Eighteen

It's time

One chapter

Needs to be opened

To bring light

For the one

Who needs to know

For one piece to

Fit into the gaps

Of another's history


"AH! Nani! Why would anyone want to marry that lazy, perverted and perpetually late Kakashi-sensei"

Naruto was still having difficulties digesting the news. Kei had the blank look whilst the rest were having a ball being entertained by Naruto's comical antics.

"That's true..."

"Ne! Ne! I have to ask you! What does he look like without mask! Does he have fish lips"

"Herm...well..."

Sweatdrops.

Naruto strained to listen.

"Nah I shouldn't say, it'll take the fun out of finding out yourself."

CRASH!

Naruto can be seen crawling from the floor to his chair with a long face while Tsunade and Ken on the other hand were in stitches and were wiping tears from their eyes.

Kei mentally laughed.

If only you knew just how good looking he really is, Naruto-kun.

"In any case, how do you put up with him and his perverted books"

She shrugged.

"Ano... it's a compromise. I tolerate books and he tolerates no cooking nature of mine."

More laughter. The other two were dying from the comical entertainment by Naruto, whose jaws dropped to the ground and his eyes widened in disbelief.

She pat him on the head. And her tone grew deeper and softer as she brought forth today's agenda.

"I thought we were here because you wanted to know about Uzumaki Natsu?"

The atmosphere in the room then switched to something more serious. Naruto then sat up properly and nodded to her. The rest adjusted their mood accordingly.

She sighed.

"How should we start?"

"Ano, when did he die and how?"

The direct question struck her head on and Kei looked at him with a pair of sad eyes.

"He died when he was fifteen, some nine years ago because of an ambush that happened in one of our missions"

Naruto eyes widened at the age mentioned.

"He died because of me."

"And me." Kendon added. "He died protecting all of us."

Kei turned to look at Ken who smiled.

Naruto wore his emotions on his sleeves, the onset of the news was the hardest and Tsunade was all sympathy. It was why she was there, to lent support to the boy seeing that he does remind her sometimes of her little brother. It was the least she could do.

"We were ambushed by rouges who thought we were carrying some sacred scrolls and they decided to kill us when they realized that we didn't have them. Most of eight member team on the same mission were dead. Ken was knocked out and I got myself nailed against a tree in a helpless situation. The bastard was about to strike when Natsu, in his messed-up state, took the blow for me."

He had a glance of her misty eyes before she bowed her head.

Sigh. It's so hard to visit that night again. It just hurts so much to watch the scene replay itself. It being always in slow-motion and always so precise about how it happened all the way till his last breath. Natsu, how am I supposed to do this?

Ken put his hand on her shoulder and gave a little squeeze of encouragement.

"You guys must be hurting too."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. Naruto still sometimes surprise her with his minute moments of wisdom.

"It must have hurt to watch him die."

They smiled.

"Who was the bastard that killed him?"

They breathed deeply.

"He was killed by a man named Orochimaru."

"Nani! Him again!"

Kei raised a hand to stop his questioning. He didn't need to know about Akatsuki, that he will discover for himself later.

"Naruto-kun, It doesn't matter who he is"

A crossed look appeared on his face.

"Gomen, because the task for seeking revenge for Natsu does not belong to you." Kei said solemnly.

The boy's eyes widen as a shock came on.

"It belongs to us."

Ken held his gaze to make it clear that Naruto was not to take things into his own hands. The boy pressed his lips together to form a thin line before finally nodding. He understood.

The girl looked out of the window into the glorious afternoon of golden rays and lush greenery. She wanted to lighten the mood and move away from dark vengeance bit.

"Ne, though today I feel that his presence is exceptionally alive in his room."

The Konoha residents observed a soft look come upon the girl.

"Maybe because he lives through our memories and through you."

She stroked the blonde hedge that stood atop the boy's head.

"Ne. You two have the same grin. Same hair. And the same brilliant eyes."

Naruto looked into her blue-grey eyes, his being a tad bit watery. He somehow felt an affinity with these two, especially with the red-haired one. He smiled as he felt some warm in the comfort she offered.

She smiled.

"Except he had a long tail at the back of his head that follows his flight everywhere he went and was much taller. The resemblance is there but honestly, I do not know his relation to you."

"Nani!"

"Ah. Natsu had mentioned that he was from Hidden Leaf but with regards to his family, we do not know a great deal about his family." Ken said.

"He was from here?" Tsunade said.

"Hai, Hokage-sama. I remember the little bit of his history prior to his recruitment into Black Dragons. He said that he was following his parents on a trip to Hidden Cloud when they ambushed by a group. He said,

"Ne, Ken. I remember it well because I was five when I watched my parents fought for their lives from under a shield of some greens in a tree above. Even though Otou-san and Okaa-san had sensed them beforehand, the men from Black Dragons were just above my parents' abilities. I remember shedding silent tears as their blood was spilt. Being scared shitless, I was found cowering on the branch soon after. Life is strange, we are all gathered here to train but only a meager few of us are actually going to live through the last test. Of which, we are just slaves to a tyrant who trusts nobody in this place. We, ourselves have to watch out backs as we move along or our expiry date will be brought forward."

Naruto sat there absorbing every bit of Natsu's details.

"Hokage-sama, I believe there should be some records somewhere that details members of the Uzumaki clan?" Kei asked.

"No. I wish we did, most probably the Third would have known about this but all records that I've tried to search for are most surprisingly, missing."

"I believe 'misplaced' is a better choice?"

Tsunade smiled.

"Indeed, it is most likely the records were around but I would need to search for their location."

Kei turned to look at the boy who was taking in the news better than she thought.

"Naruto, I know it must be disappointing since we are unable to link him back to you directly."

"Ano, that's all right. At least now, I know something."

Ken stood up as he began to run through memories of his old friend.

"He was a guy of rare talent and a good friend of mine. It only took him nine years to train up enough to pass the test, a really remarkable feat considering there are those who died even with ten years of training. He also had a good sense of humor and …'

"Thick skin."

Ken turned at his long time friend and laughed.

"Thick skin?"

Naruto looked at her utterly confused.

"Hai! He liked Kei a lot. Ne! He was so persistent all those three years!"

"Natsu liked you!"

The two of them laughed.

"Hai. He never failed to remind me everyday! It was a torture to have him stick to me like a leech!"

Ken continued to laugh while Tsunade smiled.

"Ne! That's not surprising! You're pretty! I mean I'm still trying to figure out how a guy who doesn't show his face like Kakashi-sensei managed to get a wife as pretty as you!" Naruto pondered a little before getting back to asking, "Anyway, what did Natsu tried to do?"

She flushed before brushing a stray hair from her face as she recapped some of the finer moments.

"He confessed when I was twelve and he was thirteen. And I do remember leaving him two bumps on his head after throwing him off a tree when he suggested us to get married!"

Naruto burst out laughing, much to the relief of Tsunade, who was getting worried about him.

"Oh and don't forget the time when he walked in on you while you trying to shower!"

"Ne! That pervert! He may have good intentions with wanting to give me flowers but the timing was bad. I mean why couldn't he have waited a little while longer to do it?"

Everyone laughed in good humor.

"Ne! Did he get a good view of everything?"

And Tsunade whacked the back of his head to remind him to have good manners.

"Ita!"

Kei couldn't help but smile at the boy that reminded her of her old friend.

"No, I had a towel around me. But still, I'll never forget that drooling face of his!"

And so, the story grew on and the room basked in the warm feelings that had arisen from the sharing of treasured memories. The lot of them grew closer, all because of one guy that never failed to bring laughter to all – Uzumaki Natsu.


"My eternal rival!"

Gai, like the rest of Kakashi's friends were having mixed reactions to the news that spread like wildfire, no thanks to the Hokage. Gossips travels faster than national news and all his friends at the dinner tonight were throwing endless bouts of questions and congratulations at him.

"Again you have eluded me! Has the spring of our youth gone by so fast? My rival has beaten me to settle down first!"

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

The masked one suddenly realized that the green-clad one who was sitting beside him was talking to him.

"Ahh! That was so hip!"

Kei had sweat drops falling off her temples.

Gai is one strange guy accessorized with matching thick eyebrows, she thought.

"Kei-chan!"

"Nani?"

"Why did not consider other suitors of brilliant youth and stunning physical appearances, such as myself?"

Bright sparkly toothpaste smile.

"Hmmm? I'm all right. Just a little tired that's all."

Kei had apparently averted her attention back to her husband who was whispering concern into her ear.

Sweat drops on Gai. But the girl suddenly remembered and turned back her attention to the guy next to Kakashi.

"Gomen Gai-san, did you say something?"

"Ahhh! No! Even Kakashi's wife is so hip!"

And he buried his head in his hands, much to the amusement of the rest at the table, including other jounins and the likes of Maiko and Ishida.

"Maiko? What's keeping you so distracted?"

Kei had been noticing a listless girl who was busy filling her cup with sake and not indulging much in anything else. A characteristic that was very unlike the bubbly friendly girl she knew.

"Huh? Oh. No. Nothing really."

"Don't lie to your Onee-chan."

Sigh.

"Genma or Iruka?"

"Eh? How did you know about it?"

"Aside from the fact that it's written all over your face, there is the very concerned Ishida who can't keep his mouth shut when it comes to something that troubles him too."

"……………"

She gave her a squeeze on her shoulder to reassure her.

"I won't bug you too much about it. I'll leave you till you're ready to talk, all right?"

Maiko nodded. She was always grateful that Kei never pushed her talk unless she was ready.

She sighed and her mind rewinds back to the scene a couple of nights ago.


FLASHBACK

It was just another restless night in Konoha when she was again perching on her favorite spot on a railing that was located where the previous Hokages' faces were. She breathed in the fresh cool air before pulling out from within her garments, a light miniature flute – her father's. It was slim with an engraving of a feather at one end.

She took it to her lips and blew a tune befitting to her heart.

Sweet and sorrowful, the melody sounded accordingly under her control.

Tears flowed from beneath closed lids.

This one tune she plays and the one flute she holds are all that she has left of her family. Unlike Ken and Kei who were recruited into Black Dragons from various countries, both she and Ishida were born in Black Dragons. The head did not approve of relationships within the organization and so none of their parents survived after they were born. They were forced to take suicide missions.

That is why she shares the closest of bonds with Ishida. And by a stroke of luck, they soon met the other two. That is after they were rejected by 3 other senseis and were thrown out by 4 other teams.

How did she come to know the tune?

It was thanks to one other shinobi that knew her parents, who taught her all that he could remember.

It was more than anyone could ask for.

A family and good memories that grant them the sanity and refuge in the depressing place where some have been known to lost their minds.

Maiko was jerked out of her thoughts by the presence of another.

"A Touch of Heaven."

"Genma-kun?"

"The song you have been playing for the past few weeks. It's called 'A Touch of Heaven' isn't it?"

"Really? Is that what's it called?"

He laughed at her innocence.

"Sigh. So I guess you wouldn't know the lyrics?"

She shook her head.

A tiny smile crept at the corners of his mouth as he removed his stick out of his mouth and tucked it above his ear.

He inched closer and sang softly to his sole audience:

I watch you in the rain

And I see you in my dreams

The gods must be playing trucks

I see an angel before me

I want to touch you

Feel you close

A touch of heaven

Is all I ask from you

I wish for things to be

For the best

So even if you're far from me

I know one day

By a touch of heaven

I'll come to you

My angel up above

All the love

There ever was

All I need is a touch of heaven

A touch of heaven…..

And he finished to a tearing audience.

"Arigato Genma-kun. You complete the piece. It means a lot to me."

He bit on his stick and one hand was raised to wipe away the tears from her cheeks.

"Silly girl."

"Arigato for everything. Really."

"Why are you thanking me again?"

"For everything else. Once the other two return, I'll be leaving the village."

"Nani?"

"I'm going to visit some old friends and go on some journey of exploration. You can scoff the idea but I want to go look for me."

"Oh."

The stick flicked down. And she wiped all traces of her emotions with her sleeves.

"I'll miss you. I have many good memories living with you here in Konoha."

"I'll miss you too."

She laughed.

"I think you miss my cooking more!"

A pair of warm lips touched upon hers to smother her jest.

Shock.

"No. I'll really miss you."

And off he went, in a cloud of smoke.

Leaving behind one very confused girl to gather her thought and to finally come to terms with her roommate's confession.

END OF FLASHBACK


Maiko sighs again and looks up from her little cup to a familiar face sitting diagonally opposite her.

Genma looked, holding a very steady gaze.

They had not talked about the incident and the atmosphere in the apartment has gotten to uncomfortable levels. Even mealtimes felt weird. They were both unwilling to be the first one to bring up the issue.

She looked away.

How did I get into such a mess?

And she sculls very swiftly yet another cupful of sake.

And another.

Followed by another.

And yes, there were many others after that one.

"And how do I always get myself in deeper shit all the time?"

You see, the next morning an eighteen year old found herself with a major hangover, topping that was the realization that she was in bed with her twenty-nine year old roommate, naked underneath the tangled sheets.


Author's note:

Hi everyone!

So sorry about the late update but I have been busy packing up to head back for studies. Many thanks to all the reviews and to answer Joel's puzzlement about her being able to move about in her 'blind' state. Well, Kei said that she knows the layout of the Main house pretty well so much so that she doesn't really need help to get about the place (She knew that if she jumped to the other side, it was a clear path down to the stone floor that led back to her room ;). Her asking Kakashi to help her up the roof but just an invitation to join her. :) They are a pretty sweet couple and hope that I managed to bring out that kind of understanding and chemistry between them. And sorry if this chapter turns out to a little boring. Hope Eveyone will grant me a little more time for future updates. I promise that I won' take too long!

Cheers!

Arte

Special Thanks to:

Agent Pandora Black

Ero-Senin

Syllable