Withering Flowers
Chapter 7 Finally
Asura was walking the streets of Konoha. "Asura!" Ino shouted a she approached the red-head. "It was Asura right?" Ino asked as she caught her breath. "Hai. You're Ino, Yamanaka Ino" Asura looked at the blond. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Just taking a walk" Asura replied. "Then I'll walk with you" Ino said. They both walked the streets.
"You haven't met everyone yet have you?" the blonde asked.
"No I haven't" Asura replied.
"Then I'll introduce them to you" Ino grabbed her friends wrist and ran. She was led into a shop; there was a chubby man with brown hair eating dango with a lazy eyed pineapple headed man. "Choji, Shikamaru, meet Asura!" she said loudly as she stood in front of them. They looked up at the blonde woman then to the woman next to her. "I'm Choji, Akimichi Choji" the man so called 'Choji' introduced himself gentlemanly. "I'm Shikamaru" the other man said lazily. "Nice to meet you, my name is Sanei Asura" Asura introduced herself; happy to meet new people. "Asura's a transfer ninja" Ino added. "Is that so?" Shikamaru asked un-interested. "You should be more friendly Shikamaru" Ino nagged like she always did. "Ah! We shouldn't be here for too long. I should introduce you to Hinata's team" Ino said then grabbed her friends wrist yet again.
Asura was led into a forest clearing. She saw a man petting a white dog, a man covered under a hood and a blue haired woman sitting on a log. "Hinata!" Ino yelled loudly. "Ah, I-Ino" the woman stuttered. The man and the dog looked at Ino, and as for the man with the hood….. He was probably looking at her too. "This is Asura" she gestured her hand at the red-head. "I-I'm Hyuuga Hinata" Hinata said. "Nice to meet you…" Asura was cut off; "I'm Kiba" the man with the white dog stood, "and this is Akamaru". The dog barked. Asura looked at him then the dog. "My name is Aburame Shino" Shino introduced himself. "Ah.. Nice to meet you all" Asura said. "Asura here is a transfer ninja and is now our ally" Ino said. "A transfer ninja huh?" Kiba scanned his new ally's body. Ino looked at him a bit irritated when she saw him staring at her friend's bare legs, "Kiba". Kiba snapped out of it then laughed awkwardly. "Why were you transferred?" Shino; asked breaking Kiba's laugh. "They never tell" Asura replied looking at the ground with suspicion and a hinge of sadness. All eyes were on Asura; except Ino's. Ino noticed everyone's eyes, she didn't like not getting attention, "well let's get going Asura, there's still so much you need to see in Konoha. Asura broke out from her suspicion and diverted her attention to the blonde; "hai".
Asura walked the streets of her new village alone. Ino left her after showing her the village and saying that she had to go back to the flower shop. She liked the hospitability of Ino and thought that there would be more fun people like her in this new village. "Asura!" Kiba ran towards her. "Ah, Kiba" she turned around and looked at the man she just met. "Are you doing anything right now?" He asked. "Well I'm talking to you" she answered humorously; they both laughed. "Do you want to have tea with me?" He asked. "Su…." She was cut off. "You're not going anywhere with her" Neji was standing a few yards away from them. 'Neji?!' Asura thought. "Neji?" Kiba looked at Neji with curiosity, "why can't I go anywhere with Asura?" his expression changed into suspicion. Neji looked at him; he couldn't believe what he just said. He was just walking when he heard What Kiba said then the words just came out. "Because I won't allow you to do so" he said, he was being taken over by something else. His heart.
"Is that so?" Kiba looked at Neji with tolerance. "Let's settle this the way a man would" Neji turned away slightly then looked at Kiba from the corner of his eyes. Kiba smirked, "definitely" he cracked his knuckles then followed the man who was about to be his opponent. Asura's eyes widened with worries, 'they're not going to fight are they?'.
'Should I follow them or should I just stay?' Asura panicked as she watched the two men disappear. She just stayed. She went to a tea shop and drank tea to calm herself. 'What are they going to do? They won't fight right? It'll all be my fault if they get hurt.' Asura let these thoughts occupy her mind. She was worried.
Asura woke up and saw her bedroom ceiling. She turned around; Tamaru was asleep. She quickly got up and went to the kitchen. "Ohi-" Sou was cut off; Asura quickly went to the bathroom then changed. Sou watched as his teammate put on her shoes. "I've gotta do something. I'll bring breakfast later" She went out the door. 'Whats with her?' Sou wondered to himself.
Asura ran to a shop then to the forest she had visited the other day. She saw only Shino and Hinata. "Hinata, do you know where Kiba is?" she asked while catching her breath. "N-no, me and Shino-kun we're j-just wondering wh-where he was" she replied, "are you alri-". "Do you know where he lives?" Asura asked desperately. "He lives in the first brown house you see when y-you enter the Inuzuka c-clan's territory" she said. "Thanks" Asura ran off. She knew where the Inuzuka territory was because Ino guided her around the whole village. She saw a brown house and assumed that it was Kiba's. She quickly knocked on the gate. A woman with brown hair that was tied in a low pony-tail answered the door, "who are you?". "I'm Sanei Asura a….. a friend of Kiba" Asura said, "I came to see if he was injured". "Well he's injured alright, do you have something to do with the fight?" the woman asked sharply. "I didn't hit him but I'm sort of the reason he got hurt" Asura explained. "Uh huh? Well I'll bring you to Kiba's room so follow me". The woman led Asura to Kiba's room. "Kiba, a friend's here to see you" she said as she knocked on the door. "Come in" they heard him say; the woman opened the door for her guest and let her in. Asura walked towards Kiba's bed. "Ah, Asura" the injured Inuzuka was surprised. Akamaru barked. Kiba tried to sit up but groaned with pain. Asura put down the bag ,"don't push yourself" Asura said gently as she helped him get on his back. "W-why are you here?" he asked; he hated looking weak in front of her. "I thought you and Neji fought, and I wanted to make sure that you're alright but you aren't." She looked away. "I'm fine" he lied. "Here, I bought you these" Asura held the bag in front of him. He peeked inside; it was full of rice cakes. "Mochi" he said after looking in, "arigatto". "Dou ita shimashite" Asura smiled at him, he smiled back at her. There was a knock on the door, "come in". "K-Kiba-kun" Hinata and Shino stood in the door way. "Shino, Hinata" Kiba said; he was un-satisfied with their presence, he wanted to be alone with Asura a bit more. "A-Asura" Hinata looked at Asura. "Ah, I have to also check on Neji. He also must be injured" Asura stood up remembering the other man who participated in the fight. "Good-bye Kiba" She said then walked towards the door, "Hinata, Shino" she stopped to say her good-byes to them then left.
Asura bought another bag of mochi (rice cakes) and went to Neji's house. She knocked on the gate. A servant answered it, "I'm a friend of Neji, I came to see if he's alri-" the servant walked away meaning to lead the guest to Neji's room. Asura thought that the servant was miserable and tired of working. She followed the servant. She was soon standing in front of the door she saw before. She knocked, "I don't want anything to drink" she heard Neji's voice. 'Tired of drinking huh?' she thought, "Neji, it's me. Asura" she said in her most innocent voice. There was no answer for a moment, "come in" he finally said with a more gentle voice than before. She went in. "Are you feeling better?" she walked towards his bed. "No" he answered. Asura sat on his bed beside him. He looked away blushing by how close she is to him. She held the bag in front of Neji, "I brought you some mochi, but I don't know if tough guys like sweets." She smiled at him. Neji looked at her; her smile melted his heart (in the good way). He didn't say anything. Asura noticed that and talked to him first, "so, who won?" she asked out of boredom. "He looked out the window with satisfaction; he didn't say anything. "By that expression and silence, I'd say you won" she said carefully studying his face. He closed his then turned his head away from the window. He opened his eyes and looked at Asura. She looked perfect; that beautiful porcelain skin, promising eyes, and as far as he's seen, a perfect body. "Go out with me" he asked again this time with nothing taking over him and not being surprised of what he asked. He wanted to ask it, both mind and heart. Asura wasn't surprised; she experienced this before so now it was easier to take. She shifted the weight of her head on her shoulder then smiled. Neji's eyes widened along with his mouth then it slowly broke into a laugh. Something he almost never does. Asura laughed with him as well. They stopped laughing, "Ah! I forgot. Sou and Tamaru's breakfast" she stood up and ran out the door, "bye Neji". "Bye…" he said silently. He laid back down with his arms over his head feeling happy.
