"H-Hi." She stuttered, her blue eyes wide. "How-How have you been?" She faltered, and Shigure smiled at his long lost friend.
"I've been well, given the circumstances." He sighed theatrically. "But the boys...I think they're depressed."
"Oh no!" Tohru cried softly. "I-"
"Tohru! Tohru!" A voice sang out, and the brunette turned around smiling.
"I'm over here, sir!" She called back.
"I leave the stand for just a minute, and it's abandoned when I return! You're being careless, Miss Honda." A bright blue haired man admonished. He had a smile on his face, bright green eyes that glittered cheerfully, and was wearing the same purple shirt as Tohru. Maybe they're coworkers? Shigure thought. "My best employee, such a shame." He tsked lightly.
"I'm really sorry, sir, it's just that-"
"Please don't blame Tohru, it was my fault." Shigure stepped in gallantly. "I'm afraid I drew your favorite worker from her post. Tohru and I were friends once upon a time."
"Oh, you know Tohru? That's wonderful! Such a delightful girl, isn't she?" The man smiled. "Hi, I'm Souta Jing. I own the Freezy Fun Yogurt Stand here." He bowed, and Shigure returned the bow. "Miss Tohru here has been one of my best employees, I think people come more for her company than my dessert treats!" He laughed.
"Oh no, it can't be me. The yogurt so's good..." Tohru spoke up, waving the compliment away with her usual humble air.
"Ah yes, Tohru is a breath of fresh air to most people." Shigure chuckled. "I'm Shigure Sohma, Tohru used to live with me and my nephews."
"No wonder she'd such a good housekeeper! The house has become impeccable since she's started living with my family and I." Souta laughed.
"Yes, our Tohru really is the best housewife." Shigure teased, and the girl in question blushed.
"Tohru, do you mind if Mr. Sohma and I chat? It seems like we have something in common." Souta asked pleasantly.
"Oh, of course! I'll get back to my post." She nodded quickly, and with a shadow of a smile she looked at the Sohma. "It was nice seeing you again, Shigure. Tell Yuki and Kyo I miss them." She said softly, and then quickly went to hide behind the counter of Freezy Fun Yogurt.
"This way, this way." Souta motioned, and Shigure followed the eccentric man to a lounge area a few yards from the yogurt stand. The duo took a seat at a table, looking across at each other. "Well, it's nice to meet someone from Tohru's past. She's mentioned you a couple of times, and a few others too. Someone named Kisa?"
"My niece." Shigure smiled. "Tohru became a sister to her, and poor Kisa, ever since Tohru left she's been sad." He shook his head. "So she's living with you now?"
"Yes, she came about a month ago. She was attending my daughter's school, helped her out of some trouble. When we found out she didn't have a place to stay, we invited her to stay with us. She's been nothing but a blessing ever since." Souta smiled fondly.
"Yes, Tohru is definitely something special." Shigure agreed, turning to look at the brunette. She was laughing, handing out a pink colored yogurt to a customer.
"Everyone loves her, I don't know why she came here though. She said that she had to, but never went into detail. Everyone's allowed to have their secrets, right?"
"When she left, it was like an integral part of my family was ripped out. She left us a note, she said the same thing. She had to leave. Never any specifications..." Shigure replied quietly.
"I will miss her when she leaves, there's no one quite like Miss Honda." Souta sighed. "She has a big impact on the people here, and all the wisdom she spreads...It's uniquely her."
"She's not exactly normal." Shigure conceded, looking back toward the yogurt stand employee.
"No, she special."
~(0)~
How could he be here? How? HOW?! Tohru was dazed, shocked, and completely blown away. She had been so careful about everything, extracting herself from the Sohma's, protecting them. And here was Shigure, right back in her life. It had been so hard, making the decision to leave. But she had to. She was the only thing between the world finding about the Sohma curse...or leaving it a secret. It had been over a month ago she had been given the ultimatum, and she knew if she didn't comply with the other girl's demands the Sohma curse would be found out..
"Tohru Honda?" a snide voice had asked.
"Um, that's me." She had smiled, looking up to find the new girl in front of her. Kana Suzuki was the new girl at school, with long, wavy black hair that ran down her back and pretty brown eyes the color of chocolate. She was tall, lithe, and graceful. Every movement of Kana's was precise, elegant, and moved with the grace of a dancer. If Yuki was every girl's dream guy, then Kana Suzuki was every guy's. She was wealthy, her dad owned a successful medical company, and she was slightly spoiled. But wasn't everybody spoiled?
"You don't look like much." Kana snorted, looking the brunette over critically. "What's so special about you anyway? You're so tiny."
"Um, thank you?" Tohru tried, confused. The girl just huffed, gave Tohru another once over, and crossed her arms over her chest. The classroom was empty, the two girls its sole occupants. Kana walked over to Tohru, a smirk on her face.
"I want you gone." She spoke happily.
"Excuse me?" Tohru gaped, surprised. "What?"
"You heard me, I want you gone. Out of this school, out of this city, and most importantly, away from Yuki." Kana said simply, looking Tohru square in the eye.
"I-I can't do that. I promised Mom I would complete high-"
"Yeah, yeah, everyone knows about that dumb promise." Kana rolled her eyes, disgusted.
"It's not dumb!" Tohru replied fiercely. "And why would I want to go? My home is here."
"Ah, thanks for bringing that topic of conversation up." Kana smiled. "I know where you've been living, Tohru. I know the secret you've been keeping." Tohru gasped, taking a step away from the raven haired girl.
"H-How could you know?" She whispered. How could someone from the 'outside' know about the curse?
"How isn't important. But if I decided to share that information with say, the whole school, then it wouldn't be very good news for you, now would it?" Kana asked, her voice light and airy with superiority.
"What do you want?" Tohru whispered fearfully.
"I already told you, little miss Tohru, I want you gone." Kana replied sweetly.
"But my promise..." Tohru trailed off.
"Ugh, look, if it means so much to you to finish high school I'll get Daddy to enroll you at some other high school out of town. Happy?" Kana sighed, her expression screaming boredom.
"That would be kind of you." Tohru said quietly. "And you wouldn't tell anyone? About the secret?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die." Kana vowed with a smug look.
"I...How can I leave?" Tohru whispered. "The Sohma's have been so kind to me..."
"The usual way." Kana said abruptly. "Pack up your stuff and get lost."
"But..."
"I'll have Daddy get you all set up at another school. You can fulfill your promise to you mommy like you wanted." Kana sighed, turning to leave. "I'll give you two days to figure out what you really want. The school to find out, or the disappearance of little orphan Annie." With that said, Kana walked off, her proposal hanging in the air like death. Everything was over...there wasn't another option she could use. She had to leave, to protect the Sohma's. After everything they had done for her, this was a small way she could thank them.
She had to leave.
~(0)~
Tohru looked over towards the two men, snapping out of her reverie. They seemed to be getting along, and the initial shock of seeing Shigure was wearing off.
"Tohru, I'm here to take over." a new voice spoke, and one of the fellow employees dropped her purse onto the counter.
"Oh, Lianu, hi. We're starting to get low on Triple Berry Blitz, so if you can restock that I'd be most appreciative." Tohru smiled, grabbing her bag and letting her friend take her spot behind the counter.
"Who's dad talking to?" Lianu asked curiously, looking over to where her father was sitting with the Sohma.
"Oh, an old friend of mine." Tohru replied lightly. "Shigure Sohma, he shouldn't be here for long. Actually, I'm not really sure why he's here..."
"Well, he's cute." Lianu decided, and Tohru laughed. "What? Okay, maybe in a way-to-old-for-me cute, but he is kinda cute."
"Lianu." Tohru giggled, and the fellow brunette shrugged in her shameless way. "I am who I am."
"And I wouldn't want you to change." Tohru grinned.
"Ah, Lianu, good, you're here...and on time. I'm surprised." Lianu's dad said, coming up to the front of the yogurt stand, Shigure behind him.
"Dad." Lianu groaned. "I get here on time...usually. Besides, it isn't like I skipped last time on purpose...sorta."
"Mm-hm, my point exactly. Lianu, meet Mr. Sohma, he's a friend of Tohru's." Mr. Jing introduced.
"Tohru was just telling me about him." Lianu smiled sweetly. "Hi, I'm Lianu Jing, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The two bowed, and Mr. Jing turned back to the guest.
"Well, it's Tohru's shift is over. If you two want to catch up you're more than welcome, just as long as Tohru gets home by nine." Mr. Jing joked.
"Dad! Gross!" Lianu said disgusted, but turned to Tohru with a smile. "Cute."
"Not my type." Tohru whispered back, a secretive smile on her face.
"Whatev." The other girl replied.
"Tohru?" Shigure asked.
"Um, yes, oh course, let's catch up." Tohru agreed, moving around the counter to stand next to Shigure. "I'll see you guys later." She smiled, waving to her employeer and his daughter.
"So where to?" Shigure asked reasonably.
"Let's go for a walk." She suggested, and the two started off. She didn't know what to say, how to tell him everything she wanted to say...The two walked outside the building, starting down one of the nature trails outside the market place. The two walked in silence, the sound of nature around them. Finally Shigure stopped, and Tohru looked at him curiously. He reached out and embraced her, hugging her close.
"I've missed you, Tohru." He whispered, and then immediately turned into a dog.