IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Seventeen

Hatori remained motionless, his mind struggling to process the overwhelming revelation that had just been shared with him. The weight of Ryu's confession hung heavy in the air, and as the silence stretched on, it felt as if time itself had paused to let the gravity of her words settle in.

This was a brand-new day, one that felt nothing like the day before. For the last six and a half years, he had kept Ryu's secret buried deep within him, locked away and forgotten. Now, as her truth came to light, everything felt different.

Initially, when Ryu had first confessed, he had managed to hold himself together, appearing calm and composed. But as soon as she had left, the facade crumbled. A sudden, overwhelming panic had surged through him, knocking him off balance. He had hoped, perhaps even prayed, that he wouldn't have to face such a revelation, that it was a truth better left unspoken. But despite his wishes, it was now out in the open, and the reality of it hit him like a wave, leaving him in stunned silence.

Hatori's thoughts raced, a whirlwind of emotions and realizations taking over him. He had no right to share what Ryu had entrusted him with, despite the involvement of his closest friends. Only Ryu herself had the right to reveal this truth, and he knew that, no matter how difficult it was to accept, it was her story to tell—not his. The weight of that responsibility felt heavy, and Hatori understood the delicate nature of the situation more than anyone else possibly could. He was the only one who knew the full depth of Ryu's secret, and that knowledge carried with it a burden that no one could truly comprehend, not even his closest companions.

As his mind raced, he reflected on the part of the revelation that had struck him the hardest: Ryu's decision to erase their memories. Now that he understood it fully, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow for her. He had learned that Ryu had been unaware of her pregnancy at the time of her memory erasure. That realization only complicated matters further. What kind of pain had she carried with her, not knowing the full extent of her actions and their consequences? It was clear that she had acted in what she believed to be self-preservation, but the effects had been far-reaching, impacting not only herself but also the people closest to her.