"Hey, Katsumi, have you seen the new hotty yet?" Miyako asked quietly from the other side of the picnic table. Her eyes were looking behind Katsumi as the indicated male walked by.
Katsumi's eyes slowly turned to look at the male. Her eyes slowly widened as she looked over the male. "K-Kurai..." She breathed.
Miyako's mouth dropped. "Okay, seriously. If you know the guy, why haven't you introduced me? You know I'm always looking forward to meeting the extremely attractive ones. Besides, how do you know him? He's new."
Katsumi shook her head. "I-I.. used to know him..." She breathed, her eyes still locked on the male.
"Well...why don't you go say hi? Welcome him to the village...and...maybe introduce us?" She said and smirked while looking over the guy.
Katsumi turned to glare at Miyako before getting up and running after Kurai. She reached him with ease and grabbed his shoulder to stop him before taking her hand back. "K-Kurai... I-I thought you ran away..."
"The name is Raiden." The male replied and turned to look at Katsumi. His eyes scanned her quickly and his eyes narrowed. "And who are you?" He asked coldly.
Katsumi's eyes widened as she took a step back. It looked like her old friend except older, and his voice sounded very familiar, but the tone and the way he glared made her nervous. "A-Ah... K-Katsumi." She choked out looking away. She suddenly felt like her heart had been stomped on; she really thought Kurai had returned to her.
"Katsumi?" He repeated and looked in the direction he was headed. "Well, Katsumi..." He said, added a little more roughness to her name. "You interrupted my sight-seeing - clearly...spoiling it," he said and looked her over again. He let out a sigh and crossed his arms. "Is there anything else you'd like to ruin while I'm still in your presence?" He asked and looked at her intently.
Katsumi's eyes widened further as she shook her head. "I-I'm s-sorry..." She breathed, tears stinging her eyes before she turned and stumbled to run back to her table.
Raiden watched as she ran before turned back around and casually began walking away again with his hands shoved back in his pockets.
Miyako watched as the male walk away and narrowed her eyes at him. "He may be attractive, but a huge jerk he definitely is." She stated.
Katsumi plopped down in her seat, trying to push back her tears. "I-I swore..." She shook her head and whipped a tear that slipped. "Jerk." She breathed.
Miyako nodded. "Apparently." She murmured and glared at Raiden's back.
Katsumi sighed and shook her head. "W-Well... I think I'm gonna head home." She said and forced a smile to Miyako.
Miyako frowned and shook her head. "I'll go beat him up for you, alright?" She said.
Katsumi shook her head. "Mother and Father needed me anyway... said they had some news for me." She shrugged as she gathered her belongings and stuffed them into her bag.
Miyako frowned further. "I'll walk you home." She said and stood up to walk with Katsumi.
…
The next morning, Raiden woke up from the sun invading his rented room. He let out a loud groan and sat up, whipping the curtain across the window to block out the sun. "Idiot." He murmured and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His body ached from training so hard the previous night but he pushed his muscles hard and reluctantly did his morning exercise; fifty pull-ups and seventy-five sit up. The rest of his exercise would be more training.
By the time we was finished, he ate a quick breakfast, showered quickly, dressed, and headed out of his one room apartment into the open sun. He felt blinded for a moment before he made his way down the stairs. It was his second day back in Iwagakure and oddly, a lot of things looked different despite only being gone two years.
It wasn't until almost lunchtime when he crossed the path of the same girl who had reached out to him and grabbed his shoulder the previous day. He had to admit, she did grow a lot in the last two years. He wondered if things had changed for her, or if she was still the same and in the same situation. He noticed she was sitting alone, eating a bowl of ramen slowly. A smirk crossed Raiden's lips and he moved over to her table, placing his hands down on the edge and leaning down towards her. "You're that girl who stopped me yesterday. What was your name again? Kazuna?" He asked.
Katsumi turned her eyes up to him with a glare. "Katsumi." She hissed before turning back down to her ramen.
Raiden raised a single hand in defence. "Sorry...thought it didn't matter much." He stated. "Anywho...Katsumo...you a loner? Got no friends or something?" He asked and raised a brow at her. "Or did you lose your friend?"
Katsumi let out a breath and stood, looking up at him. "My life is not your business." She stated and took her bowl and ramen and tossed it out before heading down the street, hoping the male wouldn't follow.
Raiden smirked and casually followed the girl. He stuck his hands in his pockets and whistled. "Touchy." He stated and shrugged. "It seems your panties are all up in a bunch."
Katsumi stopped and glared up at him. "Don't you have somewhere else you could be? I have enough problems without a jerk like you trying to push me to the edge!" She hissed.
Raiden shrugged. "Nah...I think you were already at the edge before I arrived." He countered.
Katsumi growled. "Look, sorry for 'spoiling your sight-seeing' yesterday. I thought you were someone else, now you can leave me alone." She stated before continuing to walk again.
"Well, see...now I find you amusing. A little tough at the edge, little ansty and spicy...You, Katsune, are going to be very intriguing to bug." He stated and smirked.
"Katsumi!" She corrected. "And being bothered by a rundown loser like you is not on my to-do list!"
Raiden pretended to look hurt and frowned. "Sometimes a lot of things won't be on your to-do list until they suddenly appear." He said and shrugged. "Well, you have to admit, it does happen a lot..." He said and walked past her, giving her a little slap on the top of the head. "Toughen up a little, chick. You'll find a lot more people will listen to you when you stand your ground."
Katsumi turned and watched as he walked. She narrowed her eyes and resisted picking up a rock and whipping it at his head. "Yeah, and stay away." She muttered, to herself.
"Sorry, we live in the same village now." He said and flicked his wrist. "You're going to have to get used to having me around. Oh, and did I mention...I'm being added to your team."
Katsumi's eyes widened as she turned to look at him. "What!? Since when?! I was not aware of a new member!"
Raiden turned to walk backwards and smirked. "I don't understand it myself, either." He said and shrugged. "I mean, I'm far above the level of a genin." He said and looked disgusted.
Katsumi walked up and gripped his collar. "Why are you such a jerk!? What did I do to deserve the way you're acting!?"
Raiden stared down at her with no expression for a moment before leaning down to whisper in her ear, "You exist."
Katsumi's eyes widened as she released his collar and stumbled back. "Wh-What?" She breathed, tears stinging her eyes.
Raiden straightened out his shirt and looked back at her with the same no expression. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He asked and gritted his teeth. "But I'm sure it's not a foreign feeling." He stated before turning and walking away.
Katsumi's hand moved to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle a sob. She gritted her teeth and ran off in the opposite direction.
…
Takinoko looked at her three teammates and sighed as she shook her head. "Miyako - you look like you got absolutely no sleep last night. Sin'ichi - you can put that dagger away for once in your life. And Katsumi - you look a little anxious." She said and raised a brow. "What's up?" She asked.
Katsumi looked up at her sensai and shook her head. "N-Nothing is up..." She whispered.
Takinoko's expression fell. "I've gotten to know you a lot over the last year, I'm sure I know when you're down and out." She let out a sigh and shook her head. "Well, anyways. The Tsuchikage is sending us on and out-of-village mission. Not much, just a small mission. We're escorting some old guy back to the Leaf. You all up to it?"
Miyako groaned and shook her head. "Not really."
"Like we have a choice..." Katsumi sighed.
"Exactly what I was thinking." Takinoko stated and grinned. "Oh, did I mention that we have an extra teammate? Apparently our team is made up of those held back." She thought for a moment and sighed. "Why me?" She whimpered and groaned. "It'll be interesting getting to know him. His name is Raiden. Mysterious guy - has no last name. Tsuchikage seemed a bit stiff talking about him so I say the three of us do our best to watch this guy. Don't want anything fishy slipping through our fingers."
"Is he coming on this mission?" Katsumi hissed.
"Unfortunately." Takinoko replied and sighed. "Fortunately, I'm only stuck with the four of you for three days instead of a week. That's how long it'll take." She stated.
Katsumi stood up. "Then go without me." She hissed. "I'm not going." She murmured and turned to leave.
Takinoko raised her brow and caused a large earth rock to shoot up in front of Katsumi. "You're going to disobey the Tsuchikage?" She asked.
"Raiden is the new guy, right? Taller, attractive?" Miyako asked.
"If defined by your special hit list, yes." Takinoko replied.
Miyako nodded. "Him and Katsumi had a little disagreement the other day." She said.
Takinoko turned to look at Katsumi. "If anything happens, you have my word that I'll slap him around a little for you." She stated to Katsumi.
Katsumi turned and glared. "I bumped into him yesterday too... he humiliated me! I'm not going anywhere near that bastard! I'm going home! The Tsuchikage can strike me dead for all I care!"
"For all any of us care." Raiden stated as he walked up to the group.
Takinoko narrowed her eyes and instantly appeared in front of Raiden, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer. "You listen to me you brat. This is my team, not yours. You want to speak, you request to, otherwise I'll beat your mouth in. You want to act like a jerk, you'll be sure to beg with mercy at the foot of my discipline. You got it, punk?" She said and snarled.
Raiden's expression never changed, and he stared at Takinoko.
Takinoko growled slightly and pushed him back. "Very good with listening. You get an old rickety star." She said and snapped her finger. A large star formed from the tree above and dropped down towards Raiden.
Raiden quickly dodged before the star could crush him and narrowed his eyes slightly at Takinoko. "Thanks, I always look forward to a good pat on the back with a subtle kick to the mouth."
"Good." Takinoko said and smirked. "I'm glad we're on the same page now."
Katsumi glared. "I'm serious! I'm not going with this jerk!" She stated and headed down the path again.
Takinoko changed focus and appeared in front of Katsumi. "Anything happens, and you have my word I'll beat this kid to a pulp. He so much as mocks your dress, he'll receive one of my knock-out punches. So much as looks at you in disgust, I'll pluck his eyes out. Speaks to you in anyway I deem inappropriately, and I give you my word his mouth will be sewn shut." She stated and looked over at Raiden. "Watch your words very carefully, boy."
Katsumi shook her head, trying not to cry. She lowered her voice so only Takinoko could hear. "I-I can't sensai... y-you... you weren't there to see what he said to me..." She whispered and bit her lip. "I-I can't... please..."
Takinoko lowered her voice as well. "You cannot allow one idiot's words to puncture a hole in your future. If you want to pass the chunin exams, you can't be skipping missions. I swear to you, by the end of this mission, I will have slapped this kid around until he can no longer bring himself to say or do one thing to any of you."
Katsumi frowned. "You better keep that promise..." She whispered and whipped her eyes.
Takinoko nodded. "You know me." She said and smirked before turning to Raiden. "Mission tomorrow afternoon - we're meeting at the gates. Escorting an old man. That's all the information you need. Now, I don't care what your skills are or what you can or cannot do, but know this - I'm a lot stronger than you can imagine. Don't underestimate me. You so much as lift your finger to anyone on this team, and I'll have you pinned the ground with the world wrapped around your throat before you can even make a move. Now, because I want you anywhere but in my sight, while my team trains, you will run one hundred laps around the field, fifty high kick-ups, and five hundred sit-ups. You understand?" Takinoko asked.
Raiden narrowed his and smirked slightly. "Perfectly." He hissed.
Takinoko smirked. "Don't breach me, kid. Now get out of my sight."
Raiden stared at Takinoko for a moment before heading over to a rock nearby and dropped his stuff down beside it. He placed his water bottle on top of the rock and pulled his shirt off, dropping it down beside his water bottle. He glanced at Takinoko and snarled before beginning his laps.
Katsumi watched him for a moment before gritting her teeth and looked away. 'I thought you were him… but clearly he's gone forever… and I miss you dearly, Kurai…' she thought and pushed back a tear.