Author's Note: Well, it took me six months, but here it is-the final chapter of Shôjo Fukuzai!

I'm sorry for anyone who's actually been waiting for this to come out (though I'm sure nobody's reading this anymore T-T).

I hated the way I ended it in my first draft, so it took me about six months to think of a suitable rewrite. I'm sure it'll leave most readers less than satisfied, but believe me when I say that it's actually a hell of a lot better than the first ending-which will never, ever see the light of day if I have anything to say about it.

For anyone who's interested, I finally got around to posting a picture of what Tohru should look like during this story in my DeviantArt scraps, which can be found at www. deviantart deviation/ 58420084/ ; as with most links that FFNet seems to hate, just take out the spaces where necessary. If that doesn't work, let me know and I'll put a link in my bio.

I'd like to thank all of the readers who have stuck with me since I stared posting this story a little over two years ago (though I'm not sure there are any left). A special thanks goes out to AznXFuyushi, Kurenai Chinoumi, Miharu Kawashi, luckymoonboy1, Angry Girl, Adi88, SaphirePhoenix, and jiaen for their reviews on the last chapter. They gave me the strength to actually finish up this chapter.

Barring the epilogue (which I still have to write...), this story is essentially finished. When I get the motivation to write the epilogue itself, rest assured that it will be posted.

Now, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters. I only own the characters nobody's ever seen anywhere else.

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Shôjo Fukuzai

Chapter 15: Kono Kanashimi o Tsugunatte Morauzo!

Three days passed, and Matsuo and the others were unable to find any clues that could lead them to Kyoko's killer. It seemed that everyone's worst fears had been confirmed: the trial had gone cold.

Though this weighed heavily on Tohru's mind, she found herself consumed by thoughts of the older sister she had never known she had. It sent her into a spin, trying to discern how her mother could possibly have kept Kana's existence from her. But she could not hate Kyoko for any of the things she had done to ensure her freedom, though it did dismay the girl.

It had simply never been in Tohru to think the worst in people, and she refused to believe that her mother had done anything she hadn't thought was necessary for the greater good. After all, she reasoned, Kyoko had probably believed that her parents would give their granddaughter the best care possible. Why would she have suspected that they would mistreat her child?

Something else that bothered her was the fact Kana hardly matched any image the girl could conjure of a person who had been fostered for a better part of her life. She had always seemed so happy; though Tohru supposed some people could overcome such obstacles with fewer visible scars, she couldn't help wondering how the woman had been able to turn out so normally, considering her upbringing.

As she finally began to convince herself to ignore the uneasy feelings that always seemed to take root at the mere thought of Kana, she found that the idea of having a sister greatly appealed to her. After all, the woman was everything anyone could have wanted in a sister: kind, considerate, and incredibly affable. Tohru only hoped that Kana would consider having a relationship with her; she knew they would probably never be as close as sisters who grew up together, but perhaps they could at least be friends.

To her absolute delight, her grandmother encouraged the idea. It seemed that Suzume wanted her two oldest granddaughters to be like the sisters they were, even if the relationship was tentative at best. However, when she voiced the idea to Kyo—who had tried to tell her about her relation to Kana at New Year's—she was startled to find that he was adamantly opposed.

The look he gave her at her declaration was somewhere between incredulous and panic. "Have you lost your mind? I've seen how you get around Kana—you can't wait till she leaves. What the hell made you suddenly decide you want to be buddy-buddy with her?"

Tohru bit her lip self-consciously. All of the things Kyo was saying had crossed her mind more than once. However, she was certain that she could overcome the uneasiness Kana caused her with time and effort. After all, they were supposed to be sisters; learning to be friends was the least they could do.

Turning to her cousin, she softly told him, "Kana-san is my sister, Kyo-kun. I want to get to know her better."

"Why is it so damn important that you get to be friends with that woman?" Kyo demanded.

She gave him a pleading look. "Because Kana-san should have been one of the most important people in my life. I have to close the gap between us."

Her cousin stared at her for a long moment, wearing a look that could only be described as probing, as if he was trying to read more deeply into her words by gauging her expression. Then he turned away with a sigh. "I don't think it's such a great idea for you to get close to Kana. She's always been kind of…off."

Tohru frowned deeply. "What do you mean? Kana-san seems like a wonderful person, Kyo-kun. She's so kind and considerate with everyone. Even when I was uncomfortable, she was extremely nice to me."

"Kana's like that most of the time," admitted the orange-haired boy warily. "But there's something not right about her. You can't tell me you haven't noticed."

Tohru bit her lip again and lowered her eyes, troubled. Then she looked up and softly said, "But…she's so kind…"

"You're fighting your instincts," Kyo argued pointedly. When he took in her pained expression, he sighed irritably. "Look, all I'm saying is that there's something about Kana that sets you off. You shouldn't force yourself to be around her if it bothers you so much."

"But I want to get to know Kana-san," Tohru told him softly. "She's my sister."

Kyo stared at her for a moment, his face set into a scowl. Then he turned and began to stalk toward the door.

Startled by his abrupt movement, Tohru asked, "Where are you going, Kyo-kun?"

"I'm not gonna stand here and argue with you about something this stupid," he replied, turning slightly. "You've already made up your mind about Kana; I can't do anything to stop you."

Confusion raced across her face as she stammered, "But Kyo-kun…"

He slid the door open and started to walk out. Then, glancing back at her last time, he said, "Just…be careful." With that, he left and quietly slid the shoji shut behind him.

Tohru stared after him for a long moment, a pang of grief tightening her chest. Slowly, her eyes fell to the portrait of Kyoko that she had been clutching to her chest. Lifting the picture frame, she gazed at her beloved mother's face and whispered, "Mom…what should I do…?"

---

Tohru was still contemplating her conversation with Kyo later that evening. It troubled her that her cousin did not approve of her decision to get to know Kana better. He was the closest confidant she had within her mother's immediate family, and the fact that he had warned her away from the woman only served to deepen her anxieties.

She had considered discussing the matter with her grandmother, but Suzume seemed a bit too close to the matter to give any impartial advice; she had once again expressed her joy that both of her daughter's children might get to know each other as sisters just as the girl pondered the idea, effectively negating any further contemplation of it.

While Yuki had also been considered as a sounding board, she felt that the subject would be (more than) slightly inappropriate; he had difficulty dealing with his own brother and she did not want to bring up such a sensitive topic—especially one that she sensed was to be kept within the immediate family, anyway.

Her grandfather and the rest of her mother's family were seemingly oblivious to her plight, and she did not think that they would want to be burdened with her worries.

As a result, most of her reflection on the issue was done silently within the confines of her own mind. Only the periodic interruptions of visits from some of her friends at Sohma Academy—primarily, Momiji, Hatsuharu, and Kagura—and spending time with her grandmother broke her concentration. However, as night fell, it seemed that she would soon have precious few distractions to intrude on her thoughts.

"I am sorry that you will be alone while I'm gone," Suzume told Tohru, slowly pulling on her shoes at the door. She paused to give the girl a considerate look. "Are you sure you do not want to come with me, Tohru-san?"

Tohru quickly waved her hands. "Oh, no! I couldn't impose on Ren-san by coming over without any notice. It would be rude…" (What she did not say was that, after learning how far Ren Sohma had been willing to go to maintain at least partial control of the family through Akito, she was somewhat hesitant to be around the woman.)

Suzume frowned slightly but decided not to press the issue. "All right, Tohru-san, if you're certain. I should only be gone for a few hours, but if you need anything, feel free to contact Kyo or Naosuke."

The girl nodded her understanding. She knew that her uncle and cousin would be available to help her, but she did not want to bother them unless it was absolutely necessary. They had their own lives to live and she still felt like she was intruding on her mother's family, despite the fact that Suzume had repeatedly told her that she should think of their home as her own. To Tohru, though, "home" always had been and would forever be the apartment that she had lived in with her mother.

"Your grandfather will most likely be gone for some time," added the older woman as she slowly opened the door. "But Kyo said that he would be over to check on you around eight-thirty. If you need anything, be sure to call him. Kazuma-san's number is by the telephone."

"Yes, Suzume-san," acknowledged the girl, her smile widening slightly. Her grandmother seemed so much like Kyoko at times that it made her feel that her mother was still with her.

"You really shouldn't be so formal with your grandmother, Tohru-san," teased Suzume lightly, a smile brightening her face.

"Suzume…obaasan?" rearticulated the girl hesitantly.

Her grandmother nodded her approval. "That sounds much better. I will see you later then, Tohru-san."

"Goodbye, Suzume-obaasan," Tohru called after the older woman softly. She watched as Suzume stepped outside and shut the door behind her. After a long moment, she slowly made her way to the living room, glancing briefly at the stack of books sitting on the side table.

Suzume had been encouraging her to keep up with her schoolwork, despite everything that had happened over the past few days. After all, her grandmother had reasoned, once everything had been sorted out and summer break was over, the girl would be returning to Sohma Academy to finish her high school education.

Truthfully, though, Tohru was uncertain whether she wanted to go back to Sohma Academy; she feared that her new, non-Sohma friends would not be accepting of the fact that she had lied about her gender for as long as they had known her, and wondered if it would not be better to transfer back to her old high school. This prospect was also a double-edged sword, though.

If she returned to Kaibara High School, she would get to be with Arisa and Saki again, but by the same token, she would not be able to be around Yuki, Kyo, or any of her other new friends from Sohma Academy anymore. There was absolutely no way she could win.

Perhaps it would be best to simply let her mother's parents decide after all, she mused with a sigh. They (Matsuo) seemed to be planning her for future already; she was sure that they (Matsuo) would overrule any pleas she might make, anyway.

I hate to be such a burden, the girl thought as she slowly sank down on the couch. Suzume-san—Suzume-obaasan—says that they should have made more effort to be there for me from the beginning, but…it feels wrong to let them trouble themselves with planning for my future. I should be the one planning everything, not Mom's family, but I just can't seem—

A steady pounding suddenly penetrated the haze of self-doubt clouding the girl's brain. Blinking dazedly, she turned as she realized that there was someone knocking on the front door. She slowly made her way toward the door, wondering who it could be. No one in her mother's family would have bothered to knock, and she had not been expecting anyone.

Carefully sliding the door open, she was stunned to see the person standing on her grandparents' porch. "Kana-san…?"

"Tohru-kun?" Kana stared at Tohru with wide violet eyes, apparently equally surprised to see the girl in the doorway.

A wave of uneasiness threatened to swell in Tohru, but she quickly drove it back. She had wanted to talk to Kana for the past few days and the opportunity had finally presented itself. Although the conditions might have been better, the girl was not about to let her best chance to confront her sister slip away.

Despite her resolve to use this encounter to her advantage, though, she found herself at a loss for words. Not that she had ever really imagined what their first meeting as sisters would be like, but even the questions and conversation topics that had fleetingly crossed her mind escaped her. So, instead of making the impression she would have liked, she could only gape at Kana.

Eventually, it occurred to the girl that she was being terribly rude. Blushing lightly, she quickly stepped aside. "Ah, I'm so sorry, Kana-san! Would you like to come in?" She gestured Kana inside.

"Yes, thank you." The young woman smiled faintly and slowly entered. Slipping off her shoes by the door, she glanced around expectantly. "Are Grandmother and Grandfather here?"

The conversation was so normal—almost too normal for Tohru's taste—that it only served to add to the girl's growing discomfiture. However, she refused to allow her uneasiness to show (any more than it already was). Forcing herself to be nonchalant, she shook her head. "No, Suzume-obaasan and Matsuo-san will be out for a while."

"Oh." Kana seemed slightly disappointed.

"But," Tohru added hastily, "Suzume-obaasan should be back in a few hours. If you'd like to come back then, I'm sure she would be happy to see you, Kana-san."

Kana brightened slightly as she focused on the girl again. "Actually, Tohru-kun, I came here to talk to Grandmother about you. Would it be okay with you if we just talked instead?"

Tohru felt her heartbeat quicken at the question. She knew she should have been thrilled for the opening Kana was giving her, considering her determination to get to know the older woman, but it only served to twist the girl's stomach into knots. However, she quickly convinced herself that it was only her excitement peaking.

"O-of course, Kana-san," stammered the blue-eyed girl, forcing a bright smile. "Let's go into the living room, where it's more comfortable."

"That sounds good," agreed Kana, smiling a bit more genuinely.

The young women wordlessly made their way into the living room and seated themselves in the opposing chairs on either side of the sofa. They stared at each other for a long moment, both expectant but neither willing to make the first move. The silence was deafening.

As the tension became more and more palpable, though, Tohru felt compelled to cut through it. Clearing her throat, she quietly asked, "So, what do you want to talk about, Kana-san?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing. I was so worried after I heard that you'd disappeared from the campus," Kana told her in concern. "I thought that Kyoko-san's killer might have gotten to you, too."

Tohru was sure that her heart stopped. Kana-san knows about the murderer? But Grandmother said…

"You have no idea how relieved I was when I learned that you were safe with Grandmother and Grandfather," the violet-eyed woman added.

"B-but how did you know…?" Tohru asked brokenly.

"Hatori-sensei told me everything after you left the clinic," Kana answered, smiling gently. "I called Grandmother as soon as I could and she confirmed it. I only wish they had told me earlier. Then I might have been able to help you…"

The girl breathed a sigh of relief. So Suzume had not been lying when she told Tohru that Kana knew nothing about what had been going on. "It's all right. You couldn't have known, Kana-san."

However, she quickly froze as something else occurred to her. If Kana knew about everything that had happened, did that also mean that she knew about their relationship…?

"Does that mean you know that we are…?" Tohru trailed off, biting her lip.

"That we're sisters?" Kana finished for her. She smiled knowingly. "Yes, Grandmother told me that as well.

"That was part of the reason I came over tonight," confessed the woman. "Grandmother asked me to come, so that we could talk about everything that's been happening."

The blue-eyed girl frowned deeply. "Suzume-obaasan never said anything before she went to visit Ren-san…"

"Grandmother is not really very close friends with Ren-san," Kana told her. "She wanted this to be a surprise and probably went away to give us time talk alone." Her smile widened. "We really shouldn't disappoint her by wasting it, Tohru-kun."

Tohru smiled as well, feeling a genuine warmth building in her chest. "No, we shouldn't."

"But it's so stuffy in here," declared the violet-eyed woman suddenly, startling the girl as she abruptly stood. She smiled down at Tohru. "Why don't we go outside to talk somewhere? That way we won't waste this beautiful night, either."

"All right," agreed the girl excitedly, standing as well. "Just let me get a jacket and then we can—"

"You don't need a jacket, Tohru-kun," Kana interrupted. "The weather is gorgeous."

Tohru wondered at the logic, considering that Kana was wearing a light jacket. However, she quickly dismissed it and headed for the door. After carefully slipping their shoes on, the two young women quietly left Suzume and Matsuo's house.

As Tohru and Kana exited the compound through the main gate, Kureno pressed the button on his two-way radio. "I think this is it…"

---

Tohru and Kana walked a few kilometers, until they reached a clearing in the forest that surrounded the estate. The violet-eyed young woman had led them there, claiming that it was a favorite spot from her childhood for thinking whenever she needed to get away. When they arrived, Tohru could easily see why Kana loved it so much.

"It's beautiful here, Kana-san," breathed the girl, looking around. She turned to Kana with a serene smile. "It's so peaceful; I can't even hear the traffic anymore."

Kana returned the smile. "I love the quiet—that's why I still like to come here whenever I can." A hint of nostalgia flickered in the young woman's eyes as she added, "It almost seems like you're the only person in the world when you're here…"

"Yeah," agreed Tohru quietly, her chest inexplicably tightening.

The young women stood in silence for a moment before the girl softly told Kana, "I've never really liked to be alone. I used to have nightmares about everyone leaving me when I was little, after Dad died. I think…that's why I was so afraid after Mom was…murdered."

"You were afraid because you didn't want to be alone?" the older woman asked, mild surprise flitting across her face. "You weren't the least bit concerned that Kyoko-san's killer would be coming for you next?"

"O-of course," protested Tohru quickly. "I was terrified! But losing Mom was even more frightening. I was afraid that I would be alone forever. But when Matsuo-san and Suzume-obaasan sent me to Sohma Academy, I began to make friends with Yuki-kun and the others—Kyo-kun, Momiji-kun, Hatsuharu-san, Horigome-kun, and Arakida-san. I realized that I didn't have to be alone if I didn't want to be…"

For a long moment, Kana regarded the girl silently, her expression a strange mixture of consideration and something else Tohru could not identify. Then she slowly lowered her head so that her bangs covered her eyes. "You know something, Tohru-kun? I don't think that I like to be alone, either."

Kana wrapped her arms around herself. "But, in my experience, it's always been better to be alone…because then nobody can hurt you…"

Tohru felt a stab of guilt in her chest as she remembered the sort of upbringing Kana had endured. She vowed to do everything in her power to solidify their relationship as sisters, to ensure that Kana never felt that she had to shut anyone out to protect herself.

Smiling tentatively, the girl told the woman, "You don't have to be alone anymore, Kana-san. I'll always be here for you, no matter what…"

Tohru could just make out the wan smile lifting the corners of Kana's mouth as she considered the girl's words. "You never cease to amaze me, Tohru-kun. You're always willing to accept people at face value; you never read between the lines of anything. That's what I like about you…"

A chill suddenly raced down Tohru's spine. Though she knew she should have been flattered by the woman's words, something about her voice—the eerie tone—washed away the ease the girl had been feeling around Kana. Her apprehension heightened as she saw the woman slowly reaching into her jacket for something. What is Kana-san—?

"I've always liked you, Tohru-kun," added Kana softly as she slowly pulled the object out from under her jacket; it clicked softly. "But now that I know the truth, I wish we had never met…"

Tohru paled as she suddenly found herself staring at a small handgun. Eyes wide in fright, she instinctively took a step back. "K-Kana-san…?"

Kana's smile widened, but her bangs continued to shield her eyes from view. "Do you have any idea how much I want to hate you, Tohru-kun? Before I ever met you, I hated you more than words can describe. But now that I know you, I can't bring myself to hate you the way I did; I like you too much… Maybe that's what they mean by a love-hate relationship, hmm?"

"I-I…" the girl stammered, unable to form a coherent thought, much less a sentence.

"You poor thing; you don't even understand what's going on, do you?" The woman chuckled humorlessly. "Well, I suppose you deserve to know before you die…"

Dread washed over Tohru as she came to a chilling conclusion. Inhaling sharply, she gasped, "You…you're the one who killed Mom!"

"That's right," Kana agreed, still smiling. "I killed Kyoko-san."

"But why?" whispered the girl numbly. "She was your mother, too! Why would you kill her?"

"Because she abandoned me," the woman told her coldly. "She left me so that she could be with that man. I was so worthless to her that she was willing to give me up to be free from the family!" The emotion in her voice built up until she was shouting.

Tohru bit her lip hesitantly before she started to say, "Kana-san, I'm sure Mom never wanted—"

"Shut up!" Kana's head suddenly whipped up and she stared at the girl with wild violet eyes. She held up the gun, aiming at the younger woman as she moved forward. "You have no idea what it was like to be shuttled between foster families who never wanted me. I was always an outsider, no matter what I did; I was never good enough for Grandfather, but he refused to let me go. He never accepted me.

"And it's all because of that woman!" raged Kana. "That's why she had to die!"

"Kana-san, I…" The pinprick of tears stung Tohru's eyes as she unconsciously backpedaled. Her mind was locked in a dizzying tailspin; nothing made sense anymore.

The woman laughed maniacally. "It was so easy, once I found her. Can you believe that she actually tried to apologize? That's why I made sure she died slowly—so she would know that she could never make up for what she did to me.

"I was going to kill you the same way, Tohru-kun, because you had everything I was denied." Her expression briefly softened. "But then I met you… I had no idea who you were, at the time, and I started to get to know you. You were so kind to everyone, even if they didn't really deserve it, and I began to like you.

"Then I learned the truth…" The rage returned to her eyes as she stepped closer to the retreating girl. "I hated the fact that you made me like you. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it wasn't really your fault. I decided that, because you're so kind, you deserve a quick death—so that you don't suffer any longer than necessary."

Tohru choked on a sob as her back suddenly made contact with a tree. Her legs finally buckled and she found herself kneeling on the ground. Tears streaked down her face as she looked up at the woman, whispering, "Kana-san, please, don't do this!"

"I can't let you live," murmured Kana, a faraway look in her eyes as she trained the gun on the girl's forehead. "I'm sorry, Tohru-kun, but I can't let you keep hurting me…"

The blue-eyed girl watched in horror as Kana pulled back on the trigger. As the loud crack of a gunshot filled the air, Tohru screwed her eyes shut, ducked her head, and screamed.

However, she soon realized that she was still very much alive. Blinking, she turned to stare up at Kana.

The woman's eyes were wide and hollow in some semblance of shock. Wordlessly, she reached over and touched her right shoulder. Lifting her fingertips, she stared at them; they were covered with a dark, sticky substance—blood, Tohru thought distantly. It was already starting to seep through her shirt and onto her jacket, staining the fabric a dark crimson.

Kana's eyes slowly drifted from the bloodstained digits to the girl who still knelt on the ground before her. Eyes glassy, she swayed slightly and her grip on the gun slackened; then, very suddenly, she fell forward.

"Kana-san!" Tohru instinctively reached out with a gasp, catching the older woman before she could hit the ground; the gun landed beside them in the grass with a dull thud, all but forgotten. Quickly looking Kana over, she determined that the shot to the woman's shoulder had not been lethal, as her chest continued to rise and fall. Relief flooded through her despite what had just happened.

"Tohru-san, are you all right?" asked a familiar voice, causing the girl's head to jerk to the left. To her amazement, she saw Yuki, Kyo, Kureno, and Kyo's father standing a few meters away.

Wordlessly, Tohru's uncle moved forward and extracted Kana from the girl's arms. Tohru watched as Kureno helped Naosuke carry the young woman away. She could only wonder what they were going to do with her.

"Are you all right, Tohru-san?" The sound of Yuki's voice reiterating his earlier question caused the girl to snap back. She quickly realized that he was kneeling beside her, concern evident as his purple eyes swept over her, searching for any signs of injury. "You weren't hit, were you?"

"N-no, I'm okay," she assured him, her mind still numb from confusion. "But what're you…?"

Kyo knelt on her other side, gazing at her intently. "Akito thought that your mother's killer might have been somebody in the family, so he ordered Kureno to keep you under surveillance. When you left with Kana, Kureno called for backup."

If it weren't for Kureno-san and the others, I would be dead, realized Tohru, swallowing hard. Trembling, she wrapped her arms around herself and began to sob for everything she was worth while the boys awkwardly attempted to comfort her. A single coherent thought formed in her mind: It's finally over…