Stand By Me

STAND BY ME - chapter 19

"Shisui, g-go faster!" My body shook, I needed this now more than ever, and more importantly, I needed Shisui to listen to me right now.

"I-I'm trying!" The curly-haired Uchiha exclaimed.

"Come on! Shisui!"

---

Uchiha Itachi was intently listening to the conversation taking place, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and notably, his heart was burning with frustration. What the hell is going on?
He barged into the room without any further questioning, and saw Aya lumped against the wall. Itachi let out a sigh, and felt ashamed of himself for being silly.

"I-Itachi," I said, my legs were visibly shaking, "Tell your friend to hurry up with his dump! I need to pee!" I pointed to the bathroom door, my arms flailing in the air. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Hey! I can hear you, you know!" Shisui yelled.
"Good! It was meant to be heard!" I retorted.

"I'll be outside waiting for you two." Itachi said, motioning his way outside of the inn.

Hokage-sama sent us all out on a last-minute mission to rendezvous with Kayumi, who needed extra back-up. Shisui was rather excited to see his wife after so long. In the meantime, we shacked up in a cheap inn that had two bedrooms, a kitchen, and one washroom. You could only imagine the bickering that happened over that one washroom.

---

Itachi, Shisui and I were walking throughout the forest, looking for any trace of Kayumi. I lifted my hands up in front of me, weaving the Hitsuji  hand-sign.

"Byakugan!" I exclaimed, the world around me becoming enveloped in tones of black and white, "I'll keep these eyes on the look out for Kayumi." I assured the other two. I noticed Shisui staring at me strangely.

"What's wrong?" My eyes peered over to Shisui's, my Byakugan staring right into him.

"I can't ever get used to seeing those eyes," Shisui's hand itched the back of his neck, "They look scary. And frankly, I feel violated." Shisui's hand covered his chest in embarrassment, squirming in his spot. I heard Itachi chuckle.

I pouted, crossing my arms. "Says you..."
"Kayumi should be near here. Do you see anything?" Itachi asked.

I squinted my eyes, and narrowed my vision in all four directions. North. South. West. East. Nothing.
"I don't see anything..." I said.

Itachi eyes swirled crimson red, and he weaved signs for four shadow clones, sending them off into all directions.
"Keep an eye on the shadow clones." Itachi ordered.
"Hai."

"She better not be getting into any kind of trouble..." Shisui said, frowning slightly.

---

"Kayumi!" Shisui hopped onto his wife, her legs rocked and gave out, both of them falling onto the ground.

"Shisui, you're so damn heavy! What have you been eating without me?!" Kayumi exclaimed, her hands on the ground for support as she stood upright, dusting her pants. I noticed that silver band across her finger glimmer. I couldn't help but smile.

"Eheheh, I'm not that bad." The raven haired Uchiha said.
"Kayumi, it's been so long. Since your wedding." I smiled.
"It has been!" She inched closer to me, nudging my elbow, "Seems like you and Itachi have been getting along well."
"Oh, believe me. They can't keep their hands off of each other." Shisui said. Itachi's eyes grew bigger, a blush arose on his cheeks, his eyes flickered to the side, his arms crossed.

I rose a fist up in the air, "H - hey, Shisui! That's none of your business!"

"Hahahah!" Kayumi laughed, "You guys are funny. But, onto more serious matters..." Kayumi's sharingan eyes glanced to the document in her hand.

"Oh. Yeah, of course." I held the scroll, unravelling its content.

"That's some strange calligraphy." Itachi commented.

"Yeah. I couldn't even decode it with my Sharingan." Kayumi looked defeated, "I was hoping you and Shisui could use your Mangekyo..."
"Of course." Shisui said. I handed the scroll to Itachi, who held the scroll in front of his friend.

Shisui and Itachi's eyes swirled into another form of crimson, an ability I had heard of, but never really seen in person before. It was legendary, and to see it before me felt... surreal. I, undoubtedly, had the strongest shinobi in my team that the Hidden Leaf sprung, and part of me felt proud for fate allowing me to be their comrades. Part of me also wanted to become stronger, so that I can be acknowledged just like how they were, to be praised, and feared of my techniques and abilities. That's why I have that trump card.

"Hm..." Itachi hummed, "That's peculiar."
"What do you guys see?" Kayumi asked, eagerly.

"It's blurry, the words, they're faint." Shisui said, sighing. Both of them disliked uncertainty.

"Aya?" Kayumi looked at me, as if I was some sort of last hope.

"Hai." Byakugan. I screened the document, and could not understand a thing. "I don't see anything either." I admitted.

"Well, I guess we'll have to lend the document to the decoders team in Konoha." Shisui said.

"We have no other option." Itachi said, his eyes forming back to the sharingan, and then to his black orbs. For a moment, it shocked me how effortless Itachi seemed. Just another reason why I'm so proud of him.

"But it's getting so late..." Kayumi whined, "You guys were resting at an inn just now, weren't you?"

"Yeah! It's not too far from here, if we speed up." I said.
"Yosh! Let's go!" Kayumi leaped onto the tree branch, and I followed behind her immediately, Shisui and Itachi caught on.

---

"Well, you guys can go on ahead to Konoha." Kayumi said, as she was packing her belongings up. It was the next day, her and I had shared a room together.

"What about you?" I asked, "Hokage-sama didn't just send the three of us to decode some measly scroll, no?" 

"Truth be told, I told her to send you guys because I miss you." Kayumi said with a frown. I couldn't help but feel a bit tense. A moment of silence passed.

"There's something you're not telling me, Kayumi." I spat, anger lingered in my voice. I'm not stupid. 

"Huh?" Her eyes grew bigger, as if she had let a secret slip out, "Nah. nothing's wrong. You guys go back to the village, okay?"

I sheepishly agreed. "Mhm..."

"How are you and Itachi?"
"We're dating."
"Dating, huh?"
"Yeah. He's amazing. Kayumi, I think I love him -" I covered my mouth as I realized the words had slipped out. I had always thought it, but never had I ever said it out loud. 

"Oh my god!" Kayumi was laughing, "I knew it!"
"Shisui knows... I made him swear not to let it slip out in front of Itachi." I crossed my arms.
"And now I know too. Don't worry, I won't speak." Kayumi smiled. "When do you plan on telling him?"

The simple questioned had stunned me, and I remained silent. It never crossed my mind that I would have to one day tell him those five words. I'm in love with you. 

I plopped my back onto the mattress, and let out a sigh. "I have no idea. I don't even know if he feels the same way."

Kayumi rolled her eyes. "Trust me, he totally does."
"How would you know?"
"The way Itachi looks at you when you're not paying attention, it gives it away." 

I looked up to the ceiling, and felt almost hopeless. What does he find attractive about me, any way?