Hello readers, I know it has been an extremely long time since I have updated this story. If my calculations serve me right, it's been over 5 months at least! Wow! I hadn't realized. I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting for so long. I hope this story continues to please the readers.
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina in any way; all rights go respectively to Ken Akamatsu-san. I do, however, own Xueluan Khan and Katsuhiro Kenta.
SACRIFICES FOR LOVE
By: KiMitsukai
Chapter 10: Homecoming
"Hurry up, Keitaro! Move it!" Naru barked at her beloved as they ran through the terminal, practically pushing people over to make it to the boarding area in time. "If you don't hurry it up Keitaro, the plane's going to leave without us!"
How had he ever forgotten the usual ring her commands seemed to have over him? He wondered. It certainly felt like old times now. As Naru looked back over her shoulder, she saw her blundering love; waddling along at a half run, heaped upon with at least five pieces of luggage. He looked, if anything, comical in the least. Huffing and puffing, fighting with the luggage as it persistently continued to fall from his shoulders.
"Naru… Was all this luggage really necessary?" He called to her.
"Of course it's all necessary! How can you expect me to leave Tokyo without any souvenirs? Really Keitaro, what were you thinking?"
"I guess I wasn't…" He muttered to himself.
They finally made it through the crowd and rush of people to boarding area number twenty-six. Naru pulled Keitaro up beside him and was fishing in her purse for their boarding passes.
"Five minuets until boarding closes at gate twenty-six."
Finding them, she gave it to the stewardess and they were able to get on the plane. They sat in coach, next to each other, Keitaro at the window seat. It wasn't going to be a long flight, and they would be landing in late afternoon in Hinata Airport.
Naru turned towards Keitaro, a smile on her soft, small lips. "Glad to be finally going home?"
Keitaro smiled as he nodded. "Yes, it's good to be going home. I've missed you all so much… especially you Naru."
A slight blush spread across Naru's cheeks. "Aww… I've missed you so much too."
The plane landed safely in the airport, and they disembarked without any problems. Their baggage was waiting for them on the surveyor belt at the baggage claim, and a taxi was conveniently waiting outside the terminal. A light rain began to fall softly upon the sleepy city of Hinata, and the clouds were a dismal grey. As the two lovers sat side by side in the cab, their hands intertwined between them, the cab ride seemed to fly by. And, before they realized it, the cab had pulled up in front of the historic inn that all knew as Hinata Inn.
After they paid off the cab driver, and Keitaro became the human pack mule once again, they made their way up the walk to their home. Naru threw open the front door and walked in, a huge smile on her face.
"Guess who's back?" She yelled, and all the inhabitants of Hinata came from all corners of the building to congregate in the foyer.
Just then, Keitaro walked in, underneath all the luggage, which he threw down against the wall in the foyer. Looking up, he saw all his roommates and friends, looking at him with puzzlement at first. And then, broad smiles spread across all the girl's lips as they ran to him.
"Keitaro!" They all yelled in unison, and piled upon him in a huge group hug.
"I thought I'd never see you again Keitaro-sempai." Shinobu cried, tears in her eyes as she hugged him. "I was so worried about you."
"We were all very worried about you Kei-kun." Mutsumi said, as Tama-chan flew into the room and came to sit on top of Keitaro's head. Even Mutsumi and Tama-chan were here to welcome Keitaro home.
"What happened to your glasses, Keitaro?" Kitsune asked, while hanging on Keitaro's shoulder.
"I, uh... got contacts, at Naru's suggestion." Replied Keitaro.
"Ah..." Kitsune smiled. "Looking sexy, Kei-kun." She blew a kiss at him, and on her breath Keitaro could smell the aroma of liquor.
"I see you started the party even before I got home, Kitsune." Keitaro laughed.
"When did you get such a sense of humor?" Kitsune looked at him, perplexed, and Keitaro just shrugged.
Su then jumped on Keitaro's back and slung her arms around his neck. "So, did you bring me back anything from Tokyo?"
Keitaro smiled. "Of course. I got something for all of you." Following, Keitaro dispensed the souvenirs that he had picked up for everyone at Hinata. Even Tama-chan.
"Thank you Keitaro!" They all said; it seemed in unison once again.
Keitaro blushed. "Aww, you're all very welcome."
"Alright. Let's let Naru and Keitaro unpack and get settled back in. They've had an exhausting day, I'm sure." Motoko said, and Keitaro wondered when she had become so considerate. He was beginning to realize how much he had missed out on while he had run away to Tokyo.
The others nodded and what their mingled voices seemed to say was. "Yes, yes… of course. Go relax you two." And with that, all the Hinata residents filtered back throughout the recesses of the house to leave Naru and Keitaro alone in the foyer, staring at one another in a little dazed manner.
"They sure left quickly." Naru said.
Keitaro nodded. "Yea."
An awkward silence descended upon the two. Yes, they'd declared their love for one another, and it appeared that their relationship was beginning to advance, but things were still new and unsure between them. Keitaro rubbed the back of his head in his nervousness and Naru in return stared at the floor and dug her right toe into the floor.
"So… uh,.. I should go unpack." Keitaro finally said.
Naru looked up at him, both their cheeks a charming shade of rose. "Yea, me too."
They both grabbed up their luggage and went in their opposite directions to their rooms. Naru went up to her room and Keitaro to his, right beneath Naru's. When he entered his room, he just threw his luggage on the floor in the corner and fell upon his futon. He stared up at the ceiling, and the board that covered the whole in his ceiling and her floor. He smiled, 'so, Naru never fixed that.' He thought to himself.
He looked around his room, and noticed that everything was the same. Except, his bed was made, his room in order, and everything was dusted and clean. These girls had sure taken care of everything while he was gone, and were hoping that he'd return. As if they were preparing this room for his return. And they weren't the cleaning type; that had been his job. Which he gathered, since he returned, would still be his job.
Seven months had passed since Naru had brought Keitaro home from Tokyo. All knew of Keitaro's ailment and were very supportive of him. Everything once again fell into the same rhythm from before Keitaro's escapade. It was once more Keitaro's role to fix and clean Hinata from top to bottom, continuing to take on the job of landlord.
Concerning treatment from the girls, it reverted back to the same old same old. Naru every now and then found cause to punch Keitaro for some perverted act that he inadvertently committed. However, everyone was noticing that Keitaro had become much more mature. He wasn't as clumsy, klutzy, and simple-minded. He was quick on his feet, possessed a sense of humor, and had greater balance. It was almost as if he were a different person, but not quite. He still had his clumsy moments.
Keitaro was out back, cleaning the hot tub, shirt off because the July sun was blazing hot, and Naru came out holding a letter. She blushed at seeing Keitaro shirtless, she had been wondering ever since the café in Tokyo what he looked like with his shirt off. She then shook her head and regained her composure.
She approached Keitaro and had to yell to get his attention. Finally he paused his personal CD player and let his headphones drop to his shoulders as he turned to face her, weight leaning on the pole to the vacuum. "What is it, Naru?"
"I just got a letter from my cousin in Hokkaido, and she's getting married." She smiled, happy for her cousin.
"That's great, Naru."
"And, she's invited me to the wedding."
"I'm sure it will be fun for you."
By now, Keitaro was getting the impression that she was leading up to something, something involving himself. "And, it says here that I can bring a guest as well."
Keitaro nodded and resumed to vacuum the hot tub.
"And… I want you to come with me."
Keitaro immediately stopped what he was doing and looked up at Naru, surprise etched across his handsome face. "Really? You want me to go with you?" He couldn't believe his ears.
She nodded with a broad smile across her soft, full lips. "Yes."
He smiled. "I'd love to go with you."
Her smile broadened. "That's great!"
Keitaro once again started to clean the hot tub, when Naru was walking towards the door and suddenly turned around. "Oh, and Keitaro, we leave tomorrow."
That's it for now. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion, coming up in the next chapter. I hope everyone still likes this story. Anyway, matane---and please don't forget to review.