Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Wild Strawberries ❯ Blossom ( Chapter 1 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: hawker_748 
Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.28.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 9.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Drama / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.28.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 9.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: “Love Hina” is the property of Ken Akamatsu and TokyoPop.
I don’t own this story and I don’t make any money off of it. If you sue me, give me a number and I’ll fax you the cash.
C+C is welcome at hawker_748@hotmail.com.
“X” Spoken words
‘X’ Thoughts
Lemon Content Warning.
Love Hina:
Wild Strawberries.
Chapter One: Blossom
Keitaro let out a soft, appreciative whistle as he and Motoko approached her ancestral home, his pace hobbled by the cast on his left leg. “That’s some house,” he remarked.
“It’s not just our home Keitaro,” Motoko corrected quietly. “This is where we teach our art. It all started right here…”
Keitaro didn’t respond to that, and the two of them approached the home, the importance of what they had to do making the building seem even more imposing and intimidating. As every step brought him closer, Keitaro couldn’t stand the silence. “What-what kind of challenge does your sister have in mind?”
“I’ve no idea. Didn’t she explain it to you?”
“No,” Keitaro admitted sheepishly. “And I didn’t really get a chance to ask her. But she’s your sister, don’t you have any guess?”
“None. This has never happened before, who knows what she has planned. But we’ll find out soon enough,” Motoko murmured as they reached the main gate. She took a breath to steel herself before she took hold of the large knocker and rapped three times.
‘She has to knock?’ Keitaro wondered. ‘I thought this was her home.’ As he was pondering this, the gate opened with only a faint whine from the hinges, revealing Motoko’s older sister Tsuruko.
“Motoko, Urashima, it’s good to see that you accepted the challenge. Welcome back Motoko, and welcome Urashima. Please, make yourselves at home.”
“Sister, wh-what will we have to do when-”
Tsuruko cut off Motoko with a wave of her hand. “The two of you just arrived, there’s plenty of time for that later. Just get settled in and relax, and I’ll explain everything soon enough.”
Motoko almost balked at that, as she wanted to deal with this as soon as possible, but one glance at Tsuruko killed any thoughts of disagreeing with her. Resigning herself with being in the dark a little longer, Motoko gestured for Keitaro to follow her as Tsuruko lead them to where they’d be staying. As they walked, Motoko worked up the courage to ask her sister, “You-you aren’t putting us in the same room, are you?”
“Of course not,” Tsuruko replied. “That would be inappropriate.”
Motoko and Keitaro let out simultaneous sighs of relief.
“You’ll just have to wait until this is over before you can share a room… and a futon,” Tsuruko added cheerfully.
Keitaro and Motoko both blanched. They scarcely heard Tsuruko inviting them to dinner in half an hour before they settled down in their respective rooms, the gravity of the situation sinking in to the both of them. Thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and the unwilling fiancés slowly made their way to the dining room.
“Keitaro…”
“Y-yes Motoko…?”
“P-please… try to be careful in front of my parents…”
“Y-your parents?” Keitaro asked numbly.
“Yes. Didn’t you think they’d be here?”
Keitaro didn’t answer, not wanting Motoko to realize that he hadn’t thought about meeting them at all. He tried to remember what Naru had told him about Motoko’s parents, but he could only recall the phrase ‘famous swordsman.’ He shuddered briefly when he considered just how good her father had to be to instruct Motoko. ‘And I’m the guy who’s supposed to be marrying his little girl…’ Despite the cooler evening air, Keitaro felt himself start to sweat.
Motoko and Keitaro entered the dining room and found Tsuruko already there, and an older couple as well. ‘Mom and dad,’ Keitaro thought silently. Bowing as formally as his cast would allow, Keitaro said, “T-thank you for allowing me to intrude in your home.” He found that he couldn’t bring himself to look them in the eyes, as he felt like he didn’t belong.
“Keitaro,” Motoko began, after she finished bowing, “this is my father, Isamu Aoyama.”
Keitaro accepted the extended hand, and had to keep himself from wincing at the strength of the man’s grip. He stood at least four inches over Keitaro, with chiseled features, and a full head of silver hair. His dark eyes burned into Keitaro, and seemed to shout, ‘You think you’re good enough for my daughter, punk?’ He looked as solid as granite, and Keitaro wondered if he was always this intimidating, or whether he was simply trying to frighten him.
“And this is my mother, Chiharu Aoyama.”
After taking a second to clench his fist and try to get the blood flowing through it again, Keitaro took her extended hand, discovering that it was cool to the touch, and while Chiharu had a firm grip, at least his bones weren’t creaking in protest. She was in her mid to late forties, Keitaro decided, about three inches shorter than him, with long hair tied back in a simple ponytail, streaks of silver running through the black. There were some lines around her green eyes, but she’d aged remarkably well. While Tsuruko and Motoko had inherited their stature from their father, their looks obviously ran in their mother’s side of the family. “It’s nice to meet you…”
“Likewise. So… you’re who my daughter fancies…”
Both Keitaro and Motoko paled. “I-I-we…” Keitaro stammered helplessly.
Chiharu gave him a hint of a smile. “How eloquent. Never mind the explanations, join us for dinner, before it gets cold.”
Blushing heavily, Keitaro hung his head in shame, unable to look Chiharu in the eyes either. He belatedly noticed that she had two short swords hung at her waist. Moving to the table, he glanced over at Isamu and realized that he wasn’t wearing a sword at all. Taking a seat at the table, which was uncomfortably close to Motoko’s, he whispered to her, “Why doesn’t your father wear a sword?”
“Because I’m the head of the school, not him,” Chiharu replied evenly.
At that moment, Keitaro wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow him. ‘S-she heard that?‘ he wondered in a moment of near panic. ‘Oh, you’re making a GREAT impression, aren’t you?’ Keitaro opened his mouth to reply, but he was only able to move it like a freshly landed fish, mortified beyond the ability to speak.
“You thought Isamu was the head of the school?” Chiharu probed. When Keitaro nodded stiffly, she continued. “Don’t feel too bad, that’s what most people think, and I don’t really mind. People are less likely to challenge me if they think I’m an ordinary housewife. It does cause Isamu a few headaches though…” she added with a smile.
When Keitaro didn’t reply, terrified of sticking his foot in his mouth again, everyone started eating. ‘At least the food’s good,’ he thought to himself as he carefully ate, concentrating hard to keep himself from doing something clumsy. He was constantly reminding himself to keep his elbows off the table, and keep them close to his body, lest he bump up against Motoko, who’d been seated very close to him, despite the fact that the dinner table was large with many open areas on it.
Keitaro could practically feel Isamu’s disapproving glare boring into him, and the few times he’d been able to bring himself to look at Chiharu, he’d seen her look away, clearly studying him, but not wanting him to see her do it. He felt as if he was taking a final exam in a course he hadn’t even known he was enrolled in, and with no knowledge of the subject of study. ‘They’re… judging me,’ Keitaro realized, ‘and I don’t think they’re too impressed with what they see…’
When the meal was over, Tsuruko cleared her throat to gather everyone’s attention. “Motoko-chan, Keitaro-kun, these are the terms you will have to follow to have your engagement annulled.” When she saw that she had the absolute attention of the unwillingly engaged couple, she continued. “Starting at sunrise tomorrow, the two of you will have one week to defeat me in battle, using any honorable means. If you succeed, then you won’t have to be married, and Motoko can continue to practice the art. However, if you fail to do so by sundown after one week, then the two of you will have to marry immediately.”
‘One week… To defeat Tsuruko?’ Keitaro thought in dismay. ‘I couldn’t do that in a lifetime! Can Motoko beat her?’ Keitaro looked over at the youngest Aoyama and was troubled by the shell-shocked look on her face. He turned to the parents, his look beseeching them, ‘You’re going to allow this?!’ He found only acceptance, and he realized that there was no getting out of this.
“I’d suggest you two should plan a strategy and go to bed early,” Tsuruko commented. “You both have an early day tomorrow.”
“We will. Goodnight mother, father, sister.” Motoko nodded to each of them as she abruptly left the table, causing Keitaro to awkwardly rise to his feet, quickly make his goodbyes and follow Motoko to the inner courtyard.
“Motoko? What are you doing?” Keitaro asked when he finally caught up with her.
For a while, Motoko didn’t answer, she simply stared out into space, a thoughtful look coming over her features. “Sorry Keitaro,” she apologized. “I just needed to get out of there and clear my head. Do you know how we’re going to defeat Tsuruko?”
“I-I was hoping that you’d know…”
“Rhetorical question,” Motoko replied. “We’ll have to work together…”
“But what can I do with this?” Keitaro wondered, gesturing to his cast bound leg.
“You can help keep her busy, distract her…”
“I’ll do whatever you ask Motoko. Anything I can.”
A ghost of a smile reached Motoko’s lips. “I know. T-thank you for doing this Keitaro.”
“It’s no big deal,” he replied dismissively, before he tried to raise her spirits. Don’t worry, we’re gonna kick your sister’s sorry ass…” Keitaro then took his leave, biding Motoko good night and heading off to bed, determined to be rested for the morning.
XXX
‘Kick your sister’s sorry ass… Pride goeth before the fall,’ Keitaro reminded himself the following night in his room. ‘I couldn’t ache anymore if I’d fallen off the roof… into the outdoor bath…’ If asked, Keitaro would admit that perhaps his confidence had been unwarranted. He and Motoko had been soundly thumped all day, Tsuruko proving to be even more skilled than he’d feared. He’d found it a little galling that while he and Motoko were giving it their all, Tsuruko didn’t even seem to be exerting herself, facing their attacks with an almost contemptuous air, swatting them away like flies.
Applying more band aids to the cuts on his arms, Keitaro thought back to the events of the day. Letting Motoko face her one-on-one had proven fruitless, as Tsuruko was easily more than a match for her. When Keitaro had tried to keep her busy, she’d effortlessly taken him out and dealt with Motoko. When he tried getting in a hit while Motoko kept her busy, Tsuruko had dodged his attacks without even looking, sent Motoko over the horizon, and then sent him after her. All in all, Keitaro had none of the confidence he’d had the previous night, and while he wasn’t about to give up, one day was already gone, and if they didn’t come up with some better tactics, in another six days, Motoko would be Mrs. Urashima.
His musings were interrupted by a knock at his door. “Come in Motoko, it’s open,” he called out without looking up.
“That’s rather forward Keitaro, having my daughter in your room at this time. Have you already given up?”
“M-Mrs. Aoyama! I-I’m sorry, I-I thought it was Motoko coming to talk strategy, that’s all, I swear!” Keitaro babbled.
“That’s all right Keitaro, I believe you,” Chiharu told him as she entered his room carrying a tray. “You’ll only have to wait another six days anyway…”
Keitaro slumped at this reminder. “Why are you here Mrs. Aoyama?” he asked after a moment.
“Call me Chiharu. You barely looked at dinner tonight. I thought that you might be hungry.”
“Had a lot on my mind Mrs. Aoy-… Chiharu,” Keitaro replied. “Wasn’t really in the mood to eat.”
“You need to keep your strength up Keitaro,” Chiharu reminded him. “Here, eat…”
Realizing that Chiharu wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer, and since he was more than a little hungry, Keitaro reached up to accept the offered tray, letting out a pained hiss when his arms protested at the movement.
“Are you all right?” she asked, noticing the various cuts, bruises and abrasions on his arms as she sat down across from him.
“It’s nothing, I’m okay,” Keitaro assured her.
“You sure? It sounded like things went very badly for you and Motoko today…”
“I’m fine, I just need a little sleep…” ‘A month off, some physio, a case of Percocet…’ he added silently, as he began to devour the plate of food.
Chiharu sighed. “This can’t be easy for you Keitaro. Why are you doing this? Do you dislike our family that much? Is avoiding Motoko that important to you?”
“No, NO! It’s not like that, Motoko’s a great girl, it’s just…” Keitaro paused to consider his words, realizing how his effort could have been interpreted by the Aoyama matriarch. “I-I don’t think that Motoko likes me… I-it wouldn’t be fair to her to have her be with me. If-if she wanted me… I-I wouldn’t mind being married to her,” he admitted with a flush on his cheeks. “But-but I don’t want her to be stuck with me if she doesn’t want that… I-I’ve got nothing against her, really. Or the rest of your family. I-I’m just doing this, ‘cause that’s what Motoko wants…”
Chiharu nodded to herself, as if confirming something. “I understand Keitaro. I’m glad that some of what Isamu thought about you was wrong. Don’t think badly of him, it’s just that Motoko is his youngest daughter, and he’s always been a little over-protective.”
Keitaro thought back to the constant glare Chiharu’s husband had fixed on him during dinner. “I can understand,” he told her. ‘I think I’d be like that if I had a daughter…’ he admitted to himself.
Chiharu stood up gracefully. “You’re very understanding,” she told him with a faint smile. “Just leave the tray outside the door when you’re finished. And good luck tomorrow. I’m sorry that you got tangled up in all this, and I hope that everything works out in the end.” With a final nod, Chiharu silently glided out of the room, leaving Keitaro alone with his food and thoughts.
‘If we don’t do better than we did today,’ Keitaro told himself, ‘she’ll end up being my mother in law…’ he took a savage bite, not being in the right frame of mind to properly appreciate the excellent food. He froze suddenly, a forkful of food inches from his mouth, as he remembered something Chiharu had said. ‘Tangled up…’
The contemplative look on his face vanished, replaced with a confident grin. ‘That’s it! That’s what we’ll do!’ he put the food in his mouth with a flourish, as he began planning strategy in his head.
XXX
In retrospect, the idea had been rather foolish. But hindsight was 20/20, and when he’d come up with the plan the night before, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. ‘Tangled up… Did I really think it would be that easy?’ he admonished himself.
The idea had appeared to be elegantly simple: Throw blankets over Tsuruko, and subdue her when she tried to extricate herself from them. Keitaro had told Motoko that he’d toss the sheets over her sister, try to tackle her, or at least keep her occupied, while she moved in to deliver the coup de grace. Motoko had wondered if this was an honorable tactic, but since she’d had no luck the previous day, she’d been willing to try something new.
Keitaro had cast the blankets over Tsuruko, and his aim had been perfect, the sheets billowing over her like a net, exactly as they’d planned.
Unfortunately, that was the only part that went according to plan.
As Keitaro had rushed towards Tsuruko, intending to knock her over, her blade had flashed out, reducing the blanket to ribbons in the blink of an eye. As a result, when Keitaro reached Tsuruko, she was completely unrestricted, and she’d launched him into the air, sending him flying right out of the compound. Seconds after his hard landing, Motoko had crashed down on him, driving him back into the ground, causing him to see dozens of Tama-chans circling overhead.
When the both of them got their bearings back, they’d hurried back into the compound, and a virtual repeat of the day before had occurred. As a result, Keitaro was in his room applying even more bandages to his arms and face, and staring balefully at the calendar Tsuruko had thoughtfully placed in his room, the deadline day circled with a big red heart. ‘Five days left… This isn’t over yet, but it’s not looking good…’
He continued to dress his injuries, silently thanking whatever was responsible for his durability and his quick regenerative abilities, his broken leg notwithstanding, when there was a knock at his door. “Come in.”
“Good evening Keitaro.”
“Chiharu? Thanks, but I’m not hungry, I ate dinner this time…”
“I know,” she told him. “I’m not bringing food tonight, I’ve got something else…”
“What is it?”
She sat down and handed him a small earthenware jar. “This salve has been in our family for generations. It has excellent healing properties, and it helps keep cuts from getting infected. If you use it, you’ll be in better shape for tomorrow…”
“Thank you.” Keitaro gratefully accepted the jar and began rubbing the cream over his arms, finding that it tingled pleasantly, and that the throbbing aches began to ease as he applied it. He was just finishing his right arm when a thought suddenly occurred to him, and without thinking he blurted out, “Why are you helping me?”
“Because you need it,” Chiharu told him bluntly. “And I’m not ‘helping’ you, I’m just trying to balance the scales a little.”
“Balance the scales?”
“Yes. Tsuruko is easily the most skilled of you three,” Chiharu pointed out unnecessarily. “Motoko has limitless potential, but unless she learns to focus herself, and quickly, she won’t be able to be a match for her sister. And you…” Chiharu sighed deeply. “You’re a well-intentioned, very earnest, but virtually unskilled novice. Only your remarkable endurance is keeping you in this, and while I can’t offer you any help, at least I can make sure that you’re at your best.”
Keitaro wanted to dispute her points, but since she was completely correct, he could only nod his head. “You’re right,” he acknowledged. “I do want to thank you though, I’ve only been a burden…”
“Don’t worry about it Keitaro. You’re a nice enough young man, and Motoko shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”
“I could have said ‘no.’ I told her I’d help her, and I’m not sorry for that.” He gave the calendar another look. “I just gotta try harder…”
Chiharu smiled at that, and Keitaro was struck by just how regal she looked, the streaks of silver in her ebony hair making her appear elegant. Under other circumstances, he would have been struck by how beautiful she really was, but his mind was too preoccupied to pay too much attention. Chiharu got back to her feet. “Good luck Keitaro. Don’t get discouraged, there’s still five days left.” Without another word, she left Keitaro to his efforts to heal himself.
‘She’s definitely a ‘glass is half-full’ person,’ Keitaro decided, as he continued to rub the ointment into his wounds, its pleasant scent relaxing him, and when he finished, he turned off the light and quickly succumbed to exhaustion.
XXX
‘Three days left… What’re we gonna do?’ Keitaro asked himself miserably. The last two days had been carbon copies of the first two. Wake up. Have breakfast. Eat. Have ass handed to by Tsuruko… Nothing that they’d tried had worked. Keitaro had tried virtually every weapon, save firearms, from broadswords to maces, once even using an honest to goodness Louisville Slugger, only to have Tsuruko fire him over the wall like a fastball thrown right over the plate.
If the stakes hadn‘t been so high, their toils might have been amusing, but they were fighting for their respective freedom, Motoko for the right to keep her blade, and the both of them to not be married to the other in three days. While being married to Motoko wasn’t such a bad fate, and he’d even briefly imagined what life would be like if that happened, it wasn’t what Motoko wanted, and Keitaro would always feel guilty if they ended up together because of this.
A knocking at the door disturbed his reverie. “It’s open,” Keitaro called out.
Chiharu opened the door and walked in, carrying an ice pack. “Good evening Keitaro, I brought this for your head.”
“My head?”
“Yes. I could see that bump on it from across the room when you came inside. How’d it happen?”
“Landed on a rock,” Keitaro explained. “It’s no big deal.”
Chiharu ignored his attempts to shrug off the injury and walked up to him, knelling down and placing the ice pack on his head. “Hold this against it, it’ll make the swelling go down,” she directed him.
“…Thanks…” Keitaro replied quietly, reaching up to hold it in place. “For everything, really…”
Chiharu shook her head dismissively. “I’m only trying to level the playing field a little,” she reminded him. “Can’t have you saying that you weren’t at your best…”
“Fine,” Keitaro replied tiredly. “But whatever your reasons, thanks… I just wish I was having some more success.”
“There’s still three days…”
Keitaro didn’t reply to that, not wanting to tell Chiharu that his doubts were growing with every passing moment, as time marched relentlessly towards the deadline. He glanced at the calendar, reminded yet again of the dwindling number of days that had to be crossed off before the one that was circled by a red heart. Even today, during the melee, Tsuruko had cheerfully asked them whose room they’d prefer for their wedding night. Motoko’d gone deathly pale and then charged her sister in a crazed rush, only to be effortlessly swatted away.
“You could always give up,” Chiharu murmured. “The two of you don’t seem like a bad couple, and you might learn to love each other…”
“I can’t do that,” Keitaro sighed. “I promised Motoko I’d do this, she-she’s counting on me…” ’She’s relying on me… the guy who took three tries to get into Tokyo University.’ he closed his eyes and slumped. ’Motoko, I’m sorry…’ He let out a single bark of a laugh. ‘All this happened because I was trying to help her.’
As he sat there feeling miserable, holding an ice pack against a tender bump on his head, Keitaro heard Chiharu get back to her feet and walk out the door. She wished him good luck once again, and he nodded in appreciation of her wishes, feeling a sad smile come over his face. He watched her walk out of the room, absently noticing how gracefully she moved, before he laid back down on his futon, the pack pressed against his head, and desperately trying to think of something else that could possibly allow him and Motoko to defeat Tsuruko.
When he finally fell asleep an hour later, he still didn’t have any answers.
XXX
Keitaro laid on his back on his futon, staring despondently at the ceiling, his arms under his head. ‘Tomorrow’s the last day! We’re sunk! There’s still the Hina Blade, and Su’s grenades, but Tsuruko’s already shrugged off everything else we’ve tossed at her, I don’t think they’ll make any difference…’ He closed his eyes and thought back over the events of the day. In addition to the regular beatings they’d received, Naru was now staying at the home with them, as she’d been in Kyoto with her school trip, and had been passing by when he and Motoko had been sent flying. When she’d learned what was going on, and what the stakes were, she’d given him that look, and accepted Tsuruko’s invitation to stay.
Then, just to improve things, when he and Motoko had attempted to ambush Tsuruko, they’d ended up encountering Naru instead, first in the outdoor bath, and then on the toilet. While she didn’t hit as hard as Tsuruko, it didn’t raise his stock in her eyes, and more importantly, it wasted time that they didn’t have.
Keitaro took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He’d been able to smooth things out with Naru a little, and Motoko was still training in preparation for the final showdown tomorrow, and he’d been able to express some confidence to Naru earlier that evening. But then Motoko had appeared to start to question her capability to best her elder sister, and then had lashed out when he’d tried to talk to her. Still, Keitaro had to keep hopeful or else he’d be useless in the morning.
He closed his eyes and tried once again to fall asleep, but found that the sandman had apparently decided to skip him tonight. He’d tossed and turned endlessly, trying to find a position that would allow him to doze off, but nothing was working. ‘If I don’t get some sleep, I’m going to be a basket case in the morning…’ He sighed and got up from his futon, pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. ‘Maybe a walk will tire me out a little…’ Slipping out of his room, he quietly made his way down the hall, not wanting to disturb anyone.
“Keitaro? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Keitaro whirled around in surprise. “Ch-Chiharu… Sorry, you startled me…”
She gave him a quizzical look. “You aren’t trying to run away, are you?”
He shook his head. “No, I just couldn’t sleep. Too nervous, I guess… Was just going for a walk, clear my head, tire me out, you know?”
“I do. Have you had a chance to see the woods behind our home?” Chiharu asked. “There’re some very nice paths in them. Quite relaxing…”
“No, I haven’t. Sounds nice…”
“Then would you mind joining an old woman on her evening walk?”
“Sure. Where is she?”
Chiharu laughed softly at that. “You may not be much of a warrior, but you are a gentleman Keitaro…” She gestured for him to follow her, and they were soon at the back of the residence, looking out at the forest behind it.
“You walk through that?” Keitaro asked in disbelief. There was no light except for the nearly full moon, and the forest looked as friendly and inviting as the proverbial dark alley. “There could be bears, psychos, rapists…”
“There aren’t,” Chiharu reassured him. “This is all our land, and people have learned not to trespass over the generations.”
“But what about animals?”
“Apparently, it was easier to teach them to keep them from coming back…”
An image of Tsuruko cutting a truck in half and Motoko splitting a boulder entered Keitaro’s mind. “I-I see…” Now that his eyes had had a chance to adjust to the low light, Keitaro was able to make out a path along the forest’s floor. It looked safe enough, and if Chiharu used it regularly, then he was sure it was okay. “L-let’s go…”
The Aoyama matriarch and the manager of Hinata House began to walk down the path, Chiharu pointing out certain trees with notches cut into them, explaining that her daughters had made them when they were first learning to use their blades. The moonlight gave everything a brilliant glow, and with the sounds of chirping crickets in the wood, it was a relaxing setting.
Keitaro walked along the path, taking care where he placed his crutches, lest he end up taking a tumble and further injuring his leg. He almost laughed at that thought, considering the pounding he’d taken in the previous week. He glanced over at Chiharu, concerned how she was handling the uneven ground, and he had his breath taken away.
Like all Aoyama women, Chiharu had a pale complexion, but in this light, she practically glowed. Her white gi was also shining in the darkness, but the most stunning thing about her was her hair. Her long black mane was tied behind her in a simple ponytail, but the silver streaks were shining in the moonlight, brilliantly contrasting with the wet coal color of the rest of her hair.
Keitaro realized that he was staring, and he quickly averted his eyes, a blush on his cheeks, mostly from embarrassment, thankful that Chiharu hadn’t noticed him ogling her. ‘It’s obvious where Tsuruko and Motoko get their looks,’ he thought briefly, before he shook his head, attempting to clear away any potentially dangerous thoughts, and trying to forget just how elegant Chiharu looked.
A startled cry from Chiharu captured Keitaro’s attention, and he turned to face her just in time to have her fall against him. The sudden impact made him drop his crutches, losing his footing and stumble backwards against a tree, knocking the wind out of him, even as he managed to grab Chiharu by her shoulders, somehow managing to keep the both of them on their feet. After shaking his head to make the spinning stop, Keitaro managed to ask Chiharu, “Are-are you okay?”
“Y-yes, I am. I’m sorry Keitaro…”
“What happened?”
“I-I tripped. I guess I’m not as sure footed as I used to be…”
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, just-just give me a moment…”
“Take all the time you need, I’m not going anywhere…” Keitaro gently held on to Chiharu, hoping that his own coordination wouldn’t be affected by yet another jolt. ‘Least I’m still on my feet… If I’d fallen, we both woulda been really hurt. I mean, Chiharu still hasn’t gotten her…bearings…back…’
Keitaro’s thoughts died away and he let out a shuddering gasp when he felt Chiharu’s warm breath at the base of his neck. He also realized, with shocking clarity, that she didn’t have her hands against him as if she was going to push herself off, but she was holding on to him at his side. “Chi-Chiharu…?” he forced out. “What’re yo-oohhhh…” The rational part of Keitaro’s mind seized up when he felt her softly kiss him on the neck.
Keitaro felt a brief impulse to bodily shove Chiharu off of him and run back to Hinata House, if not farther, but the thought of what would happen to him if he injured Tsuruko and Motoko’s mother stayed his hand. The sheer improbability of what was happening made him wonder if he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought, or that maybe the stresses of the previous week had finally gotten to him. It wasn’t until he felt Chiharu gently suckling his right earlobe that Keitaro realized that he wasn’t delusional, and that this was really happening.
This delay also resulted in his body’s physical desire taking root, effectively supplanting his reason and better judgment, and when Chiharu moved her right hand to the left side of his head, Keitaro nuzzled against it, softly moaning as she trailed kisses along his jaw line, until she gently pulled his head down, pressing her lips against her own.
‘Strawberries…’ was the first thought that entered Keitaro’s mind. ‘She-she tastes like… wild strawberries…’ keeping his eyes open, Keitaro saw his reflection in Chiharu’s olive green eyes, before she closed them, prompting him to do the same. He moved his arms, slowly sliding his left one up until he was softly holding the back of Chiharu’s head, allowing his right arm to come to rest at the small of her back.
Opening his mouth to let Chiharu’s tongue between his lips, Keitaro met it with his own, hearing her moan into his mouth as he massaged the back of her head. Breaking the kiss, he moved his head down, kissing the nape of her neck before he began to suckle on her left earlobe. He let out a short hiss when he felt Chiharu slip her hands under his t-shirt, tracing warm trails up his sides as they slid upwards.
Keitaro moved his hands to the belt that held Chiharu’s gi closed, clumsily fumbling with the knot even as he continued to kiss the nape of her neck. Finally undoing it, Keitaro opened the garment, Chiharu letting go of him long enough to let it slide off of her shoulders to the ground with a soft rustle. Once it was off, she grabbed the edge of Keitaro’s shirt, pulling it up over his head, Keitaro raising his arms to assist in its removal.
Pulling Chiharu tight against him, Keitaro resumed kissing her, carefully letting his hands explore her exposed back, feeling the binding that bound her breasts rubbing up against his bare chest. He almost froze when he felt Chiharu reaching for the waistband of his shorts, but he let her push them down, taking his boxer shorts as well. He eased himself away from the tree trunk to make it easier getting them off, and once she’d done that and gotten them past his now throbbing erection, let them fall to his ankles, lifting his right leg to step out of them.
Chiharu broke the frantic kiss and stepped back, effortlessly undoing her hakama and letting it drop unceremoniously to the ground, before she pressed herself back against Keitaro, kissing him hungrily. Gripping him by the shoulders, she began to pull him down to the ground, being extra careful with his broken leg, until he was sitting with his back against the tree, its rough bark providing a different type of sensation to Keitaro’s already overloaded senses.
Keitaro could feel himself trembling, desire and nervousness waging war in his system. Staring up at Chiharu, as she silently pushed down her panties before she reached behind her head and undid her ponytail, letting her long hair cascade down her shoulders, Keitaro felt himself swell even more. However, he also knew that there was some risk of being discovered by Chiharu’s husband, daughters, or, possibly worst of all, Naru. He found himself almost expecting a bellow of outrage, followed by a painful and (only if he was lucky) quick death. But gazing up at Chiharu, as the moonlight illuminated her, Keitaro realized that he didn’t want to try to stop this.
Chiharu knelt down before him, taking hold of Keitaro’s erection with a gentle grip, and giving him a languid stroke, making him groan unabashedly. With a soft smile on her face, Chiharu moved towards Keitaro, all of the while stroking him, until she was all but in his lap, leaning forward to kiss him, even as she reached behind her back with her left hand and began to undo her chest bindings. She positioned herself so that she was straddling Keitaro, his manhood brushing up gently against her inner thigh, as she finally removed the last of the fabric.
Keitaro let out a sudden gasp when Chiharu broke off the kiss and then let herself sink down onto his shaft, the unexpected warmth and tightness taking his breath away. They both stayed motionless and stared into each others eyes, Keitaro realizing that he could easily drown in those deep green pools. He shuddered when Chiharu took his hands and brought them up to cup her breasts, her erect nipples against his palms. She wasn’t quite as endowed as her daughters, or at least what he’d seen of Motoko, but she was a comfortable fit in his hands, and they showed no trace of sag.
Chiharu leaned forward to kiss him again, and Keitaro could see the lines around her eyes, and a few other wrinkles, but she was still undeniably beautiful, her maturity giving her a regal and dignified look that even Tsuruko and Motoko couldn’t match. Meeting her lips with his own, Keitaro let the kiss go on and on, breaking it only when Chiharu lifted herself most of the way off of his erection, before she effortlessly sank back down on it.
Keitaro gave Chiharu’s nipples a nervous, gentle squeeze between his thumbs and forefingers, before he moved his left arm around her shoulders and his right one to her waist, pulling her tight against himself. Pushing himself up as best he could to meet her downward thrusts, while trying to figure out the best way for him to do it, Keitaro felt Chiharu’s hard nipples rub against his chest, and the two of them ended up with their foreheads touching, both of them breathing through their mouths as they found their rhythm.
Keitaro gently kissed Chiharu on the forehead, tasting her sweat, and breathing in the scent of her hair, the silver strands glowing like stars in the night sky. He could feel her panting against his neck as they moved together, both of them gradually increasing their pace. Chiharu then leaned back and the two of them started at each other, both taking pleasure from the changes in expression and noises the other made. Keitaro gritted his teeth and tried to concentrate on something else, not wanting to disappoint Chiharu by finishing too quick.
The two of them continued to move against each other in relative silence, neither of them speaking, only soft gasps, pants, and moans breaking the quiet, with the outside whirr of crickets providing a background. Keitaro watched Chiharu’s face contorting as he continued to drive inside of her, her warm tight passage gripping him better than he could ever have done with his hand. He could hear himself groaning through his clenched teeth, and he knew it would be over soon.. Pulling Chiharu as tightly against him as he could, Keitaro gently nibbled on her right earlobe, even as she whispered indistinctively in his right ear.
With one last intense thrust, Keitaro climaxed with a strangled cry, firing off two volleys of his seed into Chiharu. She let out a groan at her own orgasm, spasmodically gripping at Keitaro’s shaft and biting his shoulder, heightening the experience for him. Keitaro slumped back against the tree, the bark scratching his now sweaty back, making him itch as he held the shuddering Chiharu tightly to his body.
For a time, neither moved, both of them content with the silence and intimacy of the moment. After a while, Chiharu pushed herself back up and gave Keitaro a gentle kiss on his perspiring brow, before she looked him in the eyes. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Keitaro said the first thing that came to mind. “W-why?”
Chiharu closed her eyes and sighed deeply before she reopened them and appeared to look Keitaro into his very soul. “I-I’m not really sure…”
Keitaro's eyes went as large as saucers at that. "H-huh?"
Chiharu smiled gently at his distress. “I love my husband, Keitaro. There’s no question about that. He’s given me nearly thirty wonderful years and two beautiful daughters…”
“Then-then why…?” Keitaro rasped hoarsely.
“Because when I first met you, I-I felt something… a spark, chemistry… Something I haven’t felt in many, many years…”
“S-spark…?”
“Haven’t you ever felt something when you first met someone?”
“…yeah, but…”
“I-I guess I decided to act on it…”
Keitaro slumped back, his head hitting the tree with a solid 'Thud!' ‘I’m dead… How-how’d I get into this?’ he asked himself in shock.
“You know what’s even more troubling Keitaro?” Chiharu continued. “Now that it’s over, I-I-I can’t say that I regret it…” Only the fact that Chiharu was still in his lap kept Keitaro from leaping up in fright. “It-it was as good as I’d hoped it would be… And-and I find myself wanting to maybe see you again Keitaro…” She leaned forward and rested against a trembling Keitaro, but he still absently embraced her in return. “Motoko must never know…”
“You think I’M going to tell her…?”
“Of course not…” Chiharu gave him one last embrace before she stood back up and started getting dressed, not bothering to put her undergarments back on. “You shouldn’t stay out too long Keitaro, you might fall asleep. I’ll run you a bath for when you get back.” She finished tying her gi and turned away, before she locked back over her shoulder. “And good luck tomorrow…”
“T-tomorrow…?”
“You still have to defeat Tsuruko if you don’t want to be married to Motoko,” Chiharu reminded him. “I do hope you win. It would be… difficult… if you were married to my youngest…” Without another word, she walked back to the house, leaving a shell-shocked Keitaro alone with his thoughts.
Keitaro had no idea how long he sat there, and he was only faintly aware of getting dressed and carefully skulking back to the house, flinching at every sound. When he finally made it back he bathed for nearly an hour, scrubbing harder than he’d ever done in his life, desperate to make sure he didn’t smell like Chiharu, before he staggered back to his room, collapsing onto his futon, and falling into a deep, but troubled, sleep.
XXX
“What? You’d like to go to college?”
“Y-yes, I do,” Motoko replied nervously, not quite able to meet Tsuruko’s eyes. “Do you not approve?”
“No, that’s perfectly acceptable,” Tsuruko told her. “Your sword and you woman-hood… Why not take some time and work on them. Urashima, please look after Motoko for me.”
Keitaro barely heard her, as he was still replaying what had happened the night before in his mind, about what Chiharu had told him. Belatedly, he realized that Tsuruko was waiting for him to reply. “Y-yeah… No problem… I’ll do it…”
‘Thank you Keitaro,’ Motoko thought, giving him a tentative, gentle smile. It faded when she realized that he was scarcely paying attention. He’d been edgy all day, even during the battle, but she’d hoped he’d ease up a bit now that it was over.
“Is something wrong Keitaro?” Naru inquired. “You’ve been quiet all day…”
Keitaro managed a weak smile. “I-it’s just been a hectic time… Let’s go home, I need a rest…”
The three of them bid their farewells to Tsuruko and boarded the train that would take them back to Hinata. Naru and Motoko spent most of the trip chatting amiably, but Keitaro stared out the window in silence, thinking about a woman with silver streaks in her jet black hair.
To be continued…
Author’s Notes:
Special thanks go out to Rx7 for pre-reading this story, and trying to make this at least approach the level of hawtness in his own work.
This story was written in response to a challenge/request from Grey Wolf.
I don’t own this story and I don’t make any money off of it. If you sue me, give me a number and I’ll fax you the cash.
C+C is welcome at hawker_748@hotmail.com.
“X” Spoken words
‘X’ Thoughts
Lemon Content Warning.
Love Hina:
Wild Strawberries.
Chapter One: Blossom
Keitaro let out a soft, appreciative whistle as he and Motoko approached her ancestral home, his pace hobbled by the cast on his left leg. “That’s some house,” he remarked.
“It’s not just our home Keitaro,” Motoko corrected quietly. “This is where we teach our art. It all started right here…”
Keitaro didn’t respond to that, and the two of them approached the home, the importance of what they had to do making the building seem even more imposing and intimidating. As every step brought him closer, Keitaro couldn’t stand the silence. “What-what kind of challenge does your sister have in mind?”
“I’ve no idea. Didn’t she explain it to you?”
“No,” Keitaro admitted sheepishly. “And I didn’t really get a chance to ask her. But she’s your sister, don’t you have any guess?”
“None. This has never happened before, who knows what she has planned. But we’ll find out soon enough,” Motoko murmured as they reached the main gate. She took a breath to steel herself before she took hold of the large knocker and rapped three times.
‘She has to knock?’ Keitaro wondered. ‘I thought this was her home.’ As he was pondering this, the gate opened with only a faint whine from the hinges, revealing Motoko’s older sister Tsuruko.
“Motoko, Urashima, it’s good to see that you accepted the challenge. Welcome back Motoko, and welcome Urashima. Please, make yourselves at home.”
“Sister, wh-what will we have to do when-”
Tsuruko cut off Motoko with a wave of her hand. “The two of you just arrived, there’s plenty of time for that later. Just get settled in and relax, and I’ll explain everything soon enough.”
Motoko almost balked at that, as she wanted to deal with this as soon as possible, but one glance at Tsuruko killed any thoughts of disagreeing with her. Resigning herself with being in the dark a little longer, Motoko gestured for Keitaro to follow her as Tsuruko lead them to where they’d be staying. As they walked, Motoko worked up the courage to ask her sister, “You-you aren’t putting us in the same room, are you?”
“Of course not,” Tsuruko replied. “That would be inappropriate.”
Motoko and Keitaro let out simultaneous sighs of relief.
“You’ll just have to wait until this is over before you can share a room… and a futon,” Tsuruko added cheerfully.
Keitaro and Motoko both blanched. They scarcely heard Tsuruko inviting them to dinner in half an hour before they settled down in their respective rooms, the gravity of the situation sinking in to the both of them. Thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and the unwilling fiancés slowly made their way to the dining room.
“Keitaro…”
“Y-yes Motoko…?”
“P-please… try to be careful in front of my parents…”
“Y-your parents?” Keitaro asked numbly.
“Yes. Didn’t you think they’d be here?”
Keitaro didn’t answer, not wanting Motoko to realize that he hadn’t thought about meeting them at all. He tried to remember what Naru had told him about Motoko’s parents, but he could only recall the phrase ‘famous swordsman.’ He shuddered briefly when he considered just how good her father had to be to instruct Motoko. ‘And I’m the guy who’s supposed to be marrying his little girl…’ Despite the cooler evening air, Keitaro felt himself start to sweat.
Motoko and Keitaro entered the dining room and found Tsuruko already there, and an older couple as well. ‘Mom and dad,’ Keitaro thought silently. Bowing as formally as his cast would allow, Keitaro said, “T-thank you for allowing me to intrude in your home.” He found that he couldn’t bring himself to look them in the eyes, as he felt like he didn’t belong.
“Keitaro,” Motoko began, after she finished bowing, “this is my father, Isamu Aoyama.”
Keitaro accepted the extended hand, and had to keep himself from wincing at the strength of the man’s grip. He stood at least four inches over Keitaro, with chiseled features, and a full head of silver hair. His dark eyes burned into Keitaro, and seemed to shout, ‘You think you’re good enough for my daughter, punk?’ He looked as solid as granite, and Keitaro wondered if he was always this intimidating, or whether he was simply trying to frighten him.
“And this is my mother, Chiharu Aoyama.”
After taking a second to clench his fist and try to get the blood flowing through it again, Keitaro took her extended hand, discovering that it was cool to the touch, and while Chiharu had a firm grip, at least his bones weren’t creaking in protest. She was in her mid to late forties, Keitaro decided, about three inches shorter than him, with long hair tied back in a simple ponytail, streaks of silver running through the black. There were some lines around her green eyes, but she’d aged remarkably well. While Tsuruko and Motoko had inherited their stature from their father, their looks obviously ran in their mother’s side of the family. “It’s nice to meet you…”
“Likewise. So… you’re who my daughter fancies…”
Both Keitaro and Motoko paled. “I-I-we…” Keitaro stammered helplessly.
Chiharu gave him a hint of a smile. “How eloquent. Never mind the explanations, join us for dinner, before it gets cold.”
Blushing heavily, Keitaro hung his head in shame, unable to look Chiharu in the eyes either. He belatedly noticed that she had two short swords hung at her waist. Moving to the table, he glanced over at Isamu and realized that he wasn’t wearing a sword at all. Taking a seat at the table, which was uncomfortably close to Motoko’s, he whispered to her, “Why doesn’t your father wear a sword?”
“Because I’m the head of the school, not him,” Chiharu replied evenly.
At that moment, Keitaro wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow him. ‘S-she heard that?‘ he wondered in a moment of near panic. ‘Oh, you’re making a GREAT impression, aren’t you?’ Keitaro opened his mouth to reply, but he was only able to move it like a freshly landed fish, mortified beyond the ability to speak.
“You thought Isamu was the head of the school?” Chiharu probed. When Keitaro nodded stiffly, she continued. “Don’t feel too bad, that’s what most people think, and I don’t really mind. People are less likely to challenge me if they think I’m an ordinary housewife. It does cause Isamu a few headaches though…” she added with a smile.
When Keitaro didn’t reply, terrified of sticking his foot in his mouth again, everyone started eating. ‘At least the food’s good,’ he thought to himself as he carefully ate, concentrating hard to keep himself from doing something clumsy. He was constantly reminding himself to keep his elbows off the table, and keep them close to his body, lest he bump up against Motoko, who’d been seated very close to him, despite the fact that the dinner table was large with many open areas on it.
Keitaro could practically feel Isamu’s disapproving glare boring into him, and the few times he’d been able to bring himself to look at Chiharu, he’d seen her look away, clearly studying him, but not wanting him to see her do it. He felt as if he was taking a final exam in a course he hadn’t even known he was enrolled in, and with no knowledge of the subject of study. ‘They’re… judging me,’ Keitaro realized, ‘and I don’t think they’re too impressed with what they see…’
When the meal was over, Tsuruko cleared her throat to gather everyone’s attention. “Motoko-chan, Keitaro-kun, these are the terms you will have to follow to have your engagement annulled.” When she saw that she had the absolute attention of the unwillingly engaged couple, she continued. “Starting at sunrise tomorrow, the two of you will have one week to defeat me in battle, using any honorable means. If you succeed, then you won’t have to be married, and Motoko can continue to practice the art. However, if you fail to do so by sundown after one week, then the two of you will have to marry immediately.”
‘One week… To defeat Tsuruko?’ Keitaro thought in dismay. ‘I couldn’t do that in a lifetime! Can Motoko beat her?’ Keitaro looked over at the youngest Aoyama and was troubled by the shell-shocked look on her face. He turned to the parents, his look beseeching them, ‘You’re going to allow this?!’ He found only acceptance, and he realized that there was no getting out of this.
“I’d suggest you two should plan a strategy and go to bed early,” Tsuruko commented. “You both have an early day tomorrow.”
“We will. Goodnight mother, father, sister.” Motoko nodded to each of them as she abruptly left the table, causing Keitaro to awkwardly rise to his feet, quickly make his goodbyes and follow Motoko to the inner courtyard.
“Motoko? What are you doing?” Keitaro asked when he finally caught up with her.
For a while, Motoko didn’t answer, she simply stared out into space, a thoughtful look coming over her features. “Sorry Keitaro,” she apologized. “I just needed to get out of there and clear my head. Do you know how we’re going to defeat Tsuruko?”
“I-I was hoping that you’d know…”
“Rhetorical question,” Motoko replied. “We’ll have to work together…”
“But what can I do with this?” Keitaro wondered, gesturing to his cast bound leg.
“You can help keep her busy, distract her…”
“I’ll do whatever you ask Motoko. Anything I can.”
A ghost of a smile reached Motoko’s lips. “I know. T-thank you for doing this Keitaro.”
“It’s no big deal,” he replied dismissively, before he tried to raise her spirits. Don’t worry, we’re gonna kick your sister’s sorry ass…” Keitaro then took his leave, biding Motoko good night and heading off to bed, determined to be rested for the morning.
XXX
‘Kick your sister’s sorry ass… Pride goeth before the fall,’ Keitaro reminded himself the following night in his room. ‘I couldn’t ache anymore if I’d fallen off the roof… into the outdoor bath…’ If asked, Keitaro would admit that perhaps his confidence had been unwarranted. He and Motoko had been soundly thumped all day, Tsuruko proving to be even more skilled than he’d feared. He’d found it a little galling that while he and Motoko were giving it their all, Tsuruko didn’t even seem to be exerting herself, facing their attacks with an almost contemptuous air, swatting them away like flies.
Applying more band aids to the cuts on his arms, Keitaro thought back to the events of the day. Letting Motoko face her one-on-one had proven fruitless, as Tsuruko was easily more than a match for her. When Keitaro had tried to keep her busy, she’d effortlessly taken him out and dealt with Motoko. When he tried getting in a hit while Motoko kept her busy, Tsuruko had dodged his attacks without even looking, sent Motoko over the horizon, and then sent him after her. All in all, Keitaro had none of the confidence he’d had the previous night, and while he wasn’t about to give up, one day was already gone, and if they didn’t come up with some better tactics, in another six days, Motoko would be Mrs. Urashima.
His musings were interrupted by a knock at his door. “Come in Motoko, it’s open,” he called out without looking up.
“That’s rather forward Keitaro, having my daughter in your room at this time. Have you already given up?”
“M-Mrs. Aoyama! I-I’m sorry, I-I thought it was Motoko coming to talk strategy, that’s all, I swear!” Keitaro babbled.
“That’s all right Keitaro, I believe you,” Chiharu told him as she entered his room carrying a tray. “You’ll only have to wait another six days anyway…”
Keitaro slumped at this reminder. “Why are you here Mrs. Aoyama?” he asked after a moment.
“Call me Chiharu. You barely looked at dinner tonight. I thought that you might be hungry.”
“Had a lot on my mind Mrs. Aoy-… Chiharu,” Keitaro replied. “Wasn’t really in the mood to eat.”
“You need to keep your strength up Keitaro,” Chiharu reminded him. “Here, eat…”
Realizing that Chiharu wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer, and since he was more than a little hungry, Keitaro reached up to accept the offered tray, letting out a pained hiss when his arms protested at the movement.
“Are you all right?” she asked, noticing the various cuts, bruises and abrasions on his arms as she sat down across from him.
“It’s nothing, I’m okay,” Keitaro assured her.
“You sure? It sounded like things went very badly for you and Motoko today…”
“I’m fine, I just need a little sleep…” ‘A month off, some physio, a case of Percocet…’ he added silently, as he began to devour the plate of food.
Chiharu sighed. “This can’t be easy for you Keitaro. Why are you doing this? Do you dislike our family that much? Is avoiding Motoko that important to you?”
“No, NO! It’s not like that, Motoko’s a great girl, it’s just…” Keitaro paused to consider his words, realizing how his effort could have been interpreted by the Aoyama matriarch. “I-I don’t think that Motoko likes me… I-it wouldn’t be fair to her to have her be with me. If-if she wanted me… I-I wouldn’t mind being married to her,” he admitted with a flush on his cheeks. “But-but I don’t want her to be stuck with me if she doesn’t want that… I-I’ve got nothing against her, really. Or the rest of your family. I-I’m just doing this, ‘cause that’s what Motoko wants…”
Chiharu nodded to herself, as if confirming something. “I understand Keitaro. I’m glad that some of what Isamu thought about you was wrong. Don’t think badly of him, it’s just that Motoko is his youngest daughter, and he’s always been a little over-protective.”
Keitaro thought back to the constant glare Chiharu’s husband had fixed on him during dinner. “I can understand,” he told her. ‘I think I’d be like that if I had a daughter…’ he admitted to himself.
Chiharu stood up gracefully. “You’re very understanding,” she told him with a faint smile. “Just leave the tray outside the door when you’re finished. And good luck tomorrow. I’m sorry that you got tangled up in all this, and I hope that everything works out in the end.” With a final nod, Chiharu silently glided out of the room, leaving Keitaro alone with his food and thoughts.
‘If we don’t do better than we did today,’ Keitaro told himself, ‘she’ll end up being my mother in law…’ he took a savage bite, not being in the right frame of mind to properly appreciate the excellent food. He froze suddenly, a forkful of food inches from his mouth, as he remembered something Chiharu had said. ‘Tangled up…’
The contemplative look on his face vanished, replaced with a confident grin. ‘That’s it! That’s what we’ll do!’ he put the food in his mouth with a flourish, as he began planning strategy in his head.
XXX
In retrospect, the idea had been rather foolish. But hindsight was 20/20, and when he’d come up with the plan the night before, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. ‘Tangled up… Did I really think it would be that easy?’ he admonished himself.
The idea had appeared to be elegantly simple: Throw blankets over Tsuruko, and subdue her when she tried to extricate herself from them. Keitaro had told Motoko that he’d toss the sheets over her sister, try to tackle her, or at least keep her occupied, while she moved in to deliver the coup de grace. Motoko had wondered if this was an honorable tactic, but since she’d had no luck the previous day, she’d been willing to try something new.
Keitaro had cast the blankets over Tsuruko, and his aim had been perfect, the sheets billowing over her like a net, exactly as they’d planned.
Unfortunately, that was the only part that went according to plan.
As Keitaro had rushed towards Tsuruko, intending to knock her over, her blade had flashed out, reducing the blanket to ribbons in the blink of an eye. As a result, when Keitaro reached Tsuruko, she was completely unrestricted, and she’d launched him into the air, sending him flying right out of the compound. Seconds after his hard landing, Motoko had crashed down on him, driving him back into the ground, causing him to see dozens of Tama-chans circling overhead.
When the both of them got their bearings back, they’d hurried back into the compound, and a virtual repeat of the day before had occurred. As a result, Keitaro was in his room applying even more bandages to his arms and face, and staring balefully at the calendar Tsuruko had thoughtfully placed in his room, the deadline day circled with a big red heart. ‘Five days left… This isn’t over yet, but it’s not looking good…’
He continued to dress his injuries, silently thanking whatever was responsible for his durability and his quick regenerative abilities, his broken leg notwithstanding, when there was a knock at his door. “Come in.”
“Good evening Keitaro.”
“Chiharu? Thanks, but I’m not hungry, I ate dinner this time…”
“I know,” she told him. “I’m not bringing food tonight, I’ve got something else…”
“What is it?”
She sat down and handed him a small earthenware jar. “This salve has been in our family for generations. It has excellent healing properties, and it helps keep cuts from getting infected. If you use it, you’ll be in better shape for tomorrow…”
“Thank you.” Keitaro gratefully accepted the jar and began rubbing the cream over his arms, finding that it tingled pleasantly, and that the throbbing aches began to ease as he applied it. He was just finishing his right arm when a thought suddenly occurred to him, and without thinking he blurted out, “Why are you helping me?”
“Because you need it,” Chiharu told him bluntly. “And I’m not ‘helping’ you, I’m just trying to balance the scales a little.”
“Balance the scales?”
“Yes. Tsuruko is easily the most skilled of you three,” Chiharu pointed out unnecessarily. “Motoko has limitless potential, but unless she learns to focus herself, and quickly, she won’t be able to be a match for her sister. And you…” Chiharu sighed deeply. “You’re a well-intentioned, very earnest, but virtually unskilled novice. Only your remarkable endurance is keeping you in this, and while I can’t offer you any help, at least I can make sure that you’re at your best.”
Keitaro wanted to dispute her points, but since she was completely correct, he could only nod his head. “You’re right,” he acknowledged. “I do want to thank you though, I’ve only been a burden…”
“Don’t worry about it Keitaro. You’re a nice enough young man, and Motoko shouldn’t have dragged you into this.”
“I could have said ‘no.’ I told her I’d help her, and I’m not sorry for that.” He gave the calendar another look. “I just gotta try harder…”
Chiharu smiled at that, and Keitaro was struck by just how regal she looked, the streaks of silver in her ebony hair making her appear elegant. Under other circumstances, he would have been struck by how beautiful she really was, but his mind was too preoccupied to pay too much attention. Chiharu got back to her feet. “Good luck Keitaro. Don’t get discouraged, there’s still five days left.” Without another word, she left Keitaro to his efforts to heal himself.
‘She’s definitely a ‘glass is half-full’ person,’ Keitaro decided, as he continued to rub the ointment into his wounds, its pleasant scent relaxing him, and when he finished, he turned off the light and quickly succumbed to exhaustion.
XXX
‘Three days left… What’re we gonna do?’ Keitaro asked himself miserably. The last two days had been carbon copies of the first two. Wake up. Have breakfast. Eat. Have ass handed to by Tsuruko… Nothing that they’d tried had worked. Keitaro had tried virtually every weapon, save firearms, from broadswords to maces, once even using an honest to goodness Louisville Slugger, only to have Tsuruko fire him over the wall like a fastball thrown right over the plate.
If the stakes hadn‘t been so high, their toils might have been amusing, but they were fighting for their respective freedom, Motoko for the right to keep her blade, and the both of them to not be married to the other in three days. While being married to Motoko wasn’t such a bad fate, and he’d even briefly imagined what life would be like if that happened, it wasn’t what Motoko wanted, and Keitaro would always feel guilty if they ended up together because of this.
A knocking at the door disturbed his reverie. “It’s open,” Keitaro called out.
Chiharu opened the door and walked in, carrying an ice pack. “Good evening Keitaro, I brought this for your head.”
“My head?”
“Yes. I could see that bump on it from across the room when you came inside. How’d it happen?”
“Landed on a rock,” Keitaro explained. “It’s no big deal.”
Chiharu ignored his attempts to shrug off the injury and walked up to him, knelling down and placing the ice pack on his head. “Hold this against it, it’ll make the swelling go down,” she directed him.
“…Thanks…” Keitaro replied quietly, reaching up to hold it in place. “For everything, really…”
Chiharu shook her head dismissively. “I’m only trying to level the playing field a little,” she reminded him. “Can’t have you saying that you weren’t at your best…”
“Fine,” Keitaro replied tiredly. “But whatever your reasons, thanks… I just wish I was having some more success.”
“There’s still three days…”
Keitaro didn’t reply to that, not wanting to tell Chiharu that his doubts were growing with every passing moment, as time marched relentlessly towards the deadline. He glanced at the calendar, reminded yet again of the dwindling number of days that had to be crossed off before the one that was circled by a red heart. Even today, during the melee, Tsuruko had cheerfully asked them whose room they’d prefer for their wedding night. Motoko’d gone deathly pale and then charged her sister in a crazed rush, only to be effortlessly swatted away.
“You could always give up,” Chiharu murmured. “The two of you don’t seem like a bad couple, and you might learn to love each other…”
“I can’t do that,” Keitaro sighed. “I promised Motoko I’d do this, she-she’s counting on me…” ’She’s relying on me… the guy who took three tries to get into Tokyo University.’ he closed his eyes and slumped. ’Motoko, I’m sorry…’ He let out a single bark of a laugh. ‘All this happened because I was trying to help her.’
As he sat there feeling miserable, holding an ice pack against a tender bump on his head, Keitaro heard Chiharu get back to her feet and walk out the door. She wished him good luck once again, and he nodded in appreciation of her wishes, feeling a sad smile come over his face. He watched her walk out of the room, absently noticing how gracefully she moved, before he laid back down on his futon, the pack pressed against his head, and desperately trying to think of something else that could possibly allow him and Motoko to defeat Tsuruko.
When he finally fell asleep an hour later, he still didn’t have any answers.
XXX
Keitaro laid on his back on his futon, staring despondently at the ceiling, his arms under his head. ‘Tomorrow’s the last day! We’re sunk! There’s still the Hina Blade, and Su’s grenades, but Tsuruko’s already shrugged off everything else we’ve tossed at her, I don’t think they’ll make any difference…’ He closed his eyes and thought back over the events of the day. In addition to the regular beatings they’d received, Naru was now staying at the home with them, as she’d been in Kyoto with her school trip, and had been passing by when he and Motoko had been sent flying. When she’d learned what was going on, and what the stakes were, she’d given him that look, and accepted Tsuruko’s invitation to stay.
Then, just to improve things, when he and Motoko had attempted to ambush Tsuruko, they’d ended up encountering Naru instead, first in the outdoor bath, and then on the toilet. While she didn’t hit as hard as Tsuruko, it didn’t raise his stock in her eyes, and more importantly, it wasted time that they didn’t have.
Keitaro took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He’d been able to smooth things out with Naru a little, and Motoko was still training in preparation for the final showdown tomorrow, and he’d been able to express some confidence to Naru earlier that evening. But then Motoko had appeared to start to question her capability to best her elder sister, and then had lashed out when he’d tried to talk to her. Still, Keitaro had to keep hopeful or else he’d be useless in the morning.
He closed his eyes and tried once again to fall asleep, but found that the sandman had apparently decided to skip him tonight. He’d tossed and turned endlessly, trying to find a position that would allow him to doze off, but nothing was working. ‘If I don’t get some sleep, I’m going to be a basket case in the morning…’ He sighed and got up from his futon, pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. ‘Maybe a walk will tire me out a little…’ Slipping out of his room, he quietly made his way down the hall, not wanting to disturb anyone.
“Keitaro? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Keitaro whirled around in surprise. “Ch-Chiharu… Sorry, you startled me…”
She gave him a quizzical look. “You aren’t trying to run away, are you?”
He shook his head. “No, I just couldn’t sleep. Too nervous, I guess… Was just going for a walk, clear my head, tire me out, you know?”
“I do. Have you had a chance to see the woods behind our home?” Chiharu asked. “There’re some very nice paths in them. Quite relaxing…”
“No, I haven’t. Sounds nice…”
“Then would you mind joining an old woman on her evening walk?”
“Sure. Where is she?”
Chiharu laughed softly at that. “You may not be much of a warrior, but you are a gentleman Keitaro…” She gestured for him to follow her, and they were soon at the back of the residence, looking out at the forest behind it.
“You walk through that?” Keitaro asked in disbelief. There was no light except for the nearly full moon, and the forest looked as friendly and inviting as the proverbial dark alley. “There could be bears, psychos, rapists…”
“There aren’t,” Chiharu reassured him. “This is all our land, and people have learned not to trespass over the generations.”
“But what about animals?”
“Apparently, it was easier to teach them to keep them from coming back…”
An image of Tsuruko cutting a truck in half and Motoko splitting a boulder entered Keitaro’s mind. “I-I see…” Now that his eyes had had a chance to adjust to the low light, Keitaro was able to make out a path along the forest’s floor. It looked safe enough, and if Chiharu used it regularly, then he was sure it was okay. “L-let’s go…”
The Aoyama matriarch and the manager of Hinata House began to walk down the path, Chiharu pointing out certain trees with notches cut into them, explaining that her daughters had made them when they were first learning to use their blades. The moonlight gave everything a brilliant glow, and with the sounds of chirping crickets in the wood, it was a relaxing setting.
Keitaro walked along the path, taking care where he placed his crutches, lest he end up taking a tumble and further injuring his leg. He almost laughed at that thought, considering the pounding he’d taken in the previous week. He glanced over at Chiharu, concerned how she was handling the uneven ground, and he had his breath taken away.
Like all Aoyama women, Chiharu had a pale complexion, but in this light, she practically glowed. Her white gi was also shining in the darkness, but the most stunning thing about her was her hair. Her long black mane was tied behind her in a simple ponytail, but the silver streaks were shining in the moonlight, brilliantly contrasting with the wet coal color of the rest of her hair.
Keitaro realized that he was staring, and he quickly averted his eyes, a blush on his cheeks, mostly from embarrassment, thankful that Chiharu hadn’t noticed him ogling her. ‘It’s obvious where Tsuruko and Motoko get their looks,’ he thought briefly, before he shook his head, attempting to clear away any potentially dangerous thoughts, and trying to forget just how elegant Chiharu looked.
A startled cry from Chiharu captured Keitaro’s attention, and he turned to face her just in time to have her fall against him. The sudden impact made him drop his crutches, losing his footing and stumble backwards against a tree, knocking the wind out of him, even as he managed to grab Chiharu by her shoulders, somehow managing to keep the both of them on their feet. After shaking his head to make the spinning stop, Keitaro managed to ask Chiharu, “Are-are you okay?”
“Y-yes, I am. I’m sorry Keitaro…”
“What happened?”
“I-I tripped. I guess I’m not as sure footed as I used to be…”
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, just-just give me a moment…”
“Take all the time you need, I’m not going anywhere…” Keitaro gently held on to Chiharu, hoping that his own coordination wouldn’t be affected by yet another jolt. ‘Least I’m still on my feet… If I’d fallen, we both woulda been really hurt. I mean, Chiharu still hasn’t gotten her…bearings…back…’
Keitaro’s thoughts died away and he let out a shuddering gasp when he felt Chiharu’s warm breath at the base of his neck. He also realized, with shocking clarity, that she didn’t have her hands against him as if she was going to push herself off, but she was holding on to him at his side. “Chi-Chiharu…?” he forced out. “What’re yo-oohhhh…” The rational part of Keitaro’s mind seized up when he felt her softly kiss him on the neck.
Keitaro felt a brief impulse to bodily shove Chiharu off of him and run back to Hinata House, if not farther, but the thought of what would happen to him if he injured Tsuruko and Motoko’s mother stayed his hand. The sheer improbability of what was happening made him wonder if he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought, or that maybe the stresses of the previous week had finally gotten to him. It wasn’t until he felt Chiharu gently suckling his right earlobe that Keitaro realized that he wasn’t delusional, and that this was really happening.
This delay also resulted in his body’s physical desire taking root, effectively supplanting his reason and better judgment, and when Chiharu moved her right hand to the left side of his head, Keitaro nuzzled against it, softly moaning as she trailed kisses along his jaw line, until she gently pulled his head down, pressing her lips against her own.
‘Strawberries…’ was the first thought that entered Keitaro’s mind. ‘She-she tastes like… wild strawberries…’ keeping his eyes open, Keitaro saw his reflection in Chiharu’s olive green eyes, before she closed them, prompting him to do the same. He moved his arms, slowly sliding his left one up until he was softly holding the back of Chiharu’s head, allowing his right arm to come to rest at the small of her back.
Opening his mouth to let Chiharu’s tongue between his lips, Keitaro met it with his own, hearing her moan into his mouth as he massaged the back of her head. Breaking the kiss, he moved his head down, kissing the nape of her neck before he began to suckle on her left earlobe. He let out a short hiss when he felt Chiharu slip her hands under his t-shirt, tracing warm trails up his sides as they slid upwards.
Keitaro moved his hands to the belt that held Chiharu’s gi closed, clumsily fumbling with the knot even as he continued to kiss the nape of her neck. Finally undoing it, Keitaro opened the garment, Chiharu letting go of him long enough to let it slide off of her shoulders to the ground with a soft rustle. Once it was off, she grabbed the edge of Keitaro’s shirt, pulling it up over his head, Keitaro raising his arms to assist in its removal.
Pulling Chiharu tight against him, Keitaro resumed kissing her, carefully letting his hands explore her exposed back, feeling the binding that bound her breasts rubbing up against his bare chest. He almost froze when he felt Chiharu reaching for the waistband of his shorts, but he let her push them down, taking his boxer shorts as well. He eased himself away from the tree trunk to make it easier getting them off, and once she’d done that and gotten them past his now throbbing erection, let them fall to his ankles, lifting his right leg to step out of them.
Chiharu broke the frantic kiss and stepped back, effortlessly undoing her hakama and letting it drop unceremoniously to the ground, before she pressed herself back against Keitaro, kissing him hungrily. Gripping him by the shoulders, she began to pull him down to the ground, being extra careful with his broken leg, until he was sitting with his back against the tree, its rough bark providing a different type of sensation to Keitaro’s already overloaded senses.
Keitaro could feel himself trembling, desire and nervousness waging war in his system. Staring up at Chiharu, as she silently pushed down her panties before she reached behind her head and undid her ponytail, letting her long hair cascade down her shoulders, Keitaro felt himself swell even more. However, he also knew that there was some risk of being discovered by Chiharu’s husband, daughters, or, possibly worst of all, Naru. He found himself almost expecting a bellow of outrage, followed by a painful and (only if he was lucky) quick death. But gazing up at Chiharu, as the moonlight illuminated her, Keitaro realized that he didn’t want to try to stop this.
Chiharu knelt down before him, taking hold of Keitaro’s erection with a gentle grip, and giving him a languid stroke, making him groan unabashedly. With a soft smile on her face, Chiharu moved towards Keitaro, all of the while stroking him, until she was all but in his lap, leaning forward to kiss him, even as she reached behind her back with her left hand and began to undo her chest bindings. She positioned herself so that she was straddling Keitaro, his manhood brushing up gently against her inner thigh, as she finally removed the last of the fabric.
Keitaro let out a sudden gasp when Chiharu broke off the kiss and then let herself sink down onto his shaft, the unexpected warmth and tightness taking his breath away. They both stayed motionless and stared into each others eyes, Keitaro realizing that he could easily drown in those deep green pools. He shuddered when Chiharu took his hands and brought them up to cup her breasts, her erect nipples against his palms. She wasn’t quite as endowed as her daughters, or at least what he’d seen of Motoko, but she was a comfortable fit in his hands, and they showed no trace of sag.
Chiharu leaned forward to kiss him again, and Keitaro could see the lines around her eyes, and a few other wrinkles, but she was still undeniably beautiful, her maturity giving her a regal and dignified look that even Tsuruko and Motoko couldn’t match. Meeting her lips with his own, Keitaro let the kiss go on and on, breaking it only when Chiharu lifted herself most of the way off of his erection, before she effortlessly sank back down on it.
Keitaro gave Chiharu’s nipples a nervous, gentle squeeze between his thumbs and forefingers, before he moved his left arm around her shoulders and his right one to her waist, pulling her tight against himself. Pushing himself up as best he could to meet her downward thrusts, while trying to figure out the best way for him to do it, Keitaro felt Chiharu’s hard nipples rub against his chest, and the two of them ended up with their foreheads touching, both of them breathing through their mouths as they found their rhythm.
Keitaro gently kissed Chiharu on the forehead, tasting her sweat, and breathing in the scent of her hair, the silver strands glowing like stars in the night sky. He could feel her panting against his neck as they moved together, both of them gradually increasing their pace. Chiharu then leaned back and the two of them started at each other, both taking pleasure from the changes in expression and noises the other made. Keitaro gritted his teeth and tried to concentrate on something else, not wanting to disappoint Chiharu by finishing too quick.
The two of them continued to move against each other in relative silence, neither of them speaking, only soft gasps, pants, and moans breaking the quiet, with the outside whirr of crickets providing a background. Keitaro watched Chiharu’s face contorting as he continued to drive inside of her, her warm tight passage gripping him better than he could ever have done with his hand. He could hear himself groaning through his clenched teeth, and he knew it would be over soon.. Pulling Chiharu as tightly against him as he could, Keitaro gently nibbled on her right earlobe, even as she whispered indistinctively in his right ear.
With one last intense thrust, Keitaro climaxed with a strangled cry, firing off two volleys of his seed into Chiharu. She let out a groan at her own orgasm, spasmodically gripping at Keitaro’s shaft and biting his shoulder, heightening the experience for him. Keitaro slumped back against the tree, the bark scratching his now sweaty back, making him itch as he held the shuddering Chiharu tightly to his body.
For a time, neither moved, both of them content with the silence and intimacy of the moment. After a while, Chiharu pushed herself back up and gave Keitaro a gentle kiss on his perspiring brow, before she looked him in the eyes. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Keitaro said the first thing that came to mind. “W-why?”
Chiharu closed her eyes and sighed deeply before she reopened them and appeared to look Keitaro into his very soul. “I-I’m not really sure…”
Keitaro's eyes went as large as saucers at that. "H-huh?"
Chiharu smiled gently at his distress. “I love my husband, Keitaro. There’s no question about that. He’s given me nearly thirty wonderful years and two beautiful daughters…”
“Then-then why…?” Keitaro rasped hoarsely.
“Because when I first met you, I-I felt something… a spark, chemistry… Something I haven’t felt in many, many years…”
“S-spark…?”
“Haven’t you ever felt something when you first met someone?”
“…yeah, but…”
“I-I guess I decided to act on it…”
Keitaro slumped back, his head hitting the tree with a solid 'Thud!' ‘I’m dead… How-how’d I get into this?’ he asked himself in shock.
“You know what’s even more troubling Keitaro?” Chiharu continued. “Now that it’s over, I-I-I can’t say that I regret it…” Only the fact that Chiharu was still in his lap kept Keitaro from leaping up in fright. “It-it was as good as I’d hoped it would be… And-and I find myself wanting to maybe see you again Keitaro…” She leaned forward and rested against a trembling Keitaro, but he still absently embraced her in return. “Motoko must never know…”
“You think I’M going to tell her…?”
“Of course not…” Chiharu gave him one last embrace before she stood back up and started getting dressed, not bothering to put her undergarments back on. “You shouldn’t stay out too long Keitaro, you might fall asleep. I’ll run you a bath for when you get back.” She finished tying her gi and turned away, before she locked back over her shoulder. “And good luck tomorrow…”
“T-tomorrow…?”
“You still have to defeat Tsuruko if you don’t want to be married to Motoko,” Chiharu reminded him. “I do hope you win. It would be… difficult… if you were married to my youngest…” Without another word, she walked back to the house, leaving a shell-shocked Keitaro alone with his thoughts.
Keitaro had no idea how long he sat there, and he was only faintly aware of getting dressed and carefully skulking back to the house, flinching at every sound. When he finally made it back he bathed for nearly an hour, scrubbing harder than he’d ever done in his life, desperate to make sure he didn’t smell like Chiharu, before he staggered back to his room, collapsing onto his futon, and falling into a deep, but troubled, sleep.
XXX
“What? You’d like to go to college?”
“Y-yes, I do,” Motoko replied nervously, not quite able to meet Tsuruko’s eyes. “Do you not approve?”
“No, that’s perfectly acceptable,” Tsuruko told her. “Your sword and you woman-hood… Why not take some time and work on them. Urashima, please look after Motoko for me.”
Keitaro barely heard her, as he was still replaying what had happened the night before in his mind, about what Chiharu had told him. Belatedly, he realized that Tsuruko was waiting for him to reply. “Y-yeah… No problem… I’ll do it…”
‘Thank you Keitaro,’ Motoko thought, giving him a tentative, gentle smile. It faded when she realized that he was scarcely paying attention. He’d been edgy all day, even during the battle, but she’d hoped he’d ease up a bit now that it was over.
“Is something wrong Keitaro?” Naru inquired. “You’ve been quiet all day…”
Keitaro managed a weak smile. “I-it’s just been a hectic time… Let’s go home, I need a rest…”
The three of them bid their farewells to Tsuruko and boarded the train that would take them back to Hinata. Naru and Motoko spent most of the trip chatting amiably, but Keitaro stared out the window in silence, thinking about a woman with silver streaks in her jet black hair.
To be continued…
Author’s Notes:
Special thanks go out to Rx7 for pre-reading this story, and trying to make this at least approach the level of hawtness in his own work.
This story was written in response to a challenge/request from Grey Wolf.