[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/923rM7Z.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190202/6cf602ea2765a468ca1df33e6428c957.png[/img][/center][hr][right][b]Outside Kohaku Compound, Konohagakure[/b]
[color=gray]Daybreak, Present Day[/color][/right][hr]
	Hatake Shunpei wasn't unaccustomed to waiting long for his cousin, even in rough weather like today. He'd waited at these gates in snow, sleet, hail, rain, and even a particularly nasty heat wave. The pouring rain, while hardly ideal, wasn't the worst weather he'd ever been in. As long as he had his trusty umbrella, he'd be perfectly fine out here. 

	That said, Shunpei had often been told -- by the girl he was waiting for herself no less! -- that waiting around here was pointless, but he didn't believe that one bit. There was nobody in the world who didn't want to have their friends around. A life like that would be real sad. But if there was a downside to his morning waits, it was that there wasn't much to do other than, well, [i]wait[/i]. Especially now, since he had to carry around a bunch of bento and an umbrella.

	Oh well. He could deal with it; Sanae wasn't a lazy bum so he was confident she would be out soon. All he could do, and would do, now was enjoy the soothing sound of rainfall.

	[i]Drip. [/i]

	[i]Drop.[/i]

	[i]Drip. [/i]	
	[quote] 	"HIIIII Peichan!! I see you're on your way to the graduation ceremony too, right!?"[/quote]
	Shunpei screamed. He screamed, and then he struggled. The umbrella in his hand became a makeshift weapon, uselessly flailing about much in the same way Shunpei did many other physical activities. In fact, it was probably even worse than that considering the umbrella was flicking rainwater everywhere, much less leaving him vulnerable. 

	[color=C0ABB0]"Lemmegolemmegolemmego!"[/color] he protested. It was clear the situation didn't quite register in his panicked mind yet. Mostly because of the surprise python grip on his throat, but also because all the noise, both his and the rain's, drowned out everything past the very loud "Hi". [color=C0ABB0]"I'll bite ya! Don't me do it!"[/color]

	His chin rubbed into the arm constricting him. Was he actually going to bite it?

	That question would never be answered, as Tsume--because it was [i]Tsume [/i]and not a rogue ninja, as he was sure Kimura would have proposed--finally let go. With his air way completely unobstructed and his mind finally clear, Shunpei took a deep breath.

	[color=C0ABB0]"...O-Oh! It's just you, Tsume. Good... Good mornin',"[/color] he breathed, lifting his umbrella back over his head. He was quite soaked after that exchange.  He rubbed his cheek and blushed. [color=C0ABB0]"You kinda, err, scared me real bad there... Eheh... Sorry..."[/color]

	[color=C0ABB0]"Uh... I dunno. Yoshi's probably there already; don't think he'd sleep through somethin' like this, no matter how late he slept,"[/color] Shunpei answered, [color=C0ABB0]"I don't think he'd wanna be around right now anyway--"[/color]

	He pointed a thumb to the Kohaku clan symbol on the gate.

	[color=C0ABB0]"--since I'm kinda just waitin' 'round for Sacchin right now. How 'bout you?"[/color] he asked, [color=C0ABB0]"How 'bout you? Don't you usually follow Fukushu to school?"[/color]