uzumaki shira | naruto

Shippuden Act 19 (1)

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Suigetsu eyed the ever-smiling teen keeping his pace identical to their leader. Their visit to the Land of Waves ended fast and in that short time frame, Team Hibana managed to pick up a stray on the road. Well, it was more like that stray decided to join them. Shira did not even chase him away! So, now, the team had an additional member.

What bothered Suigetsu the most, however, was how Yuki Haku never once fell a step behind their leader. That content expression spoke volumes of the joy that feminine boy felt in that moment. Heck, he did not even hesitate to go along with them when Shira told ice boy that they were leaving.

Right now, Team Hibana walked at least five steps behind the pair, watching with a hawk-like gaze as they evaluate Yuki Haku. To them, he was a stranger. Well, even more so than Deidara. The ice user did not even spare them a single glance ever since the Land of Waves. Those beady yet expressive obsidian eyes of his remained on Shira the entire time as he talked with her... like they did not exist.

Deidara grew annoyed at this fact. He never had someone ignore him to this extent. Besides, Shira was their leader so what was she doing entertaining the outsider?! Walking beside the scowling blond, Karin practically glared daggers at Haku, muttering incoherent curses under her breath as if she were performing a ritual.

A pang of loneliness hit Jugo when he noticed how Shira barely talked to them ever since her friend joined them.

All in all, Team Hibana disliked Haku's presence.

On the other hand, Yuki Haku himself was over the moon with joy as he walked along with Shira. He never once missed a step, always walking in tandem with the redhead. He talked, a lot. And she never once told him to stop. To him, it felt like decades since he last talked to her even though their last encounter was not too long ago.

"By the way, how's Team Gai, anyway?" Shira asked out of the blue, curiosity brimming within her eyes. Of course, Haku happily answered her. At this point, no one would be surprised if Yuki Haku told her every single bit that happened in his life.

"It's funny, actually..."

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For the past years, even though Uzumaki Shira was a member of Team Seven, Yuki Haku found that he quite liked the company of Team Gai.

"HAKU!" An enthusiastic Rock Lee came bouncing right at him, circular eyes growing wide as he beamed at the feminine teen. "We will be doing youthful escort mission so Gai-sensei wanted us to pack up!" It had only been a few seconds since he was informed this himself but he already conveyed it to Haku.

"I see. Thank you for telling me, Lee-san."

"Lee is fine!" The taijutsu user corrected.

Haku simply smiled and patted Lee on the head, who proceeded to shine even brighter. "C'mon, Lee." An exasperated female voice called out from a few steps away. "You're going to make Haku uncomfortable with all that screaming again... right at his face."

As always, Tenten reprimanded her teammate. Ever since day one, Lee had been screaming right at Haku's face and even proposed to the guy. Just thinking about it was giving her secondhand embarrassment. She remembered throttling Lee away and bowing several times at Haku in apology.

"By the way," the ice user blinked. "Where is Neji-san?" Upon hearing that question, Tenten sweat dropped. "I... think it's better if I showed you." Haku and Lee shared a look of confusion. Nonetheless, they quickly packed up and followed their female teammate to the Mission Desk where Gai and Neji waited for them.