I Will Find You Side Story:
Raiha no Kokoro

A Recca no Honoo fic

By Tenshi no Ai

(A/N: This should probably be read after the epilogue to I Will Find You, since it answers where our genki modern ninja Raiha was ^_^ Enjoy, minna-san!)



Switzerland is a very cold country, but it's very beautiful too. Of course, it can't compare to Japan, but then again I'm biased.

I miss Japan...



I look up from my pictures of various tourist attractions of Japan that I picked up in a travel agency in America, right into Neon's face. Yes, Neon-san? I can't bring myself to smile because Neon's been on this kick of if you don't feel it, don't do it', and I haven't been the happiest ninja lately...

She grins at me. I'm taking Miki and Aki out skiing. Go deliver Kurei-sama's tea, and with that order, she spins around and flounces out the door. I wonder if she knows how to ski.

Neon's a very intelligent woman. She decided that, for the sake of Kurei, we (as in her, the twins, and I) would accompany Kurei on a trip around the world. Our homeland may be very nice, but it has too many bad memories.

For the first time, I wasn't all that willing to go.

I miss Japan. I miss Japan a lot.

I miss...oh, yeah, have to deliver the tea to Kurei.

I really don't want to think about what I miss the most.

I set my pictures down and shuffle into the kitchen, my attention going straight to the window in front of the sink. From this spot, whoever's doing the dishes gets to see all these magnificent peaks, topped with snow so white that it looks beyond bleached.

Miki and Aki do the dishes a lot.

Oh, how nice...Neon has everything arranged on a platter, and she even put two cups! I have a feeling that she was going to the deliver the tea herself, but felt guilty for spending all her time with Kurei and neglecting her sisters. Humming a tune not intended to be happy or sad, I pick up the platter and make my way into the reading room of the chalet we rented last week.

Kurei's always in the reading room. Sometimes he's even reading. Most of the time, though, he's staring out of the window in there. It's the room with the second best view of the mountains.

I don't think Kurei sees the mountains when he looks out of the window.

I call out as I nudge the door open with my right foot. I hear a murmur and decide that it's safe to go in. If he didn't want anyone to come in, he wouldn't have said anything. Neon-san made some tea for you...

As I enter the room, Kurei glances in my direction. Once again, I thank Neon for making such a wise plan for the sake of Kurei. Nowadays, he's more...relaxed. I wouldn't go as far as to say he's happier, but he looks more at peace with himself.

I'm really happy for him.

What kind of tea is it? he softly asks, and I balance the tray on one hand, using the other to lift up the lid on the tiny kettle so I can sniff its contents. Smells sorta full bodied...

I think it's Earl Grey tea, Kurei-sama. He nods at my reply. Neon has some sort of obsession with tea lately, and no two days have the same kind of tea. However, she's starting to show a predilection towards English teas, which might explain why we've been hanging around Europe for a couple of months now. I stroll over to Kurei and set the platter down on the table in front of him, avoiding the few books lying on the table. Feeling like a waitress, I pick up the kettle and pour some tea into one cup, then I set it down and turn to leave the room.

There are two cups.

Huh? I turn around, just in time to catch sight of Kurei pouring tea into the other cup. He's inviting me to join him, and I could never refuse him. Sighing mentally, I pull a chair across Kurei's spot on the couch and reach for the cup that he poured for me.

We're both silent. Invariably, past or present Kurei won't talk unless it's something really important.

I wonder...could I possibly ask Kurei to do me one thing, just one favor...

No. I promised to serve Kurei before attending to my own needs. It would be in direct violation of that to ask him if...

If it were possible to go back to Japan.

I really miss her smile, her strength...

I really miss Fuuko.

It's been a full two years since the last time I've seen her. Does she think that I've broken my promise? It wouldn't be the first time I've betrayed her, after all.

I can't blame her if she thinks that. I mean, it's not like I tried to contact her the last time I was in Japan, mainly because of time constraints. Well, what if she already met someone else? I mean, she's not the most patient person I've ever met...

How depressing...



I look up from my cup. Kurei's staring at me stonily, something I'm used to from the past, but I haven't seen him do that recently since Miki tipped over a whole wine rack in that Paris wine shop.

Yes, Kurei-sama?

Kurei doesn't respond quickly, he simply sips his tea, sets down the cup, and looks straight into my soul. You want to go back to Japan.

Wha...wha...what am I supposed to say! I shake my head mutely, knowing that Kurei won't just let the subject go.

Your face shows everything, Raiha, he takes an infuriatingly long time to pick up his cup and take a sip of tea, I thought I raised you to be a better ninja than that.

...That's mean, Kurei-sama, I say, half jokingly, the student reflects the teacher, after all.

Kurei makes a small noise in amusement, then suddenly he gazes deep into my eyes. I blush. Don't change the subject. You're like Joker in that respect.

I look away. I'm sorry, but it's not a very important subject. My well-being isn't of any concern, yours is. Kurei glares at me over the rim of his tea cup, and suddenly I feel very stupid.

After all, he's allowing us to take care of him.

We all have something important in Japan. It's our homeland. It holds the ashes of our friends, allies and enemies, he sets his tea cup down and leans back into the couch, it can also hold our future.

My future...

Raiha-kun!

I suppose so, Kurei-sama, I drain the rest of hot liquid, feeling it burn down my throat, but you're alluding this to me. I vowed to always follow Kurei-sama's wishes before my own, in effect making Kurei-sama's wishes my own.

He smirks slightly, Ah, the vow of an Uruha Jyushinshuu. Of course, now it would be Uruha Nishinshuu', the serious mask is replaced, perhaps I taught you too well.

Excuse me?

You're so much like a real ninja that you continually hide from the subject at hand, he closes his eyes, just for my comfort? I would like to stay in Japan for a longer time than the last.

...Is Kurei homesick as well?

After being separated from Okaasan for so long, I would like to make sure that she's always by my side, because it would be foolish to trust that any guard can adequately watch over her, his face shifts into a scowl, then he calms down slightly, I have a feeling that you feel the same.

...Why would Kurei care? I start hesitantly, but then he lunges forward, staring directly into my face again.

If you have found someone to care for, stay with her. You never know... his eyes narrow, you never know when she'll be gone.

Raiha-kun!

We keep staring at each other's faces, a rather intimate study of our carefully inexpressive faces, our eyes completely in contrast. The pain in his eyes...I can tell that he's thinking about Kurenai.

In my eyes, I'm sure he can see the smile of a vivacious girl.

Finally, I turn away. His past sadness...my future happiness...it makes me feel horrible. Even though Neon will always be there for him, Kurei will never be able to forget Kurenai, I suppose.

I think I can see how that works.

he murmurs, a plane to Tokyo. Back home.

I nod, it sounds fine, Kurei-sama.

We don't move for several minutes, until I realize that the tea cups will probably not walk themselves to the kitchen. Oh, I better put the cups in the sink...

I'll do it, he glances at me sideways, after all, we're all equals. There is no more Uruha Jyushinshuu...or Nishinshuu, he stands up and picks up the platter and makes his way into the kitchen. I don't think I've ever seen him in the kitchen.

It's kind of odd.

We're all equals, he says. But I think that we've always more or less been equals. I guess it depends how one sees those kind of things.

Tomorrow I'll be on a plane to Japan. Since my luck isn't so extravagantly bad that the plane will crash unexpectedly, I'll be standing on my motherland's soil soon enough.

After a year, I'll see Fuuko.

Ah!

I run out of the reading room, into my own room. After throwing some things around, I find my precious object and race out of the room, to the front door. What are you doing, Raiha? I hear Kurei's voice behind me.

I have to buy a present for Fuuko-san!

~Owari~