Kaiya opened her eyes with a smile on her face as Lee's smell surrounded her. It was night outside, but she couldn't complain much. This was the best sleep she got in quite some time. It was moments later when she came more into her senses that she became more aware of her surroundings. A warm breath was hitting softly and quietly the back of her neck as an arm rested on her torso and stomach. Weirdly, the arm and well, the presence itself behind her gave her a feeling of calm and safety. She rised her head a little fo investigate further.

'Go back to sleep... Kaiya-chan...' A faint mumble said, behind her.

Behind her, Lee was long since asleep. Kaiya frowned. Chan...? Now he's pushing it too far!

'Please don't adress me with -chan.' She said, calmly.

'Why...?'

Kaiy pursed her lips a little.

'It makes me uncomfortable.' She admitted.

'Ok then. Is just Kaiya alright?'

'Yeah.' Kaiya hummed as she layed back down. 'It's fine.'

'Hn.'

Kaiya made herself back comfortable and allowed her hand to lay on Lee's hand, responding to his hug through a light grip. She didn't find herself attracted to the boy in a physical way, but that hug he offered was something that she needed the most at that moment. The hug wasn't sexual in any way- it was simply a comfronting hug between one willing to protect and love and someone in only so much need of love. Kaiya pushed herself back, deepening herself in the boy's grasp. For a moment, he gasped for air as he woke up, only for his arm's grip ro tighten around her and his breath to become louder, ringing right next to her ear.

Lee smiled as he now fully awoke, becoming more aware of what was happening. The girl who avoided getting touched or being personal gave her consent a hug that had them glued to eachother. Lee considered what to do, and decided- As long as she was ok with it, he wouldn't let go. If she became uncomfortable, he would simply back away, make some space and let her be.

'Are you hungry?' Lee asked.

Good question, Kaiya thought. She was hardly hungry when she was still half-asleep.

'No... I'm not.' Kaiya hummed as she turned around to look at the boy. He was in no better state- his eyes were hardly open, now being two, white long lines with a black dot in the middle. Meanwhile, his short hair was anything but sitting properly. 'What about you?'

'I had something for dinner. I brought you some as well, if you want. If you don't want it now, maybe you'll like it for breakfast...'

'What did you bring?' Kaiya asked, with interest.

'Eh... Yakisoba.'

'That sounds good.' Kaiya mumbled, as she closed her eyes. 'I'll eat it in the morning.'

It didn't take long before they both fell asleep again. The next day, morning moved swiftly along, followed quickly by noon. As he walked around the market, waiting for his team to arrive, Lee couldn't help but notice an odd out of character behaviour in a particular boy and his dog.

He closed the distance between him and the boy, and analysed what he was looking at- a stand with various weaponry.

'Kiba-kun, what are you doing?'

Kiba sighed, rubbing his forehead.

'I don't know Lee, honestly.'

'You don't know what weapon you want?'

'It would be a much easier job to do if it was for me, honestly.' Kiba laughed dryly. 'But they're not for me.'

'Hm? Please elaborate.'

'Kaiya's birthday is coming up soon, on the first of November. I want to get her something, but I don't know what.'

'First of November... that's three weeks away!'

Kiba breathed in sharply, in realisation. He might've just bumped into the right person!

'Lee, you're on the same team as Kaiya. You must know more about her. What does she like?'

'Er... um... training and missions! She's on those alot.'

Kiba mumbled under his breath. 'Ok, anything more precise? Something that we could actually buy?'

'Um... I'm not sure.'

'Then we have two problems, Lee. A gift for Kaiya and your lack of attention.'

'My... my lack of attention?' Lee asked, feeling his heart drop.

'Yeah. You spend so much time with her, yet you don't know something only so trivial as what she likes and dislikes! I'm dissapointed, really.'

Lee bit his lip, in silence.

'Let me tell you a secret. You know what dissapoints me even more?' Kiba asked, as he leaned over to Lee's ear. 'That you have the audacity to have a crush on her with such little knowledge about her.'

Lee felt himself freezing in his tracks.

'N... No, that's not what... how do you know? Kaiya doesn't know that.' He murmured. 'I told no one...!'

'Kaiya suspects it, but I know it for sure. You stink of having a crush. Kaiya deserves better than this. If you don't do an effort and actually get to know her, you should give up any chances you might have.'

'Oi, Lee!'

They turned around to see Team Guy heading towards them, nonchalantly. It didn't take long to figure out that the one who called for Lee was none other than Kaiya. Kiba smirked to Lee knowingly, before turning around and left. Lee shook his head. He had to get to know Kaiya better... He had to fix this!

'I really want to go and train.' Kaiya told Tenten as they walked down the Konoha streets with their team.

'You should rest for a bit, you heard the doctors.' The girl responded. 'You worked really hard lately, so you deserve a break.'

'Yeah. Maybe you're right.' Kaiya sighed. 'Lady Hokage said there weren't any A-rank or B-ranks left, anyway.'

Neji hesitated for a few moments on what he wanted to say, before eventually proceeding. 'You've been moving along the ranks quickly. People have been talking about it lately.'

'Oh really?' Kaiya chuckled. 'What might they be saying?'

'It's mostly about how there was hardly someone who ranked up so fast. Hardly anyone since, well... Since your father and Itachi Uchiha.'

'Itachi Uchiha?'

'Eh, y'know... Sasuke's older brother.' Tenten said, hesitantly. 'He killed his entire family except for Sasuke before becoming a rogue in the Akatsuki.'

Kaiya frowned as the group grew quiet. Sasuke's fate wasn't so different from his brother's nowadays, but... Something caught her attention.

'Why didn't he kill Sasuke?' She asked.

Tenten shrugged as she put her hands behind her neck. 'Who knows? Wouldn't really try to find out either. I can live without the information.'

'Same here,' Neji said. 'Sometimes, it's better not to know some things, Kaiya. Really.'

Kaiya nodded. 'Yeah.'

She understood what the boy meant and she guessed she could relate to some degree- she could've lived just fine without witnessing her brother's last moments alive. Maybe..maybe she would've not felt so guilty all over again. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath in recollection.

'Let's not think too deeply about it,' she said, looking at her team. 'Whatever happened to the Uchiha clan is a tragedy, but we're not Uchiha, and neither did we commit that crime, so it isn't like the problem lays on us to resolve it. It'll cause more problems all over again.'

She wasn't wrong, but without her knowing, a particular ghost of the Uchiha was touched by her words as she accidentally heard the conversation. As the team walked further away down the street, Mikoto watched the girl carefully. If that's truly her way of judgement, she might truly come around her judgemental hierarchy as a Hatake. Her husband told her everything about it- he should know everything on the matter first-handedly.

Just a week later, Kaiya was in a much better shape, and was better rested. After returning from a B-rank infiltration mission, Kaiya was requested in the Hokage's mission by emergency. Kaiya didn't know what to expect, but she hoped it would have answers to her requests.

'Good afternoon, Kaiya.' Tsunade greeted as Kaiya entered her office. 'How are you doing?'

'I'm alright, thank you for asking. What about you?' Kaiya asked, as she bowed down.

'I'm good.' Tsunade smiled. 'How was the mission?'

'The village is safe. I took care of all threats.'

'Good, good. I wanted to talk to you about your request of becoming ANBU.'

Finally!, Kaiya thought.

'I decided to accept. However, I give you one more chance to look upon it and make sure you want to do it. You must realise, of course all the risks that come when becoming ANBU, of course.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'The chances of you dying will be much higher than an ordinary or Tokubetsu Jonin, and you'll have to hide your identity while on missions. You may absolutely not, under any circumstances, let emotions push you to act on your own. Do you understand what I'm saying, Kaiya?'

'Yes, ma'am.'-

'Kid, I'm worried!' Tsunade snapped. 'That first mission you had as an Jounin, I should've given a different one, It screwed you up-'

Kaiya sighed. 'Tsunade-sama, don't worry. I know my capabilities. I can do it.'

Tsunade hesitated for a few moments, before eventually forcing herself into accepting the girl's choice. 'So be it, then. You should, as an ANBU, choose a stage name, usually of an animal. Any preference?'

Kaiya thought for a few moments.

'Yes. I would like to be named Ookami.'

Tsunade puffed lightly, in amusement. 'A pun?'

Kaiya smiled.

'Yes, a pun.'

Tsunade pulled out a porcelain wolf-like mask painted in beautiful models.

'Welcome, Wolf. Good luck.'

Kaiya breathed in in an attempt to calm herself down before the grey door in the Main Building. She was carrying a carton box with various weapons, a spare mask, and a small first-aid kit, just like Tsunade asked her to. When she brought herself to a calmer state, she put her hand on the doorknob and opened the doorknob. As she pushed the door open, a dozen heads turned around, some with masks on and some without, shooting her cold curious looks. For a moment, Kaiya felt how everyone in the room became much taller and stronger than her, giving her a feeling how she was powerless.

'Hello,' Kaiya said, trying to keep her composure against the imposing looks. 'I'm Kaiya Kobayashi and from today, I'll be working with you all.'

The tensity in the air lightened noticeably, as most people turned around and returned to their conversations.

'Hey, you're Kakashi's kid, right?' Someone with a weasel mask asked as he approaced her.

'Eh... Yes.' Kaiya answered.

'You know what happened to your grandfather? Sakumo Hatake?'

'I... I heard.'

'Be careful not to do the same.' The man said patting her back, before leaving her alone.

Kaiya remained still for a few moments. What did he mean by that? Should she avoid commiting suicide or avoid saving her comrades...? She looked at a small piece of paper with her locker number on it that layed on the top of her box. 58. Locker 58. She took a few steps ahead, only to be stopped yet again by someone grabbing her wrist. She turned around, thinking of the possibility of the weasel man coming to explain himself, only to see someone else, with sand haired ponytail and a cat mask. The person removed their mask, only to reveal a young woman's face that wore a bittersweet smile. At her sight, Kaiya nearly choked on air.

'A..Akira-san?' She asked. 'You're in the ANBU, too?'

'Hi Kaiya,' Akira greeted, sheepishly. 'Sorry about Yuto earlier, the one with the weasel mask that stopped you earlier. Sakumo-san is a sensitive subject for him, and you might have accidentally triggered it.'

Kaiya shrugged. 'I didn't mean it. If my existence triggers him, it's not my fault, Akira-san.'

'Oh yeah, you can call me by my real name, Asumi.'

'Your... Your real name?' Kaiya frowned.

'Yeah. I... This might sound weird, but it was all in the name of the village, okay? The Third wanted to ensure safety.'

'What was? Just tell me already.' Kaiya demanded as the feeling of irritation began to grow inside her, without realising that she managed to get a few heads turn her way.

'I was in the ANBU when you first arrived here. I was send to investigate your behaviour and the risks of you being a threat for Konoha.'

Kaiya felt her breath block. All of the quiet conversations and ambiental sounds of people walking around and checking their lockers couldn't reach Kaiya's ears anymore. The air began warming up as Kaiya's eyes fixed on Akira. Threath for Konoha...? Spy?

'Kaiya? Kaiya!' Akira said, worryingly as she shook the girl's shoulder. From what it seemed, the girl had some sort of panic attack.

'Don't... touch me. Don't touch me.' Kaiya murmured, pushing off Akira's hand off her. 'What's your name? Your real name.'

'Asumi. Minamoto Asumi.'

Kaiya didn't say anything for a while. Eventually, she looked Asumi in the eye, her eyes calm as if nothing happened.

'Thank you for telling me this, Asumi-san.'

Kaiya turned around and left the woman alone, in the small crowd of people. With her thoughts storming her mind like tornado, she managed to find the locker assigned to her and began placing her belongings into the locker. It was a weird moment in which she zoned out completely. Slowly, her anger vanished little by little. She remained zoned out, until she felt a tapping on her shoulder. Behind her, a hesitant-looking frail boy with short, fluffy dark hair was looking at her.

'Hello,' he greeted.

'Hi,' Kaiya answered, with a light narrow of her eyebrows. 'Can I help you?'

'No, um, look. I don't know what happened between you and Asumi, but I just wanted to say welcome in, y'know, the ANBU. Congratulations for entering.'

Kaiya relaxed as she couldn't help but smile. She straightened her back and she turned around to fully face the boy.

'Thanks! I'm Kaiya, but you might have heard it earlier. What's your name?'

'I'm Tora. Yoshitsune Tora. But I also go by Owl. See?' He pulled out his ANBU mask, which had the form of an owl.

'Well, nice to meet you, Tora-san.' Kaiya said, stretching her hand.

The boy returned her smile as he shook her hand.

'Can I help you with your locker there?' Tora asked, pointing at her locker.

'Oh, it's alright, thank you. I actually finished right as you came.'

Tora nodded. For a few moments, neither of them said anything. He knew he should leave, there was nothing left to say. Actually, he wanted to say something, but...

'What's wrong?' Kaiya asked. She didn't know what, but he hesitated on something.

'I, eh... I wanted to ask you something but it might be too early to ask.'

'Shoot.' Kaiya pursed her lips. How bad could it be?

'Um, are you free later today?'

Kaiya's eyebrows rised, forming two furry semicircles. A date? Seeing her surprise, Tora paniced in a most obvious way- his face turned red as he began breathing rapidly.

'You... You don't have to, if you don't want to. We just met, so if you feel like you want to get to know me better before, y'know, it's fine by me. I totally understand.'

'Thanks, Tora. Actually, I was thinking of coming. I don't have any plans, either, and I get to know you better.'

A large smile rised on Tora's face like never before. 'Great! Um... Then, is it good if we meet at six pm, in front of the main building?'

'Sure, sounds good by me.' Kaiya shrugged.

A/N

What is up, my dudes? Here we are with another chapter of this book! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you thought of it. Spill all your tea on the matter. All of it.

Anyway, something I forgot to mention in the earlier chapters is how I finished Naruto some time ago, so it's all ride or die now. No excuses unless further notice (as in health, school, unexpected incidents, etc). No, I'm not going to follow a schedule. I'm going to be honest with y'all lot, I can't follow that thing, no matter what. So here's the deal- I'll post as often as possible. If it's an extremely long period of time without posting, make sure to check my board. I'll say something about it, and if I don't, I'll let y'all know what happened ASAP.

Next on the list, I'm planning on writing an Attack on Titan fanfiction. You see, in the time after I finished Naruto, I moved onto an anime I wanted to watch for a long time- Attack on Titan. I finished it in 2,5 weeks and hell, I really love that show. Now I'm rolling with BNHA but that's another story. My point is, If you want to read an AOT fanfic (by me), expect one sometime soon. I'll keep y'all posted on it.

*checks list* Yeah, so I think this is all I have to say for now. If you want to talk about AOT and spill some theories, come to me. For the record, I don't read the manga, so if you're a manga reader, no spoilers please.

See y'all in the next chapter!

-Avery