A/N: Well I'm on a roll with this story! If I finish it, it'll be my first completed fan fic. Thanks to my reviewers, particularly the anonymous reviewer. Trust me - y'all are giving me the incentive to continue this story. This is sort of a two part scene. I was going to write it as one but I thought it'd be better to separate it. Please let me know what you think - reviews are love. I wrote this scene to Out of Reach by Gabrielle.

Portrait

Scene 4

Swept away by you
And now I feel like a fool
So confused, my hearts bruised
Was I ever loved by you?

- Out of Reach - Gabrielle

Michicko wasn't what one would call a cook. It wasn't that she couldn't cook because if you gave her a recipe, she could whip up the dish in two twos - it's just that cooking wasn't on her list of favourite things to do. Which was why two weeks later, Michicko found herself wandering the streets of Sunagakure searching for somewhere to get dinner.

Normally she'd duck into one of her favourite restaurants where she was always sure to get a decent (read: cheap) meal but today she was in a good mood (she'd just come back from a very succesful A - rank mission and the week before she'd finally managed to perfect a new jutsu that she'd been working on for months thanks in no small part to to Kankurou's help which was another reason that she was in a good mood - for some reason Kankurou had been spending more time with her, particularly over at her place... not that she was complaining.) and therefore she felt like splurging.

Just then she spotted the restaurant that she'd gone to for her 21st birthday - they had fabulous spring rolls and although they were a little out of her usual price range, she decided to get her dinner there. Fifteen minutes later, she exited the restaurant with her dinner in a large box and began making her way back to her apartment. Michicko opened the box and looked down at her dinner. 'It looks so good! I can't wait to get home,' she thought with a smile on her face.

"So I said to her - oof!" A tall girl with long, brown hair had just walked into Michicko and caused her to drop her still open box. Michicko watched in horror as her box fell and all the food spilled onto the roadway.

"Oh my gosh! I am soooo sorry. Are you okay?" Michicko looked up at the girl (who was a head taller than her) and noting the concerned expression on her face, she forced a smile onto her face, "Yeah. I'm fine,' she mumbled, turning her eyes back to her ruined dinner.

"Michicko?" Michicko started and looked up again - she felt her stomach drop as she looked past the girl and saw Kankurou standing there. She knew instantly that they were on a date - partly because of their intertwined hands and partly because of Kankurou's appearance. His usually unruly hair was actually brushed today and he was dressed in normal, civilian clothes sans face - paint.

"Kankurou?" Michicko was suprised that she had the strength to speak.

"Do you two know each other?" the unknown girl said. Michicko looked at her and realized that she was a civilian.

Kankurou turned his gaze to her, "Uh yeah. Kimi this is Michicko. Remember I told you about her?"

Kimi's features lit up with recognition, "Oh right. Hi! My name's Kimi, Kimi Kuragi." She said, holding a hand out to Michicko.

Michicko stared down at her hand for a few seconds before grasping it and giving her a half - hearted hand shake. "Nice to meet you, Kuragi - san," she said insincerely.

"I really am sorry. Goodness, now I feel worse. I was so busy talking to Kurou - kun that I didn't even see you. I'd buy you another but I haven't got any money. Sorry!" Michicko wasn't listening - she'd zoned out when she heard Kimi's nickname for Kankurou. "Kurou - kun? Kurou - kun? He hates that nickname and he's letting her call him that!"

"I'll buy it back for you, Michicko,"Kankurou offered. Michicko shook her head - all she wanted to do was get away from the two of them.

"It's fine. I'm not that hungry," She wasn't lying - she had suddenly lost her appetite.

"But Michicko -"

"Kurou - kun, she says she's not hungry. However I am! Let's go," Kimi wrapped an arm around Kankurou's arm and began practically dragging him away from Michicko - she'd obviously caught on that something was amiss between the two of them and she did not like it one bit, "It was nice meeting you Michicko - san!" Kimi called over her shoulder as she and Kankurou continued down the street.

Kankurou looked back at Michicko apologetically but she wasn't looking at them. She'd already begun making her way in the opposite direction. He sighed and looked back at his date...but he couldn't forget the expression that he'd seen on Michicko's face when she'd seen him with Kimi. If he didn't know better, he'd say she looked...betrayed.

Michicko stopped at the top of the street and watched as Kankurou and Kimi turned the corner. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that Kankurou's arm was now wrapped firmly around Kimi's waist. Michicko sighed - she figured she'd better leave before Kankurou sensed the killing intent coming off of her.