Fate

Chapter II

Disclaimer: Ken Akamatsu is the Owner of Love Hina, this is just a fic

- 'Thoughts' -

- memories -

-'sound effects' -

Important stuff, emphasis

------------------- Change of scenery, change of character

Everyone in the room was staring at me but no one said anything, I swear that I could touch the tension in the air and it was starting to suffocate me, I was sure that everyone had understood my question the first time but I asked again, this time I tried using a better set of words.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I can't truly remember anyone of you from somewhere, can you tell me who you are?" I asked again but nothing changed, everyone was tense and still had their eyes on me, I immediately by instinct looked at the man in white… no, the doctor, he seemed like the only one to know what was truly going on.

"Well, seeing this, I must explain, but I will only do so to a relative of the patient"

"He is my nephew and I am his closest relative in the area" Replied an Adult woman, she had a serene face and seemed to be dealing with the situation quite coolly.

"Very well, follow me" The doctor opened the door and both of them walked out of the room, leaving me and my visitors alone.

Time passed slowly as everyone in the room was quiet, no one seemed to dare speak a word, I tried to say something but the problem was that I didn't know what to ask or say.

I looked again at everyone's faces, trying to find an excuse, anything to break this uncomfortable silence, I couldn't help myself, so I started with the one that looked more troubled among them.

"Is something the matter? I don't like seeing you sad, why don't you tell me what's on your mind?" I asked while I was slapping myself mentally, OF COURSE something was wrong, but that expression on her face was all I got to start something before even more tension piled up on everyone.

"Se… sempai are you sure you don't remember anything? You don't remember m…us?" Asked the girl in a very shy, low and very hurt tone, as if she was on the verge of tears, I didn't want to make anyone cry or sad but I could only reply one thing.

"No… I'm sorry but I don't remember you or anyone else in the room" I answered, that didn't go well, the conversation looped back to where it started, but now I had made a terrible mistake.

Everyone in the room looked abashed by my answer, and the girl before me tried to hold back the tears but she was fighting a losing battle, before she was unable to hold them back, she stormed out of the room with her hands on her face, I felt my heart broke into pieces when she did that, I felt like a jerk.

"You Idiot, you made Shinobu cry!" Said a tall girl with raven black hair, she wore an expression of both disgust and pity when she looked at me. I felt even worse, like if I were some kind of monster for making the young girl cry.

"Shinobu wait!" The black haired girl stormed after her.

"Wait for me Motoko!" Said the tanned girl in her high pitched voice, well her voice was not so high this time… it's like she had lost some spirit in it, I don't know but I think that she was very hurt too.

"Hey don't leave me alone with this jerk" Another one said, this one younger than the others, her face was showing signs of concern over her friends, she had a face shaped object in her hand which she was holding, fidgeting the weird object with her fingers while looking at me and then the door for several occasions, she finally decided for the door and I let out a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding.

After she left, only one person and I stayed in the room, she had short grey hair and a very… playful… grin on her face, I didn't know why she was looking at me like that, hell I didn't know why she wasn't angry at me like her friends, and that confused me.

She examined me closely; I felt her eyes studying my face and the bandages on my head, then she proceeded to examine lower, just down below my... wait! 'Wha- what am I thinking?'

I was suddenly feeling very embarrassed and my head began to warm, definitely a sign that I was flushing.

I tried to say something but in the end nothing came out but babbling, this girl was very daring in her own way and I couldn't help noticing her and her… well… charms.

"Aww, are you sure you don't remember me sweetie?" She came closer to me slowly and I gulped, I felt more embarrassed with each step she gave towards me, I don't know but there was something hypnotic about her, overwhelming in her own and subtle way, I tried talking but as before I couldn't say anything coherent.

She approached me even more in a sensual pace and I felt my embarrassment rise, a devilish smile appearing on her lips.

"Don't worry about it though, I can make sure you don't forget me again… ever" Her sexy voice captured me, I was completely drawn to her but I don't know how or why but I felt a bit of blood leaving my nose and, at that very moment, we heard someone opening the door and then, she went back to the place she was standing before everyone else left.

"Glad to see that I still have it in me!" The girl grinned with an air of victory on her face. Just as I felt my blush, embarrassment and blood rush to fade, the doctor came back with the mature woman, this time she was smoking a cigarette with a frown on her face, I glanced at the doctor but he seemed kind of… scared with what she was doing but now that I think about it, he was more scared of her.

"Would you mind to explain, what were you doing with my nephew Kitsune?" The mature girl asked… no… ordered politely as she gave another sip to her cigarette.

"Oh come on Haruka, I was just making sure if he remembered me or not" The girl said, glancing back to me and giving me a wink… I blushed as this remembered me what she had done a moment before, at least this time no blood poured out.

'Well that was one hell of a tease' I said to myself, not really wanting to say anything to anyone just yet, I don't have any idea of what's going on around me lately.

"So… what's wrong with Keitaro here?" Asked Kitsune with a smirk in her face.

"I will explain to you and everyone when we reach Hinata Sou, right now help me find the others while the doctor gets us a wheel chair and a pair of crutches for him" She commanded and Kitsune didn't reply anything, hell, I was amazed that not even the doctor said anything, this Haruka was a very… convincing person.

The doctor and Kitsune left the room quietly while Haruka stayed behind; she closed the door and looked at me seriously for a minute.

She did nothing while she was staring at me, and I wasn't about to start anything, I had messed up before and made a young girl cry…

"Well, now that we are finally alone, I suppose it's time that the two of us get reacquainted with each other" Said Haruka as she moved from the door taking a chair and finally sitting besides me.

"My name is Urashima Haruka, nice to meet you" She started the talk, and I was glad that this time I didn't have to start so I followed carefully.

"Nice to meet you too, mi name is… is…" I tried remembering but my head ached every time I tried to recall something.

"Your name is Urashima Keitaro, you and I are relatives" she said with confidence and patience, and when she did that something triggered within my mind.

"Ah, true, you are my aunt right?" I replied as I remembered the little scene a while ago.

I suddenly knew that I had made a terrible mistake, my aunt suddenly gripped her right hand and a big frown showed in her face, and she seemed that she was fighting an urge to do something, but she calmed down, regaining all her cool almost instantly.

"Hmmm… you lose your memory, and I still can't get that 'aunt' habit out of you" Haruka frowned while giving a long and nursing sip to her cigarette.

"So…Sorry… I'll be more careful next time"

"You do that, I wouldn't want to make any more bumps to that head of yours" She said calmly with a serious face that sent some shivers down my spine, now I understood why Kitsune and the doctor were so 'obedient'.

"Keitaro?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember anything about you?" The question was simple, and yet… too difficult for me at the moment, I tried to remember something, even the slight clue about something but I couldn't, my memories were like a blur and I couldn't make anything out. I gave up when the headache began to return.

"No… every time I try remembering, I only see a blur and my head won't stop aching" That was the only thing I could reply.

"Well… Right now we will take you home and get you settled, maybe some time around familiar surroundings will help to get your memory straight, so I'll be back shortly" Haruka said as she got up and began walking to the door.

"Haruka?" I called her with some uncertainty.

"Hmmm…?" She stood and faced me.

"What happened to me?"

"I don't like to explain things more than once so you will have to wait until we arrive to Hinata Sou, when we get there I will explain it all to you and the others"

"Ok…"

Everything from there on passed quickly, Haruka and the doctor came back and helped me to get settled on a wheelchair and they handed me my new set of crutches, after that, me and Haruka returned to Hinata Sou in her van, but I didn't see any of the girls from the hospital, they were really upset with me.

My aunt parked her van near a set of stairs, she said that that was the only way to get home and that I should start using my crutches, she helped me up the stairs and I noticed that there was a little tea shop along the way, and shortly after we arrived in front of a big building.

"Well Keitaro, Welcome home"

"This is my house? No offense but it looks more like a hotel than a house"

"Yes, this is a female dorm and you are the manager"

"What!"

"Easy now, everyone should have prepared for your arrival by now, so let's meet your tenants shall we?"

"Ok…"

"Then let's get going, but now let's try something…"

"Try what?"

"Well, I got that wheelchair rented because I didn't want anything to happen to your head while I got you here, but from now on you will have to get used to your crutches… so… why don't you try them without my help?" She replied swiftly.

"Well if that's the case…" I replied a little unsure of myself.

She helped me to get steady on my own and explained me briefly about using crutches, the most important part was that while moving around them I had to grip them firmly while protecting my broken leg, she told me to take it easy, one step at a time until I got practice, and that I wouldn't be lacking it, because even as hurt as I was, I still had duties around Hinata Sou.

After she finished explaining, I tried using my crutches, my aunt seemed like if she was waiting for something to happen but I got the hang of it pretty fast, using crutches wasn't so difficult after all, in fact, It felt more like playing but I drew to conclusions too early, as I was trying to go up the first set of stairs near the entrance… One of my crutches slipped, I think because of the polished wooden floor, but one second I was walking happily up some stairs and the next thing I felt was like as if I was floating in mid air… backwards to the ground.

The feeling was familiar… extremely familiar…

"Wait!"A scream echoed inside my head, I felt fear and despair for a split second, and the next a sharp pain in my leg, I gritted my teeth and gripped my clutches to braze for the impact… but I didn't fell, in fact I had stopped… I wondered why and my answer came soon.

"That's why I told you to take one step at a time!" Came the angry voice of Haruka as she pulled out of my daze, she was holding me from my back, trying to keep me from falling and keeping my leg safe.

"Sorry and… Thank you" I murmured as she helped me regain my balance.

"Just be careful because I won't do it again, I will be waiting inside so hurry up!" An angry response was all I got, but still… I was grateful.

I hurriedly went inside the inn, this time I was sure to move around carefully, I entered a room which I was pretty sure it was the living room, my aunt and the girls who came to visit me were all there, standing in front of me… looking at me.

Unsure of what I should do, I looked back at them, but this time the little silence that followed wasn't all about tension, it felt like uncertainty but at the same time I was happy… I don't know why but I was just happy, and I didn't feel uncomfortable anymore, it felt like home…

No one spoke a word but no one needed to, my aunt took everything in her hands.

"Keitaro, these are your tenants, you will be living among them as their manager and you will have responsibilities towards them, as they have some towards you"

"Thank you Haruka" She gave me a pleased nod and I followed her lead.

"Everyone, my name is Urashima Keitaro and I am your manager, nice to meet you" I bowed courteously or at least I tried (damned crutches) and I smiled, I didn't know why but I just did.

Everyone still had a confused look on their faces, but this time they were not shocked, they were more like… hesitant, like waiting for someone to follow but no one really dared, or at least not right away.

Hanging in the back of the raven haired tenant, a little girl, around 12 years of age climbed down from the other's tenant's back and came forward me, she was short and slim, with blond hair and green eyes, her skin was tanned, she was from another country I was sure of it.

She examined me closely, her eyes were focused as she was examining me from all directions, going in circles, now that I think of it, she was examining me like a scientist examines a test subject, but I didn't mind, she was a kid after all.

"You really look like Keitaro…" She said once she finished examining me with her sight, she was now standing before me and she moved her hands towards my face, I bowed a little to let her reach it more easily, not really thinking what I was doing, I just complied.

She touched my cheeks gently with both hands and she moved them a little upwards my face, then she pressed my nose gently with her thumbs, I don't know why she was doing this, but things where starting to get a little… uncomfortable but what happened next, I admit that even if I knew her, I would never see that coming.

Just before I tried to ask her what she was doing, she suddenly started pulling my cheeks… hard! She didn't held back either, she tried to stretch them as if she was trying to pull the skin out of my face! I felt like I was losing my balance so I had no choice but to try to staying steady while withstanding the little girl, but suddenly as she had begun, she finished, and for that, she climbed towards my back and stayed in 'piggy ride' while she snuggled her face against my head.

"Yeah you are definitely Keitaro, not a random spy!" She said while she snuggled against my head, I didn't know what she meant about spy, but surely it was just a game of hers… a very painful game if you ask me.

"My name is Su Kaolla, nice to meet you again Keitaro!" She said in her high pitched voice, she was really energetic now but at least she didn't try anything that could make me lose balance so I left her stay.

Even if she didn't mean it, she seemed to brighten the mood a lot, the tenants were not longer hesitant about introducing (or re-introduce?) themselves once again.

After Su, the next one to re-introduce herself was another little girl, she was around nine years of age, her name was Sarah MacDougal, she seemed a little annoyed because she called me dork many times, but in the end she was well behaved and as a bonus she wasn't carrying that face shaped object from earlier, so I couldn't really complain.

'Cough, cough'A voice nearby cleared her throat, I looked directly at the source of that voice, it was the raven haired girl. Once she knew that she had my attention she introduced herself.

"My name is Aoyama Motoko, nice to meet you" She said being very formal, maybe she was just a little shy, she seemed a lot more reserved than everyone else… well except for Haruka.

"I must also tell you, that even though you are the manager, I don't tolerate any 'strange' act that goes beyond you duties with any of the tenants, do you understand?" She said that with a neutral face as she reached her left side, touching what it seemed to be a sheath… sword included… I gulped and nodded in understanding, definitely I wouldn't enjoy rubbing her the wrong way or I would enjoy the coldness of steel pressed against my skin.

Trying to find anything to change the subject, I eyed another of the tenants; there were just two of them left.

"I bet you haven't forgotten me since this morning right hun?" Said the gray haired girl, I knew her from this morning… my aunt called her Kitsune.

I blushed and turned my face to avoid looking at her directly, but if I had seen her, I knew that she would have that victorious grin in her face, her 'trademark'.

"Kitsune!" The raven haired girl screamed while trying to hide a blush while giving me an 'I'll deal with you later' glare that made me shiver, but somehow I felt that at least at that time I was safe.

"Easy, easy Motoko dear, Keitaro here did nothing… after all I did everything back there…" She said as she winked at me… I don't know how or why she pulls this, but she really enjoys teasing… worst is that it seems to work on me pretty well; her victory was my embarrassment.

"Well… whatever, my names's Konno Mitsune, and as you have figured out, everyone here calls me Kitsune, so nice to meet ya!" Kitsune finally introduced herself and I felt relieved, no more teasing! For a while...

"Su, would you get down from Keitaro's shoulders? I think that he needs to take it easy right now" Said my aunt, as she seemed to understand my predicament.

Su suddenly climbed out of my shoulders like an acrobat and went straight back to Motoko's, I felt relieved that she was no longer on my shoulders, moving around in crutches carrying a girl is not easy.

"Well now that I've introduced myself, I will be on the roof" Motoko said as Su seemed to enjoy the idea.

"Well hun, I will be leaving to my room if you need me…" Kitsune said as she winked at me.

They both left the room with Motoko carrying Su and Sarah following close behind, that would leave only one more tenant to meet… and suddenly I felt awkward, awkward as I recognized the girl.

She was the girl that I made cry this morning.

I felt suddenly ashamed when greeting the girl, whatever happened in the morning should not had happened… some time passed and no one talked, the girl seemed really drawn and shy, her eyes were eagerly looking at me and there was a little blush in her cheeks… maybe she was still upset? Sad? A little of both maybe.

I didn't know the answer but I knew that I needed to apologize.

"I am sorry" I started

"Huh?" Her face was very confused, she wasn't expecting me to talk or at least apologize right out of the blue.

"Sorry that I made you cry, I didn't mean to, really…" I apologized to her, and I bowed.

"N… no that's ok sempai, I… I am sorry, I just… didn't know" She said as she turned her face shyly in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it; my name is Urashima Keitaro, nice to meet you"

"I… I am Shinobu Maehara, nice to meet you too" She bowed courteously and then stormed out of the room; I couldn't help but feel that I had done something wrong again.

"Don't worry Keitaro, she is like this" My aunt said with confidence.

I looked at her, giving her a 'I am not so sure' look to her, she didn't seem to mind, one thing about her is that she always seems so strong and confident… I am lucky to have an aunt like her.

"Well now that you have met the most of the tenants it's time I show you your room, follow me"

"Ok"

I followed my aunt to a room in the first floor, the room seemed tidy but there were not many things in it… strange.

"Well this is your room, not quite much but still yours"

"Thank you Haruka"

"Well, maybe after you rest you could take a look at those books over there, they contain all the information about Hinata Sou and the tenants, so take it easy ok?"

"Ok… Haruka?"

"Yeah?" She looked at me while waiting for my question.

"What do you mean by 'I've met most of the residents here'?"

"There is still one more tenant here in Hinata Sou but right now she is at College, also there is another person that is not a tenant but she is still your friend. I will bring her to dinner so you can finish meeting everyone; I will also explain everything at that time… so just rest for now ok?"

I nodded, and she closed the door behind me, I was completely alone in my room now and she was right… all this made me feel tired. I laid on my futon and I closed my eyes, it wasn't long before I fell asleep, I was completely drained…

'Knock, knock'

"Sempai, are you there?"

I heard those words in my head as if they came from far away, I heard the same words again and I felt myself waking up to them but I didn't answer, I tried sitting on my futon and get rid of my tiredness by stretching my arms.

"Come on in" I finally replied as someone knocked the door again, the girl opened the door a little bit and entered the room.

"Oh, hi Shinobu!" I greeted.

"Hello Sempai… hmmm… dinner is ready and everyone is waiting, do you want to join us?"

"Sure"

I tried getting up but I found that it was not easy, a broken leg didn't help much, I tried using one foot but I gave up, I needed some support; I will have to get something to get a hold on before I sleep again.

Seeing my problem, Shinobu shyly offered me some help, help that I gladly accepted, she helped me by bringing my study table close to me and with that as a support, she placed one of my arms around her shoulder and helped me up and get steady with one crutch, after that she just handled me the other.

As soon as she made sure that I was steady, she waited for me at my door, closing it as I exited my room, I followed her to the kitchen, and just as Haruka promised, everyone had gathered there. I saw the two new faces sitting at the other side of the table one should be the last tenant of the house and the other one should be the friend Haruka spoke of.

I didn't speak first, everything was quiet and everyone was staring at me… again, it seemed that I was the hot topic of the day but with all that attention I felt uncomfortable, I eyed my aunt as if waiting for a sign if I should begin or wait for her to say something... she seemed to catch the idea.

"Well let's just have dinner, shall we?" She said to me, the two new faces eyeing me strangely, one girl had brown hair and a motherly expression on her face, I saw her and I relaxed, she seemed like the carefree type, and yet, reserved and calm, the other one had brunette hair and a suspicious expression on her face, I turned to face her but she seemed to be avoiding me… she seemed upset and uncomfortable when I looked at her, even if just for an instant.

Dinner passed and everything was delicious, I asked who the chef was and Shinobu blushed in embarrassment… Shinobu cooks really good food... and then the two remaining girls looked at me with suspicion, especially the brunette, she glared at me with some 'intent' or maybe I should describe it as 'territorial'? Nah... That couldn't be it.

After that little glare, I looked away from her, and then I felt someone's hand on my shoulder, it was my aunt's and I understood what she meant.

"Well everyone, thank you for the dinner, and even though that I have already been introduced with most of the residents, I'd like to reintroduce myself once more" I said, not really sure how I should have started this, but at least I hadn't messed up, at least not yet.

"My name is Urashima Keitaro and I am glad to meet you all, I will do my best as your manager, if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask"

Everyone seemed well at this statement, but something was not right… especially with Kitsune, she seemed to be checking on the brunette many times with a worried expression, like if something were to happen.

"What is this idiot up to?" The brunette murmured as she gave me another suspicious glare, I'd better finish this quickly, or I will start babbling.

"I've already met most of the residents, but you two, can you tell me who you are?" I asked, quickly and with no hitting around the bush, not quite tactful but it did the job.

Both girls watched me in disbelief the brown haired girl seemed confused but the other one seemed… irritated, angry and at the same time confused but she didn't do anything, she just grabbed her mug of tea with some force.

"Ara, ara, what's wrong Kei-kun? Don't you recognize us?" The brown haired spoke softly and carefree, she seemed confused but interested…

"Yes, you'd better not be playing around Keitaro" The brunette warned me, she tried to show a calm composure but she wasn't doing very well.

At those questions there was only thing I could reply, 'Sorry but I don't remember you' but I had already tried that earlier and… well we all know how it went, I was at a complete loss.

"Well I think it is me who owns you all an explanation" Haruka said as she stood behind me giving a sip to her cigarette, everyone, and myself included looked at her with rapt attention.

"Yesterday around midnight, the nurse found Keitaro unconscious on the floor near his bed, the doctors don't know how it happened, but he had hit his head pretty hard" Everyone seemed serious at that moment, and so I was, after all she was explaining everything that happened to me in the last 24 hours.

"Anyway, he was lucky that he didn't damage his leg or his head badly but the impact was enough to send him unconscious, causing him temporary amnesia"

"Amnesia? The brunette said with disbelief, she griped her tea mug harder"

"Yes, he doesn't remember anyone or anything of his past and therefore he needs your names and a little patience" Haruka said sipping her cigarette, giving both girls a serious look.

"Ara… if that's the case, my name is Otohime Mutsumi, nice to meet you again Kei-kun" Mutsumi said with a warm smile on her face, I couldn't help but smiling back at her.

"Well, I am Narusegawa Naru… nice to… meet you" Naru said, her face was frowning as she tried not to look at me while introducing herself, it was a little forced self introduction, something about me was bothering her.

"It's good to meet you Narusegawa" I tried being as polite as I could, if something was wrong, I definitely wasn't going to make it any worst.

"Humph" Was all she could manage, she had a serious expression on her face, but she couldn't hide the slight frown on her face, she was angry at me… I didn't know why but I felt that asking her right now would not be a good idea.

She was gripping her tea mug too hard now, I could tell because her knuckles were turning white and the mug seemed to be on its limits, she stayed silently as if she was contemplating something, maybe the situation?

After a while she just said her 'Good nights' to everyone, leaving as quickly as she could so no one could ask or say anything.

After that, a deadly silence fell upon the dinner hall, Kitsune just threw her arms backwards and letting out of a sigh of relief while she was finding the ceiling interesting for a while, she then left to her room.

Afterwards everything went on peacefully, Shinobu offered to wash the dishes as Motoko and Su left for their rooms with Sarah following a bit after; my aunt and Mutsumi said their goodbyes as they left the inn.

I stayed lost in thought for a while; whatever happened today was sure to be just the beginning of something new… I just didn't know how big it would be but I was sure it involved everyone in the house… maybe some others from the outside… but I had to deal with it as it came… not that I had a choice really.

"Sempai…"

"Huh?" Shinobu voice pulled me from my thoughts

"I am done washing the dishes; if you don't mind I will be going to my room, do you need any help?"

"Oh no, I am ok; I am just not so tired after sleeping for a while before, Thank you"

"Ok then, Good night… sempai"

"Good night Shinobu" And she retreated back to her room.

I stayed awake thinking back at everything that had happened to me in the last 24 hours, everything before that time seemed like a blur and I couldn't recall, but at least today went well with everyone… or at least it seemed that way.

After some time, I decided that it had been enough for the day and I headed to my room, this time I pulled the table in my room near my futon, I would need it in the morning.

Well this is all for chapter two, thanks to everyone for their kind reviews, I can only ask them to review again, and if you haven't reviewed and you like this story, please do so, all reviews are acceptable.

--- Until Chapter 3 ! ---