Chapter Two: I'm ONLY 16!

Author's Note: Well, here's the 2nd chapter. In this and the rest of the chapters, everyone is now 7 years older, meaning Tohru is 16. Thanks for all of your great reviews. Please continue, as they inspire me to write faster! (P.S. Kyou will appear in the next chapter, PROMISE!) I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry it took forever to update. ;; Gomen nasai.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket

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"AHHH!"

A matured Tohru quickly rose from her bed with sweat and wide eyes. As she catched her breath, she looked out the window and noticed the morning sun shining on the dew on the sakura trees. The peaceful image calmed her down and she placed her head in her knees and her knees to her chest. Images of Akito's torture and her mother and father quickly flashed through her mind, causing her to clutch her head in pain. Again, she calmed down and sighed.

"I haven't had that dream in awhile.." she slowly muttered to herself. She sighed again, then turned around to look at Kisa. A small smile formed on her face as she watched the much matured orange-haired girl sleeping peacefully on her futon. It's amazing how much she's grown over the past years, Tohru thought to herself. She kneeled over her futon to adjust Kisa's blanket over her shoulder, making Kisa smile warmly, and stood up straight. She glanced at the mirror and removed the ribbon that had held her hair up, making it flow gracefully to her shoulders. After a few minutes, she walked toward the door and slowly opened it..

"Happy birthday to me.." she sang to herself softly. She closed the screen door behind her.

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"So, you finally turned 16, eh?" asked Hatori, adjusting his uniform kimono.

"Yeah! Can you believe the years went by so fast!" Tohru replied with a huge grin, filled with self-confidence.

"You certainly matured a bit. Also you're causing less trouble," he bonked Tohru of the head playfully, "which is better for me.".

Tohru giggled and looked up at the sky, leaning back on the porch. Hatori's house was so beautiful and peaceful, she wanted to sink all the beauty in, knowing she wouldn't be able to see it for awhile once she returned to Akito's building. She never knew what the older girls did in there, but that didn't stop her from being happy.

"Now that I'm sixteen, I wonder how my life will be like at Akito's. I wonder if I can be like Rin-chan! I hope I can do the work she does and be just as beautiful as her!" said Tohru, spreading her arms like she was flying with a smile on her face. Hatori looked up at her and smiled, then looked down with a sad face.

"I see.. She doesn't know.." he thought to himself.

"Hatori-kun?"

Hatori's head jolted up to Tohru as her voice echoed in his ears, coming back to reality. Tohru was looking at him with a worried face.

"Hatori-kun.. Is something wrong?" she asked with a worried tone.

"I-It's nothing you have to be concerned about.." he muttered to her, his eyes still focusing on the ground with sad feeling. He glanced at her, she still had a worried look. He sighed and stood up. Tohru blinked and looked at him.

"I have to go back to duties. You should hurry to Akito's and finish your chores before she gets rash." He spoke. His eyes closed.

Tohru quickly darted up with a shocked look,

"GOD! I'M LATE!" she screamed with wide eyes. She dashed through the yard toward the gate. "See you later, Hatori-kun!" she yelled as she turned to him and waved, still running. Once she turned back, she tripped and landed on the ground with a thud. Hatori stared as Tohru quickly got back up and dashed past the gate. He laughed to himself for awhile. Then his face was consumed with guilt.

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"Onee-chan, you missed a spot."

"Oh! Thank you, Kisa-chan!"

Tohru took her soaked rag and started scrubbing the floor. Kisa, who was sitting at the end of the porch, looked over her shoulder and smiled at her.

"I can't believe Madam Akito is making you clean on your birthday!" she said softly. She started swinging her legs.

Tohru stopped scrubbing and looked up at her. She grinned slightly.

"Maybe it's because I haven't told her.." Tohru said. Kisa's eyes got bigger for a second.

"GIRLS! THE LEFT WING IS FILTHY AND THESE DISHES NEED WASHING! HURRY UP!" screamed Akito from the main room. Her voice made Kisa and Tohru shudder.

"I'll take the left wing. You can handle the dishes." spoke Tohru, knowing Kisa loved to play with the water when she washed. Kisa smiled at her and nodded. She stood up and ran towards the wash room. Tohru looked back at her and proceeded to the left wing.

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"NYU!"

Tohru landed on the floor with a thud. She knew she shouldn't have been so careless as to runs so fast while cleaning the floors. She cursed lightly (like "Darn") to herself and sat down to examine her knee. She blew on the newly formed scrape, cursing between every blow. As she was about to blow, something caught her attention. Tohru looked up from her wound.

"Rin-chan's room..." Tohru thought to herself. She knew Rin had forbid her to ever look or come near it. Though Tohru had seen the room before, she never knew what's Rin did in there. All she would be able to see is Rin bringing a man in with her and slamming the door. But now it was wide-open and right in front of her!

"Maybe.. Just today.. I can find out-" she thought to herself, a grin of self-pride spreading on her face. She turned back and forth, making sure none would be able to catch her, then slowly crept to the room.

She peeked in through the doorway, scanning for any traces of Rin or Akito. Finally, she walked in, her eyes widened in amazement. She had never seen a room this decorated before. Floral paintings could be seen from eye-to-eye and red candles shimmered everywhere. What really caught Tohru's attention, however, was the beautiful mirror and table. She knelt down smiling and peeked into the mirror. She looked on the table to examine the items. Piles of coins, a scroll with names(boy names, no doubt) written on it, make-up and a box of red butterfly pins. Tohru gazed at them, images of the past when her mom would put cute little clips on her hair when she was young and they would laugh together. She picked one up and started adjusting it in her hair, humming a sweet melody.

"So, enjoying yourself?"

Tohru quickly looked back, her eyes widened with horror. Rin was in the doorway, leaning her side on the rim. Her raven black hair shimmered in the light and a sleeve of her kimono had almost fallen off(showing some cleavage).

A silence grew between the two for what seemed like hours. Nobody could describe in words how awkward the situation was to Tohru. She gulped as cold sweat fell down her neck.

"R-Rin-chan?" she muttered hoping to break the silence. Rin fixed her sleeve and started walking towards her. Tohru's eyes widened as she got closer, images of Akito and Rin flashed back-and-forth(They looked alike when Rin did this). Once Rin was an inch away from her, she slapped her across the face, scrapping Tohru's cheek with her nails. Tohru sat frozen, trying to ignore the pain.

"HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY MY ORDERS, YOU BRAT!" she screamed.

"I j-just wanted to be like you, Rin-chan.." Tohru muttered in a sweet voice, with a little pain/sorrow mixed in. Rin backed away with wide-eyes.

"YOUR MY IDOL, RIN-CHAN! I WANNA HAVE BEAUTIFUL LOOKS LIKE YOU, I WANNA TOUGH PERSONALITY RIGHT NOW, AND I WANNA DO WHAT YOU DO FOR WORK HERE!" She yelled in a determined voice, her eyes building up tears.

Rin stood there frozen at what she just heard. The word "Job" echoed through her head, making Rin bite her bottom lip. She kneeled down to Tohru. Tohru looked up so that they were face-to-face.

"Don't EVER say that. Don't you EVER say that. You just stay you, and that's final," She said with a determined look. Tohru just sat and stared,

"..And also, I don't want you getting Kisa-chan into these stupid ideas of yours.".

"Y-Yes mam." Tohru said, looking at the floor.

"TOHRU! COME TO THE LOBBY THIS INSTANT!" Akito shouted from the front room. Tohru's head jolted up.

"Um, coming ,Madam Akito!" Tohru replied. She then stood up, bowed to Rin, and headed off. Rin looked as she ran out. A sad, pity look grew on her face.

"Stupid girl.."

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Akito paced around with her arms crossed. A man was short grayish purple hair stand in the doorway, looking around the building. He smiled when Tohru walked in.

"Ah, there you are, Tohru." Akito said in with a cold smirk.

"You summoned me, Madam Akito?" Tohru said, while bowing. She looked at the man with gray hair, then to Akito.

"It's my understanding, that you've recently turned 16, correct?" said Akito. Tohru's face brightened up.

"Y-yes mam." She said with a smile. Akito walked up to her and skimmed up and down her body. Tohru blushed as she did it.

"Okay, perfect. Now you can start you new job." said Akito with a smile. It scared Tohru a bit, but she was excited.

"Thank you, Madam Akito! What is my new job?" asked Tohru with a cheerful face.

"Your new job will be in prostitution, and this man right here, Mr. Yuki Sohma, if I'm correct, is your first customer.".

Tohru's face dropped dramatically, her eyes widened. Akito and the man still had a smile on their faces.

"Thank you, Ms. Akito. She's perfect." Yuki said with a smile, gazing at Tohru while handing Akito the money. Akito smiled and took it, then gave Tohru two cups and a bottle of Sake.

"Tohru, the room is the last room in the west wing. Make sure to treat this man properly and do whatever he asks." Akito grinned. Tohru stood there with sad, betrayed eyes and lightly nodded.

"Now get out of my sight." Akito demanded to Tohru. Tohru nodded and started on her way. As she and Yuki walked away, an evil smirk spread across her face. Then she greeted the next customer.

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How did it come to this?

Tohru sat in a corner in the dark, moon-lit room. She had been asking for this, it was her own stupid fault this happened. Now she understood what Rin meant earlier that day.

Yuki poured himself a cup of Sake and drinked. He wiped his mouth clean and turned towards Tohru, giving her a smirk. Tohru stared up at him with uneasy eyes.

"Well, I guess it's time to get started." He said with a smile. "Now strip.".

Tohru's eyes widened and filled up with sadness. Memories of how happy her birthdays used to be with her traitor parents flashed through her mind.

"Now that I'm sixteen, I wonder how my life will be like at Akito's. I wonder if I can be like Rin-chan! I hope I can do the work she does and be just as beautiful as her!"

"Don't EVER say that. Don't you EVER say that. You just stay you, and that's final,"

With quotes that seemed to endlessly echo in her head.. She took off her clothes.