Author's Intro:

Man, now that I know basically how the series ends (it looks to be 22 volumes in all), I'm like "Now it doesn't feel right continuing this story!", but I shall. I like how it's turning out, which is a big plus.

"Tohru-kun, are you going to apply for a college?" Shigure asked randomly the next morning.

"Eh…? I…umm…ah…I-I don't know!" she answered nervously, making breakfast. "I want to work hard, but I don't think that I will go to college right now. Maybe in a year or so."

Shigure smiled. He knew that her mind was else where at that time; always on Kyo, probably.

"W-why do you ask?" the Cat wondered aloud, and then gasped. "Am I being a burden? I'll move out! I-I-I don't want to cause you any trouble, Shigure-san!" she yelled, shaking her fists in panic.

"No, no," he sighed, smiling and waving his hands, resisting the urge to tease her further. "I was just wondering."

"Umm….I….I was wondering if I could go out with Uo-chan and Hana-chan today," Tohru asked, hoping his answer would be a yes. She could look for Kyo, too….

"Of course. Have fun, Tohru-kun."

"Tohru….you're here…."

"Yes, Tohru-kun…we missed you…."

Hanajima and Uotani had wrapped the teen in a huge hug, leaning their heads against her own.

"Let's go, then!" Arisa yelled, pointing her finger towards the street ahead, which made the others smile.

Tohru, though, was hoping to see Kyo, somehow, someway. Yuki's words echoed over and over in her head.

"He really cares for you."

"Don't give up."

Squeezing her eyes shut momentarily, the Cat thought of the orange haired boy, grinning down on her, his usually angry eyes becoming soft at her smiles.

"He really cares for you…"

"Hey! Yo! Tohru! C'mon!" yelled a voice, belonging to Uotani, drifting into Tohru's mind, causing her to snap out of her thoughts and look up. "We don't want to lose you," Arisa smirked playfully, beckoning for her to hurry up.

"Sorry! I'm coming," the Cat called back, running happily to catch up with her friends.

'Kyo-kun…'

"Ah, it seems we're almost out of food," Shishou calmly stated, opening an empty cupboard. He was looking at Kyo, who walked into the room. "Can you go get some, Kyo?

"Sure, Shishou," he muttered back, throwing on a pair of shoes and striding out the door, shutting it behind him.

Kazuma looked into the next cupboard, and found himself staring at a full stock of ingredients. He put on a slight smile.

'There must be something he needs to do…a calling, perhaps? Involving Tohru-san?'

Shutting the cabinet, he made his way into another room, quietly humming, not bothering to tell Kyo to come home.

"Uo-chan, can we stop by the grocery store?" Tohru asked, looking up at her blonde friend.

"Sure, but that wouldn't be much of shopping, now would it?" Arisa winked, setting her forearm on the Cat's head.

"Yes….Tohru-kun….why don't you just make that writer you live with go shopping? Relax for now…." Saki calmly smiled, putting her arm around Tohru.

"B-b-ut! I can't! I have to get some ingredients for Shigure-san…" she cried, looking over at the store sign. "I…I'll meet up with you in a little bit, okay?" she smiled.

"Over at that shop?" Hana asked, pointing to a fancy clothes store across the way.

"Okay!"

As the Cat walked over to the supermarket, she thought she spotted a patch of orange hair. be," Tohru sighed, turning and walking into the building.

Just behind her trotting figure, Kyo could be seen.

'Is that the Tohru Honda girl from last night?' he anxiously thought, attempting to look above the crowd. 'Nah, that couldn't be her.'

Akito stood in his garden, staring out at the dewy flowers and singing birds.

'Why? Why…is the Curse breaking?' he could feel it….that certain sound…that certain wave. Kureno was gone….but he would stay there.

His oath would not be broken.

As long as that bond remained, Akito Sohma was still God.

But the breaking….the cracking….from so long ago….

The End had to be near.

Yuki went out that day, feeling as though he would suffocate if he didn't. Trudging aimlessly around town, he caught sight of someone….someone very familiar….

"Machi!"

'That was her,' he concluded, seeing the suspected girl turn around, surprised, scanning the crowds before her.

"Over here!" he yelled, waving his arm to make sure that she caught sight of him. She did, and made her way over to him, her bored eyes, for once, looked alive.

Author's Closing:

Sorry for the shorter chapter.

Been busy…

I looked at guitars to buy today. My selections: Godin "Detour", Rock Daisy (I think that's the name….even though I don't like the colors I saw; they all had pink in 'em).

That's what I remember right now.

Laterzzz.

E.