The Missing Zodiac [A Fruits Basket FanFiction]

Chapter 15

It was a weekday. Get up, use the bathroom, brush my teeth, comb my hair, find a comfy outfit to wear, throw my dirty clothes in my hamper, look at myself in the mirror as if I'm going somewhere, sit down, breakfast is brought to me, do homework, Hatori visits me for an hour or so before taking off again, lunch is brought to me, read books, do a little painting, clean up my supplies, someone knocks on my doo-. Someone knocks on my door? That never happens this time of day.

"Come in..." I speak softly towards the door, anxious to see what or who was behind it. The door slowly opened, revealing my brother standing behind it. My heartbeat had quickened in my chest, definitely not expecting him to be here. I clenched onto one of the clean brushes I was holding out of nervousness before replying "H-Hello.."

Akito had glanced around the room softly before speaking softly "I've taken notice that you've taken up painting as a hobby." I was a little confused that Akito would want to talk about something like that, but had played along and nodded softly.

Instead of speaking back right away, he had shuffled into the room and sat in front of the table that was in my room. He laid back on one hand, the other placed on his knee as he looked up at me. He then glanced around the room, glancing at one of the paintings stacked in the corner.

"What is the meaning of that one?" He inquired, using his eyes to inform me of which one he was talking about. It was weird that he had taken an interest in one of my paintings...

However, the one he had pointed at was one I had painted recently. The majority of the colors that were used in it were variations of gray and most of the canvas had been taken up by water. There was a depiction of a girl, the values of her figure being darkened and lightened with pitch black and pure white paint. I had cleared my throat softly before glancing off to the side, slightly embarrassed. No one had really wanted to talk about my paintings before. Sure, Hatori would comment on them and how my skill is progressing as well as just a simple statement of favoritism...but never really asking what they are about.

"Well..." I spoke gently "It's based on the phrase 'in the gray area', like how something can be morally in the 'gray area'."

Akito had looked over it for a few moments, seeming to inspect of what was depicted matched what I was going for. His eyes then drifted from that painting to around my room, his lips parting open softly as if he had wanted to say something several times. His lips remained closed for a couple of moments before he had finally spoken out, saying a clear "And what of the cloud one?"

The cloud one? Wait, did he mean the one that meant missing? If he knew about it, then that probably meant he had taken it. I decided not to mention it, not wanting to make him either angry or defensive of his actions. "Well..." I began to speak "honestly, it was just me wanting to paint some clouds."

He had gone wide-eyed, looking off to the side as if he was flustered. An expression on his face that I would have never thought I would see as well as a shade of red on his cheeks that I thought could have never existed. "Oh...well, it looks like it might have had some sort of deeper meaning."

I smiled softly at the expression on his face but then changed it quickly to not seem like I was amused by his statement. Then in reply, I managed to stumble out "W-Well, the meaning of a painting can change depending on who's viewing it!" I then cleared my throat to calm myself down, mumbling out a soft "What...what did you think it meant?"

Akito was silent again, looking off to the side still before seeming to be in thought for a few minutes before speaking up again "A want to be free." He had spoken softly. When he had told me his opinion, I couldn't help but get anxious about what his opinion implied. Was he here to reprimand me for painting something that might have indicated I wanted to leave? I gripped onto my clothes softly, glancing down at my lap in nervousness. I feared what he was going to say next until the words had actually escaped his lips.

"I'm allowing you to enroll at a high school again." He spoke.

My eyes widened in response to his response, my head quickly perking up to look at him. His expression was soft, no malice to be found once so ever. It seemed like he was really telling the truth. "May...may I ask why?" I spoke softly.

It seemed like he had thought of an answer to this long before he told me his decision "I've decided that if you want to seek higher education in the future, you'll have to go to a school instead of learning from home." He spoke, his eyes hiding something else as they gazed towards mine. "I'm also not only forcing you to enroll at a high school, but you will also be moving out of here and in with Shigure."

Now that statement got me. It seemed like he had wanted me out of the picture altogether. But why? Was he just sick of me? Did he no longer want to keep me here with him, just to throw me away? I thought I meant more than that to him at least. However, I held my tongue and simply nodded at his statement while keeping my hands in my lap.

He watched me for a reaction but didn't seem to respond to my sullen mood. He just continued on by stating facts about my move. How that I was to pack all of my things today, including my art supplies. He said that all of my expenses would be paid for while I was staying over there by him, including spending money for whatever I had wanted. He requested that the paintings stay in the room, which was strange, considering how he had wanted me gone.

Once he had finished explaining, there was a long pause in the room. He didn't ask if I had understood, or if I needed clarification, he just sat there for a few moments. He then had gotten up and brushed himself off as he had left the room, taking a quick glance back before shaking his head softly and exiting through the door and closing it gently behind him.

I was free. So why didn't I feel happy?