EPILOGUE

Several days later two blonds were walking down the Konoha's street.

"Everything is the same!" Naruto proclaimed, inhaling the familiar scent of the village. "Hello, everybody! I'm back!"

Arashi smiled.

"Look, Iruka-sensei has returned!" Naruto happily shouted noticing the man talking with another teacher on the other side of the street. "Hey, Iruka-sensei!" with these words he ran away.

Arashi sighed watching his back.

"Well, looks like it is the end of your staying at my house, Naruto," he looked at the blond happily talking with brown-haired sensei and a sad smile, a common guest of his moods lately, appeared on his lips.

So he just went along the streets not noticing the cheerful sights of villagers greeting their favorite hokage. His thoughts were with the boy at the other side of the street and the black haired woman who he failed once again.

"There are things that won't change for a long time," he concluded. "So even being with Naruto for all this time won't change anything. But do you hear, Umi? I'll keep trying! I'll become his real father one day!" he looked at the sky and for a moment – just for a little one – almost felt her presence again.

"That's the thing I like the most in you, Arashi," her voice – his memory – resounded in his ears. "You never give up. So keep on going, don't fall. Be strong and lend your strength to the others as you always do. So one day they will lend their strength to you as well, the moment when you need it the most."

Arashi came to his house, opened the door and prepared to come in when the rush of blond hair appeared before him.

And a familiar, annoying voice resounded along the streets of Konoha.

"Blondaime!"

"Huh?" Naruto really did the impossible – he caught the fourth unprepared, door knob still in his hand.

"Aahh..Baka," the taller blond haired man's lips curled into a smile.

"Stop calling me that!" Naruto exploded once again and then laughed.

Arashi couldn't help but laugh a little as well.

"Yondaime," finally Naruto became serious and Arashi turned around looking at him attentively.

Naruto scratched his head and finally continued.

"Look…you know, the chuunin exams will be in a month," now the blond haired boy examined the ground infront of his legs. "Ero-Sennin isn't around anywhere so I thought…if you could train me, please?"

Blue eyes stared at Arashi who looked rather shocked. He expected anything, but not this question.

He felt like he wanted to jump in the air and shout. He wanted to run across the streets with the speed the of wind. This moment, blond hokage felt more alive than in all the previous months.

But he was adult. He was the hokage so he suppressed all these feelings, putting them into a simple smile, broad and honest.

"I'll teach you," he answered. "But I'm a strict teacher. Maybe you'll regret it the next day. You still want to do it?"

These words were met with calm sight of ice blue eyes.

"Don't forget who I am, I am Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage!" Naruto answered sternly. "I don't step back, this is my way of ninja!" And Arashi couldn't help himself but stare at him with the gaze full of love and pride.

The wind caught their hair for a moment like it wanted to stop time to keep this picture – two hokages, present and future standing one in front of another. Teacher and student. Father and son.

THE END OF PART TWO

Huf…I can't believe I did it! Here is a little present for those who managed to read this all. It's a short description of the next part, maybe teaser, if you want…

Old times, friends, rivals… Different times, but they walked the same way, father and son. Now, before the chuunin exam they must face the past together. To keep the promises they gave, to correct the mistakes of the past and finally to reveal the truth.

Like father like son 3: When the truth was revealed

That's all for now,

Thank you for reading!

Clarlie