The Boy in the Park

Chapter Seventy

Kakashi stared at his team, or what remained of it.

Sakura was on the ground, her cheeks gaunt and her eyes glazed over as if someone had just killed her family.

Sai remained normally apathetic.

Naruko was...well, it was scary.

Her cheeks were sunken. Her eyes were dead. She wasn't sprawled on the ground, but her bed raggled hair and her clear lack of vitality made it clear something had happened.

This was supposed to be a team training exercise.

It turned out to be anything but such as Naruko didn't even move from her position when he gave the start.

He tried to fling a punch at Naruko's face, but the girl...she didn't even react.

He stilled an inch before touching her nose, and then stopped the practice.

"Alright," he said clapping his hands. "What is going on here?"

Naruko didn't reply.

Sakura began to wail. Sai frowned and cocked his head to the side, before taking 'Teen Ninja Today!' with the front page stating, in bold green letters 'Sexy Swimsuit Photo of Maito Gai, the Sexiest Green Macho of Konoha! Look at those abs, they're one-hundred percent Fire of Youth!'

"They're pregnant," he blurted out in the end, his tone completely serious.

Kakashi face-planted himself in the ground, his legs twitching.

Sakura didn't punch him.

Naruko didn't say a word.

When no answer came forth, Sai dropped the Teenager magazine and took out another one.

'Youthful Konoha!' with the underlining bold of 'Let us rock all night long, young Ninjas! How to party hard and be a model shinobi the next day! One hundred and one tips to drunk-missions!'

"Ah," Sai acquiesced, nodding. "Now I know," he crisply closed the magazine.

"What, Sai?" Kakashi asked.

"They're on their period."

This time, twin fists slammed into his face, as both Sakura and Naruko had passed their patience's fuse.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" they both screamed, as Sai flew in the air and disappeared in a twinkle in the sky.

"Mental note," Kakashi stated. "Give Sai an Icha-Icha for his unorthodox technique."

"Pervert," Sakura mumbled. "You don't know the pain of a love torn to shreds…Onii-sama doesn't want to see me anymore!" she sniffled. "He slapped me!"

Naruko remained quiet, looking sideways.

"I'm just an idiot," she whispered quietly. "A stupid, stupid idiot," she added then, before exhaling. "I can't train today, Kakashi-sensei…sorry," gloomily, she disappeared in a flicker before Kakashi could stop her.

"Why do I have the feeling Shinku is involved also with her mood?" Kakashi exhaled.

Naruko dashed back home. She opened the door, kicking her sandals off and running in the kitchen. She quietly watched the silent room, before shaking her head and stumbling upstairs, to where Shinku's room was.

It was empty.

No personal belongings remained.

She shook her head more firmly, before looking in the bathroom, in the office, in the library, in the small corridor and the small room beneath the stairs.

She looked on the rooftop, throughout the entire second floor, and then finally fell down on her knees with her hands against the wooden floor.

The light filtered in from the window, the birds chirped…

But the house was empty, without an inkling of doubt.

No stirring, no frying, no noises of footsteps…nothing.

Her Aniki simply wasn't there, and that more than anything was what made her curl up in the corner of the hallway, pressing her face against her knees and staying there, silently. It reminded her so much of the loneliness she felt when she had to return to the orphanage, or when she began living alone.

No one cared back then, if it weren't for Aniki, no one would have cared for a long time.

Someone knocked at the door, and with a blur and a burst of speed, she went to open it. Maybe her Aniki had come back? The door opened, and her mood dropped completely down.

Shikamaru was on the other side, and he looked as downcast as she was.

"Asuma-sensei died," he said slowly. Her eyes widened. "The funeral is tomorrow."

Asuma was Kurenai's husband, and…her eyes watered before nodding. She didn't know a lot about the man, but he had helped her with the wind technique.

"I…I'm sorry for your loss," she croaked out. Shikamaru nodded numbly, and turning, began to leave.

He stilled halfway through and gave her one last look. "You know, I don't know what happened…but your brother is over at Kurenai's place."

Naruko clenched her fists, averting her gaze.

"You should make peace. You never know when something might happen," he said then. "And I'm sure he felt awful too."

Naruko grimaced, before nodding.

"Troublesome women," Shikamaru grumbled to himself, before leaving.

Naruko returned inside, closing the door and then slipping on the ground once more. Her entire frame began to tremble once more. She felt her eyes sting as tears fell down her cheeks.

Then both of her hands went to slap her cheeks, and she nodded to herself.

"No use crying," she grumbled, standing up. "Let's get over to Aniki. And if he won't forgive me, then I'll just keep on trying and trying dattebayo!" she exclaimed, fist pumping. "Even if I have to spend one week on my knees, I'll get him to forgive me!"

Then she dashed off.

Shinku Yuhi was not having a good day. Still, he pressed his own thoughts in the back of his mind and let them disappear in front of bigger problems. He always was good at hiding stuff from others whenever it bothered him. Smiling, going along, and taking care to keep one's own opinion secret. Those sorts of things were what had helped him remain sane.

Now here he was, trying to convince his over-emotional, overly pregnant and widow sister to eat something.

It wasn't working, but at least she had stopped crying after last night. She was still prone to tears whenever something reminded her of Asuma, but he supposed she had finished the tears, considering how red her eyes were.

"I'll take care of the visitors…if you want to rest…" he hazarded, seeing how the rice balls weren't even being touched.

"Thank you," Kurenai whispered politely. "But I'm a…a Jounin…and…I can take…sniffle…"

"And I'm the beautiful and dashing younger brother, who is lethal with a frying pan," he replied gently, "Come on now, off to bed. I promise I won't burn the house down…"

"But I should receive the condolence…condolences…cond…properl…" she began to cry again, and thus he ended up hugging her.

"Shh…shh…it's…I'm here…" he muttered, holding her gently. "And when the kid comes around, he'll need an awesome uncle worthy of the title."

Kurenai said nothing, simply finishing her tears once more before muttering back. "You should…you know…talk with Naruko."

This time it was his turn to look sideways.

"She didn't mean anything bad with it," Kurenai whispered. "You know she doesn't have an evil bone in her to begin with…she just wanted to…"

"I'm sure," he exhaled, "But…it still hurts." He closed his eyes and grimaced. "You go to bed and I'll take care of the visitors. Proper or not, you need to sleep. If not for you, do it for the baby at least."

She gave a meek nod, and then wobbled upstairs.

He was just about to start cleaning the table of the kitchen, when a set of knocks frantically reached his ears from the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he sighed.

Then he opened the door.

In retrospect, he should have known not to open it without asking who it was.

He found himself on the floor the next moment after all…

Author's notes

Cliff-Hanger.

That said, since it's chapter 70 I suppose I should forewarn you all that this story will end with the Post-Pain battle. I'm not going to do the 'War' stuff because let's face it, Shinku wouldn't simply have any screen time and it's better that way.