The Half-Full Glass

I doubt Ken Akamatsu will ever read this and deign it important enough to send a legion of unholy lawyers to bust my sorry butt for copyright infringement, but just in case: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters, nor am I making any money from writing this.

Chapter 2 – Her Dark Side, Her Bright Side

"Why did they have to kick us out?" Kanako muttered under her breath. "It's all your fault, frigid bitch."

"Stop calling me that," Motoko snapped. "And you were the one screaming like a banshee. If anything it's your fault."

"You deserved it," Kanako snorted. "And I'd have done a lot more than just that if Onii-chan hadn't stopped me. The only reason I'm not at your throat right now is because I promised Haruka that I'd behave myself until she talked to you first. And some of us have a little something called self-restraint. Isn't that part of the bushido crap you claim to follow? You lousy hypocrite."

Motoko clenched the hilt of her sword in a death grip as Kanako eyed her warily.

"Hit a nerve, did I?" Keitaro's sister taunted. "I know your type. All high and mighty up in your ivory tower looking down your nose to us common peasants, pretending you're better than the rest of us. What part of your precious code of honor says you can swing that glorified butter knife of yours around at anyone whom you consider beneath you? Get off your pedestal, princess. You know what we call what you did to my brother in civilized society? Assault. Battery. Attempted murder."

Motoko stiffened and released her weapon, apparently sobered by the accusations against her.

"I... I didn't mean to... I-It wasn't my intention to—"

"To hell with your intentions!" Kanako roared. "Did you see him? What you did to him? He could have died! And you know what? In a way, maybe he did. Did you see his face when he looked at us? We were strangers to him! You robbed him of everything that he was or might have been. He's not the man that we knew anymore."

"I'm sure his memory will return to him," Motoko offered meekly.

"You don't know that!" Kanako fumed. "And that's beside the point! You, Motoko Aoyoma, are no better than a common street thug. You pick on people who are weaker than you and can't fight back. When you're a child and doing it on the playground, it makes you a bully. When you're nearly an adult and should know better, it makes you criminal."

"N-No!" Motoko wailed in dismay. "Stop, please!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears and Kanako gave her no quarter.

"Oh, come now. Don't be that way. I'm sure a pretty thing like you will do fine in prison. Just cozy up to the nastiest looking dyke you can find and she'll take real good care of you, I'm sure. It'll be like paradise for you! No dirty, perverted males to endanger your delicate maidenhood. You'll be safely ensconced inside a maximum security prison cell where the only men you'll ever see will be on the opposite side of a wall of steel bars."

"Stop it!" Motoko screamed. "That's enough! No more!"

"Already at your limit, Motoko?" Kanako teased. "You'll need to be stronger than that. It hasn't even started yet, you see. No, this is only the beginning. Starting now, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that your life is a living nightmare. And when I finally break you and you're begging me to put an end to your misery, I'm going walk away and leave you to rot in your own personal hell. And you know what the sweetest part about the whole thing is? You only have yourself to blame."

By now Motoko was sobbing on the floor uncontrollably, cradling her knees while curled up in the fetal position. Kanako flashed a satisfied smiled.

"Well, that's enough for now, I guess. See you later, Motoko-san."

Not bothering to spare another glance at the pitiful wretch that was Motoko Aoyoma, Kanako smoothly made her way back towards the waiting room where the other girls of Hinata-Sou were. After all, it simply wouldn't do to leave her other four toys unattended.

- - -

"Kanako-san!" It was Shinobu who first noticed her as she turned from the hall. "H-How is Keitaro-senpai?"

"Can we go see him now?" asked Su, barely able to avoid springing out of her seat.

Kitsune leaned forward eagerly as well while Naru pretended to be disinterested, poorly. Kanako regarded them all with contempt. As far as she was concerned, they were all accomplices and none of them would be spared from her wrath. She considered what to say that would hurt them the most. After a moment of deliberation, she realized it was obvious: the truth. The only question was what method of delivery would inflict the most pain...

"He's awake," she announced, savoring the sight of their poor, naive faces lighting up. She would ease them of their guilt, nurture their fragile hope, all in anticipation of the coup de grâce when she would crush them with the revelation of what their mistreatment of her older brother had finally wrought.

"What about..." Kitsune hesistated. "What about his mind? Is he...? I mean, he's not a... a vegetable, is he?"

Kanako rolled her eyes. "No, he's not in a vegetative state. He's able to move around a bit and could speak perfectly coherently."

There was a collective sigh of relief. All was going according to plan.

"When can we see him?" a timid Shinobu asked.

Kanako rounded her. "You can't," she replied curtly. "Not if I have anything to say about it." She was mildly surprised that it turned out to be Naru who was the one to snap at her.

"You don't have the right to do that!" she spluttered. "If Keitaro wants to see us, there's nothing you can do to stop it!"

It was the perfect opportunity and Kanako pounced on it.

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that," she drawled with a knowing smile. "I don't think he has the slightest desire to see any of you right now. In fact, I know it."

"Why?" Shinobu shivered fearfully. "Is Senpai angry with us?"

"Don't believe her lies, Shinobu-chan," Naru growled. "Keitaro isn't the type to hold a grudge."

"Oh, I agree," Kanako nodded congenially, much to Naru's confusion. "Onii-chan isn't the type to hold a grudge at all." She brought a finger to her cheek and feigned an expression of deep thought. "Well, he wasn't, anyway."

Naru narrowed her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the Keitaro that you and I knew doesn't exist anymore. He's gone. Maybe forever."

Kanako smiled grimly as she watched the girls' faces contort in horror. Guilt gnawed at her for garnering any pleasure from present circumstances with her brother, but she brushed it aside. She needed the strength that the boiling blood in her veins gave her. If she paused for even a moment, she wouldn't be able to go on, as useless as a puppet whose strings had been cut. Before she could allow the fire in her to die, she had justice to mete out. There would be time to cry later.

"You're lying!" snapped Naru, the first to rouse from her daze. "Keitaro's been... er, punished, plenty of times before and he's never come out worse for the wear. You're just trying to lay some stupid guilt trip on us!"

By some miracle of self-restraint Kanako was able to repress the urge to strangle the other woman on the spot. "I wish I was lying," she ground through her teeth. "As if I need to make up stories to make you feel guilty. Or are you saying you aren't at all ashamed of what you've done?"

"I didn't do anything!" Naru protested, stubbornness prevailing over common sense as was ever the case with her, especially in matters concerning Keitaro. "You don't even know what happened."

Kanako snorted. "Oh, I think I have an idea. He probably slipped and fell into Kendo girl, grabbing some inappropriate body part in the process, and instead of allowing him to explain or give him the benefit of the doubt, she hacked him to bits while the rest of you looked the other way. Am I close?"

The silence that followed told her everything she needed to know.

"Unbelievable! One minute you're beating the crap out of my brother and the next you're sitting in a hospital waiting pretending to care about him when it was you who put him in here in the first place! You're all such filthy hypocrites. Especially you, Mousey!"

She rounded on Shinobu who looked like a deer caught in a car's headlights. She wore an honest expression of shock on her face over why she was being singled out that only spurned Kanako's ire.

"M-me?"

"Hey, don't go pickin' on Shinobu," Kitsune interjected. "If anyone's to blame here, it's her least of all."

Kanako ignored her, sights set solely on the timid, quivering Shinobu Maehara.

"You could have stopped this a long time ago if you weren't such a coward. Why didn't you ever stand up for my brother? Where were you when Kendo girl and company trounced all over him? How many times did you turn a blind eye? Is that how you express love? By abandoning the man of your affections when he needs your help? You're pathetic."

"Cut it out!" Kitsune sprang from her seat to physically block Shinobu from Kanako. "Can't you see the poor thing is shaking like a leaf? Leave her out of this. This isn't her fault! You're just being a bully!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Kanako commented dryly. "How many 'accidents' did you set up for my brother? How much rent money did you bilk or blackmail since he became manager? He might be clumsy and naïve but he's a good person and you knew that but took advantage of him anyway! So tell me, if I'm a bully, then what does that make you, Kitsune?"

"Enough!" a stern voice erupted. "You're causing a scene. Have you forgotten where you are?"

Kanako turned to face the busybody that dared to interrupt her, ready to give them a piece of her mind. "Mind your own business, pal! Who do you think you are to butt in when— Granny Hina?!"

"Hello Kanako," the sagely Hina greeted her granddaughter, visibly unperturbed by the disrespect she had just been shown. "I see that you decided to go against my wishes and rushed to this place without waiting for your parents and me."

"I'm sorry, Granny," Kanako mumbled demurely with her head bowed down. "Are Mom and Dad here yet?"

"They are," Hina affirmed with a nod. "I sent them ahead when I noticed you girls were here. I assume that by your being out here that you haven't seen my grandson yet?"

All of the girls shook their heads with the exception of Kanako. "Er... I have, Granny."

"Oh? Then I trust he is well?"

"In a manner of speaking..."

Hina narrowed her eyes at the ambiguous statement. "Would you care to elaborate?"

- - -

"Haruka, how did this happen? We trusted you to take care of him!" the voice of Kanako's father blustered as she and Hina entered Keitaro's patient ward. "How do you intend to take responsibility for this?"

"Oh, cut the crap!" Haruka retorted, no trace of her usual placid demeanor on her anguished face. "Who are you to talk about responsibility? I'm not the one who kicked my only son to the curb when he didn't live up to my expectations."

"Are you saying this is my fault?" Mr. Urashima bellowed incredulously. "It was merely my wish for him to learn to stand on his own two feet. So long as we continued to coddle him at home, he could never become independent! I was patient. Two years came and went as he chased after his silly pipe dream and a 'promised girl' he didn't even remember the name of. I offered to support him if he would simply apply to another institution but he wouldn't hear of it! It was his choice!"

"Funny," Haruka sneered. "I wasn't aware that your love and support came with strings attached. I feel sorry for Auntie."

"Haruka! Darling! That's enough out of both of you!" Mrs. Urashima reproached. "Not in front of Keitaro!"

Hina gave her youngest daughter an approving nod as she strode forward. "I'm glad to see that someone in this family still has enough sense to keep their temper in check. Certainly my grandson has had enough of an ordeal without seeing those closest to him bicker among themselves like old hens." She eyed Keitaro appraisingly as he sat upright in his bed. He studied her with equal interest, as if he didn't recognize her. "Well, you could have at least told me that he was awake, Kanako. Your cryptic words had me fearing for the worst. How are you feeling, Keitaro?"

"Honestly?" Keitaro forced a laugh, which given his injuries came out as more of a choking rasp. "Terrible. If I wasn't so hopped up on painkillers I don't think I'd be able to stop screaming."

Kanako bit back a gasp while a hard line etched itself into Hina's brow, a telltale sign that bad things were soon to come. "How did this happen to you?"

Keitaro looked like he wanted to shrug, but seemed to think better than to make any unnecessary movements. "I was hoping that you would be able to tell me."

Hina's frown deepened. "You don't remember? And you, Haruka? Could you enlighten us?"

"I'm still a bit sketchy on the details, myself," Haruka admitted. "But I think it's safe to say that Motoko had something to do with it."

"Miss Aoyoma?" Hina blurted in surprise. Come to think of it, she hadn't been in the waiting room with the other girls. "Certainly the girl has a bit of a short fuse when it comes to the opposite gender, but I trust that even she would not be foolish enough to raise her sword at an innocent man."

Kanako snorted loudly. "You'd be wrong there."

Hina and the rest of the family turned to address her granddaughter. "Kanako, what do you know of this?"

"Enough," Kanako shrugged. "I had a little chat with Kendo girl and the other bitches and it wasn't too hard to piece things together. If you want the details, you'll need to find the culprit herself. I left her sniveling in one of the halls outside."

"Alone?" asked Haruka. "I thought I told you to keep an eye on her! What if she runs?"

"To where?" Kanako brushed aside her cousin's concerns. "It's not like she has anywhere to go besides her apartment or back home to her sister's dojo, and she's not liable to be welcome there once they find out what happened. She'll get what's coming to her, I promise you." All of those bitches will. "I'm more worried about Onii-chan right now."

"Do you think we ought to press charges, Granny?" Haruka inquired.

"Not until we've spoken, I should think," answered Hina. "I'm willing to give the girl the benefit of the doubt until we're certain of what transpired. Kanako has the right of it in this matter. Keitaro's health and well-being take priority at the moment. I find it troubling that he doesn't recall the incident. Perhaps the trauma gave him amnesia."

Kanako and Haruka both shifted uncomfortably and Hina did not fail to notice. "Is there something you'd like to say, you two?"

"Well," Kanako mumbled hesitantly, "you sort of hit the nail on the head, Granny."

"He doesn't remember," Haruka affirmed. "Anything. Not the incident. Not Hinata-Sou. Not me or Kanako. 'Complete global amnesia' the doctor called it."

"What?" Mr. Urashima barked. "Why didn't you mention this sooner?"

"Maybe I would have if I'd gotten the chance and you hadn't tried to bite my head off as soon as you saw me," Haruka snapped.

A red-faced Mr. Urashima opened his mouth again but was cut off by Hina. "Stop this at once! I am deeply disappointed by the both of you. This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves."

Hina had been the matriarch of the Urashima family for quite some time and was accustomed to throwing her weight around. Still, she never could quite shake that inkling of satisfaction she got from being able to cow her charges with such efficiency. Both her son-in-law and adopted daughter dipped their heads apologetically and chorused their contrition. "Sorry, Granny Hina."

"Please don't think too badly of us," Hina turned her attention back to Keitaro and bowed. "It shames me to admit it given the behavior that you've witnessed, but we are your family."

"Yeah, I got that part," Keitaro replied dryly. "No offense, but I'm kinda hoping the apple fell a long way away from the tree in this case."

Hina raised an eyebrow. Biting sarcasm did not sound right at all coming from Keitaro's mouth. "I suppose we deserve that but I ask that you give us another chance. How might we redeem ourselves in your eyes?"

"Well," Keitaro considered, "some proper introductions would be nice. You all know who I am but, and forgive me for being blunt here, you're all strangers to me. So I guess I'm this 'Keitaro' fellow, but who are you all?"

"Of course," Hina acquiesced. "A perfectly reasonable request. I am your grandmother and the current head of the Urashima family, your family. I'm not much for formalities so please call me 'Granny Hina'."

Mr. Urashima spoke next. "Forgive me, Keitaro," he mumbled gruffly. "I lost my head earlier. You too, Haruka. I didn't mean to point the finger at you. I realize that you're not at fault. I think, perhaps, we both said things we didn't mean." Haruka nodded briskly in acceptance of the apology and in unspoken affirmation of her own. "I'm your father, Keitaro."

"And I, your mother," said Mrs. Urashima. "It's okay if you don't remember. I'm sure it'll come back to you in time. I'm just thankful that you're alive."

"Of course," agreed Mr. Urashima. "Once you're well enough we have a lot of catching up to do. We haven't kept in touch as much as we should have after you left the house."

"Er, thanks, Dad. Thanks Mom," Keitaro tested his parents' names and decided they still felt awkward on his tongue.

"I'm Haruka. We're cousins. Let's leave it at that."

"Oh come on, 'Auntie'," Kanako teased. "You left out the fun part."

"Hey, wait a second," Keitaro blurted. "You're saying that you're my cousin and she's saying you're my Aunt? What kind of sick family is this?"

"Damn it, Kanako," Haruka grumbled. "Look, it's not what you think. Your mom's older sister was my mom, which makes us first cousins. But she died when I was still young and Granny Hina got the papers to adopt me. So I'm legally her daughter and your aunt; genealogically, I'm her granddaughter and your cousin. Simple enough? Just don't call me 'Auntie', alright?"

"Er, fine, Haruka" Keitaro agreed. He hadn't quite followed the explanation but for the moment he was satisfied knowing he wasn't some inbred hick.

"And I'm Kanako. Mom and Dad adopted me so we're not really related. In fact, I'd say we're more like childhood friends than brother and sister."

Kanako made it a point to maintain eye contact with him to emphasize her point. When it was clear she wasn't going anywhere until he gave her some sort of indication that he understood, Keitaro spoke up. "Okay Kanako, we're not related. I got it."

Satisfied, at least for the moment, Kanako withdrew.

"Well, now that we're all introduced," Hina said congenially, "where would you like to go from here, Keitaro?"

"I think I've had enough excitement for one day," Keitaro sighed. "I don't mean any disrespect or anything, and I appreciate that you all care enough to be here for me, but I'm exhausted."

"Are you sure, honey?" Mrs. Urashima said uncertainly. "We don't have to talk. I can just stay here by you while you're resting."

"Thanks, Mom," replied Keitaro, "but I'd really prefer to be alone right now. I think I'd be a little self-conscious with a stranger watching me sleep." He mentally berated himself for his callousness when he saw the crestfallen look on his mother's face. "Sorry, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean. We'll have lots of time to catch up later, right? You'll be here tomorrow, won't you? I know I'm not going anywhere in this condition."

"Of course, sweetheart," Mrs. Urashima smiled gratefully.

"I think I'll talk to the boss and see if I can't get some leave," Mr. Urashima added. "He's strict, but not heartless. I think he won't object too much."

"Sounds good, Dad."

"I'll visit too," Haruka put in. "And I doubt anyone could stop Kanako from coming if they tried."

"You know it," Kanako smirked.

"Looking forward to it," Keitaro grinned.

"Well then, it's settled," Hina confirmed. "We'll all be back tomorrow. Now, Kanako, where did you say you last saw Miss Aoyoma? I'd like to have a word with her."

"As would we," Mr. Urashima agreed, drawing his wife in with his arm. "For her sake, she'd better have one hell of an explanation."

"Out the door and to the left, around the corner," Kanako answered. "Haruka knows the way."

"Assuming she's still there," Haruka muttered.

"We shall soon see. Good night, Keitaro," Hina bowed before turning to leave. "Until tomorrow."

The rest of the family offered their farewells and filed out of the room after Hina, save for Kanako, who lingered behind with an agenda.

"Hey, Onii-chan. No, wait. Keitaro."

"Yeah, Kanako?"

She approached his bed slowly, carefully sidling up next to him and laying a hand down on top of his.

"Kanako?"

"I was serious, okay?" she whispered softly. "I don't want you to think of me as just a little sister. I'd really like it if you would think of me as more of a friend." And eventually, maybe more...

Keitaro fought the urge to roll his eyes and tell her 'I heard you the first time.' It just didn't seem appropriate and she seemed strangely insistent. "Alright Kanako."

"Promise me, Keitaro."

"I promise, Kanako."

"Can I trust your word?"

Keitaro smiled at that. "If we're going to be friends, I think trust is implied, Kanako."

Kanako could scarcely believe her luck. After clinging to a hopeless, unrequited love for so long, she at last felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps her dream might come true. She blinked back a few tears. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will," Keitaro yawned. "Anyway, get outta here already. I'm tired and you're bugging me."

Kanako laughed. Maybe he was a little different now, but this was definitely still her brother. She felt the warmth beneath his harsh words. "Good night, Keitaro."

"Night, brat. See you tomorrow."

As much as she still wanted to kill Motoko, Kanako felt if Kendo girl had been in that room at the moment, she might have kissed her before sending the bitch to hell. It seemed as if perhaps this cloud might have a silver lining for her, after all.

- - -

Author's Notes: Well, there you have it: Chapter 2. Hope it wasn't too trite for you all. I was somehow able to find the time and motivation to keep this story going, thanks in part to your reviews so let me know your thoughts. Next we'll explore the girls' reactions in more detail and the fate of Motoko. Not sure when the next chapter will be up but probably not for a while if I haven't made much progress in the next two weeks after which I'll be very preoccupied. For the record, I'm not going to confirm or deny any pairings at this point, but feel free to speculate. Certainly one is heavily implied in this chapter, but maybe I'm just teasing you?