Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Incomplete ❯ I'm Missing Something ( Chapter 1 )

`So much has changed now, since I left the Sohma house. People have moved on, and so have I in my own way, although I admit it hasn't been very far. I rarely see the Sohma's anymore, it's sad as I love them all so much. I talk to Kyo often though, he phones me every now and then: speaking of which! He's married now! It's only been 3 months since the wedding, but it seems like that couple have been together forever. I was a little surprised when he asked me my permission, and a little embarrassed. I live on my own now, it's pleasant and I love my life, although…I can't help but think I'm missing something very important. Hah, when I told Kyo that he said I'd probably forgotten to put the trash out. Still though, I feel…incomplete.'

 

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It's the summer vacation period and I have a week off work, it's nice to have a break every now and then. Every year I come to the beach near where I live, it's very peaceful usually, but at this time of year it can get crowded. I remember last year, very distinctly, a young man I saw who had long flowing white hair - a little like Ayame's - and he looked at me. I couldn't tell what colour of eyes he had, he was staring at me with a frown, squinting, looking down on me. I hadn't thought much of it until now, as I gaze at the top of the walkway where he stood and stared with those hidden eyes, where he stands now and stares.

 

~~~

 

“Um…” Tohru murmured as she saw the young man turn and walk away. Please wait! She called in her head as she raced up the sandstone stairs to get to the walkway. Looking around she found only periscopes and an old man sitting on a bench. She blinked at the old man and shook her head, telling herself that he wasn't her watcher. She jogged slightly to a white polished stairwell and stared up to the top, where she saw a slim figure disappear from sight. Could that…be him? She thought as she gingerly climbed the first few steps, she continued to focus on the top step, wondering if it was maybe a shadow, that maybe her eyes were playing tricks. Letting her hand gently glide across the golden banister of the stairwell, she slowly climbed, her eyes never leaving the top steps. She stopped as her sight could finally see past the top steps, only taking a few more to get a clear picture. Her watcher was standing a distance away, exchanging words with another man; he flicked his wrist as a sign of frustration and walked hurriedly away.

“W-Wait!!” Tohru shouted and ran up the last few steps, but she lost her footing on the third and fell, smashing her right knee into the top step. She let out a squeal of pain and sat back on the step, hugging her knee close to her. It was then that she heard quickening footsteps and turned her head to see a man running towards her with his arms out stretched.

 

“Young Miss! Young Miss are you al-UCK!” he let out a sudden noise from his

throat and skidded to a stop, spinning around abruptly so he wasn't facing her. She heard him gulp.

 

“Young M-Miss…are you alright?” Tohru sniffed and tried to ignore the stinging pain of her knee, it had a huge gash in it.

 

“Y-Yes.” She choked out.

 

“Good then! It looks pretty nasty….and bloody…”

 

“Mm, it hurts a lot. It's very-“

 

“Bloody.” The man replied, she noticed that he was bent over slightly. She pushed herself up, trying not to put too much pressure on the injured leg. She hopped up the last few steps and stood beside the man, who was pale and pasty.

 

“Are `you'…alright?” she asked, placing her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with a nervous smile.

 

“Ah yes, I'm just not so keen on `the red stuff'. My name is Hitsuki Kurokin, pleased to meet you, Young Miss.” He bowed his head and smiled warmly. Even though he looked as if he might puke if he moved too much, he was quite charming.

 

“Pleased to meet you also Hitsuki-san! My name is Honda Tohru…I'm sorry about this…” she muttered. She couldn't put much pressure on her leg and was holding it in mid-air. Kurokin shook his head and smiled.

 

“It's alright Young Miss, please, call me Kurokin.” He offered her his arm and she took it, walking slowly with him along the path. There were lines of cherry blossom trees at either side of the path, in full bloom. She looked around herself, at the gently falling petals engulfing them, it felt calming. Although she was reminded of her injury as she lost footing on a loose floor slab and almost tripped. They soon reached a large white building, surrounded by other smaller wooden buildings and open patio space.

 

“A….Shrine?” Tohru asked as she was guided into the centre square.

 

“Very perceptive Young Miss! Yes this is my family shrine.” He said smiling. He was jerked to a stop and looked over his shoulder at the fretting young woman.

 

“I can't come into your family shrine! It wouldn't be right!”

 

“Ha-ha, it's alright Young Miss, we're not going to the shrine.” He pointed to behind a grove of trees, where another cluster of buildings was barely visible. Tohru sagged a little, feeling embarrassed.

 

“Oh I see. But…S-Still! I think I'm imposing too much…”

 

“Nonsense! You tripped on our stairs and hurt yourself, I consider myself responsible for that.” He said, gently tugging on her arm to get her moving again. Tohru was speechless, and decided that Kurokin wasn't going to take no for an answer. It wasn't just that she felt she was imposing, she also felt a little frightened, being taken to a complete strangers home. As they reached the front entrance of the house, Kurokin let go of her arm to take off his shoes.

 

“I'm home my adoring family! *WHACK*” Tohru stared at Kurokin in horror as a shoe struck his head at a frightening speed. Kurokin blinked and then rubbed the side of his head where it had struck.

 

“Ow…I see it's the violent family today. You shouldn't throw heavy objects at people Kai-kun, it's not nice.” He said as he walked into the house and gestured Tohru to come in as well.

 

“You shouldn't be so goddamn noisy then. Don't call me Kai-kun.” A low, raspy voice uttered from a dark corner of the room. Kurokin shrugged and tilted his head.

 

“You shouldn't be wearing shoes in the house anyway, Kai-kun.” Kurokin dodged as another shoe came shooting from the darkened corner of the room, it smashed something. A young man with vibrant blue hair ran into the room in a panic.

 

“Kyaa!! Koutsu-san!! Stop throwing things!”

 

“Uwaa, it's okay, he smashed that ugly vase that Uruka gave us for Christmas.” Said Kurokin, still rubbing where the shoe had struck him. He smiled at Tohru and gestured her to sit down on a chair. He asked the young man with blue hair to get a first aid box.

 

“Eeee…it's….very bloody.” He said, sickening.

 

“I um, I can d-do it myself, b-bandage it I mean.” Tohru stuttered, still recovering from the flying shoes and shattering pottery.

 

“Oh no it's alright; Mikaku-kun will help you.” The man he was referring to walked back into the room with a small box in his hands. He smiled at Tohru and opened the box, recovering a bottle of spray antiseptic, a cotton pad and gauze.

 

“Mi…kaku-kun.” She said staring at his blue hair and various piercing.

 

“Hai. And you are?”

 

“Ah! Honda Tohru, pleased to meet you!” He nodded and smiled.

 

-This may sting a little.

 

“The shoe-chucking sulk in the corner is Kai-kun.”

 

-Ah, it's okay. It's cold!

 

“Kurokin-san, don't call him that, he doesn't like it. His name is Koutsu.” Mikaku said to Tohru as he gently wrapped the gauze around the cotton pad. Tohru grimaced and looked into the corner, trying to find a figure.

 

“It's very hot today; he's sensitive to the heat so he's not in the best mood. Still…Koutsu-san! Come out here and let Honda-san see you.”

 

“Ah! Please call me Tohru!” Tohru heard a grunt come from the corner and various noises that suggested movement. She then saw a very tall young man walk out from the shadows, wearing baggy clothing. He had a long white baggy shirt with the top few buttons undone, a pair of half-length summer trousers and a bandage wrapped around his left hand. He was very pale with white, medium length hair (not long enough to be shoulder length) and a cloth on top of his head. His eyes were crimson red. He wore a heavy red flush on his face, and he was sweating.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Koutsu-san…you have another fever don't you? Summers are terrible for you. I'll get you another cold cloth.” Said Mikaku as he secured the gauze with a bit of tape, he then rose and stood by Koutsu's side for a moment, before walking away out of the room.

 

“Uwaa….at least the blood is gone! How do you feel Young Miss?”

 

“Ah, I feel fine! Thank you for asking.” Koutsu grunted and fell onto his knees, staring at Kurokin.

 

“Call her by her name, you're so rude.” He said. His voice was low and husky, though not unpleasant to hear.

 

“I'm rude?! You're the one that greets people by throwing shoes at them!” Kurokin squealed. Mikaku re-entered the room carrying a lumpy cloth.

 

“So anyway, Young Miss….you don't mind it do you? The `Young Miss' thing?”

 

-He's such an idiot.

 

-I know, here this will help.

 

“Ah no! Its fine really, I don't mind really!” she said with a smile.

 

-Aguh! What's in this? It's hard!

 

-Ice of course.

 

-Ah…

 

“I didn't think you did. Anyway, your leg, can you walk on it?”

 

-It feels nice…

 

-Hai, lie down and put it over your eyes.

 

“Um…I think so. It still hurts a lot…um! No it's fine really!”

 

-No, don't lie on the floor, lie on the sofa.

 

-But the floor is cooler.

 

“Hmm…I think you should stay here awhile if you find it's still really painful, you could do yourself a lot of damage if you were to strain yourself.”

 

“Kurokin-san, if she doesn't want to stay she doesn't have to.” Mikaku stated, standing up and sitting on the arm of the chair Tohru was sitting in. Mikaku was a very attractive young man, although the bright blue hair took your immediate attention away from his face. His form was very slender; he wore a tight sleeveless shirt and half-length trousers. His eyes were green and his skin quite pale; he wore a black glove on his left hand. How odd…why only his left I wonder? He suddenly shivered.

 

“How the hell can you shiver….?” Asked Koutsu from the floor, Tohru stared at him for a moment.

 

“I don't know…it's like….something bad's gunna happen.” He said holding himself. It was then that Tohru heard screaming, not high pitched, but constant. A figure threw themselves threw the door and would have hurtled into Tohru - if Koutsu hadn't caught they're ankle and caused them to smash face-first into the floor. Tohru gave a shocked squeal and jumped up, nearly falling back onto the chair because of her knee.

 

“Senji-kun…you shouldn't run around screaming like that.” Said Koutsu calmly.

 

“….mmmmphmmm….” was the muffled words that came from the young man. He pushed himself to his knees and sniffed, this didn't stop the stream of blood gush from his nose though. Kurokin spun around, squatting and holding his mouth.

 

-Blood! So much…blood!

 

“Hah, poor Senji-san. Why were you screaming anyway?” asked Mikaku.

 

-All red and gross….thick…clotted…

 

“A spider attacked me!”

 

“The fuck it did, you're just a girl.” Koutsu grunted angrily.

 

-Life giving blood…all over the floor!

 

“Uwaa! It did! And don't swear, it doesn't suit you.”

 

-Oh god…it's so sickening…

 

“A spider can't attack can it? Um…Kurokin-san? Are you alright?”

 

“F-fine….” He replied, not turning around. Tohru smiled at Senji, who had stuffed cotton wool up his nose. He was thin and pale like the others, only he had short black hair and brown eyes. He smiled at Tohru and spread his hand in greeting. Another glove…what are they for? She asked herself, staring at the red fingerless glove on his left hand.

 

“Haa, what a pretty girl…” he nudged Koutsu. “You finally get lucky?” Senji dodged as a quick fist barely missed his face.

 

“I was sleeping…stop annoying me…”

 

“It's what we're here for Koutsu-san!” said Mikaku happily. Koutsu simply groaned and rolled over, holding the wet cloth into his face.

 

“Senji-san, this is Honda Tohru.” Said Mikaku gesturing to Tohru, who bowed and smiled. Senji bowed his head and smiled.

 

“Honda-chan? What do you want to talk about?” said a quiet Kurokin. Tohru was shocked to hear this, she hadn't really been participating in anything that was going on. She looked around herself and at the people in the room; there was Kurokin: a nice man with a fear of blood. Mikaku: a young man with high spirits and bright blue hair. Koutsu: a distinguished young man that seemed to be…angry, and Senji: a slightly frightening man with a fear of spiders. She smiled nervously and grabbed at ideas in her head.

 

“Um…uh….what's….what are your Zodiac animals?”