ok first of all.. LAST CHAPTER MAKE SOME NOISEEEEEE
also i hope the lyrics are on point because heh funny story: I started this story with 0.9% knowledge in nihongo and now im ending it with like decent enough knowledge to listen to standard nihongo quite well i guess hehehehehehehe wow.... time flies.
ENJOY??????
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Dear Iruka,
How are you? I'm sorry for sending a reply to your letter a bit late than usual. It's been a busy month here at the Islands. We've been receiving many offers of trade with the other villages, and it's taking a lot of time to discuss which will bring the most benefit to the land. Other than that, the other counsellors and I have been running around the nearby villages to test out the technology we received from Konoha. It's been really tiring that I've been running on a lot of those prescriptions that the pink-haired healing nin has been providing for me. (a bit too much I think.. I need to pick up a new pack when I come to Konoha next time.)
Speaking of Konoha, I really can't thank you enough for allowing a few of your best ninjas to teach our younger generation your shinobi skills. Her Majesty herself is really satisfied with seeing a lot of people now having two ways to defend themselves from any attack. Hopefully, that's not necessary, but just in case things happen I guess? I hope the people from the Snow Islands who are at Konoha at the moment aren't causing much trouble on your side. We can be a bit... feisty at times.
On a more personal note, I finally got the chance to meet my family again! Thanks to the Hidden Village of Mist's latest technology, I don't have to wait until summer to meet them anymore! It's been so long, it feels weird to see them again. They all grew up so well, I should introduce you to them if you ever come here- that is, if you're free from your headmaster duties. Nami misses you a lot too, she can't wait to visit you guys soon. That should be really soon if I'm not mistaken. Who knows, by the time you're reading this sentence, we might already be here!
"Did Sakura accidentally gave him drunk pills or something? What did his last sentence mean-" Iruka ducked before the sharp kunai could reach his neck. He hid under his table, re-appearing to kick his opponent's leg down and to lock him in a headlock. He raised his brow as below him was the one and only Yu Kōri. "Your element of surprise skills is still low, Kōri. You really need to work on that."
"I was expecting you said that." With a smirk, a loud puff of smoke appeared as Iruka somehow ended up in a bundle of scrolls bonded tightly around him. "Instead of saying release, I had to take a wild guess on what would you say to break the jutsu. Pretty neat, huh?" The young counsellor jumped from the window to stand in front of the paralyzed headmaster. "I planned hard for this to work, you know. Even Nami didn't help."
"I have to admit. I'm impressed." Iruka stretched his arms once Kōri helped him out to escape the trap. "I guess having to hunt for survival really does help increase your wits. Even here, the ones from the Snow Islands are excelling very well compared to the Konoha children.
"We have to fight nature, not humans, so I guess that explains much. Besides," He pointed outside, to the peaceful village where they could see kids running down the streets. "The era of war is over, right? You guys have nothing to worry about much." Kōri took a deep breathe as he looked at the Hokage Rock, where now there were seven faces that stood tall shadowing the village. "The Snow Islands is still trying to walk carefully around diplomatic ties, but I guess the rumours about your former Hokage and the Queen did help protect us for a while."
Iruka snickered at the counsellor's comment. It all made sense in the end, on why Nami rejected Kakashi's proposal in the first place. Asides from the risk of Nami leaving the Island again, she went through to think of a whole lot more consequences. One of them being the Snow Islands to suddenly have a diplomatic bond with Konoha through marriage, which is probably one of the lowest moves a leader could make to strengthen their country. There are others too, some that when Iruka took a minute or two to think, really explained why the Queen had asked to give her a few years to 'reconsider' their failing relationship.
She's definitely a true leader by heart.
"So, now that the Islands are in a stable state, I guess it's time.. right? I no longer have to keep this secret from him anymore. Thank goodness." Iruka felt his heart pang at his own statement. He has long accepted fate, but deep inside the pain still won't fade away. The other noticed his reaction has he pulled him into a brotherly hug. "Hey, it hurts. But one day you'll have someone who would love you even more than she could have loved you." Kōri patted his shoulders a bit too strongly. "Or you can follow me and we can ride the snowy mountains to release some of those pent up emotions."
"Snowboarding can cure your anger?"
"Snowboarding in an area with potential snow storm occurring is. Don't worry, I can control the snow and ice too."
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Gai and Kakashi were resting somewhere far after a day of hard work. With Gai being a teacher at the Academy and Kakashi being an advisor for Naruto and helping the village at times, it can be really tiresome at times. Times had changed from before, where nowadays diplomatic bonds are more needed, but the amount of paperwork is something that both ninjas didn't expect.
"The chuunin exams sure were something else, right Kakashi?"
"Yeah. Their techniques just improve as time goes on. Things had really changed from before." Kakashi mumbled along. "The ones from the Snow Islands were a force to be reckoned with, don't you think?"
"Ahh!! That's true. I guess that's a few perks they have considering their current leader is a shinobi herself- oh." Gai covered his mouth when he realised he had talked about the latter's former girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise-"
"It's okay. I mean, it's what I deserved." He hummed softly. He still remembered how he sent an invitation card for Naruto and Hinata's wedding to the Snow Islands, only for it to not be replied and the Queen sending in a bouquet of flowers on her behalf. "I mean, she didn't even come to Naruto's wedding! She adored the kid back when she was still here. It just doesn't make any sense."
"She must have her personal reasons." Gai felt a little sad for Kakashi. If he could, he would have spoken the truth now. Because he too, at first, was furious at the queen when she didn't come to the current Hokage's wedding to an extent he stormed into Iruka's office, demanding an explanation. Everything made sense after the headmaster carefully explained everything with a promise that he won't tell her. "It's for his own good. Please don't tell him." Was what Iruka begged him to do.
"I swear on my life." Gai glanced at the clock nearby them. It was almost time, she should be here now....
"She hates me. That's all the reason I need to know." He sighed, once again drowning himself in sadness. Gai looks at the clock once again.
"Hatake-san?" They both looked up to see Mirai by the door. "Someone is here to see you. It's.. an old friend." A figure appeared behind Mirai, much to the former Hokage's shock.
"Thank you, Sarutobi-san. Can you please excuse us for a moment. You too, Gai." The jounin nodded as she pushed Gai out of the room. "You were a few minutes late, I didn't know how long I could let him stay without him knowing you were here." He whispered as they hugged each other.
"Negotiation took longer than I expected. You know how dragging it can be." She waved them goodbye before entering the room, slowly shutting the door. ".. Hi." The Queen gave a simple wave before she approached the still-speechless man in front of her. "You look.. well." Slowly she sat down on the chair opposite of him. "How's it been? It's been some time, hasn't it?"
"You can't just come here after ignoring all my letters. You didn't even come to Naruto's wedding."
"I'm sorry about the wedding. People from the Land of Iron came at the last minute and wouldn't want Kōri to attend to them. I already prepared the gift but it wouldn't reach there in time, thus the flowers. I had to call Naruto at the last minute to say sorry. He was... pretty disappointed." She spoke the last part in a mumble.
"Not a good excuse. You took.. longer than expected. I expected you to come back when the news of the Snow Islands and Kirigakure were finally on good terms about your territory. I waited patiently at the office since then."
"I did want to return then.." She took another deep breath. "But if I did return then, wouldn't it be a foul move for me as a leader? I wanted them to see my kingdom as a land to be respected. If I married you then, wouldn't that make me like some kind of cheater in a way?" She took her hand, to Kakashi's surprise has become as warm as his after all these years. "I read your letters and kept it. Every. Single. One. Kōri said I shouldn't reply in case some rebels or spies caught it. Call me selfish all you want, but I really wanted to protect my land until I can finally assure myself that once I decided to do something for my own personal benefit, it wouldn't impact my citizens at all." They locked eyes, for a long time. It felt nice for Kakashi to see the same emerald eyes still shining from the queen.
"I'm sorry, for making you wait a bit too long. You deserve an apology." The ninja continued to observe the queen. The stress from trying to revive a half-dead kingdom had made the younger seemed to age much compared to him, but her eyes still shone the same as when they first met on that one night. The soft white hair that she had cut short for mobility during the period when all his students were busy training with the Sannin. The freckles,, he missed everything about her.
"I love you."
"I'm sorry. But pardon me?" Nami was taken aback by Kakashi's sudden confession. "Okay, yes I did took a bit longer but you didn't have to attack me like that-"
"Fuyuhana Nami, you made me waited for more than a year or so to protect your nation. You remained true to your word, you didn't go run off with Kōri like what I thought you would as payback for me. You stayed and rose your nation just like how your father wanted it to be. How can I hate you now when I finally know the reasons behind every single action of yours?" Compared to what I did, this was nothing."
"I also realised that absence really does make the heart go fonder. I missed talking to you, hearing your complaints about whatever life decided to hit you with. I missed training with you, although I think now you're finally able to control your powers, right?" He placed his hand on her cheek, touching it softly as if she would disappear again. "I said 'I love you' so many times, but now when I think of it; I didn't mean any of it that much. Because I always feared that you would leave me one day."
"I should be mad, but I too, am hopelessly in love with you too much that the second I saw you, my anger just went away. That sounded too cheesy even for me."
"I-" She stammered, overwhelmed from the very sincere confession. "I don't know what to say."
"You only need to say one word, Nami." He held her hand tighter, his own hand shaking in fear if she suddenly rejects him again.
"Fuyuhana Nami, I love you so, so much. You taught me a lot of things about myself. I'm sorry I wasn't the ideal partner before. I ignored you, I thought I knew you but then I realised, I imagined you as the person I wanted as a partner. From now on, I hope you'll lighten enough to show me your true self much more. And I hope you can continue to show me your world that I had never had an interest in before."
"Hatake-"
"Fuyuhana Nami, please marry me." Both their hands shook at the declaration. Nami was stunned. She had expected this before, but to hear a wholehearted apology and thankfulness beforehand? Never had she thought that would happen?
But she loved it so, so much. And the pain of waiting was so unbearable for her. She remembered how mad she was at Kōri for threatening to burn her letters if she decided to act up. How can Kakashi expected her to run off with Kōri when half of their time together is spent with her trying to not beat the latter up with his witty but thoughtful comments?
She started to sob uncontrollably. "I.... I will. And I love you too." She pulled his mask down and slammed their lips together. "I missed you too much, it hurt a lot."
"I love you more." Kakashi broke the kiss as he pecked her forehead, nose and eyes. Each while muttering more 'I love you's. "I won't hurt you again... I promise with my whole life."