As The Apple Blossoms

To Be Different

A few days passed since Raijin had saved Honami. She was walking next to him, letting him show her around a town he's only been in for a year. As they walked Honami could see the looks women were giving her companion. They were lust filled eyes. It didn't really surprise Honami though, for she could see that he was handsome.

Especially with his rugged looks. The blond hair and green eyes added to the appeal. He looked like a bad boy; the guy women always went crazy for. What confused her was the fact that Raijin didn't seem to be fazed by the looks he was receiving. Either he wasn't intrested, or was just too oblivious.

"Hey Raijin?" She questioned, unable to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Hm." He replied. Raijin's gaze was still foward.

"Are you in a relationship?"

He finally looked down at her with his eyebrows raised. "Yeah. Why do you want to know?"

"It's just that I see so many people looking at you with lust that I wasn't sure if you'd notice."

"Oh I noticed," He snorted out. "I'm just not into that. I've no desire for sex."

That got Honami's attention. So much that she stopped right in the middle of a cross street, causing someone to run right into her. Had Raijin not caught her Honami would've been on the floor--faceplanted on to the ground. That almost sounded like her situation, the only difference was that she had no interest in romance.

"So you're a virgin?" She blurted out only to realize how personal that question was. She got too excited in her quest to find out more, that she totally messed up. Turning red she hastily spit out, "That is to say if you don't mind me asking?!"

He bursted out into laughtered. "You know just because I'm not into sex doesn't mean I haven't done it. You know that could be the reason I realized I just didn't like it."

"R-Right! Of course!"

He looked down at her and then faced foward again."You can tell me if something is bothering you, ya'know."

If something was bothering her, as if she was keeping something hidden. Well she was, but it wasn't important. Besides she had bearly met the guy, it's not like she could just tell him one her deepest problem (she chose to ignore the fact that he had done just that).

"Just because I did does not mean you have to. We did not promise to exchange secrets. I only told you since I did not mind. Besides, it's not really a secret anyway."

"Thank you, but I'm not hiding anything." She replied, before whispering to herself, "at least I don't think so."

Raijin stopped in front of an empty building. To the left of it was a sweet's store, and to the right of it, a clothing one. The building in the middle was dark. It signified that it was abandoned. Honami was confused as to why Raijin decided to bring her there. Was there some sort of significance to the building? As she opened her mouth to inquire, Raijin decided in that moment to inform her.

"One day I hope to open a shop here--right in this deserted building."

"...A restaurant?" She questioned, unsure if that was what he meant.

Raijin shook his head, replying, "No. I want to sell lotions, body and beauty products."

Not expecting that at all, Honami could only stare in bewilderment. Never would she had concluded that such a burly man would want a shop like that. What even made him decide that?

Raijin having had seeing Honami's expression, responded, "Just because I enjoy creating food does not automatically mean I want a shop of that. I believe taking care of your skin is something very important that unfortunately most take for granted. Especially shinobi. I just want to be a able to do something for others; even if it's not much."

Honami looked up at him in admiration. Midorikawa Raijin was not who she had expected at all. She had originally believed that he would have been the silent strong type, and while he was strong, he was not particularly silent. Raijin had a humor--and a large one at that (if him poking fun of her all the time was anything to go by). He's not someone who cared about sex, and he wanted to open a store about beauty.

Who would have pegged a man who looked like Raijin to care about something like that. He truly was something else.

"You know something Midorikawa-san."

"What?" He inquired amused.

"You really are something else." She replied, smiling up at him brightly.

Raijin clicked his tongue in amusement, relaying, "I could say the same about you."

"What do you mean?"

"You're intelligent no doubt, but sometimes you make me question that."

Honami glared at him, finding his comment to be offensive. She was not stupid! What made him even believe that?! "That's very insulting to say! What even gave you that notion?!"

"Well you seem pretty smart and say some intelligent things -- but there are times when you do the opposite and ask the stupidest things."

Balling her fist, Honami decided to show him just how mean she could be. As she swung at him, Raijin blocked Honami's punch easily. "How-?"

"I am a shinobi remember. I may not be the savior of the world, but I'd like to think I could handle a non-shinobi like you."

"O-Oh right, o-of course."

Letting go of her fist, Raijin inquired, "So where to next my lady?"

"It's getting pretty late, why don't we head out for some lunch."

"All right, where to Misaki-chan?"

"M-Misaki...-chan?" She looked at him mortifed. Her face a furious shade of red.

"I would've called you Honami-chan, but your surname is cuter so I decided to go by that."

"...Ah?"

He looked towards again, his eyebrow raised. "Is that going to be a problem?"

She shook her head roughly. No! It's fine!... I'm just curious as to why you decided to call me that?"

Honami was scared half to death when an unexpected arm landed on her shoulders quite roughly. "And what's wrong with that. We're friends aren't we?"

"Why of course."

"Then instead of calling me Midorikawa-san why don't you call me Rai-kun."

"Oh um..." She wasn't sure how to answer that. It was just the way she spoke she supposed. Her grandmother always taught her how important it was to treat others with respect. "It's the way I was rasied. Babba always said it was important to treat others the way I'm supposed to be treat with: respect."

"True, but I'm sure your obaasan would agree that it's fine to call people you are friends with something more familiar."

"You're probably right." She let out a deep breath, saying, "R-Rai...-k-kun. Rai-kun."

"Wow. Was that genuinely hard for you? Caused it sure seemed like it."

"Shut it you!"