A Painful Life

Author's POV

"Ready?" Len asked.

"Not really," Kimura huffed.

-break-
♦THE SOMEWHAT END OF THE DAY♦

"What time is it?" Kimura asked, staring at the darkness of the blind fold.

"About seven," Len replied.

"The sun's still out?"

"Yup. It's beginning to set."

Len took Kimura by the wrist and pressed his forehead to hers. "You did good today,

Kimu," he said softly.

"Thanks, Len-kun, I owe it all to you," Kimura smiled.

"It's nothing, really." He chuckled, taking of her blind fold. She blushed.

"You did really good also."

"Thanks."

"Hey! Come on, time to go home!" Yumi hollered.

Kimura gave a startled gasp, glaring at Yumi.

"Next time when you're here, atleast give a warning," Len complained.

Kimura stared at a tree, trying to calm her beet red face. Len poked her cheek. She batted it away. He laughed,.

"Alright, let's go", she said, happily.

"Can I walk you home?" he teased.

"Go ahead," she teased back.

They laughed.

"So, did you really walk the whole time, Yumi?" Len asked.

"No, not really."

"You should've train with us. It was lots of fun," Kimura said.

"Yeah, sorry. I just needed some thinking time. I train alone most of the time."

Silence.

"Um..," Yumi began akwardly.

"Huh?" Len said, lost in thought. "What's up?"

"Nothing, it's just, you guys are kinda quiet."

"Really?" Kimura gasped. "I'm sorry! What should we talk about, then?"

Len shrugged. "About tomorrow?"

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "What are you guys doing tomorrow?"

"Training," Yumi and Len replied.

"Oh. Len, aren't you going to have a day off from training?" Kimura questioned.

Kimura's POV

"Not yet."

"Ah, well, I'm going to visit Sasuke again."

"You sound like Sakura, except you're calmer," Yumi snickered.

I smiled. "But he's my brother. I don't ignore my brother's love."

"You're exaggerating."

"I'm not." I gave a sad hopeful smile. "Or...I just hope I'm not. I love him. More than he
thinks. He was so...open and happy before. But after the 'accident', he changed. He started to hate people, he started to ignore me, he rarely smiles. The family and clan wipeout scarred him more than it did to me. He doesn't know how to let it go and move on. There is nothing we can do. It's not like we can go back in time and stop it. It can't be helped. What good is it to kill Itachi-nii-san? It's not like the clan will suddenly poof back. He probably hates me 'cause I don't hate my brother that much. I really don't blame him. I just think..he killed the clan because someone made him. He's not like this..he was never like this. All Sasuke focuses on now is to get stronger for revenge. He's obsessed."

I started to see Len embracing me, then Yumi. "That's because you're a good person,"
Yumi said. "The you don't blame Itachi part, I mean."

"Sasuke acts tough but I think you're scarier," Len laughed.

I giggled.

"We're home," Yumi sighed. She put in the key and opened te door. "Want to stay for a bit, Len?"

"Yeah, thanks."

We took our shoes off and walked into the living room for some TV. Once Yumi stepped in, she shrieked.

Len and I just stared.

Jiraiya and Sara were sitting together on the couch.

"You! You!!!! Are you two a couple?! Why didn't----"

"No!" Sara interrupted. " We were just talking."

Jiraiya smiled formally at the three of us. " Hello there. Yumi, Kimura, and---oh! Kimura, I didn't know you had a boyfriend." Jiraiya lifted an eyebrow of curiousity.

"I didn't either!" Sara said thoughtfully.

I stiffened along with Len , quickly letting go of each others hands.

" Len and I-----We're not together!! Stop embarrassing me!" I exclaimed.

Sara ignored my remark and checked the time. "You two are a cute couple. Take good care of her, Len. Keep an eye on him, Kimura. I don't trust men, especially if they're good looking. Talk to Jiraiya-sama, 'kay? Especially you, Yumi. I have to go."

"Bye."

When Sara left, Yumi punched Jiraiya. "Just what the hell are you here for?!?"

"Research, remember?"

"What kind of research again?" I asked in wonder. Did i forget?

Sweat dripped down the front of Yumi's forehead. "It's best not to know."

"Er, should I go?" Len asked a bit akwardly.

"Yeah, I think you should." I followed him to the front door. I gasped. "N-not that I want you to go!
I'd really want you to stay but---".

"I know what you mean. It's okay." He held a strand of my hair, laughing softly.

I flushed pink.

"You're really cute when you blush." Len smiled, pressing his forehead to mine like before again.

"T-thanks," I said, softly, stuttering a bit.

"Well, I have to go. See you later, Kimu."

" 'Kay. Good-night."

" 'Night." He touched my check for a really short second and left.

Len's POV

Dammit! The "bond-friends-first" plan might be ruined! And It's all my fault! Agh!! I can't help it. She just----why does she have to be so god damn-cute?! I'll be more careful next time. I swear. No more. I have to be a friend for now. She might think I'm some perverted guy.

Author's POV

Kimura watched Len leave happily. She listened to one sentence of Len's thoughts.

'I have to be a friend for now', was all she heard.

"Friends..okay," she agreed to herself. "You're my best friend Len-kun. We'll start that off first."

She returned back inside, hearing bangs and yells.

"Die, you bastard!!" Yumi screamed. "Tell me what you're here for!!"

"I already told you!! Research! Research! For my novel!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"On what?!"

"Kunoichis in Konohagakure! Just gimme a few---."

Kimura walked in the room, standing over Jiraiya with a frown in her fresh clothes.

"Mind helping me here?" he asked her.

"No way in hell." Kimura stepped on his face, squishing it.

He looked up her skirt, flushing. "My...."

"You son of a----YAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Yumi flung him at a wall. "Does Sara know about this?"

"Nooo---Aya, that hurts. Redheads are merciless. You're just like my friend Tsunade! Blackheads are cruel and scary....yet revealing." He waggled his eyebrows."They are slender and beautiful, look at her chest....and those legs. I'm in heaven with these gir----."

"Who d'ya think you're talking to?? A ghost?? An imaginary friend?? Yourself?!?! Kimura growled, pulling him by the neck. "I'll kill you! Say another word, I dare you. Don't look down on me, Mister "Legendary Sanin". Noone looks down on me. I'm scared of no shit. Anyone who looks down on me..I'll rip them up and feed them to the sharks...got that?? I'll give anyone no mercy. At all."

Sweat trickled down Yumi's face. Man, she can get overboard. You go too far, Kim.

"You're really scary," Jiraiya complained. "Don't glare at me like that! I'm sorry!! That wasn't the only reason why I'm here."

"Only?" Kimura questioned. "Only??"

"I mean----I was here for another reason!! Have mercy!!! I can't breathe!!! I'm serious!! The Goddess redhead almost crushed my bones and made me die internally!!!"

Kimura let him go and plopped herself on the chair. She folded her arms. "What about it?"

"Why are you here?" Yumi demanded, exasperated.

"Sasuke." Jiraiya sat down, massaging his neck.

Kimura stared at him. "What about him?"

"He's staying for atleast a week longer."

" I know that." [She didn't. She's just trying to act tough about it.]

"You have the Curse Mark, too, don't you?" he quizzed.

"I do...So does Yumi-chan...," she said slowly." Where are you getting at?" Yumi nodded in agreement.

"Why aren't you in a condition similar to Sasuke?"

"I don't know. How should I know?"

"I have the Curse Mark, too. I've been in Sasuke's state before...maybe worse," Yumi said. "But my Curse Mark is the Curse Mark of the Black Dragon....I guess it's dangerous. The Hokage and Kakashi told me not to use forbidden techniques...It might kill me or something...I guess."

"It's kind of the same with Sasuke, right? He can't use the Curse Mark chakra like you...right?" Kimura asked.

"Something like that." Yumi nodded. "It can kill us."

Kimura bowed her head. " Kuso*...," she muttered.

"That so? Hmmm...that indeed is very strange. Very unique. There must be something about you. You are very lucky."

"I guess." She shrugged. "But I heard Yumi's and Sasuke's Curse Mark have been sealed? What about mine."

"That's why I'm here for. It's very dangerous if you lose control. It can possibly kill you. Go see Hatake Kakashi tomorrow the very first thing."

"Sure...I guess," I said, quietly.

" "I guess?" What kind of answer is that? Is it firm?"

"Yes."

"Better be."

"I am. One more thing. Yumi has the Black Dragon Seal, Sasuke has the...what?"

"The Heaven Seal Curse Mark," Yumi grumbled.

"Mitarashi Anko has the Heaven Seal Curse Mark," Jiraiya added.

"Who is Mitarashi Anko?" Kimura asked.

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow along with Kakashi. We'll tell you two everything." He assured.

"I'm coming, too?"

"If you like, Yumi."

Yumi nodded. "Okay. I don't mind. Anyways, what Curse Mark Seal does Kimura have?"

"We haven't checked. We'll see tomorrow. We'll tell you the whole story tomorrow."

To be continued...