The Return (Book 2 of It's Not Forever) COMPLETE

Chapter 2

    I nod and follow him back to the apartment complex but not to my apartment. I raise an eyebrow in confusion but decide not to speak as he unlocks the door and leads me inside. The smell of cigarettes is slightly heavier in here than it is in my apartment and I still wonder who smokes until he pulls out a pack and lights it. He looks like Asuma with a cigarette in his mouth... We enter the kitchen and he motions for me to sit down at the table. He pulls a soda from the fridge and sets it in front of me just as someone walks in from the hallway.
"Are you home already? What did Naruto wan- Kaida?"
"Temari?" I blurt out, looking at the blonde in shock.
"You're back... You were gone for so long." She mutters.
"What are you doing in Konoha?" I ask.
Her face turns red as she looks at Shikamaru with a strange look. His face reddens too and I piece it together.
"Never mind, I see. Uhm, congratulations and all. I need to go take a shower, I'll see you later..."
I leave the soda untouched and walk out of the apartment while ignoring their calls. I walk up to my apartment, mentally cursing myself for actually thinking that things wouldn't have changed. Temari and Shikamaru totally threw me though, I didn't expect that pairing at all. I slam the door closed and lock it before going into the bedroom and pulling a clean outfit from my backpack and taking a quick shower. I get out and dress quickly. As I pass through the bedroom again to get my backpack, I smell Shikamaru's cologne and feel a flash of anger course through me. Stop it Kaida, you're being stupid. He's not yours, and never was. I exhale as I walk down the hall in an effort to calm myself. It works slightly until I spot the picture of us kissing again. I punch the wall next to it before walking out.
Shikamaru is waiting outside, leaned against the railing facing the door.
"Go away." I mutter, walking back inside and locking the door.
"Kaida, listen..." He starts but I walk away from the door.
A moment later the door opens and I curse, forgetting that he had a key of his own.
"Go away." I repeat, purposefully ignoring his gaze.
"Quit being so troublesome and just listen to me."
"Fine. Speak, but don't take too long, I have places to be." That's a lie.
"Sit down somewhere, please."
I flop down on the couch and wait for him to speak while I rub my knuckles. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair before fiddling with the cigarette pack in his hand.
"When'd you start smoking?" I ask.
"Asuma died." He mutters and I gasp.
"How?"
"Hidan killed him."
I low growl emits from my throat. I still haven't forgiven him for killing me, but now he's killed my sensei.
"Kakuzu was killed during the fight and Hidan has been disposed of." He vaguely explains.
I leave his response as acceptable for now and wait for him to say something else.
"I'm sorry Kaida, it just kind of happened with Temari and I. You never came back and I didn't know what happened to you. What did happen to you? Why are your eyes red?"
"It's a long story short, I saw the world, made peace with Haku and Zabuza, encountered the Akatsuki a few times, and found out where I came from. Oh and I died once or twice more."
"Where?" He asks, staring at me in interest.
"I don't want to talk about it. Is that all you wanted to tell me?"
"I missed you Kaida, why didn't you come back?"
"I couldn't... I wanted to more than anything but I couldn't get away until just recently. I'm glad you found someone Shikamaru, I really am. You and Temari look good together. Treat her right. I have to go, I have things to do. I'll see you."
I stand and walk past him out into the sunset, cheesy as it sounds.
I make my way through the village in search of a particular building that I know so well. The shop comes into view and I feel my heart jump in excitement. I hope she still works here, it's a Tuesday, when she used to help out. I push the door open and hear the familiar bell chime above me. The flowers are still as beautiful as ever, and I catch a head of blonde hair fussing over a rose bush in the corner of the store. I lean against the counter and lightly press my hand on the call bell next to me and hear her tell me that she'll be with me in a moment. I wait with my arms crossed over my chest as she finally stands and wipes her hands on a rag. When she turns around, I make sure to keep my face toward the counter so she can't see me.
"Hi there, what can I help you with today?" She asks as she rounds the edge of the counter and faces me.
"I'm looking for someone by the name of Ino-pig. I was wondering if anyone had seen her? She has long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, has a strange attraction to Sasuke Uchiha and the color purple. Her best friend was named Kaida Hattori." I mutter with a smirk on my face.
"That's me, but my name is Ino, not Ino-pig. Why? What's going on?"
I look up at her finally and watch her face flick through ten different emotions simultaneously before she squeals and dives over the counter to tackle me.
"OH MY KAMI! When did you get back!? You got taller, you're still short, but I mean you're taller than you were. You're so pretty! And you're not wearing your mask!? What??"
"Calm, Ino. I got back this afternoon. I'm not short, you're just a giant. I quit wearing my mask I just stopped caring. And I don't know what." I list off.
"I missed you so much! What happened to you? You never came back! Shikamaru was so worried about you..." She trails off at the last part and avoids my gaze.
I sigh. "I already ran into him, I know what happened. I'm okay with it. I got into some stuff while I was gone and couldn't get away, that's all. Want to close early and get dinner? My treat."
"Of course! Mom, Dad, Kaida's back I'm going to dinner!" She calls out before ditching her apron and pulling me out the door.
We walk to Ichiraku's ramen shop, our favorite place when we were younger and settle down at the counter and place our orders. She turns to me before pausing and asking why my eyes are red.
"When I 'die' my eyes change color, I don't know why. They started out pure white when I was a baby apparently, then I died at the hands of the Hattori and they turned brown. Hidan killed me and they turned green. They were blue before they turned red."
"You died four times now? Are you immortal?"
"In a way, it's hard to explain. I haven't even fully begun to understand everything myself."
"Oh, well I'm glad you haven't died for real yet. So what all did you do while you were gone?"
In between bites of ramen, I tell her that I'd visited the Mist, then travelled around to random villages for a while until I found the Hattori and found out where I came from, then tell her that I don't really want to talk about it right now. She tells me it sounded kind of peaceful and I laugh slightly before telling her I'd had several run ins with the Akatsuki over the past two years. She scowls at that fact and I change the subject, asking what had happened while I was gone. Asuma's death still gets me when I hear it, but atleast he died protecting everyone. I know that's how he'd rather go. I pay for the food and walk her back to the flower shop, then tell her that I'm leaving to visit Suna for a while and I'll return within a few weeks. She sniffles a little but I hug her and reassure her that it really will only be a few weeks. She accepts it and tells me to be careful before releasing me and going back inside, only after complaining about my outfit being too dark and depressing, earning a thump on her forehead in response.