The Life between a Ninja and a Teacher

Chapter 15

Kumiko rolls to her side feeling something warm. She scoots closer to the warmth only to realize that the warm feeling is also moving, almost like it's breathing. She shoots up in the bed and looks next to her. There lays Iruka slowly opening his eyes.

"How the hell did I get in here?" She shouts as she gets out of his bed holding her head.

Iruka looks up at her confused also eye wide. "You were sleeping on the couch when I went to bed."

"Great, now I'm sleepwalking!" She throws her hands up and starts walking out of his bedroom and trips over her own feet slamming her head onto the wall.

"Oof. Ouch!"

"Kumiko!" Iruka jumps out of bed and rushes over to her. "Are you okay?" He says helping her up.

"I'm fine." She says harsly. "I'm going home."

"Well let help you, your head is bleeding." She tries to struggle out of his arms. "Just stop, let me help you, please." She relaxes in his grasp.

She looks up at him as he helps her to his living room and sets her on the couch, he grabs a wet rag and a bandaid. "You're going to be late." She mumbles as he starts cleaning the cut on her forehead.  "I also told Naruto that I would make him breakfast."

"It will be fine. They are usually late anyway. Knowing him, he probably already left. Why are you here anyway? I found you passed out on my couch last night."

"Oh, I made some rice balls and thought I would bring you some. Then I saw that your place needed to be cleaned so I cleaned." Kumiko replies.

"Oh well thank you, I actually saved the rice balls for today for lunch. You know you didn't have to do any of that."

"Well someone's gotta be the mother figure here" she giggles. "Do you know who his Sensei will be?" Kumiko asks as Iruka finishes up.

"Yeah, Kakashi." Iruka says.

"Oh yikes, I hope Kakashi doesn't overdo it on him."

"I'm sure he will be fine. Kakashi knows what is best for him. Being the fact of what Naruto has inside of him." Iruka said coldly.

"You know, it's not very nice to say it like that. It's not like he asked for it." She said standing up defending the kid.

"He carries what killed our parents Kumiko! He has a monster inside of him!" Iruka shouted causing Kumiko to flinch.

"So you're calling him a monster? Just like everyone else? You're no better then they are! You know what. Whatever. He is just a kid. He has to learn to control the nine-tailed beast. It's not his fault Iruka and you know that. I thought you had a little more sympathy especially for a kid." She grabs her cane and starts walking to the door angrily.

"Kumiko don't. I didn't mean it like that. Why are you reacting like this?" Iruka says following her to her apartment as she opens the door.

"Just leave me alone right now Iruka. Rinka will be here soon. Just, make sure Naruto passes." She slams the door in his face. She slides down the door crying.

Would he think I'm a monster? I can never tell him. I can never let him see what I hold inside of me... She sits there and cries for awhile  until she hears a knock on the door. Tabiki... what if he hates us?

"Kumiko? Are you okay? Open the door." Rinka says turning the knob to push open the door. Kumiko gets up and opens the door with tears streaming down her face.

"Oh my! What's wrong?" Rinka says worried.

"Can we please go train? I need to burn off this anger." Kumiko looks out the door. "I have turned off my emotions for too long. I finally let take back over and I guess all them are hitting all at once.." She says with more tears streaming down her face.