Beauty and the Beast (Fruits Basket Version) - Kyo x Tohru

Chapter 3: "I'll see you soon"

Tohru felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. When she arrived at home, she noticed a note from her mother lying on the kitchen counter.

My darling Tohru,
I forgot to remind you that I'm going to visit your grandfather at the hospital tonight, so you won't see me for a couple days at most. I know you can take care of yourself on your own, but feel free to have Uo-chan or Hana-chan over if you want! I'll see you soon.
Love you lots,
Mom

After reading over her mother's note, Tohru taped it to the kitchen fridge. Over the next two days, Tohru went through her usual routine without any problems popping up. She went to school during the day, worked at night, made occasional trips to the marketplace, and hung out with her friends — all the while being wary of running into Akito.

He seemed upset with me last time we talked. And yet, Akito didn't say or do anything rash like I would have expected. He must be changing, Tohru thought one night as she was eating dinner by herself. The rice balls she made were delicious, but something was missing — her mother. Today would be the fourth day since she left, and Tohru hadn't heard anything from her.

I'm starting to worry about Mom. Maybe I'll just call the hospital and check if she's still there, Tohru thought while walking over to the phone. She dialed the number, and waited for the line to pick up on the other end.

"Hello, this is Sōma General Hospital, how can I help you?" The operator said through the phone. "Hi, um, this is Tohru Honda, and my grandfather is a patient here. My mother went to visit him four days ago, and she hasn't come back yet. I was wondering if you could see if she's there?" Tohru asked, making a cautious effort not to stumble over her words.

"Alright, one moment please," the operator replied. That moment seemed to stretch out for a thousand years to Tohru. Then the operator spoke again.

"What was your mother's name again, sweetheart?"

Tohru flushed in embarrassment as she answered, "Oh, it's Kyoko. Kyoko Honda."

The sound of papers shuffling on the other end echoed in Tohru's ears. "Okay. Visiting records say she was here on Tuesday the 14th. Does that sound correct?" The operator inquired, and Tohru nodded. Then she realized that the operator couldn't see her nodding so she opted for a simple, "Yes. Does it say if she left?"

More shuffling. "Ah, here we go. It says she left on Thursday the 16th. Miss, do you need anything else while I'm on the line?" Tohru thought for a moment, then a lightbulb went off in her head. "May I speak to my grandfather, please?"

—

"Hello, Kyoko." Tohru's grandfather had a habit of calling Tohru by her mother's name. She wasn't quite sure why, but Tohru didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise.

"Hello, grandfather. How are you doing?" Tohru asked, waiting patiently for him to answer. "I'm doing alright. It's just my back again, no need to worry about me," her grandfather replied jovially. A rueful smile formed on Tohru's face. "That's good. I'm glad you're okay," Tohru said with a hint of half-heartedness.

There was a brief silence, and sounds of sheets rustling reverberated through the phone. Then Tohru's grandfather asked, "But are you okay, Tohru? You sound distressed, my dear." Tohru's eyes widened, her shock twofold—first, that her grandfather picked up on her worries and second, her grandfather used her name.

Tohru took a deep breath, her features relaxing slightly as she explained her anxiety over her mother's possible disappearance; she hadn't been able to talk to anyone freely about it (since her friends would worry, and Tohru hates when her friends get worried about her).

"Ah, I see now. Kyoko left a couple of days ago, dear. She said she wanted to go back home...back to you," her grandfather said. Tohru's eyes watered. Of course her mom would want to return to Tohru's side.

"But there is a possibility that she got lost in the storm a few nights ago...," her grandfather mused, and Tohru gasped. "There was a storm?!?!" She exclaimed, worry etching lines in her forehead. "Alright grandfather, thank you so much for your help, but I have to look for my mom now," Tohru said. She could almost hear her grandfather smiling in pride from across the line. Yet his voice carried concern for his lost family. "You're very welcome, my dear. Good luck in your search."

Tohru hung up the phone, grabbed her coat, and ran out the door of the apartment all in the span of a minute. As she ran to her friend Hanajima's house, the sky above Tohru darkened. Gloomy gray overtaking pristine blue. A storm was brewing; a concoction with unknown ingredients that would form Tohru's future.

—

Rain began to fall on the roof above Kyoko, as she shivered on the ground. She could barely see the area around her, but she could make out the iron bars of a prison cell. Thunder rumbled loudly in the distance, and lightning strikes crackled along with it. The wind whipped against the building Kyoko was trapped in, cracks in the walls letting the harsh breeze hit Kyoko like an invisible wave. She had no idea how she got there, but Kyoko desperately wanted to leave. If only to return home, back to her darling girl.

Hopefully I'll see you soon, Tohru....