Hello! I've heard that some people don't get why Tobirama ran away in the last chapter and I'll admit I can understand where you're coming from, but in my view, I have always imagined Tobirama to be someone who, if he sees no point in doing something, won't do it. I read on Narutopedia.com as well that he was a "pragmatic" sort of person. Maybe our views of him differ, but I hope it doesn't affect your view on the story. Thank you for your feedback those who reviewed, anyway, it was very insightful and helpful. And thank you for raising the issue of Tobirama's "fleeing" moment.

[24]

Sitting in her living room wearing a disheartened expression, Kizuka fumbled with her mobile phone, thinking of calling someone and just talking. Not so much about Tobirama, or her relationships with men in general, just ... talking. But she didn't have any girl friends, if she was honest. Given her upbringing, it was weird, but she reasoned that because of the lack of a strong female role model, she just found familiarity in the company of men and so didn't bother to change.

What a mistake.

She had tried to pull the sleeves of her dress up to her elbows, but barely managed to get them past her wrist. To believe she'd dressed up only to sit in her living room, wallowing about life, was silly. Madara was right: she needed to get out more.

Sitting there with a face to match a baboon's backside wasn't going to do her any good. She could cry the whole night if she wanted to, complaining about how she didn't picture this to be the end of their relationship and how stupid she'd been anyway to entrust a man with her emotions. After all, did she not learn anything from her stepfather? Stupid mistakes are made by stupid people, just like he said. She was just one of those "stupid people" like he had told her.

She exhaled, closing her eyes. Stupid girl, what would a relationship with her best friend's rival offer her? Trouble, that's what! Men were nothing but trouble.

Knock, knock.

"Huh?" Kizuka looked up, at her living room doorway. A few minutes later, there was another knock at the door. "Who ... ?" She crept out of the living room and peered at the front door. Through the letterbox peered two scarlet eyes.

"Kizuka, let me in. I ... We still need to talk."

"Tobirama?"

Kizuka ambled forwards, the keys clinking in her hands as she fiddled with them in order to open the door for him. Finally she was able to find the right key and unlocked the door. Behind it, Tobirama stood, looking anything but proud. He directed his eyes down at the floor, his lips a loose line across his face. "Can I come in?" he asked quietly.

"Erm, yeah, sure." Kizuka stepped out of the way and he passed over the threshold. While she shut the door, he remained standing in the hallway, looking awkward. She tried to stall turning around to face him: neither of them met each other's eyes. "So ... what brought you back?"

Tobirama's throat must have run dry. He stumbled over his words. "Well, I thought about – erm, well, you were right - I mean, about dinner. We should talk about it and ..."

Kizuka suddenly realised that it might not just be hard for herself, but for Tobirama as well. Thinking very carefully, she contemplated her next words; "Tobirama, when you said you loved me ... am I your first love?"

Tobirama faltered. "Um ..."

Kizuka's gaze softened. "Tobirama ... if I told you that I studied Psychology at school for Chunin Levels, and in that was non-verbal communication, what would you say?"

He sighed and looked to the side. "I'd ask you what you make of my communication. If ... you knew ..."

Kizuka smiled in spite of the situation. A nervous chuckle slipped past her lips, drawing Tobirama's attention back onto her. "I'd tell you that right now you look nervous and you're acting like you want to say something you find difficult. I'm right," she said, meeting his eyes, "aren't I?"

He gulped but said nothing.

Slowly, he stepped towards her, and when he was only a few inches away from her, he whispered, "Tell me what I'm hiding, Kizuka."

"You're hurt."

"And?" His breath caressed her lips, tickling her cheeks.

"You're anxious."

"What else?" That intense look in his eyes made her feel dizzy.

"You don't want it to end."

"What's 'it'?" For a moment his words didn't seem to settle in her mind.

"This."

"What's 'this'?" She tried to think: what was this?

"Err—"

"I'll tell you, shall I?" Tobirama whispered against her face, inching closer. Kizuka felt like she had been frozen to the spot by some sort of compulsion like in the vampire films she had watched. The only thing she could do was watch as Tobirama pressed his lips to hers. Something, a little spark inside of her, lit up and burned her veins with an electric excitement. Subconsciously her hands crawled up his chest against her better judgement, while his fingers entangled themselves in her long hair. As he left small butterfly kisses around her jaw, her senses started to come back to her.

"Tobirama, we shouldn't—"

"Mm, Kizuka—"

"No!" Kizuka pushed him away, red-faced and looking miserable. "Please don't confuse me! Tobirama, I know this hurts, but I think we should go on a break. Clear the air, you know ... stuff like that."

Tobirama kept a blank face.

"At least ... say something. Please?" Kizuka recoiled as Tobirama's lips pressed into a thin line, chewing her bottom lip in worry. "I know it's not what you want, but after spending all this time apart, I don't feel like I can just get over it altogether. It hurts that you don't trust me, and running away from it won't hurt. It'll always be there."

"Just a break?"

"I'm not going to promise that we'll get back together," Kizuka clarified, unsmiling, "But if we start afresh, then we should be able to work it out. Don't you think so?"

Tobirama looked away.

Kizuka sighed and looked at her feet. If he wanted to get back together, then it would be cruel to promise that they would, because Kizuka didn't really know what she wanted anymore. She didn't see herself leaving Uchiha Corps., but hadn't she initially set out to use Uchiha Corps. as a means of a practise run? She had become so comfortable in her life, she had forgotten what she had originally set out to do. She still needed to visit her uncle Kenji, but she knew she couldn't leave things like this behind. Relationships, especially ones with a lack of trust, tended to act like boiling water. At first glance, it's normal, then it's simmering for a long time before finally it reaches boiling point. And that wasn't something Kizuka was looking forward to, if she couldn't avoid it.

"I understand what you mean," started Tobirama glumly, eyes firmly planted on the wall to the left of him. "I know that I'm not ... the most trustworthy person, if Izuna's told you, but ... I'm not the same. Back then, my brothers had just died in a car crash. I was responsible for it. I just needed to get rid of the guilt. The girls back then, they didn't mean anything – they were just there."

"I'm not breaking things off with you because of girls from years ago," Kizuka murmured softly, "Right now, things are piling up. I've got a few problems right now and it's like a ... evidence locker at a police station, things get put at the back of my mind and I'll say I'll deal with them later, but later never comes." Kizuka took a deep breath. "My step-dad has just been sentenced to life imprisonment, it was in the papers yesterday. I didn't mention it to anyone, but ..."

"It's fine." But he sounded unconvinced. "I can see why you'd believe him."

"Tobirama, this isn't about Izuna. This is what I want; it's about me." The hard look she gave him made it hard for him to disbelieve her. "I'm going to leave Konoha soon and check in with my uncle. I don't want to leave behind me a mess. Things like this fester."

Tobirama refused to look at her and focused on the wall on the right. Kizuka raised a hand and touched his cheek; he didn't flinch nor react to her touch, and allowed her to steer his face towards hers. "Please, I can understand if you hate me afterwards, but give me time to sort things out. My life is my priority right now, I need to do this. It's not Izuna, it's not you, but me."

"Promise me one thing." At once Kizuka became wary and readied herself to refuse his wish. "Even if it doesn't work out, can we try to be friends afterwards?"

Kizuka faltered, taken aback. "Erm, I would like that." she murmured unsurely.

Tobirama nodded and stepped backwards. "I guess that's it." he muttered, eyes now on Kizuka: she didn't miss the sadness swimming in them, and at once guilt engulfed her. "Well, I hope everything clears up soon." He tried to give her a tight-lipped smile, but they both knew it looked strained. "See you soon, yes?"

Muted by her emotions, Kizuka could only nod. If she said anything, she knew she would burst out crying.

And Tobirama left, shutting the front door with a faint click behind him.

I'm sorry it's rather short, but I wanted to start the next part as a separate chapter. You'll see why when I post it.

Thanks again, everyone! How's the Christmas shopping going? :)

PS: Chunin Levels in my story would be the real-life equivalent of A-Levels, or whatever your country does. Genin Exams would be GCSEs.