'We Fell in Love'
Disclaimer: Ken Akamatsu wrote 'Love Hina' and he owns the rights. This tale written for fun, and I seek no re-dress from it.
Writer's notes: I am introducing more characters who will also be a part of this story as it moves along. Many are new and many are quite familiar.
-Chapter 3: Relationships-
While running across campus after stopping by an off-campus coffee shop, Kitsune headed over to her first morning lecture of the semester. With her, she carried a small digital video camera along with her smart phone so she could record the Sensei's lecture in class this morning. This is for when she studies later on in her dorm room if she has to work when school is done for the day. She got into this habit because she likes to put the buds into her ears and study when it's quiet in her dorm room.
Her roomie Mariko had a computer animation design class first hour, so they said that they would catch up with each other at lunch.
Kitsune founds that she wasn't the only class participant who used that form of note-taking method in class.
This Sensei was open to new methods of note-taking, as long as it did not disrupt the flow of his class and that person stayed recording in here awake.
"Ohayō, Ruka-san. Did you have a good summer?" asked Kitsune of an older classmate who has become a friend.
The young man she asked this of was an aspiring manga artist who had already published three Tankabon series under an up-and-coming pen name. He was part time college student, who also did construction work and was happily married.
"Yeah, I did," answered Ruka, "Thanks for asking Kit. Oh yeah, Hiromi-chan wanted me to me to say hi. She said thanks for all of the candy." Hiromi is his wife and she's six months pregnant with their first child.
"Tell her hi for me too," said the smiling Fox.
More students filed in.
"Ohayō, Sato-kun. Ohayō Kotone-chan," said Kitsune who spotted two more of her good friends, "Did you two manage to get away at all during the summer like you wanted?"
The couple headed down the lecture hall steps to where she sat.
"No, I had to work and her mother had to go away on business," answered Sato as he and his girlfriend sat with Kitsune in the same row, "So, she had to stay home during the summer break and watch her Otōto." (Younger brother)
"How was Osaka, Kit?" asked Kotone. She always seems to smile no matter what the circumstance.
"Good, my Onii-chan has finally found himself a nice girl," said Kitsune chuckling with the others here, "Her family owns a small inn just outside the city limits. My mom likes her so that's something at least."
It became very quiet in the lecture hall as the Sensei and his grad assistant suddenly walked in to get the class going.
"Okay everyone let's settle down now, I've got a lot of material to cover and it will deviate slightly from what's in the syllabus. You can have your recording devices on but you have to stay awake in my class or I'll turn the sleeper's device off. Now let's begin," said the Sensei without a pause as he sat on the edge of his desk.
The class laughed along a bit before he started in.
-On another part of the University campus-
The only thing that Keitaro has ever splurged on in his life was when he bought himself a used motorcycle. Actually, his father gave him the money because he wanted to use it as well. It was not just any motorcycle; he had purchased a well-maintained 2014 Honda™ Goldwing© that came fully loaded and had very low mileage. The accoutrements on this rig included: a big windscreen, AM/FM stereo with CD player, heat ports to keep him somewhat comfortable when the weather became colder and a sidecar that Kanako absolutely loved. The colors were blue and white, decked out in all chrome trim and to finish it off, there was a large pair of leather saddlebags that hung over the sidecar.
(Kenichi believed that he was lucky to get this peculiar bike, as it was not generally sold in Japan. It was made for the North American market. It also helped that Keitaro has had his motorcycle license since he was eighteen, so every chance he got, he went out riding. That, and Kenichi borrowed it from his son when he and Kasumi had time on the weekends. At first, she was a little dubious about sitting in the sidecar, but after watching the fun her kids have tooling around, she now wanted to go everywhere in it when Keitaro was not using it.)
Even though a family chauffeur could come and take Kanako to school, she loved sitting in the sidecar as Keitaro drove her to schoolover in Kanagawa Prefecture. He
More than once Keitaro has complimented his sister about her new uniform. He said that the new blazer, blouse and pleated skirt combination fit her much better than the old sailor fuku she had worn during the spring semester. Smiling at her brother, Kanako had to agree with him.
After he had dropped Kanako off at the Academy, Keitaro headed off to the art school.
As he rode through Yokohama, Keitaro received quite a few envious stares from other drivers on the highway. He ignored them as he came to his exit and turned off the highway.
The student lot for motorcycles and scooters came up on his left, so he pulled in. There were a few more stares from some of his fellow students when he parked it.
When he took off his helmet, Keitaro spotted a beautiful woman as she got out of her car. There was a portfolio and an art supply bag with her as she headed towards him.
"Kei-kun, I'm still a bit ticked off at you for not drawing me topless at that bar two weeks ago," said the woman named Kina as she stopped by his bike. She wished that their relationship was a lot more than it was at present. He did not take her hints or the bait that she had dangled in front of his face since junior high. Kina liked him a lot because he was a gentleman, which to her, was a rarity in today's Japan.
"Yeah right, Kina-chan," said Keitaro who laughed with his reply, "It was bad enough that you flashed us all even though that place was full of drunken men." He then reached for his art supplies out of the left saddlebag for his first class.
"Hey Keitaro, is she hitting on you again?" asked a young man named Daisuke who approached them, "I wish you'd hit on me sometimes." He was Keitaro's best friend and part of a group that he regularly socialized with.
With a smirk, Daisuke teased the young woman next to him and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Hentai," Kina said playfully as she jabbed him slightly in the ribs, "what would Ringo-chan say if she knew you were hitting on me." Ringo was Daisuke's girlfriend and Kina's best friend.
Keitaro snickered at the duo's antics as they headed off to class together.
"Kina-chan, she would probably thank me for keeping you off of Keitaro," said Daisuke as he teased her back, "You're almost like an added appendage when we're all together." He isn't interested in Kina romantically.
"And Dai-kun, he keeps ignoring me too," said Kina with a fake pout. She looked over at Daisuke when the three entered one of the classroom studios for their first class of the day.
Keitaro knew to say nothing as he set up his easel for the first hour.
He knew that Kina was a very gorgeous woman, but she did not interest him as dating material. He thought of her only as one of his best friends. On occasion, he had drawn her portrait as he had with the others in their clique, but only offhandedly.
However, there was someone else that she liked. He was extremely shy though, but if he was to ask her out, she would not turn him down.
Back to reality as they all get settled in.
-At Urashima's downtown shop-
"Urashima-san, how much do you charge now for these new pork buns?" asked a part-timer who had just punched in.
"Yotsuba-san, they're the same price as the beef ones," answered Kenichi with a smile. All the Urashima stores have lately added a little deli area that sold lunches and mid-afternoon food items freshly made for those on the go. It was a popular and fast-growing area of his business.
In her usual breathless manner, Kitsune came in the front door. She had only three morning classes today because her afternoon one was cancelled due to the Sensei's absence due to a cold. Her notes from their previous lecture would keep her up-to-date until the next class. A note on their office door placed there by the teaching assistant read that they would be back on Friday for that day's lecture and that they should study what they had so far.
Smiling because the store was busy as always, she knew that the time would fly by very fast.
"Konnichiwa, mina-san," Kitsune said almost eagerly and dropped off her stuff in the office. She then washed her hands, grabbed an apron off the back shelf and tied it up in the back of it after slipping the top loop over her head.
Over on the office notice board, she saw what was on the list for that day.
"That will keep me going until closing time," said Kitsune in a thoughtful tone. She loved the fact that she did not have to close up today.
Nodding to herself, she headed out onto the main floor.
After a few minutes, an odd question came at her from Kenichi.
"Kitsune, are you seeing anyone right now?" asked Kenichi who quietly inquired of his assistant manager.
Looking askance at him for a second, she did not know how she should answer that.
"Urashima-san, you're a happily married man, aren't you?" answered Kitsune with a teasing question of her own. He has a good sense of humor, so she wants to see where his line of questioning would lead.
"Gomen, Kitsune. That wasn't for me," he replied wanting to clear up the misunderstanding, "I was just making small talk while trying to find out a little more about you."
Standing next to her boss, Kitsune was helping him with some chocolate-covered pretzels and caramels.
With a shrug, she said, "I'm not seeing anyone right now Urashima-san. My busy schedule doesn't allow for it. Plus, I have a new elective course starting next Monday, so that'll cut into my time even more."
Kitsune putting candies on the trays for store display sales.
"I hear that," said Kenichi, "I was the same way when I attended the school like you. That was long before opening my first store. That's how I met my wife." He almost inadvertently let the 'cat out of the bag'. But at the same time, he said the last part as a large floor mixer went on, so she missed the end of what he had said.
'Thank Kami for that,' Kenichi thought as he breathed a sigh of relief.
Since it was early afternoon, the place is really hopping and kept at it for the rest of the business day.
Kenichi could not bring the subject up anymore, it was 1:30pm and he had to leave.
In addition, Kitsune was flat out as she tried to keep up with the demands of the shop's sweet-toothed customers.
Working straight thru until the 5:00pm closing time, Kitsune knew that someone else would be here to lock up today. For once she did not have to wait for everyone else to finish.
Seeing an opportunity, she grabbed her stuff and ran out the front door. Kitsune wanted to catch an earlier tram than usual as someone else walked into the back door.
"Good timing, the front door is now locked," said Keitaro happily. He watched while the employees scrubbed everything down before they left for the day.
One last walk-through before he set the alarm, stepped outside and locked the backdoor.
-End of Chapter-