Yuki stiffly stalked into the school, ignoring anyone who tried talking to him. He was in a foul mood. Actually, he had been irritated since he found out Tohru had left, and his spirits only seemed to worsen as each day passed. He hadn't seen Tohru in over seven days now. Tohru hadn't come back to school since she left, and he had no idea what to think. He was losing his sanity slowly as the seconds ticked by. Concern overwhelmed him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't locate her. Yuki had no clue as to whether she was safe and warm or not, or worse, injured. He was worried it just may be the latter. Tohru wouldn't skip school for a week for no reason. His mind had painted out numerous different scenarios for him, and none of them were very pleasant.

Ire was his constant companion nowadays, along with its more subtle buddy, fret. He couldn't handle not knowing when he was going to see his beloved next. He needed to know she was all right. The only reason he still even bothered to go to school was for the chance that Tohru would show up that day. It didn't look like she was here today though. He had already passed her locker twice during his annoyed stroll around the school. What he found most strange wasn't the fact that Tohru wasn't attending school but that Uo and Hana weren't concerned at all. They seemed to know where Tohru was but didn't feel compelled to inform him. That bothered him to no end.

Why wouldn't they tell him where Tohru was?

Grumpily, he shoved past Kyo, who was standing by the door and blocking his way in, with unnecessary added force. Yuki angrily sat himself down in his seat in the back of the room, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for school to start. He was already waiting for it to end. He wanted to go back to searching for Tohru. There had to be some place he was missing, although he was positive he had checked every nook and corner within a five mile radius. He had even pestered Momiji's father and got him to tell him that Tohru hadn't even come to work. That was a cause for worry, considering how much Tohru worried about having enough money to support their child.

He flipped open his notebook, pretending to take notes as Mayu began to speak. Yuki was partially sure she was reading a story out loud, but he was too busy glancing down at what he had written to pay her any mind. He had listed every place Tohru was likely to be and had recorded anything that suggested that Tohru might have stopped by there. So far, he had only found one clue, and that was the cream colored ribbon he had given to her for white day a year ago. It had been trapped in one of the plants of his garden, but by the dirt smudged across it, he couldn't tell whether that had fallen there recently or if it had slipped out of her hair the last time they went to his base together.

So absorbed in his notes, he didn't even notice when the classroom door opened. He only looked up after Kyo had thrown his eraser at him. The sight Yuki found himself staring at left him speechless. Tohru was standing in the front of the classroom, handing Mayu a note. He stood up abruptly, but she didn't even glance his way as she shuffled down the aisle to the back of the room. To his shock, she didn't even head to her seat beside him, she plopped herself into the empty desk next to Kyo, three desks down from him. Yuki gaped in a mix of fury and surprise.

She was avoiding him and not doing a very good job of concealing it.

"Yes, Sohma? Would you like to read?" Mayu questioned curtly.

Yuki shook his head as he dropped back down into his chair. He shut his notebook as Mayu went back to reading, but he wasn't paying attention. He was staring at Tohru, watching her as she pulled her a sheet of paper and began jotting down something. Yuki had to clench his teeth together to keep from growling when she whispered something he couldn't hear to Kyo. She wasn't averting Kyo, so why was she dodging him? He was the one who loved her more than anything else in the world. Didn't she know how much she was hurting him?

He glanced up at the clock, grimacing when he learned they were only five minutes into class. Forty-five more minutes more until class was over. Yuki started counting down the seconds until the five minute break they got. He'd clear things up with Tohru then, he decided, but that didn't happen. As soon as the bell rung, Tohru was out of her seat and headed outside. He followed her and called out to her, but she didn't pay any attention to him as she went into the bathroom. Being as stubborn as he was, he stood outside the restroom, waiting for her to come out until the bell rang. He would have continued to wait if the teacher hadn't ordered him to come back to class.

Tohru came back inside a second after he reached his seat, perfectly timed so he didn't get a chance to speak with her.

He was determined to beat her at this game, but she turned out to be a better player at this than he had expected. She always seemed to hide out in the places he couldn't enter whenever they had a break. She went to the bathroom more than any person would need to, and she even went to the infirmary, where the nurse refused to let him see Tohru. Tohru had even hid in the girls' locker-room during one of their short breaks, and he couldn't even find her during lunch even though he had searched the whole period, which meant, he hadn't eaten and was starving when he wandered back to class.

Class had already started by the time he stepped in, and he was assigned a detention. Frustrated with his progress, he slumped down in his seat and glared straight ahead. No point in staring at Tohru anymore. That just fueled his urge to just start talking to her in the middle of class. He was sure he wouldn't even be bothered by the fact the whole class would be listening anymore. It was soon the last class of the day. He'd try a new tactic this time. Yuki refused to let her leave this building without listening to what he had to say.

He'd beat her to the door and stop her there.

He wouldn't let her walk out of this classroom without him.

Yuki was so absorbed in refining his plan that he didn't even hear the bell ring. By the time he realized class was over, Tohru's seat was empty. He muttered several profanities before darting out of the room, abandoning his possessions. Yuki dashed down the hallway, quickly finding Tohru at the end of the corridor. He didn't bother calling out to her. That'd just make her walk faster. He nearly pounced on her when he was near enough. Yuki grabbed her by the shoulder, halting her exit. Tohru stopped in the middle of her step, unable to move at all. She didn't say anything as he turned her around. She kept her eyes downcast as he peered at her. He was sure she would have bolted if his hand wasn't restraining her.

"Where have you been? Do you know how many hours of each day of this past week I've spent looking for you, that I've spent worried sick about you?" Yuki demanded in an unintentionally sharp voice.

"I was at grandpa's…" Tohru whispered in an almost petrified voice, still not looking up at him.

Yuki's mouth dropped at her response. That had been the first place he had checked, and he had been told by her grandfather that he hadn't seen Tohru since their last visit there. Either Tohru was lying now, or her grandpa had lied to him several days ago. He didn't think Tohru was capable of lying, but he couldn't figure out a reason for her grandfather to lie to him about where Tohru was, unless, Tohru didn't want to be found.

"You… You couldn't have been. I looked there. He said you weren't there… Never mind! That's not important. But, why did you leave?" he inquired impatiently.

"Be-Because you said you don't want me there anymore," Tohru murmured.

She glanced up at him as if she were stating the obvious. Even so, her voice still sounded hurt, but at the moment, she was more confused. Tohru was well aware that she was upset over this. It was hard not to be agonized when the one she loved didn't return her feelings and worse, didn't even want to see her. She had tried so hard to stay out of his sight, to give him what he wanted, and now, he was the one approaching her and looking like the victim here. He almost seemed as pained as she was, and she had no idea why. She thought he'd be happy since she was no longer smothering his life, but he looked miserable.

"When did I say that?"

"Y-You told Hatsuharu-san that-that you couldn't see yourself with me…" Tohru answered with a sniffle.

Yuki stared blankly at her. His conversation with Haru had revolved around his feelings for Tohru. He couldn't figure out how she had gotten the impression that he didn't want her at Shigure's house anymore from that. It took him a minute to realize that was all she had heard of his chat with Haru. Relief flooded his body. That was all? That was the reason she left? He couldn't help but smile a little, which confused her. It wouldn't be hard to clear this up and convince her to come back home. All he had to do was explain to her the rest of what he had said to Haru.

"Tohru, what do you think I meant by that? That I don't love you? That I don't care about you? Let me rephrase since you apparently didn't hear anything we said before or after that. I can't see myself with you ten years from now, because I can't see you picking me to be the person you spend the rest of your life with out of every other person in the world. You can do so much better. Because you deserve someone better than me. Because I'm not worth it. What I can't see is you choosing to be with me, not me choosing to be with you. I can see my choice. It has already been made."

Tohru stared at him, her eyes almost as large as her wide open mouth. Her brown orbs were glossed over with disbelief. It didn't seem possible for him to feel that way about her. There wasn't anyone she knew that could be better than him. There wasn't anyone else she could think of that she'd rather be with. She hardly compared to him. He was a thousand times smarter than her, and a million times better looking. He had to be kidding, but his eyes seemed to display nothing but genuine honesty. She was too shocked to say anything back.

"Tohru Honda, move back in with me. I'm begging you. Don't leave me. Don't leave me alone. I can't make it on my own. I need you, please? It's not the same without you. I love you. Come back home."

"Y-You love me?" she squeaked.

He nodded simply. Her hands rushed to her face as tears came spewing forth.

"I-I… I l-love you too…" Tohru breathed.

Before she knew it, she was encircled in Yuki's arms and her tears were soaking through his school uniform top. She trembled against his chest, feeling safer than she had in a while. Shakily, she slipped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against him tightly. Hiccupping and sniffling, she struggled to contain her tears to no avail.

For once, it didn't seem to matter to either one of them that everyone at school was watching them.

"Yuki-kun, I'm glad we're friends again."

Yuki stiffened at the words that had just drifted out of her mouth. That wasn't exactly the response he wanted. Just friends? He appreciated it, but that wasn't the type of love he wanted from her. He released her, taking a step back from her. Tohru tilted her head to the side, peering at him with a bewildered expression. The meaning of her sentence hadn't registered in her head yet.

Tohru swore she could hear Uo utter her name in exasperation. What? Had she done something wrong? Tohru quickly located her friend amongst the crowd. Uo had her forehead covered with her hand and was shaking her head back and forth. Tohru glanced back at Yuki and found his expression was quite similar. She could definitely identify disappointment in his eyes and a touch of sadness, though she wasn't sure why. Everyone else just seemed to be gawking at her in shock. One girl actually cursed her, asking her why she had just turned down the most popular guy at school.

Then it struck her.

Yuki had just told her he loved her, and she had responded with something about being friends.

From the looks of it, everyone, including Yuki, thought she was only interested in being friends with him. Whoops. Tohru wanted to fix this misinterpretation, but she forgot how to speak.

That was a quick way to destroy her fantasy. For five minutes, everything was perfect. They had both confessed their feelings, and he was embracing her, then she ruined it all. She was no longer locked in his embrace, and he thought they were just friends all over again. Guiltily, Tohru peered down at her feet. Anything coherent she had come up with in her head to try to straighten this out was lost to her now. Bits and pieces of statements had all jumbled up together, leaving her with an unintelligible mess.

Yuki thought through her words for a brief moment longer before smiling, deciding it didn't matter if she didn't love him like that. He knew she was safe, and she'd move back in with him. That was all that should matter. Besides, he was eager to get the frown off her face as soon as he could.

"Friends then," he said as he took her hand in his, leading her down the hallway, "Let's go get your things from your grandpa's."

Tohru nodded, still speechless. How could she correct him now that he had just agreed to be friends? She sighed softly as she followed him back to the classroom, so he could retrieve the things he had discarded on his desk. Why did she have to be so talented at messing up her dreams? He was right there. He had been within her reach, and she had let him slip through her fingers. It seemed so easy to clear his misinterpretation up as she thought through it, but whenever she tried to speak, no words would come forth. She was on the verge of giving up as they walked out of the classroom.

She needed time to think by herself. Whenever he was near, her brain didn't function quite well. She wanted to be able to think, but she didn't want him to leave. At the same time, she didn't want to force him along with her. Tohru wasn't getting any closer to the solution as they passed the student council room. It looked like the members were discussing something important. Yuki was the president of that little organization. He should be in there, but she was probably keeping him from doing so. If he attended the gathering, she'd have time alone to come up with some sort of strategy to correct his thinking, and he wouldn't miss his meeting. It sounded like a wonderful plan to her, so she decided to point the meeting out to him.

"Yuki-kun, don't you have a student council meeting today?"

"Yes," he replied with a shrug.

"I-I can go b-back to Grandpa's by m-myself! Y-You don't have to c-come with me if you h-have a meeting!" Tohru exclaimed.

He shrugged, "Doesn't matter. I don't want to go to the meeting anyways. I can skip one or two. Everyone else does. We don't get anything done either way. And I want to go with you, okay?"

"O-Okay…" Tohru responded softly.

She didn't press it further. There was no point in doing so. She couldn't back up a claim she wasn't fully supportive of. Screw the plan. What had she been thinking anyways? Being with Yuki was her favorite thing ever. Yuki was smart. He'd figure out her feelings sooner or later, right? She wasn't sure, but she hoped so. Her mind began to drift away from wondering if he'd discover her feelings seconds after the thought had even entered her head. It was hard to think of anything other than Yuki when he was with her. He kept his fingers intertwined with hers as he tugged her down the sidewalk to the house of her grandfather.

"How was the baby this past week? Did she give you any trouble?" Yuki inquired worriedly.

"She was very good. I hardly knew she was there! …Except she kicks more now, and it's hard to hide it now…" Tohru mumbled.

"Why would you want to hide it? I think you look cute," Yuki teased her, although he was just simply stating his thoughts.

She shook her head but smiled, knowing better than to argue with him over this again. Adorable wasn't how she felt about herself, but if he insisted she was, she wouldn't try to change his opinion, although she considered suggesting an eye exam for him. Of course, she was too timid to chaff him with her recommendation or to even fuel the conversation between them that had died seconds ago, so they continued down the sidewalk in silence. The only sound ringing in the air was the loud pounding of her heart. She was sure it was loud enough for him to hear, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't silence the beats. He tended to make her heart go haywire, and it got worse when there was nothing to distract her from focusing on their interlocked fingers, leaving her humiliated until he spoke again.

"How did your family treat you during the week you stayed there?"

"Perfectly well. Why?"

He shrugged, "I never really liked that male cousin of yours. I never bothered to learn his name, but I'm sure you know whom I'm talking about."

Tohru nodded, "But he was very polite and kind."

"Sure," Yuki agreed, but Tohru missed the sarcasm. Polite and kind wouldn't be the words he used to describe the vile man, but Tohru was the type who'd consider a rapist friendly. He didn't like that judgment of hers. It made him worry more than he would have if she had some common sense. Her perception of people was dangerous, which made him want to stay at her side constantly to make sure she didn't agree to go along with a serial killer. Actually, never leaving her side didn't sound like such a bad idea now that he thought about it, except for the fact that he might start annoying her –the ever so patient and sweet girl- with his presence.

"I…. I missed you… I-I thought about y-you a l-lot," Tohru admitted timidly.

"Good because you have no idea how much I missed you. Do you know how hard it was to go to sleep at night without knowing where you were?" Yuki asked.

"I-I'm sorry… I never thought you'd feel that way. I thought you'd be happier if I wasn't there…" Tohru mumbled.

"Never think that again, please. I think I was just short of maniacal when you left."

Tohru knew going crazy wasn't exactly a good thing, but hearing that made her smile. It surprised her to see that they were already at the doorstep to the small house of her grandfather. The last time she walked here, it seemed to take an eternity. Yuki must have knocked when she had spaced out or her grandpa had telepathic powers because the next thing she knew, the door had swung open and her grandfather stood there with a smile as he opened the screen door for them. He looked like he had been expecting both of them.

"Hello…" Yuki greeted her grandfather formally with a bow before asking, "Do you mind if I take your granddaughter back?"

Tohru instantly flushed at what Yuki had said.

"Hmm…" her grandfather pretended to think about this, "That depends on whether you're going to kick her out again or not."

Tohru cut in before Yuki could even react, "H-He didn't! It was all my decision!"

"Would you like to move back in with the young man, Tohru-chan?" her grandpa questioned her gently.

Again, Tohru blushed as both men turned to her, awaiting an answer. A verbal one seemed unnecessary as Tohru's red cheeks seemed to make her desire obvious. Her grandfather chuckled at her flushed face, making the red tint seep down her neck and across the rest of her body. He grinned good-naturedly as he stepped aside from the door to let the two of them inside. After they entered, both Tohru and Yuki stood by the entrance with her grandfather, not wanting to reveal their eagerness to go fetch her things and leave.

"Now, now, before you pack your things and run away, why don't you cook your poor old grandfather one last meal before you go?" her grandfather suggested.

"Y-Yes! Of course I will!" Tohru responded.

The old man glanced towards Yuki, "Of course your boyfriend may stay for dinner as well if he would like."

"H-He's not my b-boyfriend!" Tohru exclaimed.

It had only been intended as a humiliated proclamation, but to Yuki, it sounded as if she didn't want him to be her lover. He was saddened by that, but that didn't make his smile falter for long. Frowning would just upset Tohru, and he hated doing that. In some ways, he was glad he had told her how he felt about her, but sometimes, he wished it were still a mystery. It was a relief to have it off his chest, but he had kind of been hoping she felt the same way. The disappointment he felt was unfathomable. He couldn't have the one thing he wanted most.

"Yes, yes. Of course he isn't, dear. Now why don't you go run along to the kitchen now so we have food ready when your aunt and cousins get home?" her grandfather asked her.

"Yes! Right away!" Tohru agreed before rushing to the small kitchen.

Yuki watched her for a moment, not pleased with this. He hoped she hadn't been working this hard the whole time. He actually didn't like her working this hard anytime, but as she was pregnant now, he figured it was more important for her to relax instead of running around cooking and cleaning now. At least, she hadn't been attending work, unless Momiji's father was lying to him as well. He hated her indifference to working. He'd rather her just sit at home and focus on their baby on her studies. Her stress level would plummet if she'd obey his requests, but she hardly ever did.

"Now that Tohru isn't listening… The next time I see you, Tohru better not be crying. The only time either of you are allowed back here is if you come with a wedding invitation for me," her grandfather warned Yuki sternly.

"W-Wedding invitation?" Yuki choked out, clearly shocked.

"Yes, and I expect one soon, boy."

Yuki blinked, staring at the old man in bewilderment. He loved Tohru and would gladly propose to her if she would like him to. He already knew she was his future. Nobody else would do. No other girl compared to Tohru. She had a personality like no other, and he loved that about her. Besides, she was the first person he ever met that didn't treat him like an object. His mother used him for profit, Kyo blamed him for all his problems, and most of the girls at school –along with some boys- admired him as if he were some statue or art piece hanging in a museum. Regardless, he wasn't so sure marriage was what Tohru wanted.

"Umm…. Y-Yes sir?"

"That's a good boy. Don't disappoint me. She's Katsuya's only daughter, so I would like to see her happy."

"I'll try, but I don't think she's interested in me like that," Yuki told him.

"And here I thought you were smart…" he muttered under his breath.

"It's true. She just wants to be friends," Yuki insisted.

"You go ahead and think that, but I'm going to help Tohru-chan and set the table for her," her grandfather smiled as he wandered over to the wooden cabinet holding the ceramic plates.

Perplexed by the statement, Yuki stared at the feeble man for a moment before shaking it off. What'd he know anyways? Yuki had heard Tohru, herself, say she was glad they were friends. Friends. She hadn't said she was glad he loved her. That made it perfectly clear to him that the love she felt for him was the love between two close friends, not romantic whatsoever.

It didn't take long before three more people entered the house, and a gasp erupted within seconds after the door shut. Abruptly, there was a girl around his age with brown hair bouncing around him and introducing herself. He didn't quite bother to recollect that name she referred to herself as, only politely nodding in return. Either this woman had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or she really was trying to flirt with him. He wasn't sure what else to classify this rapid eyelash batting and too-close-for-his-comfort proximity as. Yuki would have backed away if he wasn't already leaning against the wall.

Since the curse was broken, there was no secret to hide that made him avoid girls. Now, it was just that no girl seemed to catch his attention anymore ever since Tohru entered his life. She captivated nearly every ounce of his attention, not to mention his entire heart. There wasn't much room for anyone but her even if her interest in him wasn't romantic. He'd still love her no matter what.

Tohru made her way over to the large oak table in the dining room with a large platter in her hands. She peeped around the door frame that led to the living room to call everyone over, but her words caught in her throat when she noticed her cousin flaunting her ever so short skirt and low cut shirt around Yuki. Tohru glanced down at her own frame, hurt to find a belly that seemed to get larger each day and a practically nonexistent chest. Fighting a frown, she retreated back into the dining room, starting to dish out the food onto plates.

She didn't know what she wanted to do. Yuki was supposed to love her. Hadn't he told her that today? Maybe it was her fault for not fixing his misinterpretation already. She couldn't blame him though. She wasn't very special either way. There was no reason for him to love her. She wasn't even sure why he did in the first place.

Desperate for a reason to leave this little corner of the house, Yuki began searching around the room for some sort of excuse to walk away. He instantly found Tohru in the dining room and quickly excused himself and wandered over to help her. Tohru seemed shocked by his sudden appearance and dropped the plate she had been holding up seconds ago. She was relieved to see Yuki catch it before it shattered against the floor. She had broken enough plates during her short stay here as it was. She felt no need to completely destroy every dish in the house.

Even more so, she was glad to see she hadn't gotten the chance to fill the dish up. She could only imagine the catastrophe that would have caused. There would have been food coating the carpeting and nearby furniture, and she didn't even want to consider the burns Yuki might have received. She flushed embarrassedly as he held the plate out to her.

"T-Thank you," Tohru stuttered.

"Are you all right, Tohru?"

"Yes! Of course! Why?"

"You seem a little sad… Do you not want to leave here? You don't have to if you don't wish to. I understand if you'd rather stay with your family," Yuki assured her.

"No, no, no! I want to go back with you!" Tohru insisted.

He smiled. That was a relief. Living without her was hardly bearable. He wasn't sure how he had even survived in that house with just Shigure before. The food was burnt or had a unique taste that wasn't entirely pleasant, filthy clothes piled up in the laundry room, clean clothes weren't ironed and left in clumps on the floor, dirty dishes were collecting dust in the sinks, and there was a stench clinging to the old takeout boxes loitering the kitchen top. It was starting to resemble the house they had lived in before Tohru had arrived, but that wasn't the worse part. He didn't mind the mess. It was the loneliness that he couldn't handle. Tohru had occupied such a large portion of his life, that when she left, he felt empty, void of any emotion other than desolation.

"Would you like any help?"

"No, no! That's okay. You can sit down! I'm almost ready!" Tohru told him as she gestured towards the seat by her.

"Okay, but you have to sit here," Yuki ordered, tapping on the seat beside him.

She nodded, willingly agreeing. She wouldn't have it any other way, though she'd admit she was bewildered when he pulled her down and made her sit down a second later.

"Just stay still and act natural, please," he whispered to her.

She obediently sat there, staring straight ahead with a confused expression as the rest of her family walked in. Her grandpa and her aunt sat at the ends of the table while her two cousins seated themselves across from her and Yuki. Yuki let out a soft sigh of relief, glad to see that Tohru's flirtatious cousin didn't claim a spot close to him. She sat across from Tohru with a frown across her face. Apparently, her brother had been unaware of her desire to sit by Yuki and had claimed his usual seat.

Yuki felt more than awkward during dinner. The whole conversation seemed to revolve around him and his personal life. He found it odd to speak about his clothing preference and hobbies to near complete strangers, which made him more than happy when he had finished and he and Tohru were allowed to leave to go pack her belongings away.

He found it ironic that the girl he was now trying to avoid had been sharing a room with Tohru for the past week. To his relief, she hadn't followed Tohru and him up the stairs and into the small room. Yuki kneeled on the ground with Tohru, happily helping her stuff all her things back into the two suitcases she had originally placed them in. As directed, he was currently neatly piling up her possessions inside one of her suitcases as she worked on the other. Both eager to return home, it didn't take long for the two of them to finish packing all her things. All that was left was a small pink notebook sitting on the nightstand that Tohru didn't notice.

By the color and the glittery surface of the journal, Yuki could instantly tell it was Tohru's. He reached up for it, smiling when he found the word diary neatly printed across the top. Yuki had no idea Tohru kept a diary. He could only imagine what her private thoughts were. It was the hardest thing he had ever done to not flip open the book and read at least one entry, but he didn't want her angry with him. He barely managed to keep it shut as he held it out to her.

"Is this yours, Tohru?" he asked softly.

Tohru turned around, staring at the diary with wide eyes. She quickly tore it from his arms and clutched it tightly to her chest, peering at him with almost accusing eyes. Nobody was supposed to know she kept a journal. She only left it out in the open here because she knew her cousins didn't care for her enough to bother reading about her thoughts and feelings. Yuki, on the other hand, looked very curious, and he was the last person she wanted to read this, since his name was mentioned in practically every other line.

"I didn't read it. I swear," he reassured her.

She didn't seem to relax much, still gripping onto the notebook as if she were clinging on for life.

"With you acting like that, maybe I should have read some of it. There might have been something about me in there," Yuki teased her with a grin.

"There is," Tohru admitted with a shy blush.

She might have been willing to say that, but she would never tell him how many times his name came up in there. Most of her thoughts did involve him anyways. Her other thoughts she didn't mind telling anyone about. Letting him read it might be one way to profess her feelings to him, but it most likely would make him reconsider his love for her. Even she felt a bit paranoid at the amount of time she spent thinking about him. He'd probably think of her as a pregnant stalker. Her infatuation even scared herself, the fanatic.

"Oh really now? What did you write about me?" Yuki inquired, pretending to be unfazed by this.

Maybe he shouldn't have brought up her mentioning him in her writings. Now he was tempted to rip that diary out of her hands and read it. The worst part was that he knew he was perfectly capable of doing that. It would be almost too easy, but fighting with a pregnant woman would just be cruel. Yuki was nearly sitting on his hands to keep himself from stealing her notebook. It was such a tempting idea to find out what she honestly thought about him.

"Nothing!" Tohru cried, denying it now.

"Liar. You just said you wrote something about me a minute ago. Now I really want to see what you wrote," Yuki told her seriously.

Tohru shook her head vehemently, sending her hair in cascading waves around her face. He loved her as of now, and she didn't want that to change just because he found out about her obsession with him from a few diary entries. Loving someone wholeheartedly and not noticing any other guys was one thing, but once that was stretched to the point where he was the center of her personal universe, and there wasn't a day that passed without her thinking about him just might scare him off. There was no doubt in her mind that Yuki wasn't this head over heels in love with her.

"Please? I won't comment. I promise?" he vowed.

"N-No!" Tohru squeaked.

"Why? Is it bad? Did you write you hate me?" he asked, reaching for it.

"No! I w-would never write t-that!" Tohru stuttered.

Yuki smiled, laughing softly under his breath. If it wasn't something terrible like that, he didn't know what in the world she was trying to keep from him. Regardless, he wasn't sure why she was putting all this effort into keeping her writings a secret from him. Didn't she know nothing she could possibly think would ever change his feelings about her? He doubted that's what concerned her though. Why would she worry about his changing his mind about loving her if she didn't feel the same way back? She was probably concerned over losing his friendship, he decided after securitizing her expression.

"Then what don't you want me to know?"

"What's in here," Tohru replied, squeezing the journal tighter in her arms.

"How come? I won't get mad," he promised.

"T-That's not what I'm worried about!"

"You're silly. Let me see," he requested.

She shook her head again determinedly. It amused him to see how seriously she was taking this while he was just teasing her. He honestly did want to read it, but he'd never force her to do something she didn't want to do. She didn't seem to be aware of that, he learned as she scooted away from him as he came near her. Guarding her diary protectively, she continued to do so as he inched closer to her. She was so absorbed in keeping her journal away from him, she didn't even know her suitcase was behind her until she had accidentally bumped into it and toppled over on top of it.

Her cheeks flushed as she scrambled back into a sitting position. She glanced around frantically, searching for what was once in her now empty arms. Tohru located the pink diary across the room. It had landed on the floor by the door with her writing facing upwards for all who passed to see.

"Tohru, are you hurt?" Yuki asked her worriedly.

"I-I'm fine!"

He followed her gaze to her diary and shook his head.

"Stop worrying, Tohru. I was only kidding. I wouldn't read something you don't want me to," Yuki told her, "I told you I love you, and I meant it. I respect your wishes and would never ever do something that'd hurt you."

Tohru stared at him, shocked into silence. She might have worked up the courage to confess to him the same thing and fix this mishap, but all her thinking ceased when she realized how close he was to her. If she moved the slightest bit forward her lips would be against his, and that's exactly what happened. Except, she didn't move. The kiss was soft, gentle, and over a second after she closed her eyes. She peered up at him with a confused expression when he pulled away, too soon for her own tastes. The kiss, short as it was, had left her breathless and aching for more, but Yuki didn't seem to notice. He seemed too upset, too guilty. As far as he was concerned, Tohru didn't want to be kissed by him. He couldn't even see the fact that she had unintentionally leaned forward after he broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry… I… I couldn't help it…. You… You just looked so beautiful just then… Again, I'm sorry. It's probably just awkward for you. It's fine if you don't think we can be friends anymore…"

"Yuki-kun, I-I… I didn't mind…. I love you too," she murmured.

"I know. Just not the same way I do. Friends. I know."

"No, I mean… I really l-love you," Tohru stammered.

He ruffled her hair. Tohru squeaked and flopped onto her back, hoping to save her hair from transforming into a puffy disarray. She hesitantly raked her fingers through her hair, grimacing as she fingered the tangled mess. Unlike him, she was positive she couldn't pull off a bed head and still look attractive. He laughed at her reaction, which made her assume she looked even worse than she had thought. She gave up trying to comb through her locks and sighed.

"Tohru, you don't have to say that. It's not your fault if you don't feel that way about me. Don't worry about me," he smiled.

Tohru looked down. He completely missed her whole point. She really wished she had just kept her mouth shut at school. Things could have been a lot simpler that way.

"Come on, Tohru. Let's get going. It's already dark outside," Yuki pointed out as he stood up, taking her luggage with him.

Tohru nodded as she hopped to her feet, scurrying ahead of him to pick up her pink journal before he could catch a word written in it. Yuki shook his head with a chuckle as she rushed to open the door for him as well. He was glad she wasn't holding onto her things as she skipped down the stairs to say her farewells. She would have seriously injured herself if she were. He stood by the stairs as he watched her hug her grandfather and formally bow to the rest of her family. She was obviously only really familiar with her grandfather. He walked over to her when she seemed to be done, but when he got there, he was bluntly directed to the door.

"Wait outside a moment, son. I need to speak to my granddaughter in private for a few minutes," her grandfather told him.

Yuki nodded and obeyed, trotting toward the door with her luggage gripped in his hands. Tohru peered at him, watching Yuki exit with a frown. She felt guilty for making him carrying her things. She knew from experience that those suitcases weren't exactly light. Everything she owned had been stuffed inside. Tohru had completely forgotten where she was until her grandfather cleared his throat. She turned back to her grandpa with a confused expression. What did he have to tell her that he didn't want Yuki to hear? Whatever it was, it was making her extremely nervous.

"Now, Tohru-chan, I don't want you to come back here…" he started seriously.
"I'm sorry Grandpa… I shouldn't have b-bothered you!" Tohru apologized frantically.

"I'll forgive you, but you have to make me the first person you'll tell when you get engaged to your boyfriend," her grandfather said to her with a wink.

"E-Engaged?" Tohru squeaked.

It seemed all her blood rushed to her face as she heard those words. Yuki had confessed, sure, but she had ruined the possibility of anything happening between them with a statement about their friendship. There was nothing between them as of now besides unspoken love, which even she, whom his affection was directed towards, found hard to identify –until he kissed her that is. Her grandfather hadn't seen that kiss, so she didn't understand how her grandfather came to the conclusion that she would get engaged to Yuki soon.

Her grandpa nodded, "Don't worry. You don't have to invite your aunt or cousins to your wedding if you'd rather not, but I would like to be there."

"B-But Yuki-kun and I are just friends!" Tohru peeped.

"If you don't love him then I'm not your grandfather," her grandpa scoffed.

"Eh? You're not my grandpa?"

Tohru gazed at her grandfather in complete shock. Never in her life had anyone ever told her that this man before her wasn't related to her. As she stared in bemusement, her grandfather peered back in disbelief. Before this moment, he hadn't thought it was possible to misinterpret those words. He was speechless for a moment. He wasn't sure what the simplest way to explain what he meant to her was, but he could tell that she was honestly perplexed by his statement.

"… No… Tohru-chan, I am your grandpa… I just meant that you love this boy… So clear things up with him. I want you to marry the boy before I leave this earth."

"You're leaving? When?"

"It's only a matter of time, Tohru, and I want to be sure to see you get married before I leave."

"But don't they have flights back from the moon?"

"What?"

"Didn't you say you were leaving the earth? You're going to the moon, right?"

Her grandfather fought the urge to gawk at her and replaced it with a smile. He wasn't sure which of her misinterpretations were worse, but he chose to stop using double entendres before she sauntered off from the house believing that some man she believed to be her grandfather would soon be leaving for the moon. He placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a friendly squeeze. Tohru cocked her head to the side obliviously in response with an innocent smile.

"Tohru-chan…. Never mind. You'll marry him. I know."

"I-I hope so…" Tohru whispered.

"Don't fret. A grandfather always knows," he laughed, "Now you should get going before he thinks you've decided against leaving."

"Thank you, grandpa," Tohru beamed before hurrying out the door.

Her smile seemed to widen at the sight of Yuki, and he just seemed relived to see her. He stood up from leaning against the brick wall of the house and picked up her suitcases again, refusing to let her carry one of them even when she offered. She was pregnant, and he knew walking at this point was a bit troublesome for her since her feet now had to support extra weight they weren't used to. She didn't complain, but he noticed the slight swelling of her ankles back when they were packing. Tohru didn't seem to pay any mind to them, and he knew walking would help, so he didn't point it out, seeing as it'd just make her more self-conscious.

Yuki paused suddenly, setting her suitcases down on the porch for a moment as he reached for something in his pocket. Tohru peered at him, baffled by his actions. He simply smiled as he handed her the hair ribbon she had lost. She gasped when she saw it, taking it into her hands with a grin. Despite the brown splotches dotting it, she tied it into her hair happily. She had been looking for it ever since she left. It had always been her favorite hair accessory.

"Ready to return home?" Yuki asked her, taking her luggage back into his hands.

"Yes… I want to go home."

"Good because everyone –even Shigure- missed you. But no one missed you more than I did," Yuki told her honestly.

She looked down with a blush as they both started back to Shigure's house. Glancing back at the brick house behind her, she realized that wasn't her home, just simply a house where her extended family lived. Her home was with Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo in the old-fashioned house in the middle of the forest and she was more than joyous to be able to return there.