And Life Goes On

by Irritus185

Chapter 11 Up! Sequel to Holding Hands. Volume 8 has finally started! Pararakelse Island, giant turtles and...Nyamo! It's a tropical paradise! But for Keitaro, it's just an escape from his fourth failed test! Poor Keitaro...no one likes him, huh?

11. As Luck Would Have It

A/N: (decrepit hand punches through ground; obviously decayed body crawls out) Uhhhhhh……brains…Must eat brains… (villagers scream in horror and begin to blast Yamiga with shotguns) Ouch! Damn it, ouch! That really hurt! Look, I'm sorry! It was a joke, okay! (Yamiga beaned in back of head by two-by-four) Guh! God expletive damn it! Will you stop it! I know it's been a while but you don't have to overreact! Anyway, it's been nearly 10 months since I last posted anything. I know it's completely unforgivable of me to take so long but I just have had a lot of problems lately. The main one is that over the summer, I just couldn't write. Apparently I need mental simulation from school and such to be able to come up with the motivation and creativity needed. And after that well…it's my first year in college! What else do expect me to do! I need a social life! And thank god that I have a much better one than I did in high school! Anyway, here's the 11th chapter of ALGO as well as the last chapter in the Pararakelse arc. Hope you enjoy it. Oh, and first a thanks to my reviewers. Sorry I won't be giving the detailed thanks I usually do as it takes to much time. Thanks by the way!

sephynarutocloud, Zefrn, well…, Sci-Fi Raptor, Blueramza, sexybish666, Android K, Shadowed-Moon2525, Black Demon567, Petran, Anubuss, Artful, llibsbllstar10, Vivi239, Gold Fish, SulliMike23, Zornoid13, sephierogh, memumbo, the little voice in your head, Martrex, FormoriCompletion, Niak, bsdisaster, Axel Sregor

Thank you to all my reviewers!

Disclaimer: I have never, do not, nor probably will ever own Love Hina. (sob) So please don't sue me. I'm poor, I could never afford an attorney, and I'll probably end up in the streets if you do.

And Life Goes On
By Yamiga'sLight
Chapter 11: As Luck Would Have It

It's funny how life works. You could be on top of the world and living it large at one moment, and then at the next find yourself in the sulfurous pits of Hell while some guy with an ego disorder continuously pokes you with a pitchfork. Then again, the reverse could be said as well. In any case, life is chaotic at best. You'll never know what happens next, and if you do you're either a seer or someone who can bend the very fabrics of reality. If you're the latter then congratulations! You've now reached the same degree of insanity as I have…

…Forgive me for the demented ramblings. Let's just say my brain has been on the verge of a complete breakdown. The events that had led up to that moment haven't exactly helped matters either. First of all, I thought I had failed my entrance exams for not the first, not the second, not even the third, but for the fourth time. Next, I run away (as is my usual course of action for most troublesome situations), get on a cruise ship, fall off the cruise ship, and end up on a deserted island. There I met my friend/boss Seta, get recruited on an archaeological dig only to find that my tough-as-nails girlfriend had chased me out to there. We fight, she passes out, we make up, we go out into the desert, get lost, find an oasis, get closer together, discover some ancient ruins, get blown up…

Huahhh…

And now I find out I have passed and can get into Tokyo University! Oh, but did I forget to tell you that if I didn't get my admission sent within the next 18 hours I would be doomed to repeat another year as a ronin? I did? Well now you know!

Oh…Why, God! Why! Why did you have to give me such an amazing chance only to throw it back in my face! Do you enjoy torturing me or something! Sometimes I seriously contemplated that idea, as it was the only semi-logical explanation of why my life was like something out of a manga or anime. And why do I have the sudden feeling that someone is laughing at me…?

But anyway…it seemed Lady Luck had taken a liking to me (finally, a female that didn't want to kill me) and decided to hand me a break. Somehow Seta managed to find us in his rickety death trap (I'm still amazed at what the blasted thing can do.) Unfortunately he was all out of gas. Of course…However, this was quickly solved when Nyamo led us to a tank of gas hidden in the ruins. This made me wonder just why she wanted to find the ruins, as it was obvious she and her grandfather had done so beforehand. The broken-down jeep where the gas had been hidden in attested to that. Sentimental reasons, perhaps?

Not like I was about to complain. We now had the means to get out of the desert with it. Because of Nyamo, I still had a chance to make it into Tokyo U! Besides, I was sure that Nyamo would tell me the reasons for her deceptions when she was good and ready.

Still, the fact that I actually passed continued to numb my mind. I couldn't believe I not only finished the entire section in five minutes but aced it as well! Finding out that my chickenscratch-for-handwriting was legible enough for the people to read was also surprising. I mean, I had enough troubles with my own language than to worry about English, right? I mean…

"Hold on!"

Eh? No…I didn't mean that. So what--

I soon found myself in mid-air. Seta had managed to drive off another cliff (yet again! ), and since I wasn't prepared for the sudden drop, gravity opted to pull me off the roof of the van and onto the desert ground.

"Gahhh!"

I rolled along the heated sand for several meters before gravity's friend, friction, decided I had had enough fun and stopped me. I looked up at the deep blue sky, disbelief and exasperation etched into my every feature. Did I exist only as the world's plaything? Was it really necessary for what just happened to happen? Maybe…Not like anyone would ever tell me, though. I groaned and picked myself up, seeing that the van had done a u-turn and was heading back towards me.

When it stopped the driver side's door opened up, revealing Seta. He grinned guiltily and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, part-timer," he laughed. He was quickly shut up when a shaken Kitsune smacked him in the back of the head. She, as well as the van's other occupants, must have been just as scared when he sent the van flying. Who wouldn't? Needless to say, Kitsune was not in a good mood as she yelled at him, her slanted eyes full of both terror and aggravation.

"Watch the frickin' road, you moron!"

I left the two to duel it out and climbed back on top of the van. Naru and Mutsumi were sitting there, concern on both their faces. After I settled down on one of the large pillows scattered about, Naru took a light grip on my arm. "You okay? You took a pretty big spill."

"Aside from a few bruises and a mild concussion, I'm fine." I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry for worrying you like that. I must have zoned out for a bit."

"You idiot!" I winced at the harshness in her voice. "Scare me like that again and I swear I'll kill you myself!" She looped her arm around mine and pulled me closer, resting her head on my shoulder. Naru looked up at me, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Got it?"

I chuckled at the act she had put on. "Yes, ma'am."

Mutsumi watched in amusement. "Honestly…you two act like a couple of kindergarteners." Naru stuck her tongue at her, gaining a giggle as her reward. "Though I do have to say you two make quite the cute couple." She smiled her trademark smile, one that projected nothing but serenity and care. Mutsumi was certainly one of a kind, an unbreakable spirit in such a frail body. She could truly make anybody happy or feel safe. A person I was honored to call a friend.

Naru sighed and tightened her hold on my arm. "So I guess this means we're all Tokyo U students now, huh?"

"Hmmph," I nodded. "It's actually kinda hard to believe. I mean, I managed to finish the entire section in five minutes and still pass it! That's got to be a record somewhere."

Mutsumi put a hand to her mouth, stifling the giggles that escaped. "I guess all these years as a ronin paid off, eh, Kei-kun? Oh, but besides that…" She leaned over and whispered quietly in my ear. "Looks like you can finally keep your promise to Na-chan, too."

I blushed at the thought. Naru looked at me curiously, but I merely waved it off. Mutsumi was right, though. I would be keeping my promise to Naru, both promises. First, the one that we had made when we were little kids, about getting into Tokyo University and living happily ever after. And two, the one that we made after we met each other for the second time, how we both promised to help each other get into Tokyo U. I could keep both…and both with the same girl -- my Naru. I smiled.

Suddenly, Naru's face twisted into pain and her hand moved to her abdomen. "Ouch!"

"Did something bite you?"

She shook her head and smiled at me. "No, it's nothing."

I shrugged. Eh, it was probably just a cramp from having to sit on top of a moving vehicle for so long. Nothing too serious…at least I hoped so. Naru had the tendency to hide any kind of pain she had, as she considered it being weak. That whole "afraid of being alone" thing I guess. Old habits die hard…But in any case, I decided to move on to a happier subject.

I rested my head on hers, curling an arm around her petite waist. "So…" I began. "This means we're finally going to Tokyo U together, huh?"

Naru looked up at me, sighed tiredly, and then looked the other way. "You're just realizing that now? God, you're slow." Her tone gave me the inclination that she really thought that, but the light tint of red on her cheeks proved otherwise. Heh, she could be so adorable at times.

Mutsumi noticed the change in her demeanor and pointed at her, laughing gaily. "Oh my, Na-chan! Are you blushing?"

Naru's blush grew deeper and she hid it underneath her bangs, mumbling an embarrassed, "So what if I am?"

See what I meant by adorable?

I laughed as well, tightening my hold on her. "You are just too cute."

She shook her head and snuggled closer, nuzzling her head into the crook of my neck. I think I heard her call me an idiot but I wasn't too sure. Ah well, not that it mattered. We stayed like that, silently watching as the van finally made it back into town. As we pulled in the airport, I absently wondered when the next time I visited this place would be. Soon, I hoped. This place had become almost a second home to me in the short time I had spent here. The people were friendly, the environment was beautiful, the weather perfect…It was almost like heaven had come down to reside there…Or it would have been had Naru not been groaning in obvious pain and discomfort.

I put a hand to her chin and tilted her head up to look at her. Her face was scrunched up a bit and she was beginning to perspire lightly. Something was definitely wrong with her. Only problem was…would she tell me just what? "Naru, are you sure you're okay?"

She roughly pushed my hand away and shook her head viciously. "It's nothing, just fatigue."

"But Naru…"

"I said it's nothing!" she snapped.

I slid back quickly, holding my hands in front of me like a shield in case her wrath manifested into something more physical. "Okay! Okay! Jeez…"

Mutsumi frowned, an expression of hers that I or anyone else rarely saw. "Really, Na-chan! Did you have to yell at him like that? Kei-kun just wanted to see if you were feeling all right or not." Her tone had a bit of an edge to it, something else that surprised me. Naru's reaction must have miffed her off. I guess that wasn't too hard to expect, as she was one of the largest supporters of Naru's and mine relationship.

"I…I…" Naru's head slumped, her eyes housing shame. She must have been just as surprised that Mutsumi, of all people, was berating her for her behavior. It's a rather humbling feeling to be on the receiving end of a chastising by such a sweet person. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. I'm just tired after all this, that's all." She leaned up and gently pecked me on the cheek. "Really. I'm fine, Kei."

I stared at her critically, still not really certain if she was telling the truth. She smiled and shrugged helplessly. I sighed. If Naru didn't want to tell me then so be it. But until she did I would keep a close eye on her to make sure she didn't get hurt. During the conversation the van eventually rolled to a stop, ending up near the landing strip. We could see the plane waiting on the strip, a few mechanics on it.

Seta's voice came from below when he slammed the door open, the van shaking from the impact. "Alright everybody, it's time to get out of here! Let's move, move, move!"

I hopped off of the roof of the van before helping Naru and Mutsumi off as well. Gidget was an entirely different matter. Why he could not fly like his desert brethren I do not know but it would have made getting him off the van a whole lot easier. At least Tama-chan was simple enough. All she did was ride on my head the entire time.

After we all made sure everyone was in one piece after Seta's wild ride, we went into the airport's lobby. Looking at the departure times, I found another obstacle that God put down to, yet again, try to screw around with my chances of getting into Tokyo U.

"Damn, the flight got delayed!" Kitsune whined. "I don't want to stay here any longer…I've got to get back to Japan and my sake!" Another reason that fueled my belief that Kitsune had a serious alcohol problem. She must have a liver of steel if she didn't have terminal cancer by now. Ehh, everyone has their vices.

Anyway, what she said was true -- the flight was delayed. Apparently the crew was behind in checking the plane's maintenance so it would be another couple hours before they finished. I guess that's why I saw people fiddling around with it. Ah well… "On the bright side, it does give us a chance to unwind and…Oof!" The cause for my grunt of surprise was Naru stumbling into me. Her face was all flushed and she was panting irregularly. Okay, something was definitely wrong. This time I was absolutely certain. I gripped her shoulders, forcing her to face me. "Naru, what…"

Her feature suddenly burst into alarm and embarrassment. She smacked my hands from their perch and ran off, calling out behind her, "Sorry! I've got to go to the bathroom!"

"What's wrong with her?" I asked Kitsune. She was by my side, staring off where Naru had disappeared into the crowd. "Do you know? Because I am totally lost at the moment."

"I don't know either," she replied. "I think she's acting really weird, too. Maybe she's sick?"

I shrugged. I really hoped that wasn't the case but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like it was the most likely answer.

"Hey, part-timer!" I turned to see Seta, Nyamo waiting at his side, waving at me. "Come over here! I want to talk to you for a sec!"

"What is it, Seta?" I asked when I walked over to them.

"It's nothing, Keitaro. Just thought we'd both say goodbye." He grinned. "It's been fun working with you. Who would've thought someone who just started working would find one of the greatest archaeological discoveries! It's amazing!"

I laughed nervously. Greatest discoveries? I wouldn't have exactly said that. Besides, Nyamo had found it before, so I really couldn't take any of the credit. The only way I may have contributed was my luck finding that stupid oasis in the first place! Urrgh…I really wondered just what kind of crap life would throw at me next. Ah well…

"Thanks, Seta. It was fun working with you, too." I tilted my head off to the side. "So how long are you gonna stay here? Until the excavation of the ruins is all done?"

"Pretty much that. Too bad you won't be here to help us. But still, I guess getting into Tokyo University is more important than helping us with the excavation. I'm happy to hear that you finally made it in." He grinned and winked in a playful manner. "Guess the third time's a charm, eh?"

I laughed and scratched my temple in embarrassment. "Yeah, guess it is. Looks like I'm really following in your footsteps, huh?"

In a way, I was. Seta also made it into Tokyo U after three tries and now I was doing the same kind of work he was, an archaeologist. In a way I found it kind of ironic. Was I turning into some kind of mini-Seta? We both had the same kind of personalities -- dense as a rock at some times, enjoyed digging around in the dirt (I meant this both figuratively and literally), and also were very persistent to the point of being considered stubborn. The fact that we kept aiming at Tokyo U no matter what happened proved that point.

Looking back I never really saw being like Seta as a bad thing. He was a great guy, someone I definitely looked up to. Turning out to be like him wouldn't be something I'd abhor or despise. Still…I wouldn't like to be an exact replica of him; I still wanted to be my own self with my own hopes and aspirations. Heh, and now I'm just babbling. Forgive me…

"Maybe you are, part-timer…Maybe you are…" He looked down at his feet for a second or so, a reminiscent smile tugging at his face. "Oh!" Seta looked back up at me, a flustered and sheepish look crossing his features. "How could I forget? I'm not the only one who wanted to say goodbye." He looked over at Nyamo, nodding his head in encouragement. "(Go on, sweetheart. You can talk now.)"

Nyamo glanced nervously at him and then back at me. She wrung her hands in front of her, obviously awkward with what she had to say. I sighed internally. Why was she so anxious again? She seemed to get over that when we were all in the oasis. Maybe it was because it was just she, Naru, Tama-chan, Gidget, and I there while there were a lot more people here? She always was uneasy when she was around new people, but…

"(Urm…Keitaro?)" I was knocked out of my daze when Nyamo suddenly addressed me. I looked at her, noticing that she was having trouble getting out her words. I smiled softly, trying to get her to relax. Thankfully, it did the trick. "(You'll…you'll come back to help us with the excavation again…right?)" She was blushing as she finished this.

Wha…? All she wanted was to ask me if I would come back to help out? Then why was acting so…so…Nyamo took another look at me before gazing down at her wringing hands again. It was then that it hit me. Nyamo considered me a friend so of course she would miss me, right? She wanted me to come back so that she could talk to me again like we did when I first arrived. I smiled. I wanted to talk to her again too. I didn't want to just leave and never see her again. She was one of my valued friends, and I hoped that we would never lose touch just because we lived in different countries.

I laid a hand on her head on ruffled her hair gently. Nyamo peeked up at me from under her bangs. I smiled widely. "(Of course I'll be back to help you out. Just make sure you leave a little of those ruins for me, okay?)"

Nyamo's face was pensive before it spilt into a beaming grin. I let out an "oof" when Nyamo suddenly hugged me, her expression nothing short of ecstatic. "(Thank you, Keitaro!)" she squealed happily. "(Thank you so much!)"

I sweatdropped at her show of eccentricity, uncertain of how to respond. It was not often that I had a cute girl hug me out of the blue. Still, it appeared as though my answer really did make Nyamo glad. My face shifted from embarrassment to amusement as I continued to ruffle her hair. "(Nice to know you feel that way.)" She looked back up at me. I smiled. "(I'll be back as soon as I can.)"

Nyamo stepped away and then blushed again. "(Umm…and do you think you could…ummm…)" She sneaked a look at the other girls. I followed her gaze, not sure what she was trying to say. "(Do you think you could bring Shinomu along too?)"

My smile only grew at this. Over the short time the entire gang and I spent in the oasis, Shinobu and Nyamo had apparently become friends. It wasn't easy, as Nyamo was too apprehensive around the girls to try and make friends. However, with Shinobu's kind and sweet nature, the two had formed a bond that I hoped would last a lifetime. It was only fitting that the two girls who looked and acted so alike would become friends. Heh, it was a bit funny that Nyamo called Shinobu "Shinomu" instead of her real name. Perhaps it was because Nyamo was unused to speaking Japanese? Ah well…Nevertheless, this was one request I was positive I would fulfill.

"(I'm sure Shinobu would be quite happy to see you again. Don't worry, I'll do my best to see that you two get together again.)"

"(Thank you…)"

"(Well!)" We looked back to see a grinning Seta. "(Now that that touching scene is over, we better get back to the others.)" Nyamo and I nodded and started to go back but then I noticed that Seta was walking in the opposite direction of us.

"Hey, Seta! Where are you going?"

"Huh?" He turned around. I looked at him inquisitively, wondering why he told us to go back while he went off somewhere else. "Oh, sorry!" He laughed in embarrassment. Was it just me, or did it seem like he was apologizing for a lot of things? First the van, then Nyamo, and then now. Was his brain functioning at all today? Then again, I really couldn't say anything. There were times when my brain went on frequent vacations and let my body fend for itself (more often then not this resulted in me getting flung halfway to Tokyo.) "I'm just going to go check what's going on with the plane. I'll see you a little later."

"Okay. See ya, Seta." He waved and then quickly merged in with the crowd. I turned around and walked back to my tenants. They were in a group in the middle of the boarding area, just making small conversations with other as they waited for the repairs to finish. I called out to them. "Hey, guys!"

Kitsune was the first to respond. "Oh, hey, Keitaro. What were you doin' before?"

"Just talking to Seta. And you guys?"

"Nothing much. Just this and that." She moved closer. "But mostly we were talking about how cool it was that you finally made it into college. Guess you're finally a big university student now." Kitsune moved even closer. I could tell something was up when she put a hand on my chest. Aww crap…What was she trying to do now? "In a way, it's kinda sexy. Maybe I should try to steal you away from Naru," she purred. Her hand moved up, lightly grasping my chin and forcing my face to her level. I began to sweat abnormally at the feral look she was projecting. "Does that sound good?" Her voice was dripping with honey.

Oh dear…Something bad was going to happen, I just knew it. Luckily the girls were quite used to Kitsune's pretend wanton behaviors and just sighed in exasperation. As for me…my mind chose the option that it normally did when Kitsune made these types of motions around me -- run away screaming like an imbecile!

"Gaaaahhhhh!" I jumped away from the aptly named fox, making sure I put a good distance of a meter or so between us. I could feel my heart racing. Even though I had become accustomed to Kitsune's not-so-subtle teasings, it didn't mean that I enjoyed being put on the receiving end of them. More often then not they led to either Naru or Motoko beating me into a comatose state. That I did not enjoy…Putting a hand to my rapidly-beating chest, I squawked out, "Jeez, Kitsune! Don't you ever get tired of making fun of me!"

"Nyahaha!" She merely flapped a hand at my frustration. "I can't help it! You're just too easy to tease. Not to mention it's so fun watching you get all flustered." Great, so she also had a sadistic streak. That was just what I needed.

"Really, Kitsune…" Motoko muttered. "Why must you toy with fate? You know how perverted Urashima is. One day he's going to take your offers seriously and try to have his way with you."

I glared at Motoko. Why did she always have to say that about me? I wasn't the humongous pervert she and the others thought I was. Besides, why would I go after Kitsune when I already had Naru? …Not that I would ever try to take advantage of my girlfriend, I wouldn't. Hell, if I even attempted that I would lose the piece that influenced me to do so.

"Oh really? And why are you telling me to stop?" Kitsune's attention transferred from me to Motoko, and for that I was grateful. At least she wouldn't mock me mercilessly. However, what she said next to the raven-haired girl immediately made me regret that opinion. "Is it because you're going after Keitaro now?"

Motoko's pale cheeks burst into a horrible blush and she stared at me, her face carrying an unknown expression. I was stricken with panic, as I knew that anytime Motoko blushed for any reason that concerned me was followed with a sword slash accompanying a verbal denial that she wanted to have anything to do with me. So my reaction was quite understandable.

My arms wrenched over my head as I struggled to protect myself from a possible onslaught. "Gahhhhh!" I cried, bending over to make sure there was as little of me to hit as possible. "Please don't kill me! I'm not thinking anything perverted! Really! I'm not! Don'thitmedon'thitmedon'thitmedon'thitme!" Okay, the added mantra of her begging not to beat me was pretty pathetic (not to mention it rarely ever worked) but it was one of the only things that helped to keep me partially hopeful I wouldn't be booted into the stratosphere.

"Urgh. Urashima, must you act like such a weakling male?" I glanced up, amazed that I hadn't just got my ass handed to me. Motoko's face had reverted back to its normal color, though signs of embarrassment still lingered. "I swear…someone like you getting into such an acclaimed college is beyond belief. Still…" Her mouth quirked up into the tiniest of smiles. "I must admit…I'm rather impressed that you made it. I honestly thought you would commit suicide before doing so."

Eheh…was that a compliment or an insult? With Motoko I could never tell. The line between her showing praise or just a well-disguised insult was very thin indeed. Still, I might as well consider it a compliment. Hinata House's kendoist rarely gave compliments to me…if ever.

Su's head popped up from behind Motoko's shoulder where she was clinging. A grin had blossomed on her face. Uh-oh…I knew that smile. Su was about to say something innocent and yet extremely inappropriate at the same time. I had to get out of there…

"So does that mean you do like Keitaro? I bet Naru would share him with you if you asked nicely!"

And…I was right.

Motoko's blush returned with a vengeance. She looked at me and then at the others and then at me again. Oh crap…Her hand inched towards her sheathed katana. Double crap… "Urashima…" Her tone had a definite hint of steel to it. Triple crap… "You scoundrel! I know you're thinking something perverted now!"

Shit!

"Aaaiiiieeeee!" Yeah, I know, I screamed like a little sissy-girl. But c'mon! How else could I have reacted? I had a furious master swordsman (err…swords-woman) ready to lop my head off. Not the best scenario. And on that note… "Oh, god! I'm not thinking anything! Really!"

Well, the look on her face proved she didn't really believe me, so… "Umm…urm…goodbye!" I took off like there was no tomorrow, which may or may not have been true.

"Urashima! Don't try to weasel out of this!" Like hell I wasn't going to! I really did not need a Motoko strike right now! Unfortunately…I didn't get very far. "Rock-splitting sword!"

Okay…I was dead.

The next thing I knew, I had flown all the way across the lobby and ended up plastered into the Plexiglas window. It was surprising that the window didn't shatter from the impact. Then again, most of the impact had been absorbed after I skipped across the floor a couple of times. I was vaguely aware of someone prying me from the wall. That same person then proceeded to fling me across his/her shoulder and carry me off. I absently wondered if I was being kidnapped. Of course, the kidnapper would have to be pretty stupid to just abduct me after that little stunt Motoko pulled but I really wasn't thinking too clearly around that point.

The said person unceremoniously flopped me onto one of the benches before engaging in conversation with another. Once I had regained enough coherency (and once my head didn't feel like an elephant just sat on it), I was able to listen to what the people were saying.

"Now really, Motoko, was that necessary?"

"Hmph, Urashima was being a pervert. I was just punishing him for his miscreant deeds."

"Motoko, you scared half the people in here shitless…I doubt they're used to just having someone pull out a sword and blast another person with it." Okay, this one was another voice. And it was filled with overbearing exasperation and annoyance.

"Urgh…feel like I just got run over." I slowly sat up, holding my head between my hands. My vision cleared enough so that I could see the three people conversing were Seta, Motoko, and Kitsune. Huh…Seta must have been done talking with the mechanics. That was quick…

"Oh my, Kei-kun, are you all right?" I looked up to see Mutsumi bending at the waist slightly and gazing in concern at me. "Motoko hit you quite hard that time."

I waved it off. "Nothing I'm not used to." I stood up and then walked over to Motoko. I laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Motoko. I didn't mean to do anything bad or something."

She scrutinized me, a frown adorning her face. "So you were thinking something perverted."

My face cracked into horror. Of course I wasn't thinking anything perverted! I was too scared to think of anything like that. Shacking up with Motoko, I mean. Oh, or a threesome. Yeah, a threesome would be perverted. Yeah, really perverted. Ooooooooh……………Gah! No! Uh-uh! That was the type of stuff that got me into trouble in the first place! No way! No how! I wasn't going to think about having both Naru and Motoko at the same time, not having them both…Gaaaaahhhh! Must stop! Must stop being so degraded! Must stop or Motoko would castrate me!

I raised my hands and crossed them in front of my face. "No! I wasn't thinking anything bad! Really I wasn't. I'm a good boy!" I lowered my head in defeat. "Please don't kill me…"

"Pathetic…"

I groaned miserably. Yet another loss for me, and another win for the girls of Hinata House. Would I ever win an argument with any of them? The answer was simple and came quite easily -- Not. Bloody. Likely.

Why was I such an idiot? Huhh…

After Motoko made me go through one of her punishments, we had a wide berth between us and the people populating the airport. They didn't want to get involved in our antics, and for that I couldn't blame them. I had pretty much the same idea, so I stayed off to the side, determined not to make any more life-threatening mistakes. As long as I was ignored and not talked of, I didn't run the risk of one of them misinterpreting something and then trying to brutally maim me. Or at least that's what I attempted until Su decided to discard Motoko as her perch, opting to cling to me instead.

"So, Keitaro, you're finally not a ronin anymore, are yas?"

"I suppose not."

"Too bad." She began to rub her cheek against mine, a trait that seemed to appear whenever she felt either playful or lonely. I wondered which she was feeling this time? "I'm gonna miss not being able to call you that anymore. It was so funnies to call you the great ronin."

"Urm, Su? You never called me that."

She looked at me strangely. "I didn't?" I shook my head. She frowned "Oh, poo! I forgot to use a perfectly good nickname!" I laughed softly. Really, Su could be so cute sometimes if she wasn't either trying to use me as one of her test subjects or blowing me up with one of her Tama-missiles. Su smiled back, reflecting my merriment. "But I guess you wouldn't have liked that."

"No," I chuckled. "I wouldn't have, Su."

"Oh wells…" She resumed nuzzling my cheek. She really liked doing that. I remembered that when I had first arrived at Hinata House she said she enjoyed nuzzling against me the most, as I had the softest hair and skin she had nuzzled to (even more so than Motoko). I could tell she was trying to be nice but it was still irritating that my baby face made me more of a woman than an actual woman was. "Looks like I'll just have to think of another nickname for ya."

"Can't you just call me Keitaro?"

She stopped rubbing and put a finger to her chin. "You know, I never thought of that." I did nothing but sigh…

Eventually I moved back to the girls, engaging them in mild conversation. Fortunately nothing improper came up, so the time passed kind of quickly. Naru came back after a while but then disappeared once again after complaining about stomach pains and having to go to the bathroom again. Oh man…She had to be sick…No one went to the bathroom that often for nothing. I tried to sneak an answer out of her when she returned, but Kitsune beat me to the punch.

As Naru stumbled towards us through the crowd, clutching at her abdomen and a look of pure despair blanketing her face, Kitsune got to her first. She cupped her chin and asked in a troubled tone, "You keep going in there. You not feeling good?"

Naru's expression dissolved into alarm. "Ah…Ah, I'm okay. Really, I am." She giggled nervously, her voice abnormally high-pitched, cracking at certain times. Even a person as dense as me could tell when she was lying or not. And boy, was she lying…

Shinobu was the next to ask. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Then came Sarah and Su. "We can make you feel all better!" they shouted in unison. Urgh…Was I ever going to be able to ask my own girlfriend if she was sick or not!

Naru kept giggling and then stopped, covering her mouth with a hand. She looked like she was about to puke. That's never good…Before I could do or say anything, she was already leaving. "Umm…okay, maybe I don't feel so good. I'm gonna go lie down in the infirmary for a while. Call me when the flight's ready. Ha ha ha…"

We all sweatdropped when she walked straight into the doorway with all the grace of Mutsumi, almost fell on her butt, shook her head a few times, and then shuffled into the room. If it weren't for the idea that she was seriously ill, the entire scene would have been very comical.

"I wonder what's wrong with Na-chan?"

"I have no idea…"

"You guys stay here." Kitsune followed after our current mystery girl. "I'm gonna find out what's wrong with Naru even if I have to drag it out of her."

The others went back to talking when Kitsune walked into the room. I, on the other hand, decided to listen in on Naru and Kitsune. I wasn't eavesdropping, I just wanted to find out what was wrong with my girlfriend…Okay, I know that it sounds like I'm just rationalizing my crime but I doubt you've never done it either so just shut up and allow me to continue. Anyway…

All I really heard was a few whispered comments and then some agitated shouts. I couldn't really figure out just what they were saying since trying to eavesdrop through a three-inch-thick metal door wasn't all that smart of an idea. Sound really doesn't travel through something that solid very well. At least not when you're trying to understand what the sound is saying.

The one thing I did hear was footsteps coming back out. Because I didn't want to be found in such a guilty looking position, I jumped away from the door. It opened right after I did so and Kitsune came walking out. She was muttering something along the lines of, "Ahh, I guess that's just one of those things everyone's embarrassed to talk about." Didn't really know what the heck she was talking about but…

"Uh, Kitsune?" She hopped in startlement when I appeared behind her. Well, she wasn't expecting me to just be there, huh? That was a first. "Is everything all right with Naru?"

Kitsune regained her composer rather quickly. When she did, her face immediately changed to one of her "fox-grin" modes. How was she going to tease me now? "Keitaro…" she crooned. I knew it. "Were you spying on us?"

I blushed, revealing that I had indeed been doing just that. Not that I didn't try to deny it. "Ah…no! I didn't…I wasn't…I wasn't doing anything bad!"

"Heh, your face gives you away." I just stood there, wishing I had better control over my blood vessels. "You really are a bad liar, Keitaro. Anyway, Naru's fine. Just a minor case of di--" Her face melted into one that matched Naru's only a few minutes before. "I mean…urm…"

"Di…? What does Naru have, Kitsune?" Why did she suddenly stop just when she was about to tell me what was wrong with Naru? Was it something bad? Oh no, what if she was…!

"Um, well…you see…she's got a fever…and uh, a cough. A bad cough!" By now she was flailing he arms around like an idiot, much like I did whenever I was going into one of my mental breakdowns. Oh yeah, that was always a ton of fun. I noticed Tama-chan floating beside her and reflecting Kitsune's movements. Where did she come from…? My thoughts were broken as Kitsune continued to ramble. "Like really nasty, and you'll, uh, be really scared!"

My eyebrows rose at her erratic movements and choice of words. "Are you okay?" It was starting to get freaky seeing Kitsune like this, obviously rattled by something. She was never really disturbed by most things, was always calm and collected. Well…unless she lost one of her bets; then she would act like she was now.

"I know!" I jumped when she took me by the shoulders, tears collecting at the corners of her eyes. "She's…she's pregnant!"

…

…

…

What…!

"And you better take responsibility too!"

"Stop lying!" I cried. Right! As if she was pregnant! To be pregnant we had to have…I mean, she and I had to…Well, what I mean to say is…Well we didn't! I know we didn't! I was pretty sure we didn't…No! I was absolutely, positively, and completely certain that we did not do…that…thing…

By now my face was fuming red. Kitsune's ploy to distract me from whatever had happened to Naru had really worked. For about five seconds…Then I went back to worrying.

Kitsune ran off, glad she had dissuaded me from interrogating her. Not like I had the brains or the gall to. What really was wrong with Naru? I had to find out.

Walking into the infirmary, I found out which of the sleeping areas was Naru's and made my way to it. I rapped on the door lightly. "Naru, you in there?" A distinct "eep!" was her response. Yep, she was in there all right. "Naru…" I asked as I opened the door, revealing my girlfriend to be sitting on one of the cots. "You got a minute?"

She fidgeted with the blanket of the cot, keeping one arm over her stomach. She seemed determined not to look at me. "W-what is it?"

I sighed. "You know what it is. Now what the heck is going on? I know you're sick. So what…?"

Naru's eyes shifted even more to the cot, now even more interested in the wrinkles that played along its surface. "Could you just leave me alone please? I'm not really in the mood to talk."

I frowned, my eyebrows furrowing with irritation. Why was she so determined not to tell me? "Naru, what's with you? Why are you being so evasive? Why can't you just tell me what's wrong?"

The frown on her face and the pain in her features wound tighter. She was breathing very heavily and I could see tears beginning to gather and slip down her cheeks. "K-Keitaro, please…Would you…let me be alone for a while…Please?" The last word was directed solely at me, her view finally on my face and not at the piece of furniture she was on.

"Naru! What is wrong! Please! Tell me!"

"Keitaro…I can't…I can't hold…" She flopped onto her side, her panting even heavier, her chest heaving with each breath she took. Oh dear lord! She was in serious pain! But why wouldn't she tell me? I could help her. I could make it feel better…or try to. But at least I would know! "Just go…Please…just g-go." Only one of her eyes was open and it stared at me, full of hopelessness and misery. "Please--"

"Naru!" I rushed to her side and tried to take a hold of her, to try and comfort her. It was all I could do. "Please! Just tell me what I can do! I'll do--"

"I'll tell you what you can do…" She raised her head, both of her eyes now opened. However, all I saw now was rage and anger instead of her previous hurt emotions. "You can start by just getting the hell out of here! " Her leg lashed out and caught me in the temple, sending me out of the room to bounce off the wall and then slide down the hall. I saw Naru thundering out of the room and slam the bathroom door shut as she went inside.

"Ouch…"

Oh boy…She couldn't have been that sick if she was able to send me flying like she did. Maybe I was just blowing the entire thing out of proportion.

The look of pain on her face came back to me like one of her punches. No, something really was wrong with. Maybe not as bad as I first thought but something was definitely going on. Naru was sick…and I had to find out just what she was sick from and why she seemed so afraid to tell me.

I picked myself off from the floor, making sure that I hadn't ripped myself a couple of new holes that I didn't want or need. Standing on my feet, I marched over to the bathroom, steeled myself to find out what the hell was going on, and sharply rapped on the door.

"Naru!"

"Go away!" was her muffled reply.

"I'm not leaving till you tell me what is up!"

A growl followed by a thumping on the door led me to believe that Naru had just punched the poor thing. I pity it… "Keitaro…if I have to come out there I'll rip your head off!"

Her voice, full of malice and spite, was almost enough to drive me off. Almost. But somewhere from deep inside of me, I found the courage to go past my fear and say what I needed to say. Meanwhile "that" part of my brain had been shut off by a capricious part of my psyche. I still have to thank the little bugger that did it. It was probably the only reason I somehow managed to grow a backbone.

"I'd rather have you do that! At least you'd be off the frickin' toilet! I swear, you've spent more time with that porcelain…thing than with me!"

A red glow emanated from the doorway's cracks. Ooooh…pretty. Scary as well. I didn't know if it was from the blush that had to have been on Naru's face after my last deranged accusation or the bloodlust she must have gained as well. Knowing her, it was probably the second. I really needed to learn on how to quit when I was ahead…

The door opened a smidgen and I wasted no time in zooming in on it. I thought Naru might have given in a bit and was ready to tell me how she was sick. Heh…did I guess wrong…

I got a rather personal view of Naru's clenched fist before it piledrived me into the opposite wall. Naru's voice floated in its wake. "Idiot!"

Doh! I was so screwed, and I didn't mean because I had my head lodged in something. Though I suppose you take it literally at that, huh?

After I managed to pop my head out of the wall, I shook it a few times to clear my head. A thought occurred to me. I was trained in martial arts and should have been able to defend myself against any attacks the girls threw at me; I had even told them so last Christmas. But lately I hadn't done anything to protect myself. You'd think I'd at least try to stop their attacks every once in a while. So why didn't I? I just…took it all. I wonder…Was I…was I starting to become…a masochist?

…That was a…mildly disturbing thought…

Ahem! Never mind, forget that. I really didn't need to contemplate on what sick, twisted part of me was forming in the back of my mind. What I needed to do was to persuade Naru out of the bathroom. Though judging from the way she reacted at my previous endeavors, this was not going to be an easy task. Ah well…

I quickly stumbled over to the bathroom and began to pound my fists on the door. "Naru, come on out!"

"No!"

"Please! Open the door!"

"Hey, part-timer, it's almost boarding ti…" I turned around to see Seta, along with Mutsumi, Nyamo, and Sarah, gazing at me strangely. His eyebrow was slightly raised, and realized just how stupid I must have looked banging on a bathroom door. "Ur, the men's room is that way." Correction – a female's bathroom door.

I shook my head to rid Seta of any weird thoughts and stated, "No, Naru's in here. I have to…"

"Keitaro…" The door swung open a little bit, revealing Naru. Whatever anger she had been carrying was not completely gone, her expression reverting back to the pain and agony of before. She was still sweating, but it also seemed that tears had gathered at the corners of her eyes.

"Naru!" I exclaimed in relief. "Are you finally ready to tell me what's wrong?"

She gulped, apparently steeling herself to tell me something. "I…I'm sorry, but…" She gulped again and smiled weakly. "I can't go home with you."

I stalled for a second. This request totally caught me off guard. She wanted to… "What!"

She looked away from, holding a hand to her chin. The other one kept a firm grip on the door, making sure that it couldn't any more than the small sliver it already was. "I just…I just need to stay here. There's still…something I have to do. Please don't ask what."

I groaned in frustration. I couldn't ask! What the heck was she thinking? My girlfriend had been acting strangely all day, locked herself in a bathroom, and was asking me to leave her in some back-water country!…Okay, that was a little harsh. Pararakelse was a very nice place, but still…how was I supposed to think at that moment? Apathetic? Not worried at all? C'mon, this was Naru I was talking about! She never really asked for anything unless she had a very good reason for it. But now…now…

"What are you talking about? Why can't you just tell me what's happening? Naru! I'm really worried!"

She averted her eyes, her face contorted. It was almost as if she were wracking her brains for an answer. But then why would she… "Umm, it's about Nyamo! Yeah, that's it!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I just couldn't leave without a happy ending and all that, you know? I have to tie up the whole grandpa thing."

That was all? I sighed in relief. "That all? Good." Naru looked at me in surprise and confusion. "I worked out the whole thing with Nyamo." I rubbed the young tanned girl's head affectionately. She smiled in appreciation. "I already promised to come back and finish up the excavations as quickly as I could. So no worries about that." I laughed, content that all of the problems were solved and that Naru could finally come back with me.

Naru's face flashed with disappointment for a moment. Why, I did not know. All I did realize was that she had suddenly exited the bathroom and had begun to push me backwards. "Fine!" she muttered. "Maybe that's all good and done but…" She screwed her face up in determination and shoved me into Seta. "You're going back to Japan without me right now anyway!" I was too stunned at her order to resist. "Seta!" She pointed at my boss and mentor. "Get him on a plane right now! I don't care how, and don't ask why, but I want you to."

The man hesitated for a moment but he must have seen something in Naru's eyes because he nodded curtly and started dragging me toward the docking gate. "C'mon, Keitaro," he murmured. "Let's not go against Naru's wishes. We'd better just get on the plane and leave."

"But I…I…" Seta fixed me with a stare I rarely ever saw on him. It was serious, completely devoid of the usual joyful cluelessness that played across his features. I had only seen that look once before – the time we had taken part in that play at the Hinata Beach Café. The same look as when he challenged me for Naru's heart, knowing full well that no matter how much of a wimp I was, I wouldn't go down without a fight. I'm sure that was the same look he had whenever something really important was happening. So…I really couldn't argue with him…could I? "O…okay…"

He nodded again and guided me to the boarding terminal, his hand firmly clutching my shoulder, as if making sure I could not escape. What was going on? Why was everyone acting so weird -- including Seta? This was all so…so…

"Naru!"

I twisted around in a quick snap, dislodging Seta from my arm. What the hell was happening! Why was Naru being called for! Just what…

My answer came swift and merciless.

Naru was lying unmoving on the airport's hard…cold…floor...

ALGOALGOALGOALGOALGO

I couldn't believe it! All this trouble, all this worrying me witless, all this confusion and mystery and frickin' unbelievable mayhem was all because Naru couldn't keep her bowels from…Umm, right. Never mind.

But jeeze! I was really scared! I had thought something serious had really happened to Naru after I saw her collapse! But all it was was a nasty stomach virus! I wasn't all too surprised. I mean…drinking water from a non-purified source did run the chance of contracting something. But Naru couldn't tell me this! She'd rather lie to me and think that having…that thing…would be the end of the world! Ugh!

I voiced my anger and annoyance rather loudly. First I yelled at Seta for helping Naru lie to me. Then I yelled at Kitsune for coming up with such a stupid excuse and lying to me as well. Then I yelled even more just because I'm a total moron and oftentimes don't know when the hell to shut my mouth. Luckily this task was delegated to Motoko who easily took command by smashing me over the head with her sheathed blade. After I managed to pry myself out of the crater created, I thanked her and went back to Naru.

I carried my girlfriend back to the infirmary and tucked her into one of the cots. She was unconscious, had a slight fever, and was breathing pretty erratically around that point, but the doctor said that a little rest was all that was needed and that she'd be as good as new soon afterwards. Maybe a little stomachache but that was to be expected, he added.

So now here I was, taking charge of looking over my girlfriend's sleeping form. I thought it kinda ironic. The girl who was often so sure of herself and everything that she did lied because she had an ailment that she thought was embarrassing. If I hadn't known any better I would have sworn that I was starting to rub off on her. Making up lies on the spot because I was too afraid to admit my screw-ups, that is. Ah well, I guess that could also only be expected. She was rubbing off on me, too. How else could I explain the sudden growing of a backbone to any and all of her (or anyone else's) threats and/or advances?

In any case, just looking at her face made me feel so at peace. Her flush had subsided, letting her pale skin glisten in the darkened hospital room. A wet towel I had placed on her forehead had cooled her down significantly, so that was good. Her breathing had evened off as well, her chest rising and sinking steadily. At least I knew that she wasn't in pain; the gentle curves of her face proved that.

In fact, I was becoming real sleepy around that point. I decided that it couldn't hurt to take a quick nap. After all, I had already chosen not to go back to Japan. That's right -- I chose to forfeit my chance to get into Tokyo University to make sure that Naru was going to be all right. Oh, don't look at me that way. You might consider me crazy but I don't care. I would never have passed the entrance exams in the first place if it hadn't been for Naru. And no, it wasn't because I felt it was my duty to watch after her if that's what you're thinking. I wanted to. Not because I felt I had to, but wanted to.

Un-huh. I didn't want to leave her just because of some stupid college. I don't care if I never make it in to that school. As long as I had Naru with me, I was happy. Besides, she said that she would wait for me for as long as it would take. And I believed her. I knew she would wait, and that was all that I ever needed to hear.

Hmm…It was nice there. I had my head pillowed on my arms, resting it on the cot near Naru's stomach. I didn't want to touch her. Not yet. It would be wrong, wrong to do something like without her knowing about it. Still, her warmth was so comforting, so soothing. I quickly nodded off, happy to know that she was right there.

I don't know how long I had slept. I didn't really care. I had had a nice dream, one when I was just a kid and playing with Naru and Mutsumi when they were little as well. I was softly broken from it, however, when I felt stirrings coming from beside me. Did that mean Naru had woken up? I lifted my head and noticed a blurry shape. "Naru, that you?"

The shaped cleared a bit. Yep, it was Naru all right -- a confused flush written all over her darling little face. Quite a cute sight to see first thing in the morning; at least I thought it was morning. Her words, though, weren't very cute at all. "Keitaro!" she shouted in shock. "W-what…what are you still doing here!"

"What, no morning kiss?" I grumbled softly. You'd think she'd be happy to see me. Ah well…

Her blush grew even worse. Damn, she was so cute just then! "That's not what I asked," she persisted. "What are you still doing here?"

I sighed and reached for my glasses. Putting them on, Naru cleared up all the way. Her brow had furrowed into a bewildered scowl. Hmph…she seemed kinda pissed. Which was odd since I was the one who should have been angry. "I've been taking care of you since you passed out," I replied. "Really, Naru." I sighed again. "We're both adults here. If you had stomach problems you should have just told me. Not scare me half to death by pretending nothing's wrong and then fainting in the middle of the terminal." I gave her a small, sad smile. "I was really worried about you."

Her mouth snapped shut as she was about to retort, obviously uncomfortable that I had found out about her…digestive quirks. She looked away and absently squeezed the towel I had given her before in her hand. "Oh, um…sorry."

"It's okay." My eyes crinkled in silent amusement at her flustered behavior. "Just tell me what's wrong next time instead of acting like me. It doesn't suit you."

She let out a giggle. "Yeah, one idiot is enough, thank you very much." My lips curled upward. That sounded more like my Naru. Then suddenly, her face switched from giddy happiness to shocked comprehension. "Wait…if you're here and it's morning…" She slammed her hands onto the bed and shoved her face into mine. "That means that you missed your chance getting into Tokyo U! You dumbass! What the hell were you thinking!"

I sweatdropped at her abrupt, irate question. "Uh…wha?" I asked dumbly. Not the smartest response I might add. I think Naru hit the nail when she declared me a dumbass.

"Why didn't you go with Seta like I told you too! Why didn't you just ignore me and go! Damnit, I didn't want you to stay because of me! I wanted you to go! Getting into Tokyo U is you dream! So why didn't you…why didn't…Argh!" She ground her fists into her head, an action she only took when I had done something completely ignorant and annoying. Oh dear, she wasn't taking this well at all.

I glanced at my lap. What was I supposed to say to her? I suppose…the truth would be best. It wasn't like lying would help me any. It hadn't done anything for her.

I lightly took a grasp on her hand. She looked up at me, anger mixed with grief in her face and tears. I smiled. "Well…what else could I do?" Her face dissolved a bit into uncertainty. "You were in pain, Naru. I couldn't just leave you alone here. Is that what you wanted?"

Her mouth opened to speak, closed again, and then her head sunk. "You…I…That's still no reason to…you…dummy…" Her voice trailed off.

Naru squeezed my hand under hers. A teardrop fell from her face to land on it. I looked at her in bewilderment. Naru...is that really what you thought? Did you really think I'd rather leave you in pain to get back to Japan so that I could get into Tokyo U? You silly girl...You were the whole reason I wanted to go there in the first place. And now you expect me to go and abandon that reason? I would never do that...never leave behind the one person that meant so much to me, even if it meant that I had failed to get into that blasted college once again. You're all that matters to me...All that matters...

I leaned over and rested my forehead slightly against hers. I absently noted she wasn't as hot as she once was. That was good. Naru reciprocated the motion, leaning against me, her face still hidden by her bangs. I chuckled softly. How often did we get into these situations -- all the time, or hardly at all? I was never really sure -- life was always such a blur to me. But…what did it matter? I had Naru, that's all. That was all…

"You silly girl…"

"I'm not silly…"

"Yes. You are a silly girl. So don't scare me like that again, please?"

"…okay."

We stayed like that for who knows how long. It might have been a few seconds. It might have been a few hours. Time really meant nothing at that point. It was just something that existed…just not in that frame of our existence.

But in all actuality, it was all that long at all. The drapes to the room were flung open by a strong wind, bathing the room in sunlight. Naru and I both blinked rapidly to get accustomed to the sudden change in light. When they did focus again, we were shocked to see that the plane -- the plane that I had missed giving up my last chance to get into Tokyo U and be happy forever or at least for that school year -- was still on the strip way!

Naru immediately scrambled around on the bed, clawing for the small clock on the table next to it. She grasped it in both hands and looked at it. Her face paled. Her hands shook. A tic formed on her temple -- a rather large, angry-looking tic. Oh dear…this wasn't good. "What the…! It's only been a half hour since I collapsed!" She turned around and glared at me, her teeth gnashing in a very scary manner. Crap… "You moron! You made me think it was nighttime! And here I was all worried that you missed your plane! You sympathy digger!"

I flinched on instinct. "I'm sorry! I fell asleep also! I didn't know such little time had passed! I honestly thought I missed my flight too!" But wait…If I hadn't missed my flight, then that meant I might still have a chance to--

"Hey, you two! Wake up!" The door to the infirmary flung open, revealing Seta, Su, Sarah, and Tama-chan. "I've got some bad news! Seems the crew finished early on the maintenance check so the plane's going to leave on schedule!"

We just both looked at him, out jaws slacked a little. "What did you say!"

Thinking that he had not explained it clearly enough to us the first time, Seta clarified it a bit more -- complete with erratic gestures and louder shouts. "If you don't get on that plane now, you'll never get back to Japan on time!"

I sat there, speechless. It happened again. It fucking happened again. It God-damn, go-to-hell, fucking happened again! Just when I thought that the universe had given me a break, just a tiny little reminder that I wasn't completely alone it in this cruel, unforgiving world…I end up stepping right in its pet's feces. Damn it! I never was going to have it easy! I never was! I never…never…Maybe I should just give up. Life wasn't going to get any better for me. No…no that would be too good for one Keitaro Urashima. I wasn't--

During my self-pitying, little bitchin' tirade, someone had grabbed my arm and was now proceeding to drag me off somewhere. After I banged my head on a doorframe for the third or fourth time, I finally realized just what was going on. Naru had taken hold of my wrist and was leading me through the airport. Her face was a giant expression of mass effort. Of course, me being the little giver-upper that I am at times, I had to ask Naru what in blazes was she doing.

"Naru…what are--"

"Shut up and run!" she responded in kind. Oh yes, that was going to help me understand why I was being thrown around like a rag doll. Shut up and r-- "If you don't get on that flight you won't get into Tokyo U. I'll hit you till you're black and blue if you don't make it, you hear me!"

That did the trick. Upon knowing just what her objective was, I kicked myself into high gear, getting Naru to let go of my hand. I was soon running right by her side, making a beeline for the airplane that was getting ready to take off with the last chance I had to get into that stupid college. Oh God, how I hoped I could make it in time!

"Keep running, Keitaro!"

"Don't fall and trip, dork!"

I looked behind me to see the two people who had called me. "Su! Sarah! What the heck are you two doing here!"

"What do you think! We're making sure you get on that plane! Papa worked really hard to help you! I'm not letting it all go to waste!" Sarah yelled back. She was pumping her legs as fast as she could on that little scooter of hers. Wait…when did she get a scoo-- Ack, no! This was not the time to be thinking of such trivial matters. Gotta run!

I waved my hands frantically, trying to catch the plane's pilot's attention. "Pull over! Let us on!"

Naru followed en suite. "Hey! Over here!"

Not surprisingly, the plane didn't miraculously stop, let me on, fly to Japan, have me get into Tokyo University, and let me live happily ever. Noooo…life couldn't give me that little joyous tidbit! Gaaahhhh! I hated this! Why! Why! Why……!

"Urashima!" Oh, and then there was that. "Why aren't you on that plane!" Motoko, followed by Shinobu, soon followed in the wake of my run. Oh man, if it wasn't bad enough I could miss my only ticket home, I now had an enraged Motoko on my heels. This was turning out to be a wonderful day…

"Funny story really," I screamed, making sure I had an ample amount of space between Motoko and I. "There was this delay and--"

"Stop yapping and keep running!" That was Naru.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"(Keitaro!)"

"Over here! Grab on!"

"(Keitaro!)"

"Huh?" I turned my head to see Seta's ran barreling on down to the right of me. In it was Kitsune at the wheel and Nyamo hanging out of the window, waving her arm to get me. A van? Yes! A faster way of getting where I needed to go! I ran alongside the van before launching myself through the open door. "Alright! Thank you, Kitsune! You're a lifesaver!" She laughed in response. I noticed that Motoko and Su were already in the backseat. They must have jumped in right before I did. Ignoring them, I decided to get a better vantage point. Latching onto the frame, I flipped myself up onto the roof, a feat that wasn't exactly easy but at least doable for me. Yes…this was much better.

"Oof! Kei, you could at least give me a hand!" I looked down to see Naru trying to clamber onto the roof as well. I grasped her hand and began to pull her up. That was when Kitsune really cranked up the speed, the tires burning a scorch mark into the ground. However, due to the sudden change, I almost lost my grip on Naru. Thankfully I pulled back hard enough to yank her up, only for the both of us to land in a rather awkward position. No one could see it, though…Whew…

After getting back into a more appropriate position, Naru banged her fist onto the van's roof. "Kitsune! Where'd and when'd you learn to drive!" She was obviously irritated by the erratic driving skills of Kitsune. At least she wasn't as bad as Seta. Speaking of Seta, I bet he was wondering just where his car had gotten off to. Probably thought some turtles had made off with it.

Kitsune laughed, enjoying her brief time as a racecar driver. "Don't sweat the small stuff, Naru! Anyway, how do ya think we're going to get the plane to stop? Ask it nicely to pull over?" It'd be nice if it were that simple. Though nothing ever is…

I saw the barrel of some weapon poke its way out of the window. It looked like something that belonged to Su. My mouth went dry. Oh no…Don't tell me she was going to shoot the plane down with one of her inventions! I could see the headlines now, "Foreign Terrorists Shoot Down Innocent Civilians Plane. Gunned Down When Pararakelse Police Officers Arrived On Scene." Damn it! I couldn't be a terrorist! I couldn't even be any type of bad guy! I was too weak-kneed for that line of work! What was I--

"Put those toys away now! "

The cannon hesitated before slinking back through the window. Thank God for Kitsune! We weren't going to be labeled as international terrorists now! My record was clean! Oh wait…no it wasn't. Multiple accounts of perversion were on my record…Damn my klutziness! Argh! I was probably the only person in Japan who had a record a mile long filled with nothing but sexual harassment claims! I hated my life!

In no time flat we managed to catch up with the airplane. And man, was the thing huge! How the heck was I supposed to get the thing's attention! It was like an ant trying to get an elephant to take notice of it. Damn it! And we couldn't go any faster, the van was reaching its limits as I spoke. I wasn't going to make it!

Naru took a solid grip on my shoulders. "Okay, we'll do this like in the movies. We'll get close and then you can jump, got it! Your immortality will definitely come in handy here!"

"I'm not ready for this!"

"Shut up and jump, you sissy!"

My brain calculated the odds of my survival. They weren't pretty or very hopeful.

ODDS OF MAKING IT TO THE PLANE AND INSIDE WITHOUT HARM: 15 ODDS OF MAKING IT TO THE PLANE AND INSIDE WITH INJURY: 30 ODDS OF FAILING TO MAKE IT INSIDE AT ALL: 80 ODDS OF FALLING TO THE GROUND AND BEING RUN OVER BY THE PLANE AND/OR CURRENT MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: 75 ODDS OF GETTING SUCKED INTO THE JET TURBINES AND BEING SLICED, DICED, OR OTHERWISE GORY WAYS OF DISEMBOWLMENT AND GETTING TURNED INTO A SUBSTANCE RESEMBLING SPAM: 60 OTHER WAYS TO FAIL AND GAINING GREVIOUS INJURIES: 55

My sub-conscious skimmed over the printout my panic system had made in order to verify just what my chances were. It raised an eyebrow. 'So more or less he's very screwed.'

THAT IS CORRECT!

It sighed. 'He never seems to have life go his way, does he?'

NO! OUR MASTER SEEMS TO HAVE VERY LITTLE OF WHAT YOU CALL "LUCK"! IT IS TOO BAD!

'Poor, poor bastard… Wonder if I can find a job someone else…'

Gaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! This majorly sucked! But it wasn't like I had much of a choice. It was now or never. Damn it, I wanted a third option! I reached out my arm for the plane's wing, hoping to get a good grasp of it. "Here goes nothing!"

And it really was nothing, because the plane decided to take off at that very moment. I could only watch, dumbfounded, as it slowly lifted off the ground. Once up in the air, the metallic bird gained speed and quickly became nothing more than a dot in the clear, blue Pararakelsian sky. In a way, it was very beautiful -- seeing that object float off into space, never to be seen again until who knows…

What the hell am I waxing philosophical for! That was my only ride out of here! Shit!

The van eventually slowed down. Sarah and Shinobu caught up with us, standing right next to the van. Everyone climbed off, except for me. I just sat there, staring at where the plane had disappeared from view. My chance, my hope, my dream…It was gone. It had disappeared over the horizon. Everything I had aspired for, everything I had worked up to, everything I had sacrificed…had amounted up to nothing. My life was worthless. I was just a lowly child, not even a man, who couldn't do a single thing no matter how hard I tried. What had I…what had I been doing with my life? I wasted it, wasted it all…

I felt like I had when I first thought I failed the exam. All the cheers the girls had given me, all the time Naru took out of her day to help me study, all the promises I had made…I had thrown it all back in their faces, like I was laughing at them. I had failed them and this time I had no excuse to give except for my own stupidity.

This was the way my life worked out. Every time something important was going to happen to me, I screwed it up. Like at my middle school graduation, when I tripped over my own two feet and crashed into the principle, knocking her off the stage and onto the band. She had to stay in the hospital for a week. Or the time when I was in the school play and I had that one scene with the girl I really liked. I stepped on the hem of her dress and ripped it, making her half-naked when she walked out of it. I earned a good slap for that one. Or the time I nearly burned down my parents' bakery when I was left in charge while they went to pick up some more ingredients. I had left the oven on and then went to help some customers, completely forgetting about it. By the time I came back, half the kitchen was on fire. Needless to say my parents didn't trust me all that much after that.

Hell, I'm surprised I hadn't completely destroyed my relationship with Naru. You'd think someone as worthless as me would screw up some time or other, and not the little screw-ups like I usually do. I mean the big, honking, what-the-fuck-are-you-doing, are-you-a-moronic-jackass, it's-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it screw-up. I'm sure it was just waiting to spring itself out at me. Just waiting…

During my period of self-loathing, my ears perked up when they heard the girls talking. They were talking about other ways to get me home. Some were sensible but weren't going to happen, some were darn-near-insane. It warmed my heart to know they were still trying when I had given up. Wait…they were still…

Then I picked up the sound of sobbing. I glanced down to find Naru collapsed on her knees, bawling her eyes out. She was going on and on about how it was all her fault that I was still here. That if only she hadn't gotten sick, I would've been on my way home. But how could she? How could she blame…how could she blame herself for my weakness, for my lack of worth?

The others hung their heads, as if giving up themselves. I couldn't blame them. With someone as idiotic as me as the one taking care of them (an extremely laughable idea), how could they have any hope left?

"It's over…"

Those words captivated me. They tumbled around in the recesses of my brain, repeating themselves over and over again. It was over. Yes, it was all over. What else could I possibly do…?

Then their previous words came back to me. How they were proud of me, how they were envious if not confused by my persistence, how they liked that I always tried to keep a happy spin on things. They were trying their best to fulfill my dreams, and here I was moping around like a toddler who didn't get dessert. What the heck was I thinking? These women cared about me, whether they'd ever admit it or not, and all I could do was throw it away. Well…not anymore! Bad things weren't the only events that transpired on this island, good ones happened as well. I had to focus more on the good things, so as not let the bad ones take over. I would show them, show them that their efforts weren't in vain. I would show them that I appreciated what they did for me, and that I would be ever grateful for how they treated me. Because…that was how I honestly felt.

I hopped down from the van, landing softly behind the girls. I clamped my hands into fists, preparing myself for what I had to say. And by everything that I was, I was going to say this!

"No…" I uttered in a low, steady voice. "It's not over."

The girls slowly turned around and looked at me, as if not believing what I had just said. They remained silent until Naru softly croaked out, "Wha…what do you mean?" The tears were still quietly streaming down her face.

I looked down at my feet, not really sure on what to say. But then, it came to me as easily as it came to loving every single one of the girls. I looked back up at them and smiled. "I've realized something on my short time on the island. The excavation work I've been involved with here is really rewarding…" I gazed over at Nyamo as I said the next part, silently thanking her for all she had done. "…And it's something I'd love to be involved in for the rest of my life. I don't regret a thing. So what if I didn't make it back to Japan! It was worth it."

I turned back to the girls, ready to make the big thank-you I had wanted to say for a long time, ever since I arrived at Hinata House, but just never really knew the time and place to tell them all. Well, now was the time and here was the place. "And all of you for coming this far for someone like me…that makes me the happiest man alive." I smiled as happily as I could, my eyes closed softly, and gave a small bow. "Thank you so much for everything."

I twisted around and looked again at where the plane had vanished into the deep sky. I raised a hand and clenched it into a fist, making myself a promise. "And I'll apply to Tokyo University again next year, because this time I've not only got a dream, but a future to fulfill as well." Looking at my girlfriend, I laughed gently. "So…will you wait one more year for me? Huh, Naru?"

She just stared back. "Kei…Keitaro…" She then smiled. Wiping her face clear of her tears, she stood up and walked over to me. Glancing me in the eyes just for a moment, Naru's lips quirked before she planted her forehead on my shoulder. "Sure."

That one word meant everything to me. I almost did the same thing but was interrupted when Mutsumi and Seta appeared. Mutsumi still had that carefree expression on her face, so I guess she didn't know about my whole "failing to get home" thing. Heh…just like Mutsumi.

"Hello, everyone!" she called out. "So this is where you all went off to! We were looking all over for you!" Looking all over…why would you have to do that! Seta should have known where we were. He practically told us to go after the stupid plane! So why didn't he know…Gaahhh! And Mutsumi stayed peacefully oblivious to her surroundings. "What's the matter, everyone? What's with all the gloomy faces?"

"You really wanna know the whole story?" I asked. I wasn't exactly feeling up to the whole challenge of repeating everything that had happened but I supposed I would at least try if it was Mutsumi that was asking.

Luckily I didn't need to as Mutsumi only giggled. "Come now, Kei-kun. Don't you think it's time to fork over that exam ticket? If we don't get it in the mail by tomorrow then you'll definitely not get into Tokyo U."

All of us looked at her as though she was going crazy. What the heck was she talking about? Didn't she realize that I couldn't make it back now, that it was too late for me to get into Tokyo U? Or did she know something that the rest of us…

Naru gaped, her face full of disbelief. "In the mail? By to…tomorrow?"

I sighed. Putting a hand on the back on my neck, I looked down at the ground in hopelessness. How could I break this to her? With Mutsumi's oblivious, carefree nature, it wasn't going to be easy explaining just how bad I had failed. "Um, Mutsumi, I hate to break this to you…" I continued in a much quieter voice. "But there's no way that we'll be able to make the March 15th deadline."

Su held up her little countdown clock (the one that counted the amount of time left before it became March 15th) to further prove my point. "We're outta time."

"Oh my…" Mutsumi held a hand up to her mouth and giggled softly. Why was she laughing? It wasn't that funny. In fact, it was horrible! But…it wasn't like she was laughing at me, more like she was laughing at a private joke. But what could be so funny? "I see what's going on here. So that's why everyone was in such a big rush today." She clapped her hands together and giggled again. "Now I understand--"

"Huh?" I just looked at her, not having a clue. Heh, was I in for a surprise.

Mutsumi laughed gently. "Eh heh, you see…"

ALGOALGOALGOALGOALGO

I don't think I had ever been as happy to see a post office as I did that one. The stamp came down, the price was paid, and my letter was post marked for the 15th of March -- the day after the 15th.

I think I must have just stood there for several minutes in complete shock when Mutsumi took us to the Pararakelse post office the next day. She said something about the international dateline and Pararakelse straddling it or something and other, but I honestly wasn't paying attention. My brain was too busy performing damage control from the monumental stroke of good luck that had just come crashing into me after its brother had had fun laughing at me and poking me in the side.

But then it finally hit me…

I was now a proud student of Tokyo U! I had made it! I finally had gotten in! And do you know what I planned to do after to celebrate such an occasion?

I was going to Disney World! Oh, wait…no I wasn't. What the heck kind of stuff am I spouting? Ehem, I meant that I was gonna have one helluva party! Yahoo!

All of Hinata House including me, the girls, Seta, Nyamo, Tama-chan, and Gidget were having the party of our lives at the little restaurant where Naru and I had gotten back together. There was joy, there was merriment, there was happiness, there was tons and tons and tons of food and alcohol (I tried my best to keep Kitsune away from the stash but she had been deprived of her sweet sustenance for too long so it was like trying to hold back a tsunami with a tissue; she was rip roaring drunk 5 minutes in.) But most of all, I was there with my friends and loved ones…

I laughed loudly, still trying to convince myself that this wasn't all some elaborate dream my sub-conscious was playing on me. I had even pinched myself a couple of times to make sure (even Su and Sarah had contributed by whacking me in the back of the head a few times) but luckily I never woke up. "You see, as long the package is postmarked by the 15th, I'm home free!" I added one last word to make sure. "Right?"

Su laughed alongside me. "Yeah, but if you had given me enough time, I would have sent you into orbit." She wasn't kidding. One of the ways Su had tried to get me back home was by strapping me to her giant SUV of a turtle-car, setting the rockets to overdrive, and blasting me all the way to Japan. Needless to say her plan blew up – literally. The nuclear core of the Mecha-Tamago4 had a meltdown a hundred feet up. I was all nice and crispy by the time I hit the ground.

Kitsune sidled up next to me and playfully nudged me with her elbow. She was more than a bit plastered, her face a lovely shade of red and her smile a bit more quirky than usual. "Woo…" she exclaimed. I could easily smell the alcohol on her breath. "We went through a lot. But it's all over now, ain't it?"

I laughed again and scratched the back of my head. "Yeah, but it was one heck of an adventure!" My laughing quickly faded out. I sighed and looked down at my plate, idly playing around with the food. There was something that I had to say, something that would officially bring this chapter of my life to an end. It had to be short and sweet but also speak volumes. I just hoped that I could accomplish such a thing.

I cleared my throat loudly, trying to get everyone's attention. They stopped partying for the moment and looked at me. I smiled and then began to address them all in turn. "Cheerful Mutsumi. Agent Seta. Precious Shinobu. Eloquent Motoko. Tipsy Kitsune. Resourceful Su. Rambunctious Sarah. Quiet Nyamo. Tama-chan and Gidget, the unlikely couple. And Beautiful Naru. As long as I live, I will never forget this month." I chuckled and raised my glass in gratitude. "Thank you for helping me through it."

The room remained silent for a few moments. Then it was quickly broken when Kitsune broke out into laughter. "Heh heh, and what a month it was!" Her hand moved to something hidden, her face breaking into a frightening leer. The others looked at what she held in her hand before their faces cracked into silent amusement. Oh no, this wasn't good… "I wonder…Who do we have to blame for this!"

She raised the object up to my view. My face paled beyond all recognition. Oh damn…you have got to be kidding me…I quickly stood. "This is mutiny!"

"Not like I care!" Kitsune took one lunge at me, which I managed to avoid before running off. She quickly gave chase.

"No…! Not the peanut butter!"

"Forgiveness doesn't come cheap!"

The next few minutes I'd rather not discuss. All I have to say was that it was something that I looked back fondly on and laughed at. In any case, this part of my life was now over and I came out smelling like roses. I was back with my friends, back with my love, had finally gotten into the college of my dreams, and all was right with the world…

Too bad it wasn't meant to last. I would find this out the hard way…

…the very, very hard way.

A/N: Well, that's it. The end of Volume 8! I hoped you enjoyed this obviously belated chapter and I hope it somehow made up for the horrific wait all of you had to go through to read it. From now on, I'll try a little harder to update but I've got a lot of other thing to do. For instance, I'm now writing original stories as well as programming a video game on the side with a friend. Meh, anyway, from now on I'm going to be doing something special for each of my various stories. For ALGO, I'm going to keep doing all of the interviews. For the others, I'll do things like responding to my reviewers, giving up quotes for each chapter, making a poll that'll decide how the story will go, even set up a contest! How does that sound? Oh, and I'm not going to bother proofreading anymore. It takes too much time and it doesn't seem to make a much of a difference anyway. In any case, hope to see ya all again soon! Please review, and remember, no flames! Now, here's the interview!

Once again, we find ourselves in author space. All of the characters including chaos and the rest are just lazing about considering they've been locked up for such a long time. Suddenly, a door appears out of nowhere and who should appear but…Yes! Yamiga!

Yamiga: (waves) Hey, everybody!

Everybody Else: (heads whip around; smiles) Yamiga!

Yamiga: How have you all been doing?

E.E.: (smiles turn into snarls; growls) Ya-mi-ga…You…

Yamiga: (sweatdrops; laughs nervously) Oh, crap…

E.E.: (launch themselves at Yamiga) Get him! (dogpile on Yamiga!)

Yamiga: WAAAHHHH! Don't kill me!

chaos: You moron! (shakes Yamiga by scruff of collar) We've been stuck here for 294 days and you think you can just waltz back in thinking there weren't going to be any dire consequences!

Yamiga: (crying) I didn't think there weren't going to be any dire consequences! I don't think at all! I'm more absentminded than Keitaro is!

Keitaro: (annoyed; holding down Yamiga's left leg) Hey, don't bring me into this! It's not my fault we've all been stuck in this wasteland for so long!

Yamiga: (even more terrified) It's not my fault either! You guys are public property! It's not like I can keep you here against your will! You could have left at any time!

Kitsune: (growls) What the hell are you talking about! We can't make a door like you can!

Yamiga: I only use a door to get here from the real world! You guys use the character entrance! It's right there! How could you miss it? (points in a random direction)

E.E.: (look to notice a giant, double-door with the heading "Fanfiction Characters" in big, bold, red letters; sweatdrop as one) Oh.

Yamiga: (cries in frustration) How the hell did you think you got here in the first place!

Naru: No excuses! You should have told us about it before you left!

E.E.: Yeah!

Yamiga: B…but…

Su: You shouldn't have taken so long to write another chapter!

E.E.: Yeah!

Yamiga: But I couldn't w…

Motoko: And now I think it's time to exact our vengeance… (unsheathes katana; demon smile is plastered on her face) Hold him down!

Yamiga: Noooooooooo!

And the rest isn't pretty. His cries of pain lasted into nightfall and daybreak. Luckily the moron never forgot to anger the characters of his works again…even if it were their stupidity that led to the screw-up in the first place…Eh, in any case, please review!

Preview!

Next Chapter: Stress Fractures

Honestly, I thought that this feeling would last forever. This feeling of contentment and peace that permeated throughout my entire body. I thought that I'd be with the one I loved till the end of time, growing old together. I thought that nothing could go wrong. I thought that this type of love would never be able to be broken. But as I looked out the hospital window at the starless sky and her last spoken words still revolving around the corners of my mind I realized something that would haunt me even to this very day.

This type of love just wasn't strong enough…