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Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.
Judges18:6
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"Shinji's gone?! What do you mean, that he's dead?!"
Echoed a tone laced with shock, belonging to a scarlet-haired man whose hands were on his wife's shoulders. The duo were none other than Hayato and Kaede.
Kaede, though perplexed, calmly answered, "No, he just hasn't returned from his mission... No..." She shook her head to correct herself; "... His squad didn't arrive."
Hayato retracted his palms, understanding that even his wife must be devastated by the sudden news.
Today was a new year, and after much contemplation, she finally steeled herself to visit her parents. She never expected much to begin with, and thought she would be welcomed without love...
They had left on bad terms after all, and considered Kaede to be mentally unchallenged. They were the ones to dismiss her.
But no, they welcomed her with open arms. The last time they had spoken, which then led to an argument followed by separation, Kaede had avoided contact for so long. Likewise, her family also avoided her.
Surprisingly, her strict father seemed more laidback, and her mother seemed a lot more fond, and doting.
But then all of a sudden, she was informed that her younger brother, Shinji, was missing.
The influx within Hayato slowly waned as he recomposed himself.
It was difficult to stay calm after knowing someone close to you was strangely absent, and in a world brimming with anarchy, to the point that even the horrifying precept of war lingered, it was hard not to assume the worst-case scenario had befallen their comrade.
However, only by staying calm will he maintain lucidity and rationality. On the other hand, the same couldn't be said for Kaede, who was trembling. At present, he was the only one who could soothe her worries.
Hayato draped an arm around her shoulder and ensured, "Dear, everything will be alright. Let's just take a seat, okay?"
Kaede hummed in agreement, and the duo took a seat on the couch, and remained silent for a while.
Naruto and Karin had gone out to explore the New Year festivities alongside their peers, Shikamaru, Choji, and even Ino. It seemed Karin had become acquainted with the Yamanaka youngster during their time in the Academy. They were just starting to get to know each other, and perhaps that bond may build up in the future.
Hayato steeled himself, and intoned, "Shinji will return. He's a strong lad, there's no way he'd go down so easily."
Kaede, though apprehensive, decided to align with her husband's utterance with a nod of her head.
Arising from his spot, Hayato hopped to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. He returned to Kaede, who accepted his gesture and took slow sips.
Pocketing hands, the red-haired man directed his focus to the magnificent sunset in the distance, painting the porcelain white sky in a glamourous orange hue. He shared not a shred of wonder at the extravagant view that reflected before his gaze.
Finally, he asserted in a deep tone, "Kaede, brief me on the mission. Tell me everything you know."
Kaede nodded, and commenced; "It's a classified S-Rank case, Operation: Mountain's End. It was a conjoined mission between his squad and another, which was verified to take place in the Twin Peak Mountains of the Land of Earth. The mission was to neutralise a rogue who goes by the name Jiro."
Hayato, whose back was turned, raised in a questioning pitch, "Jiro? I've heard of him."
Kaede acknowledged, "Yeah, he's famously known as Jiro, the Earthbreaker."
She continued, "We only managed to get intel of his plan from an informant of his."
Hayato remained unresponsive, allowing Kaede to continue to the end;
She lengthily elaborated, trying to keep it as concise as possible; "I don't know the specifics, but the informant revealed evidence of Jiro's intentions against Konoha. Jiro planned to upstart a devastating attack on the village, and it is a forbidden Earth-style jutsu capable of altering geological formations on a massive scale. According to the informant, Jiro is taking refuge in the Twin Peak Mountains. Shinji's squad, and another squad were assigned to neutralise the threat."
"I see... Then perhaps Jiro must've-"
"I know what you're thinking, but I'm not done," Kaede interjected. She knew Hayato was following the notion that perhaps the mission was incomplete, and they were taking time.
It's not unheard of that ninjas tend to make more time than required to complete the mission. Especially when it's an S-Rank mission. Given the format of the mission, Jiro and his associates may have relocated, thus, consuming more time on the mission.
He must've taken precautions due to the disappearance of his informant, and under the "rare" circumstance that the informer has sought assistance from others to take him down, it wasn't far-fetched to assume that Jiro would've exercised caution, hence, relocating, which would then lead to more time.
Clenching her fist, she directed a downcast gaze, and vocalised in a raspy pitch, "We've obtained confirmation from the squads that Jiro was killed 2 weeks ago and that there have been no casualties, but..."
Kaede's grasp around her glass tightened, and she remarked, "... The squads that were assigned still haven't returned. We haven't gotten word from them, and the messenger bird that was sent hasn't returned."
Though subtle, Hayato's finger twitched. He repeated, his tone hoarse "I see. So they succeeded, but still aren't back? This does raise some concerns."
"Mm." Kaede hummed.
An eerie hush reigned supreme, while Hayato's gaze remained glued on the transition to dusk, as the silver moon slowly rose in the distance, claiming dominion in the night sky.
Kaede on the other hand, exuded a contagious worry. The more she pondered, the more it agonised her. Her back arched forward as she gently placed her glass of water on the coffee table, and she poised with her hands interlocked, and head resting on it, as though praying.
The tension was starting to gnaw at her mentally, slowly consuming her sanity without her knowing!
*CREAK*
A creaking sound was heard, alarming the duo of the incoming signatures.
*THUD* *THUD* *THUD*
Rough, and unrhythmic footsteps followed suit.
"WE'RE HOME!"
Two mellow voices bellowed in excitement!
The suffocating gloom shrouding the premises was dispelled, replaced by a pure, and vibrant radiance.
The children duo dashed into the living room, eager to meet their parents, and reality didn't disappoint; they were immediately met by the loving smiles of their parents. Diving into their parent's embrace, the children chuckled.
Kaede questioned, her skin crinkling in affection, "Did the both of you have fun?"
The children vehemently exclaimed, "Yeah!"
Poised akimbo, Kaede instructed, "Go have a bath you two. I'm gonna arrange a delicious supper ya know."
Hayato supported, his lips curling in delight, "You can tell us all about your adventure when we eat."
The duo's eyes shimmered like pearls before they excitedly hobbled to their respective confines to change their clothes and freshen up.
With their departure, the room regained its ill vibe, and Kaede's expression became indifferent, before twisting into a grimace. Before she could vent out her frustration by blurting a profanity, Hayato had already pulled her head into his chest. Kaede was alarmed by this moment of profound solace and security, so much so, that tears had started to form in her eyes.
The nonchalant Hayato soothed her worries with his next statement; "We're gonna investigate on this matter right now, okay?"
With his reassurance, a pang of gratefulness began surged in her heart, and she replied in a croaked tone, "Thank you so much dear."
Hayato scoffed, "Really? I'm your husband; it's what any man would do..." He teased, "Are you really crying?"
Wiping her tears, she lied, "It's dust ya know."
"Sure sure," Hayato allowed Kaede to run scot-free instead of embarrass her.
Lifting her head, she weakly looked at Hayato, and asked, "What about the children?"
***
Moments later, Naruto and Karin arrived, and upon entering the living room, a strong aroma encircled the terrain, perfumed with an abundance of flavours. Naturally, the aroma was drawn to the nostrils of the children duo, who inhaled the flavourful air, and in response, their stomachs rumbled in protest.
*RUMBLE*
The duo eyed each other, to which Naruto giggled, scratching his head sheepishly, while Karin lowered her head, concealing her reddened face that stemmed from embarrassment.
The family took seats, and pervading the tranquillity was the animated chatter and the clanking of chopsticks against the surface of the dishes. The ensuing conversation mostly revolved around the adventures of Naruto and Karin as they traversed the village and engaged in numerous festivities alongside their close peers, and everyone heartily laughed at the comical stories that were told.
It seemed the highlight of the day was Shikamaru slipping on a banana skin, and thinking someone had tripped him, he ended up using Shadow Possession on the...
Third Hokage!
The old man was simply taking a morning stroll, only to be immobilised by Shikamaru, who proceeded to yell without knowing, "Oy, what was that for?"
Before long, everyone was full, thus, causing the rambunctious yellow-haired youth to shout praise;
"THAT WAS DELICIOUS!"
Massaging his bulging stomach, Naruto expressed his gratitude while licking his lips; "Thank you Oba-chan!"
The timid Karin mimicked, "Th-Thank you Kaa-chan!"
Kaede smiled as she washed the dishes, and replied, "Your welcome."
Hayato stared at the 2 children, who relayed the joy of today's adventure.
Though reluctant, he firmed himself and intercepted, "You two, I need you to listen to me."
Naruto and Karin immediately shifted their attention to Hayato, who continued, "Me and Kaede are going on an important mission very soon."
Naruto's jaw parted in dismay, before he confessed his ecstasy, "W-Wooaaahhhh! You're going on a mission?!"
Assessing his nephew's exuberance, he smiled, and elaborated, "Yeah, but we won't be back for a while."
Taken aback, Karin probed, "How long?"
Hayato shook his head in rebuttal, and honestly answered, "I don't know. Weeks, maybe months..."
Naruto's brows knit together, momentarily reinviting the loneliness before he had assimilated into the family, causing him to stutter, "W-Will you be leaving us?"
Kaede, who was in the kitchen, momentarily halted her function, allowing the water to rummage through the pile of dishes in the sink. Her delicate eyes were concealed by her bangs, but the negative hue that she exuded testified to her distaste for the current dilemma.
Hayato, approaching the duo, caressed the cheek of both youngsters and replied in a pitch that carried dread, "Y-Yeah, we'll be gone for a bit... only a bit, I promise we'll come back."
Noticing the hurt in Hayato's eyes, which usually emanate unparalleled confidence, Naruto and Karin arrived at common ground, seemingly on consensus with the severity of their plight.
As such, Naruto intoned, "Okay."
The disheartened Hayato raised a brow, and this time, Karin assisted, "We'll be fine tou-chan. We'll be waiting for you and kaa-chan."
Baffled by their mature response and inclination, Hayato's eyes glimmered before he pulled the children into a warm hug.
He vowed, "I promise we'll come back, so don't be sad, okay?"
The children relished in the warm embrace and hummed in satisfaction.
Like any other parent, it's natural to tend to duties. The children duo understood that nagging would only hold back their dear parents. Naruto was momentarily taken aback by their confession, but he understood the significance of embarking on such missions.
Ultimately, it came down to trust, and the children had full trust in their parents.
They were both saved by these wonderful people and provided with the opportunity to experience parental affection and upbringing. Naruto and Karin, who led cruel lives, were bound to fall into darkness, hadn't it been for the intervention of these 2 wonderful people.
The hug prolonged for a while, and this time, a dazzling woman intervened.
Kaede also attached herself to the hug, and unlike her usually audacious grip, it was surprisingly level this time, but no one paid heed.
Karin spoke, "Tou-chan, kaa-chan, we'll be waiting."
Naruto added, "Yeah. Don't worry about us, ya know."
Kaede chimed in, "Since when did my babies become so mature?"
"Hehe." The children giggled.
Unfortunately, this was a temporary farewell, and the time their mission required remained unknown.
Parting with their children was truly heart-breaking, but it was something they had to do, but thankfully the children were understanding. It was a lot more easier than anticipated.
For now, they bid farewell.
But fret not!
Hayato and Kaede will return.