Repercussions Chapter 8, a love hina fanfic

Well, it's been a little longer than usual, but that's the life of someone who works odd hours!

Time for chapter 8.

Once again, big thanks to all those who left reviews, they're all appreciated.

No point in ranting on any further

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Repercussions – Chapter 8

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Shinobu hummed happily to herself, tugging her red gown more tightly about herself to stave off the January morning chill as she made her way to start breakfast. The girl had always been a morning person, and she loved walking through the Hinata-sou whilst all was silent – she could almost believe the house itself was asleep. The old building seemed to have a life of its own, and the youngest resident often found herself tiptoeing through its vacant hallways so not to disturb its slumber. Soon enough the house would awaken along with its residents, but this time was hers alone. Exactly how she liked it.

Hence, the girl had never found getting up early to make breakfast a chore. Turning the lights on in her kitchen she took a moment to enjoy the silence, letting her eyes roam around the room she had claimed as her own, enjoying the sight of everything in its place. Ready and waiting to obey her every command.

No, cooking could never be a chore to Shinobu. Especially when she had someone special to cook for.

Sem- No, Keitaro. He was still technically her sempai, but he was even more her Keitaro.

Despite the fact she knew it was wrong of her, the violet-haired girl couldn't help but take some small delight from the disastrous happenings of the previous few days. Deep down, despite her respect and sisterly affection, she felt keen resentment for Keitaro's now ex-girlfriend. She'd seen enough violence in her life, and had run to the Hinata-sou to escape it all. To have the same story acted out before her very eyes, to see the ones she loved knowingly hurt one another……

The worst moment in Shinobu's young life was the first time she saw her father hit her mother. The shock, the stomach-wrenching sound of fist meeting flesh, the icily chilling echo which rung like the tolling of a bell. It was the point of no return for both her and her parents. The next day, when her eyes were met with bruises violet as her own hair, Shinobu realised that things were never going to be right again. The sight of two people she loved doing such things shook the girl from head to toe, and the fact it took place night after night thereafter was just too much for her to take.

But the Hinata-sou proved to be no escape.

At first, the girl had been able to view the repeated random violence between Naru and Keitaro with a cautious detachment. But as time passed, and she grew increasingly fond of the ill-fated pair, it became harder and harder to stomach. However, unlike her parents, it seemed that the aggression was entirely one-sided. Whilst her parents would go toe-to-toe and trade both blows and insults, Shinobu saw none of the same from her new Kanrinin. It was always the honey-haired girl, or sometimes the olive-eyed swordswoman, who attempted to cause physical harm.

Yes, sometimes Keitaro deserved punishment. Everyone makes mistakes, correct? Even Shinobu suspected that not every single 'perversion' that took place was a total accident.

But why did the punishment have to be so severe, and so quickly meted out?

Shinobu knew very well what could happen if you hit someone hard enough. After a particularly violent fight her mother had needed surgery to fix a shattered cheekbone and lost most of her sight in one eye, not to mention several teeth. It had only taken two or three blows, but it had been enough. Divorce was already in progress; imprisonment rapidly followed, by which point the girl had taken residence at the Hinata-sou.

The girl was always shaken by the sight of violence. But it was the outcome of violence that made her truly sick.

At times, only Keitaro's invulnerability and cheerful acceptance of the violence allowed her to keep her furious grief locked away. She was always very quick to forgive, but after seeing the outcomes first-hand, causing harm was one thing she could not let slide easily.

The kettle whistling awoke the violet-eyed chef from her daydream, and she set it to one side. Idly deciding to use some of her special tea for a change, Shinobu pondered over what to make for breakfast. Something simple perhaps, she did have school today after all; much as she loved cooking there was no point exhausting the entire time beforehand in the kitchen. Mentally deciding on a recipe the young lady poured herself a cup of tea and sipped it, enjoying the taste.

And paused as a very un-Shinobu memory slipped into her head.

The last time she'd used the tea was for a particular occasion, around a week ago. She had prepared it for a birthday breakfast. One that had resulted in a very…..unexpected but by no means unpleasant experience. The girl's cheeks coloured further, and she stared at her rosy reflection in her teacup whilst blood once again began to flow in unusual directions. She even began to feel her nose prickling, and hurriedly clamped some kitchen roll over her nostrils in time to catch a tiny trickle of blood.

Shinobu blink-blinked as the reason for Keitaro's repeated nasal haemorrhaging suddenly became clear to her. She couldn't help but chuckle as she dabbed gingerly at her nose.

I guess that officially makes me a 'pervert' too, then.

Placing the tissue to one side in case of further bleeding, Shinobu sipped once again at her hot drink before an even more un-Shinobu idea sprang to mind. One that nearly led to her dropping the cup. The young lady blushed yet more deeply, but allowed herself to actually consider it.

The more she considered it, the bigger and more Kitsune-ish the grin on her face became.

Hurriedly, Shinobu refilled her cup and scurried from the kitchen with it, hoping to complete her mission before the real Shinobu woke up and asked her what the hell she was doing.

Truth be told, something more than courage had awoken in the purple-haired girl the day she'd taken Keitaro his breakfast. Suddenly, she was aware of something she hadn't really been before. That she was a woman. As in a fully-grown, fully-fledged member of the female sex.

Well, not quite fully-grown. She hoped.

And Keitaro was a man.

Suddenly, the dreams were of slightly more than holding hands and shy kisses on the cheek. Quite a bit more in fact. The prologue of childhood had ended; the curtain of innocence had gone up, welcome to the main act. Now, the imaginary romance also had a physical aspect.

It was the physical aspect that Shinobu was in search of as she scampered up to her Kanrinin's room. The teenager knew it was perverted and immoral, but she wanted another look. Needed, damn it. Blame hormones, blame curiosity, blame whatever you like. All of a sudden something she'd been almost unaware of had come into full-focus, and she was eager to know more.

So caught up in her thoughts was the girl that she almost charged past the intended doorway, screeching to a halt just in time whilst somehow managing to keep the tea in the cup. Taking a few deep breaths Shinobu steadied herself so she didn't look like she'd run at a full-sprint up a flight of stairs. Another moment of composure, then a soft knock-knock-knock.

"Uhhhh, hello?" Came a drowsy voice from within, and the girl smiled. Still in bed, good.

"It's Shinobu, Kei. Breakfast will be ready soon." A pause, and then a slightly more awake reply.

"Okay, I'll be down soon." Shinobu answered in acknowledgement, and then made an issue of stomping off towards Mitsune's room.

Only to sidle back along the corridor seconds later, quiet as a mouse. The girl almost broke off into hysterical giggles at what she was doing. It was so out-of-character for her, but she just couldn't help it.

The plan was; wake Keitaro up, hide and wait for the sound of (un)dressing, and then burst in with typical cheeriness to give him a surprise cup of tea. Hopefully, she could add another mental photo to her meagre collection. So far, so good. Holding her breath and the cup steady, the girl picked up the sounds of movement from within the room, followed by drawers opening and shutting. Three, two, one…..

"Kei, I made you some tea-" Shinobu called as she strode through the now open door before stopping dead in mid-sentence. Moments later the sound of china shattering echoed through the Hinata-sou as the cup hit the floor, forgotten by now trembling hands. Those hands slowly made their way up to their owner's face as the violet-haired girl's mind seemed to shut down.

There in front of her stood Keitaro, wearing only boxer shorts and a shocked expression, with a towel in one hand and a bottle in another.

And all over his face a sight too familiar. Far too familiar.

A tremulous hand craned out, and would have brushed one of the numerous yellowing blemishes had the man not instinctively leaned out of reach.

For several seconds two pairs of eyes stared at one another, both owners unable to make a sound.

As understanding began to set in, something incredibly unfamiliar began to build inside the violet-haired head of the young home-maker. It flared like a star, and began to burn every coherent thought she had to ashes, feasting on itself until it swelled into a flaming mass too hot and corrosive for her to contain.

Rage.

"Hey, whass the-" Mitsune lost the remainder of her question as the normally placid younger girl shoulder-barged her out of the doorway and onto her backside before setting off at a dead run. Seeing Keitaro skid out of his room wearing little more than nothing and set off after her, the fox decided to trail along as whatever was going on was certainly interesting.

Keitaro meanwhile was hot on the tail of his emotional youngest resident, expecting her to head down the stairs and out towards the steps. To his surprise Shinobu took a right, and headed upstairs. For a moment the Kanrinin wondered if she was heading to her own room, but then clarity suddenly took hold. No, Shinobu wasn't going for her room, she was going for……

"Naru!!" The petit girl screamed, charging along to room 304. "Naru, get out here now!" Arriving at the doorway Shinobu tugged at it, and it slid open with barely a sound. Surprised, but not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, she dived through it.

And stopped dead.

"Shinobu!" Keitaro skidded into the room behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder as the girl stared blankly around her in dumbfounded shock.

It was empty.

"Hey kids, what's all the noise about?" Mitsune slurred, before taking in the room herself. "The hell? Naru's gone?"

"Just in time too." Shinobu ground out. "If she was here, I'd, I'd……" The purple-haired girl broke off as she slumped to her knees, eyes filling with tears. Keitaro sank down slowly beside her, drawing the distraught girl into a hug. Mitsune watched open-mouthed as Shinobu began sobbing into the offered embrace, crying with anguish the fox didn't know the girl was capable of.

"It's okay, Shinobu." Keitaro murmured, rocking slowly.

"Kei-kun, care to enlighten….." Mitsune caught the 'not right now' look her Kanrinin sent her, and proceeded to shut up. For several seconds the only sound was that of Shinobu's distress, until a fourth voice drifted into the room.

"May I ask, Urashima-san, what on earth is going on?" Before Keitaro could react Shinobu had wrenched herself from his grip, and launched herself across towards the figure that had just entered.

Motoko's face was wrenched sideways as a resounding slap echoed through the deserted room.

"You bitch!" The right hand was cocked back for another strike before Keitaro managed to grab it. "You-you vicious, evil….." Shinobu dashed tears from her face with her unbound arm, struggling for words to express her fury whilst Motoko stood motionless, head still turned from the younger girl's attack.

"Shinobu, what is – oh my." Mutsumi appeared behind the paralysed swordswoman, hand reaching for her mouth as she took in the furiously tearful face of her youngest friend and the scarred visage of the man holding her in place.

"…….." Shinobu couldn't reply, instead turning back towards her beloved and burying her face into his chest again.

"Well, I suppose the cat is well and truly out of the bag." The Kanrinin said gently, seeing Su's confused face appear from behind Mutsumi. Within a second the little princess was patting Shinobu on the back whilst she peered at Keitaro with puzzled eyes. "It's time to come clean."

"Yes, Kei-kun. I would like to know what's been going on." Mutsumi replied quietly. The brown-haired man nodded to her in agreement.

"You will." He fixed his gaze on the bedraggled fox beside him, and favoured her with a small smile. "Kitsune-san, go and put the kettle on. I think we're going to need some tea for this..."

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The group around the table listened intently as Keitaro, whilst sipping at a steaming mug, went through the same story he had told Mitsune only a day earlier. Shinobu sat possessively close, left hand grasping Keitaro's right, whilst frowning with red eyes at the collection sat around the table. Particularly at Motoko, who remained impassive throughout. As the tale wound to a close, she set her cup down on the table with a resounding 'clunk'.

"Okay. I want to know who knew about this." The girl said firmly, casting a glare at the assembled company. "Right, hands up. Now." One hand was raised instantly, whilst another one crept into the air more hesitantly.

"Yeah, I kinda knew." Mitsune muttered at Shinobu as the attention centred on her.

"So, why didn't you tell us?" The younger girl asked with annoyance.

"'Cause I only found out yesterday." Replied the fox simply. "He also kinda made me promise not ta tell."

"I have known for many months." Motoko broke in, much to Mitsune's relief. "However, I made a pledge to Keitaro-san that I would do as he instructed. He instructed me that I was forbidden to tell, unless it was in order to save someone from harm or after he granted me his permission." By the way Shinobu's hand was crushing Keitaro's below the table it was apparent the young lady was still not completely happy with the Kendoist.

"Save someone from harm?" Shinobu gestured at the man sat next to her. "Why not save him from harm? You can't pretend you didn't know, you were teaching him to hide the results!"

"I know." Motoko answered quietly, looking pained. "I often asked him, begged him, to allow me to share with the world the truth of the situation. But he would not allow me to do so. It would have given me such gratification to open the eyes of those who still had them firmly closed."

"Then why not do it? Why hide behind an 'oath'?" The kimono-clad woman winced, but said nothing.

"Shinobu, do not blame Motoko-san for her silence." Shinobu blinked in surprise, turning her attention to the man she was leaning into.

"But if she'd opened her mouth……"

"If I'd opened my mouth, I could have stopped it." Keitaro cut her off gently, adjusting his blue dressing gown so that it didn't show quite so much chest. "If Motoko broke her promise, she would lose her honour. And to a martial artist, honour is everything."

"He speaks the truth, Shinobu-chan." Motoko put in, laying the Hina blade on the table. "I would have had to admit my misdemeanour to my clan head, and face being stripped of my title and possibly my family name."

"The thing I want to know is how the hell he got you to swear an oath in the first place." Mitsune said, nursing a growing hangover whilst sipping gingerly at her own drink.

"If there's a good reason for it, maybe I'll be able to understand." The purple-eyed girl added, pouring herself and the man beside her a fresh cup of tea.

"Very well, I suppose I do owe you an honest explanation." The swordswoman sighed, setting her mug to one side. "But please do not interrupt, I'm sure any questions can wait until the end……"

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It had been several weeks of repeated humiliation before Motoko felt driven to confront her sister. After what must have been the tenth unscheduled interruption of someone of the opposite sex in what she believed to be an empty bath, the swordswoman snapped. Quietly fuming, she had strutted along the hallway fully intent on confronting her sister.

The doorway to the room Tsuruko shared with her husband was ajar, and as Motoko peered inside she saw the dark-haired man reclining easily in a cushioned armchair, reading a book. As she snorted an annoyance and turned to leave, a masculine voice spoke behind her.

"She is in the sacred garden, if you wish to see her." Motoko only paused to nod minutely before hurrying off, mind awhirl.

The sacred garden. The place where the past members of the house of Aoyama rested. For eternity.

Motoko had visited it numerous times to pay respects to her grandparents on the anniversary of their deaths. But as far as Motoko was aware, no-one that she knew of had passed on to the next life on this particular date. So why on earth would her older sister be there?

Soon, the kendoist's swift feet had carried her to the entrance of the sacred garden. The flawless ebony headstones ranked in perfect order, from generations many centuries past. Before each one a flower, each one different, dependant on the identity of the departed. Weaving their way between the stones white gravel pathways, not a single weed or patch of moss spoiling the pearly shade. Beneath the twilight autumn sky, the garden had a hauntingly ethereal quality.

"Imoutochan. I wondered if you would come." Tsuruko's calm voice echoed through the still air, from where she stood apparently studying one of the headstones. Motoko made her way over to her cautiously; hand on the hilt of her katana in preparation.

"Oneesan, I wish to have a word with you." Her older sister turned to her, and her eyes instantly narrowed.

"Imoutochan, take your hand from your sword. You cannot think that I would dare to initiate violence in such a sacred place." Motoko's hand faltered for a second before the keen gaze of her sister forced her to accede.

"I merely wished….."

"It seems violence is always the method of choice for you, imoutochan." Tsuruko drew her hands away from her sides, showing two empty palms. "If you were to truly consider the situation, you would notice that I am utterly unarmed. My blade is in the care of my husband, for it would not do to bear arms in the presence of those who may have died by them." Motoko felt her face colouring in shame, and she turned her attention to her white-stockinged feet.

"I apologise, oneesan. I meant no disrespect to yourself or my forbearers." Crossing her fingers in front of her, the young woman took a deep breath. "But I still wish to discuss something with you."

"I sensed you would. It is of great irony that you have chosen this day to do so." Tsuruko took a step towards her sister, bending slightly to look the younger woman in the eye. "I know you have realised that the events of the previous few weeks have been orchestrated by yours truly. Correct?"

"Yes, oneesan. But there's one thing I do not understand. Why?" Motoko's querying tone drew an expression of displeasure from her older sister.

"I had hoped that the lesson would be self-explanatory. You disappoint me, imoutochan." Tsuruko held up a palm to prevent the inevitable response. "If I were to tell you that I have received correspondence from one or more of your housemates, would the reasons become clear?" Motoko waved a hand in irritation.

"Yes yes, I know you are trying to put me in that perverted Keitaro's position. Well done, you succeeded. Would you care to tell me why?" At the flippancy, her sister's expression grew dark.

"You disappoint me, imoutochan. It seems that attempts at education have done you little good; perhaps you do not understand my great, no, extreme displeasure at your repeated actions. Not only has a Haruka Urashima contacted me in concern at your repeated abuse of power, but Keitaro himself has requested advice on how to conceal the injuries sustained in order to preserve, as he put it……the peace." From within her kimono, the svelte beauty withdrew a few pieces of paper and waved them in the still night air. "Do you not understand what this could entail, imoutochan?"

"……Not really, no." Motoko sighed, wishing her sister would get the damn charade over with. Tsuruko must have sensed it, as her gaze became steely and fierce.

"Over the last few weeks I have proven to you that the events for which you dealt out 'punishment' could, and in fact most likely were, innocent errors on his part, yes?"

"Well, not really proven, but-"

"Motoko-chan. You had no intention of committing any of the 'perversions' that have occurred since you arrived. Yet you have been seen as the guilty party on each occasion." Motoko bristled at the lecturing tone.

"Oneesan, these events were orchestrated by yourself. How can I take any truth from a charade?" Tsuruko smiled thinly in reply.

"I merely placed people in the appropriate place at the appropriate time, much as a certain Ms. Konno has been noted to do on a daily basis. They had no idea that they were part of, shall we say, a set-up. Additionally, on three occasions in the last three weeks, incidents have taken place in which I played no part." The younger woman's exasperation died unsaid on her lips as Tsuruko continued unabated. "For example, Tuesday is designated male-only bathing during the morning; it was your own oversight that led to that…..incident." Motoko's mind spun. Her view on the world was being systematically shot down, and she could see no way of defending it.

"So, you mean…..it wasn't all just an act? There were genuine co-incidences?" A slow nod was the reply. The girl stared into the middle distance, trying to somehow understand what was being said. She had been played, and made genuine mistakes, yet on each occasion received the blame.

"Imoutochan, you have now experienced the opposite side of the story. This is what happens according to both the man involved and an onlooker, both stating exactly the same facts independently. Indeed, so concerned was I that within the last two months I travelled, at the request of Haruka Urashima, to witness events first-hand. What I saw only proved to be confirmation." Tsuruko shook her head gently. "I detected no intent from your Kanrinin. Only aggression from those opposed to him."

"Oneesan……"

"So, in conclusion. For the last few years you have, in truth, been attacking an innocent, yes?"

"But he's a perv-"

"Stop!" Motoko felt her hand involuntarily curl around her blade as her older sister took two furious steps towards her. "Stop, and listen to yourself! We've already ascertained that, on balance, there is no proof that the man you're condemning is anything but innocent. Do you know what that makes your attacks, in the eyes of the law? Assault, imoutochan. Grievous bodily harm." Tsuruko bent forwards at the waist, coming nose to nose with the trembling girl before her. "Attempted murder, Motoko-san." As the last words purred silkily from Tsuruko's mouth, Motoko felt her knees give way from beneath her.

"No. No……" The swordswoman buried her face in her hands, previous actions suddenly cast in a totally different light.

"You see it now, don't you imoutochan?" Tsuruko placed a hand on the shocked girl's shoulder, as she struggled to come to terms with the harsh truth.

"Y-yes." The older sister took a deep breath, considering the girl before her.

"Motoko-chan, I did not wish to impress this upon you so harshly. But I have good reason. I trust you have never been told of your aunt, Fuyuko?" Motoko looked up, confusion clear in her olive eyes.

"I have no aunt, oneesan. Mother was an only child." The confusion deepened further as her older sister slowly shook her head.

"I am not surprised. You learn a great deal when you become head of the school, imoutochan. Mother had a sister, one you are too young to remember." Motoko's confusion became surprise as the dark eyes of her older sister began to glisten in the moonlight. "She was a firebrand, had a deep temper like you, and because of the attention her beauty attracted she became deeply distrustful of men. When she was barely twenty-five, she took umbrage at what she perceived to be an attempt of perversion, accusing a man of groping her. Several others witnessed the entire event, and to a person stated that the man's suitcase alone made contact with Fuyuko, not any part of his body. They stated this to a court." Tsuruko's smile grew sad, her voice hollow. "She was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. That was, if she hadn't had to face a family court before going to jail."

"What happened then oneesan?" Asked Motoko, unsettled by the depression filtering into her older sister's being.

"They gave her a choice. She could accept her sentence, be erased from the family register, become ronin and spend the rest of her life in prison. There was one other option, the option she chose." Tsuruko stretched a pale hand, shining ivory in the moonlight, and pointed to the gravestone she was knelt before. Motoko gasped gently as she read the silvery inscription upon it.

Fuyuko Aoyama

Born April 25th 1959

Died March 7th 1984

Honour Reclaimed In Death

"She chose seppuku. The only way for a warrior to repay the ultimate sin that is taking an innocent life." The younger woman peered down ashamedly as her older sister continued in a solemn tone. "Imoutochan, the techniques we use are designed to kill. Even the use of non-lethal weapons does not make them safe. You are extremely fortunate you chose both a forgiving and extremely durable target."

"I understand, oneechan. I honestly do." Motoko whispered, feeling herself beginning to fill with some unidentifiable emotion. Her trembling hands were clutched by those of another, and she looked up to see Tsuruko's eyes brimming with water as she held them close to her chest.

"I pray you do, Motoko-chan. You see, we had to grow up without ever knowing our aunt." With that her tears escaped, cascading in rivulets as Tsuruko guided the captured hands down to her abdomen before placing them upon it gently. "I pray you understand, as……I don't want my child to grow up never knowing her aunt……"

"Tsuruko……" Seeing only confirmation in her older sister's eyes, Motoko drew the mother-to-be into a loving hug.

"Please, Motoko. Please do not repeat the mistakes of days past. I want to have a sister until the end of my days; I want an aunt for my children. Please do not deny us that." The younger girl could only nod, allowing both joy and grief to flow from her eyes as the sisters embraced beneath the moonlight.

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Several seconds of uncomfortable silence followed the end of the tale, before Motoko spoke again.

"After learning of the truth, I discussed with my sister how best to repay the debt I already owed. In the end we came to the conclusion that I essentially owe Keitaro a life debt for repeated, potentially fatal assaults on his person." She said quietly, looking no-one in the eye. "Soon as I returned, I pledged my obedience to Keitaro-"

"Potentially fatal?" A high-pitched squeak drew attention to Shinobu, who was alabaster pale with eyes like saucers. "You mean you could have….." Motoko nodded mutely, to several gasps.

"Yes. I did not have full appreciation of the true power of the techniques my school uses. It was one of the deepest shocks I have ever felt to know another human may have died at my hand." The swordswoman looked over at the purple-haired girl who had latched onto the man beside her, seemingly afraid that her sempai would disappear if she were to let go. "I still have not reconciled this fact with myself, despite the stated forgiveness of the man I attacked. Hence my pledge still holds true – Keitaro could ask anything of me and I would willingly accede."

"Anything?" Mutsumi asked carefully.

"Yes. Anything." Several pairs of eyebrows began to rise at the bland statement.

"Not that I would." Keitaro broke in hurriedly, not liking the direction the conversation was taking. If Naru was present, conclusions would already have been jumped to, with the 'P' word well on its way.

"Ah c'mon Kei-kun. More chance of you becomin' a Tibetan monk than ya takin' advantage of Motoko-san here." Mitsune chuckled, pointing an amused finger. "Yer the most frigid bloke I've ever come across, an' yer scared shitless of our samurai sister as it is. Ya do anythin' like that, the moment you let her off the promise yer worse than dead." Several people coloured for different reasons – Shinobu at the thought of Keitaro 'taking advantage' of anyone, Keitaro at the 'frigid' jibe and Motoko at the thought of being 'taken advantage' of by the Kanrinin. Not that she would have protested, in all honesty, especially in the way described on page one-sixty-six of her book…..

"Motoko-san, are you all alright?" Asked Mutsumi, concerned that the raven-haired girl had sunk her head onto the table and was making odd high-pitched noises.

"I wouldn't say frigid, Kitsune-san, but you're right that I'd end up a eunuch if I'd tried anything with Motoko-san." Keitaro said, glad that the fox had lightened the tone. "I was surprised when she made the pledge, but after hearing this I knew it was the only way she could reclaim her honour. I was a bit confused what to do to begin with, but Motoko came up with the idea of assisting me with concealment techniques." The only man at the table shifted slightly so the girl leaning into his shoulder was more comfortable, before continuing. "I offered to tutor her in return. Initially she declined, but eventually accepted when we realised it could be used as cover."

"It looks like you put a lot of thought into this, Kei-kun." Mutsumi stated quietly, examining Keitaro with her usual mellow brown gaze. "But why all the deception? I must say I wonder why you've gone to such lengths to hide this from all of us."

"Ah, well….."

"It's 'cause you wanted us all to be happy. Isn't it, Keitaros?" Su broke in quietly, to the surprise of everyone around the table. "You knew Shinobu would be sad, that we all would be. An' you wanted everyone to be cheery like normal, so you pretended nothing was wrong….." The little princess stood up demurely and paced around the table, before cuddling into the Kanrinin's vacant side. "You're too nice, Keitaros. I'm glad you're my spare oniisan." Everyone watched Su kiss the man gently on the cheek before politely re-taking her seat. Even the normally oblivious girl noticed the stunned silence following her actions, and she gave the other occupants a slightly enigmatic smile before attacking her breakfast with her normal gusto.

Cue sweatdrops.

These were followed by a slightly embarrassed silence, in which Keitaro scratched nervously at the back of his head whilst he was scrutinised by four others around the table (Su now fully re-engaged in oblivious mode).

"Is this true?" Mutsumi asked quietly. The blue-robed man nodded in response.

"Yeah, kinda." No-one missed the glance he cast at the empty seat to Mitsune's right.

"Oh, you said that Naru has gone somewhere?" Prompted the fox.

"Yeah. She saw me last night, said she had to go and sort herself out….." Keitaro murmured, feeling the memories coming back in full force. Naru, dressed as he'd always dreamt she would, saying words that he'd always wanted to hear. Words that were undeniably fake, words that set the faint hopes he harboured adrift and sent them floating off into the night.

Maybe moving on wasn't as easy as the Kanrinin had hoped.

"Keitaro?" Shinobu worriedly watched as the man she was sat next to hurriedly excused himself and set off to his room, head down. For a second the young lady dithered over whether to follow him or not, before the new Shinobu told her to stop worrying and just do it.

"Shinobu-chan….." The girl halted half-out of her chair and glared at Motoko.

"If you're trying to stop me this time, don't even bother." The swordswoman looked away, voice low.

"I am not, Shinobu-chan. I merely wished to express my deepest and most sincere apologies. I did not know of the error of my ways, and rest assured that I feel the shame and horror with an intensity I cannot express." The purple-eyed glare softened slightly, and Shinobu sighed.

"Motoko-san, I'm really mad with you, and I'll be this way for ages." She slipped out from under the table, and pushed her chair in. "But I understand. I don't hate you, just…..don't expect a bento for lunch any time soon." With that Shinobu set off towards the stairs, clearly intent on following Keitaro.

"…..She's really grown up." Mutsumi commented as the purple-haired figure moved out of sight. "I wish I was brave enough to go after him."

"She's young enough to still be reckless." Mitsune replied, deciding she had room for another cup of tea. "She wants ta do somethin', and does it 'cause she don't see any reason not ta. I ain't sayin' she ain't right ya know, I reckon if one of us were braver we'd be up there too." The two others digested the fox's statement, and both grudgingly accepted she was right.

"I think Naru didn't just pop in to say goodbye." The Okinawan added.

"I'm gettin' that feelin' too, yeah." The dishevelled party-lover fished in the pocket of her dressing gown and withdrew a bottle of spirits, adding a dash to her recharged cup. "I don't reckon she knew about this, though. Kei said only Motoko-san here knew about it 'til yesterday, an' we'd have heard her yellin' from downtown Osaka if she'd seen him without his face on."

"Keitaro stated to me that he wanted it a secret from everyone, especially Naru and Haruka." Motoko stated, laying a single pale hand on her katana. "I believe that Naru left just in time, this only leaves Haruka in the dark. I must agree with Keitaro's assessment, it is probably for the best that Haruka does not know of this."

"It is probably for the best that Haruka does not know of what?" The kimono-clad girl stiffened, and the two others spun around in their seats to look guiltily at the stern face of the tall café-owner, who unwound her black scarf from her neck.

"Oh, uhm, Haruka-san. Up so early?" Mitsune stuttered, taking a long gulp of her spiked drink.

"Yes. I always am. You, on the other hand, are not. So what's going on?" The tall woman demanded, pouring herself some tea and taking a seat at the table.

"Long story." The fox hedged, deciding she would rather not be the one to tell Haruka that her nephew had needed surgery on the quiet.

"I've got, oh, an hour 'til I open up. Can't be that long." Seeing the indecision around the table, the older woman raised an eyebrow. "Unless you want me to go and track down my nephew and wring it out of him……" It was instantly apparent to those assembled that this was not a good idea.

"Okay, Haruka-san. I'll tell you." Mitsune and Motoko gave simultaneous gasps of relief as Mutsumi stepped in. Being the only one uninvolved with the numerous LEO trips, she would have it much easier.

"Thank you, Mutsumi-san." The café owner settled herself down, lit a cigarette, and then shot out a hand to grab Mitsune as she tried to slink away. "No rush, girls. A story is best told with an audience, I always say."

"……Uh, okay Haruka-san." The silver fox sat, praying that she could take a drink from the bottle stashed in her pocket. Once Haruka heard the truth, there was no doubt she would need one.

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Keitaro sat with his back against the wall, bathed in the gloom from a cloudy January dawn, seemingly at peace with the world.

Shinobu, who watched him stare at his ceiling from his recently repaired doorway, couldn't help but feel this wasn't the case. It might have been the slump in the shoulders, possibly the tightly clenched hands with knuckles white as the clearing snow.

But really speaking, it was the ripped-up photo booth album by his side which gave the clue something was amiss.

"Keitaro….." Shinobu didn't wait for a response, slipping in through the door and shutting it behind her firmly. "Are you okay?" The girl cursed inwardly, wishing that in the midst of what was an awful situation she could come up with something more than that stupid question.

"It was Motoko, you know?" Keitaro murmured, still peering up at the ceiling, the centre of which was formed by a ring of new-looking boards. "She made me do that. She held me at sword point to remind me that it was what I had to do. I nearly stopped so many times, but thanks to her I kept on going. Every board I hammered into place made it that bit more final. In the end, I was glad I did it. But although I hammered the hole shut, I never really believed it was the end….."

"Kei….." The purple haired girl found herself bereft of anything to say, so she simply walked over to the seated man and slipped down beside him.

"But now it is. It really is the end, Shinobu." Keitaro chuckled emptily, shaking his head. "She came to me last night, offered herself to me. And I turned her down. Now she's gone, who knows for how long. And it's over, officially, truly, forever-and-ever-amen over." The man pulled his glasses off carelessly and put his face in his hands, allowing bitter water to spill down his cheeks.

"Why did you do that to your album?" Shinobu picked up a few fragments of paper, and turned them over. There, looking back at her, were fragments of memories – frame after frame with the man sat alone, and then just a handful of pictures with another within them. These were torn to shreds – no longer could the two faces be seen on the same piece.

"It was so pointless. Every picture was taken as a placeholder. So, one day, I could take another one with her beside me to replace it." The picture still held in the man's grasp crumpled further, then fell unheeded to the floor. "I've wasted all my life chasing something that was never more than a dream. I'm a fool, nothing more."

"Kei, please stop." Shinobu pleaded, afraid to even touch her shaking companion. "Please, it's for the best, you have to see that." Soon as she said it, the girl wished she hadn't.

"For the best?!" The ex-ronin croaked, letting teary eyes focus on the girl beside him. "The love of my life leaves me, and you say it's for the best?"

"Kei, she abused you! Look at yourself in the mirror and tell me that I'm wrong. Think of how you flinch every time anyone goes near you!" Shinobu ranted, letting her anger at the absent girl take over from anxiety. "Do you have any idea how hard that is to watch? And every time you'd go straight back to her, giving her the idea what she had done was right!"

"But Shinobu, I loved her." Keitaro sighed, dashing a hand across his face.

"I'm sure my parents loved each other, but it doesn't make it right. If anything, it makes it even more wrong." The violet-haired girl replied, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. "Please try and see it's true, Kei. Don't let your dreams of a promised girl stop you seeing what's really in front of you."

"You're right, I know deep down." The blue-gowned man let his head rock back and he closed his eyes, still unable to stop further tracks trailing down both cheeks. "I promised myself I would let it go last night, and wake up my own master this morning. I'm finally free from a promise that chained me for two decades; I can make my own choices. So why is it that all I want is to call Naru and ask her if she'll have me back?" Shinobu looked on sadly as Keitaro raised a shaking hand to his face again. "I can't remember the misunderstandings or the violence, only the smile of someone I loved for what seems like forever."

"You can't let it take over you, Kei. You've got five people here who would do anything to see you happy, please give us a chance." The girl whispered, taking her companion's free hand in hers. "You're life's not over; it's getting a fresh start. You can do whatever you like at last."

"It just hurts so much, Shinobu. I don't think you can imagine this feeling." Keitaro murmured, giving the hand a squeeze.

"I can, because I've felt it myself." Shinobu replied reflexively, drawing a surprised look from her beloved.

"You have?"

"Yeah." For a second the purple-haired chef stared hard at the floor, one hand fiddling at the hem of her cherry robe. Eventually, she looked up. "I know the feeling too well."

"When?" Keitaro asked, curious.

"……It was about six months ago. I had to give up on someone I loved because he was in love with another girl. I don't think I ever got over it." Sighed Shinobu, knowing she was taking a step into the abyss.

"Six months ago……" Keitaro's eyes grew slowly wide, and he looked down at the girl beside him. "Shinobu, are you saying?"

"Yes. It was you who broke my heart." Shinobu peered down at the gown she was working at with suddenly numb fingers. "I could never forgive Naru for what she did because she was abusing her position with the one I would have given anything to be with." The purple-eyed girl looked up, meeting the surprised gaze of the man beside her. "I would never hurt the man I love like that. Ever."

"Shinobu….." A delicate hand came up to cup Keitaro's chin gently, and turned it so the two were eye to eye. When Shinobu spoke again, it was in a low, passionate whisper.

"I have to say this now. I never thought I would get the chance, and now that I have I'm going to take it. I don't need an answer, not straight away. And I know this isn't the time, but I've been waiting so long….." Shinobu shook herself out of her babbling, and took a deep steadying breath. "Keitaro, what I mean to say is……I love you….."

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Well, I fancied a proper cliffie for once.

Please don't kill me...

Until next time.

Nodoka Miyazawa.