'The Hands of a Man'
Disclaimer: Ken Akamatsu wrote 'Love Hina' and he owns the rights. I wrote this tale for fun and seek no re-dress from it.
Writer's notes: As you can see, the chapters are now longer. I am happy as to where this story is at the present and have added a few surprises for the cast. There is more time taken for me to put in little nuances to lift the story and add a little humor. But overall, this will be a drama.
Thank you for reading.
-Chapter 7-
"Would you be willing to show some of my classmates how to defend themselves, Senpai?" asked Shinobu. She did not have to give him puppy-dog eyes, because he always listened to her requests. Keitaro could never refuse a request from Shinobu, as it was quite easy to fulfill.
"Yes, Shinobu-chan," Keitaro replied, "But let's start next month after things wind down around here."
He gets another one of the petite chef's famous bearhugs.
Little did anyone around the old Hinata know how interesting the month of September would be.
-Stowing Keitaro's camp away-
After breakfast one Saturday, the residents all gathered around the comm center and Keitaro's jobs listings. The one that they were all looking at was Keitaro's plan to take his camp down for the upcoming winter.
Speaking of Keitaro, he had decided to wait until later in the day to attend his camp. Reiji had asked him for a ride into Tokyo so that he could buy a car. With his own driver's license, insurance, and money now, he just wanted his own vehicle. Reiji felt somewhat guilty with having other people cart him around all the time, even though they did so willingly.
You could say that Reiji and the residents conspired to help Keitaro since he has done so much for them.
Down at her Tea Shoppe, Haruka was with Tsuruko for half the day. Kitsune had asked for the day off because she had plans with the other tenants to do something special for Keitaro. The Fox and Reiji had shared their own bits of the plot a couple of days in advance.
Smiling at her plan, Haruka understood how much the Fox loved him.
So…
Now with the two men gone, Kitsune organized everyone to help close up Keitaro's camp for the year. Even Hana wanted in since she did not have to work today.
The others chose her to lead this project. Because the Fox was an incredibly good organizer, and like the blonde Princess, she knew where all his stuff went.
Chosen by Kitsune because of her training with Keitaro, Kaolla was to drive the medium sized tractor with the lowboy attached. After they loaded the trailer, and the camp taken down, they would bring his possessions inside. If not, they could store the items away in his sheds.
They divvied the other chores up by lot, as they all pitched in to put everything away.
Well of course, Kitsune picked the choicest job for herself. That is, to fold up and go through his clothing. She noticed that his seabag and footlocker were full of clean items.
"Nothing dirty here," she lamented as she went through everything. So, she held a clean shirt of his against her face and sniffed it.
"Save that for later, Kitsune," said Mio as those around them giggled. She picked up his seabag and took it outside.
Next to the locker, his hamper for dirty clothing was empty as well.
With a bright smile, Motoko appreciated how clean her Keitaro-sama kept his possessions. She even saw that his toolsheds were tidy.
"Senpai is really good at keeping his camp almost spotless," said Shinobu who noticed that there was no garbage in the receptacle or spoiled food in his small fridge. She only needed to empty out five bottles of water before unplugging it.
Kitsune, with help from the others, dragged his fridge out and put it away in a shed. They slid it under a bench and covered it with a small tarp.
"This place is almost as sanitary as a surgery," commented Hana who agreed with the petit chef's assessment of how tidy Keitaro was. The only other personal experience that she had with a man, was with someone who acted like a child and just flung their things around 'willy-nilly'. The change pleased her very much.
Then, the yuri couple took Keitaro's bedding off the mattress and folded it. Neither could believe how clean the inside of the tent was. No beer cans, no used tissues on the ground or in the waste can by his desk, nothing. The place was immaculate. Naru looked underneath Keitaro's impromptu bed set-up and could not believe her eyes.
"Hey, there's no porn under here," said Naru as she and Shizuru folded up the futon, "I thought all men read porn."
The others looked at the brunette as she blurted that out. This fact canceled out another misconception that the yuri couple had about men. Well one man at least.
Kitsune already knew that Keitaro had no love for porn, as he had already shown her the reason for that. Put any dirty thought you might have here.
Giggling and turning red some, the other residents looked over at where the bed had been and saw for themselves the lack of adult materials anywhere inside the tent. They did however see a newer issue of a machinist catalog though, which Hana tossed onto the pile that was to go into the Hinata.
"When you have beautiful women at your 'beck and call' like us, you don't need porn. Right, Mo-chan?" asked Kitsune rhetorically which caused her taller bedmate to blush.
Sarah, Kanako, Mio and Mutsumi all nodded, because they had to agree with her innuendo.
Kaolla and Shinobu giggled as they understood what Kitsune meant.
Even Hana had a wishful look in her eyes.
All but the Yuri couple sighed before they all returned to pulling up stakes on the camp.
The girls loaded the futon onto the lowboy along with Keitaro's footlocker and coat rack.
"These will go into the rear storage room inside of the Hinata next to his machine shop," said Kitsune.
Next, they pulled the stove and its pipe out of the tent. Not used once since its installation, the women all noticed that it still looked brand new. The weather had been too warm. Thankfully, it was light enough so that just four of them could carry it into the same shed as the fridge. Shinobu took care of the light chimney pipe.
The desk was next, as Kitsune and Motoko folded it before the two loaded it aboard the trailer along with the stool.
"I'll take this to the Hinata myself," Kitsune said as she grabbed the old kerosene lamp. She knew how much it meant to her lover and was going to take it upstairs to their room personally, so that nothing happened to it.
The last three things needed to finish the job up were: taking down the hammock, tending to the firepit and then last of all, the tent itself.
Mio and Motoko took down the hammock. They neatly folded it before it went under the bench in his biggest shed. That was so Keitaro could easily get at it next year. Five of the girls sighed wistfully at the hammock before they stowed it away.
Wanting to do it herself, Shinobu pulled the grate off from her Senpai's firepit. An old-style coffee pot and a western style skillet were all that sat on it. She noticed that they were clean and very well-maintained like his other possessions. These two items were also his prized possessions. So, Shinobu decided to take them over to the kitchen and either store them away in the pantry, or in a spot where he can use them at his convenience.
She left the stones and slate in the ground.
To finish this task off, Shinobu grabbed a garbage bag for the remnants of past campfires and put it on the back of the lowboy for the dumpster.
The last thing needed taking down was the tent, so Kitsune chose Sarah to lead this project. She has previous experience with taking them down. Since it is her beloved Kei-kun's tent, Sarah took this task very seriously. She then organized the others into teams and showed them how to take the tent down without getting hurting, or at the very least, falling on top of them.
Everyone happily took part in getting Keitaro's outside home stowed away.
As with certain others, Sarah had made love to him many times in there. The joyous memories came flooding back as she pulled stakes with Hana and Mio, which quickly flattened the now empty tent. There was a smile on her face.
"Good memories, Sarah-chan?" asked Mutsumi who smiled.
"Yes, there were," replied the blonde American still smiling.
Finished, they rolled the tent onto the very back of the lowboy and Kaolla drove the tractor over to the same shed as the hammock. Backing the trailer to the edge of the door, the Princess placed the ramp close to the entrance and with help from the others, lowered it. They then rolled it down the ramp and into the shed against the back wall.
With that completed, they headed to the entrance door which led to Keitaro's shops. The girls dropped off some of his stuff in the rear storage room that he had designated for such things. The rest went into the room he shared with Kitsune and Motoko.
As she went back outside with some of the others, the petite chef saw an interesting omen.
"It may just be me, mina but did anyone see a Kitsune on top of one of Senpai's woodpiles looking at what we were doing?" asked Shinobu.
"What? We must put up with two of them now," answered Kanako sarcastically which caused the others to laugh.
"No, Kanako-nee. I mean I thought I saw a real one," said Shinobu who reiterated that she seriously saw one.
"Nope! Unlike what Kanako-chan might think, Shinobu-chan. I am the real deal," retort their Kitsune with a huge smile plastered on her face.
There had been a Fox which had watched them from the edge of a heavier tree line. However, it disappeared after a moment.
Just as the tractor moves to its last destination, the girls heard Keitaro's pick-up as it came up the path. They dropped what they are doing when they saw Reiji in a brand-new Honda™ two door coupe.
The two men parked in the lot and the tenants came over to greet them.
Beaming, Keitaro was happily surprised when he saw that the residents had taken his camp down and then efficiently stowed it away. That was another job off his lists, and one that he did not need to think about anymore.
"Great job, mina. You have saved me from having to tackle it tomorrow," Keitaro said surrounded by the smiling ladies.
The two youngest residents greeted Reiji, who was in awe of his new car.
Meanwhile. Haruka and Tsuruko came out the door by the kitchen. Both saw how efficiently Kitsune had organized everything.
As they two approached Keitaro and the others, five of the women were taking turns kissing him. As everyone giggled, it looked as if each kisser tried to outdo the previous one.
"Let me show you how it's done," Haruka said as she grabbed Tsuruko and pulled the statuesque woman down some. Their kiss was smoky, with a lot of tongue as they put on a clinic for everyone.
The others were in awe as Shinobu turned bright red.
"You win, Haruka," Kitsune said as she held onto Keitaro's shoulders.
They all laughed.
"Now that we're all here. Who wants to go out tonight? My treat," offered Keitaro, "I want to take you all out as a thank you for doing such a great job."
Since there was nothing else to do, everyone cleaned up and off they went.
-Later that same day, shortly after dark-
Unbeknownst to the others at the Hinata, a man on the other side of Osaka sat just outside of a traditional doorway and looked up at the stars. He pondered about all that he had lost over the past few years and hoped to at least regain something of what had been a mostly empty life.
But he also believed that all was not that bad.
Since returning home, his outlook had improved to the point that he felt optimistic once more
His older brother understood his state and welcomed him back home with open arms. He reconciled with his father and younger sister before going back to work at his first love, auto mechanics.
Now free from the what had shackled him, he wanted more than anything to reconcile with his wife and two daughters. He realized that his marriage would be tough to salvage, but he was hopeful. His children though...
…was another matter.
Unbeknownst to him, they too had rejected the old ways that he himself put aside just a short while back. Though no longer legally his, he wanted to at least ask their forgiveness for not being a supportive father and a weak man. The empty hole in his heart needed closure, so he could truly get on with his life.
With his family's love and support, the man was well on his way to becoming whole again.
Now was the time to plan and to act. That was so he could regain the heart that was up until recently ripped from him.
Before he slept, the man did something for the first time in many years, he smiled warmly.
-Revelations and Reconciliations-
The first Saturday afternoon in October was a day full of chores around the whole Hinata. Keitaro split up the chores and residents who were there went to work. The grounds of the Hinata were the territory of Keitaro, Shinobu and Kaolla. Mio, Kanako and Sarah cleaned the first floor. The second floor was Naru and Shizuru's. The third floor was Reiji's and Motoko had the hallway down to the main back door.
At the Tea Shoppe that morning was Haruka, Tsuruko and Kitsune. They were too busy to join in.
On duty at the hospital, Hana was on call as the surgery nurse today, so she would be gone until evening.
Someone else was making their way to the Hinata for a special visit.
An older lime green Mercedes-Benz™ SEL four-door sedan drove up the back way unseen by the three outdoor workers. It was they were in the back property with Keitaro running the woodchipper. The noise easily masked the sound of a diesel-powered engine as it drove past some of Keitaro's storage areas and the Dojo.
Since it was early in the day, the perimeter alarm was not active. Shinobu had to put away a delivery.
The look on the man's face at all the wonders of the Hinata Hill gave him an inkling of the uphill battle which he was about to face. Last night, at the Ryokan where he stayed, no one noticed the tears that he cried alone in his room. When he left the place this morning, the man had washed all traces of his tears from his face.
So, he was here at last.
The vehicle went unnoticed even when it parked in the tenant lot. The sun is still up so the alarm did not sound off yet.
The occupant of the vehicle double-checked the smart phone's GPS map that his nephew had set for him with the new back road on it. It had been a down-loaded satellite map which showed something that was not on regular systems yet. The map had a satellite image superimposed over it, so he arrived at the hill road with no problems. His nephew did an excellent job of research when he made the map for him.
Having stepped out of his vehicle, the man stood next to it and gazed upon the updated Hinata. It had changed a lot since the last time he was here, which was many years ago.
'Keitaro-sama has done a great job in fixing up the old place,' mused the newcomer. The man checked himself to see if he was presentable to the be at the home of the most prestigious clan in all of Japan. He was clad in a plain tan pullover shirt with new blue jeans. Since the weather was still nice in the Kanto Region, he also wore a brown leather jacket and had slip-on deck shoes.
Trying to gather courage to approach the front door, there were two people in that house who needed to hear his real story. His older brother and younger sister had encouraged him to go personally to the Hinata and confront something that he could have easily avoided if he only had a little more courage. But now, with his real families' love and support, the man arrived here to win back the love of his two daughters.
Smiling, Motoko finished dusting off the upper shelf which surrounded the small breakfast nook. She enjoyed sharing tea with her Keitaro-sama there as his quiet presence was like a balm to her mind.
Knock! Knock!
When Motoko heard the traditional door knocker, she knew that it was a visitor. No one who lived there did that, so her presumption was correct. Not knowing it yet, this visitor would fill a lot of holes that she needed to understand.
"Tou-san," said a surprised Motoko and using a very generic honorific with him. With her present mindset, he was probably the last person that she had ever expected to meet again. The thing that she noticed the most was how different he looked.
"Before you close the door in my face, Motoko-chan," said the man quickly as he bowed to her, "I have a lot to tell you and your Onee-san. Is Tsuruko-chan here?" He was afraid she would close the door on him. Continuing, he added, "There are things about me that you don't know. The biggest thing is that I am no longer Aoyama."
That last statement totally surprised his daughter.
"One moment, please," said Motoko as she went for her radio. Checking her device, she wanted to see if it was on the right channel. Pressing the talk button, Motoko said, "Ane-ue, would you please come up to the new Hinata kitchen?"
"What's wrong, Motoko-han?" said Tsuruko with concern in her voice. The man motioned to Motoko so she would not tell her older sister that he was here. He wanted her to see him for herself.
Nodding to him, she remembered the sit-down she had with Tsuruko, Haruka, and her Keitaro-sama. She also believed that he had some of his own explaining to do.
"I will tell you when you get here, Ane-ue," answered Motoko dryly, "Meet me in the formal dining room.
"Come in," said Motoko to her father evenly. She allowed the man to enter the rear foyer and dropped any other honorifics until she knew more.
While he took off his shoes and hung his jacket on the rack that Keitaro had made, the man looked around at the magnificent structure that was the inside of the ancient home of the Urashima. He noticed the cool tone his younger daughter used with him and that she did not call him father a second time.
After all the shit that had occurred within their former family since the spring, he did not blame her one bit. And how would his older daughter react to him showing up unannounced.
The first thing Motoko noticed different about her father was the blisters and calluses on his hands. Two of his fingernails had blood bruises and there were some fresh scars on his fingers. It was vastly different from how smooth his hands used to be. They used to be smooth since he did not train with a Katana or Bokken.
Soon, she would find out why...
Following his daughter into the dining room, she motioned for him to sit at the table and wait.
It was incredibly quiet until Tsuruko arrived.
Straight-faced and calm, Motoko sat in a chair across from him and focused her gaze towards the entry door.
Two people come in through the front door. They took their shoes off and put on their slippers.
Seeing people working in the common room, Tsuruko and Haruka walked quickly down the main hallway.
"What's wrong…., oh, I see. What do you want here, Aoyama?" asked Tsuruko a bit gruffly. She was glad that Haruka was here at her side.
Since her arrival last June, Haruka has not seen her lover go off like that. In a little while, like her sister, she too would find out a lot of new things about her father.
Surprising all three women there, the man stood and bowed to them.
After he sat back down, the man took a nervous deep breath, and then started in with his tale, "I am longer Aoyama. I left them right after you left, Tsuruko. I could not put up with their bullshit anymore. You, my older daughter, when you declared that you were gay after the last Omiai, I understood that very well. When the Aoyama elders had disowned you, they ordered me to keep silent. That had ripped my heart out when you left. But my prayers were always with you. When Urashima Nagisa-san notified those people that my two daughters were to become Urashima, I was not there. Now, I will tell you my real name, as those people forbade me to ever tell you about my family because at that time, I could only tell you that they had all died. Now that that shit is over with, my real name is Tamashiro Hiroshi. You two also have an Ojii-san, an Oji-san named Sato who is my Onii-san and an Oba-san named Riisa who is my Imouto-chan. Sato-san has four children, two boys and two girls who would just love to meet you. And here is the thing that really tears at me, my Imouto-chan is yuri like you, my daughter. I am a weak man, Tsuruko-chan. Because I did not stand up for you when you needed me. So, I came here personally to beg your forgiveness. For thirty years, I had my manhood stripped from me and I did absolutely nothing about it."
Interrupting him, when Keitaro came in through the kitchen door he saw four people seated at his dining room table. He had heard the man's confession from the deck.
Understandably, Hiroshi stood and bowed deeply to the lord of the house. He knew that Keitaro was the Urashima heir.
"Please forgive me for entering your home unannounced, Urashima-sama," said Hiroshi with his posture still forward, "But I needed to tell my daughters about their other family, my family and to beg their forgiveness."
Keitaro's quiet entry, and the man bowing to him, surprised the two younger girls.
"All I want right now is to hear the rest of your tale, Tamashiro-san. Shinobu-chan, Kaolla-chan please go and ask the others not to come to the dining room until I radio an all clear." said Keitaro to his two companions.
Silently, they signaled their compliance and quickly headed into the main house.
With that settled, Keitaro joined them and sat next to Motoko. She took his hand.
"Please be seated and continue, Tamashiro-san," said Keitaro who had learned some of the man's circumstances from Reiji.
"Thank you, Urashima-sama. Like I said, Tsuruko-chan," said Hiroshi looking at his older daughter, "Riisa-chan is a lesbian like you. She and her girlfriend have been together as a couple since they were fifteen. Your Ojii-san has accepted them and has even given his blessing because he loves her very much. When I was with the Aoyama, they forbade me to ever mention that she existed to either one of you. Another reason I could not mention anything about my family to you was that the Tamashiro are not from the upper class. My family is working class, and small business owners as well. Your Ojii-san is a retired Osaka city official who worked in the city and Prefecture government for many years. My Onii-san, his children and Riisa-chan along with her lover run diverse businesses for our family: one is an auto repair shop; then we have a small grocery store and vegetable stand that does very well; and Riisa-chan along with her girlfriend run two convenience stores which the family have just bought outright. Since leaving the Aoyama clan, I have returned to auto mechanics and absolutely love it. That is why my hands look so rough right now. The work I do now feels a hell of a lot better to me than any prestige I might have had among the Aoyama. But we all know how phony that turned out to be."
He stopped for a moment to drink some water from a bottle provided by Motoko. She had now learned many facts from her father, and it was all brand new from him. It all made sense to her now.
Much to her surprise, Motoko's attitude had begun to soften.
"Thank you, Motoko-chan," Hiroshi said before he went on, "now where was I, oh yeah, the day after you my elder daughter had gone, I had had enough of them. So, I got up from the dais, threw off my Haori and then stormed off. It gave them quite a shock when they saw that I was wearing an old 'Led Zeppelin' tee-shirt underneath. (They all snickered at this) Hey by that time I did not give a shit anymore. They had ripped my heart out. Another thing, do either of you remember when I would take one of my walks out to the back property?" he asked his two daughters.
"I remember you telling me you wanted to be alone," Tsuruko said as she looked directly at her father. As his story continued, she had become less angry with him.
"Me too," said Motoko who agreed with her.
"Well, here is the reason why my daughters'. I had a car in the old horse shed back there by the ancient west gate. It is the same car that you have parked in your lot right now Urashima-sama," said Hiroshi smiling at this revelation "That car was a gift to me from my Tou-san when I had graduated from Osaka University. Not too long before, the police had confiscated it from the Yakuza. Your Ojii-san called in a favor and got it for me. I re-painted that car with your Oji-san's help from the black color it was to the lime-green color it is now. Then we got new plates for it so the original owners could not find it. The car stayed in that shed for many years, and I secretly maintained it."
By the end of his story, Tsuruko and Motoko did not know what to do, because it was the first time that they had ever seen their father in a real light.
As she listened in, Haruka held her lover's hand and learned that her former family had treated her father like shit.
To Tsuruko and Motoko, it was nothing like how the Aoyama clan had portrayed him when they lived in Kyoto. Deprived of a father's love, as it was all because of fucking politics and status. She had a sense of shame once more for having been an Aoyama at one time.
In return, he too suffered the loss of their love and respect.
Having heard enough, Tsuruko and Motoko went over to Hiroshi, hugged him, and cried on his shoulders. Though they were no longer Aoyama, they learned that they have gained another family name and it was all thanks of those damned people in Kyoto.
Something happened here that none of them in this lifetime had ever expected. Tsuruko and Motoko have regained a father.
"May I call you Tou-san again?" asked Tsuruko. The elder daughter then realized that she and Motoko never really knew him. The elders of the Aoyama used to tell them that he was busy with other matters to have much time with them. Now she understood the reason was because he had been low-born.
Hiroshi nodded to her.
"I've grown up without knowing my father and that ends right now. Although I am Urashima, I too wish to be your daughter again if I may?" asked Motoko as her father still held her.
"You'll always be my daughter, Motoko-chan," said Hiroshi. He kissed her forehead.
Motoko smiled.
"Tamashiro-san, you have two great daughters," interjected Keitaro as he used a more respectful honorific, "I would never deprive them of their real father's love, and after listening to your story, I would not want to deprive you of their love as well. That would be too harsh after the shit you went through with the Aoyama." He was willing to accept the man's words. Keitaro was a good judge of someone's character.
"Urashima-sama, please call me Hiroshi. I am just a plain and simple man as you can see," said Hiroshi seated between his two daughters as he held their hands.
"Well then, call me Keitaro," said Keitaro matter-of-fact, "I've never been one to stand on ceremony as you can see, Hiroshi. Anyone who resides here will tell you what I think of bullshit."
That said, Hiroshi breathed a sigh of relief. He has made peace with the two out of the three most important people in his life. So, for the first time in many years, he wore a broad smile on his face.
"One last thing, Hiroshi," said Keitaro off the top of his head, "Would you like to stay for supper and, then afterwards, enjoy a relaxing soak in the onsen? Plus, I want you to spend the night here at the Hinata." When Keitaro made the invitation, Motoko smiled at him, "You can even spend some time getting to know your daughters again."
"I'd like to call my Onii-san in Osaka to let him know how things went today, and that you've invited me stay the night," said Hiroshi.
Nodding to Hiroshi, Keitaro pulled out his radio and asked Kaolla to meet him outside the big office. He then said, "I've got something better."
Not knowing what he meant, the five then went over to Keitaro's office and met up with the young teen genius. What Hiroshi saw was a smiling dark-skinned blonde-haired girl as she stood quietly by the door.
The six entered the office, and Keitaro closed the door behind them.
The Princess listened carefully as Keitaro instructed her on what he wanted her to do.
Smiling, Kaolla nodded and fired up the computer at her desk.
Hiroshi pulled a small notebook from his pocket and gave Kaolla the URL. He then called home and told his brother what he wanted to do.
There was a short break until she had made all the proper hook-ups.
On the wall over Keitaro's main worktable, a large monitor came on. In charge of the IT, Kaolla made a few adjustments and said everything was ready on this end. She just had Tsuruko say a few words and leveled out the volume.
Finished, she nodded to Keitaro who then signaled Haruka.
"This is your time, Hiroshi," said Keitaro as Kaolla came over and took his hand. Haruka gave Tsuruko a quick kiss on the lips, smiled at her and left with the other two.
Alone with their father, Tsuruko and Motoko were happy since they finally get to meet and talk to their grandfather. Hiroshi too had wanted to see them because he too had suffered deprivation.
After the computer's camera came on, it showed them an old man who had been up to this moment had been completely unknown to them.
What the elder Tamashiro saw was that he had two more beautiful granddaughters to hopefully spoil in the future.
The sisters learned that they have a cousin by the name of Jun, to whom they said hello. He was an electronics genius, as was Kaolla. It was him who set everything up on their end in Osaka. That was before the old man shooed him out of the way. A grandpa wanted to talk to his granddaughters.
Smiling broadly, Tsuruko was incredibly happy when her Aunt Riisa had introduced herself. They promised to soon meet each other along with their girlfriends.
Back in the common room, Haruka smiled at Keitaro as he gave the all-clear signal on the radio to the other residents and have them gather there.
"I always knew that there was something bothering him," Reiji said after having learned of Hiroshi's visit, "I'm just glad they are all happier now."
A short time later, the sisters come out of the office with their father and made introductions.
That evening, it was a little different at the dinner table, as all the residents became acquainted with Hiroshi.
As always, Motoko sat next to her Keitaro-sama. Next to her was her father, then Tsuruko as Haruka sat on her other side.
Listening to some of the daily banter from around the table, Hiroshi has not laughed so much, or as hard, in years.
Answering curious queries, Hiroshi told those who were present that he worked at his older brother's garage. Re-learning the skills he had as a youth, Hiroshi told them he did the lighter jobs such as oil-changes and putting on new tires. His nephew Nobu was teaching him about the newer cars.
About a touchy subject to both men, Reiji and Hiroshi talked the Aoyama. Both agreed that the Urashima would not occupy the former grounds of the Aoyama clan after the new year. Neither man was sad about that turn of events.
After supper and the cleanup, everyone gathered in the onsen to find out more about their guest. Borrowing a pair of shorts from Reiji, Hiroshi sat with his daughters as the two kept asking him questions about their new family. Openly, he told them everything that they wished to know.
When the night came to an end, Keitaro gave Hiroshi the use of a comfortable room on the third floor. For the first time in many years, he slept contentedly.
The next morning, Hiroshi prepared to leave for the trip home.
Instead of working out as is their usual, Keitaro and Shinobu make a large breakfast buffet in honor of their guest. Once again, he was impressed by the variety, quality, and quantity of food.
After the meal, the petit chef made Hiroshi a bento so he could eat well on his way home.
He smiled at her.
She blushed and bowed to him.
On the way out, Reiji shook the man's hand and wished him well. They bowed to each other and hoped to see each other again very soon.
Hiroshi bowed to all the residents.
Before he left, he had one last piece of business, "Haruka-san, please take care of my daughter. I am glad that she has a wonderful partner like you to share her life with. I give my blessing for your happiness together." Hiroshi acted like a father giving his daughter away at a wedding. He hugged both women as they thanked him.
"Keitaro-sama, I have always known that Motoko-chan loved you. Please, take care of my little girl," he said and bowed to the lord of the house. Motoko hugged and thanked her father for his blessing. Keitaro shook the man's hand and said that he would always take care of her.
Everyone went outside and walked Hiroshi to his car.
After one last kiss on the cheek from his daughters, and a promise to come to Osaka before too long, the man departed the Hinata with a lighter heart.
-Aftermath-
"I never knew," Tsuruko confessed as she held hands with Haruka.
For some unknown reason, she felt good after her father's visit. So, she asked her girlfriend to go out to the cabin by the lake and have sex with her.
Nodding, Haruka smiled at her lover's suggestion.
After entering, Tsuruko led her lover into the large backroom where they slowly stripped each other.
Screaming aside, the two had some of their most passionate Sapphic sex ever. Well, ever since the two had become a couple.
"Oh Kami, Tsu-chan," Haruka said afterwards, "That was incredible."
Splayed out on the bed, our lovers were in the midst of their afterglow.
Haruka had not seen her Tsuruko-chan be that dominant or so forceful in a long time.
However, she loved it.
"I love you, my Haru-chan," said Tsuruko as she held the shorter woman close to her.
"Love you too, Tsu-chan," Haruka responded who snuggled deep into her lover's arms.
As of today, Tsuruko felt fully liberated from all things Aoyama.
-A pleasant surprise for all-
After another great dinner, the residents wanted to go for a quiet afternoon walk as a group.
A good stretch of the legs out in the back property would help everyone decompress after all the events that had bombarded them lately.
Personally, Shizuru loved the walks that she and Naru have taken around the environs of Hinata Hill. They found it a terrific way for them to relax and empty their brains after a long day at school.
Now that third year dismissal was almost upon her and Kaolla, Naru had been both doing her homework and studying for the Tokyo U entrance exam. The brunette beauty was happy that she had her girlfriend and the others there to help. Having great eyesight helped in a big way as well.
Speaking of the Princess, Kaolla was abnormally quiet that afternoon. With the changes in her complex life, she was managing everything as well as possible. Turning fifteen next month, the Princess will be graduating high school next spring with Naru. Being a teenager has caused some unforeseen conflicts within her psyche, but Keitaro has always been respectful of her feelings. It helped in her transition from being a wild girl and an erratic genius, into become more of a responsible young woman. Also unforeseen was the fact that she has also fallen in love with her 'big brother'.
Before he went outside, Keitaro went to the walk-in fridge, wrapped something up in a piece of plastic wrap and put the bundle into his jacket pocket.
The others waited patiently for him by the back door. They dressed in warm jackets and shoes for the cooler weather.
With everyone gathered, they all headed out into the wonders of Hinata Hill.
Everyone had someone: as usual, Keitaro had Kitsune and Motoko draped on his arms; next were Sarah, Kanako and Mutsumi as the three linked arms together as they enjoyed themselves with small talk and a lot of giggling; Mio and Hana had a nice quiet conversation about school, the petit woman's nursing position and the antics of the twin's younger sister. Everyone heard the latter subject which then received quite a bit of laughter. Mio mentioned something about some of Mei's newest escapades; Reiji held hands with Shinobu and Kaolla. The man smiled having his two younger friends with him as he regaled them with more tales from his daily soaps and afternoon talk shows. He caused a lot of laughter from everyone. Reiji became really animated when he talked about the silliness of daytime TV. The girls were fully enrapt by the stories he spun about the stars he saw that past week on TV during his daily ritual and shared that all three of the pets joined him when the shows started; the two Yuri couples brought up the rear as they walked together side-by-side. The four women were noticeably quiet and mostly paid attention to their lover or were listening to Reiji's accounts. Naru had Shizuru's arm and exchanged little kisses with the woman she loved. They sometimes were in their own little world when they walked outside together. It amused Tsuruko and Haruka as they watched the lovey-dovey antics of the other two. They understood how much the silver-haired beauty loved her brunette girlfriend.
Everyone marveled at how much the top of the hill had changed over the past few months.
Even the old Annex had been torn down and removed, so that nothing remained of the old eyesore.
"The old clock tower that was in the middle of it was so out of place," said Reiji. He remembers his stay there as a little boy.
"A new building will be built on the site with all new features," Keitaro said as he pointed over towards that direction, "The onsen over there is even larger than the we use."
Everyone looked over to where the old structure used to be. They all saw the steam rising from there with the cooler weather.
"How much bigger is that onsen, Kei-kun?" asked Hana genuinely curious.
"It's about three to four times larger than ours, Hana-nee. It is also the source of the hot water we use both inside the Hinata and the other facilities," answered Keitaro while he pointed to a pumphouse off to the side, "that's where all of the machinery is that brings us the warm water which we all enjoy. The people who installed that system did such an excellent job that I only had to tweak the pumps a little. The ceramic pipes are all the original ones. We're standing near some of them now."
"Ceramic will last a lot longer than steel, Onii-chan," chimed Kaolla who backed up what Keitaro just said.
"Mina-san, look," said Shinobu who pointed excitedly, "A Kitsune is sitting on that tree stump over there." The sighting of a wild fox in nature was good luck in Japan. The petite chef hoped it was a 'yōkai' from the god Inari, as it might be a 'zenko' that would bring them all good luck. (Yōkai=spirit, zenko=a benevolent, celestial fox spirit/opposite would be a yako = malevolent fox spirit)
Turning towards it, everyone then heard, "Hello, my friend." Keitaro stepped away from the group and approached the wild animal. The fox showed no fear when Keitaro slowly stepped closer and pulled the small, wrapped bundle from his jacket pocket. Opening the bundle, the fox quickly ate the contents before Keitaro put the plastic wrap back into his pocket. With that done, Keitaro said without turning around, "Slowly, come on over, and say hello. We met when I first moved to the Hinata, and she was my silent companion when I worked alone outside."
When then ladies approached the vixen, the fox stood her ground and tolerated the attention they paid to her. She trusted Keitaro, even though this went against her natural instincts to run away from humans and hide in the relative safety of the forest.
However, when the people with Keitaro started to pet, stroke, and hug her, she allowed it without flinching.
"My friend, you're welcome into my home if you want to come live there," said Keitaro who talked as if the fox understood what he was saying, "You'll be warm, well fed and never be alone. Come when you're ready." Because he was Shinto, Keitaro treated all beings with respect. His attitude was in turn reflected by the seeming tameness of the fox, as she rubbed his callused hand with her muzzle after he had scratched behind her ears.
For the rest of the walk, the fox shadowed them before she headed off into the woods just before sundown. Soon, they would see her again.
-O-tsukimi, the fall harvest festival and the year's final farmer's market-
The Urashima clan decorated the family shrine and had set a plate of sweet potatoes with some incense on the main altar. They held the celebration during the first full moon of the fall season.
Even though it was a rarity in Japan these days, the Urashima clan still celebrated it. Even Keitaro got into the mood for the ancient holiday. The Hinata crew even ate the traditional foods with their usual dinner.
After sunset, the group went up to the Hinata's open deck to view the first full moon of the new season. The sky was clear as the moon and stars rose over the horizon to put on a spectacular show for them.
The next morning, Keitaro hooked up the stake-sided trailer to his medium tractor. It would be for the next day's ride to an open-air farmer's market on the edge of town. The distance was less than a kilometer from the Hill's back road.
First, he placed and secured some benches in the back along the front and sides. That was so everyone could be comfortable as he drove them there.
Because of its height, he saw that some of the girls might have had a tough time as they climbed in and out of the trailer. Taking a cue and seeing a solution, he went into his woodshop to begin work on a step ladder with wide treads which were the same height as the trailer.
Wanting to be with her 'big brother', Kaolla came down the inside stairwell and heard his table saw. Smiling, she stepped inside and asked if she could help. Seeing her apron and goggles where she had hung them after another project they had done together, Kaolla put them on.
Following his instructions, Kaolla helped Keitaro as she routed out two boards he had previously cut to size. Since the marks were already there, all she had to do was follow them.
Meanwhile, he started in on the treads.
With the ladder sides and tread parts done, Keitaro began to assemble everything. After he drilled the pilot holes, she put in bolts and tightened them with a box-end ratchet. Not wanting to over torque the bolts, he did it all by hand.
In a cabinet, he pulled out some self-adhesive non-skid treads to cover the rungs so no one would slip on the freshly varnished wood.
When finished, Keitaro and Kaolla left the new ladder there to dry overnight before taking it out for use in the morning. Thanking the Princess for her help, he hung up both of their aprons and safety goggles. They went to his washroom upstairs to freshen up before supper.
Next morning, the pair took the assembled ladder outside and attached it to the rear of the trailer.
-Closing an old wound-
Everyone dressed warmly and brought out blankets to cover their legs. Shinobu, with the help of Haruka, made thermoses of hot coffee and cocoa along with some superior quality tea to enjoy on the trip down the hill. Kitsune brought some good European brandy and Sake that she had hidden away in her closet upstairs. It was for those who want a snort of something stronger.
Climbing up first was Reiji, it was so he could give a hand to the others.
Seeing the stepladder in use, Keitaro was pleased with the work that he and the Princess had put in when they constructed it. After everyone had clambered aboard, Keitaro swung the steps around while some of the girls grabbed it and set it on the deck. So that everyone was secure, he put the rear stake-side into its holes and cinched it to the sides.
As Keitaro climbed aboard his tractor and started it, Kaolla knelt on the middle of the end bench and faced him. She hung onto the top slat to watch her 'big brother' drive.
While they opened the potables and passed some around, Haruka teased, "Be careful that we don't get a ticket for being too slow, Kei-kun." Holding hands with Tsuruko, she was in a particularly good mood. Her girlfriend was overly aggressive with her last night in bed, so Haruka's wit is in top form today.
The others all snickered at that.
"And watch for cops on bicycles, sweetie," said a sunny, smiling Mutsumi who received stares from everyone in the trailer. She was usually the quietest of the group.
Looking back at the two, he knew that they were getting their digs in.
Putting the machine into gear, the Hinata crew headed out for a day of fun.
The drive was a pleasant one, no incidents of any kind as cars lined the roads filled with people who were attending the festivities.
So, after getting out near the open-air market, everyone decided to split up and have as much fun as possible.
Of course, Kaolla and Shinobu dragged Reiji to see the food booths.
The others just mingled with the townsfolk who sold wares there.
It was a good crowd at the market and there is plenty to buy here. Different vendors were selling food, candy, baked goods, and apparel. Some things were seasonal, and some were not, it was all for fun. It would also be the last market until next spring.
"Reiji-kun, would you help me with this rice please?" asked Shinobu. She just purchased a good-sized bag of freshly-harvested locally-grown rice.
"Sure, let me see that. OOF! Could this thing be any heavier?" asked Reiji half-groaning and half-laughing as he attempted to pick the bag up.
"Let me help with that, Reiji-kun," Keitaro said who smiled at Reiji as he took Shinobu's purchase from him. Keitaro knew that his cousin was not physically strong, but he would do anything to help the two younger girls.
"Thank you, Kei-kun, "said Reiji who melodramatically fanned himself and received giggles from his two young friends, "You just saved me from a major hernia."
"Be right back," Keitaro said to the five who were his impromptu entourage.
Hefting the bag onto his shoulder, Keitaro took the bundle over to the trailer. Reaching the trailer, he climbed up into it and placed the bundle underneath the front bench which Kaolla knelt on.
When Keitaro returned to the market, there was a bit of a scuffle. A crowd had gathered around the front of a booth. Mutsumi and Mio were in the midst of the gathering. The two stood by and acted as Hana's spur-of-the-moment backup.
On the ground, held in a perfect finger joint hold and arm bar by Hana, was a short mousy looking man who was issuing threats at her and swearing his head off.
"I told you before, you son-of-a-bitch. Never to bother me again," Hana said to the man on the ground, "The beating my Tou-san gave you the last time should have sent a message." It was unusual to hear her talk that loud.
"I just wanted to see you again baby, that's all," said the man grimacing as Hana maintained the pressure.
For a moment, Keitaro stood back and admired the perfect technique that Hana was using. Both to keep the man pinned down and to inflict a lot of pain. Hearing who she had in this predicament, he allowed her to continue with this for a bit longer.
"As you can see, I'm no longer the wife you used to slap around when you came home drunk," Hana said as she began to increase the pressure on the man's wrist and elbow. Making it even more painful, she shifted her weight and stood on the man's other hand.
The man screamed again before Keitaro stepped in to take over from his tenant before she snapped his wrist.
"So, you're the fucking piece of shit that likes to beat on women," said Keitaro in a very cold voice.
With Keitaro there, Hana released the hold on her ex and let him take over.
"Hey you, big ape. I am trying to talk to my wife here," said the man arrogantly while trying to shake some life back into his arm. Also, he did realize his predicament or to whom he was talking.
"I'm not your wife anymore," Hana shrieked at him. She was on the verge of grabbing onto his arm again when...
"Why, I oughta…," was all the man got out before Hana clocked him one in what seemed like a 'glass jaw'. Her ex went down like a sack of shit.
"Gomenasai, Kei-kun," Hana said angrily, "That's what he used to say before he started in on me."
Impressed, Keitaro grabbed her arm before she killed the man.
After she had nailed her ex, Hana's heart was pounding hard as her adrenaline just flowed through her veins.
Visibly shaken, Mutsumi and Mio helped Hana find a place to sit.
Meanwhile, Keitaro dealt with the other half of this situation and picked the unconscious man off the ground by his collar. He slapped the man's cheek to bring him back around, and asked, "Hey asshole, where's your fucking car?" Then, he half dragged the semi-conscious man off in the direction to where the parking lot was.
In fear for his life, the man showed Keitaro where he had parked without giving the larger man any more guff. Upon arrival, Keitaro seized him by the lapels and picked him off the ground, he said in a low quiet tone, "Hana-san is my tenant now and under the protection of the Urashima. If you stalk her again and I find out." Keitaro ended the sentence with a promise that went unsaid.
Finished, Keitaro set the man down and straightened his jacket out before he stepped back.
Hearing the name Urashima, the ex then realized that he was way-in over his head. He quickly took the keys out of his pocket, hopped into his car, and got the hell out of there. The man was lucky to escape with his life. He knew messing with the Urashima was much worse than with the Yakuza, even though he was a member.
Back at the market once again, the excitement quickly wore off and the crowd had dispersed. It was now just the Hinata crew standing here with Hana. To calm her nerves, Kitsune was giving the petit woman a snort of brandy.
Suddenly, Hana's adrenaline rush faded, and her legs give way. Keitaro caught her when she fainted. Bridal style, he now had her and asked Mutsumi to come along over to the trailer since she was a graduate nursing student.
Sensing Hana snuggling into his muscular arms, he smiled. She was a very good-looking woman, so why would he not.
Beside them, Mutsumi giggled.
As they stood as a group, Reiji said, "I think we've all had enough excitement for one day." Everyone nodded in agreement and without another word, they loaded up with their purchases and went home.
Out of this episode, another close friendship became reality.
When Hana woke from her ordeal at the market, she saw the face of Mutsumi. She was in her own bed and the Okinawan sat close by. Concerned, Kanako had come to check in on her as well.
After Kanako went to do some business for her brother, Hana sat up and had a long talk with Mutsumi.
-Four weeks later, a much happier time-
The time between the middle of October to the middle of November brought no new excitement to the residents of the Hinata. The sameness, the boring and the everyday mundane chores were what everyone prayed for daily. For once, that was what they received.
Due to their hard work, Naru and Kaolla received excellent news about their nationwide college mock entrance exam scores. The two teens ranked number one and two in the nation.
As a reward for Naru, Shizuru took her girlfriend out for a romantic evening in Tokyo. It included dinner at an upscale restaurant and dancing afterwards. The two did not show up until late the next day.
Having climbed into his pickup, Keitaro and Kaolla went to the fanciest Indian-style bistro in Yokohama. He laughed when she said that the food here was finally spicy enough for her to eat. He calmly ordered something that was slightly milder.
Recently, Keitaro had his crew buddies back over. With their help, he had installed an exterior stairway which connected the back deck to the second-floor balcony. From the middle of the wraparound balcony on the occupied residential side, he also connected the second and third floors. In the warmer weather, it would be a quicker way to reach the lakefront.
With that in mind…
The fox from the hill showed up at Keitaro's sliding glass door one evening. Hearing the scratches on the glass, Keitaro allowed her in and smiled when the vixen entered. Quietly, she sat in the corner and waited patiently.
Two scantily clad women just looked on as Keitaro made up an ad hoc bed for her from a small box and soft blanket.
"Tomorrow, my friend," whispered Keitaro, "I will make you the softest bed a fox could ever hope to sleep on my friend. For now, this will have to do." The vixen crawled into the bed and fell asleep.
The next morning, he kept his word to her. Keitaro placed the well-made bed in the common room near Shippu's main perch.
The four animals then made their introductions to each other and seemed to get on with each other very well.
Nearby, Mutsumi and Kanako thought that they understood what the four said as they congregated amongst themselves. Though wild, the fox learned her place in the Hinata right away, and still followed Keitaro everywhere he went when they were outside together.
As he did with the other three pets, Reiji fed her good quality food. Also, she seemed to join in with the other critters when the male domestic watched his soaps.
-Something different-
Keitaro made a certain someone incredibly happy.
The training went smoothly for the friends and classmates of Shinobu's.
As smoothly as possible when some hormonal boys had come for the classes.
The residents thought it was amusing to see young teenage boys drooling as they entered the Dojo. To help them out, Keitaro went into Motoko's office and grabbed some over-sized tee shirts for them.
Blushing uncomfortably, the boy put them on and tried the best they could.
However, Shinobu did not blush as she knew what was going on.
The two Yuri couples found it amusing. The younger couple had a lot of fun in the mixed classes because it lightened up most of their old man-hating ways.
Feeling it the worst were Sarah, Kitsune and Mutsumi. The blonde felt slightly uneasy as the boys constantly stared at her huge tits. They had even glanced at Motoko who took it as a badge of honor since she wished to be more feminine.
The junior high girls though were slightly jealous, and a bit envious. Not one of them was as shapely as any of Shinobu's older roommates.
Understanding the situation, Kitsune used some of her raucous humor to help set the younger teen girls at ease.
After class, let us just leave what the boys did in the locker room to the imagination.
The first session went well despite the obvious, and so did the next three classes when they again showed up. Shinobu received high praise from her classmates.
Smiling the most, Haruka relished the fact that her beloved cousin now took a more active interest in other people's lives. He had the natural charisma and leadership skills to assist anyone at any time.
After her confrontation earlier in October, Hana's life had returned to normal. Except that she had formed an interesting bond with Mutsumi. Hana and Mutsumi went out as friends. Sometimes she would date Kanako or Sarah. Nothing too serious, as the four found that they enjoyed each other's company. Kissing, petting, as they even added some sex into the mix, but Hana knew that Mutsumi slept with others as well. Plus, she knew about Sarah and Kanako.
In addition, she knew the three had a relationship with Keitaro.
That did not surprise Hana either, as said to Mutsumi that she was in love with him. The RN had fallen hard for him when he carried her to the trailer after the incident with the ex.
Wanting a night alone with Keitaro, Hana wanted to see what it was like to sleep with a real man. She had not done so since her second year at Toudai.
Then Mutsumi shared with Hana her secret. The older woman gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. She would have never guessed that in a million years.
It would stay a secret between them until the right time.
For now, Hana would settle for some female companionship until she was ready for Keitaro.
-From the heart-
In early November, Keitaro had it in mind to spoil the youngest resident rotten again. Her birthday was coming up on the fifteenth of the month and there was no way he was going to forget it.
Having recently given Shinobu her own office in the Annex, he saw that she needed something to keep her life organized. That was when he started off on his most difficult and secretive project down in his workshop.
As a precursor, Keitaro placed a notice on the comms table so all the residents would know that his workshop was off limits until he finished with his masterpiece. For the first time since he could remember, he was going to call what he was going to make that. On his laptop, Keitaro designed everything himself remembering the dimensions of the recipient's office. He also understood what she would enjoy. There will be nothing else like it, as he called upon all his carpentry, math, and construction skills to accomplish his goal.
With Reiji's final few projects on hold, he started the project. Most of his cousin's list was complete anyway and the man could not be any happier than he already was.
The residents all could tell that he was up to something big. They heard all his different machines in both rooms as they worked away on something. He worked both day and night. After the others were in bed, the noise was more subdued until the racket started back up early the next morning.
The only creature allowed in Keitaro's shops was the fox. Tama sometimes took a joy ride on her friend's back as she enjoyed her warm fur.
Also, Keitaro only took a few hours off here and there for his duties as Urashima heir, but his mind was constantly on the project for a certain special young lady. Thankfully, he had his sister and the Princess handle most things.
On the fourteenth, the job was complete. The project was ready to present to the birthday girl the next morning. Pleased with his craftsmanship and the precision work that he had placed into this, his true masterpiece, Keitaro rested and joined his bedmates.
Normally, Shinobu would be the first one out of bed, even on the weekends. However, it shocked her that someone had turned off the alarm clock.
"Oh no," cried Shinobu. Even though it was her birthday today, she still expected to carry her own weight around the Hinata.
Quickly dressing in her workout togs, she headed out of her room and down the back stairs to the kitchen. There was prep work to do before she worked out with her family as she did every morning. When the petite chef reached the main hallway, she saw Keitaro blocking the kitchen door.
"And where do you think you're going, young lady?" asked Keitaro as he tried to keep a straight face. Normally, he had no trouble with that, but today was a special day.
"Senpai, please move," said Shinobu as she tried to squeeze by, "I've got to get breakfast going."
Gently stopping her, Keitaro took her hand and said, "I don't think so, Shinobu-chan. Not today anyway. You are coming with me." That was when he led her to the other side of the manse.
What she saw was all the residents standing there in front of her office smiling. Their hands were behind their backs as if they tried to hide something.
Using his access card, Keitaro opened the door to Shinobu's office, and they all hollered, "Tanjōbi-omedetō, Shinobu-chan". (Writer's note: Happy Birthday in Japanese)
At the same time, they also received their first glimpse of the mysterious project that Keitaro had worked on.
It was an old-fashioned clerks-style rolltop desk that had a lot of surprises built into it. He had etched her name onto a small faceplate and nailed it into the top exterior board. He opened the desk and inside was a new printer to go with the laptop that he had already given her. Knowing that she needed a cell phone, there was also a new all-in-one top brand smart phone with charge cord and protective case. To top everything off, there was a new office chair for her comfort.
The desk itself is well-built but light, as they could disassemble the piece for ease of moving somewhere else if necessary.
"Oh, Senpai. Arigato gozaimasu," said Shinobu who wrapped her beloved Senpai up for another one of her huge hugs.
He hugged her back and said, "Happy fourteenth birthday, Shinobu-chan. These are all yours."
Everyone handed their gifts to the petit chef who always took such diligent care of them and had earned their respect. A table in front of the window became weighted down with presents.
Then, they looked over the desk that Keitaro had made for Shinobu.
Meanwhile, he showed her the hidden compartments.
They were in awe of how well Keitaro had made it.
Keitaro whispered into Shinobu's ear that he would later show her where the special compartments were.
She loved everything.
When finally allowed into the kitchen, Shinobu looked inside the walk-in cooler and cried. She saw the cake that her beloved Senpai had baked and frosted for her. It was for after supper later that evening.
For the entire day, Shinobu could only sit and do nothing except have her housemates spoil her. Although she complied, she fretted and whined a bit about being useless.
Happily, Kuro climbed into her lap after she sat on the big couch in the common room. Tama landed on her head and Shippu strutted over along with the fox, who curled up at her feet. It was like the menagerie knew that somehow today was a special day for their young friend.
To top her day off, she received a call from both of her parents wishing her a happy birthday. Both said they each sent her something in the mail, so she should soon receive their gifts. At least she understood now that even though they were not here in person, her mom and dad still loved her.
At mealtime, Keitaro had Shinobu sit at the head of the table. Led by him, the residents cooked everything in her stead. The food was great because there were four exceptionally good cooks who now lived at the Hinata.
When Keitaro finally served the cake, Shinobu had it in mind to return the favor for her beloved Senpai when his birthday occurred just after New Year's.
As they say, 'all good things must end', and they did on a high note.
In Shinobu's office, she was there with Kaolla, Keitaro and Reiji. The Princess was amazed at the sheer complexity of the desk as its simplicity left her in admiration. Her 'big brother' was a genius just by this one piece of complex engineering in wood alone she believed.
"Wow," cried Kaolla.
At a cue from Keitaro, Reiji took the Princess outside. Understanding why, Kaolla smiled and nodded, because she knew that Keitaro wanted to show Shinobu the hidden compartments and specific features of his present to her.
Smiling, the two departed hand-in-hand.
When Keitaro finished, he was on his knees after permanently locking the pieces into place. Not knowing what else to do. Shinobu surprised him with a quick kiss on the lips and turned bright red. That was impulsive on her part as she could not think of anything else to do.
In appreciation, Keitaro smiled at Shinobu which made her blush grow even redder. As he stood up and prepared to leave, he thought about how nice and soft her lips were. But that is enough for now…
One last hug, he stepped out and closed the door.
She was now by herself with everyone's gifts.
-End of chapter-