Hikari was the first one to wake up in the middle of the woods once the first ray of sunlight hit her face. She opened her eyes slowly, smiling slightly when she caught a glance of a short haired boy sound asleep right beside her.

She reached towards him and gently pushed his shoulder. "Shisui... it's morning."

Shisui groaned and opened his eyes. "Ah, what time is it?"

"Around six in the morning, I think..."

Upon looking at their surroundings, the eldest Uchiha of the group frowned. "Did we fall asleep? Where's Kira?"

Itachi opened his eyes after being awoken by Shisui's loud voice. He stretched his muscles and stood up, muffling a yawn. "I thought you would be taking guard, Shisui..."

Shisui turned to the young boy. "I don't remember falling asleep, I swear..."

"Now that you mention it... I don't remember going to sleep, either." Hikari sighed. "Did she knock us out, maybe?"

"Whatever, we lost her..." Shisui ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. "Let's go back home."

When the trio arrived at Hikari's house, her attention was drawn to the dry grass around her home. "Weird... is it summer already?"

"I swore we were still in the middle of spring..." Shisui narrowed his eyes. His attention was drawn to the boy beside him, and a mischievous grin adorned his face. He pinched Itachi in the arm.

The boy flinched. "Ow!" He glared at the older boy.

Shisui only smirked at him. "Guess we're not in a genjutsu."

"I would have known if we were in a genjutsu..." Itachi muttered, rubbing the mark of Shisui's nails on his skin.

Hikari ignored the boys behind her as she continued to stare at the dried grass. I could have sworn the grass was still green when we left earlier... Her hand rose, and she cupped her chin with her fingers in a pondering stance. She felt her surroundings different. Wind wasn't blowing as much as it used to. The weather was getting hot.

She opened her front door and her eyes widened. Her little sister was lying on the couch in the living room, with all of her limbs spread around her and her mouth slightly open. Her eyes were still closed, and her breathing was steady and profound. "Guys, quiet down..."

Shisui and Itachi looked at Hikari and then, curiously, approached the open front door. Both of them stared at the girl sleeping peacefully and then glanced at each other. "When did she return?" Itachi was the first one to speak.

"Last night? She definitely wasn't here yesterday." Shisui sighed. "She hasn't even realized we're here..."

Hikari smiled. "Hanako is a heavy sleeper. She always takes the first guard in missions 'cause she knows she won't wake up in the middle of the night for her rounds."

Shisui muffled a laugh. "Are you serious?" He purposefully raised his voice. "I guess we can just speak at a normal volume, and she won't budge." Hanako didn't make the slightest move. The trio entered the house and just continued to stare at her. "Hikari..."

The girl looked at the elder boy. "Hm?"

"Do you have something like cream, or a marker or something like that?"

An eyebrow on her face lifted slowly at his question. "Are you thinking about pranking my sister?"

Without the slightest bit of shame in his face, he nodded. "Yeah."

"I have shaving cream, take it or leave it."

The mischievous grin on his face widened. "I'll take it."

"We should totally shave her eyebrows."

"You bet."

Itachi watched them, not wanting to take part in anything, when he suddenly felt a spark of chakra behind him. He turned to look at the sleeping girl, and he was met by two flashing blood-red eyes.

"I really hope you're talking about your own damn eyebrows, big sis, unless you want to wake up bald."

Hikari froze and turned slowly to her sister. "You're awake..."

"Oh? So, you're not that much of a heavy sleeper..." Shisui grinned. "I was worried you wouldn't hear us with all the noise."

"I didn't hear you, but I sensed your malicious intentions towards my eyebrows." She glowered harder. "How could anyone sleep peacefully with such a threat looming around?"

"Wait a minute, when did you come back? I thought you got lost after being sucked by a portal..."

Hanako looked around. Her last memory was, in fact, getting trapped inside a portal. Right after that, everything was blank, except for a strange dream. She just woke up again in her living room. "I... really don't know what happened, but I'm here..."

She looked at where the portal had been. "Maybe I was just knocked unconscious, and ended up here again..." Her eyes were drawn to the clothes she was wearing. It was a red yukata. "Did mom make this? I don't remember having this." She pulled the fabric of her yukata.

"I don't remember you having that, either." Hikari raised an eyebrow. "It's kinda cute, you should keep it."

Hanako stood, stretching her muscles. She yawned loudly, Hikari frowned at her sister and walked towards her. Hanako was almost the same size as her in height. "Did you grow taller?"

Hanako took a step back. "Uhh... I don't know?"

"You were gone for three months..." Hikari nodded her head. "You must have grown in that lapse of time." Her eyes checked on her sister's figure, and suddenly she pinched her bicep.

Hanako flinched away of her sister's touch. "What the hell?"

"You built muscle." Hikari then took a strand of her sister hair. "Your hair got slightly longer. Tips are open. You should cut it."

Stressed, Hanako pushed away her sister's hand and narrowed her eyes. "Can you stop?"

Hikari smiled and wrapped her arms around her sister. Hanako was stunned. "I missed you."

Hanako didn't understand why her sister had suddenly become so emotional. For her, they had seen each other the day before, but Hikari did say she had been gone for almost three months. It didn't add up to what she remembered had happened, but that would explain the numerous differences in herself Hikari had been pointing out.

If she had been gone for so long, though, where were those memories?

Shisui clapped his hands once. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt this emotional family reunion, but..." he smiled. "I think we're forgetting about something. He eyed toward where the portal had originally opened.

Hikari was lost. Hanako turned around, and her eyes suddenly widened. "Where's the journal? I thought you guys had it."

Hikari huffed. "What jour—?!" As realization hit, Hikari checked her purses. "I don't have it. Shisui?" Desperately, she looked towards the eldest Uchiha.

"I don't have it, either. That's why I'm asking..." Shisui sighed. "Did Kira take it..."

"Oh no..."

A sudden palpitating pain struck the side of Hanako's head. She groaned loudly and closed her eyes as a memory tried to make its way through. It's been...

"97 days" Hanako glanced at the window. Itachi, Shisui and Hikari were almost the same, at least physically. Hikari showed signs of pain. Her smile did not reach her eyes. Her brows were slightly flinched, and she was constantly rubbing her neck.

Shisui seemed confused, like he had just lost something. Itachi had the same stoic face as ever, but there was a tint of anger hidden behind his eyes.

"97 days? Why such a specific number?" Hikari almost chuckled. "What's going on?"

"That's how long it's been since that portal was opened," Hanako declared confidently, despite taking the information out of a dream.

"No, that's not..." Hikari stopped as she looked out the window again. Grass was almost dry. "97 days, you said?"

"Yeah." Not once did she doubt her sister, but that would explain why the outside had changed as well.

After building conclusions, Hikari closed her eyes. "We were gone as well... about a few days or even more than a week."

Shisui and Itachi both turned their bodies abruptly. "What?!"

"Did you have a weird dream just right before you woke up?"

"I dreamt about a weird soup competition." Shisui leaned against the dining table. "Itachi was competing against some dude, whom I don't even recall their name, they were pretty much tense about each other." He smiled. "That was like the first time you even interacted with another human being besides us."

"Hey," Itachi frowned. "Why am I a main character in your dreams?"

"Not sure, but I do know that I will cherish this dream forever." He laughed. "I don't even believe you're capable of cooking."

"Who won?" Hanako had become invested in his story. "Don't tell me you woke before it ended."

Shisui groaned, making an effort to remember. "No, I remember. Actually, the weird dude won, but now that I remember more pieces of it..." He looked at Hikari. "You were there, too. In fact, you were the judge."

Hikari's eyes widened. "I was?"

"Yeah!" he grinned. "You totally humiliated Itachi."

"Oh no, I'm sorry."

Hanako laughed. "Why are you apologizing for something you did in a dream?"

Red-faced, Hikari sighed. "It's just... the way he's telling, it made me feel like I was indeed there."

Shisui turned to Itachi. "Didn't you dream of something as well?"

The boy looked into an empty space. "I... dreamed we were in the Warring States era." This gathered the looks of all three. "Shisui and I were watching two clans fight, and we became involved. I remember seeing historical figures like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. It felt so vivid."

"You've been reading too much history books, man. I didn't tell you Hanako likes history so that you engulf yourself in it, know-it-all." Shisui snickered.

Heat rose in Itachi's face, painting his cheeks pink. "I... did not read any..."

The moment Itachi glanced towards Hanako, she immediately turned away, trying to hide the red colors in her face as well. "Why is it you always say embarrassing things, Shisui?!" she muttered.

Shisui grinned. "You shouldn't be embarrassed, it's obvious you two like each other. I'm just fulfilling my role as your wing man."

Hanako turned to her sister. On cue, Hikari crossed her arms. "I don't remember anything about any dream. Just a black screen." Her chakra faltered. After her multiple experiences in the Interrogation Division, Hanako recognized the presence of a lie. Hikari was definitely hiding something.

"Hanako?" Shisui quirked an eyebrow. "Any strange dreams?"

Hanako pondered. The only memory she have was a private conversation about the space-time. It hinted about sealed memories that should remain sealed.

"No. Black screen."

* * *

"THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY TEAMS DID I HAVE TO SEND OUT TO LOOK FOR YOU?!"

This was the second time Hanako had witnessed Ibiki being so angry. The first time was when the Hokage had caught her in the ceiling pipes with Kakashi after listening to a private meeting.

His yelling had died down after a few breaths. "At least tell me you have a valid explanation."

Not even her mother asked questions. She was only glad she was back safely, but she didn't say much. In fact, she was more silent than usual, like she was in grief about something.

Ibiki's tapping on his table brought Hanako's mind back to the present. "I have no explanation, I'm sorry."

"You just disappeared and now you come back without an excuse?" Ibiki raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You realize this is the Interrogation Unit, right? I could just have you seated in a room and torture everything out of you."

Hanako nodded. "You can do that. Nothing will show, my memory was wiped out. I'm sorry."

Ibiki stood. "You don't remember anything?"

"No."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Ibiki kicked the chair and walked towards her. "I want a medic to evaluate you. I want to know the cause of your amnesia. If it's trauma, or if the memories are sealed—"

"They're sealed. I did it myself."

Ibiki paused.

"Why?"

"Because... I found a forbidden technique and performed it on myself. The consequences were dire. It took me three months to recuperate. I had to seal my memories to protect myself. The village was not compromised, so I please ask you to not call a medic."

Ibiki was serious. "Is it true?"

As a master of detecting lies, Hanako had become an excellent liar herself. "Yes."

"You could become a rogue if I report this to the Hokage."

"Will you?"

Ibiki smiled as he turned away. "No. You have demonstrated you have no ill intentions. Whatever you were doing, I bet curiosity got the best of you. However, remember what happened to the cat."

When the door closed behind him, Hanako clenched her fists. So many questions invaded her mind and she didn't find any answers. Apparently, all the Anbu units had been taking turns on patrolling the village, waiting for her to show up. It really had been a long time.

Upon leaving the building, a man approached her. Hanako glanced at him but paid no further attention. Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to stop. "Do you need something?" she asked.

"Are you Hanako Uchiha?" asked the man.

"That would be me, yes." Hanako gave him a bored look. The man looked to be in his late thirties, maybe forties. His brown hair and honey brown eyes gave her an unknown sense of familiarity. "Do I know you?"

He laughed. For some reason, she felt comfortable around the man, despite him being a complete stranger. "Well, not exactly, but I do know who you are. Your mother told me quite a lot about you."

He is the kind the talks so much... Hanako thought with a mental sigh.

"Sorry, I'm just excited I get to meet my daughter for the first time."

That single sentence made her heart stop. She stared at him, not able to vocalize properly.

"Excuse me?"