Title: Rin

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Warning: Unbeta and horrible grammar. Language.

Chapter 32

"You!" I gasped.

"Yeah, me." The masked man gracefully jumped from the branch I had attacked with shurikens earlier. He was right; my aim was deadly as I could see the perfect straight line of my shurikens planted on it right where he stood earlier. Looking at him, I frowned as he dusted away the unseen dirt on his robe. It wasn't really important anyway since we were inside the forest and dirt and dust were everywhere practically.

"What're you doing here?" I asked carefully while moving my feet slightly from the bank.

"I'm just passing by around when I see you." The masked man answered casually and stopped patting his clothes. "A proper hello would be nice instead of being a target practice. It's nice thing that I'm pretty fast to avoid any of your shurikens."

I shrugged. "Nah, I wont easily saying hello to someone I barely knows. You don't even tell me who are you actually. Are you an ally or an enemy of Konoha? I don't know." I shook my head slowly.

"That's pretty hard questions; it must be suck to be you," He said with an amusement.

"You're the one who need to answer those questions!" I groaned and stomped on the bank. "Stop playing around and just answer it!"

The masked man walked forward at my direction. "H-Hey, you should be careful there…"

"S-Stay away! I'll let you near me when you tell me everything." I took a few steps back and quickly found that I wasn't feel the solid ground anymore. Turning my head to my side, my eyes widened. The water was moving fast and I was going to fall into it! "Shit!" I grunted. I was trying to use my kunai with chakra wires when suddenly my surrounding changed into swirling motion and I landed my back on a solid ground, hard. Groaning sickly, I opened my eyes and met with dark sky but there were still lights around which I couldn't pinpoint where the source was. "What had happened? I'm at the river…and going to fall into it," I said and slowly sat up. Patting on the ground I sat on, I frowned. What was this solid ground? It was a flat ground with no hint of dusts or sands. The colour was in pale blue and when I looked around, there were many of it with various heights surrounding the ground I was on at that moment. "Where's this place?"

"You should thank me for saving your life, Rin."

Quickly searching for the voice, my eyes focused at certain direction where the masked man was. He was crossing his arms over his chest and lazily leaned on one of the walls. I looked at my surrounding again and now I was getting scared. There wasn't any normal scenery and it was too quiet and it felt eerie. It felt like my plane with Rin but this place was much scarier.

"Hey, tell me what had happened? And where are we?" I asked him.

"You're going to fell into the river and I saved you."

"Is this afterlife?" I was frantically looking around.

"What?"

"I have a hunch about you and to think that you showed up and went away like a ghost…are you Obito's spirit?" I pointed my shaking finger to him.

"Hah?"

Slowly I grabbed my neck with my both hands and gasped. "So I'm really dead from suffocating inside the water and my soul was leaving my body then you took it here? Are you grim ripper?"

"..."

"Hey, so this is a judgment area or something? I was a good kid okay; I'm not doing anything bad!" Shouting, I crouched on the solid ground and slammed my head on it, repeatedly.

"I think you should calm down, Rin. You're going to crack your head like that."

I stopped and groaned. "Uh…"

"And this is not after life and I'm not Obito's spirit."

"Then who're you?"

"…"

"You're a grim reaper?" My eyes widened.

"Hell no! I'm not!" The masked man shouted.

"Then?"

"I'm…I'm…Obito…Uchiha Obito."

"Seriously? Are you sure you're not a lost soul or something? Last time I checked your name is on memorial stone."

"Uh…that's…"

"And now you're wandering around? Why not going back to Konoha?" I asked and waited for an answer.

After a moment of hesitation I guessed, Obito answered my question. "I can't."

"…"

"…"

"You trick me!" The masked man…no, Obito now shouted and groaned. "You trick me and let me tell you my name!"

"A ghost doesn't have chakra…it become dormant once the body dead." I said lamely. "Didn't you know that?"

"Argh! Crap I forgot about that!" He was now holding his head and groaning on the floor, rolling from side to side. Ah, what a child. Hey practically I was younger than him put aside my mental age. Ignoring Obito on the floor, I sighed and scanned my surrounding.

"Well, now I know who you are then next question is where are we? I bet this is not somewhere around on the map." I looked around.

Obito slowly calming himself before walked towards me. I quickly stood up and made a quite space between us. Slowly I raised my palm and signaling him to stop. He stopped and we were facing each other. He still had his mask on and I could see his spiky raven hair poked out from his hoodie. I scanned the guy and noted that I couldn't describe his appearance more since he wore a hoodie long type jacket or robe like that. Totally covering his whole body, I shrugged. Didn't he feel hot wearing those? So this guy was Uchiha Obito, one of Minato's genins and he was alive and not dead like he supposed to be and known. How did him alive I really liked to know but it wasn't a good question now since he answered my question about coming back to Konoha a little bit reluctantly.

"I'll tell you, if you tell me about your discovery," Obito said calmly and shuffle his feet slightly. He was uncomfortable?

"Discovery?" I raised my eyebrows. Ah…that. I did mention it when we met before. So he was curious to know about it?

"Yeah, you told me before if you know who I'm then you're going to tell me what you know."

I shrugged. "Fine, a fair trade huh?" Slowly I walked to him and rested a palm on his chest. "I don't know what had happened to you but somehow I can feel two chakras around you. I can't pinpoint where the actual place since I can't see it. Stop grunting! I'm a not a Hyuuga! Wait maybe you can since you're from Uchiha clan."

"Mm…" Obito shrugged. "I'll check about it later."

Retreating my hand from his chest and let it rested at my side, I looked around.

"Your hand is warm, just like her…"

"Huh?" I stopped my eyes at him.

"You might look similar but I know you're different person."

I blinked slowly and shrugged, staring at the floor. "At least you know that. I'm glad…"

"What's wrong?" Obito asked.

"Not really important," I said and paused. "You know, when I learned about your feeling towards Nohara Rin…I'm really supporting it."

"Thanks…I'll always cherish her in my heart even though she loved someone else."

We kept silent and stared at the solid ground.

I waved my hand casually. "Okay enough nostalgic moment, we got really important matter here. Where are we?"

Obito laughed. "After three meetings with you, I can describe you as question pusher! Always asking something until you got the answer and you trick me too!" He groaned at the end.

"Too bad that you're really a secret keeper. After all I'm just asking who you are only," I said and laughed. "I got something else to ask but I'll keep the question for later…Um…right now…"

"Yeah?"

"Are you really can't go back home?"

"Sorry, Rin."

"Are you doing something bad which lead to that?"

"I don't know…"

I crossed my arms. "Don't erase my memory about you now…Tch now I know how you did it! Your eyes! Sharingan!" I face palmed and groaned silently.

Obito laughed softly. "Okay, I promise that I won't do it again but you keep about me as a secret."

I stared at the mask. This was a trade between us, I didn't know either this was a win win situation or something else. Knowing that he was from Konoha I still felt something wasn't right. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, I looked at him.

"Okay, I'll keep about your presence as a secret."

"Thanks."

"Thanks for saving me earlier."

Obito nodded. "It's fun to have a talk with you when you're not being nosy. Anyway every meeting must have their end. Close your eyes, Rin."

"Fine." I huffed and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I stood at the same place near the river bank. Slowly I picked up my canteen from the wet ground and looking around. Focusing on my chakra, I didn't find anything or anyone nearby. It seemed that after transporting or whatever it was, Obito had leaved me alone. I looked at the river and frowned.

"He didn't tell me what is that place! Argh!" I groaned and checked on my water canteen before went back to the tower. Of course I collect those shuriken from the branch too.

When I reached the tower, Ran had greeted me and asked how the water was before he went up to the upper level. It seemed that I wasn't going to the river for a long time since Ran act casual with me. When I checked at Mei Mei and thought that she was still sleeping, I was surprised to found that she was preparing some food. Slowly placing down the water canteen on the table, I stared at the scenery outside the window. There was greenery around and the air was pretty humid.

"Want some food Rin?" Mei Mei asked as she worked on cooked rice.

I nodded. "Yeah."

The long haired girl gave me a bowl of warm rice and heated canned meat. After saying thanks to her, I ate the food. Few spoons full later, I looked at her.

"I thought you are still sleeping."

Mei Mei nodded. "Yeah, Ran was cooking some food and the smell is too good. Then I woke up and found that I'm hungry…."

We chuckled softly and enjoyed our meal. I wondered where Obito went after dropping me back at the river.

We reached the gate after two days of trip and Gai was happily beamed the success of our mission. It seemed that there was indeed a suspicious activity near the border and it wasn't really involving any group of ninjas from other villages. It was the merchant's activity about trading some valuable thing as in their discussion and after few observations, we found that they were trading some illegal weapons. Mei Mei was excited with the finding and nearly wanted to ambush the group and it was a good thing Gai was around.

The teenage girl was pretty disappointed as we went back to our village without any direct approach to the merchant groups but she did agree that our mission was just info gathering. Following Gai's order, we managed to complete our report before our trip back to Konoha.

The gate guards were smiling to us and greeted everyone as we put an entry about our arrival in their log book. Mei Mei was still sulking lightly but she smiled at the two guards. Gai gave his blinding grin and I quickly pushed him away from the post with awkward laugh. After ensuring Gai was far enough, I could see the guard nins were putting some eye drops in their eyes.

Sandaime was reading our report with deep concern and wrote something down before passing it to his assistant who suddenly stood beside him. Our report was containing information that need decision making thus we gave it to our leader not simply to the mission room officer. The middle age man vanished in teleportation jutsu and I simply stared at the empty spot before listening to the Sandaime's fake cough.

"You three did well in gathering the information and I'm very pleased with the weapon details, Mei Mei," Sandaime said in a calm tone.

I looked at proudly smiled Mei Mei and shrugged. Ah, she and her weapons…

"Thank you, Sandaime-sama." The girl bowed.

"You're welcome, and now you three can go back and rest before the next assignment."

"Yes, Sandaime-sama." We three said and bowed to our leader.

Before we left the Hokage office, my eyes caught Sandaime's and he smiled warmly. I smiled back and quickly followed Gai and our weapon girl. He knows, my mind supplied and I sighed. Every time I met Sandaime, the statement always came into my mind. I wonder why he remained civil with my presence and didn't talk anything about it. It might be the seal in my memory but I really didn't know anymore. It was confusing sometimes.

Gai decided to treat us with dango and tea as our success in the mission. Mei Mei calmly excused herself as she told us that she had something to do at her home. I bet she was still soured with Gai's action during our mission. Well he did his job. With Mei Mei gone, thus here I was enjoying a cup of warm tea with Gai who was eating his dango at the shop.

"You did well in your first mission as a chuunin, Rin."

"Thanks to your guidance, Gai-senpai."

Gai laughed happily and drank his tea. "Oh sure, you're very welcome, Rin!"

We were talking about some taijutsu moves when another presence was joining us. Blinked and opened my eyes at the new comer, I stiffened. My eyes met with a single bored eye and masked face.

"Yo," Kakashi said and Gai enthusiastically replied his rival.

"Hey," I said softly and picked up a stick of dango. "What're you doing here?"

Kakashi shrugged while Gai was beaming about their rivalry contest. It seemed that the green spandex wearer was deciding a challenge to do with the silver haired nin while the latter simply called for the waiter and ordered his food.

I munched slowly the dango when Gai slammed his hand on the table.

"It's decided, we're having an eating dango competition and Rin is going to be our judge."

"Ah, I don't want to be anything, can I just go home already?"

"No, Rin. You're going to see us doing our rivalry contest with your own two eyes and be a fair judge. This is one youthful experience for you!" Gai beamed excitedly and grinned, showing his sparkling teeth. My eyes!

I shrugged in my seat and rubbed my eyes. "Ugh…"

"Shall we start now?" Kakashi asked boringly. I stared at him with disbelieve. He was going to do the challenge?

Suddenly a big plate with mountain of dangos was placed on our table and I shuddered at the additional sight in front of me. I tried to count the sticks but failed since it was too many. How they were going to finish this?

"Okay Rin, you as our judge set our mark!"

"Okay, ready?" I said tiredly. "Go…"

Resting my head on my palm while my elbow rested on the table, I looked at both jounins ate the dango. Gai was munching the excessive dangos in his mouth while grasping tightly the sticks in his hand. That wasn't a nice sight for innocent eyes. Those cheeks with moving balls under it. It was I didn't know what else I should classify it…horrible? Disgusting?

Slowly I turned my head and looked at Kakashi. I shuddered and instantly placed a hand over my mouth. Damn, my food I ate earlier! Seriously, the sight wasn't any better than Gai. Honestly it was terrifying! I could see the movement of round dangos under his masked cheeks as he tried to munch on it. Quickly standing up from my seat, I waved my free hand to both of them.

"Good luck, I don't feel so good so I'm going back first. Thanks for the treat Gai-senpai, bye you two," I said behind my palm and quickly left the dango shop. I wasn't going to have those balls as my dessert or tea time delicacy any time soon.

Slowly taking a deep breath and releasing it, I looked at the calm river. My mind instantly wandered at Obito, why he couldn't come back to Konoha and why was he wandering around. What he was doing when he didn't come back home and those place! I really would like some explanation on it and once again he ran away, just like that! Grunted under my breath, I stared at the dark evening sky. It was going to be dark soon and I should go back and clean up before rest after the whole journey.

I was thinking about getting some materials from the market when I heard footsteps reaching the small deck I sat on. Turning my head to my side slightly, I looked at the new comer and stiffened. Without waiting the silver haired shinobi reached near me, I opened my mouth.

"K-Kakashi, what're you doing here now?"

"The challenge was over and I just want to burn out some excessive dango I ate earlier."

"Oh, then you should go and run around Konoha or practicing some kata." I suggested. Who was the winner? Better left the question unanswered for my mental sake.

"I don't want to stay around Gai after having a challenge."

I shrugged and looked at the river. Without any invitation from me, Kakashi silently took a seat beside me. I groaned internally while remained calm at the outside. Damn those images came back! I pinched my nose bridge, shutting close my eyes and sighed. Go away, go away! I chanted in my mind.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked.

I still pinching and sighed more. "I'm fine, just some disturbing images, that's all."

"Disturbing image?"

"Don't ask I don't even want to explain it." Internally I groaned. It was all your fault!

"Fine."

Thinking about my dinner really shooing away the disturbing thought, I sighed in relief and looked at the river. "You seem want to talk about something, Kakashi. What's it? I hope that it's something much better than yours nagging about my rank status."

"I do want to talk about it but seeing that you're back from your first mission as a chuunin without any damage or injury, I guess I'll let it slide this time."

"Geez, what're you, my mom?" I rubbed my forehead.

"No…I'm just concern…Your looks…"

Raising my hand and stopping him from continued, I sighed. "Okay, I get it but you know right, that I'm not the girl who was once in your team. We are different person."

The silver haired shinobi nodded slightly. "I know that but I really can't help myself to think that you are on your own."

"I can protect myself, I got friends around and you too but please stop seeing her in me, okay?"

"I'll…try, Rin."

"Thank you, Kakashi. I'm really grateful if you do that." I smiled at him and looked at the river. I wondered how Kakashi would react if he knew that Obito was still alive out there. Briefly looking at Kakashi, I stopped my gaze and stared at his face. I might stare at his face for a long time as he narrowed his single eye at me.

"Why're you staring at me?"

Frantically I shook my head and looked away. "Ah, it's nothing, I'm just thinking about something. Sorry for making you uncomfortable," I said and peeked at him. Damnit, just look away already, Kakashi! I shouted internally.

"…" Kakashi stayed silent as a sign of waiting for my explanation.

I looked at my lap and played with my fingers. "I just think that, how you'll react if someone with similar face like your other team mates is around."

"Oh…"

"Sorry…"

"It's okay…It's my fault anyway to make you to think like that," Kakashi said softly and silently stared at the river. "If anyone who should apologize, it's me. I'm sorry, Rin."

We sat silently and didn't exchange any other words for few moments, until I decided to going back home. Kakashi also did the same as he stood up a few second after I did. We walked together in silent to the market district before we went to our own direction after waving an awkward good bye. I was still thinking about that when I reached my apartment. How you're going to react with the news Kakashi? I asked in my mind. Kakashi was suffering alone and did Obito knew about it?

Iruka had visited me after I was done with my breakfast and he asked for sparring practice which I did agree. Surprisingly, when we reached the training field, there was Jiraiya-sensei as if he was waiting for our arrival. The white haired man waited at the middle of the field and after exchanging some look with Iruka, we stopped in front of him. Jiraiya-sensei grinned and greeted us happily.

"Seeing both of you here really gives me some harsh memory," The white haired man said with mirth. "I still remember holding my breath under that hot water."

"That was your fault being a peeper at the bath house," I said with distaste.

Iruka nodded. "Yeah, it was inappropriate thing to do and to think that you're one of the respectable sannin…I don't know what to feel about that. Maybe I'm a little bit disappointed." The brunet shrugged.

"Oh don't be like that, Iruka. Maybe I'm a pervert but I also a serious man when it comes to teaching and doing missions. Ah…while those two are pretty important but searching for new idea for my book also is very important thus I need to do the research." Jiraiya-sensei mumbled and started talking to himself.

Iruka and I shrugged and looked at each other before sighing. Crossing my arms, I faked a cough, catching the sealing master's attention. "So, why are you here Jiraiya-sensei, as if you're waiting for our arrival?"

The man laughed and we waited for him to answer the question. After having enough of amused moment, he stopped and looked at us with calm, deep gaze. There was also a smile on his face. A sincere smile rather than perverted one, now he made me felt a little bit anxious.

"I'm going to teach you two a linked seal." Jiraiya-sensei pulled out two scrolls from his jacket. "I believe you can write some seal, Iruka."

The brunet who stood beside me just nodded slowly.

I jumped to my side as fast as I could before activating my scroll and adding my chakra onto it. Jiraiya-sensei calmly took a few jumps and searching around as he landed on the ground. Suddenly there was a blast of water came from one of the bushes near the toad sage and being a one, Jiraiya-sensei managed to avoid it, barely. I simply raised my eye brows after seeing the success or our seal while Iruka calmly stepping out from his hiding place. There was the same scroll like mine in his hand. Jiraiya-sensei patted his wet sleeve and looked at us with a grin.

"So, what do you think about this seal, pretty neat, right?"

We both nodded. "Yeah," I said and looked at the scroll in my hands. "Just like you said it isn't limited with the elemental attack but we can use the weapons too."

"Indeed but in order to do this you need a partner which you could trust with your life."

"Oh…"

"And you can do it alone but a proper preparation and large of chakra reserves are needed in order for it to work properly. That's why you need a partner and linked the seal. Sharing the chakra will make it more powerful." Jiraiya explained and crossed his arms before looking at the sky. Humming slightly, he looked at us. "Well, that's my lesson for today. Keep practicing and we'll meet again later." With that Jiraiya-sensei left the field.

I looked at Iruka. "So you're still up for a spar?"

Iruka kept the scroll in his weapon pouch before pointing at certain direction. "Um, should we ask about that to your boyfriend there?"

"What boyfriend?" I frowned slightly and followed Iruka's hand. My eyes widened as I saw two Uchiha boys slowly walked to the field and stopped under one of shady tree. "Oh…Itachi and Shisui-senpai too."

I guessed I need to practice my chakra detection from time to time. Even I was in the village.

I stared at the dango in my hand with a far away look. I never thought that Itachi had brought this as our lunch. He seemed to like the food very much. I didn't mind having it but after the yesterday event, I really couldn't eat one so soon.

"Hey Rin, you seems to stare at the dango for quite time already," Iruka stated making the other two focusing at me.

Laughing awkwardly, I waved my hand. "Ah, it's nothing…I'm just kind of losing my appetite. That's all." I sighed at the end.

"What's wrong?" Shishui asked.

Slowly putting down the stick full with dangos back on its packaging, I shrugged. "I just had it too much yesterday."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Ah, Gai-senpai was treating us after the success of our mission." A short explanation should be enough, I guessed.

Iruka nodded with low chuckles. "I kind of can see the situation. I understand."

Slowly standing up, I walked to the target practice area. "I'll practice my aim, there. Come when you're done Iruka."

The brunet nodded reluctantly and slowly resumed his lunch. It was a good thing that I had a good portion of breakfast before going out even though I felt a little bit of hungry after those sparring practices with Jiraiya-sensei. I could manage before dinner time, I guessed. Suddenly a hand grasped mine making me stopped from reaching the middle of field. Turning around, I met with Itachi and he simply dragged me to opposite direction.

"H-Hey, the target practice area is there!"

"Let's go and find something else to eat."

"I'm not really hungry," I said and instantly regretting it. My stomach was grumbling and that was enough for Itachi to tighten his grasp. "Okay, I'm hungry," I said in defeat.

"I know, we all heard that when you're having a staring contest with those dangos." A calm answer from Itachi really made me felt embarrassed.

"Ah, it must be a nice thing to hear when you're having your food…" I sighed and let him dragging me around. "Fine, let's go and find some food please no dango or anything with round shape."

"Noted," Itachi said and we left the training field.

Ah, it was nice having friends around. I smiled.

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