" I'll be back soon. Will you wait for me? ".
Mei Terumi opens her emerald eyes slowly, to the darkness which envelopes her bedroom. Her eyes rolled up to the ceiling.
" Was I dreaming again? " she said somberly, wishing her dreams could become a reality.
Mei Terumi sits up, and pulls the sheets off to the side; the Mizukage brings her bare feet down to the slightly chill smooth stone floor.
The Mizukage dressed in a white lacy night gown, placed her arms down upon her thighs as she ponders on what to do, now that she had woken up.
' How long do I have to keep waiting, how long will this indefinite suspense go on for... ' she thought.
Few minutes passes, and she decided what she was going to do: Mei Terumi leaves the bedroom, goes to the living room, and walked over to a closed standing brown wooden cabinet, which was facing the rear of the couch.
The Mizukage goes down on her knees and opens the cabinet doors; contained within the cabinet were numerous scrolls, numbering up to twenty five. Which are a total of scrolls, she's received in the past year and recent months.
" I've gotten so much... Would I be thinking different, if I had not gotten that letter back then, " Mei Terumi thought out loud, staring at the scrolls.
- ONE YEAR AND SOME MONTHS AGO -
A few weeks after Naruto departed from the hidden mist village, a jonin level kunoichi knocked upon the door of the Mizukage's office, a knock to which the Mizukage answered, saying.
" You can come in, "
The kunoichi with jet black hair and black eyes, walked into the office holding a sealed blue colored scroll in her left hand. The dark haired kunoichi, closes the door and approaches the fifth Mizukage's desk.
She bows her head to her Kage, and extends the scroll out with her head still bowed.
" What is that? ", " it came from the hidden leaf village hawk. We couldn't determine it's content, as it was sealed with a intricate sealing Jutsu " explained the kunoichi.
" Hmm, " utters Mei Terumi before taking the scroll from the Kunoichi's hand.
She drew the scroll towards herself, and inspected it with her eyes. In a few seconds, Mei Terumi clads her free hand with chakra and infused it into the scroll, causing it to unfurl.
Mei Terumi checks the content, her eyes widen slightly before folding it, and lifting her gaze back to the kunoichi.
" Thank you, you can leave " she said with a placid expression, the kunoichi turns and exit the office without a glance back. Though being curious, as to what the leaf could have sent, that was important enough to be sealed;
And if it had anything to do with the rumors of affair, between the Mizukage and the young war hero.
Mei Terumi had a feeling that must be what was on the Kunoichi's mind, as she hears whispers of the rumors and newspapers, which began to pop up, some days after Naruto left. Mei at first was stunned by the news, and soon after became infuriated, so she banned people from distributing any more.
But though it's distribution ceased, the tongues of those who have read or heard of it, could not stop moving without rest. She coped with the rumors, because none dared to confront her about the situation, on whether it was true or false.
When she could tell, most believe it to be true. And sometimes during those times, Mei Terumi wondered to herself whether or not she had an affair with Naruto...
Mei Terumi opens up the scroll, and read the letter,
[ Greetings to you, Mei Terumi san, I sincerely hope as the Mizukage you are healthy and doing well... Now in regards to why I'm writing this, which I never thought I would do, but realized that I had to, to sooth my conscience. And whether or not the news about the affair are true or not, I still believe you should be aware of this much.
My student, Naruto Uzumaki a week after returning home, has departed from the village to a foreign, and unknown destination. To join up with my other student, who you are familiar with. Uchiha Sasuke. His departure was unanticipated, and his time of return is still unknown.
Naruto desires to take a break from everything, and I am informed by him, that he would not take too long to attend to the matters regarding his heart. So I hope this letter, might give some clarity if there ever is need for one.
HATAKE KAKASHI. ]
Mei Terumi folds the scroll, placing it back on the table with her mind towards the blond. Wondering if his departure had anything to do, with what he said to her about being too early. It caused her to think,
' you're not too early, I'm just the one too old. Naruto, don't make me get any more older than I already am before making your move '. . .
" Should I not have had hope, should I not have been delighted, and happy beyond measures. Could I have avoided this torment, if I did that? ".
Mei Terumi pulls a green scroll out of the cabinet, she withdrew and close the cabinet doors. Mei Terumi walked over and around the couch, and lay down on it with her face towards the ceiling, and her eyes on the scroll.
With her gaze ever steadfast on the scroll, she was reminded of how long it has been since she had began to get the scrolls. And Mei realizes it's been more than a year, or to be more precise: one year, six months and eight days.
Mei remembered she was just returning to her private abode, after a month of absence, due to not wanting to be tracked, as there were too many eyes on her because of the affair rumor. There before the sealed entrance, Mei Terumi found a scroll.
She remembered picking it up, and going into the house, where she would later read it and discover it was a letter written by Naruto, she read the letter about forty times, at this point knew it by heart...
[ Good day, good afternoon, good night. To the most beautiful Mizukage and kage in the world. I write hoping you would have somewhat resented me for not reaching out sooner, and I truly wanted to. But I couldn't find the time, as I had to set my things up, and that took longer than I ever thought it would.
I deliberated in my mind so much, on whether this was right or not. But finally, I decided it would be better to have you know about my journey, than to stay silent. It's been a month and I miss being around. I miss you, I do. And you might have to hate me, cause I can't change.
I want to come back home, but I also want to secure the real me, so that I won't live in confusion anymore. Be a man, and not a child that is incapable of being your man... I have no idea how long it has taken you to finally see this, but in case you were wondering how it is where you found it. I had a toad bring it over, and the toad will be doing so every two weeks, till I return to you. ]
That was his first letter to her, Mei Terumi never knew she was going to get a last, until one month and eight days ago. She got the letter, which is contained within the scroll held in her hand.
Mei opens the scroll, and reads that which was within, being the second time she was going to be reading it since it came into her possession...
[ Mizukage sama, I'm hoping you're still doing well. Please stay healthy till I return, I keep missing you everyday. I want to hear from you, but I restrain myself from making such request. As anything you write, will inevitably drive me insane. And I'll want to come home to you. But I can't abandon what I have started, and this time after so many adventures, Sasuke and I are finally going to deal with something threatening enough to claim our lives.
Please have no fear, I will come back home to you. And prove myself worthy of your heart, Mizukage sama.
PS: I won't die. Believe it! ].
Mei Terumi could still always imagine the smile, Naruto must have had on his face when he wrote that post scriptum. But the letter scared her, even though he had begged her not to be. For the past year, and months, Naruto always sends two kind of letters, in every two weeks.
The first is a highly detailed letter about his monthly adventures, with the Uchiha, and the next would be him addressing her personally and sharing his feelings with her. Every letter, brought Mei Terumi closer to Naruto, it made her feel like she was wherever he was.
And her heart only longed for him more, and aches whenever she couldn't smell him, hear him, or be touched by him. After so many letters, there was no way the fifth Mizukage could deny what she has come to feel for the young blond hero.
Mei Terumi brings the scroll down unto her chest, and closes her eyes.
" I miss your smile. Please don't die, if you do I will hate and curse you till the heavens become too hot for you. Just come back to me, you don't have to search for anything else. I'm here waiting. Naruto. Come back home " Mei said with as much courage as she could muster. . .
" Thank you, Haruno san. You're always a big help, we don't know what we'll do without you ".
Sakura after long and arduous hours in the operation room, she would just now be taking a break. Sakura smiled at the grateful doctor, and nurses whom were worn out and needed proper rests themselves.
" It's not a problem, that's why I'm a medical ninja, to do this kinds of job. I'm just glad to be available, " she says.
The nurses and doctor bowed their heads, and Sakura reciprocates the courtesy, and thus departed. The pink haired renowned medical ninja, makes her way to a office she's been given to occupy. Sakura walks into her office; which had a built in bathroom and could serve as a place to sleep in, if things become hectic: like it did the night before.
That afternoon, Sakura enters the office and takes off her lab coat, leaving on her white pants and black turtle neck. Sakura unties her pink hair which she'd tied into a bun at the back, causing it to fall loose and reach several inches below her scapula.
Sakura sits down on a blue couch, not minding the blinding ray of the sun splicing in through the window. As she was about to close her eyes and ease into the couch, for some short eye, she was incommode by a knock on the door.
Her eyes snaps open, and a frown mar's her beautiful face, wondering why they wouldn't give her a space to breath.
" Who is it? " she asks with an upset tone of voice, " Konohamaru. I brought you lunch, thought you might need it " said the voice beyond the office door.
Sakura's frown quickly dissipates, " come in " she says.
The eighteen year old grandson of Sarutobi Hiruzen-Third Hokage of the hidden leaf, walks into the office, closing the door on his way in with his left foot. Coming in, Konohamaru carried in his hands a flat black and white striped box, he approaches her desk and gently lays it down.
Konohamaru pushes to the side, some books and scrolls which laid open and unread upon the table. The esteemed grandson, closes the books and folds up the scrolls, he gathered them in his hands and returned them to the book shelf on the left far side of Sakura's desk, standing in the corner.
" I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that it's you, but I somehow am. I wasn't expecting you to show, after how chaotic last night was " Sakura said, watching as Konohamaru was putting the gathered books and scrolls in all the right places.
" No one was expecting a rainstorm like that to hit, of course you would have been swamped and not able to eat, " " but you helped so much last night, bringing in the injured. I'm surprised you aren't at home sleeping. "
Konohamaru smiled. " Well I wanted to, but Moegi pulled me out of bed, and toss me into the bathroom. At that what else can I do, but rub sleep out of my eyes and get on with the day " said Konohamaru.
Not sure what to say, Sakura kept silent. Konohamaru done with the shelf, walked back to the desk, and pulled open the box. Sakura's taste bud awakens at the scent of what was hidden within the box; she got up and walked over to the desk.
Standing at Konohamaru's side, her green eyes took in the sight of, a bowl of steamed rice, topped with thinly sliced beef and tender onion, which appear to have been simmered in dashi broth (a popular Japanese ingredient), and seasoned with mirin and soy sauce. With a lightly cooked egg as secondary topping.
" Gyudon, really? Do you just have a good memory, or do you take note of all my favorite things " asked Sakura elated, Sakura's eyes tilts towards a bottle of Amazake laid down at the side of the covered Gyudon.
Sakura tilts her head and looks at Konohamaru, with a big smile.
" You're a genius " she says. " Well, sit down and eat. You need to reenergize yourself, after working for so many hours, " Sakura nods, " i should, shouldn't I... Tch, I should have had you as a brother. But unfortunately I'm an only child ".
Sakura walks around the table, and seats down on her pink leather seat. Sakura pulls the box towards her, and she picks out a Shamoji; which was right next to a small covered bowl of water.
Konohamaru, walked back over to the book shelf and picks out a book with a blue cover, a romance novel which he had been eyeing for some while. He retreated to the couch, and sits down, before changing his position and laying down upwards.
He opens the book to the first page, but before he could begin to read, he glanced over at Sakura, whom had started to eat.
" I can be your brother, if you let me call you big sis. As you know, I'm an only child too " He said,
To prevent herself from talking while eating, Sakura chews for some seconds and swallows, then opens up the plastic bottle containing the Amazake, she takes a sip and sip, then a few more sips before she was satisfied with the nourishing taste, and scent.
" If you insist, I can't stop you, " she says humorously, and as she places the Amazake bottle back in the box upon it's bottom, a thought crossed her mind. " Don't tell me, you've been bringing me lunch, tidying up my apartment when it's messy, and consistently helping me out because you wanted a sister " said Sakura astonished by the thought.
" Not really, it's more of a byproduct, " " if that's not the reason, then why do you indulge me? " Sakura asks slightly puzzled.
Konohamaru puts a finger in between a page he was at, and closes the book, then he turns his eyes upwards.
" It was a request from big brother, " " Naruto? Why would he ask that of you, before he left " she asks growing confused.
" Oh not before he left, I occasionally get messages from him. The messages come via computer, and at most once a month or twice in three months, "
" so he asked you to help me out? When was this, " " five months ago? Yeah, somewhere between six to five months ago. I was quiet reluctant to fulfill this request, until I saw how swamped you often get, "
' It's always Naruto, why is it never Sasuke... I still can't believe that crap he said from whatever dimension he was in. Returning soon? Yeah, if soon means one year and six months, and not a single note or letter. I should never have fallen for that jerk ' Sakura thought.
" As I have already revealed this much, I should also tell you, your boyfriend and big brother are going to be returning sometime this month. Which is why, I'm tidying up big brother's new home, I've been doing that for two days now, in my spare time ".
' Will that jerk really come back with Naruto? I won't be surprised if Naruto returns alone... '
" Wait, new home? What are you talking about, " she asked once she finally allowed the thought to cross her mind.
Konohamaru sits up, " I really should go back there. I still have two more rooms to clean, and I shouldn't dally, " Konohamaru was about to get up, when Sakura spoke up, " let's go together! ".
Konohamaru smiles. " Well, finish your lunch first, before it gets cold. Then we'll go "...
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