Shimmer
Summary: Chai Aori has the perfect life. Her best friends are Team Seven. The whole village loves her, and she's even liked by the Akatsuki! So what's the problem? Itachi and Kakashi, that's what. -Four years after series, Sasuke returned-
Disclaimer: I don't own it. If I did, I wouldn't be right here now, would I?
The young woman ran down the street at top speed, completely aware of her follower. "Chaaaaiii!" A tenor voice rang out behind her. The girl grimaced and ran faster, looking over her shoulder as if to measure the distance between him and herself. "Give it up, Yuki!" She sighed. This little love chase was turning out to be rather ridiculous. She turned her head and –oof-!
"Ooowwww…" Chai groaned as she rubbed the back of her head. She looked up to accuse the brick wall she had smashed into. "Are you okay?" The man asked her, offering a hand and flashing her a masked smile. Chai hesitated at his messy gray hair and twinkling eye. She took the offered hand firmly in her own gloved one and stood up steadily. "Chai! You-" Yuki, the boy who was chasing her before had caught up, he looked scandalized at the sight of Chai with the stranger. "Yuki, this is my boyfriend." Chai said quickly, latching herself onto Kakashi's arm who was the stranger if you haven't figured out yet. Yuki looked even more scandalized (if this was possible) as he stuttered in shock. "I-I'm sorry, sir." He quickly bowed and ran off back to the direction he came from.
As soon as he was gone, Chai quickly let go of Kakashi's arm and apologized. "I only went on one date with him and then he comes stalking me everywhere. I'm sorry to have used you like this…" She trailed off. "That's okay." He replied nonchalantly, as if he was used to it. "I'm Chai Aori, by the way." She said, bowing. "Hatake Kakashi." He said as he flipped open a book. The girl's eyes widened at the title. "Well, see you around." He said as he strolled off. "..Goodbye..?" Chai said to noone in particular as she was alone in the middle of a foreign village.
Chai huffed all the way home, "I'd better move." She said, thinking aloud. "Yes….I should….then I could start all over again." She nodded to herself, "Oh…that means I have to make new friends…" She shrugged then agreed silently that she would move to Kohona.
She suddenly felt strange. "Whoever's there, you may reveal yourself." She said cooly. A figure stepped out of the trees. "How did you know I was there?" It asked her. "I didn't." She said honestly. It chuckled and stepped toward her. When she didn't retreat, it seemed to be surprised and it asked, "Are you not afraid?" She shook her head, "You're not going to hurt me, why should I be?" She giggled.
The figure took off it's straw hat and gazed at her without it's mangekyou sharingan. Chai waved at him, "Nice to see your face. You're rather handsome." She smiled. Itachi, who was this figure if you haven't found out yet who had never been open to such contagious happiness, felt the corners of his mouth tilt upwards in a small smile. "Aww….you smiled." She giggled again. "I'm Chai Aori." She said, bowing forward slightly in a respective manner. "Itachi Uchiha." He said, moving his head ever so slightly forward. "I do hope we meet again." He murmured as he dissapeared. This time, Chai was really crestfallen to be left alone. She muttered all the way home to a nearby small and unknown village.
The next day, after Chai moved into an apartment, she glanced outside to see it was only midday. "Plenty of time to explore!" She chirped happily. She tied up her short hair into two small pigtails and changed into a pair of comfortable capris, a shirt and sneakers. She grabbed her wallet, being one of the few women who didn't carry around a purse, and locked the door, only to bump into another person.
'Ouf!" Chai yelped into someone's back. "Oh? Are you my new neighbor?" The pink haired girl asked, turning around to size her up. Chai flashed her a bright smile, "Yes, I am. I'm Chai." She continued, sticking out her hand happily for her to shake. The neighbor smiled and shook her hand happily, "Nice to meet you, I'm Sakura. Well, I'm sort of in a rush right now, so come over any time for tea!" Sakura waved goodbye and walked down the stairs. Chai smiled at the retreating figure as it dissapeared amongst the crowd.
Chai walked down the stairs slowly and took her time to shop around. "How much for this?" She asked as she held up a small shuriken engraved with gold markings. "Only a thousand yen for you, miss." The shop owner said, smiling. She handed the man the money and slipped it into her shuriken holster. Chai continued to shop for trinkets when suddenly, her stomach growled. Chai smiled as she spotted the Ichiraku Ramen Shop and headed over in an instant. Chai sat herself down at one of the seats. "Beef Ramen, please!" Chai said in unison with another voice. She turned her head to the right to see who had ordered the same.
A blond boy with crystal blue eyes and whisker markings on his cheeks smiled at her. "Hey." He said in a deep voice, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki." He pointed to himself with his chopsticks. "Nice to meet you Naruto, I'm Chai Aori." She said smiling.
Naruto's eyes flickered with jealousy, "Shove off, Sasuke." He spat out. Chai's confused face turned to the seat on the left of her, which held up another man with raven black hair and dark opal eyes. He aknowleged her with a wave and a smile, "I'm Sasuke." Chai returned the smile he gave and said, "The name's Chai."
"Chai-chan!" A girly voice called out behind Sasuke. Chai blinked as a mass of pink hair popped from his shoulder. "Ah!" She recognized her neighbor, "Sakura-chan!" She waved.
"Are we having a party?" A monotonus voice asked behind her. "Hello Kakashi-kun." Chai said without twirling backwards. Sakura spit out her tea, "Chai-chai…" She began tenderly, "….how old are you?" Sakura asked, setting down the tea. "You question me this because you think I am not worthy of calling him Kakashi-kun." She said inquiringly before eating her ramen.
Sakura blushed, surprised at how she had read her thoughts. "Well…yes." Chai slurped her noodle and smiled, "I'm 21, after all. He's probably not much older than thirty." She said, glancing at him. Kakashi just continued to read his book absentmindedly. He raised his hand and took a seat next to Naruto before ordering,
"Soju, please." He said. As the bartender handed him his drink, Chai looked curiously at the hooded man, who in return actually put his book down to gaze back at her. Naruto was baffled, as was Sakura. "Y-You're 21!!?!?!?" They shouted.
Chai giggled, "If you were trying to hide your surprise, you failed. And yes, I am." She finished. "Is there something wrong with that?" She blinked. "Well, we thought you were our age." Sakura stuttered. Naruto nodded furiously. "I knew that." Sasuke said, sipping his own Miso Soup. Sakura and Naruto shot Sasuke death glares.
"Actually, Chai." Kakashi pipped up, breaking the staring contests, "I'm thirty, on the mark." Chai smiled proudly at her bowl of ramen before taking another slurp. "I knew it." She murmured after she had finished her meal. "I know you did." Kakashi's smooth voice rumbled into her ear. Chai flinched, "Excuse me?" She asked incredulously. "I said…" Kakashi started, "….if you need help getting home?" His dark eyes flicked over to her, searching her face. "Oh! I'm sorry." She shook her head, "If you would be able to take the time to walk me home, I would be more than grateful, Kakashi-kun." She smiled happily. Kakashi's visible eye squinted in a smile.
As they were walking home, Kakashi had taken out his book and was reading in the dim street light. Chai took this opportunity to look at his face. "Kakashi-kun?" She started. "Hm?" He responded. "What do you keep under that mask and headband?" She inquired. His eyes flicked to her face once more,
"To keep people guessing." His eye squinted again. Chai smiled, "Could I see what's underneath?" She tilted her head. "No." He said absentmindedly. Chai ran in front of him and turned around to face him in a pout. "Please? How about we spar for it?" She grinned. She had got his attention. "Okay then. Tomorrow at dawn." He confirmed. She giggled happily as they reached her apartment.
She unlocked her door and invited him in. "Would you care to stay for some tea?" She asked, smiling. "Sure." He said, closing his book and pocketing it. He took off his sandals and stepped into her living room. He gazed around, taking everything in. He spotted the comforter and sat down on it. Chai had dissapeared into the kitchen to make tea. He saw something shining from the corner of his eye. 'Hm? What's this?' He thought as he saw a picture frame. In the picture, there was a family. A small girl who he presumed to be Chai, a Father and a Mother.
"That's my brother, not my father." Chai said from behind him. Kakashi nearly jumped up, startled. "Ah? Your father is where, then?" Kakashi asked, turning around to find Chai placing the tray down on the coffee table. "Dunno. He dissapeared." Chai shrugged. Kakashi met her eyes, and was shocked. Her twinkling chocolate eyes turned dull and lustless, and her smile was still there, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I see…." He said softly, rubbing the back of her head.
He went back to his spot on the furniture and took his tea. "Uhm…" Chai began, "Yes?" Kakashi asked, turning his head. "….your uh…" She pointed to her mouth feebly. "Oh, my mask?" He said, "It's okay. I just drink through it." He squinted his eye again. Chai stared at him in shock, then her wrinkled her nose. "That's disgusting…" She murmured. "Hm." He responded as he drank his tea.
After Kakashi had left Chai locked the door and went into the bathroom. She took a shower and once she came out of the bathroom with a bathrobe on, she nearly screamed. "Itachi-kun." She sighed, placing a hand over her throbbing chest. The man had seated himself on her couch, legs crossed lazily.
"Hello Chai." He drawled out. She smiled and pardoned herself, "Could you give me a minute?" She said as she dissapeared into her bedroom. She quickly slipped on a slightly baggy shirt and short pants before stepping back outside. Itachi was still waiting patiently for her, his dark eyes seeming to be at a distant place. -Have you noticed that he doesn't activate his Sharingan around her?- She smiled and sat down across from him. -She smiles a lot doesn't she?- "So, why'd you bother to visit?" She asked, making herself comfortable on her sofa. "Hm, just thought we should get to knew each other more." He responded cooly.
She blinked in confusion, "Why not just drop by in the morning?" She asked. "I'm not exactly wanted around here." He explained. Knowing she wouldn't get much more out of him, she sighed and looked at him, "So, what would you like to know?" She inquired. "Not a lot…" He began, tilting his head up to meet her eyes. "Just how old are you, Chai?" He ended his question. She smiled, answering easily, "Twenty one. Yourself?" She pressed. "Hm, only a tad bit older than you." He gave her that "this-is-my-smile-the-one-that-you-taught-me" smile. She giggled quietly. "What?" He asked, eyebrows raising, his calm composure shattering. "You smile as if you're not used to it." She said innocently, batting her eyelashes at him.
His eyes slitted dangerously and he converted his eyes to a corner. "Is that a problem?" When she didn't respond he activated her sharingan and turned to glare at her, his eyes turned back and widened in surprise. There she was, asleep! Her mid-length black hair was sprawled over the armrest of her seat and her legs were spilling out from the other armrest. She was snoring quietly and her own arms were folded neatly across her stomach.
Itachi smiled again, although this time he showed more emotion. He quickly shook his head, disgusted at himself, 'How could you open up like this? What about all the time and pain you had to go through to to cover yourself up?! Shut up, you like this feeling, you know it. Yeah, I'm you, I should know.' Itachi was astounded, he was talking –more like fighting—with his consiousness! He shook his head and picked her up bridal style, carrying her to her bedroom and setting her down on the bed. Pulling the covers up to her chin, he heard her mumble in her sleep, "…..Cotton Candy……sparring……smiling…" He smiled again.
Authoress: Well, what do you think? Too short? More convo with Itachi-kun? What about Kakashi?
Itachi & Kakshi: Oh just shut up, why don't you.
Authoress: Ah! My lovely Itachi-san! I'm sooooo proud of you! –huggles Itachi-
Itachi: o.o Get off me, woman.
Authoress: You smiled twice today! You SMILED:D
Itachi: Only cause you made me. –glare-
Kakashi: -goes off to the Corner of Despair-
Authoress: Nuu! Kakashi-kun! I love you too!
Kakashi: -cold wind blows around him-
Authoress: Feh! He'll get over it soon enough. -huggles Kakashi-
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