Chapter 10: Complicated Heart
We have changed but we are still the same...
Sakuya opened her eyes, but the bright lights made her squint. Where the hell was she? She couldn't summon up enough energy to move. She thought she might be in bed. It felt soft, warm.
"Where am I?" Her mouth was so dry, she slurred the question.
"Konoh… You're… You're in Konoha Hospital." The stammer came from beside her, but Sakuya couldn't recognize him. In fact, she hadn't expected his presence.
It was obvious that the boy was shocked, for his actions were completely frozen. He had an apple in his right hand, which Sakuya thought he was going to munch if not for her awakening. Thanks to her, the apple now hung in mid-air in his hand parallel to his wide opened mouth.
The boy, not older than twelve, in Sakuya's estimation, had spiky auburn hair that matches his emerald eyes, a pair of emerald eyes that looked exactly like hers.
The two locked each other in the eyes for several seconds before Sakuya turned her attention to the boy's outfit. He was wearing a pair of white shorts and a red shirt as his top. A red shirt adorned in white outlines with loose turtle neckline. And what really caught Sakuya's attention is the emblem imprinted on the sleeves – The Circle.
"Who are you?" Sakuya asked in a rather cold voice.
"Ne-chan…" Sakuya heard the boy's murmur in what she perceived as unbelievable?
His apple fell to his lap, before rolling its way down somewhere under the bed.
Feeling rather disconcerted, Sakuya closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, but realized it was a futile effort because her mind was blank in the first place! What the hell happened to her? She couldn't remember. She brought the back of her right hand to her forehead instead. When she opened her eyes again, the boy was still there, standing beside the bed and pulling the covers up around her midriff.
When he realized that Sakuya was staring, he straightened his shoulders.
"I think I go inform the doc-"
"Water…" Sakuya interjected, at the same time reminding herself to ask him all the necessary questions as to how she ended up in the hospital after she rid the dryness in her throat. "I need a glass of water."
The boy hurried around the bed to the bedside table, poured a quarter full glass of water and handed it to her. Sakuya struggled to sit up. Instinctively, the boy placed the glass back on the table and reached for the controls to push a button. The head of the bed slowly rose. Sakuya kept her eyes on the boy as she took the glass of water from his hands. She took a sip while feeling this sense of indescribable affinity with the boy beside her. Ne-chan? Was that what he called her? Sakuya handed the glass back to the boy and was about to clarify with him when her senses discerned the environment. Though it looked like any other ordinary hospital ward, Sakuya was certain they were not alone.
Someone was watching them.
In fact, in the genjutsu way. They were in some kind of protective genjutsu that works like a cage. It allowed the user to watch his targets at the same time protect it from outside forces. Outsiders can't get in, nor can the 'beneficiaries' get out. Or worse, either side will be invisible to each other.
"What's wrong?" The boy asked in concern, seeing that Sakuya hesitated in her words with her guard suddenly raised. Her emerald eyes scanned cautiously around the ward. The boy tugged on Sakuya's hospital gown when latter doesn't seem to pay him much attention.
"Shh." Sakuya hushed, grabbing his hand in one of hers. She can find the 'opening' if she looked closer enough…
The boy, catching the hint, stayed quiet. And Sakuya thought the boy looked… glad?
The room turned dead silent. Only the dripping of the glucose drip is evident. A good four minutes passed when a frustrated Sakuya pulled off the tubes that connected her body with the medical apparatuses. She can't believe, or rather, accept the fact that she has become so weak that she couldn't even dispel a mere mediocre genjutsu! She struggled to stand, but fall back onto the bed instead, with the boy trying to help her out. Sakuya smacked his hands away, feeling her angriness directed more to herself rather than the 'helpful' boy. She doesn't need any help from anyone! Only the weaklings need help and SHE is definitely NOT a weakling!
"Are you alright?" The boy asked, standing in front of Sakuya, looking concerned.
"Kid." Sakuya's voice was low. And so was her head.
"Kyosuke." The boy introduced, thinking she must have discovered the genjutsu barrier they were in. And he thought that was quite a feat for her, despite the frailness.
Sakuya couldn't care less about who he is. "How did you get in?"
Kyosuke gulped at her words. It sounded deadly cold.
Things are not looking good. Judging from the hostility in her eyes, Kyosuke was sure, in another minute or two; his elder sister with losing patience would be executing her escape.
And indeed she was when she abruptly grabbed him by the collar and shoved him near. But she grimaced and loosened her hold when the glaring rays of sunlight illuminating behind him were flashed onto her pallid face. She stood up from the bed as she shoved Kyosuke out of her way, her gaze directed at the square opening beside the bed.
Right. The window. That's the bright lights that made her eyes squint when she awoke. Sakuya plodded wearily towards the window, and was stunned by the scenery outside.
There were buildings with all shapes and sizes and the streets were bustling with life as the folks interacted and buzzed around like ants.
Konoha hospital… that was what the brat told her. So this must be Konoha she is looking at!
It's all coming back to her now.
Kyosuke tensed as he stared at the back of Sakuya. She better not… now, where are the ANBUs when they are needed! Aren't they supposed to watch her like a hawk? Aren't they supposed to do something NOW?
Kyosuke thought perhaps he could provide some distraction. "Onechan-"
Sakuya cut him off, "I see." her stance unmoved. She could see 'the outside' from here, which means…
(Too late. Shit!) Kyosuke thought, starting towards her. She must have discovered…
"Kai!" Kyosuke heard her. And he thought he was going to lose her when two ANBU appeared by her side just in time, holding her down by the shoulders.
"Sakura-san, it's best that you cooperate with us." One of them said.
Then, something from the outside caught their attention.
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Rin cursed her luck. Things are getting out of hands and it's all her fault.
At least a dozen teams of Konoha shinobis are after her now. Rin looked up, front, left and right… Hell! They are everywhere!
Even the civilians of Konoha were sprung to attention at the commotion they were causing. She heard one of them ask, "What's going on? Are we being attacked?"
"No." The jounin lied. "We're only having the drill as usual."
Rin walked away in the opposite direction in her disguise as a kid she saw earlier, deducing Kakashi must be the informant to her arrival. And damn herself for that! Why? Because she allowed him to!
Rin worried her lips.
Getting to Sakura will be ten times much tougher now.
She left Sakura alone when she realized she is in a genjutsu barrier surrounded by the Konoha best. But that is only part of the why. The other part, which totally puts her off, is that the Fifth Hokage was near.
She was checking on Sakura and Rin doesn't want to risk being anywhere near her since she was alone. So she decided to leave the arena and roam the streets until she devised a plan. Or rather, until the hot-blooded old hag left. Everything will be much easier without her interference, period.
And that's when she met the one person she least wanted to meet.
Kakashi.
Rin recognized him the moment he appeared. How could she not? His charisma, his hair, his physique, his strength, his scent, his chakra, his everything, was etched deeper in her than she thought. The laid-back jounin was strolling down the streets with a hand full of groceries, the other simply occupied with a book… 'Flirting Paradise Volume Eight'… is that it…? Well, she didn't know he would read such a book!
Anyway, she was indeed surprised to meet him, not that she didn't expect him in the village, but to see him like that, in a casual manner without a care in the world, it's so different from the Kakashi she knew. The Kakashi who was always strictly solemn, the Kakashi who was always so distant, the Kakashi who never stopped and looked back for anyone…
Kakashi halted his tracks when he saw Anko and Kurenai in proximity. "Yo! You ladies look stunning today!"
Both kunoichi blushed at the comment.
"Stop fooling around, Kakashi!" Kurenai said.
Kakashi… flirts…?
Rin raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes over the scene playing in front of her. But leaving surprises in one department, she knew she got to leave now. Because she was sure, in another second or two, her alert ex-ANBU-comrade will bound to notice her, if not locked in target by him already.
And sure enough, Kakashi glanced her way in the middle of his chitchat with Kurenai and Anko but found that the suspicious figure was already gone with the wind...
And the episode leading after that, at the training ground near the cenotaph, just made her all the more guilty towards Sakura…
Brushing Kakashi aside, Rin looked around her once again. Screw them, they are still everywhere.
"Gai!"
She heard one of them bellowed, and she glued her eyes on the approaching figure in green. Gai…? Maito… Gai? Rin found it 'breathtaking' that she actually remembered this ludicrous guy as well.
Rin stood rooted to where she was, waiting for Gai to pass her by. As ludicrous as he looked, it never hurts one to be careful, right?
But her hopes of Gai leaving her alone were dashed when he spared her a glance. Rin barely took a step when he called out behind her, "Hisa!"
Rin inwardly winced. He wasn't calling out for her, was he? Nevertheless, she still turned and faced Gai, who came running back to her.
Yes, he was calling out for HER.
Gai knelt down and placed his hands on her petite shoulders. "What are you doing out here?"
Right. She was disguised as a kid, who probably is an academy student, since she doesn't have the forehead protector. Rin opened her mouth to speak, but the wetness in her eyes is irritating her, and so she wiped away the tears of sleepiness built up at the corners of her eyes instead.
Gai thought she looked close to tears.
"You must be looking for Kyosuke! Don't worry about that fellow; I'm sure he's visiting his sister at the hospital! Why don't you run along now?" Gai gave her a pat on the shoulders before nudging her to move. "Go now! Shoo! Shoo!"
Some people just never change, do they?
Rin turned to leave, but something upfront caught their attention.
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Sasuke punched, kicked, punched and kicked again, but Kakashi dodged it all the same. They were surrounded in blazes of red and yellow now, ignited by his Katon Housenka no Jutsu a while ago in a desperate attempt to draw Kakashi out.
In less than a minute, almost the entire forest was in flames.
Sasuke wasn't angry. He was furious.
Ten minutes had passed since the battle begun and yet, he was getting nowhere. Sasuke surmised Kakashi must have discovered he was preserving his chakra, which explained why he kept provoking him like this, "Looks like you've deteriorated, Sasuke. Why, even Naruto does this better than you."
Something in Sasuke snapped. He knew he shouldn't be so worked up over the petty tactics but his mind was suddenly consumed with so much raw fury to think such rationality.
He delivered a couple of shurikens to Kakashi in a flash, which hit the spots only to turn into a log.
Sasuke scowled.
The heat was getting unbearable. Kakashi peered cautiously at Sasuke in a distance through the haze of smoke filling up the air around them. The lad was searching him out amidst the fire with his naked eyes. The fact that he didn't use his Sharingan on him confirmed his suspicions.
Sasuke didn't want to hurt him. Yeah, Kakashi wanted to believe that, but he quickly brushed that absurd thought aside.
Ever since the family tragedy, Sasuke lived for one and one purpose only – To kill the man that murdered his entire clan.
And that was the one same man that has the ability to make his protégé restrain so much in another's battle – so that he could give his all in theirs.
It's sad to see that the vengeance just got worse as the years gone by, but come to think of it, he has gotten out of Orochimaru's hands. Now that was something to cheer for.
Judging from the raging fire, Kakashi expected his backup to appear any moment now. He squinted his eyes at Sasuke.
Good. The Uchiha was still there.
But the sudden tinkling of the bell affixed at his waist wavered his judgment. (Shit!)
"Looking for me, sensei?" Sasuke said from behind.
Kakashi froze.