Friendship

A look at Rin and Tohru's friendship.

The next time they meet is outside Kazuma's house after school. Tohru is surprised but happy to see Rin again and asks if she's feeling better, noting how pale she looked at the villa. Rin apathetically tells her to stay away from the Sohmas and leaves Tohru feeling somewhat forlorn. When Rin finds out from Kazuma that Tohru had come to him to try to find a way to break the curse, she becomes angry; she doesn't want Tohru getting involved.

Much later, Tohru returns home to find Rin on her hands and knees, throwing up on the living room floor. Rin begins to have an episode of psychosis: she hallucinates that Tohru is her mother and begins to panic. She holds her arms up in front of her and starts screaming that she's sorry, begging "mama and papa" to not be angry with her. Tohru is shocked and immediately drops to the ground, wrapping her arms around Rin in a comforting embrace. Rin calms down and passes out... to wake up to Tohru watching over her in bed.

When Tohru leaves to tell Hatori that Rin has woken up, Rin thinks to herself that she doesn't like Tohru and doesn't want to be near her. She feels ashamed that Tohru saw her in such a weak, emotional state. When Shigure and Hatori prompt her to go to the hospital, she starts screaming that she won't go and tries to jump out of the window. When Tohru returns with some food for Rin, she drops the bowl in shock at seeing Rin struggling against the two men. Full of concern, she tells Rin what she's doing is dangerous. Outside, Tohru sadly wonders aloud to Shigure and Hatori what could have happened to Rin to make her so afraid.

When evening comes, Tohru pays a visit to Rin and tells her that she'll be sleeping downstairs and to call for her if she needs anything during the night. Rin drops all pretenses and tells Tohru to stop trying to break the curse. She asks Tohru what it matters to her: does she look down on those cursed with the zodiac spirits? Rin then warns Tohru that the curse isn't any of her business and because she's a kind person, she should stay far away. Tohru asks her if she's also trying to break the curse and Rin angrily repeats that it's none of her business. Tohru is persistant and continues to ask and Rin becomes angrier until she grabs Tohru by the collar and tells her to butt out. Tohru yells back that she won't because she too has something to fight for.

Rin finally breaks down and exclaims that there IS no way to break the curse; she can't find anything about it and tells Tohru tearfully that she doesn't know what to do anymore. She gets up and stumbles out the door, trying to get away from Tohru because she hates how Tohru is able to bring out her emotions. This thinks back to the first time she saw Tohru and how badly she wanted to run to her like a child to a mother. Collapsing on the porch, Rin agonizes over her situation. She vowed never to cry again and to remain alone so she would never drag another kind person down with her but the desire to be loved and accepted by someone with a kind heart is so strong that she's unable to handle it.

Tohru follows Rin and sits down beside her. She's hesitant to touch her at first before she gently places a reassuring hand on Rin's back. This gentleness sends Rin over the edge and she clings to Tohru tightly, crying and letting all of her emotions out. She tells Tohru she's sorry and that she doesn't know what to do anymore; she can't continue to be alone. Tohru, thinking back to a time where she too was left alone, hugs Rin tightly and says that being alone is scary. The two girls stay together like this until sunrise.

The next day, Rin allows herself to be taken to the hospital and Tohru visits her later on. She asks why Rin hasn't eaten and Rin says that there is nothing the hospital has given her that she actually likes to eat. Tohru asks what she does like to eat and Rin tells her she enjoys jelly. Tohru of course goes home and makes jelly! She really wants to help Rin, feeling that she has suffered so much that it reminds her of Kyo.

When she returns to Rin's hospital room, she finds Rin sitting with pigtails. Tohru gushes over how adorable Rin looks with that hair style and Rin starts untying them. XDD; Tohru says it really suits her; Rin shrugs it off and says she only did it because she needed to for her medical examination (but she totally leaves her hair up anyway after Tohru's compliment). Tohru then remembers why she came: she made jelly! Rin is surprised that she was kind enough to do this for her and quietly tells Tohru that she will eat them later because she doesn't like to eat in front of other people.

Rin then asks if Tohru is visiting about the curse. Tohru then freaks out, recalling her comments about butting in, and apologises profusely, saying she's completely embarrassed for acting like that. Rin tells her about the curse and says that she doesn't remember what happened centuries ago but she's sure that the zodiac animals made a promise with "god" to be together forever. If they die, they will be reborn so that they can stay by god's side. Rin says that even though they don't remember, the spirits of the animals do. She then tells Tohru that only Akito would truly know how to break the curse and that she had thought perhaps Shigure may know of a way but didn't. Tohru suggests Kureno and Rin says that he's too close to Akito to betray her trust. She can't think of Kureno as one of the juunishi.

Tohru volunteers to talk to Kureno instead; Rin stops her and asks her why she wants to break the curse. What does she treasure so much that she'd be willing to go through all this trouble? Tohru stammers and is unable to answer so Rin shrugs it off and tells her not to go do these things alone. Tohru is happy for her concern and that Rin is willing to work together; Rin turns around and tries to brush her off, saying she doesn't need a sidekick like Tohru. XD

When Rin is alone, she eats the jelly that Tohru left her and finds it delicious. She thinks about Tohru and feels that there is something wrong, that Tohru's somehow falling apart inside. She decides that she will try to be there for Tohru like Haru was there for herself.

At new year's eve, Tohru and Kyo decide to spend the night at Kazuma's. Tohru's absolutely delighted to find that Rin is there as well and rushes forward to hug her! Rin dodges out of the way and Tohru flies into the wall behind her. xD;; Rin tells Tohru not to just jump out at people like that and tells Kazuma she's angry that he never told her that Tohru was coming to visit. Kazuma explains that when he went to visit Rin, she didn't seem like she wanted to go to the banquet so he invited her over. As they wait for midnight, Rin falls asleep sitting upright in the corner.

The following day, Rin tells Tohru that she feels something strange has happened. She explains that she fell asleep sitting up but upon waking, she was laying on the floor. Tohru suggests that it could have been Hatsuharu and Rin is utterly taken aback, demanding to know how Tohru knows about her and Haru. Tohru suggests it's simply female intuition and Rin says it doesn't seem like she'd have such an ability... XD Rin shrugs it off and tells Tohru that they've broken up.

A while later, Tohru begins to realise that she hasn't seen Rin since new year's. She feels uneasy about it and decides to try to find her at school. Some of the students there tell Tohru that Rin hasn't been to school in a while and that they believe she's been hospitalised somewhere far away.

Eventually Rin is freed from her confinement and once she's recovered, Tohru comes to visit her at Kazuma's. Tohru is fighting back tears and Rin becomes so frustrated she angrily tells Tohru to stop crying over her. xD Tohru yells "OK!" When Kazuma comes in and sees how feisty Rin is being, he asks her if it's nice to have friends visit. When Tohru hears Kazuma refers to them as friends, she glows happily... which only makes Rin feel more awkward and embarrassed. Rin doesn't tell anything about what happened to her to Tohru and when she finds Tohru staring at her with a worried expression, Rin tells her that she cut her hair because the length was troublesome. Tohru takes her hand and asks her to go for a walk in the garden. Once everyone else has left, Haru tells Rin that Tohru was more worried about her than the rest of the Sohmas and that it's a good thing that they have become so close.

The next day, Tohru comes to visit after school and overhears Rin's conversation with Shigure about the curse slowly disintegrating. She panics, asking how long it will take. Rin says that it shouldn't matter; she's personally satisfied with it breaking eventually because it's better than having to live with it forever. Tohru interrupts and says that it has to be by spring, or else Kyo... she trails off and enters Kazuma's home, leaving Rin wondering what she meant.

A few days later, Tohru comes to visit again and catches Rin drawing a pencil piece entitled "And even so, I'll continue to walk." Rin freaks out and slams her sketchbook shut, telling Tohru she has no permission to look (she's clearly embarassed at having someone see such personal work). Tohru appologises and says that Rin looked like she was concentrating and didn't want to disturb her and adds that Rin seems very talented. Rin blushes pretty hard and tells Tohru it's nothing but a scribble. Tohru holds Rin's sketchbook close to her and says that it doesn't matter if it's a scribble or not: anything drawn with feelings is precious.

Rin then asks why Tohru has come to visit. Tohru says that she felt like their last meeting ended on an awkward note. Rin asks her why she's bothered about Kyo; as he's cursed with the cat, she must know about what will happen to him and how everyone else views him. She asks Tohru if she pities him. Tohru thinks about it for a little bit before she confesses that wanting to break the curse for all juunishi is a lie; she wants to break it so nothing takes Kyo away from her because he's become the most important person in her life.

Suddenly, Kagura bursts into the room and slaps Tohru across the face hard, yelling that she needs to tell Kyo these things. When Rin sees Kagura physically hurting Tohru, she loses it and starts to strangle Kagura. Rin screams at her, telling her she has no right to hit Tohru or try to impose her own beliefs onto someone else.

It's some time that passes where Rin and Tohru don't really see each other. Hatsuharu brings her news that Tohru has been hospitalized and Rin is in so much shock that she doesn't know what to do. We see her sitting on the floor of her room next to her sketchbook with her head in her arms. If she visits Tohru in the hospital, we don't know.

Once the curse has been lifted, Tohru and Kyo are visiting Kazuma and discussing their future. Rin overhears their conversation and calls them idiots before storming off. Tohru chases after her and Rin asks why everyone is able to move forward as if nothing happened; Kyo was hurt as was Tohru and everyone else seems to be able to look past this. Rin continues to say that she doesn't want to forgive Akito and the pain inside her heart won't go away no matter what she does. Tohru sits down next to her and places a comforting arm around her, saying she's happy that Rin feels hurt for what happened to her. Rin then worries that Haru will be disappointed with her negative feelings; Tohru panics and tells her that's impossible and offers to fetch Haru for her! XD Rin gets extremely flustered tells her not to but Haru shows up shortly after anyway.

Rin also goes with Haru to see Tohru and Kyo off on the day they move away. When she's discussing this with Haru and Momiji the day before, she says that she could care less if Tohru and Kyo's relationship ended in a break up. Haru and Momiji tease her about being upset that Tohru's moving away. Rin denies it but they just tease her more about being embarrassed. XD

Analysis

My opinion on their friendship.

When Rin finally does break down and shows her vulnerable side to Tohru, she's accepted. Rin spends all night crying in Tohru's embrace. It's this specific moment that I think Rin becomes very attached to Tohru; she sees her as a mother figure that she never had. From here on, while she still acts a little rough with Tohru, she cares deeply for her new friend and tries to protect her as best she can. In return, Tohru cares just as much for Rin; being the only one who actively tries to find out where she is when she's missing for three months.

How does Rin protect Tohru? First, she protects her by not letting her know what happened between her and Akito. She doesn't want Tohru to get involved and knowing how kind she is, Rin doesn't want to hurt Tohru by telling her about the pain she went through. Second, after Kagura knocks Tohru out, Rin attacks Kagura violently in retaliation. Rin has suffered enough abuse from other people that she cannot stand by and see it happen to someone who is as gentle and kind as Tohru is. Third, Rin seems pretty upset to see a scratch on Tohru's face early on, before she actually met Tohru, asking if it was Akito's doing. She's worried about the repercussions of Tohru's actions if/when Akito finds out, so she tries to discourage Tohru from pursuing a way to break the curse.

Rin is one of the only characters in the series who can tell that Tohru is dealing with a great conflict within her heart and is doing everything she can to hold herself together for the sake of others. They are very similar in that they spend a great deal of the series trying to break the curse for the sake of their loved ones, so Rin is able to sympathise with the struggle that Tohru is dealing with.

In more light hearted moments, Tohru is usually gushing over Rin in some way. xD When they first met, Tohru was taken aback by Rin's beauty (and figure!); she seems really happy to be able to spend time with Rin and shows her a lot of affection. Rin, on the other hand, is not used to having friends and isn't accustomed to this type of affection. She doesn't know what to do, so she becomes easily flustered and embarrassed. She's very much a "tsundere" when it comes to Tohru. <3