✔Summer Rain |Fruits Basket| HatsuHaru Sohma

28- The Head

  “Mei-san!”  Tohru waved cheerfully, racing into class behind Yuki and Kyo.

  “Good Morning Tohru-chan.  Good Morning Yuki, Kyo.”  I turned to Tohru.  “What’s up?”

  “Will you come see Kisa-san?  I think she’d like to see you!”  Tohru exclaimed.  “She’s so cute!”
  
  “Yes, she’s been following Tohru around like a little duckling, it’s quite cute.”  Yuki nodded, laughing quietly to himself.

  “Eh!?”  Tohru gripped Yuki’s arm.  “Sohma-san?!”

  “I’d love to see Kisa-san again,”  I start, pulling out my chair.  “But do you think that would be okay?  I don’t want to worry her more than she needs to be.”

  “Tch-”  Kyo rolled his eyes.  “Do whatever you want, I doubt she’ll care that much.”

  “Idiot.”  Yuki hissed.  “You do whatever makes you comfortable.  I’m sure Kisa wouldn’t mind seeing you, she’s grown comfortable around the house.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that Yuki.”  I smile.  “I’ll think about it, alright Tohru?”

  “Yes!”  She nodded.  “I can’t wait!”

  The three headed to the back to sit, and I settled down into my desk with a sigh.  My phone dinged in my bag pocket, startling me for a moment as I fished it out.  “What does this idiot want?”  I raised an eyebrow as Haru’s name flashed across my screen.  

  I flipped my phone open with a sigh, opening the message that he’d sent.  Meet me on the roof after school.  Important.

 “Important?”  I hummed.  Knowing him it was probably a prank or something like that.  I sighed, typing back a message as our Sensei walked into the classroom.  Alright, this better be good or you’re paying me back.

******

The final school bell rang and I watched Haru approach me out of the corner of my eye, toying with the bandage wrapped around my hand mindlessly.  “Good Afternoon.”  I smiled, giving him a small friendly wave.  “What’s up?”

  He came to a stop in front of me, his eyes narrowed and focused in on my wounded hand.  “What happened to you?”  He asked, taking my hand in his with a frown.

  “Oh-  I got into a little bit of an accident this morning.”  I chuckled, waving him off.  “No big deal, really.”

  His eyes flickered up to mine, a lazy glance sweeping across my face.  “Bullshit.”

  I rolled my eyes, lightly smacking his shoulder with my good hand.  “I dropped a glass this morning and it shattered.  When I went to pick it up I accidentally cut myself.  It’s no big deal.”  He looked at me skeptically, moving my hand around to inspect it.  “What, you want to kiss it better or something?”  I teased, raising an eyebrow.  

   “Sure.”  He huffed, tugging my hand up to his lips.  “If that’s what you want me to do.”  He eyed me with that supid smirk on his face, the teasing one that he knew made me annoyed.

  “You jerk-”  I grumbled, feeling a sudden rush of red come to my cheeks.  “Haru-  Why’d you ask me to meet you?  I’ve got to get to a student council meeting soon.”

  “Follow me?”  He asked curiously, motioning towards the stairwell to the roof.  

  “Haru, as the student council vice president-”  He cast me a glance.  “I really should warn you against hanging out on the roof outside of school hours.”

  “Oh come on.  Just follow me.”  He spoke roughly, the tease in his voice still evident but fading as he pulled me up the stairs.  “I need to talk to you.  One on One.”

  Talk to me?  Haru- the spaciest guy I know wants to be serious for a moment?  “Alright...”  I said softly, following closely behind him as he nudged to roof door open with his hip.  

  He led me to a corner of the roof, turning around to face me.  “Sit down.”  He spoke short, sliding down so he was sitting against the railing of the roof.  “Mei-  I want you to think long about hard about this decision.  I don’t like it one fucking bit, but I can’t force you to make a decision.  However- I can’t go against Akito’s wishes either.”

  “What’s wrong Haru?”  I paused.  “Does Akito want to take my memories away?  After all this time?”

“No- Akito wants to meet you.”

  “What?”  I stared at him.  “This- this is an honor-  Haru-”

  “Mei, remember that Akito is the filthiest and cruelest person in Japan, probably the whole world.  I’m worried for your safety if you choose to meet them.  Hatori will be with you the entire time, but I don’t know if that will be enough.  Akito could lash out at any point.”

  “Okay- what happens if I refuse?”  I asked curiously, fiddling with my fingers.

  Haru stayed silent for a moment, running a hand back and forth across his knuckles.  “They’ll take your memories.  Hatori said that its not certain that you’ll get to keep them after you meet Akito, but there’s more of a chance you will than if you don’t go meet them.”

  I gripped onto the bottom of my uniform, toying with it nervously.  I didn’t want to lose Haru- not now.  I knew I had been on the fence last night, but he was my best friend.  I couldn’t just give him up.  “I can deal with Akito.  Let me meet them, just for a few hours.”

  “Are you sure?”  He looked worried, almost afraid.  “Mei, I don’t think you understand just how dangerous Akito is.  They injured Hatori.  He’s almost blind in one eye because of them.  And Kisa, Yuki, Rin-”

  “Rin?”  I’d never heard that name before.  “Is she a zodiac member as well?”

  “Yes.”  He turned his head away, looking up at the clouds.  “The point is, Akito is dangerous.  I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me.  Especially you.”

  My heart pounded in my chest at his words, and I glanced over at him.  His face was still turned away from me, a worried grimace on his normally calm features.  “Haru-” 
 
  He turned to glance at me.

  “I’ll be safe.”  I smiled.  “I promise.”
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Word count: 1014 Words

You guys are so sweet.  Seriously.  I decided to try and delve into the story a little quicker than I originally planned, but I think I like the direction its heading in.  I think this chapter was just a little rut in my plans, but I've finally gotten out of it and my outline should be continuing the way I planned it out :)