Bugs and Butterflies (Shino Love Story)

Chapter 5 - Admiration

Chapter 5 – Admiration

[Shino's POV]

Two unfamiliar girls went out of the bushes and pleaded for help. Both of them were wearing clothes a normal villager would wear. I looked at them from the corner of my eye and studied them. A shinobi shouldn't let his guard down for he might be attacked when he least expected it.

"Are you lost?" Hinata, being the good person she was, asked the two girls.

"We're on our away to Hoshigakure," the younger girl answered. "I'm Hina, and this is my sister Kaori,"

"Why are you in the woods?" it was Ayane's turn to ask. I didn't know why I found her voice...captivating. I didn't know what I was feeling. "Two girls shouldn't wander the woods alone, or maybe you two are not as harmless as it seems,"

"We were held captive by the rogues that you fought," the older girl, Kaori, explained. "We were told to stay quiet until they got rid of you. We are citizens from Hoshigakure and we wish to go back, but the direction is somehow confusing so we figured that we could use some help since it's the first time we were outside the gates,"

My eyes darted to Ayane who was also looking at the girls suspiciously. For someone who hadn't gone into missions, she sure was handy. The way she fought the rogues showed that she deserved being promoted into Chuunin. Kiba was just going with the flow as usual but Hinata on the other hand, knew that she shouldn't trust anyone that easily.

"Alright," Ayane sighed. "We'll guide you,"

"Really?" Hina's face lit up and Ayane nodded.

I looked at her and saw the she was looking back. I nodded at her without Hina and Kaori noticing. It was a plan, Kiba and Hinata already got the signal. We were going to lead the two to Hoshigakure but we would be on alert.

For all we knew, these two could be part of the Four Flowers.

As I saw Ayane walked, I couldn't help but stare at her. Maybe I was staring because of admiration, I wasn't so sure. I wasn't even aware of feelings such as this one. I kept telling myself that she was just new and there was nothing special about her.

But for someone who had not gone to missions, she sure knew how to lead.

[Ayane's POV]

I should be on guard. There was something suspicious about these two girls. Sure, their story was believable, but a shinobi should know not to trust that easily.

I kept stealing glances at Hani and Kaori. I was on the alert. It was my first mission but it felt like I was doing missions my whole life. I was getting the hang of it sooner than I thought I would. Hani and Kaori were ahead of us while we trailed behind.

Wait a minute.

"How do you know the route on the way back to Hoshigakure?" I questioned, suspicion obvious in my voice. "You told us that this is your first time outside the gates of your village, how do you know the route?"

The rest of the team was shocked at my statement. They knew for themselves that they didn't notice. I couldn't blame them. What I noticed was not that common for someone to see after all.

I noticed Shino's stare, even with his glasses on, I somehow felt self-conscious because of what he was doing. What was his deal? No. What was the deal with me? I shouldn't feel like this because of a guy that I just met. I should focus on being a fine kunoichi and I couldn't afford a distraction to my career right now. I was starting a new life. I shouldn't throw away the chance.

But how was liking someone a big deal to me? Surely, having balance would even everything out, right?

Ugh. I didn't want to think. I should shrug these thoughts for later. I needed to focus on the mission right now.

"We just kept going north," Kaori covered. "I didn't realize that we were going the right track,"

"Do you know anything about the Four Flowers?" Kiba asked. Hina and Kaori went stiff. I guessed Kiba was pretty observant after all, even if he really didn't look like it.

"Why would we know anything about the Four Flowers?" Hina's eyes sharpened. "Are you suspecting us to be members of that group of murderers?!"

"Calm down," Shino said in a pretty much scary tone of voice. "Why are you defensive in something that you are not involved with? Or are we guessing right, perhaps?"

"You wouldn't be so defensive if you weren't guilty," Hinata stated. "Where are your two companions? Tell us or we'll have to force it out on you,"

"Relax," a new voice said. I looked at Hina and Kaori and saw that they were both smirking. "We're right behind you," and that was the last thing I heard before darkness took over.

***

I woke up in an unfamiliar place, groaning in pain because of such headache. Where was I? I looked around and saw that I was in an abandoned house...or stockroom. There was nothing pretty much inside the room but dirt.

I was sat on a chair, whilst both of my hands and feet were tied. I tried to remove the rope around my hands, but I found it useless afterwards. "You're awake," a husky voice said from beside me. Shino. "Kiba and Hinata are still unconscious," Kiba was behind me whilst Hinata was tied up on the other side.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"I don't have a clue," he replied. "I have not seen the faces of the other two. My bugs couldn't find them around here either," if all the Four Flowers were siblings, I knew that they would look alike. I could instantly imagine the other two to have long brown hair and hazel eyes with pale complexion just like Hina and Kaori.

"They were good," I didn't want to compliment the enemy, but it was necessary in times such as this to state the obvious. "Even with the four of us, we didn't notice the presence of the other two. We were at the advantage since we knew that Hina and Kaori were part of the Four Flowers, but we didn't think of where the other two might be,"

"And they were tailing us already," I nodded. "But you did great," I felt something weird inside me when he said that. Was he complimenting me?

"T-That was nothing," I chuckled nervously. "It was just instincts,"

"You're very intriguing," he said once again and that made me look at him. He was staring straight ahead, with no emotion in his voice. But even without the emotion, I couldn't help but wonder why he said such thing.

"S-Shino?" I stuttered. "Are you alright?"

"I think not," he sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but I know there is something out of place inside me,"

"I don't get it,"

"Trust me," he then turned to look at me. "I don't get it either."

***

Hey guys! This is Ron-chan! I already have a draft of my new story about Itachi Uchiha! And of course, I'll post it soon so stay updated! I already have the draft with me!