If I had disliked Hotaru when he was being mean to me, I hated him more when he was being nice. It really was the most annoying thing, and I had no idea what brought it on. It suddenly went from "You call that running?!" to "Be careful, make sure you drink some water!" Also in all of the panic, our bet got called off. It was Daisuke who decided it was probably a good idea to forget about it. It was a bit out of the blue for him to do but maybe… maybe this was for the best? Maybe our squad was finally coming together?
Hikaru-sensei even seemed a bit cheerful at the switch and let us end training early, no trees today.
Today's practice left me oddly curious though. Who exactly was this Uchiha Itachi? Why were the two of them so persistent about me avoiding him? He hadn't done anything wrong. I mean, technically I was following his brother, and he had a right to be upset. But was he such a dangerous guy that they actually thought he'd try to kill me? I wanted to know so badly.
—
So, with these thoughts in mind I returned to the lake where the anbu I had met had first started my training. I could climb up trees like an expert, but I still had trouble when it came to walking on water. If I could master chakra control, it'd put me at huge advantage. Hotaru and Daisuke couldn't keep babying me if I was able to prove myself.
I'm also not going to lie… I was secretly hoping mysterious anbu boy would be by the lake today. It was really nice having him as an instructor, and I liked his company. Was that weird? Did I need to make more friends?
Nono, I'm also sure that he would have some sort of valuable information on Uchiha Itachi too. If not, I decided that I would make it my mission to find out anything I could about him. Sure Hotaru told me to avoid him, but since when do I ever listen to him?
—
"Uchiha Itachi?" I could sense an odd strain on the anbu's voice. "Why do you want to know about him?"
"Does that mean you know who he is?" Yes, answers!
"Depending on your answer, I might." Ouch. Think hard and wise about what to say.
"I'm just curious." Yep, I'm a child. Kids get curious.
"How'd you hear his name?"
"Hotaru told me."
"What about the bet?"
"It got called off." I didn't want to admit this, but he was an anbu, and I'm sure he could tell when I told a lie.
"Why?" He was making this so difficult. Fine. I'll just explain everything.
"Well, Hotaru chickened out. So, I went to the Uchiha compound to go and yell at him, but Daisuke gave me really bad directions so I got lost, but then I found this other Uchiha, so I decided to follow him to the compound. But, then I realized he was lost too. So, with him being lost, and me being lost I was going to ask for help, and then this guy was all 'why are you following my brother,' and um... so chakra exhaustion is a thing and I sort of…I fainted." I waited for his reply, but it never came, instead I heard an odd sound come from his mask. "Are… are you laughing?" He couldn't seriously be laughing, right?
Instead of subduing them, his laughter just grew. "You… you were following him because you were trying to get to the compound?" I nodded, not getting the joke. "But he was lost," he said it as if that piece was the punchline, and I felt myself slowly give into laughter too. "And then you just fainted," I saw the humour in it now.
"Ugh, he must have freaked out," he nodded, and then like a familiar coat he slid back into his stoic guard.
"My apologizes, but it is slightly comical. Chakra exhaustion was a possibility, I didn't consider this. There is training we can do to strengthen those reserves." I was going to ask him more questions but his wording caught me off guard.
"That we can do?" He stood still, not really moving. "Does that mean you'll continue to train me?" He stood silent, but I had caught on to his game with long pauses. I would wait it out, he had made the suggestion first. He cleared his throat after a moment of silence.
"Why would I do that?" The way he spoke the words, it was almost like he wanted to say yes but couldn't rationalize it. I tried to play it cool but the excitement of me, having an anbu teacher was almost too much to handle.
"Well, why not? You've seen me, I'm super hard working and dedicated! It's kind of like I'm your apprentice already! And I think we have a lot of fun together," the last part slowly grew softer as I realized my desire. If he had said no, I think it would hurt. I think it would really hurt.
"As an anbu I have a lot of responsibility," I really wish I could see his face in that moment. He was usually so direct, he was speaking with so much indecision… as if he really wanted to say yes.
No Mitsuki, don't get your hopes up. Maybe he's politely trying to turn you down?
"But there is no greater responsibility than training the youth! Come on, please? I'll keep bugging you if you say no, and besides, I happen to know this is your favorite training ground." Way to be cool Mitsuki.
"There are many others to choose from."
"Oh, but the lake is so pretty here. Besides, no one else ever uses it. Gosh, actually, doesn't this look like the perfect place to eat some dango?"
"...Did you say, dango?"
"Yes, and I know where to get the best in the village. Do we have a deal?" I reached out with my hand, and tried to keep it steady.
Please say yes.
He paused, and I could tell this moment meant something to him. I couldn't tell what, but he wasn't one to hesitate. Then ever so slowly, he reached out and shook my hand.
"I should have known to lead with food," I laughed enjoying the warmth of his hand on mine, his grip sturdy.
"The dango is tempting but…" he glanced away, towards the lake. "I also think we have a lot of fun together."
I turned away too, trying to hide my blush.
Smooth mysterious anbu man, smooth.
"Also, wait! Back to the original question, Uchiha Itachi?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Never met the guy. Now, to avoid chakra exhaustion you need to increase your reserves. It's similar to a muscle."
This was happening.
This was really happening.
Also… did he say he also had fun with me?
—
"This is good, new flavour?" I nodded, enjoying the sweet with him. We'd plopped down under a tree after having walked through chakra veiling exercises.
"Your control is improving a lot," he mentioned it off-handedly and I turned away grateful for the darkness concealing the sudden flush in my cheeks.
Hold it together Mitsuki, you don't even know what he looks like.
"Thanks, I have a good teacher," he didn't seem to hear me enjoying his treat.
"Your distribution is sloppy though in your right hand," I nodded, more used to the criticism than the critique but there was no doubt that mysterious anbu man was a good teacher. We fell into our usual amicable silence before he turned to me.
"Can I ask you a question… a kind of personal one?" He still wore his mask, and I had begun imagining all sorts of facial expressions underneath it. I nodded surprised by it.
"You want to ask me a personal question?" He nodded. "um… yeah, sure."
"What made you want to become a shinobi?" He paused seeing perhaps a defensiveness in my gaze, he was surprisingly intuitive like that. There had been times when training he'd caught my control slipping before I had, it still surprised me how… attuned a person could be to people. Every movement on my face felt like I was screaming my emotions at him with how well he listened. "I don't mean it in a negative way, I think you have great potential and you've shown great growth. It's just… you didn't have to choose this life and yet you seem so dedicated to it."
It wasn't an odd question, I'd been asked it before but never in this way. It was always 'Why would you want to do that?' Or 'Are you sure this is what you want?' But he was just curious. Always so curious.
"I had a life planned for me, when I was born. My parents even had a couple friends with kids they saw me marrying and their business was doing well… but I wanted… I wanted to choose my life for myself and this was what I wanted. Being a Shinobi to me felt like finally being free, you know?" I turned to him, wishing as I often did that I could see his face.
He was silent for longer than I expected him to be, as if something I'd said caught him off guard.
"I find it interesting how similar and yet how different we are."
"You think we have things in common?" I laughed as I said it, both flattered and elated. Mysterious anbu man thought him and I, a basic genin were similar?
"I think we have a lot in common. You're often too hard on yourself. I was like that too but I had to unlearn, I'm slowly hoping my brother will do the same, but I found what you said interesting. Admirable even, to carve a path for yourself."
"well um… thank you." He nodded. I wanted to ask him about his brother, who he never mentioned before but often when I got too personal he would guard up again. I opted for the safer route.
"Why did you become a shinobi?" I saw a slight crease in his shoulder, with him it was always these tiny subtle body movements that'd let you know you'd said something that affected him.
"It was always expected. I never thought to question my parent's plan for me… but perhaps that too will change."
I reached over for the two last sticks of dango and proposed a toast.
"To being similar and different?" He laughed then, quick and sweet, amused. He was easing into that laughter state more and more with me and I felt my heart flutter every time I heard it. I worried he'd end these lessons suddenly but he'd persisted and I realized with an elation he must have enjoyed them as well.
"To being similar and different."
Oh how true that saying would become.
Ohhh, did you like this scene? Can you slowly see the spark taking shape? Please share your thoughts!
