Mi Ho pov:

*groan*

Just as I had expected before I fell asleep, I woke up to a very sore back and neck. There was a blanket put over me and my cheek was still resting on the table.

My arms felt really heavy, but I lifted them and tried to push myself off the table. I winced as the movement gave my back a rather painful twitch. But ignoring the pain, I slowly sat up straight and then arched my body backwards to give a full blown stretch to my spine. I hunched back soon after, hitting my back with my fist.

Gosh, that felt better.

Now that I was awake, I looked around the room. It was already morning; I had managed to sleep through the whole conversation that eonni had with Madara and oppa. I sighed and got up from the floor.

I could hear the water running in the bathroom and I could hear the sizzling of food in the kitchen as well. Hmmm, I wonder why eonni had rented an in that had a kitchen. Didn't the whole idea of coming out for a vacation mean not having to cook, clean or work in any way? Oh well....

I made it to the kitchen, stopping awkwardly at the door. Eonni had her back to me and she was stirring something on the stove. I wrapped one arm around myself and bit my lip, hesitant to interrupt her. I was kind of nervous to face her and oppa actually, after all the yelling and 'trying-to-prove-my-point' argument I had had with them. I hadn't meant to be rude in any way, but now I couldn't remember half of what I had spoken but I was pretty sure that most of the things I had said sounded rude.

"Did you sleep well?" I jumped when eonni suddenly spoke. I took in a breath and sighed. "Okay, I guess...." "Your brother is taking a shower. Once he's done, you should freshen up for the day too." She said without turning to face me. And then there was silence.

Such thick, heavy silence that it hurt my chest to breathe. I could pretty much hear my heart thumping in my chest, the nervousness bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I was so nervous to ask anything about what happened last night. I cant believe I fell asleep during such an important conversation!

I tried to get the question out of my mouth several times. But I was so tense that nothing but strained puffs of air escaped painfully through my mouth. I finally swallowed thickly, getting in as much air as possible into my lungs before speaking. "Wha-whad did he sa-say...?" My voice was pathetically weak and airy and the words almost incomprehensible. But being my sister, she was able to understand clearly what I asked her.

She stopped stirring whatever that was on the stove. She switched off the flame as well, covered the food and turned to look at me.

Seeing her face made me even more uncomfortable. She didn't look angry or worried or sad. She looked passive, thoughtful....it gave me a bad vibe.

I swallowed the lump in my throat but it didn't seem to disappear. "Mi Ho.....well, its hard to explain. I asked him many questions, but I don't know if I got all the answers. He's quite a difficult person to talk to, isn't he?" She smiled lightly. I still couldn't find my voice so I averted my eyes and nodded.

"I even sent away your brother so he could tell me....assuming that he would find it annoying to have someone constantly comment on what he said. But he didn't open up....not one bit. He doesn't seem to be the expressing type. Does he tell you anything?" I looked up a little surprised at her question. I was feeling a little better since she didn't seem disappointed or ready to blow up in anger for what was going on.

"H-he...." I stalled, not knowing what exactly to say. I took a deep breath, my gaze softening as I remembered the times in the Uchiha compound. "He never lets anyone see any weakness. He's that sort of prideful guy....he hates pity, sympathy and affection from anyone actually. I'm surprised he went to the extent of wanting to keep me by his side. Then again....he is doing it all because of my power."

My heart dropped to my stomach. All this time, I was afraid to acknowledge what I really was to Madara. But now, I finally said it out loud, the obvious fact dawning upon me more clearly than ever before. I was the only one running after him because of the feelings in my heart. True, he was drop dead gorgeous, he was strong, most definitely was rich when we were in the compound a hundred years ago.....but that never really mattered to me.

I hated his guts and his woman-like mood swings, but I loved his confidence. I loved his headstrong attitude, his intelligence, his scent, his strong embrace, his rough but sweet kisses....I loved him. He was just one man that I loved.

My eyes stung and I couldn't stop the tears that escaped. I wouldn't have been able to stop them even if I tried. I was embarrassed to look this way in front of eonni. I turned around and walked out of the kitchen but she caught up with me and stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I refused to turn and face her though, fearing that she would only scold me for showing this depth of hurt for someone like Madara.

"Mi Ho, I can understand how you feel because I can see that he's not a very expressive person. Maybe your power is one reason why he wants you with him.....but I can tell that he trusts you and cares for you." My heart skipped a beat at what she said. I turned around, ignoring the fact that my eyes were probably puffy. I was too surprised to take the time to wipe my eyes dry. But my gaze was narrow, curious, unable to believe what she just said.

"What?" She smiled at my question and looked to the side. "Just before he left, he kissed your head so gently. I was in the kitchen; he probably assumed I didn't see. But there was a gentleness in his eyes as he touched your head and kissed you. He watched you silently for a few moments before actually leaving.....no man would do something like that if they didn't really care for a girl. I know this because it comes from personal experience." She looked at me making me feel even more surprised.

"Even if he was showing kindness just to trick you into helping him, he has no need to show such gentleness when you're asleep, does he? And he most definitely wouldn't leave you here without someone to watch over you constantly. I'm sure he had other ways to make you listen to him. He trust you....and I think he really does love you too, Mi Ho." What eonni said was true. What she had seen....what she meant, it was all true.

So did Madara really care for me? Behind that cold, cruel façade, did he really love me?

My eyes stung again, tears falling carelessly down my cheeks. "E-eonni ya...." Eonni chuckled but she just brought me into an embrace. I didn't hesitate and I held her back tightly, wiling into her shoulder. "W-why did it have to be him?! W-why couldn't it b-be anyone else?! Its not fair!!" I held her dress tightly in my fists. I could already make out that my tears were soaking her dress but she didn't mind. She just patted my head and my back gently, not saying anything. She just gave me the silent comfort that I needed right now.

I was crying quite loudly and I heard rushed footsteps as oppa came running out of the shower to where we were. "W-what happened? Who?! Where?! What?!" I heard oppa ask quite shaken by hearing my loud cries. Eonni chuckled as she continued to pat my back. "Its alright, dear. I was just telling Mi Ho what happened yesterday."

"O-oh....um...." "Maybe you should put on some clothes first, dear. I don't think Mi Ho would want to see you with only a towel on." I couldn't help but smile through the tears. I suddenly felt awkward but I heard oppa walk away, back into the room so he could change.

I was so glad I got eonni and oppa involved in this matter. It was getting too hard for me to take all the stress alone and besides, eonni and oppa had experience in the matter of love. And if they said that they felt Madara really did care for me, I had the confidence to trust their words. It really made me feel at ease.

After all this time of worrying and running away from my feeling, I finally felt that I could probably start accepting Madara wholeheartedly. The only thing now was, what do we do about the war?

>>Timeskip evening

"Take care, okay? Don't go far from this village....things are going to get dangerous soon." Oppa said to me and Ryoshi. We were back in front of Ryoshi's house; eonni and oppa were here to drop me back. They had to head back to Iwa and in one way, I was glad that I was going to be alone here. If I was with eonni and oppa, despite what they said, I would have felt burdened and guilty.

"Of course, nii sama. You all please take care too." Ryoshi wished with a respectful bow. "Noona!! Don't worry! I'll become superman and I'll come and protect you!" I chuckled, kneeling in front of Jin Hae who was puffing up his chest. I placed a hand on his head. "Okay, I'll be counting on you." "Yes sir!" He saluted me like an army official and I chuckled again before standing up.

"Oppa." I looked at him still slightly sad. He smiled gently. I stepped closer to him, wrapping my arms around his neck in a hug. "Kumawo.....geurigo, mihyane. [thank you.....and, sorry]"

He chuckled, patting my back reassuringly. He pulled me out of the embrace and held my shoulders. "Kokkchong hajima. Da quenchanalkoya. Uri dongseng eun.....na midoyo. [don't worry. Everything will be okay. My younger sister.....I trust her ]" I returned his smile with a nod. He patted my shoulder once more before taking a few steps back.

"Okay then, we'll take our leave now." Ryoshi and I waved and we stood at the door watching them walk away until we couldn't see them anymore. When they were finally out of sight, I let out a sigh. I turned to Ryoshi with a smile. "Ryoshi, how would you like to go out for dinner? I'm feeling lazy to cook anything tonight."

Ryoshi was a little surprised at what I said but he nodded. "Sure, I guess." "Okay, lets go!" I headed back inside the house so I could freshen up and get into some new clothes before we went out for dinner. Ryoshi got ready quickly too and soon we headed out for dinner.

We went to a close by restaurant for dinner. The food was simple and delicious. We had light conversations and I did my best to ignore comments and giggles from the old ladies sitting around us. As usual, they were probably commenting on Ryoshi and I being together. Its not like I could get them to stop. They'd just say, 'Yes yes dear, whatever you say' and then go ahead with their giggling and muttering.

But now that I had spoken about the matter that was bothering me, a load had been lifted off my shoulders. The comments from the ignorant people around us didn't bother me as much as it did before. So it was easier to ignore it.

After we were done with dinner, we walked back to the house slowly. The village had been getting quieter as the days passed because the war was getting closer. So many people found it uncomfortable to walk in the open during the night. Ryoshi, being a ninja wasn't as uncomfortable and knowing that Madara wouldn't do anything to me was the thing that made me fearless.

"Um....Mio?" I looked to the side when Ryoshi called my name. "Hm? What is it, Ryoshi?" He looked away awkwardly making me a little unsettled about what he wanted to say. "I don't mean to poke into your private matters, but.....what did you talk about when you went with nii sama? I-I mean....when he was leaving, you looked distracted.....but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He was slightly flustered.

I smiled and looked up at the star studded sky as we continued to walk. "Its nothing important. More than that, I don't think its something you would understand.....its kind of about our past." I covered up smoothly. I didn't want to make him try to figure out what we were talking about. If I just said it was about my past, he probably wouldn't try yo dig in for information. And just as I had hoped, he didn't press the matter anymore.

We reached the house after a short stroll. Actually, we had gone for quite a long walk; when I looked at the time, it was already 11:30.

I don't know why, but I was pretty tired today. Both mentally and physically. I felt like, in the first time in ages, I would be able to sleep calmly without having to worry about matters concerning Madara. Its not that it had been fully solved, but some very important things in the matter had been cleared out. My crying session in the morning too had drained half my energy and my eyes were dry, begging to be closed.

Just the thought of feeling the soft bed and the soft pillow was heavenly.

"Hey Ryoshi? I'm kind of tired today so I'm going to sleep. Thanks for dinner." He nodded with a smile. "Sure. Good night, Mio." "Good night." I bowed my head a little and headed to my room.

I washed my face and got into my nightclothes. A baggy shirt and a pair of shorts. I exited the bathroom but I paused when I sensed Madara. I looked around, spotting him leaning against the wall next to my cupboard. He had his eyes closed, arms crossed over his armored chest and his usual annoyed scowl on his face.

My chest tightened as I watched him. But I felt warm at the same time and I let a smile graze my lips. I walked to him as he opened his eyes and pushed away from the wall, clenching his fists at his sides. He was giving me an annoyed glare but I didn't let it bother me. I continued to smile at him and I noticed his glare falter slightly. But he narrowed his eyes, staying determined to intimidate me.

My gaze softened and I held his arms. I leaned up, letting my lips meet his in a very soft kiss. He stiffened at my sudden gesture but then relaxed, wrapping his arms around me and pressing against my lips as well. I pulled away quickly and stared into his sharingan eyes at a distance where our noses were just touching. His eyes were glowing in the dark but somehow had a warmth that I wasn't expecting to see.

Had it always been there when he looked at me? Perhaps I had been so caught up in trying to be 'cool' that I hasn't taken the time to actually figure out the way he looked at me.

I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning against his chest with my eyes closed. But I frowned and moved away from him. He narrowed his eyes at my frown. "Your armor is so hard....I cant even hug you properly." I muttered out. I looked over his armor unclipping it at his shoulder and his back, letting it fall to the ground. I leaned against his chest again, almost cuddling into the warmth. It was so blissful and even better than when I had imagined cuddling into him in front of eonni and oppa.

He just held me, probably confused at the way I was acting. But I closed my eyes again, drowning in this warmth that I had missed.

Madara pov:

"Your armor is so hard....I cant even hug you properly." Mio mumbled out annoyed. I narrowed my eyes at her behavior. Up until yesterday, she had been angry and yelling at me, disobeying to anything and everything I said. Why did she suddenly change? What was she planning?

She looked over my armor, reaching up and unclipping what held it in place. It fell to the ground in a heap and she pulled me to the side so she could stand in front of me comfortably. She placed her hands on my chest and leaned forward so her cheek was pressed up right above my heart. She sighed and closed her eyes.

I was confused but I held her against me nonetheless. I looked down at her actually feeling satisfied that she wasn't yelling at me like usual. However, I wanted to know what made her change like this.

"Mio, what did you....." "Please don't say anything, Madara." She cut me off and I narrowed my eyes. Why was she silencing me? She had to tell me what had happened after I had left. I'm sure her so called family would have convinced her to go against me.....but now she was holding me like this. What was she planning?

"I just want to stay like this for a while....please...." Mio said. Her voice was low and she sounded tired. I just watched her silently and after a few minutes, her weight on me was obvious. She had fallen asleep. I scowled in annoyance. How could she have just fallen asleep like this? I was talking to her and I wanted answers.....but now....

I sighed in frustration. This was the first in a long time that she herself had stayed quiet and leaned to me. It reminded me of the times I had held her against myself in the Uchiha compound. It wasn't the same as then but much more comforting.

I couldn't do anything now so I sat down against the wall with Mio sitting between my legs. She was leaning sideways against my chest and I had an arm around her waist. She was sleeping rather deeply and somehow, I didn't want to wake her.

I took off the glove on my right hand and ran my hand through her hair. She scrunched up her face slightly, shifting to sleep pressed up even more against me. She was holding my shirt in one of her fists and I could now feel her soft warm and even breathing on my neck.

What was going on in her head? I couldn't tell at all.

I looked out of her window, lost in thought. It was almost time for the war to begin. Hardly a few days left and here I was sitting with this foolish girl in my arms. What am I doing? I wanted Mio to come and help me with this war, not just sit here like this. This war is where I would become the new Rikkudou Sennin and put an an end to this unbalanced world. I would bring complete peace in the infinite tsukiyomi, in an infinite genjustu. I would be the one to lead the world and maintain that peace.

I wanted Mio by my side. I wanted her to be with me as I lead this world.

She was impossibly annoying sometimes and she always tried to prove her point or lecture me for something I wanted to do, but she was honest. She was honest and brave and beautiful. And despite how much we argued sometimes, when I was around her, I felt at ease. Whenever my mind was muddled up, when I was annoyed and irritated with lack of progress, when I thought of Izuna and regret not being strong enough to save him then....Mio was the first person who came to my mind. Just thinking of her embracing me, running her hands through my hair, inhaling her scent from the crook of her neck; it seemed to control the violent turbulence I felt.

I wanted her by my side. Now and when I won the war. I looked back at her sleeping face. Her eyes closed softly, her supple skin fair in the dim light of the room, her pink lips that had kissed me just moments ago. I touched her cheek lightly with my free hand; her skin was so smooth in comparison to my rough callused hands. This was the first time I had observed her and surprisingly, she looked rather delicate.

She was small in physique, her hands and legs were slim with no muscles, her skin was so smooth and soft be it her face, her hands or feet. Her waist was so small that even one of my arms seemed too long when wrapped around her. Sleeping against me like this, she looked so defenceless and weak; almost like a glass doll that could break if handled roughly. It made me wonder how someone so delicate had such a loud voice and such guts to speak against anyone despite their looks and power. Where did she get all that energy from?

I was blank for a few moments as I watched her. I didn't know what to think anymore. "Mmmhhh....Madara....." I frowned slightly as she mumbled my name. She sighed in her sleep once and then everything fell silent again.