Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Custody ❯ The lonely bunny on the moon ( Chapter 19 )

Momo and Momiji left the house at six p.m. The streets were crowded with Christmas shoppers, even more because that night it wasn't snowing for a change and the temperature was rather nice outdoors.

 

Momo was really excited. She put on her best dress for this date. Momiji thought she looked beautiful and told her so when he saw her all dressed up and ready to go. She was as beautiful as their mother. They weren't identical, of course, but with Momo dressed like that the resemblance was such that it was still a little unsettling. However, he felt more at ease now, unlike the first time he saw her.

 

At Brigitta's suggestion, they made reservations at a fancy restaurant. It was to be expected, really. Grandma was that kind of woman. When they arrived, an elegantly dressed hostess greeted them and checked their names on the list. She was a pretty redheaded girl of about Momiji's age. Momo saw her ogling at him since the first moment. It didn't help at all that he was in yet another black suit (just how many had he packed up for the trip?), and that this one in particular was far more elegant than anything he had worn yet. It made him look older, and for the first time, Momo saw him as a twenty-two year old man and not a teenager close to her age. It didn't make it easier either that he was so handsome and had this natural aristocratic demeanor. His every move screamed class and confidence. It must've been a Souma trait; Momo remembered that her father had been just like that. It was only natural that all the women in the restaurant turned their heads to see him. Momiji either didn't notice or chose not to acknowledge any of them. He kept on smiling and looking only at Momo, and that made her feel great. She was dining with the most handsome man in the place! It was like a dream.

 

Unfortunately for her, she didn't notice the men that turned their heads to ogle at her, or the possessive way in which Momiji held her arm right then. That would've boosted her confidence.

 

-“I hope that you and your sister enjoy your dinner, Mr. Souma.” -The hostess said to Momiji with a flirtatious smile. In fact, she had been flirting with him ever since he walked into the restaurant.

 

Momo didn't like it a bit. `Who does she think she is, flirting so shamelessly with onii-chan?' She was so busy glaring daggers at the retreating woman that she didn't notice that they never said that they were brother and sister. The girl had known just by looking at them.

 

Momiji saw the jealousy in her eyes and smiled wider. He truly enjoyed watching her.

 

He decided to start talking now while the waiter arrived to take their orders. He had been both expecting and dreading this moment for a long time. This was it. He was going to gamble everything he had. Breathing deeply a couple of times, he finally spoke:

 

-“Momo, I need to tell you something, but first, I need you to answer me a question. Be honest, please.” -Momo had been distracted once again, this time placating the jealous stares of the women in the restaurant with glares of her own. When she heard Momiji's serious voice, she turned to him immediately. She thought that he looked nervous. He wasn't even smiling.

 

Momo nodded.

 

-“Let's say that somebody gave you a choice: you could get to have someone to care for you and protect you unconditionally. Someone who would always be by your side, no matter what. The only thing is that for you to get that someone, you got to know things about someone else you love that might make you loose the good image that you have of that person. Would you take the risk?”

 

-“I don't know. I can always meet new people, but good memories are things that I could never bear to loose. If that person really loved me, he would let me keep what I treasure the most.”

 

-“Even if that meant loosing him?” Momo nodded.

 

-“Even so. If that person really cared about me, he would've been with me since the beginning, don't you think? If he wasn't there before, then he has to accept me as I am now, not go and try to change me.” -Momo smiled wider now. She didn't take time to ponder the question. She just answered the first thing that she thought. It was a rhetorical question, the kind where there's no right or wrong, wasn't it?

 

-“Sou ka.” -he tried hard not to show his disappointment. She was right, and he knew it. It would be selfish of him to shatter the image that she had of her parents just so that he could have her. He decided that he couldn't tell her who he really was now, and most likely never, but he was not giving up. He still needed to take her back with him to Japan if not as her brother, then as her guardian. He slipped on his businessman mask in an effort to hide how heartbroken he felt at that moment.

 

-“Have you thought about my offer?” -he asked casually. Momo noticed that he had switched back to Japanese. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't identify at that moment either, but it was quickly replaced by a distant look that contrasted with the smile on his lips. She didn't like that look, so she avoided it by pretending to read the menu.

 

-“I have, but I'm not ready to make a decision yet. I have so many things to think about!” She was unable to face Momiji at that moment. She knew what she had to do, but if she saw him now, she might change her mind. It was the right thing to do, and she knew it, but still…

 

-“I'm sorry to talk to you about this so soon, but as you know, I'll be leaving after the holidays. You'll have to give me an answer by then. I have to let you know some things before you make a decision. As you know, you are heir to your father's fortune. You need to think about what how you're going to administrate that. I will continue doing it for you until you're of age, but you need to decide whether you want to do it yourself when you're older or you'd rather keep on having someone else to do it for you. If you choose to take care of it yourself, then you have to start planning your career.”

 

Momo didn't like this Momiji in front of her now. He talked clearly and purposely in Japanese, and she was having some trouble to understand what he was saying. His voice was even and emotionless as he told her that. Momo heard it all without taking her eyes off the menu.

 

-“Gee Momiji! You make it sound so exciting, like I'm filthy rich now.” -she wanted to have her Momiji back, so she tried to lure him out with her sarcastic comment. She looked up directly into his eyes.

 

-“As a matter of fact, you are. That's why you'll need me until you can take care of everything on your own.” He knew what she was trying to do, but he just couldn't make himself play along with Momo at that moment. He was tired that everybody always took him lightly. He knew that it was because they always saw him smiling that they assumed that he couldn't take things seriously. He decided to let her see a side of him that only Ritsu knew.

 

-“I am serious about this, and I expect you to answer accordingly. You are not a child anymore, Momo-san. You need to grow up.”

 

Momo was shocked speechless. She couldn't believe that he had just reprimanded her. His voice was so stern and cold that she couldn't recognize it. He didn't even need to raise his voice to make her flinch. The smile disappeared from her lips, and she lowered her eyes back to the menu without really looking.

 

-“I'm sorry, Momiji-kun.” -she muttered humbly. “You're right. I'm not a child anymore. With everything that's happened I guess I have to become an adult now. I just didn't want to do that yet!”

 

-“I know.” Momo looked back up. His voice was so understanding now! They way he'd said it was more like an apology. Momiji interpreted her wondering look and answered softly.

 

-“I had to grow up too fast too. I know how you feel. It's not like you have a choice now, but you know that you can count on me. I will always be there for you. That's why I want you to go back to Japan with me.” His voice softened a little, and his eyes were kind again. Momo felt more at ease talking to him now.

 

-“I know… but my home is here now. I… What about Grandma? She needs me…” -He just couldn't keep on acting coldly towards her. He couldn't bear it to see her on the verge of tears once more, and he felt his chances of taking her back with him slipping through his hands. Something about the way she said those words made him realize that she had already made a choice, and that he was loosing her. He was running out of options and courage.

 

`I need you too. I need you more than anyone else.'

 

Momiji seized her hands nervously. It didn't matter anymore. He would beg if that was what he had to do.

 

-“I won't take you away against your will. I would never do that to you. But please, think about it. We could be together all the time! I promise to do my best so that you'll be happy.” -His voice was quiet and calm, but Momo noticed the subtle desperation behind his pleading eyes and slightly trembling hands.

 

-“Why..?” -Momo didn't understand what was happening. This was not the Momiji she knew either. This was more like a lost child. She had seen many faces of the same Momiji that night, and she had the feeling that they were all masks. She wanted to see the real him for once!

 

Momiji recognized the fear in her voice. He didn't want to scare her. He had to be strong for the both of them. He was the older brother. He was supposed to support her and catch her whenever she fell. He was supposed to comfort her.

 

If only he wasn't so desperately needing just that at that moment.

 

The place suddenly became too loud and crowded. He had to get out or else he was going to crumble to pieces in front of his sister.

 

-“Please Momo. Can we go?” -His voice was barely above a whisper. Momo didn't need to be told twice. She was about to ask him the same thing. They left the place in silence.

 

Momo didn't know what to do. She didn't know this side of him. What was happening to onii-chan?

 

-“Do you want to go for a walk?” She offered hesitantly. Momiji just nodded.

 

He felt really stupid for acting like that. `What is wrong with me?' The only thing that stopped him from hugging her, breaking down and tell her the truth was that he didn't want to scare her even more. He knew that she was worried about him. `Why did she have to see me like that?'

 

Momo tried to help in the only way she knew how. She took his hand and squeezed it as she guided him to a nearby park. She didn't dare to hug him. She had the feeling that she shouldn't. He relaxed a little at the contact as he tried to calm himself with deep breaths. He squeezed her hand back.

 

She looked up at the bright full moon above them as they walked under the moonlight in the middle of the park some time later.

 

-“Do you like the rabbit on the moon?” -he asked quietly. Momo didn't seem to notice the sadness in his voice. She was enjoying the sight of the night sky.

 

-“Yup! It's so bright and beautiful! I like to think that it watches over me.” -she answered without looking back down.

 

-“You do? How so?” -he was truly interested now.

 

-“Papa told me so when I was a little girl. He said that a rabbit is always watching over me, that it loves me but that it can't get close to me though it really, really wants to.”

 

-“…so he has to see you and protect you from afar…” He looked up to the moon too. He didn't know that his father had told her about him, even if indirectly. He smiled wistfully. Apparently he knew him well after all. `Guess he noticed me following her around.'

 

-“Mhm. I believe that Papa was talking about the rabbit on the moon. Since then, whenever I look at the moon I think of that little bunny up there: so bright and yet so sad because it's always alone. I've thought that it would like to have some company sometimes. Why do you think that it was put on the moon by itself?”

 

-“Maybe he was cast out.” -he answered softly.

 

-“What for? That's unfair! What could an innocent rabbit have done to deserve that?” -she was clearly indignant at that moment.

 

-“It's not always about what you do or deserve, Momo. Sometimes people do things believing that it's the only way to protect the ones they love. They get rid of the things that can hurt them, even if it means sacrificing someone else. So, maybe he's there so he can't hurt anyone…”

 

-“But onii-chan…”

 

-“…or maybe he stays away to watch over the people he loves. To watch over you.”

 

-“It agreed to it? Why? Wouldn't that make it sad?”

 

-“Nobody cares about the feelings of a rabbit that's so far up, away on the moon. Everybody likes him, but nobody gives him a second thought. He's on the moon after all, so people just assume that he's happy.”

 

-“But that's a lie! Why don't people realize that?”

 

-“Because he's always shining, Momo. He's scared that people won't like him if they ever looked upon the dark side of the moon. That face that nobody has ever seen. So that's why he has to keep on shining forever. Maybe on that other side of the moon you could find the answer to your question.”

 

-“Hn?” Momo looked down to see Momiji looking up to the moon. The light bathed his face, making his eyes shine and his features to look angelic. Momo could've sworn his eyes shone like that because they were filled with unshed tears if she didn't know better. This was Momiji they were talking about! He never cried!

 

-“What could an innocent bunny have done to deserve that?” He spoke softly, in that same tired and sad voice that Momo realized for the first time was just like her father's.

 

A thought crossed her mind right then. It was more like a feeling, really. She recalled scattered comments, unguarded looks caught by accident and little gestures. Just a moment ago, when he reprimanded her she couldn't feel angry at him. She just accepted what he said and submitted. She couldn't explain it to herself. He'd talked to her like a real older brother would. She had just comforted him like a real younger sister would.

 

It couldn't be. It was ridiculous. But still...