A Dream...?

When she was greeted with a room of towering papers, Rae instantly knew she was dreaming. She had probably fallen asleep while reading her pocketbook on the couch. Today was supposed to be a rest day for all of them and the kids were sleeping last time she checked.

She was in her workroom in the Hokage Tower. Did she miss it so much that she'd dream about it in clear detail? The paperback books, scrolls, and sheets of paper seemed disorganized at first glance, but that is only until she steps in the epicenter of this disaster. How many times had Tsunade-shishou demanded she clean up again? She could only chuckle at the memory. She was always acting like a mother.

Thinking about it, her friends here are like family to her. They're much more honest and transparent than what she was used to from in her first life:

Shizune was like an older sister constantly worrying about things.

Naruto and Sasuke are those brothers you don't always get along with but still love them unconditionally.

Kakashi was like an older brother who would be nonchalant in front of his siblings but would unquestioningly do the dirty work if it means his younger siblings stay away from it.

Sakura is like that best friend you have who would stand by you through thick and thin. The one who would be exasperated with your quirks but would still see through your shenanigans until the end.

Ino is like a twin sister. There is an abundance of things you'll get along with and would disagree on the smallest of things. But the disagreement wouldn't last long and you'd both be back hanging out together soon.

The rest of the other genin teams are like cousins and the other sensei are like aunts and uncles you only see on weekends.

But that only lasted as long as it did. When Sasuke deserted and Naruto left the village to train with Jiraiya, everyone seemed like walking on eggshells around her. Even Kakashi seemed to disappear in her life then; only to reappear once a week to ask how she was doing. But that was it.

That was the time she started shutting everyone out. Spending her days reading books and scrolls in the library and when her training with the Godaime Hokage started, she transferred her study area to the tower that eventually became her personal workroom.

She had lived life twice and even her second life was solely dedicated to studying. What happened to that "I'll live my life the way I wanted to from now on" ?

Looking around the room, a sudden sad thought ran through her mind...

Did I really waste away my second chance at life in here?

She could still remember Sakura and Ino knocking on the door, asking what she'd eat for lunch and she'd reply with "Whatever is available" and they would drag her out of the room to get something to eat. The first time she used the Shadow Clone technique was after her friends dragged her out of her workroom one too many times. It didn't end well after she collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of a pre-dinner gathering with the rest of the genin teams. It sent them scrambling to take her to the hospital. She was reprimanded for it by both Shizune and Tsunade and was banned from using the technique until she reached chuunin.

Sighing, Rae detached herself from the bittersweet memories and decided to leave the room. Just like how she remembered it, the tower is busy with shinobi traffic. Heaving another sigh, Rae let her mind wander as her feet led her wherever. It's not like this is real anyway.

"Zen-chan?" A familiar voice called hesitantly.

Glancing back, Rae is met with pale, pupilless eyes glistening with tears.

"Yes?" Rae asked. "OOOF!" She barely managed to keep her footing as the other tackled her into a hug.

"Hinata?" She asked, unsure why the Hyuga heiress would be crying in her dreams.

"We missed you" The other mumbled onto her chest.

It brought a smile on Rae's face. "Really?" She asked as she returned the hug. "I don't think I spent too much time in my room to miss anything yet?"

The hug tightened and she could feel Hinata shaking her head.

"It's not like that..." Hinata mumbled.

"I missed you too" Rae replied instead because she does. "I miss everyone"

They stood there, in each other's embrace, ignored by other passing shinobi.

"Wanna eat some lunch?" Rae offered once she felt that Hinata is done crying. She received a couple of nods in reply. Gently detaching herself from the other, she wiped the other's tears off with her hand. "Does barbeque sound good?" and again, Hinata only nods in reply.

Leading the other out of the tower, they made their way to the barbeque place in silence.

Once they reached their destination, they were called by a team of familiar people. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru are as usual, here.

"Zen?" Ino gasped and immediately, their table silenced.

"Yo!" Rae grinned and approached. "May we join you?"

"s-sure..." Ino replied in a daze. It's not only her but also both Choji and Shikamaru are looking at her in a daze as they joined their table.

After relaying their order, Rae cleared her throat. "What's up?"

There wasn't an immediate response but after a few minutes of silence, it was Shikamaru who answered. His voice faltered for a second before regaining that nonchalant tone he always wore.

"Ino went to a shaman to get her fortune read," He said. "She was duped."

Blinking, Rae raised a brow at her friend. "What did they say?"

"Eh? Ah.. She... Uhm.. " Seemingly startled, Ino fumbled over her words before sounding coherent, "She said I'd marry soon"

"How soon?" Rae asked, interest peaking. "And to who?"

"She didn't say..." Ino replied, "She just said that I'll meet my future husband in a restaurant"

"Any remarkable traits?" Rae pressed further. "Hair? Eyes? Skin tone?"

Ino grinned. "Black hair, brown eyes, and fair-skinned! She said he's handsome too!"

"That sounds too generic" Rae voiced, disappointed.

"That's what Shikamaru said too!" Ino replied, indignant and Rae could only shrug in reply.

"Because it is!" Rae protested. "Over more than half of Konoha have those characteristics!"

Their order arrived and Rae set to work about grilling meat, even handling Choji another plate of meat for him to grill.

"I could give you a better reading than that, you know?" Rae grins impishly. When Ino only replied with a raised doubtful brow, she challenged "Wanna try? It's free."

Momentarily contemplating, Ino reached out her hand and Rae swatted it away. "I don't need that"

"Huh?" Ino and the rest of their companions looked at her in confusion. "How will you read my fortune if you're not reading my palm?"

Rae continues grinning as she confidently replied. "Because I already know your future"

Ino took her hand back and waited expectantly.

Rae hummed, ignored the eyes focused on her, and idly turned over a few slices of meat on the grill.

"You already met your future husband" She started. "But you didn't meet him in a restaurant" She looked up at her friend and gave her a teasing smile. "You first met him in the hospital."

Ino still looked doubtful "I meet lots of people in the hospital!"

Her comment earned a chuckle from Rae.

"He's got black hair and eyes, He's incredibly pale too. I can't say that he's handsome for sure but..." Rae trailed off, teasing smile never wavering. "You said he's cute."

Once the meat is cooked, she set them aside for a new batch. As she was dividing the cooked meat between her and Hinata, Ino whined that there wasn't any concrete image to conjure based on her words.

"As far as I know, you'll volunteer to go on a mission to save him and Shikamaru," Said guy raised an eyebrow at that.

"Save me?" Shikamaru sounded skeptical. "From what?"

"Brainwashing" Rae replied seriously but waves it off. "Don't worry. Ino, Choji, and Temari would come to your rescue."

"Anyways," Rae pointed her chopsticks at her best friend. "You come to the rescue and break future husband out of the genjutsu he is in. Mission complete and then you take the initiative to ask him out."

There was a tense silence following that. All teens trying to absorb what had been said.

"That's bullshit" was finally said and it was Shikamaru who said it.

Rae shrugs in response to that. "Believe it or not, it will happen"

"What's your proof?" Shikamaru challenged but the other just gave another shrug in response.

"Don't have one" She said nonchalantly.

Ino deflated in disappointment and Rae felt bad for it.

"You don't need a reading, idiot" Rae said after an exasperated sigh. "Haven't you heard Naruto screaming for all the world to hear that he'll create his own fate? You should learn a thing or two from the guy"

Ino sighed and grumbled something unintelligible. Taking Ino's plate, Rae filled it with meat and replaced it in front of her.

"You should eat it out instead of sulking like a child" She encourages before digging into her own plate.

There was small talk after that and once they were done eating, instead of going their separate ways, Ino stuck to her side along with Hinata on the other.

"What's wrong with you two?" Rae frowned. Surely she wouldn't consciously dream about her friends clinging to her like she'll disappear any minute.

"We just want to stay with you a bit more" Ino mumbled and Rae could feel Hinata nodding her head. "Besides, I do this to you too before so what's the matter?"

"You're clinging to me like I'll run off and disappear forever!" Rae protested. That just made the two cling to her tighter. "Ughhh..." She sighed. "Fineeee~! Just loosen up a bit." And they did, but still not letting go of her arms.

"Are you two coming too?" Rae asked both Shikamaru and Choji, and they both agreed. Sighing, Rae led the group through the streets of Konoha and absorbed the scene she dearly missed.

"Are you guys doing alright here?" Rae whispered to her friends. Both Hinata and Ino pressed into her again as they both nodded. "Come on, guys! Let up!" Rae whined. "I'm a clingy person in nature but this is too much!" But the two didn't let up as pleaded.

She turned towards both Choji and Shikamaru and pathetically pleaded at them. "A little help?"

Sighing, Shikamaru pried Ino off of her, passed her to Choji to keep in place, and worked on prying Hinata off next. When she was finally free, she only had a moment of freedom before she was wrapped in Shikamaru's strong arms.

"W-wha--?!" She stuttered, pulse speeding and face flushing.

"Because this is a dream" Shikamaru replied silently. Voice sad and regretful. "Because now, I can only embrace you in a dream like this"

His remorseful voice and words sent a pang of regret to her own heart. For a dream, this feels so real. It brought tears to her eyes as she wrapped her own arms around him. All she could say is an apology. Because she finally understood why Hinata and Ino are clinging to her. To them, she might as well be dead.

"I'm sorry" Rae silently cried in his arms, "I'm so sorry"

She had been too careless in her decisions, not even thinking twice about using an untested jutsu. Not thinking and not believing that there are people who would miss her when she's gone. Until the end, she didn't believe that she was actually loved.

"I'm so sorry"

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Rae woke up back in their apartment with tears streaming down her cheeks. Silently, she rushed to the bathroom, locked herself in, and cried herself dry. Hopefully, the kids won't notice something amiss.

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Back in the future, four people woke up with heavy hearts; all of them missing a certain friend. Unknowing that all of them had the same dream.