A/N: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. Slow-burn romance.
Yumi balances in a crouch at the top of a utility pole, 40 feet off the ground. She peers into the distance, past Konoha's tall stone walls and past the second tree line, zeroing in on a familiar chakra signal. He's almost home. Her eyes close, a faint smile across her face and wind dancing through her long brown hair. A current brushes past her ear and she giggles, responding to its whisper.
In the distance, Manami (Mana for short) sprints up the dirt path. Seven-years-old with rich curly blonde hair that can't be tamed. Beads of sweat build across her forehead.
Without opening her eyes, Yumi yells from her perch, "Mana-chan if you don't hurry, Tomi will think you stood him up."
"Gah!" - Mana trips from the sudden interruption. She's beautiful even at this age and clumsy beyond belief.
"Y-yumi-chan, it's not a date. You'll be there." Mana pushes herself upright, patting the dust out of her skirt.
Finally opening her eyes, Yumi warmly glances down at the familiar sight. Her friend was always littered with minor bruises, but she never went a day without a smile.
Yumi hops down with an easy padding of chakra to her knees and calves.
Following the flow of chakra was as natural to her as registering someone's hair was black or eyes were green. So when Kakashi decided to take a short-cut and hop up to her second floor window sill, she'd made out the thin pooling of chakra around his feet. The next time he saw her, she was walking at three months. A simple boost of chakra to sturdy her developing limbs. She'd garnered mild attentions around the orphanage for the feat. When that walking became walking on walls, attention took a turn toward distress.
"I'll chaperone. You should make him wait for the good stuff." Mana's head swivels toward Yumi with a swish.
"WHAT?!"
While physical dexterity had come easily to her, she'd taken her time with language. It wasn't until she turned two that she said her first word - a confident "NO" when an older boy tried to take her meat bun, a favored treat. Full sentences spilled quickly after and her favorite minor pastime became finding different things to say to make people uncomfortable.
"I don't know, Genma-san said that. What's it mean?"
"Yumi please don't talk to him anymore. Also, I'm older than you."
Mana grabs Yumi's hand, dwarfing her petite three-year-old form.
"Let's go!" Mana yells, pulling her into town.
"Mm."
Despite the war, Konoha had remained in good shape. There was much less bustling about in the marketplace than in its heyday, but small businesses survived and carried on as they always had.
Yumi didn't have any sort of preference for or against Konoha, but she enjoyed its diversity. There, of course, were ninjas. But she took an interest in everything imaginable - ring-making, healing herbs, rivers, trade embargoes, chopsticks - literally, everything. She not only wanted to know why some people had an affinity for various elements, but also why the ocean had waves, where dumplings originated, why the sun didn't sizzle them up, and how to brew the finest cup of tea.
But as was evident with the throngs of students surrounding the Academy, becoming a ninja was the style of the times.
Mana freezes with her first step past the Academy gates. Her eyes lock onto Tomi surrounded by a group of ten other students. Nine-years-old and only two years from graduation, his easy nature instantly earns him friends. His friends burst out in laughter and he smiles.
Mana fidgets - out of place. So with the loudest voice she can muster, Yumi yells across the courtyard -
"TOMI, LOOK OVER HERE." Not my most clever line...
"Shhhh oh my god, Yumi-chan please - "
But Tomi is already there, enveloping Mana in the fullest hug he can muster. Yumi smiles - well as long as it works.
DING. The door bell chimes as Mana, Tomi and Yumi step inside a quaint bakery filled with the soft scent of toasted sugared pecans.
"Ahh I really missed this place!" Tomi yells, immediately slipping through the employee gate to throw on an apron.
"And you're sure this is what you want to do with your rare free time?"
"Definitely." Tomi and Mana share a secretive smile. Well, Yumi notices, but she'll let them have their moment.
Mana's parents run a small bakery and every weekend would bring unsold baked goods to the orphanage. Tomi's parents had both passed away in the Second Shinobi War and he was just one of the many orphaned. He was outgoing and chatty, but never once got around to talking about his parents. Both being those above-and-beyond generous souls, Tomi and Mana became instant friends.
Yumi, on the other hand, just liked sweets. Like, a lot. So she would follow Mana around until she got seconds.
"Me too." Yumi pulls over an apron large enough for ten of her.
"Yumi-chan what do you want to make?"
"Can you to teach me Forest Fruit Cake?"
"Yeah, let's see if we have everything - Tomi-kun can you check the back for more vanilla?"
"On it, boss!"
"And Yumi-chan, you can start on the whipped cream - you remember right?"
"Hai!"
She hops onto the counter to grab a bowl from the high cupboards, while Mana sets various bags of ingredients and cups onto the table.
There wouldn't be many more days like this. But while it lasted, it was nice. And she would remember simple moments like this for the rest of her life.
Yumi carries a cake box wrapped with purple ribbon in one hand as she walks toward the Konoha entrance gates. Tomi and Mana needed some one-on-one time and honestly, she got what she wanted - cake.
It was perfect timing. She could sense Kakashi's chakra signature just outside of Konoha's walls. There were three other signatures beside him - one she recognized as his sensei, and two weaker ones she wasn't familiar with. Kakashi's visits had exponentially decreased as he took on more missions. Though it was easy for her to tell there was more to it than that - I'll wait until he's ready to tell me. She would always be there, so she really didn't mind. And besides, in her own opinion, she had a lot going on exploring all her childhood curiosities.
But the moment his familiar grey hair pops into view, she knows how deeply she missed him. A subtle pang in the back of her chest that she'll always welcome.
She stops directly in front of the four-man team, who spare her a quick glance. With an internal snicker, she puts on her best "cute little girl" voice and dramatically runs toward Kakashi, throwing her little arms around his torso.
"Papa!"
The reaction is instantaneous.
Rin pales. Obito stammers out a "W-WHAT?! KAKASHI YOU - A-AND WHAT?"
To which Kakashi smoothly just shrugs and says: "Things happen."
Obito's whole face turns a deep red, jaw dropping to the ground. Yumi lets out a full laugh at their dismay.
Minato coughs loudly. "Yumi-chan right? I've heard about you. I'm Minato Namikaze." He's heard about me?
"Hai. Nice to meet you all." She sticks out her hand formally, her "cute little girl" personality completely gone.
Rin leans down and takes her hand.
"I'm Rin Nohara, um... are you Kakashi's friend?"
"Mm."
Obito sizes the little girl up and down, seeing her cake box.
"Did you bring us cake?! - And I'm Obito Uchiha!"
Yumi freezes. It's MY cake. But...
"I can share -" Obito whoops loudly.
"But I want dinner."
Sweatdrops.
"Yumi-chan, why don't you eat with us? My wife usually prepares a feast when we get back from missions."
"Will there be meat?"
"Ha..yes?"
"Okay sounds nice."
Minato leads the way. And Rin kindly leans down to ask, "Yumi-chan should we tell your parents you'll be late?"
"No, that's not necessary." And it's an answer that doesn't bother her at all. Because at this point in her life, she feels happy and full and loved.
She grabs Kakashi's hand. Team Minato gaze at the scene in open wonder.
"Kashi-kun, I missed you." She doesn't blush or stammer because she knows this as unequivocally as she knows herself.
Kakashi feels the eyes of his team burning into his back. So as coolly as possible -
"Yeah..." And she doesn't even care what the hell that's supposed to mean, but she appreciates the accompanied light squeeze to her hand.
A/N: Thank you Dark Rose Charm for the reviews. Really motivating :). Let me know if you guys are itching to see something, but I have some plans for them...just wanted a lighter chapter for now.
