Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter up! I've been busy with finals, and there was this damn speech I had to make… Also, my parents have split up, and I've moved into a new apartment with my mom… It sucks. I'm stuck with dial-up again. Anyway, it's been a while since I've written anything for fun. Let's see if I've still got it!

Kouji Tamino


Love Hina Next: Second Phase

Chapter 64: Where Do We Go From Here? (Part 1)

And so, several months later, the fateful day finally arrived. Unlike previous weddings, however, the grooms were on time and everything seemed to go on schedule. Everyone frantically ran around the building and outside, making the last minute preparations on everything. In Naru's old room, Saki, Rikina, Naoko, and Megumi were helping Junko and Ami with their dresses and makeup. Junko and Ami were wearing identical white wedding dresses, long trailing skirts and veils and all. Junko, however, was wearing a dress made for a pregnant woman. She was just about 9 months due, after all, give or take a few days. The tomboyish bride put a hand on her hip and looked around in annoyance. "Where the hell is Meiruuna! She's supposed to be helping, isn't she?" She looked around angrily, her tied up hair loosening out of it's bun.

"Calm down, Junko, you'll ruin your hair…" Ami said calmly, waiting patiently as her rival turned best friend, Megumi, put the finishing touches on her dress. "Anyway, she said that she was going to talk to Shinichi, no big deal…"

Everyone suddenly did a double take as the psychic's words sunk in. "Oh no!"


"C'mon, Shinichi-baby… You're not married yet…" Meiruuna whined playfully, sitting on the groom's lap while facing him. She was wearing a white and black strapless dress with stockings and matching high heels, which were currently on the floor. Grinding on him up and down, she began to lean in towards him. "How about one last ride, for old times sake? I'm still jealous of Junko for taking you before I got a chance to…"

"N-no!" Shinichi screamed, dressed in a white tux, sans jacket. "What the hell's your problem! I'm getting married today, you horny psycho!" He struggled to get her off of him, but she seemed to have him mentally pinned down. "What the?… Somebody help!"

"Awww, that hurts, Shinichi…" she pouted, her lip trembling. "Is what you think of me?"

At that moment, Jin walked into the room after leaving to get something, dressed in the full tuxedo. "Yo man, just about rea-- Hoooshit!" He yelled, walking in on Shinichi and Meiruuna. Glaring at the two, he pulled out his sword. "How dare you! Shinichi, how could you even think of cheating on your pregnant bride on your wedding day of all things!"

"THIS ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK IT IS and hey, where did that sword come from?…" Shinichi asked, his scream toning down as he calmed.

Jin chuckled, nodding his head. "Of course, of course…" redirecting all his anger towards Meiruuna, he pointed his sword towards her. "Foul succubus! Unhand my friend and fellow groom immediately!"

Meiruuna chuckled, brushing a hand gently against Shinichi's cheek. "Please, I'm hardly a succubus… Although it sounds it would be fun to be one…." Getting off of her one time fling, she took a few steps toward the former assassin and crossed her arms. "Well if you don't like it, what are you gonna do about it, huh?"

"Since I don't hit women, nothing at the moment…" Jin sheathed his sword before staring hard at her. "But I must ask you to leave him alone… Today is his special day, along with mine, Ami's, and Junko's… You wouldn't want to ruin that, would you?"

Meiruuna gave Jin a long, hard look, before snorting and bursting out laughing. "Good grief, man! You take things way too seriously!" She patted him on the back, wiping away a tear, before continuing. "I may mess with Shinichi… and I do still like him… but I'm just playing around with him!"

"I see…" Jin muttered, rubbing his temples. "Then could you please leave? We have to finish getting ready, if you don't mind…"

Meiruuna huffed, walking out of the room. "Fine!" she shouted, crossing her arms again as she left. "Grouchy, grouchy! I swear, I don't know what my sister sees in you…"

Shinichi wiped his forehead, slumping in his chair. "Whew... Thanks, man…"

Jin smiled, waving his hand slightly. "No problem… But you really have to stop letting her pick on you, you know…" He picked up his co-groom's jacket off of the floor and tossed to him. "Now dust that off and put it on… We've got a wedding to get to!"


Outside, a little while later, Naoko and Kenji were talking with Yamato and Tokimi. The delinquent grinned, poking his girlfriend playfully. "And she has the cutest heart shaped birth mark on her ass!" He screamed as Naoko smashed him right in the face. "Oooww!" Grabbing his nose in pain, he glared at her through one eye. "What the hell was that for!"

"You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone, you big meanie!" Naoko cried out, pouting pitifully.

"Aiyaaah…" Kenji whined, rubbing his nose. "I'm sorry…"

"Geez, what a perv…" Yamato muttered quietly, scratching his head.

Tokimi rolled her eyes, staring at her husband. "Yes, reminds me of a certain young man I once knew and still know…"

"H-hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean!" he shouted, stomping his foot.

"Just what it sounds like, you jerk!" she screamed, clenching her fists.

Not wanting to get involved in their little 'lover's quarrel', the younger couple quickly snuck away.


"Waaaah! Please hurry, Miaka!" 7-year-old Kimiko shouted frantically. She was wearing a light pink one piece dress sleeveless dress and matching sandals. "Ms. Midori is dying!"

Miaka, wearing a similar, but dark blue dress, was trying to push a boulder off of this 'Ms. Midori'. "It's just a stupid doll! Can't we just leave it?"

"NO!" the more feminine of the twins screamed. "I love her! Please Miaka, save her!"

"What's going on here?" Kimomo asked as she walked over. She had her hair in a ponytail.

"Oh, Ms. Kimomo!" Kimiko shouted, hopping up and down. "Please save Ms. Midori! Her leg got lodged under this rock and we can't get her loose!"

Kimomo smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Stand back, please…" As the Urashima twins stepped away from the huge rock, she shook her head. "No, much further than that… In fact, maybe you should get behind me…" The twins quickly complied, having already seen the damage that those that used her fighting style could do. With a grin and a quick wave of her hand, the boulder split in two. "Boulder Cutting Blade!" she cried, watching with satisfaction as the rock halves flew off in opposite directions, leaving the green haired doll completely unharmed. Picking up the toy, she handed it to it's owner. "Here you go!"

"Thank you so much, Ms. Kimomo!" Kimiko said cheerfully, hugging the doll tight.

"That was so cool!" Miaka shouted in glee, staring up at Kimomo with admiration. "Where did you learn that from!"

"It was from another user of the Shinmei Ryu style…." Kimomo explained, rubbing her chin as she racked her brain for memories. "What was her name again? Setsuya? Tetsuna? Er, something like that… All I could remember was that she had wings and kept sighing sadly about some 'Ojou-sama' chick…"


"Sorry we're late!" Keitaro shouted, smiling and waving happily as he and Naru arrived. "How's it going?" He chuckled as everyone else gasped at his new beard. "Surprised? I didn't get to shave on my last dig, and I decided to keep it… Speaking of which… Me and Naru are retiring from our jobs!"

"About time, old man…" Kaolla quipped, earning her a elbowing from Rikina. "Ack! I kid, I kid!"

"So what do you two lovebirds have planned?" Kitsune asked, grinning. "It's amazing how long you two have been together… The same goes for Seta and Haruka!"

"Just goes to show you how much they all love each other…" Kairi said wistfully, squeezing Takamoto's hand. "You'll stay by my side forever, won't you Keiichi?" she purred, cuddling against him.

"Er… Um… Maybe?" the teacher blabbered nervously.

"…Fuck you, Keiichi…" she hissed, letting go of his hand and walking off in a huff, but not before singing him with a fire-based spell. Everyone sweat dropped, the people that knew of Kairi's sad past glaring at Takamoto.

The man sighed, walking off in her direction. "I'll… go talk to her…"


"Kairi! I'm sorry!" Keiichi shouted, running after her as she ran up the steps of the building. "I was just kidding! I…" he yelped as Kairi used her magic to trip him up, sending him falling down the stairs. "Waah!"

"Go away! It makes me sick to even look at you!" the former ghost cried, running into her room and slamming the door. She leaned back on the door and sighed heavily, whimpering pitifully. "How could he say something like that?…"

Limping his way upstairs, Keiichi knocked on the door shouting. "Kairi! What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did!"

Kairi sighed, putting her head between her legs. "You wouldn't understand, you'd just think I was weird…"

"Yes I would understand, and no I wouldn't think you were weird!" Takamoto screamed. "You and the others have proven that nothing, no matter how strange, is possible! And I mean that in a good way!"

"…You sure?" she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Okay, here goes… I'm actually a ghost… About 100 years ago, my husband cheated on me and I burned our house down in a rage… I died, and haunted the area for years. Eventually, I was brought back to life with witch doctor magic… There, I said it. Now laugh at how ridiculous that sounds…"

"I don't think that it's ridiculous…" Keiichi began, pounding on the door. "I think that it's horrible that he would do something like that to you! Kairi, if that's what's bothering you, then you don't have to worry! I would never ever do something like that to you!"

"Really?" Kairi asked, pressing her ear against the door.

"Yes, of course! Kairi… I love you! You're such a wonderful person, and your naivety is what attracted me towards you… Your smile can cheer me up when I'm down and… I know this is sudden, but…" Her gasped as Kairi opened the door, smiling at him.

"I know what you're about to say, but I don't think that now is the right time…" Kairi said wistfully. Kissing him on the lips, she giggled. "You're so sweet… Now come on, let's not keep the others waiting!"

"…Ms. Otohime, I'm worried…" Naoko said, a tinge of fear in her voice.

"…Oh my, what is it Naoko?" Mutsumi asked, turning away from rubbing Keitaro's new set of facial hair gleefully.

"It's about one of the hermit crabs you gave us as a gift.. The boy, Ken-chan, hasn't been eating or moving a lot lately…" Holding up the container that the crabs lived in, she pointed to the larger crab in the dark shell. "See?"

"Hm…" Mutsumi rubbed her chin, staring at the poor aggressive half of the crab duo. She shook her head, sighing deeply. "I'm afraid that 'Ken-kun' has gone up to heaven…."

Naoko's eyes widened, her lip quivering. "He… He's dead?"

Mutsumi nodded, patting her on the head. "Sorry, dear…"


Kenji was minding his own business, spiking the punch, when his girlfriend suddenly caught him in a tackle hug from behind. "What the hell?… Naoko, what in the world are you doing?"

"Ken-kun died! He's dead! It's all my fault!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, squeezing him tighter. "I've been neglectful of both of them recently! I'm a terrible owner!"

"Naoko…" Kenji said sadly, turning around and hugging her back. "It's not your fault… Those things usually only live for 1-2 years under human owners anyway… For them to live for 4 is amazing. You're amazing… You did your best in raising him… And plus, you still have Tet-chan, don't you?"

Naoko sniffled a few times, smiling sadly up at her boyfriend. "You're right… You're absolutely right! I still have another chance!"

"Hey, everyone!" Haruka shouted, using a megaphone. "Hate to interrupt, but we're about to get started! Please take your seats!"

And so, as the guests all got seated, they all patiently waited for the grooms and brides to arrive…

To Be Concluded…


One more to go…

Kouji Tamino