The kitchen was the sole room of the house illuminated, even at the early hour. Sunlight was just beginning to peek over the treeline, painting the sky outside the window in oranges and reds. The room smelled of breakfast, the table already meticulously set: placemats, napkins, teacups, bowls, plates, chopsticks. Four place settings, three empty chairs. The rice cooker had clicked to warm several minutes earlier and a vase of flowers fresh from the backyard garden had been placed at the center of the table.
Chiharu bustled around the kitchen as if the morning meal had yet to be prepared, hands searching for any work to keep them busy. Her long hair tied back in a tight bun at the base of her neck and dyed a deep coral in the conflicting light: morning sunrise and the overhead light above the sink and stovetop. Though her makeup was already in place the woman had yet to get dressed for the day, her silk house robe tied tightly over her pajamas.
Her husband was the sole occupant at the table, dressed for work with his white medic coat folded over the back of his chair. His dark brown hair still stuck up in the back, despite all brushing attempts, and a pair of black glasses sat low on his nose. One leg crossed, ankle resting just above his knee, as he browsed the morning paper.
"You're pacing," Hiroto said without looking up from the newspaper. "At this rate you'll wear through the floor."
His wife turned on her heel to face him, green eyes flashing. "What do you expect me to do, when my child is being sent out to war?"
The man sighed, folding his paper and and setting it on the table. He pulled his reading glasses from his face, placing them over the morning headline. "Rin is graduating from the Academy, Chiharu. She isn't being sent to the front lines of a war that hasn't even happened yet. Tension doesn't always mean war, it's been four years since the last one ended. I can't imagine anyone is eager to return to it; not even Iwagakure."
Chiharu leaned forward, resting her palms against the wood of the table and fingers curling as if she could wrest ahold of the situation and physically pull it back into her control. The woman had never been trained as a shinobi and Hiroto was no sensor, but even he could feel her anxiety plucking at her natural chakra reserves. "But for how long, Hiroto? How long until-" the woman stopped short, biting at her painted lip. "They're children. You're a medic." Chiharu hissed, almost pleading. "You've seen what can happen in war, and those are the ones that make it back!"
Hiroto reached out, gently pulling one of his wife's hands from the tabletop and carefully obtaining their fingers. "Listen to me, Haru-chan" he began, relying on the childhood nickname and brushing a thumb over the back of her hand.
Chiharu pressed her painted lips into a thin line, though she didn't pull her hand free. "Don't you 'Haru-chan' me, Hiroto. You-"
"No, listen," he continued, "Rin is graduating. Genin aren't sent anywhere near the main fighting; most won't even leave the village until after their Chunin Exam. And besides that she's already made it clear that she wants to study medical ninjutsu. Rin will be fine."
"She's nine," Chiharu insisted, gesturing widely with her free hand. She pulled free from his hold, fingertips lingering for a heartbeat, before resuming her high energy circuit of the kitchen. "Nine, Hiroto! I know regulations have changed since the war before, but what good is a nine year old supposed to do? And Hanami!"
The medic held up his hands in an appeasing gesture, though his wife didn't seem to be looking in his direction. "Hanami has two more years before she graduates. For all we know the war will never start and the age twelve graduation requirement will be reinstated. You'll worry yourself sick of you keep this up."
"Hiro-kun," his wife whined, briefly reminding him of the girl he had met all those years ago. "You can't tell me not to worry. I know you're on the rotation for field medic, if anything happens. The children are following in your footsteps. How am I supposed to not worry with all three of you gone and this house is empty?"
"That isn't something that can happen any time soon," Hiroto reminded her. He rose from his chair, catching his wife by the elbow on her fourth round of pacing and pulling her to him. He reached up, smoothing the stray hair from her face. "The only thing that is going to happen today is Rin will get her Genin team assignment and Hanami will have another day of class." Hiroto turned, leading his wife into the easy sway of an impromptu dance. "And you, hopefully, will take some time to sit out at the back garden with some tea and relax. You still remember how to do that, don't you?"
This time she laughed, though the sound was tinged with her lingering anxiety. "No, I don't think I can manage something so strenuous."
"Things will be fine," Hiroto repeated, pressing a kiss to his wife's forehead.
Chiharu frowned, but didn't argue. "Do you know who her Jounin-sensei will be? Who will be on her team?"
The medic shook his head, leading the woman back to the kitchen table and pulling out a chair for her to sit. "You'll just have to hear it from Rin when she comes home."
"Oh, what good are you, Hiroto?" Chiharu sighed, dropping into the chair with a wave of her hand. "If you want me to relax you could at least find me the information I need."
"I could make something up?" The man offered with an arch of his eyebrow. "Sandaime-sama has decided Rin will be the next Hokage. She's to be instated next week and I imagine her first act will be to repaint the Hokage tower pink."
"Hush you," the housewife reached over and smacked her husband's arm lightly, though a fond smile tugged at her lips. "You were never very good at that."
"I thought that was why you married me," Hiroto countered, returning to his own chair.
The floor creaked. Both parents looked up, Hiroto paused with his reading glasses half-raised to his face once more. Barely visible around the line of the doorframe was their youngest daughter. The early morning sunrise painted her hair in shades of pink; spring flowers falling in messy waves and tangles over her shoulders.
"Hana-chan!" Chiharu scolded, with no real bite to her voice. "It's too early for you to be up!"
Hanami looked between her parents, dark brown eyes narrowed in the best scrutinizing look a seven year old could manage. "Were you two fighting?"
The two adults exchanged a brief look, Hiroto lowering his glasses back to the tabletop before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Do you think we're fighting?"
Hanami considered, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Someone felt angry. I think it was mama."
The medic bit back a sigh. While he was no sensory type his youngest child was, with the household solidly within her range. It had been a small blessing when Hanami had been younger and allowed out on small errand runs or outings; she almost never got lost with a familiar chakra signature to lead herself back to. It was one of the few aspects of the shinobi lifestyle that Hiroto had no idea on how to help train his daughter.
"Oh, sweetheart," Chiharu waved her daughter over. Hanami entered the kitchen proper but didn't run over to her mother, choosing instead to claim her seat at the table. "It was just a little arguement. We didn't mean to wake you."
"Why don't you try to go back to sleep?" Hiroto offered. "The sun isn't up yet."
Hanami shook her head, not looking up from the tabletop. "I'm awake. Can I have some tea?"
Chiharu reached over, smoothing her youngest's daughter's hair down before standing to fill the kettle. By the time the kettle had been filled and was heating on the stove Hanami had pushed the place setting away, resting her cheek against the cool wood of the tabletop.
"Your bed would be more comfortable," her father offered, finally able to return to his morning paper.
"No," Hanami argued, puffing out her cheeks. "I'll just get back to sleep and it'll be time to get up again."
"Well, you can't sleep at the table," Hiroto chided gently from behind the newspaper. "If you're so insistent on staying up, go do your morning stretches."
"Tea," the girl whined, patting her open palms on the tabletop.
"If you finish your morning exercises first the tea will be ready by the time you finish and it will be nearly time for breakfast," Chiharu offered. "If you wait, you won't have any time to enjoy it before you have to get ready for class."
With all the grace and dignity a seven year old could muster at dawn, Hanami groaned and quite literally slid herself out of the chair. She laid flat on the floor for a moment before pulling herself back to her feet and padding out towards the back porch.
"And your Academy katas!" Hiroto added as the girl disappeared from the kitchen.
"But we do those before Taijutsu class!" Hanami argued back from the other room.
"You won't get any better if you don't practice." The medic could hear his daughter groan as she pushed the sliding door open.
"I do feel bad for waking her," Chiharu said, looking between the tea leaves in the cabinet. "But I will not feel guilty for worrying. That's about all I can do."
"And all too well sometimes, my dear," Hiroto commented, turning the page of his newspaper.
Hanami stepped out onto the back porch. Though the sun had climbed a bit higher above the treeline the morning was still chilly with only her nightgown. Once she started moving things would be more comfortable. The backyard, small as it was, was mostly given over to a garden. In the more civilian sense: flowers with a focus on looking pretty and smelling good as opposed to having the potential to kill a man or slow the mind. Konoha's temperate climate meant flowers could remain for most of the year; the scent perfuming the air was both comforting and familiar.
The girl exhaled slowly, closing her eyes. Upstairs her sister's chakra was beginning to stir. Shifting as she woke and jumping with her excitement. Rin felt like a spring day- sunshine and dewdrops. The feeling of it was as comforting as the easy familiarity of her morning routine. Hanami felt the last of her lingering anxiety fading.
When Hanami returned, hair a mess and sticking to her forehead and neck with snaking tendrils like vines or tiny garden snakes, breakfast had been laid out proper on the table and there was a steaming cup of tea waiting. She smiled, bare feet padding against the cool kitchen floor.
"Thank you," Hanami said to no one as she took her seat at the table and closed her hands around the cup. Her father's crisp white coat was gone from the back of his chair, meaning her mother had gone to see him off. It was part of a familiar routine that Hanami knew well even without her sensory abilities.
Perfectly on cue her sister came down the stairs, springing gracefully from the last three steps. Rin landed near silently in a way only shinobi training could teach, and twisted, turning her landing into a neat turn. The end of her canvas apron-skirt fluttered cutely. Her previously long hair had been cut the evening before to frame her face. It was utilitarian, as was prominent in shinobi society, but it also flattering. Though their mother had lamented the loss.
"Ta-da!" Rin posed, beaming, to show off her outfit. Along with her newly acquired hitai-ate, she had chosen to wear the traditional Nohara Clan face paint: a blocky rectangle on each cheek in a lovely shade of purple that suited her face, as if they had always been there. "What do you think?"
"Well," Chiharu smiled, returning from the entryway. It was almost possible to ignore the way her chakra spiked with renewed worry. "Don't you look all grown up?"
The smile stayed on Rin's face as she all but bounced over to the kitchen table. "Ah, Hana-chan! You're not dressed yet? We have to leave after breakfast."
Hanami took a long drink from her teacup before setting it back on the table and licking her lips. "I'll hurry."
"Don't rush your sister," their mother scolded softly. "I know you're excited to meet your teammates, but Hanami has a normal class day. It won't do her any favors to get there so early."
"I'll hurry," Hanami repeated, looking determined.
Chiharu sighed but let the issue drop. Turning to her oldest daughter, brushing her fingers through Rin's nut-brown hair and tucking it behind one ear. "You'll tell us all about your new team?"
"Of course!" The newly appointed Genin nodded, bouncing excitedly in her seat.
"Who do you think it'll be?" Hanami asked around a mouthful of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Chiharu frowned.
Rin pressed a fingertip to her cheek, considering. "I'm not sure. I hope not Gai-kun. He's nice and probably great to work with, but I'm not sure I could keep up."
"You could," Hanami insisted with the sort of confidence held by younger siblings. "And Gai-kun wouldn't let you get hurt easily."
"But he'll hurt himself," Rin sighed, sounding resigned. "And try to wave it off with a smile."
Chiharu gathered up her husband's empty breakfast dishes from the table and carried them to the sink. The sound of the rubbing water dulled her daughters' conversation. She scrubbed at the plates and tried not to dwell on injured children protecting other children.
Thankfully the conversation turned to other candidates for Rin's new teammates, Hanami watching her sister from over the rim of her teacup. "What about Obito-kun?"
"Obito-kun has a lot of potential," Rin answered, ignoring the gist of the question. "I don't think anyone really got the chance to see that in the Academy. It would be nice if people started to take him more seriously."
"I'm sure that he's got a lot of expectations on him," Hanami nodded, sounding years older than her seven year old stature. "Being an Uchiha. It must be a lot of pressure."
"I didn't realize my children were suddenly so old," Chiharu interrupted as she placed the newly washed dishes in the rack to dry. "Can't you go back to arguing over which crayon to use?"
"Nope!" Both girls answered in unison. Rin turned to her breakfast in earnest as Hanami slid out from her chair to go change for the day.
The youngest Nohara took the stairs two at a time with more of a bounce than she had a right to. There was nothing exceptionally exciting waiting for her in class today, but her sister's enthusiasm was infectious. Hanami hummed a tune under her breath as she pushed open the door to her bedroom, something energetic and bouncy to fit the prevailing mood.
Dressing took little time, Hanami had made sure to set out her clothes the night before: the yukata styled dress for casual wear- similar to the one her sister owned but in spring green instead of lavender and patterned with simple flower shapes, the long socks favored by many kunoichi, and a simple belt for her pouches. The intention had been to allow her to sleep in a little longer, with her morning concerns pre-prepared, but the morning had gone differently.
Hanami hurried through her morning routine; brushing her hair into some semblance of order and tying it loosely with a matching ribbon. It was a civilian preferred style, not combat sanctioned, but until she graduated from the Academy proper there was little reason to consider alternatives as long as it could survive a taijutsu class. The loose ponytail at the back of her neck and the colorful ribbon would suffice.
"You barely touched breakfast," Chiharu frowned as her youngest daughter returned. Rin had moved along to the front door. "At least finish your miso soup."
Hanami dutifully picked up her bowl from the table and drank from it. Her mother sighed, but said nothing. Instead, Chiharu sat the bento boxes- tied up in colorful fabric, one with seashells and one with cartoon bunnies- for Hanami to take.
The girl licked her lips, placing the now empty bowl back on the table and picking up the packed lunches. "Thank you. But doesn't Nee-chan have a short day? She won't be back in the Academy after team assignments."
"No," Chiharu agreed, following after her youngest daughter to the entryway. "But it might be a good team bonding experience to have lunch together, don't you think?"
Goodbyes were said as Hanami stepped into her shoes. Rin threw open the door to a proper Konoha morning, all green leaves and bright sunlight. Several sparrows pecking at the yard were startled into flight, chirping noisily. The new Genin stretched her arms above her head, taking a moment to bask in the warm sun rays.
"This is the last day I'll be able to walk with you to the Academy," Rin said as they began down the street, a bounce in her step. Their mother waved from the doorway before disappearing from sight as they rounded a corner. "Think you can handle that, Hana-chan?"
Hanami huffed, puffing out her cheeks. "Nee-chan, I can manage walking to class and back. I'm going to be a Genin, too."
The older girl laughed, bumping lightly into her sister's side. "I don't know~," Rin laughed, teasingly jogging ahead. "You haven't done anything alone before!"
"That's not true!" Hanami insisted as she hurried to catch up. "And if it is, it's because you were just too much of a mother hen to let me."
"Oh!" Rin gasped, placing a hand to her chest. As her sister approached the Genin's arm snaked out, grabbing Hanami about the shoulders and dragging her close, free hand scrunching through carefully combed hair. "I'll show you mother hen!"
Hanami squealed, unwilling to sacrifice their mother's carefully prepared bentos for her escape. "Nooo!"
"Riin-chaan!" A new voice greeted, followed shortly by a flurry of footsteps. Obito channeling his Youth in a way Gai would approve of, appearing at full speed and waving his arms in greeting, plastic bag in hand nearly smacking him in the face. "Good morning!"
"Ah, Obito-kun," Rin greeted, releasing her sister. Hanami shuffled away and blew the stray hair from her face. "Good morning. You made it, early even."
The young Uchiha beamed, puffing up like a winter sparrow at the complement. "I set all the clocks in my house ahead by an hour."
"Good...job?" Rin said slowly, offering her classmate a smile.
"I'm here too," Hanami interrupted, sticking out her tongue. "What's in the bag?"
Obito laughed, rubbing at the back of his neck and turning a little pink at the tips of his ears. "Haha, sorry Hana-chan. Good morning to you, too." At the question he lifted the bag slightly, showing the logo from a nearby convenience store. "This? Just some Melon-pan from the store."
Rin frowned, doing a very good impression of their mother's disappointed face. "You woke up early and you still didn't get breakfast?"
"Cooking is hard!" Obito attempted to defend himself, withering under the look. "And I was hoping to be done in time to walk with you…"
"Oh-ho," Hanami smiled, passing her sister's bento off to it's proper owner and began walking ahead. "I can see when I'm not wanted."
"Aw, don't be like that," the Uchiha deflated, shoulders drooping.
"Nope, I can't hear you~," the younger girl said over her shoulder, walking faster. "Ah, young love. An early morning date sounds so nice~."
"Hana-chan!" Her sister shouted indignantly at the same moment Obito insisted, "You're seven! Stop talking like an old lady."
Hanami laughed, scurrying away and clutching her bento box as if it were some stolen prize.
