Love Hina – Ronin Rescue
Chapter Ten – Thrown out into the cold!
……"And the defendants shall be stripped of all rights and lease agreements, and shall be court-evicted from the Hinata-sou Apartments before midnight, this day."……..
The Magistrate looks over at Keitaro as he stands, and, licking her lips, puts her thumb and little finger against her head as if talking on a phone and mouths "I'll call you!" as she smiles and waves the bikini at him.
"Gack!" Keitaro hits the floor, blood spurting from his nostrils.
Kitsune looks back once more as the Magistrate removes her robe, revealing a one-size too small business suit, her endowment threatening to burst a few buttons. "Holy Cows! This ain't good and a half!"
Later that evening….
The girls shiver together, pulling their shirts/slacks/skirts (as the case may be) tighter to try to stay warm. Their breath fogs and their eyes sting from the biting cold. They stamp their shoes in an attempt to keep their feet from succumbing to the numbing conditions.
Motoko stutters, her shoulders drooping under the weight she is carrying "T-this i-is a-all U-Urashima's f-fault! S-Spirits, b-but i-it i-is c-cold!" She considers if any of her secret techniques could generate any usable warmth.
Shinobu wails, her legs on the verge of turning blue, "A-A-Aaauuuuu! A-and m-my h-hands a-are f-f-f-freezing, t-too! I-it's s-s-so c-cold! I-I w-wish m-my S-Sempai w-were h-here t-to s-save m-me……I-I m-mean, t-to s-save u-us." Shinobu corrects herself.
Kitsune whines, (I want my sake!) "M-my b-babies a-are g-gonna f-freeze o-off! I-if w-we d-don't w-warm u-up s-soon, w-we'all a-are g-gonna d-die!" She drops her bags to rub some warmth into her, uh, babies.
Su mentions, as she blows into her free hand to try warming it, "Y-y-y-you g-g-guys g-g-gots i-i-it e-e-easy. I-I-I'm f-f-from M-M-M-MolM-M-Mol! H-h-hello! T-t-tropic-c-canical a-a-and a-a-all t-t-that!" (I shoulda worn shoes, dang my feetsies are COLD!)
Mutsumi worries, rubbing her arm with one hand while carrying her share in the other, "O-oh M-my! I-I'm g-going t-to h-have f-frozen m-melons i-if I-I c-can't w-warm u-up s-soon!" Looking at her hand, "O-oh d-dear! B-blood!" Nearly unseen in the freezing mists from their breath, the Okinawan faints.
Naru complains, balling her free hand into fist, "I-I'll k-kill h-him! J-just l-let m-me g-get m-my h-hands o-on t-that b-butcher f-for n-not h-having a-any l-lamb c-chops!" She removes the leaking package of raw stew meat from the fallen melon-lady's hand as she helps her to a sitting position.
Haruka adjusts her cigarette holder as she calls into the deep freezer "And as soon as you put all that extra meat and frozen vegetables in place, you can get back out here and start putting away the other groceries you bought. Now hurry up and stop your complaining, you've only been in there two minutes."
Chapter Ten –Into Haruka's kind and generous arms
Haruka, her hands on her hips, looks at the revised chapter title. Under her breath she mutters; "Yeah, right! What was I thinking, letting that Keitaro talk me into this?" Out loud, "And if any of you girls still snore, you're going to sleep down here in the kitchen! I need all the rest I can get with the shenanigans you all come up with!"
Chapter Ten – Conspiracies of necessity –or- How to get six girls outta my hair!
Haruka crosses her arms as she lights another cigarette; "That's more accurate." She places a tray with hot tea and cups on the kitchen counter and hands each girl one as they walk out of the freezer. "Here, take a break and warm up, or you'll drop half the stuff as you try to put it away."
Gratefully, the new residents of the upstairs apartment of the Hinata Tea Shop take the tea and try to will some heat back into their limbs and, uh, other body parts. Haruka closes the deep freezer door and takes a cup of tea for herself. Motoko, her sword once more at her side, says, "Our deepest thanks, Haruka-san. Your freezer unit is colder than the mountains of Kyoto in the dead of winter!"
"So. Let's get some ground rules laid out right now. During business hours, the Tea Shop is off-limits, unless you are buying something, or want to help me out serving customers, or have a really serious problem that can't wait."
"Most importantly, if Keitaro is in here you absolutely must NOT come into the Tea Shop area. He generally will drop in for fifteen minutes after prep-school for coffee and a talk about how things are. I don't expect that to change. Please respect his right to come here occasionally and not get him or yourselves into trouble."
"As for helping out around, there is not enough work to extend to you free room and board, so, except for Shinobu, I expect all of you to continue making your rent payments."
She eyes Kitsune, who, out of habit, has a wicked grin on her face. "And I'll remind you, Mitsune Konno-san, of the first and last time you tried your tricks on me in an attempt to get out of your rent. I expect that you do not desire a repeat of our last altercation?"
Reminded of the incident, Kitsune blanches, her face going pale, "N-no ma'am, Haruka-san! 'Sides, it scares the spit outta me when ya'll use my full name like that! I'll be good."
Haruka adjusts her cigarette holder and glares at the Fox. "AND pay your rent on time?"
Kitsune frowns, looking at the older woman, "Yeah, ya'll wins. I'll be good AND pay mah rent on time."
Naru, looking at Haruka, says, "Wait a sec, go back. What did you mean, 'except for Shinobu'? Don't tell me that…"
Haruka turns to Naru, "Yes. Keitaro agreed to the courts' offer of letting Shinobu continue working as the dorms' cook and laundress. So, her rent will be covered by the inn's account."
Motoko, with a thoughtful look in her face points out; "But, Haruka-san. With no tenants, Urashima will not have the income to pay Shinobu-chan's wages."
Comprehension dawns on Motoko's face. "In fact, it just now occurs to me that, without us as paying tenants, there will be no income to pay Urashima's wages either! How will he support himself, or pay the bills of Hinata-sou?" Her face falls as she ponders what must now happen.
She does not say what they all know to be his obvious course of action: Keitaro will have to find new tenants to be able to pay the bills!
Haruka looks at the sword maiden "The inn's accounts have more than enough funds to cover paying wages and the bills for now. Besides, it's Keitaro's decision, so why should any of you be worried about it?"
Haruka doesn't mention that the girl's rent will still be deposited into the dorm's account, with a small transfer to cover upkeep for the Tea Shop as long as they stay there. She hasn't even told Keitaro this, but, since she's always administered the accounts for both the Inn and the Tea Shop, he's not likely to notice or ask.
Mutsumi look up from her tea "Haruka-san, do you truly believe all of this was of our desire? That we wished to be separated from Kei-kun like this?"
Haruka leans against the kitchen counter. "No. I don't suppose you did. But, that doesn't change the fact that it happened. You all have to live with it now. Except for Shinobu, as far as the restraining order allows, that is."
Naru sputters, "B-but, how can we let that, that….uh, how can we let Keitaro be alone with poor little Shinobu-chan? I mean, he IS a man, and she's only a middle-school student after all! It just wouldn't be right! (Or fair!) Naru thinks.
Kitsune looks at Shinobu, a sly wink in her eye. "Ya'll lucky little thang! Ah wish Ah'd've learned to cook like you, then maybe Ah'd get to spend some quality time alone with 'my Sempai'!"
Shinobu's eyes light up and begin twirling, and her hands go to her cheeks as a silly grin covers her face. "I-I still get to cook for my Sempai? I get to see him every day? Aaauuuuu! I'm so happy! I, uh-oh, I think I'm gonna…"
Everyone says at the same time "Pee your panties, we know, we know!"
"No, I think I'm gonna…faint!" THUNK!
Su catches the young cook as she collapses. "Ya thinks Keitaros could use another cook for when this one is uncapacitied or inconsciousated? And maybe plays a bit between meal times?" she asks, a hopeful look in her eyes.
"No, Su. I'm sorry, but the restraining order is specific. Only Shinobu is allowed up there, and only in her capacity as the hired cook and doing laundry." Haruka says.
The afore-mentioned cook stirs as she recovers from her fainting spell, a dreamy, far-off smile still on her face as she mutters, "I get to be alone with my Sempai. I'll cook for him, and feed him, and …… did I just say that out loud? Aaauu…." SPLASH! "H-hey, that's COLD!" Shinobu cries.
Mutsumi place the empty ice water pitcher on the kitchen counter "Oh dear, I just wanted to wake you from fainting again, Shinobu-chan."
"I wasn't going to faint! I was…" She looks down at her drenched clothing. "Well, a-at least you can't t-tell that I pee'd." She rushes upstairs and changes while the other jealous girls (i.e. all of them) give Mutsumi the thumbs-up sign. They sip their tea until she returns.
Setting her tea down, Haruka continues. "I expect each of you to read the schedule I posted for using the shower. If you do not use it during your scheduled time, you'll either have to wait until everyone else is finished or live with it until the next day."
She looks at each girl to drive home her point. "You MUST obey the restriction on hot water usage. No more than ten minutes each. If you don't, then the last two or three girls will have to take cold showers if they want to get clean. Because I work late, I put my name last, and I will not be pleased at all if I EVER have to take a cold shower."
Reading from her list, Haruka says, "With the exception of Shinobu, who is already employed, I insist that each of you take turns; cleaning the Tea Shop; mopping the floors; wiping down the counters; taking out the trash; raking the gardens; stacking the furniture at night; replacing them in the morning; cooking our meals; and doing the laundry."
"Haruka, excuse me, but can we take a vote on cooking? Ah say we vote that Naru not have to do any cooking, since, uh, she's the busiest of us all anyways." Kitsune interjects hoepfully.
"I agree. That is, Naru-san's time would be better spent if she used it for studying rather than preparing meals." Motoko quickly adds, giving Haruka a pleading glance.
"My, oh my, but it would not be fair to expect Naru to cook and study. She would not have the time to do it properly!" Mutsumi adds, unconsciously placing her hand over her stomach as if in anticipated pain.
Su jumps onto Motoko's shoulders, "We all votes 'Yes' to thats. Hurray for Narus, no cooking jobs for ya!" memories of past toxic waste episodes causing her stomach to tremble in fear.
Naru looks from her friends to Haruka and back. "No way! I insist on pulling my weight, along with everyone else. Besides, how long could it take to prepare meals? I mean, Shinobu can whip up a feast in thirty minutes, so I'm sure I could do as well in half that time. I am older than her, AND I have the highest prep-school scores in the nation!" Naru says proudly.
Haruka, either ignoring or oblivious to the imploring looks from the others, agrees. "Naru is right. Besides, she's willing to do her fair share, so who am I to tell her no?" (Besides, as long as I know what nights she's cooking, I can always make an excuse that I have someplace to go, and won't be home til late.) Haruka manages to hide her sly grin behind her hand.
Shinobu checks her pocket for her emergency stash of stomach pills; just to be sure she still has them.
"Okay, now that I've explained the ground rules, the rest of which are posted upstairs in case any of you forget them, let's get the rest of these groceries put away. We'll need to use the closet back there as well. I don't normally store this much food in the Tea Shop at one time. Then again, I've never had to put up six other people here, either."
As Kitsune opens the closet, she is amazed. "Haruka, This closet is huge! It must go into the side of the hill! And where on Earth did ya'll ever get all these costumes and clothes? You could clothe the entire Japanese Opera and Theater Society with what you have stashed in here!"
"Those old things? That's just some stuff I've collected over the years. Just ignore it and place the extra groceries on the shelves to the left, I think one or two are still empty." Haruka recommends.
Once they've settled the grocery issue, they sit down for some delivery that Haruka ordered. "I do NOT want it being made a habit, but, since it's been a long day for all of us, I figured to give us all a break and order dinner tonight, seeing as you're all probably to tired to go out, and I'm too tired to cook."
Expressing their thanks, the girls get plates and utensils from the kitchen and place the food containers on the table. "Itadakimasu!" they say as they sit and start eating.
As they enjoy their meal, Kitsune looks at Haruka and tries to get up the nerve to ask a question that has been in her mind all day. "Haruka, if it isn't prying, could ya'll tell me something?"
Haruka says "What might that be?"
"well, ya'll see. Um. That is, today, at the court house. Well, there was someone who was talking with Keitaro, and….."
"Go on, Kitsune." (Hmmm, I bet they saw Yasumiko today. That's probably got them thinking.)
Naru, knowing what Kitsune is trying to ask, quickly inserts, "Haruka, uh, that is, what can you tell us about that red-headed girl Keitaro was sitting with at the courthouse?"
Looking over her cup of tea, she replies, "Oh, you noticed her, did you?"
Motoko interjects, her hands tightly gripping her sword handle, "Please tell us, Haruka-san. It disturbed me, that is, it disturbed US greatly to see Urashima being taken advantage of by who to all appearances is a stranger, to us at least, during what is obviously a most stressful time for him."
(Oh, so they don't realize yet that Yasumiko is also the police officer that arrested them. This could be fun!) Haruka adjusts her cigarette "Oh, you must be referring to Yasa-chan. She's an old friend of Keitaro's that he 'ran' into a few weeks ago." (Let's crank up the pressure a bit), "A very dear old friend, and a sweet girl. I remember having lots of talks with her when she and Keitaro were in elementary school."
The girls all slump, their fears confirmed. Apparently Keitaro HAS found someone to replace them already.
"Y-you mean, my Sempai and she are JUST friends, r-right Haruka-san?" Shinobu tentatively asks.
Haruka considers her answer. As much as she wants to have fun with this, she doesn't want to be caught out in a lie, either. Then it comes to her. "Well, let's just say Keitaro's relationship with Yasa-chan is unlike any relationship he's ever had with a girl, and leave it at that." (Which is true. Yasumiko is the only lesbian friend Keitaro's ever had. No lie in that.)
Su looks up from her meal, "The way she was hanging on ta Keitaros today, you'd have a hard time convincing me that's she ain't in lovies with him." Turning to Motoko, "Ya gonna eats them rice balls?" Motoko shakes her head and pushes her plate over to the blonde youngster, who devours the offering with relish. And curry powder. And Wasabi paste (the green kind).
Naru sets her chopstick s down, and places her hands in her lap. "T-then, you're saying we've,…lost Keitaro?" Naru's conscience kicks in with its two-cent's worth. (Why aren't you surprised? You treat him like a ragdoll for months and expect him to fight to keep you when he has the opportunity to throw you out and make a fresh start? Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't walk out on you three months ago. I'd've thought ninety days here, his heart being treated like trash would have broken him.)
Haruka sits back, her tea in her hand, "I'd say that is Keitaro's decision now. Besides, does he really have any reason to do otherwise? Did you ever make him feel welcome up there at Hinata-sou, before you lost the chance and got evicted?" She looks around, not expecting an answer.
"Oh dear, but Kei-kun would not abandon all of us, would he? Some of us genuinely care about him." Mutsumi asks.
"S-Sempai knows I care about h-him. Doesn't he? I mean, I never really said it, but I am, I means was, always making his favorites pork fried rice when he worked hard. He'd notice that, wouldn't he?" Shinobu asks, her hand on Haruka's arm.
Haruka looks down at the young cook before looking at Mutsumi. She adjusts her cigarette holder before she answers. (Best to make these girls start thinking a little bit.) "Too many times I've had Keitaro come down here to talk to me about how things were going at the dorm. Sometimes I had to force him down here to talk it over, since it goes against who he is to say anything negative about any of you."
She lights up another cigarette. "He takes, well, he took his job as manager very seriously. He was even more stringent in taking care of who he considered his friends. I never got the impression that he felt he was ever really accepted as the manager, and, except for two or three of you, didn't feel much of his attempts at friendship were returned."
Haruka pulls a notepad from her apron pocket and opens it. "I keep a list of some of the descriptions he gave me on how he felt was treated by you all. And let me tell you, I didn't like hearing it, over and over." Setting the notepad in front of her, she looks each girl in the eye as she reads it from memory:
"He felt un-trusted, used, abused, mistreated, conned, swindled, ignored, overworked, under-appreciated, beaten, blasted, thrown down, thrown around, thrown out, cast away, cast aside, burned, broken, hated and un-loved."
The girls all stare at Haruka, mouths open. They cannot believe what they are hearing, but cannot deny the words, either.
Kitsune is the first to find her voice. "Ah, Ah know we was never Keitaro's best friends, but, Kami-sama, I didn't know he felt so, so…Spit, I can't describe how he must have felt!"
Haruka replies bluntly "The words 'he must have felt like shit' come to mind."
Motoko gets out of her chair and kneels, bowing to the floor. "Haruka-san, we unknowingly, and, I must admit for my part, sometimes knowingly, inflicted such emotional and physical distress on Urashima-san that nothing will make up for it. It would not be right for us to accept the hospitality of any of his relations after our actions. Tomorrow, we must leave and find our own places. We do not deserve to be kept together at the expense of your family any longer, for we are unworthy of such kindness and generosity."
Naru bows her head, "M-Motoko's right. I treated Keitaro like he was nothing to me, even though I, well, I do kinda like having him around. I never knew how he, damn it, I never ASKED him how he felt! We have to leave. It's just wrong to stay here anymore." A sob escapes her throat.
Mutsumi puts her face into her hands "Oh, my poor Kei-kun! We're sorry! We are so very sorry!"
Su stares at her empty plate, then eyes Naru's still full one. (I ain't hungry no more. Keitaro don't wanna play with me no more.) "I guesses I'll have to go home now. There ain't nothings here for me if we has to break up and not plays with Keitaros any mores."
Kitsune can only stare at her hands (Oh, Keitaro. We have been the biggest bunch of bitches ya'll must have ever had to deal with. You deserve so much better than us).
Shinobu weeps lightly; "Aaauuuuu! I can't face my Sempai knowing he hates us. I-I'll leave too." The young cook lays her head on her arms and sobs gently.
Kitsune reaches over and lays a hand on her shoulder and rubs her back, "Hey, come on kiddo, Keitaro could never hate you! Ya'll never did nothing wrong to him. You're the only one of us here that has a right to stay. Besides, who's gonna cook for the big lug if you go away? He'll be dependent on beef bowls for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day."
Shinobu looks up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "B-but, what about you guys? I- I don't want to do anything that'll make you hate me."
Everyone assures her that they do not begrudge her the chance to be near 'her Sempai'. Motoko even goes so far as to suggest "Perhaps, in time, you can convince Urashima to allow us to give him our apologies in person some day; that is, if the court were to rescind the restraining order against us."
Naru stands and walks over to Shinobu. Kneeling, she opens her arms and invites her into a hug, which Shinobu wastes no time leaping into. "Shinobu-chan, as much as I want Keitaro, I can't refuse you the chance to see him every day, even if I can't. I mean, he's still a man, and you're just in middle-school. But, the court said they are assigning a police officer to the dorm, so just promise me you'll do everything you can to keep that police officer at Keitaro's side anytime you are up there, okay?"
"I promise, Naru-sempai. So that you all won't worry about me, I'll insist the police officer stay by Keitaro all the time."
Haruka thinks (Oh boy! Wouldn't they be surprised if Yasumiko were selected to be that police officer! Of course, Keitaro's life wouldn't be worth a wooden yen if the girls saw her living up there with Keitaro.)
A cold breeze blows across the girls and they shiver violently. Haruka stands and walks to the deep freezer. "I thought I closed this already."
Sitting down, Haruka decides she can't let the girls leave. Keitaro would never forgive her is she didn't stop them. Making a decision, she reveals part of Keitaro's request to her. "Now, before anyone goes off to make train reservations or something more final, I think you need to know something. As much as I'd like to take the credit for offering to put you up her at the Tea Shop, it wasn't my idea."
Motoko, still on her knees, looks at Haruka, her eyes wide, "You do not mean that the court forced us upon you?"
"No, nothing like that. Someone that has a vested interest in your care, happiness and well-being asked me to do it." Haruka adjusts her cigarette holder.
The girls look expectantly at the older woman. "It was Keitaro's idea."
A collective gasp escapes from the girls. "I promised him that I'd put you up in my apartment. He couldn't stand the thought of all of you thrown out with nowhere to go. And since he isn't allowed to contact you, he asked me to let you stay here. He said, and I'm quoting, 'I know I haven't done enough to gain their trust. I couldn't even get the court to punish me for what happened. I've failed them too many times in the past; I can't fail them again now and let them be torn apart from each other.'"
Haruka blows a smoke ring out the window. "Keitaro said it should have been him leaving Hinata-sou, that he is the outsider, the one that doesn't belong." She turns to Motoko, "He even said that you were right all along, that a man should never have been the manager. Because he didn't leave, he blames himself for you all being evicted from your home. How do you think that makes him feel? So, when he said 'Please, take them in, for me?' what do you think I did? As you all know, it's hard to say no to Keitaro when he's trying to do what he feels is the right thing."
Glimmers of hope reappear in the eyes of the former hot spring residents.
"A-after everything we did, after everything that happened, Keitaro still cares about us? B-but why?" Naru asks.
Kitsune answers, a sad smile on her face, "Because, he is Keitaro. It's always been his way, although he could be clumsy about it, to put our needs ahead of his own. That man hasn't got an unkind bone in his body." She raises her tea cup in a silent salute to their kanrinin.
"And if he did, ya'd thinks that punch-lady and the stick-waving momma woulda removed it by force. Hurrays, Keitaros ain't mad at us no more!" Su exclaims, her nearly boundless exuberance returning.
"But, what happens now? I mean, oh dear, we are down here, and Kei-kun is just up the stairs, but that's as close as we can get. And, there is still the issue of his friend, Yasa-chan." Mutsumi remarks, her voice carrying the first hint of jealousy the girls can remember hearing her speak. The same jealousy they all realize they are starting to feel.
The girls' minds go into overdrive, thinking on ways to try and get back together with their kanrinin, and save him (and themselves?) from the (evil?) girl Yasa-chan, who is trying to steal (or worse?) their kanrinin from them. Small wicked grins start to appear on their faces, as, one-by-one, they start to realize that, in-spite of a restraining order, there are ways to get to their Keitaro that may not involve breaking any laws. And if that red-head gets in the way, Kami help her!
Haruka recognizes the look in their eyes, as the girls sit quietly, their appetites revived as they finish their meals. Haruka ponders what it will be like with them living upstairs in the cramped living room of her apartment. (Six conniving, love-sick teenager girls under one roof! What the heck was I thinking when I let Keitaro talk me into this? He's going to owe me big time for letting the girls stay here.)
She looks from one girl to the next. (They're planning something. A whole bunch somethings! You'd better watch out, nephew, because I think the Hinata Rescue Squad has you in their sights for their next mission!)
Finishing their meal, Shinobu moves to take the plates into the kitchen, force of habit causing her forget that she isn't required to do any work at the Tea Shop. Kitsune stands "Wait a minute, sugah, ya'll is employed up there, so ya'll ain't supposed to be doing anything around here. Let us help ya'll."
The others all stand to help clear up before going upstairs to prepare for bedtime. As Motoko stands, Su leaps up, a sudden thought coming to her, "I knows, I knows! Shinobu can be our flyscraper on the wall! She can tell us how Keitaros is doings. I could even whips up a special mecha-tama to goes with her, maybe installs a camera or somethings so we can sees what's up. That is, since we ain't Shinobu, and Keitaros ain't gonna needs another cook up there!"
Motoko's head comes up at Su's comment, and a tiny gleam appears in her eye. (Maybe not another cook, but another Shinobu-chan, perhaps?) She thinks. (Yes, perhaps with a wig, some stooping, the right clothing, and Kei-, uh, Urashima not wearing his glasses, it could be done. He would not be able to tell the difference!) She wrings her hands as a small laugh escapes her lips. (I must think about this. And how to convince Shinobu of the, ah, necessity of it.)
The devil on her shoulder nudges her and whispers in her ear "Or tie her up for the day, if you have to!"
Naru looks at Motoko. (Why is she laughing like that? She sounds like Kitsune when she has to get a rent deferral from Keitaro. And that look in her eyes! She looks like a tiger on the prowl!)