You know what I love about Kurenai, besides the fact that she's wickedly hot and an excellent ninja and her team rocks my literal socks? It's that next to nothing is ever revealed about her clan or her past, leaving much to the imagination of crazy fanifiction writers. So if you don't agree with something I've written, tell me so. Or if I present false information that is actually validated in the show/manga, please enlighten me.
I do not in any way shape or form own these characters.
"Kurenai-sensei, why did you wait so long to become a jounin?" Kiba asked as the team was taking a lunch break under the shade of a giant oak tree at the bottom of the hill they normally trained at. Kiba loved to use this kind of down time to drill his sensei with random question. Hinata and Shino would generally eat in silence, listening to the question and answer session being held before them. Today's question was actually something all three of them had wondered about. They knew their sensei was both intelligent and talented, especially in the genjutsu area, but only recently became a jounin, while most of the other shinobi her age had been jounins for several years. They knew she couldn't have been behind because of her abilities, so another variable must have factored into the equation.
The three gennin waited anxiously for their sensei's answer as she sighed and put her chopsticks down. She had never left one of Kiba's questions unanswered, and they couldn't imagine she would do so now, especially after some of the things he had asked her before.
"Maybe I'll tell you later. For now we have to continue training." She said, her crimson eyes focused carefully on her bowl of rice and vegetables. She heard a loud groan from Kiba and could feel the disappointment from all her students as they stood up and walked over to the practice dummies without an answer to their question. As they went through the motions of kicking and punching Kurenai only half paid attention as her mind drifted to other thoughts. She wished Kiba had asked her one of his normal, easy questions. Kurenai-sensei, how old are you? Do you have a boyfriend? What's your favorite food? Do you like dogs? Who's your favorite gennin? (That one was tricky). Who's your favorite jounin? (That one was even trickier). Mostly yes or no, one word answers, nothing too major or secretive. She wasn't ashamed of her age, or the fact that she was single. But today's question, there was more to it than just a name or some simple reason.
Kurenai felt bad about not being able to fulfill their inquisitive nature, but there were some things she didn't want to discuss, not just yet anyway.
"Maybe she killed someone!" Kiba guessed as he and Shino walked Hinata home as they normally did after training. The two boys were a few paces in front of the quiet Hyuuga girl as they exited the outskirts of Konoha and stepped onto the cobblestone streets peppered with fallen leaves.
"That wouldn't be surprising, most ninjas kill people, Kiba," Shino said in a monotonous voice, facial features hidden behind his sunglasses and high coat collar. Kiba rolled his beady eyes, "I know that, I meant, like, she killed someone for no real reason, like not in a fight or anything. Or maybe she worked for the enemy-"
"Not likely, she taught in the academy when she was a chuunin, remember." Kiba gritted his teeth, annoyed by the constant bringing down of his theories while no one else offered anything.
"Maybe she was in love," a soft voice said. Both boys turned to look at Hinata, whose milky eyes were looking up at the sky just beginning to be speckled with stars.
"I don't think Kurenai-sensei's the kind to fall in love." Kiba said after thinking about the proposition for a moment. "She seems too cold. Like, she's nice to us, but you never really see her interact with the other jounins much."
"I've seen her walking with Asuma-sensei sometimes. She seems happy then." Shino said, defending their teacher. But, he had to admit even though she had looked happy, the two jounins were never holding hands or interacting very closely. At most they seemed like good friends, perhaps the way he and Hinata might be someday, but nothing more, and certainly not anywhere near the possibility of being in love.
"Maybe she's so cold because she had been in love, but something went wrong…" Hinata ventured, speaking her mind more than usual. Kiba scrutinized her features, "You've been thinking a lot about this, haven't you?" Immediately her face took on a tinge of pink as though Kiba had caught her in a private moment.
"Well, that does make sense." Shino said as they came upon the Hyuuga mansion. Hinata bowed and bid them farewell before running into her house. Kiba waved and Shino nodded before turning to continue their separate walks home. The Aburames and the Inuzukas lived on opposite sides of the village, with the Hyuuga estate standing proudly in the middle.
"See ya tomorrow Shino. Maybe Kurenai-sensei will be able to answer me then."
"You should probably just think up a new question. See you tomorrow."
So, I hope that works for a first chapter. Next time, the mysteries of Kurenai and the Yuuhi clan will be revealed. Any suggestions? Cause I have no clue. I'm making this up as I go.