7 Chapter VI - Lazy|people

People went out their gender sides with a happy face; their skin blushed because of the heat of the water. Some walked out of the building, and others moved toward the cushions surrounding the low tables, drinking some milk.

In the woman's side, two women walked out while wearing a simple pink Yukata offered by the hot springs owner, a small toddler following after them with a child-sized yukata blue colored. In his hand he was holding a small sack with his clothes in it, he could just smile as he looked at the yukata…it was free even though the quality is rather high!

He was surprised when he walked out of the bath, and a woman appeared offering people some clothes…it seems it was a special event and it doesn't usually happen; anyways he is grateful as it provides another set of clothes for him.

"Hmm?" Yoshino looked down at the smiling toddler "Why are you so happy, Kunie-chan?" she asked curiously.

Kunie blinked then looked up at her, grinning innocently as he replies;

"It's the first time I wear a Yukata!" he answered excited as he swirls, showing it. Yoshino stared at him in confusion, her eyes moving to Miko who shook her head, in the end, Yoshino crouched until she was at the same level than Kunie.

"If you like them you can visit my house one of those days" she offers "My son is growing rather fast, and there are lots of clothes that can't be used anymore…such a waste!" she shakes her head as she puts slightly, winking at the surprised Kunie.

"I can't accept such a thing…" he said uncomfortably.

"Nonsense!" retorted Yoshino "Clothes are made to be used after all, right?"

Kunie's eyes dropped to the floor as he shuffled his feet, nodding shyly at the woman who smiled at him gently before getting up once again;

"Well," she mutters as she looks around the room "It seems they are still in the bath…that pair of lazy…" she muttered under her breath, Kunie couldn't hear her last words as he stares at her curiously.

In the end, he pulled of Miko's yukata, making the young woman blink then look down at him;

"I think it's time for me to go back to home" he informed her as he bowed "Thank for paying for me, Miko-nee!" he said before turning around then starts walking toward the door. He has searched around, but it seems Aiko didn't bother to wait for him, instead of walking back to home.

"Ah-ha" Miko frowned as she pulled him back toward where he was a second ago "Where do you think you are going?"

Kunie stares at her strangely;

"To home."

Miko shakes her head as she sighs;

"Kunie it's too late…you can't walk home alone!"

"But I do that normally!" he retorts in confusion.

"But you shouldn't!" she argues back, her eyes darkening "You are just four years old…what would you do if you get kidnapped!?"

"I will not get kidnapped" he assured her "Ninja protect us after all!"

Miko pursed her lips before shaking her head;

"Kunie you may be too young but…" she hesitated before kneeling and whispering toward his ears "Even in the walls of Konohagakure danger awaits…never forget that"

Miko still can't forget about the sannin called Orochimaru…she doesn't wish for that to happen again, especially to Kunie who she has starte to see as her own son. Kunie stared at her as she pulled back with something she couldn't understand…those green eyes seemed sharper than usual and looked way older than what a four years old child should look like.

In a way it makes her remember Yoshino's son and that Uchiha boy…no, it can't be the case right?

She sighed then took Kunie's hand on her own, pulling him as she walks toward where Yoshino was sitting. Yoshino looked up and smiled, not asking about what they were doing. Instead, she waited for Miko to sit down then pulled Kunie toward herself;

"You are so smooth!" she exclaims as she pulls him toward her chest "My child doesn't let me do this anymore…he grows too fast!"

Kunie turned blue as he was squeazed by her chest, trying to pull away from her as the air was taken out of him. He didn't know that in the future, this day was the one who provoked something he didn't feel for women before.

"Y-Yoshino…" Miko said worried as she tried to pry her away from Kunie "I think you are killing him…" she finally snatched him away from the woman, who blinked before scratching the back of her head as she sees Kunie retreating fastly from her, gasping for air.

"But he is so smooth…" she mutters.

"Please, refrain from molesting him" was the answer she received from Miko, Yoshino's mouth twitched but didn't say anything, instead of getting up and coming back some seconds later with some milk;

"Here," she said as she hands a bottle of milk toward Kunie, who stared at her suspiciously as he reachs his small paws toward the bottle, snatching it and sitting on the other end of the table. Both women started laughing.

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"Did they fell asleep in the springs again!?" Yoshino says as she grits her teeth, getting up and walking toward the men's side.

"Yoshino…" Miko got up as she pulled back the woman…it wouldn't do well for her to enter the men side after all "I'm sure they will walk out soon, don't worry!" she calmed the man who stared sharply at the door.

Kunie blinked as he licks his lips full of milk like a kitten then pales as he suddenly remembers who they are waiting for. He forces a smile on his face as he gets up, letting the empty milk bottle on the table;

"Thank you for the milk!" he renders thanks to Yoshino who finally looked away from the door "But it's late…I really should go back to home!" once he finished his words he retreated toward the door, but Miko caught him.

"You are going nowhere" she muttered as she puts him on her shoulder like a potatoe sack "Good children will get punished if they don't do what adults tell them!" and with that, she slapped his ass slightly.

In fact, she wasn't angry or anything…but she liked to tease the little boy whose breath caught in his throat when he felt himself being slapped on the bum…it wasn't that it hurts, but he has never been more ashamed in all his life;

"M-Miko!" he squeaked out as he hits her back with his little paws, some women near him giggling as they see him, making him even more embarrassed…never in the past someone hit him in the bum!

"Oh!" before he could say anything more, Yoshino got up from her seat, staring toward the male's side with depredator eyes "What have you two been doing!? " she exclaims as two figures approach them, the two sitting across them;

"Troublesome woman…" a voice muttered under their breath.

"I heard that, Shikamaru!" she exclaimed as she moved her hand toward the boy's cheek and pulled.

The older man just stared curiously at the bum sticking from Miko's shoulder. Miko blinked then grinned as she patted the bum once again;

"Konichiwa, Shikaku-san!" she said as the boy on her shoulder paled, gripping harder the back of her yukata.

"Konichiwa, Miko-san" he greets back before his eyes look at the 'thing' on her shoulder "I didn't know you had a child."

"Hmm?" Miko blinked before laughing then shaking her head "No, this is a…" she stopped talking, frowning as she thought about it "Well…you could say I see him as my own son" she whispered the last part in a way that just a ninja can hear it.

She then tried to pull Kunie off her shoulder but the last refused as he holds on her as if his life depended on it. The man's voice was the same than the one he heard last timen the past…no way he is turning to look at him!

"Huh?" Miko tries to pull away, but the little claws didn't let go of the back of her Yukata "This child…why suddenly so naughty?" she teased "Do you like it here so much even though some seconds ago you were crying?"

Kunie didn't answer, trying to make himself invisible as Miko wanted to pull him off again. In the end, Miko had to retort to threats;

"If you don't let go I will pull the Yukata out of you," she said drily.

Kunie didn't think she would really do it, so he once again didn't answer. Miko wasn't joking though as she started pulling out of the obi making him blush before letting his hands go of it;

"MIKO!" he cried for the third time this last hour, tying back his obi around his waist before glaring up at her. Before he could react, it was already too late;

"Oh?" the man said behind him, chuckling "Konichiwa, Kunie-kun."

Kunie flinched before turning slowly around to look at the older man…even though they just talked one time, he was recognized by just his voice!

"K-Konichiwa, Shikaku-san" he answers as he stares down at his hands.

Yoshino blinked as she stares questioningly at Kunie then to Shikaku;

"You know each other?"

Shikaku opened his mouth to answer, but Kunie reacted faster, jumping over the table then into Shikaku, moving his hand around the older's man mouth;

"It's nothing!" he said in a high pitched voice "He just helped me out with something in the past" he grins nervously at the woman as Shikaku looks down at him slightly amused.

"Heh~" Miko leaned at Yoshino "If you aren't careful…you will get Shikaku stolen" she grins lecherously as she points at Kunie who was straddling Shikaku.

Suddenly all the amusement in Shikaku's eyes disappeared as he stared at Miko;

"Ey ey" he mutters as he moves Kunie's hands from his mouth "Don't joke with that, please…I wouldn't like to go to prison because of your jokes" he mutters as he pushes Kunie out his lap toward the right.

That's how Kunie found himself nose to nose with another boy, whose eyes were slightly widened even if they stared back at him lazily. Kunie slowly stepped back to give distance as he studied the other boy, who seems to be at least half a head taller than him.

The boy has narrow brown eyes and a bored expression; the slight widening of his eyes disappearing as if it never happened. He has black hair tied up in a spiky ponytail, wearing a child's blue yukata like Kunie's. He was studying Kunie lazily as he leaned back on the wall.

"U-Um" Kunie started uncomfortably "Konichiwa, my name is Kunie."

The boy stared back without answering, finally opening his mouth as his mother admonished him;

"Shikamaru!"

He sighs as he mutters something under his breath;

"Nara Shikamaru" he holds his hand up, and Kunie holds it, his lips twitching when he feels the weight of the limb…this child is rather lazy, isn't he? "Nice to meet you" the older boy finally says under the gaze of the adults.

After some seconds Kunie grinned at him, suddenly feel the need to pat the boy's head…it was rather cute that sleepy appearance after all. They both sat next to each other in a comfortable silence as the adults talked, the other boy seeming to sleep as he leans his back against the wall and closes his eyes.

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Kunie stared up at the adults awkwardly as they stop across the door of his house. He tried insisting that Miko is enough to escort him back to the house, but they all insisted in coming – especially Yoshino – and even though at first he was uncomfortable with Shikaku, when he saw the man not commenting about that time he finally calmed down.

"Thank you very much for accompanying me back to my house" he smiled up at them gratefully. From the corner of his eyes seeing Shikamaru looking around lazily with a slight frown on his face.

It was as Kunie prepared to knock at the door that a scream resounded from inside…it was Aiko's voice.