Love Hina: A Change of Pace by Mr. Lee
Rated T for fluffiness, some action, and a few changes from the manga.
Disclaimer: This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. The author of this fanfiction does not own Love Hina or its characters. Love Hina is owned by Ken Akamatsu. Any other similarities are purely coincidental.
Author's notes: Hello my loyal fans, this is Mr. Lee, bringing out another experimental fic in the hopes that it'll get my juices flowing again. Before I begin, let me apologize to my Naruto fans for my delay in updating my fics :(. Life has not been kind to me in the free time department, and I rarely get to be at a computer. I'm trying to bust my ass to bring out Naruto updates this month. Until then, I'm trying my luck with another anime/manga in Love Hina. Like certain other fics, this AU fic will have a very different Keitaro and will start from the beginning like it is in the manga, with some slightly drastic changes. I haven't decided on a pairing yet since this is an experimental fic, but let me say now that it will NOT be with Naru. There are way too many reasons for this. But most likely, despite what will happen in this chapter, they will be friends. And once again, whether this story will stay or not depends upon you readers.
Alright then, let us get started. Besides Keitaro, there may also be some OOCness from the Hina crew, so be prepared. This is dedicated to all Love Hina fans. And to Tezza1502, DoctorT, ChefSelecta and any other Love Hina author whose stories I've read and enjoy. Here we go. I'll do my best to make it entertaining. Enjoy :)!
"Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies?"- Erich Fromm
"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Chapter 1- A Crazy, But New Start
At the hot springs village of Hinata city in the Kanagawa prefecture, the sound of a motorcycle is being heard as it comes to a stop in a parking area near Café Hinata. Once the motor turns off, a young man gets off of it and removes his helmet.
"Phew…I'm finally here." The young man said. This nineteen year old young man goes by the name of Urashima Keitaro. At first glance, some might consider this ronin a plain bookworm from the square glasses on his face. But there was more to this young man than meets the eye. One of those clues was the katana that was poking out of his duffle bag, which he took from the back of his motorcycle after safely securing it. Ascending up the stairs, he took out a letter from his pocket. A letter he received from his grandmother Hina.
To my favorite grandson Keitaro,
Now that you've finished high school and you're aiming for Tokyo University, the time has come to pass down the ownership of the Hinata House to you. I have taught you everything I know in the world of the martial arts. But you have also grown in other areas as well, and I feel that you are ready, despite your difficulties with your college tests. I will be taking that sightseeing tour around the world I told you about. Hopefully, I'll find a spring to make me as young as I feel! Heh heh heh!
Until then, I leave our family's place in your capable hands. When you get there, find your Aunt Haruka and she'll explain everything. She'll also give you a hand if there is any trouble. This new path that you're about to take will not be an easy one. But I have faith in you Keitaro. You survived your ordeals in high school, and I know you'll survive here. Please look out for the people there, and take care of them as much as you can in the way that you feel is best. And remember, no matter what happens, I love you and believe in you Keitaro. Make me proud grandson and I'll see you when I get back!
Hina Urashima
'Don't worry Hina-baachan (Granny Hina)! I'll do my very best!' He vowed to himself as he finally reached the top of the stairs and stared at the large house that has been in his family's name for generations. After knocking on the door and hearing no response, he opens the door. "Hello? Is there anyone home? Haruka-obasan (Aunt Haruka), are you here?" He calls out. Hearing no reply, he takes off his shoes and walks inside. Heading up a few stairs, he finds the landlord's room. "This is Grandma's room. I'll just wait here." He said to himself as heplaced his duffle bag down and relaxed.
"What a huge apartment! I can't believe this is all mine. Who knows? Once I get into Tokyo U, maybe I'll find a nice girl and settle down." Keitaro said happily to himself as he drank a glass of water and stretched his body. He walked over to his bag and pulled out his katana that he received from Hina years ago when he became a master of the Urashima style of martial arts. It had a simple black sheath and a dark blue hilt, but the blade was very sharp and excellently crafted. Taking off his glasses, he unsheathed the blade and got into a battle stance, holding the blade in both hands. His face changed from normal to a deep scowl that only a hard battled warrior would possess. "I hope I never have to use you my friend, or any of my other skills." He said to his sword in a deeper voice as he slowly returned his sword to his sheath. After putting the blade down, he put his glasses back on, his face returning to normal.
"Hmm…I think I'll take a walk. I need to know the layout of this place." He said as he walked out of the room and looked around. After looking around for a good ten minutes, he came to an area with a curtain behind it. Pulling the curtain back, he saw something that made him beam from ear to ear.
"Wow! A hot spring! I could use a soak." Keitaro said. Looking around to check if anyone was coming, he undressed himself and after a good wash, he went inside. "Ahh…This is so nice and warm. I never realized Grandma's place was so fancy. I definitely have to do this every day!" He said as he leaned back on the rocks. 'It's strange that I haven't met the people who live here yet. I hope that they accept me and we can get along. I know that running this place will be hard like Hina-baachan said, but I will do it! And I will get into Tokyo U and prove myself, just like I did as a martial artist!' He promised himself as he closed his eyes and let the 'magic' of the springs work their wonders on his body. Ten quiet filled minutes later, the young Urashima's eyes opened suddenly as he heard the door open.
'Hmm? Who's there?' He thought to himself. His answer came to him in the form of a naked woman with a towel covering her front stepping into the hot spring.
"Ahh…Isn't this so nice and hot?" She said out loud.
'What the hell…?! Who is this girl?!' He screamed in his head with a blush as he looked at her with wide eyes. She turned to look at him with a smile.
"I love taking a soak during the day. It's total heaven!" She squealed as she stretched her arms out.
'I better get out of here. This is too awkward.' Keitaro thought as he started to move away from her slowly.
"And guess what?! I think my breasts are getting a little bigger! See?" She said as she placed an arm under them and lifted them up for him to see.
'Okay…she may have nice breasts, but this is BEYOND awkward! I'm outta here!' He said in his mind as he moved away from her faster as his face turned even redder. He almost made his way out until she reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
"They're still nowhere near yours though." The girl said sadly, making him raise an eyebrow in confusion.
'Wow. She must be as blind as a bat if she can't tell I'm a guy.' Keitaro thought as he stifled a laugh.
"Let's give them a squeeze!" She squealed as she tried to jump on top of him to grab his 'chest'.
'I think I'll pass…' He thought with a smirk as he moved to the left and quietly jumped out, making the brunette land face first into the water. By the time she recovered and put her glasses on, he was already inside the dressing area.
'Phew…that was close. That must've been the girl's bath. I think I better get dressed and check to see if Haruka-obasan is here. I'll put this towel I used into the laundry room on the way back.' He said as he quickly dried off and put his clothes back on. But just as he was about to exit the room, another woman walked in, this one with short grayish-brown hair with nothing but a towel on.
'Oh yeah, this is definitely the girl's bath. Though this girl's hotter than the other one.' The young Urashima thought honestly. They stared at each other for a minute before the young woman spoke first.
"Hmm…Haven't seen you before." She said in a calm voice with a blush on her face.
"Heh heh. Yeah, sorry about this. Let me explain." Keitaro said with a blush of his own while rubbing the back of his head. But just as he was about to, the girl from the springs came out with her glasses and a towel on which accompanied her angry face.
"Hey Kitsune! Why did you leave the bath like that all of a sud-" She said before she stopped and looked at Keitaro. "Ahh! Pervert!" She screamed, making Kitsune shout as well.
"Whoa, calm down! I'm not a pervert! Give me a minute to explain!" Keitaro countered.
"Catch him!" She shouted, completely ignoring what Keitaro said as she started to run after him with rage in her eyes.
'Damn, she looks pissed! I better find Haruka-obasan quick!' Keitaro thought as he left the changing room with his towel still in his hand. He turned several corners until he accidentally ran into a dark skinned blond girl carrying some laundry.
"Yow!" The girl shouted as she fell down while the laundry flew into the air. Using quick reflexes, Keitaro's face changed once more into a serious expression and he swiftly grabbed the basket while dropping his towel, catching all of the clothes before they fell. Once he caught them, he used a free hand and reached out to her while his face returned to normal.
"I'm really sorry about that. Are you alright?" Keitaro asked with a warm smile.
"I'm okay. Thanks for saving clothes. Who are you?" She asked curiously as she took his hand and he lifted her up. He was about to answer, until he heard that girl's voice.
"Where is that pervert?!" The girl growled.
"I'll tell you later. Gotta go!" He said as he handed her the laundry and grabbed his towel before starting to run again just as the girl and Kitsune turned the corner.
"Hey you! Will you calm down?! If you just give me a minute to explain…!" He shouted at the brunette, but the girl's face just became redder with anger. He also noticed that the dark skinned girl he helped was now chasing him as well. 'What did I do to deserve this?' He groaned as he headed to the area where a blue haired girl wearing an apron was coming out with a ladle in her hand.
"Geez…What's with all the noise?" She asked.
"Ask her!" Keitaro told her as he ran passed her while pointing at the ringleader of the chase.
"Huh?" Was all she could say as she looked at his back.
"Stop, you pervert!" The brunette bellowed as now the blue haired girl joined the chase to find out what was going on.
"A pervert? Where?!" Another voice called out from another corner. Keitaro turned his face while running to see a tall girl with long raven hair wearing a shrine maiden's outfit with a hand on a Shirazaya katana.
"This way Motoko!" The ringleader called out. After looking at him, her face became just as enraged as the girl and she joined in the hunt, so to speak.
'Oh crap! This one looks like she can fight! Now I got a mob after me!' He thought as he started to climb up the stairs to the roof. That is, until he realized it was a dead end. Knowing that they'll be there in a few seconds, he takes off his glasses to prevent them from being broken, and tries one last time to explain the situation. The girls finally caught up to him and moved to corner him. The younger girls stood back a bit, while the brunette and Motoko glared at him angrily and Kitsune looked at him displeasingly.
"Now hold on everyone! I know this looks bad, but I'm not a pervert! This is a misunderstanding! I'm the grandson of Hina Urashima and…!" Keitaro tried to explain, but the ringleader of the chase wasn't hearing any of it as she started to charge him with her fist pulled back. "If that's how it is, then you leave me no choice…" He said in a now deeper voice as he scowled at the girl and took a defensive stance. Just as her fist was about to connect with his face, Keitaro grabbed her wrist firmly and used her momentum to push her forward past him towards the ledge while he dodged.
He then sensed Motoko raising her sword at him. Taking his towel, which was now slightly damp from all of the running, he snapped it and wrapped it around her hands. A few seconds later, he pulled her hard to knock the sword out of her hands and lead her toward the brunette. Finally, he ducked as he saw the dark skinned girl try to kick him in the face from the air. With no way to stop, the girl accidentally kicked a stunned Motoko in the back, which made the two of them roll and crash into the brunette at the ledge just as she was recovering. And within that minute, the three girls were on the ground, groaning in pain while Keitaro stood up with the towel in his hand with a strong, but disappointed look on his face as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He calmly walked over and picked up the raven haired girl's sword and placed it on his shoulder. Kitsune and the blue haired girl could only look at him in stunned and silent shock.
"I'm sorry I had to do that, but if you ladies aren't going to let me talk and you're going to attack me without just cause, then I'm going to defend myself!" Keitaro said in a hard voice as he glared at all of them and struck Motoko's sword into the wooden floor. All of the girls flinched in fear at his opposing gaze and they knew he was serious.
'His eyes… they look just like Haruka's when she's mad!' The girls all thought simultaneously. After all, one of their unspoken rules in the house was to not make her angry, for ANY reason. It was at that moment that the woman in their thoughts climbed up the steps with an unlit cigarette in her mouth.
"What's with the noise?" Haruka asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Housemother! This pervert sneaked into the house!" The brunette shouted as she finally stood up from the ground and pointed a finger at Keitaro.
"What part of 'I'm not a pervert!' didn't you understand?!" He growled as he glared angrily at her.
"He's not a pervert Naru. He's my nephew." She countered in her usual calm, laidback tone.
"So ya really are Hina-baachan's grandson?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes I am. That's what I was trying to explain before certain people attacked me for no reason." Keitaro replied in a huff as he looked at the three culprits.
"Is this true?" The woman inquired as she gave the ones in question a light glare, making them freeze.
"Y-yeah…but…h-he…" Naru stammered, making Haruka increase her glare. At that point, Naru and her two cohorts just lowered their heads and nodded.
"I'll deal with you three later…" Haruka warned before turning to her nephew. "I'm sorry about that Keitaro. I hope you can forgive them for their mistake." She said. Keitaro reached into his pants and put on his glasses. As soon as he did, his face returned to its usual expression.
"No. I should apologize to them too. I'm sure some of them were scared to see a stranger in the place they live. I'm sorry everyone. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble." Keitaro said calmly as he bowed apologetically to them. All of the girls gasped in surprise at the gentlemanly act. Haruka just smiled quietly.
'Heh. He hasn't changed a bit. But just to be sure...' Haruka thought as she walked to him. "It's good to see you again Keitaro." She said as she took the cigarette out of her mouth. As soon as she dropped it, she quickly vanished and appeared behind Keitaro with a spinning kick to his torso. With a quick turn, he grabbed her kicking leg with one hand while his fist was just a few inches from her face just as the tobacco stick fell to the ground. All the girls looked at the two of them in stunned surprise since they've never seen Haruka like this before. She still had her stoic expression, while Keitaro had a small smirk on his face.
"You could've at least let me take my glasses off, Haruka-obasan." He said with a smile without letting her leg go or his guard down.
"You know I hate being called Aunt." Haruka said.
"And you know I'm an exception to that rule since you always ask me to call you that." Keitaro retorted.
"I was hoping you'd forget that." His aunt said with a smile. A minute later, they relaxed and embraced each other in a warm hug.
"I missed you too Haruka-obasan…" He said warmly.
"Why don't we go downstairs and talk?" Haruka offered as she headed to the stairs.
"Sounds good. Could you make some tea?" He asked while following behind her.
"Sure. I have a few blends you haven't tried yet." She answered as they both started to head downstairs while they talked. Meanwhile, the girls of Hinata house all just stood there on the roof, still trying to process what they've just seen during the last five minutes.
"Wow. That was something ya don't see everyday." Was all Kitsune could say.
"Agreed. I never knew Haruka and that…man were so skilled." Motoko said in disbelief, realizing to herself that Keitaro was holding back and that if he wanted to, he could've done them serious harm. 'They moved so fast, I couldn't see either of them. As much as I hate to admit it, not even I would have been able to block that kick, let alone counter it. Who is he?' She thought with a strange curiosity.
"He was able to dodge Su's kick! He looks like fun!" Su said with a smile.
"I'm just glad no one got hurt." The blue haired girl said in a soft voice.
"Yeah, ya do have a point Shinobu. What do ya think Naru?" The fox woman asked as she turned to look at her close friend. The ringleader of the mob was silent as her brunette hair covered her eyes. Without saying a word, she just walked past them and went downstairs. 'What's her problem?' she thought as they followed shortly after.
Living room- Twenty minutes later
"What?! This is a girl's dorm?!" Keitaro shouted as he and Haruka talked while the girls sat in and listened as well.
"Yeah, that's right. Didn't Hina-baachan tell you in your letter?" Haruka inquired as she put her tea cup down on the table.
"No she didn't. But I guess it would explain why I was running only into women during that chase." He said sheepishly with a blush of embarrassment on his face.
"Sorry about that. I knew you were coming, but I was out getting some things for the café at the time. I did tell the girls that a guest was coming though." His aunt explained.
"Oh yeah…ya did mention that to us this morning. I guess we kinda forgot…" Kitsune said as her and the girls blushed slightly in shame.
"We're really sorry Urashima-san…" Shinobu said on behalf of everyone.
"Hey, don't worry about that. Let's just put that little incident in the past." Keitaro said quickly waving his hand dismissively, making the girls relax, save Naru.
"Glad to hear it. I'm sure it'll make things easier for you and the girls." Haruka said.
"What do you mean, Haruka?" Naru inquired.
"What I mean is that as of right now, Keitaro is the owner and landlord of Hinata House." She replied bluntly, making all of the girls gasp in shock, especially Naru and Motoko.
"No way! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Naru screamed at the top of her lungs while slamming her hands on the table.
"It can't be true!" Motoko bellowed as well, though not as loud as Naru.
"It's true. You know that Hina told all of you before she left that someone would be taking over. And it's him. As of now, this place belongs to him." Haruka said as she showed the deed and legal contracts to the girls while pointing to Keitaro.
"B-but Haruka! He's…he's a man! A man can't run a girl's dorm!" The kendo girl protested.
"But my Grandma promised me this place a long time ago." Keitaro pointed out calmly.
"That's got nothing to do with this! This is a girl's dorm! We can't let a perverted sicko like you stay another minute!" The fiery brunette growled as she stood up and pointed at him, not noticing that Keitaro's eye just twitched.
"Whoa, cool your jets Naru." Kitsune said as she held the young woman back. Having heard enough, Keitaro took off his glasses and stood up.
'Uh oh. She's really done it now…' Haruka thought as she saw the scowl appear on her nephew's face.
"Let her go Kitsune." Keitaro requested in a strong and calm voice. When the woman saw the look on his face, she did as she was asked as Naru glared at him angrily while breathing hard as if she was about to spew fire. The young Urashima walked up to her, looking straight into her eyes. "So Naru, I'm a perverted sicko, huh?" He asked her while keeping his calm.
"That's right, you slimy creep!" Naru replied with pure venom.
"Well then, would you care to explain to everyone your actions in the bath this afternoon?" He asked her.
"Huh?" Naru said with a befuddled expression, obviously being caught off guard.
"Are you in the habit of jumping on top of people and groping their bodies in a sexual manner?" Keitaro questioned as he continued to walk up to her while she started to step back.
"B-but I t-thought…B-but t-that's…" She started to stutter.
"Don't even think of saying it's different!" He cut her off in a deeper voice, making her gasp. "Perverted acts aren't always male to female Naru. It can also be female to male, or male to male or female to female. If one of the girls here touched you in an inappropriate way when you didn't feel like being touched, they would be called a pervert. And if they persisted even after you asked them to stop, that would be sexual assault. And you would have the right to defend yourself or call the police to file a complaint or have that person arrested. So Naru, since you tried to jump on me and grope me when I was leaving the bath, that would make you the perverted sicko, wouldn't it?" He asked her when Naru finally ran out of space and hit the back of the wall.
"Naru-sempai! You didn't!" Motoko said in shock after hearing what happened.
"Naru-sempai, is that true?" Shinobu asked in disbelief.
"It would explain why you were so quick to call me a pervert and have the others attack me as I was trying to explain myself to Kitsune." Keitaro added, still keeping his voice in a deep tone as he struck the hornet's nest around Naru, making the young woman sweat.
"You're right. He was trying to explain himself before you came in. And he didn't know that we use the hot springs." Kitsune deduced.
"Tell the truth Naru!" Su said in a somewhat bored fashion.
"Naru, is Keitaro telling the truth? Did you really try to jump on him and grope him?" Haruka asked with a raised eyebrow. The brunette realized that her little action in the springs removed all the edge that her argument had. All of the girls looked at her with different, but disapproving looks. Even Motoko, her ally against 'perverts', was looking at her with disappointment and disgust. Keitaro trapped her in a corner and she knew she had no way out. No matter what she said or even if she tried to run, she knew that they would never look at her in the same way again.
"Well? We're waiting Naru…" Keitaro said as he crossed his arms and continued to stare at her. She turned her head away from the young man's gaze as her body started to shake. That look in his eyes reminded her so much of when Haruka and Hina scolded her, and it was one of the few things in this world that scared her.
"I…I…" Naru started to say. She was sweating so profusely that her clothes started to get damp. She needed to find a way out of this situation she put herself in. So she said the first thing that came to mind. "T-That's not true! You're the pervert! Not me!" She shouted into Keitaro's face, hoping that would get the heat off of her. But to no avail.
"Are you calling me a liar Naru?" He questioned with a touch of anger in his voice while still keeping it even. "If Hina-baachan were here, would you lie to her as you are lying to us right now?" He added. Naru felt a sharp pain in her heart at the mention of her name. She, along with everybody else, already knew the answer to that question. For if she were to lie to Hina, not only would the old woman catch her in it, but the consequences of that lie would be…severe. She was about to open her mouth, when Keitaro raised his hand to stop her.
"There's no need to say anything. It's obvious that you just lied to all of us. Even after Haruka-obasan and the others just asked you to tell the truth. I may not be able to speak for the other girls, but by lying and trying to shift the blame on me, you disrespected not only me, but my aunt and grandmother as well. And anyone in my family will tell you, you don't disrespect an Urashima, especially in their house!" Keitaro told her fiercely as he glared at her. The girls watching all of this unfold turned to Haruka for confirmation of what the young man just said.
"It's true. If Hina or anyone of our family were here, they would be very angry at someone disrespecting another family member, even if the house they're in don't belong to them. You mess with one Urashima, you mess with us all." Haruka confirmed as she gave a glare of her own to Naru to prove her point.
"Well, do you want to take back what you just said?" Keitaro asked while calming down a bit. Realizing she was defeated, she just lowered her head.
"Yes. What Keitaro said was true." Naru finally admitted. The girls shook their heads at her with disappointment after finally telling the truth. Turning his back to her, the young Urashima started to walk back to the couch.
"So, I guess that makes you a liar and a perverted sicko." He said as he walked. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Naru's infamously volatile temper came to the surface like a volcano erupting. And everyone knew that when that happened, her logic and common sense dropped down to zero and the person feeling her wrath would be experiencing a world full of pain. But not today as she was about to realize.
"YOU DAMN PERVERT!" She roared in pure rage as she attempted once more to give Keitaro a Naru punch while his back was turned.
"Naru, don't! Stop!" Kitsune shouted as she stood up and ran to them to try to stop her friend from making a big mistake. But she knew it would be too late since Naru ignored her and continued to thrust her fist at him. But Keitaro was ready for it, though he would hope that he wouldn't have to be. He quickly turned to her and grabbed her fist with one hand. Not giving her a moment, he put his hand on her wrist and twisted her arm until it was high in the air behind her back. The girl screamed in pain and fell to one knee as she tried to move her arm, realizing that the hold Keitaro had on it completely immobilized her.
"I can tell by the way you move that someone taught you martial arts. But to use it to attack an innocent person recklessly while their back is turned is shameful and cowardly!" Keitaro said angrily as he squeezed her wrist slightly and lifted her arm a bit, making her whimper in pain. Haruka deeply frowned and lowered her head for a minute, since she knew who taught Naru how to defend herself. But she returned to her usual expression a second later.
"Naru-sempai!" Motoko said as she started to get up. But just as she was about to reach for her sword, Haruka grabbed her firmly by the shoulder to stop her. The kendo girl looked at her angrily, but that anger drained when she saw Haruka give her a look that told her 'Don't you dare interfere.'.
"Does this hurt Naru?" Keitaro asked her in an even tone as he tweaked her arm again.
"Yes!" Naru yelled in pure agony.
"You've tried to assault me twice today, and you disrespected my family. If I wanted to, I could shatter this arm you tried to punch me with right now!" He threatened as he raised his free hand and clenched it into a fist.
"No! Please, don't!" She begged quickly.
"Why shouldn't I? I know that I'm not Hina-baachan, but you hate and despise me despite not knowing me at all! Even after I apologized to you and forgave you after attacking me before, you still call me a pervert and try to hit me again! How would you feel if someone hurt you like that?! Wouldn't feel very good, would it?!" He asked her with an annoyed tone as he gripped her wrist harder.
"N-No..." The brunette replied meekly.
"Well then, do you have something to say to me, Narusegawa Naru?" The young man questioned in a choleric tone.
"I'm sorry…" Naru mumbled.
"What was that? Say it again so we can all hear you!" He shouted as he tweaked her arm again, adding a little more pressure.
"I'M SORRY!" She screamed so everyone can hear her. A minute later, he released her wrist and she fell to her knees and started to sob while holding her arm. After letting out a sad sigh, he put his glasses back on and kneeled down next to her. Placing his palms on top of each other in an X-like fashion, his hands started to glow and head towards Naru's arm.
'Incredible! He's using his Ki to heal Naru-sempai's wounds!' Motoko said with widened eyes as the pain from the brunette's arm started to vanish. Naru opened her eyes and looked at Keitaro with wide eyes at his act, wondering why he was doing this after what she said and did. She saw the look on his visage while he continued to heal her and saw that it was filled with sadness and regret. The other girls noticed it as well and they started to sit back down. Once he knew that her arm was fine, he stopped releasing his ki and stood up while turning his back to her.
"I accept your apology. I'm sorry I hurt you like that. I hope you can forgive me." Keitaro said in a gentle and sad voice. He then turned to the other girls. "I know we all got off to a bad start today and for that I'm really sorry. I'm not asking you girls to like me because I'm Hina-baachan's grandson. But Hina-baachan entrusted me with this place and everyone in it, and I gave my word that I wouldn't let her down. All I want is the same chance all of you gave my aunt and my grandmother. That's all I can ask from you." He said with his head lowered.
'Keitaro…' Haruka thought with a frown on her face. Without another word, he headed to the landlord's room without looking at any of them. No one moved or said a word for five minutes until Kitsune and Motoko went to Naru's side.
"Are you alright Naru?" Kitsune said with concern.
"Yeah…" Naru replied as she got up and dusted herself off.
"I'm not surprised. He used his ki to heal your wounds." Motoko explained.
"But why would he do that, after what I did to him, to all of you today?" She asked as she wiped her eyes.
"Because that's how Keitaro is." Haruka replied, making the girls turn to her. "Keitaro was trained by Hina in our family's style of martial arts. He's an expert in hand to hand and with a sword. His skill is second only to Hina herself. He's even defeated me in battle once." She explained making the girls gasp in shock. "But he only fights as a last resort or when he's protecting someone dear to him. He always tries to avoid conflict. But when he gets angry and takes off his glasses, he's acts like a different person and can be even scarier than Hina and I put together." She adds truthfully.
"But Haruka, that still doesn't explain why he healed Naru." Kitsune reminded her.
"When Hina wrote to him, she asked him to take care and look out for you girls, just like Hina and I did each and every day. But even if we didn't ask him, he would've still took care of all of you. That's just the way he is. He gives his all in whatever he does. Especially when it comes to those he looks out for." She revealed with a small smile. All of the girls looked at each other and lowered their heads shamefully as Keitaro's words echoed in their ears. It even echoed in Naru and Motoko's ears, despite their issues with men.
"Everyone, I'm…sorry for lying like that." Naru said softly as she looked at the others.
"Don't worry about it Naru. If our new landlord forgives ya, I can too." Kitsune said as she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Me too Naru-sempai!" Shinobu said with a smile.
"Su forgive you Naru!" Su said happily.
"Though your actions were shameful, I too forgive you Naru-sempai." Motoko said while Haruka nodded at her.
"Thank you everyone." The brunette said while tears stung her eyes.
"Well, now that that's settled, there's just one thing left to do." Haruka said as she motioned the girls into a huddle and started to whisper to them.
Keitaro's room- Two hours later
As the girl's talked amongst themselves, Keitaro quietly laid on his back while looking up at the ceiling.
"I can't believe I did that. Those girls probably hate me now." He said to himself joylessly. "I'm sorry Hina-baachan. I failed you, on my first day here." He said sadly as the guilt of what he did to Naru weighed heavily on his mind. He knew that he was only defending himself and he technically did nothing wrong. But it still hurt to do that to the people his grandmother asked him to take care of. It was then that he heard a knock on his door. "Come in." He said softly. The door slid open to see the chef of Hinata House appear.
"Um…Urashima-san? Dinner is ready. Haruka asked you to come down." Shinobu told him politely.
"Thanks Shinobu. I'm coming." He told her as he stood up. After taking a quick bow, she headed downstairs. The young Urashima closed his door and followed her slowly, knowing that dinner would probably be as difficult as the rest of the day was. When he finally reached downstairs, he noticed that the lights were off.
"Huh? Why are the lights off?" He asked as he reached for the switch and flipped it on. When he did, all of the girls popped out and yelled 'Surprise! Welcome to Hinata House Keitaro!', which scared him to the point of him falling on his butt.
"What the…? Why are you girls doing this, after what I did?" He asked, feeling that he didn't deserve it.
"After ya left, we all talked with Haruka. And we did give you a pretty hard time unnecessarily today. So to make up for it, we threw you a little party." Kitsune explained with a bottle of sake in her hand.
"All of you did this…for me?" He asked incredulously.
"Yes Urashima-san! I-I hope you like my cooking." Shinobu replied with a light red color to her cheeks.
"Su made banana dessert Keitaro. Please try!" Su said as she shoved said dessert in front of him.
"I…have not accepted you just yet Urashima. But…I will give you a chance. At least for Hina-baachan's sake." Motoko said with a slight blush while her head was turned slightly.
"Thanks Motoko-chan. I hope I'll be worthy of your trust." Keitaro said with a warm voice as he held both of her hands and added the suffix to her name, making her blush deeper.
'W-why is my heart p-pounding?' The kendo girl stammered as she looked at him with a flustered face. A few seconds later, she quickly let go of his hands and moved away from the young man and went to the back of the room.
'Did I say something wrong?' Keitaro thought with a raised eyebrow.
"I just want you to know that I haven't accepted you either!" Naru shouted as she stepped up to him. Keitaro lowered his head slightly and let out a sigh, expecting her to respond like that. "But…I'm…sorry for what I said and did to you. I forgive you Keitaro, and…I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time." She grumbled in an annoyed voice, as if it took all of her strength to say it.
"Thanks Naru. Truce?" Keitaro said as he reached his hand out to her.
"Truce." She said as she shook his hand while looking away from him. "But this doesn't mean that we're friends or anything! If you do anything perverted, the truce is off!" She quickly warned him in an angry tone as she looked at him with a scowl.
"Fair enough. But if you try to hit me again, I will break your arm and throw you out of the house." He forewarned her with a deep voice when he lowered his glasses, making her as pale as a sheet. "Ha ha ha! Just kidding! Maybe…" He laughed while he fixed his glasses and gave her a grin. As everybody sat down at the table to eat and have fun, Haruka sat next to him while he ate.
"You really weren't going to break Naru's arm, were you?" Haruka whispered in her nephew's ear, even though she knew the answer.
"Of course not. She did need to be taught a lesson. But I still feel horrible about it. You know I try to avoid fighting." Keitaro whispered back regrettably.
"Yeah. Well, don't feel too bad about it. Naru has a lot of issues. Her temper is one of them. But she really isn't a bad person. I'm sure that you two will become friends someday." His aunt reassured him.
"I hope you're right. I'm going to be living with her and the others from now on." He said.
"You'll be fine, nephew. My mother has faith in you, and so do I." She said proudly with a small smile.
"Thanks Haruka-obasan…" Keitaro said returning her smile.
"Besides, with that threat you gave her, I don't think she'll be trying to punch you anytime soon." She whispered into his ear, making him chuckle.
"The greatest victory is the battle not fought." He said with a smile as he raised his glass. Haruka nodded in agreement with a smirk on her face and raised her glass to join him in a personal toast. The rest of the day went by peacefully. But Keitaro knew that this was just the beginning. He didn't know what the future held for him as a ronin and a landlord to a house filled with unique young women. But after this crazy day, all he could do was pray for the best, and be ready for the worse.
Author's note 2: Well, that's the end of this experimental chapter. I know that it's shorter than my usual stuff, but I figured I'd end it here. I apologize to Naru fans if I was too harsh with her :(. I just wanted to turn the tables on her this time around.
In any case, you all know the drill. Read, Enjoy and Review. Give me your thoughts and feelings on this alternate version of Love Hina with a stronger Keitaro. Did you like or not? Do you want me to continue this or remove it? Who do you want this Keitaro to end up with if you decide that you like it? The choice is yours, my friends ;)! As always, your thoughts and feelings on this are important. Once again, I'll bust my ass to try to get my Naruto updates this month. Wish me luck and hope that life will be kind to me. Until then, I hope all of you enjoy the coming summer. I'll be in touch whenever I can. Later for now :).