Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Please Remember Me ❯ Sound the Bugle ( Chapter 6 )

Please Remember Me Chapter 6

Sound The Bugle

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Chapter Six

I sighed and wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. I've been working in my secret base all morning long. Three months had passed since Kyo told us all that Tohru was...attacked. Gods, it even hurts me to even attempt to think about what she must have gone through in the last two months of her life. A part of me thinks that she didn't trust us enough to let us know what happened. The other part of me isn't surprised that she kept it inside. She was the kind of person who didn't want anyone to worry about her, regardless of what she was going through; she would always smile as if it were nothing.

I pulled out the last weed that I could see in the garden and tossed it aside, then started pick the ripe vegetables.

After Kyo told us what happened to Tohru, I unconsciously made a habit of going into Tohru's room, whichs, for the most part, remains untouched. I even read her diary, not that I'm proud of it. I mean, even now I respect her privacy. I guess I wanted to know if the neko was right, even though I know he'd never make up something like this. I also found out that she had spent alot of time with Hatori.

Hatori seemed to have been a better friend to her than I was. She always mentioned him in her diary in the days and months agter her attack. Then again, he did know about what had happened to her.

I put the last of the leeks to the side and started to pick the strawberries. When I had picked them all, I put them in a small basket I had brought with me. I gathered the vegetables I had picked and made my way to the house.

I kicked off my shoes and headed for the kitchen. I tossed the leeks and other vegetables in the sink. I rinsed off the strawberries and took them to my room. I washed my hands and face in the kitchen sink. I quickly got ready for school. I reached into one of my desk drawers and pulled out a gift I got for Tohru before she died. I never had the chance to give it to her.

I headed back downstairs and towards the door with the strawberries and the gift in my hand.

"Yuki-kun?" Shigure came out of his study just as I opened the door. "Where are you going? You still have time before you usually leave for school." His gaze fell to the objects in my hand, then he shook his head slowly. "Be safe." he said before heading to the kitchen, probably to get more sake. He's been drinking a little bit more than he used to in the last three months. I guess he feels as though he failed Tohru in his role as her guardian.

I quickly slipped my shoes back on and left the house. I didn't tell Shigure that I had other things to do before I went to school.

I headed to the cemetary where Tohru was buried. When I reached the row where her family's marker was, I noticed that there was someone already there. Hesitantly, I continued my way to the marker, praying that it wasn't Uotani-san or Hanajima-san. I breathed a mental sigh of relief when I saw that it was just my brother there.

He looked at me as I approached. "Konichiwa, Yuki-kun." he said.

"Ohayo, nii-san." I said as I knelt in front of the grave. I could easily tell that Ayame had already cleaned it. I placed the strawberries on the grave. I opened the gift that I had got for Tohru and pulled the necklace out of the box and placed it over the basket of strawberries. The necklace had a penant with the zodiac animals on it with a gem on each animal. "Happy White Day, Tohru-chan." I whispered as I stood up next to my brother.

I felt Ayame put his arm across my shoulders and give me a sort of sideways hug. "Are you okay, little brother?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm alright, nii-san." I answered, not looking at him.

He squeezed my shoulders then stepped up to the grave. He knelt down and put some flowers on it. I hadn't noticed the flowers before. He stepped back and put his arm around me again.

After a while, we headed back to his shop. When we got there, Mine-san started to greet us with a cheerful grin, but stopped when she saw the somber look on our faces. After a quick glance at my brother, Mine-san excused herself to go clean the store. Ayame led me to one of the back rooms and sat down on the sofa. I sat down next to him.

I glanced around the room and realized I had been in this room before. "I remember the last time I was in here, nii-san. I was with Tohru-chan and Mine-san got her to wear that dress you made." I said quietly.

"It is?" Ayame asked, glancing around. "Hmm, so it is. I'm sorry, little brother, I didn't know."

I shook my head. "It's alright, Ayame. You know, I must admit that dress did look good on Tohru-chan. She was beautiful in it."

To my surprise, Ayame laughed softly, "If this wasn't such a somber occasion, I'd be on the phone with Gure-san or Tori-san telling them that you just told me what you did...not that Tori-san would listen." Suddenly he grew serious. "Are you mad at Tori-san and Kyo-kun?" he asked.

"Nani? Naze?" I asked.

"Because they didn't tell anyone what happened to Tohru-kun until three months ago." Ayame pointed out.

I shook my head. "Iie, I'm not mad at them. I would have done the same thing if Tohru-chan had asked me."

"You really loved her didn't you?" Ayame looked at me knowingly.

I nodded. "Hai, I loved her so much. I just never got the courage to tell her while she was still with us." I sighed and glanced at my lap. "I always dreamed about marrying her, with or without Akito's permission, even if that meant being cast out of the Sohma family and forced to live somewhere else. It wouldn't matter to me because I'd have her, and that would be all that would matter to me." I looked up at the clock that was on the wall. "I should get to school or I'm going to be late."

Ayame stood up and walked with me to the front of the store. "Yuki, I know you may not like me that much, but we are brothers, and I'm going to do my best to look out for you."

"Hai." I said as I started to pull the door open. I stopped and let the door close. I turned to my brother and before I knew it I gave him a quick hug. "Arigato, nii-san. Gomen." I whispered as I pulled away from him.

He put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about anything, Yuki-kun. You'll get through this. I know you will. You have nothing to apologize or thank me for. I'm your nii-san, I'm going to do my best to be there for you when you need me. Not like I did in the past."

"Hai," I said with a nod. "I have to go to school."

"Aa, be careful out there, my little brother." he said as he pulled the door open for me. "Ja ne!"

"Ja ne, nii-san." I said with a small wave as I made my way to the school.

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