::: The Winds That Blow The Sakura :::

by

- GlazedAndConfused -

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Chapter One : Introductions

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Eight years and four months earlier...

On the steps of the famous city hall lay the prone, bloodied form of a frail-looking old man. But appearances were deceptive... this man was far from frail; to be exact, he was a powerful dictator, assassinated in the bright light of day. His name was Zanba Lu, a notorious Kynamarian politician well-known - and disliked by the Molmolese - for his hardline political stance, and the reforms he introduced to the kingdom following the end of the Second World War that seemed to favour the Kynamarian populace and oppress the Molmolese. Four gunshots rang through the humid afternoon air followed by the screams of the hundreds of people that came to listen to his announcement of yet more political reforms, which were succeeded by two more gunshots from a couple of the dozens of military police who were present.

Keitaro was one of the millions of citizens who tuned in that day to witness the news on their TV screens of this historical turning point in the political climate of Kynamol. It was obvious that many Molmolese were not supporters of the old man, but with the punishments that were dealt to a Molmolese uprising of any sort, none of them had dared to actually attempt an assassination; that was, until today. The culprit was 20-year-old Ranba Su, a Molmolese nationalist that led the recently-formed Molmolese Liberation Front, who suffered the same fate as the man he was raised to despise; after being wrestled to the ground by the military police, his young life was swiftly ended by two well-placed shots to the chest.

The events of that day would cause the already unstable political atmosphere in Kynamol to boil over catastrophically, in bloody conflict.

---

"This place sure has changed..." Keitaro mused as he laid his head on the headrest in the back of the cab, with Kanako's arm still looped around his and her head still resting on his shoulder, the younger Urashima having woken from her slumber.

"That it has, oniichan," the younger Urashima replied, gazing lovingly at her older brother. She then turned to the front to face Haruka, or rather, the back of her head. "Haruka-san, tell Keitaro about Hina-obaasan."

"Oh, yeah..." Haruka said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, "well, I was going to wait until we got to the tea house before I told you about this... but you may as well hear it now." She was about to light up a cigarette, before noticing the sign on the dashboard that read 'No Smoking'. Fucking cabs and their no-smoking policies. "Y'see, granny Hina has gone travelling around the world. To sample the delights of the hot springs she could find, really."

"Right... so that's why she wasn't there to see me?" Keitaro spoke bemusedly; he thought that the old bat would at least have had the decency to wait until he came home before she swanned off to places unknown. Then again, she wasn't to know when he'd be coming home; it could have been years from now, so he couldn't really blame her.

Haruka nodded her head. "Yep."

"I see..."

"Anyway, we're here now." All three occupants undid their seatbelts and made their way out of the cab, with Haruka saying words of thanks to the cab driver as the two siblings ventured towards the tea shop. Keitaro took this time to quietly observe his surroundings, with Kanako still attached to his arm. Had it really been so long since he last saw the old tea shop? It looked more modernised than traditional, but that was to be expected he supposed.

---

After a few cups of tea - or, in Keitaro's case, black coffee - Haruka decided that it was time to take the two siblings up to the imposing structure that was Hinata Sou. Keitaro had almost forgotten exactly how large the megalithic stone steps were, but it hindered his ascent none due to his fitness from his years of military training. Once they had reached the top, Keitaro briefly paused to observe the building that stood before him, looking as if it were ready to envelop him at any moment. Hinata Sou hasn't changed one bit... he whimsically thought. Damn, this place brings back memories. Noticing that Haruka and Kanako were already a few steps ahead of him, he decided not to fall behind and be caught alone and caught up with the two.

"Hina-obaasan has certainly kept this place looking good as new, hasn't she?" Keitaro commented as he slipped his shoes off and placed them on the mat by the door, marvelling at how everything looked, almost as if he were stuck in a time warp going back over ten years. "It hasn't changed a bit!"

"Granny Hina always did like things to remain the way they were." Kanako replied.

"Girls?" Haruka called. "Girls, could you come down here for a minute?" Hearing no sign of a reply, Haruka chose to venture up the stairs, informing Kanako and Keitaro to stay where they were for the time being as she rounded up the girls. A few minutes later, she came down with them in tow. One had long, auburn-coloured hair, another had short, sandy-blonde hair and a face that resembled that of a fox, which Keitaro found somewhat amusing. The third girl was tall and imposing, with long, raven-coloured hair and a katana by her side, which did not go unnoticed by the young man. Hm, a kendoka. Interesting. The fourth and fifth girls were both in their early teens, both petite and with violet and blonde hair respectively.

"Haruka, what did you call us down fo..." the auburn-haired girl trailed off as she noticed Keitaro and Kanako standing in the doorway. Or, to be more precise, only noticed Keitaro. "What is this man doing here?" she spoke, her voice containing barely restrained anger.

"I must voice Naru-sempai's sentiments," the kendoka mirrored, glaring at the young man, "what is a man doing in an all-girl's dormitory?"

"Naru, Motoko, Mitsune, Shinobu, Su; this is my nephew, Keitaro, and my niece, Kanako." Haruka replied.

"Pleased to meet you all." Keitaro said, a smile on his face despite the scrutinising looks he was receiving from the two girls. Though I suppose they can't say the same about me...

"Why are you here?" the girl named Naru asked. "No men are allowed here!"

"Hina-obaasan requested our presence, if you must know." Kanako spat, her protective instincts regarding her brother kicking in.

"Why don't we all just sit down, and I'll explain everything." Haruka spoke, hoping to calm the situation down. Sensing the authority in her voice, the girls did as she asked - commanded, rather - as did Keitaro and Kanako.

---

"...and that's about it, Granny Hina wants them both to stay here, though she never said why." Haruka finished, summing everything up in a nutshell, with Keitaro and Kanako both nodding their heads.

"Absolutely NOT!" Naru barked, standing up and slamming her hands on the table with enough force to make the oak piece of furniture creak. "The girl we can allow --"

"Ahem, Kanako." Kanako interrupted.

"-- sorry, Kanako we can allow to stay here, but not this... man!" She turns to the rest of the girls. "What if he tries to peep on us?"

"You can rest assured that I would do nothing of the sort." Keitaro replied.

"How can we be so sure?"

"Oniichan is not a pervert," Kanako hotly replied, "he is a man of honour!"

"'Men' and 'honour' do not go together in the same sentence as far as I am concerned," the girl named Motoko retorted. "Men are loathsome, vile, depraved beings. I apologise, Haruka-sempai, but I simply cannot allow your nephew's presence here any longer."

Kanako had heard enough. She rose quickly enough to startle all the girls into silence, her face a visage of rage incarnate. "Now listen here, kendo girl, you dare call my oniichan a vile, depraved being? I'm sure he's very glad to have come home after spending five years fighting in a war to hear that!"

"A war?" Mitsune asked, tilting her head to the side. "What war?"

"The Kynamar-Molmolese war! He fought to help liberate Molmol!"

Kynamar-Molmolese war... The gears in her head started to turn. While not a widely-reported topic in Japan, the five-year war had gathered enough press coverage due to the bloody conflicts and, in particular, the notorious use of children as soldiers on both sides. This guy helped to free Molmol? But that started in 1990... so he must have been only, what, 10 or 11? God, how horrible...

"Hey, girls, maybe we should give him a chance? I mean, he is a veteran of war..." Kitsune spoke.

"I do not care if he fought in a war or not, he is still a male, and this is no place for a male!" Motoko rose, her annoyance at the mere sight of Keitaro rising gradually. "Haruka-san, either you let your nephew go of his own accord or I shall get rid of him myself." She spoke, hinting at such a move with the flicker of her blade.

Hinata Sou's de-facto matriarch's normally unflappable patience was finally pushed beyond it's breaking point, as she stomped a foot on the ground hard enough to get everybody's attention. Her face was twisted in a vicious grimace, her eyes glaring hard enough to shatter even the hardest diamond. Most of all, it was enough to give Naru and Motoko the shakes. She directed her venomous gaze towards the kendoka, who froze on the spot and shuddered, having her scrutiny of the young man among them turned on her. "How DARE you speak that way of my nephew. He fought for five years in a war and this is how he is treated? My nephew has witnessed enough in those five years to last him a lifetime, and he is haunted even to this day by what he has seen; I wouldn't wish that upon anybody, not even my sworn enemy." She paused in her monologue. "Neither of you two own this place; Granny Hina does, and what she says goes. If she says that my nephew is to stay here, he stays. Do you understand?"

"But --"

"Is that understood?" Haruka's tone left no space for objection.

Motoko bowed her head and averted her gaze. "...yes."

"Naru?"

The auburn-haired girl nodded meekly. "Yes."

"Good. You are all dismissed." Haruka muttered venomously, then turned to Keitaro and Kanako, her face softening somewhat. "Come on, let me show you two to your rooms."

Meanwhile, as everybody went their separate ways, the tanned girl named Su witnessed the exchange in pensive thought, thanks to the information given about the young man in their midst. This man fought in my homeland's war? He helped free my country from the Kynamarians? That must mean he's a hero... and if he's staying, then I'll have to ask him a few questions! But first... she sprang off the sofa and bounced merrily upstairs ...bananas!

---

Keitaro, Haruka and Kanako are making their way up the stairs to the Landlord's Room, which used to belong to Hina, since the three of them agreed that it would be the best place for the two siblings to stay. "I'm sorry about Naru and Motoko," Haruka apologised, "they're both just a little... shall we say... distrusting as far as men go. You'll have to excuse their behaviour."

"Just as long as they don't take their distrust out on oniichan, I don't care if they trust men or not," Kanako simply stated, scowling as she remembered the tone of voice the two girls named Naru and Motoko took to him.

Haruka smirked. "Don't worry, they'll have me to answer to if they take that tone with him again, though I'm sure Keitaro can hold his own if push comes to shove."

"You mean, physically?" Keitaro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep."

"But I don't believe in hurting girls, even if I am attacked first."

"Then allow me to exact revenge upon them if they make the wrong decision, oniichan." Kanako smiled evilly, a glint in her eye that sent a shiver down Keitaro's spine.

"N-No, that will not be neccessary, Kanako-chan."

"Well, here we are," Haruka said, opening the door to the Landlord's Room.

---

A couple of hours later, Keitaro and Kanako are both standing by the balcony overlooking the hot spring town, a picturesque view before their eyes. Kanako gently rested her head on Keitaro's shoulder and placed a hand on top of his, looking at the view. "Did you ever miss this place while you spent all those years away from us?"

Keitaro smiled. "More than you think. Not a day went past where I wished that I was back home, rather than fighting in that war. But it had to be done, and thank the heavens that I'm one of those that have come back home alive."

Kanako looked up at him, keeping her head on his shoulder. "You don't know how grateful I am that you are among the living. I don't know what I would have done if you had been one of the many that had died..." she trailed off as she felt Keitaro turn around and gently wrap his arms around her petite frame, an action which she quickly reciprocated.

"Shh," Keitaro whispered, "let's not talk about that now. Let's just leave the past behind us."

"Of course... oniichan."

The two stayed like that for a long time; exactly how long, they didn't know, nor did they care. It was only until they heard the sound of something being removed from the ceiling that they turned their attention to the source of the sound. Kanako's face twisted into a grimace as she saw the head of Narusegawa Naru pop down from the ceiling. "Hey, you two, dinner's rea... what are you doing molesting your sister, you sicko?!" The auburn-haired girl flipped down with enough grace to put an gymnast to shame, and ran towards Keitaro, her fist clenched and teeth bared, with all intention of causing the so-called pervert some pain. Serious pain.

This sight became too much to Keitaro, as all the memories placed firmly in the past came rushing back to him like a high-speed train. The gunfire. The explosions. The screams of dying men, women and children alike. The sight of fellow soldiers falling to the ground as bullets tore through their bodies. The sight of buildings in flames. Suddenly, the young man dropped to his knees and covered his head with his hands, and started to scream at the top of his voice. This action was enough to stop the young woman in her tracks, and make her stare wide-eyed at the scene before her. Kanako was the first to react, rushing to Keitaro's side and placing both hands on his shoulders, gently rubbing them in an effort to calm him down.

"Oniichan, it's okay..."

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open.

"Naru-sempai, are you alright?"

"What's going on here?"

"Auuu, is something wrong?"

"Can I play too?"

Naru turned to find Motoko - with her sword unsheathed - Kitsune, Shinobu, Su and Haruka standing in the doorway, each of them staring at the situation with wide eyes. Only Haruka realised what was happening. I see what's going on... she thought, making her way towards the young man and placing a gentle hand on his back. "Keitaro, don't worry... nothing's happening, it's your memories."

After about fifteen minutes, Keitaro was calmed down thanks to a few techniques Kanako had been taught, and sound asleep, exhausted from his traumatic ordeal. All the residents, sans Kanako - who was inside knelt beside Keitaro - were outside the Landlord's Room, gathered in a circle.

"W-What happened?" Naru asked tentatively.

"Keitaro was having a flashback. Something must have triggered the memories that he was trying to suppress of the war he fought in," Haruka spoke, taking a drag of her cigarette.

"So these memories caused it?" Motoko asked.

"Pretty much so."

"How?"

Haruka took another drag. "You see, Keitaro suffers from what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder. He is a very sensitive person, and all of the things he saw during the war are beginning to take their toll on his frame of mind."

The door opened, and everyone turned to find Kanako walking out to stand among them. "Oniichan wrote to us every chance he could get during his tenure as a soldier. It was so sad to hear about all of the things that he saw, and how badly he wished he was back home. Every time he said he would give anything just to be back home with me, Haruka and Hina-obaasan."

Kitsune's eyes were opened slightly, listening intently. That's so sad... but what triggered these memories to resurface in the first place? Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a very hard, brain-rattling slap to Naru's face, courtesy of Kanako. The force of the slap was enough to send the slightly older girl to her knees.

"What was that for?"

"You..." Kanako growled, a vein on her forehead visibly throbbing, "you caused oniichan's past to come back to him! If you didn't go to hit him, maybe he'd still be fine now!"

Haruka turned to face Naru, whose eyes were glistening with tears from the pain of the slap. "Everyone, go back to your rooms, I'm having a talk with Naru..." Once everybody did what they had been told, she grabbed Naru by the hair and raised her up roughly, eliciting a squeal from the young woman. "Now didn't I tell you that I wouldn't put up with any shit you would give my nephew? I'm thinking of evicting your sorry little arse here and now... and I would if it was down to me. But seeing as it's not, you can think yourself lucky that you're staying." She then let go of Naru's hair, the young woman wiping away any tears that she had cried. "Do I make myself clear?"

Naru simply nodded, the words escaping her.

"Good. Now go back to your room, and if I hear that you have treated my nephew like shit once more, I will evict you, regardless of whether it's my position or not to do so."

The auburn-haired girl simply did as she was told, not daring to look back at the de-facto matriarch. As she did so, Haruka turned back to look inside the bedroom, seeing Keitaro laid on a futon sound asleep.

Poor guy... he's gone through more in his young years than any of us put together have in a lifetime.

With that, she closed the door to the room and made her way down the hallway.

---

END CHAPTER ONE

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::: AUTHOR'S NOTES :::

...well, I must say that Rasputin the evil monk was right; it'd be nearly six months until I next updated this fic. :P

Sorry if the chapter seems short and rushed, but I've been running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to get assignments done by Friday for college, and I just had to get this chapter written while I still had ideas in my head.

For those who are asking about updates to Sakura Kisses, I'm afraid my news is dissappointing as far as that's concerned... as it stands, I'm currently lacking in inspiration to write the next chapter. Hopefully, with the free time I have in between finishing college this week and getting a job (no idea when that will be), I'll be able to remedy that. Until that time comes, I'm afraid there will be no update in the immediate future. Sorry!