One Step Closer [Fruits Basket]

Chapter 29: Angsty Romance

Natsu's POV

The parent-teacher conference was coming up soon, so Tohru and I called Grandpa over the phone. Instead of Grandpa, our bitchy aunt received the call. She wasn't as bitchy as she used to be, but I still hated her. Turned out, Grandpa strained his back and now he was on bed rest. Our aunt asked if she had to go to the conference in replace of Grandpa, but then Shigure came in the right moment and took the phone away from us and talked to our aunt.

Later it was finally decided that Shigure would be the one to go with me and Tohru at the parent-teacher conference instead.

"You just want to see Mayu sensei's pure loathing look when she sees you. That's the only reason you want to go to the conference, isn't it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shigure looked at me in surprise, blinking. I chuckled and smirked at him.

"A little birdy told me you dated Mayu sensei once and now she hates your guts.~" I stated teasingly.

Shigure simply chuckled in response. Later, I learned that Kazuma and Yuki's mother would be attending the conference with Kyo and Yuki respectively. I knew something bad would happen if Yuki's mother attended the meeting with him, so I took the matter in my hand.

Next day at school

It was now lunch break and Yuki, Haru, Momiji, Tohru, and l were all together at the school's garden.

"Oh no, your Gramps hurt his back?" Momiji asked me and Tohru worriedly.

"Hips are everything to a man." Haru stated while playing a game on his Nintendo switch.

"Haru, don't say anything further than that." I sighed.

"Huh? I-Is that so?!" Tohru asked, oblivious about the meaning behind Haru's statement.

"Honda-san, just ignore Haru's random jokes." Yuki responded.

Haru then asked about Kyo's whereabouts and Tohru replied that Kyo was on the rooftop. She also mentioned that Kyo was feeling down recently but didn't know the reason. I also noticed that too but didn't pester Kyo about this. I thought he just need some time and space to clear up his mind.

When the break was over, we all started to head back to our classrooms. I was walking in between Haru and Yuki while Momiji and Tohru were walking far in front of us.

"Hey, Haru. How are things going with Rin?" I asked.

Haru looked at me with wide eyes, surprised.

"I heard everything from Hatori." I added.

Haru sighed and nodded his head.

"Thought so... Well, nothing happened." Haru responded.

"No progress? Why?" I asked.

"Rin seems pretty stubborn. It's tough to talk to her." Yuki responded.

"Sometimes when I think back what she said to me, it feels like what she meant is all true, that she doesn't need me anymore, she doesn't love me anymore." Haru stated calmly.

"I don't think so." I responded.

Both Yuki and Haru looked at me for further explanation.

"What she said isn't all true. A few years back, when I was dating Kakeru, one of the secretaries of the Student Council, everything seemed perfect. Our love, our relationship... everything was perfect. Then when he was having problems with his family, I wanted to help him and stay by his side. But he pushed me away. He said he didn't need me anymore, he didn't love me anymore. The middle schooler me back then was hurt when he said those. But now I'm a high schooler and have matured a bit within these past few years and now that I think about it, what Kakeru said to me wasn't all real. He actually didn't mean any of those. He simply didn't want me to get involved in his family's messy situation back then and wanted to protect me, to keep me safe and away from his family. But I was an idiot and misunderstood him. Maybe, if I wasn't being an idiot back then, probably still today, Kakeru and I would've been together, and most probably, Hatori and I might never have happened." I explained.