✔Summer Rain |Fruits Basket| HatsuHaru Sohma

4- Sohma Cousins

"Good morning miss Chiyu."

"You too, Sohma-san. Did you have a good break?" I asked, reaching an arm over my head to stretch.

"I did, and you?" He glanced up at me awkwardly as we walked down the hallway, trying his best not to bump into anyone as we spoke.

"Eh, I suppose it was alright." I smiled. "I'm just glad to be back in school now. I talked to the first years this morning, they were all quite excited."

I sniffled, rubbing my nose with a soft handkerchief. Not much to my surprise, I caught a cold the second day after my little escapade in the rain. It had mostly gotten better, but I was still a bit sniffly from it.

"Were they?" He asked as we started up a set of stairs to continue our rounds.

"Yeah. Makato-kun tried to instill the 'fear of the president' in them-" He laughed at my quotations. "But we all know he's not very scary."

A loud, squeaky yelp sounded through the air, making me and Sohma-san jump. "What was that?" I asked, peering around the stairwell cautiously.

"I don't know-"

"You do realize you're wearing a girls uniform right?!" I heard a boy shout.

Sohma-san and I looked between each other worriedly. "We'd better go check it out." I said, starting up the stairs towards the commotion.

I reached the top just before Sohma-san, being greeted by the sight of his fiery-headed cousin holding a blond boy by his head.

"Excuse me, what seems to be the problem?" I asked, putting a hand on Miss Honda's shoulder. "Miss Honda, are you alright?"

"Heh?! Yes! I'm sorry if we've disturbed you Chiyu-san!" She squealed, stepping backwards.

Damn, I went and scared her. "Mister Sohma, does there seem to be an issue?" I asked, turning the the boy in question.

"Hell yeah there is!" He swung the boy in front of my by his head, making me cringe for the kids safety. "Look at this! He's wearing a girls outfit!"

"I-"

"There's nothing wrong with it if he likes it. What's the problem?" Another voice piped up, one I recognized decently well.

"Haru?" I asked, turning a bit to the side. "Oh geez! Hello!" I looked at his uniform, blushing just a bit. He wore the top almost completely unbuttoned, his bare chest exposed.

"You two know each other?" Sohma-san asks, stepping away from where he too had been scolding the young first year.

"Hello." He nodded. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too." I spoke firmly, regaining my composure. "I do regret to inform you that you're choice of attire isn't school regulated though." I said, looking at him flatly.

He crossed his arms, eyeing me carefully for a moment. He was probably trying to figure out my impassive attitude.

"We're just playing it cool miss!" The small blond boy said, grabbing the back of my uniform.

"This is you playing it cool?! Dressed like that?!" The red head shouts.

"Mei! Are these hooligans giving you trouble?" I closed my eyes, taking my attention from Haru to the incoming Makato.

"Everything is fine Makato-san." I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down before he started to berate Haru for his hair and everything got messy.

"Mei! I trust you've already scolded them for such improper attire?" Makato asks, not taking his eyes off the small boy who stood cautiously off to the side.