Chapter 14 Part 2
"...There." Naruko finished, quiet, embarrassed by her own flood. It was like a dam broke inside her. Weird — but Kaoru gave her this strange feeling. Like she could really tell him everything. And she did. ALL of it. She'd never unloaded like that — ever. Spilled things she'd never even told Granny. Or Iruka.
"So that's how it is." Kaoru said it with some tone she couldn't read — staring straight ahead.
Fear stabbed her: now he knows everything. About the demon inside. Is he gonna hate her now too?! But... Kaoru's kind, right?!.. He... he's not like that?..
"K-Koru-ch-chan?.. You... you too, now?.." Stumbling over the words — shaking inside.
"M? What?" Kaoru tilted his head. Didn't get it.
"W-well... you know everything now. About me. You... now you're gonna... me..." Whispering — then suddenly— "Ow?!"
"Baka." Kaoru said it crossly — rubbing the edge of his hand. He'd just smacked her forehead. Hard. "Don't talk nonsense. Do I look like that kind of person?!"
"No..." Sniffle.
"See?" He softened instantly — hand on her head. She squeezed her eyes shut — then timidly opened them, feeling him stroke her hair. "I'm not the kind of guy who turns his back on people over stupid crap like that."
"Sorry." She murmured it — taking heart. Right. This is Kaoru. He's always been kind. Welcoming. "I... I really am stupid, aren't I?"
"Sometimes." He smiled — then kept going, almost cheerful: "Also: loud, restless, can't pay attention, careless, never thinks things through..."
"Well — excuse me!" She puffed up — offended — but couldn't hold it. Started giggling. No idea why — suddenly it was just funny.
"There — see? Already laughing." Gentle smile. "There she is. The famous Little Orange. Uzumaki Naruko."
"And... you really?.." She looked at him. "I mean... I've got a demon inside me. Doesn't that bother you?.. I... I'm dangerous..."
"Eh. Only a little. And besides — it's not exactly news to me." He shrugged, easy. Then — catching her confusion — added: "I already knew."
"Huh?!" Eyes flying wide. He KNEW?!
"Well — it's kind of hard to miss a giant knot of hatred and malice coming through the wall. I'm pretty sensitive to that stuff." He spread his hands. "Also — Naruko? You forgetting? I told you I grew up at the Temple of Amaterasu. I've seen people possessed by spirits before. Your case is a little different — but not THAT different."
"And... this whole time?.."
"Why wouldn't it be? You're not the demon. It's the opposite — you're holding it inside your own body. Keeping it from tearing the world apart. That's... really strong. Not a lot of people could carry a weight like that." He shook his head — a little sad at the end. "You're Uzumaki Naruko. Loudest, most scatterbrained kunoichi in Konoha. That's — YOU."
"!" She jolted — couldn't help it. Nose itching. Eyes stinging.
"Now, now... just how much water do you HAVE in there?!" Kaoru complained — warm — pulling out a handkerchief. Dabbing the corners of her eyes. Wiping the wet tracks on her cheeks.
"S-sorry." Trying to calm down. "But..."
"I know." He cut her off — gentle. "Now I need you to listen to me, Naruko. This might sound harsh. Or wrong. But try to understand. Okay?"
"Mm." She nodded.
He took a breath. Gathering himself.
"See, Naruko... a crowd? It's stupid. And blind. People are scared of you — and they've got reasons. What you don't understand — scares you. But they're confusing things. Listen: you can't lean on what people think. Not like that. Here's what I'm saying: you holding the Fox inside you? That's GOOD. You're helping people. YOU are not dangerous. But people don't think about that. They never will. They only see the surface — because they can't look deeper. Don't WANT to. They just feed their own fear — never bother understanding anything. What I'm getting at: you already do enough for people just by existing. You don't have to suffer for them. Your sacrifice is already enough — they don't GET to demand more. They're scared of you? Hate you? Forget it. Ignore it. They should be grateful. And if they're not? You've got every right to not care. Naruko — crowds are fickle. Selfish. Today they cheer you like a hero — tomorrow they curse you like a villain. It's easy to make people love you — even if you never did a single good thing for them personally. So don't go chasing their approval. Don't lean on them. Nothing changes even if you crush yourself flat for them! Today — indifference. Tomorrow — love. And being worshipped can flip to being condemned — just like that. Maybe I sound cruel right now. Hypocritical. Maybe you can't accept this. But try to understand, Naruko. Other people's opinions matter — but you can't obsess over them. You can fight prejudice — but don't let it control you. There's always gonna be a million opinions — and they're not always the truth. So live for YOURSELF first, Naruko! Don't worry about the crowd. Don't be a slave to their prejudice! What really matters is the people close to you. Everyone else? Not important. You're you. You're Uzumaki Naruko. And you're exactly what you are!"
He finished — kind of rambling, kind of jumbled — and caught his breath.
"Exactly what I am..." Naruko whispered — eyes closed. Kaoru was right. He said a lot — she couldn't grasp all of it at once. But those words... for some reason, they echoed. Deep inside.
***
Besides the midday incident — nothing else happened on the way back. Rested. Cleaned up. Moved on. We didn't rush — even took a long break — and still got to Konoha faster than we'd reached the Wave village. Probably because no one was slowing us down.
Not even worth a glance from the gate guards — we passed through under the setting sun. Somewhere along the way, we silently agreed: all business could wait. Not that there was much. Or anything urgent.
Ah — home, sweet home! Hmm... Naruko ran off to her place, but I'm one hundred percent sure: in half an hour, a specific blue-eyed blonde is gonna climb through my window and innocently ask if I've got anything "to snack on." Honestly — I wanted something hot and fresh myself.
Aaand — yep! Forty-something minutes later — window flies open. Naruko's bashful, curious face appears. She'd freshened up — already changed into her orange pajamas with... hm, naruto? Funny. Padding barefoot — faint damp sounds — straight to her usual spot at the table. Waiting for her: steaming fried fish with spices. Warm soy miso (found in a scroll I'd left at home).
"Itadakimasu~~" she cried, digging in. I didn't lag behind. After the hunger was handled — tea. Idle chatter. Dragged on for a full hour.
"Good night." I saw off the drowsy, nodding girl.
"O-o-oyasumi~~" Naruko mumbled, clumsily crawling back through the window. Mma — stuffed full, asleep on her feet. That's Naruko for you...
Ah — and that's the end of this insane day! Shut the window. Cleared the dishes. Ready to crash.
But...
A knock on the glass. Day's not over.
"Umm... Good evening, dog... mm... squirrel-raccoon-marten... san?" I awkwardly greeted the person in my window, trying to figure out what animal that mask was supposed to be.
"Hokage-sama summons you," the Anbu said flatly. "No arguments."
"Hai..." Couldn't hold back the tired sigh. Won't even let me SLEEP!
Nothing to be done. Scraped myself together. Leapt across rooftops after the masked one. Uncomfortable. Painful. Fresh wounds do NOT help with acrobatics. Had to endure.
Late as it was — Hokage was in her office. Judging by the neat stacks of identical scrolls — sleep was just a dream for her.
"Hokage-sama." The masked shinobi bowed. Vanished.
"Hm-hm. Welcome back, Kaoru-kun." Barely hiding her joy — the old woman slashed a brushstroke across a scroll and chucked it onto one of two piles. Mmaa — paperwork's really getting to her. "I hope my request didn't trouble you too much?"
"Not at all, Hokage-sama." I lied politely. Smiled. "Just finished supper. Everything's fine."
"Good, good." She nodded — lighting her pipe. pokh-pokh "So. Sounds like quite a lot happened on this mission. Tell me about it, Kaoru-kun."
***
Under those gray Sarutobi eyes — not a trace of senile fog — I had no choice. Akashi's gonna make a full report anyway once she's back. So I pulled out the scroll with her brief message and started talking. The Demon Sisters. Zabuza. Gato's schemes... The full report took a while.
"...aaand we got back." I finished, throat a little dry.
"Is that so." She drew it out — chewing her pipe stem. Long silence. "I wasn't wrong. Sending you with Naruko was the right call. That's good. Kaoru." Her face changed — wrinkled smile spreading. "Thank you. For holding Naruko back. Without you — that child could've done terrible things. Things she never would've wanted. Lost herself. Thank you."
I blinked. Sarutobi's voice was completely different — older, creakier. Nothing like her usual tone. Right now she looked so much like a caring, kind grandmother — it was almost impossible to connect her to the calm, commanding Hokage-sama. That fast a shift... a little unsettling.
I blinked again. The illusion was gone. Hokage behind the desk — puffing her pipe — eyeing the scroll stacks with pure loathing.
"And the journey back, Kaoru-kun?" She asked after a moment. "Nothing happened?"
"No — everything was fine." I shook my head — kept it natural. "Talked a bit on the way. Managed to settle Naruko down. Everything's good now."
I'd already decided: keep quiet about her breakdown. Just don't know what would happen if word got out. I trust the Hokage — but if someone decides Naruko's too unstable to be a jinchuriki... Bad thought. Don't want to finish it.
So I'll stay silent about today. And more than that — while I was telling the mission story, an idea hit me.
"Actually, Hokage-sama..." Careful. "I might have an idea. Something that could help Naruko."
"Hmmff..." Short drag. Gracious nod. "I trust your mind, Kaoru. Speak."
"With your permission — I'd like to start spirit training with Naruko. Strengthen her self-control. If she's got better discipline — she can resist the Fox more. In her case — it's willpower that matters. Strength of spirit. Might even make her calmer! Although..." My voice slipped — doubt creeping in. "I'm afraid my own modest abilities might not be enough for that..."
"Pfhe..." The Hokage chuckled — genuinely amused. "O-ho-ho... Yes — Naruko and 'calm'... ho-ho... I doubt even the KAMI could manage that!.. Very well! I've got no objections. Could genuinely help her. And if that's how it is — give it your best, Kaoru-... sensei."
"Mmaa... Of course." I scratched my head, awkward. "If I may?.."
"Certainly, Kaoru-kun." She waved her hand. "Forgive an old woman for dragging you out so late."
"Not at all... Good night, Hokage-sama." Bowed. Left.
Pulling the door shut — I caught something. Indistinct. Definitely annoyed. Words like "hate," "paper," and "retirement" slipped through.
Well... I can only silently sympathize with the Village's ruler.
Yawned. Headed home. To sleep.
***
Notes:
* Naruto — in this case, the fish-paste swirls they put in ramen.
* Oyasumi — good night (Jp.)
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