Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Ebony and Ivory ❯ Caught! ( Chapter 6 )

AN: Just to recap, it was Kureno who originally inspired Yuki to play the piano. That's why Yuki refuses to apologize to him.

 

 

CHAPTER 6: Caught!

 

It was autumn, and the day was cool. It was almost time for Saito to stop Yuki. He always hated this time of day. It was hard to send someone home who acted like his sole escape was coming here.

 

“Excuse me,” someone said, interrupting his thoughts. Saito turned to see a young man with reddish-brown hair. Odd, for someone Japanese.

 

“Yes?” Saito said. “What can I help you with?”

 

The man didn't answer immediately, but instead turned to watch Yuki play for a minute. He looked pained. At last, he turned back to Saito. “That boy. Does he come here often?”

 

Saito paused, suddenly on guard. Should he say yes? “I can't say. I don't pay much attention,” he replied at last. Yuki continued to play, oblivious to the conversation.

 

The man sighed. “He has a lot of talent.”

 

“I suppose,” Saito replied, unsure what else to say, but trying to talk as if he and Yuki were strangers.

 

The man paused for another minute, as though trying to delay doing something unpleasant. At last, he walked over to the piano and laid a hand on Yuki's shoulder.

 

“I know, I know,” Yuki said, slightly startled. “Five more minutes.”

 

“Yuki-kun.”

 

Yuki froze, and turned around. He blinked several times in obvious cognitive dissidence, and then his face went white. “K… Kureno-san…”

 

“Akito said… he thought you were playing again. He told me to find out. This was one of the places he asked me to check.” The man called Kureno frowned. “Really, Yuki… you knew you weren't allowed.”

 

Yuki pressed his lips together. “I won't apologize. Not to you.”

 

“You know I need to tell him.”

 

Yuki said nothing.

 

“It's entirely your fault. He told you not to. You disobeyed.”

 

Yuki turned away from him and looked at the piano. “Kureno-san… you understand… don't you?”

 

The man looked agitated. “That makes no difference, Yuki-kun. You know that.”

 

Yuki's face was slowly assuming an expression of absolute dread. He had gotten caught. The one thing he had feared ever since he had first come here had happened. Saito stood frozen, wishing there were something he could do. If he said anything, it would only dig Yuki a deeper grave. Besides, Yuki had been caught red-handed, and had confessed.

 

Yuki was beginning to tremble. “What will he do?” he whispered.

 

“I don't know.”

 

The trembling turned into shaking. “Kureno-san, please…!” There was a definite note of pure panic in his voice. Saito left his counter and took a step forward, but was stopped by a glance from Yuki. “Please don't tell him. Please, I'll do anything.”

 

The man sighed again. He looked at Yuki thoughtfully, and seemed torn. There was fear in his eyes as well. Saito wondered what would happen to him if he lied about Yuki. At last, the man closed his eyes and looked away. “Yuki-kun, do you realize… what you're asking? Do you have any idea what he'll do if he finds out I lied? What he'll do to both of us? You can't be like this… you can't blatantly defy Akito and expect me to cover for you. That's not only selfish—it's absurd. I can't, Yuki, don't you understand?”

 

Yuki's eyes were closed tightly. “Kureno-niisan, please don't let him hurt me!” Kureno-niisan? This man was a relative?

 

“Yuki…”

 

“Please… I'll stop coming here. Anything you want. I promise. He wouldn't let me come again, anyway. Please don't tell him, Kureno-nii, please…”

 

Saito felt his heart race. There was absolutely no more doubt in his mind. Yuki had definitely been abused—and would be again if this were found out. How this man could be willing to betray Yuki was beyond him. Even if he would be taking a risk not to tell, it was better than handing over this child to be tortured!

 

“Sir…” Saito started.

 

“It's all right,” Yuki said desperately. He looked up at Saito, his eyes desperate. “This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it.”

 

It hurt to be treated like a total stranger, but Saito understood that this was the effect Yuki was going for. Would he be hurt more if Akito knew about Saito? Or was he afraid Saito would get hurt as well? Saito backed away, and went to put some things away, ostensibly. In reality he was watching and listening, and nearly shaking with suppressed agitation.

 

There was a long silence. “You promise you will never come here again?” asked Kureno. “And that I will never catch you playing piano again?”

 

“I promise. Please, Kureno-nii…”

 

He sighed and closed his eyes. “All right. I won't tell him. But get out of here immediately after I leave.”

 

Yuki's eyes widened as Kureno turned. “Okay. Okay, I will.”

 

Kureno stopped, and spoke without turning. “Ne, Yuki… don't do anything stupid. This can't happen again. This is the second time I've agreed to protect you. I'm not going to do it a third.”

 

“I understand. Thank you.”

 

Kureno left the store, and was gone. Saito turned to Yuki. Yuki was trembling.

 

“He let me go. I can't believe it, he let me go.”

 

“What do you mean? You won't be able to come here again.”

 

“I'm sorry. It's the best I could do. But don't you see? I can still play, and I can still see you. Just not here.”

 

“But he said if he caught you again…”

 

“So I don't get caught. But I need to leave. He'll be back later. He needs to be able to check here today and tell Akito that he didn't see me.”

 

“But when will I see you again?”

 

“Not here. I don't know. I don't really want to say goodbye for good, not after more than a year.”

 

“Has it really been that long?” Saito thought it seemed like yesterday since Yuki had shyly walked into his shop for the first time. How much had changed since then! The store was gaining business, and Saito was friendlier with everyone, even when Yuki wasn't there. Yuki rarely came just to play anymore, and they chatted and drank tea together frequently.

 

Yuki had changed too. When he had first started coming, he had barely spoken at all. Now he and Saito had had several conversations, and he seemed perfectly comfortable. And happy. Saito thought about the piano in his home—his wife's piano. The piano no one had touched since her death. How long would she have permitted it to sit there, unused? “There's a piano at my house,” he said quietly.

 

Yuki looked up. “But… I thought you said no one was allowed to play it.”

 

“I'll make an exception for you.”

 

“But what about when you're here?”

 

“I'm not here on Sundays. You could come then.”

 

“I'd need an excuse.”

 

Saito thought for a minute. “You're good with gardens and such, you said, ne?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I'd like you to come every Sunday to help me in the yard. You will be paid, of course.”

 

“What?” Yuki looked confused.

 

“Will that do as an excuse?”

 

“You don't have to pay me!”

 

“How else will it work as an excuse?”

 

“Okay, fine. But only if I actually do the yard work. But what about winter?”

 

“Shoveling snow.”

 

“That works. I should wait a few weeks, though. Just to throw off suspicion.”

 

“Do you remember where my house is?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, come and leave a note when you get a chance, and we'll meet sometime and set something up, okay?”

 

“Okay. Thank you.”

 

“Goodbye for now.”

 

Yuki hesitated at the door. There was fear in his eyes again. Saito suddenly wondered whether he should be encouraging Yuki. If Yuki got hurt because of him…

 

“Yuki-kun, are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to put you in danger.”

 

Yuki paused for a moment, and looked at him. Then he smiled a little. “I'm sure.” He looked at the floor for a moment, then back up. “You see… this way I'm free. I don't want… to always live in fear. Even if I eventually get hurt… it's worth it.”

 

Saito was a little confused, and nervous for Yuki's sake, but he certainly didn't want to deny Yuki something for which he was willing to put himself in danger. “Very well, then. But be careful.”

 

Yuki smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” He suddenly went to Saito and hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much. For everything.” He closed his eyes for a minute. “Saito-san… if I don't come… if I ever stop coming… never look for me, okay?”

 

Saito paused, but realized he had no choice but to agree. “All right.”

 

“Thank you.” Yuki held on for another second, then let go. “Goodbye.”

 

Saito watched the door close, wondering if he really would see Yuki again. Wondering whether he really should. He was worried about the whole business, and Yuki's hug had done little to reassure him. Yuki had only hugged him once before, when he thought he was saying goodbye forever, when Saito had found out about… the curse. That odd curse that Saito still had trouble believing. Had that man—Kureno, was it?—been one of the zodiac animals? Was this Akito?

 

At last, Saito shook his head, sighed, and tried to go back to work. What kind of a family was this, where the adults were willing to sacrifice the children to protect themselves? And why on earth couldn't he do anything about it?