Yes. The title is meant to be like that. (:

☆

~

"Are you all sure?" Master Gamah asked, for the 100th time.

"YES!" The three of us replied, as the loudness knocked my (2nd) worst enemy into the stream. You see...we met Katsu.

Katsu is Master Gamah's neko. HE.IS.EVIL! He stole my apple juice :( How you ask? Well, he isn't the usual size of a cat. He's about 6x the size of Akamaru.

I glared at it deeply. "Evil little shit..." I said quietly. "I heard that Taihana..." Sensei Gamah said quietly. I'm suprised his old ears can hear anything, with the loud waterfall roar and the sound of Kiko and Jenko's sparring.

OH. And the rain's roar.

"Sensei. My parents wanted me home early for something. Can I leave now please?!" I asked Sensei Gamah, shivering violently. He sighed. "Yes. You can all leave now," He said.

"Thankyou!" I said, before darting towards the forest to take the short cut to the Miroku Compound. My footsteps made sloppy sounds on the mud.

I heard slight whisper. "Taihana," it said. I stopped and wielded a kunai in my hand. "Who's there?" I asked, peering into the darkness.

"Hello, little girl," a chilling voice said. A man with pale white eyes, a wide brimmed travel hat and half face mask stepped onto the trail.

"Rapist!" I screeched. "Keep your mouth shut and I won't-"

I telepathically commanded two vines to rise from the ground. They wrapped themselves around the guy and I jumped onto him.

"Die weird creep!" I scream, secretly fearful. What was I doing? Without thinking I began punching the guy in the face repeatedly.

"H-H-Hey! T-Taihana! It's me! Iruka-Sensei!" The guy exclaimed. I grabbed his throat. "Prove it!" I scowled. In a puff of smoke, the guy transformed.

"S-Sensei! What are you...I thought...wah?" 

He smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Consider it a pre-chuunin test, which surprisingly, you passed," he smiled.

"Well thank- hey! What do you mean 'suprisingly'?" 

He laughed and waved. "Good luck!" He called, before leaping away, leaving me confused and standing in the rain.

The compound, and my house imparticularly, gave off and incandescent glow. When I got to the door of the house, I removed my shoes.

That's when I heard it, That laugh. "Mayumi," I whispered to myself. I burst into the house, and there sat one of the prettiest girls to be in Konoha.

"Taihana-Chan!" She exclaimed, putting Sensaina in her cot and approached me. "It's been so long!" She smiled. "Too long!" I replied.

Just after the Uchiha Massacre, Mayumi left, deciding she wanted to travel and discover new Jutsu. She began to talk in her usual happy manor.

I nodded and smiled, listening intently about a mist jutsu. I then noticed...my Otou-San was wearing a proper mens kimono!

"Otou-San...what are you wearing?" I asked. "Your Mother bought it today," he sighed with a half angry half depressed look on his face.

I then looked around...this place looked a little different I guess. The table was set, it was clean, the shandelia was extra sparkly, the maids, yes maids, were busy cooking.

Did you forget the Miroku was a very rich and powerful clan? And that Jikei and Neyo were the head of it?

"Who's coming over?" I questioned. "Your boyfriend and his family," Mayumi said is a cutie-voice with a pouted face.

"Boyfriend?" My Father chimed in. "What's this about a boyfriend?" Neyo said as she entered. "Who?" I questioned, ignoring my crazy family.

"The lazy one that sat next to you when I went to class with you that day," Tano said as I went back to that day.

Woah. Do they mean...Shikamaru?!

"Crap!" I whispered to myself-"Wait..." I began. "It's not that time of year is it?!" I groaned, looking at my family. "That's why you're here!" I pointed accusingly at Mayumi, who only smirked.

Once every year, The Miroku's have dinner with many different Konoha clans. I'm guessing the Nara's are first. "That's why I bought this for you," said Neyo, taking a bag from the coffe table.

"No!" I exclaimed, keeping my hands close together in case I need to perform a jutsu quickly. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I don't want a repeat of last year," she said, thinking of last time when I destroyed half the house in order to avoid wearing a kimono.

"I got this for you instead," she smiled, pulling out a dress that had purple as a base and a trail of lighter purple roses on it.

I smiled slightly. "Take a shower! You're a mess!" She exclaimed. "Iruka-Sensei's fault!" I exclaimed, before heading upstairs.

"Iruka huh? Yeah, that takes me back," Mayumi smiled. "We were good friends."

I simply nodded and headed up stairs.

~

I inspected myself in the mirror. My dress came to my knees, I had purple inside flats on, my hair was in a bun, and I had gold dangling ear-rings on.

"Onee-San!" I heard Tano yell from outside. "What?" I replied. "They're at the front door!" He said in a more hushed tone.

I raced out the door, unfortunately resulting in Tano getting flattened against the wall. He let out a yelp of pain. "Oh My Kami!" I yelled, peeling him off.

I rushed down stairs pulling him along. I dragged him to the kitchen table and sat him down. Just at that moment, Shikamaru, Shakaku and Yoshino come in.

"Oh my! Is he okay?" Yoshino asked. "Taihana what did you do?" Neyo asked, trying to get in the way. I lied to her; "Mayumi hit him."

"Mayumi Miroku! Get down here now!" Neyo commanded, even though Mayumi is 19. "Lies!" Tano exclaimed. "Oh hush...now...what was it that Jenko taught me..."

I put my hands together. What were the sings again? I think...horse...tiger...monkey...snake...rabbit...

I performed each hand sign and a yellow glowing light appeared. "Wait! That's freaky!" Tano exclaimed. I rolled me eyes. "It's from the Tamadotchi clan, okay?" I told him.

He nodded and I moved my hands close to his face, frowning in concentration. The light touched his face and his bones snapped, causing everyone to wince.

"At least it's fixed now," I sighed. "You lied, didn't you," Neyo said plainly. I nodded guiltily and handed Tano a damp cloth.

"Say hello," Neyo pushed. "Hello..." I said slowly, in unison with Tanoshiku. I bowed slightly and then pulled Tano to the bathroom to wash his face.

"So what really happened?" Shikamaru asked, standing at the door. "I...accidentally...opened the door on him and his face hit the wall," I replied, not looking at him.

"What caused you to slam open the door?" He asked. "N-Nothing.." I mumbled. "It was when-" Tano began to say but I put my hand over his mouth.

"When..." Shika encouraged. "When..Aka's wing got caught in Senaina's cot," I explained. He eyed me carefully. "Sure..." He mumbled.

~

After a painful hour long dinner of tempura and rice, Tano had fallen asleep, Sensaina was overly-side awake, Mayumi was pushing her food around her plate, and Shikamaru was trying to push Tano off him.

"Lady Yurei!" My Mother called. Our head maid popped her head around the croner. "Please take Tanoshiku to his roo-" 

"Can I?" I interrupted. Okaa-San just nodded and went back to talking. I picked up Tano and walked up stairs. He stirred and opened his eyes. "Hey. You feel asleep," I told him. "Really?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

I opened his door and placed him in his bed. I went to leave after kissing his forehead, but he grabbed my arm. "Wait," he pleaded.

I sat on the edge of his bed. "Re-Remember when I was little? Lady Yurei would put me to bed, and you'd sing?"

"Do you want me to now?" I asked. He nodded. "Okay...tell me one thing though..." I said. "Why?"

Tano looked down in disappointment. "You know Katsumi Tamadotchi?" He asked. Of course I do...Jenko's sister.

I simply nodded and her noticed, continuing on. "W-Well I really like her. Today I brought a flower for her, but she was...already with someone..."

I clenched my fists, making a mental note, 'Kill Jenko's sister'. "Who?" I asked. "Hikaru Inuzuka," he sighed. Hikaru....Kiba's cousin I think.

"Well...most Inuzuka's are players. One day a nice girl with pretty eyes and awesome hair will come and find you," I told him.

He nodded and laid back, and I began his favourite song.

"Sometimes, hearts will fly, 

descending love into the sky. 

But your heart remains down here. 

As you watch with loves great fear. 

but the day will come when you fly too, 

someone will be watching you.  

Eventually they get their guy, 

as your hearts descends love to the sky."

His eyes had closed around "you fly too" , yet I kept singing. I felt as though I was condescending myself...thinking of myself as I sang this...it made me think...a-am I really in love with Shikamaru?

"So you sing about me too huh?" A lazy voice echoed through the room. I jumped and turned. "It's one of Tano's lullaby's, okay?" I said, practically turning red. "Well...you sound okay..." he mumbled.

"What'd you want?" I asked, ignoring the...um...'compliment'? "Your Mom just wanted me to tell you that deserts on..." he said.

"Oh, okay," I sighed, walking out of the room. "Taihana..." Shikamaru called out to me as I got to the top of the stairs.

I turned and looked at him. "You're not just okay...um...you're...awesome..."

I smiled and walked down the stairs.

~

Ugh it's been so long and I'm sorry! I managed to update because school starts tomorrow (yay -_-)

LOVE YOU ALLL!!

AND THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE LAST CHAPTER! THEY MADE ME FEEL SOOOO MUCH BETTER!

~Renee <3