Iruka woke up with a jolt. It took him a few seconds to reality coming over him as he passed a tired hand across his face. He looked at the clock on his nightstand and got up quickly. He would not miss that meeting for anything in the world. It was important. He finally would work with something he was good at.

He glanced over the desk, fixing the photo frame in which a little girl smiled happily. Iruka's tanned face softened, but in his eyes there was a determined and strong glow. Miyuki was his strength, his treasure.

Ten years ago, since she was born, Miyuki had become Iruka's world. His love. But he hadn't forgotten the vows he'd made in that stormy night. If before there was a strong reason why he should go on with his life, the birth of Miyuki had strengthened his determination.

In all these 10 years, Iruka never contacted anyone from Konoha. But he'd heard some news from travelers that sometimes would pass by the land of snow. The kage from Yukigakure himself would tell him about Konoha.

Yukigakure had received Iruka with opened arms. In the beginning the kage wasn't sure if he should keep Iruka's location a secret. But he was kind man and understood the Chūnin's reasons and allowed him to stay.

From what the Yukigakure's kage had told him, it seemed like Naruto, Kakashi and some other shinobis had tried to look for him, but they failed. Iruka didn't want to be found by anyone from that village.

He looked at his daughter and smiled. Miyuki was born on a snowy night of July.

Looking at the picture, Iruka remembered the moment he had her in his arms for the first time. He was filled by a mixture of joy and pain. A feeling of fullness and at the same time of sadness.

He'd never told the true to his daughter. He'd never told her that she was Hatake Kakashi's daughter. And he also never told her that she was born from him. He couldn't. He was afraid she wouldn't understand it. Iruka himself didn't understand it.

With help of his friends in Yukigakure, he'd tried to find out how this pregnancy happened. But it was useless. The kage had suggested that maybe someone had used a forbidden Jutsu on him. But who? Who would do this and why? Iruka shook his head. These questions had been haunting him for the past ten years.

Miyuki didn't need to know her true origins.

When she was born Iruka had to suppress her chakra, so no one would sense its signature.

Iruka clutched the photo frame against his chest. Kakashi won't be missed. I will do everything for my daughter. I will be her father, mother, guide, support. Whatever it takes.

Speaking of which…

Iruka snapped out of his thoughts and went straight to his daughter bedroom. "Miyuki, get up or you're going to be late for school." He called out as he knocked at the door.

Hearing no response from the other side, Iruka pushed the door open to discover she was not in her room. Iruka wasn't surprised not to see her there, but he was mad. He knew exactly where she was at, and it wasn't at school.

He went back to his bedroom, opened his drawer and got even madder. His forehead protector was missing. "This girl…"

He looked at the clock. He was late for the meeting with Kage. But first he was going to get Miyuki.


Konohamaru Sarutobi was pissed. He was a Jōnin now, and he should be doing Jonin's missions. And not some C-rank mission. He had to capture a thieve who had stolen a not so important scroll and run away to land of snow. Just that…and the thieve wasn't even that dangerous. Actually wasn't dangerous at all.

Konohamaru groaned. The mission had been too easy. Thought the thieve had died by accidentally falling on a ninja's trap, he was going back home with the scroll, which was more important.

"Stop right there leaf ninja,"

Konohamaru had to stop at that. He turned to see two kids, a girl and a boy, dressed as Yukigakure shinobis. They seemed to be around 9 or 10 years old.

The attire looked a little bit too big on them, and Konohamaru couldn't sense any chakra, so he guessed them to be normal civilian kids playing around.

"Give us that scroll you're carrying" the girl said giving him a defiant look. "or you'll suffer the consequences…"

She was without a doubt a very beautiful girl. She had a pale skin and dark-grey eyes. Her hair was brown with silver ends andcutinto a short pixie cut that fit her small thin face perfectly. There was something so familiar about her, but Konohamaru couldn't figure out what it was. She reminded him of someone, but who?

"Miyuki-chan," The boy's voice cut his trail of thought…"we need to go back. Your dad will be mad if he finds out that we aren't at school."

"Baka, don't say my real name in front of the enemy." the girl, Miyuki-chan snapped at him.

Konohamaru really had no time for this. He turned to leave, only to see Miyuki right in front of him. "you're not going anywhere…"

"What the…how did you…" He shook his head. For a civilian, the girl was fast. But that didn't matter. He need to go back home. "look, little girl, I really don't have time to play with you. So, get out of my way."

The girl was about to open her mouth gain, but was cut off by another child that was coming, running towards them. "Miyuki-chan, Miyuki-chan" the kid yelled from afar "Your dad is coming…"

Miyuki's defiant and determined expression was quickly replaced by a worried one. "okay leaf ninja, you're free to go, but we will get you one day." With that, the three kids started running back towards the village.

Konohamaru couldn't help but to chuckle a little. The three really reminded him of the time he was a kid. But oh well, that time had long passed. and right now he had to finish his mission.