Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ A Fragile Love ❯ Prologue: Recollection from a Plane ( Prologue )

A Fragile Love

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DISCLAIMER

Love Hina is property of Ken Akamatsu, TV Tokyo, and other respective owners. No copyright violation is intended in the making of this fanfic. The sole purpose of this fanfic is purely for reading pleasure and creative imagination.

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Prologue: Recollection from a Plane

Legend

Word denotes character thought

Word denotes setting, time

-Word- denotes sound effect

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Timeline: June 1, 2000 AD

Location: A JAL (Japan Airlines) flight - San Francisco to Tokyo

"All passengers, this is the captain speaking. Our ETA (Expected Time of Arrival) in Tokyo International Airport is 1 hour and 15 minutes. I'd like to remind you that smoking isn't permitted in all areas of the aircraft. I wish you pleasant comfort in this trip," the aircraft captain spoke through the cabin speakers.

 

In the first class section of the aircraft, one of the passengers gazed outside his seat window, admiring the fluffy ever-extending clouds passing by. His dark-brown eyes took in the view and shut themselves briefly. He furrowed his eyebrows and eased himself to relax, adjusting the reclining position of his seat. He resigned himself to thought as he relaxed.

 

"Excuse me, sir?" a stewardess asked him gently, snapping his thoughts as he opened his eyes, "Would you like something to drink?"

 

He rubbed his eyes, trying to massage them. He faced the stewardess and replied, "I'd like orange juice please."

 

"Would that be all?"

 

"Yes, thank you."

 

The stewardess left to fetch his drink. He looked outside his window once more and relaxed on his seat.

 

"-Sigh- I wish I could have told the girls my departure. But… I must walk on a different path, one leading to a needed change in my life," he quietly said to himself. He pictured the faces of the five lovely tenants of Hinata-Sou in his mind.

 

Koalla Su: Active and energetic, she's an intuitive inventor of weird and terrifying gadgets. For a girl, she has a large appetite and is always curious on a word she doesn't understand that someone uses.

 

She's quite an energetic girl. But deep down, I think she's optimistic and cares everyone deeply. One thing puzzles me about her: where the heck was she born anyway?

 

Shinobu Maehara: Bright and cheerful, she fills up the atmosphere in the dorm with a likable personality.

 

She really tries her best to make everyone happy in the dorm, which I got to give credit for.

 

Mitsune Konno: Playful and mischievous, she's commonly a trickster in her daily routine.

 

Other from her routine drinking, I can't understand clearly from her. Rarely have I conversed with her when she's sober. She needs to improve her lifestyle.

 

Motoko Aoyama: Highly skilled in martial arts, she always wore a serious expression on her face.

 

Sigh… I bet that my departure hasn't affected her that much. Figures, she has that look saying 'Prepare to meet your doom' when I try to have a hearty conversation with her. But, I wonder if she has a different view on me.

 

Naru Narusegawa: His supposed `promised' girl. Headstrong, she's unfortunately violent due to her judgments on the young man. He wondered to himself how he managed to survive all the misfortunate blows of violence that usually sent him skyrocketing to greater heights. The young man learned later on that she was really just a sweet and caring girl all along --- but realizing later on.

 

Naru… I wonder if you're really the promised girl I cherish. Our time together was awkward, but unforgettable. But… now that I graduated college in America, entering Toudai is but a dream forgotten. Sorry.

 

And lastly, Mutsumi Otohime: The other `promised' girl he assumed. Having a very friendly personality that gave him the impression of being easy-going, she was the direct opposite of Naru. Strangely though, her periodic fainting bouts led him into trouble; plus, with clumsiness equal to his, it spelled disaster. Thinking she'd be the one for him, he made an attempt to win her heart, but held back due to his honest nature, and having second thoughts.

 

Mutsumi… it's like I'm meeting my female counterpart. Ha, ha… it makes me laugh and smile having her as a good friend. Do we share something special with each other? I wonder…

 

He checked a heart-shaped pendant wrapped around his neck; opening it, two small pictures of the supposed promise girls in his life --- Naru and Mutsumi --- were revealed. He gazed it intently with a sad smile.

 

“I'll take a short nap to wait for my orange juice... -yawn-"

 

He forced himself to drift into slumber, shutting all thoughts in his mind.

 

Meanwhile in one of the supply sections of the airplane, two female stewardesses chatted quietly.

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Stewardess A: "The gentleman there in the first class is so handsome! I can't believe you beat me to him at first."

She filled a cup of orange juice for her companion.

 

Stewardess B: "Hee, hee, you had to help that old lady walk to the comfort room."

She took the cup and placed it on a small tray, along with a small bag of crackers.

 

Stewardess A: "Humph. Lucky, I say. Hey, what's with the crackers? I thought he wanted only orange juice?"

 

Stewardess B: "Think of it as putting something extra. Anyway, I have to bring his drink right away. I can't keep him waiting."

 

Stewardess A: "Wait a sec. What does he look like?"

 

Stewardess B: "Short, black hair, dark-brown eyes. Add his attractive smile and ooh… I tell you, he's a cutie! Oh, if only I had a boyfriend like him…"

 

Stewardess A: "! Now I remember! He's Keitaro Urashima, a famed private investigator!

 

Stewardess B: "Private investigator?"

 

Stewardess A: "His job is somewhat a mix of bodyguard protection and solving peoples' cases. One of my friends who studied in the same college as him mentioned to me that he's like a jack of all trades --- he's capable of doing anything as a job."

 

Stewardess B: "Really? What about the 'bodyguard protection' part?"

 

Stewardess A: "He used to advertise himself as a personal bodyguard --- he's an expert in fighting, electronics, and first aid. I heard he received many clients asking for his services. But honestly, I'm not sure if that's true… hey?"

 

She saw her companion's eyes turned into hearts.

 

"Hey, get a move on! He's probably dying from thirst!"

 

Stewardess B: "O-O-Of course! Sorry!"

Her eyes turned back into normal. She took the tray and proceeded back to the charming man in first class.

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 Stewardess B arrived back to the attractive first class passenger only to find him already asleep.

 

"Mr. Urashima?"

 

She gently shrugged his shoulder, waking him back to reality.

 

"-Yawn- Ah, my orange juice; thank you miss."

 

He received the cup of orange juice and crackers given by the stewardess. He noticed the crackers.

 

"Pardon me, miss, but I didn't ask for crackers."

 

The stewardess smiled.

 

"Think of it as something extra, sir. Say, you're the only cute guy I've seen among the passengers here… would you happen to be Keitaro Urashima?”

 

The Hinata-Sou dorm manager's eyes widened little on the remark; he smiled, scratching his head and smiled at being complimented and recognized.

 

"Well… fame isn't what I hoped for. Hw do you know my name?"

 

"When I mentioned about you to another fellow stewardess, she told me that she had a friend who studied in the same college as you. Is it true that you're a “jack-of-all-trades”? That sounds impressive."

 

"-Chuckle- well, I like to do many things… that's all I can say."

 

He flashed a grin to her, adjusting his eyeglass. The stewardess felt herself turning into goo inside, her heart beating twice as fast. She took out a ball pen and jotted down something on a napkin.

 

“I know this sounds sudden, but… can we contact each other someday before we land? This may sound weird to you, but… I was hoping we could get in touch?”

 

Keitaro looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He felt his mood darkening a bit, but decided against sounding negative to her.

 

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try.

 

“…Sure. I'm going to be quite busy when I set foot home, but I'll find time to do so.”

 

The stewardess gave a cry of triumph inside.

 

Yes!

 

She gave the napkin to him and smiled again.

 

“Thank you, sir… I must be off now. I hope you're comfortable in this flight."

 

She walked away, a small blush on her cheeks.

 

Keitaro gave a confused look on her retreating form. As he returned to his reclining position in his seat, he couldn't resist chuckling with delight. He looked at the written napkin.

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Emi@fastmail.fm --- Emi Uzumi

PS: I hope we can meet again.

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“Emi Uzumi… -sigh- women…”

 

He finished his crackers and juice, placing the napkin on his pants pocket.

 

He then looked outside his seat window watching the drifting clouds passing by. He placed his cup on the cup holder attached on his seat and propped a small pillow provided behind his head.

 

"Well, time to catch some shuteye."

 

With that said, he drifted into slumber.