The Masked Shinobi

From Missions to Hospital Visits

"But Dad, why can't we have a real mission!" Naruto whined loudly at his father. While Minato was sitting behind the Hokage's desk with a large stack of paperwork sitting next to him.

"Collecting medical herbs is an important mission, Naruto," Minato sighed as Rin and Obito chuckled.

"Really?" Naruto questioned tilting his head to the side, as Sakura and Sasuke facepalm at how dense Naruto can be.

"Yes, these herbs can help save many lives," Rin clarified with a smile.

"So where are these herbs? Are we picking up a shipment, or do we have to pick them?" Sakura asked covering Naruto's mouth to keep him from asking another stupid question.

"We are expecting a shipment of medical herbs sent from the land of tea, which have been sent to a village near the border of the land of fire. Your mission is to collect a shipment, and bring it back to the hidden leaf," the Hokage calmly explains the group's mission.

"Wait, why is Rin coming with us, Dad?" Naruto asked, after prying Sakura's hand from his mouth.

"Rin is going to make sure that the shipment is correct and if the herbs are still usable, before finishing the payment," Minato told his son with a smile, knowing how slow Naruto can be sometimes.

"Is there any other information we need to know, Hokage-sama?" Obito asked trying to look professional in front of his new genin team.

"Nope, and good luck with your mission," Minato replied with a smile.

__________

After leaving Minato's office, the group quickly got their bags for the mission before leaving the hidden leaf village. While walking over to the designated village near the border of the land of fire and the land of tea, Rin talked about how medical ninjutsu worked, and why it's important to have at least one member of your team know how to use medical ninjutsu. Luckily for the boys, Sakura seems interested in becoming a medical ninja anyway. After Rin finishes giving her lecture on medical ninjutsu, the group fell into a comfortable silence as they started getting closer to their destination.

"So... how's hospital work?" Obito asked awkwardly, as his dark eyes shifted to the side glancing down at Rin. As she is walking next to him while the three students walked the few paces and in front of them.

"It's great. Since we're in a time of peace we don't get as many injured as we used to. But sometimes we get patients don't want to stay and recover," at the last part Rin gave Obito a knowing look, as Obito arms folded behind his head gazing at the treetops, ignoring Rin's accusing stare.

"I wonder who would do that?" Obito spoke as of wondering out loud.

"Don't be coy," Rin added, with a knowing smirk while raising an eyebrow, at her teammate. The two teammates chuckled at the memories of a younger Obito Uchiha attempting to sneak out of the hospital.

"I missed this, it's been so long since we've been on a mission together," Obito added solemnly.

The last mission that Obito remembered him and Rin going on, was a little over a year ago. That was when Obito started remembering a few years before then when he and Rin were a couple, but as time went on, they realized that things just couldn't work between them. Instead, they both broke the relationship in a mutual agreement but swore that they'll still be friends.

"Yeah, but it still doesn't feel the same," Rin look to her other side grimly as if imagining another figure was walking along with them.

"It'll never be truly the same," Obito agreed sadly remembering how Rin would look at Kakashi. It was only after they started dating when Obito realized no matter how much time passed Rin would always love Kakashi. After that godforsaken mission at Kannabi Bridge, a piece of Rin's heart has died along with the last member of the Hatake clan. "But we keep on living for him. He gave his life to save us, the least we can do is to keep living for him."