Chapter Six

Wedding

Hanabi – 14
Konohamaru – 15


Watching her sister run around like a chicken with its head cut off and surrounded by a gaggle of servants was, admittedly, humorous to Hanabi.

It was also pretty funny watching Konohamaru scramble to get the congratulatory messages from everyone in the village.

To think, after all those years, it was actually happening. She still had trouble wrapping her head around it, but she was happy for her sister all the same. Despite her teasing, she always wanted the best for her. The Hero of the Leaf was definitely something Hanabi felt Hinata deserved. After everything she had gone through, it felt like a fitting end to her younger years, she supposed.

Hanabi contemplated the events of tomorrow. Everyone in the village was scrambling for a gift, which she had a hard time understanding. Why was everyone suddenly so hung up on getting the perfect gift? She supposed it must be because of Naruto's high standing in the village now. Then there was Konohamaru, being the usual menace he was, shoving a camera in everyone's face and demanding they say something heart felt for the couple. He even tried it on her, ambushing her while she was returning with her clansmen from an assignment.

"C'mon Hanabi, say something for the video! It's your sister anyway!" Konohamaru had reasoned as she put her hand over the lens of the camera.

"I know that! I just don't have anything deep or meaningful to say!" Hanabi bristled, turning away from him.

"Then just say congratulations or something!"

"You probably should, Lady Hanabi." With a little prodding from her fellow clansmen, she gave in and let Konohamaru record her with them.

Don't get her wrong, she wanted to record a message. But she just wasn't very good with...sentimentality. So she just said what came to mind. "Congratulations elder sister. I know you'll be so happy. Just remember to come see me and father sometimes, okay?"

"That was great!" Konohamaru beamed at her as he lowered the camera.

"That was lame." She had frowned, folding her arms disapprovingly.

"Nono, it was good! I gotta go, see ya!" And with that, he had bolted off to claim another victim for his video.

Now tomorrow was the big day, and the crowd was expected to be immense. She had seen so many dignitaries filing into the village all day today, some she had actually recognized on her diplomatic missions. To think Naruto was such a famous figure now that people would travel from all over the world just to see him get married to her sister. It was pretty bizarre to think about, if she was honest. All of the Kage's, feudal lords from each of the nations, high standing clans. It was all so much to process, she felt bad for her sister. Not only was she planning the wedding itself but was also going to be expected to interact with all these people.

But Hanabi was there to take some of that weight off her shoulders, father had told her as much. It was her duty to be the face of the clan when Hinata was busy. It was a responsibility she was fairly used to by now, so it didn't bother her much. She knew how to interact with political figures well enough. Sure, she was 14, but she was also the heiress to the Hyūga, so it was essentially the bare minimum. She really wanted her sister to enjoy her wedding, so she'd do her best to make that happen.

She hoped she would see her team at the wedding but didn't let them get too high based on the sheer number of people attending. She would probably be surrounded by Hyūga guards the entire time, by her father's side. Maybe she'd get a quick wave in and that would probably be it. She felt a silly sense of jealousy creep over her as she imagined Konohamaru enjoying himself at the wedding with Moegi and Udon, not bound to any responsibilities. He got to go to his 'big bro's' wedding and simply have a good time.

Hanabi sighed as she sat in front of her mirror and untied the ribbons in her hair, carefully laying them out on the stand. She ran a brush through her hair to get out any stray knots, then changed into her pajamas for the night, opting to try to get to sleep early.

The next morning, she was already awake when Natsu came knocking. She was laying in bed with her eyes focused on the ceiling, a little bit anxious about the day to come.

"Time to rise, Lady Hanabi," Natsu called from the other side of her door before slowly opening it.

"I'm awake, Natsu." Hanabi turned her head to the older woman who was smiling sweetly down at her.

"It's the big day," Natsu sang as she started pulling Hanabi's robes out for her. "Lady Hinata's special day."

"Yeah," Hanabi breathed out as she swung her legs over. "Hey, Natsu? When are you gonna quit coming in here and getting all my things for me? I'm not a little girl, y'know."

"Lady Hanabi!" Natsu gasped, turning to face the girl. "I will never stop assisting you."

"What if I want you to?" Hanabi asked innocently, playing with the edge of her sheet. Natsu shook her head.

"Quit speaking nonsense. Now go ahead and get dressed." Natsu laid the robes next to Hanabi before promptly turning to leave.

Hanabi let out a somewhat irritated sigh as she stood up, glaring down at the robes. She didn't remember her older sister being cared for like this for so long. She was 14 now, more than old enough to dress herself. But today wasn't the day to worry about that, she supposed. Natsu was right, it was Hinata's special day. Shaking off her frustration, she changed into her robes and sat in front of her mirror.

Should she do something different with her hair for the day? She shook her head at herself. No, it was Hinata's special day. She didn't have to look flashy or done up for her sister's wedding.

After securing the ribbons in her hair, she made the trek downstairs to find her father and sister at the dining table. Her sister looked up with a smile and she had to return it as she took a seat next to her. "Excited?"

"Oh, yes." Hinata nodded, looking back down at her plate.

"Nervous, too?" Hanabi continued, picking up her chopsticks.

"Well, I suppose." She nodded again, reluctantly. "So many people are showing up…"

"Everyone loves you guys." Hanabi nudged her elbow towards her sister, returned with a little laugh.

"They love Naruto," Hinata replied, taking a small bite in between. "He's a loveable person."

"Clearly." Hanabi rolled her eyes, focusing on her food as she shoved a mouthful. "He's kind of annoying, though—too loud."

"Hanabi." They both looked up at their father as he interjected. "Do not speak with food in your mouth. And don't speak ill of the man your sister is about to marry."

"Sorry." Hanabi shrugged, grabbing a glass of water to wash down the food. Hinata shook her head with a little smile.

"Funny that you find him to be too loud," she started, tilting her head at her little sister, "since you seem to be around that Konohamaru quite often."

"What?" Hanabi sputtered, slamming the glass down a little too forcefully. "We just—we have missions together sometimes."

Hinata's smile widened as she leaned in to whisper, "I saw you two at the dango shop."

"He lost a bet!" Hanabi defended, raising her palms. "He owed me!"

"Alright," Hinata conceded, picking up her plate as she stood from the table. "I should probably get to the venue now."

Hiashi nodded at her as she passed him, adding, "we'll be joining you in one hour."

"No need to rush," Hinata placated as she entered the kitchen. Hanabi watched her with a frown, that stupid bubble of jealousy rising in her as she watched her take care of her own dishes. She pushed it back down as she got up from her seat.

"Can I go see if I can find my team before we go?" Hanabi asked hopefully, unwavering under her father's steely gaze.

After a beat, he nodded. "Ensure you're at the venue in one hour."

Hanabi raised her eyebrows with surprise, clasping her hands together. "Really? I don't have to come back here? I can just meet you guys there?"

"I wouldn't question it," Hinata whispered over Hanabi as she passed her, patting the top of her head.

"Right—I promise I'll be there in one hour, sharp!" Hanabi straightened out her posture, nodding vigorously before turning on her heel to bolt, as if she stayed, he might change his mind. She heard her sister giggle behind her as she brushed passed her, falling to the ground to pull on her sandals. Then, she launched herself through the front gates of the compound. Quickly, she darted her eyes around to see if she could sus out where Jun and Eiji might be. They probably weren't training, more than likely they were getting ready.

She skipped through the village, feeling a little lighter than normal with the sense of freedom she was feeling. She stopped when she heard Konohamaru's voice in the distance, complaining about one thing or another. It couldn't hurt to stop and say hello, she figured, so she followed his voice, finding him reviewing the footage on his camera.

"Hey!" She called as she approached, causing him to look up at her. He gave a dejected wave before looking back at the footage. "Something wrong?"

"Iruka-sensei can't record a good message and I need to go get a copy of this made before the wedding!" She tilted her head as he threw his head back, grimacing with frustration. "He's like, the most important person to get a message from!"

"Oh." Hanabi bit her lips together. "Wish I could help."

"Ah, it's fine." Konohamaru shook his head, waving a hand. "I'll get something out of him. You on your way to the venue?"

"Not just yet," she started, bringing her hands together behind her, "I was actually looking for Jun and Eiji."

"I just saw Eiji pass by with some of the Inuzuka," Konohamaru pointed toward the venue. "Haven't seen Jun though. His place is down there." He pointed the opposite way. "Anyway, I gotta go find Iruka-sensei and try to get a decent message out of him."

"Right," she nodded, taking mental note of his directions. "Good luck!"

"I'll probably need it," he chuckled as he took off towards the venue. Since he hadn't seen Jun, she figured she'd go find him first, knowing Eiji was probably already at the venue. She continued her skipping into town, keeping her eyes peeled for the pink head of hair.

Finding her luck increasing by the moment today, she saw Jun coming out the front door of an apartment on the second story. Quietly, she jumped up to the railing and tried to sneak up behind him, only to be foiled. "I can sense you, Hanabi."

"Rats," Hanabi jokingly complained as she skipped forward to join him at his side.

"Going to walk me to your sister's wedding?" He smiled down at her as she hooked her arm into his.

"Why not? I never get any free time anyhow," she mused as they jogged down the stairs. She peered over at him, finding him looking quite nice in his dress robes. She glanced behind her. "You live in these apartments? Where're your parents?"

"I do live in these apartments…" Jun started, gazing off to the side, "…alone."

"Oh." Hanabi swallowed, feeling stupid now. She had never inquired about Jun's home life before, and he never spoke about it. "Sorry."

"Don't be." He waved her away as they started approaching a rather giant group of people. He tugged at her elbow with his arm as he nodded to his left. "Eiji's coming."

Just as soon as the tension was created, it was broken with Eiji crashing into them. Hanabi giggled as the girl hooked her arms around their necks, bringing them in for a strangling hug. When she released, she was beaming, looking somewhat done up. It was a sight for Hanabi to see her normally rough teammate in a dress with her hair pulled back in a comb.

"Wow!" Hanabi held out her hands towards her. "You look nice!" She looked up at Jun to see his reaction, her eyes going a bit wide at the pink overtaking the boy's cheeks, deepening to red. "Uhm—doesn't she look nice, Jun?"

"What?" Jun looked like he had been yanked from his thoughts as he shook his head, his words contrary to his behavior, "oh—yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yes. You look…so…nice."

"Jeeze, what's that about?!" Hanabi smacked his arm as Eiji rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, get a good look, 'cause I only dress like this for the Hero of the Leaf's wedding." Eiji crossed her arms, turning away from the two. "Anyway, I'm surprised to see you out Hanabi! Figured your pops would have you surrounded by stuffy Hyūga in there." She thumbed towards the venue, turning back to the look at the two. Jun, now back to his normal shade, nodded in agreement.

"I'm surprised, too. Father let me come find you guys," Hanabi explained, "I do have to go in about forty minutes, but I can hang with you guys until then!"

The trio resumed their leisurely pace towards the entrance, chatting. Eiji had complained loudly that they didn't allow dogs in, but her older cousin Kiba had gotten a pass for being a teammate to the bride, citing that Akamaru was also her teammate. She asked Hanabi if she could get the same pass for Yorimaru hopefully, but Hanabi swiftly rejected the idea, not wanting to push her luck for the day. Jun noted that Eiji seemed especially chipper today, for which Eiji revealed she loved weddings, to Hanabi's surprise.

"What? Love is awesome." Eiji shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't wait to get married."

"It's just not something I would have expected from you," Hanabi pointed out, glancing at Jun's reddening cheeks once more. Frowning at his discomfort, she pushed forward. "Anyway…hey, is that Moegi and Udon?"

"Think so," Eiji commented, waving her arms to get their attention. They caught eyes and strolled over, looking tired.

"Have you two seen Iruka-sensei? Konohamaru sent us to hunt for him," Udon asked wearily.

Hanabi giggled. "He's still on that? No, sorry."

"Yeah, me neither." Eiji shook her head, inhaling through her nose noisily before pointing. "I can smell him though, he's around here somewhere, that way."

"Let us know if you see him, alright?" Moegi asked as she brushed passed the trio. "See you guys later!"

"Did Konohamaru assault you guys, too?" Hanabi turned back to her team. Eiji rolled her eyes while Jun nodded.

"Got us yesterday while we were training," Jun replied with a slight smile.

Hanabi tilted her head. They were training, by themselves? She had to know. "You guys were training…together? Without me?"

"Oh gods!" Eiji blurted out, turning away from Hanabi while Jun rubbed the back of his neck. Hanabi raised an eyebrow, looking to Jun for answers as Eiji continued, "it's just training, okay?! Nothing special about it!"

"Why is she being so defensive?" Hanabi whispered with a frown as Eiji marched away, Jun letting out a nervous chuckle.

"It's nothing, we just figured you would be busy…Tora-sensei's been teasing her a bit too much, I assume." Jun waved his hand in front of his face. "You know how she is."

"Uh, right." Hanabi felt a bit like a third wheel now as Jun jogged after Eiji to catch back up with her. Brushing off the feeling, she rejoined them briefly to say goodbye. "I better get in there, it's coming up on an hour."

"Good luck." Jun patted her shoulder softly, beaming down at her. Eiji's normal demeanor returned as she swatted her hand on Hanabi's back.

"We'll try to find you after the ceremony, if not, we'll link up tomorrow," Eiji added, waving her off. Hanabi nodded and swiftly took off towards the entrance of the venue, wiggling her way in between people.

The sheer number of bodies around her was a little unreal to her. She knew it was going to be a ton of people, but actually seeing them congregate was something else. The venue itself was already feeling like a boiler room with the amount of body heat circulating around. Feeling a little breathless, she was thankful when she finally found her way into the backrooms, finding Hyūga servants bustling around, preparing food and décor. She scanned the room briefly until she found her father speaking to someone she didn't recognize. She skipped over, landing in front of the two.

"Ah, Hanabi." Her father's voice was a little lighter than normal, she noticed. He gestured to his left to the person he was speaking with. "This is the head of the Kawashima clan of the Mist, you should recognize him from our travels last year."

"Ah, yes," Hanabi lied through her teeth, bowing deeply to the older man. "It is a pleasure to see you once more." The words fell out of her as naturally as they came, knowing the script like the back of her hand. "I hope we will be visiting you in the Mist once more soon."

"I would like that as well." The older man nodded, returning her bow, but not quite as deep. "Perhaps you'll remember my son?" He stepped aside to reveal a boy, probably around her age but a bit taller, looking bored. "Ryuu, you remember Hanabi."

"Huh?" The boy looked up, looking foggy as his sharp green eyes landed on hers. She recoiled just a tad at the sneer he offered. "Sure." He dipped into a lazy bow before returning against the wall, leaning.

"Uhm…pleasure, Ryuu." Her voice was quiet as she recomposed herself, stepping backward slightly.

"Why don't you entertain the lord's son, Hanabi? Show him the venue." Her father nodded toward the crowd, and Hanabi gritted her teeth. Damnit, she didn't want to walk around the venue with some lord's spoiled brat. Concealing her frustration, she nodded and tilted her head to signal his move to join her. He lifted himself off the wall with a sigh and trailed after her.

"How are you enjoying our village?" She began reciting her lines. He shrugged.

"It's tinier than I thought it'd be." He snickered, pulling his hands behind his head. "The way people talk this place up, it's kind of a dump."

"That's…one way, to put it, I suppose." Her frown deepened as she refused to look up at him. Damn sovereigns. She knew her thought process was hypocritical, being the heiress of a prestigious clan herself, but she couldn't help but feel she was at least humble. "Perhaps you are simply accustomed to the amenities of the Mist."

"Maybe." His tone was loose. "But the home of the Hero of the War shouldn't be so shabby, I guessed."

"At least we have a Hero of the War…" she muttered under her breath, gasping when she felt a sharp poke to the side.

"I have good hearing, Hyūga," he snapped, causing her to finally turn to face him with red cheeks but anger in her eyes.

Who the hell does this boy think he is? What a jerk. She wished she could tell him as much. "I think my sister is calling for me."

"I didn't hear your name called," he said, casually glancing around. "Like I said, I have good hearing."

"She's probably looking for me," she tore back, stepping away from him. "I'm sure you'd appreciate some time away from your father to get a better look at our shabby village." Before he could respond, she turned on her heel and began stomping towards one of the backdoors, shoving it open to a surprised Hyūga servant.

"Lady Hanabi! What's got you riled up?" She glanced over to meet the eyes of Tadashi who was dutifully standing next to the door. She huffed, crossing her arms.

"Stupid lords…" she grumbled, turning away from him to hide her flushed face. She snapped her eyes at him when she heard a chuckle from him. As she got older, he was becoming much looser with her, which she couldn't decide whether was strange or comforting. "That guy from the Mist, his son's a jerk, Tadashi."

"Sometimes they are," he conceded, crossing his arms as he watched her. "But it is important to maintain relations."

"I'd rather die," she said, pointedly, earning another laugh from the older Hyūga.

"Lady Hinata is in that room just up there where Kō is." Tadashi pointed her towards a door which had Hinata's caretaker posted at. "If you'd like to see her."

"I just wanted to get out of there," she admitted, dropping her arms, "too many people."

"I won't tell on you." He smiled down at her, resting his heavy hand on top of her head. Something about it was comforting, she found. With a little sigh, she looked up at him and offered a strained smile.

"Thanks Tadashi."


The ceremony, as expected, was beautiful. When Hinata revealed herself to she and her father, she couldn't keep it in.

"Woooow, you look so beautiful. Don't you think so, father?" She had asked instinctively, then immediately felt guilty if she had pushed him into an awkward position, their father never one for showing emotion. But it was a special day, a special moment, and her father gave a smile. A genuine, loving smile, one that both girls loved to see but rarely got to. But today, her elder sister was getting married to the hero of the village, and it was truly momentous for them.

As the bride and groom locked hands, Hanabi couldn't help but cling to her father, her heart full of joy. He returned her squeeze and she wished she could freeze this moment. Her sister getting married to the one she had sought her entire life. Her father looking at her with pride. Even though it wasn't her day, her wedding, her moment, Hanabi still felt genuinely blessed to be a part of something so beautiful. A truly amazing moment for their family. As Naruto asked Hinata if she was ready, Hanabi almost exploded with excitement, squeezing her father's arm so tightly she knew in any other circumstance he would be chastising her.

As the ceremony wrapped up and flower petals and rice were thrown over the happy couple, Hanabi wished she could hug her sister. She did look beautiful, and so damn happy. It was what she deserved. It was the one time she wasn't ashamed to admit she let tears fall. As they walked through the crowd of people, greeting everyone, Hanabi let out a little sigh of contentment, knowing the moment would end soon and she'd be back to her duties as the heiress. The group began congregating in another hall, something quite a bit smaller for the after-party.

The after-party was reserved for only those closest to the couple, so Hanabi expected to see Hinata and Naruto's classmates, their sensei, Lord Sixth, and her family. She was surprised to see Konohamaru at the refreshments, but quickly realized it made sense. Naruto saw him like a little brother, plus he was the honorable grandson after all. At least she had one person she could socialize with that wasn't an irritating elder or one of her sister's classmates.

"Hey, Konohamaru." She tapped his shoulder, causing him to jump before turning around, and letting out a breath of relief.

"Oh—hey, Hanabi." He grinned down at her, pulling at the collar of his suit. She smiled up at him, patting the lapels of his top.

"You look so nice." She beamed back at him, folding one that had become crumpled to the side. He glanced at her hand fixing it with a smirk. "Never seen you so cleaned up."

"You barely even dress up!" he teased, gesturing at her close to normal robes. "It's your sister's wedding, Hanabi! Kind of rude, don't cha think?"

"Oh, whatever." She rolled her eyes, but the smile remained. "I'm always dressed up."

"Classy." He chuckled, offering her a toothpick with a sausage on the end of it. She took the offer, popping it in her mouth before being assaulted by a stout, older woman she recognized the voice of.

"Oh, look at you two!" Moriko gushed over them as she approached, grabbing them both by their sleeves. "Why don't you two go out there and get things started?" She tugged them towards the dancefloor.

Hanabi felt herself panic a bit. "I—uhm, I'm not the best dancer…"

"It'll come naturally!" she squeaked out, pushing the two towards the middle together. Hanabi looked up at Konohamaru reluctantly as his mother essentially sandwiched them together. She noted the red on his cheeks as well.

"Ah—sorry, about my mom," he breathed a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck gingerly.

"It's alright," she puffed, biting her lips together unsurely. What was she supposed to do? "I just—I don't really know…."

"Oh." He smiled sincerely down at her as he grabbed her hands, directing one over his shoulder and holding the other with his own hand. She let out a little gasp when his other hand found her waist, causing her to jump a little. "Sorry—" he started, but she shook her head.

"It's fine," she reassured, letting him guide her. She was surprised to find him so at ease with such an activity as dancing. "You're actually kind of good at this."

"Kind of?" he teased, his fingers tightening slightly on her waist.

"Shush," she responded, eyes scrunching up with a smile. "Did you get the tape done?"

"Ugh." Konohamaru hung his head slightly before looking back up dramatically. "Barely! But it was worth it. Brought a tear to my eye, what Iruka-sensei said." His tone was playful.

Hanabi laughed. "Really? It was that good? Iruka-sensei was always a softy."

"Nah, just kidding. It was just right, though." He chuckled, and she had to admire his relaxed smile. "So I think it's safe to say I had the perfect gift!"

"Bold of you. I'm pretty sure me letting myself get kidnapped was the perfect gift." This drew a surprised laugh from him.

"Should you really be talking about that so openly?" He perked an eyebrow. She shrugged. "Guess it's good you're not too scarred, I guess. Letting yourself get kidnapped, huh?"

"How else?" She rolled her eyes, though something in the back of her mind gnawed at her to change the topic. Soon, others were joining them in dancing. She giggled as she saw her sister next to her being spun around by Kiba, Naruto right next to them with Sakura. Hinata's laugh filled the room as she nearly stumbled into Kiba. Another spin and he had her falling towards Naruto, and then they were swapping partners, Naruto with Hinata and Kiba with Sakura.

"Hey you two!" Kiba called after she and Konohamaru, winking. "My little cuz says you two are pretty close nowadays, is that right?"

"What?" they asked in unison, instinctively pulling away from one another before Hanabi added defensively, "Eiji should mind her own business, especially with Jun!" With a huff, she turned away from the older Inuzuka who was laughing.

"Oh Kiba!" Sakura hit his chest with her palm. "Don't embarrass the poor kids!"

"Sorry!" He grinned down at Sakura, seemingly unaware of Hanabi and Konohamaru's red faces.

"Ignore him, he's had too much to drink." Sakura leaned towards Hanabi to whisper, patting her head. "Don't let him ruin your fun."

"Sheesh," Hanabi grumbled as some distance was made between them and the adults, folding her arms childishly. "What's that all about?"

"Who knows?" Konohamaru chuckled as he rejoined her side. "We don't have to dance if you don't want to."

Hanabi looked up at him and bit her lips together. She had actually enjoyed their little time together, dancing. Maybe she could understand why her sister enjoyed dancing so much. She shrugged. "I didn't hate it."

"Your compliments are always the best," he teased, offering his hands again. "You're not too bad, either."

"Thanks," she said, sarcastically as she accepted the offer, naturally falling back into step with him.

As they swayed together, Hanabi couldn't help but examine him. He did clean up nicely today, the suit looked quite good on him. She was so used to his normal attire, it was nice to see him at his best. The headband around his forehead being gone was a little jarring, realizing now she probably didn't even know what he looked like without something on his forehead. Something about it being gone made her focus on his eyes. Right now, they were flitting back and forth over the dancefloor, not paying attention to her.

She always knew they were a deep blue, but never noticed the little drop of black underneath one of his pupils. It was kind of cute if she had to admit it. She barely noticed when his eyes dropped back to her own, a questioning eyebrow raised. "What, do I have something on my face?"

"Huh?" Hanabi asked, snapping back to reality. "No—no."

"Then what are you…looking at?" he asked, hesitancy in his voice. She broke her gaze away from him, pulling from his hands.

"Uh—nothing. I just zoned out." She folded her arms, turning from him. "I should probably go find my father."

"Oh." Konohamaru's voice sounded a tad dejected, and it made her feel a little guilty. "Well, you know where to find me."

"Yeah." Hanabi nodded, swiftly taking off from him.

What the hell was that?

What was that feeling in her stomach? It felt like her guts were bubbling—she couldn't tell if it was a good feeling or a bad feeling. She darted her eyes around the room until they landed on her father, speaking with the Hokage. She forced her feet towards them until he acknowledged her.

"Ah, hello Hanabi." Kakashi waved down at her, eyes high with a smile. She smiled back up at him, bowing.

"Lord Sixth."

"Please…" he sighed, turning his head away from her. "Ah, never mind. Enjoying yourself?"

"Of course." Hanabi nodded, glancing at her father. "It's a special day."

"Yes, yes it is," he agreed, clasping his hands together. "I was just discussing your team with your father. Seems you've fallen into your sisters' footsteps in a tracking team."

"Oh." Hanabi swallowed, raising her eyebrows. She didn't much like being compared to her sister. "I suppose it seems that way."

"I was actually hoping to have your team complete a mission that came in yesterday." They both looked at Hiashi, seemingly gauging his reaction. Reluctantly, the older man nodded. "It's a B-rank, and you all would be the perfect fit. Would you and your team stop by my office tomorrow? Then I won't have to send my Anbu to assault you."

"Oh!" Hanabi couldn't keep her pitch down, the excitement in her too much. "Yes—yes of course! We'll be there!"

"Excellent." His mask moved with the upturn of his lips. "I'll leave you to it then."

"Thank you, Lord Sixth." Her father bowed towards Kakashi as he waved before strolling away. He turned his attention to Hanabi, a little smile on his face. "Your first B-rank."

"Thank you, father," she said, immediately as she bowed towards him. The chuckle that left his lips sounded so foreign.

"I know you'll do well." He reached out his hand to rest on her head, much like Tadashi had done earlier that day, and her heart felt like it grew a size. Affection from her father was so rare, she reveled in it.

"Thank you…" she whispered, trying not to lean into his touch as he retracted his hand.

His eyes lifted to the crowd as he spoke, "it seems the grandson of the Third has taken to you."

"What?" Her breath hitched in her throat as she shot her eyes up to his, not meeting her own. "I—I mean. We're friendly, I guess."

"You should rejoin him." He still didn't look down at her. "He looks lonely."

"Don't…don't you need me to socialize with dignitaries?" she asked reluctantly, crossing her arms behind her back. He shook his head, lifting a hand to wave her away. "Well, alright…"

"Go have fun, Hanabi." She twisted her lips at his urging her to go to Konohamaru. It was so unlike him to be relaxed.

Truly, it was a special day.

Hesitantly, she turned back to the crowd, finding Konohamaru with his mother and Kurenai, holding the hand of a little Mirai. He was standing to the side as the women chatted enthusiastically, him with a little plate in his hands looking off in the distance. Something about approaching him now felt different than earlier. That damn bubbling, like butterflies trying to escape up her throat. She could so effortlessly interact with high-ranking elders and their stupid kids, why was she finding this so much more difficult? With a deep breath, she went forward as surely as she could.

"Hello, dear!" Moriko greeted her enthusiastically. Hanabi smiled at the woman as she nudged her side. "Tired of dealing with stale politicians?"

"Mom," Konohamaru chided as Kurenai covered a laugh from her lips. Hanabi had to admit she enjoyed being around his mother, despite her overbearing nature.

"Perhaps she wants to rescue Kono from our boring conversation?" Kurenai teased, to which Moriko let out a hearty laugh, grabbing Kurenai's forearm to steady herself, clearly a little buzzed.

"Well, whisk him away, won't you?" Moriko said in between her laughter, giving Konohamaru a little shove. Hanabi did not miss the start of a blush on his cheeks, and for some reason, that emboldened her. It wasn't just her who got flustered. With all of the confidence she could muster, she grabbed his hand and tugged him back to the dancefloor.

"Whoa!" He gasped as he was yanked away, stumbling a bit with a little laugh. "Sick of your old man?"

"Maybe I was rescuing you, hm?" she asked, slipping her hand back into his and resting the other on his shoulder like before. That trademark grin reappeared, and she felt her breathing halt briefly. Something about him just seemed…different. Different to her, at least. "Besides, it's better than hanging out with stale politicians."

"I bet." He chuckled, resting a bandaged hand on her waist as they came closer together. When the song changed to something slower than the party music that had been on, she felt a little anxious. Were they supposed to slow dance now? But he was already taking the lead. "Put your hands here." He guided her hands up to his neck, and she wound them around, feeling her heart begin to race. Then his hands slid around to her back, enveloping her as she found her nose being pushed into his shoulder. His voice questioned above her, "that okay?"

"I—I mean…yes?" The tone was questioning because she really wasn't sure if it was okay. She wasn't sure she had been this close to a boy before, maybe Jun to some extent, but this was different. Their chests were right up against one another, and his arms were around her middle. It was so very personal.

"It's just—this is how you slow dance." His voice was unsure as well and it made her shiver. The chuckle that left his lips was way too close to her ears. "Sorry."

"It's alright," she exhaled, her arms feeling stiff around his neck.

They stayed like that for the duration of the song, neither seeming to be willing to pull away to look at the other. She had to admit it was a nice feeling, being held like this. Maybe it was the lack of physical contact within her own family that made it feel so comforting. Her sister was the only one who would really freely offer hugs, so perhaps she craved it. It was like a hug, that lasted for way longer than a normal hug.

From Konohamaru.

When the song came to an end, they slowly pulled away, and his eyes on hers felt very intimate right now. She cleared her throat, pulling her arms from his neck to rest her hands on his chest. "Uhm—that was nice."

"Yeah," he responded, sounding breathier than normal, too. Their attention was pulled to the front of the room as a drunken Kiba took a mic with a drink raised, toasting Naruto and Hinata. She giggled as she watched Hinata's other teammate, Shino, grab him to reign him back in. Tenten yanked the mic out of his hands to give her own drunken toast. Soon, it became a mess of inebriated adults grabbing the mic to offer their own thoughts, each toast being met with a hearty round of applause. In the span of it, Hanabi barely realized Konohamaru's arms were still around her, her hands flat on his chest. She only registered that fact when his voice brought her back. "Adults are so stupid."

"Hmm," she hummed, looking up at him as he looked out towards the intoxicated mess of older shinobi becoming entangled in an argument about one thing or another. His little grin at the exchange made her heart feel a little fuller, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

Damnit, did she have a crush? This was a crush. On Konohamaru. The thought stirred something in her.

He had kissed her, several months ago. It was her first actual kiss. She barely had time to process it. Sometimes she thought about it. Embarrassingly, she sometimes dreamed about it. About his lips on her own. It wasn't fair, she thought. He took it without her permission. But he did ask, and she didn't say no.

Why? Perhaps she wanted him to. Now she was sure she wanted him to.

As the night wound down and people began leaving, she found herself still dancing with him. Their conversation flowed naturally, about missions they had just been on, little tidbits about Moegi and Udon, Jun and Eiji. Hanabi openly speculated that Jun and Eiji were developing a relationship, which Konohamaru found amusing, despite the pink on his cheeks. She chose not to point it out. Konohamaru told her about a guy from their academy days leading Moegi on, and Hanabi had to admire the fact it seemed to annoy him. His protective nature was endearing, she thought.

"She's better than that guy, y'know?" he said through gritted teeth.

"She's too good for most," she agreed, smiling up at him. His eyes were closed with frustration, so when he opened them to find her looking up at him with a sweet look, it seemingly froze him momentarily.

"Hanabi?" he asked, squeezing his arms around her unintentionally. She shivered slightly at the gesture before pulling away.

"Uhm—" she breathed, pulling her hands in front of her as she debated with herself.

She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to lean up and kiss him. As silly as it seemed, she wanted him to experience what she had experienced. She wanted to make him flustered. Make him unable to form words as she looked at him with that cocky smirk he had given her.

But could she?

Yeah, she could.

She grabbed the hand that was still outstretched towards her and tugged him off the dancefloor, which was now mostly empty. Drunken adults surrounded them, paying them no mind to her relief. She pulled him around a corner to an empty hallway that led to the restrooms, afraid to glance back at him in case he looked upset. Truthfully, he was confused. Before her confidence could leave her, she pushed him against the wall, hands against his chest then pressed her lips against his.

The gasp that left him almost made her pull away, but his hands grabbing her wrists kept her there. She had no idea what she was doing—she had never willingly kissed someone. But her lips against his felt nice, so she stayed, not that she could easily pull away with his grip on her. After a moment, she pulled her face away, even if she didn't want to, and looked up at him. It was almost funny how he was frozen, lips puckered, eyes squeezed closed as if he was locked into that position. After a beat, his eyes popped open and the pink on his cheeks deepened to crimson.

"Uh?" he grunted, eyes moving a mile a minute over her face.

Trying not to betray her confidence, she smiled up at him and pulled her hands from his. "Tag."

"T-tag?" he called after her as she pushed away from him, turning her back to him and confidently striding away. "Tag? Wait—does that mean—?" She didn't stop to answer his questions, instead hurriedly trying to find her father.

Her heart was thumping against her ribcage. It was the boldest thing she had ever done in her book. She had taken shuriken to the leg, battled enemy shinobi, been kidnapped to the damn moon. But kissing a boy? Konohamaru, no less? What was she thinking? Her head swam as she approached her father, unaware of the absolute red on her cheeks.

Are you insane?

His hands around hers were warm, even with the bandages. It was hard to think straight. And she had said that word: tag. It slipped out of her without her even realizing. His response was bewildered, but she was confident he would probably figure it out. She had initiated something, and it was exciting to think of what it could be. Perhaps she felt too assured in herself.

"You look flushed." Her father's voice broke her from her thoughts as she neared. "Did something happen?"

"What?" She gasped, covering her cheeks with her palms, violently shaking her head. "Just—a lot of dancing, I guess? Can I go find my team?"

"Always in a rush to leave," Natsu called from behind her, causing her to whirl around. Her caretaker looked quite beautiful today, no longer with her apron on but in a nice, formal set of robes. The smile on her face suited her.

"I just—" Hanabi stuttered, turning back to her father, "I said I would try to meet with them after—plus, I should tell them about the mission?"

"Hmm," Hiashi hummed, glancing over her head at the dwindling show of people.

"I think Lady Hinata and Naruto have already left," Natsu chimed in, resting her hand on Hanabi's shoulder. "Leave the cleanup to us, Lord Hiashi."

"I suppose." Hiashi finally conceded, nodding towards Natsu. "Thank you, Natsu."

"Thanks!" Hanabi chirped up at her caretaker, a beaming smile overtaking her face. "Can I, father?"

"You may," he responded, lifting a hand.

Boldly, she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around her father's torso. The little rumble that escaped him was noted as she squeezed. She never missed a chance to hug him if the timing called for it. His bony fingers rested on the small of her back and she hummed in contentment. "Thank you, father."

"Of course." She felt warm inside at his gentle tone, finger pressing against her back for a moment before releasing. She stepped away, pulling her arms back as she beamed up at him. The smile he offered her was more than she could have hoped for. Before she could turn tail, he added, "be in my study in three hours."

Three hours.

That was generous for her father, she could be out after sunset. Vigorously, she nodded before bolting out of the venue on the hunt for her teammates.


Tag?

For whatever reason, Hanabi never ceased to amaze Konohamaru. How she could make him feel confused and excited at the same time. Like he never really knew what her next move was, just that he looked forward to it.

If he was honest, he figured he had blown any chance of being seen romantically by the girl when he kissed her in Kurenai's home. She hadn't been avoiding him anymore like she had after she beat him in the chūnin exams, but he definitely had been seeing less of her. They were busy little shinobi, his mom reasoned when she asked why he hadn't brought her around and he could only answer honestly that he just didn't see her much. And what just happened was definitely not something he felt he could confide in his mom. He could just imagine her exploding with joy, already planning their wedding.

No, he would be keeping this to himself. Maybe he liked it that way anyhow.

He was barely broken from his thoughts when a stumbling Kiba emerged from the bathroom and stopped to stare at him.

"Your face's all red," he slurred, leaning in to scan his face. Konohamaru cringed away from the smell of rubbing alcohol. "Y'know you're too young to drink buddy?"

"I—I'm not drinking!" Konohamaru defended, trying to gently guide the older man back toward where he could see Shino waiting for him.

"Your ma and Kurenai-sensei are calling you, by the way." Kiba lazily lifted his arm to point at the two older women who were signaling him to come over.

"I'll just help you to the door first…" Konohamaru mumbled as Kiba slumped over his shoulders, stumbling towards the entrance.

Shino nodded at Konohamaru as he took over, guiding Kiba's arm over his shoulders. "Thank you, Konohamaru. Have a good night."

"Uh—yeah, you, too!" He waved as the two older men made their leave, then he jogged to his mother and Kurenai, swiftly scooping Mirai up to sit on his shoulders. Almost instantly, the little girl slumped over, cheek resting on the top of his head, and he chuckled. "She's beat."

"Oh yes." Kurenai giggled next to him as she patted her daughter gently on the back.

"Needed a big, strong man to carry her, huh?" He beamed up at the older women who both broke into bubbly, tipsy laughter.

"Why of course!" Moriko and Kurenai followed him out the exit, bidding goodbye to whoever remained—that is, until they passed the Hyūga leader himself, and Konohamaru nearly locked up when his mother stopped to engage with him.

Hesitantly, he tried to grab her elbow as he whispered, "mom…" But the woman would not be stopped as she marched right up to Hiashi.

"Well hello, Hiashi!" She waved as she approached, causing the older man to raise his eyebrows at her, bowing slightly.

"Moriko, it is a pleasure," he responded, seemingly scanning the woman from the top down. Konohamaru's feet felt like lead, he couldn't will himself to go near them.

"Oh, your mother." Kurenai laughed behind him.

"Now, why is it I never see that younger daughter of yours?" Moriko questioned as she settled next to Hiashi, peering up at him with a mischievous smile on her face. "I'd love to see her come around my home more often."

"I have no problems with my daughter visiting you, Moriko." Hiashi's tone was a bit cold, but Konohamaru couldn't tell if that was just his normal tone. Moriko let out a laugh.

"Well, good. I expect to see her more often, then!" Moriko looked over her shoulder and gave what she probably perceived as a sly wink toward Konohamaru before turning back. He groaned inwardly at her obviously drunken nature. "It was a lovely, lovely wedding, Hiashi. Hyūga truly know how to celebrate, hm?"

"Uhm—mom—" Konohamaru finally pushed himself forward, glancing at Hiashi and offering a bow before turning to his mom. "We should really get going, Mirai's kind of drooling on my head." He pointed upwards at the sleeping girl on his shoulders.

Moriko grinned as she reached up to pat the girl's head before turning back to Hiashi. "Always a pleasure to see you, Lord Hyūga."

Konohamaru couldn't tell if he was seeing things when he could have sworn a smile had ghosted the older Hyūga's lips. "Hm. And yourself, Honorable Daughter." Now he was sure he wasn't seeing things, hearing what he could only describe as playfulness behind the man's tone as they bid farewell. With that, his mother began sauntering off and Konohamaru bid him a quick goodbye before trailing after her as quickly as possible.

"Jeeze mom, what was that?" he snapped quietly as they exited the venue, greeted by a setting sun. Moriko waved him away, swaying a bit too much as she walked next to Kurenai. His mother didn't normally drink, and it usually didn't bother him when she did. She was always overly nice and giggly and he didn't mind it, but sometimes it emboldened her too far, and he thought this was too far. To march right up to Hanabi's dad like that and demand something from him? Konohamaru couldn't even imagine what made her think that was appropriate, coming from him of all people who would be the first to admit he lacked tact.

"Oh, quit worrying." She beamed at him over her shoulder as she and Kurenai exchanged whispers and giggles.

Strange how alcohol could so easily render adults into fools.

Watching a sunset on the evening of her sister's wedding, on top of Hokage mountain, felt a little too idyllic to be real. But here she was, propped at the top along with Eiji, Yorimaru, and Jun. The three chūnin were nestled against the huge pup, acting as a pillow for them, laying in silence as the sun slowly descended under the earth. What was left of it illuminated the village below them, casting shadows of the many, many attendees of the wedding, still unwilling to let the party die as they continued to drink and sing and dance.

After a war and so much death, it finally felt like the village was healing. Seeing all the different nation's leaders and figures intermingling so easily, Stone shinobi and Mist shinobi getting along, all to watch her sister marry their hero, it was a beautiful sight. It was enough to make even Hanabi tear up, something she tried to pride herself on never allowing herself to do. Capping it off by being with her team, feeling free, was the cherry on top.

And if there were sprinkles, she supposed she could count her kiss with Konohamaru as a little bonus on top of it all.

If there was a day in her life she would be happy to repeat for the rest of her life, it would be this day.

"What do you think your sister and Naruto are up to right now?" Jun broke their silence, turning his head to face Hanabi.

A look of disgust flashed over her face as she envisioned what they might be doing, to which Eiji laughed. "They're probably making out or something."

"Or worse." Hanabi's voice went low and serious, causing a laugh from Jun as well. "Let's not think about it."

"How's it feel to be the sister of the Hero of the Leaf, now?" Eiji inquired, turning on her side to face her teammates better.

Hanabi shrugged. "No different. I'll just keep trekking along, right?"

"Right. We all will." Jun nodded, patting her forearm softly. "First big mission tomorrow, and then, who knows what else is to come?"

Hanabi held onto that thought.

Who knows what else is to come?

She sure didn't, but she was ecstatic to find out.