Here it is! My version of "What if Tsuruko's husband isn't dead, but instead, was a troubled marriage that caused Tsuruko to go into the arms of Keitaro?" While it was my idea first, our very own Hawker took up the idea before me while I was still trying to acquire the mangas (I gave him permission since I was still a ways off from making mine. And with it, he made/making the currently great story, "Ships in the Night"). His probably still superior than mine, but still, why should he be the only one with that idea of not convienantly killing off her husband? 
Since this is a draft, expect grammar errors galore. Oh, and if characterization feels off or the dialogue sounds iffy, tell me! It is after all, in the draft phase. Changes are, and should be expected.
Streets of Tokyo outside Hospital
Keitaro sighed as he contemplated his situation. After years of trying to get into Tokyo University, the most unlike event had happened. Due to a leg injury during the Tokyo University Welcoming Ceremony, something that was nearly unheard of for the man who can somehow survive a punch into Low Earth Orbit, he couldnÆt attend any classes for three months. WhatÆs worse, he had finally caught up to Naru in the hopes of clearing a few things up with her. Like, the unresolved issue of his confession that he made to her in the hospital. Instead, he simply watched her off as she left on a trip to Kyoto, leaving that issue wide open and the gulf between him and Naru seemed to widen at that point. æItÆs like what Mutsumi said. My luck has really ran out, and my happiness along with it.Æ Keitaro, with the aid of his crutches, hobbled across the street after the light changed with Tama-chan flying closely behind him.
Tears were streaming down KeitaroÆs face. ôAh, I think she used her charm and refused me.ö He thought out loud as he tried to contemplate exactly where everything went wrong in his life. He thought all the bad luck would have ended once he got into Tokyo University. Instead, everything seemed to have gotten worse once he finally got in. Especially when it concerned Naru. Seeing that Tama-chan was the only companion he could talk to about this issue, he decided to ask Tama-chan about it as he walked, crutch assisted, down the street crossing. ôTama-chan, will I still have a chanceàö
ôMyuh!ö The little hot spring turtle sounded.
Slightly concerned, Keitaro eyed Tama-chan. ôTama-chan? WhatÆs up?ö
As he looked up however, he saw a woman dressed in a traditional kimono and wearing a traditional conical straw hat. In fact, the woman looked vaguely familiar.
ôHuh? IsnÆt that Motoko?ö Keitaro said out loud as the woman walked by. At the moment, that was the only woman he knew that wore traditional clothing like this. As he looked at the woman more closely, she seemed to be a bit older than Motoko. Still, he couldnÆt get the thought that she was similar to her in some way. Either way, there was one thing he had to admit. ôButàsheÆs so beautiful!ö
Tama-chanÆs eyes widened considerably as she saw something approaching. ôMyuh, Myuh, Myuh, Myuh, MYUH!!!!!ö The panic-stricken turtle sounded. He frantically pointed at the direction of the oncoming danger.
Keitaro, hearing Tama-chanÆs frantic æMyuhsÆ, had to see exactly what she got her so worked up. ôWhat is it now Tama-chan?ö Seeing Tama-chanÆs flipper, Keitaro peered up at the direction she was pointing to. ôHuh?ö KeitaroÆs eyes nearly bulged out as he saw what was coming.
An oncoming delivery truck, occupied by a driver, whose eyes drearily moved from side to side, his head was drifting from one side to the other as well, which was seemingly following the movements of the truck he was driving. A truck that was heading straight for him!
ôOh no! A drunk driver!ö Keitaro screamed in panic at the swerving truck in front of him. He was paralyzed in fear as the erratic drunk driver in front of him. Even if he was able to dive out of the way, something he could not easily do due to his bad leg, the drunk driver could swerve right into his path in the last second. His life was flashing before his eyes at that moment. Which he would later admit, was pretty pathetic life for the most part. Granted, it was an exciting pathetic life with sword battles, plenty of naked women, being stranded in the middle of the ocean, and even a miraculous ending with him finally getting into Todai. But still, pathetic considering he didnÆt get the girl in the end, a girl that still beats him up but still, the girl that he... ôIÆm dead! I canÆt get away from this!ö
Unbeknownst to Keitaro, in nearly an instant, the same woman dressed from earlier stood behind him. He was too preoccupied with his pending doom that he didnÆt hear the cling of a sword being removed from its sheath.
He also missed the swish accompanied by the massive delivery truck splitting in two as the sections traveled in opposite directions. He was only aware of the wind that that truck pieces made as it traveled by him. ôWaaaaaaaaaaa!!!ö After recovering from the massive shock he was in, realization finally dawned on him about that attack. ôIsnÆt this the Zan-Ma-Ken attack?ö The only reason why he would know this attack was due to the fact that a certain swordswoman always used itàagainst him. A massive sweat drop appeared on his face as he watched the stupefied driver stagger out of what was left of his truck. ôGood thing that driver isnÆt harmed.ö He said as his thoughts returned to the attack. æThat woman must have done it! Than that means that sheÆs definitelyàÆ
A yellow-feathered bird swooped in front of his face, seemingly coming out of nowhere.
ôWah!ö Keitaro nearly tripped backwards at the second surprise to hit him in just that last few minutes.
ôMister.ö Said woman spoke to him in a calm voice. This despite the awesome display of force that she had just given to the city just a few short seconds before. The bird from earlier lightly landed on her shoulder. She dropped her head and held her hat and she continued. ôI want to ask youàö
Keitaro turned to the woman who just saved his life. With the last of the shock dissipating from the initial incident, he nearly gasped at the vision of grace and beauty that he saw in front him. A graceful beauty that just so happened to be addressing him.
Seeing that she had received the strangerÆs attention, she continued what she wanted to say. ôDo you know Hinata SouàtheàinnÆs location? Can you tell me where it is?ö The woman smiled brightly at Keitaro as she spoke.
ôWhaàö Keitaro blinked in amazement. ôThe HinataàHinata Sou?ö æDid she come all the way to stay at the Hinata Sou?Æ As KeitaroÆs mind tried to process what was happening, a few things clicked in his mind. æThe fight style, the traditional clothing, she must be related to Motoko somehow.Æ As Keitaro was saying this, he noticed something amiss about the womanÆs smile though. It seemed, forced somehow. As if she was deeply troubled by something. Her eyes, when she had them open, also troubled him. They seem to be, sad in a way? æMaybe this is related to Motoko. I hope nothing bad happens to her.Æ
ôMister?ö The woman asked again as it seemed the man was occupied with something.
ôHuh?ö Keitaro said as he was snapped out of his thoughts. ôOh, oh yeah! I know where Hinata Sou is! Hehehe!ö Keitaro cautiously scratched the back of his head with one hand, still rattled by the recent near death experience.
ôI see.ö The woman nodded as she examined the man in front of her with curiosity. ôDo you mind telling me where it is?ö
ôUm, actually IÆm going there myself!ö Keitaro shakily smiled back at the older woman.
ôOh?ö The woman cocked her head and looked at Keitaro curiously. ôFrom what I can gather, the Hinata Sou had been turned into an all female dormitory. Why would you be going to it?ö A slight mischievous grin appeared on her face. ôYou have a girlfriend there?ö
ôYes! I meanàno! I meanàö Keitaro shakily bowed his head. ôIÆmàthe manager of the place.ö
ôManager?ö The woman again, looked at him oddly. ôBut like I said, itÆs now an all female dormitory. Why would it have a male manager?ö
ôItÆs a long story.ö Keitaro said as he leaned on his crutches. ôA very long story.ö He sighed nearly melancholically as he thought back to the time when he had first came to the Hinata Sou.
ôI see.ö The woman gave a little smirk as the bird on her shoulder flapped its wings a bit as it tried to maintain its balance. ôHo Ho Ho! I take it my sister took an issue to the idea of a male manager huh?ö
ôSister?ö Keitaro blinked again as realization dawned on him. ôOh, you mean Motoko? So youÆre MotokoÆs sister.ö
ôOh IÆm sorry. I havenÆt properly introduced myself?ö The woman smiled as she lifted her conical stray hat to meet his eyes. ôMy name is Tsuruko Aoyama. And yes, the resident you know as Motoko Aoyama is my younger sister.ö
ôI see.ö Keitaro nodded, and then proceeded to introduce himself to her. ôAnd IÆm Keitaro Urashima! Manager of the Hinata Sou!ö Keitaro said with a bit of trepidation in his voice. While it appeared that she was nothing like Motoko, since he wasnÆt in LEO at the moment, he still had to be careful of what he would say for who knows what she was capable of.
ôNow that we have introduced ourselves, shall we head to the Hinata Sou nowàManager-san? You donÆt mind if I call you that do you?ö
ôHuh oh nonono!ö Keitaro was frantically waving his arms in front of him. ôYou can call me whatever you want! Um, anywaysàthe Hinata Sou is this way.ö Keitaro said as he pointed in one direction with one his crutch. ôItÆs a few kilometers from here so I suggest taking the numberàö
Tsuruko quickly interrupted Keitaro. ôArenÆt you going there anyways? I can just follow you there.ö
ôUm, yeah.ö Kietaro nodded. ôBut um, you see, with this leg and allàö
ôDo not concern yourself about that for I am in no hurry.ö Tsuruko reassured.
ôUm, okay.ö Keitaro nodded quickly. ôI guess we should be going!ö Keitaro said as he headed towards the Hinata Sou, with Tsuruko in tow. ôOh yeah, and thanks for saving me! I really thought I was a goner back there!ö
ôThink nothing of it.ö Tsuruko cheerfully said, almost dismissing her own actions. ôYou were in need of help and I was there to provide it.ö
ôBut still, if it wasnÆt for you, IÆd be a goner! Hehehe.ö Keitaro chuckled a bit as he tried to calm down his nerves. Reason, well obviously due to the near accident that nearly caught into, and the fact that he was now walking with MotokoÆs sister, woman known to send him into crashing into walls certainly didnÆt help his stress level. And if he said anything bad about Motoko, he was certain that she would try out her new techniques on him. Seeing that Tsuruko was not going to respond to that, he decided to change the subject. ôSo Aoyama-san, what brings you to the Hinata Sou? Are you here to help Motoko train?ö
ôNot quite. But I do have some, business to attend to with her.ö Tsuruko responded very carefully.
ôI see.ö Keitaro replied. ôWell, IÆm sure she will be happy to see you!ö
ôIÆm sure of that. ItÆs been a while since I have last seen her.ö Tsuruko replied coolly.
ôYeah!ö Keitaro said with a nervous smile on his face.
After few moments of silence since Keitaro couldnÆt think of anything else to say to the older Kendo woman, Tsuruko decided to strike up the conversation this time.
ôSo Manager-san, do you have a girlfriend there?ö Tsuruko asked point blank. ôYou werenÆt quite clear about that earlier.ö
ôWHA?!ö Keitaro blinked in amazement.
ôI mean you do live in an all girls dormitory.ö Tsuruko whimsically continued as a mischievous smile appeared on her face. ôIÆm sure youÆve been attracted to at least one of them, am I right?ö
ôWell, uhàö Keitaro looked around nervously. æWhy is she asking this? IsnÆt she married?Æ Keitaro thought as he quickly shook his head in dismay. æWhat am I thinking? Of course, her sister lives there too! I mean sheÆs attracted and all but umà Maybe sheÆs just, curious. IÆll just give her a straight answer!Æ ôYes! I MEAN, um, NO! I meanàumàö Keitaro obviously failed in that respect.
Tsuruko raised an eyebrow as Keitaro continued to stutter out his answer. ôIs something the matter Manager-san?ö
ôItÆs kind of complicated!ö Keitaro finally evasively said. ôI mean, you know women. They are complicated and um, I mean of course you know since youÆre a woman and uhàö
ôWhat does that have to do with you having a girlfriend or not Manager-san?ö TsurukoÆs grin grew a bit wider. ôDoes it have to do with æwhoÆ your girlfriend is?ö
ôEh, nonono! ThatÆs not it at all!ö Keitaro stopped and frantically waved as best he could at Tsuruko while trying to hold on to his crutches. He of course, was thinking about Naru. Unfortunately, while he would like to say that she was his girlfriend, given the situation after his confession, this left his love life very much in doubt at this point. And lying to Tsuruko, MotokoÆs sister, over something like this just didnÆt seem right to him. ôItÆs just that, um, well, I justàdonÆt know if it umàö Keitaro scratched the back of his head as he racked his brain trying to figure out what the words he wanted to say. ôYou know about having a successful marriage and all right? So maybe you couldàö
ôI donÆt want to discuss that.ö Tsuruko curtly shot back.
Keitaro blinked in amazement. In nearly an instant, the playful attitude from Tsuruko completely disappeared and replaced with a cold stare. Keitaro gulped at TsurukoÆs response. ôOàokay.ö
Neither Keitaro nor Tsuruko said a word after that as they headed for the street car that would take them to the Hinata Sou. Only Tama-Chan and TsurukoÆs bird were making any sort of conversation during this time.
Hinata Sou
ôHereÆs some tea Aoyama-san.ö Shinobu placed the cup in front of Tsuruko and lightly bowed.
ôThank you little one.ö Tsuruko brightly smiled at the young girl. ôYouÆre such a sweet thing you know that! YouÆre going to make a fine wife to a well deserving husband IÆm sure of it!ö
Shinobu faced turned bright red at those words. For a split second, she imagined the ædeserving husbandÆ as Keitaro. ôThàthàthank you Aoyama-san!ö Shinobu then quickly darted out the room before anyone could notice.
ôSo, are you planning on staying for a while?ö Haruka, who was sitting across from Tsuruko, asked nonchalantly. Her cigarette was hanging from her mouth. ôWe have plenty of rooms here that you could stay in.ö
ôThanks for the offer. But I do not plan to stay for very long.ö Tsuruko replied as she took a sip from her tea.
ôHmm. So this is MotokoÆs sister.ö Kitsune said with a grin. ôWell, I guess we know what Motoko would look like a few years older. And if she stops wearing those chest binds.ö
ôIs she as fun as Motoko?ö Su asked as she bounced into the room.
ôI wouldnÆt risk it Su. I donÆt know what she would do with someone like you.ö Kitsune said winking at the younger girl. ôHowever, she seems moreàplayful than Motoko at least!ö
ôOooooooooo.ö Su awed as she did cartwheels.
Sarah had her arms extended and ran around in circles behind Su. As she caught KeitaroÆs eyes, a mischievous grin appeared on her face. ôHey dork?ö
Keitaro sighed, as he knew who ædorkÆ was. ôWhat do you want Sarah?ö
ôYou should watch where youÆre going!ö Sarah said as she purposefully crashed into one of KeitaroÆs crutches, causing him to fall face first to the ground.
ôYou little brat!ö Keitaro said as he struggled to get up and limped towards Sarah. ôIÆm going to get youà!ö At that moment, an artifact, possibly some pagan idol, crashed into KeitaroÆs forehead. Which in turn, caused him to crash face down in the ground.
ôHahahahahahahaha!ö Sarah laughed as she attempted to leave the scene of the crime.
"Little girl..." Tsuruko said, causing Sarah to stop dead in her tracks. "That wasn't a nice thing you did to manager san now was it?"
Sarah's eyes widened. "Eh? Um..."
"Answer me please." Tsuruko calmly said without looking up from her tea.
Sarah gulped. "No I guess not..."
"Then you should apologize to manager san at this instant. And you should clean up the mess that you caused." Tsuruko continued in a slightly stern voice.
Sarah was shaking a bit. While Tsuruko didn't seem all that threatening, her words still chilled her to the bone. "Okay!" She quickly got a broom and started to picking up all the shattered pieces of the idol.
After hearing the crash, Shinobu decided to return to the main room to help Sarah. ôUm I can do itàö
ôNo.ö Tsuruko said in a stern, but caring voice. ôShe must do it herself. It was her that has caused all this, and so she should be the one to clean it up.ö
Keitaro shook the last vestiges of the attack from Sarah. As he focused on what Sarah was doing, Keitaro could only blink in wonder at what he was seeing. ôUm, thanks again Aoyama-san but um, you really didnÆt have to do that you know! IÆm used to it by now!ö
ôDoes that mean you find that behavior acceptable?ö Tsuruko pointedly asked at Keitaro.
Keitaro backed down a bit at the question. ôUm, noàbutàö
ôThen there is nothing that you should be concerned about Manager-san.ö Tsuruko said in a nearly cheery voice. ôIÆm just giving her some much needed discipline!ö
Haruka stared at Tsuruko with her unemotional face. However, she was very much in deep thought over this. æHmm. And she didnÆt even look back at her and already she has Sarah doing what she wanted. I think Seta should learn a thing or two from Tsuruko.Æ
Kitsune blinked at the events that just transpired. ôI think it might be a good idea not to get on her bad side eh?ö
ôI donÆt think I should play with MotokoÆs sister.ö Su lightly added.
ôBy the way Manager-san, you donÆt happen to know when Motoko should arrive do you?ö Tsuruko said as she took another sip from her tea.
ôHmm.ö Keitaro thought as he looked at his watch. ôWell, I know her class ended a half an hour ago. Supposing that she caught the first streetcaràshe should be homeàö
At that moment, the front door of the Hinata Sou began to open.
ôNow,ö Keitaro finished when the door swung open revealing the person standing on the other side.
Tsuruko smiled as she saw MotokoÆs face. ôMotoko, long time no seeàö
-------
Questions, comments, concerns? Oh, and one last thing, PLEASE give me some suggestions on title names. There is a reason why this story is untitled, and it isn't because I'm trying to 'keep it a secret'.
:unsure:
Since this is a draft, expect grammar errors galore. Oh, and if characterization feels off or the dialogue sounds iffy, tell me! It is after all, in the draft phase. Changes are, and should be expected.
Streets of Tokyo outside Hospital
Keitaro sighed as he contemplated his situation. After years of trying to get into Tokyo University, the most unlike event had happened. Due to a leg injury during the Tokyo University Welcoming Ceremony, something that was nearly unheard of for the man who can somehow survive a punch into Low Earth Orbit, he couldnÆt attend any classes for three months. WhatÆs worse, he had finally caught up to Naru in the hopes of clearing a few things up with her. Like, the unresolved issue of his confession that he made to her in the hospital. Instead, he simply watched her off as she left on a trip to Kyoto, leaving that issue wide open and the gulf between him and Naru seemed to widen at that point. æItÆs like what Mutsumi said. My luck has really ran out, and my happiness along with it.Æ Keitaro, with the aid of his crutches, hobbled across the street after the light changed with Tama-chan flying closely behind him.
Tears were streaming down KeitaroÆs face. ôAh, I think she used her charm and refused me.ö He thought out loud as he tried to contemplate exactly where everything went wrong in his life. He thought all the bad luck would have ended once he got into Tokyo University. Instead, everything seemed to have gotten worse once he finally got in. Especially when it concerned Naru. Seeing that Tama-chan was the only companion he could talk to about this issue, he decided to ask Tama-chan about it as he walked, crutch assisted, down the street crossing. ôTama-chan, will I still have a chanceàö
ôMyuh!ö The little hot spring turtle sounded.
Slightly concerned, Keitaro eyed Tama-chan. ôTama-chan? WhatÆs up?ö
As he looked up however, he saw a woman dressed in a traditional kimono and wearing a traditional conical straw hat. In fact, the woman looked vaguely familiar.
ôHuh? IsnÆt that Motoko?ö Keitaro said out loud as the woman walked by. At the moment, that was the only woman he knew that wore traditional clothing like this. As he looked at the woman more closely, she seemed to be a bit older than Motoko. Still, he couldnÆt get the thought that she was similar to her in some way. Either way, there was one thing he had to admit. ôButàsheÆs so beautiful!ö
Tama-chanÆs eyes widened considerably as she saw something approaching. ôMyuh, Myuh, Myuh, Myuh, MYUH!!!!!ö The panic-stricken turtle sounded. He frantically pointed at the direction of the oncoming danger.
Keitaro, hearing Tama-chanÆs frantic æMyuhsÆ, had to see exactly what she got her so worked up. ôWhat is it now Tama-chan?ö Seeing Tama-chanÆs flipper, Keitaro peered up at the direction she was pointing to. ôHuh?ö KeitaroÆs eyes nearly bulged out as he saw what was coming.
An oncoming delivery truck, occupied by a driver, whose eyes drearily moved from side to side, his head was drifting from one side to the other as well, which was seemingly following the movements of the truck he was driving. A truck that was heading straight for him!
ôOh no! A drunk driver!ö Keitaro screamed in panic at the swerving truck in front of him. He was paralyzed in fear as the erratic drunk driver in front of him. Even if he was able to dive out of the way, something he could not easily do due to his bad leg, the drunk driver could swerve right into his path in the last second. His life was flashing before his eyes at that moment. Which he would later admit, was pretty pathetic life for the most part. Granted, it was an exciting pathetic life with sword battles, plenty of naked women, being stranded in the middle of the ocean, and even a miraculous ending with him finally getting into Todai. But still, pathetic considering he didnÆt get the girl in the end, a girl that still beats him up but still, the girl that he... ôIÆm dead! I canÆt get away from this!ö
Unbeknownst to Keitaro, in nearly an instant, the same woman dressed from earlier stood behind him. He was too preoccupied with his pending doom that he didnÆt hear the cling of a sword being removed from its sheath.
He also missed the swish accompanied by the massive delivery truck splitting in two as the sections traveled in opposite directions. He was only aware of the wind that that truck pieces made as it traveled by him. ôWaaaaaaaaaaa!!!ö After recovering from the massive shock he was in, realization finally dawned on him about that attack. ôIsnÆt this the Zan-Ma-Ken attack?ö The only reason why he would know this attack was due to the fact that a certain swordswoman always used itàagainst him. A massive sweat drop appeared on his face as he watched the stupefied driver stagger out of what was left of his truck. ôGood thing that driver isnÆt harmed.ö He said as his thoughts returned to the attack. æThat woman must have done it! Than that means that sheÆs definitelyàÆ
A yellow-feathered bird swooped in front of his face, seemingly coming out of nowhere.
ôWah!ö Keitaro nearly tripped backwards at the second surprise to hit him in just that last few minutes.
ôMister.ö Said woman spoke to him in a calm voice. This despite the awesome display of force that she had just given to the city just a few short seconds before. The bird from earlier lightly landed on her shoulder. She dropped her head and held her hat and she continued. ôI want to ask youàö
Keitaro turned to the woman who just saved his life. With the last of the shock dissipating from the initial incident, he nearly gasped at the vision of grace and beauty that he saw in front him. A graceful beauty that just so happened to be addressing him.
Seeing that she had received the strangerÆs attention, she continued what she wanted to say. ôDo you know Hinata SouàtheàinnÆs location? Can you tell me where it is?ö The woman smiled brightly at Keitaro as she spoke.
ôWhaàö Keitaro blinked in amazement. ôThe HinataàHinata Sou?ö æDid she come all the way to stay at the Hinata Sou?Æ As KeitaroÆs mind tried to process what was happening, a few things clicked in his mind. æThe fight style, the traditional clothing, she must be related to Motoko somehow.Æ As Keitaro was saying this, he noticed something amiss about the womanÆs smile though. It seemed, forced somehow. As if she was deeply troubled by something. Her eyes, when she had them open, also troubled him. They seem to be, sad in a way? æMaybe this is related to Motoko. I hope nothing bad happens to her.Æ
ôMister?ö The woman asked again as it seemed the man was occupied with something.
ôHuh?ö Keitaro said as he was snapped out of his thoughts. ôOh, oh yeah! I know where Hinata Sou is! Hehehe!ö Keitaro cautiously scratched the back of his head with one hand, still rattled by the recent near death experience.
ôI see.ö The woman nodded as she examined the man in front of her with curiosity. ôDo you mind telling me where it is?ö
ôUm, actually IÆm going there myself!ö Keitaro shakily smiled back at the older woman.
ôOh?ö The woman cocked her head and looked at Keitaro curiously. ôFrom what I can gather, the Hinata Sou had been turned into an all female dormitory. Why would you be going to it?ö A slight mischievous grin appeared on her face. ôYou have a girlfriend there?ö
ôYes! I meanàno! I meanàö Keitaro shakily bowed his head. ôIÆmàthe manager of the place.ö
ôManager?ö The woman again, looked at him oddly. ôBut like I said, itÆs now an all female dormitory. Why would it have a male manager?ö
ôItÆs a long story.ö Keitaro said as he leaned on his crutches. ôA very long story.ö He sighed nearly melancholically as he thought back to the time when he had first came to the Hinata Sou.
ôI see.ö The woman gave a little smirk as the bird on her shoulder flapped its wings a bit as it tried to maintain its balance. ôHo Ho Ho! I take it my sister took an issue to the idea of a male manager huh?ö
ôSister?ö Keitaro blinked again as realization dawned on him. ôOh, you mean Motoko? So youÆre MotokoÆs sister.ö
ôOh IÆm sorry. I havenÆt properly introduced myself?ö The woman smiled as she lifted her conical stray hat to meet his eyes. ôMy name is Tsuruko Aoyama. And yes, the resident you know as Motoko Aoyama is my younger sister.ö
ôI see.ö Keitaro nodded, and then proceeded to introduce himself to her. ôAnd IÆm Keitaro Urashima! Manager of the Hinata Sou!ö Keitaro said with a bit of trepidation in his voice. While it appeared that she was nothing like Motoko, since he wasnÆt in LEO at the moment, he still had to be careful of what he would say for who knows what she was capable of.
ôNow that we have introduced ourselves, shall we head to the Hinata Sou nowàManager-san? You donÆt mind if I call you that do you?ö
ôHuh oh nonono!ö Keitaro was frantically waving his arms in front of him. ôYou can call me whatever you want! Um, anywaysàthe Hinata Sou is this way.ö Keitaro said as he pointed in one direction with one his crutch. ôItÆs a few kilometers from here so I suggest taking the numberàö
Tsuruko quickly interrupted Keitaro. ôArenÆt you going there anyways? I can just follow you there.ö
ôUm, yeah.ö Kietaro nodded. ôBut um, you see, with this leg and allàö
ôDo not concern yourself about that for I am in no hurry.ö Tsuruko reassured.
ôUm, okay.ö Keitaro nodded quickly. ôI guess we should be going!ö Keitaro said as he headed towards the Hinata Sou, with Tsuruko in tow. ôOh yeah, and thanks for saving me! I really thought I was a goner back there!ö
ôThink nothing of it.ö Tsuruko cheerfully said, almost dismissing her own actions. ôYou were in need of help and I was there to provide it.ö
ôBut still, if it wasnÆt for you, IÆd be a goner! Hehehe.ö Keitaro chuckled a bit as he tried to calm down his nerves. Reason, well obviously due to the near accident that nearly caught into, and the fact that he was now walking with MotokoÆs sister, woman known to send him into crashing into walls certainly didnÆt help his stress level. And if he said anything bad about Motoko, he was certain that she would try out her new techniques on him. Seeing that Tsuruko was not going to respond to that, he decided to change the subject. ôSo Aoyama-san, what brings you to the Hinata Sou? Are you here to help Motoko train?ö
ôNot quite. But I do have some, business to attend to with her.ö Tsuruko responded very carefully.
ôI see.ö Keitaro replied. ôWell, IÆm sure she will be happy to see you!ö
ôIÆm sure of that. ItÆs been a while since I have last seen her.ö Tsuruko replied coolly.
ôYeah!ö Keitaro said with a nervous smile on his face.
After few moments of silence since Keitaro couldnÆt think of anything else to say to the older Kendo woman, Tsuruko decided to strike up the conversation this time.
ôSo Manager-san, do you have a girlfriend there?ö Tsuruko asked point blank. ôYou werenÆt quite clear about that earlier.ö
ôWHA?!ö Keitaro blinked in amazement.
ôI mean you do live in an all girls dormitory.ö Tsuruko whimsically continued as a mischievous smile appeared on her face. ôIÆm sure youÆve been attracted to at least one of them, am I right?ö
ôWell, uhàö Keitaro looked around nervously. æWhy is she asking this? IsnÆt she married?Æ Keitaro thought as he quickly shook his head in dismay. æWhat am I thinking? Of course, her sister lives there too! I mean sheÆs attracted and all but umà Maybe sheÆs just, curious. IÆll just give her a straight answer!Æ ôYes! I MEAN, um, NO! I meanàumàö Keitaro obviously failed in that respect.
Tsuruko raised an eyebrow as Keitaro continued to stutter out his answer. ôIs something the matter Manager-san?ö
ôItÆs kind of complicated!ö Keitaro finally evasively said. ôI mean, you know women. They are complicated and um, I mean of course you know since youÆre a woman and uhàö
ôWhat does that have to do with you having a girlfriend or not Manager-san?ö TsurukoÆs grin grew a bit wider. ôDoes it have to do with æwhoÆ your girlfriend is?ö
ôEh, nonono! ThatÆs not it at all!ö Keitaro stopped and frantically waved as best he could at Tsuruko while trying to hold on to his crutches. He of course, was thinking about Naru. Unfortunately, while he would like to say that she was his girlfriend, given the situation after his confession, this left his love life very much in doubt at this point. And lying to Tsuruko, MotokoÆs sister, over something like this just didnÆt seem right to him. ôItÆs just that, um, well, I justàdonÆt know if it umàö Keitaro scratched the back of his head as he racked his brain trying to figure out what the words he wanted to say. ôYou know about having a successful marriage and all right? So maybe you couldàö
ôI donÆt want to discuss that.ö Tsuruko curtly shot back.
Keitaro blinked in amazement. In nearly an instant, the playful attitude from Tsuruko completely disappeared and replaced with a cold stare. Keitaro gulped at TsurukoÆs response. ôOàokay.ö
Neither Keitaro nor Tsuruko said a word after that as they headed for the street car that would take them to the Hinata Sou. Only Tama-Chan and TsurukoÆs bird were making any sort of conversation during this time.
Hinata Sou
ôHereÆs some tea Aoyama-san.ö Shinobu placed the cup in front of Tsuruko and lightly bowed.
ôThank you little one.ö Tsuruko brightly smiled at the young girl. ôYouÆre such a sweet thing you know that! YouÆre going to make a fine wife to a well deserving husband IÆm sure of it!ö
Shinobu faced turned bright red at those words. For a split second, she imagined the ædeserving husbandÆ as Keitaro. ôThàthàthank you Aoyama-san!ö Shinobu then quickly darted out the room before anyone could notice.
ôSo, are you planning on staying for a while?ö Haruka, who was sitting across from Tsuruko, asked nonchalantly. Her cigarette was hanging from her mouth. ôWe have plenty of rooms here that you could stay in.ö
ôThanks for the offer. But I do not plan to stay for very long.ö Tsuruko replied as she took a sip from her tea.
ôHmm. So this is MotokoÆs sister.ö Kitsune said with a grin. ôWell, I guess we know what Motoko would look like a few years older. And if she stops wearing those chest binds.ö
ôIs she as fun as Motoko?ö Su asked as she bounced into the room.
ôI wouldnÆt risk it Su. I donÆt know what she would do with someone like you.ö Kitsune said winking at the younger girl. ôHowever, she seems moreàplayful than Motoko at least!ö
ôOooooooooo.ö Su awed as she did cartwheels.
Sarah had her arms extended and ran around in circles behind Su. As she caught KeitaroÆs eyes, a mischievous grin appeared on her face. ôHey dork?ö
Keitaro sighed, as he knew who ædorkÆ was. ôWhat do you want Sarah?ö
ôYou should watch where youÆre going!ö Sarah said as she purposefully crashed into one of KeitaroÆs crutches, causing him to fall face first to the ground.
ôYou little brat!ö Keitaro said as he struggled to get up and limped towards Sarah. ôIÆm going to get youà!ö At that moment, an artifact, possibly some pagan idol, crashed into KeitaroÆs forehead. Which in turn, caused him to crash face down in the ground.
ôHahahahahahahaha!ö Sarah laughed as she attempted to leave the scene of the crime.
"Little girl..." Tsuruko said, causing Sarah to stop dead in her tracks. "That wasn't a nice thing you did to manager san now was it?"
Sarah's eyes widened. "Eh? Um..."
"Answer me please." Tsuruko calmly said without looking up from her tea.
Sarah gulped. "No I guess not..."
"Then you should apologize to manager san at this instant. And you should clean up the mess that you caused." Tsuruko continued in a slightly stern voice.
Sarah was shaking a bit. While Tsuruko didn't seem all that threatening, her words still chilled her to the bone. "Okay!" She quickly got a broom and started to picking up all the shattered pieces of the idol.
After hearing the crash, Shinobu decided to return to the main room to help Sarah. ôUm I can do itàö
ôNo.ö Tsuruko said in a stern, but caring voice. ôShe must do it herself. It was her that has caused all this, and so she should be the one to clean it up.ö
Keitaro shook the last vestiges of the attack from Sarah. As he focused on what Sarah was doing, Keitaro could only blink in wonder at what he was seeing. ôUm, thanks again Aoyama-san but um, you really didnÆt have to do that you know! IÆm used to it by now!ö
ôDoes that mean you find that behavior acceptable?ö Tsuruko pointedly asked at Keitaro.
Keitaro backed down a bit at the question. ôUm, noàbutàö
ôThen there is nothing that you should be concerned about Manager-san.ö Tsuruko said in a nearly cheery voice. ôIÆm just giving her some much needed discipline!ö
Haruka stared at Tsuruko with her unemotional face. However, she was very much in deep thought over this. æHmm. And she didnÆt even look back at her and already she has Sarah doing what she wanted. I think Seta should learn a thing or two from Tsuruko.Æ
Kitsune blinked at the events that just transpired. ôI think it might be a good idea not to get on her bad side eh?ö
ôI donÆt think I should play with MotokoÆs sister.ö Su lightly added.
ôBy the way Manager-san, you donÆt happen to know when Motoko should arrive do you?ö Tsuruko said as she took another sip from her tea.
ôHmm.ö Keitaro thought as he looked at his watch. ôWell, I know her class ended a half an hour ago. Supposing that she caught the first streetcaràshe should be homeàö
At that moment, the front door of the Hinata Sou began to open.
ôNow,ö Keitaro finished when the door swung open revealing the person standing on the other side.
Tsuruko smiled as she saw MotokoÆs face. ôMotoko, long time no seeàö
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Questions, comments, concerns? Oh, and one last thing, PLEASE give me some suggestions on title names. There is a reason why this story is untitled, and it isn't because I'm trying to 'keep it a secret'.
:unsure:
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