In Konoha market...

The street was buzzing with people. Shop vendors were calling out to customers, women chatting and giggling with each other, shopping baskets in their hand and babies on their hips, children chasing each other with their balloons flying behind them and huge smiles on their face. Strings of lanterns were hung aroma of savory food filled the air.

"Here young lady! A beautiful Hana kanzashi for beautiful hair like yours! Special discount just for you!" A vendor exclaimed to her left.

Kahana looked at the hair pin he was holding. With pink Sakura flowers and yellow green ribbons flowing down, it was indeed pretty. She had never seen anything like it. In fact, she had never seen anything like this place before. So many people at one place, content, happy and going about their day. Not having to hide their hair, chakra or existence. It felt different. A good different. Warm. Safe. A little intimidating. She couldn't wait to begin a new chapter of her life here. With her nephew.

Yes. She had a nephew. That had come as a huge surprise. The chakra which she had thought belonged to Kushina-nee was instead of a little five year old Uzumaki who, until an hour ago, she had no idea existed. Who had no idea that she existed. That he had living family, an aunt. An aunt who loved him more than her life even though she had not yet seen him once.

Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. What a beautiful name. She wondered if her nee-san had picked it. She wondered how it was possible to love someone so much before even meeting them. A small smile spread on her lips as she thought of this unknown child.

As she politely refused the shopkeeper and started following the ANBU who was taking her to her new place of residence assigned by the Hokage, her mind went back to the morning's events...

Her mind felt fuzzy as she woke up. Like someone had just entered it and read her from the inside. How weird. As her vision and thoughts cleared slowly, the heaviness on her heart seemed palpable. The previous day's events had left a bitter taste in her mouth. As much as she tried, she couldn't breathe. It felt like she was watching everything from under water. She was silent as an ANBU escorted her to the Hokage's office. Silent as the door opened and the conversation inside gave way to dead silence as everyone watched her as if she were a peculiar insect. Silent as their gazes dissected her, measured her, decided her fate. She couldn't even seek some comfort in the Hokage's familiar face, remembering how she had lost her temper at the strongest Shinobi in a village of ninjas.

A tall man with long platinum blonde hair gave the Hokage, and what seemed like his council, a nod before placing a hand on Kahana's shoulder, and leaving. His fading footsteps echoed in the deafening silence of the room. Her attempt at looking anywhere but at the Sandaime failed when he addressed her.

"The way I delivered the unfortunate news to you yesterday, was truly inconsiderate of me. For that, you have my apologies, Uzumaki san."

There it was again. That sinking feeling. Like her lungs were filled with water and breathing was a luxury she couldn't afford. It touched her that the Hokage was sorry but she really didn't need another reminder of the fact that her purpose in life had been torn away from her. That she was truly alone in the world now. She gave him a small nod.

He continued, "Yamanaka san has cleared you of any ill intents towards the village or its residents." So that was the tall man. How did he do that? Kahana wondered.

"Are you interested in becoming a kunoichi of Konoha? By your chakra and background, I assume you have been trained in the ways of Shinobi. We would like it if you join our forces. You can always refuse."

Kahana didn't know any other way to live. Shinobi she was and shinobi she would die like. She gave another nod.

The council members seemed pleased. One of them, a man with one bandaged arm and eye, the other one looking at her with cold glee, said " I want her under my command, Hiruzen. Her progress will be like one never seen before."

His voice sent a shiver up Kahana's back. Was this the kind of people her baa-san had tried to keep her from? What had she gotten herself into?

Just then, the Hokage's voice boomed," Request denied. Uzumaki Kahana will be tested by Shikaku Nara tomorrow morning to determine her Shinobi rank and join Konoha forces under the Jonin or Chunin commander, as per her rank. You. Will. Stay. Away. Danzo. Am I clear? " His voice ended on a low tone.

Silence. Dead silence. Kahana couldn't believe the kind old man with warm eyes could be so scary. But then, he was the Hokage for a reason. There was a bitter story here, in the way Danzo and the Sandaime held each other's gazes, neither bowing down.

"Shimura Danzo. Is your Hokage clear? " Sandaime sama whispered. Hissing out a "Yes sir", the man turned on his heel and left the room.

Taking a deep puff of his pipe, the Hokage then looked back at Kahana. As if the room had not been filled with killer intent mere seconds ago. For a long moment, he just looked at her face and then let out a sigh. Maybe he saw the ghost of her sister in her, maybe he was simply a good person at heart...but he decided to tell her.

"Kahana-chan, about the chakra you felt yesterday..."

Her breath hitched. He was going to answer. Maybe, maybe she really had someone in her corner...she thought as he shot down the protests of his remaining councilmen and continued...

"I am sorry to say it was not of Kushina. But you were right in saying that it was Uzumaki. And a Jinchuriki."

Someone, councilman Homura, yelled for him to stop. But Kahana could only hear her heart beating. Loudly. There was another thing she had said..'close family'. If that was true then...then it meant...

"The boy is Uzumaki Naruto. Your late sister's only son..."

She could breathe. Finally, finally she felt like she could breathe. She was gasping for air, choking but breathing. She could feel her strength returning, her head coming above the water. Dimly, she was aware that she was hyperventilating, tears rolling down her cheeks, making a mess of herself in front of the esteemed Hokage. But he just smiled at her as if he understood. Understood what it meant to have one's life restored back, to have a purpose again, to have someone to call ours after losing everything.

They had given her one week. One week before she could meet her dear nephew. And after that too, they were to be supervised till the Hokage trusted her enough to give her his legal guardianship. But she didn't mind. If anything, it made her happy that Naruto was so protected. In this one week, she had to prove her loyalty and usefulness for Konoha. She would. Happily. Anything for meeting Naruto.

But till then, she was going to thank the Gods for giving her life a direction again, a silver lining and make the most of her time in the big village she had always wanted to visit.

Letting out a happy sigh, she watched with awe as men and women with Leaf hitai-ate around forehead or neck, adorned in green jackets jumped on the roofs of houses and shops, like it was their daily commute route. She couldn't wait to be one of them. To belong.

Now, it wouldn't be Kahana if she was able to look up and walk straight both at once. Given her luck, she was bound to run into something. And run smack into something, she did. Given that the something immediately caught onto her arm preventing her from falling onto her butt, it was more likely a someone who was the unfortunate victim of her clumsiness.

She looked up to thank her saviour and promptly fell silent. Dark grey shirt, a harness fixed on his chest with a well worn tanto at his back, high collar, unkempt raven black hair kept from falling into his eyes by his hitai-ate, his eyes...

"I agree Konoha is beautiful, but you're the first one I've seen who can't take her eyes off the view." He was chuckling. Maybe teasing her. But her mind was a little clouded at the moment. 'Did someone say beautiful? And eyes?'

Kahana finally opened her mouth. "Uh... your eyes are beautiful!"

When she saw those beautiful eyes widen, did she realise the blunder she just created. "Uh no! I didn't mean that! I mean...they are beautiful, but I didn't mean... I'm.. I'm just going to shut up now."

And shut up she did. She was sure her cheeks could put her red hair to shame. She could literally feel steam coming out of them! Damn! Agreed she had been raised in the forest, with almost no contact with anyone other than her grandma, let alone boys...but this was, this was horrible!

'Someone kill me with a blunt kunai!' Through her embarrassment, she could feel him trembling with laughter. She could also feel that warm hand still holding her arm, though she was in no danger of falling anymore. In the physical sense, at least.

But apart from that, she could feel people gazing at them. Narrow-eyed. Could hear women whispering, "Look at the Uchiha. No shame at all."

Or pointing and saying, "How rude. Just like an Uchiha to go and bump into some pretty foreign newcomer."

She felt the boy, the Uchiha, release her arm. All signs of laughter vanished. He rubbed the back of his head and she just knew that he was about to apologize. When he had done nothing wrong. This time she knew what she was speaking when she interrupted him. Kinda.

"Thanks for catching me, ya know! I'm...let's just say I am the most clumsy person in all the five nations. I've lived in forest for whole of my life and I still stumble on rocks! My grandma says...uh...she used to say she must have dropped me on the head as a baby, so I tend to trip on nothing. So..um...thanks for not letting me make a fool of myself. Again. Ya know."

She had started off loud and determined to prove the beauti...the boy! The boy's innocence, but by the end she was down to a mumble. She suddenly found her feet very interesting to watch.

Silence. And then slowly the giggles started. Bystanders, who had paused to watch what the drama was about, started going their own way, laughing and shaking their heads. An old woman even wiped her eyes with an exclamation of "Ah young love! How I miss those days!"

Well. At least they had stopped the whole 'Curse the Uchiha' thing. Even if it was at her expense. Whether or not she wanted to just jump off into a river and hide forever.

Daringly, she lifted her head to look at the Uchiha. Only to find him looking at her with those bea...those eyes! Damn she needed to stop doing that!

He was smiling. Amused. Grateful. A little confused. As to why she would make a fool out of herself for him? She was sure she looked like a total idiot. Red cheeks, wide eyed, staring at him. But, but she couldn't stop! He was just about to say something...when someone cleared their throat. It was her ANBU escort. She didn't know whether to kill or hug the man.

As if struck by lightning, they stumbled apart. Looking anywhere but at each other. The ANBU beckoned her to follow him. She had amost escaped when...

"Shisui. Uchiha Shisui. Welcome to Konoha!"

She turned. He was smiling. One hand raised in belated greeting, the other one...the other one was supposed to be carrying something, probably. A paper bag laying at his feet, dango falling out of it... answered her question.

She waved back with a smile of her own. "Uzumaki Kahana! Nice to meet ya!"

The ANBU cleared his throat again. Yep. It was decided. She was going to kill him alright. As she began following the supremely irritating masked Shinobi, palms pressed to her cheeks in an effort to cool them down, she could hear someone getting smacked in the head, followed by...

"Ow! What the hell was that for Itachi?! It's just
Dango man!"

She couldn't get rid of her smile for a long, long time. And if the ANBU was looking at her weirdly, well, he should just feel lucky she didn't kill him and keep quiet.

So this was the 4th chapter. I really hope you like it. I had so much fun writing the last part...hope you had fun reading it as well.

Do you guys want Shisui POV as well?

I know it is very cliche...but come on! Naruto is FULL of cliche romances! Minato was Kushina's knight in shining armor. Naruto literally went to the moon and back to woo Hinata. Sasuke and Sakura ...well nobody knows how that happened 😅 And I am someone who loves Cliches...sue me.

So anyways, I'll try to upload the next chapter in 10 days or so. Thanks for sticking with me. And please leave reviews...I write for my enjoyment, but it is always awesome to know that someone else likes it too.

Stay safe and take care ❤️
Buh byee