The door of the Hatake household slid open. Darkness greeted the dirty and tired Sakumo as he stepped inside his family's abode. His eyes scanned the vicinity for anything that might seem out of place. When he deemed it safe, he breathed out a sigh of relief but immediately tensed up at the unfamiliar chakra lingering inside his house along with his son's.

'Did something happen to Kakashi?' He thought to himself as he continued looking around his home.

No, it seemed unlikely especially since Sakumo had installed several traps around the perimeter of his house which could detect hostile intentions. Also, he felt Kakashi's chakra to be relaxed enough at the moment which made him even more confused. His son rarely brought guests home.

His brows furrowed and his dark, gray eyes turned steely as he silently padded to the direction of the living room, where the unknown presence was in. His expression instantly softened and relaxed at the sight before him.

Honestly though, it was bad for Sakumo's heart and senses to be tested like that as soon as he got home. If he were the type of ninja who became agitated at the sign of any unfamiliarity within his own home, he probably would have done something too drastic that he would not be able to take back. Still, it was a surprise to see his son and his new-found friend cuddling comfortably in their living room.

A smile couldn't help but grace his lips as he took in the sight of Naoko and Kakashi sleeping. Their faces looked gentle and soft and... squishy, that Sakumo couldn't help but gush over the two children internally. He immediately snapped out of his trance when he saw Naoko involuntarily shiver and huddle closer to Kakashi, while the latter scrunched his eyebrows before it loosened up again.

Sakumo headed inside his room to get the two of them a larger blanket, and spread it over them both as he watched the children sleep for a while longer. What a great way to relieve him from the stress of his latest mission. It had been too hectic for his taste and it was quite a close call as well, especially since his team had been greeted with an ambush by missing-nins when they were about to travel back to Konoha.

A sigh escaped his lips as he noticed a little too late that his son still kept the lower half of his face covered despite sleeping. He wondered how Kakashi could breathe and sleep properly with it covering his nose. Sakumo bent down a little to remove the cloth covering his face. He knew that his son would probably throw a hissy fit if he found out that he had removed his mask. But he will cross that bridge later.

His eyes, then, shifted to Naoko who had a tear-stricken face that instantly caught his attention and tugged at his heart-strings. He had heard about her story from Minato and Inori a day after he had formally met the girl. And he knew that there was more to the girl's situation than what they were letting on. It was obvious with the way Naoko carries herself in front of other people, especially to those whom she was not familiar with.

Her eyes would turn rather cold and full of suspicion, but would instantly hide it behind sarcasm or well-timed jokes. And Sakumo wondered how the girl had led her life before her clan's massacre. She was probably a sweet, sweet girl then, although that personality of hers would resurface if the only people present were those whom she trusts. Sakumo was able to get a glimpse of that sweet girl when he had fetched Kakashi from his training the first time he saw her there.

Sakumo wanted her to feel what it's like to be able to trust someone again and for her to feel loved—no more, no less than the other kids who still had their parents or family, for that matter. And with that, he made a decision of trying to get Naoko to open up to him and make her feel at home in Konoha.

"What are you looking at, dad?" He heard the faint voice of Kakashi that made Sakumo smile lopsidedly at his son. His eyes glinted mischievously against the sunlight that streamed in through the curtains, as he watched him sit up from his lying position.

"It's nothing. I was just wondering what in the Hokage's name is Naoko-chan doing in our home so early in the morning," Sakumo said nonchalantly as he made a beeline to the kitchen to make himself some tea before he takes his well-deserved rest.

"It seems you had a little play-date. But you should have sent her back home last night though. Her caretaker must be going nuts about not finding her in her bed in the orphanage. Plus, a girl like her must not stay out too late. Did you not know that, Kakashi?" The older Hatake continued quietly, as he filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove to heat it up.

Kakashi tilted his head in confusion for a moment, before his eyes slowly widened at his father's choice of words regarding him and Naoko having a play-date. His eyes narrowed into slits, as he opened his mouth to deny it when the said girl stirred in her sleep.

"Mmm," Naoko mumbled, as she tightened her hold on Kakashi's waist unconsciously which the latter took notice upon feeling the sudden pressure on the mid-section of his body. He looked down slowly, before he felt his cheeks heat up in realization.

"What the—" He was cut off when his father shushed him and the younger Hatake kept quiet out of reflex.

Somehow, the Kakashi and Naoko's conversation had been prolonged until the sun had already risen and the former decided to let the last Higanbana to sleep over in their house albeit reluctantly. And suddenly, his father came home and found them asleep together in the living room, even though he was not supposed to be back until the next week. How mortifying was it for him?

Surely, Naoko would feel the same if she was the one who was awake right now. But the brat was still sleeping soundly as if she was in her own home.

'Stupid,' Kakashi thought without actually meaning the word. He slowly but carefully removed the arm that was slung over his waist, and fixed the blanket so that it was covering Naoko properly. The younger Hatake's expression softened at the sight of her sleeping peacefully.

Unlike earlier when they were talking, her tears just relentlessly flowed down her cheeks. It tugged at his heartstrings and at the same time, it made him wonder how strong she was mentally to be able to continue on living despite having her whole clan wiped out overnight.

Sakumo quietly watched the interesting scene before him, and he was proud that Kakashi seemed to be slightly opening up to someone who was of the same age as him.

"So, what time exactly did Nao-chan arrive that she ended up spending the night over here? What were you two doing anyways?" Sakumo asked as he put the tea leaves in the pot, before pouring the newly-brewed tea in two cups.

"S-She suddenly came in the middle of the night without any warning. Then, we just talked about... some stuff," Kakashi explained, not delving into details too much regarding what he and Naoko had talked about earlier since she had pleaded him not to.

No matter how much he wanted to share it to his own father, he wanted to keep his word. After all, it was the first time that Naoko had asked him nicely for a favor, and it was also the first time he saw her look so unsettled—except for the time that he had a talk with their sensei and Inori-san.

"Uh-huh," Sakumo looked at his son with an unimpressed expression that says he did not believe what he was saying, but he decided not to pry. Actually, he might already have an idea as to what they talked about. Most likely, it was about her family.

But the tone of his voice must have gotten to Kakashi since the younger Hatake's cheeks flushed slightly. Whether it was because of embarrassment or more than that, he did not know. But what Sakumo knows was that he was happy for the both of them to be able to find kindred spirits with one another, in which the both of them had a hard time making friends with other kids their age.

'I want a cute daughter like Nao-chan,' Sakumo thought to himself. His emotions betraying his face as he smiled wistfully at the prospect of having a cute, little girl like Naoko as a daughter.

"What are you thinking about, dad?" Kakashi innocently asked, as he looked at his father with a quizzical expression on his face.

Poor kid, he did not know what he was in for in the future. Sakumo thought it was best to keep his match-making plan under wraps for now, or else his kid would be doing his damnedest to avoid any interaction with Naoko. And maybe, Sakumo could rally some support from the others as well while he was at it.

Sakumo cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly at the fact that he was caught daydreaming, "It was nothing. You should probably get ready for the day. I'll cook breakfast in a bit. You should wake up Nao-chan too, and then we can send her home after eating breakfast." He said as he ushered his son to the direction of the bathroom.

Naoko stirred in her sleep when something seemed to hit her in the face (figuratively), momentarily blinding her when she opened her eyes. There was a dull ache in her back when she sat up. Then, she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings.

It seemed like she fell asleep in somebody else's living room. Naoko took a few more moments in order to regain her bearings, when memories of the midnight conversation she had with a particular silver-haired boy came back to her like a wave.

Not that she had seen the sea or anything yet. She was a sheltered child through and through.

Still, no matter how small or insignificant the improvement between her and Kakashi's relationship was—it made the little heiress happy. At the very least, they were able to break down the invisible barrier between them that they had unknowingly put up.

Kakashi was very patient with her earlier, despite the ugly sobbing and incomprehensible story that came along with it. It was the first time that Naoko truly felt relaxed. The burden of being the only one left alive of her clan was too heavy on her small shoulders to carry. Yet, Kakashi still willingly listened to her when she had desperately asked him to. It made her see him in an entirely different light. It was nice, to say the least.

It was nice to be able to finally share her story to someone. Although Rin and Obito were her friends, Naoko did not want to burden them unnecessarily, which, in her little mind, was something that she was most afraid to do. Most afraid to do because her depressing story could cost her her friends, and they did not even have a tiny knowledge of her clan, her people and what power they hold... at least, not yet.

With Kakashi, on the other hand, he already knew bits and pieces of information about her. The final straw was how his father was involved in her dreams, which she was still apologetic about after telling and worrying them unnecessarily. But everything turned out well in the end.

"What are you smiling at? It's creepy." A voice Naoko knew oh-so-well snapped her out of her thoughts. She noted the hint of indifference in his voice, but she didn't let it deter her from her
unbelievably good mood.

Her eyes scanned Kakashi who looked like he just came out of the bath. His silver hair dripping with water at the ends, and half of his face was still covered with his trademark mask. She inwardly raised an eyebrow at that, thinking that he would most likely have a mask permanently stuck to his face someday.

"Got a problem with that, Kakashi-kun?" She shot back, as she stood up and stretched her body. Her bones creaked because of the lack of usage, her smile never leaving her face.

Weirdly enough, it seemed like her mind was at peace than usual that day. It was probably due to the good night's rest that she had gotten, despite being up until the wee hours of the night. And she wondered how long it would be until she would once again dream about something that would ruffle her feathers so much. Naoko hoped that it wasn't anytime soon.

"Good morning, Naoko-chan~" Sakumo greeted as he emerged from one of the rooms, looking refreshed than the first time she had met him. He was wearing simple clothes consisting of a black turtleneck sweater and a pair of olive green pants.

Then, as if the fact that her fellow student's father was home just sunk into her, her eyes enlarged to the point that the father-and-son duo feared that her eyes would pop out of its sockets.

"G-Good morning, Sakumo-san!" Naoko scrambled to her feet, but it kept on getting tangled with one another and that made her struggle to stand up in order to properly greet him. Somewhere to her left, she could hear Kakashi childishly snickering at her epic failure. But he immediately cleared his throat as if to hide the fact that he was making fun of her. Unfortunately for him, she heard him loud and clear. But she would chastise him on another day.

Still, Naoko couldn't help the blush and heat that spread to her face from the neck down as she bowed politely to the patriarch of the Hatake household.

"I-I'm sorry for overextending my welcome in your home, Sakumo-san. I w-wasn't aware that you'll be returning. If I did, I would have gone home after I talked to Kakashi-kun..." The little girl rambled on as she looked down on her clasped hands in front of her. However, when she heard no response from the both of them, Naoko looked up.

To say that she was surprised was an understatement. She did not expect Sakumo to be smiling gently at her, his eyes glinted with something unreadable yet slightly familiar to her. She had seen it oftentimes when she catches her parents looking at her.

A wave of nostalgia couldn't help but wash over her and Naoko couldn't fight back the tears that slowly pooled in her eyes. She tried her best to hold it in by closing her eyes and tilting her head up. After rubbing the tears away, she glanced at the older man before her. Kakashi was still standing near her. And in her peripheral vision, she could see how he made a move to give her an awkward pat on the shoulder, making his father smile wider than it already was.

"Naoko-chan," the said girl looked up again upon being called.

"May I call you Nao-chan?" She nodded her head rather eagerly at this. A small smile made its way across her lips. Sakumo laughed lightly, amused with her actions. He slowly closed the gap between them and got down on his knees in front of her. He held her by the shoulders and looked into her pale, red orbs as if he was searching something, making Naoko tense up.

"I'm only going to say this once," Naoko slowly nodded, as she listened attentively to Sakumo who was speaking in a soft voice. His slightly gruff voice slowly made her relax as she stared back at him just as intently.

"You are your own person. I'm sure your parents would also say the same thing." Sakumo said, moving his hands to gently grasp her neck and stroke her cheeks.

Kakashi watched them by the sidelines, wondering what on earth his father was doing. Naoko's eyes widened slightly. She was doing that a lot in this house, no matter how hard she tried to mask her emotions.

"But my parents are dead. I'm the only one left of my clan. I'm sure that they would want me to revive our clan, no matter what anyone says," Naoko declared quietly, making Sakumo pause from caressing her cheeks.

"You can think about that once you are old enough. Do you know that? But right now, you are just a child. A child who should enjoy childhood—making friends, playing with them, learning a lot of things, getting stronger, and simply living your life happily." He said, leaning his forehead against hers and he could see the little girl's eyes water at his words.

"No one expects you to do anything but the things I mentioned above. I'm sure your senseis would say the same thing as well." Sakumo continued, watching Naoko closely as a slight tremor shook her small body.

"Is it really alright for me to live like a normal kid?" Sakumo nodded resolutely as the only Higanbana's tears leaked out from her eyes.

"I don't have a home. I don't have parents. I have nothing. Is it still alright for me to live like the other kids?" Naoko asked again, clutching the front of the older Hatake's shirt tightly in her small fists.

"Yes, of course. No one can tell you otherwise." Sakumo's answer this time was so fierce and determined. And Naoko believed him so, as she bawled her eyes out on his chest.

'Everything will be alright. It's okay for me to live normally. Or at least, as normal as it could get,' she thought, her heart brimming with hope for the future. For a future in Konoha. For a future that seemed to be suddenly filled with promise.

Sakumo was glad that he was able to talk to red-haired girl without interruptions. It was a fortunate coincidence that she slept over in their house, or else he would not be able to give her the long-overdue talk that the adults around her should have done in the first place.

It won't do the girl any good to be wallowing in self-pity at such a young age and to be suddenly thrown in an environment that was absolutely unfamiliar to her, that could result into eventually turning her into an unfeeling kind of person. It was really great that it seemed like a load had been taken off her shoulders. Hopefully, she will regain the persona that she had before the unfortunate tragedy that struck her clan.

There were cracks, Sakumo was sure of that. But he knew that Naoko would heal. In time and maybe, with the help of the right people, the girl will fully heal. She will be fully healed of the gaping wounds that she have suffered from, that would most likely leave scars. Yet, those scars will be a reminder for her in the future of how she fought and became stronger because of them.

He wrapped his arms around her tiny form and rubbed circles on her back in a comforting manner, seeing that Kakashi was watching them. He motioned for his son to come closer, which the latter followed, albeit begrudgingly. Sakumo pulled him into the hug as well and smiled at him fondly as Kakashi hesitantly put an arm around Naoko as well.

All in all, it was another good day in the Hatake household.

[A/N]: Hola, minna! Rui is baaaaack~

I just wanted to share this since I've been pretty because of it—I am currently doing an internship which is why I was unable to update since the beginning of June. And now that my Basic Japanese 2 classes are done, I have more free time during Saturdays.

As for my internship, it would be ending on the 3rd of August. That's about two weeks away, I guess? The start of my classes in university, however, would be in the 2nd week of August. Pretty close, if you ask me.

Anyway, here is an update for you lovely people.

I know, I know. I revealed nothing in this chapter! But I really wanted for Sakumo to have a big part on how Naoko could change as a person. And personally, Nao-chan is a crybaby no matter how she acts like a tough-cookie outside, she's still as soft as a gooey cookie. LOL. ～(＾Д＾～)

I'm sure some of you might be getting pissed at all the drama and crying. And I just want to tell you guys that I'm trying my best not to make it like that. In my defense though, Nao is still a five-year old—almost six and she lost everyone in her clan including her family. She lost everything, with nowhere to go. Some might say this and that, but she is a well-trained five-year old who is supposed to be the future heiress of her clan. It would undoubtedly make her think maturely—at least more mature than normal kids could possibly be.

So that's that.

And as for Kakashi, for me, one of the catalysts for his persona of being ultra-mean and bull-headed is because of the death of his father. Although he was already like that even when Sakumo was still alive, but more toned down I guess. Plus, he's still a kid as well and a tad immature.

I'm open to constructive criticisms—I am trying my best to improve my writing. I feel like my writing is still unsatisfactory. Huuuuuu（￣へ￣； ムムム I know that there would always be something like that though and it's tough to read them at first but it's a motivator of sorts to improve.

On another note, thanks to those who continuously give this story lots of love and support! Please drop reviews since they're always welcomed! (*'∀｀*)人(*'∀｀*)