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"Chakra! Does this mean you're—?!"
"My reserves aren't adequate enough for that. Don't you remember?" she laughed lightly at his excitement towards the scraggly leaf in her hands. She and Ino once spent an entire sleepover trying to get this right.
"Who cares about chakra reserves? Being a shinobi is more than that! Don't you remember?"
His hands pressed against the back of hers as the leaf suspended upright between their hands. His touch made her stiffen — made her heart accelerate too much, and momentarily, the leaf quivered with her.
"Remember what we used to do when we were kids?"
His bright blue eyes stared expectingly at her, a touch of longing glistened in them. He thought about it all the time so fondly. She was his first 'student,' if she didn't remember, the disappointment promised to seep through him.
"Our chakra meditations," she gently affirmed, a slight caution to her voice.
The color in his eyes amplified like an ignited flame, and he leaned in joyously, closing his eyes with a subtle blush.
"Heh, that's right. And you know what? I have so much chakra, you can have plenty of mine."
"No!"
The leaf sliced in half in their hands, as her chakra suddenly swelled and zapped away. Naruto watched in surprise as both halves fluttered down between them. At the prospect of sharing chakra, his hands were still fixed where she had hers after she tensed away. He was left holding the air.
She turned her head away, curling her fingers into tight fists like they were dangerous weapons.
The steam of the taro bun in front of Kei's grave curled upwards until it dissipated into nothingness, for what appeared to be a loop.
"Sorry," she forced a smile.
"Ado, what was that?" he quietly pressed her.
Her lips forced together, and she chose her words carefully. From here on out, she would always, always, choose her words carefully.
"The truth is, I have no interest in being a shinobi. Please don't mention that again."
At the words shinobi, Naruto's eyes widened. He blinked twice in confusion, perhaps trying to see clearly, perhaps trying to pick apart the truth.
"When we were kids, you said it was your dream."
"We were just kids," she laughed lightly with a touch of pain. "Kids dream up many things. Many, many foolish things. ..and a shinobi, with how I am now, is the most foolish one of all."
I sound just like Miss Anri. She thought coldly, as a self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips again.
In a split second, Naruto clasped her shoulders, and she sat up straight at the force. He furrowed his brows. "I'm not hearing that, alright?! So cut it out!"
