If you need a person to lean on...

...but there are 100 steps between us,

You could take the first step...

Why?

Because I would definitely take all the remaining 99 steps to be there for you...

And that...

...is how much I love you.

Part Nine

Taking Detours

"C-Chouji..." she muttered as her knees fell down in front of our former teammate's grave.

I stood beside her mourning figure—still shocked at the sudden tragedy for I do share the same sentiment as hers.

Why?

Why Chouji? Of all people?

He's my best friend ever since we were kids. We fought together, fool around, share some sacred secrets and we joined and became a part of the ANBU together.

And now...

I never thought that the only person that could ever understand me would be gone in an instant.

So now, I stand before his grave. Beside me is the person that had also become an important part of my existence—but would never understand me the way he did.

The way Chouji did.

I stared at her as she cried her heart out. I never wanted to see a woman cry—especially Ino.

I told her that. Even before I became a Chuunin.

She changed a lot, though. I guess that a fifteen year old Ino is definitely not exactly like the stubborn and childish Ino way back then.

Well...It seems that I've been gone for too long. Spending my three years away from Konoha just to satisfy that pug-nose Tsunade-sama's ass and complete the goddamn mission off.

If only she didn't tell me that Naruto's going to be the next Hokage if ever I won't obey... I should've just stayed here for good and spend my time with them instead.

But hey, that's not the main concern right now.

I bent down and placed my arms around her—as what my instincts had been telling me and pissing me. If only this is the only thing I could do to calm her down... then I should've done it a hundred times already.

I felt her shift a little and clutched onto my flack jacket. And there, she cried even harder, "S-Shika... I... I'm sorry..."

Sorry?

What for? For Chouji's death?

It's not as if she's the one who killed him—hell no way that'll ever happen.

"Ino... there's no need to be sorry. It's just that... it's Chouji's time to go..." I whispered onto her ear and rubbed her back gently.

She shook her head and said in between her sniffles, "No, Shika... you don't understand..."

I could feel her body shivering for some sort of reason and I know that it's not a good thing—and would NEVER be a good thing.

"If I didn't force you two to join the ANBU, this wouldn't happen! If I haven't been such a selfish bastard, Chouji might still be munching his good-for-nothing chips right at this very moment! If only I cared enough for his safety, he should still be pissing me off with his 'goddamn-it-you're-totally-correct' words! If only... If only I didn't exist in the first place you two must not have met me!" she cried out loud.

How could she say that?

Life wouldn't be as troublesome as this if she didn't exist—and life wouldn't be as interesting as it is right now if there would be no obnoxious woman that came into our lives with the name of Yamanaka Ino...

"No, Ino..." I forced her to face me and there, I looked deep down her eyes intently and it only made me the loneliest ninja in the face of the living earth.

I don't want to see this tearful set of eyes.

I don't want to see this loneliness and guilt that was never meant to be there.

I don't want to see such lament dirtying her innocent yet elegant face.

All of these should just go and fade away. Because if it doesn't, I swear I'm going to kill myself.

So now, all I could do is comfort her and say nothing but pure sympathy.

Or is it really PURE sympathy that I could say?

"Ino...I know it hurts. Definitely. I know it's difficult and I know it's not that easy to forget it." I shooked my head gently and tried to elaborate further. "No, I don't want you to forget this moment. Call me insensitive, uncaring or what but you should know that this tragedy should not be forgotten. Do you get that, Ino?"

She lowered her head and averted my gaze. Probably not wanting to feel stupid because of confusion.

But being the jackass that I've always been, it brings nothing but pure pleasure in me—stupid, I know.

"Maybe... you need to lighten up a bit. Yeah... that's probably what you need." I caught glance on a nearby autumn leaf and picked it up. I then looked at her literally showing off the dead leaf in front of her face.

"You see Ino, things come and go. They become a part of your life almost instantly but on the other hand, they would also disappear and leave the hell out of you alone for some unknown time in the future. But then again, at least it's not that bad. At least they leave a keepsake if ever they would leave us soon..."

My fingers—as if it has a mind of its own, traveled along the contours of her face and gently wipe away her tears still staring at the mesmerizing eyes that I've come to love so much.

"And that Ino, is the most beautiful part of human existence. Where we adapt a certain lesson in life or what we call the 'keepsake' that was left. And this tragedy that hit our lives hard should have a 'keepsake' that could be useful in the near future."

I enclosed her again in my arms and pulled her closer. "So, Ino... never forget this thing. Never forget Chouji. I bet that's what he'll say to me if ever you were the one right there." I said and glanced at the grave.

And then it happened. The thing that I never expected she would do.

And you know what that is?

A kiss—on the forehead...

Wait. I know I've been dreaming of Ino kissing me on my forehead.

But....

Why does it feel so...real?

Opening my eyes, I felt a warm feeling hovering over me. I'm awake now, am I?

"Ino...?" I asked meekly and tried to adjust my view at the blinding light.

She sat back on the chair beside my bed and gave me her ever-so radiant smile still not releasing my hand.

"Ohayou..." she said softly.

And there, I can't help but smile at the unexpected sight. Ino, smiling at me with my hand enclosed on hers. If this is what it means to live, then I shouldn't have known that death exists in the first place.

Yeah... it's so nice to exist yet so troublesome.

I heard her laugh a little and I gave her a confused look. "What's so funny?"

She shook her head gently and said, "No, it's nothing. Did the kiss wake you up?"

I blushed—totally and literally. "So that's why it feels so real in my dream..." I absent-mindedly muttered.

It feels so real because Ino had ACTUALLY kissed be on the forehead.

"Eh? You were dreaming about me?" she asked half-surprised and half-overwhelmed.

"Is that such a big deal if I dreamt of you or not?" I asked sarcastically but eventually sighed deeply and closed my eyes. "For the benefit of your own doubt, yeah... I was. I was dreaming of you and...and Chouji."

I don't know why but for some reason, a slight tingly feeling took over me that I want to take back what I've said.

So, it looks like I haven't forgotten the horrendous tragedy just yet.

"Chouji... You miss him, don't you?" she asked with a hint of sadness in her tone.

I didn't answer for it's so obvious. It's so obvious that I still haven't recovered from the loss of a close friend.

A very close friend, indeed.

"You need not to be sad. It's not only you that misses him a lot." Her fingers trailed along my face as if searching for something. "It's hard for me, too, you know. Losing someone who had been so close to you and so kind to you... I don't know if I'll ever be able to handle it if one of my loved ones would die again."

"Of course you would." I said bluntly.

She shook her head as a sign of disagreement and said, "No... I can't. I've lost Chouji already, Shika... and... and very soon..." Tears unexpectedly streamed down her face and her voice began to sound frail—which caught me by surprise, of course.

"...I'm going to lose you, too..."

Kami-sama is indeed a very smart person for creating such a wonderful woman like her.

"I don't want you to go, Shika! I wouldn't be able to handle it if you die! Onegai! Don't go! Don't go before I do!" She buried her head on my chest and I felt her shivering—the way she did in my dream.

"And so do I, Ino... I don't want to leave you all alone, too..."

I wanted to say it but I just can't. I don't want to cause more agony to both of us for it would be even harder if I do.

Why is it so hard to be myself especially in front of the one I love?

This should be the time of being true to yourself, shouldn't it?

"Ino..." I said and made her look up at me. "It's not yet your time. You still have a life to live and a village to protect. You could still be a jounin or become the best female ninja in Konoha—just as you've always dreamed of, neh?"

Yeah... it's better for me to go first than her going first before me. Because if she did, I promise I'd die, too...

"What about you? Aren't you still young to go? Don't you still have a life to live, too? Don't you still have a village to protect and a dream to fulfill, too? Isn't it not your time to go, too?" Again, she shook her head and said, "I don't get this. I really don't get this shit!"

I've done everything already. I've accomplished several rank A missions already and there's nobody left for me already—except this lonely mansion secretly owned by the Nara family.

Ever since I discovered this sickness of mine, I don't have a life to live already.

And my dream... I fulfilled it already.

I have Ino right here with me already.

Just the two of us.

And that's my dream come true...

"Daijoubu, Ino... It'll be alright. Just stay with me and it'll be fine." I pushed her gently and gave her a smirk.

This talk is just taking too long.

"Now what does the troublesome brat prepared for breakfast?" I asked and sniffed the air a bit pretending to smell smoke. With this, I said, "Damn. Don't tell me you've cooked 'black rice' again... Sheesh!"

"What? What black rice?!" she pouted cutely at me as a sign of the upcoming annoyance.

Or should I say... the sign of my victory?

"Overcooked rice of course!" I snorted and folded my arms.

She stood up—militarily, glared at me and exclaimed, "Is that so?! Like the heck I care if that monster inside that stomach of yours demanded for food because I won't give you any, you lazy ass bum!"

Heh... I think I'm beginning to enjoy this.

"Hey! You can't do that!"

"I can and I will!"

"Says who?!"

"Says me!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

She gave me such a satisfying grin that could send me up to heaven and finally announced, "The last who get to the dining area is a bottom-feeding jackass!"

"Wait! I'm not ready yet!" I demanded but before I knew it, she was already out of sight.

I laughed to myself as I carefully stood up.

What a way to start a morning...

And yes, what a troublesome way to start a morning.

Author's notes:

Sorry everyone for the VERY late update! I was kinda bisy about exams and projects. But hey, i'll try to kip up the usual updating of mine.

So, anyway, THANK You again for the reviewers and PLEASE be patient in dealing with a stubborn human like Bloody-Stiletto! Hahaha....

Hopefully this would end at chapter 14.... HOPEFULLY....

Peace out minna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!