Author's Notes: If some of you saw my other works, you might just ask me why I am posting a new story? Well, I believed that I should try something different and so far I quite enjoyed conceptualizing and writing this story. It is new with a lighter tone in it. Anyway, this story has been inspired by Neoalfa's work and Greydon Creed's as well. I may have borrowed some elements so you all have been warned and yeah. That is all folks. Enjoy this new story.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Love Hina. It is a creation of Ken Akamatsu.
Hinata City.
It has been a long time since Keitaro Urashima has last visited this place. In Keitaro's opinion, the place has an old soul in it that he appreciates. Old soul because the city still has its antique street cars, traditional Japanese architecture was still retained through many establishments and even houses that is scattered throughout the area. The city is hugging the Hinata Mountain, its namesake, while at the same time facing the Sagami Bay on the other. The city is like a mix of the old Japan to the modern times in his opinion.
That was what Keitaro pondered in his mind as he smoothly cruised through the streets of the city with his car, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX colloquially called as an "EVO IX". It has a gunmetal hue, a nice set of 21 inch of sparkling (recently cleaned and waxed) titanium wheels, dark tinted windows and a customized set of front and rear bumpers. This would be the type of car that gives you the impression that whoever drives it knows how to drive really well and likes to drive really fast. However, speed is not a concern of our protagonist as he is driving in the streets of Hinata City. He is just smoothly cruising his way towards his destination, taking his sweet time as he is enjoying the view (and the comforts of the car) at the moment.
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Ok, you know what. Our protagonist is actually lost. He has never been to Hinata City since he was five and back then, it was his parents that were driving. Now that it is him that is driving, he is now regretting his decision of not asking his parents for directions. He is actually now looking for someone...anyone that he could ask directions. He has been scouring the area for such person. So far, the people he had met also knew nothing of his destination and their reason was that they are just there for the fame hot springs of Hinata City. In short, they're tourists.
Keitaro found it strange that those tourists did not knew about his destination, Hinata Sou. Not out of family pride or anything like that but he is definitely sure that the hotsprings of Hinata Sou is the hotspring of hotsprings in the area. It was so famous that it even has some stories connected to it. Don't ask him for specifics about those tales, he also forgot those. Excluding the hot springs, one must not forget about the inn itself. Spacious rooms, top quality service, exquisite food prepared by Grandma Hina Urashima herself, it's prime location of being surrounded by the woods; the Hinata Sou has a quality that can rival a high-class hotel (opinionated) with a perfect isolated location that gives its guest a feeling of zen... which is now the bane of Keitaro's journey.
It seems that whoever is up there is finally giving some its blessing as he has now spotted a little girl walking the street and carrying grocery bags. He slowed down to match the girls speed and honked his car's horn to get her attention.
"Eep!" the girl said or probably just a sound she made as his honking surprised her and looked towards him as he is lowering his window
"Excuse me, miss. Can I ask you a question?" Keitaro asked her and the girl just dropped the groceries and brought out her wallet
"Pplease! I don't want any trouble. Ttake my wallet. I know tthere is nothing much it in bbut I cannot give you anything else." the girl said while stuttering while offering her wallet to him and bowing her head.
"What the-" Keitaro said as he looked at his forearms.
'Oh' he thought 'she saw the tattoos.' You see, a person that has a tattoo is often associated with the Yakuza, the prevalent members of the Japanese society that are proud to be inked. It was not limited to just them but they can be seen on delinquents and bozouko gang members so tattoos had made an infamous reputation in Japan. Keitaro silently cursed himself as he forgot to wear his jacket first before he lowered his window. It is not helping either that a large part of his forearms is inked.
"Miss, I believe that we have a misunderstanding here. I may be inked but I am not a gangster or anything. So please, I am not going to take anything. I just want to ask directions." Keitaro tried to say slowly and calmly so the girl may not further freak out.
The girl rose her head and lowered her hands and pocketed her wallet. She is still eyeing him suspiciously and then said "Ok, wwhere do you want to go?"
"A famous inn here. I am sure you have heard of it, Hinata Sou. My grandmother owns the place." Keitaro said with a smile to further calm the girl but it just got the effect
"EH!" the girl shouted wide-eyed towards him.
"Hey, what's wrong. I told you, I am not gonna hurt you...or anybody" Keitaro exclaimed while puzzled by the girl's reaction
"An inn! It is no longer an inn." the girl exclaimed
'So that is why no tourists knows the place' he thought and then said "I see, so Grandma Hina turned it to private residence. Can't blame her since she is getting old."
The girl just shook her head and said "No, it's not a private residence either. It's an all-girls dormitory."
"EH!" Keitaro shouted, now his turned to be surprised. An all-girls dormitory? But why? Why did she limit her customers to tenants. That just limits her pool of available customers and further limiting it just the fairer sex is not helping either. Granted that it makes more sense for Grandma Hina to have a girls dorm since she is also female but she still decrease her pool of customers and therefore profit. Worst of all, she told him to come there without even stating it in the letter. He could have taken proper precautions then if he was properly informed. An inked man is bound to cause a commotion like the one he is just having at the moment.
It really did seem that whoever higher being up there is giving him a little blessing. "Grandma didn't say that in the letter. I thank you for the information. It really did saved me a trouble like what we are having now." he said and the chuckled to lighten the mood as the girl is now staring at him quizically.
"Ok..." the girl commented
"Back to the main topic, may I please know the directions of the now all-girls dormitory, Hinata Sou?" Keitaro asked
"Just turn right in the corner and a teahouse besides a long stairway can be seen. The stairs will bring you straight to the entrance of Hinata Sou." the girl said
"Thank you. I am in your debt and... do you want me to replace the eggs?" he said and asked
"No problem, Mister. Just park your car-what? What about the eggs?" she asked
"Well, I heard a bunch of eggs cracked earlier when you dropped them. As I can see from the wetness of the grocery bag, I would say that is a lot." Keitaro explained as he pointed his finger towards the bags.
The girl just looked at the grocery bags and horror dawned upon her eyes. She scoured the bag just to see how damaged did the cracked eggs caused on the other items and then the girl just wailed.
After the girl has stopped wailing, he promised that he will buy her a new dozen of eggs and replace the pad paper and tissue rolls she bought. Keitaro just told her to just returned back to the dorm and tell the residents that a male visitor is coming while he is buying. To calm her down, he said it would just be a quick run. After all, he is the one with the car. That is why he bought a tray of eggs, replacements to the soaked paper and tissue rolls and parked his car in front of the teahouse the girl mention.
He stepped out of the car and put on his dark windbreaker over his grey v-neck t-shirt while also wearing a pair of denim pants and a pair of predominantly black chucks. He took the groceries from the trunk of the car and with a push of a button, the Evo locked its doors. He then started climbing up the stair contemplating about the kind of reception he might receive from the tenants of his Grandmother's dormitory. He tried to hide the tattoos with his windbreaker and he bought more than what was lost as a sort of peace offering to the female residents. Hopefully that is enough to at least let them listen.
"It has been a long time since I have been to this place." Keitaro said to no one in particular as he finally reached the top of the stairway and now gazing at a multi-story Japanese style building. He has finally arrived to Hinata Sou. Something caught the eye of our protagonist as he looked over at the main entrance of the establishment. There are girls that are blocking the door and is now staring at him. A couple were more of glaring than staring and that is coming from two long-haired beauties. One is brunette and wearing a yellow long-sleeved turtleneck shirt and a red skirt. She is drop-dead hot though she should choose a different design of glasses. A large, round glasses does not bring out her facial beauty. Although the other one appears younger, she is beautiful in her own right. Wearing a white kimono and a red hakama; she emits the beautiful of a traditional Japanese woman...or more like the aura of a beautiful warrior woman because of the bokken she is carrying. It seems that the girl, Shinobu, told them about his tattoos.
"You!" the bespectacled girl shouted. "What is your intention towards our place?" she finished with a haughty look
"To speak with my grandmother. I am her grandson." Keitaro said as he approached them
"Well, she is not here. Now, go away." the same girl said
Keitaro didn't drive all the way here just to get nothing. Gasoline prices are ridiculously high these days with no chance of going down for a long time. "I can wait for her. I'll just stay in the living room, if you don't mind."
"NO! We mind. This is a girls dormitory. No males are allowed in the premises." the same girl said
"What do you want me to do?! Wait in the teahouse?" Keitaro answered back. Seriously, something fired that girl up and it is becoming quite a headache.
"Good luck with that. Grandma Hina is out of the country." a woman said that Keitaro is very familiar with. He turned around and he saw his Aunt Haruka or cousin Haruka...it's just confusing for him but she reprimanded him for calling her Aunty in the last family reunion so he will not be calling her Aunt Haruka.
"My, my, I never expected you to be driving a nice ride. How are you going to pay for the gas? You're unemployed." Haruka said while putting her hands on her hips.
"Ugh...Grandma is abroad?" Keitaro asked his Aunt/cousin Haruka
"Yeah, she is on a world tour." Haruka said bluntly as Keitaro face palmed himself.
Keitaro then said "She stated in the letter that I should go here today. I even brought the car to ease my travel and brought along boxes of cupcakes and other pastries to her as a gift..."
"Wait! DId you just say cupcakes?" two girls said in unison. One is a dark-skinned foreign girl while the other is an older short-haired woman.
Their cravings did not go unnoticed by our protagonist and he thought this would be a perfect chance to get some of the tenants more inclined to him. "Cupcakes, cookies, profiteroles, and petits fours." he said with a smirk as both of these girls imagined the pastries he just mention as they sort of salivate to have it.
"I don't know what the last two are but I bet they are delicious, right Kaolla-chan?" the older woman asked the younger dark-skinned girl.
"Yeah..." the girl, Kaolla, replied sheepishly
"Welcome to Hinata Sou. Please do come in." the short-haired woman said with a smile as she and the young foreigner opened the door and gestured for him to come in. That went better than expected.
"Kaolla-chan! Kitsune-chan! You traitors!"shouted by the bespectacled girl to her friends
"Yeah, I really want to have this conversation in the comforts of the dorm. Seriously, it is noon, I didn't have my lunch yet, and we are doing the talking under the hot sun." Haruka said as Keitaro, Kitsune, and Kaolla just nodded in agreement.
"But-" the girl with the glasses said but it was Haruka's stare that made her stop whatever it is she is saying. "Alright, let us all go inside but YOU are only allowed in the dining area and the living room. Are we clear?" she continued as she pointed her fingers at Keitaro.
"Alright." He replied as Haruka tapped his shoulder "Yes?"
"Do you have of those pastries for me?" Haruka said nicely while her expression is saying like 'you better have some'
"I did say boxes. Want me to bring up some of it?" Keitaro replied immediately
"Please do" she said
"Itadakimasu!" Every single one of them said before they begun eating their meal. For lunch, Shinobu prepared beef with broccoli and mushrooms, pan-fried chicken teriyaki, miso soup, and of course a bowl of white rice. It was this succulent meal that they need to satiate their hunger...except Kaolla. It is like that girl never stops eating. Normally, this would be a cheerful event since this is one of the few moments that every tenant of the dorm is together. They would share stories, tease or joke at one another (mostly Shinobu is the target), or just discuss how each others' day have been. This would not be the case of this lunch time.
It was a silent affair or rather nerve-wrecking and that is because of Keitaro. For courtesy's sake, he had removed his windbreaker so once again his tattoos is exposed, causing the tense situation. Almost everyone except Kaolla is staring at Keitaro as he continued to eat. The kendo girl and glasses girl continues to glare at him with the former having her bokken beside her like a preparation for trouble and the glasses girl murmuring something about him being a yankee. It can't be help. A huge denomination of inked people in Japan are bad elements and a single man cannot remove such a prejudice. However, he is not going to just conform and have his tattoos remove, he did have those for a reason. The combination of the tattoos, his tanned skin due to many outdoor excursions, muscularly well-built body and short-cropped hair does make him look like a gangster. Just wearing a plain grey t-shirt is not helping either.
"So Keitaro, what do you do these days?" Haruka asked to alleviate the tension.
"Well, I am going to be a student again. Classes are going to start this Monday. Also, I will now be a official assistant of a professor. Now, I am going to get paid and it will not conflict with the course I am taking. It even complete some of my units. I believe the saying 'two birds in one stone' is perfect to describe this situation." Keitaro said as he took a bite of the chicken the girl served.
"Really? What is the name of the university that accepted you?" his Aunt/cousin inquired
"University of Tokyo" he answered simply as everyone froze to what he just said and silence dawn upon them
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"HUEH! YOU'RE A TODAI STUDENT?!" Everyone shouted as they stood from their seats except Keitaro and Kaolla as they just continued to eat.
"Yes I am and everyone seems to be always surprised." Keitaro answered back
"How can a gangster like you passed the entrance exams?!" the glasses girl asked him
"By taking the test." Keitaro answered and this just seemed to have infuriated the girl
"Don't joke with me! I never saw you in cram school. How the hell did you passed?!" the girl shouted
"You're name would be?" he asked
"Naru Narusegawa. How is that relevant?" Naru said as she glared at him
"Well Naru. I had a tutor. He is a professor in Todai and he seems to be very knowledgeable about the entrance exam. Under his tutelage, I was able to get in." Keitaro explained
"Anyway, enough about me. Aunt-" Keitaro said as Haruka lightly punched him
"Don't call me 'Aunt' or 'Aunty'. Just call me Haruka." she said
"Fine, Haruka. Do you know why Grandma summoned me here when she has been gone for at least a year?" he asked
Haruka then grabbed something from her pocket. It was a letter and then she said "Well, she did say that I should give this to you when you arrived. It might answer your questions."
Our protagonist took the letter, opened it, and then read it, read it again, read it again since he can't believe what is written on it and then read it again to see if his grandmother made a mistake. 'This can't be right' he thought as he is sweating bullets.
"This. Is. Insane!" Keitaro shouted suddenly as it startled the women.
"What is it?" Haruka asked him as he handed her back the letter.
"Read it and please read it aloud. This concerns them afterall" he said while gesturing towards the tenants of the Hinata Sou.
Haruka took the letter and then with a clear and loud voice said aloud:
Dear Keitaro,
By the moment you have received this letter, you would know that I am not in the country for quite awhile. It has come to my attention that there would be no one left in our family to manage the Hinata Sou. Each of my children are preoccupied on their own. My eldest Yoko is now in paradise (may she watch over us all), your father, Sousuke, is busy helping his beloved wife's bakeshop and Haruka, my dear, is equally busy with her teahouse. You must know that an Urashima has always been managing the Hinata Sou and thus it is our duty to continue this tradition. Imagine my joy when you asked me if you could stay in the Hinata Sou. However, I cannot just sent the sweet girls that now currently resides in there just to give space for you, my child. But alas, a brilliant idea was shown upon me by our dearly departed relatives from paradise that could truly remedy this situation. It was through that reason that I, Hina Urashima of the Urashima Clan, hereby grant to you, Keitaro Urashima, the rights and responsibilities of being the manager of the Hinata Sou and hereby proclaim you as my successor and the heir of the Urashima clan. A legal copy of this proclamation should have already arrived at Haruka's residence. I wish you luck and farewell, my child, I am now going to spend my vacation with no worries in mind.
Sincerely Yours;
Hina Urashima
A moment of silence and pause dawn upon the occupants of the Dining Area as they were contemplating the contents of Hina Urashima's letter.
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"I have tolerated your presence since your arrival but this is UNACCEPTABLE!" the swordswoman shouted as she raised her bokken. It was with the swordwoman's initiative that all hell broke loose.