Disclaimer: i am not Akamatsu Ken, therefore i do not own LH or characters
Sakura: Yay! I love all who submitted reviewss!
Ken: Sak-kun... can you even read what they wrote?
Sakura (frowns): No... but... but... onii-san can! (smiles)
Ken (smiles): damn... you got me there... (reads reviews to Sak-kun...)
WARNING: Some not so mild language towards the end... if you dont like to curse, just pretend it's censored...
A little angsty towards the end...
Text in italicize are Ken's thoughts...
Life was starting to get onto the brighter side as the days pass. Naru has finally accepted Ken into their inn and she was actually beginning to act friendly towards him. Right now, Ken and Shinobu are in the kitchen, cooking lunch for the dear residents.
"Shinobu, have you ever thought about a career as a chef?"
"Well… sometimes…"
"I don't know why you want to go to Tokyo U so much for. Well yeah, it is a prestigious school, but if you are thinking about being a chef, then you should go to a college that specializes in cooking…"
"I don't know. I've made it my goal to go to Tokyo U when I was younger. I just want to stick to it. I want to prove to everyone I can do it too…"
"I still think you should choose the school based on your career…"
"Then why'd you decide to go to Tokyo U?"
"I don't know. I don't even know what I should do with my life… I told you, I took the entrance exams to test myself. I never really intended on attending, but I got accepted… so…"
Ken gives a little shrug and throws some vegetables into the pot. He watches them boil as silence engulfed the kitchen. The silence was soon interrupted when Su jumped into the kitchen and chases Tama around with a watery mouth.
"Myuh!" cried Tama.
Ken caught Tama-chan and held onto her, so Su could not eat her. He found it strange as to why Su is so determined to make Tama a meal.
"Ken-san! Thank you for catching Tama. Can I have her now?" Su asked.
"Uhm… no…"
"Aww… why not?"
"Because Shinobu-chan wouldn't want Tama eaten, neither would I."
Su left the kitchen, slightly disheartened at the fact that another one of her attempts to make a meal out of the spring turtle was unsuccessful. Shinobu was just relieved that Ken gave Su the right answer, or rather, the answer she had in mind. The flashback of their first encounter of such was actually entertaining, if you think about it…
Su came running into the living room, chasing Tama, who happened to fly right into the arms of Ken. Then Su approached Ken and asked for the turtle. Not knowing what was going to happen, he handed Tama over to Su. Then Shinobu came running and started panicking when she found Tama in the hands of Su. She starting flailing her arms as chasing Su was a near impossible task. Ken looked at the blue-haired girl and found his mistake. He went after Su, in the tactical manner. He approached her in her room, and snatched Tama right out of the hands of Su. After successfully saving the turtle, he had to try to avoid being shot by Su's Tama-pistols as he exited her room. He returned Tama to Shinobu, and she was so happy, she thanked him continuously.
Ken chuckled at the memory. Especially the part where he had to sneak into Su's room and almost triggered the alarms. He jolted back to reality when Shinobu asked him to tell the others that lunch is ready. He went and told most of the members of the Hinata Inn that it was time for lunch. Then he approached Naru's room. Ken did what he always did, even though Naru has said that she accepts him, he still made Sakura go in first and then report to him. Ken slides the door open and stayed out in the hallway. Sakura ran out and hid behind her brother while he told Naru it was time for lunch. Naru replied with an 'Okay. Thanks Zumaki-san' and then he leaves back to the dining room. See? Naru no longer yells at him, and she's actually being polite to him. A few minutes later, the seats were filled up and people were eating. After the meal, while Ken was alone in the kitchen doing the dishes, Naru went in to talk to him.
"Hello Ken-kun… I can call you Ken-kun, can't I? I mean, you said anyone who—"
"Yeah, if you want…"
"Okay, good…"
Naru fell silent and Ken continued doing the dishes as if Naru wasn't there. I mean, after all, she wasn't talking or doing anything significant. Then, she broke the silence again, somewhat unsure.
"So Ken-kun, you're going to Tokyo U, right?"
"Yes, I am…" he said, trying to figure out what she wants.
"What courses are you going to take?"
"Some level two Calculus class, uhh, Physics 101, and stuff like that. I can't recall too well what they were… why?"
"No reason. The summer homework is tough right?"
"No, not to me."
"Really? I find it hard…"
"Oh? I thought you were like the smartest girl in your old prep school…"
"Yes, but Tokyo U is very prestigious. It's not strange to find their work hard…"
"No, I suppose not…"
By now, Ken finished the dishes and was wiping his hands on a towel.
"Well, I'll be going to my room now… was there anything you wanted?"
"Well… sort of… I was kind of wondering… if you could tutor me?"
Ken smirks. He finds this idea really funny (A/N: I mean, you would too if you read in chapter one how she was so against him staying in the inn. And then how she belittles him… in a sense… calling him a 16-year-old boy… insinuating that she thinks he's little… and now wants help from him…) but he nods anyway.
"Sure… would you like me to come by your room tonight after Sakura is asleep?"
Naru nods. "Sure."
To the residents in the Hinata Inn, they were happy that Naru was finally getting along with Ken, and Ken is well, sort of unused to it. For weeks, Naru loathed him, but through the changes of one week, she has been really sweet to him. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't place a finger on it. Night came and Ken tucked Sakura to asleep. When Sakura's deep, constant breathing told Ken that she was asleep, he walked over to Naru's room to tutor her. Heh, he can have a career as a tutor or something.
He knocked and walked into Naru's room. It was actually the first time that he is been inside of this room. He walked over to the table where Naru was sitting with work spread out. He couldn't help but notice that Naru is wearing some clothing that is –ahem– a little flashy…
"Hello Narusegawa-san, what is it that you are having trouble with?"
"Hello Ken-kun, it's this calculus. I never learnt it properly so it's really confusing to me."
Ken looked at the problem Naru pointed out. It was really confusing, but I guess you should take into consideration that Ken had skipped two whole years ahead of himself, therefore he had not learned everything little thing he was suppose to. Oh well, being a genius, he'll eventually know what to do. He borrowed a pencil and some paper from Naru and started to do the problem. He didn't explain anything, he just did it, just to make sure he knows what he was doing. After he found the answer, he turned to Naru, who has gotten exceptionally close to him, somehow.
"Narusegawa-san, do you have the correct answers?"
"You can call me Naru-chan…"
Naru took out a piece of paper and gave it to Ken, and he thanked 'Narusegawa-san'. It was the answer sheet and he saw that he made an error. He went back and did some fixing. Then, he went to check the answer again, and he got it right this time. He smiled triumphantly when he found that he got the right answer. Then, he turned her Naru, and he couldn't help but notice that now they were really really close. Ken scooted over to the opposite side and began explaining to Naru what she had to do. She nodded, seemingly understanding what Ken was saying. Ken pointed at a problem in front of her and told her to try that one out. She didn't even try, she just went on saying she can't because she didn't know how to.
"Just try it… you might be surprised…"
"But I don't understand this one bit… I mean, it sort of made sense when you explained it, but it doesn't make sense at all when I look at it…"
Ken sighed. "Fine. I'll go through it step by step with you this time. Okay, first what do you do?"
"Uhm… identify the problem and what it wants?"
"Good… then…?"
Ken helped Naru through it, step by step. As he went through each step with her, he couldn't help but notice that she was slowly closing the space between them. Right now, he is in a very uncomfortable situation but he didn't know whether or not he should voice it out. He could feel her breathing at his neck as she was leaning in so she could see the paper Ken was writing on. Occasionally, she would 'accidently' brush up against him, causing heat to pulsate in him. When they were finished with that problem, Ken asked Naru to do another problem, this time, without his help.
"Here, Narusegawa-san, do this problem. It has similar concepts."
"I told you before to call me Naru-chan."
"Ah, no. I think I should continue calling you Narusegawa-san, for it is appropriate since you are my elder. Excuse me for a moment…"
Ken decided that he should go out for some air. After all, he wasn't at all comfortable with how they were now and he ran out of room to scoot over. He gets up, only to be halted when someone grabbed onto his wrist. He looked down and saw Naru holding onto him, but he doesn't know why.
"Where are you going?" Naru asks.
"Bathroom…"
"Oh… well… come back soon" she blushed.
Ken walked to the bathroom very slowly. For one, Naru was acting extremely strange tonight, and two, he was starting to get freaked out by her sudden change in a behavior. I mean, yeah, she's sweeter to him nowadays, but if he didn't know better, he'd think she was trying to… seduce him. Ken shook his head at that possibility. After all, Naru spent the first few weeks hating him, and now… anyway, the probability level of that happening was slim to none. Ken arrived at the bathroom and decided to wash his face. He was feeling very hot in that room, for some reason.
Maybe I should be on the lookout. I don't like this feeling I'm getting whenever I'm with Narusegawa-san. She might be up to something. In fact, I'm almost sure of it.
He started analyzing what had happened ever since Naru announced her approval up until now, when he was tutoring her in her room.
Well, then after all that happened, she started acting all nice. Wait a minute. Strange factor one… she's the top student at her prep school… and her prep school is pretty well-known… how could I have not seen this? She does freaking understand what to do! Then, what is her reason for lying and asking for my help? She was wearing awfully skimpy clothing, but she can't really be trying to seduce me, is she? I mean what the hell? She's not… she's not… stop being so paranoid…
He walked back to Naru's room, in normal speed, and slid through the door. He took a seat opposite of where Naru was sitting, just so he won't be in an uncomfortable predicament later on. When he sat down, he decided that he would need to watch what he does, just in case…
"Okay Naruse—"
"Naru-chan…"
"—gawa-san, what else do you need help with?"
"Uhm… this…"
Naru shoved in book in front of Ken and pointed to a random problem. When he looked at it, he found it was something else that he never got to learn. He took a pencil and paper and got to work. After figuring it out and finding that he must have done it correctly, he looked up, but could not find Naru.
Huh? Where'd she go?
"Oh, I'm right here, Ken-kun" Naru said.
He looked to his right and found Naru sitting next to him.
Oh great, so much for not having to scoot over later…
He starts to explain what she needs to do for that type of problem, but apparently, Naru didn't seem interested in studying anymore…
"Forget about the problem for a minute, Ken-kun…" Naru interrupted him in mid-sentence.
"U-Uhm… okay… but why?"
"Because I… I want to know… what you think of me…"
"Well… you're nice and sweet when you want to be. Okay, now back to the problem. When this—"
"That's it? Just nice and sweet?"
"Uhm… you're… uhm… smart and responsible too… I suppose…"
"That's it? Nice, sweet, smart, and responsible?" She began to get watery in the eyes. "Don't you think I'm pretty?" she blushed as she asked this.
Okay, now she is definitely freaking me out… and yeah, I think I'm right. This evil wench is trying to freaking seduce me… through pity or somewhere along the lines of that…well, I suppose I can play this little game of yours… (A/N: you can't blame the guy for being evil. It comes natural to him when he knows he's being used.)
"Uh… sure."
"'Sure?' That usually means you don't think I am but you're saying it just to make me feel better…" sobbed Naru.
"Look, what do you want me to say?"
Obviously Ken was a little too harsh with that, because Naru started sobbing harder, but not so loud that the other residents would wake.
Argh… how troublesome. I mean, I know she's just acting but damn man! She doesn't have to make it look like one of those drama shows…
Suddenly, Naru's crying lightened to little sniffles, and she asked him yet another question.
"Do you still hate me?"
YES! You're trying to freaking use me; just like all those people in the past…I just want to –beep- -beep- you and then –beep- until –beep- -beep-. (A/N: in short, he just wants revenge… just in case you can't understand with all the –beep-s)
"No…"
"Do you enjoy my company?"
Yeah, when you're dead I will enjoy your company!
"Yeah, sometimes…"
Naru let out a little smile, a little devious smile, and Ken knew what was coming next… the cat. In Naru's calculation, it usually only takes about 2-3 minutes for all of the Hinata residents to wake up and race to her room. Naru dropped the pity act and went straight to using the physical technique. She 'accidentally' brushed herself against Ken, and then tackled him onto the floor. Ken looked at either side of himself now, where his arms are pinned down by Naru. Naru was very confident on her plan. She thought it was fool proof.
"OH KENNN!" She shouted, seemingly to pretend she was having an orgasm or something.
One thing Naru has miscalculated was Ken's strength. He smirked and did his own calculation in 5 seconds tops. The Hinata residents will take about 1-2 minutes, not 2-3 minutes. He hurriedly broke loose from Naru's grip when he caught her off guard and ran slightly out the door and stood at the doorway. All the other residents came running towards Naru's room, reaching Naru, and asked her what the hell was going on. Naru was dumbfounded, and Ken smirked at her.
"Naru, what's going on?" asked Motoko.
"O-Oh nothing. I was just dreaming that Ken beat me in getting the higher score on a test…" lied Naru.
"Oh, what that it? Just dreaming?" grumbled Kitsune as she started for the door.
Everyone left Naru's room, one by one, until only Ken remained there. Ken walked back over to Naru's side and pretended like nothing ever happened.
"So, Narusegawa-san, what other problems are you having with your studies? I'm sure you'll need to study lots to get a higher score than me on a test" Ken rubbed into Naru's face.
Naru was pissed. P-I-S-S-E-D, pissed. She threw a punch at Ken. Now, normally you would think that Ken would go flying into orbit, seeing how the manager takes her punches, but not for our Ken. He caught her fist, and squeezed it, hard. She was at his mercy now, and he didn't feel like pretending anymore. He didn't feel like being nice to her or anything of the such anymore. Besides, his niceness and patience has run out for Naru. First encounter, she was rude to him, then she refused to let him stay at the inn in his hardest times, then she would imply insults at him, then she would accuse him of being perverted, and then go through his things, and now she's doing this? Yes, his patience with her is very thin right now. The good side of Ken is a better place to stay at, but when he goes dark, you'll rather rot in hell than be at his mercy…
"You little bitch! You think you could just play with me, didn't you?" Ken said through clenched teeth.
Naru was struggling to get out of his grip. "Let-me-go…"
"What makes you think you could do all this shit to me? Did you seriously think I was perverted or something? Did you seriously fucking think I'm that fucking stupid to fall for your fucking tricks?"
"What do you want? Let go…"
"What do I want? The real goddamn question is what do you want? You've been so fucking disrespectful to me and treating me like shit all the time. My patience for you has reached its limit, bitch…"
Ken's eyes were so steely cold right now and it frightened Naru to look at them.
"You're plan was so fucking obvious. First, you wanted me to tutor you while you work your supposed charms on me, right?"
Naru didn't answer him. She somehow lost her voice, but then she felt a searing pain at her fist. Sucks for her, I don't think she'll be able to write for a while…
"Right?" Ken said once more, squeezing harder.
"R-right…"
"Tell me, tell me the rest of you're plan. I really want to know if it was what I thought…"
Naru was silent. She was scared, very scared at the new Ken she is seeing right now.
"Tell me, bitch!" He squeezed even harder.
Naru squinted at the pain. "I-I wanted to s-seduce y-you. The o-original plan w-was to have you b-be all over m-me, b-but you w-weren't re-reacting… s-so I decided t-to take a-action…"
She paused for a second. After all, this is very humiliating to her. To reveal her plans and everything, but what choice does she have? Dark Ken doesn't like liars, cheaters, users, or anything of that kind, and she just happened to cross him.
"Go on…" Ken persisted by hurting her further.
"A-ah… I-I y-yelled to get t-the residents a-attention, a-and I p-planned that by the t-time they g-get here, it w-would seem l-like you w-were trying s-something… t-to make e-everyone think t-that you're u-up to n-no good, a-and t-then k-kick you o-out of t-the inn."
"Yon son of a bitch" whispered Ken. "In all my life, in all the years I've been alive, I've been used and abused. I was able to fucking hold a good temper, and I learned my fucking manners from my neighbors. I've been fucking polite to you and everyone in this inn. I've been kind to all of you… why is it that you hate me so fucking much? What do I ever do to you?"
Ken's emotion began to change. All the years that he has been abused and used flashed before his eyes. He remembers every single person in this world who wronged him in the past. He remembers exactly how they hurt him, and he remembered how much it hurts. He remembered when kids would beat him up after school everyday. He remembered when he overheard his so-called friends telling their friends they were only using him. He remembered how they taunted him when he confronted them. His memories then shift to the darker years of when he was home. Every pain that he has ever felt, somehow happen to try to reveal itself at the moment.
Naru never answered him, but he didn't care. He was too busy trying not to let the pain show. He spent most of his time here, putting up a façade as a happy, boring, normal kid. He spent his time acting like he's over the past, but he never was. He still thinks about it every night when he sleeps, and every time he's alone. As sadness replaced anger, he let go of Naru's fist.
"Don't ever mention this encounter with anyone…" commanded Ken.
After his last few words with Naru, he left and returned to his room. Why did he suddenly have an emotional outburst? It was so unlike him. He was able to obtain a fair temperament ever since he went to the counselor in his school days. What caused this to happen? What happened that made Ken lose control and turn dark? The last time Ken turned dark was when he found out his friends were just using him… but Naru wasn't a friend… so why did he react that way?
(A/N: I took Martrex's comment into consideration and decided that I give Ken some emotions, although I had intended to keep Ken emotionless and all to show the affects of living with a drug-addict mother, but I kind of like this outcome, don't you?)
EEk... I'm sorry if I didn't have a lot of Sakura in here but I don't think Sakura would like to see Dark Ken, so I had them study together at night, when she's asleep. No worries, Sakura will show up a little more often in other chapters. This chapter was mainly made to show that Ken is not a robot and that he does have emotions, despite the fact that he seems very cool most of the time...
NEXT CHAPTER: having writers block... so I guess it will have to come as a surprise...
Whoah! Ken has a dark side! Guess he's not perfect anymore... -sigh- oh wellz... reviews and let me know what you think about it so far :-) If you find any grammatical errors, please tell me because I hate it when I have grammatical errors in my stories... 5+ reviews equals new chapter
Sakura: Aww... it's over? Wait... that's a good thing for me becuase that means you have to send reviews for onii-san to read to me... yay... reviews! (looks around) But... where'd all the reviews go? (starts to get teary-eyes)