This is the follow-up to my chapter story 'The Sound Three'. It's short, but hopefully sweet. If you'd like to know what happened to all the characters, here we go!

Chichi - father

Hahaoya - mother

o.O.o

Chapter 1

Zaku stared at his reflection on the computer screen. Scruffy brown hair held back by a dark blue headband. There were more lines on his face than he remembered, particularly around his mouth and the corners of his eyes. Well, ten years would do that.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked up from the computer screen at Oto Music. The first thing he'd done since taking over management of the shop was buy a computer and place it at the front counter so he could do all his managing while at work instead of in his own time.

Dosu was currently serving their only customers for the moment. Tuesday's were slow. That left Zaku plenty of time to go through finances and bills and keep on top of everything. He glanced at his reflection again and paid attention to his eyes, noting that they seemed slightly dulled. He knew management was stressful but still…

Suigetsu left Japan five years ago after receiving a job opportunity overseas. He handed over ownership to Zaku, which meant more work but more income. Sai stopped working there three months after graduation when he went to Tokyo to study Art, so Suigetsu had a job opening. Zaku recommended Dosu and the bandaged boy scored a full-time job on top of his nightly work at the newspaper factory.

Now Zaku and Dosu were the only full-time employees at Oto Music and there were two teenagers working part-time. Zaku enjoyed the challenge of managing his own shop. It gave him a sense of fulfilment, given that a lot of people thought he wouldn't get anywhere, but at times the stress levels were intense.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a second and shook his head to focus. Then he glanced at the bottom corner of the screen. Three o'clock. Utako would be finished school and heading home by now. He'd leave in a couple hours to get dinner ready for when Dosu came home after locking up the shop.

Zaku engrossed himself in emails until the bell jingled and his sister came into the shop. He noted her choice of jeans, converse and a t-shirt and mentally applauded her similar sense of style to him.

"Hey Utako, what are you doing here?" he asked, standing.

She smiled and moved around the desk to embrace him. "Nice to see you too." She pulled back and held him at arms' length. "I have some big news… Konohamaru asked me out on a date this Saturday!"

Zaku stared. It hadn't come as a surprise. Utako was growing in her beauty and was bound to attract the attention of other boys. When he was ten-years-old, Konohamaru told Zaku that he liked Utako but Zaku always thought that when he entered high school he would get over it. Apparently not. But at least it was Konohamaru and not some boy that he'd never met before. His only reservation at the moment was that Konohamaru was eighteen and Utako was fourteen.

"That's… not unexpected."

A beautiful smile graced her face and she jumped up and down excitedly. "Zaku! Come on! I've never been asked out on a date before! This is a big moment for me! Can you please take me dress shopping?"

Zaku spluttered. "Uh… what?"

"I need a dress for the date and Moegi's busy so I can't ask her for a second opinion. Suna Charity is just across the street and it won't take more than thirty minutes."

"And then afterwards, to celebrate this momentous event, we can go for ramen."

A mischievous grin crossed her features. "Naruto's ramen?"

"You bet." Zaku called across the shop. "Dosu, you right to handle the shop for the rest of the day?"

"Hai, why?" Dosu wore a bright red bandage today. He'd really changed from the simple white bandage he used to hide, instead making them a fashion accessory.

"Konohamaru asked Utako out and she needs a dress for Saturday and she needs it right now. We're going for ramen too but we'll bring you back some for dinner."

"Sounds good. I'll lock up."

Zaku admired his best friend and roommate's no-nonsense attitude. Dosu understood the challenges of raising a child and did whatever he could to make Zaku's life easier, which Zaku did in turn. They learnt that if they both gave and took a little it made things easier for both of them.

Zaku signed out of the computer and left Oto Music with Utako. Their destination was the orange building just down the block. It used to be a high-end clothes shop but business in the area wasn't the best, as a lot of residents couldn't afford the high prices, so it closed down eight years ago. Now it was an Op Shop called Suna Charity, owned and run by Temari Sabaku. Temari bought the building with her chichi's money and turned it into a charity shop where people could donate their old things and they could be sold cheap. With the new cheap items came more furniture and clothes for the Abumi household and he wasn't ashamed to admit that his entire wardrobe came from Suna Charity.

They entered the shop and a bell jingled. Dozens of customers browsed the different areas and Utako made a beeline for the dress rack. Zaku nodded a greeting to Temari, who worked the register, and joined his sister.

Utako flicked through the light-coloured dresses and smiled when she pulled one out. "This is the one. This is the dress." She rushed to the change-rooms and shut the curtain behind her. Zaku leant against the wall awkwardly and cast his eyes over racks upon racks of clothes on one half of the store, and furniture and other household items on the other half. Volunteers drifted among everything, keeping an eye out in case someone shoplifted.

"So I got my results back from the last Numeracy test," Utako said from behind the curtain.

"Oh? And?"

"And I got ninety percent! Shikamaru says I'm just as smart as you!"

Shikamaru could have gone into NASA or the army because of his brain (he was smart enough to work at Google) but instead the lazy man became a school teacher at Kohona High for Numeracy and Humanities. In parent-teacher interviews with Zaku, he said the quiet unadventurous life was for him and he liked the easy hours and moderate pay. Utako said he was a great teacher because he cared for their learning but it wasn't blatantly obvious and he didn't have favourites like a lot of other teachers.

"And we all know Shikamaru knows what he's talking about."

"He's still my favourite teacher." Utako pushed the curtain aside and stepped forward wearing a pretty cream lacy dress that worked perfectly with her chocolate hair. "Do you think this looks good?"

Zaku smiled and gave her thumbs-up. "Hai, it looks good." The dress came down to her mid-thigh and covered her entire torso, giving him nothing to complain about. She did a twirl for good measure, smiled brightly, and went back into the change-room.

He had to admit, sometimes he thought of her more as a daughter than a sister – they were fourteen years apart so it was only natural. He was twenty-eight and she was fourteen. He still remembered the six-month-old baby that entered his life unexpectedly and nearly ruined it, but they'd survived the hard stuff. She was a lot bigger than when she'd first arrived and much more mature. He would definitely say that she was very pretty compared to a lot of the other young girls. It was good genetics. One of the few things Zaku remembered about their hahaoya was that she was beautiful and both her children received her looks.

Utako came out of the change-room and brandished the dress proudly. "This is the one."

Zaku pulled his wallet from his jeans' pocket and pulled out the ¥500 he needed on their way up to the counter. Temari lounged at the counter and smiled as they approached.

"Found what you were looking for?" the blonde asked. She had a habit of wearing all these strange clothes and today was no exception: flared orange jeans, floral t-shirt and a sideways studded cap.

"Hai, we did." Utako handed the dress over to be scanned and blushed. "I have a date."

"Oh good for you!" Temari smiled and took the money from Zaku. She bagged the dress and gave it back to Utako. "He's a lucky guy."

They thanked Temari and left the Op Shop. Zaku smirked at the blue building across the road, pleased that he had the afternoon off while poor Dosu managed the shop on his own.

He patted his wallet appreciatively and glanced as his sister. "So… ramen?"

She nodded excitedly and slipped her arm through his. "How's your new song going?"

Zaku still played guitar and now made a hobby out of writing songs. He never intended to share them or become a famous songwriter or anything – it was just something he enjoyed doing.

"I've got the riff but I still need to flesh out a few things. I'm thinking of calling it Excess Silence."

Utako nodded. "Maybe you could write an accompaniment piece for the keyboard?" Utako was great with almost every instrument she used but, like Kin, she gravitated towards the keyboard.

"It's a work in progress. Who knows, it might not need another instrument?"

"That's what you always say and it always ends up a solo piece. I want to play music with you, you know," she gave him her best 'duh' look, "just like you, Dosu and Kin used to."

Zaku looked away and took a deep breath. He couldn't bear hearing her name out loud, something both Dosu and Utako should know by now. It just… hurt too much.

They reached the ramen shop after twenty minutes and managed to find a seat. Business for Ichiraku Ramen was better than ever and Teuchi was considering renovating the shop or moving to a bigger one.

Utako leant forward in her seat and Zaku caught one of the young men in the shop eyeing her. The man saw his death-glare and immediately looked away. It often happened because of her looks, though Utako remained unaware of the attention. She only had eyes for one.

Upon seeing two of their regulars, Ayame came over with a notepad. Her hair was frizzled underneath her white chef's cap and she smiled with the look of someone who had drunk too much coffee.

"Zaku! Utako! How lovely to see you! What can I get you?"

"Miso ramen please." Utako smiled.

"The Namikaze special." Zaku brought out his wallet and handed over the money. Ayame let her hand linger a little too long when she accepted the money. She went back to the kitchen and Zaku caught Naruto's eye and waved.

After school, Naruto went to Kohona University and studied art. He was a paid artist now at the Kohona Museum and Art Gallery and still worked at Ichiraku Ramen part-time as a favour to Teuchi. He married Sasuke Uchiha, who now co-managed the family bank chain with his brother Itachi, the Akatsuki Buy, Bank and Loan. The pair were highly successful and Naruto told Zaku they were looking at adoption in the next year.

Utako peered into the kitchen at Ayame. "Didn't you go on a date with Ayame a few months ago?"

"Hai."

"Why haven't you gone on another one? I can tell she really wants to."

"Are you only thinking about it because now you're going on a date and you're wondering why I'm not?"

"Maybe…"

Zaku looked into the kitchen too. Ayame was thirty-two, four years older than him. She was still a pleasant-looking woman, though past her prime, and when she'd asked Zaku on a date he'd hesitantly accepted. She'd clearly been very interested in him, though he felt no chemistry with her. It was the same with a girl he met at the music shop. Her name was Karin, she had red hair, and she loved writing music. They'd gone on two dates before deciding to stop it there.

It was like there was something wrong with him. He knew he wasn't interested in guys and he wasn't asexual like Dosu. He liked girls… one girl in particular, but now it was too late. Maybe he should actually make an attempt to move on, just like she probably had, and needless to say, Ayame dropped hints at every available opportunity. Maybe he should accept and finally try to move on with his life… but doing that just felt wrong.

"I'm not interested Utako, that's all."

"But you're never interested! It was the same with Karin. 'I'm just not interested'. I've always been the only girl in the house and you're going to die old and alone like Sarutobi."

"Sarutobi isn't alone, he has his son and grandson."

"You get what I mean. You don't have to make me the only girl in your life."

"It's just…" Zaku trailed off as Naruto approached with their ramen. The blonde flashed a blinding smile that made Utako melt in her seat. She loved Naruto's smiles, always had.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" the part-time ramen chef asked.

"Work for me, school for her." Zaku leant forward conspiratorially. "Konohamaru asked her out on a date."

"So you tell everyone?" Utako hid her face in embarrassment.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about! He's a great kid." Naruto ruffled her hair fondly and she couldn't help but smile. "I'm very happy for you. Don't do anything your brother wouldn't do."

"He doesn't even go on dates," Utako muttered.

Naruto chuckled. "Don't worry, he'll go on dates one day and you'll find yourself wishing he never got a girlfriend. That's what happened with Sasuke and his brother." He looked around. "I gotta get back to the kitchen. I'll see you two later?"

"Hai, you will. Have fun at work." Zaku raised his chopsticks and Naruto poked his tongue out before heading back to the kitchen.

Utako turned to Zaku. "What were you going to say? Before Naruto came over?"

"Nothing." Zaku dug into his ramen enthusiastically and Utako wisely didn't continue.

o.O.o

The apartment had changed since Dosu moved in. He'd originally brought his single bed with him, and they'd traded both his and Zaku's singles for a bunk-bed which fit snugly in the bedroom. Dosu unfolded the couch permanently and slept in the living area. He'd also brought a large chest of drawers and he used it for all his clothing and other belongings. Zaku and Utako slept on the bunk-beds and owned one half of the wardrobe each.

The kitchen had more utensils too, with three of them living there now. Zaku made sure the fridge was always stocked and they had all these cool appliances like a blender, toaster, and they even had a vacuum cleaner! The joys of having money!

The second they walked through the door, Eko was on them. The full-grown Kishu leapt at Utako and she knelt and gave him all her love and attention.

"Hey there little guy!" She scratched his sides and he rolled over so she could move to his stomach. "How was your day?"

Eko's tongue lolled out in appreciation. Zaku squeezed past the pair and made a beeline to the kitchen and put their leftover ramen in the fridge for Dosu. He then took some clothes into the bathroom and had a nice warm shower. He thought back to the days when a warm shower was a lost luxury. How things had changed.

Dressed in a t-shirt and boxers, he went out to the kitchen and started washing the dishes they'd used during the day.

At the beginning of her Genin year, Utako received her own laptop from the school. Once she finished playing with Eko she brought her laptop out to the dining table (hai, they had a dining table with four chairs now) and got started on some late homework. The dog curled on the ground beside the door and looked up mournfully, waiting for his owner to come home so he could go for a walk.

Dosu walked through the door just after seven o'clock and greeted his dog enthusiastically. He looked up from his excitable dog at the pair.

"Well don't you two look domestic," he commented. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two envelopes. "Check out what came in the mail."

Zaku emptied the sink, having finished the dishes, and wiped his hands. "Lemme see." Dosu tossed one over to his housemate and they opened them at once. Zaku recognised the Kohona High School emblem immediately. That didn't make sense. If any letters came from the school they were for Utako.

Dear Mister Abumi,

You are cordially invited to attend Kohona High's ten-year reunion on Saturday the-

Dosu snorted underneath his bandages. "So does that mean we'll be going back to school?"

Zaku's heart skipped a beat. If they sent the letters to everyone from his year, maybe there was still a chance.