![](https://i.imgur.com/BR2EVmY.jpg)
Kiri was very much eager to finally let loose. Partly because it would be a good way to think things through, and partly because it might just knock some senses into him. He really needed someone to give him a good beating, or maybe just to guide him.
But all that plan would change when a hand would suddenly find itself on top of his head. If Kiri never feared anything before, at that very moment, at the sound of the voice, at the touch of his head, he felt a chill rise from behind him. He could almost feel his face paling from the recognisable chakra behind and the force that was applied to make him turn and face the source only made him hold his breath.
To be honest, a mixture of feelings ran throughout him as he watched Osu and listened to every word from the other’s impromptu lecture. At some point, he opened his mouth to speak but didn’t. He waited until the very end. Indeed, he had never seen Osu as stressed and seemingly on the verge of killing him like this, not to mention that the latter’s hand was still in place on his head. Well except for that time in prison, this almost resembled it, but still, never had he experienced an Osu like this. After all, Osu was more of the silent type when he was truly angry. Right now, it was the admonishing Osu and he couldn’t blame the latter as it seemed fitting and just.
And when, the latter seemed to have calmed down for a bit, voice a little better though sounding still strained, and his eyes are intense as before, Kiri knew that this was as close as he could get to the normal Osu for now. But what was a “real Osu”? Was it the Osu that took care of him before? Was it the Osu in the prison? Was it the Osu at the gates?
Just thinking about it, Kiri lowered his eyes in shame, the joyful smile turning into a fine line, his own heart beat seemingly calming down from a sudden excited phase, and his strength to resist subsiding. But it was only for a brief moment and he raised his head, eyes forward to Osu, and he smiled. He reached out a hand to grab at Osu’s that was atop his head, but there was no effort to pull it away or tighten. Just simply holding it.
“Something,” was his only response before glanced sideways to look at Haji. He knew he couldn’t tell Haji’s side of the story as to why he was there and taking his sweet time before going back to the village, but he wasn’t exactly too keen on letting on what he had done. Eyes back to Osu, he continued,
“I don’t think… I’m cut out for mednin.”
He let it sink to the other, but as he waited, his expression would change from calm to worried, to troubled, to determined, and to defeated.
“Is part of it… but I don’t want to give up. But I may have.. donesomethingtoembarrasstheRaikage AND!” He suddenly spoke that last bit quite fast with a sudden halt before taking a moment to breath again before continuing with pain visible in his eyes, almost as if he was really having an internal dilemma,
“I didn’t care what they’d do. I’m not afraid. I just didn’t want to be someone who would go back on his word and I promised not to fail again… but you… you made me promise to live and I couldn’t break that promise either and… I know that no matter what, failure is never an option. It is winning or death. And I knew I couldn’t walk away like a coward… because I’m not a coward. And what would they think of you, of the Raikage, if I simply walk away?”
Sometimes, no… often than not, when Kiri would be overwhelmed, he would just blurt out what was in his mind. And that was it. Once, Osu had reprimanded him of that bluntness of his. Of course it would lead him to trouble, but most of the time, it was the reason why he could never tell a lie, or deceive another. And sometimes, it was all he got to make sure he would never betray himself.
“Sorry. I really did try, but I don’t know how I can apologise to the Raikage like this. That’s why… I don’t think I should go back yet. Not until I can figure out what to say.”
[WC: 765]
[MFT]