Repercussions Chapter 3, a love hina fanfic

Hi there, Nodoka here.

I've been delighted with the response my second chapter had, and thanks to all those who reviewed leaving their comments.

I hope that all of you who are enjoying what I've written continue to do so!

But no-one is here to read my ramblings, so on with the story.

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Repercussions - Chapter 3

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Shinobu was happily scrubbing dishes whilst Mutsumi put the dried ones away, a job that was not likely to over-exert the willing but often feeble lady. Motoko had travelled upstairs, presumably to get her gift. Su was hauling a self-crafted 'super-stereo system' from some mysterious alcove, while Haruka set out the traditional party nibbles that never really get nibbled. And in the midst of the activity, Naru sat like someone who had been slapped in the face with a moist fish, wielded by a clown dressed only in face-paint and a dainty mauve thong.

Yes.

Like that.

It wasn't that the girl didn't appreciate what Keitaro seemed to have done. But all the same, the anchor that had been tied around her neck for the whole day seemed to double in weight instantly. Suddenly, it wasn't just shame at forgetting something important. It was also disgust, disgust that she wasn't brave enough to come clean. Disgust that the one she'd let down had needed to come to her defence.

On top of it all was the sense that she now, well, owed her boyfriend. And Naru didn't like being in debt to anyone, especially not someone male.

Working out of her angst, the caramel-eyed girl peered around the room, watching the others busily setting up for the approaching festivities.

"Su-chan, you fuse the electrics like last time and Molmol will wonder why their treasury is suddenly empty." Haruka grumbled, filling a dish with what may have been peanuts.

"No problemo Haruka! The super-sonic Mk. 5 (patent. pend.) is guaranteed to make ears bleed with just a fraction of its predecessor's power!" The hyperactive girl yelled, frantically connecting wires and plugs.

"Yes, but The super-sonic Mk. 4 (patent. pend.) needed more power than the whole of Kyoto."

"'S ok! We won't make the national news this time, promise!" Seeing Su heading for a large red switch marked 'ON', the other members of the room sensibly took cover behind the various sofas.

CLICK.

"Told you! The super-sonic Mk. 5 (patent. pend.) is perfect!" As hesitant heads peered from various hiding places, Su slipped a CD into one of the sixty-odd slots and pressed the big green button marked 'play'.

Tranquil jungle music filled the room, and the heads gradually re-appeared once again. The sight that greeted them was Su wearing a grin cheesier than week-old hiking socks.

"Sweet, it didn't explode!" Cue four simultaneous sweat drops. "So, let's get this party STARTED!" With that, the Molmolian twiddled a tiny knob set on top of the huge contraption.

Forty to one hundred and forty decibels in half a second.

It only took Shinobu two seconds to reach the dial and swing the volume down to below jet engine levels. It was the ringing of ears that put the party on hold for a while.

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"Why?"

"What do you mean, Kitsune-san?" Of all the things Keitaro expected, an honest question wasn't one of them.

"You know damn well what I mean. Naru ain't bought diddly-squat for your birthday, by all rights you shoulda let her swing. I'm sure as hell she'd have done it with the tables turned." Mitsune paced pensively, trying to piece things together. "First you spot her slinkin' off from the breakfast table at gift giving time. Then you hear her, well, slaggin' you off while admitting plain as day she didn't have anything. Now at the dinner table you go an' save her ass when she's about to cop it big-time." The silver-haired girl stopped and pinned her Kanrinin with a look. "If you're tryin' to mess with her head, I'm warning ya, stop it."

"No! It was nothing like that Kitsune-san, I swear!" Keitaro babbled, hands in the 'don't hit me' position.

"Then what is it like, Kei-kun? 'Cept from trying to make her feel more guilty, I can't see no reason for this." Mitsune dropped her tone to a murmur, looking at the hardwood floor. "'Sides, I doubt you could make her feel any more guilty. I feel kinda ashamed for forgettin' myself. What Naru's experiencin' must be millions times worse."

"She doesn't seem to be feeling guilty." Keitaro snapped his mouth shut, wishing he could suck the words back in like smoke rings. The last thing the man wanted was for anyone, least of all Mitsune, know he was actually hurt. Very hurt.

"Hmmmm?" This time it was the Kanrinin avoiding the fox-girl's gaze.

"Oh, nothing."

"Didn't sound like 'nothing' Kei-kun." Purred Mitsune, edging closer to the Kanrinin. "Sounded very much like something to me."

"…………" Keitaro wasn't prepared for the girl to gently tilt his chin up with a single finger, until grey met brown.

"Listen, Kei-kun. I know damn well that Naru is pretty broken up right now. You're not alone in that." The young man found himself unable to lie to the penetrating gaze.

"She isn't worried enough to apologise, though." He murmured. Mitsune shrugged, a slight frown marring her face.

"That's her pride taking control. We all know that." Keitaro laughed dryly.

"Then why do you need to ask why I did what I did?" At the fox's puzzled look, the Kanrinin pulled away slightly. "You know well as I do, Naru holds her pride sacred. To look a total fool in front of everyone would have smashed it to bits." The lightbulb above Mitsune's head lit.

"Ah. Now I getcha. Nice of ya to make the save." With a disparaging chuckle, Keitaro shook his head.

"I can't say there wasn't a selfish element to it." Opening her sake cupboard and reaching in, the party-girl frowned.

"Whadaya mean? I can't see what you'd get outta it."

"Well, when Naru's pride is wounded, she tends to get over it by wounding…..me." The quiet following that acerbic statement was broken by a bottle rattling across the floorboards.

Keitaro stood stock still, staring out the window.

Mitsune sat on her haunches, still gazing into the cupboard.

For a few seconds, silence.

"Keitaro….."

"Need a hand with any bottles, Kitsune-san?" The young woman looked up to see her friend stood with arms open, ready to receive her selection for the night. With a look on his face she knew far too well. One she wore every night when surrounded by only sake and memories.

When the open arms received a young woman at high speed rather than a handful of bottles, their owner was a little surprised. Moments later the woman in question was back to choosing sake whilst wondering where the hell that came from, and the man in question was wondering what on earth just happened, although he wasn't complaining. In fact part of his mind was politely enquiring if it could happen again, for longer perhaps.

"Uh, we'll take these two, that one, and that one." Mitsune briskly handed the bottles to Keitaro and bent down to pick up a couple more.

"No problem." The kanrinin turned to leave before a tremulous voice halted him.

"Just…..don't give up on her yet, Kei-kun. Please?" Keitaro turned slowly to face the suddenly pensive young lady, who was looking back at him with what seemed to be desperation. "She needs you more than you think, more than you'll ever know." The brown-haired man took a deep breath, one he let out slowly.

"Okay Kitsune-chan. I'll try my best." He gave the girl a gentle smile, one that set a thousand delicate butterflies loose in her stomach, before opening the door.

"Thanks Kei-kun." Murmured Mitsune, before she was left alone with her thoughts.

The young lady didn't like the bitter taste in her mouth. Or the slightly damp, shaking palms. Or the breath that hitched in her throat. The last time she'd had these sensations was quite a while ago.

When she'd given Seta to Naru…..

Mitsune shook herself, trying to dispel the unwanted thoughts. But the thought of her best, well, only male friend, looking and sounding so vulnerable had shaken her. The guy always seemed indestructible, unwavering. But the fox felt she'd glimpsed something that few people had. Beneath the layers of smiles was someone badly hurt.

Something in that struck a deep, deep chord within Mitsune.

"No. He's taken. She's my best friend. Forget it." The silver-haired girl muttered, picking her bottles off the ground and heading for the party.

A sonic boom nearly caused them to hit the ground again.

"What the hell?!" The girl shot through the door to find Keitaro a few paces down the hallway apparently catatonic whilst in a standing position. "Kei-kun, you alright?" The brown-haired man seemed to shake himself out of it, and gave her a grin.

"I think we've just been introduced to the The super-sonic Mk. 5 (patent. pend.)." He chuckled, idly wondering if his ears were bleeding.

"Another of Su's little creations?"

"Yeah. At least the windows survived this time, and we haven't blacked out half of Japan." Mitsune smiled.

"Thank heavens for small mercies, eh." She replied dryly, falling into step with Keitaro as they walked back to the lounge. "How do you know about that one?"

"Su needed her guinea pig." Seeing the fox-girl wince, he shook his head. "No, not that bad. Just a little advice on how to, shall we say, make things practical. Or in other words, how not to bring chaos to an area the size of Hong Kong."

"Maybe she's losing her edge." Keitaro rolled his hazel eyes, snorting with humour.

"I thought so too, until she decided to find out how much power it took to reach the human pain threshold. I wasn't intending to ignore everyone that day; I just couldn't hear a word they were saying……" Mitsune giggled, a very un-Mitsune thing to do.

"Dye her hair red and add some foundation, then we'd have Washu on our hands, I swear." Her company laughed, enjoying the image.

"At least she hasn't started taking body fluid samples. The day that happens I'm out of here."

"How do you know she hasn't already?" Keitaro paused in mid-pace, his expression mortified.

"Now that's disturbing."

"Wouldn't put it past her." The two reached the stairs to find Su dancing happily to (thankfully only loud) music and four others doing goldfish impressions.

"Heyas Kitsune, Keitaros!" Pulling the sort of moves only seen in old-fashioned kung-fu movies with the ease of a master, Su dragged a surprised Keitaro into a dance that would normally put him into traction for six weeks, whilst an amused Mitsune placed the sake down on the table.

"IS THAT ALL OF IT KITSUNE-SAN?" The party animal jumped ten feet as Shinobu screamed in her ear from close range.

"Sheez, quieten down would ya?" Seeing the violet-haired girl looking puzzled, Mitsune made the universal 'ssssssshhh' gesture. After getting a sheepish nod in response the two returned to watching the entertainment.

What must have been twenty minutes later, the two finished with a spin cycle to put the most expensive of washing machines to shame. Su landed on tip-toes in the middle of the floor. Keitaro landed face-down on a sofa, trying his best to keep his dinner where it should be.

"Ara, you okay Kei-kun?" Mutsumi murmured, moving over to assist the birthday boy.

"Round of applause for Su-chan!" Crowed Mitsune, one everyone who could remember where their hands were joined in with.

"Thank you, thank you." The petite princess bowed gracefully, picking up the bouquet of flowers that someone had managed to conjure from somewhere.

"Sweet. Who's for drinks?" The drinker-turned-barmaid asked, to almost universal approval. (One of the room decided that the room was spinning enough already.)

"I get the feeling it's going to be one heck of a party." Naru murmured to herself, before going to get herself some sake. Pausing, the antennaed girl weighed up her options. She'd found in the past that alcohol helped time pass, helped pain ease for a while. Given the situation, the girl reasoned she needed all the painkillers she could get.

As Mitsune poured herself a drink and wandered off to change the CD, Naru quickly slugged back the glass of liquid and measured out another one. The sooner the ache went away the better.

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Eyes creaked open, and then slammed shut again as light assaulted them.

A few moments, and this time one eye crept open a fraction, enough to realise that no-one was shining a torch into them at close range. Gradually the lids parted fully, until they were staring at a quite familiar ceiling. Not one that was normally seen upon awaking, but familiar all the same.

After ascertaining that she was on a sofa in the front room, Naru tried to sit up. And regretted it very quickly.

Thankfully, someone had kindly placed a bowl at the side of her sofa for this eventuality.

Feeling wretched but oddly a little better, the brown-haired girl wiped her mouth with the back of her hand whilst peering blearily around. It was morning, probably. It was still snowing, judging by the whiteness on the window. And someone was sleeping on the couch opposite, complete with bowl at the ready. Given the pitch of the snores, the person was female.

And then the headache made itself known.

Groaning in pain, Naru reached around for her glasses. Not finding them in her vicinity, the girl quietly slid her feet out from beneath the blanket, and tried to stand.

Her stomach protested severely.

Wiping her mouth again and trying to ignore the urge to retch at the smell, the girl straightened gingerly. To top off the headache and dizziness her mouth felt like someone had done something very impolite in it, and her right hand seemed to be throbbing.

"Don't worry girl, it goes away." Came a slurred voice, and a bedraggled Mitsune appeared from the heap on the chair opposite. "Best go to bed, sleep it off….." The words slurred off, and soon after snores suggested the drunken girl was taking her own advice.

"Maybe." But, pacing into the kitchen, the hazel-eyed lady felt too uneasy. Why? Thinking back, Naru couldn't recall anything bad happening. She'd been having a giggly drink with her best friend about half-ten, and then…..she must have fallen asleep.

So why the gnawing feeling, the sense of impending doom?

Shrugging off the ominous mood as a side-effect of the alcohol, she peered blearily up at the clock while drinking a glass of water. Nine fifteen. Not really a time to go back to bed, but studying was out. Shrugging, Naru decided the time was best spent recuperating, preferably with a hot bath.

After a not-so-quick trip up the stairs, the young lady entered the bath in her dressing gown. Disrobing she began to scrub, but pain in her right hand caused her to pause. Looking closely, she noticed some bruising and swelling of the flesh beneath her little finger. Clenching her hand into a fist caused a hiss of pain to escape between gritted teeth.

"Damn, that hurts." Flexing her digits critically and very aware of the hammering going on in her head, Naru decided that she would forego the scrub-down and move straight to the main business. The girl slid open the door, only to find the springs not quite empty at this early hour.

"Oh! Good morning Shinobu-chan" The young housekeeper looked up.

"Naru-san." Came the cool reply. Slightly surprised, Naru slid into the hot water with a gasp as the headache intensified briefly. For a moment both sat quietly, watching the snow float to earth around them.

"Chilly this morning." The older girl commented, looking across at her junior.

"Mmmmm." Shinobu continued to pointedly watch the drifting flakes.

"Looks like it's falling lighter than yesterday."

"Yeah." In the awkward, edgy silence, Naru reached around for some kind of topic that might provoke a response.

"So, good party last night. Right?" Suddenly a violet gaze was burning into her fiercely.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Came the angry reply. Confused, Naru felt herself trying to squeeze into the rock behind her, alarmed at the hostility radiating off the normally timid girl opposite.

"I, uh, just mean it was a good party….." The brunette trailed off as Shinobu's expression hovered between incredulous and furious.

"Good? What the f-" The girl seemed to shake herself before suddenly rising from the water. "I think I'm clean enough. Bye, Naru-san." With that Shinobu made her way out of the bath quickly, not looking back as she shut the door a little too firmly behind her.

"Wha?" Naru could only look at the closed door in shock. Suddenly feeling worse than ever, she sank up to her nose in the hot water, wondering what the hell had made Shinobu act like that.

At which point she began to wonder if more happened the night before than she recalled. As the potential horror stories ran through Naru's head, she resolved to find out the truth.

The brown eyed girl was soon to find out that horror stories are often easier to handle than their true counterparts.

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The room was way too light, in Mitsune's opinion. Whoever turned the sun on this morning was going to get a piece of her mind.

"Kitsune-san?" Snuggling back under her blanket, the fox-girl waved a dismissive hand.

"Shinobu-chan, it's way too early. Go back to bed." Suddenly the warmth disappeared, as she found the blanket whisked off her.

"It's almost midday. Time you let someone else have a seat." Came the brisk reply.

"Hey, whadaya do that for?" Growled the fox, sitting up quickly. Any anger the girl might have had instantly vanished – the combination of hangover and a slightly red-eyed glare from someone who never frowned at anyone was more than enough warning.

"Lunch won't be long. Please let the others know." The cook said, heading back towards the kitchen.

"Will do." Called Mitsune. "Oh, and thanks for the blankets, much appreciated." Shinobu shrugged as she walked away.

"I didn't do it; I was in bed before you passed out." A door rattling shut ended the conversation effectively.

"What's gotten her panties in a bunch this mornin'?" Muttered the irritated girl, heading up to her room to change. Although muzzy headed the fox-girl was in a much better state than Naru, being a veteran of too many benders to count. But, like her friend, something in her head was warning her that something wasn't quite right.

It wasn't the first time the silver-blonde had given herself amnesia, and it was a sensation the girl really, really hated.

Whenever she couldn't remember what had transpired the night before, it always meant that something dreadful, or at least dreadfully embarrassing took place. Usually because she was, to put it politely, shit-faced.

And the morning after such an event someone in the household would always come up to her, smile a knowing smile, and ask her politely 'do you remember last night?'

This apparently innocent query was inevitably followed by a cringe-inducing recount of whatever idiocy she had managed to perform whilst totally trollied, sometimes complete with diagrams.

It wasn't so much that the incidents in question were particularly awful, or that eventful. It was the knowledge that, yet again, she had embarrassed herself, let her demons get the better of her.

Bye-bye self-respect.

"Never, ever again." The young lady promised herself, knowing in her heart of hearts it was just empty words. She would be back in the bottom of a bottle by the end of the week, as always.

"Good morning Kitsune-san." Lost in self-recrimination, the girl had almost walked straight into the resident Okinawan. Who was looking far too fresh for Mitsune's liking.

"Mornin' Mutsumi-san." The brown-haired lady gazed serenely at the fox's bedraggled appearance with a hand on her chin.

"Did you sleep well? I hope the blankets we put over the two of you were warm enough."

"Yeah, thanks a bunch." Mitsune scratched the back of her head whilst yawning until a thought hit her. "Two of us?"

"Yes. Naru-san also." At this, a look of gentle disappointment displaced the normally ever-present smile. "Do you not recall what happened?" A deep feeling of worry began gnawing in the freeloader's stomach.

"Yeah, well, to the point where me an' Naru were havin' a drinkin' contest….." The worry was superseded by panic in an instant. "A drinkin' contest, with Naru? Shit, how far gone must she have been?"

"Quite considerably, I believe. I must admit, I consumed a few glasses myself and then underwent one of my little episodes, when I came around the room was quite peaceful. I assisted Kei-kun in placing blankets over you and Naru-san before making my own way to bed."

Mutsumi was adept at many things, but bare-faced lying wasn't one of them, Mitsune noted. The Okinawan was idly wringing the hem of her green shirt with her eyes focussed somewhere over the fox-girl's left shoulder, while the speech sounded far too rehearsed. However, Mitsune decided against pressing, as there was bound to be someone else willing to part with their knowledge without a fight. Or come right up to her and delight in every second of their tale.

"Well, lunch is on the way. I'm going upstairs to tell Kei-kun." Shaking her head a little to clear it, the fox was half-way to the Kanrinin's door when Mutsumi's voice halted her.

"Don't bother knocking for him, he went out in the snow to get some supplies to repair the living room wall."

"Oh, okay." Mitsune replied, deciding to instead go and call Motoko, to see if she had any answers. She was almost to the swords woman's door before her mind caught up with her.

"Repair what?!"

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Mitsune's ill ease was borne out further when, after Naru was blanked by Shinobu at lunch, Haruka took her aside for a 'quick word'. When the word turned out to be several words, and some of them less than quick, the fox decided afterwards to lay low. She hadn't been able to get much out of Haruka, but man was the café owner pissed. The older woman had also seen fit to remind Mitsune that she wasn't her soft-hearted nephew, and that she may not put up with many further repeats 'of last night's performance'.

The fox had decided against asking for a programme of events.

So, whilst slinking around the Hinata-sou, the silver fox had been the first to see Keitaro return. By which time it was almost twilight and the room was as dim as the leaden skies outside.

"Whew. Don't want to go out again in that." Brushing numerous snowflakes off his coat, the kanrinin quickly hung it on peg beside the door. However he drew his scarf more tightly around his chin, obviously still cold. "Well, guess I should get to work."

"Work?" The young man jumped as Mitsune slipped out of the shadows.

"Eh, hi Kitsune-san. Gotta fix up one of the living room walls." Hefting a number of planks under his arm, Keitaro gestured to a dinner-plate sized hole at about head height. The lady beside him measured up the hole, and then measured up her options. If there was one person she could count on to not mock the hell out of her for asking the question, it was her Kanrinin.

"Kei-kun, how did the hole get here? I don't remember….." The fox-girl watched a succession of expressions flicker across Keitaro's face, each one too fast to follow.

"Ah, it was nothing. Things just got a bit rowdy, that's all." Opening his tool kit, the man measured up the hole and got out his tools.

"Rowdy. Right." Mitsune watched idly as Keitaro began skilfully sawing a plank of wood into the correct lengths. It was only after he had finished and wiped the sweat off his brow that Mitsune noticed there was quite a lot of wood and not a very big hole. "You plannin' on makin' a bench, Kei-kun? You got enough there for thirty of these holes."

"Yeah, thought I may as well pick up more than I need." Drawing his scarf tight again, Keitaro placed his tools away and picked up the remaining lumber. "There's always fresh holes being made around here anyway. Better to be prepared." Still perspiring after the exertion, the Tokyo-U student locked his toolkit and prepared to set off.

"Kei-kun, why-?"

"Ah, Urashima-san." Motoko broke in, striding to the top of the stairs. "I trust that you have not forgotten out arrangement? If you are not in your room within two minutes, I will have to consider you late." The willowy young woman laid a casual hand on the hilt of her sword. "Discipline does not merely apply to students. I feel that any tardiness would have to be redressed by suitable……punishment." As the tone of voice dropped from polite to chilly, Mitsune and Keitaro both felt themselves shudder involuntarily.

"Be right up, Motoko-san." The lady on the stairs nodded at her tutor's response, raven hair shimmering in the bright corridor light behind her.

"See that you are, Urashima-san. I do not tolerate ill discipline well." The rate at which the kanrinin of the Hinata-sou hurried up the stairs suggested he knew this with the utmost certainly.

"Mitsune-san, I know it is meaningless to say this to you again, but again I shall say it." Giving the semi-sober girl a piercing look that she couldn't hope to ignore, Motoko continued in a quiet but authoritative tone. "I tolerate trickery and deception far less well than I do ill discipline. Do pay heed to my warning." With that, the swords woman turned on her heel and made her way down the hallway. Mitsune stayed rooted to the spot, mind whirling.

Something just wasn't adding up to her, not at all. There was something a little, well, actually quite a lot wrong with the last few minutes. But she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Lost in thought, Mitsune idly gazed at the kitchen door. Shinobu was still not acting normally, and although she had allowed Mutsumi entry to help preparing ingredients for tomorrow the fox-girl sincerely doubted she would be so welcome. Whatever was going on in there, it was certainly energetic. Shadows were repeatedly obscuring the light which sneaked through the gap at the foot of the door, one Keitaro hadn't gotten around to re-fitting.

The busty lady stared blankly at the shadows for a few more seconds before heading quickly for the stairs, an idea forming in her mind.

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Inside the kitchen, there was a blur of activity.

To be specific, one blur. A violet-haired blur, who was cooking with an intensity that was starting to concern her older assistant.

"Shinobu-chan, you'll cut yourself if you're not careful." Mutsumi murmured as a carrot was chopped at near light speed.

"It's okay Mutsumi-san. I'm always careful." Came the throwaway reply as the sixteen-year-old nearly took her own wrist off with a particularly vicious piece of knifework.

"Ara, that was too close." Seeing the blade pause for a moment whilst the chef bent down to gather more ingredients, the Okinawan grasped the younger girl by the shoulders firmly.

"Please let go, Mutsumi-san." Shinobu gritted through clenched teeth, a bag of rice tightly grasped in both hands.

"Not until you slow down." Came the reply, firm as the anaemic lady could manage. A moment passed, and the shoulders she grasped seemed to relax.

"Okay, I'm slowed. Please get off?" Suddenly, Shinobu's voice was nothing more than a meek whisper, her grasp on the knife so loose that it dangled aimlessly from her fingers. Mutsumi did not let go, although her grip eased.

"Shinobu-chan, you need to talk to him about this." Ever so gently, the shoulders beneath the kindly lady's hands began to shake.

"I can't, Mutsumi-san. He's got enough going on, he doesn't need to know." Pulling he younger girl into a gentle embrace, the Okinawan whispered softly in her ear.

"You're right, he doesn't." Gently turning Shinobu around, Mutsumi was unsurprised to see tears sliding unchecked down the girl's cheeks. This had been coming for a while, and the events of the previous night had had a bigger effect on the bright but vulnerable cook than almost anyone else. "But don't you think he would want to know?" Trembling slightly, Shinobu stared at the ground.

"But he'll feel so guilty, I don't want that."

"He cares for all of us, just like we do for him. Well, most of us at least." Mutsumi brushed some of the wetness from Shinobu's face. "Go and see him. Let him worry about you the way he'd want to. You'll feel better." Pushing Shinobu gently in the direction of the door, the mild-mannered lady gave her a small smile. "I'll handle the dinner. It may not be as good as yours would, but some things are more important."

"Ah, um….." The violet-haired girl wiped her eyes gingerly, and then straightened up. "Okay, I'll go now. Thanks, Mutsumi-san." As Shinobu scurried out of the door, Mutsumi allowed her expression to could over a little.

It was easy saying such things to Shinobu. And the Okinawan held nothing against Keitaro either. But forgiveness was not always as forthcoming from the ever-cheery lady as everyone seemed to think.

Although they didn't know it, it was going to take some time before Naru and Mitsune were going to get any from her.

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Shinobu paused for breath at the top of the stairs, gathering herself. Mutsumi was right, she had to admit. Much as she didn't want to trouble her sempai, she had to get her feelings off her chest.

Besides, Keitaro wasn't just her sempai. He was her Kanrinin, her friend, her…..first love.

And the young girl couldn't take the current situation much longer. It was all far too familiar.

Taking a deep breath, she started down the corridor to Keitaro's room. As she approached, she saw a curious sight. Mitsune was bent at right-angles at the waist, like some kind of inverted 'L' next to the Kanrinin's room. She was perfectly still, and had her head cocked as if listening to something. Giving up on trying to figure out what the hell the fox was doing, Shinobu decided to instead ask her.

"Kitsune-san, why are you hovering outside Sempai's door?" The woman in question jumped ten feet in the air and spun around with wide eyes. The gazes locked momentarily, and in the background a faint sound could be heard. That of a sword being drawn.

Mitsune summed up the situation concisely.

"Oh shit."

With that the door almost exploded outwards, and the silver-blonde took off at a full sprint. From the dust and debris sprang Motoko, who proceeded to give chase with promises of pain in her eyes. Blinking slowly in surprise, Shinobu moved to room 204 in time to see Keitaro appraise the remains of his door with a sad shake of the head.

"I'm certainly glad I picked up extra at the shop." Glancing up, the Kanrinin smiled at the violet-haired girl. "Hi Shinobu-chan." Suddenly feeling the need to either run off or use the lavatory, Shinobu steeled herself.

"Sempai, can I talk to you? It's to do with last night….." Keitaro's expression turned quickly to concern.

"Sure. I would invite you in, but our discussion wouldn't exactly be private." The man put a hand to his chin, thinking. "How about we go up to the roof? There won't be anyone there, especially with the snow."

"Why not my room?" Shinobu asked suddenly.

"Uh, well, people might get the wrong idea." For some reason, the answer incensed the young girl beyond belief.

"I don't care. If they want to get the wrong idea, they'll have to go through me first. Okay?" As Keitaro seemed to weigh the idea up, Shinobu found her hands reach out of their own accord and grasp the arm of her sempai tightly. "Please, Keitaro-san?"

The use of his real name made Keitaro's mind up for him.

"Lead the way Shinobu-chan."

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Well, close to a cliffie as I ever get!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

'Till next time.

Ja ne.

Nodoka Miyazawa.