Chapter 2:

I was in the middle of my day to day rounds when my phone got off with the school's number displayed on the screen. It was her teacher, asking me to come and fetch Aoi since there was a bit of trouble.

A bit of trouble…

"Kakashi?" I called out to the man with silver hair (must be trying to hide the obvious sign of age) in his early forties standing in front of a fire truck – one of the many that came this morning after the new contract was signed. He was my right hand man, an apprentice during the days of my dad.

He came to me in a few large steps, his brows up in question and his mask securely on his face. "Problem, Naruto?"

"I need you to overlook things for the day, please. School called. Seems to have a bit of a problem there."

"With Aoi?" He asked, and even though he had his face half hidden, I could easily tell by his eyes how surprised he was. "That's a bit difficult to imagine. She's a shy girl."

"Yeah, I don't know what happened. I'm going to have to go there and see for myself. Can I leave the inspection to you?"

"Sure thing, Sunshine," he replied. "Uhh, I'm going to have to leave the official paper works for you though." He wasn't big in paper works and computers. The computers, I understood, but with paper works? That was just his laziness.

"Not a problem," I clapped his back. "Just leave your report on my desk and I'll look it up tomorrow."

"Say 'Hi' to Aoi for me, will you?"

I nodded and as soon as I got my keys, I was gone.

Different scenarios ran through my head as I drove to the school. I couldn't imagine Aoi fighting with anyone. What Kakashi commented earlier about Aoi being shy was true. She might be an energetic kid in the house, but she was clamping up in front of other people. It was something that my Mom hoped to be cured as she entered the school, but we have yet to see any result. Last I heard, Aoi just have one friend she would play with. Most of the times, she would rather sit down and read or draw.

So thinking that she fought with someone was the last thing on my mind. I was left to wonder whether she got injured or something. Or maybe she was sick. The teacher didn't say much over the phone, just that there was trouble and she would brief me on it when I arrive. Trouble was a broad word. It could be anything, right?

I went directly to the Kindergarten department as soon as I parked my truck. It wasn't that difficult to find. Primary school was on a separate building.

"Mr. Uzumaki," the familiar receptionist greeted me as soon as I closed the door. She was on old woman, plump and short, but her smile was warm. "I was informed that you'd be arriving for your daughter. Please head directly to Room 4."

"Thanks," I told her.

Room 4 was an empty classroom with little colorful tables all around. Drawings of mutants and trees from different students were taped along the walls. It was a typical children's classroom.

In the front was the teacher's table where Mrs. Kinomoto sat. She was young, probably in her thirties with blonde hair tied up. She was busy marking some drawing.

"Good afternoon," I greeted her.

She looked up at me and smiled, her green eyes lighting up her face. "Mr. Uzumaki," she said. "How good of you to come on such a short notice. Have a seat please." She grabbed a chair that was thankfully for an adult and placed it in front of her table.

"Well, you mentioned something about a problem," I said, sitting down.

She smiled. "It's not much of a problem, really. It was just a small fight, nothing unusual."

My eyebrows shot up. She saw my reaction and chuckled.

"I know Aoi is such a good girl that it seems impossible," she explained. "It's just, there were some words exchanged and Aoi was hurt deeply."

"What words?"

She hesitated.

"One of her classmates said the reason she doesn't have a mom is because she doesn't like her. Well," she hurriedly added, "we know of your circumstances, of course, with your little sister, but the children don't. Aoi was hurt so she retaliated just like a kid would. She pushed him, but that's it. No one was injured."

"Um," I didn't know what to say. "I'm really sorry about that, I…"

"Please, there's no need for that," her face softened. "We understand. We just asked you to pick her up early because Aoi has been crying ever since."

"Where is she, by the way?"

This time, she laughed. There was amusement clearly written in her eyes. "Oh, she's been clinging to one of our part-timers since earlier. Sasuke didn't know what to do."

"Sasuke?" I was hoping it wasn't the same 'Sasu' that Aoi had been talking about last night. God, I hope it's not the same man that Aoi wanted to marry.

"Yes, come this way please," she stood up and led me through the door. "Sasuke is one of our part-timers who joined us from September. He's a college student attending Konoha University. Psychology major, I think, specializing in children." She laughed again. "He's actually awkward with kids but for some reason, he likes to be surrounded by them."

The image of a twenty-thirty-something-man from last night was erased in my head. I didn't know that 'Sasu' was young. The father in me didn't like the idea of Aoi wanting to 'marry' this young man. It would've been better if 'Sasu' was already old and married.

An image of Aoi clinging to a balding man sporting thick beard and beer tummy sprung in my mind and I suddenly felt nauseous. It felt wrong.

Maybe the young one was better.

Or even better, maybe no man should be allowed near Aoi until she's thirty.

My God! Is this how Dad would have felt should he had been alive back when Natsuki was eighteen and she brought an unknown boy to dinner and announced that she was pregnant with Aoi?

"We're here," Mrs. Kinomoto's voice brought me back from my murderous thoughts. We were in the backyard playground. But it was empty.

"Where…?"

She pointed to the huge oak tree in the far end of the grounds. There was a set of stone table and chair underneath the tree, and sure enough, there were two figures sitting down, hunched on something they were doing on the table.

"I'll leave you to it, then," the teacher said. "The kids are bound to be back from their small break."

"Oh, yes," I shook her hands. "Thank you for letting me know."

"No problem. Aoi's a great child," she paused. "We'll see her tomorrow, hopefully."

"Oh, yes, you probably will. As soon as she finishes sulking."

"You know there's no need to hurry."

"Thanks."

She smiled and left.

My eyes darted back to the figures in the far corner, taking in how relaxed Aoi was in front of a total stranger. It was baffling how she could like him when the guy wasn't even her teacher the whole time. He was just a part-timer who comes probably about three times a week for three hours or so.

I looked at the guy and my heart dropped. He looked familiar.

I closed my eyes and groaned, praying to whoever was listening to not let it be him – the unapproachable guy who was always scowling. The guy didn't want anyone near him; he didn't want anyone to bother him. It was screamed in every move he made, in his stance, in his eyes, and with the way his eyebrows would curl.

My feet unconsciously brought me closer to them, and all the while I was listening to the pounding of my chest.

"Daddy?" Aoi's big blue eyes turned to me. They were still wet and red rimmed that I forgot all my worries to be replaced by my desire to be near her. Why was I so stuck up when my daughter was so distraught?

I held my arms out and she jumped in, crying again.

"Ssssh," I rubbed her back.

"Daddy, daddy," she sobbed out. "Why don't I have a mommy?"

"Of course you have a mommy."

"Then why isn't she here? Doesn't she like me?"

I squeezed her closer. "Baby, your mommy wants you very much. She's just in a place where you can't go yet."

Since she was still young, my Mom and I thought it was still too early for Aoi to know about her true parents. But today was probably the right time to explain to her how much she was loved.

"Would you like to meet her?"

She didn't move for a second, but then I felt her nod against my shoulders.

"Then we'll go meet her, okay?"

Aoi wriggled out of my arms and went to latch to the guy. I forgot he was there.

I looked at him properly for the very first time since I first saw him. Sasuke was short compared to me. He was probably only reaching my shoulders. But everyone was short in my eyes so it wasn't unusual. After all, I had the majority of my blood originating from the English land. And being here in Japan had me stand out like a sore thumb. He was just as pale as the first time I saw him, his skin almost translucent. The short dark hair he had made a striking contrast. For the first time, I noticed how black his eyes were, and how uncomfortable they looked. His lips were pressed in a thin line.

"You're coming with us, right?" She asked him, her small hands grasping his.

"Um…" He looked at me, unsure, and I suddenly felt awkward.

"Baby, I think he's still in the middle of work," I said, mentally congratulating myself for thinking of an excuse, fast. I didn't want to be around him. More importantly, I didn't want Aoi in his arms.

"No, daddy," Aoi protested. "Mrs. Kinomoto said he can leave for the day."

Well, damn.

"Umm," I turned to him. He looked like he was also looking for an excuse to decline. Well, good. It wasn't like I was particularly ecstatic for him to come. We were going to a special place, and this was supposed to be a family thing.

"Don't you want to come?" Aoi turned her big blue eyes to him, tears clinging to the edge of her eyes, ready to start rolling again.

Sasuke looked at her, and then at me. He looked so undecided and I felt irritation welling somewhere in my stomach. How dare he look so pained over this! I didn't want him to come, too, but the girl was pleading him now! What else was there to say?

"You can come," I suddenly blurted out and it sounded just as snappish as it was in my head. He looked at me, startled, and his frown deepened. He understood how unwanted he was.

Guilt suddenly hit me and it stung.

"I mean, please come." Did that sound so desperate? "For Aoi," I amended.

His grey eyes looked down at Aoi, my daughter pulling out a mega-watt pleading face, and he relented. "If you're sure."

I wasn't.