Naruto P.O.V.
I awoke to the sound of loud shuffling and things being tossed around the room. Pulling the covers off of me, I rolled out of bed and slid onto the floor. From upside down, I could see Jiraiya moving about in our small apartment, throwing clothes in every direction and searching through piles of junk and knickknacks. He seemed wild to find some item that was lost in the jungle of trash and dirty laundry. As he ripped apart his bed, Jiraiya noticed me, wide eyed and awake, lying on the ground.
"Did you see a gray coin pouch anywhere?"
I pulled myself off of the ground, racking my brain for where the purse might be. Sure I had seen Jiraiya with it but I wasn't attentive enough to remember where he might have placed it.
"Check your pockets?" I advised uninterestedly as I moved towards the bathroom to brush my teeth. I was in the middle of squirting toothpaste onto the brush when I heard him exclaim enthusiastically.
"I guess I just missed it!" More shuffling could be heard from the other room then suddenly the noise stopped; Jiraiya had managed to compose himself. "I'm heading out for a few minutes. I'll be back real soon!"
Just when I thought he was about to leave, Jiraiya stuck his head through the bathroom door.
"This apartment is a mess. Clean it." Without warning he closed the door and I could hear him exit the flat. I mentally sighed. Though he had made a mess just a few minutes earlier, I couldn't argue with the command since most of the mess was my own I began picking up garbage off of the ground and throwing it into a basket in the corner of the kitchen. Once that was done, the next step was to grab all of the laundry. Jiraiya's clothes were, of course, already put away and neatly folded. It was just my own dirty laundry, in dire need of washing, that littered the floor. I scooped it up and shoved the clothing into a bulging laundry bag. The final task was to place the miscellaneous items I had thoughtlessly purchased during my time in the bazaar onto shelves. I grabbed a small frog figure and smiled as I examined it. Hinata had seen my coin purse and knew that my mentor was the great Frog Hermit so she thought it would be fitting to buy me the little green frog and as usual I didn't have the will to say no.
I went to place the figurine on the windowsill next to my bed. Setting the frog down, I noticed another memento I had kept among my cherished objects. This one was a small stone and written on it were the words 'For we will meet again'. As I went to pick up the object an icy chill fell over me.
The charm was given to me by Sakura the day I had left the Ruts. It was her way of letting me know she would miss me and a reminder for me to come back home once my mission was complete. But it wasn't the memory that had me frozen. It was the fact that I hadn't once thought of Sakura in the last week.
Ever since I had met the pale pink beauty, my every need and desire was only for her. I couldn't and never stopped thinking about Sakura. Every thought and action during my time at the academy was dedicated to impressing her. My motivation and drive existed only to pursue her. Sakura Haruno was my self proclaimed true love. Here was the girl that I had dubbed the goddess of my heart and for the first time in several years, I no longer held the same longing obsession for her. My devotion to Sakura wasn't out of true compatibility or affection, I now realized.
As I turned the charm over in my hand, I thought a little more about how I felt for my teammate. I had always said I loved Sakura Haruno but what did that really mean? I fell for Sakura because she was extremely beautiful and incredible smart, both qualities that I respected. But her temper towards me, and only me, was disagreeable and her own obsession with Sasuke was off-putting. Looking back, Sakura and I never had a true 'moment'. There was never a time when sparks flew between us or my heart stopped. It raced of course, but never stood still or sent a jolt through me the way people said it would when you looked at someone you truly loved. On the off chance that Sakura and I were alone together, she spoke to me like a little brother and treated my advances as jokes either laughing at me or threatening me. When she did this I felt sad but it wasn't true disappointment. Her rejections never had a lasting impact and felt more like games or challenges rather than a serious love affair.
However, Sakura was all I knew. Sakura was beauty and strength and she maintained a fierce love for her teammates. Sakura was family and I loved her in a more familiar and comforting way.
I felt confusion and worry as I continued to stare at the stone. What was with the sudden change of heart? Why was I thinking these strange and foreign thoughts now?
Hinata.
Was it because of her that my mind had been empty of Sakura Haruno? Lately I had taken to thinking about Hinata Hyuuga in the few moments before my mind drifted off to sleep. Even once I had entered my dream state, I saw her pale skin and dark locks. Her wispy eyelashes and lavender eyes. Those thin fingers and dainty wrists. Her entire frame dancing through my thoughts, flirting with me in a delicate and innocent way. The emotions these imagines produced were entirely new and different from the ones I felt about Sakura. They drew heat out of my body and flushed my face.
Placing the charm back down on the sill, I shook my head vigorously trying to toss the thoughts out. I didn't want to think about these things right now. It was too complicated and I sincerely did not want to delve into such treacherous territory. I used the techniques Jiraiya had practiced with me to completely clear out my head but flashes of pink and purple whirled in my mind's eye.
Thankfully, Jiraiya had pushed the door open, carrying with him a medium sized parcel wrapped in a brown paper. He smiled at me as he entered the kitchen, setting the package on the counter. He grabbed a drink and leaned against the table.
"All the districts are getting ready for the Akatsuki festival. It's going to look amazing." He took a swig of the amber liquid. "Also the apartment looks good."
"Shoot! It's today!" I slapped my hands to my face and pushed on my temples. How could I have completely forgotten the holiday? I woke up without even so much as a thought about preparing for the day! Hinata and Tenten had spent the last few weeks going on and on about the festival and I totally blanked. From the kitchen Jiraiya was chuckling.
"So are you going to partake in the merriment?" He asked in a jovial voice. For some strange reason Jiraiya seemed a little more cheerful this morning. I tried to stay casual and act uninterested.
"I don't know. Maybe." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and took another sip.
"It's a very big deal here. If you want I can take you."
I spoke without thinking and responded too quickly.
"No!" I almost shouted at him. He put the glass down and gave me a questioning look. I tried to recover. "I mean, that's okay, you'll probably be too busy anyways."
"Will I? Well I could take some time from my busy schedule for this." Jiraiya was pushing it further and I was caught completely off guard.
"It's really okay. I seriously don't need to go."
"Uh-huh?" He said with a smirk playing across his lips. He picked the cup back up and took a long drink. "So who's the girl?"
I could feel the redness seeping into my cheeks. In reality, I was just becoming more nervous as I tried to think of a better lie but from the expression on Jiraiya's face he must have taken it as embarrassment. His wolfish smile grew wider.
"Oh looks like little ole Naruto has found himself a new girlfriend. You gonna write her name on your boat?" He prodded me for information as my face turned beet red. Jiraiya laughed loudly.
"I'm glad you got over the other one." He said with a sad smile. I took this lapse in conversation to put my acting skills to use. With a quick frown and sullen voice, I turned my head away from Jiraiya so as to act depressed by the memory of the girl that I wasn't technically supposed to be seeing.
"Oh right….Hinata." I prayed to the heaven above that Jiraiya would not see the smile threatening to burst from my lips. My voice was carefully crafted to sound sad and portray the idea that I hadn't seen Hinata. Jiraiya must have believed my lovelorn performance because he quickly changed the subject.
"Well anyways it doesn't matter. I can't go." I swung my head back around.
"What? Where are you going?"
"Important business. Top secret stuff so don't worry about it. I'll be back before tomorrow morning though so don't miss me too much."
"Tch, as if." I said making my way into the kitchen. Jiraiya laughed happily and tossed the package at me. I caught it in surprise.
"I know you don't have a lot of nice thing and you should look good tonight so I went and got that. The foxes were a nice ironic touch."
I slowly unraveled the brown paper. Underneath the covering, soft blue material fell down into my hands. Delicately, I pulled the fabric from the wrapping and held it out at arm's length. In front of me was an expensive dark blue yukata embroidered with small pearlescent foxes. It was the nicest gift I had ever received. I was sure that I had never even touched something so incredibly regal. I lowered the yukata and looked at Jiraiya with wide eyes that were threatening to water.
"I-I, uh, well, I-" I had to break eye contact. I coughed.
"Thanks."
"It was nothing." Jiraiya replied awkwardly also looking away from me. He rubbed the back of his neck and walked towards his bed. He began packing things into a small travel bag as I gently placed the yukata back into the paper. Subtly, I wiped away tears that threatened to spill. I couldn't believe I was being so emotional that morning.
"Well anyways I have to leave as soon as possible, so I'll see you tomorrow." He moved towards me and placed a massive hand on my head. Jiraiya tousled my hair smiling down at me and in that moment I felt like a son to the old man. He turned away and left for the day.
Hinata P.O.V.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! I CAN'T WAIT FOR TONIGHT!" Tenten yelled throwing herself down on my bed on top of many layers of clothing. She spread her arms across the colored fabrics, gripped the pieces she could, and pulled them around herself. Tenten was in a fit of giggles and I couldn't help but laugh with her especially when she looked like an oversized cocoon.
"I can't even choose! You have so many kimonos!" She wasn't incorrect in this observation. My closet had an entire wall dedicated to various kimonos I had collected throughout my life. Many of them were gifts from visiting dignitaries and other royal families. I had only picked a handful of them myself. The rest were, surprisingly, gifted to me by my father and Hanabi just for this occasion. I had asked my father a week ago if I may attend the festival accompanied by Tenten. Though at first he had given a solid no for an answer, he later came around with a yes after Neji had also asked for permission. I was allowed to go as long as I was also accompanied by Neji. Neji and I agreed and said we would meet at the festival rather than arriving together, giving me some time to spend with Tenten alone. A few days after my father had consented, my handmaids were coming in droves with armfuls of different colors, patterns, and textures. Hanabi had entered soon after stating that she would not be able to attend the festival since father had asked her to accompany him to a formal event another family was hosting that night. Since she was unable to attend, she wished me a pleasant evening and said she wanted me to look my best so that I may present the beauty of the Hyuuga household at it's fullest potential. With those word, she left and had dismissed me from our usual morning training until after the holiday. Hanabi was starting to become surprisingly loving towards me in her own unusual and distant way.
Since I maintained such an extensive collection of kimonos, many of which would never be touched, I offered them to Tenten. She did not come from a stable background and having access to high quality outfits made the financial burden of such a luxurious night a lot easier on her.
"I think this pink will look beautiful on you." I brought a bright rose kimono covered in green and white designs towards her. As I was scanning my closet, I noticed the kimono and immediately knew it would be the perfect fit for her. Tenten's eyes grew wide as she took the kimono and delicately draped it on her arm.
"You think?" She expressed her insecurity getting up to look into the large mirror. The color brought out the beautiful tan in her skin from hours of daily practice and the greens strengthened the rich color of her hair and eyes. I knew she was going to look beautiful tonight.
"Yes." Tenten looked back at me.
"How is it you picked out the perfect kimono for me on the first try?" She cloaked the entire cloth across her body. "I can't believe you're letting me borrow this!"
"It's yours. Think of it as a holiday gift."
"What?" She turned back to me in surprise. "Hinata I couldn't! This is just so beautiful and probably very expensive. I don't want it."
"Tenten please accept it. It will just lay in my closet if you don't." It didn't take much persuasion to get Tenten to oblige to the request. She stripped her attire and began changing into the kimono. I went to help her with the complicated pieces.
"You know, everyone thinks I'm a tomboy and I mean I am but I am seriously looking forward to looking pretty for once like an actual girl."
"Tenten, you always look pretty and you are an actual girl."
She chuckled as I tried to readjust the shoulders.
"Oh shut up Hinata. You know what I mean. I always have my hair up and I never wear any make up. I get to go full out tonight! AND I can't wait to play all the cool carnival games! Most importantly, I can't wait to see the boats floating across the river!"
My face flushed as I thought about the upcoming event. I had been thinking about it all week, trying to convince myself that I should write Naruto's name on the boat. If I did, I knew he would know who wrote it almost immediately. Tenten seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"So are you going to write Naruto's name?" She said trying to get a good look at my face. I hid behind the long sleeve.
"He'll know that I wrote it."
"That's the point you goof!" Tenten pulled the sleeve away to look directly at me. "Tonight is meant for people to confess their feelings whether new or old! It's the perfect chance to finally tell him how you feel and you never know, he might feel the same!" She looked at me sternly.
"You have to do it Hina. I'm not kidding, I will push you into the river if you don't." We both laughed a hearty laugh as I gave her gown the finishing touches.
"Okay." I reassured her as I moved towards my enormous jewelry chest. I pulled out white gold earrings and handed them to her.
"So," I started hesitantly. "Are you going to write Neji's name on your boat?"
My voice started to drift off as I saw the expression on Tenten's face. I knew the conversation was over as she started putting the earrings on.
"Nope. Not interested." She looked in the mirror once again to examine her ears. "Besides, there are so many boys, how can I choose just one?"
I giggled as Tenten moved back towards the bed and began pushing through all the garments. She was wrestling with the pile until she abruptly stopped.
"I found your kimono."
Naruto P.O.V.
The stupid yukata was fighting me for hours. Eventually, I was wrapped in the ridiculous garment like some sort of dead person. It wasn't until I mustered up the courage to walk out of my apartment and ask a neighbor for help that progress was finally made. Initially they were amused and laughed at my expense but eventually they calmed down enough to start helping me maneuver the folds of the yukata until finally I looked like a presentable gentleman. I went back to my apartment to grab my coin purse and house keys and as I passed I caught a glimpse of my reflection. In passing, it would have seemed like I was walking next to a stranger. It never occurred to me how much I had aged in the last few months. I looked older and more mature though I didn't feel any different. The man in the mirror looked respectable and admittedly more handsome. I looked like someone the girls back in the Ruts might fawn over. I grinned, excited to see the look on Hinata and Tenten's faces.
I locked up and walked down the street. Almost immediately the smell of sweet fried dough reach my nose and as I walked down the steps I understood where it came from. All the normal shops were closed to make room for rows upon rows of booths and tables filled with sweet treats and games. The roads were crowded with beautifully dressed men and women. Fathers were purchasing flowers for their daughters and wives and little boys and girls were running around with fake swords play fighting. Unlike the usual blast of color the bazaars were normally attacked with, the color scheme of the festival was deep reds, pinks, and whites. I walked around and my eyes caught couples, now more open with affection, holding hands and kissing each other. Lovers were blushing furiously as they played little games winning prizes. I passed by two girls trying to encourage each other, stating that this would be the year someone wrote their names.
Too my complete amazement and shock, a pretty girl stopped me on my way to meeting up with Hinata. She had light brown hair and dark green eyes and was wearing a pale blue kimono. At first I was confused by why the girl was in my path. She looked at me with flirtatious eyes and tilted her head.
"You're really cute. Are you looking for someone's name to write on your boat?" She giggled at my befuddlement. Before I could reply she ran off to join a group of cackling girls all of whom were looking at me and laughing. I just grinned back and continued walking. These girls were becoming very assertive.
I kept walking down what I thought was the right path. I couldn't be sure because instead of the regular merchants that lined the streets, different food vendors and carnival games filled my path. Suddenly strong hands pull my shoulders and I'm spun around. I looked up to see Tenten pulling me towards her and Hinata.
"You completely walked past us! I mean granted I wouldn't have realized it was you if it wasn't for the hair!" She laughed. It took me a minute to really recognize who was talking to me. The girl who usually kept her hair up in these ridiculous buns and only ever wore pants now looked liked something out of a every man's daydream. She wore her hair loose and the silky chestnut river went all the way down to her lower back. She wore a bright pink kimono that looked radiant on her. All in all she looked very good.
"You look weird." I callously said to which she gave me an aggravated looked.
"Well you look normal for once." I suppose that was as close to a compliment as I was going to get. Tenten then moved out of the way to let me get a good look at Hinata. My mind shut down in that instant.
She looked like a celestial being dressed in moonlight. Hinata was donning a beautiful silk lilac kimono painted with white and dark purple streaks. The dress flowed over her body like water and gracefully fell over her frame. Her dark blue hair was tied back in a classic bun pulling away any distraction from her alluring face. Her eyes drifted towards my own and I saw those beautiful lashes beat against the lavender pupils and I lost my breath. My heart pounded in my chest and my knees grew weak as my eyes scanned her from head to toe.
"N-Naruto?" She called. But I was still lost for words. My mouth was with open and gaping like a fish. I had forgotten what it was to speak until Tenten hit me on the back of the head.
"Say something you idiot."
"You-You look -" I hesitated trying to find the perfect adjective. Tenten eyed me with caution and I could see Hinata start to get worried.
"-breathtaking. Literally, you took my breathe away." I finished. I could hear Tenten's sigh of relief and saw the blush creeping into Hinata's cheeks. I looked away to hide my own embarrassment.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's play some games!" I tried to swiftly distract everyone from the encounter. Just then a green blur sped past me and scooped Tenten up from behind. All at once, a strange man was spinning her in the air and instead of being upset, Tenten was laughing.
"LEE! Put me down!" She shouted as the man dropped her back onto the ground. Once he stopped, I was able to get a good look at the mystery person. He had a funny haircut and huge bushy eyebrows. The man wore a dark green yukata with no patterns which was uncommon for someone as young as he seemed. He looked like a complete weirdo. Tenten turned to me.
"This is one of my teammates and good friend, Rock Lee. Lee this is a my friend Naruto." I reached my hand out but Lee gave a deep bow instead.
"IT IS MY HONOR TO MEET A FRIEND OF TENTEN'S!" Exclaimed the unusual man.
"Uh, you too."
Lee turned to Hinata and also gave a deep bow which Hinata returned with equal grace.
"It is always a pleasure to see the beautiful flower of the Hyuuga clan!" Lee complimented effortlessly. He turned back towards Tenten. "BUT NO WOMAN ON EARTH COMPARES TO THE BEAUTY THAT IS MY BLOSSOM, TENTEN. THE TRUE FLOWER OF THE LAND OF FIRE IS NOT THE CHERRY BLOSSOM BUT INSTEAD THE STRONG WOMAN WHO STANDS BEFORE ME! THIS IS TRULY A WONDERFUL OCCASION! I AM SO BLESSED TO CELEBRATE SUCH A YOUTHFUL AND JOYOUS FESTIVAL WITH SUCH A SPRING BEAUTY!" Tenten's face turned scarlet as she clapped her hands over Lee's mouth. She looked at us apologetically.
"Lee is easily excited..." She stated trying to quiet the man down. Lee seemed to understand the action and composed himself.
"I'm sorry my new friend. But you must understand, it is the first time I'm attending this festival and it is especially monumental since my teammates will be joining me!" He pumped his fist into the air causing Hinata to giggle. Lee turned to her.
"Ah the laughter of one so youthful and innocent as yourself lifts my spirits beyond the stars!" Lee cheered pulling Tenten closer towards him. "I cannot wait until the boats. Though I have no one's name to write I will still enjoy the beautiful view of loving messages swimming across the river."
Lee seemed like he was about to begin a long winded monologue about something outrageous but almost as quickly as he started he stopped entirely. His attention was diverted towards a stern looking man with long blue hair that was tied back into a ponytail. The man was wearing a white yukata covered in blue patterning. As he moved closer I noticed his eyes. His pupils were the exact same shade as Hinata's.
He gave no word as he approached. He bowed slightly towards Hinata who mimicked his gesture.
"Hinata-sama." He spoke to her then turned towards Tenten and Lee skipping over me completely. In a stoic voice, he greeted them.
"Lee." He nodded.
"Tenten." He looked her over once before also nodding. He calm demeanor didn't phase the two at all. Lee had a smile wider than a fox across his face. In one smooth and surprising motion he pulled the man into an embrace and held him at shoulder's length. Though the man seemed uncomfortable by the gesture, he clearly wasn't surprised. Tenten giggled and looked at me.
"Naruto! This is Neji Hyuuga. Neji, this is my friend Naruto." Neji reached his hand out and I grabbed it. He had a firm shake that was meant to intimidate but I matched his level of pressure, trying to remain unnerved.
"So you're the Neji I keep hearing about." I laughed out loud. The man raised an eyebrow as the words came out of my mouth. Behind him, Tenten look absolutely rattled by what I had said. Her eyes widened in horror as Lee looked quickly from her then to Neji then to me. Neji ignored it though.
"H-H-How about w-we go t-t-take part in the g-games?" Hinata quickly saved the situation allowing Tenten to lead the way with Lee and Neji following suit. Hinata and I trailed behind as I gave her a mischievous smile. Tenten shot me various dirty looks over her shoulder when Neji wasn't looking.
Hinata P.O.V.
The first booth we came to was coincidentally a kunai throwing game. Tenten was the one to stop and select the game. She turned to the booth and then glanced towards Neji, a cute grin on her lips.
"I challenge you to this game." She tugged on Neji's sleeve forcing him to move closer. Surprisingly he obliged and didn't pull away. Neji's ease and comfort around Tenten was out of the ordinary, especially in my presence. He looked at the various targets set up in the booth. The objective was simple. One person was given a pair of red kunai, the other green. Whoever hits more targets in a given time period wins.
"What's the catch?"
"No catch." Tenten said slyly. Neji looked at her with with a smirk. However, the smirk wasn't like the ones I had seen almost every morning. This wasn't filled with malice, disgust, or contempt. The smirk Neji had painted on his lips was an impish grin. I was taken aback. Who was this person in front of me? Surely not the hatred ridden cousin who had always maintained a reserved appearance. Neji was handed green kunai and Tenten was handed red. The vendor started the time and the two experts set off.
Naruto was completely immersed in the game. This was the first time he had ever seen Tenten's true skill and even now when I watch her train I am mesmerized. She was agile and graceful, the only clear movement that could be detected by the naked eye was the flick of her wrist and the slight adjustments to her feet. If the viewer wasn't careful they wouldn't even notice the kunai flying through the air, but would instead see the magic of the weapon disappear from her hand and reappear on the target.
Two minutes had passed and all the targets had been hit. Giving the stall an initial look, it would seem that Tenten and Neji were tied.
"See Hyuuga! It's a match. Guess we're even."
"I wouldn't be too quick to say so." Neji then directed the gamesmen to push some of the prize animals out of the way. Behind the creature were a few hidden targets, all of which had a green kunai at the center. Tenten huffed.
"You've got to be kidding me!" She folded her arms and looked at him in utter amazement. "There's no winning with you." Before Neji could respond the vendor approached him.
"For reaching a ridiculous number of targets, you can choose any of the prizes on the wall."
Neji scanned the selection carefully. He pointed to something that hung very high up. As the vendor brought it down with a cane, we saw an absurdly large stuffed animal panda floating down towards us. The man handed Neji the toy.
"I can't believe Neji Hyuuga wants a stuffed animal!" Lee exclaimed, holding Tenten's shoulder for support as he laughed. "What an image!"
"This isn't for me." Neji handed the animal to Tenten who accepted it in awe.
"For me?" She looked at the plush, a pink blush creeping over her face.
In my absolute shock, I missed the rest of the conversation. Never before had I seen such a side to Neji. This man was thoughtful, considerate, open, and playful towards his teammates. The final impact came when I heard an unfamiliar sound.
A laugh, quiet and brief could be heard. I saw it come from his mouth but I didn't put the two together until I saw his lips form into a genuine smile. Tenten had said something that made Neji laugh.
Neji, the cousin that had tormented me since childhood. Neji, the cursed branch son who moped around the compound like a phantom haunting a cemetery. Neji, the man who claimed he would never experience true happy was standing before me laughing. The scene was unrecognizable. He had a familial closeness to both Rock Lee and Tenten and seeing Neji like this made him more human. In that instance I understood Neji and almost connected with him. Just as Naruto and Tenten were the people I could truly be myself around, Neji's teammates were that for him. These two were his family, not by birth, but hand chosen.
Neji saw my stare and quickly maintained composure. I looked away as to not make him feel uncomfortable but the damage was done.
"That was so cool! I didn't realize you were THAT good!" Naruto threw the compliment to Tenten who for the first time blushed at his words. She shook her head modestly.
"That was nothing." She said rubbing her shoulder and looking away. Naruto moved to Neji.
"That thing you did with your eyes. That was amazing!" Neji gave Naruto a condescending smirk that sent the latter walking backwards.
"For those who can properly utilize the byaakugan, it is just a small feat." Neji glanced towards me, a gesture Naruto didn't miss. He moved away from the older Hyuuga and back towards me.
"Don't worry Hinata." Naruto whispered to me as we walked through the street. "I'll win you something better than a stupid panda." I smiled at his words.
"That's okay Naruto-kun. Your company is all I want." Naruto quickly looked away leaving me confused and once again embarrassed.
The next stop we made was at a game Lee had chosen. It was a strong man competition where men take turns trying hit a button with a mallet. The pressure applied to the button forces a small wooden block to move up a tube. The objective is to hit the button with such force as to make the wooden block reach the top of the tube thus ringing a bell placed at the top.
Lee strode up to the man confidently. After handing him a few coins he grabbed the mallet and looked towards us.
"This is nothing compared to academy!" He claimed. Just as he was about to bring the mallet down the vendor stopped him.
"Sorry man but academy graduates are not allowed to take part in this game. It's not fair." The man pointed to a sign that stated just that. He handed Lee his money back and the disappointed patron walked back to us.
"That sucks man. How far do you think you would have gotten?" Naruto asked Lee trying to engage the man in conversation.
"I would have rung the bell!" Lee replied as Tenten and Neji nodded in agreement. Naruto was thrown off guard.
"What seriously? What makes you so sure."
Tenten interjected.
"Lee is a taijutsu specialist. Strength is what he does best." She laughed as Lee proceeded to flex his muscles.
"I NEVER STOP TRAINING! GAI SENSEI WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IF I TOOK EVEN ONE BREAK! EVEN NOW I'M WEARING ANKLE WEIGHTS!" He proved his pointed by raising the hem of his yukata revealing orange weights. Naruto's face, however, did not seem impressed. Instead he looked at me and made a strange face that forced me to smile. Lee was unphased.
But before the man could go on any further, Naruto grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards a booth. I looked over my shoulder and saw Neji looking at us with a stern expression but I ignored it and turned my attention towards the new game. Naruto had already handed over a few coins to the owner of the booth.
"I'm going to win you that giant elephant." He said pointing high up at the oversized animal. Then he grabbed a few rings and began to toss the brightly colored circles onto bottles. He didn't miss a single one. Similar to Tenten, Naruto was completely focused and extremely talented. It seemed like he had done this his whole life. He managed to make all of the rings onto each bottle. The man looked at him with annoyance.
"Pick whatever you want."
"I want the-" But he didn't finish. Something else caught Naruto's eyes and he swiftly moved across the counter and grabbed it. Naruto turned to me and opened his palms. Inside was an elegant white gemmed flower attached to a small hair comb. He looked at me carefully.
"This would look really pretty in your hair right now." He motioned for me to move closer and I obliged. However he seemed to have trouble attaching the hair accessory and opted to call Tenten over to place it for him. Tenten settled on placing the flower to the side of my head and I felt it's weight on my hair.
"H-How do I l-l-look?"
"Honestly? I don't even notice the flower. You're just more distracting…" His voice trailed off as he realized what he had admitted. Naruto shuffled his feet and looked towards the other booths giving me a chance to recover myself.
From the corner of my eyes I saw Lee beaming at me and Tenten smiling widely. I glanced at Neji. What I assumed was the same expression I had donned earlier was now on his face. Confusion, surprise, bewilderment, and most of all, intrigue.
"THE SAILING OF THE BOATS STARTS IN 15 MINUTES. ALL WOMEN ARE TO BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER AND THE MEN ON THE NORTH." A booming voice called from a nearby towers. Several other similar announcements were made from different towers. I looked towards Tenten.
"Okay so we'll head over to the river and then meet you guys back here afterwards?" She asked.
"I'll just stay here and wait for you to finish." Neji responded.
"What do you mean?" Tenten looked from Neji then to me unable to comprehend what he was implying.
"I'm not taking part in them."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to."
Tenten's face was slowing starting to turn pink and her eyebrows furrowed still in confusion coupled with anger.
"What?! Neji, the whole point of this festival are these boats! You're doing this." She commanded him. Lee began to pull her back but she pushed him off. Neji looked irritated.
"I do what I want and I do not want to do this." He moved closer to her trying to intimidate the girl. But Tenten was never one to back down. She went for a different method. Softening her eyes, she spoke a little quieter.
"Neji, come on. This is one of those once in a lifetime memories that you can look fondly on. Even if there isn't anyone for you to write, at least come and watch the boats. Please. For me." Her words, light but confident, broke through his ranks. He sighed.
"Fine. Let's go Lee...and you." He said pointing to Naruto who looked at him with disgust.
"It's Naruto." He mumbled as he followed the other men towards the north side of the river.
Tenten and I walked with several other women, each in different emotional states, towards the south bank of the river. The north bank crept along the city whereas the southern bank was covered in forest and trees. The juxtaposition of modernization and nature was beautiful.
As we crossed the bridge, I saw young men and fully grown adults stand along the river holding small boats and lit candles. Around me, pretty girls whispered in excitement. For some it was there first time and like me, they were going to confess their love tonight. For others, their boyfriends or husbands were on the other side and were relaxed and confident having been veterans.
Tenten and I finally crossed the bridge and stood on the river's edge. As we awaited instructions, Tenten dropped her panda delicately underneath a tree and lifted her kimono up to splash her feet about in the river water. It looked dark and deep and if it weren't for the city lights, I expect I wouldn't see anything on the other side of the river. I imagined being the kunoichi in the story, looking into the emptiness, awaiting any sign of my ninja.
I felt a small tug on my kimono. I looked down to find a girl about 12 holding a basket of papers and wooden pencils. Next her to her was another girl, slightly older, holding a crate of small wooden boats, and next to that girl was another though closer to the age of 7 holding a box of candles and matches. They handed me a boat, piece of paper, a match, candle, and pen, then told me very clear instructions. The men on the other side would send their boats over first. Young boys, who were too young to partake, would be along the banks creating waves and forcing the boats over. Once all the boats had reached, the same girls would come around and collect the papers to sort them out for easy distribution. While this is happening, the women will send their boats over. The idea seemed simple enough.
I grabbed two pairs of supplies and walked over to Tenten. I sat down next to her on the grass and looked back across the river.
"You're going to do it." Tenten reassured me. I nodded and picked up the pencil and paper. Though I was slow to start, I wrote down an N then A then an RUTO. It was simple enough and was all I needed to say.
I looked over at Tenten's paper. She was covering her sheet and it was too dark to read anyways but I knew whose name she was writing. She quickly folded the paper and slid it into the boat. Tenten looked over at me and gave me a nervous smile. She looked across the lake, wringing her hands and biting her lips.
Naruto P.O.V.
I looked at the small boat in my hands and tossed it around as a waited for a little boy to hand me a pencil and paper. He handed me a few sheets and pencils to pass around the group of men behind me. I turned around and handed Lee a sheet and pencil who then passed the supplies to Neji. I glanced around at the other men. There was a guy around my age with gray hair wringing his hands and murmuring to himself. He was clearly trying to work up the courage to write someone's name down. To the right of him was another man who was already placing a piece of paper into his boat, a smiling playing on his face. I looked to my left and saw a small woman with purple hair and a strong face looking deeply across the river. I turned to her in incredible surprise.
"What are you doing on this side of the river?" She looked around to make sure I was speaking to her. Once she was sure the question was directed towards her, she straightened her back and looked me directly in the eyes. Without any hesitation she responded.
"The woman I love is on the other side of the river." The woman continued to stare daring me to say something. I could feel my face turning red quickly and I tried to hide my embarrassment. How could I have been so inconsiderate?!
"Oh jeez, I'm ...uh… really sorry. I didn't mean-" She cut me off.
"It's really okay!" She said with a smile scribbling away a long paragraph on her paper. She stopped and looked at me again. She pointed across the river.
"My long time girlfriend is somewhere over there." A huge grin suddenly appeared on her face and very quickly she broke out into a riotous giggle. "I'm going to ask her to marry me tonight."
"Oh! Con-congratulation!" I threw at her and shock. Admittedly it was the first time I had ever met someone like her.
"I hope she says yes!" I couldn't help but say. The woman nodded.
"Me too." She went back to writing the rest of her essay on the boat. I left her to her thoughts and moved back towards Neji and Lee who were currently in a heated argument.
"Neji! YOU ARE YOUNG AND SHOULD EMBRACE THE TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF OUR GENERATION!"
"No thank you Lee." Neji tried to push the man away but Lee wasn't having any of it. He poked Neji very hard in the chest but Neji didn't move. Lee looked stern which was surprising since he came off as someone who could never be taken seriously. He looked Neji straight in the eyes and said,
"Write a name."
"No."
In a last ditch attempt, Lee pulled out an unpredictable move.
"NEJI HYUUGA! SON OF HIZASHI HYUUGA! YOU BRING SHAME AND DISHONOR TO A CLAN OF LONG STANDING AND PROUD FAMILY! HOW DARE YOU NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE TRADITIONS OF THE NEW YOUTH OF OUR-" Lee was quickly quieted down by Neji's palm. Through gritted teeth Neji whispered,
"Fine." He looked over at me and saw me watching. Neji turned away and scribbled a name onto the paper. Unbeknown to him though, I saw him slip the paper into his pocket while Lee had his back turned. I didn't say anything.
Lee then turned his attention to me. With wide eyes and a grin on his face, he nudged me with his elbow.
"So who are you putting down on your paper?"
I froze. In complete shock I responded.
"I - I don't know."
Lee looked at me strangely. My face must have looked completely stricken for Lee responded oddly.
"You seem to have a lot to think about. I will leave you to your thoughts." He move back towards Neji.
I walked to the bank of the river and peered out across the water. I could see nothing. No one had lit their candles yet and the moonlight was not enough to uncover what the trees had hidden away. Somewhere across that lake, Hinata was writing someone's name.
I was confused. The same dilemma and the same feelings I had felt that morning were coming back and though I didn't want to face them then, I had to now. There was Sakura an unobtainable and completely familiar love or …. Hinata. For the first time I admitted to myself that I was thinking about Hinata as something more than a friend. But was it more than how I felt about Sakura?
A high pitched voice broke my thoughts.
"You're having a hard time huh?" I looked down to see the girl from earlier. I nodded.
"Are you deciding whose name to write?" I nodded once again. She had a knowing look in her eyes and she moved away from me and towards the river. I followed and watched as she removed her sandals and stuck her feet in. I did the same. The girl pointed across the river.
"I hear it helps to imagine them on the other side. Then imagine their boats floating towards you. Whose boat would you rather have your name written on it? In other words, for which one would your heart break if they didn't love you back." She looked back at me one final time.
"Good luck!" She exclaimed and walked back towards her own boat and candle.
I closed my eyes and imagined the two girls on the other side of the river. Sakura and Hinata. I pictured them writing down a name on a sheet of paper and pushing it across the water. In my mind's eyes, I saw myself picking up only one boat and reading the name.
I had only picked up one boat. I let the other boat float on the water and eventually sail in the other direction. The boat I held in my hand was the only boat, the only response, that mattered to me.
I took my pencil, scribbled down her name, folded it up, confidently placed it in the boat, and lit the candle. A whistle blew and all the men (and women) were pushing their boats into the water. I watched as my answer floated away.
Hinata P.O.V.
I heard a faint whistle and suddenly saw hundreds of small candles light up across the river. The darkness of the night masked the men holding the candles, creating the illusion of magical floating balls of light moving towards the river. Minutes later, those fairytale like little boats began to float towards us illuminating the water. My eyes drowned in the enchanting form of what looked like tiny suns swimming towards us. In that moment I knew what the kunoichi in the story felt. Amazement, wonder, and anticipation rushed through me as the boats sailed closer and closer. When the first boat hit the shore, everyone cheered as an older woman around 30 rushed to grab it. She opened up the paper on the boat and shouted out "Ami!". A small girl rushed up to her and collected the paper as more cheers arose. Everyone was racing to the shore to grab a boat. Tenten grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the water. I picked up and examined the nearest one, carefully looking for the slip of paper. As I pulled it out, I saw Tenten passing hers to a little girl who was collecting them.
"Once you turn in the paper, you can send your boat over." The girl informed us. I quickly pulled out the slip and read it. Suki. The child collected the slip and I moved back towards the shore and gently placed my boat on the water. It didn't move but instead floated on top of the river bobbing up and down. Tenten looked at me with similar confusion but soon waves suddenly arose. I looked over to find the young girls who had collected the papers were now holding large paddles and creating waves on the riverfront. The forceful waves pushed the boats across the river and I saw my own start to blend in with the otherworldly array of light. I lost sight of my boat and sat down next to Tenten who was also watching the ships sail away.
Some time later a gaggle of small girls were walking along the shore holding baskets of papers that were carefully organized and folded away. They came up to each woman and asked for their full name. Then the girls would sort through their collection and hand over any slips. They reached us.
"Your name?"
"Tenten."
"Your full name please." One girl said irritably. Tenten shot her a glare.
"That is my full name." The girl looked at her amused. Another girl next to her was ruffling through the basket and pulled out a small pile. She handed it to Tenten who counted through them. The first girl then looked to me.
"Hinata H-Hyuuga." I saw her eyes widen and the other girl looked furiously for my name. The smallest one whispered to her friend.
"I saw her name but I didn't believe it! A Hyuuga! She looks as pretty as they say." She shyly looked up at me and I smiled back at her. The girl with the basket handed me a paper and then scurried away. I gripped the paper tightly and looked at her in astonishment as she hid behind her basket.
"Th-Thank you." I quickly said as I spun around to look at Tenten. Her chocolate brown eyes met my own and we both started laughing. The girls giggled and walked onto the next pair of women.
"That has to be Naruto! I mean who else would write your name?"
I was trying very hard to remain calm. It was difficult not to assume that Naruto had written my name. It could have very well been a suitor who had taken a liking to me and I wasn't sure if I was prepared to be heartbroken if this was the outcome. I changed the topic.
"How many d-d-did you receive?" Tenten blushed as she flipped through the sheets.
"I got 5." She said in surprise. "I seriously wasn't expecting this many."
"Is there anyone i-in p-p-particular you're h-hoping one is from?" I questioned trying to coax out the truth. She looked away from me and back at the river. Tenten took a deep breath and hesitantly turned back to face me.
"N-Neji." She whispered. "I'm hoping Neji wrote my name. Gosh Hina, can you believe how stupid I am?" She threw her hands onto my shoulders and looked up at the stars. "I fell for my stupid teammate!"
"I know."
"What?" She gawked at me.
"I've known for a while now." I peered over her shoulder and looked at the opposite side of the river my mind still thinking about Naruto. Tenten grabbed my chin and forced me to listen to her.
"Is it obvious?!"
"No. Please do not worry, no one has noticed." I blatantly lied. I was sure that both Lee and Naruto also knew about Tenten's affections for Neji. Most likely, Neji was the only one who was oblivious towards her emotions. Either that or he was choosing to ignore it.
"Oh my god Hina! I must have looked like a total moron this whole time!" She said as we walked back across the bridge. "I mean this whole time I was trying to deny it but you knew anyways. I guess that makes sense though since you are my best friend."
While crossing the bridge, Tenten continued to talk a little more about her feelings about Neji. She said she began to develop a crush on the Hyuuga boy when they had their first one on one training session without Lee or Gai-sensei. She said he stopped being so arrogant and haughty and began to talk to her in a friendlier way. She knew she liked him when he gave her his first ever compliment. "You're an excellent match. It's always a pleasure to train with you." Her heart gave out and she was completely intoxicated with him. But he had never made any advances or shown any interest in her as anything other than a teammate so she tried to push those feelings away.
"But if one of these are from him then my entire night will be perfect!" As she was about to continue her story, a tall man with shaggy hair called out to Tenten. He rushed over and stood in front of her and gasped.
"Tenten! Did you write my name?" He said waving his paper in front of her. He grabbed her hand. "Did you get mine?"
She pulled her hand away and grabbed the sheets she had tucked into hidden pockets. She shuffled through them and handed a few to him. He pulled the one he had written out and given them back to her.
"This one is mine. So how about it?"
"Oh, uh, sorry man. That wasn't me…" She awkwardly informed. The man looked dejected and moved back.
"Oh, yeah, that's fine then. I guess I'll just try to find whoever it was that wrote my name then." He walked away a lot less confident. Tenten placed the slips back into her pocket.
"Well that's one down."
As we walked, more and more men approached Tenten to ask if she had written their names in return. One by one men were confessing their feelings and Tenten had to repeatedly put down their advances. By the time we reached our meeting spot, Tenten was down to her last unknown slip and she was confident that it had to have been from Neji. The guys were already there when we arrived.
"So how did you like it?" Tenten asked them. Lee was the first to respond.
"That was BEAUTIFUL and YOUTHFUL!" He roared. "THOUGH I DIDN'T RECEIVE A SINGLE CONFESSION THE SIGHT WAS MAGNIFICENT!"
Tenten and I giggled as Neji shook his head in dismay. Tenten turned her focus to him, wide eyed with anticipation.
"So how many slips did you get?"
"11." He replied uninterestedly and pulled out a stack. I gasped in surprise. Did that many people know Neji well enough to really write his name? He must have read my face.
"Probably girls who have only seen me around and know of my name."
"Well don't you want to know who they're from?" Tenten tried to egg him on.
"Not really." He said as he dropped papers into a nearby rubbish bin. Lee gasped in horror. Naruto quickly reached out to catch them before they landed in the garbage. He stormed up to Neji with a fistful of papers.
"These girls, whoever they are, whatever their motives were, wrote down their feelings for you. You should keep them." He shoved the crumpled papers into Neji's hands who looked at him with amusement. Neji just took the pile and threw them back into his pocket.
"So Naruto, did you receive any?" Naruto looked at her, caught off guard. His face switched from anger to embarrassment. He pulled out one single sheet.
"Yeah." He looked at me then quickly looked away. I hide my face behind my own single sheet of paper. Tenten diffused the tension by redirecting her interrogation back towards Neji. Though it must have hurt to ask, Tenten ventured on.
"So who did you write on your paper?"
But before Neji could answer, a stylish man with slicked back hair approached Tenten and greeted her with a dazzling smile. He pulled out a piece of paper and addressed her.
"I'm just going to come out and say it. I wrote your name down and I'm really hoping that this one is from you." He waved the sheet in front of her face. Tenten pulled out her own pile and from it procured the very last mystery paper The man grinned as he told her that one was from him.
"I didn't write your name." She said quietly. He gloomily shuffled away leaving Tenten holding the sheets and trying to recover her composure.
"Looks like you also had a lot of confessions." Neji stated. Tenten looked up and I could see the realization forming in her mind. All 5 of the responses she received were from other men. Neji did not write her name.
I felt heartbroken for her.
"Yeah. So it seems." She threw the papers away into the wastebasket but this time Naruto didn't stop her. He too felt the sudden change in atmosphere. Tenten's hands were shaking as she turned slowly back towards Neji. Her eyes met mine and anguish washed over me. I saw her sorrow threatening to burst in the form of tears. Composing herself she spoke softly.
"It's been a long night. I think I want to go home." No one argued with her. Lee nodded his head.
"I agree." Neji said. "I'll walk you home."
"No thank you." She replied a little too quickly. Neji didn't have the chance to mask how offended he clearly was. Tenten walked over to Lee.
"I'd rather have Lee take me home if it's alright with you." Without giving Neji the opportunity to speak up, Tenten grabbed Rock Lee and walked in the other direction. Neji was left alone with me and Naruto though he didn't notice at first. He was looking at where Tenten and Lee had been, still a little disoriented. Finally, after a few seconds, he looked at me.
"If you will excuse me, I will head back to the compound. I'm sure this young man will escort you home safely." Then Neji left in a blur.
I looked at Naruto who seem confused by the events. We stood there in silence comprehending what had just happened.
"Do you want to go home?" Naruto asked though clearly he didn't want us to leave.
"I would like to spend the remainder of my time here with you at the fair."
Naruto P.O.V
I was astounded by what had occurred. In just 5 minutes, our entire group disbanded and Hinata and I were left to ourselves for the rest of the night. I was trying to recover from the dramatic events. As we silently walked through the crowd, I could still see Tenten's grief stricken face. She always talked about Neji in the fondest of voices and it was clear since the second she said his name that she was in love with him. She always tried to deny it but whenever I made fun of her for it, I could see her secretly smiling at the idea of her and Neji being together. I assumed he was decent guy since Tenten was a great girl. But the man I met was, to put it frankly, a dick. He was rude and mean to Hinata even though she was still kind to him. He was arrogant and ridiculously pretentious as he pretended not to know my name though he was clearly doing it on purpose. Neji was a tremendous asshole and the icing on the bullshit cake was when he tried to throw away his confessions. Maybe the majority of them were from unknown women, but I knew one of them was from Tenten. So to see him try to dispose of Tenten's attempt to finally tell him about her love was too much for me to handle.
And Tenten! What had happened? One second she was prodding Neji to tell her who he had written, though I knew already he hadn't sent it over, the next she become cold and closed off. She left without even saying goodbye.
I hated him.
A crowded bar, overflowing with people around our age, caught my attention distracting me from my thoughts about Neji Hyuuga. The music from the establishment was so melodic and uplifting. I looked down at Hinata and found that she was also looking towards the bar. I grabbed her hand and took her closer. As we moved I could hear the music grow louder and the chattering escalated. We swam through the people and passed across the threshold. I pushed patrons out of our way until we found ourselves at the edge of a dance floor.
Displayed before us was a hodge podge of multiple couples dancing to the music in an asynchronous way. None of the couples were matching the others in their moves. One couple was waltzing gracefully and another was throwing themselves around. Off to one corner was a small band, happily playing the upbeat tempo that fueled the energy of the bar. Without even asking, I grabbed Hinata by the waist and pulled her onto the dance floor. She clung onto my yukata for support as I dragged her towards the center. At first we stood there unsure of what to do. I shuffled my feet and swayed side to side embarrassingly as Hinata tried to fix her ruffled kimono. Finally, after watching some of the other couples for a bit, I confidently wrapped one arm around her waist, used the other to hold her hand high into the air and spun her a few times around the floor. A twinkling laugh left her gossamer lips and I grinned broadly. We waltzed around the entirety of the floor, making up our own arbitrary dance moves, and whooped and snorted in pure glee.
Finally the music slowed down for a bit and I pulled her in closer until I knew she could feel my breath on the top of her head. I smelled the flowery perfume on her person and the moment felt so intimate. It felt like the right time to tell her.
"Hinata." I started. She looked up at me with those pearlescent orbs. "I wrote your name."
She stopped dancing and gripped my hand. After a deep breath, she smiled.
"I wrote yours too."
I dropped her hand, picked her up by the waist, and spun her dramatically, finally landing her back on the ground. I lifted her chin up to take a good look at her.
Then I kissed her.
I couldn't let go. Instead I pulled her in closer and tighter pressing her lips firmly to mine. I could feel Hinata lean into me and we were suspended there for however long just holding each other. Finally, she moved back though I could feel my body instinctively moving closer to close the distance. I pulled back though, realizing I was acting a little childish. She looked at me and in that moment, as cliche as it sounds, I knew I loved her. I knew, with every fiber of my stupid impure unworthy being, that I was in love with this dazzling and kind and gentle and strong creature. We said nothing more for the rest of our time at the bar but we didn't have to. Our actions, our closeness, our intimacy said enough.
For about an hour, Hinata and I danced. Our moves were mostly spins and twirls accompanied by moments of tightness in which we would sway back and forth into one another. Couples came and went but we stayed on the dance floor until the late bells chimed. Finally Hinata spoke.
"I should be back at the compound soon or else my father will worry." I nodded and held her hand as I led the way out of the bar. Walking onto the street, I realized how late it actually was. The booths were closing and vendors were tearing down well crafted stalls. The roads were empty, giving us the impression that we were the only people there in the entire world, as if this festival was set up purely for us to succumb to one another. There isn't enough flowery writing and provocative words in our language to capture how amazing I felt on that walk home. We were a few meters from the compound wall, just far enough so that Hinata could plant a delicate kiss on my lips without anyone knowing. I pulled her in once more and we kissed for the second time that night. Her face flushed as she said goodnight and walked away. I watched her until she faded into darkness and finally settled on going home.
I strolled down the path still feeling high from the intoxicating kiss. However instead of feeling euphoric, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I made my way home. Unsure at first but with each step the feeling grew stronger. My ninja instincts were telling me that something was out of place. I stopped and looked around but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary but for some reason, I felt like I was being followed.
Usually I would have opted to take the shorter but more secluded path but I knew better than to risk attack. Besides, on the open pavement, there was little place to hide. I rushed towards the city center and from the corner of my eyes, I detected black blurs. The ordinary citizen would not have seen anything but years of training taught me otherwise. My suspicions were confirmed when I spied a man in an oversized coat shift behind a building. I kept my head down and pushed forwards. In an attempt to throw the pursuers off of my trail, I ran. Sprinting through back alleys and main roads, I hoped that they wouldn't be able to keep up with my speed. I could see it in the distance, my apartment shining like a beacon. My foot landed on the first step but my path was blocked.
Two men, draped in black cloaks covered in red clouds, stood before me. The first man looked unusual and inhuman. He had blue skin and sharp angular features. Beady black eyes stared at me in a primal way. He kept one hand held onto a hilt that belong to a massive sword on his back.
The other one looked familiar. I felt a bang in my chest.
"Sasuke?"
I knew the answer as soon as I had said his name. The first guy laughed as I scanned the second intruder closer. His hair was longer, his features more mature, and his height a little taller. This man wasn't Sasuke but he looked almost like him. The second man spoke.
"That's a name I haven't heard in some time." He said in a quiet low voice. The first laughed even louder moving closer to me. I assumed fighting position and growled.
"What do you want?" The first man grinned and that's when I noticed razor sharp teeth. This man, it finally occurred to me, looked like a shark. I slowly tried to move my hand into the inside pocket of my yukata where I kept a kunai. After an initial assessment of my scenario, I could tell I was outmatched. Even though I hadn't seen their skill, I could sense their overwhelmingly strong chakra and could tell these men were no ordinary nin. But that wasn't going to deter me. In fact, in a strange way, I was excited for the challenge. I smiled back.
"The carnival ended hours ago, you can take your makeup off." I said, egging the first one on.
"Clever." I heard from behind me. Before my sentence was even over, the first guy had moved behind me, ready to attack. The original excitement had left and true panic entered. I prepared myself of a heavy blow. But the man didn't attack. Someone else had appeared between the two of us.
I turned to find Jiraiya positioned between me and shark man. He had his hands out in what appeared to be in a skilled formation, ready to summon. The second man spoke again.
"We weren't expecting you tonight Jiraiya." He moved himself next to his partner and faced me. Jiraiya was unnerved.
"Leave or there will be hell to pay."
"We can take you on old man!" Shouted the first guy. He pulled the sword from behind his back. It looked large and dull, with a curved and blunt edge. The sword was covered in wrapping and how it was supposed to help in combat was beyond me. Jiraiya inhaled quickly in recognition.
"I see you recognize her." He said skillfully wielding and spinning the heavy weapon. Jiraiya moved back an inch and I ran to meet him. But as I moved closer, Jiraiya pushed me back.
"Don't."
The shark raised his eyebrows.
"You plan to protect the boy? Tch, this was supposed to be a quick grab and go but I guess we can stop to play." He rushed towards Jiraiya, sword in hand, but before he could throw down, his partner stood before him. He looked at us and I saw the frightening curse that was the Sharingan. But it was different. The pattern in his eyes weren't the same as Sasuke's. His looked like sharp disks and the sight was both disturbing yet comforting. He directed himself back to his partner.
"Not tonight." With just those two words, he vanished. The shark sighed and placed his sword back into it's holster.
"I'll see you around." He said before disappearing.
I struggled to comprehend their actions as Jiraiya and I quickly entered the apartment. Suddenly they had appeared and then vanished without reaching whatever their goal was. Jiraiya dropped his bags and furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at me.
"Who were those men?!" I shouted unable to hold back my rage. "What the hell just happened?"
Jiraiya looked at me calmly and moved towards the window. He looked out, checked the surroundings, then closed the blinds.
"I don't sense their chakras anymore." He whispered mainly to himself then sat down at the table. He motioned for me to take a seat.
"Jiraiya. Who was that other guy?"
"Those two men are from the Akatsuki." Before I could interject Jiraiya continued. "That man that spoke to us was Kisame Hoshigaki, from the Village of the Hidden mist. The other one...Itachi Uchiha."
Itachi Uchiha. I was in the midst of the mass murderer who had started the chain events of my adolescent life. The very man Sasuke was training desperately to kill was just standing in front of me second ago.
"That was ITACHI!?" I shrieked. "What was he doing here?!"
Jiraiya stood up to get a drink. He grabbed a green bottle and finished it in just a minute.
"It's been a long night, Naruto. How about we talk about this in the morning."
"NO! I need answers now! I mean, why were they even here?!" Jiraiya ignored me and moved towards the bed. I followed him in hot pursuit.
"You have to tell me something!"
"Naruto," He began with a tired voice. "I learned a lot today and I need some time to process the information. Please."
I left him alone and moved back to my bed, still traumatized and weary. Before I pulled the covers over me Jiraiya managed to throw in one last quip.
"So, did you get any boats?" He remarked slyly, turning out the lights. I said nothing but fell asleep with a smile on my face.
Author's Note:
Thank you guys so much for all the support, follows, and favorites!
Sorry for such a long chapter but I was really excited to write this one :D
If you thought it was good or if you have any constructive criticism, please leave a review! It really helps me build my writing and make the story a lot better!
I'll be sure to update soon!