Meya, she was one of a kind that girl. Always manipulating me in doing what she wanted me to do. My best friend, along with Chouji. I loved her, not in a romantic kind of way, but in a brotherly kind of way.
It's always been a drag looking after her after Asuma died, she always seemed to be getting into trouble. Her and Naruto were known as the two trouble hurt me, that I had to hurt her in telling her that Asuma died.
I still remember her brown eyes and hair soaked from standing in the rain. When she saw me, she nearly attacked me. I smiled and it only made my situation worse.
She asked for her uncle I just looked her smiling face, how could I break that heart?
"Where is he? Is he hurt?" She was bombarding me with a million question.
"Meya..." I placed my hand on her shoulder.
We looked at each other and her smile slowly turned upside.
"He's not coming back, is he?" She whispered.
I sighed, I wanted to say 'Yes, he's coming back, don't worry, everything will be okay' and smile, but I couldn't. I couldn't even hold my own tears back, but I still managed.
"I'm sorry Meya." I whispered back.
I couldn't tell if she was crying or not because of the rain, but she turned away from me and I felt her shaking.
"Shikamaru..." She whispered.
"Yeah?"
"...why does this always happen to me?" She turned around, I saw her bloodshot eyes and tears clearly running down her face. I couldn't help but cry too, good thing she didn't notice though, with her face buried in my chest and the rain on my face.
"At least..." He whispered, choking back a scream, "he died a good shinobi."
It hurt me even more when I hurt her again. She needed me at the funeral and I failed. Asuma whispered quite a few things in my ear and one of them was to take care of Meya and Konohamaru.
I remember after the funeral she came running towards my house.
"Shikamaru, how could you?! Not attend your own sensei's funeral?!
"I was busy with some stuff."
She sighed, I noticed her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was messed up. Meya started running to me and embraced me.
"Just promise me one thing, Shikamaru."
I placed my hand on her back and pulled her in closer.
"I need you to be there, when no one else is."
"I promise." I did promise, with my life, I would never let her be alone.
She fell asleep in a matter of minutes, my mom came outside offering me dinner, but I couldn't eat, not in a time like this. I passed the time thinking of how to et revenge on Asuma while playing with his lighter.
"Shikamaru, come inside, hang out with me for a while."
I sighed and picked Meya up lightly, careful not to wake her up. I put her in the corner of the room and wrapped a blanket around her.
I noticed my dad moved the shouji board into the middle of the room, I really didn't want to play shouji at this time.
I sat down, and he started by making the first move first. I wasn't in the mood for trying so I just did whatever occurred to me first.
"You're being very careless today, Shikamaru."
I didn't feel like talking to him either.
"You're never going to beat me at this rate." He kept on talking. I didn't want to hear his bull today.
"Shut Up." I whispered back.
He kept on playing and started talking again. "He was a great man, that Asuma, awful shouji player though. I can't help but feeling bad for Meya, being alone now. She's the exact image of her mother now, she sure was pretty."
"I feel bad too." I whispered.
"Are you alright with that?" He asked.
"Don't complain about my game-strategy." I whispered.
"Not that, what're you going to do now that Asuma's dead?"
How could he even ask me that, I looked at Meya still sound asleep. I looked back at my father and just stared at him.
"At least you're not stupid enough to not get yourself killed, as your father I'm grateful for that, I would hate going to my own son's funeral." He stopped to make another move. "You're doing well, I'm proud of you."
I don't want to hear his grief. I looked down and made another move without looking.
"You're smart and talented, you're someone we can all depend on, that's why Asuma left you in-charge of his niece and nephew and future son. But, Asuma's dead..."
That's it, I flung my arm and threw that shouji board aside out of anger, all the pieces scattering around. It woke Meya up but she just sat there.
"What're you trying to say?" I said, raising my voice.
"I'm just speaking my mind." He responded.
"Stop messing with me. Your nonsense is making me sick." I said getting up and yelling at him. "I'm nothing but a coward, that runs away!"
"No, you're not." He shook his head.
"That what is it?!" I yelled again.
"Shika-kun..." I heard Meya whisper.
My dad got up and stared at me, I felt like hitting him for what he said.
"Let it all out." He said.
I was taken aback, Meya started crying silently and I had to hold in my tears. A ninja could never show his emotions. It would also be the first time I cry infront of Meya.
"Let out all the sadness, fear and angry builing up inside of you. Let it all out." He said.
I couldn't hold it in anymore, I was shaking slightly, I had cried since he died but not to let everything out. I tried talking but I couldn't, I couldn't let Meya see me like this, I opened my eyes and I saw her tears running down her face.
"That's the first step." My father said, and left. I couldn't hold it in anymore, I let out all my tears and yelled. Meya quickly got up and embraced me. I held her tight and let out another scream. I collapsed and pulled Meya down with me.
"It's okay to cry Shika, you don't have to act tough in front of me." She whispered and kissed my head. I let everything out.
That was the first time she was truly there for me. I looked at my surroundings and realized that I had arrived. I sighed and looked straight ahead with a big smile. This is going to be troublesome, but worth the wait.
"Nara-san! You're here! The bride's been waiting for you." One of the men said.
"Troublesome woman, can't even wait 10 minutes."
I stepped outside and walked to the altar and waited for the music. The doors suddenly opened and I saw my beauty walking down the aisle. If anyone hasn't realized it, I lied about what I said about not loving her romantically, I did. I really always did but never realized it. She approached me and I held her hand delicately and removed her veil and kissed her cheek.
"Now I'll always be there for you." I whispered. "I love you."
I smiled.
I kept my promise Asuma-sensei, now, I will always look after her.
