Whoa! It has been a long time since I've been here. I never thought I'd be able to write another chapter of this story, but here I am.
Honestly, I have a lot of ideas about this fanfic. That's the reason why I got lost to them. And I got lost to real adult life. But, I just felt this morning that I think I want to write something about this fanfiction. So, here it is!
I want to thank all those who have read and reviewed this fanfiction. I hope I will be able to continue updating it. Fingers crossed this update will be the first of a series of updates up to the finale of the story.
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Everything has been different since that confrontation three days ago. The issue about Hanare's identity has not been brought up ever since, but the downside is Kakashi has not been talking to her that much since then. He did not speak to her at all since that afternoon.
The routine inside the Hokage Residence has been quiet for three days: Kakashi is already in the office even before Hanare wakes up; Hanare goes straight to Naruto's lessons and stay there all day (there has not been an instruction from the Hokage, but she just assumed he's giving her permission already since he did not object); Kakashi returning to the Hokage Residence later than usual while Hanare is already in her room resting.
That arrangement is already making Hanare gloomy. Imagine living with someone but not having a single conversation with them. Might as well live alone. But of course, Kakashi will not let her live other than in the Hokage Residence. Ironically, he doesn't even seem to care how she is and what she's doing.
The depressing mood at the Hokage Residence is already catching up with Hanare. She has become quiet and rather sad that even Naruto who is known for being a little naïve about other people's demeanor is already noticing it.
"Is there something wrong, Ms. Hanare?"
She was a little surprised at that sudden question. She is too lost in her thoughts about that masked Hokage that her mind was startled at the mention of her name.
"Uh… what?"
"I said, is there something wrong? You seem so quiet since yesterday."
"Oh… Uhm… Nothing…"
Hanare just looked at the book she's reading. Is she already that obvious?
"You know, if something is bothering you, I might help."
She looked at Naruto, seeing that usual enthusiasm on those blue eyes of him.
"Thank you, Naruto. But my problem… it's something that does not concern you." She looked at him. "I mean, I did not mean to offend. It's just that…"
She sighed. How can she tell him the truth without going into details about her past and who she really is? And, could she even tell him how his beloved sensei and Hokage treats him?
"Are you not happy here in Konoha anymore?"
She was dumbfounded.
"Do you miss your family? Or friends?"
What an innocent question Naruto has! Hanare hoped she also have an innocent answer to that. But no. Her reality is more complicated than what she can tell him.
"My friends are all dead."
She avoided making any more friends after Itachi died because, as depressing as it may sound, she is afraid to lose another friend again especially if it's because of her. Right now, she is more of a cause of danger than anything else.
"You don't have any more friends?"
Naruto's innocence made Hanare smile.
"I wish I have."
"I can be your friend."
She felt her heart swell with that overwhelming honesty that Naruto is showing her. She felt her eyes tear up.
"Thank you, Naruto," she said with a smile.
Naruto gave her that childish beam of his. Instantly, she feels a little better by just looking at that contagious smile of him.
"So… how is the book you're reading? Did you learn a lot already? Iruka-sensei said he will give you an exam about that book, remember?"
Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Well… I read some of it…"
"Do you want me to help you study it?"
"Yeah, sure!"
His enthusiasm is back once again. Hanare smiled to herself as she looked at the book that Naruto is supposed to be studying.
"I wonder if Iruka-sensei will still come today."
"Hmm?" Hanare glanced at him.
"He said the entire village is preparing for the arrival of the daimyō's daughter. I think the princess wants to visit the village and stay here for a week or something."
The princess, huh?
Hanare does not know how to react. She doesn't even know if she should be affected by that information. After all, she's just a foreigner who has no business in the Hidden Leaf other than stay at the Hokage Residence and help in Naruto's road to be the Hokage once in a while.
Something hit her all of a sudden. If the whole village is busy about this arrival of a certain princess, is there a possibility that that is the reason why Kakashi has been coming home later than usual? And that might also be the reason why he goes to work earlier than before.
So it's not because of her. It's not because he can't face her, or he doesn't want to face her. Hanare scolded herself for thinking as such. Why would she in the first place? Kakashi is the Hokage and he has a lot to take care of. Then this diplomatic thing he needs to take care of. Why would she even think that his quietness and absence was all about her?
His world does not revolve around her. She's not someone important to cause such disturbance in his life. She's just someone he needs to monitor, because she might be a threat to the village that concerns him the most. Yes, she's just like that to him. A threat. Nothing more. But definitely nothing less.