I just wanna give a shoutout to user mykaelamatsukaze for the brief but amazing review. I was actually shocked that you liked the last chapter because I sort of winged it. Nonetheless, thanks for the love to you and every one of my amazing readers.

And for those who weren't thrilled about that filler chapter, just bear with it for a while. You'll see why…

Chapter 21: The Future Featuring The Past

I don't know how Kabuto knew this town so well, never mind knowing this fancy place. It looked so fancy and elegant and expensive especially. I could barely wrap my head around the huge amounts of money he had to pay for it all. Then again, he was a criminal so maybe he stole money when he wasn't killing people. Shocking that I didn't hold that against him, being al heartless and cold to innocent people. I was just as bad as him.

"So what exactly happened when I wasn't present?" Said medic-nin asked curiously, still having his mind on that scenario. He read the menu as much as he could, refusing to look at me.

"Nothing much. I mean, it all started with Akemi drooling over my prize." I shrugged as I too read what this place had to offer my stomach.

"I'm more curious about the parents particularly." He commented bluntly.

I sighed at his curiosity. "Apparently, they saw us together earlier today and our relationship resembled theirs when they were younger. They ended up loving each other so much, they got married and had two children together. Because of the 'resemblance', they strongly believe or at least wished we ended up like them in the future." I briefed dryly as my eyes were glued to the menu.

Kabuto finally looked up at me in awe as I continued to read the list of foods.

"What did you say?" He asked hesitantly, afraid to hear my answer but still wanted to know the truth.

I sighed once again and glanced at him. "Honestly, I was hesitant on that fact. But that doesn't exactly mean I don't want that to happen." I simply stated.

Kabuto lowered his gaze. "Do you… see yourself… being married to me?" He asked softly.

I was silent for about a moment because I wanted to be honest with Kabuto but I also didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"My personal opinion on marriage varies, Kabuto." I explained flatly. "The way I see it, marriage is a ceremony where two people who love each other tie the knot. In other words it's a celebration of two people who are unified and have no one but each other. But at the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper biding the two together; just because a couple is married doesn't mean they love each other all the time."

"What if we were to get married?" He then questioned.

My eyes soften as I gazed at him across the table.

"There's no doubt that I have feelings for you, Kabuto; maybe I even have love for you. But I can't commit myself to feel anything more than that. It's not your fault; I just can't feel that." I explained genuinely, breaking down a few of my walls. "But that doesn't change the fact that I feel amazing being with you."

Kabuto smiled gratefully at me.

"Marrying you… it's hard to give you an answer now because I don't know what the future holds. What our future holds…" I briefed unsurely.

"I see…"

"What about you?" I asked him, wanting to know his answer.

"There's no doubt that my feelings for you grow every time I'm with you. The first thought about marrying you will be heaven on earth…" He answered softly, fiddling with his fingers. "But I don't want to rush things when they're still developing. My main concern if you're ready to spend the rest of your life with me because I don't want you to feel like you've made a mistake and/or think that it's your fault."

"Really?" I was stunned by his answer.

Kabuto nodded. "All I want is for you to be happy, whether with me or not. Regardless of our relationship, I care about you…" He told me sweetly.

I lightly blushed at him. "I want the same for you, too."

"May I take your order now?" An unidentified voice asked mannerly.

I glance up at the waiter and was baffled to see who it was.

"Hey, you're that gentleman from earlier." I remarked with a smile, happy to see him again. "You work here too?"

"Yes, and I'm honored to serve the two of you once again." He smiled back.

After we ordered our food and drinks, he bowed respectfully and walked away to do his job.

"Such a nice fella." I mused thoughtfully, watching him walk off. "We really need to give him a huge tip. He's such a hard worker."

Kabuto nodded in agreement.

"Too bad you no longer have your souvenir." He thought aloud.

I shrugged at him, not minding it at all.

"Why did you give it to the girl, anyway?" He asked suspiciously.

"Because she fell in love with it, and I don't want her to dread in having it when I could just give it to her." I answered, resting my cheek on my palm. "Besides, it would've been a hassle trying to hide it from Sasuke and Orochimaru. It would get in the way but I also didn't want it to go to waste."

"Clearly she loved you for that gift." He commented with a grin. "Just as much as you loved that baby you were holding."

"Yeah, he was just so precious; I wanted to hold him longer." I smiled blissfully. "Both Akemi and Hiroki are both beautiful children. Ayame and Daichi are so blessed to have them."

"Do you want to be a mother someday?"

"Yes, I do. I'd love to be a mom." I answered incredulously. "I want them to have an amazing life without any worries. I want to protect them from stuff that I had to endure."

"I know for a fact you'll be an excellent mother." He promised certainly. "I hope they inherit your traits, along with your strong will."

"Do you see yourself as a father in the future?" I then asked him curiously.

"Never thought about it, really." He thought aloud, looking aside. "I hope to have children someday."

"With me, right?" I smirked suspiciously. "I'm assuming you want to have kids with me…"

Kabuto smirked back as he nodded in confirmation.

"I'm not all for it… but I'm open to the idea…" I told him quietly.

I knew Kabuto heard what I said because he smiled happily at me. I microscopically smiled back and turned to see the nice fella coming back with our food and our drinks. Once everything was settled, he smiled happily at us.

"Let me know if you need anything."

"We know who to call." I winked at him which stretched his smile even more.

He left us alone and we started consuming the delicious food.

"This is so good…" I stated happily as I chewed.

Kabuto nodded in agreement, focusing his attention on his dish.

"There's something that's been on my mind for a while." He spoke as he gulped down his food.

"What is it?" I inquired then taking a sip of my ice tea.

"You're friends from the Leaf… they referred to you as 'Hitomi' and not 'Katsumi'…" He analyzed thoroughly. "Why?"

I processed his question, trying to find the easiest way to answer his question and seeing the bigger picture.

"Itachi gave me that name when I was a mere child. He told me it suited me much better and the name just stuck." I answered briefly. "I was born with the clan's visual prowess, but I also have a critical and theoretical way of viewing society, people, and life in general hence giving me the name, 'Hitomi' since it translates to 'pupil of the eye'."

Kabuto parted his lips in comprehension, understanding the meaning behind the name.

"When I was at the Academy, I met Naruto and we instantly clicked."

"Naruto?" He repeatedly in confusion.

I nodded. "You see, as a child he had trouble pronouncing or remembering my name, so I just told him to call me Hitomi to make it easier for him. When I met the others, Naruto introduced me to them as my nickname rather than my birth name. I'm pretty sure they don't know that it's not my real name but I never bothered to fuss about it." I justified thoughtfully.

"You were special to him, no doubt." He told me softly. "I assume he's special to you…"

"Of course, he is. Simply put, he makes me happy." I briefed.

I went back to my dish and placed a piece of food in my mouth.

"Itachi gave you that name." Kabuto then spoke, picking up his drink. "Why do you still allow to be called that name after what he has done to you?"

I eyed him and furrowed my eyebrows at his question.

"Where are you getting at?"

"I mean, he's the cold-hearted murderer who slaughtered your entire clan." He implied, taking a sip. "I understand Sasuke's hatred towards him and that he wants revenge on him."

"I'm not Sasuke, Kabuto." I told him sternly, narrowing my eyes. "I don't have to feel the same way he does about Itachi."

"You honestly don't hate him then?" He questioned in shock as his eyes stretched wide.

"I do hate him, but not because of killing our whole clan…" I answered grimly, not directly at him though.

Kabuto remained silent, waiting for me to explain myself. I huffed tiredly and placed my fork on the table. I knew eventually I had to tell the medic-nin eventually about my troubled past simply because he sort of had the right to know in order for him to understand. Plus, he told me his past without second thought and I immediately gained his trust. I always had trust issues—thanks to Itachi—and I found it difficult to rely on others—thanks to Sasuke—so this was new to me, telling my story to someone who wasn't related to me. I wasn't worried about the male judging nor mocking me because he had proven to be loyal.

It was surprising that I was opening up this much to someone for the first time. They said just take baby steps, but it wasn't as easy as it seemed since the steps felt like they were a mile apart.

"When I was young, I was resented and shunned by my own clan because I was born having the Sharingan already activated; they thought that I was inhuman or a danger to them so they would distant themselves from me. They always used to verbally, emotionally, and even sometimes physically bully me every time I walked out of my house." I explained flatly. "Even my own father wanted nothing to do with me and shunned me out of his life to the point where I once believed that he hated me. This resentment from my own flesh and blood caused me to act out and act rebellious just to take out my anger and frustration. I would run away from home countless of times, vandalize the clansmen's objects/properties, hide out somewhere in the Leaf or roam the streets until I was caught. This instead caused more resentment and hate towards me and I couldn't emotionally and mentally take it anymore."

I eyed Kabuto whose attention, eyes, and ears were on me and nothing else. Not because he wanted to know my life just for the fun of it; he genuinely wanted to listen and be compassionate about it. He genuinely wanted to understand because he wanted to properly comfort me. God, just the way he was looking at me made it easier to say more and with that, I continued my life story.

"Ever since I was around four or five, Itachi knew right away I was a danger to myself because I would inflict pain on myself; I didn't want to kill myself, I just did it to feel numb, which I did. You see, besides Sasuke and my mother, Itachi was the only one in my family who loved me dearly and cared about my wellbeing; he took me in as a daughter and a student." I told him gently, gripping the hem of my top. "Since he took me in, he raised me to become an exceptional kunoichi and a magnificent medic ninja; I wouldn't have become a medic if it were for him noticing my talents in focusing my chakra. Even me hating him to the very core, I wouldn't have become this strong and the person I am today if it weren't for him."

"Believe me, I won't be the first person to doubt your abilities." Kabuto scoffed smugly. "Otherwise, I would have to learn that the hard way."

I gave him a microscopic smile as I played with my own fingers.

"If you don't mind me asking…" He implied as he took a bite out of his food. "What did Itachi do exactly for you to hate him?"

"The night when he slaughtered the clan. Don't get me wrong, I would never wish death upon anyone but I couldn't help but feel relieved because I knew I was free from hate and abandonment." I answered dryly, then I closed my eyes hardly to hold back emotions I felt in the past. "What really got to me was the person he was in front of my eyes…"

Kabuto blinked at me curious, waiting patiently for me to continue. I lowered my head and gripped my hem even tighter; I was using almost all of my willpower not to snap in anyway.

"When I walked in, I saw Sasuke hurt and Itachi in front of us, staring down at us emotionlessly. I didn't know what to think; the fact that he killed this many people was appalling because I knew he would never to that. But alas, he confirmed to me that he killed everyone just for the sake of his 'abilities'." I slowly explained in a shaky tone. "He then went onto saying that he lied about everything he said to me; he said that he agreed and felt empathy for our clansmen for hating and despising me. The only reason why he took me under his wing was because the plan was to make me stronger so that they could use me as a source of power; their plan was to kill me and seal my soul somewhere, if I'm correct. I'm not certain with their motives…"

"So the things he's said and done for you were all lies…" Kabuto summarized sadly.

I nodded. "He said that I wasn't human and that there were days where he had an urge to execute me out of spite and hate but didn't because he wanted to watch me suffer every single day. In his heart, he loathed me and it grew every single time he was with me. Finally after hearing all this, he felt relieved in telling me his true feelings about me and went ahead to kill me on the spot."

"He tried to kill you… even after telling you how much he hated you…" Kabuto seethed angrily, having a new-founded hate for my oldest sibling.

"Luckily I was able to dodge and fend him off, until I realized that he turned his attention towards Sasuke—who was traumatized to the core—and targeted him. Without thinking I used my body to protect him from a fatal blow, and it resulted me having a punctured artery. I laid there bleeding, waiting for my death as Sasuke held me close until I took my last breath." I told him in a murmur.

I could see Kabuto grasping the armrest very tightly to the point where he could just rip it right off.

"I can still picture the look on Sasuke's poor face as I was losing consciousness, begging me not to die on him and keep on fighting. I felt his tears dripping down on me as we sat in the pool of my own blood." I shakenly added, sounding like I was next to sobbing.

"But you're still here. How?" Since Kabuto was a medic like myself, he knew that I wouldn't have been able to survive a blow like that.

"Like you, my body is able to heal itself and my body slowly but surely healed itself." I replied. "However, not completely because I was still unconscious and I sustained a lot of damage."

Kabuto gave a moment to himself to think over the things I told him.

"So you and Sasuke hate him, but he wants to get revenge." He implied, furrowing his eyebrows.

I nodded.

"What are your current feelings for your brother anyway?" He asked me interestedly.

I lowered my head, taking a bite of my food to give me time to give him a good enough answer. In all honesty, I wasn't exactly sure myself since it had been a while since I had seen him. In fact, I wasn't sure if he was still around; he could've been already caught by the Leaf.

"I do hate Itachi for what he's done to me, but I have no interest in wasting my time or energy to find him and kill him just to prove my point. At one point I felt the same way Sasuke did and wanted to kill him, but I eventually learned that it wouldn't make me feel better and moved on." I answered thoughtfully, answering the question to myself too. "Eventually I'll see his face and maybe if the opportunity is there, maybe. Until then, I'll let Sasuke take care of it."

"You handled your problems well, unlike me…" Kabuto smiled softly.

I shrugged at his compliment. I wasn't sure if my way of handling it was right or Sasuke's. I just went the easy route while the raven decided to go through the complicated way, in my opinion. But compared to Kabuto, it was hard to put a finger on it because it was probably natural for him to do stuff and I empathized that. However he wasn't taking his feelings out on those who were responsible for his sorrow, which made him just as guilty. But I wasn't saying what I was doing was right either. If anything, I was probably acting like a brat not wanting to talk at all.

"You can say that." I acknowledged monotonously. "Frankly—and I can't believe I'm saying this—but at the end of the day, Itachi's my brother and we'll always have a sibling connection no matter the circumstances. We shouldn't be out to kill each other…"

"That's understandable." He agreed.

"Not for Sasuke." I snorted cockily. "We're still not talking because I told him that revenge as a goal is futile and sad. Of course he wasn't pleased with me saying that…"

"Everyone copes differently, whether if it's accepting it and moving on or taking out the anger on something else." Kabuto implied simply. "If revenge is his way in coping, then so be it. You can't force someone to cope one way if it isn't going to help them…"

I shrugged.

"Speaking of Sasuke, I curious about your relationship with him…" He stated intriguingly, implying that I should explain.

"Before I turned seven, he and I never gotten along however he never resented me like our clan; call it tough love, I guess. Then one day he let his feelings pour out with rage and dislike in front of me and our family. I thought he was like everyone else in our clan but after learning the truth about my pain and suffer, he changed his ways and amended our relationship. Since then we were very close; he was my best friend…" I described while looking softly at him.

Kabuto ate his food as he gave me his full attention.

"When we graduated the Academy, there was a slight gap between us since the massacre but we were close nonetheless. But after that night, Sasuke became protective of me after what I've been through up until the Uchiha clan mass murder. It sometimes got annoying, especially when I started dating Neji because he thought he's just another person that will hurt me someday." I continued with ease. "He even went as far as accusing me for having 'feelings' for Naruto because I was around him most of the time, which isn't true at all; he was like a little brother, nothing more nothing less."

"When did things change?" He asked curiously as he took a sip.

"After we'd encountered Itachi; we hadn't been together since he left us. Sasuke got to him first and tried to kill him while he almost got himself killed. Luckily I got there just in time before he was done for." I answered emotionlessly as I gripped the armrest tightly. "Since then, he became distant towards me and acted a bit off. He was more quiet and stoic than before but I brushed it off and figured he was just rattled up from Itachi's genjutsu."

"But you took that for granted, and it was more than just that…" Kabuto theorized vaguely.

I nodded at him and took a huge bite of my food.

"What about now?"

I signalled him to wait a moment as I gulped down my food.

"Before our 'heated' conversation, we barely spoke to each other nor see each other because his mindset was on getting stronger and getting revenge. Although we still acknowledged each other and carried a good level of respect." I answered lowly. "Right now, we're not talking at all. I'm not sure if he's just upset with me which is making him not want to talk to me or he's just being hesitant about it. Either way, he's a completely different person and I want nothing to do with him…"

Kabuto made a face that expressed his unpleasantness to my words but I ignored him and instead threw him a glare that forced him to not say a word about it.

"You're face looks like it's accusing me that I don't love my brother…" I huffed accusingly. "I love Sasuke to death but he has to own up to what he's done rather than me being the bigger person once again…"

"I guess that's what matters the most…" He sighed in defeat, taking me word for it.

"You know what's funny?" I spoke up, changing the topic. "We both had an older figure that we looked up to as our mentor/parent and loved them so much, yet it didn't turn out well in the end."

"True." He agreed, sipping his drink. "Except Mother died because of me…"

"At least she actually loved and cared about you." I argued, frowning. "And she didn't kill your entire family."

"Then again, I wouldn't be too surprised to learn that they actually abandoned me rather than the war splitting us up…" He pointed out darkly.

"Don't think like that." I scolded irritably.

"Just one more thing…" He notified, earning a frown from me.

"What's with the questions today?" I questioned in annoyance, then sighed in defeat. "What is it?"

"You haven't expressed your feelings about Sasuke being Lord Orochimaru's vessel." He remarked simply, eyeing me intently as he sipped his drink.

I picked up my own glass as I gave out a sigh.

"It is what it is: the snake wants his body and my dumbass brother doesn't give a s**t as long as he achieves his goal. There's nothing I can do about it…" I told him in boredom, taking a sip of my drink. "I've tried to persuade him to rethink, but of course listening isn't Sasuke's forte. Why bother myself with him if he's not going listen to reason? I mean, he's gonna get burned in the end, not me…"

"Because you're his sister." Kabuto answered rhetorically, lifting an eyebrow.

"Like he gives a damn…!" I scoffed, placing my glass hastily on the table.

"He does. You're taking it as if he doesn't care but he does because he's your older brother…" He critiqued solidly, looking at me firmly.

I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration; I didn't like being called out for something that wasn't my fault especially by those who had no clue about anything. The fact that four eyes was taking Sasuke's side when he doesn't like him at all and the raven was obviously the one at fault made me want to slap some sense in that "big brain" of his.

"You know that I once had an older brother, Katsumi…" He mentioned softly. "I still regret leaving him without warning and I have no clue where he is right now. I just want to know if he's alive and alright…"

The look on my face slight fell as I gazed at Kabuto's gloomy face.

"I don't want you to make the same mistake because you'll lose the big brother that has been with you through thick and thin." He muttered pleadingly, clenching his fist. "You should feel lucky to still have someone looking out for you…"

I gave a long, deep look at the medic-nin. Whoever his big brother was—Urushi, I believed—he must've meant a lot to Kabuto because he became depressed when he mentioned his foster sibling. But nevertheless, the bookworm was right. Under the stubbornness, he was my brother and it would kill me if something happened that resulted us being physically separated from each other because I didn't want to live with regret like Kabuto. I didn't want to regret not talking to Sasuke—despite him being difficult—and I knew he felt the same way. We would have to rekindle at some point, it was just a matter of when.

"Stop sulking." I commented cockily. "I feel awkward when you're depressed…"

"Katsumi, you have to under—!"

"I understand, alright." I interrupted dryly, finishing off my food and swallowing it down. "And you're right. I should value my relationship with Sasuke more because there's no other person I want as a brother than him. Though I still refuse to apologize, I'll consider amending things with him…"

Hearing this made Kabuto grin, pleased with my words as I rolled my eyes at him.

"Now that that's done, you want to get out of here?" He asked encouragingly.

I gulped the rest of my ice tea and then I nodded at him. With that, we called the kind gentleman over, requesting the bill for our meal. He did what he was told and Kabuto graciously paid for the whole thing. Luckily, he remembered to give the waiter a huge tip for everything he had done for us. The look on his face made our gesture worth double than before and thanked us for our generosity. We exited the restaurant with our hands entwined with each other as we walked down the streets. I figured we were heading back to the inn until Kabuto suddenly stopped walking, preventing me to go any further. I turned my head and eyed him irritably questioning his intentions while he had that smirk on his face.

"Aren't we going back to the inn?" I inquired expectedly, cupping my hand on my hip.

Kabuto shook his head. "Why stop the fun now when the day is still young?" He asked, being rhetorical with me.

"What are you talking about?" I huffed tiredly as I beckoned him to look at the sun setting. "It's almost dark. What else is there to do at this time?"

"Just one small thing." He assured, though I didn't trust him saying that by the way he was looking at me.

"What is it?" I huffed again, expressing my tiredness.

"There's a nightclub down the street over there. I want to hang out there for a bit with you." He told me with hope written in his eyes.

When I heard the word, "nightclub", it instantly brought memories from the past. When I ran away from home because of family issues, I would normally meet up with other run-aways at nightclubs or bars of such and would try out "grown-up stuff". However, those days were over after the Uchiha clan was deceased and gave me no reason to head over to the small towns outside the Leaf. Plus, Sasuke hated that I drank as a young child and made sure I was fifty feet away from any sort of alcohol. Now that Kabuto offered me to go to this club with him, it made me a bit hesitant because I didn't want to live like I did in the past. However it was tempting at the same time.

"Do we have to, Kabuto?" I whined, begging him to drop the idea of lack of energy.

"I barely get to have time off for myself and I want to make the most of it with you." He prompted in a pout as his eyes sparkled in the sun's rays. "Besides, when will it be the next time we get to do this?"

Kabuto made a good point; we were barely allowed to go out unless we had Orochimaru's permission. Plus, this opportunity was very rare for us especially for the medic-nin considering how long he was by the snake's side. And he wanted to spend his free time with me, which was both honoring and sweet of him. After being treated by him, going to this nightclub was the least I could do for him and it could be fun; partying and having fun with him and other people like a normal human being.

"Alright, let's go…" I said nonchalantly.

With a smirk, Kabuto used his grip on my hand to pull me in the opposite direction where the inn was located. It didn't take long for us to halt in front of a big but reasonable-sized establishment. I knew by the sounds of it that it was packed with all the hollering, cheers, and toasts that could be heard a mile away; surprising that there were no complaints. Then again, there was a festival happening so I guess the club had a good excuse to crank things up. Even the streets was cluttered with groups of people slurring and cheering at random people walking past them. I examined the area and noticed that there were those who were stupid drunk, a little tipsy, not drunk at all or so intoxicated that they probably needed a doctor. Despite all this, it didn't faze me at all because this was a common scene for me when I was younger. Now that I was a teen, I had no worries whatsoever.

"Ready to let lose?" I heard Kabuto ask me, tightening his grip on my hand.

I wanted to say that I was prepared for the craziest or the worst, but my brain forced me to remain muted. The fact that there would be alcohol, shots, and possibly joints in the club made my skin crawl. I wasn't scared to fall into a deep hole nor I was afraid to "spiral out of control"; I simply wasn't sure if I was fully ready to do those things again. The reason why I drank was because I wanted to feel numb and take my mind off of things that were making me feel raw and vulnerable; I simply wanted to drink my problems away. Of course as a six-year-old, it wasn't a healthy way of thinking nor doing but I was able to neutralize the alcohol in my body so I wouldn't have alcohol poisoning nor feel intoxicated too hard, too quickly. Now that I was sober—because a child shouldn't be touching anything that contained alcohol in it—and had recovered from my rough past, I didn't want to go back simply because I wasn't that depressed child anymore.

As I thought deeply to myself, I felt a pair of lips brushing my ear gently, causing my body to tingle. I then felt Kabuto's arm wrapping firmly around my waist, pulling me closer towards his body as I rested my hand on his upper chest.

"There's nothing to worry about…" He whispered huskily, briefly kissing my neck. "I'll take good care of you…"

"Sure you will…" I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes at his statement. "Probably just gonna get me drunk and play with me like your damn toy…"

Kabuto leaned away from my ear and let his forehead sit on mine.

"Tempting…" He chuckled lowly, smirking down at me. "But my intentions with you right now are harmless and good. I just want us to let loose and have good company…"

Before I opened my mouth, the grey haired male captured my lips with his own. Normally, I wasn't a huge fan of PDA mostly because I was that type of b***h and I was used keeping that stuff private. My last boyfriend respected this and actually praised it as well. Kabuto on the other hand didn't care who was watching; he was apparently proud of our relationship because he—a bookworm—was dating me—a girl who only came from the Sage, himself. He simply liked to show me off to others and though it felt uncomfortable, it made me feel good and wanted which I didn't mind feeling. He pulled away from my mouth and kissed my forehead.

"I'm questioning if your intentions are actually 'good' now that you just kissed me…" I commented smugly, smirking up at him.

Kabuto's smirk stretched and briefly kissed me once more before heading into the nightclub. Once we walked through the entrance, I immediately took on what was going on in my new, yet familiar surroundings. The club was bigger than I figured when I examined the outside of the building. There was a reasonable-sized bar located at the right side of the club where there was a few bartenders working behind the table as customers piled drink orders on them. I glanced and noticed the tall tables where people stood, hung out, and chatted with friends as they took sips of their drinks. I also heard a bit of music playing in the background to which people who were drunk dancing like there was no tomorrow. There were waitresses running around the place, getting orders and ordered objects to their customers as quickly as possible without spilling a single drop. I took into note that they were dressed in a provocative way; I guessed it was for sales but I don't want to know what. It wasn't as filled, packed, nor stuffy in the place as I originally thought—I mean, I could move around here freely barely bumping into people—but it was still busy nonetheless.

"What do you think?" I was able to hear Kabuto over the music and hollering of other people.

"It's bearable so far. Hopefully I won't get spewed on by anyone or else you'll be lying on it…!" I answered dryly aloud so that he heard me.

He did and dismissed my threat as we walked in further. I thought we were just going to stand near one of the tables located near the middle to the left side of the bar, but instead he was taking me to the back of the club. Kabuto paused in front of a shorter table that had a cushion seat that stretched more than halfway around the table—it simply looked like a circular sofa. I noticed that this was one of few other tables which raised an eyebrow. Apparently this was the more "private" tables which I don't know why they were acted as if they were; there was nothing private about them. Then a woman with long, blonde hair with brown eyes made her way towards us. According to the uniform she was wearing, she was one of the waitresses that was on her regular shift as she smiled kindly at us. Poor girl.

"I see you've already found your reserved area." She acknowledged sweetly.

Reserved? Since when? Did Kabuto planned on coming here from the beginning?

"Yes, thank you." Kabuto nodded mannerly.

The blonde female than turned her eyes to me, keeping her friendly smile intact. "You must be his girlfriend that he mentioned earlier. You're super lucky to have him for him to do this just for you…" She praised genuinely, giving me a soft look with her chocolate-coloured eyes.

"Uh, thanks…" I replied softly, unsure what to say since this was all new to me.

Because of four eyes, I officially hated surprises. Especially those that shouldn't be surprises to begin with.

Kabuto beckoned me to take a seat first graciously as the waitress moved aside for me. Nodding in thanks, I sat on the edge of the soft seat and slid over until I was near the middle of the long, round chair, getting a perfect view of the club in front of me. The medic-nin followed suit and sat right next to me, wasting little time to snake his arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. I didn't mind this gesture and slid a little closer to him, naturally placing a hand on his lap. Once we were settled comfortably, the blonde waitress moved herself in front of us and cleared her throat.

"Now that you're both comfortable, what would you like to drink?" She asked sweetly, popping out a notepad and pen.

"Apple sake cocktail for me." Kabuto said simply.

The waitress nodded as she wrote down his order. She then turned her attentions towards me.

"And what would you like, girlie?" She asked me sweetly with her beautiful smile.

Before I could open my mouth, Kabuto stepped in a millisecond.

"She'll get—."

"Excuse me." I cut him off in a sassy tone, earning the attention of both Kabuto and the girl. "I don't remember asking you to order for me…"

Kabuto was sort of stunned by the way I interrupted him while the waitress stood there patiently, waiting for my order to be said so she could do her job. I glanced at her, making sure she was all ears.

"I would like a cherry sake cocktail." I ordered proudly, watching her write down my exact words. "Along with a cherry-mango margarita, thank you."

"Alright then." She nodded in confirmation and smiled at us. "I'll be back with your drinks."

After saying our thanks, she left us alone towards the bar to request our drinks to the bartenders. I gazed deeply at the situation in front of me, taking an interest in the craziness of the stupid drunks running around. That was, until Kabuto nudged me to get my attention.

"Well, that was something…" He mused thoughtfully.

When he said that I glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you came in just to order something that was out of the ordinary from someone like you… as if you knew exactly what they had to offer…" He analyzed thoroughly as he eyed me suspiciously.

"Did you expect anything less from me?" I questioned flatly, clawing onto his tan pants.

"Well, yes. I mean… you're underage… yet you know exactly what you wanted…" He answered bluntly, though he struggled to find the right words.

I huffed at his comment as I laid back on the soft-cushioned seat. I picked up the glass of water which was offered to us before we seated ourselves in our reserved spot, inching towards my lips.

"Remember at dinner when I told you about me running away from home because of my family?" I remarked lowly; I never liked talking about my past because I just hated looking back at those memories I never wanted to remember.

"Yeah, what about it?" Kabuto nodded, moving himself further in the seat to look at my face.

"Well, I would usually head over to the smaller towns outside of the Leaf Village and meet up with my run-away buddies that they too ran away from home." I explained briefly, trying to give him the bigger picture in a short amount of time. "We would normally go to bars like these but smaller and drink all of the fruity, alcoholic drinks and socialize on how f**ked up our lives were because they tasted so damn good. It's become a common a common thing for us and we sometimes meet up just to chill and s**t like that and drink some good, sweet sake."

"So, you were an alcoholic child, right?" Kabuto presumed simply, frowning at this fact.

I snapped my onyx eyes at him in exasperation to his presumption, causing him to feel a bit anxious by my reaction. I didn't realize the look I was giving him was making him nervous because I reacted to his guess badly and softened my eyes a bit apologetically though I still kept a serious look.

"Sorry I reacted that way. I just don't like it when people accuse me for being an 'alcoholic' or getting crap for being an underage drinker as if it will ever affect their lives just a bit." I justified plainly, looking down on my knees. "Even Sasuke holds this against me just so that I won't do anything 'bad' ever again. He thinks that I have an 'addiction' to it and wants me to stay away from it as much as possible. That annoys me so much because even my own damn brother thinks that I have a problem that should be fixed."

"That all depends…" Kabuto responded truthfully, trying to be careful with his words. "Can you control the amounts you're consuming? Do you know when you've had enough?" He questioned me concernedly, making sure my wellbeing.

"Of course I can." I answered hardly, furrowing my brows. "I never get hammered or even remotely drunk because I'm really good at neutralizing alcohol. Plus, I know when I've had too much and simply cut myself off. When I do drink a lot, it's only because I wanted to feel numb."

"What is your relationship with alcohol right now?" He questioned curiously, picking up his glass of water.

I took a sip out of my glasses that I held in my hand and placed it carefully on the table.

"I haven't been drinking since the day after the Uchiha massacre mainly because my clan was the cause of me consuming alcohol in the first place." I gruffly answered, adjusting myself on the seat. "Because of Sasuke, my friends, and my newly-found peace in mind, I cut myself off of it all together."

"Well, that's good to hear." Kabuto sighed in relief, laying back with me and interweaved his fingers with mine. "I'm responsible for your safety and health; underage drinking is one of them. I'm fine with you having a drink or two unless you can control the amount."

I glanced at Kabuto defensively and pouted, "I already told you, Kabuto: I can take care of myself…"

"Don't take it as if I'm babying you because I'm not." He amended softly, gazing gently at me. "Just because we're here to enjoy ourselves and let loose doesn't mean I shouldn't protect you from getting yourself hurt or ill. You feeling safe and comfortable are what I care about…"

I already knew that me wellbeing was important to him from the beginning, but him saying it aloud without hesitation or shame made it feel more real and believable.

"Thank you…" I breathed in gratitude, clawing on his lap. "And I promise to be good around 'big people juice'." I added sarcastically.

Kabuto laughed humorously then he kissed the side of my head sweetly. The next thing I knew, the waitress from before returned with our orders. She graciously placed them in front of us and smiled kindly. With a smile, Kabuto reached behind him and pulled out the money he owed for our drinks to which the blonde female nodded and took the bills out of his hands.

"If you need refills and such, just head over to the bartenders and they'll be pleased to serve you." She told us brightly.

Kabuto and I nodded in thanks and allowed her to carry out her duties. I picked up my cherry-flavoured sake and took a sip. Just the taste of it brought so much feelings and memories from my past; I remembered vividly the sense of relief after the first sip. I took another sip and it was better than the first. My muscles and mind was relieved from any stress I had carried, feeling as though I was floating. I felt a nudge from the grey haired Nin as I responded by resting my head on his shoulder. He too took a sip from his drink and exhaled heavily.

"How's the taste of good old memories?" He asked me slyly, nuzzling my hair.

"I wouldn't call it good memories as they are old memories…" I shrugged lazily, gulping a large amount. "I guess it's… refreshing…?"

Kabuto scoffed at my questionable statement and shifted his upper body towards me. This forced me to remove my head from his retreating shoulder. I raised my eyebrow when he held out his glass in front of me.

"Here's to us being ordinary humans." He proclaimed in a toast with a smirk on his face.

I couldn't help but smirk back at his toast, to which I gently tapped my glass against his respectfully.

"And for not having any blood on us for once." I added sarcastically, earning a chuckle from the male.

Kabuto and I gulped down the rest of our drinks until we slammed our glasses in unison, feeling the relaxing effects of the alcohol streaming throughout our bodies. As specialists in medical ninjutsu, we both neutralized the concentration of the alcohol consumed for precaution of getting hammered or alcohol poisoning. Despite this, we still felt our bodies reacting expectedly to the liquid as it should to feel some relief. I slouched against the cushioned seat, sighing heavily in relaxation.

"That… was so f**kin' good." I huffed blissfully, slightly slurring my words. "Tasted just as good as I remembered…"

"Yep, and the effects is just like I expected…" Kabuto nodded in agreement, slinging his arm around my neck.

"Have you ever drank before?" I asked him lowly, locking my hand with his hand that was dangling past my shoulder.

"Yes, but rarely." Kabuto answered as his words were slurring a bit too. "Since I barely have time for myself, I don't have the time to take a shot or two, y'know?"

"That's reasonable." I shrugged.

With my free hand, I reached over and slid the second drink I ordered towards me which cocked Kabuto's eyebrow a bit.

"Why did you order two drinks?" He questioned in confusion, wanting to know my intentions.

"They're both not for me." I replied. "This one you and I will share."

With that, I reached over for the two straws the blonde waitress kindly left for us. Kabuto watched me as I removed the plastic covers and plopped them in the margarita. I went ahead and took a sip as the medic-nin waited for any sort of reaction. The second I pulled away from my straw, my eyes lit up with joy as the sweet, cool, savouring liquid melted in my mouth.

"You honestly have to try this, Kabuto!" I prompted beamingly. "This stuff is the s**t!"

From the corner of my eye, Kabuto gave me a long look to which I couldn't care less. The drink was just so damn good.

"You ordered this for the both of us?" He questioned simply, sounding a bit awkward. "As in… to share?"

I pulled away from the straw and gave him a frown. "Duh. That's what couples do, right?"

Without hesitation, Kabuto leaned in and sipped the drink as I did the same. I noticed that the medic-nin's eyes lit up when his taste buds touched the drink. We pulled away when the glass was less than half full. Kabuto brushed his hair with his fingers as I placed my weight on his body.

"I feel so numb…" I moaned tiredly, my lips brushing his neck. "Brings back so much memories…"

"Being drunk?" Kabuto presumed huskily, slipping his hand near my inner thigh.

"No, stupid. I told you I've never been drunk ever." I argued irritably. "I get tipsy on purpose because it helps me forget about anything that happens and just living the moment."

"What happens when you get 'tipsy'?" He asked curiously, burying his face in my hair.

"From sources, I turn into an eight-year-old child pouncing all over the place after eating a truck load of candy. Others claim that I get super hyped, super easily…" I answered unsurely, hearing my voice starting to slur.

"I see… you're more fun when you consume alcohol… makes sense…" He smirked playfully.

I was too busy kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin on his neck, earning moans of pleasure from Kabuto himself. I could already tell my decision in letting the alcohol I had consumed travel throughout my body within came to play, as I started to feel myself slowly fleeing from reality. I was in a state of floating, forgetting the negativity I carried within me and let out my unconscious but happy side. My hand subconsciously slithered under Kabuto's shirt, feeling every part of his toned abdomen as I continued to kiss his neck hardly. Because of my slightly drunk, seductive movements on the male, said person's moans wafted into my ears; he pleaded with his pleasured cries to continue. I would've granted his wish if he hadn't leaned away and smashed his lips against my own, kissing me with hot passion. I betted he was slight intoxicated too when his mouth on mine and his hands all over my body were erotic and slightly rough. Although I didn't mind since my movements on him were just as much too. After making out for a good minute, my grey headed partner pulled away a bit to gaze into my eyes but his lips still slightly laying on mine.

"Why do you lips taste sweet…?" He breathed hoarsely in a low voice, briefly licking my lips.

Dismissing this strange but hot act, I slightly smirked at his questions. "Because of the cherry-flavoured-themed drinks I had…" I answered matter-of-factly.

"I highly doubt it…" He disagreed smugly as he kissed me. "The taste of them makes me hungry for more…"

I scoffed. "You taste good yourself, four eyes…"

One side of me was infatuated in the moment: alcohol being served with my equally tipsy partner, kissing me inside out. Another side of me was disappointed of myself being seductive to Kabuto, despite having all the more reason to. It wasn't like me to "throw" myself on men and make face-babies with them, never mind drinking with them. If it was anyone else who replaced the bookworm, I would immediately be disgusted and hit the road. Kabuto, on the other hand, made me feel comfortable around different surroundings and made sure I was okay. So the fact that he was holding me firmly didn't bothered me at all, especially since I was now ninety percent here in reality.

"The two of you are just too cute!" A familiar yet unfamiliar voice complimented happily, referring to us as we still held each other.

We both turned our heads and immediately recognized the blond female who served us earlier. As she held a serving tray in front of us, she smiled kindly at the image she was seeing of us with our grip on one another. Kabuto had his arms tightly around my waist as my arms were wrapped around his neck. I would say I was sort of embarrassed, but in the state I was in, I couldn't care less.

"Sorry for interrupting your little fun." She smiled apologetically, placing two small glasses on our table. "I wanted to give you these, on the house…"

I parted my lips to thank the girl's kindness, until my eyes laid on the exact objects she placed. No doubt about it… they were shots glasses with the sinful, burning, damned liquid in them. I felt my heart beating in my chest hardly as I lost my ability to take in oxygen. I felt Kabuto's arm snaking around my waist as he placed a kiss on my cheek then he turned his attention towards the waitress.

"Thank you very much." He smiled kindly. "We appreciate your gesture greatly…"

The blonde waved dismissively. "Don't even mention it, honeys." She then left us alone to continue her shift.

Kabuto slid one of the small glasses towards him as I did the same but a lot slower. My stomach started to turn as I stared daggers at the transparent liquid in the shot glass. I gulped down my nervousness, trying to hide it from the medic-nin.

"What's wrong?" He asked concernedly, clearly knowing something was amiss.

I shrugged. "Been a while since I took a shot…" I mused deeply, recalling those moments.

"You scared?"

I glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow. "Why would I be scared?"

Kabuto shrugged then smirked arrogantly. "Because by the looks of it… you can't handle even one."

His answer made my jaw drop in offense, making his smirk stretch even wider.

"Wanna bet, a**whole?" I countered coldly, gripping the glass tightly.

Kabuto nodded in acceptance, up for a challenge. We picked up our shots simultaneously and made a silent toast. Without any sound, we gulped down the burning liquid in one gulp as it travelled down to our stomachs, leaving a burning trail in our chests and throats. Slamming our cups in unison, our faces scrunched in pain and discomfort as we immediately felt the backlash of the shot already; it was strong to say the least. Shots were harder to neutralize than any other alcoholic drink, so now both Kabuto and I were tipsier than before.

"I… f**kin' told you I wasn't a p***y!" I gloated, slurring my words heavier than before through gritted teeth.

"Wouldn't blame you if you chickened out because this was a harder kick than I originally thought." He staggered lowly, coughing with his itchy burning throat.

I held my head in pain, already feeling the backlash of the shot I took. I briefly used medical ninjutsu to treat the migraine because it was too painful to brush off. Once I called off my chakra, I moved myself closer to Kabuto and placed my weight on him as he didn't seem to mind when he pulled me closer to him. Though I felt tired and lazy, I was actually enjoying myself; a day off with Kabuto was way better than I had thought in mind. Just spending quality time with him made me feel calm and rejuvenating; I hoped to go out with him more often in the near future.

"You doing okay?" He asked me softly, nuzzling my head and enjoying the softness of my hair.

I nodded. "Yeah, I am. I've never felt this relaxed since forever…" I answered deeply.

"Me too…" He agreed, snaking his arm around my waist underneath my top.

I shifted myself to gaze up at Kabuto's dark eyes as my hand subconsciously slid under his shirt, caressing his firm lower torso. As I noticed that he didn't mind this, I slid up even further to the point where my hand almost reached to his chest. The feeling of his firm, soft, tanned skin was so hot and alluring. He then followed suit and slipped his hand under my shirt, dragging his delicate fingers up my back as I felt my shirt being lifted. I pushed against his body until he laid back on the chair and I was towering over him with my hand still rubbing his bare abdomen. The medic-nin stared up into my eyes in bliss as I gave him a curious look.

"What is it?" I questioned simply, giving a brief kiss on his lips.

Kabuto's eyes then got softer and glossier, which made my heart melt a little.

"I'm happy that I'm with the most amazing, beautiful, strong woman like you… especially today…" He breathed sweetly, smiling blissfully. "Being with you with the freedom we're given was merely a dream of mine. I always wanted something like this and you gave it to me. You're my miracle, Katsumi…"

Hearing his brief speech about me almost made my eyes tear up. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I could tell that my cheeks were turning red because of how flustered Kabuto made me feel. Also, I had consumed liquid with above average alcohol concentration. When I was tipsy, I got happy and my feelings were let out in public. Basically, I was acting as if I was a typical, hormonal girl. Then again, the medic-nin was just as tipsy as I was while his cheeks were just as red so his feelings were raw to everyone.

"Hearing you pouring your feelings for me is cheesy." I slurred smugly, shifting so that I was sitting on my knees until I completely towered over the male. "But it's also cute. You sound so lovesick…"

Kabuto hastily grabbed the back of my head and pulled down towards his face, smashing my lips on his. It was all so sudden, yet I immediately responded to it because apparently, I got hungry for lips when I wasn't in reality. I felt my partner's hands roaming my back until it stopped and slipped underneath my top, feeling my skin as he teased on my bra. I knew he wasn't actually going to do anything inappropriate nor out-of-line because teasing was a part of Kabuto's nature. Despite this, it was super-hot. He briefly pulled away as we both panted lightly.

"And you look seductive, touching me in a way you wouldn't have if you were sober…" He smirked slyly. "You're just as hungry as I am…"

I rolled my eyes and voluntarily leaned in once again, tasting the previous drinks he had consumed. A moment passed when I pulled back and tried to gain my breath back as the male did the same. He straightened himself up as I dusted myself off casually.

"Katsumi?"

"Hm?"

"Be a dear and refill my water?" He asked sweetly with a cocky smirk.

"You're really funny, y'know?" I scoffed, slurring my words with heated cheeks.

"Please?" He prompted in a begging tone. "I'm really thirsty…"

I rolled my eyes then I snatched his glass away from him. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Thanks." He chirped happily, still smirking as if something was funny.

I huffed as I slid off my seat and walked over to the bar section. Luckily, it was less crowded than before, so requesting a refill was easier than originally thought. I handed the used glass to a bartender and I watched him rinse the cup before preparing it fancily. I probably zoned out as I waited because I had no clue that someone was eyeing me thoroughly as they treaded their way towards me.

"Well, well. Look how much you've grown, kiddo!" An unknown male's voice commented lively, causing me to jump in shock.

I knew this guy was referring to me since I did looked like a child compared to the others so I glanced over to the said person who spoke to me. He was pretty tall with dark brown shaggy hair, dark brown eyes, average built, and tanned skin. He wore a red V-neck shirt with a black fighter jacket over it, beige jeans, and black shoes. He was handsome in my opinion with his perfect, unpredictable grin he sent my way as his eyes shinned with the lights in the room. I frowned at myself for thinking this player was good-looking; I guessed I was more than just a little tipsy.

"Damn, puberty did you wonders!" He grinned brightly, the same grin Naruto usually gave to his friends.

Then I lifted an eyebrow at the stranger because he looked and talked as if he knew me for a long time. Problem was, I had no clue who this man was. Apparently, the brunette caught the look I was giving him, shrinking his grin to a small smile.

"Who the hell are you?" I questioned hardly, trying to hide the fact that I was a little unbalanced.

The boy gaped at my question like I said something horrifying. He then laughed half-heartedly at me to which I frowned irritably at him.

"What the f**k is so funny!?" I gritted impatiently, ready to pounce if something went wrong.

The stranger halted his chuckling but he still kept the confident smile on his face. He eyed me with both lust and enthusiasm.

"S**t, even after all those years, you're still at it with the cussing." He scoffed slyly, slowly shaking his head. "Well, it's comforting to know that you haven't changed that much."

"Huh?" I was literally confused with the guy's words.

That or the drinks took a toll on my IQ.

"C'mon, Kat." The brunette urged encouragingly, pushing me to recall my past memories. "Don't you remember me?"

I tried my hardest to use my brain power and mind together to piece two and two together to remember at least one small thing about the guy. Obviously he knew me from somewhere to which I completely forgot or carried no memories whatsoever. But he was convinced that he knew me meaning that I did encountered him before our encounter right now. I tried to turn back the clock in my head. From Squad 7, to the days of the Academy, anything in my past that linked to this boy somehow. As I tried to recall, said male waited patiently for me to remember him as I assumed he wasn't going to give up until I remembered. I thought this would take forever since I probably met with him long before I was a genin and it currently wasn't the right time to ask me to recall someone I barely or don't even know at the tipsy state I was in. Nevertheless, I tried my damn hardest just to get this guy to leave me alone and get the hint that he was nothing than a stranger to me. Before I opened my eyes and excused him for playing a trick on me, a lightbulb went off in my head. I snapped my eyes wide open in realization, finally recognizing the boy to which he grinned gratefully.

"So, you finally remembered." He mused proudly, cupping his hands on his hips. "Took you long enough."

I was stunned because this guy who claimed to know who I was and who claimed that I knew him was telling the truth. I knew exactly who he was, which made it even more shocking. It really had been years since I saw him and anything was barely said since it was vague. But now that he was here in front of me in a time and place like this, it seemed as if fate decided to either punish me for drinking as much as I did, or rewarding me for whatever that seemed rewardable.

"Y-You're…" I stuttered lowly, trying to speak without sounding appalled. "Holy s**t!"

Holy s**t indeed. And that's Chapter 21 guys! Sorry for the long wait once again. I had a last minute road trip with a friend and I just came back. Anyways, I really hope you guys like it cause more interesting stuff happens in the next chapter.