The unexpected Freedom

Yu and I landed exactly where I had activated the summoning seal, just a short distance from the charred forest floor that now served as a painful reminder. From afar, the destruction was unmistakable—the unnatural clearing, the scorched earth, and the faint traces of burnt wood still lingering in the air. My heart sank as I surveyed the aftermath. I glanced at Yu, and without a word, we both moved silently toward the clearing.

The silence was eerie. I couldn’t sense anyone nearby—no chakra signatures, no movement. Three weeks had passed since I vanished, and by now, I was painfully aware that I would be classified as killed in action. The thought weighed heavily on me, but I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Root might still come after me if they were scattered around. I couldn’t risk it. Also , I am feeling but tired after spending so much time in the summoning realm with so much natural energy.

Instead of taking the direct route back to Konoha, which would only take a few hours, I opted for the long way home. It wasn’t just about safety; it was about something more. For once, I wasn’t a shinobi on a mission. For once, I wanted to experience the world differently—through the eyes of a civilian and to add more, I am tired because I have lived two weeks straight in the summoning realm . Which is not advisable for first timer. I feel tired easily and I need to rest. According to Junika sama , the tiredness will go after couple of weeks.

My appearance was a problem, though. My jacket was nearly destroyed, burnt and tattered beyond repair. My clothes reeked of ash , a stark reminder of the battle I had barely survived. The ants didn’t have human clothes to offer, so I had to make do until I reached the nearest village. A simple genjutsu masked my appearance, concealing the worst of it, and once I reached a small village, I immediately sought out something more suitable.

The tiny marketplace was humble, but it had everything I needed. I managed to find a reasonable yukata—nothing fancy, just plain and practical civilian wear—and a dye to color my hair black. Using a small mirror, I carefully applied the dye, letting the dark color cover my distinct pinkish golden strands. For extra precaution, I inscribed tiny seals behind my ears to subtly alter my facial features. It wasn’t much, but it would make recognition difficult.

Now, I could blend in. No one here would know me as Sen, the kunoichi from Konoha. I was just another traveler—a civilian woman named Hana, far from home- The Tea country. The thought was strangely liberating. For the first time, I wasn’t bound by the pressures of my rank or the expectations. I could simply… exist.

I traveled at a civilian’s pace, walking during the day and resting in small inns at night. There was no urgency, no immediate danger pressing me forward. It felt alien—this freedom—but it was exhilarating.Guilt lingered at the back of my mind when I thought of my grandmother, my mother, and my shishu. They must be devastated, believing I was dead. But for now, I chose to push those thoughts aside.

On the second day of my journey, I stumbled upon something unexpected—a festival in Kamihana Village. The air was alive with laughter and music, the streets lined with colorful stalls selling everything from trinkets to food. Brightly colored lanterns hung from strings overhead, swaying gently in the breeze. Children ran past me, their laughter infectious, as they chased each other with paper fans.

The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air—sweet and savory dishes that made my stomach rumble in anticipation. I wandered through the bustling crowd, letting myself get lost in the atmosphere. One stall caught my attention with its neatly arranged skewers of grilled fish, the aroma mouthwatering. I bought one and savored the smoky, rich flavor. It was simple, yet so satisfying.

Further along, a vendor was selling mochi—soft, sweet, and dusted with powdered sugar. I couldn’t resist and bought a small box to take with me. Each bite was a burst of sweetness that made me smile, something I hadn’t done in what felt like an eternity.

I even let myself indulge in a bit of vanity. A stall selling clothing displayed a beautiful blue kimono with delicate red flowers embroidered along the hem. It was stunning, and I found myself drawn to it. Before I knew it, I had purchased it. I couldn’t remember the last time I had done something so frivolous, but it felt good—refreshing.

As I walked through the fair, I realized how surreal it all felt. No one here knew who I was. I wasn’t a shinobi, a kunoichi, or a victim of Root’s schemes. I was just… me. For the first time, I wasn’t defined by my duty or my pain. I was simply a woman enjoying the world around her.

The thought brought an ache to my chest. Was this what freedom felt like? The ability to walk through a crowd unnoticed, to laugh, to indulge in small pleasures without looking over my shoulder? It was a fleeting dream, one I knew I couldn’t hold on to forever. But for now, I allowed myself to enjoy it.

The Kamihana festival would stay with me, I decided I will visit this festival next year too.Not as a kunoichi, but as a person. A woman free to live her life, free to enjoy the simple joys of the world. For now, though, I had a long journey ahead of me—and a home to return to.

After leaving Kamihana Village, the world seemed to grow quieter, almost as if it too had decided to take a breath after the liveliness of the festival. For two days, I didn’t come across another settlement. The roads were empty, the forests unyielding and vast. It wasn’t unsettling, though. The forest offered me its own kind of refuge—a peaceful stillness that allowed my thoughts to wander freely. I feel tired easily these days becasue of my chakra adjusting to being normal again.

Each night, I set up a small shelter using my fuinjutsu seals, a practice so ingrained it felt second nature. The seals flickered with a faint glow, a quiet reminder of the power I wielded. Sitting there, wrapped in the embrace of the forest, my mind kept returning to the Kamihana festival.

By the fourth day, the forest began to thin, and I caught sight of a village in the distance. Relief flooded through me as I made my way toward it. The thought of a warm meal and a proper roof over my head was more tempting than I’d admit.

The inn I found was modest but clean. After settling in, I made my way to the dining area, the scent of food drawing me like a moth to a flame. The moment I sat down, the warmth of the meal before me felt like a small victory. For a while, I allowed myself to savor it, letting the quiet clatter of plates and low hum of conversations around me fade into the background.

That was until I overheard a group of travelers at a nearby table. Their voices, though hushed, carried enough weight to draw my attention. At first, it was idle talk—rumors and musings about the world outside this tiny village. But then I caught the word "Konoha," and my ears perked up instinctively.

“The village elder kidnapped many children over the years, and it was under Yondaime’s rule that he got caught,” one of them said, their tone a mix of disbelief and relief.

Another chimed in, “Who knows what else is going on in the village? We might not know everything, you know…”

I froze, my chopsticks hovering midair. Shimura Danzo. They were talking about him. So it had happened—the confrontation, the end of his reign. My chest tightened as I processed the news.

Danzo was dead. The village was finally free of that shadowy presence, that corrupt force that had loomed over Konoha for so long. A part of me felt a sharp pang of satisfaction. Good riddance. The man was a monster who had preyed on the innocent, manipulated lives, and sown chaos in his wake.

But alongside that satisfaction was a swirl of unease. What had it cost the village to bring him down? What had it cost Minato, the shinobi, and the people caught in the crossfire? My mind raced with questions I couldn’t answer. Had the operation gone as planned? Was the village stable now, or had this confrontation opened new wounds?

I didn’t ask the travelers for details—it would have been too risky. But like everyone else in the room, I sat quietly, listening as they discussed the ripple effects of the confrontation.

“It wasn’t just Konoha,” one of them murmured. “Policies like his... they affect all of us, even out here. Maybe things will finally change now.”

Their words struck a chord in me. The truth was, Konoha’s actions often extended far beyond its borders, for better or worse. Danzo’s influence, his schemes—they had tainted not just the village but the world beyond it. To hear these civilians speak of it reminded me of how interconnected everything was.

I finished my meal in silence, my thoughts heavy. As I returned to my room, the weight of everything pressed down on me. Danzo was gone, but the scars he left behind would remain. And as much as I wanted to feel relief, I couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding.

Konoha was my home, my anchor. But what kind of home would I return to now?

Junpei's POV

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of chaos, secrets, and unsettling revelations. Danzo Shimura was dead, and with his death, the dark, twisted depths of his crimes had been dragged into the light. It was horrifying to learn that he had a Sharingan implanted in his eye—a grotesque mockery of everything my clan held sacred. Even worse, it was discovered he had plans to implant more on his right arm, creating some kind of monstrous amalgamation.

The thought churned my stomach. The idea of him desecrating the Sharingan, using it as nothing more than a tool, a weapon—it was the vilest thing I’d ever heard. And to make it worse, no one even knew whose Sharingan he had stolen. There were no records, no names. Just a cold, calculated list of kidnapped children from across the Fire Country. Files upon files detailing his heinous acts, but nothing to answer the question that haunted me: how many of those stolen eyes once belonged to someone in my clan?

The Uchiha clan had been meeting non-stop since the revelation. While the village as a whole now sympathized with us—seeing firsthand how Shimura despised our clan and sought to undermine us—internally, the weight of everything had become unbearable. For the first time in years, the villagers looked at the police force with respect instead of suspicion. It was a rare, bittersweet victory amidst the wreckage of Danzo’s schemes. But to me, it felt hollow.

I sat in yet another meeting, my head pounding from the endless debates and arguments. Shisui sat a few feet away, calm and composed as ever, but even he looked weary. Across the room, I spotted Itachi, just seven years old, sitting in silence with his hands folded neatly in his lap. Too young to be here, I thought bitterly. Yet here he was, already carrying the weight of the clan on his small shoulders.

Then my mind drifted back to something Sen had told me, and my gut twisted. Iwa’s interest in the Sharingan. The words had stayed with me, nagging at the back of my mind like an itch I couldn’t scratch. The clan needed to know about this—about the threats we faced not just from within the village, but from beyond its borders.

“Fugaku oji san,” I said, breaking the heated discussions that filled the room. All eyes turned to me, the sudden silence heavy with expectation. “Sen told me once that Iwa has a keen interest in the Sharingan as well.”

Fugaku’s sharp gaze locked onto mine. “What do you mean, Junpei?” he asked, his voice measured but laced with curiosity.

“Sen managed to get her hands on a rare book from Iwa,” I explained. “It wasn’t officially published, but it detailed the Sharingan and Byakugan extensively. More than anything I’ve ever seen. We already know Kumo has a history of targeting kekkei genkai, but Iwa’s obsession might be even worse.”

The room fell deathly quiet. Every face in the room turned grim, the weight of my words sinking in.

“Looks like we’re surrounded by enemies,” one of the elders muttered darkly. “Junpei, can we obtain this book you’re talking about?”

I shook my head. “The book was Sen’s, and now that she’s... gone, her belongings are with her family. It’s not possible to retrieve it. But the information alone should be enough. All I ask is that you remain vigilant, especially when you’re on missions outside the village.”

There were murmurs of agreement, though the air remained tense. And then, of course, someone brought up the Hatake.

“What about the Hatake?” Elder Tachi spoke, his voice sharp and filled with disdain. “Obito gifted his Sharingan to an outsider, and we’ve done nothing about it. He must answer for that one day.”

At that, my blood boiled. The room seemed to blur as anger rose in my chest, hot and unrelenting. I clenched my fists, the nails digging into my palms as I glared at the elder.

“Answer to what, exactly?” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. “First, you outcasted Obito because he couldn’t awaken his Sharingan. None of you cared about him. None of you treated him like one of us. And now, suddenly, you want him to answer your call? You didn’t treat him as an Uchiha before. Why now? He hasn't attend any uchiha clan meeting ever . Hell.... he never set foot inside the clan after he left . He is just an uchiha by name . None of you trated him like a member .”

The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. I scanned their faces, looking for any sign of remorse, of acknowledgment. But there was nothing. Just guiltless stares and uncomfortable silence.

I had no voice back then, no power to speak up for Obito when he was cast aside by the very people who should have protected him. But now, as one of the most powerful members of the Anbu, I refused to stay silent. I wouldn’t let them rewrite the narrative to suit their convenience.

Still, no one answered my question. Their silence only fueled my anger, but it also made something else painfully clear. This wasn’t about justice or the Sharingan or the clan’s legacy. It was about control, about pride. And if Obito had to be their scapegoat, so be it.

But not while I was here. Not while I still had the power to fight back.

"You bullied and outcasted an orphan who had no protection, You showed no mercy to your your own clansmate. Is this the future of every orphan uchiha?" I said, my voice cold, but every word felt like a wound on my soul. The thought of Obito, once so full of life and now twisted by their neglect, ate at me. How could they? The Uchiha clan, with all their pride, could not even spare the kindness for one of their own? And now, they had the nerve to demand answers from him?

“You treat your own clansman like that,” I continued, “and you have the audacity to say he answers to you?” My voice was biting, sharper than I intended, but I couldn't hold back. They had pushed Obito too far. He was Hokage's student now, a friend to the Copy Ninja, and even closer to the Senjus. All because of their failures. His strength had grown, his life had flourished away from the shadow of their neglect, and he had found a place for himself in this world.

But it didn’t stop there. Obito had left them behind. He had found happiness, peace, something they had robbed him of for so long. “Because of your own deeds,” I said, with finality, “you’ve lost a very powerful Uchiha. You have no power over him or Kakashi. Obito lives outside the compound. He is happy. Leave him alone.”

The air was thick with tension as I watched their faces. I could see the anger flickering in their eyes, but I didn’t care. They had earned it. They had made him feel like nothing, treated him like a shadow in the clan’s eyes.

I knew there were a few who had helped him—Mikoto and Fugaku, though their assistance came too late, it was something. But that wasn’t enough. They should have done more. They could have made the rest of the Uchiha clan understand, forced them to see Obito for who he was, not what they assumed he would become. But they hadn’t. And now, Obito had walked away from them, a decision they had sealed with their cruelty.

“Tell me,” I asked, the words coming out in a quiet, almost taunting tone, “how does it make you feel that an Uchiha is best friends with the Senjus?” The question lingered in the air, sharp and accusing. I wanted to see them squirm, to feel the weight of their failure, to make them feel the sting of their own pride and arrogance.This issue had to be addressed one day. Looks like today is the day.

But most of all, I wanted them to understand—Obito had risen above them. He had found something they had long since lost: happiness. And that was something they could never take from him again.

I knew Mikoto and Fugaku had personally helped him financially, but they could have done more. They could have made the rest of the Uchiha clan follow suit, support him like family. But they hadn’t, and that failure haunted him.

After that conversation, I left the meeting. I had no interest in listening to their outdated thoughts anymore. Without realizing it, I found myself at the memorial stone where her name was now etched. There was someone else already there.

“Kakashi,” I said firmly, breaking the silence.

He didn’t look back. He was sitting there, lost in his own thoughts—God knows what was going through his head.

“Are you blaming yourself for what happened to her?” I asked, my voice steady, though I could see the answer in his eyes. After what Hokage-sama had told us about the future scrolls, I knew Kakashi believed he was to blame. But how? I couldn’t understand it.

“We were together, and...” He trailed off, his words hanging in the air, unfinished.

“And you think you’re responsible?” I pressed, needing to hear him admit it.

“It’s just... she saved my entire team, and I wasn’t there to help her. I even treated her like a stranger when we were in the academy... I just... I don’t know what to say. I didn’t have much time with her.” he said, his voice tinged with regret.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, and that got his attention. His eyes met mine, searching for something—comfort, perhaps. "I’m aware of what your class did to her. But I can tell you this: she didn’t hold any grudges against you anymore. If she did, she wouldn’t have helped us as willingly as she did. She would’ve hated you, instead of having a crush on you, Kakashi."

He looked at me and nodded slowly, the weight of my words sinking in.

“I mean, you’re just lucky you got to spend time with her. I came to realize my feelings, but I didn’t even get that chance,” I added, locking eyes with him.

The air between us thickened. Our gazes were intense, both of us caught in the same shared sorrow.

“If she were here, what would you have done?” Kakashi asked quietly. “We couldn’t have fought for her. She wouldn’t have wanted that.”

“Who said I would fight you, Hatake?” I traced my finger lightly along his neck, enjoying the subtle hitch in his breath.

“I’m not in the mood for that,” Kakashi muttered, but he didn’t pull away from my touch.

“All I’m saying is that I wouldn’t have minded sharing her with you,” I continued, my fingers still tracing the outline of his neck. “It would have been a win-win situation. She had crushes on both of us.”

He raised an eyebrow. “This is all good in theory, but you’re an Uchiha, and I’m a Hatake. What would your clan say about that?”

“Hmmm... I have no fear of my clan. I don’t care what they would say.My private life is not their concern.” I chuckled, watching as his eyes narrowed, a sigh escaping his lips at my bluntness.

“Nothing would happen now... She’s gone,” Kakashi said, his tone quieter now, tinged with sadness. “It’s been three weeks, and I still can’t access her apartment.”

“Why are you in such a hurry to access the apartment?” I asked, teasing him. “Is there something you desperately want? Or did you leave your favorite green boxers there?” I laughed lightly, trying to break the heaviness of the moment.

“That’s enough.” Kakashi removed my fingers from his neck and stood up abruptly, his posture rigid. He still looked sad but getting better . He needs to understand that what happened to her was carefully planned by Danzo and none of us saw it coming.

We parted ways in silence.

Sen's POV

It was midday, and the seventh day of my travel, when the road to Konoha finally came into view. It felt good to be home. I made my way to the gate where the chunin were stationed. To my surprise, it was Genma and Iwashi standing guard. Why were jonin on gate duty? It must be a slow day. I wished, briefly, that I had the Sharingan to capture their reactions.

The afternoon sun beat down, making the area unusually quiet. There was no one else around, and I was grateful for that. It made the situation more... amusing.

“Hello, Shinobi-san, I need to enter the village,” I said innocently, my voice sweet.

Genma glanced at me, his gaze almost bored, as if he had already sensed my approach from a distance. Despite the S-rank seal for disguise that I had crafted in the Summoning Realm, which should have helped me remain undetected, he was still aware of me but as a average chakra level civilian woman. Yu was clinging at the yukata on the back of my right shoulder.

“Are you visiting for the first time?” he asked, uninterested, while Iwashi sat beside him, looking as if he were about to fall asleep.

“No, Shinobi-san,” I answered, keeping up the act. “This is my first time here. I’m here to meet my boyfriend, who’s living here currently. I must see him urgently.”

Genma raised an eyebrow at that, but I could tell he didn’t buy it completely. “What’s his name? Where does he live?”

I almost burst out laughing, but I kept my composure. “Umm... his name is Hatake Kakashi, and I think he’s a shinobi too,” I said, giggling inside. It felt so good to mess with him.I needed to see Minato but without any attention.

At my words, Genma’s senbon slipped from his mouth and clattered to the ground, and even Iwashi looked at us, now more alert.

“What do you mean by ‘Hatake’? How is he your boyfriend?” Genma asked, his tone firm.

“Well, you see,” I whispered, leaning in slightly, “he was on a mission,  when we got closer... closer than a shinobi should be with a delicate civilian woman like me, you know what I mean?”

Genma’s expression shifted from curiosity to confusion, and I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. “Uh huh... I know that well,” he muttered, though it was clear he didn’t want to admit it. “What I mean is...”

I cut him off, playing my hand. “I don’t think he knows he’s my boyfriend, but he will be soon. Shinobi-san, I’m pregnant with his baby.” I placed a hand on my belly dramatically.

At that, both of them stood up, their eyes wide with shock. I barely managed to hold in my laughter.

“This is impossible,” Genma stammered. “Look... this is a big issue. He’s an important figure in the village, and close to the Hokage. If this turns out to be false claim, there will be consequences. You’ll have to come with me to the Hokage. I’ll send a clone to Kakashi to meet us there.”

Genma, looking completely flustered now, summoned a clone with a flick of his wrist, and the clone disappeared in a gust of wind. He quickly sent another clone to the nearby police officer, instructing him to stay in his position until he returned.

Without asking, Genma grabbed my hand and shunshined us toward the Hokage Tower. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself as we sped through the air. This was definitely not how I had planned to enter Konoha.

We arrived outside the Hokage Tower, and Genma, still in a hurry, led the way toward the Hokage’s office. The absurdity of the situation wasn’t lost on me, and I wondered how Kakashi would react when he found out.

Genma flared his chakra urgently, and the Hokage ordered us to enter. We both walked into the office at the same time. As soon as I stepped in, I sensed Shisui and Aoba standing guard outside, their presence a silent reassurance that things were in control. But the real test would be here, in front of Minato.

I stood before him, confident that my seals and disguise were holding up well. Minato didn’t seem to recognize me, but if he had activated Sage Mode, my cover would have been blown in an instant. He looked up at both of us, his eyes flicking back and forth, trying to figure out what had brought us here.

“Hokage-sama, this woman...” Genma began, but he trailed off, his confusion evident. He had forgotten to ask my name.

“Hana,” I said quickly in a squeaky voice, hoping to keep my identity hidden a little longer. I wanted to see where this would go before revealing myself fully.

“Hana is claiming she’s pregnant with Kakashi’s child,” Genma continued, his voice thick with disbelief.

Minato blinked, clearly stunned. I had never seen him look so flustered and confused at the same time. He stood up abruptly. Just then, Kakashi appeared through the window, his entrance adding to the tension in the room. The moment his eyes landed on me, I saw his breath catch.

“Sen...?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The room fell into a heavy silence. No one spoke for a moment. Kakashi slowly moved toward me, and I stood still, not uttering a word.

“Remove the seals you’re wearing, Sen,” he said, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable huskiness.

I nodded and removed the two seals from behind my ears, watching as everyone gasped in unison. The moment the seals were gone, Minato was by my side in an instant, pulling me into a tight hug.Kakashi stumbled towards Genma and looked betrayed by his sensei. Minato's arms were warm and reassuring, and I could feel the relief radiating off him.

“Sen? You were dead. We didn’t feel your chakra. Even I used Sage Mode for the past week, every day...” Minato pulled back slightly, giving me some space. “How is this possible?”

Kakashi then stepped forward, his expression full of disbelief, and hugged me as well, his arms wrapping around me tightly. I could feel his heart racing against mine. Genma, who had been standing off to the side, didn’t know how to react. His senbon was nowhere to be seen.

“I... I’ll tell you everything.” I began, taking a deep breath. “All the details. Did you get the scroll I sent?” I looked at Minato.

“We did,” Minato confirmed, his voice tinged with both relief and astonishment. “It was a great shock to know it was you.”

“So, it means you want to know everything, right?” I asked, my voice steady but holding an undercurrent of seriousness.

Minato nodded. “It will take time, won’t it?” I added, knowing this wouldn’t be an easy conversation.

“You will be interrogated at the T&I, which is standard procedure,” Minato confirmed, his tone serious now. “But considering the nature of the knowledge you possess, you’ll be considered an S-rank asset. The Council and I would like to know everything.”

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “I know, Hokage-sama,” I said, then paused, my thoughts turning to family. “I have a request. I need to meet my grandmother, my mother, and Shishu. I’ve missed them so much. I need to meet them before the lengthy interogation and talks start. I am already aware of how much time it will take.”

Minato’s expression softened. “I can’t let you go now, Sen. But I can ask them to come here,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.

“This is great. Please ask them to come. They must be devastated. After that, I will comply with the interrogators,” I said, the weight of everything catching up to me.

Minato nodded and turned to Genma and Kakashi. “Bring them, but don’t tell them yet. Her presence is still a secret for now,” he ordered.

Genma and Kakashi exchanged a look before nodding. With that, they left, and I was left standing in the Hokage’s office, my heart heavy with the knowledge of what was to come.

“How did he recognize you, Sen?” Minato asked, his voice filled with curiosity and concern.

I blinked, trying to hold back the tears that had been welling up since I first entered the office. “Well... you know I’ve been working on illustrations for Jiraiya-sama’s books, right?” Minato nodded, urging me to continue. “The getup I’m wearing now, it’s exactly like the next female character. The yukata, the long black hair, the black eyes, and the mole right here by my nose before i deactivated the seals. kakashi was there when i draw these . we even discussed If needed I should use this disguise on a mission and he will know. That's how he knew instantly."

Minato chuckled softly, though it was tinged with relief. “Here I thought Kakashi was secretly a Sage,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. We both laughed, but it didn’t last long. The weight of everything was still too much to bear.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. It creaked open, and I heard Kushina’s voice, full of confusion and concern. “Minato, why did you ask for me to be here? And why was Kakashi so creepily happy? I could see through his mask that he was smiling so creepily, Dattebane!”

I turned slowly, my breath catching in my throat as I looked at her. “Hello, Shishu,” I whispered, barely able to keep my voice steady.

Kushina’s eyes widened in shock, and in an instant, she was in front of me, pulling me into a tight embrace. Her arms were strong, shaking with emotion as she cried into my hair. “I knew you were sneaky, but that level of sneaky, Sen?” she asked between sobs, her voice breaking. She kissed my cheeks and forehead, her tears mingling with mine. “Where... where have you been all this time?”

I squeezed her back, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders just from the warmth of her presence. “I’m so sorry, Shishu,” I whispered. “I’ve missed you more than I can explain.”

“I’ll tell you everything,” I said, my voice thick with emotion, “but first, I need to know who else I should tell.” I turned to Minato, my eyes pleading for guidance.

“This is... confusing on so many levels,” Minato said, his voice quiet but firm. “Team 1 and 2 already know about your involvement with the scrolls. The Council—Shikaku, Inoichi, Tsunade, and Nawaki—they’ll need to know too. After you meet with your family, I’ll have them all presented at T&I.” He hesitated. “We’ll see there who has the highest clearance.” Minato glanced at Kushina. “Kushina will be there too.”

Both Kushina and I nodded, our thoughts heavy with the knowledge of what was to come.

A few moments later, the door opened again, and my grandmother and mother entered. The sight of them nearly broke me. They looked worse than I’d ever seen them, as if they hadn’t slept or eaten in days. Their faces were gaunt, their eyes swollen from weeks of crying.

As soon as they saw me, it was as though a dam broke. My grandmother’s eyes filled with tears, and my mother’s breath hitched in her chest. Without a word, they both rushed to me, pulling me into their arms. We held each other, trembling, not caring about anything else in the world. The world outside this room, the village—none of it mattered. All that mattered was that we were finally together again.

The sobs that racked my body were uncontrollable, and they cried with me, their voices a chorus of relief and grief. My mother kissed my forehead, her hand trembling as it slid down my hair. “We thought we lost you forever, Sen,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Where... where have you been?”

Grandmother held me tight, never letting go. “After the T&I, you’ll come live with us for a while,” she said softly, her voice filled with care. “We need to be together again. I’ve missed you so much. You also need to know something about your past . ”

“I’ve missed you too, so much,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion. I didn’t want to let them go, but I knew I had to. It was hard to pull away, to breathe, to separate from the warmth of their embrace. But I did, knowing that this moment wasn’t the end—it was just the beginning of everything that was about to unfold.

With one final, lingering look, my grandmother and mother left the room. My heart ached to watch them go, but I knew this wasn’t the end. We would be together again soon.

Minato’s voice broke through the silence. “Kushina, Sen, it’s time to go to T&I,” he said, his tone firm but gentle. He looked at Genma and Kakashi. “You two, bring Junpei, Tenzō, Raido,Itama,Kawaram, Tsunade, Nawaki, the Council, Shikaku—Inoichi will already be there. I need everyone there for the debrief.”

I nodded, feeling my heart heavy with the knowledge of what was to come. This wasn’t going to be easy, but at least I wasn’t alone anymore. And for the first time in a long while, I felt a spark of hope that things might eventually get better.▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

●● Hey guys, this story is not ending anytime soon. I don't know how you all got the idea after the last chapter but it is still ongoing and even if it ends I have another one I am working on (with more hot Anbu 🤭)

--- So kakashi and junpei are both hardened Anbu ops ( Both have dominating personalities ) . In my view, they don't show romantic feelings towards each others because they are built like that way and won't  show vulnerability and they are fools when it comes to romance.

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