❝ You're a Midorima? ❞

the most is heat. Especially during the summer. The sunlight was so hot and bright that she has to squint her eyes. Her skin would turn red like a boiled crab and she would quickly feel dizzy.

Moreover, Shizuka had to go on a mission to Sunagakure. A place that only contains sands and very few trees —and it is cactus. She was sure she wouldn't like to live there.

She had just entered the village and her skin already turned red. But they had to hurry to the hospital.

"Shi-chan!" called Naruto who was in front of her. His body was slightly shivering. "Stop glaring at me! I didn't even do anything to you! You'll have wrinkles early, dattebayou!"

"I'm not glaring at you," The girl, who had unconsciously squinting her eyes at Naruto, replied. However, it seemed that the teen interpreted her actions differently. "And don't call me Shi-chan!"

"Kankuro!" shouted Temari after they arrived at the emergency room. Immediately she let go of the bag and fan and then immediately checked on her little brother. "What happened to him?"

"He was poisoned. And we currently don't know what the poison is," explained one of the Sunagakure medical ninjas. Then he glanced at the two elders who were also surrounding the patient bed. "Even Chiyo-sama doesn't know it."

"What?!" Temari looked panicked. Looking at Kankuro who looks in pain, especially with Gaara who has been caught by Akatsuki.

"Please leave it to us. We'll check him," Sakura said, making all the ninjas in the room paused. She had tied up her pink hair and without asking anyone's approval, the girl started checking him. By opening his eye, hearing his heartbeat, and his saliva.

Shizuka looked at the pink-haired girl with a slight shock. That girl looked different from the girl she knew three years ago. It can be seen from her calm attitude in handling something. And her growing medical knowledge. Looks like her training with Tsunade really helped a lot.

Shizuka stepped forward, placed her palm on Kankuro's bed, and vines appeared from the floor. Not tightly wrapped around Kankuro's body.

"What are you doing?!" the Sand ninja shouted in shock. Their bodies immediately alerted and prepared to attack her.

"These vines are a healing technique, please calm down," Sakura assured. Stepping forward to defend her teammate.

"Vines? Green hair? You-you're a Midorima?!" exclaimed the old woman in surprise. "I did not think that Konoha had a Midorima. No, I'm sure they don't even exist anymore."

"Hello, I'm Midorima Shizuka," the girl greeted politely before took out a scroll from her pocket. The scroll opened to reveal some of the herbs she had grown herself. "I'll make the antidote."

Naruto observed how his two friends seemed to be in their field. He could see Sakura handling Kankuro like a professional. And Shizuka whose movements always looked elegant. When her delicate hand took the plant gently and then pounded it with the same rhythm. Every now and then he could see her eyebrows slightly furrowed when the concoction wasn't right or a small smile when she managed to get something done.

And for Naruto, seeing that girl show her expression, even though it's small and hardly noticed, was something extraordinary.

They're amazing.

○○○

The minute after they arrived at supposed to be Akatsuki's hideout, Naruto and Sakura immediately greeted their friends from Team Guy, who were gawking at the changes of the knucklehead teen. How he was radiating like a sun —warm and bright. Even with his seductive and cunning like appearance.

"Naruto-kun!!!" Lee shouted, tears pouring out of his face. "So youthful!!"

"Uh, I don't know what you mean, but thanks," Naruto grinned sheepishly. Rubbing the back of his head.

"There is ... two of them?" Shizuka murmured. Staring blankly at the bowl hairstyle ninjas in front of her.

"And they're not related," Kakashi added, shoving his hand into his pocket.

"Shizuka!!" Guy exclaimed, walked towards her with a big smile. Then patted her head, managed to mess up her hair. "Long time no see!"

"Please stop doing that," she said, stepping back to avoid his pats.

"Alright. First of all, we have to remove the barrier," Kakashi spoke, making all the ninjas focused on him. He then looked up to the big paper seal stuck to the surface of the large rock." It was a five seal barrier. And must be released simultaneously for the barrier to disappear. Neji, find out where the other seals are!"

"Alright," veins appeared around his eyes, and the Hyuuga clan's kekkei genkai was activated. The teenager scanned the surrounding forest, notifying the whereabouts of other seals.

"Good job, Neji!" Guy praised, slapping the teen's back slightly. "Because in terms of speed, Team Guy will be the one who is going to release the seal."

"Let's go!" he stretched out his hand, humming, giving the code to his teammates who looked clueless and disgusted to do what the older man planned. Seeing that, Shizuka was grateful that she was placed with Kakashi. She couldn't imagine if she was with that team. Even Neji looked tired by their jounin leader.

Naruto's eyes lit up, glancing at the green-haired teen beside him with an eager expression. "No." And before he can say anything, Shizuka blatantly rejected his idea.

Sakura hit the rock hard after the others removed the seal simultaneously. The punch made a loud sound and the stone had become small stones. Revealing the inside of the cave.

"We're too late."