Chapter 1-23

Looking at my path ahead I was suddenly eerily reminded of the trip over the ocean after my 'successful' chunin-exam.

The endless dunes in front of me made a decent impression of the towering waves, that had tended to become bigger and bigger the closer you had gotten to them. The spare vegetation stretching far to my left and right looked like a coast to the sandy ocean ahead.

This was going to be my first trip across the desert…and I was alone.

Thankfully, the occasional scorching wind howling past me prevented a deafening silence. Still, this probably was the third time I wished I was still under Kurenai and could switch places with her little genin-team. The lucky bastards.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated, the little paper-packet of seeds I had to deliver post-haste to Suna's greenhouse suddenly feeling very heavy in my breast pocket.

I shook my head, I was ahead of schedule, no need to become antsy. Opening my eyes, I glanced over my shoulder at a small wooden sign. According to it, Suna was straight ahead and I, like any other Shinobi had to trust it, unless I wanted to follow the long and winding merchant route somewhere further south.

'Whatever!'

At least it was a good opportunity to practice the Second Tsuchikage's technique I thought and pulled out my flask of water. I poured literally a handful in my left palm and placed the flask on the ground so it wouldn't spill.

Right hand in the one-handed ram seal I watched the water slowly vaporize, not unlike my Hiding in Mist Technique.

Holding the seal and preventing the vapor from continuing to my right hand I tried to inspect the results on my left hand.

Trying, in this case, because I had yet to figure out how to bend and lead the light in the water droplets. I felt a pleasant coolness, as if an invisible spray bottle relentlessly caressed my skin with the finest mist possible, what I saw however was the sun being mercilessly reflected and blinding me in the process.

My initial disappointment luckily made way for relief. After almost two years I was finally at the last hurdle, I just had to figure out how to bend the light to my desires and Konoha would have its very own 'Non-Person'. A nice juicy middle finger to old Ōnoki and my ace in the hole against the bigwigs.

Life was good, I thought as I let the vapor reach across to my right hand and finally up to my neck and head. I could have used a plain old cloak to endure the murderous sun but feeling the mist on my exposed skin made the whole endeavor almost pleasant.

Picking up the flask and screwing the lid back on I couldn't help but stare at my 'hands', and snort. I was currently less of a 'Non-Person' and more of a 'Mirror-Man'.

Placing the plate full of dango on the table between us I unceremoniously plopped down on the bench opposite of my former teacher.

I smiled at her genuinely proud expression, which hadn't left her face since I invited her to celebrate her team making it past the second test of the current exam here in Konoha.

"Thank you." She said and plucked the first stick of the plate.

"You know, teaching you almost spoiled me." She teased and bit into the first dumpling.

I waved her off slightly embarrassed, I knew I hadn't been a run-of-the-mill genin back then, I certainly wasn't a run-of-the-mill chunin now.

"Luckily, they have been decently competent and respectful from the start, imagine going from a lone little ANBU to three troublemakers." She shook her head, probably dismissing the worst-case scenario.

"I suppose it's a bit more relaxing than dealing with a little boy wonder." I threw out, somewhat interested in the thoughts about teaching a regular team. I wasn't going to be twelve forever.

I saw Kurenai take a second to sip her tea and formulate her thoughts.

"I guess you could compare it to a light jog and fast tree-hopping. It took me a day to adjust, but then I started a pace that everybody could follow, and slowly but surely, I was able to increase the pace while making sure nobody fell behind. With you, it would be a run towards a time-sensitive mission in a foreign territory while also discussing minute details of a delicate technique."

She paused, cocked her head, and chewed on her next dumpling.

"It's a weird comparison, but you understand what I mean, right?"

"I do." I took a sip of my own tea and waited for my former sensei to finish her train of thought.

"It's satisfying and relaxing, but at times incredibly dull, which our time never was." She paused again and chuckled suddenly.

"Remember when I told you about Gai's reaction when I showed him, that my student helped me learn the first two Gates? Your apprenticeship had turned out to be an entertaining challenge, which I miss sometimes. That said…" She paused, while I raised my cup of tea, expecting her to continue.

"Anko had told me she had seen you buy the new Icha Icha Violence." She loudly proclaimed, which made me cough out my lungs while I could practically feel everybody in the shop turn their gaze on me.

"I also miss teasing you, you little pervert." She said between her laughter. "But enough about me, how was your trip to Suna?"

I studiously ignored the last disapproving gazes on me and decided to just pretend this little episode never happened.

"It was…weird" I simply said. No need to beat around the bush.

"From stepping into the desert for the first time to stepping into a major foreign village without some tense mission overshadowing everything." I tried to elaborate and felt like I failed so I carried on.

"You know, you are hours in that vast but barren environment, which was, to be honest, quite the impressive sight, and suddenly you step into this equally impressive rock formation in the middle of nowhere, which housed tens of thousands of people. Who by the way, while not hostile certainly made me feel not particularly welcome." I finished with a shrug.

"It was weird…but a good experience."

"Hmm, you look like you are enjoying yourself, you look more and more relaxed whenever we see each other." She commented on her observation.

"I do." I leaned back contentedly. "I feel like I found my niche for the time being. Express courier missions, undercover surveillance and protection, and the occasional foray into the pages of my bingo book." That I did them solo went without saying, I really was living the dream.

I stared at the Jonin commander and desperately tried to keep a straight face.

I had the feeling, that whatever I would say at this moment would basically boil down to a petulant 'But I don't want to'.

The silence continued to stretch until Shikaku Nara leaned forward and continued with the briefing.

"The point of this long-term infiltration mission is for Konoha to gain an in with Kiri's rebel faction, which we expect to make further gains in the near future."

'Fuck me!'

"May I ask why me?" I asked eventually so that my curiosity would be as dead as my enthusiasm.

"You are the right age; you have the right skills, and you are already intimately familiar with Kiri conventions due to your previous Root mission." He rattled of tonelessly and I couldn't help but purse my lips.

"We have a cover story and history, which you will have to make yourself familiar with within the coming week and on your way to the Land of Water." He continued on completely business-like.

"What timeframe do you estimate for this mission?" I asked resigned, my shoulders already poised to slump down.

"Two years, you will have ample time to rise in their ranks and get familiar with prominent figures."

'Fuck!'

"Fuck!"

'Oops!'

"So, what's up? You look and smell agitated." Hana asked curiously standing next to me in my apartment.

I wanted to object to the 'look' part, because I felt I did a decent job on keeping a lid on my 'agitation' but kept quiet instead and continued to observe my spotlessly clean apartment. I had had two Shadow Clones clean it while I had lunch with Hana after the little bombshell from this morning.

"Here." I said instead and held the key to my apartment towards her.

"What's this about, Daiki?" She asked now somewhat alarmed and stepped in front of me, she ignored the still dangling key entirely.

"I was chosen for a long-term mission and I want to offer you my apartment." I said and couldn't quite keep the frustration out of my voice.

"Long-term!?" Her eyes narrowed and she took a step closer, the key remained ignored. "How long?"

"At least two years in Kiri." I answered quietly and observed her eyes widen and her jaw clench.

Our eyes met and suddenly I was dragged towards my couch.

"Sit!" Like a perfectly trained dog, I did just that. Key still firmly in my hand I watched her pace in front of me.

A saw her clench her jaw one last time as she apparently came to a decision about whatever she was debating because she came to a stop right in front of me.

And suddenly there was a weight on me, that felt…horribly right.

I felt hands place my hands above her hips, which remained there as if they were glued, before arms wrapped around my neck and I felt a hot breath on my lips. I gazed into dark brown eyes.

"…"

"Listen and listen well!" Despite the position, there was nothing sultry, there was just a fierceness that held me captivated. I could feel our breath mingle.

"I will take the apartment and I will wait for you!" She began, now less tense.

"Ha.."

"Shut up, Daiki." She interrupted me and took a deep breath.

"I love you." Then she kissed me…and I responded. Grips tightened, eyes closed, and pulses began to race.

Until we broke apart and she rested her forehead against mine.

"And now I know how you feel about me." She said quietly and I could hear the relieved smile in her voice.

I couldn't help it; I captured her lips again until we broke apart for air. She leaned back somewhat and some of the previous fierceness was back to my surprise.

"I'll wait for you and when you are back, we are going to make this work!" She emphasized what 'this' was by settling her hands on my shoulders and her weight 'somewhere' else, which made me swallow.

I saw her swallow, too, and thankfully she managed to ignore my reaction because she continued with her little speech almost unbothered.

"I refuse to settle with someone else, accept the second best when I can wait for you."

"Furthermore," She leaned back in, her voice soft again. "Mum and Kiba already love you."