Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Don't Forget Me ❯ Fragility ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: Thanks, the reviews were wonderful everyone! Now this chapter is gonna switch from Kyo and Tohru to Yuki and Karina continuously, just a little bit of fluff…but this isn't what you would call a very dramatic or sad chapter…but the happiness won't last too long cos you know, I gotta have some downs in this story as well…but yea enjoy the luvey duvey moments while it lasts…so yea, that's the brief outline, enjoy!!

 

Chapter 8: Fragility

 

Ribbons and Kites flew everywhere in the sky as the celebration of the Winter Festival took place in the heart of the city in Tokyo. Face painting booths, free food tasting counters and many shops opened to attract nearby customers and fellow shoppers. Performers and entertainers were practicing for their shows and the day and night parade, the day being bright and colourful while the night parade was going to be full of light up carousels and visual themes. Fortunately the weather was great and hundreds of people roamed the streets in preparation for the grand opening which was due to start in a few minutes. It wasn't snowing too heavily, just light snowflakes often appeared here and there but the air was still very cold.

 

Yuki slipped on his jacket and arrived their early waiting for Karina as she arrived in time looking flustered but quite noticeable in what she was wearing which was basically all black with some bits of blue and occasional white, but anyone could tell her apart from the crowd.

 

“Hey Yuki…am I late?”

 

“No, you're just on time, umm…you love black.” He commented.

 

“I know, I'm not much of what you call a girly girl who dresses in too much pink, funny thing is, I love jewellery!” She exclaimed as she showed him her numerous bracelets.

 

“Oh well, I think it's nice… what you're wearing…”

 

“Uhh…thanks.”

 

They had gotten through the town, stopping every few shops, getting things to eat and drinking iced tea even though it was freezing. Karina finally convinced Yuki to actually ice-skate as she pulled him inside of the ice-skating rink after paying the money. It had taken a while for Yuki just to get his skates on. As soon as Yuki got onto the ice, he slipped and fell causing an embarrassed moment for him as Karina helped him up, laughing at the same time.

 

“I'm really bad at this already.” Yuki stated.

 

“Nah, you'll get used to it don't worry.” Karina gave him an encouraging grin and held his hand as she taught him how to skate.

 

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Tohru took the clothes and clipped it onto the washing line when she heard footsteps come behind her. She turned her head and greeted Kyo.

 

“Have you seen Yuki today?” She asked.

 

“That damn rat went off to the festival with Karina.” Kyo started to help her which didn't happen very often, especially with the washing. Sure he could cook (better than Yuki since he had a habit of burning things) and he could mend things that were broken but helping her with the washing was something that you wouldn't see in everyday life.

 

“Umm…thank you Kyo for your help.” Tohru carried the washing basket back into the house.

 

“It's nothing.” He shrugged it off.

 

“Actually…I was thinking if…we could go do something today…if you're not busy that is…”

 

“Well no, what do you want to do?”

 

“Uhh…can we go to the umm…park?” She asked while shuffling her feet on the ground.

 

“The park?” He repeated.

 

“We can get some crepes, or ice-cream…have a picnic….I made some food….and we can walk around and look around and uhh…”

 

“Yea alright, just don't make it something like the playground or whatever.”

 

“Ok.” Tohru smiled.

 

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Kenji lied in bed, still wide awake but physically tired. He turned on his T.V in his bedroom and flicked through the channels, there was nothing on so he kept flicking. Something then caught his eye as he sat up and instantly became energetic and forgot about how tired he was before as he stepped closer to the TV.

 

“Karina?”

 

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“See? That wasn't so hard.” Karina slapped Yuki on the back and congratulated him. After a few slips and falls and crashes, it turned out better than expected.

 

“Haha, no it wasn't…umm, how's your back?” Yuki asked a bit concerned.

 

Flashback: half an hour ago

 

“Come on Yuki, you're doing great, you're a really fast learner.”

 

“Really? Thanks…” He increased his speed.

 

Yuki was able to skate faster with his hand in Karina's, at least that was until he lost control and fell backwards taking Karina along with him, their backs hitting the hard and cold ice. Yuki would've expected Karina to be slightly angry at him but she wasn't, she admitted it was a little painful but she was still cracking up and laughing her head off at Yuki's silly-ness and his carefree actions.

 

End of Flashback

 

“Not too bad.” Karina replied.

 

“I'm really sorry about that.” Yuki apologised as Karina just raised an eyebrow and gave a casual reply of “I'm fine.”

 

Soon after, somebody shoved a camera in front of their face and grabbed onto both their hands, making them stand up.

 

“Congratulations, you have been chosen as couple of the week!” A man who looked like a reporter of some kind shook Karina and Yuki's hand and pressed the record button on the video camera as the woman beside him snapped a picture.

 

“Couple of the what?” Karina blinked from the flash.

 

“Couple of the week, you two lucky lovers will receive an award and some cash plus what's better, you are now broadcasted onto live T.V, and I must say, choosing an ice-skating rink for a date is some-what excellent! So how does it feel to be the star of the week” He continued to ramble as Yuki tried to get everything into his head.

 

“Uhh…I think your misunderstanding something…”

“Here's a ticket, write your names on it and you can go into the draw to win $2000 worth of beauty products for you and perhaps a car for this young man.” The lady with the camera or the photographer interrupted Karina and handed her a piece of paper.

 

“Umm…”

 

“Come on, go ahead.” The man persuaded.

 

“Okay…” Yuki wrote their names down.

 

“Thank you, everybody, meet the cutest couple of the week, Yuki and Karina Sohma, aww their even married with the same surnames and at such a young age.”

 

“WHAT!” Karina and Yuki shouted.

 

“Here's a video of their favourite moments today at the ice-skating rink on the very day of the Winter Festival, check it out.” The lady did something like a replay as Karina spotted the time when they both received sore backs. This video was going to be viewed by everyone in Japan.

 

“Wait, you don't understand, we're not a coup-“

“Thank you for watching everyone and stay tuned for next week's winner, sayonara, au revoir, adios and good afternoon.” They finished after shaking Karina and Yuki's hand, giving them a cheque and a bunch of flowers, took a picture once more before leaving and scurrying out the door.

 

“No way, I can't believe that happened, it was just so fast.” Karina bit her bottom lip.

 

“They told the whole of Japan that….we were married…because of our last names…” Yuki added.

 

“My god, their so…argh…annoying!” Karina had always been kind of annoyed at her constant thought of surname change, whether it be Sohma, Yoshida or Hiroshi.

 

“We have to get that video back.” Yuki insisted.

 

“But they've already showed it to the whole country who happen to be watching on this channel…oh shoot, I think I'm gonna kill them.” Karina practiced her punch in mid-air and accidentally hit Yuki.

 

“Oh my god, I'm so sorry.”

 

“And just look at that! Anyone and I mean anyone could tell that their madly in love.” The reporters voice came back as they looked up to find them standing on the second level filming them yet again.

 

Frustrated and angry, Karina resisted the urge to swear at them as she grabbed Yuki and made a narrow exit to find privacy. His nose was bleeding, Karina never knew she could hit that hard, boy she must have hated those reporters so much, that it was enough to cause a mild nose-bleed.

 

“Are you okay? Darn it, I'm such an idiot.” Karina handed Yuki a pack of tissues.

 

Yuki just answered by laughing, covering his nose at the same time.

 

“That…was really funny…and I'm alright…no harm done but I have to say, nice punch.”

 

“You're…you're laughing…?” Karina gave a pitiful smile.

 

“You know, I think you might be able to beat that stupid cat one day if you keep training hard like this, just imagine him as a reporter and I'm sure you'll win.” Yuki kept laughing.

 

“Oh Yuki, why would I wanna fight with my own half-brother? I love him to bits, family wise, haha but sure if it's just for fun, I'll try it out as long as I don't cause another bleeding nose.” Karina joined in with the laughing soon figuring out that Yuki was really okay after all.

 

“I think we should get out of this place first, I mean if they catch us laughing then we'll seriously be out of our luck today.”

 

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“Tohru, I think you ought to see this!” Shigure called out to them just as they were about to leave the house to the park.

 

Tohru walked into the living room, staring at the TV screen as Kyo came in as well, they sweat dropped, not only at Shigure laughing hysterically but at what they were watching….cutest couple of the week? Yea ok, now goes the world's sanity, especially having his half-sister and his rivalry as the winners.

 

“Oh no, you've gotta be kidding me, Karina punched the damn rat….and yet I can't do it?” Kyo shook his head when the video finished.

 

“I never knew they were dating or married.” Tohru said.

 

“Uhh, Tohru, it's because their not, the stupid reporter is making stupid lies, isn't it obvious?” Kyo couldn't help but laugh at Tohru's stupidity, but he had to admit, it was cute stupidity.

 

“Whoops…haha…uhh…yea…ok…̶ 1;

 

“Come on, you wanted to go out right? We'll let's get a move on.”

 

A few minutes passed and they arrived in the park, Kyo went buy crepes while Tohru showed her admiration for the park's scenery. The place was so clean, no litter, no doggie poo, just a peaceful chunk of land with growth of fauna and flora all over that place. Tohru chose a spot under the humongous willow tree that grew beside the lake and which shaded the area from the sunshine, the day was cold but still sun light appeared behind the clouds. It wasn't snowing in this suburb, more often in the city, school and outside of Shigure's home. She laid the mat over the grass and arranged the food out of her picnic basket. She had brought all sorts of things that Kyo liked, some home-made onigiri, sushi, etc with this mini fruit-cake that she had bought for dessert especially for today.

 

“Woah, you brought heaps.” Kyo came back with the two crepes in his hand.

 

“Yes, I hope you will like it.” Tohru gestured towards him to sit down.

 

The food was finished fast since Kyo was hungry, Tohru dug into her bag and fished out a kite.

 

“Kyo, would you like to help me fly a kite?”

 

“A kite is for kids.” Kyo replied rudely, seeing Tohru's hidden but hurt face, he sighed and gave into her suggestion knowing that it would only make him happy by seeing her smile.

 

Soon after the kite took flight, it got stuck in the willow tree, Kyo (the cat) chose to climb up the tree to try and reach it. Although he struggled, he finally managed to get to the kite as he threw it to Tohru. Being the klutz that she was, Tohru ran for the falling kite, slipped and was going to fall into the lake, making Kyo alarmed, (as he wanted to save her) stretched out his hand and tried to pull her back even if he was still on the tree. Tohru grabbed onto his hand but only making the situation worse by pulling him off the tree resulting in both of them getting wet (good thing he didn't transform). The sound effects of the splash made people stop their actions subsequently as silence fell on the

pleasant park.

 

Kyo and Tohru rose out of the water and crawled onto the bank, dripping with cold lake water. Tohru's mouth opened to a million apologies while Kyo just put a finger on her lips and shushed her as she realised the people staring at them awkwardly.

 

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“Thanks for a really fun and amusing day Yuki.” Karina giggled as she took out the cheque from her pocket that was give to her by the reporters and held it in front of Yuki while carrying the flowers in her other hand.

 

“You're welcome, I'm glad I learnt how to ice-skate even though I went through all that trouble…umm keep it.” He replied just as he saw the cheque of $570.00

 

“But… without you, I never would've got couple of the week…so… haha…you can have it.” Karina insisted.

 

“Nah, besides, you have to pay the bill for renting you're apartment, while I can rely on Shigure for the meantime, so it'd be more logical if you kept the money.”

“Okay….Well…then I'll see you around sometime again in the holidays.”

 

“I guess, goodbye then and just for you're information this is the most fun I've had for a few years so thank you.” Yuki stepped closer and gave her a hug.

 

“Sure…uhh….no problem, see ya.” Karina closed her door as Yuki made his way home.

 

Those reporters really bugged me today, but then again when I really think about, I wouldn't have had so much fun without them stalking me and Karina, and I'm glad that she persuaded me to go ice-skating because everything just made it worthwhile, the numerous times I fell, the equal numerous times that she helped me up back onto my skates, I should do this more often…if only the curse didn't exist…but somehow, when I'm around her, things change, my curse doesn't take effect on her so it just seems as if I'm a normal person just enjoying life as it is. It makes me feel free, with one less major thing to worry about. Maybe, could it really be….love? Who knows….

 

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“Geez, we really know how to draw attention to ourselves huh?” Kyo commented as they went home and dried their hair and face with a towel. Apart from making a big fool in front of the crowd, Kyo was really happy, he got to spend a lot of time with his one and only Tohru and her klutz ways were just so funny, it was something that you could imagine out of a comic.

 

“Yes…but I'm very sorry once again, I don't know why I pulled you into the water as well.” Tohru kept her apologies repetitive.

 

“Doesn't matter, I mean if you're gonna be embarrassed, might as well get embarrassed together right?” Kyo looked into Tohru's unique blue eyes as the thing such as the `lovers gaze' took place right inside the bathroom.

 

“Ahh…umm…well…thank you for coming along with me to the park today.” Tohru snapped back into reality and stepped back while stuttering words of thanks.

 

“Just make sure that you find a kite that won't be so easily stuck next time will you?” Kyo asked.

 

“Of course.” Tohru gave a goofy grin and walked out of the bathroom, her cheeks on fire.

 

Kyo's getting nicer and kinder every day now, and I feel that he has made a wonderful change. I see him laughing, smiling and joining in activities more often these days and I'm so happy to see him this joyful. I really hope this will continue, it just feels like he has decided to put his problems behind him which is something I really admire.

 

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Is it really true, that someone can fall in love this easily and this fast? Is it true that my beloved Karina never actually fell for me? Is it true that this Yuki person is more than just an everyday friend? Is it true that my questions will be left unanswered? I suppose Karina knows I care about her a lot now…but I still haven't mentioned nor said the big thing to her yet, such words that spell…I Love you…

 

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AN: Many thanks to my supportive reviewers and readers ( I know, I keep saying this), but keep in mind that you guys/girls ROCK!!