Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Moment of Change ❯ Moment of Change ( Chapter 1 )

Moment of Change

Twelve Years Later

Aoyoma Motoko looked up from where she was setting the table and gazed out of the window to the training ground, unable to restrain a small, glad sigh at what she saw. Her husband of twelve years was giving their eldest daughter her daily lesson in the Shinmei Ryu. Young Kyoko was a promising student and a source of pride to both her parents. As were all their children, Motoko thought happily. She shook her head with mild disbelief as she returned to her task. If she had been told when she was younger that her life would turn out like this she would have called that person a liar. Indeed, she may well have attacked them for mocking her. When her sister had first married she'd felt as though the foundations of her life had been torn out from under her. Unable to understand her sister's actions she'd sublimated her confusion into blind anger. Until she'd met him. Remembering their first meeting never failed to make Motoko smile and this time was no exception. They hadn't gotten off to the best start, but he'd persevered and eventually she'd been won over. Motoko went back into the kitchen to bring out their lunch as Kyoko and her father finished the lesson. After setting down the food she made it to the door just in time to greet them as they came in. Her husband favoured her with the same unselfconscious smile that she had been so attracted to all those years ago - and still was, for that matter.

"Lunch is ready, husband, daughter."

"Hello to you too, Motoko-chan" her husband replied, the faint friendly amusement he always felt at her traditional formality creeping into his tone.

"Where's Ki-chan?" Kyoko asked petulantly, craning her head around in an effort to locate her younger sister.

"Kikuko and Senko went to town with your aunt Tsuroko," Motoko told her daughter.

"Awwww," Kyoko cried.

The two parents shared a knowing grin over their daughter's head. Ten-year-old Kyoko's favourite activity was giving orders to her six-year-old twin sisters. She was full of advice for her younger sisters on everything from their kendo forms to how to be good wives when they played house. The frequency with which Kikuko and Senko listened to their elder sister was inversely proportional to how much advice she gave them, which led to considerable frustration on her part and considerable amusement on everyone else's. Even Tsuroko had commented that she would be a great training master one day, provided she could get her students to listen to her.

"Come on Kyo-chan, let's get you cleaned up before we have lunch, okay?"

Kyoko nodded agreement to her father's question and followed him toward the washroom while Motoko waited for them. Listening to father and daughter cleaning themselves up while teasing each other about their dishevelled condition post-training she was reminded just how much she loved the life she had now. Keitaro, she mused, was the best husband a woman could have. She had regrets, of course, but it was too late to do anything about them. She had only fought for what she wanted, as was her right.

Motoko had been telling herself this for so long she had almost come to believe it.

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Konno Mitsune, Kitsune to everyone who knew her, sighed as she looked in on her oldest friend. Narusegawa Naru was bent over her computer, presumably, thought Kitsune, poring over this year's tax return, despite the fact that she had completed it a week ago.

"It's late, Naru. Why don't you go home?"

"You're still here," Naru retorted, "and you won't be leaving until half past five in the morning!"

Kitsune snorted.

"That's different and you know it. Unlike you, I work nights and sleep through the day, which suits me fine, but you work days which means you shouldn't still be here! Go home already, Naru."

Naru smiled at her friend's exasperated tone. She could hardly recognize her sake-swilling job-hopping friend of old in the mature, hard working woman who was currently nagging her to go home. Between them they ran their small, successful nightclub quite effectively, Naru's business degree complementing Kitsune's flair for the practical side of the business. Even now it amused Naru a little that the reformed alcoholic ran their bar so well.

"Hello, anybody in there?" said Kitsune in a sing-song voice as she waved her hand in front of Naru's face. Naru batted the hand away as she broke out of her reverie.

"Lay off, Kitsune, I'll be leaving soon, I just have to-"

"The only thing you have to do is leave," Kitsune interrupted her, annoyance creeping into her voice. "You work too hard as it is. A job is no substitute for a social life."

Naru knew Kitsune worried about the restricted scope of her personal life, but really, what could she do? There had been men in her life, certainly, but relationships of a romantic nature just hadn't interested her after . . . Naru gave herself a vehement mental shake. It was no use dwelling on the past.

"What about you, Kitsune," she said to her friend, having learnt long ago that in such discussions attack was the best defence.

"You work the bar all night, stagger home at sunrise and then sleep through the day. When do you do your socialising?"

"I socialise and work at the same time, Naru-chan," Kitsune shot back with a grin, "it's called effective time-management."

"Funny, Kitsune, real funny. Now are you going to get off my back?"

"Are you going to go home?"

Naru sighed at her friend's stubbornness.

"Fine, fine, I'm going, just let me - hey!"

Naru's exclamation was caused by Kitsune reaching over and turning off the computer. Kitsune just grinned at her.

"Now you have to leave."

"Hey! What if I lost something because you-"

"You didn't lose anything. I know how paranoid you are about saving and backing up. Now quit arguing and go home and get some sleep."

"Yes ma'am," Naru sighed, surrendering to Kitsune's particular brand of mothering.

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Walking out to her car Naru wondered about Kitsune's ongoing interest in her personal life. It sometimes seemed to Naru that Kitsune preferred to meddle in other people's relationships over having her own. True enough, settling down simply was not in Kitsune's nature, but Naru sometimes worried about what would happen to her friend in later life. The one time she had tentatively raised the subject, Kitsune had calmly told her that she would always have her friends, before making a joke about 'babysitting everyone else's kids' while giving Naru a pointed look. Naru had not raised the subject again, which had probably been Kitsune's intention to begin with. The thought had occurred to her that not too many of them even had children, or were likely to. Like so many things in the lives of her and her friends it remained an unspoken concern, suppressed out of deference to an unwritten code of conduct that saved them from having to confront the worst of life's cruelties.

It's amazing, Naru thought as she opened the car door. After all these years it still hurts, a little bit. I wonder if it always will.

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Maehara Shinobu rubbed her eyes groggily as she stumbled out of bed. Little Keiko had only recently made the change from a crib to the western style bed she now slept in and was not taking it well. Shinobu often found herself awoken in the early hours of the morning by her daughter's cries, the little one convinced that something terrible was hiding in the space between bed and floor. It had gotten to the point that she was seriously considering getting a futon for her daughter instead, but Shinobu knew she would never be able to bring herself to make her daughter sleep on the floor.

"Mama, mama!"

"I'm coming Kei-chan," she called out in response to the girl's cries as she made her way down the hallway. Entering Keiko's bedroom she crossed the floor to her daughter's bedside and knelt down so she could wrap her arms around her child.

"It's alright sweetheart, I'm here now."

"I'm scared mama. Please can I sleep with you tonight?"

Keiko looked up at her mother with the cutest expression she could manage, apparently sensing Shinobu's reluctance and doing everything she could to overcome it.

"Alright Kei-chan, just for tonight."

Shinobu heaved a mental sigh as she hoisted her daughter out of bed and into her arms. She'd never been able to refuse Keiko anything, Shinobu reflected, and she probably never would be able to. As she tucked Keiko into bed next to her Shinobu found herself wishing that she was sharing it with someone else. But childish dreams must be left in childhood, where they belong. Besides, she had a family now - even if the circumstances that led to Keiko's birth hadn't been . . . ideal.

She had friends and family, that was the important thing Shinobu told herself as she settled down for the night.

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"Heya Su!"

"Hey Kitsune."

"So what brings the high and mighty business tycoon to our not so humble establishment?"

"I'm desperately in need of a stiff drink and good music."

"Well you came to right place," said Kitsune with a grin. "The usual?"

"Please."

"One double strength banana daiquiri - with extra banana - coming up!"

Kitsune watched on with interest as Su drained the potently alcoholic concoction - which Kitsune had created just for her - in a single gulp.

"Rough day at the office?" she asked dryly.

"You could say that. I didn't think deregulating trade between Japan and Molmol would be easy but the amount of bureaucratic nonsense I have to deal with is insane."

"Well don't be too hard on yourself Su, last I heard Molmol Enterprises was making cash hand over fist," Kitsune replied as she set another drink down in front of Su.

"Yeah. Things are getting better back home. That's something."

Su stared moodily into her second drink. Recognising her friend's desire to brood in peace Kitsune moved away, thinking as she did so that Naru wasn't the only person she knew who buried herself in work.

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Eight Years Later

"I can't believe you had a one night stand! What happened? Did you just go out, get drunk and go home with a guy or what!?"

Shinobu quailed under Naru's verbal assault and her spreading blush suggested that Naru had come fairly close to the truth.

"Kami-sama I do not believe this!" Naru exclaimed, standing up and beginning to pace back and forth across the living room of the apartment she shared with Kitsune.

"I do not believe this!"

"For pity's sake Naru could you lay off! Shinobu's entitled to a personal life you know!"

"Don't you start Kitsune! I should have known you'd defend her!"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Kitsune shot back furiously. "If there's something you want to say to me then say it! Don't go casting snide little allusions! And besides, Shinobu shouldn't need defending!"

"She shouldn't . . . she's going to be an unmarried mother for crying out loud!"

"So? That doesn't give you the right to carry on like she just killed someone! It's the twenty-first century Naru! Get with the times already!"

"That doesn't excuse-"

"Enough."

That one word, spoken by Haruka with quiet intensity, was sufficient to gain everyone's attention.

"Shinobu didn't ask to talk to us all so the two of you could use her as an excuse to tear strips off each other. She needs our help and we're going to give it. If the two of you want to continue your argument you can do so in private, especially since it doesn't have anything to do with Shinobu."

Naru and Kitsune needed only a glance at Haruka's face to know she was telling the truth. The two of them winced in unison at the sight of Shinobu's fearful expression as her gaze skittered fearfully between the two of them. Silence reigned for a moment, before Shinobu spoke up.

"I really didn't want to upset anyone," she murmured, her eyes now focused on the floor, "but I just . . . I just needed to talk to you."

Which meant, they all knew, that she needed their support.

"Oh Shinobu . . ." Naru murmured.

"We didn't mean to . . ."

"I just got angry because I worry . . ."

"Me too! I mean . . ."

"Enough."

Once again Haruka silenced Naru and Kitsune, but this time there was a trace of humour in her voice as she interrupted their overlapping apologies.

"You can save you self-recriminations for later as well. That's not why we're here either."

"How did it happen?" Su asked suddenly before Haruka could continue. She'd arrived at Naru and Kitsune's apartment moments after Shinobu and had immediately settled down next to her, patting her friend's back and making soft little soothing noises. When Haruka had arrived and sat down on Shinobu's other side she'd moved from the couch to a chair in the corner of the room and watched events with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Su, I don't think that's any of our-"

"I was lonely."

Shinobu quietly cut across Haruka's voice, apparently unaware that the older woman had even been speaking.

"I was lonely and it was the same date that, that, you know . . . when he left, so I went out and . . ." Shinobu's voice trailed off.

"I see," Haruka said wearily. "Well, what are you going to do?"

Shinobu twisted suddenly to stare straight at Haruka, her expression stunned.

"I meant," Haruka continued "are you going to-"

"I know what you meant," Shinobu told her before Haruka could complete here sentence. There was a coldness in her voice that the others were unaccustomed to hearing as she went on.

"I'm keeping my baby. I can't believe you'd think I wouldn't."

"I'm sorry," Haruka replied, unable to meet Shinobu's gaze in that moment. "I wasn't thinking."

"It's alright," Shinobu replied softly.

"So . . ." Naru said after a few seconds, "what are you going to do?"

"Well," Shinobu began hesitantly, "I've checked with my boss and she said I could get maternity leave so that's okay, but I'm not sure what I'll do after the baby is born."

"I can babysit," Kitsune volunteered, surprising them all.

"You!?" Naru exclaimed incredulously.

"Sure," Kitsune replied, looking slightly hurt. "I mean, I can't do mornings but I'm up and around before one and I don't go into work until nine or ten - you know that - so I can babysit most afternoons, no problem. I'm serious," she added, seeing the uncertain expressions of some of the others.

"Are you sure, Kitsune?" Shinobu asked.

Kitsune crossed the room to kneel down in front of Shinobu.

"I'm sure," she said softly. "You're like the little sister I never had."

Haruka smiled.

"And I can look after the baby in the morning," she said with an air of finality, "so you can keep working."

"Really?" Shinobu asked hopefully. On seeing Haruka's answering nod she sprang forward to throw her arms around both Kitsune and Haruka in gratitude. Naru looked from them over to Su, expecting to see the relieved smile she knew she was wearing there mirrored on the younger woman's face. Her smile faded when she saw that Su did not look in the least bit happy. Instead her expression hovered between anger, misery and . . . jealousy? Almost as if she realised Naru's attention was on her she forced her features into a more amenable expression and went over to congratulate Shinobu.

"Hey, so can I be godmother or what?"

Naru banished her apprehension when Kitsune's lighthearted question interrupted her reverie and went to join the others. It looked like the 'crisis meeting' was going to become an impromptu baby shower she thought as her smile returned.

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"So . . . you were lonely," Su said quietly.

Shinobu turned from the passenger side window of Su's car, out of which she'd been watching the night time cityscape rush past, to face Su. She'd agreed to her friend's offer of a lift home because she'd thought they needed to talk privately, but now Shinobu wondered if it was such a good idea. Su's face was pinched into an expression of suppressed pain that Shinobu was pretty sure only she had ever seen.

Because I'm the only person who's ever caused her this kind of pain Shinobu reflected morosely.

"I'm sorry Su," Shinobu replied, fighting down a feeling of helplessness.

"Why?" Su asked, her voice unnaturally devoid of emotion.

"You know why. For . . . for hurting you."

"We've been through this before. It's not you fault that-"

"I'm still sorry."

"I know," Su sighed, exhaling heavily. To Shinobu it seemed that something left Su with that sigh, the tension sliding away from her frame and her face.

"I want you to be her godmother," Shinobu said impulsively.

Su looked over, startled.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Shinobu said with certainty, knowing as that her snap decision had been the right one, "I can't imagine a better role model for my daughter."

Su barked out a curt laugh. The sound was a little ragged, but not without humour.

"Really?" she asked dryly.

"Really," Shinobu told her firmly. "Just because I don't have . . . certain feelings . . . doesn't mean I love you or respect you any less."

Su shook her head in bemusement but Shinobu could see the smile threatening to break out and breathed a silent sigh of relief at the sight. It looked like her words had been enough.

And you wonder why I love you Su thought as she turned her attention back towards the road.

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Six Years Later

"Yahoo! I now declare this club officially open!" Kitsune exclaimed from her precarious position standing on top of a barstool, her words only slightly slurred.

"You've done that half a dozen times already, Kitsune," Naru pointed out, wondering as she did so how her friend and now business partner managed to keep her balance despite her inebriated state. Kitsune grinned down at her with drunken good humour.

"Fine! I re-declare this club officially open," she exclaimed in a 'so there!' tone of voice. Naru rolled her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. Haruka had somehow shanghaied Haitani and Shirai into a drinking contest (a decision they were beginning to regret, judging by their expressions) while her husband looked on in amusement. Seta was also engaged in conversation with Kanako's husband, a quiet American who seemed friendly enough. When Naru had written to Kanako to tell her about the bar she'd decided it was time her friends in Japan met the man she'd married. Shinobu and Su were sitting together in one of the booths, deeply engaged in their conversation and Kanako herself was downing some kind of watermelon based drink that Mutsumi had somehow persuaded her to try. The incongruity of Kanako drinking from a tall glass with an umbrella in it brought a small smile to Naru's lips. For a moment she found herself wishing she had a camera to record the sight. Even Tama was present, perched on the bar and using a straw to drink from a bottle of mineral water. It's a good thing Motoko's not - arrgggh! Think about something else, Narusegawa Naru, right now!

It was not, in fact, really an official opening at all but rather, to use Kitsune's phrase, a 'club-warming party' to which only friends had been invited. In other words, Naru told herself, another excuse for Kitsune to get smashed. Still, she couldn't help but sympathise with her friend's enthusiasm. After all, they were opening their own business! Even after months of anticipation the thought still sent shivers of excitement down her spine. It had been Kitsune's idea and to begin with Naru had completely dismissed it. Them open a bar? Not likely. The fact that Kitsune had woken her up at one in the morning after coming home legless from a night of karaoke hadn't lent her proposal any credibility. It was the kind of moment that made Naru wonder why she'd agreed to share an apartment with Kitsune when they'd moved out of the Hinata Inn. Surely living by herself would be preferable to this? Naru didn't have such thoughts very often, but when she did they came in force. In any case, Naru had been privy to Kitsune's alcohol fuelled schemes on several previous occasions and hadn't paid the slightest attention to any of them. Who on earth would buy sake flavoured toothpaste? But for once Kitsune had managed to hold onto an idea as she passed from drunk to hung over to sober and at breakfast the next morning she'd raised the idea again, this time with more than just drunken enthusiasm. Naru had continued to ignore her and assumed that that would be the last she heard of the matter. A month later Kitsune had presented her with a rough but workable business plan that covered everything from division of labour to how much they could legitimately borrow from the bank. She'd even found a property they could rent, one that was fairly close to their own apartment. Naru had been openly disbelieving at first. A glance at Kitsune's work had brought her down to sceptical and eventually, after a particularly awful day at her nine-to-five job fending off her supervisor's advances, she'd come home and told Kitsune 'let's do it.' And that had been that. Taking Haruka on as a silent partner had helped to alleviate her concerns about their finances, though where the older woman got her money from Naru still had no idea. Kitsune had leapt into action, showing a side of herself Naru hadn't realised existed as she organised meetings, cajoled bank managers and tradesmen alike and brought the whole thing to fruition with minimal input from Naru, although Naru knew that from now on she'd be handling the financial side of things. When Naru had quizzed her friend on where she'd acquired her knowledge Kitsune had replied that years of crummy jobs in the service industry had taught her everything she needed to know about management 'and the rest comes naturally' she'd finished with a smirk. Naru shook her head, remembering. It seemed years of job-hopping and practical joking had taught Kitsune more about running a business than anyone had guessed. It was hard to believe that the cunning businesswoman who'd accomplished so much so quickly was the same person now standing on the bar singing an exceedingly risqué drinking song at the top of her voice, and carrying the tune surprisingly well under the circumstances. Naru decided she didn't want to know where Kitsune had learnt it. Even more disturbing, Haruka, Seta and Su all seemed to know the words. With a grin Naru downed her own drink and decided to join them. Tonight was a night for celebrating, after all.

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Motoko looked down at the peacefully sleeping bundle cradled in her arms before her gaze shifted to the corner of their bedroom where her husband sat in a wicker chair, cradling a similar - no, Motoko corrected herself, an identical bundle - in his arms. A thought occurred to her and she remembered that there was something she had to say.

"I believe I own you an apology, my husband."

"Huh? For what, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked in confusion as he looked up from the child he'd been holding. The blissful expression on his face took Motoko's breath away, reminding her of the day they'd married, and it took a moment for Motoko to recollect her thoughts.

"I believe I said some . . . inappropriate things . . . during the birth," Motoko said softly, blushing and looking down at the sheet covering her as she spoke. The memory of the language she'd used during the last hour or so of the birth was something she found deeply embarrassing now. Her clan had access to the latest medical technology but in many ways they were still quite traditional. It was not customary, for instance, for parents to know their child's sex before the birth and in point of fact Motoko's second pregnancy had progressed so well that an ultrasound had been judged unnecessary. So it was hardly surprising that no-one had known she was pregnant with twins. Until the second little one made her presence felt, that isMotoko reminded herself. Her reaction to that revelation, after a strenuous birth preceded by twelve hours of labour, had been . . . unladylike. She'd said some things to her husband that did not bear thinking about. Keitaro stood up and crossed the room to perch on the side of the bed, little Senko still cradled in his arms. Motoko had chosen male and female names for the one child they had been expecting months before the birth, but Senko, unexpected, had not had a name waiting for her. Keitaro had suggested her name because he felt there was something magical about her unexpected arrival in their lives. 'A surprise miracle' was what he'd called her.

"It doesn't matter sweetheart," he told her now, smiling in the way he had. His smile became a little more mischievous as he continued. "After all, you weren't quite yourself at the time."

If Motoko had had the strength she would have thrown her pillow at him. She settled for a frown.

"Most amusing, husband," she replied frostily. Keitaro just laughed, knowing she was teasing him. Mostly teasing him, anyway.

"I wonder what they'll be like," Motoko said after a few moments had passed.

"If they're even half as talented and beautiful as their mother, I'll be happy," Keitaro told her. That was when Motoko leant forward to kiss him, Kikuko still held in her arms.

"Ah . . . are we interrupting something?"

Tsuroko's voice was dryly humourous as she stepped into the room, Kyoko peering out from behind her aunt's skirt and giggling at the sight of her parents kissing.

"Not really, Tsuroko-chan," Keitaro replied calmly, giving Motoko a moment to master her embarrassment.

"Can I see the babies mama? Can I? Can I? Please, please, please?"

"You shouldn't bother your mother, Kyoko-chan. She's still very tired."

Kyoko cringed at her aunt's reprimand

"It's alright sister. Come and meet your little sisters Kyoko-chan."

With a squeal of excitement Kyoko rushed past Tsuroko and clambered up onto the bed next to her mother to get a good look at one of her new siblings.

"She's all wrinkly!" Kyoko exclaimed in surprise as she peered at Kikuko's face.

"Babies usually are sweetheart," Keitaro told her with a laugh as he leaned against the wall next to Tsuroko.

"Oh." Kyoko continued to stare at the oldest, by four minutes, of her two younger sisters as the adults in the room looked on. Keitaro and Motoko wore the expressions of warm contentment that might be expected of new parents but Tsuroko's expression was a little more ambiguous.

Even now I have doubts Tsuroko thought to herself as she leaned over Keitaro's shoulder to look at Senko. He is a good man and they are happy together. I shouldn't question it. But still, there are times when I wonder . . . With a mental shrug Tsuroko quashed her doubts, as she had before and undoubtedly would again, and turned her attention to her sister and brother-in-law and their children. This was meant to be a joyous occasion, she reminded herself.

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Five Years Later

"You'll never believe what I got in the mail yesterday," Naru told Kitsune as the two sat down to breakfast in their small apartment.

"Oh yeah?" Kitsune asked, mildly curious. It wasn't like Naru to play guessing games so this would probably be interesting. Especially considering the mischievous little grin that was playing around the corners of Naru's mouth. For a moment Kitsune wondered if that was what she looked like when she was playing one of her jokes before Naru spoke again.

"A letter from Kanako."

"WHAT!" Kitsune exclaimed, spraying miso soup down the front of her blouse. Naru snickered at Kitsune's response.

"Yep! She wrote to me from America. She's married, can you believe it?"

"No," Kitsune replied instinctively, too shocked to edit her response.

"Yes," Naru contradicted, now grinning openly at her friend's disbelief. "She even sent me a photo. They look happy."

"They look . . . Kanako's MARRIED!?"

"I told you that already," said Naru, still grinning.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait - this is a setup, isn't it? You're trying to convince me that the queen of crazy wrote to tell you she's getting married and just when you've got me believing you you're going to tell everyone how you made a fool of me!"

Wordlessly, Naru passed a sheaf of papers and several polaroid photographs across the table to Kitsune.

"What are these . . . by the kami!"

"I told you she was getting married."

"Sheesh. He looks almost normal. I wonder if he knows what he's getting into?"

"Don't be mean. It sounds like Kanako's really turned her life around."

"Huh," said Kitsune, her expression of exaggerated disbelief fading. Any mention of Kanako brought out mixed feelings in all of them. Naru was the only one who really considered her a friend.

"So what's she doing now?"

For some reason Kitsune's question was enough to get Naru smiling again.

"She works in the movies now."

"What!? What does she do?"

"Costumes and makeup," Naru said with a smirk. In spite of everything Kitsune couldn't stop herself from grinning.

"That's appropriate. Hey, wait a minute, how did she know where you were?" Kitsune asked, just a trace of nervousness leaking into her voice. Kanako had always been a little strange, but in the time immediately after Keitaro's . . . disappearance . . . her behaviour had become downright erratic - and occasionally disturbing.

"Relax, Kitsune, she seems pretty stable now. Besides, she doesn't know where we're living. She sent the letter care of Hinata Inn and Haruka passed it on to me. She said it gave her a bit of a shock."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Kitsune snickered. "What with the wedding coming up and everything she probably thought it was a bad omen."

"Actually, that's more or less what she said when she gave me the letter," Naru replied, before joining in with Kitsune's laughter.

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A few days later Kitsune found herself regarding the Hinata Inn with mixed feelings as she finished climbing the stairs that led to the former boarding house. When you lived in the same place for long enough it became much more than just a place of residence. You left your mark on it - and it left its mark on you. Kitsune thought of the Hinata Inn not so much as a place but as a series of events - events that had gone a long way to shaping her life, not that she'd realised it at the time.

And now here I am again she thought. Kitsune couldn't avoid feeling just a little nostalgic as she opened the front door and stepped inside, not bothering to announce her presence. Haruka and Seta had planned a small, private ceremony with just a few guests attending the small wedding and reception being held at the Hinata Inn. Caterers had already been and gone, leaving a buffet lunch behind, and all of the girls had pitched in to smarten up the inn a little prior to the wedding. Kitsune sighed as she wandered past the buffet set up in the dining room and down the hall towards the grounds behind the inn, where the actual ceremony would take place. Hinata was empty now, devoid of the energy and bustle that had been such an integral part of it when Kitsune and the others had stayed there, and she couldn't help but feel a little melancholy because of it. She and Naru had shared an apartment since Naru graduated from Toudai, while Shinobu had moved back in with her mother and Su was old enough to live on her own. The fox-girl smiled as she stepped out onto the back porch and regarded the scene in front of her.

Mutsumi was accepting with equanimity Naru's tense, last-minute instructions regarding the decoration of the Inn's grounds while Su declared that one of her modified 'civilian' mecha-tamas could do the job and Shinobu fretted in the background. It was a reminder that the personalities and relationships which had made Hinata special still existed and were as strong as they'd ever been. The thought allowed her to shake off her wistful reflections of a moment ago.

Even though not all of the old gang are here a little voice in the back of Kitsune's mind reminded her - but she quashed the thought with practiced ease. There would be no regrets today.

"Kitsune, thank god you're here!" Naru exclaimed as she saw her friend had arrived. "The cleaning crew were supposed to pick up the decorations and set things up in the garden but they were late and half the things-"

"Hey, hey, hey, slow down a little," Kitsune admonished. "What's the problem?"

"Naru-chan's a little worried because we're running a little late setting up the decorations," Mutsumi chimed in, gesturing around herself as she spoke, "but I'm sure we'll be fine." Mutsumi had taken a week's holiday from her teaching job on her home island to attend the wedding and her easy optimism got a wry smile out of Kitsune.

"So," she asked, "what do you need me to do?"

"Well we still need to put the streamers up and chairs have to be put out . . ." Naru went on as Kitsune went to help her friends. The time passed quickly and they were just finishing up when Mutsumi's exclamation broke through her concentration.

"They're here!"

Kitsune turned around to see Haruka standing on the porch, looking out at them all.

"Huh," she said in mild surprise, surveying the decorations "it actually looks . . . nice."

Kitsune had to laugh at Naru's put-out expression. Her friend should have known that Haruka wouldn't conform to the stereotype of the gushing bride. Kitsune was willing to bet that Haruka had come out of the womb with her laconic attitude - and the dog-end that invariably hung from her mouth (but was absent today) - already in place.

"Nice!?" Naru squawked. "It looks nice!?"

"Yes," Haruka replied evenly. "It looks nice."

I wonder if Naru realises she's being teased Kitsune thought, noticing the flash of amusement in Haruka's eyes.

"But we worked for hours-" Naru halted, noticing the same thing that Kitsune already had.

"Wow!" Seta exclaimed as he stepped out onto the back porch "the old place looks great! In fact, I don't remember it ever looking this good!"

"Thank you Seta-san, I'm glad you think so," Naru replied, adopting an excessively formal tone while glancing at Haruka out of the corner of her eye. The older woman just gazed back implacably, unruffled by the byplay. Kitsune laughed again, but she had to admit that Seta was right. Somehow they'd managed to get everything set up in the space of an hour or so - Su's mecha-tama actually had been useful for setting up the small marquee. They might have been done even more quickly, Kitsune suspected, if they hadn't all been getting in each other's way. After all, everyone who would be attending was already there - including Sara, who was growing up into an attractive young woman and as such had become an even bigger terror than she had been as a child.

"Now the registrar just has to get here and we'll be set," Naru continued. "I hope she's not going to be late."

"The registrar's here," they heard Sara calling from inside, where she'd been helping Shinobu and Su with some last minute additions to the food the caterers had prepared.

"That answers that question", Kitsune observed. "Now on with the show!"

<> <> <>

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the registrar declared. "You may-" the woman broke off as Haruka wrapped her arms around Seta's neck and began to kiss him very thoroughly indeed, to a chorus of cheers and wolf-whistles from the assembled spectators.

"Well I guess I didn't have to say that part," the business suit clad woman murmured wryly.

"Congratulations!"

"Hooray!"

"Go Dad! Get some!"

"Sara!"

"Sorry Shinobu. But seriously, look at them!"

Sara had a point, Kitsune reflected. Seta and Haruka certainly weren't trying to hide their feelings and the truth was . . . they looked pretty damned good. It was no surprise to her that Seta looked good in a suit, but the brief, light blue, strapless sundress Haruka was wearing revealed that she'd kept herself in remarkably good shape. Combined with an unusually happy demeanour - by her standards at least - and Haruka looked at least a decade younger than her actual age.

I hope I look that good when I'm her age Kitsune thought enviously, before reaching down to pick up a mixed handful of rice and confetti.

A moment later the happy couple was swamped by a hail of rice and coloured paper as their guests simultaneously showered them with the tiny projectiles.

<> <> <>

Haruka looked out the carriage window at the receding platform with an odd feeling of wistfulness. Naru, Kitsune, Shinobu, Mutsumi Su were all waving, while Sara was standing on a bench waving a banner that had the words 'HAPPY HONERMOON' printed on it. Well, she told herself, life is about change. Everyone moves on girl - get used to it. Besides, this is what you wanted. And it was, too. That much Haruka had known for some time. In the past it had been the same old story - compatible people, incompatible lives - that had kept them apart. As Sara grew up, however, Seta had begun to spend more time in Japan even as Haruka had begun to think about spending more time travelling, as she had when she was younger. Between them they'd reached a compromise: Seta would spend more time at home and Haruka would go with him when he did travel. It worked.

She looked at the man sitting next to her in their private compartment and they traded knowing grins. They had plenty of living to do.

Life was good.

<> <> <>

Two Years Later

Details of his life had slowly come back to Keitaro as he struggled to assemble the disjointed fragments of his memory into something resembling a whole life. Motoko would help him, staying awake with him long into the night, curled up next to him after their lovemaking, whispering stories of how they'd met and all the things that had happened to them since. Sometimes Keitaro wasn't sure if he knew the difference between real memories and the tales Motoko told him, but the love in her eyes and the warmth in her voice as she spoke reassured him. His wife was beautiful and loving, they were very happy together and they were about to have their first child, Keitaro reflected. Why worry about little things? As he lay awake in the early hours of the morning, his wife sleeping peacefully next to him, Keitaro banished the last shreds of doubt from his mind. He rolled over and wrapped an arm around Motoko's swollen abdomen, ignoring the feeling that the woman lying next to him should have had a different name.

<> <> <>

"So tell me," Kitsune said with a grin so wide that it consumed most of her face "what's it like to be a Toudai graduate?"

Naru just grinned back, unable to express her feelings in words. Joy, relief, regret, loss . . . Judging by the expressions on Kitsune's face words weren't necessary. Naru forced a happier expression onto her face as she saw the others arriving.

"Congratulations sempai!" Shinobu exclaimed, fighting her way through the crowd to get to them, Su and Mutsumi behind her.

"Way to go Naru!"

"Ara! Well done Naru-chan!"

"Did you ever think we'd make it?" she asked Mutsumi with a bittersweet smile. Thoughts of graduation and all they'd been through to get here would always carry with them a reminder of the one who hadn't made it.

The one who hadn't kept his promise after all.

"Oh yes," Mutsumi replied blithely, breaking into Naru's brief reverie, "I knew we would. Just so long as you study hard and don't give up you can do anything!"

"And don't forget to put your name on your exam paper," Kitsune added with a grin. Mutsumi giggled.

"Oh yes," she agreed, "that too!"

<> <> <>

"So what will you do now, Mutsumi?" Naru asked her fellow graduate that evening.

After meeting up with Seta and Haruka they'd gone out for a celebratory lunch - that Seta had somehow been able to pay for - and then returned to the Inn. On arriving Naru found that Kitsune had been stockpiling alcohol for this very occasion and Shinobu had secretly been preparing delicacies for the same reason for a week. Kitsune's shouted declaration that it was 'Time To Partyyyyyy!' had been met with general approval. That had been several hours ago and Naru had joined Mutsumi on the back porch of the Inn for a brief respite from what Kitsune and Su considered entertainment. Now they were both leaning comfortably against the railing as sounds of music, dancing and the laughter of the mildly drunk drifted back to them from the main rooms.

"I'm going home, Naru-chan," Mutsumi replied softly. Naru thought she could hear a trace of wistful regret in Mutsumi's voice, but told herself she must be imagining it.

"Oh? How come?"

"A primary school is being established on the island where I live and I've been asked to teach there," Mutsumi explained. "Until now there haven't been enough children there to justify the expense, but some new families have moved there recently so we'll have a school of our own for the first time." Mutsumi sounded pleased at the prospect, as well she might, Naru thought.

"So you're going to be a teacher there? That's great Mutsumi-chan!"

"It is nice," Mutsumi agreed, "but it will be a lot of work. You see, I'm going to be the only teacher there."

"You're . . . what?" Naru looked over at Mutsumi in surprise.

"Oh yes," Mutsumi giggled, "it's going to be a very small school and just for the younger children, so they only need one teacher. Since I already live there and I have my teaching degree, I was a good choice."

That's the understatement of the year, Naru thought. Your marks were unbelievable - in the top three percent for the entire country! I heard Mitsuki-sensei wanted you to stay on and do post-graduate work but you turned him down.

"It sounds like you're looking forward to it," Naru observed.

"I am," Mutsumi agreed. "I'll be able to see my family all the time again and it will be wonderful working with the children." She paused for a moment before adding; "but I will miss it here."

Naru looked out over the night cloaked grounds of the Hinata Inn and nodded her understanding of the sentiment. She didn't try to deny the pangs of regret and loss she felt inside. It was the last time they would all be together like this, she knew, and it was an unwanted reminder of an earlier parting as well.

"So will I, Mutsumi-chan," she said sadly. "So will I."

<> <> <>

"Ooof!" Shinobu exclaimed as she helped Su to her feet. "When did you grow so much, Su-chan?" she wondered out loud.

It was a rhetorical question. Shinobu didn't know if had something to do with Su's age-shifting, which hadn't happened since . . . well, since that time, but over the last year her friend had undergone a dramatic growth spurt. Su had gained several inches in height, as well as in other areas, which had induced a certain amount of jealousy in Shinobu. Consequently, getting Su to her room from the corner she'd curled up in after one too many glasses of sake - Kitsune was a bad influence, she thought absently - was a much more difficult task than it would have been a year ago. After getting the barely conscious Su to her feet Shinobu put an arm around her shoulders and manoeuvred her toward the stairs. Getting her up them proved difficult, but Shinobu knew no-one else was available for the job. Seta and Haruka had left hours ago, Kitsune was passed out on the couch and Naru and Mutsumi had both gone to bed. Shinobu managed to get Su to the top of the stairs, but after a moment's thought decided not to try getting Su into her own room.

She can sleep in my room tonight, Shinobu decided. That will be easiest.

THUMP! Shinobu winced at the force with which Su had hit her futon, but the other girl didn't seem to have been disturbed by the impact. She'd slipped out of Shinobu's grasp when she tried to lower her friend onto her futon. With a weary sigh she lay down next to Su on the narrow wedge of her futon that Su hadn't taken and pulled to covers up over both of them.

A few minutes later Shinobu was on the brink of falling asleep when the feel of fingers on the back of her neck startled her back into wakefulness.

"Su, what . . ." she murmured groggily.

"Hiya Shinobu," Su giggled.

"Su, I'm trying to go to sleep," Shinobu murmured, her voice close to a whine.

"Sorry, sorry," Su said in a sing song voice, not sounding sorry at all.

Shinobu shrugged mentally and concentrated on getting back to sleep, but was distracted by Su again. This time her fingers were walking up and down Shinobu's back.

"Su, what are you doing?" Shinobu asked her friend, not really sure what Su was thinking but still frustrated by her behaviour. She must have been more drunk than I thought, Shinobu decided.

"Su likes Shinobu," Su declared in response. The non sequitir brought a frown of confusion to Shinobu's face. A moment later that confusion was replaced by shocked understanding as Su's arms wrapped around her body and Su's hands settled on Shinobu's breasts, while her lips nuzzled the nape of Shinobu's neck. Shinobu stiffened in disbelief. It took several seconds for the reality of the situation to sink in, but when it did she jumped up with a yelp and backed away from the futon.

"What are you doing?" she asked Su in horror.

"Su likes Shinobu," Su repeated plaintively as she sat up in bed, brushing tousled hair out of her eyes. "Doesn't Shinobu like Su?"

"I, I, I . . . not like that!" Shinobu exclaimed nervously. "Not like that, Su."

"Shinobu doesn't like Su?" Su asked, her voice and expression sinking into deep unhappiness.

"No!" Shinobu exclaimed, "I mean, I do like you Su but . . . but not that way. We're just friends. Only friends."

There was a part of Shinobu that had begun to gibber in panic at what was happening. Su's behaviour violated cultural taboos that had been impressed on Shinobu since birth and propriety demanded that she run screaming from the room. But Shinobu's heart was stronger than the shell of conformity that society had imposed on her - and her heart took note of Su's miserable expression and defensive posture. Instinctively, Shinobu grasped that this was a defining moment in her life. The way she treated Su now, with revulsion or understanding, would go a long way to determining what kind of person she would become.

And I don't want to be a person who hurts her best friend, Shinobu decided.

"Su," she began carefully, "I like you, really. You're my best friend and I care about you a lot - I, I love you. But I don't . . . I'm not . . ."

"Su understands," Su replied softly. "It's okay. Su loves Shinobu too, but you don't . . . Su understands."

Shinobu didn't try to respond in words. Instead she went over to her friend, knelt down beside her and put her arms around her, stifling the inner voice that was still gibbering in panic. For a moment Su didn't respond, but then she leaned carefully into Shinobu's embrace and returned it. They stayed like that for several seconds before Su disentangled herself, stood up, and walked out of the room. Su stopped at the door for a moment before she left.

"Thank you," said Su. And then she was gone.

<> <> <>

Naru yawned mightily as she stood on the front porch of the Inn, holding one hand in front of her eyes to shield them from the morning sun. Ten in the morning wasn't that early - unless you'd gotten completely smashed the night before. Kitsune had sworn viciously when Naru had shaken her awake a couple of hour ago, but it was unavoidable. They were moving into the apartment Kitsune had found for them today - and getting everything sorted out required an early start if they were to finish by the end of the day. Seeing Kitsune have to do some actual work, while hung over no less, had significant amusement value, but it wasn't enough to completely distract Naru from her own migraine. She watched as Kitsune hefted the last of her boxes into the small hatchback they'd pooled their savings to buy and couldn't help feeling slightly smug. She'd finished her packing nearly an hour ago. With another yawn Naru went back inside. She wanted to have a last look at the Hinata Inn before she left for good.

<> <> <>

"Hello Naru-san." Naru whirled round in shock when she heard the familiar voice.

"Kanako!?"

Indeed, it was her, standing next to Naru in the exact same spot Mutsumi hac occupied during their conversation last night.

She's as quiet as ever, Naru observed.

"I'm sorry for startling you," Kanako replied calmly. "I didn't intend to."

"I, but," Naru shook herself and started again. "Why are you here?" she asked, hoping the question didn't sound aggressive.

"I wished to congratulate you," Kanako replied, "and to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Naru repeated dully, wondering if she was going to spend the entire conversation feeling clueless.

"Yes. I am going to . . . travel. I'm not sure yet where I'll go."

"Oh."

Kanako smirked.

"Yes, oh."

"I, well, I really don't know what to say. Good luck, I guess."

"Thank you, Naru-san," Kanako replied formally. With that, Kanako turned and began to walk away from Naru, heading around the side of the Inn.

"Hey, wait!" Naru exclaimed.

"Yes?"

You're just . . . going?"

Kanako shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Well . . ."

"I know what you mean, Naru-san," Kanako told her, a smile ghosting across her lips, "but what else should I do?"

"It just seems like there should be . . . more to it than this."

Then Kanako truly did smile.

"It's nice of you to say that, Naru san, but I'd rather just go." Kanako seemed to think for a moment before adding, "I'll write."

Naru stared after her sometime enemy, sometime friend as she walked away, one thought on her mind:

I guess everyone's leaving.

<> <> <>

Half a Year Later

"WHERE IS HE!!?? TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED RIGHT NOW!!"

Kanako's voice was like nothing Naru had ever heard. Her screams were hoarse with grief and anger.

"Kanako I swear - I don't know!" Naru cried. "Don't you think-"

"LIAR!" Kanako shrieked before Naru could finish. "STOP LYING!"

The distraught girl slashed out with the wakizashi she held with a reverse grip in her left hand and Naru was barely able to dodge in time. Seta's training had never prepared her for anything like this. Kanako slashed at her again, forcing Naru to take another step back. Naru realised with a sinking feeling that if this kept up much longer she'd be backed up against the front wall of the Inn with nowhere to go. Kanako pulled her arm back to take another swing at Naru . . . and stopped as a hand with a grip like steel closed around her wrist.

"That's enough, niece," Haruka told her levelly.

Kanako moved so quickly that Naru could barely make out what happened. The girl twisted round in Haruka's grip and attempted to strike at the woman's stomach with her right hand. Haruka let go of Kanako's wrist and swept her strike aside, before lashing out with her right hand to strike Kanako's left shoulder. Kanako's arm went limp and the blade fell from her hand as Haruka grabbed her right arm, pulled her forward and twisted the arm behind Kanako's back before using the leverage she now had to drive Kanako to her knees. Kanako struggled briefly before conceding to Haruka.

"Let me go," she growled. "I won't attack her."

"Not just yet," Haruka said softly. "I've seen you like this before, remember."

With that, Haruka lashed out at the back of Kanako's neck so quickly that her arm was no more than a blur and the girl collapsed, unconscious, to the ground.

"W-What was that?" Naru asked, her voice quavering.

"Kanako being Kanako," Haruka replied bluntly as she bent over to look at the wakizashi Kanako had dropped.

"Huh," she added in a thoughtful tone of voice as she held the weapon up to get a closer look at it, carefully holding the blade between thumb and fingers, "I've been wondering where this got to."

Naru blinked and gave Haruka a questioning look, but the older woman declined to respond to her unspoken query. Instead she got her arms under Kanako's shoulders and gestured for Naru to take her legs.

"Come on," she told Naru, "let's get her inside."

<> <> <>

"This is so unfair," Naru whispered after she and Haruka had laid Kanako on the couch. Haruka looked at her inquisitively but chose not to say anything.

"It is!" Naru exclaimed as though Haruka had replied to her statement. "He just, he just . . . vanished! Motoko too. Who knows where that perverted jerk went! I bet you he and Motoko are . . ." Haruka awkwardly gathered Naru into her arms as the girl broke down into sobs.

"Keitaro-and-that-bitch-just-vanish-one-day-and-then-a-re moval-van-shows-up-and-takes-their-stuff-while-I'm-not-here-and-now-Kanako' s-accusing-us-of-hiding-him-even-though-she-was-here-when-he-went-mi ssing!?" Naru choked out between sobs.

Haruka flinched mentally. The days after Keitaro and Motoko's disappearance had been marked first by confusion, then suspicion, then anger and finally a mix of shock and betrayal and grief when the weeks turned into months and it became clear that neither of them were coming back. At least grandma hadn't objected when the girls had begun to run the Inn co-operatively. Kanako had vanished from the Inn just a few days after Keitaro had gone missing, though she at least had left a note explaining she'd gone to look for her brother.

And now here she is, Haruka reflected sourly. At least none of the others are here. Thank the Kami for summer holidays. She was going to have to talk to her sister about keeping a slightly closer eye on Kanako. True, the girl was practically uncontrollable, but there had to be something her parents could do.

Not that they're likely to pay much attention to this, Haruka thought, her mood turning a little grimmer. It wasn't really her nature to criticise family, but Keitaro and Kanako's parents had become somewhat lackadaisacal about their children as they grew older. Witness the calm with which they'd accepted a letter from Keitaro saying he was giving up on Toudai, was going to travel Japan with a friend for a bit and would contact them when he settled down. He hadn't given them anything remotely resembling contact details, but that didn't seem to bother them at all. It made Haruka want to scream with frustration. She suspected that she'd seen the last of her nephew.

<><> <>

"Are you alright, Motoko chan?" Keitaro asked, a faint trace of worry in his voice. Motoko looked back at him and smiled, the expression lighting up her face. Just hearing him speak to her like that suffused her with a warm glow. Keitaro's words were like the summer sun on her face, Motoko thought.

"I'm fine, Kei-kun," she replied. Calling him that still brought a small smile to her face. Their travels over the last half year had often taken them to isolated places and with no-one else around she'd been able to lower her walls and accept the affection she so craved - and which Keitaro had gladly given. But now Motoko was going to find out if the house of cards she'd so carefully constructed could be made into something more tangible. She had sent a very carefully phrased letter to Keitaro's parents, severed their ties to the Hinata Inn - painful though it had been - and the only hurdle left was her sister's acceptance. She'd already written a letter for Tsuroko as well, knowing she needed to give some kind of explanation for why she and Keitaro hadn't come back to the Inn that day, but she had no idea how her sister had received it. Now only the most difficult task remained, for Motoko had constructed her plans according to one of the dictums she had been raised with:

Fight the battles you know you can win before facing an opponent over whom victory is uncertain.

Motoko had never been able to hide anything from her sister.

<> <> <>

Keitaro walked beside Motoko as the followed the path that led to her family's small estate. According to Motoko a good portion of her extended family lived there, many of them training in the hereditary school of which she was a practitioner. His emotions were an odd mix of nervousness, anticipation, curiosity and excitement. He was going to meet his fiancé's family! Motoko had told Keitaro a little about them, especially her sister, but meeting them was a big step forward in their relationship. He was a little worried about her at the moment but it was probably normal for her to be nervous. Keitaro shrugged mentally and put his concerns aside. There were times when he had the oddest sensation, a sort of mental itch, about the things she told him, but he did his best to ignore it. Motoko was kind, smart, charming, elegant and utterly beautiful and he could hardly believe that they were engaged. It still seemed almost like a dream to him. The last six months, wandering across Japan in Motoko's company, had been some of the best of his life.

<> <> <>

Haruka watched dispassionately as Kanako slowly regained consciousness. Beside her Naru was considerably more agitated, fidgeting and shifting her stance uneasily.

"Uhhhhh . . . what hap . . . oh."

"That's right, niece," Haruka said evenly, "you attacked Naru with a lethal weapon and I stopped you."

Kanako said nothing, looking about herself warily.

"Well!?" Naru exclaimed. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself!?"

"You don't know what happened to him either," Kanako said slowly, her voice thoughtful.

"NO!" Naru yelled. "I DON'T! AND I AM SICK OF ALL OF THIS! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" And with that Naru broke down and began to sob again. It was just too much. She and Keitaro had finally gotten past everything that had stood in their way - especially her own fear - and now THIS!

The words came softly, barely audible over Naru's renewed sobbing, but somehow she heard them anyway.

"I'm sorry."

Naru looked up from her hunched over position and Haruka's eyes widened slightly, though that was the only indication the older woman gave of her astonishment.

"You're sorry?" said Naru. "You're sorry? YOU'RE SORRY!? What good is that? Huh? What good is that now?"

<> <> <>

Motoko took a deep breath and centred herself before walking through the gateway to the Aoyoma family compound, Keitaro at her side. This was going to be difficult and she could see Tsuroko walking across the grounds to meet them.

"Hello Motoko-chan, Keitaro-san," said Tsuroko as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Hello Tsuroko," Motoko replied cautiously.

"Won't you come inside? I suspect we have a lot to talk about."

That is certainly true, Motoko reflected as she and Keitaro followed Tsuroko towards her house.

"So tell me sister, what have you been doing since I last saw you?" Tsuroko laughed as she settled herself on a tatami mat in the front room of her house. Motoko and Keitaro were already sitting down across from her.

"Keitaro and I have been travelling and getting to know each other better, big sister," Motoko replied.

"Oh yes? And how have you been, Keitaro-san?"

"Ah . . . fine thank you, Tsuroko-san."

"I see. I understand you and Motoko-chan have grown quite close recently."

"Um . . . well . . . you see . . . that is . . . ah . . ."

"Oh you don't have to explain!" Tsuroko exclaimed with a laugh. "I can tell when a young couple are in love!"

At that both Keitaro and Motoko blushed red and looked down at their knees in unison. Tsuroko allowed her misgivings to show briefly on her face, knowing that neither of the two could see her expression.

Yes, they most certainly are in love, but I wish I knew how this happened. Motoko's letter was vague - and it feels as though she's hiding something from me.

Tsuroko continued with her questions, which were mostly unimportant queries about this or that detail of their travels, while she observed the two. Eventually she decided it was time to cut to the heart of the matter.

"I would like to know exactly what brings you here, Motoko-chan. We have skirted the question long enough."

"I, that is, we have . . ." Motoko paused, gathered her wits and spoke again. "You said you would have been happy for me to succeed in just one area of life, sister, but I believe I can succeed in two."

Tsuroko's expression was troubled as she regarded her younger sister and the young man sitting next to her who was at this moment giving her hand a supportive squeeze.

"What of the third?"

"I have decided . . . it is no longer necessary," Motoko replied, unconsciously tightening her grip on Keitaro's hand. He put his other arm around her reassuringly without knowing the real source of her discomfort. Motoko watched her older sister carefully, wondering if she suspected.

What is going on here? Tsuroko wondered. Before, she admitted that he loved another but now . . . did she steal him from that other girl? I suppose that is her business, so long as she knows what she wants, but still . . .

"Indeed," Tsuroko murmured thoughtfully.

Don't borrow trouble girl, she told herself. Besides, you did want Motoko to carry on the dojo and start a family one day.

"Well, so be it!" she exclaimed with a smile. "It's good to have you home, little sister."

They certainly seem happy together.

<> <> <>

"It's so hard," Naru sniffed, feeling doubly miserable because on top of all the reasons she already had to be unhappy she'd gone and embarrassed herself in front of Kanako. She was sitting on the couch in the living room, Kanako perched uncomfortably on a chair directly across from her. Haruka had left them after Naru had assured her she was alright.

"I know," Kanako replied quietly. Seeing that Naru was about to explode at her again she hastily continued.

"I do know, Narusegawa-san. How do you think Ifeel? I apologise for before but the truth is that I am no less upset than you."

Naru opened her mouth to object and then abruptly closed it again. Kanako had a point, after all. Hell, hadn't she tried to set her up with Keitaro at one point?

"Well . . . maybe," she admitted unwilling to actually apologise to the girl who'd apparently been hell bent on killing her an hour ago. Kanako accepted this with a small nod, apparently recognising it as a statement of truce.

"And I meant what I said before," Kanako said. "I am sorry."

"Apology accepted," Naru told her, making a choked sound that could almost have been a laugh.

Almost.

<> <> <>

Moment of Change

"Oh, oh boy."

The young man sat up carefully, holding his head.

"Keitaro? Are you alright?"

"Um, yeah, I think so. Wait, what did you call me?"

"Keitaro. It is your name."

Motoko looked at him critically.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Well, yeah, it's just . . . this might sound a little strange, but . . . who am I?"

Motoko paused.

Temptation presented itself.

Only one time in a million would it have been triumphant. Her hesitation lasted for a handful of seconds that felt like years to her as desire clashed with conscience . . . and desire won.

She wanted this so badly.

"Your name is Urashima Keitaro and . . . you are my fiancée."

Author's Notes

Do I really believe that Motoko could do such a thing? Well no, not really, but the point of this story is to explore a might-have-been. I was re-reading some of the manga as research for 'Once In A Blue Moon' when I came across a scene early in Volume 13 that occurs between Motoko and Keitaro when Keitaro and Naru have just become a couple and Motoko is very distraught after seeing them kiss (the same scene becomes the divergent point in this story). I thought there was a certain intimacy between Keitaro and Motoko there, not to mention more than a little pathos on Motoko's part, and the thought occurred to me that if she'd had the opportunity to take Keitaro away from Naru at that point she might just have done it (those of you who've read the manga in its entirety may remember that towards the end Motoko's feelings for Keitaro get to be fairly strong - she even admits to loving him). It's not that she schemed to separate them, but chance handed her a golden opportunity and she chose to exploit it. I rather suspect that most of the other girls would have done the same, under the right circumstances.

This is the story of what might have happened if she had done that - and once she's committed to her path turning back isn't really an option. It's also, without my originally intending it to have been, a story about the friendships between the girls and how strong they are. With Keitaro out of the picture those bonds can be examined without the distorting effect of his presence.