Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not profiting from this. If you see any mistakes, please to tell me.
Hi, I just finished the school year just yesterday and wrote something really quickly just now (so no edit was done). I'm back with more bullshittery. There's also a poll up right now regarding a couple past, finished works. Go check that out. If you want. Thanks for sticking with me, y'all.
Part 8: It was that simple?
When Obito had tentatively extended a hand toward her with a straight face, Rin was very confused. Then the boy she wished to be friends with formally introduced himself as "Uchiha Obito from the great Uchiha clan where kitties and sunshine sleep," before giving a small, hesitant smile.
"I'm sorry for calling you the enemy before. I've mistaken." Rin took a glance to her right at Kakashi. He only shrugged, suggesting he did not know what prompted Obito's sudden reintroduction.
Regardless of reasons, when Obito offered her his friendship, Rin was the happiest girl alive.
"Kakashi-kun, why does Obito-kun call everyone by their surname?" she asked her friend one day. Rin and Kakashi, along with Gai, finished their time training together and were currently talking over mochi. Obito had left early, claiming he had some "Super Secret Clan Thing that I Absolutely Cannot Tell You About." That was certainly new, but Obito was weird and slightly impulsive at times. It could just be another game.
"I have been wondering about that too," Gai chimed in.
Kakashi didn't have an answer for them. He never asked in fear of asking too much of things that should not be mentioned. And honestly, with someone as enigmatic as this Obito, who knew what could set him off.
"I don't know," he admitted. Then the group nodded, deciding Obito was just like that, and moved on to other topics.
It was the weekend, and Kunoichi lessons were finished for the day. Rin was glad it was only a half day. She wanted to walk the early morning streets of the market every once in awhile, and she couldn't do that if lessons dragged on even a couple hours more.
As she inspected a stand full of apples and melons and pears and strawberries, in the corner of her vision, she was an elderly woman struggling with her stand canopy. Rin wanted to move on with her rare day of freedom but…
"Hello, ma'am, would you like some help?" she offered. It was what Obito would do, and he could be a surprisingly good role model.
The woman thanked her and gave her a pretty green ribbon. Now with a ribbon in hand, Rin walked through the market towards one of the many public parks of Konoha. There, a little boy of perhaps five years stole quick peeks at her. Or more specifically, the ribbon in her hand.
"Do you want this ribbon?" she smiled. The boy ducked his head, cheeks aflame, and nodded his head a short moment later.
Rin walked the scenic path away from the more populated areas of that district. The trees filtered the sunlight, creating a mosaic of shades on the ground and on her face. In her hand, a two-toned cat's eye marble, a gift from the boy. The marble was beautiful as she held it up to the sunlight. It glistened and shined.
A young couple was walking past when they stopped before Rin. Turned out, they had a small marble collection and wanted to trade something for Rin's marble.
And now, around lunch time, she arrived at a small restaurant hidden between a few flowering trees. It was a quiet place, and most of the customers, she quickly realized, were ninja.
"Hello, welcome! Seat for just one?" a kind voice called out from what she assumed was the kitchen. Someone poked their head out from the doorway.
"Ah, yes, please. Thank you!" Rin answered. It was lunch time, she was getting hungry, and she liked trying out new food.
Soon after, Rin was seated. She leaned the walking stick the young couple had traded her against the table. A young man walked over to take her order. She thought she recognized him. At least, the man certainly recognized her.
"Hello, can I- Oh! You're one of Obi-chan's friends!" the man smiled.
"Yes. Nohara Rin, nice to meet you, mister," she greeted.
"I'm Uchiha Ichiro. Obito lives with me right now," he said. Ah, she saw this man from time to time. He picked up Obito a few times. They seemed close.
Ichiro was a soft spoken man with a gentle demeanor. He walked with a limp and his right sleeve was empty. Despite its various scars, his face retained its boyish charm.
During his short break, he sat with her, providing good company with his many stories from before he retired.
"I was a cool Jounin, ya know? And then life just happened, so I had to retire," he spoke with an easy tone that betrayed the trauma lurking behind his eyes. "But it's all good now. Obito is a good kid, and if I was still in the ranks, I wouldn't have time to take care of him."
"Is that so? What about his grandmother?" Rin asked, clearly remembering the fond woman Obito always wanted to impress.
"Ah, ah- she passed away some time ago," Ichiro nervously picked at the table.
"Oh, I'm sorry…"
"It's all good. So, how's Obito doing at the academy? He's kind of a weirdo, but he's a good kid. Really!" Ichiro carried on the conversation, and Rin was thankful.
"I think he's doing very well. He's been climbing the class rank steadily."
"Uchiha-san?" Rin began.
"Hm? Call me Ichiro! Or even Ichi-san. Obi-chan calls me that," the man laughed.
"Ah, about that. Do you know why Obito-kun calls people by their surname?" she asked. Ichiro took an amused look at her before laughing.
"I'll tell you if you give me that cane ya got there," he had a cheeky grin. Rin agreed since she didn't need the cane, and Ichiro looked like he really wanted it (though he didn't look like he was going to use it for its intended use).
"All right. It's because they never tell him he can call them by their given name!"
What? That's it?
"... That's it?"
"Yup, that's it!" He laughed some more. Rin could only hold her face in her palms.
"Obito-kun." It was Nohara. Obito paused in his juggling, catching the last senbon with his teeth. Ta Da~!
"Nohara-san, good morning!" he greeted after spitting the needle out. Mizushi-san told him talking with his mouth full was rude and gross.
"Good morning," she greeted him back. "I met Ichiro-san the other day."
"Ichi-san? Did you go to the restaurant he works at? Did you try the fish? It's really good. Ichi-san makes the sauce himself."
"I did, actually. It was really good," she smiled. "And…" Nohara trailed off, so Obito waited patiently. For a minute.
"Nohara-san?"
"Erm, you can call me Rin."
Rin was a little worried she broke the boy. He didn't really respond, unless blank staring counted as a response.
"Or, uh, any nickname. If you want," she tacked on lamely.
"Good Morning, Friends!" Thank you, Gai, for the distraction.
The next morning, the usual group of friends were chilling on their usual hangout place (it's just a bench). But that morning, they were missing a member.
"Where's Obito-kun?" Gai asked. Obito was usually the second or third person to arrive at the academy (usually).
"Dunno," Kakashi shrugged. As much as he wanted to, he could not keep constant track of that boy.
"Good morning, friends!" Obito arrived, copying Gai's greeting from the day before.
"Yo," Kakashi held up a lazy hand. Gai waved with great enthusiasm. Rin smiled kinda weirdly.
Obito stood in front of Rin, eyes blazing with… something akin to determination or something. "I've thought long and hard about what you said yesterday. I even had help from Ichi-san about this matter," he said, completely serious.
Rin shifted a little in her seat. Kakashi watched. What was going on? What matter was this?
"And we decided on the perfect solution."
After a dramatic pause, he said, "Good morning, Ririn-chan!"
The two confused boys were only dropped deeper into confusion as the girl thought to herself, 'That's a surprisingly cute nickname.'
Kakashi would badger Rin for how she got Obito to call her that. She only smirked and said it was a secret.
