Falling For the First Time

By Andrew J. Talon and Anonguy

Disclaimer: I own neither Love Hina nor Ranma 1/2, and I'm not writing this for profit.

Author's Note: Short chapter, but finals are literally weeks away what do you want? Still, hopefully this will tide you guys over for a while. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, etc.

Ten minutes earlier...

Haruka Urashima was used to early customers, she ran a tea shop after all. She'd experimented with coffee as well but given her aversion to change she'd stopped after a bunch of bright eyed college aged youngsters began to take every seat usually reserved for her regular customers. So back to tea for her, and just tea, to banish college students and college hopefuls. There were, of course, a few she could never get rid of, and one in particular.

At least until recently. Haruka sat behind her counter and smoked, her hand mechanically scrubbing the wood surface in slow, steady circles. She had no enthusiasm for it, the chore done entirely on automatic.

She was not too worried about her nephew... At least that's what she told herself. It was more than likely the result of spending time around his "harem", osmosis of emotion. They were worried, she was worried but their worry just compounded her own. Hence why she was back at the tea shop.

Also it was time to open up the shop anyway. It didn't have anything to do with her nephew missing and nothing, absolutely nothing turning up for two weeks.

Yes... Absolutely nothing.

"Hey Aunt Haruka."

Haruka stopped her scrubbing, and looked up. Her eyes widened briefly in surprise, before she resumed her usual cool expression.

"It's about time you..." She blinked. Keitaro smiled back nervously, and rubbed the back of his head. His clothing was Chinese, white jacket with black pants, simple but functional. However, her eyes were not on his duds, but his "accessories".

"Nihao," the pretty, busty girl with long, purple hair greeted, bowing politely. Haruka blinked, and took a deep, long drag off her cigarette.

"Another one?" She asked. Keitaro sighed.

"Xian Pu, this is my Aunt Haruka. Haruka, Xian Pu," Keitaro said.

"Shampoo?" Haruka repeated. The girl smiled and nodded, and Keitaro shrugged.

"She doesn't mind it either way," he said. Haruka frowned as she analyzed their physical proximity, Keitaro's nervousness level, how the girl hadn't let go of his arm...

"Where's she from?" Haruka asked.

"Joketsuzoku, where I am from as well!"

A tiny, ancient looking woman entered the shop, moving between Keitaro and Shampoo's legs. She looked up at Haruka, whose jaw dropped once again.

"You... I..." She looked up at Keitaro. "Please, please, please tell me you didn't knock her-"

"Yeah."

"... So now you're-"

"Yeah."

Haruka took another long, long drag off her cigarette, to the point she immediately needed another. She took another drag off this one, before she felt calm enough to speak again.

"They're going to kill you."

Keitaro shrugged and gave her a self-deprecating smile.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"I wouldn't worry about son-in-law, he's quite durable. Why, he was launched from this very island to our village and survived without a scratch!" Cologne said cheerfully.

"Yes, and the girl who launched him is here," Haruka returned.

"Well... Um... It's not like I can avoid them for the rest of my life," Keitaro said.

"Is this house a source of considerable danger to my son-in-law?" Cologne asked. "Beyond what he shared with us on the trip here."

"How much did he tell you?"

One Week Ago

"... So I get hit a lot and smacked around because I'm really clumsy and I don't mean to, really, but it happens. Also, I get shot at my giant robot turtles Su makes whenever she wants a test subject. Or strapped down and used as a test subject, for er... Other things that usually end with me getting punched out by Naru or sent flying by Motoko," Keitaro related.

Cologne stared at Keitaro for a second, before she turned to Shampoo and translated Keitaro's lengthy history for her. Shampoo replied with one of the few Japanese words she knew.

"WHAT."

Keitaro shuddered a bit at the angry look in his wife's eyes. Oh man... Maybe I should have waited...

"... A great deal, but I'm sure we can sort that out later," Cologne said. "It's been a long journey and we all could use a rest."

"Yeah," Keitaro said with a sigh. "I think I'll need a dip in the hot springs after-"

"Hot Springs?" Shampoo asked happily. Keitaro nodded.

"Yeah, right up the hill and-"

He blinked and stared at an empty outline of his wife. He looked outside and saw Shampoo running quickly up to the Hinata Sou, an eager smile on her face. He looked over at Cologne and Haruka, coughed, and shrugged.

"I um... I need to go," he said. He turned and sprinted after her. Cologne smiled, and looked over at Haruka.

"So, how is old Hina? I had hoped to reconnect with her after all these years."

"You might get your chance," Haruka replied wryly. "I'll probably have to inform her about some funeral arrangements..."

"How many girls are in the inn?" Cologne asked.

"Six."

"Might want to find a funeral home that does bulk orders," Cologne observed with a wry smile. Haruka sighed.

"Juuust what I needed..."

Until next upload my friends.