Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Learning to Stand ❯ Shigure ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: Shigure

Our friendship improved after that. We began to spend more and more time together, talking about our families and friends. I knew she had difficulty trusting me and I understood finally why. She'd had a hard life. If I'd had her life, I don't know if I would have been able to approach me that day to ask for help. We did talk about `the project' (as I've taken to calling it) and her paranoia over the subject was still strong. I wondered what she was so afraid of.

A couple of weeks later, I was working on an assignment in the library. It wasn't as interesting as `the project' but I couldn't afford to slack off in the middle of the semester. I had lost myself in comparing Kipling and Hemingway when a voice broke through my concentration.

"You are Mikage Tamae?" I turned to see a dark-haired man standing over the table, lips curved in an engaging smile. He was wearing a dark suit.

"Hai." He gave an exaggerated sigh of relief and settled in the chair across from me.

"You're cute! When Haru-san told me that Rin-san had a new girlfriend I told myself `I must see the girl who can befriend our little Rin!'. And here you are! You aren't quite what I expected, but then I wasn't sure what to expect! It's very nice to meet you!"

"And you are?"

"Oh, did I not introduce myself? My name is Sohma Shigure. What are you reading? Kipling? Hemingway?"

"I'm working on an assignment for lit class. Compare and contrast two authors from two different periods with a similar vein. I chose adventure stories."

"Is that how you met Rin-san?"

"Ie. I met her while we were taking philosophy last year." He cocked his head, urging me to continue. His eyes sparkled with interest.

"She seemed lonely," I continued. "And mysterious. I'm sure you realize how lovely she is, but she always ignored all the boys who were interested in her. I could never resist a mystery." He smiled.

"So you became friends." It wasn't a question.

"After a while, yes. We're taking a history class together this semester."

"And what are you majoring in?"

"I'm studying to become an archivist." His questions bothered me. Why was he so interested? I twirled my pen in my fingers nervously.

"An archivist?"

"Hai. My father's an archeologist, so I've been surrounded with history all my life. I love a good story. It's even better to decipher and preserve what people who lived hundreds of years before me have written. I'm not much good at writing myself, so I want to make sure that people can enjoy the stories of others after I've died."

"You're such a romantic! How wonderful! You're a perfect foil for Rin-san's tough manner! I'm a writer myself, you know. Perhaps you've heard of me?" I stared at him blankly. "No? Well, as immersed as you are in the works of the past of course you haven't! I shall give a copy of one of my better-selling works to Rin-san for you!" Is this guy for real?

"Ie, I couldn't accept such a gift. Ano, Sohma-san, how are you related to Isuzu-san?"

"I'm her cousin. A couple of generations removed, but we have a large family and we've always been close." His eyes flickered for a moment. "She is a difficult girl to know, ne?"

"Sometimes. She's like a river. It can appear smooth but the currents beneath the surface are strong and run deep. She's a little wild, too. She needs space and values her time to herself. I'm still learning about her."

"You love her." Again, it wasn't a question but a statement.

"Hai. She is a good friend." And partner. A small voice told me that this man in particular mustn't know about `the project'. I had learned to listen to it where Isuzu-san was concerned.

"And Haru-san? What did you think of him?" His voice was light, but I realized that this was no lighthearted conversation. This was an interrogation. I wouldn't tell him everything I had learned.

"He was…interesting. He seems to get lost easily."

"He does." Once more he urged me to continue without words. He leaned in, eyes focused intently on my face. I resisted the impulse to lean away. I focused on the pen in my hand as I flipped it between my fingers.

"Hatsuharu-san was concerned for Isuzu-san because she had left the Honke without telling anyone. He seemed gentle but he didn't reveal much about himself." I looked at him over the twirling stylus. Immediately Sohma-san smiled that open, engaging smile. I summoned up my courage. "You aren't revealing much about yourself either, Sohma-san. I know you are an author and Isuzu-san's cousin, but not much else. Why are you so interested in her welfare?"

"Well, we are close."

"She hasn't mentioned you. If you were that close, don't you think she would have?" Time for a little interrogation of my own! His eyes sparkled, appreciating the challenge in my voice.

"She wouldn't. She's not on good terms with most of the family."

"Your family is…large? That's unusual these days, isn't it?"

"We like to keep to traditions." He leaned back into the chair, the image of relaxed attention. His hair fell over his forehead and I realized he was handsome, too. And he was just as intense in his own way as Isuzu-san and Hatsuharu-san were in theirs.

"Where can I get some of your genetics?" He laughed outright at the question. Did I say that out loud? I fought off a blush, trying to keep my horror from coloring my expression.

"The Sohmas in this generation have been uncommonly blessed with good looks, ne?"

"Hai, I noticed this. It is…intimidating." Take a page from Isuzu-san's book, I told myself. Bluntness is best. "But after a while, I became used to Isuzu-san's appearance. I don't notice it until I actually look at her these days."

"And how has she been lately?"

"We've been close. She's easier around me now than she used to be. Not so many walls. I doubt she'll ever let them all down for me, but I'm glad she trusts me enough to show me a little of herself. I'm happy that she's my friend." I was aware that I'd lost the advantage. Had I ever had it? I doubted it.

"Are you? That's reassuring. Rin-san needs a friend like you, I think." His eyes glittered strangely as he said that. Then he leaned across the table and, before I could think to react, brushed my cheek with the backs of his fingers. I felt like my skin would bear the mark of those fingers for hours. He stood up, seemingly satisfied that he had made the right impression.

"We'll talk again soon, Tamae-san. Ja ne!" He walked away, humming an odd tune to himself, hands in his pockets.

"Isuzu-san? How are you feeling?" I sat up in bed, alarmed. She sounded terrible!

"I'm all right. I'm just not feeling well. Would you mind taking notes in class today? I don't think I'm going to be able to attend." She sounded like she was in pain, but I didn't question her.

"Ie, I don't mind. Just get better quickly! There's something I wanted to talk to you about, but it can wait until you recover." There was silence on the other end of the line.

"What is it?"

"Ie, it's not that important. Your health is a priority. Feel better, Isuzu-san!" I hung up the phone. I had wanted to tell her about my encounter with the enigmatic Sohma-san, but it could wait. She had had bouts of illness before, but never so bad she couldn't leave the Honke. I hoped she was all right.

I didn't hear from Isuzu-san for three days. I took her notes for her, talked to some of her other classes and got the lecture notes from those for her. I immersed myself in the scroll. I was close to figuring out the breakdown of the characters now. I could feel it. I lost sleep, forgot to eat. Nothing mattered but discovering the meanings of the small, obscure characters. By the time Isuzu-san had recovered from her illness, I had news for her.

"You look awful, Tamae-san." She once again surveyed the disaster that was my room, this time with resignation. "Have you been working all this time?"

"Ie, I went to class and worked on some assignments as well. I also got notes from the classes you missed. I haven't been sleeping much, though. I'm so close!" I couldn't help the excitement that colored my voice. "I can't wait to see what story this has to tell us!"

"It might not be a happy one. It might not be a story at all." I waved my hand at her doubts.

"Doesn't matter to me. I just want to see what it is!" She gave me one of her more piercing stares. And my stomach growled.

"Have you even been eating?" I stared at her. "What now?"

"Isuzu-san, you're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"You're acting out of character. You don't worry about my health. Isuzu-san has more important things to worry about."

"Like what? Baka! You're my friend. Do you think I tell everyone even half as much as I've told you? Ie, you're one of the few people who know even that much about me. So I'm allowed to worry. Besides," and she flopped down onto the futon. "I can't translate that scroll. You can."

"Ano, Isuzu-san."

"Hai?"

"I met another one of your cousins the other night. The night before you got sick." I twisted my fingers together. She stiffened. Her eyes snapped open, suspicion flaring.

"Who?"

"Um, Sohma Shigure-san." She bolted upright.

"Was this what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Hai. I wanted you to know that he approached me. At the library." She was pacing the small room.

"What did he want?"

"He said he had heard from Hatsuharu-san about your having a girlfriend and wanted to meet me."

"Wow, talk about a flimsy excuse. What else did he say?"

"He asked me about myself, my schooling. He asked about our friendship. He wanted to know my impressions of you and Hatsuharu."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that you were like a river with deep currents and that Hatsuharu-san seemed gentle and got lost easily." She smiled at that. "I tried to be like you, Isuzu-san. I answered honestly, but with as little detail as possible. It was not a comfortable experience to be interrogated like that."

"Interrogated, huh?" She stared at me.

"Hai. He was laughing and smiling but he was not making idle conversation. He wanted to know something. I don't know if he got the answers he wanted."

"I would be amazed if you did. Shi-san laughs a lot, but underneath he's a completely different person. He's ruthless. Be careful of him, Tamae-chan." My eyes widened at the change of address. Had I just proved my faithfulness to her? My stomach growled again.

"I suppose we should go eat breakfast. You need to eat!" Isuzu-san laughed at my expression. "Really, Tamae-chan, don't you think it's time we dropped the -san and became more familiar? After all, it would seem we're both in this for the duration, ne?" She laughed and I was stunned, all over again, by her beauty. Then I laughed with her and we made our way towards the Student Hall.