A/N: Hi there everyone. It's up. Pretty fast right? Thanks to a good friend of mine. Hopefully I can complete this story and move on. So many things to writre so little time. Have fun.

The following day, Anko walked into the Ramen shop and said, "Morning Teuchi, is Kuro here?" It was around 9 o'clock. The sun was already up as well as the majority of the people of Konoha. Not much was happening in the streets except for various employees heading to work.

"Yes, he's in the back getting dressed." Teuchi responded, and then yelled, "HEY KURO, YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S HERE!!!" It had become a daily routine for Anko to show up at the Ramen Shop at that same time every day. With Anko re-assigned to her mission, she tagged along with Kuro wherever he went, which she seemed to enjoy more now that she found a new friendly feeling for him inside her. She still wasn't quite sure about it, but it made her happy. But she still didn't think she was anything like Kuro's "girlfriend."

"HEY, Teuchi…" she said while giving him an irritated look.

"I know it's just kind of funny that you're always with him now. One wouldn't be wrong to assume that you two had something going on."

"TELL HER I'LL BE RIGHT OUT!" Kuro bellowed from somewhere inside the shop.

Teuchi saw that she had heard Kuro when she gave him a nod. He asked, "Since you're here would you like some breakfast?"

"No, I don't want to become a bother."

"It's not a bother at all. Here, this one's on the house," Teuchi said as he handed Anko some ramen with egg.

"Well, if you insist," Anko said as she clapped her hands and said, "Thank you for the meal."

As Anko ate, she started to think about how things had progressed for Kuro. He was now able to move freely around the village. The day after the evaluation, Kuro was placed on file as a fully fledged ninja from the village. He hadn't been given a mission yet, but Anko's mission to follow him was still in effect.

Anko thoughts began to wander around what Teuchi had said. It has been about a week and a half since Anko had been with Kuro. It was true that they were spending a lot of time together (more then before the reassignment) and Kuro had even been buying her gifts and taking her out to eat and it started to cross her mind that they could possibly look like a couple.

"Hey Anko, I got a surprise for you," Kuro said as he came into the shop's kitchen. He looked squeaky clean like he just got out of the shower and his clothes looked like they just they just came out of the dryer.

"Hum?" She replied as she was gobbling down some noodles.

"But I can't show you here."

"Oh! Where are you taking her today, Kuro?" Teuchi suggested friskily.

"Stop joking around Teuchi." Kuro raised his fist in a show of playful anger.

"What, you never know what a couple could be up too?" Teuchi added.

"WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!" Anko and Kuro replied in unison, even though they looked toward each other after they said it.

"OK, OK. Don't kill me for making a joke." Teuchi said as he raised his arms implying that he had admitted defeat.

When Anko finished her breakfast, she quickly got up and thanked Teuchi for the dish. Then both Kuro and Anko left the shop and Kuro lead the way to a nice quiet bar. As they took their seats in a booth in the corner, away from other customers, Kuro began to unravel his little surprise.

Kuro began, "Well as you already know, I cover my eye's 24-7."

"That's obvious" Anko said sarcastically.

"Yea well, I have been able to create a technique that will change my eyes for public use," he explained. Kuro wanted to create this technique so he can walk around free from other people's mistrust in him for covering his eyes.

"It's about time," Anko replied with a sigh of relief. She had been curious about Kuro's eyes ever since they met. Anko knew that he had those animal eyes but he said they weren't active all the time. This implied that he had some other secret about his eyes.

"What? It's not as easy as it sounds," Kuro tried explaining.

"Yeah, whatever," she answered while rolling her eyes but in a jocular fashion.

With a slightly irritated air, Kuro said, "OK then fine. I won't show you."

Anko saw that he was serious and seemed aggravated by her comment. "Oh come on, I was just joking."

"Yeah right, you probably don't even care."

Anko shot back "See, now you're just being stubborn."

"I am not!" Kuro responded with a very demanding voice.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not," he hissed.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

5 minutes later…

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Hey you two, stop bickering like an old married couple," someone in a nearby booth said.

"WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!" they both said in complete harmony.

"Well, you two sure act like it!" the person continued.

When Anko got a good look at the person's face she automatically knew who it was. "Kurenai, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Nothing much, I was passing by to get a quick drink but then heard you two fighting."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about the drinks. I'll be right back." Kuro got up and headed over to the bartender.

"So Anko, have you figured out what's going on between you and Kuro yet? Lots of people are talking about him." Kurenai questioned Anko as she took Kuro's seat. Kuro had become a very popular subject in many people's conversations. It had seemed that his dark image and mysterious complexion had earned him that position of curiosity.

"Uhm, why?" she responded trying to act rather confused at her question.

"You know why! You called me over last time remember? Seriously, the whole town is talking about him…and you too."

"And me? What about me?" Anko asked. She knew that Kuro was a conversation starter but how did she fit into the picture?

"Everyone's saying that the mysterious boy that came to town about a week ago has got himself a girlfriend in the village" Kurenai stated.

"WHAT!!!" Anko screamed.

"SShh, keep it down," Kurenai said trying to calm Anko down.

Anko was baffled by this new information. "I guess Teuchi was right when he said that people would think we're a couple." Finally she said, "Tell me you're joking."

"Sad to say but I'm not," Kurenai explained, "But I wouldn't mind if I were you." Kurenai turned and eyed Kuro at the counter.

Anko said, "Oh no, don't get started." Kurenai was known to eye up other men, even though Asuma did take up most of her time. And lately, she began making it a point to always remind Anko that she was still single and that she needed to find herself a man.

Anko said, "Plus, you're with Asuma so you can't say anything,"

"What? I'm just saying that he doesn't look bad at all and it's about time you get yourself a boyfriend. Come on. You know you like him!"

"He's seventeen for God's sake!" she pointed out.

"He is?" Kurenai asked a bit shocked. She quickly looked over at Kuro again. "He looks way older. At lest early to mid 20s. But then again since when does love have an age requirement?"

"It would be child molestation!" Anko argued.

"Only if you do anything with him but there's no rule that says you can't date him," Kurenai commented. "When does he turn 18 anyway?"

"I don't know," Anko replied in a frustrated tone.

"Well, I'll ask him and then maybe you and he can get something started."

Anko said, "And who said I wanted to go out with him anyways?" She crossed her arms and leaned back on her chair to show her aggravation.

Kurenai looked at her friend and said, "Well, let's see. There was a pretty depressed sounding friend of mine who CALLED me a couple of days ago, asking questions about a certain someone! I know you're interested. I can tell."

"Just drop it already," Anko demanded. She was getting irritated by the way things were turning out in the conversation. She wanted to stop the thoughts about her and Kuro together.

"Alright but tell me, where did you get that beautiful necklace from?" Kurenai asked as she pointed to Anko's brand new necklace.

The princess sized necklace was of white gold and the pendant had two diamond curves. In the center of the diamond arcs was a pink tourmaline gem that completed the pendant and created an "A" shape.

"I bought it for her at that new jewelry store that opened up" Kuro said as he walked over to the table where the two ladies where sitting with the drinks.

On the day that the jewelry store opened, Kuro and Anko had passed by it and Anko was mesmerized by the necklace's beauty. Ironically, the gem in the middle was Anko's birthstone. Kuro saw how captivated Anko was over the necklace so while she was looking at it he went inside and bought it for her. As Anko was still bent over staring at the necklace in the window, he took the same necklace out of its box and put it around her neck. Anko was immediately infatuated with her new necklace and extremely thankful to Kuro, but he just played it off.

Kurenai just gave Anko an eyebrow lift which told her immediately exactly what she was thinking. "And he buy's you beautiful things. What more could you want? He's almost perfect for you. I don't know any man that would buy a friend something so expensive and not want to start a relationship."

Anko interrupted Kurenai's thoughts when she said, "Oh, Kuro you remember Kurenai."

"Yes, I remember," Kuro said respectfully giving Kurenai a hand shake.

"Nice to see you again," Kurenai replied.

Kurenai then quickly asked her well waited question. "So Kuro, when do you turn 18?"

"Next week, why?"

Again Kurenai gave Anko another "look" which caused Anko's cheeks to suddenly turn pink.

Kurenai said nonchalantly, "No reason just wanted to know."

Kurenai talked with Anko and Kuro for another ten minutes. She then finally started to say her goodbyes. "Well, I have to go. Someone's waiting for me at home."

"Asuma" Anko said while coughing.

"Alright then, it was nice seeing you again," Kuro said.

Kurenai ignored Anko's statement and left.

"Who's Asuma?" Kuro asked when Kurenai was out of hearing range.

"Asuma is Kurenai's boyfriend," she replied, "even if they haven't officially announced it." Anko began sipping her drink.

Kuro nodded and said in a sarcastic tone, "Why are the pretty ones always taken?"

Anko partially choked on her drink as she turned and asked Kuro in an agitated voice, "Are you saying that I'm not pretty?"

"I didn't say that. I didn't even know you were single!" Kuro said.

"So what? I would only be pretty if I was dating someone?" Anko asked getting madder.

"I didn't say that!" Kuro repeated as he took his seat. "But anyways back to what I was initially talking about. "

"Oh yeah, OK let me see them." Anko said in a childish matter, a little put off that Kuro had changed the subject so quickly. Then she realized that she'd completely forgotten about why they were in the bar to begin with.

"OK but give me a sec." Kuro began to do a few hand seals.

When he finished he took off his forehead protector but kept his eyes shut as he said, "You ready?"

Anko almost shouted, "Of course! You don't have the slightest idea of how curious I am about seeing you eye-to-eye."

"OK, here it goes." He quickly retracted his eyelids and revealed his light blue eyes.

"WOW. I didn't think they'd be that nice," Anko said as she looked at the bright blue looking back at her.

As Kuro's facial expression change to a disgruntled look, his eye's also changed. The colored area that was completely light blue started to show spots of dark orange on the outer rim of the pupil.

"And they change color?" Anko asked.

"Yeah, I haven't been able to control that part yet," Kuro confessed. "It changes according to my emotional status."

"So, does that mean that blue means happy and dark orange means angry?"

"No, dark orange means irritated not fully mad."

"Oh, OK. I get it." Anko replied.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone from the bar called, "Hey Black, is that you?"

As Kuro looked over to the person talking, Anko saw that his eyes changed back to entirely blue.

"Saito? Is that you?" Kuro responded.

"Black, it's been a while. How have you been?" Saito was a very tall, very skinny man. He had short black hair and wore a blue sports jacket with some joggers.

"I'm good and you? What are you doing here?"

Kuro's entire mood changed; Anko could feel it. He seemed ten times happier. She could also see it in his eyes. They were brighter then before. "I wonder who this is" Anko thought?

Saito replied, "Just traveling around and you? I could ask you the same question."

Kuro answered, "Just came by to say hi to some old friends."

"Is this one of them?" Saito said as he pointed to Anko who had been silent the entire time.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kuro told Anko, "no, this is just a friend I meet here in the village. Saito this is Anko and Anko this is Saito. He's an old friend of mine from one of the villages I had been to."

"Oh he is? Well, it's nice to meet you," Anko said as she shook Saito's hand.

"No, for me this is an honor," Saito said with a smile on his face. Saito took quick notice at Anko's appearance. Suddenly his smile faded. "Uh, Kuro can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Kuro asked.

Saito whispered, "No, I mean privately."

"Hey, if you've got something to say you can say it right here."

"Are you sure?" Saito asked.

"Yeah."

"You won't get mad?"

"Why would I get mad?" Kuro said in a bit of a frustrated tone.

"You promise you won't get mad."

"I promise alright! Now spill it."

"OK," Saito began but hesitated before finishing his sentence, "Anko kinda looks like Mutsumi to me."

"Who's Mutsumi?" Anko thought but when she looked at Kuro, his eyes were completely yellow. "I wonder what yellow means? Well, judging by his body language, it must mean surprised."

But the yellow color in Kuro's eyes didn't last. Like the light in darkness, Kuro's eyes immediately changed to a dark, crimson-like red. Anko could see the rage and hatred in his eyes.

Kuro quickly got up and grabbed Saito by the shirt with both hands yelling, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!!! HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU SAY THAT SHIT TO ME!?!"

"Kuro?" Anko whispered. She was completely bewildered by Kuro's sudden reaction.

"You said you weren't going to get mad!" Saito screamed back at him.

Kuro gripped Saito's shirt even tighter as he remembered his promise. He then threw Saito towards the wall whispering, "You fucking lucky bastard." Kuro then headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Anko yelled out while trying to get out of the booth.

"Away from here" Kuro replied coldly. Kuro left the bar and quickly disappeared.

Anko only caught a glimpse of Kuro's face as he turned to respond. The first thing she noticed was his angered expression. The second thing she noticed was that his eyes were no longer completely red but started to become dark purple.

"What could have happened? Who's Mutsumi? And why did he get mad when Saito said I look like her?" These questions flourished in Anko's mind as she wondered where she could get her answers.

"Damn Black, he always goes overload when anyone talks about Mutsumi" Saito said as he recollected himself from Kuro's shove.

"The answers are right here." Anko though before speaking out loud, "Saito, who's Mutsumi?"

Saito just stared at Anko. They were both quiet for a second before he finally spoke, "I'm not sure if I can tell you."

"Just like Teuchi said before" Anko thought. "Why?"

"Because Black might kill me if I do," Saito said a bit worried.

Anko asked, "And another thing, why do you call him Black?"

"We call him that because when he was in our village he wore that black clothing and since no one knew him, everyone just referred to him as Black," Saito explained.

"So did that Mutsumi girl have something to do with your village while Kuro was there?" Anko tried to persist with her questions.

Saito sat in the booth with Anko. He rubbed his head before saying, "It does but before I go on any further I have to ask you something," Saito's voice was becoming serious and straight forward.

"What?"

Saito said firmly, "Are you considering having a relationship with Kuro?"

Anko began to blush again, "What's up with everyone today. Everyone is talking about me and Kuro. Teuchi, Kurenai, the villagers and now even Saito and he's not even form this village."

"W-Why do you need to know?" Anko asked hesitantly.

"Because if you are considering it, you should know some stuff about him that might change your mind," Saito clarified.

Anko was surprised to hear this. "What does he mean? And why is it about a relationship? Could it be that something happened between Kuro and that girl Mutsumi?"

"So are you considering it or not?" Saito asked again.

Anko stayed quiet as she thought to herself, "What should I say? If I say no, he won't tell me and this information might be useful for my reports on Kuro for Tsunade. If I say yes, he will tell me but I don't want to say I'm thinking of going out with Kuro, even though . . . Wait, what am I talking about? But still, what should I say?"

"Anko, answer me!" Saito said.

Anko was hesitant at first but finally said, "Yeah, I've been thinking about it." The word thinking came out rather doubtful but Saito just dismissed the idea.

"Well since you're thinking about it, and you seem like you will understand him, I guess it would be ok to tell you, but you can't repeat this to anyone ok?"

"Ok," Anko respond quietly since she was going to have to report everything.

"Ok well, if I'm going to tell you about Mutsumi and Kuro I'll have to tell you everything about Kuro. Without the background information you won't know what I'm talking about." Anko just nodded as Saito began, "First off, Kuro…he's not human."

A/N: Did that surprise you? It did me. Wel next up is the revealing of Kuro's past. Good luck.