Three Little Words
Chapter 2
Please see chapter one for disclaimer.
(OOOOO)
The next morning Keitaro's bags were already by the door when everybody was getting up to start the day. Shinobu, knowing that this would be the last day to see Keitaro for awhile, fixed the best breakfast she could.
Although Shinobu made a special breakfast, the only ones to eat that morning was herself, Keitaro, and Motoko. Naru didn't come out of her room and both Su and Kitsune was still out of town. Things at the table seemed to be a little on the tense side, until Motoko looked at Keitaro and said, "Keitaro-dono, pardon me, but I feel I need to apologize to you for what I have done in the past. I talked to my elder sister and she seems to think I have neglected a part of my training." By this time she had gotten up and was giving Keitaro a formal bow. "When you feel the time is right for you to return from your trip" Motoko continued, "I hope to find where I have gone wrong and be able to retrain myself. Please accept my apology and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Motoko sat down again before Keitaro could say what he was going to say. "Motoko, I have already forgiven you. Like I said the other day, you did try to stop Naru and I know you will find what you are missing when you are training. Please don't worry about me."
Shinobu sat through all this not really believing that Motoko just apologized and Keitaro already forgave her. Since she knows Keitaro's heart was truly in the right place, she knew Keitaro would forgive her only she didn't expect it this soon.
Shinobu then spoke up and asked Keitaro where he was going to go and what he was planing on doing on his trip?
"I'm not really sure Shinobu," he answered "but I have thought that I might end up in America and maybe even enrolling in school there."
"Whatever you decide to do sempai, I hope you will enjoy yourself."
"I'm sure I will Shinobu, but I already know I'm going to miss all of you here."
"All of us?" Shinobu asked.
"Yes, all of you. I know it doesn't make any sense but I will even miss her."
Not much else was said for the rest of the time breakfast was on the table. When everybody finished, Keitaro said, "I guess it's time for me to go." He got up from the table and walked to the front door of the inn. While putting, his shoes on Shinobu and Motoko came up to him to say their good-byes. Motoko just wished him well on his journey but Shinobu, who had decided 'this was not a time to be shy', walked over and put her arms around Keitaro and gave him a hug. "I'll miss you sempai." She said, then she kissed him on the cheek, turned, and ran back to the kitchen not letting anyone see the tears welling up in her eyes.
Motoko almost reacted to what she saw and just about drew her sward, but she did notice the tears starting in Shinobu's eyes. She was able to restrain herself from striking Keitaro because Shinobu's actions almost made her cry too.
"Well Motoko I guess its that time." An embarrassed Keitaro said. "Will you please keep an eye on the inn and let both Su and Kitsune know what has happened. Tell everybody that I will call later. Oh and since it seems Naru isn't coming downstairs this morning, would you be kind enough to tell her good-bye for me?"
"I'll be sure and tell them Keitaro. Please have a safe trip and we will see you when you decide it is time for you to come home."
"Thank you Motoko."
Keitaro turned and walked out the door. Motoko followed him out and watched him go down the stairs. Keitaro never did turn around for one last look, if he had, he might have seen the person up in the third story window wearing a kimono watching him leave.
(OOOOO)
Naru was standing by her window knowing it was about time for Keitaro to leave. She watched as he walked over to, and started down the staircase that led to the street. When Keitaro didn't turn around to look back at the inn, tears started sliding down Naru's cheeks again. She tried to yell out to Keitaro to stop him from going but all that came out was a whisper. When he disappeared down the stairs, she tried again but nothing came out except more sobbing and tears. It was all she could do to move back to her futon and bury her face in her pillow.
Keitaro stopped at the teahouse that his aunt Haruka runs. "Hey Keitaro, so you really are going to leave the inn?"
"Yeah Haruka, I am. At least for a little while. I'm sure I will come back but I'm don't know when. Could you do me a favor and keep watch over the inn and the tenants for me?"
"Any one in particular?"
"Well maybe Shinobu but other then that no. Everyone else can pretty much take care of themselves."
"Ok Keitaro, I'll keep an eye on everybody." That is very harsh of you Keitaro not to have me look in on Naru. She thought but didn't say. "Have a safe trip and keep in touch."
After Keitaro left the teahouse, Haruka thought, "Things must have really gotten bad for Keitaro to leave."
(OOOOO)
Naru stayed on her futon crying for about three hours. She was practically out of tears by then, but the pain she felt in her heart would not go away. While she lay in her room, she was trying to figure out what was causing the pain, but she could not come up with an answer no matter how much she tried. She decided to get up out of her futon and move around a little bit. First thing she did was change out of the kimono she was wearing and put on a pair of jeans and a sweater. Then she just walked around her room for a little while. Nothing she did helped. The pain would not go away.
Before Keitaro had left, Shinobu had run back to the kitchen, not only to clean up from breakfast, but also to think about what she had done. All the while she was cleaning up, she had an embarrassed smile on her face. Motoko, on the other hand had went out to the deck where everything had started to practice her technique.
Shinobu was sure Keitaro would come back soon. After all, she did have a promise from him that he would keep in touch. Motoko, at the same time was nothing but questions and confusion. She was having a hard time concentrating on her movements. She decided to stop for awhile and try to clear her mind of the confusion. She sat down in a corner of the deck and started to meditate. Because of her state of mind, she kept thinking about Keitaro. "Why did you truly leave Keitaro? Was that the only path for you to take? Was the reason for your leaving because of the way Naru and I always treating you worse then you ever treated us? I guess I assumed you are a pervert because you are a man, but I could be wrong. Did I treat you poorly because I wanted you to notice me?"
When that last question came to her, a blush formed on her face.
"Did I really want you to notice and look at me? Is it possible that I like you? Could this be what I truly feel for you? That is when she stopped thinking and opened her eyes to a world with a little less confusion. "Yes," she said, "I think I do like you Keitaro." It was also at that time she finally realized what her sister had been telling her while training. Tsuruko had told Motoko, that there would be some training that she would have to do on her own. There was nobody that would be able to help her when it came to her feeling for other people.
(OOOOO)
Kitsune arrived home the week after Keitaro had left. When she walked through the door, she could feel that things were not right at the inn. She wondered what had happened while she was gone. Kitsune took her bags up to her room and then went to Naru's room to see what was happening. She knocked on the door but no one answered. "That's strange" Kitsune wondered, "I know I saw Naru's shoes in the entry way of the inn along with Motoko's and Shinobu's. I wonder if they are in the Hot Springs."
Kitsune headed back to her room to get her bathing items and go join everybody in the Hot springs. When she walked outside, the only person that was out there was Motoko. "Well, at least I can find out the latest news."
"Hi Motoko" Kitsune said.
"Welcome home Kitsune."
"Where's everybody at?"
"Well Su is still visiting her family, Shinobu was in the kitchen, Naru is in her room, and we don't know where Keitaro is just yet."
"What did you just say about Keitaro? What do you mean by we don't know where he is and Naru is not in her room I just knocked on her door but there was no answer."
Motoko dropped her head a little bit and started to tell Kitsune everything that has happened this last week. "Keitaro did tell Shinobu that he would stay in touch but nothing as of yet and Naru has not come out of her room while we have been awake."
"I see." Was all Kitsune could say.
Shinobu comes running into the Hot Springs about this time yelling, "Hey everybody, I got a letter from Keitaro!"
Since Kitsune was just finding out about what had happened, Motoko was the one to tell Shinobu to hurry up and read it.
Shinobu sat down and dangled her feet in the water as she fumbled with the letter. After she got the letter open, she quickly scanned over it.
"Well what does it say?" Kitsune asked.
"Let see." And Shinobu started to read.
Dear Shinobu;
How are you doing? I'm fine and things are ok with me. I'm here in Kyoto right now and I am going around the city to see all the sights. If you ever get the chance to visit here, you should.
I think next week I'm going to go up to Hokkaido for awhile and then after that I'm not sure. I might go to the United States or I might go down to Okinawa. Whatever I do, I will let you know where I am.
I hope things have calmed down at the inn now that I am gone. If you don't know what happened that day, I'll tell you about it now.
At this point Shinobu stopped reading out-loud.
In short, Naru saw something and took it the wrong way as she does. Also like normal, she attacked me, and I don't know why, but she broke a couple of my ribs this time. When they broke, it hurt enough I fought back and pushed her off me. Motoko did try to stop Naru, but she could not stop her.
That is why I left the inn. I will return, but I don't know when.
Its time I close this letter and get it sent. Say hi to everyone there for me.
Fondly yours;
Keitaro
When Shinobu read the part about Naru hurting him, Motoko and Kitsune could see she was showing signs of getting angry. Up to that point in time, Shinobu only knew that they had been fighting again but didn't know about the injury.
"Damn that bitch." Shinobu said after reading the letter. Kitsune didn't hear her but Motoko did.
"What was that Shinobu?" Motoko asked.
"Huh, oh it was nothing Motoko." But, Motoko knew better. She knew things around the inn were going to get rough as soon as Naru came out of her room.
(OOOOO)
While Naru had sequestered herself in her room, Shinobu would bring up a tray of food and leave it outside Naru's door. After Shinobu read the letter from Keitaro things were different. Motoko noticed that Shinobu didn't take a tray up to Naru so she asked if Shinobu wanted her to take one up. Shinobu's answer startled he but didn't totally surprise her either. "No Motoko, I don't want you to take one up. If that bitch wants to eat, she can come down and get it."
Motoko figured it would be best to stay on her guard that night and keep an eye on Shinobu.
About an hour and a half after dinner was cleared from the table, Naru came down the stares trying not to be noticed. Shinobu saw her and said "Oh, Naru did I forget to bring you a tray? Let's go to the kitchen and I'll get you something to eat." Naru, not knowing about the letter or Shinobu's anger, followed her eagerly, but what happened totally caught Naru off guard. Shinobu turned and calmly said "I forgot Naru, I have something for you." Shinobu then in a flash slapped Naru across the left side of her face hard enough to put her on the floor.
"That's what you deserve, you bitch, for making sempai leave! If you want something to eat, make it yourself, but stay out of my kitchen!"
Shinobu turned and walked back to the living room leaving a stunned Naru still sitting on the floor. Motoko, having heard the crash and the yelling, came running into the dinning room just as Shinobu was leaving.
Motoko tried to stop and talk to Shinobu, but all she got out of her was "I should do the same to you, Motoko, but Keitaro did say in his letter that you did try and help him." Motoko just let Shinobu go and turned to find Naru on the floor holding her left hand on the side of her face. Naru looked up at Motoko and the tears started to run down her cheeks again.
"Why, Motoko? Why did Shinobu hit me? Asked Naru.
"Shinobu received a letter from Keitaro today explaining what happened the day he decided to leave. Up to now, she didn't know about Keitaro's injuries."
"Did he say where he is?"
"Yes he did Naru, but he was going to go someplace else tomorrow if I remember correctly."
"I still need to find him Motoko and get him to come back to us."
"It would not do you any good Naru. He did say he might be going to America. If he does, you would not be able to find him."
"But I need to try Motoko."
"You can't Naru. You can't do much of anything right now. None of us can. Not until Keitaro stays in one place long enough so one of us could go get him."
Motoko helped Naru up off the floor. Naru was still in shock by the slap from Shinobu. "Do you know if he said anything about me in that letter to Shinobu?" Naru asked.
"No, I don't think he did. He did tell Shinobu to say hi to all of us, so that might be a good sign. He might be starting to forgive us."
"Maybe he is Motoko."
Even with that small amount of hope, Naru was still having a hard time cheering up. Her doubts would plague her even into her dreams at night. Some nights she would wake up with tears in her eyes and know that they were for Keitaro and what she had done to him.
(OOOOO)
Now for some notes from me.
First thank you to everybody that has looked at this story and especially to the ones that have reviewed.
Second, I know the characters are Ooc. Nevertheless, here is my thinking and time line. I am putting this story right around book nine of the manga. The only change that I have in mind is that Keitaro has not entered TU just yet and the Kyoto arc doesn't happen. Motoko figures out she is in love with Keitaro without spending a lot of time with him.
As for Naru. I feel, even in the manga, Naru is the type of person that needs attention. She doesn't need to be the center of attention, but she does need someone to pay attention to her. She found that someone to be Keitaro. Now, after one to two years of attention from Keitaro, even to the point that he tells her that he loves her, to all of a sudden he looks at her and say's "I hate you". That is her first shock. The second shock to hit her is Keitaro announcing that he is leaving.
Naru will no longer have the attention she needs, so out of desperation she goes to him and even goes as far as to offer herself to him. Now Naru knowing Keitaro truly is not the type of guy to take advantage of a girl like that hopes he will change his mind and stay just because she did offer her body to him. Naru is taking a chance but it doesn't pay off, Keitaro still leaves, plunging Naru into depression.
As for Shinobu being really Ooc, I thought what would push her over the edge. Naru hurting her sempai bad would push her over the edge.
Enough said.
Bigdave