AN: Here's half of chapter two! Half? I was not finished with this chapter because it was too long! I decided to cut in half to let you read on. If you read my Tohru one-shot,  Please Say That Just Once More, then this chapter is no new news to you, except that it is more Yuki-centric. Please enjoy and I'll get the second part as quickly as possible!


CHAPTER 2  (PART 1)

"The Day of Freedom"

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Sunlight. Sunlight?

A golden radiance strikes through the glass pane, through the crack of the curtains and into the bedroom.

"Uggh." Yuki covered his eyes from the brightness of the light as much to his annoyance was not only its brightness, but because he did not want to wake yet. He leaned over to his nightstand to lift the alarm clock to his view.

Seven-thirty-six? Arrggh... Not until nine...not until nine...

The boy returned to his realm of dreams, only to be awaken in nine minutes.

BEEP! BEEP!

"Arrggh," he moaned as he reached our to his nightstand and searched for the snooze button. In five minutes, the alarm when off again. "Grrr! Alright!" he banged the alarm button without breaking it. After his little tantrum with the clock, he slowly arisen and walked to his bathroom to prepare for the day.

Shortly after he dressed, he went downstairs to be greeted by someone bright as the sunlight through his window, although not as annoying.

"Ohayo, Yuki-kun!" Tohru said as she served a simple morning meal on the table. Nearby her was Yuki's hot-head of a cousin, Kyo. He was waiting for the food to be served that the table. When he spotted his opposite polar, he just looked away. Yuki sat on the other side of him and patiently awaited for the food to be served.

"Ahhh! What a morning!" called out a yukata-clad man with dark, disheveled hair. He walked slowly from his room and sat at the end of the table and flashed a grin at the serving girl.

"Ohayo, Shigure-san!" Tohru greeted for the second time. She happily served tea in the cup near him.

"It's a great morning, ne? A fresh day of summer!" he said to her as she nodded. Then he turned in Yuki's direction, "Ready to depart, adventurous one?"

"I just have a few things to pack, but other than that...yes."

"That trip sounds a lot fun. What fun...it would be..." Shigure looked up with his hand under his chin, thinking of his "fun".

"It's not the type of fun you're thinking," Yuki cynically replied to the novelist's way of thinking.

Tohru sat in her place beside Kyo, whose quietly eating his rice, and smiled at Yuki whose across from her. "It'll be one of those memories you don't want to forget, especially when it could only happen once in your life. It'll be fun!"

Yuki returned her smile with his own, "Yeah, you're right."


After the end of a quiet meal, Yuki followed Tohru into the kitchen to help out with the dishes, like he always does.

"Ah...Yuki-kun, you don't have to do that," she said as he grabbed the nearest dish in the sink. "It's almost time, ne?" Yuki looked up at the kitchen clock, which read eight-fourty-three. He remembered that there was some things that still needed packing.

"Arigato for reminding me, Honda-san!" he said as departed the kitchen to his room.

"I'll come and help soon!" she called.


Yuki grabbed his toiletries from the bathroom and packed them in small bag. Then, he put the small bag in the suitcase and zipped it. He took his books from his desk and stuffed it in a small knapsack. He remembered his unfinished summer homework. I could finish these as soon as I get there.

"Are you all packed?" Tohru asked as she opened his door a little wider to let herself in.

"Yeah, that settles the packing!" Yuki said as he closed the last of his bags. He packed one small bag with his books and a medium suitcase with his clothes and toiletries. Tohru carried his small bag, while he carried the suitcase down the stairway to the entrance.

"When will they arrive?" she asked after she put the small bag down.

"He said nine o'clock, but I bet he meant ten."

"Hehe. I am so exicited for you, Yuki-kun!" she said in a enthusiastic, cheerful tone.

"Thanks. I am sure you'll have fun too!" he said in a cheerful, but less enthusiastic manner. He smiled a smile that was reserved for his very gracious days, like this day. It's almost time.

Yuki and Tohru stood at the entranceway, feeling the anticipation to come in both of their cases. Shigure came from his office to join in with the young pair. "All set to go, Yuki-kun?" asked he asked as he approached them.

"Yes. I am just waiting for my friends."

"Will there be high school girls? I want to go too!" he said with an exaggerated smile.

"If there were, it'll be illegal for you to come," Yuki said sarcastically. Tohru stood by him with an spaced out expression.

"Aww...that means you'll take them all for yourself? I guess that leaves me and Tohru-kun..." Shigure whined.

"EH?" Tohru shrieked when Shigure stepped over to her side.

"What does this have to do with Honda-san?" Yuki irately said as he was preparing to smack the dog away from her. However, Kyo walked in on the scene and made his debut.

"You don't know when to stop...damn perverted mutt!" He yelled as he pointed to Shigure.

"Kyo-kun! How you could be so mean! I was just standing here!" the dog playfully whined as he enjoys having this little squabble with the cat. He displayed his most innocently possible expression on his face, which only annoyed the orange one more.

"Why don't I wipe that damn smile off you're face!" he growled. He was getting ready to push the dog away from Tohru until someone called "time out".

"Konnichiwa minna-san!" called out a voice from the doorway. A dark-haired boy entered the main room to see everyone all together in their morning scene. "The door was unlocked, so I hope I was not intruding by letting myself in!" He looked nervously at the group in front of him.

Yuki closed his eyes in exasperation. Great. He has to get caught up in this stupidity.

"Welcome!" Shigure greeted, "I am Sohma Shigure, Yuki-kun's cousin. And you are?"

"Ah! Forgive me for the improper introduction!" the boy apologized as he bowed. "I am Manabe Kakeru! I am Yun-Yun's subordinate in the student council as well as his buddy 'o pal!"

Yuki became more apprehensive. Now everyone knows that cumbersome nickname...grrr...

Shigure gave a smirk and giggled, "Yun-Yun? Heh. Heh." He got a dangerous glare in response.

"If you dare use it..." the rat steamed.

"It seems I seen you before, Sohma Kyo!" Manabe's voice intermitted Yuki's death threat to Shigure. He watched as Kyo face tightens into angry mask.

"You..." he seethed. "You're the one who blabbed nonsense that day!"

Yuki thought in confusion. Nonsense? What nonsense?

"I was just apologizing for assuming too much, that's all!" The vice-president said with his hand behind his head and a goofy smile.

Huh?

"Huh?" Kyo was more in perplexity than Yuki was in. Then, his attention dawned on the boy greeting Tohru. "What's with this guy?" he thought.

"It looks like we finally met, Honda-san." He bowed to the brown haired girl in front of him.

"Ah! I am finally glad to meet a friend of Yuki-kun's!" She said and bowed in return.

The boy grinned at the girl as Kyo gazed at him with glaring eyes.

I better end this now. Kami-sama knows what he will do next...

"Now you met everyone, are we set to go," Yuki said as he stepped into his friend's view.

"Sure! Where's your things?" Yuki pointed to his suticase.

"Just take that one and I'll meet you outside."

"Okay!" Manabe picked up the suitcase and waved to the rest of the group. "Nice to meet you all!"

Tohru waved back, "It's nice to meet you too, Manabe-kun!"

Yuki smiled as the girl watched his associate departed through the exit. "Well, this is it," he said.

"Mmhm. Well...goodbye, Yuki-kun."

His smile deepened more into sincerity, "There is no goodbye, if we are to see each other again, Honda-san."

Aside from the pair, Shigure smiled silly, while Kyo had a disgusted look on his face. Without thinking, the novelist struck stupidity again.

"How romanitic! Just like the novels! 'Oh, there are no goodbyes when we could see each other again!' Let's end it with a..."

SMACK (Shigure's face smashed into a small, but heavy load in a small knapsack)

"S-Shigure-san!" Tohru panicked in worry.

The dog rubbed his nose, "Let me guess...an encyclopedia?"

"Yeah. To finish my summer homework and beat inappropriate writers with." Yuki smirked. "It's not like that either."

"Say goodbye already!" Kyo fumed with an envious aura. Yuki glanced at him from the side of his eye. Stupid cat. It's not like that! Whatever.

He ignored the cat's orders and turned back to Tohru. "I wanted to say 'See you later'... and that I won't lose. Thank you for preventing me from running away from the very beginning. I must go...Again, thank you for everything and I'll see you later!" He bowed and waved to her as he headed to the black car waiting outside.

Yuki opened the door to the car and sat in the passenger seat beside Manabe. The boy gave him a nod and turned on the ignition. As the vehicle moved slowly away from Shigure's house, the departing boy looked back and see that girl was still waving. He smiled and watched as she disappears from his view.

I may not return as I am now...so you were right...goodbye...