Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Duality ❯ A Brand New Song ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two: A Brand New Song

“Have you been able to contact Jiraiya-sama?” Kakashi asked.

Tsunade had called the former ANBU member into her office to discuss the Uzumaki Sekai situation. Since it involved a member of his team, and it was the first son of his dead teacher, Kakashi was one of the few people who knew what was happening.

If only the kid had turned up sixteen years ago and not yesterday, Kakashi thought sadly. But the war with Orochimaru and fending off the Akatzuki had left them battle weary, fatigued but guarded. They could not lightly take the risk of someone who just might be more powerful than Orochimaru had been.

Tsunade glared off to the side, obviously disgruntled over her former teammate. “No. He’s probably off doing ‘research’ for another one of his dirty books.”

“Hmm…”

“Don’t sound too disinterested, Kakashi,” said Tsunade sarcastically.

“Ah, sorry, Hokage-sama.”

The blonde sighed. “Though I never met Kain myself, I’ve heard enough to know the danger we face having Sekai here. He can’t be trusted.”

“Naruto-kun trusts him already,” Kakashi reminded.

Tsunade frowned deeply, sorrowfully. “I know.” It’ll hurt Naruto to find out that his brother only came here to help his master conquer the village—or maybe even to kill him. Naruto’s suffered so much already… “I only wish it would be easy enough to trust his mysterious power to make friends with anyone, but under the circumstances…”

“It’s not that easy,” Kakashi finished knowingly. He felt the same. Even though he’d been warning Naruto to not trust the boy, his student just wouldn’t listen to him. He knew Jiraiya had had the same problems trying to convince Naruto to give up his quest to bring Sasuke home.

But just because that circumstance had turned out alright, didn’t mean this would as well.

“I’m going to have a couple members of the ANBU squad tail Sekai. I can’t afford to form an entire team for the task, because the Akatzuki are still a threat.” Even though they hadn’t made much noise since their plan to gather all the Jinchuuiki had failed. “They’ll be reporting to you as well as myself, and if Sekai shows any sign of betrayal I want him brought in immediately. All of Team Seven’s missions will be kept in or near the village for the time being.”

Kakashi bowed and gave his affirmative before leaving.

-

Naruto cheerfully hummed a tune (the theme to some commercial he couldn’t get out of his head) as he entered the hospital. Today was going to be fun. His big brother was being let out of the hospital and Naruto planned to show him around town, to see the sights and introduce him to his friends. He couldn’t wait!

As he rounded the last corner that would get him to Sekai’s room, he saw Kakashi standing there waiting for him.

Naruto smiled and ran up to him. “G’morning, Kakashi-sensei!”

“Good morning, Naruto-kun. Going to pick up Sekai-kun, right?”

“Yup! I’m gonna take him by Iruka-sensei’s classroom before his students arrive, then we’re gonna go to Ichiraku for ramen, then I’m gonna show him around Konoha.” The words tumbled out of Naruto’s mouth in one breath.

“Well, it’s good to know you’re keeping busy on your time off,” Kakashi remarked before turning serious. “Listen, Naruto, I know you don’t want to hear this but—”

Naruto knew what this was. He didn’t want to hear it again. It would ruin his good mood. “Hey, Kakashi-sensei, I gotta go—Aniki’s waiting for me. See you!” He ran down the hallway toward his brother’s room.

Kakashi shook his head sadly and turned to leave. “You… idiot…”

Naruto breezed passed the two ninja still standing guard outside Sekai’s room—he didn’t know who they were—and stuck his head inside. He found his brother immediately. Sekai was out of bed and packing his things back into his small bag. “Ready, Aniki?”

Sekai turned and beamed at him, securing the bag to his waist. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here. I’m starting to get claustrophobic.”

When they were outside, Sekai looked around at all the buildings and people, taking in sights, sounds, and smells he had long forgotten, yet seemed familiar on an almost cellular level. This is where he had been born after all. If things had turned out differently he would have grown up here.

“Home at last,” he whispered.

Naruto grinned. “Yeah! Er, are you hungry?”

“Not yet. I’m used to having few meals,” Sekai admitted with a blush. “Why?”

“Why are you used to having few meals?” Naruto wondered, not answering Sekai’s question yet.

“Ah, well… My master was kind of forgetful.” Sekai was still blushing lightly. “But I don’t want to think about that man now. Where are we off to?” he asked, his cheerful demeanor slipping back into place with ease.

Naruto decided not to push the matter, though the thought that his brother might have been starved disturbed him greatly. He wondered in what other ways Kain had mistreated him. “First, I want you to meet Iruka-sensei. He was my—”

“Academy teacher.”

“Oh… Right. I keep forgetting you know most of this already.” Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head.

Sekai reached out and ruffled his brother’s thick blond hair fondly. “It’s okay. Let’s go! I want to meet your first sensei.” Then he paused and his blush renewed. “Um, Naruto-nii?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you want your friends meeting me?” Sekai asked quietly, suddenly shy. “I mean, most people think I’m really weird…” He pointed at the short dress, which seemed to be the wardrobe he favored.

Naruto smiled encouragingly and grabbed Sekai’s hand. “Don’t worry! They think I’m pretty weird too.”

But Sekai didn’t look reassured. “Yes, but…”

The other blond slowed his steps, suddenly less sure himself. “I don’t really know why you dress like that, but if you’re too embarrassed, then you don’t have to meet them.”

Sekai blushed further. “It’s not me. I’m worried you’ll be embarrassed by me.”

“Oh!” Naruto laughed. “Hey, you’re the one in the dress, not me.” Though it hadn’t crossed his mind actually, nor to even ask why Sekai wore a dress.

Sekai giggled. “That’s true. Well, I warned you, so don’t blame me if you change your mind.”

“I won’t!” Naruto continued on down the road. Now that he had talked about it though, Naruto began to notice that Sekai’s outfit drew the occasional bewildered stare. “Ne, Aniki? Why do you wear a dress?”

Sekai beamed. “Because I want to. It’s cute.”

“Oh… You like cute things, huh?”

“Yup!”

They managed to get there a few minutes before classes were scheduled to begin. Iruka was going over his lesson plans for the day when he startled by Naruto suddenly jumping in through the window.

“Naruto!” From the grinning, Iruka could tell that this visit hadn’t been spurred by anything urgent, so he relaxed. “You know, when you were younger you used to jump out of that window. I never thought I’d see you jumping in.”

Naruto laughed softly. “Hee hee, yeah, I remember that! Hey Iruka-sensei, there’s someone I want to introduce you to.” He pointed out the window to the other blond.

“Oh? Who’s this?”

Sekai hadn’t entered yet. Jumping in through windows unasked seemed a little impolite. Of course when Naruto urged him to that was a different matter entirely. “Ah, it’s nice to meet you, Iruka-sensei.” He bowed formally once his feet touched the ground.

Iruka’s eyes widened. “She looks just like you, Naruto!”

“He,” Naruto corrected with a frown. “This is my brother, Sekai.”

“Oh! Sorry about that.” Iruka did a double-take as his memory caught up with him. Oh that’s right, the Fourth had another son before Naruto… But I thought he’d died…

Sekai was blushing and smiling cutely. “No, it’s quite alright. It happens all the time.” In a softer tone he added, “Though it’s usually when I have boobs…”

After making dinner plans for that evening and Naruto assuring Iruka that he’d fill him in on the whole story then, the brothers left the same way they came in.

“There is a door you know!” Iruka shouted after them.

Sekai flushed and laughed as they ran across the academy grounds. “He must think we have no manners.”

“We don’t?” Naruto asked inquisitively and Sekai laughed more.

“He’s cute. Is he dating anyone?”

“Eh?”

“Never mind. I’ll ask tonight at dinner.”

“Er… Okay…”

-

Unbeknownst to the newly reunited brothers, they were being watched as they dined on ramen at Ichiraku’s.

Sasuke glared malevolently down from the rooftop of the building across the road. The two of them really did have a strong resemblance. It was worse when they were together.

They even had the same smile.

Now that he thought about it, Sasuke couldn’t remember seeing Naruto having so much fun since… well, three years ago. Not even in the month since he’d returned. Whenever Naruto and he were together, they both became uncomfortable, the air between them strained. It was because the two of them wanted different things and neither knew how to back down.

Naruto may have forgiven him, but beyond that he didn’t seem to know what to do. As if he was waiting for Sasuke to give him some sign as to how to approach.

Sasuke sighed quietly. “What are you doing here?”

Kakashi stepped closer and hid behind the water tank with him. “I was trying to sneak up on you.”

“Hm.”

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. “So, you decided to keep an eye on him?”

“No,” Sasuke snapped quietly, “I decided to make sure that idiotic deviant doesn’t try anything.”

Kakashi laughed, very softly. “That’s what I meant.”

Sasuke was glad he was facing away from Kakashi so his teacher wouldn’t see his blush. “Oh.”

They may not be on the best of terms yet, but at least he’s worried about Naruto. Kakashi was heartened by that. Other than returning, Sasuke hadn’t shown much interest in all of them. As if he were very carefully not reforming his ties to them so that he could leave again whenever he wished. This was a sign that that may not be exactly true.

Then, they were both surprised when Sekai suddenly stepped out from the ramen shop and looked straight at them. “Hey, if you’re going to spy on me anyway, then you could join us!” the blue-clad boy shouted.

“Tch.” Sasuke cursed, not at all liking that they’d been caught by the ‘deviant.’

“Well, we might as well.” Kakashi smiled, feeling as embarrassed at being caught as Sasuke did. He was a Jounin after all, and Sasuke was at least at the same level, even though he wasn’t officially yet.

Naruto was glaring at them both as they entered. “I told you, Aniki’s not trying to pull anything. He’s okay!”

“It’s alright, Naruto-nii,” his brother assured, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Sasuke felt a growl rising up in his throat. They were already so comfortable with each other. If Sekai flicked Naruto’s forehead, he’s snap the pervert’s finger off, Naruto’s anger be damned.

“They just want to protect you,” Sekai went on. “They don’t want anything to happen to you because they love you. I appreciate that they feel so strongly about you.”

Naruto had blushed and glanced at Sasuke at the word “love.” “Well… they don’t have to go overboard.”

“It’s not for him,” Sasuke scoffed. “We’re protecting the village.”

This did not have the desired effect however. Sekai distinctly looked like he didn’t believe him, and Naruto grinned when Sasuke said the word “village.”

Guess he’s really home then, Naruto thought, a knot untying in his stomach.

“How did you know you were being watched anyway?” Sasuke asked sourly. There should have been no way that Sekai could have detected him.

Sekai grinned. “Actually, I just assumed someone was watching. I didn’t actually know you were there for certain.”

So… we were fooled? That made Sasuke even more angry.

“Who’s buying?” Kakashi asked as he sat down, quickly changing the subject.

Naruto nearly spat out his noodles. “Not me! I still have to buy our dinner tonight with Iruka-sensei.”

“Doesn’t Iruka-sensei usually pay for that?” Kakashi asked.

“Well… Yeah…”

“Well then, you can splurge a little on your friends.”

“But…!”

“This reminds me,” Sekai said suddenly, looking at the ceiling. “I need a job, since I’m so broke. I’m sponging off my little brother. That’s no way for a man to live.”

“You’re a man?” Sasuke asked archly.

Sekai smirked and leaned closer. “Want me to prove it?” he asked lowly, eyes flashing.

Sasuke backed away, flushing from equal measures of anger and embarrassment. “Only if you want me to cut it off and make you a real woman.”

Sekai giggled and pulled back. “My. The kitty has claws.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Stop acting like one.”

“Now, now, boys,” Kakashi interjected. “Eat your noodles before they get cold.”

Sekai’s beam changed back to cheerful just as quickly. “Ne, Kakashi-sama?” he asked sweetly, just as the grey-haired man lifted up his mask partially to take another bite. “Are you seeing anyone?”

Kakashi nearly choked to death on the ramen. After much back-patting and a glass of water, he managed to croak out a strained, “No.”

Sekai grinned even wider, if that were possible. His fist shot up in the air in a girlish victory pose as he cheered, “Chance!”

“Hey, Aniki?” Naruto asked, frowning curiously. “Why do you keep wondering if people are single?”

“Because I’m interested,” Sekai said, as if it were obvious.

“So… you like guys?”

Sasuke snorted derisively. “You didn’t pick that up before? Idiot.”

Naruto’s face grew warm. “Shut up! I didn’t ask your opinion!”

“Well, it’s not like I advertise it,” Sekai said defensively.

Kakashi and Sasuke gave him a dubious look, not believing a word of it.

Sekai blushed and laughed nervously. “Heh, yeah, okay. Dumb thing to say.” He turned back to his little brother to answer his question. “Yeah, I do. Does that bother you?” Worry crossed his expression, afraid that Naruto would say it did bother him.

“Er… No, I guess not.” Naruto scratched the side of his head as he thought about it. No, it didn’t bother him so much. Maybe it was because he didn’t know where exactly he stood on the girl versus guy issue. “Um. How did you know?”

Sekai tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Well… I met this really pretty boy once and was attracted to him. That was kind of a tip off, I think.”

“Huh.” Naruto fumbled with his chopsticks nervously. “But, is it strange to like both?” he asked quietly, only wanting Sekai to hear that part.

It didn’t work of course. Sasuke and Kakashi heard perfectly.

Sekai smiled comfortingly, knowingly, and lowered his voice for Naruto’s benefit. “No, it’s not strange at all. And if anyone tells you differently, you don’t listen to them. I’m your big brother after all, so I’m right.”

Naruto grinned, immediately reassured. So it isn’t strange. Now he just needed to figure out if what he felt for Sasuke really was ‘like’ and why it was different than the way he ‘liked’ Sakura.

Beaming, Sekai watched as the anxiety left his brother’s face. “My little brother’s so cute!” Unable to contain himself, he launched himself at Naruto and sent them both tumbling to the floor.

“That was… random,” Kakashi remarked mildly.

“Idiots,” Sasuke added in, returning to his food and wondering why Naruto would ask such a question. He couldn’t… No way. He loves Sakura. He always has. That’s not going to change just because his brother’s a weirdo.

-

They were just walking along the street (Naruto looking for more people to introduce his brother to), when he caught sight of his other perverted teacher, Jiraiya, talking to a pretty young lady at a restaurant.

He raised his voice to get the man’s attention, “OI, PERVER—Mmph!”

Sekai’s hand clamped down on Naruto’s mouth. His smirk was large and no different than his brother’s when he was plotting some prank. Sasuke and Kakashi, who had been walking with the brothers, had bad feelings long before Sekai announced, “I have a terrible idea,” gleefully.

Naruto, curious, pulled Sekai’s hand from his mouth. “What?”

The older blond wrapped his arm around Naruto’s shoulders and whispered into his ear. Slowly, Naruto got that same smirk on his face.

“Do it, do it!” Naruto encouraged.

Sekai giggled and, in the middle of a crowded street with no shame at all, activated a genjutsu. Sasuke recognized it immediately. It was his “Haruko” disguise. Then, very confidently, ‘he’ walked toward the restaurant.

Sasuke stared, a nasty suspicion forming in his mind. “He isn’t…”

Naruto snickered evilly.

“I think he is,” Kakashi said, hiding behind his book, but peeking behind it nervously, far too fascinated. He assumed that it wouldn’t work; Jiraiya was far too smart to fall for something like that.

The way Jiraiya’s arm wound around Sekai’s shoulders quickly disproved that notion though. He was leaning in awfully close too, no doubt flirting. Sekai didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

“Maybe you should warm him,” Sasuke said.

“Yeah…” Kakashi took a step toward them.

“No!” Naruto cried, still giggled. “Wait for it…”

“Naruto, this is a nasty prank to play on your teacher…”

Naruto folded his arms over his chest petulantly. “He deserves it, the nasty old pervert.”

Kakashi sighed. “I suppose I should just be glad it’s not me, right?”

“Right!”

Jiraiya looked to be leaning in for a kiss, his hand indiscreetly on the ‘girl’s’ thigh, when Sekai decided it was the right moment to spring the surprise on the legendary sennin. The old man leapt back and screamed. Naruto and Sekai broke into peels of laughter.

Clutching his chest, Jiraiya looked pleading at Kakashi as they approached. “Who the hell is that?!”

“The Fourth’s firstborn.”

Jiraiya paused, stared at Kakashi for a moment as the words registered, before looking back at Sekai, who beamed at him pleasantly. “So…”

Kakashi nodded. “He turned up yesterday.”

“You’re going to have to fill me in on the details. After I’ve recovered.” Jiraiya slumped into a chair heavily, as if he legs could no longer support him. “That’s the third time I’ve come close to death. First time was peeping at that flat-chested Tsunade… Second was when Naruto went four-tails… and finally… meeting that little bastard over there…”

Kakashi patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Want me to get you a glass of water?”

“No… I think I’ll be alright… Ah hell, what happened to him anyway? He used to be a normal kid! Well, as normal as that family ever was…”

Kakashi caught him up on the current events, keeping his eyes on the kids standing nearby. Sekai was currently teasing Sasuke about his hair (“It really looks like a rooster tail!”) which sent Naruto into another fit of laughter. Sasuke looked like he very much wanted to murder them both in cold blood and leave their mangled corpses in some back alley somewhere.

“Hmm,” said Jiraiya thoughtfully when the Sharingan user was finished. He wasn’t surprised that everyone was on the defensive. He hadn’t met Kain himself, but he had heard the details. “You know, now that I think about it… Remember that time we visited and they had the kid wearing this little blue dress?”

Kakashi nodded slowly. “They kept saying it wasn’t a dress. Just that she couldn’t crochet that well yet.”

Jiraiya chuckled at the memory. They’d both teased the Fourth on it having lasting effects on the boy. “Still… We’ve met a lot of bad people in our lives. Does he strike you as particularly evil?”

“Not really,” Kakashi relented. “But he could just be a very good actor.”

“That could fool all of us?” Jiraiya shook his head. “There’s something else going on here.”

“Hokage-sama was looking for you, by the way.”

Jiraiya nodded. “I should go see what the princess wants then. Keep me informed, okay?”

Kakashi nodded and watched him depart. Jiraiya was right. There was more to all this. Even if Sekai wasn’t working with Kain, he probably wasn’t telling the whole truth. And where was his friend he’d said had escaped with him?

-

Night settled over Konoha. The view from Naruto’s apartment wasn’t ideal, but the stars shown brightly in the sky above the rooftops, and Sekai could just see it, which suited him just fine for the moment.

“Are you sure this is alright?” he asked as he removed his talismans. The pieces of paper moved with a will of their own and formed a neat pile on the nightstand next to the bed.

Naruto nodded, watching this in fascination. He still couldn’t believe his brother walked around with paper covering his entire body. “Of course. We’re brothers, aren’t we? I want you to stay here.”

“No, I meant the bed.”

“Oh.” Naruto blushed. “Yeah, it’s kind of small, but as long as you don’t hog the covers then it should be fine. Er, does snoring bother you?”

“I’m rather adept at sleeping deeply,” Sekai admitted, expression clouding over as he remembered something. He can’t be worse than Kain…He pulled the bedcovers up to cover them both, his smile back in place as he turned out the light. “Good night, Naruto-nii.”

“G’night, Aniki.” He was quiet for a long moment before he spoke up. “Hey, hey…”

“Hmm?”

Naruto turned over to look at the other blond in the pale light. “Did you mean what you said yesterday? That you were proud of me?”

Sekai smiled and ruffled Naruto’s hair fondly. “I meant it.”

Smiling bashfully, Naruto bowed his head, enjoying the hand in his hair. He had been touched very rarely in his life, but Sekai was a very touchy-feely person. He found he liked that attention. It probably should have been weird that he liked Sekai so much only after two days, but he just couldn’t suspect him like the others did. It felt like they should have known each other for years, it felt that comfortable together.

“I wonder what it would have been like, if you hadn’t been taken away,” Naruto commented after a moment.

Sekai smiled sadly. “You know, I have this reoccurring dream sometimes, about us as kids. We’re walking by a lake and there’s little Sasuke-kun sitting by himself on the edge of a pier. You kind of glare and make to walk off, but I grab you and make you talk to him.” He laughed softly. “Sounds weird, huh?”

Naruto stared—he didn’t know if he should tell Sekai that that sounded almost like a real memory of his.

Sekai frowned lightly. “What’s with that look? Did I say something wrong?”

“…Why would you want me to talk to Sasuke?” Naruto asked slowly.

Sekai shrugged and stared up at the ceiling. “I guess… I feel that if I’d been here the whole time, I could have done something about what happened between you three years ago.” He sighed and stretched his arms upward above his head. “Probably just wishful thinking, but… I don’t know. I’ll never know. It’s just… how I feel.”

Naruto remembered what Sekai had said at the hospital.

“I suppose you could say that I was too young to know any better, but the fact remains that because I did, you grew up alone. As your big brother that, to me, is the biggest failure of my life. It’s my deepest regret.”

Did that have something to do with it? Did Sekai feel guilty about Sasuke joining Orochimaru too?

Naruto smiled. He can’t be the bad guy everyone thinks he is. He’s got a good heart, I can feel it. “Don’t worry about that stuff, Aniki. You’re here now, right? And everything with Sasuke turned out alright in the end. So there’s nothing to feel guilty about.”

Sekai’s smile was still melancholy though. “Guess so…”

Wanting to make him feel better, Naruto put his arm around Sekai and hugged him, burying his face against the older boy’s chest. “It’s okay, Aniki. Really.” Actually, it was kind of comfortable like this…

Sekai threaded his fingers into Naruto’s thick hair, calmly working out the tangles he could get to until he was sure the younger boy had fallen asleep. Then he gently pushed him off and left the apartment.

-

Sai found him on the roof of the building. When Sekai caught sight of him, he was neither surprised nor angered at his sudden appearance.

“I was wondering who was watching me now,” the blond commented pleasantly. He was wearing his shorts and a shirt that looked like Naruto’s, large and black. It made him look more boyish than his usual attire did. “Good evening, Sai-kun.”

Sai smiled just as cheerfully, though perhaps not quite as realistic. If he’s faking, he’s very good at it. “Good evening. You don’t seem surprised to find out you’re being scrutinized.”

Sekai shook his head. “No, not at all. Actually, I’m glad,” he admitted ruefully. “All of you are very protective of my little brother. I’m glad he has so many good friends.”

Sai studied him. His posture gave away nothing but contentment. “It doesn’t bother you that you’re not trusted?”

The blond shrugged. “Not really. You’re all going to believe what you want. I just came to meet my brother. Anything beyond that? Well…” He sighed wistfully and looked up at the stars. “As soon as Yume-chan gets here, we’ll see what happens.”

“Aren’t you worried why she’s not here yet?”

“Not at all. She took a different route. It takes longer, so we figured Kain would not think to check it.”

“I see…” If she even existed, that is.

Sekai gazed up at him and laughed softly. “I wanted to thank you.”

Sai blinked. “For what?”

“Yume told me that you promised to protect Naruto and Sasuke’s bond.” Sekai smiled and reached up with one hand as though to touch the stars above. “I felt the same impulse, yet was unable to. So, thank you for doing so.”

“You felt the same…?”

Sekai nodded. “Under different circumstances, it might have been nice to help them get together, but as it is… I guess I won’t have the time.”

Sai stiffened. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t think we’ll be able to stay long.” Sekai’s expression sobered dramatically. “He’ll be coming for us. And… I don’t want anything to happen to Naruto-nii. Especially if it’s my fault. So instead of bringing danger to him, we’ll leave and take it with us.”

“Do you really think Naruto would just let you leave?”

Sekai shook his head, smiling once more. “Probably not. That makes me happy a little, selfish though it is. But I hope between you, Sasuke, and others, you can keep him from doing anything too rash.”

“And you think running away isn’t rash?” Sai asked, voice calm and merely curious.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t. It’s just the only option I can see right now.”

“If you asked for asylum, we could protect you,” Sai pointed out without thinking.

Sekai shook his head immediately. “If I did that, it would be for Yume’s sake. She can’t defend herself. All she has is that kekkei genkai and it’s not very helpful in a fight.”

“Do you think you can defend yourself against Kain?”

“No… He’ll get me in the end.” Sekai smiled brightly. “But I’ll go down with the knowledge that I won where it counts the most. I met my brother and he likes me. That’s enough victories against my master to last a lifetime.”

Sai had never heard anyone so willing to accept such a sad fate. It couldn’t be for real, but…

He’s the same as Naruto. You can’t help but believe him.

“You’re not going to tell Naruto this, are you?”

Sekai flushed brightly, the reddening visible even in the moonlight. “I was going to leave a note…” He glanced up Sai when he made no comment. “That’s pretty lame, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Sekai giggled softly and stood up. “I supposed it is. Still…” He flashed Sai a wide smile. “Don’t stay up too late, okay?” he admonished lightly, as if speaking to a child.

Sai blinked curiously at the abrupt subject change, and the fact that Sekai seemed to care about him. “I switch off with my teammate in a few minutes,” he found himself answering.

“That’s good.” Sekai smiled kindly before turning back to the door that led downstairs. “Good night, Sai-kun.”

“Yes. Good night…” Sai watched him go.

He’s a little irritating, but I agree with Jiraiya-sama’s comment. He doesn’t seem particularly evil…But even after this enlightenment, I feel there’s more to do this than meets the eye.

And Naruto would definitely be a handful when he found out Sekai planned to leave. If his reaction to Uchiha Sasuke’s departure three years ago was anything to go by, there was no way he’d just let Sekai walk away. Sai knew that for certain.

TBC. And so night descends on the Hidden Leaf village. But who is this shadow coming out of the darkness and what does this mean for our intrepid heroes?