Naru sighed as she walked up the numerous steps of Hinata House. She was wearing a white blouse with a black skirt, which went just below her knees. In her hand was a bag that carried all her materials... She had just returned from her prep school. She seemed tired. Her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were in the looking to the ground. As she made her way past the stairs, she gave a passive hello to Su and Sara, who bounced past her with a lively "hi".
Naru walked through the lobby and towards the stairs, where she then trudged upwards. She passed Kitsune and Motoko, who she gave a half-effort wave to before sliding the door open to her room. She walked in and slid the door shut, locking it before falling into bed. She hugged her knees as tears started to fall from her eyes. She sobbed lightly, until she cried herself to sleep...
***
In the hall in front of Naru's room, Kitsune looked at her friend. Motoko looked back.
"She's crying again probably...." Kitsune said sadly.
Motoko looked down and shook her head slowly.
"I'm afraid that is the case..." Motoko responded.
Kitsune sighed.
"Ever since Keitaro left, we've all just lost our energy...."
"I hate to admit it, but I too have lost the vigor I once had..."
Kitsune leaned her back against a nearby wall.
"And yet...Naru's taking it the hardest..."
Motoko sighed.
"Damn that Urashima! How dare he leave us like this!?"
Kitsune took a sip of her sake.
"No, ya can't blame him... After how we treated him...I suppose we deserve how we are now..."
"I suppose if I had not have been so rash with my strikes...if I were a little more observant...if I were l-less" Motoko's voice started to crack, she turned away from Kitsune quickly. "less opinionated... I'm sorry Kitsune-san... I....must...I must return to my training!" Motoko ran off.
Kitsune sighed yet again, at the less-than-convincing attempt at her samurai friend to hide her guilt. She closed her eyes and took a deep sip of her sake, her mind going back to that fateful day that the manager of Hinata House left, one year ago...
***(Flashback)***
Kitsune awoke, hung over as usual. She was surprised to be wearing a blanket, since she had remembered passing out on the table.
"Must've been good 'ole Keitaro..." Kitsune said to herself.
She yawned and noticed that the lobby door was open.
"Huh?"
Kitsune stood, she held her head in a hangover induced pain. She took a bottle of aspirins from her cleavage and popped four into her mouth, she then grabbed a nearby glass of water and drank it down with the aspirins. She gulped and sighed.
"I knew that it would be a good idea to have a bottle of these just in case..."
Kitsune moved towards the door, she was shocked at what she saw. There was Shinobu, hands buried in her palms. Naru walked up behind Kitsune, hands rubbing her eyes. She let out a big yawn...
"What's going on? Why is-" Naru saw Shinobu, a look of confusion decorated her face. "Shinobu? What're you doing out here?"
Shinobu looked up, her eyes were bloodshot. Her face puffy and red from crying. Then an intense look of anger washed over her sad face. She stood up and looked past Kitsune and eyed Naru, hate being the dominant expression.
"You," Shinobu said angrily. "You're the reason he left... I hate you!"
It was the last thing Naru heard before finding the younger girl lunging at her, desperately trying to hurt her, though Kitsune held her back firmly.
Shinobu struggled to hurt Naru in some way, but couldn't due to her comparatively small stature. Soon she gave up and calmed down, Kitsune loosened her grip slightly. Shinobu just looked to the ground, expression hidden, though one could tell she was crying from new tears marring the ground....
***(End Flashback)***
Kitsune wrote in her diary, a bottle of sake at her side....
"Nothing was ever the same again... the rift between Naru and Shinobu never mended... The barely talk to eachother anymore, the don't say anything more to eachother than what bare courtesy demanded... Most would mistake them for people who are mere acquaintances. Naru, when she saw that note...she cried for two days. Even to this day, she still denies feelings for him... She misses him...and I bet she finds herself solely guilty... Motoko...she lost her righteous energy... she threw herself into her training but lost all passion. I guess she feels guilty for contributing to Keitaro's...departure... Shinobu... She lost all her cheer, now she's reduced talking to the residents to mere greetings and goodbyes or "thank yous" for her cooking, which had also lost its lustre... Sara and Su...they still act the same, though I think Su hurts more than she lets on... And Naru...worst case of all. Her denial issues are hurting her... Her guilt isn't helping either. She threw herself into her Toudai work, though she failed this year's test...she has now become a third year ronin. Crying is usually part of her schedule now... And me...well just look at me, I'm narrating to myself, that's how bored I am... It's just not fun with Keitaro. And everybody's in such low spirit's, that I can't tease them... Oh well, I guess we needed Keitaro more than we thought... You know what they say...something about not appreciating something till it's gone... Well diary, I guess it's time to log off for now...
-Kitsune
When Kitsune finished her writing, she put the pen down and shut the book, hiding it in her secret place under a floorboard. It was about that time when her door slid open to reveal Shinobu, more exited than she had been in the longest time...
"Sempai's on T.V.!"
A/N: Toward the end of Snapped, I found inspiration for "Leaving"...Well technically, it was supposed to be a different story, but as I was talking to someone on AIM (I Wont Say Who, let's just say he's a ficwriter at ff.net...) and he inspired me to graft it onto "Leaving". I hope I did well! Also, if you were miffed by how I ended "Snapped", then I'm sorry, but keep in mind, it ain't over... So, remember to review. If it sucks, then atleast flame tastefully