One more chapter for tonight so I can stay on the schedule I set in my mind for this story. Read and enjoy.
Please keep in mind that Fruits Basket and the Fruits Basket characters belong to Natsuki Takaya. The plot and the original characters if you happen to like one or both are mine. I hope you like both of them.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and to review if you feel so inclined.
Chapter 6 "Think About It Sohma-san"
The bus arrived back in Koriyama only to be met by a drastic change in the unpredictable winter weather. A cold winter rain had begun to fall and by the time Hatori and Tohru drew even with his hotel they were both cold and shivering from the water that had soaked through their hair and streamed down into the collars of their jackets.
Hatori grabbed Tohru's hand and pulled her into the warmth of the hotel lobby. "Tohru-san, we are both going to develop fevers or at the very least, catch a cold if we don't get out of these wet things. Let's wait the rain out in the warmth of my room and then we can continue on to your place. I'm sure I have something dry you can wear while I have the hotel dry our clothing."
Tohru's cheeks turned red and not from the cold. "Oh no Hatori-san. I couldn't possibly take advantage of your kindness. I don't want to be such trouble. I'll be fine until…"
"Tohru-san, it is no trouble." Hatori's warm hand covered her own. "What would trouble me is if you were to fall ill when I could have prevented it."
"Oh…in that case, thank you."
Hatori nodded and led the way to his room. He tossed Tohru his nightshirt and one of the hotel robes. "Here take these. Drop your wet clothes outside of the shower room door and I'll have the hotel attend to them. You take the shower first."
"But Hatori-san you should go first, it's your room and…"
"This is an argument you won't win Tohru-san. The longer we discuss this, the longer it will be before I can take my shower"
Tohru found herself in the bath with no more to say. She placed all of her wet garments together in a tidy bundle and set it outside the door. Hatori changed into a dry pair of slacks and a dark green sweater as he waited.
Tohru took her shower in record time. She giggled when she looked in the mirror. The night shirt hung well below her knees and tried to fall off of her shoulders. The robe wasn't much better as a good three inches of it dragged on the floor. Oh well, it's only temporary. She slipped her feet into the pair of socks Hatori had thoughtfully provided and stepped outside the door only to stumble on the hem and go sprawling into Hatori's arms. He managed, just barely, to keep her from coming in contact with his torso. Hatori's cheeks turned red as he realized he was holding a half naked woman in his arms. The robe had come uncinched when Tohru stepped on the hem and his nightshirt had chosen to slip off of her shoulders leaving very little to the imagination. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat as he set her upright on her feet. "I'll go take my shower now…I ordered tea, it should be here soon." He sounded gruff even to himself.
"Okay" Tohru's voice sounded meek and her cheeks were aflame as well. Hatori shut the shower door behind him and leaned against it as he waited for his heartbeat to slow. He would apologize later. As he showered, two things lay on his mind. One was that he had almost revealed the Sohma secret to Tohru…and two…Tohru was very much a woman now. He should pack up his things and go home tomorrow but he knew he wasn't going to do so. He wanted to know more about Miss Tohru Honda and the woman she had become. He sighed…he should probably call Shigure to talk him out of this sudden insanity…but he knew he wouldn't do that either. Tohru appealed to him in a way he had never imagined.
When he came out of the shower Tohru was setting out the tea. She had tightened the nightshirt with the belt from the robe and turned it into a modest shirtdress. The robe lay abandoned across the bed.
"Tohru-san…I'm…"
"Hatori-san…I'm…"
They laughed as they spoke in unison. "Ladies first," Hatori invited.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm clumsy and I didn't mean to cause trouble.'
"I am the one who should apologize. I was surprised and over-reacted. Friends?"
"Friends" Tohru agreed as she accepted his offered hand.
"Marilu said our clothes would be laundered and dry soon and I called my landlady to let her know we were delayed by the weather."
"Marilu…?"
"oh, she's the maid for this floor. She eats in the restaurant often and we always talk. Sit and have some tea. It's delicious."
Tohru kept up a constant stream of chatter as they had their tea. She talked about the area and some of its other attractions.
"Perhaps we can visit those on your next day off" Hatori suggested.
Tohru's eyes widened in surprise. "Will you still be here by then?"
"Yes. I've needed a vacation for years and I like it here. I think I'll stay a while.."
"I like it here as well, but I don't know if I'll stay. I know Toshi-san wants me to and I might, if he asks."
"Toshi-san?"
"Morikawa-san's younger son…he seems to like me and I think I like him as well."
"I see." Hatori was surprised by the small twinge of regret that pinged at his heart. Now he knew at least part of the reason why she was still here.
Their freshly laundered clothes were returned by the time the tea was finished and aside from the wet streets and sidewalks a person would never know it had rained. The early evening sky was clear as they walked to Tohru's apartment. "Come in and be comfortable while I prepare dinner. Reikishi-san will be here in about an hour. There's music or books, or TV." Tohru gestured around her apartment as she fastened an apron around her slim waist.
"Thank you I will." Hatori selected some music and a book then made himself comfortable. It was a small place but Tohru had made it seem spacious and welcoming. There were three or four pictures of her mother placed about the room and there was a picture, probably from junior high, of Tohru, Arisa Uotani, and Saki Hanajima. He was glad Shigure had managed to smuggle those out of the house and into Tohru's stuff when they had removed her and her belongings to Asahikawa.
The aromas emanating from the kitchen triggered his appetite and his stomach rumbled just as a knock sounded at the door. Tohru moved swiftly to answer the door. "Reikishi-san, I'm so glad you could make it. Please come in. Dinner will be ready in five minutes." She introduced the two of them and returned to her cooking.
"Reikishi-san, I'm pleased to meet you. I am Hatori Sohma."
The landlady nodded curtly and looked him over with sharp, piercing black eyes. "Hmph…I approve."
"Excuse me but you approve of what?"
"You of course. Tohru-kun is like my own daughter. I want her to find a nice young man and settle down. She's spent too much of her young life wandering. I think you'll do nicely. Not like that Toshi Morikawa…he's a good kid but a bit spoiled. Tohru-kun doesn't need that."
"I appreciate the thought, but I don't really qualify as a young man and Honda-san and I aren't that close. I am only an acquaintance of Tomo Morikawa and she graciously agreed to show me around for him."
The small elderly woman looked at him sharply once more. "That may be your story but there's more to it than that."
Just then Tohru called for them to come eat. Hatori sighed in relief. The landlady was a little too sharp for his peace of mind.
The remainder of the evening passed smoothly and after a final cup of tea Reikishi-san and Hatori bade Tohru good night.
As Hatori turned to head back to his hotel Mrs. Reikishi clutched his sleeve to halt him. "Sohma-san, you are a part of her missing pass aren't you? You can fill in her lost memories but you don't plan on it do you?"
Hatori frowned. "I fail to see how it would help if I did Reikishi-san. She'd only have words, but the memories still won't surface. Would that be of benefit to Honda-san?"
"Why are you so certain that the words won't bring back her memories?"
"I'm not but I don't want her to be disappointed."
"She won't be. Tell her."
"I can't."
"Cant or won't? Will the memories be that painful for her or perhaps for you?"
"Probably…excuse me please. I have a phone call to make yet tonight."
"Think about it Sohma-san."