The Kyuubi couldn't be captured just yet, I knew that. But why did I keep checking up on you? It couldn't be to see if you were vunerable, it had never been about that. Kisame has been asking me about the frequent visits and Madara has too but what answer could I provide the two with when I didn't even know myself.

Leaving Kisame within a 2 mile radius of the border of Konoha, I decided that today I'd just see if you're observant of your surroundings.

Kisame didn't mind being left behind; leaving the kyuubi alive after stalking him for a day was just too much to bear for him. Blood thirst was something he couldn't get rid of. He was like a vampire only he didn't suck the blood, he'd rather see it. I'd rather do neither but I had no choice. The decisions I made in my life made me a murderer that supposedly likes seeing people get tortured. After a while, I just grew immune to everyone's cries of agony. There was a point where I just didn't care anymore.

I found the you training alone in one of Konoha's forests. There were beads of sweat glistening on your forhead that you quickly brushed off with the back of your hand. I had concluded that you had been training for quite some time beforehand. After a deep breath, you put your hands together. Were you concentrating? Did your training actually have to do with what I was supposedly training you with today?

A gasp escaped your lips and I nearly flinched. You started darting through the forest and I started to nonchalantly worry. Had you noticed me?

Despite my instincts telling me to return to Kisame, I didn't. I persued you in a discreet manner.

The way you ran told me you had a clear goal in your mind and the urge to turn away grew but I was too curious. You make me curious and I don't like that. You scampered into the town and there I stopped. Did I dare venture into the town? Stories from my recent visit definitely had gotten out and I surely didn't to capture attention. I turned to walk away from my old village but I paused. I pivoted back and inhaled. You're just to entizing for your own good.

I walked into the town in a female version of myself. The stares that I got were rather disturbing but I ignored them and focused on your chakra. When I finally caught up, I almost laughed. It was lunch time and there you were, perched at the ichiraku stand, eating ramen, and looking oddly cute. I couldn't help but walk over as well and sit down for a bowl. I was a bit hungry and before I left Kisame, he had asked me to eat something while I was here. Might as well listen to him.

The old man that worked there stood in front of me and asked me what I wanted. I pointed to your bowl and asked for the same, my feminine voice catching your attention. The man nodded then walked to his daughter, I assumed, and told her the order. "Hi, I'm Naruto." You greeted, your mouth full of ramen still. I acted like a teenage girl and let out a little giggle. Your cheeks turned pink with embarrasment as you swallowed the noodles in your mouth.

"Hello, I'm Sachiko." I greeted back to you.

"S-So, you like ramen too?" You asked nervously, fiddeling with the chopsticks in your hand.

"Yeah, it's really good."

"It is!"

There was a click when bowl and table met and I turned to look in front of me. The bowl was huge. Such a small price for a meal so big. I handed the money to the guy and he smiled. A pair of chopsticks were slid to me by you. I carefully pulled the two sticks apart then held them in one hand, diving it into the bowl and getting a few noodles. I slurped them up and I saw, with my peripheral vision, you smile softly.

After ten minutes of eating, I was full and yet there was still half a bowl left. My gaze shifted over to you and saw that even though your bowl was gone, you still sat at that seat. I turned my head to look at you and asked, "Do you want the rest of my ramen?"

"Sure!" You replied gleefully, your eyes going into two small curves. I chuckled then slid my bowl to you slowly. In a quarter of the time it took me to eat half, you had the rest of the bowl guzzled down. You are a fast eater. I saw specks of the noodles on your cheeks and giggled once more. You are fast but you are messy. I took one of the napkins in front of me and then wiped it against your cheek. Red, not pink, tinted your cheeks. "Th-Thanks." You managed to say, eyes closed tightly. I let you take the napkin into your own hand to wipe the other side of your mouth.

After a little bit, your face returned to normal. "Hey, if you're done eating, you have to leave. We may get some customers and I don't want you two taking up room." The man told us. I nodded then hopped off the seat. You did the same and we both started walking the same way; back to the forest.

"S-So . . . how long have you been in Konoha? I haven't seen you around."

"My family and I have lived here all our lives. But they're thinking of moving." I had to say it. I couldn't let him think that I'd be able to visit him on a daily basis. Of course, whenever did I think that we were that close?

"That's terrible," You whined, making a cute, sad face.

"It is . . . but I can't do anything about it."

"It's okay," you put an arm around me and I blushed. I couldn't tell whether or not I was actually blushing or if the female form that I had taken on had made me sensitive. "We can spend time together until you leave Sachiko!"

"That'd be nice."

"Hey . . . you want to train? There's this nice clearing in the forest that I train at." You asked, winking. I giggled and nodded just as a woman would have done. Your arm was removed from me and your hand grasped mine in it tightly as you tugged me along as you ran to the forest. It didn't take long for the both of us to get there. You let go of my hand then stood in front of me. "You want to just do hand to hand combat? I wouldn't want to hurt you . . ."

I wanted to laugh. Hurt me? How could it be possible that this little boy could hurt me? It wasn't. But, even though you couldn't, I had to take you up on the offer of hand to hand combat since I practically had no jutsus that I could use that wouldn't give me away. I nodded my head and you smiled, stepping back. We both got into stances and smirked, both of us feeling cocky. "Okay, ready?" You asked. I once again nodded and then you shouted, "Go!"

I ran straight for you, going for a kick to the head but you side stepped and tried to kick my side. I grabbed your leg and pulled you towards me, my fist colliding with your stomach. I had used only an ounce of my strength and yet you still clenched his stomach in pain. "Damn you can punch." you cried through clenched teeth.

"I'm so sorry!" I said, acting innocent. you smiled.

"It's okay, just maybe a bruise." You removed your hand from your stomach. "C'mon, we're still fighting." I returned to my stance then braced for the first attack. You tried punching me in the gut but I stopped your hand with mine and went for your face. You ducked and tried making me fall by sweeping your leg under mine. I jumped and you missed. I let go of your hand and backflipped back. You stared at me in amazement then shook his head lightly. I smirked before pulling a kunai from my pocket.

"Weapons allowed?"

"Sure."

And after that response, I threw at you. You dodged it and I started charging at you after that. I threw a few punches, which you hit away, then went to kick your face once again but you bent back and nearly missed my foot. I hadn't seen it, which shocked me, but you had managed to get behind me. "Boo!" You said. I nearly jumped from being startled and I got off balance. I struggled on one foot before falling behind into your arms. "Hello there." You said, eyes half lidded with a small smile on your face.

"H-hello."

We continued fighting and I must say, it was fun. I know more about your fighting style from this experience and more about you. Killing two birds with one stone; it's so easy. When dusk came, I felt . . . discontented that I had to leave the little kyuubi but, nonetheless, I had to leave. I was, after all, keeping my impatient partner waiting . . . "I have to leave, it's getting late." I announced. You had a pouty look on your face.

"Already?" You groaned. Right then, you sounded like Sasuke and it made me pause. I looked at you differently then. My little brother . . . somehow . . . you remind me of him. Just the way you look when you complain; it's the same way he looked a long time ago.

-

"C'mon Sasuke, it's getting late. Mother will start to worry if we don't get back soon." I told my little brother who looked like he was about to pass out, "besides, you look exhausted."

"Awww, but Itachi," he whined, "I'm fine and it's okay if mom worries! Please can we continue my training? Pwease???"

"Sorry Sasuke," I bent down and poked him on the forehead, "some other time."

"You're no fun . . ." He pouted, rubbing his forehead. I held out a hand to him to help him up but he refused it and got up on his own. His arms were crossed over his chest and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"It's okay Sasuke," I said, ruffling his raven black hair. He let out a smile but it quickly went back to a frown. "I saw that."

"Damn it . . ."

"What was that?"

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to curse!"

"You're lucky I'm not mother; she would've washed your mouth out with soap again."

"Yuck! You won't tell on me, will you?"

"No, just as long as you stop moping."

He thought about it for a second before making me hold his hand. "Okay, let's go home." I smiled warmly.

-

"Sachiko? Sachiko?!" You yelled in my ear. I jumped, coming back to the present. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah . . . I just . . . remembered something."

"Okay, just making sure."

"Well, bye." I said, pivoting back to walk away. You caught my hand in yours and made me stop.

"Wait, I can walk you home if you want."

I had to think it over. It would be rude to say no but I don't know where I'd lead him if I said yes. There was no way around it, I had to say no. But, I had to say it in a clever way. "No, my mom and dad would be looking out the window and if they see me with a guy, they'll freak out."

"Oh, I understand." You said, sadness drenching your statement. It actually made me feel bad.

"I'll see you around, okay?" I said. He looked up at me hopefully.

"Okay."

I looked down at our hands. They were still intertwined, his grip was still tight. Why? I looked to your face and you were looking at the ground, face beet red. I understood then. As much displeasure it would bring me, I decided to do it. I kissed him on the cheek, though, and not where he was thinking I was. Our hands fell to our sides and you were beaming. I could've rolled my eyes but seeing that it would've upset you, I didn't. "Bye." You said, kissing my lips. Foolish Kyuubi, do you not understand that a kiss on the cheek is not an invitation to kiss me on the lips?! I would've blown up if I wasn't trying to be so nice. I, instead, just blushed. It was forced, I believe.

Walking back to the border, I couldn't get you out of my thoughts. I wanted to kill my mind for the things I was thinking. I think I've been in this woman form too long. So long, I've begun thinking like them.

I wasn't even at the border when I went back to myself. It felt good being a guy again and not a woman. So much better.

But, my thinking was wrong. The thoughts didn't stop.

Your beautiful blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes wouldn't get out of my mind. The way you always looked cute wouldn't get out of my mind. That kiss that you gave me before I left would not get out of my mind. You were driving me absolutely nuts! Why?! What possessed me to feel this way?!

Being around Kisame didn't help. The foolish blue man didn't talk much and it left me with my thoughts. I wanted to strangle him for that. But, it was not his fault; he had no knowledge about my sudden infatuation with you.

I had said in the beginning of the day that I wasn't really one partial to peope screaming in agony but the thought that I had tonight said otherwise. All through the night: when we arrived at the hotel, when I took a shower, and when I was getting into bed; I kept thinking about it. It wasn't until late that I decided to just do it. Oh little kyuubi-kun, you're so cute. How cute would you look under me?

I'd get a kiss again.

But I don't think I'll be a girl this time. And this time, it will be so much better. So much better.