Oneshots | Fruits Basket | 1192131999

Thirteen Strings | The Goat: Hiro Sohma

The afternoon jog was a necessity. You thought it was a great means to clear the mind of all that was going on from your school, and Kaibara's. Final exams were closing in,  and your social highlights had come to terms with the odd and supernatural circumstances of the Sohmas. You weren't all that deterred from the idea of the weird and wonderful, of the magic and at times, the horror, of what the world could offer. Yet the idea settled in your mind about the nature of your presence here, and how you came to earn the privilege of knowing the Sohmas. A quick jog was all you needed to help clear your head.

At least you thought it was.

A heavy sigh exhaled after your run, leaning against low brick walls that lined the walkway by a quiet street. You had taken yourself into the outskirts of the city for some fresh air, shy from your school but not too far from the next convenience store. A quick sip of your bottle helped relieve the dryness that tickled the back of your throat, feeling the chill breeze announcing its presence in the air. The end of summer was drawing near, finding some trees already turning a different shade while their leaves dropped crestfallen onto the streets. You basked against the sunlight, the prick of its warmth only alleviating the chill against your skin. It was nice to feel the natural warmth caress you, almost melting away your worries even for a moment.

PUNCH

"Ow!" you yelped, grabbing hold of your shoulder before you found a young boy beside you, his eyes bearing a scowl behind his brown eyes. A moment of clarity helped you recognise who he was, sighing painfully from his abrupt assault.

"What the hell was that for Hiro?" you asked, rubbing profusely against your shoulder.

"You should've told me about what happened last week," he accused.

By the way he stared, if it wasn't for your growing concerns on finals, you would have relinquished all manners of defeat at his rough handling of the situation. Yet you knew of what he was accusing you for, droning another sigh with incredulity.

"It was a hot day, and Kisa was fine in the end," you reassured, still loitering by the wall without any further concerns. "Besides, she got free ice-cream out of it."

"That's not the point!" yelled Hiro, furthering his accusations onto you. "We had a deal, or else you don't mind me sharing your secret out to everybody, do you?"

You pouted at the boy, your gaze still holding disbelief at the sheer audacity of the boy beside you. What came with learning about the Sohmas was especially made evident about their unique personalities. Hiro Sohma was, despite that haughtiness he carried, had shown a gentler and caring side to him, only around Kisa you had witnessed. He always stood as tall as he could, shoulders back, head high, almost attempting to be equals to other relatives. It didn't surprise you as much being one of the youngest you had the pleasure to meet.

"You're not resorting to threats, are you?" you questioned, slightly coy and playful despite the boy's serious proposition. "I didn't think it was necessary to worry you over something that was resolved. Besides, Kisa was in better spirits by the time she met up with you, right?"

The look on Hiro's face softened a little at the thought. He couldn't deny the truth of the situation, yet it still irked him having very little control. He pouted slightly, unable to resolve his emotions before you pushed yourself from the wall, stretching your limbs in the air.

"Next time at least tell me," he continued, trying to drive the point home.

You turned to him from behind your limbs, smiling at his assertiveness. The one thing you couldn't fault him for was his devotion to the ones he loved. So much so that he had caught you in your element out of the ordinary just like his family. To others, you were merely recording your experiences, speaking into a device. It was just your luck that he caught you speaking to someone else through it. It had been a secret ever since, one shared between him and you. At the very least, you had someone to converse with, if only a little.

"When can I see this guy?" Hiro asked outright, forward and blunt.

"It may be a long while," you plainly answered. "He comes and goes as he pleases, but he does love to keep tabs on everyone."

"Sounds like the Head of our family if you ask me."

"Maybe, maybe so. But it's a matter of whether he would allow you to meet him. Or whether I will hear from him again."

The thought had crossed your mind many times finding similarities here, with the Sohma family and those they affiliated with. The secrecy, the antics, the strangeness, and the drama. Oh, how the drama played out, falling to the wayside on your thoughts back to the man who left you here. Familiarity bred contempt, but it was uncanny how the family all reminded you of—

"You can't even call him?" Questioned Hiro sceptically.

"Nope, one way radio," you bluntly remarked.

"Lame," scoffed Hiro, soon joining you loitering by the low brick wall. "No matter what you look like, you're a crone, Oldie. Living life over and over again sounds kind of sad."

You turned back onto the boy, his scowl still present, yet filled with a small dose of curiosity. Despite his form of blackmail on you, it was almost endearing to find him wanting to learn more about what you knew. Perhaps it was a level of respect, to some degree. Again, you wished it was.

"Yeah, I'm kind of old when you think about it," you admitted, unable to rebut against his thoughts of you. If there was one thing you learnt about Hiro, it was his admiration for the truth to some respect, seeing how blunt and direct he could be to others. Yet it only made you smile at the thought of his distaste for liars and cheats.

You hoped he would lose interest though. At some point.