Haruno Raiden (Unedited)

Chapter twenty-four

"Raiden, Lady Hokage would like to speak with you." I glanced up at my sensei and nodded.

"Alright. I'm not in trouble, am I?"

He shook his head. "No, no." He chuckled.

I shrugged and stood up. As we were walking, Kashi spoke up again. "Whilst you were with Tsunade yesterday, the others tried to see what was behind my mask."

I nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, I'm not surprised."

"Tailed me all day."

I laughed. "Really?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

He nodded in response.

"Wow, I feel bad for you."

Kashi chuckled. "Alright, so, how did your day go with Tsunade?" The male changed the subject.

I shrugged. "It was the same as any other, really."

"Violent?"

With a small laugh, I nodded.

~

"Raiden, I am promoting you to Chunin."

My jaw almost fell out of its socket. "Huh?" I thought I was just going on a solo mission - obviously, I thought wrong.

She laughed at my reaction. "You almost gave your life to save the Hokage and survived Orochimaru more than once. And from what I've heard you stopped the first and second Hokage's?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's true." I then thought. "Who else is becoming chunin? Shikamaru?"

She looked at me with a look of shock and confusion. "How did you know?"

I smiled. "I knew since the exam. He was the only one to know when to give up."

Tsunade smiled at me and nodded. "You're correct, Raiden." She then reached into her drawer and pulled out a chunin vest, handed it to me over the table and I took it thankfully.

"Arigatou."

~

We had all stopped in a little tea house to get something to eat before we continued with the mission. We were to protect a runner or something, I wasn't sure. Tsunade just said that we would be told more information when we got there.

I looked around having felt eyes on us and saw a boy sitting in the back corner eating. But hell was he cute. Dark brown hair, tanned skin, black eyes, cute face, strong posture.

I quickly averted my gaze to hide the blush creeping up onto my cheeks.

"Raiden, you ok? Your face is all red." I glared at Naruto who had now informed the others of the face I was blushing.

"I-im fine." Ahh! Curse you stutter!

Sakura nudged me in the ribs.

"Itai! What?!" I asked briskly.

"You're blushing. Why?" She asked plainly.

"I am not." I lied with a scoff.

She laughed. "You're lying, Nii-san~." Imotō sang.

"I am not."

She merely laughed again. Soon we were all just talking and drinking tea when the boy approached our table. He made direct eye contact with Sakura then looked at all of us.

"Just sitting around in the shade and eating sweet bean soup. Life of a ninja seems pretty cushy." 

'Wow, he sure is in a pissy mood.' Narci stated.