To Those Who Knew Me [Naruto Fanfic] [Beta]

[Beta] Chapter 31

     "R-rin?" a voice stuttered out to her in the marketplace.

     She was out with Obito but she already knew who it was... Rin just hoped that her assumption would be wrong. However, that was just a foolish wish.

      Rin tugged on Obito's hand, hiding herself behind his large build. It was too early... How could she possibly explain this?

This is why I don't like to deal with airheads.

They assume too much on their own.

      "Rin-chan, " the woman's voice croaked out affectionately, "Is that you?"

     The Uchiha male glanced at his teammate and back to the woman right in front of him. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong person."

     "I gave birth to her, " the woman protested, "I remember every single strand of hair and the shape of her face. She is without a doubt my daughter, Rin Maru."

     "Sorry, Ma'am, but you're wrong."

     The woman moved closer and they moved backward, slowly inching away from Rin Maru's mother.

      "Please, " the mother beg, tears pooling in her chocolate brown eyes, "She's my only daughter... please. She's been unconscious for the longest time and suddenly disappeared. My husband and I have been worried sick about her. I need to talk with my daughter."

     Rin then tugged on his sleeve, feeling her own bein cut into pieces again. "Let's go somewhere more private."

      He nodded and relayed her message. "We should move to a quieter place."

     Looking around, they found that the nosy villagers of Konohagakure were prying into matters that they had no business in being a part of.

      "Right, " she replied, following along Obito as they relocated in a much more secluded and isolated area.

      Rin then slowly moved from behind Obito, her hand clutching his as though her life depended on it. "... Ma'am, I am not the daughter that you know of."

      "You are of my flesh and blood, are you not?"

      "But we are two souls occupying one body and only one could survive... I ended up totally destroying hers when I fully took control of this body. Your daughter... no longer exists and for that... I truly apologize. I know that an apology won't make up for it but-"

      The woman took Rin's hands, staring deep into her eyes while studying the odd, purple marks that ran down her cheeks. Reaching out, she traced a mark and settled with touching her cheek gently.

     She smiled somberly yet tenderly at Rin, finally pulling away after another second. "I see that I've made a mistake. I'll go ahead on my own then. I apologize for causing a ruckus out there."

     Then the woman walked away without letting any respond to her sudden farewell. 

     However, Rin and Obito didn't know that the Rin Maru's mother wasn't as distraught as they thought she was. Instead she was smiling a sweet yet sad smile as she went back to her home that had her husband waiting inside.

     After all, Rin Maru was only a piece of Rin Nohara.

     Rin Nohara had been her daughter all along also.

But Rin Nohara didn't know that secret.