"I haven't seen you in a while Shiori."
"I know it has been a while since I've stopped by, I am sorry". I smiled at the old woman that stood in front of the tea shop.
"Out saving lives as always. You need to rest more Shiori, a beautiful girl like you needs her beauty sleep." She chuckled huskily.
Her hand reached for mine clutching them in her own. "Order whatever you want child it's on the house." Her voice was so soothing, she reminded me of my own grandmother.
"Thank you". I smiled.
I took a seat at the bench in front of the tea shop kicking my feet out in front of me. It felt nice to kick back. My head tilted back, the sun bore down on the exposed skin on my shoulders.
Suddenly a shock racked my body. The hairs stood straight at attention. I shot up, my eyes darting up and down the street scanning the near by shops.
'Itachi?'
I couldn't see him, but I could sense him with every fiber of my being.
'Was I finally loosing it?' I shut my eyes and tried hard to hone in on his chakra.
"Here's your tea ma'am".
My head moved to the young woman who handed me a small steaming cup. I reached up and carefully took the cup from her, "Thank you". I replied softly, still trying to find the chakra that engulfed me.
Carefully I brought my lips to the boiling cup, taking a tentative sip. My eyes slipped shut and I began to focus on finding his chakra once again.
'Stop hiding from me.'
"Long time no see Shiori."
I could tell exactly who it was just from the sounds of his voice.
"Nice to see you too Kakashi." I whispered.
My eyes slid open. My gaze traveled up his legs, up his torso, only to make contact with his half covered face. Our eyes made contact and I could see him uncomfortably shift under my gaze, a soft blush crossing the visible part of his face.
"Uhh. I heard you started managing the hospital." His hand reached back scratching the back of his head trying not to sound as shy as he looked. I smiled, bringing my hands down to my lap. I clutched the hot cup tightly with body hands. "I guess you could say that. I'd rather be out in the field, but it's what I have to do until the new hokage selects someone to manage it."
"They are thinking of making one of the two remaining sannin hokage."
A soft chuckled escaped my lips, "That's going to be difficult. Is the council trying to force Jiraiya into accepting the position? In any case, he is too much of a goof to really take the job seriously, nor does he want that kind of responsibility. And no one has seen or heard from Tsunade in the last what, 20 something years?.... The council should just nominate themselves..." The last part was a resentful statement, but I couldn't help it.
Heaven knows Danzo would jump at that opportunity.
"You maybe right about Jiraiya. But somehow you found Tsuande, and not only that but you convinced her to train you not that long ago". Kakashi scratched his head again evading the last part of my statement.
My eyes moved from their transfixed placement of the tea cup back up to Kakashi. "True, but that was no easy feat. And getting Tsunade to agree to come back isn't going to be a walk in the park either".
"You're pro--. Hey guys.... You two seem to be getting along".
Following Kakashi's line of sight I found Asuma and Kurenai.
"Out on a date perhaps?" I teased, taking another sip of tea.
Kurenai's face erupted in a deep blush, "No, you idiots".
I smiled and stood from my seat gently placing the tea down on the bench, "Thank you for the tea!" I yelled into the shop.
"Any time Shiori!"
Just then I felt it again. I knew that I wasn't hallucinating. Itachi was here in the village, here in this tea shop.
I missed the chatter between Kakashi and the others...
" ...Plus I am meeting someone here". I could hear Kakashi speak but nothing was registering. I had finally found the source of where the chakra was coming from.
Two men in black cloaks sat in the shop. I slowly stood, fixing my gaze on the two men. 'It has to be, no one else has chakra like this.' The two sat hunched over, tea cups in hand, and straw hats that conveniently sheilded their faces. 'Am I the only one who has noticed them?' My eyes flashed to Kakashi and back to the two men. 'He looks on guard. He's definitely made the two. But does Kakashi know who it is?'
"Kakashi, it's not like you to show up early what give". The sound of Sasuke's voice surprised me.
Sasuke peered around Kakashi to look me up and down. "Shiori why are you hear?" Sasuke questioned.
The question didn't fully register. But somehow a response fell from my lips, "Lunch."
Then an epiphany. 'The hokage.... He's here to make sure Sasuke is still safe.' My eyes moved back to where the two men sat, but they were no longer there.
'Just like him to disappear without a trace.'