Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Lost My Sister in San Francisco ❯ Discussions and Orange Juice ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N - 06/29/06 Like for reals. I’m already on chapter eight. =O I’ve almost written a chapter a day. Except for that day that I went a few days without a chapter. But I had writers’ block so that’s an excuse. ...Wait. I’m barely on chapter eight?! No! This can’t be right! Dx Whyyyyyy?! ;>> Oh well. Must write quick! I shall not be here during the evening for I shall be with my cousins, Hatori and Ayame. n.n Just kidding. Though I will be with my cousins. ;>> We’re our own Mabudachi Trio, even though they don’t know what Fruits Basket is and every time I talk about it they just smile and nod their heads like I’m crazy. We’re also known as the Charmed Ones to but that’s a different story. But now I’m just ranting! So here’s the chapter! n.n

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“Is she doing okay?” Kokoro looked over Kyou’s shoulder at the unconscious Kasumi.

“She’s fine.” Kyou said with a sigh. “It’s not fair to them.” He growled lightly as he watched his sister sleep peacefully. Well, she looked like she was sleeping. Kyou knew from experience that Kasumi was good at playing possum.

Kokoro sighed heavily and walked to the other couch, plopping down and crossing her arms. She crossed on leg over the other and stared into the fire that was lit in the fireplace. “I know it’s not.” She sighed again. “But it’s to protect them, Kyou. I don’t wanna do this any more than you do, but we have to. It’s like our job to keep our younger siblings out of trouble.”

“But they’re not damn kids anymore!” Kyou yelled. “They can take care of themselves, they know what they’re doing!”

“You’re gonna wake her up.” Kokoro said almost in a whisper. “And that’s the thing, Kyou. They are damn kids, they can’t take care of themselves, and they don’t know what they’re doing.”

“Look at them, bickering like a married couple.” Shigure commented as he looked at Kyou and Kokoro, standing behind Kyou. They hadn’t even noticed that he and Sachiko walked in along with Yuki and Tohru.

“Yuki, Tohru, would you mind watching over Kasumi for a few minutes?” Sachiko asked. “Shigure and I need to speak to Kyou and Kokoro.”

“Sure.” Yuki nodded.

“Thank you.” Sachiko smiled at them. She looked to Kokoro. “Go get your brother. We have to talk to him too.”

Kokoro mumbled something under her breath and walked out of the room to go find Kippei. She begged her parents for a sister. Or at least a dog. But no, she got stuck with a bratty, two year younger little brother. Why her?

“Come on, Kyou.” Shigure pulled Kyou to the other room with him and Sachiko. They all waited until Kokoro entered with Kippei. Both were angry and had clearly been arguing the entire way.

“Jerk.” Kokoro threw at Kippei.

“Brat.” Kippei threw back.

“Drop dead.” She growled.

“You first.” He snapped.
“Go to hell.”

“Right back at you.”

“Enough.” Sachiko said. “Before I make you to get on your knees in a corner and hug each other.”

“Tch.” Both of them turned away from each other. One took a seat in a chair, the other on a couch.

Sachiko sighed and shook her head. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to raise you two? Really, I’m getting much too old for this. Even Hinako’s easier to take care of.”

Both of them stopped. Something they always fell for, the way Sachiko remarked on how hard it was to take care of them. Sachiko had taken care of both of them since they were little kids and they always felt bad when they felt like they were making things hard for her.

“Thank you.” Sachiko said. “Now, we have to talk to you three about something very important.”

The three were silent. Kyou stared at the floor, and Kokoro and Kippei glared at opposite walls. They knew what they were going to be told.

“Kippei,” Sachiko called. “As the woman who raised you since you were a child, you should know you can’t hide things from me. So tell me honestly, do you have feelings for Kasumi?”

“Yes.” Kippei admitted in a mumble.

“But...?” Shigure asked, knowing there was more.

“But these two idiots are trying to stop us from seeing each other!” Kippei yelled, pointing to Kyou and Kokoro.

“Care to explain why?” Shigure looked to Kyou and Kokoro. Both were dead silent. “Kyou? Kokoro?”

“Well,” Kokoro started. “The sooner a girl gets a boyfriend, the more crap she has to deal with later.”

“But that’s not the real reason, is it?” Shigure asked.

Kokoro fell silent again. She looked at Kyou as he looked back at her. They were both keeping quiet about everything.

“Kokoro Kandis Okurimono,” Sachiko called sternly. “Please explain to your younger brother what your real reason for keeping him and Kasumi apart is.”

Kokoro winced at the sound of her full name. It always got her. Like some microchip was implanted in her brain that made her cringe when someone called her by her full name. It was usually a signal that she was in trouble. She gave in with a sigh. “I don’t want them to get hurt.”

“How the hell am I gonna get hurt?!” Kippei yelled, glaring at Kokoro once more.

“Our dearest cousin Ariel. That’s how.” Kokoro shot a glare back at him. “When she graduates, she’s gonna make you miserable beyond belief. Trust me.”

“Why? It’s not like I’ve done anything to her. That’s you and Torrence.” Kippei sat back in his chair.

“Exactly.” Kokoro said.

Kippei had to think for a moment before he realized what his sister was saying. “See, this is exactly why I hate being your younger brother!” He yelled, making it seem like it was all Kokoro’s fault. In a way it was, but it’s not like she chose to have a younger brother. He stood up. “You push Ariel’s buttons and she uses me to get to you, right?!”

“Right!” Kokoro stood up abruptly from her spot on the couch. “And I’m sorry I did such a thing, Kippei! I wouldn’t have pissed her off if I knew it would hurt you in some way, but it’s too late now, now isn’t it?!”

“Both of you, shut up and sit down.” Sachiko growled.

Kokoro and Kippei growled at each other. Kippei fell back into his chair, but it took Kyou to pull Kokoro back onto the couch. She was angry as it was.

Kippei sighed heavily and crossed his arms.

“And it’s not much better for Kasumi either.” Shigure said. “If Ariel’s the head of your family by the time, all she’ll have to do is strike some sort of agreement with Akito and she won’t be able to see you any longer.”

“Well who says they have to find out?” Kippei growled.

“They’ll find out.” Sachiko said.

“One way or another.” Shigure agreed.

“What if we keep it a secret until we’re older?” Kippei asked. “Then we could get marr–!”

“Hold it right there, kid.” Kyou interrupted him. “No one ever said anything about you two getting that far into the relationship! Hell, I don’t care how far you are, you’re not laying a hand on my sister!”

“Besides, it doesn’t work that way.” Shigure said quietly.

“Why not?” Kippei inquired.

“For you and Kasumi to get married when you’re older, Kasumi would have to have Akito’s consent, and you’ll have to have Ariel’s by the time. Being, they are the heads of the families.” Shigure explained.

“We know you two care deeply for each other, and I’m not trying to keep you two from being together like your sister is, but are you sure that’s not all it is? Are you sure it’s not that you merely care deeply for each other and nothing more?” Sachiko asked. She wasn’t trying to be the bad guy here, but she knew it was possible that their feelings were just infatuation

“I’m sure.” Kippei said sternly.

“But Kippei, if Akito were to find out what you two were up to,” Shigure started.

“Akito can’t hurt me. I’m an Okurimono.” Kippei shrugged.

“Oh, but Ariel can. And Akito can hurt Kasumi.” Sachiko said.

“And you can’t very well runaway and elope.” Kokoro half-laughed. “I mean, then they’d make sure that Kasumi was cut off from her family and you were cut off from yours.”
“Do you get what we’re saying, Kippei?” Shigure asked.

Kippei thought for a moment. Why did things have to be so damn complicated? Why couldn’t he and Kasumi be together and everyone else leave them the hell alone? It was really unfair that he would get tortured by his cousin just because his sister pissed her off. With a sigh, he nodded. “I get it.” He said.

“Good.” Sachiko smiled lightly. “Now give your sister a hug and tell her you’re sorry for yelling at her.”

“What?!” Kippei yelled.

“That goes for her too.” Sachiko looked to Kokoro.

“Hell no!” Kokoro yelled.



“She looks so peaceful when she’s sleeping.” Tohru smiled as she looked at Kasumi curled up on the couch underneath a blanket. “It’s hard to believe she has so much energy when she’s awake.”

“Kasumi’s like that.” Yuki smiled lightly. He slightly frowned as he looked at his cousin. “Though, I suppose they don’t have any leeks that we can cook to help her get better faster.”

Kasumi must have been somewhat awake because she furrowed her brows in a disgusted manner at the mention of leeks. She was a lot like Kyou in some ways. Especially when it came to leeks. She hated them with a passion. She thought they were among the most disgusting foods in the world. In fact, she thought it was so horrible that she didn’t even consider it food.

Dawn entered the room holding a glass of orange juice. “I don’t know what leeks are,” She smiled and laughed lightly. “But this will have to do. My mom always gives us orange juice when we get sick. Make sure she drinks it when she wakes up.”

“Thank you.” Tohru took the orange juice from Dawn and set it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Can you tell me when she gets up?” Dawn asked. “So I can get her something to eat. It helps too.”

“Sure.” Yuki nodded.

“Thanks.” Dawn smiled, walking out.

Anita stood behind the entrance to the living room. She grabbed Dawn’s arm as she walked out. “Dawn, what the hell?”

“What do you mean?” Dawn blinked, confused.

“Why are you helping them?” Anita glared.

“Because they’re taking care of Kasumi.” Dawn winced. “You’re hurting my arm.”

“If they want to take care of her then they can figure out what to do.” Anita growled.

“What’s wrong with you lately, Anita?” Dawn pulled her arm away. “We all want the same thing right now, right? For her to get better?”

“Dawn, they’re trying to take her away from us.”
“So let them.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Anita, we love Kasumi like she was our own sister. But she’s not. She’s Kyou’s sister. Am I the only one out of us that gets that?” Dawn scowled and walked away.

Anita stood silent, trying to contemplate the words her younger sister just told her. She shook her head furiously. No, she wouldn’t let Kyou and Kokoro take her precious Kassie away from her. It wasn’t fair that she spent a lot of her time teaching Kassie things, like a mother raising a child, and then Kyou comes and takes her away. It wasn’t right. He missed out on all the important things.

But it’s not like it was his fault...Was what Kassie would prolly say.



“...Yuki?” Kasumi called as she awoke from her slumber.

“You’re awake?” Yuki went over to her. He felt her forehead. “You’re still a bit warm.”

“It’s cold.” She whispered.

“I’ll see if I can get you another blanket.” Yuki nodded. “In the meantime, here. Drink this.” He handed her the orange juice that Dawn had given them.

Kasumi smiled lightly and she sat up a bit. “Thanks.” She took the glass and slowly sipped at the orange juice inside.

“I’ll be right back.” Yuki got up and left the room to find another blanket.

“You gave us all a scare, Kasumi.” Tohru smiled lightly.

“Sorry.” Kasumi apologized, finishing off her juice. “I guess I should’ve gotten a heavier jacket.”

“So how are you feeling?” Tohru asked.

“Cold.” Kasumi shivered. “And hungry.”

“Well Yuki’s getting you a blanket, and when he gets back I’ll go ask Dawn if there’s anything you can eat.” Tohru nodded.

Kasumi nodded in return. She glanced around the room. “Where’s Kyou?”

“Shigure and Sachiko had to talk with him, Kokoro, and Kippei.” Tohru informed. “They’ll be out soon.”

“Okay.”

Yuki came back in with another blanket. He covered Kasumi with it. “There, feel better?”

“Uh huh.” Kasumi nodded and smiled weakly. “Thank you, Yuki.”

“Just take it easy. It’s not fun being sick.” Yuki lightly patted Kasumi’s head.

“I’ll go find you something to eat.” Tohru got up and walked out of the room.
Kasumi smiled. It felt good to be surrounded by family.

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A/N - 06/29/06 Okay so a few more days until my birthday. Joy. Again. Yeah, someone took their happy pill this morning. n.n; Moi. It’s what happens when I wake up early. I’m all hyper and whatnot. Well, it’s not that late in the afternoon so I’ll post this chapter and get to my grandma’s house to see my cousins. n.n More later my friends! Oh, and I started putting the dates on the author’s notes at the beginning and end because my fic gets posted on MediaMiner first, then goes to Fanfiction.net oh so many days later. So when it finally does get to FF.net, all the stuff I wrote in the author’s notes is old news. xP