Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina.
-oOoOoOo-
"I do have to ask. Are you going to make your fiancee pay rent?" Tsuruko asked. "It seems a tad inappropriate."
"Y'know, I asked Motoko about that. I wanted to not have her to pay anymore, but she insisted," Keitaro answered.
"So what does one do when their fiancee is a tenant? I decided to continue paying until final housing is decided upon," Motoko added. "And that will occur when I am accepted into college myself."
"I take it that you're also holding off on such things like how your married life, the possibility of children, and of course, the issue about your inheritance," Tsuruko replied. Motoko nervously nodded.
'That's right. I still have to tell Granny Hina that I'm engaged. I bet she'll tease me about everything about it,' Keitaro thought. For a moment, Keitaro thought he heard a small faroff cry of despair. He shrugged it off as he thought, 'I bet Kanako will be happy for me.'
"Such things are best left to discuss when we are ready," Motoko said with a twitch of nervousness in her voice. "At the moment, there is nothing substantial, other than that we will go through an engagement ceremony."
"So fiancees could live here free? What if I became your mistress?" Kitsune asked, looking at the couple. When Motoko glared at her, Kitsune merely said, "Wasn't asking Keitaro, Honey. I was asking you.'
When Kitsune blew her a kiss, Motoko stammered, "I-I-I'm not interested in women like that! Besides I only belong to Keitaro and he belongs to me!"
Kitsune laughed,"Still too easy to wind up!"
She stopped laughing when a foot was rubbing her leg in a seductive manner. Still in a bit of a good mood, Kitsune asked, "Alright, whose doing that to me?"
"It has been awhile since I shared my bed with a woman and I thought your offer was genuine, Konno-san," Tsuruko answered.
"Since you're Motoko's sister, I might be a bit too much you, Tsuruko-San. I like to get wild and naughty," Kitsune said back, using her other foot to rub against Tsuruko's leg.
"Does this mean that if I weren't, I could take you up on your offer?" Tsuruko asked. There didn't seem to be any hint of a bluff in Tsuruko's eyes.
As she slightly shook her head, an unsure Kitsune removed her legs away from Tsuruko's foot and said, "Sorry, I only like to tease. Besides, sisters of my friends are off limits. Besides, you're probably dating a swordsman and I have no intent of seeing if they're the jealous type."
"Pity. Ah well, we-" Tsuruko said before getting interrupted.
"Onee-san! Are you serious!?" Motoko asked, somewhat standing up in a panic.
"Imouto, the best way to deal with someone like Konno-san is to either ignore them or turn the tables on them," Tsuruko answered.
"Ahm, so you were bluffing!" Kitsune confidently said, gesturing towards Tsuruko.
"Can you be absolutely certain about that?" Tsuruko asked, giving Kitsune the bedroom eyes.
A slightly wary Kitsune answered, "Yeah! ...kinda."
"There is more than one way of turning the tables," Tsuruko replied.
Motoko turned towards Keitaro and said, "Do something!"
However, she noticed that he was blushing and focused on Tsuruko. Motoko roughly pinched his cheek and asked in a cold tone, "Are you fantasizing about my sister, Keitaro?"
"N-no! I was using her to judge how much more beautiful you were going to get!" Keitaro answered.
Motoko blushed a little. It was interrupted when Kitsune said, "Nice save, Keitaro!"
Tsuruko giggled a little behind her hand. "So… back to the matter at hand. When and exactly will the marriage take place? Will I or anyone else from the Aoyama family have to make any reservations at any nearby hotels? Or will we be able to stay here?"
"Ah... Well, I guess it depends on how many will be coming," Keitaro answered. "It's too early to make any plans, but If there isn't a whole lot coming in, I think we'd be able to let you stay."
"Of course, we would have to set up a schedule for the hot springs," Motoko added.
"That is, if you hold it here. The Shinmei-Ryu School does have more room for both guests and the ceremony," Tsuruko said. With a slight smile, she said, "I do believe we still have mother's wedding kimono for you to wear, Motoko. Unless Urashima has one for you to wear or if you decide to purchase a brand new one or wear a western-style one?"
"We still have to decide, but it's good that you reminded us of that, Onee-san" Motoko sent a flat look towards Kitsune as she said, "And this means no pranks if we hold the wedding here, like telling men that the hot springs schedule has been changed, Kitsune."
"Aw, c'mon! It was just a joke!" Kitsune replied, holding up her hands in a placating manner.
"One that has been repeated too many times," Motoko spat out.
"The fact you used it a few times as justification to attack Keitaro kinda makes you look like a big old hypocrite," Kitsune retorted. Naru felt like a major weight that had been labeled 'guilt' had fallen onto her head.
"Kitsune, Motoko-chan, Stop it now," Keitaro said, his voice brooking no argument. The serious look on his face made Kitsune annoyed that Naru pushed him away into Motoko's arms. She was willing to playfully flirt with him if he was with Naru, as she'd only yell. Kitsune had no idea if Motoko had the same restraint or was willing to use a sword on her, so until she knew for sure, the self-proclaimed fox planned on playing it safe.
"Hey, sorry for taking it out on Motoko, but I'm still a bit annoyed at how you two lovebirds were able to hide your relationship under my nose. I'm the self-proclaimed fox of Hinata, for crying out loud!" Kitsune grumbled, not noticing how Naru looked pained when she referred to the couple. "Not only that, but everyone under this roof share everything with each other!
"Looks like I outfoxed the fox, then," Motoko smugly said. When Kitsuen shot her a glare, Motoko retorted, "If we share everything with each other, the care to share why you came here? Perhaps tell us a bit about your family?"
Kitsune looked a tad sheepish for a moment before she replaced it with a slight snarl, but before she could fire back an insult, Keitaro angrily spat out, "What did I just say? Stop acting like a couple of children! Motoko, I expected better from you!"
"Sorry, Keitaro," Kitsune and Motoko both said.
After a few minutes of silence, Tsuruko said, "I must admit that you are surprising, Urashima. This will make deciding upon a test a tad more difficult."
"How is stopping a fight between me and Motoko impressive?" Kitsune asked with a little confusion in her voice.
"Imouto always has been a tad head strong and defiant, especially when it comes to listening to anyone of the male gender. So for her to acquiesce to Urashima's words is unusual in my eyes," Tsuruko explained. Naru twitched, suppressing the urge to run.
"So if Keitaro were to fail your test...?" Kitsune asked. Naru would be lying if she didn't say hope began to enter her panicked thoughts.
"Then I would step in and end their relationship by taking Motoko back with me," Tsuruko answered. 'For both their sakes.'
"You can't!" Su and Sarah both yelled.
"I wish for their happiness, but am working for safety foremost," Tsuruko said. "Also, any interference will be punished."
"What? From what Motoko tells us, all you guys do is teach sword skills and exorcist evil spirits," Kitsune said. "What next? You gonna tell us that magic is real and that it's a secret kept from us for our own protection? That we have a magic princess under this roof?"
"That would be absurd, Konno-san, and something out of a badly-aged story. After all Technology is increasing by steps and bounds, so such a thing would be revealed in time," Tsuruko replied. "In fact, one could argue that the spirits, youkai, and the gods are having trouble competing with technology for the attention of humans."
"Ah, you mean like Yamabiko, the youkai that's the echo from a canyon. Sorta died when science proved that echoes exist" Su said. When everyone looked at her, she said, "What? Can't a girl research some of the things her friends might deal with?"
"Back to the matter at hand. Urashima, Imouto, if you decide to not take the test, then I will be lenient and will do my best to let the two of you see each other once in awhile," Tsuruko said. "But take the test and I will not permit Motoko to see you until she has finished our family's trials."
"Gee, great consolation prize," Kitsune sarcastically grumbled.
Naru would be lying if she said a part of her wished Keitaro or Motoko would take the offer and give up. She grew disgusted with that part of herself, as well as acknowledging that Keitaro had come a long way from the weak spineless loser that arrived at the inn.
"I think we both know that Motoko-chan and I will overcome anything, even you," Keitaro said, putting his hand over Motoko's
With a blush, Motoko answered, "Indeed, Urash- No, Keitaro. There is really is no more need to hide our relationship in any way."
'I hope so, for I would not forgive myself for destroying this for you, Imouto,' Tsuruko thought.
"So consider this a congrats to the couple, for somehow not causing a big old panic when you told us all of the nitty gritty details," Kitsune said, holding up her glass. The others looked at each other for a moment before they all tapped their glasses of various drinks together. The fox noticed that Naru still looked like she bit into a sour fruit, but knowing how stubborn her friend could get, Kitsune decided to wait until tomorrow or if Naru came to her on her own volition.
Other than that, Kitsune saw that everyone was happy for the couple.
-o-
Naru looked at herself in the mirror and thought, 'I lost him.'
'I lost him.'
'Or was it that I never had him?'
She took ahold of a lock of her hair and stared at it.
'Maybe it's better this way. Maybe I'm too immature for a relationship. I kept pushing him away and pulling him back, but never could even admit I L… L… Like him. '
Naru furiously rubbed the sides of her head as she thought, 'I can't even think more than that?! God, I need to get away!'
As a few strands of hair rubbed her nose enough to make her sneeze, a thought came to Naru. She grabbed a pair of scissors after a little bit of searching. As she looked in a mirror, Naru judged how short she could make her hair and still look cute.
"Maybe I should ask Kitsune? The bob she had was both cute and hot," Naru muttered to herself. She nodded to herself and headed to her friend's room.
There, Naru found Kitsune laying about with a hand holding a bottle like always, but there was a few signs that Kitsune was bothered by the revelations given that day. One was that the bottle was unopened and Kitsune gave a nasgty glare towards Keitaro's room every few moments.
"Kitsune, is everything okay?" Naru asked as she entered Kitsune's room.
"Hn? Yeah, Just feeling like Keitaro kinda…. Well, can't say he played you. There wasn't much between the two of you, other than we believed there to be. I guess I'm just disappointed, is all,' Kitsune answered. With a evil smirk, she asked, "So what brings you to the fox den? Is it making a plan to have a steamy fourway with Keitaro, Motoko, and Tsuruko?"
"No!" Naru cried out in a little bit of anger. "I want you to help me cut my hair. I might as well start a new chapter in my life."
"I'm reluctant, but happy to help you, Naru," Kitsune replied. "But get away from the window. I'm not chasing you down or running off with you. Maybe the latter, if you got a good spot planned."
"What are you-Ah!" Naru muttered before she realized that somehow,she was trying to unconsciously escape through the window in Kitsune's room.
As Naru sat in the middle of Kitsune's room, the latter asked, "So… pixie cut or a bob? I still have the kit from when I had a job as a haircutter."
"...I think I should go with a shoulder length bob," Naru answered.
As Kitsune brought out a box that held scissors combs, brushes, and the like, she muttered in a tone that held sad reminiscence, "Welcome to the Broken hearts haircuts sisterhood, Naru."
Looking back at her friend, Naru asked, "What are you talking about?"
"You ain't the first lady to decide to cut her hair after a loss,and you ain't gonna be the last," Kitsune replied. She ran her hand through her hair as she said, "Why do you think I keep my hair short?"
-oOoOoOo
Notes from HotelKatz : This fanfic was an idea started by Antimatter of TheFanfictionForums . They are also the planner of this fic.
A huge round of thanks to chronodekar and everybody else at TheFanfictionForums for their suggestions.
At the moment, my favorite line is probably the one where Keitaro quickly defends himself when Motoko thinks he might be fantasizing about Tsuruko. Some of the people who beta-read this chapter also liked that line.
I think I got that from a scene in Onidere.
Edit on May 13, 2017 : I mixed up Ane-ue and Imouto somehow. Thanks to Wittmann the Tiger Ace and Yorae Rasante for pointing it out.