I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is an experience I'd like to share. For all grammar and spelling mistakes, I apologize in advance.

Life as it is

Eight

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Saturday Night – The Hinata Apartments

Have you ever been on one of those magical nights that just don't seem to stop jumping surprises at you one after another? I'm certainly in one right now. And my inexperience at such emotionally charged events only increased my discomfort. I could feel a variety of sentiments that was so confusing that forced my brain into a meltdown and my heart into a cold shutdown. It was both exhilarating and worrying… and it tortured my broken soul to a higher degree of pain.

I'm so confused.

Help… somebody… anybody! Please!

"Just what in the world are you two doing out there?"

That was Mutsumi. She's been at it for almost half an hour now. Scolding us like children caught doing something extremely bad and deserved severe punishment. It was a good thing that she didn't have some sort of a wooden stick or a baseball bat with her. She could have hit us in the rump while we shriek for forgiveness.

A funny thought though.

"You two could have caught a cold! And look what happened to your clothes!"

Mutsumi almost gagged with fury when she caught us sitting in the corner of the garden, our clothes soaking wet, shivering in the cold. She quickly dragged us to a girl's shower room nearby and fetched a couple of towels. And now here we are… Narusegawa and I… under a bundle of towel, our heads low, staring at our wet shoes while Mutsumi gave us a litany of horrible incurable sicknesses that we could have contracted if we had stayed longer under the freezing night rain.

Narusegawa sneezed.

"See! See what I mean? If you two could have just used your common sense you would still be dry and would be feeling much better!"

Narusegawa stifled a laugh, bowed low and spoke like an injured child, "I'm so sorry Mutsumi-chan… we're just caught at the heat of the moment that's why…" she almost retched with embarrassment realising too late that she gave more information than she intended to, "I mean… er…" looking at me for support, I sighed.

"I'm so sorry Mutsumi-chan… it's all my fault… I wasn't just in the mood to go anywhere than to be where we were… so… we just stayed there… I hope you understand…" I bowed low hoping that Mutsumi would just let it go.

I looked up and found Mutsumi, her arms across her ample chest, scrutinizing us with a mixed look of worry and care.

Then Narusegawa jumped and clapped her hands like a little girl, she smiled, "Good thing I kept a decent dress in my office in case of emergencies just like this one!" she stepped towards me and gave me a sound kiss, "I'll be back in a minute Kei-kun…" she smiled wider and whispered, "… my Kei-kun," before leaving.

I sat there with my head hanging in the air. I still couldn't get it into my head what was happening and I guess the look in my face was quite weird and amusing that it sent Mutsumi into giggling fits. I screwed my eyebrows in an attempt to show her that it's not funny. Well… I tried… and yes… it's not funny at all!

What's wrong with me? Why can't I be happy now? Why?

Something's missing.

I sighed.

"Are you happy now Kei-kun? Now that you have finally settled with Naru?" Mutsumi began scrubbing my head affectionally with a dry towel. I let her massage my confused and aching mind.

I didn't say anything for a while. We just sat there like that, Mutsumi beside me rubbing my head while I stare down on my dripping shoes. I think she felt my reflective mood and so she didn't say anything.

Silence.

"I'm not sure… Mutsumi… I'm not really sure…" I said finally.

Mutsumi paused.

"For years I have thought of no one else but Narusegawa. Actually… it went as far as paranoia. I'm not sure what went on inside my head but every time somebody gets too close to me I just gently push them away as if I'm afraid that they might do the same rejection Narusegawa gave me. I hated her so much to the fact that everything that I do reminds me of her simple silly ways… God… how much I missed her… the more I hated her… the more I actually craved to be with her… I loved her yet… somehow I hated her too… it's weird…"

A pause.

"I have nobody else… maybe because I chose that kind of existence… to be alone… to be haunted by the ghosts of the past dreaming of a happier life. I built a wall between me and the outside world. Sure… I smile, joke around with people, a few dates and all… but in reality… I return to my cavernous empty apartment to meet the same sad loneliness I have been trying to endure for the last eight years. It's both a punishment and reward for the things I've been through with Narusegawa,"

A long sigh.

"Nobody walked through that barrier of mine… save one…"

There's only one person in my mind.

Her long hair.

Her beautiful eyes.

Motoko.

I'm not like Narusegawa at all.

Her words. Those were her last words. The weird thing was that… her words actually went through me. I actually heard it… unlike so many others who had tried to comfort me during my lonely days overseas. I felt something. There was meaning in it. And yet… I'm afraid. To start all over again. It would be too tasking. Too risky to lay my already broken heart into the fire again.

I sighed and paused, listened to the heavy rains outside, "I wish I could see the future Mutsumi-chan… I wish I could be sure that I'm doing the right thing…"

A pause.

Then I found myself between Mutsumi's arms, my head wrapped inside her soft comfortable bosom. I felt her trembled.

"You have to move on Kei-kun… stop living in the past. Your time stopped when you left Narusegawa eight years ago… you have to start again. Do not be afraid of what you might lose… for the truth is that you're just starting to gain something again. Narusegawa found a way to love you after those years when you left us… but in return you have to find a way to love her back… it doesn't need to be the same way she loves you… it could be anyway you want as long as you're happy. That's the important thing… that's all that matters… as long as you're happy,"

I'm not sure what it was. But somehow… my heavy laden brain understood what Mutsumi was trying to say. I never thought I'd be this lost with myself.

Then Mutsumi kissed me on my forehead and let go, stared at me with the same caring eyes, "Don't be afraid to start again. Yes… you will feel loneliness from time to time and have to battle differences… but still… it's a decision YOU make because YOU felt it,"

Somehow it made sense.

I screwed my eyebrows again and this time I felt ashamed of what I'm about to say but then again… I couldn't stop myself anyway; it just came out easily, "You know Mutsumi… I can never understand why I can't just love you back the way you love me…"

Mutsumi laughed at that and after awhile she spoke with seriousness, "I love you because you let me love you the way I do… and that's enough for me," she reached out and touched my face, whispered, "the way you look at me now… I wouldn't want it any other way… because… you're MY Kei-kun,"

We stared each other for a moment. Something inside me was released. I knew what she meant. And she somehow opened a locked door inside my heart. I'm free. And it's time to act.

I smiled at Mutsumi. I grabbed her and gave her a long, sloppy, wet kiss in her cheeks that made her squeal with both delight and disgust.

"EEEEEYUCH KEI-KUN!" Mutsumi shouted with a wide smile.

I drew back and watched her wipe her cheeks with a towel, "Thank you Mutsumi-chan… I understand now… thank you…"

Mutsumi looked back at me, "Go get the girl Kei-kun… and make her happy,"

I nodded once and then dashed for the door. I didn't mind the rain and let it wash my face as I ran across the garden and into the Tokyo University main entrance. There's a place I wanted to be. And I really wanted to try. I could fail… yet… it's something I'd like to do.

Then across the first building I bumped into Narusegawa.

She was dressed in a simple long skirt and long sleeved blouse that pronounced her excellent body curves. She took my breath away for the nth time that night. She's truly breathtaking to watch.

I stopped and I tried to say things I wanted to say but I couldn't, "I… I… Narusegawa… I…"

Then I guess Narusegawa understood what was happening. I could see a tear trace down her rosy cheeks but her face remained impassive. She tried to smile, walked towards me, reached for my hand and whispered, "I'll wait… I know you'll come back to me… just…" she looked away, unable to hold back, "Just… be happy… and I… I'm really sorry for everything…"

It's more than I could take. I don't want to see her like this. I hugged her tight and then quickly let go. I could feel the confusion in my heart again. But I made a decision, "I'm lucky to be loved by someone like you Narusegawa… and even if I lived for a hundred lifetimes… I'll never deserve your beauty and your intelligence… I'm sorry…"

Narusegawa looked at me for the last time and whispered, "I'll wait…" then she walked away.

I stood there for a moment trying to heal another wound that I know would start to haunt me for a long time. But then again… someone would heal it for me and start a new. Then I ran again.

Towards the Hinata Apartments.

---

I found her staring at the night sky at the front balcony of the Hinata Apartments.

Her long hair flowing into the night. Her deep blue eyes as dark as the night. Her features as perfect as any I've ever seen. For a moment she didn't seem to notice me then finally she looked down on the stone path.

I was looking at her with wide eyed admiration.

Motoko.

"I'm very clumsy…" I started. Although I'm not really sure if what I said was wise… but I guess it's some sort of a reminder of who I really am.

Motoko smiled, "So I noticed Urashima…"

"I always trip on women and I sometimes accidentally walk into them while they're taking a bath…"

"We're still debating whether it's accident or pure ingenious acts of perversion Urashima…"

"I'm not very good with the sword…"

"I could teach you…"

"I like turtles…"

"I could live with one…"

"You're beautiful Motoko…"

A pause.

I'm not sure if Motoko was blushing.

But I think she was.

"I'm not sure I could say the same about you…" Motoko replied with a wide smile.

Then silence.

"I love you,"

There. I just said it. And I felt a lot better saying it. It sounded right. I feel nothing more but a warm sensation inside me. So this is how it feels like to be inlove. I waited eight years for this. And it's worth it. It's worth the long harsh wait.

"I love you too,"

And that's all I needed to hear.

I dashed inside the Hinata Apartments and took the stairs two steps at a time.

In less than a few seconds I found myself standing in front of the woman I love. I'm standing before the woman that has broken all my emotional walls. I'm standing before the woman who made me realise what was missing in my life for a long time.

I want her.

I need her.

I love you Motoko.

Breathless and shaking with pure anticipation I grabbed her, my left arm snaked around her waist, my right arm on to the small of her back.

I stared deep into her eyes. I drew her closer to me.

I could see happiness.

"It took you long enough Urashima…" Motoko said, reddening under me.

"Yes… it took me long enough… Mo-chan…" I whispered.

Then I kissed her. I started slow then sensing her need, I went deeper and more aggressive until I heard her moan, her body trembling with excitement.

I drew back to catch my breath.

She was so beautiful.

"So… your room… or mine... Kei-kun?" Motoko whispered with a seductive smile.

"Huh? So… who's the pervert now?"

But then I found myself carrying her to my room without another word.

My world has never been the same.

The End

This is a celebration of true emotions as I felt them. This is my way to connect with people who had been through the same process. Most words that were used I have given to my friends and loved ones. In this last chapter Keitaro's reality ended but here my own fantasy began.

Oh yes… I could tell you now on behalf of Keitaro and Motoko that they experienced a lot of pitfalls in their life but atleast they managed it together. And they're both happy. Extremely happy. There are stories behind it ofcourse… but it's for Keitaro to decide if he wants to share it or not… well… you let him know.

Dedications

To all Keitaro's reviewers. To all fanfiction writers and reviewers. And to Jello, Joanne, Nadia and Kath, the Hinata Apartments tenants in my life that I wished I have known much better if I had only stayed longer; I shouldn't have left you for overseas.

Catch you all later on my next fanfic! Cheers!

nivremous