AN: Shizuru Katy, Arisu Claudia, Miho Trisha. It's been almost a year since I last

updated. I'm so sad… But my beta had been making no move to urge me to update though.

BN: …you seemed like you were writing well?

"What is this?" he asked in an annoyed tone. There's surprise in his voice. Of course, anyone would be surprised to find a photo of them wearing clothes they've never seen, with knives shooting through at the photo. Shizuru stood there, giggling. The laughing emotions fell from her lips, and she turned to Miho.

"Are you even sane? Why would you even think of packing that picture? And sure, if animals attack us at a public camping site, it'd be okay to attack them with tiny ninja knives you buy off the Internet."

Arisu nodded, agreeing. "She's crazy. It's like she's obsessed with hating him." Of course, Neji was only getting more confused as they spoke.

"I needed a way to release stress. You guys know I don't like camping."

Miho looked suspicious, but her excuse was accepted because it sounded reasonable.

"How do we explain this to Neji?" Arisu asked, calmly, as if it didn't really matter.

"Why should we? He has nothing to do with the photo." Shizuru assured her, tugging at the shirt she was wearing.

"What? What are you sayi-" Before Miho finished her words, she noticed that Shizuru had tugged at her shirt hem, and Miho understood. She replied by pushing her hair back. It revealed the skin of her shoulders, which the kimono was partially covered. The three girls have a secret "body code"; if they were in danger (usually because of a prank), they would use the "body code" to try to save their asses- or if they just wanted to make fun of someone silently. If somebody tugged their shirt, it meant they had a plan to get out of whatever trouble was going on. Brushing back your hair meant that you understood.

"How is this photograph unrelated to me?! It is me!" Neji was trying to stop the girls from stalling (which they weren't exactly doing.), but was fairly unsuccessful.

Shizuru calmly said, "It's my brother. I think he looks exactly like you, now that I think of it. I think you look like him, too. Is that why you mistook him for yourself? He's a little assho' so a lot of my friends hate him. I think he likes Miho, so he has it out for her."

Since he wasn't about to get a better answer, the Hyuuga prodigy let Shizuru off the hook, though he had not fully rid himself of his suspicions (whatever they may be). After the commotion settled down, Shizuru was no longer in the mood for tea. Not that she had been so in the first place, anyway.

"Miho, Arisu, Hinata-chan, I'm going home. I'm a little… tired, per se, so I guess I'll see you guys tomorrows," said the girl whose name was the only one not mentioned [obviously. Shizuru faked a yawn and stretched her arms, heading for the gate.

"G-Gomen ne, Shizuru-san… But please come by next time!" Hinata bowed out of reflex.

"Ora, it's okay! And no need for formalities. Just call me Shizuru!" She waved her hand quickly as to reassure her that there was no need to be so formal.

"How… how about Shi… Shizuru… chan? May I call you Shizuru-chan?" The worry and uncertainty in Hinata's eyes drifted off when Shizuru smiled and nodded her head.

"Mhm! That would be great."

After saying her brief farewells, Shizuru was escorted to the gate and walked home, humming the tune to Scarlet, from Ayashi no Ceres. By the time she reached her current residence, she was singing along to the words in a soft whisper.

"Haruka na hoshizora ni, yume wa mada miemasu ka?" ("Can you still see your dreams in the distant, starry sky?")

Shizuru trudged to the kitchen after taking off her shoes, which weren't exactly sneakers, but not exactly anything else (BN: They're a motley!) …She riffled through the cupboards, already knowing they would not hold any food.

"What's for dinner?" a bored tone chimed in. Shizuru visibly flinched, still not completely used to being around anime characters. Which was it? Was she in an anime world, or were they in a "live action" world? And if this was an anime world, the voice actors were definitely not getting paid over time.

"Give me some money and I'll go buy you groceries and make you a nice omelet- and pay me some extra for the work," she half joked, but didn't exactly mind staving this open-pervert if he was going to keep randomly popping up like that.

"All I have is 400 yen ($3.50). Can we live on that?" Kakashi held out his hand and the few measly coins that were held in them. Shizuru stared at his hand. Kakashi also stared. They both stared for a while.

"…"

400 yen? Are you kidding me?! I could probably only buy a dozen eggs and a few tomatoes! Shizuru's eyebrow twitched, but she took the money and went out the door.

Shizuru came back with just what she thought she would; a dozen eggs and a few tomatoes, but she also was able to bargain in some cooking oil from the nice grocer lady. As promised, the white haired man's roommate cooked up an omelet. To be exact, she made two tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelets). There were, of course, the normal portions of rice.

Shizuru sliced up two tomatoes and put the rest in the fridge.

"…" Kakashi stared at the meal. Shizuru could not tell if it was in disgust or gratefulness. His expression was monotonous. Kakashi sniffled. His eyes started glazing. What was going on?

"Are you… crying…?" Shizuru asked incredulously.

"I… have not had a home cooked meal in so long!!" (BN: So Gai-like) Kakashi bounded up from his chair. "ITADAKIMASU!" He yelled and digged in. Shizuru looked at him as if he was a homeless person being let into a buffet, free of charge [No offence, ha-ha, which means she raised an eyebrow amusedly. Of course, when she looked down to pick up her bowl, Kakashi was already finished.

"Wash the… dishes when… I'm finished," Katy murmured between scoops of rice. She chewed slowly with her eyes closed. Kakashi grunted a yes and went to laze on the couch.

"Hey, Kakashi, who's sleeping on the bed and who's sleeping on the couch?"

"…"

"…."

"….."

"Want to play Jan Ken Pon? (BN: Rock, paper, scissors) Loser takes the couch." The brunet roommate suggested. The spiky-haired perverted sensei nodded and got in position.

"JAN-KEN-PON!" Shizuru grinned. She had rock and Kakashi chose scissors.

"Guess I'm on the couch then. Just don't touch my stuff."

"Not like you even have much anyway, living in this shabby apartment and all." The winner remarked.

"Oyasumi, Rumumeto-sensei." [Shizuru implies she has forgotten Kakashi's name, though he will be her future teacher. Rumumeto means "roommate", so this is a half-pun, I guess… the game winner murmured, though loud enough to be heard through the walls. There was no reply. After an hour of attempting to sleep, Shizuru got out of bed to drink a glass of water. When she opened the door, she saw a silhouette of a man wrapped in a blanket holding up what seems to be a book.

"…" He is such a stupid idiot. Go to sleep already!

And that's about how her night ended. Shizuru dozed off to sleep after her cup of water. She didn't notice that Kakashi had been sleeping. He was sitting up with the book clutched in his hand, but he was, undoubtedly, sleeping. (BN: Ow, that's painful.)

END.END.END.END.END.END.

Authors Note: Merry Christmas. Please don't kill me.

Beta's Note: Happy New Year and Azn New Year. Please don't kill her. Or I will use Roosevelt's Big Stick on you. And you won't like that. (invests Author with Power of the Big Stick)

Beta: 2stupid