Abekku || A Fruits Basket Fanfiction

A Late New Year's Greeting

Author Note: Hi~? Genki-Genki~? Subete wo AISTERUYO (^人<)〜☆ Anyway just wanted to say Happy Late New Year's~~!! (⌒▽⌒)☆ I hope you all have a wonderful 2021! Okey me will disappearing now. Enjoy this tiny chapter (づ◡﹏◡)づ mata ne~!

Ah, it's New Year's Eve! I hop out bed and go out to greet Mai. "Happy New Year's, Mai!"

"Happy New Year's, Kazuki," she replies, stirring her coffee in the kitchen. I make myself some breakfast. My phone buzzes. I answer.

"Happy New Year's Eve, Zuki-chan~!" shouts Itsuki.

"Wah~! Great way to deafen me, Itsuki. Happy New Year's Eve!"

"Are you spending New Year's with your family this year?"

"Yeah, I guess I should since I skipped last year. Mom and Grandpa invited me. What about you?" I try to balance my breakfast bowl and place it on the table.

"Same, I feel I've been away from home too long, so might as well. Do you have time this afternoon? I want to spend a bit of time with you before heading to Mum's."

"Aw, you love me that much?" I joke, "Sure, do you already have a place in mind?"

"Well, for one, we should visit the shrine and pray for a new year full of luck. I'm not sure what to do after that though." Ah, luck. 

"I bring luck. You bring nothing," a voice plays in my head. I ignore it.

"Maybe we could stroll around for a while then," I suggest.

"Great! I'll come by later. See you!" We end the call and I start eating. 

Mai puts on her shoes and tells me, "All my things have been moved out. If you find anything that I forgot, just phone me. Have a great day and a wonderful new year, Kazuki. You've been a great roommate." She gives me an awkward hug and leaves to give her keys to the landlady. Ah yes, the tribe has spoken. Goodbye Mai and hello to empty apartment. My boxes are in my room as I'm moving out tomorrow as well.

2.34 PM, December 31

Itsuki and I are now at the shrine. We toss our coins and pray with the rest of the group. There's always so many people at the shrine on New Year's Eve. I try and make sure I social distance from the rest of the group to not tranform. I can't even expose myself here when I haven't even told Itsuki I was the red panda. A man somewhere behind me coughs and I flinch. I wish for no more unfortunate physical interactions in the new year. We walk from the shrine and head out into town to get something to eat. I feel bad for the people working today. After lunch we once again wish each other and part ways.

I take a cab to my parents house. Grandpa sits on his rocking chair on the front porch. "Ah, Suzuki, long time no see," he stands up and hugs me, "Happy New Year's Eve. You're mom and Sana are inside making dinner." We walk inside and I take off my shoes. I spot Sana and Mom in the kitchen. "Suzuki's here," Grandpa calls out to them. "Is dad home yet too?" Sana asks. "Happy New Year's Eve, Kazuki," Mom says coming out the kitchen to greet me. She hugs me and kisses my head. "Happy New Year's Eve, sister," Sana says saltily. "Oh, come now, Sana. It's New Year's Eve. Don't be like that." Mom's tried to have us get along but we always end up disliking each other even more.

I set the table as Mom and Sana bring out the food. Grandpa sits in his chair at the end of the table. I hear the front door open. "I'm home!" It's Sana's dad. "Welcome home, dad!" Sana goes to greet him. "Welcome home," mom says. He comes into the room and sees me. "Oh, Happy New Year's Eve, Kazuki," he says. "Happy New Year's Eve," I reply.

We all eat our New Year's dinner, but in silence. Grandpa tries to make conversation, "Suzuki, did you read any of those journals I gave you?"

"Well, I tried to once, but I ended up falling asleep and having a strange dream."

"Ah those dreams. You know, my mother used to have those dreams as well. She told me she had them once every month, for a whole year. Some brought her joy, others were very negative and annoying." Grandpa alwaya carefully words his sentences since Sana and her dad don't know about my zodiac spirit. 

Grandpa's mom was the previous Red Panda. 'Once every month, for a whole year.' That means twelve zodiacs, unfortunately excluding the cat and God. I had one a few days ago. so that means eleven more.

We finish eating and wait for midnight. We all walk outside as the clock strikes twelve. "Happy New Year's!" We all shout in joy. We hear the neighbours shouting as fireworks shoot out their yards. I greet my family goodbye and Grandpa drives me home. 

That wasn't a very climactic way to end the year, to be honest. Somehow I imagined us up on the rooftop as the sun rises in the early morning with loud music in the background. Welp, welcome to the Year of the Rabbit!

Author Note: This wasn't such a great chapter tbh (＃＞＜) I wrote half of it but then The Promised Neverland Season 2 came out and I haddd to watch it o(>< )o I'll post another chapter later this week to make up for it!! HAPPY YEAR OF THE OX 2021~!

~ nanikoreloui-sensei