Over the next few days, Tohru had kept to herself, just cleaning her room, or staring out of the window. Just recently she asked Shigure to put a lock on her door, so she can keep people she wanted out, well, out. Tohru had put her hair into a ponytail, and was cleaning her room, as though she were preparing for Uo-chan or Hana-chan to spend a day or two over at the Sohma residency. But, alas, they were not coming until after New Year's.

But someone was.

The same night Yuki and Tohru had announced to one another how they felt, Shigure announced that he was allowing a high school girl to stay with them – and not because she was a high school girl. Apparently the girl was a gang leader going straightedge, or quitting her drugs and fighting. And Shigure had personally signed her up for martial arts with Kazuto Sohma, or Shishou.

Best of all, Akito doesn't know!

Tohru smiled, as she picked up a couple of wandering socks in her room. She could feel the tension, even though she was completely ignoring it. It was only from Kyou, who was worried that this girl would be like Tohru. If you don't remember, Tohru fell on a piece of wood, and hugged Kyou, turning him into the Neko of the Juunishi.

In an hour, Tohru's room was completely ready for the new girl's arrival. She giggled as she opened the door and walked downstairs. She glanced at the photos that hung on the wall, most of them are just random artistic photos, but a few were the 'Mabudachi Trio', Kyou, and Yuki. The pictures of Yuki and Kyou were alike in so many ways. They were both about seven, and each were not smiling, but crying. She froze as she noticed that.

She still knew so little about the adoptive family she was so lucky to have found. Tohru didn't blink, and she couldn't tell if she were breathing or not. All she knew was that the two boys she's known for a year now were, and never have been, happy. Tohru came back to reality as tears gently caressed her cheeks. She brought her right hand to her mouth, to hide the hiccups that came when she cried. Oh, please don't see me as this, Yuki-kun… Tohru thought.

"Tohru-kun, what's wrong?" Yuki asked, appearing at the other end of the hallway. He had just came back from his secret hideaway, the strawberries in his hands giving that away instantly. "Tohru-kun, are you alright?" He asked, concern etched in his voice now.

Tohru nodded slightly, as she quickly wiped her tears away and forced a smile, which she had mastered doing over the year. "Yes!" She quickly said. "I don't want to look down when the new girl gets here, now do I?" Tohru asked, her voice slightly shaky.

"…" Yuki set the strawberries down on the table, which was behind Tohru, and kissed her cheek. He pushed back her hair behind her right ear and whispered in her ear: "You can come to me to talk about problems, you know." Yuki pulled back and smiled that oh-so-common smile Tohru's seen over the year. His 'I'm your prince' smile.

Tohru straightened up and grinned. "I know!" She laughed. "Come on, we better wash those strawberries off and put them in the refrigerator so they don't ruin." Tohru said, changing the subject. She spun around the table behind her and grabbed half of the strawberries, and ran out of the hall, smiling. Yuki chuckled as he picked up his half and followed her.

In the kitchen, Kyou and Shigure sat at the table, reading. Kyou was actually doing his algebra homework that he received for winter break. And to be frank, he understood nothing of it. And he was too proud to ask for help. He growled as he slammed his pencil down. "Why the hell do we gotta do homework during break, huh!?" He asked in annoyance.

"So idiots like you don't feel so, well, idiotic." Yuki smirked as he passed Kyou.

"Ya damn rat, wipe that smirk off your face!" Kyou shouted. Yuki chuckled, which annoyed Kyou ten times more. Tohru laughed nervously as she rinsed off the strawberries. She glanced out of the kitchen window, and saw a few police with a young woman with them. She had short, blue hair, and bangs that covered her eyes. The girl rose her head slightly as a cop muttered something, and that allowed Tohru to see her dark blue eyes.

"Shigure-san, there are a few policemen at the door, along with a girl." Tohru announced, putting the strawberries into a small container. She smiled, as she thought of the perfect way to welcome the new girl, a milkshake. Tohru could make the best strawberry milkshake in all of Japan it seemed.

"Ah, Suri-chan, it's nice to meet—" Shigure's voice was cut off.

"I am not a child, so don't think you can call me 'Suri-chan'. And why the hell are you so formal, huh? We're in the 21st century, dumbass!" Suri growled.

"Learn some manners, will you, little girl?" Kyou stood up, slamming his fist into the table. Yuki sat there, sipping the tea Tohru had brought out.

"Uh, um… Excuse me, Kyou-kun, please don't break the table—"

"Aw, looky, you've got a mommy to make sure wittle ol' Kyou doesn't get into trouble." Suri mocked. Kyou growled and snatched up his papers.

"You need to learn that bitches like you should keep their mouths shut, or they'll get their asses kicked." Kyou snapped.

"Um, um…" Tohru gaped, as Shigure was singing Momiji's Onsen Song. Suri's jaw had dropped wide open. "Suri-kun, please come with me, I'll show you our room." Tohru looked over at Yuki, and beckoned him to follow them to her room, which he nodded and got up.

In Tohru's room, Suri had plopped herself on the floor, sitting crisscross, and her arms folded across her chest. Tohru and Yuki resided on Tohru's bed, watching Suri anxiously. "Suri-kun, do you know of the Juunishi story?" Yuki asked.

"Che, duh!" Suri glared. "It's a folklore, no? Stop it with the 'Oh, you're a little kid' crap."

"We aren't calling you a kid." Tohru blinked. "The curse… This family is cursed. A selection of thirteen members of the Sohma family is cursed with the vengeful zodiac spirits." Tohru informed.

"There are TWELVE zodiacs." Suri scoffed.

"Plus the baka neko…" Yuki glowered. "Don't interrupt Tohru-kun, either."

"Anyhow," Tohru sighed as she continued on with her story, "everyone in this house, except you and I, are cursed. We cannot hug them, no matter how much we want to." Tohru looked sad for a moment, but brightened up. "But! We cannot tell a soul. Understand?" Tohru asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Wait, Kyou's a cat? What colour is he, orange?" Suri snickered.

"Actually… Yeah." Tohru and Yuki informed, which made Suri break out laughing.