-Ten-Faced Paladin
Love Hina Redux
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 18: Heart Flutterings and Mixed Bathings
Hinata House was rather quiet for a change. Most of the tennants were gone for the time being. The only ones left were Su and Shinobu. The only other person there was Haruka, and she only came in and out to make sure everything was going alright.
"We haven't heard from Sempai or Naru," Shinobu worried.
"I'm sure they're all okay," Haruka smiled with a dismissive wave. "Keitaro's got Kitsune and Motoko with him. They'll keep him out of trouble."
Shinobu just continued to fret. Almost all of her friends at Hinata House were gone and some of them were harboring hurt feelings. There was actually a part of her that feared that they wouldn't come back.
Those thoughts were swiftly interrupted by none other the the hyper foreigner Su.
"Heyas Shinobu!" she smiled. "Whatcha doin?"
Shinbou stumbled slightly from the added weight, but she didn't fall.
"I'm worried about Sempai and Naru," Shinobu replied.
"Then lets go after them!" Su giggled. "I'm all packed. Lets go!"
Su suddenly felt her picked up by her collar by none other then Haruka.
"Oh no you don't," the elder Urashima spoke. "Motoko and Kitsune ar more than enough to help find Naru. Besides, didn't Keitaro give thee two of you a job to do here?"
"Yup!" Su giggled. "We have to wait for phone calls!"
"Don't you have to be here to do that?" Haruka smiled as she took a drag from her cigarette.
"Hmm," Su pondered. "Yep! I know the perfect gadget that can help out too! I'll go build it!"
Su then leaped with a giggle towards the stairs and off of Shinobu's shoulders. Shinobu watched her go while Haruka blew some smoke out of her mouth.
"That ought to keep her occupied for a while," she smiled.
She then left to head back to the tea shop. She had to deal with customers still. The only reason she was playing babysitter was because Keitaro asked her to keep Su out of trouble. Keitaro was sure lucky she was used to the foreigners antics, otherwise her nephew was going to be in trobule when he got back.
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The sun was shining brightly in Kyoto. It was a nice day for a vacation. Kitsune, Motoko and Keitaro were all walking out in the sun. They had decided to stop at a tea house for a quick rest. Motoko was enjoying some green tea while Kitsune and Motoko were checking over the travel guide.
"So where do you think Naru's going to stay?" asked Keitaro.
"Well, the guide lists a bunch of places to stay," Kitsune replied as she looked over the pages. "I say we get a place for ourselves first before we start looking."
"That is a wise idea," Motoko agreed. "It will do no good to tire ourselves during our search and find no place to stay."
"Sounds good," Keitaro shrugged. "Might as well stay at one of the hotels on the list."
"Goody!" Kitsune grinned. "I have just the spot. Come on!"
She then grabbed Keitaro's arm and began to pull him away. He barely had time to grab his bag before he was yanked away. Motoko sighed and left her tea on the table before she followed quickly. What they didn't notice was the person sitting only a few tables away from them. Naru had taken a seat and was sipping her own cup of tea.
"Ah," she sighed happily. "That's good."
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The three travellers found themselves at a rather nice ryokan inn. From what the guide said, the place was really popular. Kitsune said it was the top of her list and she said it was fairly inexpensive. Keitaro also managed to catch a footnote on the place. It said that most travelling couples should go there for a real romantic night. Keitaro found himself beginning to doubt Kitsune's intentions behind choosing this place.
"So how should the rooms boil down?" asked Keitaro. "I know I'll have to have my own so do you both want your own room or do you want to share?"
"I suppose sharing would not be out of the question," Motoko shrugged.
"I guess so," Kitsune sighed. "You sure I can't share with you though Keitaro?"
Keitaro promptly broke out into a blush that could match Shinobu's. His brain also seemed to short circiut and he tried to babble something. Motoko, on the other hand, seemed to have a more firm hold on her senses, even if she had an equal blush on her face.
"Kitsune!" Motoko shrieked. "Are you insatiable!"
Kitsune just broke out giggling. She loved to tease her landlord like that. Getting Motoko all flustered was just icing on the cake. To see the usually calm swordswoman all flustered was just priceless.
"Okay okay," Keitaro spoke out, trying to calm everyone down. "Let's just check in and get our stuff put away. Okay?"
When he was met with no resistance, he went to the front desk with his two friends and got themselves two rooms. The hostess kept giving him a sly look with a hidden giggle or two. Keitaro wasn't sure why she was looking at him like that. He just had a gut feeling that he was probably going to find out sooner or later and that he wasn't going to like it.
The hostess gave Keitaro the keys with another smile and he took them with an uncertain smile of his own. Their rooms were on the third floor and right next to each other. While Keitaro was busy finding a spot for his things in his room, Kitsune and Motoko were doing the same in their room.
"So what made you come along?" Kitsune asked Motoko as she pulled some clothes out of her backpack.
"The same reasons as you," Motoko replied. "Besides, Kyoto is my hometown and I know the quickest ways around."
"Oh yeah?" Kitsune smirked with her foxy grin. "Sure it wasn't something to do with a certain landlord?"
"Wh-what are you suggesting?" Motoko asked with a blush coming to her face.
"Oh I dunno," Kitsune giggled. "Maybe you wanted to spend a little quality time with Keitaro. I mean, it's so obvious you have feelings for him."
Motoko's face turned into a bright shade of red. Kitsune's grin grew a bit wider. Jackpot.
"W-well...um...ah," Motoko sputtered, trying to distract herself with unpacking. "I-I guess that it is possible."
"More than possible," Kitsune pressed. "I think it's already happened."
Motoko looked down at the floor. Her hair was covering her eyes. What made Kitsune smile was the fact that the kendo girl's face was so hot at this point that someone could cook an egg on it.
"A..am I that obvious?" Motoko asked shyly.
Kitsune smiled with her right eye opening slightly, "It was kind of obvious after a while. Like when you hugged him after he told us about his fight with Naru. I didn't think you'd do that for anyone, much less a guy."
"Well then what about you?" Motoko asked, trying to get her blush under control. "Am I right to assume you have feelings for Urashima? At New Years you seemed rather obvious in your advances."
"Of course I have feelings for the guy," Kitsune smiled, a blush coming to her face. "He has got to be one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. He's a guy and I know he likes my body and stuff, but when he looks at me...he actually looks at me. Not my chest or figure. I can't really tell you how good that makes me feel."
"I may know that feeling," Motoko nodded with a gentle smile of her own. "He is incredibly kind. He isn't even perverted or a letcher in any way. He always seems to care about all of us more than himself. This trip just proves that."
"Yeah," Kitsune nodded. "It really hurts him to see someone he knows in pain. I hope he can make up with her. It doesn't suit him to be depressed."
Motok nodded solemnly. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and finished gathering the belongings she had brought with her.
"We should get Keitaro soon," she spoke. "If we move quickly then we will be able to get where Naru is going before she gets there. We might be able to catch her."
"Then let's get her," Kitsune smiled while grabbing the travel guide.
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The entire day went on as the three went on the search for their friend. It was pretty much a fruitless search. They just couldn't find her in the midst of the tourists that were also hanging around. Motoko managed to catch a glimpse of her at the Kiyomizu Temple, but lost her in the midst of the tourists again. All in all, they did see a number of cool things, but not who they were looking for.
They went back to the inn and Keitaro decided to sit in the hot springs that they had there and mull over his thoughts. He leaned against the edge and just sighed deeply.
"Okay," he mumbled to himself. "The guide said a day in Kyoto and then a ferry to the next spot. Was it Kagoshima?"
Keitaro shook his head. He figured he might as well just enjoy the water. He may not have found Naru, but he did get to see some high points of Kyoto and it wasn't like Kitsune and Motoko weren't good company. Quite the contrary. They helped him feel better after all the crap he went through after he failed his exam.
"Mind if I wash your back?" a voice asked from behind.
Keitaro swiftly turned around and was met with the grinning face of Kitsune. She was also doned in nothing but a towel. He was pretty sure that this time, there wasn't a bathing suit underneath.
"K-K-K-Kitsune!" Keitaro sputtered.
He immediately turned his head again and sank deeper into the water. Kitsune broke into a fit of merry giggles as she watched his face turn beet red. She thought she could see a dribble of blood coming out of his nose. That just made her giggle even more.
"Oh come on stud," she smiled. "This is a mixed bath. We're both allowed to be here. Oh, correct me if I'm wrong but, didn't I give you permission to look at me when I'm in a towel?"
"W-wasn't that for that party only?" he asked nervously.
"You still have permission stud," Kitsune smirked.
She then reached down and turned Keitaro's head around so that he could see her in all her towel-clad glory.
"Okay okay," Keitaro sighed as he reached up to her hands and took them. "Can you just let me go now?"
"Sure stud," Kitsune giggled. She then slipped her hands out of Keitaro's
Keitaro slipped back into the water, trying to control his heartbeat. It didn't help that Kitsune was sliding in next to him.
"Are you trying to kill me with blood loss?" Keitaro muttered, the humor in his voice.
"Seems I can't do that on my own," Kitsune smirked. "Motoko, over here!"
Keitaro looked over in Kitsune's direction and saw none other than Motoko in a large white towel. This time there was no trickle of blood. Having two very attractive women in nothing but towels near him at this point was enough the send him gushing.
"Gak!" he cried as he rushed over to the taps.
Motoko watched him go with a red blush on her cheeks. She hadn't been expecting Keitaro to be in the hot springs with her and Kitsune.
"You didn't tell him that we were heading inside did you?" Motoko asked Kitsune with a level of suspicion.
"It's a mixed bath," Kitsune shrugged. "Didn't seem important."
Motoko just shook her head. Kitsune was always the tease and it seemed that she was never going to change. She watched as Keitaro came back after recovering and sat down with his back to his two travelling companions
"You're going to be the death of me Kitsune," Keitaro commented with a laugh.
"Ah you love me and you know it," Kitsune giggled.
Motoko shook her head again. It seems that not even the nights were going to be somewhat chaotic. What Motoko seemed confused at the fact that it didn't seem to bother her. Then again, she was used to the many happenings at Hinata House.
Keitaro sighed again as he rubbed underneath his nose. He just needed to get his thoughts calmed again. The images of Motoko and Kitsune in towels was something that he was going to have to deal with for a while.
He head someone sloshing through the water and he was wondering if it was Kitsune coming to tease him again. He turned his gaze over and his eyes widened before he looked away. He was feeling a sense of deja vu. Naru was standing next to him with a towel, but she wasn't wearing it, or anything else for that matter.
"Huh?" she breathed. "Who's there?"
Kitsune noticed the little spectacle and started giggling again. She had her hand over her mouth to try and stiffle the sound. Motoko just stared blankly, not believeing the situation.
"Ah...Naru, try putting your glasses on please," Keitaro mumbled, hoping not to start another bloody nose. He had enough of those for the night.
Naru, who had been holding her glasses in her hands, put them on and her eyes widened when her gaze landed on Keitaro.
"Whaaa!" she gasped. "What are you doing here!"
"Could you put your towel on please?" Keitaro mumbled, his face reddening. "Then I'll answer some questions."
Naru looked down at herself and realised just what he was talking about. Her face turned the exact same shade of red as Keitaro's. She then quickly wrapped her towel around herself before turning her gaze back onto the boy in front of her.
"Okay Keitaro," she frowned. "What are you doing here? I told you to leave me alone."
"Trying to find you," Keitaro replied. "Motoko and Kitsune came with me."
"Motoko and Kitsune are here too?" Naru gasped. "So what do you want with me?"
Keitaro began scratching the back of his neck, "I think you know. I wanted to apologise."
Naru frowned as she sat in the water across from him. She could remember that little fiasco as if it happened only a short time ago.
"You shouldn't have to," Naru frowned. "I deserved what you said to me. I was a total bitch."
"Yeah, you were," Keitaro nodded. "But I shouldn't have made fun of the reasons why you want to go to Tokyo U."
"Even if that's what I did to you?" Naru asked with a tone of insecurity.
"Let's just chalk that little fight to the booze," Keitaro smiled. "Think we can be friends again?"
Naru gave a small smile and nodded. She also had tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.
"Okay," she said quietly. "Thank you Keitaro."
The two university applicants smiled at each other. For the moment, the had forgotten about where they were and how little they were wearing. They even forgot about who might have been around. Well, the did for a minute.
"Isn't that just sweet?" a voice giggled.
Naru and Keitaro looked to the source of the voice and saw none other than a smirking Kitsune and an observant Motoko. Both Naru and Keitaro started blushing again. Kitsune just gave off another giggle.
"About time we found you girl," Kitsune smiled. "Keitaro's been really determined to find you."
"Yes," Motoko nodded. "I am glad that the two of you have finally made up."
"You two really did come," Naru smiled. "Thanks."
"Of course we came," Kitsune smiled. "It was either help him or he'd do it alone. I think he would turn Kyoto upside down if he knew it would help find you."
The four reunited friends began to start talking again. It was almost as if nothing had happened between them and they were back at hinata House. It seemed that good times were coming back for them.
Then they heard the voice.
"Hey, it's a mixed bath!" a man's voice shouted.
"Maybe there's some cute young thing in there," another voice spoke.
the girls thought their blood suddenly ran cold. Naru instantly remembered that it was a mixed bath. She had totally forgotten aboout it. Motoko just regretted not bringing her sword so to defend herself more efficiently from any perverts. Kitsune didn't mind flaunting her endowment, but she wasn't easy.
"Crap!" Keitaro hissed. "Sounds like a whole bunch of people!"
"What are we going to do?" Naru cried.
"If they dare try to touch me," Motoko hissed angrily.
"I got an idea!' Kitsune exclaimed.
"I'm all ears!" Naru replied instantly.
Kitsune checked to see that she had her friend's attention. When she was sure that she did, she threw her idea to them.
"We hide behind Keitaro!" she explained. "Then when no one's looking, he can move for the door and get us out of here."
"What!" Motoko cried. "What kind of plan is that!"
"It's the best I got," Kitsune shrugged in defeat.
Any further arguments were cut off as they heard people coming. Keitaro suddenly felt himself being yanked to face the door while the three young women hid behind him. Kitsune, Naru, and Motoko were using Keitaro to hide their heads while they hid the rest of their bodies under the mineral water. It was clouded enough to hide them.
They didn't have to wait long when the door burst open and a number of tourists burst right in. They were all most guys in their thirties to fifties and a few children. Keitaro went stiff as he didn't try to move and reveal the girls.
"Hey mister!" a boy smiled as he walked over to Keitaro. "You all alone?"
"Of course I am," Keitaro laughed nervously. "Yep, all by myself here."
The boy laughed and went back to join his dad. After a moment he felt samething jab him in the side. He risked a glance and saw the three young women staring at him intently. He could easily get what they were trying to say. Get us the hell out of here!
Keitaro checked for a path to the door and saw that he was in the clear. He could easily keep his back turned to the group and the girls could keep hiding. taking a deep vreath, he began inching his way for his goal. The girls kept in close to his back, which was not such a grat thing for Keitaro. Kitsune was pressed against his back and he could feel her 'endowment' even through her towel. He really didn't need that kind of distraction.
"Hey mister!" the kid from before called as he noticed him. "You okay?"
"Just fine," Keitaro replied nervously. "I'm just a little cold."
The boy tilted his head to the side in confusion before he just shrugged. When he went back to soaking, Keitaro lety out a sigh of relief. He then went right back to his task. It actually seemed he would be able to get the girls out of there without any troubles. He actually got to the door without anyone noticing that he had three young women behind him.
Then it all went wrong.
"Woah!" a male voice cried. "Scuse me miss."
Keitaro turned aound and saw that a guy had just come out and almost bumped into Motoko. The guy was just moving aside and heading for the water but the damage had been done. At that one word, 'miss' everyone had turned their attention to the door. Their eyes were all faceing Keitaro, Motoko, Kitsune, and Naru.
Silence reigned for a moment. No one really knew what to make of the situation. Some of the guests were in total shock.others were enjoying the show. Even a few thought that Keitaro was the luckiest guy on the planet if he had three babes all over him like that. The 'three babes' in question were just about ready to drop dead from embarassment. Keitaro actually thought his heart stopped. Then, like a lightbulb, an idea came into all four of their heads.
"Exscuse us!" they all shouted as they ran out of the door.
The group of guests were still in a mild form of surprise.
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The four Hinata Housers managed to get their bathrobes on and were now walking back to their rooms. they were all talking about the experience they just had.
"I have never felt such embarrassment," Motoko frowned to herself.
"You're telling me," Naru agreed. "They were all old guys to boot. Eeew!"
"Man," Kitisune huffed. "I don't mind flaunting it sometimes, but that was a little much."
Keitaro just shook his head. It head been ambarrassing enough for him, but he couldn't imagine what it was liek for the girls. He just wanted to go back to his room and try to get some sleep. He would see what they were going to do in the morning.
As the turned the corner, they bumped into the hostess.
"Oh, I'm glad I found you," she smiled. "We kind of had a large group jump in on us and we're a little short on rooms."
"Yeah, we noticed," Kitsune frowned.
"Anyway," the hostess continued. "I was looking through the ledger and noticed that you were all from the same place. I thought that you all wouldn't mind sharing a room."
"Eh?" the four travellers spoke.
"Oh to be young," the hostess smiled. "So young man, which one is your girlfriend?"
Keitaro promptly turned bright red. The hostess giggled and led the four of them to a room. They weren't disappointed aboout expectations. It was all in one room. Luckily there was four futons there for them to sleep in.
"Why me?" Keitaro sighed to himself.
To be Continued
A/N: There you go. the next chapter is finished and I can rest easy. Keitaro and Naru made up and it looks like smooth sailing. The four of them only have to get through the night. This is too much of a good opportunity for Kitsune to pass up and Motoko my just want to try her luck in the love game. Will Naru try anything? It's all in the next chapter so please look forward to it.