Never have I ever imagined that this book would reach 20 chapters XDDD

Thank you for your support!!!

"Ughh, damn that Hatake," Zabuza groaned.

"Zabuza-sama, you shouldn't be moving yet," Haku said.

"Whatever. And take that mask off, Haku," Zabuza sat up slowly. Haku took his mask off, brushing a few strands of hair out of his sight. "Where's the brat?"

"Oh, he's outside looking for herbs," Haku smiled.

"You trust him to pick herbs?" Zabuza scoffed. "He'll probably just pluck some weeds and shove them in my mouth."

'Well you're a cow after all...' Haku thought, a smile on his face. 'Wait what?'

"Stupid Haku....why can't he do it himself," A male voice grumbled as some herbs along with some weeds were shoved into the basket. 

Two fingers plucked a small flower out from the grass. "Yeah, and I'll feed that stupid cow some flowers as wel-"

He paused when he heard a groan nearby. "Huh, I thought no one comes here." He stood up on his toes and grumbled. "Why the heck am I so short."

He set the basket down and parted the bushes to see Kiori snapping her head towards him. 

The two froze. "You're..."

"Where's Kiori?" Kakashi asked.

"I think she's asleep in the forest," Sakura answered with a yawn.

"What!? What if she gets eaten by bears!?" Naruto exclaimed.

Tsunami laughed lightly. "There are only small animals in the forest nearby, Naruto-san. There's no need to worry."

"Well, Naruto, why don't you go get her?" Kakashi eye-smiled.

"I'll go now!!!" Naruto saluted and ran out of the house.

"Be back soon for breakfast!!!"

'No...not possible...' Kiori trembled.

"O-Oi, y-you," the boy stammered. "W-What are you s-staring at?"

"O-Oh, sorry," Kiori apologised. "Wait, why am I aplogising? You came here first."

"Huhhhh???? Stupid brat," the boy sneered.

"Brat!? You look like what, 9 years old!?" Kiori scoffed, giving him a mocking sneer. "You're the brat."

"Fuck you, I'm 11," The boy glared at her.

"Shortie," Kiori spat.

"Whatever, stupid oreo."

Kiori froze. No. There's no way, right? 

"Oi, are you stupid? Freezing up like that," the boy waved a hand in front of her eyes. 

"W-Why oreo?" Kiori stammered.

"Huh...you remind me of a...good friend, I guess," the boy looked away with a blush on his cheeks.

"Y-You remind me of someone too," Kiori looked away. "Idiot 'sagi." She sighed and dusted her pants, ignoring the boy's shocked stare. "I'll be going now, brat."

"W-Wait!!!!" The boy shouted in a desperate voice, but she was already gone.

"Kioriii!!!!!! You're back!!!!!" Naruto grinned. 

Kiori sighed. "Quiet down, I'm not in the mood for this."

"Kiori, I heard you like coffee, here you go," Kakashi pushed a cup of coffee to her direction as she sat down at the dining table. 

She stared at the coffee for a moment, her eyes shaded as she stood up again. "I-I'll be going for a second." She ran to the toilet.

"Kiori...?" Naruto blinked.

"Why...." Tears flowed down Kiori's face as she squatted down, leaning agasinst the door. "Stupid stupid, Kiori, they're not here....that boy's not him...."

"Aha....sorry Zabuza-sama," Haku sweatdropped as she threw the flowers and weeds away.

"Tsk, brat wh-" Zabuza paused when he saw the deppressed look on the boy's face. "........Oi, brat....what's up?" 

"I....can I go out for one day, Zabuza-sama?" The boy muttered quietly.

"Uh.....yeah, sure."

"Aghh, again!!!!" Naruto growled as he and the Uchiha sped up the tree.

"Dobe," Sasuke scoffed with a smirk plastered on his face. "My one's higher than you."

"Wow, that sucks, Uchiha," Kiori smirked. 

Sasuke grunted, glaring at her.

"Don't insult Sasuke-kun!!!!" Sakura screeched, sitting at the highest branch of the tree.

"Yeah whatever..." Kiori looked away. Why does she keep thinking about that boy?

It hurts seeing his face.

A figure sped in the woods, racing for the blue-eyed boy who was wandering around the alleyways. The boy's eyes widened as he was pinned to the ground by a man.

"What do you want!?" The boy growled.

Two more figures appeared next to the man pinning him down. "Good job..."

"Oi!!! Let go off me before I kick your asses!!!!" The boy pushed the man's hand upwards with his own.

The man jumped backwards, letting go of the boy.

"It has been some time...." The three took off their hoods.

The boy's eyes widened.

The day after the next

"Oi, brat!" Zabuza called. 

"Huh?" The boy looked up from the floor. 

"We're heading to the bridge," Haku put on his mask.

"Yeah...okay," the boy shoved the note in his hands into his pocket before running after the other two.

"We will be watching you."

He gritted his teeth. 'I need to leave Zabuza and Haku, it's the only way....'

"It's so misty on the today..." Sakura muttered, squinting.

"Yeah, no one kne-" Kiori was cut off by a scream from the pink haired girl. "What the heck, Sakura?"

"K-Kakashi-sensei!!! Is this guy dead!?!?! I think I stepped on his han-" 

"Shh," Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "They're here. Formation and weapons out. Sasuke and Kiori behind me, Sakura protect Tazuna."

"H-Hai."

"Kakashi, still here with your brats, huh?" Zabuza's voice could be heard as the mist cleared slightly, revealing Momochi and the two 'hunter nins'.

"So they really are fake hunter nins..." Sakura muttered. 

"Hah, so pathetic. That brat's even shaking," Zabuza scoffed.

"So is yours," Kakashi eyed the shorter boy.

"I'm shaking of excitement....." The boy flashed out a kunai.

"So am I," Sasuke smirked. He turned around in a flash, destroying Zabuza's water clone.

"Heh...it seems that you have a rival, Haku, Kaito," Zabuza chuckled.

"I'd prefer to fight Ms.Orange," The shorter one, Kaito said.

"Excuse me?" Kiori grew a tick mark. "Stupid shortie."

"Huh!?" Kaito yelled.

"Kaito, don't lose your cool," Haku whispered.

"Whatever," Kaito smirked before charging towards Kiori at chunin speed, kunai blocked by Kiori's own as Haku charged forward with her senbon.

"Stupid little shit," Kiori ducked an attack. Kaito jumped backwards just in time as Kiori swiped at his legs.

"What's your name?" Kaito asked.

"Why should I tell you?" Kiori spat. "Kaito?"

"Hahah! She's a lot like you when I first met you, Kaito," Zabuza smirked.

"Ar-" Kaito was put off as Kiori punched him in the face, making him land on the ground. 

"I....don't want to hurt you," Kiori muttered. "I don't know why..."

"Neither do I," the boy stood up. "Tell me, your name."

Kiori rolled her eyes. "You're so annoying."

"I know," Kaito gripped his kunai tight.

"It's....Kiori Kurayami."

Kaito froze.