Part 2 Chapter 12

Kazuki

Day three-thousand eighty-one without her

"Kazuki-chan!" Sakura found him almost as soon as his dad had, easily pulling him from his embrace into hers. It was crushing but he was as relieved to see her as he was his dad. "Oh I missed you!"

He laughed, looking back at his dad as she hugged him. "You were barely gone a whole week, Onee-chan."

"But it felt like years! So much happened!" Suddenly she jerked back, pointing at her forehead. "Look, Kazuki-chan. I finally managed Lady Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred seal! Isn't that amazing!" Her smile turned just the slightest bit smug. "It ended up being almost as important as anything Naruto or Sasuke did."

Kazuki smiled up at her, proud of her for what she'd accomplished. But then she'd stood up and smiled at his dad, who seemed… almost a little lost for a moment before smiling back. At that moment, he didn't see his Sakura-chan, his Onee-chan. With the small, familiar purple diamond on her forehead, a distinctly different color than Lady Tsunade's, Sakura looked exactly like his mother. Sure her hair was shorter, but beside his dad, all they needed was a bath and a change of clothes and they would have made one of the few pictures he had of his mother. He had always thought they looked alike… but this…

"Um… that's really amazing, Sakura-chan. I'm glad…" He shook his head and pasted on a smile. This was too weird. "I'm glad you're home too."

She beamed down at him and ruffled his hair. "Me too, Kazuki-chan."

KSK

Kazuki

Day three-thousand eighty-three without her

His dad was busy helping Tsunade with Kami knew what, and there wouldn't be classes for at least another week. Kazuki still thinking about the impossibility of Sakura looking exactly like his mom, hadn't felt like going out that day.

Instead, he sat on his dad's bed, looking down at the worn photo from the day they'd married. It was crinkled and smooth around the edges from the countless times his dad had held it. His mom was beautiful. Bright green eyes, his eyes, Sakura's eyes, looked up at him with a painfully familiar smile. Her purple seal mark was there, just like his Sakura. Did it mean something that they were the same color? When he'd asked Sakura about it the other day, she said she thought if anyone else could manage it, it would be their own color. Then she'd poked him in the forehead and said she thought his would be green.

While it made him feel good knowing she thought he was capable of it, her answer only left him with more questions. Staring down at the photograph of his mother and her purple seal, Kazuki needed answers.

If his crazy idea was true, he couldn't go to his dad. He'd been keeping the truth from him his whole life, he wouldn't tell him now. But who else would know? Maybe Aiko. She was there when he was born—he knew—and she was his moms best friend. But would he be able to sweet talk her into telling him if she did? Biting his lip, he decided to go for it. At the worst, she'd tell his dad.

He started to replace the photo where his dad kept it, but suddenly thought better of it, carefully tucking it in a pocket as he dashed out. It did not take him long to get to Aiko and Genma's house. They lived in the rebuilt section of the village, closest to where he and his dad lived. It was only after he was standing in front of their door that he realized she might not be there.

She had retired from the hospital when she had been pregnant with little Hana. When everyone went off to war, she felt guilty for staying home. Now that it was over and so many had come home injured, she had decided to temporarily go back to work.

That was why, instead of the sometimes soft-hearted Aiko, a bored looking Genma answered the door. Little Hana, not quite two-years-old, giggled excitedly at Kazuki from his arms.

Dang.

"Hey, Jii-san." He suppressed his disappointment and smiled up at the toddler. "Hey, Hana-chan."

Genma grinned down at him. "Hey, Kid. You're just in time for dessert, the best meal of the day."

Kazuki frowned up at him. "But it's barely eleven. I haven't had lunch yet. Dad says…"

Genma scoffed and pulled the door open, beckoning him in. "Your dad isn't here and neither is Aiko. Hana wanted dango for lunch, so that's what we're having."

Wondering if maybe he would be easier to get answers from after all, Kazuki followed them in. They sat around the low table, indeed piled with sweet dango.

"So, what did you need Aiko for?"

Caught, Kazuki froze, dango halfway to his mouth. "Uh… What makes you think I needed her, Jii-san?"

He chuckled, helping Hana with her treat. "Nothing gets by me, kid. You were definitely not expecting to see me when I opened the door." He ate the last bite off Hana's dango, keeping the stick between his teeth. "I'm guessing it's not because of an injury. You look fine to me. So…" He smirked. "Girl trouble?"

Kazuki made a face, waving his hand in front of him. "Jii-san, I'm eight. Besides, you know I'd come to you for that." His dad might be highly intelligent and had little trouble wooing his mother, but as far as Kazuki knew she was the only woman he'd ever dated. He knew Genma had much more experience.

He laughed as he helped Hana again. "Well you are a smart kid. So, what did you need?"

Biting his lip, Kazuki tried to think how best to approach him with this. "Jii-san… I had a question about my mom."

"Oh yeah?" He seemed to sober a little, trying to mitigate the mess Hana was making all over the table and floor. "What about?" Something must have occurred to him because his eyes narrowed and he looked him over. "Wait… why not ask your dad?"

Kazuki feigned innocence as he took another bite. "Oh, you know how he is. It always makes him kind of sad to talk about her…" Genma gave him a flat glare. He knew that was bull. His dad had never minded telling him about her.

"Okay, fine." He pulled the photograph from his pocket. "Have you seen Sakura-chan?" He tapped at the seal on his mother's forehead. "She finally managed this while you guys were fighting."

Looking extremely uncomfortable, Genma gave the photo a cursory glance before focusing way too hard on Hana. "Oh yeah, I did see that. Quite the accomplishment."

"Yeah… The thing is,Jii-san, it's extremely difficult to do. And when I asked her about why hers was a different color than Lady Tsunade's, she said it would be unique every time."

"Oh? Fascinating. You gonna try to do it someday?"

Kazuki narrowed his eyes at the older man's suddenly dodgy attitude. Oh yeah, he definitely knew something. "Maybe. But that's not why I'm here." He tapped the photo again. "Jii-san… is Sakura-chan my mom?"

He nearly choked on the dango stick. "What?" Discarding the offending stick, he reached for another fresh dango. "That's ridiculous. She's not old enough to be your mom." He stuffed his mouth and waved at his daughter. "Your mom's name was Hana, we named little Hana after her."

Frustrated, but now more sure he was on the right path than ever, Kazuki didn't let up. "That's what everyone says her name was. But Naruto-Niisan said the four dead Hokages were alive again and he met his dad! He said some dead ancestor of Sasuke-san made some crazy chakra lady appear and she had powers like a Kami!"

Genma scoffed. "He was exaggerating—"

"I know this sounds crazy, Jii-san, but look!" He held up the picture right under his nose. "Sakura-chan Has a purple seal mark too! And that's not supposed to happen! They look exactly the same!"

"Well… They are related?"

Kazuki groaned in frustration. "Yeah and I'm a Hatake, but I got my mom's pink hair. They're only supposed to be cousins. Please tell me the truth, Jii-san. I need to know. She's my mom!"

Genma sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This was definitely a question for your dad…"

"He wouldn't tell me if I asked. The last time I mentioned how alike they looked he acted like it was the first time he'd noticed and blamed it on them being cousins."

"If that's what your dad said, then—"

"Jii-san!" Kazuki slammed his palms on the table, startling Hana-chan who immediately copied him repeatedly until Genma grabbed her little hands and sighed.

"Kazuki-chan…" He looked down at him, uncharacteristic sadness in his face. "You need to talk to your dad. This is not a conversation I can have with you."

Rocking back on his heels, Kazuki could only stare at him. Did that mean he was right? Or did He just feel sorry for him? Even if he was right, it wouldn't change anything. Whoever she was, his mom was dead. "Fine." Pocketing the picture, he slumped against the table and sighed.

"Hey, why don't you take Hana-chan to the park? They built a new one down the street. She likes the swings as much as you did when you were little."

"Sure. Not like I have anything better to do today." Finishing his last dango, he let Genma get her cleaned up and dressed. Maybe playing with the cheerful toddler would make him feel better.

Hoisting her up onto his shoulders, her pudgy hands grabbing fistfuls of his hair, he said goodbye to Jii-san and headed down the street. Pushing Hana-chan on the swings was entertaining at least. She did love them and her bright smile and babyish giggles made him feel a little bit lighter.

After a while, he looked up to see his dad leaning against the fence around the park. "Dad. What are you doing here? I thought you were busy all day?"

He shrugged. "Tsunade threw me out of her office. Something about being sick of listening to me whine about paperwork." When Kazuki rolled his eyes, he sighed and stood, hands in his pockets. "Genma told me I'd find you here. It's probably time for Hana-chan's nap. Why don't we take her home and go for a walk?"

Kazuki blushed, and was thankful he'd decided to wear a mask too. What else had Genma told him? Grabbing a definitely sleepy looking toddler out of the swing, he walked over to the fence and passed her to his dad, hopping over to follow him down the street. "Yeah, okay."

"Hello, Hana-chan. How is my favorite little girl today, hm?" Kazuki blushed again, this time embarrassed by his dad's baby voice as they walked down a public street. "Can you say, 'Kaka-jii?' hm? Ka-ka-jii." When she babbled something that sounded vaguely like what he'd asked, Kakashi praised her enthusiastically, earning pats on his face and peals of laughter when he blew a raspberry on her cheek.

Not for the first time, Kazuki wondered if he would have younger siblings if his mom had lived. He had never brought it up before, but now he felt like asking. "Dad?"

"Hm?" He adjusted Hana-chan in his arms and looked down at him.

"Do you think… If mom was still alive, would you have had more kids?"

"Hmm." He frowned and looked back at Hana-chan, pretending to steal her nose. "I don't know. We never got the chance to talk about it." He was quiet for a while after that, the frown not leaving his face. Eventually, they made it back to Aiko and Genma's house, dropping Hana-chan off with her dad.

Back on the street, his dad turned to him again. "Come with me." Without warning, he took off toward Hokage rock, Kazuki managing to keep up with him as they raced across rooftops. Once they made it to the top, he followed his dad to settle on top of the Fourth. He didn't say anything for a while, looking down at the village below.

Kazuki was about to say something when his dad finally opened his mouth. "Genma told me what you asked about today."

Folding his arms, Kazuki stared up at him, waiting for him to say more. He only held out his hand expectantly. When Kazuki frowned, confused, his dad sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out the photo he had pilfered from his bedside table that morning.

"I always hoped it would be too crazy a thing to even occur to you to ask." He sighed, his thumb tracing over her face. "But that was foolish of me. You're too smart."

Kazuki gasped softly. "So… It's true then?"

His dad looked down at him then, something in his dark eyes that Kazuki couldn't name. "I am sorry to tell you that it is, son."

He had a million questions. "But how? She was my age when I was born. And why would you be sorry? Does Baba-chan know? Or Kizashi-jii-chan? I knew it meant something that Sakura-chan's seal mark was purple too. How, Dad? And does she know? Does Jii-san know? Why wouldn't he just tell me? Why haven't you ever told me? What's the big deal?"

Kakashi put a heavy hand on his shoulder, his eyes crinkling with a sad smile. "Take a breath, son." He sighed again and looked back at the photograph. "The how is still as yet unclear. Some kind of experimental time travel jutsu. She will be abducted on a mission the day after you graduate from the Academy. She had no idea what they did to her but, somehow she ended up in the past."

"Time travel?" Kazuki frowned out at the village, trying to make sense of that. "Well, Naruto-Niisan said he met his dad so… I guess anything is possible." When he felt his dad's heavy gaze, he looked up at him. "Does anyone else know?"

"Yes. Your grandparents know. They found out when you were little and I was presumed dead on a mission. The council wanted to take you from them but according to my will, you were to live with them as they are your only other family. Aiko was honest with them when they requested the necessary testing done to prove you were related."

"I don't remember that. They thought you were dead?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I wouldn't expect you to, you were barely three. A mission went badly and we were gone for over a month."

"So, Aiko-ba-chan and Jii-san know, then? And Baba-chan and Kizashi-jii-chan?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Why… Why would you be sorry to tell me?" His dad only looked at him, a little sadly, waiting for him to figure it out on his own.

Sakura was his mom. She wasn't his Onee-chan, but she had loved him and always been there for him since he was a baby. It made him kind of happy to think that he had had his mom in his life after all, if not quite the same way he would have liked. And she always would be until… until…

The truth hit him so hard in the chest he gasped, looking back up at his dad with rapidly filling eyes. "I'm going to lose her again?"

Kakashi sighed, running his hand through Kazuki's hair and letting him fall into his arms, pressing his face into his chest. "I'm afraid so, son."

"But… but…" Kazuki choked on a sob. It wasn't fair. He loved his Onee-chan almost more than anyone else. She had always been there for him. He couldn't imagine a world without her. And now he knew she was, would be, his mom. It made the idea of losing her hurt so much more. "She can't leave me again. She can't!"

His Dad's arms were heavy and secure around his shoulders as he held him while he cried. "I'm sorry, Kazuki. I'm so sorry."

"It's not fair, Dad."

"I know, son. I know."

They stayed that way for a while, Kazuki crying for his mom until he didn't have any tears left. Eventually, he sniffled, peeking out at the darkening sky from between his dad's arms. "So… the day after I graduate?"

A/N The Japanease word for Uncle is Oji. Oji-san, jii-san/chan, using the suffix after a name like Genma-jii-san... all things I've seen. I am not Japanease and google isn't super helpful so if that's super off, I apologize. Genma and Aiko have helped Kakashi and have been in Kazuki's life since birth. They're family. One thing I like about this story is that Kakashi has so much family in his life, unlike in cannon, and so does his son. Aunt is Oba, and grandma is Obasan so I don't know how they differentiate but oh well. Baba seeems to be a childish way to say it like nanna. I still call my last grandma Nanna so. So can Kazuki. He has always called Mebuki this and she never corrected him.

"Yes, son. Three and a half years."