--Snail's Pace--

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

Chapter Fifteen

Kagura Let's Go

'Well it's now official Kyou. Tohru has decided who she wants to be with and has run off to elope with Yuki,' Shigure smiled gleefully at the Zodiac Cat as he put the phone down back on its hook. 'That was the love birds just now. Oh, how lucky Yuki is to be graced with the wonderful presence of our dear sweet flower!'

'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?'

'Oh come off it Kyou. You've been sulking for the passed two days. It's obvious that someone has a little crush on our princess of the kitchen,' Shigure sung, deliberately trying to get on Kyou's nerves.

'SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!'

'Well then tell me what's on your mind. I've never seen you so gloomy and depressed before. It's got to be something big if it's not about Tohru,' Shigure sat down at the table and lit a cigarette, 'you know I wonder where Tohru's true feelings really lie.'

'She's in love with that damn Rat, Shigure. DON'T RUB IT IN!'

'So you do love her!' Shigure announced happily, clapping his hands together. 'Who would have guessed!'

Kyou would have flown off the handle that moment if there hadn't been a knock at the door. His face was red with anger and embarrassment but he managed to control himself long enough to go and answer. He was little impressed to see Kagura, smiling and grinning lovingly at him. He could feel his face twitching.

'Kyou, my darling!'

'JUST GET INSIDE!'

Kagura's face faulted for a moment but she took the offer without jumping into his arms as she usually did. She couldn't this time because her hands were already full. She'd finally found the time to bring Tohru's blue dress to Shigure's. She was unsure of what to do with it at home. She couldn't keep it, but she didn't want to simply give it away either because it had belonged to someone she considered a precious friend. The only option was to bring it back to Yuki.

'Shigure, what's wrong with Kyou today?' she asked.

'He's having a bad week, Kagura. You know how he is,' Shigure replied, 'and what's this you have, a dress? For me? Why, you shouldn't have!' he blushed and faked excitement as he accepted it from her. 'This is Tohru's… strange, I thought she'd at least take it with her.'

'It was so sudden when she left,' Kagura added, and tried to say something else, but she couldn't think of what it was she was trying to say. She knew about everything that Tohru had been going through; but she couldn't bring herself to speak openly about it with anyone else. She couldn't face the fact that Tohru had been so in love with Kyou that she had run away from both of them just to avoid hurting them and herself. Kagura could never do something like that – be selfless.

'Kagura, why are you bringing this here?' Shigure said, motioning towards the dress.

'Because I can't keep it. I thought that Yuki at least might want it.'

'Well, Yuki's not here either Kagura. He's in Japan with Tohru.' Shigure watched and giggled at the shocked and bewildered expression that grew on Kagura's face.

'What? No way! How could she do something like that, she loves Kyou as well!' Kagura clamped a hand over her mouth as soon as she realized what she had said. Shigure didn't seem to mind her sudden outburst though; and instead looked upstairs in the direction of Kyou's room.

'Hmm, people do strange things when they're confused in love,' he simply said.

Kagura fell silent, and let her body drop down to the table where she leaned against it lifelessly. Kyou had been nothing but grouchy since Tohru left, and Kagura knew, deep within her heart, that he must have felt something for Tohru as well. He'd been much happier when Tohru was around.

'I was never able to cheer Kyou up if he'd had a bad day,' Kagura said, staring hard at the table so that Shigure couldn't see the tears welling on the edges of her eyes. She knew that he was listening when her comment was greeted with silence. 'I could never make Kyou smile if he was feeling sad. I love him with everything that I have. I'd die for him, kill for him – but that's not enough. I thought that if I loved Kyou enough then he would return my love and he'd be happy. I wanted to love Kyou because nobody else would, nobody else in the zodiac respects the cat! I loved Kyou because he had no one else and I wanted to be his special person.'

'Kagura…'

'…but I'm not his special person. I don't even compare to the love that he feels for Tohru. I have tried so hard to make Kyou happy; but now… now,' she stifled back tears, leaving the sentence unfinished so that she could gather her thoughts. 'Tohru was brave to leave both Yuki and Kyou behind. I guess when Yuki said he was going to find her, he really did find her. I wanted Tohru to be in love with Yuki because I wanted Kyou to stay with me – but now I realize that in order for Kyou to be happy… I want Kyou to be with Tohru!'

Shigure put a warm hand across hers and smiled graciously at her. She was sobbing now, but there were no tears in her eyes. It confused her. How could she be feeling so sad yet be unable to produce the tears to show that feeling? Her pain was just too great; but she knew that if she gave up on it she would become a better person. She would become a selfless person.

'I am so sorry,' she squeaked, 'I am so, so sorry.' She bowed her head over Shigure's hand, drawing him in closer for comfort and he didn't mind supporting her. As she dryly wept and convulsed in his arms Shigure looked towards the doorway where Kyou was standing rooted to the spot. He'd come downstairs momentarily only to discover Kagura's confession. Shigure gave him a look that meant only one thing. Kyou had to do something now; he needed to make decisions. He needed let his emotions out, just as Kagura had done, and follow what those emotions told him to do. He wasn't that type of person, he could hardly hold a conversation without screaming; but just maybe he could do it for Kagura.

'Thank you… Kagura…' Kyou said as quietly as he could, bending down to embrace her.

It was the first time he had ever hugged her willingly; and he held her as tightly as he could.

'If you don't mind… I'm going to Japan.'