Chapter 1: Feel This

What am I to do? This has got to be the third time I've asked her already! Well here comes number four. "Naru, will you come with me this Saturday?" A long silence… and still no reply. She just keeps staring up at the ceiling-

"Could you get on with it, Keitaro?" she says coldly. "I don't have all day here."

"What are you talking about? I just asked you?!" I harshly reply. She glares at me like I said something wicked.

"Don't get snippy with me, Keitaro Urashima!" she barks back. She jumps to her feet, pointing her finger at me accusingly. I stand up to get eye level with her. One thing I know about Naru, is that you have to stand your ground to create stability. Showing inferiority makes her conceited.

"Naru," I say patiently. "I've already asked you three times if you wanted to go out with me. What else do you want me to do? Get on all fours and beg you like a dog?" I see her wind up for her infamous punch and brace myself. I feel pain everywhere as I'm knocked back against the wall.

"Get out!" she screamed.

"Goddammit, Naru!" I yell back. "What the hell do you want from me!? You keep complaining about me not spending enough time with you and you just keeping punishing me when I try to!"

"Well take a hint; I don't want to. Now get out." she pointed to the door. I manage to limp out of there. She slammed the door and I cringe. I walk down to my room and just prop myself against the wall. Holding my face in my hands, I try not to cry. But fail. Why does it end up like this? Is what I think before sinking into my unconscious.

I see my reflection in a pool of water that is surrounded by five violet candlelight's. Giving it an ethereal glow that allows me to see. I stare, looking myself.

"Why do you still go after her?" my mirror image asks. Well that's certainly an easy question.

"Because I love her."

"That isn't love, its desire."

"Desire?"

"A desire to be loved, even though she doesn't want you. You chase her in an effort to soothe your loneliness, but it's useless. You'll never catch her."

"We both want to be loved."

"For you it may be love, but for her it's hate."

"Hate?"

"Hate that stems from being unloved. Your love means nothing to her; merely an object to be won."

"An object?"

"Must you keep asking such stupid questions? I don't know why you can't see it. It's hard to believe that I am actually you." I didn't reply. "Well, I'll explain it to you clearly - Naru doesn't love you. Yet you keep indulging her. Like a child that get's spoiled without repercussions. All that ever did was make her a bitch and a selfish one at that." My image stood out the water and looked straight at me. "Stop acting like a coward; it's time to face the facts. Take it like a man." He stopped there and I wake up.

"Sempai?" I open my eyes to see Shinobu-chan with a worried expression on her face.

"Oh, hello Shinobu-chan." I grunt as I stand up.

"Why were you sleeping right outside your room, Sempai?" she asked hesitantly.

"Fainting is probably what happened." I touch my face, wincing as it stung.

"I'll go get some ice for you." she practically screamed.

"Thanks, but I'll go get it myself." I pat her head. "Don't worry, at least she didn't send me out the stratosphere." I try and laugh it off for Shinobu's sake. She gives me a slight grin. I walk downstairs. I notice Kitsune and Motoko; they stare daggers right at me. I sighed.

"Must've been something Naru said, right?" I say dryly.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Kitsune shrieked.

"Apparently he wasn't thinking at all." Motoko added. I snorted at that remark.

"I know that I can be slow at times, but this isn't one of them. So, what did she tell you?"

"She came down ranting about you called her a 'bitch' and you telling her to crawl on all fours." Kitsune said bluntly.

"Say what!" I screamed back. "That has got to be -"

"Are you saying that wasn't the case?" Motoko interrupted. She gave me her usual cold looks. I saw the glint of her word being removed.

"You know what? You can believe whatever the hell you want." I stood straight up at Motoko. "If you feel justified in attacking me for the sake of you honor, go ahead. Since obviously the truth has no meaning to you because I'm a male." Motoko just turned her head quickly, avoiding my gaze for some reason. I back off a little bit to give her some space and turn to Kitsune. "All I did was ask her to go out with me. If you think that deserves a tongue lashing, please continue." With my arms and hands open I dare her.

Since she didn't, I go to grab a compress and fill it with ice. "Then what really happened?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter. I guess it's normal to take a friends word over someone else's. But if you could stand to use your head for what it's good for, you'd know that I wouldn't say something like that to the women I love." Both Motoko and Kitsune look somewhat contrite. "But obviously Naru doesn't share that same sentiment."

"You could still be lying." Motoko rejoined. "Why should we believe anything you have to say?"

"Since your bond with Naru is stronger than mine, you don't. After all, our relationship is only between manger and tenant." I say bitterly

"Is that all we mean to you, Keitaro, as tenants?" Kitsune asked. I looked at her woe-be-gone expression, but I pressed on.

"Well, what do I mean to you?" I say haughtily. Kitsune didn't answer. I looked at Motoko and she turned away to cough. "See what kind of relationship we have?" I say sadly.

Suddenly, Su's flying kick sprawls me out on the floor.

"Keitaro, let's play!" she said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, come on dork." Sara emphasized. They both bring out some contraptions and I end up running for my life.

A few hours later I retreat to my room. To my surprise I see Naru. "Thanks to you, I had a fight with Kitsune." she sneered. Well! That wasn't what I was anticipating. I thought she came here to apologize. What an idiot I am.

"About what?" I barely showed interest.

"You'll be happy to know that she called me a liar. Saying that I shouldn't say crap like that about you." I was utterly speechless. Kitsune defended me? Never though she'd take my side over Naru's. I guess I should go thank her. "So?"

"So what?"

"Are you going to take me out this Saturday or what?"

"Really, you want to go?" My heart was pumping how.

"As long as I'm back by nine." I ignored that last comment.

"Alright!" I say with fist pumping. "We'll leave from here at ten. That should give us plenty of time." I'll make her so happy that she'll forget about him.

After Naru left, I decide to go Kitsune. I softly tap on the door.

"Come in." she replied. I open the door and quickly turn around. "Why if it isn't Keitaro."

"Shouldn't you be wearing something other than your undergarments?!" I blurt out.

"What's a little bare skin between friends?" She whispers into my ear. Oh dear God! Her voluptuous body feels hot against my back.

"It's different between boys and girls!" I manage to shout. She wraps her arms around my chest and I feel her breasts pressing even harder.

"It doesn't matter since were best friends. We are best friends, aren't we, Keitaro?" She said my name in such a husky tone…

"Yes we are, now can you please stop?" Where the hell did that come from? I can barely breathe with her so close! She finally let go, but for some reason I feel cold now.

"So, what did you need?" I turn around and see her legs folded on her futon. She pats the space in front of her. I sit down in the same position.

"I wanted to thank you for defending me."

"It was nothing." she waves off. "Actually, I was tired of Naru's stuck up attitude too." Oh, so it wasn't for my sake. Why does that make me feel crappy? "But more than that, I was tired of the way she was treating you."

"Kitsune," My opinion of you instantly changed. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, about you just being a tenant.

"No, I was wrong too." she grabbed my hands together, looking at them so intensely. "I'm sorry that I always take advantage of your kindness." She looks up at me.

"Kitsune…"

"I depend on your more than you think, Keitaro. If you were to leave me, I'm not sure what I would be doing." Out of all the girls, I worry about Kitsune the most. Sometimes she seems too carefree and flirty, that could bring her the wrong kind of attention. But I know that she can also take care of herself, since she has people to go to, like Haruka.

"You'd go on strong as an independent woman, always." I say confidently.

"I'm not as strong as you think." She looks away.

"But your stronger than most. Believe it or not, everyone has doubts about themselves. Hell, look at me. I'm so insecure, but when you push with all your might, you'll have no regrets."

"But that doesn't mean you'll succeed." I sigh and hug her close to me.

"You know for an optimist, you pretty pessimistic." She squirms a little in my embrace.

"Who says I'm an optimist?"

"You do," she snorts. "Especially when it comes to races, but also when it comes to hopeless people, like me."

"Well that's cause you're lucky," she mumbles into my shoulder. "prince charming." I pull her away at arms length. God, that's such a mistake. Kitsune looks to desirable by half. I quickly turn away, again.

"Hardly." I manage to say.

"The lucky part or being prince charming?" Was she teasing me?

"Both." I say to fast. She laughs; I didn't fool her at all. I hear her mutter something.

"What was that Kitsune?" she shakes her head.

"It's nothing." She lightly pats my shoulder. "Make sure you have a nice time tomorrow."

"I'll try my best." I feel good that I got closer with Kitsune. Tomorrow I'm going to have to settle things with Naru. But tonight I can feel at ease.

Well I know that some people may not agree with this, but I'll be keeping this story in first person point of view; meaning that you'll only get to see things from Keitaro's point of view. Any errors, questions, comments or suggestion's can be put into a review. Thank you very much!