Happier Than Ever: A Naruto Uzumaki Love Story

Chapter Five: Just Out of Reach

*KAZUNA*

"Impulsive and irresponsible," Ryuzu chastised her as she and Naruto leapt through the outskirts of Konoha. They'd managed to slip by the "surveillance" the Hokage threatened to be around, but Kazuna knew it would only be a matter of time before they found them. It's not for nothing, Ryuzu, she thought in return. "I'll give it 20 minutes before they find you. Whatever you're doing, it'd better be worth it."

Naruto followed her closely as they made their way through the forest. There was a small sense of nostalgia that filled her gut as they closed in on their destination. Kazuna placed a hand over her chest in an attempt to keep her heart inside her ribcage. She hadn't returned to her clan's municipality since it happened seven years ago. She needed to see it for herself – the damage she caused. She worried that if she didn't go the moment she had an inkling of courage to do it, she may never have gone. "Is this something you're ready for?" Ryuzu asked, intruding on her thoughts. If I don't do it now, who knows when I'll have the chance again? Kazuna internalized.

"I don't think I've ever been through here before," Naruto said, nearly startling Kazuna. They'd both been unusually quiet for the majority of the way. Kazuna looked over her shoulder to see Naruto's eyes roaming the area as they passed through.

"We're almost there," she said. "Just a little further."

"Where exactly is 'there'?" he asked.

"My home."

Eventually they came to the edge of the forest and into a clearing that stretched endlessly from east to west. Across the 50 yard clearing, there was more dense forest. Kazuna could feel herself begin to sweat. She started off into the distance for what felt like forever before Naruto's gentle hand on her shoulder snapped her back to reality. When she looked up to him, the concern on his face warmed her cheeks, causing her to shy away from him. She looked dead ahead to hide her face and took her first step forward, letting his hand slide from her shoulder.

"I've never seen this place before. Has this always been here?" Naruto asked as he followed a step behind Kazuna. His closeness was, somehow, comforting.

"We relocated here only a little while before I was born, once our alliship with Konohagakure began," Kazuna explained. Once they cleared the lush glade, they approached a tree branch archway. Kazuna swallowed hard, her nerves gathering in the pit of her stomach. She could feel her breath quickening the closer they got to the entrance of her former home. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, pumping hot blood throughout her entire face. Just as they were about to break from the surrounding forest, officially entering the very edge of her hometown, she felt a warm hand tightly grip her wrist, stopping her from taking another step. She gasped, the surround sound of her heartbeat calming so much, she could finally hear the wind rustling through the leaves and smell the chakra of the deluge of Konoha ninja closing in on them.

"We don't have to," Naruto said.

Kazuna gasped and, eventually, her body relaxed. Naruto didn't let go of her wrist – which she was grateful for; surely he was the only thing keeping her from floating away. Kazuna could feel her eyes soften as she looked just past the edge of the tree canopy that surrounded her former home, then her eyes began to water; the bridge of her nose began to burn and her vision blurred, but it only lasted a moment. She closed her eyes and shook her head – she had no right to cry.

"Besides," Ryuzu stated, as if finishing Naruto's sentence, "It's too late."

The team of ninja sent after them had them completely under siege. They sprung from the surrounding forestry, all ten of them, with their weapons drawn. Among them was the silver-haired sharingan-user. He stepped up to them, his arms folded over his chest and his one visible eye closed.