When Naruto and Hikari arrived at Natsumi's place, they could hear a lot of yelling. Naruto sighed as he pounded on the door, seconds after Kureji answered it while rubbing his cheek.

"Hey, Naruto... and Hikari, why're you two here?" He asked.

"I need to talk to Yushrio and Natsumi," Naruto explained.

"Oh, come in than, just don't piss off Natsumi," He warned moving aside.

The two made their way to the livingroom where Natsumi was asleep on Yushiro's shoulder. Yushrio made eye contact with the two and smiled.

"What's up, Naruto?" He asked.

"N-nothing, I was hoping to talk to Natsumi but... she's apparently asleep," Naruto said simply.

"It's way too early to be asleep!" Hikari exclaimed. "I can get her up if you guys want!"

Yushiro shook his head. "She's tired from looking after the twins," He told them. "What was it you wanted?" Yushiro asked Naruto.

"I ah, wanted to tell her something involving Suna, but I can tell you. Gaara only wants us all up there because they fear for another attack from the Akasuki,"

"But I thought they only went there because of the demon,"

"Well yeah, but still," Naruto said.

"Wait wait- who's the Akasuki, or what is it?" Hikari asked, confused. "And what demon?"

Yushiro looked at her oddly. "Do you know anything?" He asked kinda rudly.

"Hm? Yeah, I think so," She replied, her smile not fading.

"The Akasuki is a group of powerful ninja that go around sucking demons like the nin-tailed fox out of people," Yushiro explained.

"Wait wait, like the uh, the thing in him?" She wondered, jerking her thumb in Naruto's direction.

Yushiro nodded. "Gaara had the one-tailed demon, he was actually killed, Natsumi and I had been trying to protect the Kazekage at the time, and clearly failed, Naruto was the one who saved Gaara by helping the old lady sacrifice her life," Yushiro explained.

"What old lady? Tsunade? But she's still here... and wait what- Gaara's dead? But I just saw him! We shook hands!" Hikari replied with wide-eyes. "What on earth happened in the like twenty minutes we left him? I'm so confused." She muttered the last part to herself.

Even Naruto had to facepalm himself. "This happened months ago, and the lady who died was named Chiyo," Naruto explained.

"Oh...," She trailed off, glancing around the room. "I dunno who that person is! Never heard of her before!"

"You wouldn't," Naruto said grimly; seemed this conversation was painful to him.

"Anyway, I'll tell her," Yushiro said changing the subject.

Hikari bounced on her feet as she stood there- she hadn't moved in almost five whole minutes and she wasn't too sure how much longer she'd last.

"Well we will go then," Naruto said standing up.

"Alright, bye," Yushiro said turning his attention back to the T.V.

Hikari cocked an eyebrow at Yushiro- he seemed quite disrespectful. "Yeah, bye!" She called out.

Outside it had now become dark. "W-well I guess I should walk you home," Naruto said awkwardly.

"Oh, you don't have to if you're busy!" She assured him happily.

"I-I'm not!" He said louder than he meant.

"Alright then!" She agreed with a grin.

Narutp blushed as he turned in the direction of Hikari's home.

She skipped along side him, hardly wanting to go home- sure, it was dark and her brother would be expecting her, but she was in an adventurous mood.

"W-what's up with you?" Naruto asked, noticing her odd behaviour.

She blinked up at him. "Hmm?"

"You're acting... different," He told her.

"Oh, am I?" Hikari wondered.

Naruto nodded. "I dunno why,"

"Hm, me neither!" She agreed, also nodding.

Finally the two made it to Hikari's house. Naruto scratched the back of his neck nervously as he looked at her.

"W-wanna hang o-out tomorrow?" He asked, blushing.

"Oh well sure! I don't see why not!" Hikari replied happily with a grin.

"W-well I'll go then... before your brother knows I'm here," Naruto said as he turned to leave.

She blinked in surprise. "But I thought you guys were friends?" Hikari questioned curiously.

"W-we are, I just don't think he'd like seeing me with you," Naruto said without turning around.

"Why not?" She asked with a gasp. "I thought we could be friends too!"

"W-we can!" He yelled turning to face her. "W-we are friends, a-aren't we?" He asked blushing again.

"Well, I thought so?" She replied, sounding a bit unsure of herself, which was very odd.

He laughed nervously. "I just t-thought if your brother saw me w-with you like this... t-that he w-will g-get the w-wrong idea...," He trailed off averting his gaze to the ground.

"I don't get it," She stated.

"Like what?"

"N-Nevermind..." He said lmost in a whisper as he turned again.

She reached forward and placed a hand on his arm. "No tell me, please?" She requested. Hikari hated when people wouldn't explain things to her.

Naruto seemed shocked by her touch. "I-I just figured h-he'd think we were... t-together, o-or something," He stuttered nervously.

"Well we are, aren't we?" She wondered, tilting her head to the side and looking up at him in confusion.

Naruto actually had to laugh at her stupidity. "Together as in *dating*... get it now?" He asked still laughing.

"Oh!" Hikari exclaimed, getting it now. She giggled and pulled her hand back. "I don't think he'd actually think that! That's so silly of you, Naruto-kun!"

He laughed nervously. "N-Not really,"

"Why isn't it?" She wondered, blinking up at him. She couldn't picture her older brother thinking that.

"N-nevermind, I'll see you later, bye!" Naruto ran off quickly before he could be questioned again.

"Ciao!" Hikari called out, giving a big wave.

Natsumi yawned as she sat up. She was in her bed with Yushiro laying and watching T.V from the bed.

"Sleep well?" Yushiro asked with a laugh.

"W-when did I pass out?" Natsumi asked him.

"A few hours ago, you alright?" He asked her.

"Yeah, just tired...," She trailed off as she moved in to cuddle with Yushrio.

"Kureji and you seemed to have never changed," He said suddenly.

"H-hes n-not that bad I guess, just... annoying... h-how do you feel about all of us going back to Suna, hun?"

"Well, Lord Kazekage asked for it, so we have no choice, right?"

"W-well I guess not, but do you think its a good place for Aya and Isamu to be rasied?"

He nodded. "Suna is a great place to live, I like it there,"

"S-so do I, I just... I wanted them to be leaft shinobi like us," Natsumi admitted.

"It may be better if they dont since we had such an... interesting childhood,"

"Yeah, I guess if you put it that way," Natsumi agreed. "W-what do you think of that Hikari girl?"

"Hikari? Oh that bruette, well she seems very... unlike us?"

"Well yeah, but I meant, what do you think of her?"

"Well it seemed both Naruto and Kureji had the hots for her,"

Natsumi laughed. "Did you?" She asked jokingly.

Yushiro looked over and tackled Natsumi kissing her deeply. "Of course not,"

Natsumi smiled. "But seriously hun, I think we should get to know her a bit,"

"Why?" He asked, confused.

"She is so much like Naruto, I think that may be something we can work with," Natsumi said smirking.

"Are you saying she is powerful like us?" Yushiro asked, still confused.

"Possibly, she may be going to Suna with us to help out, if she does I think we should keep an eye on her,"

"Kureji is working the Chunin exams, maybe we can go and watch her skills," He suggested.

"Good idea hun!"

Yushiro smiled and rolled back over onto his back shutting off the T.V and curling up with Natsumi.

The following morning Yushiro woke up before Natsumi and sighed. He headed to the spare room currently being used as a nursery and saw that the twins were already up.

"Daddy!" Aya yelled.

It was amazing how only a few weeks old babies were so intellegent; maybe this is why Namagaki and Hitama blood were always kept far apart...

"I'm here," Yushiro calmed as he picked up his daugher in his arms.

"Mommy!" Isamu called.

Aya seemed closer to the boys in the family and Isamu was either alone or wanting Natsumi.

"Shhh, Mom is alseep," Yushiro told his son as he went to pick him up.

"No!" Isamu yelled backing away in his crib. "Only Mommy!" He yelled.

Yushiro sighed. "Fine, stay here than," He told Isamu as he turned to leave.

"Let me out!" The boy called.

Yushiro laughed as he lifted out Isamu and put him on the floor, he instantly began crawling around on the floor.

Yushiro traveled downstairs where Kureji and Hikaru were sitting and talking. Yushiro had to smile, the four have them had come so far in a short while.

"Morning guys," Yushiro greeted.

"Uncle!" Aya called streching her arms out toward Kureji.

"Why does the kid like me so damn much?" Kureji asked jokingly as he took Aya from Yushiro's arms.

Yushiro shrugged as he sat down at the table. "You just have that affect on people, Ku Ku," Yushiro joked.

"Natsumi still alseep?" Hikaru asked.

"Yep, she's been so tired lately," Yushiro said with a sigh.

"That's my fault kinda...," Kureji trailed off as he sat down at the table with his brothers.

"Actually, Nat admitted to me last night that you're not that bad, Ku Ku," Yushiro told him.

"R-really?" Kureji asked, clearly shocked.

"Yep,"

"Wow... well then I'm gonna try to stay on her good side," Kureji said with a laugh.

"Good idea, Kureji," Hikaru agreed as he stood up.

"Where are you goin'?" Yushiro asked.

"Store, gonna get something from Hinata, it's her birthday," Hikaru told them.

Kureji began laughing hystarically. "Hikaru and Hinata sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-"

"What are you, five? You're the oldest here you idiot," Hikaru said, irritated. "Bye,"

Hikaru walked out and into town ignoring Kureji's childish behavior. On his way to the gift store, he spotted Hikari and decided to stop and chat to her.

"Hey, Hikari, you shopping for Hinata's birthday too?" He asked with a friendly smile.

"Yes, sure am! I have some brilliant ideas, but I can't decide which one! It's so hard! Oh my, you must be having problems too, aren't you? It's okay- do you want me to help?" Hikari spoke fast as usual, her eyes getting brighter as she came to asking if he needed help.

"Ah, no, thanks I wa just on my way to the store, I already have an idea," Hikaru suddenly blushed as he smiled even brighter to the hyper-active girl.

Hikari pouted, becoming discouraged for a mere second. "Oh well! Can I come? Please? I'm so bored! There's like nothing to do! Naruto said he wanted to hang today, so I made no other plans, but I haven't seen him around! So do you wanna shop together, hm?" She asked brightly.

Hikaru blinked. "Ah, sure?" He forced a smile as he made his way inside the shop.

She followed behind, practically skipping again.

Hikaru made his way to the jewlerly like section of the store and began browsing the selections.

Hikari went around the store, stopping in front of almost every piece of jewelry going on about how pretty it was. She did this almost about fourty times before she found a shirt tie she fell in love with. "It's mine!" She called out, ignoring some of the looks people gave her. She swiped it off the rack and ran to the front desk, purschasing it.

Hikaru finally found the perfect necklace for Hinata and purschased it, he met up with Hikari back outside. "Wern't you shopping for Hinata?" He asked looking at the tie in her hands.

Hikari brought her hand to her forehead. "Oh shoot! I knew I was forgetting something! This always happens! I always find something so pretty and amazing that I forget what I was supposed to actually get! It's so awful, really it is!" She explained, throwing her arms dramatically in the air and falling to her knees. "The tie was just so awesome! I couldn't help it!"

"I-It's no big d-deal, just go back in there and get something," He hesitated looking down on Hikari.

She jumped up, a smile gracing her lips again. "Very true! I suppose I will just have to go back in- I'm over it!" Hikari exclaimed triumphantly.

"W-want me to w-wait for you?" He asked cautiously.

"Oh I don't care! It's up to you!" She called out, running into the store.

Hikaru sighed and leaned up against the wall, not like he had anything else to do.

A few moments later Hikari appeared out of the store with a beautiful hair barrette for her best friend. "Ta da!" She yelled out, shoving it into his face. "Isn't it so pretty?"

Hikaru laughed. "Yep, she'll love it!" He told her taking a step back so the barrette wasn't blurring his eye sight. "Want to go to her place together than?" He asked with another smile.

"Oh! Yes, sure! That sounds like a brilliant idea!" She agreed.

Hikaru smiled as he turned to head to Hinata's, he could hear Hikari's light skipping feet tail behind him. "So are you always this loud and cheerful?" He suddenly asked with a nervous laugh.

"Oh why yes! Of course I am! Aren't you?" She wondered, humming quietly.

He laughed. "Not quite,"

"Hm? Sure it is! Simple is my middle name and if I can do it, then everyone can!" She exclaimed happily.

He laughed yet again. "I wish it was, Hikari,"

"But it really is...," She trailed off, starting to become confused with him.

He sighed. "M-Maybe we should talk about something else, like... what are your hobbies?" He asked despretely trying to change the subject.

"Hanging out with people, dancing, playing at the park, meeting new people, catching cats with my squad, eating, shopping, singing, playing with little kids, and totally loads more!" Hikari replied brightly. "You?"

His eyes widened, he was almost happy she wasn't able to see his face. "I ah, fight with my brother in-law, look after my neice and nefew, go on missions and spend a lot of time with Hinata," He said simply; compared to Hikari, he was boring.

"Oh nice!" Hikari responded, still happily skipping along behind him.

"So, you with Naruto then? You mentioned you were supposed to hang out with him," Hikaru said trying to keep conversation.

"Oh, well no! Clearly I'm with you," She replied, giggling at him. She thought he was almost dumb for asking that. "We were supposed to be together today, but who knows what happened! Oh well! He probably is busy!"

Hikaru had to laugh. "I meant are you dating him?" He told her.

"Oh!" Hikari responded with a laugh. "Nope!"

The male ninja smirked. "Do you wanted to date him?" He purred.

She gave a tiny shrug as she skipped along. "I don't really think about things," She told him with a giggle. "So I've never thought about it!"

"Maybe you should, he clearly had the hots for you," He said simply.

"Oh really?" Hikari asked, completely taken aback. "I never noticed!"

Hikaru rolled his eyes and mumbled, "That's cause you're too dumb,"

Hikari missed a skip as she stared at the ground, forcing a smile back onto her face. She was used to those comments. It meant nothing, she told herself.

"Well here we are," Hikaru said outloud as they came to a halt.

She nodded brightly and knocked on the door.

Hinata appeared in the doorway with a smile on her face. "H-Hi guys,"

"Happy birthday, Hinata," Hikaru said happily as he walked in and gave her a quick kiss.

"O-oh thank you," She mumbled.

"You're welcome!" Hikari cried out happily, hugging Hinata.

"S-so what're you two doing t-together?" Hinata asked pulling from the hug.

"Shopping!" Hikari replied brightly,

"O-oh," She said almost sounding relived.

"We have gifts for you, may we come in?" Hikaru asked smiling.

"O-Of course!" Hinata said brightly as she stepped aside letting the two walk in.

Hikari walked in and quickly made herself at home.

"Here," Hikaru said to Hinata handing her a small black velvet box.

The box contained a silver heart with a saffire in the centre.

"H-Hikaru, t-this is beautiful!" Hinata cried as she threw her arsm around his neck hugging him tightly.

"Just like you," He whispered pulling her close.

Hikari gushed at the couple from the chair she was sitting in. "Awww!" She said.

Hinata blushed fiericily as she pulled away and looked to her friend. "Shh!" She scolded trying not to laugh.

Hikari stuck her tongue out, but did quiet down a bit.

"Didn't you get her a gift too," Hikaru teased as he leaned against the door frame.

"Yes!" Hikari replied, digging into her pocket. She handed the gift to Hinata with bright eyes. "I looked all week for it! Then at the last minute, I forgot about it! But then I was reminded! So here it is!"

Hinata smiled as she walked to a mirror that was on the wall and stuck the barrette in her hair and put on the necklace. "T-thanks, b-both of you," She said with a smile as she faced the two of them. "You're welcome," Hikaru said with a smile.

Hikari smiled brightly, bouncing in her seat.

"H-Hinata, may I talk to you for a second, alone ?" Hikaru asked, no longer smiling.

Hinata looked nervous but nodded. "G-give us a minute?" Hinata said with a forced smile to her friend.

Hikari stood up and walked out, closing the door behind her. She frowned as she paced on the lawn; she hadn't felt so unwanted in a while.

A few minutes later Hinata opened the door and called to her friend. "Y-you can come back," She told her. Hikaru was gone and Hinata appeared to have been crying.

"What's wrong?" Hikari asked, concerned.

Hinata forced a smile. "N-Nothing,"

"Don't lie; I might not get other people sometimes, but you're my best friend!"

"I-it's nothing really, j-just Hikaru doesn't know what to do about us, he has to move to Suna with his ffamily...," Hinata trailed off as she tried to push back tears.

"Why don't you go with them?" Hikari asked, making it sound like the most obvious and simple thing in the world. Sometimes, she thought people needed to look at things the way she did.

Hinata's eyes widened. "I-I can't! I have my squad here, and it's not like we live together anyway," She told her friend.

"Why can't they come too?" Hikari wondered.

"We can't all leave our lives here just like that," She said grimly.

"Oh...," Hikari trailed off.

"T-thank you, Hikari, but unfortunatly it wont work out," She said sadly.

"I'm sure you guys can meet up halfway every so often!`She said brightly.

"Maybe," Hinata agreed,

After a while, Hikari finally decided to head home. "I'm gonna go now, feel better! I'm sure everything will work out! It always does!" She assured Hinata, heading out the door. She skipped along happily humming to herself as she headed to town.

"Hikari!" A voice yelled from a roof.

Hikari jumped in surprise and laughed, looking up. "Hey!" She called upwards.

The blonde grinned brightly. "Hop up here, I've been looking for you all day!" He told her.

Hikari swiftly jumped up, landing beside him. "Sorry! I was waiting for a while then I decided to go see Hinata since it was her birthday and whatnot!" She told him.

"Yeah, I was here before I came looking for you," He said with a laugh.

"Oh!" She responded, also laughing.

He laughed. "Wanna go train with Sai and Sakura?" He suggested smiling.

"Oh, I don't care! Whatever you feel like!" She replied brightly.

Naruto laughed before smiling. "Well you have the Chunin exams coming up again, right? We can help you train for it," Naruto told her.

"Oh true! I'd like almost forgotten again!" Hikari exlcaimed with a laugh.

"So wanna train then?" He asked again.

"Oh, sure!" She replied brightly.

"Alright. let's go!" He exclaimed jumping to a different building. Hikari easily followed behind him, skipping along the rooftops.

The jumped from roof top to rooftop until they reached a clearing where Sai and Sakura were sparring. Sai kicked Sakura in the chest making her fall against a tree, he won.

"H-hey Hikari," Sakura said with a small smile as she stood up.

"Hey, Sakura!" Hikari greeted happily, bouncing from foot to foot.

"You here to train too?" She asked happily.

Hikari looked over at Naruto before giving a nod. She was more than eighty percent sure that's what he'd been talking about. Then again, she was never one to remember things for very long.

"Well then, let's start," Sakura said brightly as she moved back pulling out a kunai.

"Okay!" Hikari replied brightly, following Sakura's lead.

Sakura smiled before charging at Hikari, the kunai in front of her face with crossed arms as a block.

Hikari froze for a second before giving her head a shake and hardly avoiding Sakura. She knew the older girl was on a whole different level than herself.

Sakura laughed. "Why don't you try taking a hit at me first," She suggested.

"Uh, I-I dunno!" Hikari replied nervously, still grinning.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Im telling you to, try to hit me," She said.

"O-Oh! I'm not sure, I mean, I dunno," She replied.

"Just do it, Hikari!" Naruto yelled from the side of their battle.

Hikari stood there awkwardly. She was never one to fight without needing to do it. Then along throw the first punch or anything.

"Hello, earth to Hikari, hit me!" Sakura yelled.

"You cannot become a Chunin otherwise," Sai said to her.

Hikari stood there, for once, not completely moving.

Sakura was starting to become annoyed. "Why wont you hit me!"

"I-I dunno!" Hikari replied, taking a step back.

Sakura gave up and put her kunai away. "Good luck becoming a Chunin then," She told Hikari .

Hikari gave a shrug, still standing there. She didn't fight unless she was at the exam, or it was actually needed. Being a genin though, that was never the case.

"L-let's just go, Hikari," Naruto suggested, tugging on her arm.

"Alright," Hikari said, being pulled along by Naruto.

Once the two were out of sight from Sakura and Sai, Naruto looked at Hikari and asked, "Why wouldn't you train?"

"I never throw the first hit. Ever," Hikari replied with a nod.

He laughed. "That's one thing we *don't* have in common then,"

She blinked up at him. "Oh, you mean you always do?" She asked, making sure she understood what he meant. He nodded and she made an 'O' shape with her lips.

Naruto laughed. "So what do you want to do then?"

She shrugged. `Whatever you feel like!" She replied happily.

He sighed. "What do you wanna do?"

She smiled happily. "Anything!"

"Then you decide," He told her.

"No no! It's fine!" She replied with a smile.

"I want you to," He told her.

"I don't like to," She responded still happily.

Naruto sighed as he looked down to the ground from the roof. Natsumi was strolling along happily. Naruto laughed and hopped down in front of her. "Natsumi!" He said.

Natsumi jumped half a foot before smiling. "N-Naruto, you scared me, what's up?" She asked him, smiling. Hikari followed him down, landing silently beside them.

"Oh, ah Hikari you're here too, you two on a date?" Natsumi asked casually.

"I don't think so," Hikari replied with a smile.

"Ah, huh," Natsumi said cautiously. "Anyway Naruto, I was actually looking for you," Natsumi told him.

"You, were?" He asked sounding shocked.

She nodded. "Can I talk to you fora moment or are you two busy?"

"You can talk to me,"

"Alright, um... it actually has to do with you too, Hikari," Natsumi said, her eyes now locked with Hikari's.

Hikari smiled up at her. "Okay!"

Natsumi had to roll her eyes at the oblivious girl. "Yushiro and I were talking last night, we think there's something odd about you, Hikari, I don't mean that in a rude way, but we do still mean that. What was your childhood like?" Natsumi asked, sounding serious.

Hikari's smile faultered for a second, but only a second. "What do you mean?" She asked happily.

"Just answer the question," Natsumi ordered.

"W-wait, what does this have to do with me?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Oh, well I guess nothing," Natsumi smiled before looking back at Hikari with a serious expression. "Answer the question," She ordered again.

Hikari looked away, feeling nervous under the serious gaze. "It was fine," She replied somewhat dryly.

"Honestly? Or was there something major that happened that you couldn't ever explain?" Natsumi pressed on, not caring how uncomfortable the girl seemed.

"Natsumi, maybe you should tell her why you're asking this stuff," Naruto suggested.

"No, because if I'm wrong, mentioning this would be useless," Natsumi sighed. "So was there?" She asked again.

Hikari nervously shifted the weight from one foot onto the other. "I- uh - my mother was killed," She replied, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that, but that's not what I meant. Was there any power, or something that physically happened to you? It's very important that you're honest," Natsumi said calmly.

Hikari stood there, absolutely dumbfounded. "I don't really understand what you mean," She told Natsumi with a laugh.

"Have you ever felt an odd power that you couldn't explain?" Natsumi asked again trying to make her question more simple.

Hikari's head tilted to the side a bit as she blinked up at her. "Uh- why?" She wondered, almost afraid to answer Natsumi's question.

"Just anwer it," Natsumi answered, sounding annoyed.

Hikari nervously looked around before giving a shrug in response. She didn't like when people sounded grumpy, so she didn't feel like answering Natsumi; she didn't feel like she was being very nice to her.

Natsumi sighed. "Please tell me, it's important," Natsumi said more calmly.

"I guess, kinda," Hikari replied, instinctively moving closer to Naruto.

Natsumi sighed, she was gonna have to say it, this girl was giving her no choice. "Ugh, Yushiro and I think you may be somehow like Naruto,"

"L-Like me? What do you mean?" He asked, confused.

"You have the nine-tails, we think she may have a demon too," Natsumi finally spit out.

AN: Seems that Hikari may be more important then we realised, huh? :P

XxSoulNoteWritterxX