The Harem Jutsu
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto series.
Chapter 12: Mizuki's self defence training
...
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Mizuki continued their training. Kakashi was explaining what Mizuki was supposed to do.
"So you have to find a way to keep me away from you," he said. "Give me an example of how you would do that."
He walked towards her. Mizuki didn't really know what to do. She just took a step back every time Kakashi took a step forward.
Suddenly, Kakashi disappeared. Mizuki stopped moving. "Kakashi?" she asked carefully.
"Behind you," Kakashi whispered. Mizuki turned around and her face turned red when she saw Kakashi standing right behind her. She quickly turned around, took a few steps back and fell down.
"What are you doing?!" she asked. "You scared me!"
"Is that how you act when someone's sneaking up to you?" Kakashi asked strictly.
"I…" Mizuki said. She sighed. "I'm too scared to do anything."
Kakashi came and sat next to Mizuki.
"I can't say I don't understand that," he said, "but if you want me to help you, you need to co-operate. And I can't always be there to protect you."
"I'm sorry," Mizuki said.
"For what?" Kakashi asked.
"For being a burden to you—"
"You're not a burden," Kakashi said. "Stop saying that." He stood up. "Now come on and get up. We have a lot of work to do."
He reached out to help her get up. She took his hand and got up. But Kakashi didn't let go of her hand. He stared at her.
Mizuki blushed a little, feeling awkward. "Umm… Kakashi?" she asked. "Can I have my hand back?"
"Try and get it back," Kakashi said. "Come on, free yourself."
Mizuki looked at him. Then she looked at his hand, holding hers extra tightly now.
She gave it a try. She pulled as hard as she could, but she couldn't move Kakashi's hand or arm for the least bit. Even with sudden movements, she couldn't do it. Then she tried to get his hand off with her other hand, also with no success.
Kakashi started to laugh as she tried to free herself.
Mizuki gave up and sighed. "It's not funny," she said embarrassed. "You're a Jounin. I'm not even a ninja! How am I supposed to…"
Kakashi stopped laughing and looked at her with that friendly looking eye.
"Look at my hand," he said. "A hand has five fingers. Do you know which one is the weakest in this situation?"
Mizuki thought for a while.
"It's the thumb," Kakashi said. "I've got the upper side of your hand with four fingers, while I've got the down side with only my thumb. Still, you're trying to get your hand back by pulling it towards yourself."
Mizuki looked at their hands. She saw it.
"Now," Kakashi said, "what are you gonna do?"
Mizuki grabbed her own hand with the other and pulled it downwards, making Kakashi let go of her.
"Look, you did it," he said. Mizuki looked at her freed hand and smiled.
"But remember," Kakashi said, "this is not just about getting your hand back. With this, I'm also telling you that whenever you're in a pinch, it's not always hopeless. No matter how bad things may look, there's always a weak point. Therefore, there's always a way out."
Mizuki looked at him. He had always been a wise kid. She could remember that.
She smiled. "You haven't changed a bit," she said. "You used to give me advices like that when I was little."
"I did?" Kakashi asked.
"You can't remember?" Mizuki asked. Kakashi saw the disappointed look in her eyes.
"I remember," Kakashi said. "It's part of being a big brother, right?" he added with a smile.
Mizuki smiled for a moment.
"Do you… still see me as a little sister?" she asked. Kakashi stopped smiling. He didn't know what to answer.
"It's been so long," Mizuki continued, "and for 15 years, I've felt abandoned by you. I've lost you as a brother. But… Do you see me as a little sister or as a friend?"
Kakashi didn't answer. Mizuki could only hear the wind blowing through the grass, and the trees that were next to the field.
"O-or…" she stuttered quietly. Maybe she was nothing to him anymore.
"You're right," Kakashi said finally. Mizuki didn't understand.
"It has been a long time," he continued. "I used to be the big brother protecting and playing with his little sister. But times do change, Mizuki."
"What… what are you saying?" Mizuki asked carefully.
"You're not that little girl anymore, Mizuki," Kakashi said. "The bonds we share aren't like they used to be anymore."
"So that means—"
"You're not my sister," Kakashi said.
Mizuki was quiet for a while. Then she looked at her feet. "I see…" she said, trying not to cry.
"You're my friend," Kakashi said.
Mizuki looked up. One tear was rolling down her cheek. After it fell, a smile appeared on Mizuki's face.
"Really?" she asked happily. Kakashi nodded.
"Thank goodness," she sighed. "I thought I'd lost you as a friend, as well."
Kakashi put his hand on her head and smiled. Not only did that make Mizuki realize how much taller Kakashi was than she was, but it also made her feel a little uncomfortable. Even if it was Kakashi.
Just then, Kakashi saw Naruto standing a few metres away from them.
"Naruto," he said. Mizuki turned her head and looked at Naruto.
"Am I interrupting something?" Naruto asked with a grin on his face, looking at Kakashi's hand, which was still on Mizuki's head.
Kakashi withdrew his hand. "No, this is not what you think," he said quickly. Just then, Mizuki got what they meant.
"Ah, that's right," she said. She blushed a little. "We're old friends. We haven't seen each other in 15 years, so…"
Naruto gave them a sarcastic look. He decided to just drop the subject.
"Anyway, sensei," he said, "about what we talked about this morning…"
"Ah, right," Kakashi said. Actually, he forgot all about that. He looked at Mizuki, making her wonder if he told him already.
"This morning?" she asked.
"Kakashi-sensei was going to tell me about my parents yesterday," Naruto answered. "Until you came along, that is."
"Oh… right," Mizuki said. She felt guilty. "Sorry about yesterday. I was kinda in a bad mood, so I overreacted."
Naruto was a little surprised that she was apologising. She was really mad yesterday.
"Umm… it's ok," Naruto said.
Kakashi took his chance. "Good," he said. "Naruto, you want to know about your parents?"
Naruto nodded.
"Well, to be honest," Kakashi said, "I think Mizuki would be a better person to tell you than I would."
"Me?" Mizuki asked.
Naruto gave Kakashi another sarcastic look. "Yeah, very smooth, sensei," he mumbled so that Mizuki couldn't hear it.
"She knew them better than I did," Kakashi said. Then he looked at Mizuki. "It's alright, isn't it?" he said. "We'll just take a break and you can tell Naruto about his parents."
Mizuki looked at him and faked a smile. "Right," she said. "Great…"
The three of them sat on the grass.
"So…" Mizuki started. She forced a smile, even though it was strange for her to talk to Naruto. "What do you wanna know?" she asked.
"Well," Naruto said, "you knew my parents so well, right? So… what were they like?"
"Well… your mother was a kind, beautiful woman," Mizuki said. "Well, sometimes she was a little… direct with people. But she was more hilarious than she was harsh at those times. She always made me laugh."
Naruto smiled.
"And your father," Mizuki continued. "You father was one of the greatest men this village has ever known."
"Really?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, of course," Mizuki said. "Are you surprised?"
"I've never heard anyone talk about him," Naruto said.
"No one?" Mizuki repeated. "But…" She laughed a little. But when she saw Naruto looking at her like he didn't understand, she stopped laughing.
"Wait a minute," she said. She looked at Kakashi. "Does he even know…?"
Kakashi hadn't thought about that at first.
"Do you know who your father really was?" she asked Naruto. He shook his head. Mizuki didn't see that coming at all.
"You never told him?!" she asked Kakashi.
"Well, I…" Kakashi said. "I do always tell him he's just like Yondaime, but…"
"Whoa," Naruto interrupted him. "Just a sec. Yondaime? What does he have to do with it?"
Both Mizuki and Kakashi looked at him. Naruto could tell from the look in their eyes what they meant.
"Yondaime… was my father?" he asked. Kakashi and Mizuki didn't say anything, but the looks in their eyes were enough.
... If you want to know how Naruto's going to react to this, please read the next chapter :) Thank you for reading!
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