Prelude for a change
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina or any of the characters.
"*" Dialog
-*- Thoughts
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- It has been two weeks since I left the hotel, two wonderful weeks I have to admit-
Keitaro has stayed at the inn for the last two weeks, and was planning on staying longer thanks to a deal he had made with Arika. He would only pay half the rent in return for tutoring Alice.
At first he didn't like the idea of charging for tutoring Alice, but after Alice said she wouldn't let him help her if he didn't accept the deal, he had to agree.
-I didn't think I could help anyone study, but it seems that when I'm relaxed and concentrated I can be an excellent teacher –
He had been tutoring Alice every afternoon since he got there. She was very dedicated to her studies, so she kept asking Keitaro all sort of complicated questions that he amazingly knew. For Keitaro it was like the answers where in his head all the time.
-And the fact that she trusts in me, helped a lot-
He sat in his bed thinking of the previous study sessions, one in special came to his mind.
==================== Flash Back =========================
"Keitaro-sempai can you help me with this question?"
Alice asked Keitaro, however he was on his own world.
- What a nice day, I wonder if …-
"Keitaro-sempai!"
She almost yelled this time; this was enough for Keitaro to return to the real world.
"Sorry Alice, I wasn't paying attention"
"I need help on this question"
"Let me see it"
Keitaro read the question, and explained the solution to Alice.
"You only have to replace this value in the formula and then you add this to the result and you have the answer"
"Whoa! Sempai, you are really smart"
"What? No, this was just an easy question"
Keitaro answered embarrassed.
"Easy question. That was one of the most difficult questions on the test"
"You must be kidding"
"No really, check it yourself"
Keitaro took the book and checked the question. Surprisingly it was one of the ten most difficult questions of the test, and he just answered it like it was just a simple equation.
"Maybe it was just luck"
"I don't think so. You shouldn't underestimate yourself; you have helped me a lot. It couldn't have been luck all those times"
"I guess you are right. Thank you Alice"
==================== Flash Back =========================
-I should have believed her, but I had to check it myself-
After that incident, Keitaro answered one of the sample exams that Alice has been studying. He was surprised because he got almost all the answers right.
-I think that all the time I spend studying has paid off. Of course without Narusegawa's help I couldn't have made it –
==================== Flash Back =========================
Keitaro was getting frustrated, he had spent the last two hours trying to solve a problem but he couldn't get it right.
"How are you doing?"
Keitaro didn't want to answer her. Because he knew she would just call him dumb.
"You are on the same problem. Why didn't you ask for my help?"
"I'm sorry; I didn't want to bother you"
"You know you can always ask me and I'll try to help you. Well, let's see…"
==================== Flash Back =========================
- Narusegawa wasn't always bad. In fact when she wanted she could be very nice, the only problem was that I didn't get to see that side often-
That tough brought Keitaro the memory of another time when he wasn't so lucky with Narusegawa.
==================== Flash Back =========================
- I have to clean the hot springs before the girls decided to use them-
The manager entered the hot springs, but before he could begin to clean, he was surprised by the presence of no other than Narusegawa taking an early bath.
"You PERVERT"
"I'm s…"
Before he could finish his apology he was sent flying courtesy of a Naru-punch.
==================== Flash Back =========================
That memory gave Keitaro chills.
- That time I almost got to Tokyo. Well I better get going; Alice should be waiting for me-
Since his arrival Keitaro decided to do more exercise. So everyday after tutoring Alice, he went out to run. After a week she decided to join him. This way they were getting to know each other better.
She told him how she had to move from America, leaving all her friends, to Japan because her father found a better job. She already knew the language because her mother, Arika's sister, had taught her since she was a child. But it was difficult for her to make new friends.
She also told him that she wanted to go to Todai because it was the best university in Japan and there she could fulfill her wish to become the best lawyer.
"Are you ready sempai?"
As usual Alice was waiting for him at the inn's entrance.
"Yes, let's go"
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"I think we have run enough for today, what do you think?"
Asked Keitaro, he was really tired so he hoped she would go along.
"Yes, we should get back "
Since Alice joined Keitaro they have been running around a park near the inn. When they finished they went back to the inn walking.
"Sempai, I have told you a lot about me but you haven't tell me anything about you besides that you go to Todai"
"Well you see… There isn't much about me"
Keitaro was hoping she wouldn't ask. But he knew that sooner or later she would ask him.
"There is more than just Todai"
He didn't really want to tell her, however he know she would just keep asking if he changed the subject.
-Well, I couldn't avoid this forever-
"Yes… I guess. I live in Hina city, I work there in my grandma's inn as manager and in a couple of weeks I'm going to start studying at Todai"
- I better don't tell her it is a female dorm-
"And that is it"
-Hope that does it-
"Come on there has to be more than that. You can tell me why do you entered Todai"
Keitaro just smiled, not sure if telling her about the promise was good. After all it was a lot of years ago. Now even he doubted if it was worth all the troubles.
- The promise, I haven't thought of that for a while -
==================== Flash Back =========================
In a park near Hinata sou, there are a couple of kids playing on a sandbox
"You know if two people go to Todai together they'll live happily forever. Kei-kun when we grow let's go to Todai together"
==================== Flash Back =========================
Alice knew that look in Keitaro's eyes; he was once again in his dream world. They were near the inn and she really wanted to know so she asked again.
"Sempai are you alright?"
"Sorry, I got distracted"
"Well, are you going to tell me?"
-Now that I think about she might think I'm really dumb to try to keep such a childish promise-
"Only if you promised you aren't going to laugh at me"
"Why will I laugh at you?"
"Just promise me you aren't"
"Ok, I promise I'm not going to laugh"
The tone in her voice made Keitaro trust her
-Here goes nothing-
"The reason I wanted to go to Todai is to fulfill a promise I made when I was five years old. I promised a girl that I'll go with her to Todai and that we'll live happily ever after"
"That's so romantic. I wouldn't laugh at something like that"
Keitaro scratched his head and smiled.
"Some people laughed at me when I told them"
"Well, they shouldn't"
She replied with a very serious face.
"Thank you Alice"
They kept walking until they reached the inn.
"Well we are finally here"
"Yes, see you tomorrow, sempai"
"Good night, Alice"
Keitaro was going to his room when Arika interrupted him.
"Keitaro, your aunt called you"
"Did she leave a message for me?"
"She said she would call you tomorrow morning"
"Thank you, Arika-san and good night"
"Good night Keitaro-san"
Keitaro continued walking to his room. Once there he started to think about his aunt call.
- What could have happened? -
Keitaro had called Haruka a week after leaving the hotel.
==================== Flash Back =========================
"Hina tea shop, how can I help you?"
"It's me Keitaro"
"Oh, hi Keitaro, How have you been?"
"I've been fine, thank you for asking. I just called to see how things were"
"Everyone is worried about you"
"I'm sorry, but I still have some things to take care of before returning"
"Well you better finish quickly"
"I'll try. Say hello to the girls for me and tell them I'm fine"
"Ok, I'll tell them"
"Thank you, I have to go now"
"Keitaro, do you have a phone number?"
"I don't think I should give it …"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING"
"I… I don't want the girls calling here"
-Specially Naru-
He was sure she couldn't actually punch him trough the phone, or so he hoped, but the verbal abuse she will put him through if she found where to reach him would be almost as bad as a beating.
"I won't give it to them. But what if I need to call you"
"Ok, ok, you are right you may need it. Just promise me you are not going to give it to the girls"
==================== Flash Back =========================
- I hope that everything is fine at Hinata. Well I can't do anything now I better slept-
With that on mind Keitaro tried to get some sleep.
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