-Ten-faced Paladin
Love Hina Redux
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 16: Congratulations on getting into Tokyo U!
The days had moved on since the exams at Tokyo U. A lot of people had applied so there was a lot of papers to grade. It was now March 10th. Today was the day when the results were posted and it was going to be announced who got in and who was forced to be a ronin until next time.
Keitaro was sitting on the Hinata House roof that morning. He was trying to hype himself up for the day and was currently concentrating. It was his own special kind of effort to try and get ready for the day.
Not that Su was helping any.
The young foreigner was doing all humanely possible to catch Keitaro's attention. She was hopping all around him and making as much sound as she could. She waved her hand in his face and Keitaro felt that he was really struggling on keeping it together. Su decided to pull out her secret weapon at long last. She got in close to Keitaro's face and opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tounge. On the end was a small green frog.
"Croak," the frog spoke.
"Gyaaah!" Keitaro cried in shock. "Su! What did we tell you abot putting things like that in your mouth!"
"Nya ha ha!" Su laughed as the frog hopped away, happy for it's freedom. "Got ya to react didn't it?"
"What are we going to do with you?" Keitaro sighed, but couldn't help but smile.
Su plopped herself on his shoulders and Keitaro began his trek back to the inside of Hinata House. As he came through the doors, he was met by Kitsune who had her trademark foxy grin on her face.
"Hey there stud," she greeted. "How ya feeling?"
"One word. Nervous," Keitaro sighed. "I've been through this twice and it still gets to me."
"Wow," Kitsune smiled. "If you're nervous then I can't imagine how Naru's feeling right now. This was her first exam."
"I just hope she isn't freaking out right now," Keitaro sighed. "That's the worst thing you can do. During my first exam I did that and accidentally knocked myself out. I almost missed the posting of the results."
"Keitaro's a klutz!" Su giggled.
"Sometimes," Keitaro shrugged. "Not always, but sometimes."
"Well," Kitsune grinned, raising a bottle of sake she was carrying. "Here's hoping you got in."
Keitaro nodded, "Thanks Kitsune. I'd better go find Naru anyway. The results are probably posted by now anyway."
"She's in her room," Kitsune reported. "Come to think of it, she's been there all day hasn't she?"
"Oh boy," Keitaro sighed as he shook his head. "Now I really should get her out of there."
With that, he slid Su off his shoulders and headed straight to Naru's room. When he came to the door, he heard Naru moving around inside again. He knocked on the door lightly, hoping to have caught her at a good moment.
"What now?" Naru's voice replied.
"Don't you think we should head out?" he asked. "Might as well just get it over and done with."
Naru sighed from behind her door. She then opened it and Keitaro could see her for the first time that day. She didn't look that good to be honest. She looked like she had been tossing and turning all night long.
"Rough night?" Keitaro asked with a smile.
"Shut up," Naru growled. "Let's go already."
She put on her glasses and began walking quickly to the exit. Keitaro had to struggle to catch up with her. While they were getting their things on they were given a sending off by everyone in Hinata House.
"I wish you both luck," Motoko nodded.
"G-good luck Naru, Sempai," Shinobu encouraged quietly.
"Bring back some Tokyo Ewe!" Su giggled.
"We'll be waiting," Kitsune smiled.
"Thanks guys," Naru smiled as she pulled on her jacket. "Well, we're off."
"See you tonight," Keitaro waved as he headed for the stairs.
With that, the both of them were off.
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The spot where the exam results were posted at Tokyo U was pretty busy. People from the exams were crowding around the area, looking for their names. Naru and Keitaro were standing behind the crowds. Both of them looked pretty nervous.
"Well," Keitaro gulped. "Here we are."
"Yeah," Naru agreed. "Nervous?"
"Yeah," Keitaro nodded. "You?"
"Uh-huh," Naru answered. "I'm about one wrong word from bolting."
Keitaro nodded. He knew that feeling well. Heck, he was feeling it right now. Looking at the signs where the names were posted, he looked back at Naru and tried to show his best smile.
"Look at the count of three?" he asked.
Naru looked at Keitaro with a smile of her own. She nodded, agreeing with his suggestion.
"Okay," Keitaro smiled, turning to the board. "One."
"Two," Naru continued, looking at the board.
"Three!" Both of them spoke, their eyes darting to their part of the alphabet.
Keitaro loooked over his part of the boards. His eyes went over the U's and he looked for his name. He had to go to about the middle of the the U section to even find where his name would normally be.
Yoshinori Urabe...
Kaori Urawa...
Keitaro didn't have to see anymore. His name wasn't on the list. A sad smile went over his face as he took a deep breath. He figured other people might cry but he didn't see the point to it.
'I failed,' he thought sadly. 'Another year as a ronin for me. Oh well.'
He turned to Naru who didn't seem to be looking at the board anymore. He was curious to seehow she did. Keitaro guessed that she probably passed. Being top in the nation was kind of like saying you almost had a spot reserved for Tokyo U.
"Hey Naru?" he asked gently, trying to mask his own disappointment. "How'd you do?"
Naru didn't reply. Instead, she just went to the exit without saying a word. Slightly perplexed, Keitaro went to follow her. Naru remained slightly concerned and confused. He knew that if anyone got into Tokyo U, they would be cheering or crying, maybe both. Naru's behaviour was a little strange.
"Naru?" he asked. "What's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy right now?"
Naru stopped walking. She didn't even turn around to speak to Keitaro.
"Don't follow me Keitaro," she said in almost a whisper.
"What?" Keitaro asked. "Naru, what's wrong?"
Naru didn't even reply as she broke out into a run. Keitaro was a little stunned at her actions, but he quickly gave chase.
"Would you just slow down?" Keitaro shouted.
"No!" Naru shouted. "Leave me alone!"
"Not until you tell me what's wrong!" Keitaro replied.
The chase continued for a while. Even through the subway. Keitaro had to stop a moment to pay for his ticket, but he didn't lose much ground. He finally chased Naru into a shopping plaza.
"Go away!" Naru shouted.
"Can't get rid of me that easily!" Keitaro shouted back.
Naru was about to say something else when she suddenly tripped. From there she crashed into a pile of boxes containing stuffed animals.
"Naru!" Keitaro called in alarm.
He raced up to the girl in question and kneeled next to her. He tried to help her up, but she swated his hand away.
"Don't look at me," she whispered.
Keitaro huffed and helped her to her knees again. It was then that he finally got a look at Naru's face. She was crying. Tears were trailing down her face and looked like they had been for a while.
This was when it all suddenly clicked for Keitaro.
"Oh no," he whispered. "You failed too didn't you?"
More sadness seemed to pour from Naru's face. She then grabbed Keitero and leaned into his chest. It was then that she really let loose her tears. She was sobbing into his shirt uncontrollably. Keitaro wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back to comfort her.
"Hey," Keitaro whispered. "Let's get you something to eat. My treat."
Naru raised herself from his embrace. She nodded quietly as they both began heading for the nearest place to eat. All the while, Naru wouldn't let go of Keitaro's arm.
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Later, both Keitaro and Naru were sitting at a table at a local place for a quick bite to eat. Naru had promptly ordered booze and nothing else. Even if she was a minor, Keitaro decided to follow her example. When Naru got her drink, she instantly downed half of it. Keitaro could just gape as she guzzled it.
"Errr!" Naru sighed as she slammed her drink onto the table. "I do not accept those results!"
"You don't have to," Keitaro shrugged as he took a sip of his drink. "Doesn't change the fact that those are the results."
Naru leaned down onto the table, tears coming to the corners of her eys again. She also hiccuped because she had so much booze at once and it was starting to get to her.
"I mean...I was so sure that I would pass," she whispered on the edge of tears.
She then looked at Keitaro with her drunken flushed face. She then grabbed his shirt from over the table and yanked him in close.
"Why did I have to fail!" she cried as she stared into his eyes.
"You can ask me all you want but I'm not the guy to ask for that," Keitaro shrugged.
Naru whimpered and let him go. She slumped onto her side of the table and sighed loudly. After which she promptly drained the rest of her drink.
"Hey, where'd that hottie with the hops go?" she asked as she finished. "I want more booze."
"You're underage remember? Do you want to get busted?" Keitaro frowned. "I really think one was enough for you anyway."
Naru pouted as she glared at him, "Oh would you just piss off?"
She then took Keitaro's drink and began to sip from it. Her eyes weren't really focused on anything as she began talking again.
"Two years," she mumbled sadly. "I did nothing but study for two years. I never went to festivals or school activities. I had no social life. I didn't even have a boyfriend. I'm such a loser."
Keitaro shook his head and sighed, "Why are you getting all depressed? I'm the one who's a third year ronin now. If anyone should be beating themselves up, it should be me."
"About that anyway," Naru frowned as Keitaro took back his drink. "You've been hung up on some mystery girl and you don't even know what she looks like? That's just pathetic."
Keitaro finished guzzling down his drink as he glared at Naru, a flush from the booze on his face.
"Don't act high and mighty with me," he growled. "She was a dear friend. You on the other hand are all hung up on some guy that was probably clueless to how you feel."
"Oh yeah?" Naru growled, her temper rising. "At least that guy would still remember me! I'll bet that if you even got into Tokyo U, she wouldn't even remember you! Your a four-eyed freak! Who'd want to remember you!"
Keitaro slammed his glass onto the table. He turned his gaze to Naru and she almost flinched. His eyes were filled with a kind of rage that she'd never seen before. What she didn't know was that she'd opened an old wound. His parents had said the something along the same lines that she just said. They reasoned that the little girl probably wouldn't remember him even if he got into Tokyo U. That was what led to the explosive argument that got him thrown out in the first place.
"Oh really?" he asked in a dangerously low tone. "Well, you burned your eyes out so bad studying that you have to wear coke bottle frames now Super-nerd and you still couldn't get in! Even if that guy recognised you by some miracle, I'll bet he wouldn't even give you the time of day! I bet he's shacked up with some other woman by now!"
Keitaro started panting to catch his breath. When he was angry he always had a habit of sending off a string of shouts that left him breathless. Naru on the other hand started trembling. He looked at her face and saw that two trails of tears were running down her cheeks again.
"Screw you!" Naru shrieked while throwing her Super Naru Punch at Keitaro.
Keitaro caught the punch effortlessly, but he could feel his hand throbbing from the impact already. Naru was glaring at him angrily with tears still coming down her face.
"I never want to see you again you cold-hearted bastard!" she shrieked.
"At least we're in agreement you heartless bitch!" Keitaro replied before letting her hand go.
Naru bolted from the place at top speed. Keitaro really didn't stop her. Even with the other patrons whisepring behind him as he took a seat. Right now, he didn't care. He was feeling better.
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That wasn't the case as he was walking up the stairs to Hinata House. He was feeling as low as a person could go. It was the next morning. He had decided to stay at a hotel for the night. He wouldn't have made it to the next morning in his state.
"Why did I say those things?" Keitaro sighed sadly to himself.
Needless to say, he was still feeling guilty about his arguemnt with Naru. They both went overboard on each other. He sighed again as he reached the doors of Hinata House. Swallowing his pride, he opened the door and went inside.
He found the girls sitting around looking sleepy. They must have all stayed up when neither him or Naru didn't come home. Motoko was the first to notice him. Her eyes widened when she saw him.
"Urashima!" she gasped.
Everyone was soon alert and racing over to Keitaro to see him. Su leaped onto him in a fierce bear hug. Shinobu was next to her as she looked up to him worriedly. Kitsune looked rather displeased while Motoko tried not to look relieved, but she was failing at it.
"Where have you been?" Kitsune asked with a frown. "You had us worried sick.I couldn't even drink!"
Keitaro sighed. The girls, save for Su, could tell that he didn't have good news. He motioned for them to follow him and he sat on the couch while the others took seats.
"Well" Keitaro sighed. "To begin, I failed the entrance exam."
That was the first shock the girls recieved. Motoko and Kitsune had both gasped while Shinobu seemed to become rather sad to hear the news.
"What about Naru?" Kitsune asked.
"Believe it or not, she failed too," Keitaro replied. "Didn't she tell you?"
This got gasps out of everyone a second time. Of people to fail the exam, Naru was the last person on thier lists.
"Naru didn't come home last night either Sempai," Shinobu replied softly.
Keitaro looked to the ground with a growing sadness overcoming her face. Everyone was beginning to guess that he knew why she hadn't come. Motoko was the first one to come out and actually say it.
"Urashima, do you have an idea why she hasn't come home?" she asked.
Keitaro nodded, "When I found out she failed, we went someplace to get something to eat. We ended up just getting booze."
"You didn't take advantage of her did you?" Kitsune gasped, a little playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
Keitaro shook his head, "Feels like I did something just as bad. We both got some booze in us and started arguing. She made fun of me for that promise I made and called me pathetic. She said the girl probably wouldn't even remember me."
Motoko stiffened at what she heard. Right now, she was not very pleased with what Naru had supposedly said. Keitaro was nothing but kind to all of them and did nothing to tread on them. Then Naru had to go and do this to him.
"It's funny though," Keitaro continued. "My parents said the same thing when they tried to convince me to give up on Tokyo U. It kind of started that argument that got me thrown out."
"Why did you get so upset with that?" Kitsune asked curiously.
"I didn't really have many friends when I was that young," Keitaro replied. "Hearing someone suggest that they just up and forgot about me really hurts."
'Oh stud,' Kitsune thought sadly. 'I know how that feels.'
"Anyhow," Keitaro continued with some struggling, tears coming to his eyes. "I kind of snapped on her. I called her super-nerd and said that the guy she made her promise with wouldn't even recognise her and was probably with some other girl by now. I don't know why I even said it. I wish I didn't. She then tried to hit me and I caught it. She then ran off crying. God, I feel like a world-class prick."
Keitaro then broke down and began crying silently into his hands. Shinobu was also trying to keep her own tears in. Kitsune was frowning sadly. She didn't like this situation. Both Keitaro and Naru were special to her and she didn't want this spat to ruin their friendship. Su seemed puzzled by everyone's attitude.Motoko looked at the ground for a moment. She then stood up and walked over to Keitaro. At first everyone thought she was going to attack him or something, but what happened next caught everyone off guard.
She walked over and hugged him.
To say that this was slightly out of character for Motoko would be true, but she had her reasons. Keitaro held an important place in her heart. Seeing him in pain like this also hurt her. She knew Keitaro had said some awful things to Naru, but she had said things of the same level to him. She didn't really know how to comfort him so she did something her sister used to do when she was younger. She just wrapped her arms around Keitaro and held him while he cried. She felt slightly akward about this, but she felt it was better than watching him cry.
"There there Urashima," Motoko whispered. "Neither you nor Naru are at fault. You just let your tempers get the better of you. It is nothing to be ashamed of."
Keitaro wrapped his arms around Motoko after she said those words. Motoko quickly discovered just how pleasant it was to hold another person that she cared about in her arms. A rosy blush came to her cheeks.
Kitsune watched with a small smile. She might have felt jealous, but this wasn't the time for a love rivalry. Besides, Kitsune thought that if she got a night with Keitaro alone, Motoko deserved to at least hold him like this.
Any further thoughts about What she was seeing was cut off by the phone ringing. Shinobu got there first and picked it up quickly.
"Hello?" she asked.
Everyone held their breath for a moment. They were all hoping that the call was from the missing member of their 'family'.
"Oh!" Shinobu gasped. "Naru!"
To Be Continued.
A/N: There we go. Another chapter done. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I hope no one's upset about Motoko's actions. I gave an explanation why she did what she did so I hope everyone agrees with it. I want to keep thanking you guys for supporting my work. It means so much to me.