𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 | Fruits Basket FF

(56)

unrevised.
/ chapter 56 /

All was silent in the car ride. Tension was thick in the air from the suspense and the unknown. Ichika took a few deep breaths to calm her anxiety but it was all for nothing. She could already feel the panic arising within her and deep worry etched into the very core of her soul. She felt queasy, the ramen she had less than twenty minutes ago was ready to rise up her throat any minute now.

How did it come to this?

Her eyes observed Hatori's back after he had excused himself to take a phone call, leaving her momentarily with the cheery Takahashi. Hatori had his phone pressed up against his ear and because of her surroundings, she was unable to hear the incoherent conversation between the caller and the Doctor.

She turned her eyes back to meet Takahashi who looked at her with question from behind his station.

"I'm so sorry, could you please repeat that?" She apologised for having been distracted.

"No worries, Miss Ichika, I was just asking what you think of him." He repeated, gesturing his head towards the direction of Hatori.

Ichika's cheeks bloomed a cute pink. They both glanced over to Hatori for a second once more before turning back before they got caught for staring suspiciously. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as an unconscious habit and licked her lips.

"Maybe he has flaws in other people's eyes but to me... to me he's perfect. He accepts me for who I am and has never hurt me. He's a very kind man and is very considerate of me." She shyly expressed.

"And he treats you well, doesn't he?" Ichika nodded firmly. "Good. Good."

"As mentioned before, Hatori is like a son to me. He's all grown up now but to me he's still the little boy I used to see eat at my ramen stand almost every day after school. Although I do not
know much of his parents circumstances, I do know that he never properly had anyone by his side."

Ichika remembered the time she saw a picture of him standing by his parents. They were present, with one hand on each shoulder of his, yet seemed so far away despite how close they stood next to each other.

"However recently since seeing him, I've begun to notice a sparkle in his eyes that was never there. Do you know why that is?" Takahashi lilted and Ichika shook her head and wanted to know the answer. However just as he leaned over the counter ready to whisper the secret, the bluenette turned away to her name being called.

She met Hatori's concerned gaze, arms dropped to the side and his phone squeezed in the palm of his hands.

Her smile slowly dropped at his expression. "What's wrong?" She'd asked.

After abruptly saying goodbye to Takahashi, they left into Hatori's car in a rushed manner. Ichika still had no idea what was going on until Hatori had broken the silence once the car was moving.

Kureno had apparently been stabbed by Akito.

The blue-haired Sohma was shocked to hear it. Having known Akito's temperament and abusive tendencies for years, he surprisingly had never once used weapons such as knives that could lead to immediate death. Yes, Akito liked to be physical whenever he was emotionally unstable, but there was a certain limit to his beatings. And why was there a limit? Because death could not be an escape for his 'loved' ones, he'd never allow that.

He had never stooped so low until now. That, however, wasn't the worse part. Akito was now on the run, his maid servants and bodyguards were running around the Estate in attempt to find and calm him but they were coming up short. That was when Hatori received the phone call, advising him of what happened.

Ichika's mind could barely focus. She needed to head home to make sure the others were okay.

Home...

Home.

An image of a brunette with long straight hair and the sweetest smile popped into her head.

"Tohru..." She cried, her heart thumping against her chest with adrenaline and her eyes stung with tears.

Hatori who was multitasking, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a phone to his ears to make urgent calls to a medical emergency operator, quickly noticed her distress and he pushed aside the lurch in his stomach. He was just as distressed, but he needed to stay calm for her. Balancing the phone against his shoulder to his ear, he switched hands and grabbed her own to give a light squeeze.

He steered a right turn onto the path of his destination, seeing Shigure's house come into view. The moment the car stopped, Ichika undid her seatbelt and quickly rushed out the car.

"Ichika!" He called out as he climbed out of his seat.

"Sir? Are you there?" The operator over the phone questioned. He then squeezed his eyes shut and pinched his nose bridge. He wanted to go after the blue-haired Sohma, but taking this phone call was important. Kureno's life was on the line and he needed immediate help with the extent of his injuries.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm here." Hatori glanced over to the direction Ichika ran off to before pulling his eyes away. "Please immediately send medical help. The address is—"

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"Kyo-kun!" Ichika hollered, sliding open a door with haste. "Yuki-kun!"

She slid one door open after another. Both the boys were nowhere insight and Shigure wasn't anywhere to be seen either.

"Tohru!" She called once more only to be met with silence. Where was everybody?

Suddenly she heard low murmurs coming from behind the house. She quickly followed it and she saw the bamboo porch come into view. Her footsteps were soft and discreet and she was suddenly filled with caution the moment she saw two figures standing in the courtyard.

One was Tohru much to her relief, however the other was Akito himself.

What was Akito doing here? Ichika swallowed thickly. He looked disheveled, like he'd been running this whole time straight from the Estate. His usual appearance was clean cut but he looked a mess now. Hair was out of place, eyes were wide and crazed, Kimono had patches of dirt on it and he had no shoes on. Something in his hand reflected the moonlight and Ichika's eyes widened.

A knife.

The same was she stabbed Kureno with. His blood was red and raw, still fresh on the blade. Ichika's navy eyes quickly examined Tohru. There were already a few cuts on her right arm.

"Akito-san!" Tohru cried, reaching her hand towards the unstable man.

"Stay away!" Akito screamed in haste, swinging the shaking knife around.

No.. Tohru..! Get away from him!