Disclaimer: Again, I don't own anything or anybody except Tomoko, her family, and Nagareboshi Cafe. Any concepts/ideas mentioned in this fanfiction that seem to be borrowed from another media/piece of continuity - note that I don't mean to plagiarize anything or anybody in any way! This fanfic was made for entertainment purposes, not for pissing off others! So yeah!

The outfit Tomoko specifically wears this chapter is again from Darling-Army, titled Equestrian Princess Cosplay Lolita Skirt. Just add in a white blouse, blue collar ribbon (think a bow tie, but make it a ribbon), white hair ribbon on Tomoko's right hair strand, white stockings and black flats - and you're good!

The theme for this chapter is actually the late Kouji Wada's Butterfly from Digimon Adventure, the cover I'm choosing specifically from Animenz Piano Sheets. I never did get into Digimon when the first series was airing, but the real Leo was a huge fan and it's only really just now that I can appreciate all the plot twists and etc. Rest in Peace Wada Kouji-sensei - you deserve it for bringing so many good memories to my boyfriend and so many other people.

Please enjoy!

Chapter 28: Patching Things Up

Coming home was a rather… awkward affair to put it lightly. Kakashi was nice enough to piggyback me back to Nagareboshi, but once he opened the window back into my room… well.

Seeing Sakumo-san's rather questioning face wasn't something I was expecting.

Strangely, Kakashi didn't let off any indication of surprise. If I didn't know any better, it was like my best friend was treating this like any other day, pushing back the window and jumping back into the room with me in tow. "Hey Dad."

"Hey Kakashi." Sakumo-san smiled, but I could tell it wasn't reaching his eyes. "Think you and Tomoko-chan could come into the living room? We were hoping to talk to you."

Curiosity and dread flooded me all at once.

Tomoko-chan, calm down. It's not like what Vy went through.

Hisako's words were nice and all, but it didn't help in calming the nerves rushing through me. This was looking far too similar to a few other talks I knew Vy went through before. And considering that the last talk I had was with Hokage-sama himself about my memories, I didn't want to take any chances.

You're not in trouble, Tomoko-chan. Just take a deep breath and go with it.

Thankfully Kakashi was there to respond for the both of us, nodding gently while setting me back down onto my feet. Sakumo-san seemed to relax almost immediately at the acknowledgement and smiled at the both of us before walking out the door.

I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until Kakashi turned to look at me with concern. "Tomoko?"

I bit my lip, fiddling with the hem of my nightgown sleeves.

This wasn't the time to be hesitating. This wasn't a time to go silent.

And yet every single part of me did NOT want to go out there. Considering the last time a 'talk' happened, I just dreaded the tension that was going to come.

I didn't want to deal with my memories all over again.

I didn't want to start bawling over the absurdity of my situation all over again.

A soft hand landed on my head and the surprise made me look up into my best friend's silver eyes. For some reason, they seemed warmer and deeper than before, swirling with some emotion I couldn't recognize. And yet, judging by the crinkling of his mask, it looked like Kakashi was smiling. "It'll be okay Tomoko. Just get changed and we'll go together, okay?"

There it was. Relief filled me all over again like a water jug, and it was all because of Kakashi.

What did I do to deserve such a wonderful friend?

I just found myself smiling and nodding. No matter what I did, he would notice and look out for me, huh?

"Thank you Kakashi." It was all I could really think of saying, but to be honest? I think it said so much more.

Kakashi just smiled through his mask and nodded.

Once I made myself a bit more presentable, changing into a white and light blue patterned skirt and matching white blouse, I walked out of my room to only see Kakashi waiting outside for me as he promised.

I know I should've been expecting it, but that didn't mean it wouldn't surprise me.

In Vy's world, Kakashi was this stand-offish jerk, who was all about the rules and following the shinobi code by this age. And yet, here he was, my Kakashi, patiently waiting for me without even saying anything.

It just made me feel that much more grateful for his presence.

In the end, Kakashi just opened one silver eye to glance at me before uncrossing his arms and offering a hand. "Ready?"

I just took it with a shaky, lopsided smile, squeezing softly. I didn't feel like it, but having him around made the nerves a bit more bearable. At least I wasn't going in this alone like Vy did so long ago. "I'm ready."

Then we walked together. It was really a quick walk if anything: just strolling down the hallway and heading out into the living room. Heck, there wasn't really enough time to compose myself, but by the time I thought I had a semblance of composure, we were already out in the living room.

And from the looks of it, all the adults were sitting down at the table waiting for us. It was just Mom, Dad, Sakumo-san, and Minato-san, but nevertheless, their faces said everything.

Considering that Dad wasn't smiling, I knew this was going to be a serious talk.

I just glanced at Kakashi for a second, let go of his hand, and then walked over to sit down in a chair. The strange thing is, there was only 6 seats, and considering that the adults were already occupying two-thirds of them, Kakashi took the only one left, coincidentally right next to me.

Once we sat down, there was just silence. Even without lifting my head, I knew everyone in the room was staring at me, and a part of me was just wondering whether or not I should say something.

The silence was downright cold and tense.

In the end, Mom gently cleared her throat. "... Are you okay, Tomoko-chan?"

I wasn't expecting that question. My neck almost cracked from how quickly I looked up from my lap, and the first thing that I saw was her concerned sky blue orbs.

… Say something, Tomoko-chan.

I gulped and bit my lip, fiddling with the hem of my skirt now. Even though it was Mama asking of all people, it just felt like I was betraying her trust in some way. It hurt to look at her, and in the end, I could only choke the response out after forcing myself to look into her eyes again. "H-Honestly, Mama? Not really."

"... What happened, Tomoko-chan? What went on in the three days you were away?" This time, it was Dad who asked, voice gentle and very similar to that one time we talked before my comeback as a pianist.

Immediately, I looked at Minato-san. The Jounin seemed to give me a look of pity for a moment before nodding his head minutely. I wasn't sure whether to take that as a sign to speak, but nevertheless, I opened my mouth. "I-I… I was actually knocked out during those three days Papa."

I didn't miss the sudden wave of tension coming over the whole room. My heart felt like stone if anything else, and instinctively, I found myself gripping Kakashi's hand again. Thankfully, he didn't mind, squeezing back reassuringly. "Who did it?" This time it was Sakumo-san, his expression being the only one out of the four adults in the room that wasn't stony or stormy - if anything, the former White Fang appeared thoughtful and considerate, eyebrows furrowed enough to where I knew he wasn't meaning to make the situation worse.

I glanced at Minato-san again, and he nodded. I sighed and spoke again. "I-It was actually a combination of mental stress and Yamanaka Mind Jutsu. Hokage-sama ordered for my mind to be searched, Papa."

"... Why?" I didn't want to look up. Just hearing her voice alone confirmed the fact that Mama was close to tears. Whether they were of sadness or frustration, I didn't know. I just felt guilty like all damn hell. "Why would he order that of you, Tomoko-chan?"

Minato-san finally took the time to speak up, sighing. "That's something that can't fully be answered, Hikari-san. Due to security reasons, Tomoko-chan has been put under a vow of silence to not share everything."

A moment of tense quiet passed. And then -

"... What the fuck, Minato." A shiver went up my spine at the sudden comment, and I forced myself to look down and not face the speaker. The fact that Papa was the one who said it made the weight on my heart feel worse. "A fucking vow of silence? So she can't even tell us, her own parents?"

The sudden cold wave of killing intent nearly made me choke. If my previous Dad was the Vietnamese Batman, then Papa was the Japanese version on steroids. The only thing keeping me anchored to reality and NOT getting tunnel vision was my best friend's grip on my hand, squeezing enough to where I knew it was going to be okay - somewhat.

As quickly as the killing intent came, it almost immediately disappeared, and I could finally feel myself breathe again before looking up. Mom's worried expression was the first thing I saw, directed towards Dad, and I didn't miss the gentle hand she had rested on his fist. She was apparently whispering something to him, and with each second, the killing intent started to dissipate. I couldn't really hear a lot of what she was saying, but my ears could at least make out one thing.

"... You're scaring Tomoko-chan, dear."

The next thing I knew, Dad was sending me the most apologetic smile I had ever seen, clear regret in his eyes. For a moment, the color flickered from familiar brown to glowing red-orange and green heterochromatic eyes, and seeing that alone let me know that this was serious. The killing intent was gone, but the talk wasn't over yet. "... Sorry about that, Tomoko-chan."

I just dully shook my head, doing my best to smile while still gripping Kakashi's hand. It was at times like these that I was really grateful he was acting as my personal rock. I don't know what I would do without him.

Dad ended up taking in a deep breath before speaking again. "... Sorry about that too, Sakumo, Minato."

I ended up glancing between Sakumo-san and the Jounin, and Minato-san simply shrugged, sympathy clear in his body language. "It's okay Judai. Don't worry about it."

If not for the situation we were in, I would've definitely respected Minato-san more, because Dad's killing intent was brutal. And yet there Minato-san was, barely fazed with only a hint of regret in his facial expression being his reaction.

Sakumo-san wasn't exempt from this either. The only thing that I could note from his reaction was just tense shoulders. That was it.

I didn't have to look at Kakashi though. His shaking hand, still gripping onto mine, said a lot. I just glanced at him before squeezing his hand back, hopefully in what he saw as a comforting gesture.

"Still," Dad breathed in deeply before looking at me again with concerned eyes. "Are you really okay, Tomoko-chan?"

All I could do was tentatively nod. "I-I'm sorry for not being able to say everything, Papa. But I-I'm really okay… I just need to look out for my surroundings more."

"My question really is what's going to happen from here on out." I tried not to jump at the sudden sound of Kakashi's voice, and instead directed my gaze towards him. "The fact is that Hokage-sama made Tomoko take this vow for a reason. She can't say anything for some reason to all of us. Does that mean she is in danger?"

Sakumo-san blinked. "Kakashi…"

"You should've seen it too Dad." Kakashi only had to turn his head to face the former White Fang, and I didn't need to see their faces to know what they were feeling. "How this situation is so weird considering Konoha's in war. Why make a civilian girl like Tomoko become so guarded when she's one of the best morale-boosting idols we need in this conflict?"

"It's because Tomoko-chan's an idol that she has to be silent, Kakashi." This time, it was Minato-san who answered again, and I couldn't help but feel both relieved and concerned at his sudden response. "Konoha is at war, and Hokage-sama's noted how she's become important to a lot of our shinobi forces. I can't reveal the full specifics, but Hokage-sama needed to know that she could be trustworthy and by extension, able to handle a lot of the consequences that come with being in that position."

Idol? What kind of shit is he blathering about? Hisako muttered.

I felt just as confused. "... idol?"

Minato-san turned to me, sympathy swirling in his blue eyes. "Yes, Tomoko-chan, idol. Your piano playing may seem like a small thing, but in the time you've been at Nagareboshi, your work has become motivational and pivotal to our forces. Hokage-sama wanted to make sure you weren't a threat and therefore make a decision on how to protect you."

The cold wash of reality flooded me in an instant as the dots connected in my head. "... So I'm connected to the ninja AND the village, Minato-san?"

Oh no.

Hisako's 'oh no' was unfortunately only the tip of the iceberg.

The Yellow Flash looked almost apologetic now as he nodded, soon turning his gaze to the others in the room. "That's why Tomoko-chan has to be silent, Kakashi, Judai, Hikari-san. The last thing Konoha needs in this war is losing someone who's been a place of respite and well-needed rest for all these years. I understand that you don't like these methods, but this is an important time for the village. We need all the security we can get."

This is a lot of deeper shit than we thought.

I wasn't sure if Minato-san was saying either the truth or a cover story for the real reason of my vow of silence. Nevertheless, I couldn't fault him for the logic. It made sense, no matter how messed up it was.

What would happen to all my ninja friends if I had died or disappeared?

What would happen to all the ninja regulars that attended Nagareboshi if I was suddenly taken out the picture?

Sakumo-san was the one to break the sudden silence, concern clearly showing on his face. "So Tomoko-chan is in possible danger then. That is why you took her to see Hokage-sama three days ago?"

The Yellow Flash only nodded.

"... Fucking hell." I nearly jumped at the sound of Papa's curse, and looked up only to see him slam a fist into the table, making it shudder with the force. Honestly, I was grateful he didn't break it considering his 'retired ninja' status. "So despite everything, my family's still involved with the ninja world, isn't it?"

Mama just sighed and interlaced her fingers with Papa's. "We knew this when starting Nagareboshi Cafe, Judai. It was going to happen sooner or later."

"... But why Tomoko-chan?" Every single part of me just wanted to jump up and hug Papa right then and there because the amount of pain in his voice was unbearable. "Why did it have to be my little girl? Why not me?"

It's not your fault Daddy. It's mine for being such a botched reincarnation and a horrible daughter.

Don't say that Tomoko-chan. You're not a horrible daughter.

But Hisako!

No buts, missy. Just by looking at him, you should know better. Hell, you've been with him for the entirety of your life so far - and you should know better than what you just came up with.

I glanced at him. With the brown hair shadowing his eyes, I couldn't really see what Papa was really feeling. But just one glance at his hand was proof enough. Those long, calloused fingers were tightly gripping Mom's smaller, more delicate hand, and they were shaking.

Papa's hand was shaking.

Daddy…

I just glanced at Kakashi, a guilty frown on my face. Apparently I didn't have to say anything more because he just met my eyes for a moment before nodding minutely in approval.

With that in mind, I let go of my best friend and easily ran past the table to tackle both my parents into a hug. A resounding "Oof" sounded from them both before anything happened. Then, warm arms easily wrapped around my back, a hand lightly patting my shoulders.

"What is it, Tomoko-chan?" Mama's voice. Even though it was just a faint whisper, the amount of emotion in the words just made me spill.

After all this time, I could only really say a few things.

"I'm sorry Mama. I'm sorry Papa."

I'm sorry for putting you through all this. My mind finished. I'm sorry for making you worry about me.

"... Why are you apologizing again, Tomoko-chan?" Papa's voice. To my surprise, I found myself getting lifted up again to only get settled in Mama's lap this time, Papa peering over me with a shaky grin. "It's not your fault. I-It's not…" I didn't miss how Papa looked away for a moment, arm reaching up to wipe at his eyes. His shoulders were still standing tall, but the fact that he wasn't looking at us said more than enough.

Before I could move up to do something, surprisingly, it was Sakumo-san who beat me to the punch, getting up from his chair and walking over to rub a hand up and down Papa's back. The next thing I knew, Kakashi was next, pushing his chair away to stand up and join the small crowd we had at the table, reaching an arm towards the former White Fang while also offering a hand towards Mama. A few seconds later, we all were a massive lump of people, all trying to hug each other in one way or another.

The only odd one out was Minato-san, still seated in his chair, looking both regretful and apologetic all at once from my point of view. Once we all got a good group hug out of our systems and returned to our seats, it was actually Minato-san himself who broke the ice by coughing into his fist and smiling rather solemnly at all of us. "That's the only reason why I wanted to talk with you all. Even with this security in mind, it doesn't mean that Tomoko-chan should stop playing the piano."

… What? Hisako said.

"Eh?" I deadpanned.

Minato-san just blinked, apparently just now noticing the various eyes boring into his head, and sighed. "I guess I wasn't clear enough. It's true that because of Tomoko-chan's current position that Hokage-sama is more on guard, considering her vow of silence. But at the same time, that doesn't mean you should change what you have been doing completely. Kakashi will still be training with Team Minato and Nagareboshi Cafe will still be in business. The only changes that need to be noted is that Tomoko-chan, and by extension, Judai and Hikari, should be more on their guard from here on out. Nagareboshi itself is very important in handling a lot of the personal issues that come with the war effort, so if anything happens, the public will notice."

"... That's it?" Kakashi finished duly, the most deadpan expression on his face.

"That's it." Minato-san repeated.

Mama just looked in Papa's direction again with a tentative smile. "How are you feeling about this, dear?"

Papa just looked at her before glancing at everyone in the room, sighing heavily and crossing his hands behind his head. "To be honest? Angry like all damn hell. Nagareboshi was supposed to be a place for everyone to relax, but when you put it that way, Minato," I didn't miss the stern expression sent towards the Jounin's direction. "I guess we have to be prepared for anything." To my surprise though, Papa sent a glance in Sakumo-san's direction, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "Think you could train with me later, Sakumo?"

The former White Fang just grinned back. "I'm down for that, Judai."

"... Hey, Minato-sensei, think I could join them later?" Kakashi pitched in, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"As long as you get the missions I have on hand done first." Minato-san was finally smiling like he used to, and for once, the tension from this whole talk was finally leaving my shoulders.

With the exception of the large weight on my heart, it felt like things were going to be okay.

… Hopefully.

After all that tension, I later found myself taking a walk outside. Thankfully, it was the weekend so the cafe was closed, and I just wanted to talk to someone.

Someone other than Mama, Papa, Kakashi, Minato-san, Sakumo-san, or even Kushina-nee.

I just wanted to vent, or even talk about something else, at least a little bit. Hisako could help, but I honestly just wanted to do something other than sit around waiting for someone to come to me.

Maybe that's why Karen, the little crocodile figure in my room, ended up catching my eye. She later found herself hitching a ride in my skirt pocket after I finished writing a note to my family about my whereabouts.

Jim-san did say that if I ever felt lost, I could easily go to him anyways.

Then, it was just really exploring Konoha. With what little sense of chakra I had, I tried to be on the lookout the entire time while walking, watching my back and occasionally taking a break from my stroll just to figure out where I was.

It took a while, walking in new areas trying to find the alley I once got lost in, but soon enough, I saw it.

The store could've easily blended in with the other buildings in its vicinity at first. If anything, if I wasn't on the lookout, then I would've missed it entirely. The plain brown paint and marble-colored front door didn't stand out much at first glance anyway.

… But then again, who would miss the large crocodile display on the front sign?

"Cook's Ninja Tools and Crafts", it said in bright, painted orange letters over the front door. A large, green crocodile very similar to the one I carried in my pocket accompanied said letters, mouth open just a little bit to show off bright white teeth. The window display underneath the sign had a hanging board with red chalk letters spelling out "OPEN" in large font, and yet for some reason, my eyes got drawn to what was underneath said board.

A long, gleaming katana sat on display under the "OPEN" sign through the window. I didn't have to use a magnifying glass to know that it was almost spotless and scratchless, the shining metal easily speaking for itself. The only sign that it was used at all was the rather tattered leather on the sword handle, making the sword resemble a much cleaner version of Inuyasha's Tessaiga.

… Well, your dad DID say Jim was a blacksmith.

I honestly felt both impressed and out of place, but nevertheless turned towards the door and jiggled the doorknob.

Once the door opened, I was greeted with what could've been the inside of a Home Depot, only a bit messier. Wherever I looked, the store's display cases and hangars displayed its many tools and metal crafts the blacksmith had worked on. I could see kunai, shuriken, heck, even things such as nails and hammers for the occasional carpenter!

There were even metal decorations, ranging from wired hearts to stars hanging from the ceiling.

At the center of it all was the main counter and register, and right behind it was a very familiar person.

"... Uh, Jim-san?" I called out hesitantly.

The tall man didn't turn immediately. If anything, his head bobbed a bit up and down in recognition of my voice before moving, and when I finally saw his face, I knew it was the 'prince charming' that helped me out so many months ago, vest, boots and all. The 'cowboy' blinked before breaking out into a large grin, absently wiping at a oil stain on his tanned cheek with a handkerchief while taking off his gloves. "Tomoko-chan? Hey!"

"Hello again," For some reason, I felt a bit nervous talking to the craftsman again, absently tracing circles into the ground with my shoe while reaching into my pocket and grasping Karen. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner."

"Why are you apologizing, ojou-chan?" I soon found myself looking into the blacksmith's one dark blue eye as he kneeled down to face me. "It's completely okay. I heard about what happened from Judai. Are you really doing alright?"

The question just prompted the beginnings of tears, but I did my best to wipe at them. This wasn't the time to break out crying again. "N-Not really, Jim-san," I said honestly, attempting to smile. "T-Think I could hang out with you a little bit?"

I don't really want to talk to anyone else right now.

That same lone blue eye blinked before crinkling, the blacksmith himself beginning to smile. "Of course you can. You have Karen with you, right?"

I blinked, feeling a little startled at the sudden question. "I-I do… why?"

Jim-san just grinned. "How about I show you the process on how I made her?"

Jim Crocodile Cook was expecting a slow day at work in the shop today. Not the sight of his former teammate's little girl walk in through the front door like a small duckling.

The last time Jim had saw Hoshino Tomoko was more than 3-4 months ago, when she had gotten lost in one of the more sketchy districts in Konoha. Considering how protective Judai could be of his loved ones, the craftsman was surprised to see her come in alone.

Internally, Jim sighed. If the ojou-chan came in on her own, then something happened. His gut feeling just confirmed that, and from his time as a ninja, it was always good to trust your gut feelings at certain moments.

… Adding in the fact that Tomoko-chan looked like she had cried recently with the red rims around her eyes, he knew he had to do something.

The girl sought him out for a reason. And he owed so much to his former teammate anyways.

Jim Crocodile Cook would've never found the inspiration to retire and start his own business if not for Judai setting an example.

So why not show the ojou-chan his new speciality? Kids always were curious about this kind of stuff - and if he was right, arts and crafts could easily get her mind off of whatever she was thinking about.

Not to mention, Tomoko-chan still had that little Karen. That figure was something Jim made in his spare time between missions, and it was only really after his retirement that he returned to it and finished it as he planned. Jim was both touched and happy to know that the little girl took such good care of it. Just from looking at that Karen, it felt like the figure hadn't even left his workshop by how it shined in the fading sunlight.

He just had to make sure she didn't touch anything sharp.

Thankfully (or strangely), little Tomoko-chan seemed to be aware of everything when walking through the back with him, keeping her hands to herself while trailing behind his every footstep. Even without having to tap into his chakra, he could at least hear the interest in every little tap of her foot, and Jim could've easily preened if he wanted to.

Not a lot of kids came to his shop anyways.

The demonstration was simple enough. Jim would just pull out a piece of wood, about the same size that the original Karen was carved out of, before bringing it along to the many machines and sharpeners he had in the workshop, slipping his gloves back on to work on it. He didn't mean to carve it entirely, but in the end, he just went with it.

Tomoko-chan was following his every move with curiosity benefitting of a kid after all. It wouldn't be right to take it away from her after what he's heard from Judai beforehand.

"If she does come back to see you, don't be too hard on her, okay? There's a lot going on with our end that even I'm not fully sure of yet."

By the time the moon was already high in the sky, Jim had another Karen in his hands. True, it wasn't as well detailed or painted like the original, but he was proud of it nevertheless.

At least the little ojou-chan was beaming up at him.

"S-So you can really make anything, Jim-san?" It was such an innocent and heartfelt question, but for some reason, Jim had a strange feeling in his gut. Was it just him? Or was there something else Tomoko-chan was asking about?

"As long as I have a design in my head and the materials in my workshop, then yes, ojou-chan, I can." Jim decided to ignore the feeling and tease the girl instead. "Is there something you want me to make?"

Tomoko-chan just blinked innocently before crossing her arms, putting a hand on her chin in thought before looking up at him with a shaky smile. "Maybe. Is it okay if it's not now? I have an idea, but I'm not fully sure of it yet. A few years might be good."

Jim just blinked before shrugging. "Whatever floats your boat, ojou-chan. Whenever you need me, Cook's Ninja Tools and Crafts are always open for you, okay?"

A bright smile greeted him back as the shadows over the girl's eyes finally disappeared. "Okay!"

Jim could clearly see why his former teammate melted at the sight of this little girl.

She had Hikari's best smile.

A part of him was just screaming "This is a HORRIBLE idea."

At the same time, the majority of his soul was saying that "They're ready. Kakashi was able to pass. Why not them?"

It had been a year since Team Minato had been formed, and the titular Minato Namikaze himself was hesitating. In his hands were two Chunin Exam registration forms, still left blank due to waiting on a name.

His mind already filled in the blanks, but his hands had yet to write them down.

Uchiha Obito. Nohara Rin.

They were only 10 year old children. Would they really ready to become Chunin now? Even Minato himself didn't really become Chunin until he was almost a teenager.

But the Jounin in him knew better. Konoha may have been improving in the war effort through Nagareboshi Cafe and supporting businesses, but they were still coming towards an all-time low in shinobi forces. And with Hatake Kakashi, one of the youngest Chunin in Konoha history on his squad, Minato knew that they would be sent out sooner or later.

But the Jounin still hesitated. Why? It was just a simple form.

Maybe it was because of the reality such a shinobi world would bring. Ever since the revelation that Tomoko saw dreams, or possibly visions, of his squad's deaths, Minato was scared.

He didn't want to see comrades die. More so his students.

But the war was coming towards a head soon. And Hokage-sama needed more people at his side as soon as possible.

In the end, the Jounin forced himself to write the names down, and mentally prepared himself for meeting his team later in the day.

Hopefully they wouldn't be too angry with his being late.

Minutes late was better than a life lost after all.

… Might as well also visit Nagareboshi and get a song out of his system before heading out.

He would have to possibly apologize to the young pianist there for the upcoming heart attack she would be getting at the news, after all.

Author's Notes: So first up, this chapter took a while because of 1. Schoolwork, and 2. Family moving in. Since my parents actually went on to take a vacation, I'm currently living with my relatives as of right now, and it's been trying to juggle my family, school, and writing lives. The other thing is that this chapter took a lot of personal brainstorming. With Chapter 27 being a heavy Tomoko-Kakashi character-centric chapter, I wanted Chapter 28 to focus on the outside parts of Tomoko's life - being the adults and how a lot of her actions affected them one way or another.

… And yes, by the time you get to Minato's part at the end, a few months have passed to where it's been a year since the creation of Team Minato. So at one point, I may do a small omake on the birthdays of Team Minato and Tomoko, but we'll see. Inspiration is fleeting after all. To summarize, Kakashi and Tomoko are almost 10 while Obito and Rin have already turned double-digits based on birthday date.

Once again, thank you to all my readers. We currently have 421 reviews, 624 favorites, and 812 followers. Holy cow… - but really guys. Thank you so much.

Before I sign off, I do want to address the reviews of a guest going by the name of guest39. Apparently you made a gift for Tomoko-chan, but the thing is, Fanfiction is really horrendous with links to where they are either incomplete or just don't show up at all, so I won't be able to see your gift until you find another way to send it. Either PM me with an official account or maybe put spaces between every phrase in the URL when putting up another review with the gift link.

Thanks again, all of you, and I love you all so much!

This is Writer-and-Artist27 signing out! See you next chapter! Next stop, Chunin Exams (Part 2)!

Edit (2/10/2017): So it turns out guest39 was able to put up a new review with a fixed link to see Tomoko-chan's gift, and oh my dear Buddha - it's gorgeous. I'll be putting the link up here so that you guys can see it too, because good art needs to be appreciated! Please support and follow guest39, and yeah! Thank you so much guest39, you made me squeal quite a bit! The art really helped in cheering me up from sleepiness in the morning, so thank you so much! You're the first fan who gave me absolutely beautiful fan-art, so thank you so much! Much love and hugs to you :D

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