✔Summer Rain |Fruits Basket| HatsuHaru Sohma

10- Questions with Momiji

After dinner, I sat on the front porch of Sohma-san's house with Haru and Momiji, the latter of which was trying to pry information out of me about myself.

"You're the vice-president right?" He asked. "That's fun! Are you going to be the president next year then?"

I swung my feet over the edge of the porch, staring up at the golden sky. It reminded me a bit of the first day I met Haru and Hatori, only with more conversation. "My mother wants me to." I smiled at him. "So I probably will, yes. I'll probably take over for Makato when he graduates."

"Do you listen to your Mutti a lot?" He asked curiously. "She sounds like she must be a very nice person if you listen to her suggestions!"

I laughed. "They're not really suggestions persay, I'd say they're more of a request than anything else." I didn't want to bother them with the minor details so I left it at that. "What about your Mutti, Momiji?"

"Oh I don't know my Mutti very well!" He shook his head.

"I'm sorr-"

"It's okay, she's a very nice lady! I like her a lot even though I don't see her much! I have a little sister too! Her name is Momo! She's the cutest! Follows mama like a little duckling!" He grinned happily. "You should meet her sometime! Although maybe-"

"You're rambling again Momiji." Haru mumbled.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Mei-chan, do you like animals!?"

"That came out of no where-" I laughed. "Yeah, I do like animals. We don't have any pets, but my dad used to take me to petting zoos and things like that before he left."

Haru sat up a little straighter on my right as Momiji did a little twirl in the yard. "Whats your favourite animal Mei-chan? Mines the bunny rabbit!"

"I've never really thought about it that much-" I tapped my chin.

"Is it the cat?" Momiji crawled back up on the porch beside me. "Or maybe you like bunnies as well?"

"I've never been the biggest fan of small animals." I laughed. "Although bunnies are quite cute with their little noses!"

"Why don't you tell our dear Mei what animals you like Haru?" Shigure spoke from the doorway. "I'm sure she'd like to know!"

He stared out at the yard with his arms crossed. "You don't have to-"

"Cows."

"Excuse me?"

"I like cows." He mumbled under his breath.

I hadn't seen a cow in person in a while, but I could somewhat picture it in my mind from television. "Like those really fluffy baby cows?" I leaned back on my hands. "I think they're so cute!"

Shigure snickered behind me. "Oh would you go bother someone else!?" Haru shouted angrily, dismissing Shigure with a wave of his hand.

"There's no need to get angry at him." I started. "He's just playing with you."

"Yeah!" Momiji laughed. "Mei! We're gonna go see some animals sometime! Just you and me!"

"You can't just make plans for people Momiji." Sohma-san stood in the doorway this time, his arms crossed as he leaned on the doorframe. "Why don't you ask miss Chiyu if she wants to go first before making plans?"

"Mei, do you want to go see animals with me?"

"Well I don't really have time to do anyth-" He flashed me the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster. "I really shouldn't- but I can see if I can make some time." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't a promise either. I'd probably never get away from mom long enough to go anywhere, and especially not with someone like Momiji who acted half his age at most times.

"Yay!" He shouted, jumping off the porch to go spin in circles in the yard again.

"Where does he keep all that energy?!" I groaned, already tired from just watching him. "It's not natural!"

"He's not a natural boy." Sohma-san sat down beside Haru. "Are you enjoying yourself Miss Chiyu?"

"I am, thank you." I smiled. "It's been years since I spent time with anyone my age."

"You don't get out of the house much?" He asked curiously.

I eyed Momiji in the yard out of the corner of my eye and shook my head. "No, my mom prefers if I stay home. Less of a chance of me being 'corrupted'."

Haru snorted loudly. "Corrupted, really?"

"I think she means well. She just wants me to succeed, and to succeed I need to keep my mind under control. No unnecessary distractions." I shrugged. "Sometimes she can be a little hard, but I don't argue back."

"But you lied to her today." Haru raised an eyebrow slyly. "Perhaps I'm rubbing off on you?"

"Yeah you wish." I huffed. "Even I don't know why I lied to her, but it means I'll just have to be extra invested in my work to make up for it. She loves Sohma-san though, thinks he's the best example for me. I have to admit to you Sohma-san, she requested that I hang out with you more. She hopes for your studiousness to rub off on me."

"But you're already doing so well in school." Sohma-san frowned. "How can she expect any better than one of the top students?"

"There's always room for improvement. She works to take care of me, so I work to make her proud." I recited the words I'd practiced time and time again with her. She works hard to put food on the table, and in exchange I work to make sure she can always boast about how well she's taught me.

My phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it out with a sigh. "Hello."

"When are you getting home?" Mom asked, the tv blaring in the background. "I need to lock up and go to bed. It's going to be a hassle to come downstairs and unlock the door for you if I go to bed now."

"I'll come home now then." I answered. "Bye." I sighed and shoved my phone back in my pocket again. "Mom needs to lock up the house and get to bed for work tomorrow. I've got to get home now or else I'll get locked out."

"I'll walk you home." Haru stood up.

"You don't need to walk me home every time." I replied. "I live right down the road y'know."

"And I've got some questions of my own for you. So deal with it sweetheart."
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Word Count: 1094 Words