The scent to medicine and alcohol was unmistakable. Hanako fluttered her eyes open, and regretted it almost instantly when light rushed into her pupils. She moved in reflex to cover her eyes but pain and soreness stopped her movements. Hanako took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again, this time slower. Her blurred vision focused until she was able to see the hospital room she was in. Then she looked at herself. She was bandaged from neck to toes, but at least there were no needles stuck in her. She relaxed.
Hanako sat up and growled slightly at the effort when a sense of dizziness got into her. She went to grab her head, applying pressure in her temples to make it stop turning. She sighed when it stopped, and dragged her hands down her hair, untying knots in the process. She pulled her hair to the front, combing it with her hands, and widened her eyes in horror when she looked at its tips. Her hair was a pure black color, but it had started to revert back to its normal brown color from the top of her head down. Hanako stared at it with her mouth open until she heard her bedroom door open.
"I see you're finally awake." Hanako looked up and found a nurse standing at the door frame. She slowly walked up to her and started to check her. She pointed a light on her eyes, and smiled when both pupils contracted. "It appears to me that you're perfectly fine."
"No, I'm not..." Hanako looked up at the nurse with worried eyes.
The nurse was surprised by her words. Hanako never argued with nurses about her well-being. In fact, she always wanted to be discharged as soon as possible. "What do you mean?"
"My hair is black. Why is it black?" she asked seriously.
The nurse stared at her for a moment, and laughed softly. "Oh dear, you really outdid yourself this time, didn't you?" she pat Hanako's head in a motherly gesture. "Shisui-kun told me you overused your Sharingan and collapsed. Your eyes are probably still adjusting to normal, I'm sure you'll be able to see properly in a few hours." She leaned closer to her and muttered, "Your hair is still brown, don't worry, no one dyed it in your sleep."
The nurse smiled one last time at her before walking towards the door. Hanako was astounded. She looked again at her tips, and pressed her lips into a thin line when she realized what the nurse said was true. Her hair was back to its brown color, but she was certain it wasn't the case a few minutes ago.
"Hanako," the nurse called one last time. "Your friends are waiting for you outside. Your clothes are in the closet near the window. Get changed and then you can leave." Hanako nodded with a smile and watched her close the door. Then she looked at herself and frowned at the hospital gown she was wearing.
"These things are so gross."
Itachi and Shisui were sound asleep, sitting on the floor with their backs leaning against the wall right next to her door. Itachi rested his head on Shisui's shoulder, while Shisui rested his head on top of Itachi's. It was a cute sight, and Hanako smiled. "You both look so cute right now, and I'm drawn to take a picture. Too bad I don't have a camera with me." They both moved. Itachi was the first to wake up.
"Hanako?" He looked up at her with a scrunched face. "How are you?" He stood, earning a glare from Shisui. He had been so comfortable, and now he was in a foul mood after being forced to wake.
"I'm fine," Hanako shrugged with a smile. "How are your backs though? Did you sleep here all night?"
"We were worried about you," Shisui spoke. He straightened himself, humming loudly, and stood up. Hanako looked at the ground. She didn't like people worrying about her, but knowing they did felt strangely good.
"You shouldn't have..." she muttered lowly.
"Oh come on," Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Let's not talk about what we should or should not do, because I have a long list of things I want to say to you." Hanako flinched and looked away from him. "But..." Shisui relaxed with a sigh. "I won't bother you right now, I'm just glad you're okay."
Hanako looked at Shisui. He was staring down, with a crease between his eyebrows. "What is it?" she asked.
"We took the Iwa ninjas to the Hokage for further interrogation," he said. Hanako widened her eyes.
"And?"
"He let them go after we told him the Tsuchikage had said he wasn't planning an attack on Konoha in the near future."
"What?" Hanako snapped. Shisui shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.
"He let them go," he repeated. Hanako's eyes moved from Shisui to Itachi. He was looking down with a grim expression.
"I heard you the first time," Hanako sighed and closed her eyes. "I just don't understand...they tried to attack him, and he just let them go?"
"He's probably just trying to avoid another war," Shisui commented. "Nothing big happened because we were there. At least he's grateful for that."
Hanako opened her eyes again and looked at the boys. She probably expected too much from the Third.
"He also wants the incident to remain a secret," he added seriously. Hanako sighed.
"I understand..." She turned away from them and started heading towards the exit. "I'm going home to rest."
"Sure..." Shisui nodded. "See you tonight, then?"
Hanako stopped on her tracks and looked at Shisui from over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Tonight?"
Shisui snickered, Itachi only looked at her with a plain expression. "Tonight's the Chuunin Festival, you silly," Shisui explained. "It's a tradition of the village to organize it the day after the Final Rounds. Its purpose is to commemorate those who participate and become Chuunin."
"Really?" Hanako tilted her head in confusion. She didn't remember ever being to a festival.
"When Hikari became a Chuunin, she chose not to attend. I'm not letting you make the same mistake." Shisui smiled mischievously.
"It's just a festival," Hanako sighed. "I don't see what's so important about it."
"You don't have a choice. The four of us are going together," Shisui stated matter-of-factly.
Hanako looked at Itachi and then at Shisui. "Four?"
Shisui's grin only widened. "Hikari should come as well. Maybe we can challenge each other in the game stands."
Hanako pondered the situation and finally a smirk came to her mouth. "I see what all this is about. You suck at making plans Shisui." Shisui's grin disappeared and he looked at Hanako with confusion. "You're setting us up aren't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Shisui raised his hands, feigning innocence. Hanako only narrowed her eyes at him.
"You intend for the four of us to go, but you plan to ditch us so you can be with my sister, don't you?" Hanako continued to ask.
Shisui shook his head, "Again, I don't—"
"You really need help," Hanako sighed. "Fine, I'll help you. I'll convince Nee-chan to come with me to the Festival. Then we casually meet with you, and you drag her away subtly."
Shisui frowned. "Why are you suddenly helping me?"
Hanako smiled. "Because you're like part of the family already, so why not make it official?" Shisui blushed.
"Wow, that's like the kindest thing you've ever said to me."
"Don't get used to it. Sucker."
"Troublemaker."
Hanako grinned as she looked at Itachi. "You're coming then, or should I ask Takeshi?"
"No!" Itachi snapped. "I mean I—I'll come too. Sounds like fun, watching Shisui ridicule himself for a girl." Hanako laughed.
"Itachi!" Shisui blushed furiously.
"You guys are hilarious, how come I didn't meet you earlier..." Hanako chuckled and turned and continued her way to the exit. Shisui and Itachi watched her go.
"Ridicule myself for a girl, huh?" Shisui looked at Itachi with a glare. "You ought to stop embarrassing me publicly just to earn points with Hanako."
"Why? It's the only thing that seems to work."
Shisui sighed. "You also need help."
* * *
Hanako walked home very slowly. Events from the previous night were still circling her mind nonstop, and she was trying to push them out of her memory. Having fought against the Iwagakure shinobi, facing the Tsuchikage, and eventually collapsing of exhaustion. "You did well in the exams." Ibiki's voice snapped her attention towards him. She looked up and found him standing in front of her with a cynical smile.
"Ibiki-sensei?" Hanako looked away from him. "What brings you here?"
"There's something I want to offer you," he said. Hanako frowned and looked at him again. "There is a vacant in my division, and I was wondering if you might want to take it."
"Wait, you're offering me a job?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes, I would like you to join the interrogation and information gathering division." Hanako opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. "You don't have to give me an answer right away," Ibiki said. "Think about it, and look for me when you make a decision."
Hanako watched Ibiki walk away from her, and sighed.
Home, Hanako opened the door and took off her sandals before entering the house. "Tadaima!"
"What took you so long?" Hikari appeared from the kitchen with a raised eyebrow. Hanako smiled with a shrug.
"I was so exhausted I had to spend the night at the hospital to recover," she said. Hikari shook her head with a chuckle.
"I guess I should have expected it..."
"Hikari," Hanako said softly. The girl looked at her with raised eyebrow.
"What?"
"Why didn't you go to the Chuunin Festival?" Hikari sighed.
"It's just a stupid tradition the village had. I'm not really fond of crowded places, so I decided to skip it. Why?"
"Well," Hanako looked away with a small blush. "I want to go, but I want you to come with me..."
Hikari looked at her little sister with wide eyes. She really didn't expect Hanako to want to go to such activity. She frowned. Maybe, just maybe, there was something she planning, a prank or something. After a few moments, Hikari sighed and looked at Hanako with curious eyes.
"Is there a reason you want to go?" Hanako looked at her sister with wide eyes.
"Why do you ask?"
"I never expected you to want to go." Hikari smirked at her, crossing her arms over her chest. "So, who is it?"
Hanako pressed her lips into a thin line. If she didn't say something fast, Hikari would realize she was up to something and her plan would fail.
"Itachi..." she finally muttered, making Hikari grin widely.
"Oh?" Hikari leaned closer to her sister. "Does my little baby have a crush on a boy?"
"Hey, don't call me 'your little baby'!" Hanako glared at her.
"You should take advantage of the position before the twins are born. Then, you won't be the baby of the family anymore." Hikari raised an eyebrow.
"I'm eager actually." Hanako pursed her lips. "Just...help me impress him, okay? He's going to be there."
"Really? I thought he'd rather stay at home?"
"Shisui is taking him."
"Shisui is going too?" Hikari gasped, and Hanako looked at her curiously.
"What, do you have a crush too?" she smirked. Hikari looked away with blushed cheeks.
"Of course not!" She turned away and walked up the stairs. "Get ready!"
Hanako chuckled. It amused her to witness her sister flustered. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Hanako approached it and opened it to find Takeshi standing on the other side. When he looked at her, he looked away at one side and scratched the back of his neck. Hanako could tell he was nervous about something, but she had no idea what could it be.
"Hana-chan...you see...I was wondering if...you would like to come with me to....the uh....to the festival?" he ended, looking up at her with a cheeky smile.
Hanako chuckled, and looked at him with a smile. "I'm sorry Takeshi, I already promised my sister I would go with her."
Takeshi's grin became sad, and he looked at the ground. He was trying to hide his disappointment. "Oh... it's okay... I'll just go with Kazuki then..." He started to leave, but then stopped. "Congratulations by the way...I'm sure you became a Chuunin. Everyone loved your match." He started to walk away.
"Thanks Takeshi..." Hanako sighed, walking back into her house.
"Are you ready?" Hanako was looking at her reflection in the mirror when her sister came into her room. Hikari had put on a white kimono decorated with small sakura flowers and a red obi around her waist. She had tied her black her up into a tight bun, leaving some bangs to frame her face. "What? Is there something wrong?" Hanako smiled. Hikari had put on makeup, light and almost natural.
"You're also trying to impress Shisui, aren't you?" she asked, looking at the ground. "You like him."
"I don't—"
"You don't have to lie to me," Hanako looked back up at her sister. "I already know. I've known since about the third time he came over. The way you look at each other, the way you talk to each other, the way you tease each other... it's a lot different from the way I interact with Takeshi." Hanako sighed and walked towards her sister. "Say it, you love Shisui, don't you?"
Hikari smiled slightly. Chuckling she turned away from her. "I... I love Shisui. I'm just scared, because of who he is. How people look up to him..." Hikari's smile disappeared as she looked at the ground. "They probably expect him to be with someone more... relevant."
"Hikari..." Hanako bit her lip. "The Clan has stupid rules, you don't have to let them stop you from being with who you want to be. Especially, if he wants to be with you too."
Hikari looked at her sister with wide eyes. "He said he wanted to be with me?"
Hanako chuckled, shaking her head. "You have no idea how many times I've taunted him about it." Her chuckles transformed into a full hearted laugh. "All these planning to go to the festival together, it's actually because he wanted to be with you there. He's planning to ditch me once we get there."
Hikari looked away with an apparent blush on her cheeks. "Will you be okay?"
"I wasn't lying when I said Itachi would be there too," Hanako shrugged. "I'll hang out with him. You don't have to worry about me."
"Did you lie about your crush on him?" Hikari looked up at her sister with curiosity clear in her eyes.
Hanako bit her lip as he looked back at her with a plain expression in her face. "I'm not sure... being with him is... intriguing." She chuckled slightly. "It's like, he's really trying hard to get to know me. And it's nice."
"He's going to be really handsome when he grows," Hikari randomly commented. "The problem is, he's also going to become the Clan leader."
"Are you saying I'm not good enough for him?" Hanako raised an eyebrow at her, with a crooked smile.
"I just don't want you to get hurt." Hikari said bluntly. Hanako looked at the ground.
"I told you not to worry about me," she said in a downcast tone. "I'll catch up to you downstairs, I need to finish getting ready."
Hikari was about to say something, but refrained from doing so when Hanako went back to looking at the mirror and fixing her hair. Instead, she walked out the room.
* * *
Itachi was finishing to put on his black yukata when his father came into the room. Fugaku, upon noticing his son well fixed, raised both his eyebrows in wonder. "You're going to the festival?"
Itachi looked at his father and nodded. "Shisui wanted me to come."
"Shisui or..." Itachi sighed.
"What is this about, Father?"
Fugaku sighed and leaned against the door frame. "I...wasn't able to make it to the finals. I'm sorry," he said.
"It's okay, I know you're busy with work." Itachi continued fixing his hair, aware of Fugaku's stare on him.
"Your mom was there, she said you were incredible. That you beat the Iwagakure Genin in ten minutes."
"He had a low guard," Itachi shrugged.
"How was Hanako's match against the Senju girl?" Itachi looked at his father with a serious face.
"She won." That's all he said.
"Good." Fugaku turned, about to leave the room. "Your mother wants to have dinner together, to celebrate your promotion to Chuunin. So come back early."
"I haven't been promoted yet," Itachi said.
"You will be," Fuagku said. "By the way, bring Hanako. We would like her to accompany us."
Itachi widened his eyes as he watched his father leave the room.
* * *
Hanako and Hikari walked through the numerous stands in the road. It was just starting to get dark, but the place was already crowded. In the end, Hanako had put on a red kimono decorated with black shuriken and a black obi around her torso. "Did you realize what you're wearing is a gear kimono?"
Hanako looked at her sister and rolled her eyes. "Do you realize I don't care?"
Hikari hushed. Just then, she caught sight of Shisui in one of the stands. When Hikari approached him, he shoot off all the cups that were assembled in a pyramid. The man behind the stand looked at him with a grim face before giving him a bear plushy. Hikari mocked him and then blushed terribly when he gave it to her and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Hanako smiled and looked away from them. She decided to leave, and give them their space. They clearly wanted to be left alone. Itachi hadn't come, Hanako noticed. But she didn't want to admit she felt disappointed. She just didn't have anyone to hang out with anymore.
She didn't want to go back home. She had a hard time putting on the kimono and she wasn't going to let it go to waste. She could always go find Takeshi, tell him that her sister ditched her for her boyfriend, but she didn't want to bother anyone at the moment. Maybe she needed to be alone for a while.
Hanako walked on the road for a few minutes, just looking around, until a stand called her attention. People were throwing shuriken at targets, but they always seemed to fail on their last try. Hanako smiled and walked to the stand. "May I give it a shot?" she asked.
The man looked at her with a grin. "Feeling lucky? Five ryou per game."
Hanako gave him the money, and he gave her three shuriken. The man then pointed back at three different targets, each one clearly more difficult than the previous one. "If you hit the center of all three targets, you'll win a prize." Hanako nodded with a confident smile.
"I think I want the falcon," Hanako said, looking up at the plushy hanging from the roof of the stand. It had its wings spread and its beak open as if chanting.
"Choose after you win," the man sneered.
Hanako scoffed. "Fine." She aimed for the first target, her shuriken nailed in its center. She aimed for the second target, the shuriken was nailed in the perfect center. She aimed for the third target, and launched her shuriken. She wasn't sure what happened, but she could swear she saw the target move slightly to the right and the shuriken was nailed astray from the center.
"I'm sorry little one, wanna try again?" he smirked.
Hanako looked at him with a frown. "You're such a cheat!"
The man laughed. "Come on, don't throw a tantrum just because you lost at a silly stand game!"
"I want to give it a try." Hanako recognized the voice immediately and looked at her side to find Itachi. When he looked at her, he smiled.
"I'll get that falcon for you," he said. Hanako felt heat rushing into her cheeks and looked away with a hush.
"Yeah, good luck with that..." she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Itachi chuckled and gave some coins to the man behind the stand. The man gave him the shuriken and explained the rules to him. Itachi nailed the first two shuriken in the center of the targets in one shot, surprising the man. Hanako noticed that he was moving his fingers and looking at the targets with a concerned face.
Itachi nailed the third shuriken in the target's center. The target didn't move. Hanako gaped at it. The man sighed and went to bring down the falcon before giving it to Itachi. Itachi smirked at him and gave the falcon to the girl. "It was a fun game," Itachi said to the man with a smile before looking at Hanako.
"How did you—?" she started to ask but Itachi had pulled her away from the stand.
"I was watching you play from the other side of the road. With my Sharingan I noticed that there were chakra strings tying his hand to one of the targets. In my turn, I cut those strings with the first two shuriken, so he couldn't move the third target."
Hanako sighed. "He was a puppeteer." She laughed. "I should have seen that, I guess it takes a cheater to understand another cheater," she mocked him with a smirk.
"Will you ever stop teasing me about it?" Itachi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not a chance," she laughed before walking away from him. "Come on! I know a place in the mountains where we can watch the fireworks!"
Itachi smiled and followed her.
* * *
"Are we really going to leave them alone?" Hikari asked as she and Shisui observed Hanako and Itachi playing at a stand. They remained hidden, among the crowd, so that neither of the young Genin could see them.
"Let's leave them to hang out," Shisui smiled. "You know, Itachi really likes your sister."
Hikari looked at him amused, "Does he?"
"Yeah, he was really concerned about her during the exams. They even worked together to finish the second test."
Hikari smiled. "I see," she turned to look back at Itachi and Hanako. The boy had won a plushy falcon and given it to Hanako. "Shisui, has Danzou tried to get Hanako lately?"
"Just once when I was with her," he replied.
"Do you have any idea why he might want her?" she asked casually. Then she laughed nervously. "No, of course not. Why would you?" Shisui sighed.
"Hikari, I haven't been completely honest with you." Shisui looked at her. "And I am sick of lying, I can't do this anymore." Hikari looked at him. "Fugaku and I have been investigating your sister. We believe she's related to a woman named Amane Uchiha."
Hikari widened her eyes. "Amane Uchiha? Who is she and what does she have to do with my sister?"
Shisui took her by the wrist and pulled her away from the crowd, towards a place where he could speak to her alone. He intended to tell her everything, because he needed her help.
* * *
Hanako had taken Itachi to the top of the Hokage Mountain. Itachi had only been there when the Kyuubi had attacked the village and all civilians had been evacuated. However, at the time he didn't have the chance to contemplate the sight.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Hanako commented with a smile, getting Itachi to look at her. She was still holding dearly onto the falcon plushy in her hands. "You can see everything from up here. The village, the sky...It seems like it's a full moon tonight," she looked at Itachi, catching him staring.
The boy looked away with a bare tinge of pink in his cheeks. Hanako chuckled.
"You're cute when you blush," she said.
"Stop it," Itachi closed his eyes, clearly flustered. "Don't say things like that."
"Why not? Did I embarrass you?" Hanako giggled.
Itachi didn't say anything as he looked down at the village. "I have to go back home early," he said. "I'll probably leave after the fireworks start."
Hanako's smile died when he spoke, and she looked at him. "Why do you sound so sad?" she asked. "Don't you want to go home?"
"I am having fun tonight," Itachi said, looking back at Hanako. "But my family wants to have dinner together, to celebrate I got to finish the Chuunin Exam."
"You mean your promotion?" Hanako smirked slightly.
"We don't know yet if we—"
"We passed," Hanako interrupted him. "Both of us."
Itachi widened his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"
"I talked to Ibiki-sensei today," she sighed. "He wants me to work for him in Konoha's Intelligence Division. He would only offer me such a position if I had been promoted. And if I am promoted, then you should be as well. We both won our matches anyway, didn't we?"
Itachi looked at her curiously. "Are you going to accept it?"
"Accepting it means I don't get to be a part of Team 4 anymore. I don't get to be in missions with Takeshi and Kazuki as a Chuunin. They will probably replace me with some other Genin." Itachi grabbed Hanako's hand, surprising her. She looked up at him.
"They'll never replace you." Itachi smiled. "Someone might be assigned to complete the team, but that doesn't mean you stop being their friend. That you leave their team doesn't mean you stop being comrades."
Hanako smiled slightly. "I guess you're right."
"Come home with me," he suddenly said. Hanako widened her eyes. "If we were both promoted, then you should have dinner with us."
"But it's your family dinner..."
"So?" Itachi shrugged. "Father asked me to bring you anyway."
Hanako raised an eyebrow. "Did he?"
Itachi chuckled. "He did, or else I wouldn't have suggested it."
"But, Ita—" Hanako was suddenly interrupted by an acute whistle and then a faraway explosion. She looked up to see colors brightening up the sky. Fireworks.
"Please come," Hanako looked back at Itachi, but he was focusing his sight on the colored sky. "I don't want to have dinner with my family by myself."
Hanako felt her heart clench. What could be wrong with Itachi? She smiled slightly and grasped his hand, giving it a soft squeeze. Itachi looked at her. "Of course," she said softly. "Itachi, I'm your friend and I'll always be there for you, you know that, right?"
Itachi smiled. "I do."
* * *
Hyori had been walking along with Kaichi and Ren through the crowded streets. They were looking for nice spot to watch the fireworks, which would start soon. The Senju looked around until she felt a hand over her shoulder and she turned her head to find Kaichi looking at her before pointing towards a pair of kids who were wandering the road, seeming just as lost as they were.
"Aren't those...?" asked Kaichi.
"Hey! Kazuki-san! Takeshi-san!" Ren suddenly called in their direction, not giving a chance for Kaichi to finish his sentence.
"Nevermind," the blond smiled and pulled away from her. Hyori chuckled softly, shaking her head. The two boys from Team 4 smiled softly before approaching them.
"Hey guys..." Takeshi greeted with a hand gesture while Kazuki only nodded and hummed as a form of greeting.
"How do you feel?" Hyori asked Takeshi, noticing his slightly bruised arm.
Takeshi looked down at his arm and smiled with shake of his head. "I'm fine, thanks for asking." He looked around, as if he were looking for someone. "Is there a chance you might have seen Hanako anywhere?" he looked at Hyori with a hopeful glance.
Hyori sighed, looking away from him. "No, I was actually wondering the same thing."
"I already told you, she probably left us for her Uchiha gang," Kazuki commented while saying the 'Uchiha gang' part with some distaste. Hyori arched an eyebrow at him.
"Why are you so hateful towards the Uchiha?" she asked. Kazuki looked at her in surprise.
"I'm not, it's just..."
"It's called jealousy." Takeshi snickered. "He doesn't hate the Uchiha. He just envies them because they spend more time with Hanako than we do."
"What?!" Kazuki turned to look at his companion incredulously. Hyori pressed her lips, trying to suppress a chuckle.
"Tell me, what does it feel like to be fed with your own spoon?" Takeshi finished, sticking his tongue at Kazuki, who just glared coldly at him.
"You seem to have a lot of experience in the matter, or are you speaking for yourself?" Kazuki smirked when Takeshi's grin vanished.
"Just you wait until I have a good comeback." Takeshi crossed his arms over his chest while turning his head away from his companion.
"The point of having a comeback is having at the moment, you idiot," Kazuki interjected.
Hyori chuckled along with her friends. A high pitched sound caught her attention and she looked up at the sky just in time to see the fireworks explode in various colors. She smiled at them. Movement called her attention near the Hokage Mountain and she looked at it. She made out the figure of Itachi and Hanako who were together staring up at the firework show in the sky. They were holding hands. Hyori smiled.
"You're so lucky to have people like them around you, Hanako," she muttered under her breath, not even realizing the words that had come out of her mouth.
"Hey," Hyori turned to look at Kaichi, who was smiling at her. "Why don't we go and grab a meal? I'm quite hungry."
A smile tugged at her lips. "Sure thing."
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