Burning Memories [Fruits Basket Fanfiction]

Burning Memories~Chapter 4

~Kazuko's POV~

After Hatori was done disinfecting my wound and wrapping it in a bandage, I made sure to thank him over and over again. He went through so much trouble over me, yet he didn't give up on me. I liked that about him. It made me wonder whether he was cursed, too. But I never got a chance to ask, because Shigure ushered me out, saying "Hatori and I need to talk while Yuki rests. Here, you can sit here and read one of my books." Shigure hands me a novel with a deep blue cover and smiles as he sits me down in a separate room adjacent to the room where Yuki is sleeping. I opened the book and began to read, but couldn't concentrate. I didn't know why, but it suddenly felt like I was in a dream. Like I couldn't control anything, and everything was already planned out; I was just following someone else's script.

That unsettling feeling took me over and I put the book down. I wrapped my arms around my knees and rocked on my feet, thinking.

What would happen now? Would I be sent to the police and be put in a foster home? Maybe put up for adoption? What would make the most sense? Then again, this powerful, cursed family might not want to go to the police. They probably thought I would tell about their curse, about my experience here. And then it would all me over in a matter of time.

I sighed. How stupid. Why did this all have to happen, anyway? Just thinking about it made my head reel. Groaning, I slapped my palm to my forehead. I was so tired. Maybe this all was just a dream. Yes. I would wake in a few moments, in my own bed, that hasn't been burnt to a crisp by a band of criminals. I closed my eyes, waiting for something to happen.

Nothing, of course. This wasn't a dream. How could it be? Pain wasn't this real in dreams. In dreams, people don't have such strange personalities. I just had to wait for things to smooth themselves over, and then everything would be better.

"Um, excuse me?" A soft, sweet voice rang out behind me. I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I noticed a girl with mouse brown hair and brown eyes the color of melted chocolate. Her hair was tied into two braids that hung loosely around her face. She wore a white long sleeved shirt trimmed with lace, and a raspberry red pleated skirt. "I'm Tohru Honda!" The girl smiled widely and reached her hand out, waiting for me to accept it. Hesitantly, I shook her hand.

"I'm Kazuko Usagi." I muttered.

"Wow!" Tohru exclaimed. "What a pretty name! Shigure sent me in here to talk to you." Wait, so this was the Tohru Shigure was talking about? I thought he meant a boy! Tohru was a boy name, after all. This girl wasn't even a Sohma! What was Shigure doing with her in his house?! I stood up in anger.

"What a dirty, filthy man." I growled.

"EH?!" Tohru wore a shocked expression, mouth agape and eyes staring forward.

"Shigure, I mean. I hate to be rude, but what is someone like you doing living with that guy?" I inquired. Tohru was all of a sudden filled with horror- apparently at herself.

"You're right! Oh my goodness... Someone like me should never be allowed to live with such a fine, upstanding family!" Tohru freaked out, going on and on. "They've been too kind! I've been taking too much! I have to do something for them!"

"Tohru, that's not what I meant..." I tried to intervene, but she was still caught up in her self conflict.

"Oh no! What on earth should I DO? How could I ever repay them for how kind they've been to me?! Ooohh..." Tears began to drip down Tohru's face. "I'm so selfish! What have I been doing all this time?"

"TOHRU!" A loud, angry voice yelled from across the room. This time, I looked to see a boy about Yuki's age with bright orange hair and maroon eyes. But his hair... So orange... Like fire. Fire...