I Am Not a Secret to be Kept (A Neji Hyuga Love Story) - Book one [Discontinued]

Chapter 11

"Ugh. I'm so tired." I collapsed on the floor of my apartment, tired from another day of training with Neji. "So, you're finally home?" Oh yeah, I'd forgotten that somehow, Yume could talk. I didn't care much. She'd stopped bothering me a long time ago.

"Yes, I am." I responded without thinking. "You're spending too much time with that boy. You really should be finding whoever did this to me. I rolled my eyes. "Listen, I'm training for you. I got hurt for you. You should be thankful." I heard a hiss. As I fell asleep, I felt an uncomfortable pressure on my chest.

"Long time no see." Yume smirked. She was the first thing in my vision. I glared. "What do you want?" I asked. "You're not doing this fast enough. I already gave you an extended time limit. Hurry up."

I looked at her. "Seriously? Why should I even do this anymore? I've already got what you've offered me." I said. "Hmph." she grunted. "What if I could help you... say, get a bit more out of him?" she said with a sly grin.

I blushed at the thought. "I... I'm perfectly happy with what I have now." I said, unnerved. I didn't want to go that far. At least, I didn't think so. "You're not really." she said, looking through my façade.

She gave me a wicked smile. "What say we raise the stakes a bit higher?" she asked. I looked at her strangely. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Let's say, add some consequences." "What kind of consequences?" I said, becoming just a tad bit scared.

"Heh." I saw a dark aura radiating around her. "If you don't turn me back, I'll blow up all of Konoha." I shook my head. How did I get myself into this mess? "Fine." I said, giving up resisting. I couldn't win this battle, but I'd find a way to win the war.

Once I woke up, I glared at Yume. Maybe it was just my imagination, but she smirked at me. I sighed. I remembered when I met her, I thought she was just a regular cat. I wondered how I could have been so naïve and wished I could go back to that time.

Or disappear completely from here. Now, the fate of Konoha was in my hands and no one knew it. I had absolutely no doubt that Yume would find a way to keep her word. That made me scared.

I ran out the door. I had gotten so caught up in my thoughts that I'd forgotten, Koe sensei had said something about today being "very important." "What is it?" I asked, arriving at our usual spot.

Koe sensei looked at me. "It isn't like you to be late." she said. I shrugged. "I had other things to attend to." I responded. Which was a total lie, of course. "Here they come!" she yelled, and I looked over to see Hisao and Kei running over, as usual.

"Now, I know we haven't been together in a long time, and I trust that you have all been practicing." We all nodded our heads. "Well, we're behind a bit." "Behind? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, we haven't taken the genin entrance test." she said. "All the other cells have." I sighed. This was a waste of time. "So, I want you to stand here and close your eyes." We all closed our eyes.

I heard movement. "Now, open your eyes." I looked around. Koe sensei was nowhere to be seen. "This is a simple test." she said, her voice seeming to come from every direction. "Find me, and you pass."

"What happens if we don't find you?" I asked. "Then you fail and have to go to the Academy again." her voice said again. I was trying to pinpoint her location when I heard the word Academy. I shuddered. I hadn't spent much time at the Academy, and I didn't plan to spend any more there than I had to.

"Okay, start." I jumped into a bush. "What should I do now?" I asked myself silently. I could use the fire jutsu, but I'd have to risk Kei finding out that I read the clan book. I only had three jutsu that I knew, besides the basic ones. I sat down and concentrated. I'd never tried this before, but I sure hoped it worked.

"Who is it?" I looked around. The voice was back. "Excuse me, but I need your help." I said. "Why?" I realized this voice was different from before. Softer, higher. "I need to get past this. I need to save Konoha." I responded.

"Okay. What do I get?" it asked. I shrugged. "The satisfaction of helping a shinigami out?" I asked. "I'm sorry. It won't work." I sighed. "What would you like?" I asked. "I want blood." The voice was hungrier now.

"I... Okay." I said. "If you would give me a knife?" "Heh. Who needs a knife?" the voice whispered. "Just give me the blood. I want the blood!" The voice got louder. "BLOOD. NOW!" I plugged my ears but it didn't help.

I needed to do this fast before I lost my mind. "Augh!" I screamed, biting into my right wrist. I watched as blood - my blood - dripped down to the void where it disappeared. "That was delicious." the voice said, whispering again.

"Here is what you desire." I looked up and saw a tiny white bubble. I grabbed it and fell into the endless shinigami void. "This better work." I said to myself before losing consciousness.

I woke up with a flash and my eyes immediately drifted to my wrist, which had blood dripping all over it. Strangely, it didn't hurt. "No time to worry about that." I thought to myself. "Now it's time to see if this works."