THE PAST

Nori observed from the edge of the cup of tea she drank her sister thriving in her natural habitat as a party host surrounded by a group of Academy girls, her cheeks burning red with compliments while Nohara-san patted her on the back.

Someone said something next to Nori, but she got distracted watching Might Guy running into the Nohara's restroom to throw up after having eaten a whole tray of the day she visited the memorial, Nori hadn't skipped training with her team anymore, and as insufferable as he could be, after weeks of training together Guy wassomewhatgrowing on Nori. Likea pet that does existence made Nori's, in her worst days, feel less miserable. She could always count on his nonsense to turn a bad day for the better. Now was the perfect example.

"What did you say?" Nori turned to Obito standing next to her with a cup of his own. He looked troubled as if he didn't have the courage to meet her eyes.

"I said, you look as if..."

"Asif?"

"As if you didn't like the surprise. This party."

This party...Nori rubbed her forehead.

"You think I'm not enjoyingthisparty,Goggles?" She tilted her head and tapped her fingers on his forehead. Obito nodded a tiny bit more courageous, ignoring the rude nickname, and rubbing the sore spot.

What's there not to like...

"Why, even your sensei's here." She said turning towards the couple where the fearsome Yellow Flash of Konoha was currently being mouthfed by a redheaded woman. She sighed shaking her head, watching a personal hero fall from grace in presence of his partner.

"Of course, theantisocial onewould never come..." She spat up to the air.

"Kakashi?"

"Hn."

"Don't take it personal. He's always-"

"I don't care." Nori waved her hand around. Nori turned her attention again on Obito. "Who else but her friends would come tomyparty, anyway?"Indeed, Nori didn't know half the people in that place and they hadn't even tried to get closer to her since they arrived... Nori never assisted the Academy, but of course that wasn't the reason. Even more, whenever they looked her way, Nori huffed and looked away.

Obito irked a brow feeling there was more to it. Under his insistent gaze, she pursed her lips.

"It's parties, in general. " Nori muttered, looking towards her adoptive family and genin team: the quiet Genma, the enigmatic Guy and her sensei, Choza Akimichi, currently eating a fish on a stick. A dinner with a restricted guest list would've been , no celebration at all would've been perfect.

"Buteveryonelikes parties!" Obito said as if there was something seriously wrong with her.

"Where I come from..." she said touching the red marks on her right same could be found on her left cheek: the marks of the nomadic Yubokumin clan, more specifically, the Yubo-nin. Every morning she would put them back on her face with red tint and a brush, just as she had been taught to do as a child.

"...everyday seemed like a party." She paused with a frown on her face, before she rubbed her forehead. "Or at least... that's what I remember."

"Where was it?" He leaned with interest and she straightened up. Of course he would be interested.

"Everywhere and anywhere." Nori said her chest filling up with pride, before it deflated like a balloon, remembering she wasn't supposed to speak of it. She looked around, wondering if those people with the animal masks under the Third where still around. "It doesn't matter now."

Obito nodded once at her. He had heard his uncles say he shouldn't go around asking questions to the nomad girl, but this had nothing to do with it. He simply didn't want to pry if she wasn't comfortable, and somehow she sensed that. With that simple gesture Nori thought thatperhapsshe could grow to like Obito as a friend.

Maybe.

"Nori-chan." Rin walked up to them. "Come now, it is time to cut the cake." She smiled with her hands together.

Nori stood in the middle of the garden with bubbles in her stomach. Rin threw her arms around her and Nori allowed herself to bury her face on her sister's shoulder, wishing there was no party assistants for them to see them and she could simply stay in that position. Forever.

Because Rin's hugs and the Nohara household were her fourth and fifth favorite places in Konoha, respectively, she had learned.

Rin pulled away but kept her hands on her shoulders as they waited for Papa to bring out the cake, while the small crowd of children gathered closer to them.

"Are you enjoying your party?"

"Hn." Nori nodded once.

Contrary to what she had just told Obito, in a very deep and hidden part of her soul, Nori feltgoodhaving people coming together, eating together, having fun togetherbecause of her. Nori felt her cheeks grow red.

"Thank you... Rin. No one told you to do this-" She meant to bow, but Rin stopped her.

"Nori-chan, itisyour birthday." For Rin, there was nothing to be grateful for. "Actually, I worried this wouldn't be enough..." She slouched looking down at her hands, before grabbing the red bracelet on her saw her face change watching at it, softening, as Nori's own eyes did watching at the little memento. Rin looked up decisively and nodded at her.

"Let's do this." She smiled before turning around and cupping her hands around her mouth. "Everyone's attention here, please?" One by one the party assistants turned to look their way. "Welcome everyone and thank you so much for your presence" She giggled nervously, "coming to Nori Nohara's birthday celebration."The crowd clapped and Nori's cheeks burned redder when she felt Nohara-san's hand on her back and saw Papa with a cake on his hands.

It had been a while since Nori had felt this sentiment, because perhaps she had been previously wrong when talking to Obito and the word wasn't a place but a sentiment:Home.

"As you know, Nori-chan wasn't born in Konoha like the rest of us... But I met her and Airi Okaasan the day they arrived. Just as they arrived, in fact."

Nori's chest tightened at the mention of her mother and felt Nohara-san's hand on her shoulder growing stronger with reassurance. Papa smiled at her.

"They came into the village around four-five years ago carrying a case and this bracelet you see in my wrist today." Rin raised her arm for everyone to see while Nori balanced on her feet from side to side.

"They came in search of a new start. As for me, I gained a best friend that day... She can be very stubborn and possesses a sense of humor not everyone gets but... she's also courageous and bold, and that's something I've always admired of her, even after Airi Okaasan's passing..." Rin squeezed her eyes shut and tightened her fists, "I'm so very proud, to call her my sister."Rin's voice was heard through the room with emotion and when the girl looked down at Nori her eyes were filled with unshed tears. She grabbed a cup and raised it.

"Happy birthday, Nori-chan. Thank you for letting me be your onee-san!" Rin bowed at her and everyone cheered at her beautiful looked from parent to parent and after the girl choked her in a hug, looking over her shoulder, Nori pursed her lips on a smile, while her eyes scanned every guest, looking back at the wonderful Rin, probably thinking how actually lucky Nori was on having her as a sister.

It took them a while for people to stop congratulating Rin on hertouching words, so they could cut the cake. During the whole duration of the birthday song, Nori kept her pursed smile while internally a feeling that would have looked green if visible grew the longer she stared atonee-san.

A hot summer arrived at Konoha and free from any duties just in time for the Summer Solstice Festival, Rin and Nori spent the day traveling through food stands and eating cold delicacies while they told each other on their previous missions, growing more demanding as the war continued to brew behind the village walls. Even in Nori's child mind the idea of a festival in the middle of the war seemed ludicrous, but these were the days she would reminisce of with fondness on a future day.

"Oh, such a pretty pair of kunoichis!" An old lady at a stand cried at the sight of the two of them, dressed in the same fashion and clenched to one another by the arm. "Take this Rin, here and here, a jasmime bun for you and your little friend! Keep enjoying the festival!"

Sister. Nori corrected inside her mind.

The woman's eyes disappeared in a wrinkly smile after rushing them away from her stand. Rin walked away with excitement at the second free treat of the day, but Nori made sure to take a parting look at the old lady over her shoulder, who now glowered at Nori's back muttering something to herself.

"See?" Rin caught her attention back. "You shouldn't have given Mama such a hard time for dressing us the same way. Itdoeshave its perks!"

"I suppose." Nori hesitated.

"Maybe we should just keep on dressing the same from now on!" Rin giggled with a wide grin.

"Yeah. Maybe not."

Rin laughed aloud before she rushed towards an empty wooden bench. Nori rushing after her, doing a quick scan of her surroundings, before joining her.

"Here, you can take this." Rin told her as the pastry's parting came uneven. Nori got the larger piece.

"Thanks." Nori stared at the bun in her hands, before taking a mouthful. She closed her eyes as the jasmine flavor in her tastebuds sent a signal to her brain on how delicious it was. "Mmm!" She opened her eyes and smiled, her eyes shining with stars.

"You like it?"

Nori nodded eagerly and Rin cut her halve in halves again, offering her a quarter of the original bun.

"Now, you were talking about Minato sensei..." Nori said with her mouth full for a second time.

"Oh, that's right... As I said, we were standing in the middle of a meadow, surrounded by the enemy invisible to our eyes."Nori leaned her way and nodded, eyes wide with interest. Those days, no one told her better stories than Rin. Perhaps, only Obito (not that she would ever admit she actually listened to him)."Kakashi could only tell their numbers by the sound of their breathing-and well, it was hardly 3 against 2 dozen ninjas-"

"And then, what?" Nori grunted.

"Obito wanted to strike first, but Kakashi said "no", and in the midst of their little quarrel the first kunai landed in between our formation-"Nori gasped, taking another bite."But that's what sensei needed to find their location and figure out the enemy's formation. He took them all out in less than... Why, it wasn't even a minute!"

"Wow." Nori ate her last piece of cake. "You are so lucky to be on his team. Minato sensei's."

"Yeah... he is amazing." Rin raised her fist in the air with decision. "We have learned so much from him. I have no doubt he will be a great Hokage someday-"

"Hokage?"

"He has never openly said it, but it's obvious, isn't it? He is the best candidate out there and I've heard the Third Hokage hasn't retired yet only because of the war."

"Yes," Nori frowned remembering the man that kept calling her to his office to talk. "he's old."

"Nori-chan!"

"He is." Nori shrugged. "Isn't he?"

"I'm not replying to that statement-"

"Come on-"

"It's rude!"

"So, is lying. Oh, come on-" Rin jumped from her seat and ran away in laughter, thus the girls got into an escape and catch routine until they grew tired of doing so in their traditional shoes. They sat on a second bench, in time to see the lantern balloons going up in the night sky.

"Sensei is great. But I dream of being like Tsunade-sama-"

"I know. You have said it before: becoming an iryo-nin like your Mother and Papa and Tsunade-sama... Is there any other dream of yours we could talk about? This one's getting old."

Rin giggled about her borish tone but then seemed to get caught in a personal thought of hers that did not go unperceived by Nori.

"Rin?" Rin's face turned red like a tomato while her index fingers came together. "Rin?" Nori tilted her head, now with older girl opened her mouth about to confess, then backtracked. Nori found her own open mouth filled with Rin's last piece of sun cake, before the girl got barefoot and ran away.

"Later!" Rin giggled over her shoulder before disappearing.

Nori delighted on the jasmine cake in her mouth sitting on that bench, swinging her legs beneath her, with a pensive frown on her face.Latermeantneverfor Nori and her mind was already planning a hundred thousand strategies to make Rin blurt the secret. Perhaps she'd need to resort to torture.

Laterwould literally mean that same night, sitting beneath a tent made out of a sheet with a festival lantern to illuminate its insides.

The event had come to an end hours ago, and Rin and Nori had returned to their dormitory, their steps heavy with exhaustion from the day's festivities. They didn't go straight to bed, though. Nori carried a festival lantern she had grabbed from the streets and using the byobu in their room, a chair, and a blanket they made the illuminated tent.

They sat side by side in the dimly lit room, talking about everything and anything 10-year-olds talk about. As the night progressed, their eyes grew tired, Nori yawned and raised to begin dismantling their tent. Rin grabbed her hand and broke the silence.

"Nori-chan."

Nori turned her head towards Rin, her eyes half-closed as she acknowledged her voice with a slight nod. Rin, shifting over her sleeping mat, seemed to hesitate for a moment before she spoke again.

"Mind if I we sleep in here tonight?"

Nori's eyes opened her expression curious.

"Sure. But why?"

Rin shuffled her sleeping mat, the movement of the fabric barely making a sound. "Just... because."

Nori's lips curved into a small smile.

"Afraid of the yokai sneaking up on you in the middle of the night?"

Rin chuckled softly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

"More like wanting to talk without waking up Mama and Papa."

Nori's face was blank as she said:

"You know, I think the yokai are actually afraid of you. You're the one who talks to them in the middle of the night when they just what to sleep."

Rin laughed, her laughter warm and genuine.

"You're probably right. I do tend to chatter when I can't sleep." Once Rin had settled her sleeping mat closer to Nori's, she looked at her with a mixture of nervousness and determination.

"It is fine." Nori yawned. "I don't mind-"

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you." Rin interrupted.

Nori's attention sharpened, her eyes fixed on Rin and tilted her head, waiting for her to continue. Rin took a deep breath, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeping bag and then she leaned to whisper:

"I think I'm in love."

It felt like someone had pulled the mat beneath her in a swift motion, leaving her falling on her back staring at a green sky with fish and gillyweed instead of birds and clouds. When Nori broke out of the haze, she was still sitting on a tent next to Rin, a face of horror framing her feature.

"What do you mean by that?" She blinked once. "You mean it as...as-as-as-as-as-as-as-as"

"Oh no!" Rin brought her hands to her mouth. "I broke Nori-chan! Forget I said anything! Forget I ever mentioned a thing-"

That wasn't going to happen. Not in Nori's watch.

"What do you mean byin love?"

Rin's eyebrows raised slightly, her expression intrigued.

"The way Mama and Papa love each other, of course."

The way of husbands and wives. Nori nodded slowly her cheeks a faint shade of pink, her body trembling with a strange rush as kids do when they speak of something they shouldn't talk about.

"You want to marry someone?"

"No! I mean..." Nori's eyes bugged at the hesitation of Rin. "Not right now... But eventually we will, Nori-chan... both of us."

Her own biological parents came to Nori's mind. They were supposed to be a happy couple, and yet she'd seen her mother die alone, leaving an orphan child behind. Indeed, not in Nori's watch.

"Who is it?" Nori narrowed her eyes.

"Nori-chan..."

"Who is it, Rin?" Her knuckles whitened over the mattress.

"Uh..." For the first time, Rin looked concerned of sharing something with her.

That was just the icing of the cake. Nori knew what happened when you married. You left your parent's house, you went to leave on your own with your husband. Your life changed completely. What would ever happenedifRin married? Would she hesitate to share her stories with her as she did now? Would she keep secrets from her as she had apparently kept this secret until now? Would she leave and leave her behind?

"Yeah. Uh... itissomeone we know."

"Who?" Nori's frown and curiosity deepened.

Rin hesitated, her gaze averted for a moment before meeting Nori's eyes.

"It's Kakashi." It was a whisper, so low, almost lost in the blinked.

"Kakashi? Kakashi Hatake... Kakashi, your... teammate?"

Rin nodded, her embarrassment mixing with a hint of excitement.

"Yes. I know it sounds strange..." Nori's analytical mind was processing the confession, but her quietness allowed Rin to continue without interruption. "I've never told you about this before," Rin admitted with a soft sigh. "I guess I didn't really understand my feelings until recently... Love is a complicated thing, you see?" Rin continued, startling Nori with her words, making her fume.

Love. What did either of them know aboutlove?

Rin met Nori's gaze, gratitude and vulnerability in her eyes.

"I just wanted to tell you, Nori-chan. Because I trust you."

"ButKakashi Hatake?!" Nori whined extending her hands in front of her, before Rin covered her mouth from waking up their parents.

That boy was the worst part of this nightmare of Rin wishing to,eventually, marry someone.

Rin's shoulders relaxed, a visible tension easing from her frame. She nodded. They fell into an uncomfortable silence, the room bathed in the soft glow of the lantern. Nori's quiet presence a steady anchor while a storm of feelings ravaged inside of the youngest one.

Out of all the silly boys they knew... Obito! Nori would've preferred Obito!Kakashi Hatake was theworst. Only because he wasn't silly. He was apparently incredibly smart, a prodigy shinobi, they said he was strict and responsible... and going down the list Nori could see why Rin would like someone like he was also mean-spirited, a lonesome figure, always with an arrogant aura surrounding him. Worst of all, they couldn't even see his face! How could anyone love someone whose face they cannot see?! Someone whose face one cannot trust?

Nori finally spoke, her voice detached:

"I don't like this, Rin."

Rin laughed softly, a genuine sound that echoed in the room.

"I guess I never expected you to understand it right away."Nori's frown softened and she shook her head, a strange itch appearing in her nose.

"I don't like him, Rin." She continued shaking her head, as she turned her back and laid down. She felt Rin slowly coming into her own mat, they laid side by side, bathed in the lantern's gentle glow, but no other word was said that night.

In their own ways, they found a semblance of understanding, but Nori's own discomfort remained hidden in the shadows of the lantern-lit room.

After Rin's confession, Nori grew suspicious on the whole existence of Kakashi Hatake. Villagers called her a demon, but surely he had to be one in disguise if he had Rin in a lovestruck spell.

Nori had wondered about that mask since the first times she saw him around the village, but other than that she tended to ignore Rin's teamate, preferring Obito's company. Obito didn't stare at her like she was a dead bug in the sole of his she knew about the boy was that, according to Obito, he was a pretentious and arrogant prodigy, an orphan like herself, and that her own teammate, Might Guy, had an rivalry obsession with.

Whatever rivalry meant.

Kakashi Hatake, the only chunin student of the Yellow Flash. That was enough even for the hardly impressionable Nori.

"I don't understand." She found herself blurting out, sitting at the dining table with the Noharas while Rin was out in some mission for the week.

"What is it you don't understand, dear?" Nohara-san asked with a sweet smile, eating from her pot of rice.

"Love."

Papa almost choked with his food.

"You mean,loveas in-"

"As in..." Nohara-san looked from her to Papa with concern.

"How could anyone love someone they cannot see? How can you?" Nori repeated.

Papa cleared his throat.

"Well, Nori, you see.. when a boy likes a girl and a girl likes a boy-"

"Yukihiro." Nohara-san startled the man, whom she rarely called by his name and instead referred to asPapain front of the girls. She slightly shook her head at him. Nohara-san then turned to Nori and smiled. "We are not talking about this for now, Nori. Let us wait until Rin gets back from her travels, hn?"

Papa nervously toyed with his reading glasses, while Nori nodded they finished eating and thanked for the food, she stood up and marched out of the kitchen table without another word, ignoring the vivid whispers of her parents behind her back, talking to one another.

Momentarily forgetting about the topic of love, Nori sighed heads-down towards her bedroom, feeling the palpable absence of her eyes diverted towards the pictures on the walls of a younger Rin learning to walk, throw kunais, cartwheeling... Nori looked around the shared bedroom, hazel eyes catching sight of her own semi-empty space on one side and Rin's collection of traditional paper masks in the opposite side, hanged on the walls. Their spaces couldn't be more meaningful, Rin's full of color, life and memories, Nori's an empty canvas.

She sighed going to the the desk in which Rin had left a mask in the near process to be finished. Nori toyed with it in her hands, staring at the intricate adorns of painting she could never manage and the added details that made it look three-dimensional.

The mask ripped in two under her hands. An accident, she would later say, and carefully placed it where it had could always make a new mask. She was obsessed with masks...

Could that be the reason behind her liking of the boy in one?Her thoughts on him returned to her, even if her sister hadn't yet from her mission, and in her absence the only other person she considered a somewhat friend and could very well interrogate about on him came to mind: Might Guy.

The next day since very early in the morning, Nori was out in the streets of Konoha searching for Guy, but only found her other teammate, Genma, with whom she had never had a conversation out of training and missions.

The boy was too quiet and awkward for Nori to take interest, just as Guy had been too loud and explosive for her to take the first step. He was coming out of a restaurant with a man who seemed to be his father. They looked very much alike, however, where the boy carried a senbon between his lips, the man carried a cigarette.

"Hello." Nori said uninterested in making more conversation, before making a bow directed towards the adult man. She had to rethink her strategy of finding the self-proclaimedGreen Beast. "I am looking for Guy. Have you seen him?"

"No." Genma answered in the same curt way, while his father remained quiet observing the two of them. The two kids fell into a silent moment and then the man smacked the boy on the back of the head. Nori flinched. "Ouch! Sorry, yeah! Do you need help to find him?" His father nodded approvingly, crossing his arms.

"Er..." Concerned that the man might bump her in the head too, she quickly replied: "YespleaseI'dappreciatethat."

"Okay." Genma groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I'll see you at home, Dad."

"Yeh." The man winked at him, making the boy's cheeks go red.

"Let's go." Genma pulled her away by her sleeve.

"What was that?" She asked once they were far enough away.

"Ignore him. My dad is a clown... Now, talking about clowns, let's find the greatest of them."

She didn't mention anything else on his father's topic wishing to avoid inquiries on her own family, and so the two kids searched for hours around the city and the training fields with no success, until it was time for lunch for which they made a quick stop at Ichiraku's for a bowl of ramen.

During their search they didn't speak much other than what was necessary and somehow it was comfortable, however being at a restaurant eating together required some obligatory social skills and the two of them seemed to silently agree on this.

"So-" "So-"They both closed their mouths. Nori pointed at him, directing him to go first but Genma looked around in terror and shook his hands.

"Ladies first." He said through uncomfortable gritted teeth.

"What was that before with your dad?" She had contained it for too boy sighed heavily.

"I feared you would ask that... He was a total player in his chunin days, you see, and with the upcoming exams-"

Oh, that's right. Nori had nearly forgotten about those chunin exams.

"He's concerned that that unless I work on my lady skills as much as I do my ninjutsu, I will remain a bachelor forever."Nori sweat-dropped but Genma shrugged, while Ichiraku-san placed both of their ramen bowls in front of them.

"What about you? Why are you looking for Guy on our one free day?" He asked staring by the corner of his eye and playing with his food.

"I wanted to ask him about Kakashi Hatake." She said snapping her chopsticks apart with a decisive look on her face. Genma froze midway to eat his first bite.

"What business do you have with Kakashi?"She grimaced reaching for salt and sprinkling what Genma probably considered lots of it into her ramen, by the sight of his face.

"I just heard some nonsense about him... If anyone knows of him is Guy. In any case, are you eating that narutomaki?"

"Nah-"

The two children finished their ramen and continued their search. By the time they found Guy on top of the rock mountain Genma had to head back home for was perfect, Nori would be able to interrogate Guy on the silver haired chunin in private. However, Nori soon realized the information she received about Kakashi was more valuable than she could have ever imagined.

THE PRESENT

"Kakashi?" Nori called out as she hurried to catch up with him. The man was walking a few paces ahead, his face still buried in the same book he had been reading earlier. He paused upon hearing his name and turned to look back at her, appearing oblivious to her presence. "Kakashi." She gasped, finally reaching him. She looked at him, blinking repeatedly, before frowning with realization. "It is you. "

It was hard to believe she wasactuallyback in Konoha. She never expected that it would be the sight of him, after all these years, that would bring her crashing back to the reality of her situation.

She stood there, momentarily speechless as she took in his image.

Perhaps it was that her strongest memories on Konoha, both good and bad, had been for a long time guarded inside her mind with the image of the boy imbedded in them. It was Kakashi Hatake, no longer the boy she remembered. Foreign, yet familiar.

Her memories took her back to pijama parties and talking late at night, whispering about the boy, it took her back to missions and quarrels, thoughts and decisions, planning, backtracking, connecting, losing, leaving... How could a person hold so much power in one's memories?

Yet, Nori realized the awkwardness in the air.

"Eh?" Kakashi looked genuinely puzzled, which only added to her confusion.

"Uh-" She frowned, placing her hand over her chest. "It's me..." She tried to smile. Her voice wavered as she spoke, a mixture of hope and anxiety coursing through waited for a response, but Kakashi continued to gaze at her with an enigmatic expression, analyzing her features up and down and then back up."It's Nori." she said slowly.

"Nori Nohara," Kakashi stated matter-of-factly, as if it should be obvious.

The way he said it didn't matter to her; hearing her name from him was a strange relief. It was as if his acknowledgment confirmed her existence. Her memories, the people in them, the events that unfolded, they had all been real. The past twelve years had really happened, and she had traveled far from all of that.

For the first time, since she arrived at Konoha, she found herself genuinely smiling. Surprising, how nice it could feel to hear Kakashi say her name. She had never anticipated that.

"Thank you for remembering," she said, her smile growing feeling touched as she spoke. " You... haven't changed much." She offered amicably. "How have you-?"

"Is there something you need help with?" Kakashi's tone was friendly, but leaving Nori without words. "Directions, perhaps? As you've probably noticed, a lot has changed here since your absence. Also, there's an ongoing threat-"

"I just..." She interrupted him, feeling embarrassed by her initial approach. "wanted to say hi." Her cheeks flushed, and she explained herself, stumbling over her words. Kakashi's attention was clearly on village affairs, and here she was, thinking about personal silly matters.

What had she expected in return? Kakashi and she had never been friends exactly. Did she anticipate an exuberant welcome like the one Guy had given her? In a sudden rush, she was back to being a naive child, facing the cold, judgmental gaze of a boy she once knew. But hadn't she thought that at least by the end...

"Did you..." She began, feeling foolish all of a sudden, pointing back towards the hospital. "Back there, did you purposely-?"

He raised an eyebrow, leaving her hanging in anticipation. Nori dropped her hand and huffed softly, the entire situation finally dawning on her. She inwardly cursed herself for not understanding eyes turned cold as she looked up to meet his face.

"You really haven't changed much, huh?" She grimaced as if she'd swallowed something sour. "You-" She couldn't find the words, but she wasn't about to let him see her flustered. She had grown up, she had matured, she was different, she had-

"You haven't either." Kakashi's shrug and the tone in his words hit her unexpectedly, and it stung. "Notonebit." He emphasized nonchalantly. "Except, maybe..." His eye twinkled with a teasing smile. "Did you grow your hair or something?"

Nori bit her lips forcefully, with pent-up frustration. She turned on her heels abruptly, marching back towards the hospital with a determined was her punishment for leaving her , just maybe, she had hoped for a moment of understanding, of recognition that she had come a long way since the days they knew each other. And yet, in that moment, it felt like nothing had changed at all.

Back in Sasuke's room, Sakura quickly moved away from the window, not wanting to be caught spying on the woman and sensei. Even though a part of her wished she could have eavesdropped on their conversation, she knew it wasn't the right thing to do.

The woman reentered the room, her frustration evident as she slumped into a chair by the bed. Under her breath, she grumbled and bickered.

"Uh, hello!" Sakura greeted the woman, whose head snapped in her direction, startling Sakura for a moment before she realized the lady was equally woman closed her eyes briefly and scratched her head.

"I was lost in thought. Um-" She seemed to be trying to be polite, despite her evident unease. "Hello there."Sakura glanced at her with curiosity.

"I don't think I've seen you around before," she remarked. "You're not from here, are you?"The woman then gestured towards the unconscious boy on the bed.

"Are you here for him? Do you know Sasuke?" The woman's initial frown softened. "Are you a friend of his?" She inquired, and Sakura nodded in affirmation. "Then I suppose you're a friend of mine," the woman said, her expression still troubled. Sakura took this as a sign that the woman was trying to be friendly.

"Are you also a friend of my sensei?" Sakura asked, wanting to gauge the woman's relationship with Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei," she clarified. "He's Sasuke's and my... and Naruto's as well."The woman's demeanor shifted briefly, a hint of tension in her features.

"Of course he is. Of course he had to be..."Her tone suggested some kind of tension between her and Kakashi. Sakura couldn't help but infer that the two weren't friends.

The woman met her gaze again, her hazel eyes seeming to soften and melt the longer she looked at Sakura. Sakura found it odd how she could sense such subtleties in a person's expression she just met.

"What's your name?" the woman asked Sakura, her gaze unwavering.

"I'm Sakura," the young kunoichi replied, still feeling a mix of uncertainty and curiosity about her. As if sensing Sakura's hesitation, the woman reassured her.

"There's no need for you to be afraid, Sakura." She stood up abruptly, as if reaffirming her purpose. "I'm here to protect Sasuke, under the orders of the Third Hokage. I came from a very far away place for this sole purpose." She seemed to say this as much to Sakura as to herself, her gaze holding a hint of conviction. "But since you're his friend, why don't you tell me more about him?" Her eyes flickered down. "Did you bring those flowers for him?" Her attention shifted to the bouquet Sakura had felt herself relaxing a bit in response to the woman's reassurances.

"Yes," she replied, her voice a mixture of pride and affection. "I did. I came to see him and another friend-"But the woman didn't seem to be listening anymore. She looked back at Sakura.

"Wait- Did you just say... Naruto?"

THE PAST

Nori was on her way to the training field to prepare for her upcoming chunin exams, wishing she had stayed in bed until the sun finally came out. Choza sensei wasn't the only one with a plan of working at sunrise to prepare his students, she had heard from Rin that Minato sensei had also ordered them so, and Nori had heard from Genma who had heard from Ebisu that Inoichi sensei had also summoned his genin students, inviting him to replace Asuma, already a chunin.

Rin and Nori were meant to get to the training camp together, but lately Rin took longer to get ready before leaving the house and Nori had left her behind, concerned with Might Guy's fury on her tardiness. And, byfuryshe meanteffusiveness.

Nori sighed in defeat on the fact that because of being too sleepy she had forgotten her bento lunch at home and would probably starve for the rest of the day, when abody fell right in front of her. A silver haired chunin raised from knelt position and glared at her.

"What is it with you asking around about me and my father?" Kakashi Hatake spat.

She frowned at his sudden appearance.

"Eh?" He didn't seem eager to repeat himself. "Oh..." She realized what had happened: Guy must have told him about the little questioning session she tried on him weeks before.

How could she put it in a simple, safe way?

Nori gasped and pointed away.

"Would you look at that? I think I just caught sight of my path of life!" She looked back at him, "I better run before it disappears again-"

She tried to walk around him, but the quick boy stepped in blocking her path, not taking any of her bluff. She grimaced down at her feet and then up at his half-hidden face, annoyed by his height. She didn't remember the boy being this tall when she first met him. Even if he towered over her, she stood straight.

"What do you want?" She gritted.

"Why are you going around asking about my father?" He repeated, marking his licked her lips and balanced from side to side, growing uncomfortable with his staring, specially because for once, she was being accused of something that was true. She searched around on the ground for an answer.

"I-I was curious. I was curious!" She insisted. "My family were renown whisperers about ninjas of legend. Even if I don't remember much, I do remember my bedtime stories. I didn't know you were the son of the honorable White Fang!" She looked up to see his eyes narrow at the last part. "I swear I wasn't trying to pry."

Even is she had ended up doing so. The answer didn't come from Guy. It actually did from the Third himself, during their last meeting at the Hokage Tower. Knowing Kakashi's orphan-status (which wasn't really strange between shinobi children) she had asked the Third whatever had been of the White Fang. This also made her wondered whether it was Guy or the old man that ratted her out.

For now, she opted for honesty, if only because she knew she wouldn't get so easily away from this boy.

"I grew up listening stories of him, I've admired him for so long, I was just curious." She spoke quickly, with her eyes squeezed and her hands in fists. "I didn't mean to pry. I'm sorry." She winced at the sound of the foreign words she rarely ever uttered, visibly ashamed with herself after what she had discovered. She looked up at the boy, his hard stare didn't disappear. She bowed once and aimed to walk around."If you'll excuse me-"

But before she could take another step he grabbed her arm. She looked up ready to retort in the indecorous intrusion, only to find eyes filled something other than annoyance.

"Nori-chan? Kakashi?" They were joined by a new person; Rin asked the two of them with concern, feeling the tension in the air. "Is everything okay?"Nori kept her grimace fixed on the boy's face, who for once seemed to have an expression other than arrogance or indifference. She couldn't read it, though.

"Yeah." Kakashi let go of her arm, a bit too harshly. "We're good." He took a step back and disappeared with a poof.

Nori reached for a rock on the ground and tossed it in the air.

"We're not!" She rubbed the part of her arm where he had touched as if it was stained with mud and turned towards her sister. "I don't like that boy, Rin!" She said pointing away. "I don't like that boy at all!"

Her reaction seemed to ease the tension in Rin, who laughed aloud and ran to clench her arm around hers, before giving her the bento lunch she had forgotten.

"For a moment there I thought Kakashi and Nori-chan were about to go on a fist fight. Not that he would partake, he is a gentleman."

"Gentleman, my foot." Nori bickered, stomping the floor once and dusting off her arm again.

"What happened, then?"

"Nothing." Nori spat. "A misunderstanding between him, Guy and I." She looked back over her shoulder. "Maybe even that old man..." She muttered to herself before turning to Rin. "You know they are rivals?"

"Guy and Kakashi, yes." Rin said as they began walking.

"At least I won't have to see that ugly half-face of his in training-"

"Ugly?"

"-he's a chunin-"

"Nori-chan, sorry to break the news to you..." Rin stopped her in her rant. "Kakashi and Asuma are helping the senseis to train us today."

"Great. Now, he's going to want to play hairdresser with me-" Nori said hugging her black hair. She was being dead serious, even if Rin chuckled as if she was joking.

"He is notugly, either!"

"You don't know that."

Rin had been right about one thing and it was that Kakashi had not gone even once out of his way to dreadfully target her during the training. However, every time she looked at the boy and he coincidentally looked back, she would dust off her arm as if it was still stained by him.

The day before their chunin exam, Choza sensei brought his students some eating presents tostock up on energy.Genma and Nori sat down during sunset with their sensei waiting for Guy who, uncharacteristically, was running late.

"Do you think... he's okay?" Nori asked at no one in particular.

"Hn." Genma nodded with a mouthful of rice.

"Maybe, he is- He couldn't have gotten himself injured right before the exams, huh?" She turned towards her sensei who placed a big hand on top of her head and nodded with a reassuring smile.

"Is that concern I hear in your voice, Nori?"

"No." She hesitated. "But, I don't think I can try a bite until he arrives..." Then, she proceeded to take a bite against her own odds. "Mmm, delicious." She grunted, troubled.

"You should eat Mama Akimichi's homemade ramen, sometime. Hn... Let's do this. If you pass the exam, I'll invite you all over to try it. You'll never see Ichiraku's the same way."

"I don't know, sensei. " Genma hesitated. "We can always walk to Ichiraku's and get a bowl," He said looking at her, receiving a supportive nod, "but I don't think we can say the same of your home. I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite."

"Nonsense! Mama Akimichi is always happy to have people coming over to eat. What say you, Nori?"

Nori's eyes narrowed in the distance watching the dancing figure skipping his step their way. Finally, she was able to gulp down her food.

"Here he comes." She frowned with estrangement watching Guy with a basket filled with flower petals being thrown about in the air.

Oh, no!Guy was in one ofthosedays. Nori smacked her forehead, wondering whatever strange thing had happened to the boy to triple his natural flamboyancy.

"Oh, but what is it my eyes see?!" His jaw dropped and his petal party came to a stop watching his team under the shade. "Resting before the titan of a mission we are to face the day after today, our Chunin Exams!?"

"Sit down, Guy." Choza sensei said and, ever the little soldier, Guy dropped on the floor joining the circle. "We worked a lot this past week, I made sure of it." The man looked at each one of them. "Every single one of you is ready for tomorrow and has the ability to pass with flying colors."

"GNG, unite!" Guy yelled raising his hand to the sky and then to the center. He awaited for his genin team.

"It's never gonna happen." Genma drone and Nori shook his head. Guy deflated like a balloon.

"Today, I just wanted to meet with you, guys; eat, meditate, communicate, those three elements are very important for a ninja and their team to have and enjoy together." He said passing Guy his present. "Therefore, does anyone feel like sharing something?"

Guy's eyes instantly morphed into a conniving set, like those of a cat before striking its prey and he leaned uncomfortably close towards Nori.

"Indeed, Nori, do you feel like sharing something?"

"No."

Guy sat back straight with a macabre chest laughter. Nori stared at him while Choza sensei asked Genma to start.

"Well... my dad says that he has seen an improvement on my awkward behavior around girls... So, he got me one of those onyx swords."

"Wow, Genma. Those are very expensive." Nori said ignoring Guy's piercing gaze on her, before noticing Genma's lack of enthusiasm. "You don't seem too excited about it, though."

The boy sighed heavily.

"Well... I wish my father could just leave me alone. Besides, in the future, I just wish to rely on my good looks."

Nori nodded once.

"We hear you, Genma." Choza sensei patted his back.

"Thanks."

"Now... Nori."

"YES!" Guy snatched his flower basket and hugged it to himself. "Nori?!"

He tossed a bunch of petals on her face that she literally spit out. She took a deep breath to contain herself from strangling him.

"My hair grew 4 more inches this summer. I am proud to say some of the moves you'll see tomorrow... Well, I just hope I don't get in trouble with the authorities."

"Try not to beat them too hard, Nori." Choza sensei clapped, followed by Genma. Guy seemed a tiny bit— MAGNANIMOUSLY— disappointed.

"Guy?"At the mention of his name, Might Guy jumped on his feet and stroke a pose worthy of being copied as a sculpture and placed at the Memorial Stone, even for Nori's standards.

"I do have a story- No, not a story- Should I call it an oddisey?! On the reason why I arrived late!"

"Let us hear it then."

"I am curious." Nori's voice got interrupted by Guys macabre laughter.

"You are a very curious one, aren't you,Nori?!"

"Yes. That's my name." The girl narrowed her eyes.

"While only this morning I was on my way here-"

"You were planning to get here since morning?" Genma asked him.

"When I saw him! There in the distance! Unabashed! Unconcerned! So cold and cool as ever... Why, none other than my very own rival, Kakashi Hatake!"

Nori tried not to seem too interested at the mention of the name, but she would be lying if she said her curiosity did not spike. She stuck her tongue out with disgust.

"He was standing right outside the library, staring at the exposed books in the window when he turned around, feeling my magnetic presence and our eyes connected with a thousand sparks. OF RIVALRY!"

Nori sighted hoping this would not become another rant about rivalry. What even wasrivalry?

"I saidKAKASHI, MY UNWAVERING RIVAL, HAVE YOU BEEN WAITING THIS ENTIRE TIME FOR ME TO CROSS THIS STREET AND TO CALL IT AN ACCIDENT WHEN IN FACT YOU ARE HINTING TOWARDS A NEW CHALLENGE AGAINST MY HANDSOME SELF?!And he said:I was just checking the new bestsellers-"As a recognized client of the village's library herself, she couldn't recall ever seeing Kakashi Hatake wandering its aisles and honestly wished for never having to see him there.

"Huh." Nori scoffed.

"Ah-ha!" Guy pointed at her. "That's exactly what I said.HUH, KAKASHI! I NEVER TOOK YOU AS A READER, BUT IN ANY CASE I CHALLENGE YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW, A RACE AGAINST MY TIME TO GO MEET WITH MY TEAM, AND SEE WHO IS THE FASTEST READER BETWEEN US TWO?And he acted so lousily confused. I said:I SHALL CHOOSE THE BOOK YOU WILL READ AND YOU WILL CHOOSE MINE!And so we ventured into the library and I fairly took a random book from the warfare section, while closing my eyes!" He mimicked his actions then by covering half of his face with his hand. "But then, it was his turn to choose! And, oh-so-wicked Kakashi chose an herbolary enciclopedia on the meaning and uses of flowers! HOW TERRIBLE! HOW INHUMANE OF HIM!" Rivers of tears ran down Guy's cheeks, his tightened fist shook in the air, while his three companions leaned his way.

"And, then?" Genma asked. "Who won?"

"Kakashi won, of course." Guy shook his hand dismissively. "But while I was in there, sitting on the floor by page 853, as he was about to leave the premises he asked:Hey, won't you be late to meet your team? And I said:NICE TRY, KAKASHI! BUT NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM FINISHING THIS BOOK! I EITHER FINISH IT IN TIME TO MEET THEM OR I'M ONE-LEG JUMPING MY WAY UP AND DOWN THE HOKAGE MOUNTAIN 853 TIMES!And, he said:Okay. Just make sure not to keep Nori and the others waiting for you.And then left..."

The two students and sensei nodded once.

"DON'T YOU SEE?!" Guy exploded again, and Nori would have swore she saw volcanoes erupting behind him. If she didn't know the boy couldn't use genjutsu... "THE SEASON OF FRIENDSHIP IS BLOOMING IN OUR SOULS! WHY IT IS NO SECRET OUR LITTLE NORI'S AVERSION TO MY RIVAL-"Nori eyes opened wide."BUT SHE'S BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS AS OF LATELY AND NOW KAKASHI RECIPROCATED SHOWING CONCERN FOR OUR LITTLE ONE!"

She didn't know what irked her the most, whether his insinuations that there could ever be a frienship between that arrogant boy and her, or him calling herLittle One.

"Technically, he also mentioned us,the others-" Genma raised a finger.

"I SMELL THE BREEZE OF FRIENDSHIP !" He tossed the handfuls of petals over them. "NORI AND KAKASHI ARE FINALLY FRIENDS, NORI AND KAKASHI TOGETHER 'TILL THE END-"Guy never got to finish his song for a long tendril of hair grabbed him by the neck. Choza sensei and Genma didn't saw when the girl joined her hands, activating her ability, but now they could see her hair sitting calmly with her eyes closed and hands together, the tendrils alive surrounded by a purplish dark aura. She opened her eyes with an unbothered expression.

Genma's eyes grew wide, while Choza sensei sighed tiredly.

"Nori, please, let go of him."

Guy fell on fours gasping, while Nori squirmed with annoyance on her seat while her special ability deactivated.

"You might try to silence me, Nori, but you cannot silence the voice of the heart-"

"For the last time, Guy, him and I willneverbefriends!" Nori's hair spiked up like a porcupine around her head.

"Don't you dare to deny it, for a strong denial paradoxically serves as a form of positive affirmation-"

"He's not even your friend-"

"Oh, but he's my rival!"

"Kids, kids!" Chouza sensei leaned foreward, extending an arm over Nori to keep her from lashing out again. "How about we move on from this?" Chouza sensei interceded, looking from kid to kid. Nori's hairs receded, and Guy raised his hands innocently in the air. "Anyone has a question to make?"

"I do." Nori raised her hand in the air. "What even is arivaland why does it seem to burn the neurons off of people?" She spat the last part with a pointed look towards Guy.

"That is a very interesting inquiry, Nori. And no, I am afraid the neurons are lost by people themselves." He chuckled before clearing his throat. "A rivalry is a competition, you see-No...no, it is more complex than mere competition. It is a driving force between two shinobi to grow and develop, through mutual influence and deep connection."

"Do you have a rival sensei?" Genma asked.

"Two, in fact." Chouza sensei almost sounding his answer only confused Nori even more in the nature of rivalry. Once could have more than one rival?Chouza sensei smiled and looked at the distance. Nori followed her gaze as if the answers to all her doubts could be found in the horizon.

"Has any of you- besides Guy, that is- found themselves a worthy rival?"Genma and Nori looked at one another and then shook their heads.

"How terrible!" Guy gasped to the side.

"A rivalry can be both a terrible or a special thing. Whatever happens with you two, whomever you may encounter in the future, I hope it is for the best." Chouza sensei nodded with a smile and clapped his hands once. "Is it my turn to healthily communicate?" He wondered aloud, bringing an end to the haze in the kids' gazes as they reflected."I'm taking a few days off... Kids, I am getting married."

Listening to Chouza sensei's announcement, love really seemed to be a recurring theme lately, ever since Rin's confession. Nori gazed at the sunset, lost in her own thoughts, and hardly paid attention to the conversation around her. As the group dispersed and prepared to head home, she was approached by Genma.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine concern. Nori looked up, snapping out of her reverie.

"Yes." She responded nodded understandingly.

"It's been a pretty eventful day, huh? First Guy, then Chouza sensei's announcement."

"Rivalry, love... It's like everyone around me is going through these things, and I'm just..." She searched for the words to explain herself but none came to her. Genma snorted softly.

"By the way, you're not alone in feeling that you don't understand. It really is confusing."Nori looked at him, surprised by his empathy. She narrowed her eyes.

"You too?"Genma shrugged.

"Well, not in the same way as you, I guess. But yeah, sometimes it's hard to figure things out. And it's not like there's a manual for these things."Nori looked up at the sky and tilted her head, searching in the clouds."But you know... Nori," It was perhaps the first time he called her by her name. His voice took on a slightly teasing tone, "sometimes, it's good to let things be."Nori pursed her lips and irked a brow. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly."Just saying that you don't have to have everything figured out right now... We are just kids, right? Let us be kids... while we still can."

Nori's smirk softened and she looked away. As they walked together out of the training fields, Nori found herself focusing back on the upcoming chunin exams.

The next day, the written exam stage of the Chunin exams was about to begin, when Nori felt someone pulling her away from her team before the doors opened. Rin grabbed Nori's hand and placed it over her drumming heart.

"Can you feel that? It feels like it's about to explode."

"I never took you for someone scared of exams, Rin. You are a genius."

"Thank you, Nori-chan. It's all very exciting, isn't it?" She said as someone who knows a secret.

"Huh?"

Rin looked around and cupped her hand around her ear.

"Kakashi will be watching from the bleachers."

Nori tried really hard to keep a stoic face. She looked around as the genin began to move into the classroom, Rin with the head in the clouds.

"Make sure to pass the written exam, okay?" Nori told her.

Nori and her team passed every round of the chunin exams until the very last, where she would face Rin's temporary team member replacing Kakashi: and Genma had already had faced their opponents: Guy won and Genma did not, however there was no denying that his skills were worthy of the title chunin that Choza sensei had guaranteed her that only she was still at odds on whether their whole team would become chunin this and Rin had already faced their opponents, as well; Obito lost his match against Raido, he would probably have to wait until the next exams to become chunin. Rin, on the other hand, had won but sent gravely injured towards the hospital after winning her match against a Sand , Nori felt unconcentrated by the concern on whatever was going on with her, but also strangely irked with the idea oflosingwhile Rin hadwon.

Nori stood at one end of the arena, her expression a mixture of determination and caution. She raised her head band from where it usually hanged around her neck and adjusted the straps securing it firmly on her forehead. Across from her, Kurenai Yuhi stood with a solemn air, her crimson eyes fixed on Nori. The tension in the arena was palpable, as the spectators knew they were about to witness a battle that went beyond mere physical arena itself seemed to change, as if adapting to the nature of the match.

As the signal to start the match was given, Nori immediately tensed, her senses on high alert. She had heard from Rin and Obito stories about Kurenai's genjutsu abilities, but now she was about to experience them firsthand. She reminded herself that this wasn't just a battle of strength; it was a battle of minds.

Kurenai's eyes flashed with a subtle intensity as she initiated her genjutsu. Nori felt a momentary disorientation, as if the ground beneath her was shifting. She fought to maintain her focus. Then, in an instant, the arena transformed around her.

Gone was the standard arena, replaced by a dark and eerie landscape. The sky was a deep shade of crimson, casting an unsettling glow over everything. Shadows danced along the ground, their movements unnatural and twisted. Nori's heart rate quickened, but she forced herself to take a deep breath and steady her nerves.

Kurenai's voice echoed through the surreal landscape, reverberating like a haunting melody:

"Welcome to my world, Nori Nohara. A world where reality is mine to bend."

Nori's grip on her kunai tightened. She knew that her perception was being manipulated, that the environment around her was a fabrication of Kurenai's genjutsu. She focused on the feel of the kunai in her hand, using it as an anchor to reality.

The shadows seemed to come alive, morphing into grotesque shapes that seemed to taunt and threaten her. Nori's training kicked in, and she channeled her chakra, using her sensory abilities to detect the disturbances in the genjutsu's flow. She recognized that the key to breaking free from the illusion was to disrupt its flow and create dissonance.

With a burst of determination, Nori leaped into action. She began to move, her body weaving through the nightmarish landscape with agility. Her keen senses allowed her to anticipate the shifting illusions, and she struck out with her kunai, slicing through shadows that attempted to ensnare 's voice continued to echo around her, taunting and cajoling.

"Can you tell what's real and what's not, Nori Nohara?"Maybe not, but Rin had placed a bet on her life to win her match, Gillie couldn'tnotwin.

From a third party perspective the battle wasn't giving much to the spectators to speak about; after all, the battlefield was entirely the psychological realm. Out of the battlefield and up in the bleachers Team 4, led by Choza Akimichi, stood by the edge observing how the last member of their team writhed over the dirt, slowly whitering like a rose in autumn right in front of their eyes.

Might Guy's hands tightened around the metal railing in front of them and Kakashi noticed it by the corner of his left eye, standing next to his rival at the spectators section.

No. Nori Nohara was no rose.

In the past, if Kakashi ever had to compare Nori Nohara with a plant it would have to be a weed. An invasive weed that comes out the earth unexpectedly, that endures across the year's seasons without ever dying, that creeps without invitation, one that once you've seen it in your garden you cannot stop stop staring, irking your eyes. Meddling. Foreign.

But now, this had changed. He wasn't into gardening and the reason on why making the comparison came to his mind was a mystery, but now, he would have compared her to something else.

In her own way, swaying with the wind and going with it even when having a solid root, still strange in the lands of Konoha and with a scent of defiance that shouldn't be allowed in the rigid and rule-bound shinobi world, she was a dandelion. Rin's favorite flower. As her teammate's favorite flower, he supposed whether he liked it or not, he felt somewhat nuanced to look over her while Rin was indisposed. Whether he liked it or not.

That same dandelion was currently being stepped on under Kurenai's psychological boot and, feeling a disappointed on the younger girl who wouldn't last for another five minutes turned ready to leave in search of his sensei and injured teammates, his primary priority as of now.

Hoping to avoid altercations with Guy, he quietly slipped away from the group, his hands inside his pockets. He reached the top of the stairs when he felt the sudden change of chakra dynamics coming from the arena, it was as dense as receiving a punch in the gut. The crowd gasped in one voice, his interest soared. The silence that followed forced him to turn around and walk back to Team 4.

Genma and Guy jumped over the railing and went to support their teammate on her feet, while Kakashi's eyes scanned the scene before his eyes: Large tendrils of hair, dark as the ink his father had spend hours swirling before using, laid cut in the ground. Others came from the half-conscious girl resting on Gemma's and Guy's shoulders. Like living limbs they moved and began to coil back into large but considerable normal hair layers. Kurenai laid unconscious on the opposite side of the arena with iryo-nins checking the marks on her neck and limbs.

Kakashi frowned looking back at the girl with Genma and Guy and feeling genuinely surprised by the ability he ignored she possessed until now and he irked a brow watching her fight a smile.

In the arena, Nori panted:

"We did it, Team GNG..."

And Might Guy responded:

"So, it is happening after all!?"

And Genma added:

"You bet!"

THE PRESENT

"What's got your chakra in a knot, kid?" Jiraiya observed his protégée munching on her bowl of ramen once again sending him into a deja had been having plenty of those that day since they arrived and he didn't doubt it had been the same for response, the young woman bickered under her breath and unashamedly stole the narutomaki from his own bowl.

"Oi!" Tomoki chuckled sitting to the opposite side of her.

"It's been a rough day. That's it." She said, and Jiraiya wondered what could possibly be rough of sitting by a bed guarding a child. If anyone had had it rough was Tomoki, with all the paperwork.

"Anything good to focus on?" Tomoki asked, leaning towards appreciated the way he tried to enlighten her perspective for her own good. Only they knew her too well to know where her thoughts tended to head pondered on it for a moment.

"I met a girl at the hospital." She bickered. "She's a sweet kid. A genin. She will not dare to leave Sasuke's side either."

"Anyway, what about you, sensei? Did anything interesting happened to you?" Tomoki asked him.

"I met a kid, too."

"Huh..."

"A real pain in the butt, he is."

"Uh-huh. Seems like you're a magnet for that kind, huh?"

"Ya think?!" He looked at him pointing at Nori, who grunted in drop his chopsticks and lean on his hand looking at her.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked.

"About what?"

"Huh?"

"Hn." Nori rolled her eyes in looked from person to person, amazed at their way of communicating."Excuse me, Ichiraku-san? Do you sell sake in this place?" She asked. Tomoki sweat-dropped. Jiraiya internally scolded old Ichiraku for coming so quickly with one serve for each of them.

She slammed the cup down, sighing before cleaning her teary eyes fixed on the table with a growing frown in her forehead, while her vision adjusted to it, before turning around on her chair to face him.

"Oi!" Tomoki complained, but she ignored him

" I met with Might Guy. You remember him." She implied, beginning her storytelling. "He was very nice, but then...I saw these other teammates and uh... they were a bunch of jerks." She suddenly snapped.

"Jerks, you say?" Jiraiya reached for his own beverage and drank it all, before turning towards Ichiraku. "Hey, old friend, I think I might need a couple more glasses to listen to this."The three guests toasted before going bottoms up a second time.

"Then, what?" Tomoki asked stunned by the alcohol.

"Listen," She poked him in the arm, "We were never what one would callfriends.So I don't care if he's still the samejerkhe was 12 years ago... But, Genma-"

"The first one you saw?" Jiraiya tilted his head.

"No! The second one!"

"How many teammates did you have exactly?" Tomoki counted with his fingers.

"That's out of the point. As, I was saying..." She rolled her she kept on rambling and rambling with both men only half-listening to her as was common every time she had bad days.

The sake was strong. Clearly, it was hitting Tomoki and Nori. Maybe himself a bit, but he listened.

Her day had already turned worse after hearing about a looming shadow over the jonins of her age, a dead body of a fellow shinobi in her year had been found recently in the streets, when Genma gave her the cold shoulder in the street. Just as Kakashi had.

"You always say us women are difficult, old man. Well, so are you, men-" The alcohol slurred her words.

"Hn... Let me ask you something, Nori, did you see your adoptive Mother yet?" Jiraiya drawled on.

"Ohh, we're meeting, Okaasan?" Tomoki asked with a silly voice, before his face finally hit the table and he started snoring, getting a reprobatory look from Ichiraku. Nori rolled her eyes at his poor alcohol resistance.

Then, she swayed from side to size, hesitantly and looking back at her master.

"What do you mean?" She pouted

"Have you looked for her, yet? Gonehey, Mom, it's me Nori, I'm back!" The lack of response from the woman told him as much. "Why?"

She took her time to think of it and then answered:

"Because, I left for 12 years,Jiraiya!" She said with a tone that meantduh. "Sure, she wasn't stoppin' me then, but didn't necessar' ly was on board with it. She never was." She leaned over her hand. "I abandoned her, Jiraiya." She muttered with reproach. "I was just thinking 'bout me,Jiraiya... What a grateful daughter, leaving home when I was needed most." She reached for her glass and noticing it empty, moved to steal Jiraiya's own drink. Jiraiya looked around noticing Ichiraku's concerned gaze over them; the place was a familiar restaurant, not a bar. He decided to stop his own alcohol intake, someone had to keep the head clear.

"What if... what if...she doesn't want to see me?" The frown deepened in her forehead. "I feel so embarrassed... I've been feeling... so embarrassed... I never wanted to come back." She finished with her spirits completely down and Jiraiya scanned her profoundly.

It had taken her a long time to sincerely smile again, and now she was at stage 1, years gone to waste, her insecurities re-emerging over Konoha ground like poison ivys. But their return didn't have anything to do with her, and it had been time to return. She better need to get on track. 12 years had been more than enough.

"And there you have it." He shrugged, snapping her out of her reverie. "You've got to realize that not all relationships are the same, just as no one is. This boy, Genma?" She nodded. "You never said goodbye, or so you've told me. He didn't get to see you pack and leave, which is something that your Mother at least had." He explained. "What if what you fear your mother feels today is what that boy actually feels now?"

"That I abandoned him?" She puckered her lower lip, sounding sad but also as if she had already figured that much out by herself and unwilling to admit it.

"Just a thought." He shrugged.

Nori scratched her head before slumping over the table, looking miserable.

"Is this whathealso feels?"

"Who?"

"No, way... We were never evenfriends..." Nori said, her words becoming harder to understand and lids growing heavy.

"What's this shame of yours anyway?" Jiraiya crossed his arms, looking down at her pathetic display. It was so unlike the Nori he had grown to estimate. He snorted trying to ease the tension off of her. "What would any of yourfollowerssay-"

"Oh, shut up..."

"-knowing the ever bold, ever confidentKiko Mitsuha The One Who Has Lived a Thousand Lives and Broken a Thousand Hearts-"

"We never talk about that-"

"-goes through life allowing herself to feel shame."

"Okay, okay... I think I get it now."

"Chaaa, Kiko Mitsuhaaa!" He poked her cheek repeatedly and Nori lost control on her own laughter.

That was enough to make Jiraiya satisfied for the day. They laughed together reminiscing on their old adventures until the streets grew dark and it was time for Ichiraku to close. As they made their way to the hostal they were staying at, Jiraiya an unconcious Tomoki and a semi-conscious Nori down the street, turned to her and said:

"Do me a favor and go see your mother soon, will you? That woman kept up with you for almost 5 years-"

Nori bobbed her head with all didn't retire to bed until he was sure she had fallen asleep on her own private bedroom. Only then, he walked wasn't counting on the woman to wake up minutes later and walk out of the room in the middle of the night.

THE PAST

After the Nohara girls properly recuperated from her injuries and the day after the promotion ceremony they both arrived home wearing their new chunin vests with a surprise fanfare from her parents waiting for them and a large poster with confetti that read:Congratulations on being promoted to chunin, Rin and Nori!

Nohara-san ran to hug Rin telling her how proud she was of her, while Papa came to Nori and patted her shoulders saying she had been awesome in the arena, which made Nori smile from ear to ear. Then, they exchanged places: Papa did the same thing with Rin before kissing the top of her head, while Nohara-san grabbed Nori's cheeks and repaired on how proud she was.

The differences didn't go unnoticed by Nori, nor the fact that it was alwaysRin and Nori, neverNori and Rin, but she enjoyed the tart Nohara-san prepared, eager for the night to arrive when she would go to the Akimichi household and eat Mama Akimichi's handmade ramen bowl with her new friends.

"I'll walk you, Nori-chan!" Rin caught up with her while she put on her shoes at the entrance of their home, once the night fell and she was about to leave.

"Hn." Nori smiled slightly and they silently walked side by side under the stars.

The road to the Akimichi household wasn't far and they soon found themselves standing outside, smelling the delicious aroma of ramen steam coming out the opened windows.

"Have a lots of fun with your team, yes?" Rin said hiding her hands beneath her back and Nori nodded once, before turning away. Before she could move any further though, Rin threw herself at her, arms around her neck and giggling, then took a step back leaving Nori feeling dumbfounded.

"What was that for?" Nori asked with curiosity, turning around.

"I love seeing you smile, Nori-chan."

Nori blinked repeatedly, stranged to hear those words. She hadn't even noticed she had been smiling.

Love.

"I want to apologize Mama didn't get to see your last match." Rin bowed deeply and stayed there, but Nori stood still for a moment before realizing what she meant. Rin wasn't talking about her real mother, she talked about Mama Nohara.

This discovery pushed her previous words to the back of Nori's head.

"She... didn't?" Nori shut her mouth, staring at an expecting Rin as it became clear inside her own mind. Nori took a deep breath and forced a smile. "You were injured, someone needed to be with you." She tried to reason, mostly to herself.

Nori took a step back and nodded towards the door:

"They must be waiting for me, and they must be waiting for you." Rin nodded and raised a hand to say goodbye."Nori-chan!" Nori turned one last time to see Rin make a heart with her arms.

"Maybe you should play with death on your doorstep more often. It makes you sweeter." Nori said blankly.

"I'm just so happy!" Rin said looking down at their vests. "We are chunin, Nori!Chunin!"

A faint frown creased Nori's forehead, a trace of something surfacing. Part of her wished she could feel the same unadulterated elation about the title as Rin did. Just as she had felt regarding matters of love and rivalry, she couldn't shake the feeling of being left behind on something.

"Yes, awesome," Nori responded, her tone curt as she tried to temper her emotions.

"Chunin!" Rin sighed. "All of us. You, me, Kakashi... Obito will be soon enough, I am sure."

"DON'T FORGET MIGHT GUY, AS WELL!" The screen door behind Nori slid opened to reveal the owner of the name.

"And Genma." The other boy said shrugging and toying with the senbon in his mouth, a smirk appearing in his face.

"Welcome Nori! Are you ready for Mama's ram- Oh! I didn't know you were accompanied!" Choza sensei said appearing at the entrance.

"She was just-"

"I was about to leave, do not mind me!" Rin shook her hands.

"Why, aren't you hungry as well?"

"OH!? Are we hosting Rin Nohara into our team dinner? What an honour! To be in the presence of a true chunin acolyte of the Yellow Flash of Konoha!" Guy exclaimed with hearts in his eyes.

"But I was about to leave-" "She was just leaving-"

"Sure thing, I always like to hear the adventures of Team Minato." Genma shrugged toying with his senbon.

"And luckily for us, Mama Akimichi always cooks more than needed!" Choza sensei opened his wide arms, welcoming the new girl into his home.

"Well, I guess I am a bit hungry-"

"But, sensei, wasn't this supposed to be-" Nori began.

"OH, COME THIS WAY, HONORABLE RIN NOHARA! Tonight you are our special guest, and while we're at it, feel at liberty to spill some juicy weaknesses on my dear fellow rival, Kakashi..."

"Are you coming, N?" Genma's question came as a casual aside before everyone disappeared into the house, Rin at the center of their orbit.

Nori was left on her own in the street.

"Yeah," she muttered to herself as her shoulders slumped.

The door slammed behind her covering a night of ramen and attentions directed at the iryo-nin apprentice and pupil of the Yellow Flash, while Nori kept a static smile.

Mama Akimichi's cooking was every bit as delicious as Nori had anticipated, and she couldn't help but savor every bite, regardless of her inner conflicts. As the conversation flowed around her, Nori listened intently the tales of Team Minato's adventures. Rin, with her characteristic enthusiasm, recounted their training sessions and missions, Guy and Genma hanging on every word, eager to learn from her experiences.

Rin's infectious energy drew everyone in. Throughout the evening, Nori couldn't help but steal glances at her. Her sister's animated expressions and the way she interacted with everyone reminded Nori of the aspects of life she often felt disconnected from.

Everything was effortless for Rin, leaving Nori to watch from the sidelines.

As the ramen bowls were emptied and the night grew darker, the conversation shifted to more lighthearted topics. Nori, though quieter, found herself joining in on the occasional witty comment.

As the night came to an end and the kids prepared to leave, Mama Akimichi insisted on packing a container of leftovers for the girls entered their house, their parents had already gone to bed. As Nori changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed, she couldn't help but replay the events of the day. She turned around on her mat to see across the room towards Rin's. The other girl was fast asleep with a soft smile on her face. Nori closed her eyes and gripped the mattress beneath her. Eventually, her body relaxed in that quiet dormitory with the soft snores of her sister in the background, even if her teeth kept grinding all night.