~Flashback~

Kasumi sat on a large rock gazing down at the water in the river, thinking deeply. It had been a peaceful a couple of days since Hayate and her father declared her freedom. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that she was finally allowed back in the village. It sounded so simple to her all of sudden. Part of her wanted to go back so badly, to be with her family again just like the old days. She had missed them dearly, especially her mother. They were once a very tight happy family but a lot of things had changed since then. She had changed. They expected her to return to the Mugen Tenshin later that evening. Though she doubted that it would be a warm welcome from all the villagers. Just because she was no longer a rouge shinobi, did not mean that all the villagers have accepted her back. Maybe time would fix that once she had regained their trust. At least she wouldn't have to worry about where to sleep at night and where to hide next, but that she could return home and began repairing the relationship with her clan and family.

Kasumi then sighed deeply. Despite her longing to return back home, deep down she wasn't sure if going home was what she really wanted to do, as there was something else that had been clouding her mind. She must make a decision before the day ended. Though, it would have been an easier decision if it was only hers to make…

During her runaway days, Kasumi would travel to Tokyo and hide amongst the civilian but then they would track her way over there too. Therefore, she went back and forth between the city and the forest trying not to stay at one spot for too long. She loved it being amongst the people. The smell of the big city was so different and everyone just minded their own business all day long. Nobody cared who she was and what she did, she blended in perfectly. Kasumi found her temporary happiness there. When she would go back to the rainforest, life often would be very lonely, unless she was with him.

Sighing nervously at her thoughts, Kasumi turned around to look at Ryu. They had camped out by the river nearby their villages in the last couple of days. This was their final day together, and not many words had been exchanged between them besides from small talk here and there. He too seemed as if a lot had been on his mind. He caught her stare from a far distance. Kasumi turned her gaze back at the small rocks under the clear water in the river, frowning.

How should I tell him?

She gave it another long thought, but the more she thought about it the more anxious she became.

It's now or never…

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi rose up to her feet and marched over to Ryu. He was sitting under a tree on the grass, busy sharpening his Dragon sword's blade. She sat down next to him and observe at what he was doing. He looked at her with a frown but he didn't say anything.

"Hayabusa…"

"Yeah."

"There's something…I need to…" She got too nervous and stopped herself.

His frowns became deeper.

"What is it Kasumi?"

Her heart suddenly sunk with nerves as she looked directly into his eyes. She gave it another try by asking him a warm up question to build up her courage. "Um, well… now that you don't have to look over me anymore, I'm guessing you're heading back to Hayabusa village?"

He took his time to answer. He shoved his sharp Dragon sword back into its sheath and put it beside him.

"I'm leaving Japan tomorrow."

"Oh, you got a new mission already?" She asked curiously.

Another long silence. Then he lightly shook his head. "I'm moving. I have already asked my father's permission for a temporary break from my duties."

Kasumi truly didn't expect this. It came as a surprise to her. "Where are you moving to?" Though she had an idea where but she asked anyway just so he could confirm her suspicion.

"New York." He replied.

She got up and stared down at him, "When did you decide this? What about…" And suddenly, it hit her. Her stomach tied itself in a painful clump of knot. It didn't matter anymore, it was meaningless, all of it. Shaking her head lightly to herself.

He got up, "A while ago but I wasn't going to move unless Hayate found a way to release you from your sentence."

Her mouth opened slightly, a little amazed of hearing him say that. "Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore now that I'm out of your way. This must be the best news you've ever received."

"I didn't mean it like that Kasumi…"

To that she made a disgusted kind of sound and then run back towards the river. Kasumi held her stomach tightly to try and breathe normally, as she was beyond furious at this point. "I'm such an idiot!" She growled as quiet as possible to herself. It has always been her…

Ryu followed right behind confused of why Kasumi reacted the way she did. But he had an idea why. He stood behind her not knowing what to say. Seeing Kasumi this angry made him angry because the last thing he wanted was to hurt her.

Her eyes suddenly swam with tears and she hurried to scrub them from her face, because tears would lead to sympathy and that was the last thing she wanted from him. He laid his hands on both her shoulders, he then turned her around so she could face him. He left a hand on her shoulder and ran the other across her wet cheek wiping the rest of the remaining tears.

Damn it, she didn't remove them all and she hated showing her weakness in front of him.

"Talk to me…" He spoke so softly.

With great effort she forced a faint smile and collected herself. "It's nothing, don't worry…it's just that, I'm going to miss you Hayabusa."

He didn't buy it, there was more he could feel it. He knew her too well and something else was bothering her greatly.

"Is this about Irene?"

Her eyes widen. "No…"

"Kasumi please listen to me…"

"You don't have to explain, I get it Hayabusa, I really do." She lied, she didn't get it. How could she have misunderstood? Ryu had never really confess if he ever had any feelings for her but she thought that it was because he wasn't the talkative type when it comes to emotion but rather show them. Those cold nights they spent together, keeping each other warm in each other's arms…and that particular night when she was afraid of the thunderstorm and he let her sleep with him in his futon in his home in Hayabusa village…didn't any of that mean anything? Was he just doing his job by protecting her from everything?

He wondered what Kasumi was thinking.

Silence filled the evening air. She wanted to get this over with already. He had clearly made his decision and she was about to make hers. He looked at her feet moving further away from him. She paused in a perfect distance. Her heart was pounding like crazy while she thought of what to say as her final words. Kasumi felt like a complete fool for thinking that there could be more between them.

"I guess this is it then…" Her lips shivered. She could see her pain mirrored on his emerald eyes.

"Thank you for everything that you've done for me, I'm forever grateful." She said and then quickly turned to leave. That was all she could think of saying. The shorter the goodbye the quicker she could get out of there. Even looking at him suddenly was very difficult. If she stayed there a minute longer, the hurt and confusion within her might get loose and god knows what terrible thing she would say to him then. She wouldn't want that, she wouldn't want their last words to be verbal blow argument and bitterness.

He grabbed her wrist, "Kasumi…"

"Goodbye Ryu." Her hand slipped away and Kasumi didn't look back. Tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

He stared her way until she vanished into thin air leaving bunch of Sakura blossoms petals behind. He stared at the falling floating petals in the air where she had just vanished. The unmoving stare accompanied with heavy breathing, like he was fighting something back and loosing. Part of him wanted to chase after her so badly. Somehow he knew it was hopeless. His teeth clenched as irritation slashed through him, it took Ryu another five seconds before irritation switched to fury rage. He grabbed one of the kunai knife out of the pouch on his thigh and threw it towards a tree on the other side of the river, then another, until he was empty of kunai. All six of his kunai knives hit at almost the same spot on the same tree. He wasn't the type to easily lose control of his emotions, but that day his emotions took over him.

He was angry because he couldn't return her feelings, he couldn't make her happy. Ryu had known about Kasumi's feelings for him for a while but he pretended as if he didn't know. He cared about Kasumi, he would have given his life to protect her, and he loved her except that he wasn't in love with her…his heart already belonged to someone else. Still, Ryu blamed himself. It was his entire fault for leading her wrong. Those were the mistakes he couldn't undone.

I'm sorry Kasumi…about everything.

~End of flashback~

Kasumi stood frozen in the kitchen staring at her son crying hysterically on the floor. Weekend used to be calm and peaceful for her. What happened? She asked herself. The morning started off with cheery "Good morning mama" followed with kisses and laughter. Tenzou even helped made his favorite chocolate cookies. Now she couldn't even get close to him. This was one of those time where she wished she would have her mother more in her life, to give her advice about parenting because right now she just didn't know what to do with her son. He didn't even give her a warning, he just burst out at her like a bomb with no fuse, threw himself on the floor, flipping back and forth violently, hitting and kicking her when she tried to get near him. The whole neighborhood could hear him scream as if she was beating him with a stick. All she said was, "no" to more cookies as he had eaten enough of them. Apparently it devastated him…this was new to her. He's had many tantrums before but never quite like this. She was always able to calm him down right afterwards.

His father would come and pick him up in thirty minutes and right now that felt like decades to Kasumi. She ran her hands down her weary face to collect herself. She gave it another try and bent towards her son that was still on the floor.

"Your papa will be here soon, come on let's get you ready…" She said softly.

It breaks her heart to see him this upset, as if the tantrum was more than just about a cookie. She reached her hands down to help lift him up but he slap and kick her hands away and flipped to his stomach giving her his back, then continued balling his eyes out. Kasumi took a deep breath as frustration took over her body and mind. That did it to her. She forcefully lifted Tenzou up and carried him to the living room and then lowered him down on the couch to start putting clothes on him before his father arrive. She wasn't about to lose to a three-year-old. Kasumi walked away ignoring his scream to get his clothes from his bedroom and pack his belongings since he will be away the entire weekend. She could hear him slowly calming down from the bedroom, now it was just soft sobbing and less screaming. Maybe he was finally tired from all the crying she thought.

Kasumi came back out to the living room and began clothing him. He was a little resistant but she managed to get his shirt and pants on.

"That wasn't so bad now was it?" She said with a smile, but Tenzou screamed something foreign to her. Now even her voice seemed to annoy him. Only the socks left then it will all be over. She took one of his foot to put the sock on, and when she tried to put on the other foot he took the sock right off and threw it on the floor. Then he would do the same with the other one repeatedly. Kasumi told him to stop but he began kicking and hitting her again, and then burst out crying. Kasumi didn't give up, she tried putting the socks back on.

"No mama!" He still refused.

"Don't do this to me now Tenzou…" Now she too wanted to cry. It had been such a long morning and her energy was drained. Her son was being more difficult than usual.

The doorbell rang.

Thank god… She ran to the door to open it. For once she was actually glad to see her ex-husband. He frowned at her, then peeked inside wondering what was going on since he could hear Tenzou crying and screaming his lungs out.

"What is going on?" He asked as he walked passed her to hurry to his upset son. Tenzou climbed down from the couch and ran to him.

Takeshi then gave Kasumi a questionable look while comforting their son. She didn't like the way he looked at her, as if she had hurt her son or something.

It didn't take much for him to get on her nerve. Kasumi was still angry about him abandoning Tenzou for a month and she still had a lot of unanswered question about that, but she bit her tongue because this was not a good timing for talking. She leaned her shoulders against the wall observing the scene in front of her. Everything was suddenly quiet and she could hear herself think again.

He was talking to Tenzou in a very calm voice and manner followed with a smile. He seemed to listen and nodded to whatever his father was saying, he even leaned in for a hug afterwards. Then Takeshi grabbed the socks from the floor and put it on Tenzou, no fight nothing...

A faint smile appeared on Kasumi's lips, she had to admit that it was impressive how he just handled that. The smile quickly faded because now she felt like a terrible mother…Takeshi then turned his head around frowning at his ex-wife. Their gazes locked briefly. He put Tenzou away for a moment and drew Kasumi aside.

"What happened?" He asked.

"A cookie…I just said no to a cookie and he freaked out on me. I tried everything but it didn't work, I didn't know what else to…" She explained in frustration but he cut her off by laughing at her.

"Oh, you think this is funny Takeshi?" She growled, as his laugh aggravated her.

"No, calm down…you denied a three-year-old his favorite cookie, what did you expect him to do? He will push your button until you give in."

Kasumi rolled her eyes, being lectured by him just irritated her even more. He noticed her annoyance in her demeanor, and her body language was closed off with her arms folded over her chest.

"But I don't think it was just about a cookie though, you should have seen him…it was as if he hated me and the second he saw you, he stopped."

"You're overthinking again Kasumi…"

Kasumi sighed wearily and thick silence suddenly filled the air between them, as if he could read her mind. She was blaming him. He wanted to explain to her about the situation the last time, but Hayate interrupted them. He placed himself closer to try and explain, even though there was no good explanation that would explain why he abandoned his son for a month but he wanted to explain anyway…

"When our divorced was finalized, I lost it…" He began.

She didn't look at him at first but his words got her attention. "There's no excuse."

"I know…and I still don't understand why we even got divorced. I never wanted it Kasumi, you did."

Kasumi shook her head while taking a deep breath, it made her a little mad hearing him say that.

"You know why, you know exactly why Takeshi!"

Suddenly, their attention turned to Tenzou who was standing not far from them, looking at his parents strangely. They didn't realize that he had marched over to them. So they put the conversation on hold again.

"I guess we better get going…we'll talk about this some other time?" He whispered. Kasumi only nodded.

Takeshi began grabbing Tenzou's belongings so they could make their way out of there. She followed them to the door. She had never been far apart from her son before, even though it was only a weekend, to her that was way too long.

"Be good." She said to Tenzou with a sad sigh. After a short hug and kisses with her son, they left the building.

Kasumi closed the door and took a deep breath. This huge curved of emptiness hit her chest and she missed her son already. She had talked to her ex-husband prior to weekend, discussing about their co-parenting strategy. She was however glad that they could come to an agreement on something for once. They had always been a good team when it comes to their son, just not as husband and wife. Due to that, she decided to give him a second chance because Tenzou needs his father in his life. The divorced took a toll on her too, if it wasn't for her son, she would have been a wreck.

Taking another deep breath, Kasumi decided to go lay down on the couch to relax a little. That was what she needed after a rough morning. As she laid on the comfy couch, staring at the ceiling, her mind quickly wandered off, and she thought about him.

He must have been truly happy with her…

The first thing that popped into her mind when she allowed herself to think about him. He wouldn't have stayed with her for this long otherwise. Rumored said that he even married her. Well, not really a rumor…Hayate told her a few years back when he got invited to their wedding in New York. Kasumi couldn't quite remember who else Ryu had invited from Japan, but according to Hayate, Ryu's father didn't come…were they having problems? She wondered strangely.

She then raised her hand to look at her wedding ring that she was still wearing a month after she and Takeshi got divorced. Kasumi noticed that he was still wearing his as well. Maybe deep down they hadn't quite let go yet. After Ryu, she didn't think that it was even possible to fall in love with anyone else. But she did. Her mind wandered off again to the days when she first moved to the big city.

As scary as it was for her to start over on her own, Kasumi was determined to make it. Luckily she had made a few good friends during her runaway days in the city and they let her stay with them until she could afford a place of her own.

Back then, she waited tables at the same restaurant that she is working as a chef today. Takeshi would often stop by and eat there. The first thing she remembered was how good looking he was, he had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks and she remembered looking forward to waited for him. Kasumi did her best to stay nonchalant and smiled like she would to all customer. Of course the giant red blush that accompanied her smile was a dead give-away. He was tall, in good shape, dark hair, and his onyx eyes made her heart so weak. At first she thought that he was just a regular costumer that happened to love their food, but later on he confessed that he came there just so he could see her. He dared himself and asked her out but she turned him down a few times. As handsome as the man was, Kasumi was in a place where dating wasn't an option to her.

One evening, she randomly ran into him again in a park. They got to talking and the chemistry was undeniable. Even though their evening didn't start out as a date, they ended up going to dinner together. They talked for hours. Even with such good chemistry and how much Kasumi enjoyed his company, she was still not interested in dating. At the end of that night, he asked her why she was so determined to reject him. She told him everything, not the part that she was ninja, but the truth of why dating was a big no to her.

Any man would have run away after hearing her reason, but to her big surprise he was very understanding. They became close friends instead. It blew up in their face because before they knew it, they were madly in love. The first couple of years were the best years for Kasumi. They got married, Tenzou joined them not long after and they were the perfect family, something she thought she would never have. Takeshi was supportive of anything she does. Kasumi even went back to school one year after her son was born and good things kept on coming, she landed her dream job as a chef in one of the best restaurant in the city, and with her husband being a lawyer, they eventually bought their dream apartment together.

But life became busier for the pair, they started to spent less and less time together. Takeshi wanted to expand their family and wanted more children, Kasumi refused. She wanted to focus on raising Tenzou and continued on working. It would be years before she would even consider on having more children. One was enough. Then one thing led to another and eventually all they could do was disagree and argue. It became a sensitive subject in their household that led to tensions and frustration.

Meanwhile, her relation with her own family also suffered. Her parents wanted her to come back home, but Kasumi didn't feel like she belonged in Mugen Tenshin any longer. She just wanted a normal life and raise her son up away from the shinobi world. She kept close in touch with her brother Hayate, he would often come and visit them whenever he had the time off from his duties.

Suddenly, what Hayate said made Kasumi think. Maybe it was time to visit home and let Tenzou meet his grandparents. Lately, she was beginning to miss them a little more than usual, especially her mother. What was she so afraid of? She asked herself. Family used to be everything to her…

It hurt her head thinking this much. Laying there with nothing else to stare at than the walls. She couldn't just lay there and stare at the walls all day long. She needed to socialize more, and plus she hadn't trained in a while either, her ninjutsu skills must be so rusty by now.

That's it, thought Kasumi. It was still early and so she decided to go for a run. Not wasting any more time, she got out of the couch to go change.

Soon after Kasumi headed out of the apartment towards a lake park nearby. Her adrenalin was pumped and ready. Training used to be her daily routine, now maybe a couple times a month. After a little warm ups, she began running. The day was perfect and the air was warm followed with beams of sunlight glowing on her skin. A wide smile appeared on the corner of her lips when she ran by a playground where the children were playing and parents talking amongst each other.

An hour later…

Kasumi made it back to the main street to start heading home again. But everything wobbled painfully and her heart pounded like crazy. As she gasped for air, she almost collapsed where she stood.

Oh god…I'm so out of shape it's embarrassing.

If her siblings only knew how out of shape she was, they'd be laughing at her. She suddenly remembered back to when she was fourteen years old, training with her siblings and Ryu. One time she took Ryu down during a sparring match, she ended up being on top of him. That was the first time she ever looked at Ryu's eyes up close and it made her heart stir awkwardly. What made it more awkward was that she got so lost in his unique green eyes that she forgot she was still sitting on top of him. He didn't move his muscles either, but locked eyes with her. When she come to think of it, they almost locked lips too. Her first kiss could have been with Ryu…until her silly siblings interrupted their moment. Hayate ran towards them screaming his lungs out at Ryu to get off his sister despite she was the one being on top of him. He had a hard time accepting his sister becoming a teenager, Hayate would freak out every time he saw her talking to any village boys with hairy legs. The memories made Kasumi laugh inside.

Why was she suddenly thinking too much of Ryu and her past that day…?

One of those days… Kasumi slightly rolling eyes.

Her phone made beeping sounds and she took it out of her pockets to look at it. It was a picture message. A wide smile stretched across her lips followed with a giggle looking at her son and Takeshi making funny faces in the picture.

I guess I have nothing to worry about.

She was glad that Tenzou was having a good time. He looked happy. Two more pictures were sent and she couldn't help but laugh this time.

Co-parenting wasn't so bad after all...

Her hair fluttered in the air, she got lost looking at her phone that she hadn't realized the weather had suddenly changed. Dark clouds were slowly pushing in followed with strong wind. Maybe they were expecting rain later that day. Kasumi sighed and hurried home.

On the other side of the street, someone was running back and forth mumbling something foreign that sounded like cursing caught the corner of Kasumi's eyes. She crossed the street to help the girl. She seemed to be chasing around from what look like flyers that were blown away from her hands by the wind and trying to collect whatever she could collect. Kasumi managed to gather the rest and handed them back to the girl.

"Thank you so much, the wind came out of nowhere…" The girl said gratefully with a chuckle.

"You're welcome." Kasumi smiled.

Kasumi was about to turn and leave but the girl had suddenly frozen where she stood and stared directly at her with deep frowns.

Was there something on her face?

"Um, miss? Is everything alright?"

The girl snapped out of it. "Uh yeah… I didn't mean to stare, it's just that you remind me of someone."

"Oh okay." Kasumi replied slightly awkward or flattered, she wasn't sure.

"Anyway, thanks again and please take this, in case you consider on joining or know anyone that might join." Said the girl as she handed Kasumi one of the flyer.

"White Tiger Karate studio…" Kasumi read it out loud. "Are you the owner?"

She nodded. "Well, you can say that but my father is the main owner. He got another dojo he is running, so my friend and I will be running this one. We are trying to recruit as many as we could."

"How exciting, are there age limits? Do you teach for children as well?" Kasumi got a little interested.

"We have classes from morning to evening, all ages are welcome. Children classes starts on the evening time. There are also weekends courses." She replied by pointing on the time schedules on the flyers.

"Are you interested?"

"I wish I had the time, but I was thinking to put my little boy in some kind of activity."

"Ah I see, he is welcome to join and we made sure we have fun while learning as well."

"Alright I will check this out, and thanks for the info." Kasumi smiled.

As she was about to leave again, something else on the paper suddenly caught her curiosity. A name.

"Are you Hitomi?"

"Yes that's me, the other is my partner's name. You could contact either one of us if you have more questions about the recruitment." Hitomi smiled.

Kasumi didn't seem to hear her but to only stare at Hitomi strangely. Once Kasumi noticed Hitomi frowns at her stare, she explained herself.

"Sorry about that…it's just that you have a Japanese name but you don't look Japanese."

Hitomi giggled, "That's because I'm not from around here, I just moved from Germany a month ago. My mother was from this city and that's where I got the Japanese name, but I got my look from my father's side."

Kasumi's eyes grew wide, but she stopped herself from asking more question before she strike as being too nosey.

"I see, well I better get going. Good luck with the dojo Hitomi."

"Thank you."

Kasumi then continued making her way home but she turned around a few more times to look at Hitomi curiously, thinking.

Could she be the same Hitomi that Hayate stayed with in Germany during his memory loss? Kasumi had never seen Hitomi before but only heard about her through Ayane and Hayate. What was the odds of this Hitomi being the same one as her brother's old crush…? She kept on thinking.

She was from Germany, and her dad owns karate dojos…hmm too many coincidences.

This was interesting, really interesting thought Kasumi. If she does turn out to be the same person, then she couldn't wait for her brother to return back from New York.

How small is the world? Kasumi chuckled amusingly.

She looked at the flyer once again. Kasumi was considering to sign Tenzou into one of Hitomi's classes. Growing up with a fighting background, she thought that it was somewhat important that her son also learn some type of martial arts.

Minutes later, she arrived back at the apartment. She was surprised at the sight of someone sitting by her door twirling a kunai.

"Hi Ayane."

Ayane rose to her feet. "Here…" she handed Kasumi an envelope.

"Uh, what is this?"

"How should I know. My job is only to deliver it to you." She then walked passed her estrange sister to head home.

"Ayane wait…"

She stopped and turned back around, looking at Kasumi questionably.

"Do you want to come in?"

"No, I don't have time for that. Hayate is out of the country, he left me in charge." She coldly responded.

"Anything else?"

Kasumi sighed, at least she tried. She looked down at the flyer in her hand and then back at Ayane, she placed herself a little closer to her sister and handed her the flyer. Ayane took it and looked at it thoroughly.

"Hitomi…" She mumbled strangely.

"I ran into her just now but I don't know what she looks like. You've seen her right, could you describe her to me?"

"Blue eyes, brown hair, squeaky annoying voice. If this girl is her, you're not thinking on telling Hayate do you?"

"I thought he would want to know, she meant a lot to him after all."

Ayane rolled her eyes. "Can you do me a favor?"

Kasumi nodded curious.

"Don't."

"Why not?"

"Hayate got enough on his plate, he doesn't need all the distraction from that girl." Ayane then sighed, "I've wasted enough time already, I'm out of here."

"Why do you have to be so freaking rude to people all the time?" Kasumi suddenly blurted in annoyance at Ayane's cold demeanor.

"Not to all people, only selfish kinds like you. Later." Ayane vanished.

Kasumi was baffled where she stood. She could never figure what Ayane's problem with her was all these years…

Her gaze then locked on the envelope in her hand. It was sealed with the Mugen Tenshin owl's looking insignia. She opened it and it was a letter, she began reading immediately while walking inside her apartment with deep frowns and closed the door behind her.