Naru sat in her room that night still daydreaming. She couldn't get her mind off of Keitaro. The way his muscles stretched every time he made movements, the deep and masculine look in his eyes, the fact that his voice had deepened. Once again, the girl had to shout to herself to try and gain some control.
"Awww, what am I thinking about right now!"
Naru gave up on trying to study as she layed on her floor staring at the ceiling.
"What has gotten into me", the brunette questioned. "Why am I so nervous around him now?"
Despite being still flustered, her mind returned to Keitaro. It retraced the memories of Keitaro back in the kitchen. As she recalled every muscle in his back and shoulders, she also recalled the strange tatoo on his shoulder. It wasn't very big, most likely from the military, but for some reason Naru just wanted to find out about it. It could be a chance to start some conversation with him. Since his return, they hadn't had a real chance to talk. Naru sat on her knees as she began to remove the board on her floor. She took a deep breath, still hesitant to open up the hole.
When she opened the hole, she saw something that should have been expected. The hole had been covered up by a set of boards.
"What, when did Keitaro do this", Naru asked as she touched the boards for it stability.
In disappointment, Naru placed the wood back on the now covered hole. She was quite saddened that there was no longer a peeking entrance into Keitaro's room. Sure back then Keitaro sometimes got a too personal peek at her because of that hole, but it also served as a small communication entrance. Now it was gone, and it was going to be that much harder for her to talk to him.
Outside in his own personal hot tub, Keitaro soaked his body in the warm bubbles. It was refreshing for him to wash all the daily dirt from himself. The hot tub also did some good for his bones and muscles that had been working all day. Keitaro felt at ease while he looked to the stars above him. His mind paid little attention to the rest of the environment as someone approached him. He only caught on when they closed the door behind them. Keitaro instinctively reached over for his gun on the table and pointed towards the intruder. His pupils dilated once he was the newcomer waiting at the entrance was Kanako.
"Kanako", Keiaro said as he quickly hid the weapon behind his back. "What are you doing here, I could have killed you."
"I'm sorry brother, I didn't mean to startle you", Kanako said in defense.
"No, you don't have to apologize", Keitaro reassured her. "I'm the one whose sorry. It's just that...well...being in the military...it's just all reflex now."
"It's okay Keitaro", Kanako told her brother.
There was an odd silence for a moment.
"Keitaro, do you need help. I could wash your hair and your back for you."
"Keitaro thought about this for a moment. Every time something like this happened before, he was always accused of something perverted. He knew Kanako weren't blood related, and she did have a thing for him once. On the other hand, it was late, the chances that someone else showing up were kinda slim. The feelings Kanako had for him were put at rest a while back.
"Well", Keitaro began, "It would be helpful if you can get my hard to reach places", Keitaro said as he tapped his wounded shoulder.
The black-haired girl was joyous that he was going to allow this. As she was about to take off her bath robe, Keitaro raised his voice, "Wait!"
"Before you get in, I have one request", Keitaro told her.
Finally submerging herself in the water, Kanako readjusted the straps on her two piece bikini. Keitaro requested that she were something to cover herself up, that way none of them ended up in trouble. In fact, he himself was in his swim trunks. The boy remained silent as she washed his hair from behind. It was comforting to both Keitaro and Kanako. After all, it brought back old memories, and helped to strengthen old bonds. Both of them remained in utter silence as Kanako shampoo, and conditioned his hair.
Right after, Kanako moved to his neck and shoulders. She soon started noticing all the details on his back. It wasn't just the muscles that caught her attention. Her eyes traced to the bandaged wound, the unknown tattoo, a few birthmarks here and there. However, the thing that caught her attention the most, were the scars. there were so many scars.
"Keitaro", Kanako whispered.
"Yeah?"
"What are all of these scars from", the girl questioned.
"Oh Jeez Kanako", Keitaro said, "I have so many scars, I don't even know where to begin."
"How about...this one", Kanako said tapping a small slash across shoulder-blade.
"That one, that was a training accident", Keitaro told her recalling the incident. "When I was at the Oni-Zakura Dojo, I wanted to learn how to use a Kusarigama. When I was swinging it, I lost control and cut myself."
"I see", Kanako said. "What about this one?"
"Gunshot wound."
"And this one?"
"Stabbing wound."
"This one", Kanako said as she tapped various scars.
"Another gunshot wound."
"What about right here?"
"Oh that one, Keitaro said sounding a little embarrassed. "Some of the other soldiers were kinda drunk when they were playing darts. You can guess the rest. I don't even know how that happened, I was in another room, in the opposite direction."
Both brother and sister chuckled a bit from the story. It wasn't to make fun of the incident, but it did put a smile on their faces. Kanako washed his back a little more with a small sponge. Then her eyes were drawn back to the tattoo. Using her bare hands, Kanako pressed on the tattoo. It felt warm, warmer than the rest of his skin. The boy grunted from her touch.
"Not so hard Kanako, that spot is sensitive."
"I'm sorry", Kanako said as she removed her hand.
The girl dropped all thoughts about the tattoo as she finished washing Keitaro's back.
"Okay, I'm all done brother", Kanako told him.
"Thanks Kanako", Keitaro said. "Here, let me wash your hair too."
You don't have to do that for me brother", Kanako said somewhat blushing.
"It's the least I could do. Here turn around."
Not willing to complain or argue back, Kanako did as she was told. Before long, her hair was in deep suds as Keitaro ran his fingers through her hair.
"I'm not scrubbing too hard, am I", AKeitaro asked.
"No, it's okay Keitaro", Kanako said. "It feels, so nice."
The two stopped the conversation for a time. Then, it was Keitaro who started up again.
"You know this feels kinda like deja vu. I remember scrubbing your hair here at Hinata Sou when we were still kids."
Kanako remembered it. She remembered it very well. The girl hesitated before asking.
"And you remember our promise?"
"For a while I didn't, but I eventually picked it up."
"...And", Kanako edged for an answer.
"Well...I'm still not sure if I can run this place at all. If I can survive for a little while longer...I'd like to run this place with you as brother and sister."
Even though it wasn't as a lover, Kanako still wanted to run Hinata Sou with Keitaro. The answer he gave her wasn't a for sure yes, but he at least had his mind open for her.
"Thanks you...brother", Kanako told him in a deep, blushing whisper.
"No problem Kanako", Keitaro told her. "You know, I've really enjoyed talking to you."
"Me too", Kanako said.
The rest of the bath was spent in silence. Nothing else was said between them besides, "Thank You", and "Good Night". For the matter of fact, nothing really needed to be said.
Keitaro didn't go to sleep after his bath, unlike Kanako. He was too busy setting up his room again. The boy installed a lock on his door, had a small refrigerator, a portable stove, and a few other belongings. He wanted to keep to himself for the time being. The main reasons he would have to leave would be to do his laundry, use the bathroom, do the chores, or leave the dorms. It was better this way, as it was going to take some time to re adjust to living back here again.
There was finally one more box to open. It had some more personal items. Inside were a few photo albums and picture frames, library books, and stuff that only meant something to him. The last item he pulled out of the box was a small, hand-held container. It wasn't the small cardboard container that made it special, it was what was inside that mattered. Keitaro took a look around, just to be safe. Skinny knew exactly what was inside, but it didn't matter because he was asleep.
The Urashima boy opened the box, and pulled out a ring. It was simple, silver with three dark crevices on the side. The boy layed back on the sleeping mat as he inspected the metal.
"Why did I ever buy this", Keitaro asked himself mentally.
He was never much of a jewelry person, but he saw it one day it a small shop in America while on an assignment. Something that day told him that he must have it; if not for himself, then for someone else. Till this day, he never gave it to anyone, no did he let anyone else see it. While he inspected the ring, his eyes were drawn to the now covered hole in the ceiling. Somehow, the image of Naru receiving the ring from him crossed his mind. The thought of placing it gently on her finger. She would smile to him, and he would smile back. They would both lean in closer, and closer as they slowly close their eyes...and then...
Keitaro somehow lashed himself back into reality! He ruffled his hair with his hands while shouting, "What am I thinking!" As he squeezed his hands into a frustrated fist, he remembered he still had the ring in his hand. Keitaro stared at the small metallic circle in his palm, then back at the covered hole. He sighed to himself before placing it back in the box.
"I guess, I'll hold onto this a little while longer", Keitaro said as he placed it into a juror.
With too many things on his mind, Keitaro went back to work. As the manager, he had his duties to fulfill. It started off with cleaning the hot springs, repainting the side of the house where the paint began to chip, and scrubbing all the floors to the dorms. The chores were simple, but not easy, and plenty time-consuming. Once all was done, Keitaro went back to working in his personal construction zone.
It was now a Monday morning for Motoko. As usual, her day began with some morning training in kendo on the roof's platform. She practiced her various slashed, and thrust, but today her training was off. Motoko held her still bandaged arm in ache. It wasn't to its full strength, and was slowing her training down.
"It's still not fully recovered", Motoko told herself as she sat down.
While Motoko took a small rest on a bench, she heard the sound of some loud panting. The kendo girl looked around, but saw no one. With nowhere else to search, she looked to the bottom of Hinata Sou. Just on the opposite side of the fence that separated the hot springs, and the forest, Keitaro was arriving from a morning jog.
"He's up early, I didn't hear him leave, and I've been here since sunrise."
Keitaro tried to recalibrate his breathing as Skinny approached with a small bag of supplies. Keitaro stripped off his sweater and shirt, but Motoko wasn't able to blush this time. The bandages around Keitaro's shoulder were a dark, fresh crimson. He stripped off the wrappings, giving Motoko a look at the full extent of the damage. The wound was very much closed, but it still had a deep gash where the branch once pierced through.
"Boss, you can't keep over doin it, otherwise the wound won't heal."
"C'mon Skinny", Keitaro grunted as the pine martin applied alcohol to the flesh wound, "I've been through worse."
"Just don't push yourself too hard boss", Skinny pleaded. "Remember, you're a tough cookie, but you're not invincible."
"I know" Keitaro said as if he's heard this conversation before. "Just, don't tell the others about this okay.
The small mammal sighed before saying, "Alright Boss."
"Thanks Skinny", Keitaro said as he gave the small creature his stained wrappings. "Here, sneak these off to the trash cans, I don't want them to see the blood."
"Aye Boss", Skinny saluted before beginning Keitaro's order.
Still unnoticed above them, Motoko watched as Keitaro staggered to his feet. He clapped his hands on his cheeks before entering the dorms. Motoko remained in silence on the roof, even after Keitaro was no longer in sight.
"Keitaro, why are you doing this? Why are you hiding everything from us", Motoko questioned in her psyche.
This was something that bothered her for some time. She really had no right to go snooping in his personal life, not after the way she treated him, and not after everything that has happened. Even so, it was never good to keep secrets. From what she had just seen, Keitaro was hiding things that were hurting him. If he tried to cover something as small as a physical wound, what else was he keeping for him. The kendo girls wasn't just curious, she was also...concerned.
Not long after, Motoko was descending down the stairs to the kitchen where Shinobu now had breakfast. In the living room, Keitaro sat on the couch gulping down a fresh bottle of water. Before she could approach him, Keitaro received a greeting kick from both Sarah and Su. Keitaro's body barely moved from the impact due to his new strength, but his facial expression showed great pain.
"Su, Sarah, leave Keitaro alone", Motoko defended Keitaro.
The two younger girls were surprised by her reaction. Yet, they weren't surprised as Keitaro was, and eve he was not as shocked as Motoko was. She felt odd that she had actually defended the Urashima boy. Immediately, Motoko tried to change the subject.
"I mean...you shouldn't bother yourself with Keitaro. Shinobu has breakfast prepared, and it won't be enjoyed cold!"
"Hey you're right! Why are we bugging this dork when food is ready", Sarah told her partner in crime.
The Kaolla girl shouted, "Yipee", before the two bolted for the kitchen.
Once they were gone, Motoko was able to breathe a sigh of relief. She then noticed as Keitaro reached the steps leading to his room.
"Keitaro, you should eat breakfast too. You can't go the day on an empty stomach", Motoko informed him.
"That's ok, I have some rations in my room", Keitaro told her.
Motoko tried to push the issue a little further.
"Shinobu prepared a plate for you too. She would want you there as well."
The boy grabbed his shirt as he told her, "But I'm all sweaty from my morning jog. I'll wash up then eat it later."
Motoko still didn't let this slide as she said, "Shinobu won't mind, she'd just want you to have a morning meal with her. Just go, she's waiting specifically for you.
Keitaro considered this for a bit. Shinobu would want him at the table with her, and he hadn't really spoken to her since he got back. It was going to be kind of awkward at the table, but it was just a meal. It wouldn't take long, and most of the tension has already been out-of-the-way.
"Okay", Keitaro admitted defeat, knowing he couldn't win in an argument against a girl.
As he walked past her, Motoko remained in question.
"Why am I trying to get him near us", Motoko tried to answer to herself. "Is it sympathy, is it pity, is it concern, or...do I just simply want him around?"
Motoko's questions would have to wait since Mutsumi called her around the corner.
"Motoko, breakfast is ready."
In any case, it was a new day, and more things awaited them other than morning supper.
Hi everyone, hope you liked this one. Someone questioned if Keitaro was going to have a bath scene with one of the girls, so I decided to put one with Kanako. The reason being, I wanted an intimate scene, but nothing pervy. I think it went really, well...both that specific scene, and the overall chapter; but that's my opinion, I'd like to hear the rest of yours.