Amor Secreto (Kureno x Arisa)

[J Alberghini]

<center>Disclaimer: Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya and all her affiliates. The song "Amor Secreto" belongs to Paulina Rubio.

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! This is my first Fruits Basket fic! A word of warning: this contains spoilers for the anime/manga, especially the most recent Japanese manga chapters (excluding the newest one, 102, since I haven't read that yet, and since I wrote this awhile ago), so if you don't want to be really surprised, I suggest you not read this. But if you know what happens or don't care, then of course do read!

In this fic, Uo is a Latin pop singer, which isn't as strange as one might think. For some reason, in the AP Spanish tests/prep books there have been two stories about Japanese people who have gone into singing salsa music, which seemed odd to me, but for the purpose of this fic, it works. I based her look, her CD, and of course her music on the singer Paulina Rubio. I translated some of the lyrics from Spanish to English so that you don't have to know Spanish to understand it, but as Spanish is my second language, there maybe some mistakes. I did my best. I hope you like it.

Amor Secreto

"Uo-chan!" Tohru Honda dashed into the airport terminal, past the bewildered security guard, straight to where her two best friends were waiting. "I made it," she panted, "I was afraid I was going to be late. I'm sorry, I couldn't get off work any earlier."

Arisa Uotani ruffled her friend's hair good-naturedly. "No worries, what's important is that you're here now."

It was three months after their high school graduation. Tohru had been working at Momiji's father's building full time since the summer began. She was still a resident of Shigure Sohma's household, along with Yuki, who was attending the local university. Kyo had disappeared the day before graduation-- no one knew where he had gone, even his foster father. One thing was certain: He wasn't locked up in the Sohma dungeon, a fact that Akito was still livid about. Though Tohru was terribly worried about him, she was glad that he had at least escaped that fate.

Saki Hanajima, or as Tohru called her "Hana-chan," on the other hand, hadn't changed much over the summer. She still dressed in black, still scared people wherever she went. No one was exactly sure what she was doing in her life; and no one really wanted to know.

As for Arisa, she had decided not to become a model but to pursue her hidden talent as a singer instead. But not just any type of singing- Spanish singing, salsa and meringue and all sorts of styles. It wasn't as uncommon as it might sound. There were for some strange reason, a lot of Japanese people who had wanted to pursue that career. Or at least, she knew that two people had anyway. But to do so, a few changes were necessary first, however. Of course, she had to learn Spanish first, but that was only a small obstacle. But she also had to give up long skirts and thin eyebrows in exchange for outfits that revealed more than they covered and quite a bit of make-up. The change suited her, though, and deep down she was the same tough Yankee as always. Unfortunately, now she wouldn't have to be their to defend her best friend from bullies- now she was on her way to Miami, Florida, to record her first album as a Japanese Latin artist.

"The flight to Los Angeles will soon be boarding," a mechanical woman spoke over the loudspeaker. That was hers- as the distance from Japan to Miami was almost half the world, she would be stopping in California for a week before she moved on. "Please report to the gate."

"I'm going to miss you!" Tohru burst into tears. Automatically, her two friends rushed to comfort her.

"I'll be home before you know it. And you can always visit. Who knows, maybe I'll have one a Grammy or two next time I see you," Arisa smiled and squeezed Tohru tightly around her shoulders.

"I know you will," Tohru managed to smile through her tears. "Be safe."

"May you always have good vibes," Hanajima added as she gave her an awkward (in appearance, not in feeling) good-bye hug. It was quite an odd scene: Uo in her stylish tube top and short skirt, hugging the girl who was dressed in so much black, she looked like she was going to a funeral, minus the veil.

"Thanks," she chuckled, and gave her friends one final group hug, before rushing off in the direction of her proper gate. But instead of going directly inside, she stopped in a dark corridor, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching. No one was except for one person that is.

"Here you are." A figure stepped out of the shadows to greet her. He was a tall man, with medium brown hair and a solemn expression, dressed in nice slacks and an open suit jacket. Though Uo was by no means short, her head only went to his shoulder as they embraced. His name was Kureno Sohma.

"I didn't think you would come," she murmured into his shoulder. "I know how you hate to be seen in public with me."

"I couldn't let Tohru know I was here," he replied, ignoring her statement. "You know she can't find out about us-- if it were to get around to--" His voice trailed off, he had not once told her about Akito and he wasn't about to. For the past few months, he'd managed to keep his relationships with both of them from each other. Though he had told Tohru that he couldn't see her friend again, his will wasn't as strong as he wished. So a few weeks after that first meeting, he sought her out, and they had been seeing each other since, always in a place where no one they knew had ever spotted them. Except for one.

Uo squirmed out of his embrace. "Why do we have to hide it? I hate keeping secrets from those two. And not just about us either. Why can't you tell Tohru what you know?"

Kureno looked at her, his eyes sad for a brief moment. "I made a bargain-- our secret for his. He doesn't want to be found, I told you before."

The Yankee kicked the wall behind him in frustration. "Stupid orange head," she grumbled. "Doesn't he know Tohru's worried sick about him?"

The older man shrugged. "Probably, but what she doesn't know can't hurt her. He's doing it to project her. Just as I am trying to protect you by keeping our relationship a secret." He tried to pull her toward him, but she wouldn't bite. She had held her tongue for the past few months, content to just be with him. But she wasn't going to go any longer without answers, now that they might never see each other again.

If he gets angry, it won't matter, I have nothing to lose, she thought, before she finally spoke up. "Protect me from what? What is the matter with you Sohmas? Are you part of the mob, is that why you're all so rich and secretive? Tell me what's going on, damnit!"

Kureno didn't answer, only crushed his lips to hers in a passionate, slightly violent kiss. Her questions were forgotten; she was speechless, silenced by her need for his touch. Knowing she wouldn't struggle, he lessened the pressure, but he did not draw away.

"All passengers, please report to the gate immediately. The flight to Los Angeles is now boarding. I repeat- please report to the gate immediately."

"Stupid woman," Uo grumbled, reluctantly pulling out of his hold. She adjusted the carry-on-bag that was on her shoulder and took out her ticket and passport. "I have to go. I'll see you, I guess," she said dispassionately. He might have leaned in to kiss her, but she had already turned away, walking into the room without looking back.

Two years later?

"Isn't this exciting?" Tohru gushed, leaning on her companion's arm for balance as she nearly tripped on the red plush carpet that led from the street to inside the exclusive Club Japon?s.

"I guess," Yuki Sohma didn't seem very enthusiastic, in spite of his beautiful date.

Tohru was dressed in one of his brother's less frightening creations, which he had made especially for tonight: an ankle length, strapless, chiffon pink dress. She had tied her hair back with a matching pink ribbon. Her eyes were shining with excitement, but her friends (Yuki, Hanajima and her little brother Megumi) knew there was sadness in them too. Yuki wasn't offended, as he might have before, by the fact that she wished she were on the arm of a different Sohma that night, only sad for her. But it couldn't be helped.

""The evening should prove to be entertaining," Megumi spoke up in his quiet voice. He, like his sister, was dressed from head to toe in basic, creepy black. The only difference was that he was wearing pants while she was wearing a dress. It was amazing that the two siblings were let into the club at all. Fortunately, the featured singer that night had warned the bouncer about her friends, so there were no problems.

Under the spotlights of the dim nightclub, a banner proclaimed that Arisa Uotani, Latin Grammy winner for best new artist and best album would be performing that night. Tohru gawked at the stage as she and the others were led behind the curtain. They were accosted as soon as they got in.

"Tohru! Hanajima!" Uo squeezed her best friends tightly as the boys looked on, Yuki in a slight state of shock, Megumi staring with polite amusement.

"Your hair looks beautiful!" Tohru exclaimed, touching the bouncy blond curls that hung around her shoulders.

"Thanks. Hey guys," she greeted the guys, who finally got a good look at her for the first time. She was clad in a skintight white tube top with black writing all over it, short jean shorts that started inches below the belly button and ended at her thigh, and knee length white boots with 5 inch heels. The two men gaped at her, though Yuki was a gentleman and Megumi didn't usually care about girls unless he was cursing them. But Uo brushed off their stares-- she was used to it. Ever since the take-off of her new CD, entitled Uo-latina, a year before, plenty of men looked at her that way. Usually she didn't pay them much attention, at least not for more than a night or two. When interviewers asked, she would just say she didn't want a relationship right then, that she wanted to focus on her career. That was what she said.

"Um, Uo-chan?" Tohru began hesitantly. "I, er, might have a surprise for you."

Hana raised her eyebrow. "This is the first I've heard of this."

"You might? What do you mean, you might?" Uo asked suspiciously. The four stared at the girl, who looked tremendously guilty for trying to meddle in her friend's life.

"Well, I er, I spoke to Kureno," she blurted out, after much stuttering. "I told him you would be here. But I don't know if he's coming."
Uo felt a pang in her chest, but she made herself appear calm and relaxed. "Who? Oh, that guy. It doesn't matter to me. I only met him once. It was just a little crush, no big deal. I'm way over that now. He probably won't come anyway."

Tohru blinked at her, not believing a single word she said. Hana didn't either, so she suggested, "Well, you should at least look outside to check."

Uo shrugged. "Sure, why not? No problem." She poked her head out the curtain, really not expecting to see anything, though she couldn't help hoping just a little bit. But to her surprise, sitting alone at a table in the middle of the room, there he was! Uo couldn't control her gasp.

Her friends knew instantly what that meant. "He came!" Tohru exclaimed, giddy with excitement for her friend. Nothing had made her so happy in days. Uo sunk into the plush chair that was placed in front of her mirror.

"I- I don't believe it," she murmured to herself. "I thought that he would forget me. I tried so hard to forget him. Not that I did, really."
Tohru rubbed her shoulders. "When people have something as special as you two did, it's not easily forgotten," she said sensibly. Uo looked up at her, surprised to see a knowing look on Tohru's face. It was then that she realized that her friend had known about them all along.

"How did you...?"

She giggled. "You were so happy, it was easy to tell something was up. Hana-chan suspected too, right?"

Hanajima smiled one of her rare smiles. "Your vibes were different from anything I'd ever seen before. It had to be that. They made no sense at all."

Yuki rubbed his forehead, clearly confused by the whole ordeal. "She was with Kureno? How? And what about-" He stopped short, when Tohru shook her head at him. "Never mind," he sighed.

The pop star grabbed her friend's hand. "Tohru, what am I going to do?" she moaned.

The young woman crouched down next to her, patting her hair soothingly. "Just be yourself. Let him know how you feel, in your own way. He'll understand what you mean. You just need to get it across somehow. That's what my mom would say."

"How am I supposed to do that? I don't even know what I feel anymore."
"Is that so?" Megumi was skimming through the lyrics booklet from her CD, being the only one of the group who knew any Spanish at all (How he learned it, no one really knows.) "I wouldn't be so sure about that." He handed her the pamphlet, pointing to one song in particular.
Uo looked it over and her eyes widened. "I see your point. All right." She stood up, smoothed out her skirt (the little there was of it), and went over to her band to whisper something to them. They nodded their understanding, and she signaled to the manager to open the curtain as she walked to the mike. The moment she was visible, the room became quiet and all eyes were on her.

"Hello, I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight," she addressed the crowd in Japanese. "This is my first world tour, and I wanted to finish it in my hometown, so thank you for having me." The filled with cheers, but she wasn't finished yet. "Some very special people in my life are here tonight- my friends," she pointed behind her, and a spotlight shown on Tohru and the others, who were poking their heads out from behind the curtain on the right of the stage, "and? someone else. This first song is for that person. It's called Amor Secreto, which, for those non-Spanish speakers out there, means Secret Love. "The lights turned off one by one until only a single spotlight shone on her. In the darkness, the band began to play the opening chords, and before she knew it, it was time for her to join in. Though many of the listeners didn't speak Spanish, the mood was easy to understand.

"When you're not with me? The nights are so long that they make me cry?"She was crying behind closed eyes, but most of the audience was oblivious to it- except for one person.

Kureno stared at her, amazed at how beautiful she had grown in such a short amount of time. He'd always thought of her as beautiful, of course, but know it was different. Even though she looked more or less the same as she did when she left Japan, she now carried herself differently. She was more comfortable with her appearance. It was no longer a costume, it was who she was and she was proud of it. She seemed stronger, and more confident, not in the tomboyish, Yankee way she used too, but as a woman. But she was still his, he could feel it- even though he couldn't understand a word of what she was saying. And then she looked at him.

"From here? I carry you so deep within me? And I don't regret?" Their eyes locked, and Uo's heart swelled with happiness. He still cares. He loves me. The words went over and over in her head. "This love that is forbidden, having to share it? because I know that you love me? that you'll return tomorrow." Feeling reassured and straying far against the original plan (which involved standing still for this song, and jumping around the stage for the other, faster ones), she walked down the stairs, off the stage, and wound her way through the tables to his. "Here? you carry me so deep within you? and I'm your nourishment? The love that you lacked, the smile in your gaze, the best of your secrets, the reason for your dreams?" Everyone in the room was staring at them, mesmerized, as if they could sense the connection between them, but couldn't quite grasp it. She remained there until the last note faded. Everyone watched to see what she would do next.

"You came!" she whispered softly, so that only he could hear.

Kureno nodded. "Yes." The word was simple, but it meant so much more than just that. He didn't need to explain- she just knew, and all but jumped into his arm, crying of happiness for one of the first times in her life. The audience burst into applause.

After a long moment, Uo pulled herself out of his grip. "You gonna be here awhile? I have a concert to finish."

He smiled, understanding. Grinning wildly, she addressed the audience. "All right, everyone, let's party!"

The moment the show was over, Uo flew off the stage, back to her proper position. Her friends watched from behind the curtains, oohing and ahing, but giving them their space. Well, the girls were oohing and ahing (if Hanajima really did such a thing)-- the boys just stood at the door impatiently.

"Come on, sister." Megumi tugged the vibe-girl along with him into the cold without giving her a chance to put her (black) cape on.

Yuki adjusted his scarf. "Ready to go?" he asked Tohru. The girl shook her head, not taking her eyes off the happy couple.

"Yuki-kun, you can go ahead. I'll find my own way home."

The prince looked at her in alarm. "I can't-" Tohru glanced back at him briefly. Something in her gaze told him it would be a useless argument. "All right, be safe."

"I will. Don't wait up for me," she added, which was exactly what Yuki had planned to do. Sometimes Tohru wasn't as na?ve as she let on.

"Good night." Yuki stepped outside, groping his way through the darkness. The door slowly shut behind him, but after a few moments it opened again.

"They're such a cute couple," Tohru gushed, paying no attention to the person who had just walked in. She sighed happily, swooning so that she nearly fell backward. But instead of hitting the floor, she felt two hands on her back, supporting her. She looked up and gasped. Then her lips spread into a wide smile. "Uo-chan is so happy," she addressed the figure who stood behind her, taking his hands in her own. "Although, I must say, at this moment, not as much as I am."

The end. </center>

[ichigo15]

I love the ending to this fan fiction!! It leaves you guessing, but yet, it's really obvious who it is!!

[LittleRooster]

OMG!! im going to cry! I luv both the characters soo much!