A Dango in the Fruits Basket

The Strangest Day

The Strangest Day 

Chapter 4

"How cute?" 

Shigure froze in his steps as he looked up from his newspaper he was so enthralled in. He didn't notice the high school girl in his yard looking at his figurines he put out to dry earlier that morning. 

"Hello." He looked at the brunette with wide eyes, "This is a surprise. We don't get a lot of young girls wandering around here.

The brunette began to speak and bow frantically, causing Shigure to lightly chuckle. " Ah, good morning, sir. I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have been looking around without permission. 

Shigure smiled as he walked close to his figurines and the young girl, newspaper now tucked in his arm, " It's fine, I just wouldn't imagine that a teenager like yourself would find this place interesting." He kneeled down, balancing himself on the balls of his feet. 

The brunette bounce up and waved her hands, " I really do though, especially these zodiac figurines you've got. Adorable."

"Yes. They're a favorite of mine, too, actually. "

"Except , it looks like another set without the Cat." 

"The Cat?" This caused Shigure to look up at the girl. He quickly studied her, she was wearing the same uniform Michiko wears. " Oh, right I see. You're thinking about the old zodiac folktale, aren't you?"

The girl smiled," Uhuh. My mom would tell it to me over and over when I was little." 

Shigure couldn't help but smile, as he can easily imagine this girl before him smiling about, something like the Cat, his own Michiko. He placed his cheek in his palm as he listened to the girl ramble on and on about the Cat of the zodiac. 

Shigure nodded along, a faint smile on his face. 

The girl seemed to catch herself, " Oh, I'm so sorry, I must be boring you." 

Shigure shook his head," No. My daughter would probably agree with you. She herself from a very young age, loved and was protective of the Cat. Even renounced the year of the dog herself to make herself an honorary Cat. I wonder how they'd feel hearing you talk as passionately as you do about him." 

[ . ] [ . ] [ . ]  

"You look tired," Yuki stated as he looked at Michiko.

Michiko narrowed her eyes at the grey haired boy," That's definitely something you don't say to a woman."

Yuki looked at Michiko and raised a brow.

"You are so mean to me and you don't even have to say anything," Michiko pouted before she allowed her head to fall on the table. " I had trouble sleeping last night."

"Maybe it was the coffee you had right before bed," Yuki stated obviously as he ate.

Michiko groaned," It feels like you're never on my side."

Yuki looked at his cousin," Maybe I'd be on your side if you didn't continue making idiotic decisions." Yuki looked over to the hallway," Do you hear that?"

Michiko nodded her head, as she lifted it to rest on the palm of her hand," It sounds like Shigure."

"But who would he be talking to?"

Michiko shrugged," Himself? He is a little off."

Yuki nodded, but was still wary," I'm going to go check it out"

Michiko nodded and continued to sip on her tea as her gaze lazily followed Yuki out when he went to Shigure's office. Michiko soon finds herself looking out to the terrace into the yard watching the water flowing in the pond . "Yuki sure is taking his time, I'll go make sure everything is okay."