One Step Closer [Fruits Basket]

Chapter 17: For Someone Else's Sake

Natsu's POV

After school, Tohru and I were walking back from school to home. We were talking and laughing about various stuff when suddenly Shigure's editor, Mitsuru or I liked to call her Mit-chan ran past us, yelling and crying.

"Mit-chan!" I called out, but she was long gone.

I looked at Tohru who also looked confused like me. We shrugged it off. Probably, Shigure was tormenting her again. He did this all the damn time.

Poor Mit-chan...

When our house came into the view, I noticed a fair-skinned young woman with an average build and height. She had straight, peach-colored hair, which fell down to below her shoulders. She has straight bangs that cover her forehead and a piece of her hair tied back into a small ponytail, held by a big ribbon. She was wearing a green kimono.

As Tohru and I went closer towards her, we saw that the paper bag she was carrying had torn and books fell on the ground. Tohru and I quickly went towards her to help her pick up the books. The young woman kept on apologizing to us for causing pain and trouble. She even apologized for just breathing oxygen and stuff and then later started to panic. She then, at last, started to apologize to the whole world.

Then it clicked me.

That's the hot springs hostess's son, Ritsu Sohma!

The Year of the Monkey!

And that's a dude, not a chick!

"Are you Ritsu Sohma-san?" I asked.

He looked at me, horrified.

"Oh on! Even strangers know my name! Am I that infamous?!" he exclaimed.

We had a hard time calming him down, but then later Shigure stepped out of the house after hearing commotion outside, making Ritsu calm down a bit. We led Ritsu inside and I offered him a cup of tea. Ritsu was a very sweet person, but he cross-dresses due to a lack of confidence. Shigure asked him about his sudden visit and Ritsu said that most of the zodiac members met me and Tohru, so he just dropped by to say hello to us.

Awww... He's so sweet!

He kept on apologizing to me, Shigure, and Tohru for nothing. Shigure kept on messing with Ritsu and Ritsu, being a poor little cinnamon roll, started to panic and cry. I got irritated at one point and smacked Shigure on the head.

"Shigure, you jerk! Stop messing around with Ritsu already!!" I yelled.

"I'm sorry!! For me, Shigure Nii-san got hit on the head!! I'm so sorry!!" Ritsu exclaimed.

Oh god....

And yep, Ritsu is a carbon copy of his mother...

Ritsu even mentioned that he admired Ayame for his overflowing confidence.

Ayame's confidence is beyond the human level if you ask me...

Yuki and Kyo later came back from school and were surprised to see Ritsu there. Ritsu started to panic but Tohru and I told him to be confident and relax. Ritsu took a deep breath and started to have a normal conversation with Yuki and Kyo but apparently, it all got screwed up.

"Yuki-san, you're starting to look so much like Aya-niisan." Ritsu smiled at him.

"Have a nice day." Yuki got pissed and started to walk away.

"What?! Did I say something wrong?!" Ritsu panicked.

"Not at all." Yuki frowned.

"I'm so sorry!!" Ritsu cried out.