It never occurred to me how much ties really meant to me. Maybe I'm overreacting or I'm just too dang emotional, but I've always clung to straws when it came to friendship. It just seems that I can't let go, any kind of ties or relationship. Is this a bad thing when being a shinobi? Yes. But as a person, I just think it as a flaw. A very bad and evident flaw, but hey, I'm human.

Thoughts raced my head as soon as I heard those words from Sakura. Shoot. There's no escaping it now is there.

I decided to play it quite, hoping to make her think that I was actually sleeping. It didn't work. She just kicked me.

"Saki!" she hissed. "I'm talking to you!"

I groaned. "Yes?" I said in a dull tone that emphasized my accent even more. "How may I help you dear custom-" She kicked me again before I could finish my sarcastic comment. I bit back a scream of agony.

"What the hell was that for!" I hissed through my clenched teeth as I nursed my bruise.

"What was up with you before? I-I don't get it!" She whispered.

"Get what?"

"You know! When you talked about your personality just being an act..." She paused and shifted slightly. "Is it true Saki-chan?"

"I really shouldn't had told ya huh?" I sighed. "I guess you can say that's it's... Uh, true."

It got quite. "Then was everything about you a lie Saki-chan?"

I paused and thought about it. I myself, as shocking as it was, didn't even know the answer to the question that I made. How pathetic is this?

"Yes... I mean no. Um... Shoot. How do I..." I pondered a bit more, then turned on my side to face her. "I... Well. You can say I've been acting a bit... B-but not everything... Is a act."

She gave me a look. "Like what?"

"My accent." I grinned sheepishly. "My accent, ya really can't keep fake something as long as this. But... I can remove it. If ya want."

She gave me a curious look. "You talk weird, there's no hiding that. But you say that you can remove the accent."

"A little bit. But it's hard on me." I cleared my throat. Argh, talk like a normal person.

Fufu...

Shut it.

I cleared my throat again. And took a deep breath. "H-hi, my name is Saki Hyuga. Nice to meet you." I spoke with a soft elegant voice, trying hard to sound like Hinata. This better be worth it...

I meet Sakura's eyes to see two very wide eyes. I grinned. It was worth it.

"You actually sound like a normal- Wow! I couldn't hear your accent at all!"

"Duh, that's the point Sakura."

She giggled. "Okay, any else you're hiding from me?"

My mind races at the endless amounts of secrets, but didn't let it slip out. Instead, I lied. I lied and twisted my words.

"I... Sorry Sakura. It's been a bad habit of mine. I tend to act and exaggerate a few things when I'm nervous or don't know how to act... I tend to act more childish. More loud. More annoying. But." I gave her a sad look. It was an award worthy, convincing sad smile. "It's a defense mechanism. But the thing is."

"Sometimes I get immersed so much into my facade, that I become that persona. This is the first time that you've seen me like this, calm ya know. But, you might not see me like this for a long time. I truly do become that ditzy, annoying, hyperactive, personality that I've made. It's not something I can really change or alter at this point, it's part of me. It's part of who I am, part of me. And sometimes, I slip up and that was what happened at the bridge." I stared at the ground. "I hope you can understand..."

I felt a hand on her hands on my shoulder, and glimpse of her eyes showed me that she wasn't angry. Whew.

"I understand Saki!" Her grip tightened but it wasn't painful. "I-I'm sorry for... Bringing up such a subject for you..."

I waved my hands in front of her. "No! It's okay! I'm okay with it if you're okay! Um... I just haven't talked 'bout this for a long time. I haven't really slipped like this for a long time."

She send me a guilty look, as my mind scream at the amount of lies I was currently feeding this girl. But I couldn't say any of it. Or show it.

"Is it alright if we remain friends?"

I snickered, just for the heck of it. "You make it sound like you rejected my feelings for ya during a confession. What's this? A shoujo manga?"

"No!" she laughed, smacking me on the shoulder. "Friends?" She held out her pinky.

I stared at it for a split second. If I were to wrap my finger around that pinky, I'll regret it everyday for the rest of my life after I break such a delicate promise. But I had a duty, a job that I had to accomplish. So I wrapped my pinky around hers.

I smiled at her. "Friends."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

We shared a small smile between us, almost like two innocent girls sharing a sweet secret. But we rolled back to our original positions, and slept. And I smiled bitterly after that. I'm sorry Sakura, for lying.

(-)

Kakashi certainly felt relieve when he saw Sakura and Saki the next day. They seemed more cheerful and even sat down to talk to each other. He couldn't help but smile every time he heard Sakura laugh or Saki's usual hyperness, making the task of guarding the bridge a bit less boring than it had to be. Though there was something a bit different about Saki, but he couldn't put his finger on it. But the shine in both their eyes showed him that they shared something quite secretive, and judging by how happy they looked, he assumed that it was probably a good thing.

And to add to all of that, Naruto and Sasuke finally got the hang of climbing up the trees, which he also felt fortunated for. No more grumbling Naruto or a sulking Sasuke to deal with. But that did meant that Naruto was quite tired, which was the reason why they left him at Tazuna's house while they went off to guard the bridge builder. But the moment they saw the unconscious bodies of the workers and quick veil of mist, they knew what was coming.

Kakashi sighed as he pushed up his forehead protector once again to reveal the Sharingan eye he'd been given. It looks like he was back to being what he really was. A shinobi.

(---)

There was an immediate chill that I felt the moment I place my foot down the bridge. Something was screaming to come and kill. And I was right.

"Aye Sakura. What cha want to do?" I spoke, calmly as I could. "Sasuke already went off to kill some of those stupid water clones. I can't detect Naruto anywhere. And Kakashi's trying to hold off the other guy."

"W-well," her voice quivered, "we're suppose to guard Tazuna."

"But that's it! We gotta do something!"

Like what? You can barely pay attention to Iruka's lessons!

I clicked my tongue out of annoyance. The voice was back...

The only reason why you're alive is because I'm here!

Shush...

"But Kakashi said to guard Tazuna..." she muttered.

Before I could answer her, I felt a gush of wind from the mist. The only reason why I still had my head attached to my body was because someone managed to grab me out of the way before a sword could cut me in half.

"You idiot!" Sasuke hissed, letting go of my collar to deflect another attack. I stuck out my tongue at him but quickly got to my feet.

"One job Sasuke! One job! And I nearly got my head chopped of!" I retorted.

"I'm doing my job perfectly fine! It's just you! Protect the damn client!" he glared. "This is not the time! Get back into formation!"

Taking out a kunai, I took a stance. "Not happening solider, I just got out here ya know!"

"But Tazuna and the client-"

"Will be fine jeez! Sakura's not stupid and Kakashi got's the Mist fellow. Naruto's with me so that leaves ya to that guy over there!" I pointed my finger to an unknown figure wearing an odd mask. "Remember him?" I yelled over the clashes and clinks of weapons. I managed to knee one clone in the gut and dispelled it before it could soak me.

"The hunter nin..." he whispered.

"Yup! Looks like some peeps aren't what they say!" I urged him on. "Go on! Get him! I don't want risk my life just yet!"

He grumbled about something but did what I said. He attack the masked ninja practically growling. I grinned. Good.. Good.

Above!

I ducked.

Behind, and he's got a sword!

I moved to my right and stabbed it on the side.

You would be nothing with me!

I know!

Just stab the damn thing already!

(---)

Today, I thought, would be a good day! Just guard the bridge builder, try to talk to Sasuke-kun, and have a funny chat with Saki-chan. But I guess it's too good to be true. Honestly, why couldn't I just have a normal first C-rank mission? It's almost like this team was cursed with bad luck....

Cha! Honestly! This is getting ridiculous!

But I contained my frustrations in my head and focused on the two battles in front of me. I was concentrated enough to just stab any thing that even twitched near me. To my surprise, Saki was holding out fairly well, even though it seemed like she was muttering under her breath. Almost like she was talking to herself. But I guess it was just her own way of fighting.

The fight with Sasuke-kun and Naruto was the one the concerned me to most however. The feeling of not even being able to see the clusters of ice mirrors made me tremble with anger. I couldn't do anything! I was ticked off to the point that I wanted to stab this damn bridge builder for dragging us into this mess! But taking in a deep breath, I told myself that if anything happened to this client, it would be on me. I was responsible for him and it was a duty I couldn't abandon as a shinobi.

Stupid mission...

Yes, that will be the reason why I'm the last member still standing in this stupid formation. But, I could feel at least a bit peeved, right?

(---)

(A.N. I never thought I would start writing again but it looks like Wattpad dragged me back some how. The layout is pretty nice now, better and simpler to look at. I don't have much to say since I just got back. But just let me tell you that I went back to other stories and re-read them... -shivers- Urgh, the grammar. But I'll try by best to update from now on. But I'm now sure if I'm dedicated enough to talk to people on this website since I just view it as a place to write and not socialize... But whatever, I'm just rambling about nonsense now! But at least a I have a very clear idea on what the hell I should do with this story... I kinda love it now... )