And I'm back! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but I was busy writing a new original fiction series to keep me busy once I'm done with this series! It's called 'AI: Artifical Love?' and it's a Shoujo-Ai romance/comedy/action series about a woman that find a robot girl. Careful, though… I plan on upping the rating in the future. (What? He's making a series that's actually dirtier than this one?) Well, it will also be darker, since I won't be held back as much. Anyway, it's up on FictionPress. Just search for the story title or the author 'Kouji Tamino' as usual. Or it might still be on the first couple of pages in the 'Manga' section.
Now enough shameless plugging from me: Let's get to what you came here for!
Kouji Tamino
Love Hina Next: Second Phase
Chapter 61: To a Bright and Sunny Future…
From the Journal of Shinichi Suichi… March 12, 2033
Well, it's been several months since that fateful day. We've had time to lick our wounds, and we are slowly recovering from the crippling blow given to us by Arcia. Using money from my parents seemingly endless pool of money, we built a new house. It's not as grand as the last one, but it's still very nice…
But alas, I will never know how it feels to live there. The girls and I decided to stay at Hinata House. Besides, my mother keeps going on and on about her Liddo-kun collection that was lost. It's kind of disturbing…
My marriage to Saki has been called off officially. She doesn't seem too devastated by it. Her parents are still as mean as ever, though… Who knows what the heck they're scheming up, now… Just kidding. They've mellowed out a bit, but you know what they say…
My father funded the building of a memorial to the psychics that were killed. Surprisingly, a lot of the people involved in that massacre attended, leaving flowers, gifts, and other offerings. Just goes to show you…
While Ms. Ami was very flattered by Mr. Jin's confession of love, she still only sees him as a friend. Needless to say, the poor guy was completely devastated. You just can't rush things like this, though…
Speaking of love, Megumi and Static have started dating, oddly enough. Well, there have been stranger pairs. And for some reason, Ms. Kairi has been spending a lot of time at Naoko's school lately…
And since we're on the subject of Naoko, she and Kenji are still dating. They are quite a pair… Almost complete opposites. It's kind of cute, when you think about it. Her pets, Ken-kun and Tet-chan have grown quite a bit. They've got new shells now. Ken-kun has a blue and black striped shell, while Tet-chan has a purple and pink striped shell. Ken-kun is still as aggressive as ever, while Tet-chan seems to have become a bit more trusting of us.
To conclude things in this journal entry, I must say… Sakura has been acting very strangely lately… Like she's been hiding something…
"Good morning, Ami!" Jin shouted, waving to her as he walked up to Hinata House.
Ami looked up from her spot on the ground. "Oh! Jin-kun! Hi!"
He chuckled as he looked at her. "What are you doing down there?"
"Just looking at the sky…" she replied. "It's so pretty today, don't you think?"
"Yeah…" he nodded, plopping down next to her. "Hey, Ami… About the progress of our relationship…"
"Not another word…" she interrupted. "Sorry, but I'm still not ready for a real relationship with you yet… We shoul--"
"I know, I know…" he muttered. "We shouldn't rush things…"
Ami smiled. "Thank you for understanding! You're one of my very best friends!"
Jin sweat dropped. "Yeah…"
"So…" Junko began, putting down the dumbbells that she had been lifting with ease. "You're going to try and be a manga-ka?"
Shinichi nodded. "I've decided that that is what I'm going to base my career on…"
Junko shrugged. "Okay, that's your choice…" she smiled. "And I support you 110…"
"Heh, thanks… What about you, Junko? What are you going to be?"
Junko sighed. "I don't know… I never even finished high school, so there aren't many options for me… It was a miracle that I was even able to get that coaching job… Heh, I think I might stick with that job… The kids are pretty cool when their not being little demon spawn…"
"Well then, you're better off that I am…" Shinichi replied. "I don't even know if my job choice will work out…"
Junko walked over to her boyfriend and gave him a hug. "Trust me… You'll do fine! Just don't give up! If an editor turns you down, just try again or go to another studio! And if they keep turning you down…" She grinned evilly, cracking her knuckles. "Point them in my direction…"
Shinichi sweat dropped. "Um, if do you pay any of my future editors a visit, please try not to kill them…"
"Howdy, everyone!" Shin said cheerfully, walking in the door. "Just thought I'd drop in to see how everyone was doing!"
Yamato grinned, waving at him. "Yo! We're doing great!"
"Shinny!" Saki shouted, running up to the man and glomping him. "I missed you!"
Shin chuckled, patting her on the head. "Erm… hey there, darling…"
"Wha?" Sakura cracked, tilting her head. "Saki and Shin?"
"Yeah…" Saki giggled. "I thought to myself 'If I can't have Shinichi, I'll have to settle for the brother!'… He's really sweet, though…"
Shin sweat dropped. "Yeah, I'm basically the consolation prize…"
Sakura yawned. "Well, look at the time! I really must be going!" She began to walk towards the door, but the others blocked her path. "Heh, heh, heh… What's up, guys?"
"Sakura, you've been hiding something…" Saki began. "I just know it…"
"Yeah…" Yamato agreed, crossing his arms. "You've been acting very strangely lately… What's going on?"
"N-nothing! It's nothing at all!" She sighed. "It's just… seeing everyone hooking up has gotten me a little depressed… So I've been going out dancing to well, dance the pain away… I thought that if you found out, you would laugh…"
Everyone looked at her sadly. "Sakura…" Tokimi said sadly. "We… didn't know. Sorry…"
Sakura then suddenly burst into tears. "I'm sorry... I just…" she ran towards the door, opened it, then continued to run outside. They all looked on sadly.
"Hee hee… That bare-assed lie worked like a charm!" Sakura giggled. "Now to go check up on my little patient…" Walking over to where the Annex used to be, she crawled under the rubble into a little 'cave' that had formed. Going deeper down, she jumped a small hole that was easy to climb out of. She sighed, staring at the blonde psychic lying on the ground. "I almost got caught today, you know… I had to make up a huge lie to keep your cover. You'd better be grateful…"
Arcia smiled. "Thank you for not exposing me…" He sighed. "But I wonder… Why did you save me?"
Sakura smirked. "Well when you looked up at me with that pitiful look on your face with most of your major bones broken, I just had to take you in and take care of you…"
Arcia laughed, stopping when it began to hurt his sides. "Well, wouldn't you have a pitiful look on your face if you had been in my condition?"
The woman winced. "You have a point… It wasn't pretty… I'm surprised you're even alive… Speaking of which… How are you feeling?"
"Besides a few aches?" he replied. "Pretty good… I'm only alive because I used a weak barrier to lessen the blow… I don't enjoy pain…"
Sakura laughed. "You know, you're actually not that bad of a person… You gotta couple screws loose, but…"
"What the hell am I going to do with my life now?" he muttered to himself.
"Hey, cheer up… I'm sure you'll think of something… You're a smart guy…"
"Whatever…" he said softly. "You know that once I'm fully healed, I'll go after Shinichi again, right? He's been my sworn rival since he beat me…"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Riight… And then he'll just kick your ass again…"
He laughed a bit, staring at her. "You know, I've never noticed until now, but… You have the most ravishing red hair… How do you get it that way?"
Sakura wagged her finger. "Ancient Chinese secret…"
"But… you're not Chinese…" Arcia said confusedly.
She giggled, shaking her head. "It's a joke, dear…"
Arcia sighed, then grinned at her. "You know, you're not bad… For a normie…"
And so, some more time passed, and…
"No, no, no! That's not right, damn it!" Shinichi cursed, erasing the sketch for the umpteenth time. "Shit! This paper is useless now!" He shouted, snatching up the piece of drawing paper, crumpling it up into a ball, and tossing it into the trash. Putting his head into his hands, he sighed. "Damn it, what am I going to do? I have until next to present my editor with a story and characters or I'm toast!" Narrowing his eyes as he sensed someone in his studio with him, he quickly blocked a green beam of light. Closing his eyes and smirking, he said "You'll have to do better than that, Arcia…"
"Damn…" the male psychic replied, crossing his arms as he stood in the doorway. "Even after all these years, you're still in top form…"
"Yeah… Has it really been that long?" He turned around and faced him. "We've been rivals for 4 years now…"
"So, how's the manga business…" Arcia asked, smiling.
"Not so good…" Shinichi admitted. "Unless I can think up something in a week… I'm sunk…"
"Tough luck… Well, look at it this way… At least Junko is still bringing in the bacon with her coaching job!"
"Mr. Arcia, are you making fun of Shin-sama?" a teenage female voice asked. They turned to see a 17 year old girl, wearing a black shirt with net sleeves and a pink heart on the front, a short pink skirt, and black stockings that together with the skirt showed off a little thigh. Her hair went a little past her shoulders and was black, with a pink streak through it.
"Aw, I'm just teasing him, Naoko…" he muttered.
She stared at him suspiciously, then smiled. "Okay, then… Shin-sama! Mr. Arcia! We have visitors!"
"Visitors?" they both asked simultaneously.
"You're getting married!" everyone screamed, as Ami and Jin made their announcement.
"Yep! In about a few months!" Ami said proudly.
"Congratulations!" Kairi shouted happily. She stared at Takamoto, Naoko's former teacher. "So when were you planning on proposing to me, Keiichi dear?"
"Um, heh heh…" he chuckled. "Um, not today at least…"
Just then, the door opened. "Hey guys, what's up?" Junko asked, a big grin on her face. She had grown her hair out in the past couple of years. It was now shoulder length and she wore it in cute pigtails. "By the way, the team won their game today!"
"Heh, awesome…" Kenji replied. "I knew those little rookies could do it…" He hadn't changed much, just more 'mature' looking. He had a small bit of stubble on his chin that he would occasionally play with.
"Oh, Junko! You're here!" Jin shouted. "Good, now we can tell you the great news as well!"
"Junko! Me and Jin are getting married this year!" Ami shouted.
Junko nodded. "Oh, that's nice-- WHAT!" she screamed, doubling taking. "But, but, but! Shinichi-kun hasn't even proposed to me yet!" She ran over to him, shaking him violently. "When will you!"
Shinichi stammered nervously, afraid that his enraged girlfriend would literally explode if he saidf the wrong thing. "I told you already, I'm not ready!"
"Not ready, my ass!" Junko fell to her knees and started whimpering pitifully. "Don't you wuv me?" Everyone face faulted.
"Why me?…" Shinichi asked pleadingly.
End of Chapter 61.
A bit shorter than usual, but it will do for now… We're arriving at the end…
