Cold Eyes
The moment Urashima Haruka opened her nephew's door, she instantly regretted it. For he was just sitting there staring at the ceiling with his cold eyes and his fists dripping with blood. Keitaro barely noticed his Aunt enter the room. When he did, he turned slowly and wiped his tears away as he gave her a sad smile.
"Hello Aunt Haruka. I told you I would be right down." Keitaro said in an emotionless tone. The normally stoic woman stood there with a stunned look on her face. She has seen Keitaro upset before. But this was too surreal for her. She didn't even respond to him calling her aunt. Shaking her head to snap out of her daze, she rushed to his side, her face full of worry.
"Keitaro?! What the hell happened?" Haruka asked in a shocked voice. The young man didn't respond and looked at his bleeding knuckles with an indescribable look on his face. In his rage, he didn't care about the pain. But now, it all came crashing down on him. And when he looked at his aunt, she could see it written all over his face. "Wait here alright? I'll go get the first aid kit." She said as she hurriedly ran out of his room. Keitaro just went back to staring at the ceiling, his mind being elsewhere. A few minutes passed before she came back and began cleaning his wound. Keitaro didn't resist or flinch when she took his hands and cleaned them with medicine. All the while, he remained silent, not even looking at her.
'Why did you do this to yourself…?' She questioned to herself in her mind as she bandaged his hands. Once he was fully patched up, she attempted to get some answers. "So nephew, are you ready to tell me what happened?" She asked in a neutral tone. Keitaro looked into her caring eyes. He wanted to tell her what happened, but all that came out was his sobs and tears.
He was lost and didn't know what to do. He didn't know who to turn to. He didn't know who to trust anymore. To say that the café owner was startled would be an understatement. Never had she seen her nephew like this. She was glad that the girls were out at the moment. Who knows what their reactions would be if they saw Keitaro at his most vulnerable?
"Did you and Naru have a fight?" She inquired, figuring that might be the reason for the carnage that was his room. Not knowing the implications that were to follow, she saw Keitaro tense up and his body began to shake. His tears started to fall down faster. His mind was in shambles and the rage from before returned back triple fold as a thought began to play over and over in his mind.
If only he knew the times you came when he was overseas.
And that's when his dark emotions took control of him as he grabbed Haruka's shoulders harshly, like a man possessed.
"Did you know about it Aunt Haruka? Did you?" Keitaro asked, his voice taking an extremely desperate tone.
"Keitaro, calm down…we'll talk about this over a cup of coff-" She replied in a slow tone. But the landlord was not in the mood as he shook her, adding more pressure to her shoulders.
"DON'T PATRONIZE ME! TELL ME!! YOU KNEW ABOUT NARU'S LOVER, DIDN'T YOU?! DIDN'T YOU?!" He screamed in her face in a choleric voice. Realizing that he wasn't all there and feeling desperate, she attempted to slap him back to reality as she always did with her harisen. But it proved to be a fatal error in the state of mind he was in as he grabbed the hand she was attempting to slap him with, and quickly slammed it to the floor, making her shout out in pain. Still holding the hand, he used his other one to slap her across the face, hard. Completely stunned by his actions, she couldn't recover enough to see him wrap his bandaged hands, which were now red from reopening his wounds, around her neck and start to choke her.
"I won't be hurt again! Never! " Keitaro said hysterically with a look of anger and a touch of insanity in his face as he applied more pressure to her neck.
"K-Keitaro…please…stop. Y-You're hurting…m-me." Haruka gasped as she tried to force his hands off of her throat. But he only increased the pressure as he sat on top of her, his mind completely elsewhere at the moment. Realizing that she had no choice, she forced up one of her legs, and with all of her might, she kicked him off her, knocking him into a wall. Haruka regretted her actions, but she felt that it was the best thing to do in this situation as she held her throat and coughed hard after the incident. Keitaro slowly recovered and shook his head after receiving the hard kick, finally coming to his senses. When he did, it took him a minute to realize what happened and his hands started to shake as he looked down at them.
"W-What did I…? I…I nearly…" He mumbled in pure horror.
"Keitaro…" Haruka called out in a hoarse voice as she slowly stood up and looked at him. As soon as he made eye contact, he retreated to the corner of the room, his whole body shaking in the fetal position. Haruka frowned sadly in shame, realizing that she was partially to blame for what happened. It made her realize how much hurtful her attacks, as well as attacks from the others, must have been to him.
'I've never seen him look so scared. I should've known better than to try to solve the problem like that. Some aunt I am. Mom and my brother would be ashamed of me if they saw this.' She berated herself as she slowly and non-threateningly walked to the frightened young man. Once she was right next to him, she kneeled down and took his shaking form, pulling him into a strong, yet tender hug.
"It's alright Keitaro. I won't hurt you…Let it all out." She told him in a soft and soothing voice. Keitaro made no attempt to move for several minutes, but she just held him, waiting for him patiently. Finally, the shaking began to subside and he turned his body to hers, returning the hug and crying the loudest and hardest he's ever cried in his life.
"I'm sorry…" Keitaro whimpered repeatedly throughout his sobs, not realizing that Haruka was crying along with him for the first time in her life.
Twenty sorrow filled minutes later
After both Urashimas calmed down from the emotional roller coaster, they started to talk civilly to each other.
"Are you feeling a little better now?" Haruka asked compassionately.
"Yes…I'm really sorry Haruka. I don't know what came over me. Please…please forgive me…" Keitaro said in a melancholic tone as he bowed to her while sitting.
"I'm sorry too Keitaro. If I didn't try to hit you and just talked to you like an adult, none of this would have happened. Don't worry about it, nephew. I'll be okay." The café owner said honestly.
"But…" The landlord started to say.
"It's alright Keitaro. I forgive you. I'll try to be more sensitive to your feelings from now on." She promised with a small smile.
"Thank you Haruka." He said as he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Now, take a deep breath and tell me what happened." Haruka requested. The young man did as he was told and started to explain the situation that led to all of this. "Oh Keitaro…I'm so sorry. I honestly don't know what to say…" She said after her nephew finished his story. Needless to say, the normally cool woman was flattened by the revelation. The one person who she thought that could bring joy into her nephew's heart was the same person who broke it. Rage came swiftly but unlike Keitaro, she didn't show it. 'Naru…Of all the people…you were the last person I expected to do this.' She thought as a deep scowl crossed her visage.
"What did I do to deserve this? Why me?" Keitaro questioned sadly to his aunt and to himself.
"You did nothing to deserve this Keitaro. You never did…" The café owner replied quickly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"She was just using me all this time. All the times I thought of her in America. All those letters I sent. Rejecting all of the girl's advances, including Mutsumi and Kanako, who both truly loved me. All those sleepless nights…lying in bed…just thinking of her…" The young man said softly with a sad smile as he looked at his aunt with fresh tears in his eyes.
"Keitaro…" She said with her voice full of pity as she frowned at him. 'I understand how you feel. More than you'll ever know…' She thought gloomily as her own past with love flashed in her mind for a moment. Especially in regards to a certain archeologist.
"Haruka, do you mind leaving me alone for awhile? I need some time to think." He requested calmly, which snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Keitaro. I guess it's okay. As long you promise me you aren't going to do anything crazy like kill yourself or 'redecorate' your room more." Haruka replied seriously.
"I promise. I'm just going to get some air. Maybe draw a little." Keitaro reassured her.
"Good idea. I'll see you later tonight. If you need someone to talk to, or you don't want to stay in the house, you know where to find me, alright? My door is always open. Don't forget that, okay?" The beautiful Urashima told him earnestly with a smile.
"Thanks Haruka. I appreciate that, I really do." The landlord said, returning the smile.
"You don't have to thank me. We're family. Even if I don't act like it sometimes." She said with a slightly lowered head.
"Haruka…" Keitaro said softly. She walked up to him and gave a warm hug, lowering her head to whisper into his ear.
"I understand the hurt and the pain you're going through Keitaro. I've been there, and a part of me is still there. Don't give up on hope Keitaro. Hope is the bond that will always sustain us." Haruka told him in the gentlest voice he had ever heard from her.
"Thank you…" The young Urashima said as he held her tightly. A few moments later, she released him and started heading for the door.
"I'll see you later…" The café owner said as she was about to go through.
"Wait Haruka! Do you mind not telling the girls…?" He asked in a timid voice.
"Don't worry Keitaro, this stays between us, okay? Just like old times…" She replied as she left the room.
'Yeah…just like old times.' He thought to himself as a childhood memory flashed through his head before disappearing.
Thirty minutes of cleaning later
With his emotions in check and most of the destruction to his room removed and patched up, he decided to walk outside, hoping that the fresh air and the natural beauty of the grounds would cheer him up. Packing his sketch book and art supplies, he headed out into the gardens of Hinata house.
Finding a place to sit, Keitaro quietly watched the world went by, taking a few deep breaths to keep his nerves in check. He found the cherry blossoms blowing in the wind along with the blue sky serene. Just taking time out to enjoy the beauty of life was something that he rarely did, but not because of choice. With all the chores and demands the girls piled on him since coming into the house, time for himself became almost non-existent. The thought saddened him slightly since he knew it truly began when they found out about his status at Tokyo U. But he quickly squashed that negative thought out of his head. The think about these things now would be…counterproductive.
A few minutes later, he unpacked his art supplies. After finding some muse in nature, he began to sketch, letting his fingers and his mind take him wherever it may lead him. Through his drawings, he was releasing all his hatred, anger and hurt. Slowly, it helped him unwind and made him forget about his troubles, at least for a brief moment. It was a good few hours before he finished. Satisfied with his work, he moved to a Sakura tree and sat down next to it in a relaxing position.
'This feels…strangely nostalgic.' Keitaro thought to himself as he laid back against the tree. Slowly, his eyelids became heavier and heavier as the summer breeze made the tiredness in his body finally appear. Deciding not to fight it, Keitaro fully closed his eyes and decided to rest, hoping to enjoy a few sweet hours of sleep.
Dream Sequence
Unfortunately, the young man would find no peace in the land of dreams as he appeared in an area filled with nothing but darkness. He tried to speak, but no sound came out of his mouth. Suddenly, pictures of his memories of Naru appeared all around him. He could hear her voice come from all directions. All the things she said and did to make him fall so deeply in love with her. All of it was shown to him as if he was watching an episode of 'This is your life!. The last scene he saw was the moment when she kissed him on the eve of their exams.
Then everything became black as the scene that broke his heart was shown to him. But this time, Naru's cold and heartless laughter was heard in the background, making him cover his ears. But he could hear her voice perfectly, even in the deepest parts of his heart.
Can't wait to see you again either…
"Naru…" Keitaro said when he found his voice as he felt pang after pang of burning heartbreak stab his shattered heart.
After all the beatings I've given him, he ACTUALLY thinks that I'm in love with him!
"No Naru. Please…please don't do this to me…" He clutched his chest, feeling as if it was going to explode.
Well, being in 'love' with the manger does have its…benefits. Besides, it's kind of nice having a 'slave'.
"No! Stop it! We promised to get into Tokyo U together! You told me you loved me! I believed in you with all my heart!" He shouted at her, but the laughter just kept getting louder and louder. From out of nowhere, the brunette appeared next to him and gave him a smile. A smile he was familiar with, a smile that made him feel a chill throughout his body. For it was the same smile she gave him before she punched him the hardest she ever had when she thought he slept with Mutsumi.
With unbelievable speed, she rammed a fist into his chest, making him gasp in disbelief. When she pulled her hand out, she was holding his heart. Keitaro felt no pain, but could only stare at her with complete horror as she dropped his heart to the ground and stepped on it with all of her strength, showing absolutely no remorse. He fell to his knees and finally to the ground, feeling the life start to drain out of him.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you stupid, clumsy, perverted baka? I HATE YOU!" Naru said as she kicked him in the face, shattering his glasses. She then started to walk away from him as if he didn't exist. The young man reached his hand out her as he started to slip away. She turned and a faceless man appeared next to her. He embraced her, which she fully accepted happily, without any of her so called 'reflexes' kicking in. As Keitaro's eyes started to close, he heard her say something to him, which he could barely hear, but spoke the loudest in his heart.
I love you too Kentaro-kun…
End Dream Sequence
"NO!" Keitaro shouted as he opened his eyes and looked around, only to find himself still next to the Sakura tree he laid against. "It's was just a nightmare…" He confirmed to himself as he touched his forehead, feeling the cold sweat on his brow until he saw drops falling down on his pants, drops that weren't sweat from his forehead. He reached up to his face and felt tears streaming down, making him resolve shatter.
"If it was just a dream, then why do I…?" Keitaro never finished his thoughts as he covered his face with his hands and sobbed in despair. 'Damn it…I just wanted to be happy. I just wanted someone to love me. Why does everyone hate me? How could you be so cruel Narusegawa? You should have told me, that you…don't…love me…' The last part was difficult to think of as he curled into a ball, his hands never leaving his face.
Unbeknownst to Keitaro, Haruka watched him intensely as she lowered her head. She wanted to go him, but she knew that it was best that he be left alone right now. She raised her head back up to look at him as he continued to cry, seeing her younger self next to him crying in the same position. Crying over a broken heart.
'His heart is a complete wreck now…thanks to…that bitch.' She thought as she clenched her fists, not even in the mood to mention the girl's name. All of his dreams, including his most cherished one, are shattered because of her. And now he's suffering inside…just like I was back then. Only his pain is a lot worse.' She added as she placed a hand over her heart.
'Kami, please give him the strength he needs to get through this…' She prayed as she looked up to the heavens. With a look of sorrow on her face and a heavy heart, Haruka took one last look at her nephew before returning to her café. The image of Keitaro's cold and lifeless eyes running through her mind like a mantra as it now was forever burned into Haruka's soul.