Today was the day. Naru Narusegawa. A young girl, only 18 years of age, had just passed her exams for Tokyo University a few weeks ago. This was it. Her first day of class. She could hardly wait. Her friend, Mutsumi Otohime, had failed her exam for the fifth time, so Naru knew she was going in alone. But that was OK. She was so overcome with excitement, she didn't think a thing about anything.
9:00 AM. There she stood, before the Door of Tokyo U. She could finally enter, finally call herself a student. As she walk through the huge double doors, she was so in awe, that she paid absolutely no attention to what she was doing. THUD! Before she knew it, she was flat on her ass, her stuff dropped everywhere. Naru immediately felt the blood rush to her face.
'Oh my god....I'm so sorry..' Naru stammered. She was so embarrassed at that very moment.
'It's OK.' an older Male voice replied.
As Naru opened her eyes, she saw a hand outreached in front of her. She took it, and as she was pulled up, she was face to face with a man who was maybe a few inches taller. He wore square glasses, and had a shabby light black hair-do. He seemed to be in his early twenties. The man handed Naru the books she had been carrying.
'You should be more careful.' He said to her with a smile on his face. Naru looked straight down and blushed so hard.
'Y...yes sir. Thank you.' Naru replied. Meanwhile, everybody around her was eying her strangely. The man began to speak some more.
'I'm Keitaro Urashima. Nice to meet you.' He extended his hand again, this time for a greeting.
'Naru Narusegawa...' Naru replied. She was still pretty embarrassed. What was even more embarrassing was the face that some people were looking at her like she was crazy. She caught a few people out of the corner of her eye, but she was trying to ignore them. 'Nice to meet you, Keitaro Urashima.' She ended off her statement. Keitaro Urashima...that name sounded so familiar. She thought and thought about it, but she could not put her finger on it. Naru knew she had heard that name somewhere before, but where? Now she could not contain her curiosity, and began to ask questions before she thought. She looked up at him now.
'Yes? What is it?' Keitaro asked.
'Your name...it sounds so familiar. Are you famous? Has your name ever been in the Paper? Are you a top student here?' Naru inquired with question after question.
'Am I famous?' Keitaro chuckled at the sound of this, then smiled, as if he knew something. 'No, not really. And I don't think I am any of the other things you mentioned, either. I'm just your average, 21 year old Tokyo U student.' He smiled again.
Then, a bell rang, and everyone began going into doors. Naru realized that she had been spending so much time with this man, she had been late for class.
'Oh crap! I am going to be so late, and I have no idea where my class is!' Naru was getting frantic. Keitaro sat an arm on her shoulder, and for some reason, she felt calm. All the anguish seemed to just flow away. It was as if he was comforting her, without doing a thing.
'Now now,' Keitaro said soothingly. 'There is no need to get hectic. Let me see your schedule, please.' Naru pulled out a piece of paper from her handbag, which she handed to Keitaro. It seemed to only take him a second before he spoke again.
'Ah yes, you are in the same first block class as I am. It's right this way. Follow me.' Keitaro took Naru by the hand and led her down a corridor and to the right. It seemed like no time before they were there. Keitaro opened the door and walked Naru in.
'Thanks so much, Keitaro.' Naru said affectionately as she and Keitaro walked into the class. Everyone, including the professor, were looking strangely at Naru, yet nobody seemed to notice Keitaro. She figured she had interrupted something, so thought nothing of it. She and Keitaro walked in and took two seats near the back left corner of the classroom.
Throughout the whole day, Keitaro helped Naru find her way around Tokyo U. She was thankful that they both had every class together. She thought herself very lucky, to be able to be in the presence of such a gentleman everyday. She felt awkward since everybody else just seemed to stare at her like she was a freak all day, but she was so happy being with Keitaro, she just ignored everyone else. Now, it was the end of the day, and time for the two to go their separate ways. They were talking a bit in the courtyard first, however.'Thank you so much for all your help today, Keitaro!' Naru said. 'I don't think my first day, or yours, could have gone any better'
'MY first day? What are you talking about, Naru? I have been a Student at Tokyo U for many years.' Keitaro replied. Naru was now very confused.
'What exactly do you mean?' She asked him. 'How could we have the sa...' She was cut off by Keitaro.
'Don't worry about it.' He just smiled. He smiled so much that day, Naru had grown to love that smile. Then, before she knew it, she found her lips touching Keitaros. Naru blushed so hard as she kissed him. Keitaro took it, but his facial expression was quite...excpectant. Keitaro looked like he was expecting a kiss. Naru pulled off and blushed.
'I have to go now.' She said with a red face and a big grin. 'I'll see you tomorrow, OK?' Keitaro smiled, and Naru took it as a yes and ran off. As she was gone, the courtyard seemed to empty. Keitaro said something softly, and to himself.
'Oh, Naru...if only you knew. But you are like all the others....' Keitaro mumbled to himself. He began to walk toward the school. Suddenly, he was gone.
Naru was so excited about her second day. Not about the classes, not about the school. The only thing she cared about now was seeing Keitaro. She felt like she was looking perfect. She had taken two showers, one the night before and one in the morning, made sure her hair was perfect, and wore the prettiest outfit she could find. She just wanted to impress him so badly.
She walked to her first period class. She waited, and waited, and waited. But even after the bell rang, Keitaro never showed up. She figured maybe he was just running late that day. But when he didn't show up for Second, or Third block, she began to wonder. So she started asking around the school. But everyone she talked to told her that she had stayed by herself the whole day. When she finally brought up the name, Keitaro Urashima, people seemed disgusted. Naru was confused the whole day, so she decided to figure the problem out after school.
When the final bell rang, Naru rushed from her class and straight to the Tokyo university Computer Laboratory. Immediately, she accessed the all time student directory. She was thankful when the name Urashima, Keitaro popped up on the screen. She clicked the link, but then, just went blank. After reading the first bit of his student profile, her face went completely white. Moments later, she fainted, and fell out of her seat. This is what she saw on the screen which caused her to pass out:
Tokyo University Student Directory, Version 4.00351202
Student Name: Urashima, Keitaro
Student ID: 0003028112
Date of Birth: October 13, 1983
Date of Death: October 14, 2000
Additional Information: Keitaro Urashima of Hinata Hot Springs, Japan, holds the record for most attempts to get into Tokyo University. Mr. Urashima attempted and failed 13 Tokyo U entrance exams. After his 13th failure, Mr. Urashima was found dead the next day in a Chemistry class on the 4th floor. He was zipped up in a sleeping bag, and was found with three straws, and 2 pounds of Cocaine scattered all over the bag. When an autopsy was taken, it was found that Mr. Urashima died of an overdose of Cocaine. He had apparently forced 15 Pounds of Cocaine into his body before it gave out and died. Mr. Urashima was buried at the back of the University. He was honored for trying so hard to get into this University, yet dishonored for throwing it away.
Naru went into a coma, which she stayed in for 19 Long years. When she came out, many of her friends wondered what happened, but Naru couldn't tell them. She had lost all of her memory up until the morning of her first day at Tokyo U. All she could remember, was the name, Keitaro Urashima. She wondered what it was about, but soon forgot. She went on to graduate from Tokyo U, and become a professor of Chemistry at the University. But she always set apart some of her day to try and remember. She always wondered what the name Keitaro Urashima meant to her. She never remembered, and went on to live a great life.
But she always wondered about that name, Keitaro Urashima....
THE END.
