In rereading the Fruits Basket manga while I was working on this fanlisting, I was even more struck by just how close a relationship Momiji and Tohru have in the series. To begin with, I think that they have alot of similarities in terms of personality. On the surface, both are very happy and friendly people. Both of them are also extremely caring and selfless. Momiji suffers knowing he can never be in his mom or sisters life because if he was, his mom would be in pain and suffer. Tohru throughout the series also is always willing to suffer herself rather than allow anyone she cares about to go through pain or suffering.

As I mentioned in my brief about section, from the moment Momiji and Tohru meet, they hit it off. They become very close, very fast, and love to spend time with each other (often to the annoyance of Kyou and Yuki :P). Though we are made aware early on that Tohru only has 'friendly' feelings for Momiji, that in no way takes away from how close and deep her feelings of friendship are for him. Often she tends to feel bad for people and their situations because of how caring she is (we find throught the manga that she is often very bothered each time she finds out a sadness or hardship a member of the Sohma family or one of her friends has to endure), but I like to think that she tends to feel especially bad in regards to what Momiji has had to deal with. His inability to be known by his family really hits home to Tohru and she tries to make that pain a bit easier for Momiji each chance she gets (like how she tells him about Momo wanting to meet him in chapter 74).

Momiji's feelings for Tohru develop into more than mere friendly love, as we find out in later chapters of the manga. As he grows physically, his feelings for Tohru are also made clear. He of course will never act on these feelings since he knows that Tohru loves Kyou. He'd rather see Tohru happy with the person she loves than secure his own happiness (which comes as no surprise based on Momiji's past actions). Momiji also has his curse broken in the later chapters which adds another dimension to both his feelings and his relationship with Tohru. Momiji would literally do anything for Tohru. Some of my favorite examples: In chapter 65 he goes against Akito (getting hurt in the process) to try and keep her from seeing Tohru. In chpater 75 Momiji follows Tohru when she goes to find Kureno even though they are forbidden by Akito to see him, because he wanted to make sure she would be safe. Perhaps one of the saddest moments in recent chapters in when he is speaking to Kyou in chapter 116. His curse had been broken and he tells Kyou that even though that happened, he's the one feeling crushed because he knows Tohru would be happy if Kyou's curse was broken. His curse being broken won't bring her happiness.

So yes, Momiji's curse is broken. Momiji in my opinion has always been one of the strongest characters in Fruits Basket despite his cute appearance for most of the series. How he acts after his curse is broken proves even mroe how strong and mature he is. He (yet again) goes up to Akito and tells her that he no longer has to have anything to do with her. Despite that he offers her comfort in chapter 124 when she is regretting the terrible things she has done. Plus the above conversation he has with Kyou is a giant example of how mature, selfless and intuitive Momiji contiues to be. Even though he knows he doesn't have a place in Tohru's heat his love for her doesn't lesson. When he finds out she is in the hospital, he is extremely upset (as are most of the Juunishi at the news). He visists her in the hospital (the stuffed bunny she has on her hopsital bed at the end of chapter 124 brought a big smile to my face since Momiji likely was the one to give it to her).

I've been thinking lately that Tohru may have the closest relationship to Momiji of any of the other characters in the series. She can be herself with him and doesn't worry about putting him out or putting up a brave front. With her friends she is often afraid to impose or worry them. Her feelings for Yuki and Kyou keep her from being totally herself with them alot of the time. Kisa is like a little sister to her and even though her and Rin get close, there is still a small distance there. Only with Momiji does she let him see her weaknesses and pain. She allows him to help her often and is comfortable spending time with him (and being close like when they stayed together in the same bed in chapter 18.

This closeness and comfortableness really makes their relationship special. Tohru manages to become important to all of the cursed Sohmas she meets, but I like to think she's especially close to Momiji (and the manga illustrates that), but of course you can be the judge for yourself. Hopefully, you'll love their relationship as much as I do and will also want to join their fanlisting ^_^