Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Learning to Stand ❯ Translation's Beginning ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Translation's Beginning

My name is Sohma Haruko. I am a servant in the main house. It is the only world I know. Sometimes I dream of another world, but that dream is impossible. He is beautiful. He is kind. He is…wonderful. He is my love. I see him everywhere I go-the gold chrysanthemums in autumn remind me of his eyes, the snow in winter reminds me of his beautiful hair. The pale flower petals of spring remind me of his skin. The soft night of summer reminds me of his voice. But I cannot have him. He is so far above me that wanting him is like wanting to touch the stars in the heavens. How could he possibly know I exist? I could not presume so much! I must content myself with glimpses of him, with barely overheard murmurs of his voice. After all, I am a servant in the main house. His world is far above mine.

I put down my pen and stretched carefully. The library was quiet at this time of night. I had laboriously copied each and every character, its placement and corresponding meaning so that I could bring them here and leave the delicate scroll in its hiding place. Isuzu-chan still grumbled at my working so hard, but now that I was in the translation phase I felt as though I were about to win a race and had to hurry to the finish. The work had taken more of my time than I cared to admit.

"Hard at work, I see. Tamae-san, you aren't taking care of yourself." I stiffened at the voice behind me. Sohma-san! I laid a hand over my work; I had been careful to find some innocuous texts on ancient Chinese to make it appear that I was working on a school project.

"I have been busier than usual, Sohma-san. What brings you here today?" I knew what had brought him: he wanted to know more about Isuzu-san's welfare.

"Nothing, really. I'm torturing my editor. My feet found their way here of their own free will."

"I see. Have a seat." As he sat down I carefully closed my notebook and organized my papers and textbooks. I was sure he had seen what I had been working on; when I work I become completely focused on what I'm doing and my surroundings fade away. I don't know how long he stood behind me.

"What can I do for you?"

"I came to apologize. Rin-san raked me over hot coals for coming to see you so unexpectedly. She is very protective of you."

"Is she? There is no need for her to be. I doubt I was able to tell you what you wanted to know." He gave me a piercing stare, not unlike Isuzu-san's when she knows I'm not telling all I know. I began to twirl my pencil in my fingers.

"A nervous habit?" His gaze lingered on my hand.

"Hai, a habit. I do it when I'm thinking."

"And what is Tamae-san thinking about?"

"I'm wondering why a celebrated author such as you would bother himself with my affairs." Bluntness is best. Isuzu-chan had taught me much about dealing with her family. I leaned back and looked at him. Unlike our previous encounter, he was not in a suit. He was wearing a gray yukata. He seemed more comfortable in the traditional attire.

"Ma, ma, do I need a reason? I find you to be an interesting person, Tamae-san! Rin-san is happier since she's known you. To inspire such change in my cousin, you must truly be remarkable!" I raised my eyebrow at his flattery. I was tense after Isuzu-chan's warning. I couldn't let myself trust him. "I was hoping I would find you here, actually."

"So you weren't just wandering about aimlessly?"

"Ie. Have you had lunch yet? It's too early to ask you about dinner." I shook my head. In truth, I hadn't eaten all day. I had wanted to get started on the translation. As a result I was a little lightheaded and I knew it put me at a disadvantage with this man.

"Then please let me buy you something to eat. You look pale. You don't want to come down with a cold from overwork and lack of nourishment, do you?" I shook my head numbly. At this point, it was far easier just to flow with this particular river than try to swim against its current. I gathered up my belongings.

"If you don't mind, I have to stop at my dorm. I should drop these off." He nodded and followed me to the large building.

"Please wait here, Sohma-san." I asked him once we'd reached the lobby. "I'll return shortly." I slowly made my way to the stairs, racing up them once I was sure I was out of eyeshot. Once in my dorm I ran to the phone.

"Moshi, moshi!"

"Isuzu-chan? It's Tamae."

"Tamae-chan! I thought you were at the library?"

"Sohma-san found me there. He has asked me to lunch. What should I do?"

"Did you accept?"

"Hai. It seemed easiest at the time. I haven't eaten yet today, and I'm not up to facing him without a full stomach."

"Free food is better than no food at all, in spite of the company, ne? Just be careful, Tamae-chan. He can be very…subtle when he wants to be."

"There's something else. I don't know if he saw what I was working on in the library. I didn't have the scroll with me, but I did have my notebook. I was beginning the translation when he surprised me."

"At least you didn't have the scroll." She sighed. "We've come too far now, Tamae-chan. He was bound to find out eventually. Just watch yourself around him, okay? Call me when you get back." I could tell she was nervous. It made my stomach tense even more.

"Gomen, Isuzu-chan."

"It's all right. I've been expecting this since you told me he met you the first time. He's never been one to like others keeping secrets. Besides, I know how you get when you work. Couldn't be helped. You've been cooped up in that room of yours for far too long. Now go, before he gets too suspicious. I'll be waiting for your call."

"Hai." I hung up the phone. I went into the washroom and bathed my face, then rejoined Sohma-san downstairs.

"Gomen, Sohma-san for making you wait. I had a phone call." It was the truth. He smiled at me and waved away my apology.

"Ie, it's all right. I've been enjoying the day!" He opened the door for me as we left the dorm. "Is there a place nearby we can eat? I don't want you to walk too far." I shot a glance at him, but he appeared to be concerned, nothing more. I mentally sighed. This was not going to be easy.

"Hai, there's a café not far from here. Isuzu-san and I lunch there often." I carefully reverted back to my previous address of my friend.

"That sounds perfect. Lead the way!" As we walked, we spoke of my schoolwork. Another semester was almost over and finals were around the corner. I wasn't worried. I'd always been good at taking tests, and I had very little difficulty with studying. My work ethic was another trait I inherited from my father.

"I noticed that you were looking at texts on ancient Chinese. Any particular interest in it?" Time for the interrogation, I thought. Kami, I hope he didn't see the Sohma name on that page!

"I'm taking a class on ancient Chinese language. You'd be surprised how much out there is written in it." He nodded at me to continue, but we had arrived at the café and were shown to our seats. We sat in silence until our tea was served. He took a sip from his cup and sighed.

"Much better. It's hot out, isn't it?"

"Do you think so? I like this time of year. It's almost summer."

"You like the summer?"

"Yes and no. I like the rain in summer. I used to dance in the rain as a child. It would alarm my mother. She was constantly afraid I would catch sick. My father would just laugh at her and explain that viruses made people sick, not the rain." I smiled at the memory. My parents were quiet people and my father's work took him all over the world, but they were happy.

"You had a happy childhood?"

"Hai. It was very happy." Not like Isuzu-chan's. "It's hard to believe that some people don't have that kind of life." He straightened almost imperceptibly, but his face stayed mobile, relaxed.

"No," he replied. "Some people don't. But some of those people don't see their lives that way. I know a girl who sees only what she has, not what she's missed or what she lacks. Her outlook is amazing. So is her cooking." His lips curved in a wide grin. I was taken aback by that smile. It looked…greedy. He caught my alarm and his face smoothed into a more charming expression. "Do you know how to cook, Tamae-chan?"

"Enough to know how not to burn rice," I laughed. "Truthfully, I was too wrapped up in books to pay attention to things like that. I would not make a very good wife right now. Even Isuzu-san chastises me on the state of my room!"

"Does she?"

"Hai. She calls it a sty!" I laughed. It happened every time she came to my room. Tamae-chan, why don't you clean this place up? It's a sty! "She also thinks the way I dress is boring. When we go shopping she's always urging me to buy something more daring."

"Like the clothing she wears?" He had settled back into his seat, completely relaxed now.

"Ie. Not quite that daring, but more revealing than I'm used to." I gestured at my shirt and pants. "She convinced me to buy this shirt, but she has yet to convince me not to wear the pants!"

"It sounds like you do it on purpose, ne?" I straightened at the challenge in his voice.

"Hai, I suppose that's how it sounds. And I do like getting a rise out of Isuzu-san on occasion. She's stunning when she's excited about something. But I like these pants. I don't have to worry about any untoward attention if I dress the way I do. My goal is to become an archivist; I can't afford to get sidetracked now, least of all by boys." He laughed outright at my bluntness.

"You are so refreshing, Tamae-san! You remind me of someone I dated a long time ago." I tilted my head to the side, considering.

"What happened with her?"

"She ended it after a month." I couldn't help myself. I laughed. He was entertaining company. Our food arrived, and we both took chopsticks in hand and ate in silence. I slowed once I was about halfway through. I had eaten so little in the past few weeks that my stomach must have shrunken; I was nearly full. He noticed.

"Gomen, Sohma-san. I haven't been eating much lately and I don't seem to be able to finish this." He waved away my apology.

"I went to university myself, Tamae-san. I remember what it was like before finals. Although," and he winked at me, "I had other distractions as well." I blushed at the innuendo.

"Arigatou."

"If you don't mind my asking, what were you working on when I happened upon you? It looked interesting." I blinked. Subtle, Isuzu-chan had said. About as subtle as a 2x4 to the head.

"It's my final project for my class. We're supposed to translate a work assigned to us and we're graded on its accuracy. My assignment appears to be a journal of some sort." I looked down at the food on my plate, absently pushing it around. I didn't feel like eating anymore.

"A journal? How interesting!"

"Do you think so? I was surprised, myself. To think someone wasted ink and paper on something so trivial back then, they must have been very wealthy."

"Why do you say that?"

"Do you remember my telling you my father was an archeologist? It's not terribly glamorous, but I did learn a lot from his work. I know that ink and paper were expensive-the average household couldn't afford it. To be able to buy both and use it for one's personal revelations is something only a wealthy person could do. Otherwise it would have been used to keep household accounts or send messages." He stared at me for a moment.

"You are a very observant person Tamae-san. I would have never considered that possibility." I nodded at the compliment. The waiter came with our bill and I reached for my purse, but he waved me away.

"I'll pick up the check. This conversation has been…enlightening." He smiled at me again, his charm strong and I couldn't help but feel a pull of attraction. He is ruthless. Be careful, Tamae-chan. Isuzu-chan had been right.

We walked back to my dorm in silence. Once there, I bowed to Sohma-san.

"Arigatou, Sohma-san. I enjoyed your company." I straightened and was surprised at how close he was. Once again, he reached out and brushed my cheek with the backs of his fingers. Gooseflesh chased up my spine.

"I am glad that Isuzu-san has a friend like you. It has been a pleasure, Tamae-san." He turned and walked away. I shivered and went into the building.

Isuzu-chan didn't wait for my phone call. She knocked at my door a half hour after I'd returned. When I opened it, she looked like she was going to murder someone.

"Daijobu? He didn't do anything pervy, did he?" I shook my head. "Well? Details, details! Tell me what happened!" She flopped down on my unmade futon. "You should really consider getting a bed. The futon's not good for dramatic flopping, you know?" I sat beside her.

"I really don't know how to explain what happened." I told her honestly. "We went to that café that you and I lunch at. He asked me about school. He asked me about you. I told him how you're always commenting on my sty of a room and how you're always trying to get me to dress more daringly. And he asked me what I was working on when he found me at the library. I told him it was my final assignment for my class on ancient Chinese and that I was supposed to be translating it and I would be graded for accuracy. I told him it looked like a journal, and that the person who wrote it must be very rich to waste paper and ink like that. He told me I was a very observant person." I shivered at the memory. He hadn't sounded terribly pleased with that realization.

"Did he do anything else?"

"Hai. You are right, Isuzu-chan. He is very dangerous."

"What did he do?" I could see from her face that she expected the worst. I wrapped my arms around her.

"Nothing like that! He only touched my cheek. But I felt…odd. I don't know if I like this feeling. It's unsettling. And you don't trust him. It matters that you don't trust him Isuzu-chan." She hugged me back. She was tense.

"Daijobu, Isuzu-chan? I'm all right, all in one piece. I don't know whether he knows what I was doing or not. I think he's going to leave me alone for a while."

"Why do you think that?" We were still huddled together, and I tightened my arms around her.

"He didn't say he would speak with me again."