IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Four

Ryu clutched the small piece of paper in her hand, idly walking along the forest path towards her destination. She had tried to delay the inevitable, but her plans were thwarted by her daughter, Kazuma, and even his assistant at the dojo, Kunimitsu Tomoda. They had forced her out of the dojo, determined that she couldn't avoid the situation indefinitely.

As she attempted to re-enter the dojo, she quickly discovered that her escape routes had been cleverly sealed. In truth, she knew she couldn't blame anyone but herself for her reluctance, and so she gave up her efforts. Although she could have wasted time somewhere else, she recognized that her attempts would likely be futile, knowing that Kazuma had probably enlisted the assistance of someone from outside—in this case, Shigure, the owner of the house she was headed towards.

Though Ryu wasn't particularly close to Shigure, her keen observational skills had allowed her to catch glimpses of the hidden side he often concealed behind his youthful demeanour. She had encountered him at the dojo after he had been informed by Akito that she was aware of the Sohma curse. Since she wasn't technically part of the family, but rather an outsider adopted by Kazuma, Shigure's curiosity was piqued, prompting him to seek her out at the dojo to find out the reasons behind her knowledge.

Though Shigure's initial intention may have been merely to satisfy his curiosity, he soon found himself forming a small friendship with her during their short acquaintance. Not long after, he introduced her to Ayame and Hatori, but their friendship was cut short when she was confronted with an unexpected pregnancy.

Ryu's mind was filled with remorse, as the memories of her past actions haunted her.

She vowed to never forget, nor forgive herself for what she had done.

Her voice trembled as the fear and anxiety overwhelmed her. "If I see him," she whispered softly, her hands beginning to shake. She felt an unbearable pang of guilt as the memory of her unforgivable actions resurfaced.

"I don't know if I'll be able to handle it..." Her words trailed off as the weight of her mistake settled upon her conscience. Her mind raced with the primal fear for the life of her child.

She struggled to maintain her composure and avoid encountering anyone of the opposite gender. To accomplish this, she was forced to isolate herself and cut off all contact with others. The only people who were privy to her pregnancy were Kazuma and Kyo, but eventually, even Akito became aware of it. His interest in her situation was motivated by curiosity rather than concern. He sought to observe and test her limits, as she was cursed like the twelve, and he was eager to see if she could withstand the pressure.

It was a painful revelation when Ryu learned the truth from Kazuma, but she fought to suppress the negative emotions that threatened to consume her. To protect her sanity, she intentionally suppressed her memories, drawing strength from an inherent ability to forget. This ability had proved useful during her brief stint as a child on the streets.

Ryu possessed the unusual ability to erase memories, even her own, but the effects were fleeting on herself. This power proved to be a convenient asset when she resorted to stealing from convenience stores or transforming in front of others, as it allowed her to shield her secrets.

The reason behind this ability remained a mystery to her, and she never bothered to delve into its origins.

When Kazuma discovered Ryu's secret, she had desperately tried to erase his memory, but her attempts failed. Oddly enough, it turned out that on the same day, she had also gained insight into Kyo's curse. The revelation had come about when he had fallen ill while seeking her out one night.

In a heated argument, Ryu stormed out of the dojo and spent hours cooling down. Several hours later, she returned to find something unexpected—an orange cat outside the dojo. Immediately recognizing the significance, she cautiously carried the cat into the building.

Kazuma was ready to embark on a search for both Ryu and Kyo, but his plans were thwarted by her appearance, having also transformed in her exhaustion. She had been swift in attempting to erase Kazuma's memories, yet the sound of their names halted her actions. In her small form, she turned to the orange cat with a sense of realization, connecting the dots and understanding the truth.

Shortly after reverting to her original form, Ryu found herself apprised of the Sohma curse. She had confided in Kazuma and even shared the secret with Kyo, who had sought answers from her. With her knowledge exposed, she no longer felt the need to conceal her own truth.

However, when Kazuma finally revealed the complete truth about Kyo's form, things took a turn for the worse. Ryu made the decision to distance herself, and in a deliberate effort to distract herself, she threw herself into dangerous situations.

Although she couldn't permanently erase her memories, Ryu refused to entertain the idea, as she was utterly disgusted with herself. Her reaction and the revulsion she felt towards her adopted brother's true form weighed heavily upon her conscience.

Driven by a need to punish herself, Ryu began intentionally seeking out perilous situations, indifferent to the consequences of her actions. It was a desperate attempt to silence her memories and assuage the guilt that tormented her.