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Tohru gasped and jumped away from the tree. Quickly, she started wiping away her eyes, embarrassed that she had allowed herself to cry in a public place. She was never to lose face in public.

"Kaida-chan...I..."

Tohru felt her eyes welling with tears. "It was all Haruki's fault! He asked me to his bride and run away...and when I told him never, I was happy here - I belonged here - he accused me of throwing away my mother who cared about me. But I didn't! Mother told me to come here - to follow my dreams!"

Tohru put her other hand over her face, sobbing. "He said he loved me, but he insinuated that I was doing was bad...but...I can't go back there...I don't care if we were bethrothed...I can't go back to my Father...I can't go back to that life...I...I never belonged..."

For the first time since she left, Tohru held onto Kaida and openly wept. Kaida rocking her and smoothing her hair reminded Tohru of her mother which made her cry worse but also helped her to feel better in a strange way. Finally she stopped and just rested agains Kaida, feeling safe and warm being held and just being weak.

"What do you mean? It was something I always expected to happen since I was old enough to know what marriage was."

Tohru wiped her eyes and sat down beneath the tree. "When I told him that geisha don't marry, he asked me to run away with him - that'd he'd repay any debts that I had. He's the son of the second wealthiest merchant in the south, of course he is going to return home and take over the business...just as I would have done for my father if I had been a son."

Tohru stopped and thought for a moment. "Well...I...I don't know...all he said was run away...but he never said he didn't mean home...He has obligations with his father - he is the only child...but...he never said..." she whispered amazed.

Tohru blinked at the question and hugged her knees to her. "I guess I never really thought about it...we only really met once..." she said resting her chin on her knees.

She let her mind drift to the meeting and sighed. "I always knew he'd make a good husband - he seemed to be hiding a deep kindness...but I never really thought about love. I never really let myself because I knew I wouldn't get a choice in my marriage."

Tohru blinked and held up her head again. She thought for a moment and wondered if what Kaida said may be right. She sat there deep in thought, pondering what Kaida had said.