It was snowing in Tokyo, but it wasn’t as cold as it looked so it was enjoyed by all that liked the winter white. The snow made everything look peaceful and tranquil, decorating the buildings, sidewalks, trees and benches. The fluffy white substance covered everything the eye could see. Every breath of cold air was cool and refreshing. It seemed like it was going to be a quiet day in the big city. But then, if you look up to the sky you see a man falling. If you squint and take a closer look, you see that it’s Keitaro Urashima, manager of Hinata Inn, "Narusegawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" He lands in a mound of snow. Slowly getting up, he looks at Naru.

"Keitaro you idiot!" She storms up to him, tightening her fists. "I don’t know how I manage put up with you!" She turns around and walks ahead of him. Shinobu dropped her luggage and helped her sempai up to his feet. "Arigatou Shinobu-chan," he stood up, brushing off the snow on his jacket.

Shinobu looks at Keitaro with a concerned look on her face, "Are you alright sempai?"

"Yes Shinobu-chan, don’t worry about me…Naru." He looked ahead at the girl that he has admired for Two years. He tried his best to express his interest in her but she always seemed to turn him down in a big fashion.

She was already two blocks ahead of Keitaro and Shinobu. The two of them scrambled to catch up to her. Today wasn’t a good day for Keitaro. The three of them woke up late and almost missed their train to the heart of Tokyo. Shinobu had been nominated to participate in the Little Miss Tokyo contest that is to be held a week and a half from today. Keitaro and Naru had to accompany her as her guardians but they also wanted to cheer on their good friend who makes all of the magnificent cooking at Hinata Inn. After they got off of the train, Keitaro was responsible to find the hotel so they could check in their baggage right away. But because of Keitaro’s "map reading skills," the three of them have been wandering around for almost two hours.

Naru was fed up, so she decided to find the hotel on her own. That idiot Keitaro, she thought to herself, How could I like such an incompetent moron? Suddenly there was the sound of broken glass and police sirens were heard everywhere. The cops stopped their cruisers and surrounded the bank robber that was coming out with a hostage. "Alright, you have no where to run dirtbag! Now drop your gun and put your hands above your head!" Instead of obliging, he puts his gun on the girl’s forehead. "Back off coppas or I’ll kill her!" The robber was hit by a chunk of snow that was on a branch above his head. The girl tried to make a break; he pointed his gun and fired….

"No!" Keitaro ran towards the girl when he saw the outlaw aim his gun at her. He dove at her as the shot was fired. The bullet tore his jeans and impaled itself into the back of his thigh. The cops, armed with rubber bullets, fired shots until the robber fell down in pain and was subdued.

"Keitaro!"

"Sempai!"

Naru and Shinobu ran towards him and cried for help. A bank teller that knew first aid dashed out to tend Keitaro’s wound as everyone anxiously waited for the ambulance to arrive. Keitaro looked up at Naru and Shinobu, trying to contain the blood that is seeping through his wound, "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, I’ll be…." He eyes closed as he fell unconscious. Shinobu clasped herself to Naru and started to cry. Naru just stared at the ground wondering why she felt so helpless in this situation.

"I’m sorry that I got him into this."

Naru looked up and saw the girl Keitaro saved. She had red hair and red eyes that still contained fear from what just happened. She looked at Keitaro then back at Naru, "He is very brave, is there anything I can do? I definitely owe him one."

Naru’s mind was clouded in confusion, so she said the first thing that came into her mind, "Well, I guess you can come with us to the hospital, you can at least thank him."

The girl looked back at the unconscious body of Keitaro, "Yes, that is the least I can do." The ambulance arrived, taking Keitaro to the hospital.

A policeman walked up to the girls; "We’ll give you a lift to the hospital. We’ll also take you’re luggage to the hotel that you are staying at. We don’t want you to lug them around the hospital."

Naru gave him the luggage. "Thank you very much."

"Will sempai be ok?" Shinobu blurted out.

"Sure he will," The policeman gave her a reassuring smile, "I’m sure that he will be ok."

Naru looked at the ambulance that was disappearing down the road, Keitaro please be ok.

The three girls sat quietly on the ride to the hospital. They still never spoke as they walked towards the waiting room as Keitaro was receiving emergency surgery. The three of them sat in the waiting room. It was quiet…too quiet, until the girl decided to break the silence, "Oh, I didn’t introduce myself, my name is Akari Kamigishi."

"I’m Naru Narusegawa, pleased to meet you." She extended her hand; Akari took her hand, completing the greeting.

"Hi, I’m Shinobu Maehara." Shinobu shyly waved her hand; Akari smiled at her bashful nature.

"What is the name of the guy who saved me?"

"His name’s Keitaro Urashima," replied Naru.

"I see, I see. So what brought the three of you here?"

"Well…"Shinobu said. "Naru-sempai and Keitaro-sempai took me here for the Little Miss Tokyo contest."

Shinobu blushed, "You really think so?"

"Sure, I don’t see why not."

The conversation suddenly halted without reason. Silence once again consumed the atmosphere of the room. All three of them looked around to find a good magazine. When they couldn’t find one they stared into the void of the quiet waiting room. Suddenly a doctor comes running of the ER screaming "Keitaro is dead! Keitaro is dead!" All three girls stood up in absolute shock. Akari and Naru both freeze in time; Shinobu flops over with spinney eyes. A nurse runs out after the doctor saying "Doctor, Keitaro Suzuhara is alright!" As the doctor leaves all three of them sigh in relief and sit back down.

After another long period of silence, Akari decides to break the silence once again. "How long have you known Keitaro for?" Akari asked Naru.

"Almost two years," She replied

"Oh? Then you two are going out?"

Naru was caught off guard by that question, "What…uh…no! That thought hasn’t even occurred to me, ever!"

"I see," Akari replied, "I think that you two look good together."

"Yeah right! You must be kidding me! Why would I like such an idiot like him?"

"Idiot?" Akari was getting upset at Naru’s ignorance; "He just saved my life back there! Do you think an idiot would have done that? I’m surprised that he even puts up with someone like you! And do you know what? I saw the three of you before I went to the bank and how you treated him so harshly. I might have understood what happened then, but what you have just said is unforgivable!"

What is this girl saying? What can she possibly know about our situation between Keitaro and me?

Suddenly Naru’s consciousness and said, "You have been treating him very badly ever since you had known him."

Her conscious prodded her some more, "You must realize the good in him, not just the bad."

Her conscious displayed images of the memories she has had with Keitaro. How he bought her the red coat that she has always wanted for her Christmas present. How they both studied day and night to get the marks to me accepted into Tokyo U. She remembered how happy she was to be with him…

Naru’s eyes filled with worry and concern, Oh no, what have I done? Why must I be so cruel to him? Why must I keep his dreams away from him? Why must I always hurt him when it is not deserved? He saves this girl and yet I do this? I know that he like me it’s so obvious. I do like him…but it is so embarrassing to be with him in public. Am I being too selfish? I don’t know what to do!"

More and more confusing questions entered Naru’s mind. She blurted, "Excuse me but I have to go to the bathroom." She ran off confused and disillusioned. She looked at herself in the mirror. What have I done? Naru broke down and started to sob uncontrollably, "Keitaro I’m so sorry!"

When Naru came back from the washroom, the doctor came out of the ER and announced that Keitaro will be fine and they may visit him in the ward. They entered his room and saw Keitaro connected to a series of monitors and intravenous lines. Nevertheless, he was quite happy to see his friends again. Naru didn’t approach him, but instead walked past his bed to look out the small window at the starry sky. Shinobu was the first to greet him, "Sempai!"

"Hey Shinobu-chan, it’s good to see you again."

"Hello, Keitaro Urashima, thanks for saving me in that unfortunate situation. My name is Akari, Akari Kamigishi."

He smiled, "Hi, pleased to meet you, don’t mention the save there, it was nothing.

"Why did you save me Keitaro-san?"

"Frankly, I don’t even know myself," He laughed, "Maybe I couldn’t see such a beautiful girl go to waste!"

She laughed heartily, "I can already see that you are a wonderful guy, You’ll make a girl very lucky someday."

"Hey that’s the first good news that I’ve heard today!"

Akari smiled at him warmly; "Sorry about this but my parents are probably worried sick, so I should go back home now, pleased to meet you Keitaro-san."

"Oh, no problem, thanks for visiting!"

"Shinobu yawned, "Sempai, I’m going to take a taxi back to the hotel, I’m really tired."

"Sure, I’ll see you later Shinobu-chan," She waved good bye as she waked out the door. He looked at Naru at the window, "Hey Naru, are you going to leave with her too?" Naru did not answer him. "Hey is something wrong?" He notices the tears falling down her cheeks. "Why are you crying Naru?"

"Keitaro," Naru tried to choke back her tears, "I’m sorry for what I have done."

"Sorry for what?" Keitaro had a concerned look on his face, "You haven’t done anything wrong."

No don’t apologize and be like a fool…He’ll probably never understand anyway...but he will…someday. She put on a weak smile and nodded, "Oh of course not."

"Silly girl," Keitaro replied, "Don’t cry when you don’t have to."

She chuckled a little, "Absolutely not." An idea popped into her head, "Hey are you going to be released tomorrow?"

"Yeah, the wound wasn’t that bad."

She puts her hands behind her back and leaned forward a bit in a playful manner, "Then Let’s go for some coffee tomorrow."

Keitaro nodded with interest, "Sure, sounds good to me!"

Naru took another look out the window, "Hey take a look at this."

Keitaro sat up on his bed and looked out the window over Naru’s shoulder. There was a comet flaying across the black winter sky.

"Isn’t life wonderful?" Naru asked.

"Yes, yes it is," replied Keitaro.

Yes! This story is sappy... well, not too sappy I hope. I hope everyone who read this enjoyed it! Special thanks to Jamie Nhieu as my editor of doom. Liam McMullan for some good ideas evil ideas of course. And Kim Lam for telling me that I can actually submit this to the magazine and for some last minute changes.

Disclaimer: To Heart belongs to KISS, AQUAPLUS, LEAF, and any other copyright owners. Love Hina belongs to Xebec and TV Tokyo, and any other copyright owners. But the idea of the story is mine all mine!

Allan Cheung