Sunday, June 2nd, 2013.

Hey peeps. SCHOOL'S OUT! I may start updating weekly instead of bi-monthly. When I do, I'll put up an A/N chap thingy to let you know. I'll do the same for ReWind.

If you've already guessed, I'm basically going through all the characters' experiences (aka romance) while they were in the hospital. I want to go through them quickly, and this chapter ended up being like 2.8k words, but I couldn't think of a way to add another characters' experience/romance without making this chapter like 6k words long. So, shorter chapter today.

Kiba's turn, guys.

For a while, I've wanted to make him a more important character, just like I have for Hana. That was a reason I made his relationship with the Uchiha the way it is. But it's not working out very well, as you can see. I'm trying, though.

Answer to last QotW: Burger King for the win, peeps. McD's has a salt obsession, I tell you. They load salt in everything. EVERYTHING. I used to like it better as a kid, but even then I thought it was pretty salty. And BK burgers are good. So... BK.

Fact about me: I hate social gatherings, for the most part. Like the one my mom arranged yesterday to celebrate my twin sis and I graduating middle school. Biggest pro: I got a lot of money.

Anime/Manga Recommendation: One Piece. I would do another anime, but I'm so effing tired, I don't want to go too into it. And since most of you have heard of OP, and I've talked about it a lot, I won't have to go too deep into it. If you didn't already know, OP is an anime about a boy named Monkey D. Luffy (even in English dub, they keep the last name-first name thing, it doesn't make sense the other way around) that aspires to become the pirate king, as he promised his childhood hero, the powerful pirate, "Red-Haired" Shanks, keeping special care of the straw hat given to him by Shanks. (If you've seen Fairy Tail, many people call Gildarts the Shanks of FT) As a seven year old, he ate what's called a Devil Fruit - a magical, terrible-tasting, fruit that grants you a power when you eat it, at the cost of becoming a "hammer" in water. When you're a "hammer", as result of a DF, you are powerless/weak to salt-water, and sink like a HAMMER in water. Since most people who eat DFs are pirates, that's a pretty heavy price to pay. Anyway, the ability Luffy's DF gave him was becoming a "rubber man" - he's made of rubber. It's cooler than it sounds, honest. Along the way of his journey, he meets many other people - princesses, fishmen, marines, and other people that will become members of his crew.

The big thing that this anime taught me was the the world is NOT black in white. You'd think pirates would be bad guys and the marines (That work for the World Government and hunt pirates) are good guys right? Not in One Piece. There are bad and good pirates, good and bad marines, and good and bad people in general.

4kids was the company that first brought OP and other anime to the US in the early 2000s. But they butchered all the anime, as well as the Italian cartoon Winx Club (yeah, it's Italian). So, after their license was revoked, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of OP, as well as Toei Animations, personally approved the company AND THE VOICE ACTORS of OP: FUNimation now dubs and licenses OP. They're awesome.

Do you want me to give character synopses of the Straw Hat (the name of Luffy's pirate crew) members? And other big characters?

Book Recommendation: I think I made the anime recommendation too long, and I'm tired guys. Sorry - next week. I'm really sorry guys.

Uh... I think that's it for now.

Disclaimer: I don't effing own Naruto, okay? *crying in the corner* Continue to shatter my dreams, why don't you! BTW, who read chapter 631? That was pretty good, huh?

AND THIS TAKES PLACE AFTER HANA AND ITACHI'S MEETING!


Chapter 29: Puppy Love (Pun)


Kiba POV

I can't believe her! How can she possibly still have feelings for a bastard like that?!

Here I was. Muttering to myself angrily like I was insane, walking around the hospital, with Akamaru beside me.

Earlier in the afternoon, when Hana visited, she looked distant. She was spacing out often, blushing and smiling sometimes,(1) and I couldn't help but think of the last time she was like that.


FLASHBACK


The last time she acted like this, she was head-over-heels for… Itachi. Does this mean… that she likes someone different now?!, I thought.

I grinned widely. "So, do you like somebody, Sis?"

She snapped out of her daze and looked at me funnily. "Huh? What makes you say that?" Her face reddened.

My grin remained. "Relax. It's just you, me, and Akamaru. Kankuro's out getting examined and he won't be back for a while," I said, reassuring her that we won't be overheard by anyone, such as my aforementioned hospital roommate.

"N-no, Kiba. Again, why?"

I was confused. She doesn't like anybody?

"But… you were smiling, blushing, and daydreaming like the way you do when you like somebody," I said, avoiding mentioning that Itachi was the only crush of hers that I knew of. Probably her only one, period. "I thought that…"

I looked down. I was wrong?

"Oh, I was just thinking about-… um… the shoujo manga I've been reading recently. It's really good, and the romance between the two characters isn't very cheesy, but still adorable."

I looked at her with a deadpan expression, knowing she was lying. I looked at Akamaru. If he was human, he would've had the same face.

He doesn't buy the bullshit either… if it was just a shoujo manga she was reading, she'd be squealing and talking to Mura all about it in her room like a little girl. And I would opt to sleep over at Shino's, able to hear them when I was sleeping. Or trying to.

That's not the case this time.

I took a breath, deciding to enter dangerous territory. It's time we talked about it anyway… oh my God. I sound like Mother!

"Sis… it's time you found somebody, though. You're 19 and have been single your whole life. Aren't you lonely?"

She flinched. "Who are you, Mom? And I don't need a man to be happy right now, Kiba. I'm perfectly happy with my job, you, our family, and our friends."

Akamaru barked, presenting that he wasn't satisfied at all with that answer.

"But when was the last time you've gone on a date? I know a lot of guys ask you out, Sis, but you refuse every one of them! HowIknowisnotimportant!" I quickly snapped the last part when my sister opened her mouth to reply.

"You're lonely, Sis… I know that. I also know that you want to be loved, to have a boyfriend, and do all the stuff that couples do. I can see your longing when you look at Shisui and Mura together. Why don't you let yourself be loved and give other guys a chance?"

She stayed quiet for a moment, not looking me in the eye. "Don't tell me that you still… love Him." I scowled.

Akamaru growled lowly.

My sister clenched her fists, and snapped her head up to look at me. "So what if I do?!" I was stunned.

But soon, I regained my composure, raising my voice to match my sister's. "Why?! Why him of all people? After everything he's done to you?! He's not worth it, Hana, you can't continue loving him-"

"It's not like I have a choice on who I love!" She yelled at me, interrupting what I was saying. I snapped my mouth closed. I was shocked, and as ashamed as I am to say it, scared.

I can hardly remember the last time she ever yelled at me…

"Love doesn't work like that, Kiba…" she continued, softer. "You don't choose who you love, and sometimes, it may seem like it won't work out between you two and it's not always requited.

"Sometimes, people could fall in love again, with somebody else," she said, reminding me of the time I asked her if it was possible, years ago. "But I don't think it's possible for me. And I'm okay with that…"

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to comment, but she interrupted me again. "Even if I could start everything over again, I wouldn't change me being in love with him."

I saddened. How can Sis let herself get hurt like this?

She touched my cheek, tilting my face up to face hers. "Listen, little brother. I just can't give up my feelings for him, no matter how hard I've tried, and I'm satisfied with that fact. I can't imagine myself with somebody else, either. I have gone out with other guys, but I just couldn't help but imagine him. It felt wrong with them. I can only be with him, and that's all there is to it. I'm sorry it hurts you all, especially you, little brother.

"So try not to worry about it, alright? There's no changing it. I know you guys do this because you love me, but nothing will change. Kami-sama must have a reason for everything, right? Whether that reason ends up in us together or not, I'll always love him."

She kissed my forehead, then Akamaru's. "I love you guys, too, okay? Don't forget that."

She stood up, gathering her things. "I must go. I'll see you tomorrow."

With one last squeeze to my hand, and a wave, she left.

Seconds later, Kankuro entered. He raised a brow. "What's wrong?", the message said.

I shook my head. "I'm going to take a walk around the hospital, 'kay?"

I didn't wait for an answer.


END OF FLASHBACK


Of all the people in the world, my sister had to fall for that bastard, and get her heart broken over and over because of it. What'd she do to deserve this? Huh, Kami-sama? Why?!

"Ouch!" My head whipped to the direction of the feminine voice.

It came from a hospital room next to me. It had its door open.

Inside, it appeared that a girl with jet black, maybe shoulder-length hair, had fallen out of her hospital bed.

I rushed to help her.

"Are you okay?" I said, when she was situated again properly again in the bed against her pillows.

"Yeah, thanks for helping me."

Akamaru leaped onto the bed, up against the girl. "Akamaru!"

"Ooh! A puppy! It's okay."

She held a soft palm out in front of Akamaru for him to sniff. He did, and then he licked it. She giggled.

I smiled. "He likes you."

"I see." She said, smiling as she pet Akamaru. He pressed up against her fondly. Wow. He really likes her.

"So his name is Akamaru?"

"Yeah."

"How old is he?"

"He's-…." I trailed off as she looked up at me (I was sitting in a chair next to her bed, and was taller than her).

What I saw made my breath leave my lungs. I sound like a character from some cheesy rom-com… not that I watch them… honest. Hana does. With Mom.

She had the most beautiful, changing, blue-green eyes I've ever seen. Actually, they're the only eyes I've seen that changed like they did.

One minute, they're a vivid, deep, electric blue; then they change into a softer teal, like the ocean; then into a vibrant emerald green; then a lighter peridot shade; then into a soft, baby blue, starting the cycle over again.

I didn't understand it, but I was astounded by it.

I also took in the rest of her – she had cute beauty mark below her right eye, on the top of her right cheekbone. Her face was heart shaped.

She has the cutest dimples…

Her (jet black) hair was also slightly curly, looking like they wanted to curl into soft, wide, princess curls, but didn't want to put in the effort or something weird like that. It reached just past her shoulders, and her complexion was relatively pale, close to Hinata's skin color.

It was a contrast to my intensely tan skin.

I snapped back into focus when her soft, pink, lips mouthed more words.

"H-huh?" My face reddened. I can't believe I just ogled her like that!

"I asked how old he was? Aka-chan?"

"Oh- wait, 'Aka-chan'?"

She pointed to the puppy that was on his back, enjoying a tummy scratch from her other hand. "He doesn't seem to mind, do you?"

Akamaru wined, agreeing with her.

I shrugged. "Alright, then. Akamaru's 8, almost 9, years old."(2)

"So like, 20-something in dog years(3) or something?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

"So how old are you?" I was glad to see that throughout our entire conversation, she's been staring at me intently. Not counting when she gave some attention to Akamaru, of course. See? I wasn't the only one. She just didn't space out like I did is all…

"14. I've had Akamaru since I was 5, almost 6."

"Oh!" She said, her eyes lighting up. "I'm 14, too."

"Really? Cool."

She nodded.

For a while, we just talked and talked and talked. I talked about my family, friends, and life as a genin, while she talked about her own family and life.

She had an older brother, who was 20, whom she was very close to. Her parents divorced when she was 11, and her older brother took care of her when her mother, who had gotten the custody of them, wasn't around.

Her older bother didn't look very much like her, with milk-chocolate colored hair, and dark green eyes, as well as tanner skin than hers. Which isn't saying much.

She wasn't very close to her mother, and missed her father, who had left after the divorce.

"Mom was cold, and standoff-ish. She wasn't very warm when we were younger either, but she was more motherly back then than she was after the divorce. After the divorce, she was out all the time, smoked more, and became… sleazy. Dad was kind, and fun and we always loved spending time with him. But the last I saw of him was when he picked up the last of his things from the house, and I watched his back as he left a week after the divorce was settled. I hadn't seen him since, but occasionally he sends a card or postcard, like on our birthdays and Christmas. We just know he travels a lot now." She had said.

Her parents divorced after her father caught her mother cheating on him in their own room. Apparently, she had cheated times before, and promised to change, but finding his wife and a man naked in his bed was the last straw. He divorced her, and fought for their kids, but didn't get them.(4)

She was also pretty sickly since birth, and it was only made worse by the divorce. She was born with sensitive lungs, a light asthma, and some kind of disease or something that gave her seizures (those were rare), as well as a body weaker than a normal person's, leaving her almost "fragile" compared to a ninja like me.(5)

Her mother's smoking habits made her conditions worse, worsening her asthma. Eventually, she was having enough asthma attacks and seizures that forced her brother to place her in the hospital, for weeks at a time. Whenever the doctors deemed her well enough to leave the hospital, she lived with her brother at his apartment.

She was thirteen when her brother moved her into the hospital, and since her brother was a legal adult by then, he took custody of her and became her legal guardian.

Her mother didn't fight for her, and went back to her sleazy ways, sleeping with men and smoking whenever she could.

She was in the hospital now because she had an asthma attack a week ago. Whenever that happens, she usually stays for 1-2 weeks.

Her brother always supplies her with books and manga to occupy herself with. For her 14th birthday, with some money from their dad that had been sent, her brother bought her a small laptop.

When I had asked for how her brother paid for the medical expenses, she told me that her brother had trained to become a ninja as a kid, and was now a jounin and used his earnings to pay for them. Since she wouldn't let him take the incredibly dangerous but high paying missions, he works part time at a bakery. "I adore pastries." She had told me.

"I wanted to be a ninja, but my body was weaker than the other kids' and my father didn't want to risk anything."

I asked if she had a hobby. "Reading and anime, mostly. But, since I was a kid, I liked to sing."

I questioned if she wanted to go pro with it. "Not particularly. I'm satisfied singing for my brother, and occasionally in the park. I don't know if I would accept an opportunity to become famous, though, in the once-in-a-billion chance of that happening. I don't like the attention many celebrities receive, and to be honest, I kind of feel sorry for them. I also don't want to leave my brother."

When I convinced her to sing for me, I was blown away. Her voice was soft and airy, but also light and strong. It reminded me of bells, and it was absolutely beautiful.

She sang "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls, (6) one of her favorite songs of all time. Hinata likes that song, too… I can see why.

Akamaru and I were too stunned to reply, at first.

But when we did, I told her the truth. "That was very possibly the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. How the hell can you call yourself an amateur?!"

Cue modest and humble protest from her.

When I laughed at her protest, she pouted and hit me with one of her pillows.

We continued to talk even more, and I even told her about the fight I had with my sister, she had heard about Itachi, so I didn't bother to hide him.

I asked what she thought I should do.

"… Well, that's hard. All I can say is… I guess, is… Let her be."

I was shocked. "What do you mean? I should let her heart get broken?!" I didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation or anything, but… that's how it came out.

"Of course not! It's just-… don't you want her to be happy? If she finds happiness in him, even when he's not with her, then I think you should let her be happy."

I didn't speak, taking it all in.

"If it was my brother… Of course, I wouldn't want him to get hurt, but I'd also want him to be happy. He's an adult, too. He knows what he wants. And if your sister wants Itachi, then you should let her be, and help her if you could. Though it's unlikely they'll get together, just try and make her happy, and not try to discourage her love for him."

After a moment of thinking, I realized she was right. I can't believe I couldn't think of that before! I just want her to be happy… I guess I was so stubborn I was more focused on her not getting hurt anymore by Itachi, and didn't even think about what she wanted and her happiness.

"You're a great guy, Kiba-kun, and I understand your sentiment. But sometimes, things happen that we can't help, and we can't always protect those we love right? We have to let them fight their own battles."

"Thanks. It means a lot."

"Your welcome."

We spent more time with each other, getting to know the other, and soon the sun had set. "I have to go. Bye." I said, standing up, and motioning Akamaru to come along.

I had made it to the door before she called me.

"Wait! Kiba-kun!" She motioned me over.

When I walked over, I realized I had forgotten something very important.

I facepalmed. "I can't believe myself. I never asked for your name."

She giggled. "Now that I think about it, I never told you, did I?"

I shook my head.

"It's Mitsuki. The 'mitsu' part meaning 'honey'; my father loves honey.(7) Will you visit me again, Inuzuka Kiba-kun?" Her name fits… she smells like honey.

I winked, then smirked. "Of course, Mitsu. Tomorrow, if I can." Suave, me! Cool reply, and successful attempt at throwing in a nickname! I am so cool.

She brightened. She pulled me down and hugged me. I hugged her back.

"You're one of my first friends, Kiba-kun!"

Then, she kissed my cheek. My face reddened instantly, and I felt like I was on fire.

I walked back over to the door, dazedly, holding my cheek with one hand.

I turned when I got to the door frame, gaining my composure, I smirked, and winked back at her as she waved goodbye to me.

I walked with a hop in my step on the way back to my room, after seeing her blush in reaction to my wink.

Then, Akamaru had to ruin the mood. He barked to me, rolling his tongue... in a really weird way that I didn't know was possible for dogs.

"You lllllllike her!" I translated.

I grumbled, reddening. "No I don't! And you've been watching too much Fairy Tail! You aren't a fucking blue cat with wings!(8)"

He dog-snickered and hurried to his room.

Damn mutt.


(1): She's acting like this because she met Itachi a day or two ago. 'Kay? She's basically in love with him "all over again". That's why.
(2):
Yeah. In canon, Akamaru's actually like 9 in human years.
(3):
I changed the human years-dog years thing. So instead of 1 human year = 7 dog years, it's 1=2-3 years. 'Kay? I didn't want Akamaru to be very old... I wanted him to live as long as possible for a dog.
(4):
It's not very often that the father gets the children in a divorce. Like with my dad, his first wife, and my half brother, my dad had a steady job and income, a house, and all that, while his first wife didn't have a job, and was living at other peoples' houses, with a couple other kids to take care of, too, if I remember right. She got the kids. Well, my half-bro, which was who they were fighting-ish over. (I don't hate her, so don't get that impression. I don't even remember her)
(5):
Basically, she has a weak body, asthma, and occasionally gets seizures. I didn't want to go real in depth about her illnesses.
(6):
I don't own them. And I love that song. I love Kellin Quinn's cover of it almost as much.
(7):
Yeah, I named her after honey. Mostly inspired by "Honey" from OHSHC. I don't know why I decided to name a character after honey and "Honey"... I just did.
(8):
Total Fairy Tail reference. Specifically to the character Happy. I think his seiyuu's (Japanese voice actor) birthday was today or yesterday or something.

I hope you guys liked the chapter!

Question of the Week: Any special plans for the summer?

Read, review, and recycle!

The 3 R's!

Love,

Cherry.