| My Worst Enemy | /A Neji Hyuuga story\ Chapter 22

Aneko's POV
I blinked, seeing all white. It was a hospital, I knew that. But there was something different. All the colours...the white looked different to my eyes. "She has awaken! Naruto, get a doctor!!!" I blinked and sat up in my bed, letting the white cover fall off me. I closed my eyes. I didn't dare look at anything that would scare me. My heart rate felt high already, and I didn't know why. It was just a feeling, a feeling heavy on my heart.
"Aneko...Aneko!" I turned my head towards the sound, but didn't open my eyes. "Aneko, what's wrong? C'mon, we need you to talk to us."
"I...I don't like my sight.... It's different," I answered, squeezing my eyes tighter. I felt a soft hand on my cheek.
"Aneko...open your eyes..." whispered a voice. I immediately noticed it as Tsunade. I blinked them open. My eyes widened and I felt my heart race. I knew something was different. Everything around me was tinted white, or clear. I couldn't see anything the way I used to.
"W-What happened to me?" I asked. I turned to Tsunade for answers. She handed me my kage hat. I took it, tracing the tips with my fingers.
Suddenly, visions of everything that happened for the past...whenever. The whole battle came back to my memory. My finger tips traced the outside of my eyes. "He didn't..." I clenched my hat. "...What happened after I passed out...?" The door opened and Isamu's head popped in. He nodded behind him and Renii, Isamu, Kiko, and Bell came in. I looked at Isamu and Renii immediately. They both smiled. "Is everyone ok?"
"Well, Kiki(Kiko's twin sister)was hurt, training with a few people from around here." I nodded at Renii.
"That it? What happened to Akio?" I still wasn't adjusted to my sight. It suddenly got silent in my hospital room. Isamu was looking at Renii, sadly. I looked at Renii, figuring it out. I mean, I wasn't voted Kage just because of my looks. I had smarts too. I stood up. "Tell me you didn't," I whispered.
"I'm sorry." I took a sharp breath and closed my eyes.
"No, it's not that important." He narrowed his eyes.
"Not important? Aneko, if you go back home, he'll murder you! He'll personally come to your house and-"
"Who said I was going home?" I asked sternly. All four of them seem shocked. Then, Naruto and Lee decided to come in.
"Why aren't you going home? It's where you belong, anyway," Naruto said.
"Yes, you would be a lot happier there." I shook my head.
"I can't." I felt a hand wrap around mine and I looked at Isamu. My eyes softened. He hugged me tightly, almost knocking me over.
"I want you to come home. You HAVE to." He looked up at me. "You've always helped me when I needed it, and now when I need your help again, I find out you're not coming home?! I want you to come home!" I took a few breaths and started shaking my head.
"Why do you need my help? Renii can-" Isamu put his head on my stomach, being so short and all.
"No. He can't." He wrapped tighter around me. "He can't be a friend like you. I can't touch him like I can you. I'd destroy him." I hugged him back and put a hand on his head.
"Don't worry. No one said anything about you staying home either." He looked up at me, shocked. I turned to Tsunade. "Do...you mind if I stay here for a while?" She blinked.
"Sure you can. Just be careful," she replied. I glanced at Isamu.
"Him too?" She nodded. Isamu jumped up and down happily. I smiled gently at him. He grinned up at me.
"I get to stay with Kage-sama! YAY!!!" he yelled, jumping up and down and all around. I shook my head and laughed slightly. I looked at Renii and smiled. He was shaking slightly. I walked over to him and pulled him away from all the others.
"Look, I know you don't think you're ready to take my place-"
"Cause I'm not!-"
"but you are!" He shook his head fiercely.
"No, I don't see why. You're perfectly young, why can't you stay? I'm just not ready!" he whispered.
"I just...can't. You're perfect for the job."
"Then why are you taking Isamu?" I smiled.
"He has potential of being Kage. So if you ever need a backup, he'll be ready." He started shaking his head.
"But if I needed backup, why couldn't I call you?" Renii asked. I looked down.
"Cause I wanna start a life where I'm not put up to any certain expectations; one where I can be myself and be with him." Renii clenched his fists.
"If you think you stay here, you'll only be put in a smaller cage. Why can't you just accept that you're the Kage and it's YOUR job! You can't just put it off on me anyway!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me! I only did that so I could prepare you for what YOUR job is!" We had reached the point of actual yelling. "So why don't you accept it! The elders always wanted you as Kage! Except you weren't ready yet!" I stepped forward to him. "And you know, it was my responsibility to teach you; teach a spineless teenager that was older than me! Do you know how hard it's been on me, always having to solve the problems about our village?! I'm just a little girl! I'm 14 years old at this instant, and you're complaining to me about me being a coward for preparing you to take my place and then complain that all my work was worthless?! Remayaki Nika, you're ready and you're gonna do this on your own! I can't be your backbone anymore, grow your own." He stared at me. The truth had come out. But now what did he think of me? I didn't hate him, but he had to grow up. I was supposed to be in his place, not here.
"Aneko needs a little rest, alright?" Tsunade implied. They all left as I plopped onto my bed, then fell asleep.