Day 02 - Just Another… Hey! Hang on!

The sunlight peeping out of the curtain caused Keitaro to stir and groan. He had the greatest dream of his life; it involved Kitsune and Motoko, and they were dressed in bunny outfits, exposing generous helpings of thighs and cleavage. Keitaro sighed as he slowly got out of bed. Come to think of it, didn't he have that same dream before?

Stripping off his pyjamas and replacing them with his usual attire, Keitaro yawned as he looked at the calendar. Today was… Friday the thirteenth. No, that couldn't be right. Today was Saturday. Keitaro scratched his head. Maybe he forgot to tick off that Friday?

"That's odd…" he thought, and ticked off the two days instead.

After sliding the door open, Keitaro walked into the hallway. He trod on a high-tech skateboard and flew for miles.

"OH GOD!! NOT AGAIN!!" He cried out, flapping his arms for a second time.

In the living room, everyone was all present and accounted for, with the exception of Haruka who was working in the tea shop. Everyone was just getting ready for breakfast, when Keitaro made one hell of an entrance. He was zooming all over the place, screaming for dear life. This caused one gigantic commotion, and all the girls scattered in different directions.

The turbo thrusters in the skateboard had dispersed in a puff of black smoke, thus slowing the contraption down to a standstill. Keitaro gracefully landed on the wall with a splat. He peeled himself off and was in a twirling daze of confusion. Keitaro grabbed hold of the nearest thing he could find… that being Naru's pink t-shirt. With an unconscious yank he tore the material in two.

When Keitaro came to, he realised the horror shown on Naru's face. Only her tight fitting bra concealed those beautiful orbs.

"Waaaggggh! I'm so-"

He paused for thought.

"Hang on a sec."

But his mind was nullified when he got launched into the sun.

-0-0-

After the disaster, Keitaro returned home and joined the tenants for breakfast. He rubbed his sore chin when everyone tucked into their food, lovingly prepared by Shinobu. Good old western styled...

"Um, didn't we have bacon and eggs before?" Keitaro asked, scratching the top of his head.

Shinobu at once lifted her head up high and gasped. She didn't know how, but she offended Senpai! Oh the travesty!

Motoko gave the ronin a stern look. "What are you talking about, Urashima?"

"Uuum… we had m-miso soup and rice yesterday." stuttered Shinobu.

"Aaah oh… right, sorry! I guess I haven't woken up properly!" Keitaro apologised. "I could have sworn we had miso soup on Thursday!"

Everyone gave Keitaro a concerned glance before returning to their food.

Then…

"Damn this is annoying!" Naru groaned in frustration.

"What's wrong, Narusegawa-san?" asked Keitaro.

"It's this… this stupid puzzle! I can't make heads of tails of it!"

"Another puzzle?" Keitaro thought.

"Perhaps I can help?" asked Motoko.

In the end the puzzle travelled in a circle, with none of the girls getting the answer.

"Um, want to have a go, Senpai?" Shinobu asked, giving the problem to Keitaro.

Keitaro accepted it, and Shinobu blushed when their fingers barely touched. "Um… sure okay." he said.

Naru huffed and put her arms around her waist. "Hmph! As if Captain Moron can solve something I can't!"

Keitaro looked at the puzzle with widened eyes. "This is the same puzzle from yesterday!"

Everyone looked at Keitaro's transformed expression, and their eyes widened as well. Had Keitaro achieved the impossible?! Each girl was in their own state of mind. See if you can guess who thought what.

"He knows the answer?! Impossible!! This must be an illusion! Or a dream! Yes! Definitely a dream!"

"Urashima has the answer? But… he's a male!"

"Banana!"

"Heh, maybe he's smarter than he looks…"

"Come on Senpai! You can do it!"

But… the numpty forgot what the answer was.

"Ah! Sorry, I thought I had the answer, but I guess not!" Keitaro said in defeat, offering the puzzle back to Naru. After retrieving the puzzle, Naru and Motoko relaxed back in their chairs.

"Phew! I was starting to get worried!"

"Hmph! He was only seeking attention!"

"Banana!"

"…or not."

"At least he tried."

-0-0-

After a good mornings breakfast, the tenants had their own schedule to be getting on with. Haruka, of course, was still in the tea shop. Shinobu, Motoko and Kaolla had school to attend to… hang on? School? On a Saturday? Keitaro had heard of Sunday School but never Saturday School. Maybe this was a weekend school… or something… yeah…

Kitsune planned to spend the rest of the day getting drunk in her room. No change there then.

Right this moment, the ronin and the angel of fists got into a little heated argument.

"But Narusegawa-san! I've already done the shopping!"

"No you haven't!"

"Yes I have! I did it yesterday!"

"Oh yeah? Well prove it!"

"I will!"

With a bit of fire in his belly, Keitaro marched over to the cupboard and swung it open with both hands. He stared inside in utmost surprise. Completely empty.

Naru closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Satisfied now?"

Keitaro pointed at the emptiness. "But… but… did all of it get eaten that quickly? I know Kaolla is a fast eater but… uh… I guess I will do… the shopping… then."

When Keitaro left the dormitory, Naru opened one eye. "What's gotten into him?" she thought.

-0-0-

Outside…

"Yo Keitaro! Long time no see!"

"Hey what's up man?"

Keitaro looked at two guys that looked as dorky as himself. Haitani and Shirai.

"Oh, hey guys." he said.

"What do you mean 'hey guys'?!" Haitani argued, "We haven't seen each other for ages and all you say is 'hey guys'?!"

Shirai added, "What, are we not worthy of your presence anymore?"

Keitaro gave the two a curious look. "What are you talking about? We only met yesterday, remember?"

"No we didn't!" Haitani argued again, "We were at Comipa yesterday!"

"Yeah!" said Shirai.

Keitaro didn't know how to react. Unless the whole of yesterday was a dream, Keitaro knew he already saw Haitani and Shirai. What the hell was going on?

"Um… listen guys, I gotta go and do… shopping… and stuff. See you later, okay?" Keitaro decided to say, and left Haitani and Shirai in a slightly bewildered state.

-0-0-

"Hey Keitaro, you're back pretty early." stated Naru.

"Yeah, well… I figured we need to get studying as soon as possible." Keitaro replied, putting down the shopping.

Once they stored the shopping away, Keitaro followed Naru up to her room, where they sat cross legged by the low table.

Only the sound of scribbling pens could be heard. Actually… it was just Naru's pen. Keitaro spent most of the time looking dumbfounded and gormless. In fact, Keitaro was more dumbfounded and gormless than ever before. Keitaro always found the ambience awkward when he and Naru were in the same room together, but today felt somewhat… eerie.

"Um, Narusegawa-san, did you finish the-"

"Yes, I finished the anagram. It was 'apostrophe'." Naru answered. Her eyes were closed at the time.

Keitaro darted his eyes open. Apostrophe! "Ah! Uuum, well it was a tricky one."

"Yes it was."

Keitaro wilted his body through the silence. Keitaro was quite good at breaking the ice, but Naru was even better at reforming it.

After some time, Keitaro unconsciously interrupted by saying, "Hey look at the time! It's nearly two and we haven't eaten lunch yet! I'll go and make us something! Weird. That's exactly what I said yesterday!"

"Okay, thanks." replied Naru.

Naru heard Keitaro slide the door open, his footsteps fading as he went into the kitchen.

-0-0-

The time was now a few minutes to five. The main doors of Hinata-Sou swung open, and Kaolla, Motoko and Shinobu all bounced into the main room. Well, Kaolla did all the bouncing. The other, more reserved girls just sort of walked in.

"Welcome home!" Keitaro greeted them with a bow.

"Good afternoon, diabolical pervert." Motoko greeted back.

"Didn't she call me that yesterday?" thought Keitaro.

Motoko gave the pervert a quick glance. "Curious. Urashima usually reacts negatively to my put downs…"

"Um, good afternoon, s-senpai!" Shinobu said. She blushed and hurried into her room.

Naru walked down the stairs and greeted the blur of Shinobu. Naru sighed when Kaolla gave Keitaro the biggest bear hug in the world. Motoko shook her head and walked away from the vicinity… giving Keitaro one last stare before going.

"Come on Su-chan," Naru politely ordered, "step away from the manager please, before you squeeze him to death."

"Righto Naru-chan!"

Kaolla let go and Keitaro collapsed in a thankful heap.

-0-0-

Keitaro put the phone down and sighed.

"It looks like Haruka still has some things to do in the tea shop." he said to everyone. "She said the same thing to me yesterday! Like… exactly the same thing!"

The tenants had their own ways of reacting, but it was mostly overruled with a simple 'oh, okay'.

The sky darkened and the time was well past seven. Shinobu cooked up a lovely meal of chicken ramen with vegetables, and the others did not hesitate to dig in. Keitaro looked at his plate. Chicken ramen. Again?

"Senpai? Are you okay?" Shinobu asked innocently.

How could Keitaro react sourly to Shinobu's tender loving concerning voice. "Uh, I'm fine Shinobu-chan! More than fine!"

"Oh, okay!"

-0-0-

After dinner, Keitaro tried his best to clean the house head to toe. As he looked at certain places, he flinched in confusion. He could have sworn the house was a lot cleaner, but it was just as filthy as it was yesterday! Then again, Kaolla did specialise in trashing Hinata-Sou on a daily basis. Even so…

It took much time and effort, but Keitaro, at last, managed to patch up that hole in the roof. 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' were the final sounds of the hammer meeting the nail. The roof had been successfully restored, and Keitaro wiped a lot of sweat from his forehead.

Unfortunately, just as Keitaro stood up, he tumbled over into a ball and rolled off the roof, lifting himself upwards like a bike meeting a ramp.

"OH NO! NOT THIS AGAIN!"

Sploosh!

He landed dead centre in the hot springs. All the girls surrounded him. Keitaro apologised in about twenty eight different languages. All languages fell on deaf ears. Shinobu left with a towel around her, and the others prepared their usual positions.

Keitaro winced as he felt the metal fist striking his head, thanks to Kaolla's rocket launcher. Weird that Kaolla used the same weapon on him. Normally she developed new ways of punishing the manager.

"SECRET TECHNIQUE: BOULDER CUTTING BLADE!!" Motoko cried. A large ki wave of death launched into Keitaro's chest. Even weirder. Motoko usually unleashes a different technique to him every day.

Naru launched the concluding uppercut to the chin, causing Keitaro to shoot off into the sky. Well… okay, that was normal for Naru, so Keitaro let that one slide.

"CAN'T YOU GET ENOUGH OF US, YOU FILTHY PERVERT?!?" Naru roared, shaking her fist at the twinkling star of Keitaro.

-0-0-

Keitaro didn't spend much time finding his bearings before walking back to Hinata-Sou. It was strange. He landed in the exact same location before. That never happened to Keitaro. Not once. When he finally arrived, the house was silent, save for a few rogue crickets chirping away. He had just enough energy to enter his bedroom before collapsing in an instant.

Keitaro mashed his face in the pillow. "Man, what a strange day… it's like everyone was saying the same stuff…"

…

Author: The build up is slow, but have patience! See you next time!