[Author's Note: In case anyone is wondering how long Love Hina: Summer Before is gonna last (in chapters), I really have no idea. I guess that's just the kind of a writer I am. Of course, I have ideas about where I want the story to go, and significant problems that have to arise and resolve, I really write everything as it comes to me while typing. I'm not sure why I included this in the author's notes, but I just felt like people would be wondering why I'm doing a whole story on what happens before college actually begins. But the answer to that question will be very clear later. Anyways, that's enough of the mysterious, can't give away any hints, talk, so on with the story!]
I do not own Love Hina or its characters (never have, never will).
Chapter 6: Surprise Celebration!
"Hey! SUU!" yelled Sara, spotting her a little farther down the beach.
"Hey Sara!" yelled back Su.
"Do you want to play?" asked Sara as they walked toward each other.
"I can't. I have to work," responded Su.
"Then Sara will come and work too!" said Sara, "bye Shinobu!"
With that, Sara, Su, Keitaro, Naru, and Mutsumi continued walking toward the Tea House.
"Bye…I wonder what I should do now…I guess I'd better get something to eat" Shinobu thought to herself.
Maybe I'll go to that food hut over there…
How did I end up all by myself? Motoko thought to herself while walking back from the hotel, where she had taken a shower and changed her clothes. Why do I have to be so anti-social all the time? I need to make some friends or something…Why can't I be more like Naru and the others…I guess I do need some practice with my social skills…and I remember what my sister always told me…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A young woman with beautiful long black hair was sitting against the trunk of a tree with a young girl sitting in her lap.
"But sister, how do I become strong like you?" asked the little girl.
"Just remember this," responded the older woman, "mental and social strength is just as important as physical strength, but love is most important above all else."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sister…why can't I be more like you…I never will…but I have to try with all my strength…Farther down the beach she saw a young woman (a little older than Motoko) sitting on a blanket by herself. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and had her head hanging over them. This is my chance to show my strength…She took a deep breath and walked over next to the girl. She unrolled her blanket just a few feet away from the woman.
"Excuse me…could you tell me the time?" asked Motoko.
"I think it's around 3 o'clock," responded the woman, not moving her head.
Motoko looked closer and saw that tears were pouring down her face. Motoko noticed that she was looking into the sky.
"It's a beautiful day today, isn't it?" said Motoko.
"…if you can't tell…"she said lifting her head and looking toward Motoko, "I really don't feel like having a pleasant conversation with anyone right now." She could barely spit out the words, with the heavy floods of tears rolling down her face.
"Well…if you tell me your problem…maybe I can help you," said Motoko.
No response.
"Please, just give me a chance," pleaded Motoko.
"Fine," she responded.
"But first, wipe away your tears," said Motoko, handing her a tissue.
"Thanks," she said, wiping away her tears.
"So…start from the beginning," said Motoko.
"Well…it all started when…" she started.
Haruka was sitting at a table in the Tea House eating a small of leftovers from morning shift, when Seta walked in.
"Hey Seta-san, what are you doing here?" she said.
"Hey Haruka. I'm on vacation with the new part-timer and Sara," he responded.
"Really. So where is he?" she asked, not showing much expression.
"He went to have lunch somewhere. But I came here you to ask about, you-know-what," he whispered.
"You sound like such an idiot when you say it like that," she said, "but anyways, what about it?"
"Well…when are we going to tell all the kids about it," said Seta.
"I don't know…maybe at end of our vacation," she said.
"Okay…oh yeah…one more thing," he added, "what about the surprise?"
"It's still planned for tonight, and don't be late. You know your part, right?" she said.
"Yeah, of course," responded Seta.
Right in the middle of their conversation, they heard voices slowly coming closer.
"Hurry up and get out of here, or else the kids will suspect something," she said, "go out the back."
Seta got up and ran out the back of the Tea House just as Keitaro, Naru, Sara, Su, and Mutsumi were walking in.
"Have you just been here by yourself all this time," asked Keitaro.
"Yup. We'd better get back to work, customers will be showing up any minute now," replied Haruka.
"But who's gonna cook?" asked Naru.
"You two," she said as she pointed to Naru and Mutsumi, "don't worry, Shinobu wrote down all of her recipes for you in the kitchen."
"The rest of you will be waiters and waitresses," she commanded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well…are you gonna make up with her?" Kitsune said excitedly.
"Yeah…tonight…I just don't know how," said Satoshi.
"Just tell her what comes natural…tell her what you just told me!" she said.
"I know, I know…by the way, it looks like you haven't even touched your food and your sake!" he said.
"I guess I just got so interested in your story that I forgot about it," she said.
"Well…I guess I'd better get going. Thanks a ton, you helped me out a lot," he said while getting up and walking out of the bar.
"No problem. See you around Satoshi!" she said.
"Satoshi's girlfriend is one lucky girl…sigh…I wonder when I'll ever meet my special someone…
"Hey Kitsune…" said a voice from behind her.
She turned around and said, "Oh hey Kentaro. What's up?" said Kitsune.
"Oh nothing. I just came here to get something to eat," said Kentaro.
"So…did you hear about the surprise party?" said Kitsune.
"No…what is it?" asked Kentaro.
"Well…its tonight and it's for…" Kitsune said.
[Author's Note: Yup! That's the end! What a cliffhanger, huh? Well…I had great fun writing this chapter, and the next is gonna be even better. Thanks for reading, and keep reviewing! God Bless!]