Fruits Basket: Give me wings

Chapter 10- What is the curse?

Hey guys, sorry I haven't uploaded in a while, but my laptop broke... anyway, it's back now, so enjoy chapter 10! Read/vote/comment! Thanks :)

Chapter 10- What is the curse?

She entered the room. Ben had been right; Tsuneo was sat on the bed, staring at the floor, his hands clasped together and his head bent in deep thought. He didn’t look up when she entered, instead choosing to smile a little to himself, his straggly hair concealing his eyes. 

“Everyone laughed,” she started awkwardly.

“Yes, they did. Regarding that kiss…” He didn't sound ashamed or regretful.

“I think Ben loves Sora, too.”

“Yes, he does. Very much so. I wanted to tell you something that me and Ben agreed, and it’s regarding the feelings we both share towards you and Sora.”

Haruhi stopped in her tracks. This made everything she was going to say after that fly out the window. She sensed Tsuneo was going to say something very important, and she knew what it was about.

“Ben and I… want to figure out how to break the curse.”

“I figured as much.”

“For you and for Sora, and for the older Zodiacs, still confined in the main house. Akito’s taken so many memories, so many precious things away from people, that the curse needs to be broken again to free everyone.”

“When we get back, I’m gonna ask Kyo and Tohru about it. They probably know something about it all.”

There was a hurried knock on the door. Haruhi looked up to see Ben standing there, looking breathless.

“Look, I know we were meant to have a few more days here, but Kyo and Tohru just phoned and they say there’s a couple of visitors for you guys, so you got to come back now,” he said in one breath.

“Who are they?”

“Dunno, they didn’t say. But we’re heading back, first thing tomorrow.”

The journey back was as bumpy and intermittent as the first journey from the main house had been. From Sora’s expression, Haruhi could tell that she knew; Ben must have told her. With everyone’s joint resolve, Haruhi was sure they could break the curse… if there even was a way. Was there a way? If someone as amazing as Tohru couldn’t do it, who could? Like Raiden had said, long ago, you couldn’t mess with bonds of blood. A bond a blood… how on Earth were they meant to break that? It sounded wrong.

As the mini-bus pulled up in front of the dojo, the chauffeur put his hand for the fee. Haruhi slipped some money into his expectant hand and followed Tsuneo, Sora and Ben out of the bus. Her heart was hammering for some reason, and she had the feeling that the others’ were as well. Would Tohru and Kyo approve of what they decided? Probably, but would they help? No-one knew the answer to that.

“Welcome back!”

Haruhi heard Tohru’s sunny voice and saw her running towards them, holding Kyo’s hand. She looked a little confused as to why they all looked like someone had just died.

“Oh… Hi there,” Haruhi said weakly. “We're so glad to be back.”

“Oh, why?” her smile faded slightly.

“We have something to ask you,” Tsuneo said sombrely. “Plus, we would like to find out who the visitors are.”

As they walked inside, Kyo seemed to understand what this was all about. It was amazing how one trip to a hot spring could change them all so much. They had returned with a new resolve.