"Hey pops! What's up?" Hidan waved, interrupting father and son's meditation.
"We were just meditating," Shikamaru grumbled, furrowing his brow.
"Oh, sorry about that," Hidan rubbed the back of his head shyly. "I was wondering, what happened with Kakuzu?"
"He's dead," Shikamaru replied coldly.
This was shocking news to Hidan as he stood and stared. How could Kakuzu die? Wasn't he immortal like him? "How?" Hidan asked.
"The Hokage performed Rasengan on him shortly after I was through with you, the attack killed him," Shikamaru stood up and stretched his legs out.
Hidan was dumbstruck, "Where is his body?"
"That's classified information, I cannot tell you that," Shikamaru went for the door, Haru following him.
"Thanks, pops." Hidan muttered, following them back in.
Mitsuko was still sitting on the couch where Hidan left her. When the three men walked in, she looked around nervously and continued folding clothes.
"I'm going to the headquarters, I'll be back tonight," Shikamaru lit a quick cigarette and took a puff. "You guys know the drill. Haru is in charge. Mitsuko, if you go anywhere, tell your brother first. Today, Hidan stays here."
"What? That's no fair!" Hidan objected like a rebellious teen.
Shikamaru flashed him a look that told Hidan that he knew what had happened with Taro. "As long as you live in my house, you follow my rules. That's what I've always told Haru and Mitsuko, now I'm telling you, son."
Hidan went red with anger as Shikamaru left, laughing.
"Calm down, Hidan," Haru told him, "Dad always jokes around with us."
"I've just had a really bad day so far, I guess," he replied, clenching his fists. He saw that Mitsuko was hurt that he said he hadn't enjoyed his day at all and he remembered kissing her forehead. "But Mitsuko always brightens my day. What do you plan to do today, Mitsuko?"
"Well, I was thinking about just staying home with you until papa comes back," Mitsuko looked up at him. Haru disappeared into his room. He hated babysitting.
"Okay, sounds good," Hidan lied. He wanted to get out of the house and find out where Kakuzu was. He had the urge to find his old teammate today.
Mitsuko watched out of the corner of her eye as Hidan fell back into the couch beside her and flipped through the few channels on the television. She had overheard the conversation outback.
"Papa told me about Kakuzu," Mitsuko started as she stared down at her hands. Hidan looked over at her, waiting for her to continue. "His cells had all been broken and beyond medical repair."
"Is there new techniques now that would bring him back after all this time?" Hidan whispered.
"I believe so although it hasn't been tested. I bet if you put a bunch of new cells into a body, they will help rebuild the broken cells and eventually rebuild the whole body."
"Do you think you could do that if you had Kakuzu's body?" Hidan turned to her, his arms stretched out across the back of the couch, one arm almost behind her.
Mitsuko nodded as she leaned over the basket. "If his cell structure is truely damaged, then that is all I might need to do to bring him back unless..." she held her tongue. Maybe Hidan was the wrong person to mention it to.
"Unless what?" he looked at her with a persuasive gaze, trying to pry the information from her.
"I heard that there is a jutsu to revive the dead but I doubt your friend will be the same after that jutsu is performed. Even with my cell theory, he may end up being a vessel or a soulless puppet," she explained as she glanced over at him.
"He'd probably get pissed at me if I tried to revive him," Hidan stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "Would you seriously do that for me though?"
Mitsuko nodded. "If it makes you happy," she looked away from him, "Is Kakuzu your boyfriend?" she blushed, hoping he wasn't.
"What!? No way! Ew!" Hidan shouted, taken aback by Mitsuko's absurd question. "That dude was like a hundred years old!"
"Then why do you want to see him alive again?" Mitsuko smiled sweetly.
"Well," he breathed, gazing at the wooden floor, "I guess I miss having him around."
"Haru misses having mother around. I cannot understand that feeling but I have sympathies for those who do. I'll try what I can to help you, Hidan," Mitsuko gleamed and turned her head quickly, covering her face with her hair. "If I was gone, would you miss having me around?" she managed to ask him nervously.
Hidan stared at her, trying to find an answer that told the truth and wouldn't upset her too much. "I don't know."
Mitsuko shivered and stood up. "Boys are stupid," she said coldly before disappearing in the hall, leaving her unfinished chore of folding the laundry on the coffee table.
Hidan made a smug look and turned to the television. "She'll get over it," he sighed thinking about his plan of using her to revive Kakuzu and then leaving Konoha with his old partner. He was such a single-minded fool as he did not wonder if Kakuzu would be willing to come with him or even if he would be revived as a whole.