CHAPTER NINE.

Kaya was still laughing as she sat opposite to Minato in a teahouse. The pair had decided to grab a bite first and foremost straight after leaving their bags in their room. They went to the nearest eatery to the inn, not particularly choosey as they were starving.

"Stop laughing already," Minato grumbled lightly, the expression on his face making him look like a pouting child.

"That was the loudest growl I have ever heard from a human being," Kaya teased, the corners of her eyes wet from laughter. "I had no idea you were capable of that, Blondie!"

Minato wanted to roll his eyes at the girl, but he understood why it was so funny to her. Despite assuring her that he was not hungry, his body disagreed, loudly. In response to that, Kaya laughed from the inn to the teahouse, all the way until now.

Both of them had a cup of hot tea in their hands, and several plates of sweet treats displayed on the table they shared. Somewhat over the initial hunger, Kaya began poking the dango with a stick, having tasted every treat already.

"Don't play with food, Fluffball," Minato scolded her playfully, to which Kaya rolled her eyes dramatically at.

"You know, Jiraiya-ji is bigger idiot than we think he is," she said after a sip of tea. Her mind thought back to the number of times he pranked her before she entered Konoha, and each him he found himself getting more and more amused by her reactions. "How did he even become a shinobi?"

"Well, he is very outstanding in terms of skills," Minato replied with a chuckle. To some extent, he did agree with Kaya, since he also had first-hand experience of the man's antics, but he felt like he had the responsibility of defending his teacher, just a little. "I'm sure being carefree and relaxed can be considered as good traits too."

Kaya stabbed the dango and brought it to her lips, biting it in half and humming in satisfaction before consuming the remaining half with a sip of tea. "You've got to be one hell of a student to have survived his teaching."

The boy shrugged. "He's a good teacher, actually," he replied. "The lessons with him were mostly fun and enjoyable; but most important of all, he relayed the Third's teaching well."

"Now I'm jealous of you," Kaya deflated onto the table, leaning her hand in her palm as she rested her elbow on the wooden desktop. "I wished I had teammates too. Training alone is lonely, you know?"

Minato had always wondered what kind of training Kaya went through. Since she was taught by Tsunade, Jiraiya's fellow Sannin, he was interested if their teaching methods were different or similar. However, he told himself he would wait patiently until Kaya told him by her own will.

"You have teammates now," he smiled. "I doubt you'd spend much time alone with the amount of people around us all the time."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Kaya nodded slowly. "Not bad at all."

Dropping the stick onto the table, Kaya ran her hand through her hair, loosening the braids and smoothing out the knots she had in her purple stands. Minato watched with interest. The unnatural-looking colour of her hair had always been one of the things he was fascinated with. The purple looked dyed, and yet he could see the colour growing from her roots. It was the first time he saw someone with hair like that, but he did not see it as strange or alien; in fact, to him, it was unique and different, and it characterised the girl perfectly.

The bustling of the teahouse acted as some form of background noise to the pair as they watched each other from across the table. When Kaya was finished with her hair, she leaned forward, slouching slightly as she stared at the blond, her eyes unblinking. For a moment or two, Minato was too caught up with her hair to notice her eyes on him. Surprised and confused, Minato felt conscious all of a sudden.

"You know," Kaya began as her golden eyes scanned over Minato's features. "You're quite good looking. No wonder why that receptionist was all over you."

She wasn't lying to flatter him at all. In fact, the more she looked at his face, the more she became aware of his handsomeness. His eyes were clear and in the brightest shade of blue she had ever encountered, and his facial features were gentle and kind. Despite the brightness of his hair, his golden locks framed his face perfectly. It was no wonder why he was heartthrob of Konoha. People of all ages swooned over him, both male and female, and Kaya could only imagine what would happen when he grew into an even better-looking young adult.

"What are you saying all of a sudden?" the boy asked, flustered at the girl's sudden praise.

Kaya giggled at the redness of his face but shrugged at his question. "I was only making an observation," she replied. "You were staring at me too."

Like a deer caught in headlights, Minato's eyes widened. He hadn't thought about it, since he wasn't consciously looking at her, but the fact that she realised it had him wanting to die of embarrassment.

"Your hair…" he explained as his eyes travelled to her purple locks again. "It's pretty."

Now it was Kaya's turn to flush. Her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage and she quickly adverted her eyes, afraid of looking into his clear blue orbs for some reason. She had no idea why they were saying such things to each other, but to others who didn't know better, they would not doubt see the pair as a young couple who was infatuated with each other.

Silence surrounded the pair as they were both at a loss for words. They had no idea how the conversation took such a turn, nor did they know how to properly get out of it without embarrassing themselves further. Kaya diverted her eyes to her tea, watching the leaves float about in the cup as she waited for something to happen, anything that would dissipate the awkwardness. On the other hand, Minato opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something but not exactly sure what.

"Uhm."

"Ahh."

The teens' eyes shot to each other.

"You go first."

"No, you go first."

Silence wrapped around them again. Though this time, it only lasted for a few seconds before they burst into chuckles and giggles. They shook their head at the situation they put themselves in but was glad they weren't feeling awkward anymore since they were laughing normally again.

"I didn't know you had that side to you," Kaya commented, now feeling comfortable enough to bring up the topic again.

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"You know, that somewhat cute side?" Kaya laughed lightly. "I never knew you could actually compliment a girl."

The blond promptly turned red again. Kaya almost regretted her words if Minato hadn't replied quickly enough.

"I can say the same about you!" he exclaimed, his voice louder than usual. He tried to supress his blush but was clearly failing.

Giggling, Kaya leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table while resting her cheeks in her palms.

"Say, does Kushina blush as hard as you do when you compliment her?"

Minato's first reaction was to lean back, both for space and in shock. Unfortunately, his head was met with the wall behind him, resulting in a loud and painful bang. His hands few to the back of his head as he winced in agony. He couldn't understand why it hurt so much when he was a shinobi who often sustained wounds on missions; perhaps it was the embarrassment of hitting his head on a wall that stung more.

"Minato!" Kaya called in surprise as she fled her seat to examine his head. "Are you okay?" she asked, her concern mixed with suppressed laughter. She could hear the faintest of reply from the boy, but she couldn't understand him fully. Instead, she gently placed her hands over his, transferring her chakra over to him and healing his wound. Instantly, she could see him visibly relaxing as the pain disappeared.

"Goodness," Minato sighed, letting his hands fall back onto the table. He turned to his right and saw Kaya sitting there beside him, grinning from ear to ear. Knowing what she was going to say, he sent her a tiny glare. "Don't say it," he warned.

The girl pursed her lips but the attempt to zip her lips was useless as she burst out laughing again, her eyes wetting at the corners as she laughed at the boy. "Oh my god, Blondie," she wheezed. "You're so cute!"

Minato gaped at the girl. He could not believe she just called him cute. He didn't know if he should take it as a compliment or an insult. He stared at Kaya for a moment more before shaking his head and sighing in defeat. He learnt a while ago that it was incredibly difficult to win against the purple-head at things like this.

Kaya quickly took advantage of the situation as she leaned in and held the blond's cheeks in her hands, giving him a pinch on both sides before squishing his face together. Minato sat helplessly but allowed her to have her fun, since she wasn't doing anything that caused him permanent damage anyway. Moreover, the pure joy on the girl's face gave Minato every reason to let her have her way.

"Aw, don't abuse my adorable student!"

The teens' heads whipped to the source of the familiar voice, finding the white-haired man grinning widely at them. However, it was the two others he was standing with that had Kaya gasp in absolute shock.

"What are you two doing here?" she questioned, standing from her seat and pointing a finger at the group.

The first person who anyone would notice was a blonde woman, whose hair was tired into two loose ponytails that reached the middle of her back. Her eyes were chocolate brown, and it was no doubt she was easily the most beautiful woman in the country. Donning a navy haori over a grey kimono shirt that showcased her large bust, she stood on a pair of open-toed sandals. Around her neck was an expensive-looking necklace of a turquoise crystal gem that could easily buy three mountains of gold mines. Her aura was strong and confident, overshadowing any women around her, shinobi or not.

The second person was a much younger girl. The five-year-old had shoulder-length hair that was the same colour as her black eyes. She wore a grey short-sleeved kimono with a mesh shirt underneath, tied together by a dark red obi, and on her feet was a pair of casual sandals. The child had her hands in the older woman's, obviously rather weary of her surroundings that she was not familiar with.

"Tsunade-ba! Shizu!" Kaya called, her eyes still wide with shock. The two females were the last people she expected to see in that place.

The older woman was grinning ear to ear, her eyes sparkling in glee at the sight of the purple-head. On the other hand, the younger girl was smiling happily, her childish features lighting up as she lets go of the other woman's hand and ran across the teahouse towards her sister figure.

"Kaya-nee-chan!"

The said girl was already kneeling down, her arms wide open as the child ran right into her. Effortlessly, Kaya picked the girl up, holding her closely and tightly.

"You grew so much, Shizu!" Kaya mused as she pulled away to look at the child's face. "Have you been a good girl?"

"Of course!" Shizune replied proudly. "Tsunade-sama always tells that I'm a good girl!"

Tears had welled up in the teenager's eyes as she looked at the girl, who she had remembered to be smaller and lighter. Pressing a gentle kiss on the Shizune's forehead, she settled the girl down onto the floor before looking up, finding the two adults had already made their way over. Without another word, Kaya leapt into embrace of her guardian.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice muffled as tears escaped her eyes.

Tsunade let out a hearty laugh. "Am I not allowed to see the girl who I poured my heart and soul into raising?"

The Sannin's reply only made Kaya tighten her arms around the woman as she cried into her. The warm embrace of Tsunade was the same as she remembered, if not more affectionate due to her absence. Memories of her past flooded her mind, causing another wave of tears. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, but the soothing caress of her guardian's hand on her head calmed her immensely.

"Come on, you can let go now," Tsunade chuckled as she patted the girl's back. "You're getting too old for this."

The purple-head protested under her breath and kept her arms locked around the woman, refusing to let go regardless of what others thought.

Jiraiya had a smile on his face, one that was genuine and sincere and different from his usual grins and smirks. There was only a handful of people who Tsunade and Kaya would show their affection towards, to which he chuckled at that similar trait both women possessed, and it would be a lie if he said he wasn't jealous of the younger girl.

Minato, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. The amount of affection Kaya had for the older woman was incredible. If he didn't know better, he really would have thought they were a pair of mother and daughter in the way they held each other. He could tell Tsunade was Kaya's pillar of strength and the latter's tears only confirmed his thought. It was obvious Tsunade was Kaya's most important person.

"Really squirt, you're just wiping your snot on my shirt now," Tsunade said jokingly, her hand running through the purple strands of Kaya's hair.

Reluctantly, Kaya loosened her hold, though she stayed close to her guardian.

Finally, Tsunade was able to take a good look at her daughter's face. Although they were not related by blood, Kaya became her daughter the moment she swore to raise her. As she studied the girl's face, Tsunade's heart burst with pride. Kaya had grown, not much physically, but mentally. Tsunade could tell from Kaya's golden eyes. Though Kaya had always been a determined child, almost stubborn at times, the fire in those orbs now burned brightly. At that moment, Tsunade felt the emotions her own teacher described to her.

Tsunade knew Konoha was the place for Kaya.

After raising Kaya and taking her to various places, Tsunade realised the girl needed a place to belong, especially as her home was destroyed. In order for the girl to grow stronger, she needed a place to call home, a place she would protect with her life, because as her family taught her, the desire to protect fuels the individual's strength.

"You've grown beautifully," Tsunade said, her pink lips pressing against Kaya's forehead.

The girl looked up to her with watery eyes, her golden orbs conveying far more emotions than words would. No more words were needed between them as Tsunade wiped Kaya's eyes with her gentle fingers.

Moments later, after the emotional reunion was over, Tsunade side-stepped her daughter as she approached Minato with a playful grin.

"Aw, you look exactly the same as the last time I saw you!" she laughed with her hand in his blond hair, ruffling his locks ferociously. "You are so cute!"

If Minato wasn't shrinking in embarrassment, he would be laughing at the subtle similarities between Kaya and Tsunade.

"You've met him before?" Kaya questioned curiously, sitting down on a chair and pulling Shizune to her lap. She noticed the others had also followed her actions as they took a seat around the table with Minato beside her and Tsunade opposite to her while Jiraiya occupied the seat opposite to Minato. "When did that happen?"

Coincidentally, Minato was wondering the same. He had no idea when or where he met the female Sannin in the past.

"Oh, I've never talked to him before," Tsunade replied after thinking for a second. "I've seen him in action a couple of years back – I think he was on a mission since this pervert was there too."

The teens nodded in understanding and their eyes happened to meet. Kaya gave Minato a shrug and Minato returned it with a blink, though neither actions had any particular meaning behind them.

"Ah, what a beautiful reunion," came the singing voice of Jiraiya with a grin on his face. "This is novel material – I must include this scene in my upcoming book!"

Tsunade was the first one to react as she turned to her former teammate with a glare. "Don't you dare write about us in those dirty books of yours," she hissed. "It's a disgrace."

"How can you say that to me?" Jiraiya held a hand to his chest and gasped dramatically. "After all the effort I went through to arrange this meeting, I do not deserve this!"

"You arranged this?" Kaya's eyes widened at the male Sannin.

The man beamed proudly. "Of course! The one and only Jiraiya-sama at your service!"

Feeling moved, Kaya left her seat and threw herself at the man without another word. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, giggling as his hair tickled her face.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-ji!" Kaya squealed happily.

The deep laughter of the man came as he reached behind and ruffled her hair, making a mess out of it. Kaya was far too happy to care about her unruly hair as she saw the fatherly look in his eyes, one that held so much love and affection. The girl beamed at him but all of a sudden, Jiraiya turned and faced Minato beside him.

"You're no fun," Jiraiya commented, displeased.

"Huh?"

"You should at least look a little jealous when your teacher is giving someone else the affection you want!" Jiraiya grumbled.

Minato's face was priceless, Kaya thought. He looked confused, amused, disgusted and dumbfounded all at the same time, even more so when Jiraiya wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in.

"Sensei!" the blond exclaimed in shock. "What are you doing?"

With Kaya still hanging on his back, Jiraiya hugged Minato close, snuggling him as if he was a child.

"My dear student, it's okay to be cute once in a while!"

"Wha–"

"Okay!" Tsunade interrupted with a clap of her hands. "Stop torturing the poor boy, Jiraiya."

Minato couldn't be more thankful to the woman as Jiraiya's arms loosened around him.

"It's time for action," the Senju said with a mischievous smirk.

The group met up in front of the hot springs, all dressed and ready to take a dip in the water. Tsunade, her glorious body dressed in a thin yukata, walked up to Jiraiya with a smile that seemed too sweet. Kaya was almost certain she was up to something. And, she was proven correct when Jiraiya cried in pain all of a sudden.

Tsunade had stuck him on his head with her knuckles.

"Ow!" he yelped as he cradled his head. "What was that for?"

"That was for what you're planning to do," the woman replied simply. "It's not that difficult to know when you have that look on your face."

Kaya burst out laughing. Even Minato was chuckling at the scene. Tsunade was right; everyone knew what was floating around in the man's head as soon as he began grinning like an idiot.

Turning to the blond boy, Tsunade sternly looked at him. "You better keep an eye on this guy or he'll be so hurt that not even the best medic can heal him," she warned before letting out a sigh. "Thank god you're nothing like him in that aspect."

The boy only laughed sheepishly at the woman, unable to speak in defence for his mentor.

"When will you stop being a pervert, Jiraiya-ji?" she questioned as she patted Minato's shoulder in a comforting way.

Jiraiya, though sporting a rather big bump on his head, clicked his tongue at Kaya.

"You got that wrong," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not just a pervert, I am the greatest pervert!"

Oh, I wish he didn't say that. Kaya thought, wincing as Tsunade raised her fist again, this time aiming for his chest.

"TSUNADE THAT HURT!"