And I'm back! I know this took me a while, but I haven't had much time to type because of a certain little sister... :P

Kyo: Why don't you put her through a window?

SnowyNeko: I would love to! But I have parents.

Yuki: You shouldn't be so impulsive, miss author.

SnowyNeko: I know, I know. Taking human lives is wrong.

Yuki: Well at least you know that. A certain cat hasn't stopped attacking people when they get on his nerves.

Kyo: That's only for you, you damn rat!

SnowyNeko: Kyo, there's no reason to be so impulsive! XD

Kyo: What? You're suddenly on his side now?

SnowyNeko: I love you Kyo Kitty, but I like Yuki, too.

Yuki: And on a side note, miss author does not own any of the Fruba anime.

SnowyNeko: Unfortunately...

"We're home!" The hyper girl's demeanor completely changes when she sees an orange haired boy waiting at the door.

Ah, so he's the other love interest.

He nods to me, arms crossed. "Who's she? Another one of your friends?" he demands. "I haven't seen her before."

"Oh, no! We found her in the woods! We offered to call Hatori because she seems to have hurt her arm."

"DON'T GO INVITING STRANGE PEOPLE INTO OUR HOUSE!"

His outburst shocks me. I mean, he didn't exactly give of a welcoming vibe, but I certainly didn't expect to be yelled at in a shojo anime. He… is romantic interest number two… right?

The girl bows hurriedly. "Sorry! Sorry!"

"Tohru, don't apologize," Yuki sighs. "I invited her, not you. And Kyo, is that any way to treat a guest?"

"Hmph! I say we turn her back the way she came! She's not my guest." This clearly annoys the more graceful of the two and I watch Yuki's brow furrow, most likely unintentionally. Does that happen? Do made up characters have accidental little quirks like that?

"While she is here, you will be polite and treat her with the utmost respect. I know it isn't in your nature, but please try. It might be best if you just keep your mouth shut."

The boy Yuki called 'Kyo' turns away from me with a scowl. Ashe walks inside, I swear I hear him grumble, "Welcome to our house." His awkward tone makes me snicker.

"I am very sorry about his behavior, Ms. Vierra-"

"If you're going to address me like that, at least use my last name. It's Carter, by the way." I grin. "And you're such a hypocrite."

"Excuse me?"

"Weren't you just telling Tohru not to apologize for something not her fault?" I point out.

"Yes, but since he lives with me, I feel as if I'm responsible for him," he explains. "Even if it's just a short while, I wish for you to enjoy your time here."

Well, isn't he the definition of perfect? I bet the fan girls are just all over him. I laugh silently as he opens the door for me. The poor guy. He's got screaming, enthusiastic admirers in more than one world.

"Kyo told me we have a guest!" I almost run into the dark haired man who abruptly appears. I step backwards with a gasp, nearly stumbling.

"Aren't you pretty," he compliments me with a wide smile. "My name's Shigure."

"H-hi," I stutter, not sure of what to think. I saw a bit of him in the first episode, but he didn't necessarily stick out to me. It's a bit different now that I'm meeting him in person.

"Shigure, this is miss Vierra Carter. Could you call Hatori? She injured her arm in the forest."

"Sure thing, Yuki!" He walks away presumably looking for a phone, humming a tune I don't recognize.

"How many people live in this house?" I mumble in a low voice.

"You've met us all, miss Carter," Yuki assures me. I glance over at him, my mouth slightly agape. Oops, I hadn't meant for anyone to hear that.

"Sorry, that was rude of me," I apologize automatically.

He smiles at me charmingly. "Not at all. It's our fault for having such an odd household." Ugh! Polite, sweet, and princely: how could it get anymore sugary? Where are the badass guys with pistols who taunt the enemies every few seconds? Now that type is right up my alley! This anime is going to drive me insane before I can escape!

Still, I can't help but get a warm bubbly feeling from how he considers me. Despite myself, I smile back.

Tohru pops her head in the room. I hadn't recognized she was gone, to my embarrassment.

"The curry I was making is done," she informs us in a motherly way. "I made some extra, so you can join us for lunch if you're hungry Vierra." Now that she mentions it, the sun is directly overhead. It's earlier in the day than it was when I blanked out. Oh, joy. More things that don't make any sense.

I accept the offer because I've yet to actually taste anything here. The sounds are more pleasant, colors more vibrant, and my sense of touch is majorly enhanced. It's pretty much unavoidable that I'm curious as to how things will taste.

The first thing I notice when I enter the room is the fact there are no chairs. Yuki joins the others around the low table, and after wavering a moment, I do too. The plates are already set, so I have no choice but to sit next to airhead Tohru. I pick at the curry in front of me while the conversations progress.

"Hatori should be here after lunch." Shigure goes on dramatically. "Though it's a shame he won't be here for Tohru's cooking. He's missing out on a little piece of heaven. Oh, and he says Momiji will be coming along to see Tohru."

"WHAT!?" Kyo nearly shrieks. "Who invited that little idiot?"

The brunette to my right can't stop smiling. "I can't wait! Momiji is so cute!"

In the midst of all the mixed reactions, I finally take a chance and try the curry. The result is so surprising I almost gag. It's spicy, but not so much so that I can't handle it. The flavor of beef is prominent and the texture is just right, probably due to my renewed sense of touch.

My eating picks up pace and I struggle not to shove it all in at once. Shigure wasn't exaggerating when he said her cooking is a piece of heaven. I suddenly regret not eating sooner.

"Miss Carter, I'm aware it's delicious but you mustn't eat so fast," Yuki says gently. "You may choke." No retort floats from my mouth, but I slow down anyways.

Without warning, a young blond bursts into the room. "Tohru!" She flings her arms around the equally excited brunette. The response is instantaneous. Yuki grabs my arm and tugs me out of the room as a puff of smoke engulfs the table area.

"What was that?" I frown, thinking of the curry I was forced to leave behind.

"It doesn't matter." Yuki leads me to the front door, where there's a man with hunter green hair covering one of his eyes. "Hatori is here to fix your arm."

"It's definitely broken," the young doctor concludes, putting it in a splint. "How did you get an wound like this in the middle of the woods?"

"I fell," I tell him truthfully. I wasn't anywhere near the middle of any trees, but I definitely fell at some point. Satisfied with my answer, he finishes with my arm and turns to face the grey boy.

"How has your asthma been lately?" he asks, listening to Yuki's heartbeat.

"I'm fine Hatori," Yuki insists placidly. "I was under an abnormal amount of stress the day of the run. I don't require any extra care."

Curiosity gets the better of me and I lean forward. "Did you have an asthma attack recently or something?"

"It's nothing to worry about. There was a required run at our school, and this idiot suggested we make it a competition." He glares at Kyo, who turns away with a grunt.

"It's okay!" The little girl known as Momiji throws herself on Yuki's back. "Big Brother is strong!"

I glance back and forth between the two of them with a raised brow. "You're siblings?"

Momiji, squeezing the boy tightly, laughs. "Nope!" She pops the P. I'm beginning to think I like her more than the main character. "We're cousins, Vierra-chan! Yuki and me!"

I smile at her. "I have a cousin I love, too. Her name is Cassidy."

"Shigure, could I talk to you in private?" Everyone turns to Hatori, wondering why he would call out the… unique man.

The head of the household exits the room with a, "Yes, yes! Can't talk about a subject like that around kids, can we?", to which Hatori replies, "What are you talking about?"

I tap Yuki on the shoulder lightly. "Sorry, but where is the bathroom?"

"At the end of the hall, take a left. It should be the first door," he explains with subtle hand motions. I nod to him before leaving my seat to find it. Following his directions, I turn the corner at the end of the hall.

I jerk back quickly. Shigure and Hatori are whispering intently. I have no clue why I hid reflexively, but now I get the overwhelming urge to listen.

"…good idea letting in another girl?" Hatori inquires, dead serious.

"It's only temporary, my friend," Shigure argues. "I suspect she'll be gone before nightfall."

"It didn't take Tohru long to discover the curse." My ears perk up at the word curse. "How can any of us trust you three to keep it better this time around?"

"You shouldn't worry so much, Hatori! You'll age early," Shigure jokes.

I decide it'll be more convincing if I break my own cover before they officially wrap up their conversation and find me. I don't exactly want to be accused of eavesdropping.

I step into the hallway and rest my hand on the first doorknob.

""Oh, did I interrupt something?" I worry falsely. "Sorry, I just needed to use the restroom." Shigure has his regular careless expression as he responds.

"Not at all, Vierra! Our house is yours as long as you're here!"

I close the door behind me and collapse to the floor. Curse, huh? I study the tooth charm on my bracelet.

I can certainly relate.

Hey! I got my first review for this story! It's from CleverKitsune! Don't you just love that name? I've always liked the nine-tailed fox from legends. Argh! Now I want to put that somewhere into one of my new stories!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!