Chapter 12 - D.A.R.E (Don't Anger Red Eyes) {PART 3}

"Surprise, Nozo-neko-chan!"

"Nyaa! What are you DOING?!"

At this, Naruto spun around as well, and his eyes filled with anger as he saw the boy hugging Nozomi's waist tightly, snuggling her.

"Suoh-kun, is that you?!"

The boy smiled and nodded proudly. "The one and only!"

Nozomi pulled away and stared at him. His tannish blond hair was pointed and messy, flying out in all different directions; his eyes, grey and cloudy; his long, black tang top was loose and hung down to his waist. He wore a netted top, with the left sleeve cut off, and knee-length shorts that were almost the same color as his hair.

There were bandages the were wrapped from just below his elbows and wound around his fingers, just barely showing the tips, as well as a set of bandages on his right leg that went from below his knee to just above his ankle and he still wore the same type of shoes as before; black open toed sandals with a triangle cut in the center that covered half his shin.

"...Suoh-kun...it IS you." Nozomi mumbled, staring in awe at him. He really hadn't changed much in the past 4 years, except for his outfit, and a few other things.

Suoh gave a sly smile and nodded his head. "Who did you THINK it was, Nozo-neko-chan?...Oh, apparently Aiko-chan. Hehehe..so...." The boy's smile widened. "I'm glad you're back. Now we can start over, and make some newer better memories together!" A slight blush was on his face. "...Starting with this."

Before Nozomi could say or do anything, Suoh's arms snaked themselves tightly around her waist, pulling her into him, and his lips crushed against hers in a firm, demanding kiss.

In response, Nozomi's eyes flew open wide and she struggled to push him away, frustrated to find he had a good hold on her waist, trapping her. "Suoh-kun...stop...!" The cat girl protested, trying to pry his hands off of her.

Eyes full of confusion, Suoh released her waist and stopped kissing her. "What's wrong, Nozo-neko-chan? I know that's what you wanted years ago..."

"Well, yes, I did...but-" Nozomi stammered.

"Now she's with ME." Naruto growled, grabbing Nozomi and pulling her into his arms, scowling at Suoh from over her shoulder.

"Well well, who do we have HERE?" Suoh smirked at the blond, trying to mask the surprise he felt.

"Naruto Uzumaki." The blond's eyes were full of resentment as he looked at Suoh. "I know who you are already..."

"I see...well, Naruto Uzumaki," Suoh said in a kind of mocking tone, "I'm not sure who you think you are, but you can't tell me who I can and can't be with so stand aside already!"

"I won't do any such thing!" Naruto growled, tightening his hold on Nozomi slightly and leaning into her. "Nozo-chan is and will remain MINE! So it's YOU who needs to stand aside, buddy!"

Now Suoh glared at Naruto. "I think Nozo-neko-chan can decide who it is she wants to be with, thank you, and if I'm not mistaken she came back to ME."

Nozomi's eyes bulged, and she pulled out of Naruto's protective embrace, approaching Suoh, staring at him in disbelief. "Umm...Suoh-kun?"

The dirty blond haired boy turned and gave a grin. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Nozomi pulled a face at the name and sweatdropped. "I..err..I'm not here to stay. I came to ask you a, uhm, a question.."

"Oh?" Suoh's face fell for a minute before he forced a smirk onto his face. "What might that question be?"

The cat girl gulped, and took a deep breath. "You seem to have been expecting me to return...and so I was wondering..." she paused for a split second. "...Was it you who delivered the Essence no Jutsu and Oni Shoukin Jutsu to Konoha?"

Surprise was visible on both Nozomi and Naruto's faces as the dirty blond haired boy nodded his head, a grin on his face. "It seems like the alternative to the extraction jutsu worked, too!" Suoh grinned widely. "I'm so glad."

"But...Suoh-kun...why the change of heart?" A frown appeared on Nozomi's face. "From what I remember you HATED me...what possessed you to make you suddenly want to save me from the Kubota demon's fate?"

At this, the grin on Suoh's face faded, and he sighed. "It's a long story..." He paused. "I'm..so sorry for everything I did to you, Nozo-neko-chan...I was such a self centered jerk when we were kids..." The boy looked down at his feet in shame as he spoke. "All I cared about was my image...and what my two friends (followers), Hizoku and Shouri thought of me...I thought you were cute but I never told them that because they were always scheming up ways to torment you, since you were the prime target of everybody..."

A small sigh escaped the dirty blond haired boy. "Then came the day that we overheard a couple of the village girls, Hane and Mizu talking. They were going on and on about you and your not so secret crush on me. It was then that Hizoku and Shouri decided we should play a prank on you, and they kinda talked, or threatened me into the whole fake love confession thing...then they thought it would be hilarious to tie a bell onto you so we could all hear you coming and laugh and beat you up...I wish things had been different now, but back then I was too scared of them to say no, for fear of what they'd do to me...they had a reputation for being tough kids, and I'd been grateful they considered me cool enough to be their leader...so I had no choice but to put on the mask I did."

Suoh's shoulders sagged as he looked at Nozomi for the first time, his grey eyes sad, filled with regret. "Even so...that's no excuse for what I did to you, Nozomi...I'm sorry...I really DID like you for what it's worth...and...I still do..."

'Whaaat?!' Naruto stared the blond haired boy in disbelief. 'Don't tell me he thinks she's naive enough to BELIEVE that crap!!'

"...Suoh-kun...you...you really...is that...really what happened...?" There was a look of uncertainty on Nozomi's face, but a small glint of hope was visible in her eyes.

'Apparently she IS that naive!' Naruto thought with an inward sigh, facepalming.

"Yes..." Suoh's voice was bitter, filled with regret. "I tried to forget about you, to move on...but I couldn't. Especially after you ran away...no matter what I did, I could never shake your face from my mind...the shocked look on your blushing face when I said I loved you, and the pained look of betrayal and disbelief when I did what I did after, and left..." The boy sighed. "Gradually, I came to realize the reason I saw you in my dreams so much...you see...it turned out.."

'Don't you say it,' Naruto's hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides, 'Don't you DARE tell her you love her...!'

"...The truth is.." Suoh grabbed Nozomi's shoulders and pulled her close to him in a tight hug. "...Nozomi Kubota, I love you...please forgive me for my past mistakes...give me another chance- I won't let you down this time! I told Hizoku and Shouri off a long time ago...I'm a changed man."

Nozomi pulled away and stared at the blond, tears in her eyes. "Suoh-kun..th...thank you..." This said, the tears spilled down her cheeks like a waterfall.

'...Is she crying...for THAT guy?!' Naruto thought, disbelief mixed in with horror on his face.

"Nozo-neko-chan," Suoh smiled, a genuine smile, and pulled the brunette into another hug. "Please...give me a chance to be the lover you deserve...I promise I won't let you down..."

Nozomi's eyes widened slightly and she blushed. "Ah, but S-Suoh- I'm e-!"

"I want you, Nozomi Kubota...to be my girlfriend..I'll treat you right this time around, or you can sick your friend over there on me.."

Nozomi's eyes went even wider, her blush darkening as the boy leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

'FRIEND, huh?!?' Naruto thought, growling under his breath, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as Suoh kissed Nozomi...HIS kitty. "Umm, EXCUSE ME!" The spiky haired boy growled angrily as he stomped over, putting himself in between Suoh and Nozomi. "She's MY girl! Paws off!"

Suoh gave a smirk, hiding his surprise. "What's that, Whiskers? I don't see your name on her!"

"Oh yeah?!" Electric blue eyes wild with anger, Naruto undid the clasp around Nozomi's neck and removed the bell, thrusting it into Suoh's hands. "Read THAT!"

In response, Suoh raised an eyebrow at Naruto before reading the inscription that was engraved on the silver bell. "Property of Naruto Uzumaki..Don't touch!"

Nozomi blushed furiously as the boy handed the bell back to Naruto (who quickly put it back around her neck) and burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, holding his sides to keep himself from falling. "It's not funny..."

"Geez Nozomi, this guy made you wear a bell with writing on it...you must be like his pet! Ahahaha!" Suoh laughed a little longer then stopped as a thought struck him. "Though I don't see why he's freaking out...if all he sees you as is a pet..."

"Only a PET, huh?!" A vein popped on Naruto's forehead and he turned to Nozomi. "Nozo-chan...show him your hand so he'll shut up about this "pet" business..."

"My...hand...?" If possible, the blush on Nozomi's face deepened as she realized he meant her left hand. The one the engagement ring was stuck (literally, stuck) on, and she folded her arms tightly across her chest, hiding it as she shook her head, sweatdropping. "No, thanks..."

"C'mon, Nozo-chan...Please...!" Naruto begged. "If you don't show him he won't shut up!"

Nozomi sweatdropped again as she realized he was giving her the big, blue puppy eyes he was so good at, and she sighed, letting her shoulders sag in defeat. "Fine..." The cat girl looked away, blushing once again as she held out her left hand for Suoh to see the ring on her finger.

"What?!" Suoh's eyes bulged, looking as if they'd fall out of the sockets at any given moment as he gawked at the ring, then at the girl wearing the ring. "Nozomi, you-you--you're--"

"Engaged...to ME." Naruto crowed, giving a triumphant grin. "So I'll thank you to stop hitting on my fiancee now."

Disbelief was still plainly visible on the grey eyed boy's face as he took a few steps back. "Nozo-neko-chan...why didn't you tell me you were getting married?!"

"Well, it's because I.." Nozomi began to say how she really felt about the whole engagement, but the steely eyed look Naruto was giving her silenced her.

"How COULD she when all you've done is hug, and kiss her to death, and then talk when SHE tried to talk?!"

Suoh laughed sheepishly at the spiky haired boy's outburst. "Ohh...haha...right.." He sighed and looked down, a sad look on his face.

'Why do I feel ...guilty...?' Nozomi frowned to herself. '...Is it because he said he loves me...?...But...if I feel guilty.......No, I can't feel that way about him still, I can't!' The cat girl's eyes widened and a small tint of pink colored her face. 'I do NOT still have a crush on him...right?!....'

"Nozomi...?"

Nozomi blinked, momentarily pulled from her thoughts as she found herself face to face with Naruto. "...What is it, Naruto-kun...?"

"Nothing...you just spaced out." A concerned look was on the blond's face. "Are you ok?"

"Huh..? Yeah, I'm fine." Nozomi blinked and did a double take. "...Where's Suoh-kun...?" she asked, surprised as she realized the boy was no longer standing with them.

"Oh, that punk?" Naruto grinned and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "He left...said he would stop bothering you and that he was sorry. Hehe.."

"Really..." Nozomi murmured, feeling a slight twinge of pain run through her. 'Why do I suddenly feel sad?...Isn't it Naruto-kun that I'm in love with...?....Yeah...so why do I feel let down hearing that Suoh-kun left...?...It doesn't make any sense at all!'

"Hey Nozo-chan...I was thinking."

"Nya?" Nozomi looked up again as the blond snapped her from her thoughts once more. "What is it?"

"I thought...well you said if we got this cleared up fast we could just have some time together, right?...Some us time?"

The blush on Nozomi's face returned with avengance now as she heard this and she nodded slightly. "Y-yeah...why...?"

"Well.." Now it was Naruto's turn to blush. "I thought maybe we could...go to the beach, like you suggested..if you want...ehe.."

"..Oh...So...you're asking if you can see me in that swimsuit now then, aren't you?" Nozomi teased, hoping to hide her own embarrassment by embarrassing HIM.

"Err...yeah..." Naruto sweatdropped, blushing and gave a cute grin. "So...can I...?"

Nozomi blushed harder to her dismay. She hadn't expected him to respond so...calmly. Almost casually, even. "Ehh...s-sure...I don't see why n-not..." The cat girl sweatdropped. Once again, he'd made her blush when SHE had been trying to embarrass him! How embarrassing!

"Well then...show me the way to this beach?" Naruto held out his hand, still blushing, a shy little smile playing on his lips.

"...Ok..." Still blushing, Nozomi took the blond's hand and started walking, all the while keeping her eyes averted, for she knew full well that if she made eye contact with Naruto now, she would literally fly up in flames, she was so hot with embarrassment.

"Hey, Nozo-chan.."

"Hmmm?" Nozomi glanced at the boy from the corner of her eye.

"...You seem really quiet right now...I mean more than usual...are you ok? You sure nothing's bothering you..?"

"Oh, I'm sure!" Nozomi gave a small laugh. "Just fine...heh.."

"If you're sure..." Naruto glanced back at the cat girl's tail and frowned. It was twitching away at a furious pace- usually a sign she was lying. "You know you can talk to me about anything.."

"I know...but there's nothing TO talk about." Nozomi laughed nervously.

Naruto heaved a deep sigh. "Nozo-chan, don't try to lie...your tail is twitching like c--"

"Oh, look! We're here!" Nozomi cut him off hastily, pointing at the sandy beach in front of them. She gave a tug on his hand. "C'mon, c'mon, let's go already!"

Naruto heaved another sigh, seeing she wasn't open for discussion about whatever it was that was bothering her, and nodded, allowing her to drag him out onto the hot sand. "So...you gonna go change?" He gave a toothy grin as he took out a towel from one of their bags and laid it out on the ground, smoothing it out.

Nozomi's face turned red and she nodded. "Uhh, yeah, I am...I guess.." The cat girl grabbed her bag and dug out the green two piece swimsuit she'd packed the day before after her embarrassing attempt at distracting Naruto from questioning her about the trip. "W-well, I'll be going now.."

"Ok." Naruto turned and gave a flirty grin. "Hurry back, or I'll get lonely." He winked and snickered as the brunette's face came to resemble a tomato. "I can't wait to see how the swimsuit I picked looks...hehe."

That did it. Unable to stand there and listen anymore, Nozomi turned on her heel and hurried over to the dressing rooms. Men...Naruto...Foxes...She wasn't sure WHICH was worse!

'Oh well...I'll get him back yet...I still have my jutsu to look forward to...if I can only find the right time to use it...maybe I'll use it if he makes any perverted remarks about my body...yeah, that's what I'll do...hehehe..'

The cat girl chuckled evilly, over her embarrassment as she remembered her jutsu. Most likely she'd be using it soon, knowing Naruto...