Goodbye

The Chunin Exams had come to an end, leaving behind a flurry of emotions, experiences, and newfound friendships. Now, it was time for farewells and departures. The gate of Konoha was crowded with a mix of anxious and excited faces, as some would leave, and some would stay for student exchanges. Among the crowd were Raikage A and Kazekage Rasa, each with their respective entourages.

Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, stood beside Kurenai and Anko. Ryomaru, who had come from the Hidden Cloud for the exchange program, was there with Samui and Mabui. Temari, Hinata and her younger sister Hanabi were also present; Hinata primarily to bid Naruto farewell, and Hanabi both to support her sister and to be near Ryomaru.

A was in conversation with Darui, who had arrived earlier with the Cloud genin for the exams. Nearby, Baki and Kakashi were talking amongst themselves. These were the people who would be traveling back with the Raikage. As for the Kazekage, Yura was briefing him about the Sand genin who had participated in the exams. Shikamaru, who had been training in the Sand Village, stood beside him.

"Alright, everyone's here. Let's not keep them waiting," Raikage A said, adjusting his hat. He glanced briefly toward Ryomaru turning his gaze back to the crowd.

"Sure thing, Raikage-sama," Darui replied, stepping back to give A space to address the gathering.

A cleared his throat. "It's been a memorable experience. I trust we all have learned something valuable. Darui, Kakashi, Baki—you're with me. Naruto, Gaara, prepare to depart. We will continue your training back in the Cloud."

Naruto's eyes met Hinata's for a brief moment before he nodded, "Yes, Raikage-ossan."

"Same goes for me. We'll be setting out shortly," Rasa stated calmly, his eyes flitting to Ryomaru before resting on Yura and Shikamaru. "Yura, make sure the genin are ready."

"Understood, Kazekage-sama," Yura replied.

As Raikage A finished his speech and turned to leave, the crowd began to break into smaller clusters, each forming their own farewells.

Choji walked up to Shikamaru, his face a mix of sadness and support. "Hey, Shikamaru. Gonna miss having you around to beat me at shogi."

Shikamaru smirked, "You've gotten better, you know. Next time, maybe it'll be you beating me."

Choji chuckled. "Maybe, but don't hold your breath."

Naruto shuffled his feet as he approached Hinata, his face flushed and eyes a bit downcast. "Uh, Hinata... I, uh, just wanted to say, um... goodbye."

Hinata, equally shy, met his gaze for just a second. "Goodbye, Naruto-kun. I'll... I'll miss you."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, um, I'll miss you too, Hinata. Take care, okay?"

"Y-You too," Hinata stammered, her cheeks flushed.

Hanabi, who had been watching the interaction, smirked and jabbed Ryomaru in the side with her elbow. "Look at them, so shy yet so into each other."

Ryomaru grinned. "Takes one to know one, huh?"

Before Hanabi could retort, Raikage A walked over. "Take care, Ryomaru," he said, placing his massive hand on Ryomaru's shoulder, causing him to wobble just a bit.

"Will do, Raikage-sama," Ryomaru responded, maintaining his balance.

As A walked away to rejoin his group, Ryomaru watched him go, his expression unreadable.

Temari felt a rush of emotions as she hugged Kankuro and Gaara. "You guys take care. No getting into trouble without me."

Kankuro grinned. "No promises."

Temari chuckled and turned to bid her father goodbye with a simple nod, struggling to keep her emotions in check. She walked back and found Ryomaru, her eyes slightly watery.

Ryomaru, seeing Temari's emotional state, took her hand in his. "You okay?"

Temari blushed but managed to muster a smile. "Yeah, thanks."

"I get it. But it's not forever. We're just on different paths right now."

Hinata, who was still nearby, finally managed to look back up and met Naruto's eyes one last time before he left. "Be safe, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded, swallowing hard. "You too, Hinata. Believe it!"

As they all said their final farewells and began to disperse, Ryomaru glanced around one last time. Everyone's faces were marked by a mixture of sadness and hopeful expectation. This was just one of many partings and reunions in their lives, he thought. And each one left its mark, shaping them into the people they would become.

Hanabi, seeing Ryomaru holding Temari's hand, couldn't help but pout. Feeling a pang of something she couldn't quite define, she moved closer to Ryomaru until her shoulder touched his. Ryomaru sensed her presence and leaned into her as well, taking in the unique scent that was distinctly Hanabi.

"Hey, you okay?" Ryomaru asked softly, still holding onto Temari's hand while maintaining the shoulder contact with Hanabi.

"I'm fine," Hanabi replied, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability.

As the groups from the Cloud and Sand villages disappeared over the horizon, Hiruzen smiled at those who remained. With a nod, he, Anko, and Kurenai also vanished, leaving the Konoha genin with their mixed emotions.

Noticing the sullen expressions on Hinata and Temari, Ryomaru locked eyes with Hanabi for a moment. They didn't need words; their eyes conveyed the unspoken agreement that their friends needed cheering up.

"I have an idea," Ryomaru finally said, breaking the silence.

Hanabi grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that."

"Alright, what if we organize a little sparring tournament? Just for fun, of course. It'll help take our minds off things."

"And it's a great way to show off your skills," Hanabi added with a mischievous smile. "Count me in."

From a distance, Samui and Mabui watched Ryomaru intently. Their eyes filled with pride and a touch of longing, as if wanting to hold onto this moment just a bit longer.

Mabui sighed softly. "He really knows how to bring people together, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he's always been that way," Samui replied, her eyes not leaving Ryomaru. "I suppose it's one of the many reasons why we adore him so much."

Turning to Temari and Hinata, Ryomaru clapped his hands to get their attention. "Hey, so we were thinking of having a fun sparring tournament back at the training ground. What do you guys think?"

Hinata looked up, her eyes meeting Ryomaru's. A small smile formed on her lips. "That sounds like a good idea."

Temari, wiping a last tear from her eye, gave a curt nod. "Sure, why not? Could be fun."

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