The Fox and The Rabbit

“Shishou?”

“Yes, he raised Kyo after his mother died but he’s also our martial arts instructor. We all call him Shishou, even Kyo,” Yuki explained as he waited for Aimi to slip her shoes off. “He and Tohru went for a visit and I’m not sure when they’ll be back. Sorry.”

Aimi threw up her hands. “Oh, no! I should have called before I just dropped by, unannounced. It’s good of you to invite me in, anyway.”

“Well, we’re friends, too, aren’t we?” Yuki raised an eyebrow playfully and Aimi couldn’t help but to slap him on the back with a laugh.

“Uh, yes!”

“Besides, we have company, too,” he said as he slid the back door open.

Aimi’s heart jumped in her throat, her mind immediately going to Momiji, but the opening door revealed two children sitting around the table with Shigure. The boy and girl turned to stare at her, their beautiful faces reminding her of magazine models. Her gift whispered knowingly into her mind. So, these two are cursed as well. The tiger and the lamb. How fitting.

“Kisa, Hiro, I want to introduce you to Aimi Fujimoto. Aimi chan, these are our distant cousins.”

The boy, Hiro, smirked at them. “She your girlfriend?”

Yuki blushed and tried to stammer out a response, but Aimi was quick to reply. “Nope, just a friend. Is Kisa your girlfriend?” That had the boy’s face turning as red as Yuki’s and Shigure chuckled.

“Don’t mind Hiro. He’s just like that.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle,” Aimi said with a wink. She stepped inside and seated herself between the two children, giving them both pleasant smiles. Yuki regained his composure and gave Hiro a smirk of his own.

“True. I doubt anything you say will bother Aimi. She tends to be as brutally honest as you.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t say ‘brutal’, but yeah, I don’t sugarcoat stuff, even to kids. It’s nice to meet you two. You enjoying your summer vacation so far?”

Kisa nodded at her while Hiro looked away and pretended to pout. “We, we came to see Tohru chan but she isn’t home.” The girl’s voice was soft and lovely.

“Oh, you’re friends with Tohru? Me, too! Looks like we both had the idea to surprise her but bad timing, huh? Well, one good thing came out of it: I got to meet more Souma kids,” Aimi said.

Kisa beamed at her. Hiro hmphed and stared down at his knees. Yuki settled down nearby. Shigure feigned a hurt expression. “What? You mean no one came to visit me? This is my house, after all. I’m not feeling very loved here!”

“Aww, poor Shigure!” Aimi decided to play along. “Of course I wanted to see you, too. How could anyone forget you? I could spend the night again if you want! Do you want me to sleep in your room so you won’t be lonely? Tell you a bedtime story?” She batted her eyelashes at him and grinned when he flushed.

“Aimi,” Yuki groaned, “what did I say about giving him ideas?”

“What exactly are you implying? Are you saying you would spend the night with an adult male in his home? Are you, a high school student, openly admitting to fostering such indecent ideas? What kind of people does this household associate with?” Hiro spat.

Aimi howled with laughter, Yuki reluctantly joining her. “Oh, you guys are so much fun! I’d almost forgotten how fun it was here!”

“I’ll, um, go get back to work,” Shigure stood and left but as he slid the door closed, he peeped through the crack and gave Aimi a wink.

Yuki slumped down into Shigure’s spot. “You should come by more often, Aimi. Tohru’s been wondering why we haven’t seen much of you lately,” he said. He was giving her this intense look, as if his question meant something more. Are we speaking in code around the kids? I am the one who interrupted their visit so maybe I should give him some reassurances and get back home.

“Well, my dad has been kind of lonely lately. He wants me nearby most days so we can hang out.” She hoped he caught the message in that one and he seemed to because his shoulders relaxed and he slid a deck of cards out from under the table. Kisa sat up straighter, staring at the cards eagerly.

“Who’s up for a game?”

Everyone voiced their consent, even the sullen Hiro, and Yuki dealt. Aimi studied her friend’s face while he concentrated on the cards, wondering if he had been worrying about her too much. She knew he cared but she didn’t want him losing sleep or anything, terrified that she could go over the edge any day now and try to, well, end it.

Though she was still struggling, she did her best to find something beautiful every day. The contrasting hues of the clouds at sunset. A dragonfly flitting across the grass. The smell of the sausages her dad liked to pack in her bento. Fresh dew on her doorstep in the morning. The way Tohru’s eyes lit up around her friends. The sound trash cans made when they banged together. The piano at the school. There was beauty everywhere and she was determined to stick around and enjoy it. At least, that’s how she felt today. Tomorrow may be different, but one day at a time.

“Hello, Aimi?”

“Huh?” she blinked in surprise, not realizing she had zoned out for a minute.

“I asked if you knew how to play?” Yuki said. “You okay?”

“Oh yeah, my brain’s just malfunctioning. Short circuits sometimes.” She knocked on her head and laughed, getting another lovely smile from Kisa. “Not really but I’m a fast learner. Lay it on me, Prince Yuki.”

Yuki rolled his eyes but humored her. “Okay then, Fox.”