group managed to slip into Tohru's dressing room. There were other people in there besides Tohru, congratulating her. After they all left, Kyoko took her daughter into a tight hug.
"You were awesome!" Kyoko muffled into her daughter's hair. "Oh, t-thank you Mom!" Tohru said. Kyo could see that her face was flushed from all of the congratulations she had received. When Kyoko released Tohru, Kazuma and Kunimitsu both congratulated her, saying they have never seen anyone play Cinderella better than she did. Kyo hadn't a chance to tell her that she did well, for they were quickly hurried out of the dressing room by the play committee. It's not that Kyo wanted to … he just felt that it was the right thing to do, being that she actually was a good Cinderella.
That evening, as Kyo lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling, all he could do was think of Tohru and how beautiful she was during the ball scene.
But how come?
I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to update during the next two weeks, due to my vacation. But I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'll admit it wasn't much, but I was kind of in a rush. Sorry about that! I hope everyone enjoys the following two weeks, and I promise that chapter five will be longer!
xoxo Swaying Cherry Blossoms
