something will always remain

Saki, one of Tohru’s friends, is somewhat of an odd case within the narrative because she has no ties to the Sohmas, yet possesses supernatural powers — a singular case, her younger brother aside. The nature of those powers is of no concern on this shrine, and although it is mostly played for laughs, as in the case of the Sohmas, those powers eventually serve as a catalyst to convey her backstory.

The trio that consists of Tohru, Arisa and Saki didn’t exist from the start; by the time Saki joined, Tohru and Arisa had already been together for a while. Their odd duo stubbornly refused to let go of Saki despite her reputation as a harmful witch and her ostracization at school. To Saki, who had been forced to silently endure the bullying and isolation up to that point, and who even had to switch schools due to the extent of said bullying, that acceptance meant everything. It didn’t take long for the duo to introduce Saki to Kyoko afterwards.

Throughout Saki’s backstory, her family — one of the few genuinely positive families in Fruits Basket — is shown as a big supporting presence, not just accepting her for who she is, but trying to accommodate her as much as possible. Saki, however, admits that she feels saddened at times when contrasting that support to the friendship that Tohru and Arisa have given her: “Sometimes, my heart aches… Even though my family has met me with so much love, it wasn’t enough. They are delighted for me and are happy, but sometimes, I feel so selfish and heartless…”

Saki felt ashamed that all her family’s support on its own wasn’t enough to mend and satisfy her heart, but by the end of the chapter, she says that it is in such moments that she thinks about what Kyoko once told her:

Humans cannot exist without longing for others. No matter how much others step on us, how desperate we are, and how much our family loves us, we’ll always long for people outside of our family accept us as well. That I am sure of. Besides, all that parents want is for their children to be happy. That alone is more than enough!

So when all of you go down different paths one day, don’t feel heartless or lonely… Because something about these bonds will always remain. Kyoko, Volume 9

With these words, Kyoko showed Saki that she understood her concerns very well while also validating and stressing the importance of the friends Saki has found. She clarified that those feelings are not so much about whether friendship or family are more important or more valuable than the other, but that their origins — the need to feel accepted — come from different places. Both family and friendship have their own roles to fill, and it is not heartless or greedy to long for more.