Fate

Chapter III

Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, it is property of Ken Akamatsu.

- 'Thoughts' -

- memories -

-'sound effects' -

Important stuff, emphasis

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

I woke up in the morning feeling tired; I didn't have a good night, mostly because of my cast. I rested for a while but when I moved in my sleep… to say it tactfully, my cast made its presence known waking me up almost instantly, worst of all is that trying not to move while sleeping is not really sleeping at all, or at least you don't rest the same way.

I sat up in my futon and I checked the back of my head, first off I only rubbed the back of my neck but I felt curious about the bump on my head. So slowly and carefully I began touching and rubbing near that area, rubbing slowly upwards until finally touching the bump itself.

'Ouch' the bump didn't bother me anymore but it still was a little… 'Touchy?' but with time it would go away, for a moment I wished that my memories did the opposite, but I knew that there was no way to rush things… that was going to take a while.

'Time to get going' nothing was going to happen if I just lurked in my room, and I had stuff to do… first off was knowing my own home.

I got up, this time using my room's table for support while managing with my crutches; I was still clumsy but I was getting the hang of it, I didn't bother picking up my futon, it was hard enough to get up and I wasn't about to get down and fix it, maybe later but not now.

I got out of my room, not really knowing where to go… everything was new… well, not exactly new, this was supposed to be my home; I tried remembering but the blur and the headache were still there. If I couldn't remember anything then I would have to start over, maybe from the living room and so on…

I went directly to the living room, someone was there; I didn't see her because she was lying on the couch watching TV but as I drew closer she stretched and faced me, it was Kitsune.

"Hey Keitaro. Good morning!" She said waiving at me, she was cheerful and a little blushed, I didn't know why but as I drew closer I saw a bottle of sake on the table, surely she had some before I arrived.

"Good morning Ms. Konno" I greeted formally.

"No, no, no, just call me Kitsune dear, I like that the most" She corrected me instantly, she seemed very proud of her nickname 'Kitsune' and I suddenly got the feeling that it was related to her yesterday antics.

"Ok, Kitsune it is then, hmm… what are you doing?" I asked, trying to get to know (or remember) her.

"Me? Well I am just watching the horse races while having a little sake, want some?" She offered me a cup while she pointed to a seat with her head.

I considered her offer for a second, but then I realized that crutches plus alcohol was not going to be a good mix and besides…

'Grumble'My stomach complained loudly, I could tell because Kitsune just raised an eyebrow while looking at me, I felt embarrassed.

"So you are going to the Kitchen then? I think Shinobu left you some leftovers from today's breakfast"

"Huh? Leftovers? What time is it?"

"Why, it's just a little before twelve, you sure overslept today"

"Oh, no wonder why I am starving then, you already got breakfast?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't miss Shinobu's food for the world but you should be careful with Naru's, you could end up in intensive care for that"

"Thanks for the advise, well I'll get going" I left the living room, smiling.

"See ya!"

After that I decided to get some of those leftovers Shinobu left me, I remembered yesterday's dinner and if those leftovers were just as half as good, I was in for a treat.

I entered the kitchen and I went straight for the fridge, I rummaged a little around its contents until I found today's breakfast leftovers, but there was a problem… they were already cold.

First I thought of calling Kitsune for help but then I decided to explore things on my own. I began looking for a pan and cooking utensils, exploring the new kitchen carefully. I made mental notes on where each thing was until I found everything I needed.

Putting everything near me so I wouldn't have to move around much, I glanced at the utensils with a little uncertainty, scanning them many times; so far I was doing well but right now it was the time for the truth.

I lighted the stove and I placed the frying pan and waited for it to get warm, afterwards I just poured the leftovers and I stirred them from time to time, making sure I didn't burn them.

As I moved in the kitchen, I seemed to be moving around quite… naturally; of course my crutches bothered me but… I don't know… I felt like a fish in water, I never imagined that cooking would feel so… usual.

"Hmmm, smells good Keitaro" A voice came from behind me.

"Thanks Kitsune but you know; it's just because Shinobu is a great cook"

"Yes, that's true but I thought that you would be having more trouble moving around… you know, losing your memory and all"

"Well yes… you have a point, but I don't know, it feels more like instinct than anything"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that as I cooked… I don't know but it felt natural, as if I did this many times before"

"Yeah you did. When Shinobu is too busy you fix dinner, but usually Shinobu is the cook"

"Oh…" I said is I tried to recall any memories of Shinobu but to no avail, maybe doing things that I used to do with the tenants would be a good idea.

"What's on your mind?" Kitsune's voice seemed interested.

"Well my aunt told me that some time around 'familiar surroundings' would help me get my memory straight, so… maybe expending time with you and the tenants could help"

"That makes sense…" Said Kitsune after considering my words for a little while, she seemed concerned about something but I didn't know what.

"So now… what's on your mind?" I asked her, now it was her turn to answer.

"Oh nothing really…I was just thinking about… nah it's not important, sorry" It seemed that whatever she was thinking about, she wouldn't discuss it with me right away…

Afterwards, there was just silence; I didn't know what to say next… I was out of ideas… so I kept cooking until the food was ready, everything was silent and appeased and yet… uncomfortable… so I tried something.

"Ok…well… say…" I asked trailing off a little.

"Hmmm? What is it Keitaro?" Catching Kitsune's attention to me, I tried to get something going.

"Well I prepared too much for me alone, do you want some?"

"What are you talking about? It's a little much but it should be a good portion for you"

"But it should be a little past twelve by now right? If I eat all that by myself I won't be hungry for supper"

Kitsune raised and eyebrow when I said that but I didn't mind, it was that or stay silent, I wanted to talk with the residents as much as I could, maybe I could get my memories faster…

"Well that's a very good reason but you know, usually no one eats supper here, they have school so we usually just eat breakfast and dinner together"

"Oh…" I felt a little disappointed but she was right, all the girls had to attend school and they had their own business until dinner...

I started eating my share of the leftovers while Kitsune got out of the room, returning a little while later, she placed an empty bottle in the trash can and then proceeded to rummage the cupboards searching for something, I was amused to see her search with so much effort.

She finally found what she was looking for, pulling another bottle of sake from the depths of the cupboard. She grinned in victory as she held it like a trophy.

"He, he, no matter what Haruka tries, she can't hide these from me" She said mischievously, I couldn't help it but to smirk.

"Hey, what are you smiling at, eh?" She said as she grinned widely, trying to savor her victory even more.

"Oh nothing, I just thought that you looked like a kid with a new toy as you held that bottle" I said as I was eating the last of my food.

"Oh…"She stayed as if she were lost in her own mind for a second "Ha ha ha ha ha, I guess you are right Keitaro, after all Sake is one of the things I enjoy the most"

Opening the bottle of sake, she poured some of it in a cup and gave it a good long sip, she seemed to enjoy every drop of sake, and she let out a sigh in satisfaction for her deed.

"Well I am off to the couch if you need me, see ya!"

"See ya!"

Feeling my stomach full and happy because of Shinobu's cooking, I started to clean the dishes and pots I used; I started to think about cooking... maybe if I tried cooking something… I could recall even more of myself! But what should I try… Pasta? Sandwiches? Chocolate?

"Chocolate… for… you" I saw a girl offering me an envelope, I couldn't see her face… everything was still blurry and distorted, as in pieces… who was that girl?

Once again, I had the feeling of something familiar rushing through my mind… funny I don't know from where I got the idea of cooking chocolate, but surely that had triggered something… even for just an instant.

I tried to get back to my labor, maybe if I kept it up I could still keep remembering, but I was wrong, everything from there on was normal… man, for a second there I thought I was remembering something important.

I turned back to the dishes, not really putting effort into it, I was still dazed about that memory, but suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by another visitor… a very annoying visitor.

A fly.

That thing hovered near my glasses, pulling me from my thoughts, at first I didn't pay attention to it but after a while it began to bother me… it just wouldn't stop hovering around me, sometimes landing on my glasses, some other time on my hair, I tried to scare it away but it was so persistent…

After I washed the last dish, I looked around for it, I was determined to get that fly off me, I opened the kitchen window and I started to scare the fly away but to no avail, I was just too slow and too clumsy.

I was getting tired of it; I was about to give it up but when I saw it landing next to me, near the sink, just within my hand reach… I knew I had a golden opportunity.

Rising my hand slowly, I watched the little fly as it moved idly, without a worry in the whole world… I waited patiently for the right moment… it could be any second…

'Now!'

I slammed my hand in the sink, just where the fly was, for a second I thought I had it but in the very last second, the darned thing flew away, I ended up slamming the sink hard, very hard.

I closed my eyes as I waved my hand, trying to ease the pain but just to hear it hovering around me once again. In my despair I tried grabbing it, but instead I grabbed something else… I grabbed something soft instead, soft and warm…

"Oh Keitaro, you are so forward…" A sexy and playful voice called out to me.

I opened my eyes, finally realizing where my hand rested… I was frozen for a second until I realized what I was doing.

"Ack! Sorry Kitsune, I didn't mean to!" I pulled my hand back, I tried to bow in apologize but I was very clumsy, I lost my balance and I would had fell if Kitsune hadn't grabbed me.

"Hey… you should take it easy there, what was that racket a minute ago?"

"Sorry… I was trying to scare off a fly and well… you can imagine what happened…" she looked at me, as if analyzing what I had told her, she didn't seem very convinced at what I had said but as she saw that damned fly landing on my head… I think she finally believed me.

"Well… maybe that lousy fly will go away if you take a bath…" She said as she smirked.

When she said that it dawned me something I hadn't realized… I hadn't taken a bath in the hospital and in all the time I was in Hinata sou…

'I stink' Was all I could think of, I felt a little embarrassed by the fact that someone had to tell me that, but I had to ask Kitsune something.

"Herr… Kitsune… where is the bath?"

She grinned as she guided me trough the house, going to the third floor, she opened a door that led to a little terrace, there was an improvised little bath with a little… bathtub? No, it was a lot less than that…

I stared a little at the 'bath' before me as I turned back to Kitsune, she only raised her hands in an 'I can't help it' fashion as she stood in the doorway and after I examined the bathroom, she glanced at me before she closed the door, leaving me in privacy.

Sitting in a little bank in a corner, I undressed myself, I filled some buckets with water as I searched for my bathing stuff… the only problem was that it wasn't anywhere in sight, its got to be all the way back to my room.

Realizing that, I couldn't help but release a long sigh, I was about to start changing back into my clothes until I heard a knock on the door.

"Keitaro, it's Kitsune, I brought you some bathing stuff from your room. I'll leave them in the entrance" She said that as she opened the door a little and slid the contents in the room, I was really thankful to her, and without losing any time, I went straight to pick them up.

"Do you need a hand over there, maybe two?" She said as I was walking back to the 'bathtub' and I think I reacted just the way she wanted, I dropped everything I was holding.

"N… No, no, thanks Kitsune!"I said in embarrassment as I picked up my stuff, I tried being as fast as I could but I was just being clumsy, I almost tripped as I went back to the bathtub.

"Well… I'll be in my room if you need me…" And with that, I heard her footsteps until they vanished, and I finally relaxed…

Now back to my bath…

I realized that bathing with a cast was not as easy as I thought, the thing is that I can't get the cast wet… meaning that I need to wash myself 'in parts', taking a little water as I washed my head, then my arms, my legs (well… one leg and a half). And after a while I was done, it had been difficult to move, but there was no one to help me in this one.

'Do you need a hand over there, Maybe two?' I remembered Kitsune's proposal a little while ago and for a second I really considered to have accepted her help…

An image came vivid in my head as I imagined Kitsune rubbing my back, I couldn't help but to remember the soft sensation of her skin as I recalled the little incident before…

'Aggh what am I thinking!' I was just lucky that Kitsune didn't slap me back there and here I am fantasizing, I need to focus… I need to push it out of my mind… I need cold water.

After my bath, I went straight back to my room, not really knowing what to do but to change into new clothes, as I entered I felt a little out of place, even though this was my room, I felt like a stranger…

I rummaged around my room until I found myself a new change of clothes, it wasn't very difficult to find them since I didn't have much stuff besides my clothes, just a book crammed bookshelf, study table, a closet with some drawers and… that was it. I shuddered as I realized how little I knew about myself… maybe my aunt could help me...

I examined my bookshelf but I didn't find much more than textbooks, one thing was certain; I was a student and a manager, but what else? I searched the bookshelf once again and I discovered two books, one of them was the tenants' profiles and the other… a sticker collection?

I began rummaging through my sticker album, there were all kinds of photo stickers in it but… something was not right, in all the stickers it was just me… no family, no friends…

I rummaged trough all the pages faster, giving the album a quick look as I looked for something different, but in all pages it was all the same, it was just me… until I got to the very end of it, the last two used pages.

There was just one sticker in each page, but I immediately noticed why, there were the only two stickers in which I was not alone… in those were me and Narusegawa.

"Narusegawa…" I muttered in a low voice as I reached the tenant profiles, I searched for her profile but I didn't find anything unusual, just her data like age, blood type, her phone number, etc.

I looked at the others tenants profiles but it was all the same, seems that I didn't make any notes about them somewhere and if I did, I didn't remember where I kept them… there were no shortcuts, I had to meet the tenants one by one.

And I knew who I was going to start with.

Hello, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry I took so long to publish but its better late than never right?

If you enjoyed this chapter, please read and review, and if you have done it in the past please review again, if you didn't like this chapter... send me a review to let me know.

I'd like to thank Havenoname for Pre-reading this chapter. THANKS MAN! This chapter turned out much better thanks to you

Until Chapter 4

– Jkaitz –