Chapter 44 - Dreamy Festival

Kakashi nodded to Ryouko, carefully asking him to leave. He knew that Ryouko’s temper was close to the surface these days and didn’t want to risk having an angry Uchiha clan hunting Ryouko down for cracking their favored son in the mouth. That, and Suki’s puppy eyes at Ryouko were getting worrisome. It was never a good thing (thought it was common) when a student latched on to a teacher. Kakashi wasn’t worried about Ryouko- it was Suki that earned his concern.

The very image of her mother, Ryouko’s biggest crush…and, unlike her mother, she picked him. If only he was that much younger again…

Kakashi hadn’t had a stellar love life, but he boasted skill enough that he didn’t have issues about his self-worth- at least not like Ryouko.

-

Ryouko was still fuming over Lord Hokage’s actions (or lack thereof), and took to staring at the Memorial Stone for hours, just as both Kakashi and the Third Hokage had before him. The rest of his time was spent training, occasionally stopping for food or rest. Now that he was ‘unemployed’, Ryouko found himself perfecting his jutsus down to the last detail- then improving on them. It was all he could do. If he got hurt, he patched himself up, because going to the hospital meant facing Sakura. If someone started a fight, Ryouko ended it and left, because sticking around meant dealing with the police force- that being Sasuke Uchiha and some hand-picked recruits.

It wasn’t so much that Ryouko and the ‘new’ Uchiha clan were enemies…it was just that Ryouko couldn’t take any more disappointment. His frustration had become more and more apparent. The village sided with both him AND Lord Hokage on the situation, so there was no hope of rallying anyone behind him. That didn’t change how Ryouko viewed the village- he loved it, simply put. Maybe that was why he could get completely depressed over the upcoming festival. He wasn’t sure he would attend, in all honesty. It was at this festival that Sasuke and Sakura had tied the knot, so it was a decidedly painful affair.

Standing at the edge of the Hokage Faces, perched on top of the First Hokage’s head, Ryouko looked down on the village.

Well, it worked out for them. That’s what I fought for, right? Heh. Well, I’d better just wear a mask or put on a brave face. I’d be conspicuous by my absence at this festival.

Still, the place where Sakura and Sasuke finally hooked up…quite a memory. The previous year was Naruto and Hinata getting hitched. The year before that, it was Kurenai and Asuma finally admitting it. That explains why this festival got the simple ‘Ai’ (‘love’) nickname. Seems like couples that start here have a happy ending. Good for them. Man, that moment when it was asked ‘any reason these two shouldn’t be married?’…I’m glad I didn’t say what came to mind. One of those stones best left unturned…

Ryouko lit up a new cigarette, running a hand down his chin, feeling the onset of a thin beard. He decided to let it grow to a certain length, then trim it. No mustache though, and it would be more ‘stubble’ than beard truthfully.

--

“I can’t do it!” Suki wailed to her friends. Yamanaka Tsuneko (‘neko-chan’) and Hyuuga Juichi (‘ku-chan’, cousin of Naruto’s daughter) were immediately ganging up on her.

“Come on, he’s not your teacher anymore! What could it hurt to ask? Girl, you’ve GOT to be more assertive!” Neko persisted, giving suddenly shy little Suki a bump.

“Yeah, seriously. Sarutobi-sempai is a good guy, it’s not like he’ll say ‘go to hell’ or something! C’mon, you KNOW he’s single, and it’s not like he’s got anything else to do. Just go for it!” Ku persisted.

Ku and Neko could both see why Suki liked Sarutobi-sempai. He was young-looking, handsome, and strong. Plus, that air of mystery around him…

“He’s so hot!” Suki finally squeeled, turning red, chewing on the lapels of her shirt nervously. “I mean, he smokes, but only that healthy chakra stuff, and he works out. But I’m so much younger!”

“Then ya just gotta turn his head, Suki-chi!” Neko said, eerily reminiscent of her mother. It was like it was the opposite of Sakura and Ino- Suki was being helped, not hindered, by Neko. On the other end, Ku was staying mostly out of it, just as her mother and father would have. She was content to learn about every weapon under the son, being only of the cadet branch of the Hyuuga family, despite being Hyuuga in name over her cousin.

“Neko-chan, what are you planning?!” Suki demanded. But it was too late- Neko had ideas of her own. Enlisted the help of Ku-chan, she dragged Suki off to her own home- and a fabulous collection of clothes and make-up. It would take two hours, but the girls were going to dress Suki up, like she was a giant Kewpie doll that they could do with as they pleased. That was typical of girls that age. Giggling about boys, but not daring to confess their love. Or, confessing their love, and having the boy in question redden with embarrassment and laugh off the brave attempt to become boyfriend/girlfriend. (Like any of them had any idea what that meant at that age. It would take time before you ‘fell in love before and you found that love was more than just holding hands’, as the Beatles sang so poignantly so many years later)

But two hours of work showed their efforts nicely. A blushing Suki in a pink, flowered kimono with a dark pink obi was the fruit of their efforts. Looking like that, she could have chosen just about any guy her age. But she was fixated on one older man in particular. The problem- she didn’t know that, years back, the man in question had fallen hard for her mother, and had never said a word.

--

Ryouko held his cigarette between his fingers, making sure the ash from the sudden rush of wind didn’t send the ash into his face. Instead, it was blown along with the wind, until it burned itself out or settled itself on the side of the mountain. It was a great way to lose yourself to the outside world. Ryouko had done just that- his mind was in another time, when he had seen a hope for the future. A tiny voice startled him out of that world.

“Excuse me, Ryouko-sempai?”

With a small sound of surprise, Ryouko turned around, seeing Suki blushing nervously, all dressed for the festival that would take place in a couple hours. Immediately, Ryouko saw where this was going.

Just get out now, Ryouko. Don’t do this. Aw S***

“Oh, hi Suki-chan. All ready for the festival?” Ryouko asked brightly, forcing a smile. He didn’t have to force hard- he liked the girl, just not in the way she hoped.

“Y-Yes sempai! I, er, um…I mean…” Suki was tripping over her words. It was painful for Ryouko to watch, and he almost said something.

No. If I ask HER, it comes off as wrong, no matter what my intentions. If SHE asks ME, it’s a little girl’s crush. I have to play dumb and let her say it. How do I even know this?

“…Would you…would you see the festival with me, sempai?!” Suki finally managed to say, cringing in defeat. No way Ryouko-sempai would say ‘yes’, there was just no way! I’m not even grown yet! Gah, why isn’t my chest bigger?! Mom was the same way! Damn genetics!

“Sure, Suki-chan, that sounds like fun,” Ryouko replied, with an almost practiced ease. In reality, he was already wondering if he was doing the right thing, but his mind told him ‘play along for one night or crush a little girl?’, and Ryouko knew he couldn’t just act cool toward Suki like that- it wasn’t her fault she was the spitting image of her mother, while she harbored emotions that Ryouko wished her mother had felt.
“Where would you like to meet?”

Suki’s mind had stopped. She hadn’t gotten past asking him in her mental process- now that he said yes, what happened? Where should she meet him? Was she overdressed? What would he be wearing? What would her parents think? Was this really okay?
This time, Ekyt stopped her thought process.

“How about we meet at the festival entrance near the memorial stone? Shall we say, in an hour?” Ryouko said kindly. Suki managed to give him a wide-eyed nod, silently saying ‘okay’. Ryouko smiled. “Alright then. See you soon, Suki-chan. Oh, and please tell Ku-chan and Neko-chan they don’t need to hide in the trees. It’s better they don’t, they haven’t mastered chakra control yet.”

With that, Ryouko gave a vague wave toward the tree containing Neko and Ku, and an over-the-shoulder smile to Suki. Suki was rooted to the spot, even when Neko and Ku rushed over and congratulated her, then danced around the mountain.

-

Ryouko walked home, picking out his sandals, tabi socks, hakama, gi top, and jacket. The Hakama was deep purple (almost black), the gi top was dark blue, and the jacket was black. Inside Ryouko’s jacket was his wakazashi- when dressing the part of his old samurai days, Ryouko carried the weapons as well. Obviously, he couldn’t tote a longsword at a festival, so the wakazashi would have to do for protection.

Once he finished dressing, Ryouko made a trip to the Uchiha dojo. Hating this, but knowing it needed to be done, Ryouko knocked on the door. Kasai opened the door, glaring at Ryouko.

“What?” he snarled.

“I’m here to talk to your parents.” Ryouko decided to answer stiffly, just as he would have when he was a samurai. He couldn’t really call himself a ninja these days as it was.

“Fine. Follow me, Mom and Dad are by the pond.”

-

Sasuke and Sakura both stood up, looking to see who Kasai had brought them. They were clothed in kimonos for the festival, with Sakura carrying an umbrella matching her kimono. She and Sasuke (Sasuke looked amazingly like his father nowadays) silently dismissed Kasai, looking at Ryouko. Ryouko looked back, before bowing.

“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Uchiha-san. I’m glad to see you’re both well…” Ryouko stood back up, eyes leveling with Sasuke’s, then the friendlier Sakura’s.

“What brings you here?” Sakura wanted to know, asking pleasantly. It was rare that Ryouko crossed paths with anyone carrying the Uchiha name, so she was very curious as to why he had come.

“I’ve come to inform you that your daughter asked me to see the festival with her, and I said ‘yes’. It occurred to me that I should obtain permission first. Rest assured, my intentions are only to keep a girl from being crushed, and to act cordially.”

Sasuke looked ready to spit fire, but Sakura put a hand on his shoulder.

“Of course it’s okay! Suki took a liking to you, huh? Well, can’t say I’m shocked. Apparently, you’re the ‘hot sensei’ nowadays.”

Ryouko gave a mirthless smile. “Well, ‘was’ might be more appropriate. At any rate, thank you for your time. I’ll see myself out.”

As Ryouko left, Sasuke clenched a fist. “I KNOW I can trust him…but still…I HATE the thought of him with my daughter. He’s more than twice her age!”

Sakura giggled a little. “Oh, it’s harmless! She’s fourteen, it’s just a little crush. She’ll get over him and onto the next cute guy in no time. Besides, it’s better that it’s Ryouko, someone we can trust showing her the festival. Too many kids her age have grown up too fast, and might try to pull a fast one on her, since SOMEONE has avoided giving her ‘the talk’…”

Sasuke smirked at the irony. “It’s YOUR job to give Suki the talk, I gave it to Kasai. And, for the record, YOU didn’t move on to the ‘next guy’. You married the same guy.”

Sakura conceded he had a point. “True, and I didn’t fall for an older guy either…oh well, she’s young, we all were once!”

--

Ryouko wondered why the younger generation seemed attracted to him. The cigarette, the five o’clock shadow, the looking-young-but-is-actually-older? It wasn’t as though Ryouko hadn’t seen any kunoichi he couldn’t indentify with- just none of them seemed to be available. He was older now, and as his age grew, Ryouko felt sure that his chance at love went down farther and farther. He DID remember a rendevous with one girl, though. She had a slightly darker skin to her, making her look Egyptian or something of the like, but with Japanese features- to Ryouko, it was an absolutely gorgeous mix. Long black hair drawn into a ponytail on one side of her head, long bangs covering one eye, and hair pulled into two long strands on the back of her head- she hardly fit her career. She was no model, or dancer- she was more or less a bounty hunter. She could swing a sword like almost no one else, and that sword could apparently deflect jutsus. THAT was something Ryouko learned when he had tried to defend one of her targets, and had to block the sword once his genjutsu had just disappeared.

Azami…huh. Too bad we’re total opposites. We had a chance. We were inches apart, blades at each others necks…I don’t know about her, but I felt something. Ah, who am I kidding? Azami-san wasn’t shy- if she wanted to do the kiss-kiss fall in love thing, she would have, there and then.

Ryouko had to admit it was a fond memory, strangely enough. He and this attractive, exotic looking girl holding sharp weapons to each others necks, each daring the other to make a move in a calculated game of ‘chicken’. Their eyes had met, his dark hazel eyes searching her nearly black eyes, studying first for a threat, then a nearly desperate attraction, and there had been a spark. Or so Ryouko thought. Instead of leaning just a little closer, they had each pushed a way, sheating their respective blades, bowing in appreciation of each other’s skills.

‘Not too shabby, kid. How old are you?” Azami had asked, her hands on her hips, as though scolding some naughty little boy.

‘Twenty-seven,’ Ryouko had replied, standing up straight and staring back.

‘With a little kid face? Ha! Whatever. In my profession, age doesn’t matter. Only what you’ve done to deserve my attention,’ Azami had laughed. Ryouko cocked his head.

‘Since you haven’t targeted me, I haven’t done anything to deserve your attention, I take it?’

Azami raised an eyebrow, smiling genuinely. “I’m talking to you, aren’t I? The fact that you aren’t dead means that you haven’t annoyed me yet. Heh.” Azami looked up at the setting sun. “Well, I’ve gotta go kid. Look me up for a drink when you look old enough.”

Ryouko blinked in surprise- he hadn’t seen that coming. “If I might ask, how old are you?”

Over her shoulder, Azami called out ‘Twenty-seven. See you around.’



Hard to believe that was eight years ago. It’s not likely we’ll ever run into each other again. Still…haven’t had the desire to kiss someone like that since Sakura. Did that mean it was real? I mean, she was dressed so that guys would notice her, even thought she didn’t, ahem, flash the goods immodestly. Might have been lust. If you’re single for twenty-seven years, then I guess you’re entitled to lapses of desire now and then.[/b]

Ryouko shook his head, clearing thoughts of Azami away. Nice girl, but he wouldn’t see her again, and right now, he was more concerned with making a little girl happy. Inwardly, Ryouko sighed.

I wish she was older, this just feels so akward. It’s more like babysitting. I’ll never hear the end of it.

Suki chose then to make her appearance.

“I’m ready, Ryouko-sempai. Were you waiting long?”

Ryouko had been standing here for a half hour. “Not at all, Suki-chan. Let’s go then, shall we?”

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