I have returned once more! Ahahah! Two chapters within a few days?! Ahhh but then again, I love writing for this story! Anyways, now to answer your questions! I know that some of you read the last bit and were like "wtf? Minato knows hacking?" And my answer is, why wouldn't he? He likes puzzles, coding and hacking are like solving puzzles, it's why he took an immediate interest in seals because they themselves are like puzzles, anyways, just read this chapter and you'll learn more about Minato's character.
Now, I see that you all are enjoying Aqua's and Akane's relationship. Good. I wanted for them to have developed feelings for each other outside the show, and Aqua, unlike the canon one, here does actually care about Akane far more and he is also far less cold and also less invasive and manipulative. I guess that's the perk of not seeing your mother getting killed right in front of you at the age of three. Anyways, with Ai alive, and Naruto to keep him grounded, Aqua won't be burning any bridges on his path of revenge.
That is all for now, I hope you enjoy this chapter, till next time!
Minato hummed a jolly tune to himself as he furiously typed away at his keyboard. Being a child prodigy that possessed immense intellectual capacity had led him to excel at virtually every subject at school. There was a reason why he was allowed to skip so many grades. In addition to his mature physical body thanks to his father's training, Minato had the brains, beauty, and brawn to back him up. In other words, Minato was the Golden Child that the people referred to.
"I still can't believe that you're the infamous Hackerman…" Aqua sweat dropped as he watched his little brother typing, running various programs that he couldn't make heads or tails. Minato's brain just worked on a whole different level.
"Please, Nii-sama, don't say my username out loud. What if someone heard it?" Minato reasoned while Aqua raised an eyebrow. Minato was the Golden Child, the perfect son as the people and other parents called him. What the world didn't know was that under that polite and soft exterior, Minato was a merciless child.
"Can't believe that you of all people pranked those kids way back then." Aqua commented as he took a seat while Minato hummed.
"They were bullying Sap-nee-sama, I only did what a younger brother should." Minato replied with a smile, which caused Aqua to shudder. That smile was the same as their mother's sweet smile. Back when Sapphire was ten, she had been relentlessly bullied at school for being a freak of nature because of her super strength. While she could easily beat anyone that bullied her directly, you couldn't beat rumors with fists, much to Sapphire's annoyance and frustration.
Minato at that time was in the same grade as her and had seen the bullying. Sapphire was too prideful to take her issues to their parents, she preferred to deal with her problems herself, and often that involved her fists. So, Minato took things into his own hands.
"So, you doxed them, released their names, information, where they lived, and their dirty little secrets." Aqua added while Minato shrugged.
"They had it coming, just as I'm sure these people as well." Minato said seriously, while Aqua nodded.
"How exactly do you manage to hack into so many systems all at once without being tracked back?" Aqua questioned him, curious as to how Minato managed to pull off such a feat.
"It's easy, Nii-sama. I simply use various coding programs, viruses, bugs, VPNs, and other means to gain access to the system. They can't trace me back because the VPNs I use bounce my tracks from various countries. And to make it extra safe, I leave behind multiple viruses that wipe the system for the most part." Minato tried to explain. For him this was easy. It was like solving a puzzle and he was naturally attracted to it.
"I'm gonna pretend that I understood that." Aqua simply said, not fully understanding what Minato meant, he was too old for this kind of stuff.
"You know, Nii-sama, I have other ways that I can get you the footage you want." Minato reasoned as he picked up a seal on his desk he had been working on and waved it in his hands. Aqua raised an eyebrow at that.
"And what does that do?" Aqua questioned while Minato smiled and applied the seal onto himself before channeling some Chakra through it. Almost instantly Minato vanished from Aqua's sight.
"W-What?" Aqua questioned as he looked around his brother's room in a slight panic. Where did he go?
"I'm right here, Nii-sama." Minato called out as he cut the Chakra flow and reappeared. Aqua looked at him in surprise.
"Invisibility?" Aqua questioned as Minato nodded.
"I started to work on it shortly after I started to read up on grandfather's scrolls. I reasoned that one can create any kind of seal, so long as they have the imagination to do so." Minato explained while Aqua gave him a blank look.
"So, you made a seal that turns you invisible?" Aqua questioned him with a knowing look while Minato raised his hands defensively.
"I didn't do it for anything perverted! I swear! I was just curious, that's all." Minato defended himself. He only created the seal out of curiosity and to see if it would even work and it did. Aqua kept his blank look at him while Minato chuckled nervously.
"Anyway, how long it'll take you to finish acquiring the footages?" Aqua questioned while Minato looked at the computer.
"I should have them at the end of this day." Minato answered to which Aqua nodded and turned to leave, but before he did he looked back at his younger brother.
"Thank you, Minato." Aqua thanked his brother before he left the room. Minato only smiled before he turned his attention back to the computer. He was just happy that his older brother cared so much for a friend in need that he'd be willing to go to such lengths.
With Naruto and Ai:
Naruto grimaced as he followed his wife, multiple bags in his hand. If there was one thing Naruto didn't like, it was shopping. And shopping for clothes was the worst in his humble opinion. But, if it was with Ai, he'd endure it.
"You seem to be in a happy mood." Naruto commented as Ai hummed a happy tune with a skip in her step. Ai stopped as she turned around to him, a smile on her face.
"Hmm? Am I not supposed to be happy?" She questioned him with a title of her head causing Naruto to roll his eyes before he leveled his eyes to her.
"Don't I make you happy all day and especially every night?" He shot back with a smirk as Ai blushed at that before she lightly smacked him in the chest.
"Baka, that's not what I meant!" She hissed at him in a playful way, much to his amusement before she leaned in closer to his ear.
"But you do make me happy, especially during the nights." She said huskily, this time it was Naruto's turn to blush before she pulled away and giggled.
"Ai ten, Naruto zero!" She declared, keeping track of how many times she had won their little flirting games throughout the day. Naruto sighed before he followed her into a small food court located within the mall. They quickly secured themselves a table and set the bags down.
"I'll go get us some food." Naruto spoke as he began to walk away. Ai hummed as she pulled out her phone and began to scroll through the various social media apps she had. Despite being a stay-at-home wife, she still opted to stay updated.
"Hey there pretty." She blinked as she looked up to find some random guy looking down at her, a smug grin plastered all over his face. If this was Ai from a decade ago, she'd be weary after almost getting stabbed, but after she had married Naruto and after having Minato, Naruto had trained her in self-defense.
"Can I help you?" She questioned him as she studied the young teenager. The teenager simply kept his smug grin as he leaned down.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing here all alone?" He questioned her, trying to flirt with her. Ai raised an eyebrow at the boy's boldness. Although this wasn't the first time some random guy tried to flirt with her. Despite her age, she didn't look like it.
"Well, I'm not here on my own." Ai answered, her face adopting a smile as she saw who was standing behind the boy.
"Oh? A boyfriend? Why don't you ditch him and come with me?" The teenager flirted while Ai chuckled.
"Well, I wouldn't say boyfriend, more like my husband." Ai responded while the teenager blinked. What?
"Would you kindly step away from my wife?" The teenager heard someone behind him, causing him to turn around and look up and gulp the moment he saw Naruto. The aura around him promised pain if he didn't leave at once.
"S-S-Sorry!" He squeaked out and quickly made a run for it. Naruto grunted as he set the food down all the while Ai giggled at that interaction. She always loved it when Naruto would show up and scare them away like that.
"They don't quit, do they?" Naruto spoke as he took a bit out of his burger. It was no ramen, but he enjoyed it. Ai huffed as she threw some of her hair back.
"It's because I'm so cute." Ai retorted while Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"I was gonna say that you're hot." He pointed at her, causing her to blush at his forwardness.
"W-What?!" She questioned him, surprised. Naruto chuckled as he leaned forward and flicked her on the forehead causing her to recoil.
"Don't pretend like you don't know that. You look like you're in early twenties and who'd ever believe that you gave birth to four children with that body of yours?" Naruto pointed out while Ai's blush just increased as she brought her hands up to her cheeks and tried to hide it.
"N-Naruto…" She stuttered out. Why did he always do this? She knew that he was just stating the obvious, but coming from him made it…more endearing.
"Naruto one, Ai ten." Naruto said with a grin as Ai blinked at that before pouting. She had been played!
"Naruto~~~!" She whined causing him to chuckle.
"Anyway, why were you in a happy mood? Is it because our son brought a girl over last night?" Naruto pointed out while Ai looked at him in surprise.
"Wait, you knew?!" She questioned him, pointing at him accusingly while he gave her a knowing look.
"Ai, dear, my lovely wife, the mother of four of my children, my shining star in the dark, there isn't anything I don't know about all my children. I know that Aqua saved that Akane girl from her… suicide attempt." Naruto explained, saying the last bit softly while Ai brought one of her hands and held his.
"Are you ok?" She asked him tenderly, to which Naruto smiled sadly.
"It's fine, Ai. You know, there was a time when I… I was in a similar situation. People in the village hated me when I was a kid. And going back home alone… was sometimes hard. So, it is very hard to keep on going." Naruto explained while Ai frowned. How could his village treat a child like that?
"So… I'm glad that Aqua was there to save her. Everyone hurts sometimes, ya know? We all need someone to help pick us back up when we fall down." Naruto said with a smile while Ai got up from her seat, walked over to him, and took a seat in his lap, much to his surprise.
"Ai?" He started but Ai silenced him as she kissed him deeply. His surprise melted away as he kissed back. The married couple was so lost in their kiss that they didn't notice that the people around them were gossiping and taking pictures of the couple. Ai slowly pulled back as she gave him a smile only reserved for him.
"Stalking our kids and me with Shadow Clones and Henge, Transformation Jutsu? That's very naughty of you, Naruto-kun." Ai spoke, a coy grin forming on her face.
"I call it protective surveillance, and besides, I don't infringe on their private moments." Naruto shot back, but Ai raised an eyebrow.
"And with me?" She questioned him as he slowly chuckled before he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer.
"Oh Ai, is this coming from a woman who uses a technique that was designed for infiltration and intelligence gathering for such perverted means?" Naruto whispered to her, thinking he had her this time, but Ai's grin just grew more.
"Well then, why don't you do some Infiltration and Intelligence gathering tonight?" She threw his words right back at him, much to his comical annoyance. Just when he thought he had her.
"You're such a pervert." Naruto commented while Ai giggled.
"Only for you." With that, she seized his lips again.
With Aqua that afternoon:
Aqua stood in front of Akane's house as he rang the bell. She had been his top priority for the past twenty-four hours and he'd hoped she didn't do anything foolish again.
"Oh, Aqua-san! Come in, come in!" He was greeted by Akane's mother. He smiled and thanked her for her hospitality.
"Afternoon, is Akane home?" He asked to which she nodded.
"Yes, though she's been in her room all day since she came back." Her mother sighed but smiled.
"But she hasn't tried anything like before. Thank you once again, Aqua-san. You really did save my daughter." She thanked him once more while Aqua chuckled awkwardly.
"Uh… it's not a problem. Can I go see Akane?" He asked, not sure how to respond to all the gratitude. Akane's mother nodded while she pointed up at the stairs.
"Her room's upstairs, down to the right." She guided. Aqua nodded and thanked her before he went upstairs. Each step he took was heavy, as his heart thumbed violently against his chest. His throat had slowly started to go dry, and his mind was running through countless scenarios. He had a plan, but it all depended on Akane's choice.
"If Akane doesn't want to go through with it, then there's no way I can go through with it." He thought. He wouldn't go through with the plan if Akane wasn't willing to; after all, she'd had to disclose the fact that she almost committed suicide to her fellow co-stars. He stopped as he stood before a door: Akane's room. Raising a hand, he gently knocked on the door.
"Akane… it's me…" He spoke his voice gently. He waited for a response for a few seconds before he heard the sounds of footsteps from the other side. He heard the clicking of the door as it slowly opened, revealing Akane. Her appearance looked disheveled, and her hair was unkempt.
"Aqua…" She mumbled as Aqua smiled slightly.
"I came, just like I promised." He responded before she suddenly hugged him, leaving him a bit surprised, but he returned the hug.
"Thank you… Aqua… and… I'm sorry…" She mumbled in his chest to which he raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry for what?" He questioned as she pulled back and looked away, blushing slightly.
"For…k-kissing you the other day…" She answered, her blush increasing. Aqua himself blushed as he recalled that kiss. It wasn't anything big, just a kiss on the cheek, but it made a world of difference.
"I-It's ok…" He reassured her. The two simply looked away, not daring to look the other in the eye. This was a new experience for the two of them. Akane pulled back as she invited him into her room.
"Ah, come in. I know you wanted to talk about…" She started but stopped, not wanting to remember the lost point in her life. After she had come home, she dared not to look at her phone. She wanted to drown it all out, forget about everything. Aqua walked into her dimly lit room. It was a simple room, with a bed, a bookshelf, a desk, and all.
He also saw piles of books on her desk with various bookmarkers. As he walked into her room, Akane closed the door and gestured for him to take a seat. The two sat in an awkward silence before Aqua broke the ice.
"How are you holding up?" He questioned her as he looked at her. She smiled sadly at him.
"Better than the last time. I haven't looked at my phone though…" She answered, to which he nodded.
"Good. Don't look at the social media apps; you'll just get more depressed at what you see. Also, everyone's worried about you." Aqua said, causing Akane to flinch. Seems like she was still being flamed online.
"I… I'm sorry; I didn't want anyone to worry about me." Akane said earnestly to which Aqua shook his head.
"No, Akane. As I said before, you are a kind, honest, and wear your heart on your shelves type of person. People like you easily take harsh criticism to heart and are quick to apologize. An apology is as good as an admission of guilt and people are quick to jump on that." Aqua explained while Akane looked away.
"Is… is that a bad thing?" She questioned him, causing him to go silent. Seeing that he didn't respond she continued.
"Is it a bad thing to be honest, kind, to show your real self? All I ever wanted to do was to leave my mark. But now, no matter what I tried, it all failed." Akane questioned/stated as she looked down. Aqua shook his head.
"Akane, listen to me. Being all of that is not a weakness, it's strength. I like people like that. But on something like a TV show, people see you as a target. You're easy picking for those on the internet to tear apart." Aqua explained while Akane turned to him, frustration on her face.
"Then what should I do?! I don't even stand on when I'm me, and when I try to be a villain, I get hated! Tell me Aqua! What should I be then?!" She shouted in frustration before her eyes widened at what she had done.
"I… I'm sorry." She muttered out an apology, she had no meant to raise her voice, especially not to the boy of her affection.
"It's ok, Akane. I understand your frustration. Your actions were the result of the criticism of the internet, but more importantly, they were influenced by the director and his crew." He started catching her by surprise.
"W-What?" She questioned him. What did he mean by that?
"Akane, in Reality Shows like this, even though a vast majority of our moments are recorded, only a few are compiled and aired as episodes. You honestly don't believe that your screen time was so limited and the fact that after you started to gain some traction, and after your 'jealous girl fit' the footage just so happened to leak was all just a coincidence?" Aqua questioned her as she looked at him confused causing him to sigh.
"Akane, you were set up by the director and the crew to be the antagonist. All the scenes of you, all the limited screen time, it was all decided by the director to ensure that you'd turn to more desperate measures. To them, it's all about the views, and nothing brings views like outrage." Aqua explained causing her to gasp. So, she had been…purposely set up?
"But…why?" She questioned, confused by all of this.
"Because they want conflict in the show. And as I said, that brings views. Besides, we are just teenagers, easily influenced by them, especially when we are desperate." Aqua answered as Akane was rattled by it all.
"I… I never thought that being an actor would be so…" She started but trailed off.
"The entertainment world, above all that glamor and fame, is vile and shady. The director and his crew are proof of that. They knowingly drove a young girl to do something as stupid as attempted suicide. And you aren't the first. A lot of actors and actresses have committed suicide in the past because of dating reality shows. And yet agencies, directors, their crews all get away with it despite laws." Aqua said, his hands balling into fists. It was truly despicable in his views.
"Then… what should I do?" Akane questioned him, not sure what to do anymore. Aqua looked at her before he began to explain.
"My brother is currently in the process of acquiring all the unaired footage, but there are still some photos that the other co-stars have. With the means my brother is using to acquire the footage, he won't delve into their privacy or yours. With that said, we need to explain the situation to the others; I need them and more importantly you on board with my plan." Aqua started as Akane gulped. What was he exactly planning?
"What is it?" She questioned to which Aqua gave her a blank look.
"I'm going to have all the unaired footage complied and released, to show it to the world that you are not the villain that they have made you out to be. That it's the fault of the director and his crew. I am going to ruin the director and his little crew." Aqua explained causing her to go wide eye at that.
"But Aqua, why? Don't you think that's too extreme?" She looked down, unsure of what to say or do.
"And driving a girl to suicide is?" Aqua questioned her causing her to look up at him. She was caught by surprise at all the emotions he was showing at the moment. She had never seen him this angry.
"Akane, I cannot stand by and watch what they have made out you to be. I lay the blame on the director and his crew. They are the reason for all this outrage directed against you. I will make them pay for someone I care about." Aqua stated firmly as Akane blushed at the last bit.
"He cares about me…" She thought but shook those thoughts away for now.
"It's just that… I… I don't know what everyone will think about… you know… what I tried to do…" She couldn't bear to look him in the eye and say that. They'd see her as a coward, not cut out for the big world. She heard Aqua stand up and walk over to her before he kneeled to her level. His eyes gazed into hers.
"I'm sure they will understand. They know the real you. And even if they abandoned you, I'll be by your side." He promised as he took hold of her hand, her heartbeat increasing by the moment.
"You promise?" She muttered, her lips quivering at the moment that they two were sharing. Aqua smiled as he nodded.
"Now and forever. And that's a promise of a lifetime." He promised. Truly, he did. As his father had once told him, a promise of a lifetime was sacred and not meant to be taken lightly. Akane's eyes teared up, but she smiled.
"Thank you… Aqua-kun." She thanked him. She was happy, really happy. She had never felt about anyone the way she felt about Aqua before. He was truly special.
Later that night:
"What do you think Aqua wants to talk about?" Mem-Cho questioned as the co-stars of LoveNow all headed to a ramen bar that Aqua had invited them all to. It was sort of a get-together in Aqua's words, and it was even rare for him to invite them.
"I was really hoping that he'd invite us over to his house." Kengo chimed in, while Nobuyuki nodded, agreeing with him. Yuki rolled her eyes.
"Please, you just want that go there so that you can meet the great 'Uzumaki-Sama'." Yuki pointed out to which the two boys giggled perversely.
"Hey! His work is a work of art!" Nobuyuki defended his favorite writer. Naruto Uzumaki's books were not just pure smut, oh no, they were so much more than that! They were pure drama! Tails of love, betrayal, heartbreak, and so on! They were a work of romantic genius!
"Exactly! I especially loved Icha-Icha: Love in the Leaf!" Kengo praised. The novel he was referring to was about a girl that gets kidnapped by a rivaling village only for her to be saved by a boy who followed the trail of hair she had left behind. It was truly a tail of fated love and it pulled at the heartstrings. What the two didn't know was that Love in the Leaf was based on Naruto's own parents' story. Of course, their names were changed in the novel.
"Oh, that one was actually pretty good." Yuki agreed as the two boys looked at her.
"What? I read some of his stuff from time to time." Yuki defended herself with a huff. While the three argued with each other, Mem-Cho giggled to herself.
"Well, I wish I could meet Ai! She was such a legend when she was an Idol!" Mem-Cho gushed. She could still remember the day she saw Ai for the first time on TV. It was at that moment she decided that she wanted to be an Idol, but now that dream seemed so far away.
"Hey look! We're here!" Kengo pointed out as they arrived at the restaurant. It was a simple ramen bar.
"Ichiraku Ramen?" They all commented as they looked at the sign. It wasn't some over-the-top Ramen bar they were expecting, just a single one-floor building. Entering it, they were bombarded by the delicious aroma of the various types of ramen being cooked and consumed.
"Keep it coming! This is the best ramen I have ever tasted!" A red-haired boy shouted as he literally consumed ramen. He wore a white bandana that held his hair somewhat in control.
"Oi oi! I'm the Ramen King of this place! Not you Souma!" A pink-haired girl shouted back at him.
"In your dreams, Chika! That title is mine to win!" The one named Souma shouted as the two were consuming ramen like it was a contest.
"Wow, ramen here must be really good." Mem-Cho commented as she looked around. The ramen bar was nothing special, but apparently, the ramen was pretty good. Looking around they quickly spotted Aqua and to their surprise Akane as well.
"Akane!" Yuki shouted excitedly, not having seen or heard from her friend for days now! She ran over to her and pulled the girl into a hug. Akane was surprised before she hugged her back.
"Hi, Yuki." Akane replied as the group walked over. While the co-stars of LoveNow caught up with Akane, Aqua sat back and threw one of the ramen cooks a glance, who nodded.
"Foods on the house." He spoke up as everyone looked at him surprised.
"Wow, you paying for this Aqua?" Kengo questioned, to which Aqua smirked.
"Well, my father owns this place, so yes." Aqua replied as he crossed his arms, enjoying the surprises on their faces. Akane would have done the same, but he had already told her.
"Damn Aqua, didn't realize your father also owned a ramen bar." Nobuyuki commented, pretty impressed at that fact.
"Well, among other things." Aqua added, now that really piqued their interest. Apparently, there was more to Naruto Uzumaki than a simple writer.
"Aqu-tan! When are you going to invite me over to your house? I wanna meet your mother too!" Mem-Cho whined as she pulled one of his arms in between her breasts, a move that Akane noticed, and she didn't like it.
"He's MINE!" She shouted mentally before her eyes widened. Where did that come from?
"In time, Mem-Cho. In the meantime, we all need to have a serious discussion." Aqua responded before his face adopted a serious look causing all of them, except Akane, to look at him in surprise. Serious Aqua was something they hadn't seen before. One by one they all took a seat as the ramen started to be brought out. They all waited patiently, waiting for Aqua to speak up.
"On the night of the typhoon… Akane tried to commit suicide." Aqua stated. They had expected Aqua to say many things, but that was not one of them. They were left absolutely shocked by that news.
"Akane! Is that true?!" Yuki was the first to break out of her shock as she looked at her friend, who looked away but nodded. Yuki quickly stood up from her seat and sat next to her and pulled the girl into another hug.
"Why would you do something like that?!" Yuki chastised her, her voice trembling at the thought of losing a friend like that.
"I… I'm sorry… but I couldn't take it…" Akane mumbled, unable to look at her friend, but Yuki was having none of it.
"So, you were just going to go out and die like that? What about your mother? What about us? Your friends! Didn't you think about any of us?!" Yuki shouted at her as Akane winched before looking at Yuki, only to be surprised when she caught Yuki crying, for her.
"I… I'm sorry, Yuki… I didn't mean to hurt you; I didn't mean to hurt anyone." Akane apologized as Yuki looked at her with tears in her eyes before she shook her head.
"Baka! Don't ever do that again! Do you hear?! We are your friends!" Yuki cried out while Akane's features softened. She hadn't realized that had she done what she did, so many people would have been hurt.
"She's right; we are your friends, Akane." Mem-Cho spoke up as Kengo and Nobuyuki nodded. What Akane had done, what she had tried to do, would have undoubtedly affected them as well.
"I'm sorry, everyone." Akane apologized once more. Everyone gave her words of encouragement while Aqua sat back and smiled slightly. These were good people; of that he was sure.
"Now that is out of the way. We need to talk about what WE are going to do." Aqua spoke up as they all turned to him.
"Eh? We are going to do something?" Mem-Cho blinked at that as Aqua nodded, his eyes leveling a serious gaze at the group.
"We are going to get payback and my little brother and Akane are already onboard." Aqua stated.
"What?! You have a little brother?!" The four of them shouted while Akane sweat dropped at their reactions. Did they really think that Ai would only have two children?
"Never mind that for now. I need you all to cooperate with me. Rest assured that what I do won't lead back to any of you." Aqua reassured them as they all looked at him with curiosity.
"What… exactly do you have planned?" Kengo questioned, eager to know like the rest.
"We are going to clear Akane's reputation, but redirect the anger towards the director and his crew. All I want from you all are the various pictures you have taken. My brother and I will deal with the rest." Aqua simply stated. He didn't want to reveal the whole plan to them if one of them cracked and spilled the beans. A simple precaution really.
"Eh, isn't that going a bit too far?" Nobuyuki questioned, unsure of this, but Aqua leveled a glare at him.
"How would you feel if they portrayed you as the monster and drove you to what Akane almost did?" Aqua questioned him rhetorically, to which Nobuyuki looked away. He already knew what he'd do.
"Anyway, the plan is to hack into their systems, take all the unaired footage, couple that with the pictures you all provide, and I'll have it released from an unknown source, along with a string of damming information against the director and the crew. I'll make sure that their reputation will be damaged." Aqua explained, his eyes taking a darker tone at that. They all looked at him, unsure, but Mem-Cho was the first to break the ice.
"We'll, I'll help out! But on one condition! I get to choose when and where the video is released!" She chimed in with her happy smile.
"Ah, whatever, count me in, but I want to do the music for it!" Kengo demanded. A friend was hurt, and justice was demanded.
"Hey, I wanna help too!" Nobuyuki added while Yuki also nodded.
"Me too! Akane is my friend!" Yuki said with a smile as Akane looked at all of them.
"Everyone…" She muttered as they all gave her smiles. Truly she was amongst friends.
"Oh! Why don't we all help make the video?" Mem-Cho offered. Aqua was willing to do all the work, but everyone wanted to pitch in more than what he was asking them for. "You do know that I have made this far as a YouTuber on my own, right? I know exactly when, where, and how to publish a video, and I know exactly how to get us the maximum value for our efforts." She was right. Mem-Cho knew far more about that kind of stuff. Self-publishing was something that Minato was no good at because he never tried his hands at it.
"Fine. Then we'll meet at your place tomorrow to start. Meet back here tomorrow afternoon; we'll go to Mem-Cho's place after that." Aqua stated as everyone nodded. They all agreed to it before they finished up their ramen and left.
"Aqua-kun… I don't know how I can thank you. You're doing all of this for me." Akane thanked him once more. Aqua looked at her before he raised a hand and flicked her on the forehead.
"No need to thank me. Remember what I promised you?" He questioned her to which she smiled.
"Now and forever more." She responded before she turned and left as well, leaving Aqua alone in the ramen bar.
"You like her, don't you?" One of the ramen chefs spoke up while Aqua rolled his eyes. The restaurant had closed for the day, leaving Aqua and the employees.
"Those Shadow Clones and Henge of yours are a real cheat, you know that Oto-san?" Aqua questioned while the ramen chef smirked, revealing to be Naruto through the Transformation Jutsu.
"Well, I like making ramen, but I also like spending time with your mother. So, why not have my Shadow Clones run a restaurant?" Naruto chuckled while Aqua sighed.
"Have you taught this to Sapphire and Minato?" Aqua questioned as Naruto hummed.
"Hmmm, maybe~~~~." Naruto trailed out as Aqua shook his head. If Sapphire knew, she'd be pranking the crap out of everyone. And if Minato knew, well, who knows what the heck he'd be up to with it. Most likely trying to learn anything and everything possible.
"I'm proud of you, Aqua." Naruto commented, causing Aqua to raise an eyebrow.
"For what?" He questioned while Naruto chuckled, though he could tell that it was a sad chuckle.
"For saving a friend who needed saving," Naruto answered, leaving it at that before he burst into smoke, while Aqua looked at the spot where the Shadow Clone stood. He knew what his father had meant by that. His greatest failure as his father had put it.
"Oto-san…" Aqua lamented. Underneath it all, his father was just as much as broken as his mother was, just as he was.
And that is a cut folks! Ah, that felt nice, didn't it? Between reading the new chapter, watching the new episode, and then finding out that the next season is green-lit? Today was like Christmas lol. Anyways, I'd like to thank altajir95 for once again beta'ing all these chapters! I'd also like to share with you all some stats for this story!
Followers: 1,004
Favorites: 870
Reviews: 574
Overall views: 178,612
Word count: 109,309 (though it will go up after this chapter goes live)
This story has absolutely consumed my life and I still cannot believe that I published it last month around this time. In a single month, I have managed to push this story past 100k words and it's only gonna increase until it ends. I reckon it might even reach 500k words by then lol, but we'll have to wait and see.
This isn't even including the fact that it's been translated by three different people on Wattpad and is translated on YouTube in Spanish for people to listen too. And the TvTrop page has absolutely just blown up!
I thank you all who have aided me in this endeavor! I'll see you all next chapter!