I'm back with the latest chapter of 'Love Lasts Forever'! Yay! I'm trying to update when I can, so please don't get too impatient with me. I definitely enjoy progressing this story as much as you enjoy reading it (hopefully).

Weeks: 8

"Here it is," said Yuki, standing in front of the Principal Director's office. He had never been in there before as it was reserved for notoriously bad students (like Chiba Kosuke). He had only heard chilling tales from Kyo, who had been in there twice before (once for a fistfight, the other time for getting caught bad-mouthing a teacher). In fact, students rarely even saw the Principal Director's face; he was one of the school's many mysteries, almost as strange as the Sohma curse itself.

Tohru gave a tentative knock on the door, afraid of what was to come. She wasn't sure what to expect, as she had never been in much trouble before. However, her status as the school's goody-two-shoes made a complete 180 within a day.

She looked to Yuki for comfort; she tended to seek comfort from Yuki when she felt unsure of herself. The rice ball wasn't exactly sure why she did this. She tried many times to stop because she didn't want to be emotionally dependent on another person. She was supposed to be independent like her mother. In fact, she was a mother now. Despite her efforts, she continued to rely on Yuki's reassuring smile, which gave her confidence. His power was special. He was special.

"Come in," said a deep voice, loud enough to surpass the door and resonate in the halls. It was a voice of authority and contained enough power to command even the nation's military.

The trio stood frozen at the door. The director's voice had instilled fear into their already nervous selves.

Kyo was the first to break out of his paralysis, sliding the door open, bracing himself for the sight he was to see. Perhaps it was because he had already visited this place a few times.

He remembered the Principal Director's face in clear detail from the two times he had seen the man before. The man was older; his wrinkles were prominent and he had more white patches of hair than black. His eyes were always squinting as if he were suspicious of everything. The corners of his mouth pointed downwards, always. He seemed like a stern, old-fashioned man.

Seeing the man again, Kyo noticed he hadn't changed at all over the summer vacation. Same eyes, same nose, same frown. The Director's face elicited the same response from Tohru and Yuki as it had from Kyo the first time he had seen him—a tiny gasp and an immediate lowering of the eyes. The man was simply too powerful to even gaze at.

On his desk was a nameplate with no name, only the words 'Principal Director'. His large, wrinkly hands were folded above his paperwork. He had been waiting for these three "troublemakers" (as dubbed by their teacher).

"You must be Sohma Yuki, Honda Tohru, and Sohma Kyo. Sit down."

The trio quickly sat in the chairs that were neatly aligned before the P.D.'s desk, fearing that a second wasted would mean their early deaths.

"Honda, I heard about your pregnancy from your sensei. However, I don't make a judgment until I have heard from the parties involved. So, Tohru, relay your honest story."

Tohru peered at the director in confusion. Eh? The director is not scolding us?

"I'm not exactly sure where to begin," said the brunette as she messed with the end of her blue ribbons.

"Alright, then why don't I start with who the father is? From what I've heard, it's you, Sohma Yuki," he said as he glanced over at the good-looking young man who perked up at the mention of his name. "However, I want to know the case exactly."

Tohru chewed on the inside of her cheek. Yuki had said that he was the father, but it wasn't the whole truth, just a mere possibility. She didn't want to ruin his reputation as the star student either. Yuki had a bright future ahead of him; she'd only block that future.

The rice ball sighed knowing that Yuki wouldn't be too happy about what she was about to say. All of his efforts up to this point would be meaningless with her explanation, but Tohru felt obligated to keep her and her children from holding Yuki back. I'm so grateful, Yuki-kun, but you shouldn't have to suffer because of me.

"The father... is not Yuki-kun," said Tohru. Both Yuki and Kyo abruptly turned to the rice ball, confused.

"Honda-san..." Yuki flashed a brief look of hurt on his face, which upset Tohru, so she avoided making eye contact with the rat zodiac.

The director rubbed his chin, processing the words of the brunette. "That directly conflicts with what Sohma said in class."

"I understand, but he only said those things to protect me." She turned toward the disheartened Yuki and gave him a smile. "Thank you, Yuki-kun. Please, Director, leave Yuki-kun out of this."

Yuki stared at the rice ball, dumbfounded but what he had just heard. Why is she saying this? Is it because she doesn't want me to be the father? Maybe I was wrong in claiming that it was me. Maybe she wanted Kyo to be the one to protect her back there. He felt physically sick, and a bitter taste remained in his mouth. His jaw hurt from how tightly he clenched his teeth. The usually levelheaded prince started to lose his composure once he began to realize the possibility of Tohru loving his abominable cousin.

"I see," said the director. "Then, Sohma Yuki, you are free to leave. However, you will have a minor punishment for your little scuffle with your cousin over here, which we can discuss another time. Other than that, you are dismissed."

Yuki opened his mouth to protest, but the rice ball's pleading eyes convinced him to stay quiet. He quickly bowed to the director and left the office, feeling relieved that he was able to leave before he broke down.

Tohru watched the rat zodiac leave, feeling sorry for rejecting his protection.

The director folded his hands and looked at Kyo, sighing. "Honda, does this mean this Kyo is the father?"

"Ah, he's no-"

"I am, sir," interrupted Kyo. "I'm sorry for not speaking up earlier."

This time, the director's sigh was more prominent.

"Sohma, this is now the fourth time you've been here."

"Third, actually," muttered Kyo under his breath, crossing his arms defensively. He pouted like a child.

"It seems like you can't stay out of trouble. And this isn't just any kind of trouble! It's one that can change your life forever. I know you two aren't bad students. Especially you, Honda. So I expected that you'd have enough sense of responsibility to practice safe sexual intercourse!"

Kyo and Tohru both stared wide-eyed at the director, their faces turning a deep shade of red. The tips of the cat zodiac's ears were on fire. There's no way that old geezer is giving us the 'talk' right now...

The director sighed again, oblivious to his students' reactions. "But what's done is done. You two are still kids with bright futures, but having a child means that a successful future will be harder to achieve. Having a child is even difficult for adults with stable jobs, and even more difficult for high school students. Can you two really handle it?"

"Of course we can!" yelled Kyo. "We have each other. We can get jobs to support ourselves."

Tohru nodded in agreement and spoke with both Sohma boys in mind. "We are young, but we learn from experience. We are like all first-time parents: inexperienced. I believe that we can raise a child by overcoming each difficulty with support from each other."

The director shook his head and gave the two a look of understanding. "I was young once, which may be hard to believe. When you're young, you're reckless and stubborn. Even as you're older, you're the same, but learn to control yourself better. I think you two are a clear case of that. I admire your optimism, really. But I don't think you really understand the true hardships of being parents at your age. It will be hard to get a stable job with just a high school diploma. Not only are there financial problems, but there are also relationship problems. I'm sure you two are on fantastic terms now, but the added stress can strain your relationship. I know neither of you want that." The authority noticed the hesitation in his students' eyes. He was getting through to them.

He continued, "And Honda, it will be difficult for you to carry out this pregnancy in school. It will be both physically and mentally draining. Graduation will be difficult as well. So, what I'm trying to make you two understand is the true gravity of your situation right now. You guys would be living in a fantasy world if you thought this would be easy. Please reconsider your decision to keep the child, whether you choose to give up for adoption or have an abortion."

Tohru's eyes stung as she began to go through her options again. Every word the director said was right. She wasn't able to think that far—no, she didn't want to think that far as it would only lead her to the two options she couldn't bear to think about. Am I being selfish for wanting to give birth and raising my children?

Even Kyo began to doubt his and Yuki's abilities to support Tohru and the babies.

"I will give you two suspension from the school. I'm not only doing this for punishment. I am trying to give you time to think about what option you will take and protecting you two from the other students for now. You two need to really get a hold of what you're doing. Only then can you come back."

Tohru nodded, grateful for the director's generosity. However, she was dreading the days ahead because she didn't want to think about a future without her children. She had already fallen in love with her unborn children, and the thought of letting them go had her teary-eyed.

"Just know that I am on your side. As the director, I support all of my students. This pregnancy was the result of an irresponsible decision, but I'm here to help you through it, Honda. You two can go home, now. Come back when you've understood the difficulties of parenthood and have decided to either face those difficulties or avoid them."

"Thank you, sir," said Kyo, bowing.

Tohru gave a bow. "Thank you."

Kyo took Tohru's hand and left the office. That geezer isn't that bad. I shouldn't have judged him so quickly.

Once outside, Tohru felt numb. The Principal Director had explained everything so well, letting the harsh reality settle in deep within the rice ball's brain. Her decision to keep the babies was wavering. Just a couple weeks ago, Tohru had so definitely said that she would keep her babies, that it was what her mother would have wanted. Now, she wasn't so sure.

"Tohru... are you alright?" inquired the cat. It was strange seeing Tohru so detached, especially after that conversation.

"I'm fi-"

Kyo grabbed Tohru's arm and pulled her closer, silencing her. He inspected her face, only inches away from his. His animalistic eyes flickered down to her pale pink lips. He mentally shook himself of his desires and readjusted his gaze to her eyes. Her eyes no longer locked away her emotions, revealing her confusion, gloom, and, as of now, surprise.

"K-Kyo-kun, what are you-"

His soft lips met her forehead. Tohru couldn't help being shocked. He was acting so unlike his usual self.

"Tohru," he whispered. The brunette could feel the hotness of his breath against her forehead. "you don't have to hide how you feel. I know that you're not okay right now because I'm not okay, which means you're feeling about a million times worse."

Tohru really wished she could embrace the boy—no, man—in front of her. She grasped his black sleeve, tempted to wrap her arms around his slender waist. But, her simple gesture would have to do. She couldn't have him turn into a cat in such a public space.

The rice ball reached out her hand, waiting for the cat to grab it. He hesitantly put his larger hand against her smaller one, but gained confidence once he felt the familiarity of it all. His fingers intertwined naturally with hers.

A few hours passed since the suspended students had arrived at home. Tohru, after preparing a small snack for the hungry cat, retreated to her room to resolve her inner conflict.

Tohru's two options were either giving up for adoption or raising the twins. She was having a difficult time making a decision. She swayed back and forth between each option.

Adoption was tough to think about because she had already gotten used to the idea of having her own little family with Kyo and Yuki by her side. For her, the twins were not just a product of a "reckless decision". They were her new family, and she was looking forward to the day that she would meet them. She wanted to learn their individual personalities, the types of foods they would like, who they would resemble. She wanted to know everything.

I'm being greedy. I can't possibly want everything.

She had spent her nights smiling to herself as she imagined her life as a mother, giving her kids goodnight kisses and telling them the story of the zodiac animals—all of the things her own mother did for her. When they got scared, she could squeeze them tight and give them kisses on their foreheads, telling them that they have nothing to fear because she, their mother, was there to protect them. She could make them laugh, all three of them giggling until the whole house filled with nothing but the sound of happiness.

However, the rice ball couldn't protect them. She was in no situation to bear these kids and raise them. Even with the help of the Sohma boys, it was impossible without giving up something important to all three of them.

Maybe adoption is the best way, she thought, her fingers tracing her abdomen. But she wasn't sure how she would be able to cope with the fact that her children were out there living under the care of other people. Oh my goodness, I'm being so selfish... I should be grateful if other people are willing to raise these babies better than I can. Even so, desire to be with her own children clouded Tohru's thoughts.

Mom, what should I do?

Tohru glanced down at her slightly protruding belly. Before she started showing, she didn't feel much attachment; seeing her belly grow every day made her realize that the two babies inside of her were real and growing happily inside her. Would her children resent her if she gave them up? Or would they resent her for keeping them? She desperately wanted to know the answer.

A series of knocks interrupted the rice ball's thoughts. Kyo's head popped out of the doorway.

"Hey, Tohru," said the cat, letting himself in. "Are you doing alright? You've been in your room for a while."

"Yes, I'm just thinking..." Her voice trailed off.

Kyo noticed the rice ball's hand on top of her stomach. She must be having a hard time deciding.

The cat sat down on the edge of the frilly bed. "They'll be a handful, y'know."

That caught Tohru's attention. "Huh?"

"The babies. If they're anything like me or that rat, you'll have your hands full."

Tohru laughed. "What makes you think that, Kyo-kun?"

Kyo smirked. "Well, me for obvious reasons. I wasn't exactly an angel as a kid. My mom..." He fell silent, remembering her death. He sighed. "My mom used to scold me for wandering off when I was supposed to stay put. Other than that, I was pretty good. And the rat... he used to be a ball of energy. I'm not sure what happened, but he changed a lot. The point is: we were troublesome kids."

Tohru smiled, picturing the two boys as children. "I think my life would be fun with two little Kyo-kuns or Yuki-kuns."

"It's all fun until they grow up like me or Yuki." Kyo's face became serious. He looked into Tohru's eyes. "I think the three of us can raise the kids. I can't let them turn out like... me. We can guide them on the right path, make 'em great people. Tohru, you just need to trust yourself and us. It'll be tough. We all know it. But aren't... families supposed to overcome things together?"

A smile slowly emerged on the brunette's lips. This was it. This was her sign from her mother. It had to be.

She felt determined again.

"Kyo-kun, thank you. I've made up my mind. I think I should raise the babies myself." I'm sorry that I was so shaken before... I'm making this sound like you two are some sort of object... Please forgive mommy. "Let's all work hard to become great parents. We're going to have to research and read up on everything, and I've never been too good at studying... but I'll try my hardest to study everything."

Kyo smiled. "Yeah. Me, too."

It became time for Yuki to come home from school. Tohru had put in a lot of effort in preparing dinner for him and waited for him to return. Kyo was taking a nap up on the roof.

The paper door slid open.

"I'm home," said Yuki, his voice lacking energy.

Tohru excitedly met Yuki with a smile. "Yuki-kun, how was your day?"

The prince's cold grey eyes avoided the Onigiri's shiny blue pools. He didn't smile back.

"Fine." He took off his school bag and shoes.

Tohru's face fell at his curt response, her disappointment obvious. She fiddled with her thumbs.

"I have dinner ready for you. I decided to make one of your favorites today: Sanuki udon."

"Thanks. I'll eat later." He began to walk towards his room.

Tohru felt the cold aura around him as he turned away from her.

"Wait, Yuki-kun!"

The grey-haired rat sighed, his shoulders falling as he did so. He turned to the rice ball.

"Yes, Honda-san?" He sounded exasperated and tired. Tohru bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying. He's never like this to me... I only see him like this to Kyo-kun. I don't know why I feel so sad, he could have just had a bad day...

"I'm sorry if I made you angry. I don't know what I did, but I'll fix it for sure! Please, let me know."

A smirk emerged on Yuki's face. He was different from his usual self.

"What you did?" he asked, his voice lowered, almost dangerous. He walked over to the rice ball. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her against the wall, bending over to look into her terror-filled eyes. "Be honest with me, Honda-san. Do you see me as a man?"

"Y-Yuki-kun, p-please stop..." Tohru struggled to break free of his grip, making him only tighten his hold on her.

Yuki was acting so rough—almost wild. Her heart was racing, both from fear and the proximity between the prince and herself.

"Please, answer me."

Tohru stopped struggling and gazed into the rat's face. He always guarded his emotions so Tohru could never tell what he would be thinking. But, his feelings were blatant today. He was angry, hurt, upset... jealous. Tohru could see it.

Tohru had never honestly thought about anyone as a man. She hadn't even had her first crush yet. She was always busy with work that she didn't have much time to think for herself. But, now that she thought about it, she had to admit that she felt something around Yuki. She would catch herself blushing at things he said and her heart would pound when he made contact with her. Did that mean she saw Yuki as a man? Wouldn't that mean she saw Kyo as a man, too?

"I-I don't kn-"

"It's a yes or no question, Honda-san."

"Would my answer... change anything?"

Yuki, taken aback by her question, let go of the brunette's wrists.

Tohru avoided his gaze. "If I told you 'yes', would you do anything to change the way things are right now?"

Yuki's expression softened. He couldn't be angry anymore.

The prince pulled Tohru into his chest, wrapping his arms around her back. He buried his face into her shoulder, a faint smell of strawberries present from her brown locks. He leaned in close to her ear.

"I'd make you my woman, Honda-san."

Thanks for reading! I'm sorry I'm so slow... but I'll start working on bringing the next chapter. Oh, and Yuki was a bit OOC in this chapter, but I think under the circumstances, it seems pretty/kinda realistic? Well, anyway, I like bad boy Yuki. Don't forget to Favorite and Review! I'll see you guys again soon!

-Ashley