I stared blankly down at the headband clutched in my trembling hands. The situation was surreal, almost like a dream. The sounds and sights around me were slowed, as if time itself were running in molasses. I would've pinched myself, but the fresh smell of blood and sweat was sobering enough. Bending my head down, I began to sob into the only thing I had of my father's. My mother walked in, but I kept my head down. I didn't want my mother to see me in such a vulnerable moment.

Naoko treaded lightly on the carpeting, making sure she didn't disturb me. Sitting down on the bed beside me, she raised her arm and rested it over my shoulder. "Kumiko." she cooed into my ear, trying to calm me down, "You have to be strong. You're a genin now." I slowly picked my head up to gaze at my mother. "I know…" I murmured, suddenly ashamed of my sadness.

I looked up into my mother's eyes. Behind her impenetrable façade, I could tell she was in great pain. Naoko closed her eyes, probably trying to compose herself. I didn't want to act on my assumptions, so I laid my head back onto the headband. After a few moments of silence, Naoko stood up swiftly. "Asuka was an amazing Jonin. He was honored to risk his life for this village." she exclaimed fervently, gazing out of the window. I nodded slowly, trying my best to agree with her. My father was very talented, I know, but I doubted he was eager to die.

The headband was soaked in my tears, and I frowned as I rung out the blue fabric. A little of the blood washed away, but the Konoha symbol was still stained a bright red. Standing up with unsteady legs, I walked wearily up to my mother. Her face was eerily blank. I grasped her sleeve and tugged it lightly. She didn't respond. I stepped back a pace, my anxiety hitting me like a boulder. My mother is extremely strong, but I didn't expect her to take dad's death so badly. "Kumiko." she whispered, bowing her head towards the ground, "I need you to do something for me."

My interest suddenly peaked when my mother spoke. She had never asked a favor of me. Naoko was very self-sufficient, and rarely needed help with anything. I waited for her to continue, my gaze never leaving her face. After what seemed like an eternity, she took in a deep breath. "Please, take his headband back to Konoha, and explain everything that happened to the Hokage."

I gasped. In all my life, I would have never guessed that Naoko would entrust me with such an immense task. I shook my head, skeptical at my mother's full trust in me. "Why can't you go?" I boldly asked, holding the headband to my chest as I waited for an answer. She replied quietly, "My chakra reserves are low. My emotion is draining my energy." She spoke with such a shameful tone; it caught me completely off guard. "Consider this your first mission." she added, smiling for a short moment. I bowed my head, the task at hand distracting me from my sadness. "This headband will be delivered," I promised, "Or I shall never become a Kunoichi."

–––––––––––––

Branches relentlessly slapped my face as I trekked ahead to Konoha. I tried my best to pay attention to my surroundings as I sprinted through the dense forest, but my mind began to wander. "What if I'm attacked?" I thought to myself frantically, suddenly stopping in my tracks. The idea was nightmarish at the moment. I knew nothing of self-defense, or chakra usage. I was unarmed.

The mere thought of being ambushed made my stomach churn. Why did my mother send me in her place? Something escaped me. Even a shinobi with a small amount of chakra would've been a more logical choice. At least they knew Taijustsu

I shook my head violently. Thoughts like that didn't help me at all, and it certainly didn't give me any fighting knowledge. With a small nod, I continued to move forward, unaware of my surroundings.

I blinked when I heard a bush shaking to the right of me. I glanced in its direction, slightly uninterested. "It's probably a squirrel." I assured myself, shrugging as I turned towards the path. I took one step forward, and froze as I heard breathing from behind me.

I turned around to face my pursuer. It wasn't anything I had expected. He was a young boy, around 12 years old. His black hair was cut short. A thin, white headband was wrapped neatly around his head. He wore a white robe with short sleeves. And he was glaring at me.

"What is your business here?" he demanded angrily, furrows appearing on his forehead. I stared blankly at the young boy, words escaping me. He completely caught me off guard.

"What are you doing here?!" he asked again, his voice considerably louder than before. I blinked, his voice snapping me out of my shock. "I-I'm here for official business." I replied shakily, trying to keep my composure. The young boy eyed me suspiciously, raising his thick eyebrows in uncertainty.

After several moments had passed, he tightened the knot behind his head. "If you truly are here for business, then you won't mind if we sparred?" he asked with an excited grin. My anxiety and fear about this stranger had melted away, leaving only the adrenaline rushing through my body. "You're on." I replied, balling my hands into a fist.

The stranger made the first move, running towards me determinedly. Before his fist could make contact with my body, a movement in my peripheral caught my eye. In an instant, a man was in between the boy and me.

"Lee!" the man exclaimed, turning to face the boy. "What on earth are you doing?" The black-haired boy stared down at the ground, unable to respond to the Jonin's question. "It's dangerous to go outside of the city without your team." he scolded, looking down at the boy with a frown.

"Lee, I'm glad you have so much youthful energy, but attacking a stranger is not the way to use it. Lee nodded his head stiffly. "Yes, Gai Sensei." he responded reverently, staring ahead with an unreadable expression. Gai walked up to me, smiling warmly. "So, what brings you here?" he asked me, placing his arms on his sides confidently. I fumbled to untie the headband around my hand, glancing up at him with a nervous laugh. When the fabric was loose, I held it up towards him. "My father, Asuka, was a Leaf Village shinobi. He died, and I came to bring his headband back to the Hokage."

Gai's amused smile disappeared as he stared down at the tattered accessory. "Asuka…." he whispered, picking it up by the metal. Clenching the item in his fist, he began to cry softly. He ground his teeth as his hand began to tighten around the leaf symbol. After several moments of weeping, the Jonin opened his eyes to stare at me. "Follow me. I will show you to the Hokage's office." I nodded, understanding the reason for the man's outburst. He knew my father, and he wasn't afraid to show it.

The short walk to Konoha was a little awkward. Lee glanced at me for a moment, upset at losing a chance to fight. I returned a glance in his direction, trying my best to smile. "I'm Kumiko." I said, introducing myself to lighten the mood. Lee's muscles relaxed, and he returned the smile.

"I'm Rock Lee." he replied, scratching the back of his head nervously. I smiled as we neared the village gates. "It's nice to meet you, Lee."