Gaijin-no-ai Muyo!
(No Need for A Foreigner's Love!)
A Tenchi-Muyo! fanfic by Keiichi Masaki
(keiichi_dono@hotmail.com, keiichi_dono@altavista.net )
Tenchi-Muyo! is the property of Pioneer and AIC.
Oh, yeah, and whenever they show up in here, the characters of Oh My Goddess! are the
properties of Kousuke Fujishima and everyone he's licensed them to.
Note: This is the second part of Gaijin-no-ai Muyo! This story is an authorized sequel to
Achariyth's Kiyone fic, Lilly Amidst Thorns. In that fic, Kiyone chronicled her love life, or lack
thereof. This series is intended to make things right for her (yes, as I said before, I'm an
obsessed fanboy).
For those of you reading the text version, the sentences in asterisks are the character's thoughts.
"I need a love that's strong
I'm so tired of being alone
But will my lonely heart play the part
Of the fool again, before I begin?
Foolish heart, hear me calling
Stop before you start falling
Foolish heart, heed my warning
You've been wrong before, don't be wrong anymore...."
--Steve Petty, "Foolish Heart"
Chapter 2: The Eyes of a Fellow Dreamer
Shinkansen terminal, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
1:45 P.M. JST
Nick tapped the STOP button on his Walkman as the shinkansen pulled into the
station, cutting off Mari Iijima in mid-verse. Much as he loved his bootleg copy of the Do You
Remember Love? soundtrack--and especially the song "An Angel's Paint"--this was certainly
not a good time to get lost in the music.
As his feet hit the pavement of the platform, his eyes began scanning the crowd.
Digging around in his haori's pocket, he finally pulled out the picture of his cousin's friend and
studied it. The young man had typical Japanese features and sported a ponytail of moderate
length. He wore an easygoing smile on his face.
That very smile was on the face of the young man standing before him. "Campbell-
san?" he asked in good, if accented, English.
"Hai," answered Nick in Japanese. "Please, call me Nick. Masaki Tenchi-san, I
presume?"
"Yes, but you can call me Tenchi." His host grinned. "Welcome to Okayama, Nick-
san."
"Thank you, Tenchi-san, I'm glad to be here. Thanks a lot for taking me in."
"Oh, it's no problem." The two young men gathered the new arrival's luggage and
started hauling it toward the waiting car. "Believe me, having you here will feel like a vacation."
Nick looked confused. "Ano....I don't think I understand what you mean...."
The smile on Tenchi's face went a little twisted. "Don't worry, you will...."
Masaki residence, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
2:05 P.M. JST
"Does anyone know when Tenchi'll be getting back?" Ryoko was floating around lazily
just above the couch, her nose buried in a romance novel.
Ayeka sniffed in disapproval. "Honestly, Ryoko-san, you could at least try to help us
get the house ready for our guest!"
The space pirate looked up from her book, glanced around the living room, and went
back to reading with a shrug. "Looks fine to me."
Before Ayeka could get riled up enough to start a fight, Sasami was tugging on her
sleeve. "Ne, oneesama*, not now. Ryoko-neechan is right; the house looks fine."
She checked her own kimono. "We don't have enough time to change into cleaner clothes, but
these should be fine."
Kiyone came down the stairs, carrying a bucketful of cleaning supplies. Aside from a
few spots where water had splashed on her while she was cleaning the bathroom, she looked
pretty clean. "Upstairs is done; anything else?"
"I don't think so," replied Sasami. "Kiyone-neechan, where's Mihoshi-neechan?"
Kiyone rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Well, Sasami-chan, she's changing into some
clean clothes."
"What happened to the ones she was wearing?" asked Ayeka.
"Let's just say that it'll take Washu to figure out just what she did to that shirt." Kiyone
checked her watch. "What is taking her so long?"
As if cued by her partner's words, the blond detective tumbled down the stairs, dressed
in gray slacks and an untucked white buttondown shirt (as opposed to her usual khakis and pink
tank top). "Are they here yet?" she asked between whimpers as she rubbed her forehead
gingerly.
Sighing, Kiyone pulled Mihoshi to her feet. "Not yet, Mihoshi. But they should be
getting here any--"
The sound of a car's motor outside gave testimony to Kiyone's words. "--any minute
now," the detective finished unnecessarily.
Sasami had a slightly excited look on her face; it had been a while since the last time
they'd had visitors. "Good, they're here!" She sprinted toward the door and pulled it open.
"Tenchi-niichan!"
"Hi, Sasami-chan." Tenchi reached down and squeezed the young girl's shoulder. He
stepped through the door, and to the side, allowing his passenger to enter.
As Nick stepped through the door, he saw more pretty girls than he'd seen in one place
since his last literature class.
On the far right was an extremely well-endowed lady with long sky-blue hair fashioned
into a fan of long, slightly drooping spikes. Her amber eyes were filled with amusement and
appraisal, but nothing hostile.
Next to her was a girl with amethyst hair and purple-red eyes, pulled back into a pair of
ponytails hanging down her back. A dignified air radiated from her, but she also looked like she
wouldn't hesitate to speak with her fists if it came to that.
The girl who had let him and Tenchi in had only one word to describe her: adorable.
She also had twin ponytails--one sprouting from each side of her head--freckles, and cherry-
red eyes that somehow looked perfectly natural. (It was about this time that Nick began to
wonder whether he had accidentally stepped into an anime series.) This girl appeared to be the
very soul of hospitality--*Just like Belldandy,* he mused--and would more than likely make
some lucky man very happy in the future.
Sitting on the couch was a girl who was the very epitome of the tanned and tempting
California blonde, with long and curly blond tresses piled high atop her head. The wide blue
eyes didn't show a lot of intelligence, but they did show a fair amount of friendliness.
Attractive as all these girls were, they all paled before the last one. Easily the tallest in
the house and almost as well-endowed as the first, she had long teal hair, pulled into a single
ponytail and resting on her right shoulder. A bright red headband was wrapped around her
forehead, providing an startling contrast to the bright sapphire of her eyes.
And those eyes....
For a moment, he could have sworn that he was looking into his own, as if he had just
recognized her on a subconscious level. A line from a novel he'd once read suddenly appeared:
"All of us are fractured souls, and sometimes, if we're very lucky, we find our missing halves...."
He'd never realized how accurate that theory might be, until now....
All at once, he felt an almost irrational urge to hug her, to promise that he'd take good
care of her and never ever hurt her....
Suddenly, he realized that Tenchi was speaking. "Everyone, this is Nick. He's a cousin
of a friend, and he'll be staying with us for a while."
Realizing that he was staring at this vision of loveliness, Nick straightened and then
bowed. "Doozo yoroshiku*. Thank you for letting me stay here."
Tenchi smiled reassuringly. "Like I said, it's no problem." He gestured around the
group. "Sasami is the one who was kind enough to answer the door." The young girl smiled,
putting Nick even more at ease.
"And that's Ryoko...." The spiked-haired girl waved nonchalantly.
"....and that's Ayeka...." The purple-haired girl bowed.
"....Mihoshi's on the couch...." The blond-haired girl grinned widely, reminding Nick of
an overaffectionate puppy. (A few lewd thoughts flitted through his mind, but he dismissed them
quickly. He's not the hentai his writer is ^_^.)
"....and, this is Kiyone." The young lady who had already captured Nick's attention
smiled. Nick suddenly felt rather lightheaded. It took him a moment to realize that Tenchi was
still talking. "....please show him upstairs, Sasami-chan?"
"Okay!" Sasami grinned up at him. "Come on, Nick-niisan!"
"Huh?" Nick quickly recovered. "Umm....okay, Sasami-chan." He let her lead him up
the stairs. Before she disappeared from his line of vision, he managed a quick smile at Kiyone,
and felt his heart literally skip a beat as she returned it. He allowed himself a small measure of
hope. Maybe....
Nick Campbell, however, was not the only one who felt a connection.
Kiyone was also feeling a little disconcerted. It wasn't that this young man was
handsome--though he certainly is that, she conceded.
Maybe it was because he seemed to lack the arrogance that many young men his age
possessed, the absolute belief that girls should be fighting over the chance to share a bed with
him.
Maybe it was the almost sad smile he had directed toward her, the one that seemed to
say "I don't want to wake up from this dream....but I know I will."
*Wait, I know.*
When his eyes had met hers, she had felt a....connection, for lack of a better word, as if
some part of her had recognized him.
What exactly did this mean? Kiyone hadn't a clue. Still, he would be here a while, and
she would certainly not begrudge herself the chance to get to know him better....
The voices of the other girls interrupted her thoughts. "What do you think of Nick-san,
Ryoko-san?" Ayeka was asking.
Ryoko shrugged. "He seems okay. Kinda cute, too. Not as cute as Tenchi, of
course...."
"He seems really nice," gushed Mihoshi. "I wonder if he has a girlfriend...."
I wonder the same thing....though Kiyone. She forcibly pushed the thought out of her
head.
"What do you think of him, Kiyone?" This came from Mihoshi.
"He does seem nice....but sad."
The other girls looked over at her in surprise. Apparently none of them had picked up
on that. "What do you mean?" Ayeka asked.
Now Kiyone was on the spot. If she told them that she had felt a connection with him,
they might make more out of it than there was--or, possibly worse yet, try to set the two of
them up together. The idea was not unappealing, but she wanted to go at her own pace--
which, after the incident with Kentaro, would not be a fast one.
*Stick to safe answers, Kiyone.* "He had a look in his eyes, like he was expecting to
wake up at any minute and find that this was all a dream." Her tone shifted to a slightly
defensive one. "You mean you girls couldn't see it?"
Mihoshi shook her head in awe. "Uh-uh. You must be psychic, Kiyone!"
Any comment that Ryoko or Ayeka might have made was forever lost, for Washu
chose that moment to come out of her closet/interdimensional lab. "What's up?"
"Oh, Washu-chan! We have a new guest!"
The diminutive scientist's face took on a wary expression. "Oh?"
"Yes," answered Ayeka. "He's a cousin of one of Tenchi's friends, and he'll be staying
with us for a while."
As if cued by Ayeka's words (I know, I use an awful lot of cues, don't I? ^_^), Nick
came back down the stairs, with Sasami walking alongside. Tenchi walked back into the house
at the same time, lugging one of Nick's suitcases. Seeing this, Nick immediately rushed outside
and returned with the other. As he and Tenchi carried the luggage upstairs, Kiyone said, "His
name's Nick."
Washu grinned, a grin that made the other girls take a step back. "He's cute! Hmm....I
wonder if he'd like to be my other guinea pig?"
A mass facefault.
* * *
Dinner came after a few hours, along with the arrival of Tenchi's father and grandfather.
Nick had been a little apprehensive about Tenchi letting him stay on such short notice, but the
slightly shorter man shrugged it off. "Relax. I'm sure oyaji* and ji-chan* won't mind."
And Tenchi was right.
So was another assumption of Nick's, that Tenchi's mother was either dead or working
outside the home. When she never came home with Tenchi's father, Nick decided on choice
#1.
Sasami, who could easily pass for a professional, cooked the dinner. Nick quickly
found that this young girl was as fluent in the art of cooking as Belldandy, who had never even
dropped anything in the kitchen. The foot was delicious and plentiful, reminding Nick just how
long it had been since the last time he'd had beef bowls.
As the meal wound down, Sasami rose from the table, apparently to go and start on the
dishes, when Kiyone waved her back down. "It's okay, Sasami-chan, I'll get them tonight."
Before he could stop himself, Nick shot up from his seat. "Would you like some help,
Kiyone-san?"
Everyone's eyes suddenly locked onto him, and his face went red. He inwardly cursed
himself. *Stupid stupid STUPID! Acting like a stupid gaijin just because you want to
impress some cute girl--*
Kiyone smiled, not an indulgent or smug one, as he might have expected, but a genuine
one. Although she would not admit this till later, she was hoping he would ask, and was happily
surprised when he did. "Actually, Nick-san, I could. Thank you."
"Thank you for offering to help, Nick-san," said Kiyone as she carried in another stack
of dishes and set them next to the sink.
Nick laughed nervously. "Oh, it's no problem. I wash dishes at home almost every
night, so this really isn't a big deal. Least I could do." Realizing that he was babbling, he shut
his mouth.
Kiyone smiled over at him, and felt a slight lightheadedness as he returned it. "So,
um...."
"Yeah?" Nick met her eyes again, trying to keep his voice calm, regardless of how fast
and hard his heart was beating. *Easy, boy, easy, she's just smiling....*
"You speak really good Japanese." Kiyone mentally smacked herself for that one.
*Kiyone, you baka! Of course he does; he's half-Japanese and he's probably visited more
places in this country than you've even thought of!*
"T-thanks. I guess being half-Japanese will do that for you." *Oh, that's smooth. Go
ahead; rub her little gaffe in her face.*
*Okay, Kiyone, let's try again.* "Um, so, Nick-san, where in America do you live?"
Nick released a mental sigh of relief. "Portland, Oregon. It's a large city on the West
Coast."
Kiyone nodded in understanding.
And silence descended once more.
"What's it--"
"How long have--"
Both young people started speaking at the same time, effectively canceling each other
out. Realizing this, they both laughed. Somehow, the shared hilarity seemed to clear away the
awkwardness of the situation.
When the silence was banished again, it was by her. "What was that look in your eyes I
saw earlier?" The words came out of her mouth before she could stop herself. You idiot! she
berated herself again. *What the hell is he supposed to think about that?!*
To her surprise, he just turned to look at her and smiled. "You sensed it too, huh?"
She blinked. "S-sensed it too?"
"I saw the same look in your eyes, I think. Lemme see...." His eyes defocused slightly
as he assumed a thinking pose. "Somewhat sad and wistful, looking like you wanted something,
but weren't sure what?"
"How did you know?"
"I know the look well," Nick explained with a slight smile. "It's called the eye of the
dreamer."
"Eye of the dreamer?" Kiyone queried.
"That's what my mother calls it," explained Nick. "It can mean a lot of things, but it
often shows up when a person is around someone or something that can bring out their full
potential."
Kiyone felt her cheeks redden slightly. "Full potential?"
Nick nodded, then saw her mild blush. Laughing nervously, he stammered, "Um, bear
in mind, this is just what she told me...."
Her flush subsiding, Kiyone herself managed to stammer, "I-it's no problem." As her
composure returned, so did her smile. "What else did your mother have to say about this
look?"
Oh, good. At least she's not angry with me. "Well, she said that the eye of the
dreamer often showed others just what the one person's calling was. Some become great
leaders, some great artists, and some, simply...." He was unaware of the wistful expression
lining his face as he uttered the last words. "....good husbands."
Kiyone, however, had caught his expression, and had let her own face match his. Ever
since Kentaro, she had been very careful not to get her hopes up about any guy, but Nick....she
had only just met him, but already she was feeling stirrings in her heart. Maybe his mother
wasn't completely wrong....
Nick, however, seemed to have snapped out of his trance. It would not be until much
later, when their child was growing in her belly and her name was "Campbell" instead of
"Makibi,"* that she realized his eyes had been on her the entire time. "Well. Shall we finish the
dishes?"
So the two of them resumed cleaning the dishes. Since the air of awkwardness was
gone for the moment, they found themselves making small talk quite easily.
Neither of them noticed Tenchi, peeking in the doorway, a slight smile on his face.
After watching for a few minutes more, he turned away when they started laughing at a joke
Nick had made. As he headed for the stairs, he recalled the telephone conversation that had
sparked this idea of Keiichi's. It had been about two weeks ago:
Tenchi: "You want me to what?!"
Keiichi: "That's right. I want you to take my cousin in while Belle and I go to tell her
parents the good news."
Tenchi: "If you've known that he was coming for a year, you shoulda had some kinda
contingency in place...."
Keiichi (sighing): "I'm not about to tell my favorite cousin to forget something he's been
looking forward to for a year. Besides, he's a great guy, half-gaijin or not...."
Tenchi: "I'm sure he is, and I have no objections to taking him in, but why ask me?"
Keiichi (dropping his voice): "You have to promise to keep this to yourself, get me,
Tenchi-kun?"
Tenchi (warily): "All right...."
Keiichi: "Okay, here's the thing. Nick, he's a great guy, but his luck with the opposite
sex....not so good. Oh, he's had plenty of girlfriends, and he's loved them all. But all of them
have treated him like dirt."
Tenchi (his voice shifting to a sympathetic tone): "Ouch. Poor guy."
Keiichi: "So I think you can see now why I need your help. With all the girls you have
living at your house...."
Tenchi: "I see....and I think I know the one he'd resonate best with."
Keiichi: "Kiyone."
Tenchi: "Bingo."
Keiichi: "That's good. Poor girl; that thing with Kentaro was pretty hard on her."
Tenchi: "Can you promise me that your cousin won't do the same thing?"
Keiichi (somewhat indignantly): "He's a far sight more honorable than a lot of our fellow
students at Nekomi."
Tenchi: "If he's anything like you, Keiichi-kun, then I think he'll be a good match.
Belldandy's agreed to play along with this?"
Keiichi: "Yeah, she did, although she would prefer to set the two of them up openly.
But Nick would probably think this was one out of pity, and that the girl was just doing this as a
favor to you or me."
Tenchi: "Well, I'm gonna hafta be pretty careful not to tip anyone off about the real
reason for his visit--especially not Kiyone." A sigh. "Hope you know what you're doing,
Keiichi-kun."
Keiichi: "So do I."
*Well,* Tenchi thought, *at least now I know. Keiichi does know what he's doing.
A smile crossed his lips. I think those two will fit together just fine.*
Several weeks passed, during which Nick's presence blended smoothly into the daily
routine of the Masaki household. Almost immediately, he took it upon himself to help Sasami
out in the kitchen--washing dishes and helping her cook. (Considering how little work Ryoko
did around the house, the permanent residents started to see him as a godsend.) The fact that
Kiyone started spending more time in the kitchen was lost on no one, but it seemed best not to
say anything and run the risk of ruining what might be forming between the two of them.
And there was definitely something forming. At first, the two of them were just taking
their time doing the dishes, concentrating more effort on conversation than on scrubbing the pots
and pans. Yet, as time progressed, the two of them spent more and more time together, talking
about each other's lives and what they had in common.
Over the course of time, Nick learned that Kiyone was an only child, whose mother had
died in childbirth, and whose grieving father had to raise her by himself ("But I couldn't have
asked for a better father," she said firmly); that she was a closet fan of '80's anime (he had
almost proposed on the spot); that she had done her best to maintain a top-of-the-class
average, but had been very lonely; and that she'd had more than her share of relationships that
ended badly--among other facts, of course.
For her part, Kiyone learned of the joys and pains of being the oldest kid in a family of
three, with the last one arriving his last year of high school; of the term of community college he
had almost flunked because of his obsession with a story that just refused to cooperate (Tenchi
had peeked in and smiled when he heard Kiyone's hysterical laughter; he supposed the sight of
Nick pantomiming strangling his computer was rather entertaining); of his own miserable love
life (she couldn't decide whether to be amused or sympathetic when he said that his first kiss
had been only a few Christmases before, in the back of a church during a Christmas pageant);
and of dreams and aspirations faded as maturity set in--among other things, of course.
By the time two weeks had passed, bets--secret ones, of course--were running among
some of the less morally-restrained of the Masaki household (i.e., Ayeka, Ryoko, Washu, and
Nobuyuki) on how long it would take Nick to ask Kiyone out on a date. Most everyone in the
house saw it as inevitable; where Kiyone was--except the bathroom and bedroom, of course--
Nick almost invariably was, and vice versa.
Money finally changed hands on day twenty-three of Nick's stay. The opportunity
came while Nick and Kiyone were drying the breakfast dishes.
"Um....Kiyone-san?"
Kiyone looked up from the dish she was toweling off. "Yes, Nick-san?"
"You up to anything today? I mean, last night you told me that today was your day off,
and I was wondering if you had any plans."
"No, I don't...." Kiyone let her voice trail off. *Finally!* she exulted inwardly. *He's
finally asking me out!*
*Okay, Nick, keep it casual, just keep it casual....* "Well, I was wondering if,
maybe, you'd like to maybe go out tonight?"
Kiyone let her giddiness spill over into a slight blush and grin, barely restraining herself
from throwing her arms around Nick. "Why, Nick-san, are you asking me out on a date?" she
asked, with the slight lilt that girls tend to use when teasing.
It was Nick's turn to blush. He was comfortable enough with Kiyone, however, not to
stammer too much. "Well....yes."
"I'd love to," Kiyone assured him. "What time, and what movie?"
"Great! Um...." *Wait. I don't know what's playing here. Oh, f***!*
As if summoned by his thoughts, Nobuyuki entered the kitchen, newspaper tucked
under his arm. "Thank you two for getting the dishes." He pulled out the newspaper. "I'm on
my way to work; anyone want this?"
"Yes! Uh, I mean, thank you, Masaki-san." Nick accepted the discarded paper and
started paging through it, mentally thanking every deity that came to mind that his mother had
insisted that both her children learn enough of her native language to be able to read a
newspaper. *Of course, that always put me at a distinct advantage in high-school
Japanese. Always lotsa fun interrupting Mr. Carter with the proper pronunciation....*
In due time he hit the movie section, and was more than a little surprised to see what
was playing. "You're kidding me."
Having finished with the dishes, Kiyone wandered over to Nick and looked down at the
pageful of newsprint. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong....I'm just a little surprised to see American movies playing here." He
stabbed a finger at one of the titles. "I've seen that one."
Kiyone followed his finger. "The Jackal? Some of my coworkers said it was good."
"Well I liked it, but you call it," insisted Nick. "Anything there that you want to see?"
"Hmm...." Kiyone scanned the rest of the listings. "The Jackal sounds pretty
good....oh! Titanic!"
"Titanic's okay," affirmed Nick, trying very hard to keep the "oh no" expression off of
his face. *Well,* he told himself, *if that's really what she wants to watch....*
Kiyone burst out laughing. "Just kidding. The Jackal sounds fine....this time. Next
time, however...." she added with a mock-evil grin.
"Next time," Nick promised, laughing along with her.
Plans were made to leave around 6:15, in order to get into town in plenty of time for the
7:00 movie. Since Tenchi would probably not need to go out that evening, he loaned his car to
Kiyone, who had just gotten her Japanese driver's license a month before. She had adjourned
upstairs around 5:00--after a bath, of course--with Mihoshi, to get ready.
Nick had settled for a quick-but-thorough shower and had pulled somewhat dressy
clothes out of his suitcase: stone-gray Dockers, a white cotton collarless buttondown shirt with
short sleeves, black shoes, and a charcoal-gray sport jacket. He checked himself in the mirror
as he patted a couple of stray hairs down. *Not too shabby....but not too shabby enough.
Mom's right; I'd still look casual in a tux.*
Sasami smiled up at him as he came down the stairs. "You look good, Nick-niichan!"
"Indeed," agreed Ayeka. "You certainly look bet more well-groomed than many of the
young men I see in town."
Nick nodded his thanks as he flicked nonexistent lint off of his cuffs, and then looked up
to the stairway....
....to see Kiyone coming down the steps....
Nick was an avid reader, and had more than once come across a scene where the
protagonist's love interest had entered the room or scene. Almost invariably, it was said that, at
the moment of his or her entrance, that everyone else in the room--in fact, everything in the
world--disappeared, that the hero or heroine's beloved was the only one in the world.
Nick knew how that felt. He was experiencing that feeling right now.
Kiyone was standing on the second-to-bottom step, in a knee-length gray pleated skirt,
a white blouse with an unbuttoned denim vest over it, and white socks. The red sweatband was
missing, and her hair was down, falling in a cascade of aquamarine around her face and
shoulders.
She looked perfect.
She was smiling brightly. "How do I look?"
"Breathtaking," whispered Nick, just barely loud enough to heard. It suddenly dawned
on him that everyone's eyes were on him, and he flushed. "Ah, I mean, you look great! Very
kawaii."
It was Kiyone's turn to blush. "Thank you, Nick-san. You look very handsome."
Nick had regained his composure by now, and he offered his arm to Kiyone. "Shall we
go?"
Kiyone didn't hesitate, but immediately latched onto his arm. "Let's."
"Have fun, you two!" called out Tenchi as they stepped out the door. "Try to be back
by one or two, 'kay?"
It was 1:30 A.M. when Tenchi's Corolla pulled back into the Masaki house's driveway,
and two tired-but-happy people stumbled back through the front door, arm in arm.
Nick was still in a partial daze. They had parked the car in a public lot, since the theater
was in fairly close distance, and had walked around practically the whole night. The amazing
thing--in his opinion--was that Kiyone had been on his arm the entire time. Not like a vacant-
eyed trophy girl, who would laugh at everything he said, funny or not. She had simply been
hanging onto his arm, and had made no move to remove it. She liked it there.
He did too.
After the movie--which she had enjoyed, in spite of his fears--they had grabbed a light
dinner at a nearby beef-bowl counter, and then Kiyone had sprung her own surprise on him: she
had reserved them a room at the local karaoke bar for three hours. She had even paid for it,
cheerfully ignoring Nick's protests (his argument that this is what he had changed several
hundred dollars of his cash into yen for fell on deaf--but not tone-deaf, for the girl could really
sing--ears). They were having so much fun--and Nick was proving himself adept at singing in
Japanese--when Kiyone caught sight of the clock and hustled him out. (They had barely
escaped having to pay an extra hour's fee.) After that, they had hit the same beef-bowl counter
and stayed, snacking and talking, till about one.
All in all, Nick decided that this was probably the most enjoyable date that he'd ever
been on. Most of his experiences had been very awkward and nervous. With Kiyone,
however, it had almost felt like it wasn't a date. He hadn't felt this comfortable with a girl in--
when was the last time, not counting the ones who he'd known for years? There wasn't a last
time.
Not so unbidden, the thought crossed his mind: *Is this how true love is supposed to
be?*
All too soon, they were standing in front of the door to Kiyone and Mihoshi's bedroom.
Neither of them knew what they wanted to say at this point. The thought of spending the night
together occurred to both of them, but was just as quickly discarded. Kiyone had learned from
experience the folly of doing that on the first date; Nick was still a virgin and was determined not
to spend the night with a girl unless he was convinced that she was the one he wanted to spend
his life with*. For the first time in his life, he felt truly tempted.
"So...."
"So...."
They stood for about five minutes in the doorway, staring at each other.
Finally, Nick decided to take the initiative, and he leaned in, closing his eyes as he went.
Kiyone had decided the same, and was doing likewise.
From the very same angle.
Their heads clunking together was a muted sound, but to them it sounded like someone
had set off firecrackers in the house.
After a few moments of waiting for someone to come out, they just stared at each other
again....and started laughing. Quietly of course, so as not to awaken the rest of the house, but
laughing nonetheless.
After the hilarity had subsided, they looked at each other, wide and silly grins across
both their faces. Finally Nick found his voice again. "Maybe someone's trying to tell us
something...."
"Maybe...." admitted Kiyone, somewhat reluctantly; like him, she didn't quite want the
evening to end.
She leaned up--not very far, since Nick was barely taller than she was--and kissed him
on the cheek. "Thank you for the lovely evening."
Once again, words failed Nick. Instinct did not, however, and his arms were holding
Kiyone lightly before he quite realized it. Also instinctively, she drew closer to him, resting her
head on his shoulder. It was a long moment before they finally pulled away and truly said
goodnight.
Nick was about to close his door when her heard her voice saying his name softly. He
turned back to Kiyone, who had a wicked grin on her face. "Remember: next time, Titanic,"
she mouthed.
"Next time," promised Nick, not bothering to suppress the thrill that sent through him.
She actually wanted a second date. Even more amazing, she seemed to like him.
Deciding that was as good a note as any to fall asleep on, he entered his room.
* * * * * *
Kiyone stifled a yawn as she headed down the hall toward the stairs. She had gone to
bed about two hours before, but had just awakened to find herself thirsty. Nothing a trip to the
kitchen wouldn't fix, so she went.
On her way back up, thirst vanquished (thanks to a glass of ice water), she heard what
sounded like muffled sobbing. Now fully awake, she hurried up the stairs to the source: Nick's
room. Her heart rate had stepped up impressively, as worried thoughts began to flood her
mind. *Is he all right? What's going on in there?*
She gently pushed the door open--it wasn't closed all the way; that's how she could
hear him--and heaved a sigh of relief as she saw him lying there, undisturbed. That feeling faded
as she saw him thrashing about on his futon, as if fighting off some terror in his sleep. Knowing
a little something about frightfully lifelike dreams, Kiyone knelt next to Nick, placing a hand on
his shoulder. And she listened to his words.
"No, please, don't take her away, please don't take her from me...."
Kiyone drew back in shock, not really sure what she should be shocked about. She'd
had similar dreams, and naturally her sympathy went out to him, but whom was he talking
about? Who was being taken from him? For some reason, the thought of it being someone else
made her....jealous.
"Please, Kiyone, don't leave me...."
*Ohmigod, it is me.*
"Kiyone, I love you, please don't go...."
At the sound of this confession, Kiyone started shaking. Her mind and heart were a
jumble of emotions: shock that his feelings for her had developed so far so fast; elation that he
did care for the way the she'd hoped; sympathy for his nightmare.
Standing above them all, however, was one clear thought.
*I love you too, Nick.*
Acting on instinct for the second time that night--early morning, she idly corrected
herself--she slipped beneath the covers next to him and hugged him. Placing her lips close to his
right ear, she whispered, "It's okay, Nick, I'm here, I'm not going anywhere....I love you too,
Nick....I love you and I'll be right here...."
As Kiyone had hoped, Nick immediately calmed, snuggling closer to her. Releasing a
breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Kiyone settled herself in. If someone walked in
on them come morning, they'd be the objects of some fierce teasing, but she didn't care. He
said he loved her, and she loved him.
That was all that mattered.
Nick slowly opened his eyes, feeling a little strange.
That had to be the weirdest dream he'd ever had. The part about Kiyone being taken
from him was far from new to him; he'd had at least one of those dreams for each girl he'd
dated. The later part, where she hugged him and said that she loved him....that was something
new. It had felt so real, though, as if she'd really been there....
He felt rustling around close to him, a warm female body snuggling closer to him, and his
arms automatically tightened around her--
Wait.
He craned his neck as best he could, considering that her head was resting on his chest,
and looked.
Kiyone.
"Oh dear god in heaven."
Kiyone slowly opened one eye, registered who she was snuggled up against, then
opened the other eye, a wide grin on her face. "Ohayoo."
"Ah....ah....ohayoo."
The smile softened a little. "You're wondering what I'm doing here, aren't you?"
"The thought had crossed my mind," he admitted. His eyes took in the sight of her
nightclothes: an oversized button-down shirt and boxers. Not exactly Victoria's Secret, but
very cute. He pushed him into a sitting position, and Kiyone did likewise. "So?"
"I had gone to get a drink last night," she explained. "On my way back, I heard you.
You were having a bad dream."
Nick gulped, already knowing what she was going to say. "Ohh....Kiyone-san, what
was I dreaming about?"
Kiyone met his eyes, her face now wearing a serious expression. "Well....you kept
saying, 'Please don't take her from me'...."
"And?"
Kiyone kept her eyes fixed on his. "....and 'I love you, Kiyone, please don't leave me.'"
Nick exhaled. "Oh." It suddenly hit him why this dream had been different than the
other ones. "So you...."
"I stayed with you the whole night," Kiyone completed, as she reached out and took his
hand.
"You didn't have to," he said softly, squeezing her hand.
"I wanted to," Kiyone insisted. "Nick-san....Nick-ch....Nick-chan, I love you."
Nick's heart pounded against his rib cage, nearly hard enough to break through.
"Kiyone-san...." He gulped, then uttered the honorific he'd had trouble holding back since the
day he entered the Masaki home. "Kiyo-chan....I...."
*Say it, dammit. You feel it, you love her, so say it, you idiot!*
"I love you too."
Kiyone's lips turned upward in a smile. She shifted her position enough so she could
hug Nick. He needed no prompting to hug her back.
End part 2
"The rhythm of my heart is beating like a drum,
And the words 'I love you' rolling off my tongue,
Never will I roam, for I know my precious home,
And when the ocean meets the sky, I'll be sailing...."
--Rod Stewart, "Rhythm of My Heart"
Author's notes: I thought I'd never get this chapter done. Are things moving a little fast?
Maybe, but remember that Nick only has eight weeks at the Masaki house, and if Keiichi and
Belldandy come back early, he might have to leave early. Besides, it is possible to develop
strong feelings for someone in a short amount of time. Love at first sight is not impossible, just
infrequent. I promise, I'll try to have the last part out by mid-September at the latest.
Footnotes
* Oneesama: "Honored elder sister." More formal than oneechan ("dearest elder sister") , but
dealing with Ayeka is a strenuous exercise in formality.
* Doozo yoroshiku: If I remember my high school Japanese correctly, this means something on the order of
"happy to be here."
* Oyaji: A very casual, somewhat disrespectful word for "father" or "dad." At best, it can be translated as
"pop"; at worst, "old man." It is interesting to note that both Ranma and Tenchi refer to their fathers as
"oyaji"--but I guess their fathers have it coming.
*Ji-chan: Apparently, "grandpa." At least, that's what Tenchi calls Katsuhito in the subtitled version.
* Now that's a spoiler! But I did tell you I would make things right for Kiyone, so of course there'll be a
happy ending. However, no one said that the path had to be a straight line....
* So I'm a little old-fashioned! I may have hentai-class thoughts, but I certainly don't believe in casual
sex. I'm still a virgin, but lovemaking seems to me to be the kinda thing you only do with the one you
want to spend your life with.
Keiichi Masaki, High Priest of the Temple
of the Teal-tressed Goddess, Kiyone Makibi
Member of the Kiyone Ring and the Tenchi Ring
Visit my the Temple of the Teal-tressed Goddess
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Palace/9909
"I am the one you think I am."
--Katsuhito "Yosho" Masaki
"The carnival comes and goes. If you wait for a while,
it'll always come back to you."
--Ryoko