FRUIT BASKET!!!!

kyo







toro












yuki

FRUIT BASKET SUMMARY

The story begins with Shigure asking Tohru if she's making paper flowers. Tohru confirms his guess and tells him that her class is responsible for making the flowers, which will then be used at the graduation ceremony. Hmm, I never knew they use paper flowers for graduation ceremony. I thought paper flowers are only used at weddings in Japan. Anyway, Shigure then makes a comment how the time for graduation is near and pick up one of the unmade paper flowers and ask Tohru if he can open that one. Tohru tells him that it's okay but at the same time her mind is trying to find a way to tell Shigure that she knows Akito is a woman. Unfortunately, Tohru doesn't have the courage to ask directly so she ends up asking Shigure if there is any thing he wants her to buy tomorrow. She said how when Shigure asked her to buy something the other day, the job was delayed by one day so she thinks it was rude. By saying this, it looks like Tohru is hoping that Shigure will ask the reason for her being late.

However, Shigure instead tells her that it wasn't a big deal because it was just an envelope. He didn't mind that she got it the next morning. Upon hearing this, Tohru lost the plot and ends up telling him that in that case, next time she'll do her best. And then somehow she changes the conversation and tells Shigure that she will go to make a tea. Once Tohru gets out of the room, Shigure remarks about how Tohru seems to have problem asking about 'that subject'. Tohru, herself, is seen outside the door crying in super-deformed way, telling herself that it was difficult to ask the question despite the fact that she wants to ask Shigure about what Kureno said the other day. She really wants to share her knowledge of the Soumas' secret (the fact that Akito is a woman, the revelation that Ren is Akito's mother, and Kureno's release from the curse). However, she can't say it easily because the fact is still not known yet amongst the Juunishi members.

The next day at school, Tohru is seen walking along with Momiji talking about how their classes are responsible for making the flowers. Momiji then makes a comment about how he'll miss the 3rd year students because they are going to graduate. As if on cue, they then encounter Makoto (the ex student president) screaming at the top of his lung that he is lonely. All of a sudden, Hatsuharu appears next to Makoto and say that maybe he should stay behind next term (so he won't be lonely). Makoto, however, tells Haru that there's no way he'll do that. He also tells Haru how rude he is for appearing all of a sudden. Anyway, upon hearing this Momiji tells Tohru that he wanted to remain in the same class for a while next term. Tohru is surprised to hear this but Momiji then explains to her that the reason is because Momo. He thinks she'll come to the same school. After saying this, Momiji then go with Haru, leaving Tohru to ponder how she can't talk to Momiji either even after he helped her with Arisa and Kureno.

Because of this, Tohru walks along the school hallway, looking depressed. She seems to be entertaining the idea of telling the secret to Kyou (there's an image of Kyou's backside while she's thinking) and wonders what will he think if she tells him about it. Before she can think further, however, she's surprised by a group of Yuki fangirls who run past her while wearing stupid handkerchief on top of their heads, disguised like thieves. Yesh, only in manga and anime that anyone can get away with wearing a handkerchief on top of their heads and around their nose and not being recognised by the other characters. Anyway, Tohru hears her classmates yelling at the girls to give 'them' back. So Tohru asks them what happened and they explained that those girls stole all of the paper flowers that Yuki made. Tohru wonders why they want to steal it. Everyone looks at Tohru in disbelief then thinks in unison that it's because he's 'Prince Yuki'.

Somewhere in school, Yuki fangirls are seen celebrating their victory for overcoming a splendidly difficult task of stealing the flowers. Meanwhile back in Tohru's class, the black-haired classmate asks Hanajima if she'll do some more (paper flowers). Hanajima simply answers that she's not interested in doing that. Because of this Arisa tells everyone that the only thing left to do is to ask Kyou to do it. Kyou is upset and asks Arisa why he has to do it because it's Yuki's flowers that were stolen. Arisa tells him that Yuki is still doing his student council job. In reply, Kyou tells her that he doesn't care because he already finished his lot of the paper flowers and proceeds to look behind him. But unfortunately, his flowers are also missing. Kyou then tells Arisa not to play a trick and to tell him where she hides his flowers. What Kyou doesn't know, however, is the fact that his very own crazy fangirls have stolen the flowers because Kyou made the flowers himself.

Back to Tohru's class, Kyou is seen trying to control his anger and telling himself that he won't say that he'll kill those who steal the flowers. Having said that, they should go to hell and die on their own. Heh. Because of this incident, however, Tohru's classmates wonder what they have to do. Some suggests that they remake them again. Kyou, however, dislike the idea. They all agree that they have to come up with something since Yuki is not back yet. One student, on the other hand, believes that it's not Yuki's fault that the flowers are missing so they can't hold him up to it. In the end, they decide to look for the flowers so the thieves won't be able to get away with it. Tohru is surprised to hear this and thinks that it's better if they just remake them. Someone thinks that is sweet of her but theft is a crime so they decide that it's better if they go out of the class and look for the flowers/thieves. In the end, Tohru and Kyou are left alone to guard the class in their absence.

Meanwhile, Yuki is seen inspecting other students' work elsewhere and notes how it's close to completion. He then asks the students if they need help but they refuses and tells him that they're okay and a student council leader like Yuki should not be bothered with jobs like this (building the stage, etc). Because of this, Yuki feels like the odd man out. He tells himself that those students shouldn't have feel as if they can't ask for his help. He then gazes at the group of students working together and thinks that it looks interesting and proceeds to walk away from them. Before he can get far, however, he's startled by Machi's sudden appearance. He tells her that he's surprised and wonders why she's rushing and running out of breath. He thinks this is an unusual situation and wonders if she's going somewhere. Since Machi doesn't answer, Yuki becomes confused and asks her if she's looking for him or if there is something that she wants.

Machi, however, denies any of it and tells Yuki that there's nothing that she wants. Yuki is puzzled and sarcastically asks her if she runs out of breath for nothing. Machi finally gives in and admits that there is something. She says that it's a greeting. When she saw him earlier, she feels like greeting Yuki. After saying this, Machi walks away and leaves Yuki. Yuki, however, wonders why she came all the way and chased him merely to greet him when they will meet later (in student council, I assume). When the answer dawns on him, however, Yuki blushes and decides to chase Machi. He then pats her on the head, thanking her. Machi becomes embarrassed and throws a paper flower at Yuki. Hee. Now that's the sort of use of paper flowers that I know. The difference is that this is not a wedding. Yuki wonders what object Machi just threw at him. Machi blushes even more and tells him that it's flower. Yuki doesn't seem to believe it so Machi once again insisted that it is.

Back to Tohru and Kyou, it's already late in the afternoon, so they are wondering where their classmates are at the moment. Tohru thinks that maybe the criminal investigation runs into difficulties. Kyou, however, is more cynical and thinks that maybe they've found the flowers and now they play around and forget to stop by the class on their way. After a few quiet moments, Tohru tries to gather her courage and asks Kyou what if the curse, the Juunishi curse is no longer applicable to some of the members. She wonders if Kyou ever considered it. Kyou, however, becomes a bit moody and asks her not to talk about that kind of things. He wants her to stop talking about the curse and its probability. Upon hearing what Kyou said, Tohru becomes upset. Kyou who notices this wonders why she's suddenly depressed. But Tohru simply tells him that she's sorry for being rash. Kyou immediately goes into panic overdrive telling her that he didn't really mean what he said and that he's not really angry. That's just how he speaks.

Kyou then tells himself how he didn't mean to upset her but the damage is done. Tohru seems upset and won't raise her face. He also guesses correctly that Tohru is probably crying. Because he can't come up with anything else to comfort her, Kyou grabs one of the unused paper flowers and proceeds to make it into a flower. He then offers the flower to Tohru. Tohru looks up and blushes even though there's still a tear in her eyes. She eventually smiles a bit and takes the flowers with both of her hands. While this is happen, there is a side narration, which more or less say "You (are)". The meaning of this won't become clear until the end of the chapter. Anyway, in the middle of the romantic moment, their pesky classmates barge in and say that they've managed to catch the thieves. When Tohru asks what happened, someone (probably Hanajima) tells her that they ordered the thieves to remake the paper flowers that they stole. While this happens, Kyou is seen staring sadly at the window.

Meanwhile at the Souma house, Shigure is seen visiting Akito. He crouches next to her and tells her that he has a small present for her and proceeds to give Akito the paper flowers that he just made. Upon receiving the flower, Akito asks Shigure if he still remembers. There is then a flashback of little Akito approaching little Shigure. Back to the present, Shigure has his cunning smile and asks Akito about what. Akito doesn't answer but the chapter shows that in the past, chibi Akito once received a flower from chibi Shigure. The chapter then ends with the words "I think of you. Always. That's a fact" (note: there are actually other ways to translate this part but I chose this one because I think it's more applicable to Kyou, Tohru, Shigure, and Akito instead of just one of them). Well, I never thought of Furuba as a romantic series but this chapter clearly tries to be one from the look of things. And oh, there's also a sidenote, which says that Tohru carries an important secret of the Soumas, but she'll break down if she can't move that secret. On the other hand, it looks like Shigure's plan begins to move.

Impression:

Well, it looks like the series once again suggests the sort of pairing that may happen in the future. I personally like all of it. Having said that, I think Kyou has to learn controlling that temper of his. He's getting better lately but he needs to stop snapping so easily at everyone, especially at Tohru, who clearly thinks a lot about him. It's good that he realised his wrong-doing at the end and decides to be nice to Tohru but I want more improvement from him. The surprise here, however, is the fact that I really like Yuki and Machi. I never thought that Yuki will have such a good chemistry with Machi but I have to admit that I've been enjoying their scenes together. Lately their pairing has been a good antidote for the now angsty Kyou and Tohru pairing. As for Shigure and Akito, I actually saw that from a mile away ever since Akito was revealed as a woman. The fact that Shigure hasn't got a potential love interest beforehand makes this an expected development rather than anything surprising.