𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕥 || 𝕂𝕪𝕠 𝕊𝕠𝕙𝕞𝕒

I'm Certain of That Much

Previously...

"Is this Hiyori Kato or Tohru Honda?"

She blinked. "Yes, this is Hiyori. Can I ask who's calling?"

"Hatori Sohma," Her eyes widened. "We met at the festival yesterday. I'll cut to the chase; I need you and your cousin to come to the Sohma estate on your next day off."

"I-I -- "

"I have something important I must discuss with you." The serious voice cut her off. "Don't tell anyone else about this. You'll come by yourselves as well."

"If you don't show up, I'll trust you know what'll happen."

If she had a mirror in front of her, she had no doubt that she would see her face getting pale.

"...Um, yes." Her voice cracked. "Y-Yes, I understand. We'll be there."

"Good. And, who knows...you may even get to meet Akito."

~🦋~

On this chilly fall Saturday, the house was quiet. The kotatsu was set up, and Yuki and Shigure spent their morning sitting under it while watching the tv.

...The silence was broken the door shooting open. There appeared a frantic-looking Kyo.

"Hey! They're gone! I can't find them anywhere!"

Holding his steaming cup of tea, Shigure didn't turn away from the tv. "If you mean Tohru and Hiyori, they told us last night at dinner that they were going over to a friend's house for a visit today."

Kyo paused. "...Huh? They did?"

"You don't bother listening to people, do you?" Yuki muttered.

Flushing slightly, he turned away. "Shut up. They hardly ever go out, so it's their fault for tripping me up."

Shigure smiled into his cup. "Well, it just goes to show how accustomed we've gotten to having them around the house. Their absence is felt." He grinned. "Alas, where have our beautiful flowers now gone?"

"Where did that come from?"

"What are you, an idiot?"

~🦋~

Having received the call while Uo and Hana were still at the house, Hiyori had to wait until after they left before she relayed the info to Tohru. And, as per Hatori's orders, they didn't say a word to Kyo, Yuki, or Shigure about it.

That was how they ended up here at the Sohma Estate. It wasn't like they'd forgotten that visiting Hatori went directly against Yuki's warning, but they couldn't just not go. He called to ask them directly, and as much as Hiyori didn't want to disobey Yuki, she really didn't want to get on Hatori's bad side.

The very idea made her shudder.

The two girls stood awkwardly before the large wooden gates. Hiyori's warm sigh became visible in the air before her. Adjusting the thin white scarf around her neck, she glanced up and to the right. A nameplate reading "Sohma" was displayed next to the door, which meant that they did in fact have the right place. But still...

"This place..." She blanched. "Is humongous. I knew that the Sohma's were a distinguished family, but to think that their compound is this big..."

"Tell me about it." Tohru nodded. "And I know Hatori said we should come without telling Sohma and the others, but...now I wonder if that was such a good idea."

"Hiyori! Tohru!" Both screamed in surprise. "Hallo~!"

Sitting up on the estate's wall was Momiji, waving down at them with a bright smile. As the girls panicked, Momiji hopped down from the wall and disappeared behind it.