Three Little Words.

Chapter 10

(OOOOO)

Love Hina is owned by Kin Akamatsu. This story is totally not for profit. And if asked, I will remove all traces of it from the internet and my computer.

(OOOOO)

Not much was said by anybody as they walked back to the inn. Naru woke up about two blocks from the inn but never asked to be put down. She was enjoying being this close to Keitaro. She enjoyed it so much; she even put her arms around him and gave him a hug.

One thing nobody thought of was to call Shinobu and let her know that they had found Naru. Even though Shinobu was mad at Naru, she didn't want anything bad happen to her.

Haruka opened the door to the inn and was the first to walk in. Shinobu came running out of the kitchen and met everybody when they came into the living room. Shinobu saw that Keitaro was carrying Naru and came over to see if everything was ok.

Keitaro put Naru down, turned around and saw how Naru's clothes was torn and cut up. Keitaro quickly turned back around preparing to be hit by Naru but it didn't happen. Kitsune stepped in between Naru and Keitaro saying "Come on Naru, let's go get you changed. Motoko would you get the first ad kit so we can redress the cut on her arm?"

Kitsune took Naru upstairs while Motoko went for the bandages. Shinobu said "I'll bring up some tea for all of you." And went into the kitchen to fix it.

Haruka looked at Keitaro and said "I guess I'll go on back to my place. It seems like you have things under control here." Keitaro followed his aunt to the front door. When they got there Haruka turned to Keitaro and asked, "Did something happen to you while you were in America?"

"Why do you ask, Haruka?"

"You just seem different. How can I put it, more grown up I guess."

"Well, I did meet a very nice girl while I was there."

Ok Keitaro, I understand. If I were you I wouldn't tell anybody about that. At least not yet. With the way the girls are acting, I think you are going to have your hands full."

What do you mean Haruka?"

"You will see. Well Keitaro I'll see you later."

"Bye Haruka."

Haruka made her way down to the Teahouse while Keitaro went back inside closing the door behind him.

(OOOOO)

Keitaro grabbed his bags and took them up to his room. He walked in and turned the light on. He turned around and noticed that nothing had changed. Walking back to where he had put his bags, he opened them and started to put his clothes away. While doing this he could here Kitsune helping Naru above him. Keitaro, upon hearing someone make some noise behind him, turned around and found Shinobu standing at his door. "Do you need something Shinobu?"

"No, not really sempai. I'm just glad you are home."

"Did things go ok while I was gone?"

"For the most part it did. There were a few problems though."

"Really? What type of problems?"

Shinobu looked down at the floor, fidgeting a little bit before she answered.

"Naru and I got into a fight. Well, it really wasn't a fight, more like an incident.

"What happened Shinobu?"

"After I found out what had happened between you and Naru, I lost control." Tears started to slowly slide down Shinobu's cheeks. "I slapped her and called her a bitch. I wasn't keeping Naru any dinner warming in the oven for her even though I knew she would be hungry when she would get home, and I wouldn't talk to her at all."

Keitaro stood where he was at with a shocked expression on his face. "Shinobu, you slapped Naru?" He asked after a few seconds. Shinobu just nodded her head and wiped away the tears. Keitaro walked over to Shinobu, put his hand on her head and said "It will be ok Shinobu. We will get things sorted out so don't worry about it."

"Thank you sempai." Shinobu said as she put her arms around Keitaro and gave him a hug. "That's why I think you are wonderful, sempai. You always know how to fix things."

Keitaro returned Shinobu's hug. Before he could release her, Shinobu lifted her head and gave Keitaro a quick kiss after which she ran into the hall, turned and said "I'll see you downstairs sempai."

(OOOOO)

Kitsune helped Naru to her room. When they arrived and went in, Naru looked at Kitsune and said "Kitsune, I was so scared I didn't know what to do."

"I know, I know Naru, I don't think any of us would know what to do. Thank god Keitaro suggested we go look for you."

"Keitaro said that?"

"Yeah sugar. After we told him what time you normally come home, he started to watch the clock."

"So, Keitaro is actually here?"

"Yes Naru. He's home."

"And Keitaro carried me home?"

"Yes Naru, he did."

Motoko knocked on the door and asked to come in. Kitsune said yes and Motoko entered carrying the first aid kit. Kitsune helped Naru out of her ruined clothing and into some sweat pants and a tee shirt. Motoko then unwrapped the bandage they had put on Naru's arm. Motoko cleaned the wound real good. After rinsing off Naru's arm, Motoko and Kitsune looked and decided that Naru didn't need to go to the hospital for stitches.

Motoko put some salve on the wound followed with some butterfly bandages. After that she covered it with gauze and wrapped Naru's arm again.

Motoko excused herself, gathered up the first aid kit and went back to her room to change. Kitsune stayed with Naru for a little while before bringing her down to talk to Keitaro.

(OOOOO)

Motoko walked into her room, closing the door behind her. She removed her ruined Hakama and Gi. Blood was such a hard stain to remove and with the sleeve being torn, she thought she would just get a new set. Motoko wondered for just a moment about what to put on when she saw he kimono.

Motoko walked over and pulled the special kimono from its hanger and pulled it onto her shoulders. She stopped dressing for a minute and thought about how a kimono was to be worn. "I'm going to do it." She said out loud to herself. She reached to her waist, put her thumbs in the waistband of her panties and pulled them off. Closing the kimono and wrapping the obi around her, she was blushing knowing she was naked under her kimono.

(OOOOO)

Keitaro watched as Shinobu ran down the stares. Still wondering about the way Shinobu seemed to have changed, Keitaro went back to his unpacking.

Once his clothes were put away, Keitaro sat down for a moment to listen to the sounds of the inn. He could hear Kitsune and Naru up above him in Naru's room. He could also faintly hear Shinobu down in the kitchen and Motoko moving around in her room. Even with the inn being peaceful for the moment, Keitaro knew things might get rocky and stormy the next few days. "Well, I might as well get things started." Keitaro said. He got up from where he was sitting and headed for the door.

Making his way downstairs, Keitaro sat down in the living room waiting on everybody else. Shinobu came in from the kitchen with a tray that had tea and cookies on it. She sat it down on one of the tables and then boldly sat herself down next to Keitaro.

Keitaro wasn't sure what to do with Shinobu sitting so close to him. He just hoped somebody else would come down to the living room so that Shinobu wouldn't do anything that both she and Keitaro would regret later.

"Keitaro?" Shinobu said turning to him.

"Yes Shinobu." Keitaro answered with a slightly nerviest gulp.

"Do you really think you can patch things up between Naru and me?"

"Well, I'm going to try. I do think it will be easier then fixing things between me and Naru."

"I don't know about that. You should have seen the way Naru was walking around here. I think she learned what it means to have lost somebody that she was close to."

"If that is the case, I might know how Naru feels." Keitaro said this with a far off look in his eyes.

Before Shinobu could ask what he meant by what he said, Kitsune walked into the room. "Naru will be down in a couple of minutes. She wanted to be alone and collect her thoughts."

"Do you think it was wise to leave her alone after what she went through tonight?" Keitaro Asked.

"She'll be ok. I trust her."

Motoko came into the room about that time. She walked over and sat down on the couch that was opposite from Keitaro and Shinobu. The three of them looked at Motoko was all at a loss for words. Keitaro thought that she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world at that moment.

Kitsune thought to herself 'Damn, she's not waiting to make her move is she.'

Shinobu was the first one to say anything. "Motoko, you look wonderful! Why did you dress up? Where did you get such a beautiful kimono?"

"It was handed down to me by my mother, and with Keitaro coming home, I felt like putting on something other then what I normally would wear.

"You look wonderful in it. Don't you agree sempai?"

"Yes Motoko, that kimono look very nice on you.

Kitsune saw Naru coming down the stairs, got up, and went to bring her into the living room.

"How are you feeling Naru?" "Are you feeling ok?" Everybody asked when she came into the room. After that everything got quiet with nobody talking for a couple of minutes.

Kitsune spoke up first and said "Well since I have to open the Teahouse in the morning and the four of you have a lot to talk about, I think I will go to bed."

Kitsune walked over to Keitaro, bent down and gave him a hug saying "Welcome home hun." Kitsune then stood up and left the room to go upstairs.

Naru sat down in one of the empty chairs while not looking at anyone else in the room. Keitaro cleared hid throat and tapped Shinobu on the knee, nodding to her when she looked at him. She knew Keitaro wanted her to start, so she swallowed her pride, got up and went over to Naru, knelt down in front of her so she could see her better.

"Naru, I'm sorry for the way I have been treating you. Out of all of us you were hurting the most and I turned my back on you. I should have been supporting you and helping you until Keitaro came home but instead I turned into a selfish bitch and took my anger out on you. I'm really sorry."

Shinobu started to stand up but before she could Naru reached over and stopped her. Shinobu looked at Naru as Naru raised her head to look back at Shinobu. Naru had tears on her cheeks. When Shinobu saw Naru's tears, she couldn't hold back and her own tears came at will.

Naru leaned forward and put her arms around Shinobu. While Naru hugged Shinobu, Naru whispered into her ear telling Shinobu that everything was ok. Naru understood why Shinobu acted like she did.

While Shinobu and Naru hugged each other, Motoko had gotten up and moved over to sit with Keitaro. She asked Keitaro if she needed to apologize to him for what she had done in the past. Keitaro turned to her and looked her in the eye and said "No Motoko I already accepted your apology when you hugged me after I walked in today."

"Thank you Keitaro"

Motoko then reached over to Keitaro and pulled him into another hug. This time though she whispered into his ear, "Perhaps tomorrow you could join me for a walk?"

Keitaro whispered back "Maybe I can. We will just have to see."

Keitaro had finished hugging Motoko, looking over he could see Naru and Shinobu had mended there relationship. Shinobu had got up from in front of Naru and walked back to Keitaro. Bending down so she was eye to eye with Keitaro, she put her arms around him again and said, "I think I'm going to go to bed sempai. You have a good night."

"Ok Shinobu, I will."

Shinobu then proceeded to kiss Keitaro again. Motoko was unfazed by this but Naru was surprised by what happened, but it was more of a surprise that Motoko didn't start beating on Keitaro. Shinobu let Keitaro go and walked out of the room to go to her room.

Motoko turned to Keitaro and said, "I think I too will go on to bed."

She then leaned over and kissed Keitaro on the cheek.

Naru almost fell out of her chair when she saw what Motoko did.

Motoko turned to Naru right before she left the room. She looked at Naru and said, "Remember this Naru, always keep your mind open to all of the possibilities." Motoko then left the room going up the stairs with a small smile on her lips.

(OOOOO)

Naru and Keitaro were now alone in the living room. An uneasy silence had settled over the two of them. Neither Keitaro nor Naru knew what to say to each other.

Keitaro had just thought of something to say when Naru said in a whisper, Thank you for tonight. Thank you for saving me. Until you and Motoko showed up, I thought that nobody cared."

"I have always cared about you Naru."

"If you truly cared Keitaro then why did you leave me?"

"I had to Naru. I had to leave because I couldn't take the abuse anymore. I couldn't take the way you hurt me both physically and mentality."

When Keitaro said that, Naru reached up and touched her arm where the creepy guy had cut her. She started to cry again as she realized how Keitaro must have felt when his ribs broke from her kicking him. Naru started to stand up so she could leave the living room but instead her legs gave out and she fell to the floor. Keitaro was in front of her in a heartbeat. Naru looked at Keitaro with her tear filled eyes and said, "You must hate me more now then you did before you left."

"Naru, that's what I need to talk to you about. When I said those words to you, I was wrong. I was in a lot of pain and I lashed out at you and Motoko. I'm sorry I said what I did."

"The whole time I was gone, I don't think a day went by that I didn't think about you at least once a day."

Naru understood what Keitaro was saying because she had done the same thing. Naru reached over and put her arms around Keitaro's neck and pulled him into a hug. Whispering into his ear Naru said, "I'm so sorry for hurting you Keitaro. While you were gone I realized that I want you to be with me always. Keitaro, I love you. Don't give me an answer yet. I know you might not feel the same way but I wanted you to know how I feel."

Keitaro had responded to Naru's hug by returning it. Now with Naru telling him how she felt, things should be changing around the inn. First it was Shinobu and Motoko acting different and now Naru seemed to have changed.

Keitaro pulled back a little bit from Naru. Naru still had a couple of tears on her cheeks so Keitaro reached up and gently wiped them away. "Naru, its getting late" he said, "We should be getting to bed." Naru tensed up a little bit and Keitaro noticed this.

"What's wrong Naru?"

"I don't want to be by myself tonight."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm still a little scared. Please let me stay with you."

"Ok, I guess we could do that. Since I only have one futon, I'll carry yours down to my room."

Keitaro got up and took Naru's hand helping her up. He turned off the lights and as they went to go upstairs he locked the door. They went up to the third floor where Naru's room is and gathered what she would need for the night.

Arriving at Keitaro's room, Naru walked over to the dresser and placed her stuff on top of it. Keitaro started to lay out Naru's futon and had his back to her. When he finished he stood up and turned to look at Naru. What he saw when he looked made his brain come to a complete stop. Naru was standing with her back to Keitaro. The only clothes she had on were her panties.

Keitaro immediately turned around and wondered what she was doing. 'She must still be in shock.' He thought 'There is no way she would change her clothes with me in the room.'

"Keitaro?" She said just loud enough for him to hear. "Why did you turn around and look away just then? Am I that repulsive looking?"

"Naru, I think you are the most beautiful looking woman I have ever seen, but it just surprised me that you would change clothes with me in the room."

"Keitaro, will you please turn around?"

Keitaro did as he was asked to do. When he did he saw Naru standing where she was before only she had turned around and was looking at him. She had not put on a shirt yet but was covering her breast with her left arm. Other then that, she wasn't trying to hide anything from Keitaro.

Naru stepped towards Keitaro stopping about an arms length away. "Keitaro, I want you to look at me." She said this as she dropped her arm that was covering her breast. Naru looked up at Keitaro, her eyes looked like they the tears would spill over any second. "Please make love to me Keitaro." She whispered to him.

Keitaro stepped over to Naru never taking his eyes from hers. He put his arms around her and pulled her to him in a hug. "Thank you Naru, but I don't think that would be a good idea right now."

"So you do think I'm repulsive."

"No Naru, I don't think that! I think you are still in shock from what happened tonight and I don't want to take advantage of you."

Keitaro let Naru go and walked to his closet. He reached in and pulled out one of his dress shirts. He returned to where Naru was standing and put it around her shoulders. At that moment the last little bit of wall that Naru had built around heart came crashing down. She knew right then that she was totally in love with Keitaro and she would be a fool to let him go.

Naru jumped at Keitaro causing him to stumble backwards and fall on his futon with her landing on top of him. There was no hesitation in her movements as she placed her lips gently on his and gave him a kiss that she should have a long time ago.

Naru pulled back from Keitaro and looked at him with a smile on her lips and stars twinkling in her eyes. "Keitaro," She said softly, "I love you more then anything in this world."

"What was that Naru?"

"I said, I love you."

"I love you too."

Keitaro then kissed Naru the way she had kissed him just a minute before.

(OOOOO)

Shinobu was in her room dreaming of her sempai. "Sempai, I love you." She said talking in her sleep as she turned over.

(OOOOO)

Motoko had just turned off her light and had gotten into bed. Before closing her eyes she said to the feeling in her heart, "Keitaro, I think I am in love with you."

(OOOOO)

Kitsune was in her room with a glass of sake in front of her. Her thoughts were mirroring those of Haruka who was down in the Teahouse. Both were thinking that somehow Keitaro had managed to get three of the girls to fall in love with him.

(OOOOO)

That's all it takes sometimes. I love you. Three little words that can be the hardest to say to somebody. But it is the words that everybody wants to hear sometimes in there lives. Keitaro has finally heard the words that he has always wanted to hear from the person that he thinks is special.

(OOOOO)

Well I guess that's it for this story. I might do an epilogue if I get around to it so for the moment I will not say that this story is complete.

Thank you for reading to the end. Don't be afraid to flame this story because I know it needs it.

By the way, just because it might look like Naru and Keitaro became a couple that doesn't mean that they are. Just a little thing for you to ponder.

Bigdave.