Kazue let out a loud sigh as she docked the boat and stretched. The rain was still down pouring, but this time she didn't mind. The water against her skin was fresh, and her hair clung to her skin and clothes. She sighed and smiled up to the sky. "Have I ever missed you!" Kazue murmured.

Nikito chuckled as he gathered his stuff from the boat and climbed out. He walked up a bit ahead of Kazue and sighed. "You know... we're going to have to stay together for the next few days until your sister signals us..."

Kazue stopped spinning and turned to face Nikito. "Bold."

Nikito turned to face her with a puzzled look. "What? It's true. It'd be easier than you having to come and find me..."

As Kazue passed Nikito she gave him a smile. "Riiight..." She laughed.

Nikito blushed faintly. "What's that mean? I'm stating facts!" He stuttered.

"If you don't want to leave my side you could just say so." She laughed and rolled her eyes playfully, pushing back her wet bangs.

Nikito smirked. "Sounds like to me you're agreeing with what your sister keeps adressing me as."

Kazue turned around to face Nikito while walking backwards. "You are not my boyfriend." She mumbled.

"I know that." He smirked.

"Then what are you saying?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and the turning back around.

Nikito just laughed and continued walking. "Nevermind..."

"But I agree, it'll be easier than chasing each other all over the village."

Nikito nodded. "I really hope your dad isn't home.." He muttered, a sense of nervousness in his voice.

Kazue laughed lightly. "And if he is?"

"He's not gonna let me set foot in your home... especially overnight..." He murmured.

"If there is any chance that he would, he'd probably sleep right next to you and watch you like a hawk." Kazue smirked and laughed.

Nikito groaned. "I'm not gonna be able to sleep if he does that!"

Kazue laughed. "I'm just kidding."

Kazue arrived at her front door and pushed it open. She stepped in and kicked off her wet shoes. She squeezed as much water out of her hair and pulled off her light blue jacket. The yellow dress underneath was just as wet. "I'll be right back, stay here."

Kazue ran up the stairs and retrieved a towel and a pair of her father's clothing. She quickly changed and returned downstairs. She handed him the contents in her hand and led him to the washroom.

Nikito quickly changed and came back out, going down to the livingroom where Kazue was waiting. Kazue had a blanket wrapped around her body wile she curled up on the couch. The rain had given her chills.

"I knew they'd fit." Kazue smiled and studied her fathers clothing on Nikito's body.

Nikito smiled and pushed his damp black hair from his eyes before sitting down on the space beside Kazue on the couch. "I have a feeling your dad is going to show up and strangle me..." He murmured.

Kazue shrugged and laughed at Nikito's expression. "It'll be fine...I hope."

Nikito gave her a nervous glance. "You hope? That's not what I wanted to hear..."

"You're wanting to become the Mizukage, but you're afraid of my father?" She smiled softly. "He's actually pretty soft hearted."

"Not to a guy whom is with his youngest daughter..." He murmured.

Kazue's cheeks flushed slightly and she diverted her eyes. "He just wants to make sure the other will live up to the expectations of protecting his daughter." Kazue murmured quietly.

Nikito sighed deeply. "I already protect you, yet he still seems to hate me... maybe he doesn't realize how good of a guy I am." He chuckled.

Kazue shook her head head quickly. "He knows plenty..." She blurted, and quickly turned away.

Nikito glanced over at Kazue. "Then why does he appear to dislike me?"

Kazue buried her face into the blankets. "Because he approves..." She mumbled through the blankets, hoping he didn't hear.

Nikito had heard and his face had deepened in colour. "Well.. is he not aware that you don't like me... like that?"

Kazue buried her face deeper, and didn't reply.

Nikito smirked slightly as his blush faded. "Guess not.." He said under his breath.

Kazue tried to force her blush back as much as possible before looking back up at Nikito; but her blush hadn't left. "It's...not that I don't l...like you-" Kazue's eyes glanced past Nikito's shoulder to see her father standing in the livingroom doorway. "Daddy!" She smiled.

Sora had his hands on his hips, rain dripping from his hair as he looked from Nikito to Kazue. "What is he doing in my house... in my clothes?" He sighed.

Nikito's heart began to race as his eyes widened at Sora. He was speechless.

"We got stuck in the pouring rain, so I lent him a pair of dry clothes; I hope you don't mind." Kazue grinned sheepishly.

"Does that mean he's staying?" Sora sighed.

"Actually, we're going to be going on another mission at some point we don't know. I was wondering if he could stay in the spare until we have to leave, that way there we don't have to go searching all over the village for one another."

"The spare room... as in Jatsu's old room?" Sora asked with another sigh. "Yeah... I guess... I know about Jatsu, Kazue... do you?"

Kazue grinned. "Of course. I saw her twice."

Sora's eyes widened slightly before he sighed again. "You know... she's a rouge though, right? She can't come home.."

Kazue shook her head. "She isn't a rogue, dad. She's...being held against her will."

Sora shook his head. "She's attacking Mist Village shinobi... She must've lied to you..."

"Do you know why?" Kazue questioned.

Sora raised an eyebrow at her question. "W-Well, no... but I thought it was because of a classfied mission..."

"A classified mission that three of the shinobi made up themselves. They were found peeping into the female childrens ward at Jatsu's organization base."

Sora ran a hand through his hair. "K-Kazue... I thought you were smarter than this... Jatsu isn't as she was... she's feeding you lies..."

Kazue shook her head. "Remember that day I came home crying because two older childs were picking on me, and Jatsu vowed to protect me, and all younger children, from people like those two bullies?" Kazue asked.

"That has no connection to this, Kazue... that was before she left..."

Kazue shook her head. "That is what this is about, dad. I need you to just trust me, and by trusting me, trusting Jatsu..."

Sora searched his daughters eyes and sighed.

"Sora, she really speaks the truth. I have been with her..." Nikito stated, courage returing to his voice.

Sora glanced down at Nikito and sighed. "You're absolutly sure?"

"Trust me - us..." Kazue smiled and placed her hand on Nikito's shoulder.

Sora looked between the two. "I trust you... however I do not trust him that close to you..."

Nikito's eyes widened as he jumped off the couch.

"Is it alright if he stays in the same house as your daughter?" Kazue asked.

Sora smiled and nodded. "Yes... just don't... touch her..." He murmured.

Kazue's face blushed lightly again. "You don't have to warn him, daddy." Kazue mumbled.

"I better not.." Sora said before heading toward the stairs. "I'm taking a nap... be good!"

"It's the beginning of trust!" Kazue called after her father and laughed.

Sora chuckled as he disappeared from sight. Nikito was still standing up from the couch with widened eyes. Kazue's expression softened and she looked up at Nikito.

"It's alright, he likes you..remember?" Kazue said quietly.

Nikito let out a deep sigh as he turned back to look down at Kazue, now smirking. "So what was it you were saying before he walked in?"

Kazue's eyes widened and she stood up, turning her face and heading towards the kitchen. "Hungry?" She asked.

Nikito chuckled. "Kinda, yeah."

"That's as far as you go." Umi stated, looking up from her book to Haruko who sat two cushions over on the couch.

Haruko rolled his eyes. "Oh I know the limits now..." He murmured.

Umi just stared blankly over at him.

Haruko sighed and looked out away from her as he placed his hands behind his head. "Why do you hate me?"

"Because you're a pig." Umi stated and returned to her book.

"But I've never done anything to you..." He murmured.

Umi looked back at him. "You did too."

He turned to look at her. "Like what?"

"The day I almost killed you for touching me..."

Haruko gave her a blank look. "I tripped and used you to keep myself balanced.."

Umi nodded. "You touched me. Besides, you're a man."

Haruko sighed. "Even Jatsu likes me more than you do..."

Umi sighed. "Then why do you waste your time?"

Haruko sighed. "Doesn't really matter, does it?"

Umi continued to stare blankly.

"Why tell you if you couldn't care less if I even died..." He hissed.

"Unfortunately, I have to care. If you died, the organization would be slightly unbalanced."

Haruko gritted his teeth. "You know that's not what I meant."

"If it effects me, then I deserve to know." Umi stated.

Haruko turned to look away. "No."

"I. Derserve. To know." Umi narrowed her eyes. "Pig."

"Cow."

Umi's mouth gaped and she stared at Haruko blankly. This was the first time he had ever spoken back like that.

"You disgust me." She hissed.

Haruko smirked. "At least most people like me."

"In your dreams."

"I bet Jatsu just puts up with you 'cause she has to." He laughed, still looking away from her.

Umi narrowed her eyes at him. "You know I don't like men, why are you making it worse?"

"'Cause attempts at making it better are futile." He hissed, turning to meet her deadly gaze with one of his own.

"You're attracted to me, yet you're willingly make me hate you more?" Umi spat.

Haruko gritted his teeth. "Again, I gave up trying... so I figured making you hate me more would be a lot more... amusing." He hissed.

Umi's lips turned down in a frown and she turned back to her book. "Pathetic."

"Useless." He hissed, looking away again.

Umi threw her book away and launched herself across the couch, grabbing his collar and pushing him deep into the arms of the couch. "Say it again, I dare you."

Haruko hissed at her and he flipped her over so she was being shoved into the couch. "Useless!" He hissed again, his eyes narrowed with a deadly glare.

Her eyes widened up at Haruko with terror. He had flipped her, and now he hung over her with his eyes narrowed at her.

"I.." Umi's face flushed as her eyes began to change through a veriety of colours.

Haruko studied her for a moment before getting off of her and standing up, straightening out his cloak. "Don't think I'm afraid to fight back. As I said, I gave up being nice." He hissed.

Umi slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position and drew her knee's to her chest. "I'm...sorry..." She muttered quietly and buried her face into her knee's.

Haruko turned to Umi with widened eyes. "Y-You're... what?"

"..Sorry..." She stuttered.

Haruko sighed. "I should be saying it... not you..."

Umi's body began to shake and she tightened her arms around her legs. "I'm sorry..." She muttered again.

Haruko bit his lip nervously when he heard two people walk in. He turned to see Jatsu and Itomi. Jatsu had her hood up, however her eyes widened when she saw Umi and she quickly rushed over.

"U-Umi...? What's wrong?" Jatsu stuttered, bending down to her eyelevel.

"I'm..sorry..." Umi muttered yet again as tears brimmed her eyes.

Jatsu's eyes widend as she looked to Haruko. "What the hell did you do to her!"

"N-Nothing!" Haruko gasped, backing up a bit from Jatsu's deadly gaze.

Itomi's face was twisted with confusion. "Dude...somethings up when Umi apologizes."

Haruko's heart raced as he looked between Itomi and Jatsu. "Sh-She and I had a bit of a fight i-is all..."

"What kind of fight?" Itomi questioned.

Haruko gulped again. "Sh-She called me a pig, s-so I called her a cow... i-it escalated and she tackled me... a-all I did was flip her so I had her pinned... I swear that was it!"

Itomi turned to Jatsu with a loss of words. Jatsu sighed deeply and looked back at Umi. "Why are you sorry, Umi? He had it coming..."

Umi shook her head and stood up to walk to the other side of the room, drawing her hood up so that no one could see her face.

"U-Umi?" Jatsu stuttered as she got to her feet.

Umi stared at the grey wall and wiped her eyes of the falling tears. "Haruko..." She muttered under her breath.

Haruko gulped and looked at her back. "Wh-What?"

In less than a second, she crossed the room and stood in front of Haruko, staring up into his eyes with her now pale yellow eyes. Her face was inches from his, and her eyes were slightly narrowed. Haruko gulped again, expecting her to attack him any second. She closed her eyes for a second and opened them again.

"You've got real guts." She whispered so that only he could hear.

Haruko's face twisted in confusion. "Wh-Why?"

She closed her eyes again and reopened them. Her eyes suddenly turned to a light green. She looked into his eyes once more before turning and leaving the room.

Haruko watched her walk off before looking at Jatsu who had her hands on her hips and a glare in her eyes.

"What?" He hesitated.

"I don't know what you've done to her... but Im not liking it..." Jatsu hissed.

Itomi shrugged. "I have no idea what to think about this. But something in Umi has seemed to change."

Haruko gulped. "She's gonna murder me in my sleep... I know it..."

"I told you that you weren't trying hard enough, but I think you've tried too hard." Itomi said and awkwardly rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't trying!" Haruko hissed. "I sat down and she started fighting with me!"

"Okay." Itomi said.

Haruko gritted his teeth, "What about you!" He sighed. "Have yah even made a move on Jatsu yet?"

Itomi smirked and shrugged. "Why don't you ask her?"

Haruko turned to look at Jatsu who had a smirk similair to Itomi's.

"No fair!" Haruko hissed, facing Itomi again.

"We're so good, the guard didn't even catch us." Itomi chuckled.

Jatsu smiled. "Face it, Haruko, Umi will never like you."

"I know that! That's why I actually fought against her..."

Itomi shrugged. "Whatever. What's done had been done."

Jatsu smiled and walked around Haruko to Itomi's side. "I'd seriously try to avoid Umi for a bit though, Haruko..."

Haruko sighed and nodded. Jatsu had eventually left the boys to go and find Umi. Umi was sitting in her designated room, shared with three others. One of them being Jatsu. Jatsu looked all over but couldn't find Umi. Finally she headed to their shared room and found her sitting on her bed.

"Umi...?" Jatsu said nervously, walking into the room.

Umi had her face buried in her blankets with her hood covering her head. "What?" she mumbled.

Jatsu took off her cloak and hung it up before sitting down on her bed across from Umi's. "What is really wrong? It's just Haruko..."

Umi shrugged and lifted her head. "He's an idiot." She stated.

"I've never seen that colour in your eyes... I haven't seen you cry since I first met you... and I've never heard you say sorry... ever..."

Umi diverted her eyes and shut them for a moment. "What colour are they this time?"

"Light green..." Jatsu murmured, laying back against her pillow.

Umi shrugged. "I've enver known them to be green..."

"Neither have I..." Jatsu agreed. "Do you know what it means?"

Umi chuckled lightly and looked away. "Confusion?"

"You really don't know, do you?" She laughed.

"No...I...He..." Umi sighed and sat up. "He's just an idiot. He's just like them all...he's..." Umi's voice trailed off.

Jatsu sat up as well with a sigh. "Are they really all the same?" Jatsu murmured. "I know why you hate men.. and I agree why you hate them, but if all men were the same... do you think I would have... k-kissed Itomi?" She murmured, diverting her eyes to the ground.

Umi's expression turned to disgust and she looked at Jatsu. "You had your lips on his filthy ones?"

"He's not like the ones you hate, Umi!" Jatsu sighed. "And... if you let Haruko in, I think you'd find that he's good too."

Umi's nose wiggled with disgust. "Let Haruko in? Ew."

"What if this new eye colour is something like... love... o-or... caring?"

Umi's mouth gaped and she snapped her head to look at Jatsu. "There is no love to that foul man."

"Maybe you just don't realize it..." Jatsu sighed.

Umi narrowed her eyes at Jatsu and stood to her feet. "No." Umi stated and stormed out of the room, running back through the halls to return to the room that Haruko was last seen. He was still there, sitting on the couch and reading a book.

Haruko looked up from his book, his eyes widening in fear. "U-Umi? He gulped.

Umi quickly crossed the room and knelt down infront of Haruko with narrowed eyes, her eyes still the green colour. "I am not falling for you..." she stated bluntly.

Haruko blinked in confusion as he looked down at her. "O-Okay..?"

"Alright? Got it? Your little act caught me of guard, and nothing more. You're just like all the others." Umi said.

Haruko stared at Umi for a moment before looking back down at his book. "Is that all then? Going to return to Jatsu now?" He sighed.

Umi's eyebrows furrowed and she pulled the book from his hands in order to stare deep into his eyes with her narrowed ones. Her eyes suddenly turned back to the pale yellow shade.

"What?" Haruko asked with a sigh as he tried to take the book back.

Her mouth parted slighty, and her eyes widened. "I..don't.." Umi shook her head in confusion.

Haruko leaned closer, still trying to steal back his book. "Umi.." he sighed.

"...understand..." Umi finished and fell back onto her butt.

Haruko sighed and looked down at Umi. "Please... just give back my book.."

Umi stared up at Haruko with confusion before slowly llifting her hand to give the book back. "Haruko..." she murmured.

He slowly took the book from her hand as he searched her light green eyes. "What?" He asked, his voice only a whisper.

Umi shrugged in response. "I...don't understand."

Haruko set down his book as he looked at her. "Don't understand what? You're the one who came back out here to me.."

Umi drew her legs up to her chest and buried her face into her knee's. "Why did you have to attack me?" Umi mumbled.

He blinked in surprise. "I could ask you the same thing.."

"Because you're a pig like the others!" She lifted her eyes meet his. "You were acting like an idiot!"

"But you started it!" He scoffed.

Umi moved to her knees and moved closer to his face. "Am I really that useless?" She asked, her expression saddening.

Haruko blinked in confusion again. "I-I never thought you were useless.. I said it because you called me pathetic..."

Umi diverted her eyes and frowned. "I...didn't mean it..." she mumbled.

Haruko also diverted his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "N-Neither did I..." he sighed.

Umi partly smiled and turned back to face Haruko. "May...be you're not so much of a...pig..." Umi whispered.

Haruko smirked and glanced at her. "I've never thought of you as a cow.."

Umi sat back and laughed lightly. "I suspected so. I mean, I wouldn't think you'd be attracted to a cow..."

Haruko's face turned a ligt pink as he looked away again. "Why does my attraction to you even matter?"

"Why are you even attracted to someone like me?" Umi asked in reply.

Haruko's blush deepened as he leaned back against the couch. "I-I dunno." He muttered.

Umi frowned. "Not a good enough reason."

"Why is it so important?" He groaned.

"Did I not already say that if it pertains to me, I deserve to know?"

Haruko sighed deeply. "You're pretty, kind when you want to. You're very strong and are good with children.. we've grown up together, so I guess my attaction to you developed over time. I just feel like we're similar.." he mumbled, covering his face with his hands.

Umi's face had turned to a light blush as Haruko explained his reasoning. She reached up and pushed the book flat to the arm of the couch. His face was flushed, and his eyes were looking away. Her heart had sped up, and she could hear it pounding in her ears. It had been over a decade since they first met, and his affection started over a long time, not just the recent year when she first found out? How many times had she pushed him away and spat in his face?

Umi sighed and lowered her head. When she looked back up at him, her eyes turned to a light purple. "I'm ...sorry."

"S-Stop apologizing..." Haruko stutred. He nervously reached out to push a piece of hair behind her ear. "Are you okay now?" He murmured.

Umi gasped and shut her eyes tightly, her face turning a dark shade of red. She flinched away slightly at his touch. All she could do was nod at his question.

He gave a small smile before reaching to grab his book. "Good." He murmured.

After a moment, she let out her held in breath noisely and opened her eyes to look at Haruko again. She slowly stood to her feet, feeling as if she was on a cloud and pulled her hood up over her head. She turned back around and began to head for the door. "You're a strange one, Haruko..." Umi stated before leaving the room.

Haruko chuckled to himself as he went back to his book. "As are you, Umi..."

Itomi suspiciously looked at Umi as she past him, and he entered the room Haruko was in. "Still have all your limbs?"

Haruko laughed as he looked up to Itomi. "Yep, and I even touched her." He smirked.

Itomi slowly raised an eyebrow. "Acidentally, right?"

Haruko shook his head. "I pushed her hair behind her ear.."

"Such a show of affection...it wasn't just your imagination, was it?"

Haruko narrowed his eyes before looking at his book again. "No. She had a new eye colour too... purple."

"Probably involves plotting something..." Itomi chuckled. "Anyways, we're being sent on another mission tomorrow morning."

"Yeah? What type of mission?" He asked, ignoring his comment about Umi.

"We are headed for the Mist..." Itomi smirked.