Youths of Konoha - Part 2: Shinokiba

5 Somethings different

withthatsaid1 thanks for getting me out of my writing slump :)

Kiba's POV

The next few weeks seemed to go by rather quickly, with a lot happening. Like Shino had predicted, Naruto and Hinata had broken up the day after the party, while Shikamaru and Temari had gotten together a week after. Things were still awkward between Gaara and Lee, according to Shino, Gaara was pushing Lee away, but with a deeper reasoning behind it. However, Sakura and Sasuke were still together, so whatever Shino saw between them, wasn't bothering them, as it seemed.

But something happened that Shino hadn't predicted.

I had been having these thoughts, they were confusing me. It started the weekend of my party, after I hooked up with Shino. During that night, it hadn't occurred to me yet, but the days and weeks after, when I thought about it, I noticed it had been different. Different than my other one night stands. I had no idea in what way, or why, but I knew it was different.

That thought process led me to think more about Shino and I's friendship, and I realized that that also wasn't like my others. Probably that was to be reasoned by him being my best friend, whom I knew for such a long period of time, almost my whole life, but in these last weeks, I seemed to notice many more little things about our relationship.

Flashback

It was a rainy Monday morning, about two weeks after the party, and I was about to leave the house, since Hana generously offered to drive Shino and me to school, when my phone ringed, signaling a notification. After putting on my white sneakers, I looked at the screen, seeing Shino's name above the new message. I opened it, and as I read through the text, my face dropped.

Bug boi :)

Hey sorry, I won't come
to school today, caught
a cold over the week-
end. see ya soon!

oh okay, well get
well soon! its boring
without ya! :)

"Oh Hana, we won't have to pick up Shino, he just told me he's gonna stay home today!", I informed my sister, who was already walking towards the car, opening the door to the drivers side, as I followed her, sitting down on the passenger seat. "Alright.", she started the car and drove towards the school, the rain hitting the windscreen, steered by the wind that was typical for October.

Soon we arrived at school, and I exited the car, saying goodbye to my sister, before quickly running towards the exit, so that I wouldn't get soaked by the rain, and catch a cold, just like Shino. When I entered the building, I noticed that I was like wayyy to early. My first period would start in more than half an hour, and most of my friends usually arrived ten minutes before class started. So until then, I sat in the cafeteria, scrolling through my phone, laughing at it from time to time, when I saw something funny. Eventually, everyone arrived, and I made my way to my first class.

Both the first and second period went by uneventful, since both Hinata and Shino were sick, and Ten Ten and I never really talked a lot.

I walked to my third period chemistry class with Lee and Gaara, who had the same class now. Gaara was quiet for most of the time, while Lee and I enthusiastically shared everything we had done the past weekend. "... AND THEN I WON THE CONTEST! Sadly, my last opponent gave up pretty quickly, so it wasn't the youthful fight I was hoping for, but still, I'm happy about winning! I will train even harder, to move up to the next league!", Lee shared his experience of his latest martial arts contest, and I listened attentively.