Harmony of One
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, any of its characters, or any thing Love Hina-ish. Ken Akamatsu does. So thank him for creating this awesome manga series.
A/N: I'm sorry that this has taken so long. If you haven't noticed, though, this story is almost over. At least I think so, but maybe not :). Please R&R!
"…" Denotes speech
Italics Denotes thought
Bold Denotes sound effects
Certain Sounds:
GOOMPH! Means Fainting
DOOONG! Means Shock
:blah: Denotes time/time change
A scene/scene change is denoted by an extra line.
Chapter 14: The First Date & First Love
The sun was shining, there were no clouds in the sky, and a slight breeze just blew about, scattering discarded papers that had found their way from their owners' hands. All in all, it was the perfect day for a date.
Or so Keitaro told himself. There was still a large problem that seemed to loom on the horizon, slightly out of sight and very out of reach right now. And that was Motoko. Actually, Keitaro thought, it's probably my fault. He was earning too many stares, and besides the fact he was already red because Motoko had decided to be bold and grab his hand sometime during their walk to a café, Keitaro was extremely nervous. Many people muttered things, and much like his first "date" with Narusegawa, most people said something about an "ill match." Thank goodness for him that Motoko did not feel like that at all, and though she was blushing even more furiously than Keitaro she remained firm.
They sat down at a table at the café where Keitaro had so long ago brought Narusegawa. A waiter came by offering menus which Keitaro graciously took so he could hide his face in it.
It wasn't so much that Keitaro was ashamed – it was quite the opposite. He was just scared of himself…for Motoko, that is. He looked at the menu and decided all he wanted was some udon noodles – good enough for him. He had brought a lot of money with him; he still had some left over from his job with Seta because he hadn't used much of it at all. He glanced at Motoko furtively who seemed to be buried in her menu as well. Oh, the pain his heart endured when he reluctantly slipped back behind his menu. He wanted Motoko to order first, to make sure that if said he only wanted some noodles that Motoko didn't feel pressured to order something with the same price cost.
"So…what's good here?" Motoko asked suddenly. Keitaro's palms became sweaty as he flipped through the menu.
"Uh…the teriyaki here is pretty good. Oh, and the ramen is supposed to be better than average over here. Personally, I like the beef bowl at another place, but here it's pretty good," Keitaro said. He cringed mentally as he made his last comment and wished he hadn't.
"Oh? Where is that?" Motoko asked. "We could go there instead."
"No…it's a fast food place, you wouldn't want me to take you there," Keitaro said.
"But then it must mean that you visit that place all the time! Let's go, I think it'd be fun," Motoko said, and Keitaro knew defeat when he saw it and stood up.
(A/N: I'm going to stretch the "truth" here and say that Keitaro has gone to this fast food chain so many times he knows most of the people there. If you're offended by this obvious inaccuracy since he eats Shinobu's food everyday, I'm sorry but I figured it would be more fun this way. author sticks out tongue Ok, back to the story)
The Beef Bowl restaurant that Keitaro had liked so much was a typical "bowl" noodle fast food restaurant, except with some certainty it had good beef bowl. Motoko looked on and as she saw this restaurant she realized that she passed every day on the way home from school, and certainly many times she had probably passed Keitaro eating in there. A chime rang as Keitaro and Motoko entered the restaurant.
"Hey Keitaro!" a waiter/busboy greeted coming over with a menu.
"Hey Keitaro!" another man said.
"Keitaro…what's up?" the woman behind the counter greeted.
"Hello Daisuke," Keitaro said, to the first waiter that had greeted him.
"Oo, who's this pretty lady you have at your arm?" Daisuke asked, and with some form of embarrassment Motoko realized she had been holding Keitaro's arm. She didn't let go, however.
"Um…" Keitaro mumbled. "Daisuke this is Motoko-chan. Motoko-chan, Daisuke."
"Glad to make your acquaintance," Daisuke greeted, bowing low. "Any friend…or more…is welcome here at our lowly Bowl Noodle Hut" At the hint Daisuke raised his eyebrows at Keitaro but Keitaro said nothing. The store was odd in that there were no tables but counters with stools – this duly noted, Motoko sat down and put her hands on her skirt, not sure how to sit properly on a stool without revealing anything. Keitaro sat normally and was browsing through the menu when Daisuke came by, it seemed, after he just hanged up the phone.
"By the way, a certain Morita Noriko dropped by and told me to tell her if you come by. I just called her." Daisuke said. "She said she was your good friend." Keitaro's jaw dropped and Motoko almost fell off her stool.
"WHAT!" Keitaro screamed. "WHO!" His rage was only masked by his hope that Daisuke had not said
"Morita Noriko," Daisuke told him.
"Why!" Keitaro said. "Why would you tell RANDOM people?"
"Hey!" Daisuke said defensively, putting both his hands in front of him and backing away. "She said she was your good friend!" Keitaro, who wished for the first time in his life to pummel someone (Daisuke), ignored him and grabbed Motoko's wrist. She blushed at his touch.
"We have to get out of here Motoko-chan," he said, and jumping to the ground he almost dragged Motoko towards the exit of the restaurant. The door chimed, however, and Keitaro who at the time was looking towards Motoko crashed into the unsuspecting customer who had just entered.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but," Keitaro started to say as he turned around to help the person he knocked down up but suddenly he stifled a gasp as he saw the green eyes and brown hair of a certain Morita Noriko!
"Keitaro-sama♥!" she squealed, and she launched herself against him with arms outstretched. Knowing this fate would be worse than death Keitaro dodged just barely so Noriko went flying and crashed into a table bringing it down along with anything that was on top of it. While Keitaro felt a twinge of guilt for Noriko he was resolute because he couldn't let this date end like every other date he had went on, which while admittedly was very few they always were chaos. Chime! As he left the Beef Bowl Hut he thought furiously, normal…please let this date go like normal!
"KEITARO-SAMA! COME BACK!" Noriko yelled at the disappearing figures of Keitaro and Motoko. But they disappeared out of sight. "You can run…" Noiko said. "But you can't hide." She then cackled.
Somewhere else…
CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!
"Take it easy."
CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!
"Hey, are you listening!"
CHOMP! CHOMP! CH—
"Komi-chan!" Sakura wailed. Sakura and Komachi had been eating at a café – actually, Sakura had been gobbling it down when Komachi had taken the food away. Komachi still held the bowl away.
"Don't be so stingy!" Sakura cried, trying to get it but Komachi was almost as tall as Motoko and Sakura had no chance.
"Stop eating so fast and I'll give it back to you," Komachi said. "I don't want to have to do CPR on you." Sakura pouted as she sat back down glumly.
"Fine," she said, sticking her tongue out even though she was a high school student.
"You act like a little child," Komachi said as she gave the bowl back to Sakura. She started eating though was more controlled. Sakura finally finished eating while Komachi sipped the bubble tea she had bought.
"So…" Sakura asked. "You think Motoko and Keitaro are good?" Komachi flinched but didn't say much.
"Sure," she mumbled.
"Haha! You still like him don't you?" Sakura asked.
"No…no, it's okay," Komachi said. And she really was okay…
"But you still don't feel its right?" Sakura asked. "Don't worry, you can tell me anything!" Komachi sort of shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know what to think, Sakura. If they want to…" Komachi trailed off.
"Come on know, Komi-chan, two of your friends are becoming a couple! Of course you'll feel odd!" Sakura said. For all her naivety, Sakura seemed to know especially when compared to Motoko or Komachi what they were feeling. She said she studied about this stuff, but then again how can one really study this? Komachi sort of grunted something.
"Komi-chan, don't deny your feelings!" Sakura said. "It could be like some great romance novel of all time! The Kendo Girls it could be titled!" Komachi snorted.
"Don't be ridiculous!" she said.
"In the beginning," Sakura continued. "There were two kendo girls who both were best friends and abhorred boys. Then…one man entered…Urashima Keitaro! Yes, this man would break their barrier, becoming the love item of both and—"
"Sakura! That's enough," Komachi said. Sakura stopped, giggling.
"Oh, you know that would be a good book. I should write one…" Sakura thought.
"Like you could ever finish a book. You don't even have the attention span to read a book, much less write one," Komachi said. "Let's go, anyways." BAM! Suddenly a loud clanging was heard and Komachi and Sakura turned around to see that a table had been flipped over.
"Wow…that guy is really dumb," Sakura said. She peered over at the man profusely apologizing to the managers and waiters and whoever else was even looking at what happened.
"Probably some stupid male. Ignore him and let's go," Komachi said, standing up and taking her empty cup to the trash. They were near the exit when Sakura gasped and pointed.
"That stupid male is Keitaro-kun! And Motoko is with him!" she exclaimed.
"What!" Komachi cried out. Immediately all thoughts of leaving left her mind. How could she leave now? Impossible!
"Look!" Sakura whispered. "They're sitting down and…oh my word…they're holding hands!" she nearly squealed. Komachi did indeed see that, and for some reason she felt a bump in her heart beat.
"Quick!" Sakura hissed, pointing to a table a couple of tables behind the one Motoko and Keitaro were sitting at. "Get that one!" They virtually leapt for it, knocking a couple who obviously were going to sit there instead but just hadn't made it.
"How rude!" the woman said, but the man, not really caring, pointed to another one. They sat there instead. Sakura meanwhile, had unfurled a listening device ("I got it from Su!") and gave a pair of headphones to Komachi who, swallowing guiltily, put them on. Sakura already had a pair jammed on her head, and she passed a note to Komachi while she listened intently. The note gave some basic instructions on how to use it, but what Komachi noticed the most was that it mentioned a transmitting station and receiving station, meaning that something must already be planted on Keitaro! She took a slow glance in his direction and spied the transmitting station immediately. It was a corsage that was quite obviously placed on his sweatshirt, and considering how out of place it was it must be the device! Komachi felt even worse because this means Sakura had planned this all along and coming out for a shopping trip was only an excuse! She felt tricked that she had been forced to participate on this surely illegal activity, but she realized if told she probably would not have said no.
Suddenly they began to talk.
"Motoko-chan…" Keitaro said. "Do you…um…do you see her?" Komachi, since she was far enough away to observe them without them noticing her, saw Motoko shake her head to which Keitaro sighed in relief.
"Good," Keitaro said, wiping his brow. "Well…I'm sorry it turned out this way. But this café is as good a place as any, so how about eating here to start our, err, date?"
"Su-sure, Keitaro," Motoko said. Komachi, who was in a daze ever since he heard Keitaro say "date," realized that Motoko was still grasping Keitaro's hands beneath the table. She also was shocked at the outfit that Motoko was wearing. A quick glance confirmed that it was something Sakura would wear, not Motoko, whose stern appearance usually put most boys off and if that wasn't enough, a blast of ki from her sword would. A mini-skirt…Motoko-chan is wearing a mini-skirt, Komachi thought with a slight twinge of horror that came for an unknown reason. She saw a waiter come by and ask what drinks and appetizers they would want.
"Hmm…I don't know…" Keitaro mused. He looked at Motoko. "Do you want anything?" Motoko seemed to think for a moment, but then she shook her head.
"I'm not that hungry," Motoko said.
"No appetizers, then," he told the waiter. "And I would just like some water with a slice of lemon, perhaps."
"And for you, miss?" the waiter asked. He held his pen, ready to write.
"Ah…just water for me too," she said. "No lemon." The waiter wrote something down then left.
An uncomfortable silence settled upon the two and Komachi was holding her breath.
"Motoko…say something!" she said to herself more than anyone, but to her great surprise Motoko did.
"So...how did you think you did on the test?" Motoko asked. Keitaro thought about it for a moment, but then laughed out loud, the first time he had done so since he started this date.
"Motoko-chan, you took the test for me!" he said.
"Oh. Yeah, I remember that now," she said, a smile creeping on her face.
"So," Keitaro said. "How did you do on the test?"
"Not too bad, for being you. You should thank me, actually because now you have a fighting chance to get into Todai," Motoko commented.
"Wh-what! I'm not that dumb," Keitaro protested. He again brought out his "B" that he had received on his mock exam. "See?"
"I remember something about a fluke…" Motoko said daringly.
"Fluke! This was hard work at its finest!" Keitaro exclaimed.
"Its finest is obviously not that good," Motoko said. Keitaro stood up, ready to shout at Motoko when she laughed and he felt his heart move several paces ahead. Ka-thump!
"Keitaro?" Motoko asked. Keitaro sat down, his clenched fist spreading out and he looked at the ground and felt his heart. Da-dum! Da-dum! Da-dum!
"I'm okay," he said. Motoko stared at him for a bit, but didn't say anything. Keitaro felt another uncomfortable silence settle down and he longed to fill the void with something.
"So…how's kendo?" Keitaro asked.
"Fine, I guess," Motoko replied. Silence.
"Err…talk to your sister lately?" Keitaro asked.
"No." Keitaro now felt more awkward then before. What to ask that didn't sound incredibly stupid or trite? He wanted to ask several things, but all of them included some possibility of embarrassment and he didn't want anything to do with that.
"So, err," Keitaro started again. "What do you think of Morita Noriko?"
"I…well, I don't like her," Motoko stated plainly. "To tell the truth is the best way. She is annoying, and constantly is around. Plus she hates me, so I'm not going to like her back. Seriously, anyone who stalks people have to work out their problems so they don't develop to be serial killers. She needs to find a doctor." Keitaro was somewhat perturbed by her reaction. Yes, he had expected dislike, but it seemed she really hated her and Keitaro was not about to profess that level of hatred even though he didn't like her at all either, though somewhere something told him it was nice someone loved him like that.
No no no, I have Motoko here to… Keitaro began to think but stopped. The waiter came by with water and asked if they were ready to order.
"Ah…yes," Keitaro said. "I would just like some Udon noodles."
"What flavor?" the waiter asked.
"Ah…I don't care, choose one," Keitaro said. The waiter shrugged, then apparently wrote down something.
"And for you miss?" he asked. Motoko had not been looking at her menu, but she simply ordered the same.
"Great. Two Udon noodles. That will be ready soon," he said, and picked up the menus and left.
"What are we doing after this?" Motoko asked.
"Oh!" Keitaro exclaimed, then dug into his pocket for something. "Well…it's not much but I thought we might want to go to this museum that just opened…ah about feudal Japan. They have, I heard an interesting swords display…" He looked up, realizing that he sounded incredibly stupid. Why would Motoko want to focus on swords now? He sighed.
"Really?" Motoko asked. "I've always wanted to see that! My sister helped them make that presentation and even sometimes she participates in that! …of course, perhaps it is best we make sure she is not there when we visit…"
"Oh? What does she do there?" Keitaro asked. Motoko answered with enthusiasm.
"She displays the ancient swords as a proper sword master should," she said.
Over at Komachi and Sakura's Table…
"Jeez," Sakura whispered to Komachi. "They talk about boring stuff!"
"Sakura!" Komachi hissed. "Be quiet!" Komachi couldn't believe that things were going so well for them. I mean, they hardly even know each other! Hasn't Keitaro only been managing the dorm for a couple years? Komachi thought. Yet he somehow was lucky enough to choose something Motoko has always wanted to do! I guess it would be pretty obvious that he should choose something related to that…but that? Komachi personally knew how often Motoko had talked about going to that museum, to not only see her sister but to view the interesting blades and different swords held by the ancients. Komachi looked intently, drinking some tea she had ordered. She was painfully aware of how much of a voyeur she was being, but she couldn't pull herself away from looking on.
"They're just talking," Sakura said. "Why don't they do something?"
"Shh!" Komachi hissed. They had finished eating and were now standing up to leave. "We have to be quiet when we follow them." They both stood up slowly as well, creeping forwards. They exited and headed towards the museum. "Now!" Komachi said, and she and Sakura followed.
Keitaro and Motoko were walking without really looking at one another. Is it because they are switched? Komachi asked. (A/N: Remember Komachi and Sakura do not know they have switched back, but, still, both of them together still is considered a date.) But Motoko slowly inched closer and grabbed Keitaro's hand while blushing red. When did Keitaro become so bold? Komachi asked herself. She almost couldn't believe her eyes. Yes, she had heard their bold proclamation of "love," or at least a proclamation in the form of a "couple." Bah, what does the word couple mean anyways? She knew that holding hands was almost as big a kissing would be to others—if Komachi saw Motoko kiss Keitaro, she would be very surprised. She knew her friend very well…but still…Still, I don't know this side of Motoko. In fact, she didn't even know this side of herself! Boys were stupid in general, but Keitaro…
"Are you going to pay for us to get in, Komi-chan?" Sakura asked Komachi. Komachi flinched slightly because she had no money and while the museum entrance fee was only several hundred yen, it was a lot more than the few yen she had left.
"Um…I don't have any money," Komachi said worriedly, watching Motoko and Keitaro enter the line for the entrance.
"Aww…" Sakura whined. Does she think this is fun and games! Komachi thought a bit irritated at her tone. Komachi was worried too, for crying out loud! A nasty thought suddenly struck her…what if something important happens in the museum? I must find a way to get in…I need a miracle.
"Komi-chan, over here!" Sakura hissed, going to a sort of alleyway by the side of the museum. Komachi followed unsure as Motoko and Keitaro finally reached the entrance and showed their tickets. They disappeared just as Komachi reached Sakura.
"Look Komi-chan!" she said, and this time brought out a video that seemed to project a picture around chest-level.
"What is this?" Komachi asked.
"It's a video! Su put this in as well, but I didn't use it because we could actually see them. But now I think we have to use it," Sakura explained. "I mean, this is an important moment for our friends! We don't want them to mess it up!" Sakura said eagerly. Komachi nodded subconsciously, and sat down an watched Keitaro's antics.
Inside the Museum
"Wow…" Motoko said as she peered into the glass displays that proudly held swords of many different famous samurais and even some fabled blades that were supposedly the weapons of ninjas of legends! Motoko pressed her face up to the glass.
"Keitaro, look at this!" she said excited. It held several katanas on a rack, all sheathed. The were ornate designs on them of which Keitaro couldn't discern, but he could only assume they were fancy and very expensive.
"Ah, I see the miss here is very interested in these swords," a museum attendant said, coming closer, performing his sole job of explaining exactly why these swords where here. Keitaro, who had been peering at the sword turned to face him.
"And, you sir must also be very interested in these. And with good measure, I should say," the attendant said. "For these blades are the blades forged deep in the mountains from a secret sword-smith. In fact, legend has it that this sword smith will only forge swords for masters and students of a certain school, —"
"The Gods' Cry School," Motoko breathed, still examining the designs of the swords.
"Why yes, that is absolutely correct!" the attendant said with some surprise. Keitaro only assumed that the attendant did not meet many people who knew of this school. He saw the attendant take a look at Motoko. "I assume that from your blade you must be an avid swordsman and fearsome and terrible in battle, plus from the fact that you know deeply of swords history." Motoko turned around, finally taking a look at the man. "May I see your sword?" Keitaro looked at Motoko. He somehow doubted that Motoko would let a man such as he touch her precious blade that she had obtained from her elder sister.
"You will forgive me if I say only I am able to handle my sword," Motoko said after a pause. The attendant looked on curiously, then faced Motoko.
"Perhaps you would be agreeable to stay and watch a sword demonstration with these very blades? The sword-master, or sword-mistress, I should say, comes from that very school." Keitaro knew it must be Motoko's elder sister, Tsuruko. Who else could it be? Motoko must have known that and was pondering upon this idea very diligently. Maybe she doesn't want Tsuruko ne-chan to know about…err…us, Keitaro thought. He studied Motoko some more. But then again, maybe she thinks that the best way to introduce the concept would be now, plus it would be over sooner.
"Maybe I will please myself to the demonstration later. If you will excuse us?" Motoko asked, and taking the hint the attendant left to bother someone else. Keitaro turned back to the swords from the Gods' Cry School.
"That attendant doesn't know crap," Motoko said. Keitaro looked up, confused.
"Oh?" he asked. Motoko pointed.
"See? This blade is obviously not from our swords-smith. There are much too many errors and flaws in the cover alone. The design is also not ours…here, take a look at mine," Motoko said, and handed her blade to Keitaro. "This is probably a bad copy." Curious, Keitaro took it. It was simple and elegant, with only two characters on the blade sheath.
"The design on my blade is on the blade itself, not the sheath," Motoko murmured while she looked at other swords. Keitaro drew it and even though he had met this blade many times, even though just in the past week he had used it several times, he had never seen the flowing lines and curves that formed on the blade. It was simply indescribable. The shapes and lines implied great power, and Keitaro almost felt it flowing through his body, pulsing with his heartbeat and strengthening slowly. The only recognizable shape was a formation of clouds and what seemed like a shout, which Keitaro assumed meant a cry from the gods. He could swear he heard a humming growing louder, so he quickly sheathed the sword. He looked again at the blades in the container. Nothing nearly so elaborate, Keitaro thought. Even though there is the same cloud formation. He was tempted to draw the blade again, but Motoko came back and whisked it out of his hands.
"I guess I should go see my sister since, we, ah, came all this way," Motoko said. She coughed, indicating that Keitaro should answer.
"Oh! Yes yes, right away," he said, remembering Tsuruko ne-chan and what she had done. If you think about it…Tsuruko ne-chan is responsible for everything! Would I have met and fallen in love with the beautiful and charming Motoko-chan otherwise? He looked at Motoko, no, gazed at Motoko who was leading the way. Suddenly a face entered his mind, a face with long hair and a smiling beautiful face… Narusegawa… where are you now? Why won't you talk to me? Keitaro asked. His head drooped as he sighed. Suddenly he shook his head violently. What was he thinking? Here he was on a date with Motoko-chan, and Narusegawa had popped into his mind? He slapped himself.
"Keitaro, here we—" Motoko began but suddenly a cry interrupted her.
"Motoko-chan!♥" And Keitaro felt a huge crushing weight squish him against Motoko. "And the landlord! How are you two?"
"E-elder sister!" Motoko said, withdrawing from the hug. People started to look towards their direction. "Not in public!"
"Ho ho ho," Tsuruko chuckled. "Still shy, Motoko-chan?" She released them, however, though she still was chuckling. "Have you—?"
"Have we what, elder sister?" Motoko asked, still looking around nervously.
"Switched back of course! Look at you two, on a date!" Tsuruko cried happily.
"Err…" Keitaro stuttered. "Yeah…"
"I knew it!" Tsuruko cried, and she hugged them again to their embarrassment. She whispered in Keitaro's ear.
"Have you two…you know…done it yet?" Motoko and Keitaro both flushed a deep red as Tsuruko released them.
"E-e-elder sister, I-I…" Motoko began to sputter, but Keitaro answered for her.
"No we have not," he said simply. This simplicity brought about a curious and unnerving smile from Tsuruko, but before anything could be said, there was an announcement.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, you have all waited patiently for the demonstration today, and the moment is now! Yes, today we have a master swords-mistress from Kyoto whose school is from the legendary Gods' Cry School! Please put your hands together for Swords-mistress Aoyama Tsuruko!" The sound of polite applause filled the room. Keitaro leaned over to Motoko.
"Won't her last name have changed?" he whispered. "Didn't she change her name?"
"She loves her heritage…she won't have changed it. At least, I don't think so," Motoko responded as she clapped politely as well. Tsuruko walked up and bowed slightly.
"I thank everyone who came for this demonstration," Tsuruko said professionally. "Today I will introduce the subject of ki. Does anyone here know what ki is?"
Keitaro and Motoko watched.
Bullet Train
Au! What am I doing? Shinobu asked herself. She shook her head violently. What was she doing, anyways? A few hours ago Sempai and Motoko had left on a date, and Shinobu thought she could leave it at that. Leave it at that, she thought glumly. But no, nothing is ever that easy. Something had compelled her to leave, to go away and find someone who could make it feel better. Shinobu had no hope for herself, but still her kind nature had not let her keep still.
"Next Stop: Mejiro. Next Stop: Mejiro," the PA system rang. Shinobu's ears perked up. Yes, this was her stop. The train screeched to a halt and the doors hissed open, letting copious amounts of people exit and enter; Shinobu was among those who exited. She tried to remember where exactly she was going.
"Yes…it was this way," Shinobu muttered to herself, looking all around to make sure she was indeed heading towards Naru house. For how could she do otherwise? It all seemed so wrong to Shinobu. She had seen the note (Haruka had told her) so she knew what Naru was feeling, in a way. Unrequited love was not something that was easy to bear, but maybe if she could talk to her…Shinobu sighed and drooped her head. What am I doing? She thought miserably. Was she just wanting a comrade-in-arms to weep with? What could she possibly say that could cheer Naru up? She sank towards the ground in despair.
"Shinobu-chan? Is that you?" someone asked. Shinobu suddenly felt a strong grasp pull her up from the ground and she looked up to see Naru's father standing there.
"Na-na-Mr. Narusegawa!" Shinobu cried (A/N: I have no clue what the official Japanese name is). Naru's father stood there observing Shinobu.
"It is you, Shinobu-chan! I remember!" he said, and he stuck out his hand. Shinobu nervously grasped it, and suddenly was given a brutal arm shake. "How do you do!" he cried as he greeted her, then without warning hugged her. Shinobu blushed red. BAAAM!
"What are you doing to that poor girl!" a woman screamed pounding on Mr. Narusegawa. Mr. Narusegawa went flying into a lamp post and became a smoldering wreck.
"Au!" Shinobu cried. She realized that it was Mrs. Narusegawa pounding on her husband.
"And you must be Shinobu-chan! I remember you too. I'm sorry for the PATHETIC and PERVERTED way my husband acted," she said, leaning over and shouting "pathetic" and "perverted" at Mr. Narusegawa.
"Au…is he okay?" Shinobu asked. Mrs. Narusegawa chuckled.
"Yes, don't worry, I didn't hit him that hard," she said. "But tell me, what are you doing here?"
"Um…" Shinobu began, "I was looking for Na-naru."
"Oh," Mrs. Narusegawa said.
"Oh," Mr. Narusegawa said as well. They both looked at each other.
"What?" Shinobu asked. "What's wrong?" She felt worried. Had Naru run away again, even from her own home? What would happen then? Had she just wasted an entire trip?
"Don't worry, she's right here!" Mr. Narusegawa said suddenly.
"Really?" Shinobu asked. Mrs. Narusegawa slammed her purse down on his head.
"He's not telling you the whole truth, dear. You see, we all went out shopping, but, ah, I'm afraid we lost Naru and Mei," Mrs. Narusegawa explained softly while Mr. Narusegawa groaned ("My head…"). "Mei is Naru's younger sister you see."
"I remember," Shinobu said. "But I can help find them if you want!" Shinobu didn't know the city, didn't know the layout, and didn't even know what she was doing but she knew she had to help find Naru!
"Oh, that's okay. You see, they will come back eventually to eat," Mrs. Narusegawa said, standing up and pulling her husband up as well. "I'm just so glad Naru is very healthy."
"Bu-but what if they've been attacked!" Shinobu said. "Maybe someone robbed them or e-even…kidnapped them!" Naru's parents looked at each other again. "Or what if they are lying in an alleyway beat up? We have to find them!" Shinobu was now glad she had caught Su just before she left (or rather Su caught her) and pulled out the Naru tracking device. She turned it on and quickly it emitted a beeping sound as well as showed a blinking light of where Naru was.
"It's really okay dear," Mrs. Narusegawa said again.
"No! Look at this! It's a Naru locator!" Shinobu said, pointing. "She's close by!"
"Wish I had that for my remote…OW!" Mr. Narusegawa cried, rubbing his arm where his wife had punched him. Shinobu started to follow where the locator pointed, intently watching the screen.
"Should we go?" Mrs. Narusegawa asked.
"Well she did ask not to let anyone from the Hinata-sou see her…but Shinobu-chan looks so desperate…" Mr. Narusegawa commented. His wife nodded.
"Let's see how this'll play out. Perhaps something good will come of it after all. She has been spending days crying in her room, coming down only to eat and use the restroom," Mrs. Narusegawa said. "I think she can heal her."
"As do I, my dear wife," Mr. Narusegawa said, putting his arm around her and leaning on her. Mrs. Narusegawa smacked him upside the head. BAM!
"I told you not to do that. Now follow her before she thinks we've abandoned her," Mrs. Narusegawa scolded.
"Ow…"
A/N: I will have to admit something here. I'm lazy. Yes, sadly this chapter has sucked beyond all possible belief because A.) I don't know how to write things like this, and B.) I don't know how to write things like this. Never having a real experience (yes, sniff I admit it) I don't know what to write for a date. This chapter did take an obscene amount of time to come out because I was having computer problems, literally my computer was (and still does) freeze every minute or two. So between trying to fix the computer, go to work, play Guild Wars, and enjoy summer with my friends left no time for this chapter. I was also putting it off because I don't know how dates go. Did I say that before? Oh well, since I'm sure all of you have gone out on a date, how about informing me on it in a review? That would be most informative. Thanks to all who read and Please R&R!