"You wanted to see us, Kakashi-sensei?" Haruno Sakura asked as she entered the Hokage's office with her friends, Yamanaka Ino and Hyūga Hinata.
"Yes, I have a mission for the three of you." Hatake Kakashi replied, "It should only be a C-Rank, but, well, there's a chance that things will get... complicated."
"What do you mean?" Hinata asked in confusion.
"We received a request from a woman in the Land of Honey. Apparently, she's a pregnant widow from the Land of Medicine who originally left her village when she was eight weeks along to go to Yugakure, but when word of the impending war reached the Land of Honey eight weeks later, she ended up staying at a small farm to wait it out. Now that the war is over, she wants to finish her journey, but at this point, she's too far along in her pregnancy to travel alone. So she has requested an escort from Konoha."
"Now I see what you mean by complicated." Sakura said, "Normally, a team of Genin could handle this, but if she's heavily pregnant, then the escort needs to include at least one byouninja."
"Exactly." Kakashi said with a nod, "Sakura, you're one of the top three byouninja in the village, Hinata, you can check on her condition with the Byakugan and Ino at least knows Mystic Palm, plus, you're all women, so I decided you were the best fit for this."
"You said that this should be a C-Rank, which implies that the rank could change." Ino remarked, "Any particular reason for that?"
"The message containing the request was delivered in a rather strange manner." Kakashi admitted, "It came by crow."
"Crow?" Sakura asked in confusion.
"Who uses a crow to send a message?!" Ino exclaimed.
"Exactly." Kakashi stated, "The only person I know of that uses crows as a summons—at least among those currently alive—is Naruto's friend, Aiko, who was the apprentice of Uchiha Itachi. However, we just saw Aiko and she was definitely not pregnant, has never been married, has never even been to the Land of Medicine as far as I know, and even if she did fit those, I happen to know that she also uses falcons as a summons, which are far superior for sending messages than crows are."
"Did the client mention who her late husband was?" Sakura asked.
"No." Kakashi replied, "But she did at least mention that her husband was a shinobi. If he had any enemies, moreover, enemies that knew about her, then there is a chance of shinobi attacking. She must not have thought that that risk was very high though, since she originally tried to make this trip alone."
"Um, why is she going to Yugakure in the first place?" Hinata asked, "Did the message say?"
"She said that she was traveling there because a friend of her late husband's was a skilled obstetrician." Kakashi informed her.
"Wait a minute..." said Ino slowly, "Wasn't Mayonaka Shinjiro, the doctor from Yugakure that temporarily ran the hospital in Sakura's place and apparently treated Uchiha Itachi's illness, also an obstetrician?"
"And the place where Itachi-san would go to get medicine for his condition was in the Land of Medicine..." Sakura added.
"I see you're starting to catch on." Kakashi said with a nod.
"Eh?!" Sakura exclaimed, "You don't think that's really possible, do you?!"
"Sakura..." Kakashi began slowly, "Up until right before the war, I—along with nearly everyone else—thought that the man was a traitor to the Hidden Leaf. Who's to say that any other conceptions we had about him were accurate?" He leaned back in his chair, "Nonetheless, don't try to pry her about it. Even if our suspicions are correct, she would probably be reluctant to confirm it. I'm pretty sure as it is that she doesn't want anybody to know who her late husband was. Her request was so heavily encrypted that I had to send it to the Cipher Corps since I no longer have the Sharingan."
Sakura sweat-dropped.
甘い
Two days later, the three teenagers arrived at the farm and Sakura walked up to the middle-aged woman who was sweeping the porch of the farmhouse. "Excuse me. We're kunoichi from Konohagakure. We're here about the request for an escort."
"Oh! Of course!" The woman answered with a smile as she set her broom down. "I'll go get Amai-chan for you and send one of my boys to have my husband hitch up the wagon." She headed into the house and returned a few minutes later with a heavily pregnant young woman, probably about five years older than the trio of kunoichi. Sakura sweat-dropped at the sight of the young woman's very swollen belly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Amai." The young woman said, carefully grasping a pillar on the porch for support.
"I'm Haruno Sakura, and this is Yamanaka Ino and Hyuga Hinata." Sakura replied, "Um, pardon me for asking, but... when is your due date?"
"Oh, I'm not due until February." The young woman assured her, "Although I'm sure it looks otherwise. It certainly feels otherwise, but then, this is my first, and probably my only..."
"No..." Hinata said, the veins on her forehead visible as she concentrated on Amai's stomach, "It won't be your only, because that would mean there was only one."
"Huh?" Ino said in surprise, "What are you saying, Hinata?"
"Amai-san is pregnant with twins." Hinata explained, "A boy and a girl from what I can see."
"Do there appear to be any problems?" Sakura asked.
"I'm not an expert of course, but no, it looks like everything is all right." The Hyuga girl replied, "Their flow of chakra is stable and the umbilical cords do not appear to be in danger of entangling either baby. If their positions relative to one another remain roughly the same, then the boy will probably be born first."
Sakura sighed with relief while Amai placed a hand on her stomach with a bittersweet smile and tears lining her eyes, "Twins... he gave me twins..."
"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked. Amai sniffled and wiped her eyes.
"No. It's just that... these children were my husband's last gift to me. They are like a part of him that will always be with me. I'm so happy to know that there are two. My husband and I both had siblings that we loved dearly. To know that I'm having two children fills me with great joy. I just wish... that he could've known."
Sakura nodded in understanding. She had never had any siblings, but she could see why somebody who had had siblings that she was close to would want her children to have that as well.
"This is also explains why I've been getting kicked in the ribs and the bladder at the same time." Amai added with an amused smile, and the three girls grinned, happy to see that their client was in good spirits under the circumstances.
"Amai-chan, you sit here on the porch swing. I'm going to go help Rino prepare the wagon." Miria said to her guest.
"Oh... okay." Amai said before slowly sitting down. Miria gestured to the three girls to follow her as she headed to meet her husband, who was leading a horse hitched to a wagon toward the house.
"Please be patient with Amai-chan." The older woman began as they walked, "She's very pleasant for the most part, but she is pregnant. Carrying twins has made her very uncomfortable, to say nothing of her hormones, and, well... most women have a husband to see to their needs while they are with child. Somebody that they can send out at two a.m. to satisfy a random craving or otherwise look after them. Amai's husband died shortly after she conceived. He never even knew of her pregnancy, never mind being there to take care of her. Despite this, she almost never complains about anything. She's a sweet, kind, hardworking girl. I mean, goodness, she traveled all the way here from the Land of Medicine by herself just after she found out, and even after she began staying here, she's been nothing but helpful. If anything, she complains that I coddle her about the pregnancy, but I can see how uncomfortable she is. I just don't know where she finds that strength to endure... to constantly smile whilst hiding her tears."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
"According to Amai, the night she conceived was the very last night that she spent with her husband." Miria explained, "She never saw him again after that. She's due in three months, which means it's scarcely been half a year since his death. She's still grieving that loss. As I said, she never complains, but there are times when she begins to mourn his absence. She's happy about the babies, but she wishes that he were here with her, not just for moral support, but to share in her happiness. Apparently, they tried for nearly two years to have a child, but the night that she conceived, it was probably the last thing on either of their minds."
"She knew that her husband was going to die?" Ino asked in confusion.
"Apparently, he was very ill, and had been the entire course of their relationship. Amai married him whilst knowing that he was not long for this world. So, yes. The morning that she said goodbye to him, she knew that he was never going to come back."
"I think it's very brave to be able to love someone when you know he won't be able to stay with you very long." Hinata said with a hint of admiration.
"I agree, but it's still very difficult for her right now." Miria said, "Because of that, please look after her and see to whatever needs she may have. She may complain you are coddling her, but... she needs to be comfortable."
"We understand." Sakura said with a nod, "We'll keep a close eye on her wellbeing."
"Welp, here we are Amai." Rino said as he pulled the wagon up to the house.
"I've placed some bedding in the back here for you, dear." Miria added.
"Thank you, but... are you sure it's okay for me to be taking Meiberi-chan and the wagon?" Amai asked as she carefully stood up.
"Don't worry about it." Rino said, "Meiberi's getting a bit too old to be plowing fields, but she'll be a good companion to you. And I've got Ringo helping me build a new wagon. He's old enough now to learn this stuff."
"Well, if you're sure..."
"Do you have to go away, Amai-neechan?" Jagaimo asked with tears in his eyes, "We like having you here."
Amai smiled down at where the toddler stood with his older brother. "And I've enjoyed staying here, but I need to do what is best for my babies. They need to be in a place where there's a good doctor to look after them. And I need to be with people who knew my husband."
"I'll go get your things..." Ringo said slowly, and Amai nodded to him before carefully plodding over to Sakura with a wrapped sword in her hand.
"Here. Please put this in the back with us."
"What is it?" Sakura asked in confusion as she took the sword that had been carefully wrapped, scabbard, hilt, and all, in leather.
"My husband gave that kodachi to me as a gift." Amai explained, "For self-defense. But I can't use it in my current condition, so I've just wrapped it up to protect it from the elements. It's very precious to me."
Sakura nodded in understanding and placed the sword near the back of the wagon. A moment later, Ringo came out carrying Amai's traveling bag, followed by his mother with a sack full of clothes.
"Here you go." Miria said as she placed the sack in the wagon, "These ought to see you through to the end of your pregnancy. At least I hope. I was never pregnant with twins."
"Is this all you have, Amai-san?" Ino asked as she accepted the other bag from Ringo.
"I packed what I wanted to bring with me into sealing scrolls to save space." Amai explained.
"You know ninjutsu?" Sakura said in surprise. Amai smiled with a bittersweet expression.
"Only a little. My husband taught me what he could. I can't really do Taijutsu or Kenjutsu right now, but in a pinch, I can use Suiton and Raiton and defend against genjutsu to a point." She explained. Sakura nodded.
"Well, let's get you into this wagon." With surprising ease, the pink haired kunoichi picked up the young widow, climbed into the back of the wagon, and set her down on the futon that Miria had placed there. Amai pouted in annoyance.
"It's not fair that you can move more easily while carrying me than I can move on my own." Sakura laughed nervously and sat down as Ino and Hinata climbed in the front and Ino took the reins.
'Itachi-kun...' Amai thought as she stared up at the sky above them. 'I'm finally on my way again... but I still wish that you were here with me. From now on, I have to make my heart stronger, in order to protect our children and raise them with love, as I promised your ancestor.'
Sha-la-la, certainly someday
I will manage to do it with my hands
In the emptiness inside my chest
Soft light, you must begin burning!
Amai fell asleep for a little while. When she woke up, she noticed the distant look on Sakura's face and smiled softly. "Are you missing your loved one, Sakura-chan?"
"Huh?" Sakura said in surprise, having not noticed that Amai was awake. She quickly tried to recover, "Wh-What do you mean?"
Amai smiled knowingly. "I know that look. You were thinking about the one that you love, wondering where he is right now, and if he is thinking of you, the way that you're thinking of him."
"Huh?!" Sakura exclaimed, her face turning bright red. Ino grinned.
"I'd say you hit the nail on the head with that one." The blonde remarked.
"H-How did you know?" Sakura asked softly.
Amai shook her head, "I often caught myself wearing that exact same expression when my husband was away from home, which to be honest, was more often than not. His work as a shinobi meant that he couldn't come home to me very often, and whenever he was gone, I would find myself longing for his presence."
Sakura looked down, still blushing lightly, "I'm afraid it's a bit different with me. I don't even know if he's going to come home, or whether or not he returns my feelings for him. The last time we saw each other, on the day he left, I asked to come with him, but he said he had to go alone. Then he poked my forehead and said 'maybe next time' before walking off."
Amai looked intrigued, "Is the one that you love Uchiha Sasuke by any chance?"
"Eh? How did you know?" The pink-haired teenager asked.
Amai sighed, closing her eyes in amusement, "His brother often came by my store when he was in the Land of Medicine. I've only met Sasuke-kun once, but, I can tell you for certain that he does return your feelings."
"How can you say that for certain?" Ino asked, looking over her shoulder at the pair of them.
"Itachi used to tell me stories about when he and Sasuke-kun were children." Amai explained, "Whenever Sasuke-kun would start pestering him about something that he didn't have time to do right then, Itachi would poke his forehead that exact same way and tell him, 'Forgive me, Sasuke. Next time.' For Sasuke-kun, the combination of that gesture and phrase is extremely intimate. Uchiha men are absolutely terrible at expressing their feelings, so I'm certain that that was Sasuke-kun's way of saying 'I love you.'"
Sakura's blush deepened again, "Do you really think so?"
"I know so." Amai said as her gaze drifted back toward the sky and her eyes filled with tears as she thought of Itachi again. 'That's right. You were also terrible at expressing your feelings. Although I knew that you loved me, I didn't know why. I wish you were still here. I should've asked you more questions about the present instead of always asking about the past.'
I end up with the "urge" to see you
My "pure heart" ends up wanting to cry
Having plunged into summer's fire
The fireflies will not return
She thought of how Sasuke had said goodbye to Sakura, and then of how she and Itachi had said goodbye. Granted, Sasuke wasn't heading out to meet his end, but Itachi hadn't even been able to say anything at all. He had simply kissed her, and she had merely nodded, their hearts bursting with all the things they didn't have time to say and all the feelings they didn't have time to express.
You didn't say even one word to me, leaving me behind with just a kiss
As I was scarred by the burn, I was simply nodding
The sad limit placed upon the length of your life was flickering
"Hinata, can you get the fire going?" Sakura asked when they stopped to make camp for the night. With suitable bedding for Amai in the wagon, there was no need to worry about finding an inn unless it looked like the weather would be bad, but as it was, the sky was clear and Hinata hadn't seen any clouds that would indicate an incoming storm within 20 kilometers of them.
"I could do it if you need me to." Amai said from where she was sitting on the edge of the wagon.
Sakura blinked, "You know Katon?" She asked in surprise.
"A little." Amai replied, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, "I'm not really that good at it. The most I can do is a small fireball. My husband said something about my chakra reserves being too small, due to my being a civilian."
"That's true." Sakura said thoughtfully, "Katon requires a lot of chakra. Even most genin don't have enough. But you probably shouldn't." She added with a shake of her head, "With your condition and low chakra reserves, I don't want you to place any strain on yourself. Hinata shouldn't have any problems with this."
Amai nodded and watched as Hinata lit the campfire and began cooking a meal for the four of them.
"So, Hinata-chan, Ino-chan... I'm sorry if it seems like I am prying, but... do either of you have someone you love?" Amai asked.
Hinata gasped in surprise and nearly burned herself as her face turned bright red. Ino grinned and playfully elbowed her. "You've been in love with Naruto since forever, haven't you?"
Hinata nodded shyly, "Yes, but... I don't think he feels the same way about me."
"Are you kidding?" Sakura asked, "When you were injured by Pain, Naruto was so angry that his seal nearly broke! In fact, I've never seen him lose it that badly."
"Mm." Amai said with a nod, "It certainly sounds like he has feelings for you. Men can become completely different people when the person they love is threatened. Once, a man in my village tried to take advantage of me while my husband was away. Fortunately, my husband came home just in time, but he was so angry that he killed the man with a genjutsu."
"...That must've been some genjutsu..." Ino managed in shock.
"Well, my husband was a genjutsu-type. If you know what you're doing, it can apparently be a very effective method for killing people, and it can also be extremely merciful or completely lacking in mercy." Amai said, "I was under genjutsu myself at the time, so, I don't really know what happened, but I'm guessing whatever he did was far from merciful. He was a fire-type too, and I'm pretty sure the only reason that he didn't set that man on fire was because we were in my house."
"So both you and your husband were fire-types?" Sakura asked.
"Actually, I'm a water-type." Amai replied, "I'm not actually sure which I have a stronger affinity for, but Suiton requires far less chakra than Katon or Raiton. My husband could use Suiton as well, along with Fuuton, but his affinity was Fire. I learned to use Raiton during my shinobi training as a child."
"You trained as a Shinobi?" Ino asked in surprise.
"Yes, but... my village demilitarized just after I completed my training, so I never went on any missions." Amai explained.
Sakura nodded to her. 'The Uchiha Clan mostly specialized in Katon and Raiton from what I know. Those were Indra's specialties. Then again, I don't actually know what Itachi could use besides Katon and genjutsu.'
"My point is, even without knowing him, I think that Sakura's assessment is correct." Amai continued, "I'm certain that Naruto-kun has feelings for you. Perhaps he just doesn't realize it yet."
"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.
"In my experience, people often fall in love without noticing. Then one day, it's like something clicks in their head and they suddenly realize it." Amai said, "I think that's how it was for my husband. He didn't know, or perhaps he didn't want to acknowledge it, but then one day, he just found that he could no longer deny it."
"I'm not sure I get what you're saying..." Ino said in confusion.
"Mm... well, in my husband's case, he had loved somebody in the past and had lost her. In fact, I think he realized his feelings for her when it was already too late. For that reason, he didn't want to fall in love with me, but there came a point when he realized that if he didn't acknowledge it, he would lose me as well." Amai glanced up at the night sky, "And I think for those who have never experienced love for themselves, the feelings are more difficult to recognize. My husband and I both understood the love of a family as children, and we were able to connect those feelings with what we felt for one another. That feeling that somebody is precious to us, that we don't want lose them. But I would imagine it would be harder for a child who has grown up without those things."
"I'm certain that's true." Sakura said with a nod, "Naruto didn't really form a deep bond with anybody until he was twelve. Granted, that's partly because he's incredibly unobservant and thus, never noticed that Hinata was constantly watching him from a distance when we were kids, but because of that, I don't think he's able to separate liking somebody from loving them."
"Was I really that obvious?" Hinata asked with a blush.
"To anybody else, yes." Ino remarked, "But Naruto has got to be the most clueless sensory type on the planet."
"Clueless or not, don't you dare give up, Hinata." Sakura encouraged, "After all, you were the one who brought Naruto back to his senses when Neji died, and when he got back to his feet, we all saw him holding your hand."
"Yeah, and you didn't even faint!" Ino joked, causing Hinata to turn bright red again.
Amai laughed softly, "Just give it time, Hinata-chan. You and Naruto-kun are still young. There's no need to rush. Still, from what I've heard, I think you two have a deep bond that will withstand the test of time. Certainly someday, both of your dreams will come true; someday, Naruto-kun will finally realize his feelings for you, and eventually, he'll become a wonderful Hokage."
"Huh? How did you know about...? How can you say...?" Hinata asked, wondering how Amai knew of Naruto's dream, or how he would be a good Hokage.
Amai smiled softly, looking at the embers that floated up from the fire and then disappeared, a nostalgic look on her face. "My husband was from Konoha. He told me about how he met Naruto-kun once when they were both children. Even then, at that time, my beloved felt that Naruto-kun would surely become a wonderful Hokage someday, and my husband was always a good judge of character." She smiled softly before gazing back up at the moon in the sky. That was right. At the age of twelve, all of Amai's previous dreams had been stolen from her. She had felt helpless and trapped. Then Itachi had walked into her life. The first day he protected her from Jiryuu, it had given her hope that there were still good people in the world. That first night that she took care of him and the morning after, a new dream formed in her heart, and she had the courage to pursue it with all her might, however little strength she might've had. That dream had come true, and she was still living it. Itachi was gone, but in his place, within her body, he had given her two children to love in his stead. This—no, they—were her dream, and she would continue to protect them. She looked at the sky and wondered, could Itachi also see the brilliant half-moon that seemed to be shining on this future?
Sha-la-la, certainly someday
I will manage to do it with my hands
In the emptiness inside my chest
Soft light, you must begin burning!
Sha-la-la, my dear beloved one
Are you able to see it like I can
The dazzling moon that is softly
Illuminating tomorrow?
It's strongly, it's strongly shining brightly!
A few days later, the four young women had stopped in a village to eat, due to Amai's desperate craving for udon soup. "I'm honestly impressed, Amai-san." Sakura said, "Even after losing your husband, you still seem so strong."
"It doesn't necessarily make the grief any weaker, but... since I knew about his condition and what would happen eventually, It's not as if I suffered from a major shock when it did." Amai said quietly. "Besides, I've already been through enough hardships in my lifetime to weather this kind of storm."
"Hardships?" Hinata questioned.
Amai was about to shake her head to say that she didn't want to talk about it, but her gaze was abruptly drawn by the sight of two parents walking with their children, the younger one trailing eagerly after the elder. She suddenly dropped her soup spoon. "Amai-san?" Sakura questioned, her eyes widening as tears began to flow down Amai's cheeks. The sight had suddenly reminded her of the days before her parents' addiction, followed by her sister's death, and the anger that had led to her parents' demise; memories that she often tried to bury, and the expectant mother covered her mouth with her hand as she immediately began to sob.
The extent to which gales are blowing
Against me is making my heart fierce
"Just get lost!", all those kind of memories
Softly alight in my mind again
"Is she all right, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked with concern as Sakura carefully laid the now sleeping Amai upon the futon in an inn.
"She's fine." Sakura assured the other girl as she carefully drew the blanket up to Amai's shoulders. "It was probably just a fit of hormones. It's not unusual for an expectant mother to start crying over the smallest things."
"She seemed really upset though..." Ino worried.
Sakura shrugged, "We can't force her to talk about it. Let's just keep moving. The sooner we get her to Yugakure, the better."
The other two kunoichi nodded and began laying out their own bedding.
甘い
"It's okay to cry, Amai." Itachi said gently as he held his sobbing wife close.
Amai clung to Itachi's cloak as she rested her head on his chest, "This coming from the man who refuses to cry for any reason."
"It's different..." Itachi said awkwardly.
"In what way?" Amai half-asked, half-demanded.
"I'm a Shinobi." Itachi answered, "I have to hide my emotions. You are not though. For you, it's okay to cry. You don't have to say anything. Just cry as much as you want."
Amai continued sobbing into Itachi's cloak as she clung to him. "It was my fault!" She wailed.
"You know it wasn't." Itachi said gently, but firmly.
"It was! I hated them, and look what that led to!"
"If you had hated them, you wouldn't be crying right now." Itachi assured her as he stroked her hair, "You were just angry, and you had every right to be. They failed in their duty as your parents. They didn't protect you. They didn't take care of Adzuki-chan. You had lost everything even before they died." He hugged her tightly, "You and I both know that when you threw the Sengenzai into the sea, it wasn't because you wanted them to die. Just the opposite. You wanted them to be your parents again. You wanted them back." Amai sniffled softly and Itachi slowly pulled away from her. "I have to go."
"Huh?" Amai looked up as Itachi stroked her hair a final time and then began walking away from her. "No... wait!" She cried out, reaching out desperately for him as she ran after him, "Itachi-kun! Don't leave me!"
Itachi stopped and slowly turned toward her, reaching his hand out to her with a gentle smile, "What are you talking about? I will never leave you."
Amai's eyes widened, "But you did... you died and left me alone..."
"No, Amai. I am always with you."
Within a dream, if I started running, my feelings could then be felt by you
As is my intention, you would stretch out your hand
The painful limit of your lifespan, it would then start flickering
Amai gasped and woke up, covering her face with her hand before slowly sitting up and looking around. She realized that they were in an inn, and that Sakura, Ino, and Hinata were all asleep. It must've been too cold to camp out tonight.
Amai shivered to herself, clutching her hand to her chest. How many times had she had that dream? That dream where she ran after Itachi when he set out to meet his end, as she had wanted to in real life, and convinced him to stay with her. This time was different though. It was like Itachi had been trying to comfort her. "I am always with you." He had said. She placed a hand on her swollen stomach, feeling one of the twins kick her.
"That's true, but... I want you here with me..." She said softly, thinking of Itachi and, for some reason, the constant cold and snow that she had heard winter brought north of the Land of Medicine. Taking a shaky breath, she began to sing softly. "Do you know I fell in love with you? I can't remember, how long has it been? All I know is this love within my heart, waiting for you. Can't you see what you mean to me? How I wish you could read my mind. All these feelings, I could never find the right words to explain. Like the snow, all my love—falling down from above. In time... it piles high—as if to touch the sky. Hold me tight. I wish I'd never known your light. This can't be right. This can't be how it's meant to feel. But I can't turn back time now, cause I love you. I only wish it wasn't true. I wish I could forget—wish that we'd never met—inside my heart I know eternal snow." She carefully stood up, moved over to the window and leaned her forehead against the glass, "Do you know you're still in my dreams? How much longer til you let me sleep? So I stay awake at the window pane, my breath fogging the glass. Can the snow in my heart—melt away with the pain? One day... I pray that it might—just take one candle's flame." She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to find comfort and warmth, "Hold me tight, until I break, I hope I might. Cause then the wind and cold can't reach me anymore. I only wanna feel nothing, cause I miss you—when every thought's a thought of you. And I stand here alone—cause tonight is the same—inside my heart I know eternal snow..." Looking out the window, she saw that it had begun snowing lightly. She carefully opened the window and reached out her hand to catch the flakes, "I wonder if the falling snow will numb my heart? And if with time, could hide these lonely nights—and all my love for you?" She sighed softly, her eyes drifting to where the moon was peeking through a break in the snow clouds, "Hold me tight. I wish I'd never known your light. This can't be right. This can't be how it's meant to feel, but I can't turn back time now, cause I love you, I only wish that it wasn't true. You can't be here and I—shout to the winter sky. Inside my heart I know eternal snow. Hold me tight... Oh, I miss you... I love you... And I stand here alone, cause tonight is the same, so fall forever, oh, eternal snow..."
Amai jumped slightly as she felt somebody place a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Sakura's concerned face and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I woke you up, didn't I?"
"It's all right." Sakura assured her, reaching past Amai to close the window. "I understand that it's hard for you. Just waiting for Sasuke-kun to come back to me, both figuratively and literally, for four years, was incredibly painful. I can't imagine the pain that you must be in right now." She added while guiding Amai back over to the futons and sitting down with her, "But Amai-san, while I may not have known your husband, I know that he wouldn't want you to be like this. Of course, some of it is hormones, but your grief is completely natural. Even so, he wouldn't want you to keep thinking on the past. He'd want you look forward to the future..." The pink-haired kunoichi said while reaching forward and placing a hand on Amai's stomach, "Isn't that right?"
Amai smiled softly, although her eyes were still lined with tears as she looked down at her belly. "Yes... that's right. He would wish for nothing but happiness for me and for them."
Sha-la-la, I am starting to
Constantly sing without ever stopping
Inside my shivering chest, soft light,
I demand you start burning!
Amai turned her eyes back toward the window and the moon shining amongst the clearing clouds, "Still, I wish that my feelings could reach him."
Sakura gently placed a hand on top of Amai's and smiled gently, "I'm sure that they do."
Sha-la-la, my dear beloved one
I keep on hoping that I will reach you
In the empty, blue sky allow my
Feelings to softly grow stronger
Stronger and stronger and cause them to resound!
It was about a week later when they reached Yugakure, the entire journey having taken nearly a month due to the slow pace they had to go at, even with the horse and wagon. When they reached the village in question, Amai nearly threw up from the strong smell of sulfur in the air.
"I guess it would be a shock to someone who's never been to a hot spring before." Sakura admitted, "And being pregnant doesn't help." Amai only whimpered in response as she rested against the front of the wagon.
"Hey, where does this friend of your husband's live anyway?" Ino asked, and Amai opened her eyes in surprise before letting out a sigh.
"Come to think of it, I don't know. I only know that he lives and works at a medical resort here, but I don't know the name of it or where it is." She admitted, "I guess we'll just have to ask around for it."
At that moment, a young man with dark blue hair came out of a nearby ryokan, his eyes immediately finding the wagon and locking onto Amai's dark brown hair. "Amai-han?"
"Huh?" Ino stopped the wagon and watched as the teenager, about the same age as her and her teammates, approached the side.
"Shinjiro-san!" Sakura said in surprise, recognizing the youth as the talented byouninja from Yugakure who had temporarily assumed command of Konoha's hospital after the war, since Sakura herself had been too injured to manage it.
"Ah, Sakura-han!" Shinjiro acknowledged, "I thought I sensed your chakra. It's been a while." Sakura nodded and Shinjiro turned back to the travel-weary Amai. "You're Amai-han, correct?"
Amai looked genuinely surprised. "Yes, I am, but... Shinjiro-san, how did you know who I was? We've never met."
"Ah, your children." Shinjiro explained, not bothering to shift his gaze since he couldn't see Amai's stomach over the sides of the wagon, "I sensed their father's chakra within them, so I knew it had to be you."
"I guess that's true. There's nobody else who could be carrying them, is there?" Amai said with a nostalgic smile, "There was never any doubting his loyalty."
Shinjiro nodded, "All of you, come inside." He turned and looked at Sakura, "You and your comrades can stay the night here to refresh yourselves and return to Konoha in the morning."
"Yeah, thanks." Sakura said with a nod.
Shinjiro looked back at Amai, "Amai-han, it's not safe for you to use the hot springs in your condition, but I'll ask Oyu-chan to draw up a warm bath for you."
Amai smiled softly, her exhaustion obvious. "That sounds really nice..."
Sakura helped Amai out of the wagon and allowed Shinjiro to help the expectant mother to the door while Shinjiro's mentor, Mako, came out to help with Meiberi and the wagon.
"Oyu-chan, Miyu-han, this is Amai-han." Shinjiro said to Mako's wife and daughter as he and Amai stepped into the inn.
"Oh you poor dear!" Miyu exclaimed when her eyes fell upon the heavily pregnant young woman, "Have you been traveling in that condition?"
Amai smiled weakly, "Yes, but, it's not as bad as it looks. I'm actually not due for ten weeks. It's just that I'm carrying twins."
"Twins!" Miyu exclaimed, "Oh you must be so happy. He told us how much you wanted to have a child."
"Yes." Amai said with a nod before looking at Shinjiro, "Shinjiro-san, how are they? Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan have been keeping an eye on me, but, you might be able to tell more."
"Yes, I've already checked." Shinjiro said with a nod, "It doesn't look like there are any problems. They're developing as they should and the flow of their chakra is stable."
Amai sighed in relief. "Thank goodness..."
甘い
The next day, Amai stood at the entrance of the ryokan to bid Sakura, Ino, and Hinata goodbye. "Thank you for getting me here safely." She told them with a warm smile, "And for putting up with my cravings and mood swings and constant bathroom breaks and waking you up in the middle of the night."
"Don't worry about it." Sakura said with a wave of her hand, "I'm just glad that we were able to help you so that you didn't have to hold back all of those things. Take care, okay?"
"I will." Amai said with a nod, "Good luck to all of you. I wish you nothing but happiness."
甘い
Amai delivered her twins on February 14th. Although there were no complications, her labor had been long and exhausting, and thus, after delivering the second one, she had promptly passed out. Hinata had been right though. She'd delivered her son first.
Sometime after she had given birth, Amai slowly came to, and Shinjiro smiled at her. "Congratulations, Amai-han. Both of your children were delivered safely and both appear to be perfectly healthy."
Amai smiled in relief, since she hadn't been able to recall that much. "Thank goodness..."
"Would you like to see them?" The young doctor asked.
"Yes please."
Shinjiro assisted Amai in sitting up in bed as Oyu and Miyu walked in, each carrying a swaddled baby in her arms. Carefully, the two women placed each baby into the crooks of their mother's waiting arms. Amai sniffled and smiled down at them. "They're so tiny."
"They're a little bit smaller than average, but that's not abnormal for twins." Shinjiro remarked, "Now that they don't have to compete for resources, it won't take them long to make up for that."
"Have you thought of what to name them?" Oyu asked curiously.
"Yes." Amai said with a nod, "I've been thinking about it since I left the Land of Honey." She nuzzled her son, "This is Dango..." She turned and nuzzled her daughter, "And this is Tamana."
"Two of Itachi-han's favorite foods." Shinjiro remarked with a nod, "Any particular reason besides that?"
"Yes." Amai said with a smile, "The first time that Itachi-kun came to my shop, a plate of dango was what he ordered. And the first time that I took care of him—the night that we learned of each other's pasts—I made us cabbage rolls for dinner. Those two things brought us together in a way, so that is what our children will be called." She smiled fondly at her children, "I have a feeling that they're both going to look just like their father."
甘い
The next few months passed in a blur for Amai. There was a period shortly after the twins' birth where she struggled with postpartum depression, which Shinjiro thought was caused by her grief regarding Itachi's death as much as it was hormones. That had culminated in her being in near hysterics on the anniversary of their final farewell before she slowly began to recover. When summer came the following month, Amai decided to take the twins out to see the fireflies that came out at night; fireflies had been a constant in her village, which was far enough south that the special Shogin Fireflies could be found all year round, but they had only recently begun to appear in Yugakure, which was much farther north.
"Today would've been your father's birthday." Amai said to her children as she held them in her lap. Neither Tamana nor Dango were able to sit up on their own yet, but they could do so with her support. Thus, Amai had brought them to a grassy meadow and was sitting on the ground with them. Dango made an inquiring noise in response to Amai's statement, not yet able to understand what she was saying, before he and his sister went back to watching the fireflies, their large black eyes lighting up in fascination at the sight of the twinkling, floating lights around them. The twins gurgled and cooed, occasionally reaching out with their little hands to try and grab one of the insects, only to fail. Amai smiled softly as she watched them. She had no doubt that they would become talented at catching fireflies when they were older. They would probably put them in jars with air-holes and then watch them until the bugs' lifespans reached their end.
Amai smiled softly and looked up at the shining full moon in the sky. 'Do you seem them, Itachi-kun? They are our future. I've finally reached a point where I'm no longer thinking about dreams that were lost or dreams that were unattainable to start with. Now my hopes and dreams live in them. These children that you gave me are my world. I love them, just as I love you, so don't ever forget about me, because I will certainly never forget you as long as I live.'
Sha-la-la, certainly someday
The fireflies will burn out and vanish
While they're vanishing from my heart
Those dreams are still softly shining
Sha-la-la, my dear beloved one
Please also never forget about me
In the glowing summertime I am
Softly repeating that one wish
Sha-la-la, certainly someday
I will manage to do it with my hands
In the emptiness inside my chest
Soft light, you must begin burning!
Sha-la-la, my dear beloved one
Are you able to see it like I can
The dazzling moon that is softly
Illuminating tomorrow?
It's strongly, it's strongly shining brightly!
Oh my gosh, this chapter ended up so long! Also, I hadn't intended to use two songs, but since the one talks about the singer singing... Anyway, the song in bold is my own English Translation of Light of the Fireflies by Ikimono Gakari. The song that Amai sings is Amalee's English cover of Eternal Snow from Full Moon wo Sagashite, and again, Amalee allows use of her songs as long as credit is given.
Also, no, Amai doesn't truly wish that she had never met Itachi, because her life would've turned out very badly if she hadn't. What she does wish in that scene is to be free from the constant pain of her memories. Tamana and Dango will appear in later stories that I have planned. :)
And yeah, in typical Naruto canon-inconsistency issues, Naruto Jinraiden: The Day the Wolf Howled, which I managed to find an English translation of online, states that the Land of Medicine and the Three Wolves Mountain Range is south of Konoha, enough so that fireflies can be found all year round and jasmine flowers even bloom in the autumn, but the actual manga and anime state that the Three Wolves are in the Land of Iron to the far north, where it is always cold. Some days I want to shoot Kushimoto for his inability to keep facts straight in this series.
Also, I am aware that there is a contradiction between what Amai tells Itachi about her training as a child and what she tells Sakura and the others. I plan to include an explanation of that at some point. I just couldn't find a good place to fit it into this particular story.