The latest episode of Fruits Basket Season 2 is yet another example of an emotional roller coaster. Kyo finally comes to realize and accept his feelings for Tohru Honda. However, following Akito’s constant emotional abuse, Kyo gives up all hopes of a future together with her.

Tohru was excited over Kyo getting invited to the family annex by Akito Sohma. But if she had known the kind of abuse Kyo had to endure at the hands of Akito over there, she never would have wished for it to happen. 

Akito’s intentions for inviting Kyo over were quite clear. He wanted to find a way to separate Kyo from Tohru and isolate her. This intention stemmed from his insecurity, jealousy and superiority complex. Akito wants to have absolute control of the small circle people around him, namely the Sohma family or more precisely, the Zodiacs. 

Maybe Akito is afraid of losing the only family he has (assuming that the curse would make it hard for him to be a part of the normal society). But the way he is trying to keep everyone close might actually end up having (or it should end up having) the reverse effect. While we don’t know why no one has tried to stand up to Akito, even after all the abuse he metes out to them, it is clear that he has crossed an invisible line by involving Tohru in the game. It is not long before Akito sees everything he cares for crumble in front of his eyes.

Akito’s inherent behaviour of managing to get under someone’s skin is on display in Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 9. He does not hold back in emotionally and physically abusing Kyo Sohma, first calling him a monster and then blaming him for his mother’s death. Kyo suddenly remembers how his father said similar things to him back when he was a kid. The self-doubt and the guilt in his mind makes it hard for him to retort and eventually he caves in.

Kyo is chided for being deluded about having a free life, for feeling that it was okay for him to fall in love and for believing that a monster like him will be accepted by others. Bringing up the bet between them, Akito tells Kyo that it is the cat zodiac’s fate to stay confined like a monster (as he won’t be able to beat Yuki). 

As Akito continues to emotionally batter him, Kyo comes to realize that he is in love with Tohru. Everything that Akito said would happen to Kyo was proven wrong by Tohru’s actions in the past. She accepted a monster like him and stayed by his side. But though he voices his love for Tohru in his mind, Kyo decides to hide it from Akito (knowing what he is has done in the past to Hatori and even little Kisa). While it tears him up inside, Kyo realises that the only way he can keep Tohru safe is by hiding his love for her.

On his way home from Akito’s place, Kyo looks back on the people who had saved him in the past while facing similar situations, including his master Kazuma and Kyoko Honda (huge reveal). We loved how Kyoko was able to influence the lives of the people around her positively. From the bits and pieces we saw, Kyoko seems to have told Kyo about Tohru. The analogy between Tohru and the blooming flower is also quite beautiful here. 

And so, even as he resigns himself to his bleak fate, and even though he accepts that he will always be alone, the first person that Kyo looks for instinctively is Tohru. He comes to understand that she has become an irreplaceable part of his life. As he is overwhelmed by his feelings for Tohru, Kyo decides that he will stay by Tohru’s side as long as he can, even if he can’t express his love for her. 

That monologue at the end hit us hard. While it is okay to despise Akito for being so abusive and manipulative, the real monster here is Kyo’s father. What kind of a parent blames a helpless child for the death of his mother. Maybe it also portrays the shallowness in the hearts of the people who still find it difficult to accept people who are different. Shigure is obviously the instigator here. Things took a bad turn since he decided to invite Akito over to the small beach getaway. The zodiacs are going through some very hard times, especially Kyo and Yuki. 

With all this emotional baggage weighing down on us, it is surprising to see that we are not even halfway through the second season. The emotions will keep piling up for the rest of the season too we suppose as a lot of stuff needs figuring out.

What was your opinion of Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 9? Should Kyo has easily accepted his fate or should he be more optimistic about the future? Let us know in the comments section!