Little Tiger

Tohru leaves then comes right back

"Koharu, why are you staring like that?" Shigure waved his hand over my face, a hint of concern in his expression. 

I disconnected my eyes from their place on the wall just behind Shigure, looking at him. "Tired," I explained, plopping my head down on the table. I was slowly starting to get all of my memories back. Sometimes the images in my dreams were grainy or blurry, like the hypnosis was weakened but not fully penetrated, while other times they were vibrant, like I was seeing them through the lens of a high quality camera. This previous night had been the latter and I was still reeling from the images. 

Shigure slid his coffee towards me with his knuckles. "I've got something that will do just the trick," he murmured. 

I took the coffee and drank it, gagging slightly at the bitter taste combined with my toothpaste. What I really needed was a drink. I couldn't remember the last time I craved a drink, but the urge was overpowering now. 

Tohru came downstairs, dressed in her uniform. I wouldn't have questioned her presence in front of Shigure if she didn't look so upset. 

"What is it, Tohru?" Shigure asked casually. 

Tohru kneeled on the floor, her hands clasped on the chabudai. Yuki and Kyo came down separately, sitting down around the chabudai when they saw Tohru there, sensing what she had to say would be important. 

"The renovations at my grandfather's house are finished," she explained grimly, her eyes downcast. I sensed the tension settle in the room as soon as Tohru finished speaking. I looked between Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo, frustrated that none of them spoke a word. They just sat there, silently mulling over their feelings instead of just blurting them out. 

Tohru seemed like she was waiting for a dramatic gasp or two. When she didn't receive one, she continued. She had already planned the next week of meals for us and updated Shigure on what part of the house would need to be cleaned each day. With that, she grabbed her school bag and left. Neither of the boys followed her. 

"I didn't think it would be so soon," Yuki said into the silence that followed Tohru's departure. 

Shigure nodded while tenderizing his cheek with his knuckle. "I am going to miss the smell of her cooking," he said, already nostalgic. 

Kyo scoffed,  turning away from us and leaning his back against the chabudai, his arms crossed. "I don't understand why she was here in the first place. Her knowing our secret is bad enough and her living here was even worse." 

"It's a shame you can't recognize your own feelings for the girl," Shigure tutted. 

Kyo turned around, his face red and his nostrils flared, making it hard to tell whether he was embarrassed, angry, or both. "What do you mean 'feelings'? Her living here was an inconvenience!" 

Yuki elbowed him irritably, his jaw clenched as he spoke: "You better watch your mouth. Miss Honda was no inconvenience, not even to you." 

Surprisingly, Kyo didn't yell back for once. He started to, but stopped himself, his chin tilting down and his eyes softening. It was strange to watch a love story happening secondhand. 

"You two better go to school. I've got business to attend to today and I need absolute peace and quiet." Shigure looked over at Kyo and Yuki over the rim of his glasses. "Scoot." 

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Like I would want to stay home with you all day, anyway." He grabbed his school bag, slinging it over his shoulder and walking out. 

"Goodbye," Yuki said to Shigure and I. "Koharu, can you give Kyo a job at the salon again?" 

I was touched. "You want to help Kyo out?" I asked, putting my hand over my heart.