Chapter: 21

Narumi ignores the urge to rub at her empty eye socket, shooting her father a smile. Not an hour after she woke up with Sakura keeping an eye on her, her father and Kakashi had shown up nearly at the exact same moment-she'd sensed their chakra getting closer and closer,

almost as if they were racing. She figures Kakashi must've conceded because it's her father that slips into the room, waving the genin out with a small smile.

"Narumi."

"Good morning!"

The Hokage takes a seat in the chair that Sakura had used, eyes tracking every bandage and visible wound on Narumi's body. Her father looks tired like all the energy has left him, and Narumi feels another wave of guilt for the years lost. "Are you feeling up for giving your report,

Narumi?"

Don't worry, Dad. I'm gonna be just fine.

"I feel fine, Dad, 'ttebayo! Have you been sleeping okay?"

The man shoots her a glare, but it's soft and affectionate around the edges. He's very protective, after all. "Sleeping okay, when my daughter is off fighting a crazed man brought

back from the dead, a man that Senju Hashirama was barely able to defeat?"

She wants to hug her father, but perhaps now just isn't the time. "Madara had already been brought back by the time I reached him. I barely made it in time to stop him from tearing two

tailed beasts from their jinchuuriki, and then I had to explain to them what was happening…")

"Ne, Sensei, how long does it take to get to Wave Country?" Sakura speaks up suddenly, pulling Narumi out of her memories and into the present. She shares a quick glance with Kakashi, but she knows his fiance is uncomfortable with Narumi's henge. I'm sorry, Kakashi.

I'll make it up to you when we get home, okay?

"Maa, a couple of days with a civilian, a bit less if we were traveling like real shinobi."

Less still if you're Hatake Kakashi. Narumi cracks her neck, bouncing along the path, relieved

that she doesn't have any bandages to change-it really would be hell to deal with that while

under a henge, considering her transformations are extremely solid.

"Like real shinobi?" Sasuke asks although Narumi suspects he at least has an idea of what

Kakashi means.

"Sensei, why don't you demonstrate?"

Oh, thank God, I'm practically vibrating. I've had too much sleep. Narumi shoots him a grin and

shunshins into the nearest tree before leaping into the next, and the next, and the next. When she's a few hundred feet ahead of them, she turns around and heads back before landing lightly on her toes, face to face with their true genin.

The bridge builder frowns at her, looking for all the world like he thinks Narumi is some kind of fraud. Technically, Narumi concedes internally, he isn't wrong.

Sasuke Pov

Sasuke really, really wants to know more about Narumi-it's injuries. She'd been in the hospital

for almost a week, so the fact that she was only released this morning means Sasuke's not

convinced she should be out of the village again so soon. From what Obito-san and Itachi told

him, Narumi-nii had gone on an SS-class mission to fight and kill one of the Uchiha ancestors,

one of the founders of their village, a man seeking revenge for things Sasuke doesn't quite

know a whole lot about, yet.

Their formation is loose, and they've been on the road for quite a few hours without incident,

so he slips forward, appearing at his new sensei's side.

"Nii-san, are you sure you're okay to be leaving the village so soon already?"

Two brown eyes meet his, the woman under the henge giving him a lopsided smile. "Don't worry, Sasuke. I heal fast, especially with how much I slept when I got back. And anyway, I doubt I'll ever face another foe as powerful as your ancestor. And if I do, well, I think I'll do just fine. After all, I have a lot of loved ones to protect, 'ttebayo.

I guess there are some things I will never understand about this woman.

"Onii-san was worried about you."

Narumi shoots him another smile. "Itachi worries about everybody, Sasuke. That's why he always looks so stressed. What is it that you actually want to ask me?"

Sasuke hums, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Tell me about the fight."

"Well, Madara gave a lot of speeches. He was really old, even though he didn't look it, so he was really long-winded. But mostly, Sasuke, he was just sad."

Sasuke hums. "Sensei." He makes sure his voice doesn't carry toward their client. "Is he dead?

And your eye…" He hates not knowing things. "Doesn't it mess with your depth perception?"

Just when Narumi opens her mouth to respond, chaos breaks out. A puddle nearby transforms

into two shinobi with Hidden Mist forehead protector, who simultaneously attack their jonin

sensei and tear him to pieces-

Sasuke doesn't even have time to breathe, let alone help the man 'how can a jonin go down so

easily?', but that doesn't mean he doesn't retaliate.

Why doesn't Narumi-sensei move?

Sasuke manages to take down one of the missing-nin, and when he turns, Narumi is humming a bright tune while tying the second to a tree. If Narumi can look so carefree, then maybe…

maybe Kakashi-sensei is okay? They seem to be very close, and Sasuke can't imagine his second sensei being so calm if her friend 'are they really close friends, or is something else going on there? Seriously? He wants to know' is truly gone.

Unless of course she's simply lost her mind.

"Ne, Sasuke, bring the other one over here, will you?"

When the men are tied up "These guys are the Demon Brothers, Nukenin from the Hidden Mist.

If they're here, it won't be long before this situation turns dire." His sensei smiles. "But that's why I'm here ?", the two of them join Sakura and Tazuna, awaiting orders. Kakashi drops down

from a tree a moment later.

"S-sensei!" Sakura yelps, eyes wide. Sasuke supposes he'd be surprised, too, if he hadn't been

studying his brother's friend.

"Sakura-chan," Narumi hums, "if you've been cut by one of them, we need to get the poison

out immediately." She doesn't hesitate to hold her hand out for her, and Sasuke watches,

enraptured, when her hands light up with purple chakra, liquid pouring out of the cut as it simultaneously closes.

Amazing… I've never actually seen her kekkei Genkai before. She really is… one of a kind.

Kakashi Pov

Kakashi's starting to wish they were back in the village, curled up on the sofa or in bed, hiding away from the world and all the bad in it. He's tired of looking at his fiance and seeing a genin.

Narumi doesn't have to hide anymore, should never hide again if Kakashi has anything to say

about it, and this entire mission has Kakashi's nerves on edge because he can't even look at

the woman he's going to marry and see her face.

Again.

"Sensei."

"Ah." The younger woman shoots him a smile, releasing their kunoichi's hand when it's finally all healed up. "Tazuna-san… it seems as though somebody really wants you dead." Narumi smiles with a twelve-year-old's face when she turns to their client. Kakashi looks away. "If

somebody sent the Demon Brothers after you, the main act isn't far behind."

Naruto forms a series of hand seals and smacks his palm to the ground beside the tree where

the rogue chunin are tied up, a seal that will hold them until somebody from the Leaf Village

comes to collect them.

The rest of the journey to Wave Country is strangely calm despite the fact that Tazuna is being

hunted by missing-nin from the Hidden Mist of all places, an uneasy feeling settling in

Kakashi's stomach.

"Tazuna-san."

The man turns to him, pale and sweating.

"If missing-nin from Kirigakure are hunting you down, this mission can no longer be considered a C-rank. My genin isn't qualified to handle a B-rank mission, and you didn't pay for one. There are things you haven't told us, and until you do, we will not take another step forward." The other three shinobi fall in line, Naruto at his side and the two genins half a step behind them. The other man sags.

The problem is this: Kakashi understands exactly why the bridge builder lied when he paid for

a mission. He understands the desperation of wanting to help the people you love. But Kakashi

would never willingly put children in danger, no matter what. To Tazuna, Sasuke, and Sakura

should be considered children, and the fact that the man doesn't really seem to care that he's

putting them in danger that they aren't qualified to handle is just-

He doesn't have words."Sasuke, Sakura…," Naruto hums, but his eyes never leave the bridge

builder, "how do you think we should proceed?"

"Protocol would have us return to the village or wait for backup." Sasuke steps forward, arms crossed. "But this Gato person sounds like trouble. We should help."

"Besides, Sensei," Sakura adds, giving Kakashi a small smile that warms his heart, just a little.

"Kitsune told me that you're one of the strongest jonin in Konoha."

I'm a pushover, aren't I?

I am.

"Sensei?"

Naruto smiles like the sun. "You heard them, sensei."

Two former ANBU and two genins escort a bridge-builder back to his homeland. Kakashi really should have expected things to go like this. Somehow, they always do when it comes to him.

At least he has Narumi.

Speaking of…

"How's your eye?" he asks softly, allowing the others to move ahead.

His fiance hums. "You worry too much."

Kakashi doesn't feel the need to point out why.

She sighs. "Kakashi, I promise you that I'm okay. As soon as we get a minute, I'll even let you

look at it, okay?" She said. "Seeing as Tazuna was attacked by the Demon Brothers, I'm willing to bet that this Gato has also hired Zabuza of the Seven Swordsman. I've dealt with him before,

but I don't want to reveal myself too soon, ne? Dad said the henge would be fine, but I brought a mask just in case. The craftsman finished it just before we left since Madara broke the last

one."

He reaches for Narumi's hand, wishing he could hold her, and the blond intertwine their fingers, tapping out a message in Morse. 'I love you.

"How did it happen?"

Narumi hums. "He knew he was about to die, so he decided to get his revenge with one last parting blow. He slashed up with his katana, and if I wanted to keep my throat intact, I had to tuck my head. So he lunged instead, and took my right eye with him." Out of nowhere, she grins. "Honestly, I'm surprised I made it home before I passed out."

He taps out his own message on the back of Narumi's hand. 'Idiot.'

Obito Pov

Obito has a lot of regrets. Not being permitted to help Narumi fight Madara is only one of them.

Not telling Rin about Narumi is another. And now… now that they're… together, kind of, almost,

it's a secret he can no longer keep from her.

She knows that he thinks of Kitsune as his brother, somebody he wants to protect, and she knows that he once made a horrible, terrible mistake that nearly ruined their relationship forever. She knows most of the story by now, after all of their talks. When the two of them had finally sat down and discussed their feelings for each other, Obito had explained that he had a lot of baggage he wanted to confess to her before they moved forward. Rin, though, has always understood Obito. They've been friends since the time they could walk, after all.

So she'd agreed to hear him out, understanding that he doesn't want there to be any more secrets between them if they're really going to be together. He really hates lying to her, after all.

And that brings him to Minato-sensei's office at eleven o'clock at night, Rin in tow.

"Obito, how do you know Sensei's even here? Wouldn't he be at home right now? It's pretty

late."

Unfortunately, Obito had to ask permission from Sensei before he ever brought Rin along, so he knows that their former teacher is still in the office. His wife is with him. They're waiting on

Obito and Rin.

"Rin, I have one final secret to share with you. But it's not really my secret." He pushes the door open and follows her inside, heart heavy with the weight of his misdeeds. But then, he thinks of his little sister(Narumi), nineteen and so, so strong.

Obito's not just doing this for himself, or for Rin. Narumi has whined and complained about the fact that Rin doesn't know she's alive and at home, and has literally pointed out several times that she cannot be the only member of their mismatched little family who would be surprised when she removes her mask, or veil, at the wedding. Obito's little sister is precious and deserves the world, and if this is the only thing Obito can do for her, he'll gladly receive Rin's anger for being kept in the dark. After all, it's really Obito that could have told her, years ago.

"Oh God, Minato, if they aren't back by the wedding date, I will blame the entire thing on you!"

"Ne, Sensei?"

The Hokage peeks around the chair that he's hiding behind, looking a little pale. Obito refuses to glance toward Kushina because he doesn't want to face her wrath, not if her hair is doing that creepy, floaty thing. "Obito, Rin, welcome. Please have a seat."

"Somebody's getting married, Sensei?" Rin asks, moving to sit on one of the chairs when

Minato-sensei rounds his desk to sit next to his wife on the sofa against one of the walls.

"Ah, that's kind of tied to the reason we're here. First of all, we're here to discuss Kitsune."Rin

glances at Obito, brow furrowed and lips pursed. "I'm not quite sure I follow."

"Rin." Obito ducks his head, but his eye never leaves her face. "I've been putting off telling you about this in particular for a very long time. Twelve years, actually. Since Kannabi Bridge."

His oldest friend seems to pale, just a little.

"It wasn't some stranger who saved my life that night, Rin. It wasn't some random person in a

mask. I could make out her face as clearly as I can see yours. She called me by my name. She followed us all the way from the village. She was seven years old."

She mouths the word seven, eyes glazing over. "W-who…?"

He takes a deep breath. "It was Narumi who saved me that night, Rin. The night she

disappeared, she became a jinchuuriki and was trained for a few years in the Forest of Death.

She remained in the forest after she was left alone, and after she saved my life, I stayed there with her. We trained, we ran missions, and Hiruzen-sama inducted us into ANBU."

Rin looks between the three of them, but she's unable to form words. Obito can't really blame

her for it.

"I didn't figure out her identity until after she left the village to train with Jiraiya," Kushina finally steps in, clasping her hands together over her knees. "I didn't recognize my own daughter, even when she came to heal me on her eighth birthday. But I figured it out by the time she turned fifteen, and that's why I decided to make everybody celebrate it. Including her."

She makes a sad face. "Still, she did her best to avoid us. She was terrified that she wouldn't be

able to control her powers and would destroy the village."

Sensei rests his elbows on his knees, chin on his hands. "Kakashi found out when Narumi and

Obito was hunting down the Akatsuki. He hid away for two weeks and I had to send

Gai to find him. That's when he told me. There were plenty of reasons that Narumi tried to keep

her identity a secret, but the last big threat on her agenda has finally been taken care of."

"She's been hiding in plain sight this entire time, Rin, and I've been helping her," Obito

finishes.

"She's good at hiding it, but she's still so shy. She's asked us to tell you more than once."

"Her identity is still an SS-class secret, but she plans on coming forward either at her wedding

or the next chunin exam, depending on which comes first." Minato-sensei shoots his wife a

frustrated glance. "Although it seems Kushina wants the wedding to come first. I don't think

they(Narumi and Kakashi) care all that much."

"They asked me to plan, I don't see why I can't plan the wedding for the end of the month."

Obito sighs. These two…

A soft laugh escapes the girl in the chair next to his, but she covers her mouth as tears gather

in the corners of her eyes.

He hadn't wanted to hurt her. But telling her now is better than lying, or letting her find out later that the rest of them already knew. He supposes they really do deserve her anger.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I'm so sorry." Rin looks up, meeting Sensei's eyes, and then Kushina's.

"I… I never believed it. I thought it was impossible... for her to be alive after all this time." She wraps her arms around herself. "If… if I had been as enthusiastic about finding her… If I had been willing to search…" She gives them a soft smile. "It's no wonder none of you told me. I'm always at the hospital, and I avoided even considering the possibility that she was out there

somewhere… So, really, why would any of you go out of your way to tell me?"

Obito doesn't want Rin to feel like she deserved to be left out, but he can't exactly deny all the times she'd looked at them with some kind of pity. Perhaps it was the healer in her or the

statistics of somebody so young being on their own or in captivity for so long.

He understands why she considered Narumi to be dead.

"Rin," Kushina stands, crouching before the younger woman and taking her by the hands. "We

all had our doubts at one point or another. All of us, except for Kakashi. Don't think that we were trying to punish you for not getting your hopes up, because the thought never crossed our minds. Each of us learned her secret at different times, and each of us dealt with it in our own ways. Telling you just kind of slipped by the wayside on top of all the other things that fell into our hands after finding out the truth."

After a moment, Rin stands. "Ah, you two have a wedding to plan, so we'll get going." Her smile is genuine, but she still looks like she's hurt. Obito wonders if he'll be able to make it up to her.

By the time they hit the streets, Rin has taken his hand. "Obito…"

What do I even say, now? I'm sorry doesn't cover it at all.

"I cannot imagine what you went through, keeping a secret like that for so long."

Obito's thoughts went blank.

"Rin…?"

"I mean, both of you have such big hearts, you know? From what I remember about Narumi,

and what I know about Kitsune, she's extremely loving and gentle. And you. Obito, you've always had an open heart. For the two of you to be on your own, away from the people you care about… Taking missions meant for ANBU…" She squeezes his hand, leading him to one of the benches along the worn path. "It's no wonder the pressure finally got to you. Stress does some awful things to people. Honestly, after being traumatized and then adding to your own stress by leaving everyone behind to protect her all on your own…"

Rin caresses his cheek with her free hand, and what can he do but lean into the gentle touch as a man starved? Obito knows better than anybody that he lost a part of himself the night he saved Kakashi, but he'll never, ever regret it. It wasn't the part of himself that loves this woman.

He will always love her.

Please, never leave me.

Sakura Pov

Eventually, the five of them make camp for the night. While Narumi-sensei tends to the fire and

keeps an eye on their client, Kakashi-sensei goes to collect water, leaving Sakura and Sasuke

in charge of gathering more wood to put on the fire.

Not even a full week ago, Sakura had completely given up on her crush and was pretty much

ready to pummel him into next weekend.

And suddenly, it's almost as if he wants to be her friend. Like now that she's not treating him like he's something special, he's willing to meet her gaze. It's almost as if Sasuke isn't the least bit interested in girls.

The thought is practically a slap to the face.

Does Sasuke like anybody at all? Has he ever even had a crush?

"Sakura."

She hums, picking up another piece of dried wood and adding it to the pile in her arm.

"You're the one who found Narumi-nii. What did she look like? My cousin said she was hurt

pretty badly, but she looked all healed up this morning." Sasuke's arms are piled with wood and dried leaves, too. He looks bored, but Sakura's pretty sure Sasuke always looks bored.

Neither of them mentions how her(Narumi) face only holds a lone blue eye, now.

"I wouldn't have noticed her if she wasn't coughing up her own blood. She was outside the gates, but I heard a cough, like a really bad, wet cough. How people with lung damage sound,

you know? Anyway, the gate chunin was asleep in his booth, so I snuck outside the wall and that's when I found her. She was… well, she'd been beaten half to death, Sasuke-Kun. Her mask was broken, she was unconscious, and there was more blood outside of her body than in it.

Probably." She frowns. "Her healing ability, the one she used on me earlier? She said she can't use it on herself. She heals quickly, but not quickly enough."

Sakura turns to her teammate, taking notice of the tension on his shoulders. "Sasuke-Kun?"

He shakes his head, meeting her gaze. "Do you think they're sleeping together?"

"Who?"

"Kakashi-sensei and Narumi-nii."

Well… Kaka-sensei did call her 'my love'. And Kitsune-sensei seemed pretty fond of Kakashi-

sensei when I mentioned him.

"Whether they're…doing that or not, I think it's at least safe to say that they're fond of each

other." She shoots him a smirk. "But I bet if we watch them long enough, we'll be able to figure

it out."

It's late when they make it back to the camp. Sasuke acts cool, but both of them had realized that they got lost, so she knows Sasuke isn't perfect. It's kind of nice to realize he's human,

too.

Their client is snoring loudly on his bedroll while the fire burns nearby. The teachers are seated side-by-side across from him, talking softly. A part of Sakura wants to curl up at their feet and

listen to the gentle hum of their voices as she falls asleep.

I probably just miss my parents. But then Narumi-sensei turns to them, smiling at them as though she's really, truly pleased to see them. "Did you guys get lost, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

When they're close enough, Sakura can make out the two of them holding hands in the light of the fire. Do platonic friends hold hands? Well, she supposes she and Ino used to hold hands

all the time, but she's never seen Shikamaru and Choji holding hands, and they're closer than

any two friends Sakura's ever known.

She pushes it from her mind, suddenly exhausted. Maybe they won't mind if she just… curls up

beside them and dozes.

"Sakura-chan, why don't you get some rest?" Narumi-sensei offers, eye tracking her movements around their little camp. "That poison I pulled out of your blood probably did a number on you, 'ttebayo."

Yeah. Her butt really does feel kicked. "Hai, Sensei."

His answering smile makes her want to cry from fondness. I'm really glad you're my sensei.