CHAPTER 6

***A/N: Eath's thoughts will be quoted by //....//

Naruto was debating on what he should do as the knock on the door became more frequent. "Naruto!" called the Iruka outside. If he answered the door, and if the Iruka in the house is the fake one, he could easily be attacked from behind. If the Iruka outside is the imposter, then he shouldn't even open the door. If he just stayed put, what would the Iruka inside do if he is the intruder? Sweats covered the boy's face as he tried to figure a way out.

Iruka read his face and understood his position. He stood up and Naruto's natural reaction made himself take a step back. "I'll open the door, Naruto," Iruka offered. That was the best of the worst solutions for Naruto. If Iruka opened the door, the two Iruka would have to fight. Iruka pressed his back against the wall next to the door. He reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open.

//I've done sufficient research and observation. Naruto won't be able to tell me away from the real Iruka.//

The Iruka at the door was confused for a second as to how the door was opened. It was an opportunity for the Iruka behind the door to strike. His shuriken slashed the other's leg as sparkling blood splattered on the wooden floor. He tackled the injured Iruka down.

"Iruka Sensei~!" Naruto called out in concern, even though he wasn't sure if the one who got cut was the real sensei.

"Naruto, run!" the Iruka-looking Eath told the shaken boy. "I'll take care of him."

//I'll finish him off first and Naruto won't even know that the defeated Iruka is the real one.//

"His target is you, Naruto!" the real Iruka yelled, struggling to break free. Hokage-sama had told him earlier today that the info-gathering unit had reported an extremely dangerous ninja was on a mission to kidnap Naruto. Iruka was supposed to warn the target tonight and inform him that the protection would begin the following morning, not expecting Eath to act so soon. "Don't worry about me!"

It didn't matter which Iruka was real, Naruto couldn't just leave them. He had to find a way to help his sensei out, but he just couldn't figure out which one was real. The damned imposter disguised himself very well, he cursed.

Iruka knew what Naruto was thinking. He twisted his arm away from Eath's grip, and sped outside the moment he broke free. Eath looked at Naruto and hesitated for a moment, but closely followed Iruka out toward the woods.

//If I take Naruto with me now, and let Iruka seek backup, it might cause me a lot of trouble when we try to leave the village later on. Plus, it might be a pain to kidnap the nine-tailed kid when he's fully alert. He didn't even take a sip of the drug-spiked ramen I had prepared. I'll have to take out Iruka first...//

Two blurry shadows dashed through the woods at high speed. The one in the front started to decelerate. The injured leg was slowing him down. Eath caught up with him in several seconds and landed in front of him. Iruka dropped to one of his knees and stared back with anger. His leg was bleeding continuously. Eath had released the transformation jutsu. Every single part of the body was covered with navy ninja clothing, except for the eyes.

//I'll finish him off now.//

Eath threw a shuriken at Iruka's heart. In this close range, Iruka could not possibly react to the speed of the knife. He was hit, but did not die instantly. //How could I have missed?// Eath had missed the crucial area by two inches. //How is that possible??!! I never miss!! Never!! Not once! Not to mention that he was only two feet away!// Eath studied the wound on Iruka's chest in shock. //Not only did I miss, the force I released when I threw the shuriken was too weak! The wound is only an inch deep, when I had meant it to be five inches.//

It started to rain. Droplets of rain dripped down her shaking fists as she breathed heavily. //What was I thinking?//

Shinobi must never show emotions, especially not during a mission. Eath told herself silently. You are now Eath. You are not Kyomi. The life of Kyomi has disappeared many years ago when you killed your stepfather. At that very moment when you tainted your hands with black blood, you had become Eath. Which is Hate if you rearrange the letters. There's no love. Just hate.

Eath, Do It. She told herself, but a begging voice at the back of her mind was urging her to stop.

Iruka saw the opportunity. He pulled out the shuriken from his chest, and stabbed her stomach with all his might. Although she looked shocked, deep down inside, Kyomi was in fact glad that she didn't have to make a decision anymore. Blood poured out from her wound as tears rushed out from her eyes.

Is that the rain or is she crying? Iruka pondered, and pulled the knife out from her body. The pain on his own wound made him collapse involuntarily beside his opponent's body as it also fell backward. The body landed in a resounding STOMP. He looked at the motionless body of his enemy. The teacher wasn't sure if his opponent was already dead. He doubted it. This was an S-ranked ninja after all. He had expected himself to be killed tonight. No way Eath would die under the knife of a Chuunin like himself.

She was staring at Iruka. Tears were still pouring out. From those deep green eyes. I know those eyes, Iruka realized. He gritted his teeth and pulled down her mask. What happened in the next several seconds played in slow motion from Iruka's point of view. The scene of his lover's face being revealed behind the mask was carved onto Iruka's memory permanently.

The rain hit their bodies harder than ever.

FINALE

Droplets of rain hit my face as I lie on the wet soil. The rain is stopping. It's already dawn.

I looked to the side. My blood has been diluted. It's not dark anymore. It unexpectedly sparkles as sunlight creeps through the bushes. How I wish it were true. My vision blurs.

I blink. I see Iruka. He looks shocked. "I'm...sorry," my lips quiver as I breath out the words. I wonder if he heard it. I wonder if he will forgive me.

I close my eyes, imagining how my life would be if it could be rewritten. How I would live with Iruka happily ever after. How I would prepare breakfast for him every morning. How I would have lunch with him every afternoon at school. How we would leave work and head home together hand-in-hand in the evening. How I would cook dinner as he watches the news every night. How he would help me clean up after dinner. How we would have children...and grandchildren. Only if I never became an assassin. Only if I never killed my stepfather. Only if I was never adopted. Only if I never left the Leaf Village. Only if this were a fairy tale.

Ain't I creative?

I opened my eyes slowly. I see Iruka's face above me as he holds me in his trembling arms.

The rain has stopped, but his tears haven't. Are those tears falling for me? Someone is actually crying for me?

He looks worried. Someone is worried about me.

He's panicking. That is for me too. I think he's saying my name, but I can't hear him.

Iruka. I want him to know one thing. Something I wanted to tell him earlier in my office, but I was held back by Eath.

I have to let him know this. I have to. I need to tell him now. It's now or never.

I spend my last drop of strength and manage to slip the four words out of my lips, "I. Love. You...too..."

There. I did it. I smile at him -- finally, a happy birthday in many years -- and close my eyes.

@/ THE END @/

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A/N: Sorry that this story is short, but I don't know how to write longer stories. Hope you liked it though. Please review so that I know I don't suck.