The child that looked so much like Kakashi. Yumi, at nine, reminded her of the man that she left all those years ago. If she had known that there's a life growing inside her, she would not have left.

"Yumi, do you want to see your father?" She asked as she braid her long silver hair.

Yumi looked up at her mother, her innocent eyes filled with curiosity. "Father? Do I have a father, Mama?"

Sakura nodded, a mixture of emotions swirling within her. "Yes, sweetheart. You have a father, and he's a very special person. Would you like to meet him?"

Yumi's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? I have a father? Can we meet him, Mama?"

Sakura smiled, brushing a strand of Yumi's silver hair away from her face. "Yes, we can. But we need to go back to the village, to Konoha."

"Konoha?" Yumi repeated, her excitement tempered by confusion. "What's Konoha, Mama?"

"It's a village, a place where your father lives. And we used to live there too," Sakura explained, her gaze distant as memories flooded back.

Yumi tilted her head, her curiosity evident. "Why did we leave, Mama? And who is my father?"

Sakura sighed, a heavy weight on her chest. "It's a long story, Yumi. One that Mama needs to share with your father too. But for now, let's get ready. We're going back to Konoha."

As Sakura and Yumi prepared to leave the remote village that had been their home for years, Sakura's heart fluttered with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. The journey back to Konoha was not just a physical return but a reckoning with the past and a chance to forge a new future.

The journey to Konoha was a mix of emotions for Sakura. The familiar landscape, the towering gates, and the bustling activity of the village brought back a flood of memories. Yumi, on the other hand, marveled at the sights and sounds, the village life a stark contrast to the quiet solitude they had known.

As they approached the familiar building that once held the Hokage's office, Sakura felt a knot forming in her stomach. The decision to return, to face Kakashi and reveal the truth, weighed heavily on her.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura entered the building, Yumi's hand tightly clasped in hers. The receptionist looked up, surprise and recognition flickering in her eyes.

"Haruno Sakura? Is that really you?" the receptionist asked.

Sakura nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, it's me. I need to see Kakashi."

"He's no longer the Hokage, Sakura. But Naruto is. He's inside. Do you want to see your friend?" the receptionist - Aya, as stated by her name tag - asked.

"If he's not busy."

"He's not, I'm his secretary, I know his schedule like the back of my hand."

Aya smiled at her. She led them into the office she knows too much. He can see a mop of blond hair sticking out from a stack of documents.

"Aya, I swear if that is another stack of - " but Naruto's rant was abruptly interrupted when his eyes landed on Sakura. He immediately stood up. "Sakura? You're back!" Naruto crossed the distance separating him from his friend and threw his arms around her. "We missed you, Sakura."

Sakura returned Naruto's embrace, the familiarity of his warmth a comforting reminder of the bonds they shared. Yumi stood beside her, wide-eyed and curious, taking in the unexpected reunion.

"Naruto," Sakura said, her voice soft but filled with emotion. "It's good to see you again."

Naruto pulled back, holding her at arm's length to get a good look at her. "You look the same, Sakura! But where have you been all these years? And who is this little one?" He ruffled Yumi's silver hair affectionately.

Sakura took a deep breath, her gaze shifting to Yumi. "This is Yumi, Naruto. She's... she's... well, she's my daughter."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "Your daughter? You mean... she's Kakashi's?"

Sakura nodded, her gaze fixed on Naruto's face. "Yes. Yumi is Kakashi's daughter."

Naruto's expression shifted from surprise to understanding. "Wow, Sakura. That's... that's a lot to take in. But it's good to have you back. And Yumi, welcome to Konoha!"

Yumi offered a shy smile, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement in this new environment.

"Is that how Kakashi-sensei looks under all those fabrics?" He asked. "I mean, you said she's Kakashi's and she doesn't look like you at all. So, I assume, she got her looks from her father." Naruto rambled.

Sakura chuckled at Naruto's rambling. "Yes, Naruto. Yumi takes after her father. And speaking of Kakashi, is he around? I need to talk to him."

Naruto's expression shifted, a hint of sadness crossing his features. "Sakura, Kakashi... he's been through a lot. He's not the same person you left behind. But that's his office." He pointed to the office across his own, the office of the Hokage's adviser. "He's in there."

Sakura nodded, a mix of anticipation and anxiety settling within her. "Thank you, Naruto. Can I leave Yumi here with you? I don't know how we'll react. And if he rejects me, I don't want Yumi to witness that."

Naruto nodded understandingly. "Of course, Sakura. Yumi, you can hang out with me, for a while. Your Mama have to do something. We'll have a great time while your mom talks to Kakashi, okay?"

Yumi's eyes widened in excitement, and she nodded vigorously. "Okay! Thank you, Uncle Naruto!"

As Yumi followed Naruto to join his kids, Sakura took a deep breath, preparing herself for the conversation ahead. She approached the door to the adviser's office and knocked lightly.

"Come in," a voice called from inside.

Sakura entered the office to find Kakashi, now without the Hokage's hat and cloak, engrossed in paperwork. The years had added a few more lines to his face, but the piercing gaze and silver hair remained unchanged.

"Kakashi," she spoke, her voice a mixture of nerves and determination.

Kakashi looked up from his paperwork, and his gaze froze on Sakura. The air seemed to still as the weight of the past and the unspoken truths hung in the room. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence echoing the years of separation.

"Sakura," Kakashi finally said. "What are you doing here?" He asked coldly.

Sakura took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation she had been avoiding for so long. "I came back, Kakashi. I couldn't stay away any longer. There's something I need to tell you, something I should have told you a long time ago."

Kakashi's gaze remained fixed on her, his expression unreadable. "if you're here to explain why you left, I don't need to hear it." he said, his tone devoid of warmth.

"I'm sorry." Sakura apologized. "I'm sorry I left without a word."

"I said I don't want to hear it." Kakashi told her.

"Kakashi please - "

"You don't get to apologize now, Sakura. I looked everywhere for you. But I forgot who I was looking for, if you don't want to be found you won't be found." Kakashi trailed a lazy eye on her. "So I stopped looking for you. I don't want to look for you anymore."

Sakura felt a pang in her chest at Kakashi's words, the coldness in his tone cutting through her. The gravity of the moment hung heavy in the air as she tried to find the right words.

"I understand that you hate me. I deserve that much. But Kakashi, I'm not here for me. I'm here because your daughter wants to see you. Just give her that. Just one glimpse, please Kakashi. Just one glimpse."

Kakashi's gaze shifted from Sakura to the door, his expression guarded. The mention of a daughter seemed to catch him off guard, and for a moment, the stoic façade wavered.

"A daughter?" he repeated, his voice softer but laced with a hint of disbelief.

Sakura nodded, her eyes pleading with him. "Yumi. I didn't know about her when I left. If I had known - "

"If I fathered a child I would have known." Kakashi interrupted her. "Why are you doing this, Sakura? Did you fall out of grace in Chojuro's eyes? Is this the reason why you're trying to make me believe that your bastard is mine?" he asked her. And he saw how pain flashed in her eyes. Good, he wants to hurt her. "It's true that I fucked you all those ago," he watched her flinch at his vulgar words. "but it doesn't mean we had a child. I would have known. Stop trying to make me acknowledge a child that wasn't mine."

Sakura shook her head, a mixture of pain and regret etched on her face. "No, Kakashi. This has nothing to do with Chojuro. Yumi is your daughter, and she needs to see you. She grew up thinking that its just us. She needs to understand that she had a father here. Don't hate her for my choices, she doesn't know about those." She explained to him, her eyes begging. "I hid her because you were the Hokage and I can't subject her under the scrutiny of the council. Please, Kakashi. I'm begging you, just see her. After that, we'll leave."

Kakashi remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Sakura. The mention of a daughter had stirred something within him, a conflict of emotions that played across his features. He sighed, running a hand through his silver hair.

"Fine," he finally relented. "But just one glimpse, Sakura. I don't owe you anything beyond that." He said, thinking that whoever that Sakura is trying to pass off as his own is just not his.

Sakura nodded, relief washing over her. "Thank you, Kakashi. I appreciate it."

Kakashi stood up, his movements deliberate and detached. He followed Sakura out of the office, a sense of apprehension hanging in the air. As they approached Naruto's office, where Yumi was waiting, Sakura felt her heart pounding in her chest.

Naruto greeted them with a smile, but his expression shifted to one of concern as he saw Kakashi's guarded demeanor.

"Kakashi, this is Yumi," Sakura introduced, stepping aside to reveal the silver-haired girl who bore a striking resemblance to him.

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Yumi. His resemblance to the child cannot be mistaken – the silver hair, the grey eyes, her straight pointed nose, and her high cheekbones. It was like he was staring at a younger female version of himself. The silence that followed was palpable, each second stretching into an eternity. Yumi, sensing the tension, looked up at Kakashi with wide eyes.

"Hello, Kakashi," Yumi greeted, her voice a soft whisper.

Kakashi stared at her, his stoic mask cracking for a moment. The emotions in his eyes were complex, a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and perhaps a hint of recognition. Sakura held her breath, watching the silent exchange between father and daughter.

"I... I didn't know," Kakashi finally spoke, his voice low and filled with an undercurrent of emotion. Guilt and shame spread through him as he remember that he called her a bastard.

Sakura stepped forward, placing a hand on Yumi's shoulder. "It's okay, Kakashi. We didn't want to disrupt your life. But Yumi needed to see you, just once."

Kakashi remained silent, his gaze fixed on Yumi. After a moment, he sighed, a heavy exhale that seemed to release some of the tension in the room.

"Yumi," he said, his voice softening. "You... you look a lot like me."

Yumi smiled, a mixture of nervousness and joy on her face. "Mama says I take after you, Kakashi. She told me a lot of stories about you. But she just said that you're her friend. It's nice to finally meet you, Kakashi."

Kakashi crouched down to Yumi's eye level, studying her features. Something stirred within him as the girl called his name. The silence between them held a myriad of unspoken emotions.

"Yumi," he began, his tone gentle. "I... I didn't know about you. Sakura didn't tell me."

Sakura stepped forward, her eyes meeting Kakashi's. "I didn't know until after I left, Kakashi. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. Yumi just needs to see you."

Kakashi's gaze shifted from Sakura to Yumi, and a moment of vulnerability crossed his eyes. He reached out, hesitated for a second, and then gently ruffled Yumi's silver hair.

"It's not your fault, Yumi," he said, his voice softer. "I didn't know, but I'm here now." He talks to the girl as if she's the one talking to him. He doesn't know what to say to Sakura yet, his words of denial haunting him.

Yumi beamed, and her eyes sparkled with a mixture of relief and happiness. "Can we spend some time together, Kakashi? I've always wanted to meet my dad." She asked the man as hope filled her eyes.

Sakura's heart went out to her daughter, but she promised Kakashi that they will leave after one glimpse, and he gave her more than that, she has to keep her part. She crouched down to look at Yumi. "No, baby. Kakashi is a very busy man. And we have to return to our house, back in Kiri."

Yumi's expression fell slightly, but she nodded in understanding. Kakashi, still crouched down, looked at Sakura, a question in his eyes.

"I appreciate you allowing us this moment, Kakashi," Sakura said, her voice gentle. "But we should go now. Thank you for seeing Yumi."

Kakashi stood up, his gaze lingering on Yumi for a moment longer. "If you ever want to meet again, just let me know," he said, his words directed at Yumi.

Yumi nodded, a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Kakashi. It was nice meeting you."

As Sakura and Yumi turned to leave, Kakashi's voice stopped them. "Sakura, we need to talk."

Sakura hesitated but nodded. "Okay, Kakashi. We can talk."

They moved to a quieter corner of the hallway, away from prying eyes and ears. The tension between them was palpable as they faced each other.

"I need answers, Sakura," Kakashi began, his tone serious. "Why did you really leave? And why didn't you tell me about Yumi?"

Sakura took a deep breath, her eyes meeting Kakashi's. "I left because the Council of Elders gave me an ultimatum. Its either I leave, or I would be executed for treason, and they will tear you down. If it was just me, I would have taken my chances with the elders. But they will also target you. And I can't let them do that."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he processed Sakura's words. The weight of the revelation settled on his shoulders, and the gravity of the situation became clear.

"They threatened you with treason?" Kakashi's voice held a dangerous edge, a simmering anger beneath the surface. "And you chose to protect me by leaving?"

Sakura nodded her gaze unwavering. "Yes, Kakashi. I couldn't risk your life for mine. I just can't take chances and blindly hope that they won't follow through. But you and I both know what they can do. So, I made the choice to protect you, even if it meant leaving everything behind. As for Yumi, I didn't know about her until after I left. If I had known I would not have left like that. I care about you, Kakashi." She let out. "I really care about you."

Kakashi's jaw tightened, the conflicting emotions visible in his eyes. "So, you've been living, hiding all these years, protecting me from a threat I didn't even know about."

"I don't know what else to do."

Kakashi just stared at her. He doesn't know what to think or what to do. He had been living for years thinking that she just left because she can't be with an old man, but now he is presented with this information.

"I can't believe they would go to such lengths," Kakashi finally spoke, his voice low and filled with a mix of anger and frustration. "But you could have told me, Sakura. I would have faced that threat with you."

Sakura's eyes softened. "I know, Kakashi. But you have to understand, I know that you would have ruined yourself for me. I can't bear to see you throw away everything for me. But I admit that there are days, that I regret not telling you. But I thought it was the best way to protect you."

Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "Protecting me by leaving me in the dark, by making me think you just abandoned everything without a reason. It's been a decade, Sakura. Do you know what it was like for me? The rumors, the questions, the emptiness."

Sakura's expression pained. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. I never meant for you to suffer. But I had to make a choice, and I thought it was the only way." She bit her lip and looked away. "I didn't bring her here to disrupt your life or the normalcy that you created for yourself. Like I promised, we are leaving after you see her."

Kakashi's gaze softened as he looked at Sakura. The years of pain and unanswered questions seemed to hang in the air, a heavy burden between them.

"I need time to process all of this," Kakashi admitted, his voice weary. "I need time to understand everything. But you can't just disappear again, Sakura. I need some assurance that you won't vanish from my life without a word."

Sakura nodded; her eyes filled with sincerity. "I won't, Kakashi. I promise. If you still want to see me after this, you can just send a message to my clinic in the Hidden Mist. I will be in a small village near the border."

Kakashi nodded, a sense of resolution settling within him. "I'll keep that in mind, Sakura."

The air between them remained charged with unspoken emotions, a complex web of past hurts and tentative hope for the future. As they parted ways, Kakashi returned to his duties as an adviser, and Sakura prepared to leave Konoha once again.

The journey back to the remote village was quieter than the initial arrival. Yumi, although disappointed about not spending more time with her father, understood the complexities of the situation. Sakura, lost in her thoughts, couldn't shake the feeling that the fragile threads connecting her to Kakashi were on the verge of breaking or weaving into something new.