"What do you mean you don't want me to come?!" Hikaru shouted with frustration. I could see the fury building in his eyes as I told him again.

"You are staying here." I responded trying to compose myself. "You said it yourself, you need to make money again so settle here."

"But we're a team! You're my girlfriend!" He shouted but there wasn't anger in his eyes, only pain.

"Why are you getting angry about this?" I questioned him feeling a bit insulted that we were having a fight over this.

"Because I want to be with you Ko, I don't want to be here wondering if you're alive or dead. I can't handle not knowing." He explained which made sense, but I wasn't a helpless child.

"I can take care of myself! I have a four man team anyway to assist me!" I shouted letting the anger take hold.

"Stay with me! I should be the one protecting you! We are the only Himura left and we need to be together."

"I don't need protection! Being a shinobi is my life and I have a purpose, I can't sit in a town and do nothing. I also can't be worrying about you during battle while going up against the Akatsuki. You hardly have any experience fighting, stay here and be safe."

"I can't sit here knowing you're in danger!"

"This is my life Hikaru! I've been in danger since I was born and cheated death plenty of times. I can't have you in danger! I...I can't lose another family member!" I shouted as my voice cracked. Tears threatened to fall but I held them back. Losing another person that was close to me wasn't an option.

I turned my back to him making a hand sign teleporting out of the room and reappeared in the middle of town which startled a few civilians. I simply ignored their stares and walked forward wanting to clear my mind and forget about that stupid fight.

"What the hell is his problem? Thinking I needed protection, hmph the nerve of him. Orochimaru, the powerful Sannin's daughter needing protection? Pitiful, I've taken care of myself my whole life and haven't died yet." I thought as I trudged through the streets avoiding the constant stares. "What makes him think he can protect me? I've been protecting his ass in every fight because he can't handle it."

"Oi, Ko!" I heard from behind me which made my body freeze. I knew who it was but his stupidity made my guard go up.

"That idiot, I'm a wanted criminal, someone could've heard him."

I turned around to face Suigetsu and Karin which I found odd, just from the few moments I've seen them together, I knew they despised one another.

"What do you want?" I questioned with a harsh tone making the two glance at each other before speaking again.

"W-we wanted t-to," Karin started before being interrupted by Suigetsu.

"We were on our way to lunch and saw you so you wanna join us?" He finished only to be whacked on the head by the angry Uzumaki.

I raised a brow and looked between the two. "If you keep hitting him like that he won't have any braincells left." I commented as I walked closer towards them.

Karin was still wary of my presence while Suigetsu acted as if he'd known me for years greeting me with a toothy smile. They reminded me of Naruto and Sakura which made my heart slightly clench; I did miss the old team.

"You got money to pay?" I questioned the two honestly only interested in this conversation if they had enough money to pay for me also.

"Of course I do doll," Suigetsu replied as his smile widened.

"Yeah not in the mood to deal with this guy." I thought but couldn't resist a free meal. "If we're traveling again then this might be the last good meal I have in a while."

"Okay, as long as you're paying." I replied which made Suigetsu smile but Karin looked disappointed. Guess she didn't want me to come.

I followed them through the crowd to another small restaurant. When we arrived, we got a booth seat and I insisted that I'd sit alone and have the two across from me. I quickly ordered tea with miso soup to start.

"So," Suigetsu started but stopped when I held out my hand with my palm facing him.

"I know you have questions, so I'll let you guys ask me one," I said curling my fingers down except my for my index emphasizing one.

Suigetsu nodded and looked like he was deciding on what to ask but Karin had already beat him to it.

"H-How do you know Sasuke?" She blurted out sounding unsure making Suigetsu jerk his head towards her with an angry look. "Yesterday, you acted as if you knew him personally." She finished ending with a more confident tone.

"Karin!" Suigetsu whined. "Why would you waste our only question!"

"Sasuke and I grew up together." I answered ignoring Suigetsu's outburst.

"You grew up in the Leaf?" Suigetsu questioned which made my eyes dart to him.

"You obviously don't know how to count," I commented which made him fume. "I said one question, that was two." He was about to open his mouth to reply but I continued with my answer. "I was sent to the Leaf at a young age to swade Sasuke into joining Lord Orochimaru once he was ready. Obviously, it worked." I finished just in time for my food to arrive.

They wanted to ask more questions, but I'd cut them off every time not wanting to have a discussion. We were going to be traveling for weeks or months which would give them enough time to know me. I finished my meal quickly seeing Suigetsu was trying hard to keep quiet but if he was anything like Naruto, I knew it wouldn't last long. Just as I took my last bite, I stood up only waving goodbye to the two and exited the restaurant.

As I walked through the town I felt Sasuke's chakra not too far from me; I couldn't get any peace. I walked towards the outskirts of the town up a hill looking over the town which where Sasuke met me.

"Have you made a decision yet?" Sasuke questioned as he glanced over at me.

"Yes, I'll go with you but I have my own agenda." I replied as I switched my gaze to the town below us. "I'm not interested in your vendetta," Sasuke scoffed at my remark.

"I don't need help killing him, I formed this team to help me defeat anyone who gets in my way. Those three would be dead within minutes facing Itachi." He snapped making me chuckle.

"And you won't? Who knows what he's learned since you've last seen him."

"I will defeat him," He replied darkly.

"I think you could use someone who can counter the sharingan." I said but soon would regret.

"Who, you?" He questioned turning his attention to me.

"My eyes are immune to genjutsu, even that special one your brother has,"

"How would you know?" He questioned trying to seem intimidating but I wasn't scared of him.

"Crap, shouldn't have said anything," I thought realizing my mistake.

"When I was protecting Naruto that day, Itachi tried using it on me since I was a problem but my eyes prevented that."

I glanced over at the Uchiha seeing his eyes boring into mine implying that he didn't believe a word but I was sticking to my lie.

"What's that look for?" I asked him keeping a straight face.

"Nothing," he replied then turned away from me walking back to the town.

Relief washed over me as I watched his receding figure. I was afraid he would keep pressing but thankfully he knew better than that. I waited until he was completely out of site before I headed back myself. I was dreading going back to the hot springs not wanting to face Hikaru knowing a fight was going to arise.

When I got back to the hot springs Hikaru wasn't in the room, so I changed and headed for the woman's bath wanting to relax but that didn't even last ten minutes.

"Ko," Hikaru said from the left making me quickly turn and covered myself despite the thick steam surrounding us.

"W-What are you doing here?" I stammered not expecting him to show up in the woman's bath.

"I needed to talk to you." He said calmly as if we weren't in this awkward situation.

"G-Get out! This is the w-woman's bath! You couldn't wait until I was back in the room?!" I shouted as my embarrassment was overcome by anger.

"You've been gone all day and just got in here! For all I know, you were going to be in here all night."

"Get out Hikaru, let me change then we can talk you perv." I hissed.

"Please, you're the only one in here. I didn't come here to peep on you." He scoffed.

"Sure looks like it." I muttered under my breath.

"Fine fine," he sighed. "I'll wait for you in the room." He said before disappearing.

"What was he thinking?!" I thought as I processed what happened. "What made him think that popping in here was a good idea? What did he even want?"

I got out of the water putting a robe around myself then walked back to the room not wanting to hear what Hikaru had to say. When I entered, Hikaru was placing food on the table making me raise a brow.

"Where'd he get the money for this? I thought he was broke." I wondered.

I quickly went to the bathroom changing into my usual attire then took a deep breath and went out to face him. He was sitting at the table taking a few bites before looking up at me. I sat across from him then made my own plate.

"So what was so important that you needed a peep show?" I questioned then took a few bites of my food.

"It wasn't a peep show!" He shouted which startled me. "Sorry, damn these Himura genes. Maybe it wasn't appropriate, but I didn't want you to avoid me for the rest of the day. I wanted to tell you that I found a job here and if you want, there's an opening for you too."

"That was what was so important?" I replied with a blank expression.

"It's important to me," he said but I could tell he was holding back his anger. "Will you stay with me?" He questioned with a pleading look.

"No Hikaru," I responded with a sad tone.

He abruptly rose from his seat slamming his hands on the table. "What do you mean?" He questioned as if he thought I was going to say yes; I couldn't stay here.

"I'm still leaving, being a civilian is not my lifestyle. I love being a shinobi." I stated making Hikaru's jaw clench.

"But what if you get hurt? I want to protect you."

"He's really not getting it," I thought as I inwardly rolled my eyes.

"Hikaru, like I said before, my life is always in danger which will eventually put these people in danger also. I've faced death many times but somehow survive. If I die then I die; it's the shinobi life which I chose to do." I said feeling my anger rising as was his. I was getting sick of fighting about nothing.

"What is really your choice? Because I think it was Orochimaru's." He said raising his voice taking a few steps forwards.

"It was," I placed a hand on my hip. "I didn't have to be a ninja when I went to the Leaf!" I shouted which made Hikaru flinch a bit. "I could've been a civilian still spying and would've been less suspicious. I basically wasted five years relearning everything I've known since I was four. I had to deal with so much drama between those stupid girls which was probably the worst part but I love being a shinobi so much I put up with it so don't question my life!"

He had a loss of words which made me smirk with victory. "Then, what about us?" He questioned with a softer tone.

"There won't be an us anymore. You stay here I go out there; I'm keeping you safe."

"But-" he tried to say but I interrupted him.

"I'm going up against the Akatsuki. You've had a hard time against my bounties or bounty hunters, what makes you think you can go up against an organization that even scare the Kage's?"

He was speechless once more.

"Exactly, so I'm going to get ready so if you want a pleasant goodbye, I'd stop with the anger." I said as I walked over to the bed picking up my things and placed them in my bag while Hikaru stood in the same spot.

Once everything was in my bag, I threw it over my shoulder and faced Hikaru again who looked calmed down.

"Can you answer me one last question?" He asked which made me shrug my shoulders. "Your whole life you wanted to make your Dad proud correct?" I nodded curious on where he was going with this. "What is your goal now?"

I knew my answer would anger him but hopefully he'll understand. "I want a home." I answered but his face didn't change he only took a step towards me followed by another then another until he was in front of me. "What are-" I started but stopped when he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I hope you find what you're looking for Ko, please be safe." He whispered.

"We will meet again Hikaru," I told him hoping that it is the truth.

"We better," he said with a smirk then leaned in for a kiss.

I had to leave. This relationship, whatever it was, didn't help me. The fighting over stupid things was reminding me of when Father got angry and eventually struck me. I can't go back to something like that. I stayed with Hikaru to get better and that's what I did, I'm not ruining that.

Sorry Hikaru fans but he wasn't the one for Ko :P

Edited: 2/21/2021