IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Eighteen

Ryu slowly shut her eyes, her thoughts swirling as she tried to summon the courage to disclose her secrets. Hatori was the only individual outside of Kazuma and Kyo whom she could trust. In her heart, she had no doubt that he would keep her confidences safe. The burden of her secret weighed heavily on her heart, but its burden felt noticeably lighter now that Hatori knew about Himawari.

Himawari's small voice reached Ryu's ears, questioning, "Is Uncle Hatori scary?" The query was not directed at her but at Kyo, who had come for an early afternoon visit.

Kyo contemplated his response, his thoughtful hum indicating he was carefully weighing his words. He had a neutral connection with Hatori, with their interactions limited to professionalism during medical checkups and nothing more. Their relationship never progressed to a casual level, leaving them in a state of noncommittal interaction.

After a moment of reflection, Kyo finally spoke up, "I can't say for sure...," signaling his own uncertainty.

A soft laugh escaped Ryu's lips as she remarked, "I'm surprised you're not outright admitting it." Her face took on a mischievous smirk as she continued, "Anytime he came for medical checkups, you—" But before she could finish her words, Kyo quickly leaned across the table and placed his hand over her mouth, effectively silencing her.

Kyo threatened, "Don't say another word, or you'll regret it." In response, Ryu defiantly licked his palm, replicating her old signature move. Kyo yelped in disgust, wiping his hand on his trousers and exclaiming, "God, why do you have to do that?!"

Ryu casually tossed her hair back, her grin growing wider," Because I can."

Kyo retorted, rolling his eyes playfully," You're so corny it's painful."

The siblings continued their lighthearted banter, the exchange carrying on for around half an hour until Himawari intervened, growing weary of their bickering. The original question was left unresolved, as their discussion veered off into a barrage of more perplexing queries. Finally, the matter slipped from their minds, forgotten among the banter.

As the sky darkened, the orange hue spread, casting long shadows across the deck where Kyo and Ryu were seated. The siblings silently observed Himawari in the central courtyard, their attention drawn to her innocent figure.

Kyo's voice broke the silence, his question directed at Ryu, "Have you shared everything with Hatori?"

Ryu leaned her head back, gazing at the orange sky, as she shared, "Hatori remembered everything from that night. Attempting to fabricate excuses would only lead to a web of deceit. Lying to Hatori is something I could never live with."

"When do you plan to tell—

Kyo was abruptly cut off by Himawari's voice calling out excitedly, "Mama! Uncle Kyo!" The young girl raced over to them, her hands cupped delicately as she held a collection of cicada shells.

Ryu leaned in, inspecting the shells as she commented, "You've found quite a bounty today." She then added, her tone impressed, "And you managed to find one completely intact. Well done."

Himawari's boastful smile faded as she noticed Kyo subtly moving away. She looked up at him and questioned, "Uncle Kyo?"

Kyo jerked, his voice tinged with uncertainty, "Huh? Yeah, what is it?"

"Don't you like bugs?" asked Himawari, her head tilting slightly as she observed Kyo's reaction.

Ryu couldn't help but laugh at Kyo's flushed face. Taking the opportunity, she nonchalantly slung her arm around his shoulders, continuing, "No, you see, it's because Uncle Kyo has the spirit of a cat, that he's compelled to play with bugs."

Himawari's eyes widened with fascination, her hands coming closer to Kyo as she exclaimed, "Really?!"

However, Kyo shot a dangerous glare at Ryu, and the air around him seemed to grow darker, his internal thoughts almost audible, What kind of nonsense are you feeding her?

A mischievous chuckle escaped Ryu as she defended her words, "It's not a lie; it's the truth. And honestly, what's the harm in Himawari knowing her uncle's weakness?"

Himawari, with a curious expression, suddenly asked, "Does that mean you don't like water?"

Kyo deflated, his previous protest of having no weaknesses rendered futile in the face of Himawari's question. He knew his attempts to deny anything were useless, as it mirrored the same things Ryu would say.

Kyo's demeanor turned somewhat grumpy, as his mind drifted back to the memories of his younger days with Ryu. The recollections of their childhood brought an air of nostalgia into the present conversation.

...

Teenage Ryu faced Kyo, who huddled sulkily in his futon, his expression sullen. With a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she inquired, "So, being the Cat, does that mean you love chasing things? Or perhaps, do you feel a strong desire to chase the Rat?"

Kyo remained silent, burrowing deeper under his sheets, his annoyance evident.

For nearly three hours since his secret was unveiled, Ryu had bombarded him with one question after another. Initially, she had started by continuously sharing details about her own habits.

"I tend to be drawn to shiny objects—I'm not quite sure why, but I have this strange impulse to collect and hoard them," Ryu admitted, gesturing with her hand, "And my vision is incredibly sharp; it's almost scary! I swear I see better than a human should."

Kyo desperately tried to tune out her voice, hoping for a reprieve, but to no avail. Finally, he conceded and let her continue. In his mind, he reasoned that if he let her speak, she would eventually get bored and stop. Alas, it turned out to be a miscalculated move. Ryu proved to be quite different from Hatori, leaving Kyo to ponder if the older male possessed unparalleled self-controlled or if this was just 'typical Ryu'.

As Ryu continued with her endless chatter about her habits, one admission caught Kyo's attention and instantly dispelled his irritation. She forced a laugh, attempting to mask her pain as she confessed, "I also tend to feel incredibly lonely, even though I've spent most of my life being alone and distrustful of others. I can't understand it—I mean, I've grown accustomed to solitude, yet I still crave companionship, regardless of whether they like me or not. The mere presence of someone nearby brings me happiness."

Kyo grumbled, his words seeming harsh, "That's so stupid." Ryu shrugged off his comment, taking it merely as an insult. However, beneath those words, Kyo conveyed a sense of empathy. Much like himself, he was distrustful of others, yet despite what people had put him through, he longed for their presence. Despite any animosity, he simply didn't want to be alone.

He wanted to speak. Tell her he understood—he also knew what it was like to crave company despite one's fear of being abandoned. But the words remained frozen on his tongue, trapped by the fear of exposing himself, of giving her a glimpse into his own vulnerability.