Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I just own my OCs.


Pre-Team 7

A few years later…

The slight shaking of her shoulder didn't seem real at first in her dream state.

"…ba-chan…"

Another shake to her shoulder made her eyes slowly open. They fell to the small clock on her bedside table and read that it was 6:30 a.m. She decided to go ahead and turn off the alarm.

"… ba-chan… it's time to get up."

She breathed out before turning over to wrap her arms around the one responsible for waking her up. "Ssshhh…" she mumbled sleepily. "… I have thirty more minutes." She pulled him closer and tightened her embrace.

"But I'm too excited to sleep anymore, ba-chan."

She sleepily hummed in response and was about to drift back off until she felt his hands poke and press against her face. She gently grabbed them and brought them to her lips before pressing light kisses against them. "Five more minutes, Takeru."

The young child lightly smiled at his sleepy guardian. After all, it wasn't normal for her to be so affectionate. He burrowed himself deeper into her embrace; deciding to enjoy this rare moment. Knowing that he was wrapped in her warm and safe embrace, his mind started to get sleepy and drift. It wasn't long before they both fell back asleep.


When she woke up again her clock was showing that the time was currently 10:30 a.m. She turned back to Takeru and gently nudged him. "It is time to get up," she whispered while brushing away his stray strands of hair from his eyes. When his eyes finally opened, she couldn't help but feel a slight ache in her heart.

He rubbed the sleep out of his wide green eyes and smiled at her with a smile she was all too familiar with. She loved him, but sometimes – on the rare occasion – she would feel sad when she looked at him.

Sadness because he would grow and live without ever truly knowing his mother.

Sadness because he would never know who he truly is.

Sadness because she is his guardian, and that she loves him, but must lie to him to protect him.

Jai got up from the bed and made her way to her closet to get dressed for the day. She eventually heard Takeru do the same, only he left her room to go to his to get ready. Deciding on a civilian style for the day, she donned on a pair of simple white shorts and a peach-colored shirt over her black two-piece swimsuit, making sure her thin gold chain didn't get tangled into the straps of her swimsuit. Grabbing her large messenger style bag, she stuffed it with two large beach towels and sunscreen before making her way to the first-floor storage closet.

She flicked the light switch outside the closet's door upwards before opening the door. The closet branched out beneath the staircase and greater in length than width when it came to space. She found the plastic storage container that held all the items that would be used in swimming or water activities and pulled out blue snorkeling goggles.

The sounds of Takeru's feet pattering against the upper level indicated that he was heading for banister that overlooked the first floor of the house. "Ba-chan! I can't find my swim trunks!"

Making sure that she put the goggles into her bag, Jai continued to rummage through the container. "I left it on top of your dresser last night."

"I don't want to wear that one! I want the green one!"

She grabbed a few toys she knew he would play with and placed them into the bag as well. "It is hanging in the laundry room." After making sure she had everything she needed and wanted from the closet, she reminded herself to grab the small bouquet before leaving.

"Oh, okay!"

He quickly ran down the stairs and rounded into the kitchen while happily mumbling to himself. "Gonna get some lunch… then we're going to the waterfall… then a late lunch and some shopping… and then dinner and cake! Okay, I've got my swimsuit… now I just need my… ba-chan, have you seen my sunglasses?"

"They are in my bag, Takeru." She grabbed the black sunhat that she normally used for gardening and placed it on her heard. "Come put on your sandals so that we can be on our way for the day." Bag over her shoulder, hat on her head, shoes on her feet, and bouquet in hand; Jai deemed herself ready to go.

"Haiii!" he called out and quickly made his way to the foyer. "Where are we going for lunch?" he asked while he slipped on his shoes.

She opened the door for him to walk through first. "Wherever you would like to go. It is your birthday today."

"Umm… I'll have a place picked out by the time we leave the cemetery. I'll carry the flowers, ba -chan."

She hummed in response and placed them in his hands.


Six years had gone by since Hitomi died. The night she died still tormented her thoughts. She would never forget it and she would never forgive herself for not being there regardless of what everyone told her. But even if she had been there, there was nothing she could have done to save her friend.

Jai couldn't stop herself from getting lost in her thoughts when it came to Hitomi and her untimely death. The night that she died, it didn't take long for news of her death to reach the last remaining members of the Minami clan and the board members of the corporation given that most – if not all – of them were in attendance to the event.

An emergency meeting was hastily called that night. Jai stood off to the side of the conference room with Takeru her arms, numb and indifferent to everyone's anxiety and murmurs. The feeling of uncertainty was heavy with numerous questions being whispered between each other.

ANBU members were stationed within and outside the conference room to keep order.

"Who's going to take over now?"
"Daiki is the Chairman of the Board of Directors so, naturally the position will go to him."
"Where is Daiki-san anyways? We're all sitting in this stuffy room waiting on him."
"I'm sure Hitomi's shares will be sold off to the highest bidder."
"I heard talk that there were plans to just sell the whole company to the Gat
ō Company."

Jai's fingers clenched around the fabric of Takeru's swaddle as she listened to their gossip. Her friend had barely been dead for more than an hour and all they cared about was the next step for the company and how it would affect their money.

"You all are disgusting." Jai seethed between her teeth.

"Excuse me?" one of the female board members looked to Jai in distaste.

"No, you are all worse than that. You are scum. Greedy, selfish scum. Hitomi has not even been dead for a full twenty-four hours and you all are carrying on as if this is normal! Show some respect!"

The woman huffed. "We are all aware of the situation. But in this world of business, we can't afford to mourn. Then again, what would you know?"

Jai's frown turned into a scowl. Had it not been for Kakashi holding her back, she would have lunged at the snobby woman.

The sound of the door opening created a pause in the conversation as everyone looked to see who came in.

"Daiki! Finally! We've been waiting!"

Daiki was a tall man in his early fifties. Given the time and his attire, everyone knew that he was ushered out of bed. His hair, that was usually neatly parted and styled, was messy with some cowlicks. Dressed in a set of striped pajamas with a robe and slippers, Daiki attempted to cover his yawn with his hand while making sure the files in his other didn't slip between his fingers.

"I apologize for the wait, everyone, but I had to make sure that I had all the proper files and documents before we could proceed any further. Since we're all here," he motioned for everyone to sit at the long table. "Hitomi's death was certainly tragic and unexpected. I have been told that the cause of death has yet to be determined but will be found out as soon as possible. In the meantime, we must press on. As Chairman of the Board of Directors, the position of CEO would normally fall to me, but not in this case."

"What do you mean?"

"Hitomi wrote a will after she gave birth to her son. And in her will, it states that her shares be given to her son, Takeru, the rightful heir to the Minami fortune and corporation when he turns eighteen."

"Unfortunately, he can't because he's only a baby," one member snickered.

Daiki ignored the comment and cleared his throat. "That's also true, but Hitomi also stated that should Takeru be unfit for the position, it would all go to her trusted friend Lee Jai until Takeru is fit to assume the role."

Jai's eyes bulged and her mouth nearly fell open.

'Hitomi left me in charge of the Minami Corporation?'

"WHAT?!"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"EEEEH?!"
"SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING A COMPANY THAT'S WORTH BILLIONS!"

"QUIET!" Daiki yelled over them. "That is Hitomi's will and we must honor it."

All eyes fell on Jai. She couldn't agree more with them. Who was she to just be put in charge when she wasn't even qualified.

'Perhaps this is one final prank from Hitomi'

Jai liked to think of herself as smart, but the world of business was something she had no knowledge of.

"You're all dismissed, but I must speak with Lee-san in private."

The board members left with irritable grumbles and dirty looks on their faces with the ANBU members escorting them out. With just Jai, Takeru, and Daiki left in the room, the Chairman waved her over.

"Please sit, Lee-san."

She did as she was told and made to hold Takeru closer.

"I know that tonight has been nothing short of overwhelming for us all, but even more so for you."

She merely nodded.

"As I said earlier, Hitomi has named you her successor until her son is of age to take over. But not only that, but she has also named you Takeru's official guardian. I know being the head of the Minami Corporation isn't something you pictured yourself doing but rest assured I will help-"
"Hitomi trusted you, Daiki-san. Why not make you CEO?"

Daiki smiled. "I'm not all that interested in it, honesty, but I am willing to assume the position if you wish to turn it down."

"If I accept, what happens next?"

"Well, you will assume the role immediately. I would recommend that you even consider relocating to the village of our headquarters.

"I wish to employ you, Daiki-san."

He laughed. "I am already employed, Lee-san."

"Hitomi trusted you so, I will do the same. I will remain as majority shareholder but with you as acting CEO of the Minami Corporation until Takeru turns eighteen to assume the role. You and I will work in tandem. I feel that this will be the best option considering I lack the knowledge and experience in this field. With your expertise and guidance, I know that we will be able to honor Hitomi's final request."

Daiki smiled. "I accept, Lee-san." He held out his hand for her to shake.

Jai nodded and took his offered hand.

"I must say, I am glad that I finally got to meet you face-to-face." He didn't miss the look of confusion on her pretty face. "I'm a long-time family friend to the Minami clan. I was like another father-like figure to her and she was like the daughter I never had. When she returned to Hi no Kuni, we got back in touch. She told me all about you. Such an interesting pair the two of you made, but she loved you like a sister."

"Thank you, Daiki-san."

He finally released her hand and moved to gently rub the top of Takeru's head. "I wish you the best." He stood up and made his way to the door. "Do not hesitate to seek out my help."

"… from again? Ba-chan?"

She felt a tug on her hand.

"Ba-chan, are you okay?"

"Wha-? Oh…" she realized that she had gotten lost in her thoughts again. "Yes, I am fine. What were you saying?"

"I asked what 'kaa-san died from."

"A brain aneurysm."

"A brain… anyism?"

"An-neur-ysm."

"A-nurs-sism."

She lightly sighed. "Close enough."

"What is it?"

"It is when a weak blood vessel in the brain gets filled with blood and then ruptures. When it ruptures, it causes bleeding in the brain."

His face fell in discomfort with her words. "That sounds scary, ba-chan!"

Jai realized that she should have been… more delicate with her explanation. "I am sorry. I should not have explained it like that… to put it simply, an aneurysm occurs when blood gets into the brain." She decided to change the topic to one that was less morbid. "I know I tell you this all the time, but it never hurts to hear it again." She lowered herself to be eye-level with him. "Your okaa-san loved you very much, Takeru."

He smiled. "Yeah. And I have her smile, right?"

"Yes."

"And her eyes?"

"Well, you and she share the same eye color."

"Does that mean that my eyes are like my otou-san's eyes?"

She couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't tell him that even though he shared his mother's smile and the color of her eyes, he took after his father overall in looks. Even his hair was taking on more of a red tone than Hitomi's brown. She knew that, eventually, the day would come when he would ask about his father. A day she knew she was going to dread.

"I am not sure, Takeru. I never met your father, and your mother never talked about him."

'Liar'

"But I do know that she loved him and that he loved her."

'Truthful'

"Does he even know about me?"

'No'

"I am sorry, Takeru, but I do not know the answer to that."

'Another lie'

He smiled up to Jai before turning back to the grave marker. "It's okay if he does or doesn't," he said with a confident voice. "because I've got you and 'kaa-san watching over me." He gave her a wide cheeky grin that warmed her heart. "Were you and 'kaa-san always friends?"

'No'

She recalled the month she had to stay in Aomori village and how she and Hitomi were not on the best of terms. "She was a horrible cook and did not know how to do her own laundry."

Takeru laughed at his guardian's usual blunt response.

"But she did have a natural gift with gardening that could rival the members of the Yamanaka clan. Most of the flowers you see at home were planted by her; she insisted that the backyard needed more than just herbs and plants for medicine. She taught me the language of the flowers while I taught her basic domestic skills. She was my best friend… the closest thing to a sibling."

"Well, 'kaa-san, we gotta go. I hope you like the flowers." He ran his fingers over the engraving of her name. "We'll see you tomorrow!"

Jai gave the flowers one final bustle and wiped off the upper corner of the marker.

'I wish you were here to see him grow, Hitomi'

She felt his hand interlock with hers and let him guide her out of the village's cemetery. "Did you decide where you would like to have lunch?"

"Yakiniku!"


After lunch, they met up with a couple of his classmates from school at one of the large lakes in the village.

Jai sat on one of the large rocks that resided on the bank of the lake as she supervised the four boys playing in the water. Her sandals were off, and her feet were enjoying a shallow dip in the water. She looked up from her non-fiction book and turned her attention to the cloudless sky. It was another beautiful day in Konohagakure. Despite the wonderful weather, she couldn't help but feel somber as her mind drifted to Kakashi.

'I wonder where he is…'

Unknown to him, she had met with the Sandaime to discuss her thoughts on Kakashi's position within the ANBU division earlier in the week. He informed her that a few of his comrades worried for his mental well-being and begged that he be removed from the ANBU and suggested that he become a Jōnin leader for the next generation of Genin.

Like his comrades, she worried about him too. He was around the ten-year mark in the ANBU division, which was an uncommon time frame. Since he joined it was almost a non-stop mission after mission. Having been in ANBU herself, she knew the types of missions that were assigned, and the toll it could take on someone. But she also knew that she and Kakashi were different. Because of their past, they were practically meant for it; they were the few that could thrive in it.

He either drowned himself in endless missions or drowned himself with her presence. The latter being more difficult since Takeru was now a priority in her life.

There was a darkness in him that was growing the longer he stayed in ANBU. And she blamed herself for it. They were supposed to have already been living together, but their plans were put on hold when her time and attention were devoted to Hitomi and Takeru.

After Hitomi's death, Jai had trouble adjusting to motherhood, but she eventually got used to it. What was abnormal was finally starting to become normal. They talked about moving in together again and were ready. But then life decided to throw another curve ball their way almost three months ago. A part of her wondered how much more they had to suffer before their lives could finally find solace.

It was nearing three in the afternoon judging by the sun's position in the sky. She gripped the dangling rings that hid beneath her thin shirt. When was the last time she even saw him?

'Three weeks ago?'

She missed him and was a fool to let so much time go by. The sun's position in the sky told her that it was about three in the afternoon.

"Takeru, it is time to get out of the water," she called out. Standing from her place on the large rock, she fished out his towel and unfolded it.

"Awe, ten more minutes, ba-chan!"

"No. There is still much we have to do before the day is over."

He and his friends quietly whined as they made their way out the water. After making sure that nothing was left behind, the small group left the lake and headed back to the village.


Takeru said a quick "see you later" to his friends as they parted ways in the middle of the shopping district.

"See you tomorrow!"
"Happy birthday!"
"Thanks for inviting us!"

Jai stood to the side and watched the interaction with a faint smile.

"What now, ba-chan?"

"Now, we shop for some groceries and your birthday dinner."

"Like what?"

"What would you like?"

"Yakisoba and tempura!"

Jai nodded and made her way to the market to buy everything she needed for the dinner. As she shopped, she wondered if Kakashi would be by. Much to Takeru's chagrin, Kakashi made it a point to make his presence known on Takeru's birthday.

"What's the miso paste for?"

"Kakashi likes miso soup with eggplant and is not fond of fried things."

His face fell. "Why even bother cooking anything for him? He might not even be in the village since we haven't seen him around lately."

"It is just a precaution." The eggplant was the last thing she needed. She placed it into her basket and headed for the checkout line.

Takeru huffed. "I don't get why he even comes over every year. And he's always teasing me. Why does he come by so often? You'd think he'd have a girlfriend or something, or hobbies."

As they were walking towards the exit, Jai couldn't help but look at Takeru with confusion. "Takeru," she interrupted his rambling. "you do know that Kakashi and I are-"

She cut herself off when she sensed an imposing chakra signature quickly approaching them from the right.

"What's wrong, ba-chan?"

Jai casually took a step back and suddenly reached out to grab the collar of a white shirt.

"Oi! Put me down!" came a frustrated cry when they realized their feet were no longer touching the ground.

Takeru instantly noticed the thick head of blonde spiky hair and the whisker-like markings on the face of a boy that was a few years older than himself. He realized that this was the kid that all the other kids and adults avoid.

His guardian's captive sharply angled his head to see who was impeding his getaway. A woman of average height with striking purple eyes and ebony locks. She had an impassive look on her face, but he couldn't help to feel intimidated. He noted that her grip on his shirt was tight and help in a way that kept him from slipping out of it. He also noted that she held him with great ease.

"Get back here, Naruto! You're in big troubl-oh, Jai…"

"Umino-san," the woman named Jai casually greeted his sensei. "I believe this is who you were looking for?" she gently brought Naruto's feet back to the ground before moving her hand to rest on his shoulder.

Naruto sucked his teeth in response then quickly smirked when he caught Iruka blushing profusely after seeing that the woman named Jai was the one who caught him.

"U-uh y-yeah…" Iruka coughed and recomposed himself. "He decided to set off a giant paint bomb in one of the classrooms. A group of us have been chasing him around for the last fifteen minutes," he explained while scratching the back of his neck. "Lucky for me, you were in the right place at the right time! Oh, who is this?" he indicated towards Takeru.

Takeru had edged his way closer and closer towards his guardian with narrowed eyes.

"This is-"
"I'm Takeru," he introduced himself with a serious look. "Ba-chan," he clung to her arm and gave it a tug. "we need to go. We still have lots to do."

"Of course," Jai gave Naruto a gentle push towards Iruka. "your student, Umino-san."

"W-Wait, Jai!" Iruka called out when he realized she was about to leave. "Please allow me to take you to dinner!" he offered, which caused Takeru to glare and Naruto snicker. "N-Not as in a date – not that I would be opposed to a date – b-but more like a thank you for helping us catch Naruto!"

The two young boys were both on the same page as to what Iruka's true intentions were. "Gee, that sounds great," Takeru interrupted. "but we've already got plans, don't we, ba-chan?" he stressed as e tugged more insistently on his guardian's arm.

"Takeru is right. I am going to have to decline, Umino-san."

"Oh… I see…" Iruka said as he tried to hide his disappointment.

Jai turned her gaze to Naruto. "Stay out of trouble, Naruto," she lightly said as she was dragged away by Takeru.

The teacher and student stood in the middle of the busy market area as they watched them walk away.

"Oi, Iruka-sensei…"

"What?"

"You really need to work on your pickup skills. That was just pitiful to watch- OW, OW, OW!"

The Chūnin's fingers were pinching and pulling on the boy's ear. "You should worry more about graduating from the Academy than my personal life!" he yelled as he dragged his student back to the Academy to clean up his mess.


When they returned home, Jai got to work on Takeru's birthday dinner. With dinner made and ready to eat there was still no sign of Kakashi.

'Perhaps he is still away on a mission'

The feeling of dejection sat in her chest when she looked at the empty seat on her right.

After they ate dinner, she brought out his cake after lighting six candles. She turned off the lights and did her best to sing him a happy birthday. Sitting at the head of the table, Takeru watched his ba-chan place it down in front of him.

"Make a wish."

He gave her a funny look when she said it. He remembered her little spiel about how senseless it was for people to wish for something and hoping it would come true by simply blowing out candles.

"Or not. Your choice, Takeru."

He sat still for a few seconds and indulged on what to wish for – despite knowing the probability of it coming true was very low. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before blowing out the small flames.

With them blown out, the room fell into darkness for a short period of time.

"Maybe it will come true," Jai said as she moved to turn the lights back on.

"So long as he doesn't tell anyone it should come true, ne 'Keru-kun?"

An elated feeling ran through Jai when she recognized the voice.

Takeru suddenly averted his eyes towards the direction where the voice came from. Sitting diagonally on the opposite side of the table was Kakashi. "When did you get here, and how did you get in?!" He didn't hear any doors or windows opening.

'First Iruka and now Kakashi…'

Either he didn't notice Takeru's agitation – or noticed and just didn't care – he ignored the young Minami's questions and placed a medium-sized box onto the table's surface. "I come bearing a gift," he informed.

"I don't want your gift, and I don't want you here!" Takeru snapped.

"Takeru," Jai said in a sharp, warning tone. "Would you like a piece of cake, Kakashi?"

"No, thanks. But I'm going to eat the yakisoba and miso soup."

Jai nodded. "Are you not going to open it?"

The birthday boy huffed out a "fine". He removed the dark blue wrapping paper and opened the box. He was immediately disappointed by what was inside it. "What the heck?"

Inside of the box was another box that was slightly smaller than the original box. He gave Jai an incredulous, but she looked on in curiosity. With reluctance, he started on the next layer and was once again disappointed. Inside of the second box was a third – slightly smaller than the second – box that was wrapped in the same paper. He simply glared at Kakashi.

"It's not going to unwrap itself, 'Keru-kun." Kakashi urged sweetly. His exposed eye closed as he smiled a sickeningly sweet smile from beneath his mask.

Three layers later, Takeru finally came to the actual gift. He was beyond annoyed. His eyebrows and nostrils twitched from his bottled anger as he stared at the small animal replica. "A keychain?!"

A mini alpaca with blue and pink pastel fur sat in the middle of the small box.

"Not just any keychain, 'Keru-kun. According to the store clerk, this is the most popular one –their best seller! Don't you like it? It took me a lot of effort to pick this out."

"For a keychain?! You wasted all that paper and boxes, and my time for a keychain?!"

"If you push its tail it emits a little sound. See?" Kakashi demonstrated and a little mewl came out of the keychain's belly.

"They don't even make that kind of noise!" Takeru growled and crumpled up some of the wrapping paper before throwing it at Kakashi's head in which the latter easily deflected the boy's assault with a flick of his left index finger.

"Ba-chan! Kick him out! I don't want him here eating our food! And don't call me, "'Keru-kun'!"

"Awe, Jai. 'Keru-kun doesn't seem to like my gift," he said with mock sadness.

"I have told you before not to bother with getting him a gift," she bluntly replied as she placed a plate of cake down in front of Takeru. "And Takeru, even if you do not like it, the polite thing to do is to still say "thank you"."

A 'hmph' came out from Takeru as he crossed his arms and turned his head before he muttered: "thank you".

'He just shouldn't have gotten me anything'

"There is always re-gifting," Jai suggested as she took a bite of her slice of cake.


After the table was cleared and everything was put away, Takeru and Kakashi lounged on the sofas in the living room of the house while Jai made tea. On one sofa was Kakashi, reading 'Icha, Icha Paradise', and on the other sat Takeru, who continued to give Kakashi a dirty look. But his glaring came to a halt when a small, thin, wrapped box appeared in front of his face.

"Here." Jai offered as she sat next to Takeru.

He took the box and started to unwrap it, but suddenly stopped. "Is this another prank?" he cautiously asked as he warily eyed his ba-chan. When he asked the question, a muffled chuckle was heard coming from Kakashi's side of the room. The dirty look quickly came back onto Takeru's face.

"When have I ever played a prank on you – let alone on anyone else?"

A valid point. Takeru resumed opening his gift. "What is it?" he asked as he held it in his hands. It was shiny and circular, and too big for just one of his hands to hold. "It looks like a giant locket…"

Jai carefully took it from his hands. "It is a pocket watch. It belonged to your great grandfather, Minami Gorou." She turned it over and showed the engraving on the other side. "And this…" she traced the lines. "is the Minami family seal."

Takeru took it back and inspected it more closely.

"Your okaa-san left it for you. She was going to give it to you when you were older, but I think you should have it now." She guided his hands to press the very top of the watch.

"Is… is that me?" he whispered; eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

Inside of the opening of the watch resided a picture of Hitomi holding a baby. Hitomi's face sported a big cheesy grin while holding a four-month-old Takeru right next to her face; showing him off like a prize she had just won.

Jai nodded. "You were about four months when this picture was taken." The last picture that was taken of Hitomi before she died.

He didn't know what to say. At a loss for words, he threw himself into Jai's chest and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you…" he whispered. "… this is the best birthday present ever."

She brought her hands to rest on his back. "Happy birthday."

'There is nothing I would not do for you"

"Make sure you take good care of it and do not lose it. It has been in the Minami family for two – well, now three generations. She took the chain and attached it to his pants as she slipped the watch into his pocket. "It adds to your outfit."

"It's a little heavy…"

"You can even attach my gift to it, 'Keru-kun!" Kakashi blurted from his place on the other soda.

Takeru stuck his tongue out. "No way! It'll only make it look ugly! And I told you to stop calling me 'Keru-kun'! Why are you still here? Go home!"

Kakashi found a stopping point before putting his book away. "Sometimes it's just easier to stay here after I return from my missions. But the main reason would be to see my wife, ne my ningyō?" he lightly at Jai.

She replied with a nod. "Especially since we have both been busy and have not seen each other."

Takeru's eyes bulged as they moved back and forth from Kakashi to Jai. He must have misheard them.

'Wife? His wife? He looked to ba-chan when he said it. And she agreed.'

He looked at his guardian. She simply sat there on the sofa, her face impassive as always while taking the occasional sip of her tea.

'It's not possible! It can't be true!'

Neither of them had yet to correct anything.

'Then… then that means…'

He stared at Kakashi as he laid out and closed his eye in relaxation.

'They're… they're really…'

He continued to look at the two adults.

'Both sitting apart from each other – neither of them are paying any attention to each other! There's just no way that they're a couple!'

"YOU TWO ARE MARRIED?!" Takeru shouted in disbelief.

The two shinobis were slightly surprised by his sudden outburst. Kakashi brushed it off and simply looked to Jai. "You didn't tell him?"

She brought her bent index finger to her chin as she contemplated. "I could have sworn I did…"

'Oh, Kami! It's true!'

"H-How… how long…?!"

Jai counted her fingers. "… hmm… five… six…seven. Seven years."

"SEVEN?! You two have been married longer than I've been living?! Why didn't you tell me?! Why didn't anyone tell me that my ba-chan – my talented, beautiful, ba-chan is married to… to that?!" he cried out as he ended with an accusing point of his finger to Kakashi, all the while Kakashi took in Takeru's outburst with a lazy and careless attitude.

"We thought you already knew," the two of them said simultaneously.

Takeru mentally bawled.

'My beautiful, talented, ba-chan is married to this boring, lazy scarecrow!'

The young boy couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. Saying it aloud would mean that it was real.

"You can call me 'Kakashi-oji-san', 'Keru-kun!"

"Never!" he hissed back.

"If I remember correctly, Hitomi was also unaware of it too…" Jai mumbled.

"What?! Mom too?! Why the secrecy?!"

"It's not a secret."
"It is not a secret."

"It sure as heck wasn't obvious!" Takeru repointed his finger back at Kakashi. "Oi, scarecrow! You better not do anything that hurts my ba-chan in any way! If you do, I'll make sure that you'll regret it!"

Kakashi stood and walked over to Jai and Takeru. "Well, this has been an eventful evening, but I do need to get home to prepare for a mission." He placed a hand atop Jai's head a gave it a gentle rub. "There will never be such an incident." He said to Takeru as he withdrew his hand and headed for the door. Grabbing the bento box on his way out, he raised his free hand up and waved it. "Happy birthday, 'Keru-kun!" he said in a cheerful tone.


"I know I have a coupon… I just had it… I put it in here… or was it in here? Maybe here?"

A slightly frustrated Teuchi stood behind the counter with his arms folded. "No coupon means no ramen – unless you have money, Naruto."

"Now, hold on! I swear I have it!" the blonde cried out.

One of the many flaps of the ramen stand lifted as Jai walked in. After a long shift at the hospital, she was ready to eat and relax.

"Oh, Lee-san! Your order is ready."

"Thank you, Teuchi-san." She looked over and noticed Naruto searching the floor of the establishment, and then quickly took off each shoe and looked in them. "What did you lose?"

Pausing in his search, he looked up and saw who was talking to him. "AH!" he pointed. "You're that lady that got me in trouble with Iruka-sensei!"

Her right brow lifted as she gave him a quizzical look. "Hmm…? You are the one who set off the paint bomb at the Academy. You got yourself into trouble. All I did was catch the perpetrator. And you should not point, it is rude."

"Bleh, I don't have time for this! I need to find my coupon so I can eat ramen!" he said as he returned to his seemingly pointless search.

"I believe it is safe to say that if you have not found it by now, then it is either lost or your left it at home."

"Don't say that! I was really looking forward to some Ichiraku ramen! I'm determined to find it! Uzumaki Naruto doesn't give up!"

"Your order, Lee-san." Teuchi handed her the food. "Is Takeru trying something different?"

She shook her head. "The other order is for someone else." She exchanged the money for the ramen. "Take this too," she said as she indicated to Naruto.

"Are you sure?" he asked as he hesitantly took it.

Jai nodded and picked up her order. As she walked out of the ramen stand, she rubbed the top of Naruto's head. "Stay out of trouble, Naruto."

The feeling of her hand ruffling his hair caused him to pause his searching. He looked up and followed her figure with his eyes as she left.

'She touched me… on purpose.'

"Oi, Naruto. What do you want today?"

"Hold on, I still haven't found my coupon."

"It's been taken care of. Just sit down and tell me what you want."

"You're letting me eat for free, old man? Then I want the special today with extra chiashu pork!"

"I'm not treating you. Lee-san was nice enough to extra money to pay for your ramen – she actually left a good bit… enough for five bowls."

'She treated me?'

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't used to such gestures from the people of the village. He smirked. "Guess I'll have to return the favor the next time I see her."

But it would be a while before the two would cross paths again.