Ahh, welcome my readers! To the next chapter of this story!

At last after what seemed forever, a new chapter!

Please pardon the shortness of the update, you know I have a track record of keeping it short.

In response to review of the UNREVISED chapters. I want to clarify that, I only posted them to leave something to read for you. It not going to reboot this story with that plot line. Also, I don't know whether I am going to make the UNREVISED chapter a stand alone story. I have stated 2 major reasons to it, via PM. Maybe in the future, when I overcome those problems then it will see the light.

Anyways, let's get the story rolling!

Keitaro was having second thoughts whether he should tell Kitsune about her deal with Motoko. He only revealed Naru's infidelity in the heat of the conversation, but now he was a bit calmer and he didn't know whether Kitsune will tell Naru or not. Kitsune was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to answer her question. Both of them were thrown out of their reverie by a voice.

"Shall I tell her or should you do it yourself?" Motoko asked, she was sitting on the ledge of the balcony. "Also, you two should minimize your voices; someone else might have heard all of your yelling."

Keitaro and Kitsune were surprised to see Motoko there; they thought that no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. But like Motoko said, they were yelling and it wasn't hard to hear two people yelling at each other.

Motoko then jumped down from the balcony in front of the two. Her landing very precise and graceful, you would have thought that there were ropes attached to her back.

"So? Should I or would you like to do it yourself? Motoko asked again, her arms crossed.

"Do you think we should tell her?" Keitaro whispered to Motoko. "I mean can we trust her?"

"She already knows about Naru's infidelity, we can't continue this plan of ours if we don't tell her." Motoko whispered back. "And also, she's Kitsune, she'll find out sooner or later. She needs to know this."

"I know you're both talking about me!" Kitsune said, annoyed that she was left out of the discussion.

"Fine." Keitaro surrendered. "I want to make Naru feel how hurt, bitter and sad I felt when she was out frolicking with her other guy."

"Seriously?" Kitsune said, shocked to hear Keitaro like this. Then she remembered something. "But my question is still unanswered. How does Motoko fit in all this?"

"She's going to be my fake girlfriend." Keitaro said quietly, but enough that Kitsune heard it.

"O.K., you better tell me the truth now because I don't appreciate this joke." Kitsune said agitatedly.

"He's not joking." Motoko said. "He struck a deal with me."

"Really?!" Kitsune blurted out, her eyes wide. "And you agreed?!"

"Yes? And what of it?" Motoko asked, indignantly.

"Nothing." Kitsune said, putting her hands up apologetically. "It's just that, you're not the type to be, I mean, like me."

"You're right about that." Motoko admitted. "But if you were there when he had realized everything, he looked like a lost puppy."

"Hey! Don't talk like I'm not here!" Keitaro said, indignantly stomping his foot on the floor.

But before they could continue, they heard the front door open. It was Naru who looked annoyed. She started to look for them when the trio hadn't arrived for dinner.

"There you are!" Naru shouted, a vein popping on her forehead. "We've been starving there waiting for the three of you to arrive! And I see that you've just been gossiping here!"

When Kitsune saw Naru, she thought that Naru wasn't the type to just cheat on her boyfriend. But Keitaro wouldn't be this troubled by just a speculation. He was the type to give everyone a second chance. Kitsune needed to know whether it was true or not. That was her mission now.

"Oh, come on Naru." Kitsune said friendly at Naru, putting her arm on her shoulders. "We were just messing around here. We were about to come inside when you arrived."

"Are you drunk again, Kitsune?" Naru asked, sniffing Kitsune for anything that smelled alcohol.

"What?! You know I've long quitted alcoholic beverages!" Kitsune said, a bit miffed that Naru would accuse of her of being drunk again.

"O.K. O.K., jeez." Naru apologized. "Anyways, let's just go and eat, I'm starving."

Naru went inside alongside Kitsune, but she stopped and looked at Keitaro and Motoko and said.

"I still think Naru's innocent, but I'll try to look if all you said is true."

With that, Kitsune followed Naru. Keitaro and Motoko were followed after agreeing that they should talk later.

Dinner went O.K., Kitsune was still friendly to Naru, but had lingering thoughts about what Keitaro revealed. Suu was energetic as ever, eating her dish like there was no was again scolding Suu, trying to make her eat slower. Keitaro and Motoko on the other hand, were quiet throughout dinner. Only speaking when talked to.

"Arggh!" Keitaro shouted while violently ruffling his hair, frustrated by his current situation. After dinner, he went straight to the place where he always goes to when he's in a tight spot, the roof. It was quiet there, the view was great, especially today because the night sky was littered with stars. But the reason he always goes here was to be alone. It was well known by all the tenants that when he goes here they weren't allowed to disturb him. But today someone broke that unspoken rule.

Climbing up the roof, was Motoko. Keitaro always had a rough time climbing up to the roof, but because of Motoko's very agile movements and strong physique, it was a breeze for her.

"I thought we agreed to talk?" Motoko asked, sitting next to Keitaro.

"Didn't you know that when I come here, I want to be alone." Keitaro stated, not asking. He lay on the roof, looking at the beautiful night sky.

"Well, when I want to be alone, you always come and disturb me." Motoko stated. "So, we're just even."

Keitaro sighed deeply and said, "I didn't know that what I'm doing right now could be so a hassle to do. When I first thought of all this, I thought that everything will just fall in place and I would easily achieve what I wanted." Again, Keitaro sighed and continued. "But I feel like the author somehow changed tactics and wanted me to fail. He didn't want me to take hold of my own life, just extended the leash, but he didn't set me free."

"Keitaro, you know you're being melodramatic right now." Motoko said, shaking her head. "As if there was a eccentric writer that was controlling our every movements. Don't be ridiculous."

"You're right, but it's true that the pressure really is getting to me."

"The feeling is mutual." Motoko said, laying down on roof beside Keitaro.

"Why is life so hard?" Keitaro asked no one in particular.

"I believe in the saying, "Life is unfairly fair". Meaning that even though it feels that we're being cheated, it's just reality."

They stayed there, chatting about anything and nothing at all. Keitaro appreciated this, even though at first place he wanted to be alone. It lets him feel relaxed, forgetting about his current situation with Kitsune and Naru. Just appreciating Motoko's presence.

Both didn't notice that they were holding each other's hand, fingers intertwined. But when they did notice, they didn't release the other's hand. They both felt secure with each other and everything was alright.

While all this was happening, Kitsune invited Naru to her room. She needed to know whether Keitaro and Motoko's accusation of her best friend were true.

"Hey, Naru. I want to ask something." Kitsune said. "Who are this friends of yours? Why are they so special that you'd rather spend time with them that with Keitaro?"

"Oh, I'm a member of the student council, and I'm just wanting to make a good impression." Naru half lied. It's true that she was a member of the student council, but she lied about who she was going with. "Why the sudden interest?"

"I was wondering about this for a while now." Kitsune shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, everyone has thought about that ever since you and Keitaro became distant. Anyways, when are you going to introduce them to us?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you said that you want to make a good impression on them. Why not invite them here?" Kitsune suggested.

"Well…Umm….They're a bit busy right now." Naru lied. "School's about to resume, and they need to prepare for it."

"Then why do you have so much free time then?" Kitsune asked, a bit suspicious. "Shouldn't you be helping them?"

"Oh, uh, I've already done my part."

"Uh, huh, O.K." Kitsune muttered, not buying Naru's excuses.

Naru then faked a yawn, saying that she's tired and when to her room after saying goodnight to Kitsune. After Naru left, Kitsune was beginning to think that Keitaro and Motoko were right that Naru was having an affair. But she needed more proof, she'll have to investigate further tomorrow. She'll have to leave someone to take care of the tea shop.

Meanwhile, at the other side of the earth. Haruka was busy preparing food for Seta and Sarah. The time she spent with them was either helping Seta with excavating or taking care of Sarah. One would think it was boring or tiring, but she thought that it was time well spent. But she did sometimes felt homesick, missing the tea house and it's eccentric customers. Sometimes thought of calling the girls and Keitaro, but when that she tried it she either had no signal or the phone went missing due to Seta's unorganized behavior.

But today, after eating breakfast. The phone rang, she recognized the caller ID. She picked up the phone and said.

"Hello?"

'Ahh, Haruka how are you?'

"I'm well mother, and you?"

'I'm well as well. There's something you need to know about back home.'

"What kind of trouble has Keitaro gone through now?"

'It's not his fault this time.'

"What is it?"

Granny Hina explained to Haruka what she knew of Keitaro's situation right now, including Keitaro's plan. At first Haruka didn't believe her mother. Naru has had bad record when she was with Keitaro, what with her anti-pervert insticts. But she didn't think that Naru was capable of doing that, it would make her somewhat a hypocrite.

What made her believe was images of Naru with a certain chestnut haired guy. It had Naru and the guy eating at a fancy restaurant, but the one that she was shocked to see was the one at Kanagawa park. At far left corner of the picture she saw Keitaro and Motoko with shocked expressions too.

'This must have been the day that Keitaro caught Naru.' Haruka thought.

"What are you going to do about it, Mother?" Haruka asked.

'I can't interfere. He needs to do this himself.' Hina said. 'I've had enough of manipulating his life. See what good it did to him.'

"But this is the time that he needs help."

'He needs to fix this himself Haruka. Just believe in him.'

And then the line was cut. Haruka was thinking if she should listen to her mother or not. After a minute, she nodded to herself.

"SETA! When's the earliest flight to Japan?" Haruka shouted.

How was it? Good? Great? Bad? The worst thing you've ever read? Tell me in via a review.

You can also send suggestions or something you suspect to happen, via a review or a PM.

Again, I thank those who've sticked with this story of mine. Also, I apologize for the slowness of the updates.