Disclaimer: I have no ownership with Love Hina.
A/N: A bit of writer's block and other distractions is why it took me long to get this chapter up. Here is the chapter and well, here goes nothing.
Chapter 6
"Wait, you mean to tell me that this one, who says that all men are vile, pretended that Keitaro was her fiancé?" Nanami asked disgusted pointing at Motoko.
"That's right," Tsuruko said, "When I visited the inn, I did it to bring Motoko home so that she would begin her responsibilities to lead our God Cry School but she wasn't ready to take the responsibility," Tsuruko shook her head, "but instead of being honest with me about it, she lied to me saying that she and your son were going to get married. It didn't take me long to know the truth and when I did, I challenged her to a dual and defeated her. Our clan doesn't tolerate our members to be dishonest and I had to strip her right to be part of it."
Motoko was looking down cringing. Hina looked at Motoko disgusted using her grandson like that. Tsuruko continued with the story with how Keitaro supported and helped her and Motoko was putting her head down in shame.
Later on, the stories of what had happened in the dorm with Keitaro, who told his side to Hina and Haruka continued with the girls pointing fingers at each other and with Naru and Motoko saying that Keitaro was to blame much to the other girls' dismay. Haruka left to go run her teashop.
A Park somewhere within Hinata City
Seta sat in a bench with Sarah. Sarah was feeling uncomfortable and bitter. Uncomfortable about what her papa wanted to talk to her about and bitter about what the subject was going to be about.
Seta looked at his daughter, "This is a nice park, don't you think so too Sarah?"
Sarah nodded, "Yeah, it's real nice papa."
Seta sighed, "Yes, it really is. Anyways, Sarah, you know what we need to talk about, right?"
"It's about the dor-uh, I mean, Keitaro."
Seta nodded, "Exactly."
"Papa, I really don't want to talk about it."
"That may be true, but I do. Sarah, have you really resented my part timer?"
Sarah had a grim expression, "I don't like him."
Seta sighed, "I already know that but I can't see any good reason for that nor can I see a good reason why you think it's okay to misbehave around him. Keitaro told me that you do it because you think he's interfering with the bond between you and me."
Sarah didn't want to say anything.
Seta continued, "Do you do that with just Keitaro or do you do that with others as well?"
"But I really don't like him. He's horrible, even Naru says he is," Sarah said, "that's why she doesn't let him do anything to me."
Seta was confused, "What does that mean?"
"Whenever Keitaro tries to tell me not to do something, Naru saves me and punches that jerk to the wall and she always makes sure that I'm okay. You see papa, Keitaro is dumb and thinks he can tell me what do but Naru doesn't let him and she always tells me that if he bothers me again, that I should go to her and tell her so that she can teach him a lesson. So Keitaro is really the bad one and that why he ran away like a coward and that why he's a dork, he's tricking you papa."
Seta crossed his arm and had a serious expression, "Looks like I need to have a serious talk with Naru."
Shinsuke's Apartment Building
Keitaro was walking around the building. He was amazed how different the apartment building was. It wasn't a typical apartment building. It was sitting on acres of land like the Hinata Inn. There was a swimming pool outside, a recreation center, a dojo, and a workout facility within the land of the apartment building and the land surrounding it.
"Wow, this place is amazing," Keitaro said impressed, "I've never seen a place like this."
"It is impressive, isn't it?" A voice said.
Keitaro looked and saw Shinsuke and Isana.
"Yes, it is," Keitaro said, "I bet it's expensive to rent here."
"Well, with the facilities we have here and size of the building and the property around, yeah, it is expensive."
"I see."
"Let's go, I'll show where you can start," Shinsuke said.
"Okay," Keitaro responded.
The two men left leaving Isana alone for a moment. A young woman showed up from the other side and greeted Isana. She had long black hair, brown eyes with a voluptuous figure and was wearing a white dress shirt, black skirt, and black boots.
"Hi mom," the young woman greeted.
Isana smiled, "Oh Nagisa, you're back."
"Yeah, by the way Mom, who's the guy that was with Dad just now?"
"Oh, that's Keitaro Urashima, a new tenant/worker."
"Really, how interesting." Nagisa said crossing her arms.
Shinsuke and Keitaro went to the dojo. When they got there, they saw a young man in his white gi and blue hakama who had long brown hair tied to a ponytail and brown eyes performing his katas.
"Oh, very impressive, well done Kazuya," Shinsuke said with a smile walking up to him with Keitaro following him.
Kazuya looked and saw Shinsuke and smiled, "Oh hey Dad, did you come here to train as well?"
"Well not at the moment but I will later. But Kazuya, I want you to meet someone," Shinsuke motioned Keitaro to move forward to meet his son, "Kazuya, this is Keitaro Urashima, he will be working here helping with the apartment. Keitaro, this is my son Kazuya."
Keitaro greeted Kazuya with a bow, "It's nice to meet you Kazuya."
Kazuya smiled and bowed as well, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well."
"Keitaro is going to be working here and in exchange, he'll be living here."
"I see, well Keitaro, you think you can handle working here?"
"Well, I should be able to. I do have some experiences."
Hinata Inn
Kyoshiro, Nanami, and Kanako stepped outside of the inn for a little gathering.
"All right, I'll go see Keitaro and make sure he's okay but as for you two," Kyoshiro spoke looking at his wife and daughter, "are you sure you two want to stay here first? Kanako, I would have expected that you wanted to see your brother immediately."
"I will see Keitaro, Dad, but first, we have to teach those girls a lesson," Kanako replied.
"I will do the same thing," Nanami said, "besides; I need to speak with your mother about how she handled things."
Kyoshiro shrugged, "Oh well, if that's what you want then that's fine but please be careful, especially with that Naru and Motoko, I don't want them to try to do something terrible."
"Don't worry Dad," Kanako assured, "if they try something, I'll give them a beaten that they'll never forget."
Kyoshiro smiled and put his hand on her shoulder, "All right then. Okay, I'm going then."
"Kyoshiro," Nanami spoke, "tell our son how much we love him and how proud we are of him."
Kyoshiro nodded at his wife, "I will," Kyoshiro thought of it for a moment, "you know, I think I need to tell Keitaro why we kicked him out in the first place."
"Oh," Nanami understood and nodded, "that's fine. I just hope he won't be too angry."
Kyoshiro went to hug his wife, "I hope so too."
Kyoshiro went down the steps and Nanami and Kanako watched him go down the stairs. Hina was watching her son go down the steps of the inn from the roof and was feeling very sad. After the talk with the girls of the events that went on, her son and daughter-in-law were disgusted and accused Hina have such a sadistic sense of humor to put her own grandson in such a hostile and unpredictable environment. Neither of them wanted to talk to her, not even Kanako was in the mood to speak to her. The whole ordeal broke the old woman's heart. Hina had such confidence that things would be better for Keitaro and the tenants but she was proven wrong. She wanted to make things right but she wondered even if she did, would her precious grandson forgive her.
As Kyoshiro went down the steps, he saw his niece/adopted sister outside of her teashop smoking. Haruka looked over at Kyoshiro.
"Are you going to see Keitaro?" Haruka asked.
"Yes, I'll also go on behalf of Nanami and Kanako," Kyoshiro said as he stopped.
Haruka took another puff and blew another smoke, "So Nanami and Kanako are staying at the inn?"
"Yes, I'm sure you can guess why."
Haruka nodded as she knew the reason, "There won't be any mercy," Haruka felt a bit sad, "Kyoshiro, I'm…I'm also as guilty as well."
Kyoshiro was surprised, "What do you mean?"
Meanwhile, Nanami and Kanako went back inside the dorm.
"I never did like any of them," Kanako said.
"Really?" Nanami asked, "And why is that?"
"Um, excuse me?" a soft voice called.
The two Urashima women turned to see a nervous Shinobu. Nanami glared dangerously at Shinobu.
Shinobu bows to them, "I'm sorry to interrupt but I was asked to show you to your room."
Shinobu was leading Kanako and Nanami to their rooms. Shinobu felt she was on thin ice with Keitaro's mother and sister present.
"Um, I hope you don't mind me asking this, where is Mr. Urashima?" Shinobu asked nervously.
"My father went to see my brother," Kanako answered while petting her cat Kuro, who was giving a glare to Shinobu as well.
"Oh, I see," Shinobu replied.
"You know, I was surprised at the way talked to Naru and that sword girl like that."
"Yes, well, I couldn't stand them talking about Senpai like that."
"Senpai?" Nanami asked surprised.
"Apparently, that what she calls big brother," Kanako said.
"Oh is that so?"
They stood in front of the door of their room.
"I'm really sorry about what happened," Shinobu said, "Senpai should have never gone through what he went through."
"Oh and why should I believe you?" Nanami asked.
"Uh…well…I…" Shinobu was finding it hard to say.
"Let me ask you something, do you know how we learned about Keitaro leaving and about the carp you girls put him through?" Nanami asked.
"I assume that Granny Hina told you," Shinobu answered.
"That's not true."
"It isn't?"
"No, she would have never told us what Keitaro said to her. The reason we know is because my daughter and my husband overheard her phone call to my son."
"You mean…?"
"That's right," Kanako said, "Granny and I were at my parent's house when my brother called."
"Now back to the original question, "Nanami said, "you say that you're sorry about what happen to my son but tell me, this has been going on for three years and you have witnessed these incidents so why should I believe you?"
"I…I don't know what you mean," Shinobu responded nervously.
"There is a saying that goes around," Nanami said, "and it is that the only way for evil to truly win is for good people to do nothing."
"Wh-What?"
Nanami got in to Shinobu's face and the young chef was getting scared.
"What I'm saying is that from what I've been hearing, you didn't do anything to help ease things and yet you talk about feeling sorry. You allowed evil to go on against Keitaro so don't tell me that you're actually sorry."
"I am sorry," Shinobu said getting defensive.
Nanami was disgusted, "Hah, I bet you only said those things just to get on our good side, well, too bad, it's not going to work. After all, one of the reasons my son got hit because of the things that had to do with you and you didn't do much to convince him or those psychos otherwise now why is that?"
"I…I…don't know but please stop saying those cruel things," Shinobu was on the verge of tears, "I never meant for Senpai to come to any harm."
"You say that my brother is a good person, then why do you let Narusegawa, Aoyama, and Konno convince you otherwise?" Kanako asked, "my brother has been accused of being a pervert and try to peep in on you which you claim to know that's it's not true. Humph, some friend you are. I bet you actually enjoy seeing my brother getting beat up."
Shinobu was getting shaken up.
"I want to make this clear to you Shinobu," Nanami said, "as far as I'm concerned, you do not have the right to be near my son, you're a curse to him."
"A…a curse?" Shinobu couldn't believe it as tears started to form.
"That's right, a curse, every time you and my son gets close, bad things always happen to him. If you care about my son like you claim, then you stay away from him for your existence brings harm to my son."
Shinobu couldn't believe how cruel Keitaro's mother was being. She couldn't understand how the mother and sister of her senpai could just say those hurtful things and she couldn't take it anymore and ran to her room crying. As she ran, she passed by Mutsumi, who saw the fifteen-year-old running in tears. Mutsumi looked at the direction of where Shinobu was running from and frowned as she had a good idea what happened.
"Excuse me," Mutsumi called out much to Nanami's annoyance.
"What do you want?" Nanami asked rudely glaring at the Okinawa girl.
"Do you know what happened? I just saw Shinobu crying."
Kanako decided to just to go inside their room with her cat Kuro.
"I'm not sure exactly," Nanami replied, "it may be that I told her that she was just as bad as the rest and that I told her she should stay away from my son."
Mutsumi was shocked, "Why would you say that? Shinobu is a sweet and gentle girl and she doesn't deserve the insults you throw at her."
"Why?" Nanami was glaring at Mutsumi, "I need to do what I can to protect my son. Had he not decided to leave this place when he did, it may have been too late," Nanami started to cringe with a sad expression, "it may get to the point where my son was too damaged physically and mentally or worse, I may lose him forever for he could have died."
Mutsumi was shaking her head, "That would've never happen."
Nanami got angry and once again glared at Mutsumi, "Oh and how do you know that? Tell me, how would you, who was too damn oblivious to see someone in pain or who was too busy being too concerned for that damn Narusegawa girl, to know that my son would not be in immediate danger?"
"That's because we…all care about him."
"The stories I've heard and the insults I heard from Narusegawa and Aoyama tells me different as well as the treatments from the others."
"Regarding those two, well, there were just upset. When people get upset, sometimes they say things they don't really mean," Mutsumi tried to reason.
"Making excuses for them, is that all you do? Do you just make excuses for them and let my son get hurt for it? Just tell me why? Why do you do that? What about my son? You claim that you care about my son."
"I do care about him," Mutsumi replied defensively, "believe me-"
"Don't give me that crap!" Nanami interrupted furious and stopped Mutsumi in her tracks, "if you really cared about my son like you say, then you would have tried harder to stop the abuse that my son went through, that you were witnessing, but you didn't all because you were either too oblivious or too busy buttering up that Narusegawa or too concerned for the others to the point that my son wasn't really important."
Mutsumi was shaking up and getting defensive, "How could you say that? You don't know anything!"
"I know well enough that my son had to leave and like that Shinobu girl, you may not have directly harmed my son, but you allowed those around you and left him out to dry."
"Mrs. Urashima, you're horrible. You can't just come here and start insulting people, especially the ones who don't deserve it and those who are already suffering. I tried, I really did, and you can't just throw in accusations without having being here to know."
"Humph, all I'm going to say is that if you care about my son and want to make it up to him, you stay away from him," Nanami went to go to the room but before giving Mutsumi another glare, "because if you don't, you will find out just how far a mother will go to protect their child. The very sight of you and those other girls makes me sick. All of you took advantage of my son's kindness and I will never forgive any of you for this."
Nanami closed the door to their room leaving Mutsumi in disbelief.
"She had no right, no right to say such horrible things," Mutsumi said and then started thinking, "Keitaro, please come back, please, we need you," Mutsumi had a tear roll down on her eye and then she rubbed the tear away and left with the intent to check on Shinobu and making sure she was okay.
Meanwhile Kaolla Su was in her room hanging on a tree. The Molmolian princess was not in a cheery mood. She always thought that her new big brother was fun to play and it was just as fun that she got to test her inventions on him. But now, she started to see things different. She did know that Keitaro wanted her to stop with testing her inventions on him and wanted for her to stop greeting him with a kick to the head. But she knowingly ignored his pleas. She ignored them because she wanted to have fun and that Keitaro would always bounce back.
Su was feeling sad with her thoughts, "Keitaro, do you really hate me? Why? We were having so much fun. I like being around you. You're immortal and indestructible. You were supposed to have fun and play with me but now you said that I have to grow up. Why did you say that? Why is that people keep saying that I have to grow up? It's scary. Keitaro, please come back, I promise I won't be mean to you anymore. I didn't know that I really was being mean but please come back. Please don't abandon me. Please, big brother Keitaro."
Su was becoming more and more depressed but then shook her head, "No, Keitaro will come back. I just have to find a way," Su got off the tree, "I think I can make an invention to bring Keitaro back and another one so that he will never have thoughts of leaving here, no thoughts of leaving me again."
Kaolla went to her work bench and started to work on a plan.
In another room, the residential fox, Mitsune 'Kitsune' Konno was also feeling down. She had just drunk two bottles but it did nothing to ease her emotional pain.
"Keitaro, you wouldn't even give me a chance," Kitsune muttered with sad chuckle, "yeah, why would you after I what I've done."
Kitsune always prided herself as some who enjoyed having fun and enjoyed playing tricks and partying and it was always at someone else's expense. She never really meant real harm to anyone, at least, that what she tried to tell herself but then after Keitaro words back at the university, she had second thoughts, "I'm so sorry Keitaro, but please, you've got to let me make it up to you anyway," she thought of something felt depressed, "I said that would find a way to pay him back but how would I do that since I've spent all of his money that he had."
Kitsune had another thought and it regarded the situations that she led Keitaro to get hurt by Naru and Motoko, "I've always done something to Keitaro that would get him attacked by Naru and Motoko and I would just laugh about. I would pretend that he was doing something perverted to me or pretended that he would make attempts on others just to rile up other and get a kick out of it," Kitsune had a sad expression, "You must really hate us Keitaro. I don't like that you hate me since I…" Kitsune couldn't finish her sentence. She wasn't sure she could finish without getting more depressed.
In Motoko's room, Motoko was sitting across her sister and brother-in-law. Motoko was already annoyed that her sister's husband was present in the dorm and now he was in her room and it didn't sit well with her but Tsuruko wouldn't hear her objections.
"Motoko, you do realize what's going to happen now, do you?" Tsuruko asked keeping a calm expression.
Motoko looked away.
"Do you have anything to say?" Tsuruko asked.
"He questioned my honor and pride as a warrior," Motoko said, "that is unacceptable."
Tsuruko and Hayato shook their heads.
"After the way you've handled things, that's not surprising that Keitaro Urashima would say that," Hayato said.
Motoko reacted, "Oh sure I would expect to hear that from a man but you don't know anything."
Tsuruko was feeling ashamed at her sister's reaction and Hayato wasn't backing down.
"You've used your blade against a good man like Keitaro without looking at the whole situation," Hayato said, "you've let your emotions and your ridiculous, unjustified contempt for the male gender dictate your actions, that is not how a true warrior acts."
"Be quiet, you do not know anything, Aramaki."
"First off, his last name is now Aoyama," Tsuruko spoke, "and second, what he's saying is true, your actions have brought disgrace to our school and our clan."
Motoko shook her head, "No sister-"
"Motoko, after learning your actions from Urashima and our uncle, who helped him and welcomed him with open arms at his place after hearing the situation, our parents, fellow clan members, and the council is going have to hear this and this time, you won't have anyone to help you. I really want you to think about this," she turned to her husband smiling, "Hayato darling, let's go, I was told a room is prepared for us."
Hayato nodded to his wife smiling, "Very well then."
They started to get up to leave.
"Wait, you two are going to be in the same room, here in an all-girl dormitory?" Motoko asked shocked.
"Yes, is there a problem?" Tsuruko asked.
"Yes, there's a problem, a man should not be here, why doesn't he go to a hotel somewhere?"
"I'm not having my husband separate from me, he's staying with me, it's one of the benefits of being married but you wouldn't know that now would you little sister." Tsuruko said it with a tone of pity.
Tsuruko and Hayato left Motoko's room leaving Motoko feeling embarrassed and angry.
"This is all Urashima's fault," Motoko said to herself, "he's going to pay. He thinks my justified attacks were bad, well, I'm going to make him feel more pain, even with him gone from the dorm, he's still causing problems."
In Naru's room, Naru was angry and bitter. She couldn't understand it; she couldn't understand why she was being pointed at. In her mind, it was all Keitaro's fault; he was the one who really caused all this. It was his fault that Shinobu was now disrespecting her. She wasn't going to let this go.
"Keitaro, you damn fool, just who the hell do you think you are?" Naru muttered, "One way or the other, he's going to get it. No, I can't let him go. I'll show him that he's wrong and when I show him and the others," Naru had a smile on her face, "no one will ever doubt me again. Although right now, I have to see what that idiot is up to. Motoko's uncle own an apartment building that Keitaro lives in now. Hm, I'll have to find out where it is and track that idiot down. I won't give him chance to just do what he wants. He's not supposed to break up with me not after all the times he was asking for my love. I will get him back and no one else will have him."
Naru was planning but unknown to her, a small black cat was watching her from the crack of Naru's door. Kanako's cat, Kuro heard of Naru's plan and left.
In the living room, Hina was comforting Shinobu, who was still crying. Mutsumi was with them trying to calm Shinobu down.
"She said horrible things," Shinobu said in between tears, "she said that I was a curse to Senpai."
Hina shook her head, "This is what my daughter-in-law and granddaughter intend to do, to make it clear to everyone here that she doesn't want anyone to be near Keitaro."
"Granny Hina, we can't let this go on," Mutsumi said, "we have to find a way that we can talk to Keitaro."
Hina nodded, "Don't worry, I'll find a way."
"Please do," the crying Shinobu pleaded, "I hate not having Senpai around and I hate myself for not being there for him."
"I'm just as guilty," Mutsumi said with her own tears started to form, "I've been such a fool, I should've comforted Keitaro when he was in pain but I let Naru convince me not to. I'm starting to see that I was more concern with Naru's feeling then I was with Keitaro and yet I say that I cared about him," she started to cry, "it's no wonder Keitaro doesn't want anything to do with me."
Hina started to comfort Mutsumi as well and had her thoughts, "I can't let Nanami and Kanako continue with this. I need to let them know that they're hurting and suffering enough but regarding Naru and Motoko, I'm not so sure."
Haruka's Teashop, the Hinata Café
Haruka was serving customers and business was acceptable. She heard the door.
"Welcome, I'll be there-" Haruka cut herself off when she saw who came in the door.
It was Seta and his daughter Sarah. Seta greeted Haruka.
"Hi Haruka," Seta greeted.
"Hi, well, go ahead and grab a sit and I will be with you in a minute," Haruka said.
Seta nodded and directed Sarah to follow him and they sat in a table.
A moment later, Haruka went to the table Seta and Sarah were sitting.
"All right, so, are you here because you actually want to order or are you here because you want to talk to me about my nephew's situation," Haruka said.
Seta rubbed the back of his head feeling nervous, "Well, both."
Haruka sighed, "I've should have known."
Dojo within Shinsuke's Apartment Building
Keitaro had just finished fixing up and cleaning up the dojo and its rooms. He looked around and was happy with the result.
"All right," Keitaro said, "that should do it."
"Oh, nicely done," Shinsuke appeared and complimented.
"Oh Shinsuke," Keitaro said.
"This is good," Shinsuke looked all around and the rooms, "this is definitely good, nicely done."
Keitaro rubbed the back of his head, "Thanks a lot."
"All right Keitaro, I'm glad that you're done because some of the tenants will be here soon and there going to practice."
"Really?"
"Mmhm, we have some tenants that are martial artists."
"Wow, really?"
"Yes, and I can assure you, none of them here are like my niece Motoko, I wouldn't allow someone like that live here in my building."
"Thank goodness," Keitaro was relieved.
"Actually, I was wondering Keitaro, why don't I introduce to some of our martial art tenants and have you learn some martial arts as well?"
"Oh really, well, I don't mind the introduction but to learn some martial arts…"
"It would do you some good, at least enough for you to defend yourself, that way, you don't go through the ordeal of being attacked without ways to defend yourself."
Keitaro thought about it and remembered the times he was attacked at the inn, it left him a bad taste in his mouth, "I should have taken Granny's offer and learn our family's martial art style," he looked at Shinsuke, "You know what, I don't see why not. So do you know when they'll get here?
"Soon but first, you must be hungry, why don't you come to my apartment, I'm sure my family would like to have you there and I'll introduce you to my daughter."
"Oh, uh, sure, yeah, that'll be good."
"Great, let's go."
Shinsuke and Keitaro left the dojo to have dinner with Shinsuke's family. The only thing Keitaro was thinking at the moment was how lucky he was.
That's it for this chapter. Next chapter: Keitaro's mother and sister continue with their verbal assaults and Kitsune and Kaolla are next on their hit list, Kyoshiro visits and talk with Keitaro and Shinsuke and Seta has a talk with Naru about his concerns.
