The tale of Mayumi

Chapter 14: Apologies and New Beginnings

We made it back, and I was drowning in apologies, feeling like the worst person alive. The guilt was gnawing at me, and I couldn't stop it. I was sure I had terrified Hikaru and Kakashi—no, I knew I had. How could I not? My powers were uncontrollable, and for all I knew, I could've hurt them both.

"Will you stop it already?" Hikaru groaned, his voice muffled as he chuckled. "I'm starting to get a headache."

I shot him a glare, the kind that only a sibling could pull off. "I'm pretty sure it's because you're practically a grandpa."

Kakashi let out a soft chuckle at that, and Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I'm gonna go get some sleep," he muttered as he flopped down onto his bedroll.

Turning to Kakashi, I scratched the back of my head, feeling the weight of my words. "I really am sorry, I probably freaked you out," I said, my voice soft and hesitant.

"You're apologizing again?" Kakashi's voice was light and amused. He grinned, shaking his head. "He's right, you know? You've got to stop apologizing."

I felt a small frown tug at my lips. "Yeah, okay, but I could've hurt you guys, not just with my powers, but those huge-ass rocks too."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful. "You do realize you stopped those rocks, right?"

"Yeah, but we were there because I freaked out and ran away like a panicky little girl," I muttered, laughing a little at my own expense. The sound of my laughter seemed to break the tension, and soon enough, Kakashi joined in.

"For what it's worth," Kakashi said as he ruffled my hair, a small, affectionate smile on his face. "I gotta admit, I'm really impressed. You've got some serious control over that power of yours."

I smiled at him, grateful for the reassurance, but still feeling a bit embarrassed. "Thanks," I said softly, my cheeks flushing. "Come on, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll be in Konoha."

"You go ahead," I replied with a grin. "I'm not really sleepy."

"Want me to keep you company?" Kakashi asked, his tone teasing.

"No, I'll be fine," I said, offering him a bright smile. "But, if you wanna help me not die of boredom while you sleep, lend me your book."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You just want it so you can mock me about it later."

I grinned, unashamed. "Dude, I already know about it. I'm gonna mock you no matter what."

With an exaggerated sigh, Kakashi handed over his precious book, giving me one last look. "I'm glad you're back to normal," he said, his voice softer than usual. Then, he lay down to get some rest, leaving me to my thoughts.

⸻

A couple of hours later, I was still sitting there, absorbed in Kakashi's book. I would never say it out loud, but I had to admit—it wasn't as bad as I thought. Sure, it was ridiculous, but there was something oddly entertaining about it. I heard a rustling, and before I could even react, Kakashi snatched the book out of my hands with a smirk.

"It's my turn now," he said, closing his eyes and smiling that damn smile that drove me crazy.

Hikaru, of course, was already up, making breakfast. I volunteered to cook, but he insisted on making it himself, as usual.

"You'll just mess it up," he teased, though I could tell he wasn't being mean. He still hadn't let go of the time I accidentally gave him food poisoning when I tried to cook for him. It wasn't my fault! The meat was fine... probably.

"Fine, I'll leave you to it," I grumbled, but honestly, I didn't mind. Hikaru was an excellent cook, and I wasn't about to ruin his streak of making decent meals.

The morning passed quietly. No flashbacks, no sudden power surges, no panicked moments. Just us, walking and talking as we finally began making our way out of the forest. It was only a few hours before we saw the gates of Konoha in the distance, a sight I never thought I'd see. The thought that we had crossed the whole forest in less than three days was mind-boggling—while I'd wandered aimlessly for four days before. And to top it all off, there had been a hidden leaf village right nearby this whole time.

"Wow," Hikaru said, looking at me with a half-smile. "If you'd taken a different direction three years ago, you could've been in Konoha right now."

I couldn't help but grin. "True, but then I wouldn't have met you." Without thinking, I jumped onto his back, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He let out a laugh. "You really are a five-year-old."

"Yeah, yeah," I grinned, "shut up and move."

We heard a faint chuckle behind us, and I looked over my shoulder to see Kakashi watching us with a knowing look in his eye, but he quickly looked away when I caught him. I couldn't help but smile, appreciating the rare moment of peace.

As we approached the gates, I jumped off Hikaru's back just as two guards stepped forward. One of them looked at Kakashi and grinned. "Kakashi, you got back pretty quickly."

"Yeah, well, they weren't hard to find," Kakashi said with a shrug.

I raised an eyebrow at him, pretending to be offended. "Do I have to be offended by that?" I gave him my best bitchface, and Kakashi laughed a little, though the guards looked at us both with confusion in their eyes.

"Kakashi" one of the guards said with a cough
"Hikaru, Mayumi—these are Kotetsu and Izumo, shinobi of the Hidden Leaf."

"Nice to meet you," I said, offering them a bright smile, though Kotetsu seemed a bit too eager. He leaned toward me with an exaggerated grin.

"If you need anything, don't be shy," Kotetsu said with a wink.

"Lady Hokage is probably waiting for us," Kakashi said firmly, cutting the conversation short. "We should get going."

I chuckled, throwing a playful look at him. "Whatever you say, maskey."

Izumo burst out laughing at the nickname, and Kakashi turned to glare at him. "Go ahead, 'maskey'," Izumo teased, making air quotes.

"Call me that again," Kakashi said in a dangerously low voice, and the two guards fell silent, their faces awkwardly shifting as they mumbled something under their breath, probably realizing they'd crossed a line.

"That's what I thought," Kakashi muttered, his usual cool demeanor returning. I couldn't help but laugh under my breath, feeling a little more at ease now that we were finally entering Konoha. The journey here had been long and full of uncertainty, but maybe, just maybe, it was all starting to feel like it was worth it.