Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina or anything associated with it

Word Narration

"Word" Speech

word thoughts

////Word//// Change in time or place

"Word" Me speaking

True Love reveals itself

"Love…the one word that can change a relationship. But love is just a word, so those who are truly in love must take action and show them that they truly love them, that they truly care for them, that they would do anything for them. They must show them what the meaning of True Love really is. And when True Love has taken place who knows what may happen, but you will know that you tried your best and that you poured your whole heart onto the one you truly love. It takes true bravery and true love to act upon your feelings. So…why not tell that special someone how you feel? Why not tell them that you love them? Are you afraid? Are you waiting for the perfect time? The thing is there is no perfect time to confess ones love, you must just come out with it and say what ever comes from within your heart. Do not be afraid of rejection, for if it is the right person for you, that person will love you for who you are… for all eternity. For that…is true love."

From the mind and heart of

-Zero Eiyuu-

////Hinata Sou, Roof, 3:00pm////

A year ago, Keitaro had just confessed his love to Naru, however Naru didn't take that all to well and never responded to him for the longest time. Feeling extremely heartbroken, Keitaro had decided he needed to leave Hinata Sou for a while and soon took up Seta's offer to go with him around the world. Their departure was in a couple of days. So Keitaro decided to give his farewells and good-byes to everyone, wishing them good luck on the many hobbies they all had. It was the hardest for him to say good-bye to Shinobu, she was on the verge of tears as he was saying good-bye to her. But deep down inside her, she was also crying out her sadness at the fact that Keitaro confessed his love to Naru, and was furious at the fact that Naru just ignored him. In the midst of the good-bye, Shinobu whispered to him that she had always loved him, from the very first time they met. Keitaro now had a lot more to think about. He was very surprised at Shinobu's confession and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. On the day of the departure, Keitaro hadn't been able to say good-bye to Naru because he really couldn't find her…but just as he was about to leave on the plane with Seta, Naru came running from out of the blue and yelled, "I LOVE YOU KEITARO!" That made him smile inside. He waved to his friends, knowing that each one of them loved him in their own way, he was the happiest man in the world. But…he was now gone. After the whole gang returned home, Shinobu was cleaning up Keitaro's room rather slowly, imagining Keitaro doing what he usually did in his room. But she noticed a letter addressed to Naru on his table. The note clearly stated that Naru was to be the new Kanrinrin of Hinata Sou. Keitaro really trusted that Naru would take care of Hinata Sou a lot better than he would. After all, he wouldn't be there to get bashed through every wall.

It's been a whole year since that day, and sadly Keitaro had not returned, never called, never even sent a letter back to them. Sadness filled Hinata Sou that year. Although, some of them never gave up hope that Keitaro would return to them, someday. Naru was one of them. Shinobu…was the other. But every time Naru would reminisce about the past romantic times with Keitaro, it would feel like a thousand poison knives were going into Shinobu's tiny heart. No one knew that Shinobu herself had confessed her love to Keitaro, she just didn't want to hurt Naru. Although every word from her was killing her inside. Soon enough…her hope for Keitaro was slowly diminishing...soon, she was acting like she didn't care about anything anymore. Everyone took notice to this, but she really tried to hide this from everyone, she really did. But it was futile.

Shinobu had been sitting on top of the roof of Hinata Sou, enjoying the view as the wind blew across her face and showed her cute sparkling blue eyes. She was alone in this place, Kitsune had gone and taken out everyone to go partying, to try and help them all cope with the whole Keitaro thing. Shinobu was invited and advised to come with them, but Shinobu decided she wanted to stay. So with grief and confusion, Kitsune and the others left her alone. Motoko was the most worried though; she could sense a dark aura that was surrounding her.

A few days ago Shinobu had written a poem that no one has ever read or seen before. It was located in her diary. This poem symbolized how she really felt. In her diary, it wrote:

I am living the good life
A nice life
A happy life

I am living for the people
Who love me
Who make me happy

But that is just a dream
My life is hell
I can't stand myself

I am living day after day
Running away
Wanting to die

But I am stuck in this hell called life

My spirits been stolen
My dreams been taken
My hearts been torn apart

And I got no one to blame
To share my pain
To make me feel again…

I feel ashamed
For my life is unseen
And I just can't run away

Just shoot me
Take me away
I want to die

Get me to hell
Anything is better
Than living this life

You look at this girl
Living a good life
Happiness surrounds her

But you don't know
That darkness surrounds her
And the pain that she lives

I am living
Day after day
Finding a way…

To end my days.

////Back on the roof////

"…" Shinobu listened to the wind blowing on this sunny bright cloudless day, there seemed to be nothing else for her to do so why not enjoy the view from the roof of Hinata Sou? She already helped clean around the place and did everyone's laundry. All she could do was sit down and do nothing. But then a thought came across her mind; Keitaro. All she could think about was Keitaro…Keitaro AND Naru…together. "It can't be helped…he loves her and she loves him. I can't ever expect him to love me the same way…is it even worth living without the one you truly love? I'm starting to slowly think that life without the love of Keitaro just isn't worth living." Shinobu got up and inched closer to the edge of the roof and looked down in sorrow…a single tear was shed from her and blown into the wind. She truly thought that without Keitaro's love in her life, she had no meaning to live. Although everyone would disagree with her…this was her decision. "This is the end for me…good-bye everyone…I love you all…" With one final breath…she turned her back…and fell backwards and closed her eyes. At least…no one will see me as I plummet to the ground… were her last thoughts as she fell.

Just as she was about to hit the ground.

"SHINOBU!!!" A voice yelled out close to her. She opened her eyes and saw everything in slow motion as she saw the love of her life make a leap towards her with his hands stretched out.

////Somewhere far on the road, minutes before////

A white van speeded down the streets, swirving around the traffic and barely dodging every obstacle in its's way.

"Wah! Seta-san! Slow down!" A voice cried out from inside. "I don't want to die!!!" Inside, Seta-san was driving casually and calmly as usual with Keitaro beside him in the passenger seat, freaking out.

"Ah, don't worry. See, look over here, it says the speed limit is 60 km/h. Don't sweat it." Seta points to the speed sign that is currently flat against his windshield.

"But you're going 120!!!"

"I am?" Seta looks at how fast he was going. He was going a bit over 130 actually. "Oh my, I was wondering why those cop cars were chasing me." Far behind the van were 3 cop cars chasing them. One of those cop cars happened to be one of the HKSS's squad cars.

"Oh god. I'm either gonna die or go to jail. Today just isn't my day." Keitaro sighed and sank down into his seat. Seta took a drag from his cigarette, but then he hit a speed bump and his smoke dropped to the ground.

"Oops." He let go of the steering wheel and searched the floor for his cigarette.

"What the heck are you doing?!" Keitaro yelled and grabbed the wheel and took a left turn . But when he turned right into a pole, stopping the car in it's place. "Ouch...that hurt." Keitaro rubbed his head. "Hey Seta-san, are you okay?" He looked at Seta and noticed he was now unconscious. "" Keitaro looked around and recognized their current location. So he quickly grabbed Seta and exited the van. He was now headed for Hinata Sou.

A few minutes later, they reached the bottom of the steps. Before he could even react, someone placed their hand on his shoulder from behind. That surprised Keitaro and sent chills down his spine. But he turned his head and noticed that it was just Haruka. Haruka with her usual expression with her cigarette.

"Welcome home Keitaro."

"Haruka-san!"

"What's up with Seta?"

"The cops are after him. He's been speeding around the streets and roads again. And we accidently crashed and he got knocked out."

"Again?" Haruka sighed, took one last drag from her cigarette, dropped it on the ground and stepped on it. "Here, hand him over, I'll take care of this mess again."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've had to bail him out of messes like this all the time before."

"Thank you Haruka-san."

"No problem. Just don't make a mess of Hinata Sou again you hear?"

"Okay, okay." Keitaro said and waved to Haruka as she was dragging Seta across the ground off into the distance. Keitaro just stood there until they were out of his sight and he laughed. But then something stopped his laughter. He turned to look up the stairs to Hinata Sou. His eyes shot wide open when he looked up at the roof. (Camera zooms straight up the stairs to Shinobu on the roof) Keitaro shoots up the stairs as fast as he could. He was half way up the stairs. "Shinobu!" No answer, Keitaro kept on running. "Shinobu!!" He was near the top of the stairs. But he was too late, she was plummeting to the ground. Keitaro ran as if his life depended on it, he made a last dash for Shinobu and cried out. "SHINOBU!!!" That caught her attention and she turned her head before she was about to hit the ground.

"Keitaro?" In the split second, Keitaro leaped forward and caught Shinobu before she hit the ground. But he stumbled and rolled around as he caught her and he landed flat on his back in front of the doors. Shinobu lay right on top of him, unconscious. Keitaro got back up with ease and laid Shinobu down on is lap.

"That was a close one. One more second and that could've…killed…her. I kept calling out her name though, why didn't she answer me until the last second?" Keitaro carried her in his arms and looked at her. "No matter, all that does matter is that she's okay and alive." Keitaro slided open the door with his feet and walked in. "Wonder were everyone else is, I've got big news. Especially for you Shinobu." Even though Shinobu was unconscious, she snuggled her head into his warm chest and smiled. So did Keitaro.

Keitaro laid Shinobu gently on the living room couch and sat besides her watching her. He would wait until she finally woke up and hoped that's when everyone would get back home.

An hour has past and no one has come home yet, not even a phone call has been made. Keitaro wasn't worried though, because he knew wherever the girls went, Motoko would surely protect them. In this hour, Keitaro didn't do anything except wait for Shinobu's awakening.

"Mmm…mmm?" Shinobu slowly opened her eyes and met with Keitaro's. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed him and how close he was. She couldn't help BUT blush. "Sempai? It's really you isn't it? I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"No, it's really me. I've come back home, and I got big news for everyone." There was a short silence. "Which reminds me, where is everyone?"

"Oh…oh yeah! They went out together to go have a little party to lift their spirits up. You don't know how it was here without your presence. We all missed you so much…" Especially me. Shinobu thought.

"…Shinobu. Hmm…I wonder."

"What is it?" Shinobu sat up and Keitaro sat beside her on the armrest.

"When did everyone leave?"

"What time is it?"

"It's around 4:00 right now, maybe 4:05."

"Hmm…then they left an hour ago. I don't really know how long they'll be. But I think they may be a long time." Shinobu looked up. "After all, Kitsune IS with them." Shinobu slightly giggled. Keitaro laughed along with her. "So, why do you ask?" Keitaro smiled at her.

"Shinobu…I'd like to take you out on a date." Keitaro asked. Shinobu fainted that second. While she was currently, asleep, Keitaro quickly wrote a note to all of the Hinata Sou residents and tapped it to the front of the door.

////Theatre////

Shinobu sat down beside Keitaro at the very top row of seats in the middle. They had just moved into a romance movie that Keitaro paid for. Shinobu was dressed in her cute sundress and Keitaro quickly changed into his usual clothes of a polo shirt and jeans. Some of the people gave them weird looks as they walked in hand and hand, because of the age difference. But they didn't seem to mind. Although they did kind of blend in with the crowd, there were a lot of couples watching this movie and most of them either had their hands around their backs, kissing, or laying their heads against their partner's shoulder. The one doing the most thinking was Shinobu though. She had a lot on her mind, she asked herself many questions in her head like; why is he doing this? Why did he come back today? And why is he looking at me like that? However, she really did enjoy being with her love. She savoured the moment, knowing that he loved Naru and only loved her like how an older brother loves his younger sister. She knew they could never be. The movie was over and the two walked out the theatre together.

"What did you think about the movie?"

"It's very romantic. B-but why did you want to watch a romance movie?"

"No reason, Shinobu. Say…how would you like to just take a walk and enjoy the view with me? It's been a long time since I just relaxed like this."

Oh, he just wanted to relax? I guess I was supposed to be like a substitute for Naru. I knew that this couldn't be as good as it seemed. I just have to remember that Keitaro has a big announcement for everyone. He's probably just trying to soften me up so I won't get hurt when he marries Naru. Yes…that's it…I know it is.

Keitaro looked into Shinobu's eyes and saw she wasn't really all there. He shook her lightly.

"Huh? Oh sorry, my mind must've wondered off." It took her a couple of seconds of looking at Keitaro before she remembered what he asked. "Oh, uh…of course sempai!"

"Good. Let's go that way." Keitaro pointed to the right of them.

"Okay."

After walking for a couple of minutes, Keitaro had been asking what she and everyone else were up to and how everyone was. He wasn't too ex-static about knowing how miserable everyone actually was. He wasn't too happy. He reassured Shinobu that everything would be different this time because he said he was going to do the right thing.

Soon enough, they came to a nice peaceful park and sat down on a bench together. It seemed a lot of others also were just taking a walk with their girlfriends or just friends in general. All in all it was really peaceful and tranquil. The two enjoyed the view. Keitaro placed his hand on Shinobu's shoulder and got her attention. She looked right into his eyes with great anticipation for something, ANYTHING, to happen.

"Maybe it's time we head home. Don't you think so Shinobu?"

"YES!" Shinobu yelled out but then calmed herself down. "I mean of course. Let's go now."

////Hinata Sou, Stone steps, 6:00pm////

The two walked shoulder to shoulder up those long stairs, Shinobu the whole time was looking at Keitaro's face in awe. Keitaro was looking up at Hinata Sou with a happy smile. He looked back at Shinobu. She looked back up the stairs with a blush. They finally reached the top of the steps and looked at the front door. The note that Keitaro left on the door was still on it.

"Hmm, looks like they didn't come home yet."

"Looks like it…" Shinobu trailed off and took off the note. It read; this is Keitaro. I will return in a few hours. I went and took Shinobu out for a while so please wait. I have big news for you all. -Keitaro-

"Yeah, ha-ha." Keitaro looked at the note himself. "I really thought they'd come home by now." Keitaro sighed and led Shinobu to the living room couch and they sat together. "Shinobu."

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking a lot about that time, you know, when you confessed to me."

"Yeah…" Now she got even more flustered.

"Well…on that big trip I took with Seta, I've come to realise something. Something really important." Keitaro shifted his whole body to face her. "You have always been by my side Shinobu, you have always been there to care for me when ever I needed to be comforted and was injured. You are my angel Shinobu, and you always will be. I know it must've been hard for you to confess to me, and I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Oh no…here it comes…Keitaro, you have no idea how hard it was for me…

"Keitaro…"

"I'm just so sorry that I could never be with you in the past. But I'm hoping that we can change that." Keitaro grabbed both of Shinobu's shoulders lightly and looked straight into her eyes.

"W-what?" Oh my gosh! Is he serious?! This has to be a dream! I can't believe this is happening!

"Shinobu Maehara." Keitaro brought Shinobu close to him and he gently kissed her on her lips. Shinobu's eyes shot wide open with surprise but soon her eyes slowly started to close. Her arms wrapped around Keitaro as she passionately returned his kiss. Keitaro then broke it slowly and they both opened their eyes. "I love you with all my heart."

"Oh sempai…" Shinobu cried and fell into Keitaro's arms and cried tears of joy into his chest. Keitaro gently put his arms around her and just held her as she cried. "You don't know how long I've longed for those words. I love you so much…Keitaro." There was a noise that caught their attention outside. Keitaro and Shinobu opened the front door and saw Kaolla at the very top of the steps, looking down the steps and laughing.

"HAHAHA! I told you I would win! I'm just to fast for you Kitsune!" Su yelled out happily. Kitsune soon walked up with Motoko, Sarah, Naru, and Mutsumi. They still didn't notice that Keitaro was standing at the door. Keitaro placed his arm around Shinobu's shoulder and smiled.

"I think it's time to tell them the news." Keitaro whispered to Shinobu. Shinobu nodded. Shinobu grasped Keitaro's hand and he grasped her's back. "EVERYONE! I'M HOME!!!" That second, everyone's faces lighted up as they made a mad dash for Keitaro and Shinobu.

"KEITARO!"

Don't worry Shinobu. I'm not running away anymore. I'm going to stay with you until the end. My heart belongs to you and no one else. You were always so brave...now it's my turn to be brave. I love you Shinobu, and I'm sure that our love…will last forever.

The End

Zero Eiyuu: "This story was inspired by many things in my life. I really thought about this story and loved it myself. I only hope that each and every one of you who have read this story also loves it. My story is about going for the one you love, you must never give up on love.

The poem shown was written by my dear friend Regina. I asked her if I could use her poem and this is it. I give my special thanks to her and hope that our friendship will last forever.

Now everyone have a pleasant day."