Minako felt different then usual. No one had ever shown her an ounce of kindness besides... him. She shuddered at the thought.

'I'm still... so sorry... Sho...' She apologized bitterly.

-FlashBack-

Minako ran for her life to escape her father; after seeing Gaara's kill, Minako cried out in pain as her father's kunai flew into her back. She yanked it from her flesh and ran.

A hand suddenly caught her and pulled her away, her mouth being covered. She tried to scream but it was muffled. She watched as her father ran past, unaware that she was no longer running that way. Her eyes cautiously moved back and saw a familiar face. She relaxed in his grip as he let her go.

"Don't scare me like that!" She scolded.

The boy by the name of Sho laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," He admitted.

Minako began to laugh but caught herself. "What are you doing?"

His brows furrowed. "Helping?"

"No! We haven't talked in months!" She yelled.

"Minako, calm do-"

"NO! You are working with him aren't you!" She accused, now taking a step back.

Sho's eyes widened as he shook his head - no words were avaible to him then.

Minako still seemed to shake her head, her luminous aqua eyes almost glowing in the dark. "No... no!" She shrieked - she didn't understand.

Minako pulled out a kunai and stepped forward now. Sho was not that skilled for his age as a ninja; fear instantly filled him; he knew Minako was greatly skilled.

"M-Minako! Stop!" He screamed.

A hungry look lingered in Minako's eyes as she lunged forward, a sense of pleasure and disgust filling her as the familiar liquid splashed against her skin.

Stab! Stab! STAB! Her mind screamed. An errie laugh escaped her lips as she lowered her face to Sho's; his last sight was the lustful look in Minako's eyes as she licked blood from Sho's lips.

-FlashBackEnd-

"Now that I look back... I had talked to him just the day before..." She mumbled in sorrow as he head lowered.

Minako leaned agaisnt the cave wall. The darkness overwhelming the area. She sighed deeply as she closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep; something she rarely did.

-Minako's Dream-

"Minako, my darling!"

Minako turned to see her mother, a smile fell over her lips as she ran toward her.

"Minako, hurry up now!" Her mother called again.

Minako ran faster, not going anywhere. "Mother!" She yelled despretly.

"M-Minako! S-stop!"

Suddenly Minako stopped running. She watched as someone crouched over her mother, stabbing her, biting her, and laughing in an errie way. "No!" She shrieked.

The killer looked up; blood staining her face and lips; her eyes deadly and lustful. "Come on Minako, you know I'm you!" The killer called.

"No!" Minako shook her head; she wouldn't believe it, she didn't kill her mother, no way!

"We are two in one, Minako." The killer stated, smirking.

"MOTHER!"

-Minako's Dream End-

"Mother, no!" Minako jerked and screamed in her sleep. She could feel tears falling down her face but her eyes refused to open.

"Minako...you're dreaming." Hibiki murmured softly as he shook her slightly. "Wake up."

Minako's eyes snapped open as Hibiki came into view, tears still falling down her cheeks. Unwillingly she threw herself at him, suddenly needing comfort from someone or something.

"Whoa." Hibiki was taken aback as he fell back on his butt, Minako's arms around his torso. "Uh..Are you awake, or are you still asleep?" Hibiki asked as he awkwardly patted her back comfortingly.

Minako's seemed to realise what she was doing and let go of him, throwing her back up against the wall of the cave once more. She mumbled a soft, "Sorry," before reaching into her pocket and hugging a tattered photo to her chest.

"I was just caught off-guard." Hibiki said and cleared his throat as he climbed to his feet. "What's that?" He asked after dusting himself off.

Minako sniffled as she held it out toward Hibiki. "It's a photo of m-my mother... I-I never met her... she died giving birth to me... b-but... I always feel like I knew her..."

"Your mother... She looks-" Hibiki thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Are you going to try and sleep again?"

Minako shook her head violently. "N-No... I-I didn't even mean to... everytime I try-" She cut herself off as she hung her head in shame. Every time she tried, all she saw were images of death, blood and killings; she couldn't stand it.

"I understand." Hibiki muttered. "Well, I was just writing a letter for someone, so if you need anything, I'm just over there." Hibiki motioned towards where his stuff was.

Minako's eyes followed him as she breathed out slowly. She felt like an idiot for throwing herself at Hibiki; and she also didn't understand why he was always acting so nice toward her.

'I wonder what goes through her mind.' Hibiki looked over his shoulder and quickly looked back when he noticed she was looking at him. He sat down on the blanket he had laid out and began to write out the rest of the letter. 'As for her, she has a different story. I know what she's gone through, but she was much powerful then I had imposed...' Hibiki took another glance to examine her appearance before writing down specifics.

Minako's eyes drifted from Hibiki to the photo before the stood up, stuffing it back into her pocket. She sighed deeply, knowing she would regret her next decision. She strolled over and stood in front of Hibiki awkwardly. "C-can I sit here with you?" She asked nervously.

Hibiki looked up to meet her awkward gaze. He quickly finished off his last word before flipping the page and nodded for her to sit. "Not feeling so hot?" He asked.

Minako shook her head as she sat down beside him with her back against the cave. "That was the first time I have slept in months... I knew I shouldn't have..." She mumbled as she pulled off her fingerless glove to stare at her hand.

"It's always good to have a nice sleep. I don't sleep much either, but I always feel refreshed after sleeping. I mean, sometimes it's as if I hadn't slept at all...You probably know how that feels."

Minako nodded. "I-I can't sleep at all without... well, waking up like that..." She mumbled again, hanging her head once more.

"Is it always the same dream?" He asked as he wrote a few more words onto the piece of paper and then hid what he wrote when he looked back at Minako.

Minako stared at him in confusion. "N-No... b-but... it all has the same subject...m-maybe I should just shut up..." She told herself as she sighed deeply.

"No, that isn't good." Hibiki shook his head. "If you keep it in, it'll make you go more crazy." He laughed softly.

Minako tried to hold back a laugh and failed. "I-I have to admit... I haven't talked to anyone about anything, since... well... that time... in my past..." She frowed inside at the thought of him once again.

"You ended up hurting someone you didn't mean to?"

Her eyes widened as she suddenly felt Hibiki stepping over that line once again. Her heart began to pound as she stared at Hibiki in horror. 'W-why? I don't want to think about it!' She shrieked at herself within.

"I knew Sh- his parents." Hibiki murmured and pasively wrote a few more things down before calmly looking at Minako once again.

Minako stumbled to her feet. "I-I have no idea... w-who... w-what you're talking about!" She lied.

"I'm a smart guy, Minako. I know a lot of people, and his parents are two of them. You need not worry about me knowing, I won't mention another thought about it." Hibiki shrugged and then smiled gently.

Minako felt odd as she looked down at Hibiki. A moment ago she felt herself slipping, and now, for the second time, she felt herself calm; what did that mean?

"I can understand if you want to leave now...I don't mean to upset anyone, I'm just a curious person." Then he mumbled, "And people usually are uncomfortable with me knowing a lot about them."

Minako kelt down to Hibiki's eye level as she leaned unbelievibly close to him. It would appear she was examing him, but that was no where close to what she was actually doing.

"Why... why do you make me feel this way?" She asked him simply.

"What way?" Hibiki asked as he diverted his eyes. For some reason the comment made him blush; he thought he had controlled this action, but apartentally he hadn't. 'Note to self: work on it more!' He shook it off and returned his gaze back to hers. He cleared his throat and then asked the question again, "What way?"

Minako did not move as she watched his face change colour before disappearing. "I-I can't explain it," She admitted, now moving back from his face to sit on her knees. "but you calm me... and I can't figure out why..."

"Usually it's only those who are attracted to me who I am able to calm." Hibiki said awkwardly and rolled his eyes before turning to face her with a quirky smirk.

Minako tilted her head. "Attracted?"

"Yeah..." Hibiki cleared his throat. "When one person beings to have certain feelings for another - attraction."

Minako shrugged. "I dunno."

"What do you mean, 'I dunno'?"

She shrugged. "Exactly as I said. I can't say I do; I have no idea what it feels like..."

Hibiki reached over and pulled Minako gently into his lap, having his face only inches from her's as he stared deep into her eyes. "It's when that certain someone makes you feel different than your regular self."

Minako began to blush as she turned away from his eyes. "S-stop..." She mumbled, much less like a suggestion rather than an order.

"Attraction...told you." Hibiki smirked and once again wrote something down on the piece of paper, chuckling deeply as he placed the notepad down on the ground beside him.

Minako struggled to pull herself from his lap, but instead slipped and landed on top of Hibiki. Her blush deepened as she looked down at him; her body hovering over his. "S-so... s-say I do have an 'attraction' to you... does that mean you have one for me?" She asked sweetly.

"It's not profound yet. But you are an intersting girl; much different than any other I've met." Hibiki shrugged, once again being able to maintain his blood from rushing to his face all at once.

Minako rolled off of Hibiki and laid on her back, a sigh leaving her lips. "You speak oddly." She stated in a half joking tone.

"How is that?" Hibiki asked and reached up to scratch his forehead.

Minako shugged. "You just do... I dunno how to explain it."

"I'll take it as a compliment." Hibiki said and sat up.

Minako watched his movements before glancing toward the mouth of the cave. "The sun is rising... we will have to get back to moving." She stated outloud.

"I was going to say that earlier, but it seemed like the two of you were having fun." Daichi said as he shoved his stuff into his bag. "Don't know how, but it's kind of weird." Daichi stood up and threw his bag over his shoulder. "I'm going outside for a few minutes; get your stuff together and wake the others. I'll be waiting." Daichi spoke as he headed to exit the cave.

"Well, better hurry." Hibiki said and began to put all his miscallaneous things into his small bag.

Minako blushed for a moment before shaking it off; what did the leader mean by 'having fun'? She pulled herself to her feet and began to wake up the others, one by one. Quickly she changed her clothes, to her clean non-bloody ones. Then she stepped out into the new sunlight.

"Too bright." She mumbled sheilding her eyes.

"It's great that you're finally lighting up, Minako!" Daichi said as he looked out over the top of the tree's. "Maybe it was a good thing that Hibiki came. Didn't think any could get you to come to your senses."

Minako felt her anger rise as she reached for the leaders collar, pulling him toward her. "Thought you were smarter than that, idiot!"

Daichi gulped as Minako let go of him. "I-I'm going to go look ahead..." Minako mumbled before running off to check for enemies.

"Don't let her temporary actions change your mind; only idiots do that." Hibiki said as he finished preparing for the day. "Don't think that because one person can advance in the unlikeness that two can. I suggest you be careful what you do and say."

Daichi stared blankly at Hibiki. "I graduated with Minako, and in the whole time I knew her, she never shown an ounce of any emotion but hate toward anyone. I thought what I saw between the two of you, meant she was improving... it almost made me happy."

"All I'm saying is don't get your hopes up of her allowing others into her life. You'll have to accept the fact that it is only I for now. I'm glad that you're happy for her, but just be careful what you say." Hibiki finished as the rest of the team finished getting their stuff together.

"When are we going to eat?" Uchimii asked as he yawned. "I'm starving!"

"There is a small town not too far from here. It's a bit out of the way from our path but if we catch up to Minako in time we can eat before heading off." Daichi said before turning back to the cliff. "Let's hurry; she's probably a bit of ways now."

The group sat happily in the resturant eating. Minako sat a few tables over from the others, mostly poking at her food rather than eating it as her eyes glanced out a window. 'Mother...'

"Hey, Minako!" Uchimii called, "Come sit with us!"

Minako's eyes drifted over at Uchimii. He was a boy who bugged her non-stop through the academy; no matter how rude she was, or how many times she threatened him, he still kept coming back. Minako sighed deeply. "Why? I like it over here..."

Uchimii turned back to those at his table and winked. "I saw a new side to her this morning with Hibiki; watch this..." Uchimii smirked and stood up with a stretch.

"Uchimii, you're an idiot if you continue." Hibiki said and took in a mouthful of food.

"Hey, you shouldn't be the only one to get some." Uchimii whispered. "Besides, I knew her first, therefore I should be the first."

"Once again, you'll just get yourself killed; but please, be my guest." Hibiki sighed.

Uchimii growled before calmly turned to Minako and walking over to her table. "Minako..." He murmured and reached out to grab a strand of her hair. "We still have a bit of time, shall we quickly get together and go for a walk?"

Minako glared at him, standly abruptly and pulling a kunai in one swift move. "Don't. Touch. Me!" She shrieked.

Before Minako was about to attack, Hibiki had made his way across the room and kicked Uchimii hard in the back, making him fly forwards before Minako could land a hit.

"Call it a favor, Uchimii." Hibiki said and pushed his hands into his pockets. He smiled at Minako before turning and heading back to his table.

Minako's eyes windened as she stared at Hibiki in awe.

'Attraction... that's what he had said... could that be what this overwhelming feeling is? Hibiki Hiroshimoi... You have stepped over my line... and I can't stop it anymore... b-but... the more I "feel" toward you... the more I worry for you... I don't want to hurt anyone close to me... ever again...'

Minako sighed deeply as she looked toward Daichi. "I am going outside. I wont take off... just meet me out there when you're all done eating."

Daichi raised a brow to Minako. "You alright?"

Minako just glared at him as she walked out. Just to the side of the resturant is where the leaf village began. A beautiful river laid near. It was still and looked cold. Minako looked into the sky and noticed it looked like it may rain.

"Mother... what does this all mean? I need your guidence..." She told the sky as she sat down, removing her shoes and letting her feet dangle in the water.

She threw her head back, almost feeling pure for once in her life. From behind her she heard footsteps; her head turned to see Lira; a girl whom she grew up with at the academy, though, they had never spoken a word to each other.

"Minako, I know we never talk, but I can't help but to notice how down you seem." Lira said.

Minako kept her eyes glued on the water. She just wanted the girl to go away.

"M-Minako?" Lira repeated.

"Go away..." Minako ordered coldly.

Lira shook her head even though Minako wasn't looking at her. "I want to know."

Minako sighed deeply as she pulled herself to her feet, in a swift movement pulling a kunai from her pouch and holding it out straight toward the girl. "I thought out of this group of losers, you were one who actually had a brain... seems I was wrong."

Lira stepped back nervously. "I-I-"

"Shut it! You want to live, or die?"

"L-Live..." Lira stuttered.

"Then go!" Minako ordered.

Lira whimpered as she ran off to the others who had also finished their food. Minako slipped her shoes back on and sighed deeply for what felt like the hundreth time. "I need a good fight." She heard herself say and shuddered.

'I just want this evil side to go away...' She told herself bitterly.

"Come on, Minako! We're leaving now!" Daichi called from the group.

Minako nodded as she ran after the others, keeping herself behind as always; little did she know, that even more, was about to change...

AN: Chapter 2 ~ :3 I love this story! I just wish my sis and I could write more often D:

XxSoulNoteWritterxX