Fruits Basket 1st Season

Let's hold another banquet.

Let's do it again and again,

forever, without change.

Even if you feel lonely and sad now,

everyone is waiting for you,

on the other side of that promise.

That was in the long-distant past.

That first memory, which everyone has forgotten.

That first promise.

It's already mid-September, yet it looks like another hot day!

Watch the house while I'm away, Mom, okay?

I'm going!

I've got plenty of time today, so why not have a look around?

What a view!

Look at that!

There's a house here.

So cute!

How unusual.

A young girl in a place like this?

Good morning! I'm sorry I was looking without permission!

Go ahead.

Though I doubt there's anything young people would find interesting here.

That's not true!

These Chinese Zodiac figurines are so cute!

Oh, I like them too.

Although I don't see the cat among them…

The cat?

Oh, you mean the cat from the Zodiac folktales?

Yes!

My mother would often tell me that story.

Once upon a time,

God told the animals:

"I invite you all to the banquet I'll be holding tomorrow."

But the Rat, who was a bit of a prankster, lied to his neighbor the Cat,

telling him that the banquet was the day after tomorrow.

The day of the banquet, the Rat rode on the Ox's back,

and leapt down graciously at the banquet hall.

After him came the Tiger, the Ox, and all the others,

and they celebrated merrily until dawn.

Except the Cat, who had been deceived.

Why are you crying, Tohru?

Poor Cat!

I made a decision! I'm going to quit being the Dog and become the Cat!

SHE MEANS SHE WANTS TO SWITCH HER BIRTH YEAR FROM DOG TO CAT

Really?

I wonder what face he'd make if he heard that.

-What? -So, you were born in the Year of the Dog?

I kind of feel a sense of affinity with you.

You know, I'm a Dog… as well.

Enough with the flirting.

Are you all right, Honda?

Did my cousin do something weird?

-Good morning, Soma! -Do you have a dictionary somewhere here?

Yeah, a couple.

Good morning.

Oh, you two know each other?

She's my classmate, Honda.

I'm Tohru Honda, pleased to meet you!

Oh. I'm Shigure Soma, Yuki's cousin.

Come to think of it, why are you here?

Oh, I live not far from here…

You do? Interesting…

I really must be going!

-Honda. -Yes?

Since you're here, let's walk to school together.

Oh…

Honda, what was that about?

Well…

Let us introduce ourselves.

I am Prince Yuki's second-year representative, Motoko Minagawa!

"Prince Yuki"?

Prince Yuki's key rules:

Never steal the prince's personal effects!

Never enter the prince's home!

Never speak to him alone.

Prince Yuki.

The club devoted to praising, loving and protecting

the prince that graces our school with his presence.

Honda!

You behave as if you defy the rigorous traditions of the club!

Tell us the reason why you came to school with Yuki.

That's scary…

Explain it! Now!

That was just a coincidence…

That's right.

The incredibly handsome Yuki Soma is considered the school's prince,

even though he's only a freshman.

Answering "just a coincidence" doesn't explain it at all!

That's right!

Don't get too cocky!

Hey.

Enough with those petty excuses to pick fights, okay?

What is it? You punks always think that threats solve everything!

I'll use my evil waves to make you--

Thanks for saving me, Uo, Hana.

You poor thing! That was terrible.

Hanajima, don't actually send the waves.

HOME ECONOMICS

Anyways,

it's quite unusual, you coming to school with the prince.

Yeah, I was very nervous.

Soma was too beautiful.

I…

I sense some weird waves coming from him.

Here it is, Hanajima's "wave report."

"Weird"?

I'm not really sure.

Well, he is quite mysterious.

When a second-year tried to hug him after confessing her love…

Yuki!

He got scared and pushed her away.

I didn't know about that. Why would he do such a thing?

Hey, you three there! Move your hands, not your mouths!

What?

We're already done here, dummy!

Don't be a show-off! I know Honda did all the work.

Rice is cooked, too.

Unbelievable.

I'm going shopping with Hanajima after school. You coming?

Oh, I've got my part-time job today.

That's rough.

You promised to cover your tuition yourself, right?

But if it's just the tuition,

you shouldn't need to work almost every day…

-Here, a big portion. -Thank you.

But I'd like to live on my own after I graduate.

That's why I must start saving now!

What a moving story! Eat up, Tohru, you must build up your strength!

Of course!

Tohru made all this.

You still live at your dad's parents' place, right?

Yes!

Are they feeding you okay?

Don't tell me they take all your wages!

Delicious.

I can't say it. If they find out I'm living in a tent…

She might charge into my grandfather's house on her motorbike.

Soma.

Thank you for this morning.

I thank you too. I'm sorry if Shigure bothered you.

No, far from it! He's such a nice person.

He even showed me his Zodiac figurines.

Oh, that thing about you wanting to be born in the Year of the Cat?

I was a weird child, you know.

Cats are stupid.

-And vicious too. -What?

Don't you know?

You can trace the origin of the Zodiac in the 60-year cycle.

Zodiac symbols were used in counting and timekeeping.

Later, with yin and yang and the elements it became the foundation

for divination and fortune-telling.

There was no chance for the Cat to be included in the first place.

But I think that was for the best.

What's so good about joining the Zodiac?

The Cat's really an idiot.

So, does this mean you hate cats?

Oh, I'm sorry! I must get to work!

-Honda. -Yes?

You look a little pale to me.

It's still hot outside.

You should mind your health a little more.

When I was three, my father died of an illness.

From then on, my mother worked hard to support and protect me.

Tohru! I'd like to eat sukiyaki today!

Sukiyaki!

My mother, who always protected me,

was always so full of energy and cheerful.

I could never have imagined that she…

would die in a car accident.

They argued about who should take me in,

but in the end, they decided I would go to my grandpa's.

He was living on his pension, and I didn't want to be a burden.