CHAPTER 1: ORPHANS
A young girl in early 7 of age runs cheerfully on her way, her hair flowing freely through her shoulders was layered and messy, but she didn't care. She stops in front of the cafe.
"Mama, papa!" she called as she heads inside, passing through the customer's quickly.
She stops at the manager's office, the door was opened and she called for the second time panting but still she wears a smile on her face.
"My dear, why are you in a hurry?" her mother said coming to her.
She has a long black hair. She wears black and red formal attire, a red inner formal blouse and a slack. She knelt, brushing off her daughter's messy hair on her face and kiss her on the forehead.
"Mama this is for you. Happy anniversary!" the girl said, giving the card she's holding to her mom. "It's not that pretty but I did the best I can mama, hope you and papa like it." the girl said smiling. "Oh Haku, this is wonderful. Of course I like it and surely your papa too will like It." she hugs her daughter tightly and kisses her on the cheek.
"Where's papa?" Haku asks.
"You didn't see him outside? He's taking care of the customers." her mom said, getting up.
"Let's go and check if he's not busy." she smiled and takes Haku's hand.
Haku's family is just simple, her parents run a simple cafe and they're happy working together. "Haku!" her father said smiling as they came.
He knelt and shows them 3 tickets.
"I bought us a ticket for our two-day vacation this coming holiday. I know you always wished to go and see the other villages, and maybe for now we could go to the Fire village" He said waving the tickets to his daughter.
"Really? We're going on a vacation!" Haku said with excitement and hugs her father.
That day was one of the happiest days of her life. Haku had hoped it will last, but she can't believe things suddenly went wrong.
The ship that they boarded, named Serenity, was described as the "Goddess of the Ocean" because of its first class beauty and one of a kind machinery. But in the middle of their journey to the village. The unexpected happened, Serenity sunk.
The people were in chaos. It happened so fast, like in a blink of an eye the moment turned into tragedy.
She gasps, she called to her parents, she tried to save them, but no one can, they're gone. Hands try to stop her to leave the boat. She can't do anything but scream, just scream in the middle of the scary ocean.
"Nnoooooooooooo!"... Her voice echoed in the darkness.
She opened her eyes. She finds herself crying. She could hear the morning bell ringing, time to get up. She sighed and got up to her bed. 'That dream again'. It's been 10 yrs. Since that incident happened, but still Haku couldn't forget the scene, it haunts her in her dreams. And she knows the scar it made will never be gone. Haku was 6 when her parents died. She was sent to an orphanage, not knowing who or where were her relatives to save her when she needed them. The only thing that's left to remind her of her parents was the necklace her father gave to her which she always wears. She's 16 yrs. Old now. But still longs for her parents. Now she spends her life in a place full of strangers, some treated her indifferently, but few treated her special and seen her good heart but she gets used to it. She looks at the clock, it's 5:30 am. She gets up from the double deck bed and wakes up her friend, Tenten.
"Hey Ten wake up!" she shoves the sleeping Tenten.
"Hey!"
"hmmrrr. Not now Haku-chan im still sleepy." Tenten groaned.
"Wake up, we shouldn't be late or do you want Ms. Tsunade yell at you all morning?" Haku said. Tenten suddenly opens her eyes and gets up.
"No way!" she said loftily. Haku chuckled.
They ready themselves to do the chores and works they're in charge. Haiku grew well and pretty even though she's in an orphanage. She looks more like her mother. Pale-skinned, straight black hair and big brown eyes, hair-locks loosing framing her face. She looks skinny though. Her friend Tenten same as her age, has brown hair that usually in Chinese-style buns on either side of her head with fringe-bangs falling over her forehead. Like Haku she's skinny. And also have brown eyes, but dull. Whenever they're together some people mistaken them to be sisters and they're comfortable with it. Tenten was the only who came and talked to haiku when she came to the orphanage, later on, they became best friends.
The orphanage is just run by some sponsors and donations, it wasn't that big or huge orphanage like some other foundations. There are 30 kids ages 4 – 11, and only 9 of them are not yet in the age of 20. Even when they were still kids, they learn to work hard. That's why the orphanage has to give them some allowance as they grow. The others were also awake and started to do their morning work. First thing in the morning, they are in charge of waking up the kids. And join the other teens to help out working to prepare their breakfast. The girls were trained and were in charge in the kitchen while the boys were in charge of maintaining the facility. The older kids were also trained to watch over the younger ones.
The bell rang for breakfast.
Tsunade who's the head director of the orphanage joined in the dining room together with the other head masters to lead and start their meal. Tsunade is fairly tall, light-skinned woman, blond hair that is waist length with shoulder length bangs framing both sides of her face. She's a strict and quick tempered woman, but she's a reasonable person, and Haku knows that even though many of her mates misunderstand their director.
They greeted Ms. Tsunade and she looks at every table if there's someone who's late. Ms.
Tsunade really is strict when it comes to tardiness. They will wait for the late ones before they start their meal. She leads the Morning Prayer and starts their breakfast.
Once their breakfast is done. The young ones will go to study at the orphanage, since the orphanage has enough facility for classrooms. While the older ones went to a public high school with the allowance they get from the orphanage. Haku's in the middle school now, first year. And she works hard to get a financial support for her studies. When she was young, she spent most of her childhood studying; she rarely played, except when she's pulled by Tenten.
"C'mon Haku-chan let's get going!" Tenten said with excitement. She keeps on tapping her friend who's busy in writing.
Classes were over at 3:00 in the afternoon, and they usually head straight to the orphanage.
"Wait a sec, i'll just pack my things." Haku sighed, clicking her pen, she closes her notebook and put them on her bag. "Why in a hurry?" Haku asks as she stands up.
"Well, I just want to go and see the spring festival, just walking distance from there." Tenten said eagerly as they walk out of the room.
"And many people together with students from other schools will be there. Besides, I think before we head back to orphanage, maybe we could at least have some fun." she added.
"Spring festival? You say?" Haku stopped,
"Yeah, last year it was held at the Sand village, they said that Sand village was almost 2hrs. travel from here, unless you can afford to use a car." Ten said smiling.
"But remember, Ms. Tsunade said we should head back after school." Haku reminded.
"Don't worry, we'll not take long, and since it's just once, I promise we will not go tomorrow. So pleeaase." Tenten beg her.
"Okay" Haku sighed and rolls her eyes.
Every spring, the festival, which in 3 days is held in a representative village so that tourists can visit every villages. Most of the other villagers went to the festival. And this year it will be held here in Konoha's main park.
"We're here!" Tenten said cheerfully pulling Haku. There were booths, stalls, shops and a carnival to entertain people.
"Look Haku!"
Parades were people dressed in Konoha's traditional costume can be seen, and a historical event performs.
"Reminds me of our history class." Ten said. Haku nodded
The two enjoyed watching, many people were capturing photos.
"Haku I bet if you have a camera, you can't stop capturing pictures." Ten grinned. Haku smiled and looks at her.
"Don't let any moments pass." she added.
Next, they went into some booths and watched people play some games. If only they have money to buy some souvenirs.
It's getting crowded and the two decided to get back to the orphanage. Before they walk out of the park, Haku notices a shop full of paintings and sketches. She stops for a while and look at every painting.
"It's beautiful." she said to herself as she stops to look one of it. It's a painting of a snowy village, a house beside a frozen river, which reflects the white clouds. It reminds her of a place she knew a long time, which she vaguely remember. She looks at the other paintings as well.
"These were done by some well-known artist on every Village, I see you have a thing in art kid." the seller said.
"uhh. I'm not that good in landscapes and painting, but I really love to draw, and these are really beautiful, I knew some of the artists. I wish I could make one of these." Haku said.
"If you want one, I'll give you a discount..."
"No, sir! I'm sorry but I can't even buy one of these." Haku said waving her hands. The seller blinks.
"Thank you and sorry." she bowed and turns away, not noticing someone's coming, she accidentally bumps into that person.
"oohh." she groaned, rubbing her bumped shoulder. She looks at the stranger. It was a boy, same age as her may be, has white hair, spiked a bit, and has turquoise eyes. He wears a uniform from another village she can't remember but familiar.
"I'm sorry." she said.
"Are you okay?" he asks. Looks like he doesn't even bother what happened.
Haku just stared, He looks familiar, she thought. Did she meet him before? When and where? The only place and the people she knew were here in Konoha, and in the orphanage. She snapped from her thoughts when someone taps her on the shoulder. She turns to see Tenten beside her, staring at the guy.
"Haku! Hey! I thought you were following, I've been waiting for you." Ten said turning to Haku.
Haku nodded and gives the guy her apology. She bowed and they walk away.
"Who is he Haku?" Tenten asks.
"We just stumbled, I don't know him." Haku said. "But he seems so familiar." She said to herself.
Back to the orphanage, they head straight to their usual works, cleaning the rooms, preparing the meal and if ever, their homeworks later.
They're in charge in a classroom to clean and arrange the books. On the board was Haku wiping chalks and sweeping dust down on it. Gaara's beside Kankuro, placing the books on the shelf alphabetically. While Tenten and Temari arrange the chairs and sweeps the floor.
"You think we didn't know! You went to that festival!" Kankuro said angrily as he shoves off the books he was arranging.
These kids were not really close to each other, in contrast, Haku and Tenten was usually bullied by these three and some of their same age. These kids were full of hate, felt unwanted.
"And so what! We just went there for a while; at least we get back here on time! And could you please mind your own business!" Tenten answered annoyed.
"This will go to Ms. Tsunade! We'll tell her about this!" Kankuro added sharply.
"If I know, you also went there!" Ten accused pointing at them.
"Hey stop it! Please. ms. Tsunade will get angry if she sees you like this." Haku said stopping from what she's doing.
"Shut up snow white!" Kankuro said, looking at her. (coz Haku means white in japanese)
"I guess you two were having fun watching the event."
Haku rolled her eyes. "Will you stop calling me names?"
"Kankuro! You're just wasting your time arguing with these useless people!" Temari said grumpily. "wha! Who's useless?!" Tenten yelled angrily at Temari and starts to pick a fight. "You're the ones who started it!"
"Hey Ten! Stop!" Haku stops her, holding her arms.
Gaara sighed and turned to them "if you only keep on fighting, you should do that outside, and leave." he said bluntly.
"It's because you're the one who always start a fight!" Tenten pointed again. Haku tightens her grip on Tenten's arm.
The tension begins to rise when they heard a loud sound of clearing throat on the door. They fell silent when they saw director Tsunade, crossing her arms. The kids startled and go back to work.
"Is it true? You two went to the festival? Without my permission." Tsunade said sternly.
"Yes, maam." Haku answered quietly.
"We're so sorry maam for not asking permission." she apologizes bowing.
"maam it's my fault, it's my idea and I told Haku to go there with me, we're so sorry." Tenten said bowing too.
Tsunade raised her brows; the two remained their heads down.
"After your dinner, come to my office." she said, she turns to others as well.
"All of you! I don't like how you behave, you're already teens, not kids anymore." she yelled and went away.
After they've finished the work, Haku and Tenten went to the office, Gaara, Temari and Kankuro were already there waiting.
"We shouldn't be here" Kankuro groaned as they knocked and went inside.
Tsunade was reading when they came. She puts off her reading glass when they're in front of her. Her brown eyes look every one of them. They look like stones, they're silent. It's not their first time to be called at her office, when they were kids, most of them not only their group has to put on ms. Tsunade's office because of misbehaving. And that time, ms. Tsunade gave them a workload for a week. "You already know why I called you here." she finally said.
Another week of hallway cleaning might be. Kankuro thought, frowning.
"You should set a good example to other kids here." she said.
"You learned everything you should learn here, I know all of you have been trying to work hard." she now smiled at them. "But... what I don't like is, being able to give kindness to your mates." she said "i saw what happened, Kankuro why do you have the grudge on everyone here?" she looks at him. Kankuro looked down, still frowning. "And Temari, it's not good to say bad things to others." she said.
"I'm sorry maam." Temari said.
"Tenten, starting a fight wouldn't do any good."
"Sorry" Ten apologized.
"And lastly, I don't want any of you to do or go anywhere without my permission. You still our responsibilities. If something went bad, it's my burden." she looks at them with a worried face. "I want to ask a favor, and I want you to do this." they glared at her. "I want you to be the ones who will take in charge here, when I'm away. That's why I called you here. I will be gone for a week or longer for some business." they stared at her, startled.
"uhmm. Maam why us?" Temari asks.
"Of course, you were not alone to handle the job." she grinned. "Kurenai and Azuma will stay here, Shizune will be with me. So I hope you could cooperate with them when I'm away." seeing their confused look she added. "Do what a headmaster should do, if you think, sitting all day and doing some paper works you're wrong. A job of a headmaster isn't that easy. You may not enjoy it. Remember what I said? I may be strict. But whenever or if ever any of you needs help, just come to me or any of the heads here. Some kids here need help, and it's your role as the older ones to guide them. You already know what are the everyday chores here what you must do is taking care of this orphanage as a whole. I'll tell Kurenai and Azuma later about this so that you will know what to do."
"i know you can do it, and also I wanted most of all, that you work as a team, help each other." she said. "I'll look forward to it." she looks at them again carefully. By the look on their faces. She knows it's going to be hard for them to do that job.
She sighed. "Always remember what I said. You may take your leave now."
"I can't believe it! We're like baby sitters?" Kankuro murmured as they walk in the hallway.
"Stop complaining; just do what she told us to do." Gaara said.
I don't even want to work with these lumps! Temari thought.
"This is gonna be hard, to work with them. I don't think they'll cooperate either." Tenten said to Haku as they head on to their rooms. Haku didn't answered, her mind is filled with questions after that meeting. Tsunade will never give them a task that hard unless something happened seriously.
"Now that I think of it... homeworks!" Ten sighed as she puts out her notes.
Haku shoved off her thoughts and begin to search something from her bag. "Oh drat! I forgot something, we should go to the library, and we have to find some books." Haku reminded her. "What? Haku it's already 10:35. The curfew bell will be ringing in a few minutes." Ten complains. "Okay if you don't want to go, I'll go by myself." Haku gets down from her deck. "Hey wait! Haku you could be caught! We can go by tomorrow early." Ten said, stopping her friend.
"It's okay i'm not taking so long, i'll be back before the curfew. We can't finish our homework if we don't have the literature book" she keeps on insisting.
"oh c'mon."
"Please. And i also want to borrow some books tonight."
Tenten sighed and let go of her friend. Haku carefully walks fast through the empty hallway; the supervisor will be here in a minute. Carefully down the wide stairs and to the library, finally. The door still opened. Lights are all out now, she turn on the small flash light and head to the literature section, she carefully searches the book they needed for their homework. Using her index finger, so she could find it easily. "Hah this is it!" She whispered. She grabs the book and opened it to check. Next she goes to the classical literature to get some for her to read. She suddenly heard something behind her. She quickly closes the book and turn off her light. I hope it's not the supervisor. She thought. She hides on the shelf, lowering and see who it was, there's nothing. She quickly made her way to the door when someone grabs her arm, she gasps in a low voice keeping herself not to yell. She turns and finds Kimimaro. Kimimaro is also 16, he has green eyes and shoulder length white hair, which he wore, divided down the middle on his head with two separate partings on either side of his face.
"Don't worry, it's just me." he whispered.
"You almost frightened me! What are you doing here?" Haku said, was relieved that it's not the supervisor.
"I always went here before the curfew bell rings. And when I was about to head upstairs, I thought you were the supervisor and I hid one of these shelves, but I recognize you when you head in the literature section."
"You mean you always went here at this time?!" she asks. Before Kimimaro could explain they heard the bell ring. The curfew started! They quickly head upstairs. And carefully walks to the hallway. They hide behind the wall seeing someone coming. They slowly peeked their heads to see what's going, the supervisor checks every hallway, he then turns his light quickly to where they're hiding. They hide quickly that Haku accidentally fell the book she's holding. The supervisor heard the noise and comes to check it. They quickly went back downstairs and search for a hiding place. Haku quickly walks beside the wide stair and pulls Kimimaro. Hoping they will not be caught.
"He's gone." she said and peeks her head outside the wall.
Kimimaro sighed and still stunned, sweat all over his face, his fingers began to tremble. "Hey. Its okay" she taps him. He nodded.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." she chuckled. "i hate thrilling moments! I just like it in stories." she added, hoping that her companion takes the joke. He looks at her and grinned. "You look paler than ever." he teases to ease his nervousness.
"Yeah you too, as white as a stone." she smiled.
They carefully and silently head back to their rooms.
"Where have you been? The bell rings and you still haven't come back." Tenten said worriedly. Seeing her friend pale she asks, "What happened?"
"We almost got caught." Haku said, catching her breathe.
"You? You mean you're not alone?"
"Kimimaro was there too." she said.
"Was there? But He almost spends his day at the library." Tenten said.
Haku told everything happened and that Kimimaro said he always went there before the curfew bell rings. "I hope he's okay, he looks more nervous than me... he's trembling." Haku said.
They didn't get to talk when they head back to their rooms. And that time she knew Kimimaro stayed calm even he's in tension. Haku blames herself for almost getting them caught that night.
"Well, maybe you could talk to him tomorrow, if he wants to. You know him." Ten said.
"Well maybe I should." Haku smiled and began to do her homework.