You're the only one he has left. . .

"Come on, Kyo-Kun! Let's go walking together!"

"NO DAMMIT! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME ALREADY!"

"Kyo, you're so unkind…."

Forever, I have been chasing Kyo Sohma, the love of my life. Forever, he has shunned me. I guess any other fool would have given up, thrown in the towel, and said good-bye. But not me….I suppose I have deeper reasons for loving and protecting Kyo so much…more than the average person, anyway.

"FINE! WE'LL WALK! BUT ONLY FOR TEN MINUTES!"

I take his arm and lead him down the road.

He needs you. You'll accept him. . .

"Where are you going?" I hear a young, female voice yell.

"We're going on a walk, Tohru," I said, and I dragged Kyo away.

"Have fun!" she shrieks.

Kyo casts a look of annoyance in both mine and Tohru's direction, and I continue to pull him further down the road. Tohru…what can I say? She's been great for Kyo, but in reality, she's only made my job harder. Following him everywhere, accepting his real form…I never thought it would be that simple for any other person to accept Kyo. I always assumed I would be the only one, that he would always be mine…even if he didn't really love me. Was I so wrong to assume that? Was it wrong to be that selfish?

"Oh, it's been ten minutes…time to go back!"

And Kyo darts back down the road. . .with my heart.

"You're back so soon!" Tohru exclaims. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No," Kyo says. "I want some time to myself." He, of course, stares right in my direction.

I know you're young... but you'll understand…

I walk over to Tohru and start meaningless chatter that has no point…she's so kind. I know she would be great for Kyo…but I don't know what I'd do if they fell in love. I would be like a book with no pages: having no purpose.

"I'm going to go check on Kyo," says Tohru, and she goes outside. Well, I'm not surprised. She's always so concerned about him…..it almost makes me jealous, in a way. I can't always be there, and she can.

I watch her walk outside towards Kyo. She talks to him and pats his shoulder. And the best part is he smiles…he really smiles when she is around him. At this point, I have to turn around and let the tears come down slowly, one by one. . .

I would never want anyone else to be with him…

The dog sees me…I conceal my tears for allergies. He knows, though. He knows everything…all that I was asked to do…and what I may not be able to.

"You know, you don't have to do what she expects of you. Kyo may be better off this way."

"But I love him Shigure," I whisper, and the tears come back again. "It's not that simple anymore. Through trying to know him, I've actually come to care about him. And now, it hurts that I may not be able to do what she asked. I can't live knowing that he may never love me."

"But you can't make someone love you…and whether you want to believe or not, you cannot make someone as rash as Kyo love you. It's just not possible."

"You haven't told him, have you?"

"No, never. I'm better at keeping secrets than you suspect."

The phone rings. It's Shigure's editor. I walk back to the window. They're still out there, talking, laughing, sharing memories…and I have to hold back the tears in case they see. So I focus on one thing. I choose a tree. Because it's fall, the leaves have shriveled up and died. Only a bare trunk with thin, worn branches remains. The tears dry up and I make sure I look composed and happy. Then I look back at Kyo and Tohru.

But they are nowhere to be seen.

I run outside and scan the yard for them. They are nowhere…I wonder where they have run off to.

"KYO-KUN!" I scream. The windows shatter into a thousand pieces.

No one turns around. And no one appears.

I fall down into the grass and let out another piercing scream. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

I take a letter out of my kitty backpack. The edges are yellow and frayed, falling apart with age. It's addressed "Kagura Sohma: Open Immediately. Disclose to no one."

It's too late for this…I couldn't do this…I failed…

I open the envelope and remove the piece of paper…the paper that helped me hang onto Kyo through so many years…the paper that will be read for the last time.

Kagura:

It seems like only yesterday that you were saying "Come, Kyo! Come play with me!" I smile on those days with a warm heart. You are still small, Kagura, and so young, but I feel that this is my final hour. I know that you will not understand at first. You will not know why I am no longer there. But I have one thing to ask of you: look after Kyo. Stay with him, protect him. Learn to love him the way that I should have. You're the only one he has left, for there is no one else for him to go to after this. He needs you. You'll accept him, something else that I could never do. You have the great ability to adapt and understand people, and that will take you great places someday. I know you're young, but I also know that you'll understand. I would never want anyone else to be with him. So, this is good-bye. Stay strong, for Kyo and for yourself. And always tell Kyo how much his mother loved him. He needs to hear that.

Good-Bye