I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is a figment of my weird imagination. For all grammar and spelling mistakes, I apologize in advance.

Foolish Heart

Three

---

Keitaro found her at the end of the hallway two hours past midnight.

Motoko was fast asleep on a very uncomfortable kneeling position. Her head bowed low to the right while her hands open on each side. Her sword was perched on her left, solitary and forgotten. It seemed Motoko lost her battle with exhaustion bitterly as if she fought very hard even at the very end. Her struggle was evident. And to suffer like this just so she could guard the purity of the other female tenants from possible corruption by the only male of the apartment was both endearing and frustrating for Keitaro.

Endearing because she would selflessly put others safety and dignity before hers and equally frustrating as she would carelessly harm herself in doing so.

Keitaro sighed. He made a decision.

He lifted the sword quietly and placed it on the garter of his pajamas. Then he gently placed his arms around the sleeping girl and in one heave lifted her from the wooden floor. Keitaro was surprised to find that Motoko was not as heavy as he thought she would be and the fact that she did not react from this dangerous undertaking only deepened his concerns.

She must have been very tired, Keitaro thought as he began walking towards Motoko's room, carrying her the way a groom would to his bride on their first night.

And halfway through Motoko woke up.

Her initial reaction was confusion as she blinked her bleary eyes trying to gauge where she was, moving her head from side to side.

Then her reaction turned to alarm when she realized that she was moving but not on her own will.

"Don't move too much you might make me trip. Be patient, only a few more steps and we'll get to your room,"

Motoko quickly turned to the source of the voice and found Keitaro's face very close to hers.

She felt anger rising from deep within, embarrassed to find Keitaro very close and embarrassed that an idea was forming on her head as to why Keitaro's face was very close. She whispered venomously through gritted teeth, "Urashima… what in the world are you doing?"

Keitaro did not reply but instead slid the door of Motoko's room open with his foot concentrating very hard not to unbalance himself. Once inside he gently placed Motoko on the floor. He ignored her glare as he placed her sword on the other side and started unfolding the futon. He has been the manager of the apartment for more than a few months and he knew how each girl arranged their room, considering that he cleans them atleast once every two weeks.

"I apologize if you consider it rude but I carried you here as I thought you must have been very uncomfortable sleeping like that outside," Keitaro replied eventually and walked towards Motoko.

He offered his hand to help her stand but Motoko slapped it away. Instead she stood and shakily led her way towards the prepared futon. "I don't need your help," She spat as she tucked herself inside the comfortable warmth of her bed covers.

"I know you don't," Keitaro replied as he prepared himself to leave.

"Besides… why would you help me? You have a girlfriend to look after… right?" Motoko whispered from underneath the bed covers.

Keitaro paused by the door.

Then he turned and said, "You know Motoko… I care about you a lot,"

Motoko's eyes widened. Warmth was slowly coursing through her face.

"I care about you and all the other tenants here a lot," Keitaro continued, "I don't really care what you think of me or how much you hated me. I already know that… but I care for you,"

Motoko slowly pushed her bed covers down and found Keitaro staring at the floor with a sad but gentle smile on his face.

"It's just that… it feels a lot better when someone returns that care… even though that someone is meant to-," then Keitaro sighed and a sudden forlorn look crept his once happy visage, he turned and whispered, "Good night Motoko… and I'm sorry to trouble you,"

Without another word Keitaro quietly slid Motoko's door close and left.

After a long while, Motoko whispered, "No… I'm the one who's sorry Urashima…"

---

Kitsune was surprised to find the lounge empty. She knew it was the weekend but she usually wakes up and expect the lounge to be occupied by atleast one other tenant usually sipping a tea quietly. And that particular tenant was Motoko.

Motoko slept late and woke up late? Now that's a first, Kitsune thought. She lazily sat by the soft cushions and started leafing through the television guide.

Her night was quite disturbed considering that she didn't slept at all. For some odd reason she found herself waiting for something all through the night. As if she was expecting something. It was the same feeling when one sleeps alone on a love hotel filled with lovers.

That was the one simple fact that Kitsune realized by the break of dawn.

There were lovers at the Hinata apartment.

And she wasn't one of them.

Kitsune pouted, I'm supposed to be the experienced one.

Then she heard the creak of the wood and found Motoko groggily making her way towards the kitchen, yawning all the while.

"Good morning Motoko,"

It took Motoko a few moments before she mumbled, "Gumornin,"

Kitsune perked up, "You seem a little bit tired. Didn't get any sleep at all?"

Motoko gave Kitsune a weak glare and replied, "You're to talk… you look quite worn-out too,"

Kitsune smiled, "Yep… didn't get a wink! But I'm used to this you know… from all the night outs that I've had before,"

"I'm making myself some tea… want one?" Motoko shouted from the kitchen.

"A black strong coffee would do if you don't mind,"

After several cluttering noises from the kitchen and several moments of silence and mumbled curses, Motoko returned to the lounge with two cups. Kitsune drank the coffee like the way she would with her sake while Motoko slowly sipped her cup with her eyes closed.

A moment of silence passed between the two.

Then Kitsune broke it.

"So what do you think?"

Motoko doesn't have to ask what Kitsune meant by the question. The other tenants were itching to speak their minds the night before but could not because of Keitaro and his girlfriend's presence in the apartment. And the fact that they don't know how long Keitaro's girlfriend would stay with them, they all felt overwhelmed with what was happening right before them.

Their manager brought home a girlfriend to stay with them.

The only male in an all-girl's apartment has brought home a girlfriend.

Somehow that doesn't seem right. It felt wrong.

"She seems awfully young for him," Motoko replied with her eyes still closed.

"You think so?" Kitsune mused. She stretched then said, "I was surprised that you didn't attack him last night. I was also confused when Naru didn't do anything about it either. Keitaro has been living with us for some months now and both of you have punished him for something trivial compared to what he has just done last night. Seriously Motoko, what in the world is going on with us?"

Motoko was silent.

"I mean, seriously, think about it. We have known Keitaro and we have been close to him. I mean we have some good times and bad times. We shared them all with him. He has been on the receiving end of yours and Naru's wrath. He has been experimented on with Su's inventions and I have subjected him to several black mails… but all of a sudden… I can't do them anymore… the more I think about it – you can't too… whatever it is that any of us are so comfortable doing to him before last night – they suddenly vanished," Kitsune sighed.

A complete silence passed between the two tenants.

"It's love…"

Kitsune blinked, "Eh? Did you say something Motoko?"

Motoko opened her eyes and stared in to a distance, "It's that feeling of lost I guess. We do things we want to do with Keitaro because we never knew that he has a girlfriend. I guess it is some sort of ownership that we began to label on to him. But the moment he announced he has a girlfriend… that ownership vanished. He suddenly became a stranger again. And I guess we have to cope up with the fact that we have no right to do what we wanted to do to him… because… he already belongs to someone else…"

"Motoko… you sound a little down… is that a hint of disappointment?"

There wasn't a reply.

---

Kanako found him sleeping on his side away from her.

She quietly laid the blanket on Keitaro's fetal form careful not to wake him up.

Even in his sleep he looks alone. Was this your fate after everything that has happened? They pushed us apart and now you live your life in solitary confinement trying your best not to get involved too much with anybody because you knew nothing lasts forever. Even… us.

Kanako sighed.

No… whatever happens I won't let them destroy whatever we have. We belong to each other. And if years of separation have made you doubtful… I will bring it back. I will make you believe again and I will put the faith back into your heart – because… I believe in us. I believe no matter what happens… we belong to each other.

Kanako leant close to Keitaro's face and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. Keitaro stirred and smiled in his sleep.

Then she heard a scratching noise above.

Kanako looked up and found… nothing.

"Was that a hole in the ceiling?" she whispered.

---

What in the world am I doing? Naru berated herself over and over as she tried to compose herself.

She didn't know whether Kanako saw her or not but she knew she managed to slide the board back in time. Either way she felt very uncomfortable doing what she just did a few moments ago. She wasn't really intending to spy on Keitaro and Kanako. She just wanted to—

Exactly what am I trying to do?

She wasn't able to sleep the whole night. All night she was contemplating and bitterly debating within herself whether she should move and sleep somewhere else. The simple fact that there were lovers just below her own room made her screen crawl. But part of her was oddly curious as to how Keitaro treat his girlfriend.

She has to admit that she felt annoyed and jealous. That constant question inside her head kept on ringing – why not me? Why not me? Why not me? Why not me?

She returned to her futon and felt a tear trace her cheeks, "It felt like… I'm being abandoned… again…"

---

Kanako wore light clothing for the day.

She knew exactly what could turn her boyfriend on and she smiled to the prospect of his blushing and bumbling reactions. She skipped happily towards the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. And on her way down to the hall she saw Kitsune and Motoko by the lounge, drinking quietly.

And when Motoko glanced her way, a small "eep" came out from her mouth.

Kanako noticed Motoko's tensed reaction which made her smile like a Cheshire cat about to play with her prey.

Kanako turned towards the lounge and regarded the two with the smile creepily shining from her face, "Hello there Kitsune… Motoko,"

Motoko seemed to have shrunk a few inches smaller, avoiding Kanako's intense stare and creepy grin.

"How's your first morning here missus Urashima?" Kitsune chirped in.

Kanako grinned wider like a wild cat and replied, "Pretty good Kitsune considering that I enjoyed my first night in here,"

Kitsune blinked and grinned as well, "Really? Tell me about it… how many times?"

Motoko choked on her tea cup and sputtered, "Kit… Kitsune!"

"Well…,"

"By the way… has Keitaro tried diving?"

"Huh? What do you mean by diving?"

"You know… diving… you know when a guy goes down and---," Kitsune made several gestures.

It took Kanako a while to fully understand what Kitsune was trying to say and when she did, her face burned furious red. An image of Keitaro doing exactly what Kitsune was describing made her feel faint. Would he even like doing that? Kanako thought as she fanned herself to cool down the sudden warmth all over her body.

"I… uh… I… I don't think Kei-kun tried that before but… uh… I think… uh…," Kanako coughed, unbelievable… this girl is totally unbelievable!

Kitsune's feral grinned became wider, "I bet that would make you scream loud!"

Kanako gulped, I can't believe she's actually suggesting Kei-kun go down and li---

"Kitsune-sempai… what do you mean by diving?" A question suddenly rang behind them.

---

Keitaro was awakened by his own thunderous sneezes. He sat up, blinked and gave a loud yawn before sneezing again.

He looked around and wondered whether Kanako was preparing breakfast for them. He stood and wore something light for the day as he felt it would be another warm summer day. He has arranged a day with Shinobu to go shopping for groceries and he reckoned that there was nothing to cook for this morning. He sneezed again and groaned, what is wrong with me? He thought as he lumbered out of his room towards the kitchen.

On his way down the stairs he found the girls gathered in the lounge room.

The first thing he noted that made him worry was that Motoko's eyes were round and swirling while her mouth was open and drooling. He has a feeling that she passed out moments ago.

This sight made him sigh.

Whatever Kanako and Kitsune were talking about – it was definitely not good.

"Settle down girls… you're traumatizing Motoko," Keitaro said as he approached Shinobu at the bottom of the stairs.

Then Shinobu turned to him with big round sparkling inquisitive eyes and asked, "Sempai… what does diving mean? How can you dive into a girl and make her scream?"

Keitaro's face turned into a human question mark.

Then suddenly a hand shot into the air.

"I know! I know! I know how can Keitaro dive into a girl and make her scream! He should push the girl's le---," Motoko was screaming like a madwoman, her eyes still swirling and mouth splattering spit all over the lounge when Kitsune lunged and pinned her down to the table while Kanakogagged her mouth.

Then Kitsune and Kanako smiled at Keitaro innocently as if nothing special was happening.

Keitaro sighed and asked, "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight… well… uhm… I'm going to the market with Shinobu to buy some groceries. Do you want to come?"

Kanako only shook her head with her creepy smile pasted across her face.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight…" Keitaro then turned to Shinobu, "Ready Shinobu? Do you have the list with you?"

Shinobu smiled and replied, "Yes… I was waiting for you,"

"Let's go then… okay Kana-chan, Kitsune… we'll be back soon. I apologize but you have to forgo breakfast for now… we'll get back as soon as we can so we could prepare a decent lunch to compensate,"

---

Kitsune and Kanako breathed a sigh of relief when they couldn't hear Keitaro and Shinobu's footsteps anymore as the two disappeared from sight.

"What in the hell is wrong with this girl?" Kanako said with irritation as she released her hold on Motoko's mouth, shaking her hand vigorously to remove the drool that pooled on her palm. She huffed disgustingly and wiped her hand on the swordswoman's shirt.

Kitsune scratched her head, "Geez… Motoko… what got in to you?"

Then Kanako glared at Kitsune and stammered, "And where the hell did you get that diving idea from anyway?"

"Aw… come on Kana-chan! I just want to give you more tips so Keitaro could please you more!"

Kanako reddened and replied haltingly, "Kei… Kei… Kei-kun pleasures me enough!"

Motoko passed out again.

Then a knock on the door echoed.

A shadow loomed before the three girls on the lounge.

Then a gasp was heard.

Kitsune looked up and smiled, "Hey Haruka!"

Kanako froze.

Haruka's response was equally shocked, "Ka… Kana-chan?"

Kitsune furrowed her brow and asked, "So! You already met Keitaro's girlfriend?"

A moment of silence passed by.

Then Haruka turned to Kitsune and frowned, "Keitaro's girlfriend?"

At that moment, Kanako turned and faced Haruka with determination and replied, "Yes Haruka-san. I'm Keitaro's girlfriend,"


Hello there everyone! I am deeply sorry for the delay of this chapter. I have been busy with work and Uni. I just finished the enrolment so I managed to snuck in a few paragraphs and dialogues to complete the chapter so I could post it today. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I have.

So where do we go from here? I dunno. Just stay a little bit longer to see how it would turn out.

Any idea what's going on?

Let me know what you think.

Hoping to see you next chapter! Cheers!

nivremous