Love Hina – Restoration to a Time Past
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter One – The Once and Future Manager
This is an AU, slightly OOC tale that starts at the point in the anime (episode four) where Keitaro and Naru return to the inn after their practice test.
Friday Evening.
Naru brushes the snow off her coat as she enters Hinata-sou.
"I'm home!"
Shinobu runs to the foyer.
"Welcome home!"
Kitsune, close behind, looks expectantly towards Naru.
"How'd ya score on the test?"
Naru gives them the thumbs up sign. As they pat her on the back, the door slowly slides open. Keitaro walks into the foyer and Su jumps in front of him.
"Yo, Keitaro! How'd it go?"
He avoids their gazes as he moves past them.
"I'm sorry everyone. I screwed up again."
Motoko touches the hilt of her sword.
"I see. Then you will be. . ."
"I'll start packing right now. It should only take me a few minutes. If it's not too much to ask, could I get a hot meal before I leave."
Motoko nods her head.
"That can be arranged. Shinobu-chan, would you be so kind and bring a noodle cup for Urashima?"
Shinobu wrings her hands.
"C-couldn't Sempai have some sukiyaki from our party?"
"That is out of the question! This is a celebration for those who have earned it! Not for an imbecilic, lazy, perverted, wasted failure of a man!"
Shinobu returns a moment later with the cup and hands it to him.
"I, I'm sorry, Sempai."
". . ."
In his room, Keitaro packs his belongings into a backpack. He pours some hot water from the thermos into his noodle cup and heads out the door. In the hallway, Motoko waits near the steps and he walks towards her.
"I'm ready to leave. You don't have to escort me out like some kind of criminal."
"Urashima, do not leave."
"Huh?"
She pulls out her sword.
"You failed to completely clean the hot spring! You will accomplish that task and then you will remove your vile presence from Hinata-sou forever!"
Keitaro shakes his head.
"No."
"What did you say?
'I'm not your manager now, remember? I lost that job as soon as I failed the test. And I'm not gonna do any more work around this place!"
She points her sword at him.
"We had planned to use the hot spring for our celebration! You should have prepared it for us."
"I said no! If you want to use it so badly, clean it yourself! I no longer owe you anything! That goes the same for the other residents."
She moves to block him.
"You vile, ungrateful male!"
Keitaro throws the cup at her feet.
"You think I'm ungrateful? If you would've let me eat one last nice meal, I wouldn't have minded you asking me to do one more chore! Heck, I would have been happy to clean the entire inn one last time! But all you would let me have was that lousy noodle cup before I go back out into the snow! And you want me to waste what little warmth that would have given me by cleaning that darned hot spring again?"
He sees the other girls looking up the steps at them, concerned at their argument. He points at Naru.
"You're the worst of all! I was ready to admit that I wasn't a Toudai student. But you were so concerned about what would happen to YOU if this place didn't have a manager! You dug me even deeper into the lie that Haruka-san dropped on me! And when the others found out, did you help me by admitting that you knew? No! You're the one that set this whole thing up, making me promise to pass that stupid exam or else leave! Then I accidentally saw your diary. I tried to apologize five times but you wouldn't even give me a chance! So I studied my tail off so that I could pass this test. I thought it would let me thank you for helping me and give me a chance to try to apologize once more. So what if I'm so stupid that I couldn't even do that much? But at least I'll keep my promise and leave."
He looks at them one by one.
"It's like you all went out of your way to make sure I'd screw up. You always made more work for me, never giving me a break! How many times in one day do the same windows really need cleaning anyway?"
Tossing his backpack over his shoulder, Keitaro pushes past Motoko.
"I'm leaving now. I've had enough of you people. I'll never figure out why my grandmother allowed a bunch of stuck up, selfish, whining, spoiled brats to live here!"
As Keitaro places his foot on the top step, his head snaps up and he stops. The other girls look at him as he reaches one hand to his stomach. He falls to his knees and tumbles down, crashing to the first floor. As his head rolls to the side, they look up at Motoko, who stands at the top of the stairs holding her bloodstained sword.
Saturday Morning.
Keitaro opens his eyes. Above him is the familiar hole leading to Naru's room. He starts to sit up and falls backward as pain tears through his abdomen.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!"
Shinobu gently places her hand on his shoulder.
"Pl-please Sempai, you have to rest. Aaauuuuu!"
He turns and looks at her.
"What h-happened? Why's it hurt so much?"
Shinobu fumbles with the cap on the bottle of aspirin.
"I, uh, ah, um, you see, ah, that is, Aaauuuuu!"
Keitaro starts to remember the events of last evening.
"Motoko-chan, sh-she stuck me with her sword?"
Shinobu spills the aspirin on the floor.
"Y-yes. Please don't be mad at her! I'm sure that she didn't mean to!"
She gives him two tablets and helps him drink some tea.
"I have some breakfast for you. It's leftover sukiyaki from the party, so I hope you don't mind."
"Thank you, I'm sure it's good."
She helps him eat and then takes the tray to the kitchen. Naru, Kitsune, and Su look up from the dining room table as she enters.
"How is Keitaro doing?"
"He still in pain, Naru-sempai, but I gave him the aspirin and some breakfast."
Naru shakes her head.
"I wish we had something stronger, he must be in agony."
Su pokes at her food.
"I don't know why we can't call the doctor. She'll fix Keitaro right up."
Kitsune stares at her plate.
"If we did, then Haruka would find out. She's been pissed at us for hurting him before, and I don't wanna see what'll happen if she found out about this."
"But, she'll find out sometime."
"It'll be best to wait until Keitaro-san gets better."
Naru pushes her plate away.
"I still don't feel right about this. He really should be seen by a doctor. But if that happens, Motoko-chan will be in real trouble."
Kitsune stands and heads for the door.
"Luckily it doesn't look too serious. Keitaro-san is tough and he should be up again in a few days. All we have to do is wait for him to recover."
Shinobu sits in her chair and places her head on the table.
"How come I'm the only one that should see him?"
Naru places her hand on Shinobu's shoulder.
"He really was angry last night. You're the only one that's been honestly nice to him. I don't think he'd want to see the rest of us for a while."
Saturday Afternoon.
Shinobu runs into Naru's room, tripping on the doorsill.
"Shinobu-chan, are you all right? What's wrong?"
"Aaauuuuu! Sempai won't wake up and he's got a really high fever!"
They rush downstairs and into the manager's room. Keitaro is still in his futon, his body covered in sweat. Naru quickly replaces the damp towel on his forehead.
"This isn't good! Why does he have such a fever? What else is wrong?"
"Let's call Doctor Ishido, please, oh please!"
"You're right. This is getting way out of hand!"
A few minutes later, Haruka is placing the banner above the door to the Tea Shop and sees the doctor running up the steps.
"Hikari-san, what's wrong?"
The young woman turns briefly.
"I just received a telephone call. There is a male at your Inn that is ill."
"What? That must be Keitaro. No one told me anything. Hold on, I'll go up with you!"
Haruka follows Hikari up the steps and into the inn. Seeing no one in the lobby, they head for the manager's room. The door is open and Kitsune and Su stand in the hallway. At the sound of the running footsteps, Kitsune looks up.
"Oh spit!"
Hikari kneels next to the futon and begins checking Keitaro.
"What happened to cause this?"
Shinobu pulls the blanket off, exposing the bandage on Keitaro's stomach. Hikari gently lifts the dressing and examines the wound.
"This is not a recent injury! How long ago did this happen?"
Naru looks up at Haruka.
"L-last night, after we got home from prep school."
Hikari gently presses his abdomen. Even unconscious, Keitaro moans in pain. She looks on the table and sees the tray with his lunch.
"Have you been feeding him?"
Shinobu nods her head.
"He ate a lot for breakfast, and a little at lunch. We gave him some tea and aspirin too!"
"You idiots! Kitsune-san, call an ambulance immediately! Tell them to prepare a peritoneal flush with full antibiotics!"
Hikari turns to Naru.
"The knife that caused this, do you know how far it penetrated?"
"He, he w-was struck from behind, by, by Motoko's sword."
The doctor quickly, but gently, checks Keitaro's back.
"Dear god, the front injury is an exit wound! He will need surgery! We must get him to the hospital as soon as possible!"
Su shuffles into the room.
"Hey Doc, what's a Parrot O'Neal flush?"
"Because you fed him, the food exited the wound in his stomach and spread inside his abdomen. The flush will clean his insides. But it is already become inflamed and he will need massive amounts of antibiotics and surgery to repair the damage or he will die! Haruka-san, is this the nephew you . . . where is Haruka-san?"
Upstairs, Motoko looks up as her door slides open. Recognizing her visitor, she rises to her feet.
"H-Haruka-san!"
Haruka quickly steps over and slaps Motoko, sending her crashing to the floor.
"What the hell did you do to Keitaro?"
"I, I . . ."
"Why did you impale him with your damned sword? Wasn't it enough that all of you tormented him just because he is a man? Motoko, you've become my friend, but I swear if Keitaro dies I will kill you with my bare hands!"
The other girls, knowing where Haruka would go, arrive at the open door in time to hear her words. Naru holds her hand out.
"Haruka-san, please forgive. . ."
"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses! Didn't it occur to any of you that a Band-Aid and a glass of tea wouldn't be enough this time? And why didn't you tell ME for god's sake? Don't' you think his family should know that he's really hurt?"
Haruka shoves them aside and marches out the door as the sound of ambulance sirens approach Hinata-sou.
Sunday Morning.
Haruka sits next to the bed in Keitaro's hospital room. Occasionally, she moves to check the tubes in his arm and adjust his pillow. Hikari opens the door, picks up his chart, and sits next to her.
"How are you holding up, Haruka-san?"
"Tell me about Keitaro. How bad is it?"
"He is out of danger and will recover fully. He is an incredibly strong person."
Haruka drops her head to her hands and her shoulders begin to tremble.
"Thank god he's going to be okay."
Hikari moves and checks his temperature.
"This is amazing. His fever has already subsided. Most other people would require as much as two days to recover to this extent. At this rate, he may return home to Hinata-sou for recuperation tomorrow."
"Home, or hell."
There is a light knock on the door and Hikari moves to open it. Motoko stands there, with the other girls in the hallway behind her.
"May, may we come in?"
Hikari turns to Haruka. Haruka shakes her head.
"Haruka-san, they have been out there all night. You have denied them entry each time. Are they not his friends?"
"Friends, or fiends."
"Haruka-san?"
She sighs.
"Very well, let them in."
The doctor leaves the room as the girls enter. Naru places some flowers in a vase while Shinobu put some fruit on the table next to Keitaro's bed. Su walks over and places an extra banana in the bowl as Kitsune sets a get-well card next to it. Motoko stands at the foot of the bed with her head bowed. Haruka stands up and crosses her arms.
"My, my, if I didn't know better, I'd think that all of you actually care what happens to Keitaro."
Naru, shocked, looks at her.
"But, Haruka-san, we do care."
"Concern, or culpability?"
Motoko kneels in front of Haruka and bows all the way to the floor.
"It is unforgivable that I struck Urashima in such a manner. I was so infuriated by his words that I lost control. It, it did not even occur to me to strike using my usual method. I actually desired to harm him."
Motoko holds a hand to the side.
"Su, please be my Second and assist me!"
Su leaps over, places a weapon in Motoko's hand, and then stands behind her. Motoko tears open her gi, places a cloth to her stomach, and prepares to perform seppuku.
(Author's Note: Seppuku: Ritual suicide by disembowelment formerly practiced by Japanese samurai. In most cases, there will be a Second that is prepared to cut the person's head off if he does not go through with the act. Hari-kari is similar, but does not involve a Second. I hope I got that right! ^_^)
"Speak the word, and I shall sacrifice my life to compensate for my crimes!"
Haruka, in spite of the circumstances, begins to laugh. Motoko looks up at her.
"Haruka-san! I am serious!"
Haruka kneels in front of her and taps the weapon in her hand.
"And just how successful will your seppuku be with that banana?"
"What? Su, how could you do this to me?"
Su, standing behind her and holding a bedpan, scratches her head.
"Ya know that it's illegal to bring real weapons into a hospital!"
Motoko drops her hand and the banana rolls to the floor. Kitsune leans over and whispers to Su.
"Hey, Second, aint ya forgetting your duty?"
"Oh, right!"
Su swings the bedpan and clobbers Motoko on the head.
"There ya go Motoko! Your honor is fulfilled!"
Motoko leaps up and rubs the back of her head.
"Su, that was uncalled for!"
Naru grabs the bedpan and tosses it onto a chair.
"Su-chan! Do you have any idea where that might have been?"
Shinobu looks under the bed and pulls out a oddly shaped glass pitcher.
"This is a strange thing to serve tea with."
Haruka walks over to her.
"Actually Shinobu-chan, that is a pee-bottle."
"What's a P-bottle used for?"
"Well, if you're in a hospital bed and can't walk to the bathroom. . ."
Shinobu quickly sets it on the floor and backs up to the wall.
"You mean I was holding something that Sempai put his, his, thingy in? Aaauuuuu!"
The sound of someone laughing causes the girls to look at the bed. Keitaro looks at them and shakes his head.
"Haruka-san, maybe you should call the doctor. These girls should be locked away in a nice padded room."
As the other residents start to move towards him, Keitaro closes his eyes and turns his head.
"I still don't feel so good. Could you ask them to leave, Haruka-san?"
After the girls leave, Haruka pulls the chair next to his bed and sits down.
"What's this I hear about you not being the manager anymore?"
He turns his head and looks at his aunt.
"I made a promise to them that if I failed my practice test I'd leave."
"What is it with you and promises? Anyway, you can't be held to that promise because of, other factors."
"What do you mean? I was just the manager."
Haruka shakes her head.
"I should have told you this before, but I thought you already had too much weight on your shoulders. You're not just the manager, you are also the landlord."
Keitaro laughs lightly.
"That's silly. I'd have to own Hinata-sou to be the landlord."
He continues laughing until he notices Haruka nodding her head.
"Eh?"
"Keitaro, Granny Hina signed the deed to Hinata-sou over to you before she left."
"Eh?"
"She also left a tidy little sum for you to use for upkeep."
"Eh?"
"It's not much, just one hundred-million yen."
(AN: about $800,000)
"Gack!"
Haruka looks as the heart monitor. It flat-lines for a few seconds and then resumes beeping.
"Are you okay?"
"I, I think so. What should I do now?"
"You're the owner. It's up to you."
Keitaro looks up at the ceiling and smiles.
In the waiting room, the other girls all shiver. Naru looks at Kitsune.
"Did it just get cooler in here?"
"Yep. Ya'll would think they'd try to keep a hospital warmer. Don't want people to catch a cold."
End of Chapter One.
Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter One – The Once and Future Manager
This is an AU, slightly OOC tale that starts at the point in the anime (episode four) where Keitaro and Naru return to the inn after their practice test.
Friday Evening.
Naru brushes the snow off her coat as she enters Hinata-sou.
"I'm home!"
Shinobu runs to the foyer.
"Welcome home!"
Kitsune, close behind, looks expectantly towards Naru.
"How'd ya score on the test?"
Naru gives them the thumbs up sign. As they pat her on the back, the door slowly slides open. Keitaro walks into the foyer and Su jumps in front of him.
"Yo, Keitaro! How'd it go?"
He avoids their gazes as he moves past them.
"I'm sorry everyone. I screwed up again."
Motoko touches the hilt of her sword.
"I see. Then you will be. . ."
"I'll start packing right now. It should only take me a few minutes. If it's not too much to ask, could I get a hot meal before I leave."
Motoko nods her head.
"That can be arranged. Shinobu-chan, would you be so kind and bring a noodle cup for Urashima?"
Shinobu wrings her hands.
"C-couldn't Sempai have some sukiyaki from our party?"
"That is out of the question! This is a celebration for those who have earned it! Not for an imbecilic, lazy, perverted, wasted failure of a man!"
Shinobu returns a moment later with the cup and hands it to him.
"I, I'm sorry, Sempai."
". . ."
In his room, Keitaro packs his belongings into a backpack. He pours some hot water from the thermos into his noodle cup and heads out the door. In the hallway, Motoko waits near the steps and he walks towards her.
"I'm ready to leave. You don't have to escort me out like some kind of criminal."
"Urashima, do not leave."
"Huh?"
She pulls out her sword.
"You failed to completely clean the hot spring! You will accomplish that task and then you will remove your vile presence from Hinata-sou forever!"
Keitaro shakes his head.
"No."
"What did you say?
'I'm not your manager now, remember? I lost that job as soon as I failed the test. And I'm not gonna do any more work around this place!"
She points her sword at him.
"We had planned to use the hot spring for our celebration! You should have prepared it for us."
"I said no! If you want to use it so badly, clean it yourself! I no longer owe you anything! That goes the same for the other residents."
She moves to block him.
"You vile, ungrateful male!"
Keitaro throws the cup at her feet.
"You think I'm ungrateful? If you would've let me eat one last nice meal, I wouldn't have minded you asking me to do one more chore! Heck, I would have been happy to clean the entire inn one last time! But all you would let me have was that lousy noodle cup before I go back out into the snow! And you want me to waste what little warmth that would have given me by cleaning that darned hot spring again?"
He sees the other girls looking up the steps at them, concerned at their argument. He points at Naru.
"You're the worst of all! I was ready to admit that I wasn't a Toudai student. But you were so concerned about what would happen to YOU if this place didn't have a manager! You dug me even deeper into the lie that Haruka-san dropped on me! And when the others found out, did you help me by admitting that you knew? No! You're the one that set this whole thing up, making me promise to pass that stupid exam or else leave! Then I accidentally saw your diary. I tried to apologize five times but you wouldn't even give me a chance! So I studied my tail off so that I could pass this test. I thought it would let me thank you for helping me and give me a chance to try to apologize once more. So what if I'm so stupid that I couldn't even do that much? But at least I'll keep my promise and leave."
He looks at them one by one.
"It's like you all went out of your way to make sure I'd screw up. You always made more work for me, never giving me a break! How many times in one day do the same windows really need cleaning anyway?"
Tossing his backpack over his shoulder, Keitaro pushes past Motoko.
"I'm leaving now. I've had enough of you people. I'll never figure out why my grandmother allowed a bunch of stuck up, selfish, whining, spoiled brats to live here!"
As Keitaro places his foot on the top step, his head snaps up and he stops. The other girls look at him as he reaches one hand to his stomach. He falls to his knees and tumbles down, crashing to the first floor. As his head rolls to the side, they look up at Motoko, who stands at the top of the stairs holding her bloodstained sword.
Saturday Morning.
Keitaro opens his eyes. Above him is the familiar hole leading to Naru's room. He starts to sit up and falls backward as pain tears through his abdomen.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!"
Shinobu gently places her hand on his shoulder.
"Pl-please Sempai, you have to rest. Aaauuuuu!"
He turns and looks at her.
"What h-happened? Why's it hurt so much?"
Shinobu fumbles with the cap on the bottle of aspirin.
"I, uh, ah, um, you see, ah, that is, Aaauuuuu!"
Keitaro starts to remember the events of last evening.
"Motoko-chan, sh-she stuck me with her sword?"
Shinobu spills the aspirin on the floor.
"Y-yes. Please don't be mad at her! I'm sure that she didn't mean to!"
She gives him two tablets and helps him drink some tea.
"I have some breakfast for you. It's leftover sukiyaki from the party, so I hope you don't mind."
"Thank you, I'm sure it's good."
She helps him eat and then takes the tray to the kitchen. Naru, Kitsune, and Su look up from the dining room table as she enters.
"How is Keitaro doing?"
"He still in pain, Naru-sempai, but I gave him the aspirin and some breakfast."
Naru shakes her head.
"I wish we had something stronger, he must be in agony."
Su pokes at her food.
"I don't know why we can't call the doctor. She'll fix Keitaro right up."
Kitsune stares at her plate.
"If we did, then Haruka would find out. She's been pissed at us for hurting him before, and I don't wanna see what'll happen if she found out about this."
"But, she'll find out sometime."
"It'll be best to wait until Keitaro-san gets better."
Naru pushes her plate away.
"I still don't feel right about this. He really should be seen by a doctor. But if that happens, Motoko-chan will be in real trouble."
Kitsune stands and heads for the door.
"Luckily it doesn't look too serious. Keitaro-san is tough and he should be up again in a few days. All we have to do is wait for him to recover."
Shinobu sits in her chair and places her head on the table.
"How come I'm the only one that should see him?"
Naru places her hand on Shinobu's shoulder.
"He really was angry last night. You're the only one that's been honestly nice to him. I don't think he'd want to see the rest of us for a while."
Saturday Afternoon.
Shinobu runs into Naru's room, tripping on the doorsill.
"Shinobu-chan, are you all right? What's wrong?"
"Aaauuuuu! Sempai won't wake up and he's got a really high fever!"
They rush downstairs and into the manager's room. Keitaro is still in his futon, his body covered in sweat. Naru quickly replaces the damp towel on his forehead.
"This isn't good! Why does he have such a fever? What else is wrong?"
"Let's call Doctor Ishido, please, oh please!"
"You're right. This is getting way out of hand!"
A few minutes later, Haruka is placing the banner above the door to the Tea Shop and sees the doctor running up the steps.
"Hikari-san, what's wrong?"
The young woman turns briefly.
"I just received a telephone call. There is a male at your Inn that is ill."
"What? That must be Keitaro. No one told me anything. Hold on, I'll go up with you!"
Haruka follows Hikari up the steps and into the inn. Seeing no one in the lobby, they head for the manager's room. The door is open and Kitsune and Su stand in the hallway. At the sound of the running footsteps, Kitsune looks up.
"Oh spit!"
Hikari kneels next to the futon and begins checking Keitaro.
"What happened to cause this?"
Shinobu pulls the blanket off, exposing the bandage on Keitaro's stomach. Hikari gently lifts the dressing and examines the wound.
"This is not a recent injury! How long ago did this happen?"
Naru looks up at Haruka.
"L-last night, after we got home from prep school."
Hikari gently presses his abdomen. Even unconscious, Keitaro moans in pain. She looks on the table and sees the tray with his lunch.
"Have you been feeding him?"
Shinobu nods her head.
"He ate a lot for breakfast, and a little at lunch. We gave him some tea and aspirin too!"
"You idiots! Kitsune-san, call an ambulance immediately! Tell them to prepare a peritoneal flush with full antibiotics!"
Hikari turns to Naru.
"The knife that caused this, do you know how far it penetrated?"
"He, he w-was struck from behind, by, by Motoko's sword."
The doctor quickly, but gently, checks Keitaro's back.
"Dear god, the front injury is an exit wound! He will need surgery! We must get him to the hospital as soon as possible!"
Su shuffles into the room.
"Hey Doc, what's a Parrot O'Neal flush?"
"Because you fed him, the food exited the wound in his stomach and spread inside his abdomen. The flush will clean his insides. But it is already become inflamed and he will need massive amounts of antibiotics and surgery to repair the damage or he will die! Haruka-san, is this the nephew you . . . where is Haruka-san?"
Upstairs, Motoko looks up as her door slides open. Recognizing her visitor, she rises to her feet.
"H-Haruka-san!"
Haruka quickly steps over and slaps Motoko, sending her crashing to the floor.
"What the hell did you do to Keitaro?"
"I, I . . ."
"Why did you impale him with your damned sword? Wasn't it enough that all of you tormented him just because he is a man? Motoko, you've become my friend, but I swear if Keitaro dies I will kill you with my bare hands!"
The other girls, knowing where Haruka would go, arrive at the open door in time to hear her words. Naru holds her hand out.
"Haruka-san, please forgive. . ."
"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses! Didn't it occur to any of you that a Band-Aid and a glass of tea wouldn't be enough this time? And why didn't you tell ME for god's sake? Don't' you think his family should know that he's really hurt?"
Haruka shoves them aside and marches out the door as the sound of ambulance sirens approach Hinata-sou.
Sunday Morning.
Haruka sits next to the bed in Keitaro's hospital room. Occasionally, she moves to check the tubes in his arm and adjust his pillow. Hikari opens the door, picks up his chart, and sits next to her.
"How are you holding up, Haruka-san?"
"Tell me about Keitaro. How bad is it?"
"He is out of danger and will recover fully. He is an incredibly strong person."
Haruka drops her head to her hands and her shoulders begin to tremble.
"Thank god he's going to be okay."
Hikari moves and checks his temperature.
"This is amazing. His fever has already subsided. Most other people would require as much as two days to recover to this extent. At this rate, he may return home to Hinata-sou for recuperation tomorrow."
"Home, or hell."
There is a light knock on the door and Hikari moves to open it. Motoko stands there, with the other girls in the hallway behind her.
"May, may we come in?"
Hikari turns to Haruka. Haruka shakes her head.
"Haruka-san, they have been out there all night. You have denied them entry each time. Are they not his friends?"
"Friends, or fiends."
"Haruka-san?"
She sighs.
"Very well, let them in."
The doctor leaves the room as the girls enter. Naru places some flowers in a vase while Shinobu put some fruit on the table next to Keitaro's bed. Su walks over and places an extra banana in the bowl as Kitsune sets a get-well card next to it. Motoko stands at the foot of the bed with her head bowed. Haruka stands up and crosses her arms.
"My, my, if I didn't know better, I'd think that all of you actually care what happens to Keitaro."
Naru, shocked, looks at her.
"But, Haruka-san, we do care."
"Concern, or culpability?"
Motoko kneels in front of Haruka and bows all the way to the floor.
"It is unforgivable that I struck Urashima in such a manner. I was so infuriated by his words that I lost control. It, it did not even occur to me to strike using my usual method. I actually desired to harm him."
Motoko holds a hand to the side.
"Su, please be my Second and assist me!"
Su leaps over, places a weapon in Motoko's hand, and then stands behind her. Motoko tears open her gi, places a cloth to her stomach, and prepares to perform seppuku.
(Author's Note: Seppuku: Ritual suicide by disembowelment formerly practiced by Japanese samurai. In most cases, there will be a Second that is prepared to cut the person's head off if he does not go through with the act. Hari-kari is similar, but does not involve a Second. I hope I got that right! ^_^)
"Speak the word, and I shall sacrifice my life to compensate for my crimes!"
Haruka, in spite of the circumstances, begins to laugh. Motoko looks up at her.
"Haruka-san! I am serious!"
Haruka kneels in front of her and taps the weapon in her hand.
"And just how successful will your seppuku be with that banana?"
"What? Su, how could you do this to me?"
Su, standing behind her and holding a bedpan, scratches her head.
"Ya know that it's illegal to bring real weapons into a hospital!"
Motoko drops her hand and the banana rolls to the floor. Kitsune leans over and whispers to Su.
"Hey, Second, aint ya forgetting your duty?"
"Oh, right!"
Su swings the bedpan and clobbers Motoko on the head.
"There ya go Motoko! Your honor is fulfilled!"
Motoko leaps up and rubs the back of her head.
"Su, that was uncalled for!"
Naru grabs the bedpan and tosses it onto a chair.
"Su-chan! Do you have any idea where that might have been?"
Shinobu looks under the bed and pulls out a oddly shaped glass pitcher.
"This is a strange thing to serve tea with."
Haruka walks over to her.
"Actually Shinobu-chan, that is a pee-bottle."
"What's a P-bottle used for?"
"Well, if you're in a hospital bed and can't walk to the bathroom. . ."
Shinobu quickly sets it on the floor and backs up to the wall.
"You mean I was holding something that Sempai put his, his, thingy in? Aaauuuuu!"
The sound of someone laughing causes the girls to look at the bed. Keitaro looks at them and shakes his head.
"Haruka-san, maybe you should call the doctor. These girls should be locked away in a nice padded room."
As the other residents start to move towards him, Keitaro closes his eyes and turns his head.
"I still don't feel so good. Could you ask them to leave, Haruka-san?"
After the girls leave, Haruka pulls the chair next to his bed and sits down.
"What's this I hear about you not being the manager anymore?"
He turns his head and looks at his aunt.
"I made a promise to them that if I failed my practice test I'd leave."
"What is it with you and promises? Anyway, you can't be held to that promise because of, other factors."
"What do you mean? I was just the manager."
Haruka shakes her head.
"I should have told you this before, but I thought you already had too much weight on your shoulders. You're not just the manager, you are also the landlord."
Keitaro laughs lightly.
"That's silly. I'd have to own Hinata-sou to be the landlord."
He continues laughing until he notices Haruka nodding her head.
"Eh?"
"Keitaro, Granny Hina signed the deed to Hinata-sou over to you before she left."
"Eh?"
"She also left a tidy little sum for you to use for upkeep."
"Eh?"
"It's not much, just one hundred-million yen."
(AN: about $800,000)
"Gack!"
Haruka looks as the heart monitor. It flat-lines for a few seconds and then resumes beeping.
"Are you okay?"
"I, I think so. What should I do now?"
"You're the owner. It's up to you."
Keitaro looks up at the ceiling and smiles.
In the waiting room, the other girls all shiver. Naru looks at Kitsune.
"Did it just get cooler in here?"
"Yep. Ya'll would think they'd try to keep a hospital warmer. Don't want people to catch a cold."
End of Chapter One.