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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2	By : hawker748 Category: +G to L > Love Hina Views: 23124 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Disclaimer: See Chapter Two

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�X� Spoken words

�X� Thoughts

Love Hina

Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2

Chapter Five: Half-Truths and Consequences

By: hawker_748

�And how is one of my favourite
patients today?� asked Dr. Naoko Akagi.

Motoko looked up at her, the misery in her eyes apparent
to all who could see. �Terrible,� She growled.

�And why is that?� the doctor
continued sweetly. Her cheerful, upbeat demeanour caused Motoko to scowl.

�I�m vomiting regularly, passing
gas even more often than that, and my ankles are swelling. I�m always in the
bathroom, either sitting on the toilet, or kneeling before it. I�m gaining
weight, I�m losing my figure, and I�m going to need new clothes soon.� By this
time, Motoko was in the middle of a full-on rant, and she railed against the
indignities that she was forced to endure.

�I can�t practice the art I love
or spar with my husband. My balance is going, I�m eating like a horse, and
right now I�d murder for a bag of chocolate kisses. I�m going to turn into a
blimp, Kei-kun�s going to think I�m ugly, and he�s going to leave me! I cry at
the drop of a hat, I constantly have to watch what I�m doing, and Kei-kun,� she
spat the term of endearment as if it was poisonous, �did this to me, and he
doesn�t have to experience any of this! But other than that, I�m just fine!�

Concerned by his beloved�s
outburst, Keitaro gently placed his hands on Motoko�s shoulders, trying to calm
her down, only to have her smack them away.

�You did this on purpose, didn�t
you?!� Motoko was practically frothing at the mouth by now. �This is your
revenge for all the times I used to hit you, isn�t it?!�

�Mo-chan,� Keitaro spoke in
calming, almost pleading tones. �You told me to tell you when you were acting
like this.�

Motoko paused in her diatribe as
she registered what he was saying. A crestfallen look came over her regal
features, and she seemed to collapse into herself. �Oh Kei-kun, I�m sorry.�

Taking Motoko into his arms, and
tenderly brushing the single tear off of her cheek, Keitaro ran his fingers of
his right hand through Motoko�s hair. In a soft, soothing voice he said, �It�s
all right my love, it�s just hormones and mood swings. It doesn�t matter.�
Keitaro had become accustomed to Motoko�s sudden and dramatic mood swings.

He didn�t look forward to them,
or how morose she was after many of them, but he was accustomed to them.
�You�re wrong, by the way. I think you�re beautiful, and I�d rather die than
live without you,� he added to reassure her.

Watching the scene before her,
the doctor smiled softly. This wasn�t too bad at all, and she�d seen worse in
her career. �That couple in Nerima a few years back�� She shook her head to
clear away those thoughts. �Poor guy, I�m amazed he survived.�

Motoko took a deep breath to
center herself. �I apologize doctor, for acting like this��

Dr. Akagi shook her head
dismissively. �It�s nothing I haven�t seen before. It�ll pass. The important
thing is that all of your tests so far have come back normal. The pregnancy is
proceeding along nicely.�

�I�m glad to hear that,� Motoko
replied sincerely. �But I thought that chamomile tea and spearmint were
supposed to get rid of morning sickness.�

�I said that they could help. I
never guaranteed that they�d work. But you�re saying now they haven�t helped at
all?�

�A little, I guess,� Motoko
reluctantly admitted. �Better than nothing, I suppose.�

�Look Motoko,� continued Dr.
Akagi. �Pregnancy isn�t an exact science. There are certain expectations, but
every one is unique. But you�re healthy, and so is your child. Be thankful for
that.�

�You�re right, doctor.�

Keitaro moved behind Motoko and
once again placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. This time, instead of
slapping it away, she put her hand on his, squeezing it in gratitude.

�So, other than the usual
physiological and emotional issues, have there been any difficulties?�

�No.�

�Been watching what you eat?�

�In the brief period of time
before she eats it, yes,� quipped Keitaro before Motoko could respond. She
glared at him, but there was amusement in her eyes as well.

Dr. Akagi had to stifle her
snicker. �You�ve been staying active?�

With a feral grin, Motoko
replied, �Yes, especially last night. Poor Kei-kun couldn�t stay awake
afterwards.�

Keitaro blushed heavily, and
struggled vainly to conceal his embarrassment.

The doctor gave Motoko a knowing
look. Her demeanour all but screamed, �I know what you mean.� Forcing herself
to maintain some measure of decorum, she asked, �You�ve been able to cope with
the inherent discomfort of carrying a baby?�

�Yes, the hot springs make it a
lot easier to relax after a difficult day, and soothes sore muscles,� replied
Motoko.

A dark look came over Naoko�s
features. �Wait, didn�t I tell you before that hot springs are dangerous?�, she
asked crossly.

�It�s all right doctor,� Keitaro
answered, making pacifying gestures. �The temperature was reduced to a safe
level.�

A blank look replaced the
previous dark one. �You turned down a hot springs?� the doctor asked
incredulously.

�We didn�t, Mutsumi did,�
corrected Keitaro.

�Who?�

�She�s our friend, and another
resident,� Motoko belatedly added.

�I see. So how the hell did
�Mutsumi� cool down a naturally occurring hot springs?�

�The water from underground
passes through some filtering units before it enters the outdoor bath,�
explained Keitaro. �There�s a cold water supply pipe that feeds into the system.
Mutsumi simply opened up that pipe a little, which mixed with the hot springs
water. You know, like putting ice cubes in a hot drink.�

�So it�s at a safe temperature
now?� asked the doctor.

�Yes,� replied Keitaro
confidently. �We always check the temperature before we use it.�

�We?�

�Sometimes Kei-kun joins me in
the bath,� clarified Motoko.

Dr. Akagi took this in stride.
�That�s actually a good idea. It�ll be harder for you to get around later in
your pregnancy, and having Keitaro there to help you will be good for the both
of you.� Both nodded to her as the doctor made one final notation on her
clipboard and then put it down. �I think that�s all for today. Everything is
going well so far, so just keep up the good work you two. If any problems occur,
just let me know.�

�Thank you doctor,� Keitaro and
Motoko replied simultaneously.

�Confirm your next appointment
with my receptionist, and I�ll see you then. If you�ll excuse me, I have
another patient waiting. Good day you two.� With that the doctor walked out of
the room and left the Aoyamas to see themselves out. As they left, they passed
a red headed girl who was muttering to herself, and looked to be about
eighteen. A worried looking foreign boy accompanied her. The doctor just shook
her head and waved them into her office.

After confirming the next
appointment, Keitaro and Motoko slowly walked back to Hinata House, holding
hands and just enjoying the company and the weather. They were chatting
lightly, and everything seemed as if it was going well.

It wasn�t until they were almost
home that the first inklings of trouble started.

The sight of the other Hinata
House residents, minus Naru, at the bottom of the steps wasn�t that unusual,
but the near panicked expressions that some of them wore was new.

�Sempai! Motoko! Thank the
heavens you�re back!� cried out Shinobu.

Alarmed by the looks of the other
residents, the Aoyamas rushed over to them. �What�s wrong Shinobu?� asked
Keitaro.

�It�s Naru, she�s, she�s-�

�She�s gone crazy,� interrupted
Kitsune. �She got back and then she started acting weird.�

Keitaro blinked in surprise.
�Weird? What do you mean?�

�She asked me if I had a romantic
interest in you,� replied Sarah. She looked as if the very idea made her ill.
Keitaro also felt sick when he briefly contemplated this thought.

�She pinched my cheeks and tried
to rub off my markings,� added Su.

�Then sh� she flipped up my skirt
and commented on my panties!� Shinobu cried, blushing a shade of deep scarlet.

�She groped my boobs!� hissed
Kitsune.

�And she suggested that I should
pose nude,� remarked Mutsumi.

Both Keitaro and Motoko�s eyes
grew wider at the litany of accusations. �Excuse me?� gasped Motoko.

�She met me when I came out of
the bath, and she commented that if she�d had a camera, she�d make a fortune,�
explained Mutsumi.

�Naru�s got to be possessed,
that�s all there is to it,� muttered Kitsune.

�Possessed?� breathed Motoko, her
eye twitching.

�Why else would she act like
this? Unless you did something to make her snap, Keitaro,� Kitsune added.

�No. NO! I didn�t do anything!
But why do you say she�s possessed?� inquired Keitaro.

�Can you think of a better
explanation?�

�Not without seeing her for
myself,� admitted Motoko. �Kei-kun, if Naru is possessed, I should attempt to
exorcise her.�

�That�s too risky, Mo-chan,�
warned Keitaro.

�It�s not that risky Kei-kun, and
I�m the only one who can exorcise Naru.�

�Hey! Why do I need exercise? You
trying to say I�m getting fat?!�

�Naru!� yelped Shinobu, as she
moved back in fear. Sarah and Kitsune also found themselves taking an
involuntary step back.

�What�s going on here?� Naru
asked suspiciously.

�Why are you acting crazy?�
Kitsune shot back.

A disbelieving look sprang onto
Naru�s face. �What are you talking about Kitsune?� �Have you been drinking
again?� she silently added.

�Why did you grab my boobs?!�

Naru recoiled at the accusation.
�Are you on crack?! I�ve been gone all morning!�

�Like hell!� retorted Kitsune.
�You came back and started acting wacko!�

�But how did Naru-san get down
here without using the steps?� Mutsumi wondered out loud. It�s funny how those
least known for insight can sometimes have the clearest view.

Silence. In unison, all of the
residents turned and looked up the stairs. �If Naru-sempai�s down here�� mused
Shinobu.

�Then who the hell�s up there?�
finished Sarah.

With eyes narrowed, Naru
answered. �Let�s find out.� She cracked her knuckles and moved to head up the
stairs, only to have Keitaro stop her.

�I�ll go first,� interjected
Keitaro, drawing his sword. Motoko drew her own sword and fell in beside her
husband. They exchanged a glance, nodded in agreement at some unspoken
communication, and started stalking up the stairs. The remaining Hinata House
residents followed a respectful step or two behind them.

In the middle of the pack,
Kitsune tried to figure out who could possibly imitate Naru and why. She paused
in her ruminations and took a moment to regard the Aoyamas. The two of them
were moving swiftly and confidently up the stairs, looking every inch the
professional swordsmen they were. Despite her difficulties with the two of
them, Kitsune was glad that they were there at that moment. A grim smile came
over her features. �Those two will make whoever that is wish they�d stayed
home!�

XXX

�Naru� was currently looking
around Hinata House, peeking into the rooms, and becoming familiar with its
layout. She�d considered looking a little harder at the landlords room, but had
decided against actively searching it at this point. �Plenty of time for that
later,� she thought. The departure of the other residents was problematic, and
she admitted to herself that perhaps she came on a little too strong. �No
matter, they won�t be able to trace it to me.�

As she strolled through the
living room, admiring the state of repair of the former inn, �Naru� heard the
commotion of the residents as they re-approached the residence. Figuring that
it was time for her to leave, she decided to depart Hinata House and let the
girl she�d replaced have to explain her actions to the others. Nodding to
herself, she headed outside, ready to bid goodbye to the residents, when the
unexpected sight of Keitaro caused her to pause.

�Oniichan�� Naru�s� heart
skipped a beat; it had been so long since she�d seen him. Once again, she felt
the urge to reveal herself and go to him. The rush of emotions the sight of
Keitaro inspired caused her to not immediately register the katana that he was
wielding in a threatening manner.

Belatedly, she noticed his
outfit, weapon, and the fact that he wasn�t alone. A tall, attractive, and
identically dressed and armed woman was by his side, and she was regarding her
with open hostility and suspicion. Attempting to conceal her sudden uneasiness,
and forcing herself to address him by name instead of by honourific, �Naru�
called out, �Keitaro, is something wrong?�

�That�s what I�d like to know!�
another voice snarled in response. The crowd behind Keitaro parted, and Naru
pushed her way to the front and came face to face with herself.

Shock and disbelief swept through
the residents, as more than one found themselves gawking dumbly, or rapidly
looking back and forth between the two Narus.

Beneath her mask, Kanako paled.
�Oh shit! I didn�t think she�d be back so soon!� She hadn�t considered the
prospect of an armed reception committee either.

�Who are you?� her brother
demanded. �What are you, a demon?� He took another step forward to punctuate
his question.

Kanako found herself considering
peeling off her disguise and revealing who she was, but she overruled that
idea. She wasn�t sure how the woman with the sword would react; Keitaro
wouldn�t hurt her, she was certain, but she wasn�t sure about the others. The
one she�d imitated was glowering at her and clenching her fists, looking as if
she was eager to take a swing at her.

After a half second of reviewing
her options, Kanako decided to make a break for it. She turned on her heel and
bolted back into the residence, planning on hiding, or possibly adopting
another disguise and attempting to slip by the residents.

The instant the intruder turned
tail, Keitaro turned to Motoko and told her to stay outside with the residents.
His tone brooked no argument, but as a panacea to Motoko he added, �Who knows,
she might try to double back and escape.� He saw that she had accepted his
logic, grudgingly, and he went off in pursuit of the impostor.

�Good luck Kei-kun!� Mutsumi
called out sweetly.

�Kick her ass Keitaro!� Naru
yelled.

Inside Hinata House, Kanako was
trying to formulate a way out of the situation she was currently in. A part of
her was kicking herself for not thinking ahead and anticipating what had
happened. However, she quickly realized that Keitaro was the only one chasing
her, and an idea formed from that. She slowed down to allow him to nearly catch
up with her, and then ran into the landlord�s room, making certain that he knew
where she�d gone.

Once she was inside, she threw
herself flat against the wall next to the door and poised for when he came in
after her. �This isn�t what I planned, but I�ve got no choice now.� Moments
later, Keitaro ran into the room, and she grabbed him from behind, locking her
arms around him, pinning his arms at his side.

XXX

The instant Keitaro ran into his
room, he realized that he�d made an unforgivable error; he�d charged in
blindly. His internal cursing tripled when he got grabbed from behind.
�Dumbass! Always watch your back!� Motoko had drilled that into him ruthlessly,
but he�d gone and forgotten that, too excited by the chase to think clearly.
The sight of twin Narus had startled him, and he�d allowed himself to get
sloppy. As he shifted his weight to kick back at his opponents knee, he
realized that his assailant was whispering in his ear. �Oniichan, it�s me!�

�Oniichan?� The unexpected words
made him pause, as his brain couldn�t comprehend this unexpected occurrence. He
was only dimly aware that the woman had let him go and had moved in front of
him, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. Keitaro shook his head to
clear it and held up his sword in a ready position, but took no offensive
action. �Who are you?� This time, the question held no aggressiveness, just
simple curiosity.

The Naru facsimile in front of
him sighed. �I guess you wouldn�t recognize me like this.� Her voice was now
her own, and the sound of another voice from Naru�s lips was disquieting to
Keitaro. �Just give me one second oniichan.�

The woman then reached up behind
her head, gave a sharp tug, and took her mask off, a sight Keitaro couldn�t
stop himself from wincing at. The face underneath was attractive, and it took
him less than a second to realize who it was. �Kanako?�

Kanako smiled at that. �Yes, it�s
me oniichan.� Seconds later, she found herself swept off of her feet as Keitaro
ran over and embraced her in a hug. After a second�s hesitation, Kanako
returned the hug, enjoying the chance to hold her beloved older brother so
intimately.

For his part, Keitaro was so
happy to see his sister again that he didn�t notice that Kanako�s embrace went
beyond the borders of familial. When he let her go, he missed the
disappointment that passed over her features. �What are you doing here?�

�I came to see you,� Kanako
replied truthfully. It wasn�t the whole truth, nor all that she had planned,
but it wasn�t a lie.

�Why�d you disguise yourself as
Naru?� Keitaro asked suspiciously.

Now Kanako had to stretch the
truth even more. �I-I was nervous. I wanted to know a little about you and the
people you live with before I came to see you.�

�Really?� When Kanako nodded,
Keitaro pressed on. �So why did you grope Kitsune, or flick up Shinobu�s
dress?�

Kanako winced inwardly, and
cursed herself for being careless enough to be discovered. Thinking quickly,
she said the first thing that popped into her mind that sounded even remotely
plausible. �I-I just wanted to know about the residents here.� �I was scoping
out my competition,� she corrected silently.

Keitaro mulled that over for a
minute before replying. �You should be more straightforward when learning about
someone,� he gently rebuked.

�Yes oniichan, I�m sorry.� Kanako
was relieved and delighted that her brother wasn�t pressing the issue further.

�Just remember that. Hey, how did
you know I was here?�

�Everyone said you were here,
oniichan,� she replied with a faint smile.

�Have you met everyone here? Been
properly introduced, I mean,� he added seconds later.

�No.�

�Then let�s go, I want everyone
to meet my sister,� he replied, his spirits rising.

�I�d like that. Can I get changed
first?�

�Go ahead, I�ll be outside the
door.� Keitaro then left the room and gave Kanako her privacy.

�Maybe this will work out after
all,� she thought as she stripped out of her Naru clothing, revealing her usual
black outfit. Once changed, she exited the room and followed her brother
outside, ready to meet her rivals for his affection.

XXX

Motoko was worried.

From the moment Keitaro had
disappeared from view, there had been no signs of activity from inside the
residence. No battlecries, no sounds of damage, no one being launched through
the wall. The silence was eerie to Motoko because she had no idea of what was
happening. �Could something have happened to Kei-kun?� Motoko found herself
wondering. �He�s as good as I could make him, but��

Her concern was overcoming her
patience, and she found herself mentally charging in after him. Taking a deep
breath and preparing to do just that, she felt a curtain of worry lift off of
her when she saw Keitaro walking out of the residence. The relief was tempered
when she noticed that he wasn�t alone.

�Is that her?� called out
Kitsune. �The fake Naru?�

�Yes,� Keitaro replied
sheepishly. �Listen everyone, there�s something I need to explain, but first I
want to introduce you to my sister, Kanako Urashima.�

No one spoke. A stunned silence
hung heavy in the air, broken when Keitaro nervously continued. �She dressed up
like Naru so she could learn a little about you before she showed herself. She
was nervous about seeing me again.�

Kanako put on a vaguely guilty
expression, and tried to act contrite. If Keitaro was saying this, then she
wasn�t actually lying to the residents, was she? Feeling bad about using her
�oniichan� like this, but not willing to stop him either, she let him explain
her actions to the others.

�Your sister, huh?� remarked
Kitsune. �Why am I not surprised?� �You know something Keitaro? I used to think
that I had the world�s worst parents, but now I�m not so sure. Did your parents
read anything more complicated than a cereal box before they started raising
you two? I don�t think they could have raised a more dysfunctional family if
they�d phoned it in.�

�That doesn�t explain why she
made me look insane,� growled Naru.

�I�m sorry.� �Sometimes an
apology, however insincere, is better than an explanation,� mused Kanako. Naru
still looked angry, but she was no longer radiating an aura of rage.

�Come Kanako, let me introduce
you to everyone,� Keitaro said, taking her hand and leading her to the
residents.

�Thank you oniichan.� Once again,
Keitaro missed the adoring look that Kanako gave him.

Motoko noticed it though. The
look Kanako was giving her husband caused her eyes to narrow, and made the
hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She tried to dismiss it as more
hormone-induced paranoia, but Kanako�s look had contained, to her eyes anyway,
a touch of desire inappropriate between brother and sister.

Unaware of either his sisters
desires, or his wife�s concerns, Keitaro proceeded with the introductions.
�Kanako, these are Shinobu Maehara, Sarah McDougal, and Koalla Su.�

�Heyas Kanako!� Su called out, her
usual grin in place.

�Hello Kanako,� Shinobu said
quietly, still a little uneasy at the woman she was greeting. After all,
flipping up her skirt just wasn�t right.

�Hey there!� piped up Sarah.
�Nice goth look ya got goin� there.�

Kanako simply nodded and prepared
to meet the others. These three were too young, and she didn�t see them as
serious rivals for Keitaro�s heart.

Moving on to the
watermelon-obsessed woman from Okinawa, Keitaro continued the introductions.
�This is Mutsumi Otohime.�

�It�s a pleasure to finally meet
Kei-kun�s little sister,� beamed Mutsumi.

�Pleased to meet you,� replied
Kanako, looking carefully at the older woman. �Attractive, but spacey. She�s
probably got nothing in common with oniichan.�

�This is Mitsune Konno.�

�Call me Kitsune. Oh, and quit
trying to grab my boobs.� She crossed her arms to emphasize her displeasure at
the earlier contact.

�Don�t worry, won�t happen
again.� �I got all that I needed the last time,� Kanako silently added.

�Naru Narusegawa.�

�You might say we�ve already met,
Keitaro,� Naru retorted frostily. She didn�t extend a greeting to Kanako, or
offer to shake hands. Indeed, she regarded her with open antagonism.

Kanako found herself frowning.
�This girl is trouble. Thick glasses, bookwormy type, just like oniichan used
to be.� Her frown deepened as another thought suddenly struck her. �Wait, why
is oniichan wearing that kendo outfit? And where are his glasses?� She made a
note to ask him about that later, as she was now face to face with the last resident.

�And last, but certainly not
least, Motoko Aoyama, my wife.�

Kanako�s heart stopped mid-beat,
and she went as white as new fallen snow. �What did you say?� she whispered,
praying that she hadn�t heard right.

�Oh, didn�t you know? This is my
wife Motoko Aoyama. Love of my life, mistress of the Shinmei School of kendo-�

�-And very soon, mother of his
child,� finished Motoko, as she took Keitaro�s hand and placed it on her
stomach.

Kanako felt the world start to
spin around her. �This, this can�t be...he said he�d be there for me�� Her
feelings of disbelief and denial surged desperately, but they took a mortal
blow when she finally noticed the gold rings that her brother and Motoko were
wearing. After one last gasp of virtually crazed disbelief, the truth finally
took hold of her.

This proved to be too much for
the young woman to absorb, and she fainted dead away. Kanako was dimly aware
that Keitaro had caught her before her head hit the ground, and then she
plunged into a black oblivion.

XXX

They�d brought Kanako back into
Hinata House, laid her unconscious form on one of the couches, and placed a
cold compress on her forehead. Once this was done, the girls began grilling
Keitaro for information on his recently arrived sibling.

�So Kei-kun, why did she faint?
Does she have a medical condition?� queried Motoko.

�Not that I�m aware of,� replied
Keitaro. �Then again, I haven�t seen her in a while, so who knows.�

�Why didn�t she know you were
married sempai?�

�She was the only family member
we didn�t visit. I guess I figured someone else in the family would have told
her.�

�So why did she come here now?�
asked Naru.

�She said she came to visit me,�
answered Keitaro. �She must have decided it was time to get re-acquainted. That
reminds me, I should have Aunt Haruka come cover. I don�t think she�s seen
Kanako in a while either.�

At that moment, Kanako began to
stir on the couch. �She�s coming to, Kei-kun,� called out Mutsumi. In response,
Keitaro went over to the couch and kneeled down next to his sister as she
regained consciousness.

�Are you feeling better now
Kanako?� he asked, concern etched on to his features.

Opening her eyes and blinking her
vision clear, Kanako�s first sight was her brother leaning over her, looking
down at her, concern on his face. �Oniichan!� She sprang up and latched onto
him, trying to drive away the remnants of her nightmare. �Wait�� Against her
own will, she realized that her bad dream was actually reality. �He IS married,
isn�t he?� It wasn�t a question, merely a reluctant confirmation.

Attempting to compose herself,
Kanako let go of Keitaro, and laid back onto the couch. �How long have you been
married to�her, oniichan?�

�Over a year.� Keitaro, and
everyone else, missed the hint of jealousy in the question.

�How did it happen?�

Keitaro sighed, and tried to
figure out the best way to tell her without upsetting any of the others
present. �It�s a long story Kanako. It started when Motoko�s sister Tsuruko
came to Tokyo to visit her�� Keitaro then proceeded to explain what had
happened, occasionally glancing at the other residents, and pointedly omitting
details such as the love triangle between Motoko, Naru, and himself, and why he
and Motoko had left Hinata House for nearly a year.

Keitaro�s incomplete narrative caused
an occasional eyebrow to rise, as well as a few funny looks, but the girls
collectively decided not to raise an issue at the moment.

After the story was finished,
Kanako lay on the couch, trying to absorb all that she had heard. �I see,� she
replied faintly. �I-I had no idea��

�Sorry I didn�t tell you earlier.
I just thought you would have already heard.�

�You couldn�t have known,� Kanako
continued softly. �I didn�t know either, or I�d have�� she couldn�t bring
herself to finish the sentence.

�So, where are you staying?�
Keitaro tried to change the subject, and lighten the tension which had
unexpectedly fallen over the residence.

Kanako paused as she formulated a
response. �I-I hadn�t really thought about that,� she admitted.

�Then you should stay here,�
declared Keitaro. He looked up to see a couple of frowns. Marginally raising
his voice, more for the benefit of the residents than his sister, he added,
�We�ve got extra rooms, and I haven�t seen you in far too long.�

�I shouldn�t oniichan��

�Nonsense,� Keitaro scoffed. �I
insist. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn�t?� Standing up, Keitaro
gestured for Motoko to come with him. �Let�s show her to her room Mo-chan.�

�Of course Kei-kun.� Motoko
wasn�t sure what she felt about Kanako, but she was her sister-in law, and
besides, hadn�t her first impression of Keitaro also been unfavourable? Once
she got to know her better, she was certain that Kanako and herself would get
along as well as Tsuruko and Keitaro.

XXX

�Kei-kun, why didn�t you tell
your sister the truth?� inquired Motoko when they�d returned to their room
after showing Kanako to hers.

�What do you mean Mo-chan?�

�That was a rather edited version
of what really happened. Yes, it was accurate, but it didn�t include any of the
more�difficult�parts.�

Keitaro let out a deep sigh.
�Didn�t want to relive some of the more painful memories,� he murmured.

�I�m sorry?�

Keitaro gave his wife a pained
look. �I didn�t want to upset anyone. Naru and Kitsune are still feeling upset
over what happened, and I didn�t want to rub salt in old wounds.�

Motoko pursed her lips as she
considered her husbands logic. �I suppose that makes sense��

�Besides,� continued Keitaro.
�Does she have to know every single detail? We did fall in love and decide to
stay together, didn�t we? I know I�m glossing over some of the more difficult
parts, especially with what happened to Naru, but would Kanako have to know
about that? If the others hadn�t been there I might have told her everything,
but those are painful memories for me too, and I�d rather remember the better
parts of our courtship.�

�Oh really?� asked Motoko, her
eyebrow arched, and a hint of a smile on her face. �What would you call the
�better parts�?�

�That�s easy,� replied Keitaro.
�When we started training, when we first started just talking to each other,
the first massage you gave me, the picnic��

Now Motoko was openly smiling. �I
knew you�d mention that.�

�Hey, it was our first kiss. And
it was some kiss.�

�If I hadn�t gotten cold feet, it
could have been much more than that,� deadpanned Motoko.

�Ah, yes, that was another of the
�better times�,� quipped Keitaro.

Motoko playfully smacked
Keitaro�s shoulder for that. �In your case it was �here for a good time, not a
long time�,� she teased.

�Ouch!� exclaimed Keitaro,
pantomiming stabbing himself in the chest with a knife, and then twisting the
blade. �That�s cold. What did you expect, it wasn�t like I�d had an opportunity
to practice.�

�Sorry Kei-kun, I couldn�t resist
that,� she apologized. �And yes, you were much better in round two. And you�ve
gotten much better ever since.�

�Thanks Mo-chan.� Nothing more
was said for a few minutes, until Keitaro continued with the original subject
of conversation. �I know it�s sudden having Kanako staying with us like this,
and she did act a little�odd�but I haven�t seen her in so long, and I�d like
her to be part of this if possible. She�s the closest family I�ve got right
now. My family, I mean,� added quickly.

�I understand, it�s just�we had
finally started to get back into something approaching normalcy, and now this
happens.�

�I know, I know. But for what
it�s worth, I don�t think that Kanako will be that much of a disturbance around
here,� Keitaro concluded.

It would be some time later that
Keitaro would remember these words, and remind himself to never tempt fate like
that again.

XXX

Kanako had been only vaguely
aware of what was going on around her as her brother and his wife escorted her
to her room, pointing out the open air bath along the way. She�d managed to
force a smile when she thanked him for his hospitality and then she�d pleaded
exhaustion to get some time alone in her room.

Once alone, she sat down on the
futon, bent her knees up to her chest and hugged them to herself. Anyone who had
known Kanako, and there were very few who did, would have been taken aback at
the sight of her. She seemed much younger than she actually was, and the black
clothing only added to the image of a child pretending to be all grown up.

�Wha- what do I do know?� was the
clearest thought that Kanako had. She�d had a terrible day by anyone�s
standards. She�d made a fool of herself and been forced to reveal herself
because she hadn�t been careful enough to prevent her own detection. Worse,
once discovered, all of her dreams had come crashing down when she�d learned
that Keitaro was married. �You said that you�d always be there for me,� she
recalled sadly. �You promised me oniichan.�

Kanako would never be able to
recall exactly how long she had spent alone in the room before she�d heard the
knock at the door. She snapped out of her emotional spiral and put on a more
composed front. She�d adjusted her position on the futon and called out, �Come
in, it�s open!�

The door opened to reveal an
older resident standing there, holding a bottle of sake and two glasses.
�Mitsune Konno, prefers to be called �Kitsune�,� her memory recalled. �Hello
Kitsune, how can I help you?� The calmness in her voice was a polar opposite to
the inner turmoil she was feeling.

Kitsune smirked. �I figured you
could use a drink. Join me?� she asked, as she held up the glasses and bottle.

At the moment, getting hammered
sounded like the greatest idea in the world to Kanako. �Love to.�

Kitsune�s smirk widened. �I knew
it,� she thought, congratulating herself on noticing that something had been
troubling the younger Urashima sibling. Years of observing fellow bar patrons,
as well as the other residents, had given her a PhD in human relations and
reading other people. She was still angry about being deceived and groped, but
perhaps Kanako could provide some useful information. She didn�t know what kind
of information the dark clad sister of Keitaro could have, or what she�d do
with it, but she was interested in it.

After pouring two glasses and passing
one over to Kanako, Kitsune toasted �Cheers!� they clinked glasses and drank,
Kanako downing hers in one quick pull. �Interesting,� mused Kitsune. �So,
what�s got you so upset?� she asked without preamble.

Kanako regarded the fox-eyed
woman cautiously. She didn�t trust her or her motives, and there was no way she
was going to tell anyone what her intentions had been, at least not right away.
But as troubled as she was, she reasoned that she could talk about her troubles
in abstract terms, discuss what was bothering her without actually mentioning
it by name. �I�ve just gone through a period of disappointment,� she replied.
�That�s the understatement of the year.�

�We get a lot of that around
here,� admitted Kitsune. �Can you be more specific?� She refilled Kanako�s
glass, hoping to loosen her tongue with alcohol.

Kanako accepted the sake, knowing
full well what Kitsune had in mind. But her alcohol tolerance was pretty good,
and she never misspoke when drunk. �Did you ever want something badly, worked
for it, strived to make yourself the best for it, only to find out it was
gone?�

�Not personally, but like I said,
we get a lot of that here.� Sensing Kanako�s evasiveness, Kitsune decided to
switch to another topic. �So what do you think of your brother being married?�

�I�m happy for him,� Kanako
answered with forced sincerity that Kitsune didn�t notice.

�Bit of a shock, huh?�

�Yeah,� answered Kanako, draining
her second glass as quick as the first.

�Yeah indeed,� murmured Kitsune.
She presumed that she wouldn�t be able to learn that much from Kanako without
more subtlety, time, and alcohol, so she decided to simply stoke the fires of
sibling rivalry. �How�d you like to hear the whole story about your brother�s
relationship?� she asked, leaning forward conspiratorially.

Kanako�s eyes narrowed a little.
�What do you mean?�

�He gave you the Reader�s Digest
version. You want the �real� story?� Kanako�s glass was swiftly refilled.

And even more swiftly emptied.
�Do tell.�

�What he didn�t tell you is that
he was involved with a girl before Motoko.�

A neatly trimmed eyebrow rose.
�Who?�

�The girl you imitated, Naru
Narusegawa,� Kitsune answered smugly.

Dark eyes narrowed further. �So
what really happened?�

Kitsune sat back and began her
monologue. �When Keitaro came here, he made a bad first impression, walking
into the woman�s bath, running around naked, that sort of thing.�

Kanako�s eyes flew open as wide
as they could. �He did what?� she gasped in disbelief.

�He didn�t realize that Hinata
House was a woman�s dorm, and not a hotel,� explained Kitsune. �We didn�t
bother to let him explain, we simply chased him to the roof and kicked his
ass.� She smiled grimly as she continued. �Motoko and Naru would have probably
de-balled him if Haruka hadn�t shown up.�

�Then he tricked us into thinking
he was a Tokyo University student, and so we decided to let him stay. It was
all good until we found out the truth, that he was a ronin. We weren�t happy
about that, so we threw him out, only he comes back, and it turns out that
Grandma Hina has made him the landlord.� Kitsune unconsciously scowled at that
memory.

Kanako nodded and kept listening.
Kitsune hadn�t yet told her anything she didn�t already know, except the part
about Keitaro streaking, but she was interested to hear about it from the
others perspective.

�We tried to drive him away, but
he kind of grew on us, ya know?� Kitsune allowed. Her face darkened when she
continued. �When he wasn�t peeping on us, or falling into our bath, that is. He
was aggravating, but not without some redeeming qualities. Somehow, he and Naru
kind of hit it off, probably because they were studying so hard together. They
even went travelling together when they both failed the Tokyo University
entrance exam.�

Kitsune paused in her monologue,
and allowed herself to think back to that time. �I didn�t think badly of
Keitaro then,� she admitted silently. �I even tried matching him and Naru up.�
�All that time together and helping each other out, I guess it was inevitable
that some chemistry would develop between them.�

�Despite various mishaps, both
romantic and scholastic, they both got accepted into Tokyo University at the
same time. They�d both learned to care for each other, but only Keitaro would
admit it. When he broke his leg, he told her he loved her, but she was too
freaked out to reply.� So engrossed was Kitsune in her recollection, she failed
to notice Kanako scowling at that. �Truth be told, Naru did care for him, but
she couldn�t bring herself to tell him. Who knows how long that might have
lasted, but then Tsuruko came to town.�

�Tsuruko? You mean Motoko�s older
sister?�

�Right the first time. She wanted
to take her back to take over the family business, but Motoko was afraid that
she wasn�t up to it. So she said that she was engaged to Keitaro.�

�Why?�

�If she was engaged, she didn�t
have to go. But Tsuruko found out that she was lying and banished her. Motoko
tried to be a homemaker, but she took to that like oil to water. She even threw
away my booze!� Kitsune snarled, startling Kanako. �Sorry. She was offered a
chance to fight Tsuruko with your brother�s help. If they won, everything would
go back to normal. They lost, and so Keitaro and Motoko had to get married.�
This time, Kitsune didn�t miss the flash of anger that passed over Kanako.

�So that�s how it happened!�
Kanako raged to herself. �Oniichan felt sorry for her and mistook that for
love!�

Kitsune was a little taken aback
by the look of hostility on Kanako�s features, and she paused in her monologue
to regard the young woman closely. �What the hell is going on here?� Faintly
nagging doubts about the woman she was drinking with were starting to form.

Kanako noticed this scrutiny and
realized that she�d be better off holding her cards closer to her vest. Forcing
herself to calm down and be more restrained in her reactions, she asked Kitsune
to resume her tale.

Kitsune figured that she wouldn�t
get any more useful information out of Kanako, so resolved to grill her later,
and simply finish the story for now. �When they came back, Naru was hurt and
pissed. She left for a few months to clear her head, leaving Keitaro and Motoko
by themselves. Then the two of them got another chance to end it. If Motoko
taught Keitaro kendo for a year, and he did it well enough to impress Tsuruko,
the marriage would end, and Motoko would be reinstated. They worked like mad,
but they grew closer too.�

At this point, Kitsune paused to
empty her own glass, refill it, and empty it again. �This is the painful part,�
she mused grimly. �When Naru came back, they both wanted Keitaro. It even came
to blows when they both tried to jump him in the bath at the same time. Then
Motoko tried running away with him, but we all followed them. At that point,
Keitaro decided that he had to choose before someone got hurt. After a few
days, he came back and chose Motoko. Naru was devastated.� Kitsune remembered
just how badly her friend had been hurt, and her own anger started to rise.
�The two of them left here and vanished, until about two months ago, when they
come and announce that they�re pregnant and moving back in. Lucky us. We also
find out that Tsuruko had schemed to match them up, but Keitaro didn�t care.
And that, Kanako, is the whole and true story.�

Kanako sat there mutely, trying
to reconcile what she had heard, when she suddenly realized something. �Wait, I
thought you said that he made it into Tokyo University.� When Kitsune nodded,
Kanako asked, �Why isn�t he there now? That was his greatest wish!� �I can�t
believe he forgot about his promise girl! He thought about her constantly!�

�Ask him,� Kitsune replied
bitterly.

�Oh, poor oniichan,� thought
Kanako. �Forced to give up your dream because of that� that� hussy!� �How dare
she,� Kanako murmured. �How dare she trap oniichan in a forced, loveless
marriage!�

�Uh, I don�t think that it�s
loveless, and he chose to be with her,� replied Kitsune. She may not have had
the best feelings for Keitaro and Motoko, but she couldn�t deny that they loved
each other.

Kanako was beyond hearing, or
caring. �No, that has to be, I know my brother.� She grabbed onto this thought
as a drowning man would latch onto a floating timber. �Thank you for the drinks
Kitsune, but I would like some time alone now.�

�Suit yourself.� Kitsune picked
up the glasses and bottle and walked out, a feeling of unease following closely
behind her.

As the fox-eyed girl left, Kanako
found herself planning what needed to be done. �There�s still time oniichan. I
can still save you yet!� She wasn�t sure what she would have to do, but she
would be successful. Kanako Urashima would not be denied. �I�ll go with him to
Tokyo University and we�ll live happily ever after!�

Outside, in the hallway, the
feeling of unease Kitsune was feeling had evolved into concern and worry. She
felt as if she had unwittingly opened a Pandora�s Box, and she wasn�t looking
forward to seeing what came out of it.

End Chapter Five

Thanks to dennisud and Kylaran
Aeldin for serving as pre-readers. Any mistakes are mine, not theirs.

I want to thank all reviewers for
their feedback and patience.

I know, I know, these aren�t
coming as quickly as you�d like, but I�m working as fast as I can. I�ve had
some things I�ve had to deal with, and my bloody muse picked the lock on its
cage, which means I have to go hunt the goddamn thing down and recapture it.

E-mails asking for the next
update won�t make much of a difference, but they do let me know that you�re
still interested, and I appreciate that. Seriously.

This will be completed, but I�m
not sure when.

Thanks.
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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2