Recappy From the Last Chappy: "Er, I don't . . . . I don't think I could carry him, though!" What the hell is she doing! I don't want to be there alone when he's concious!

Discreetly, Annora looked at Sasuke and then flashed her eyes to Krystal, asking for his help. He understood what she was trying to do. "Don't be a wimp, you know you can."

She glared at him, exclaiming his name in her head. He raised a playful brow that told her she could not get out of this. With a sigh, she stood and waited as her limp father was placed against her back, and she found that she would have no problem carrying him, after all. A dirty look was given towards Sasuke. You are so gonna pay for this . . . .

Chapter Twenty-One: Likeness

"This is one nasty cut . . . . What happened?" asked the nurse as she cleaned Yuuta's forehead wound. When Krystal had arrived, she did as she was directed and gently laid him on the bed. She sat, hunched over, on a stool and watched the nurse work.

"Some idiot moving around props hit him with a microphone stand. I think he was carrying it over his shoulder and Elegance didn't have time to dodge . . . . Is he gonna be okay?"

Nurse nodded. "It's not as bad as it looks, actually, the wound is quite shallow. He shows no signs of a concussion, either. I just need to clean it so we don't risk an infection and then we can wait for him to regain consciousness," she answered. "I hope it doesn't leave a scar . . . . A celebrity's face is his selling point, although for all I know, Elegance may be able to pull of the dangerous look . . . ."

"Okay," Krystal said and breathed a mental sigh of relief. A minimal fraction of her stress left her, now that she knew he was going to be okay, but some of those feelings stayed, stubbornly, like the gum stuck to the bottom of her ninja sandal.

Nurse finally finished the disinfection phase and now looked for a gauze bandage. When she found one, she put it over the wound carefully, "Okiee dokiee, we're good to go! Now, er, you just have to wait for him to awaken . . . ." She blushed. "Erm . . . . Would you do me a favor?"

"I . . . guess."

"Wh-when Elegance wakes up . . . . You see, I have to go somewhere, now, so, er, do you think—" She handed Krystal her clipboard, "—you can ask him for his autograph for me?!"

Typically, she felt the classic "anime sweat drop" forming, ". . . fine," she groaned, accepting the clipboard and setting it aside. Man . . . . This is going to be embarrassing . . . . I was hoping she would stay, too!

"Uwaaah!! Thank you thank you thank you! You're awesome!" exclaimed she with a thumbs up and left.

"Nooo problem," she said to no one and decidedly moved her stool closer to Yuuta's bed. He looked sound asleep, dreaming contentedly. Hesitantly, as though intending to shake him awake, she projected towards him, but thought it better to withdraw. A scrap of her nearly-forgotten memories with him reminded her that, as calm natured as he was, he could be quite monstrous when forcibly awoken.

Meanwhile, back on stage, a storm was raging and its name was "Annora." All were intimidated by her fierce winds, loud thundering, and lightning-fast temper. "Kick higher! Azo, you're timing's off! Rei! Yours too! Oi, Georgia, where's your head—You missed the spin! Ugh, you people are all hopeless!"

Some, were annoyed, muttering amongst themselves. With a sigh, Kotoba decided to pull Annora to the side at the elbow, telling the dancers to "take five." She kept her voice fiercely low. "Annora, I know that you're worried, but you have got to calm down! You've had them dancing like that twenty minutes, no break. Remember, you used to be one of them—don't alienate them like that. They control how well the performance looks and sounds just as much as you do."

"What are you talking about? I was being totally uncontroll—"she peeked at the dancers. They looked exhausted, which made her realize how tired she was, herself. "—ing . . . . Sorry," she sighed. "I can't just stay still, though . . . . I mean, that was a head wound! What if he got brain damage or something?"

"I know, but I'm sure you can find another way to help yourself get over this rather than abusing your back-up singers and over exerting yourself," Kotoba lectured sternly. Then, she paused, looking at Annora less harshly and taking her hands. "He'll be perfectly fine. You'll see. Lighten up, okay?"

"I'll try—" she smiled wryly, "—but I can't help it. I can't stay still when I'm worried, you know that."

Kotoba smiled, too. "All right . . . if you have to move, then how about you do something less tiring? You have to waltz with Elegance for 'Eyes on Me,' so how about you get that Uchiha boy to dance with you? It'll occupy your head and it won't tire you too much or too quickly."

Annora's grin showed teeth, "Thanks Kotoba!" and she hugged her manager before walking off-stage to bother Sasuke sitting in the audience. She held her hand out to him. "Come on, Raven-head. Doubtless you're worried about Krystal as much as I am Elegance, so I'm electing you to dance with me."

He glared and bluntly replied, "No."

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer, Raven-head!" she said and pulled Sasuke up and out of his seat, towards the stage.

"But I can't dance!"

"So what? Me neither! (That's kinda why I'm practicing.) You can learn with me, and then you can woo Krystal as a Saint of Steps!" she said with knowing eyes. On stage, she set one of his hands on her waist, put her hand on his shoulder and took his other hands in hers. She smiled when he blushed, starting to lead him so he could get an idea of how it went.

"I wouldn't try 'woo'-ing her, anyway," he mumbled and accidentally stepped on her foot. "Told you I'm no good at this . . .! Hey."

"Yeah?"

". . . . If you're so worried about him, then why were you so adamant about sending Krystal with him? Why didn't you go yourself?" he asked, giving Annora a look that made her look away.

"Because . . . I care about him . . . . You know their history, right?" He nodded. "Well . . . Elegance has been buggin' since yesterday. She's been bothered by it too, right? I thought so . . . . I just wanted to give him a chance to talk with her. There's no way he'll do it front of others and because he's afraid she's mad and he has no idea how to approach her, he wont . . . . Since you helped me get her to go, I'm guessing you agree with me, right, Raven-head?"

"Stop calling me that—It's Sa-su-ke! And . . . maybe."

"I'll take that as a 'yes,' then—Ah! Sorry!" She had stepped on his foot. "Maybe I'll let you lead for a bit . . . ."

Krystal checked the time on the clock hanging on the wall again and sighed. Yuuta had been unconscious for over a solid twenty minutes. Medical ninja she was not, but it did not sound like a good sign. Any moment now she was going to satisfy the impulse to awaken him.

". . . ." The antsy kunoichi tapped her foot. She (more or so accidentally) bit her tongue. She cursed. She checked the clock again. Time was slowing. Her patience was nearly gone. Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick—"Gah, I can't take it anymore!"

Krystal activated her byakugan and searched quickly for the lucky chakra point she was going to hit. Seeing one in his arm, at where the outside would also be sensitive, she poked him with much force, and made it hurt double more as she sent chakra through. Yuuta's eyes flashed open and he rolled to his side whilst grabbing at the site of the pain. It was almost comical.

"What the hell was that?!"

"The gentle fist," she said stiffly and explained all that had happened. He seemed gruff, slightly irritated, yet, oddly, contained. However, this was a situation of being knocked into unconsciousness, not being awoken prematurely from a restful slumber. Circumstances were different, so, perhaps the result would be, too.

A momentary silence of awkward feeling followed, making it stretch on for what seemed longer than it actually was. All Krystal heard was the annoying tick-tock of the clock, when she suddenly had an epiphany. Grabbing the clipboard, she walked it over from where she had set it to Yuuta. He looked at her curiously. "The, er, nurse wanted an autograph . . . ."

"Oh," was his only reply as he took the pen and clipboard from her hands. Quickly, he signed it in a flashy fashion with a small note of "thank you" before setting it aside. "So . . . she said I'm good to go? Meaning, we can leave?"

She nodded, beginning to follow as he went to the door, but he had stopped, just as his hand closed around the knob; seemingly having second thoughts. About what? she wondered.

"Actually," he started, turning to face her as he leaned against the door and crossed his arms cooly. His face, however, held solemnity. "You know . . . maybe you and I should talk."

Krystal stared at him, and then, the floor. How ironic was it that she felt like a young child about to be chastised by her parent? "Okay . . . ."

"Okay." A little nervous, he had her sit on the edge of the bed (out of habit, she sat cross-legged Indian-style) as he took the stool, positioning it so he was only a few feet from her. Both chorused an opening vowel sound, but stopped there.

". . . I, er . . . . I'm sorry . . .," Krystal said awkwardly, staring to the side of her.

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?" he asked, now looking at her.

"Because . . . I don't know."

"Hmph. What's the point in apologizing when you do not know the reasoning behind it?" he mused.

"I—I don't know, I just . . . . Maybe I'm apologizing 'cause I . . . exist? Mom told me about everything . . . . If I was never born, then you wouldn't've had to find out. Maybe you and her would still be happy together," she said sadly, moving from her cross-legged position to one where her knees were drawn up. She also rested her chin on top, her hands at her shins and continued to avoid looking at him directly.

He frowned. "Did she? And I suppose she told you that, too."

"No, that part I came up with on my own."

"Why?"

"'Cause it's true! I'm only a hindrance and all I do is disappoint people . . . . It really wouldn't be a surprise to me. Heck, you didn't even bother with me—"

"—Now hold on—"

"—after you found out. Like I was just some obligation, you didn't really want me, either."

"Don't just assume that! That's not how it is! Hn . . . I knew you held a grudge, but I never imagined you would get THAT idea!"

Now she raised the level of her gaze and chin, meeting his eyes. Absently, she had let her mouth hang open part-ways. "I'm not holding a grudge. I can't hold a grudge. I'm . . . I'm still getting used to the idea that you're even alive . . . . Until four days ago, you were my biological father that slit his wrists for some unknown reason after he left. Now, you're the man I still want to call 'Dad' who left because he didn't want to deal with the daughter that isn't his and the ex-wife who slept with someone else! Forgive me if I don't have very high expectations, here."

His eyebrows snapped together. "She told you I was DEAD?" Of all things . . . . "And you're pretty snappy for someone who doesn't hold a grudge," he pointed out. "Just like your mother."

"Don't you dare compare me with that fi—her!" she snapped back, and clamped her jaw shut. What had she been about to finish saying, before she caught herself? Filth? Why not 'jerk,' or something like that? She was about to use a "Zakuro" line, totally claiming her superiority . . . . Frantically, she shook away her astonishment and scowled. "So what . . . ."

"I didn't mean anything by it . . . . Just . . . it's so strange, how much of her I can see in you now and then I think of things about you I would link to myself . . . but, that must have just been wishful thinking," he said ruefully, drawing his eyes to the floor.

Krystal did not retaliate. She remembered, vaguely, walking down one of Konoha's streets as she held one hand with Zakuro and the other with Yuuta. She was about three, nearly four. Many people had commented on her likeness with Zakuro; some who knew her since her childhood said, "If it weren't for the hairstyle, you would look just like your mother did when she was young." Some would add a comparison between her and Yuuta, but it was more of an awkward footnote, as not to feel like they were being rude. For folk whom could not think of any, he would pick her up and put his face next to her's and would say, "I gave her my smile!"

Oddly enough, they did have a similar smile. She wondered if that was maybe a coincidence. Also: "Mom says I hold chopsticks the same weird way you do . . . pencils, too." But that's only 'cause I learned by watching him when I was little . . . .

He was perked up a little, but seemed a little far away for a moment. He shook his head. "This isn't right. I should be apologizing . . . . I didn't leave for the reason you said. It wasn't because I didn't want to deal with a 'daughter that isn't mine and an ex-wife that slept with someone else' . . . partly. There's more to it.

"Your mother," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck,"is a hard person to live with. We had other problems even before she told me. We married pretty young, after all, and didn't really think it through very well. It only gave me more incentive; I was fed up. Maybe . . . if I had stayed a bit longer and been more rational about it—forgiven her sooner . . . . I could've been there for you while you grew up."

"Are you saying you regret it? Leaving?"

Yuuta's smile was complicated, seeming only half there. Almost like a sad smile, but it was not completely depressing. Krystal waited his answer patiently, shifting to sit cross-legged again as she tried to figure out what emotion he was trying to convey. "Not completely . . . . I am, after all, living my dream career . . . . I'm . . . happy, here . . . ."

". . . ." She closed her mouth, looking down. Her hands moved from being clasped in front of her to resting at the opposing elbow. "I . . . I see." I'm not sure that's what I wanted to hear . . . . I'm glad he's happy, but—

Suddenly, so sudden that Krystal gasped, Yuuta lunged forward and caught her in his arms, holding her tight. "I missed you; my little Krystal-chan . . . ." Her mind went blank as her senses filled with cinnamon and warmth. It was a different warmth, a different sense of protection, than what she had felt with Sasuke. Her heart was not pounding; her palms were not sweating. There was nowhere for her to hide her face. It felt like minutes passed until Krystal shook off her frazzled state and closed her eyes, forming a happy smile as she wrestled her hands from in-between to hug him back.

"I . . . missed you, too . . . ." She understood, now. Everything, and felt foolish for her actions earlier, nervous and unsure. Her face turned red from embarrassment. She had broken down in front of Sasuke . . . for a misunderstanding. Acted tense and paranoid in front of Sasuke . . . for a misunderstanding. Revealed most of what she really thought of Sasuke . . . for a misunderstanding.

Oh well, she thought. Maybe I would've ended up telling him later, anyway . . . . I'm just glad that I have my dad back. Grinning, she held Yuuta tighter. "Dad."

End of Chapter Twenty-One

Next Time on .:Roses are Red:.!! Chapter Twenty-Two: Heartstrings

"I'm not dense Krystal-chan, I KNOW Annora's in love with me! She's so transparent . . . . Lucky for me, though, she IS dense. In a way, it's like Eyes on Me. 'Stay there as I whisper how I loved your peaceful eyes on me . . . . Did you ever know that I had mine on you?'"

"And have you whispered? Does she know that you love her, too?"

His smile was familiar. It was a rueful, wry look that would have drawn empathy from Krystal, had it not been for his answer. ". . . no." She stopped in her tracks, scowling at him. After a few steps, he stopped, too, wondering why she did.

"What are you waiting for, then? The right time?"

He hesitated. "I don't plan on telling her."

God bless you for reading *^^* (Obviously, there is no Aki's Author Corner.)