An original fanfiction by Kae G.
disclaimer I don't own LH, at least not yet... But I do own this fanfic!
"speaking"
thinking
[electronic sounds]
Episode 1. The Hinata Inn: The New Owner.
I kept wondering what would make aunt Haruka call me in the middle of my training. Hell, no one was supposed to know where I was, I even took an extended leave from Toudai and my martial arts teaching, not telling them where I would go. Yet again, this is Aunt Haruka we're speaking of. She could find the needle in the bunch of hay, so to speak.
Since I was in Fukuoka, I'd have to take the train to Tokyo, and then would take a couple of hours to get there. But I wasn't in any hurry, since aunt Haruka didn't say when should I arrive, or if this was an emergency. So I went to the ticket booth to get the boarding ticket and proceeded to platform 3, where my train would leave at 8:12 am.
Since I had about fifteen minutes to waste before my train arrived, I decided to buy something for the trip, so I went to the small shop at the end of the platform.
"Irasshaimase!", said the girl behind the counter, putting up her brightest smile.
"Ohayo", I said, looking around for something to buy. I picked a Suntory mineral water and some fruit. It wasn't much, but I wasn't planning on eating at all, so this would do.
"Ohayo gozaimashita! It will be ¥276.49, please" she said. I handed her the money and picked up my things. Then the PA sounded, drowning her 'have a nice day' answer.
[The train leaving for Tokyo is arriving at platform three. Please stay behind the yellow line until the train has completely stopped and the doors are opened, thank you. The train...]
Well, this was it. I still can't figure out why would I be needed back at the Inn, but not that it really mattered right now. I'd worry about it later. So I got up on the train, searched for my seat (12D) and proceeded to it. Once there I put all my things in the upper compartment and relaxed. I wasn't carrying much: a small duffel bag with two changes of clothing, some toiletries, my trusted katana Muramasa and the things I bought at the station. Talk about light traveling.
Six hours later I found myself standing in front of the Inn. My aunt's teahouse was at my right, so I decided to go there, since it was her who called me, not grandma Hina. As I proceeded to go there, I had the feeling that this was not going to be a normal day anymore. Sure enough, as I was getting closer to the house I heard a commotion. It looked like there was some sort of trouble going on in there.
I proceeded with caution and saw two figures with black clothes and with hoods covering most of their face. Leaving my things at the entrance, I crept silently to the first one, who had its back to me. I quickly jumped out of my hiding spot without a sound, put a hand in the mouth of the thief and proceeded with a headlock. Rapidly kicking him in the gut, he fainted. I could tell now there were two men, but I didn't know how many more could be there. I carefully laid him in the floor trying not to make any sound. The other one never seemed to notice, since he was really busy raiding the cash machine. I could see the girl that I assumed worked with my aunt, but I couldn't see her around. The girl was gagged and tied up, crying. I crawled around a table, trying to get close to her. She suddenly noticed me and had a panicked look on her face. I held one finger close to my mouth, signaling her to be silent.
Finally getting to her, I untied her and took of the gag. She was rubbing her wrists where she had been tied up. "Where is Miss Urashima?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced back to the thief but he was still trying to get as much money as possible. "She went to the market", the girl whispered back. "Who are you?" she asked. I could see that she was still scared, so I decided to calm her nervousness. "I'm Miss Urashima's nephew, Keitaro Urashima," I said, then signaled her to be quiet. The other man had finished with the cash, and was now looking around, as if searching for something. Shit, he's looking for the other guy! I tried to crawl back to where the other man was, but the girl grabbed my wrist. "Please, don't leave me here!", she pleaded, starting to cry again. Damn, I need to do something. Think, Keitaro, think! And I found my answer when a gruffly voice spoke.
"Hey, T. J., are ya ok? C'mon, wake up, dammit!" I knew I had to do something, so I turned back to the girl, hugged her and I told her I'd be back. Startled, she let go, and I found my opportunity to attack. He was right in front of me, so he quickly noticed me. "What the--?", he said, starting to get up, but I never gave him the chance. With a quick kick to his head, he went out cold. I was turning around to go and get the girl when I heard her screaming. I ran up to where she was, and I found another thief. Apparently, he was the leader, since he was taller and more well built than the other two. He was holding the girl and had his gun, a six-bullets PPKS, .38 caliber ACP, pointing at me. Now I was in deep shit.
"Let her go," I said, keeping my cool. I glanced back to where the two other thieves where, but they were out of the fight. All I had to do is take the last one out, call the police and talk with the girl. I suddenly did something that was going to hurt me, but I saw no other way out, so I started walking towards the criminal. "What do you think you're doing, you idiot? Stay back!", he said, but really looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. Well, that made two of us. Three, if I counted the girl. In a foolish display of arrogance I dared him to shoot me. I could've died right there and then, but it looked like luck was on my part. Just as he was about to shoot, the girl bit his arm making him miss his shot. Not for much, mind you, since the bullet did hit me in the arm. But I was still alive, so there's that to be grateful for. The goon shoved the girl roughly to the floor, rubbed his arm and made an attempt to aim again. Too bad I was in front of him now. I roughly punched the gun out of his hand with my right hand, since my left one was holding a bullet, and kicked him in the stomach. I sidestepped when he tried to punch me and did ducked when he made a backhanded slap. I jumped slightly backwards, out of his punching range. When he came charging at me, I waited impassively until the last moment, when I did a backflip kick, hitting him squarely in the jaw. He fell in his back, and I took the chance to go check on the girl while he was getting up. I helped her to her feet and noticed that she had a red spot in her right cheek, where the goon had hit her. I told her to go with the neighbors and call the police. "I'll keep him entertained, you just hurry and get safe", I said, going to face the thief once again. I saw her leave the building, and felt a bit more relaxed. At least no one else is getting hurt with this. Now lets finish this. And I proceeded to the kitchen where I saw the man rubbing his jaw. He stood up when he saw me.
"You will pay fer this, you piece o' shit!", he said, spittle going out of his mouth. He came at me, taking me by surprise with his speed. He was not like before, slow and aimless, this time he was more focused and intent on killing me.
I don't remember when did the police arrived, or what happened after that. Right now I was at an ambulance with my arm being tended to, and the police asking me questions. I couldn't honestly answer most of them, but the ones I could, I did. I told them I was the nephew of the owner of the teahouse, Haruka Urashima, and that my name was Keitaro Urashima. That I didn't know who those men were, and that I had just arrived here after a two month training in Fukuoka. Seemingly satisfied with this, they told me I was free to go. My arm felt numb, but it could be because of the anesthetic than from anything else. Before the police left, I asked them about the girl who was working in the teahouse. "She's fine," one of them told me, "She's at the teahouse now, with Miss Urashima." I gave my thanks to them and headed to the teahouse. As I was arriving, I could hear the police sirens fade away in the distance, taking with them the thieves.
When I entered I saw her sitting in one of the tables. She was drinking some tea with my aunt, just like the police guy told me. "Hey there," I said, heading towards the table they were sitting. Both of them turned around and greeted me. "Hello Keitaro," said my aunt, "good to see you're fine." She was worried, I could see it in her eyes.
"Well, aunt, I'm as fine as one can be, I think, but I'm more concerned for her," I said, signaling in the direction of the girl with my head. Suddenly I felt something hitting me in the back of my head. Turning around, I saw it was my aunt that had hit me with a fan. "Haruka-san da yo!," she said, looking at me with mock anger in her eyes. I heard some giggling and turned to see the girl stifling her giggles with her hands. She noticed me looking at her, blushed and stopped giggling. "I- I'm f-fine," she said, "but I wanted to t-thank you, sir". She stood up, bowed and said her thanks. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your help." She then sat dawn and looked at the floor, her head down.
"Oh, that. Don't sweat it, girl! I'm glad I could help," I said, trying to ease the tension. It was up until this point that I realized that I didn't know her name yet. Well, not that I had had the time to think about it when I was worried about getting her out unharmed. "Say, what's your name? I don't think we've been properly introduced."
She suddenly stood up and bowed. "My name is Kanako. Kanako Sanjou, sir!" She was still bowing when I reintroduced myself. "Well, Miss Sanjou, I'm Keitaro Urashima, and though the circumstances of our meeting are far from ideal, I'm still pleased to make your acquaintance." I said and bowed to her level. We both straightened ourselves, and I smiled at her. Suddenly, I felt another hit from the famous fan that my aunt was holding. I turned around, wanting an explanation. "Stop flirting with my employees, Keitaro," she said, but now she was smoking a cigarette. Both I and Kanako blushed. She was really pretty, her brown hair down to her shoulders, and eyes that showed a great deal of emotions. She was shy and a bit quiet, but that was fine. After all, she was just sixteen or so, and had been in a situation that most of the people would never experience.
"Haruka-oba-- er... Haruka-san," I winced, seeing her getting ready to strike me down with her fan for calling her obasan. But she calmed down when I corrected myself. "Haruka-san, I'm not flirting with Sanjou-san...", "Kanako is fine, sir," she said, looking a bit embarrassed after saying it. "Right, well, as I said, I'm not flirting with Kanako-san. And you," I said, facing Kanako, "you can call me Keitaro, ok?" She smiled.
"Are you sure you're not flirting with her? 'Cause it sure looks like it to me." Said my aunt. "I'm really sure, obasan," I said, stressing the last word to annoy her. Now that I think of it, I should never do that again, the whatever-it-was that she hit me with must have weighed a ton, since I found myself staring up-close to the floor as soon as I said it. I got up, dusting myself off.
"So," said my aunt, "what brings you here, nephew?" She looked like she had forgotten it, the call and everything. "What, you don't remember?," I asked, not really believing her. "You're the one that told me to come here, and then left me wondering what was it."
"Uh, really? Now, what could it possibly be?," she frowned, confusion etched in her face. She looked like she was thinking about it, but not succeeding at actually remembering. That's when Kanako spoke. "Maybe it had something to do with Grandma Hina leaving to go traveling?"
Grandma Hina left? And to travel, nonetheless?, I could not believe it. Man, that woman is crazy. But I was happy for her, she was living her dreams. But then I remembered something. If she's gone, who's running the Inn? I had a bad feeling about this.
"Yes, yes! That's it!", Haruka said, walking away and going behind the counter. She shuffled some papers, opened a drawer and took out more papers. She came back where Kanako and me were standing, looking slightly excited. Now I was truly confused. What could make my aunt look excited? Well, I know what, but I don't think he's in those papers. Hell, last time I saw him he was going to some excavation place in a deserted island, so he couldn't be even near here.
"Grandma Hina left this to you," she said, handing me the stack of papers. "Those are the property papers and the ownership of the Hinata Inn. But I have to tell you something, the inn is no longer."
"What do you mean?" I asked, examining the papers. Sure enough, there was the ownership inside and the papers saying that I, Keitaro Urashima, was now the legal owner of the Hinata Inn. I handed the papers to Kanako, who was now curios about this new development.
"You shall see soon enough, nephew. But first, help me close the teahouse. Then we will visit your new home." Enough said, I really was having a bad feeling about all this. What had she meant that the inn was no more?
A/N: Well, what do you think? Please read and review. And if you flame me, don't just say 'You suck!' and go away. At least tell me why I suck. Okies, c ya later! Yay!
Side note: As you might have noticed, Kanako and Keitaro are NOT related in any way. This is for story purposes. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Kae G.