I smiled brightly as I walked along side my Master. He was silent, staring straight ahead. I don't remember what really happened next. It was so long ago. All I remember was a flower, a boy, and a skipped heartbeat.

He sat next to Lord Orochimaru as I reported the results of my mission. He stared at me so blankly. What was so special about him? Why did Orochimaru-Sama choose him?

"I see. Excellent work Onagi. You have done well."

My heart nearly skipped a beat. I glanced at the man beside Orochimaru. He was still blank. I flinched under his gaze.

Does he think he's better than me?! Does he laugh at my attempts to overthrow him?!

I clenched my fist at the thought. Orocimaru saw my anger.

"Settle down Onagi. What did Kimimaro ever do to you?"

I nearly died at that moment.

He took it away from me. He took my spot at your side. He took it without even trying!

I thought bitterly. My face was a mask at this point. As blank as Kimimaro's. Standing up, I walked quickly out of the room. I stopped at the doorway.

"Nothing, Orochimaru-Sama." I replied to his earlier question. He smiled wickedly, crossing his arms. "You are dismissed." I left the room, cursing Kimimaro.

I screamed in frustration as I attacked Kidoumaru. He fell easily. Next, Sakon and Ukon attacked. I took them down without blinking. Tayuya and Jiroubu didn't bother coming at me. They just fought amongst themselves. Kimimaro was the only one left after Tayuya and Jiroubu beat the crap out of eachother. I readied myself for any attacks.

He remained still.

I made the first move.

I kicked out at his legs as I ran at him. He jumped up, striking me in the back of the head. I gasped breathlessly. I stumbled and lashed out at him again. It resumed like this for about four hours. The others had all gone by now, bored with our fight. I flinched as I coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Why?

I kicked and he dodged.

Why?!

I threw kunai at him and he deflected them.

WHY?!

I made one final grab, desperate to beat him in any way. I got his hair. His eyes widened just as much as mine. I stood there, shocked. I got him. I had thrown him down by his hair. He stood back up, rubbing his scalp. He was pissed off. He didn't toy with me this time. He punched and kicked without mercy. Finally, he grabbed me by the hair and pinned me on my stomach. He sat on my back, still holding my hair. I was so out of breath. He weighed so much right now. He's pinned me before, but now he seemed so heavy. He slowly loosened his grip. My hair slid smoothly out his grasp. He remained on my back.

Why can't I beat him?! Why?!

"Do you remember?"

I opened my eyes.

"Do you remember when you and Orocimaru-Sama found me?"

I remained silent. Why did it matter if I remembered?

"I was so scared. But you... you held my hand..."

I glanced up at him.

Held... his hand?

"All the way back home. Orochimaru-Sama talked to us, kept us entertained, while you held my hand."

"I never... I don't remember that..."

"You spoke to me as well. You told me all about the others. You told me not to be afraid, that Orochimaru-Sama would take good care of us."

Slowly, he got off of my back. I struggled to stand, and he helped me up. I leaned on him as he walked me to my room.

"Why are you talking about this?" I broke the awkward silence. He stopped at my bedroom door. He stayed silent as he opened the door and took me inside. When I sat down on the bed, he spoke again.

"Because we found a flower on the way home."

I just looked at him.

"And next to that flower,"

He leaned into me, kissing me tenderly. His lips were like silk, smoothly enveloping my own. He pulled back swiftly.

"We had kissed for the first time."

He was gone in a puff of smoke. My eyes widened. I stood up so fast that I got dizzy. I stumbled forward but only fell back onto the bed. I fell into a dream filled sleep. He was everywhere. In the clouds, in the water, in the flowers.

Flowers.

Images came to me.

Two children, a girl and a boy, walking, holding hands. And a flower. They stopped and looked at it. The girl stroked it. The boy stood by her kneeling and when the girl stood up, she was holding the flower to her heart. She looked at the boy and gave it to him. He just stood there, shocked. And then...

He kissed her.

I woke with a jump. I stood and ran to the door. Maneuvering the many twists and turns of the halls, I found Kimimaro's room. He wasn't there. I was running again. I found myself outside. I looked everywhere.

But he was nowhere.

I sat and waited in his room. But he didn't come. So I went looking for him again. When I found him, he was at the waterfall in the mist village.

"Where the hell were you before?!"

I nearly shouted, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"I looked here before, but you weren't here!"

I don't know why I was so angry. He simply stared at me, unmoved by my emotions.

I had to tell you...

"Why do you care? You hate me, don't you?"

I had to tell you. I had to!

I didn't reply. My anger receded quickly. When I had calmed, I returned to the hideout, not saying another word to Kimimaro.

I couldn't tell him…

Day after day, for almost two months, I avoided Kimimaro. I couldn't face him. I couldn't let him know. But I looked for him today. He wasn't there. I was running. I found myself outside. I looked everywhere.

But he was nowhere.

I sat and waited in his room. But he didn't come. So I went looking for him again. I found nothing.

"Orochimaru-Sama?! Orochimaru-Sama?! Where is he?! Please help me find him!"

I was running so fast, I failed to notice someone in my way. It was Kabuto.

"Kabuto-Nii! Help me find him! Please!"

I was nearly hysterical, crying and wailing like a dying cat. Gently, Kabuto calmed me, holding me so I wouldn't fall.

"He's not here, Onagi."

I looked up at Kabuto, confused. I must have looked pathetic. I was a, eighteen year old girl crying like a baby just because I couldn't find someone.

"W-What...?"

I tightened my grip on his shirt. Slowly, he reached up and took my hand in his. He sat me down on the floor then kneeled in front of me. He looked... sad...

"He's not here. Onagi, Kimimaro's not here. He's gone somewhere... and... he's not coming back."

I sat there in the stillness. The walls seemed to be spinning and Kabuto's voice faded as he tried to explain what happened.

Everything went silent.

"I... I never got to tell him."

The tears started up again.

"Tell him what?"

I just sat there. Slowly, my faced turned into a cold mask. All emotions gone, drained from within me. I stood and began to walk down the hall. Kabuto stood up, a little taken back.

"Onagi-Nee-Chan, where are you-"

"I'm okay now, Kabuto-Nii-San... I think... I'll go take a nap though."

I sounded so empty, like I had been hollowed out.

I reached the room.

I entered slowly, so as not to disturb his things. I walked in and stood at the center of the room. I looked around numbly. Everything smelt like him. I walked over to his bed and brushed my fingers on the silk sheets.

They felt like his kiss.

I turned and walked to his desk-dresser. It was barren except for a book. I opened the book to a page that looked like it was creased.

A dusty, pressed flower fell out.

I didn't move.

It was the flower from the day we met.

I gingerly picked it up, I stroked its fragile petals and examined it's breaking leaves. I was crying again.

My emotionless face looked so strange covered in tears. I held the flower close to me. I spoke, barely above a whisper.

"I never got to tell you, Kimimaro. I never got to tell you, that when this flower bloomed...

Our love blossomed."