Chapter 11: A New Life (With a Smile)
Lift your head, baby don't be scared
Of the things that could go wrong along the way
You'll get by with a smile
You can't win at everything but you can try
"Promise me we'll be best friends forever, till the end of time…" The little girl with auburn hair and brown eyes uttered.
The little boy with brown hair and nerdy glasses smiled, "I promise."
"For sure?" She asked again.
He lifted his right arm and said, "I do promise that we'll be the best of friends... for forever. I will never leave you and this river would be our promise river... our lifetime witness."
The little girl smiled and murmured, "Forever…"
The two kids ran and played in the river.
"How cute…"
"Who? Me? Thanks, I know."
Narusegawa laughed, "Silly! Not you, the kids… they're just like us before. To think they also made their promise here, in this river, where we also vowed to be together for eternity …" and said as she gazed at the kids running around the river, a true smile was formed in her lips.
Keitaro nodded while smiling, "Oh yeah… they're just like us."
Baby you don't have to worry cause there ain't no need to hurry
No one ever said that there's an easy way
When they're closing all their doors
And they don't want you anymore
This sounds funny but I'll say it anyway
"Who would've thought we would still be here… with our little one and her best friend. Which she also met here in the same river where we two first met… I do think it's not just coincidental, it's planned… by fate." She uttered, tears about to fall from her eyes, but this time, it's not because she's hurting, it's because she's happy and she couldn't be any happier.
He nodded and stated, "It is fate indeed… and it has its own way of connecting people together, and I'm glad it connected us. We've been though a lot and I wouldn't let things go wrong anymore… and if it does, just trust me, I'll still be here beside you, no matter what happens, I'll still be the little boy you cry to when you're depressed, the little boy you call your neighbor best friend and the little boy who loves you."
The tears fell down from her eyes, she smiled, "I also promise you that I'd be that same little girl who believes in you, who trusts you more than anyone… I would never change. I would still be your neighbor best friend, and though things may change, I would never leave you. Because I believe, fate planned everything that happened between us, it may have hurt us so much before, yet in the end, it just made us stronger. And come what may, I would still be that little Naru Narusegawa you met here… here in our promise river." And then she hugged him, as the tears of joy freely flowed from her eyes.
Girl I'll stay through the bad times
Even if I have to fetch you everyday
I'll get by if you smile
You can never be too happy in this life
The two kids stopped playing for the current scene made them wonder,
"Why is she crying?" The little boy asked.
The little girl shrugged, "I don't know… wait, let's go to them and ask." And then she pulled his arm and ran towards Narusegawa and Keitaro.
"Daddy… why is Mommy crying?" The little girl asked, worry written on her face.
Keitaro laughed, "Oh… it's nothing Keiko."
Narusegawa wiped her tears and smiled, "It's nothing dear… I'm just so happy."
"If you're happy… then why are you crying?" The little girl asked, confusion written on her face.
Keitaro and Narusegawa both laughed.
The two kids got more confused.
Narusegawa smiled, "It's nothing Keiko, I'm just happy and those tears were tears of joy."
"Oh… if that's the case, why are you so happy Mommy?" She asked and then she went to Narusegawa and hugged her.
"Hmm… the reason is you Keiko, it's because you're with us. Because you make us so happy Keiko… you made us complete. I and your daddy love you very very much." Narusegawa uttered while returning the warm embrace of her daughter.
"I love you too Mommy and Daddy!" Keiko said and then she ran towards Keitaro to give him a warm hug.
Keitaro smiled, with his arms wide open, ready to accept his daughter's embrace.
Narusegawa smiled and brought out the picnic basket, "Come on, enough of the hugging and drama, let's eat. I'm starving. Shuuji, come and join us."
The little boy ran and joined them, "Thanks!"
In a world where everybody hates a happy ending story
It's a wonder what can make the world go round
But don't let it bring you down
And turn your face into a frown
You'll get along with a little prayer and a song
After eating, Keitaro and Shuuji went for a walk, leaving Narusegawa and Keiko, who's cleaning out the dishes at the moment.
After strolling they went back and looked for a spot to sit at, "Shuuji... would you take good care of our daughter Keiko whenever you're together, is that okay?" Keitaro said.
Shuuji smiled, "Of course I would Sir! Keiko is my best friend; I would never let her down and never will I make her cry."
Keitaro smiled back, "That's good to hear… but remember, things won't always go the way you want them to, still you shouldn't lose trust with each other. Just believe on what you think would do you right, and in the end, I know everything would be just fine."
Shuuji bobbed, "I would… don't worry, I wouldn't leave your daughter alone Sir."
"That's good… I just hope you wouldn't experience the same things Narusegawa and I did. I don't have any regrets, but still, I don't want you to go through the same sufferings we went through." He mumbled, then he lay down on the grass and closed his eyes.
Meanwhile...
Narusegawa and Keiko are fixing the dishes, "Mommy, when and where did you meet Daddy?" Keiko asked.
Narusegawa smiled, "Here."
"Here?"
Narusegawa nodded, "Yes, we met here. When we were still little kids, we were somewhat your age, and here, we also promised to be together for the rest of our lives."
Keiko smiled, amusement seen on her face, "Really? So you're best friends too before?"
She nodded, "And we still are."
Keiko exclaimed, "Wow! That's so nice!"
She smiled, "It is."
"So… why did you become a couple, if you're best friends?" Keiko asked.
"Let's just say, we realized we wanted to be together for forever, and that we love each other more than just a love you feel for your friend. It's a love that's more intense, and I guess, a love that has been intended by fate…" She said, contentment and happiness seen on her face. No one can ever describe how she's feeling, but surely those feelings are in close connection with happiness, because now, she doesn't just have Keitaro, she also has Keiko. Those two people completed her, without them, she would be so incomplete. She just couldn't think of the future without them… always right beside her.
Indisputably and without any doubt… these people were bounded by fate. It was indeed fate who tied the strings to connect them together, and it was fate,
…who planned their lives but in the end, finally made them happy.
A/N: I finished one story, I know it's a little short, but hey, I finished it! This story is my first Love Hina fan fiction and my first completed story, I'm just so happy right now, really.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to those people who somehow motivated me to continue writing this story, for the reviews and the hits, thank you so much!
And also for those who put my story on their C2 communities, and on their favorite story and story alert list, arigatou!
You guys know who you are.
I hope you liked my story!
Please support my other Love Hina fics, that's all, and again…
Arigatou minna-san!
torn pieces