Chapter Seven

I watched with wide eyes as their fight turned into a full on brawl. I was impressed, though. Apparently all the practicing Kyo did had paid off, because he was pretty much owning. That is, until Haru threw in a cheap shot.

Haru glanced off to the side, and his eyes widened in fake surprise at nothing. Kyo, instead of taking advantage, glanced over too. Haru kicked out and knocked Kyo's legs out from under him. He hit the ground with an audible thump and gasped, the air knocked out of him.

My eyes narrowed and I chucked what was left of my apple at Haru's head. It neatly hit its mark, and Haru froze where he was and turned around. "Who… just threw that?" He asked venomously.

I glared at him. "You fight cheap, you know that?" I sneered. "Just because you're not good enough to land a decent hit doesn't mean you can get off using lame tricks like that. You're not proving anything."

"Rei," Kyo said in a warning tone, sitting up. I just ignored him as Haru walked slowly towards me. Tohru tugged at my arm, but I shrugged her off.

"You think I tripped him because I'm not good enough to do anything else? I did it because he's annoying and deserved it."

I glared straight up at him. Literally, Straight up. He was so much taller than me that I had to crane my neck backwards to look him in the eye, which I'm sure didn't make me look very intimidating. He was lucky that he's so much bigger than me, or I would smack him.

"What makes him deserve it?" I asked coolly.

"He's the cat, what makes him not deserve it?"

"Haru!" Yuki snapped, but he was ignored. My angry glare turned puzzled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded.

Haru laughed aloud and looked at our group behind me. "What, you haven't told her? Is she just not as special as Tohru?" He laughed and looked back at me. "Poor Rei, secretly disliked by the very family she's staying with. How sad."

I shook with anger and indignation, and this time I did smack him. It probably didn't carry much force, since I had to reach up to do it, but it made me feel better nonetheless.

However, much to my irritation, it didn't even seem to make him mad. In fact, he suddenly looked surprised and confused. "What just happened?" He said, looking around.

I screamed in frustration and stormed away. What just happened?! I'm in the middle of telling him off and he asks what just happened?!

I heard jogging footsteps behind me, but I didn't turn to see who it was. I didn't even look when he stopped and started walking beside me, but in my peripheral vision I caught a flash of orange hair.

"Hey, just ignore Haru. He's an ass, yeah, but… That's the way he is, I guess," Kyo muttered awkwardly.

I halted suddenly and turned to face him. "You're not even mad?!" I hissed.

"Of course I'm mad," He said incredulously. "I just know that's the way he is, so I'm not allowed to hold it against him.

"See, Haru's got like this… split personality. Whenever he gets really mad, he pretty much snaps. Black Haru, we call him. You get used to it."

I glared stubbornly at the ground and crossed my arms. "That's a really, really, really stupid excuse," I spat. "I just wasted a perfectly good rant on him, and he didn't even let me finish. He made me look like an idiot!"

"I wish he had let you finish. You don't even know how satisfying it was to see you telling him off. That was amazing." I blinked at him in surprised, and he blushed a bit. "Well, y-you know, since no one else ever does, and stuff… most people are scared of him when he gets like that."

"Why not? I mean, he can't be that hard to fight. You were kicking his butt until he tripped you."

"That's because Kyo trained in the mountains for a whole four months!" Momiji called, skipping over. Kyo glared at him, but he just shrugged. "They wanted me to come see what's going on, since you guys were taking a while and Yuki wanted to make sure you didn't kidnap Rei or something!"

"Chill," I said, sensing Kyo's temper tantrum. "He's joking. Let's go back."

As expected, Kyo's mouth had just opened to shout at Momiji, but he seemed to deflate the moment I started speaking.

"Wow, Rei, you're like magic!" Momiji exclaimed, and then he took my hand and tugged me back to the group, exclaiming about my magical powers.

After that, nothing really eventful happened. My week at their school flew by quickly, and before I knew it, it was Friday. Tohru and I walked onto campus, the boys trailing a ways behind, arguing over something or other.

We made our way to the classroom, chatting excitedly about the dance. As I sat in my desk, I though about the dance and prepared for what was likely going to be one of the longest days of my life.

XXX … XXX

Kyo strolled randomly around campus, cutting class. There was an apple in his hand, which he tossed up and caught repetitively. He had originally cut class because he was hungry, so he'd gone out on the grounds to pick some fruit from the trees. Going back to class now would just be stupid, because he'd undoubtedly get a lecture on being tardy from the teacher.

"Kyo! Hey, Kyo, whatcha doin?" Momiji called, skipping towards him.

"Momiji, why the hell aren't you in class?" Kyo asked, trying not to get irritated.

He shrugged. "I didn't feel like it. Anyway, are you going to the dance with Rei?"

Kyo took a deep breath to keep his temper. "Why in the world would you think that?"

"Well, you want to, don't you?" Momiji seemed confused. "You like her, right?"

Kyo looked at the boy incredulously. "Who's putting these ideas in your head?!" He demanded.

Momiji clapped and jumped up and down. "You didn't deny it! That means you do like her!"

Kyo threw up his arms in exasperation. "I never said that!"

"Come on, Kyo!" Momiji pleaded, tugging on his sleeve. "You can tell me! I know it's true! Do you want me to ask her for you? I could do that!" With that, Momiji darted off.

"Come back here you runt!" Kyo shouted, sprinting after him. "She's in class anyway! Momiji!"

He soon lost track of him. Being the rabbit, there weren't many who could keep up with Momiji.

XXX…XXX

The second I got out of class, I was bombarded by Momiji.

"REIREIREI!!!! Kyotoldmehelikesyou! ! Youwouldbesocutetogether!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Momiji, slow down," I said, putting my hands up to stop him. "I can't hear a word you're saying. English, please?"

"I said," Momiji spoke very slowly, and I twirled my finger around so he would get to the point. "I think Kyo likes you! And you should go to the dance with him!"

I blinked in surprise and glanced at Tohru, who just giggled, waved, and walked off with Yuki.

"I can't help but not believe you, Momiji. If he wanted to go to the dance with me, he'd have to ask me himself," I said with a shrug. "Let's go to lunch, I'm starving."

Momiji and I made our way outside, to the usual lunch spot. Of course, the minute we got within hearing range, Momiji started yelling. "KYOOOO!!!! Rei said— Mmph!" He cut off abruptly as I clapped my hand over his mouth.

"Shut up!" I hissed. "You don't need to tell the entire world!"

Momiji sulked, and I kept my hand in place for a moment to make sure that he would stay quiet, and then removed it. He sprinted forward immediately, and I smacked my forehead. The boy would never learn the act of subtlety.

I walked slowly and calmly after, watching him talk animatedly and Kyo growing steadily more irritated. I arrived as Kyo was shouting at everyone else, who were laughing hysterically. His face was turning pink with anger. "I never said that!" he yelled.

"Stop laughing, it's not funny. Kyo, calm down. Momiji, you shouldn't jump to conclusions or spread rumors," I said sternly as I walked up. The last chuckles died away, Momiji pouted, and Kyo sat back down.

I blinked and then burst out laughing. "I love that you all actually listen to me."

Yuki shrugged. "What can I say, we bow to authority."

"How in the world do I have authority?"

"Well, you don't, I suppose. You just sound like you do." Tohru pointed out.

I blinked and glanced skeptically at Haru. "So you're telling me that Mr. Testosterone over there listens to people just because they talk tough? Doubt it."

Haru smirked. "Or maybe I just listen 'cause you've got a pretty face," He said with a wink.

Kyo glared daggers in his direction, and I laughed.

We all sat there for about a half hour after that, talking, laughing, teasing, and eating. Eventually, the bell rang, signaling that we were supposed to get back to class. Haru, Momiji, and Yuki stood and waved goodbye, walking to their respective classes. Tohru stood and glanced back at me. "Are you coming?"

I shrugged and laid back in the warm grass, putting my hands behind my head. "I don't think so. I mean, I don't actually attend here, so I don't have to, do I? I really just want to relax and enjoy the sun."

Tohru shrugged and smiled, then glanced at Kyo. "Are you cutting too?"

I had my eyes closed, enjoying the tingle of warmth on my skin, so I didn't see the nod Kyo must have given her.

"Alright, I'll see you two after school then," She said, and I heard the uneven steps pounding against the sidewalk as she skipped off.

I lay there contently, enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin, and squinting about the red tint it set against my closed lids.

"So where did you go to school before, anyway?" Kyo asked suddenly. My eyes flitted open and I glanced at him.

"I was home schooled. Daddy was a doctor, but my mom was a writer, so she could stay at home and teach me stuff."

"He was a doctor? I wonder if he knew Hatori…"

"Hatori Sohma?" I asked, with my wide eyes. "You know him?"

"Yeah, we're related… Kyo Sohma, Remember?" He said, giving me a weird look.

"Oh… right. I suppose there aren't that many different Sohma families. That's so strange, I've known Hatori since I was little. He never mentioned having family members my age though… But I suppose I never asked."

He just kept on giving me that strange look. "I can't believe you know Hari… It's not like he's exactly social, you know?"

"Oh, I know! He's so hard to talk to. I always felt like he was judging whatever I said. Then again, since half of what I said back then was little kid nonsense, he probably was…" I said with a slight laugh.

"So, how did your family know him? I know that Hatori is more of a family doctor, I'm pretty sure he didn't work at a hospital."

"Well, my parents didn't tell me much…" I said uncertainly. "But what I've gathered, My mom and Hatori used to be pretty close. I was a weak kid, and my dad was really busy with work back then, so he couldn't take care of me when I was sick. My mom called Hatori and asked him to help out, so he did," I said with a shrug.

"Huh…" Kyo muttered, looking thoughtful.

"What about your parents, Kyo?" I asked. "Why do you live with Shigure instead of them?"

Kyo grimaced and glanced away from me. "My mom committed suicide when I was little, and my dad blamed me, so I never really knew him that well."

My face flooded with sympathy and I reached out and touched his shoulder. "I'm so sorry"

He looked at me in surprise and awkwardly shrugged out from under my hand before looking away again. I felt slightly rejected, but I masked that little bit of hurt and shoved the sympathy off my face, figuring he didn't want it.

"S'not so bad…" He murmured. "I still had a father. My master, Kazuma, he took me in… He was probably a better father than my biological one ever would have been, even if my mom was alive."

"I see," I said stoically. I folded my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, propping my chin on my knees.

He looked at me confused, then it seemed to dawn on him. "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… To push you away or anything. I'm just… not good with people," He said awkwardly.

I just shrugged. "Not a problem."

"Really, I didn't mean to. I'm sorry," He pressed, tilting his head to try to get into my line of vision.

I blinked and stared into his crimson eyes, his face probably five inches from mine. "I know. It's not a big deal," I said, glancing away again and hiding my blush.

He didn't look like he believed me, so I sat up more, keeping my legs folded like they were. "Okay, so what's your favorite color?"

He blinked in confusion at the sudden change of subject. "Red?" He voiced his answer like a question.

"What's your favorite animal?"

"Cat," He replied with a slight smirk.

I laughed slightly. "Mine too. Type of music?"

"Rock."

I tapped my chin in thought. "Time of year?"

"Fall."

"Um… Weather?"

"Anything but rain."

"Really? I think the rain is fun. My mom and I used to go outside and dance around whenever it rained, and then we'd go inside and have hot cocoa, and then we'd sit with a ton of blankets and watch movies until bedtime…" I smiled at the fond memory.

"Rain wears me out," He said bluntly.

I blinked and shrugged. "Okay. Well then… your least favorite food?"

"Leeks!" He said, shuddering at the word. I smiled in amusement.

"Um…" I started tapping my chin again, trying to think of another question.

"Hey, I've got a question for you…" He said, sounding slightly uncertain.

"Okay, shoot," I said, looking up at him curiously. He didn't say anything, just sat and bit the inside of his cheek. "Were you planning on saying something today?" I asked after a minute of this.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" He blurted suddenly.

My head jerked back suddenly in surprise. "Pretty last minute there, aren't we?" I said with a raised eyebrow. I internally scolded myself as soon as the words were out of my mouth. He flushed and looked away.

"Sorry, just pretend I never said that. It was stupid anyway," He rambled.

"Kyo, that's not a rejection…" I said quietly. "I'd love to… Unless of course you still think it's stupid."

"What? No! I didn't mean… Er… That is, I…"

I laughed and shook my head. "Just stop talking before you manage to make this more awkward for yourself. Yes, I'll go with you. Okay?"

"Sounds good," He mumbled, running a hand through his hair and blushing.

"Anyway, what's up with you and Yuki? I mean, it's obvious you two don't like each other. Why is that?"

His nose crinkled, and he obviously didn't like the direction of the conversation. "It's a long story. I guess you could just say that we just never got along."

I just shrugged, deciding not to press him for answers. I shivered as a cloud crept over the sun, and the wind blew against me.

"It's getting kind of cold out," Kyo noted. "You wanna go back home?"

I shivered slightly again and nodded.

He stood and held out his hand to help me up. I took it, letting him help me to my feet. We started walking, just close enough so that my arm brushed against his with every step. I smiled slightly to myself, and tried to remember if I'd ever felt quite this happy.

Another bad ending to a chapter… sorry. And I apologize for not updating for a while, but this chapter is pretty much insanely long, so you're welcome! Reviews still appreciated!