Chapter 16

The Rededication of the Promise and the Looney Laugh-out Loudness!

(I Like Who?)

§

Mid July XX, 1999

|At the Tōdai Kanagawa Campus|

Another sweltering day goes by at the campus, as Keitaro was carrying boxes by Seta's request. But Little Miss Prankster (that is, Sarah) threw a banana peel at the hapless ronin's foot and he slipped forward, dropping his boxes and crashing into a female university student's bosom. The unexpecting event made the woman very angry and then Keitaro's left eye is black from the accident. And for that intent, the ronin angrily chases Sarah around until he comes across the empty classroom.

He stopped and remembered the times that he took the university exams situated for Tōdai. Sure, it wasn't exactly this location, but he reminisces about his hen-scratches on paper, the accidental dropping of his extra lead off his mechanical pencil, or the time he made an embarrassing noise when he got too nervous and was laughed upon.

It's been about 4 months since Keitaro and Naru took the tests, and he dragged her and Ruto into this mess and woefully said, "I hate myself. I'm so useless."

In the midst of his misery, Sarah stacked the clay figures on top of his head like a horse and rider carrying a wagon. What's more is that Seta tried to gain his attention, breaking the ronin's stupor as he said, "Class is starting."

Then Keitaro and Sarah hastily left the classroom in their own fashion.

-LNH-

|Later, in the cafeteria|

"What? You mean you tried for Tōdai too?" Keitaro questioned his employer's history.

"Yeah," Seta answered, "Didn't quite pass it the first time, either." But just as the professor was about to continue the conversation, he wanted to light another cigarette. Unfortunately, he forgot his lighter back at the Hinata-sou. So he asked a nearby worker if he had a light, which he did. After thanking the man for the assistance, he asked Keitaro, "So, you're trying again this year?"

"Maybe not," the ronin replied, "Already tried 3 times. Although it was my goal for a long time, maybe it's about time that I should drop it completely."

"So, you're just going to give up your dream?"

"Yeah... Probably because the practice tests always end up badly, so I had to leave home because my parents are worried for me and Ruto-niisan, (after all, I got a low percentage of passing,) and I've had a bit of a snow fight in front of Tōdai. And then there's the time I got stuck in a truck, caught the flu bug, and even got lost in the ocean, while my brother had his adventures with the girls..."

But the rambling stopped when the ronin saw Seta chuckling. So he questioned that change in attitude.

"It seems that you had some fun experiences," Seta chortled.

"What's so great about it‽" Keitaro exclaimed, but sighed in his defeat, "I always thought that if I put my effort, I'll get into Tōdai someday, but I still couldn't. I'm a slob and so stupid, have no good traits, and a good-for-nothing."

That's when Seta extinguishes his spent cigarette and says, "Keitaro-kun. You reminded me of myself, once upon a time. I learned that the discovery of a mystery doesn't mean you will find what you desire just by digging. Especially in the circle of scholars, I'm also very far from the best. I just like to dig stuff."

Keitaro didn't comprehend what Seta said at first, but the words of an experienced alumnus of the university said, "You keep searching, but still found nothing at the end, but that's not all that bad. What it means is that you should never give up, even if you might not be smart or not being so useful. That's fine. Maybe you have a hidden, untapped talent somewhere. But... *chuckles* Sometimes if you don't have what it takes, then don't! I graduated from Tōdai, but after that, my salary was low from paying off the loans. So I still have to live with Sarah in the van."

"Then it means that's going to happen in the end‽" Keitaro awkwardly exclaimed.

"To tell you the truth, I used to fail the tests 3 times myself before getting into Tōdai."

Keitaro just learned that the professor is a lot like him and they laughed together from their own situations.

(Of course, Sarah didn't quite understand how failure happens to her in real life, yet.)

-LNH-

|Later, in the streets|

Keitaro had just finished his shift as he walked his way towards home. He can't believe that Seta-san also tried the test 3 times before succeeding. It's enough to bring some hope for the ronin yet. Maybe it'll be enough to impress the girls and Ruto, but become closer with Naru. However, while in the middle of the line of thought, he didn't notice that he ran into a garbage pile in front of him and crashed into it. That's when reality sets in and finds that Sasaki Prep is applying for candidates for the new year of testing for their respective universities. At first, he obeyed his impulse to not retry the entry now... At first...

But Keitaro decidingly disregarded that action and chose to take the flyer anyway. However, it seems that he's not the only one who wanted to take the flyer as the hand of a woman touched his fingers in the process. And who's that person? Naru Narusegawa.

"Kei... Keitaro‽" she stammered from the surprise.

"Na... Narusegawa!" the ronin sputtered and then ran away with a great haste, "Ah! I just remembered something!"

"Just a minute, baka (stupid)!" Naru yelled as she pursued the runaway loser.

"What are you doing here? / What are YOU doing here?" both people asked at the same time while still making tracks.

Naru answered first and said, "I... I was on my way shopping."

As they were getting close to the safety railings between the elevated hedges, the amazon declared, "So you're giving up on the test and decided to work part-time?"

"I... I didn't say that!" Keitaro denied as he got in the middle of the railings, but Naru inelegantly (panty-flauntingly) jumped over the bars and both crashed into the bushes in a very bumbling and embarrassing manner. Naru asked Keitaro (while catching her breath) about what he is doing here.

(Keitaro)» "Actually, I was walking home and I saw that, but..."

(Naru)» "But?"

(Keitaro)» "I was a little concerned..." He holds a flyer in his hand.

Naru notices why and then she smiles as she gets back on her feet and says, "Then, I'll go try it too." She writes down her application and Keitaro's, with a bit of hesitation. After all, she was ranked 1st in the national tests last year despite not being able to pass the exams.

As Keitaro double-checked his application, he asked Naru, "So, are you still taking it because of the person you admire?"

"No," she answered, "He's long gone and I've already realized that he's not worth it. I haven't seen Seta-sensei for so long, he probably doesn't remember my face. Alright then, let's go sign up!"

And they did, after a bit of hesitation and a bit of a Kamen Rider pose in front of the young onlookers.

-LNH-

|Sunset, en route to the Hinata-sou|

Naru and Keitaro exited the 507 streetcar when they were greeted by Kitsuné who was seeing them together. Naru asked her if she went to buy something as they passed by.

"Looks like those two got back together," Kitsuné remarked, "It's so hard to take care of that once they start fighting..."

"Myu!"

Kitsuné heard that familiar chirp and found that Tama the turtle followed her with an object in its mouth. She is worried about the flying half-shell reptile roaming the streets, but then she notices that Tama was holding a lighter belonging to Seta. But as she was trying to grab the lighter, the turtle flew away from its chaser. This is going to be bad...

As Keitaro and Naru ascended the stairs to the dorms, Keitaro said that he hadn't hit the books for a while, but Naru said that he'll be just fine. That's when Tama came by and landed on Naru's hands and dropped the lighter in Keitaro's grasp.

"Tama-chan's expression is always so calming," Naru remarked.

"Looking at him reminds me of somebody," Keitaro added.

Then they remembered that woman carrying the Traveler watermelons in her hands.

"Mutsumi-san!"

"*laughs* You're right!"

They wondered if that woman from Okinawa is alright; especially with her weak body, despite having a pattern to her life.

Then Keitaro suggested, "Now that I think about it, I feel like having a drink together."

"Right!" Naru chuckled, "And to think of that matter, that trip is pretty exciting."

But then Tama flew out of her hands, making Keitaro worry that his study-mate would fall from a great height and get hit by a car. However, Naru managed to catch it in time. Then she removed her glasses as she balanced herself on the narrow base of the stairway and asked, "Keitaro, about the last trip... You said that you like me, is that true?" And she jumped down from the top and lifted Keitaro's glasses on top of his head and said, "I'm not being cocky and so far, nobody ever said I like you. So... what is it?"

While Tama landed on Keitaro's head to roost, the ronin blushed madly as he began to stutter, "About that..." But he couldn't make out what words to say in whatever the conversation was.

This frustrates Naru and she demands while grabbing Keitaro's shirt front, "Why can't you be more of a man about it, huh?"

"Guh! That hurts..." he choked from being gripped, "What are you trying to say, Narusegawa‽"

"I don't like you very much," Naru uttered as she loosens her grasp, dropping the Urashima ronin to the ground with a thud, sending Tama scurrying back into the air as Keitaro got back up and cluelessly exclaimed, "Then what's that supposed to mean?"

"But..." she said as she partially climbed the stairs, but looked back and asserted, "I don't really hate you, either..."

Keitaro was puzzled at what Naru had just said, so he queried, "Wait a minute, Narusegawa! Aren't you being a bit vague about something?"

That's when a thought occurred to Naru and then asked, "Oh, yeah. Keitaro, what do you think of Mutsumi?"

"Huh? Why did you suddenly mention her‽ Well, Mutsumi-san is cute... ano... she's outgoing... Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, forget it!" Naru suddenly changed her mind, "Just forget everything I said!"

Unfortunately, in the midst of her emotional troubles, the moody Naru just missed that one footing on the stairway and almost fell onto the hard stone floor. That's when Keitaro yelled, "Look out!" and he caught his friend just in time as they looked into each other's eyes. They were caught in an odd, rather romantic feeling together near the setting sun and Tama witnessing the scene. As they reach the apex of the hill, Keitaro and Naru are close together, they can probably kiss each other.

That is, until a voice belonging to Ruto shouted at them, "Aniki, Senpai! Incoming!"

The warning pointed at a particular runaway van crashing into a nearby safety bar, flipping over on its top, nearly sending every pedestrian flying, including the driver. Naru just got a bit of a bump on her head when she felt a presence right under her skirt, right between her legs. The unwanted form of groping made her feel tickled in the wrong place and then she threw the peeping malefactor to the ground.

However, there's something wrong here...

"That wasn't Aniki," Ruto stated after brushing the dust off of himself, with Keitaro agreeing that somebody else unintentionally and accidentally ended up under Naru's skirt in public.

"If that wasn't either of you boys, then who was it?" Naru questioned as the dust settled as the man got back on his feet again...

Ruto recognizes the absentminded, scatterbrained professor anywhere; teacher's clothes with sleeves rolled up, careless driving skills, and a gash on his head... again: Noriyasu Seta. And all that he uttered was, "«OH, NO...»" as both acquaintances had to meet face to face.

Keitaro is lost in the conflicting scene and asks both Seta and Naru, "You two know each other?"

The other tenants, who were following Ruto close behind, witnessed the accident nearby after they noticed a familiar encounter.

Things are beginning to come to a fever pitch...

(As for Sarah, in the meanwhile, she's hanging out at the Hinata-sou Teahouse with Haruka and they reacquainted with each other. They haven't really seen each other for the last 2 years.)


-Interval-

|Meanwhile, with Ruto|

Ruto Urashima, 2nd Year Junior High Student, was given homework by Kurenai-sensei during the summer vacation. Shinobu, Kaolla, and Motoko were also given the same assignments by their respective teachers. And he decided to go to the nearby office supply store to get a few utensils, including some notebooks for hen-scratching, some extra pens and mechanical pencils (plus extra lead refills), and a fresh ink ribbon for the fax. He decided to pitch in some more funds for supplies for Keitaro and Naru, because he knew that if they wanted to try the exams again, they're gonna need them. "If, at first, they don't succeed, dattébayo," Ruto chuckled to himself.

He told the girls that he'll be gone for a few hours, but he'll come back as soon as possible. Shinobu is mostly worried that Ruto could get himself into trouble, for she knew that more often than not, the [trouble] found him.

So he left the dorms and headed to Sasaki where he came to the office supply store for what he needed at the right price. (The store is more of an Office Depot or Staples variety for having the necessary things for test taking.) As he entered the store, he ran into none other than Senior High School Principal Tsunadé Senju (Ruto's distant maternal cousin).

She knew Ruto ever since he was in grade school from time to time. At first, he mistook her for being his grandmother figure or as an older woman (simply as 'Oba') to him; she didn't like to be called grandma due to her age behind her still natural and youthful looks, and that she hasn't had any grandchildren yet, but she didn't want to hurt the little guy because he didn't know any better. So she gave him a lesson about not stressing older women about their age (ergo: 'Oba'). However, in this case, calling her Oba-san (Aunt) is exceptional, to which Ruto accepted the terms, because she knows that between herself and the young Urashima, she's not worthy to simply be called 'mother' to the orphaned boy and that she already has 2 grown children that just started their lives on their own.

(Tsunadé is married to Dan Kato, but he chose to take his wife's surname. Dan's niece, (Shizune, 27, secretary of the Senior High Building), was living next door to Tsunadé's to keep the latter out of trouble with her - - somewhat excessive boozing and gambling habits in Pachinko and slot games for she is a poor player and strategist, hence the awfully name 'The Legendary Sucker' and the 'Betting Hen' when she hears that particular word.)

"B...b...beeet~bet-bet-bet-bet..."


-Explanation-

If you think Fred Flintstone has his gambling problems, calling Tsunadé a cackling, gambling hen would be an understatement. Thankfully, Ruto stopped by and helped bail her out from time to time since before the beginning of Junior High. Tsunadé had borne twin children, both currently at age 22 and ironically, they are named after the Senju locations in Tokyo. The girl (Minami) was born first, followed by her brother (Kita) a few minutes later. They have totally different personalities, (Minami being a headstrong person like her mother, while Kita is more of an easygoing kind, much like his great-grandfather Hashirama, and they are currently in different universities, but they often keep each other in touch by means of the phone line and e-mail. Currently, Minami is living with a boyfriend while attending the university nearby while Kita is single, still trying to find himself a girlfriend; so far, no luck. Both siblings haven't directly met Ruto, yet.)

-End Explanation-


Back to the present time, both relatives talked about how they've been doing in the new school curriculum. Tsunadé told Ruto about her troubles keeping her weakness for the finest sake and paperwork on check, including handling some of the roughest students in the building. Ruto can tell that Tsunadé and Kitsuné must've been barroom buddies a time or two; they'll definitely get along very well, as long as they don't start a fight somewhere or get themselves completely plastered...

Ruto said that he had gotten pretty far on his homework and he helps his dormmates with their work. Of course, there are times when some students from this and other schools wanted a piece of him for who he is: an Urashima and a fabled Uzumaki.

But while in the middle of their conversation and shopping, a female voice rang out in the building, "Naruto Urashima! Show yourself! It's time for a little payback for making a fool of me!" Ruto knew that tomboyish voice from the kendo matches, it was Kurotsuchi Ryōtenbin (15½, Iwashi West-Central, 1st Year Senior High), granddaughter of Ōnoki Ryōtenbin (the long-running principal of Iwa High, who has a serious back issue) and daughter of Kitsuchi (Kendo instructor, a teacher in Iwa High, and Ōnoki's son-in-law).

Kurotsuchi is a sore loser and winner, in other words, she's a real sorehead. One time, it got so bad, she beat up on her own teammates and her opponent in her frustration. That's when Ruto stepped in and broke the fight off and put the rowdy Ryōtenbin in her place. Because of the unnecessary roughness, Kurotsuchi was suspended from the competition for 6 months and lost her captain title until she learned her lesson—at hard labor.

Ruto didn't want to put everybody else in the store in danger, so he decided to wear his trusty shades on his head to somewhat change his mood for helping to negotiate the wild Iwashi student. Sure, he's no Roger Smith the Negotiator or Lisa Lisa the actress, but it wouldn't do himself any harm. So with Tsunadé's support, the blond Urashima stepped into the confrontation and said, "So, «MISS Ryōtenbin», I heard that you were hunting me down for some time, so why don't you put that fruit slicer away, so we can have an understanding, 'ttébayo?"

"Shut up, Urashima! I'll have your head for your family's involvement in my Haha-ue's death!" Kurotsuchi unfalteringly exclaimed as she fixates her blade at his foe's face, "You're just like Arashi Urashima, you are a despicable heartless Yankee foreigner that doesn't belong here in Japan! Prepare to die, Yankee!"

"Now let's get some things clear, Iwa-san," Ruto argued while controlling his temper and pointed to blade away with his fingers, "I'm a born Japanese citizen as did my late father, 'ttébayo. Just because I'm a natural blonde, like Principal Senju's, doesn't mean that I'm a Yankee gangster. But more importantly, how dare you draw a weapon so shamefully in a crowded store such as this?" He prepares for what's bound to happen as he gets into his stance and says, "And one more detail, I am but a humble student of Konoha Central Academy. But it seems to me that you didn't learn your lesson from your disqualification from the Kendo competitions, dattébayo. Guess we'll have to try again!"

And just like that, the provoked Kurotsuchi started to charge at Ruto in front of the onlookers. The witnesses were expecting that blond boy to be sliced to ribbons and sprayed the store with crimson lifeblood, but what they didn't count on is that Ruto managed to sidestep the charge and tripped the assassin to the ground. The Iwashi student got back up and tried a horizontal slash, but her for backdashed away from the blade, knocking a few pieces of merchandise off the shelves from her swing as she hears what her opponent said, "You know, you shouldn't be using your oversized fruit slicer in a store like this. You ought to pay for damaging those goods."

"Urusai! I will make YOU pay for your crimes after my mother died! You Uzumaki and Urashima are nothing but laughable losers that should be left in the sticks!" Kurotsuchi said her peace, and now, she's just gone and done it, as she notices Ruto is building his fighting spirit that is visible to the warrior's eyes as the image of the Alkaid begins to show.

He said with a terrible, ferocious growl, "You... dare to call my family losers? Think we should be living in the slums? You, Iwa-san, have insulted not only me, but Tsunadé-basan, who is of Uzumaki descent, and my family for the last time, 'ttebayo! I'm going to let her show you a punishment worse than your parents did!"

And he conjures his shadow doubles to disarm her blade and dragged her to the family restroom by the ear, with Tsunadé not far behind.

What they did wasn't shown in public, or be heard in it either, because of a particular seal that Ruto set up to block out all noise from the outside and nobody can hear them from the inside.

So he and his doubles stripped her shirt and pants of her body, down to her bra and panties, and tied her wrists and ankles together and gagged her with a masochist's ball gag in her mouth. (The utensils are from a small pocket-sized mini scroll in his pocket.) He can tell that Kurotsuchi has gotten somewhat chubby in her now uncomfortably and wrongfully sized bra and tight boy-short panties after her suspension and misery from the kendo competition as Tsunadé felt that her belly that seemed to have a bit more fat than muscle from not keeping up with her exercises.

-Explanation-

Kurotsuchi was lost in her misery as she ate too much junk food (potato chips, cookies, sweets, etc.), and became out of shape, making herself look like an overstuffed fool in front of her friends.

-End Explanation-

He said as he unsealed his hidden hairbrush from his mini-scroll and passed it to Tsunadé, who then said to her, "You shouldn't have provoked and profaned the family names of Urashima and Uzumaki, you slacker for a student! We have a long history in our country and you just had to drag us in the mud. As a member of the said families, we do NOT take kindly by the likes of you. Just for that, I'm going to give you 40 lashes until you apologize not only to me, but to Ruto-chan and everybody in the store, and I'm pretty sure that your family will see how 'sorry' you'll be!"

And with the flat end of the brush, she whipped the Ryōtenbin's flanks 20 times on each side until they 'glow in the dark', making the Iwashi student muffle as she scream, wince, and sob in pain from the soreness. Ruto then removed the gag, dispelled his doubles, and made Kurotsuchi put her clothes back on and then said, "Now, what have you got to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry! *sniffle* I'm sorry! Please, no more! *sobs* I'll behave! 😭 " Kurotsuchi teared up with a reddened face and butt.

Tsunadé knows that Ruto wouldn't dare to attack (or discipline) unruly women or children without provocation. But when the Ryōtenbin girl disgraced their families' honor, she knew that the misguided student had sealed her fate; Kurotsuchi deserved what she had coming to her for her 'blindness' and 'fixation'.

Ruto and Tsunadé then forgave Kurotsuchi, but made her swear to never let it happen or do it again. And then Ruto temporarily embargoed the Iwa student's blade and he waits until her family arrives via cellphone call by Tsunadé. (She and the district Element Schools exchanged numbers for anything out of the ordinary and for exchange of advice.) And speaking of Sō-Sō, a wheelchair-ridden Ōnoki and Kitsuchi arrive and both are very angry; not at Ruto and Tsunadé, but at Kurotsuchi.

The widower said to his only daughter, "Kurotsuchi Ryōtenbin! How dare you neglect what we asked of you! You were supposed to help deliver the listed office supplies and here you are, attacking people with your mother's blade when we told you not to! Your actions have brought us great dishonor, daughter."

Kurotsuchi tried to explain, "But Chichi-ué (dear father), these Yankees - -"

Ōnoki reached up and grabbed his ornery granddaughter's ear and said, "Now listen, young lady! Don't you dare call both of these fine citizens as Yankees! Besides, if it weren't for Arashi Urashima, your mother would never be able to rest in peace and you would have been killed, also - - ! *crick!* Agh, curse that aching back!"

Ruto blinked for a moment and queried, "My late father did that?"

Tsunadé, Ōnoki, and Kitsuchi explained to Ruto and Kurotsuchi about the particular incident a few months before the boy was born, (long before Danzo's scandalous incident came to light)...

-Flashback-

[Many years ago]

Arashi was doing his duties as a police officer when he found a mother lying on the ground, protecting her 2 year old daughter after being run over by a hit-and-run driver, he called for an ambulance to the location. Little Kurotsuchi was practically unharmed, but she cries for her mother who is barely clinging to life. The ambulance crew manages to take the unconscious woman, while Arashi helps baby-sit the girl in the waiting room until her family shows. He has a first taste of what parenthood is all about, especially when his wife is expecting a child of their own very soon.

When Kitsuchi and Ōnoki arrived, they shook hands with the officer in partnership and cooperation as he helped little Kurotsuchi to her daddy while waiting for the news of what happened to the missus. But then, the doctors gave their message to the Ryōtenbins and Arashi; the report is hard to swallow.

"We lost her. I'm terribly sorry. She passed away at XX:XX."

The family and Arashi felt sorrow when Kitsuchi's wife passed away from her extensive injuries from the incident. That's when Arashi's intercom told him that they apprehended that very suspect involved in the scene. Arashi told his fellow officer to hold the suspect on the charge of vehicular homicide and attempted vehicular assault.

The Ryōtenbin family knew that duty calls for the police officer, so Arashi kindly said farewell to the Ryōtenbin men and little Kurotsuchi. But he promised to see them again, with his newly extended family.


However, as Kurotsuchi grew up, when she heard the gossip from her relatives about that their nemesis is the same officer that was once enemies with them during regional competitions, she begins to hate - - no, 'despise' people with extreme prejudice that either have natural blond hair and/or Yankees like they're foreigners, with an unbridled passion. This fixation of behavior makes both her widower father and grandfather very upset and also very mad. Just for that stipulation, both patriarchs gave the busybodies-for-relatives a lesson they'll never forget and they were banished from the clan until they had paid the penalty and apologized to Ōnoki and his son-in-law as they begged for forgiveness.

-End Flashback-

That's when Kurotsuchi realized that the late Officer Urashima did his part to save her life and let her late mother find some peace. She was so ashamed after what she had done, all for the hollowed sake of revenge. Then Ruto returned the blade to her father and he thanked the young man. Kitsuchi also thanked Ruto and Tsunadé for giving his rebellious daughter what for, because of her overzealous, racial attitude towards natural blondes, Gals (gyaru), and Yankees. Then Kurotsuchi was forced to carry the office supplies as they left the store and she later was forced to wear a pillow in her seat from the lashes, for she'll have to take her punishment standing up.

Ruto and Tsunadé decide that they have to finish their shopping as they parted ways, knowing that they'll meet again another day.

Ruto finally made it back home to the dorms after an hour of delays. Shinobu, Su, Motoko, and Kitsuné were glad that their only male roommate made it back in one piece as he brought out what they needed.

(After giving some thought, Kurotsuchi later managed to shape up in body, mind, and spirit. After a destined battle with the women's kendo tournament against Raika High, she and Motoko became good friends and rivals in both sword and some occasional fashion.)

But first things first, the students of their respective schools have to do some of their schoolwork in Ruto's room, after they have a brief lunch break. It was tedious on the round table, from having sore wrists and the occasional 'brain drain' from working and overthinking with their mental facilities, but when they want to go to a university such as Tōdai, they definitely are going to need it in the long run. Ruto sometimes gives pointers to some difficult problems that his classmates have. They worked their minds off for one session until they realized that it's nearly sunset.

As they entered the lounge, Kitsuné and Tama the turtle weren't around.

"Must have been taking a walk in the park," Ruto thought out loudly. The girls agreed as they stretched their limbs to loosen themselves from their studies. He decided to go ahead and go outside for some fresh air. Shinobu, Kaolla, and Motoko wanted to stay in the dorms for just a little bit longer, so he went on ahead. Ruto says that he won't be far.

Ruto went up to the Roof Access to see if his brother and upperclasswoman had returned yet and he spotted Kitsuné and Tama walking through the high hill entrance and saw the recently signed-up candidates had returned. He sees Naru being double-minded to Keitaro about retaking the exams and about Mutsumi Otohime, until she almost fell down the stone stairway and Keitaro caught her just in time. Ruto was expecting that the sudden closeness would make a good romantic scene.

However, he senses danger by means of a familiar runaway van and he shunshins to warn them of the oncoming vehicle. Keitaro and Naru managed to avoid getting the worst of the injuries. That is, if they count Seta as a real casualty from being thrown out of the van and made a rather unintentional landing under Naru's skirt. For that, the professor was thrown bodily into the dirt, mistaking him for the usual, troublemaking Keitaro. That's when Ruto knew that the inevitable was bound to happen sooner or later.

End Interval


And Now, Back to Ringside

-LNH-

|Sunset near the Hinata-sou|

The Hinata-sou group is in for a shock! Naru and Seta have finally met each other in person, while Keitaro is starting to add the pieces together and guessed, "So the teacher which you haven't seen for less than 3 years had helped you with the after-lessons... was Seta-san?"

Naru's feelings are beginning to be on the term 'discombobulated' as she looks at Seta and at Keitaro. The tenants are anticipating what will happen next with Naru's nervousness. Keitaro tried to get her attention, but then she screamed as she ran away at a fast rate of speed. Both Seta and Keitaro called out her name from the unexpected display.

As Naru kept on running like a madwoman, as she remembers the time she had spent with Seta during her first years in High School, ::Why? Why just now... Seta-sensei... Seta-sensei…:: She started to sob from memories burning inside her head for a moment and then she started laughing uncontrollably...

-LNH-

Back with the tenants, Ruto knew that this would happen with Naru-senpai as he said, "Guys, I think Senpai had lost her marbles, 'ttébayo."

Keitaro wondered what his brother meant, as did the girls.

"It means that Naru-senpai is gone stark-raving mad from the flood of emotions! We better stop her before she hurts herself, dattébayo!" he explained as he moved quickly.

The group and Seta agreed and they pursued the wild and crazy Naru across the grounds.

-LNH-

Naru is still running wild as she saw her former tutor in person. She tried to control her facial expressions, but she couldn't stop herself from laughing after not having seen him for so long. Not to mention, her face is numb from the excitement. But when she sees her friends chasing after her, she yells at them to not to come any closer.

Kitsuné is worried that Naru is about to do a stupid decision that will hurt herself. So Motoko said with her blade drawn and held with a reverse grip, "Leave it to me. [Hiken: Hyakka Ryōran (Profusing Flower Blossom)]!" And her Sen-projecting, petal-blowing, air strike sent Naru flying towards the roof.

"What the heck are you doing‽!" Keitaro riposted at the swordswoman's intention.

"Oops, I overdid it...💧" Motoko embarrassingly grumbled while holding her blade.

Back to Naru, she's barely hanging from the roof and thought to herself, ::Oh, this is embarrassing. Now the shoe's on the other foot of what Keitaro felt like.:: But then, she began to have afterthoughts of what happened during the last 9 months with the good and bad times with her landlord.

But just as Naru snapped back into reality, she was tackled by her neighbors (including Ruto and Keitaro) in an awkward dog-pile. The result made Naru have a slight nosebleed from the impact. That's when Seta came by and gave Naru a hand and a tissue to alleviate her nosebleed and then said to the former student, "It's been a while, Narusegawa."

-LNH-

|Inside the Landlord's Room|

While Ruto and the girls are waiting outside the door to peek in on the conversation, Keitaro, Seta and a distracted Naru (with thoughts of her old crush running through her mind) sit at the low rectangular table and cushions. That was when Naru, dazedly, was about to say something, but couldn't make out what words to say until she uttered a strange word, "Budoh... Do you have any tea in your room?"

Keitaro sweatdropped at what Naru had said.


(A/N: Budoh was used as a nonsensical word that was lost in translation. Just don't translate that into another language. Otherwise, you get something like this.)


Keitaro pointed to his own portable water heater across the room.

"Ah, thank you very much, grapely - - I mean, greatly," Naru said while still feeling spacey, but Keitaro warned her to watch where she's walking until it was too late. Naru tripped forward, knocking over the water heater, also flaunting her panties in the process.

Keitaro is wondering what came over Naru; she's been acting rather weird, much like himself.

Then Seta says, "So, I didn't know that you guys know each other. How did you two meet? Did you get past first base?"

Naru tripped again because of Seta's awkwardly straightforward question, spilling the hot tea on top of Keitaro, scalding him with the inevitable. At first, she tried to deny the question, but realized that she made a mistake by making a mess with her spilled tea and apologized to him.

Keitaro tried to wipe the liquid off his body and pour it onto his teacup and tried to drink it... "*pbbbbbbbttttt!* Yuck!" He spat out the awful-tasting tea in disgust.

Seta is enjoying the levity that the landlord was showing, but then he turned to Naru and asked a rather important question, "Crossing the Pacific is a very hard job, right?"

"What?" the Narusegawa blushingly broke out of her stupor from the irrelevant query.

"Damn," Kitsuné interjected with a sweatdrop in front of her group, "That idiot took it seriously."

"You just had to come up with that elaborate lie, Onee-chan," Ruto grumbled and shook his head in disappointment.

Seta continued the conversation, "But you know, retaking the exam is a good experience. I didn't think it would be difficult for you, but you have to do better this time."

"Oh... Yes... I will," Naru replied with a sense of confidence, "So, Sensei, what have you been doing in these last 2 years?"

"Oh, I've been around the world for a while," the professor explained, "I've been lost in a jungle, attacked by snakes in the desert, and got chased by some long-since-hidden tribes... Until I got a call from Sarah..."

Both parties, bordered by the shoji screen, stopped and listened to what Seta had said about why he had to take a sabbatical in America to help take care of Sarah before they decided to return back to Japan.

(Ruto had heard from a fellow blonde's testimony about her near-tragic ordeal.)

"That's kinda the reason why I hadn't been able to contact you, I'm sorry about that," Seta apologized, "Oh, I've… uh... noticed your friend, Kitsuné, had cut her hair." He was looking at the snooping vixen and the girls.

That's when Keitaro said that he has to get more tea material from the kitchen, leaving the inattentive Naru feeling indecisive. So she told Seta that she needed a bathroom break and she left the room (just to get some fresh air).

-LNH-

|Roof Access|

Keitaro is playing with Tama with a cat toy and said with a sigh, "Well, can't do anything about that... Her old crush that she admires came back. *sigh*" Then he rested his head on the railing and rambled at the turtle, "Oh, Tama, a little while ago, I was this close to kissing her, I've had a chance like this already. Am I going to be like this for the rest of my life?"

But then Tama gave Keitaro a sweet kiss on the upper lip.

"What was that for, Tamago‽" Keitaro exclaimed from the awkwardness.

"Myuu!" Tama chirped from his own floundering.

That's when Naru came by and got her fellow ronin's attention. After a brief refrain, she then says, "I'm very sorry about what happened. I must've been overdoing things. You see, I was just too happy to see Seta-sensei. Don't - - don't get me wrong, I just had a minor crush, that's all. A crush is different from 'like', you know..."

"Narusegawa," Keitaro briefly interrupted with a scratching on the back of his head, "I've been working with Seta-san for about a month. I know he is a good man, so I think I know how you feel..."

Narusegawa is a bit clueless about what the somewhat broken-hearted Keitaro had just said, until he exclaimed with (animé) tears in his eyes, "I'll help you! I'll help you get together with Seta-san!"

"Huh?" the Narusegawa was taken aback, "Just a minute! Why are you saying this?"

That when the other girls and Ruto came from the stairs, feeling rather touched at their landlord's thoughts.

(The younger Urashima was talked into it, knowing that this is going to turn into one big problem.)

"This... this is great. What Keitaro had said, this is great," Kitsuné said while wiping her teardrop from her eye with a handkerchief, "I was expecting something bad, but it wasn't."

"Keitaro, you really outdone yourself," Motoko sentimentally gave her regards.

Keitaro looked at his brother who said to him, "Don't look at me, 'ttébayo. They wanted Senpai to talk to Hakase-san."

-LNH-

And the girls took Naru downstairs for a quick makeover, by replacing her old school uniform with a dress similar in fashion to Motoko's bisque garments. (Thankfully, the boys just had to wait outside the room to avoid making the girls very angry.) And Kitsuné said to the fully dressed Naru, "When you have to make a confession, you have to dress out."

"Dress out‽" Naru exclaimed while looking at herself in the new wardrobe, "This is way over the top!"

-LNH-

|At the Lounge|

Sarah was hanging around at the couches, when she sees Naru in a fancy dress being coaxed by Keitaro and Kitsuné to talk to Seta, who is smoking a cigarette and reading the papers. So the ditzy Naru tried to talk to her former teacher until she declared, "I... I have... Seta-sensei, I have admired you for a long time!"

Unfortunately, the person folding the newspaper turned out to be Haruka, who is asking the group about what in the world they are doing.

Keitaro, Kitsuné, and even Shinobu facefaulted from the mistaken identity. Ruto came by and explained, "They were looking for the professor. Have you seen him, Haruka-san?"

"He just said 'hi' and went outside that way," Haruka said, pointing her thumb behind her back to the direction where Seta went.

While most of the group are searching for the professor, Haruka and Ruto are sitting together on one couch while Sarah is sitting on the other couch, facing them. Then Ruto said, "Sarah-chan, I want to apologize not only from my friends but also from myself. You see, I've been such a terrible guy for trying to teach you a lesson in humility and my close friends were a little rough around the edges when they got to know you. Can you forgive us?"

"Actually, it was my fault, too, Onii-chan," Sarah said, "I've been acting rude towards you. I... I don't know what it's like to have friends. The only people that were like family to me are my momma, Papa, Haruka-san, and the archaeologists that we accompany. Ever since Momma died, I've never had the chance to learn about making friends, especially with other kids my age. Can you forgive me?"

Ruto bent down and both forgave each other after learning from their mistakes and hugged each other in friendship. Haruka is glad that the kids make up.

Then Ruto explained, "Sarah-chan, we noticed that your old swimsuit got ripped apart during our little scuffle. Since you're practically a growing girl, we decided to buy this from the swimsuit shop to get you a replacement."

And he brought out a box from under the couch and gave it to Sarah and she opened it. It was a swimsuit that is an opaque, whitish, one-piece swimsuit that looked almost like in the same fashion the schools regularly use. She felt delighted that Ruto had to go so far to give the new swimsuit as he sheepishly explained, "Actually, before I threw your old set away, I checked the label and then asked Haruka-san about finding the one just your size. You can try it on to see if it fits." Ruto guides her to the near-empty closet to let her privately change inside.

After a few minutes, Sarah opened the door and showed off in the swimsuit towards Ruto and Haruka and not only they liked the way it looks good for the grade schooler, but Sarah is feeling comfortable wearing the swimpiece.

Then Ruto said to Sarah, "Look, I don't want to get too pushy about this, but we are planning to go to our family beach house by the ocean south from here. We go there just about every summer. You're welcome to bring your Papa with you, that is, if you want to come." And he wrote down a letter of invitation to Seta, with the directions and the dateline and then gave it to Sarah. "If you want to think it over, come to the location. We can help you, 'ttébayo."

But just as Sarah was just about to thank Ruto and Haruka for their generosity, the blondies heard the sound of multiple facefaulting in the hallway. They decided to check out what happened. Seta notices Sarah carrying a box and sees Ruto sweatdrop from the calamity. Rather than explaining to the boy about what happened, the professor and Sarah said that they had to leave for the night. And they did.

So Ruto asked a blushing Kitsuné, "Don't tell me. He said something about 'liking' everyone, did he?"

The vixen nodded as she blushed madly from what the scatterbrained professor had said.

But after that's been said and done, the Hinata-sou group decided that it's time to call it a night before going to bed.

§

To be continued…-»


The night won't be forever, but the heat will be on!

- blukmage19