It's Iruka's luck because he gets stood up. Midori never shows up.

Iruka tumbles down the steps five minutes to seven, all dress up but no where to go, because Midori doesn't even bother to show. Didn't even bother to call to cancel. Members of the Alliance trickle out of their stores and into Iruka's one by one, muttering with mundane chatter — how their day was, how rude customers were, the Festival, and their plans after the meeting.

He gets caught up in the chatter enough the he doesn't realize right away. But when he does, the late lunch begins to churn in the pit of his stomach. He's twenty-six feeling sixteen and getting crushed under the weight of his first shattering first love.

Being stood up is not a new feeling for Iruka, sadly. Mizuki, the ex-husband he tries not to think about too often, had forgotten plans they'd made too many times to count. Yet, for some reason he'd thought that Midori would have been different.

Since he knew Midori would never forget about the meeting or lose track of time so badly, the only conclusion Iruka could make was that he reconsidered. Deciding to back out of their night out and Iruka feels like he shouldn't be surprised.

He'd spent a good hour attempting to style his hair into something presentable for a five-star place. He'd dug out his nice dress shoes, from when he had worn them was at the Umino funeral and gave them a fresh polish. He'd run an iron over the black pants leftover from his teaching days. All because Iruka had been sure Midori would show.

Irked, Iruka locks the front door before starting for the second floor. If Midori came late than he could let himself in the back way.

Something catches his eyes as he's about to head up. Maybe Midori had come after all. Thanks to the original buildings and narrow lanes, the Historical Downtown of Konoha is barely wide enough to have two lanes for cars to pass much less for parking. Two lines of parking spaces separating the lanes. To make life easier for shopkeepers and keep the town looking pretty they had parking areas carved between stores and behind buildings. The areas disguised as little parks with benches and flowerbeds, they're every popular for homecoming and prom pictures.

Little Blue Dolphin shares one of those flowery lots with a neighbor, and the movement at the corner of Iruka's eyes could very well belong to a passing customer of the Yamanaka's flower shop. Iruka still steps closer to make sense of the shadows as if willing Midori to appear.

It had been a warm day and the breeze brushes the night with the scent of autumn, the shimmer of Quaking Aspens bathes the hillside in gold.

Yet, he can't make Midori appear, so he turns away toward the kitchen. Then a figure appears in the doorway and Iruka jumps before Chiyome Shimura moves into the light for Iruka to see him.

"Are you all right, Iruka?"

"I'm fine, you just scared me."

Chiyome's lips curve slightly because she's secretly sadistic. The female is the similar in height to Iruka in stiletto heels with long, black hair and darker eyes. The only time when she's not seen in a business skirt is at home, which is rarely ever seen by anyone but her husband.

"Sorry," she said, and she almost sounds like she means it. "We need to talk before the meeting starts."

"Can it wait?" Iruka questions. The Shimuras, like their patriarch, are the strongest opponents to changing the Senju Festival and he's heard what the family had to say plenty of times before. Listening to them now is not high on the list of Iruka's priorities. "The meeting is about to start."

The smile tugging at her lips dim, "I'm afraid not. My father and I have taken an unofficial vote, and we're concerned. We hope you'd stand with us the next meeting."

Just because Iruka is annoyed with Midori doesn't mean he'd turn his loyalty in spite. "You know where I stand with this, Ms. Shimura." He moves past him.

"It's Takeda and I'm well aware," she continues as she trails after him, her heels clacking, "but have you truly thought this through."

"Of course, I have. But my opinion doesn't matter, I don't have a vote."

"No, but you're apart of the Alliance. If we present as a united front than the council will have no choice but to take notice."

Iruka can almost laugh in disbelief. "You actually believe you can get the entire Alliance to agree with you?"

"We can try." She glances over her shoulder, her diamond earrings catching dim light, and lowers her voice into a whisper. "I know you've been charmed by Midori in this last little while but don't let it affect your business judgement."

"My hormones haven't swayed my judgement in the slightest. Now, if you excuse me."

Chiyome tugs on Iruka's sleeve, "Your parents would have never approved of this farce."

Iruka has never been on for violence but there's an itch under his skin to get the pitying smile off her face. "My parents would be the first people to vote yes. I'm more than capable of making decisions without your help.

She leans in closer, "A decision like this needs to be made the whole business community in mind. Some stores may do fine with traffic cut off for nearly a week but what about the rest of us. What about the ones who don't sell trinkets and candy?"

They've been over this topic before. "If I remember correctly there will be shuttles to the shopping districts. Maybe you should take another look at the proposal because there should be a shuttle stop five feet from your shop. How much closer would you need?"

Her eyes narrow. "You're assume the city will allow budget for those buses. Do you know something I don't?"

Of course, Iruka doesn't. Any city decision is probably heard by her first as she's Danzō Shimura's daughter. "No. But the council is not unreasonable." Except for Danzō but if Koharu, Homura, and the Mayor were the majority. "I'll find out in a few minutes, I guess."

Chiyome gives a dismissive flick of her wrist. "You see what Midori is trying to do, don't you?"

"Expanding the Senju Festival?"

"He's trying to put us out of business," she snarls. "If this passes than he'll succeed."

That nearly knocks Iruka off his feet. "You're joking, right? You and Midori aren't in competition. You don't even sale the same merchandise."

She rolls her eyes so hard they may have fallen out if she tried harder. "Not, but he's made it clear that he wants to relocate. You know Fumio and I have a prime location." Somehow, she manages to look down at him despite being at eyelevel.

Retail space in downtown is at a premium and value in property has shot up in the last year, but her suggestion is still outlandish that Iruka nearly chokes on it. Briefly Iruka thinks back to Midori saying no one took him seriously, how wrong that man is. "If even what you say is the truth, Midori would never put out another store on purpose."

Chiyome's expression grows grim. "If you believe that, Iruka, then you don't know Midori very well. He's trying to dig a foothold here and he's using the rest of the Alliance to do his dirty work."

Their conversation is been dragged on for a ridiculous amount of time and Iruka's patience is wearing very thin. And he's worked with children! "If Midori has reprehensible plans up his sleeve — and I don't believe he does — there are more effective ways of to plot a coup."

"Not if he plans to fit in after its all said and done. Not if he wants to keep his more… gullible friends from seeing what's under their noses." She steps onto the landing and her smile turns sugar-sweet. "Really, I'd be pretty offended if I were you, but maybe you don't have a problem being manipulated."

Since Iruka turned ten, his parents taught him when to hold his tongue — not to say anything if he didn't have anything nice to say and all that — when he gets angry. Although, Iruka wasn't always good at taking advice when he was upset. "I'm not quite sure of that," Iruka said. "But I know that I do not appreciate how you're trying to manipulate me right now."

Her voice drops into a whisper again. "I'm not trying to manipulate you, Iruka. I'm giving you fair warning, or you might regret it."

There's a shiver that crawls up Iruka's spine, but he refuses to let Chiyome intimidate him. "Don't you think you're being dramatic? I'd advise you to talk to Midori and really listen to what he says. I'm sure he can put your mind at ease."

"I couldn't possibly do that, he's not here."

Hearing someone else mention his absence makes Iruka's stomach knot in worry. Midori might stand him up but would never forget about the meeting. It's too important to him. Iruka has already wasted enough time talking to Chiyome, so he mumbles an excuse and climb the rest of the steps. To his surprise, the crowd is standing room-only.

If Midori was coming, then he better get here soon.

Abandoning Chiyome at the door, Iruka finds a place at the goody table for the mints and champagne roses then launches into a conversation with Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. He's known the two of them for years, although they were never really close friends. They had graduated two years ahead of Iruka. Izumo owns a sushi restaurant called Sushi Bros(1). The business is really popular on the late-night scene for high school and college students. Kotetsu owns Giocoso Live Music Gallery(2), more often just Giocoso, that acts as an all-ages music venue catering to a mix of genres. Both their places are alcohol free and Iruka wouldn't be surprised if both their name were on each other's leases.

Iruka keeps one eye of the door in case Midori shows up and indulges in small talk with Kotetsu and Izumo until Fumio Takeda drags himself to the front and starts the meeting.

Two hours later, Iruka shuts the door behind the last of the name-calling and accusations. Only a handful of candy remains on the table upstairs, a fact that makes Iruka hopeful for the future, but Midori never appeared, and that worries Iruka more than anything.

It's after nine, and Iruka is more than half convinced that something has happened to him. Iruka can't think of anything that would make him miss the meeting — even if he had wanted to avoid dinner.

Acting on impulse, Iruka runs up the stairs and changes into something more comfortable only to hurry outside again. the autumn breeze is still blowing into town from the mountain, and only takes a few moments for Iruka to regret coming outside without a sweater, but Downey's Western Outfitter(3) is only a couple of blocks away and Iruka doesn't plan to be outside for long.

Downey's takes up a two-story building built around the turn of the century. For close to fifty years, a JC Penney did business there but since then half a dozen tenants come and went. Downey's fits in so neatly, it was easy to forget it hadn't always been there, with its iconic statue horse.

Iruka half-expects to find lights on and Midori hard at work, but the windows are dark, and the sore looks deserted. Iruka checks the back lot for parked cars but he can't see Midori's Saturn anywhere. So Iruka turns toward home.

Konoha at night is a great place to be. The town ordinances ban the excess use of neon lights, so the sky still looms huge and dark overhead. On clear nights the stars look like sugar crystals on dark blue fondant. There are still stragglers from the meeting and lines outside restaurant and night club. Iruka smiles at the students bundling together, waiting to get into Giocoso and Sushi Bros just a few shops down from the other.

Iruka is just passing Writ & Vision, a bookstore and art gallery, when he hears the roar of an engine and sees lights sweep across a nearby building. A moment later, a red pickup pulls out of the alley between the galley and pet store. The squeal of tires echo as it shoots down the street and disappears around the corner, but not before he sees that license plate that belongs to Suzume.

It's just odd enough to make Iruka realize that he hadn't noticed the school teacher at the meeting. Iruka thinks maybe he had just missed her in the chaos. But her absence isn't as concerning as Midori's, so Iruka decides to not think too deeply. He tosses around the idea of driving to Midori's apartment to make sure he's all right though.

What if he had had second thoughts about taking Iruka out to dinner? What if he was there with someone else? Iruka doesn't think he'd be able to bare the humiliation. Iruka convinces himself to wait until tomorrow to save any of his vaguely hurt feelings. No doubt Midori will show up at the shop wearing an embarrassed grin and some lame excuse. Iruka will pretend not to care just enough to convince him that Iruka wasn't a pushover. Midori would probably tease him for a while, and then they'd be right back where they left off.

Having made his decision, Iruka hurries home — not before stopping in to Ichiraku for his favorite bowl. He'd only had one meal for the day and won't eat again until late tomorrow.

Iruka has been living in the upstairs apartment since his marriage fell apart. While he had been floundering, looking for a place to lick his wounds, his parents had come to the rescue, just like they had so many times before.

The apartment is very different from the Kiri condominium he used to share with Mizuki while he thought they were happy. There isn't any furniture that matches another in the place. Everything he owns now is secondhand from friends. He has his grandfather's old sofa-bed and banged-up coffee table in the living room. Near the door is a space-age chair that used to belong to his parents.

He changes into flannel pajama pants and an old t-shirt. He gets into bed and pulls the covers up to his chin, trying to go to sleep but the sound of sirens and the smell of smoke pull him back. It takes him a second to place the stinging odor of burning wood and electrical fire together with screaming of people in the streets.

He's confused and not fully awake yet, Iruka staggers into the kitchen to see if he'd turned off the stove. The second time he bangs into the wall and sends pain through his shoulder, it hurts enough to jar him awake enough to realize his apartment isn't engulfed in flames.

Stuffing his feet into slippers, he races down the stairs and onto the street. The smell of burning eclipses everything else and the eerie glow paints the sky. Obviously, the fire is close but coming from somewhere else.

The scream of sirens calling the fire department to duty stop suddenly and the silence chills him to the bone. Cars shot past, and Chiharu Akimichi streaks by in a pair of cow-patterned pajamas.

Iruka sets off after her. Someone in town was in trouble, and a sick feeling is lodged in his stomach. The fact that the crowd is moving toward Downey's only makes the feeling worse. Iruka picks up the pace and full-out runs, trying not to trip over the slippers flapping against his feet. The closer he gets to Midori's store, the harder it's hard to delude himself.

Flames are licking at the sky. Wood crackles and pops as it burns his throat and stings his eyes. The smoke makes it hard to breathe. The glass from the upstairs shatters.

Someone screams as the upper floor crumbles and the horse falls into the flames.


(1)-Sushi Bros is based of a real restaurant, most of the store are, my sisters and I are regulars and they're known for their affordable rolls like Lil Bro, Lonely and Insecure Bro, Angry Bro, Phat Bro, and Panda Bro. Although a favorite is Bandies because I'm a Bandie.

(2)-Giocoso is based on the real-life Velour, still a very popular scene.

(3)-Based on Ream's Western Outfitter. In my mind it's designed on the shop my aunt's family used to own.