A/N: This is my first one-shot and it happens to be from one of my favorite mangaverses: Love Hina. The first thing that I need to say about this wonderful story is that I cannot stand Narusegawa Naru. If an American girl did to a guy what she did to Keitaro she would be in jail. I always felt that Keitaro would have better off if he had chosen any other girl than Naru. This one-shot features everyone's favorite Kanrinrin and the only one of the girls to treat him like he was a person. Rated T for safety and language
Disclaimer: Love Hina is the property of Ken Akamatsu. I claim no ownership over the characters or setting
My Turn: A Love Hina Story
As she saw her dorm manager flying through the air for the umpteenth time, seventeen year old Maehara Shinobu thought to herself, 'What did she think that he did this time?' For the past four years, she had living in the Hinata-sou, which had been converted into a girls' dorm. Not too long after she joined the dorm, the owner's grandson, Urashima Keitaro, had arrived to take over as the manager. From his first day there was another housemate, Narusegawa Naru, that would send him flying if she perceived he was doing something perverted. 'And her perceptions are ALWAYS wrong,' Shinobu continued angrily in her mind.
Everyone believed that once Naru had started dating Keitaro that she would stop abusing him and become a good girlfriend. Everyone was wrong, especially Keitaro. Eventually they became engaged there had been a renewed hope that Naru would calm down, but in actuality, she became even more abusive, punishing him whenever he would try to be affectionate. Even Naru's best friend, Konno Mitsune (Kitsune) and her pervert-bashing ally, Aoyama Motoko, thought that things were getting out of hand. Every one of the Hinata-sou tenants knew that the romance between Keitaro and Naru was doomed, eveyone except for Keitaro and Naru. No one had the heart to tell them. Shinobu clenched her hands into fists and said quietly, "All of that ends tonight. Naru-senpai will stop punching Senpai or I will take him from her."
Meanwhile, Keitaro was dusting himself off after another Naru-Air flight. He hurt all over. No one realized how much each punch, sword thrust, Ki blast, or Mecha-tama explosion actually hurt. More than the physical havoc that these attacks had on his body, it was his emotional well-being that took the most damage. He understood that Kaolla Suu had no concept of the amount of pain that her inventions inflicted. However, Naru and Motoko had no such difficulty. He was convinced that they were trying to kill him. Most of Motoko's sword techniques were inherently fatal and Naru possessed a freakish strength in her right arm. That didn't break his heart. It was the realization that Naru still didn't love and trust him that caused his heart to bleed.
He had been in love with her for four years and when she consented to date him, Keitaro thought he had died and went to heaven. "It's been more like hell, hasn't it," he asked himself. No sooner were those words uttered than Keitaro realized that it was time to give up on the dream of living a sweet romantic college life with his Promise Girl. "Oh Kami, why does it hurt so bad?" He began to cry as he slowly trudged back to the dorm. As he approached the ridiculously long set of stairs leading up to the Hinata-sou, Keitaro wiped away his tears and with a new determination, he began the climb to the Hinata-sou. "This pain ends tonight. I have done nothing to deserve feeling this way. If she can't love me, I'll find someone who can!"
As she was preparing dinner, Shinobu planned out how she was going to confront Naru. 'Being catty won't do anything but put her on the defensive and she might not release him out of stubbornness. She's that much of a bitch. I could be extra nice to Senpai and when she gets huffy about it and starts in on him, I could step in front of him and stop her. That would work! I would force them to be honest about their relationship and I will show Senpai that someone does care about him. Should I cry when I protect him?' Shinobu smiled at the thought of protecting the man that she loves. With her plan firmed up in her mind, she began to take the finished food into the dining room for dinner.
As the residents were gathering in the dining room for dinner, Keitaro was cleaning himself. 'How do I communicate my feelings at dinner without upsetting the younger girls? Maybe I should just let whatever happens happen so the others can see why I'm giving up on her. I will apologize to them later. I've had enough. I hope Shinobu and Suu forgive me for upsetting the house, but I can't take this anymore'' he concluded mentally as her walked downstairs to eat with his charges.
The atmosphere around the dining table was unusually subdued that night. Kaolla only ate three plates of food and Kitsune acted distracted. She knew that something was going happen, and all she had to do this time was sit back and watch. It was in this mood that Shinobu decided to make her move. Under the guise of giving Keitaro a piece of pie for dessert that she accidentally on purpose allowed her small, young breasts to caress his arm. Keitaro turned three shades of red, fell over backwards in his chair and yelled, "I'm so sorry, Shinobu-chan! I didn't mean to touch you there!"
Naru and Motoko immediately stood up screaming in unison, "You pervert! What the hell are you trying to do to Shinobu?"
Shinobu moved quickly to stand in front of her crush with her arms stretched out in a protective gesture. "Naru-senpai, Motoko-senpai, he did nothing wrong this time. I brushed up against him and he got embarrassed," she explained breathlessly.
Naru did not appreciate the young chef's actions to defend Keitaro. With steel in her voice, Naru warned, "Step away from my boyfriend so I can punish him for being perverted with a thirteen year old girl!"
"Auuu!" Shinobu growled. "Narusegawa Naru, I haven't been 13 for four years! Where the hell have you been? I'm old enough to protect myself from what you call Senpai's perversions. As the one who touched him, I should be punished for my perversion. Every time you and Motoko-senpai attack Senpai for no real reason, it makes me sad and angry. I'm sad for Senpai who is getting hurt when he was innocent and angry that you two cows cannot see what a sweet, caring, one of a kind man that Keitaro-senpai is. Naru, you are his girlfriend right? If you were truly his girlfriend in your heart, then you should believe in him, shouldn't you? I don't know about Senpai, but personally, I am sick and tired of you and Motoko-senpai abusing him. Either love him and be a proper girlfriend or give him to someone else! I've had enough of this bullshit!"
Stunned by the normally meek chef's outburst, Naru relaxed her fighting stance and looked at her boyfriend cringing against the wall, prepared to be pummeled by the Pervert Patrol. She knew that it was over. Shinobu was right, on all counts. Knowing this and being honest about it were two different things, so Naru's temper re-flared and she attempted to step around her purple-haired kouhai (underclassman) to take her frustrations out of Keitaro's hide but Shinobu refused to let her by and after 30 seconds of this, Kaolla and Kitsune grabbed her arms.
"Let it go, Naru-chan," Kitsune said gently. "Hitting him is not going to take away from the truth that Eep-chan laid out. We all know that you and Keitaro are no good together. We aren't just saying this because we all like him. We are saying it because we are sad that you are both hurting so much. Let him go, Sug, and figure out what you want. Give yourself and Kanrinrin-san a chance to be happy. If being together makes you both miserable, then end it. Keitaro is an incredibly great guy, but you cannot control your temper and you do not trust him. No trust equals a doomed romance. I'm sorry, Sug, but that's the truth," she finished with tears in her eyes.
Naru looked around the room and seeing the truth in everyone's eyes, she began to cry. "I really did like you Keitaro, but I can't be your girlfriend anymore. I'm sorry," she sobbed. Keitaro stood up to comfort his now ex-girlfriend, but she spun and ran upstairs.
Looking through tear-blind eyes, Shinobu saw her crush slump to the floor with a shocked expression on his face. Her heart sang, 'He's free!' 'But at what cost?' her mind chided. Ignoring this, Shinobu moved over to him and knelt by his side. She placed her hands on his hands and asked softly, "Senpai, are you okay?" Keitaro nodded dumbly, but suddenly tears began to stream from his brown eyes. As he began to cry in earnest, Shinobu gently drew him into an embrace. She flushed with pleasure when he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug.
After he had wept for about 30 minutes, Keitaro opened his eyes and realized who he was holding onto. "Shinobu-chan, I'm so sorry! I didn't do anything inappropriate, did I? If so, I'm sorry."
He tried to stand up, but the petite chef held him tightly, afraid to let him go. Shinobu thought quickly, 'This may be cunning, but I don't want to lose his warmth…ever.' She started to sniffle and shakily asked, "Can we stay like this a little longer, Senpai? Standing in between you and Naru-senpai was scary. I just need a little time more to calm down."
Keitaro gently patted her on the head and said, "Whatever you need, Shinobu-chan, but could we move to the sofa because my legs have fallen asleep." She nodded and they moved slowly and sat on the sofa. As he was holding the jittery girl, Keitaro remarked, "I was so surprised that you would stand up to Motoko and Naru like that. I was really impressed."
Shinobu turned her violet eyes to stare directly in the brown orbs of her beloved Kanrinrin, and with a small voice said, "I would die for you, Keitaro-senpai." Stunned, Keitaro began to splutter and tried to stand up, but Shinobu held him tightly. "I have been in love with you since you threw that birthday party for me four years ago. I tried to give up several times because I knew that you would never date a middle school student and you were obviously in love with Naru-senpai. I know that my timing is horrible, but I wanted Senpai to know that I love you and I would do everything to make you happy if you gave me the chance."
Keitaro hung his head, "What is there to love about me? I lied about being a Tokyo U. student when I first got here. I failed the exam three times before I finally passed, and then I broke my leg and missed the whole first semester. I'm clumsy, plain, and stupid. I'm not worthy enough to accept your feelings, Shinobu-chan. I don't deserve happiness."
Violet eyes flashing, Shinobu grabbed his face and kissed him hard until he responded. When they surfaced for air, she whispered savagely, "That is what I think of the bullshit that you just said. I never want to hear you say that about yourself again. Do you think so little of yourself and so little of me that I would spend four years of my life in love with the man you just described? No! You are the kindest, most gentle, caring, responsible, and strongest man that I've ever seen. Ask the other girls, including Motoko-senpai, and I GUARANTEE that they would agree with me. I would be the happiest girl in Japan, no the whole world to be your girlfriend! Please think about it, and when you are ready, let me know." She turned and walked calmly upstairs.
Shocked, Keitaro stared at her retreating back. He never knew that she felt that way. More than anything, Keitaro wanted to love a nice girl and be loved by her in return. In his 23 years, he had never experienced affection like Shinobu had just given him. He wasn't sure if he had the same feelings for her as she did for him, but if she would kiss him like that again, the love-starved man was willing to explore it. Decision made, he stood up and ran up to Shinobu's room. "Shinobu-chan, can we talk?"
A/N: That's it folks! What did you all think? Shinobu is a great character and I did take her OOC, but I hope that it worked. Maybe now I can get back to my two other stories. Thanks for reading and please don't flame me!