A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back Chapter 1.

WARNING: OOC, LANGUAGE, SUGGESTIVE Situations

Chapter 4: Competition

Rikimaru was not himself that day. His mind wasn't focusing. Try as he might he could not get Ayame's face out of his mind. He departed for Gohda Castle being summoned by his master and hoping that Ayame was there.

"Rikimaru…ahh. Please sit." a gleeful Lord Gohda said.

"Gohda-sama…" Rikimaru bowed humbly, "May I be of service?"

"Ahh…no Rikimaru. That is not why I sent for you."

Rikimaru raised an eyebrow. Not a mission? Then, what could be so important as to assign something to his most valuable and skilled assassin if not a mission?

"Well…technically, it is a mission, but not your typical one. You see, my daughter, Kiku has decided to visit the town of Nagoya, where a close friend of hers live. I want you and Ayame to accompany her. Of course, there will also be other guards, a carriage…but I do not trust the forests…my heart will rest easy when I know you two will accompany her. The trip will take only two sunrises and one sunset. You depart at first light tomorrow."

Rikimaru nodded before proceeding to leave when Lord Gohda spoke again, "Rikimaru. There seems to be something amiss…Are you sure everything's fine?"

"Yes master, everything is as it should be." Rikimaru felt a pang of pain, 'As it should be…' he mentally repeated, 'Ayame wants it to be this way…' he sighed within.

xxxxx

"And that's what happened…" Ayame sighed.

Kasumi blinked, "Ayame I don't know what to say. But I do know one thing…" Ayame cocked an eyebrow.

"You're being unfair. It's not his fault that he loves you, and you can't keep on ignoring him forever, pretending that it didn't happen. Besides, Lord Gohda is bound to send you and Rikimaru together on some mission, and then what? You have to settle it like adults."

"I know, I know…but it's just that Riki has always been Riki to me…nothing more, and then that happened, and suddenly, I feel like I don't know him anymore. And there's…" she trailed off.

"Let me guess. Tatsumaru?" Ayame nodded slowly, saying nothing, as tears again threatened to spill. She held them in her eyes for honor's sake.

Kasumi rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders, "Look, I know it's not my business to get in your personal life, but as your friend, I have to tell you. Let it go. Let it go Ayame. Honoring Tatsumaru's death and cherishing his memories is one thing but refusing to get on with your life just because his ended is foolish and madness!"

"Here is a man who loves you with all of his heart, why don't you give him a chance, huh? Get to know him, more than you do now."

'Why am I telling her this?' thought Kasumi. She was only hurting herself. But she knew that this was the right thing to do. She was Ayame's friend; it was her duty to support her in matters such as this.

But, she couldn't help but feel a little hurt from her own words. Ayame had always had everything, while Kasumi had nothing; had no one. And now, Ayame was adding another person to wrap within her finger.

Ayame wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed. Kasumi's words hurt her. They were painful words because she knew they were true. Kasumi walked over to her friend and embraced her. Ayame held on to Kasumi. She was right. Tatsumaru would have wanted it this way. He wouldn't want her putting a hold on her life, grieving his death for the rest of her natural days…no, he'd want her to be happy.

"Kas…"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you…thank you for being here…for me."

"I am your friend after all…if not, your only friend." Kasumi managed a tight smile, 'You don't know how lucky you are Ayame…Don't take Rikimaru for granted. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in your position right now.'

xxxxx

Ayame did not see Rikimaru again that evening and instead, she found a scroll on her porch.

'Ayame,

We are to depart at sunrise to accompany Kiku-hime to Nagoya village.

Rikimaru'

'Sunrise huh…'

Ayame took the scroll inside and read it again. No hidden massages, no note… nothing. It would seem that Rikimaru was back to his stoic and expressionless self. The feelings of guilt and annoyance rushed through Ayame.

As Ayame prepared for bed, she thought about the three little words Rikimaru had said to her the night before, 'I love you…'

Ayame bit her lip as she lay on her bed, 'Do you really mean that Riki?' And with those thoughts, Ayame drifted to sleep.

Ayame awoke before sunrise. She hopped out of bed and headed for the lavatory. She then thought about seeing Rikimaru, 'I probably should not go for the mission…but then again, Kiku will be upset with me, not to mention Rikimaru might think that I might be avoiding him…'

As Ayame finished her preparations, she sped off to Gohda castle without delay.

xxxxx

"What took you?" a gruff voice asked as Ayame arrived in Gohda Palace.

Ayame whipped around to see Rikimaru, stoic as ever leaning against the wall. She gulped before regaining her composure, "I had a late night…"

Rikimaru raised an eyebrow and she smirked. Now she had the upper hand. Rikimaru opened his mouth to say something when the doors opened revealing a smiling Kiku and a pleased-looking Gohda.

"Ah, so you're all here, well then, I trust that your trip will be safe." he said not taking his eyes off Rikimaru and Ayame.

"Well, let's go everyone!" Kiku exclaimed cheerfully.

Gohda hugged his daughter tightly and bid them goodbye.

xxxxx

As the carriage was going through the forest, Ayame and Rikimaru made sure that the road ahead was safe by scouting several meters ahead.

Rikimaru looked from left to right, eyeing everything and taking note of the surroundings. Ayame leapt from tree to tree getting a bird's eye view of the forest.

She jumped down to see Rikimaru walking back to the carriage. Ayame saw this as her opportunity and she quickly grabbed his hand. Rikimaru stopped in his tracks as he felt her soft hand grasping his own.

"Ayame. What?"

"I…want to apologize Rikimaru. I acted as a child."

Rikimaru said nothing and started walking away, "This is not the time to discuss it…"

Ayame's face frowned, apologizing to this person is harder the second time around!

"If not now, then when? Tomorrow? Next week? The year after? How about, never?"

Her tantrum gained her Rikimaru's attention once again and he turned to face her only to see that she was angry.

"I wanted to discuss this yesterday Ayame, but you ran. Do you know what that made me feel?"

"That's why I want to apologize…I'm sorry…"

"Save it Ayame." he told her gruffly.

Ayame turned her back on him to hide her tears and resumed to scout the area while he went behind to check on princess Kiku.

xxxxx

As the sun fell, the captain of the guards decided to camp for the night. Of course Kiku did not object, she was exhausted from the trip and was eager to get some sleep. Ayame too felt tired.

Rikimaru ate in silence while the rest of guards as well as Kiku and Ayame talked during supper. At times, Rikimaru would steal glances at Ayame, seeing her laugh at a joke Kiku told her.

Her smile sent warm sensations to his heart. But he knew he had to stop longing for her. She told him herself that what happened between them was a mistake. He was foolish to think that Ayame and he could have been something more. He was a fool to even think that Ayame could ever love him.

And her apology a few hours ago? That was just to ascertain his fears. She was going to tell him that she was sorry…and that whatever happened between them would never happen again. In short, she would apologize for her "mistake".

'Being with me…is a mistake…' he thought bitterly.

Rikimaru left the bonfire and leapt on a tree a few meters away from the camp sight. Ayame caught a glimpse of his silhouette and followed him. She leapt onto the same tree and found him sitting on the large branch, staring at the full moon, removing his mask.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked him in a cheery tone.

Rikimaru acknowledged her presence but said nothing. Ayame felt a lump on her throat, "Riki, please…I'm sorry-I" she knelt in front of him, blocking his view of the moon.

"You don't have to be sorry Ayame." he cut her off, "I know that you'll never love me, and if you want to forget it ever happened, I'll understand. I'll never bring it up again, ever."

Ayame didn't know what to say, this wasn't the way she planned it to be, "Rikimaru…that's not why I came by here…"

Rikimaru eyed her in confusion. She smiled and moved closer to him, "I came to tell you that…I'm sorry for being unfair to you. I've been blind. I chased someone else not realizing that…the only person I needed was before me…You were always there for me, when I needed someone…you are my best friend after all and like you said, you would never leave me."

Rikimaru said nothing and she continued, "I was scared of opening my heart…that's why I ran. I don't want to keep my hopes up and then get them shattered again…just like what happened to Tatsumaru and me."

Ayame wiped a tear from her eye and smiled, "But from that moment, after we shared our first night…I heard you say you loved me…My heart was filled with joy that very second, but I did not know why…"

Rikimaru's heart raced as she spoke her words but again, he said nothing.

Ayame smiled tightly, "But now, I know…because I know I love you too…And I'll understand if you would not return that…anymore."

She got up to leave when he stopped her, both his hands holding each of her arms, "Do you mean that Ayame?" his asked, his voice trembling.

Ayame faced him, "Yes…yes I do."

Rikimaru smiled and covered her lips with his own. Ayame responded, hungrily devouring him. Rikimaru gently pulled away from their kiss and he saw that Ayame's eyes were still closed, her lips curved up to a smile. Ayame opened her eyes moments later and sat in between Rikimaru's bent legs. She rested her back against him and he tightened his hold around her waist.

"Isn't the moon beautiful Rikimaru? But like us, the moon hides. It hides its beauty…When the sun rises, the moon disappears…just like us. No one must see us."

Rikimaru felt for Ayame, he knew that she was right. They were ninjas; their lives are lived by the law of stealth. They live in the shadows, they die in the shadows.

"You make it sound as if you want to quit." Rikimaru taunted. He knew that Ayame hated being taunted, but right now he knew that she doubted her very way of living and he just wanted to know how she really felt.

She elbowed him in the ribs, "Of course not! I love being a ninja! Besides, I still have to beat you and be the greatest you know?" Ayame beamed and Rikimaru smiled.

But he wasn't convinced.

Ayame sighed, "But you know, I just sometimes wish that we could be normal people. People that live their lives the way they want to. But, that's not how the world is made, I suppose."

Rikimaru was surprised; he did not know that such thoughts ran through Ayame's head. Rikimaru squeezed her hand, "Ayame I…"

"Haha…I know, I know. I suppose I am talking nonsense again right?"

"No. That was not what I was going to say." Ayame was taken aback, the old Rikimaru would have scolded her for acting childish, "I know how you feel Ayame, I understand."

"I'm glad you do…and Rikimaru?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you, for listening to me… But, as long as I'm with you, it's worth it."

Ayame faced him once again and pulled him for a kiss. They kissed for a few more minutes before falling asleep on the treetop in each other's arms.

They arrived at Nagoya village in less than day. Princess Kiku hastily left the carriage to search for her friend. Rikimaru and Ayame walked together, laughing at seeing the overly eager princess.

"Ayame!" Kiku said, waving at Ayame just outside the biggest house in the village.

xxxxx

Ayame smiled at Rikimaru and ran towards the little princess.

"Hey. Is everything alright Kiku?"

"Yes…everything's fine. Umm…you know…I'm not a kid anymore Ayame. I can take care of myself. I really don't need you and Rikimaru watching me all the time…You understand, don't you?"

Ayame understood; she nodded and proceeded to walk away, when her curiosity got the better of her, "Wait Kiku."

Kiku pouted in a hint of annoyance but shrugged it off, "What is it oneechan?"

"Just who is this friend of yours…? Now that you mentioned it, neither you nor your father ever mentioned her. What's her name?"

Kiku's cheeks flushed a red and Ayame knew immediately, "Ahh…it's not a girl. It's a boy, isn't it?"

Kiku nodded, "I met him when my father and I stopped here. You know, we got attacked on the way back home, so the guards needed time to recuperate, so we stopped here…and I met him here…"

"So, what's his name? Are you two involved? Does your father know about this?"

"Oneechan! Chotto matte! Let me answer! His name is Mikami Sasuke. No, we're not 'involved'…" she whispered demurely, blushing a bit. "He's my best friend. And yes my father knows of our friendship…Why else would he permit me to visit him?"

Ayame smiled, her little sister was growing up.

"Besides, you and Rikimaru can explore the village, make sure that it's safe…or you can just sightsee!"

"Hmmm…that stiff? I don't think so!"

Kiku's smile widened, "Now who are you trying to kid? I know, as well as you, that he likes you…" Ayame blushed, "And that you like him."

Ayame grabbed Kiku by the arm, "Hime-sama, does anyone else know about this?"

Kiku nodded, "Everyone in the palace knows it…Father and Sekiya were the first to know…So, you don't have to hide it. My father is happy for the both of you."

Kiku hugged Ayame.

Just then, a young man about Ayame's age came out of the house. The young man had waist length hair in a pony tail, his locks of raven black bangs, barely covering his chocolate brown eyes. His lips were thin and had the shade of neat pink, his chin was slightly pointed and his complexion fair. Truly, he was handsome.

Ayame's cheeks flushed a bright red and Kiku nudged her in the ribs, "Oneechan…I forgot to tell you of Sasuke's elder brother-"

Ayame kept her eyes on the man, and likewise, he kept his on hers.

"Mikami Shiro…" Kiku trailed off, bowing politely at the young man, "This is one of my father's ninjas, also like a sister to me, Ayame."

Shiro flashed Ayame an alluring smile, "A kunoichi…I've seen some ninjas before but never one as young as you…or as captivatingly beautiful…"

Ayame's cheeks flushed a beet red but nonetheless, remained stoic in facial expression. She wasn't used to flattery and didn't really appreciate them.

Rikimaru, who had heard everything that was exchanged, instinctively felt a pang of jealousy course through his entire body. He marched slowly towards the three maintaining a stoic, cold expression. Shiro turned his eyes on Rikimaru, looked him from head to toe and spoke, "Kiku-chan, is this another one of your father's ninja?"

Rikimaru still said nothing and continued to stare at the man before him, "Ah yes Shiro-sama! This is Rikimaru! He is also family to my father and me. He is Ayame's partner. Riki-san, this is Shiro, Sasuke's brother."

The two eyed each other, each one's gaze over the other unwavering. Ayame noticed the tension between the two, "Alright Kiku-chan. Well, I shall accompany you while Rikimaru should sweep the area."

Kiku shook her head, "Nonsense Ayame. I shall be fine. Shiro-san is the best samurai here. I shall be fine. I want you to be with Rikimaru."

"But Hime-sama…!" Ayame protested.

Shiro shook his head, "No. The princess is right Ayame. I am more than capable of protecting Kiku-hime. If you really want to help, then, I suggest that you sweep the entire village with Rikimaru, no?"

Ayame frowned, "Alright. We'll leave you to it then, remember, we're just around. Just ask an we shall be there. Send for us when you need us…"

"Alright Ayame. May you two enjoy…" the princess bowed dismissively and left.

Ayame turned and faced Shiro who was now looking at her, "Nice to meet you Shiro…Take care of Kiku, or you'll have to answer to us."

Shiro bowed and smiled in response.

Ayame dragged Rikimaru from the scene, "Riki? What's wrong?"

"…"

"Did I do something wrong again?"

"…"

The pair walked away and Shiro looked on noting how attractive the Ayame was.

Shiro smiled inwardly, 'Hehe…that Rikimaru person seems to be quite taken with Ayame…he's not the only one.'

xxxxx