Welcome, abx20 here with a brand new installment of "Love Hina I will always love you"
Before we get started I know I have been late (a bit lazy) in uploading new chapters and maybe till mid March I might not upload chapters (seeing if I get any time) but I will try my best to not leave you the readers hanging.
Also after countless times saying this finally a new day will begin in the story (Cue the music.. oh wait I don't have any of that)
Disclaimer: As always a reminder I do not own Love Hina or any of it's characters, they are owned by Ken Akamatsu (Darn you Akamatsu!)
Emphasis
Story
"Talking"
"Thinking"
(Me Talking)
CHAPTER 15: IN MEMORY OF KEITARO
The night passed on, the last couple of hours which felt like decades to the tenants (and probably the readers). The next day had brought nothing new and everyone were still affected by the tragedy that struck.
It was morning time and all the girls were heading down for breakfast not attending to their daily morning routines.
Shinobu was as usual in the kitchen preparing breakfast, but her mind was muddled with many thoughts in her mind. "A whole day has passed, but I still can't believe that Keitaro's gone" Shinobu thought "Keitaro's the reason that I am happy, living among friends and am not afraid anymore" Shinobu was snapped out of her thoughts by an approaching Kitsune.
"Aaahhhhh Kitsune you scared me" said a startled Shinobu but soon realized "Wait Kitsune, you're up this early, your not sick are you Kitsune?" asked Shinobu placing her hand on Kitsune's forehead. "I am fine, Shinobu jeez" said Kitsune as she swatted away Shinobu's hand "I just thought you might need some help with breakfast so I came down to see if you needed any help" Kitsune added. Shinobu grabbed a pan and poined towards Kitsune "Who are you and what have you done to Kitsune?" asked Shinobu as her hands shivered a bit "Shinobu relax, it's me, I just came to help"
(Let's leave this normal drama for a while)
Motoko sat in the lobby not practicing her swordsmanship on the roof as she daily does every morning. "Has Grandma Hina made the right decision appointing Naru as the permanent manager?" she asked herself "I know Naru is the best person for this and it also means all of us get to stay in this place, but given her current state is this the right thing to do?" Motoko was lost in her thoughts until she was inteerupted by Naru.
"Hey Motoko, what are you doing here and not on the table, or are you not in the mood for breakfast" said Naru in her normal way of talking. This confused Motoko seeing Naru was not the same girl from last night who lost the love of her life, it felt to her that Naru did not seem any pain knowing Keitaro was gone. "Hello Motoko, you ok?" asked Naru. Motoko tried to speak but had no answer, "Hmmm seems, like you are really hungry come on let's get you some thing to eat" said Naru as she grabbed Motoko by the arm and dragged her to the table.
"Hey Shinobu is breakfast ready?" asked Naru but she only saw Shinobu with a pan in her hand and Kitsune standing at the other end of it "Uhhhh guys what's going on?" asked Naru. "Ohhh Naru, what are you doing here?" asked Shinobu "I came to ask about breakfast but, why are you pointing a pan towards Kitsune?" said Naru. "She thinks I am some evil clone or something because I got up early and decided to maybe help Shinobu out and this is the thanks I get" answered Kitsune "Wait you got up early and wanted to do work?" asked Naru "Yes why is that such a big thing" answered Kitsune "Kitsune are you feeling well?" asked Naru "That's it, this is the last time I decide to do some work aound here" said an enraged Kitsune as she stormed out of the kitchen. "So, Shinobu need any help?" asked Naru "Ohhh no, I am done here, you can go and sit wth the rest i'll be right out" answered Shinobu. With that Naru headed out to join the rest "Naru, sure seems happy? I don't know should I be happy or worried" Shinobu thought to herself
Kitsune, Naru and Motoko were soon joined by the remaining members of the inn. Breakfast went pretty much quiet with no average everyday antics of the tenants. After everybody was done Naru was the first to speak "Wow, Shinobu you always seem to out do yourself, this was amazing" said Naru as she got up from her seat "Shinobu I'll help you out with the dishes" she added as she picked up a few dishes and headed towards the kitchen. Shinobu carried the remaining dishes and followed her. Motoko soon got up and signaled Kitsune to follow her outside. Kitsune responded and both the girls headed outside. The others also soon went about to their merry ways
Motoko guided Kitsune up to the roof for some privacy (not that kind!) "So, Motoko what you wanted to talk about?" asked Kitsune "I wanted to talk abou Naru, I mean she is acting pretty weird for someone who lost the guy she loved just last night" said Motoko "I know Motoko, I don't understand myself, and I should know these things about her" answered Kitsune "Is Naru even ok?" asked Motoko "We can't say all I know is that girl from the inside must be dead, she lost the one person that loved her unconditionally, Naru has always felt she could never b loved that's why she built this wall around her to keep these emotions away, but then Keitaro came in her life and for the first time she let those walls down to let someone in and now that someone's gone" answered Kitsune "Now I am not sure if Naru is fine, she behaving in such a manner as if last night never happened" she added "So, should we consider that a bad thing?" asked Motoko "To be honest, I don't know and that's what worries me the most" Kitsune answered
Back with Shinobu and Naru
Naru and Shinobu are busy washing the dishes, Shinobu's mind is troubled not sure what to say or ask seeing Naru so calm and happy. "Shinobu something troubling you?" asked Naru "Ohhh no nothing Naru, I am fine" Shinobu answered "And how are you?" she asked "Ohh I am good" answered Naru "Why do you ask?" she added "Ohhhh no reason just making conversation" answered Shinobu "Ummm Naru could you excuse me please?" asked Shinobu who was just looking for a way to get out of there "Ohhh sure Shinobu head on ahead i'll finish up here" answered Naru. Shinobu quickly scurried out of the kitchen.
"I don't know why but seeing Naru like that made me feel really weird, has she so quickly forgotten about Keitaro?" Shinobu asked herself as she was walking by she bumped into Haruka "Ohhh sorry Haruka I didn't see where I was going" said Shinobu. Haruka looked at Shinobu and noticed she seemed to be confused "Something on your mind Shinobu?" asked Haruka "Ummm no it's just that I don't know..." Shinobu did not know what to ask but soon gathered the words "I just.. I am worried about Naru, she seems to b acting weird, nothing bad about it, really great to see her in such a mood but wha happened just last night it just seems really weird" Shinobu said. "Listen Shinobu I don't wanna sound mean or something but I think all of us should try and support Naru and probably not question whatever she is doing" answered Haruka "We just need to hope that it does not affect her in any negative way" Haruka added "You're right Haruka but it's just I am really worried about her" said Shinobu "I know all of us are and she's even been handed such a huge responsibility in her state, let's just hope nothing bad happens ok" answered Haruka
Later in the afternoon:
All the girls were sitting in the lounge unsure of what to do. Soon they were joined by Haruka "Well, the memorial is gonna start pretty soon so anybody up for it?" asked Haruka. Shinobu was he first to speak "Yes, we should go, I mean if everybody's up for it" said the hesitant girl "Well I wanna go I don't know about anyone else" everyone's attention was diverted towards Grandma Hina as she soon joined the rest of them "And it would be nice if the rest of you also come" she added. "You know Grandma Hina is right" said Mutsumi "Keitaro was our friend and by going there we could honor his memory" she added. All the girls realized what Mutsumi meant and how important it is for them to be there. "Wait where's Naru?" asked Kitsune. All the others realized that Naru was nowhere to be in sight. "I haven't seen her since this morning" answered Mutsumi "I saw her outside a while ago not sure where she went" said Su (Man this girl was missing for a while now) "Well where could she be?" asked Shinobu. All the girls scattered around to look for the brunette. Shinobu and Su searched for Naru on the dorm floor, Mutsumi and Sara looked for Naru on the roof. Motoko searchhed for her on the playground behind the inn. Kitsune while searched for her near the tea house.
After a while all the girls gathered outside the main entrance of the inn, in vain as they could not find Naru anywhere. "Where could she have gone too?" asked Motoko "Well is it even right that we go without her?" asked Su "Huhhh don't know but Grandma Hina Haruka and Seta are about to leave so we should go with them" answered Kitsune "But without Naru..." Shinobu looked to interject but was shunt of by Kitsune "I know what you are trying to say Shinobu but maybe considering what Naru just went through I think it would be better if we left her alone" said Kitsune. None of the others knew how to answer back to the vixen realizing that Kitsune is part right about not having Naru at the memorial.
All the tenants met up with Grandma Hina and they were on their way. "Where's Naru?" asked Grandma Hina "No clue, we looked for her everywhere but we just could'nt find her" answered Kitsune "Well, she should've been with us conisidering her and Keitaro and all" said Seta "Yea, but right now she is in a delicate state, al of us got a glimpse of that not only last night but this morning even" answered Haruka "She was behaving as if nothing happened last night, either she is trying to forget it all or her mind isn't ready to believe anything" she added "Let's just hope it's the first thing" said Grandma Hina, hearing this made all the girls feel as if Grandma Hina felt it was right for Naru to just forget about Keitaro completely "It means that she is building the will to live again, which is good because she realizes people that are gone can't come back but they can live on through them, she will know that Keitaro is gone, he can't come back but she will live her life for his sake" Grandma Hina added clearing everyone's minds by what she meant.
At City square:
The entire city is gathered there to witness the immortalization of a young man who saved the lives of many while risking his own. The gang also finally made it just in time as the mayor was ready to give his speech.
"Thank you all for coming today, we have gathered here today to mourn the loss of a young man named Keitaro Urashima. Still in his early 20's what dreams and ambitions he might have had we could only imagine. He risked his own life to save so many, he had no ulterior or personal motive or intention to save them. He did not look towards them thinking, maybe his brother, father, sister, mother or any other relative or friend was in there but from his eyes he looked at humanity, he did not care about himself but about all those people that could've died if he was not there, things like this are mostly heard in stories but he proved that humanity still exists in this world. I myself stand here and talk about Keitaro Urashima as if I knew him personally but I didn't, and I wish I did because people like him come once a millenium. He died the death of a hero and we can't give anything to his family and close ones that would make them feel better but alteast we could offer our condolences for their loss. Now I would like everyone to kindly help me welcome Keitaro's grandmother Hina Urashima up here so she could say a few words. Hina Urashima could you please join us up here."
The crowd started to applaud and moved aside as she walked through the crowd. She was helped up on stage by the mayor as he signaled to her towards the mic. "Thank you for the warm welcome, and also for the respect that has been offered to my grand-son. I always thought that he would be one presenting his euology at my funeral, but it's kind of the other way around. Keitaro was always a kind of person that would always look to help people out no matter what, and the last thing he did was the thing he loved doing. I am happy for those survivors that they are with their family and friends today, and my grand-son is the reason so for that I am happy that he wil be remembered for his sacrifice. I just hope and pray that wherevr he is now I hope he in peace, thank you". The crowd started to applaud again as the mayor then unvieled a statue of about Keitaro's height with the words.
"Keitaro Urashima
Unsung Hero"
ENDED
Finally got this done, I don't remember my last upload but it was long ago (I guess)
so, finally as I said we began with a new day (Yayyyyy) originally this chapter was a bit more long but I felt that the ending would be good here so the remaining part I might add in the next chapter.
A somewhat different chapter, others still broken apart (check)
Naru acting somewhat weird ok (check)
Memorial taking place (check)
Some characters still missing (check)
Keitaro dead (check)
As always please read rate and review the chapter and thanking all again for still following the story (you guys rock!)
This is abx20 bidding farewell