Two weeks had passed since we had been put into teams. After several days of teamwork training Akira-sensei finally decided were now able to take missions together. Our cuts and bruises were signs of our hard work. They were also signs of Akira-sensei's short temper and disappointment in our failures.

So far we have been doing D rank missions. I've been so busy that I haven't seen my love this whole week! Growling in frustration, I looked over at my comrades shoveling horse manure into a pile.

"These missions suck!" Nobuyuki yelled irritated.

"I actually agree with you for once Blossom." I stretched my back, wrinkling my nose in the process. The smell was overpowering.

"Pipe down, quit complaining, and get back to work. You're almost done anyway." Akira-sensei snapped as he continued his incessant petting of the creatures that left their lovely droppings everywhere.

"That doesn't change the fact that these missions suck." I said.

"Well you have to make a living somehow."

"Wait. What?"

"Did I stutter? You chose this as a career."

"You mean to tell me that I went through all that hard work in the academy, graduated, officially became a ninja, only to become someone else's slave?!"

"Slaves don't get paid." Akira-sensei didn't cease in his petting.

"No but they do get fed!"

Nobuyuki, getting fed up, threw his shovel and began yelling at me. "Kuno hurry the hell up! We still have the other side of the barn to do! This shit isn't going to grow legs and throw itself into a pile."

"Are you sure about that? Because I'm pretty sure that I'm staring at a piece of shit right now." I narrowed my eyes at him.

Growling in anger Nobuyuki stomped towards me, only for Ryota to stop him. "Hey , come on now. Cut it out." He stood between us. "It's like Akira-sensei said we're almost done, it's also the last mission of the day."

"Is it really the last one Akira-sensei?" Nobuyuki asked skeptically.

"Is Kuno an idiot?"

Snorting indignantly I answered at the same time as Nobuyuki.

"No."

"Yes."

"You want to repeat that Blossom? I'm positive that I heard wrong." I stepped around Ryota and closer to Nobuyuki.

" I said yes you're an idiot, Kuno."

Standing in front of Nobuyuki, I pushed him with all my might and watched in joy as he fell into the pile of horse manure. Laughing at Nobuyuki, I heard him roar my name out, "KUNO!"

Nobuyuki quickly got up and began throwing horse manure at me. "Aah! Sensei! Blossom's throwing shit at me!" I dodged the flying poop as Nobuyuki continued his shitty assault.

After a while of Nobuyuki's attack, Akira-sensei was finally able to calm him down. Well he more threatened all of us, including Ryota, with a severe beating if we didn't get back to work. With his promise of pain, we quickly set back to work with Akira-sensei tentatively watching.

Arriving back home, I headed to my room grabbing a change of clothes and a towel. I then went to the bathroom to rid myself of the nasty smell of horse manure, that seemed to cling to my every fiber.

As I washed my body, my thoughts traveled towards Naruto. I miss him so much. I felt agony at not being able to see him most of the time like I used to. My thoughts on him continued as did my shower. I then remembered a discussion I had with my parents, on my infatuation with Naruto.

"Kuno, quit playing with your food." My mother scolded me.

"I'm not playing with it, I'm moving it around."

My father sighed. "Kuno what is it?"

"What?"

"You usually mess with your food when you want something. So what is it? My father asked expectantly.

"Well there's this boy that I like, his name is Naruto and I was wondering-"

"No no no. You can't like the Demon boy, you're already betrothed."

"Getting angry I stood up, "Don't call him that! And what do you mean betrothed?"

"Kuno, honey, sit down." My father said.

"No. I don't want to."

Looking at me, he politely said again, "Kuno please sit down." Relenting, I did as I was told.

"Now let me explain. Before you were born we had come to terms with the Uchiha and decided to join our two clans. We came to a conclusion and both your mother and I agreed since you were to be born female-"

"Obviously and I'm a pretty sexy one at that."

"you were to be married to the eldest son of Fugaku Uchiha, seeing as you are the child of our clan's leader."

"Which is you right?"

"Yes, but time had passed and Itachi-"

"Wait I'm supposed to marry Itachi?"

"Hold on I'm not done yet."

"Ok, my bad continue."

"As I was saying time had passed, you were born, and we tried to get Itachi to spend time with you, but Fugaku became reluctant."

"Well that makes no sense."

"He began to see some promise in Itachi since he graduated from the academy at the age of seven. Fugaku, not wanting to let our agreement go to waste, decided to have you marry his youngest son instead. An arranged marriage between you and Sasuke."

"Oh, ok, I see... wait. WHAT?!"

"Well at first, when you got a little older, we let you play with each other to see how you faired. You got along together so well that we made it official."

"Feathers! Of all people, you arranged a marriage with Feathers?!"

"Aw! See honey, she already has a nickname for him. How sweet!"

"Mother! I don't like Feathers! I just told you I like Naruto."

"I spent nine painful months carrying you around, you will do as you're told! Besides we had an agreement with the Uchiha."

"But... but they're dead! They won't know the difference!"

"You will marry the young Uchiha when you're of age, or so help me Kuno, I gave you life and I can take it away!"

I dried myself and quickly got dressed. With my hair still dripping wet, I ran out my house straight to Naruto's apartment.

Upon arriving I began to knock on Naruto's door and called his name. Waiting a few seconds, I repeated my actions. "Naruto, my love, are you home?" Putting my ear to the door I heard no movement.

Moving over to the window from the door, I looked in seeing Naruto's messy room with no Naruto in it. Thinking he was somewhere else, I left to search for him at his most frequented spots.

I checked Ichiraku, the training grounds, the academy and other various places, but I couldn't find him. Growing anxious I turned to the streets and once again I began looking for him.

Unable to find my beloved after several hours and harassing the entire village on Naruto's whereabouts, to which they scowled and said they could care less where he was and they weren't his caretakers, I ran to the Hokage tower. "Maybe the old man might know where Naruto is."

I ran into the building as soon as I arrived, heading to the third Hokage's office. I burst through the doors. "Old man Hokage! We have an emergency!"

"Kuno? Where are your manners?"

"I was counting on yours! Anyway we have an emergency!"

The third Hokage sighed, with a wave of his hand he dismissed a Jonin I hadn't noticed he was talking to. Once the Jonin left, the third Hokage turned his attention to me. "Now Kuno, what is it that you wanted?"

Running up to him, I flailed my arms as I explained in panic, "We have an emergency! Assemble the Anbu! Assemble the Jonin! Assemble the chunin and the genin! Assemble everyone! Naruto is missing and we have to find him! Hurry!"

Staring blankly at me he spoke, "Kuno what did you just eat?"

"What does me eating have to do with Naruto missing?

"Well-"

Cutting him off as I gasped in horror after remembering something. "No."

"What is it?"

"No, you don't think..."

"Out with it."

"..You don't think just because I stole a dango from Blossom that Naruto is now missing, do you?! But it was so delicious! It was calling my name! It said Kuno eat me!" I motioned with my hands.

The third Hokage did something I had never ever seen him do. He facepalmed.

"It is, isn't it!?" I cried.

"Kuno calm down. Naruto isn't missing, he's on a mission."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I sent him and his team on a mission. He should be back soon." Jumping in joy, I thanked the third Hokage and speedily made my way out of his office.

Running down the stairs, I nearly collided with Akira-sensei.

"Kuno watch where you're going, you idiot."

"I was here first."

Pushing me out of the way Akira-sensei continued his way up the stairs, "I don't have time for this. I have to meet with the Hokage. Go home and get some rest. We're meeting at the training grounds at five in the morning."

"Why? I need my beauty sleep."

He growled menacingly, "Go home. I've had enough of your stupidity for today."

As I whined in retaliation, Akira-sensei took out a kunai and threw it at me, the handle hitting me in the middle of my forehead.

I fell back from the force, rolling down the rest of the way down the stairs. Landing at the bottom, I cursed loudly in pain. "Fuck that hurt! Why did I forget my headband?! Ow."

"Next time I'll make sure it's the sharp end!" I heard Akira-sensei yell from the top of the stairs.

Groaning in pain, I stood up wincing as I knew there were bruises forming all over my body. I slowly made my way home, hoping to get some rest.

(Author's note: Hope you liked it and sorry for the pun. I couldn't help it. )