Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina.

A/N: I debated with myself of how I wanted to proceed with this chapter.

Chapter 12

Keitaro sighed when Shinobu was pleading him to let her stay with him for a while. He felt bad but he also felt that it had to be done.

Keitaro shook his head, "No can do Shinobu. I really don't think it's a good idea."

Shinobu was crushed at Keitaro's answer and Keitaro started to walk away to leave.

"Please, tell me why," Shinobu spoke with strain in her voice.

"Shinobu, I've already told you back at the university, too many bad memories when I'm near you. Besides, it wouldn't be long before Naru or Motoko gets the idea that you be in danger and if they were know that you were with me, well, I'm sure you know the result," Keitaro turned around, "I have to go, take care of yourself Shinobu."

"Senpai, please wait-" Shinobu cut herself off when Keitaro was actually running to get away. The blue haired teen was in shock. Keitaro Urashima was making sure he got away from her. All Shinobu could do was look on and feel distraught. Shinobu sat on the bench and let her tears flow on her face.

Mutsumi's Apartment

Mutsumi sat on her floor and rested her arms on the table. She had felt very sad after the events that had happened at the Hinata Inn. She put her hand on her face and thought of what she was going to do.

"What am I going to do?" Mutsumi asked herself sadly, "Keitaro, I have to make him understand. I need to show him that I do care about him," Mutsumi shook her head sadly; "this is has been the worst thing that has ever happened in my life."

Hotel, Marumi's Room

Marumi sat on her bed and was reading a book. She then looked on her left side out of the window to get a view of the city. She sighed and looked at the clock in her hotel room. It was 3:30PM and nodded at it. She got up from her bed and decided to get ready.

"I'll pay a visit to Yoko's grave," Marumi thought to herself, "I wonder if Mom, Kyoshiro, or Haruka are going to do the same."

She got the stuff she needed and headed out of her hotel room and left.

Near the entrance of Shinsuke's Apartment Building

Keitaro was walking up the entrance. He stopped and looked back at the direction he was coming from. He felt bad about leaving Shinobu the way he did but he didn't want the risk. He felt that Shinobu couldn't really be sure that she wasn't being followed. In the past, he was always followed by the rest of the tenants without his knowing and when if something that were to involve Shinobu, he knew that at the least Naru and Motoko would get involve and no matter where he was or if he was trying to get away, they would pursue him and drag him back. He shook out of those thoughts and went up to the entrance of the apartment building.

Hinata Park

Shinobu was still feeling sad but her thoughts were interrupted when she heard voices. She looked and saw Naru, Motoko, Su, and Kitsune.

"Shinobu, we finally caught up with you," Kitsune said.

Shinobu was shocked, "Why are you all here?"

"We came for you," Su said happily, pleased to see her friend.

"Despite your poor choices and decisions as of late, it's a good thing we found you," Motoko said.

"We were worried about you," Naru said, "Why did you leave so suddenly and not tell us where you were going?"

Shinobu now had her fists on her sides and shaking them and her head down, "You went looking for me?"

"Yep, we never leave you alone," Su said casually.

"By the way Shinobu, was someone with you just now?" Kitsune asked.

"What do you mean?" Shinobu asked getting suspicious.

"I felt the aura of someone with you a while ago," Motoko said, "and I'm pretty sure it was Urashima."

At this point, Motoko, Kitsune, and Naru were looking at Shinobu with serious expressions while Su looked at Shinobu with hope in her eyes.

"Did you really get to talk to Keitaro?" Su asked happily.

Shinobu sighed, "Yes, I did."

"And what did he want?" Naru asked and then thought of something, "Wait, did he do something to you or tried to?"

"Has he? Was he up to no good?" Motoko asked.

Shinobu was just looking at them with her eyes narrowed, "Is all you can think about?"

"Naru, Motoko, please stop. It's accusations like that is one of the reasons Keitaro doesn't want anything to do with us in the first place" Kitsune said causing the two to look surprised at the fox lady and embarrassed for their comments and turned to Shinobu, "Shinobu, we were just curious of what you and Keitaro talked about that's all."

Shinobu looked away, "I told him what was going on at the inn and how things have gone bad ever since he left."

"What did he say about that?" Naru asked curiously.

"He just offered his condolences."

"That's it?" Naru was shocked.

"I also told him about his Aunt Marumi and her intention to take over the inn."

"What did he say about that?" Kitsune asked.

"He just gave his condolences as well," Shinobu answered with bitterness.

"And what is he going to do about?" Naru asked.

"He's not going to do anything. As far as he's concerned, it's not his problem," Shinobu said with sadness.

Naru got upset, "How could he say it's not his problem. Everything that been going on with us is because he left."

"Is Urashima just going just stand by and not do anything about it?" Motoko asked in an upset tone, "Doesn't he care that we may be forced out of our home?"

"Keitaro no longer has anything to do with the dorm," Kitsune reminded, "and why would he care anyway after the crap we put him through."

That comment stopped everyone except Shinobu in their tracks.

"What are we going to do?" Su asked worried.

"There's nothing we can do," Kitsune said, "It's our own fault. We took Keitaro for granted, took advantage of his kindness and drove him away by repaying him with the abuses."

"Kitsune, how could you say that?" Naru asked.

"Are you going to try to tell me otherwise Naru? Are you going to try and say that Keitaro at fault for this?"

"It's just that…Keitaro was never one who ran from his commitment before so…it's just that…"

"Is Urashima…really not going to intervene?" Motoko asked with a hint of sadness.

"We have to face facts, Keitaro isn't coming back. He won't help us," Kitsune said, "and we have only ourselves to blame."

"It's just not fair…" Naru said in her head.

Su sat on the ground hugging her knees and rocking, "Big brother Keitaro…"

Shinobu looked at down on her right side with a scowl on her face, "They showed up just like he figured they would. If he had stuck around, they would have harassed him. Why? Why won't they just leave me alone? Why don't they understand?"

Soon all the girls decided to head back to the Hinata Inn and think of some way to keep staying. Not one of them wanted to go back to their original homes and have to deal with their problems along with it.

Keitaro's Apartment

Keitaro was putting stuff away. He sighed of relief and looked at the clock of on top of his television. Keitaro thought of something and nodded at the idea. He left his apartment and decided to go to the dojo.

Mutsumi's Apartment

Mutsumi got up and decided that she had to do this.

"I have to tell Keitaro about 'the promise'," Mutsumi said, "I think it's time he knew the truth," Mutsumi put her finger on her chin, "Now, where was Keitaro's new apartment? Hmmm…I guess I'll need to ask Motoko."

Dojo within Shinsuke's Apartment Building

Keitaro was walking towards the entrance. As he got there, he heard a voice.

"Oh, someone's there…" Keitaro muttered quietly.

Keitaro went to get a close look. He then saw Nagisa with her hair tied back in a ponytail in her white gi and blue hakama working on her katas with a bokken. Keitaro saw the seriousness in Nagisa's expression and practice. He couldn't help but be reminded about how he saw Motoko was when she was practicing.

"I guess it really does run in the family…" Keitaro thought to himself.

Suddenly Nagisa stopped and smiled, "So Keitaro, are going to just stand there and watch?"

Keitaro was surprised and Nagisa turned to Keitaro and giggled. Keitaro rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment and walked in.

"I'm sorry," Keitaro said sheepishly, "I saw you were training and I didn't want to interrupt."

Nagisa couldn't help but to giggle again, "It's okay. So what brings you here? Did you come to be my sparring partner?"

"Uh, not exactly…I just wanted to check the place out again and maybe get some practice on my own."

"Your own practice?"

"Yeah, you see I was trained in my family's martial arts. I didn't continued because I wasn't really good at it and my grandmother saw more promise with Kanako. I figured that I should get back to it."

Nagisa was intrigued as this was the first time she heard something like this, "That's interesting. This is the first time I've heard that you've trained in martial arts."

Keitaro chuckled, "Yeah, well, like I said, it's been a long time."

"He so modest, so kind hearted," Nagisa thought smiling and then she went to a side of the room picked up a bokken from a rack.

"Nagisa?" Keitaro spoke.

"Keitaro, how good are you with a sword?" Nagisa asked.

Hinata Cemetery

Marumi arrived to the entrance of the cemetery. She went in the cemetery and walked a few miles. She arrived at her destination but was surprised that three other people had arrived there before her. It was her mother, Hina, her brother Kyoshiro, and her niece, Haruka. They were standing in front of the grave of the Hina's eldest daughter and Kyoshiro and Marumi's older sister who was also Haruka's biological mother, Yoko Urashima. Marumi went up to them and the three of turned and saw her coming.

"You're here Marumi," Kyoshiro commented.

"Of course I'm here. I came to see my big sister," Marumi replied.

Kyoshiro simply looked back on the grave. They began to give their prayers to the family member who life was cut too short. No one said anything to each other and there was complete silence with them. After a long moment of silence, they opened their eyes and looked sadly. Hina went in closer to the grave.

"You continued to be missed my daughter," Hina said softly.

Haruka and Kyoshiro went to grave as well with Marumi as well.

"Sis…" Kyoshiro and Marumi thought at the same time.

"…Mom…"Haruka thought, "I wonder…"

Back in the dojo in Shinsuke's Apartment Building

Nagisa and Keitaro were sparring with bokkens. Keitaro had a change of attire that was kept in the dojo and was the same attire that Nagisa wore. Keitaro was holding his own with his sparring match with Nagisa. Nagisa was impressed with hold Keitaro was holding on against her. Soon in a quick swing, Nagisa knocked the bokken out of Keitaro's hand and pointed her own wooden sword at Keitaro's neck.

"Wow…" Keitaro muttered with a smile.

"I'm impressed," Nagisa said, "You held your own very well. Are you sure you haven't practice a sword before?"

"Y-Yeah…the only times I touched a sword was when Motoko challenged me and when I held the Hina Blade."

Nagisa put her bokken down to her side, "I see…you know, for an amateur, you're very good."

"Really? Thanks…"

"You know, with much instruction, you could get real good. What do you say?"

"Are you offering to train me in the way of the sword?"

"Actually yes, I am. What do you say?"

Keitaro thought about it for a little, "I don't know. I don't want to trouble you."

"It will be no trouble at all. I would actually consider it a pleasure to do so."

Keitaro couldn't help but to be amazed, "You really wouldn't mind?"

"I wouldn't mind. Besides, I think it would be beneficial for you."

"Well, I wouldn't mind…will you train me to get stronger."

Nagisa smiled, "If you're committed, then I have no problem helping you."

"Can I ask you something?" Keitaro asked.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Why are you willing to help me out?"

Nagisa thought about a bit, "I know what it's like."

"What it's like?" Keitaro asked surprised.

"To be in the same situation like you."

"We're you in the same situation as I was?"

"Sort of but I had a friend who was exactly like you."

"Had?"

Nagisa felt sad when Keitaro asked the one word and it cause Keitaro to worry.

"Nagisa, did something happen to your friend?" Keitaro asked worried for Nagisa.

Nagisa turned away from Keitaro feeling ashamed, "I failed to help my friend. He was my dear friend but then he…"

Keitaro put his hand on Nagisa's shoulder, "If it's hard for you to talk, then…"

"It's okay," Nagisa said assuring Keitaro, "I want you to hear this."

Nagisa turned to Keitaro to tell her story.

Hinata Inn

Hina had returned back to the inn. She had thought that things would work out fine but things have not worked out as well as she thought they would. She thought that the only thing left for her to do was to go see her grandson Keitaro. She needed to talk to him herself and try to convince him to come back as the manager and owner of the Hinata Inn and grounds. The old Urashima wanted Keitaro to come back for he had not yet realized who his promise girl was yet and he may not get the chance if her grandson wasn't in charge of the inn and if Marumi took over and kicked out the tenants, especially the certain one who was suppose to be fated to him. Everything she done was for Keitaro's happiness and she just wanted to help make his dream come true, that was all she really wanted. She decided to go to Keitaro's apartment and speak with him and try to convince him and she was going to assure her grandson that things will be better once he gets back.

That's it for this chapter. Next chapter: Nagisa tells her story to Keitaro, Hina plans to talk to her grandson, and in Tokyo University Keitaro and Naru run in to each other. How will things go for ever since Keitaro broke up with her and cut his ties with her and the others girls of the Hinata Inn.