The Boy in the Park
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Naruko Uzumaki was the daughter of the Yondaime Hokage and of Kushina Uzumaki.
She was the daughter of the Yondaime Hokage.
The girl who was currently trying to get a reaction out of his seemingly transfixed gaze was the daughter of the Yondaime.
The man who had sealed the Kyuubi into her.
They had to be bullshitting him.
"Aniki?" Naruko asked softly, touching the side of his cheek with her index. "Ehi, Aniki? You home in there?"
He blinked and then looked towards Naruko. He closed his eyes and then sighed, shaking his head. He slumped back down against the sofa, letting his mind filter through his thoughts.
There was simply no way Naruko was the daughter of the Yondaime. Someone else was bound to know and make a fuss of it, right?
It just wasn't possible for people not to know! The Yondaime having a daughter, and that old woman at the library…clearly, they had to know! Yet nobody else had dared go near the girl? Really? He was the only one? Was that why the Hokage had been worried? HE supposed…he supposed that if he asked Naruko to do something, the girl would probably comply.
He supposed…he supposed that being there for her since the beginning, he wondered…would she even go as far as betraying the village, if he asked her to?
Not that he wanted to leave Konoha: it was his home, and frankly, he had nowhere else to go.
"Aniki?" Naruko asked softly once more. "You all right?"
No, he wasn't all right. He knew something he would have gone better without. He knew something that…that couldn't be right but…
He didn't know what to do.
Was he supposed to tell her? Was he supposed to keep it hidden?
Naruko ended up sitting on his lap as he was lost in thoughts. He huffed: the girl was heavy now. He remembered when she was but five, far —far— lighter than now.
"Aniki," Naruko pouted. "Are you thinking I'm fat?"
He carefully began to sweat as he turned his face to the side, keeping his eyes closed.
He felt her squirm on his lap a moment more, before he heard the flipping of a book. He slowly opened an eye and then the other, before realizing he was staring at the back of Naruko's head as the girl was reading on his lap.
"Chapter Twelve: of the Chrysanthemum family and its proprieties…" Naruko said softly. "It is known as the flower of the Daimyo, used to show his possession of things and of whom the name is given to his throne and crest. The family of the Chrysanthemum comprehends flowers like the meagre looking Daisy to mightier and more fragrant looking ones that hold colours ranging from pure snow white to…"
"Orange and crimson red," he finished. "I'm trying to think Naruko."
"About what?" Naruko pouted, not moving from his lap but letting her legs dangle. "I can help you, you know? Is it about the money for the rent? But, they told everyone they weren't due anything until Konoha went back in business! If the landlord is trying to short-change you Aniki, I'll take care of him Dattebayo!"
"No," he chuckled. "It's not about that."
"Uhm…are you thinking on getting ramen for dinner then?" she asked hopefully.
"No," he retorted. "It's not that."
"You're going to ask Anko to marry you, Aniki?" Naruko said then.
He sputtered and shook his head. "No!"
"Good," Naruko huffed. "Better that way."
He blinked. "Why?"
"Aniki has to find someone better than her," she nodded to herself. "She'll just lead you astray! Yeah! And it's just like Hokage-Jiji said: you should know better…yeah… 'ttebayo…" her voice grew quieter. "Aniki?"
"Yes?"
"I miss Jiji," Naruko murmured. "He was…super strong, the Hokage and…and he's dead…right?" there were tears in her eyes.
He remained quiet.
"I…I never thought he'd die like that," Naruko muttered. "I mean…I fought Gaara, I pummelled him to the ground. Everything else was supposed to be easy right? But then…but then he died and…and there was nothing. I mean, if the Hokage can die…" her voice cracked. "I don't want to be alone, Aniki. Gaara…if you hadn't been there, if Jiji hadn't been there…I would have been like him, Aniki…and he was mad…"
She trembled slightly. "Please," she pleaded. "Don't go anywhere, please," she was actually pleading him with the bottom of her heart. "Please don't leave me alone."
He swallowed quietly, letting his right arm circle around Naruko's shoulders as he hugged her closer. He dropped his chin on her head, exhaling.
The book dropped from Naruko's hands, as her trembling form seemed so tiny in that instant. Really, it was in moments like these that he realized she was nothing more than a little girl. Shinobi weren't supposed to show their emotions, but Naruko held hers on her sleeve. Really…she was everything but a shinobi.
"Hush," he muttered. "I'm not going anywhere."
"You say that, Jiji said that too, but Jiji's dead!" she yelled back. "And…and you've got a broken arm and it's still not healed! I…You can't die. Just…just swear it, please?"
"I already did more than once," he sighed in exasperation. "I understand you're scared, but…I'm really not going to end up anywhere, Naruko. Just trust me on this, can't you believe in me, like I believe in you?"
"Promise?" Naruko muttered.
"Promise," he exhaled rolling his eyes. "Are we done crying now?"
Naruko nodded slowly, before gripping tightly on his shirt and pressing herself closer to his chest. Exhausted, she fell asleep a moment later.
She had probably spent the entire day going around Konoha helping whomever she could, if the signs on her hands were of any indication. She was too much of a worrywart for her own good. Always caring for others and never for herself.
"What am I going to do with you, Naruko," he sighed.
Unfortunately…he would never have an answer to that question.