Daddy Knows
It's amazing to me how many children believe that their parents know nothing of their social and personal lives. Most think they are cunning into tricking parents and believing that we know nothing. Ohh, they are so wrong. What kids forget is that we parents were once kids too. Times and technology may change, but the idea and plot is still the same. Sneak out while mom and dad are sleeping, leave some type of distraction, feint a plan with one group of friends while going out with a different set of friends. Shutting off all means of contact so you can stay out pass curfew and blame it on some other outside force. I know. I've done them all.
Which is why when you began to slip into your depressive state I wish you would have came to your mother or I. It pained me everyday to see my baby in such a state. See parents also know when something is bothering their children. You have tried so hard to hide the big things that your mind failed in covering little stuff we see. You spend less and less time with you best friend. How every time she leaves your presence, you heave a small sigh of relief. How you don't try to find your teammates, your closest comrades, but try to avoid them. We see how the great amounts of time you spent on your physical features dwindle till it's just enough to get the world to believe you still care about your looks.
A father always knows. I've known for a while something has been wrong, but your mother prompted me to not say a word. My eyes have seen your growing frustration of life. Those light blue stars struggling to keep their shine in front of others while your inner torment strangles you.
The only question is why? I've known for a while something was wrong, but I don't know what caused it. Was it the Uchiha boy that left? Was it because that same boy returned with your friend? Was it something else? I may never know and thanks to your mother I can't investigate any further. All she told me is to trust you and I do. Because you're a Yamanaka, my daughter. We Yamanaka's are passionate and won't let anything beat us without a fight.
So I believed and hoped and trusted you despite all the taboo acts. Even when you spent all your allowance on alcohol and left the bottle at the bottom of the trash, hoping no one would find them. I believed, even when you began to starve yourself and covertly dispose of your meals when you thought your mother and I backs were turned. Even when you began promiscuous behavior with some boy, I never stop trusting.
God I wanted to put a stop to that though. Once again your mother chose to leave it in your hands. Now that I look back I guess she was right. You are blessed with her cerulean eyes and beautiful looks, but you also received my blonde locks and stubborn passion. Knowing your personality, you would have probably stomped off furious and indulge yourself more in these bad behaviors.
Still, it angered me to no end. It still angers me to this day! I really should have put an end to it. An end to him. Still I had a tiny comfort in thinking it was either Shikaku's or Chouza's boy. It would still have been irritating to say the least, but my mind would have been at peace knowing it was someone I could trust. No. It wasn't them or even your crush that rejected you so many times. It's that mangy flee-bag without a home. The same haggard jackal that aided the serpent in destroying our village. The same beast that pummeled your best friend. The same fiend that hurt his own ally and more importantly you!
You told me your chapters from the Chuunin Exam and how your face cringed from the sound team's behavior and how you felt the little jackal deserved his arms being destroyed. If I knew the hourglass of life would bring you both together I would have prayed for the either the Uchiha or Aburame heirs to have finished him off permanently.
I wanted to deal with it my way ever since the day I came home early and found him quickly bounding from your window. Ohh I would have loved to show the little parasite the Yamanaka techniques can be just as deadly as the Sharingan. Yet your mother has and still keeps me at bay because she can be worse than those kaleidoscope eyes. She tells me to trust in you and I do.
To this day I still don't know. Why him? Of all the Konoha youths why that vagabond who came to destroy our peaceful nation? I already know half the teens in this village would throw themselves and pamper you. He's not in that affiliation though. Even now when you bring him into our house like he's a neighbor that has lived next to us for years. The golden hair that remains in front of your face is much shorter for some reason and that rude boy you drag behind you with his left eye black and blue as if a baseball hit him. Probably around causing mischief again.
Your little hands carry him to your room in which I had to promptly ensure that your door is left wide open with all the lights on. If only your mother would stop detaining me I would try to find the few pieces left of this puzzle. My greatest fear is that he was the case of your depression. Preying on you in your time of weakness for his own instinctive, sick pleasures. I know how easily it is to be blinded by passion. My dear daughter, you are not the only one that has had your heart broken. I too have traveled down that path. A long time ago I had my love smashed by a pink hair girl who is now the mother of your best friend.
I used to fight over her with one of my best friends tooth and nail. Still in the end she chose another shinobi with green eyes. I was devastated for a long time and got into some bad activities. Fortunately I met your mother one day and she turned my life around. I'd never forget the day we met nor have I ever regretted meeting her for someone else. It was a tough time and I don't want you to follow down the same path.
Your guests finally arrive. Your favorite friend who has grown on us like a part of the family and her lover who I'm not too fond of either. I've never liked how he's treated you, his peers and admirers. I'm not mad that he didn't return your feelings. People have a right to love and like who they want. I just think he could have approached it a better way rather than snubbing off you two girls and berating you and every other enthusiast of his. I know he has had one of the more tragic life's in Konoha which is why I can forgive him. I can also forgive his short defect from our village. Still I won't forget any of his transgressions.
I watch your guests greet us parents. Your own feral guest with his hair finally combed into something humane finally greets himself to us with no handshake like your other guests. Just a 'hey' murmured from his throat as his eyes roll away from us. Little brat. I really do believe my daughter has gotten involved with a parent's worst nightmare.
As soon as we all sit down your visitor, Zaku, shakes his head like a dog trying to dry itself from wet fur and pushes his hair back to its usual untamed condition. The two of you glare at each other for a second with this boy just growling out a questioning yet stern 'what' at you. Before I could pull this dark hair rebel across the table to meet my face your mother kicks me and quickly asks a question to lighten up the mood for everyone. Someone else got a swift foot to their ankle under the table too, but I wasn't sure who.
The rest of the meal went smoothly. Your mother and I interjecting a few questions every now and then. Each of them answering with their own unique responses. You and Sakura conversed just as best friends should. Joyous with laughter and a bit of teasing. Your charm even got more than two sentences out of Sasuke. I also see there seems to be a bit of animosity between your date and your friend's date. The two boys rarely communicated to each other and seldom gazed at one another. When they did it seems your date bared a lot of unneeded aggression. The few words they have with each other are just terse and stiff as a board. I'd think the two would be on better terms because they were once allied to the serpent of sound. That is a wrong assumption. I have to say the two even made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
After our meal the four teens make there way outside to finish up the visit. I still can't find an answer as to why this detestable ninja that shouldn't even be in our village. It's the one block missing in my tower of knowledge to your behavior. Since your mother won't let me intrude I can only ask her. Maybe she knows something I don't.
Her answer makes me more confused. Because my little girl has not met anyone else like him? I'd think that would be more of a reason to stay away.
"Just like how you are different from anyone else in your generation. I think you're the only man that would have gotten thorns and poison ivy just to make me an ikebana. Too bad you didn't manage to spell out anything with it.", my wife giggles out at me. How would I have known that each flower had a meaning back then? I just thought it was putting pretty flowers together. Thanks to her I know much better now, but I digress.
Another questionable topic also is brought up. I always thought your depression's root was that vagabond, but your mother states that your despair began to subside when she noticed him. If she noticed him before me and didn't say a word that will be something we have to discuss at a later time.
Still she said that its only around the time that he appeared that you began to get that starlight glitter back in your eyes. You were more angry than usual, but it was better than trying to bottle up and mask your emotions like previous. Your eating habits came back. You began to join your closest people in activities once again. Of course the large sum of money that you need for make up once again became taxing to keep up with, but it is worth it to see that smile again. It's like a flower reborn after a cruel winter.
Still that one question aggravates me like a paper cut. Why him? Even now after the little cherry blossom and Uchiha are gone and now it's just you and the sound boy sitting outside on the porch. That is the one question I can't deduce. My wife has seem to figured it out, but refuses to tell me. "For someone who used to be such a tough guy in his teens, I'm surprised you don't see it. Try not looking at what he's doing and see what he's not doing.", my love states picking up the dishes. At what he's not doing? Well the thing I can see are the two of you are having a heated argument. Something over hair and his injured eye. Still they allow their hand to be held by the other. Now to that I think of it I do not believe their two guess ever held hands…
Well, like a philosopher trying to rationalize the world, I will have to keep searching for that answer. If this punk is the reason for your turmoil…well his old master wouldn't even be able to stop my rage. If he is the reason for the drastic change from your depression back into beautiful flower that you are well I only have two words for him.
Thank You.
Yes. I thank him from all of my passionate heart. I'll thank him everyday if this boy is the reason why my little girl's nightmares have dissipated. How did he do it? I probably don't want to know nor will I ask.
Since I've identified this boy's presence, I have seen him as nothing more as a sleazy, low class, scumbag who shouldn't be a ninja and at best as some third rate minion for a yakuza boss. He's rude, violent, and is quite aggressive around you. My opinion still hasn't changed about him. Still though I can give this exile of Oto a chance. I'll have trust in your judgment. I believe in you, because you're a Yamanaka. Just like flowers we'll never just fade away. We'll always bloom again sooner or later.
Still one day this sound child and I are going to have a little talk about all the past events that occurred between you two. That's one thing I definitely know. For now I'll thank him again for making you remember who you are.
A winner.
Maxi-Luca: Whenever I decide to do a yuri pairing I'll keep in mind to try a Ino/Kin.
I tried to do this chapter from a different perspective. Hope you enjoyed it.