Tsunade's daughter (A Naruto original fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen: Confrontation

A few days had passed since Tsunade's return to Konoha and it was now time for the Chuunin Exams to begin.

Mai was currently waiting for her team to arrive as she was leaning on a steel railing that faced the Hokage's mountain, thoughts of the reunion with her mother overwhelming her mind. She hadn't been able to take the whole thing off her mind for the past few days, so much so she could no longer sleep at night. It was almost haunting her. She had found the circumstances themselves so strange that it unsettled her greatly. She had imagined a million scenarios in her head when she was still a young child and had just left her mother to come to Konoha but never would she have imagined that things would go this way. Normally, she should have been happy to be reunited with her mother but actually she hadn't been so much affected somehow. Well, of course she had been shocked and a bit afraid to see her again after all that time. This had definitely aroused something strong in her. But that wasn't what she had expected. Something seemed to have broken in her at some point with time as she had lost hope of seeing her mother ever again. The woman had become a stranger to her. As sad as it was, that was the truth. The tiny and fragile bond they had between each other had broken. Even if she had still thought about her occasionally, it was only associated to pain. man didn't see her as a motherly loving figure anymore. She just saw her as the woman that had abandoned her. A woman with whom she was related by blood but that's all. 

Now that she thought about it, they had nothing in common. Or rather, she couldn't tell since the lady had been always acting so distant toward her and had always been always so secretive about herself and her family. Their family.

Her heart had somehow hardened because of the love she could never really have. Her childlike innocence and cheerfulness had vanished after that fateful rupture.

Of course, she wasn't alone but she would have needed that motherly figure more than anything else. No one could replace a mother after all. Yet, children like her had lost their mother or hadn't had the occasion to know her and they weren't that sad and bitter. Like Shizune, Obito, Rin. Except Kakashi.(but that didn't really count, or did it?)

Mai let out a tired sigh. What could she do about it anyway? She wasn't ready to forgive her. And she wasn't going to go to her overwhelmed with joy and embrace her as if they had been separated only for a little while. She was too hurt deep down. Plus, her pride wouldn't allow her to make the first move anyhow or to reconcile with her. 

"Hey, you're already here. Early as ever. " Asuma commented as he was coming toward Mai with Tokuma next to him.

Man hadn't heard them coming as she had been too deep in thought but she didn't even bother to turn around to greet them.

Somehow, Asuma seemed to notice that something was off.

"Mai, what's up?" He asked her while tilting his head to the side to try to get a glimpse of her face. But that wasn't really successful. 

No answer. Mai wasn't in the mood to talk right now. Especially not about that. So she just kept staring at the Hokage mountain absent-mindedly, hoping that their sensei would arrive soon so that she could focus on more important stuff. 

Asuma moved so that he was standing right beside her, leaning as well on the railing and staring at the Hokage's carved faces, but not his father's. 

"Whatever it is that's bothering you, I'll find out. You can't hide anything from us. We're a team."

Mai side-glanced at him briefly, a puzzled look plastered on her face. How could he possible find out anyway? By spying on her?

"Good morning everyone. How are you guys doing today?" Their sensei greeted them from behind.