AUTHOR'S NOTE: UPDATED (4-6-2014)

Hey guys! DXE here! So here's the first real chapter of "How I Fell In Love With Shino Aburame" Hope you like it!

Do I even need to bother with a disclaimer?

…Eh, too lazy to care.

NOTE:

- The bolded italics are like diary entries, those will probably just be at the beginnings or endings of a chapter. They're used mostly to set the mood and keep the romance aspect of the story while more violent chapters are being told. These will be signed by "K.M." (Kira Minami)

- Flashbacks will be plain italics and I'll try to place some extra space or something at the beginnings and endings. Maybe even be blunt and say FLASHBACK. I don't think I'll be using flashbacks very much, though, because this IS a narrative story and there isn't much point in doing a flashback when I could just narrate it in. But, who knows, I might need to use it?

- Everything else will be in normal font.

I hope you enjoy! Feel free to make any comments, good or bad. You can leave your comments in a review or you can PM me, I don't care. It's up to you. I'm not trying to be bossy and say you have to review or message me, but like all the other writers on this site, I do enjoy hearing how my readers feel about the story. Your comments help me make the story better and help me mold it right… And comments might also make me update quicker *hint hint*.

Enjoy! If not, tell me!

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My mom always used to tell me stories about princesses who would fall in love with noble ninja and ordinary civilian girls that would always catch the eye of attractive lords and princes… And like every other little girl, I loved them and dreamed them and hoped and prayed that I would be like the girls in the stories…

But that never happened.

And just like every little girl I had to face reality at some point in time. I had to realize that love wasn't a fairy tale and it certainly wasn't a dream.

Love is a bond. A trust.

A battle.

Love isn't a guy who knows how to make you laugh, or a sweet talker that knows how to make you swoon. And love certainly isn't a charming smile and smooth touch to set your cheeks on fire.

Love is companionship with no limitations or excuses. Love is black and white. You're either in it 100% or you're not.

Love is fickle like that, I guess.

-K.M.

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"Come on, Kira! We have to go!"

The world crashed back down on me as my brother's annoying voice penetrated my daydreams. I chose to ignore him and continued to dream behind my eyelids, drawing up imaginary scenarios that I could twist and bend to my will. The cool grass was soft against my back and sent a gentle rise across my skin. The sun was hot against my face but the wind breezed across me like-

"Did you hear me? I said we have to go!" The voice was thunderously close to my ear this time and I refrained myself from punching him in the head.

I let out a stiff sigh. "Yes, I heard you. Now, get out of my face." I waved him away, not even bothering to open my eyes. I knew it would only piss him off even more, much to my satisfaction.

"Don't act like you're all high and mighty! Mom said we have to go to town to pick up some stuff from Hinji's store." I didn't even have to open my eyes to know that he probably had his fists on his hips. He was probably glaring at me with those annoying sharp green eyes of his, a trait I blamed entirely on our mother.

I groaned and finally sat up, leering at him, "What are you too much of a wimp to go by yourself? Need your big sister to babysit you?"

That one caught him off guard and his jaw dropped momentarily before he snapped it back up, clacking his teeth together. "Wha?! Listen here you little…" He caught himself before lashing out a blue streak. "Whatever, the point is mom wants BOTH OF US to go to the store. You know how she is… She's getting more and more grouchy lately, she'd do anything to get us out of her hair."

Letting out a snort, I shot back. "Yeah, I'm surprised she hasn't hacked us off by now." We both laughed at that one. Kinta grinned at me before starting to walk off, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders hunched.

I smirked at the back of his grey shirt before jogging to catch up, "BUT she kinda has the right to be grumpy."

"Yeah, considering that the baby's almost here… Her hormones are a tidbit crazy." He laced his fingers behind his head and we walked around to the front of the house, where Mama sat, holding her precious belly with worn and gentle hands.

I leaned close and whispered in his ear. "A tidbit? I'm waiting for a second head to sprout from her neck and start breathing fire."

Kinta started cracking up at the image, belting out a whirlwind of snorts and giggles. Mama heard and her head snapped in our direction. Her sharp green eyes cut toward us before softening like spring leaves. "What are you two prattling on about?"

We glanced at each other, a wry grin making its way to the surface, "Nothing…"

A thin brown eyebrow arched up in suspicion. "Nothing, my ass. And didn't I tell you to go to town for me? TWO HOURS AGO?" She braced herself against her knee and wobbled to stand. Her emerald orbs turned sharp again and she crossed her arms on top her swelling belly. "Well? Don't just look at me, go, or I'll let you starve tonight."

She stuffed a list in my hand. I clutched it and stuck my tongue out at her while Kinta grabbed me by the arm and hauled me away. In a fit of giggles and I-told-you-so's we raced down our old dirt road, leaving Mama's curses and threats behind.

"Tell Hinji to put it on our tab!" Her voice echoed off the trees and bounced at us.

I spun on my bare heel and cupped my hands around my mouth. "Okay! Don't let the baby come out yet! I wanna be there when it happens!"

She only laughed that tinkling laugh of hers. "I'll try my best, but I'm not making any promises! BE CAREFUL!"

"Come on, stupid, I want to play marbles with Yoshi." He walked on without me, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders slumped.

"Oh really? So that's why you want to go to town so bad." I jogged to catch back up and elbowed him in the ribs. "You know, I always used to wonder how you lost all your marbles, but I guess now I realized that you just lost them all to Yoshi."

I laughed at my own joke, but Kinta just cussed a blue streak at me, socking me on the arm in the process. "Shut up, you lousy bitch! I haven't lost shit to Yoshi!" He grunted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh? So then, tell me what happened to that set of Reds that Papa got you from the Leaf? Huh?" My question was answered with a grumbling silence. "I thought so." We walked in silence the rest of the way there, our minds wandering in opposite directions. My mind was with the clouds, while my brother's was planted firmly in the ground as his eyes darted to every tree and rock, every rut carved into the road by wooden carts.

Only when the voices of the townspeople and sound of hooves on dirt begin, did my eyes ever drift from the sky. That town, filled with such simple people with simple lives… fascinated me. It wasn't really anything special, just a little blob of tan buildings and thatch houses in the middle of a world of green... It wasn't anything fancy, our roads were dirt, NOT pavement or gravel, and our gates were simply thin tree limbs coiled together... Simple, but in the best kind of way.

"Hey, Kira!" As my bare feet walked through the thin, wooden gate, that voice crossed my ears.

My eyes flashed toward a familiar bob of red hair. Mai Kuso. Best friend and secret keeper...

I resisted a smirk and raised a hand in a simple hello. "Hey." She stopped by my side.

"What are you guys doing in town? Shouldn't you be looking after Ren-san?" Her plain blue yukata was baggy on her as she braced her knuckles on her bony hips. It was probably one of her older sister's that got passed down to her. The downfall of being a younger sibling, I guess.

"Nah," Kinta scratched at his messy brown mop. "She keeps sending us on "errands". It's ridiculous, this is the fourth time we've had to come to town this week, all because she wants to be alone."

Mai laughed, like the sweet little girls in the movies, all giggle and girlish. "Can you blame her?" I joined in on her laughter 'til we were both red in the face and clutching our stomachs. Kinta blushed at her teasing and marched off, cursing and clenching his fists all the way.

"Come on, Ma gave me a list. Kinta's probably gone off to play marbles or something, so we can go to Hinji's to get the groceries and maybe we can con him into giving us some candies." Her honey-brown eyes lit up like fireworks.

"Yeah, maybe." We locked hands and went on our way, down the crowded streets filled with the hustle and bustle of life.

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"Hey, hon. Whatcha doin' back here today? Was that bag a rice bad again? I told that good fer nottin' ass to stop tryin' to mix the bad rice with good n's… I swear I'm gonna wallop 'im if he keeps it up." Hinji's wife was a scary woman. With her splotchy red face and wide hips, she reminded me of a cursing, human tomato more than anything. I swear to this day I've never met another human being cuss and yell nearly as much as she did.

"No, Ma wanted us to come and pick her up a few more things." I stood on my tippytoes to reach over the counter to hand her Mama's list.

She glanced over it with her beady, slanted, black eyes. "More rice?" She clucked her tongue, "Dear lord, surely you three ain't ate nearly that much rice, but who am I t'complain?" She stuffed the list in her breast pocket and bustled into the back room. "You got any word back from yer daddy?"

I pressed my nose against the show glass and peered in to stare at Mrs. Hinji's newest fabrics. Every month the storekeeper's wife would send for fine silks and soft, vibrant cottons to sell for sewing. "Yeah, he's been sending us money for Mama to pay the bills. He took a picture of the Hokage Mountain in Kohona. Mama's got it framed up in the living room… Have you ever seen it?"

"Nah, never felt the need to go to such ritzy place like that. How's yer daddy? Did he say?" All that could be seen of the woman was her gi-enormous rump poked out of the doorway while she hunted through shelves and crates for what we needed. The storeroom was precautionary, or at least that's what Mama said. With the war getting nearer and nearer, the raids were getting closer and closer to our little village. The village leader made it an order for every citizen to take extra precautions over everything; food, valuables, clothes, livestock, and especially life itself. Storerooms were expected to have locks and hidden compartments. Households were expected to have designated hiding spots somewhere on or off the property. Livestock was expected to be put away and locked inside shacks or barns after 7pm every night...

My Papa was away at that time… preparing for some ruthless war up north. None of us wanted him to go, but it was required by all five Kages that every shinobi be sent into battle. Our town was small, the only soldiers we had were my Papa and a few other men that moved here to retire from other, bigger, villages. My Papa used to be a soldier for Kohona…but when he met my Mama he gave up all the fighting to raise a family, to raise us…

"He's okay, he says he's nervous about the war. He's worried that he won't be strong enough to help." I huffed. "It's not fair…" I laid my chin on the cool glass and pouted. No, it wasn't fair at all…

"I know, hon, but he's doing a good thing fer his country and fer you. Cause he's up there in that war, he's doin what he can to protect you and Kinta and yer Ma. He's doin his best to keep that war away from yer bunch and all of us." Her hard eyes softened like little coals and she handed me a small box. "You should be proud that he's willing to fight for you."

I felt a small smile wriggle its way to my lips. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll see you around. Tell Hinji I'm sorry that I missed him."

She shooed me off with her hand. "Don't you worry 'bout that. I'll tell him how yer daddy's doin. Knowin' those two, yer daddy's probably already sent a letter to him. There are days I honestly think that rat bastard loves yer poor Pa more than he does me."

I couldn't help but laugh at that one and teased, "Nonsense, how could he not love someone as kind and compassionate as you?"

She belted out a deep, boob-shaking laugh. "Oh, I see how it is now. Rotten brat… I'll put those on yer tab, alright?"

I grinned at her, box under arm, and waved as I went out the door. "Thanks!"

The doorbell rung and she hollered after me. "Tell yer Mama if she needs help with tha baby to tell me."

"'Kay! See you later!"

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It's such a shame that that's the last normal memory I have, of walking out of that store…Part of me wishes I could go back and change that day but there's another part of me that's grateful for it. I wouldn't be here, telling you this story, if that day hadn't of happened.

…I guess I just wish that I could have enjoyed that last moment a little more. I wish I could have remembered their smiles a little more and remembered their laughs better…I wish I could have been more prepared for what was to come…

I know better now... I know better than to take moments like that for granted.

The only question I really have now is: Was it worth it?

Was the loss worth the lesson?

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The only thing I know for sure is that...

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THEY DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE LIKE THAT.

-K.M.

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God, have mercy, I'm getting teary eyed… I wanted to write more onto the chapter but I needed to update and I knew if I continued this chapter the way it was supposed to go it would end up being like 10,000 words.

Aint nobody got time for that.

Especially me. It would've taken me weeks upon weeks to get all that done and edited so I found this nice spot to stop at.

Tell me what you think! And if you find any grammar mistakes, I'm sorry. I tried my best to get them all, but everybody makes mistakes. Also, if you find any passages that sound weird or read awkward, tell me and I'll fix 'em.

I hope you enjoyed! If you didn't, please, tell me.

-DXE

ALSO, I've been thinking about maybe trying to get a beta reader? Is that a good idea or a bad one?