It was almost sunset when I opened the door to the Hokage's office, sweating bullets and wondering what mistake I made this time.
"T-Tsunade-sama? You wanted to see me?"
The old woman looked up from her paperwork.
"Ah, May-san. Come on in."
I nodded and stepped nervously into the room. I stood at attention, preparing myself for the consequences of whatever I did.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"
"As you know, you are of marrying age. You probably also know that your grandfather wanted you to marry at this age as well. I have to ask you to give up being a ninja. You're arranged to marry a man from the Land of Lightening to strengthen our alliance."
My eyes grew wide and my hands trembled slightly. Marriage? I really thought I had gotten in trouble again! This was great, no, it wasn't great at all!
How can she say that!? I haven't even seen Shino-kun yet!! I just became a Chunnin and now...
I glanced sullenly at my Grandfather's portrait on the wall. There he was, sitting straight and proud, more regal than any of Hokage had ever been in my eyes. His kindness was known by everyone, as well as that fierce, unwavering gleam in his eyes when he makes that heart-wrenching decision that may sacrifice some, but save many more.
Grandfather...
I untied the headband that rested across proudly across my forehead. I could not defy my Grandfather's wishes... I just couldn't. This was a challenge presented before me, testing me, daring me to break down and cry like a rotten child. My will stood strong as I laid the band softly on the desk with a small thunk.
"Okay then. Since we are short on ninja, we only have one available right now."
I breathed in deeply, then let it out slowly, and nodded. I was the only granddaughter of the third Hokage, this was the least I could do for him.
"Shizune! I need you to call Aburame Shino!" My eyes widened in shock, and I threw my hands down on the table.
"Sh-Shino-kun!?," I cried to the former gambler. "Shino-kun is going to..." I trailed off. The figure standing in the doorway was unmistakable. Tears swelled up at the corner of my eyes as I fought desperately to hold them back. My chest began to feel heavy. It was an old, familiar feeling that I had long forgotten. A feeling I hated. A feeling I longed for.
"Sh-Shino-kun...," I whispered, my palms beginning to sweat, and the blood beginning to rush to my face.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?," he asked formally. Straight to the point, never questioning, always doing. That was the Shino she knew.
Tsunade sighed, leaning back lazily in her chair, like always. The young ninja's gaze watched her silently, never once meeting my eyes.
"I need you to escort May-sama to the Land of Lightening. And I can't give you a squad, everybody's busy on other missions. Sorry about that Shino..."
He tilted his head slightly, those eyes resting on me. Rather, it felt almost as if he were looking past me, like I wasn't there.
Stab.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Good. You have three days to prepare," Tsunade told him, her distracted finger tracing Konahagakure's symbol. Shino bowed his head, walking quickly out the door. No questions. No glances. No acknowledgment.
Stab.
"W-wait!! Shino-kun!!," I cried, getting over my shock of suddenly seeing him again. Running quickly, I lunged at him. A split-second later, Shino lay sprawled on the ground with me on top, as if I were going to attack him. Pushing my hair behind my ear, I stared at him, unable to look away. I could almost see his eyes behind those sunglasses, clear and deep, like some beautiful dark abyss. Terrifying, yet inviting.
His hair was the same as it was the last time I saw him, but it had been a long time since I had seen it this close. It seemed just as rough, wild, and unkempt as it always was. I couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?," Shino asked, unperturbed by our position. I smiled, pressing my forehead gently against his. The boy's presence was calming... suffocating.
"I was just thinking about your eyes."
"My eyes."
"Yes, and your hair."
"Want to give me another horrendous makeover?" I gasped in surprise, my face beginning to burn. He remembered that!?
"I was eleven! You agreed to it as well!"
"Only because you have the status of a princess, and you would have forced me to do it anyway."
It was then I began to notice the stares and whispers. I chuckled again.
"Shino-kun, I think we should get up now. People have started to stare."
"They've been staring the second you pushed me down," Shino stated, as blunt as ever. Giggling yet again, I stood up and offered my hand to the boy.
"It's fate, don't you think?," I asked cheerfully. "I can't believe you were the one sent to guard me! Fate has turned in our favor!"
Shino slapped my hand away roughly, helping himself up. His eyes were impossible to see behind those glasses.
Stab.
I stared at him for a second, then smiled it off. I wouldn't be hurt just because of something as trivial as that!
Stab.
As Shino began to walk, my hand gained a life of its own, latching tightly onto Shino's jacket. No matter how many commands I gave it, my hand refused to let go. The fabric was soft between my fingers.
Don't go...
Shino turned back sharply, the sunlight reflecting off those sunglasses. He reached out his hand, wiping the wet drops off my cheeks.
"Moron," he said quietly. "That's not elegant at all." Snot dripped out of my nose, and tears ran wild down my flushed cheeks. I sniffed.
"I'm not crying!," I said a bit too loudly, turning even more heads. "It's just... raining from my eyes!!"
"I never said you were."
"Sh-Sh-Shino-kuuuuun!!," I hiccuped, throwing my arms around him, almost knocking him down again. "I m-m-missed you so much!! You d-d-d-didn't even b-bother to send any t-t-type of l-letter!" A sudden thought crossed my mind, and my tears vanished instantly. "I know what we should do!!" I locked my hand with his, and forcefully dragged him to a place all too familiar.
Laughing, I let go of that hand, twirling around childishly in the sea of grass. It was a place that was very precious; a place that was very, very dear to me. The spinning world caught up to me all at once, and I fell backwards, panting and grinning like a fool. The orange-tinted sky smiled at me with its gentle look. I reached out, feeling that I could cup the setting sun with my own hands. The green waves brushed against my face. They tickled my feet and whispered in my ears.
I heard a soft rustle beside me, but I didn't have to turn my head to know what it was. Unconsciously, my hand found Shino's, and our fingers intertwined together. The boy's breathing matched the wind that caressed our faces; his hand was hotter than the sun in which we bathed.
"Do you remember?," I whispered, closing my eyes. "We used to do this all the time. We would just lay here, staring at the sky, never missing a day. The stars believed we were one of them, and laughed for us brighter than they laughed for anyone else. We would then return to the house, and Grandfather would scold us for being out so late. It was then you would go back to your own house. However, when the time arrived to say goodbye, we realized that we had forgotten to let go of each others hands."
"I remember," Shino answered quietly. His grip on my hand tightened, and a smile danced across my lips.
"I want to see the stars laughing again. I want Tsunade-sama to scold us until our ears burst. I want to say goodbye to you without worrying if I'll see you the next day."
"As you wish."
The grass's whispers silenced us as the last remnants of light vanished. Stars played out in the sky's abyss, laughing. Maybe they were laughing at us, for we had could not join them; Maybe they were actually crying, weeping for their fallen brethren. I cried silently with them.
Shino held onto my hand as if he was afraid it would slip from his grasp.
"May-san... you forgot to let go of my hand." I grinned, playfully ruffling up the ninja's hair like he was a kid.
"Shino-kun," I said, wanting to tease him a little. "I didn't forget, it was just my hand would be cold if I let yours go." I giggled, sticking out my tongue.
"Of course."
"Well then!" I slipped my hand out of his, waving goodbye. It was pointless trying to get him to go inside the mansion now, since he had already answered her with his blunt "No." about fifty times already. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Shino bowed low, suddenly treating me like stranger. A royal stranger. A stranger that everyone and none know.
"Goodbye, May-sama." He turned and walked away, not even seeing me to the door.
Stab.
My hand was cold.