"Kuso Nezumi!" Kyou yelled and aimed a punch at Yuki's smug face. Deftly moving out of the
way, Yuki smirked as Kyou's hand punched through the screen door. Again.
"A-ahhh..." Shigure whined, "Tooru-kun, Kyou is breaking my house again!"
"Be a man!" Kyou shouted, embarrassed. "Don't whine to girls!"
Tooru peeked her head in from the kitchen, and looked at the twin holes in the screen door. "I'll
fix it as soon as this is finished cooking." She smiled and started to draw back into the kitchen.
"Don't concern yourself about it, Honda-san." Yuki smiled, "I'll get the paper and fix it."
Tooru's eyes grew huge, "AAH! No! No! I can do it!" Yuki looked back at her, his eyes wide and
mouth parted in surprise.
Kyou snorted, "Yeah, Yuki's so clumsy he'd just make it worse anyway!"
Yuki glared at Kyou and went to the closet. Opening the door with a slam he looked inside and
blinked. "Where's the paper roll?" He turned to Tooru standing white-faced in the kitchen
doorway. "Honda-san, do you know where the paper is?"
Ah...that is...I mean..."
Shigure lifted his nose and sniffed, "Is something burning?"
"Aaaaahh!" Tooru cried and turned back to the kitchen, "Dinner!!"
Shigure pretended to cry, "Yuki distracted Tooru and now dinner is ruined. My one joy, Tooru's
cooking...GONE! And it's all Yuki's fault!"
Shigure continued to complain but Yuki wasn't paying attention. He was more concerned with
Tooru's behavior. Honda-san had been acting strangely towards them all since they'd discussed
Christmas. He would have thought she was mad at them...except...Honda didn't get mad at people
or if she did she didn't stay mad. But it had been days now and she seemed to be avoiding them
all. They had been trying to spare her pain, and now it looked like they'd caused her more grief
than they'd meant to spare her. She'd been distracted all around the house, and little things had
gotten misplaced. Shigure had mentioned several missing items from his desk (though with the
condition of his room, Yuki wasn't so sure that wasn't Shigure's own fault). He himself had been
unable to find a spool of twine that he wanted to tie up some vegetable vines with. The missing
paper roll was just another in a line of things that had seemingly gotten lost inside the house since
Tooru had gotten so preoccupied.
Later at dinner Kyou watched Tooru as she spaced out while she ate. She had a happy smile on
her face, even as she ate the charred piece of fish she'd ruined earlier. Yuki had offered to take
that piece, but Tooru had refused spouting something about becoming stronger through adversity.
It hadn't made much sense, but she hadn't made a whole lot of sense a lot these past few days. She
had never been that quick on the uptake, but she seemed to be forgetting things all the time. She'd
had to go to market for things just about every day this week, each time getting just one or two
things. She'd refused both Yuki and his offers to accompany her, and had spent any time she
wasn't doing chores in her room with the door closed. She was avoiding them, but the only reason
he could think of was the Christmas present discussion. Had they shamed her? Perhaps she
couldn't stand to be around them now. Kyou thought of how he felt every time that damn rat won
another battle. He didn't want to look anyone in the face. Could she be feeling like that? He
continued to stare, trying to read her. She was so damn hard to read, all she ever showed was a
smiling face to the world.
Shigure chattered and chatted away as he ate his dinner, his sharp eyes taking in the boys concern
and Tooru's obliviousness. Things had gotten so much fun since Tooru had come to live in his
house. A cold wind blew on the back of his neck through the holes on the door. Sighing
internally, he did wish that the boys would stop breaking his house, especially if they were out of
supplies to fix it.
* * *
The bell rang for lunch and there was a general sigh of relief from the whole class. It was the last
day of school before the winter holiday and they were all eager for the day to be over with. As the
students assigned to get lunch for the class left, the class broke up into informal groups and began
chatting. Yuki and Kyou started to walk over to Tooru's desk, and Hana-chan and Uo-chan
converged on her as well. Just before they could reach her she sprang out of her seat.
"Oh! I forgot to return a book to the library! I'll go return it now!" She held it up as proof, "Yes,
right now, to the library!" She babbled as she ducked out of the room.
Her friends looked after her, blank-faced. They turned back to see themselves all gathered around
Honda's empty desk.
"What interesting vibrations..." Hana-chan closed her eyes and sighed.
Tooru pelted around the corner, stopping to catch her breath as soon as the classroom was out of
sight.
"Mother, this is very hard." She closed her eyes, opened them and let a determined look come
over her face. "But I won't give up!" She jogged quickly to the library to drop off her book, then
found a secluded corner to work. She needed every available free minute if she was going to
finish in time. She became so involved that she was almost late getting back to class. Her stomach
grumbled from lack of lunch but her head was so filled with how she was going to manage
getting what she had worked on in school home without anyone noticing that she hardly noticed.
Her friends all stole looks at her through the rest of the day's classes and tried to speak with her
whenever there was an opportunity. But she always managed to give some excuse to run out of
the room or if they did manage to speak with her all they got was "Tooru-babble." They
recognized it as her not so suave way to avoid any real conversation. School was finally over and
Uo-chan converged on her forcefully.
"Tooru-" She broke off and grabbed Tooru's hand. "What's this? What did you do to yourself?"
There were tiny cuts all over her fingers.
"AAAAH!" Tooru cried and pulled her hand free. "Its nothing, just some paper-cuts!"
"Paper cuts....but Honda-san...how did you get so many of them?" Yuki too her hand in his and
gently examined her fingers. The little cuts were everywhere.
Tooru blushed and pulled back. "No, no! I'm just clumsy." She closed her eyes and waved her
hands at her friends. "Its nothing to worry about."
"Heh," Kyou sneered, "She probably did it fixing that screen you said you were going to fix.
Kuso Nezumi."
Yuki's eyes narrowed. "You mean the one you punched the holes in, Baka Neko?" he responded
carelessly. Kyou's hair practically stood on end and he started to shout back.
"Oy, oy oy!" Uo-chan's hand fell heavy on Kyou's shoulder, "Are you making extra work for
Tooru-chan?" Dark swirls radiated off her, and even Kyou was a little intimidated.
"If Tooru was being overworked...." Yuki turned, feeling a chill as looked back and Hana-chan's
blank faced stare. Her antennae seemed to be focusing in on the boys and little electricity swirls
danced about her head. "I would feel I had to do...." she paused and seemed to focus in on Yuki.
"Something." She blinked slowly, "Yes, something."
"What do you mean by 'something'?" Yuki thought as he felt himself grow cold.
"Hey," Uo-chan blinked, "Where did Tooru go?"
The four looked up to see a rapidly retreating Tooru moving quickly away from them. As if
feeling eyes on her she turned and waved a fist in the air. "I'll work hard at my part-time job!" she
called. Waving her fist in the air she chanted, "Fight-o! Fight-o!"
"She's lost her mind." Uo-chan muttered.
* * *
By Christmas Eve the mood in the house was as brittle as ice. Shigure tried to stay in his office as
much as possible (much to the delight of his editor). Without Honda's calming influence the boys'
relationship had deteriorated to where they could hardly be in the same room without coming to
blows. Neither understood what was going on with her, and the frustration gnawed at them
constantly. Tooru's mood however was light. She sang as she attended a little light housekeeping
and then began to decorate the little Christmas tree Shigure had brought home. Soon Hatusharu,
Momiji, Hatori and the other Soumas she'd met would be stopping by for dinner. Uo-chan and
Hana-chan would be coming as well. Expected at the Souma House on Christmas day, they had
decided to celebrate their Christmas with Tooru that night. Happily spaced out, she didn't notice
the dark looks the boys where giving each other as they helped her with the tree. She didn't
realize she was under constant scrutiny and that everything was noticed.
Yuki noted the dark shadows under her eyes, and remembered hearing noises in her room till late
at night. Had that stupid cat said something hurtful to her again when he wasn't around? Had it
bothered her so much she lost sleep over it? Kyou watched her yawn before hanging another
ornament. When he'd come in from the roof the other night he'd seen the light on in her room. It
had been late, and she was still up. Something had to be bothering her. He caught a glance from
the mouse, and glared back. He could feel the damn rat somehow blaming this all on him, but he
hadn't done anything dammit!!
He reached for an ornament to hand to her but found himself blocked by Yuki's hand. They'd both
reached for the same one. Glaring, the both settled back into fighting stances automatically. Kyou
started to throw a punch when Tooru bent to get an ornament, too late to stop his momentum the
panicked boy barely managed to pull the punch that glanced off the crown of her head.
Tooru's eyes became swirls as she quickly sat down in surprise. The blow had hardly any force
behind it but it had been completely unexpected. "Eh?"
"BAKA NEKO!" Yuki's blow was swift, and shocking to the party that had arrived just then.
Kyou felt himself being thrown back and crashed into the table. It cracked and broke beneath his
weight with a sick crunch. The party in the doorway, the Soumas all still bundled in their winter
scarves and coats with Uo-chan and Hana-chan just behind them, stared at Kyou laying in the
mess of the table. Almost as one, everyone's attention focused on Tooru still sitting on the floor
holding her head.
"Kyou...kun..." she whispered, and tears began rolling down her face.
"Ah, Honda-san." Yuki kneeled by her and lightly touched her head. "Are you hurt?"
Kyou slowly maneuvered himself up and saw Tooru staring straight at him. Blushing he
scrambled to get close to her, ignoring the hovering mouse. "You...I...are you..." He raised a hand
to check her head.
She pushed it away, and ran to the table. "Oh NO!" Both boys went blank as she kneeled next to
the table. "Oh no, oh no!"
"To-ru?" Momiji stepped into the room and next to the frantic girl. "Are you alright?"
"Oneechan?" Kisa's eyes narrowed in concern and Hiro glanced between her and Tooru frowning.
Pushing aside one of the broken table halves Tooru pulled out a box, practically leveled by the
broken table. "They're ruined! Oh no!"
"Ara?" Hana-chan looked over her shoulder and reached into the battered box, she pulled out a
sad squashed thing. "A lantern."
The box was full of broken crushed paper lanterns. The one Hana-chan held had a little flower
reading a book on it; others were decorated with fanciful mice, dogs, boars and other whimsical
creatures. They had been made out of the light translucent paper that covered the screens and the
shapes had been cleverly cut out of shopping bags and pasted on.
Pulling out the one with the mice painted on it, Yuki hid his eyes in his hair. "Honda-san," he said
gently as she hid her face in her hands. "Did you make these for us for Christmas?"
Sobbing, Tooru nodded her head unable to look up. Kyou knelt and fingered one adorned with
cats in all sorts of positions, sleeping cats, leaping cats, and closed his eyes. This is what she had
been up doing; this is where all those cuts had come from. And they'd ruined it. "I-idiot." He
flushed "What were you thinking? What did you spend all that time on this for? Didn't we tell you
not to get us any gifts?"
"B-but" she looked and leaned forward into Kyou's face, causing him to draw back in surprise,
"Kyou-kun said not to buy gifts! And Momiji-kun said not to spend my money!" She turned to
the wide-eyed blonde. "And I didn't! I didn't spend any money! Uo-chan and Hana-chan, and all
the others, they were so worried about me!" She looked up at her best friends who looked back at
her with huge eyes. Uo-chan's mouth was parted in surprise. "I had to repay everyone for their
kindness." She looked around at everyone's concerned faces. "Everyone's been so kind and
generous. Mother would never forgive me if I didn't repay you somehow." She looked down into
the mess in her lap. "But-but..." she hid her face in her hands again. "Now I don't have gifts for
anyone!" her soft weeping filled the room.
"But-But" Momiji said earnestly, "I've received a wonderful gift from Tooru!" Tooru sniffled and
looked up, confused. Momiji launched himself forward in full glomp mode, but skidded to a stop
with a glance at her two friends. Sitting next to her he leaned his head against her shoulder. "I get
hugs whenever I want them!" He smiled and looked up at her, clearly saying "well not always"
with his look. Tooru sniffled again and smiled uncertainly.
"Yes!" cried Ayame, posing dramatically hair flying out behind him hand on chest, "I too have
received a wonderful gift from Tooru-kun." Embracing his brother, "I have received something,
which is oh-so much better than nothing, and what I have received is the adoration of my
wonderful little brother! Oh don't you adore me Yuki? "
"I don't adore you." Yuki said white faced. Seeing Tooru frown, he closed his eyes and gave
himself up for lost, "But I don't hate you."
"OH YUKI!" Ayame embraced the wooden figure of his brother and would have launched into
another speech but was interrupted.
"Stop acting stupid, Aya." Hatori chastised.
"OK," Ayame beamed still half draped over his brother, "You too Tori-san! You too! What have
you gotten from Honda-san?"
Hatori considered, "A breath of spring."
Silence descended and everyone stared. Hatori coughed and looked to the side. Hana-chan sighed
softly, leaning her head to the side. "Such wonderful waves," she opened her eyes and looked
gently at Tooru, "I always receive such good vibrations when I'm around Tooru-chan." She
smiled again, "Yes...good vibrations."
"Hana-chan!" Tooru sniffled and gave her a tight hug. Everyone crowded around to tell Tooru
what gifts they'd received. Hatsuharu had gotten "Yuki's Smile" (which caused Yuki to turn white
again), Kisa had received a big sister, and Kisa's Mom had gotten Kisa's voice. Hiro seemed put
out but admitted he'd gotten the same. The others all chimed in eager to have their say, all but
Kyou and Yuki who held back unsure of what out of the many things they should point out.
"Now its your turn!" Kagura smiled, holding out a small package, "Here's my gift, as thanks for
taking care of Kyou-kun when I'm not around."
Tooru's eyes grew huge. "Oh I couldn't! I've received so much from you all already, I'll be
punished if I get any more!"
"Ne, Tooru-kun, its Christmas!" Shigure smiled. "Its okay to get gifts tonight." He held up a little
package of his own.
"Of course, it would be rude to refuse them. Completely lacking in grace." Hiro pointed out
snidely, but did look slightly apologetic when Kisa frowned at him. Tooru smiled and accepted
the gift from Kagura. Carefully tearing off the paper, she gasped.
"Oh, its lovely!" She held up a picture frame, decorated with the animals of the zodiac, in the
corner a little cat symbol was pasted on. She beamed at Kagura, "It will be perfect for Mother on
New Years!" She didn't notice everyone in the room blanch.
Also oblivious, Kagura looked around, "Who's next, who's next?"
Coughing into her fist, Uo-chan stepped forward, closed her eyes and handed her a gift wrapped
in black paper and lace. "This is from Hanajima and I. She wrapped it."
Tooru tore it open, careful to save the lace ribbon. "Uwaaah! Its so elegant!" She lifted up another
picture frame, this one of a deep mahogany wood and decorated with graceful black lace
butterflies. The others in the room felt themselves slump a bit more.
Kisa looked uncertainly at the gift in her hands, "Oneechan..." She looked up at Tooru. "This..."
Tooru gently took the present from her and unwrapped it. Kisa flushed.
"Its so cute!" Tooru beamed, hugging the picture frame to her chest. This one was of plain, light
wood with small hearts engraved in it and the slogan "Love is forever." And so it went each
member giving her a picture frame, a gilt one from Ayame, a wrought iron ivy style from Hatori,
a stylish white and black one from Haru. Shigure gave her a silver one with his photo in it. "Just a
place holder" he assured her when Hatori, Yuki and Kyou glared at him. Momiji was proud to
present her with a new leather wallet photo frame. When the others glared at him he only smiled.
"Never under estimate the bunny." He laughed, then cried when Kyou gave him a noogie for his
impertinence. The other Souma's moved in to scold, laugh, or join in and Uo-chan and Hana-chan
took in their antics with a little amazement. Tooru was spaced out happily looking at the stack of
frames in front of her.
"Honda-san..." Yuki said hesitantly. "This seems a little silly now...but..."
Tooru looked up at Yuki and smiled, and took the familiarly shaped package out of his hands,
"Thank you Souma-kun." She carefully pulled out a glass "floating" frame, between the panes of
glass was a pressed flower, and some leaves. "A strawberry plant!" She smiled up at him, "Its
lovely" she beamed. Yuki gave one of his rare "true" smiles.
"I thought it might be nice if your mother visited the secret base sometime." He smiled.
Kyou leaned against the wall, letting the package he held behind his back dig in between his
shoulder blades. He was last now and he regretted not moving in before that damn rat. He wasn't
even sure if he should give it to her. He watched Yuki and her chat over the frame he'd gotten her
and felt his face warm. He looked down and studied his toes.
"Kkkyooooooooouuuuu-kun!" Kagura caroled, "You haven't given your gift to Tooru-kun yet!"
Suddenly she turned scary looking, eyes flashing, "You DID get something for Tooru-
kun....didn't you!?"
"O-of course I did! Don't be stupid!" Kyou yelled, flushing he closed his eyes and thrust the
package at Tooru.
"Thank you Kyou-kun!" Tooru hugged the package to her chest. "I love it! I like it a lot!"
"I-idiot, you haven't even opened it yet." Kyou cursed the stain that he knew was spreading across
his cheeks, and stood over her jamming his hands in his pockets.
"I know it will be great, because Kyou-kun picked it out." She ripped open the paper, and stared
at the frame in her hands. It was black, compact, and looked like it was made out of... rubber?
The room hushed and everyone stared at the thing in her hands.
Running a hand over his face and slightly covering his mouth, Kyou spoke up, "Maa...I know its
not very attractive....but its meant to protect. See..." he flipped it over, "Its water proof, and its
supposed to protect from heat and cold too...its really meant for documents.... but I.... I guess it
was stupid..." He made like he was going to take the frame back, but Tooru snatched it close to
her chest.
"No! Its not, now I can take mother in the bath with me!" Tooru exclaimed then blushed.
Everyone laughed and Kyou softened as he looked down at her.
"Ne, ne, Tooru-kun," Shigure called waving her over, "How are we going to eat Christmas dinner
without a table?"
* * *
"Mother, which one should we try on next?" Tooru beamed at her mother currently in the
wrought iron ivy frame. She sorted through the frames, "Mmm...maybe..."
"Tooru-kun, you've been doing that for days now." Shigure laughed, but left her and her mother
alone to play dress up.