YOUR ORDERS
Chapter 7: Anguish and Expectations

PV: SHINOBU

Well, one week ago occurred the fateful episode when Urashima-senpai almost left us. After the decisions were all taken, I thought everyone's lives would be back to normal. It's a sweet delusion I had.

At first, Kanako's presence as finance manager was practically a torment to all of us. Kanako used again the tactics of taxing every available service at Hinata-sou. The monthly payment just covers the room's rent and costs with food and electric power Any other service had a charge for using. The daily bath and the using of thermal waters were charged separately, as the use of the assembly room's. The repairs made to the Hinata-sou's dependencies were charged separately as extra charges. As I exchange my staying at the boarding house by my work, she obliged me to make extra service It's very difficult for people that studying and working at same time

Urashima-senpai's presence over here is sporadic. He come here just for making repairs, obviously when he's not at Toudai Girls tried to argue with him, saying that it's very difficult to fit the Hinata-sou's costs in the personal budget from every girl. He just stated he had nothing to do about the finance administration of the place, and Kanako knew what she's doing. Senpai was so far away from us.

In the middle of the week, I was going to sleep when I went by Naru's room door, and I was amazed with the crying noise from the room. I knocked on the door and asked what's wrong. When the door opened, the surprise was great: Mutsumi opened it. She was with watered eyes, and I realise Naru was sitting over the futon, also pouring tears.

"What happened with you two?", I asked worried.

"Come in, Shinobu-chan", Naru said. The environment at that room wasn't as good as usual. There was a sadness sensation over there, and I felt myself very uncomfortable. Mutsumi grabbed my hand and got me closer to Naru. So I repeated the question, and I waited for an answer.

"I lost Keitaro, Shinobu-chan. He doesn't love me anymore, I'm sure of that", Naru unburdened. "And now, he's far away from me, he even gets a different wagon from mine just to avoid seeing me".

"And he's avoiding me too, Shinobu-chan. Every time I get closer to him and ask about his life, he just says everything's okay and gets apart from me, without goodbyes. He just gets closer to his classmates, and he even doesn't have lunch with me and Naru-chan no longer", Mutsumi unburdened.

"Indeed, I noticed Urashima-sempai isn't often talking with the girls. I think he's a little resentful with us. But I can't understand why he's avoiding us so much...", I said, "I don't know what I have done to deserve this disdain".

It wasn't a secret to anyone that Naru and Mutsumi were the most quoted girls for being the senpai's girlfriend. Naru was the subject of devotion from senpai, and Mutsumi always showed she loves senpai. Well, me and the other girls always were extras from senpai's love affairs, maybe Motoko had more chance compared to the other girls, but she never admitted she had fallen in love with Keitaro-senpai. She tries to hide what's obvious to all of us, and this ended up any possibility Motoko had to conquer Urashima-senpai. But, now, it seems that all the girls are out of running.

As the most close girls to senpai, Naru and Mutsumi felt the blow most. It's a shame seeing them that way, with broken hearts and without a hope to reconquer the senpai. And, at that moment, I needed to calm them down a little.

"Listen, what about giving him a break? I think Keitaro is just a little confused, he just need to think better about what's happening. I disbelieve that he's gonna stand far away from us so much time. Moreover, I think we have more substantial things to solve, as our stringency... Maybe if we mobilize something and try to make something different, all the girls won't think as much as that at senpai", I argued, trying to put some reason at that so sad environment.

"It could be, Shinobu-chan, but this distance hurts a lot. I didn't use to get so distant from Kei-kun. When we went out at Saturday, I thought he was really better, he even had forgiven the girls But it's the opposite, he's more and more far away from us", Mutsumi said, with the voice a little hindered. At that moment, I got indignant with senpai - and I have never thought some day I would have so negative thrill about senpai. He can't treat Mutsumi like that way. After all, the turtle girl is the sweetest girl I ever met, and she didn't do anything Keitaro should reprehend.

Naru just stopped to cry and gave me a shy smile. Keitaro disturbed one of the most powerful forces in nature: the pride of a woman. Naru delayed to realise, but she knows now that she loves senpai, and she feels the love Keitaro had for her is over.

"Maybe Shinobu-chan is right, Mutsumi-san. We need to give a break to Keitaro, since he really wants to get away from us", Naru said, somewhat resentful

"No, Naru-san. Maybe you can take a vengeance against others, but I can't", Mutsumi-san said, looking at Naru frightened.

"Don't worry, Mutsumi-san. I'm not talking about vengeance, but treating Keitaro in the same way he treats us now. He needs to think a little, he clearly shows to be upset with all of us. I think we need to leave Keitaro alone for a time, and after that we continue to contest his heart. What do you think, Shinobu-chan?", Naru asked me, with very rubby eyes.

"Maybe Naru-senpai is right. I think that horrible episode corroded the girls relationship with Keitaro. I believe that thinking a little more about ourselves won't be as wrong as we imagine", I asked, paying attention at the Mutsumi-san's reaction.

"Allright, I'll try. I admit I can't act without thinking at other people, specially of Kei-kun. It'll be a different experience", Mutsumi argued, stamping a slight smile in her face.

"You don't need to avoid everyone, just leave Keitaro alone for a time. It'll be more profitable than running after him vainly, because this will only make us suffer. After all, the man is who must run after the woman, not the opposite", Naru stated, embracing Mutsumi. Sometimes, Naru is somewhat relentless with men, but I can't disagree with her. It's useless running after someone who doesn't want to talk with us. About not running after a man, I think it's difficult... Even there are so many rivals chasing the Keitaro's heart.

"That's okay, Naru-san. Let's discuss what to do on Saturday. Moreover, I need to talk to Haruka-san, because I had a idea that can be successful and put some extra money in the boarding house...", Mutsumi confessed, with her head buried at Naru's lap. I was very intrigued, because I can't imagine what Mutsumi wants to talk to Haruka so urgent. But I don't wanna fatigue even more, so I decided not asking anything.

I stayed a little more with girls, until the moment we agreed the best thing for each one was heading to our own rooms and sleep. Now, the weekend arrived and girls can elaborate decently what to do for gaining some extra money and, after all, giving a break to Keitaro. As usual for me, I slept earlier than others residents and I prepared the breakfast, always with all my tender I have for each one of them.

PV: NARU

I must admit this last week was a little complicated. I didn't use to be ignored by Keitaro, and I needed the happening of some tragedy for discovering I love him. I couldn't stand myself and I needed to unburden to someone.

After a school day's ending, I was with Mutsumi-san into a tram and I noticed she was very sad. After we got Hinata-sou and had some dinner, I practically carried out Mutsumi to my bedroom and I decided to unburden what I felt. It's the moment when Mutsumi took some courage and she also unburdened the sadness that squeezed her heart. Shinobu's presence, moments later, was important, because she got to calm us and put some rationality into our heads. If Keitaro want to be apart of us, that's fine. The girls need to go on, despite the fact he doesn't want to be with us. The girls need to give some time to the current situation, because that episode was somewhat wasteful for everybody.

Well, this episode is a bygone thing, and now is one more sunny Saturday. The breakfast is ready, and it has a very wonderful smell. By the way, Shinobu-chan always improves the meals. I don't know what would be with the boarding house without this so special girl. All girls seem to be happy, talking out loud and very relaxed. There was just one absence: Keitaro. Since the beginning of week, he decided to have breakfast at the Tea House.

During the morning, we decided to sunbathe on the Hinata-sou's main roof. The same roof that worked as refuge to Keitaro... Damn, why can't I pull that silly boy out of my head? I connect everything in my life with Keitaro. I need to think a little less at that coward, despite I love him. I have to give a break until finding the right moment to get closer on him. Speaking about the devil, he was doing the maintenance's services only when the girls were sunbathing Why does he avoid us so much? His attitude is getting ridiculous.

I noticed Haruka-san was by my side, and I decided to raise some conversation I must find out what's happening with that brat.

"Hi, Haruka-san, how do you do?", I asked.

"Oh, I'm fine, but Keitaro is a little resentful yet...", Haruka answered me, giving me a smile. It seems I can't hide anything from that woman.

"And he thinks it's better to ignore us, just like that?", I unburdened.

"Perhaps that's the point, Naru. I talked to Keitaro some times at this last week and he assured that he needs other friends, he needs to recover from everything he suffered over here...", Haruka said, calmly.

"And about us? So, now we're the bad girls? Didn't we have wonderful moments together?", I retorted, feeling myself offended.

"So, have you ever said that you loved him, Naru?", Haruka retorted to me, keeping herself calm. That sentence got me down, because the motivation for what Keitaro got upset with us came to my mind again. We had to lose him for admitting his importance into all the girls life.

"That's ok, Haruka-san. But why must he keep this distance so long?", I asked, clearly anxious.

"Because he lost his interest about you as friends, as lovers. He disillusioned himself. He wants to meet other people, making new friends, recuperate the lost time", Haruka explained me. And that explanation opened a great emptiness inside me. I feel we need to restore his friendship, but we need to recover our self respect first - that was shaken on that sorrowful episode.

"I understand, Haruka. We have to reconquer Keitaro's friendship, don't we?", I argued.

"Basically, that's correct. All of you must prove that you can collaborate with him, all of you must prove what you really feel about him. He's so absent minded, and he needs that certain things are explicit, or he'll feel rejected", Haruka explained to me. That chat was very enlightening to me. I conclude I needed to change the approach to reconquer Keitaro.

All the girls waited Keitaro to finish the cleaning, then all of them got down from the roof. After the lunch, it was agreed a meeting for discussing how to gain more money, how to attract more clients to Hinata-sou. Obviously, Keitaro would be one of the most important topics to discuss. And perhaps, at that moment, we would discover what Mutsumi thought as strategy to improve the boarding house's financial health.

Chapter written between Dec-22-2004 and Dec-23-2004, and translated between Mar-22-2005 and Jul-01-2005. Sorry, but my stage and my college are consuming lots of my time, and I can't translate the texts in a high speed. When it's possible, I'll translate the stories... I just waiting your reviews, and I ask all of you sorry. I know this chapter is a bit silly, but I'm trying to improve the story. Oh, thanks for responding my request for beta-readers, and I wanna thank to Martin's collaboration.