Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina…

"And don't forget the pickles this time!" Naru called from the bathroom. Keitaro glanced back down at the shopping list and let out a long sigh. He had spent the better part of the morning polishing the upstairs floors and furniture only to find himself immediately obliged to clean up the juice spill Su had left by the hot springs. 'Hurry up before it stains the walkway,' Naru had instructed. Though, admittedly he was in fact the landlord, at times, he couldn't help but feel that he was being abused.

"I see she's got ya workin' extra hard today…" Keitaro whirled around with a start to see Kitsune grinning at him from the kitchen doorway.

"Oh, it's you, Kitsune-san… Yeah, I have to go out and pick up a few things."

"Z'at so? Well, you have fun with that…"

"Why don't you go with him?" Haruka interjected from the living room. Kitsune's posture slumped, visibly. She hadn't planned on leaving the house, today, but even she knew better than to argue with Haruka.

"I'll get my jacket," she sighed.

XXX

The warm rays of the afternoon sun beat steadily down on the bustling street. Fruit stands, restaurants and souvenir shoppes line the sidewalks in a veritable myriad of sights and smells. So much energy; so much excitement. It was the perfect day for an outing.

"I guess we should start by getting the molded fish paste and bean curb," Keitaro murmured as they made their way down the street.

"Oh, that reminds me," Kitsune replied, "mind if we swing by the liquor store? I've gotta restock on some stuff."

"Uh… sure."

"Well, well, well... If it isn't our old buddy Urashima," crooned a familiar voice.

"Wha-?! Kimiaki?! Masayuki?! W-what are you guys doing here?!"

"We could ask you the same thing," Kimiaki replied, pointedly.

"And who's the babe?" Masayuki added. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend!"

"N-no!" Keitaro snapped. "It's nothing like that!" Suddenly, Kitsune lurched forward, locking her arms around Keitaro's shoulders.

"There's no need to fib," she giggled. "Are you boys friends of Kei-kun's?"

"As a matter of fact, we are! I'm Masayuki Haitani!"

"And I'm Kimiaki Shirai!"

"Mitsune Konno, but you can call me Kitsune."

"So, you really ARE Urashima's girlfriend…?"

"No, I already told you-!"

"Kei-kun and I are very close," Kitsune replied, drawing Keitaro closer. He could feel the yielding softness of her breasts as she pressed herself into him. "We even LIVE together…!" The low, sultry tone of her voice sent chills up and down his spine.

"N-now wait j-just a minute-!"

"Good job, Urashima! I'm actually kinda jealous! Who'da thought YOU could bag such a hottie?"

"Oh, believe me, he's ALL man! Just thinking about it makes me so…!"

"K-KITSUNE-SAN!"

"Aw, did I embarrass you, Kei-kun?" she chuckled. "I'm sorry, I'll go…! You stay here and catch up with your friends, m'kay?" With that, Kitsune withdrew her arms from around him and headed away down the sidewalk. As soon as she was gone, Keitaro let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

"Man, you are SO lucky! You actually LIVE with her?"

"Well… yeah, I guess I do…"

Though it took some effort, Keitaro finally managed to distance himself from Kimiaki and Masayuki without giving them any money or getting mixed up in one of their schemes. Thanks to Kitsune, he had to concoct a fabricated reality on the spot just to avoid further embarrassment. How did she always manage to put him in such awkward positions, he wondered? After ten minutes of roaming he finally caught up with her in front of a flower shop near the port's draw-bridge.

"Oh, hey there, Keitaro! Where ya been?"

"Like you don't know! Because of you, I spent almost fifteen minutes covering that one lie! Thanks a lot!"

"Aw, I was just having some fun," she said, innocently. "You're not mad at me are ya?" Her lips puckered out in a guilty-looking pout. Keitaro's shoulders slumped in a submissive sigh. He couldn't possibly stay angry at her now.

"No, no, I'm not mad… Can we please just finish the shopping and go home?"

"What's the matter? Don'tcha like spending time with me?"

"N-no! That's not what I meant! I just…!" His excuse trailed off under the hiss of her subdued laughter. Once again, he had inadvertently played right into her hands. 'Great,' he thought, 'Twice in a row!'

"Man," she managed between chuckles, "you're way too easy, Keitaro!"

"Glad I could amuse you…"

XXX

"Wow… I've never been here before." Keitaro glanced from side to side, examining his surroundings. Halfway through their shopping excursion, Kitsune announced that she was "thirsty" and insisted on stopping at an outdoor café. The venue was comprised of a dozen white tables with matching chairs; each set with its own umbrella. Much to his surprise, Keitaro found it to be much more cultured than the places she normally suggested. Then again, the fact that it was the middle of the day might have had something to do with it.

"I used to come here for ice cream when school let out," she explained from behind her hefty beer mug.

"Oh."

"So, tell me, Keitaro… Exactly what do you see in Naru, anyway?"

"W-wha-?!" Keitaro sputtered. "W-why do you want to know that?!"

"Just wondering," Kitsune shrugged. "I've known the girl since high school, and to be honest, I'm not seeing the connection…" Keitaro's gaze shifted to his glass. Should he answer her? What if this was just another ploy; the set-up for another cruel joke at his expense.

"I… don't know what you mean," he said at last.

"Yeah, she's cute and all, but you're on two completely different levels, ya know?" As she spoke, Kitsune circled the rim of her mug with her fingertips. "I mean, have you tried going after any other girls?"

"Well… No."

"Ya may not be the smartest or best-looking guy out there, but I'll bet if ya tried, you'd find plenty of girls willing to try ya on… After all, ya never know who might have their eye on ya…"

"Thanks, but I don't think anyone has their eyes on me," he chuckled.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she smiled.

"Hey!"

"Maybe it's the glasses… Have ya every tried not wearing them?"

"I need my glasses…! I can't see anything without them."

"How about contacts?"

"Yeah, like I can afford them!" All of a sudden, Kitsune leaned over, reached across the table and lifted Keitaro's glasses from his face. Her hand lingered in the air, holding his spectacles just over his head as she examined his face. Keitaro's cheeks flushed red beneath her gaze. Why was she looking at him like that?

"Not bad," she grinned. A sudden surge of self consciousness roused the rounin from his haze.

"You're making fun of me again," he murmured bitterly, taking back his glasses.

"Think so, huh?" Keitaro looked up just in time to see a clever grin curl her lips before they disappeared behind the beer mug. As he watched her polish off the rest of her beer, Keitaro couldn't help but wonder what she'd meant by that.

XXX

The rest of the excursion passed without incident, much to Keitaro's relief. After they had finished grocery shopping, the two took their bags and boarded a streetcar. Though they had only been out for a few hours, it felt like they had spent the better part of the day out-and-about. On the way home, Keitaro did his best to make small talk, but for some reason he couldn't seem to find anything to say. At long last, the trolley rolled to a halt in front of the Hinata Inn. Home.

"Time for Happy Hour!" Kitsune announced as she sprang from the trolley door. Before he could manage a protest, the fox-eyed girl had already made it halfway up the dormitory steps, leaving him to carry the bags.

Five minutes later, Keitaro stumbled into the kitchen and collapsed in a heap, shopping bags and all. Every muscle in his body ached.

"Get off the floor, Keitaro," Naru stated, flatly. "And put the groceries away, before they spoil."

"Okay," he croaked. Gathering his last bits of strength, Keitaro pried himself from the cool, wooden floor and staggered toward the refrigerator. As he searched through the mountain of shopping bags, Naru poured herself a glass of water and leaned back against the kitchen counter.

"By the way, did you get the pickles I asked for?"

Keitaro froze. 'Oh crap!' he thought. 'I completely forgot!'

"Well? Did you?" Keitaro slowly craned his neck around to see Naru staring intently over the rim of her glass. Great, just what he needed; another reprimand. She'd never let him live this one down.

"Uh… Well… See, I…"

"They were out," Kitsune finished from the doorway.

"Out?! How can the store be out of pickles?!" Naru exclaimed.

"Hey, don't shoot me; I'm just the messenger," she replied, meekly.

'K-Kitsune-san…' A warm sensation crept through the rounin. Was she actually coming to his defense?

"Well, I guess it can't be helped, then," Naru sighed. Placing her glass at the bottom of the sink, the redhead turned and left via the living room.

"Kitsune-san…?"

"Hm…?"

"You… Why did you lie… for me…?"

"You're a good guy," she grinned. "Anyway, I'm gonna go have a few and take a nap… Try to stay in one piece, will ya?"

"R-right…!"