Re: Akimichi

In front of me is a large forest area in Konohagakure, that is associated with the Senju clan. It contains a giant tree that is surrounded by a pond and a playground. It's called the Senju park, the place was famous for... well, a dating place.

What am I doing here?

Well, it's like this...

Yesterday, we're on our way home after my spar with Jigeiya-sama. [1] Suddenly Ino asked if I want to go with her to the Senju park. Well, as I was in a devastating mood because of Jigeiya-sama, I readily agreed with the notion that the THREE of us went there to refresh our stressed mind from the chunin exam.

And here I was, wearing my baggy clothes, uncombed hair, and with Ino holding her handbag as we walked side by side seeing peoples having the time of their life. As for us? We awkwardly walked in silence, although we're often talked, but never once we're in this kind of situation.

"So, um... your dress looks nice."

"Um, thanks. You also looked nice too..."

Silence...

What should I do? What should I say?

This is why it's hard to go for a date with your best friend!

BAH!

Oh, for the love of spaghetti! Just go with it!

"Oh, that's a nice flower!"

"Where?"

'Yes!'

I pointed at a flowerbed at the roadside, we crouched and take a good look at it. Those flowers had six petals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped crown. Those flowers are generally white or yellow, white some orange and pink variants in it.

"These are daffodils, they grow in spring. But, even during winter, it keeps its beauty and never losing to the cold. A strong flower that patiently waits for the hope of spring." Ino smiled sweetly as she gently c.a.r.e.s.sed the flowers. "They are truly beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yeah, beautiful. Um, hey Ino... I was wondering, do you had an extra heart?" I tilted my head to the side, here we go, finger cross.

"Of course not, why are you asking me that?" Ino was confused, she was a bit baffled at my question.

Here we go, aah, why am I so nervous.

"Because mine was just stolen when I see your smile..."

Ino giggled as she lifted her gaze toward me, then she realized the meaning behind my words, and she blushed.

Heck yeah! A bit corny, but one point for me!

"A-anyway, let's go to other places. How about we go shopping? And how about getting you a new haircut?" Ino still blushed, while I smiled foolishly, my face went beet red. Darn!

"O-okay, let's go shopping. A-anything you want to do..." Let's use this shopping trip to ease this awkwardness!

"Your hand looks heavy. Here, let me hold it for you..." I kept a straight face as I held her hand, score! Damn, I think I'm getting better at this!

Ino suggested that I should get a new haircut first before we went shopping, so to the barbershop off we go!

Or not.

Ino took us to the hair salon, and she requested for a specific hairstylist to do my hair. It seems that she's a regular here...

After we're out of the hair salon, I looked at the mirror. Damn, I really looked nice. Although still a bit long, my hair styled a bit to the side, with my bangs slightly covered my right eye without hindering my eyesight. [2]

We went to do a shopping spree after that, she bought us two identical necklaces that looked like a crystalized waterdrop. Mine was brown, matched with my hair color, and Ino's was bright yellow. I had to admit that she really was fashionable, maybe the one with the most knowledge of fashion. Or it's just my ego do the talking.

I won't argue that she's indeed looked pretty with that necklace on though, but not that she's not pretty without it, it's just... I can't explain it.

Anyway, she's pretty. That's what matters...

After we were done shopping, most of the awkwardness was gone. It was mostly because she became more talkative than ever when we're shopping, and she gave me way too much fashion advice for me to remember.

The time flies by, it's already afternoon and the sun was almost set.

We had our dinner in a Sushi stall nearby in the commercial area, then we're on our way home. Of course like a good gentleman I was, I escorted her back home first.

'Maybe being fat is not the only way in life...'

On our way back, we had a great conversation about today. We usually also had many conversations, but today just felt different.

It's really nice when someone looking at me the way I look at a chocolate cake, full of longing and d.e.s.i.r.e...

---

"So, what are you doing here, sandy boy?"

What the heck, today almost become a perfect day. And he just needs to suddenly pop up and confront me on our way home! I don't know what was his purpose for approaching me like this, but I know that he already in my bad book.

"I want to know, what is a friend really is?"

My eyes twitched, weirdo...

He's stopping peoples in the middle of the street only for asking that kind of question? Why don't you asking for a direction instead? It'll be easier for me to answer!

Anyway, deep breath...

Let's get this over with,

Okay, calm down, me. I closed my eyes and looked at Ino and imagined Shikamaru. A small smile showed on my lips.

"A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you just the way you are..."

Gaara stared at me, it's starting to get a bit creepy...

"I think that the one that fits those criteria... only mother." Sands moved from Gaara's gourd and gently stroking his cheek. "Thank you mother, everyone just so mean to me. And the way they looked at me... were only filled with either indifference or fear."

Gaara turned his body and walked away, his face showed contentment.

"He's weird..." Ino unconsciously held my hand again, which I softly firmed my grasp on her hand. "Yup, he is a weirdo."

We continued our walk and finally arrived at her home, she gave me a kiss on my cheek before we parted. That one kiss that made me grinned for the rest of the night and made me even more thankful for being able to live up to this point.

Then I went home and slept with my hand still touching my cheek, ah youth~

---

"Finally, we're able to meet."

Eh? Who is that?

I looked at my surrounding,

Where is this?

"Worry not, my friend. You're inside your own mindscape or your subconscious if you prefer to call it. As for who I am, you can call me Murasaki. I am what you called zero tail, you do remember that you killed a man named Shinno, don't you?"

I swept my vision still looking for this one that called itself Murasaki, "Yes, I do remember. What about it?" Where is it? Or rather what is it? What is zero tail?

"Don't bother searching for me, I'm but a weak consciousness. My body is still sealed. when you killed that Shinno, a sliver of my energy seeped into you together with bits of my consciousness..."

That Murasaki then told me his story, yes he is a he. He told me about the reason he came to be, everything, and the reason he called me friend. Apparently he had access to my memory although only to a limited extent. He felt that he understand my past, he accepted me for who I am, and with that, he trusts my potential, and he believed my future was destined for great things.

Apparently, he was also a part of the reason that my physique was 'mutated' as he called it. He unconsciously trying to gather natural energy to heal himself, which made my body that had an abnormal Yang affinity to mutate into a physique that able to garner minuscule natural energy by itself.

A thing that amazed him was when he absorbed the dark chakra and negative energy, my body naturally turned them into natural energy, and for the harmful part, my body turned them into cholesterol which burned when the natural energy flowed in me.

He took a term from my memory, and called it a 'life hack'.

Honestly, I was baffled.

From his story, if that was true, that the dark chakra was an energy that corrupt him, a being that almost achieved a Sagehood. And I convert it into cholesterol and burn it just like that?

The heck...

Wasn't that too overpowered?

---

[1] Jiraiya + Gei / Gay / Gaylord XD

[2] See the new cover! What do you think?