Fateful Meeting [Tail 3 - Naruto Fan-Fiction]

Chapter 2

The Hidden Leaf village was no small village. Every man, woman, and child knew this. This fact is what made Kiba so unsettled about the frequent appearance of the mysterious white-haired woman that he had seen in the park a few weeks back.

Never before in is life had he seen this woman, but now, at his lowest point, he was seeing the spitting image of the woman he had lost all those years ago. Despite the countless barrage of distractions, Kiba had decided to resume applying himself to his work. Distractions and all, he was bound and determined to force himself into doing something other than over-think.

Now, as the sun began to set in the far horizon, the work day was done. It was a fairly productive day even with the mountain of paperwork that had been left behind from their last few missions. Sighing inwardly, Kiba came to a complete stop on the coarse cement walkway below him. I'm hungry, he thought. His stomach growled in agreement.

Quickly deciding he wanted to sit down for a small meal, his feet took him in the direction of the inward parts of the village. Many nameless faces past him by, all involved in their own conversations and lives. The sunlight had almost completely retreated from the sky, leaving the street lamps to groan and buzz in an attempt to start their work for the night.

The smells of the restaurant reached Kiba before the bright lettering of the signs did. A gentle chatter traveled through the air, an occasional giggle breaking the soothing sound of conversations. Entering the building, he politely nodded his head to the hostess that welcomed him.

The woman gestured towards an empty booth with a smile. Following the woman's gesture, he found himself at a small booth with a menu already sitting on the table. He settled in, looking over the menu absentmindedly before deciding to order a small meat platter. Hand cupping his jaw, he found himself staring out the window.

No matter how hard Kiba tried he could not help but look for that white-haired woman. He had yet to spot her today, but he had spent most of his day inside the Hokage's building. Sighing, he turned his attention to the waitress that had softly cleared her throat. A moderate sized dish of raw meat was in hand.

Nodding his thanks, the waitress placed the dish down and was called away. Kiba clasped his hands together, sending a silent 'thank you' for his food and digging in.

-

I had way too much, Kiba grumbled, rubbing his stomach. He must really be losing his appetite if a small plate of meat can fill him up. Shaking his head, he set his sights on the path home. Cement below him completely covered in darkness, Kiba found his subconscious guiding his feet back towards his home.

His feet tapped rhythmically against the ground, the gentle sound soothing the whirlwind of thoughts that flew through his mind constantly. I haven't seen her yet today, he mused to himself. Maybe she isn't real, he laughed.

"Oof!" A loud thud rang in Kiba's ears. He stood, only slightly disturbed, while the small figure of a woman fell towards the ground.

"I-I'm sorry," Kiba stuttered automatically. His hand shot outward, grabbing at the wrist of the falling figure. Connecting with her wrist, he pulled her back upright, feeling his balance falter as she propelled towards him.

Suddenly he found himself face-to-face with the woman he had been seeking out all day. Her bright blue eyes sparkled playfully, her breath coming out in ragged puffs. Heat flooded Kiba's face as he realized he could smell the fruity breath of his mystery woman.

"I'm- I'm so sorry!" Kiba scrambled to find his words. The woman chuckled, her wrist still being held upward in the air by Kiba's hand.

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere," she mused. She gave her wrist a gentle tug, finding resistance in reclaiming it. Finding his balance, his eyes traveled past her eyes and down to her thin red-tinted lips. They were curled upwards in a compassionate smile.