When Stars Collide | Book 2 | Sasuke X OC

Step One: Get Back Up ☝🏼

**Aina Looks like the Picture Above.** 

One Week Later

I was still adjusting to the weather, wearing just my coat without any gloves. Stepping out of the house, the chilly, thin air filled my lungs abruptly, making me cough involuntarily. In the distance, my aunt was perched on the mountainside, her voice carrying on the wind as she waved enthusiastically. "Come on up! The weather is nice!"

My face slumped down (￣ー￣〃) This is nice weather? What is she? Crazy?!

I sprinted up the hill toward her, out of breath from the thin air. She looked at me from head-to-to examining me. I just want to know how she can see me if she has a blindfold. on. Suddenly I was pushed harshly down the hill. I clutched my sides and tumbled to the bottom, only to hear her laughter, "Come back up!!" Determined, I began to run back up the hill, my breathing erratic, but once again, she playfully pushed me back down. Snow started to fall down my back and my once dried clothes started to get cold and wet.

 She waved me back up. "WHY DO YOU KEEP DOING THAT?!" I angrily yelled at her from the bottom of the hillside.

"We need to raise your stamina in these kinds of conditions! Now come back up!" Once more, I charged up the hill, my breath increasingly labored with each attempt. She pushed me down again, and we repeated this cycle for hours, with each push feeling progressively more challenging. My legs and lungs were burning from the labor and the cold. The last shove she exerted with considerably more force, knocking the wind out of me as I tumbled down the hillside, colliding with a sharp rock. I clutched my side, struggling to regain my breath. My aunt looked down at me with a serious expression and slid down the slope toward me. "This training gets you used to the environment around you. Once you are better at breathing, then we can go to the next lesson. But first, can you get back up?" I was still breathing heavily and trying to catch my breath. She crouched down to me, took a slow inhale, and then exhaled. I began to match her breath, she asked again, "Can you get back up?"

"Yes." I said in between the small breaths. 

"Say it again... I need to know you will always get back up, no matter how hard you are pushed down." I was still holding my side but got back up on my feet. 

"Yes. I'm not giving up." I said with a more assured voice.

"Hmmm. Well I suppose you have trained all day. Why don't we go eat!" My aunt firmly gripped my arm and guided me down the mountainside, leading me to the village. As we entered, a ramen shop caught my attention, its appearance reminiscent of Ichiraku's Ramen, but it was situated indoors to provide shelter and warmth from the snow. Stepping inside, I was immediately greeted by the comforting warmth radiating from a nearby fireplace. I walked over to a table, my aunt at my side, and pulled out a chair for her, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Two Tonkatsu Ramen with one extra egg each!" The lady taking the order bowed at me before rushing off with the order. I sat there staring intently at my aunt. 

"Is there something on my face?" She asked.

"You sure see a lot for being a blind woman." (-.-') She snickered at my comment.

"That'll be something you learn too. In time you will understand how to control the nature and energy around you." Tea was brought to us, and I cradled the warm cup in my hands, bringing it close to my face to savor the additional comfort it provided. "The only thing you need to focus on is your breathing. And also, "never give up" needs to be your new motto. "

"Okay! I can handle that! My good friend Naruto always got back up and never gives up." I couldn't help but smile as I reminisced about the times when he attempted to create a hilariously lousy clone and ended up hurling shuriken in entirely the wrong direction.