A slight change in plan - what if the roles for Keitaro and Shinobu were swapped?
As in Keitaro is a young person struggling to deal with the breakdown of his parent's marriage and Shinobu has made a promise that she'd make it on her own without the crutch that is her parent's financial support and/or influence.
Here's a small fragment of this idea:
@@@@@
Keitaro Urashima sighed. He was beginning to have second thoughts about the decision heÆd made. After all, it wasnÆt every day that 12 year-olds left home because their parents were going through incredibly messy divorces.
ôBut will Aunt Haruka help me? ItÆs not like sheÆs exactly been supportive to any of us in the Urashima familyàö the bespectacled youth mused sadly.
ôErr, excuse me, could you please step aside?ö
Keitaro turned to see an attractive young woman with long blue-black hair laden down with several heavy looking bags of groceries. ôOh, sorry about that.ö
ôThatÆs ok,ö the woman smiled. She started to walk past him. ôAre you looking for anything in particular?ö
ôYeah, sorry, IÆm looking for the Hinata Teashop. My aunt runs it.ö
ôYouÆre related to Haruka-san?ö
The young Urashima nodded. ôI need to speak with her, itÆs kinda important.ö
ôI see, well, if youÆre willing to help me, then IÆll lead you there. All you have to do is carry some of these bags for me.ö
ôOk,ö Keitaro nodded. ôIÆm Keitaro Urashima, whatÆs your name?ö
ôIÆm Shinobu Maehara,ö Shinobu smiled. ôItÆs a pleasure to meet you.ö
The pair walked slowly and silently up the hill towards the teashop that Haruka Urashima ran. Shinobu didnÆt try to press for information û knew from her own experiences that people often needed to be left alone. She remembered the trouble she had opening up to people when she first arrived in Hinata.
ôHere we are, Keitaro-kun,ö she said with a smile before taking her bags off her new acquaintance. ôHaruka-san! YouÆve got a guest.ö
ôWhat? Oh, hi Shinobu, whoÆs your friendà Keitaro, is that you?ö the smoking woman asked.
ôHi, Aunt Haruka,ö Keitaro waved nervously.
ôAnd what brings you here?ö Haruka asked folding her arms across her chest. ôDo your parents know where you are?ö
ôàö the bespectacled youth looked at the floor.
ôFor crying out loud, I was only joking Keitaro! Now come here and give me a hug,ö the elder Urashima ordered.
Keitaro did as he was told. ôSorry, Aunt Haruka. ItÆs just that things arenÆt going too well at home.ö
ôIÆd heard,ö Haruka deadpanned. ôNow let me have a proper look at youà Well, I donÆt think youÆre going have trouble finding a nice girl in a couple of years.ö
The young man blushed under his auntÆs scrutiny.
ôBut there is one problem that we need to get sorted as soon as possible.ö
ôWhatÆs that?ö Keitaro asked, concern written all over his face.
HarukaÆs face softened into a smile. ôYou should call me æHaruka-sanÆ rather than æAunt HarukaÆ. Got that?ö
ôSorry, Haruka-san. IÆll try to remember from now on.ö
The smoker led her nephew to an empty seat. ôSo then, what brings you here?ö
ôMum and Dad have stopped talking to each other. They had a big row last night, IÆm not sure what it was about, but Mum was a bit drunk,ö Keitaro explained. ôAnd at breakfast this morning, Dad didnÆt seem to acknowledge me. ItÆs just not home anymore, so I decided to leave.ö
ôAnd where are you staying?ö
ôàI was kind of hoping that youÆd help me out by letting me stay at your place.ö
ôI donÆt have the room here, Keitaro,ö Haruka sighed. She winced when she saw the depressed expression on the boyÆs face. ôBut that doesnÆt mean that I canÆt help you. I know a place that has plenty of room, and IÆm even on good terms of the manager.ö
ôIÆd really appreciate that Au- Haruka-san,ö Keitaro said, his face lighting up. ôWhereÆs this place?ö
ôItÆs up the hill. DonÆt you remember visiting here when you were a kid?ö
ôErr I think I remember something. WasnÆt there a girl with blonde-ish hair?ö the youth asked scratching his own, dark brown mess of hair.
@@@@@
Thoughts?