Yasuke walked towards the orphanage slowly, feeling the pressure in his chest increase as he got closer. He didn't want to admit it, but he had missed his friends and everything that life at the orphanage entailed. The incessant cries of the children playing in the yard, the opportunity to tease Minato and the long stories he would make up before bedtime. All that, which in the calm of the orphanage was annoying to him at times, had become a comforting echo during his lonely nights in the forest.
He also remembered Nonoe's scoldings every time he said a bad word or kept teasing Minato. Those memories, which seemed trivial at the time, were now precious to him, like fragments of a safe home to which he could always return. Yasuke realized how much he had missed it all. The puppy, sensing his anxiety, wiggled gently in Yasuke's arms, attracting his attention. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and finally saw the door of the orphanage already nearby. Determined, he quickened his pace.
Reaching the gate, he hesitated for a second before pushing the front door. As the door creaked open, the children's screams echoed louder, bringing an involuntary smile to his face.
-Yasuke! -a familiar voice shouted.
Suddenly, Minato appeared running from the courtyard. He threw himself on Yasuke with an unexpected hug, almost knocking him off balance. Yasuke beamed, feeling the warmth of the reunion.
Yasuke felt a fleeting smile form on his face, but quickly regained his serious expression. He looked at Minato, who was still hugging him tightly, and sneered:
-Hey, Minato, did you stop training while I was away? Your grip has become weak," he said, in a defiant tone.
That said, Yasuke nimbly slipped out of the embrace. He had learned much in the forest; his mentor, the leopard, taught him to move with the agility and elasticity of a ghost. Minato, surprised at how easily he had escaped, was not saddened. On the contrary, his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
-Yasuke, show me how you do it! -asked Minato, fascinated by his friend's new move.
Before Yasuke could respond, Nonoe appeared at his side and grabbed his clothes from behind, as if to prevent him from slipping away again. Unlike before, Yasuke did not try to escape. Nonoe, a head shorter than him, rested her face on his back, and Yasuke felt the wetness of her tears on his shirt. He said nothing, just stood there, letting her express what she felt.
After a while, Nonoe slowly let go, separating with a sigh. When Yasuke turned around, he saw Nonoe's eyes reddened with tears already dried. She gave him a warm look full of relief.
-Welcome back, Yasuke," he said, his voice charged with suppressed emotion.
Yasuke, in his typical form, only approached slightly, silently grateful for that welcome. Inwardly, he knew he had returned to the place where he belonged, surrounded by those who truly cared about him.
The bustle in the courtyard grew as the children surrounded Yasuke, full of curiosity about the test he had passed. He avoided the questions, however, reluctant to relive the experience. It was then that Nonoe noticed the small puppy in Yasuke's arms. Taking it in his arms, the young leopard opened his eyes and looked directly at Nonoe. His green eyes met the animal's reddish ones, which began to purr.
-How cute! -she cried excitedly, hugging and caressing him enthusiastically. The other children quickly joined in, leaving Yasuke free once again.
Minato approached with an unusually serious expression and slipped his arm around Yasuke's shoulders.
-Welcome home, little brother," he said with a broad smile, raising his fist.
Yasuke rolled his eyes, but without releasing himself from the embrace he responded with a touch of his fist.
-Your older brother has returned home," he said, bumping his fist against Minato's.
As the commotion continued in the courtyard, Principal Nora watched from her office window. There was a mixture of bitterness and happiness in her expression; she was grateful that Yasuke had returned and seemed more open with the other children. However, her joy turned bitter as her eyes lingered on the headband peeking out of Yasuke's pocket, a reminder that he was now a ninja.
Sighing, Nora called one of the monitors and asked her to bring Yasuke to her office.
When Yasuke arrived at the office, he found Grandma Nora, the person who, along with Nonoe and Minato, he most wanted to see. However, the atmosphere was different: Nora's usual warm smile was absent, and the atmosphere felt tense. Yasuke tried hard to maintain a stoic expression to hide his nerves.
Nora sighed, breaking the silence:
-Yasuke, I'm glad you're okay. I was worried that something might happen to you.
The young man nodded, wanting to ask about Grandma's condition after her operation, but felt it was not the right time.
-Yasuke, you know my history and how much I detest everything related to shinobi. However, I told you I would respect your decisions and support you," she said, pointing to a chair. Come, sit down.
Obeying, Yasuke sat down across from her. Nora watched him closely and noticed a change in his eyes, a darkness that had not been there before. She bit her lips, recognizing the meaning: those were the eyes of someone who had experienced death firsthand, and not of animals, but of a human being.
Nora could not contain her concern and, with a tone full of worry, asked Yasuke to tell her the details of what happened during the test. Her voice trembled slightly, reflecting the anguish of a worried mother.
-Yasuke, I need to know what happened. What exactly happened out there? -she asked, her eyes fixed on him, as if seeking comfort in the answers she could give him.
Yasuke swallowed saliva, his gaze drifting to the ground as he searched for the right words. He knew Grandma Nora loved him like a grandson, and though he did not wish to worry her, he felt he owed her the truth.
-There was a moment... -he started to say, but his voice broke. He took a deep breath before continuing. During the test, I was forced to do something I never thought I was capable of. I was told to... -He hesitated for a moment, as if he was still struggling to accept what had happened. I was told I had to kill a man, and although at first I thought I could avoid it, in the end....
Nora felt a knot in her stomach.
Yasuke's tears finally spilled over, breaking the façade of stoicism he had tried to maintain. Nora, seeing him, reacted immediately, hugging him tightly and warmly, cradling his head against her shoulder. Neither spoke; they just remained silent, connected by their shared grief. As Yasuke sobbed and haltingly explained what had happened, Nora listened with patience and understanding, nodding with each pause.
The old woman pressed her embrace, trying to comfort him in a dark moment of his short.
After several minutes, Nora felt Yasuke's tears stop. The young man had fallen asleep in her arms, exhausted from the emotional burden he was carrying. Carefully, she laid him down on the couch and covered him with a blanket, making sure he was comfortable. Looking at Yasuke's superficial wounds, she concluded that he was apparently fine, but understood that the weight of recent emotions had worn him down mentally.
To have ended another person's life and to lose a close friend was a devastating blow for someone so young and without the proper training to process that kind of experience. Nora headed back to her desk, where the papers in front of her looked more complicated than ever, laden with the worry and grief she felt for the child she had raised.
As Nora continued to look at the documents, a shadow crept from the corner of the office. Sakumo appeared behind her, breaking the silence with her calm voice.
-Captain, are you sure it was necessary to subject Yasuke to that last test?
Without looking away from the papers, Nora responded bitterly:
-Sakumo, I am no longer your captain. It's been a long time since you left the ANBU. Now it is you who carries that responsibility.
-I understand, Nora-sama, but Kichirou-sensei wouldn't forgive me if.... -Sakumo started to say.
Nora sighed, recognizing the stubbornness of her late husband's disciple.
-Second, I don't want to lose another child for the same reasons," he muttered, letting the emotional baggage both parties shared hang in the air.
The loss of her son had affected both Nora and Kichirou, and so she had asked Sakumo to supervise Yasuke's ordeal, forcing him to finish off the prisoner. Although Sakumo understood her reasons, he was deeply concerned about how this would affect the boy.
-Then, Sakumo, why did you lie to Yasuke? You could have told him that I forced you. I don't mind bearing the hatred if it means protecting him.
Sakumo slowly denied.
-Don't misunderstand my intentions, Nora-sama. I didn't choose Yasuke just because of your recommendation. At first, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of having a student, but he surprised me.... I want him to be my real apprentice.
With a slow movement, Sakumo slid an envelope containing some documents towards Nora, who, upon opening it, was surprised.
- Are you sure about this, Sakumo? -she asked, with a hint of disbelief.
Sakumo nodded with a slight smile.
Nora supiro and looking at Sakumo replied.
-It's a decision for him to make. Besides, you are not the only one interested.
Sakumo frowned, beginning to understand.
-You...? -he started to say, but her thoughts were interrupted as he looked down at the sleeping boy, with a mixture of worry and hope in her eyes.
Continuara....