BUZZZZZZZ! BUZZZZZZZ! "Ooh, geez I'm sore." Naru worked out her morning stiffness as the clock buzzed loudly. The previous day she had spent preparing for Keitaro's return. He had been away in America with Seta-san for over a month. "Keitaro, you baka, I'll kill you for leaving me alone like this for so long!" she said as she dressed. After heading down for breakfast, she noticed everyone seemed to be in a very strange mood. "So, Naru, Keitaro is coming back, eh? Are you two going to kiss and confess your undying love to each other then, hmm?". "Kitsune, it's not like that! I don't like that perverted letch! Why would you say that!" Naru stammered. "Oh? Is that so? Then why were you saying his name in your sleep, eh?" Kitsune asked slyly. "I DIDN"T DO THAT!" yelled Naru as she stalked off to find a more peaceful part of the house. "Don't run away Naru! We just wanna play!" Kaolla shouted after her.
"Why is everyone saying that I like Keitaro?" she thought to herself as she entered the springs. "How do they know? Is it that obvious?" Kitsune, Kaolla, and Shinobu entered right as she was about to say out loud how much she loved Keitaro. "Geez, I love you Kei-huh?" "Who do you love Naru-san?" asked Kaolla. "Oh, umm, nothing." she replied. "I... I'm so happy that senpai is coming back today." murmured Shinobu, who knew exactly what Naru was saying. "Really? Why?" asked an innocent looking Kaolla-su. "Shinobu just misses him like the rest of us. Isn't that right Naru?" said Kitsune with a coy look. "Oh! Uhh, yeah. Like the rest of us…" she muttered. "Why couldn't they just leave me alone right now?" she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden crash in front of the inn.
"What was that sound?" asked Naru. "Let's go check it out! Yay!" squealed an excited Kaolla. They got dressed and ran to the front if the inn to find a van crashed into a tree. A lone figure with a cut on his forehead climbed out of the back, and after checking himself over, came out of the shadows so they could see his face. "KEITARO!" they asked in unison. "What the heck are you doing driving a van like that you baka! You could've got yourself killed!" yelled Naru. "Eh-heh… Sorry about the loud entrance everyone. Say, Naru, were you worried about me?" Keitaro asked slyly, knowing full well what Naru was feeling. "Of… Of course not you baka! Why would I be worried about you? Look at this perfectly good van that you wrecked!" she said, fuming that her emotions were so easily seen. She was actually quite relieved to see him, and would've been happy to run up and share a tender kiss with him, but the other girls were there so that would have to wait.
The girls invited Keitaro inside to sit and rest after his travels. They asked him all about America, to the point of him telling them to go themselves. Haruka came from the teahouse and suggested a welcome home party. The girls seemed dumbfounded at this idea, but Kaolla agreed and prodded the rest into doing it. They were all about to go into the kitchen and cook his dinner when they realized he was missing. They found him in the kitchen cooking them dinner. "Ah, senpai, why are you cooking for your own party?" asked Shinobu. "I figure that I need to do some of the cooking around here, since I neglected my job as Kanrinin around here for a while" he replied calmly. The girls were all staring at him as he cooked a feast of delicious foods. All of them were wondering when he learned how to cook so well. Naru in particular was happy about this accomplishment. "Now he'll be able to cook for me when I'm sick after we marry. Wait a second; marry? Did I just think that? This is a bad trend Naru." She thought to herself.
Later that night, after everyone was done partying and celebrating Keitaro's return, Naru found him in his bedroom unpacking. "So, Keitaro, how was America?" "It was okay. It would've been better if you were there, though. I missed you a lot, Narusegawa." She blushed. "Keitaro", she said quietly. It was moments like these that she felt she could scream. Scream with joy for the obvious reasons, and with sorrow because she wasn't able to tell him how much she loved him. For some reason she kept choking up whenever she got the chance to tell him how she felt. In fact, she felt so bad about this after he went to America that she cried herself to sleep the first week of his absence. "Not again" she thought. "I won't let this chance slip by again". She silently willed herself to speak.
"Come on baka, you can do it! Just tell him how much you like him. It's not like he'll say he hates you" she thought. Keitaro was looking at her, as if waiting for her to reply with "I love you". She sighed and thought "Why do you have to look at me like that? It makes it so much harder for me to say what's on my mind". It was like this for a few minutes; Naru trying to persuade herself to open up, and Keitaro gazing warmly into her eyes. She broke the silence.
"Keitaro, I missed you too." She was disappointed in herself for not telling him how she really felt. "Thanks" he whispered. "Naru, let's keep that promise and finish Todai, okay?" he said, referring to the promise they had made a month before he left. "Yeah, lets" she replied. She moved a little closer to him, and he looked at her with a dreamy expression in his eyes. They kept moving closer and closer until, right when they were about to kiss, a loud bang startled them both. "Urashima! I will not tolerate this kind of behavior! You must be punished! KAIIIIIIIIIIII!" screamed an enraged Motoko. "Ahhh! Motoko-chan! Wh, where were you!" "That is not important! Succession move Zanketsin!" she yelled, performing one of her many succession moves and sending him flying. Later, "Ah, Motoko-chan, about that. I wanted that to happen" explained an exasperated Naru. Motoko looked stunned, then, realizing what she meant, said "Oh, uh, sorry Naru. I didn't realize that you two were going to…" "It's okay." Naru could tell this was going to be one hectic week for Keitaro and her. Their relationship would need a lot of work to improve.
