Disclaimer: Not mine.

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Naru did not need to turn to know that he had sighed and leaned against the railing. "So, I guess Mutsumi remembered a promise from her childhood in Hinata Inn…"

Looking away, she felt her heart tighten as she felt his sorrow. Mutsumi remembered something he so badly wanted to know, and yet she was so cruel as to run away as Keitaro tried to find out exactly what she remembered. She knew it; everyone knew that Keitaro would do anything to know who his promise girl was. Perhaps she wanted to see him grovel at her feet, begging her to tell? Mutsumi herself was his promise girl? No one would ever know unless Mutsumi decide to speak up. Mutsumi was an enigma. Each time a person felt that he had Mutsumi figured out, she would always do something so off that a person would have to drastically change their perceptions each and every time. As it was, one thing was certain. Mutsumi certainly wasn't stupid, no matter how she acted around people.

Mutsumi would not be easy to pry open.

Somehow, she had a feeling that she was at the centre of all these. But her rising anger at Mutsumi for causing Keitaro so much pain was eroding her logic, so she could not be sure. Still, she knew that Keitaro's childhood dream was to enter Tokyo University with his promise girl, presumably Mutsumi, so she decided to agree with him in the hopes that he might recognize Mutsumi as his promise girl.

"Seems that way…"

She felt Keitaro fall deep into his own thoughts as his face kept getting ever more crestfallen. Deciding to wake him up before he sank further his depressing thoughts, Naru smacked him upside the head.

"Why are you looking so troubled? You should be happy!"

She knew Keitaro would be incredulous, even if he would not openly show it. After all, how could he be happy when he was kept in the dark over something he had searched for his entire life? He was so very close to it, and yet at the same time it was so far out of his reach! She had to change the subject somehow, so she decided to talk about the one and only common topic between them: the upcoming Tokyo University entrance exams.

"Don't dwell on such distractions. You are barely going to make it even with your mind totally focused on the exams. Lose that focus now, and you will fail where you could have passed, I'm sure you would not want that, would you?"

This statement finally got a response out of him, even thought it was just a stuttering of her name. "Na… Narusegawa?" She was glad that Keitaro's mind was changing tracks.

She simply continued. "Let us keep our priorities in order. Once we have finished the exams, you can tell Mutsumi everything. Then the two of you can finally be together! But meanwhile, the most important thing is for us to get into Tokyo University!" Self-doubt began creeping in. Did she really want Keitaro to confess to Mutsumi? She felt almost… sad.

Her tone softened as she remembered something very important to her. "You promised me, remember?" For some selfish reasons, she wanted Keitaro to say that this promise was dearer to him that his old promise with Mutsumi. She wanted Keitaro to stay with her.

She saw Keitaro visibly tense before he looked up. "N-Naru?" As she gazed into his warm brown eyes, so similar yet so unlike her own, she felt a familiar feeling spread all throughout her. She felt weak in the knees, and she felt a very strong urge to just fall over and collapse right into his arms. To hug him, to touch him, feel his warmth. But she held her resolve. She would not look weak in front of a pervert like… like him. She was just sticking with him because of the Tokyo University promise. "Is that the only reason?" she asked herself.

Unable to handle this rush of emotions she refused to succumb to, Naru once again decided to change the topic of discussion. This time to something much less definite.

She snapped her head around to look at him before saying, "Keitaro… we'll… we'll always be the best of friends even after Tokyo University, right?

The look in his eyes changed. Even though his face was still held his usual clueless look, Naru knew that he was very upset. She wasn't blind; she knew of his love for her. And she wished that she could just tell him her own feelings. Tell him that she cared for him. But no, his promise was with Mutsumi, and she could not let her own selfish feelings stand in the way of their love. The emotions she was feeling a moment before had rattled her somewhat, but she would not be selfish. Still, she wanted to hold him close, to comfort him. Before she fell to her own emotions, she changed the subject again.

Using a slightly sarcastic tone this time, Naru said, "But it seems like such a waste for Mutsumi to be stuck with you! There are not enough people with her personality around! Although I do admire your resolve to fulfill promise made when you were only a little kid… not bad, not bad at all!" To anybody else, it would be obvious just based on this statement that she wanted Keitaro to reject Mutsumi and, perhaps come to her. And yet, she knew that Keitaro was so dense that he would never catch on, ever. So, Naru decided to leave before he asked about it and things got unpleasant.

"Wait a minute, Narusegawa! Why the sudden…"

Darn it. He asked.

She merely ignored him. She felt no desire to confess… to him… today. As she walked away, she said, "I guess you can cross that bridge when you get there…"

"Wait, Narusegawa!"

She heard Keitaro yell, and her heart leapt. Perhaps he managed to decipher what she meant? She slowed, and with uncharacteristic courage, Keitaro sprung forward and caught her arm."

Naru's logic completely failed her at his touch, and she turned around, succumbing to her heart. Leaning closer to him, She closed her eyes and waited for… them to touch. Keitaro never got to finish as she removed his glasses in an attempt to get closer to him.

The next thing she knew, her lips came into contact with Keitaro's. It was as electrifying. Her eyes stayed close, but she could feel that he was stationary, probably too shocked to do anything. She herself was happy that she finally kissed him, and she continued to follow her instinct by just… kissing him. She utilized her heart to fuel her, and she just continued to lean in and pour all her emotions into a passionate kiss. She hoped Keitaro wouldn't reject her after this.

By the time she felt Keitaro start to stir, she had already broken the kiss and was looking down at her toes, surprisingly, not out of embarrassment.

Not wanting to face whatever repercussions coming her way, Naru turned and ran. As she disappeared down the stairs, she called back.

"Bye Keitaro! Ten days to the exam, I'm sure you can do it!"

She knew Keitaro put his hand out after her. But she didn't stop. She just continued running.

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That's… it!

Many thanks to mtgradwell, who aided me by pointing out a lot of errors in the first draft of this piece. I hope you have read version 1 and can compare it with this version 2, and you can make the decision on which version you like best.

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