Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket.

A/N: I finally had time to update! School is so stressful! But, I'm back with another fluff-filled chappy for you guys! Enjoy and REVIEW!


Uotani looked up at Kureno, eyes wide. "What are you… why are you here...?"

"I… the truth is… I came to see you…" Kureno replied quietly, his eyes downcast.

Uotani gazed up at him, heart thudding. "But Tohru told me you didn't want to see me again…"

"I didn't." Kureno looked into her eyes painfully. "I… had a duty… I didn't want to see you… But… I couldn't help myself." Tears began to slip from his eyes.

Uotani reached up and touched his face, feeling the wetness of his pain on his cheek. "Why then…?"

"Because it's so hard to stay away… From the one you love!" Kureno's hand gripped Uotani's wrist.

Now it was Uotani's turn to cry. "Stupid… if that was how you felt before… then why did you…" She buried her face in his shirt, which became damp from her tears.

"Because Akito… she…" Kureno stopped mid-sentence.

It didn't matter anymore. He didn't really love Akito. That love was a lie. It was pity and he knew it from the start. He lifted Uotani's face and kissed her hard, passionately. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned back against a tree as their lips touched.

Kureno's eyes snapped open. He pulled back abruptly. What have I done? "Arisa… I'm… sorry… I…" Kureno gave her one last longing look and caressed her cheek briefly. "I'm sorry!" He turned on heel and ran into the darkness.

"Kureno!" Uotani called after him, but he didn't look back. She knew there was no point in running after him. "Kureno…" She fell to her knees and wiped her eyes with the heel of one hand, the other hand gripping the dirt beneath her.

As if on cue, the rain began splattering the trees and hitting her shoulder, as if crying with her.

"KURENO!"


Hanajima looked up sharply. "Pain…" She said abruptly, causing the others to stop and look at her. "Two people are… in pain…"


"UWAH!" Kimi giggled. "Look, Momiji-chan, rain!" She held out her hands to feel the droplets sprinkle her fingers.

Momiji laughed. "I guess we couldn't see the clouds from under the trees." He paused and looked up. "Rain holds so many feelings, huh? It can be sad, peaceful, renewed, even content."

Kimi thought about what he said before replying. "What about love? Can it represent falling in love for real for the first time?" She asked, looking shyly at him.

Momiji looked at her, his cheeks turning pink. "Yeah… maybe…"

Both of their eyes flickered to their interlocked hands, but they just smiled and kept walking as if it meant nothing.


Kureno ran until he saw the summer home in front of him. He walked in without bothering to take off his shoes, running through the halls until he came face to face with Hatori.

"Kureno? What are you doing here?" Hatori asked suspiciously.

Kureno looked up at him, and Hatori noticed his pained expression and the tears that mingled with the rain on his face.

"Are you… alright?" Hatori asked, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Kureno shook his head and took a hold of the front of Hatori's shirt. "Hatori, please, find Uotani and erase her memory of our last encounter!"

Hatori looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

Kureno squeezed his eyes shut. "I told her things I shouldn't have said! I gave her proof of the feelings I shouldn't have felt! I don't want her to know I love her! I beg you, please erase it!"

Hatori grabbed Kureno's wrists and forced him to look up at him. "What? You… love each other?"

Kureno nodded, eyes still full of tears. "It's not meant to be… I… Akito… Please, Hatori! I have never asked anything of you before this! Just do this for me!"

Hatori was still confused, especially to see Kureno of all the people in such a state, but he dropped the other man's wrists and nodded. "If you wish…"

Kureno bowed to Hatori and whispered one last "Thank you" before turning on heel and running away.

Hatori sighed, his hand clenched into a tight fist. Kureno… why are we all cursed to a life like this… even you, whose curse has been lifted?


The feeling of rain on his head awakened Kyo. He looked up and cursed.

Tohru's eyes also fluttered open and she looked around. "Kyo-kun, rain!" She smiled. Then realization dawned on her and she gave Kyo a concerned look. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Don't worry about me. How long have we been asleep, anyway?" He scratched his head and stood, Tohru doing the same.

"We should start looking for the others again…" Tohru rubbed her eyes and they began walking.

They didn't have to go long before they caught up with the others.

Manabe was the first to notice them. "OI! The lovebirds are back!"

The others turned and Kisa ran into Tohru's arms. "Thank goodness you're okay!" She cried.

That woman is my rival! Hiro thought.

That girl is my rival! Kyo thought.

Hanajima gave Tohru a serious look. "I sense… pain…"

Tohru blinked up at her.

"Two people are hurting." Hanajima repeated.

Tohru looked down worriedly. "Do you know who?"

Hanajima shook her head.

"So Kyo, you didn't take advantage of Tohru, did you?" Haru punched the other boy's arm.

Manabe's cue. "EEEEEK! KYO-KUN'S A PERVERT! ALL GIRLS AND WOMEN SHOULD FEAR HIS WRATH!"

"SHUT UP!"


Uotani stumbled through the woods, unsure of everything. She cursed the rain several times.

Soon she noticed a figure standing in front of her.

"Kureno?" She asked helplessly.

Hatori looked down at her painfully. He closed his eyes and prayed for the two of them before covering Uotani's eyes with his hand.

A flash of light erupted through the darkness as Uotani fell unconscious on the ground.

"It's done…" Hatori said to nobody at all before walking back towards the house.

Kureno was watching from the shadows of the trees. "Thank you, Hatori." He said before disappearing.


Uotani awoke not long after, tears streaming down her face and something heavy weighing down her heart. She couldn't remember what it was, though. She was covered in dirt and mud, her clothes torn.

A group of people was coming towards her. She lifted herself to a sitting position.

"ARI-CHAN!" Manabe grinned and waved at first, but then his smile faded as he saw a better look at her. He turned to Tohru and Hanajima. "There's something wrong with Ari-chan…"

Uotani saw two people break out of the group and rush towards her. Tohru and Hanajima. They both kneeled down in front of her and exchanged worried glances.

"Pain…" Hanajima whispered.

Uotani looked at them for a moment, her eyes filling up with tears. She grabbed them both into a hug, sobbing into their shoulders.

"What happened Uo-chan?" Tohru asked frantically, trying to comfort her.

Uotani shook her head. "I don't know… I feel like I'm forgetting something. Something that makes me really sad!" she choked another sob out before whispering so only those two could hear. "It was… something to do with Kureno."

Tohru's eyes widened.

The others were also looking concerned and finally Haru spoke up. "We should probably take her home now."

"I… don't know if I can walk on my own…" Uotani said quietly, feeling embarrassed at her own weakness.

Haru and Kyo gave each other uneasy looks; both knowing it would be too risky to try to carry her.

"FEAR NOT! SCHOOL DEFENSE CORPS BLACK RANGER AT YOUR SERVICE!" Manabe jumped up and picked her up bridal-style.

"W-What are you doing!" Uotani asked, struggling in his grip.

"Helping you. Don't worry, I'm not a pervert like Kyo-kun, my heart belongs to my girl…"

("I'M NOT A PERVERT DAMMIT!")

He went off on a rant about how awesome his girlfriend was, and Uotani relaxed, knowing that he didn't mean anything by carrying her. He was just being friendly. This guy isn't so bad after all. She closed her eyes and her thoughts wandered to ten minutes ago. What had happened? She didn't remember anything after getting separated from the group. Did she faint? Yes, that must be it. I didn't eat a very good breakfast, so that's probably why. She concluded, but something still bugged her. What does Kureno have to do with that, though? She shook the thoughts out of her head and let herself fall asleep in Manabe's arms.


Momiji and Kimi came to a clearing and saw a house in the distance.

"We made it back, Momiji-chan!" Kimi laughed looking up at him in delight.

"I know today hasn't been exactly as planned, but it was fun, right?" Momiji grinned at her.

"Yeah, it was!" Kimi smiled back.

The two of them looked at each other for a few moments.

"Ahem." Momiji cleared his throat and both of them went to cover the remaining ground towards the house, blushing.

They arrived to see that everyone else had come as well, and they all ate and turned in, totally worn out from the whole day.


Uotani woke up, and looked around. It was dark, except for a man dozing off on a chair by her bed.

Hatori opened his eyes and looked at a now awake Uotani.

"What happened?" She asked, sitting up.

"Manabe carried you back, and you were asleep, so we just let you come sleep in your room. I stayed incase something happened." Hatori explained, fully surveying her for the first time since they had met. So this is the woman Kureno fell for…

Uotani nodded. She looked to the side to see Hanajima asleep in her own bed next to her. "Where are Tohru and everyone else?"

"Sleeping. Tohru was here a while before, but she got tired and I told her to go to bed." Hatori replied stoically. Finally he sighed, and his eyes became soft. "You had better get some rest. You were worn out from physical and emotional strain. I think you'll be fine come morning."

Uotani nodded and lay down, closing her eyes. After a while, her breathing became deep and even and Hatori knew she was asleep. He leaned over and touched her hair, stroking it gently, sadly. I said I'd watch over Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki, but until Kureno gets things straight, I'll watch over him and Uotani too…

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, sighing and closing his eyes.

Our curse has no end, and it tears people apart, heart after heart.


Hocha. I finished a very long chapter that took me a couple of days. But i think it was worth it so REVIEW!