Fruits basket by Natsuki Takaya
publisher Hakusensha/Hana to Yume Magazine
Synopsis/Summaries done by Kevp
Summaries for Chaps 51
side note: *bring out the hankie poor hana-chan ;__;*

 It begins with Saki reminiscening about her childhood, when she 
didn't want to go out because so many words came into her head. Her 
power was apparently more out of control when she was young. She 
could hear other's thoughts. Even when her parents tried to take her 
to a less crowded area, Saki couldn't handle hearing so many words.

Luckily for her, her family was very understanding. Even though Saki 
was the only one in her family line to ever have such power, everyone 
in the family, including her grandmother, tried to be of help to 
her. Her father actually explained to Saki what he was thinking at 
the moment, so she wouldn't think he was afraid of her. Very 
different from that of Souma Family...

Her family concludes that she should be taught how to control her 
power, through things like training, or carrying some sort of charms.

Grandmother : "Maybe Megumi(Saki's brother) has similar power, too?"
Mother : "Ahh! So that's why Megumi is so quiet. He's trying to 
communicate with minds."
Father : "His quietness is due to his personality..."

At school, Saki keeps getting bullied and teased by others children, 
who calls her "a witch." But Saki tries to hide it from her family, 
afraid it will worry them too much.

But one day, one of the boys tries to make Saki eat a frog(I think 
it's a frog, but I'm not very sure. The scan I have isn't in perfect 
quality.), because he once heard "a witch" eats living things like 
that. Saki tries to refuse, but he forces it into her mouth. Soon 
the entire class is mocking her for "eating something like that." 
Saki's mind goes berserk.

Saki : 'Shut up. If I was really a witch, what would you say. Would 
you be able to do this? Shut up. I hate you. I really hate you. I 
wwish you would die. Die. Die. DIE.'

...the boy suddenly drops on the floor, unconscious.

The scene changes to Saki's house.

Mother : "...it seems he barely gained consciousness this morning. 
But this time her mother who was nursing him came down with 
overexertion... She is hospitalized, too."
Father : "...what did they say the reason he passed out?"
Mother : "They don't still..."

Saki : "It's because I wished he would die. When I strongly wished 
him to "die," he fell into such a dead-like state. I repeated it so 
many times... I didn't say it out loud, but..."
Mother : "Saki-chan, that is..."
Saki : "When am I going to be sent to the police? When am I going to 
be sent to the prison? I commited an attempted murder."
Mother : "But we don't even know about the origin of Saki-chan's 
power."
Saki : "There is no proof it wasn't due to my power..."
Father : "Saki..."
Saki : (with a blank look) "I really wished he would... die. 
Thinking this time, I might even be able to kill for real... I'm 
scared." 'Not any more. I don't want to wish for anyone's death any 
more.'

After that, she begins to wear black clothes. The rumor that her 
power almost killed a boy spreads, and along with her new look, it 
begins to keep others away from her. But the pranks on her goes on. 
Yet Saki takes it as a punishment that she deserves. She is just 
glad that since no one is getting near her, no one will die.

But now a new problem arises. She is really treated as "a witch," 
and everytime someone gets hurt, they blame it on Saki, saying she 
cursed them.

By now, Megumi begins to read books about occults and magics, hoping 
to find a way to help his sister. But he wonders why Saki keeps 
getting bullied. By reading such books, his classmates are scared of 
him too, but he doesn't get bullied because he can manage himself. 
He asks why Saki lets them bully her, and if she is taking all the 
bullying and mocking as her punishment.

Saki : "...even if the police... doesn't come and take me away... 
it's only deserving that I get punished through any form." 'My sin 
for wishing for someone to die with such dark intention." "It's only 
right that I get my judgement..."
Megumi : "...Saki, as someone who is nothing more and nothing less 
than one who receives punishments from others... are you going to 
live like that for your entire life? Then I will pray. Because Saki 
shouldn't be alone like that all your life. In this world... in such 
a world filled with so many people, there should be someone who will 
consider Saki precious."
Saki : "..."
Megumi : (praying) "So... please let her meet. If that person lives 
afar, let that person come here on a plane. Hurry, let that person 
appear before Saki as soon as possible... please."

Saki : 'I thought it was a hopeless wish. Thinking there are wishes 
that never come true.'

Student 1 : "Stop coming to schol!"
Student 2 : "You disgust me, you fool!"

Saki : 'Once done, I believed there exists some dirts that never 
disappear.'

In the junior high, things get worse. The voices Saki hears become 
stronger. But this time, the rumor she almost killed someone 
actually makes it worse. Some students try to make Saki use her 
power, by putting her in dangers. Some of them hold onto Saki, as 
others burn her with matches(Yes, they actually scorch her arm. This 
might be unbelieveable, but such bullying called "ijime" is rather 
common in Japan. Inflicting physical harms such as beating and 
scorching someone's body with cigarettes does occur occasionally. 
Or, like in case of Kisa, the victim becomes isolated and outcasted 
by others. This sometimes drives the victim to commit suicide. It's 
fast becoming one of the most serious problems in Japan.) Saki tries 
to control her power through all that, focusing her mind on pain, 
trying not to wish for someone to die. Fortunately a teacher barges 
in on this. Then the students quickly claim that Saki had inflcited 
the burns on herself, and they were only trying to stop her. Yet 
Saki is only relieved that no one got hurt...

After this, Saki's family decides to move. Saki says only her family 
should move, that she doesn't want to be their burden any more.

Mother : "Saki-chan..."
Father : "Saki. You shouldn't say you're a burden. It's just that 
we are worried, because we love our child very much. So we can't 
leave Saki alone. Saki... We truly love you. Saki. So we still 
can't give up..."

Saki transfers. Her teacher is upset that Saki painted her nail 
black, to which she replies she did that because her school uniform 
isn't black. She says it's "the proof of sin." Even in her new 
envrionment, she tries to keep the distance with others, believing 
she should never forget what she did.



This chapter is very long, so I will divide the summary in two 
parts...


Chapter 51 Part 2

In the cafeteria, Saki remember her father saying he wouldn't give 
up. She wonders what he meant by that, when...

??? : "Yes, have a nice meal. Today you get a double portion... 
Hanajima-san."

Yes, it's Tohru, who is serving food to students in the cafeteria. 
It's her turn to be the server.

Tohru : "I am Honda Tohru. Nice to meet you... I think the food in 
this school tastes great. I hope it suits Hanajima-san's taste 
too..."
Student : O_O++ "Honda-san, people are waiting in the line, so have 
your chit-chats later."
Tohru : O_O;;; "Ahh! I-I'm sorry!"

Saki : 'Is she so absentminded...? And why is she being so 
polite...?'(Tohru always uses respective terms such as -san, -desu, 
or -masu, which people usually reserve for someone who are older than 
them or with a greater social status. For example, you would use 
such terms to your grandfather or your boss, but you wouldn't usually 
use them to your friend or younger people. But Tohru, being who she 
is, always uses such terms to anyone she meets, even to Kisa and 
Hiro, who are much younger than her. Only one she uses -chan are 
Saki and Arisa, and even to them, she still uses -desu, and etc 
politely.) 'But I'm a bit surprised... that someone would actually 
try to start a conversation with me..."

??? : "Hey... Hey... the transfer student over there!"

It's Arisa this time(hey, her short hair looks good. ^^).

Arisa : "It seems you're going to eat by yourself. If so, you can 
sit here."
Saki : 'Here is one more who doesn't hesitate to speak...'(she also 
says someting in small letters, but I couldn't read from that 
scans...)
Arisa : "If you keep being by yourself, how are you gonna gather your 
gang? Ah, Tohru, over here."
Tohru : "Sorry to make you wait."
Saki : 'Ah...'
Tohru : "Hanajima-san!? Hanajima-san is joining us, too!?"
Arisa : ^_^ "I'm tempting her right now."
Tohru : ^_^ "Wow... What a wonderful temptation... Then please 
join us for lunch!! Hanajima-san, please sit down!!"
Arisa : "Hanajima... Hanajima, huh... Hmmm..."
Tohru : "What's the matter, Uo-chan?"
Arisa : "In Kyoko-san's terms... you're Hana-chan!!"
Tohru : ^O^ "Ahh, that's right! It's Hana-chan, Hana-chan!!"
Saki : 'These two are weird...'

Tohru : "? What did you just say?"

Saki freezes. She realizes that she had just sent her thoughts to 
Tohru.

Saki : 'No... I shouldn't be receiving things in their 
minds...' "I'm sorry, but... I don't plan to eat with you... It's 
better that you don't get familar with me... There might be hundred 
harms, but not a single benefit..."
Tohru : T_T "Even if you get familar with me, I doubt there will be 
even one single benefit... or not..."
Arisa : ^O^(laughing) "With me, there might be TWO hundred harms with 
no benefit~"
Saki : "No need to be depressed or joking it aside..."

Tohru : "Yes, you're right. I will set my goal to be someone who can 
give one benefit."
Saki : "No need to set it as a goal, either..."
Arisa : "Too bothersome. It's no big deal. I don't care really. 
You transfered here today, the weather is nice, and you got your 
lunches. On top of that, you will be eating with two weirdos."
Tohru : "Itadakimasu."
Saki : "...you're really weird."
Tohru and Arisa : "Well said!"

Saki's reminiscene : Back then I thought you were really weird. The 
words that I often heard weren't only filled with such beautiful 
words, as they also had small whispers of a little sad words. But I 
think the warm air surrounding you had never changed.

Tohru : "Can we see you again tomorrow...!?"
Arisa : "Of course. She transfered to here."
Tohru : "Then see you again tomorrow~"
Arisa : "See you tomorrow~"

Saki : 'Again tomorrow...? First time I've heard it. Are they going 
to say "good morning" tomorrow...?'

Next morning.

Tohru : "Good morning, Hana-cha~ We have gym today. Let's hurry to 
the pool... go..."

Saki is totally blushing...

Tohru : "Eh?! Ah, um, I mean!! Um... well."
Arisa : "What is it? Tohru, did you confess your love to her or 
something~?"

Saki's reminiscene : I was so happy. I repeatedly thought to myself 
that I shouldn't get close to them, but it was really happy to be at 
their side. I was happy.

In one of the evening, as three of them gather...

Arisa : "Ohh~ We have a burning red sunset again today."
Tohru : "Yes..."
Saki : "What a beautiful color..."
Tohru : "Yes..."
Saki : "Tomorrow should be also clear."
Arisa : "You're right."

The three of them enjoy being together, but...

The rumor about her finally catches up. That she "almost" killed a 
classmate in her grade school, and that she smoked in the previous 
school and almost burnt other girl's arm who tried to stop her. This 
rattles Saki, and she accidentally causes one of the students, who 
were talking about the rumor, to feel a pain in her head. Saki 
becomes afraid, and she runs out. Tohru catches her at the stairs.

Tohru : "Hana..."
Saki : "No... Don't come close... I didn't say it before... I 
apologize... So... so no more... no more you should be with me. 
I... the power... I really have it. ...that can kill. So... 
don't." 'The sin that doesn't disappear. The dirt that doesn't 
disappear. I don't want to hurt anyone any more. As long as I stay 
as the one who is getting punished, that is...'

Tohru : (She puts her hand on Saki's hands) "You're so close... 
We're still so close to... each other. I don't want to say 
goodbye... There might be so many things... that I don't know yet. 
But... please don't say goodbye, Hana-chan... I really like you, 
Hana-chan. I really like you, Hana-chan..."
Saki : "...b-but... I-I..." 'I might hurt you. I might do something 
unforgivable to you."

Arisa : "You decide. You must have mang things going on, but do you 
want to part with us? That's all I want to know."

Saki : (as a tear drops down her cheek)"I don't want to 
forget." '...that day, the sunset I watched as I returned, it felt 
so lonely. Strange... now, it looks so beautiful, its widely 
spreading color. I wasn't alone. That was all. Really, that was 
all.' (as tears pour out of her eyes) "I want... to be with you... 
I want to be with you..."

Narration : I wish. There must be someone who will think of her as 
precious, so I wish. So. I will not give up.

Later, Saki somehow learns to control her power, much to excitement 
of her friends and family.

Saki's reminiscene : Will I be still forgiven even though I live so 
happily? It could have been only for a while that I can control my 
power. During that time, I didn't use my power for fun, but I did so 
much as a punishment.

Minami(you know, one of the Prince Yuki? She received 
Saki's "punishment" for pushing Tohru in the episode of Haru's first 
appearance.) : "Punishment?! That?!"

Saki's reminiscene : It was a cute one...
...that the boy also was healthy, so I was told by Grandmother. One 
day... I will apologize.

Now present.

Megumi wonders how long Saki will keep wearing black, to which Saki 
replies now she can only feel comfortable in black. Megumi also 
feels the same.

Megumi : "Or rather, if we started to wear yellow and pink now, the 
neighbors will have fits..."
Saki : "They will have fits..."
"I am grateful... To our parents... and also to you."

Saki : 'My heard used to be such a pain. Even though I was loved so 
much by my family, my heart wasn't satisfied. My parents still smile 
so joyfully to me... but I used to treat them... rather coldly. Then 
I am reminded of Kyoko-obachan's word.'

Kyoko : "People can't save other people. ...most of them, most of 
them... usually hurt others and be depressed, or be loved so much by 
their family, yet they still refused to accept it. ...definitely. 
Still, still for the parents, as long as their chlidren are happy, 
that really will be good enough for them. So, someday you guys might 
also go your separate ways. Then, don't feel it's heartless or 
lonely, since as long as you are alive, some day you will meet again."