Stand By Me

STAND BY ME - chapter 29

"But, I could be pregnant, right?" I looked up to Kayumi, who was far beyond entertained by this conversation.

"Duh!" She ruffled my hair, "You should go to a doctor. I'll come with you. What do you say?"

I fiddled with my kunai. It took me moments to process what she was asking me.
"Okay. We'll go."

---

"Well, Itachi, I think this is our first time picking up groceries together."

"It sure is." Itachi half-smiled.

"I'll go pick some tomatoes. Sasuke likes those, right?" I asked Itachi.

"He does indeed." He responded, fully smiling now at the name of his brother. I couldn't help but smile, too.

I walked to the side where the vegetables and fruits were kept, and picked a plastic bag to place a couple of ripe tomatoes inside. I made it a plan to make Sakura and Sasuke, whom were now newly weds, my special pasta recipe.

My eyes couldn't help but wonder towards the kid who stood there in the corner, helpless. Lost. He was holding his wrist tightly. He seemed hurt, I thought.

"Oh, no. What seems to be the matter?" I crouched down to his size. For a slight moment, he reminded me of Hanabi. His big, beady charcoal eyes looked up to me.

"Muh - my wrist is hurting." He mumbled, tears escaping his innocent eyes.

"Awh, here. Let me take a look." I held his wrist in my hand, as I began to heal him, my palms glowing green. His eyes grew in amusement.

"Whoa. What was that?"

"Ninjutsu, my lil' buddy." I ruffled his hair.

I looked around the store, thinking that maybe his parents were somewhere nearby.

"Hey... where are you parents?" I looked at him.

"I have none." He said robotically, as if he did not truly understand the ounce of those words. He was just a child. Could a child understand what death meant? I asked myself.

I felt the little boy tug my sleeve. He began crying profusely. I was shocked for a second, but I grabbed him into an embrace.

"What's your name?" I asked him, his tears were surely soaking my shirt by now.

"Daichi." He mumbled through his tears.

I pat the back of his head.

"You can call me Aya."

I held the boy's hands, and walked over to Itachi.

"Itachi, I found this child all alone." Pointing towards the corner where I found him.

"Hmm..." Itachi crouched down to his level, just like how I did earlier. "You're lost?" Itachi asked Daichi.

He nodded frantically.

"Strange. Do you know his name?" Itachi looked up to me.

"Yeah, his name is Daichi."

"Well, Daichi." Itachi smiled at the child, "Let's take you to the Hokage."

I nodded. "Good idea."

I quickly payed for the groceries, and the three of us made our way outside.

Itachi and I had become quite popular in the village, as evident by the stares and smiles, the hello's and the greetings we shared with the village people. It made me feel happy to know that Itachi was by my side. Two great clans could now walk beside each other without the fear of conflict. I glanced at my husband, who seemed to be eyeing the innocent child who was now walking between us. Daichi's hands were tightly gripping onto mine, and it almost made me feel a bit concerned. Itachi scanned my face and immediately understood my thoughts, because I could tell he began to feel uneasy too. How unusual it was to find a lost child.