Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Musouka ~ Dare to Dream ❯ One Winter Evening ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Love the heart that hurts you, but never hurt the heart that loves you.

 

Vipin Sanotomono

 

One Winter Evening

 

“Well, hello Kagura oh! And who is this?” Shigure asked as he opened the door for Kagura and Rikuhikari. He slid the door shut as soon as Rikuhikari came in.

 

“My name is Rikuhikari Sanotomono, it is a pleasure to finally meet you Shigure-san,” Rikuhikari greeted, “where might I be able to put these?” He held up the schoolbooks to Shigure.

 

“Well, nice to meet you too, though I don't remember introducing myself.” Shigure said, looking at Kagura.

 

“I told him,” she replied to the stare.

 

“Well, that solves it. I'll take those then-”

 

“No, it's all right, just tell me where her room is and I'll be able to drop it off then I'll be on my way,” Rikuhikari said, Shigure whom raised his arms for the books let them drop and grinned.

 

“All right, but do either of you know where Eriko and Kyo went? They left before you Kagura, but I thought you went to fetch the two lovebirds.” Shigure pointed out. Kagura's orbs glimmered dangerously.

 

“You mean they didn't come back?” Kagura asked.

 

“Not that I'm aware of…” Shigure replied. “They could have gotten back now…sleeping together in someone's room, snuggling together on the roof, ah…I must say Kyo has more of an interesting life then me, all those times he's around her he should at least attempt to feel her-” Shigure rambled on. Kagura looked vivid and more bloodthirsty as her expression darkened. Rikuhikari instantly took notice of the both of them and growled mentally.

 

What a pervert… he thought with slight venom. Then he remembered something.

 

“I have forgotten Eriko's uniform, I better hurry home, I'll be back in twenty minutes if that will be all right.” Rikuhikari pointed out. Shigure waved with a grin.

 

“Take your time and fetch Eriko's clothes, so why don't you go along with him Kagura?” Shigure asked, looking over at the Boar. She looked reluctant at first, then nodded and she and Rikuhikari walked out of the Sohma House. Leaving a grinning Shigure. Yuki and Tohru, who so happened to be coming down at that time to cook dinner (which Yuki would try to help with), spotted Shigure's usual `up-to-something' expression.

 

“Oh, hello you two. Well, why don't you two go outside or something and don't worry about supper. I'll order take-out.” Shigure suggested.

 

“Oh no! I can't do that! It's my job to make dinner!” Tohru cried.

 

“No no, I prefer that you two go on and be happy, and besides, you can take a break now.” Shigure laughed.

 

“I can't possibly-”

 

“But I insist!” Shigure said over her as he pulled both of them down the stairs gently (rougher on Yuki, whom was shooting him daggers) and left them outside the door.

Evening came quick, and now both Kyo and Eriko were still lying on the grass. It hadn't dried much, but it felt warm, basically because Eriko managed to cuddle with Kyo as soon as he fell asleep. It seemed not even the slightest touch could wake him. A breeze passed over them, making Eriko shudder. Strange…her Fox spirit should give her whatever she would need like warmth, energy, and so on. But here she was, curling into a ball against Kyo, whom had his hands behind his head. The action though, woke him up.

 

“Ya cold?” he asked.

 

“Yeah,” she answered, it felt so comfortable here. So abnormally comfortable all of a sudden, if it were spring it would be much more noisier as the crickets would string their legs together to perform an all-strings orchestra. But now it was silent, there wasn't a cloud in the sky for some reason. The sky was loaded before, but now was clear as crystal. The stars looked lovely, the sky though was a mixture of turquoise, dark blue, and a pastel aqua lined together and shaded together, fitting in with one another like they were suppose to be.

 

It must have felt nice…to fit right in, how much she would give to just fly up into the sky and join the stars in their glorious time to shine. It must look great from up there, to look down at earth so innocently…but so high up, she wondered whether they saw all the horrible deeds she has done since she was born. She had to admit that she was pretty selfish really, she never thought of others…but her intentions were good.

 

“Maybe we should be on our way home,” Kyo said as he stretched in place and yawned, she followed. He was the first to stand, and then he outstretched his hand out to her. Why? Why were people like him helping her? Or course, they didn't know she was the Fox, but wasn't she selfish enough to prove she was one?

 

“I suppose you're right…” Eriko mumbled as she grabbed his hand gently and he pulled her up.

 

She remembered on every familial birthday, Mother's day, Father's day, and so on. She would avoid everyone, stay home and hidden behind the blinds of the house windows. Refuse to go anywhere with others she refused to think cared about her. She didn't do chores or accept volunteer work…truly selfish…

 

“Kyo?” she asked as they began walking through the forest.

 

“Hm?” he mumbled back, his hands behind his head with his eyes closed.

 

“Why do you like me?” she asked, his eyes opened and locked onto hers.

 

Why would she ask that? “Why?”

 

I just need to know…before you find out what I truly am so I can therefore runaway with at least one good thing tagging along after me… “Well, Kagura I must admit is a pretty aggressive and protective girl with a lot of devotion towards you and well…I don't have any qualities like that so I was just wondering…whether you liked those more then mine…?” She answered, as she looked away, a slight blush painted on her cheeks.

 

“Eriko…” I can't explain this! You know I can't…so why do you ask? “That's just a question I can't just answer and have you understand because well…I don't understand my feelings for anyone at all…I never had…” Kyo explained.

 

“I know the feeling, but Kyo, the way you explain things do make a lot of sense, that's how I suppose bonds work…for two people that understand each other can form a bond of everlasting friendship…”

 

“I didn't know you could speak like that,” Kyo teased.

 

“I don't, Yuri told me.” Eriko answered.

“Yuri? What's the point for me to live if no one will ever accept me for what I really am?” Young Eriko asked, tears coursing down her cheeks. It was another hard day at school for the kit; Yuri was usually the first one she turned to.

 

“Eriko, Mother, Father, and I care for you very much, I think that would be enough at the moment." Yuri answered.

 

“Care? Is that all?”

 

“Of course not, but there's an emotion called love, it's the most hardest of all feelings to explain since it always changes, like water.” Yuri began. “You see, love cannot just freeze in time or run faster then a car, but it grows fonder and fonder of those you care about. Like Mother and Father, you loved them since birth, but for someone else you have to get to know and gradually your heart grows so fond of them there is no way you can put the feeling into words.”

 

“So, what you're trying to say it that love is an emotion you can only feel but not tell?” Eriko asked. “How does it work really? It just grows fonder?”

 

“Exactly, when in love you develop inseparable bonds, these kind of bonds cannot be easily broken and they're invisible to the human eye,” Yuri explained.

 

“Can foxes and elephants see them?”

 

“No, no being can. Love is so powerful that it can make things magical.” Yuri answered. “Love made you,”

 

“How?”

 

“You'll know later.” Yuri answered nervously, “But what the real point is, is that when two people understand each other those languages can make bonds of everlasting friendship that will never let you down.”

 

“Like how Dad didn't get Mom's fertilizer for the garden?”

 

“In a way yes,” Yuri answered.

 

“But what about the languages? Don't people speak Japanese in Japan?” Eriko asked.

 

“Yes, but hearts murmur different languages only their soulmate can understand.” Yuri answered.

 

“Hearts speak Japanese too? The teacher said it went `luv dub'.” Eriko pointed out; Yuri laughed as she patted her younger `sister's' head.

 

Eriko went on thinking, spacing out as well. Kyo noticed and peered over at her, how said she looked, it made Kyo want to comfort her, but he wasn't sure if she would want it.

 

“You miss her eh?”

 

“Yeah…” Eriko answered back.

 

“I would miss you…if you left,” Eriko looked up at the Cat; he was looking away, lost in thought. “It's only been several weeks since we met, but I think we know each other more then we thought we should and well, it's great to know you and I would really be lost without you…”

 

“You see, love cannot just freeze in time or run faster then a car, but it grows fonder and fonder of those you care about. Like Mother and Father, you loved them since birth, but for someone else you have to get to know and gradually your heart grows so fond of them there is no way you can put the feeling into words.”

 

He's having just as a hard time just as I am in explaining feelings…he's doing a lot better then I am, Eriko thought with a smile. Kyo seemed to space out at that moment and his eyes wandered aimlessly the other way. Giving Eriko enough time to scan him over, he seemed so…tense. His body didn't seem relaxed but his expression looked occupied. He was worried about something, but what?

 

“Kyo? Is there something troubling you?” she asked, he shrugged after a moment without looking at her. “Do you-” She suddenly began, but stopped in mid sentence. For once she couldn't finish the sentence, in fear something unexpected would hit her. She didn't want him to reject her; she didn't want anybody to reject her. But she knew she, she knew she rejected people, but not in any horrible way. She just shoved them aside, like trash not worthy of her time…they would look back at her in disgust and walk away. The only people back then that held her hand and let her cry was Yuri, Sarah, and Dikatou. She never knew anyone else so close, but now…she had Kyo too.

 

“What is it Eriko?” Even the mere sound of her name on his tongue made her passion grow. She flushed slightly and looked away when he turned towards her. She liked him, they shared their first kisses under the mistletoe, and even another soon after, but those were enough for liking him right? But why was her passion growing? If she liked someone it wouldn't hurt as much as loving him or her when she was…gone…

 

“Oh! Erm…nothing…” she choked out. Her bangs shadowed her eyes; she didn't want him to see her blushing. Though he already had, but once or a few times was enough right?

 

“Whatever…”

 

They continued to be quiet as they walked on, it wouldn't surprise Eriko if they were going to be tired tomorrow since they were staying up so late, but they were napping before so she supposed that would count.

 

“Eriko…?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Nevermind…”

 

It seemed that every time now that they were alone, there was barely anything to talk about. If bore Eriko, but somehow, made her anxious and nervous. Butterflies the size of kittens fluttered in her stomach by this point, but she couldn't tell whether she should express it. She wanted to tell Kyo, and she was sure he wanted to tell her something as well. She couldn't stand the suspense, so if Kyo wasn't going to make the first move, she would!

 

“Kyo? Do you…well…” He looked over at her again, she tried not hesitate but the contact their eyes made when their gazes met was overwhelming. She couldn't ask it with a straight face. “Like me?”

 

Another awkward silence passed over them, oddly, it felt rather comfortable when Kyo's face looked a bid more cheerful. Especially when he stopped and dropped his arms to the side. When he did stop though, she did the same.

 

“I think there's a stronger word in between us Eriko, I don't think it's no longer `like'.” Kyo answered with a grin. It made her blush slightly when he advanced onto her, eventually (she didn't realize she was backing up) her back made contact with a thick tree trunk and the Cat loomed over her. Those crimson demonic orbs never left her steely blue ones. They weren't threatening like when he yelled at Yuki, or angry when he glared at Shigure, nor warm towards Tohru, but more of a cloudy, zoned-out kind of gaze. One that wouldn't shift to neither left nor right if a diversion sounded.

 

“So…our relationship moved to the next level?” she asked, a bit more stronger, he began to see the flicker of a sly, yet happy Eriko in her eyes, but the flicker went out in an instant, tempting to hide itself. But something in him told him that it wanted to reveal its light again, and he too had to agree that Eriko, hidden in the blue depths that could describe the bottom of the sea was itching to get out. To reveal to the world how she really was like, the kind of person she was forced to hide away for oblivious reasons to him. But he wanted to know more about her, and he wanted to share so much with her, he wanted to be the greatest thing in her life and she would be everything to him. And somehow, she already was, just like Tohru and Kazuma Sohma.

 

“You could say that…” He hissed lightly as his right hand was raised above her and laid on the tree for support. His other hand pressed against the tree on the right side of Eriko's waist, her arms though, were up at her chest, unsure of what to do.

 

But he knew what to do, whether it was feline instincts or manly intuition, he did what he felt was right at that moment. He leaned in on her, automatically her arms rose and wrapped around his neck, as soon as their lips touched, Eriko told without words her passion towards Kyo. His arms wrapped around her slender frame and messaged her back as their tongues played by their own rhythm.

 

If someone stood on a hill and peered down at the two, he or she would think it would be the most romantic moment in any young person's life. The moon glittered quite happily above them, the stars twinkled and even a shooting star ran across the sky with a beautiful trail tailing it. The trees swayed gently with the slight breeze that seemed to tell them that winter was coming to an end. The little snow that lay on the ground glimmered under the sun, illuminating the bottom of the trees and showing the glowing eyes of happy nocturnal animals as they fed upon their prey. Alone two figures stood both animals. The taller one laid its paw on the shorter one's head, as if congratulating it, and with a happy nip, they rushed away.

 

Kyo and Eriko soon separated, and for a moment only looked into one another's gazes. Then with a grand smile, Kyo took Eriko's hand and guided her through the forest, both chatting and smiling to no end.

“So, you're Kagura Sohma. The guys were talking about you,” Rikuhikari had just then switched into Riku Sanotomono after he led Kagura to his home, a small comfy little place with a bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen, dining room, nice front lawn, and a completely leafy house. There was at least one plant in each room, she though Riku could have a garden but it was too dark to tell and she didn't want to wander around his house since she barely knew him. By the time he locked his door and was leading her to the street was when he shifted. He looked kind of bored, somewhat interested though.

 

“Yes, and you must be Riku, they spoke of you.” Kagura added.

 

“Have they bothered you at all?” the man asked.

 

“No, not at all. They were actually nice to speak to, it really fills up time.” Kagura answered. Riku continued to stare ahead of them, as if trying to look at air was the most interesting thing on the whole planet. Kagura decided they should have at least some kind of conversation. “So, how long have you had multiple personalities?”

 

“I'm unsure how I can answer that, to tell the truth I don't remember the last time I had my body all to myself. I guess I just have gotten used to it so much I suppose.” Riku answered.

 

“Must be hard,”

 

“We don't necessarily fight over it, just that different things trigger our personalities, sometimes one will pop out purposely and sometimes accidentally or intentionally by the body's command. Basically what I'm trying to say is that my body knows how I react to…certain situations…so does my mind.” Riku said.

 

“So you made multiple personalities to deal with different things right?” Kagura asked. He nodded.

 

“Correct, I suppose it was because when I was little…I overreacted to so many things-most ridiculous-I sometimes lose control of myself…”

 

“Oh dear lord someone call an ambulance!”

 

“What's wrong!” Someone in the background pulled out a cell phone and jabbed on the buttons quickly.

 

“He's having another episode!”

 

“Is this normal?”

 

“Yes!” The body the woman was over was lying motionless, a moment ago he was writhing madly, twitching unintentionally, and struggling for no apparent reason.

 

“Back then…I had horrid exposures to seizures…major ones really…soon my body couldn't take it anymore, I had so many horrible memories I tried to forget, but whenever they returned. I ended up on the floor choking on my tongue…”

 

The sirens flashed red and sounded as they pulled into the mall's parking lot, paramedics hurried in.

 

“He's still breathing but his heart's going too slow now!”

 

“I was never in the same condition, my heart would speed up more then usual around someone I liked…my brain gave me memories I tried to erase…and my body gave me pain I couldn't stand…” Riku said quietly, but she heard. And she sympathized, how strange she felt, hearing tragedies coming from someone else rather then a member of the Chinese Zodiac.

 

“I worried people…especially my mom, my dad died a long time ago because of leukemia, my mom was all I really ever had, but since I had seizures so often, I couldn't go to school so I was home-schooled. I had no friends, only a loving mother who taught me my present passion for gardening…” he suddenly chuckled. “Some people think I go overboard with my plants…but I see them as a reflection of myself…they never seem to get enough attention or the help they require…so I raise them the best I can like their my children, the way my mom raised me…”

 

“I love you so much Riku! My cloudboy!”

 

“Where's your mom? Where is she now?” Kagura asked.

 

“She used to work as a nurse, but she later became a botanist, she was inspired by me she said. She's at Tokushima working in at Tokushima's Public Botany Garden, caring for both the plants and animals and insects that live there.” He answered with a smile, she knew it was proud, but he was worried over something.

 

“You miss her don't you?” Kagura asked softly, walking faster so she could stay at his side.

 

“Yeah,” he answered grimly, she supposed he was an honest guy, but didn't like just how honest he was, she smiled.

 

“I think she would be proud of you,”

 

“Why would she be? I just cared for plants, I was nothing special.”

 

“But you solved a problem for her and yourself, you fixed the problem you were having with yourself, you fixed it. You also inspired her to do something, something to do in her life. That is something the both of you can be proud of.” Kagura explained with a bright smiled. He smiled back.

 

“I guess you're right, thanks Kagura.”

 

“Sure!”

 

“My little boy is growing up!”

 

“What is Shigure expecting us to be doing at this hour?” Yuki asked Tohru as they both sat on the side of Shigure's house; Shigure kept his word and was now out getting take-out. Tohru sat happily next to Yuki though, looking up at the sky and snuggling with her coat as well.

 

“Oh look Yuki! A shooting star! Make a wish!” Tohru cried.

 

“I thought the first person to see it made a wish,” Yuki corrected with a smile.

 

“But I told you at the same time when it was shooting, so it counts-I think,” Tohru said as she looked at him and then back up at the skies.

 

“You're right then,” Then I wish this curse would lift, and I can finally embrace Tohru…he looked over at the Riceball, happily pointing out stars. And share my feelings with her with the new courage that follows…

 

“Three couples out at night such a great evening it is indeed!” Shigure cried at the man next to him as he waited for the food. The guy laughed.

 

“So I suppose you set them all up eh?”

 

“You could say that, but a true novelist never reveals his secret plans,” Shigure said as he rubbed his chin and a magnificent sparkle surrounded him, the man sweat-dropped.

 

What is with this guy?

 

“Here's your order sir,”

 

“Thank you!”