IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Thirty Six

Kisa had found the courage to go back to school, even though it was a responsibility no child her age should have to shoulder. Her ability to summon strength, bolstered by the support of Hatsuharu, Yuki, and others, had been a tremendous source of encouragement. It was Tohru Honda who had been the catalyst for Kisa's bravery, and without her guidance, Kisa might have never realized her own inner strength.

Rumors had spread among the adults, and Shigure found himself drawn to the dojo, uncertain why, but he knew he didn't want to head home just yet. His unexpected visit took Ryu by surprise, but she graciously allowed him to come inside.

Shigure posed a question to Ryu regarding Kazuma, asking, "How long did he say he was going to be gone?"

Ryu set a cup of tea before Shigure before providing a juice for Himawari, who was currently engrossed in a book she had borrowed from Hatori. She explained, "He mentioned it was a sabbatical-type training, though there was probably more to it. I didn't press the matter as he deserves some time for himself, especially considering he extended an invitation for us to live here, and he frequently avoids returning to his own home lately. All he said was that it would be for a while."

Shigure chuckled and teased, "Oh, you know Kazuma would probably cry if he heard you say that. He never saw you and Himawari as any trouble~"

He then smirked and mumbled to himself, "Well, now that Kazuma is away at his retreat, it's making me wonder what happened between him and Kyo. I bet Kyo's already quite curious about it as well."

This was a subject that was rarely discussed openly, likely due to the painful emotions it stirred up. Every time Kyo visited the dojo, he had a habit of checking if Kazuma was there before arriving, fully aware that Kazuma was intentionally avoiding him.

Ryu, unable to find the courage to broach the topic, simply kept silent. The issue between Kyo and Kazuma had begun long before Ryu had moved back, and in the beginning, she assumed they were just having a disagreement. However, the kind way they spoke about each other hinted that there was more to their estrangement than mere arguments.

There were occasions when Ryu felt the urge to pose the question to Kyo, yet the look in his eyes whenever Kazuma was discussed made her refrain from doing so. She had sometimes reminded herself that it wasn't her place to inquire, given that she had been away for years and it had become a habit for her to suppress her curiosity. She had become engrossed in the immediate matters that came her way, and in the process, she inadvertently overlooked the details on the sidelines.

Ryu nodded in agreement and stated, "You're right, there's no point in making theories right now since neither of them will tell us anything anyway. We just have to wait and not get directly involved."

Shigure let out a Sigh of resignation, acknowledging, "You're not someone who typically gets overly curious and involved in other people's matters."

Ryu chuckled in agreement, adding, "It's called having manners and respecting boundaries."