✓ | WITHERED BONDS, shigure sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Eighty

Kira opened her eyes slowly and her sight took a few seconds to clear. She felt an uncomfortable feeling in her nose, making her attempt to reach for it, but upon doing so, she realized that her hand was weak and she truly had no power to lift it at all.

It took a few minutes for her to let it all sink in that she was currently staring at a very familiar ceiling that she had woken up to countless times a week ago...and to her memories that have returned, the place she was in for an entire year since her accident when she was a child.

Upon the realization, she felt her eyes sting and her throat felt tight. She opened her lips slowly feeling her dry mouth finally taking in the fresh air, from having been closed for who knows how long. The pain started to settle in making her let out a whimper, which had the person sitting next to her bed jolt awake.

Kira slowly turned to the sound of the squeaking chair and ruffling fabric.

            "Kira, oh thank goodness," Hatori mumbled gently taking her hand in his own," Thank...goodness" He whispered rubbing his thumb on her palm.

            "Ha..." She closed her mouth not being able to speak. Hatori knew promptly, reaching over her side table and pouring lukewarm water into a cup and placing a straw inside it. However, he was careful to pour enough to just allow her mouth some fluid to start the cycle of producing more.

He carefully placed the straw to her lips as Kira took a sip of the water. For a few seconds, she let herself inhale air, even if she already had a breathing tube through her nose.

            "Hatori..." Kira finally said before tears formed in her eyes," How long—

            "Surprisingly just a week, which in my books is a miracle" Hatori allowed himself to smile and mildly laugh," I don't know how you managed, but you did not break a single bone and you only had a mild head concussion, which again, is unbelievable,"

            Kira's eyes widened," To...Tohru—"

            "Is fine, she woke up only a couple days later since the fall"

            "I think..." Kira let out a breath before closing her eyes," Tohru is the reason...I didn't get as hurt...because I felt her...warmth"

            "I see, that probably explains it, anyways—

            "Hatori" Kira stopped him from speaking as she turned," I don't want any visitors..."

            "What?" Hatori blinked freezing in place," Why so sudden? A lot of people—

            "Please, just...for now, I need to...clear my head..."

            Hatori sighed and looked down before standing up," Did you perhaps end up remembering something from the past?" Kira did not answer him as she turned away fighting the tears.

She had them all—every single memory from the past had returned and the last one was the main reason she did not want to see anyone, especially Shigure and Akito.

            "Fine, but for the sake of it, I'll just say you can't receive visitors. I don't know what happened and I will not ask, but I do have one thing to say" Hatori turned to leave, but before exiting the door he stood in place," What matters is now and not the past, do not let it control your present because it'll only make you regret it in the end. Moving forward, forgiving and also maybe even finding the truth—if there is one—makes you overcome all those obstacles"

            "While you still have the chance, do not let it slip away, because it would be an insult to all the hard work you have done. If you remember the past, then you know more than anyone that you can't be knocked down so easily"

Soon enough Hatori left her room and Kira sobbed.

...

           "I think of you more than anyone else. That is a definite truth, I love you, Kira"

...

           "You love me?"

            Shigure smiled placing a hand on her cheek using his thumb to rub her cheek, "Yes, I love you, more than anyone in this entire world" She smiled instantly hugging him tightly.

...

            "Although, I don't want to only look at the past, the Shigure I know now, also has a place in my heart"