Spread My Wings (Fruits Basket)

A Lack of Explanations

Hatori's POV

Shigure slicked back his hair for what seemed like the umpteenth time, striking in a pose in the mirror of the boy's bathroom. "Well? How do I look?"

I folded my arms across my chest. "I just don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this."

"Don't be so rude," he chided, poking me playfully in the ribs. "You still have to get them to like you."

"And why is that?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He gave me a mysterious smile. "No reason."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're hiding something from me?" I eyed him warily, my suspicions only deepening when he let out a laugh, shooting his own reflection a goofy grin. Abandoning my efforts to wheedle anything out of Shigure, I only sighed, following him out of the bathroom and to the outer gates, where we were to meet up with Ayame and Fujikawa.

Less than a block away from our destination, Shigure popped into a quaint florist's shop and emerged with a paper-wrapped bouquet of pink carnations.

"What did you do that for?" Fujikawa looked skeptically at the flowers.

"Just as a courtesy, of course. Your mother must be the loveliest woman, inviting three strangers into her home," Shigure replied, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort on her face. "I thought I'd get her something to express my gratitude!"

She was looking thoroughly harassed by this point. "Ah, yes. Quite."

We approached her house, and for the first time since the three of us had ever known her, she opened the gate to let us in, leading us down her yard to the entrance of her home. She rang the doorbell, shifting anxiously from foot to foot as we all waited with bated breath.

Not a moment later, a middle-aged women with gray streaks in her hair flung open the door, her warm brown eyes lighting up at the sight of us. "You three must be the Sohmas. It's so nice to finally meet you!"

I nodded curtly, reaching out to shake her hand. "It was our pleasure, Hamasaki-san."

"Oh, none of that- just call me Reiko!" she insisted, flushing as Shigure offered her the bouquet of flowers. "Oh, you're too kind, my dear!"

Reiko barely gave us the chance to take our shoes off before ushering us into the kitchen, where a meal was already waiting. A girl who couldn't have been older than twelve or thirteen was already seated at the table, her chestnut hair tied up in a messy ponytail. Upon catching wind of the commotion, she turned her head, grinning to reveal a mouthful of braces.  "You're the Sohmas, aren't you? Nee-chan talks about you guys all the time!"

"I so do not," Fujikawa hissed, reaching over to swat the back of her head. "And this is Kiyomi, the little brat."

"Hey!" Kiyomi protested, sticking her tongue out at her stepsister.

"Kiyomi, your dinner is upstairs." Reiko pulled a chair out, waving for us to sit down. "We don't have enough seats at the table for everyone, and I'd really like to properly talk to Sukochi's friends, so-"

"Meanie," she huffed, louching out of the dining room.

"Thank God that's over with," Sukochi mumbled, earning a snicker from Ayame and a sharp look from her mother.

Reiko picked up a toddler with a startling resemblance to Sukochi and placed him in a high-chair. "And this our little baby, Haku." He cooed at the sound of his own name, drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. She wiped it away with a napkin and planted an affectionate kiss to the top of his head, before plunging into the cutlery drawer and taking out five pairs of chopsticks. "My husband has to work late today, so he might not make it in time for dinner. Anyways, he's very grateful for the kindness you've shown Sukochi."