One Step Closer [Fruits Basket]

Chapter 1: A New Home

"Wow! It looks like it'll be another hot day, even though it's mid-September already! Right, Natsu-Nee?" Tohru said excitedly.

"That's true." Natsu replied with a chuckle while packing her school bag.

The two sisters went to their tent and poked their heads into it.

"All right, Mom, Dad, you look after things here!" Tohru bade her farewell, looking at their parents' pictures with a smile.

"We'll see you guys after school. Bye! Love you!" Natsu added.

Natsu Honda and Tohru Honda were fraternal twin sisters. Natsu was the older twin while Tohru was the younger one. Both of them were high school students and were in their first years.

When they were really young, their father Katsuya Honda died of pneumonia while on a business trip. Natsu and Tohru were only 3 years old when that happened. Though Tohru couldn't remember much of their father, Natsu somehow clearly remembered him and how he was. That's why the older Honda sister always told stories about their father to the younger one from time to time.

Recently, a few months back, their mother Kyoko Honda passed away in a car accident leaving the sisters on their own.

They were living with their paternal grandfather for a bit, but he needed to get some modeling done with his home. He asked if they could stay with a friend, but they didn't want to be a burden, so they had been in their little tent for a week now in the forest.

"We've plenty of time today, so why don't we take a walk around the area?" Tohru asked as they walked through the forest.

"We can do that." Natsu replied.

While they were wandering around the forest and enjoying the view of the city from the top of a cliff, Tohru noticed a beautiful Japanese-style house at a distance.

"What is it, Tohru?" Natsu asked.

"Natsu-Nee, look!" Tohru said, pointing at the house. "Isn't it pretty? Let's go and take a closer look!"

"I don't think so, Tohru." Natsu replied, shaking her head. "We'll be late for school."

"Please Natsu-Nee! Please!" Tohru whined with puppy dog eyes.

'Those damn puppy dog eyes' Natsu thought.

"Fine let's go..." Natsu let out a sigh.

"Yeah!" Tohru cheered.

The two Honda sisters went closer to the house and looked around.

"A new discovery today, right Natsu-Nee?" Tohru said, pointing at the house.

"Tohru, we shouldn't go too close. People probably live here. It's trespassing..." Natsu mumbled.

"Oh how cute! The twelve animals of the Zodiac!" Tohru squealed while looking at the figurines on the porch of the house. "Natsu-Nee look!"

"Well now. It's not too often I see girls around here" a voice suddenly called out.

It was a young attractive man in his mid-20s with short black hair that has long locks hanging around his face and grey eyes. He was staring at the Honda sisters with wide eyes, quite surprised at their presence in front of his house.

Tohru started to panic and stuttered incoherent words. Natsu came up and put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Hello, We're really sorry for trespassing on your property." Natsu said, bowing at the man.

"Y-Yes! W-We were looking at the figurines of yours!" Tohru panicked, also bowing.

"It's alright. Go right ahead!" the man grinned. "But wouldn't young people like you find this place boring?"