Black Waltz: Hello, again. Back with another update, since I'm back in gear with writing, so expect more from me. You can also call me evil if you want for what I did in the other chapter, whatever you want. I did it because I wanted to, because I loved it. But after you guys gave me some tips on how to make it right, I took your advice. Anyway, I had done research on this type of thing the found it to be rather appealing to myself and decided to add it into it. Without nothing more to say, take your time reading.

The residents of Hinata Sou were busy with Keitaro, doing two things... trying to cope with him being catatonic and trying to bring him out of it. Amara came into the room, bringing in some soothing hot tea. She set the tray down and sat beside Haruka. "How is he?"

"Still the same, I'm afraid, but I just know he'll come out of it."

Amara nodded her head. "He has to, or he could end up like this for the rest of his life. If I would've known something like this would happen, I would have dragged Su back home and forced her to stay. But I'm also sure that your government knows about her nuclear reactor?"

Haruka looked stunned by this. Since when did Kaolla Su have a freakin' nuclear reactor hidden in her room? "No, I'm afraid not."

"Well our government knows about it and they've told yours about it, and they are unhappy about her smuggling foreign nuclear material into this country. But don't worry, Haruka, my people will see to it that it is properly removed from Hinata Sou and back to where it belongs. You have my word."

Haruka nodded at the two continued to drink their tea while Keitaro didn't touch... he just sat there, doing nothing but blinking his eyes. At some point, Mutsumi came in with some freshly sliced watermelon. She set down the plate in front of the women and Keitaro and sat down with them. "Keitaro?" she asked, and he turned his head to face her. "Would you like some? It's fresh."

But he didn't saying anything as he turned away from her. Haruka leaned sideward to her and said, "I'm sure he would like some, just try and feed him." She did, and he was obedient and chewed on it; sometimes accidently biting on the seeds, which Mutsumi had to get out of his mouth by hand. They all ate in silence while they asked him questions, trying to get him to say something, but he wouldn't.

"It's time for his bath," Haruka said, "Kanako, would you undress your brother and get him ready?"

"Sure, Haruka," she said. "Come on, big brother... time for get out of those clothes."

Gently she took him by his arm and he lifted himself off the chair and acted as his guide to the changing room to get undressed. As the two older women went to get the things ready in the hot spring, they talked. "Haruka-san, thank you for letting me stay here, I really appreciate it," said Amara.

"Sure, besides, having you here makes it feel even better. By the way, about that nuclear reactor thing earlier, I never noticed her to have one of those."

"I always did, considering of all the fanatical and bizarre experiments and inventions that she does, she was going to need some sort of power supply, so she thought it would be funny if she took nuclear material from her country and brought it here to Hinata Apartments. Speaking of which, they should remove the reactor in about a week or so."

"Good, because I don't want to be framed for some sort of terrorist threat that they might be thinking was my doing. I just watch over that place, I don't own it!"

"I know... she shouldn't been having one of those in the first place!"

Haruka only nodded. With Kanako, she was finished undressing her big brother and wrapped him in a towel and led him to the hot spring where Haruka and Amara gently took hold of him and set him down in the water; then Kanako began to lather his head with the shampoo while he just stood still.

"I remember a long time ago you used to wash my hair when I was little, big brother. I would be sitting on the stones and you would just move your fingers through my hair... and I would just smile and giggle... now I'm doing it to you, and you don't smile or giggle... you just... stay... still... and... and..." she trailed off, feeling tears in her eyes.

Haruka softly took hold of her and hugged her as she cried, muttering the words, "Why did he end up like this, Haruka? Why?" But she just hugged him as she continued to cry; Amara saw the scene and couldn't help but wipe a tear from her left eye. "Kanako... can you go inside and fix up your brother some dinner, I'm sure he'd like that."

She pulled out of Harukas' embrace and nodded her face still moist with her tears and went inside to the kitchen to help Shinobu make something, leaving the girls to tend to the catatonic man, bathing him and rinsing his hair out. When they were done, they pulled him out and led him to his room to change.

In the kitchen, Kanako was making a big bowel of Miso soup with some pork-fried rice and some vegetables while Shinobu was helping with the food. The silence was starting to get to the poor petite chef, so she tried to make conversation with the black-clad girl.

"You care a lot for Keitaro, don't you?"

"Of course I do! I've cared about him ever since we were little kids. We used to play her all the time and now look what that old bag of bones did to my big brother... she makes him manager and those ogres use him as a cheap labor, without helping him!"

Shinobu understood that. There were times when she wanted to tell the girls it was an accident, but they wouldn't listen, namely Naru and Motoko. For those two, they thought it would be a good idea to keep Shinobu away from seeing other people... that's the reason why they were so uptight around other men being with her, especially young boys.

"I know, Kanako. I wanted to say something when sempai had his accidents, but they wouldn't let me, it's like they didn't want me to say anything."

"Why didn't you try and call the police and file charges against them?"

"I was afraid of what they might say. They would say something like, 'Did Keitaro make you do this?' or 'How dare Keitaro take advantage of you!'"

"Listen, I understand that they were your friends, but you have to understand, Shinobu, that they were the ones who caused my brother to be what he is now. Would you want to be friends with them anymore after what they did to my brother?"

Shinobu shook her head. "Then there's your answer. Now c'mon, my big brother is hungry and he needs to eat."

The cook smiled and helped Kanako with the food, brining it to the table; setting it down. "Big brother, I have your food. Would you like me to feed it you?"

"I'm sure Keitaro would love that, Kanako," Haruka said, smiling.

She set the tray on the seat next to Keitaro and sat down beside him, reaching for the chopsticks; then Kanako began to feed him, putting it near his lips so he would know the food was near him. Keitaro opened his mouth as she put the food inside and he began to chew. Haruka saw this and thought this to herself.

'It's just like taking care of an infant.'

It was indeed like feeding a toddler, but this is way it was, since the girls did this to him. After he finished eating, Kanako wiped his mouth with the napkin and said to him, smiling, "Did you enjoy your meal, big brother?"

"..."

The only thing Kanako could do was give him a hug, to know that she deeply cared for him, and then Haruka joined it. After the hug, Kanako kissed his forehead. "I'll keep wishing that you get better, big brother, I won't leave your side, no matter what... I promise."

Sobbing heavily on his shoulder, she hugged him as hard as she could, and crying for about five minutes then wiped her tears. Soon, they all sat around, trying to get him to talk, but it still wasn't the same; the news spread, and Kentaro, Haruka's worker at her teashop, as well as Haitani and Shirai, Keitaro's friends, heard about what had happened. Kentaro came in and went to the living room, greeting the others. He looked at Keitaro and talked to him, "Keitaro, if you can hear me, I just want to say you did a good thing to Naru... she doesn't deserve anybody, man, she only thinks about herself. All in all, I'm just sorry you had to turn out this way." Kentaro then laid a supportive hand on his shoulder. "If you ever need anything, man, I'll here for you, I swear it... You and I are sort of like brothers, you know?"

Keitaro looked at his hand for a moment and blinked; Kentaro patted his shoulder and soon dropped off some gifts for the women as well as for Keitaro. "Thank you, child," said Grandma Hina. "I'm sure you're going to be a great friend to help Keitaro on his recovery."

"I'll do my best, ma'am."

He left while Keitaro just stayed in that position. Night soon came and the women then took Keitaro up to his room, laying him down on his futon, covering him up. Then, Haruka leaned forward, planting a kiss on his forehead, telling him goodnight; they left while closing the door to his room.

On the outside, Keitaro didn't show anything, but on the inside... he smiled. He felt happy to have people care for him for the first time in his life.

Black Waltz: Well, there you go, but you people are going to make me have another anxiety attack if you keep asking me when I'll update, and I know you don't want that to happen, so keep cool, okay?

Peace out.