YOUR ORDERS
Chapter 12: Green Flag

PV: MIZUHO

This was a special Monday, because it was the day when I came back to Hinata-sou. It was practically twenty years ago since I put my feet in the said building. I didn't even pay attention at classes, due to the anxiety of change and to the wish of knowing who would be my inn inmates. I didn't have any idea how I would be accepted, if the old tenants would like me… Change is always complicated.

The day seemed to run slow to me. I can't wait any longer the time of change. When the study day is over, I came back home hurry. When I arrived at the building I'd leave, I saw a small truck stopped in front of the said place. A woman seemingly a little older than me and a driver were inside the truck. Outside the truck was Keitaro, waving to me after sighting me.

"Hi, Mizuho! Ready for change?", Keitaro screamed, very cheerful.

"Wow, it's really a nice thing to work with effective people! How long were you waiting for me?", I inquired, quite happy.

"About a half hour, I think. Ah, let me introduce to you someone, this is my aunt, but she likes to be called Haruka-san…", Keitaro affirmed, somewhat humorous. It was the sufficient time for the woman hit him at the head top.

"Hey, this hurts!", I screamed, very worried about Kei-kun's integrity.

"Don't you worry, he's immortal", that Haruka said to me, leaving the truck. She got closer to me and offered her hand to me, "Greetings, I hope we can become friends".

I greeted her and retorted: "I hope so… But it's strange, I think I remember you… You always walked along an old woman, didn't you?".

Haruka smiled and answered me: "Yes, that woman is grandma Hina, the inn's owner. She left her grandchildren as managers from the place and went out for travelling. I did just hope you refer to that woman with more respect, because she's my grandmother and my mentor".

"Of course I do, don't you worry about that, Haruka-san… Ah, who's this senior?", I asked, very inquisitive.

"Ah, I hired this senior to carry out the move. Don't you worry, the change is already paid. This cost will be arranged during your life in Hinata-sou", Haruka explained to me.

Keitaro got closer to me, put his hand in my shoulder and asked: "And so, Mizuho, let's put your stuff at the truck?".

I can't help myself from smiling and affirmed: "Of course, Kei-kun! Let's go!".

It also was inevitable to watch Haruka's perplexity when the said person commented to Keitaro: "Mizuho? Kei-kun? Are both of you so close like that to exchange intimacies?". I smiled, but Keitaro got quite ruddy. Man, if he got more red than that he could be mistaken for a tomato and get a place in a salad.

Apart from that, everything else was very easy. How I had few things to carry on, we didn't wait so long to set the apartment empty. After we carried out everything, I looked at the empty apartment. Man, it was so many parties at that place, I felt I'd miss that place. But I took a long breath and looked confident straight ahead, because I could feel I'd have new experiences in Hinata-sou.

"Friends, I'll join to you soon, I just want to say goodbye for this place, alright?", I begged them. As soon as they left me alone, I looked at the empty apartment for the last time, locked the door, closed my eyes, took a long breath and said to myself: "Welcome to a new life. Mizuho, you deserve it!".

PV: HARUKA

Hmm, Mizuho-san is more pretty than ever. I recalled she was a kid very different to the other ones, and now she is beautiful now. Until now, I didn't realize any defects coming from her. She's determined, confident and very happy. Man, now I really realized the contest will get very heavy to the Hinata-sou old tenants.

During the route to Hinata-sou, Mizuho told us several things about her life, she proved she knew to tell jokes better than anyone else, she gave her opinion about several current topics… In the end, it was a very enjoyable chat. When appeared the mount where the Hinata-sou is placed, Mizuho practically jumped out of the seat and screamed: "Now I remember! It's the Hinata-sou, isn't it? It's a pretty building yet!".

"The only difference is the Hinata-sou was a hot springs hotel at that time, and today is a female inn. But the rest is the same, Mizuho-san", I explained.

"Please, Haruka-san, you can call me Mizuho, I don't like formality so much", Mizuho affirmed me, with a cheerful smile. I can't help myself of smiling, albeit I always keep a certain control about my visage, because I've never liked exaggerations.

"Can I ask you something, Mizuho?", I inquired her.

"Of course you do, Haruka-san!", Mizuho answered me.

"Are you dating right now?", I provoked her.

She gave a little smile and spoke: "No, I don't have any dear lover right now. But I already have a candidate…".

That answer was baffling. I decided to push the game and risked a new question: "How long are you in love to him?".

She stared me softly and answered: "Oh, I'm in love to him almost my entire life". That answer had not even a slice bit of doubt to me. Of course, Keitaro was the only person who didn't get the point.

"I hope you'll be able to conquer the love from this guy some day", Keitaro said, trying to be nice.

"I hope so, Kei-kun...", Mizuho affirmed, getting ruddy. Man, how could Keitaro be so light headed and not get the obvious?

Well, after a trip without any event, we finally arrived at Hinata-sou. Girls were in front of the access, acting as a welcome band. Keitaro left the truck first and I left it after him. It was the moment I nudged Keitaro.

"Oh, yes! Girls, I wanna introduce to all of you the new tenant of Hinata-sou! Please, you can step down…", Keitaro said, offering his hand to help Mizuho. When she stepped down from the cabin, there was a deadly silence in Hinata-sou stairways. Keitaro then completed: "Girls, she's Mizuho Fujisawa. Be nice with her, please…". Well, I thought a little unsuitable the last sentence… Anyone who didn't know that girls could think they are people-shaped monsters. Well, sometimes they act as mythological beings.

"Hmm, hello everyone... It'll be a pleasure to live with all of you in Hinata-sou!", Mizuho greeted, cheerfully. There was a little delay to girls leave the condition of almost narcolepsy they were.

"Hello, Fujisawa-sama... I'm Shinobu Maehara, and be welcome!", Shinbou spoke, somewhat frightened to Mizuho. I wished to discover what astonished Shinobu…

"Hello, I'm Mitsune Konno, but you can call me Kitsune... It's a pleasure to know you!", Kitsune said, looking to her as if she met her before.

"I'm Motoko Aoyama, I hope you feel comfortable in Hinata-sou", Motoko said, wearing the kendo suit and with a serious aspect.

"Ara, ara! I'm Mutsumi Otohime, and I like to make new friends! Be welcome to Hinata-sou", Mutsumi said, showing all the kindness she has. I don't know if Mutsumi recognized her at that moment, I believe she did it. Mutsumi can seem to be light headed, but she isn't as absent minded as she seemed to be.

"Hi! I'm Sarah McDougal, I hope you are funny!", Sarah said, showing she needed more than a smile to be pleased. Mizuho didn't get any shaken, contrariwise, she widened the smile.

"Hi, I'm Naru Narusegawa. Be welcome...", Naru stated, somewhat bashful. Being as mysterious as she was, it was difficult to know if Naru recognized her.

"Hi, I'm Kaolla Su! Let's be friends?", Kaolla queried, shining her eyes. Kaolla got closer to Mizuho and leaned her face against the newcomer's face, and completed: "Wow, what a soft skin! You're so beautiful!".

"Well, I think all of you introduced yourselves by now, it's time to Mizuho's move. Who'd like to help?", Keitaro inquired, trying to move on the gang. All of them offered themselves to help. We had to use a more precipitous road to put the truck in front of Hinata-sou.

Girls were very helpful during the change and the arrangement of room where Mizuho will live. Until that moment, no problem had arisen, and I thought it was a very good thing. The Hinata-sou climate wasn't as good as I desired, and I believed it was just a matter of time to happen new troubles. I just wanted a peace moment, I always hated troubles – but if I get into a problem, I challenge it until the end, because loose ends are worse than the trouble ifself.

After the move is over, we dispatched the truck and I came back to Tea House, because I had to prepare the place to receive the clients tonight. I just wished Mizuho's first night at the inn was easy, nothing more.

PV: NARU

Ah, we finally finished Mizuho-san's move. What a strange thing, she looked like so familiar. During all the move, I fitted her for some instants and tried to remember her, from where I knew her. When I realized it was useless, I decided to focus my efforts in the move.

After the moment when Haruka-san left us, Kitsune proposed we made a welcome dinner to Mizuho, what it was easily accepted. At last, after so much work, we deserved a full meal. Shinobu was going to the kitchen, when Motoko insisted she could help, because the day had been so tiresome. Shinobu accepted the help and both girls were to the kitchen.

It was the moment when I realized Mizuho wasn't in the main room with us. So, I asked: "Does someone know where Mizuho-san is? It would be interesting she was here to talk a little".

"I don't know, but I think she came back to the room, I think she needed the get everything ready for tomorrow's classes, or something like that", Kaolla responded, sitting in the sofa like a puppy.

Mutsumi got closer to me and suggested: "Hey, Naru-san, how about going to Mizuho-san's room and invite her to step down? I think she can arrange her stuff later, don't you think?".

"Of course, Mutsumi-san. Let's go", I answered cheerfully, albeit I was suspicious it wasn't the only thing Mutsumi wanted to make. While we climbed the stairs, Mutsumi nudged me in the hip and I whispered: "And so, Mutsumi-san, what do you want?".

"Don't you think Mizuho-san is someone very familiar to us?", Mutsumi inquired of me. In fact, I also had the suspicion that Mizuho wasn't a stranger to me. I nodded positively to Mutsumi.

"So, do you think she passed thru our lives before too?", I completed. Mutsumi gave me back the nod. After she nodded, I said: "And you wanna talk about that with Mizuho?".

At that moment, we were in front of the door from Mizuho's room. Mutsumi said then: "Yes, I wanna know if she passed here before. I think it's a funny thing, ara ara!", While I knocked on the door, I laughed to myself, because Mutsumi keeps herself kind and smiling even in moments of tension.

It didn't take too long to Mizuho open the door e asked: "Mutsumi-san? Naru-san? Would you like to talk to me?'.

"Yes, Mizuho-san! Can we get in?", I asked. Mizuho lengthened her arm, giving permission. She was as funny as Mutsumi was, but she didn't seem to have the same innocent way the turtle girl had. She seemed to be more… daring, if I can put it that way. After the moment me and Mutsumi got in, I checked the room and completed: "Oh, now I paid more attention than before, I see your room is well arranged, Mizuho-san!".

"Ara, ara! Really, you have a good taste to choose the furnishings!", Mutsumi added.

"Hmm, my newer brother helped me to buy them. I like them very much, indeed! But it don't seem to me you want to talk about my tastes…", Mizuho affirmed. As I thought, she's not a fool. She's a person who seemed to be satisfied with her own life, but I could get a slight trace of second intentions. She'll be an interesting person to live with.

"Wow, Mizuho-san! You're really observant! We really have a doubt!", Mutsumi said, gaping. I found out that Mutsumi didn't expect Mizuho was so clever to apprehend things.

"And what would this doubt be?", Mizuho inquired. It's time for truth…

NEXT...

Chapter written between Feb-04-2005 and Feb-07-2005, and translated in Jun-30-2006. I used Mizuho as a person to provoke changes in the plot. And she's making a good job, isn't she? I'm using the time before I start my period as trainee (I'll get degree in Medicine in 2007). I don't know how much readers my saga have around the world, but I really thank all of you. I hope my saga is fulfilling your expectations… Min'na arigatou gosai masu!

In the Portuguese version, someone asked me where all my imagination come from. Lavoisier once said: "In the world, nothing is created and nothing is destroyed, everthing is transformed". The main idea came from a wallpaper, I got some inspiration from several fanfics and I just made my work. Everything about Love Hina I saw on internet inspired me to write what I wrote in this saga. If you're a person where it's easy to turn ideas into words, the story comes naturally. I don't believe in "gift", everything needs training – even writing. "Gift" is just a name to any human ability that can be trained and upgraded. If you want, you can make nice pieces of art, you don't need to be Shakespeare or Goethe.

P.S.: "green flag" is a device used by Brazilian lifeguards to indicate the beach located near to lifeguards stations is appropriate for swimming.