Rose [Shisui Uchiha]

Thorn #8

"Shisui, how much do you like roses?" Koharu was tending to the flowers in her shop when she heard Shisui come in.

He didn't know why he had come again. Maybe it was the words that she spoke the other day, or maybe it was the mystery that was Koharu.

"Yeah, I do." He answered as normal. There didn't seem to be any change in her behaviour, nothing that would indicate that she wanted to do anything that would endanger him.

"Roses, they can come in lots and lots of different colours now." Koharu started, heading over to them. She cut off two and turned to the male, who was left standing in the middle of the shop.

She was holding the stem of the flowers, pointing them towards him, "They're beautiful flowers, aren't they?"

Shisui didn't know if he should answer her. Her questions were harmless, but it felt like she was going to say something encrypted, like a code that required him to break through to get the answer beneath.

"That's why, so many people pick them. It's because they're so special, so beautiful, and so fragrant. It's a popular thing nowadays especially. But, did the rose know that it was going to get picked?" Koharu pulled the flowers back to herself, touching one of the pricks gently so as not to wound herself.

"Roses are flowers that have thorns on its stems. Maybe it's there to protect it from other animals, or whatnot." Koharu took a knife and gently cut the thorns off, "Without those thorns, roses are safe, aren't they? To touch, I mean."

Koharu smiled, heading over to Shisui. She handed him the knife and a thorned rose, "Here, you can try."

Without a word, Shisui took it and begun to do exactly what she was doing.

"Why are you telling me this?" Shisui asked quietly, a tad confused. It was out of the blue, so sudden. He was there to get answers, not talk about flowers.

"Because you always get roses whenever you come here." She giggled, watching him cut off the thorns.

That's not my point...Shisui finished and handed it back to her, along with the knife. He observed her, watching her put the knife back where she had it before, and wrap the roses in coloured paper tissue.

She handed it to him, "There's something I'd like you to do for me."

Shisui hesitated. He wanted to say 'How can I trust you?' but he just couldn't bring himself to.

Koharu, sensing that he had a question that couldn't be voiced, answered it. "I know you don't trust me anymore, but, I promise I'll explain everything to you later on."

Later on? When will that be? The male wondered.

Shisui silently took the roses from her, but just as he took them, his hand latched onto hers quickly, pulling her in so that she was closer to him.

"Tell me everything. No lies." Was his condition.

She didn't respond to his condition. All she did was take a step away from him and gently push the wrapped roses to his chest, "My request is in the paper."

-

Danzo's eyes squinted at the ROOT ANBU that kneeled in front of him, reporting to him what had happened.

"She knocked you out and you don't know what happened?" He was somewhat astounded.

"I only came to when he walked out the door." The ANBU explained.

Danzo thought for a long moment, his brows furrowing.

He was going to use Koharu a little bit longer, but she was no longer a useful tool as she was before. She was starting to betray him by doing little tricks like this.