Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Color of Evil ❯ So Innocent ( Chapter 8 )

Ch. 8-So Innocent

I opened my eyes to a white tiled ceiling that I easily recognized as the hospital. My eyes darted around the room and stopped when my gaze fell upon a bouquet of flowers on the bedside table "Who would bring me flowers?" I thought, lightly stroking the petals of half a dozen red roses.

I glanced down at my arm and saw new bandages wrapped around it. I wondered if Kaminari had followed my trail and brought me here. I shrugged off the thought and got out of the bed. I walked to the window to see the sun setting beyond Kohona's gate and thought about what I could do about my sensei. That's when I realized that my clothes were gone, replaced with a stiff hospital gown, probably because they had been covered in blood and caked in dirt. It hit me that I had put my sensei's bracelet into my weapon pouch and that was gone too.

"I have to stop her," I whispered out loud to the empty air.

Mentally unstable, that's what they said she was. It wasn't that she just couldn't take care of herself after being trapped in that burning building. I mean you get hit the head with a 200 pound support beam let's see if you're ok or decide if you're a danger to everyone around you. I sighed and turned back to the bouquet of red roses, wondering again who had brought them.

As if it was planned the door opened and Lee walked in. His eyes lit up seeing I was awake. He quickly ran to me starting off into a stream of questions concerning if I was ok, if I felt faint, and so on. I tuned out most of it while I just stared back at him.

"So innocent, " I thought, "Wait! Innocent…"

The mission: Frame an innocent of Kohona for robbery of forbidden techniques from the Hidden Sand and your sensei goes free.

"I could," I thought, "It means so little to me."

I tuned out the remaining words Lee said and only tuned back into the world as he finished.

"I am sorry Kagami-chan," Lee said casting his gaze to the floor.

I looked up in surprise, "Sorry about what?"

"That Kaminari caused you to be here."

I cocked my head in confusion but quickly regained myself.

"It wasn't her fault," I said not really sure what I was saying.

"If she had not deflected that kunai your arm would not be sliced open."

"Lee-kun, I've done more damage than this," I said and raised my bandaged arm, "Besides I can't even feel it."

He still didn't look convinced.

"You should stop being so hard on Kaminari-chan, she's dealing with a lot I can tell," I said walking over and sitting down on the bed.

Lee followed and sat down next to me.

"I do not understand why she seems to hate me and no matter what I do she still hates me more," said Lee his gaze darting to the roses.

I cocked my head to the side again and thought.

"Maybe she's jealous," I said.

Lee's eyes darted back to meet mine, "Why would she be jealous?"

"You're a powerful ninja and she can't even be one."

"I am not that strong. I still have not defeated my rival, even though I have trained for that purpose for years."

"You're strong, I know. You were amazing when we were training. You know, I'm jealous now."

He blushed and looked away. I turned to the roses and picked a single one from the center of the bouquet. I loved flowers and knew a lot about them. Not feeling my sense of smell and all my other senses were heightened.

"Do you like the roses?"

The question startled me a bit. I looked back at Lee his face still looked red.

"Yes, flowers are wonderful, but who brought these?" I asked turning my sight back to the remaining five roses.

"I-I brought them," said Lee.

I was shocked and quickly turned back towards him. For the short time I had known him, I had never heard him stutter. I regained myself and I guessed I smiled. He smiled back and some emotion flashed into his eyes but I couldn't place it. I had to admit though between the worried questions when he'd first come in and the flowers; this friendship was becoming a little idolatry.

I put the single rose back with the others, "Thank you Lee-kun."

"Kagami-chan?"

"Yes?"

I looked back at Lee and his eyes were staring directly into mine, it seemed as if his gaze alone had paralyzed me. He looked nervous for some reason and I tilted my head again in confusion, which apparently made him blush more.

"Kagami-chan-"

He was interrupted by the door opening and Naruto being thrown in as Kaminari walked in with a bored expression on her face.