Heeey! Nivrilan here, so far, the pairing vote is:
Kanako: 3
Motoko: 1
Shinobu: 0
Naru: 0
Kitsune: 0
Mitsumi: 0
Anyone but Kanako: 1.
I'm not quite sure that last one counts though, so this chapter will be in the direction of Kanako, having a lot to do with her and Keitaro's slightly twisted relationship. Here we go...
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Kanako was sitting in the room she rented out, thinking about her beloved brother. She stared up at the ceiling, pondering the events of the day. Why did I have to scream like that...? I could've shown Keitaro everything... she thought to herself sadly, ashamed of her reflexive scream. I should go apologize to him... It kind of is my fault that he was launched by Motoko... she thought as she began to stand up. The girl opened the door and walked down to Keitaro's room, she knocked on the door and waited, but no one answered. Kanako decided to just open the door, it was unlocked and she was greeted by the sight of Keitaro, asleep with his head in a book. She walked over to his side and sat down, she leaned her head on his shoulder happily. Kanako let out a small sigh, wishing that Keitaro would return the feelings she felt for him. She suddenly got an idea, Keitaro seemed to enjoy the view of her earlier, so wouldn't he do it again? She quickly stood up and locked Keitaro's door, before stripping down to her underwear. She grinned to herself and started to rub Keitaro's back, trying to wake him up. He stirred and Kanako smiled, he then raised his head and looked around, his gaze laid on her.
"K-kanako?" he stuttered in that way the Kanako loved oh-so much.
"Yeah..." she replied quietly.
"What're you doing in here?" he asked, before finally waking up enough to notice her state of undress. He suddenly blushed and he popped a small nose-bleed.
"Well, I came to apologize for earlier..." she smiled, before wrapping her arms around her beloved.
"Hey... Kanako..." Keitaro stammered
"What is it?" she asked happily.
"You're, really, pretty... But... You are...my sister..." the ronin said, struggling with his two conflicting emotions. Kanako looked at him and frowned.
"We aren't really related..." she reasoned to him, wanting nothing more than for him to hold her.
"Even so..." he said quietly.
"Keitaro, I love you..." she said confidently. And after that Keitaro had nothing to say, he wrapped his arms around her.
Just then, the flimsy board separating Keitaro's room from Naru's moved, Naru looked down and was furious.
"KEITARO YOU PERVERT! SHE'S YOUR SISTER!" Naru screamed before dropping down. Naru launched herself at Keitaro who was separating from Kanako's embrace. He stood firm.
"Stop!" He shouted to her. "Kanako is not my sister by blood, and even if she was, it's our life, not yours!" Naru just stopped, she looked down at the ground, tears in her eyes. Kanako let out a wicked grin at her. Naru then stormed out of the room, leaving a disgruntled looking Keitaro behind. Kanako quickly put her clothes back on and walked up to him, she kissed him on the cheek before walking out, knowing it was best that he be left alone for the time being. Keitaro just walked over to his futon and flopped down on it, completely confused about what to do next. He then got an idea, he stepped out of the room and went down to Haruka's tea shop. He opened the door and saw his aunt sitting behind the counter, smoking a cigarette. She saw Keitaro and stepped next to him.
"Is something wrong? You seem... confused." Haruka said.
"Haruka, it's about Kanako..." he began.
"I see, go on." his aunt replied.
"Well, she came into my room earlier, to tell me that she loved me, not in a family way, and Naru came down, she began to freak out as usual, but I did something...new. I stood up to her, and she just stormed out. I don't know how to deal with Naru and I don't even know where to begin with Kanako." Keitaro said.
"Well.. Kanako is your sister..." Haruka said.
"Not by blood," the ronin corrected.
"True," Haruka nodded. "How do you feel about her?"
"I don't really know..." Keitaro said. "She's always there for me, and always stands up for me..." Haruka took a puff from her "cancer stick" and scratched her chin.
"Well, I'm not going to say I'm against it but I don't think it's the best idea..." the older woman replied. "But, in the end of it all, it is your choice, not mine. But on to Naru, I am quite glad that you defended yourself, but I'm worried about where she went."
"I have no idea..." Keitaro said.
"Keitaro, do you still love Naru?" Haruka asked suddenly.
"I... don't...know?" Keitaro struggled, he had several sets of conflicting emotions, he had always secretly liked Shinobu a little, and now that Kanako is coming on so directly, he didn't quite know how to feel.
"Well, I'll leave it at that, you need to make up your mind about Naru though, now get out." Haruka said.
"Thank you Haruka." Keitaro said as he walked out. He looked up at the sky as he walked away from the Tea Shop, he was pondering Naru and his relationship. If she even remotely cared about me, why would she always hit me...? And why is it every time she would go to be nice, I would slip up and she would treat it like the end of the world? Even Motoko can understand my mistakes sometimes... Keitaro mused to himself. He reached the inn and walked up to his room, he flopped down onto his Futon. Maybe Kitsune will know what to do, she is Naru's best friend after all... Keitaro thought as he stood back up and walked out into the hallway. He knocked on Kitsune's door, she opened it, just enough to not let him see inside.
"What is it Keitaro?" Kitsune asked with an angry undertone in her voice.
"I was wondering what I should do about Naru..." he replied. He then saw said girl's antennae. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. She quickly looked down and Keitaro looked away.
"I'll come to you when she leaves..." Kitsune said definitively. Keitaro frowned and walked back to his room, he sat down on his Futon and put his head in his hands.