His Sun...

Part 11│Counting on you...

11│ Counting on you...

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A couple of months passed, and Neji was still watching over Kasami. She continued doing rank D missions and started helping Shizune at the hospital. She wasn't a medic, but she was helping with the antidotes for different venoms that were still affecting shinobi. Neji saw how, on a daily basis, Yoshino Nara, the matriarch of the Nara clan, injected Kasami with different venoms and poisons. Kasami was immune to most of them. Some would make her terribly sick, but still, she continued helping. 

One specific day, Yoshino came in with a bright pink liquid, "are you sure?" she asked, looking at Kasami with uneasiness. 

"What's the worst that can happen?" Kasami smiled.

"You can die," Yoshino said, prepping the syringe, "those men died within two hours from being attacked and infected."

Neji glanced at Kasami and then at Yoshino but didn't say anything. Kasami, on the other hand, smiled, not minding those harsh words spoken by Yoshino. Neji frowned, 'how could she smile like that when she was risking her life? Is she so desperate for recognition? to belong in the village? what is wrong with her?'

"Even more reason for me to do this," her soft voice said, breaking Neji from his thoughts, "Orochimaru was only able to create this poison because of me."

"He used you and your blood," Yoshino said in a comforting tone, "it wasn't your fault."

Neji turned to look at Kasami, and then he saw the guilt written all over her face. The more he tried, he couldn't figure her out. She seemed so careless at times, then so worried or guilty like now. She was a mystery, and he wasn't sure if he could ever understand her. He almost laughed at that thought, 'why would he want to understand her?'

Kasami received the dose, and within minutes, her complexion turned pale, and she started sweating profusely. Neji wasn't worried at first. There were plenty of medical ninjas around, and not only that, but Yoshino was an expert at creating medicine and antidotes. 

"The fever is getting out of control," Yoshino said, pressing the red button on the wall. "I need a medic in here now," she turned to look at Kasami, who was no panting heavinly. "Stay awake, keep your eyes open," she turned to Neji, "come, stay with her, and don't let her sleep." The Nara matriarch drew some blood from Kasami and grabbed a few test tubes. Neji walked towards the bed where Kasami laid, and he just looked at her. She was half conscious. 

"Did you hear me, boy!?" Yoshino raised her voice, "keep her talking!"

Neji saw as the woman rushed out of the room in search of something. He looked at Kasami, who started to tremble. He didn't know what to say, and when he saw her close her eyes, he panicked. He didn't want the wrath of the Nara woman, so he sat next to Kasami and slapped her cheek gently. "Hey, wake up," was all he could say, "don't fall asleep, you got to stay awake."

"I-It's... cold.." Kasami whispere,  and she started trembling with force. 

Neji found a blanket and threw it over her small form, "better?" She nodded, "why are you doing this? why are you harming yourself like this?"

Kasami opened her eyes and smiled, that smile that he hated. Neji hated that her smile was so sincere, so calm and so worry-fre,  but her eyes were full of pain, loneliness,  and misery. It made his stomach turn, Hinata often smiled like that, and  his own mother used to smile like that all the time.

He hated it. 

"Don't do that?" he said, looking away, "Don't smile when you are about to die."

"I-I'll bee... fine," she whispered,  and he turned to look at her. Her eyes had closed again, and she was falling asleep. His job was to keep her awak,  and he was failing.