Disclaimer: I own no part of Love Hina, but Sean is me.
Here we are, the big 4-0!
Chapter XL: Love on Trial
Over the next few days, Kanako would pull more stunts to try to get Keitaro's attention and affection. For her part, she never went too far in her attempts, and only tried when she knew nobody else was around--or at least within earshot. Keitaro on the other hand, could only guess as to why his own sister was doing such perverse things to him. He never said anything to anyone about what she did; he felt the humiliation would be too much to bear, not to mention the fact that Naru and Motoko would attack either him, Kanako, or both, and he could not have that. Despite this, both of them knew it was just a matter of time before somebody found out…
---
Naru and Keitaro walked down a street, hand in hand. They glanced at each other and smiled; they knew what each other was thinking, but Keitaro decided to say it anyway. "I'm glad we're together," he said.
"Me too," Naru said. Before Sean and Keitaro came into her life, it had been nothing but study, study, study. They made her realize that there's more to life than schoolwork, and she was grateful to both of them for that. If not for the two men in her life, she probably would have become a complete burnout, destroying any hope of her ever getting into Tokyo U. Indeed, they were the best things that ever happened to her.
"I hope we can stay together forever," Keitaro said.
Naru was caught off guard by that remark. "Do you mean--?" Before she could finish, Keitaro turned her so they were fully facing each other. This was not the time for words; this was the time for actions, and both of them had the same thing in mind. Their faces inched closer to each other, but before they could make contact, Keitaro's face was jerked back. "Keitaro, what are you--?"
"Kanako, what are you doing?!" Keitaro asked, looking back at his sister; she was holding him by his hair. "Can't you see we're a little… busy right now?"
"Why, Oniichan?" Kanako asked. "Why do you continue to pursue this pointless relationship?"
"Pointless?!" Naru said.
"Yes, pointless. He's too good to waste his life with the likes of you."
"Why you impudent little--"
"That's what I'm talking about," Kanako said, her calm voice never wavering. "You're too short tempered. If he stays with you, he'll be in an abusive relationship for sure. He needs to be with someone who will care for him no matter what happens; someone like me."
"But Kanako--" Keitaro started to say, but was interrupted by Kanako grabbing him by the arm and trying to drag him away, but his other hand still had a firm grip on Naru's, so he wasn't going anywhere. "Kanako, I want to be with Naru, you'll only be a sister to me!"
"I can't live with that! I only want the best for you, oniichan! Please, be with me and leave this bitch behind!"
"No! I love Naru, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!" Seeing the look of determination on Keitaro's face reassured Naru of his affection towards her.
"We'll see about that!" Kanako pulled on Keitaro's arm as hard as she could, but Naru held onto the other arm, keeping him from going anywhere.
"Naru!" Keitaro yelled, ignoring the pain of being in a human tug of war. "Whatever you do, don't let go!"
"Don't worry, I won't!" Naru yelled back. She wasn't about to let some insubordinate slut take her man away from her; or at least not without a damn good fight.
"Give it up, Naru!" Kanako said. "There's no way you can win!"
"That's what you think!"
"That is what I think; and I'm not the only who does."
"What?"
"Just look behind you."
When Naru looked back, she was immediately brought into a lip lock. The shock from this caused her grip to falter, though she didn't realize it until it was too late.
"NARU!" Keitaro shouted as Kanako ran off with him in tow.
Naru quickly broke off the kiss and reached out to him. "Keitaro, no!" She found herself unable to chase after them, as the man had wrapped his arms around her waist. She watched on helplessly as the two siblings faded away into the distance. "No…" she whispered, then quickly turned on her captor, who turned out to be none other than Kentaro. "YOU!!" She screamed. "It's your fault this happened!" She tried to punch him, but her fist went right through his head, leaving it unharmed. "Why?" she asked, suddenly overcome by weakness. "Why didn't you let me go after them?!"
"If a loser like that wants to be with his own sister, let him. You deserve better than him. You deserve me." As Kentaro moved his head forward for another kiss, Naru tried to get away, but found herself frozen in place. There she was, stuck in an embrace with someone she'd wouldn't be with if he the last man on Earth, her boyfriend off doing who knows what with his own sister, and there was nothing she could do to prevent any of it… except…
--- Friday, 4/11 7:12 AM
Naru suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. This was the third time she had that same dream since Kanako's arrival, and it was starting to get to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that this dream might very well become a reality if she didn't play her cards right. "I have to tell him how I feel about her," she thought after calming down some. "There's nothing else I can do."
Over the last few days, she has tried to catch Kanako's troublemaking in the act, but to no avail. She wanted her to leave with a passion, but without absolute proof, there was no way of convincing Keitaro to take her side in the matter--or so she thought.
She got out of bed, changed and made her way to the door en route to the dining room and the kitchen, where Shinobu (and perhaps Sean as well) would be making breakfast. As her hand touched the portal, she heard a scream come from right below her; Keitaro's room. Fearing the worst, she rushed to open the trap door. "Are you alright?" she asked. All other words got stuck in her throat as she looked on at the startling sight.
Keitaro had his back against the wall. It appeared as though he was staring into the face of death incarnate. He turned his gaze away from Naru and towards his futon--and its unexpected occupant.
"What's wrong, oniichan?" Kanako asked, clutching the blanket close to her otherwise bare body. "Did I scare you?"
That was it. This was what Naru was waiting for. Not wasting any time, she jumped down the hole, landing in between the two siblings.
"Naru, I can explain--"
"Keitaro, I'm not mad at you," she said bluntly, her gaze never leaving Kanako. From the way she was looking at her, you'd think she was expecting lasers to shoot out of her eyes at any moment.
"Naru, don't hurt her," Keitaro said.
"Why not?! Nobody should be allowed to share a bed with you except me!" Naru suddenly realized just what she was implying. "What I mean is--"
Before Naru could fully explain, Sean opened the door. "What's going on up here? I heard screaming… oh my."
"Sean! I finally caught Kanako in the act! Kick her ass out!"
"Now hold on," Sean said. "Do you know for sure she's guilty?"
"Just look at her! She's naked in Keitaro's bed! Need more proof?"
"I suppose I should come clean," Kanako said, getting everyone's attention. "I've been coming on to oniichan since day one."
Naru looked at Keitaro. "Is this true?" Keitaro slowly nodded, ashamed. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I was afraid of what you'd do if I did. I didn't want to risk either me or her getting killed."
"He does have a point," Sean said.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" she cried, running out of the room.
"Naru, wait!" Keitaro said, following suit.
Sean heard Kanako chuckle. "And what's so funny?" he asked.
"It's only a matter of time, now," she said, a sinister smile on her face. "Soon, they'll break up and he'll come running back to me."
"That's what you think. They've had bigger fight over less. You think this little turn of events will keep them apart for long? Besides, I don't think any of us will have to worry about you anymore."
"And why's that?"
"As of today, you are evicted."
"When grandma finds out about this--"
"When she finds out the reason, I think she'll understand, and I intend to let her know about it. Start packing."
"And what if I don't want to?"
"You forget who you're talking to. Not only am I the landlord, but I'm also a wizard, and I could have you packed and on your way in an instant if I so choose. I suggest you do as I tell you if you want to leave under your own power." He left the room, hearing Kanako cursing him under her breath along the way. "I guess I should go check on Keitaro and Naru," he thought. He found Keitaro walking down the steps. "Is everything alright?"
"She locked herself in her room," Keitaro said. "She won't talk to me."
"Don't worry. She'll come around eventually. Plus, I've solved our little Kanako problem for now, so you'll only have to deal with the damage that's already been done."
"What did you do?"
"You'll find out along with the others at breakfast." The two men walked into the dining room, where Shinobu was just beginning to serve the morning meal.
"Good morning, Keitaro," she said in her usual, cheerful manner. "How are you?"
"I've felt better."
"What's wrong?"
"I assure you," Sean said. "all will be explained when the others get here."
"I wonder what's troubling him," Shinobu thought. "I heard a scream from upstairs a minute ago and Sean went to investigate it; maybe that has something to do with it."
A few minutes went by and Motoko, Kitsune and Suu arrived and took their seats at the table. "Alright," Sean said, "let's get this over with."
"Aren't we going to wait for Naru?" Motoko asked.
"Yeah, and Kanako, too," Shinobu added.
"Naru may not be joining us for breakfast this morning and what I have to say is about Kanako." Everyone gave Sean their undivided attention. "This morning--and from what I hear, from the day she showed up--Kanako has been trying to seduce her brother."
Kitsune was the only one with enough sense left to speak. "She what?"
"It's true," Keitaro said. "When we're alone, I find her wearing revealing clothing, but that was nothing compared to what she did this morning."
"That's a good way of putting it," Sean thought.
"What did she do that was so horrible?" Shinobu asked.
"When I woke up, I found her in my futon right next to me."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"She was naked."
"I take it back."
"Yes," Sean said. "Incest is a horrible thing, but everything's going to be fine."
"What did you do?" Kitsune asked.
"She has been evicted; she's packing her things even as we speak."
"Where will she go?" Keitaro asked.
"That's for her to decide."
"I guess the only thing left to do is fix things with Naru," Keitaro said.
"What do you mean?" Motoko asked.
"She saw what happened; and also found out how long it's been going on. That's why she's locked up in her room right now, refusing to talk to me."
"She must feel so hurt right now," Shinobu said. She watched Sean get up. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get some food up to her and try to talk some sense into her."
"Wait just a second," Kitsune said. "Don't you think Kanako's getting off a bit easy. I mean, she should be punished more than just getting kicked out."
"And what do you suggest?" Sean said.
"You're the genius when it comes to dealing out punishment, you figure it out."
"Hmm," Sean muttered, stroking her chin. "You're right. Something has to be done that will have a lasting effect on her, and make her want to stay away for quite a while…" He chuckled evilly. "I think I've got it."
"What do you have planned?" Shinobu asked.
"I'll tell you later. First, I have to help out Naru." With that, he grabbed Naru's food and walked out of the room.
"I think I'm going to enjoy this," Kitsune said.
---
Naru sat in a corner or her room, sulking, trying to force out the memory of what had just happened. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. "GO AWAY!!"
"Naru, please," Sean said from the other side of the door. "I just want to talk to you. Plus, I brought you some of Shinobu's wonderful cooking; I wouldn't want you to go hungry now, right?"
Naru sighed lightly. Someone to talk to was just the thing she needed right then. Keeping her emotions cooped up inside wouldn't do anything but lead her farther down the road to despair--and perhaps loneliness. Besides, she was getting pretty hungry. Slowly, she got up and opened the door. "Alright," she said. "Let's talk." She grabbed the tray of food and walked back to her table, Sean following close behind. A few moments of silence followed as Naru took a couple bites.
"Keitaro's worried about you, you know," Sean said all of a sudden.
"Hmm?" Naru asked, her mouth full.
"He thinks this whole thing is all his fault."
"Did he really say that?" Naru asked after swallowing.
"No, but it's written all over his face. Apparently, he thinks you're mad at him for not telling you about Kanako sooner."
"But why?" Naru asked, fighting back tears. "Why wouldn't he tell me?!"
"You have to look at things from his point of view. Even through all the things Kanako's done to him over the last few days, she's still his sister, and he didn't want to risk you hurting her, even if your reasons were justified."
Tears now flowed freely down Naru's face. "Damn it," she said. "Why does he have to be such a nice guy?! He can't stand to see anyone in pain but himself! He's too kindhearted for his own good!" She buried her face in Sean's chest.
"That's it, Naru," Sean said. "Let it all out. Everything's going to be alright." The next few minutes went by with Naru crying into Sean's shirt. "You'll have to talk to him sooner or later; let him know how you feel." He moved Naru away so he could look at her face. "And you can't be crying when you do." He placed a hand under Naru's chin and forced her to look him straight in the eye. "You're much cuter when you smile."
Naru grinned, wiping away the remainder of her tears. "Thank you."
"No problem. Now, I'll go so you can finish eating and start getting ready for school." Sean got up and started towards the door.
"Hold on a sec," Naru said. "What about Kanako?"
"Oh, don't you worry, that's been taken care of. She won't be bothering Keitaro for a long time."
"What did you do?"
"As you put it, I 'Kicked her ass out.'"
Naru's face lit up. "You mean she's gone?"
"She's getting her things together right now; though before she goes, I intend to having a little fun with her."
"What are you planning?" Sean walked over and whispered something in her ear, making her blush. "You gotta be kidding me!" Seeing Sean's evil smile proved otherwise. "Oh man, that's just mean."
"Don't you think it's an appropriate punishment?"
"Well, sure, but she's going to be pretty mad."
"Who cares? She won't be here for long anyway." He got up and went back to the door, stopping when he got there. "On a personal note, I'm glad I could prevent this whole thing from becoming a full scale war."
"Me too."
--- 8:01 AM
Either by design or by circumstance, Keitaro and Naru didn't see each other again until they left for school that morning. "Uh, Naru?" Keitaro asked as they walked down the steps. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Kanako."
"Don't worry about it," Naru said. "I know you care for your little sister and you just wanted to protect her, even thought she tried to seduce you any number of times." She smiled as she playfully jabbed him in the arm. "Though in the future, you should trust me enough to tell me these things a lot sooner. You know I've gotten much better at controlling my temper lately."
"Is that so?" a voice said when they reached the bottom of the steps.
Naru recognized the voice in an instant, though she wished she hadn't. "Oh no," she muttered.
"Oh yes," the man said. "It is I, Kentaro Sakata, here to visit my dear Naru!"
"Oh, shut up," Naru said.
Kentaro was stunned; it wasn't often he was the target of such words. As he watched Naru and Keitaro walk by, he regained his composure and played his trump card. "So, have you been getting my love letters?"
Naru stopped dead in her tracks. "Uh oh," she thought.
"Love letters?" Keitaro asked, raising an eyebrow. "He's been sending you love letters?!"
"I've gotten one every other day since we first met him," Naru said. She knew the tables had just been turned.
A not-so-friendly expression appeared on Keitaro's face. "Is that so?" Naru didn't like that tone of voice, but she noticed that he wasn't looking at her. "You've been bugging my girlfriend?" he asked, approaching Kentaro.
"Yeah, so what?"
"You picked a wrong time to bring this up. I've needed to let off some steam lately, and you'll work just fine."
Kentaro laughed. "Oh, please. You probably hit like a girl."
Keitaro smiled. "Is that what you think?"
"Keitaro," Naru said. "You don't have to do this."
"I think someone wants to get her licks in too," Keitaro said, still smiling. "Don't worry, I'll let you get him next time. Now where was I… oh yes, I was about to kick your sorry butt!"
"I'd like to see you try," Kentaro said.
"That's all I needed to hear." As soon as Keitaro got within arm's reach, Kentaro swung out at him, but with skill that surprised both Kentaro and Naru, he avoided the attack and gave his opponent a shot in the stomach, causing him to double over. A backhand to the back of the neck laid Kentaro out flat on the ground. "Want more?" Kentaro slowly got up and gave Keitaro a look of hatred for a few moments before leaving in a huff. "I think he forgot that you're a girl, Naru."
"Uh, Keitaro?" Naru asked. "How did you do that?"
"Sean's not the only one training with Motoko. Now, what's this about him sending you love letters?"
"Uh, sorry I didn't tell you. At first, I didn't think much of them, but they just kept coming--"
"You know what, let's just let my not telling you about Kanako and you not telling me about Kentaro cancel each other out and move on with our lives."
"Good idea."
"Now, what do you say we get toOOPS!" Keitaro tripped over his own feet. In his descent, he grabbed for something to help slow him down, and it ended up being Naru's skirt.
"He's still the same old klutz," Naru thought, a vein appearing in her forehead, but quickly vanished. "But still, I can't stay mad at him. Hey, I know…" She pulled her skirt back up and knelt in front of Keitaro. As he got up, he noticed a strange smile on Naru's face. "Not here, not now."
Keitaro watched Naru get up and walk off, confused by what she said. "Wait," he said, rushing to her side. "What did you mean by that?"
"You'll find out," Naru said. "…Maybe…"
--- 9:42 AM
"Well, I guess I'll be on my way," Kanako said as she entered the living room, luggage in hand.
"Actually," Sean said from his seat on the couch; Kitsune sat beside him. "There's something I want you to see before you go. Have a seat." He stood up and motioned for her to take his place.
"What do you have in mind?" Kanako asked as she sat down.
"You'll see." Sean reached into his pocket and retrieved what appeared to be a garage door opener. "Here," he tossed the device to Kitsune. "Go get the video for October 2nd."
"Why me?"
"I want you to see what I have planned."
Kitsune nodded, then went up to Sean's room. Pressing the button on the remote she held, the door to the video vault vanished. "Well," she said to herself as she walked in. "This thing will certainly come in handy. Now, let's see…" She scanned the room until she found the disk she was looking for. She noticed how it was labeled; "Alicia: Day 2."
"Oh, that's right," she thought. "That was back when Sean was a girl and we didn't know any better." She suddenly recalled what happened on that day, and her eyes grew wide. "Oh man, he's going to have to explain this one." She rushed back to the living room.
"Ah, you're back," Sean said. "I see you found it without any trouble."
"Sean get over here," Kitsune said, grabbing Sean by the arm and leading him out of the room. "What are you thinking?!" She whispered to him. "Why did you pick this one?"
"You remember what happened that day, right?"
"Of course, that's why I'm wondering."
"Think of it this way; she's been trying to get with Keitaro, right? Well, as a sendoff, I plan on showing her exactly what she'll be missing out on."
Kitsune was speechless for a few moments. "You're sick, you know that?"
Sean giggled evilly. "Let's go watch her squirm, shall we?"
Kitsune thought what Sean was planning was just wrong, but she had to admit, it should be very entertaining.
"Alright," Sean said, reentering the living room. "Let's get this show on the road; it'll be one you'll never forget. You're about to see a side of Keitaro you've only seen in your dreams." Sean started playing the video. After a while, it was obvious Kanako was getting uncomfortable, for one reason or another.
"I don't want to see any more of this," Kanako said. She tried to turn away, but found herself unable to move. "What's going on?!"
"I took a certain precaution," Sean said. "You're going to watch this whole thing, whether you like it or not."
"Oh God," Kanako thought. "I'm being tortured!"
Sean observed Kanako's reaction to the movie through the whole ordeal. He could tell she was getting hot and bothered, which was the desired effect. When the movie ended, Sean decided to begin the second phase of his plan. He stroked Kanako's chin with his finger, provoking a sigh from her. "Ah, it seems you were enjoying my little show." He tilted her brightly blushing face so he could look her in the eye. "And I think forcing you to watch that is a suitable punishment, am I right?"
"Why?" Kanako asked, barely able to form the words. "Why were you with my oniichan like that?"
"For starters, he didn't know that was really me at the time; nobody did."
"So," Kitsune said. "What are we going to do with her?"
"We shouldn't delay her departure any longer than we have to. I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here."
"Wait--" Kanako said.
"Buh-bye!"
The next thing she knew, Kanako was able to move again; and that she was right outside the front door. She tried to open the door, but found it locked. "Hey!" she yelled. "You can't just leave me like this!"
Suddenly, her luggage appeared by her side. "Will you pipe down?!" Sean yelled from inside. "We're trying to relax in here! Honestly, the nerve of some people…"
Kanako was enraged by the laughter she was hearing from inside. She grabbed her bags and ran off, partially to work off some of the excess energy that had built up during the screening. A few moments went by and an idea hit her.
("You know," Kitsune said. "There is a flaw in your big plan."
"And what's that?" Sean asked.)
Kanako walked up to the tea shop and stepped inside.
("You said that she couldn't stay here, but that doesn't include the tea shop, does it?")
"Hey aunt Haruka," Kanako said. "Could I stay here with you for a while?"
("I don't think we have to worry about that. Haruka already has her hands full with Sarah; she doesn't need some brother loving psycho hanging around too.")
"Hell no!" Haruka said, whacking Kanako in the back of the head. "And don't call me 'aunt!'"
"How can you just shun me like this?!" Kanako asked.
"Here's how." Haruka grabbed the back of Kanako's shirt and tossed her out the front door.
"See ya!" Sarah said. "Wouldn't wanna be ya!" Kanako left the premises, muttering angrily to herself.
("I suppose you're right," Kitsune said.
"Hey, what's that you got there?" Sean asked.
"That wasn't the only video I grabbed from your stash."
Sean noticed the label on the DVD case: October 31st. "Uh, do you really want to watch that?"
"I just want to see how good Motoko really is," Kitsune said, putting the disc into the DVD player.
"How did you find out about that, anyway?" Sean asked. "And do I have to watch with you?!")
End of Chapter XL
A bit abrupt perhaps, but I think it works. Besides, you don't really think that's the last we'll see of Kanako, do you? Anyway, I'm really (ahem) excited about the next chapter. See you then! Please R&R! (Oh, and in case you're wondering, the () sections were intended to be voice-overs.)
Here we are, the big 4-0!
Chapter XL: Love on Trial
Over the next few days, Kanako would pull more stunts to try to get Keitaro's attention and affection. For her part, she never went too far in her attempts, and only tried when she knew nobody else was around--or at least within earshot. Keitaro on the other hand, could only guess as to why his own sister was doing such perverse things to him. He never said anything to anyone about what she did; he felt the humiliation would be too much to bear, not to mention the fact that Naru and Motoko would attack either him, Kanako, or both, and he could not have that. Despite this, both of them knew it was just a matter of time before somebody found out…
---
Naru and Keitaro walked down a street, hand in hand. They glanced at each other and smiled; they knew what each other was thinking, but Keitaro decided to say it anyway. "I'm glad we're together," he said.
"Me too," Naru said. Before Sean and Keitaro came into her life, it had been nothing but study, study, study. They made her realize that there's more to life than schoolwork, and she was grateful to both of them for that. If not for the two men in her life, she probably would have become a complete burnout, destroying any hope of her ever getting into Tokyo U. Indeed, they were the best things that ever happened to her.
"I hope we can stay together forever," Keitaro said.
Naru was caught off guard by that remark. "Do you mean--?" Before she could finish, Keitaro turned her so they were fully facing each other. This was not the time for words; this was the time for actions, and both of them had the same thing in mind. Their faces inched closer to each other, but before they could make contact, Keitaro's face was jerked back. "Keitaro, what are you--?"
"Kanako, what are you doing?!" Keitaro asked, looking back at his sister; she was holding him by his hair. "Can't you see we're a little… busy right now?"
"Why, Oniichan?" Kanako asked. "Why do you continue to pursue this pointless relationship?"
"Pointless?!" Naru said.
"Yes, pointless. He's too good to waste his life with the likes of you."
"Why you impudent little--"
"That's what I'm talking about," Kanako said, her calm voice never wavering. "You're too short tempered. If he stays with you, he'll be in an abusive relationship for sure. He needs to be with someone who will care for him no matter what happens; someone like me."
"But Kanako--" Keitaro started to say, but was interrupted by Kanako grabbing him by the arm and trying to drag him away, but his other hand still had a firm grip on Naru's, so he wasn't going anywhere. "Kanako, I want to be with Naru, you'll only be a sister to me!"
"I can't live with that! I only want the best for you, oniichan! Please, be with me and leave this bitch behind!"
"No! I love Naru, and there's nothing you can do to stop it!" Seeing the look of determination on Keitaro's face reassured Naru of his affection towards her.
"We'll see about that!" Kanako pulled on Keitaro's arm as hard as she could, but Naru held onto the other arm, keeping him from going anywhere.
"Naru!" Keitaro yelled, ignoring the pain of being in a human tug of war. "Whatever you do, don't let go!"
"Don't worry, I won't!" Naru yelled back. She wasn't about to let some insubordinate slut take her man away from her; or at least not without a damn good fight.
"Give it up, Naru!" Kanako said. "There's no way you can win!"
"That's what you think!"
"That is what I think; and I'm not the only who does."
"What?"
"Just look behind you."
When Naru looked back, she was immediately brought into a lip lock. The shock from this caused her grip to falter, though she didn't realize it until it was too late.
"NARU!" Keitaro shouted as Kanako ran off with him in tow.
Naru quickly broke off the kiss and reached out to him. "Keitaro, no!" She found herself unable to chase after them, as the man had wrapped his arms around her waist. She watched on helplessly as the two siblings faded away into the distance. "No…" she whispered, then quickly turned on her captor, who turned out to be none other than Kentaro. "YOU!!" She screamed. "It's your fault this happened!" She tried to punch him, but her fist went right through his head, leaving it unharmed. "Why?" she asked, suddenly overcome by weakness. "Why didn't you let me go after them?!"
"If a loser like that wants to be with his own sister, let him. You deserve better than him. You deserve me." As Kentaro moved his head forward for another kiss, Naru tried to get away, but found herself frozen in place. There she was, stuck in an embrace with someone she'd wouldn't be with if he the last man on Earth, her boyfriend off doing who knows what with his own sister, and there was nothing she could do to prevent any of it… except…
--- Friday, 4/11 7:12 AM
Naru suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. This was the third time she had that same dream since Kanako's arrival, and it was starting to get to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that this dream might very well become a reality if she didn't play her cards right. "I have to tell him how I feel about her," she thought after calming down some. "There's nothing else I can do."
Over the last few days, she has tried to catch Kanako's troublemaking in the act, but to no avail. She wanted her to leave with a passion, but without absolute proof, there was no way of convincing Keitaro to take her side in the matter--or so she thought.
She got out of bed, changed and made her way to the door en route to the dining room and the kitchen, where Shinobu (and perhaps Sean as well) would be making breakfast. As her hand touched the portal, she heard a scream come from right below her; Keitaro's room. Fearing the worst, she rushed to open the trap door. "Are you alright?" she asked. All other words got stuck in her throat as she looked on at the startling sight.
Keitaro had his back against the wall. It appeared as though he was staring into the face of death incarnate. He turned his gaze away from Naru and towards his futon--and its unexpected occupant.
"What's wrong, oniichan?" Kanako asked, clutching the blanket close to her otherwise bare body. "Did I scare you?"
That was it. This was what Naru was waiting for. Not wasting any time, she jumped down the hole, landing in between the two siblings.
"Naru, I can explain--"
"Keitaro, I'm not mad at you," she said bluntly, her gaze never leaving Kanako. From the way she was looking at her, you'd think she was expecting lasers to shoot out of her eyes at any moment.
"Naru, don't hurt her," Keitaro said.
"Why not?! Nobody should be allowed to share a bed with you except me!" Naru suddenly realized just what she was implying. "What I mean is--"
Before Naru could fully explain, Sean opened the door. "What's going on up here? I heard screaming… oh my."
"Sean! I finally caught Kanako in the act! Kick her ass out!"
"Now hold on," Sean said. "Do you know for sure she's guilty?"
"Just look at her! She's naked in Keitaro's bed! Need more proof?"
"I suppose I should come clean," Kanako said, getting everyone's attention. "I've been coming on to oniichan since day one."
Naru looked at Keitaro. "Is this true?" Keitaro slowly nodded, ashamed. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I was afraid of what you'd do if I did. I didn't want to risk either me or her getting killed."
"He does have a point," Sean said.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" she cried, running out of the room.
"Naru, wait!" Keitaro said, following suit.
Sean heard Kanako chuckle. "And what's so funny?" he asked.
"It's only a matter of time, now," she said, a sinister smile on her face. "Soon, they'll break up and he'll come running back to me."
"That's what you think. They've had bigger fight over less. You think this little turn of events will keep them apart for long? Besides, I don't think any of us will have to worry about you anymore."
"And why's that?"
"As of today, you are evicted."
"When grandma finds out about this--"
"When she finds out the reason, I think she'll understand, and I intend to let her know about it. Start packing."
"And what if I don't want to?"
"You forget who you're talking to. Not only am I the landlord, but I'm also a wizard, and I could have you packed and on your way in an instant if I so choose. I suggest you do as I tell you if you want to leave under your own power." He left the room, hearing Kanako cursing him under her breath along the way. "I guess I should go check on Keitaro and Naru," he thought. He found Keitaro walking down the steps. "Is everything alright?"
"She locked herself in her room," Keitaro said. "She won't talk to me."
"Don't worry. She'll come around eventually. Plus, I've solved our little Kanako problem for now, so you'll only have to deal with the damage that's already been done."
"What did you do?"
"You'll find out along with the others at breakfast." The two men walked into the dining room, where Shinobu was just beginning to serve the morning meal.
"Good morning, Keitaro," she said in her usual, cheerful manner. "How are you?"
"I've felt better."
"What's wrong?"
"I assure you," Sean said. "all will be explained when the others get here."
"I wonder what's troubling him," Shinobu thought. "I heard a scream from upstairs a minute ago and Sean went to investigate it; maybe that has something to do with it."
A few minutes went by and Motoko, Kitsune and Suu arrived and took their seats at the table. "Alright," Sean said, "let's get this over with."
"Aren't we going to wait for Naru?" Motoko asked.
"Yeah, and Kanako, too," Shinobu added.
"Naru may not be joining us for breakfast this morning and what I have to say is about Kanako." Everyone gave Sean their undivided attention. "This morning--and from what I hear, from the day she showed up--Kanako has been trying to seduce her brother."
Kitsune was the only one with enough sense left to speak. "She what?"
"It's true," Keitaro said. "When we're alone, I find her wearing revealing clothing, but that was nothing compared to what she did this morning."
"That's a good way of putting it," Sean thought.
"What did she do that was so horrible?" Shinobu asked.
"When I woke up, I found her in my futon right next to me."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"She was naked."
"I take it back."
"Yes," Sean said. "Incest is a horrible thing, but everything's going to be fine."
"What did you do?" Kitsune asked.
"She has been evicted; she's packing her things even as we speak."
"Where will she go?" Keitaro asked.
"That's for her to decide."
"I guess the only thing left to do is fix things with Naru," Keitaro said.
"What do you mean?" Motoko asked.
"She saw what happened; and also found out how long it's been going on. That's why she's locked up in her room right now, refusing to talk to me."
"She must feel so hurt right now," Shinobu said. She watched Sean get up. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get some food up to her and try to talk some sense into her."
"Wait just a second," Kitsune said. "Don't you think Kanako's getting off a bit easy. I mean, she should be punished more than just getting kicked out."
"And what do you suggest?" Sean said.
"You're the genius when it comes to dealing out punishment, you figure it out."
"Hmm," Sean muttered, stroking her chin. "You're right. Something has to be done that will have a lasting effect on her, and make her want to stay away for quite a while…" He chuckled evilly. "I think I've got it."
"What do you have planned?" Shinobu asked.
"I'll tell you later. First, I have to help out Naru." With that, he grabbed Naru's food and walked out of the room.
"I think I'm going to enjoy this," Kitsune said.
---
Naru sat in a corner or her room, sulking, trying to force out the memory of what had just happened. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. "GO AWAY!!"
"Naru, please," Sean said from the other side of the door. "I just want to talk to you. Plus, I brought you some of Shinobu's wonderful cooking; I wouldn't want you to go hungry now, right?"
Naru sighed lightly. Someone to talk to was just the thing she needed right then. Keeping her emotions cooped up inside wouldn't do anything but lead her farther down the road to despair--and perhaps loneliness. Besides, she was getting pretty hungry. Slowly, she got up and opened the door. "Alright," she said. "Let's talk." She grabbed the tray of food and walked back to her table, Sean following close behind. A few moments of silence followed as Naru took a couple bites.
"Keitaro's worried about you, you know," Sean said all of a sudden.
"Hmm?" Naru asked, her mouth full.
"He thinks this whole thing is all his fault."
"Did he really say that?" Naru asked after swallowing.
"No, but it's written all over his face. Apparently, he thinks you're mad at him for not telling you about Kanako sooner."
"But why?" Naru asked, fighting back tears. "Why wouldn't he tell me?!"
"You have to look at things from his point of view. Even through all the things Kanako's done to him over the last few days, she's still his sister, and he didn't want to risk you hurting her, even if your reasons were justified."
Tears now flowed freely down Naru's face. "Damn it," she said. "Why does he have to be such a nice guy?! He can't stand to see anyone in pain but himself! He's too kindhearted for his own good!" She buried her face in Sean's chest.
"That's it, Naru," Sean said. "Let it all out. Everything's going to be alright." The next few minutes went by with Naru crying into Sean's shirt. "You'll have to talk to him sooner or later; let him know how you feel." He moved Naru away so he could look at her face. "And you can't be crying when you do." He placed a hand under Naru's chin and forced her to look him straight in the eye. "You're much cuter when you smile."
Naru grinned, wiping away the remainder of her tears. "Thank you."
"No problem. Now, I'll go so you can finish eating and start getting ready for school." Sean got up and started towards the door.
"Hold on a sec," Naru said. "What about Kanako?"
"Oh, don't you worry, that's been taken care of. She won't be bothering Keitaro for a long time."
"What did you do?"
"As you put it, I 'Kicked her ass out.'"
Naru's face lit up. "You mean she's gone?"
"She's getting her things together right now; though before she goes, I intend to having a little fun with her."
"What are you planning?" Sean walked over and whispered something in her ear, making her blush. "You gotta be kidding me!" Seeing Sean's evil smile proved otherwise. "Oh man, that's just mean."
"Don't you think it's an appropriate punishment?"
"Well, sure, but she's going to be pretty mad."
"Who cares? She won't be here for long anyway." He got up and went back to the door, stopping when he got there. "On a personal note, I'm glad I could prevent this whole thing from becoming a full scale war."
"Me too."
--- 8:01 AM
Either by design or by circumstance, Keitaro and Naru didn't see each other again until they left for school that morning. "Uh, Naru?" Keitaro asked as they walked down the steps. "I'm sorry for not telling you about Kanako."
"Don't worry about it," Naru said. "I know you care for your little sister and you just wanted to protect her, even thought she tried to seduce you any number of times." She smiled as she playfully jabbed him in the arm. "Though in the future, you should trust me enough to tell me these things a lot sooner. You know I've gotten much better at controlling my temper lately."
"Is that so?" a voice said when they reached the bottom of the steps.
Naru recognized the voice in an instant, though she wished she hadn't. "Oh no," she muttered.
"Oh yes," the man said. "It is I, Kentaro Sakata, here to visit my dear Naru!"
"Oh, shut up," Naru said.
Kentaro was stunned; it wasn't often he was the target of such words. As he watched Naru and Keitaro walk by, he regained his composure and played his trump card. "So, have you been getting my love letters?"
Naru stopped dead in her tracks. "Uh oh," she thought.
"Love letters?" Keitaro asked, raising an eyebrow. "He's been sending you love letters?!"
"I've gotten one every other day since we first met him," Naru said. She knew the tables had just been turned.
A not-so-friendly expression appeared on Keitaro's face. "Is that so?" Naru didn't like that tone of voice, but she noticed that he wasn't looking at her. "You've been bugging my girlfriend?" he asked, approaching Kentaro.
"Yeah, so what?"
"You picked a wrong time to bring this up. I've needed to let off some steam lately, and you'll work just fine."
Kentaro laughed. "Oh, please. You probably hit like a girl."
Keitaro smiled. "Is that what you think?"
"Keitaro," Naru said. "You don't have to do this."
"I think someone wants to get her licks in too," Keitaro said, still smiling. "Don't worry, I'll let you get him next time. Now where was I… oh yes, I was about to kick your sorry butt!"
"I'd like to see you try," Kentaro said.
"That's all I needed to hear." As soon as Keitaro got within arm's reach, Kentaro swung out at him, but with skill that surprised both Kentaro and Naru, he avoided the attack and gave his opponent a shot in the stomach, causing him to double over. A backhand to the back of the neck laid Kentaro out flat on the ground. "Want more?" Kentaro slowly got up and gave Keitaro a look of hatred for a few moments before leaving in a huff. "I think he forgot that you're a girl, Naru."
"Uh, Keitaro?" Naru asked. "How did you do that?"
"Sean's not the only one training with Motoko. Now, what's this about him sending you love letters?"
"Uh, sorry I didn't tell you. At first, I didn't think much of them, but they just kept coming--"
"You know what, let's just let my not telling you about Kanako and you not telling me about Kentaro cancel each other out and move on with our lives."
"Good idea."
"Now, what do you say we get toOOPS!" Keitaro tripped over his own feet. In his descent, he grabbed for something to help slow him down, and it ended up being Naru's skirt.
"He's still the same old klutz," Naru thought, a vein appearing in her forehead, but quickly vanished. "But still, I can't stay mad at him. Hey, I know…" She pulled her skirt back up and knelt in front of Keitaro. As he got up, he noticed a strange smile on Naru's face. "Not here, not now."
Keitaro watched Naru get up and walk off, confused by what she said. "Wait," he said, rushing to her side. "What did you mean by that?"
"You'll find out," Naru said. "…Maybe…"
--- 9:42 AM
"Well, I guess I'll be on my way," Kanako said as she entered the living room, luggage in hand.
"Actually," Sean said from his seat on the couch; Kitsune sat beside him. "There's something I want you to see before you go. Have a seat." He stood up and motioned for her to take his place.
"What do you have in mind?" Kanako asked as she sat down.
"You'll see." Sean reached into his pocket and retrieved what appeared to be a garage door opener. "Here," he tossed the device to Kitsune. "Go get the video for October 2nd."
"Why me?"
"I want you to see what I have planned."
Kitsune nodded, then went up to Sean's room. Pressing the button on the remote she held, the door to the video vault vanished. "Well," she said to herself as she walked in. "This thing will certainly come in handy. Now, let's see…" She scanned the room until she found the disk she was looking for. She noticed how it was labeled; "Alicia: Day 2."
"Oh, that's right," she thought. "That was back when Sean was a girl and we didn't know any better." She suddenly recalled what happened on that day, and her eyes grew wide. "Oh man, he's going to have to explain this one." She rushed back to the living room.
"Ah, you're back," Sean said. "I see you found it without any trouble."
"Sean get over here," Kitsune said, grabbing Sean by the arm and leading him out of the room. "What are you thinking?!" She whispered to him. "Why did you pick this one?"
"You remember what happened that day, right?"
"Of course, that's why I'm wondering."
"Think of it this way; she's been trying to get with Keitaro, right? Well, as a sendoff, I plan on showing her exactly what she'll be missing out on."
Kitsune was speechless for a few moments. "You're sick, you know that?"
Sean giggled evilly. "Let's go watch her squirm, shall we?"
Kitsune thought what Sean was planning was just wrong, but she had to admit, it should be very entertaining.
"Alright," Sean said, reentering the living room. "Let's get this show on the road; it'll be one you'll never forget. You're about to see a side of Keitaro you've only seen in your dreams." Sean started playing the video. After a while, it was obvious Kanako was getting uncomfortable, for one reason or another.
"I don't want to see any more of this," Kanako said. She tried to turn away, but found herself unable to move. "What's going on?!"
"I took a certain precaution," Sean said. "You're going to watch this whole thing, whether you like it or not."
"Oh God," Kanako thought. "I'm being tortured!"
Sean observed Kanako's reaction to the movie through the whole ordeal. He could tell she was getting hot and bothered, which was the desired effect. When the movie ended, Sean decided to begin the second phase of his plan. He stroked Kanako's chin with his finger, provoking a sigh from her. "Ah, it seems you were enjoying my little show." He tilted her brightly blushing face so he could look her in the eye. "And I think forcing you to watch that is a suitable punishment, am I right?"
"Why?" Kanako asked, barely able to form the words. "Why were you with my oniichan like that?"
"For starters, he didn't know that was really me at the time; nobody did."
"So," Kitsune said. "What are we going to do with her?"
"We shouldn't delay her departure any longer than we have to. I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here."
"Wait--" Kanako said.
"Buh-bye!"
The next thing she knew, Kanako was able to move again; and that she was right outside the front door. She tried to open the door, but found it locked. "Hey!" she yelled. "You can't just leave me like this!"
Suddenly, her luggage appeared by her side. "Will you pipe down?!" Sean yelled from inside. "We're trying to relax in here! Honestly, the nerve of some people…"
Kanako was enraged by the laughter she was hearing from inside. She grabbed her bags and ran off, partially to work off some of the excess energy that had built up during the screening. A few moments went by and an idea hit her.
("You know," Kitsune said. "There is a flaw in your big plan."
"And what's that?" Sean asked.)
Kanako walked up to the tea shop and stepped inside.
("You said that she couldn't stay here, but that doesn't include the tea shop, does it?")
"Hey aunt Haruka," Kanako said. "Could I stay here with you for a while?"
("I don't think we have to worry about that. Haruka already has her hands full with Sarah; she doesn't need some brother loving psycho hanging around too.")
"Hell no!" Haruka said, whacking Kanako in the back of the head. "And don't call me 'aunt!'"
"How can you just shun me like this?!" Kanako asked.
"Here's how." Haruka grabbed the back of Kanako's shirt and tossed her out the front door.
"See ya!" Sarah said. "Wouldn't wanna be ya!" Kanako left the premises, muttering angrily to herself.
("I suppose you're right," Kitsune said.
"Hey, what's that you got there?" Sean asked.
"That wasn't the only video I grabbed from your stash."
Sean noticed the label on the DVD case: October 31st. "Uh, do you really want to watch that?"
"I just want to see how good Motoko really is," Kitsune said, putting the disc into the DVD player.
"How did you find out about that, anyway?" Sean asked. "And do I have to watch with you?!")
End of Chapter XL
A bit abrupt perhaps, but I think it works. Besides, you don't really think that's the last we'll see of Kanako, do you? Anyway, I'm really (ahem) excited about the next chapter. See you then! Please R&R! (Oh, and in case you're wondering, the () sections were intended to be voice-overs.)