𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 | Fruits Basket FF

(47)

unrevised.
/ chapter 47 /

"These apple slices are ugly, Hatori." Rin commented with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she took a bite out of an apple slice like she didn't just insult it.

"Is it?" Hatori scratched his head as he picked one up and examined it thoroughly. "It's supposed to look like a rabbit. Ichika showed me how to do it once, but I guess it's nothing compared to hers."

The raven-haired girl munched on another apple piece as she silently watched the male Dragon mumble things to himself on 'how to make it look better' and 'what to improve'. She was still in awe over the fact that the man she's known for years is starting to seem quite different from how she remembered him to be.

Rin shifted her eyes the badly shaped apple slice in her hand.

Ichika. There was that name again.

Hatori had been mentioning things non-stop about her. She doesn't think he realised he was doing it and after thirty minutes, Rin could guess they were having a little something going on between them.

Rin had a feeling this Ichika was what triggered this change in him, but she couldn't wrap her head around how. Rin had only met the girl once. Not properly though, but it was still considered a first meeting when she was invited to the bluenette's family funeral as were the other Zodiac members.

Rin's first impression of her was that she was quite a small, weak girl. She looked to be easily controlled just from her stature itself and everything about her body language that day screamed that she was a breakable toy.

Was it obvious to everyone else? Not really, but to Rin it was. She could tell from the way Ichika was hunched over in her seat, to the way her fingers intertwined so hard her white knuckles were showing. From the way her spine was shook, to the way she often panned her eyes nervously to her parents as if almost as if she was waiting for them to do something.

Rin pondered on the thought as she leaned her chin onto her palm. How can such a girl melt the ice of the snowman Hatori? She was weak, and looked like she could barely bite anyone back if they were to hurt her. What made her so special that she caught the Doctor's eyes? What did she have other than the fact that she shared the same spirit as him?

"Ne, Hatori. What do you like about her?" Rin started, tilting her head in curiosity. "Is it just because she's pretty?"

"No, it's more than that." He immediately answered honestly, which surprised her a little. There was no hesitance in his voice at all and for some reason, a feeling of irritancy stemmed inside her.

Rin pushed the feelings away the best she could. She decided to cover it up with a smirk. "Ahhh, I know. Then it's her body, isn't it? You like her body, don't you?" She didn't know why, but the irritation she was feeling kept building up more. "How far have you gone with her? What part of her did she offer to you?" Words kept pouring out of her mouth before she could stop and she couldn't help it. She wanted the things she was saying to bother him. "Maybe perhaps—"

"Rin." He voiced in a warning tone.

That shut her up completely and she knew the moment the words left her mouth that she's gone too far. The look on Hatori's face made her stiffen. She'd never seen him make such a face before. His eyebrows were furrowed, purple eyes narrowed and his lips drawn into a thin line. She clamped her mouth shut and swallowed thickly. She lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling the annoyance turn into somewhat sadness instead.

She didn't know how, but Ichika had changed him in the matter of months. She achieved what Rin and the other members of the Zodiac couldn't. There were years where they wished for Hatori to stop feeling guilty over things he shouldn't be. They wanted him to smile again just like when they were younger.