I sigh as I place my backpack and Gunpai down in the genkan of my apartment, I take off my shoes and make my way to my bedroom and flop on my bed. We had finally made it back to Kohona and gave Lady Tsunade our report. I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, I close my eyes and try to relax, I couldn't and I didn't know why. I jump at the sound of a knock on my door, groaning I get up, make my way to the door and open it to find Sakura smiling sheepishly at me.
"Please do not tell me we have another mission," I say tiredly as I let her into my place.
"No, no," She answers and I sigh in relief. "Ino and the other girls were wondering if you would like to come to hang out as a girls night." I blink at her unsure of what to say, I have never done a girls' night.
"Umm, sure." I hesitate and she notices.
"You can say no if you don't want to hang out." She frowns at me.
"It's not that I don't want to," I smile to reassure her. "I just have never had a girls' night."
"Oh, well they are lots of fun, we hang out, do girly things like painting our nails, masks, and talk about boys." She rambles. "We are spending the night at Ino's place, so you will have to pack a bag of normal clothes and sleepwear." She tells me and I hesitate again.
"Normal clothes?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Non-formal clothes and non-fighting clothes." She says to me and I laugh.
"I don't own any but the two kinds and sleepwear," I explain. She shakes her head but smiles at me.
"Do you have the money you can spend?" She asks, I nod. "Put your shoes on, we're going shopping." She says excited and I just laugh shaking my head as I put my shoes on.
"Okay, but I'm not getting much as I explained when we first met, being a princess and traveling doesn't allow for many personal items," I say to her and she shakes her head.
"Fine but try to have fun, even Tsunade said that she doesn't know how long you will be here so with that in mind you should have some clothes to relax in. You can't go about wearing your formal outfits and fighting clothes when you're not on duty." She says her arms crossed. I nod my head agreeing with her.
"You have a point," I say standing up and grabbing my keys from my pouch. "I guess you can show me some shops in Kohona."
"Great let's see if Ino and the others want to join us." She says grabbing my hand and pulling me out my door only stopping to allow me to lock my door. We practically run to Ino's place where she swings the door open and drags me in.
"There you two are." Ino turns with a bag of chips she was about to pour in a bowl.
"Hey Ino, is everything ready?" Sakura asks.
"Yes, we just have to pick up dinner from the BBQ house in a bit, why?" She answers as she pours the chips into the bowl and places them on the table that had other snacks as well.
"Cause Kane needs normal clothes…" She smiles as Ino looks at me, her smile getting bigger when she takes in what Sakura said.
"Are you saying we have a shopping spree on our hands?" She asks.
"Umm… I don't…" But it was useless. Sakura interrupts me.
"Yes, come on Hinata, Tenten, let's go." She says and again drags me through Kohona.
By the time we got back to Ino's for dinner and other activities I had a new small duffle bag, a new hygiene kit more extravagant than the other one I take on missions, I had 3 new outfits for normal relaxing days, a new set of sleepwear, 2 nail polishes a dark blue for my toes and a light blue for my nails, 1 mask for tonight, pink slippers, and a new sleeping mask. I put down my 5 bags and stare at them not knowing how I felt about overspending on trivial items but Sakura reminded me that I wasn't in the middle of traveling and needed these clothes for while I'm here.
"You okay?" Tenten asks, I nod and give a small smile.
"Who knew shopping could be so tiring," I say and she laughs. Tenten had introduced herself to me while in the first shop we went to and we had a lot of fun getting to know each other.
"Well now comes the fun relaxing parts of a girls night," Ino says, placing the BBQ food on the table as Sakura set out the plates and utensils. "Come on girls dig in." She says sitting down and we take our places on our cushions.
During dinner, we just talk about our missions and how things were going with our teams.
"So are you liking being on Team 7, Kane?" Ino asks and all the girls turn to me.
"I am enjoying Team 7 yes, Sakura is very helpful and reassuring when it comes to experiencing new things in the ninja world, and Kakashi Sensei so far seems nice." I smile and Sakura smiles as well her shoulders relaxing a bit I notice.
"Well, I can say for sure it's nice to have another girl on the team." Sakura smiles and I laugh.
"Yeah, lucky you. Right Tenten." Ino says shaking her head.
"Don't you have two boys on your team as well, Hinata?" I ask confused.
"Yes, but I think because my Sensei is a girl they don't count it." Hinata whispers and I nod understanding.
"Ok well, I say time to get into our sleepwear and start the relaxing part," Ino says as we gather up the dishes, rinse them off and throw out the trash. "Kane, if you would like to shower first the bathroom, is 2 doors down." I nod and thank her as I hadn't showered as we just got home this morning. I take a quick but relaxing shower using the new hygiene kit that smells like Orchids. I get dressed in my sleepwear and put on my plushy slippers and make my way back to the living room where all the girls had gotten dressed and started their toenails.
"No it wasn't that awkward, it was more that I knew what was in the bottle, but otherwise it was like she was drinking water. It didn't help that Bisuke said it smelled weird though." Sakura was saying as I walked in. I knew what she was talking about and I blush a bit when all the girls look at me embarrassed at being caught talking about me.
"Yeah, the damned dog I would say is what made it worse," I say sitting in between Sakura and Hinata.
"Sorry," Sakura says to me and I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Why? I'm not mad at you talking about it," I say.
"Well, I don't want things to be awkward on our team," She says and I smile to her.
"I'm used to people thinking I'm weird, I'm not used to drinking blood in front of others that aren't my clan, but I'll have to get used to that, so we both have things to get used to," I shrug.
"I don't mean to make things awkward but I have to ask," Tenten speaks up, and I turn to her waiting for her to talk, "Does blood taste weird to you, or does it taste good? Does it taste like copper as it smells?" She asks blushing. I wasn't used to this question so it took me by surprise.
"Umm… well, that's never been asked, umm… I can't say it tastes like copper, I guess because we need it to survive it taste fine to us almost like water to us, umm… it does have a slightly different taste depending on the blood type…" I shrug not knowing how to explain the difference.
"Weird." She says looking puzzled.
"Okay anyway," Ino interjects digging in one of my shopping bags and getting my nail polishes out. "Start with your toes it's easier that way." She hands me my dark blue nail polish. I nod and start as the girls talk about boys. I sit listening and watching them banter with each other like this was normal. A slight pang of jealousy rises in my chest as it goes on, I never had this in my life, it was so easy for them to talk to each other, having no cares in the world. Yes, I had painted my nails with my mom and other girls from my clan but normally the talks were about finding a fine male suitor. Make sure they knew how to lead. Can they stay calm in a disaster? Will they be okay with a Matriarch? Yes, I knew what a crush was; who did you find cute? What did you like most about them? Was their personality worth liking them? But none of that ever mattered to me, my duty was to find a respectable male to marry and to help me lead my clan, and it still is. Things were never like this, though; I didn't know what to say or how to act right now. I stay quiet as I paint my toes simmering in jealousy and longing.
"Are you okay?" Hinata's quiet voice pulls me from my simmering. I look to her in question.
"I'm fine," I whisper and go back to painting the last of my toes.
"So Kane, are there any boys you like?" Tenten pipes up from talking about this Neji person. I shake my head no.
"I've only met the boys once," I say hoping that this will drop the subject.
"Oh, come on, did you find any of them cute at least?" Ino wines next to her. I pause thinking of the boys I met.
"Kiba and Shikamaru are cute, I guess," I mumble and shrug as I close my nail polish and lean back sighing.
"You really aren't used to this are you?" Sakura asks a slight frown on her face.
"No, I'm sorry," I say shaking my head. "I've never done this and even if I did find a boy cute before or liked a boy it never mattered, what matters is if the male can be a good suitor for me and my clan."
"Well that doesn't matter here," Ino smiles at me shaking her head. "What do you find cute about Shikamaru and Kiba?"
"Hmm… I liked talking to Shikamaru he is really smart and calming, I like Kiba's confidence but he can be a bit overwhelming," Sakura picks up my hand starts to paint my nails the light blue so I watch her as I answer.
"What would you want in a guy if you could choose and not have to worry bout the suitor stuff," Hinata's question catches me off guard and I turn to her making Sakura mess up on my right ring finger.
"Sorry," I tell Sakura as she uses the nail polish remover to clean the nail. She just smiles.
"So what's your answer?" Sakura asks grabbing the polish again.
"I never thought of that before," I say concentrating on my hand to not look at the girls. "Honestly, I just ever thought that if I could choose who I was with as long as we loved each other I won't care what he looks like or what his flaws are."
"Aww…" Ino and Tenten course from in front of me as I blush a deep shade of red.
"So you want true love?" Sakura smiles at me.
"Doesn't every girl?" I ask and they all nod, smiling wistfully at the thought.
"I think it would be extremely hard to be in your position, wanting true love but having to be a princess and find only a suitor," Tenten says shaking her head. "You are one strong girl." I smile my thanks.
I begin to relax more into the conversations and start to have fun as I get to know the girls more. The next hour is spent talking some more about the boys and other girly things as we finish our nails and do our masks. For the first time in forever, I felt like I had true friends.
The next morning I wake up around 7 with the girls. Tenten and Hinata had to head back to their families and spend the day with them. Ino had to work at her family flower shop so Sakura and I got breakfast and wandered Kohona on our own. We make it back to my place and spend the rest of the day there talking.
"I'm sorry if you felt overwhelmed last night," Sakura says from the other side of the couch.
"It was overwhelming at first but honestly it was the most fun I've had in a long while." I smile at her to reassure her. "Honestly, part of me is jealous of what you girls have, but I love my clan and will do what I must for them."
"Well I think I agree with Tenten, I don't think I could do what you're doing, giving up love just for a suitor, I mean what..." Sakura is cut off by a knock on my door. I get up and answer to find a Jonin standing there.
"How can I help you?" I ask already knowing what he was going to say.
"Are you Shinokane Hyohaku-sha?" He asks.
"Yes,"
"The Hokage would like to see you,"
"Just me or Team 7?"
"Just you as far as I know," I nod, thank him, watching as he jumps off my balcony to do whatever else he needs to do.
"I wonder what she wants," Sakura says from behind me.
"Probably about my Liaison duties," I answer.
"Oh, that's right, I forgot about that," She says as we put on our shoes. I stand up stretch a bit before we make our way out my door. We say goodbye as Sakura heads to her place and I head to the Hokage's office.
I'm about to knock on the door when it opens and I accidentally knock on someone's chest. I pull back my hand quickly as I notice Kakashi Sensei shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, Sensei," I say giving a slight bow.
"It's fine, Kane," He says letting me into the office. "She is here Lady Tsunade." He says and she looks up from some paperwork. They were talking about me? Oh boy…
"Oh, that was quick, please shut the door on your way out Kakashi," She says and I watch him leave.
"How can I help you, Lady Hokage?" I ask giving a bow trying not to become nervous and failing.
"Your mother has sent the first list of trade goods she needs and the list of what she has to offer," She informs handing me the paperwork she was looking over. I nod as I read them over it was all standard stuff we traded: wheat, flour, herbs, etc… Also, all standard stuff we needed: Blood, corn, rice, cloth, etc… I go over in my head the normal amount of each item we needed to sustain my clan for the year and how much herbs and wheat we made on our trips.
"It says here that we made a substantial amount of herbs this time and she is wondering if Kohona would like to trade for the extra amount," I comment reading the last page.
"Yes, and I would like to take her up on that offer. The extra herbs she made will help a lot in the hospital," I nod. "I am willing to offer some extra cloth we have obtained from the Land of Earth."
"Hmm… That seems fair enough as it will benefit us in our merchant business," I agree, my clan made jewelry and clothing on the side to help sustain our trading business. We go over the normal amounts of trade and draw out a rough draft trading contract for my mother to go over.
"Well that all seems done, I will have it sent out first thing in the morning."
"Thank you," I smile glad that this was easier than I expected. "Will that be all Lady Hokage?"
"Yes," She nods and picks up a paper from one of her many stacks and I go to leave. "Oh, Princess," She calls me back, I turn my hand on the doorknob. "According to Kakashi Sensei you are doing well, keep it up please," I smile happily and nod.
"Of course, thank you!" I say and skip home.
Acting Liaison, training, and missions that is what my life consisted of for the next 10 months, and those months seemed to slip by quickly. I didn't mind, though, I was happy with how things were going. Sakura has become an amazing and supportive friend, the other girls and boys have become good friends as well. My training was going well, my chakra control was improving a lot, I was also getting better with my offensive fighting and tactical thinking. Things were going great with only a few minor setbacks along the way; I ended up in the hospital for a week due to a major injury and using too much chakra in a mission. I also messed up once in a trade contract but thankfully, it was easily rectified. The only other change was that I seemed to have developed a crush, I blamed it partly on the girls talking about their crushes all the time and partly on the fact that we were around each other a lot due to him being my Sensei. Kakashi and I were now being sent alone on missions since Sakura was advancing her medical training. Yes, I have a crush on Kakashi of all people. It didn't matter though I couldn't act on it, so I just let myself have this small normal experience before I had to choose a suitor. I haven't told anyone about my crush, because I knew having a crush on your Sensei was not okay and part of me wanted this all to myself. The girls still thought I liked Shikamaru and Kiba, they wanted to set me up on a date but I couldn't go on dates due to being a princess, I wasn't allowed to be alone with boys, the exception being my Sensei. I knew this rule but to my shock, my mom had told this to Lady Tsunade and she gave the rule to Sakura to make sure I wasn't ever alone with a boy. I didn't know this till Tenten brought up setting me up with Shikamaru. I was horrified knowing that my new best friend had been secretly guarding me, but I was a princess. What did I expect?
I smile as Kakashi Sensei and I make it to the Kohona gates, we came back from a simple but annoying mission of guarding a trade merchant back to his home in the Land of Grass, nothing interesting happened, but he was extremely rude and sexist; girls apparently shouldn't be ninjas… He's lucky he didn't know he was disrespecting a princess, I wanted to slap him so bad and put him in his place.
"Ugh, finally, that felt like the longest mission in the world!" I say as the gates open for us.
"It was only a 5-day mission," Kakashi chuckles from my side, I look up at him frowning.
"Say that when you have to listen to sexist rude comments targeted at your back for 3 of those days," I grumble at him and he nods.
"True true, I thought you were going to kill him," He laughs as we make our way into Hokage's office.
"Who was she going to kill?" Sakura asks she was in Tsunade's office with her and the door was open.
"The bloody sexist merchant Lady Tsunade assigned us to guard," I say with a frown on my face.
"Please, tell me the mission went well…" Tsunade says from her chair.
"It went fine, Kane kept her emotions in check," Kakashi says and Tsunade sighs in relief.
"Good, we don't need to have a bad report on her, especially right now," She says catching me by surprise.
"What's right now?" I ask but was strangely ignored.
"So everything is set and prepped?"
"Yes, Sakura has made sure of it." I look between the 3 not liking this, I glare at Sakura till she looks to me.
"Umm… Hey Kane, let's go get you settled back home and we can relax for a bit." She says obviously trying to distract me.
"What's right now?" I ask again.
"Don't worry about it," Tsunade answers. "There is about to be a Kage Summit so I want all to be well." She tells me, I nod but still feel like something was off.
"Well anyway Lady Tsunade, other than being annoyed and angered by sexist comments all for 3 days, all went well and the magot, I mean merchant, has made it safely home," I give my report, she stares at me for a second and then gives a short laugh.
"You know Kane, from that report you just gave no one, would ever suspect you of being a Princess," I blink and look away.
"Well, then it's a good thing I'm acting as a Kohona Kunoichi," I say not knowing whether to feel chastised or not.
"Yes I agree, and I don't mind but try not to let your manners slip too much, you may need them in the coming days, I thank you for the report your dismissed, you as well Sakura," She says and goes to her paperwork, I stare at her trying to understand her words.
"Hey, want to catch up, I'm done with my training for the day, we can get dinner and hang at your place," Sakura distracts me from my thoughts.
"Umm… Sure," I smile and walk out with her, noting that Kakashi was already gone.
"So what was all of that about?" I ask as we pick up some ramen to go from Ichiraku's.
"Oh, she's just been busy and cranky due to everything coming up, shes got some important Hokage stuff even she won't tell me about and the Kage summit, so don't mind her," Sakura tells me as she grabs the food and I pay.
"She seemed extremely worried about me, but not at the same time, did I do something wrong?" I ask still trying to figure out what she meant about my manners.
"Oh no, of course not. I don't think you've done anything wrong at all, I think she was just worried that if something did go wrong it wouldn't just reflect on Kohona it would reflect on your clan due to you being the princess." I ponder her words as I grab my keys from my front pouch and open my door. I scrunch my nose at the stuffiness of my apartment and open the windows. Sakura and I eat our dinner catching up on what happened over the last 5 days that I was gone.
"So Kiba asked about you," Sakura says and I look away from her. Why do I let this go on?...
"Sakura, you know I can't," I sigh and look back up at her.
"Oh, I know, but isn't it fun knowing a guy might like you, and who knows you could have Kiba put on your suitor list, I would even put in a good word for him," she says laying down on the cushions and I laugh shaking my head.
"Oh, no, he wouldn't be a good suitor," I say as I lay down as well. She looks at me from under the table.
"Why not?"
"He would not deal with a Maitirach very well,"
"Oh, good point, what about Shikamaru? He is smart,"
"True and he will make a good leader one day, but he is too lazy," I point out.
"Ugh, why does the suitor have to be so precise, your mother is picky," She says and I just nod.
"I don't know, I've asked the same thing many times, I've learned not to question it, honestly," I say frowning.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,"
"You didn't," I say giving her a small smile and wonder. "Hey Sakura, have you ever had a crush on someone you know you shouldn't have a crush on?"
"Umm, well if you count my love for Sasuke, yeah," She answers, I knew who Sasuke was at this point and most of what happened.
"I guess having a crush on someone who is considered a deserter would count," We both frown staring at my roof.
"You know Kane I don't think having a crush on Shikamaru or Kiba is a bad thing even for your being a princess," I hear Sakura say slightly pulling me from my thoughts on my own crush.
"Oh, it's not," I respond without thinking. She fully turns to me at this point.
"Then what do you mean?" I look at her confused.
"I'm sorry, I seemed to have lost the conversation somewhere, what?"
"If having a crush on them isn't a bad thing then what do you mean having a crush on someone your not supposed to?"
"Oh, umm, nothing," I say sitting up, she lays for a second then bolts up.
"Do you have a crush on someone new now?" She almost yells causing me to jump a bit.
"NO! I just was wondering, okay." I say looking away from her.
"You Kane are a terrible liar," She points to me with a grin on her face. "Who is it?"
"No one, okay," I say standing up and collecting the trash from our ramen and walking to my small kitchen.
"I won't say anything about it to anyone, I promise!" She says and I ponder actually telling her.
"It's…" I'm about to tell her when I hear a knock on my door.
She sighs follows me to the door.
"Kakashi…" I gasp for a sec and shake my head pulling my thoughts back together. Just my luck he shows up now… "Sensei how can I help you?" I ask stepping away to let him in.
"Tomorrow we have a mission, all 3 off us," He says looking to Sakura as well and she nods.
"All 3 of us! We haven't had a mission together in forever," I say smiling.
"What's the mission Sensei?" Sakura asks.
"Well we are not leaving Kohona, it's an inside D rank mission," He explains, I frown slightly, this would be my first D rank mission in Kohona. "We are to dress in formal wear and meet at the Kohona Plaza at 3 O'clock. There we will be given our duties from the Hokage."
"Is this for the Kage summit?" I ask a bit confused.
"No, this is for another event we will learn more about tomorrow," He says stepping out of my apartment. "Oh Kane, Tsunade said to make sure you wear your circlet." He says and jumps to the roof next to mine leaving.
"I wonder what's going on tomorrow," Sakura says sounding a bit worried.
"I don't know, are you okay?" I ask her.
"Umm… I don't have any formal wear." She says and I laugh.
"Well, let's go get you some," I say sitting down to put my shoes on.
"Kane I don't have enough money to buy myself a formal kimono," She says shaking her head.
"Don't worry about it, think of it as an extremely early birthday gift," I say as we stand up and she stares at me. "What? Is that a bad thing?" I ask.
"I don't know, you're the one with a birthday 3 days away, yet you're buying me the gift," She says stunned. I shrug.
"So, I never really cared to celebrate my birthday, it's usually only a birthday dinner and a reminder of the day my father died," I say looking off in the distance.
"I'm so sorry," Sakura says her hand on my shoulder for comfort.
"Don't worry about it, my mother always tries hard to make me happy on that day but honestly it's hard on us both, there is one thing I do like on my birthday though," I say smiling.
"What's that?" She asks as we walk out my door.
"My clan grows beautiful rare flowers and braids them into the birthday person's hair," I laugh, "It's the only time I do feel like an actual princess." She smiles at me.
"Like the one you grew on our first mission and gave to Kakashi Sensei?" She asks as we make it to the formalwear shop. I'm glad when she starts looking at kimonos and doesn't see my blush.
"Kind of, some grow rarer than that," I answer.
"Hmm…" She mumbles as she pulls out a pink kimono. "So we should do a sleepover at your place so we can spend tomorrow morning getting ready together,"
"That sounds fun, we can do a small girls night and paint each other's nails tonight," I smile and she nods.
"What do you think?" She asks holding a red, white, and pink kimono to herself.
"That's the one!" I smile and nod. "It will go perfect with your hair. Plus I know pink is your favorite color so it suits you."
"Great now your turn," She says pulling a couple of pink and purple kimonos and holds them up to me quickly discarding them back on the hanger. She then pulls the perfect one, simple black with beautiful flowers. "It's perfect, your eyes will pop, and who knows maybe this mystery crush of yours will notice." She smiles mischievously at me, and I blush looking away.
"I was hoping you would have forgotten," I sigh as she shakes her head at me.
"And that there confirms there is one." She says as we make our way to the beauty section. "So does that mean you no longer have a crush on Shikamaru and Kiba?"
"Honestly…" I look to her and she stares at me in slight shock.
"You never did have a crush on them, did you?"
"No, I'm sorry," I sigh as she frowns at me. "I didn't mean to lie to you guys it's just… I don't know,"
"You didn't want us to know because you shouldn't have a crush on this person, right?"
"Exactly…"
"So who is it?" She asks I shake my head and grab a pastel lavender nail polish to match my kimono and a pink one to match Sakura's. She sighs but drops the subject, grabs 2 masks, and follows me to the register. We go to Sakura's house to grab her sleepover items then head back to my house.