For the next few weeks, Kakashi had asked Rin to continue training Sakura in assassination skills. All the while, Rin was still thinking about how she should solve her problem. Perhaps teaching the new students had been a good move. It gave her a reason to want to stay, to get to know them, as she had once did, before she left. It took her a month and a half to reply the question that the Hokage had posed to her, about whether or not she had wanted to stay. She knew, that everything was becoming clear, she could stay, and still contribute to this community effectively. However, it was now her heart that seemed to be turning in the other direction.
"Rin, so have you decided how you are going to solve this thing with Ibiki?" Mayumi asked her.
"Well, not really," Rin said. "It still feels awkward talking to him."
"That, coming from you, is definitely something big." Mayumi told her. This was one of the days where she didn't have to help train Sakura, and Mayumi had happened to be free. "Especially since you've dated him for 3 years prior to leaving 2 years ago."
"I guess, but I really don't know how to approach him anymore," Rin said. "I guess those 2 years have really made a difference, huh?"
"I suppose, but since he already knows you're back, you really should at least try to speak to him, you know," Mayumi advised.
"But how?" Rin said, and was getting frustrated. "What should I say? You don't expect me to go up to him and say something like: 'Hey, nice to see you again, shall we get on from where we left off'?"
"Of course not, but there must be something that you can do…" Mayumi asked again, and Rin took a sip of tea. She had come to Mayumi's apartment, and they were having tea.
"You know, the anniversary of when we started seeing each other is coming soon." Rin said unexpectedly, that Mayumi was caught off guard, and almost chocked on her tea. "Odd, I don't know why it is affecting me so much this time. It hadn't been like this when I was away…"