Black Light (Naruto)

Chapter 60

Woah! We're on Chapter 60 already? Time has really gone by, huh?

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Hikaru's POV

He blinked. Then blinked a few more times. 

He stared at Asami's outstretched hand, then at the kimono gracefully shaping her thin body. Her voice rang in his ears much like Sakura's had been, wide smile reminding him all too much of the once cheerful grin that she'd bore. 

Hikaru accepted the outstretched palm, tugging down the wide sleeves of his own kimono a bit. He could feel the slight sweatiness of her palm, before concluding that it'd been from holding chopsticks. 

She lead him onto the dancefloor, and they began to 'waltz', as she'd put it last time. 

"Say, Kitsune-san, what's on your mind?" Asami asked him, and Hikaru blinked in mild surprise. 

"Why do you ask?" He murmured, taking the leading step, his hand awkward on her thin waist. He didn't even know why he was dancing with her-- maybe because he could never say no to someone that reminded him so much of Sakura, as well as being destined for the same fate. 

"You seem... preoccupied, if that's the best way to put it." She murmured over the music, blue eyes lighting up with curiosity. "You don't need to tell me if you don't wish too."

"No, no, it's fine." He could see Jiraiya out of the corner of his eye. "I just have someone on my mind recently, that's all."

"Like a crush?"

No. No, the exact opposite of a crush. Friendship, maybe. Yes. He'd pretend like his face wasn't on fire and settle with friendship. Because if it was anything else, he'd lose all hope of ever talking to Kakashi again, and kami, he did not want that. 

"No. More of a best friend of mine back in Konoha." Hikaru responded after a second of being flustered, mouth dry. He didn't really understand, but he would just pretend like he did. 

"You miss them, then?" Asami's head tilted, black locks of hair falling gently into her face. Hikaru was, once again, reminded of Sakura. Except this girl was more... elegant, per se. 

"Hai. It's been awhile since I've been away from them." He muttered, keeping his eyes on Jiraiya, who was discreetly taking notes. "If you'll excuse me, Asami-san."

He bowed briefly, before straightening back up and heading over towards Jiraiya. 

"Hello, Jiraiya-san. May I ask why you're taking notes and acting suspicious?" Hikaru asked, letting his head tilt to the side curiously. He could feel a million pangs in his heart at the current moment, flashbacks crowding his brain until he felt like he couldn't breathe through them. 

A few tense heartbeats passed. 

"I'm doing research," Jiraiya said, before showing him the notepad, "On formal settings. I found you and Daimyo-sama's mistress to be quite enticing subjects."

"Oh. Okay. Do you have any questions for her? I'm sure you'll be okay to ask straight-up." He didn't say anything, before leading Jiraiya towards the Daimyo's table, where Asami was seated once again.

The silence in the room was non-existant. It, in fact, was quite loud, the music and the chattering ringing in his ears. 

He adjusted his mask on his face, making sure it was seated comfortably, his chakra slowly connecting with that of his clones. There was a chakra signature at the very edge that he did not like at all-- it was hinting towards a strange mixture of lust and overwhelming hatred that he couldn't shake off.