Ibiki blinked slowly at Natsumi, then grinned. "Alright, I'll stop watching. For now. But only if you stop throwing Nakamura Tamami at me. I don't bring up that guy with the gap between his teeth that you were mooning over a few years ago, now do I?" Agata Sachio had been three years older, a friend of Natsumi's brother, and made of cool, with that gap-toothed smile just adding to his charms. He was, Ibiki knew with certainty, a chuunin handler for undercover ops in Main Village Security now, and still as unaware of Natsumi and her somewhat bruised heart as he'd been five years ago. That alone was reason for Ibiki to dislike him.

He eased away from the closet and refilled his glass, drinking his juice in hearty gulps now, relaxed at last. Really relaxed. It was the first time in nineteen months he'd been able to have a conversation with her, and look her in the eye without something concealed behind his. She knew. She knew and she was standing there, threatening him with a bath bucket, and dressing him down for being a fool for thinking she'd let it affect their friendship.

"You know, I haven't told my mom or anyone. About where I'm working. They know I'm in ANBU, but they think I'm in Intel Ops, not the subbasement. If my mom wasn't sick, maybe I'd tell her."