EDITED: 4/13/17- edited some of the dialogues, but I did not edit my original A/N. Because I still feel the same way for both Akira and Neji (yeah, I'm a sucker for fluff). Anyways...

~~~~~~~~~

35

"Can't you guys let a little sunshine in? It's a beautiful day outside!"

The males in the room turned to the cheerful feminine voice. From behind the wide bulk of metal cabinets, a blonde head appeared.

"Hey Ino. Over here."

Yamanaka Ino's face broke into a cheerful smile and she walked towards her father, occasionally waving in greeting at the other shinobi in the small office. She approached the elder Yamanaka and gave a slight bow.

"Good morning Tou-san," she chirped and held out a bento box wrapped in dark violet cloth. "Here's your lunch. Hope you like it!"

Inoichi sighed. "You're too chipper today, Ino." His pale blue eyes skimmed over his daughter's face, noting fondly their slight resemblance. Where Ino's mother is brunette, Ino herself took after Inoichi's blonde hair, tied in a high ponytail. She got her mother's facial structure and the thick dark lashes but her eyes were her own—a shade darker than Inoichi's pale blue and a far cry from her mother's hazel.

Remembering his wife, Inoichi stifled another sigh. It has been 3 days since he was last home and he missed the comfort of his house, his wife's delicious cooking and Ino's bubbly chattering. He smiled softly and gave his daughter a pat on the head.

"Thank you Ino and please thank your Kaa-san for me," he said.

Ino nodded, hands behind her back. "Will you be home tonight, Dad?"

"I don't know. Hopefully."

Ino made a face. "Mom's worried. How many more days will it take for your case to be finished?"

"I don't know, dear, I'm sorry," Inoichi said apologetically. He leaned back on his chair to rest his eyes. Meanwhile Ino had peered over the document that her father was studying.

"Fujiwara Keiko? You're in charge of her case?"

Inoichi opened his eyes and took the document from his daughter. "Yes, and you shouldn't be reading that. That's confidential."

Ino ignored the slight reprimand. "She tried to abduct Akira!" She snapped her fingers. "Did you read the medical report, Tou-san? I operated on Akira while on the field! Well, Sakura and I did but she wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for me." Her eyes were wide with excitement. "What do you think, Tou-san? I'm an amazing medical nin, yeah?"

Inoichi feigned ignorance. "What are you blabbing about, Ino?" When he saw the girl pout, he laughed. "Alright, alright. Yeah, I read the report and yes, you were amazing. Now please get back to the shop, you have caused enough distraction for the people here."

Ino turned around to see most of the male shinobi looking at her before they pretended to be immersed in their work—but that was not because Ino caught them looking but because of Inoichi's death glare. He appreciated it that his daughter had bloomed to be beautiful and people notice, but he could not help but be on full Papa-bear-mode when some man looks a little too long at his baby girl.

The young Yamanaka giggled before bending to give her father a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Fine Dad, I'll go now. Good luck on your investigation!"

"Thank you dear. Hug your mom for me. Be safe."

"Hai, hai!"

Ino gave a small wave before leaving the dingy office, leaving male heads gawking at her wake. Only when Ibiki entered the office shortly that they all resumed to the pretense of working.

Morino Ibiki gave the room a sweep before walking over to Inoichi.

"I met Ino in the hallway," the scarred man said.

"Yes, she brought me lunch," replied Inoichi.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid you won't be able to enjoy it on time." Ibiki handed Inoichi a scroll. One glance was all it took for him to recognize the official seal of the Daimyo. He unfurled it and read.

"Damn! Just when I thought I could go home tonight," the Yamanaka groused.

Ibiki gave him a heavy clap on the shoulder. "Sorry. The minute that arrived, the Hokage had ordered us to go on hyperdrive. She seems to be getting a little impatient with the pacing of our interrogation so when that letter arrived, the Godaime was like a hyena left loose."

"Figures. Hah!" Inoichi stood up and stretched his back. "Well then, let's go make the Hokage happy."

"Yosh."

~~~~~~~~

The cold corridor was dark and damp and smelled strongly of bleach—an obvious attempt to cover up the stench of blood and other human secretions that tend to be spilled during "enhanced interrogations". A shinobi guard paused to bow at the pair of senior interrogators, which Inoichi and Ibiki returned with polite glances. Both men looked straight ahead, faces trained to betray no emotions, no thoughts.

They reached the end of the corridor where a metal door with heavy bolts were guarded by two shinobi. Ibiki and Inoichi submitted themselves to the compulsory frisking and identification verification. The two shinobi performed simple mind probes to make sure that they are not impostors. Inoichi smirked. This part of the identification verification process was his brainchild after an incident where Orochimaru's aide made it to the high-security levels of the T and I by impersonating and transforming into Ibiki himself. Back then, only security questions were used to verify identities. The Godaime then ordered a complete revamping of their procedures, which led to Inoichi to spearhead the project. The jutsu is now used in various strategic locations in the village where strict identification is required.

Inoichi and Ibiki were finally given clearance to enter and the two shinobi descended into the deep bowels of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Department.

If the upper levels were eerie, this part of the department was much so because it is here where the real act of interrogation happens. Anguished screams echoed in the huge setting. There was the distant of sound metal hitting metal, the faint crack of a bone, and if you tune hard enough, the sound of death approaching.

It is a dreary, depressing place but this is the source of Konoha's strength. Information is always the core of any mission regardless of rank or nature—and both Ibiki and Inoichi believed in that.

"Yamanaka-sama. Morino-san."

A young interrogator with blonde hair (obviously, a Yamanaka) and clad in the black trench coat, paused in front of Inoichi and Ibiki and bowed politely. He then gave Ibiki a thin folder.

"Prisoner Fujiwara Keiko has already been briefed and is waiting for you at Interrogation Room 7."

Inoichi cocked a brow at the scarred jounin. "You placed her in a padded cell?"

"Yeah," Ibiki said gruffly. "So?"

The Yamanaka clad head only shook his head in disbelief. "Just what are you planning, Morino?"

At this, Ibiki started to walk towards the said room and Inoichi could hear the smirk in his reply. "You'll see."

Not long after and the trio reached Interrogation Room 7. The door was of thick metal and an ANBU operative was standing guard. After another mandatory frisking and identification verification, the trio entered the spacious room.

The interrogation room was different from the others not only because of its size but because of its facilities. The main feature of this room is its two-way glass mirror and its padded walls.

Behind the two-way glass mirror, Inoichi saw the prisoner. Fujiwara Keiko is seated on one of the chairs, hands folded on the steel table, the overhead lamp illuminating her fair face. Without her elaborate garb the actress looked older for her actual age of twenty-five, and her ginger hair is uncombed and limp. Inoichi sighed and turned to Ibiki.

"Is she on tranquilizers?" he asked.

A medic behind him answered, "Only on mood-stablizers, Yamanaka-sama."

"I had her physical restraints removed," said Ibiki as he settled behind the huge desk where a couple of paperwork could be seen. "We'll go for the mild approach first, see if she's up to divulging other data. Go in slow, if she resists, you know the drill."

Inoichi groused. He'd seen enough gore and darkness in the countless mind jutsu he had performed in his lifetime but that doesn't mean he enjoys what he sees. The mindwalks he did on Fujiwara were the mildest he had done but there's enough proof that this woman's mind isn't a pleasurable place to walk in.

After a few more planning, Inoichi took a deep breath and slipped easily into his role as interrogator. He opened the door connecting the office and the interrogation room and as soon as he was inside, all noise from behind the two-way glass mirror disappeared. He was left with the actress and there was no sound in the room except for his footsteps on the gleaming linoleum. He placed the folder and scroll on the table, pulled out the chair and finally sat across Fujiwara. The actress barely recognized his presence.

"Good morning, Fujiwara-san."

Keiko raised her eyes slowly from the table to meet Inoichi's pale blues. "Good morning, Yamanaka-san."

Inoichi started with the most basic question of all: "How are you today?"

The actress showed mild amusement. "Wonderful. Thank you for asking, Yamanaka-san."

"I'm here to discuss your present predicament."

"Oh. But I'm perfectly comfortable in this dungeon, in fact I could use an accent rug and a mahogany dresser."

The sarcasm mixed with a slight hint of impending madness was evident in the actress' singsong voice. Inoichi kept a straight face.

"Well I'm glad you're comfortable," he said dryly.

"I am, Yamanaka-san," Keiko said, running a hand in her tangled locks. "But the service here could do with some improvement, especially the food! Please inform your gracious chef that I do not eat miso."

"That's unfortunate, because we serve all prisoners the exact same food." Inoichi adjusted his seat and crossed his fingers on the tabletop. "Now, I have questions for you—"He paused to stare intently into her dark brown eyes. "—and you will answer all of them truthfully. Am I clear?"

The fake humor in the actress' eyes died. "Crystal."

"Good. Let's start with the Daimyo. You are close to him?"

"Yes."

"And he takes your advice on a lot of things?"

Keiko smirked. "As long as I pleasure him well in bed, yes."

Inoichi cocked a brow but chose to ignore Keiko's taunting. His previous mindwalks with the actress had proven that she knows how to play her charms right. Her memories showed how easy she could manipulate men with her guile. Even the Daimyo was not immune.

"Tell me about that deal with the Tengu of the Sanro," Inoichi probed. "It was done due to your prodding, am I right?"

"You are wrong. I had nothing to do with it!"

"Fujiwara-san, you know very well that I can tell if you're lying, and I'm sure you don't want to undergo the rigors of last week's session. So please, just tell the truth."

This seemed to anger the actress. Her voice raised slightly when she answered, "I have nothing to do with Tengu, it was Noburo's fault for being so idiotic!"

Inoichi knew that the best way to wheedle out the facts he wanted from the actress was to play the 'buddy' role—make her trust him, make her feel that he's an ally and when she's comfortable enough, she'd start spilling. As part of that plan, Inoichi kept silent and allowed Fujiwara to verbalize.

"He wanted to exploit the mine that was sitting at the Land of Iron's border. Mifune-sama claimed ownership of the mine but of course Noburo thought lowly of samurai—the fool! I told him it was stupid to be involved with Mifune-sama but he won't listen!"

"The Daimyo is known to be quite reckless in his decisions sometimes," Inoichi remarked, playing well into his role. "Our past clash with Iwa could've been a disaster if we pushed through with what the Daimyo wanted."

Fujiwara smirked again. "Heh. It was because of me that he pulled out from that battle with Iwa. You know his ego, bigger than his dick. He wants to dip his hands in shinobi business when we all know he's got no sense of war or fighting. If it was up to him, he'll put all elite forces into that skirmish and Iwa will have a field day! You were lucky the leader of Iwa's troops then is a perverted man, or else Konoha would be dust by now."

"And yet, you stay with him."

"What?"

"In spite of your misgivings towards the Daimyo, you stay with him and you chose to be his mistress."

"Well...he's okay sometimes. And he's given me all I need. You think my job as an actress can pay for all my needs and wants? Hah! You're a fool to think so."

"He's your benefactor."

"Yeah, I mean it's just fair. I sleep with him, I give my body to him, it's just right that he gives me something in return." Keiko leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms under her ample breasts. "It's a lucrative business, Yamanaka-san, and it's not all that bad as long as his wife does not meddle. I mean, it's bad enough to sleep with a man 20 years older than I am but as long as he does not interfere with my plans, it's all good. In fact, it's more than 'good' 'cause I got him wrapped around my finger."

Inoichi narrowed his eyes fractionally, seeing the chink in Fujiwara's armor—her arrogance—that he could exploit. "All your needs," he said in low tone. "And is the mine what you needed?"

It was all done so subtly, Fujiwara didn't see it coming. "No, not the mine. But something in the mine. You won't see it if you're not familiar with the Land of Iron."

"And you are?"

"Tch. That's the problem with you shinobi lot. You all think too highly of yourselves. The Land of Iron is not a cold wasteland. Deep beneath the snowy mountain of Sanro and other gunk there's an inscription that—" The woman's face hardened into a scowl and she glared daggers at Inoichi upon realizing her mistake. "Asshole."

Inoichi ignored the expletive. "You are well-versed with the Land of Iron and its samurai. Did you live there?"

The actress was silent and only glared at Inoichi. He glanced at the paper on the table that contained the information he gathered from his mindwalks. There is enough evidence to support that Keiko indeed hailed from the said country.

Inoichi's probe continued, this time focusing on Fujiwara's identity and background. She refused to answer questions about her ties with the Land of Iron, or if she's associated with Samurai. She also refused to speak of the backdoor dealings the Daimyo had with the mercenary group, Tengu of the Sanro, or what lies in the mine that she talked about. Inoichi however was not bothered by the actress' silence. If she won't talk, there are many ways to make her do so.

A full minute had passed before Fujiwara spoke again. "I want to talk to Satsuna Akira."

"Why? Who is she to you?"

When Fujiwara only continued to glare at him, Inoichi sighed. "You could burn off your eyeballs glaring at me all day, or you could answer my questions." He stared hard at the actress. "Why do you want to speak with Akira?"

Silence.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. Who is Satsuna Akira?"

"A shinobi of this village. You don't know?"

Inoichi sighed at the sardonic smirk of the actress. "I know that. What do you know about her? Why are you interested so much that you had her abducted?"

From behind the two-way glass mirror, Ibiki frowned. What is Inoichi playing at? Why is he getting used info? Inoichi's going around in circles. The Hokage was clear: she wanted to know how Fujiwara learned of the Satsuna and the Kageboshi. The existence of the two is one of Konoha's well-kept secrets, and a civilian like Fujiwara isn't supposed to know anything about it. But it appears that she does.

Ibiki sighed and continued to watch, letting the Yamanaka clan head to go on with his investigation. The man is a mind reader after all and could gather cues with his mind that Ibiki's methods miss.

"Come on. I did not sleep with the daimyo just to know the stupid bits about this village's dwindling economy," Fujiwara said with a smirk, her earlier arrogance returning. "Konoha has two jinchuriki. Wow. Iwa and Oto would kill for that."

"Do they know?"

"What do you think?"

Inoichi resisted the urge to sigh. Conventional methods do not work on the woman, but that's not to say he has not learned anything. He continued, "Say, I agree to let Satsuna speak with you. What will you give us in return?"

Fujiwara cocked her head to the side, as if contemplating. "Peace of mind." Then she grinned almost maniacally. "You can tell that to Scarface from the other side of the glass. I swear I'll behave."

It was scary, the way her eyes dilated and her dank hair clung to the sides of her face. But Inoichi, the expert on mind manipulation, merely shrugged. "That's not a good offer. Come on, you can do more than that."

Fujiwara let out a maniacal laugh, her high-pitched voice echoing in spite of the cushioned walls. "I like you, Yamanaka-san. You know, you're the only guy here that I like. Oh, and I also like Shizune-san, she's cute but could you tell her to lay off on the mother-hen act? Kinda gets annoying." Seeing that Inoichi ignored her, Fujiwara sighed and turned serious. "Okay, you want a fair deal? How about I tell you all I know about the Kageboshi? You like that?"

Inoichi crossed his arms. "I don't know. What else is there to know about the Kageboshi?" He sounded skeptical although Ibiki knew that in truth, Konoha knows next to nothing about this strange beast in their village. Ibiki lauded Inoichi. The man is an excellent actor.

"Idiot. Don't play games with me, I know you are clueless about the Kageboshi. Isn't that the point of this interrogation? Wheedle out Kageboshi trivia from me? How would you know about it? It's not a tailed-beast. One wrong move and you can have a disaster in your hands if the Satsuna girl decides to wreak havoc into your little town. You think you can deal with that, now that you're Fourth Hokage is gone?"

"The Kageboshi can be retained in its host as long as the Howling Wolf Seal is stable. The Third Hokage had reinforced the seal."

"With the belief that the Kageboshi is but another tailed-beast. And I'm telling you. It's not."

"How about you tell us why you're after the Kageboshi in the first place? Because that's what you're after isn't it? You don't want Satsuna Akira, you want her bijuu."

Fujiwara's playful façade disappeared and was replaced with a hostile one. She leaned forwards to Inoichi, who did not flinch. "You will never get that out of me," Fujiwara snarled. "Shinobi scum!"

Inoichi was undaunted. "If you won't tell us, then we'll be forced to use harsher methods. And I'm telling you, 'Scarface' isn't known for his kindness." He leaned forward, shedding the 'buddy-buddy' role and resorting to intimidation. He slammed a huge hand on the table, pale blue eyes sharp like daggers as he glared at the woman. "You say you like me more than 'Scarface'? Well you should've answered my questions when I asked nicely, because now that you have pissed me off, you have both Scarface and I to deal with."

"Just try and the daimyo will have your heads."

At this, Inoichi sat back, opened the folder on the table and took out a document. He turned it towards the woman. "I'll be less cocky if I was you." He watched Fujiwara's eyes widened as she read the document. Seeing the daimyo's seal at the bottom, she glared at Inoichi at spit at him.

Minutes later, 2 medics were summoned to restrain the furious actress and sedate her. Inoichi spared the woman a pitiful look as he left the interrogation room.

"My, my. She was pissed."

He looked up at the taller shinobi and sighed. "Well, Ibiki, you know how the saying goes, 'Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned.'"

Ibiki smiled smugly. "I'm just glad the daimyo finally approved Hokage-sama's request to let that woman undergo full interrogation procedures. I can now have free reign."

"She's quite stubborn," said Inoichi. "Not an ordinary civilian. Conventional interrogation doesn't work on her."

"You think she's shinobi?"

"Probably. Or maybe she had some shinobi or military training of some sort."

The two men watched from behind the two-way glass how the medics had restrained Fujiwara and is now pressing her against the cushioned walls as the actress continued to fight against her ties.

"Samurai?"

Inoichi looked at Ibiki and shrugged. "A possibility but we have to probe deeper. She seemed knowledgeable about the evasive Land of Iron. I plan to do a mindwalk once you've successfully broken into her."

"Well, you left me with not much. You should be getting a reward for excellent acting."

Inoichi grinned. "Oh, you're too kind. You should see my Ino." Ibiki chuckled.

They watched as Fujiwara was being settled down to a cot by the medics. "She's a beauty, no? Tsk. Such a waste," said Ibiki.

Inoichi massaged his temples. "Yeah. But the beautiful ones are the most lethal. Anyway, enjoy the day, sadistic freak. I'm off to write a report."

If only the Yamanaka wasn't his most trusted friend and comrade, Ibiki would've chucked the man a taste of his famed 'interrogation skills'.

In the meantime, he retreated to his quarters to prepare for an afternoon of "enhanced interrogation" with the famous actress.

~~~~~~~~

It was a bright, sunny morning in spite of the rain forecast. Hyuuga Neji strolled towards Konoha's Children Orphanage where sounds of lively chatter and laughter echoed in the air. The stoic shinobi neared the playground where children of age 3- 11 were playing. He observed them silently.

The orphanage was a wide, two-story building, located in the southwest part of the village, among the civilian population. It has a spacious front yard that doubled as a playground. With his Byakuugan, Neji saw that the backyard has a small garden patch, a back door led to the orphanage's big kitchen and further ahead is a mess hall for the children. Bed rooms are upstairs, the left hall is for the boys, the right is for the girls. Staff rooms are on the first floor along with the office for the Orphanage's Mistress. There is a separate room for babies beside the mistress' office.

Neji watched the children closer while remaining incognito. A group of toddlers caught his eye, especially the little girl in a yellow dress. One boy in a faded blue jumper approached her and tugged rather forcefully at the girl's ponytail. For a second Neji thought the girl would cry, instead she reached to pull at the boy's ear. This made the boy cry and the rest of the group laughed. The girl let out a chuckle and Neji felt himself smile.

Strangely, the little girl reminded him of a certain redhead.

He moved closer, resting his hand on the low fence and allowed his imagination to run around a little. He could almost see a young Satsuna, with red hair styled like the little girl, probably dressed in a yellow dress too, playing on the grass. Or maybe she would be by the swing over there, or maybe by the sandbox.

"When my grandmother died, the council decided to send me to the orphanage. I was seven, barely able to care for myself. I didn't understand what was happening, but all I know is that, my world has changed."

'Akira was seven when she was sent here,' Neji thought while his eyes roamed over the little girl who was now plucking flowers from the hedge near the fence where he stood. Up close, the little girl had chestnut hair and wide, curious eyes. Her chubby face was flushed. This girl looked way younger than seven, probably four years old. He continued to watch her.

Another boy had approached the girl—not the one in the blue jumper, this new boy wore dark shirt and pants—and instead of pulling on the girl's ponytail, Neji heard the boy offer help in picking flowers. His mind automatically identified him with Hideyoshi, the orphan boy Akira had mentioned.

"Hideyoshi...that was his name. Since then he began following me around, even when I'd go to the Academy, he'd stay by the gates until it was time to go home. He'd help me with the chores. He was like my little, silent shadow. He was the only person who didn't shun me."

Hideyoshi... 'Who are you?'

"Excuse me?"

His thoughts were interrupted by the kind voice that spoke to him. Neji looked up to see a slender woman cradling a sleeping toddler in her arms standing before him.

"What can I do for you, shinobi-san?" the woman asked.

Neji glanced once more at the little girl and boy who were also looking at him now. He stepped forward. "I'm actually just looking around," he said.

The woman appraised him with her eyes, taking notice of his jounin uniform, his hitaite and his Hyuuga eyes. "Are you interested in any of the children?" When Neji did not respond, the woman sighed and opened the gate. "This way please."

He was led inside and behind him he could feel the curious gazes of the young children. The young woman then led him to the receiving area where a maid attended to him.

"Would you like tea, shinobi-san?"

Neji's eyes wandered over the sparse decorations, the faded rug by his feet before nodding. The maid promptly left.

The woman who had assisted him, Tajima Miyako, was the Mistress' assistant. He learned that the mistress is currently out for a day off and it is Miyako who is in charge of the orphanage for today. Together, he and Miyako sat on the couch. The toddler in the woman's arms still slept comfortably and Neji noted the blue bracelet around the child's wrist.

"May I know the reason for your visit?" said Miyako as she smoothed the boy's curly hair.

Neji watched the kid in Miyako's arms and thought briefly if this was how Naruto was when the Sandaime sent him to this institution. A baby, fresh out of his mother's womb and already alone.

Or Akira, who never got to know who her mother really was.

He shook himself off the thought and focused on his true intent. "I'd like to know if a certain boy named Hideyoshi lived here," said Neji.

Miyako frowned in thought. "Hmm. The name sounds familiar but let me see if we have him in our records."

"Thank you." He paused to thank the maid who had brought him tea just then before speaking. "And also...if you could pull up any records pertaining to a shinobi named Satsuna Akira, I would be grateful."

Miyako smiled kindly. "I'll do my best, Hyuuga-san."

Just then he felt someone tug at his sleeve and he turned around to see the little girl in the yellow dress, looking up at him.

"Shinobi-san?" she said.

Neji looked at Miyako who gave an understanding smile. He turned back to the little girl. "Yes?"

The girl fidgeted for a bit, her chubby cheeks blushing before she held out a small bracelet made of flowers. "I...I made this...for you..." she said shyly.

Neji stiffened a little, not knowing how to act. He was never good with children and the only reason he went to the orphanage is to learn more about Akira's past, because he was sure that the redhead won't tell him and he knows she still has to work on her trust issues (he couldn't blame her—there it was, guilt creeping again). He always found interacting with children to be challenging, and he has little patience for their quirks.

"Take it," he heard Miyako whisper beside him.

He cleared his throat lightly and took the small bracelet. "Thank you, uh..." He waited for the girl to say her name, but she just looked at him. "Well—thank you."

The girl smiled. "You're welcome. My name's Chiasa."

Neji bowed. "Hyuuga Neji."

Upon closer look, Neji realized why it was so easy for him to identify Akira with Chiasa: both girls have green eyes. Akira's were dark green while Chiasa's are light jade.

There was a soft whimper and Neji turned to see that Aoshi had stirred in Miyako's arms. Soon the baby was crying and Miyako stood up.

"I'm sorry Shinobi-san, I'll be right back with you," Miyako said hurriedly. "Let me just attend to Aoshi first. Chi-chan?" She smiled at the little girl. "Could you keep Shinobi-san company for a while?"

Chiasa nodded obediently and Miyako gave the girl a pat on the head. She bowed to excuse herself. Before long, Aoshi's cries disappeared upstairs.

There was an awkward pause between Neji and Chiasa as the girl continued to look at Neji in curiosity. Neji tried to look harmless (how does one do that, anyway?) and merely sat on the couch.

"Do you want to see my room?" said Chiasa suddenly.

Neji frowned. What he really wanted was to speak with the Mistress of the Orphanage, ask for permission to peruse some documents and ask about a boy named Hideyoshi. But the Mistress is unavailable and Miyako is busy with the children so now he is left with a little girl who wants to show him her room. And what is he to do?

Neji nodded and Chiasa smiled.

"It's this way. Come on!"

He followed Chiasa to the end of the corridor. The walls have peeling wallpaper and the rugs are frayed and old. There are barely any decorations, save for the sorry-looking statue of elephants and old porcelain geisha dolls. A window was left open and sunlight streamed in.

Chiasa stood at the bottom stair with an excited smile on her face. "It's upstairs," she said and she started climbing two steps at a time.

Neji followed silently, eyes roaming at every detail that could hint him of Akira's past. Once upstairs they were greeted by another stretch of corridor, darker and still with drab furniture.

"Chiasa?" he tried tentatively and the girl turned. There was evident surprise in her eyes but she remained silent and Neji took that as a good sign. "Do you know how many kids live here?"

The girl shook her head, making her ponytail swing. "Nuh-uh. But I know that there are more girls than boys."

'Probably because as soon as they are able, they are sent to the Academy to be utilized as shinobi,' Neji mused.

"Do you know of a boy named Hideyoshi?" Neji asked again.

Chiasa shook her head the second time. "Who is Hideyoshi?" the girl asked, blinking wide innocent eyes.

Neji resisted the urge to slap himself. 'Of course, she wouldn't know about Hideyoshi, what the hell were you thinking Hyuuga?' Hideyoshi supposedly died when Akira was around 7 years old. Chiasa wouldn't even be born yet.

The unlikely pair walked and Neji had glimpses of the children's rooms. Chiasa also told him of how it is in the orphanage—the children have communal bathrooms separated by gender, they follow a schedule of eating, taking a bath, play time etc. Once you turn five, you are given the option to join the Ninja Academy or study in a civilian school. There are five caretakers excluding Miyako.

As Chiasa spoke and gave him a mini 'tour', Neji could not help but imagine Akira, walking through the same halls, playing in the old playroom with battered toys (if she ever did play), slump on the floor of the makeshift library, sleep in the bunk beds, interact with other children.

"I didn't know what to do with myself so I just followed whatever they told me. I wanted to return home but I have no home. I have no place to go. Even in the orphanage, nobody wanted me. The Academy was no good, either."

Neji clenched his fist in his pocket at the memory of a crying Akira recounting this little piece of her past. He looked around the old walls, touched the cold concrete. She walked here. Touched the same walls. Breathed the same stale air.

'What really happened, Akira? Who are you?'

"We're here!"

Neji woke up from his reverie and looked inside the room Chiasa was showing. It was moderately spaced with four bunk beds, two closets and two tall mirrors. Each bed was made up with a stuffed toy sitting on the pillow. He felt Chiasa tug on his sleeve again and the girl pulled him inside.

"This is where I sleep," she said, sitting by the edge of the bed. Hers was nearest the wide window which was left open. A cool breeze wafted and the girl smiled. "Come on Shinobi-san, it's okay!"

Neji's eyes roamed over the sparse room and the image of a young Akira—sitting on the bed, head turned towards the window much like what Chiasa is doing—flashed vividly in his mind. Except unlike Chiasa, the Akira in his mind had a sad, faraway look in her eyes, and her skin was marred with partly-healed bruises from the Kageboshi's constant terror.

"I spent every night in the dark basement of the orphanage because I scared the other kids away with my constant nightmares. They said I'd scream nonstop and claw myself until I bled. And the very next morning, my skin would heal as if nothing happened. They asked the Third Hokage if something could be done but what could be done? I heard one of the adults suggest killing me off. Sometimes I wish they had. Maybe if they did...he'd still be alive."

"Until one night, I killed him."

Knock. Knock.

Neji turned and there on the doorway was Miyako. She smiled kindly at him and Chiasa. "The records you requested for are here."

Neji nodded in acknowledgement and made his way towards Miyako. Before he left the room though, he turned back to Chiasa.

"Thank you, Chi-chan," he said with a slight bow. Chiasa's eyes widened and she blushed at the casual way he addressed her. The girl waved shyly which Neji returned with a slight smile.

He followed Miyako out of the room and the two adults entered an adjacent office. Miyako closed the door.

"Hyuuga-san, I regret to inform you that the boy you're looking for, Hideyoshi, is already deceased." The woman walked towards a wooden table and gave Neji a long envelope. "He died in a fire ten years ago."

Neji browsed the documents, the words "special needs", "death by combustion" and "cardiovascular shock" dancing before his eyes. He returned the papers back in the envelope.

"Until one night...I killed him!"

"What have you done?" he whispered to himself, his mind trying to re-enact how the boy died at Akira's hands. What had truly happened that night? Had the Kageboshi escaped?

"Hyuuga-san?"

At his name, Neji looked up and noticed that Miyako wore a curious expression. "I'm sorry Hyuuga-san, is everything all right?"

Neji sighed and schooled his features to appear solemn. "Yes, Tajima-san. I am very grateful for your assistance."

Miyako smiled and gave him another envelope, this time less heavy than the first. "And these are the records we have of the Satsuna. She arrived here when she was seven so we don't have information about her prior to that."

Neji eyed the thin manila envelope before taking them from Miyako. "Tajima-san, what can you tell me about Satsuna Akira?"

Miyako sighed deeply and settled on the chair behind the table and Neji did the same to the spare one reserved for visitors. "Well, not much because as I've said earlier, she came here when she was seven," said Miyako. "And when she came here I was newly employed so my interactions with her are few. However, in those few interactions, I knew immediately that she's...disturbed."

"Disturbed?"

"Yes, Hyuuga-san. She came here with an ANBU escort just as visiting hours are over. I remember well because I had just finished sending the children to bed when there was an urgent knock on the door. When I first saw her...she seemed lost.

After that I learned from the Mistress that Satsuna was to be kept separate from the other children because she's a 'special case' and that time I didn't understand. One night when I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I heard some screaming from the basement. It was terrifying, like someone was being tortured! So I went down to investigate and...I saw her! Screaming and covered in blood and there was a strange sort of heat covering her...I can't go near her. I told the Mistress and the next morning, two shinobi came. They looked at Akira and surprisingly, there were no signs of what happened the previous night."

Miyako heaved a deep breath and looked at Neji, her eyes fearful. "They said she carries a demon within her."

Neji remained emotionless. "You said two shinobi came the next day. Can you describe them to me?"

"Well my memories are sketchy but I think one of them is a tall man with blonde hair and wore a dark trench coat. The other one wore the same attire but I can't remember his features. They came with a letter from the Hokage."

"And what did they do to Satsuna?"

"They took her with them, saying that the Hokage needed to speak with the girl. Afterwards, they returned her and the girl seemed to have forgotten anything that happened the previous night."

Neji was silent then, and he took out the information sheet the orphanage had of Akira. The thin paper contained a photograph of her—a sullen, thin girl with green eyes like that of a hungry cat—and Neji felt his heart twinge.

"But aside from that, she was a quiet girl. She was polite and never gave any of us trouble. She's a little distant and the only friend she had was Hideyoshi. But then...the fire happened and...Hideyoshi died. Akira was then sent away," said Miyako. "I know the other kids bullied her, maybe because they were scared of her. We tried to stop the bullying but...you know how children are. Akira always fought back and I'd sometimes catch her nursing a broken lip or a bleeding eyebrow."

"And those injuries always healed itself."

Miyako looked up at him and nodded. "Yes."

Neji stood up and bowed politely at Miyako. "I appreciate your help, Tajima-san." He tucked the two envelopes under his arm. "I will take my leave now. Thank you."

When Neji was finally in the confines of his room in the Hyuuga compound, he opened Akira's file. He'd just read the first few pages before he stopped. Add the late night mission debrief he had with the Hokage about the latest conflict with the Satsuna, and Neji was shaken.

He was wrong—oh so wrong—to identify chubby, little Chiasa with the dark, haunted Akira.

By the time Neji finished reading both Akira's and Hideyoshi's files, he stood up. He needed to see her. He needed to know the truth and just how far along is she with Shimura Danzo's offer.

'Akira...?''

~~~~~~~~

She skipped her Academy lessons and asked for a sick leave of three days. Iruka was worried but Akira placated him that it was nothing serious. She said it was just a flu, but the truth is she wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

Training always did the trick. She went to the lake, intent to practice suiton jutsu. Unlike masters of water chakra, Akira cannot create water-based jutsu without a source of water nearby. She also cannot derive water from plants. Even Kishi can't do it too. Her knowledge of water techniques came from daily library research and the only reason she's able to learn the jutsu even without a shinobi sensei is because of the Kageboshi.

'So thank you, oh malevolent beast, for lending me your chakra,' Akira thought, sarcastic. She hung her small bag on one of the low branches of a tree (which she noted was the same tree where Neji had told her of his intentions and she accepted) and stepped on the edge of the lake, just pushing enough chakra on the soles of her feet.

Taking a deep breath, she molded her chakra into rippling waves, imitating the fluid movement of water. Concentrating, she performed seals.

"Suiton: Suidan no jutsu!"

Akira spewed a powerful stream of water from her mouth, aiming at the tree on the other side of the lake. The force of the torrent made her skid a little, and she could feel her chakra coils tightening at the swish of the chakra she kneaded. Focusing on the tree, she tried to maintain the momentum of her jutsu. Unfortunately, her stream was a couple of meters short. Akira fell on her knees, gasping at the exertion. The water sprayed her face as her jutsu ended. The tree across her remained dry.

'Crap. Still not improving!' She stood up and breathed deeply. She was about to start kneading chakra again when she sensed disturbance from the genjutsu trap she made. Tensing, she took out a kunai and threw it at the direction where she felt the disturbance.

A few more tense seconds and Akira whirled swiftly, drawing her katana. Her blade made contact with another sharp blade.

"Hello," the man drawled.

Akira scowled and tightened her grip. "Badger."

"I'm not here to pick a fight." He stepped back and sheathed his tanto. Akira followed his movements with narrowed eyes. Badger distanced himself from the kunoichi, placing his hands at his sides. "I am here to know your answer to Danzo-sama's offer."

Akira's grip on her katana tightened. "He gave me three days to answer. It's just the first day."

"We know. But he wants to tell you that the decision isn't really that difficult to make."

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious that you're not meant to be just an Academy instructor. Sure it's a noble job, but also a useless one. Danzo-sama sees the potential in you, he knows your unharnessed talents. It's a waste that your skills are left rotting in the Academy." Badger sheathed his tanto. "There's no growth for you if you stayed in that school. You could be of greater purpose if you took his offer."

Akira remained silent, still gripping her katana. "Tell him my answer is still not due."

Badger sighed behind his mask. He shook his head. "Really, Satsuna. You're playing hard to get."

Akira glared at him this time. "I'm weighing my options. Your Danzo-sama is a shady figure and I know he's a manipulative bastard—" She pointed her katana at him. "-don't try to attack me like you did, I will throw shade at him all I want, I have not agreed to his terms yet! Again, my answer is still not due."

Badger adjusted his mask. "Noted. Anything else?"

"Stop following me."

"I can't guarantee that."

The man disappeared in a jutsu but Akira remained tense, making sure that Badger had indeed left her immediate surroundings. Once sure, she relaxed her stance and kept her katana in its scabbard. After taking a few deep breaths, Akira decided to cut her training short. The sudden meeting with Badger made Akira lose her focus.

She walked back to her house, choosing the quiet and obscure paths. Yuudai and the rest of the pack are back at the mountain. Kuroi had somewhat recovered from the genjutsu that Badger and Danzo had placed on him but the black wolf still refused to tell her what the illusion was about. She could surmise however that it must be something about the death of Kuroi's family. He was but a pup then and after that tragedy, had spent his years wandering the mountains until he was found by the other Satsuna wolves who had led him to Shizukana Yama.

As Akira neared her house, she could not help but think that those around her had tragic pasts—her wolves, Iruka (who lost his parents during the Kyuubi attack), Naruto (who had the Kyuubi sealed into him and never met his parents), Hayate (whose entire family died due to war—first his parents being both shinobi, then his younger sister who died before him and then he himself) and for sure, Saburou and Daichi had their own share of deaths as well. Neji too. And of course, she did—her grandmother and the parents she never knew.

"Poor you..." The Kageboshi drawled from within her mind. Akira felt her knees weaken at that instant, breathing became difficult as deep chill permeated her bones. She walked on, trying to keep the terror at bay.

"That old hag you call grandmother's dead and she left you with a burned house and nothing to your name."

Akira clutched the nearest tree, fighting to maintain her consciousness. Her eyes registered the canopy of leaves around her but they began to blur and be replaced by the desolate scene that she stumbled upon that day she received the bad news. She was attending class in the Academy back then. She was seven. An ANBU operative had interrupted their class and asked for her.

"I'm sorry Akira. Satsuna Inoue—your grandmother—is dead."

"No! That's not true! My grandmother-! Baa-chaaaaan! Baa-chaaaan!"

Where the house once stood, there was nothing but burnt rubble.

Akira ignored the loud clanging of chains that echoed in her head. She ran, pumping chakra in her legs. The flashbacks continued.

"This is where you'll live now, Akira."

She looked up at the gray building before resuming her dead stare ahead. The Third Hokage let out an audible sigh before patting the girl's thin shoulder.

"Akira-chan, remember that your grandmother loved you very much."

Her green eyes met his kind, onyx ones and she knew, that in spite of everything, that last bit was true.

There was a brief clarity, in which Akira saw that she was at her porch, hand still shaking as she turned the knob open. She stumbled inside her home, the dark interior and eerie silence greeting her.

"Oh isn't that but sentimental shit? Love!" The Kageboshi scoffed. "Sentiment will kill you, you shitty brat! If not you, then those around you. Remember that kid you burned and dismembered to death? What was his name?" The beast let out a nasty guffaw.

Akira clasped her hands over her ears. 'No! No! Stop! Stop!' Her knees gave away and she huddled in the nearest corner.

"Ah yes. Hideyoshi, was it?" The Kageboshi paced around his confinement, dragging the heavy chains across the floor. "Rather nice kid, if only he lived longer, eh? But you killed him! You ripped him open and then burned his pleading carcass!"

'Stop, please...' The image of the bloodied boy flashed in Akira's mind—the gaping hole where his eyes have been, the pool of blood, the intoxicating surge of power in her veins. And there was the heat of chakra that muted Hideyoshi's screams, followed by the heavy binds of foreign chakra that burned her skin. It was chaotic, there were a lot of voices and something heavy was holding her down, like chains. Sealing tags covered her small body. When she came to, there was blood everywhere.

"It isn't safe for you and the other children if you remained in the orphanage. From now on, you will stay in a place away from other children and people. This is so that you will not cause harm to others."

Young Akira looked up at the old Hokage, the smoke from his pipe stinging her eyes—was it really the smoke, or her tears?—and she asked, "What will happen to me now, Hokage-sama?"

"You will go back to your old house and stay there. You will continue in the Academy."

"H-Hideyoshi..."

"Hideyoshi is gone."

Darkness. A sinister chuckle. And then demonic laughter. Akira fell—down, down, down she went. Into the deep abyss of memories repressed, of fears that shook and at the same time numbed her.

"Akira! Akira!"

She looked out to see Saburou and Daichi outside. It was sunny, bright, as if the world had decided it will prank her with the cruelest joke yet.

"Come quickly! Hayate-sensei is dead!"

What? What? Dead? But the sun is shining.

What? No. no. no. no.

"They said some rogue nin killed him because he learned of valuable intel. Could be an accomplice of Orochimaru."

Crushing pain. Lifeless eyes stared back at her before his body was sealed away. Warm sunlight on her shoulders did nothing to curb the chill in her bones.

Hayate is dead. Hayate is dead. Hayate is dead.

No. No. NO!

"Yes...yes... see? Sentiment will do you no good! Now more people are dead! How many more do you want to kill off before you accept the truth that you're a monster!"

"I am not a monster! I am not..."

"Akira?"

Brown scar. Brown eyes. Warm hands.

"Hayate-sensei is dead."

"Yes."

She looked up at Iruka's kind eyes. And then the tears poured and she found herself in his embrace. His voice soothed the sobs in her chest.

"He is dead Akira but he is not gone. He will live on in your dreams, in your hopes, and as long as you live on, he will too. He may be dead, but your bond with him isn't."

"But I am alone now."

"No, you're not. You have your team mates, your friends. And I am still your sensei somehow, right?"

She looked up to see Iruka's bright smile. The sincerity in his eyes made it easier to smile back, even though deep down, she's drowning in grief.

Before she knew it, she was standing under the rain along with the other villagers, mourning the death of the Sandaime, Hayate, and those who died protecting the village from the invasion of Suna and Oto. Beside her, Iruka stood, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He did not say anything, but his silence was enough.

The world stood still. Her heavy breaths echoed in the stillness. The flashbacks remained—dark in contrast with light.

She succumbed to the darkness.

~~~~~~~~~

"No Nii-san, Akira-sensei didn't attend class today."

Neji frowned a little. "She didn't?"

"She didn't." Hanabi tilted her head to one side. "Iruka-sensei said Akira-sensei called in sick today and tomorrow and the day after that."

Hiding his worry, Neji gave a curt bow. "Thank you, Hanabi-san." Without another word, he made his way out of the compound.

He had just finished reading the documents he got from the orphanage. It troubled him that Hideyoshi's death was described as "cardiovascular shock followed by death by combustion" when Akira said that she killed him. As far as he knew, cardiovascular shock occurs when there is extensive bleeding. Does that mean that Hideyoshi bled first before "combusting"? If so, then that means...

Neji shook his head. It was just a big puzzle to him. And the data about Akira added more questions than answers. Her grandmother and mother came from the Land of Iron. Does that mean they are samurai? If they were, then by blood Akira is samurai too. That poses a bigger problem. Is Akira aware of this? Also, what of her father?

He paused walking. Why is it that the more he learns about the Satsuna, the less he understands?

Sighing, he looked around. He found himself northeast of Training Ground 4. A few kilometers north and he'll reach the Academy. Normally, that's where he's sure to find Akira but Hanabi said she didn't hold class today so it's safe to deduce that the kunoichi wouldn't be there. Neji next considered that she may be outside the village for one of her hunting trips, or at home.

Akira is notorious for being punctual. The only times she skips class is when she's out hunting or if she's assigned a mission.

Neji scrapped the latter. He knows Tsunade would never let Akira out of her sight without him around.

That leaves the hunting trip. If she's out the village then there's no way he'd be able to see her today. He knew her trips usually last up to 3 days. But there's also no way he'd wait that long. He'd been away from the kunoichi for one week. The last time they spoke was during the last night of the festival.

"I love you."

The same whirlwind of mixed emotions swept through him. Neji sighed deeply, allowing for the briefest moment a smile at the memory of that night. And just as strange as that moment, he was at a loss for words to describe what exactly he's feeling. If there's one thing clear however, it's that he won't last another day of not seeing her.

His latest mission brought him far enough, at the border of Amegakure. The gloomy and dreary atmosphere did nothing to quell his longing to be back home. Back to her. Funny, how the kunoichi affects him with this much intensity.

When he got near enough, he opened his Byakugan. His heightened field of vision penetrated through the heavy boughs of leaves, giving him a full view of the Satsuna's home. Upon seeing the kunoichi's figure, Neji smiled.

That was enough to urge him to volition.

~~~~~~~~

Akira sat on the cushion and hugged her knees. After Akai found her by the entrance of the house, shaken and cold, the red wolf had persisted to remain by her side even if she had told it many times that she's beginning to feel better.

"Really, Hime-chan. Why don't you just summon us? You obviously need us with you."

Akira sighed. "Akai...you can't be with me all the time. I don't want to be dependent on the pack."

"We get that, Hime-chan but it's also our duty to protect you," the wolf insisted. It sat on its hind paws in front of her. "A lot of things could've happened to you while we were gone."

"But I'm okay," Akira said, attempting to smile. She reached out to scruff the wolf's chin. "Fine, I'll be more careful next time."

"And we'll make sure we're nearby to come to your rescue," said Akai, ignoring Akira's eye-roll. "I know what you're thinking Hime, but it's not stalking. It's just keeping you safe."

The kunoichi sighed and leaned back, lying on the cold polished floor. Akai licked her palm and sidled beside her. Slowly, she was beginning to feel strength returning to her limbs, the chill brought by her dark memories slowly ebbing away. A few remained, like the sorrow that accompanied Hayate and her grandmother's deaths but she was reminded of Iruka trying to cheer her up and then her and Naruto's friendship. Lastly, Neji.

At the thought of the jounin, Akira turned to her side, using her arm as pillow and sighed. She had not seen nor spoken to him since the night of the festival. Did he go on a mission the next day? Where is he now? What is he doing?

"I love you."

He didn't say anything back, only kissed her hungrily, held her tightly. The scenes of that night played slowly in her head, and she reveled at the emotions the memory brought—the warmth of his kiss and the security his strong embrace promised.

She felt her body, her entire being, tingle longingly. It was just a week but it felt like a long time.

'Missing him eh,' she chided herself. 'Silly.' She began to sit back up, only to see Akai glaring at the door, huge body tense. The wolf then barked. Before she could ask, there was a knock on her door.

She opened the door and her eyes widened. "N-Neji?"

The Hyuuga nodded. "Yeah."

"...Hey."

"..."

"Grrr!"

Both shinobi turned to Akai who was growling at Neji. Akira reached out to her wolf while Neji bowed curtly, maintaining his distance. Akira scruffed the wolf's fur and the wolf limbered away, disappearing into the house. Akira stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

"Sorry about that," she said, smiling apologetically.

Neji only nodded, still looking at her intently. His gaze did not miss the kunoichi's slight pallor and the dark shadows under her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, reaching out to smooth away a few locks of her crimson hair from her face. The kunoichi looked up at him and nodded.

"Y-yeah."

The slight hesitation also did not go unnoticed but Neji decided to keep everything low-key. He shifted to face her. "I was on a mission. I'm sorry I did not tell you earlier."

"It's fine. It's expected, right? Being jounin?"

"Hn."

An awkward pause ensued between the two shinobi. Neji took a deep breath. Suddenly, he was overcome by a huge desire to hold the kunoichi close. He controlled himself however, not wanting to startle or scare the girl.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" he asked instead. "I know it's a bit late but..."

Akira looked at him for a few beats before nodding. "O-okay. But umm...let me just change first." Neji's eyes skimmed over her form, noticing the slightly damp clothes. The kunoichi blushed before turning towards the door. She motioned for him to go inside.

"Please make yourself comfortable," she said, gesturing the living room. Neji followed her lead and he was met by the red wolf once more.

"Akai, please keep Neji company," said the kunoichi to her wolf. She looked at Neji. "I'll be back." She then disappeared further inside the house.

Neji looked around the spacious living room, noting the sparse furniture. He took the opportunity to try to learn more about the kunoichi through her home. He walked towards a small collection of antique swords by the wall.

"Akira-hime doesn't want anybody touching those."

Neji glanced at the red Ookami beside him. He realized that he knew little about the red wolf, so it would be unwise to tick off its distaste. Neji nodded as form of acknowledgement.

"They're beautiful," he said, meaning the katana collection.

Akai merely barked in reply and continued looking at him. Neji felt uneasy at the intense way the wolf was studying him. He turned his back from it and settled on one of the cushions to wait for Akira. To his increased unease, Akai sat directly across him. Then it spoke.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Akai said, his voice low. Neji tried to appear calm, but deep down he tensed in anticipation.

He remained silent, waiting for the wolf to go on.

"I want honest answers Hyuuga, not some angsty bullshit," Akai said. The unspoken threat was very evident in the Ookami's brown eyes as it stared down Neji. "I want to know your intentions towards Akira-hime. As you know, she's very important to us and we will not allow any harm to come to her." The wolf leaned closer and growled, revealing sharp teeth. "So you better state your purpose as early as now."

Neji remained still as he met the intimidating glare of the red wolf. Even seated on its hind legs, the Ookami's head was near level with Neji's. For a brief moment, the Hyuuga's resolve faltered, knowing full well that the Ookami's heightened senses probably tipped off its suspicion towards him. He couldn't blame the Ookami and the rest of the pack though. His intentions were not as pure as the kunoichi might be thinking. Again, guilt washed over Neji but he was very careful to conceal it.

"I don't want to hurt Akira." That much is true. Even all of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division can strip him down to his bones but it's true—he doesn't want to hurt the kunoichi.

"She's very fond of you." Akai's eyes left Neji's to glance at the direction where the kunoichi was presumed to be in. The wolf visibly sighed. "I'll let you know, you're the first person aside from Naruto that she allowed in." The intensity returned in Akai's eyes as he stared back at Neji. "You're her first."

Neji maintained eye contact with the wolf, its words searing through his mind, like a red seal over his doubts and memories and thoughts of the Satsuna.

"I love you."

Both wolf and jounin felt the approach of the kunoichi. Akai moved away from the Hyuuga, but not before it said, "It's not even mere fondness, Hyuuga. Far from it. What she feels for you, there's something else in there. She cares for you, and we may hate you for bringing in all these sorts of changes in Hime-chan, but for her sake we'll not harm a hair on your head. But just try hurting her...just even think it..."

The kunoichi's light footsteps neared.

"She had given you her heart." The wolf stared down Neji, fur bristling threateningly. "If you don't want it, give it back. Try to break it..." the rest of its threat disappeared in a low growl.

Not long after, Akira emerged and Akai approached her, tail wagging. Neji remained in his spot however, mind still busy going through all that the wolf had said. While he already knew how the kunoichi felt towards him, hearing it from the wolf gave him a different perspective. Up until now, he had not seriously considered where to take his relationship with Akira.

"It's not even mere fondness, Hyuuga. Far from it."

"Neji?"

He looked up to see the Satsuna looking at him. She had changed her damp clothes with a sleeveless form-fitting top and a pair of cargo pants. Her red hair was back in its high ponytail. The slight pallor remained but at least her eyes had lost its previous unease. They glimmered like emeralds.

They walked out of the house towards the village proper and along the way, he took her hand, gripping it tightly, wounding his fingers with hers. The warmth from their joined hands brought the red wolf's words back.

"She had given you her heart. If you don't want it, give it back."

As he let his eyes roam freely over the kunoichi—drinking in her feature as if painting a mental picture that he could bring with him in his every mission—he decided it would be unfair to take her heart and not give his own.

If only it was that easy.

~~~~~~~

They had their late lunch at a restaurant. Akira did not realize how hungry she was until she saw the steaming bowl of rice and katsudon. Once the waiter had finished serving their orders, both she and Neji muttered a hasty "itadakimasu" before digging in. The first few minutes were spent in silence as both shinobi indulged in their meals.

Once the initial hunger pangs have subsided, they engaged in small talk. Neji told Akira of his latest mission as much as he could. It amused him that the kunoichi asked many questions about his missions to other lands. He attributed it to her lack of actual combat and high-ranked mission experience, being confined in the village most of the time. So, he answered her questions patiently, smiling at the almost child-like way her eyes lit up when he described an enemy shinobi's strange jutsu.

As the conversation went along, another thing became evident to Neji. Akira was trying to keep the focus of their conversation on him, instead of on her. A red flag. Something obviously was bugging her and Neji has an idea on who/what.

Last night, as soon as he finished his mission debriefing, Tsunade had led him inside a conference room and told him of the latest problem on the Satsuna. Danzo's visit was troubling the Hokage and she wanted him to find out what exactly had he said to Akira. Neji knew Danzo's involvement in the shady parts of Konoha's politics and when he learned of Tsunade's and Danzo's heated exchange of words about Akira, he felt his blood boil. An overwhelming sense of possessiveness gripped him.

A number of ways to ask Akira about Danzo had crossed Neji's mind but ultimately, he decided that the best way is to let the kunoichi tell him herself. He wanted her to trust him, and asking about Danzo outright is one sure way to lose that fragile trust.

They had finished their meal and after paying, they decided to walk around the village. "Let's pretend to be normal for once," Akira had said.

Neji smirked. "Good idea. We'll be normal civilians, not worthy of notice."

"Great. So, uh...what do normal people do?"

They paused to look around. They were in a busy street, smack in the center of Konoha's business district. There was nothing relaxing nor picturesque in the gray buildings and offices. Neji took Akira's hand and led her away from the street.

They walked away from that part of the village to the livelier shopping district. This part of the village had equal civilian and shinobi population. Neji watched as Akira's eyes roamed carelessly at the different shops that sold women's clothes. He smirked to himself when he noticed her staring at the beautiful dagger that was on display in a weapon's shop. As expected from a kenjutsu practitioner, sharp things catch her fancy.

The pair continued to stroll, exchanging light banter. By the time dusk began to fall, both shinobi were in good spirits. Finally, the day had come to end and Neji was walking the kunoichi home.

She was holding hands with him as they walked, their fingers intertwined. The sun glowed orange above their heads and Neji watched their shadows joined by their hands. He glanced at Akira and saw the chinks in her brittle façade. If there's a perfect time to talk about her, it is now.

"Everything good at the Academy?" he asked.

Akira shrugged. "Yeah. Why, you wanna know Hanabi's progress?"

Neji smirked. "That's Hiashi-sama's job, not mine. No, I'm asking about you." He looked at her more intently. "You've been steering the conversation away from you. Yes, I noticed."

The kunoichi took her hand from him. "Are you sure you have no plans to work for T and I?"

He pulled her back to his side, resting his hand on her waist. "Come on, Akira," he said while smiling at her patiently.

Akira did not speak for a while, keeping her eyes focused on the path they walked on. She sighed and looked up at him. "I don't know where or how to start."

"Just say it. I'll listen."

"Okay." She let out another sigh. "Danzo... Danzo offered to train me as his subordinate."

Neji frowned. "Danzo of Root?"

Akira nodded.

"Why the sudden offer?"

Akira shrugged. "I don't really know. He said he wants to train me to become Jounin. ANBU was thrown around but of course the Hokage isn't keen about it."

"You want to be jounin?"

"Yes," Akira replied with conviction. "The Academy isn't really part of my plans! Ugh. It was a decision the Third Hokage made for me and which Hokage-sama wants me to keep. But that's not what I want!"

Neji allowed for a short pause before saying carefully, "Jounin is difficult. It's leagues ahead of Chuunin. It's like you've got one foot in the grave."

Akira turned to him, frowning. "Isn't that the same for every shinobi? Regardless of rank, we shinobi have one foot out the door. If I were to die tomorrow, I'd rather die on a mission than in that stifling room called Ninja Academy. Do you understand?"

Neji saw the ferocity in her eyes. Tsunade had explained to him their disagreement and he feels torn between the two ideologies. Like Tsunade, he isn't keen on letting Danzo near Akira due to Danzo's past records of twisting minds and manipulation and his thirst for the seat of Hokage makes him suspicious. Also, promoting Akira to jounin would place her on a precarious situation, with the constant danger of attracting Akatsuki, Orochimaru or a power-struggle between villages who wish to one-up each other. However, Neji thinks keeping Akira in the Academy does more harm than good. Akira's skill set is highly flexible and should be utilized in the regular forces. Not to mention, keeping her in the village dulls her combat skills and makes her sub-par with other shinobi of the same rank regardless of Akira's innate talent.

He sighed. "Of course I do. Ultimately, it's your life, your decisions. But I want you to think about it very carefully." He paused walking and turned her gently towards him. "Danzo is a dangerous man. He is manipulative and is known to twist truths and facts to serve his own purpose. Just look at Root. Look at Sai."

"Sai?"

"Yes. Team Seven's latest member? Uchiha's replacement?"

Akira remembered Naruto telling her about this Sai person, and she frowned at the memory of the pale white boy who called her Ms. Melons. She pushed that thought away for now and listened to Neji.

"What about Sai?"

They resumed walking. "Sai used to be a member of Root. His emotions have been stripped away from him," said Neji. "Anyway, Root is the covert version of ANBU, Danzo's personal army if you will. They're like ANBU but their loyalty isn't to the Leaf but to Danzo. Brainwashing, coercion, torture are standards in this organization. Danzo goes as far as placing a seal on his subordinates' tongues to prevent them from talking about him or the group. Our mission with Fujiwara is play compared to what these guys do."

Akira visibly tensed. She edged away from Neji and looked at him. "He gave me three days to decide. Today's the first day."

Both of them looked up the darkening sky and Akira was reminded that she has two days left. She turned to Neji again. "You're saying I should refuse his offer?"

"I'm saying think about it thoroughly."

The kunoichi bowed her head and the flashbacks came back. She closed her eyes. She did her own research on Danzo but nothing she read told her of the true nature of the man. Hearing all these from Neji brought things into new perspective. But still, she couldn't ignore the fact that Danzo's offer is enticing.

"What would you do?" She met Neji's gaze. "What would you do if you were in my place?"

The Hyuuga's stare hardened. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "I'd refuse."

Akira sighed and looked away.

They continued to walk, and as they neared the Satsuna's home Neji took her hand again in his and pulled her close. The kunoichi did not resist.

They reached the porch. Akira turned to him. "I heard you and Akai talking." When Neji looked surprised, she smiled. "Don't worry, I did not hear everything. Just the first part. I want to apologize if my wolf threatened you or was rude." She bowed in apology. "It's just that they're fiercely loyal and protective of me. Akai is one of the first wolves to join my pack so he's also a little...possessive..."

Neji nodded and ran a thumb over the back of her hand in reassurance. "I understand."

Akira smiled gently at him in return. "And I also appreciate what you told him...about not wanting to hurt me." She bowed for the second time. "Thank you."

She rose and met his gaze. Where hers is fond and gentle, his was scorching and intense. They gazed at each other for a few beats before Neji closed the distance between them, locking her in his embrace.

It was like a dam had burst when she felt his arms around her. She gave in immediately and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso.

It was easy—almost insultingly so—for Neji to give in to the wave of emotions that washed over him. He pressed the kunoichi against him, feeling her red locks brush his cheek and the faint scent of wild flowers wafted through his nose. He inhaled deeply, glad to indulge in something that felt and smelled pleasant, in contrast to the daily scent of metal, sweat and blood. His head was filled with the kunoichi and he pulled away only to kiss her.

She gasped at the contact and this allowed him to indulge in the unique feel of her mouth, the soft lips that returned his kiss. He started gentle, always careful not to scare Akira, letting her get used to the motions. But soon enough, it became a heated exchange, with the kunoichi's limbs looping around his neck, her back arching to press herself closer to him. Knowing she felt the same intensity made Neji forget his circumstances, and he angled her head to probe deeper into the kiss.

His hands roamed from the small of her back to her shoulders, then down again, finally resting them on the swell of her hips. He paused for air and to let his eyes take in the kunoichi's features—those green eyes that haunt his sleep—before kissing her again, more intently, more urgently than the first time. Like a man deprived of water, he consumed her, allowing himself the rare moment to pull away from the restraints of his clan, his village, his duties, and immerse himself in the temporary bliss only the Satsuna had managed to awaken.

Only when he felt himself hovering the edge of self-control did he cease to gently press kisses on her cheek, her temple, her forehead. The cold night breeze helped calm down their erratic heartbeats and the couple settled into a chaste embrace.

Who knew that one week apart from each other had this much effect on both of them?

~~~~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

Fluff is back.

I don't know if I'm just weird but even though I'm the author of the story, I still feel giddy whenever my heroine and Neji has fluffy scenes. I mean, who doesn't love fluff?

Although the last part was borderline lemon, don't you think? Not that I'm complaining.

Okay, fangirling aside, first let me thank and welcome new readers and followers: thank you very much for supporting my fanfic, every follow and favorite means the world to me. Please don't be shy to leave a review; I want to know which areas to improve on and what you think of this story.

So. What do you think of Neji and Akira in this chapter? Personally, I feel sad for both of them. This may sound strange but I often get caught up in my characters' emotions and thoughts even though I created them. This chapter drained me emotionally, mentally...

Anyway, that's it for now! Leave me a review and see you next chapter!

Cheers!

PS: Let's take a moment to acknowledge Akai's blatant cockblocking—you rock, dear crimson wolf!