The Puppet Master's Last Testament (Fruits Basket FanFiction)

Chapter 32: Windows to the Soul

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Fruits Basket.

What does it take to set the Sohmas free after Akito's death?

A/N: Big shout-out to my brilliant beta, Angie! Any other mistakes are my own.

Warning: Foul Language.

The Puppet Master's Last Testament

Chapter Thirty-Two: Windows to the Soul

Two days later…

Shigure woke up at five-thirty. He could not fall back sleep again. He was in a lousy mood. He rose from bed and opened the windows. The light outside was dim. It smelled of fresh pine and dirt. Impulsively, he jumped out of the window. (His room is on the first floor.) His feet were bare as he walked across the grass lawn into the shed. He opened it and stared into the darkness. He went inside and closed the creaky wooden door.

He sat on the toolbox and put his head against the wall. He fell asleep.

Tohru woke up at seven. She went downstairs. She hummed to herself while she prepared breakfast. She recalled a dream the night before, Shigure had been in her bed, touching her, kissing her. Wait, hadn't she also been on the couch?

By seven-thirty, he still hadn't come out of his room. Maybe he was just tired from last night.

Tohru wrapped the morning goodies in clear plastic wrap and left a sticky yellow note that read:

I'm sorry I left before you woke. I will call you at lunch time.

xoxo,

Tohru

She packed her book-bag, including the Economics textbook left on the cocktail table in front of the couch and two bags of tortilla chips for the bus ride home. She went upstairs and changed into a pink zip-up sweatshirt, a white T-shirt, and khaki shorts. She tied her hair with a satin pink ribbon and left for school.

She caught the bus and rode to school.

She waved to a few classmates and made her way to her advertising class. Today, they were getting their essay assignment during Spring Vacation back. Oh great.

Tohru was a positive, upbeat girl. But she was also easily scared and worried. She dreaded getting back test results and such.

Professor Kaneshiro called each student's name to return his/her spring break advertising essay. He called Tohru up.

Tohru braced herself for a mini-lecture. She stood in front of the older man and looked intently at his eyes. The edges creased, and he was smiling.

"Good job Tohru. You earned an 'A' on this essay. Your hard work has paid off."

Tohru looked down at the paper. She remembered she had only finished two pages. Did the professor mistake someone else's essay with hers?

But the name in the upper right hand corner clearly read: Tohru Honda.

Tohru hurried back to her desk and flipped through the pages. There were many checks in the margins. On the last page, there was a message.

This essay was one of the best for this assignment. You not only provided concrete examples of advertisements you saw, but also insight and commentary.

While Professor Kaneshiro reprimanded the class for the lack of effort, Tohru read the essay. It was like something out of a magazine article – clear, flowing, and filled with analysis. The only way this could have happened, was if Shigure had wrote it for her.