Dammit! Where did he go?
I was closely following him from behind but he suddenly vanished like a ghost. I've tried looking around the village but I couldn't find him at all. I am certain that I wasn't just seeing things, that person was really there!
"Hey, Ino! Aren't you overdressed for this simple gathering?"
Upon hearing a familiar voice, I immediately looked below the building I was standing on and spotted everyone. They were all gathered outside the restaurant, chatting excitedly.
When I saw Naruto talking with Shikamaru, I recalled the suspicious man I was chasing after and frowned. I am certain he was watching us, if that was the case then...
He is either after me or Naruto!
"Sakura and Sasuke aren't here yet?"
I flinched and quickly looked around them. Sure enough, they were the only ones missing. My shoulder sagged in realization as I lowered my gaze.
"Sakura told me awhile ago that they will come later.",Ino replied.
"Those two...are they going out?",Neji asked in curiosity. "I heard from a rumour that they are often seen together."
"I don't know about that. Anyways, let's go inside and wait for them.",Naruto suggested as everyone nodded in agreement.
I am fully cognizant of the fact that they would end up together but I still can't help but feel sad and disappointed. I am really such a liar. I tell myself that I shouldn't meddle with their relationship but deep down inside of me, my heart is saying otherwise.
"I guess I'm really just trying to convince myself...",I mumbled to myself and clenched my fist.
I breathed a sigh and shook my head to clear the depressing thoughts. No, this isn't the time for this. I should go inside as well and check if that person would appear again. After all, I have already made my decision. It's just a matter of timing and time now.
"Even if what you say is true, haven't you already changed his future?",Hinata hiccuped, her red cheeks flushed from the alcohol.
"The first time that you interfered, I think you have already altered the course of his destiny. So what makes it different now?"
I paused in realization and looked at my cup. "You're right, but is it really okay for me to change their life?"
Hinata suddenly stood up and smacked the table with her palms, looking serious. "You should confess your feelings and the rest will be up to him!"
"Hinata, please sit down.",Naruto said in a nervous tone while trying to calm her down. "You have already broken enough cups. Don't break the table now."
"Shizuru, you owe that to yourself and to Sasuke as well...",she slurred instead before dropping back down to her chair.
Naruto breathed a sigh and glanced at me before smiling. "Hinata is right. The only way to settle this, is for you guys to talk to each other. Both you and Sasuke are very important to me so I don't want either of you to get hurt."
Everything is finally clear to me.Now that I know what to do, it's as if the heavy weight that was pressing on my chest has been replaced by a feather.
"Thanks to the both of you, I am finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.",I said gratefully with a warm smile plastered on my lips. "I'm going to tell Sasuke everything after the result of the test."
"Why do you have to wait for the result?"
"Because...",I trailed for a moment before meeting their curious gaze. "I want to love Sasuke without being afraid."
"Your order will be up in a few minutes."
"Okay, thank you."
The waiter gave me a suspicious look but he didn't ask anything and walked away. I sighed in relief and glanced at the long table where Naruto and the others were. They were occupying the center table while I was sitting on the left corner of the room.
They were all chatting happily when Sasuke and Sakura walked in, making them all turn their heads and attention to their direction. Sakura happily smiled at them while Sasuke was silently trailing behind her.
"The both of you really came together.",Shikamaru mused while the others smirked in a teasing manner.
"So, when are you going to tell us that you are dating?",Choji asked in a straightforward manner.
Sakura blushed and waved her hands in protest. "W-We are not going out. What are you saying?"
She looked at Sasuke, probably to check whether he would say anything but when their eyes met, she shyly looked away and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. My shoulders sagged in sadness as I bit my lip and averted my gaze.
Somehow, my chest feels tight and heavy that I can't breathe properly. I know this feeling very well---it is the crushing weight of pain and jealousy.
"The both of you, why don't you take your seats now?"
I raised my head to look at them again when Sasuke suddenly turned to my direction, making our eyes meet. I gave him an awkward smile while he breathed a sigh and took a seat beside Neji. How did he notice me so fast? He wasn't even surprised when he saw me.
As time passed by, customers gradually filled up the restaurant until no table was available. I kept glancing at the middle table and since I couldn't hear their conversation because of the noise, all I could do was watch them from the corner of the room. Every now and then, Sasuke would glance at my table while I would catch his eyes and smile.
It was slowly getting late and I was getting bored. Breathing a heavy sigh, I decided to look outside the window that was on my left to divert my attention, when the suspicious man I was after suddenly appeared outside the restaurant. My eyes widened in shock while he calmly stared right back at me through the glass window and grinned.
I clenched my fist and immediately rushed outside the establishment. I'm not going to lose him this time!
I chased him all the way to the hokage rock, the mountain that was overlooking konoha that has all the faces of the hokage carved into the stone. When I reached the top, I frowned when he wasn't there!
"Are you looking for me?"
Everything happened in the blink of an eye that before I could event react, he appeared in front of me and drove his palm into my stomach. How the hell did he suddenly appear before me? I didn't even see him at all!
I caught him grin in triumph as he used his chakra and pushed me off the edge. Dammit!
In that moment, I swiftly stretched out my hand and sent a strong blast of contentrated wind directly at him. His hood fell and my mouth parted when I got to see who it was. He had pale skin,long white hair that reached his waist and his eyes were similar to Hinata! That was definitely a byakugan!
The cold night air immediately rushed through my ears as I fell down. For some reason, I couldn't feel my chakra, as if something was blocking it. This is bad! At this rate...
Just then, a pair of strong arms caught me and I gasped when I saw Sasuke in his Susanoo form. He looked down at me while I stared at his sharingan and rinnegan in disbelief.
"S-Sasuke. How...How come you are here?"
"Naruto told me you were acting weird so I followed you. Are you okay?"
I paused for a moment before nodding. So that's why he kept looking at me awhile ago. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Sasuke gave me a look as if checking to see if I was telling the truth or not. As soon as we landed back safely on top of the mountain, he deactivated his Susanoo and gave the mysterious man a cold, piercing look.
"Who are you?"
The man simply tilted his head in amusement and grinned. "A rinnegan, huh? It has been a while since I last saw one."
"I'm asking you. Who are you and what are you after?",Sasuke asked coldly as he drew out his katana.
He stared at Sasuke for a few seconds before smirking. "Very well. I shall introduce myself."
"I am Satoshi Otsutsuki and I have come to pick up the last key."