Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Who knew... ❯ 29. DARK WINDOWS GOODBYES ( Chapter 29 )

29. DARK WINDOWS GOODBYES

 

A dark-haired Anbu girl was jumping from roof to roof in the cool night of Konoha; apparently the cold breeze didn't bother her, and her long ponytail was waving behind her.

 

Soon, she had left the rooftops of the Village Hidden in the Leaf behind her, and was now surrounded by trees and darkness.

 

Suddenly, she stopped.

 

“Kuso” she cursed, between her teeth. She was unconsciously heading towards the training ground. She always went there when she was troubled. But now…would the two shinobi still be there?

 

Asuka didn't feel like risking, so she turned and headed to the Hokage Mountain.

 

She needed to be alone.

 

All. Alone.

 

No Kakashi, no Itachi, no one. Just her, and her thoughts.

 

She was again in the village, avoiding the lights, avoiding unwanted presences, and avoiding the streets where the shinobis of age met to go and have a drink in one of the numerous pubs of Konoha.

 

The kunoichi stopped at the mountain's feet, and jumped. Now, after a few more jumps, she had reached the top of the Yondaime's head. She sat on one of the stone locks, and sighed.

 

When did her life become so pathetic? Because she couldn't find a better word to describe her continuous sighs, sobs, tears and everything the rest.

 

Now, she needed to think, rationally and clearly, what she had to do.

 

How the hell was she supposed to think rationally, after listening to…to…Kakashi's confession?!?

 

Oh god.

 

Kakashi had said…he loved her.

 

And he had looked like he really meant it!

 

Well, he hadn't really said the three little words, but he had confirmed Itachi's words.

 

…He is telling the truth, Asuka…

 

She felt her cheeks turn red and hot once again, thinking at the way he had looked at her, thinking at how nervous and tense he was. Why? How did that happen? How was it possible that Kakashi, her sempai, a 22-years-old Anbu member, a charming man, an impressively strong shinobi, with loads and loads of women older and prettier than she was, a man, for god's sake, how was it possible that he had…feelings for her?

 

Her head hurt.

 

Itachi.

 

Itachi…what the hell had gotten into him?! Why had he begun behaving like that, all of a sudden? They were speaking calmly, she had felt at ease, warm, and he was so close, she had felt something warm and soft at the corner of her lips, and she had opened her eyes…and she saw Itachi looking straight into her eyes, and then she had heard Kakashi screaming and…

 

Wait.

 

She instinctively brought a finger to her lips.

 

Itachi had…kissed her! Not kissed her-kissed her, but still! He had placed his lips dangerously close to her mouth.

 

Actually, he had kissed her on the corner of her mouth. That was unmistakably a kiss.

 

It happened again!

 

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

 

What kind of a kunoichi was she?! Did she look that weak? Was she really that weak?!

 

It was the second time someone kissed her without her permission.

 

She felt her stomach twist. First, that mud thing in the shape of the snake Sannin, Orochimaru…and now, Uchiha Itachi! How dared he?!

 

He had given Kakashi a meaningless excuse.

 

… She is my fiancé, Kakashi-sempai. I am free to be as close to her as I please. And it doesn't seem to me that she minds…

 

Oh no, she hadn't minded at all. Wait. What?!?

 

`I'm going to cry' the girl thought. That inner soliloquy was leading her nowhere.

 

Then she realised.

 

It didn't matter who was in love with her. It didn't matter who she was in love with. It didn't matter at all…because tomorrow, at that same time, she would be saying goodbye to Konoha for a long, long time.

 

No Kakashi, no Itachi…just her. It didn't matter who she was in love with, because she wasn't given a choice.

 

If she came to a decision, and decided that it was Kakashi the only one for her, what would change? At her 18th birthday, they would have to…she would have to…marry Itachi. Whatever she chose, whoever she loved, was it Kakashi, was it Itachi, was it someone else, was it no one at all…that didn't matter. Her destiny was already decided.

She was supposed to marry Itachi. Maybe willingly, maybe unwillingly…but still, she couldn't say `Mmm, I don't feel like marrying him'. She hadn't had the chance to choose.

 

She would be miles away from Konoha. She would forget them both, maybe. Or maybe not. The girl, now shaking for the cold wind, smirked. Who was she trying to fool? She could never forget them. None of them. She couldn't forget Kakashi…his kind smile, his eye, the messy silver hair falling to cover the hitai-ate hiding his Sharingan…and the mask. That goddamn mask! How many times she had tried to find out what the man was hiding behind it…their fights during training. He would always scold her…but then, praise would come. And he had always been by her side…when she had killed a man for the first time…when she had been wounded seriously for the first time, she had found him at her waking up, smiling in the way only he could, under the dark fabric of the mask. How could she ever forget him?

She couldn't forget Itachi…his cold eyes, his perfect face, his perfect body, the paleness of his skin contrasting with the black of his hair and eyes. His arrogance. The way he had called her Yoshizumi until they met at his house during the storm…the storm. That's where it al began. She had been wearing his clothes and she had been struck by…His scent. The perfume of Uchiha Itachi was like no one else in the world. How could she forget that perfume? Or his lips. The way his pale lips moved to form a light smile, that, she was sure, he didn't surely show to anybody. No…Itachi wasn't going to leave her mind.

 

But she had to leave, tomorrow.

 

And the kunoichi had a few special someones to hug, before she could even think about leaving.

 

* * *

Hitomi and Tomoyo were sitting in the Inuzuka girl's bedroom, when they heard a light knock on the window, hidden by pastel curtains.

Aki, the nin-dog, stayed calm; that surprised Tomoyo, but she decided to grab a kunai, just for safety.

 

She laughed at herself when she saw that in front of her was their best friend, Asuka, wearing the dark Anbu uniform against the dark of the night.

 

“Will you let me in, or am I to stay perched on this branch forever?!” Asuka asked, when her friend opened the window but didn't move from the opening.

 

“Sorry, Asuka-chan! Come in! Well? What brings you there?” the red haired girl asked.

 

“Not to mention, that it's almost a week since we last met. Does living with Kakashi drain all of your energy?” Hitomi added, smirking.

 

Asuka stuck out her tongue. “I know, I have no excuses. I'm a bitch.” She said, removing her sandals and her weapons.

 

“Of course you are” Tomoyo said, nodding

 

“But we love you all the same. Listen. We were planning to go to the cinema, tomorrow night…we still don't know the movie, but still. You coming?” Hitomi asked, smiling.

 

Asuka knew then that she couldn't resist anymore.

 

She broke into tears, and told everything to her girlfriends.

 

* * *

“Asuka…” Tomoyo was sobbing even more than the Aburame girl was; and Asuka's eyes were watery and red.

 

“They can't force you to leave!” Hitomi exclaimed.

“Yes! They can't! And…and…and you have yet to settle the thing with…with…Kakashi…and Itachi…and with Kakashi said now…” Tomoyo added, between sobs and sighs.

 

The two girl's eyes widened, and then they looked at the Yoshizumi girl. “Do…do they know yet?!”

 

Asuka shook her head. She didn't feel like telling them that she had decided to put her confused feelings to sleep; this sort of exile to Kiri would be somehow a cure to her troubled soul.

 

“Oh Asuka! We're going to miss you so much!” Tomoyo sighed, while stretching her arms to embrace her friend.

 

“T-Tomoyo…quit it…” Hitomi said, hugging Asuka, too. “She…she has still Shisui and…and those two idiots…to…to inform” Tomoyo nodded, and Asuka rubbed her eyes.

 

“Uhm…can I stay…can I stay here for the night? I don't feel like going back to Kakashi…” Asuka asked. She wanted to spend a little more time with Tomoyo and Hitomi…after all, they wouldn't see each other for perhaps more than 4 years!

 

“Asuka, I don't think it's a good idea. Don't get me wrong! I would love a sleepover, you know, old style, a crappy movie, and loads of chocolate and stuffs, but…but I think it is important that you inform the others. And Asuka... You are not asked to take a decision now.” Tomoyo replied.

 

Asuka nodded; after all, Tomoyo was right.

 

“Be a good girl, Asuka. And we must see you again, tomorrow, before…before that.” Hitomi said.

 

The Anbu girl smiled, and slipped her shinobi sandals on; she grabbed her weapons, and headed towards the window.

 

“Don't cry too much, you two!” she smirked.

 

“Leave!” replied the two girls laughing and crying at the same time.

 

* * *

She cursed herself for the…she had lost the count of the times she had mentally cursed herself. She couldn't wait the goddamn daylight, could she? No, no, of course. She had to sneak into the Uchiha compound, risking her neck bone on the roofs not to be found by the Uchiha guards. She just had to. Ok. What now? What was she to do next? Baka. She didn't even know where Shisui's house was, much less the window of his bedroom.

 

Kuso.

 

`You and your stupid ideas, Asuka no baka! And you are supposed to be the genius of your clan? The rival to Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi?! Oh kami.' She thought, while jumping from another roof. Uff, thanks to kami-sama she was a trained Anbu. She wouldn't have survived, otherwise. She would have already been found…and how was she to explain some crazed Uchiha that she just wanted to say goodbye to Shisui-kun?!

 

A light was turned on inside one of the rooms opposite to where she was. Asuka smiled. Kami-sama didn't hate her, after all…

 

In front of her was…

 

…Uchiha Shisui's bedroom!!!

 

Yay! She took a quick look around, and then jumped. She knocked lightly on the glass of the window, and Shisui turned, surprised.

 

`Now, the best is still to come' she thought, while he dashed to open the window.

 

“Asuka-chan!” he exclaimed, once she was inside.

 

“Hello, Shisui-kun.” Asuka smiled, and hugged him. The boy blushed, and hugged her back.

 

“What a surprise! What are you doing here? I don't think you went to visit your…fiancé.” He said, smirking bitterly when she released the hug.

 

“I came to say goodbye, Shisui-kun”

 

“G…goodbye? What do you mean by `I came to say goodbye'? Are you leaving for a mission?” the boy asked, panicked.

 

“Mmm…sort of.”

 

“Asuka quit it. What's going on?”

 

The kunoichi sighed. “My grandfather has decided that it is time for me to go and study to be a good housewife to Itachi. And Hokage-sama has found a mission that might suit me during my stay.”

 

“They decided…what?!? Where?!? How long?! When are you leaving?!?”

 

“I am leaving tomorrow night, Shisui. I am sent to Kirigakure.”

 

“Ki…Kirigakure?! The village hidden in the Mist?! The fuck?! You can't mean seriously that you are going to be sent to the Land of Water!” Shisui was almost screaming.

 

“Shhh, Shisui-kun! No one knows I'm there! What do you think they would do if they found the heir's fiancée in the room of his cousin?!?”

 

“Right. But still…Asuka-chan…you are leaving…and…and…wait. You still didn't tell me how long you will be away. One, two months?”

 

“Actually, it's from four to five…” Shisui now was really panicking “years.” The boy let himself fall on the bed, without saying a word.

 

“Asuka-chan…five years?” he asked. Shisui's eyes were shining with tears, and the kunoichi felt horrible for making him feel like that. The girl nodded. “It's up to five years, Shisui. It might be less. Three…four years…I will write you every day, and time will pass without you even noticing” she smiled, not really believing in what she said.

 

“It's his fault.” The young Uchiha spat out, hastily.

 

Asuka understood immediately what he was talking about. “No, Shisui-kun, it's not Itachi's fault. It's a sort of tradition of my clan…to be sent away to learn how to please your husband, something like that. It's not his fault. Besides, it was not Itachi the one who chose me…it was our families that chose for us both.”

 

“You excuse him!” Shisui exclaimed, astonished.

 

“I am not excusing anyone!” Asuka replied, annoyed.

 

“You are! Asuka-chan, Itachi-teme likes you! I know he does!” Shisui was angry, but mostly sad.

 

“And so? Even if he liked me, he would have no power to influence the Uchiha elders to make a decision, and much less both our clans. Shisui…” she hugged the boy, who remained silent “Itachi is as guilty as I am. Those to blame are our goddamn families, and you know. Not me or…Itachi-teme”

 

They both laughed, certain that they were the first in the entire world to call Itachi like that.

 

Shisui nodded. “Does he already know?”

 

“Nor he, neither Kakashi have been informed. By me, at least.”

 

Shisui smiled lightly; a fake smile that looked more like a sad grin then a real smile. “Then go tell them. I would suggest Kakashi first…leave Itachi for tomorrow.” The girl nodded, sniffing.

 

She opened the window and was ready to go, when Shisui grabbed her wrist. “Asuka-chan” he almost whispered. She turned, and found his lips on hers.

 

They immediately parted, both rather shocked. “I am sorry, Asuka-chan. I didn't mean to. I mean, I didn't think I had the courage to…to really do it. But…oh kami. I did it.” He smiled to himself, but then looked at the kunoichi who was just staring at him and said “Sorry.”

 

Asuka smiled. No, she wouldn't be mad at Shisui for this. Besides, she was getting used to this kind of situations. And at least Shisui had had the kindness to say sorry.

 

“Take care of yourself, Asuka-chan. I will miss you.”

 

The girl hugged him one last time.

 

“I will miss you too, Shisui-kun”. She turned, and jumped in the darkness.

 

Now, she had to find Kakashi.