The Weasel and Iris
By: Mylie
Chapter 2: Childhood Memories, Part 1
"Phew. Finally I can close up the restaurant and go home." Ayame stretched happily and surveyed her work to make sure the little ramen stand was boarded up properly for the night.
Satisfied with her work, she untied the white bandana holding her long black hair back from her face and stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans. Now I wonder what I should buy for dinner tonight? After a long day of work on her own, Ayame felt too exhausted to cook for herself. She looked at the tiny roadside restaurants still open and walked among them trying to decide what to buy.
Finally she stopped at a tiny stand where an energetic middle-aged man went back and forth filling the orders from his costumers. The ramen girl stood in line and when her turn came she smiled warmly knowing very well how the man must feel answering the calls of hungry customers all day.
"I would like two bento boxes with barbequed eel, rice, and steamed vegetables please."
The man nodded and relayed the order to a younger man behind him who appeared to handle all of the cooking. While he waited for the young man to finish cooking, the man studied Ayame's face closely for a few moments before he gave her a big smile.
"Ayame-chan! I didn't recognize you without your bandana! Do you remember me? I'm an old friend of your father's."
"Ah! Okita-san! Of course I remember you! You were always the one who made sure I got home safely from the Academy when I was younger."
The older man shook his head sadly. "It's a shame that you were never able to graduate. You would have become a great kunoichi Ayame, an asset to Konoha."
The dark haired girl lowered her eyes to the ground; her cheeks tinged a light shade of pink. Before she had the chance to reply, Okita handed her a bag with the two bento boxes safely tucked inside.
"Here you are Ayame-chan, and don't bother paying either. This one is on me." Okita said pushing away the yen Ayame tried to give him.
"No Okita-san. You watched after me all those years I was at the Academy. The least I can do to repay you is to pay for my dinner."
The older man sighed in defeat. "Well alright then. I'll let you pay this time, but the next time you come, I will not accept any payment. Oh and say hello to your father for me!"
Ayame grinned. "Hai, hai. Goodbye Okita-san!" She waved farewell and began to walk home.
--+--
The ramen girl opened the door to the small two bedroom apartment she shared with her father. While they weren't very wealthy, the apartment was very cozy and inviting. The front door opened into a wood paneled hallway with doors branching off to the bedrooms and the bathroom. At the end of the hallway she could see the tiny kitchen and the family room.
"I'm home!" She shouted taking off her sandals and strolled into the kitchen.
"Welcome home." Her father opened the sliding door to his bedroom and sneezed. "What's for dinner?"
Ayame unloaded the bento boxes and placed them on the small table in the kitchen. "I bought some barbequed eel from Okita-san. Oh and are you feeling any better?"
Her father sat down in one of the chairs and lifted the lid off the bento box in front of him. "Okita? I haven't seen him for months! Ahh I remember the days of our childhood when we roamed around the village causing all sorts of mischief." His eyes shone in remembrance.
His daughter on the other hand looked amused. "Well that's nice, but you still haven't answered my question."
"Ah right. Well my fever broke this afternoon so I should be able to go back to work with you tomorrow. Were you able to handle all the work by yourself today?"
"Well the day went smoothly enough. Although Naruto did come to visit and nearly ate all the supplies I had, so I'll have to restock tomorrow morning. Oh and don't worry about the paperwork, I'll do it after I eat."
--+--
After dinner, Ayame sat at the kitchen table with a small stack of papers and a brush. She slowly went through the papers on which the day's sales and purchases were recorded. On a separate sheet, she calculated how much of a profit the ramen stand had made.
Ayame finished the last calculation and then went into her bedroom. She yawned and flopped down onto the bed and stared at the few ninja tools she kept and still occasionally trained with. I gave up the life I wished for. One of danger and adventure to one of...well let's just say I never really wanted to go into the family business. Then again, I didn't have much of a choice at the time…
--+--
Flashback"Well I am proud of you class. Most of you did very well on last week's examinations. Although some of you do need a little improvement." The majority of the class laughed as Shinpachi-sensei looked towards Taiki, who was well known for failing his exams.
Ayame's friend, Sayu, whispered to her "Did you see Uchiha-kun? He didn't even smile at Shinpachi-sensei teasing Taiki. It's like he has no emotions at all."
Ayame looked up towards where Itachi sat in stony silence. Sayu was right, it did seem like he had no emotions at all. The Uchiha never joked, laughed, or even smiled for that matter. She turned back towards Shinpachi-sensei and listened as he began to speak again.
"Well the results of your exams have been posted on the bulletin board outside the classroom. So I'll see you all next week. Have a nice weekend!"
The school bell rang and all the students in the class made a dash towards the door to be first to see how they did on their exams. Ayame slowly packed her bag, secretly dreading to see what her mark was.
Well I'm sure I did well. I studied hard for here days in a row before the exam. I know I messed up on that one section about the history of Konoha's most famous shinobi but it shouldn't count too much on the test…I hope. Oh what am I saying! I know I probably got one of the lowest marks on the list! Hopefully I won't be last though!
Ayame looked up to see Itachi strolling leisurely past her with his bag slung over one shoulder. Well the Uchiha seems to be in no hurry to see his marks. He looks so confident…I wish I were like that…
Sighing the young dejected kunoichi somehow managed to will her body to look at the notice on the billboard. Fearing the worst, she started from the bottom of the list and gave a silent cheer to see that she wasn't the one who got the lowest mark in the class. Slowly she began to scan the names up the list. Ayame gave another silent cheer when she realized that she had passed the people who only received fifty percent. Then finally, Ayame found her name and she ranked at twelfth with a mark of eighty-six percent!
An actual smile now found it's way to her lips. "Yes! I didn't fail!" She exclaimed happily and moved out of the crowd around the bulletin board.
She came to face to face with Itachi who was standing to the side of the crowd. The kunoichi was able to stop herself from barreling into him but as a result had only stopped a few inches away from his face.
"I-uh…" she stuttered unintelligibly turning a very slight shade of pink.
Itachi looked into her eyes, but his facial muscles didn't move at all. He just stared at her in his usual stony silence. After a few moments he stepped back and nodded to her as if congratulating her on her mark. Then he re shouldered his backpack and exited the Academy, his steps echoing through the hallway.
Ayame stood rooted on the spot. Nobody seemed to notice what had just happened. She shook her head attempting to clear her muddled thoughts. Did he just compliment me again? He has certainly been acting strange since the last time I trained with Uchiha-kun. I just don't understand him…
She sighed and turned to look at the clock above the bulletin board. "Oh no! I'm going to be late getting home!" Ayame cried and ran out of the Academy waving to Okita-san who watched her with an amused look on his face.
--+--
"I'm home!"
"Ah, Ayame come into the kitchen. I have something important to talk to you about."
I wonder what father needs to talk to me about. I hope it's not about grandfather, he has been in poor health lately…
Ayame quickly ran into the kitchen to hear what her father had to say. "What is it?"
"Well, since you're the only family I have left since your mother passed away a few years ago. I'll just tell you the truth. The Ichiraku has fallen into some debts lately, and I haven't been able to find a way to pay off the debt."
She watched her father sigh and shift through the pile of papers on the table. The Ichiraku ramen stand had been in the family for 3 generations. It was always passed down to the son or daughter who was deemed most worthy to take over. Ayame knew that someday it would be hers and she'd have to quit being a kunoichi.
"Well, if you can't find a way to pay off the debt then what are we going to do? We can't close down the Ichiraku!"
Her father sighed again. "Well there is one solution, but you wouldn't like it and I will not force you into doing it."
"What is it?"
He closed his eyes and replied slowly. "Ayame, you'd have to drop out of the Academy and come work with me every day. It will definitely not be the easiest life for you, but this way I will have an extra person to help me so I can serve more customers."
The young girl closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists as her father rambled on.
"I know that becoming and kunoichi is your dream and this isn't what you ever wanted but—"
"I'll do it."
"What?"
She sucked in her breath and continued on. "I'll do it. If helping you out at the Ichiraku will get it out of debt then I will do all I can."
Her father nodded silently.
"Besides," Ayame said forcing a smile on her lips, "I can always keep my kunai's and practice after work!"
She felt herself enveloped by a hug from her father. "Thank you Ayame." He said his voice muffled by her hair.
--+--
"Sousuke Sayu!"
"Here!"
Ayame slowly entered the classroom. She wanted to savour every moment of her last day at the Academy.
"Ahh Ayame you're late. You realize that I'll have to make you run a lap around the Academy right?"
The kunoichi sighed and mumbled under her breath, "I'm quitting the Academy."
Shinpachi studied her, his mouth closed in a tight line. "Now why is that?"
She handed him a note her father had written explaining everything to Shinpachi. He unfolded the note and began to read.
Meanwhile, the class watched them both curiously. Some of them whispered to each other wondering what was happening.
I see. Turning to Ayame Shinpachi returned the note to her. "Your presence in this class will be sorely missed. I hope that someday you'll be able to return and graduate."
Sayu stood up overhearing what Shinpachi-sensei had just said to Ayame. "What you're leaving? But you can't leave!"
There were outbursts of agreement from many of the other students as well. Shinpachi held up his hands for silence. "Although may of you will miss her she does have to leave for personal issues."
Ayame lowered her head and blinked rapidly trying to clear away the tears that began to well up in her eyes. While her head was tilted down, she did not notice one set of eyes gazing at her steadily.
Suddenly, the kunoichi turned to her teacher. "Shinpachi-sensei, do you think it would be alright if I could stay till the end of the day?"
He smiled warmly down at her. "Of course."
--+--
The day passed too quickly for Ayame and by the end, she was surrounded by a group of friends wishing her goodbye.
"Oh Ayame! I won't be able to see you anymore!" A teary Sayu cried hugging her tightly.
"Oh don't be silly. I'm not moving out of Konoha, I just have to work at the Ichiraku until the debs are paid off. Don't worry I'll still come to visit!"
"Do you promise?"
"I promise."
Sayu hugged her again and turned to leave with the rest of the group. "Make you keep that promise!"
Ayame grinned. "I will! You can count on that!"
She waved as her friends left and headed home, but stayed behind wanting to spend some time alone. She wandered towards the tree in front of the Academy with the tire swing. Ayame sat in the tire swinging slowly back and forth closing her eyes.
"Hey, so are you leaving for good?" A quiet voice inquired.
Ayame skidded you a stop and opened her eyes to see Itachi leaning against the trees, his arms cross over his chest.
"Yeah I am." She replied equally quiet. "I have to help my father at the ramen stand so we won't be in debt anymore."
"I see. Well goodbye Ayame...I'll see you around sometime." He strode away holding one hand up as a farewell gesture.
She just watched him walk away, a hundred thoughts fluttering through her mind.
AN: Okay I decided to end the chapter there since there will be a second part to this flashback. I hope that will be the end of the flashbacks since I don't want to take up too much of the storyline with them. (Although they are important!) Anyway I do hope that you guys are enjoying the story so far and thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it!
