Euphoric Dysphoria [A Naruto Fan Fiction]

Chapter 3 - Unbelievable

Three years. Three full, long years have passed and gone. She could walk now, she could speak basic Japanese phrases and she could even write her name and some kanji on her own; which was quite an achievement in her mind. She had finally given up on her vain attempts of creating an emotional barrier with everyone, like always. She could never come to do it. It was always a pain, but a pain that she was willing to bear with. She had grown fond of her family over the short amount of time and would do anything for them. They were precious to her.

Well, it was great and all but her health was exactly not in a very good condition at the moment. Especially since her parents weren't there.

Kotone sneezed, her nose throbbing and red as a result of it.

"Oh dear!" Cried the babysitter as she ran to Kotone's side, an ill Kiyone securely tucked under her arm. "Where's the handkerchief when you need one? Ah! There! You sure sneeze a lot Kotone-chan! Oh! There's snot dripping out your nose too!"

And the babysitter was an absolute nightmare sometimes. Sure, she was very attentive, nurturing and kind but the sisters found her a bit ... extreme when she got worried over the tiniest things.

Kotone just had to wait for her parents to come back, then everything will be alright.

After the babysitter had unintentionally almost teared her nose from her face with the handkerchief, trying to squeeze out the snot, she rushed to the side table set by the wall parallel to the bed Kotone was on.

Kotone, wrapped in a cocoon of thick blankets had not realised that her little sister was placed on the same bed while the babysitter had her back turned, rummaging through the bottles of medicines that needed to be given to them.

Kiyone, a mischievous smile stretching across her lips, silently crawled over the mattress to where Kotone was lying with her eyes closed and pulled her small arm back and released it forward to hit on Kotone's nose.

"Ow!" Kotone shrieked, partly in surprise, partly in pain. Kotone rolled around in the blankets, her eyes shut tight tight as she licked the roof of her mouth with the back of her tongue trying to ease the uncomfortable tickling sensation there that a sneeze brought along with it.

"Kiyone-chan! Bad!" The babysitter's dainty feet padded across the wooden floor to approach the hysterically giggling toddler, scooping her up as the babysitter tried to squeeze the snot out of Kotone's nostrils again. "You shouldn't do things like that to your sister! Your parents would be very upset!"

"Ki, that's not very nice," Kotone scolded her little sister, looking up through watery eyes and sniffling while wagging a stubby finger at the toddler in tears of laughter. "Be nice to me please."

Kiyone's face scrunched up a little and the child shook her head rapidly from side to side, her dark hair whipping around wildly, expressing her clear disagreement with Kotone.

"No!" She yelled.

Kotone sighed and looked at the ceiling with a frown on her face. "I don't think she likes me."

"Aw, don't say that Kotone-chan," the babysitter tried to comfort Kotone, "I'm sure she really cares about you deep down. It's just the fever that's making her act funny."

"Mhmm ... I'm hungry."

"Uh ... I have to go check what your mum and dad left for you. I'll be right back," she said, hesitantly placing Kiyone back with Kotone. "Kotone-chan, you can keep an eye on Kiyone-chan for a bit, right?"

"Yeah," Kotone replied. "I think she's very independent anyway although she causes a lot of trouble ... I'll be fine, Mei-san!"

The babysitter stopped walking and reappeared at the doorway, laughter in her eyes. "My name is Mai."