--Snail's Pace--

Thus by chance should I stumble upon a way to find you

Chapter Ten

Whoa. Sorry for the VERY VERY late chapter update. Had you forgotten about this story? Did you think I'd given up? Last year of school can do terrible things to a girl's memory. Ehehe. I had a bad memory to begin with anyway. Well, here it is.
I'd like to introduce to you all - Yuki Sohma!

Moonsnite Cathedral was a castle. It was beautiful, with two large turrets rising up behind a small dial and tower towards the front. Green and gold lights scaled the walls, passing it as an enigma against the crystal star-filled night. Various small spires rose up like spikes, glittering brightly from the lights within their triangular windows and illuminating the cathedral as though the sun was shining from within. Towards the entrance, four great pillars rose like canes branching into a canopy of beautifully carved symbols and silhouettes. From somewhere within the thick walls, gorgeous music was playing; gliding through the breeze and gracing the ears of all those who had arrived at the grand premiere of Fruits Basket. A red carpet had been rolled out from the castle, extending down the sloped stairs, running half a mile, to the street below where the precession of actors, director, artists and many others who worked on the film began their interviews and autograph signings.

Yuki Sohma stepped from his white limousine onto the red carpet; and the perimeter around him erupted with squeals, shrieks and cries. His silver hair, his shining eyes, his perfect posture, his dazzling smile, evoked such strong electrical urges in his fans that they felt they would die before he'd even taken his first step. The paparazzi were immediately around him and the interviews begun, following him up the red carpet like bees to the scent of flowers.

'How do you feel about your performance?'

'What can we expect to see you in next?'

'Do you relate to your character in the movie?'

'Are you a fan of the Fruits Basket Manga?'

'Yuki, we love you!'

'Yuki Sohma… Yuki Sohma…!'

'Yuki! Give me a hug!' the silver haired actor backed away from that group of fans quickly, smiling and waving to make up for his retreat.

'Tohru, dear? Are you all right?' Shigure adjusted his tie in the mirror and glanced at the reflection of Tohru who was standing near the door; shaking and staring at a point between her toes. She was ready for the big night; fully clad to perfection in the beautiful blue dress that Kyou had helped pick out for her.

'I'm fine, I'm fine,' she said stiffly, and Shigure simply smiled. Thinking that she was nervous about meeting Yuki for the second time, even though it felt like the first. In truth; she was nervous for the feelings she had developed inside herself. She loved Yuki Sohma; but she was attracted to Kyou as well. The entire night as she'd bathed and groomed he had sat on the floor near the TV, disinterested and uninvited. She had found herself feeling guilty, and almost like a betrayer. Her shoulder's shook as she stood near the door; her eyes piercing through it as though looking for a solution to her predicament to come crashing through.

'Kyou, could you come here please,' Shigure called, and the zodiac boy came slinking into the hall way, 'get our lovely Tohru a glass of water. She looks pale.'

'I'm pale!' Tohru gasped. Not enough make up! She quickly retreated from the front door and ran back upstairs. Her high heeled silver shoes clanking against the oak wood. Kyou watched her go; for some reason the mood in the house that day made him feel the same as when it was heavily raining. His energy was drained and he couldn't find the motivation to even speak. He took a glass of water to Tohru as Shigure had asked; and he did it without complaining.

'Tohru?' he entered her room with a small knock to see her flustering over a small make up kit in front of her, 'What are you doing?' he asked stupidly.

'I'm pale! Yuki Sohma can't see me pale; I don't want to make him look bad. Do I look…' Tohru suddenly fell silent, and the blush clutched in her fingertips dived clumsily for the floor and spilled across it.

'Tohru?' Kyou asked curiously.

She was overcome with emotion, and torn between two opposites. Her legs felt heavy, her fingers like ice, and her reflection in the mirror, when she looked at it, was echoed as a dull faded image – as though an eraser had passed across it, leaving smudges. Her knees buckled and she collapsed. Who was she to think that any of this was possible? How could she somehow screw up this dream that she'd walked so beautifully on up until this point? Why was it that she was in love with Kyou too? Suddenly and unexpectedly, two strong warm hands wrapped around her forehead and Kyou rested his face against her hair. She could feel him breathing in her scent, see his image in the mirror's reflection looking back at her; yet the expression there was unreadable. Tohru felt her heart trembling; and she was doubtful.

'Don't! Please!' She thrust an arm against Kyou, sending him backwards and stood up quickly, 'I'm already in love with you! Please don't make me love you any more. Yuki Sohma…,' the words seemed caught in her throat, 'Yuki Sohma… he…' her eyes were close to tears, and she struggled to keep them back.

Shigure's voice came sailing up the stairs. It was time to go.

Tohru fled from the room; and hissing to himself, Kyou disappeared in hostile haste out of the window and into the forest.

There was a Conference before the actual viewing of 'Fruits Basket' took place and Yuki had been involved in a very long Questions and Answers gathering in the main hall. It didn't surprise him that many of the questions had been directed at him; but he hadn't gathered how quickly the media had caught on to the name of 'Tohru Honda'. As far as Yuki was concerned, the only people who knew about that were the Sohma's.

'Hey Yuki,' Hatsuharu, wearing a lovely white tuxedo, greeted the Star in the lobby after the conference.

'It was you wasn't it Haru… who told the media about Tohru Honda?' it was more a statement than a question. Hatsuharu nodded softly.

'I wasn't going to make it easy for my little Yuki,' Haru replied, smiling innocently.

'I swear your good personality is almost as bad as your black personality these days.'

'Rin says I'm doing really well. It's been a week and I haven't called you.'

'I'm almost surprised,' Yuki replied, but now his eyes were darting around the brightly lit lobby, glancing passed the artworks and paintings strung on the wall, glancing passed the various faces who greeted him and searching for only one face in particular – a face that was almost faded from memory. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Media lined up against the walls, small twittering men and women, each holding microphones, waiting with painful anticipation for the arrival of Tohru Honda. None of them were as eager as Yuki though. His hands were becoming sweaty, and after a while of finding nothing, he made his way towards the men's bathroom, feeling somewhat disappointed.

'Don't worry so much,' Haru said as they walked, 'I'm sure she's just running a little late.'

Yuki wasn't concerned about whether Tohru would show up or not. He knew she would. He trusted that she would. He'd waited so long to finally see her smiling face again that he was sure, if there was such a thing as fate, he would see her again that very night; and she would be more lovely than the moon and the stars put together.

'There's something about her,' Yuki said as he washed his hands, and Hatsuharu listened from his place leaned against the wall, 'it's like a pulse. I saw it the moment I laid eyes on her, that there was something very different about this girl. She carried inside her the happiness of every individual in the world; and that happiness flowed into me whenever she touched me. It was a lovely, beautiful feeling. I simply couldn't let that feeling leave me, I couldn't let Tohru Honda go.'

Hatsuharu felt a deep sigh of sadness, yet also happiness, deflate from his chest. Yuki is truly in love with this woman. 'Having you speak of Tohru Honda so passionately; makes me want to meet her more and more.'

They wasted no time in getting back out into the lobby; and at first glance, Yuki saw Shigure striding across the floor, his jacket slung loosely over one arm and a worried expression printed across his face.

Yuki panicked.

Something's wrong!