The Neighbors ( A Fruits Basket Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I stopped unpacking around supper time just enough to join Lacy and Kim at the table. Lacy made a huge welcome home dinner for the three of us, to celebrate us moving in. It was a family recipe that was passed through her family. A warming stew with pork and different types of vegetables, mixed in with a broth that tied everything together. For dessert, she made a small chocolate cake with a cherry frosting. Everything was made to perfection and made me feel right at home.  We all sat together at a small square table, that acted as an island more than a dining table.  Lacy was talking about the school that we were going to attend and said she set up a date for us to get a tour before school actually started. I listened silently as Kim asked many questions on the subject.  A little while later, Kim and I exchanged glances, due to the question we were both thinking.  Kim took a sip of her drink as she spoke. "So Lacy, I got a question about the neighbors," she said, as Lacy looked up at us. "You're talking about the Souma's, correct?" she asked as Kim nodded. "Yeah. What did Shigure mean about he could sense you?" she asked as Lacy looked at both of us in shock. Then she took a breath. "The Souma's are always looking out for me, seeing how I live alone. Plus, the head of their family owns my house as well. I'm renting from them. And when Shigure said he could sense me, it's an inside joke between the two of us. He and his family come over here a lot," she explained. 

Kim looked at me as I settled in my seat. "So, it's just an inside joke," I said with a breath of relief. Kim whipped her head. "That's a relief. For a moment, I thought you were meaning he was a dog," she said, as Lacy chuckled. "He is a dog," she said as the two of us both dropped our forks. I slowly turned to Lacy. "So, he can transform into an actual, four-legged dog?" I asked as Lacy went for another bite. "Exactly," she said, as her eyes widened and she dropped her fork. "Oh boy," she said, as the two of us sat back in shock.  Lacy looked back and forth between us again. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that," she said, as Kim and I exchanged glances again. Kim put her glass down. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. Thank you for supper," she said as she walked out of the room looking creeped out. "Kim, wait," Lacy said, as I calmed down from the excitement. I put my glass on the plate as I started to clean up my dishes. Lacy started to walk after Kim as a door shut and locked from down the hallway.  I looked back up at the hallway as I started to gather Kim's dishes as well.  I put all the dishes together before walking over to the sink and started to fill it. The kitchen fell silent except for the banging down the hall. "Kim, let me explain," Lacy said, sounding upset. I wanted to go check up on things, but I found it was best to just let them be. 

I shut off the water as I placed a dish in the sink and started to wash what was next to me.  I used the chore as a way to ignore what just happened. I couldn't believe what she just said about Mr. Souma being a dog. I pondered on the topic for a moment before mentally shaking my head. There was no way that a person could become a dog.  Lacy probably was just tired like I was, which made her blurt that out randomly. I picked up another dish as I examined it and thought about the topic.  I narrowed my eyes at the plate.  "So that could be why there are only two houses in the neighborhood," I said to myself as Lacy walked back into the room and sighed. "If you don't mind drying them, I'll take over with the washing," she said, as I looked up at her and stepped aside. Lacy went under the sink and pulled out a long towel and handed it to me. I grabbed it as I started to wipe my hands before drying. Lacy took a deep breath as she continued what I started. "I hope she will trust me from now on," she said, with worry in her voice. I turned my head to her. "Is it true? About Mr. Souma?" I asked as she nodded. "Yeah. All the members of the Souma family are like that. Please don't be afraid, Mal. They're not really bad people, just cursed," she explained as she looked down.  I studied her in confusion. "So their family is just sick?" I asked as she nodded.  "I guess you can put it that way. But don't judge them by that. Most of them are actually really nice. A lot of the kids hang around me a lot and they slowly became like family to me. I hope you both will get along with them," she said, as I looked down at the plate in my hand.