She's My Cousin

You Know My Name, Not My Story

Ginko's P.O.V.
*6 days later...*

I sat up with a yawn as the door to Sakura and I's room slid shut. I tiredly rubbed my eyes before looking over at my bag with a half-hearted struggle. I weakly lifted my arm towards my bag, grunting out an, "Eh" my arm lifting only an inch from the mattress before falling back to it. I glared at the bag before whispering, "This isn't over yet, mister."

I then removed my blanket and slowly stood to my feet, holding my hands high above my head as I stood on my tippy-toes, sighing in content when I hear a satisfying 'pop'. I look at my bag and shrug before leaving the guest room, heading for the kitchen.

"I'm going for a walk," I heard Sasuke say when I neared my destination. "Uh, but we just started eating," Sakura said as the door closes. "Huh?" She continued as I walked in, rubbing my eyes. "That was fast."

"What was fast?" I asked, gaining everyone's attention. I look at them with half-lidded eyes as I continued to rub one eye. I saw Papa, who was sitting in the threshold, and Tsunami smile softly at me as I go to take a step into the kitchen.

"Wait!" Sakura yelled, making me throw my arms out to keep my balance. "Don't forget to slip on your shoes first," she said, holding a finger up. I nodded and slipped on my ninja shoes before heading towards the table, sitting down beside Sakura. Tsunami set a plate of food in front of me and l thanked her before picking up my chopsticks.

"Here, let me do that," Sakura said, leaning over to remove the utensils from my hands so she can feed me... again. I moved them out of her reach and grabbed my plate as well, giving her a light glare, the same on I gave my bag this morning for being so far away.

"I'm not a child. I can feed myself, thank you." I then scooted my chair closer to Tazuna as I began to eat, giving my fellow Kunoichi a wary look every now and then. Ever since my panic attack and she saw my scars, she's been acting very... motherly. And the only time she ever lets me out of her sight is when she knows I'm inside of the house, or if Naruto or Papa is with me.

I could hear the adults chuckling when she pouted and slid I my plate closer to me.

*Dinner time...*

I sat in the spare chair that Tazuna had set out for me, which was an old bar stool that was only similar to the other chairs in height, swinging my legs as I eagerly waited for my cousin and Sasuke to show up. I couldn't help but smile at Tsunami when she set my plate in front of me, remembering when Mama would do the same thing when I was younger. When I wasn't the one who had to cook for everyone else.

"Thank you, Mam-er... Tsunami," I stuttered when I looked up at her, seeing Mama for a moment. She smiled sadly as she said, "You're welcome, sweety."

I swallowed thickly as she headed back to get two more plates, which were to be Naruto and Sasuke's since they were younger than Sakura by some-odd months. I began naming off the 4,000 names of all of the potatoes in the world in my head, trying to get my mind off of Mama.

'...Russet Burbank, Kennebec, King Edward, Opperdoezer Ronde, Duke of York, Kerr's Pink, Doré...'

"Now they're both late. I wouldn't have expected that from Sasuke," Sakura said, a crestfallen look on her face as she stared at nothing in particular. I look up at Sakura when the door opened, looking beyond her to see Sasuke and Naruto carrying in each other. Well, more so Sasuke caring Naruto, but still.

"What have you been u too?" Tazuna asked, "You look like something the cat dragged in." Naruto chuckled, slowly raising his head to look at us. "We both made it. We climbed all the way to the top," he said, making me smile brightly at their accomplishment.