Disclaimer: I do not own the original Naruto characters used in this fiction, just the couples' kids.

Ages: Same ages as previous chapter

Parenting 101

Story 14: Songbird of Konoha

Let's just say Kiku will not be the only one doing crazy things for love from now on.

Cho stared down at her best friend once Kiku had finished telling her story. She knew that it had to be something serious or else Kiku wouldn't have asked her to come to the top of the cliff that overlooked Konoha to speak with her. But as her friend sat with her arms hugging her knees tightly to her chest, her imagination fell very short of what had actually come out of her mouth.

"And you trust him?" Trusting a stranger whom anyone would have reasons to be suspicious of is not Kiku's thing.

She shrugged. "I told you, I need him to be alive if I want the answers I'm looking for."

"But what if he has a connection to the people who are after Kitsune? Or maybe he is doing something worse. Obviously he knows a lot more than we could ever imagine, or at least he makes it seem that way. Are you really okay with this?"

Kiku sighed. Cho frowned.

She just couldn't believe Kiku—someone who has always been on top of her game, organized, and professional with everything and made the things she did seem effortless and easy—could wind up getting herself into a situation like this. Guys drooled over her when she passed by, and those who didn't were always impressed by her extraordinary skills. But never once had she looked at another guy, who was outside their family or circle of friends, of course, like they were worth it. Of course she respected those who were dedicated and who had talent, but there was only one time Cho could recall when Kiku had some sort of crush on someone, and that was when they were seven.

"Cho."

"…Yes?"

"You don't have to keep this a secret if it bothers you," she reassured.

Cho turned her head towards Kiku, who was smiling a small but genuine smile at her, reluctance and sorrow in her eyes.

"If you feel like turning the both of us in, I won't ever look at you any other way. You're my best friend on the entire planet, and we've been like sisters since we were born, and that will never change. I don't want to make you uncomfortable if keeping this a secret hurts you. I know you'll do what you think is right and I can't ever think of you badly."

Cho sighed as she wrapped her arms around Kiku. "You're impossible to hate," she muttered.

"You don't have to if you—" Kiku protested.

"Save it, I could never do something like that to my best friend."

Kiku smiled and hugged her back tightly.

Cho walked the streets of Konoha rather absentmindedly, a lot on her mind to contemplate. But it was mainly the revelation Kiku brought to her that made her so troubled. She had given Kiku her word, and she knew she could never really betray her like this, so she wouldn't be saying anything about it to anyone else unless Kiku somehow wanted her to. But her friend was jeopardizing a lot of things by getting involved with a guy like Raiden. She knew Kiku saw what she was getting herself into, so it scared her more than she was choosing to get involved and—

Her thoughts were abruptly stopped when she bumped into something, or more likely someone, and stumbled backwards, only to have strong hands steady her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she automatically said and she looked up.

She blinked as if the boy standing before her, still holding her upright, was just a figment of her imagination. Standing at least a head taller than her was a boy who had messy, but strangely still good-looking, deep green chin-length hair with mysterious charcoal gray eyes. But it wasn't so quite his look that threw her off-guard; it was the fact she didn't recognize him that stunned her at first. She thought she knew at least all the teens in the village because, compared to Konoha's total population, there weren't that many.

"No, it was my fault, Cho," he reassured, slipping his hands casually back into his pockets.

She couldn't help but stare. "How do you know me?"

"I've seen you around the village quite frequently, especially lately," he explained. The tone of his voice sounded bored, but the intense look in his eyes suggested he wasn't. "Besides, everybody knows of the Hyuga family's successors. My name's Osamu."

"Osamu… but I've never seen you before," she explained. "Forgive me for sounding rude, but I thought I recognized everyone in Konoha."

He shrugged. "I just moved here a couple weeks ago from Suna," he said.

Well that was odd. She knew relations with Suna were tighter than ever, but she never knew someone would move between the two villages.

"Yeah, my parents died just two months ago and Gaara-sama and Naruto-sama suggested that I come live here," he added. "Well, it's only temporarily. I could always choose to move back."

"Oh," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head and shrugged again. Then he must've sensed the suspicion in her face because he said, "If you don't believe me, we could go to my apartment."

She flinched, and hoped he hadn't noticed it. "No, I believe you," she said, trying to sound like she meant it.

"Oh, that's unfortunate."

"Huh?"

"I was hoping you'd come over and have tea if I said that." He grinned.

This was where the panicking began. Although she her training told her to be suspicious of him, and her natural self was very curious, she was unsure of whether or not she should go. But he was standing right there, offering her something, and she technically hadn't been doing much a few moments ago.

Besides, her Hyuga mannerism kicked in. "Sure, that'd be nice," she said.

His grinned turned into a smile. "Excellent."

The apartment was nice as far as apartments were. Cho could tell he hadn't quite settled in yet because, other than large pieces of furniture like a few couches and tables, everything unloaded in the kitchen and in his closet, and the single mattress on the floor in the room, everything else was still in boxes. He had given her a brief tour of the apartment while they had waited for the water to boil, and now they were sitting in his kitchen at the table while he poured the tea.

"It's delicious," she told him after her first sip. "I've never tasted tea this naturally sweet before."

"Yeah, well, living in Suna has had its advantages," he admitted.

"I see…" She trailed off.

There was a pause. "Is there something you'd like to ask?"

"Yes, but you don't have to answer it," she reassured. "It's fairly personal and… and I'm just curious, is all." She looked at him, his look patient and waiting, then looked back down at her reflection in her tea. "Why did you agree to move to Konoha? It must've been difficult to move to Konoha, and it's like starting all over again."

He shrugged. "Maybe. But it was an opportunity and I felt like taking it would be something I'd be grateful for later on."

Cho inclined her head once, but otherwise said nothing. She had always been cautious and a few steps ahead of the game, so she could never imagine doing the same thing.

Being at a disadvantage was not something she enjoyed feeling, no matter how rarely she felt it.

"So, anyway, I hear you're quite the singer," he said.

She blinked at the sudden shift in topic and said, "Oh, well, I don't know about all that. I sing, but mainly it was because my mother sang to my brother and I when we were younger. She has an amazing voice, and beautiful songs. I could never sing like her."

"You don't have to," he reminded. "Besides, that's not what I hear around here. According to everyone, you're the Songbird of Konoha."

She blushed slightly, remembering the nickname.

It was true. They had given her that nickname because she loved to sing for everyone.

"Well, things have been a little hectic for the past few years," she reasoned. "I haven't sung much lately."

"Hmm. That's too bad. I was looking forward to hearing you sing."

She blushed.

A gentle breeze blew over Konoha, rustling Naruto's hair as he stood on the top of the Hokage Tower and looked over the village. It was so peaceful, and the way Konoha looked against the black, starry sky underneath the eerie glow of the moonlight was immaculate. He closed his eyes and heard a soft, angelic voice singing her lullaby to Konoha. He didn't have to open his eyes to know who it was—there was only one person on the entire planet that could touch the entire village with her song.

Hinata moved quietly to his side, smiling as she laced her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulder. Then, like it had been years ago, the sound of more voices perfectly harmonized with hers could be heard as they sang along, the temptation too great to resist.

"Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make," Hinata whispered.

Naruto nodded but remained silent, knowing that if he spoke what was really on his mind it would only cause his wife to worry.

But things would no longer be peaceful in Konoha. It wasn't just a feeling, it was a fact.

Quote from Chapter 13: "Do not be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Like so many other things, it's not what's outside, but inside that counts."—from Aladdin

Sorry for that awful cliff-hanger :( I should really work on them.

Anyway, Cho and Kiku are supposed to be close, practically even closer than sisters, but I didn't think I was portraying it so I had to add it in this chapter. Plus, Cho FINALLY gets so limelight of her own when it comes to romance!

Everyone's catching the lovebug!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Criticism? Flames? Don't hesitate to make your opinions known in a review or PM, whatever suits you.

Ciao! Au Reveoir! Zai Jian! Hasta Lavista! Ja Ne! Goodbye (till next time, at least!)