"Y...You're really pretty, Konan..."
The lone female of the Akatsuki looked up from her paper butterflies and stared at Pein. For all the years they had been together, not once had Konan ever hear Pein call her 'pretty'. Well, there was that one time at the bar, but it didn't really count in her book.
Still, she wondered what auburn, nose-pierced man was up to. "Did someone put you up to this, Pein? I mean, you can't seriously think I'm-"
"But...but I do think you're pretty. You're very beautiful!" Pein stammered, his face redder than his hair. Despite the embarrassing look spread across Pein's face, Konan still wasn't buying it.
"Seriously, Pein! Who's paying you to say this!" Konan snapped, her famous deadly glare practically piercing through Pein's delicate flesh. Pein clenched his fists as he exclaimed, "I'm being serious, Konan! I LIKE YOU!"
He grabbed Konan by the arm and shouted, "I KNOW I'M PROBABLY SUPPOSED TO BE CALM, QUIET, AND EMOTIONLESS, BUT I FAILED AT IT, OKAY? I...I LOVE YOU, KONAN!"
When all was revealed, a painful and awkward silence befell both of them. After a while, Konan slipped out of Pein's grip and said quietly, "Pein...I...I...I'm glad you finally admitted it to me, but I just can't be with you..." And with that, she spun around and walked away, tears clinging to her eyes.
As he watched her retreating form, Pein cursed under his breath. 'God...I can't believe I just broke out and told her like that! I'm such a freakin' idiot!' Slamming his fists against a stone wall, Pein continued to scold himself for having acted like such a fool.
Meanwhile, Konan was walking silently through the rainy streets of Amegakure, despite the fact that her jutsu was weak to water. Her entire body felt numb as she played Pein's confession over and over in her mind. She wasn't sure where she was going, as long as it was someplace where she could clear out her thoughts.
Eventually, she found herself standing in front of what looked like a local bar. Sighing, Konan headed inside, her thoughts still on Pein. The moment she entered, the entire bustling room seemed to slow to a stop. Konan looked around and could tell thateveryone was staring at her. 'Of course...' Konan sighed as she took a seat at the bar counter.
Without hesitation, the bartender ran over to Konan and nervously asked, "Uh, welcome, miss! What would you like to drink today?" Konan cupped her face in her hands and mumbled, "I'll take the heaviest drink you have...I really need it..."
Instead of asking, the bartender quickly went to work in fear of possibly being killed on the spot. Realizing that everyone was still staring at her, Konan looked over her shoulder and said, "You guys can go back to partying if you want. I'm not going to kill anybody..."
Within seconds, the bar was roaring with noise once again. Once her drink was ready, Konan took a sip and let the cold, refreshing feeling slip down her throat, sending a chill up her spine. 'Why does Pein have to love me...?' Konan wondered sadly as she took another sip.
'I won't be able to love him back...I can't...I'll only end up hurting him in the end...relationships are too dangerous...plus, Pein needs to focus on the mission...not on me...' As she downed her drink, Konan kept coming up with reasons on why she and Pein could never be together.
But in the end, Konan only came up with one result: she wanted to be with Pein too. Konan mentally slapped herself and thought, 'Crap! Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap! I can't be with him! The mission...the mission Madara-sama gave us...it's too important to mess up...we'll be killed if we fail...'
Sighing again, Konan stared into her now half-full glass of alcohol. As she continued to stare into it, the face of Pein started to form on the surface.
"Konan..."
Konan spun around and saw Pein standing behind her, a serious look in his eyes. "Pein, I-" Konan began, but Pein silenced her with a powerful, yet passionate kiss on the lips. Everyone in the room stopped partying and watched as the kiss continued.
When they finally seperated, Pein smiled and said, "Konan...I know we must complete the mission...but I want to do it with you by my side...please? I love you with all my heart...I need you in my life, Konan..."
Tears of happiness rolling down the sides of her cheeks, Konan hugged Pein and exclaimed, "Yes, Pein! I'll be with you! I love you so much! I wasn't sure before, but now I am! I LOVE YOU!" At this point, everyone let out an 'Aww...' in response to the new couple.
Meanwhile, a certain white-haired perverted sannin was making his way into the village...