Prettyinpinkgal: Chapter Seventeen is the final chapter, and I've decided to have no epilogue after this since this ended up BEING the epilogue. It's been a wonderful time working on this fic again, even though I rushed through it as quickly as possible. Thanks for all the support over the years, everybody. In a moment of shameless advertising, please read some of my other stories too! Several of them are much better than this. I think if you want to compare my fanfics to food, this would be a yummy sandwich, quickly put together but edible, while some of my other stories (particularly Destiny) is an attempt at creme brulee.
Thanks to Speedykitten for reviewing again! I really appreciate it! I know the ending was rushed, but I hope it wasn't completely bad.
1) Sayonara: Goodbye/farewell.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Fruits Basket, not Princess Tutu, not Full Moon wo Sagashite, not anything that was referenced even in the slightest bit intentionally or unintentionally. Hikaru and the Sunatani family are the only characters I own, and even the Sunatanis are based off of the Kotobuki family in SuperGALS! and Hikaru is based off of Eichi in FMwS.
TROUBLED LOVE
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DECISION
Hikaru-kun...
Do you know? I love you even now. I feel like crying whenever I think of those precious days we spent together.
However, my love for you is fading.
Would you like the me that is stronger, braver, than the Tohru you knew?
Would you like my friends?
Would you like my decision to learn martial arts?
I don't know.
You'll never fade from my heart, Hikaru-kun, but my love for you is. And the remaining affection I do hold for you is changing into something else.
I think I'm finally moving on.
I know I'll always love you, in my own way, but I think even you would want me to find a living person to fall in love with.
I'm not saying I'm in love with someone right now, but...there's two people in love with me.
One of them I know I can never be with.
The other...I'm not sure. But if he's patient enough to wait for me, maybe I can be with him. Maybe I will fall for him.
And so, I'm saying goodbye.
To you, Hikaru-kun, and to those memories.
I'll always remember, but I won't cling to them like I did.
I will start moving forward.
Sayonara (1).
She stood, her black dress swaying in the breeze.
"You done?" Kyo asked Tohru.
"Mmm."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Yuki asked her.
"Not right now. Should we go home? I'll make us some lunch."
"Sounds great," the two boys said simultaneously, then glared at each other. They had been practicing restraint this past week.
Was it really a week ago she had returned to the Sohma house and had the adoption papers annulled? (Although they were negated anyway since she had lied about her name.) It didn't seem like it. Time had moved so slowly, despite the constant business with cleaning the house. There was also the shocking discovery that, now that Akito had his ties completely severed with the Sohma family, Tohru could no longer transform. The curse apparently had been lifted by itself.
Uo-chan and Hana-chan had experienced a wide range of emotions when Tohru arrived at school as Tohru, not Tsuki, and had asked them to help her get the dye out of her hair, eager to become a brunette again. However, in the end, both were simply glad to see that their best friend was back and she was safe and sound.
Being a kogal had left its mark. Tohru kept some knee socks hidden away in her room (just in case she didn't get to the laundry and she needed some socks, she reasoned) and was bolder than she had been. With the Sunatani family's generous financial support, as well as her own part time job, she was able to spend time with her friends from her old school in Shibuya and go shopping. However, she did not dress quite as gal-like as she had only a few weeks ago.
It seemed like everything had fallen into place. At school and home(s), it was as though she had never left. But there was one final decision to make.
She took both of the boys hands and walked between them, just as they had done when they had rescued her from her grandfather's house last year.
Yuki certainly had the air of a prince, and she loved how sweet he was. She still occasionally returned to the awe she had initially felt towards him, but overall she was mostly comfortable with his presence.
Kyo was violent, but always was protecting her, whether physically or emotionally. He had a good heart, and she could always trust him to be honest with her.
Who to choose? Should she choose neither?
Yuki glanced over and smiled at her, causing to blush at the knowledge that she had been staring. She looked away quickly. Once she was sure Yuki had looked away as well, she turned to look at Kyo.
He then met her eyes, flushed a bit, and then asked, "What?"
It was in the meeting of fiery red-orange and soft chocolate eyes that she knew the answer.
She stopped. "Kyo-kun, could you excuse me for a second? Yuki-kun, I'd like to talk to you."
"Alright," he replied, but it was evident in his eyes that he knew what she was going to say.
Kyo, meanwhile, kicked a rock and wished he could inconspicuously go over to the nearest tree and punch it several times over.
Once Kyo was out of earshot, Tohru said sorrowfully, "I'm so sorry, Yuki-kun. I've thought very hard about this for the past month, and I think I've finally come to a decision. I-I don't think I'll ever think of you as more than a good friend. I'm so sorry!"
Yuki frowned, but then managed a smile. "I had a feeling you would say that. So you choose Kyo?"
She turned red, and he smiled knowingly, albeit painfully. He then kissed her on the cheek. "I'll let the cat walk you home. Do your best," he said with an encouraging smile.
She felt her eyes fill with tears. "Thank you, Yuki-kun. I'll always love you as a friend."
He nodded and waved and walked away.
Tohru tucked her short hair behind her ears, taking a couple of gulps of air. She then turned to walk stiffly towards Kyo, who had not bothered to watch the exchange at all except through occasional glances.
"Where's the rat going?" he asked gruffly, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Um, he's going to let just the two of us head back."
"That's stupid. Isn't he your boyfriend now?"
"...Eh?"
"Don't 'eh' me!" he replied shortly, but not really meanly. "He is, isn't he?"
She eyed him for a moment, then said bluntly, "Kyo-kun, you're a liar."
"Huh?! Don't make this about me! You and that rat are the ones who--"
"You are a liar though! You were the one who told me you weren't giving up, and that you were going to keep hoping and all of that crap--" the habits she had picked up from being Tsuki were now showing as she grew more and more upset "--and that you actually believed you had an umeboshi and all that stuff, and now you're acting like you don't believe that!" She was getting near tears from both frustration and sorrow.
"...Run that by me again?"
Now at the height of her agitation, she stomped her foot in a way that would have been very cute and comical if Kyo hadn't been so confused and Tohru hadn't been so agitated. "I'm saying Yuki-kun took his rejection better than your acceptance! ...Or...something like that!"
She whirled on her heel and walked away, feeling utterly humiliated.
"Wait, I'm accepted?" was the only question the dumbfounded Kyo could make.
"You've been accepted for the future!" she replied, whirling round to face him. "I'm not completely over Hikaru-kun yet, but I'm starting to like you now, so, what's that phrase, 'get me on the rebound' when I am, okay? You have my permission, Yuki-kun doesn't."
She turned on her heel again, fully intending to just walk home by herself and try to sort herself out (although she suspected it would be in vain).
However, Kyo suddenly ran up behind her, whirled her around, and held her closely to him. "Hurry up and get over him, okay?"
She let out a small "eep!", then managed a nod, although it was rather hard since her head was right against his chest.
He pulled back with a huge grin, more childlike and joyful than any she had ever seen from him before. "Good. Now come on; I want dinner."
He did not let go of her hand the entire hour it took to return home.
And both were glad that he didn't.
