Matthew
6th February 2005, 04:07 AM
Love Hina Redux
by Matthew De Mouy
Chapter 1: A different path
Disclaimer: Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu not me. I don’t have
permission and this fic is not for profit. But then did I really need
to tell you that?
Today was the day he’d fulfil his promise. Sure he’d failed miserably
the first time around, but, hey, he deserved this second chance, right?
Keitaro Urashima, first year ronin and generally considered an all
around loser. He had the demeanor and outward appearance of a nerdy
bookish type, but didn’t have the good grades to go along with it. As a
matter of fact his prep school grades indicated he should just give it
up, Tokyo University was way impossible for him to get in to. While
Keitaro might not be great in the intelligence or physical department no
one could say he did not have determination, as foolish as they might
consider the object of that determination.
You see Mr Urashima once had a childhood friend he made a promise to.
This promise was to get into Tokyo University together, and this friend
was the only female to ever show any interest in him, at least as far as
his memories worked. For Mr Urashima actually had forgotten quite a
lot, including the girl’s name. What were the chances this “promise
girl” would even remember the promise let alone recognize him or still
be interested in him. After all over a decade is a very long time in
which a person can change a lot. Nevermind, in a populace of a major
university, even if he did get in, what where the chances he’d meet her
again?
What were the chances indeed?
“Okay lets see, which way was it, again? *sigh* You’d think I’d know
this route, it was only a year ago. Of course, there wasn’t
construction blocking the normal route, making it so you had to get
there by an alternate route last time.”
“…”
“Let’s just go this way.”
Thus did Mr Urashima proceed on an alternate, alternate route.
“Where am I, anyway?” Keitaro, first year ronin was lost and, as per
usual, there was no one to help him out of this situation. Trudging
along he started talking to himself, “Mom would say, ‘ask for
directions,’ but how am I supposed to do that when there’s no one
around? No, I can’t let this stop me. I’m going to get into Tokyo U,
and I’m going to meet that girl again and, and…”
Although not necessarily in that order. Keitaro however being caught up
in his declaration against the ghosts of the people who said it was
impossible wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. Thus when he
hit something instead of possibly being able to compensate he simply fell.
“Huh, what? Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Uh, are you alright?”
He had fallen on a girl prostrated on the concrete, who was strangely
unresponsive. He was going to take a CPR class at the forceful
suggestion of his mother, who “wanted him to be useful for something.”
Right now though he didn’t even know how to take someone’s pulse. He
was pretty sure she wasn’t dead, after all there should be blood lying
around, right? Noticing she’d dropped a slip of paper he picked it up.
“Mutsumi Otohime, ah I see you’re going to take the Tokyo U entrance
exams too. *nervous laugh* She must have passed out on her way there,
due too studying to much the night before. She’d be disappointed if she
never made it to the test. What should I do? I know I’ll carry her,
but… No I must be a man about this… Okay this time for real.”
Eventually Mr Urashima did actually work up the guts to actually touch
her and then proceeded on his way carrying her piggyback. The
realization he was lost himself with no clue where the Tokyo U campus
was in relation to where he was, didn’t enter his mind. That a ‘wimp’
had no business carrying around someone who by all rights weighed about
was much as he did that easily, similarly was ignored.
Somehow Mr Urashima did find that his directionless wandering while not
paying attention to where he was going had landed him in front of Tokyo
U, just as he had strongly desired. The girl he had helped was still
passed out, or at least he was pretty sure she was just passed out, on
his back. Keitaro was glad he had decided to leave way early as instead
of being late for the exams he still had some time.
Sitting his charge down on a convenient bench Keitaro sat down and
looked around. There was something of a crowd forming waiting to get
in, but it would be a while yet before the bulk of the people showed up.
He’d paid attention enough last time to recognize the pattern. He
looked over at his companion. With her eyes closed and face composed as
if in sleep, she was rather cute, certainly above his bracket. Then
again all females were above his bracket.
‘I wonder if she’d mind if I… No, no, bad thoughts. Get a grip on
yourself Keitaro. She’d probably hate you for the rest of your life if
you did that. Its not like girls will even look at me, let alone take a
second look. I should probably wake her so she’s not to sleepy while
taking the exam. Yeah, that’s it, but how? I know I’ll get some water
from the fountain, better not get to much though.’
Thus did Keitaro Urashima end up splashing her with just enough water to
get her face a little wet. This actually succeeded in bringing her to
consciousness.
“Hi, I’m Keitaro Urashima, you were just lying in the street and I
couldn’t just leave you there so I ended up carrying you all the way to
Tokyo U.”
It was so much easier to talk to people, especially of the opposite sex,
when his head was down, or otherwise in a position that avoided direct
eye contact or looking at the person. This is why he was caught
completely by surprise when he noticed she was leaning towards him with
a odd look on her face. Not the usual odd ‘what is this loser doing
within 15 meters of me’ look, but something completely different. As a
matter of fact if he didn’t know better he’d think it was…
‘No she couldn’t be interested in me.’ She started coming closer,
uncomfortably close as she pierced the invisible bubble at which it
became uncomfortable to have someone that close. ‘I can’t move my body.
Is she planning to kiss me? Maybe I should close my eyes.
Something’s touching my face is this…’
“There, you had a piece of rice on your cheek, Keitaro-san. Thank you
for helping me.”
“I. I’m glad… I’m glad I could help.” Keitaro stuttered out.
“Are you taking the Entrance exams too, Keitaro-san?”
“Yeah, this is my second time around. Everyone tells me it’s impossible
for me to get in, but I’m not going to give up.”
‘I can’t believe this I’m actually having a conversation with a girl.’
“What a coincidence this is my second time too. We can be the Dos Ronins.”
“Yeah, Dos Ronins!” ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is real. We actually
have something in common. I can’t believe I actually feel this
comfortable talking with a girl. Thank you, God.’ “You know, I made
this promise to this little girl when I was very young, that we would go
to Tokyo U together. Everyone keeps telling me to forget it, because I
have no chance of getting into Tokyo U, but I’m going to keep that
promise to that little girl and get in no matter what it takes.”
“What a coincidence, when I was a little girl there was this boy who
said, lets go to Tokyo U together. So I’m trying to get in to fulfil
that promise. I hope that, that little boy will still remember me.”
‘Wow, that must be some lucky guy. How could he not remember a nice
girl like this. I guess that means she’s already taken. Oh well,
that’s just my luck.’
“I’m sure he’ll remember!” Keitaro realized he was standing up and
people were looking at him. Oops.
-------------
“Begin now.”
‘I wonder if she’ll ever find the boy she made the promise with. I
can’t believe there’s actually someone else in the same situation as me.
Ahhhhhhhh.
Oh wait there’s only fifteen minutes left and I haven’t done any of the
problems!’
Author’s notes: I have the next chapter planned out but admittedly am
lacking clear plans beyond that. I suppose it would be classified as a
minor AU type fic.
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by Matthew De Mouy
Chapter 1: A different path
Disclaimer: Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu not me. I don’t have
permission and this fic is not for profit. But then did I really need
to tell you that?
Today was the day he’d fulfil his promise. Sure he’d failed miserably
the first time around, but, hey, he deserved this second chance, right?
Keitaro Urashima, first year ronin and generally considered an all
around loser. He had the demeanor and outward appearance of a nerdy
bookish type, but didn’t have the good grades to go along with it. As a
matter of fact his prep school grades indicated he should just give it
up, Tokyo University was way impossible for him to get in to. While
Keitaro might not be great in the intelligence or physical department no
one could say he did not have determination, as foolish as they might
consider the object of that determination.
You see Mr Urashima once had a childhood friend he made a promise to.
This promise was to get into Tokyo University together, and this friend
was the only female to ever show any interest in him, at least as far as
his memories worked. For Mr Urashima actually had forgotten quite a
lot, including the girl’s name. What were the chances this “promise
girl” would even remember the promise let alone recognize him or still
be interested in him. After all over a decade is a very long time in
which a person can change a lot. Nevermind, in a populace of a major
university, even if he did get in, what where the chances he’d meet her
again?
What were the chances indeed?
“Okay lets see, which way was it, again? *sigh* You’d think I’d know
this route, it was only a year ago. Of course, there wasn’t
construction blocking the normal route, making it so you had to get
there by an alternate route last time.”
“…”
“Let’s just go this way.”
Thus did Mr Urashima proceed on an alternate, alternate route.
“Where am I, anyway?” Keitaro, first year ronin was lost and, as per
usual, there was no one to help him out of this situation. Trudging
along he started talking to himself, “Mom would say, ‘ask for
directions,’ but how am I supposed to do that when there’s no one
around? No, I can’t let this stop me. I’m going to get into Tokyo U,
and I’m going to meet that girl again and, and…”
Although not necessarily in that order. Keitaro however being caught up
in his declaration against the ghosts of the people who said it was
impossible wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. Thus when he
hit something instead of possibly being able to compensate he simply fell.
“Huh, what? Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Uh, are you alright?”
He had fallen on a girl prostrated on the concrete, who was strangely
unresponsive. He was going to take a CPR class at the forceful
suggestion of his mother, who “wanted him to be useful for something.”
Right now though he didn’t even know how to take someone’s pulse. He
was pretty sure she wasn’t dead, after all there should be blood lying
around, right? Noticing she’d dropped a slip of paper he picked it up.
“Mutsumi Otohime, ah I see you’re going to take the Tokyo U entrance
exams too. *nervous laugh* She must have passed out on her way there,
due too studying to much the night before. She’d be disappointed if she
never made it to the test. What should I do? I know I’ll carry her,
but… No I must be a man about this… Okay this time for real.”
Eventually Mr Urashima did actually work up the guts to actually touch
her and then proceeded on his way carrying her piggyback. The
realization he was lost himself with no clue where the Tokyo U campus
was in relation to where he was, didn’t enter his mind. That a ‘wimp’
had no business carrying around someone who by all rights weighed about
was much as he did that easily, similarly was ignored.
Somehow Mr Urashima did find that his directionless wandering while not
paying attention to where he was going had landed him in front of Tokyo
U, just as he had strongly desired. The girl he had helped was still
passed out, or at least he was pretty sure she was just passed out, on
his back. Keitaro was glad he had decided to leave way early as instead
of being late for the exams he still had some time.
Sitting his charge down on a convenient bench Keitaro sat down and
looked around. There was something of a crowd forming waiting to get
in, but it would be a while yet before the bulk of the people showed up.
He’d paid attention enough last time to recognize the pattern. He
looked over at his companion. With her eyes closed and face composed as
if in sleep, she was rather cute, certainly above his bracket. Then
again all females were above his bracket.
‘I wonder if she’d mind if I… No, no, bad thoughts. Get a grip on
yourself Keitaro. She’d probably hate you for the rest of your life if
you did that. Its not like girls will even look at me, let alone take a
second look. I should probably wake her so she’s not to sleepy while
taking the exam. Yeah, that’s it, but how? I know I’ll get some water
from the fountain, better not get to much though.’
Thus did Keitaro Urashima end up splashing her with just enough water to
get her face a little wet. This actually succeeded in bringing her to
consciousness.
“Hi, I’m Keitaro Urashima, you were just lying in the street and I
couldn’t just leave you there so I ended up carrying you all the way to
Tokyo U.”
It was so much easier to talk to people, especially of the opposite sex,
when his head was down, or otherwise in a position that avoided direct
eye contact or looking at the person. This is why he was caught
completely by surprise when he noticed she was leaning towards him with
a odd look on her face. Not the usual odd ‘what is this loser doing
within 15 meters of me’ look, but something completely different. As a
matter of fact if he didn’t know better he’d think it was…
‘No she couldn’t be interested in me.’ She started coming closer,
uncomfortably close as she pierced the invisible bubble at which it
became uncomfortable to have someone that close. ‘I can’t move my body.
Is she planning to kiss me? Maybe I should close my eyes.
Something’s touching my face is this…’
“There, you had a piece of rice on your cheek, Keitaro-san. Thank you
for helping me.”
“I. I’m glad… I’m glad I could help.” Keitaro stuttered out.
“Are you taking the Entrance exams too, Keitaro-san?”
“Yeah, this is my second time around. Everyone tells me it’s impossible
for me to get in, but I’m not going to give up.”
‘I can’t believe this I’m actually having a conversation with a girl.’
“What a coincidence this is my second time too. We can be the Dos Ronins.”
“Yeah, Dos Ronins!” ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is real. We actually
have something in common. I can’t believe I actually feel this
comfortable talking with a girl. Thank you, God.’ “You know, I made
this promise to this little girl when I was very young, that we would go
to Tokyo U together. Everyone keeps telling me to forget it, because I
have no chance of getting into Tokyo U, but I’m going to keep that
promise to that little girl and get in no matter what it takes.”
“What a coincidence, when I was a little girl there was this boy who
said, lets go to Tokyo U together. So I’m trying to get in to fulfil
that promise. I hope that, that little boy will still remember me.”
‘Wow, that must be some lucky guy. How could he not remember a nice
girl like this. I guess that means she’s already taken. Oh well,
that’s just my luck.’
“I’m sure he’ll remember!” Keitaro realized he was standing up and
people were looking at him. Oops.
-------------
“Begin now.”
‘I wonder if she’ll ever find the boy she made the promise with. I
can’t believe there’s actually someone else in the same situation as me.
Ahhhhhhhh.
Oh wait there’s only fifteen minutes left and I haven’t done any of the
problems!’
Author’s notes: I have the next chapter planned out but admittedly am
lacking clear plans beyond that. I suppose it would be classified as a
minor AU type fic.
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