-3 Years Later-

Hikaru had gone through with her promise. The moment you woke up and opened your shop the next day, hordes of customers flooded the small cafe and in a matter of hours every dessert and tea that you had made for the day was gone. The only thought that you could comprehend was the fact that for the first time in months you could properly pay your landlady on time and with the right amount of money.

You couldn't be more happy.

Hikaru appeared a week later, dressed head to toe in an identical pink and white uniform as you, smiles and all. The moment she stepped into the shop, everything froze again like it did the day they spoke of the. . . arrangement. Hikaru only gave enough time to tell you that from now on she'd be the co-owner of 'The House of Tea' before time started again.

That had been 3 years ago. Thenceforth the Cafe had grown to exponential limits, becoming one of the top five most known Cafes in Konoha. You couldn't be happier.

Now here you were, getting more money than you could ever recall in your life, and getting the attention that you had always wanted, Hikaru's 'miracle'- as you liked to call it, you saved up enough money to buy a bigger shop and home. Unlike your first shop, this one was better and bigger, able to hold more than 40-50 customers at a time and way more extravagant. Being 3 stories high at best, you managed to turn the bottom floor of the apartment into a cafe and turned the last two floors as bedroom spaces, this meant that Hikaru moved in permanently, the top floor stubbornly her space. A cafe that you had always dreamed of since starting your career.

"Oh! good morning [Y/N]-san! how was your sleep?" chirped Alexis in the cafe's standard uniform.

You smiled "Good morning to you too Alexis-chan, my sleep could have been b-better, but it was good."

Alexis gave you a worried frown "A bad night huh? want to talk about it?" you see, Alexis Kive, also known as Lexi by some. Was a young 15 year old girl that Hikaru had brought in 2 years after their deal, it was a little unsettling that the moment the two met, you had gotten that same uncomfortable feeling you got when meeting Hikaru; only, to a lesser extent.

Her odd appearance had also ticked off a few alarms in your head; just like Hikaru, the young girl had pale skin, but unlike Hikaru's pasty flesh, her's was more on the freshly fallen snow side, a beautiful milky white that made Alexis's chosen black lipstick, eyeliner and circular tattoo on her neck pop out to anyone who turned in her direction. Her eyes where no better, a bright amethyst that glittered inhumanely like Hikaru's scarlet. And hair as silver and wispy white as the clouds that floated up in the sky. Alexis looked the part of ghoulish and ghostly.

But her appearance wasn't the only unsettling thing, her overall presence was just. . there to anyone who walked past her. Unlike Hikaru's demanding yet obscure existence, Alexis was more of a. . . eye catching occupancy, a being that drew the eye just by her appearance. She didn't need to demand it, nor did she seem to want it.

However, what you were most unsettled by was the girl's mental psyche. While Alexis was overall sweet and caring, and just a general 15 year old girl who fangirled about things here and there. She also had these short bursts of creepy and sinister moments where things would momentarily blank out before returning to normal. you couldn't help but file the girl under the same column as Hikaru; and diagnosed her as being bipolar.

You sighed and shook your head in exasperation "Nothing to worry about, just a little stress over the funding, nothing too big."

Alexis gave you a hesitant look before grinning brightly "If you say so!" and then she was gone, skipping off to who knows where to do what her job as a waitress was expected of her.

When your newer Cafe opened, Hikaru was the one to hire the staff, leaving you with the shops layout and design. You had been a bit hesitant to allow Hikaru an inch of power, especially when it came to your work force, but in the end, you could only agree when Hikaru pointed out that she was the owner too, and that you didn't need to keep the tea house open if you wanted. A clear threat on Hikaru's part.

A month past after the opening, and you were sure that in the end, you would be the one to pick out who you wanted to work in your cafe. That, obviously didn't happen, and Alexis was first to enter the picture with a personal recommendation from Hikaru herself, who vowed that the young girl was experienced enough despite her young age and apparent lack of human social skills. You hesitantly complied.

By the end of another month Hikaru had hired 4 more girls, your were comforted by the fact that they didn't give off the same aura as Alexis and Hikaru. The former had teased that they where in fact human, average village girls from Konoha, but she had also said the same about Alexis, so you only had the comfort that you had seen the very same girls around while delivering in Konoha.

The girls had been average, nothing special, their families just the same as you and only coming to work here because they needed the money and the job to please their families. You had slowly taken a liking to them by the end of the year. The only one that you seemed to dislike and was hesitant about was Aimi Hashimoto, another of Hikaru's suspicious recommendations.

What baffled you about the girl was the fact that she was normal, average, just like your other waitresses and employees. There was nothing special about her that you could see or feel, unlike Alexis. So for the entire year you were on edge, expecting the girl to snap and show her true colors of being another entity. But nothing of the sort happened.

Not until you met him.

Genma Shiranui. A 29 year old man who worked as the Hokage's personal bodyguard, and was over all, a very skilled ninja. Everyday you had watched him enter the cafe and sit in the corner of the room, ordering only a tea and occasionally their special pumpkin broth before leaving after 2 hours. The moment you saw him, you were in love, love at first sight you liked to believe, the guy was just. . . there to you, he stood out- not Hikaru's or Alexis's standing out. He just caught your attention. The way he spoke made you feel queasy, and when he looked at you was just an overall joy. His personality was just breathtaking, a mixture of cool and jovial that you had always looked for in a guy, it was like a once in a lifetime find. And you couldn't help but be drawn to him.

That was until Alexis told you that he had a girlfriend, a reason why he showed up at the cafe at all and stayed for two hours each time. You were devastated at the truth, only finding out that his girlfriend just so happened to be one of your employees, and the last to join the staff.

Aimi Hashimoto. How ironic.

That had been 1 year ago, today.

"Ah! [Y/N]-San! I'm so glad your up! we're about to open shop in just a little while! want me to get you something to eat for the meantime?" Aimi had to be the nicest girl that you had ever met; sweet, kind, thoughtful, generous, her beauty only added to her character. A reason why you just couldn't downright hate her, nor fire her since not only would you feel guilty, but because you wouldn't get to see Genma either. Unless you wer bold enough to occasionally stalk bump into him like you had once seen a 12 year old girl with pink hair do. A suggestion by Hikaru of course, which you took as mocking than support.

Sending the brown eyed beauty a look of forced gratefulness, you gladly complied with the offering "Yes please, that would be a great help. Thank you."

Aimi beamed "No problem! a tea and dango right?" you nodded and the 26 year old skittered off to get her boss some freshly made breakfast.

Pursing your lips in numbness, you stared after the girl in deep thought. These days, all you could think about was Aimi, and not in a good way.

-2 Hours Later-

Genma came in 2 hours later into the afternoon. And like always, sat down at the most obscure table in the corner, where a waitress set down his daily order of Pumpkin Broth and Green Tea.

For 2 hours he sat silently at his table, ordering tea for a second time before the very person he was here to see finally paused in her job to stop at his table.

From afar, you watched with a forlorn expression as Aimi sat at Genma's table and giggled at whatever he said, a bubble of jealousy rising into your chest as you watched the couple hold hands over the table.

"You know, staring at them like that won't make them catch fire."

You jumped in surprise and snapped your head to the left "I-I w-wasn't s-s-staring!" you blushed.

Hikaru chuckled, stuffing the cold leftovers of your breakfast into her mouth, you had completely forgotten that Aimi had even brought them to you "You only stutter when your nervous. . "

You didn't reply back, opting to stare back at the couple who didn't notice that they were being watched, though you had a feeling that Genma knew; being a ninja only increased his sense of awareness and you were sure that he knew you were staring. Hopefully, he didn't know why you were staring, otherwise, it would be embarrassing.

Hikaru hummed, casually leaning back against the counter the two where posted. Her eyes traveled from you to Genma and then to Aimi. A small smirk played on her lips, she was sure that you figured out why she had hired Aimi in the first place, in fact, she was the one that introduced you to Genma. She had always loved romance between two star crossed lovers and you and Genma where perfect for each other.

"Now your just being creepy~" Hikaru cooed.

You startled again and glared at the entity in agitation, gripping the pile of plates you were originally going to take to the kitchen until Genma walked into the cafe, you stomped into the room and promptly dropped the glass ware into the sink. Startling 2 of the waitresses that were stationed as chefs for the day, feeling the agitation waft off of their boss the two sprinted out of the room, where Hikaru decided to make another appearance.

Standing at the sink, you tried to ignore the entity that lifted herself onto the counter and continued to eat your cold breakfast of dango.

They were silent for the most part, the only sounds being the clinking of dishes, water and the background noise of conversations from their customers.

"You know you can't hide anything from me, right." Hikaru stated, like it was an everyday fact.

You flinched and roughly scrubbed at the plate you were scrubbing "I don't know what your talking about." she lied.

Hikaru scoffed and rolled her eyes like you had told her something stupid, which you happened to do almost everyday for the last 3 years they had met "Oh please, you don't think i can't see your ogling? anyone that was watching could tell you have a thing for Genma."

You briefly paused before continuing, proceeding to lie through your teeth in hopes that Hikaru wouldn't notice "Genma? I. . . I don't know who your talking about." but you knew that it was hopeless, Hikaru could always tell when you're lying.

Hikaru scoffed for a second time "Genma?' you know who i'm talking about, Genma Shiranui; 29 years old, ninja and personal bodyguard to the Hokage himself. And boyfriend to one Aimi Hashimoto."

You flinched at the names and dropped the sponge and plate you were washing, leaning heavily on the edge of the sink, you stared blankly at the contents in it "I. . . "

Hikaru hummed "you know that he would never love you right." she stated it like fact, as if she just knew that Genma would never love you like you loved him; "Of course! I could help you with that."

You snapped your head up at the entity in confusion and surprise, a hint of hope betraying your curious tone "What?"

Hikaru smirked "You heard me, I could help you with that whole-" she waved her hand in the direction that the two love birds where most likely still conversing "-Love problem." she finished, stuffing a dango in her mouth.

You stared at Hikaru with wide blank eyes, your brain turning over the information. You knew that at this very moment, the world had promptly frozen again, and that the two where the only ones able to process the moment. You understood that you shouldn't make another deal with Hikaru, one was enough, especially when Hikaru had never told you how you were supposed to complete your end of the deal.

"y-you n-n-never told me w-what I w-was s-s-supposed to do w-with my e-end of the deal." you stuttered nervously.

Hikaru stuck out her tongue childishly and crinkled her eyes "No need to worry about that, i already have plans for your end of the deal, and it isn't for a while. So no need to worry, yeah. Now about your answer?"

You hesitated. One thing you told yourself after making that first deal with Hikaru, was that that would be your last deal. But. . . looking out of the kitchen, you couldn't help but jealously simmer as Aimi leaned in to kiss Genma on the cheek, eliciting a giggle from herself and a chuckle from Genma. You wanted nothing more than to be the one that Genma looked at like that. For a year you had daydreamed the day that you would have Genma to yourself, be the one to hold his strong hands, and the one to make him chuckle the way he does when Aimi talked with him. Your heart ached watching him converse with another girl other than you yourself, you wanted to sulk in your room forever, to sleep because you knew that you'd never find another guy like Genma in your lifetime. You knew that there where other fishes in the sea. But looking at Genma now, all you wanted was him, he was perfect and you wanted him all to yourself.

Breath quivering, you turned to Hikaru with all the confidence you had when you made your first deal, like last time, you held out your hand "Deal." you said in determination.

Hikaru smirked, all teeth peeking "You've made the right decision." the two shook hands and everything went back to normal.

Letting out a yawn, Hikaru slipped off the counter and stretched, back popping in the process "Well, I've gotta go, things to do and what not, and a deal to fulfill. You won't regret this." and then she was gone.

Leaving you to simmer in numbness over the sink of dirty dishes.

You didn't know if you made the wrong choice.

It felt like it.