Keitaro Urashima
"You know what Keitaro?"
"What?"
"If two people fall in love and get into Tokyo University, they'll be destined to be happy"
"Keitaro... lets go to Tokyo U together!"
Although it might seem to be innocent enough to most people; to Keitaro, that childhood promise meant everything. On the surface it might seem that he is sort of a loser who is just trying to get into Tokyo U on the rather vague hope of finally getting a girlfriend, but really it goes a bit deeper than that. It certainly meant enough to Keitaro to try to get in 3 times. Throughout the course of Love Hina, this memory resurfaces and in fact there are many memories tied to this one which foreshadows things...
Naru Narusegawa
"Sempai, I've decided"
"That someday...
I want to go to Tokyo U too."
Naru (sort of) made a promise to get into Tokyo U, just like Keitaro, although for different reasons. Naru had always been disinterested in boys, until she got a tutor who went to Tokyo U. The tutor made a huge impression on the young Naru, and she grew to have a huge crush on him. Thus she decided to try too get into Tokyo University just like him. Although it is left unsaid; it seems as though she also had intended on winning his heart once she got in, as well.
Konno Mitsune
"Kitsune, could you go and turn him down for me?"
"What?!
You want me to be the messenger again?"
Naru as a young teenager was a very distant girl. Still she managed to gather a LOT of male attention and had a seemingly endless number of guys who wanted to date her. But Naru could never really make up her mind, and mainly just wasn't interested. Kitsune, on the other hand; would have been more than happy to have all those guys chasing HER and was quite jealous. Even worse is that Naru typically made Kitsune turn down the guys for her, which is a grudge Kitsune holds even years later...
Motoko Aoyama
"Be ambitious Motoko"
"Yes sister,
someday I will be strong like you."
Before Keitaro arrived, The most influential person in Motoko's life had previously been her sister. Beautiful, strong, and said to be one of the most remarkable swordsman in the last hundred years; there is a lot to admire in such a person. However her sister fell in love and gave that all up to be married. And to top it all off Motoko who had always been a bit awkward with men walked in on them during an intimate moment. This was the last straw for Motoko and she left for Tokyo and moved into Hinata Inn. Although her sister is supposedly not what she once was, she is still phenomenal with the sword, and far more than a match for Motoko who still fears her sister (with good reason).
Kanako Urashima
"Brother?"
"Hmm? What's the matter?"
"When you get there, write me a letter and tell me what you're doing."
"I know, I'll send you a letter every month."
Ever since she was a young girl, Kanako didn't like sweets. The Urashima family (that raised Kanako) owned a famous cake store, and couldn't understand why Kanako wouldn't eat them, although they continuously pushed them on her. Only Keitaro stood up for her, and this seems to have continued thought the years until the time finally came for Keitaro to try to get into Tokyo University. He did however promise to write her a letter every month, which helped to keep her in touch with what he was up to - and eventually led to a few of Kanako's schemes meant invoke revenge on the girls of Hinata inn for the bad things they did to her dearest brother...
