Note To Readers: Hey! I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying this fanfiction. I had no idea I had so many people reading this! It makes me extremely happy! So I have an EXTRA special treat for you guys! A nice LONG chapter! I'm really excited about it too. Btw in case, you were wondering more members of the Zodiac will be introduced eventually. I'll also be making an AMV so keep your eyes peeled! My channel is BlueRose! Without further delay here's the special chapter!

Chapter 6

Say I Like You

"GWAHHHH!" Tohru's cries echoed down the hall reaching the ears of her two best. "Are you alright!? We heard you screaming!" Arisa questioned alarmed. "You seem to be alright..." Hana murmured afterward. Oh! Not good! Tohru couldn't exactly tell them there was a snake in her locker! She had to think of an excuse and fast! "Oh, that! I just forgot that I didn't hang up the laundry back at the house. I tried so hard to remember too oh I can't believe I actually forgot! That's like the second time this week!" Tohru cried.

"Oh? This that all? You can just hang it up when you get home. No harm done right?" Arisa offered a smile. "Uh right." Tohru smiled. "What I wanna know is why you're sitting by yourself in the hallway...and attracting a hell of a lot of attention at that." before Arisa balled up her first. "THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE HERE! GET LOST BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" the Yankee threatened before everyone went running as if their very lives depended on it. "...Wait...i'm sensing something..." Hana murmured as she zeroed in on Tohru's locker. Something was inside of it. Strange electric signals. Tohru only frowned at Arisa's comment and let out a sigh.

"Well...it's about Yuki..." Tohru began softly. "Ah! So the prince is the culprit. What did he do? He wasn't being mean to you was he?! Wait! Don't tell me he's taking advantage of you!" Arisa gasped pissing herself off with just the thought alone. "N-No! It's nothing like that! Yuki didn't do anything to me." "...Oh...then why are you so down all of a sudden? It isn't like you." the Yankee murmured. "It couldn't be helped...Yuki had a student council meeting you know cuz of graduation coming up...I had wanted to ask him something but now that I think about it Yuki's got too much going on...I can't really be selfish right now can I?" Tohru asked softly with a sweet smile. "Not when he's always doing so much for me...without asking anything in return..."

Arisa sighed as she hit her head. "If you want something from the Prince then you should just come out and say so," she told Tohru. "...Oh, you think? But that just wouldn't be right..." "...Man, you're WAY too easy on him...oh! And look who just arrived! Hey, Orange Top! Come over here for a minute would ya!?" Arisa called Kyo over as the cat headed their way. "DAMN IT! I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Kyo hissed angrily. "Well, I can't help it! After all, an Orange Top is an Orange Top!" the Yankee taunted him with a broad grin on her face.

"I SAID CUT IT OUT!" Kyo yelled getting even more pissed off. As if he weren't in a bad enough mood already. "Uh, guys! Please don't fight!" Tohru pleaded. "Besides we need to be getting to class or we'll ALL be late!" she exclaimed. "After all we are studying for finals before graduation." "...Damn finals..." Arisa cursed. "They sure know how to put a crappy ending to high school alright...come on Hana and quit staring at that locker what you think you can open it with your mind or something?" the Yankee teased. "W-WAIT CAN YOU DO THAT!?" Tohru cried as Kyo sighed and shook his head. "Come on!" Kyo urged before everyone paused as they heard. *POOF* coming from within Tohru's locker.

OH NO, THIS IS SO BAD! Tohru thought to herself in a panic. It was bad enough when he was a snake but now there was possibly a naked Ayame in her locker! She couldn't let Arisa and Hana see! What would they possibly think!? "Oh, shit..." Kyo cursed under his breath as he felt sweat beat down his face. He had to do something and quick! Turning to his right side Kyo caught sight of the school's fire alarm. Without any hesitation, the cat grabbed it and pulled it. A loud alarm blared through the school just enough to distract their attention. In a panicked frenzy, everyone began to flee the possibly burning building carrying Tohru, Arisa, and Hana with them. Kyo kept against the wall as he watched the others being whisked away."Aw man! That was too damn close!" Kyo confessed as breathed a sigh of relief.

Just the word fire caused the students to gather outside away from the building though most of the teachers and students were trying to figure out what had happened. "YUKI YUKI!" Momiji exclaimed as he hurried over towards Yuki who was among the student council members. "Oh, Momiji." Yuki murmured before Hatsuharu emerged from the crowd as well. "We have a problem..." the cow muttered before Yuki, Momiji and Hatsuharu went inside to where Kyo was awaiting them. "And just what is the meaning of this?" Yuki questioned in irritation. There was too much to do today for unneeded interruptions.

"H-Hey now it wasn't MY fault!" Kyo hissed. "Here I'll prove it!" the cat muttered and opened up Tohru's already unlocked locker. Within a matter of minutes, a bare naked Ayame tumbled out of Tohru's locker and onto the floor. "Oh for the love of-" Yuki muttered. "Go to the student council room and go and get an extra MALE student uniform...the last thing I need is for someone to see my brother running around in a dress...just think of the rumors..." Yuki muttered irritably. "WHY DO I GOTTA DO IT!?" Kyo spat angrily. "...Just go...it'll be bad if someone comes down the hall once they realize there's no real fire...can't imagine the firemen are gonna be too happy either..." Hatsuharu muttered. "UGH FINE! WAIT THERE!" Kyo grumbled and stormed off.

"So what's Aya doing here anyways?" Momiji questioned. "Don't ask me," Yuki muttered. "I haven't the slightest idea what was going through his head..." he told the rabbit. "Why! I've come from afar to aid only the MOST and PUREST of hearts in UTTER DISTRESS!" Ayame cried as he rose to his feet. "FOR I AM THE SNAKE OF AMOUR! LOVE MY LITTLE BROTHER! LOVE!" he continued on. "And NOTHING and I mean NOTHING shall cease my GREAT and NOBEL quest of forging an UNBREAKABLE BOND WHICH NONE CAN HOPE TO CROSS EVEN BETWEEN THE STARS IN THE ALMIGHTY HEAVENS!" Ayame proclaimed jubilantly. Momiji clapped in approval laughing. Aya was always entertaining.

"...Do you have any idea what he's talking about?..." Hatsuharu asked Yuki in a whisper. "Not a word...and besides that Brother how can you stand there naked with pride?! Have you no shame?!" Ayame only sighed in response. "No, I do not fear that which I am! My natural beauty shines through like a beam of sunshine! Just look upon this gorgeous body crafted of mine! Do not be afraid Princess! For I have given you my heart, mind, soul and body!" Ayame exclaimed before he was beamed in the head with a ball of black and white clothing. "HERE! NOW DO US ALL A FAVOR AND PUT SOME DAMN CLOTHES ON ALREADY!" Kyo yelled before the snake began to place the uniform on himself.

"Humph...so ungrateful...and here I was merely trying to lend help to a troubled soul..." Ayame pouted before the group noticed the students slowly pouring back inside the school. "ALRIGHT! GET BACK TO CLASS! FALSE ALARM! Damn kids..." the one teacher grumbled. "Still that was quick thinking on Kyo's part! Otherwise, that could've turned into a BIG mess!" Momiji giggled. "No kidding..." Hatsuharu sighed. "Well see you later. I have to get back to class now." "Right! Right! Bye Yuki! Bye Kyo! Bye Aya!" Momoji exclaimed and hurried off himself. "I suppose that just leaves you I and Lucky Kyo!" Ayame beamed. "Actually I have a student council meeting to get back to...I take it you can find the door on your own..." Yuki muttered before he headed off. "Why must you be so cold?" Ayame sulked before he paused as Tohru, Arisa and Hana came back his way. "Oh great, he leaves me with you..." Kyo grumbled

"Man, that sucks! I was hoping the school really DID catch fire..." Arisa sighed. "THAT WOULD BE TERRIBLE!" Tohru cried before she spotted Ayame as he did her. "Well! Well! If isn't the blossoming flower herself. I bid you good morning Miss Tohru." Ayame bowed. "Funny how we seem to bump into each other." "AS IF! YOU FOLLOWED US HERE!" Kyo objected. "Oh Ayame! Nice to see you too. You're even wearing our school uniform! It looks really good on you!" Tohru exclaimed with a smile. "Naturally! You know I WAS always sexy back in my youth..." Hana and Arisa both looked at Tohru. "So are ya gonna introduce us or what?" Arisa questioned.

"OH YES! Of course! This is Ayame Sohma! He's Yuki's older brother" Tohru started. "Ayame these are my two best friends the in the whole world! Arisa Ootani and Saki Hanajima!" "A pleasure..." Hana murmured. "Another Sohma and he's the Prince's brother? Well, he DOES look like a lot like him..." the Yankee admitted as she looked him over. "But why in the world is he wearing our school uniform?" "Um-oh... that's well you see...UH! Cosplay! Right Ayame likes to cosplay and he wanted to see what it would be like to be Yuki! Yeah, that's it!" Tohru blurted out laughing nervously at the same time. "That explains it..." Hana murmured softly. "Never mind that! We gotta get a move on before the teacher notices we're gone!" Kyo exclaimed. "Oh, you're right! Come on, guys! Oh and Bye Ayame it was really nice seeing you again!" Tohru smiled before Ayame watched them leave him behind.

"Well...I'll admit THAT could have gone better..." Ayame sighed softly. He perked up slightly as he noticed Yuki emerge from the room down the hall. "I know it's...oh! There it is." Yuki murmured before he picked up a bento with a pink cloth with strawberries on it. "Thank goodness...it looks alright...in all the commotion it must've gotten knocked out of my hands..." Ayame, however, took notice that he wasn't the only ones with his eyes on his little brother. Three Prince Yuki fan club members were nearby watching the scene unfold before them. "Do you see that!? Do you see that!?" the girl with pigtails cried. "Yeah it looks like Prince Yuki is holding a lunch box...and it's pink..." the black haired girl muttered. "That must mean that it's a girls lunch box! Bu-But who's could it be!?" the red haired fangirl asked in a panic.

"No doubt! It HAS to be HERS!" the fangirl with pigtails exclaimed. "I'm sure of it! Our beloved Prince would NEVER accept a girl's bento box no matter how much they tried! And that's totally breaking the rules, isn't it!?" "Yeah, she must've put a love potion in the food! And if he eats it he'll be trapped under that Witch Tohru Honda's spell forever!" the black haired girl cried. "She's more dangerous than I thought!" the redhead exclaimed. "I bet Hanajima brewed it up just for her!" "We gotta stop this now before it's too late!" "Calm down! We'll just sneak into the student council room when they go on break and get the lunch and then..." the pigtailed fangirl whispered into the other girl's ears.

"MY! Such shameless little hussies...plotting so openly...and with my listening none the less...the fact that anyone would try to hurt Tohru is despicable at the very least..." Ayame muttered.

*Lunch Break*

"TOHRU TOHRU!" Momiji exclaimed with a smile as he hurried over to her with a lunch box. It was filled with rice balls with all different colors and shapes except it was hard to tell exactly what they each were. "Man...you suck...I can't even tell what they're SUPPOSED ta be anyways!" Kyo exclaimed and reached out for one only to get his hand hit. "OW! WHY YOU LITTLE!" "They're for Tohru!" the rabbit narrowed his eyes. "For me? Oh wow, thank you but..." Tohru began. "Where's your lunch Kyo...?" Hatsuharu questioned the lunch box's absence. Kyo only grumbled. "The lunch Tohru made got trampled on during all the commotion...I kinda dropped in the hallway when I saw Ayame pull that bullshit..." Kyo muttered. "Not like I had a choice or anything." Tohru frowned softly.

"I'm sorry..." she murmured. "Meh! It's not like YOU have anything to apologize for! I can go without lunch for a day." Kyo told them before his stomach objected. Momiji giggled in amusement. "I don't think your stomach agrees Kyo." "SHUT IT!" the cat spat as his face reddened from embarrassment. "...I see that explains it." Hatsuharu murmured. "Um, Kyo..." Tohru began before she held out her lunch box to him. Kyo paused as he looked at her. "This is too much to eat all by myself and I guess Hana and Ouo are eating elsewhere so I don't mind if you know I share my lunch with you." Tohru offered with a smile. "Would that be ok?" "...Nah it's yours I'm fine really..." "Oh but it's not good to go without lunch! Plus you have to build up energy studying for finals!" unable to refuse Kyo gave in. "Alright fine...thanks, I guess..." Kyo murmured and started to eat along with Tohru. {I hope Yuki is enjoying the lunch I packed him if he's not too busy to eat...} she thought to herself.

Unfortunately, the student council members were still stuck inside the council room. Yuki's eyes wandered over towards the window quietly everyone else's voices fading into the background of the room. He couldn't stop looking at Tohru and Kyo eating lunch together with Hatsuharu and the others. "Alright! Lunch break! Everyone be quick about it! We still have plenty we need to discuss!" the vice president of student council exclaimed. It didn't take long before everyone went to get their lunch boxes. Yuki looked at the bento box Tohru had made for him. "...Maybe I was the foolish one...getting excited about eating a lunch Miss Honda had made for me...but I just had to be busy...I know this is important in its own way...but...still..." Yuki sighed as he untied the cloth and opened the lunch box. His eyes widened as he noticed all kinds of his favorite foods. There were even cute little rice balls shaped like rats with seaweed whiskers.

A smile manifested onto his face before he remembered he left some of his papers in his locker. "I better retrieve those now while everyone's busy eating..." Yuki murmured and got up leaving the room. The three fan club girls arose from hiding near the window and opened it. "Are the notes set in everyone's lockers?" the girl with pigtails questioned. "Yep!" the redhead exclaimed. "Exelent...now we just have to wait..." she grinned. The black haired fangirl waited until the others left. "I'm not taking any chances..." she muttered to herself and poured something onto the food. "Get over here and hide! They'll be back any minute!" the pigtailed fangirl called. "Comming!" the black haired girl exclaimed and quickly made herself scarce. Arisa and Hana noticed the multiple notes in few people's lockers. No doubt the handy work of those Prince Yuki Fanclub members.

"Did you see that treasure box of delicious looking food? Aw man, I was drooling just looking at it. It makes my lunch pale in comparison!" Arisa exclaimed as she opened her locker to get her lunch handing Hana hers afterward. "Tohru really went all out, so why in the world is she sharing lunch with Orange Top? I gotta say it doesn't make much sense..." the Yankee sighed. "I think...originally Tohru wanted to eat with Yuki...but she didn't want to bother him...I know...because that's how our kind sweet Tohru is..." Hana murmured. "She always takes other people's consideration." "Yep! That's our Tohru!" Arisa grinned as they made their way back. "Wait, hold on a sec..." Arisa stopped Hana. Taking a closer look, the whole student council like vultures were devouring the lunch Tohru and put her heart and soul into making.

"THOSE ASSHOLES! HOW COULD THEY BE SO THOUGHTLESS!" Arisa exploded before Hana pointed to Yuki as he came around the corner. "Can I help you with some-" Yuki began before he paused as his eyes widened. "GAH! The lunch Miss Honda made!" Yuki cried as he looked around at the whole student council mainly the boys with sticky rice all over their faces. Yuki hurried over and peered inside. It was gone! It was ALL gone! Yuki felt his blood boiling in his veins. "Uh oh...the prince is gonna blow..." Arisa made a face. "Oh no..." Hana frowned before Arisa looked towards the window. Tohru was looking through it only to see everything she made was gone. Slowly she turned and ran off not saying a word.

"...Ugh...I don't feel so good..." one of the members exclaimed. "Me neither..." another commented. "WELL, YOU ALL SHOULD FEEL DISGUSTED WITH YOURSELVES! BUNCH A PIGS!" Arisa spat before they all collapsed causing everyone to turn blue. Soon the members of the student council were being carried out of stretcher and into an ambulance. "We ask that all students leave the building! An inspection must be performed before we can resume school activity until further notice..." the announcements rang out. Having little choice everyone returned home much to Shigure's surprise. "Well Well! You're all home early! I heard our lovely Tohru's lunch was a REAL knockout!" the dog teased.

"Yeah, it was great! The whole pack of student council members was taken out with one bite!" Kyo exclaimed. "They even had to be rushed to the hospital." the cat snickered. "Rat boy should count himself lucky he didn't end up in a body bag too." "B-Body bag!?" Tohru squeaked as she came in and put herself in the corner of the kitchen. "I was just kiddin. No need to get all upset." Kyo told her. "We all know by now that your jokes just aren't THAT funny..." Yuki muttered still pissed about the whole thing. "I-I am SO sorry Yuki!" Tohru cried. "I-I don't know what happened! But if you had eaten it too then you might be in the hospital also...I'm sorry...it looks like I can't even make lunch RIGHT! Oh, I'm such an idiot!" Tohru sulked.

"Did something go bad!? Did I undercook the meat!? Maybe I cross contaminated something and caused everyone to get food poisoning!?" Tohru attempted to make sense out of everything. "Who cares! At least we got outta school! That's ALWAYS a plus!" Kyo exclaimed. "Would you shut up for once?" Yuki muttered before he turned his attention to Tohru. "It wasn't your fault...you were only trying to do something nice for me...I don't blame you for what happened..." "B-But I REALLY messed up...I'm supposed to cook and be good at it...but after this...you'll probably never trust me to cook for you guys again...I wouldn't blame you either..." Tohru sniffed as her eyes filled with tears.

"...Miss Honda...don't be so hard on yourself...you're always trying so hard for our sake and others...in fact I was the one who was upset with myself..." "...Why were-" Yuki frowned. "Well because after all that work you put into that lunch for me I didn't get to even eat a single bite...and I was looking forward to it too..." "...You...were...?" Tohru asked as she paused listening to him. Yuki smiled and nodded. "Yes...very much so...it was such a lovely day too...the truth is that I wanted to eat outside with everyone else rather than being stuck inside that stuffy council room...and Miss Honda..." "...Yes, Yuki?" Tohru murmured as she looked up. "If by chance you ever did make me a lunch again...I'd like to eat it...only this time I'll be a bit more careful about where I leave it. Would that be alright?" the rat asked softly before Tohru's smile returned finally.

"Oh yes! Yes, of course, I would love to!" Tohru exclaimed with a tear filled smile as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah maybe if I'M lucky you'll die from RAT poisoning this time." Kyo fired off only serving to anger Yuki. "I'd consider yourself grateful that Miss Honda took a portion of her lunch and shared it with you, you ungrateful cat," Yuki muttered irritated. "Speaking of which. I bet you didn't even notice that Miss Honda was working on a cat next for her stuffed collection...with the orange felt upstairs...you're too busy making your frustrations hers and our problem! Frankly, I'm sick of it." Yuki spat. "So instead of feeling sorry for yourself why not just tell Miss Honda that you LIKE HER!" the rat cried before the whole room went silent. Kyo could feel his whole face lit up like a cherry.

"M-MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS YOU DAMNED RAT!" Kyo cried out. "Fine be that way...I'm going upstairs to change..." Yuki muttered and left for his room. "M-Me too!" Kyo muttered and got up following. "Hmm well, that was certainly eventful!" Shigure mused. "Although perhaps a bit tense for my liking...you're normally overly dramatic but in this case, I think you're right..." Shigure murmured as Ayame opened the sliding door from behind him. "Those naughty girls put little slips of paper into the boy's lockers and told them that the lunch box Tohru made was a gift for their hard work. So of course when Yuki leaves they all shovel it in like utter animals. For shame. If that wasn't enough I caught one of the girls pouring something onto the food.

I'm only glad my little brother didn't eat any...it was Rat poison. I'm guessing she just grabbed the first thing she saw and figured it would make everyone sick and they'd all blame poor sweet Tohru. It really is horrible, isn't it?" "It would seem a little revenge is in order." Shigure grinned as a mischievous glimmer sparkled in his eye. "I'd have to agree...besides that where did Tohru go?" Ayame questioned as he looked around. "I'd think that'd be obvious at this point." Shigure chuckled as he pointed up the stairs. Just as the dog suspected Yuki now changed out of his uniform sat by the window clutching the acceptance letter in his hand crinkling the edges. Akito's voice echoed in his head haunting him. "She'll never understand you...not like I do...how could she ever love someone like you...?" Yuki bit his lip before Tohru's voice broke the silence.

"Yuki?..." Tohru asked softly before Yuki quickly concealed the letter behind the pillow he was leaning against. "Yes, Miss honda? How can I help you?" "Oh...well um...you know we never did get to go out to the garden the other day you know with the commotion and everything...so I thought we could go together today. Of course, if you're busy we can-" "Yes we did get a bit sidetracked didn't we?" Yuki turned his head towards the window. "...The weather's nice... so it should be alright...why don't we go now?" Yuki suggested as Tohru paused before she smiled. "Ahuh!" she smiled before they left the house together. After a good walk, Tohru and Yuki made it to the secret base. Yuki got down to take a good look at the strawberry's readiness.

"The strawberries are a beautiful deep and vibrant color..." Yuki began. "Although there are some here that still are a little white..." he murmured. "...I love strawberries..." Tohru murmured as she got down and held one still on the vine holding it out to Yuki. "They're like cute little hearts...turning different colors as they ripen and grow...nurtured by the rich soil of the earth, the replenishing moisture of the rain and even the warmth of plentiful sunlight...until they shine the jewels. You know...it's kind of like the feelings that live within our hearts...buried deep inside...steadily maturing as our experiences shape and mold them...expanding and ripening with each and every day...and even if they aren't ready just yet...like those whitening strawberries over there...one day they will be...and they'll have that courage to tell that special person "I like you..." Tohru murmured as Yuki listened to her taken back by her words.

"Oh! But maybe you think it's weird comparing hearts to strawberries! Huh?!" Tohru tried to laugh off her embarrassment. "I guess I got a little carried away..." Tohru smiled as her face reddened slightly. "...You know...i've never thought about it like that before..." Yuki confessed softly. "In a way...it does make some sense..." "...Oh...it does?" Tohru questioned as she watched Yuki pick off a bright red strawberry. Carefully he held it out to Tohru. "So then...what would this strawberry reveal about...you know a person's feelings inside the heart?" the rat asked Tohru softly. "Hmm let's see!" Tohru smiled and took a closer look at it. "Aha! It's saying... Yuki... I like you...berry much!" Tohru smiled as Yuki's face nearly lit up red *POOF* Left in his place as a very red mouse. Tohru squeaked before she frantically searched for Yuki who landed by chance in her basket of strawberries.

{Mom...I think I understand...maybe it's not just the words you say out loud to someone...but the ones you keep locked up inside too...that effect our hearts...for now...I'll let mine blossom until a beautiful flower...is left in its place...so mom...please watch over us...me, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure and everyone...and who knows...maybe one day I CAN tell Yuki...what it is...I REALLY want to say...without him turning into a rat or me as red as a strawberry...Yuki I like You...}

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