The title of this chapter comes from "The Scientist" by Coldplay because... yeah. Hopefully it'll be clear by the end. With the whole "going back to the start" thing. Question: does anyone actually look up these songs to listen to while reading? 'Cause that's kind of what they're for. Well, anyway, thanks to kgeesing for kicking my tail in gear with her brief but beautiful review. I would really like to finish this story; it's just a matter of being inspired, you know? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this very, very late update. Thanks for reading! :)
The busiest part of Tohru's day is always around eleven to one. But it's also her favorite. There's just something about the hustle and bustle of the café that she can't help but find enticing. Perhaps this is because it helps to keep her mind off other things. And the people she serves are always so nice. There have only been a few times where she's served aggressive customers, and even those really were her fault. But for the most part, she's good at her job, and Taiko-san, the owner, insists that most of their returning customers only come to see her. Today is no different as the construction workers, businessmen, college students, and other such hard-workers flock into the humble restaurant.
"I need two orders of soumen noodles, a bowl of miso, and a small plate of rice balls!" she yells into the back kitchen after pinning a ticket onto the spinner and beginning to fill up a few Styrofoam cups with her customers' drink orders.
The clanging of forks and chopsticks on ceramic plates, the sizzle of the fryer, the enticing scent of freshly-cooked noodles have become so familiar after two and a half years of serving at The Big Plate that they're home now to Tohru, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Although, sometimes she feels like she has to think this way, just to keep her head above water.
As Tohru skillfully maneuvers around and between tables and booths, dodging customers and fellow waitresses alike, to present a large tray of plates to a table of hungry electricians, Tsubaki-san – another server and friend of Tohru's – stops her for a moment and says, "Fresh meat at table three." Tohru smiles, nods, and continues. After finishing with the electricians, she speed-walks over to the new table, already pulling out her notepad and pen.
"Good afternoon, Miss. I'm Tohru Honda, and I'll be serving you today. Do you know what you'd like to drink or would you like a menu to see what all we have?"
The woman's eyes go wide when Tohru says her name before she stammers out, "Um, a – a water, please. Thank you."
The woman in the booth is slender and young with long, dark hair. Tohru can't tell her occupation by her clothes alone – a simple, dull-colored kimono – as she usually can. She certainly seems nervous for some reason. Tohru can't imagine why, but she would never in her life attempt to ask. It would be extremely rude to be so personal with a stranger.
"Alright, I'll get right on that. Would you like to see a menu or hear our specials today?"
"No, uh, no, that's okay. Just a water is fine."
Tohru tries to hide her confusion as she says pleasantly, "Alright; I'll be right back," and goes on to fill up another cup.
After pausing at a few of her other tables to inquire about a need for refills and condiments, she makes it back to the strange woman's table and sets down her cup. The woman's eyes can't seem to stay in one place for too long. "If you decide you'd like anything else, let me know."
As Tohru turns to leave, the woman addresses her. "Honda-san?"
She turns back. "Yes? What do you need?"
"Do you know the Sohma family?"
Tohru freezes, her pleasant, polite smile plastered on her face for a moment before it slowly fades. But, no, she can't seem unhappy in front of a customer. She forces it back, half-hearted this time. "Um, I'm sorry?"
"The Sohma family – do you know them?" The woman waits for an answer. When Tohru can't speak, she continues. "I'm Kasumi. I work for them." She looks from side to side to make sure no one's listening and whispers the next part. "You know of the curse?"
"I – uh – I don't – " She still can't speak.
"Momiji told me about you."
At this, her face and heart fall, and she breathes, "Momiji?" She fears that if she speaks aloud, she'll cry.
Apparently, Kasumi saw in Tohru's face what she was looking for. She reaches into her kimono and pulls out a small, folded-up piece of paper. "You know they aren't allowed contact to the Outside. He asked me to bring you this." Kasumi hands her the note. She takes it slowly with a trembling hand. "I haven't read it. He made me promise that I don't. Please, keep it as secretive as possible. I'll come back this time tomorrow – same place, same time – for your reply, so make sure you're here, working or not." She scoots out of the booth and stands up to leave. "Please, Honda-san. Kyo needs you." Tohru's breath catches when she hears Kyo's name. Kasumi leaves her standing there with a painful lump in her throat, water in her eyes, and a sacred piece of paper in her still-shaking hands. As she stands there, stunned into stillness, she realizes – Kasumi didn't even touch her water.
o.O.o.O.o
"Do you have any twos?" Kisa asks, somewhat quietly.
Kyo shakes his head. "Nope. Go fish."
They're both sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, the remaining deck in between them. After committing the relatively intimate act of cutting his hair, Kisa has become a bit more comfortable around Kyo and even more so with each visit to his room. He's in between babysitters right now, which is part of why Kisa is here in the first place, playing Go Fish while Hiro is out looking for the next guard. She won't be able to stop him from doing anything, but even if he manages to escape somehow, he'll leave a witness – not that he would try anything; it's just a precaution.
Kisa takes the top card of the deck and adds it to her hand. It's apparently not a two.
"Any aces?"
"Mm-mm," Kisa says, "Go fish."
He draws a three. It's no ace, but it matches another of his cards. He adds them both to the pile at his side.
"Hey, Kyo?"
"It's still my turn, you know. I got one."
"I know, but – wait, does that count if the card you pulled isn't the one you asked for?" Kyo shrugs. "Oh, well. Um, can I ask you a question?"
"If you ask why I did it, I'm not answering. I've already told that to one too many people. Ask Hiro. You got any tens?"
"Oh, no, I wasn't going to ask…that…" She trails off.
Kyo looks at her, trying to convey that it's not really that big a deal. "Tens?"
"Oh! Right, um, yes, here you go." He adds the card and one from his own hand to his pile. "Um… It's probably not my place, and… and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but…"
When she takes too long to continue, he encourages, "But what? And do you have any fours?"
"Uh," she mumbles as she glances at her hand. "No. But…"
"Look. Kisa. If you want to ask, ask. But I'm not going to tear the words from your mouth."
"Right." She looks down. "Um… I… I think you should help Momiji."
Kyo goes rigid. He tries not to speak through his teeth. "That's not a question."
Although she's still looking down, she can feel the tension and hear the horribly concealed acid in his voice. She shakes her head. "You're right. You're right, I'm sorry." There's a moment of tense silence. Kisa wishes she could take back ever even considering telling him such a thing.
"It's your turn." His voice is still stiff, but it's softer than before.
She glances at her hand, clears her throat, and forces herself to speak clearly. "Do you have any sixes?"
"No. Go fish." His voice is back to normal now. Thank God.
The game continues on for while without event.
"Dang. How long does it take to find a person?" Kyo eventually asks.
Now that she thinks about it, it occurs to Kisa that Hiro is taking a rather long time. She glances toward the door. "I'm not sure what's taking him."
"Who's supposed to be coming anyway?"
Kisa shrugs. "There isn't really a schedule or anything. Pretty much, it's just whoever has nothing better to do." Kyo raises an eyebrow. "Oh – oh, no, I didn't mean – "
He laughs a little, but doesn't really smile. "Chill. I'm messing with you."
"Oh. Oh, okay."
"I think it's your turn."
"Oh, right. Um…" She stares hard at her hand, thinking, a small crease in her forehead.
He laughs a small laugh again and mutters, "You look just like Tohru," without meaning to. He realizes what he's done at the same time as Kisa, and both sets of eyes go wide. "Uh – crap, I didn't mean – "
Kisa cuts him off, his fumble giving her the courage to say her piece – very quickly. "We all know you love her, Kyo, we all do, too, but in a different way, but your love for her is something special and unbreakable, and you deserve to be with her, and we all know she loves you, too, and I can't imagine having to be separated from Hiro like you're separated from her, I hate being here, stuck in Sohma House, forced to stay here like prisoners, but at least I have him to be here with me, and even if I wasn't in love, I could probably get through, but to be in love and that person not be here, being forcibly separated from them, knowing they're out there somewhere and being just outside of reach would be unbearable, and I would just hate everything, and maybe if I felt like staying here was protecting him, I could do it – maybe – but it would still be absolutely awful, and all I would think about would be being reunited with him, and I just think it's worth it to try, please try, not just for your happiness – although, that's important – but for her happiness because I just know she's going through the same thing as you, I just know it." She snaps her mouth shut. A crinkle forms between her eyes. "I'm sorry."
Kyo is slack-jawed – in part because he's never heard her say so much at one time and part because of the content of her speech.
"I'm sorry," she says again, the crease deepening. "Please say something."
He can't. He's still processing.
"Please?" It's only a whisper.
Finally, he opens his mouth. "…I'll think about it."
Aw, snap! Here we go! And now is the time when I don't know what's going to happen... But I'll think about it! For those of you who would like to continue reading! Thank you guys so much; you make my day with your reviews. :3 Also, on a side note, is it just me, or does Kyo playing Go Fish with Kisa just make for a super adorable image? No? Just me? Okay.