Suigetsu was finally done, he never thought that this first aid kit would have been useful one day. It was late, the night had already come. They could hear the city noise and admire the modern view of Konoha. The households and the advertising panels lights colored the entire area. They were standing on top of the Hokage Rock monument.
- There... You should feel better now.
Mitsuki looked at the bandage on his stomach.
- Thank you.
They both silently watched the landscape. The full moon was shining upon them, bringing a warm blue luminescence to the city. A quiet breeze made their clothes flow.
- So why did you ask me to come ?
- It was hurting...
- You can practice medical ninjutsu, Mitsuki. This was nothing severe. I'm asking for the real reason. What's happening ?
- I told you.
Mitsuki closed his eyes a moment. He touched his stomach.
- It's still hurting inside.
Suigetsu was not the type to be patient, so he asked one more time and threatened to leave.
- He appeared out of nowhere and now he's starting to get in my way. She is not his, she is mine. She always has been mine.
- Mitsuki ?
- She is my prey. I shouldn't care about all of this, I know. It's unlike me. I thought I wouldn't care but even after all this time, it's still hurting inside. I think it's what humans call proud.
Suigetsu only understood that the young boy seemed confused.
- Your stay in Konoha is changing you a lot...
He noticed the dark and serious gaze of Mitsuki.
- Everytime they get close, I just want to cut them apart.
This sentence sounded familiar to Suigetsu. He used to think the same about Sasuke and Karin back in the days. He slightly blushed and smiled as he remembered the red haired girl face.
Even after all these years, he never really dared to tell her anything related to his true feelings, just having her by his side on a daily basis got him comfortable, he didn't want to make things awkward.
- I don't know about the boy you're talking about, but I presume the girl is Chocho akimichi, right ?
Mitsuki was a little bit surprised. Suigetsu smirked while crossing his arms. It was evident.
- I met her one time, she was with the daughter of Sasuke. I don't know much about her or the Akimichi clan, just that they seem to really like potatoe chips.
The golden eyed boy remembered Orochimaru telling him about their visit one time.
- You ate an entire bag of potatoes chips even thought you don't really like to eat.
Mitsuki smiled, he didn't realize it himself. He didn't like to eat, but seeing her swallow all the foods was fascinating, specially the potatoes chips. He was just curious.
Chocho irrational talk and angry facial came across his mind. He looked amused.
- Humans can act weird sometimes, but she is something else. She's really interesting. She can get angry out of nowhere, a really dangerous girl, but at the same time she looks sweet and is so free minded. I like talking with her. She's delusional, loud, acts crazy. She is everything I am not. I don't particularly like those traits, but I get back to her everytime.
- What about you just tell her how you feel ?
Suigetsu gave his all to look consistent with his advices, knowing himself never dared to confess to Karin. He cuffed, and continued.
- I don't know. Buy her flowers, or chocolate. Chocolate flavoured Potatoes chips. Something like that... girls like those things.
- ...why would I do that ?
Mitsuki leaned his head on the side with an inquisitive expression. Suigetsu was a little disturbed.
- W..well... I thought you loved her ? Right ?
- What is love ?
Suigetsu let himself fell on the ground. This kid definitely needed to learn more about this world. He couldn't blame him after all. His father was orochimaru. He sat next to Mitsuki, but didn't look him in the eyes. This was going to be embarrassing. Karin would have been perfect for this kind of talk, love and all... damn. Why him ?
- Don't you have... like...
He drank a sip of water from his bottle to let the awkward words he was about to tell flow easier.
- Your heart beating fast when you see her ?
Mitsuki caught his chin between his thumb and forefinger, he was reflecting for a moment.
- You know... the butterflies in your stomach ? How you feel instantly happy when you see her, how you can't stop thinking about her, the way you always want to get her attention...
- Do you love someone Suigetsu ?
- Heyy ! We are not talking about me here ! Don't try to change the subject !
Suigetsu stressed out, while Mitsuki just showed him a cute eyesmile.
He took another full sip of water in a hurry. Next time he will let Karin or Juugo come instead of him. Mitsuki smiled, he was just playing. He figured out that he was in "love" with Karin. He noticed it a long time ago. Suigetsu would always find something to tease Karin about, and he would never mind her getting angry at him or hitting him. It wasn't hard to tell, it was the same way he knew Boruto was in "love" with Sarada. Just by their attitude towards each other. The symptoms of love was effortlessly identifiable.
- I know what love is supposed to be. You don't need to explain it to me.
Suigetsu sighed in relief. Great, because it was becoming too cheesy...
- I'm just not sure about it, when it comes to feeling it myself. About Akimichi san, rather than a sudden disruption of emotions, it's that... I feel great when I'm by her side. When I tease her, the fact that I can make her have some of those symptoms, I enjoy it. You see ?
Suigetsu wasn't seeing anything at all.
- I'm a tease with Boruto, same with all my others friends but I specifically like to play with her. It's like she is a prey, and she is my favorite one. But I don't feel any of those things humans feel when they are in love.
His uncle was staring at him in a strange manner. Damn... He was just like his father, those scary, odd snaky look in their eyes when they seems to be up to a bad plan. He used to have great hope for Mitsuki because of his innocence, but looking at his phase right now, he really is the great son of Orochimaru.
- Mitsuki... you can't call someone your prey...
- Why ?
His clueless face didn't surprise Suigetsu anymore. Mitsuki couldn't call her just a friend, sure she was one but because he really felt like she was his personal target, he needed to find a particular word for her, and since he liked chasing her, a prey was the perfect one.
Suigetsu got up.
- Well if you don't feel like you love her, then I don't see the point of you being bothered. A prey belongs to the one who actually catch it. Unless someone catch her, she can be anyone else prey.
Mitsuki remained impassive.
- I'll be going now. Take care of you Mitsuki, and be more careful from now on. Your injuries weren't severe, but to be hurt this way for a simple game, you kids nowadays are surely violent.
Mitsuki looked up what time it was. Around 11pm. It was almost time for him too to left, so he didn't ask for suigetsu to stay a little longer even though he had others interrogation about this subject.
- I'll be going too. Thank you Suigetsu. Goodnight to father, and everyone.
Mitsuki got up as well.
- That's not the direction to your house....
- Hm, yes. I'm not going home yet.
- Mitsuki...
- Don't worry. I'm just taking a detour before. I'll get back home safely.
Suigetsu looked at him with concern. Mitsuki was strong, probably stronger than him, what worry for anyway ? He let him go.
- Fine. Good night Mitsuki. Oh ! Wait.
He stopped a moment.
- It's fear.
- Huh ?
- You're scared of losing your prey. So that's why it hurts your pride.
Mitsuki heard it clearly but didn't respond. Suigetsu wasn't waiting for a response anyway, he said goodbye one last time and left.
Mitsuki let himself fell from the Hokage monument. He jumped on the roof of several houses for a while, before stopping in front of one. He settled on an tree branch in the middle of their garden. The tree was a leafy one. He sat upside down on a branch, guess it was a comfortable position for him.
- It's time.
A yellowish light popped out from the window in front of Mitsuki, a distance of one or two miles from the tree he was sitting on.
Every Friday, at the same hour, she would start her usual routine. Wake up at around 11pm, and go have a late night snack. Mitsuki would come sit on this tree, and watch her behave.
Chocho Akimichi was wearing a pink dress pyjama, with little white butterflies on them. Her room was middle sized, with a large bed, white sheets, two teddy bear. On the walls they were posters of celebrities and good looking men, actors and singers.
After finishing her late snack, she would turn on the tv, and watch a dance show.
He would always be amazed to see her body doing all those moves. At least anyone could tell that she was given her all to replicate the dance moves they showed on tv, as usual, full of energy and freshness. Right now, she was trying to do the moonwalk.
He would always smile looking at her trying to do the choreography, she was doing it with a pretty smile, that's what he liked watching the most. She didn't have her two ponytails, her orange hair were all down falling on her back. She didn't even have make up on, but it was just like nothing really changed about her beauty.
- Chocho !! Go to bed now !!
Her mother yelled from their room.
Mitsuki laughed, when her angry tone voice scared her daughter and made her fall on the ground after missing one of her step dance. She got angry, and mumbled something. She turned the tv off, and jumped on her bed, making a little rebound on it. She opened a drawer and took out a notebook from it, she grabbed a pen, and started writing something on it. She smiled time to time. When she was done, she replaced everything at their right place, looked one last time at her reflect in the mirror next to her bed.
- You are the prettiest girl ever eheh ! You are amazing !
She would smile after giving her own self some inspirational speech, turn off the lights and really go to sleep.
Mitsuki stared at her sleeping face.
Only the lights of the moon were illuminating her figures.
She was definitely beautiful. A butterfly at rest.
His smile gradually disappeared. Thinking of her being with Shinki from now on...
Mitsuki suddenly jumped to step on her balcony, he calmly stared at her some more. Even the way she slept was funny, her legs were spread and her arms wide open. She was like a starfish laying on a bed. He laughed for a while. She was such an interesting subject of research.
- Hm... Steak...
Now she was talking in her sleep. She smiled in her sleep. Mitsuki got curious about what kind of dreams she was having. Surely her diving in a pool of potatoes chips.
- I...
She turned her sleeping position at least two times again.Her day must have felt really tiresome.
- Shinki... You...
Chocho whispered the Suna's boy name.
Mitsuki felt threatened. This time, it could feel the direct hit in his pride.
She was thinking about him, even in her dreams...
- Shinki huh ?
Mitsuki left the Akimichi's house after spending around ten more minutes there, watching his prey with an secretive expression. Before going to bed, Mitsuki stared at the picture of his sun next to his bed.
- It doesn't really matter.
The next day team 7 were supposed to spend the day together to practice. Mitsuki went to the city centre a little bit earlier. He was already predicting Boruto to come late anyway. His sun was just like that.
Mitsuki entered a convenience store. He was going to buy a drink and an onigiri... Well, that was his excuse. He just saw Chocho Akimichi entering the same store.
- Did you sleep well ?
She turned back after hearing that familiar voice.
- Huh ? Mitsuki ?
He was standing in front of her, as usual with a peaceful smile.
- Well, yeah I did sleep very well this morning !
Mitsuki felt triggered by that answer, but didn't let it show.
- What about you ? She asked as they were walking through the store shelf.
- Hm, I'll say not really.
- Eh ? Why ?
- Oh, things...
- Do you feel better ? Like your stomach ?
- Yeah, I'm fine now. It doesn't hurt anymore. Thank you.
- I'm glad. But really ! You guys went too hard ! I know I deserve all of your dedication, but let's not hurt yourself over me please ! Boys can be too much sometimes...
She sighed. She continued discussing with him, while having her eyes on the shelf, trying to pick the right flavour of potatoes chips. Mitsuki was following her closely behind.
- By the way, what are you doing here ?
- I'm waiting for Boruto and Sarada to arrive, we are going to practice today.
He finally didn't use his alibi. Whatever.
- Oh I see ! We are going to practice too with Inojin and Shikadai, they are waiting for me outside, but the potatoes chips first !
She smiled all happy. She found the one flavour she wanted ! Now she had to choose the right size. A big one or two small one ?
- You still haven't tried to make me angry Mitsuki, I got to say that I was still suspicious, but hey, it's actually great to talk with you like that ! Think of it, we never really had the chance to...
She chose the big sized bag.
- Talk about...
She attempted to turn around, but Mitsuki who was behind her put one hand on the shelf, blocking her gateway with his arm, he trapped her on that corner.
- M..Mitsuki ?
Her eyes were tainted with a little bit of nervousness and apprehension as she saw the dark look in Mitsuki's eyes. She thought he still had that cool smile on his lips, how come his expression changes so fast ?
- Are you falling in love with that guy ?
- Heh ?
- Shinki.
Why was Mitsuki's look so scary ? She felt a little bit uneasy, the way he was starring at her or maybe the question he asked was making her feel uncomfortable.
- Mitsuki, you're... too close...
She blushed as she could even feel his breath on her skin.
- Do you love him ?
- What's wrong with you...
- Answer me.
At this point he was just horribly scary.
- You're being creepy.
Chocho was now refusing to even look in his eyes. Mitsuki sighed.
- Nevermind. I don't even need that answer.
- Let me go Mitsuki...
That was the last thing Mitsuki wanted to do. To let her go.
He put his other hand on the shelf this time. Chocho was now cornered between his two arms.
- What are you doing ?! Hey, people are watching... Mitsuki...
He pulled her over with his arms, letting her body fall on his chest. He hugged her tightly. Chocho's eyes widened, and she started to blush.
Mitsuki couldn't careless about the people watching them.
- If someone has to catch Akimichi-San, it's going to be me.