RED • MITSUKI

lviii. LOYAL SHINOBI

***

There was always quiet at the end of a storm. A cold, dead, silent silence that haunts the ears of any traumatized child. Haruko was spiraled across the ground, breathing hard as her vision was sparkling with stars and bright colors. Her mind was foggy, but her thoughts were still filled with Mitsuki. Her teammates were on the ground, trying to catch their breaths as well. Ichiro crawled over to the girl, taking off her headband and other tight accessories that might affect her breathing.

"Hey, breathe, okay?" he whispered. He grabbed a food pill from his pouch and propped Haruko high enough so she could take the pill. "You're the most damaged out of all of us. The medics will be coming in no time."

Haruko coughed as she sat up straighter. "No... you guys need it more than me." She tried to look around, but everything was spinning. "Eugh, where are the senseis?"

"They're getting the medics right now," Eiji stated. He turned over to Team A. "Hey, can y'all make sure that all the criminals are arrested? I think we're done with fights for now, huh?"

There will forever be a fight when Haruko is around. There's always fighting around her and fighting in her mind. She'll never escape the violence. She'll never escape the pain.

That is one of the few things the curse brings upon the poor girl's life.

Medics came quickly along with backup. Haruko was dragged out on a stretcher and her friends were carried over to the small hospital located in the town. Haruko's condition was not life-threatening, but still serious. It would take a while before she was able to recover. Haruko just felt like she didn't have much time to waste.

Her thoughts were still filled with the blue-haired boy, but her heart couldn't take any more of the pain of thinking about the boy. The next day, after all the criminals were taken to Konoha for their proper incarceration, the head of the village visited all the shinobis. They all moved to a private, bigger room in the hospital. Haruko, wrapped in bandages and whatnot, had to be wheeled in.

"First, I would like to thank you all for coming and helping us in this small village," he spoke, his oversized blue kimono covered his entire body and he wore a headwrap that only allowed his eyes to be seen. "I would like to apologize for your injuries. If I had known this mission would be this risque, I would have hired higher-ranked shinobi, but it seems you all are more than capable of carrying huge missions as such."

Aki smirked silently.

"I would like to offer to pay each and every one of you more than I originally paid as a way of gratitude."

The word "pay" and "more" caught the ears of all the shinobis, even Haruko. The genin tried their best to hide their happiness and the chunin gave them a look before anyone could say anything. She didn't want her or her team to look like a fool in front of someone of supreme rank - although, she didn't treat the Hokage or most of her other senpais the same respect back in Konoha.

Haruko stood up, trying her hardest not to wince at the pain, and bowed her head. "We graciously accept your offering." The other shinobis followed along and bowed their heads.

"Thank you!"

After the meeting was over, Ichiro wheeled Haruko to her room. "You shouldn't have stood up. You know you're in a bad shape right now. You're just going to make it worse."

"I appreciate you looking out for me, Ichiro, but I got this," Haruko smiled, "I can take care of myself."

"You've always had this independent attitude, you know. I just wish you would let people help you every once in a while." They entered her hospital room. "Like, you're always helping and leading and taking the first step. Why don't you just chill?"

Haruko laughed as she lifted herself up on the bed. She gave the boy a sweet smile. "That's just me, Ichiro. That's just who I am."

"As much as I love who you are, you need to find a line between being independent and being careless about yourself. You nearly died like five times the other day!" he scolded, putting his hands on his hips. "I've lost count on all the other times you've put your life at risk."

"Isn't that our job?"

"Yes, but we are rookie shinobi! We are children!" he cried, "you're acting as if we are Anbu or Jonin. You need to relax."

Haruko knew she was very serious when it came to missions. That's just how she was raised. Even after living in Konoha for a long time, she still had habits that she never grew out of. She was less of a hardhead than she was before, but still was stubborn.

Haruko shrugged, "I never needed to relax so what's the point now?"

"The point is that you don't overstress yourself, dumbo!" Ichiro wacked the top of the girl's head. "Look, I understand with everything going on, this was probably you're way of releasing all that stress and anger, but I'm going to be real with you, Haruko." He gave her a pitying smile. "You need to find a less dangerous, destructive way to cope with stress."

"Training is the only reasonable and useful way to cope with stress. Like, I can get stronger and I'm releasing all the bad vibes I have."

Ichiro grew frustrated, "I'm trying to give you advice!"

"I never asked for advice," puffed Haruko, "I'm fine with the way I do things."

The boy huffed as he snapped his head away from the girl and began to walk to the door. "Whatever, Haruko, you do you. Don't say I didn't warn you when you're on your death bed because you overwork yourself."

"And I'll die a loyal shinobi!"

Being a loyal shinobi was all she was taught. Train hard to die hard. This was especially pushed by her father and all the trainers she had. This was the motto she constantly chanted in her head to achieve the goal her mother wished for herself.

"I'll die a loyal shinobi..."

***

[ author's note: hahaha corona huh ?

honestly i'm scared that i might have it. like, many people don't even feel the symptoms yet they have it. plus, my mother and father have been coughing a lot and if they were to catch the disease, they would be affected terribly by it. 

anyways, stay safe ! wash your hands !

love y'all :) ]