A/N's: Totally forgot to add this in, but I just wanted y'all to note that I'm going to do my best to make revisions before I post chapters, so it may take me longer to post than I want. I think once I have a good chunk of chapter that i'm happy with, I'll have a regular posting schedule. Thank you all again for being so patient. :)
Chapter 3: Flowers
"There you two are! Oh! You changed, Shino! Good!" The cat Kunoichi nodded in approval of the man's casual attire.
"Yeah, I managed to convince him to get out of his stuffy work clothes," Kiba explained, wrapping an arm around her side. "He still wanted to go for bug-themed though, as per usual."
The Aburame looked down at his outfit, wondering if it was too casual for tonight. He opted to wear his regular sunglasses rather than his visor, with a dark green sweater and black pantaloons. On the sweater's chest was a black print of a stag beetle. He didn't wear it too often, but the shirt itself was clean and had a nice texture to it.
"Hey, I don't think I've ever seen you wear that before, Shino," Tamaki commented with a wink. "It looks good on you! A little on the modest side though, huh? You could've done something to accentuate your muscles more… "
The Aburame shook his head. "Thank you, Tamaki," he replied dryly.
"Oh! And I invited Mitsumi with us," she added, looking knowingly at Kiba. "I hope you two don't mind. It'd be nice to finally have an even number of boys and girls tonight."
The Inuzuka gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. "Not at all," he said with a grin. "Would you look at that, Shino?"
The Aburame cleared his throat, ignoring the lilt in Kiba's voice. "I don't mind as long as Mitsumi-san is comfortable with going. Where is she then, Tamaki?"
The sound of a door creaking interrupted the cat Kunoichi before she could answer. The trio turned to find the young honey vendor walking out from the back room, simultaneously adjusting her hair, styled into low pigtails. She sported two identical black hair clips on each side of her head, pinning back her rather long side bangs.
"Mitsumi-san!" Kiba greeted her with a wave.
The woman looked up in surprise. "Oh, you're all here already! Sorry to keep you waiting longer, I just need to close up shop first."
Once the honey vendor finished, she walked towards the group. Having changed out of her gardening clothes, the woman now sported loose black shorts and a yellow sweater. Nice and casual.
"Aren't you a sight for sore-eyes!" Kiba nudged the other man. "Right, Shino?"
Shino stood in place, quietly observing the woman's appearance. His eyes lingered on the embroidered honey bee design on her shirt.
"I like your sweater, Mitsumi-san," he finally said.
The woman smiled and looked up at the insect Shinobi. She never realized just how tall the man was now that she was directly facing him.
"You beat me to it! I was about to say the same thing about yours," she exclaimed. "And thank you! I would have worn something nicer, but this was the only clean one I had here at the store. I was worried that it was too casual for eating, but it looks like we had a similar idea," she smiled before moving in closer to observe Shino's attire.
The woman's easy comfortability with him came as a surprise to the Aburame, but he supposed that came hand in hand with her demeanor. He shifted, feeling surprisingly bashful under her wide stare.
"Wow," she said with a point. "There's actually a lot of detail to your stag beetle's mandibles. You don't see that too often, I'm jealous." She pulled on her own sweater, noting the picture of the bee. "Mine's basically just a circle with two black dots for eyes."
Shino's eyebrows raised in surprise. It may have seemed trivial, but he was glad that the woman had further appreciation for the design outside of it being an regular old 'bug' shirt.
"I think your sweater is..." he struggled to find the right word. "... cute. I actually bought this particular article of clothing because of the detailed design; It's rather serious, though. Nothing cute."
Mitsumi nudged him on the shoulder. "What are you saying? Your sweater is cute."
"Huh?" Tamaki spoke up. "I would've said that shirt is manly, not cute, Mitsumi-san."
"Beetles are cute," the honey vendor said to herself, cupping her cheeks. She patted her chest with pride. "Not as cute as bees of course, but some beetle designs are so intricate and fun! Like ladybugs!"
Shino smiled at the woman, chest surprisingly warm after the nudge. "I've found it rather difficult to find paraphernalia that accurately shows the unique shape and form of any insect," he commented, uncharacteristically vocal. He always had to consciously refrain from vocalizing his hobbies to avoid scaring people off, but he just couldn't resist continuing.
"It was something of a miracle that I found this sweater. I always look for items of this nature when I visit department stores." The Aburame cleared his throat, realizing what he just said. "... Not that I go too often, of course. I simply buy them in addition to the necessities."
It's not that Shino was economically frivolous, but few things often caught the man's eye. If his mood was just right, and the item was interesting enough, he didn't mind spending money even if it had no practical use in his life.
Mitsumi laughed. "Don't be embarrassed! It's really bad, but sometimes I'll buy things just for their design. Ooh! Once I found a laptop case with the best design of a carpenter bee I've ever seen on it, which is all well and good," she snorted. "But it doesn't really do much considering I don't have a laptop."
"That... that actually happens to me more than I'm proud to admit," Shino chuckled. He experienced something of that nature with a salt shaker that had a particularly nice design of a scarab on it. He asked with a lilt, "So does it just collect dust at home, then?"
The woman rubbed the back of her head. "Eh, I sometimes use it as a paperweight? I just like looking at it for the most part."
"Alright, alright you two," Kiba grinned widely, slyly looking between the two of them. "Before this conversation gets too 'buggy,' let's decide on where to go first, yeah? Any ideas?"
Shino rubbed his chin, attempting to bring the conversation back into focus. "I have no qualms about where to eat, but I ask that we not go to Ichiraku's. I wouldn't want to eat there twice in a row."
"Hm… What about hamburgers?" Kiba said more as a joke. "I hear they have a new spicy burger-"
"-I am not eating at Lightning Burger tonight, Kiba," Tamaki replied flatly, shutting the Inuzuka's suggestion down with no hesitation. Shino also threw in how there would be a large chance they may see his students there. While he loved and cared for them, it would be a bit awkward considering the setting.
"What about Yakiniku Q? There's a Thursday dinner special I'm pretty sure," Tamaki pitched in. She turned towards the other woman in the group, heart already set on the restaurant. "Do you like barbecue, Mitsumi-san? Konoha has some of the best, in my opinion! Waaay better than Soraku."
The honey vendor smiled. "That sounds good! I'm fine with anything really! I've only had it a few times before, so I'm sure whatever we get will be amazing."
The trio looked at the woman in surprise. Barbecue was a regularly eaten staple in Konoha, especially among Shinobi teams. Yakiniku Q had even been the regular hang out spot for the Ino-Shika-Cho trio for the past couple of generations.
"Have you been living under a rock or something-ow! Hey! What was that for?" Kiba exclaimed after Shino gave him a hard nudge to the side.
"My home is a actually pretty far away from central Iwagakure even though it's still technically a part of the village," she explained, looking down in embarrassment. "My home's very... well it's a bit backwater, in all honesty. So I'm not that experienced when it comes to different types of food... "
"Oh jeez, those words could make an Akimichi writhe in his grave!" Kiba said loudly. "That settles it then! We'll go to Yakiniku Q!"
"Agreed!" Tamaki beamed. "We can even get ice cream or something afterwards!"
As the group made their way towards the restaurant, the Aburame carefully approached the young honey vendor. She glanced at the man from the corner of her eye as the two walked side by side with Kiba and Tamaki walking ahead of them.
"It's good food, Mitsumi-san," Shino spoke up. "I think you'll like it. I'm sorry if we seemed shocked earlier. Many in the village take for granted the resources we have available to us. Myself included at times."
The woman shook her head and waved off the man's concern. "It's ok, really! I'm just happy you all let me join you. It's nice to know that friendly people like you, Kiba-san, and Tamaki-san are here."
Mitsumi looked around, taking in the sights and smells around her. Lights illuminated every street corner, shining upon the happy villagers. People, young and old, greeted each other merrily along the streets, and small children ran about ahead of their parents, completely at ease. The beckoning of merchants and the sizzling of street foods was a loud, but somewhat peaceful background noise.
It was so much more different from what the honey vendor accustomed to back in Iwa. She was beginning to see and appreciate that different wasn't exactly a bad thing. Konoha was simply beautiful.
Her eyes widened in realization. If she had left yesterday like she planned, she wouldn't have had the chance to see that.
"I'm glad I met you, Shino-san," she spoke up quietly, still observing the peaceful streets. "I truthfully think that if you hadn't come the other night, I would have been long gone by now."
The Aburame paused. He didn't believe too heavily in concepts like fate or destiny, but he was more than glad that his unfortunate circumstances indirectly allowed him to help someone else.
It was funny. Shino had always been the sensitive type, though he tried not to show it too often. The incident at Ichiraku's ran through his mind once or twice today despite his reassurances that he was fine and "over it". When the woman didn't show up, he felt disappointed and more than a little bit hurt. Those re-emerging feelings were a large part of the reason why he was reluctant to go on dates in the first place.
Glancing discreetly at the woman to his right, he found that he didn't feel that way now. He simply felt… content.
It was a nice feeling.
"Well, I'm glad you stayed."
The group made their way into the restaurant, asking for a booth table. Kiba and Tamaki sat on one side while Shino and Mitsumi sat on the other. The restaurant, thankfully, wasn't too packed considering it was only Wednesday.
"It smells amazing! I've never been to a place like this before. Thank you so much again for inviting me with you. Oh wow!" she pointed towards the end of their booth. "They even have a decorative orchid!"
Kiba grinned. "Heh, that's nothing compared to the food here! Maybe next time, we'll all go get noodles? They're big here in Konoha, even bigger than the barbecue!"
"Next time?" Her eyes widened hopefully.
"Of course!" Tamaki answered. "Like I've said before, I've always wanted another girl to join our little group of friends. Oooh, maybe we could even go shopping together! That'd be so much fun!"
Kiba smirked and moved his head closer to the other side of the table. "We gotta know if you have a boyfriend first-Ow! Who kicked me?"
Shino cleared his throat. "Mitsumi-san," he said, drawing the woman's attention away from the Inuzuka. "I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but around where in Iwagakure did you say you were from again?"
"Oh, uh…" she thought for a minute. "I don't think I talked about it too explicitly looking back. Let's see..." She gently placed her teacup down, brushing a knuckle against their table's orchid. "My family resides on the mountains west of Iwagakure."
Tamaki looked intrigued. "The mountains? I was expecting something else since you called it backwater! But the mountains sound nice! I've lived in urbanized villages my whole life, it gets a bit tiring. Trust me."
"Oh yes! It sounded bad when I described it before, but my home is really very beautiful! It's just a bit quiet; nothing ever really happens there, unlike here in Konoha," she said with a light sigh.
"Anyways, I was very young when my family left the main village of Iwa," Mitsumi continued, a faraway look coming into her eyes. "So I don't really have any memories of not living there. It's a bit of a pain because it's reeaaaally high up. I think the altitude may have stunted my growth," she said, giggling to herself.
"Is there a particular reason your family resides there, Mitsumi-san?" Shino asked curiously. "And not the main village?"
"Peaceful living for the most part," she explained, looking at the man next to her. "My mother likes the privacy."
Before she could continue, their waitress interrupted, ready to take their orders.
A few moments later, barbecue was placed in front of the group, the warm meat glistening in its rich brown sauce. It was a normal sight for the other three Konoha residents, but the new honey vendor looked completely star-struck. It looked so perfectly appetizing.
The four quickly picked up their chopsticks, saying their usual "itadakimasu" before digging in. The food tasted even better than it looked.
"This is amazing!" Mitsumi exclaimed. "I've never had anything like this back at home!"
"We're glad you like it," the Aburame replied, a reserved smile on his face.
Tamaki grinned. "See, aren't you happy you came along, Mitsumi-san?"
"More than you know! I was planning to spend the rest of my evening gardening and just eat leftovers at home, but this is way better!"
"You should try other restaurants we have here," Kiba said with his face full of meat. "Konoha has some of the best restaurants in all the five nations!"
The group ate their food and engaged in polite conversation, a few comments being exchanged here and there about work, or other beauties within Konoha. Tamaki excitedly mentioned the large shopping district within the village and made the other woman promise that they would go shopping together sometime.
The Inuzuka chewed his food quickly, not realizing just how hungry he had been. The warm food really hit the spot after a long-day's work at the Police Station. The only thing that would make the food even better would be...
"Hello," their waitress interrupted. "I'm sorry I forgot to mention this earlier, but there's a special tonight where tables with Shinobi get a complimentary bottle of sake with their meal! As a thanks for all your hard effort in protecting the village."
The Inuzuka's eyes sparkled. "Ooh really? How perfect! I was just thinking about how the meat would go great with a little alcohol."
The bottle and four small glasses clinked loudly as they were placed in front of the group. Kiba poured himself some of the clear liquid and then for Tamaki. He quietly offered some to the Aburame out of politeness. Not surprisingly, Shino shook his head and rejected the offer. His insects made it dangerous for him to intake large quantities of alcohol, so he simply avoided to drink altogether.
"Mitsumi-san, how about you?" Kiba asked. "You want some sake?"
"Oh, no thank you! I don't drink alcohol," she quickly replied. The honey vendor looked around at her dinner companions and asked in slight disbelief. "Are you all Shinobi?"
Shino looked at the woman, having forgotten how he never mentioned the fact that the three of them were ninja. "We are, Mitsumi-san," he answered. "In fact, me and Kiba were even on the same team. I apologize for not mentioning it sooner."
"No no! Don't apologize!" she exclaimed. "I just think it's impressive. You told me you were a teacher Shino-san, but I thought you just taught ordinary subjects in school like math, or literature."
"I do," he replied simply.
"Yeah, but you also teach kids how to throw shuriken and kunai!" Mitsumi replied energetically. "It must be exciting, getting to teach up-and-coming Shinobi! You've probably taught the next Hokage, and you just don't know it yet!"
Shino fought the urge to gush about his students with the woman's interest in his work. He genuinely loved teaching with all of his heart despite the disrespect he received from a few rowdy kids here and there.
"It can be challenging at times, I'll admit," the Aburame replied evenly. "Students training to become Shinobi can be exactly the same as those that aren't. There are a few rambunctious ones in the mix, and always some troublemakers. But almost all of the students I've had that made it to graduation did so because of their passion and dedication to their goals in life." He paused. "...The progress I've seen them make outside of the Academy gives me more fulfillment with my work than I'd ever thought imaginable."
Before the Aburame even realized it, there was an open smile on his face. He had so much pride in his students that he could speak about them for hours. It disheartened the Academy Instructor that others didn't find his work as interesting as he did— even a few of his co-workers approached their jobs with relative disinterest.
Worrying that he was boring Mitsumi, he glanced at the woman next to him. To his surprise, he found her steel-gray eyes wide with interest as she paid attention to the instructor's spiel.
"That's wonderful..." she replied, clasping her hands together. "You have so much pride in your students, Shino-san. You know, if my childhood instructor had praised me with half of the passion you praise your students, I might've paid attention more in class. Has teaching always been your interest?"
"It became apparent to me after searching for a wedding present for one of my teammates. Even when I was a teenager, I've always been comfortable teaching and instructing others despite my," he cleared his throat, "anti-social tendencies."
She laughed warmly. "Well, I can't really stand up for teenage you, Shino-san, but I do think you are one of the best listeners and teachers I've ever met. I think you've really found your place and what you enjoy doing; most people never really reach that point in their lives."
The Aburame remained silent, choosing instead to observe the honey vendor. "Admire" was really the right word.
"... Thank you, Mitsumi-san," he finally said.
"You're welcome," she replied, a slight tingle of red on her cheeks. Somewhat out of the blue, she giggled.
"What is it?" Shino asked.
The woman waved off the man's concern. "No nothing, sorry. It's just that I can imagine your students calling you 'Shino-Sensei', and I think that's so precious."
Kiba spoke up, already at the point of being tipsy. Tamaki, who sadly had a very low tolerance for alcohol, was sleeping with her head laid down next to him. "You should… you should hear his formal title, Mitsumi-san," the Inuzuka hiccuped. "I've noticed that some of his students use it when that… they're g-guilty or in trouble. 'Oh, I'm so sorry for accidentally aiming a shuriken at you, Abura-Ow! Who…who kicked me again?"
The Inuzuka looked underneath the table to find the perpetrator knowing fully well that it was his old childhood friend. He sloppily looked up at Shino, a goofy grin on his flushed red face. There was a serious expression on the Aburame's face as he discreetly shook his head at him.
Kiba began sobering up. He wasn't stupid. That action could only have one possible meaning.
"What was that, Kiba-san?" Mitsumi asked.
"Nothing!" he nearly yelled. "Sorry, forget I said anything. I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm gonna use the bathroom, alright? I uh…need to sober up a bit. I think me and Tamaki also needa get going soon, it's getting kinda late."
"Alright," Shino replied calmly, thankful that the Inuzuka understood.
He would reveal his clan and abilities to Mitsumi when he felt ready to. It felt shameful to have to hide such a large part of his identity, but Shino didn't want to break this relaxed atmosphere. It was different from his previous blind dates. He was having a surprisingly good time, and he didn't feel disappointed with the way things were turning out.
Although some prior outings turned out relatively well, the Aburame never felt... happy with their outcome. He was simply content that his partner didn't turn away in fear. But not once did any of his blind dates ever attentively listen to him, or show interest in his personal life.
For the majority of the time, Shino contented himself to listen. He was perfectly fine for him to be the one listening, but it made his chest warm that someone wanted to listen to him.
Shino glanced over at Mitsumi, who smiled when their eyes met.
He supposed he would simply deal with the repercussions later.
Once Kiba returned, he gently shook Tamaki's shoulder. "Babe? You ok? C'mon we should leave now before the restaurant starts closing up. Tamaki?"
"Mmm…" the woman groaned. She opened her eyes, wincing at how bright it was. "Kiba?"
"We have to leave, ok?" he said gently. He quickly picked up the bag by the woman's feet containing their honey, not wanting his girlfriend to accidentally knock it down.
"Ok," she giggled before raising up to stand. "Hold me? Pleeeeaaaaaasse?"
"Alright alright," Kiba chuckled as he wrapped an arm around the woman to steady her wobbly movements. He looked back to Shino and Mitsumi and grinned. There was still a red tinge to his face, but the man seemed to be in much better control of his senses now.
"Let's get going, yeah?"
"Do we pay at the counter?" Mitsumi asked as she dug through the pockets on her shorts. "I just need to get my wallet—"
"—Nah, don't worry about it, Mitsumi-san," Kiba interrupted with a wink. "I paid while I was in the bathroom. Consider it me and Tamaki's warm Konoha welcome!"
The woman's eyes widened. "Kiba-san, you really didn't need to! I had enough money to pay! I'm so sorry I didn't realize."
"You're ok, Mitsumi-san, really! Don't worry about it, alright?"
She looked up hesitantly. "... Are you sure?"
"One hundred percent! Just make sure you stay in the village long enough for us to all get ice cream, yeah? Tamaki wanted some earlier, but I don't think it would be a good time right now," he said with a chuckle as the cat Kunoichi hung onto his arm.
"... Ok," the honey vendor finally accepted. "Thank you very much."
The group made their way out, bidding a goodnight to their waitress. Outside of the restaurant, Kiba turned towards Shino and Mitsumi.
"Mitsumi-san," the Inuzuka addressed the honey vendor politely. "I need to speak to Shino for a few minutes in private. Is that alright?"
"Oh! Of course," she replied immediately. "I'll just wait over there. Please take as long as you need."
Once the woman was out of ear shot, Kiba spoke. "You need to tell her eventually, old buddy."
"I know," Shino replied quietly. "I will. I'm simply… worried she won't take it well."
"Do you really think she'll care about the bugs that much? I mean, if me and Tamaki weren't there earlier at her shop, you two probably could've talked about bug gear all evening," Kiba joked.
Shino responded to the ninken user's teasing with silence, his face unreadable. After a few moments he said, "...I don't want her to be displeased with me."
"Like the rest," he was close to adding.
Shino felt a strange amount of comfortability with the honey vendor that he's never experienced before with other woman (besides possibly Hinata or Kurenai-sensei). When every prospective romantic partner has rejected you for being a 'weird bug freak,' coming out of one's shell becomes rather difficult, so to speak.
The Inuzuka looked at the Aburame sympathetically. "I get that you, Shino. Really I do," Kiba replied seriously. "But a relationship built on lies can't function. If Mitsumi genuinely likes you, she won't care about your insects. You don't have to tell her immediately after this, but think about that alright?"
The Aburame turned around to observe the honey vendor from a distance. She was currently crouched down, admiring a few flowers in front of one of the shops. She grinned happily, noticing a small group of moths move towards the now-lit street lamp.
He turned back to Kiba and nodded. "I will."
The Inuzuka grinned. "Good. Now you go up there and you walk that nice lady home. I gotta get mine to drink a glass of water before going to bed ASAP. Have a good one, Shino." He gave a wave to the honey vendor before leaving towards the Inuzuka complex.
Once Kiba and Tamaki were gone, Shino walked back towards the honey vendor. A strange feeling filled his chest and sat there uncomfortably as he thought back on Kiba's words.
"Shino-san!" she greeted as he approached. "I know it's a bit late… but would you like to go for a small walk with me? I wanted to take in more of Konoha while I can."
Before the Aburame knew it, he accepted the woman's offer. Without hesitation, he even offered his hand to help her off of the ground. As they walked through the streets of Konoha, the woman asking all sorts of questions about the village and his life, it struck him what that growing feeling was in his chest.
Uncertainty.
"What's your favorite part about Konoha, Shino-san?"
The two walked the lit streets of Konoha, taking in the view of the lively view of street vendors, young couples, and families walking about in contented bliss. As they moved further away from the hustle and bustle, the sound of summer cicadas and crickets filled the warm air, eventually drowning out the liveliness.
The Aburame took his time to reply. "... I suppose I enjoy the nature surrounding it. The green leaves, and the wildlife that accompanies it. Mainly the diverse insects. How about you, Mitsumi-san? What did you enjoy most about where you lived?"
"Hmm…" she pursed her lips in thought. "I'm not sure if this counts, but one of my favorite pastimes back home was to just fall asleep in a field of flowers while the sun was out. Konoha is gorgeous, and the rocky, barren scenery of Iwa doesn't really hold a candle to it, but my home has always been filled with nature and greenery. So I guess I like my home for the same reason you like yours! Sorry, that was a bit long-winded, but does that answer the question?"
"I suppose that counts," he replied, smiling discreetly before continuing. "You've mentioned that you like flowers, but do you have a favorite one?"
"That's a hard one," she commented with a grin. "Hm... I guess I really love tulips! They're so colorful and remind me of spring when the animals and insects start to come out. Me and my brother used to pluck the poor things out of the ground when we were little and didn't know not to do that. I wanted to plant tulip bulbs for my shop, but they wouldn't blossom until next year..." The woman's eyes took a faraway look as she sighed.
Snapping back to reality, she continued. "Anyway! Do you have a favorite plant, Shino-san?"
They walked in silence for a few moments as Shino thought of an answer. "I like the chameleon plant."
"I don't think I've heard of that one before," she hummed as she thought back on her knowledge of flowers. "What does it look like?"
"It's leaves are green, yellow, and red, and their flowers are small and white. They have the tendency to creep and overtake gardens, however."
Mitsumi pondered the man next to her with interest. Even with plants, the man had a unique flavor about him. She smiled. "Is there a particular reason you like them?"
Shino tilted his head in thought. "My father used to keep a few containers of them in our home for medicinal purposes. I suppose I just liked the way they looked. I've been meaning to buy seeds and plant them in a container for my own home, but I unfortunately keep on forgetting."
"The chameleon flower, huh?" she echoed to herself. "I'll remember that."
"You mentioned you had a brother earlier, Mitsumi-san. What about him and the rest of your family? Your clan?"
Mitsumi sighed. "My brother Maru is younger than me by four years. We were both raised by our mother," her eyes looked ahead, lost in thought. "And I love her to bits, but she's veeery protective. A sort of 'my way or the highway' lady. We weren't allowed to do much back home. I begged her to let me come to Konoha, and I had hoped to bring Maru here with me, but he said no. It's a shame, I'm sure he would have loved it."
After a few moments of quiet, the woman continued. "What about your family, Shino-san? What are they like?"
"... Secretive. Very secretive," he said.
"Ah, I see where you get it from," Mitsumi grinned. "Who was your primary caretaker growing up? Did you have siblings?"
"My father raised me for the most part."
"And your mother?"
The Aburame paused. "I was told that she passed away a few years after I was born. She had a terminal autoimmune disease."
Mitsumi's eyebrows pinched together in sympathy. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright," he said quietly. "Because I never really knew her. I'm told that I have her eyes. I suppose it doesn't mean much, however, considering I prefer to keep them hidden. As for my siblings, I had an adoptive older brother Torune. But he passed away during the war."
Mitsumi placed a comforting hand upon the man's bicep and gave him a warm smile. "I'm sure they would both be very proud of you and what you've accomplished, Shino-san… I know I would be."
The two continued their slow walk around Konoha, no particular destination in mind. They spoke up about their lives at home, experiences growing up, favorite foods and colors. It was rather difficult for the Aburame to say what his favorite type of insect was when the honey vendor asked, so he simply went with "every insect has a charm and interesting quality to them… but I suppose I like any type of beetle."
The two eventually shifted back to the topic of family, and Shino, after having described his own father and the many ways people found them to be similar, asked Mitsumi about her own.
"Oh! Well... he left when I was young," she said quietly. "Around four years old, I think?"
Shino was quiet for a few moments before he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "... I'm very sorry to hear that."
"It's alright," she said with a shrug. "I had the rest of my family to raise me. Believe me, my mother was more than capable of making sure I had a good head on my shoulders. But I think I turned out okay for the most part, right?" She laughed at her little joke.
Shino slowed his steps and looked at the woman directly. "I believe you've grown into quite a strong and beautiful young woman, Mitsumi-san. Your father really missed out on that."
Mitsumi blinked slowly, processing the man's words. She remained silent, nothing but the sound of crickets chirping around them as the two continued their slow walk together. They locked eyes a few times before the honey vendor spoke up.
"Are you…" she began nervously, a blush on her cheeks. "...Are you free sometime this weekend?"
"Yes," Shino immediately answered. "Would you like to do something, Mitsumi-san?"
"I was hoping to buy more flower seeds and other gardening materials. Maybe see more of Konoha while I have time." She blinked a few times before continuing. "Would you mind going with me?"
He nodded carefully. "I would love to."
Shino made sure to walk Mitsumi back to her apartment—which was only a block away from her store—before heading home.
As he stepped through his front door, he immediately took a wash before going to bed. The Aburame had never been more glad to have finished up his grading. He was much too tired to do anything else but rest.
He lied in bed, staring at the tiny marks on his ceiling as the chirping of crickets echoed around him, the world of sleep gradually taking over.
He was inside the large room once again.
This time, however, he could see that he was actually inside of a large honeycomb. The painted gold walls were now dripping with honey, slowly pooling around the tiny island he was seated upon.
He looked around, confused. The layout of this space was almost identical to the one before, but he felt something… not quite right this time. The quiet buzzing from earlier seemed to be much louder from the start, to the point of it being irritating. Even covering his ears wouldn't make the noise go away. Instead of the lethargic, dreamy feeling from before, the Aburame felt surprisingly tense.
There was no warm tea in his hands this time, simply the cold and empty container. His fingertips were pricked with chills despite the warm air around him.
Instead of the strange woman offering him tea, Shino focused his eyes on the new curtain in front of him made up of thick vines filled with chameleon flowers. Now space wasn't the only thing that divided them. He couldn't see the woman at all because of the vines, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was there behind the barrier.
To his surprise, he heard her speak.
"Did you like the tea?" her voice echoed loudly on the other side of the curtain. It was perfectly clear, no buzzing or fuzziness at all. To the man's shock, the voice sounded exactly like…
"Mitsumi-san?" he questioned. "Is that you behind there?"
"Did you like the tea?" she repeated, seeming to not hear him. Her voice was so loud, bouncing off of the large honeycomb's walls. Shino struggled to not cover his ears.
The Aburame looked down at his cup, finding it devoid of any remaining liquid. His eye caught onto something. Printed at the bottom of the porcelain cup was a small design of a hexagon. Shino squinted and looked closer to find smaller hexagons within the larger one. He placed it carefully on the ground before responding to the woman.
"Hai. I enjoyed the tea very much," he replied evenly.
The woman giggled, sounding exactly like the honey vendor from the night before. "I'm glad you liked it, Shino-san!"
Shino looked at the curtain disappointedly.
"May I see you? Mitsumi-san?" he asked.
"No… I'm sorry. But you can't, Shino-san," the voice said.
"May I know the reason why?" he pleaded, the buzzing around him growing louder and louder with each second. "Please, Mitsumi-san?"
"I can't because…"
The woman's voice suddenly dropped a significant amount of decibels into a quiet whisper, impossible to hear. Shino was unable to make out her words as the buzzing filled the room with deafening noise, echoing painfully across the honeycomb's walls.
"What?" he tried yelling, "What is it? Mitsumi-san?" His chest clenched, feeling as though his heart was racing faster with each breath, yet simultaneously cold and lifeless at the same time. The buzzing sound circled around him, attacking him, drowning out everything else but the woman's last words.
"You can't stay here."
AN's: Remember to review/fav/follow! These dreams are going somewhere rest assured, and there's gonna be a special introduction from everyone's favorite dad next chapter.