Revised-Revisions give me a headache.
A Different Fate
Chapter 4- Outrageous Request
Naru leaned against the glass of the train window and sighed. It had been a while since she had seen her sister. Perhaps the change of scenery would help her to think, and release her emotions for Keitaro so that she could face him again, as a friend and not possible lover. She had to stop thinking about all of the alternate things she could and should have done. Keitaro, despite his perverseness, was sweet through and through. She couldn't blame him for supporting the marriage and making Motoko happy. She knew he could not make everyone happy, she just wished she were the one. She needed the away time, but she just felt like she was running away.
***
Kitsune wandered the streets, needing to get away from the loving couple that ran her best friend off. She didn't want to feel this feeling of resentment every time she saw them. She found herself amidst a familiar neighborhood. She looked up to see a familiar apartment complex. It was Mutsumi's.
Mutsumi opened the door to find a Kitsune, not quite in normal shape. Kitsune looked travel worn, lonely and unhappy, none of which she normal was.
"Ara Ara! Kitsune-san."
"Hello Otohime-san. When I noticed I was in your neighborhood, I decided to stop by. There are some things that have changed around the Hinata Sou."
Mutsumi eyes widened in surprise. "What things?"
A drunken Kitsune stumbled into Mutsumi's apartment, and the door was closed.
***
"How did Naru take it," Mutsumi asked.
"She's gone back to her family. I don't know when, if ever, she'll come back. She said she just needed time away."
Mutsumi did not like the fact her two beloveds weren't together. She had gone through so much trouble getting them together through odds. Yes, she wanted Keitaro for herself; but she also loved Naru. If they would be happy together, then she would be happy. Otherwise...
This will not do. But I don't think there is anything I can do about it. Mutsumi fretted. "How's Keitaro?"
"He seems a little down on Naru, but Motoko keeps cheering him up. And before you ask...Yes, they did consummate their marriage."
"Oh...Oh my."
***
Things went by with a dull tone at the Hinata Sou. Everything was not quite normal, but it attempted to be so. Keitaro and Motoko spent a lot of time together, as if to make up for not getting to know each other before their marriage. Su had returned to Kitsune's room to sleep at night, but Kitsune wasn't in the spirits to deal with her, and was often out drinking most of the night. Motoko and Keitaro noticed this, but really could say nothing about it.
Shinobu still gave a great smile at her sempai, but not with such a big warm smile of adoration. It somewhat had a sad tint to it. Shinobu had lost her love, but she was also sad that it was not Naru-sempai who had ended up with him. If it were Naru, she would feel more acceptant. It just wasn't fair that the one who seemed to hate Keitaro so much, now got to have his love.
Shinobu sighed. She looked at the picture she had of Keitaro. She had forgotten where she had got it or when it was taken. She then noticed a shadow eclipse the light on her picture. She turned to see Su with a contemplating finger in her mouth. Su tackled Shinobu.
"S-Su!"
"Wuz up, Shinomu!"(ß not a typo. She likes to call her that sometimes.)
"Nothing much. Just thinking about Sempai."
"Oh." Su relaxed her embrace from playful to more casual.
"He should have been with me... Who am I kidding? Him and Naru sempai were made for each other..."
Su gave Shinobu a quick peck on the lips. Shinobu was startled for a moment, and then smiled.
"Su can make you feel better..." Su said seductively, this time not sounding as innocent as she normally does when she seems not to realize what she is saying.
"S-Su...you...don't have to," Shinobu replied nervously. Once before, or not, this was not something she was used to, and scared of getting used to. She admitted it felt good... and Shinobu secretly wondered if Su used some sort of device on her...but she didn't feel entirely comfortable with it.
"I want to, for you Shinomu. Besides, I'm bored."
Shinobu began speaking firmly, "No...that's quite alright Su... WAHH!!!"
Well, maybe things at the Hinata Sou weren't even quite near normal.
***
Naru returned a week later, unexpected. She seemed different, matured. She had done some deep soul searching, and realized she did love Keitaro. She now could admit it to herself and others. She also understood herself, her weaknesses her desires. She had a new strength stronger than even her brute physical.
She climbed the stairs confidently, and stood before the Hinata Sou. Naru's hair whipped around her as she made her stand at the Hinata Sou. She would not let these circumstances break her. She would let them make her stronger. She walked into the Inn, prepared to see anything...but what was before her.
"AHHH!!! Sempai...this isn't what it looks like." Naru blinked. She blinked again. It was a good thing she didn't tend to hit females, especially ones younger than her who couldn't defend themselves. But she wouldn't hit them anyway in this circumstance. She had come to understand her pervert reflex, and it no longer controlled her. Her eyelids lowered and she addressed them with lull gaze.
"Then what is it?"
Su looked up from her position above Shinobu. "Hiya Naru-yan. Want to join in?" Naru's eye twitched. That HAD to be on purpose that time. No other explanation is feasible. Su IS secretly a little sex kitten.
"Umm... No thanks. Do you think you could take that somewhere more private?"
"Aww...you aren't going to join in? Well, come on Shinomu." The topless Shinobu was then tossed over Su's shoulder in a fireman's carry, and took up stairs. Keitaro and Motoko were coming down at that same moment. The both began to open their mouths as Su smiled brightly at them, like everything was peachy keen, and then shook their heads. They allowed Su to go around them and continued down the stairs. They slowed to a stop as the realized Naru was there. The couple's eyes met Naru's as hers met theirs.
"Ah..Naru," Keitaro said intelligently.
"Narusagewa san... greetings."
"Hello."
The couple analyzed any possible response from Naru. There was a chilling lack of any form of negative emotion. Determination and confidence filled the air.
"Keitaro."
Motoko turned to look at her husband as he responded to Naru, "Yes?"
"I love you."
Motoko's eyes widened, and her head whipped towards Naru. The door was open behind her and leaves blew by in the wind. Naru stood tall, firm. There was no insecurities or questioning in her tone. It was fact. Keitaro's mouth opened as a flood of formerly suppressed emotions came to the fore. Keitaro's heart had a climatic battle of feelings that came to a standstill. In that moment of emotional conflict, Keitaro had a searing pain in his chest from his heart leaping in confusion.
"I love you," she said again to confirm. She continued, the words now feeling natural and spilling forth from her mouth. "I don't care if you're a pervert, or clumsy, or dumb. You are sweet and caring. I love you."
Motoko stood there speechless. How was she to respond to this? She felt she should be defending her claim on Keitaro at the moment, which she had grown quite fond of in Naru's away time. At the same time she felt she had no right to, stealing him from Naru, however unintentional. She had felt this air before in battle. Naru was making her stand.
"But..." Motoko began. But he's my husband, my lover.
"I know, Motoko. I know. I don't care anymore either. I don't care about anything else, marriages or no, I just want to be with you Keitaro."
Motoko could feel the conviction. She turned towards Keitaro.
Keitaro was in physical pain over the transpiring speech. His heart kept lurching, his mind, heart and conscious waging a war. He loved Naru. Yes. But he was married; he had to let that go. Motoko loved him back. He fell in love with her, his first lover. He felt it was wrong to have these feelings for Naru still there, so strong, all but forgotten like they should have been.
Naru approached, not caring that Motoko was watching. At the moment she seemed to be too shocked to do anything. Naru dropped he luggage unceremoniously on the floor by the door, and firmly walked towards Keitaro in long strides. She quickly covered the distance and took his head into her hands, pulling him in for a deep, passionate kiss. All Motoko could do is stand there. A bead of sweat ran down her cheek. She swallowed, not feeling ready to do a battle of hearts with Naru. Naru turned to retrieve her luggage and shut the door. She went back by the couple, now on Motoko's side. She gave Motoko a peck on the cheek as she walked by. Motoko's eyes widened at the display of affection towards her right after such an outrageous display of it with her husband. However, Naru also had never shown that much affection towards her before. Naru whispered in her ear as she passed.
"I'm sorry. I have to talk to you later. I have...something I want to ask."
***
"Ara Ara." Mutsumi had managed to drag Kitsune up the steps to the Hinata Sou. She approached the doors, and pulled them open. She stumbled with her over to the couch to drop her haphazardly down. She then was about to raise her voice to announce her presence, and then thought better of it. She would pull the old "drunken naked Mutsumi" bit to find out what she needed to know, without seeming entirely rude. She went to the women's bath and soaked for a little while. She borrowed a little bit of Kitsune's sake. This effort was found to pointless, as the couple she sought was in the bath with her a short distance away, unaware of her presence.
***
Motoko washed Keitaro's back.
"Oh, my husband."
"I'm...sorry Motoko-chan."
"I know you had feelings for her. I feel that I stole you away from her, however unintentional."
"I won't leave you Motoko-chan. You have a place in my heart that can never be replaced now."
Motoko smiled sadly as she washed Keitaro's back.
"Thank you...Keitaro. That helps, although not much."
This was Mutsumi's cue to enter.
"Ara ara, Kei-kun! Bathing all alone with Aoyama-san."
Keitaro almost jumped in reflex, right after he usual does when he accidentally does something perverted. Then he settled down, this was his wife, and nothing they do together is wrong, or anyone else's business. Keitaro just made a small effort to cover himself in Mutsumi's view.
Mutsumi almost dropped her guise, in disappointment, but quickly suppressed it.
"Enjoying your bath, Kei-kun?"
"Yes. Motoko-chan," Mutsumi flinches, "Is getting all the kinks out of my back. It feels nice."
"My husband seems so tense sometimes. It takes a lot of ALL my wifely duties to keep him loose."
Mutsumi almost lost her nerve. "Oh....my." Mutsumi recovered to put her hand to her mouth like she found it absolutely scandalous. Mutsumi turned away from them and her eyes opened narrowly in thought. So they are taking it rather seriously. It's worse than I thought.
"Is Naru-san here?" Mutsumi asked as she turned back to the couple her usual guise of "ignorant bliss" back in place.
"Yes, she's somewhere around the Inn," Motoko replied, rather nervous about the topic of Naru after earlier. She was anxious for Naru just to say what she had to. Motoko didn't like the waiting and the wondering.
"I see. Bye Kei-kun!" She waved to him like he was across the street and they were kids again.
Mitsune got up to encounter Naru on her way in.
"Ara, Ara. Hi, Naru-san."
"Hi, Mutsumi. Ronins fight!" Naru raised her fist in accordance to the phrase. She seemed to trying to loosen the tension.
"Naru...," Mutsumi began tentatively, "Keitaro and Aoyama san are in there." Mutsumi's voice dropped as she said the last statement.
Naru brightened for Mutsumi in genuine emotion. "I know." She smiled brightly at Mutsumi to ease her worries. Mutsumi let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.
"I'll be in the reception room, Naru-san." Mutsumi stepped up to Naru, and cupped her chin. She gave her a light kiss on the lips, unlike last time. Naru raised her hand to her mouth.
"Mutsumi," she murmured.
"I'm glad you are taking this well." Mutsumi then vanished into the Inn.
Naru looked over her shoulder towards where Mutsumi disappeared, and then strengthened her resolve.
She dropped her clothes, and did not bother to cover herself with her towel. She entered the bath and approached the couple.
"Hi Motoko. Looks like you're having fun." Naru let out a little giggle that only served to unnerve them. Something wasn't right.
"Can I help out?" Naru continued. Neither of the two could answer, stunned by her different persona. Keitaro was also taken by Naru's stunning beauty, which she didn't bother covering this time. Naru noticed."Like what you see, pervert?" She said playfully, striking a little pose. "Maybe you get to touch it later." She winked at him again.
"N-Naru!" Keitaro raised a hand to his nose. Motoko's jaw dropped at her scandalous behavior. Naru came close, letting her hand palm run along Motoko affectionately, before coming to sit in front of Keitaro in all her naked glory.
"I'll wash his front," She said as she brought a towel to the fore, and slowly started on his chest, descending downward. Motoko finally found her voice.
"What are you doing! What are you thinking, Naru-san?"
Naru closed her eyes and composed herself. Her hands, along with the towel she was using on Keitaro came to fall in her lap. She then opened her eyes and looked intensely at them.
"My question was... could you find it in yourself to share Keitaro with me, even if it's once?"
[End Chapter]
In one chapter I addressed both "what about Mutsumi" questions and dealt with Naru's take on this. Naru is a strong woman, deep inside. She just needed time to recover from the blow it gave her to see them that way. She's come to accept that, and still want Keitaro. She's accepted her love, in pressured circumstance, but is tried and true.
