Ok...It has been quite some time since the last update. Yeah sorry about that. My life has been getting pretty hectic. I'm starting something new in my life, a career change if you will. Its taking most of my time there. Not to mention that my life hasn't been the greatest. I have been turning my life around recently, the career change pending, and this is one of those things I want to still continue. Comedy my friends, is what I want to do. Writing is what I must become better at.

Chapter 13: Thoughts Over Tea and Coffee

(Keitaro's POV)

So we meet up with Karou and his friend Aoi... Ah hell, who am I kidding?! They're probably together! Why is that I'm the only one who can't find anyone to be with?! Or at least someone normal...

Anyway, turns out that Karou doesn't live at that apartment anymore. It was a good thing we found him just walking by it anyway. I would've had no idea where to search from him, never mind I had no idea what to do next. I introduced myself as Karou's old friend from back in the day. Aoi seemed really...formal? Like Tsuruko, she's wearing an older style of dress. A blue kimono to be exact.

The girls introduced themselves, Mei was a traveling middle school student, Amalla as a princess of Mol Mol (to which they've never heard of), and Tsuruko as Tsuruko. Aoi seemed nice to everyone but Karou kept giving me that look of "How the hell did you meet up with these people ?". To which I gave him the "I have no idea. They kind of just tagged along" shrug.

We ended up going to a coffee house, for tea mainly since only Karou and I drink coffee heavily, to catch up. All of us. That's about six people.

"So Keitaro, what have you been up too? It's been a while since I've seen you," Karou asks while holding his cup of coffee.

"Not much. Just taking a quick vacation," I lie while trying to drink my coffee and not burn my tongue.

"Really? I thought you were running away from your responsibilities at running a girls dormitory," Mei says between sips of her drinks.

*cough/choking* That's it. Tongue burnt.

"Keitaro, are you ok? Did you drink to fast?" Tsuruko pats my back, trying to get the liquid to float down easily.

I take a quick glance up to see the different reactions. Aoi uses her kimono sleeve to cover her mouth. Amalla is laughing out loud, spilling her drink a little. Tsuruko eyes are a bit more open but she is also helping me not die by coffee. Mei is just sitting there like an evil genius who just dropped the bomb, proverbial is this instance. Karou...well. He's just kind of sitting there. That's it. Just there. C'mon! Move damn it!

"Is that true, Keitaro?" Karou finally stutters out. I said move not ask bad questions.

"Yeah," I finally speak clearly enough to understand. I start looking down at this point.

"So you run a girls dorm? How did that happened?"

"My grandmother gave me the place. It just kind of happened one day. I was looking for a place to go after my parents kicked me out of our house. Granny Hina called me up earlier so I went to go see her and see if I could stay at her inn for a while." And after a series of misunderstandings involving me running around the complex to avoid death, while by being naked, I mentally added to myself.

"Long story short, she wasn't there, but gave me the deed and responsibility of running her, not inn but all girls dormitory." I think I just spoke too much.

"Wow. That's some story you got there Keitaro. I would have never guessed there was another guy in practically the same situation as me," Karou mused out loud.

Yeah well...Wait. What was that last part?

"What do you mean, "practically in the same situation"?" I ask. "Do you run a girls dorm too?"

"No. Nothing like that," Karou waves off my question with Aoi laughing gently next to him.

"What Lord Karou means is that he lives with all women too. It is quite funny to see another one of his friends does the same thing as well," Aoi finishes off with Karou nodding.

"Sorry to interrupt but how did that happen," Mei asks innocently enough. Girl knows how to be blunt and polite, I'll give her that.

Karou and Aoi freeze up. Actually, they look nervous. They look at each other, expecting the other to know the answer. Wait, are they having a conversation with their eyes?!

"So you two are together, right?" Mei would be a great investigator. Either that or torture specialist.

"Ah...well...you see...Lord Karou and I are...We are..." Aoi can't even look up without blushing. Way to cover up your "secret".

"Yes we are," Karou answers. "In fact we're engaged."

My jaw drops. Engaged?! Are you freakin' serious?! I could barely walk next to Naru let alone talk romantic things to her but engaged?! He's light years away from me! I can even count fast in parsecs I'd have to go to catch up to him.

"So why are you trying to hide it, if you don't mind me asking," Tsuruko looks at them. A touch of surprise there. I would've expected Mei with that follow up question.

"Well, I'll put a long story short," Karou starts off. "Have you heard of the Sakuraba family?"

"Do you mean the ones that own the department store franchise?" I ask. Karou nods yes.

"Of course, my family has had dealings with them as well," Tsuruko responds.

"Really? I don't remember you though..."Aoi muses to herself.

"You probably won't know me personally but the Aoyama family definitely deals with the Sakuraba family," Tsuruko adds.

"Aoyama?! Of the Kyoto Aoyamas?!" Aoi exclaims.

"Yes. That's all I will say for now. Might you finish your story please? Though I may already be able to foresee what happens next." Tsuruko uses a hand gesture to encourage the end of Karou's story.

"Of course," Karou responded. "I used to belong to another family. Aoi and I were once engaged when we were little. However I left the family to be on my own." I already knew he left home. His family weren't the nicest people to deal with. "I was in my second year of college when..."

"I found Lord Karou again. I still wanted to be with him. My family however, opposed this. So in order to be together but not know outside of a few people, Karou lives in a dormitory. People tend to know me as just his landlord," Aoi finished for him.

"I see. Yes, that wouldn't be good public appearances for the Sakuraba's heir to be engaged to a normal person, let alone someone who is disowned from a family," Tsuruko thought out loud. "I hope that didn't offend you, Mr. Karou."

He shook his head. "No. It's alright. I understand what it looks like. I don't want Aoi to be disowned from her family."

"So how comes ya'll just told us the situation so easily? Some of us are strangers," Amalla asked. Her tea had long been replaced by another one.

Karou took a slight breath. "Well, the truth be told, I trust Keitaro. He's never one to break a promise. And if he trusts you enough him to travel with him, then I know I can trust you too."

"Lord Karou," Aoi whispers out.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious that Karou has changed. He definitely wasn't like this last I saw him. That's a good thing. He was pretty down last time I saw him. I had thought that the blond foreigner would have been the one get him out his funk but I'm glad nonetheless. However, while I am glad for him, there still is one problem.

"I guess, now, I still don't have a place to stay for a while. I'll have to find somewhere else," I think out loud to myself.

"Yes that is right," Tsuruko had her finger to her chin. "We also must find a place for ourselves as well. Perhaps we could find a hotel for tonight."

"That's sounds great! I cans get my father to pay something reals good ya!" Amalla jumps up from her seat.

"That's well and fine and all but I will still need to call my parents. I'm obviously not close to Hinata anymore so I need to tell them I'm safe. I will need to tell them I have a responsible guardian. Obviously Keitaro and Amalla are out of the running of responsible guardian. Ms. Tsuruko could you tell them I'm ok?" Mei asked.

So now I'm not even a good enough guardian? C'mon, just one break is all I ask. Just one.

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Keitaro," Aoi halted further conversation with those words. "I believe we can work something out. You may be able to stay at our place."

"Aoi?! Are you sure? What about Miyabi? She's barely let the others, let alone me, stay there? Are you sure she'll let them stay?" Karou! Keep your trap shut! Stop ruining by break!

"I will make her understand. You said it yourself Lord Karou. These women trust Keitaro. And you trust him, Lord Karou. I'm sure if he's been able to gain the trust of all these people, he will have no problem winning over Miyabi's trust either," Aoi said to Karou.

Karou sighed in defeat. "Alright we'll try. If what Ms. Tsuruko says is true, Miyabi will at least bend if another important family is involved. That will be our last resort though."

"Of course. Well then, now that this is settled, shall we go Mr. Keitaro? We have to show you to the place where you'll be stay." Aoi smiled, "Its my duty as landlord to make sure you enjoy your stay."

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And that's the end of this chapter. I know, I was hoping for something longer too but hopefully everyone will understand that this is just a new beginning for me in this story. I will try and make sure the next chapter comes up as soon as possible. Well, at least the story is finally hitting the point I wanted to hit a much longer time ago. Please do read and review. Reviews = Food for authors!