Like A Ninja, I'll Steal Your Heart (Fruits Basket)

Shigure

My things were returned to me after the older one, whose name I learned was Shigure, had helped me back to the house. As much as I hated it, I'd had to accept his help.

Despite any attempts they made to find out anything about me, the only thing they could get me to tell them was my first name. Of course, even that took a lot of work for them.

What is with these people? I thought. Everyone had gone to bed an hour ago, so only I was awake. I'd been sitting against the wall downstairs and had refused to leave this spot, no matter how much the others had tried to convince me otherwise. I never did like sleeping around other people anyway.

Why do they insist on acting so kind? It's not like any of them would actually care. It was quite frustrating. Sitting there with my blanket wrapped around me, I began to think back on everything that had happened to me in my life. That only reminded me that I was alone; no one ever really wanted me around and even those who did were the type who only ever liked to hurt me.

To try to take my mind off of it, I tried to remember the words of a song I knew. In a way, the song was both sad and beautiful. The funny thing about it, singing it to myself made me feel less sad.

Come out moon; come out wishing star.

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

I'm out here in the dark, all alone and wide awake.

Come and find me.

Singing had always been that secret bit of happiness that I had. It was the one thing that would never leave me. Never could it cause me pain. That was probably why I loved to sing.

I hear you laugh; I see you smile.

I'll be with you, just for a while.

But when the morning comes and the sun begins to rise, I will lose you.

Because it's just a dream, when I open up my eyes I will lose you.

I used to believe in forever, but forever's too good to be true.

I've hung a wish on every star; it hasn't done much good so far.

I don't know what else to do; except to try to dream of you.

And wonder if you're dreaming too, wherever you are.

For just a moment, I smiled. But when I remembered where I was, I forced it back. There was no trusting these people, so I would have to be careful. Of course, sleep was necessary regardless of my trust issues.

I was awakened the next morning by a very loud voice shouting at a quieter voice. I didn't bother opening my eyes; I didn't really care what was going on. Though when there was a loud crashing sound followed by a few words from Shigure, I was forced to open my eyes.

"Sometimes it feels like the whole world is conspiring to destroy my house," I heard him say to himself in an overly dramatic tone. Apparently the others were gone. Well, it was a Tuesday, so the other three were likely in school.

So that means I'm alone with this guy. I shuddered at the thought. Better be on guard; you never know what kind of guy he is. If he's anything like... I cut my thought off before I had a chance to remind myself.

"Oh my, I hope those two didn't wake you." His voice was always so calm that it was a bit irritating. "Those two just can't seem to get along. Are you feeling any better?"

"What do you care?"

"Well I was going to see if a dear friend of mine needed to tend to your injury, but if you're so insistent on not being helped, then I guess there's nothing I can do." Damn him and that voice of his. What the hell was he trying to do?

"Why would you want to help me?" I tried my best to maintain my tough appearance, but I could feel it slipping away. Why did he have to sound like he cared? If he'd just acted even half as friendly, there wouldn't have been any problem.

"How could anyone be so heartless as to turn away such a sweet little girl in such a time of need?"

Damn that voice! The more he kept up this act, the more my anger started to boil over. "Quit with the nice guy act already! You don't even know me yet you're so insistent on trying to help when I clearly don't want anything to do with you! No one is that nice! Not to me! If I could walk easily on my own right now you wouldn't even bother to even look at me!"

"I'm hurt that you would think so ill of me." Unbelievable. Even after all that, he still kept acting the same.

Doesn't this guy ever yell or get angry or... or anything?

"Oh my," he said, keeping up that irritatingly gentle voice. "It seems I've left you speechless. I do hope you can get over that before we visit Hatori."

Who the hell is this guy?

I ended up being dragged along to wherever this Hatori person was. "Just sit here a moment while I go find Hatori," Shigure told me before wandering off on his own.

With my ankle in the condition it was in, I couldn't follow him right now. When I'd tried to run so soon after falling from the tree, I'd put too much strain on it. No doubt that had caused even more damage. Getting here had been pretty tough, not to mention very painful.

"Well, you're a new face." A voice nearby caught my attention. Standing not far from me was a boy who looked similar to Yuki, but he had a darker aura about him.

"Who are you?" I asked. I kept my voice calm since he seemed like someone I wouldn't want to anger. My guess was he had a temper even worse than Kyo's, so I'd better be careful.

"I am the head of the Sohma family, Akito."