Chapter 28

The Chuunin exams begin

Karena and Sasuke laid there on the bed so close to each other. Sasuke hugged her waist and Karena put her arms around his chest. Karena's eye lids almost closed until she realized what she was doing. She sat up and looked away from Sasuke. Sasuke looked at her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Of course not, I am with the one I love most." Karena said sweetly.

Sasuke sat up as well and said, "But..."

Karena looked at him and chuckled, "You know that you should be going to your house and getting some rest for tomorrows Chuunin exam right?"

Sasuke looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "You're really serious about this aren't you?"

"Of course! Don't you want to become a ninja?" Karena said, "To beat him..." She added quietly avoiding eye contact with him.

Sasuke looked down and folded his hands on his lap, "Yes...I do want to beat... him..."

Karena looked down, "You really should get going now, but I wish you luck for tomorrow's competition."

Sasuke took Karena's hand into his, "What's wrong?"

Karena looked up at him, his eyes were replaced with sadness.

Karena faked a smile, "Nothing...why?" Karena lied.

It seemed believable to Sasuke, "Alright, you just looked a little, you know... down."

Karena smiled a real one, "Thank you for worrying, but nothing is wrong. Is there anything troubling you?" Karena said.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, nothings wrong, I'm just happy that you're all right."

Karena smiled and stood up and guided Sasuke to the door.

"I'll walk you home." Karena said.

Sasuke smiled, "All right."

Karena held Sasuke's hand all the way to his house and they walked close to each other. Karena looked up at the sky, the moon showed above them. Sasuke looked at her; the moon was making her wet hair sparkle. Karena blushed slightly.

"Sasuke...you're kind of staring, do I have something on my face?" Karena asked.

Sasuke quickly snapped back to reality, "No, it's just that...the moon is making you glow with such brilliance, I can't take my eyes off you." Sasuke said.

Karena blushed furiously, turning dozens of red colors.

"You're too kind..." Karena said, controlling her emotions. Sasuke smirked and put his arm around her shoulder. Karena moved closer to him and smiled.

Karena and Sasuke soon arrived at his house.

Sasuke sighed, "We'll I'll see you tomorrow at the Chuunin exams." He sadly took his arm away from her shoulder.

Karena nodded sadly, "Have a goodnight. And get some sleep." Karena leaned forward and kissed Sasuke on his cheek.

Sasuke hugged her, "Alright, goodnight."

Sasuke walked into his house and waved goodbye to Karena as he closed the door. Karena waved and turned around and started to walk back to her house.

She smiled as she walked down the empty road. Happy for her life, but at the same time, she frowned in all of the lives that she had hurt. She was happy, and sad at the same time, was it possible to be though? She still pondered Itachi's words, 'What did he mean by, even if the person hides their identity? What does that mean!?' Karena thought.

Karena walked up the steps to her house and quietly opened the door. Aiko was sleeping on the couch near the door. Karena tilted her head to see Aiko sleeping there. Karena went to her side and shook her a little.

"Aiko wake up," Karena said as she shook Aiko.

Karena got a little annoyed and shook Aiko harder. Aiko fell of the couch and looked at Karena.

"Oh...hi Karena, how are you?" Aiko asked sleepily. Karena had a sweat bead on her head.

"What are you doing here? You have a king sized bed upstairs," said Karena.

Aiko yawned and got up and sat on the couch, "I know, but Mae left and I was waiting for her."

"For what?" Karena asked.

"I don't really know, all she said was, 'I'll be back.'"

"Oh well, you should go upstairs and sleep."

"Alright, but are you going to stay up and wait till she gets here?"

"No...I'm going to sleep so I'm not tired in the morning when I get to the Chuunin exams. You have to be there bright and early as well, you have to you know, supervise."

Aiko sighed, "Alright fine, you win. I hate it when you make more sense than me."

Karena smirked and got up and walked upstairs with her sister. The said goodnight to each other and walked into there rooms.

* * * * *

Karena walked along side Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke to the tower they would be taking the test in. The four of them saw many other Genin, who intimidated Naruto. Naruto walked closer to Karena and looked like a sad dog that had been out in the rain. Karena looked at him and sighed, feeling a bit pity for him. She petted his head and walked on. Sasuke glared at Naruto. Naruto felt even more intimidated.

"Come on! Let us through!" some of the Genin from the Leaf Village said to two other Chuunin who were guarding the door. The sign above it said the third floor, the floor that they needed to be on. The four of them stopped and looked at the many Genin that were surrounding it. Karena just closed her eyes and walked down the hallway that went to the next floor.

Naruto just stared at her, "Where are you going? We're supposed to go into this door!" Naruto said.

Everyone turned to Karena, including the ones that were guarding the door. "Yeah, if you want to become medical specialists," Karena said, "Can't any of you see? It's an illusion, I'm sure that Sakura must have seen it. She has the keenest eyes."

Sakura looked up at the sign, it started to twist and turn. "She's right; this is only the second floor. The next one is the third." said Sakura.

She caught up with Karena.

Suddenly a person in a green jump-suit came up to her and said, "I am Rock Lee, the Leaf Villages' handsome devil. Will you please be my girlfriend?"

Sakura stared at him in disgust, "Yeah, not even in your dreams would I."

Lee still smiled and said, "You are an angel sent from heaven! And I promise to protect you with my life!"

Karena giggled a little and turned around.

'I'm glad that he got over me,' Karena thought.

"Do not go anywhere Karena!" Lee said as he came in front of Karena and took her hands into his, "I still do not forget my feelings toward you my-"

But then was bashed on the head by 6 other Genin guys.

"YOU IDIOT, SHE'S MY WOMAN!" They all yelled.

Karena had no clue of who they were, but all she could say towards them was.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not any of your guy's woman." Karena said as she pointed at each of them. They all looked at each other and slowly walked away.

One of them shouted, "Then who is your man!?"

Karena looked at him and smirked. "...Sasuke Uchiha." she finally said.

All of them laughed, "I wouldn't blame him for going out with you, but he doesn't like anybody but himself!"

Sasuke smirked and walked over to Karena and put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, "On the contrary, she is 'my' woman."

All of the people around them stared, except the girls all glared at Karena. Seeing her so close to Sasuke made all of them boil. The boys all stared at Sasuke, all jealous of his position at the time.

"Let's go Naruto and Sakura. We're almost out of time." Sasuke turned around and still held onto Karena as they both walked down the hall together. Naruto and Sakura quickly caught up.

"Hey! Wait up!" Naruto called.

"Hey, Uchiha." someone said behind them. Sasuke turned around to see Neji pointing at him.

"Just you wait until the tournament. You are mine to battle." Neji said.

Sasuke let go of Karena and just smirked at Neji, "Really, we'll just see about that."

"You had better watch your tongue Uchiha. Just you wait, Karena doesn't just love you." Neji replied to Sasuke.

Sasuke turned around and looked at Karena. Karena smiled and walked up to Sasuke.

"Neji I told you, I only love you as a friend. Do I have to repeat those words I said to you that night? How much I love him more than you? I won't be so caring this time." Karena said, with her eyes glued on Neji. Neji looked down, ashamed of himself.

Karena walked up to him and said, "Neji, I don't want to hurt you, but if you leave me no choice, then I will, verbally or physically. You are always talking about destiny. Maybe...I'm not yours."

Karena walked away from him.

Neji looked back up at her, "Then let's have a battle right here Uchiha!"

Sasuke looked at him, "All right, bring it on."

Sasuke and Neji ran up to each other. They both started to kick at each other, but Karena caught both of their legs. Karena looked down, her bangs hiding her face.

Then she looked up at both of them, "You two are both idiots! Wait until the third part of the exam!" Karena swung them around and walked past Sasuke.

"Let's go you guys; the exam is waiting for us." Karena said.

All of the people around her moved out of the way as she walked down the hallway. Naruto and Sakura quickly followed.

"Sasuke, aren't you coming?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke quickly snapped back to reality. "Yeah, I'm coming," he quickly caught up to Naruto and the others as they walked down the hallway to the next floor.

Sasuke watched Karena the whole time they walked up to the third floor. He had never heard her so...frustrated.

'Is she mad at me?' Sasuke thought. 'Did I do something wrong back there?'

Karena walked ahead of them, keeping her distance from them.

'Maybe I went too hard of them. I'll have to apologize to them later. Hopefully we all make it to the second part of the exam...' Karena thought.

Karena looked at Naruto, 'I just hope that he will be able to withstand the first part of the exam.'

Karena looked at Sakura, 'Sakura shouldn't be a problem for the first part. But, the second and third part I'm worried. She's not like Naruto, Sasuke and I. She doesn't fight that much...'

Then Karena slowly turned to Sasuke. 'He shouldn't be a problem for the first. But the second, it just gives me this feeling inside that something bad is going to happen, and the third as well...I hope that he will be okay,' Karena thought.

The four of them reached the top. There was the door that the exam was going to be held in. Karena smiled as she walked toward it. The three others followed. They were almost at the door but Karena stopped just before it. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all stopped as well. But they were all confused.

"What's wrong Karena?" Naruto asked.

Karena lifted her head high, "Lee, come on out. I know your there."

There was silence for a few seconds, but then they all heard a thud and Lee said, "You are very quick with your senses Karena."

Naruto looked at Karena, "How did you know that he was there?"

Karena just looked at Naruto then turned her attention to Lee, "So what do you want?"

Lee looked at Sasuke, "I want to challenge him! Sasuke Uchiha!" Lee shouted. Naruto and Sakura were taken back, "WHAT!"

Sasuke just stared at him with emotionless eyes.

"Yes, I want to challenge you...for her!" Lee said as he pointed at Karena with hearts in his eyes.