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Chapter 15

An Awkward Meeting

The pink haired kunouchi walked up the steps to her crush's house. She heard only her foot steps and the birds chirping outside. Sakura was to inform Sasuke about a new mission. Sure, she could've used the phone and told him there, but this was one very small excuse to see him at his house. She wasn't going to pass up the chance.

Sakura walked down the hallway only to see a blonde dressed in purple while holding a rose, already at Sasuke's door. What could Ino possibly want? The kunouchi thought as she walked up at her.

"Ino-pig! What are you doing here?" Sakura asked her. The blonde looked at her and static passed from eye to eye.

"I've come o ask if Sasuke-kun would like to come over for dinner!" Ino stuck her tongue out.

"Like he'll say yes! You know, if he says no then he's going to think your weirder than you already are!" Sakura shot back at her.

"I'm not weird!" Ino said, and then furiously knocked on the door. "I'll ask him! You'll see!"

From behind the door was the sound of moaning from someone just waking up.

"I'll get it!" came a voice from behind the door. "Just get dressed! It's probably for you!" Ino and Sakura looked at each other, already knowing what the other was thinking.

"It can't be..." Ino muttered. Sakura shook her head.

"No! Sasuke-kun could never!...Would he?" Sakura said and they both turned back at the door. The door knob slowly turned and someone pushed the door open. There stood Rei wearing a loose shirt, her hair sticking everywhere. She had the impression that last night was very exhausting, and she just woke up.

"Sakura, Ino! What is it? You want Uchiha?" She asked. She knew that calling him

"Uchiha" she was also referring to herself. Now she said it with pride and honor. Sakura slowly nodded and Rei started going back in. Before she went, Ino pulled on her arm. Rei turned her head around at the blonde. "What is it?"

"If you don't mind, can I ask you exactly WHY your at Sasuke-kun's house?" Rei repeated the phrase in her head before understanding what it asked. A slow realization crossed her face.

"Oh! Don't tell anyone I'm here, ok? Don't worry! We'll explain it to you as soon as we can!" and she tore from Ino's grasp and toward Sasuke's bedroom. "Uchiha, it's your two fan girls at the door," She said from outside his locked door.

"Ugh...one second..." her brother said as he shifted in his sheets and pulled on some clothes.

After making Ino and Sakura wait a little while, Sasuke came to the door. It was obvious he just woke up.

"Sakura, Ino? What is it?" He said, leaning against the side of the doorway. What could they possibly want? Sakura opened her mouth and Ino rudely interrupted her, while moving in front of her.

"Sasuke-kun! I was wondering if you would like to come over to my house for dinner! My mom cooks the best meals!" Ino proudly and confidently asked. Sasuke scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, actually, I have other plans already. Maybe later?" Sasuke said. Ino took this as a 'yes' for later.

"Ok! I'll ask you later and we can have dinner together!" She said and pranced off. Sasuke wished Sakura talked to him first. She might have made Ino get tired of waiting. She always explained a lot about things. He sighed in relief when the last of the blonde kunouchi's hair was out of sight.

"Ok Sakura, I'm all ears," Sasuke said looking straight into her emerald eyes. He could feel he was staring but he didn't really think she'd notice. Or at least, he hoped not.

"Kakashi-sensei said that we have another mission tomorrow and it might be a bit long. He sent me to tell you," Sakura said. Sasuke nodded and stood there looking at her. There was a slight silence.

"Is there something else?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow. She would've left by now. Sakura shuffled her feet and looking past his shoulder.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, why is Rei here? You two aren't...you know...," Sakura nervously said. Sasuke mentally finished her question. His eyes slightly widened said, "No." He wished he hadn't said it so coldly. Like he always did. "Well, if I tell you why, swear not to tell anyone?"

"I swear!" Sakura hurridly said. Sasuke leaned close to her and her heart pounded. Was this...? Sasuke re-directed his head and whispered in her ear, "You DO know about my clan, right? Well, me and my brother aren't the only remaining Uchihas."

Sakura gasped. "You mean Rei is your-," Sasuke covered the kunouchi's mouth. Sakura felt her body freeze to feel Sasuke's cold hand on her mouth. How could his hands be so cold? She suddenly felt the urge to hug him, and try to at least warm him just a little. This sensation over came her.

"Don't tell anyone, remember?" Sasuke whispered in her ear before letting go. Sakura couldn't muster up anything to say to him, so she nodded and trailed off. Sasuke rolled his eyes and went back into his- no, Rei and his, apartment. "Are you ready yet?"

Kitei wandered down the corridors of his clan's house. His robes brushed against the floor as he walked by. Since he came back home, he had changed into robes. He wasn't planning on anything like missions or anything that involved him to leave indoors. Kitei looked to his right so that he looked into the little courtyard.

Weather was really nice. The morning due sparkled in the sunlight. The warm air combed through his hair. Kitei took in a lungful of the momentary peace he had found. Without telling anyone, he started walking through the little courtyard and out into the vast forest.

He came across his favorite place in Konoha' surrounding forest. To get there, you would have to walk off the path for several minutes, then you would stumble into his little get-away. The swaying trees above him, the calm stream next to him, and the sound of the little waterfalls that came down the stream, he could spend hours there at a time and often did. He liked to call this place Serenity.

Kitei gracefully sat down in a little grove of a nearby tree and watched the stream rush by. This was the thing he missed about his home, and the first thing he wanted to do when he was free. Now he could, and probably as long as he wants.

"Aaaaah," he sighed in relief, "Perhaps now I can relax. Nothing can compare to this...," Kitei listened and observed his surroundings, feeling his eye bags slowly drop. He didn't fight, and let himself fall into a peaceful slumber.

He awoke to the sound of birds flying from the tree he was sleeping under. Kitei slowly looked around thinking something must be amiss. He glanced over the stream to see that something was twinkling at him. It could've been the stream itself, but something was peculiar seeing that none of the rest of the stream sparkled.

Kitei reached over for it and dipped his hand in the glassy water. He felt something hard, and cold. Feeling around for something of the item to grab on, he picked it up and examined it. It was a very interesting piece. It was round and about the size of his palm. and it took the shape as a shell, but it was gold. He opened the little lid it had and saw two arrows pointing in different directions. Of course, it was a compass. Kitei rubbed his thumb against the lid of the compass and saw a name imprinted in it. Modenta Seija.