Weeks had passed since that incident with Itachi happened. Tsunade was already our Hokage and I haven't really spoken to her since she became Hokage. Not because I have a problem with it, but just because Jiraiya told her I've been through a lot trauma after my dad passed away.

So she gave me a couple of days off. 

I was currently lying on my couch with no pants on, reading a book to distract me from Itachi and my dad.

It obviously wasn't working well.

I couldn't stop thinking about why Itachi just told Kisame to 'finish me', what our next encounter will be like after this, and how this is going to work with our situation now.

I heard the door open and I quickly sat up in alarm, using a pillow to cover myself.

My heart stopped when my blue eyes were met with onyx ones.

We made eye contact and stayed like that for a bit, but then my face started heating up when I realized I wasn't wearing any pants with only a long shirt in front of him. He didn't seem to be bothered by this though.

My face then turned serious.

I didn't know what to say to him after all of that.

He stood there while I stared back at him and the silence was uncomfortable.

"So...what did you mean when you told Kisame to 'finish' me?"

I mentally face-palmed at how stupid I started our conversation.

"That wasn't directed towards you. It was directed towards the other three,"

"But Kisame attacked me too,"

"He was doing his mission. You do realize how suspicious it would be if he didn't, right?" 

I didn't reply and I realized I still wasn't wearing any pants.

"I'll be right back,"

I put the pillow back on the couch and awkwardly ran to my room to get changed. I just put on some leggings.

When I walked back out, he was on my couch and I felt less awkward now that I'm wearing pants.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked him, sitting down on the chair across the couch.

"Well, the mission is over and my Leader said we're laying low for a while, so I decided I'd come to see you. Especially after all that,"

"Sasuke is in bad shape, you know,"

He didn't reply and looked a little troubled. 

"Why didn't you just go a little easy on him? He's just a kid,"

"Kasumi, that isn't something for us to discuss. Don't take this the wrong way, but I have my reasons and you don't need to know them,"

I huffed a little and it got silent again. I decided to push those thoughts to the back of my mind for now. I stood up from the chair and walked over to him. I could immediately smell his scent and it brought me a sense of comfort and security again.

I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I missed you," I said quietly.

He put his arm around my waist and I wished we could be like this forever without any complications.

"How long can you stay?" I asked him.

"I can stay for about a week again. They'll think I'm out training," Itachi replied.

I was happy to hear this. 

We went back to my room and we were laying in my bed for what felt like hours. I never wanted this to end. 

I had to hide how much I kept looking at him, but every time I did, butterflies would go haywire in my stomach and he just kept looking way more attractive to me. 

I've never felt this way before. Not even with the spawn of Satan.

The world around us felt like it stopped and we spent hours talking about memories from the past.

The butterflies got worse when he turned to face me and my face heated up when he got closer to me.

He leaned in and kissed my cheek.

He meant everything to me. My love for him was real. 

"Itachi, I-"

I was cut off when there was a knock at my door.

I was annoyed, but at the same time, I was worried now.

Itachi and I exchanged glances and he used the transformation jutsu to turn into "my cat" and went under the bed.

I quickly walked to my living room and answered the door.

It was just Iruka. 

Why is Iruka here? 

"Kasumi, sorry to disturb you," He bowed. "But Lady Tsunade wanted to speak with you,"

"Oh, um," I started. "I'll be right over there. I just need to shower real quick,"

"Just meet her at the Hokage's Tower."

Iruka left after that and I was now upset again because I haven't stepped foot in that office since Dad died. It wasn't the same.

Itachi walked out, still in cat form.

"What did he say?"

I figured I probably shouldn't tell him who our Hokage is, so I used a small lie.

"I guess the person in charge of our village wants to speak with me. I don't know who they are since we don't have a Hokage yet,"

Itachi nodded. 

"I'll stay here,"

I got changed into my ninja attire and left my house to the tower.

I felt anxious now because that office was only going to bring bad memories for me. 

The walk took about fifteen minutes and I was now at the doors. 

I slowly knocked on it and I nearly expected to hear Dad's voice.

"Come in!" Tsunade called.

I opened the door and I looked around the office, feeling like I wanted to cry again.

Dad wasn't in his chair and his things weren't even in here. They were probably in storage or something and now I couldn't stop thinking about that day Orochimaru killed him.

"You wanted to speak to me, Lady Tsunade?" I said, trying to hide the pain in my voice. 

She observed me before talking. "I haven't seen you in years, Kasumi,"

I just nodded.

"It's crazy to see you now as an adult since the last time I saw you, you were just a child still in the academy," She continued. "How are you?"

Did she just call me in here to talk?

"Uh...good, I guess," I replied.

She gave me a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear about him, but I promise that I will keep things in order, just like he did. I can tell you're still hurt by that,"

I nodded again and she changed the subject since she could tell I was getting more emotional again.

"I called you in here because one of the villagers reported seeing suspicious figures lurking around the village again. I read in a report that he sent you to look after it the last time it happened, so I want you to look again,"

"Where around the village?"

She rose an eyebrow when she read the paper in her hand.

"Apparently they saw the suspicious activity over by the hot springs,"

I widened my eyes a little. That's close to my house.

Did they see Itachi? 

Oh shit. 

"Um, okay I can go look,"

"Report back to me when you're done investigating."

"I will Lady Tsunade," I bowed and walked out of her office.

Damnit. Did the villager see Itachi coming to my house? 

I quickly went to my house and Itachi was still in cat form on my couch. 

"Itachi," I said, a bit panicky.

"What's wrong?" He asked me. 

"I think one of the villagers saw you,"

He looked alarmed.

"What do you mean? How do you know for sure?"

"Well, uh, the person in charge now said one of the villagers reported seeing some suspicious activity by the hot springs and that's close to where we are. I have to go investigate it, so I'll ask around and see what they say," I explained.

He nodded.

"I also think you should come with me again,"

"If that person possibly spotted me here, that isn't a good idea,"

"But you'll be in cat form. I'll just tell them that you're in training to be my summoning animal or something. Just don't talk to me like that unless we're alone," I replied. "And it's not any better having you here alone. Someone may stop by and think it's me, but then they'll just see you in my house,"

He nodded and I grabbed my weapons and then picked him up. I placed him on my shoulder again and I walked out of my house.

"I don't even know where to start,"

"How about at the hot springs?" He suggested. "Ask the receptionist and we'll go from there,"

"Good idea," I nodded in agreement.

As we walked to the hot springs, I saw Hikaru. He smiled at me and walked up to me.

"Hi, Kasumi," He said. "I haven't seen you in a while,"

"Yeah, a lot's happened," I said. "Y'know, with my dad and the whole incident with the Sand Village betraying us,"

"Are you busy right now? We should go catch up, I've been out of town," He said, then glanced at Itachi in cat form on my shoulder. "What's with the cat?"

"He's a summoning animal I'm trying to train, and sorry I'm on a mission right now. It's dangerous so you should go stay safe," I said to him. "We'll hang out and catch up another time,"

"Okay, I'll see you around then," Hikaru said and waved as I walked off.

Once he was out of earshot, Itachi spoke.

"I don't trust him," Itachi said.

"He's fine, Itachi. He's just someone I recently befriended," I replied. "His name is Hikaru and he's not a ninja,"

"You shouldn't be around him right now," Itachi said. "Considering what your mission is,"

I rolled my eyes. "Look, if you're jealous, you have nothing to worry about. He's just a friend. That's all it is,"

Itachi sighed. "That's not what it is, Kasumi. He's not to be trusted,"

"You're just being paranoid," I retorted as we walked to the hot springs. 

Okay, that was weird. I hope that villager didn't see Itachi though.

~~~~~~

The next chapter will be longer because we're now getting the story to where it needs to be.