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May/December	By : thewriterwhocameinfromthecold Category: +G to L > Love Hina Views: 14884 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina or its associated characters. I am not profiting from this in any way.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Naru sighed as the hot spring did its work: a welcome improvement after being up half the night with shin splints. At 2:00 in the morning she had given in and searched her bag, only to realise that she hadn’t packed any painkillers. It took forty minutes to find a late night pharmacy and get back to her room to fall into a dead sleep. At least the morning was looking up. The complementary breakfast for the morning was western. Having always grown up with traditional fare, it would have been unthinkable to admit to it even a year ago, but living with Shinobu had caused Naru to acquire a taste for bacon and eggs.
A few feet away, a mother was coaxing her child into the water. The little girl, certain that she would sink the moment she set foot in the steaming pool, was not at all convinced by the argument that it was no different from the tub that they used at home. Naru giggled to herself and watched as the woman took her daughter by the hand and pulled her towards the water, making soothing, coaxing sounds until at last the little girl was in the water – still clutching tight to her mother’s arm, but in the water, nevertheless.
Naru leaned back against a rock and looked up at the sky. Her mind turned, as ever, to practical matters. How long could she keep this up? Even with the discount Motoko’s name had gotten her, she was still burning through her savings, and there would be no more money until her next living allowance cheque at the end of the month. Still, she hadn’t decided on a return date. She could still see a few more sights before she moved on.
The little girl was paddling across the spring as her mother held her arms. Naru brushed some droplets off her shoulder after the girl let loose a strong kick.
On the other hand, maybe it would be better to leave sooner than later; and not just for her pocket book. As interesting a travel companion as Yumi was, Naru was starting to worry. Several times during dinner last night, and once again when Naru left Yumi at her hotel, the older woman had left to check to see if there were any messages for her and returned all the more disappointed each time. It had been on the tip of Naru’s tongue to ask what was so important, but something, something in the cool sadness of Yumi’s eyes that kept her from wondering aloud. Whoever Yumi wanted to talk to, she wanted to talk to them badly, but not badly enough to pick up the phone and call them herself. Naru shrugged. She probably wasn’t going to figure it out, and something told her she didn’t want to know.
She looked at her finger tips and saw that they were starting to prune. She hoisted herself out of the water and made her way to the change room. Once dressed, she made her way to the dining room. She shut her eyes, yawning as she followed her nose towards the buffet.
“Western food…What’s become of this place?”
That voice…
“Motoko?”
The warrior woman of Hinata turned, plate in hand. “Ah,” she said without the slightest surprise. “It is good to see you Naru. How are you faring?”
“Fine,” Naru replied, trying to regain her equilibrium as she staggered towards her friend. “What are you doing here? You didn’t say anything about coming here?”
Motoko pursed her lips and busied herself with scooping eggs onto her plate. “I did not know myself.”
Naru blinked at the non-answer as she grabbed a plate and piled it high with bacon and fried potatoes. Motoko eyed the meat with suspicion but made no comment. Naru gave her friend a sideways glance, waiting for her to elaborate on her sudden appearance, when a thought struck her.
“Are you here alone?” It would be just like Kitsune to use Keitaro and her disappearing to declare a road trip.
Motoko gave her a curious glance. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Naru forced a shrug, feeling silly for her suspicion. “How are the others?” she asked as they left the buffet for a table.
Motoko remained silent, giving more consideration to the question than Naru expected.
“I didn’t realise it was such a complex question.”
Motoko shrugged, giving her potatoes a ginger prod of her fork. “It is not…precisely.”
“But?”
Motoko gave up her examinations and deigned to eat the potato on the end of her fork. She grimaced. “Salty. The atmosphere has been subdued since we discovered that Urashima and you…”
Naru sighed. “You can say it. I won’t break.”
Motoko stepped over the interruption with the utmost grace. “Since you failed to make it into university. We have been most upset for you.”
Naru smiled. Even in the deepest pit, a little solidarity never hurt. “Thank you.”
Motoko nodded, washing the taste from her mouth with tea. “Indeed. Shinobu continues to set places for you at each meal and grows quite upset when she realises the mistake.”
Naru picked at her eggs. “Well, she won’t have to worry too much longer. I’ll probably return home in a day or two.”
“‘Probably’?”
For reasons unknown, Naru felt embarrassed at her lack of certainty as she explained how haphazard her trip was. Motoko made no reply, but picked at her food.
“Is something the matter?” Naru asked.
Motoko’s eyes flickered back and forth, first studying the tines of her fork, and then looking at Naru. Her eyes met Naru’s for only a second before they shot back down again as if the contact pained her.
Naru flinched in astonishment.“Hey,” she said, risking touching the top of Motoko’s hand. “You can tell me.”
Rather than answer, Motoko asked, “How long has it been since you spoke with your family?”
Naru blinked. “I’m not sure,” she admitted, ashamed. “It’s been a few months.” Motoko was the most powerful person she had ever known. From the beginning, she had admired the easy way the samurai wielded her strength, the confidence with which she held herself, and the purity of movement and purpose that dictated her every thought and action. She was, to Naru, a marvel to behold. So, when Motoko shrank away from her admission, Naru’s stomach lurched.
“It…” Motoko placed her fork on the table and folded her hands. “It has been a year and a half since I have spoken with mine.”
Naru’s relationship with her mother had been strained at best ever since her mother had remarried. In the back of her quick and agile mind, she knew it wasn’t rational to blame someone for wanting a second chance at a loving relationship, at a family; but try as she might, it was easier to hate her mother for her father’s absence than it was to acknowledge that the father she idolised had as much to do with the family’s downfall as anyone else. Still, there were phone calls, Christmas gifts, birthday cards; the idea of cutting her family out of her life for that long was unthinkable.
Motoko read the disbelief in her face. “Yes. I know.” She shook herself. “Do you have any plans today?”
Naru thought for a moment. “Not really.”
Motoko tugged at the sleeve of her gi. “There is somewhere that I have to be, but I…” She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighed, and said, “Would you be willing to accompany me?”
Bereft of any plans, Naru would have been happy to accompany Motoko anywhere, but the way she asked, the intensity behind her serious eyes told Naru that they had traipsed onto that ground of favours not fully understood, and obligation borne of love and devotion, upon which all true friendship rests. She agreed immediately. “What time do we have to be there?”
Motoko looked uncertain. “Not for several hours yet. Is there something you would like to do?”
Naru had never seen her friend this tense. She gave her a smile that she hoped was soothing. “Perhaps I should ask you that. You just got here and this is your hometown and all.” Right, Motoko had grown up here, and yet she was staying in a hotel instead of with her family. Something about that, about Motoko – the strongest person Naru knew – being unable or unwilling to face her family grated on Naru like sandpaper on her skin. It just didn’t fit.
“The zoo.”
Naru blinked.
Motoko’s smile was far away. “I should like to see the zoo.”
It cost 500 yen to get in. Not a bad price for a day’s entertainment, the ever economical Naru thought.
The zoo was packed with school groups running to and fro among the habitats. Girls in sailor fuku giggled at the monkeys as they leapt from branch to branch and goggled at passersby. Boys egged the tigers on and tried to rouse sleeping foxes from their rest. Just stepping inside seemed to give Motoko back some of her vitality. The nervous electricity left her eyes, she stood tall again, and her step regained its surety. As Motoko smiled her far away smile, watching a pair of fox cubs wrestle together, Naru wondered, why the zoo? She’d half expected Motoko to pick some sort of martial arts exhibit or a samurai film. But if it erased the worry from her face, Naru would have happily taken Motoko anywhere.
It was about three o’clock when they reached the lion habitat. A curious lioness approached the fence and trained her ocean green eyes on Motoko. Motoko stared back with an unwavering look that Naru was certain would have been there even if the fence hadn’t been there. The two predators held each other’s gaze until, finally, the lioness decided she had better things to do, and wandered back to lie on the giant rock in the centre of the habitat.
Naru giggled. “You two are a lot alike.”
Motoko flinched, then snorted.
“What?”
Motoko shook her head. “My father once said the same thing in this very spot. He said I was like a lioness: proud and strong, like my sisters. We would come here often.” She tossed her long mane over her shoulders. “It’s why I wanted to come here. I have many happy memories of this place.” Her expression sobered. “It is getting close. We should go.”
“Go where?” Naru wanted to know.
Motoko started to answer, but stopped. Her eyes kept talking. I’m sorry, they said. Indulge me, please.
Outside the zoo, Motoko hailed a cab and gave the driver an address. As they raced down the street, Naru looked over and Motoko gazing out the window. The samurai removed a bundle from the folds of her gi: incense. Then the car turned a corner and they came upon the gates of a cemetery. Naru looked at the gates, then at Motoko, but Motoko made no explanation.
“Wait here,” she said to the driver and got out of the car.
Naru followed suit, her mind going a mile a minute: this was where Motoko wanted to go? Was this what had brought her home? Why? Who had she come to see? For a moment Naru felt hurt as she realised she had no idea, couldn’t even guess at why Motoko was there. Did Motoko not trust her with her past? She shook her head. If Motoko didn’t trust her, then she would never have invited her along. If anything, this gesture indicated just how deep Motoko’s trust in her was. As she reached the gates, she realised that Motoko was not beside her. She turned. Motoko was still beside the cab.
“Aren’t you coming? Hey, I said, aren’t you…?” Naru stopped in her tracks. The question flowed out incomplete with her gasp. Motoko, the strongest person she had ever known, was trembling, shaking like a leaf. Her eyes were wide and her face sallow as she gulped air.
Naru teleported beside her. “Jesus, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”
Motoko shook her head. “I can’t…He’s not there…He can’t be…”
“Who?” Naru seized her by the shoulders. “What is going on?” But Motoko just looked past her, at those damned gates as her breath grew shallower.
Naru opened the cab door and thrust Motoko inside. “Drive,” she told the confused driver as she got in. “It doesn’t matter where.” She held Motoko to her, making soothing sounds as they left the cemetery far behind. Motoko took deep breaths until the last of the trembling subsided. She looked up at Naru, some colour already returning to her face.
“Don’t tell anyone. Please?”
The vulnerability in her eyes made Naru clutch the girl to her chest. “You poor thing,” she said, not knowing or caring why, just knowing that her friend was in pain. “You poor, poor thing.”
Some time later, they pulled up at the zoo gates once more.
“Will you keep watch for me?” Motoko asked.
Naru looked up as she passed the driver a wad of bills. “Of course.” She still didn’t know why they were there. Motoko had said nothing in car after asking to be taken back. It didn’t matter. If Motoko needed her, she’d be there.
They made their way back to the lion habitat. The crowds had melted away with the approach of the dinner hour. Once there, Motoko took a look over her shoulder and bent down to place the bundle of incense at the foot of the cage. Naru cast an eye around for zoo keepers, but there was no one in sight. Motoko struck a match and lit the bundle. She clapped her hands together and murmured a prayer. Naru followed suit, wishing peace to the departed. After that, Motoko straightened up.
“Some day, I’ll be able to see you properly,” she said. “Today, I hope this will do.” Her voice cracked. “I think about you every day. Watch over me.” Then before the emotions could overwhelm her, she clapped her hands and stepped back. She looked at Naru and smiled in thanks.
“Who was it?” Naru asked.
“My father.”
“I’m sorry.” Naru put a hand on her friend’s shoulder.
Motoko leaned into the touch. “Thank you. It is…very, very hard. I do not know if it will ever go away, this terrible hole.” She looked over at Naru with an ironic smile. “That is what frightens me more than anything.”
You don’t have to bear it alone, Naru wanted to shout. We’re your friends, if only you’d just let us help you. But Motoko was proud. She’d never hear it. So instead she said, “I’m always here for you. You know that, right?”
Motoko nodded. “I know.” She looked up and watched the smoke twist and flow up in the air as they sat together and watched her offering burn and float beyond.
Later, they were walking back to the hotel when Motoko turned to Naru and asked, “What will you do when you return?”
Naru shrugged, squinting into the setting sun. “I’m not sure. I guess that depends on Keitaro.”
“Why so?”
Naru gripped the hair at the back of her head. “I said some pretty horrible things when we learned that we failed. I blamed him for everything; but the truth is that before he came along I was miserable studying by myself.” She gave a rueful chuckle. “I don’t think I’ve ever been lonelier. But once he was there, everything changed. Studying became easier. I don’t know if I could go back to the way things were before.”
Motoko said nothing for a long time, then, “I too have difficulty imagining life without him now, for all his many faults.” She looked over at Naru who was chewing her lip. “Do not worry. He’ll forgive you. It is in his nature, particularly where you are concerned.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Faith.”
Naru was still pondering this when they stepped into the hotel. They were just slipping off their shoes when they were approached by a desk clerk.
“Ms. Narusegawa,” he said, “there was a telephone call for you a moment ago. It sounded quite urgent.”
- 9
- 10
- 11
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May/December