A strange new life

7.4

“…information about the laboratory leaked…”

Night had fallen and I was back in my apartment helping Karin settle. My abode was tiny: A single bedroom, a living room, a kitchen. Karin didn’t seem to mind that we'd have to sleep in the same bed. I didn’t either, even if I was getting conflicted about this.

Some blessed soul kept my apartment clean. We didn’t have to worry about dust bunnies or drowning in dust while trying to clear it.

On the other side of the bedroom, Karin looked pensive. She looked over my almost identical outfits and everyday clothes. She’d have to wear my stuff until we bought more for her later. That would be for tomorrow.

It had taken a while to appease Naruto once we left the tower. The brat didn’t seem willing to leave, and he only did after I promised I wouldn’t go on any other mission without telling him first.

I might have pinched his cheeks until he fessed up about that crying business. It left me feeling all warm and guilty and happy and sad. Best Girl Ino went to my rescue? And she even cried? I didn’t know how I felt about that, but that decided what I had to do. Ino’s been haunting my thoughts with increasing frequency.

He’d also told me about his new awesome jutsu— Rasengan— that the perv sannin taught him. He let slip a few more details. His mission hadn’t been a peaceful one. It took forever to find the granny, and in the end, she didn’t even want to come back, not to mention the two freaks that attacked them. The shark dude and bone guy.

Naruto promised to tell me the story in detail later. I even made him pink swear it. Shark guy could only be Kisame, but what about this bone dude? Was he talking about Kimimaro?

While Karin debated what to wear, I got into the showers and took a relaxing bath. It took a while to clean all the spots of dirt from the weeks of travel underground. No one had pointed it out, but I was sure the reason the councilman fled without pushing things further was the lovely smell coming from me and Karin.

“…probably due to council meddling…”

Cleaned, refreshed, and finally ready. I picked up a set of everyday clothes. Shorts, a pink shirt, and ordinary everyday shoes. I wasn’t really in the mood for ninja stuff right now.

I really wanted to go out and meet Ino, but it was already late. Begrudgingly, I postponed the meeting to the next morning. That would give me the whole day to talk with her. It was better that way, right?

Karin was already aware of my plans. She didn’t seem to mind staying alone while I dealt with essential matters outside. It was a shame I didn’t have any of my prepared supplies. My stock was nil before the mission, and I don’t think I can replenish it, at least not before dealing with the fallout.

After Karin finished bathing, we settled down, and I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Karin’s grabiness not even registering.

I woke up the next day with sunlight streaking inside my bedroom. I got up, disentangled myself from Karin, took another bath. Hot water, how had I missed thee!

When I left the apartment about one hour later, Karin was in the bath again. I guess that like me, she was compensating for the whole month without cleaning. I wrote her a note to ensure she knew I was out. It was time. I had delayed enough. I wasn’t going to delay anymore.

I took the shinobi highways and sped toward my destination. It had been just over a month, but the village looked different. I could still see marks of the invasion, the new patch of wall still in construction, and buildings that looked new compared to others nearby.

My path led me again near the GGC, but this time, I swerved away. I didn’t want to meet them yet. There was only so much I could deal with, and while I liked the grannies, I had more important things to do. My already exhausted emotional battery wouldn’t be enough if I had to appease them.

Without fanfare, I dropped from the highway in front of my target. I scanned my surroundings, read the familiar sign: Yamanaka Flower Shop.

I took a deep breath, steeled my nerves, stepped inside.

I stepped outside with a mix of relief and disappointment on my face. None of the Yamanaka were present. Ino’s mom was busy somewhere else, Inoichi wasn’t home, Ino was training. I had a new destination now. My old haunt, training field three.

Was there any reason why Ino chose that particular place to train?

The path there wasn’t long. I knew my way around this part, and even with some of my preferred roofs missing or destroyed, finding a new path to the training field didn’t take long.

I looked over my clothing, pushed a rebel strand of hair out of my face, and ensured my shirt wasn’t dirty or worse. With yet another deep breath, I walked inside the field.

Ino had her back toward the entrance. She wore her usual shinobi gear, a purple ensemble with bandages covering parts of her legs and midriff. Her hair was tied in a haphazard ponytail. From her movements, she was punching the wooden dummy. Each punch sounded like she meant business.

What had the poor dummy done to her?

An idea crossed my mind. I wanted to hug Ino a lot. Only one of me didn’t seem enough. My hands moved without my consent. Seals flashed, and out popped another me. We exchanged glances. Hug-chan gave me a nod, her grin almost feral.

We approached. Stopped a few meters away from the training blonde.

Hug-chan cleared her throat.

Ino ignored us.

My clone cleared her throat again, louder this time. I winced in perceived sympathy. That probably hurt a lot.

“Go away,” Ino said without looking back.

I exchanged glances with my clone. She shrugged, shook her head. Okay, fine, it was my turn.

I cleared my throat.

“Leave me alone,” Ino hissed without looking back.

That… wasn’t like Ino at all.

My clone looked worried like I felt. I cleared my throat again.

“Are you deaf?” Ino growled. She swirled, took one step toward us, teeth bared. She had bags under her eyes, wore no makeup, her hands were wrapped in bloodied bandages. She looked disheveled, for lack of a better word.

Then the blonde stopped. Her eyes were wide. A hand flew to her mouth.

“Hinata-chan,” Ino whispered, looking at me and my clone.

It seemed such a dumb idea now. Why hadn’t I just called out her name? Why did I have to create a clone? Dumb idea or not, I think my clone and I felt the same. We moved at the same time. No, not moved, we flickered forward and appeared by the blonde’s side. We sandwiched her in the tightest hug we could manage without breaking her ribs.

In the back of my mind, Shisui’s words still echoed.

“…they’re claiming you’re not Hinata, but a clone…”

Ino flopped on my arms, her face a mess of tears, snot, and babbling words. She fought between hugging and touching and making sure I was real. She was the prettiest ugly crier I had ever seen.

“Hinata-chan,” she said, mid-crying.

Was I a clone? Maybe. There was always the possibility. Did it bother me? Yes, it did. But right now, hugging best girl Ino and hearing her sobbing in our arms, it didn’t seem that important anymore.

What council hearing? What Hyuga problem?

None of that seemed urgent. It was Best Girl Ino time now. I could deal with everything else later.