I walked alongside my sensei, rubbing my hands together nervously. Once we had left the Hokage's office, he had informed me that the three Konoha genin teams who had graduated together were getting dinner together to celebrate, with the senseis splitting the cost.
"Do I have to go?" I asked him for the what must have been tenth time.
"Hikari, they really want you there. Everything that happened really surprised them, because none of your teammates saw any of it coming. They want to meet the real you," Kakashi assured me.
I sighed and gave in. I pulled my hair over my shoulder and started running my fingers through it. Seeing my blonde hair was a bit unusual, even if I had always known I am blonde.
When we reached the door to the restaurant, my nerves spiked. I felt my hands start to tremble, and I looked at Kakashi, hoping he would let me get out off this. His closed eye smile told me very clearly that I was not escaping.
We stepped into the restaurant, and were met with yelling and laughter. I looked over at the tables that the teams were sitting at, and realised they hadn't seen us yet.
"You took your time, Kakashi," Asuma called out, making everyone aware of our presence. He, along with Kurenai had been present when I had told the Hokage my story.
"This one needed some convincing to come here," Kakashi replied with a chuckle. The genin stopped their talking and looked over at me. A squeak type sound escaped my lips at the sudden attention, and I ducked behind Kakashi, gripping his jacket slightly.
"Hikari-chan, there's no reason to be scared," Kurenai-sensei called out, but I didn't even peak out at her. I felt Kakashi chuckle once more, and he carefully stepped around me so I was in front of him once more. He put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me forward slightly.
"Everyone, this is Hikari, whom you previously knew as Yumi," he said, before guiding me over and making me sit down between Sasuke and Sakura (much to Sakura's dislike).
"It's nice to actually meet you, Hikari," Ino said, being the first one to speak up. I managed a small smile.
"Thank you," I said softly.
"Please go back to your conversations," Kakashi said, taking up a seat with the senseis.
The conversations picked up again, and I sat there awkwardly. Everyone seemed a bit awkward, like they didn't know me. It was true though, they didn't know me, they just knew the twins.
My eyes flicked over to Kiba, who was quiet also. He was petting Akamaru sadly, clearly thinking about my sister.
"Ne, Kiba-kun?" I spoke quietly as I talked to the boy who was sitting diagonal to me. He glanced up slightly.
"What?" he asked in a grumpy tone.
"How has Akamaru been? I was worried he might have hurt a foot when he got lost and I found him...," I said softly, uncertain of what to really say. He blinked in surprise and looked up at me.
"Wait, I thought that was Miyu? That's why we went on a date," he said. I shook my head, and looked down at my shaking hands.
"That was me. It was me who found Akamaru, and it was also me you asked out... Miyu would make us switch which twin was which sometimes... She really liked you though so when you asked me out, she insisted that she go...," I explained, my voice trembling slightly.
He stared at me for a few seconds before standing up, slamming his hands on the table.
"I was dating the wrong twin?!"
I jumped at his sudden action, and leaned away from him slightly, bumping Sasuke unintentionally.
"Y-Y-Yes?" I answered, not sure what to say.
"I'm so sorry! I thought that.... I'm sorry!" he said, bowing his head.
"I-It's fine K-Kiba-kun. We were trying to look identical," I said quickly. He sat back down, his mood obviously improved.
Sasuke nudged my shoulder gently, and I scooted back to where I had been sitting before Kiba's surprising outburst.
"So Hikari-chan, what do you enjoy?" Sakura asked.
"Pardon?" I looked at the pinkette beside me.
"For fun, ya know? Do you have any hobbies?"
"I...I don't know.... I was either doing stuff with Miyu or I was doing housework...," I said, biting my lip slightly.
"Well do you enjoy shopping at least?" Ino asked, joining in the conversation.
"Shopping? Like for groceries?" I asked, confused. The two stared at me.
"Clothing shopping of course!" Sakura clarified.
"I've...never been clothing shopping. Miyu always did that...," I said. The two girls looked at each other in shock.
"We're taking you shopping," they said together, their voices stern to show they were very serious.
"If you haven't been clothing shopping, then where did you get your top?" Sasuke suddenly asked, and I glanced at him.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well 'the twins' would never wear something like that. So where did you get that?"
"This was my mother's.... Miyu had packed some of my parents clothes when she thought they were still alive, and the clothes just came with us...."
"It definitely suits you!" Naruto piped up, and I looked over at him. He wasn't looking at my face, and it took me a second to see where he was looking.
"Naruto!" Within moments Sakura was standing and hitting him over the head. I giggled sheepishly, scratching the back of my head.
"Wow Naruto, I didn't know you were into girls who are older than you," I teased.
"Sakura-chan!" he whined, rubbing the bump on his head before looking at me, this time my face, "You're hardly older, you're only thirteen."
"About that, I'm actually seventeen," I said, smiling awkwardly. All of the genin kind of stared at me.
"How...but until today you seemed like a normal thirteen year old," Ino said.
"You hid the distinguishing features, right? Things puberty would change, like your chest and voice," Shikamaru asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, I hid my more... obvious features... and talked in a higher voice. Being on the short side definitely helped, though I am still taller than Naruto and Sakura," I explained.
"Hey hey hey!" Naruto suddenly started yelling.
"What, dobe?" Sasuke snapped.
"Uresai, teme. We never got to see Hikari fight!" he said, making everyone think about it for a second.
"And you were always holding back so that you and Miyu appeared identical in skill as well," Sakura said.
"So when Dosu fights you in the final round, no one will have any idea what you are like to fight...," Ino said.
"That's one hell of an advantage," Kiba pointed out.
"Maybe so...," I said, my voice trailing off. I bit my lip slightly.
"W-what's wrong, H-Hikari-chan?" Hinata asked.
"I just....I don't understand how you all aren't mad with me? I lied to all of you, for years... You don't know anything about me. You didn't even know I'm older than you...."
There was silence for a bit.
"Hikari-chan, we don't blame you for any of it. We know enough from what was said to know none of this was your fault. So we want to get to know the real you and move on. Dwelling on the past won't help us, or you," Sakura said, putting a hand on mine.
Everyone voiced their agreement one way or another. A smile spread across my face, and tears welled up in my eyes slightly.
"Minna...."
*#*#*
One emotional meal and re-get-to-know-you later, Kakashi and I stood alongside each other outside the restaurant.
"Ne, Kakashi-sensei," I spoke up to get his attention. Just as said Sensei looked down at me, a second voice called out, catching our attention.
"Does she have to live with me?" I looked over quickly, and smirked slightly.
"Naww, but I wuv you Sasuke-kun," I teased, pouting playfully.
"Please, don't even pretend to be a fangirl," he said, narrowing his eyes. I smirked back.
"Yeah yeah, I know. I'm sure living with me will be better than living with one of them though," I said.
"You get to live with Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura suddenly appeared, shrieking like a magpie.
"It's just until the exams have finished and a permanent residence for Hikari can be found," Kakashi interjected, and Sakura pouted.
"Sakura-chan, I have no interest in Sasuke beyond being teammates," I said, hoping to calm things down.
"I don't know anything about you though! This could be another lie," she snapped at me, causing my eyes to widen.
She was right, I couldn't deny it. I had been lying to all of them for years. I could feel tears coming to the surface as I turned around quickly. Right after everyone had said they forgive and accept me... I thought she and I could finally be friends.
"Sakura! That was uncalled for," Kakashi scolded her, and turned to me. But I had already started walking off.
"That was low," Sasuke said simply.
"Hikari-chan, come back," Kakashi called out, but I kept walking.
"Clearly I'll be a nuisance at Sasuke's place... I'll find somewhere else...," I said simply, before leaping up to a roof and taking off. I just ran, feeling the wind on my face, brushing away tears as soon as they formed.
I'm not sure how long I ran for, but eventually I found myself at a park. I landed beside the fence, and walked over to a bench. I lay down on my back, the cool wood nice against my skin. No one was in sight, due it being well past dark. A couple lights lit the playground, and the gentle breeze rustled the leaves of a tree that overhung the bench.
I closed my eyes and just listened to the sound of the crickets, letting it sooth my nerves.
I was laying there for about an hour. That was long enough for the temperature to drop, but after spending multiple nights outside in the past (punishments normally) it didn't bother me much. But it was enough for my shoulders to tremble with a shiver slightly. I sat up, and just sat there looking at the playground.
What was I going to do? It was clear that Sakura didn't trust me, and staying at Sasuke's was not acceptable in her eyes. Naruto would get on my nerves after a while, and I didn't want to go back to my old place.... That left Kakashi-sensei...
A coat was dropped on my shoulders, snapping me out of my thoughts. The jacket seemed huge on me, and I looked up to see the covered face of said sensei.
"Feeling any better?" he asked, and I shrugged. I carefully moved over on the bench to make room, and he sat down beside me.
"Sakura was right.... They don't know me, they have no reason to trust me...," I said softly, taking hold of his jacket and drawing it closer to me.
"She regretted saying that straight away, and wanted to apologise but you were already gone."
"So you spent over an hour looking for me?"
"No, we agreed to give you some space, give you some time to think. None of this is easy for anyone, but the others are trying their best to accept everything and more on."
I looked over at the grey-haired man, and smiled sadly.
"They could have pushed me away, but didn't... I don't deserve that after lying for so many years."
Kakashi placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair slightly.
"You're too hard on yourself, Hikari-chan. Everyone understands that you didn't ask for any of this. They just want to get to know and accept the real you," he said. I batted his hand away, pouting slightly as I tried to straighten out my hair.
"I'll try my best to open up to them.... I hardly know who I am anymore, but I'll try...."
He nodded, and we sat there next to each other for a while. The sound of the crickets filled the air as we just sat in a comfortable silence.
"Can I be honest with you for a second?" I spoke up, making him look in my direction.
"That's what I always tried to make you be," he said, chuckling.
"Yeah yeah," I giggled slightly, rolling my eyes.
"Go ahead, Hikari-chan. I'm your sensei," he said.
"That's the thing.... You're my sensei, but you're more than that. You were the first person to genuinely care about me.... You're the closest thing to a friend I have... Can I rely on you as a friend, not just as my sensei?" I was hesitant as I spoke. Sure, he's ten years older than me, but sometimes our relationship didn't feel exclusively like teacher and student.
"I know what you mean.... I'd love to be your friend, Hikari-chan," he said after thinking for a minute.
"So we can hang out outside of missions? Get lunch together and talk about things like you do with your other friends?" I asked, still hesitant.
"Sure. You can come hang out with me and my friends."
I looked at him and smiled.
"Arigato, Kakashi-san," I said. His eye widened slightly, and then he smiled.
"Just be sure to call me Sensei around the other three. Don't want them getting any bad habits."
I laughed and nodded. He stood up and offered me a hand, which I took.
"I'd best go to Sasuke's then.... I don't want to intrude on him though," I said, sighing slightly.
"You can crash on my couch," Kakashi cut in, and I looked up at him with surprise.
"Really?"
"What kind of person wouldn't look out for their friend?"