Caught in the Darkness

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: Breakthrough

Hyori was the first one to speak. "It's not what it looks like--"

"Really?" Hanako raised an eyebrow at them. "'Cause it looks to me like you just broke into my room."

Hyori scoffed, she felt terribly bad for what they had been doing. But she also remembered how Hanako had treated her and why she was doing it in the first place. "You know what, I don't need to explain anything to you." Hanako smirked.

"Oh, so you invade my personal space and refuse to tell me why?" She raised both her eyebrows. "Is that how you wanna play?"

"I wouldn't have to invade your 'personal space' if you just told me what's going on with you!" she snapped back.

Hanako shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Seriously," she chuckled. "Oh my, I'm definitely writing this in the journal of 'stupid things people say', right next to the 'I don't care business'."

Hyori pressed her lips into a thin line. "You're impossible," she hushed.

Hanako clicked her tongue and walked into the room. "You know, I actually considered catching up with you." She stood in front of the Senju. "Now, I guess," she stuck her hand into the girl's clothes and pulled out a crumpled paper. "I'm going to keep it all to myself." Hyori looked at her with wide eyes. "Now, get out of my house."

Hyori gritted her teeth and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm not..." she looked at Kakashi for a moment. "We are not going anywhere," she corrected.

"I'm happily pretending I didn't see you here," Hanako shrugged, turning her back to them. "Go away before I change my mind." The Uchiha put the piece of paper over the table and walked out of the room and towards the fridge.

Hyori took a deep breath and followed the Uchiha. "I know you've been contacting Itachi," she accused. Hanako looked at Senju with a serious face. "You thought I wouldn't recognize his calligraphy?" she asked with a hurt look. Hanako closed the refrigerator and looked at the Senju as she drank water from a plastic bottle she took out.

Kakashi, who trailed closely behind them, looked at Hanako with a frown. "Is that true, Hanako?"

Hanako scoffed, licking her lips. Her eyes never leaving the Senju's. "That you found a note from him doesn't mean we're in contact." The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "I'm not even replying to them." She put the water bottle back into the fridge.

"So, there are more notes?" Hyori inquired angrily.

"Of course, " Hanako let out in a low chuckle. "Wanna see them?" She walked towards the kitchen counter with fake animosity, pulled out a drawer and emptied it over the table. Then she took off its bottom to reveal it had another one with papers hidden in it. "Here," she looked at the Senju. "Want me to read them for you? Fine, will do." Hanako didn't give the other girl a chance to reply as she lifted one of the notes, and started to read out loud: "I've been thinking about you...blah, blah, blah. I hope you're okay, blah, blah, blah..." She looked back up at the Senju. "You know, who I talk to is really none of your business." She frowned. "I can't tell you the truth even if I wanted to, Hyori. You have to understand that."

"I really don't," Hyori shook her head. "I don't understand you, Hanako, I just don't."

Hanako sighed, looking around with disdain. "I'm tired of this, I really am," she muttered lowly. She looked back at the Senju with pleading eyes. "You're making me do things I don't want to." Then her eyes wandered towards the Hatake, but she didn't say anything else.

Hyori frowned. "Are you doing this because of Itachi?" Hanako turned back to the Senju with confusion. "Kazuki and I have a theory."

Hanako scoffed, turning back to her previous task. She was starving, so she thought about fixing herself something easy, like a sandwich or rice balls. "And what's that?"