Today, Maasaki and I are to patrol the outskirts of the Hidden Rain. Apparently there has been bandits terrorizing the people here, and since Pein is technically the leader of this village, he has to do something about the problem... and by that, I mean, sending one of to do it.

"This sucks! My shoes are getting all muddy!" Maasaki complained.

"What are you, a girl? Stop complaining." I said.

"But Satoshi!" he whined. "This village is unhealthy!"

"What?"

"To rain everyday is abnormal! Can you imagine animals trying to live in this condition?" he said.

"Maasaki... I lose more brain cells every time I'm near you."

"Good! Maybe then you'll be a bit more fun!" he teased.

"Idiot..." I mumbled.

"OH!" Maasaki said out of the blue.

"What is now Maasaki..." I said bluntly.

"I almost forgot about this, this is for you!" he said happily.

He took out a small box and handed it over to me.

"What is this for?" I asked, grabbing the box.

"You're kidding me, right? Today is your birthday! How could you forget that?" he said in disbelief.

"First of all, how did you know it was even my birthday, you shouldn't know that." I said.

"I... maaay or may not have looked into your files that were on Leader-sama's desk." he said sheepishly.

"I'm surprised you're still alive."

"I'm surprised as well! It's not easy running away from Leader-sama!" he said chuckling.

"Anyways... why were you looking into my files?" I questioned.

"Er... it was just.. there?" he said, obviously lying.

"You know what, I don't even care what you were trying to find, as long as you don't back-stab me when my back is turned." I said.

"I would never betray you Satoshi!" he said with a slight pout. "We friends after all."

"Yeah, yeah..."

I opened the small box and inside contained a photo. I didn't get to see it first hand, since it was flipped on it's back side. I looked at Maasaki weirdly as he kept looking at me like a parent watching their child to open their gift.

"There's two photos in there, I'm sure you'll love them! Well, maybe one of them... but either way I think they're great!" he said.

I took out one of the photos and looked at it strangely. It was a photo of me yelling at a happy Maasaki. I was yelling at him because he wouldn't leave me alone, I was trying to get some shut eye... but you know how Maasaki is..

"I picked that one because I thought it was hilarious!" he said laughing.

I sighed. "I thought I told you to rip those photos up.."

"I did! But you never said anything about keeping one!" he teased.

"And what made it wise to give it to me?"

"For a reaction of course!"

"I dislike you..." I said.

"Aww, don't be like that Satoshi! How about looking at the other photo!" he said.

I pick up the other photo and it made my eyes widen a bit. It was photo of my brother and I. It was during spring... Kakashi had me in a headlock while he did his classic close eyed smile with a peace sign. I had my right hand on his arm and I laughed, looking at my brother. This picture... it was the most recent one on my wall.

"You know, despite having two lazy guards on duty for the Leaf, the security there is tight. I had to go a second time to find your old room and get out." he said with a small smile.

"You didn't have to-"

"I know.. but I thought it would be nice for you to have a piece of your memory, you know?"

"Thank you... Maasaki."

"Eh, it was no problem! It was a piece of cake! ~" he said cockily.

I smirked. "Don't get ahead of yourself Maasaki."

Maasaki and I both chuckled an continued our search for these so called bandits so we can finally return back at the hideout.

'You truly are a kind person.. Maasaki. Thank you.'

Another day without my brother... today was his birthday and so here I sat alone by myself. Usually Satoshi and I would bake a cake together and make a huge mess due to all of the batter war. Most times when that happens, we'd have to go out and buy one. Heh, those are the type of memories I'd like to go back to. Yet I'm stuck here in the present to just mope around about the past.

I sighed and decided to get up from my spot and into the kitchen. I grabbed the needed materials to prepare a cake and silently began to make swirl designs onto the mixed batter. I was making a marble cake... Satoshi's favorite. I remember how his eyes lit up every time I mentioned it. Haha, he would be like a child who was told they can have anything they want in a store.

After I was finished, I placed the pan into the oven and sat onto a chair in the kitchen. I wanted to kill some time seeing that it's going to be awhile until it was done. Of course! I could always read my book... but it reminds me even more about Satoshi.. well, I guess it can't be helped.

The cake was baked to perfection, well, somewhat. I applied the chocolate icing onto the cake and stuck a candle in the middle. Today, Satoshi is turning 16...

I light the candles up and stared at the cake. I look across from me on the other end of the table of where Satoshi would always sit. My eyes softened at the spot and looked back at the cake.

"Happy birthday Satoshi..." I mumbled quietly.

I blew out the candle and watched the smoke of the candle dissipate into the air.

'I hope you're all right.. wherever you are.'