"Kids, hurry up before we're late!" I called for them as I straighted out my grass green kimono. I decided to wear wooden colored gets sandals with my hair left down.
"We're coming!" Hanami answered. She came to me wearing her bright red traditional kimono with black zori sandals. Her hair, instead of two pigtails, tied up in a high ponytail. "Well, I'm coming."
"Well, excuse me ,but" Shinachiku coming out hand in hand with Arashi, who had a pouty face going on. They both had a beige Hakam with black zori sandals on. "Arashi doesn't like his wearing his clothes. Every time I turned my back, the whole thing would be in the floor!"
I tried to stiffel a giggle from coming out and approached my youngest and picked him up. "You don't like wearing your Hakama?" I asked as I pinched his cheeks. He chubby checks became red as he tried to pull away. So cute!
"Mommy!" He whined. "I don't like it!"
"Arashi-chan, can't you just wear the pretty Hakama for Mommy just one night? I promise it won't be long." I compromised.
"Mmmm... Ok." He gave in making the cutest surrender face in the process.
Why is this kid so cute?
I kissed him on the cheek and put him down. "Is everybody ready to go?"
Shinachiku grabbed the lantern from the corner of the kitchen and answered. " Ready!"
"Alright then." I held Arashi's had on my right and held hands with Shinachiku on my left, with him holding Hanami's, and set off into the streets. "Let's go."
Though it was late, going by when the festivities started which were strated when the sun was shining it was still a little too early for the releasing of the Lanterns. So, I decided it'd be good to walk around a bit. It has been twenty something years since I've been to one. Might as well enjoy it, right?
As I was walking, a tank on display full of dishes caught my eye.
"Beautiful.."
"Thank you Mrs. Uzumaki."
A gasp escape my lips as I snapped my head to the side of the tank. It was a middle-aged woman with her two children, two boys. "O-Oh! I didn't realize.. I said that aloud." I could feel the red coloring my cheeks.
The woman gave me a warm smile. "You look surprised? Did I scare you? I apologise-"
"N-No you didn't-well sort of but.. you don't have to apologise. Really." I reassured her. "These fish.. I meant what I said about them. Absolutely beautiful, did you raise them?"
"Actually," she pushed her two boys in from of her. "My sons, Hikari and Akira, did. Now you all say thank you."
"Oh!"
"U-Um thank you.."
Yes, thank you Mrs. Uzumaki-sama." Both boys bowed. I bowed back.
"Hikari-chan is a bit shy. My brother idolizes you by the way!" What seemed like the older of the two said.
The younger, obviously embarrassed lightly pushed his brother. "Akira!"
"Well it's true!"
While they argue, I'm still in awe and , admittedly, a little embarrassed myself. "Do you really idolizes me?"
The two boys stop arguing and look at me. Akira, noticably nervous, looked down and plays with his fingernails. "Well... I read about what you did for the Fourth Great Shinobi War and.. and.." he trails off. He inhales and exhaled and looks me in eyes. "I think you're really cool Mrs. Uzumaki-sama!"
Woah... Wait a fucking minute.
"Oh my.." his mother says as she tries not to giggle. His brother ,on the other hand, burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.. I just can't get how I can INSPIRE these people.. my actions leading up til now...I mean what I did in my younger days would inspire and maybe even empower anybody but after all this time...?
This shit is crazy.
"A-Akira is it?"
"Ah..Y-Yes."
"Thank you."
"O-Of course."
I smiled at him and bid him and his family farewell. "Take care of these fishes ok?"
"Yes ma'am!" They said in unison. I could hear them talking to each other as I walked away.
'Mom did you see that?!' He said.
'I did! Maybe one-day, you'll be training under her.' she encourage
'Really?!' the younger brother asked
'its a possiblity right?' The older brother asked.
'Hmm maybe..' the mother concluded.
Suddenly, I feel all warm inside. Maybe... This isn't so bad. Not bad at all.
"Mom!" I heard Hanami call out for me. I turned around and saw she, along with her two brothers and some friends running towards me.
I let the kids roam around themselves, though not too far to the point I can't sense them, so they wouldn't be Rich with me and instead play with their friends.
"Look what we won!"
"Oh wow." It was three life-sized plushies, Kurama and Katsuyu and a frog. "How cute!"
"Shina-chan won it for us." Arashi says.
"Yeah!" Hanami happily chimed in. "He's a master at bottle rings!"
"Heh well, I wouldn't say master but if you insist.." Shinachiku said real smug like.
"Stop being so smug." A child chimes in.
"Yeah, you ain't all that." Another teased.
"Whatever!"
"Oh, kids, who are your friends?"
I already met Metal, Lee's child but these two.. who are they? They look so familiar..
"Oh! Mom, this is Hani and Hisoka!"
That's where I know them from! I briefly saw them when I encountered Kiba and seeing them in those family pictures!
"Your mother and father is Kiba and Hinata-san, right?"
"Yes ma'am." They say in Union.
"I see. Well, it's very nice to meet you two finally."
They bowed. "Likewise!" Hani said.
"We heard many stories from out parents about you but mostly from Shinachiku. He talks about you all.the.time." Hisoka teases.
"Oh? Really?" I look over to my son and see he's turning red.
That warm feeling is going to keep growing inside me tonight huh?
"I see. We'll, speaking of your parents, do you know where they might be?" I asked the girls.
"Oh!" Hani answered. They're up there, just past the Ramen shop." She pointed north.
"Thank you. I'll see all of you in a few? In just a couple of hours, it'd be almost time to set our lanterns free."
"Yeah! See you at the hill Mom! Come on guys, I heard they were doing face paint down here!" Hanami said and led the charge.
That child is definitely a leader. But now for the hard part. I knew I had to confront this at some point.
Hopefully, this goes well..
As I'm walking towards the Ramen shop, I noticed something. My anxiety...it's not acting up? At least not as bad as I thought it would have. Here I am, walking past villagers, who've been doing nothing but smiling and waving at me, and I'm not panicking..? Maybe it's because of those breathing exercises and the support... I didn't think they're work ,but those antianxiety pills weren't working so I had to try something...hm. Strange. Very strange in deed.
In no time, I reached the Ramen shop and see Hinata's unmistakable shiny navy blue hair with Kiba by her side.
Inhaling and exhaling, I calm my nerves before I go. If I go and explain myself, he still doesn't have to forgive me, and if he wants to, not immediately.. He has that right, and I have to be ready for that. I have to be..
Here goes nothing.
