Naru: Misty Eyes (A Naruto Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter Five: A New Beginning for Two

"You must be Naru Uzumaki," an unfamiliar, feminine voice said. Naru nodded, a bit hesitant, and shifted her hold on her staff uncertainly.

"Yes. Are you the Suna nin then?" Naru's tunic was a tan, almost sand-like color this time, although almost all her clothes were navy, black, or grey. She had asked Weasel to set it out the night before when he came to see her, figuring she should at least attempt a good first impression on someone she'd be around for the next six or seven years.

"I am. My name is Kohaku Yamamoto," the person replied. "It's nice to meet you, Naru-chan."

"Just Naru is fine, Kohaku-san," Naru said. "It's nice to meet you as well."

Kohaku laughed lightly. "Well then, Naru, how about we get breakfast and then start heading for Suna?"

Naru fidgeted. "Um, the shopkeepers aren't very fond of me. You can go eat if you like, Kohaku-san, and I'll wait for you right outside the village."

"Nonsense. I'm not going if you're not going. I know! What's your favorite food, Naru?"

"I don't really have one... but I suppose there is this one food Weasel-nii got me a couple times."

"Oh? Wait, who's Weasel-nii?"

"An ANBU who helps look out for me." Naru shrugged a little. "He wants me to go to Suna, though, just like Jiji does."

"Well, I want you to go to Suna, but I might be a little biased. It is my village, after all. What's so wrong with it anyway?"

"Nothing. Just... I don't know anyone there. I know most people here don't like me. They hate me. I can hear them even if I can't see them anymore. But Jiji and Weasel-nii are my friends, and they can't come with me."

A hand settled on her shoulder, causing Naru to jump a bit, and Kohaku sighed. "Don't worry about it too much, ok, kid? We're friends now too, aren't we? And I'll be in Suna with you. Now, what's this food you were talking about, huh?"

Naru smiled slightly, grateful to this nin for her attempts even though they had just met. "It's Weasel-nii's favorite food. Dango."

"I think we'll get along just fine, Naru."

~*~

"-- and then Ryuu fell into the ocean, but he didn't know how to swim! We had to fish him out before he drowned, that ridiculous man." Naru listened to Kohaku's stories of her former teammates and other friends, her tales of previous missions. It made her interested in learning more about shinobi in general. Maybe she would take the Hokage up on his offer of placing her in a genin team after all. Time would tell.

"Hey, Kohaku-san, do you have a crush on Ryuu-san?" Naru asked the question innocently, but she was smiling mischievously.

"W-What ever gave you that idea, Naru?!" Kohaku sputtered in reply. Naru's smile widened. Answer confirmed.

"Oh, no reason. You just talk about him a lot. More than anybody else. I thought you might like him."

Kohaku groaned. "You're sharper than I gave you credit for, kid. Am I really that obvious?"

"Well, you might not have been... except you just confirmed it!" Naru laughed, picking up her pace a little as she left Kohaku to process the statement.

"NARU!"

Naru laughed again. Over the past week and a half, she had found herself liking Kohaku more and more. The older woman-- Kohaku had informed her that she was 25-- never pushed her on things she didn't want to talk about, but she always seemed to say what Naru needed to hear, good or bad. She had quickly become something between an older sister and a mother-figure for the parent-deprived child.

"Hey, Kohaku-san, how much further is it?"

"We should get there this afternoon, Naru. I told you that earlier."

"Oh, right." Naru smiled, but it was a bit sad. Sometimes Kohaku would remind her of Weasel, no doubt unintentional on the Suna nin's part. "Do you... Do you think they'll like me alright?"

"Naru," Kohaku hugged the young girl, something Naru had grown accustomed to her randomly doing, "everyone will love you. I know I already do."

"Really?!" Naru turned towards where Kohaku was standing. No one had said that to her before, not even the Hokage or Weasel. Sure, they might imply it. Weasel called her his little sister, and the way the Hokage spoke to her always held affection. It was so different to hear the words, though. If she could still cry, she would have.

"Yes," Kohaku breathed out, hugging Naru again. For the first time, Naru returned the hug, arms wrapping tightly around the Suna nin. "I know it probably seems ridiculous to say that. I've only known you for a week and a half, but--"

"I love you too, Kohaku-san."

Naru heard the sound of sniffling, as if Kohaku were trying not to cry, and the nin spoke in a voice laced with happy tears, "Well, then, I think we ought to get to Suna soon. I need to talk to Kazekage-sama about something."

"About what?"

"It's a surprise."