"So whaddya think?" said Mitarashi Anko the snake-wielding terror. She and Kurenai had gone to get dangos together. After all, even kunoichi got their girl time too. "Now that Uchiha Sasuke has gone...it's left a void, hmm?"
"You mean, a void in talent?" said Kurenai, scarlet eyes wide and innocent.
"No! I mean, now that he's not here, there isn't any guy for the girls to go goo-goo over! They'll have to find new fixations, right?" Anko said, grinning wide.
Kurenai closed her eyes in contemplation. "Oh you are a sick, sick person Anko..."
Anko simply continued to grin. "So wanna play that game?"
Kurenai just smiled in reply.
"Let's start with Haruno Sakura." Anko imperiously announced. Kurenai wrinkled her nose involuntarily.
"I saw that! Your letting the opinions of your students rub off on you!"
Kurenai defiantly shook her head. "I do not know what you speak of."
"Yeah, yeah...whatever you say!" Anko teased.
"How about Naruto? She's been around him a lot lately."
"That's only because she wants him to bring back Sasuke!"
"Oh...right...and Hyuuga Hinata..."
"The most obvious crush of all time on Naruto...what about Lee?"
"That's perfect! He's crazy over Sakura!"
"Yeah, and she might be sick of that continually cool attitude. I mean I would be."
Kurenai shook her head a little at this statement, remembering the common comparison between Anko and Naruto. Naruto had always made it perfectly clear that he also was very sick of the Uchiha's attitude. "What about Yamanako Ino?"
"That's a hard one..."
"Well, clearly Shikamaru is not an option."
"Yeah! He totally gave up to that Temari girl! And he seems the type of boy who would resent losing to a girl."
"Absolutely! Asuma-san told me after the exams, that he had grumbled about having to fight girls all the time. He even said that Temari was more troublesome than his mother. A true sign of love." Kurenai said, grinning evilly.
"Well...there is that other boy on her team? What's his name...Akimichi..."
"...Chouji?"
"That's the one! What about him?"
"She always calls him fat...and well...he is a bit chubby."
"How do you know so much about that team?" Anko said an evil look in her eye.
"Jounin with teams always discuss and compare..." said Kurenai, blatantly avoiding the subject of a tall, dark, chain-smoking ninja.
"If you say so..." said Anko snickering. "Hey...hey...what about...that, er...girl of yours?" she managed through her giggles.
"Nekoi Ayami?" Kurenai said, looking surprised.
"Yeah...that's the one. Who'd you put her with?"
Kurenai looked thoughtful at this. Ayami was also so devoted to not falling behind the boys. And she had often heard her scorn the other's on their crushes.
"Kurenai-sensei, it is absolutely...ugh. That's why they call the girls weak."
"But I heard that even you, Ayami-chan, once liked Kakashi." Ayami blushed at this, but brushed it off quickly.
"I was only a child. Now is the time to focus on our studies. We have forevermore to fool around with that other nonsense."
While Kurenai had not argued with her at the time, she thought how the recent events in Konohana had proven the young female wrong. As ninja, they did not have all the time in the world. She wondered if the death of the Hokage had brutally forced her to change her ideas.
"What's wrong? She already have a boyfriend?"
"I don't think so...it's just that she's been so violently opposed to stuff like this in the past. I can't even begin to think who'd she would chose."
"What about that Shino guy? I mean, most of the girls don't really know what he looks like, but...what if she accidentally saw him without his glasses? I mean, they are on the same team. It could happen." said Anko, both wistful and doubting in the same moment.
Kurenai laughed. "It's been Kiba's goal since...forever. He's been trying to get the glasses off. Ayami once told him he should just ask Shino."
"And...?"
"And it's Kiba! He's not going to try anything the easy way."
"Anyway...how about him?"
Kurenai thought about it, and at first it seemed like a good match...but..."She already loves him like a brother. I see her looking at him, dying to love him into life. But she doesn't like him like that."
Anko looked doubtful at this, but continued. "Well...what about Kiba?"
"Kiba...well, he's been watching her for a while now. You know. But recently he stopped. It's like...he found someone new."
"Or maybe got his fill of whatever he was looking for!" said Anko, now laughing indecently.
"Anko!" scolded the raven-haired ninja. "They're only children, for goodness sake!"
♥ ♥ ♥
Kakashi sighed, hidden well in the village of Konohana. Asuma, who hid next to him, sighed as well.
"Why don't they ever talk about themselves?" Asuma questioned. "This is the closest I've heard...b-but it's among the genin!"
Kakashi put a consoling hand on his friend's shoulder. "We may never know."
♥ ♥ ♥
"Hey...Mi-chan." Kiba sat next to her, high in the treetops, their legs dangling over a branch.
"Yes, Kiba?"
"Don't you wanna know...what's underneath Shino's glasses?" he asked, wide toothy grin on his face.
Ayami starting swinging her legs. "Kiba, this again? We could just ask him." She knew that Naruto had tried to do something similar to Kakashi. He had told her the whole story a few days ago.
"First we took him to get ramen, but then that Shikamaru and his team showed up. We MISSED IT! He actually took off his mask to eat, but he was so...fast. Then..."
"Why didn't...you just ask him?" Ayami said, patting her friend in a consoling manner.
"Well, I DID...in the end. HE HAD ANOTHER MASK ON!
Kiba looked totally shocked at the idea. "No way! He'll say no! Actually...he probably won't even answer."
Ayami thought about this, and had to admit Kiba could be right. "But...you never know! If he says no...I'll help you to take them off. Deal?"
Akamaru barked out a comment. "Yeah..." said Kiba. "Akamaru's right! If we ask him, he'll be suspicious later!"
"I won't kiss you for a week if you don't ask him first!"
"…So Akamaru, where's Shino? I need to ask him a question." Akamaru barked.
"What? I am so not a pushover!"
♥ ♥ ♥
"Kiba! Move! I'm squished!"
"Just sit in my lap, okay! This is getting good!"
"Oh for goodness sake, Kiba...they're only training." Ayami said, hidden in the forest with Kiba. They had found Shino practicing in the woods, but he wasn't alone. Tenten was desperately attacking him, but Ayami knew the flush on her cheeks wasn't just from exertion. Shino's jacket was off, leaving only white strips closely wrapped to his chest. Ayami had seen it before, and she proceeded to copy Shino because it allowed her more freedom of motion. She was only annoyed when she had found out that Shino had told Kiba first, so Kiba had also been using it before her. But wraps or no wraps, the lack of jacket was having an effect on Tenten. Ayami crawled into Kiba's lap, wide-eyed, and perhaps as unconsciously fascinated as her love.
"I say...we attack him from here!" Kiba said, completely forgetting Ayami's threat.
"KIBA! We are going to ask Shino FIRST. Then we attack him with everything we have!"
"Fine! But...do we have to interrupt this? I mean...Shino's...with...a..."
"Kiba. He's not...ahem..."
"How do you know?"
"How do you know that you were my first boyfriend?" Kiba opened his mouth, then closed it. Then he opened it again, then he closed it.
"I am...aren't you? You didn't kiss Shino or anything...I mean...bug...germs..."
"...KIBA! Ugh. Yes, you were. I-I mean are, AM! Drat, he's seen us!"
♥ ♥ ♥
Tenten looked up at the rustling trees. "Shino-kun...do you hear something?"
"Yeah...it's just Kiba and Mi-chan. They'll be falling down sometime soon now." said Shino, adjusting his glasses. And so they did, the leaves rustling madly as they did.
"OWWW!"
"Kiba! Get off quick! This is..." Kiba had landed nose to nose with Ayami, his mouth near hers, and to the rest of the world certainly not in a position that could easily be called an 'accident'. He rolled off her, and she blushed madly. "Hi...er...S-Shino-kun! We err...um...came to ask you a question!" Shino eyed them warily.
"Oh...really?" Tenten also stared at Ayami, not really believing what she had just witnessed. "Then, Shino-kun, we should stop for the day. I'm heading back..." She waved to him politely, smiling. He waved back, and Ayami knew underneath the collar he was smiling. Tenten also waved goodbye to the other two, but gave Ayami a look, a demand in her gaze, that she knew something was up and Ayami was going to tell her. Ayami mentally head slapped herself, now all the more determined to see Shino without his glasses. If she had to expose this relationship to someone else, she was getting something out of it. As soon as she left, Kiba burst out with the question that had been burned into his brain for nearly a year now.
"HeyShino,canweseeyouwithoutyourglasses?"
"...No."
"PLEASE!" begged the two, both puppy-eyed and pleading.
"...Why?" Shino asked, truly curious.
Ayami pounced him, like she had always wanted to. "Please Shino-kun...if you do, I'll be able to tell Tenten what beautiful eyes you have..." She nuzzled him affectionately. Shino looked traumatized.
"A-alright...but d-don't tell anyone else, okay? I don't want them to think..." Shino said, stuttering uncharacteristically. He lifted his hand to raise his glasses, and pulled them off...ever so slowly. Kiba raced next to Ayami, the two of the gazing at Shino's closed eyes, waiting for him to lift his eyelids...and then...
"O-ow...it's been a while since I've taken them off in broad daylight..." Shino had opened his eyes, and Ayami wondered how such little sunglasses had covered his wide eyes.
♥ ♥ ♥
Ayami was cornered, and she was desperately trying to get away from Tenten's harsh and accusatory questions. She had tried to distract her with talk of Shino, but Ayami couldn't blame her for being undistracted. Ayami had been the one to scorn other girl's and their romantic interests, and if she was the one with the boyfriend...
"Ayami! That position was no accident! What's going on? Everyone's been saying...but you..." Tenten looked away, hurt in her voice. Ayami understood, and was angry with herself. When Tenten had come to her with innocent crushes, Ayami had given her harsh words and uncompromising lectures. But Ayami had been the one who was wrong, and the destruction of Konohana had shown that, crushing the reality of time and death into Ayami's conscience. She reached out to Tenten.
"I'm so...sorry. I should have told you. I...just didn't want...want anyone to ever use it against me. I didn't want to be like..." Tenten glared at her now, but it was half-hearted. She knew her friend, and she knew what had changed her.
"You know I wouldn't have told anyone. And you're not like those other girls." Tenten said, bitterness and kindness mixing together in her words. Ayami bit her lip, lowering her arms a little.
"You're not either. You...you'd be so lovely with Shino." Ayami said, crying a little through her sorrow. She hated herself, hated herself for not trusting, not loving Kiba before this, scolding others for seeing when she was blind. Now Tenten rushed to hug her, and Ayami really started crying into the arms her friend. "He...he has such amazing eyes. Y-You'll be so shocked to see his face..." Ayami said, laughing through her tears. She took out her handkerchief, and quickly wiped her face. Tenten took it out of her hands when she was done, laughing.
"It's Kiba's...look...there's the Inuzuka clan symbol. Ayami...you're no good at hiding things."
Ayami gave a watery laugh. "Yeah...well, maybe he gave to me as a sign of friendship! Or...or...because I was sweating?" The two of them laughed now into each other's shoulders, for Kiba was simply not like that.
♥ ♥ ♥
"Kiiiiiiba!" Ayami called, wandering around the woods. She knew he was here, and she needed to talk to him. His birthday was approaching quickly, and it was of course on the Tanabata.
"What?" he answered, dropping out of tree, Akamaru in his arms. Ayami pretended not to notice his sudden appearance, it had recently become his goal to scare her, right around the time the completion of his goal to see Shino's eyes. Ayami had a sneaking suspicion he had a list of 'things to do before I die', but she also knew that he wanted her to jump into his arms in fright. She had a sneaking suspicion that Naruto had given him the idea (innocently unaware of Ayami's relationship with Kiba) as a 'good idea.'
"Your birthday," she said.
"My birthday?" he answered.
"Your birthday is on the Tanabata. What would you like to do?" His beautiful eyes lit up, and Ayami knew she was now in for it. No one could ignore his beautiful face, least of all her, and once he employed the 'puppy look' it was all over.
"Let's go to the festival together!" A smile now, and so irresistible that Ayami knew she would, even if their whole relationship was exposed before everyone. While it was common for teammates to go to these festivals together, she still didn't know how people would take it.
"Alright then! Only, promise me you'll wear proper clothing...I know you dislike dressing up..." she begged.
"O-of course." he stammered happily. Perhaps he had not expected such a positive answer.
♥ ♥ ♥
The sky was so beautiful.
A thousand stars could be seen lining the horizon, and it was pleasantly warm, so that Ayami's little yukata was perfectly lovely to wear in the night air. She had declined her mother's selections of bright colored robe and obi. Instead she had chosen a white yukata and red obi. The contrast was lovely in her eyes, even through her mother's and grandmother's coughs of 'Boring. BORING!' She was under the tree that they had planned on meeting under, along with Tenten and Shino. What Tenten and Shino didn't know was, that Kiba and Ayami were meeting an hour earlier than they had told the others.
"Raarf, rraaarffffff!" barked Akamaru.
"Hey you ruined it! I was going to try and scare her again!" Kiba scolded cheerfully. Ayami turned to look at him, and was very proud of his effects. Or his sister's efforts. Either way, he was very adorable and sweet. Color snuck into his cheeks underneath his red markings.
"I-i like your yukata." he said shyly. She padded over to him in her little embroidered geta. "No...no...I like your outfit much more." Kiba blush spread.
"I look like a girl..." he muttered.
"Yeah..." agreed Ayami.
"What!?!" he barked.
"That's what I like about you." she said, sticking out a little pink tongue. "Come on! Let's go, it's early, and not many people are here yet."
"Right! I'll catch a goldfish for you! Then I'll win a stuffed animal for you! Then..." And so on and so on.
♥ ♥ ♥
He had just won the stuffed animal for her, a brown puppy plush toy. Ayami cooed over it, and Shino and Tenten appeared.
"Ayami! You are so BAD. You went on without us!" scolded Tenten. Shino didn't say anything. That might have been because Tenten was ungodly adorable, or because she had taken the words right out of his mouth. Kiba draped an arm around Ayami and stuck his tongue out at the two.
"Quality time, ne? She's MINE after all." Tenten and Ayami both rolled their eyes at this comment but let it slide. And for some odd reason, Shino began to blush madly. Ayami saw and stared. It was an interesting and rare occurrence to say the least, but she didn't want to make anything unnatural for either of her friends, so she helpfully whispered in Kiba's ear.
"Ne, just pretend we're friends for a while okay? We've been a couple all night, and Shino looks a little stressed." Kiba's eyebrows lifted, and if he had had dog ears they would have perked up. He looked slyly towards Shino, utterly amused at his usually collected, cool friend.
"Oy, Shino..."
"Shino, why don't you win two goldfish for us? Kiba tried so many times, but he just couldn't get one." Shino looked relieved and Kiba murderous. But they all trooped over to the stand and Shino began his work. Ayami was pleased with her little trick to get Shino to do something for Tenten, and if he did manage to win two goldfish (and Ayami had no doubt he would), somehow Ayami's would end up with Tenten. Like magic.
♥ ♥ ♥
Just as Shino was starting on his first attempt for his second goldfish (the first gotten on his first attempt) when a familiar happy voice was heard.
"EH, MI-HIME! Shino getting goldfish for you, ne?" He laughed his amused laugh, and Ayami smiled at him. He too was dressed in hakama and looked very sweet, if a little sloppy. He had also somehow managed to get orange umanori...
"Hello Naruto!" said both Ayami and Tenten. Tenten had warmed to Naruto considerably through the years, as many had.
"Hello." said Shino concentrating. Kiba just pouted.
"Ne, ne guess what Mi-hime? As soon as Ero-sennin comes back, I'm going training with him!" He grinned widely, excited at the chance to become stronger.
"Training?" said Ayami curiously. "Where?"
"All over! For years..." he said dreamily.
"Years!?!" said Ayami and Tenten together.
"Excuse me..." said Ayami. "I'm not feeling well. Don't worry Naruto...it isn't you." she said, when he gave her a worried look.
"I'll take her home..." said Kiba, concerned. Everyone else nodded, looking worried. Ayami felt faint. The truth was Naruto's news had shocked her. She also knew for Kiba to be pouting on his birthday was a not a good thing. They quickly snuck out, and as soon as the festival was out of sight, Kiba picked her up and speed her off to the woods. He gently laid her on a tree stump, Akamaru barking wildly.
"She's just upset Akamaru..." said Kiba. Ayami grabbed the front of his shirt and nuzzled into it. Things were changing again. Kiba said nothing, but knelt down and kissed her under the stars, Milky Way, and the cowherd and the weaver.
♥ ♥ ♥
Sooner than Ayami would have liked, Naruto left. He smiled at her, gave her a thumbs-up and that was it. She was so sad for her friend, he was trying so hard to save his friend, trying so hard to become Hokage, trying so hard to become happy. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as he left, and the very whisper of that incident was the talk of the village for weeks. Kiba was eternally amused at this, and their wonderment of who Ayami was really involved with.
"I'll be back before you know it, Mi-hime!" Naruto said cheerfully.
"I don't even want you to go." Ayami said, looking down. "I'm going to miss you."
Naruto smiled at her, and she struggled to smile back. People had always said that she looked terrible when she tried to fake something, and Naruto said as much. This earned him a punch and a real smile. He had been turning to leave, when she had kissed him on the cheek. He blushed, but didn't comment, and she didn't see him again.
♥ ♥ ♥
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Notes for the Reader
• Tanabata: traditional Japanese festival occurring on July 7th, which celebrates the meeting of two separated lovers once a year, and the stories of who they are and why they are separated differ. One set of names is 'the weaver' and 'the cowherd.' But two stars definitely cross paths on that day, Vega and Altair. The Milky Way is said to be the river that divides the two.
• Geta: A simplified explanation is of a wooden sandal with an elevated wood base with a fabric thong, to be worn with traditional clothing.
• Yukata: A summer kimono.
• Hakama: Resemble wide pleated skirts to be worn over all white kimonos by (usually) male martial artists.
• Please review!