Love Hina – Before His-story
Fanfic
Chapter Two –The Failing Inn.
early April, 1988. About Noon:
It is a sunny Saturday in spring. Over seven years have passed since Yoko and Higuro Santo died. Haruka, nearly sixteen now, is still unused to the idea that her grandmother, Hina Urashima, has been her adopted mother for the last six and a half years, and still refers to her as 'Granny' out of habit and respect.
"Like things aren't crazy enough in my life as it is with Seta playing his pranks." she says under her breath, sneaking a smoke behind the annex while Hina is not watching (she thinks). "If he doesn't straighten up, he'll be held back again this year. Does that baka really believe he'll make it into the University at this rate?"
"I'm sure he'll find a way, dear" a voice behind her says. Nearly jumping into the air, Haruka spins to face Granny, the incriminating cigarette still in her hand. "After all, he isn't the kind of young man to quit just because things are tough. You should know that by now."
Surprising her, Granny tosses her a pack of cigarettes. "If you're going to smoke, child, at least have the lady-like manners to smoke a nice mild filtered brand, not those pungent filterless ones Rukiyo complains about. I can smell you a mile away for hours after you finish one of those." she says, a wink in her eye. "Maybe you should also consider a filtered cigarette holder, instead of chomping them like they're cigars. You aren't Clint Eastwood, you know."
Haruka blushes at the mention of her movie idol. She always has seen herself as growing up to be a tough-guy, like High Plains Haruka, or maybe a no-holds barred detective like Dirty Haruka. Haruka has a strong tom boy streak in her, and more often than not would rather fight boys than look at them. With the training she's received from Granny, complimented by time spent at the Shinmei School in Kyoto, she finds she is able to hold her own even against Seta, and beats him more times than not nowadays.
Smiling at her, Granny sips the tea she brought with her. Ignoring Haruka's blush, she states; "Another thing. Please try not to smoke behind the annex. Last thing we need is a fire back here. Finances the way they are, I'd hate to have to pay to replace that building if you accidentally burned it down."
Haruka looks at Granny. "I thought you had plenty of money set aside, Granny! Did something happen that I don't know about?" she asks, concern for her grandmother and the old inn foremost in her mind.
"Tut-tut child. My fortune is still intact. I was speaking with the general operating funds in mind. Why, I could buy this place ten times over and again if I had to. So don't you worry about the old inn." Granny replies, while patting the old stone wall beside her. "Besides, with your getting the Tea House when Rukiyo leaves this summer, I have to take into consideration my grandson as well. Keitaro's parents don't understand him like we do. The day will come when his desires and theirs will clash, and one way or another, he will be forced to make some hard decisions. As kind and gentle a young boy as he is, he has a stubborn streak as wide as the Pacific Ocean. That boy knows how to wait for what he wants."
Haruka lights up one of the cigarettes Granny gave her, and with a sideways look at the older woman, mutters sarcastically, "I wonder who he inherited that trait from?"
Looking down the hill at the back of the inn, Haruka continues. "Kei learned early on that interacting with females is hazardous to his health. Remember that little girl, Naru, who vacationed here each summer until her father died? The one who was always kicking Keitaro in the shins anytime he looked at another girl? Real possessive for a two and a half year old at the time if you ask me." she says, savoring the milder flavor of the cigarette in her mouth.
"Keitaro is too well mannered to stand up for himself or to pick fights, which goes a long way to explain why he has such a hard time with girls." Granny nods. "By the way, Naru's still a little terror, or so I've heard. She attacks any boy who even comes near to showing any interest in her at school."
Reflecting on how things have changed over the last five years, Hina says, "Then again, it has been difficult for her since her father died. Her mother tells me that Naru feels like he left her on purpose, because he didn't like his daughter for some reason. That girl's on track to develop a complex that'll make it difficult for her to accept any man into her life later on. It'll take someone with the patience of a god to cope with her and get her to open up and trust her feelings."
Looking at her watch, Granny says, "Speaking of which, Keitaro should be at the Tea House in half an hour. Don't let him show up and you not be there. He so looks forward to his talks with you, you know. He and Rukiyo don't get along so well. She says he's 'too wimpy' to be a true Urashima. But, each of us has our purpose, Rukiyo included." Granny laughs "Rukiyo should have met my father. Keitaro is like him in many ways, and no one would claim he was not a true Urashima. Of course, it took nearly twenty-five years for him to mature into his full abilities, both as a man and a fighter." Looking down the hill, she reflects, "Otherwise, he'd never have been able to convince mother to marry him."
Carefully grinding out her cigarette and placing the butt in her pocket, Haruka starts down the path towards the back of the inn. "I'll wash up and change quickly. No need for Kei to think I smell like an ashtray. And Granny?" Haruka says, holding up the cigarettes in her hand.
"Yes dear?"
"Thank you."
"Shush. If I tried to stop you, Kami knows to what lengths you'd go to hide your habit. I figure that it's better if I control it, rather than letting it control you. Now get along, I have to go check on one of the rooms. A guest is due in this evening."
Looking across the grounds, she watches as Haruka enters the inn. "Business isn't what it used to be." Granny says to herself, noting the decrease in customers even during the normal cherry blossom festival rush. Her thoughts center on a plan she considered years ago, but hadn't implemented. Slowly, a smile spreads across her face. Placing her hand on the wall, she closes her eyes and whispers, "Maybe. In a few years. We shall see, we shall see. Yes, perhaps I can ask this old place to spare a little bit of her magic for a good cause." Whistling a wordless tune, Granny walks around to the front entrance, enjoying the scent of the cherry blossoms on the wind.
Same day, early afternoon
Having washed and changed Haruka rushes down the stairs to the Tea House. Her three-times removed cousin Rukiyo, smiles at her as she enters. Indicating that there are customers, Rukiyo heads to the kitchen, Haruka right behind her.
"The couple at the front table wants some rice balls and miso soup. The gentleman in the corner wants some Oolong Tea with his newspaper. You take care of them while I cook up the peppered beef for the family eating in the outside table." Rukiyo tells Haruka as they close the curtain behind them.
Haruka gets the food and drinks prepared, and serves her customers. As she turns to the man in the corner, she sees that nine year old Keitaro is sitting in his usual spot in the back. (Damn that Rukiyo! Why didn't she tell me Kei was already here? She may not like him, but he is family.) Throwing Keitaro a welcoming smile, Haruka quickly serves her customers so she can spend time talking with him.
Grabbing some tea and sweets from the kitchen, Haruka sits down, handing Keitaro a cup and a plate. "Sorry about that, Kei. Bag-lady Rukiyo decided to not tell me you were already here again." She says with some asperity in her voice.
Accepting the snack, he smiles as replies "That's okay Auntie Haruka, I'm kinda used to it by now. 'Sides, I'm just a kid, she has stuff she has to worry about. I'm sure she don't mean anything bad by it." Keitaro rubs the back of his neck, a habit he recently started whenever he is embarrassed by something.
Bristling like someone twice her age, Haruka tells him "You're family, Kei! She shouldn't treat you like a stranger. And how many times have I asked you to stop calling me Auntie? It makes me feel like an old woman, or even twenty years old." She says, her smile returning.
Keitaro smiles at her, a warm and generous smile he lets out only when he's near people he cares about. "Sorry. You used to say it was fun being Aunt Haruka instead of Cousin Haruka." He laughs.
Looking sideways at him, much the same way she looked at Granny earlier, "Well, the novelty wore off a year ago. Just call me Haruka, okay?" she says with her nose up in the air, her head turned slightly away from him.
Giggling, "Now you do look older. Just like Rukiyo whenever I walk in." he tells her.
Dropping her head to stare at Keitaro, Haruka asks, somewhat surprised, "What?"
Thinking he said something wrong, Keitaro bows his head. "N-nothing, Aunt Haruka."
Reaching out, Haruka lifts Keitaro's chin to look him in the eye. "Kei, I am not Rukiyo. And I'm sorry she treats you like that. I won't do it anymore, I promise. 'Kay?"
His eyes brightening, he nods his head. "Great. Understand, I ain't saying I hate Rukiyo or anything like that. But…well, I've always looked up to you, Aunt Haruka. I don't ever wanna to get on your bad side."
Ruffling his hair, she answers, "Well, I'm fond of you too, Kei. Don't ever forget that."
As an afterthought, she adds "And just so you know, when Granny gives me the Tea House this summer, you'll have to stop calling me Aunt in front of the customers or I'll…" looking around, Haruka points, "Or I'll take that paper fan on the wall over there and smack you in the head. That's another promise you can count on." Haruka smiles, with a hint of steel laughing in her eyes.
Keitaro stares as he holds his tea. "You can't do that! I'm just a kid!" He gives her a weak smile.
"Oh, really? You may be just a kid, but you're related to me. That gives me the right to smack you around if you get outta hand. Just like I have to beat you up when you try to pull my shorts off." Haruka reminds him.
Rubbing his jaw in remembered pain, Keitaro blushes. "I told you those were accidents, Haruka!"
Patting his arm, "I know. Granny says you're as clumsy as her father was when he was your age. Thankfully, she says he grew out of it, so there's hope for you. But," and here she points a finger at his face, "if you ever have an 'accident' like that again when Seta is around, I'll send you flying so hard you'll be able to count the leaves at the top of the cherry trees. Last person I want to give a show to is that baka!"
Seeing an opportunity to get back at her, Keitaro scratches his head and grins. Ticking off his fingers, he says, "Why do you care so much about Seta anyways? Aren't you always saying he's a worthless idiot, a no-account dreamer, a hopeless romantic, a kinda cute guy when he ain't tripping over his two-left feet, a…"
Haruka puts a fist under Keitaro's nose, effectively silencing him. "I never said I care about him, and if you repeat any of that to Seta I'll….." Squinting at Keitaro's face, Haruka frowns. Her eyes grow wide, and she sputters, "Oh, Spit! You didn't?"
Standing quickly, Keitaro, a cookie still in one hand, backs towards the rear door of the Tea House stalked by Haruka. Putting his hands up, he tells her "I-I'm sorry, Aunt Haruka, I've only mentioned it to him that one time on the phone, and he forced me to!" He reaches behind him and opens the door.
A vein nearly exploding on her forehead, Haruka grabs the paper fan from the wall and smacks Keitaro's head with a powerful backhanded swipe.
As he sails over the tree, Keitaro notes groggily (I CAN count the leaves from up here, purgh!).
Blowing on the fan like a just-fired pistol, she watches the plume of dust rise from behind the trees. Haruka waits at the door, arms crossed, until Keitaro emerges from the cloud fifteen meters from her. Limping slightly and holding his head, he grins sheepishly at her. Weakly, he says, "Not bad, Haruka. I cleared the tree top that time."
Stepping over to take his arm and help him back into the Tea House, "Sorry about that, Kei. Just be glad I used the fan. If you'd have been Seta, I would have launched you up the hill onto the boulders around the old hot springs. No soft dirt there to land on."
"I'll 'member that next time." Keitaro nods his head in understanding.
"Try not to let there BE a next time. And don't EVER repeat anything I say about that jerk to him, okay? Well, let's get back inside. Your tea'll get cold." Haruka opens the doors and waves him back inside.
After refreshing their tea, Haruka asks, "So, how are things going with you new sister?"
Keitaro looks up. "Well, Kanako-chan is still pretty sad about l-losing her parents. I can't imagine what that must be like." he says with a shiver. "She hardly ever talks. I heard the doctor telling mom and dad she'll open up someday, but she just needs time to accept it all." Looking thoughtful, Keitaro says quietly, "I did get her to laugh and smile for me a few weeks ago."
Her eyes bright, Haruka asks "How in the world did you manage that?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Keitaro murmurs, "Well, she was sitting at the table, and mom gave her some sweet rolls. Kanako doesn't seem to like sweet stuff, so I decided to show her that they really do taste good." Gulping down some more tea, Keitaro stands up and mimes his movements. "I grabbed an old cloak, threw it over my shoulders like a vampire, and snuck up and attacked my sweet roll like I was sucking blood outta it."
Haruka nods and giggles. "I take it your plan didn't go as you expected."
Laughing a bit, "Nope. Kanako stared at me for about five seconds before she put her hands up to her mouth and started laughing, and her eyes kinda looked at me funny. When she pointed at the cloak and said 'I wanna be jus' like you!', she didn't stop laughing for almost two minutes. I kinda forgot I had a mouthfull of sweetroll, and coughed when I laughed back, getting it all over my face. Kanako really fell down then. When mom came in and looked at us, she started laughing too, and tried ta clean my face with a towel." Keitaro blushes and stops.
Laughing but recognizing his look, Haruka encourages him "And then? I can tell there's more to this story, Kei."
"W-well. Kanako grabbed the towel from mom and said 'I clean for oniisan [AN: big brother], mother.' I guess that surprised mom, cuz she said 'Well, now! I guess that makes you Keitaro's imoutosan [AN: little sister], then, doesn't it, Kanako?'. Kanako looked mom right in the eyes and said, 'Nope, for such nice brother and making me happy, I be his aisai' [AN: beloved wife]." Keitaro says, his face bright red.
Haruka, her eyes wide, ponders his statement. "I wouldn't let it bother you, Kei. She's only going on five years old. I'm sure she doesn't understand what she means."
"I hope you're right, Aunt Haruka. She followed me around like a puppy for two weeks after that." Keitaro groans. "Do you know what it's like to have your sister following you around like that? The guys at school still haven't let me off the hook about it." Keitaro looks at Haruka for a moment, and then grins. "Ah, I guess it's not something you ever had ta deal with, huh?"
Haruka sips her tea maturely. "Well, I do remember a little boy who used to follow me around all the time like that. But he lost interest in me as soon as he laid eyes on two other girls closer to his age, the little playboy." She comments wryly.
Keitaro, genuinely concerned, looks at her. "Who'd have the nerve ta do something like that to you, Haruka?"
Rolling her eyes, "You did, Kei, five years ago. You were quite the ladies man back then."
Keitaro mouth drops to his feet. "I-I couldn't be a playboy! I wouldn't do that to you, uh, would I? And, uh, what exactly is a playboy, Aunt Haruka?"
"I'll explain it to you when you're old enough to understand." Changing the subject "So, any girls at school you like?"
Keitaro grimaces. "Are you kidding? Any time I try to talk to girls I get slapped for sputtering like an idiot. And the teachers don't help by pairing me with other guys in the dance classes. Not like they have a choice; last time they had me stand with a girl for dance, I…well, you remember to story mom told you and Granny."
"Oh, you mean where you had her handprint tattooed across your face for pulling her dress off?" Haruka snickers.
"It was an accident! Shirai tossed a banana peel on the dance floor." Keitaro exclaims. "I couldn't help it when I tripped and, uh, grabbed her you-know-what. Now I think the teachers have been told to not let me get too close to girls."
Haruka smiles and teases him. "Not like you want to be near girls, Kei. Or, do you?" she looks slyly at the young boy.
Sitting up straight, Keitaro sputters "No way! Everyone knows girls got cooties!"
"Including me?"
"Nah, you ain't any kinda girl, Aunt Haruka. Ow!" Keitaro rubs his head "Whyd'ya smack me for?"
"Just making sure you understand that I am too a girl." Haruka says, paper fan in her hand again, laughing at the look on his face.
"Right. And really lady-like too. Oops, sorry!" Keitaro jerks back as Haruka raises her fan.
Sighing, Haruka pouts, "Why can't you be as comfortable around girls as you are around me, Kei? It'd make your life so much easier."
Keitaro sticks his tongue out and makes a face. He has no answer for that comment.