The Life between a Ninja and a Teacher

Chapter 24

Kumiko starts walking down the streets looking for the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She walks up to it and starts looking for the right flowers.

"Need any help?" The lady asks.

"I'm looking for gladiolus and lily's."

"Oh, for a special someone?" The lady perks up.

"Yeah, something like that." giving the lady a small smile. She gets her flowers and starts walking away from the village to the cemetery. Passing all of the lost souls she finally stops in front of a set of two tombstones looking down at the overgrowth of grass and weeds. She crouches down and spends some time clearing away the mess. She pauses and looks down tears in her eyes and places the flowers on the conjoined graves.

She takes a deep breath.

"Hi mom. Hi dad. It has most certanly been a while since I've came to visit. Not my intensions. I've been..." taking another deep breath to calm her breathing. " I've been busy I guess you would say." She sits cross legged infront of the graves.

"I want to first start off by saying I'm sorry. Sorry for everything I have done in the past. I just hope you both know why it had to be done. I never wanted to do any of it. But I'm sure you understand right? It was fight or die out there. As much as I would love to be able to see you again. I just wasn't finished with my story just yet.."

She pauses for a new minutes crying.

"It has been such a hard past five years. Honestly, I'm suprised I'm even alive. I guess I get my strength from you dad. And my brains from you mom. I really wish you guys were here right now. There's just so much to say." She looks down at the graves putting a hand on them letting more tears spill out.

"I guess this will have to do for now.. I trained with Orochimaru and the Akatsuki.Definetly was not a favorite thing to do. But I've learned so much about myself. Not even ninja wise. I guess we really do change when we get older. I've learned to slow down and appreciate life. Don't be affraid to make a fool of yourself. I made myself look like a fool a lot. Do I regret it? Eh, kind of." She trails off looking up in the sky.

"I've also learned to not overthink your way out of everything. That was a hard one to learn. I've always overthink everything. Not fighting wise. Just in life it's self. One of the most obvious ones are to be grateful for each moment. You know, like learning something knew. someones presence. Anything funny that could have been said. If you don't you will feel disconnected from the world. And don't take all the advice people can get. Sometimes friends give bad advice." She says with a saddening smile.

"I've accepted my new self. I've closed the first book and now I'm starting a new book. Fresh and clean. Even though I don't even know whats going on inside of my head. It scares me sometimes. It's hard to explain whats going on in there but I don't even know."

"Life was so much easier when I didn't have emotions. Not even going to lie, sometimes I still could just be emotionless, carefree. I felt more alive I guess is what you would say? I dunno. I try so hard to become the person I wanted to be. But sometimes we can't always get that. Well it's more of life likes to Throw a shit load of curve balls at you and you either dodge them or get hit. The getting hit part hurts really bad."

"Dad, You have taught me so much. Don't take no for an answer. You can be nice first, because you can always be mean later. To value myself. I haven't really done it too much. I always seem to worry about everything and everybody going on around me. Everything I try to do is for you. I want you to be proud of me. I want you to know I work really hard for everything. You taught me to do things, even if I don't like it. To work for what I want."

"Mom, you were always there when I needed help with something. Always helped when i didn't think I needed it. You taught me to love. to love until it hurts.. Well it really freaking hurts right now. You were my rock, my best friend.. 6 years... 6 years was not long enough to know you guys.. You said to be strong. Because nobody will always provide for you. That is most truest thing I've ever heard. Most people turn their heads up or attack. You always said fall victim. Well, ha, I can honestly say that I really didn't listen to that one."

"I may have not been the best daughter, I may have caused a lot of issues in my life. I really don't deserve to be here now. But I can say, I have one of the most important things in my life... I know you guys remember Iruka. Well, we have been on a few dates. I really love this guy. I have for a long time.. I remember the first day I met him. We were so little. He was playing with the frogs and laughing. I always loved his laugh. I went over there to him and sat beside of him. He looked at me like I was crazy because I grabbed a frog to hand to him."

Taking another pause before she continues. "I hope to marry him one day. He is my everything. I made it my goal while I was gone. To come back to him. I hope he loves me as much as I love him. I'm also in the ANBU too! I thought you two would be really proud for me for that. I really hope I become just as great as you two were. I have a partner. Maybe we could become a really great team together. " She stops for a little bit staring at the gravestones taking a few shakey breaths.

"There is just so much to talk about... apparently I have been acting strange around my friends... but I can't tell them about the ANBU...at least..not right now.."

"You guys were there for me... Just like I am here for you. I am here to show everybody what our clan can do. To make something good come out of the Hime clan. I want everyone to know how skilled we are. We great we are. I am here to carry on for us. I have a million questions. and million silly questions. I am here fighting." Grazing her hand over the gravestone and wipes her face as more tears fall down.

"I'm going to create a beautiful life for myself... no matter what it takes.." she hugs her knees close to her chest crying uncontrollably.

"Kumiko?" a voice says in a soft low tone. She turns around to find Iruka standing behind her. He looks at her as he walks up to her then croutching down next to her. He takes his hand and moves some of the grass covering the dates then they both look at each other for a moment. Tears still spilling out he stands up looking down at her and picks her up bridal style holding her close.

"Iruka.."

"Sh." He says softly. He starts carrying her back home. "I knew you would be here. You seemed off so I thought I would try and find you. You always go see them when you felt something was wrong."

She just nuzzles her face into his chest breathing in him. They get back to his apartment and he gently sets her on the bed she pats the side of the bed for him to lay next to her. He smiles down at her and takes his vest off and climbs into bed with her holding her close while running his finger through her brown hair as she cries herself to sleep.

This chapter is dedicated to my parents. Today that I wrote  August 8th 2022 this is my mom's 2 year death date. It's hard to believe they have been gone for 2 years. This is not going to be edited whatsoever. I think half of this is more just just a rant from a personal level. and I tried to keep it story related. Like I said, there's not editing done on this chapter because I simply don't want to write anymore so if there are any spelling or other mistakes I'm sorry. I thought it would be fitting however for her to visit her parents grave!