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Eleven (6)

"Shino's been kinda down lately."

Torune blinked and turned around. When he saw Haruno Sakura perched herself on the walkway railings with a carefree smile like she had every business being where she was.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned. He glanced around him to make sure no one was watching and was a little relieved to find that it was just the two of them here. "Who let you in?"

"Uh, I let me in? I've been given access to the main entrance," she replied. Incredulity started to mix in with his shock.

"Danzo-sama granted you entry to ROOT Headquarters," he reiterated. He squinted through the glasses of his face mask, trying to make sense of the situation. Torune had never seen her on or around the premises before, and if he did, he surely would've remembered. She was one of Shino's near and dear friends.

"Pretty much," she shrugged. She pressed an index finger to her lips and winked. "But don't start telling people that. The councilman is essentially the only person that knows about it. Can you keep a secret?"

"My loyalty will always align with Danzo-sama," was his immediate reply. He frowned. "But I will be asking him to make sure you're authorized to be on these grounds."

Sakura waved a hand.

"Go head. I just wanted to tell you that Shino's been kinda down lately."

Torune crossed his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean?"

"I was making origami cranes with him yesterday," she said.

Folding small slips of patterned paper was nice, but she couldn't imagine doing it over and over on a regular basis. Though it seemed to make Shino content at each finished crane as his insects trickled out the edges of his clothing.

"I know there's no real use in making wishes... but it doesn't hurt to try sometimes, I suppose," he said. "I head somewhere that if someone makes a thousand paper cranes they get to make wish."

He finished one, set it aside, and started on crane number 879.

"Oh. And thank you for helping me. You didn't have to."

Sakura smiled and took another sheet of origami paper off the pile to start on crane 880.

"It's no problem. You know that," she replied. "So what's your wish going to be?"

His shoulders hunched slightly and he bent his head more towards his folding, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose just enough for her to see his melancholic brown eyes crinkle at the edges.

"It'd be nice to see Torune again."

Torune looked to the side guiltily.  Shino was like the little brother he never hand and of course he loved him like one all the same, but what could he do? His obligation to ROOT was a harsh one-- he couldn't even remember the last time he stepped foot on the Aburame compound, even for a quick visit.

"Your concern has been noted, but I have some things I should be attending to at the moment. Now, Haruno-san, if you'll excuse me-"

She hopped off the railing, interrupting him.

"I'll take your job for the day," she offered. At his startled expression, her eyes lit up. "What's with the look?"

"I can't just give you classified work-"

"Why not? The councilman already knows I'm here and I'm sure he won't have a problem if I take over for one day, right?"

Torune wasn't going to lie, the idea of getting the day off to spend time was Shino sounded like a deal too good to be true. It probably was, given the suspicion that nipped at his skin. What was her angle? She wasn't a new recruit because she wasn't with the others and she wasn't an official operative because she wasn't dressed or in protocol. In fact, she might even be in uniform for a completely different sector.