Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Winter Rose ❯ Eighth Petal: Moonlight Waltz ( Chapter 7 )

Winter Rose

Eighth Petal: Moonlight Waltz

Love Hina is owned by Ken Akamatsu. All copyrights and legal papers are belonging to him ^_^.

I just recently got to know Love Hina. I read the first manga volume, watched a few episodes, and gathered as much info as I can from the net. If I make tons of mistakes about the girls and Keitaro, please forgive them and please tell me the problems in a very constructive way…

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Chapter 6 Summary: After telling Naru about his past, repairing the roof and getting a late night dinner, Vincent met Motoko on the roof. After a small conversation, Vincent finds himself falling for Motoko. Amazingly, the Kendo girl feels the same way too. What now?

Eighth Petal: Moonlight Waltz

Vincent lay awake in bed later that evening, his hands once again behind his head, and his ears glued to his Discman's phones.

Motoko...

After that little conversation, he remained a while at the deck before he returned to his room. He was unable to stop thinking about her, or stop picturing her blushing face in his mind.

Why do I feel this way...?

I... I swore I would never fall for anyone again...

Or, have friends or anyone close to me for that matter...

Still... why am I persistent?

I... I guess I'm as stupid as another human...

The need to find somebody... somebody... that can make everything complete...

I hate it...

I hate being human...

I just... don't understand...

Someone... help me....

Someone?

Then, I'll have to rely on others either way...?

He glanced at his bedside alarm clock, which displayed the figure 2:30. It had been more than three hours since that little event, so he figured no one was able to see it.

Better get some sleep, Vincent thought. It's the only thing that gets rid of the insanity I have to put up with every day...

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The sun was already high up when Vincent awoke. He sat up in bed, feeling a bit fatigued, and very confused.

Motoko...

I... I am...

There was a knock in his door.

"Hey, Hiro-san, are you awake? Can I come in?"

It was Keitaro.

Vincent stretched up a bit and stood up. "Alright, Keitaro. Come in."

Keitaro came in, slightly bruised. Probably another `perverted' act...

"Hiro-san? Is there anything wrong? Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing's wrong..." Vincent told him. "It's just amusing to see you getting beaten up. That's all."

"Yeah, yeah... It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... or get blasted to the next town..."

"Hey, calm down. That's not what I meant. Anyway, why are you here?"

"Shinobu-chan asked me to come up here and see if you're awake. Breakfast was about an hour ago."

"Really? I must've overslept."

"And, Hiro-san, can I ask you something?"

"Can it wait?"

"No, I need the answer right now."

Vincent sighed. "Alright. Shoot."

"Well, it's Shinobu's birthday this 15th. And you know, you could maybe..."

"Get her something special, right?"

"Well, yes..."

"Don't worry. I know exactly what to get her. I saw this little music box she had taken to liking whenever we passed by this gift shop on the way to the grocery store." Vincent explained.

"Wow, Hiro-san. You sure do know a lot..."

"Just got lucky. Anyway, I'd like to ask you something..."

"When is Miss Aoyama's birthday?"

"Motoko's birthday? Well, I remember... It was December 1. But, hey, why do you ask?"

"Well, I... do you happen to know what she might like?"

"Aside from kendo, kyudo and other martial arts, I don't know. Just one thing, though. Never buy her any kind of dress that might be too `feminine', okay?" Keitaro said, stressing the word `feminine'.

"Well, it's a start..."

"Hey, wait a minute, why are you asking about her birthday anyway?"

"I... I thought... I thought that with Miss Maehara and all, I might want to know when the others' are, you know..."

"Oh! Alright... sorry for bothering you, Hiro-san... I'll see you downstairs."

Keitaro then stepped out the door and closed it behind him. Vincent let out a sigh of relief. Close call...

I guess... I should be getting down now...

No sooner had he changed into his attire for the day (an oversized red shirt and long white shorts), he heard crashes below.

"URASHIMA!!! YOU LECHEROUS DEMON!!! YOU HAVE CROSSED YOUR BOUNDARIES FOR THE LAST TIME!!!"

"PRAY VERY HARD TO ALL THE GODS YOU KNOW, PERVERT!!! YOU"RE GOING TO NEED IT ONCE WE SEND YOU TO HELL!!!"

"M-M-Motoko-chan... Naru-chan... I'm sorry... I was just trying to... GAAAH!!!"

Looks like good old Keitaro struck bad luck again... Vincent thought. Better help him. Otherwise, he'll be in another trip to Tokyo...

Vincent made his way down, tracking the noise all the way to the hot springs' area. Keitaro was backed up against the wall, shivering with fear.

"I swear... I didn't mean to see you like that... It's just that... Tama-chan's..."

"We won't hear of any of your stupid excuses, Urashima. Now prepare yourself for the ultimate punishment!!!"

Keitaro looked around, looking for any type of help he could find. At once, he bolted toward Vincent, shaking him vigorously.

"Save me, Hiro-san!!! They're gonna kill me!!!"

"Well..."

He was just to ask him what was the problem when he saw Naru and (gulp) Motoko walking out of the hot springs, wearing nothing but their bath towels. At once, Vincent felt a sudden surge of warmth fill his body. It was the same warmth he feels whenever he would see Motoko.

"Hiro-san, you okay...?

Vincent had stood there, frozen. His eyes kept fixed on Motoko's form, surveying her body.

Stop it... Vincent's mind tired to tell him.

"Vincent?"

"Hiro-san?"

Vincent had snapped back to reality, but for some reason, he could not stop looking at Motoko. Surprisingly, Motoko had stopped her movement, too. She was looking at Vincent the same way he was looking at her.

"I'll see you guys later... BYE!!!"

Keitaro had bolted away quickly, with Naru running swiftly after him. But Motoko had frozen there.

"Come back here, you pervert!!!"

Even the loud crashes that punctuated the morning air had sounded distant at that time...

Vincent didn't know what to do at that time.

C'mon! screamed Vincent's mind. Say something!!!

But what?

Anything!!!

How about apologizing?

Or maybe about last night?

I don't know...

Just say anything dammit!!!

"I..." Vincent's throat was dry, his legs were aching from Keitaro's tight grip on them a while ago, and there he was, trying to voice something out to a half-naked woman. He then turned his whole body the other way, blushing as he did.

"I... I'm sorry!!!" Vincent heard Motoko say the same thing at the same time. Huh? What just happened...?

"I... I'll just go and eat now..." Vincent then walked away, without another glance at Motoko.

He had gotten a good distance from her when he relaxed and gave out a long sigh of relief.

"Anything wrong, Vincent?"

This made Vincent jump in surpirse. Looking around, he spotted Kitsune smiling at him in her usual deceptive smile.

Kitsune Konno... I smell trouble. "Y-Yes, Miss Konno? Anything you need?"

"Hey, you don't have to call me like that. Just call me `Kitsune', okay?."

<Sigh> "Alright."

"Okay, then. Can you go and help Shinobu out in the kitchen? She looked very tired and exhausted."

"Be right there..."

"Hey, Vincent, wait up! One more thing..."

What is it now? "What?"

"You look a bit tense there, sweetie. Anything bothering you?"

"Well, I..."

Kitsune moved closer to Vincent, surveying his face. "This doesn't happen to have anything to do with Motoko-chan, does it?"

Vincent felt himself blush, even though he fought hard to not do so. Kitsune moving up to him and her mentioning, something about Motoko seems to spark up something inside of him. "I...Well..."

"Ha! Thought so!" Kitsune said with a foxy smile. She then moved closer. Close in such away their lips were only inches away. "Just a word, sweetie. Why don't you just tell her how you feel about her? "

"Get lost." Vincent said, irritated, though still blushing.

Kitsune smirked wider. "C'mon, don't be all Mr. Shy Guy all of a sudden. If I were you, I'd go and tell her that I... you know...." She said, her right arm hugging his neck, and her left one running a finger across his chest.

"I... aaah...What...?"

"Hehe... just giving you a word of advice. If you like her, just tell it to her, will you? You don't want some other guy to do it and have her, now, will you?"

Vincent was unable to keep his face straight. The hell? Is she playing with me?

"Tee-hee, you're so cute when you blush like that." Kitsune said, backing away from him. "You better watch your back there, sweetie. One of these days I might be pinning after you. If you don't go after Motoko, that is. By the way, Shinobu-chan's at the kitchen. You better not keep her waiting."

Kitsune left him and walked towards the living room, giggling all the way.

Vincent tried to say some remark, but he didn't know how to react at that juncture, so he just left quietly and went to the kitchen.

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It was about 2:00 in the afternoon, and Vincent decided to just sit it out with a cappuccino. However, this did not remove Kitsune's remarks from his mind.

"Just a word, sweetie. Why don't you just tell her how you feel about her? "

"C'mon, don't be all Mr. Shy Guy all of a sudden. If I were you, I'd go and tell her that I... you know...."

She's right, I think...

Why don't I just come out and tell her?

I don't know... It's just... I just... It's not right...

What's not right? I'm a guy, she's a girl. It's normal for me to feel this way...

It's just... I don't know what she'll say...

She might say yes and we would be a couple...

Then again... She might say no ... and I... I don't know if I can handle that...

But, you'll never know until you try, right?

I guess... the only way to find out is to go and do it.

Vincent got up from his seat and walked out of his room. But as he did, he heard Motoko and Naru conversing somewhere in a room near him. It was Motoko's room. He crept up one side of the door and paused for a while and listened to them.

"Hey, Motoko-chan, do you want to come with us to the mall today?"

"I'm sorry, but I need to work on my kata this afternoon. I'll pass in this one."

"Oh... okay. But, you know, you won't find yourself a guy when you always lock yourself like that in here. Unless... that is... Motoko-chan, do you... know someone we don't know?"

"Naru-sempai, don't even joke like that! You know perfectly that I can't allow anyone... much more a man, to get in the way of my perfection of the sacred arts of the God's Cry School..."

"Oh, my God!!! You're turning red!!! Wow, Motoko-chan... so, who's the lucky guy?"

"I told you... it's no one!!!" Motoko voice's seemed very tense.

"Come, on... just tell me his initials..."

"NARU-SEMPAI!!!"

"Oh, alright... I think's it's not time for you to reveal it yet, huh? Well, I guess I'll just have to wait for the right time... I'll see you then, Motoko-chan..."

Vincent quickly left his current state and started to walk down the way.

If they find out I was eavesdropping, I'll be...

"Hey, Vincent, wait up!"

Vincent looked around, and saw Naru coming up to him. "I was wondering if you want to..."

"... come with you guys to the mall?" Vincent was unable to keep his words back.

Naru gave him a questioning look. Not the kind that is quite her normal, but one that makes you feel eerie and sends a chill down your spine. She asked him "How'd you know?"

"I-I-I was... just a lucky guess... hehe..." Vincent said. Damn! I'll be dead if they find me out...

To his surprise, Naru just smiled. "Wow, Vincent... you seem to know a lot of answers, is it? Well, what do you say?"

"I'm sort of busy right now. But can you take Keitaro with you? Just tell him I'll fill in his spot for cleaning today. The poor guy deserves a break."

"You're quite a good cousin, eh? Okay, I'll tell that to him. We won't be back until about 9:00 in the evening, okay?" Naru was just about to leave when she turned around and said "Oh, Vincent, one more thing. Motoko-chan's not coming, too. You might want to talk to her..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I think she's found herself a guy..."

Vincent just stood there and watched Naru leave. After that, he went inside his room.

I'll go talk to Motoko... but not now....

There's too many things I have in mind right now...

He pulled out one of the drawers at the bottom of the shelf (The other one aside from where he kept his study items), and checked it for his collection of music CD's.

Then, one caught his eye. It was one of his recordings, a CD that had no label. Vincent picked it up quickly and looked at it for some time.

What could this be...?

He took it and put it in his CD Player. Well, here it goes, Vincent thought as he pressed play.

At once, his room began to disappear. What the...?

In its place was a reception room, decorated in its very best. I remember this...it was the Christmas Ball...

Many adults were either dancing the night away, dining, or just standing there, conversing and drinking champagne. On the other hand, there were many teenagers too, dressed in their best, and having fun.

"Vincent, do you... want to dance...?"

Standing in front of him was a beautiful young lady, probably fourteen or fifteen years of age, chin long black hair, and dressed in an elegant, flowing red dress that complimented her red eyes. Anne...?

"Come, on silly! Everyone's on the dance floor right now! You're the only one who's here!" The black-haired girl said, pulling him towards the dance floor.

Vincent remembered saying... "I... I... don't know how to dance..." What? Did I just say that...?

"You'll be fine... I'll teach you how, okay?"

Vincent felt something... something warm... stir up inside of him and seemed to guide him... He did not resist. It may be a memory, but at least I'll get to dance with Anne one more time... "Alright, Anne... let's dance..."

She reached out her hand, and Vincent took it gently. Then, a new theme, a gentle, wonderful one filled the air.

"There... you put your hand like that... and I over here... and here we go..."

This is a dream... Vincent thought. Though, I wish it were real.

Then again, I think it's better to live in this dream...

If this is the only way I can be happy, then I am willing to live this dream forevermore...

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Motoko sat there in her room, eyes closed in silent meditation. She had lit up some incense after Naru had left, praying to her ancestors for enlightenment. Her mind has been troubled, ever since that event last night. She had never felt like that before, even with Keitaro. Whenever she would see Vincent, she felt a very strong emotion from inside her. It was not anger, nor was it loathing. It was something different.

Something warm...

And comforting...

Could it be...

There are so many things I don't understand...

Why...?

Why do I feel this way...?

"... you tend to feel a lot of emotions... happiness... comfort... and warmth..."

Could it be...

Am I... in love...?

But... I swore that I wouldn't let love get in the way...

Yet... I why do I feel powerless when I see him...

Or gaze into his eyes...?

She was still thinking about this when she heard something coming out of another room.

... music...?

Whatever it was, it was disrupting her meditation. She tried focusing, but she kept losing it. Finally, she rose from her meditation, picked up her sword, and went out in search of the source of the noise. She traced it all the way to Vincent's room.

Vincent's room?

But... what could this mean...?

Well, it's time to find out...

She opened the door and gasped in reaction to what she witnessed.

There was Vincent, eyes closed, swerving and moving around the free area of his room in a trance-like manner, moving in rhythm with the music. Motoko tried to find some explanation to this phenomenon, thinking that Vincent was practicing a new form of martial art. But, after observing him for some time, she found out what he was doing.

He's... dancing...?

What do they call it again...?

Ballroom dance...?

But, isn't that danced with a... partner...?

Still...

He looks... so graceful...

I... I...

Before she could stop herself, Motoko found herself calling him. "Vincent...?"

At once, Vincent was brought back to the real world. He dashed towards the CD Player and turned it off. "Y-Yes... Oh.. It's you.. Miss Aoyama... what can I do for you...?" he said.

Motoko then gazed at him, particularly at his eyes. She then felt that familiar `feeling', that she would have whenever she would se Vincent, which made her blush involuntarily.

This sensation...

I...

I... can't deny it any longer...

"Vincent... were you just dancing...?" She asked.

No... that's not it... I want to tell him... tell him...

Vincent looked the other way while giving his reply. "Oh... you saw that...?"

"Yes..."

Vincent blushed hotly. "Oh... I... I was just... practicing... yeah... that's it..."

"I... see..."

"Would you like to talk a while, Miss Aoyama? Please take a seat."

Vincent moved to the one of the seats that were by the window along with the coffee table. Motoko followed suit, sitting herself on the chair opposite to him. There, they once again met each other's eyes.

"I... uh... about last night..." Vincent began.

"It's alright, Vincent. You even gave me some thoughts about... feelings for someone..." Motoko said, her face flushed.

"I'm... glad I was able to help..." Vincent said.

There was quite an uneasy silence after that. The two were once again silently watching each other, each admiring the other.

Vincent...

He makes me feel...

Makes me feel... warm... inside...

I... I have to tell him...

Come on, Motoko, say something! Anything!

Tell him that you like his eyes... or something like that...

Well... here goes...

"Vincent..." Motoko said.

"Y-Yes, Miss Aoyama..."

"If you can please... just call me Motoko..."

"Alright..." Vincent said with an uneasy smile. "Is there anything else...?"

"Yes..." Motoko said. Now comes the hard part... "Vincent... um... I..." Come on!!! I can do this...

"Motoko...?" Vincent asked, his deep blue eyes looking at her earnestly.

"I... I was... I want to... Please teach me how to dance!" Motoko lowered her head, closed her eyes and clutched her red hakama as she was saying the last part.

"Motoko..."

"I... I saw you dancing, and I... I just want to dance with you, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, that dance... is danced by... two people... a man and a woman, right?"

"Yes... why?"

"It's just that... I want... to be... your... partner..." Motoko said, her face still looking down, unable to look back at Vincent.

"Motoko..." Vincent said. "I... would be happy... to... teach you...." He continued. When she looked up, she saw him smiling and blushing at her.

"Vincent..."

Vincent rose up from his chair. He then offered Motoko his hand. "Do you need some help getting up, Madam?"

"No, not at all..." Motoko said with an earnest smile. She left her sword on the table, and followed Vincent to the open area in the room.

"Okay..." Vincent said. "Now, first things first. Your right arm goes here... and then... Mine goes here..." Vincent put his left hand on Motoko's back.

"Oooh....!!!" Motoko said before she punched Vincent in the face. "I... I'm sorry!!! I... I didn't mean it...It's just an involuntary action..."

"It's okay..." Vincent said, sprawled on the floor and getting up. "You punch hard, eh? Ouch..." He said, rubbing the area where her fist had connected with her face.

"...thanks..." Motoko said, regretting her attack. "Shall we continue?"

"Yes..." Vincent said. "Now... okay... so as I was saying... your arm goes here... and here... and..."

It was already dark outside when Motoko left the room.

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Author's Notes:

There... another chapter gone. I'm pretty close to the conclusion, so expect to see this work finished in a few. After then, it's a wrap...

Special thanks to Mr. Nobuo Uematsu, whose Final Fantasy VIII Theme Music inspired me as I wrote these chapters, particularly "Waltz for the Moon/Dance With The Balamb Fish", "My Mind", "Love Grows", "Where I Belong", "The Oath", and so much more. I have to admit, I am a sucker for orchestrated music, particularly these ones, and his work... it's just simply amazing what it can move you to write...

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Till next chapter, peace out.

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Love Hina © Ken Akamatsu