IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Thirty Nine

Ryu stood beside Tohru, silently going through the motions of filling glasses with tea. As the teen busied herself with gathering sweets, she remained oblivious to the troubled look on Ryu's face.

The older woman's expression was difficult to decipher, but it mirrored the inner turmoil she felt. In a way, Tohru's lack of notice was fortunate, as the teen's concern might have led to uncomfortable questions about Ryu's well-being.

Ryu's mind and emotions were in turmoil, a direct result of her adopted father's unexpected arrival at Shigure's house. She finished pouring the tea and briefly glanced over her shoulder. Her view was hindered, but she could see Kyo's knee from her limited vantage point. He was sitting by the door, separated from the adults engaging in conversation.

Ryu shut her eyes for a brief moment, her teeth grinding slightly in response to the mounting anxiety.

For several moments, Ryu remained stationary, carefully placing each glass onto the tray. With a firm grip, she then lifted the tray and stepped through the door connecting to the living room. Balancing the tray on one hand, she used her free hand to offer a glass to Kyo, who sat close by. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, but he quickly averted his gaze to the floor.

Ryu released a soft sigh, a subtle expression of her unease mirroring Kyo's reaction. She found herself feeling increasingly awkward in the presence of Kazuma.

Maintaining her composure, she moved on to deliver drinks to Shigure, Kazuma, and Kagura as the latter settled herself next to Kazuma.

Kagura beamed warmly at Kazuma, her voice oozing sweetness as she spoke. "Sensei, I haven't seen you in such a long time," she said.

Kazuma turned to her with a nod and a soft chuckle. "Indeed, it's been quite a while, hasn't it, Kagura?" he replied, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia.

Yuki entered the room, trailed closely by Himawari. He approached Kazuma and spoke, his voice slightly restrained. "It has been a while," he said.

Kazuma turned his attention to Yuki and remarked, "You've grown quite a bit, and you look much more mature now. No longer the timid boy you were before, huh, Yuki?"

Yuki's smile, though present, didn't quite reach his eyes. There was a palpable tension between him and Kazuma, reflecting their limited time spent together. Yuki, being often sickly as a child, had missed out on the training opportunities offered to the other Sohma family members. Confined to a room, he could only observe the lessons taught at the dojo from afar, never getting the chance to participate himself.

Ryu's recollections of past conversations with Hatori came to mind. Though he had never mentioned specific names, he had referred to the fragile young boy, who she now realized was Yuki.

Reflecting on their shared history, the trio had rarely discussed individual family members by name, instead referring to them in general terms. Ryu had become familiar with most of them through Kazuma's teachings, but she rarely visited the dojo herself, especially when younger Sohmas were present.