CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SECRET ROMANCES AND FAULTY IDs

"So... Hana, you like Itachi," Jade asked nonchalantly as she was rifling through a clothing rack. She looked at a shirt, shook her head, and moved on to the next one. She repeated the process a few more times, before pulling a shirt out.

"W-what," the Inuzuka sputtered, spitting out most of the smoothie she was drinking out on Deidara's shirt. The blond was about to start a rant on how he should blow her up for that, but Jade cut him off with a smack to the back of his head. He lifted the one of the smoothies that he was holding to put it on the bump that was forming on the back of his head.

"You heard me," Jade stated the obvious. "I asked you, if you like Itachi? The really pretty guy with the long black hair."

Hana stayed quiet. She didn't know if she should talk to Jade about Itachi. Should she? Maybe the other girl could help her sort out her thoughts. The Inuzuka looked around the store, avoiding the question at hand. Was she really ready to talk about it? When he had left, she didn't have anyone to talk to about it. Their love had been a secret. Late night meetings, and small similes and soft touches exchanged as they passed by. Holding hands at the lake when they were certain no one else was around.

He had been engaged to another member of his clan at the time, Izumi Uchiha, the reason they had to be kept a secret. He never loved the girl. When he was told that she was to be his wife, he was shocked but he couldn't turn her down. He was a part of the main family of the Uchiha Clan. The heir no less. As an Uchiha he had certain duties to fulfill. The worst part was that the two had planned to come out as a couple the very next day. She had always considered their relationship Konoha's best kept secret.

When she heard the news of the Uchiha Massacre she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe that the boy she loved was behind it. Though Itachi came off as quiet, intimidating, and unapproachable, she knew better. She had seen him for who he really was. He was a pacifist. He often spoke about how he dreamed of a future where there didn't have to be anymore wars, and how the ninja world could one day be at peace.

It had always pained her to hear his younger brother, the one person Itachi cared most deeply for, speak of his goal to avenge his clan by killing him. She knew that there was something wrong with the situation. The Itachi she knew would never do something like that. When she had heard of his death, she had locked herself away in her room refusing to come out or even eat. It had scared her little brother and mother to death. They were the only reason she did not give up on herself.

When she had first woken up in a different dimension as a cat, she was terrified beyond belief. When she found out Itachi was there with her, alive and breathing, she didn't know what to do. At first, she thought it was all a dream, but as the days passed, she knew it was not and for that she was eternally grateful.

She knew the answer to Jade's question. The real question was, did Itachi still love her. That was the question that she wanted answered, though at the same time she did not want it to be answered. Was he even the same Itachi that she once knew. He and his brother seemed to be getting along. They even managed to find the sister they always wanted. She had no problem with all the things he had done, she could over-look it all. All for him. Love really was blind.

"I don't like him," she finally answered after a moment of contemplation.

"Ha! Take that you stupid Uchiha! Who would ever like you, un," Deidara shouted merrily. He started to dance around the two girls, drawing at bit of attention to himself. He looked really weird at that moment. He had a smoothie pressed up against the back of his head and another one in his other hand, and he was dancing while trying not to spill them.

"LIAR," Jade shouted drawing even more attention to their small group of three. She turned around to face all the staring people. "What do you all think this is?! Some TV drama?! Keep it moving people! Keep it moving," She shouted, shooing the bystanders away. When they all stopped staring, she rounded on Hana. "You like him. I know you do." Hana sighed.

"I don't like him." She paused, taking a deep breath. After nearly eight years, she finally let it out. "Because I love him. Even after all this time, I still love him." Her head was down, and she looked like she was about to cry. Deidara stopped his dancing. Jade was worried. "Does he even love me anymore?" She choked back a sob.

"Hey! Hana it's okay," Jade tried to console the girl. She wrapped her arms around the older, and led her to one of the sofas set up in front of the changing rooms. Hana sat down on one of the chairs, while Jade sat on the armrest. She had no idea of what to say, so she looked to her fellow artist. Deidara shifted uncomfortably.

"I used to be sent out on missions with Itachi, un," he confessed. He could not believe what he was about to do. Though he did not like Itachi, he had started to see Hana as a friend. "Every time we went through different villages, there were always girls throwing themselves at him. It was all the time, un," he hissed out. "But he never once looked their way. At first I thought he was gay, but when I asked him he said otherwise, un." He sighed, looking at Hana. "I just figured there was someone he had his eyes on, and none of the other girls ever compared to her, un."

Hana looked up at the blond man. She had hope shining in her eyes, and smiled while throwing her arms around him in a hug. Jade gave Deidara a smile and two thumbs up. Deidara just scowled while awkwardly holding the crying girl.

"We're going to help you get your man back," Jade shouted jumping up from her seat. She looked to Deidara, silently commanding him to agree. He nodded his head reluctantly. He would much rather prefer to make the Uchiha explode with his art, than help him get his old girlfriend back. Jade had realized something she had not before. "Wait what do you mean you still love him, and if he loves you anymore?" There were still some pieces missing from the puzzle.

"Before he left the village we had been dating for about six months," Hana shared, moving away from Deidara. She wiped her face, riding it of the tears. "Sorry about your shirt," she muttered to Deidara.

"What do you mean dating? Itachi said he was engaged to some girl from his clan, un," Deidara asked confused.

"He was engaged," Jade asked shocked.

"He didn't like her, and it was an arranged marriage. Sasuke never approved of her, and for him that meant everything," Hana replied.

"Awww! It was like a forbidden love romance movie! How romantic!," Jade squealed. Deidara just stared at her with a dull look on his face. Hana blushed but gave a small smile. "Damn it, I'm starting to sound like Kim with all her romance movies," she said with a look of horror, and shivered a bit.

"So what about you to," Hana inquired. She had an intense stare fixated on the blondes.

"Huh," Jade and Deidara said in unison.

"You guys are always spending so much time together. I know it hasn't even been two weeks since we got turned back, but is there something going on between you two," Hana asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"No," they exclaimed in unison, blushes blossoming on their cheeks. Hana hid a devious smile, she knew there was something more going on between the two.

Nagato and Konan had run into Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura, as they were wandering the mall. All was well, until Naruto and Nagato started being idiots. They had been talking about rather perverted things, causing Hinata to blush deeply and eventually pass out.

"Naruto you idiot," Sakura growled out advancing on the blond. Said blond was backing away in fear, his wide eyes begging his cousin for help.

"S-S-Sakura-chan, w-what are you going to do," he asked, slowly backing away like a frightened puppy. "You look very scary right now." Sakura hit him over the head causing him to lose his balance and fall over on his butt.

"Poor kid," Nagato muttered not at all sounding sorry. Konan discreetly sent a paper shuriken flying in his direction. The red head, distracted by the scene the blond and the pinkette were causing, did not notice anything amiss and was cut across the cheek. Turning to look at his blue haired companion he whined, "What was that for?"

"You're to blame as well," she stated. He pouted childishly.

The rest of their shopping trip continued in a similar fashion. Nagato and Naruto saying inappropriate things, and Hinata blushing and sometimes fainting. When she did faint, Sakura and Konan dealt out the punishments.

Kakashi was spending his time browsing a book store he'd come to frequent. As was expected he was in the mature section. He had discovered some interesting reading material there. While he was paying he struck up a conversation with the woman at the cash register. In his opinion she was attractive, though he had seen better.

The woman was a redhead with brown eyes and pale freckled cheeks. They had been flirting back and forth for the better part of the hour. Receiving a text message from Jade, he decided it was time to pay for his things and go. He handed her the four books he was holding.

"So you like to read. I like an intellectual man. Someone who knows what he's doing," she said seductively her lips curling into a suggestive smirk. Kakashi just smirked under his scarf. "So mysterious, as well. I would like to uncover what you're hiding beneath that scarf of yours, among other things." She started scanning the books. A frown crept upon her face as she realized what the books were about. "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you for your ID. Standard protocol states that I have to check it, before I can complete your purchase." Kakashi nodded and handed her his ID. "Sorry kid, but nice try."

"What," Kakashi asked confused at the odd comment. The only person who called him a kid was Tsunade, albeit she often referred to him as 'that damn brat.' The woman gave him a disapproving look, and shook her head at him.

"Come back in a year," she said, handing him his ID.

"I don-" He cut himself off when he looked down at his identification card, and frowned. He had remembered Ren asking him for his birthday, which he gave him, but he never told the man his age. For one the ID it stated that he was seventeen years of age. The only reason he did not give him a year was because he thought that it would be different than what it was back home.

When he froze staring at the card, the woman had called security. The lone security guard had escorted his still form out of the store. He snapped out of his trance, put the card back in his wallet, and slowly made his way back to the food court as Jade had instructed. He scowled the entire way back though no one could see it because of his mask. No one dared to approach him because he was emanating a dark aura. Getting any new reading material would be impossible, but it was a good thing he had his Icha Icha books with him.