I was watching my best friend as he finished his training session with Kakashi-sensei, his blond hair plastered to his face due to the afternoon rain that had finally let up.
"Kiyomi!" He called as he spotted me sitting in the tree above him.
"Hey Naruto. Want to go to Ichiraku's? My treat!" I grinned as I dropped in front of him.
"Of course! Let's go Kiyomi!"
Yep, my best friend is none other than Naruto Uzumaki. The boy who was always considered the knucklehead ninja, especially with his one track mind of bringing Sasuke back to the Leaf. It was also this boy, that I had a big crush on, though I am nothing like Hinata, or Sakura and Ino. I don't get all shy or act like a fangirl around him.
I walked beside him as we made our way to Ichiraku's, when I noticed that he seemed to be moving slower than usual.
"Are you okay Naruto?" He sighed, probably wanting to tell me that he is fine, but knowing better than to lie to me. I know him too well for him to get away with a lie, no matter how small.
"I've been feeling a bit off lately. I think something is up with my chakra. It isn't responding as well as it usually does. I have to work harder to do my jutsu kind of like how I used to have trouble in the academy. How I could never get the clone jutsu right?" He replied, and I had a bad feeling.
"How long?"
"A week."
That would mean that it had started shortly after the meeting with Sasori's spy.
Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and Team Gai had been sent out to help the Sand Village save Gaara, their Kazekage, who had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki. While on the mission Sakura fought one of them, Sasori of the red Sand, who told them about a spy he was supposed to meet up with.
Naruto and Sakura went to the rendezvous point with an Anbu member, and a strange emotionally stunted boy named Sai. The spy turned out to be Kabuto, a guy we had first met during the Chunin Exams, who turned out to be a spy working with the Sound ninja.
From what I heard from Sakura, Naruto fought against Orochimaru, and ended up with 4 tails.
I told Naruto that we should go see Lady Tsunade about the chakra problem. If the seal was slipping, she should know about it, and hopefully she could fix it.
We got to her office and Naruto told her what he told me, and she had Shizune usher me out of the room while the 5th Hokage checked Naruto's seal, coming to the same conclusion I did.
After a few minutes Shizune called me back in, and I watched as my crush paced around the office.
"The bad news is that the seal is weakened due to your battle against Orochimaru, the good news is that it is easy to fix if we don't wait too long. All we need to do is get a couple of sealing experts to add a bit more chakra onto the seal, and we will need your help Kiyomi." Lady Tsunade told us, and Naruto stopped pacing abruptly, turning to face the female sannin.
"Me milady?" I asked, wondering what use I would be in this situation. I noticed how Naruto froze when I spoke.
"During the procedure the Nine Tails is likely to attempt to fight the sealing, and try to take over. Naruto must remain calm while we strengthen the seal. If not he will lose control of the Kyuubi, and put the village in trouble. We need you to keep him calm so we can fix the seal."
"NO! I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS! NOT WITH KIYOMI!" Naruto shouted, before he jumped out of the open window.
"NARUTO!" I called after my best friend.
"We need to go after him. In the shape he's in, the seal is going to get weaker." The Hokage began.
"We need to get an Anbu squad ready!" Shizune stated.
"Wait." Shizune and Lady Tsunade turned to me. "I'll go after him. I know where he's going." Lady Tsunade nodded and I jumped out the window following Naruto.
I found him on the rooftop where he usually hide when's he's upset. It overlooks the park that Naruto and I first met.
I could remember that day, even after all these years. We were 8 years old and Naruto was sitting on one of the swings, just minding his own business when some of our classmates came up to him, making fun of him.
I had been out of an errand for my mother, and had been close enough to hear the commotion. I hid behind a tree and watched as a group of kids from the academy surrounded the blond.
They were sneering at him and mocking him. Some of them were saying that he would never be a ninja because he isn't good enough, or smart enough, or strong enough. Others said that he was just a loser without a family and that nobody would ever care about him. A few of the more obnoxious kids were calling him a monster and saying that everyone was better off if he would just die.
I never understood the things those kids said about him. Why would they mock him for things he had no control over? He never asked to be a jinchuriki, nor did he ask to be an orphan.
I walked over to those kids, and stood between them and Naruto, telling the bullies to leave him alone.
Naruto was just as surprised as those kids were when I stood up for him.
After the kids left I walked Naruto to his house to make sure he didn't get harassed by anyone else. The next day I had Naruto sit with me in class and at lunch.
Ever since then Naruto and I have been best friends.
I smiled softly as I reached the blonde, who was just staring blankly in front of him. He was sitting against a wall, his legs up against his chest, held there be his arms, his head resting on his knee.
"Do you remember what you told me the day you got your headband?" I asked softly.
"Yeah. I was so excited to tell you my good news. I remember running all the way to your house, and told you that I was one step closer to my dream. You were happy too. You hugged me and congratulated me on passing and we talked about how awesome it would be if we were on the same team." He replied just as softly, but with a small smile on his face now.
"You'll make a great Hokage someday Naruto. I just know it." I replied as I sat down beside him. We were silent for a few minutes, and I could tell that Naruto was still upset, but not as upset as he was in Lady Tsunade's office.
"I'm scared Kiyomi. I don't like it when Kyuubi takes over. The last time he did, I hurt Sakura. I don't want to hurt you too." He whispered.
"You won't Naruto."
"You don't know the Nine Tails!" He cried out, breathing hard. I placed my hand on top of his to calm him. He looked down at my hand.
"Your right. I don't know the Nine Tails." I started, taking my free hand to gently lift his head up to face me. I was surprised to see his eyes shine with tears that he refused to let fall. "But I do know you, and I trust you." He sighed and leaned into me. I wrapped my arms around him.
"I don't want to lose you Kiyomi. I-I love you."
"I love you too Naruto, and you won't lose me. Not ever." I promised as I hugged him tighter. We stayed like that for a couple more minutes before I stood up and offered Naruto my hand.
"Lady Tsunade should be ready by now." I told him as he took my hand with another sigh.
"Stay with me?" He asked. I gave him a soft smile.
"Always."
We made it back to Lady Tsunade's office and Shizune led us to a chamber in the basement of Hokage Mansion. As the sealing experts got to work I kept Naruto's attention by talking about him being Hokage.
He did start to tense up during the final phase of the sealing so I leaned down and pressed my lips against Naruto's, causing him to relax as his left hand reached into my long brown hair, pulling me deeper into the kiss.
The sealing was finished, and the experts left, along with Shizune and Lady Tsunade, but we didn't even notice, as all that mattered to us was each other.
We did notice the lack of ninjas once we paused the kiss for breath. I turned to my boyfriend, and together we left the room and went to thank Lady Tsunade, before leaving the mansion.
"How do you feel now Naruto?" I asked. He paused, and made the handling he usually does for the Shadow Clone, which he had no problem with. He dispelled the jutsu right after.
I smiled, as I led the way to his favorite restaurant.
"Still in the mood for Ichiraku's?"
"As long as it's with you Kiyomi!" He grinned.
"Always Naruto."