Shimura Kyori could happily live with flower analogies for the rest of her years; they never failed at deeply resonating with her. Like her, they were fragile and despite being self-sufficient, an ounce of care was always appreciated. They would bolster and grow whether a storm would hit and serve the purpose of destruction. Like a flower she was feeling invincible, and with the help of her new uniform, radiant too.

"Kyo-baka, breakfast is ready!" Shin called out, earning a very discreet eye roll. "Hurry up, we're starving!"

"Be down in a minute!" the girl responded before bringing her brown eyes onto her reflection.

Kyori craned her head full of velvet curls as she shamelessly admired her buttery brown legs garnished in fishnet, courtesy of her sadistic plum-haired friend. The Shimura had to admit that she looked good in the awful pine colored two piece… it did well to complement both, her deep tone and striking hair color. And the spanks were just as comfortable as the matching zip up. As she continued on with her observation, the rapping on her door went unnoticed as well as the sound of her door opening.

Finally, inside, her intruder blankly stared at her, his coal dark eyes were fixed on her frustrated face as she continued to style her hair. The younger Shimura realized: the tightness in her face indicated that she was frustrated and indecisive about her hair.

"Tampon, leaving your hair alone for a day would suffice." The boy finally made his presence known and he felt more confused when his older sister practically jumped three feet in the air.

"Christ, Sai! Don't sneak up on me!" Kyori barked, clutching at her rapidly beating chest. "You should learn how to knock." She mumbled then removed herself from her pristine vanity and patted down her uniform before fluffing her wild kinks.

"But I did knock." Sai shot back with a subtle frown. "I read in a book that it was customary to knock on closed doors." The pale boy blinked, and though he was rightfully confused he had no knowledge of showing it.

"Alright, so what is it?" Kyori asked, feeling curious as she placed her eyes on his deadpanned expression. "I know you want something, so spill."

"Fine." The pale child uttered, craning his head at her smug grin. "Are you perhaps free Saturday?"

He asked while leaning against the doorway, watching his older sister raise a brow. If Sai knew anything by now, it would be that his big sister had spectacular hunches.

"This must be about having your friends over," Kyori hummed, giving her little brother a knowing smile. "They can come over. Now let's get some breakfast Sai." She told him, laughing at the growling noise his stomach eagerly expressed.

Grabbing her messenger bag, Kyori perched her sneakers onto her shoulder as well and with Sai a few steps in front of her, they wasted no more time heading down for breakfast. The smile that was on her face did not stay for long once she met eyes with her father. Danzo looked as though he she had committed the greatest sin before him though she had the decency not to.

"What in the hell are you wearing?" he questioned with a disapproving scowl. When she opted to weave her way into the seat beside Shin instead of giving him a concise answer, the veteran cleared his throat and his slits narrowed. "Do I have to repeat myself, daughter?"

Kyori refrained from pairing her heavy sigh with an eyeroll before she faced her father. "It's my uniform," she stated, frowning at the strong confusion within his beady hazel eyes. "For drill team papa. Didn't mom tell you?"

"No, she did no such thing." Danzo then turned to face his wife, his trained eyes narrowing a bit when she averted her gaze.

Hizume must have known of his reluctance; just having Kyori at school, away from them for more than several hours made him feel uneasy.

"Which means, you didn't have my approval."

"But I made a commitment under the presumption I had your approval," She pointed out.

"So?" The war hero started with pursed lips.

He would never admit he was impressed with her tone of respect and the elegance in her statement. Nor would he show it… not when he had to make sure she wasn't going to fall down the wrong path.

"What makes this any different from the time you 'joined the team' last time?"

Once the words left her husband's mouth, Hizume head snapped up as she remembered all the lies Kyori fed them. It all came back to her and although it had hurt her, she observed her child with guilt and uncertainty in her eyes.

"I'm sorry sweetie," the gentle woman whispered. "I know you're trying. I do but…"

Kyori frowned at that. Her brunette eyes burned with betrayal as they darted between her parents, singeing them both. She knew that her father had very valid reasons, and her mother was far from wrong to stand by them.

But she desperately wished he'd give her the chance, like her mother has, to thoroughly prove him wrong. Her father, Danzo had no need to worry anymore. She changed and grew from her experiences. All she needed was for him to trust her. To believe she would make the right choices the second time around.

"I promised to do better and be honest, so why can't you just trust me?"

The burgundy haired teen pleaded but all she earned was a steel expression. He couldn't trust her and that pained her. So bad that she couldn't sit here, under their accusing eyes. Kyori moved to push her chair back but was halted once her younger brother held her by the wrist, his hold was strong enough to bolt her there as it was comforting.

"Stay," Shin murmured before flashing a disappointing frown at their parents.

He turned his eyes onto his big sister and nudged her plate towards her when she sat there with her head down.

"If you want, I can talk it out with mom and dad." He offered, but like the instance with her breakfast: she declined.

"It's fine, Shin." Kyori blew out.

Giving her parents one last glance, she forced herself to eat in relative silence while she ignored their mundane chatter.

"This isn't right." Sai finally spoke, his brows furrowed as he contemplated his next string of words.

Hardly had he mind the tension returning to the table as his father gave him a scowl. Meanwhile Kyori sat up, pushing away her plate to give her baby brother her undivided attention.

"Why are you two acting like nothing happened? Realize ignoring the problem solves nothing." Sai chastised his parents before going back to eating.

"Sai's right for once, we need to talk. Come to an agreement or something." Shin smirked with amusement at the exasperated sighs coming from their parents. "All in favor of Kyori having an extra curriculum: thumbs up and if you oppose: thumbs down."

Kyori sucked in a breath, she locked eyes with her father as Sai was responsible for the count down. Though his expression was far from readable, Kyori could see hints of confidence in his beady gaze. She easily expected a thumbs down from him the instant Sai uttered 'one,' but her chocolate eyes were surprised at the turn out. Sai and Shin obviously voted in her favor, but it was her mother, Hizume that had granted her sweet victory.

"Sorry honey, I know how much our daughter wants this and I want to see things through." Hizume gave her husband an apologetic smile before she walked over to the cupboard to retrieve Kyori's medication.

Danzo glared at the smug expressions on the older two of the Shimura siblings' faces. Though he was quite surprised to find they used his very own rules against him. So be it. She could join the team… he just has to beef up on the supervision. He could never allow his daughter, or any of his children to fall into trouble. Never again.

"Someone's in a great mood." Kinoto smoothly noted while pulling into the parking lot. "I'm guessing the boss man hadn't given you a hard time?"

"Oh no, he did. But Shin gave him a taste of his own medicine." Kyori snorted, her father was the personification of a hard time. The man was difficult and so were his children, albeit none were biological.

"Your serious?" The gruff man raised a thick brow.

"Very." She held a grin as she rode through the entrance with the rough looking man at her side.

Today was bound to be eventful if all the staring she accumulated had meant anything. But Kyori welcomed it, sauntering down the hall as if she owned it. Only to stop when she noticed a disheveled head of raven hair to her left. Turning had proven she was right to be presumptuous.

Slapping the lock onto his locker, Shisui turned when he felt eyes on him and faced the peeper with a questioning gaze. But he hardly expected that it would be Kyori there, mirroring his expression.

"Shisui, right?" She asked with an amused snort at the lack of response given.

He just presented a nod. The once blubber mouth was reduced to silence. But how could he say much when his sight was assaulted by her beauty. And so early in the morning?!

The teenage Uchiha felt like his cheeks were scorching because of a fierce blush as he took in her fiery big hair and fish netted legs. Memories of her dancing at tryouts came back to him and he graced her with a smile. She definitely earned her spot in The Hedge. She looked the part too.

"You look amazing in green, thousand times better than Gai-senpai," he joked earning the dismissive roll of her eyes. "And your hair... it's gorgeous," he blurted out while reaching for a single curl.

Kyori was far too flustered to protest, too stunned to do anything by how earnest Shisui was. Did he not know that people would think that he was flirting with her or even worse? She couldn't have that. Before he could grow any closer to invading her personal space, the Shimura smacked his hand away.

"The hell is wrong with you? Don't touch me," She bit out, and immediately he retracted his hand apologizing.

And despite her disdain what he had almost done, the Shimura's cheeks were set ablaze at the sight of his adorable pout. Damn him, though. She supposed she could forgive him for apologizing.

"It looks so soft and big… like a cloud. One day I hope you'll let me touch it," The Uchiha confidently murmured to himself.

And with how perceptive he was, he hadn't missed the troubled glow in her fudge brown eyes. It looked like she was struggling with herself when he raised his hand. But if it was gone seconds after she smacked his hand away.

Kinoto just watched quietly, taunting his charge with one look. Damn them both; she wanted to be abrasive and brush it off, but Shisui was being kind and Kinoto was enjoying this.

"Anyways... everybody looks better than senpai. He just can't take a hint." She smirked at his violent burst of chuckles, stomping down the fluttering in her tummy.

"Very true. So…where are you heading?" He asked once his laughter died down.

Maybe she didn't oppose the idea of them being friends? Like he thought, she would come around soon enough if he showed patience.

"To class. You know, the one you pester me in every morning? That one." Kyori uttered, shooting a look at Kinoto. The man was behind her mad dogging her classmate. "Kinoto can you get my books?"

"Kyori are you sure about that? I can't leave you alone." The man frowned, conflicted with the orders from his charge going against the one belonging to his superior. "Especially not with all these potential threats."

"I can handle myself for a minute or two." The Shimura girl scowled, damn near ready to shoo him off. But Kinoto was a large man who wouldn't budge if she tried. "Kinoto," she growled in warning.

"You're coming with me or we can stand here all day." The man shrugged. "I got time."

"Uh… if you'd like," Shisui started, nervously chuckling when their eyes fell on him. "I could walk her to class?"

Kyori's eyes widened at the statement alone and dubiously she turned her eyes onto her guard. Her father would never approve, but the look Kinoto was giving her said she had a choice.

"Either way is fine by me," he grumbled then gave the young Uchiha a once over with a sly grin. He'd been young once. "That's a very kind offer and to be honest, I'd like some time away from this brat." The man snickered at the annoyance plastered on her face.

"Just go already," Kyori muttered with a dark smirk at the words that had yet to escape her lips. "The tobacco is waiting for you. Off school grounds of course."

"Guilty as charged."

Shisui quietly observed their short-lived banter with a smile, amused by their closeness. They were like brother and sister. Then Kinoto turned to him with a dark glare that had wiped the smile off his dashing face.

"Make sure she's left unscathed or you won't be." The large man threatened, towering over the Uchiha. "Got it pretty boy?"

"Understood sir," Shisui gave him a deep nod, surprising Kinoto with his austerity.

"Let's go Stalker," Kyori called out.

"That's not my name."

"Whatever, Stalker boy." The Shimura flashed a grin.

A frown worked its way onto his lips, but he complied. Kyori hardly cared. Now, she was too focused on the prying eyes of others as they walked side by side. No doubt Shisui could feel their eyes and hear their nastiness too.

"That slut…"

"She takes on to the next one to a whole new level."

"Doesn't he know any better?! She's a dirty whore!"

"Psh. He's just as bad as her."

Okay, so maybe shooing away her muscle was a bad idea. But the Uchiha did well enough to scrap up disgusted glares as they trudged past the onlookers. It was effective, even without instilling god-awful fear like Kinoto purposely has done.

"Are you alright?" He whispered once they were in the safety of their classroom. Orochimaru always allowed early birds as long as they conducted themselves properly. "These people can be pretty hateful and nasty…"

Kyori raised a brow, her confused brown eyes met his concerned onyx stare. "Of course. Don't tell me you care?" She joked.

"Maybe." Shisui blinked, blushing at the insinuation before giving her a light shrug. "Just making sure my best friend is a-okay. Can't have you feeling blue."

"As if," she scoffed. "This is a walk in the park. I won't allow anyone to bring me down."

Besides their words were nothing new. A whore, a slut and any other synonym had not affected her since freshman year and she would remain that way.

"That's some spirit you got there!" Shisui smiled just as the bell rung, he turned to her with a light nudge. "If I had known better, I'd say that's the will of fire," He joked.

This time, Kyori grinned at his side. "Got it from Mayor Sarutobi the second."

The two continued with their dry jokes and were glad to see Kinoto would be joining them at the beginning of class. But all the enjoyment died once she met Fu's unreadable gaze after having a difficult time avoiding it. Whether she knew it or not, he was pissed. Even after he had warned her, Kyori continued to mess around with that Uchiha.

It made Fu sick! If Danzo could see how close they were… how intimate they had looked, he'd have a full-blown aneurism. But here she was, taunting him by throwing herself at Shisui and for what? Was she trying to stir up drama? Fu gritted his teeth and continued to shoot baleful glares at the two.

Meanwhile, Kyori was left to wonder why he was staring at them with raw disdain as her lips settled into a frown. She hadn't spoken to Fu in weeks, and they haven't been on good terms for much longer than that. And though it had hurt her, Kyori couldn't deal with this; all these abrupt moments when he practically, and silently, demanded her attention.

Kyori didn't want to even consider doing anything that led to another confrontation. She respected Fu enough to abide by his wishes, no matter how much hurt and disappointment it brought on her. She missed him…. and maybe he was missing her too, to some degree? They were very close, him, Torune and Risu were her best friends since her mother re-married.

But a part of her had to disagree and rip away at the wishful thinking. If he had missed her, he had a shitty way of showing it. He wouldn't have written her off the minute she walked through those doors. If Fu truly had missed her, he would have visited her at the Shimura Manor as he was always welcomed. He would've been by her side once she had returned home from…there.

'But he hadn't. Even now, he confuses me.'

"Brat, it's not the time to space out. Your teacher's talking." Kinoto announced with a brief tap to her shoulder. Still, she jumped at the sudden jolt back to reality.

"Alright scholars, I have orchestrated a small project." The class groaned at the announcement. "Silence!" Orochimaru hissed.

His projects tended be longer than he'd known. The last time she was under his tutelage, the short projects overlapped, becoming year long and relentless work.

Satisfied with the lack of complaints, Orochimaru continued, "This project will consist of two people per group and you and your partner will have to come to a decision. Will you make a report on primates or reptilians, dicots or monocots and etcetera. The subject has to be appropriate for this class."

Before Kyori could brace herself, Shisui practically snapped his neck to turn to her with a knowing grin. "Want to be partners?"

"Hold that thought." She turned her curious, yet hopeful eyes back on the red headed Yamanaka, who projected a disgusted sneer in their direction.

'The hell is wrong with him? Maybe he is jealous?'

Disbelief struck her, and she turned towards Shisui with an absent nod. All her thoughts consisted of Fu as their lesson proceeded. And while Shisui assisted her in dissecting an earth worm, she truly wished the brain she was picking at belonged to the elusive red head.

'Like it matters now…'

Per usual, the day went by fast as she eagerly welcomed the freedom provided by the lunch break. However, her constant loneliness was being challenged when Anko and a few of the girls decided to join her. And as innocent as it seemed, she was too familiar with the interested gleam brewing in their eyes.

"Hey girlie," Anko greeted her, tossing her tray onto the table.

"What do you want?" she asked, ignoring their giggles as well as the awful pet names Anko typically concocted.

"As straight forward as I remembered," Yugao snickered, sharing a knowing look with Rin. "This should go smoothly." She murmured playfully, causing the burgundy haired Shimura to frown.

"What are you talking about?" Kyori asked with a frown parading on her glossed lips. She then turned her eyes on Anko and the girls who were snickering. "Just tell me already," she huffed.

"You're acting as if you don't know all the speculations being made." Rin smiled at her, but when Kyori continued with her frowning, the brunette shook her head incredulously. "You seriously don't know yet?" she muttered to herself.

"The school is in uproar over you fucking an Uchiha. They're acting like those boys are a part of a rare collection, just because they're loaded, and look like models hand sculpted by Sage Hagoromo himself." Anko ranted with an eye roll, but this confused Kyori even more.

Kyori scoffed. "I would never be seen with an Uchiha ever, Anko. Papa hates them," the Shimura clarified with emphasis on the 'hate.'

As long as she could remember, her father always had the worst things to say about the Uchiha family. And at one point she hadn't understand his viewpoint until she had gotten old enough to see that they were natural enemies. Well, they were business rivals. A dry snort escaped her as she recalled her father practically imploring her to never date one. And 'til this day she has not gone beyond seeing them only in the public eye.

Unfortunately, she was expecting for the girls to take her seriously, but all she was met with was their guffaws.

"Seriously, it's just a rumor. I wouldn't breathe near an Uchiha, let alone have sex with one."

"Never pegged you as a liar, Kyorin," Yugao purred, flicking away strands of her violet hair.

But when she caught sight of Kyori folding her arms over her chest, she knew her anger hadn't come from the play on her name. She was being genuine.

"Anko you should tell her…" she uttered with a ruby coded pout.

"Ugh, you two always make me do the dirty work and I'm tired of it," The sadistic girl huffed under her breath. Rolling her eyes, she turned to the Shimura and darted her eyes to past her, to Shisui. "That boy you were talking to this morning, what do you think about him?"

Kyori frowned at the question, wondering if Anko thought her IQ was in the single digits. After having many boy talks with Anko in the past, she knew not to say anything flattering. Anko always had a horrible tendency to relay unwanted, and exaggerated messages.

"I don't think of him, Anko. Why are you asking me th— oh…"

"Yep." Yugao grinned at her awkwardly.

"Okay, so you guys are cute together!" Rin argued with a dream-like gaze, but it was horribly ruined by Kyori's grimacing face. "Nothing's wrong with it."

"Who are you kidding Rin, it's wrong in every way!" she shot back, making the girls snicker. "Papa would put me in a grave and bring me back from the depths of hell, if I ever had the nerve. We are merely acquaintances."

"Like that matters. The entire school is 'shipping' you two, more or less." Kinoto finally spoke up, though he was feeling slightly disappointed at the news. "Even I was 'shipping' you two…" he grumbled.

He couldn't find it in him to glare at the laughing girls. He was using the slang appropriately, right?

"So you guys aren't an actual thing? Because it looked like a lot of flirting happened this morning." Yugao mused with a catty grin. "You can't deny that."

"Can too," Anko shot back after nibbling on her lightly salted chips. "Girlie here doesn't know how to flirt without liquid courage. But… it looked like he was going to kiss her." She defending her burgundy haired friend, only to retract her statement.

Kyori couldn't help the scoff that left her lips.

Anko frowned, dropping a chip. "What? I said something wrong?"

"Obviously because you don't know what you're talking about." The Shimura rolled her eyes.

She couldn't help bringing them on Shisui and frowning. There goes her potential friend, best friend in his words. Ha, so much for her seriously taking Inoichi's advise. If only he wasn't an Uchiha, they possibly could've had a great friendship. She thought he was rather entertaining.

"We weren't flirting nor were we about to kiss." Kyori crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sucks because, there's chemistry there and a double date at the Uchiha estate would've been kinda nice." Rin puffed her cheeks when Kyori shot her an evil look. "I'm just being transparent. I ship it," she shamelessly uttered with a shrug.

"If I didn't love my job, I'd ship it too…" The gruff man muttered, gaining looks from the teenage girls.

To combat this, he turned away and spooned up some Jell-O from Kyori's plate, stuffing his mouth entirely until they turned to continue their conversation.

"I don't know you guys, seems like they're just friends." Anko shrugged. Turning her eyes on Kyori she raised a playful brow and nudged her. "Just be careful. That boy got more than a silver spoon. I heard he could tongue the panties off of a nun!" she cracked a grin at the disgusted look her friends gave her.

But a full-blown laugh escaped her at sight of Kinoto dubiously staring at the raven-haired boy.

"Too much information?"

"You think," Kinoto scoffed, still scrutinizing Shisui from afar.

"This is a girl talk you can go if you like, Kinoto. I'm sure they're far from done with spouting nonsense." Kyori assured him with a tortured smile, but the man only moved a foot away from the gossiping girls.

No doubt he could shamelessly ear hustle from where he stood. She would just sit here and brush it all off, there was no way that she would give Kinoto the ammunition to make her wish the floor would swallow her entirely. But then she caught something, in the middle of her sipping her sprite.

"Come to think of it… I think he had a thing for you freshman year too." Anko turned to her after licking the lid to her chocolate pudding. "I caught him staring at you in homeroom too many times for it to be a coincidence."

Rin and Yugao giggled at that, then found no point in withholding their own speculations. But Kyori did her best to shrug off the shock, and it was quite easy enough. She couldn't find the messy pudding eater credible enough, so she leaned her head onto her free palm, rolling her eyes.

"Sure, he did." She snorted sardonically.

"Maybe he's worked up the nerve to finally pursue Kyorin after crushing on her for so long?" Yugao shrugged, turning her inky eyes onto the beaming Uchiha. "As long as I could remember he had always been popular with the ladies but has never dated after that one girl, bless her soul."

"Maybe he's a private person when it comes to dating or he might be into guys now?" the Shimura shrugged when her friends dryly laughed at her suggestions. "What he looks like the type, no?"

"I maybe, but he doesn't seem like the shy type. Everyone knew of his flings." Yugao muttered, shifting her eyes to the boy in question. "Every girl he's slept with has had it bad too."

"That doesn't sound like Shisui-kun at all, though. He's not a total sleaze!" Rin frowned softly at Yugao, then turned to Kyori. "From what Anko said, we can presume that he finds you attractive. And if Yugao's right, maybe he's at least open to pursuing you now that you're back, and he's confident after gaining experience?"

"Or you're all being just as delusional as the rest of the school?" Kyori added and soon the bell rung.

"And she's saved by the bell." Anko kissed her teeth fully enthralled with the debate but had removed herself from the circular table. "Anyways…we'll see you at practice."

Kyori had to admit, whether they were right about any of the things they said, she felt kind of bad. Never had she noticed Shisui, ever. And a part of her just couldn't believe it. For one, the boy was amiable enough for popularity and being in some sort of mutual friend group with her. And two, he had hardly seemed shy about anything. Shisui gave her the impression that he was an open book, and if he liked someone, he would make it known, sensibly or not.

But he has flattered her multiple times. If the Uchiha was interested, that would explain Fu's animosity as well. So… were Shisui's intentions with her pure or not? Just what did he want? Kyori paused in front of the girls' locker room, shaking the thought away. Now was not the time to question anything.

Still, she could not get over the fact that she hadn't recognize him after sharing homeroom for nearly three years. Maybe her friends were right about one thing. She was too occupied with Fu and the others to see if he or anyone else was remotely interested in forming a anything with her. Even if he did like her, she wouldn't reciprocate his feeling. Especially, if she thought of the underlying consequences that would follow.

Ahhh, it was so fun writing for Anko and Yugao. I wish they actually interracted in the Anime/Manga. I hope they weren't too OOC, then again I hope I didn't write any character in an OOC fashion, but I might have to... Anyways, the BROTP aspect of this ship is getting trampled over and ShiKyo is getting acknowledged in this story (on accident! I swear it~).

Kyori: That's because Shisui's written as a grubby flirt.

Shisui:... Facts.

Yeah, well, I get my inspo from HCs...sue me.

Anyways, smh how will Kyori settle things with Shisui now that she knows of his lineage?

Will she kick him to the curve, or stick it out 'til the end?

To find out next time, be sure to book it, favorite it, or keep it in your history.

updated 7/25