About Naru
Naru Narusegawa is an uptight, stubborn, very violent resident of Hinata House. She was the second of the residents to arrive, and was formerly a very poor student, with a habit of daydreaming. That all changed with the services of her tutor; Noriyasu Seta. She developed a crush on him and is determined to get admitted into Tokyo University to because of him. Despite her violent outbursts, she is prone to moments of kindness.
(SPOILER WARNING)
L’histoire de Naru
Though she wouldn’t remember it until much later, Naru first came to Hinata House as a youngster. She was a sickly child and her parents would travel with her in hopes that the different environment would be better for her health. While at Hinata House, she met a young Keitaro Urashima and Mutsumi Otohime. It was from these two that she would learn of Tokyo University, which would become her first words. Again, however, due to her young age, she wouldn’t remember this encounter until much later.
Naru grew up and became a student. A rather poor student. Her parents sent her to Hinata House(now a girls dorm) to help with her studies. Naru was the second resident to arrive, after Kitsune. Naru was popular with the male students in her class, but she never returned the attention. She was still having problems with her schoolwork, so she was given a tutor: Seta. Naru developed an unrequited crush on Seta and went from a laid-back dreamer to the determined and dedicated number one student in Japan. Seta left to go overseas, but Naru promised him that one day she would get into Tokyo University.
Things were going rather smoothly for Naru, until Keitaro arrived. Keitaro was trying to get into Tokyo U, but had failed two years in a row. He had to stay with his grandmother at Hinata House, but was unaware that it had been transformed to a girls dorm. He was relaxing in the hot springs, when Naru walked in on him. Believing him to be some sort of pervert, she chased him around Hinata House. Only the timely intervention of Keitaro’s Aunt Haruka saved him.
Taking pity on the pervert, Naru began tutoring Keitaro. Keitaro, for his part, began wondering if Naru was the girl he had made a promise to go Tokyo University with when he was younger. On the day of their exams he confronted her about this, but she denied it. Keitaro was heartbroken and perhaps unsurprisingly failed his exams. He went to congratulate Naru, who in a moment of shock and awe, reveals that she too has failed her exams. They go drinking to forget their troubles, but end up blaming each other for their failures. Naru decides to take a vacation to ease her mind.
Unfortunately, on her trip to forget all about her exams and the pervert, she kept running into Keitaro. It’s revealed that they both read the same brochure in the Hinata House lobby, and were following the same vacation route. Putting their differences aside, they decided to travel together. It was on this trip that they encountered Mutsumi Otohime again, although none of them would remember their childhood meeting at this point. As a present, Mutsumi gave them a pet turtle, Tama-chan.
Arriving back at Hinata House, Naru was disappointed to find out that Keitaro was looking for a part-time job, and might give up on Tokyo U. In a twist of fate, Keitaro got a job working as an assistant for Naru’s old tutor, Seta. When Keitaro found this out, he felt that Seta and Naru were destined to be together… but it was not to be. Naru told Keitaro that she had nothing more than a crush on Seta. She did not tell Keitaro that she was pleased that he had decided not to quit trying for Tokyo University.
As thanks to Naru for helping him study, Keitaro took her out on a date. Soon after, Tama-chan bade everyone goodbye and wandered off. Worried, the Hinata House residents searched and finally found her with Mutsumi. Mutsumi was moving to the area to help with her studies, and she was soon spending much time with Keitaro and Naru. It was around this time, that Naru found an old photograph and discovered that she, Keitaro, and Mutsumi had all known each other at Hinata House when they were younger. Now she was able to deduce why Keitaro and Mutsumi’s tales of a childhood promise seemed so similar. They must have made the promise to each other. As she was beginning to grow quite fond of Keitaro, Naru was heartbroken to discover that the older couple were seemingly destined to be together. Still, she did the right thing and told them on Christmas Eve night. However, Keitaro had also grown quite fond of Naru and was unable to choose Mutsumi just like that. (Mutsumi, for her part, was unable to comprehend what was going on.)
The three formed a love triangle that existed for some time. Things were complicated by Mutsumi’s house burning down, causing her to stay at Hinata House. One day the three of them were walking amidst the cherry blossoms, when something… clicked in Mutsumi’s head. She suddenly remembered Naru and Keitaro as children, and she remembered who she made her promise to. Unfortunately for the other two, she wants to keep it to herself until after the exams.
After the exams, Naru and Mutsumi went looking for Keitaro but were unable to find him. They figured he must have failed his exams and run off again. They finally received a fax from him a few weeks later. Keitaro wrote that he was on the island of Parakelse and not to come looking for him. Naru, however, was through putting up with Keitaro’s shenanigans and was determined to bring him back, even if it was against his will.
She arrived on Parakelse, and was surprised to find Keitaro was helping Seta with excavations. She was even more surprised to find that Keitaro had developed a tan and had become quite the little hottie. She, Keitaro, and a native girl named Nyamo became trapped in the desert, but were rescued by the Hinata House residents who had come to Parakelse to tell Keitaro and Naru that they both had made it into Tokyo University. After some pulse-pounding escapades, the gang left Parakelse and returned home.
Naru’s burgeoning friendship with Keitaro was soon tested when he finally told her that he loved her. Unable to deal with the thought of being in a serious relationship, she spent several weeks avoiding him. Finally, after some time observing Seta’s and Haruka’s tangled romance, Naru told Keitaro that she loved him… maybe. They would exist in this semi-romantic state until Keitaro left to study abroad, and his sister, Kanako Urashima took control of Hinata House.
Kanako transformed the Hinata Girls Dorm back into an inn, and instituted a tyrannical regime that forced the other residents into a rebellion. Naru had sided with Kanako, hoping to befriend Keitaro’s adopted sister. This proved to be short-lived when Naru revealed that she was (probably) Keitaro’s promise girl. Only Keitaro’s timely return from the US saved Hinata House and Naru from destruction.
You must understand that Kanako had “certain feelings” for her adopted brother. She tried to compete with Naru for his affections, and finally tricked him into entering the Hinata Annex with her. The Hinata Annex was a sealed off portion of Hinata House that was legendary for it’s power to cement relationships. Naru attempted to come between the two, but each time she was kept back by a mysterious force. At last giving up in despair, Naru attempted to flee to the very edge of Japan. Keitaro and the other residents followed, causing havoc in their wake. Keitaro’s love was too strong for any annex’s magic and he managed to break the spell, as Naru at long last declared her love for him.
Even though Naru and Keitaro were now officially a couple, things wouldn’t become any easier for them. First Motoko’s sister came to visit, and Motoko became aware of her own unrealized feelings for Keitaro. Afterwards, Keitaro was shanghaied into accompanying Seta to the island of Molmol where Su attempted to make him her husband. Naru and the residents rescued Keitaro as was usual, but things were different this time. During the commotion, Keitaro’s Granny Hina had sent a fax saying she would arrive at Hinata House and wanted to meet Keitaro and his fiancee. A wedding would be held and Keitaro would receive Hinata House and the surrounding property. They rushed back to Hinata House, only to find that they had lost a day due to the date line. Afraid that they had missed Keitaro’s grandmother and since nothing else was going on, Naru and Keitaro decided to visit their place of dreams: Tokyo University.
So Naru and Keitaro at long last crossed the Tokyo University threshold as a couple. A gust of wind marked the momentous occasion. The moment was marred when Mutsumi arrived bearing a cell phone. It was Keitaro’s grandmother. She apologized to Keitaro for not being there, but she had gone hiking in the Himalayas and lost track of time. Then something strange happened. She asked Keitaro about his promise girl, and then attempted to tell him something about said girl but all she could get out was “b*” before Naru grabbed the phone and disconnected it. Keitaro was aghast, but Naru was upset. SHE was Keitaro’s promise girl. Wasn’t she?
To console herself, she and Keitaro went to a nearby hotel. After a horribly embarrassing situation involving intended premarital relations and a giant turtle, they discovered that Nyamo Namo(the native girl from Parakelse) had been sleeping in the room. They brought her back to Hinata House and threw a party, but Naru was beginning to wonder about her and Keitaro’s string of rotten luck. Eventually, Naru discovered that Nyamo had a letter for Keitaro, but was too shy to give it to him. Naru had been afraid that it was a love letter and that Keitaro had yet another suitor. The truth was far more difficult. The letter was a job offering Keitaro a position on a Parakelse research team. Naru promised Nyamo that she would give him the letter, but found herself unable to do so. As happy as she knew the offer would make him, if he accepted….. then who knew when he would be coming back?
Seeing Naru’s depressed state, the Hinata House residents dragged her to a lantern festival. Naru enjoyed herself, but when she and Keitaro arrived back at Hinata House they were surprised to find the place empty. Searching revealed that each resident had written a letter saying that they had to go home for various reasons. Unable to bear the thought of being alone, Naru finally broke down and handed Keitaro the job offer. With tears in her eyes, Naru told Keitaro that she must not be his promise girl… that was the reason why fate always seemed to be conspired against them. Keitaro, as determined as ever, convinced Naru to give their relationship one more chance.
Unfortunately, their date was a disaster. Naru finally told Keitaro to follow his dreams, and ran away crying. The next day, Keitaro awoke and went to see if poor Naru had calmed down. He found her room empty, save for a note telling him that she had decided to go back home. After a quick talk with Kitsune to find out where Naru’s family lived, Keitaro rushed down to the train station. He boarded the train and confronted Naru. He angrily told her that he was going to stay and see her off.
They ended up staying on the train for several loops around, and eventually dozed off. Naru dreamed she met her and Keitaro’s younger selves. They asked her about their future; Naru sadly told them that things just didn’t work out. However, Kei-kun told her that they seemed pretty happy to him. Naru awoke and found that she and Keitaro had rode the train all the way to the railyard. She roused Keitaro… and then something strange happened. The voice of Keitaro’s grandmother rang through the train, asking Keitaro about his promise girl. Naru and Keitaro refused to listen; they managed to break out through a train window.
Naru and Keitaro ran all the way back to Hinata House, the voice of Keitaro’s grandmother following them all the way. As they reached the House, they saw the shrunken form of Granny Hina atop the roof. She declared that it was time for Keitaro to learn the truth about his promise girl, but Naru screamed that she didn’t want to hear it. The wizened old woman then asked them if they were really as unhappy as they seemed. More determined than he had ever been in is life, Keitaro shouted out that they weren’t unhappy. As long as one of them remained happy, they would survive. He then asked Naru if she would stay with him. As the early morning sun rose Naru accepted, and then proclaimed that even if she wasn’t his promise girl, she wanted to be with him. The old woman smiled as the young couple was blinded by the light of the sun.
The other residents returned to Hinata House soon after, and Keitaro and Naru went up to the roof to confront Granny Hina. As she and Kanako departed in their helicopter, she told Keitaro that his promise girl had been next to him that whole time.
Epilogue
Naru and Keitaro finally get married and live happily ever after.