My Savior

chapter twenty-four

"Mama?.....Mama?" A little brown hair girl gently nudges the woman next to her, who is unblankly starring at the cup of tea in front of her.
"Hmm?" The woman finally blinks and turns to look at her daughter.
"You ok?" The girl asks with her face full of concern.
The women's green eyes widen. "Yes, I'm fine Rina." She then gives her daughter a forced smile."Why do you think something is wrong?"
"Well, when you are usually happy, you sing or play." Rina says still confused on her mother's behavior today.
She lets out a weak chuckle, "I guess mama is not feeling that well." She continues to have a forced smile.
Rina's dark grey eyes widened. "What's wrong?! Are you ok!? You should go to the doctor?!" She begins to panic for her mother's health. Before she can ask another question her mother speaks up. 
"It's nothing. My head just hurts that's all." The older women brings her hand up to touch her forehead. Rina continues to look unsure for the well being of her mother. This wasn't the first time her mother would randomly space out or say her head hurts.
Her mother then leans down and tucks a strain of Rina's hair behind her ear. She looks into her daughter's eyes and gently cups her cheek. "Why don't you go play outside." Rina's face quickly light up.
"Really!!" She shouts in excitement to finally be let out to play.
Her mother pulls away from her face and nods her head. "Yes, but don't go too far." She says.
Rina race to the door and puts on her shoes. "I won't! I'll bring back a surprise for you. Get better mama! " She says loudly over her shoulder before leaving the house.

My eyes slowly blink open and my mind took time to realize I just had a dream of my mother. I quickly shifted to lay on my stomach hoping to continue the dream. Right when I was about to fall asleep I hear a sob coming from Sakimi's room. I ignore it and try to go back to sleep, but I hear her sobbing continue. I lift my head up and wonder if I should go and ask if she was alright. I look over at the clock and it was about to be one o'clock in the morning, I only have a couple more hours of sleep before i have my daily training. I hear her cries continue, but they sounded muffled. She seemed fine when she left the house earlier and i was already asleep when she returned.

Should I go ask if she was ok, Sakimi dosent seem like a person to open up emotionally to a stranger that easily. Her personality is upbeat, courageous, a bit bossy and an extrovert. Almost like, no alot like Manami's personality. Manami was always smiling and rarely opened up emotionally to anyone. I had to always force her to open up to me when I could tell something was wrong. At first it was hard to tell something was wrong with her, since she hid it so well. I felt my heart pang a little at the thought of her. I look at the direction where the silent cries continue, it was obvious something is really wrong.

I let out a breath and get out of the futon. I shouldn't just ingnore that something is making her cry. I should at least try to see if she will let me help her. I selfishly hope she doesn't, I'm not the best person to comfort others. Not to mention the awkwardness it will feel since we only known each other for almost two weeks.

I quietly knock on  the door. "Umm... Sakimi, you alright?"  I hear her sobbing suddenly stop and ruffling of her bed sheets.
She coughs a couple times, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just had uh.. a bad dream. Yeah so get some sleep. Goodnight." She says quick in a broken voice. I guess she has been crying for some time. Wanting to debate with her knowing she was lying and open this door, I choose against that action. If she was stubborn like Manami it would make it worse and more awkward.
"....Goodnight." I say worriedly hoping that she will feel better in the morning. I walk back to my bed and I no longer hear any crying. My heart felt heavy for her, but I'll wait for her to tell me anything when she wants to. I then lay flat in my back and look at the celling, I think of the dream I had before I woke up. That dream, it wasn't a dream but a memory. I try to remember what else happened that day, but every time I tried it slipped further away from me. I felt there was something important, but my now half awake mind couldn't figure it out. I let out a loud yawn and turn to my side. Maybe I'll try to remember in the morning.
When morning came I decided to make Sakimi and I breakfast. It was getting close to the time we both had to leave for work and she was still asleep I assume. I couldn't here any movement coming from the room. It wasn't until some time that I hear her bedroom door open.
I look up and see she was making her way to the bathroom. "Good morning." I say. 
My voice made her jump a little, "Morning." She replies in a raspy voice. She keeps her head down hiding her face and enters the restroom. I frown at the closing bathroom door, I was hoping that she would be her usual self this morning. I turn my head back to the stove and continue to make breakfast. Maybe I should give her some chocolate later to cheer her up.
***
"It smells good." Sakimi says while sitting across from me.
I look up from my book to look at her. I examin her face, she was smiling, fresh and clean from the shower she took. I take a closer at her eyes and noticed they where slightly swollen, if it weren't for the make up hiding it no one would guess she was crying. I close my book and set it to the side.
"I know that it's none of my business, but are you ok?" Her eyes widened in shock for a split second then quickly recovered.
"Yeah I am. Like I said last night I just had a bad dream. I'm sorry if I woke you up." She chuckles and gives me a sheepish smile.
I resist to roll my eyes at her lie. Knowing full well that I even used that line a couple times. "You shouldn't apologize for crying. We are only human, if you want someone to listen I'm here." I say and give her a soft smile. She look hesitated at my offer thinking about it. She then picks up her chopsticks.
"Thanks, but I'm fine. Let's eat so this delicious food dosent go to waste." She smiles. I noticed how her smile didn't look genuine.
"Right." I say and follow her actions.
Inside of me wants to confront her and tell her I knew she was lying, but she wasn't Manami. I couldn't just scold her and say keeping everything inside is a bad thing, it wasn't in my place to. I mentally sigh, let it go Rina, she will tell you when she wants to I convince myself. I didn't want to cross a line with her, not like I did with Tobi.
***
The following day, I decide to follow my mysterious neighbor around. He left his apartment to go to work. He had one other person working the weapons shop, a younger male by the name of Taro Korouyasu, who ran the night shift. His chakra didn't feel that powerful, but it was obvious he trains using it. If I had to rank him it would be a low rank chunin. It still meant that I have to be on guard around him, even if he was a genin rank.  The old man didn't leave his shop until Taro came. He stayed with him for a couple hours, before leaving early the evening. He stopped by to get groceries for dinner and went back to his home. Once he went home I made my way back to the weapons shop.
Swithching my wig, contacts to a blonde wig and purple contacts and using henge over my disguise. I transform in to a Ame shinobi and walk into the shop. Just in case this man was skilled enough and disabled my henge, he wouldn't know what I actually looked like.
"Welcome." The man greets me with a smile. I nod my head at the man and walk further into the shop.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" He says and stops reorganizing to walk closer to me.
"A set of kunai's." I say in a voice different from my own.
"I have them in the front, follow me." He makes his way to the check out area. There were sets of kunai's and shuriken's of different types inside the glass case display. He takes a box of kunai's out. I take one out of the box to examin and check the balance. I see a bull's eye target behind the man. Taking aim I throw the kunai and hit it right in the center.
"Great aiming." He says unfaze by my actions. Probably this situation happens more than once to him.
"Thanks." I reply. He goes to retrieve the kunai and puts it back in the box.
"Will that be all?"
"You have storage scrolls?" I question.
"Yes we do. How many would you like?"
"Just two."
He walks over to the shelf full of different scrolls and gets two storage ones. I began to walk around the shop. It was small, but they had many tools, scrolls, seals, weapons, armor, poisons, even some clothing. Everything a shinobi would need to resupply. 
"You have a nice shop here." I begin to start a conversation.
"Thank you, but it isn't mine. I just work here." The man says putting the scrolls next to the kunai set.
"Who is the owner?" I ask, already knowing who he was. Right now is the perfect time to get information.
"Ahhh that's Masaru sama. He usually is here in the mornings, I take the night shifts."
"Are you skilled in the shinobi arts?"
He shakes his head "Just the basics, it's Masaru sama that knows more on these things" He gestures around the shop.
"So then, he is a retired shinobi? Very few make it to the age of retirement."
"I don't know." He shrugs his shoulders, "He just opened this shop out of no where, no one knew who he was." He pauses for a moment scratching his temple. "He just appeared, gave me a job. Even trained me a little bit in the shinobi arts."
"Sounds pretty skilled."
"He can have a bit of an attitude, but he is very nice man." I nod my head and walk back to the check out area. I pay for the kunai set and storage scrolls.
"Here you go. keep the change."
"Thank you." He says. I walk out of the ahop. I wait until no one was around to release my henge. He wasn't much help, but I did get information that the old man is skilled. Very skilled to know how to weld variety of weapons. I guess the next step is to search his home. I couldn't do it now he was already home. Looks like I have to find out his schedule to find an open time lot to sneeked in.
****
The next few days, I try to create a schedule of when Masaru san wasn't at home, but that man was more anti-social than I ever was. He never left home and when he did, he would read imfront of his home or was working.
I let out a tired sigh, " Maybe I should just give it a rest. Maybe he just a retired shinobi who wants some peace and quiet."
I hear a knock at the door and get up to answer it. Opening it, a blonde hair man looks surprise when I answered.
"Is Sakimi here?" He checked the door number to see if he was at the right door. After checking he looks back at me.
"Let me go see if she is here." I leave him outside and I go to Sakimi's bedroom door Ever since that night, she would stay at home more often. More specifically her room, and wouldn't leave unless for food and the restroom. I knock on her door. I know she was home, but I wanted to make sure if she wants to be left alone or not, so I can lie if she needs me to.
"Yeah?" She shouts.
"There's a guy asking for you." I say loud enough for only her to hear.
She quickly opens the door as soon as I said those words." Does he have dark blonde hair and dark eyes?" I shake my head yes.
"Thanks." She walks outside the front door, closing it.
I sit back down on the couch returning to my notes.
"What." I her Sakimi's voice from the outside.
"I'm sorry, i'm sorry for what I did." I her the man beg.
"That's what you said last time." Sakimi response irritated
Ignoring the argument that was going out side, I look at the schedule I made of the time Masaru san wasn't home . If I just give up when it gets difficult what kind of spy would I be. It wasn't moments later that I saw Sakimi and the man from earlier, walk hand to hand towards her bedroom. I gave them a weak wave without looking up. It looks like me and the old man had different schedules. My days offs were different from his, and it didn't leave me a chance to go search his home. Re-reading my notes, what felt like the fourteenth time. I noticed there was a time slot of thirty minutes when I got out of work. I think that was enough time for me to rush home and break into his home. I hope I could find important documents of his real name. Now I have to try to leave exactly on time. Maybe if I made an excuse I can leave earlier.
My thoughts were caught off when I heard the sound of the bed squeak and moaning. I look up at Sakimi's door. I quickly realize what was going on and turn red as a tomato. Feeling awkward this situation, quickly as I can I gather my things and leave the apartment. Once I reached outside, my thoughts drift to my own experiences with Tobi. That made my face turn even more red, and I run down stairs to the nearest fountain to cool the dirty memories that were running in my mind.
***
I look left and right to see if the coast was clear. Confirming it was, I pick the lock and enter the apartment. As soon as I step in, I was welcome by a flying senbons aiming towards me. I quickly jump out of the way further into the home, only to set off another trap. Shurikens came towards me to the left and right. I was going to jump out of the way, but more senbons came towards me In front. That only left me to jump up and stick to the ceiling. I look down at the mess the traps made. I look over at the clock and realise that I wouldn't have time to snoop around and reset the traps. I  got out twelve minutes later than I was suppose too, leaving me only eighteen minutes for information digging.
I jump down, carefully not to set off any more traps. "Looks like I underestimated him." I begin to pick up the scattered weapons, being careful not to cut myself. They were laced with some sort of poison.
"He is clever. If I was any slower I would have been hit."
Looking around his apartment it was pretty well kept, besides the weapon's all around. It was pretty plain. No pictures hanged on the walls or anything to give it personality. The colors  of the walls were just white. No one would think twice that he was hiding anything, but the traps say another thing. Fake name, owns a weapon shop, has skills with poisons and traps. Just what is he. As I was carefully setting up the last trap, I hear loud shouting coming from next door. Recognizing that it was sakimi's and her boyfriend arguing, I ignore them.
I hope they don't make up loudly as last time. My face burns at the memory. I finish locking up the apartment and was about to head for the stairs. When I heard a loud a slap fallowed by a Yelp. I rush into the apartment and see Sakimi rubbing her red cheek with unshed tears in her eyes. He raises his hand again and she flinches. I quickly run behind him and pin him to the wall. Focusing my chakra to my muscles, so he wouldn't be able to break free.
"What the hell?!" He tries to struggle free but I increase my strength. I look over at Sakimi.
"Are you ok." I ask. Her face was full of shock, all she can manage was a couple blinks. I was going to ask again but was caught off by the man I was holding down
"Let go you bitch!" I could scent the smell of alcohol on him. I scrunch up my nose and pull him off the wall. Keeping a grip on him I roughly guide him to the front door.
"Get out! And if you try to come back here to hurt her again, I'll do alot worse than just hold you down." I glare at him. He returned the glare and rubs his wrist.
"Tsk." I see him walk away. I walk back into the apartment and made sure to lock it. I head into the living room and see Sakimi wasn't there anymore. I begin to search the house and I found her Infront of the bathroom sink. Her hands gripping the sink and her black hair hiding her face.
"Sakimi?" I call out to her.
She didn't move or say anything. She just kept her head down.
"Sakimi." I try again.
"...."
"Say something at least, please. I just want to help." I beg.
"...I" Was all she manage to say before she became quite again. I gentle lay my hand on her shoulder and was concerned when she flinched at my touch.
"It's ok, don't be scared. He left, well I mostly threw him out."
She finally turned her head to me and stared at me full of shock. I finally see her face more clearly. I noticed right where she was slapped there were also scratch marks. They weren't deep, but enough to see that they were bleeding. 
"I won't tell anyone anything if you don't want me to, but please. Let me do a scan and heal you."  A few seconds past and she lean's on the sink. My hand began to glow green and I begin my analysis. I found a couple of bruises here and there, but they were a couple days old. I felt disgusted that someone would do this to her. I felt angry and worried about Sakimi. I heal her as I continue, I stop at her face. She lifted her head to look into my eyes. And in that second, she broke into tears. Sakimi clutch to my shirt and her shoulders shaked. I wrapped my arms around her to pat her back.
"Sakimi... Let me take care of those scratches and get you clean up. We can talk or cry if you need to." I say gently knowing she is very fragile right now. She pulled back nodding her head and wiped her nose with her sleeve. Letting me heal her scratches and double checking for anything else, I tell her to take a shower while I go make tea and food.
"We weren't always like this." Sakimi speaks up. We were in the living room, on the couch. I made sure Sakimi was wrapped in a blanket, had tissues, food, and was her shoulder to cry on.
She continued to look down at her tea. Taking a large breath she starts, "It all happened when Hayato and I were ready to have a baby. We kept trying for months before succeeding, but I had a miscarriage. We tried again, but we were unsuccessful on keeping our child alive. It wasn't until three miscarriages later that I went to the doctor. He told me that I can't have a children. My body wasn't made to carry one to full term." When she said this, she brought her hand to rub her stomach. A few moments past and she continued with her story.
"After that he changed. Hayato would get more angry at little things and we got into alot of arguments. Finally we broke up for about a week or so then got back together. Everything was good, until a woman claimed she was carrying his child. Of course I got mad and cursed him out, but he still wanted to be with me and we were broken up at the time. The woman agreed to give the child to our custody when he/she was born. Fast forward to the end of the pregnancy when the baby was born, she no longer wanted to give me custody. She was ok with Hayato, because he was the father after all. I accepted it and was ok with them raising the child togther. It started fine, but became to him staying longer than usual, then staying nights to days. It wasn't until I found condoms, love letters and make up on his clothes that I had enough." She grip her cup at that and continued.
We broke up after that, and I told him I never wanted to see him again. It was almost a year when I was ready to date again. He saw me dancing with some guy at a party and came up to me the next day begging to get back together. After alot of begging and promise's we got back together. Things where almost like old times." She showed a sad smile. "Almost. Hayato suddenly became violent with me, which I never understood. As for the mother of his child, he claims that they weren't together anymore, but I know that is bullshit. I know he will still see her at the end of our fighting or have difficulties. I know what he is doing, I'm not stupid." She took a long sip of her tea and leaned back on the couch.
"Then why do you stay with him?" I ask. I was confused, how can someone let someone else control them, and break them in such a cruel way. I thought when you love someone, you wouldn't do anything to hurt them, not the other way around.
Sakimi turn's her head to look at me and shrug her shoulders, as if the answer was simple. "Isn't it obvious..... I love him. I know it's sounds crazy, but with all the terrible things he has done. We still share good times together." She turns her head to look at the cealing and closes her eyes, "How we use to love each other and still do, is the reason I stay. He is my best friend and I can never hate him. I care for him to much and will always love him unconditionally. Even if he does make me cry."
I didn't know what to say. I just stared at her while I saw a tear fall at the side of her face and with a smile.
She lets out a weak laugh, "Fuck.... That's the thing with love. You have to be careful with it. It will fuck you up so much thinking left is right and up is down. You know you deserve better, but when you try to leave, the heart doesn't want to."
"I still don't understand how it is possible for you to be ok with him hitting you and treating you that way." I tell her.
She lets out a loud sigh and sits up. "I guess no one can understand until it happens to them. Sometimes I think Hayato will get better. That things will be temporary and we will have what we use to, before everything went south. I think. No I hope, that all this suffering will be worth it at the end and have him back, as mine only." She lets out a weak laugh. " Sometimes I think I'm just a sick masochist and love the thrill and misery..... Like some how I deserve this."
"You don't deserve this.No one does." I am surprise that she even thinks that way.
She looks at me with her red eyes and shakes her head." Thanks for listening, I'm going to sleep now."
"It's no problem." I give her a hug." If you need someone just tell me, ok."  Sakimi stands up and looks at the scattered tissues and food.
"Don't worry about it I'll pick up." I tell her, but she still looks unsure.
"It's fine. Go get some sleep." I smile at her. Keeping the blanket wrap around her, she goes to her room. I let out a yawn and start Cleaning up. Sakimi, I hope one day you know your worth.
***
After the incident that happened that day, Sakimi stuck to my side like glue. It made it near impossible to go break into the apartment again. I understand why she wasn't leaving my side, but I still had things to figure out. Like who in the hell is Takashi Masaru! Fallowing two nurse's to my next patient, I was shock to see the very man running through my head. My grumpy old neighbor, unconscious on the hospital bed.
"This patient, said to throw a coughing fit before passing out at work " one of the nurse's say. I look over his chart to see that he was fine now, but we needed to do some tests to see what was the cause of his coughing and passing out. I look at his medical history to see that not only he didn't have very much, but he never went to the doctor.
"Should we run some tests?" The nurse asks.
I shake my head "No, we don't know if he is allergic or it will do him more harm."
"Then what do we do?" I look back him, then face the nurse's.
"He is stable now, we wait until he wakes up to ask him about his medical history."
"Ok Rina-sama." They bow there heads.
We let the rest of the staff know to keep an eye on him for when he wakes up. With him here, I can sneak in his home without a problem at night. This grandpa better be worth all this effort.

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*Chuckles nervously* hehe *clears throat* hello to anyone reading this. I am very sorry for the long very long wait. But like I said my goal is to finish this story and it will be finished. So I would to thank you everyone so much for reading my story I love you. Till next chapter. ^-^ (and no it won't take as long this time.)