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Disclaimer:
I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina is property of Ken Akamatsu.
Kokoro no Tsubasa
Wings of the Heart
Chapter 3
There was no peace, not anymore. The enveloping darkness let me go, releasing its hold on me with an explosion of sound. Orbs of black opened, finding the invading rays of light gone. It was night, but the lamp had been turned on. I blinked several times before shifting my sore body, and began to ease myself into a sitting position.
"Motoko's awake, it seems." The voice was different, and yet familiar.
"Mhhmm..." I yawned, unable to supress such a rude expression. Manners did not seem important at a time such as this.
"Motoko-sempai, you've slept for a day after last waking. Please, drink." Shinobu's small hand held a glass of water. My throat was parched. I could not resist.
Downing the cool, clear liquid in a few short gulps, I felt better, although still sore from the fall. I saw Mitsune sleeping in a chair across the room. There were voices outside, but it soon passed. 'What had I heard, then?' I thought, resting my head. I was still tired.
And then my stomach growled. I couldn't help but blush. Shinobu laughed. 'It must have been at least a few days since I last ate... I can feel my stomach eating itself.'
A nurse came into the room, carrying with her a cart of various things. The smell that assaulted my nose showed that she carried some food with her, hopefully without medicine. I can't stand the taste of those bitter pills.
"Kobanwa. I am your nurse, Rayna. I believe this has been ordered by the visitors of room 71-B?" The nurse lifted her head from straining the pull the cart, and looked at Shinobu and I.
We gasped in unison.
Long, brown hair fell in a nice straight waterfall from the small cap she wore, and her large, round glasses widened her eyes somewhat. And those eyes, they were a milk chocolate brown. Then, she also possessed the very same figure of someone I was very familiar with. Same height, as well as a smile similar to Her.
"N-Naru-sempai?" Shinobu dared to ask.
She was turned around, back towards us, but we could see her shudder. Her head turned, as if daring to view us. Then we heard the clatter of an object falling to the floor, followed by whispers.
"Shinobu... Motoko... Well... I... C-Can say it's-" The woman who seemed like Naru was cut off by a small hoot.
"Naru! Where the hell have ya been? You shouldn't have gone just like that!" Mitsune had woken, and was wide awake within seconds.
Keitaro stirred, and Naru's attention shifted to his still, sleeping form.
"Oh my God... Kei... taro? W-What happened? They told me the two patients in here needed the first medication of their stay, and I thought that perhaps the people in this room were both in critical, because of the pills they gave me... But how?" Naru seemed to lose moment long before she finished her sentence. Looking blank, she turned and faced all three of us.
"I think you can guess, Naru." I couldn't hide the venom in my words for this woman. She had caused Keitaro so much pain, and she dared to stay even in this city! My fists clenched and unclenched, thens topped as I tried to appear as calm as I could, but it wouldn't last.
"Motoko... Please, save you words. I wanted to come back, but I felt I needed more time, much more. I'm sure you'd all understand... My feelings for Keitaro were too hard for me to handle... I just... Just couldn't... Please, listen. Don't tell him I was here, I need to remain by myself for a while. I can't talk to him again, after leaving like that..." Naru's eyes seemed to focus on something past me. I couldn't believe this. Something in me snapped when I heard her explanation.
"You need more... Time!? How dare you... Naru, you take his heart, and then leave him there in heartbreak just so you could discover your feelings for him? You let him die emotionally just so you could calmly determine your love for him? What kind of monster are you? Naru, you make me sick... I just can't..." I stopped, lamely and weakly, but I knew the tears that had formed in my eyes were enough. They were a strong semblance of the torture and pain she had caused.
Her eyes looked somewhere else. No longer was she standing still, but shaking and searching for somewhere to hide herself. There was no cover, and I was ready to jump from the metal bed and attack the woman right there, but Shinobu held a warning grasp on my hand.
Naru slowly backed out. I felt another wave of hatred for this cowardly person. I saw her fists, balled and looking ready to strike me as she would Keitaro. Even if I was injured, I would fight her in his name.
But the chance never came. She left after depositing two trays, one with plates of food and the other with various kinds of medicine.
'Why does this have to be so complicated? Before she left, she said she would come back. And that was it, she was gone. So after a year, she's going to return? What will I do then? I'll miss my morning lessons with him, and those brief touches when we exchanged blows during practice... No, what am I thinking? I am a swordswoman, my focus should be on the sword.' I could feel my own revulsion at the amount of self-denial I was in.
So it had returned. Damn you, Narusegawa! If you come back in, where will this leave me? I'll be alone again... How could I possibly survive my own emotions tearing at me from inside? I want to just leave this behind, but I can't. After I've grown to know Keitaro in a somewhat closer way, I cannot leave him. It might draw him to believe he is driving everyone around him insane. And, I don't think I could leave his presence. It comforts me, in a strange way. I can feel myself standing a bit taller, as if I understood his pain, and found myself attempting to heal it.
I shut my eyes, the last of the cold tears falling onto the bedsheets. 'I need to talk to him, otherwise I cannot go on. I understand how my sister has found strength from love, but I am not her. Perhaps I am destined to stay at this level, forever doomed to become an average student...'
I felt something drop into the pit of my stomach. 'How could I suffer this pain? Such dishonor and stupidity... I need to end this miserable pain. Maybe I will be remembered, most likely not. It dosen't matter to me. All I want is to be free of this... Curse you again, Naru! You inflicted this pain.'
We heard a voice yawn, and it broke my thoughts. Something shifted in the corner of my eye, and I turned my head to the left. Keitaro had awoken, and he was looking straight at me.
"Motoko-chan..." His voice was soft and raspy, his movements stiff and sore, but was focused on only one thing. He was looking at my eyes, and I was looking into his. Even if we were a few feet away, there was something between us, the kind of feeling that passes between two people who experienced something together. But this was a strong sensation, and I felt myself blush.
"Urashima, I hope you're feeling well." And I had to initiate this. We needed to talk..
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Someone I knew had let me know the full extent of my spelling errors and such. After all, I have no pre-reader or editor, and I myself am too lazy to read these over myself. And as a warning, for those of you who do not wish to view lemon scenes, please do not read soom of the chapters I hope to be able to write in a few days. The number of reviews I am receiving is motivating me to push this. Originally, it was planned to have a sequel, so the plot is different from what many will think. Anyways, arigatou! Remember to R&R. And also, don't flame me. I'm only a little kid. You'll traumatize me. XD Ja ne!
-Ky
