[center][b]Ryo Katsu
[s]Konohagakure Chuunin | Team 4[/s]

Member of the Ghost ANBU.[/center][/b]

Ryo was biting his lower lip. This situation wasn't to his liking, but he had seen no way out of it. Besides, he wouldn't chicken out if there was a way to. His muscles trembled due the pain as he leaned a bit forward. Yet, he felt little regret at the moment. He had done this to safe not only his life, but to continue his duty. Thinking about it, he would die anyways. If it was now or later. With Yumi first leaving and then Katsuko, Ryo wanted to say something. Only to be silent when Katsuko said what he was going to do. He was going to spend his last day with his family. Ryo lowered his head, like he had just been defeated.

Family?

He hadn't worried about it for a long time. He had experienced so many things that he had forgotten about his situation. How strange it sounded, he only realized it now. He had none. Sure, he had friends that stood at his side and were always ready. But in these situations, he had nobody to rely on. Everybody had their family. Though he saw Katsuko and Kensuke as brothers and to some extent even Tsubasa as an older sister, Ryo could now see the illussion he had held up for himself. They had their families and loved ones. Who was there for him?

Midori.

The memories of Midori brought briefly a smile on his lips. The time that they had spent together were memories he truly cherished. Only then to remember a detail. She was in Kumogakure. Thus he wouldn't even be able to spend a day with her. His last day alive. He would be alone. If it wasn't depressing enough that he had no family, it was now like it was somehow slammed into his face. Not crying, he felt like he would. Simply, he would leave for his own apartment. First over the rooftops, but after some distance, he would take it to the streets. Landing on the ground without any trouble, Ryo looked around him. People were minding their own business. Like nobody looked after him. It made Ryo stand still, in the midst of the street. Nobody that called out to him or wanted to spend a day with him. It was just like those years back.

He had worked hard for the bonds he had now. Today would be the last day he would have most of them. But even while he had worked all these years for them, tomorrow they would mean nothing. Ryo stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants as his head was lowered. It troubled the mind of the young man. Strange. Like his efforts for a better life and such goals were nothing worth. They had been taken away, just like that. Or they would be. Confused, Ryo felt something on his cheek. Rubbing his left hand over his cheek, he didn't care about it anymore. Or at least, that was what he tried to tell himself. He didn't want to care about everybody. Nobody cared for him. If they did, where were they now?

[center]No, they were with families and people they wanted to spend the day with.

Not with him.[/center]

Continueing to walk towards his home, Ryo thought about what he had been through. Training for the chuunin exams, missions with team Sayomi and getting placed into another mission. Losing contact with Katsuko for quite a long time and the war with Sunagakure. The Elders taking over Konohagakure, the march from Keishi to the Rice capital. The fight there and everything. Was it all for nothing? Ryo wondered about it. He had always lost something, but gained so much in return. Kensuke, Tsubasa, Sayomi, Katsuko and Midori. Of course, there were more people he had became friends with. But it was just that it seemed so pointless. 

Opening the door of his appartement, Ryo looked around. Closing the door, he went to his own room. He knew what he was going to do. First he would arrange something. Ryo wouldn't sever his bonds just like that. No, he would try to give them one more memento of him. Two people he really cared for. Sitting down on his bed, Ryo sighed. A glance to his right and he noticed the photo frame he really loved. It had the picture of Team Sayomi. Slowly, his hand went towards it. And then turned it around, not wanting to see it anymore.

[b]''So this is it. Guess I should arrange this first.''[/b] Ryo picked up a kunai. He looked at the weapon that he had pulled out of the holster. Pricking his thumb, he would set the first step of his ''goodbye''. Already he felt something warm moving over his cheeks. Without anybody around, he felt no shame in crying.