Yuriko paced anxiously outside the Hokage's office as she waited for her teammates to arrive. Both Kaede and Katsuo arrived at the same time.
"What did the Hokage want so urgently?" Kaede asked as she approached.
"Whatever it is, it can't be good," Yuriko replied solemnly as she knocked on the door.
"Come in," said the Hokage from inside.
Yuriko pushed open the door and the three ANBU shinobi walked in silently.
"You requested our presence, Hokage-sama?" Yuriko greeted. The Hokage nodded, "As I'm sure you are aware, your team specializes in extractions and the like. It is believed that there is a Kirigakure spy within Konoha.".
"Do we have any leads?" Yuriko asked while she scanned over the mission scroll. Sarutobi nodded, "One. We suspect that the man you're looking for goes by the name Nagano Susumu, but nothing is concrete yet. However, we need to catch him as soon as possible. We do not know what Nagano's purpose is, but it was recently discovered that several documents have been stolen. If Kirigakure get its hands on those documents, Konoha could be in potential danger."
"We'll start at once," Yuriko replied, "Let's go, Kaede, Katsuo."
"Wait, Koizumi-san," the third called. Instantly, all three shinobi stopped, "There's one more part that's not written on that scroll."
Yuriko didn't like where this was headed.
"We need you to catch the leak, yes, however," Sarutobi stared straight at Yuriko, "We also need you to retrieve the papers that were stolen."
All three jonin stiffened. He was practically sending them on a suicide mission.
"Kaede, Katsuo, wait outside," Yuriko said softly as she pretended not to notice their anxious gazes. However, without protest, both shinobi did as they were told.
Yuriko walked up to the Hokage's desk, "I'm very sorry, Hokage-sama, but I cannot put my team at that high a risk. You will have to assign this mission to a separate team."
The Hokage remained serious, "I'm sorry, Koizumi-san, but the elders and I have decided that your team was best set for this mission. All of you have done this type of mission before and having that experience is vital."
"Yes, but only I've done a mission at this high a caliber. If you send me alone, I'll do it, but-"
"We need more than one pair of eyes in Kirigakure."
"I will not allow my team to-"
"This is not just up to you, Koizumi-san. I can understand where you're coming from. Trust me. I don't like sending my people out on missions like these either. However, if you cannot retrieve those papers, a lot more innocent people will be put at risk than just your team."
Yuriko grudgingly replied, "I understand. We'll begin at once," before quietly leaving the office.
Kaede and Katsuo looked calm outside.
"So what's the game plan, captain?" Kaede asked cheerfully, although Yuriko couldn't tell if it was forced or not.
"Before we start, I want to make something clear, right now," Yuriko said grimly, "The chances of us dying on this mission are already high enough. However, the tiniest mistake, the smallest slip of the tongue, and your chances go from 80% to 100 in a blink of an eye. Also, once we enter Kiri, we make minimal contact with anyone other than ourselves. If one of us goes down, I cannot guarantee a rescue. Our only goal is to get in, get the papers, and get out as fast as possible. Am I understood?"
The two nodded their heads.
"I don't care if you stumble upon some secret conspiracy, you do not dig, you do not touch. That is for a separate team, not us. You do not do anything to try to make yourself famous. You do not do anything to try and look like a hero. You do not-"
"We get it, we get it," Katsuo interrupted, "Stick to the plan. Jeez, how long have you worked with us?"
Yuriko rolled her eyes, but inwardly smiled as Katsuo tried to lighten the mood.
"Kaede, check the west, Katsuo east, everyone move toward the central gate. I'll check the government buildings. If he's not here, prepare to leave immediately."
"Gotcha," Kaede left quickly.
As Yuriko turned to leave Katsuo caught her left wrist.
"Why don't you ever wear your ring?" Katsuo asked with concern.
"You know I don't wear it during work," Yuriko replied although she knew where this conversation was heading.
"You don't ever wear it."
"Yes I do, Katsuo. Please try to focus on-"
"You're hiding it from him aren't you? You haven't told him," accused Katsuo.
Then Yuriko did something she knew she shouldn't have. "I have," Yuriko lied, "stop worrying over that," Yuriko replied trying to reassure Katsuo.
Katsuo frowned, "Sorry, it's just that you guys-"
"I'm marrying you, not him," Yuriko interrupted, "The past is the past, Katsuo. Forget about it already. The decision to end it was mutual and both of us have gotten over it. You're the only one who's still dwelling."
Katsuo gave a relieved sigh, "I'm sorry. It's just that, I feel like-" Katsuo was cut off as Yuriko pulled his lips to hers, something she rarely did in public. Katsuo tried to deepen the kiss, but Yuriko pulled away.
"Go. There are more important matters at the moment," Yuriko muttered as she uncoiled herself from Katsuo's grasp.
"I'm home!" Yuriko called as she kicked her shoes off and entered the house.
"Welcome back," Naruto replied, "Did you hear, nee-chan? I'm now officially part of Team 7!"
Naruto came bounding up to her, his smile taking up almost all of his face.
Yuriko smiled and replied, "Yeah, I heard. Congrats Naruto. Be good ok?"
Naruto's smile slowly faded into a frown, "Are you leaving again nee-chan?"
"Yeah, sorry Naruto," Yuriko said as she crossed the house to get some things. Naruto followed her, his frown deepening.
"I don't like it when you call me 'Naruto.' It means you're serious," Naruto whined as sat on the coach.
Yuriko gave a dry laugh before pouncing on Naruto, pinning him beneath her, "Are you analyzing me, brat?"
Naruto shouted, "Get off me! You're heavy!" as tried to hide his smile.
"That's rude you know," Yuriko snapped as she flicked Naruto in the forehead.
Naruto rubbed his forehead for a bit before both of them started laughing.
"Naruto," Yuriko started quietly, "I'm not sure how long this mission will take."
"How long do you think?"
"It could be a couple weeks to years, or," Yuriko took a deep breath, "I might not ever come back."
"What're you saying? Of course you'll come back!" Naruto replied, "You have to."
Yuriko gave a sad smile, before pulling Naruto into a hug, "You'll understand when you're older," she whispered, "Take care of yourself, ok?"
Naruto pushed himself out of her arms before walking to his room, "Just buy me ramen when you come back ok?" his voice indifferent as he tried to hide the sadness on his face.
"Yeah," Yuriko murmured as she got up and finished packing her things.
Yuriko did not see Naruto after her brief encounter with him, so she left quietly.
However, as she was about to leave the building, she heard Naruto shout, "Nee-chan!"
Yuriko turned and smiled, "Hey, brat. What're you doing here?"
Naruto ran into her and flung his arms around her waist, "Bye," he muttered embarrassedly.
Yuriko laughed as she ruffled Naruto's hair, "I didn't think you'd care. I'm supposed to come back right?" Yuriko teased.
Naruto shifted uncomfortably as he turned bright red, "Well, I, but, you said-"
Yuriko kissed him on the top of his head before walking out the door, "Ramen's on me, remember?"
Naruto smiled and shouted, "See you later, nee-chan!"
Yuriko waved before vanishing down the street.
Yuriko searched through her section of the village, but found nothing.
"How'd your searches go?" Yuriko asked. All three of them wore their ANBU masks. The only ones that knew their true identity were the Hokage and each other.
"I found him," Katsuo replied, his voice a bit muffled by the porcelain mask over his face.
"Did he notice?"
"No, but it appears he's getting ready to move."
Yuriko nodded, contemplating their next move.
"Are we going to seize him now?" the other female ANBU asked.
Yuriko shook her head, "It'd attract too much attention if we attacked him in broad daylight. If he has any other associates with him, it would prove to be more trouble than it's worth. We wait 'till night. Meet back here, midnight. Keep a watch on him and make sure he doesn't' leave."
"Yes, Captain," the two other ANBU said in unison. They bowed and all three ANBU separated. Katsuo and Kaede would watch over Susumu as Yuriko had her own business to attend to.
Kakashi heard a soft rap at his door. To his surprise, he saw Yuriko waiting on his doorstep.
"Hey," she greeted, "Are you busy?"
"No, not at all," Kakashi replied, "Come in." It was the first time Yuriko had come into his place after they had stopped dating.
Yuriko followed Kakashi to the living room where she sat on the couch while he went to the kitchen. There was a space in the wall, like a window with no glass, between the living room and the kitchen so the two could talk with ease.
"You want something?" Kakashi shouted as he pulled out a drink for himself.
"No, I'm alright, thanks," Yuriko replied. She fiddled with the ring around her left ring finger, tried to plan out how she would go about telling Kakashi, but came up with nothing.
"Listen, about the other night, I'm really sorry. I was drunk and I didn't mean to do those things," Kakashi said as he sat beside her. Yuriko instantly wrapped her right hand around her left.
"Oh," Yuriko laughed lightly, "It's fine. I always knew you were bad with alcohol," Yuriko said a little to quickly, "So, how're you?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. It had only one day since the last time Yuriko had seen him. "I'm fine thanks. What about you? How're things with you and Katsuo?"
"Oh, things, things are good. Yeah, they're good," Yuriko said slowly. Kakashi couldn't help but feel slightly down.
"We're good friends right?" Yuriko asked, interrupting Kakashi's thoughts.
"What?" Kakashi replied slightly confused, "Um…yeah. Why?"
"Like really good friends right? Just friends?"
"If this about me stepping over the "friend" line last night, I thought-"
"Oh no, it's not that, it's…"
"Tell him, just tell him!" Yuriko thought as she stared at the man that sat in front of her, "You want him to know right? But if I tell him, it'll mean things will be completely over. No, that's okay! I love Katsuo, not Kakashi. I'm marrying Katsuo, not Kakashi. Katsuo! Katsuo!"
It was now or never. "Actually, I'm uh," Yuriko cautiously unwound her right hand to reveal the ring on her fourth finger, "I'm getting married."
Kakashi's remained still as he stared at the glistening gold band on Yuriko's finger.
"That's great! Congratulations!" he said with false exuberance.
"Thanks," Yuriko replied.
Kakashi noticed the lack of excitement in Yuriko's voice.
"Do you," Kakashi began, "Do you love him?"
"Do I love him?" The question repeated in Yuriko's head. "Yes, I do. But-" Yuriko didn't let herself finish the thought and replied with a quick, "Yes. Of course!"
"No, I didn't mean to imply," Kakashi stuttered trying to clear the situation, "It was just cause-"
"Oh, yeah, of course," Yuriko replied awkwardly. For a moment neither person spoke, each subconsciously wishing this moment wouldn't have come.
"Kakashi, I'm scared," Yuriko whispered as she twirled the ring round her finger, "What if he's not the one, I don't want to hurt him."
"What makes you think it will?"
Yuriko knew why. As much as she wanted to suppress that gut feeling, it continued to gnaw in her stomach. Without thinking, she slowly gave in.
Almost subconsciously, her hand slowly crept the edge of Kakashi's mask and her fingers slid just beneath the edge. As much as her head screamed at her, she continued to pull the mask from his face and before she could stop herself, her lips hovered just over his.
Not matter how much she wanted to close the gap, she couldn't let herself do it.
After a few seconds, she withdrew, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Kakashi pulled his mask back up, "No, I shouldn't have let myself…do that."
Yuriko made her way toward the door. There was one last thing she had to say.
"Kakashi," Yuriko whispered, "I need to know, are you truly happy for me?"
"I thought we'd agreed not to bring up-"
"I know, but it's been 4 years, and I need to know."
"Well, are you? Truly happy that is?" Kakashi replied.
"Yes...I think I am."
"As long as you're happy with your decisions, I'll support you 100%."
Yuriko smiled and nodded in reply, "Thank you, Kakashi."
Once Yuriko left, Kakashi collapsed on the coach.
She was getting married. Yuriko was getting married. And he…he still loved her.
Sorry for the long delay, I just got back from vacation soooo here's an extra long chapter loves! Stay tuned for more!
Love,
Candygrl2008