After finishing their meal, their stomachs full and hearts light, Naruto stood up and stretched.
"Oji-san, Ayame-nee, bye for now! Until we meet again!" he said with a wide grin, tossing a casual wave as he headed for the curtain.
"Haa, bye, Naruto," Ayame and Teuchi replied in unison, chuckling as they waved him off.
Karin rolled her eyes playfully. "'Until we meet again, ' huh? At this rate, that just means see you tomorrow," she teased.
That earned a round of laughter—Haku covered her mouth politely, Yakumo chuckled, and even Teuchi let out a hearty laugh. Ayame nudged Karin with an amused smirk.
Kurenai, standing a bit back, smiled softly. Her eyes lingered on Yakumo, who was now laughing without reservation. The dark shadows that had once clung to the girl seemed to have lifted, replaced by a brightness she hadn't seen in years. That's my Yakumo, she thought warmly. The real one.
Naruto suddenly turned to Yakumo and reached into his pouch. With a flick of his wrist, he unsealed a small scroll and extended it toward her.
"Here," he said. "This has all your painting stuff sealed inside—brushes, inks, papers. Everything you'll need."
Yakumo blinked, touched by the gesture. "You… actually brought this all the way?"
Naruto flashed a sly grin. "Of course, I sealed the remains. If I'd left them back there, the ANBU would've stumbled on 'em. And guess what? Thanks to that flashy lightning show, you would've been their prime suspect."
Yakumo blinked, startled, then slowly nodded. "Good call," she said, taking the scroll from his hand with care.
With Ichiraku behind them and bellies full of ramen and satisfaction, they stepped back into the bustling streets of Konoha.
A little way down, Yakumo paused. "Alright, time for me to part ways," she said, turning toward Kurenai. "Now that I'm officially back as your student, that means your place is my place, Sensei. I should go pack my things—no need for me to be alone anymore."
Kurenai raised a brow, crossing her arms. "Huh? When did my home become yours?"
"The day you took me in," Yakumo said with a small, sincere smile.
Kurenai blinked, then chuckled, shaking her head in defeat. "Fine, fine. Let's get your things."
With that, the two disappeared around the corner—mentor and student, reunited and stronger for it.
Naruto stretched his arms above his head with a loud yawn. "Alright, that's enough drama for one day. Let's hit the sack."
Karin and Haku nodded in agreement, the trio making their way home under the evening sky, painted in golden hues.
Meanwhile, in the deep forest clearing where the lightning had struck earlier, masked ANBU operatives moved like shadows through the trees. They scoured every inch, but found nothing. No chakra traces. No footprints. Not even a whiff of residual jutsu.
One ANBU finally knelt before the Third Hokage.
"We searched thoroughly. No leads. It's as if whoever did this never existed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily, the weight of uncertainty pressing on his old shoulders. "An enemy who can erase all traces is a dangerous one indeed."
He dismissed the ANBU silently. But once the room emptied, his eyes narrowed.
Danzo… could it be you? he thought grimly. You're the only one in Konoha capable of burying something this deep… I'll have to keep a closer eye on you.
From that moment on, Danzo became the prime suspect in Hiruzen's eyes. The Third Hokage quietly set a watch on every movement of the man from the shadows. Danzo, ever the master manipulator, remained unaware—at least for now. But Hiruzen wasn't taking chances. Every mission, every Root movement, every whisper—it would all be monitored.
Meanwhile, life moved gently elsewhere.
Yakumo, with Kurenai's patient help, packed up the remnants of her past—sketches, scrolls, a few precious trinkets—and carried them to a new beginning. Kurenai's apartment, once quiet and reserved, began to feel warmer, more alive.
When dinner time rolled around, they made their way to Naruto's house.
It was simple, but lively—laughter echoed through the walls, the scent of food already filling the air. As they stepped in, Kurenai introduced Yakumo to everyone.
"Hey, everyone," she said casually, "this is Yakumo, my student. She's staying with me from now on."
Before Yakumo could even offer a polite greeting, she was met with bright smiles and waves. Karin offered her a bowl before she even sat down. Haku pulled out a cushion and gestured for her to join. Naruto? He gave her a mock salute like she was being recruited to some elite club.
"Welcome to the Family", he grinned. "No refunds."
Yakumo stood frozen for a moment, wide-eyed, unsure how to respond. It was so… normal. So warm. She hadn't felt this type of welcome in a long time—if ever. And just like that, something inside her began to settle.
Her lips curled into a soft, genuine smile.
"Thank you," she said, barely above a whisper. "Really."
Dinner was filled with chatter and teasing, second helpings, and stories. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Yakumo laughed—not out of nervousness or politeness, but from sheer joy.
In the background, Kurenai watched her student with quiet pride.
Yes… she was home now.
Days trickled by like lazy clouds, and before they knew it, Naruto and his team had officially run out of "break time." The relaxation period ended—not with an alarm, but with a Kakashi Special™.
As expected, Kakashi appeared out of nowhere—like a ghost with perfect timing—and, with all the drama of handing over top-secret intel, slapped down three movie tickets.
"Go watch this," he said casually, like he wasn't assigning a mission in disguise. "It's homework."
Naruto squinted. "You serious?"
"I'm always serious when it comes to good cinema," Kakashi replied, flipping a page of his orange-covered sacred scripture.
So off they went—Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin—into the depths of Konoha's movie theater. They picked seats right in the middle row, because obviously, Naruto had to have the best view, and no one really wanted to argue with him over popcorn placement.
The title glowed on the big screen: "Fūin no Princess Gale."
A historical action flick, packed with drama, politics, and a fierce female lead who broke traditions like toothpicks. The story followed Princess Gale, a wandering royal exiled from her own land, mastering ancient sealing techniques and leaving legends in her wake. Her tale was one of power, grace, and inner fire.
Naruto sat forward the entire time, eyes wide, completely immersed.
"Dude, she's awesome," he whispered mid-fight scene. "Look at that seal combo!"
Karin nodded, equally enthralled. "And she's doing it in that royal kimono? Iconic."
Sasuke didn't say much, but his hand did twitch slightly during one of the sword fights. That was Sasuke-speak for: I approve.
When the credits rolled and the lights came on, they all just sat there for a second, digesting the film like a five-star meal. Eventually, they got up and walked out into the soft evening glow of the village.
And who should be waiting outside the theatre like a proud dad who totally planned this reveal?
Kakashi, of course. Nose still in Icha Icha Paradise, an unreadable smirk on his face.
Naruto jogged over, practically bouncing.
"Kakashi! That movie was amazing! And that actress—Yukie Fujikaze, right? She nailed Princess Gale!"
Kakashi gave a knowing nod. "Good eye. And guess what?"
He slid his book into his back pocket with a magician's flair.
"Our next mission is to protect Yukie Fujikaze herself."
Naruto's eyes widened like saucers. His jaw may or may not have dropped.
"WHAT?!" he shouted. "You mean the Yukie?! The real one?! We get to meet her?! Protect her?! Like, talk to her and stuff?!"
Karin blinked. "You just turned into a fanboy in real time and in one movie."
Even Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Is this a bodyguard mission or a celebrity meet-and-greet?"
"Neither", Kakashi shrugged. "We need to escort her to Yukigakure."
Naruto practically levitated from joy.
"Oh, this is gonna be so cool! I'm gonna get her autograph! Maybe even—"
Karin bonked him on the head.
"Nii-san, Focus".
She leaned closer, narrowing her crimson eyes, voice dropping into a whisper that was practically venom-laced silk."Are you thinking about something inappropriate, huh?"
Naruto clutched his head. "Ow! I am focused! I'm focused on protecting her autograph after I get it."
And for the other question—he didn't even dare answer it. He just shook his head like a good boy in front of the school principal.
Kakashi just chuckled behind his mask, already sensing the chaos that was about to unfold.