IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Thirty Three

The air surrounding Ryu was tinged with a sense of relief as she no longer bore the burden of keeping Himawari's identity secret from Ayame. With the truth revealed, she could now embark on outings with her daughter more freely, unshackled by the weight of secrecy.

The remaining days of Golden week proved to be exactly what Ryu had been craving for quite some time. She finally felt liberated to join Kazuma and Himawari on their outings, visiting places they frequented together. Their activities mainly centered on exploring nature-filled locations, such as popular sanctuaries, an aquarium, a zoo, and even an amusement park.

The weekend brought them to Shigure's house, where Himawari, naturally gravitated towards Tohru's side. She then discovered Yuki's secret garden and was overjoyed, suggesting they should start a similar one at the dojo.

Kyo chimed in, noting they should find a secluded spot away from the practice rooms, to prevent any accidental trampling.

Himawari joyfully bounded from one teen to the next, even attempting to learn calligraphy from Shigure—though her restless energy made it difficult to stay still for extended periods.

Shigure chuckled as Himawari left the table after a mere half hour, eagerly requesting Kyo to teach her various forms of martial arts. Shigure remarked, "She certainly has rather energetic parents, so I can see where she gets it from."

Ryu was slightly miffed at Shigure's comment, feeling a bit insulted. She retorted, "You mean she has Ayame's boundless energy—he never runs out of steam."

Shigure teased, "Oh, let's go back to the times when you were in school, fighting every chance you got. I mean, are you sure you weren't the leader of a gang or something?"

Ryu rolled her eyes, sighing in frustration, "Ugh, yes, please bring up my past without any concern at all."

Shigure chuckled and remarked, "Your violent tendencies are still very much a part of your nature."

Ryu replied with a smirk, "Yeah, well, I need it to deal with irritating people like you."

Shigure continued to chuckle, unfazed by her dangerous smile, as he had experienced many of those grins from various members of their family. He then shifted his attention outside, where Kyo was teaching Himawari some martial arts moves.

Shigure turned back to Ryu and asked suddenly, "Do you ever plan on letting Himawari see Kyo?"

Ryu's hand froze in the midst of eating a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl Tohru had prepared for her.

Ryu responded with a contemplative look, her voice measured, "It's not a simple yes or no answer. There are many complex factors to consider. It's not intentional to keep the truth hidden, but not everyone needs to know either. It's Kyo's right to share or keep it secret, and if he chooses not to tell Himawari, that's his decision. But I can't just blindly agree to revealing the truth."