DISCLAIMER: Love Hina is owned by Ken Akamatsu. Not me, not you, unless you're Ken Akamatsu. If you are, I am much honored to have you reading my pitiful story that I call a fanfiction that pales in comparison to the great manga that you have created. Please forgive me for disgracing Love Hina with my mere presence in this world. I also do not own Ichigo 100, if I did, I would have had a Manaka & Kozue ending for the manga!
---------------------------------------
Nishino, Aishiteru
By SK-superpower
---------------------------------------
Author's Note: Thanks for the two review that I've received so far! Here's Chapter Two of Nishino, Aishiteru. Enjoy!
---------------------------------------
Chapter Two: Over the Edge
The abused and hurt man rose up from the rubble, with a severely torn shirt and some cuts on his arms and a prominent cut on his cheek that was dripping with blood, stood up and slowly turned around.
With piercing dark eyes, Keitaro was breathing heavily and rage that surrounded him was almost tangible, the darkness was just about to be released.
"THAT'S IT! I've had enough of you! You keep beating me to near death, we don't have enough money to pay the bills anymore, and I'm broke!" Keitaro yelled right at Naru, who was just 4 feet away. "Get out of my way; I'm leaving this hell hole."
With that , he shoved Naru aside and stomped up to his room.
---------------------------------------
Shinobu could barely manage a, "Sempai...", before she burst into tears and ran out of the kitchen and up to her own room. Being as fragile as she was, Shinobu really needed some recharging time before she could even perform basic functions.
The only thing that Naru could do was drop down to the floor and think, dazed by Keitaro's actions.
'Why didn't he beg for forgiveness? Doesn't he love me anymore? Does he still care for me?'
Naru kept thinking about questions like these, and in a few seconds a small stream of glistening tears were visible on her cheeks, her eyes were covered by her bangs when she drooped her head down. Broken by the only man that could possibly take her punishment and still love her. But not anymore, Keitaro finally had been hurt too many times at Hinata Sou.
Motoko was shocked by the sudden change in mood of Keitaro. Initially, she was angered by Keitaro's actions and wanted to kill him for hurting Naru. But then, she felt his ki level rising and being consumed with darkness.
'Never have I felt such a presence in a mere human. It was almost as if a demon was suddenly unleashed.'
Motoko was on the right track; over the countless beatings Keitaro had one small spot inside of him that became darker and darker. With every hit from Naru, his love began to crumble piece by piece. Now, with this overload of beatings in such a short amount of time, the pressure was too much and the darkness flowed and emanated from Keitaro.
'Why did I do this? Why? What caused me to hurt a man who could only love us even when we gave him no comfort?'
This exact thought came across Naru's and Motoko's minds at the exact moment. And the truth was that there was no answer to their questions besides that it was their fault that Keitaro was leaving.
Su was still trying to find bananas, until her search led her to Keitaro's room.
---------------------------------------
Keitaro was amazed. He was amazed at what he just did, amazed at what he could do.
'I yelled at Naru...I can't believe it. I actually have the guts and strength to yell at Naru...maybe I was too harsh? No...she deserved it. She and Motoko both deserved what came at them. They can only hurt me more if I stay here; I have to get out of here soon.'
He looked around frantically for a suitcase to stuff his meager belongings into. Finding a duffle bag, he stuffed clothes, paper, sketch pads, books, and whatever else he needed to live away from Hinata Sou.
His eye caught sight of a notepad in his small pile of belongings, thinking that he would probably break down in front of the girls if he had a lengthy debate with them, he decided that it was better if he just wrote something to them. And so he began to write letters to each of the residents of Hinata Sou.
---------------------------------------
Keitaro was finished with 3 letters (one for Naru, one for Kitusne, and one for Shinobu) and just about to start on Kaolla's letter when he heard some shuffling outside.
Keitaro called, "Who is it?" rather irritably to the door.
"It's Su-chan. Can I come in?"
Keitaro knew that Kaolla was part of his daily pains, but he couldn't be angry at her childish ways. In fact, Kaolla was like the nicer and lighter version of Kanako that he never had as a sister.
"Ok, but try not to be too noisy."
Keitaro's door slid open, revealing a sad-looking Su-chan.
He was a quite shocked her appearance, a Kaolla that wasn't brimming with energy and happniess, but looked very sad and forlorn. He asked, "What's wrong Su-chan?"
Right after he asked her that question, Kaolla started crying and tackled Keitaro to the floor, hugging him as tight as possible.
"Onii-san, don't go! Su-chan wants onii-san to stay in Hinata! Su-chan doesn't want onii-san to go!"
Keitaro exclaimed, "Gah! Su-chan, please stop I'm not your brother! Can you please stop trying to strangle me? I'm sorry Su-chan but I have to go."
She loosened her grip, and looked at his face.
"Do you have to?" said a very sad Kaolla, with sniffles punctuating a few times in her little, but powerful question.
Keitaro sighed, took a deep breath, and looked Kaolla straight in the eye.
"Su-chan, listen, I'm sorry, but I have to go. My heart aches to leave you, but you have to understand that all of me hurts more when I am here."
"Will onii-san visit Su-chan?"
"Su-chan, you know I'll come visit you. But not anytime soon, I have to be away for a while to rest."
"Onii-san, can I stay with you for a while before you leave?"
"Will you let go of me so I can write these letters?" Keitaro asked in the nice big brother tone.
"Hai..."
And so Kaolla just sat beside Keitaro while he was writing the rest of the letters. Just the two of them, sharing time with each other before he left.
'Is this how onee-san and onii-san felt when I left home?' Kaolla wondered. She was almost sure that they missed her as she was going to miss Keitaro. But the pain in her heart was growing with each minute being counted down before he had to go.
--------------------------------------
It wasn't too long before Keitaro had the final letter finished, and was ready to leave. Kaolla already left a few minutes before. He took the letters, his overstuffed duffel bag, and went downstairs to the lobby. With each step, his heart beat faster and faster.
'I'm leaving Hinata Sou...I'm leaving Hinata Sou...I'm actually leaving Hinata Sou...'
Those were his only thoughts as he kept moving downstairs. Knowing that Kitsune probably already came down, and Shinobu should be still in her room, he took a deep breath before descending into the lobby.
'One step, two step, three steps, four steps, fi- ahhh!' Keitaro suddenly tripped on nothing and came tumbling down the stairs, making a very large racket.
Almost in unison, the girls that were waiting for Keitaro said, "Keitaro! Please don't leave!"
Keitaro, dazed and confused, looked up and saw Naru, Kitsune, Motoko, Kaolla, and (surprisingly) Shinobu. All of them with their hands clapped together, their eyes closed, and bowed as if they were praying for Keitaro to say that he'll stay at Hinata Sou. Unfortunately for them, Keitaro rubber stamped the decision in his head that he will leave Hinata Sou.
With as much self-control he could muster, he got up shakily, dusted himself off, and started to give is farewell speech, "I understand that many of you want me to stay at Hinata Sou, but I am unable to do so. The reasons why will be said in these letters that will be given to each of you, each letter, specifically for the person who receives it. I don't like giving long speeches, so I will be leaving now."
Everyone took their letter, and looked at the envelopes for a while. Keitaro's steps echoed out throughout the halls of Hinata Sou. There was only silence for a while, until Keitaro was about to step out of the door.
"Keitaro!" Naru said with every ounce of willpower that she still had left, "I thought that you loved me."
Keitaro faced upwards towards the sun, "I thought so too."
And with that, he left Hinata Sou, and started walking down the stone steps to Haruka's Tea Shop.
---------------------------------------
Naru could only watch him keep moving away farther from Hinata Sou, and farther from her heart. Emotionally exhausted, she collapsed onto the floor, whispering to herself, "I love you Keitaro. Please come back."
The rest of the residents, except Kitsune who helped Naru to her room, slowly walked back to each of their rooms to ponder what will happen next. There was a deceving calm that settled upon Hinata Sou, the truth was that emotions were being devoured upon an invisible plane by Keitaro's sudden departure.
---------------------------------------
And Chapter Two is finished!
Thanks to the four people that reviewed my fanfic (SouryuofHeaven, TornadoReviewer, animeboy-12, and Rioes)! And should be posting the next chapter within the next week.
Please review.
(And just to clarify, Keitaro is not moving into Haruka's Tea Shop, rather he's going to be wandering somewhere in Tokyo next chapter.)