Chapter 11

Why haven't I

thought of it before?

This body,

remembering yours,

is the keepsake you left.

Amai stared at Cee for a quiet moment after Ino stormed off.

"Cee-senpai, do you like Ino as well?" Amai asked with the same sweet voice but his look was more stern than usual.

Cee balked. "What?"

"It's just that you are always by her side."

Cee shook his head, peeved. "It's part of my job and you know that."

"Okay, then." Amai relaxed, back to his smiling self. "But you see, I don't get to spend time with her. I'd like the excuse to."

Cee observed him, wondering what he could even say or think of that. What a bold request. Amai was a former student of his and a genuinely good guy. If he liked Ino, why should he hold that back? He didn't want to tolerate any foolery while on the job but nothing was technically stopping Cee from letting him administer the IV.

"Fine, do whatever you want." Cee sighed, turning around and walking off with his hands shoved into his pockets.

However, something didn't settle with him. The idea of Amai so brazenly chasing her. He thought back to how flattered she looked at his compliments. Maybe she took an interest in him as well?

He shook his head and tried to push the frivolous thoughts away. He'd be seeing Ino tomorrow regardless. He'd like to go home and rest himself before tomorrow's agenda.

Cee made a beeline for his apartment that was located not far from the Raikage Tower. His family and clan home was located further away but it was common for young shinobi to rent small apartments in the city center if they were needed to be close by.

It was a humble, small apartment complex with only four units. Two on the bottom and two on the top. Cee lived in a top unit, since he barely was home or made any noise.

He reached for his key but noticed a note attached to the door.

Come by and visit sometime soon,

Dad

Cee examined it for a moment and decided he'd go ahead and get that out of the way. He would have preferred sleep but if he didn't go, his dad would come looking for him.

With a heavy sigh, he made his way through the village. It was the same path he took a million times since he was a child running around barefoot. But today he lingered at each building a little more, he often did that when things were on his mind.

He approached the short stone walls that made up the Inazuma Clan compound, walking through. Clans weren't as distinct or emphasized as places like Konoha, but clans still existed nonetheless.

He walked past a few homes and entered through the open doors where his father lived. And where he too would probably move back into once he settled down-if that ever happened.

"I'm home!" Cee announced, stepping through the door.

"Oh, hello Kyo-kun- I mean, Cee."

Cee said hello back to his step mother. After his mother died his father did not remarry, or date to his knowledge, until after he was grown and moved out on his own. His father kept joking that he grew too lonely when he left the nest, but he knew he was serious about that part. His father always bothered him to come visit more often.

Cee preferred to be called just that, like many Kumo nin who had the honor of adopting their single letter names. However, his father and step mother especially had a penchant to slip up and refer to him as his birth name, Kyo.

"I was just finishing up lunch, you should stay for dinner, too." She had ebony skin with long white hair twisted into a fishtail braid and a very gentle manner at all times.

His step mother was not one he felt extremely close to in particular, but she was a kind woman that kept his father happy, so Cee couldn't think of anything negative against her. She was a former classmate of his father, apparently.

"You say that as though I have a choice." Cee slipped on house slippers and walked in to help her.

She laughed kindly, "Good point. He'll have you sleeping here, too."

He saw the rice was done, so he opened the pot and fluffed it for her.

"You go ahead and visit with him, I can take care of this." She insisted.

He shook his head, "He'll know I'm here any second and come running. I'll help out."

Reaching into the cabinet, he grabbed rice bowls and plates.

"There he is!" He heard a voice behind him he was all too familiar with.

His father approached through the kitchen entryway with a smile he always had saved for Cee.

His father had skin tanner than Cee's and dark brown hair. Cee favored his mother only sharing the same eyes as his father.

He patted Cee on the shoulder and walked with him over to the dining table that sat close to the floor.

"You came so soon. I was afraid I would have to hunt you down again." His father ran his hand through his spiky chestnut hair, It was a nervous habit of his Cee sometimes emulated.

"I had some free time today and saw your note, so I decided to come now."

"And we're glad you did." His step mother smiled, placing some dishes in the center.

"You had business in the center today?" Cee asked, helping prepare the tea at the table.

"I did, just running some documents by the tower today and you weren't there when I stopped by."

"I had other other obligations."

"I'll say." His father smiled knowingly.

Cee rolled his eyes, already feeling ready to go back home to his cramped oasis of silence.

"I heard about that Yamanaka coming to town and helping out with some stuff. Naturally, you would be chosen to assist with it."

Cee gave an 'un' of a reply while picking up his chopsticks.

His step mother sat as well, joining the two.

"So, what do you think?"

He looked at his father, not sure what he meant. "What do I think of what, the mission we're conducting?"

"I saw you two today walking." His father held his hand to his chest. "Talking and getting along. She's an extreme beauty, that one. I bet she likes you."

Cee held back his groan. It was like this every time he visited his father. In some way or another he was encouraging him to take the next step in his life.

"I guess you ran out of every other girl between the ages of 17 through 40 to insist I see here." Cee teased, digging into the food.

"She was very pretty, I have to say." His step mom smiled at him. "I bet she has a bunch of boyfriends already."

"Maybe, a few guys have been following her around like puppies." Cee took a bite of food, not interested in this conversation. He was here for obligation and home cooked meals.

"I bet she likes you though." His father protested in between bites. "She looked like she likes you."

Cee shook his head in disbelief, his father always said that with every girl. "I appreciate your unwavering support but there's nothing like that happening."

Technically something happened once, but it wasn't real. Not that he'd ever tell his father anything like that. Ever.

"He's your biggest fan." His step mother laughed, pointing to the dozens of pictures of Cee plastered everywhere through the years.

"Nothing? At all?" His father seemed mildly disappointed. "She doesn't see what I see, then."

"Ino-san is a very capable kunoichi from Konoha who is just as much of an integral part of her village as I am to mine. There would be nothing practical about pursuing that." Cee said it aloud without really thinking about it. He had never thought of that until he said it. Even in some 0.01% chance the two had those feelings, it would never pan out.

"You have no romance in your soul." His father teased.

Cee didn't and he knew that. He wasn't sure where it came from but he was far more uptight than his own father. Perhaps his training and rising to the top made him joyless along the way while his father chose a path of family and semi-retirement. He only knew the doting side of his parents but he had heard back in the day his mother was a serious kunoichi when it came to the village as well.

"A Yamanaka coming here and helping out our village is a sign of the times."

Cee nodded, much preferring when his father turned to politics.

"She's been a big help, with our own division being nearly wiped out in the war."

"How long is she here for? Is she helping rebuild the unit?" His step mother jumped in.

"Not that I know of this time. She was here to assist with that bomber we caught before."

Cee pondered on the idea of her staying longer and helping rebuild their unit. There was a part of him that believed Kumo should not ask for help from anyone but at the same time if the villages were all doing it, then Kumo couldn't let themselves fall behind either.

He wondered quietly to himself how much longer Ino Yamanaka would or could hang around these parts.

A/N: Inazuma means lightning bolt and I just kind went with it. No reason for choosing Kyo, just slapped that against the wall and it stuck.