𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 | Fruits Basket FF

(32)

unrevised.
/ chapter 32 /

What is love? According to the dictionary, love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for a person. Love comes in all different forms such as a love from a parent, a child, or even a friend.

She's come across reading this text many times in her life, but it was always strange and unfamiliar to her.

How could she be so sure that what she felt for Hatori was love? She had never been in love before and the thought of it scared her.

"I don't understand." She muttered quietly, her gaze dropping. Was she trying to deny it? Was she refusing to accept it?

Feeling fingers under her chin, her head tilted her upwards and she met Shigure's light-grey eyes that no longer held warmth. It was cold and empty. Calculative. He held her chin and his face inched closer.

Her eyes widened and she didn't realise what he was doing until their nose almost touched. She quickly turned her head away from him as the light sounds of footsteps pattered away from them, but she was distracted by what the Dog Spirit was about to do that she couldn't question what the sound was.

Shigure paused in his movements and drew his head back slightly.

Although she lived her early life shut inside her own home, she wasn't stupid to not know what a kiss was. The only thing she couldn't figure out was why Shigure suddenly wanted to with her. She never knew what he was thinking. His mind and actions were always unpredictable and she had almost forgotten this calculative side of him.

Her heart hammered in her chest out of nervousness.

"See, if it was Hatori in my place, would you have refused it?" He questioned, making her eyes widen slightly.

If it was Hatori-san? She asked herself before imagining the feel of his lips, how soft they would be. But then she stopped herself as she realised. Now she had no room to deny.

"You were trying to prove a point?" She rhetorically asked.

His lips formed into a cunning smile and she reddened in embarrassment. How could he?

She pushed passed him and ran up the staircase, deciding to find her room to lock herself in. She slid her back against the door and pulled her knees to her chest to hug it.

"Shigure-san's horrible." She mumbled.

It was still an awful way to prove a point: trying to steal a kiss from her. It would be her first kiss and she didn't want it to be with Shigure. She wanted it to be with someone else. Someone like..

She inwardly groaned. There was no room for her to deny it now. Shigure was right. But there was no way Hatori would view her anything more than just a friend or a little sister. The thought of it did hurt her a little and now she was left with a longing feeling.

Meanwhile, Shigure stared up at the staircase with dull eyes. Though, as he heard the approaching bickering followed by crashing and banging between the cat and mice, light returned to his eyes and with a carefree smile on his face he went to stop the fight as part of his daily routine.

Pitter-patter.

Pitter-patter.

Pitter-patter.

Ichika, whom had fallen asleep after spending time brooding in her room, had jolted awake from the sound. She sat up groggily and pushed herself up all while rubbing her tired eyes.

Her eyes wondered the window outside. How long had she been asleep? The last thing she remembered was that it was still a sunny day out, but all she could see now were dark clouds looming over the sky.