Chapter One

Authors Note: Welcome, readers and fellow authors! Here is a new story I decided to start writing. It's literally the same thing as Vampire Knight: Reversed Roles. I'm posting the first chapter as a test run so leave a review and let me know if you want this story continued or not. Also, I will try to upload the chapters for Vampire Knight: Reversed Roles some time this week when I'm not playing computer games.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters. I only own the idea for this.

Kyo P.O.V

Let the party begin! Let's celebrate with everyone! "Waa! Looks pretty hot today. I think I've got everything!" I said to no one in particular and came out of my tent. "I don't think I've forgotten anything!" I peered inside before closing the zipper. "Dad, I'll leave you to tend to the house. I'm going to school now!"

Good morning, I am Kyo Honda. My father, who raised me by himself, passed away this May. So, I started secretly living in a tent. It's still early today. I can take a walk and look around here. I thought as I checked my watch. Although I can't say I live a luxurious life now, but it's pkay. Because of my personality, it doesn't matter how bad the situation is...or when ever it is I'll never be afraid, I'll never give up. As I was walking the trail, I spotted a house and went over. Major discovery...! I never knew there was a house here...What an elegant mansion...The wind blew, causing the chime to sawy slightly. I looked down and saw ornaments laid out. Ah...how cute...

"How rare," a voice said and I looked up, surprised to see a woman standing there. "There is a boy here?"

I became flustered. "He-hello...I'm sorry for looking around without your permission!" AH! Someone is here...!

"The woman folded up her newspaper. "It's okay, look if you want. I only put them out there for some sunshine." She looked over and smiled. "Normally young people like you would think it's boring."

Waa...what a beautiful person! "Oh no, the twelve animal ornaments look very cute!"

The woman sat on her knees next to them. "Really? I like them, too."

I noticed one was missing. "But...there's no cat..."

She seemed surprised. "Cat? Ah...you know of the story about the cat in the legend of the twelve zodiac animals?"

"Yeah...my dad used to tell me the story..."

-Flashback-

"Long long time ago...God told the animals, "Tomorrow I'll invite you to my banquet. You must not be late". After hearing the news, the rat who likes practical jokes...told it's neighbor, the cat, that the banquet is the day after tomorrow. On that day, the rat rode on the ox and jumped off to get into the banquet first. The ox followed, then came the tiger and everyone else. The celebration lasted until the next mroning. Except for the cat, who had been tricked..." Dad finished the story and saw that I was upset. "Kyo, why are you crying?"

"Poor...cat..." I jumped up out of bed. "I've decided! I don't want to be a dog anymore, I want to be a cat!"

-End Flashback-

"That's how much I like the cat." I said.

"Oh...?" The woman chuckled. "I wonder what she would say if she heard that." She mumbled that last part under her breath.

"Huh?" I was clueless at how to respond.

"Your true sign is a dog, right? No wonder I feel a connection, don't ypu think? I'm a dog, too, you see..."

"You look more like a pedophile like this..." someone said and hit the woman upside her head with a school bag.

"Ouch..."

"Shame on you, moving closer and closer..." The other voice said.

"That hurts! What do you have in there, a dictionary?"

"Two of them." I looked up and saw a familiar face. The girl smiled. "Honda-san, are you okay I hope my cousin didn't do anything inappropiate." The girl who stood there had long gray hair that reached her waist with light purple eyes.

"So-Sohma-chan! Good...good morning!" I was shocked.

"Good morning!" She said.

The woman sighed. "Why must you make it sound like I'm a pervert?"

-Some Time Later-

"HONDA-SAN! WHAT HAPPENED THIS MORNING?!" One of my classmates demanded. "Well?!" He got right in my face. "HONDA! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? HUH?! HOW COME YOU CAME TO SCHOOL WITH SOHMA-CHAN? Please explain!"

"It was a coincidence...you don't need to exaggerate..." I said, hoping he would calm down.

"STUPID! If you can use the word 'coincidence', why do we need detectives?!" He shouted.

"Yeah!Yeah! That's right! Correct!" His friends agreed.

"BE QUIET IN THE HALLWAY!" A teacher passing by yelled.

Yes. The beautiful Yuki Sohma, only a first year student, already the princess of the school.

"Don't think just because Sohma-chan was nice to you, you can get a swelled head...WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE?!"

Someone spoke up behind him. "Hey..." I looked over his shoulder and saw my friends, Kureno and Kazuma standing there, a dark aura surrounding them. "Didn't Kyo say it was just a coincidence? You don't need to keep on making a fool out of yourself." Kureno said darkly.

I was a bit relieved. "Uo-kun, Hana-kun..."

Kinoshita-kun looked scared as he turned to them. "Why should I? Look who's interrupting this!"

Kazuma spoke up. "I could use my poisonous waves on them..."

Kinoshita-kun ran away in fear.

"You saved me..." I said, still nervous.

Kureno patted my head. "What a meaning-less problem. Hanajima, don't actually use your poison waves.

"So, you're Yuki's classmate? I'm Akito Sohma, Yuki's cousin." The woman, Akito, smiled.

"How are you? I'm Kyo Honda..." I said and bowed.

"Honda-san, why are you here?" Yuki asked.

I tried not to panic. "Ah...I live close by!" It wasn't exactly a lie.

Akito-san and Sohma-chan looked confused. "Near by?!"

Sohma-chan smiled and changed the subject. "Nevermind, we're going to be late. Since you're here, let's walk to school together."

I sat in Home Ec. with Kureno and Kazuma. "I was sooo nervous...Sohma-chan is so wonderful, makes my heart race and my face red...I didn't know what to talk to her about..."

"I...can feel some mysterious electric waves emitting from her..." Kazuma said, mysteriously.

"Time for Hanajima's wave report again." Kureno said.

"Is it really that intriguing?" I asked as Kazuma sheathed his knife.

"I'm not sure myself..." Kazuma said.

Kureno ran a hand through his hair. "But, she is very mysterious because she never talks about herself. Not that I actually want to know. A while ago, there was a second year boy who confessed his feelings to her. When he went to hug her...she pushed him away...totally freaked him out."

I was surprised. "This...this story, why haven't I heard about it?"

Kazuma tapped the spoon against his hand. "It's why I call it intriguing..."

Kureno sounded bored. "Oh well...her type of actions make those guys more attracted to her."

It was at that moment that our sensei came over. "YOU THREE! Don't just use your mouth and not your hands!" He stopped in his tracks when he saw the food laid out. "Wha...?"

"Hey, lobster face! It's already cooked. Can we go now?" Kureno asked.

"Who do you think you're fooling? Honda-san made everything!"

"The rice is also done..." Kureno said to no one in particular.

"Oh! Today after school, I'm going to the shop with Kazuma. Do you have to work today?" Kureno asked.

"Ah...yeah." I said.

"You are working too hard...it's because you need to pay for your own tuition?" Kureno asked.

Kazuma was filling the bowls with rice. "But, if it's for school tuitiom, you don't need to work everyday."

"After I graduate, I want to live an independent life. So I need to start saving money now!"

"Damn it, Kyo...you're gonna make me cry...so selfless!" Kureno was crying. "Eat, Kyo! You need more energy!"

"Okay!" I said.

"You still living with your fathers relatives?" Kureno asked suddenly.

I almost fell off the chair. "Y-Yes!"

Kureno attacked me with questions. "Do you get enough food there? They don't try to take your wages, do they?"

"Perfect. Not a grain out of place..." Kazuma said.

I can't tell them...If Uo-kun finds out I'm living in a tent, he might burst into grandma's house on his motorcycle.

After school ended, I ran to my locker to get my shoes when I saw Sohma-chan. "Ah...! Sohma-chan...thank you for this morning..."

She closed her locker and smiled. "I'm sorry that Akito has caused you trouble."

"No, of course not! She's a kind person! And she showed me her Zodiac ornaments." I said.

"Mmm...what did you talk about? Something about the cat from the Zodiac?" She asked.

""I was pretty silly when I was a kid."

"Yes. Cats are stupid! They don't have a good personality!" Sohma-chan said, clearly annoyed.

"Ah?"

Her tone changed. "Honda-san, do you know how the 12 Zodiacs became the way it is? Orginally, using the counting numbers and time...afterwards, added ying-yang element's complementary and opposite theory...and became a fortunate telling thing..."

"Are you saying...it had nothing to do animals?" I was trying to keep up.

"Right. I'm not sure when it started...and for what reason, animals were added...It's still unclear. But the cat was never added into the 1 animals from the start. I feel that it's better if things stay the way they are. What if cats became part of the clan? Cat's are stupid!" She said.

Now I was very confused as I tried to wrap my head around this. "Sohma-chan...you...hate cats?" She turned around and had a cold smile on her face. Eh...? The sound of an alarm ringing caught my attention. Eh?! I realized the alarm was coming from me. I pulled my watch out and saw the time. "It's already this late? I have to get to work! Sorry, Sohma-chan, I have ti rush to work now."

"Honda-san..." Sohma-chan reached out and pulled a leaf out of my hair. "This morning, I noticed...you haven't been looking very well. The weather is very hot...you have to look after yourself!" She let the leaf go and walked away. "See you tomorrow."

"She gives that mysterious feeling."

It seems...that I finally began to understand her words. Feels like my soul is being charmed by her beauty...Looking at my watch again, I hurried to work, hoping I would make it in time. "You have to take care of yourself." But Sohma-chan, I can't do it. My dad used to work harder than me. My mother died when I was 3 years old. Since then, dad worked with all his effort, and supported us. No matter what, he was always happy, cheerful and lively. But I never thought that he would die in a traffic accident.

In regards to adopting me, my family members arugued and argued! Finally it was decided that I would stay at grandma's. I didn't want to trouble to grandma, because she is living on a pension. So, I said I would pay for my own school fees and living expenses. That was in may. 4 months later grandmother told me... "I have decided to have my son's family living with me. Just happens that I wanted to renovate this house. During the renovation, I am staying with my son. I'm really sorry, but can you stay with your friends?"

Uo-kun lives in a small apartment with his mom, Hana-kun is in a family of five. Don't know how long the renovation would take, I can't bother them...So...That's when the idea hit me. Why don't I live by myself1 now is the perfect chance to practice enduring the harsh life! I pulled on my gloves and clenched my fists in determination. Yes! Everything has two sides, good and bad. Doesn't matter if I don't have money, I can live in a tent!

"Can someone come and move this? I can't get by." A woman said when she came out of her office.

"Ah! Yes!" I said and grabbed the bags of trash and left to dispose of them.

Although there are np annoying salesman coming, there are bugs, insects, spiders and mosquitoes every night. A few days ago, a typhoon nearly blew the tent away. "I can't give up! I can't be feeling sad. I must live in the city...I must live in the city!" I said, wiping down the cabinets.

Two of my co-workers sat on the couch behind me. "Ever since that boy started working here, our work has been much easier." One of them said.

Yuki P.O.V

"Ah! This late already?" Akito said as we walked back home. "Every night, it's always take-out, how tiring."

"Why don't you cook dinner?" I asked.

"I did, but didn't you complain?" Akito looked at me.

"Because you put rice in curry." I said bluntly.

"If you're so smart, how come you don't know any housework?! Two women living together, we need muscle!" She yelled.

"Easy for you to say..."I smiled.

"What was the aying...? Women came after the muscle, isn't it...? Oh!" She saw someone walking on the trail. "Isn't that Kyo walking over there?"

I put my hands on my hips. "Scary...you can remember a boy's name this quickly."

"That's nothing special!" Akito laughed. "But, it's late, what is he doing out here...? He really lives close by?"

I thought about something. "I heard his father just passed away...maybe he moved here? But impossib;e. Land around here was never rented to anyone..." Me and Akito just looked at each other.

Kyo P.O.V

"So tired..." I mumbled as I stumbled towards my tent. "I'm home, dad...I really want to go to sleep...but I have to finish my homework..." I grabbed my towel and unzipped my tent. "I'll wash my face to wake myself up...ah...I feel light headed." I looked up and saw Sohma-chan and her cousin standing there.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Akito burst out laughing.

Sohma-chan sighed in annoyance. "Akito, that's enough."

"So...when did you start...living in that tent...?" Sohma-chan asked when we got back to their house.

"About one week ago..." I said, still feeling dizzy.

"I thought it was strange...this whole area belongs to the Sohma family." She said, watching Akito.

"Please...let me stay there for a while...?" I asked. 'After the renovation is finished, I'll leave right away. Although...I don't have much but...I'll pay you. Please..."

"It's dangerous out there! The ground is loose and there are perverts wandering around. A boy can't live in a tent for that long." Akito stopped laughing.

"Finished laughing?" Sohma-chan asked.

I bolted to my feet. "No problem! I'm already used to insects! I have the energy and the drive! Please! I'm...begging...you..." I couldn't stand up any longer and sank to the floor.

"Honda-san?!" Sohma-chan rushed over. "You have a fever..." She said, pressing her hand against my forehead. "No wonder you look so pale."

Akito walked over to the kitchen entrance. "I'll get some ice...ice...Ah! Where is it?"

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the mess in the kitchen. "This looks like a garbage dump..."

She grinned. "Well said!" Her expression changed when a dog howled close by. "There was a landslide just now."

"Eh?" I looked at her in confusion.

"Last storm made the soil soft and loose." She told us.

"How...how do you know?" I asked.

"Well...call it animal instinct..." She said.

Sohma-chan came back in with the first aid kit. "Stop joking around. Where is it?

'Yuki, you are so cruel!" Akito whined.

I became nervous. "Maybe...you don't think it was near my tent, do you?" I let out a nervous laugh.

"It can't be that coincidental!" Akito giggled.

"Then where?" Sohma-chan asked.

The three of us walked back to my tent and discivered that it was buried my the landslide. "Waa...NO! Dad's picture is still in the tent! DAD!"

"Honda-san?" Sohma-chan said as she came up behind me. "Honda-san, calm down. You still have a fever!"

I was digging through the mud. "But dad, he...what should I do? I need to get him out quickly...or he'll be in pain!"

Akito put her hand over mine. "Let's come back tomorrow morning. If a landslide happens again, you might hurt yourself...then your dad would be in even more pain..."

We went back to the house and I was lting down in the make shift bed Akito made for me.

"Yuki went looking for some ice. You must be tired, a hard working student..." She said.

"I'm sorry...again...I lost my home, again..."

She plopped down beside me. "You feel really bad, don't you?"

"No, because I know...there are worse things."

That caught her attention. "Like what...?"

"'Come home safe...' I didn't tell him to come home safe...that morning of the accident..." I pulled the blanket up over my face. "Because I had a test, I stayed up all night studying, and overslept. I didn't get up...only that morning...I...usually...every morning I would say it...only that day..." I closed my eyes. "I...I thought about dropping out of school and working full time. But dad said..."I only finished middle school. But, I wanted to be a high school student! So, you try the high school life for me!" I know he always worked hard for me. But I didn't...tell him to be careful...even when he left, I didn't watch him leave...I'm so stupid! Even if I filed, or the house got blown away, I really don't care. The most important thing is dad." I don't have the chance anymore to tell him... "So, at least...I can finish dad's wish...to finish high school..." This is my goal. "I can't lose to this little...fever..." I drifted off to sleep.

Yuki P.O.V.

"He's asleep?" I asked when I came into the room with the ice and a towel.

Akito looked over her shoulder. "You heard?"

"I'm impressed. At school, he's always very cheerful...as if pain and suffering never come close...he is tough."

"Impressive?" Akito sounded doubtful.

"I...I wanted to leave the Sohma family...and live in a tent or go to some unknown place." The haunting memories resurfaced. "But, I still end up staying with another relative...if I really hated this life, I should be like Honda-san...I am so naive...right...?"

"You are still the young mistress!" Akito tapped my head with the paper fan. "Kyo and your thinking are totally different. And saying that he is tough, it's rude!"

I looked at Honda-san as he slept. "Yes..." I walked to the door. "Can you take care of him? I need to go out."

"Akito watched me. "Where are you going...? Don't tell me you're going to dig out his stuff. I hope you're not going alone."

"Alone?" I stood in front of the door as it opened with all the rats standing behind me. "Who said I was going alone?"

Akito smiled knowingly. "Good luck."

Kyo P.O.V.

"Kyo...you have a fever again?" Dad asked as I laid my head on his lap. "I told you not to come out and do chores for me! Kyo, you're always like this. All you have to do is be yourself."

One day...I will catch up...but...this time...I wouldn't push it. Otherwise...dad won't be coming back. I woke up when I realized I started crying in my sleep. Sitting up, I remembered everything that happened last night and got up. Ah! Now is not the time to dream! I still have to dig dad out! I shoved the door open and saw Sohma-chan standing there.

"Good morning! How are you feeling?" She smiled.

I felt my face become warm. "Ah! Ah! Good morning!"

She held out a picture frame. "Here, your photo."

"Ah...?" I ran my hand through my hair.

"Your belongings are all dug up. Make sure they're yours." She placed the bag in front of me.

"WHAT?! Sohma-chan, you dug up all that dirt?"

Sohma-chan just smiled and said, "It's a secret."

I didn't know how to answer to that. "Oh...thank you. Thank you so much!" I said and bowed.

She picked up the bags and brought them inside. "Then, I'll take your things upstairs."

"Ah?"

She looked over her shoulder at me. "This house is pretty dirty, and only has girls living here. But there's an empty room on the 2nd floor. Until the renovation finishes, you can live here."

I shook my head frantically. NO! NO! I OBJECT!

"Object...ah, that room has a lock..."

I guess she misunderstood. "I-I don't mean that! Only..."

"Kyo, do you like house work?" Akito said from behind me.

"AH!" I was scared out of my wits.

"For example, cleaning and cooking kinds of things..." Akito said.

"Y...you scared me...Yes...I like to do those things. Why?"

Akito's face lit up. "WELCOME TO THE SOHMA FAMILY! Because the room has always been locked, go open the windows. Ah, we need to get a spare key made. Yuki, get him some of my clothes!"

My head started spinning. "I...can't! You already looked after me enough. I can't bother you with this..."

Sohma-chan cut me off. "Honda-san, we suggested this. It's no trouble at all."

"But...!"

"Besides, you don't have anywhere else to go, do you?" She hit the nail right on the head.

"For not troubling you, would you please tell me the rules and traditions of the Sohma family?" I asked as she showed me around the house.

"That's okay." Sohma-chan said. "Honda-san, all you need to do is be yourself."

You only have to be yourself... Sohma-chan...is full of mystery. "I-I will do my best! Please take care of me!"

Sohma-chan and Akito went into the hallway while I changed and I could barely their hushed words.

"Easy for you to say...can we live with a boy? He is a boy!" Akito whispered loudly.

Sohma-chan replied, "You were so happy a second ago." I feel... "Nothing to worry about...as long as he doesn't hug any of us."

Things turns the way it is in a blink of an eye. I feel like I'm still dreaming. And, living at Sohma-chan's house. I was wearing a button up shirt and a pair of slacks.

"It's still musty in here. I'm going to open the windows." Sohma-chan said when she came back in.

Eh? Come to think of it, what about Sohma-chan's parents? They don't live together? I thought. Because I'm so lucky, I feel a little uncomfortable...ah, really? Can I live here?

As soon as I turned around, a loud crash came from behind me as something came in through the ceiling. Eh? I turned around and saw a girl with long orange hair, wearing a black tank top and cargo pants standing there.

"YO!" The girl said as she cracked her shoulders. "You've been waiting for me, haven't you?! Rat girl!"

Eh?! I was a mess trying to figur out who this was when Sohma-chan turned around. "Why...is it every time you come home, you make a mess?" Sohma-chan asked. "Haven't you had enough? You're so weak!" She gave the other girl a smug grin.

That seemed to annoy the girl. "Bitch! I'll make you feel how I felt last time...! Today, I'll pay you back!" She raised her clenched fist. "LET'S GO!"

I stumbled forward to stop her. "Please...please wait...!" My foot slipped on a piece of wood and I crashed into the girls back. "AH?!"

"AAHH!" Sohma-chan exclaimed.

"AAAHHHHH!" The other girl yelled and we crashed to the ground. The cat, who couldn't attend the banquet...because of being tricked, is still angry...

Akito came into the room. "Yuki, what was that loud noise? Tohru's here?"

Sohma-chan put her hand over her face.

"I-I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I reached inside her shirt and pulled out an annoyed looking orange cat. "Why is there a cat...?" So...the cat chases the rat everywhere.

Sohma-chan pressed her head against Akito's shoulder. "What are we gonna do about that idiot?"