IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Fifty Three

Several days had passed after their conversation, and Shigure had somehow managed to persuade Dragon to join him at the summer villa where the rest of the group was residing. Surprisingly, it didn't take much convincing, as Shigure was the only available company since Himawari had gone on a dojo retreat with Kazuma.

As they made their way to the summer villa, the journey was filled with an unusual companionable silence between them. Dragon was unusually quiet, her usual sarcastic remarks and sharp quips nowhere to be found. Shigure glanced at her occasionally, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, but he refrained from speaking, choosing to maintain the comfortable silence.

When the adults finally reached the villa, they discovered the teens were all gathered by the beach. In preparation for joining them, Dragon put on a pair of dark glasses, causing Shigure to turn to her with a questioning look. Dragon then explained, "It'd be bothersome to explain my situation to the others." She continued, "Besides Hatsuharu and Kisa, I haven't met the other two, so pretending to be Ryu won't be difficult."

Shigure raised an eyebrow, asking, "And what about at night? You can't always wear your sunglasses."

Dragon responded with a shrug, saying, "It won't be a problem; I'm sure most of them will be drained by the time the sun sets. Or, if necessary, I'll just steer clear of them."

Shigure let out a sigh, stating, "We've got plans to stay here for some time, you know?"

Dragon chuckled and replied, "Stop fretting about the future; let's just enjoy our time. You're being such a grump." She then gently patted his cheek and skipped away to join the teens.

As Dragon reached the teenagers, Kyo was the first to cry out, "Hey, what are you doing here?!"

Dragon laughed and responded, "Oh, come on, Kyo. Don't be such a spoilsport!" She then leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I'm pretending to be Ryu, so please don't ruin my cover."

Kyo winced as Dragon released his ear and muttered, "And that's just a grand idea." His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Dragon then beamed and went to Tohru and Yuki, sharing her plan with them. The other two, understanding the situation, agreed and willingly went along with her idea.

For the remainder of the afternoon, Dragon seized the opportunity to get acquainted with Momiji and Hiro. She then joined the teenagers in activities like swimming, building sandcastles, and sunbathing on the beach.

Dragon slowly found herself drawn into their activities, her facade of aloofness softening bit by bit. She observed the teens, the playful banter between them, and found herself reluctantly entertained. Momiji's cheerful demeanor and Hiro's quiet stoicism seemed to chip away at her usual defenses, and the peacefulness of the day lulled her into a rare moment of calm. She even participated in a few of the beach games, her competitive nature quietly simmering beneath the surface.

After some time passed, Dragon left the company of the others and went in search of Shigure. He was nowhere to be found from the spot he had been sitting at the beach. Eventually, she found him reading a book under a gazebo.

She approached the gazebo and snatched the book out of his hands. With a smirk, she remarked, "Huh, not a smutty book this time?"

Shigure let out an indignant huff as Dragon abruptly snatched away his book. He looked up at her with a mixture of shock and annoyance, his expression quickly shifting to a playful smirk.

"And why do you automatically assume it's a smutty book?" he replied, his voice tinged with faux indignation. "Can't a man simply enjoy a good novel without being judged?"

Dragon chuckled, a sly smile on her lips as she flipped through the pages of the book.

"Oh please," she snorted. "I know you too well. I know what your taste in 'literature' is like. It's always some cheesy romance or something equally ridiculous."

Shigure let out a dramatic sigh, leaning back in his seat and feigning a look of wounded pride.

"You wound me, Dragon," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "My literary tastes may be varied, and yes, the occasional cheesy romance does tickle my fancy. But you're underestimating me. Perhaps I was engrossed in a profound work of high literature."

Dragon raised an eyebrow skeptically as she continued to leaf through the pages of the book.

"High literature, hm? Let's see...ah, what do we have here?" She came to a random page and read aloud, her tone filled with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "Her heart fluttered in her chest, like a trapped butterfly yearning to fly free."

She looked up at Shigure, her smirk growing.

"Profound indeed."

Shigure sighed as she handed him back the book and put his book aside, having lost interest in reading. He then questioned, "Why are you here?"

Dragon hummed and took a seat on the opposite bench. She then said, "I don't have as much energy as them."

Shigure smirked and teased, "Just admit you missed me."

Dragon snorted in response, "As if."

Shigure chuckled at her response, the smirk widening on his face. He raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with knowing sarcasm.

"Oh, come on, you can't fool me," he stated, his voice light and playful. "You've been bored out of your mind without me, admit it."

Dragon rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, betraying her attempt at indifference.

"Hmph, I wouldn't go that far," she retorted, her tone laced with faux nonchalance. "I'll admit, the silence can be deafening without your nonstop chatter."

As Shigure was about to speak, Hatori's voice suddenly interrupted. His words had a stern tone as he said, "Do me a favor and quit being such a nuisance."

Dragon almost choked on air at Hatori's unexpected arrival. She quickly put her glasses back on and tried her best to remain silent, hoping Hatori won't notice her presence.

Shigure observed Dragon's change in demeanor and decided not to comment on it. He then turned to Hatori, who was approaching, and remarked, "I didn't think you'd actually come."

Hatori retorted, "That's nonsense. You're the one who planted the idea in Akito's mind." He then came to a halt and finally noticed her presence.

As Hatori called out "Ryu," Dragon flinched. He was the last person she wanted to discover the truth about her identity. There was no doubt in her mind that Hatori possessed the power to awaken Ryu's consciousness.

Hatori's eyes fixated on Dragon, his expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity. She could feel his gaze upon her, and her heart rate quickened, her mind racing with a mixture of fear and nervousness. She tried to maintain a calm exterior, but the mere presence of Hatori sent a shiver down her spine.

Shigure observed the tension between the two, sensing the gravity of the situation. His demeanor became serious, his usual playfulness giving way to a more somber expression.

Hatori slowly approached Dragon and reached out to her, but she quickly rose from the bench to avoid his touch. Unfortunately, her swift motion caused her sunglasses to fall off, exposing her eyes.

The sound of the glasses hitting the ground, followed by Hatori's surprised expression, prompted Dragon to mutter, "Damn it." She then ran her hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face.