**Seven Years Later**

Satchiko, age eleven, Ayame, age thirteen, and Yoichi, at age fifteen all walked to school together. Satchiko was becoming more and more beautiful. Her hair grew quickly, and her skin always flawless. Her breasts were starting to get bigger too, and her hips were slightly widening as her waist remained small. Their classmates around them began to grow prettier too. Yoichi was beginning to gain popularity with his cold attitude. It used to make Ayame envious. But it evaporated like steam when Yoichi brushed off her jealousy.

"It's not like any of them are prettier than you anyway. So i don't see why it matters." he said annoyed, and walked away.

The boy only shared kind and sweet words with his family and Ayame's. He was cold to everyone else. That aspect made it difficult for him to make friends, but it didn't matter to him. All that was important, were protecting Ayame and Satchiko.

It was easy and simple to protect Satchiko. She was a quiet, young girl. She took after her mother that way. Always shy at first, but friendly later. She obeyed her brother easily, and did as she was told. Satchiko always followed her brother, or Ayame around, like a little duck. Yoichi and Ayame used to pretend she was their daughter when they were younger. With her long black hair, and black eyes, she resembled her father, just like Yoichi did. She had a gentle appearance, like her mother, but a sharp tounge, like her brother and father. Which often made her a victim to bullying, which set off Ayame's new found temper. A dangerous temper.

Ayame worried Yoichi. Not only was her temper dangerous, it was bloody. Although she retained her chipper and cheery demeanor, something Yoichi couldn't identify grew in her heart. She was a princess in her father's cage. She was a secret rebel at school. And through it all, she blamed no one. Especially not her father. She loved her father so deeply. But the dark cloud hanging over her grew, and he didn't know how to stop it.

Her father, Naruto, knew she was incredibly talented with creating new jutsus, and mastering them as well. Although he allowed her to practice as much as she pleased, as many advanced jutsus as she wanted, even agreed to spar with her and give her pointers, he prevented her official progress at the academy. Only raising her status every year. Just like everyone else, even though she was highly more skillful than her peers. His protection over her left her lonely, and desperate. Trapped and locked away. Sometimes Yoichi can see the suffocation in her beautiful glittering teal eyes, and there was nothing he could do to save her. Though he could see that she was finally beginning to pound against her invisible cage, and silently begging him, someone, anyone, to save her.

Ayame, herself was still a good girl most of the time, but her temper left damage. She just needed one trigger, and that's all it would take for her to joyfully give in to her anger. She's injured students as she retained her childish ways. Ayame was always cheerful and excited about things, and she was usually fine. But there are those who enjoyed picking at Satchiko, and when anyone picked on her, Ayame would attack fearlessly with the same happy smile on her face, giggling and laughing the entire time.

She was friendly most of the time. Everyone knew by now what her triggers were. Family and friends. Not too many people picked on Satchiko anymore, but there were those jealous of Ayame's beauty, or her skills, and challenged her.

And today, he caught her, with a box of razors in the air about to dump them in the girl's mouth she was on top of. He heard about what happened. The girl under Ayame poured something on Satchiko, and Ayame went to go 'play' with her. She was counting backwards from five, slowly tilting the box of razors as every time she counted a number, all with a smile on her face until the girl panicked and begged that she would make it up to Satchiko. That's when Yoichi strided over, and grabbed her arm to drag her away.

Ayame struggled, "Aww! Come on Ichi! She started it! She threw a worms at Chiko!" she protested.

"Shut up Ayame. Look at her. She's terrified. You've done enough. Let's go." he'd said pulling her by her upper arm to the hallway, "You're nothing but a pain in the ass."

"I can't believe you're taking her side! Why? She's mean!"

Yoichi clicked his tongue in irritation, "Shut up. If Naruto finds out, i'll get one hell of a scolding from both Naruto, and my own Dad asking me why i don't watch over you more. I don't want to get in trouble over you."

Ayame gasped, "Oh! Ichi! That reminds me! Daddy and Sasuke asked me to do some shopping. We can go together!" she cheered happily, "Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Huh?"

She smiled, "Daddy said that we're going to be eating at your house today instead of ours because Mom got assigned a last minute mission."

"...Why didn't Dad tell me or Satchiko instead of-" and he cut himself off, realizing something, "Damn it. That's right. I overslept."

Ayame giggled, as the hallway was filled with the orange color of the sunset through the windows, "How could you sleep in so late? You're lucky i came in this morning, or you would've been late to school!"

"...Be quiet."

She smiled at Yoichi, "And i saw you without a shirt on. I didn't know you looked so good without a shirt on. I really liked that. It made my heart skip a beat!" she giggled, blushing at him.

"I thought i told you to shut up. If you say that too loud, anyone who over hears you will get the wrong idea. And i don't want any rumors to spread about you. You're such an idiot." said Yoichi, his cheeks heating up.

Suddenly Ayame stopped in front of the hall across from Satchiko's class and looked down at the ground with a serious expression on her face. She wanted to say something to him, but she was hesitating.

Yoichi stopped too and looked at her, "What?"

"Umm..."

"..."

"I...uhh..."

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked getting closer.

Ayame looked up at him, her cheeks pinker than usual, "...Why haven't you made a move on me yet?"

Yoichi took a step back, bewildered, "W-What?"

Ayame took a step closer, "I get confessions all the time but i turn them all down because i only like you. So why haven't you made a move on me yet? Do you want me to make the first move? Do you want another boy to take me away from you? Don't you like me?"

Yoichi's face flushed, and his mind began to race, "U-Um...I...uhh..."

"I only want you." she insisted, "But you won't do anything to me." Ayame said, getting closer, "I'll make the first move if you want me to."

He took another step back, nervous now, "W-Wait."

Then, her face finally broke out into a cheerful smile again, "I think you're the best looking boy ever. I like that you fix my hair for me sometimes. That really makes my heart race, and it makes me love you even more. And i like the way you always come get me when my classes are over. You always take care of me, even zipping up my jacket for me. I always blush when you do that because you're so close to me, and it makes me nervous. But i love it. I also love the way you look at me. It's like you want to protect me from everything. And i love the way you let me hold hands with you. There isn't anyone i'd want except you."

Yoichi was blushing hard, but before he could answer, his little sister's classroom door slid open, and the kids started walking out, "Hi you guys." said Satchiko, "So it was you guys out here. I thought i heard your voices."

Ayame playfully saluted Satchiko, "Yup! Just us! Here to pick you up Chiko!"

Satchiko smiled warmly, always happy when Ayame or her brother were around, "So what were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing." Grumbled Yoichi, storming away with red cheeks, "Girls are crazy."

Satchiko tilted her head, "Huh?"

Ayame giggled into her hands, "Crazy for you."

Suddenly, the tree of them were blocked by someone in an animal mask, "One moment please."

"Who are you?" asked Satchiko.

"An anbu black op..." whispered Ayame.

"Get back!" yelled Yoichi, lifting his arm protectively in front of them, "What do you want?" he asked.

"No need for panic."said the anbu black op, "I am only here, for you two." he said, looking at Yoichi, then at Ayame, "Give these documents to your parents. We want you to join us."