Chapter reposted with semi-final FFN version.
This chapter contains an action sequence and what can be considered bashing of a major character. That is not my intent; she tends to act out in a certain way, and this time a person who was running out of time has to make a choice. Don't worry, no one is hurt (much) or dies. ^_^
Ch 6
Keitaro rolled his head from side to side, trying to work the kinks out of his neck as he walked down the steps of the Hinata-sou; spending most of a day looking into every nook and cranny of a large house and property was not guaranteed to make a person relaxed. Having to look forward to dealing with a bunch of rambunctious tenants was not helping him regain his center of calm either.
Entering the Tea House through the side door, he was slightly surprised that there was not so many people there. Barely a quarter of the tables had people sitting at them, sipping tea and reading books and newspapers. Keitaro was reminded of some of the coffee houses in Tokyoà all that was missing were the otaku coming back from a day full of shopping, and cosplaying waitresses to serve them, thinking to himself with a small smile.
ôHey there Kei-kun. ItÆs that time?ö The sound of his auntÆs voice gave him her location, standing behind the counter next to the display of teas that Haruka sold by the tin. Even though most people were perfectly able to make their own tea at home, they would come in to sample the varied teas from around Asia and the world that his aunt would sell either by single measures in waxed paper tied off with string, or in larger sealed cans to help keep the leaves fresh longer.
ôYeah, pretty much finished everything else.ö Keitaro walked up to the counter as Haruka finished stacking the tins on the shelves against the wall. ôIÆm going to be glad to when this day is over. IÆve been on my feet for most of it.ö
Haruka hummed in response as she finished her tidying up. Undoing her apron, she hung it up on a hook on the wall at the end of the counter. ôYoko, IÆm going out for a little while,ö she said to the older woman sitting behind the register. Slight of build with short graying hair, she was wearing round granny glasses and reading a paperback book. ôIf anything comes up, call me on my mobile, this shouldnÆt take more than a hour.ö The woman silently nodded and then resumed reading her book.
Walking out the door, HarukaÆs arm twitched toward her shirt pocket and the smokes contained therein, then move back to her side. Seeing the small smile on her nephewÆs face, she blushed slightly and muttered, ôNot a good idea to smoke going up stairs anyway.ö KeitaroÆs smile widened but he keep silent anyway as they walked up the meandering steps.
Pausing at the head of the stairs to catch her breath (and trying to conceal that fact) Haruka asked, ôSo how did the grand tour go?
Waiting for a moment to catch his own breath, Keitaro replied, ôAbout how I expected. ThereÆs a lot of routine maintenance that wasnÆt kept up with, plus some minor damage to the house that needs to be repaired, but after that it shouldnÆt be a problem. The one thing IÆm concerned with is the Annex, that place is so unsafe I didnÆt get past the entryway. Three steps in and my foot went through some rotted floorboards. We need to go in with bigger lights and better safety gear to explore it, but from I can see, we may need to just raze the building and be done with it.ö
Haruka looked at him with some interest on her face. ôYou feel anything when you go in there?ö
ôYou mean besides cold and clammy? Not really.ö Keitaro replied, looking up at the front of the main house.
ôYou know there are people that say that that place is haunted.ö Haruka continued watching Keitaro out of the corner of her eye.
Keitaro snorted. ôWouldnÆt surprise me, all that was missing from that place was the sounds of chains dragging on the floor.ö He looked back at his aunt. ôYou wouldnÆt know why the place is haunted, or by who?ö
ôClosest IÆve ever heard of an explanation is that members of the family are not happy that the clan is getting smaller and smaller every generation. Either that or they are staying around to protect those of us that are left.ö A look of sadness made its way across HarukaÆs face.
Keitaro nodded, understanding what she meant. HarukaÆs parents had been killed in one of the frequent earthquakes that hit Japan. Her parents had been on a business trip in Sendai when the trembler struck, causing a landslide that crushed the building they were in. Haruka had been eight years old at the time, and the deaths devastated her. Granny Hina wound up taking in her grand-daughter and eventually adopted her.
One of the things that was rarely spoken of in the Urashima family was how close Death seemed to follow it. There was never a generation that did not have an early death, either by accident or illness. The Pacific War had done the most damage; even though the Urashima males of that time were mostly too old to serve in uniform or too young, the two young men that did serve did not return home. The firebombing of Tokyo near the end of the war resulted in the deaths of almost three quarters of the Urashima family; only Hina, her younger brother, her mother, and her motherÆs father survived the war.
Stepping next to Haruka, Keitaro wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him, standing shoulder to shoulder. Haruka tilted her head so it was against his shoulder, and sighed. One of the things she had missed about Keitaro was how he was unafraid of comforting those close to him. In a culture that maintained emotional distance to make up for the crowded environment that most people had to be in, Keitaro was always there to share in peopleÆs emotions, both the good and the bad.
Taking a deep breath, Haruka put her hand on top of KeitaroÆs and squeezed before stepping away slightly. Understanding the unspoken thanks, Keitaro let his arm fall away and started walking toward the front door of the Sou, Haruka not even a half step behind him.
ôSo all we have left are the tenant rooms?ö Haruka paused at the door as she pulled off her shoes and stepped into the indoors slippers lined up there. Keitaro followed suit.
ôYeah, but there is one thing left to check, and I need your help for it. IÆll let you into my room, then I have to go get the stepladder.ö
Unlocking his room door, Haruka stepped in while Keitaro walked back down the hall. Looking around, she saw that little had changed from last night, except that the duffle bag was no longer in sight. The futon was still on the floor, and what looked to be some prep books and study guides were on a low table, presumably where he was going to study.
Noticing the ball cap on the dresser, she walked over and took a closer look at it. The English flag patch on the front of the cap did not look like something that Keitaro would wear, but the way it was set front and center on the top suggested it had some meaning to him.
Hearing the door open, Haruka turned to see Keitaro walk in carrying what looked to be a medium sized stepladder. Putting it down next to the table, he opened it and positioned it under something Haruka had not noticed yet; a large hole in the ceiling, covered by what looked to be a piece of plywood.
ôWhat the heck is that? Or better yet, what the hell caused that?ö Haruka asked in some wonder. With modern construction techniques and materials, it was very difficult to make a hole in a ceiling or floor big enough for a person to pass though. It was almost certainly done deliberately, but she could not think of a reason why Granny Hina would do that.
ôThatÆs what I want to know myself. I wanted to look at it earlier, but I didnÆt want to risk a fall. I saw this stepladder in the kitchen this morning, so with you here to make sure I keep my balance, it should be safe enough.ö Keitaro took a couple steps up the ladder then looked at his aunt. ôStand next to the ladder and hold onto my legs. I donÆt want to take a header off this thing.ö
Nodding, Haruka waited until Keitaro was on the third step from the top before taking hold of his legs. At that level, Keitaro was just below the plywood, where his short hair was brushing against it. Raising one hand to the board, he pushed slightly and was surprised to feel the board move.
ôThe edges arenÆt clean cut; it looks like something smashed its way through here. The board looks like it isnÆt nailed down, IÆm going to push it up and see whatÆs up there. IÆm going to have to take another step up, so hang on tight to me.ö Keitaro requested.
Hearing Haruka give her OK, Keitaro stepped up to the second from the top step. The board was light enough that his head was able to push it up, so Keitaro jammed his hand in the widening crack on one side of the board and pulled himself up. As he did so, he heard a soft thump, as though something on top of the board had fallen over.
Straightening up, Keitaro was surprised to see that he was looking into another room. ôàIt looks like a tenant room. Who the hell makes a hole through the floor in theiràö Keitaro turned his head to look around and saw someone was standing a short distance away, ôàroom?ö
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Naru Narusegawa was fuming. It was five minutes until the new landlord was going to do his blasted room inspection, and she had spilled cola all over her blouse and skirt as she had been moving some books off to the side.
After frantically mopping up the mess with some tissues, she looked down at her clothes and was annoyed to see that there was large dark spots on her light colored clothes. Angry that she had to change clothes again not ten minutes after doing so when she first got home, Naru quickly pulled off her clothes and shoved them in the hamper. Wearing only a bra and panties, she walked over to her dresser when she heard a soft thump.
Turning her head, she saw that her stuffed Lido-kun plushie had fallen over. Surprised, but not really concerned, she started walking over to set it up right when the board that Lido-kun was sitting on shook, then started to move upwards.
Freezing in place, Naru watched as fingers, then a hand appeared under the board and grabbed onto the edge of the hole beneath. The board shook again and then was pushed upwards.
Wide-eyed, Naru saw that what had pushed the board up was a head. A head with dark hair and glasses. A head that slowly turned and faced her. A head with the face of Keitaro Urashima.
ôàIt looks like a tenant room. Who the hell makes a hole through the floor in theiràö Urashima finally turned enough to see Naru. ôàroom?ö
Naru barely heard this, as rage was boiling through her veins. Not only was their new manager a man and therefore a pervert, he was now looking through a hole in her floor to peep on her in her underwear!
UrashimaÆs eyes widened considerably, and his face went pale, in direct contrast to Naru, whoÆs eyes had narrowed to slits, and her face was almost brick red. Taking one step forward, she growled in a bestial voice, ôà you bastardàö
ôWait Naruà!!!ö Anything else Keitaro would have said was cut off as she began to sprint toward the hole in the floor.
ôDIE, PERVERT!!!ö Seeing that Naru was almost upon him, Keitaro tried to duck out of the line of incoming fire. But due to his precarious position and the fact that Haruka was holding his legs in place, all he could was crouch down, and that was not enough.
Seeing that Urashima was lowering himself in the hole, Naru instinctive realized that the kick she was going to do would not hit itÆs intended target. Instead, she stopped and stomped down on the board full force.
KeitaroÆs knees were bent; that was one of his two saving graces. When the powerful stomp connected with the board still touching the top of his head, there was some give in his legs, so only a fraction of the force concentrated on his head. However, his knees immediately collapsed and he fell sideway, being torn free from an horrified Haruka.
The second saving grace was that Keitaro landed on top on the low table next to the ladder. The legs of the table instantly blew outwards, reducing the force of the tabletop slamming into the floor and of Keitaro slamming down completely on it. He hit with the back of his shoulder and side, rolling over onto his back before coming to a stop.
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Haruka looked on in shock as Keitaro lay there not moving. His eyes were wide and unblinking for what seemed like an eternity before he sucked in a large breath, exhaled, then sucked in another, appearing stunned. His eyes were blinking again, but while the lights were on, there was no one home at that moment.
HarukaÆs head jerked upward as she heard a snarl above her. Looking up, she saw Narusegawa coming down through the hole in the ceiling. Dropping down to the floor, the underwear clad girl stalked toward the semi-conscious Keitaro, her fists clenched and her eyes promising death.
ôNaru! NARU! STOP!!!ö Haruka could see that the enraged girl was not listening to her. She grabbed at her arm to stop her, but she pulled free with almost no effort.
With Naru only a step from Keitaro, she was thrown backwards toward the door as Haruka crash-tackled her. Snarling at the older woman, Naru threw her to the side and got to her feet again.
Haruka was almost in a panic. Naru was going to try and tear Keitaro apart while he could not defend himself. Her first two attempts to stop her barely slowed her down. Her options were running out fast.
Scrambling to her feet, she ran at the furious teen, her left forearm up and aimed at NaruÆs throat. Her right hand dug into her back pocket, the object she pulled out of it instantly starting to click and blurà
-----
Naru was going to tear apart that pervert if it was the last thing she did.
Nothing was going to stop herà
Not the other tenantsà
Not the pervertÆs auntà
Nothingà
clickclickclickSLAM!
Naru was next aware that someone had her up against a wall with their arm across her throat, almost cutting off her air. But she still could breath, she could yank them away andà
Suddenly something bright gleamed in front of NaruÆs face, barely two inches away. She focused on it.
A knife. Held by Haruka. Aimed right at her eye.
ôNARU! NARU! GODDAMNIT, NARU, STOP MOVING, OR BY GOD IÆLL DROP YOU!!!ö
Naru stopped struggling, and instead concentrated on breathing. Seeing this, Haruka released some of the pressure across her throat. After what felt like an eternity, but was really only ten seconds, Haruka spoke again.
ôNaru, I am not going to let you hurt Keitaro. It was an accident he saw you like this, I was here, he was not going to peep on you. Do NOT do anything stupid, and I wonÆt hurt you. If you promise not to attack again, IÆll let you go. Promise? Nod for yes.ö Naru, now wide-eyed, nodded slowly. ôIf you attack him again, IÆm not going to try to stop you, I will stop you cold.ö Haruka wiggled the knife blade, and NaruÆs eye followed it. ôUnderstand? Nod for yes.ö Naru nodded again.
Haruka noticed that she and Naru were up against the wall by the room door. ôI want you to slide down the wall and sit on the floor. IÆm not going to do anything to you, I just want to check on Keitaro. OK?ö The rage in NaruÆs eyes was gone, replaced with shock and fear. Moving slowly, she slid down the wall and sat.
Taking a couple of steps away from the now hyperventilating girl, Haruka kept her in the corner of her eye and looked toward Keitaro. He was now looking right at her, eyes wide still, but breathing less heavily. She realized that her nephew had seen everything that had just happened.
Looking downwards, Haruka looked at the balisong knife she had open in her right hand. A memento of her æmisspent youthÆ, only some of which had been with Seta, it was now used to open boxes in the shop. Granted, she had used it before to scare off the occasional mugger, but tonight was the closest she had ever come to use it for real.
With a slight shudder at the thought, Haruka took a look back at Naru and saw that she was still on the floor hyperventilating. Threat over for now, she twirled the knife, making the distinctive clickclickclick sound as the blade folded back into the two piece handle. Shoving the knife back into her jeans pocket, she moved over to where Keitaro was trying to sit up on the wreckage of the table.
ôHaruàö Anything Keitaro would have said was cut off by the sound of a thump. The two Urashima looked over at Naru, who apparently had fainted due to her hyperventilating. They both could see she was breathing normally now, so Haruka decided to leave her be.
ôHaruàö Kneeling down beside him, Haruka pressed her head against his, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
ôWould you?ö The question caused Haruka to look up into KeitaroÆs face. She did not have to hear the full question, she knew what he meant.
ôàI didnÆt want to.ö Haruka responded, her voice low.
ôButà?ö Keitaro asked another question, a full sentence crammed into one word.
ôYouÆre family.ö Those two words spoken flatly by Haruka said more than any speech would have. Those two words were enough.
Suddenly there was a pounding at the door. ôNaru! Naru, are you in there? Answer me!ö The voice sounded like MotokoÆs.
Naru groaned on the floor, slowly coming back to consciousness. Haruka replied for her, in a loud voice intended to carry though the closed door. ôItÆs me, Haruka. NaruÆs here, too. ThereÆs been an accident, hang on a minute.ö
Seeing that Keitaro was sitting up on his own now, Haruka walked back to Naru, dropping to one knee next to the waking girl, but still staying a bit back from her.
ôHow are you feeling, Naru?ö Haruka asked in a neutral voice.
Naru moaned. ôWhat happened? I have a blinding headacheàö She looked around for a moment. ôWhat am I doing in GrannyÆs room?ö
Haruka blinked. The girl had to be kidding. ôWhat do you last remember?ö
Naru pressed her hands to her temples, rubbing them. ôI was getting ready for the room inspection, and I spilled some cola, and I got so madà Then I saw red and the headache came, and the next thing I remember is waking up were with you in GrannyÆs room.ö
Haruka was staring into NaruÆs eyes now. Instead of fury or fear there was just confusion.
æThere must really be a godàÆ Haruka thought to herself. The adrenaline rush of NaruÆs rage, the shock of being threatened, plus being almost choked out, and hyperventilating as well, seemed to have caused a temporary short term memory lossà at least she hoped that it was just limited to the one memory.
Speaking up calmly, she said, ôNaru, there was an accident with the hole in your floor. KeitaroÆs hurting too, just sit there for a while, OK?ö Naru nodded, and dropped her head down on her raised up knees.
Turning to Keitaro, Haruka turned and saw that he had heard everything as well. Seeing him shrug his shoulders and nod, she nodded in return.
Another knock on the door came before Motoko spoke again. ôHaruka, is everything fine now? Can you open the door?ö
Seeing Keitaro give his nod again, and with everything else as under control as it could be, Haruka walked over to the door and opened it. On the other side were the other tenants of the Sou, with Motoko in front and suspicion writ large cross her face. ôWhat happened, Haruka? We heard Naru yelling, some crashing, and now everyone his here in the managerÆs room.ö
æOh Lord God, let this workàÆ Haruka prayed. ôI was with Keitaro inspecting that hole over there.ö She gestured to the ceiling, and Motoko and the others saw the large hole. ôWe didnÆt know NaruÆs room was on the other side, and when she saw Keitaro she blew her top.ö
ôThen what happened?ö This question came from Kitsune, who was switching from amused to concerned and back again.
ôKeitaro fell back onto the table over there, Naru came down here spitting mad, but she calmed down after I explained what happened. Then the adrenaline rush got to her and she fainted. She just woke up.ö The best lies were the ones mixed with the truth, after all. There was no way she wanted everyone else that she had to threaten Naru with an amateur lobotomy to get her to stop.
By this time Naru had managed to stagger to her feet, even though she was swaying. ôOh god, I have a monster headache, I just want to go to bed.ö
Haruka looked over at Keitaro and asked, ôHow about we postpone the inspections until tomorrow, Kei-kun? Neither of you are in shape for it.ö Keitaro nodded his head, wincing at the motion.
ôOK guys, time to go back to your rooms. Motoko, could you and Kitsune take Naru to her room, please? IÆve got to check on Keitaro here.ö Haruka watched as the older girls helped the underwear clad girl out of the room, then turned back to Keitaro, who had slowly moved over to the futon, which was clear of debris.
Haruka moved over and plopped down next to Keitaro. Sitting still for a moment, she was not at all surprised that he put his arm around her. She returned the favor immediate, and leaned her head against his shoulder.
After ten minutes of silence, Haruka broke it by muttering two words. ôMy God.ö
Keitaro nodded slightly and replied just as concisely. ôYeah.ö After a moment of thought, he added one more word. ôThanks,ö and softly kissed Haruka on the temple. She squeezed his shoulder in reply, and that was enough.
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