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| - A story that remained untold, a tale of lust between one man and one woman; the act of betrayal through infidelity. Taking place on a dark and dreary night within Land of Rain. Pair of promiscuous yet "committed" adulterers, shared an evening filled with an immediate desire. One taken with precaution or the repercussions soon after. A seed planted. Blooming into a beautiful yet bastardly baby girl. The bastard discarded, unwanted by her mother, while her father knew not of her existence. This was the tale of Nukumi Haruno. "At last, I've finally found you." The young woman whispered to herself. "It's taken me months to gather up enough information to find you, Father." Standing atop a mountain peak, Nukumi gazed at the lands beneath her. With a simple breath the woman leapt into the city below, land just within range of the gatekeepers' station. "Hey, Lady! You can't just jump over the damn gate. That's not how things work around here." One guard spoke up while approaching Nukumi.The woman remained silent as she began her straight path into the civilian life. "Where the hell do you you're going?" Another yelled after her, swiftly reaching for the woman. His efforts deemed futile as he seamlessly passed through the woman's shoulder. "I've wayyy come to far to be denied at the damn gate.." Nukumi muttered to the man as she coiled her arm backward. "So if you'd be so kind and just not get up..." Releasing her arm, Nukumi struck the man in the face with an open palm, send his unconscious body flying into the ground. "That'll be great." Following the raucous situation, a few civilians found themselves faced with a quickly escalating scene. Before long, more shinobi swarmed the area in hopes of containing this unknown and seemingly dangerous individual. "Oh okay, so this is happening." Nukumi chuckled nervously looking about the area in hoping of finding an escape route. Without an easy exit, the woman sought out her next option. By channeling the energy from deep within, Nukumi began to conjure up winds into what appeared to be a massive sandstorm. Gesturing in a few twirling motions, the area was completely cover by a thick cloud of dust. And before long it vanished, taking her along with it; leaving the crowd in a state of utter confusion. Having ditched the gatekeepers without a trace, the young woman sprinted throughout the village in an almost ghostly fashion, she had finally appeared before the Raikage's home. She took an deep exhaustion filled sigh before knocking on the door of the home. All of a sudden, Nukumi was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Her palms began to sweat and her pulse started to quicken. From with house, loud heavy footsteps thumbed as they neared the door. "That must be him!" She thought as her heart began to pound ecstatically, feeling as if it would burst right out of her chest. The door swung open....And much to Nukumi's surprise a young boy with short platinum blonde hair stood before her. His mind deeply involved with a handheld gaming console, something that was probably common among children his age. "My parents aren't home at the moment, you'll have to come back later." "Step aside kid! I'm your sister." She said in an assertive manner, pushing past the boy and walked into the house. "Oh so you're the one that nearly destroyed Mom and Dad's marriage. Pink is a weird color on you though." Kadan snark replied, closing the door behind them "He knew about me this entire time? Why did he try to track me down." Nukumi said quietly, trying hold back her emotions. "Because you ran away, idiot." Shigemi sighed. A long day finally reaching its end. The sun still relatively high in the sky as the days of summer stretched onwards. It was a welcome reprieve as her mind wandered. It had been years since she heard from her missing child, the now young woman having holed up somewhere for an extended stay. Though she heard rumors of a blonde possessing abilities that extended her dominion over the natural world. Though these were few and far between, survivors of her wrath being few to none. All she knew was that her husband had long since ended his efforts with the Anbu, having lost too many to a daughter that had no intention of returning home. However, what confirmed her suspicions of the rumors being well-founded was a grotesque monument left somewhere in the Land of Fire. Perhaps it meant that the blonde and her child were working together. For her child was a brunette, possessing silky golden brown locks. Then again, they could be one and the same. The monument as far as she was concerned remained in place under orders of Sayuri. She winced at the word that followed: her mother. They never saw eye to eye, though Shigemi remained relatively submissive for a while. Until she had it with her mother's overbearing yet lax attitude, focused solely on the village and power. Part of her wondered why the woman even had children in the first place beyond having pawns for her game. Knowing that ideally for Sayuri, Shi would have been married off to some noble or influential person within the Land of Fire or Konoha. At one point as a teenager she even heard gossip of her being married into the Fire Daimyō's family, possibly wedding his son and bearing the future successors of the line. A particularly valuable piece of the puzzle for her mother if it had come to fruition. Alas, it didn't. Her mind drifted as she surveyed the life that she had now, her mother's vehement objections and attempts at subterfuge cooled as Kiyoshi became Raikage. A politically powerful position that even Sayuri couldn't deny the merit of. Perhaps she hoped to woo Shigemi back into the fold by easing off of her. Even sending a much belated wedding present. Neither her nor Kiyoshi had dared to open it, seeing who the sender was. Shigemi remembered that it was still tucked in the corner of some unused room, collecting dust. Perhaps she would open it at last and see what horrors lay inside. For now though Shi found the strength necessary to push all of these troubling thoughts aside. Clear blue skies and warm summer breezes meant today was not a day for wallowing. Her Kumo forehead protector glinting (she was a semi-active member of the force after all) as she made her last rounds, collecting the food from her list at the food store while exchanging casual conversation with various patrons at the market. Many still struck by how normal Shigemi was. They still expected a prim and proper woman, who had all the trappings of an noble lady coupled with an aristocratic snark. This was only further expected after they learned who her mother was. The some crystallized blue making the resemblance between the two undeniable. Yet Shigemi continued to surprise them with her warmth and grace, a generous thank you imparted as she made her way home. A regular who did her shopping regardless of her familial relations or her husband's position. Though they wondered how long that would last as the grapevine continued to murmur. A child in the Land of Wind, a Sunagakure missing-nin possessing pink hair and fierce gray eyes. While most vehemently denied the possibility of promiscuous behavior, others refused to be surprised. Pointing to the man's father as reference that would dispense with the former's lies. Little did they know that she could waited at the doorstep of the Raikage's home, already discovered by the youngest of the Raikage and Shigemi brood. Shigemi trekked, ignoring these rumors that swirled, even as her own heart filled with doubt, opening up a possibility that she did not want to approach. They had argued about the matter of their youngest daughter running away ages ago, a fourth child resulting from their enflamed passion. The rumor mill would remain just that; a landmine full of rumors. She turned a corner, reaching the estate that they called home. Massive yet tasteful, elegant yet understated. It was perhaps her best idea as she wanted something that presented their excellence without drowning out the voices of those around them. A harmonization if you will. However, what she found troubling was the madness that she heard in the distance. Eyes narrowing as she spotted a dust-storm in the village that suddenly dissipated. "That's not natural." she noted aloud. Continuing on her way as she closed the gap between herself and her home. Yet as she entered their property, Shigemi saw her son in discussion with a pink haired girl before the door closed behind them. Yet it wasn't this that concerned her. The food clattered to the ground. She had seen more than enough. No rumors that were unfounded. Just a hard truth. A signature that was undeniably like his own yet not a trace of Shigemi to be found; simply because there was nothing to find. There's no reason to look for what isn't there. Her blue gaze hardened, fury and betrayal warring with each other inside her heart. All that she purchased long forgotten as it remained on the ground. Her body began to spark and sizzle simultaneously as she tread the path to the doorway. His promiscuous behavior confirmed in the form of a pink haired young woman. Why did she expect something different? He was his father's son. She could see her mother mocking her right now as Sayuri laughed at her daughter's foolish delusions. A hopeless romantic she would say. She flicked open the door, the frame pressed flat against the opposing wall as Shigemi continued to spark. "Who are you?" she said, addressing the pink-haired girl, her eyes cold and unforgiving. The chill of Shigemi's presence startled Nukumi somewhat, the woman's voice laced with a deadly sharpness. "I uh, my name is.." Nukumi stuttered uncontrollably, unable bring forth proper words. Kadan sighed with a slight annoyance. "Mom, my sister, duh. The one who ran away, remember?" The boy stated in Nukumi's defense. Despite seeing the humor in Kadan's obliviousness, given her circumstance of the current predicament, Nukumi suppressed her urge to laugh. Yet, this event calmed Nukumi just a bit. Placing eye contact upon the boy's mother, Nukumi brought her hand forth, gesturing a formal handshake. "I am Nukumi Haruno." She finally admitted. "Wait, wha?" Confused Kadan looked over to Nukumi and then his mother. "Mom, I thought her name was Kurumi." "Well, obvious I'm not this Kurumi person." "Ohhhhh. Mom, there a strange woman in the house." Kadan yelled, turning away before taking his exit to the upper floors. "Nukumi Haruno." she repeated slowly, each word laced with venom. "Tell me why you are here then Nukumi. Strange women that just suddenly show up at my front door are not appreciated. Even if my son is not the most well-informed when it comes to discerning friend from foe. Or family from stranger. Though I suppose you are family no? Not a distant relation though. No, you're quite closely related." Shigemi continued, her voice dangerously pleasant. The sign of a predator circling prey. Either way, one could feel the simmering feelings of betrayal that lie under her skin. She had placed her family behind her to be with him, yet he fell to the same habits that haunted his father. A promiscuous bastard that couldn't resist someone that looked enticing. However, what infuriated her was not that he did this to her. No, he inflicted a child upon his children, one that was proof of their father's infidelity. Maybe Kurumi had seen this coming, hence why she left at the tender age of 16. Now becoming a powerful, vindictive and hermit-like individual. Perhaps this was true as well, her youngest daughter being a Wood Release user. It would suit the creative intellect her child possessed. "Kadan, don't just open the door for anyone who claims to be your sister. Learn to use your head for once. Surely you have the intuition of your sisters. I told you to lay off the video games." she snapped, brooding as she decided what she would do with this girl. "I see," Nukumi began speaking again, retracting her hand slow after realizing her friendly gesture would not be returned. "You must be the wife. Hopefully I can assure you that I mean no intentional harm to you or your family... It's just that I've traveled this far, for years I sought out to discover who my parents were and why they chose to abandon me. Constantly wondering why they didn't love me enough to keep me." The girl's words were bitter and even with her best efforts Nukumi could not keep herself from breaking. Coming into this, Nuku was so sure she had full control over her emotions, which only seemed to fail as the time quickly arose. "And it is a pity that you had to find out the true nature of your scumbag husband. The man that is my father, a disgusting human. I came into this world with nothing, no relatives and no real indication of who I am." Nukumi had lost all nerve and broke down before Shigemi. Her sobs crept out as fell to her knees. "And now, I appear here in front of you as a result of a decision he made. It burns me to know that his children, all of them, lived a life that I should've been mine." "Mom, what is she saying?" The boy questioned, obviously confused after overhearing the girl's sob story. "Did Dad do something to her?" Shigemi sighed. "Then why are you here if you mean no intentional harm?" she retorted. Though her tone softened ever so slightly upon hearing about the girl's parent issues. If there was anything she could relate to, it was the idea of having a terrible mother. It sounded clear to Shi that Nukumi had been abandoned by her mom, and chose to look for her father in an effort to understand why she was so unwanted. Seeing the dam break in the girl's emotions softened Shigemi's anger further. Or to be precise, redirected it fully towards a certain individual. The lecherous asshat that casually had an affair and then brought a child into this world without even caring? Oh, she had many words for him as she began sparking once more. Seeing the full breakdown of Nukumi allowed Shigemi to set her anger aside for a moment. Crouching on her knees, she lifted the girl's tear-riddled face upwards, staring into her watery grey eyes. "You have something now. Forget the shit-head that your father is. That will be dealt with later. You now have siblings; two brothers and two sisters. Granted they are--" Shigemi was interrupted by the opening of a door. A dark-haired woman with light grey eyes the color of clouds stepped through the entrance to the home. Still possessing keys to the house (her mother insisted) Tsu decided to drop by for a visit, only to find her mother consoling a pink-haired girl with familiar grey eyes. Her eyes. That was odd. Shi turned as her eldest daughter spoke, having overheard part of the conversation and her brother's question. "It's not what he did, but what he failed to do. Is she..." Shigemi nodded, confirming Tsugumi's hypothesis. "Namely, he didn't follow up on this child. Our sister. Surely he didn't think that adultery would go off without a hitch?" Tsu sighed exasperatedly. Still feeling her mother's simmering sparks as the older woman stewed over this new development. Kadan huffed, tossing hands upward motion. "So, she is my SISTER." The boy nodded in a triumphant manner. "I was right this fucking entire time." The boy's sudden use in explicit language caught everyone off guard. It was in that very moment that Nukumi's face had surfaced a smile. Brought on by Shigemi's comforting actions and by the fact that Kadan ballsy enough to curse in his parents' home. Despite not growing up in a typical household, Nukumi still knew better than to commit such an atrocity. With a mere glimpse of his mother's expression, Kadan immediately began to regret his distasteful choice of vocables. "I'm sorry momma!" Lunging at his mother's waist. "Please don't tell Dad!" He pleaded with sorrow filled eyes. Witnessing her brother's meltdown cheered Nukumi up somewhat, allowing her to rebuild her lost composure. "I want to see him," Nukumi said hesitantly. "I want to finally see my father." Tsugumi sighed. "Don't pat yourself on the back too hard, you might injure something," she retorted. However, she turned serious once more upon hearing Nukumi's suggestion. "Then it shall be done little sister." Tsugumi responded, helping her up. Shigemi studied the two, already seeing a bond between the two surfacing. Perhaps she should not begrudge Nukumi for the circumstances surrounding her birth. Kiyoshi was about to receive an earful. Tsugumi paused before the group exited the home, eventually convincing her mother to allow Kadan to come along. "Please don't burn down the entire building, that's really expensive to replace and its not worth losing my paycheck for an eternity." Tsu said, worried by the steely calm her mother possessed. Receiving a smirk, the young woman's concern was only deepened. It was typically a precursor to an extraordinary explosion. Her mother was normally a loving, warm and strong woman, but occasionally she could flip a shit. This appeared to be one of those cases. Tsugumi worked on her own emotions, as she held Nukumi's hand, a elder sister leading her younger sibling to the progenitor of this affair. Their group drew some notoriety as they wove their way through the village, seeing the girl from earlier now in the company of several members of the Raikage household. A picture that confused many as they tried to reason through the development of this matter. However, the group generally ignored them, Tsugumi leading to the doorway before entering. Only to encounter the secretary. "He's currently busy. There isn't time for him to meet anyone today. You'll have to wait until tomorrow." she said. As Shigemi moved to say something, her steely calm already giving way to fury, Tsugumi stopped. "No. We will see him today. Now. Period." her eyes shifted to a storm gray, foreboding and filled with barely veiled vitriol. Not even bothering to hear the woman's response, she slid through, flicking the door open to reveal stacks of papers on a table and Kiyoshi reading over a document. "There's someone here to see you." Tsu snapped, her tightly wielded control beginning to fray. She didn't care if he had no idea about Nukumi's existence, but what he put her through by simply walking away after that fateful night, what he put Shigemi through by committing the heinous act in the first place, was simply unacceptable. The hour had finally arisen at long last. The young woman would finally face to face with the man she believed was her father. Upon entering his office with Tsugumi, she caught a glimpse of his face and held onto it. She suddenly become unable to react to the moment that seems so surreal. Nukumi couldn't help but find herself locking eyes with him. And just like herself, he possessed a beautiful set of cloudy gray eyes. An immediate match to her long journey. Nukumi opened her mouth but found herself unable to say a word. The confidence she had slipped away once more. Forcing her to talk, she muttered out an awkward yet understand "hi". Confusion ran across the man's face as his attention was pulled away from his work. "You guys know how I feel about just barging in here doing work hours. I'm really stacked with these documents and whatever the issue is I'm sure it can wait until I get home." Kiyoshi stated abruptly in a dismissive tone. Tsugumi bit back a withering retort as Shigemi stood, furious as her steely calm dissipated. Sensing her step-daughter's uncertainty when faced with the man who gave her life. "No. It can't wait. You will explain to me why you thought it was reasonable to have a fling. WHILE MARRIED. THEN, YOU WILL EXPLAIN TO HER, YOUR DAUGHTER, WHY IT NEVER OCCURRED TO YOU TO THINK THAT MAYBE I SHOULD SEE IF ANYTHING RESULTED FROM THIS FLING." Shigemi voice rose with each syllable, peaking in fury as she brought her hand crashing on the desk. Though it never reached its destination, Tsugumi catching Shigemi's hand before placing it at her mother's side. "What she is trying to say is that you owe her and my sister an explanation. NOW. Not tomorrow, not in a few hours, not in a couple minutes, but this very moment. You think sweeping things under the rug works? What happens when someone notices the rug looks a little bulky? Well, they peel back the rug and find an unacceptable mess. Then you have to answer for all that they've found. The longer you wait, the worse it is, and this has been going on for decades. So I suppose it's time to face the music." Tsugumi said, her words possessing a distinctive edge but not the outright fury that Shigemi's tone held. Tsu's demeanor was akin to a disappointed mother who expected better yet was somehow not surprised. "Tsugumi, I do realize that you're upset on your mother's behalf. But you ought to hold your tongue when speaking to me. I am still your father, no matter the crimes I've committed. I've never tolerated such disrespect and I won't now. Silence yourself." Kiyoshi said sharply, standing from his seated position. "What's the reasoning for Kadan being here?" Making his way over to the door, Kiyoshi closed it before turning to his family. "Everyone, please take a seat." The man said in a commanding rather the suggestive tone. Nukumi watched the man's closely, eyeing his calm demeanor despite the very tense atmosphere. The boy, yet again, was completely oblivious to his surroundings, lost into the screen of his game. With a sudden and swift motion, the boy was stripped of his cyber world, quickly being brought back to reality. "DAD! WHAT'RE DOI-" his frustrated shriek was cut short by his father's hand gripping his chin just tight enough to startle him. "Kay, I want you to pay attention to what's happening around you. Look. And listen. Not word. Understood?" Kadan nodded in return, somewhat fearful of his father's demanding nature. "That's how you get him to listen to you." Kiyoshi wittingly shot at Shigemi despite knowing first hand just how dangerous she can be when in a pissy mood. "I've made some terrible mistakes, very poor decisions without thinking about the living that'll be affected by those very decisions." Shigemi seethed. "Mistake. You're calling this a fucking mistake....Do you not understand what you've done? You violated my trust, the faith of your children and left a daughter flapping in the wind. NO. THIS IS FAR MORE THAN A SIMPLE MISTAKE." she snapped. However, when he made that shot at her, the woman's fury peaked. "Now I see why she left. She knew better than to spend her time wrapped up in this misery with unreliable people like yourself at the helm," Shi said, sparks replaced by golden flames. Tsugumi on the other hand, did not silence herself. Perhaps emboldened by her mother's fury, her newfound sister's discomfort and loneliness, and the fact that her baby brother looked like a kicked puppy. "What am I ten years old? No, I won't shut myself up. What you did is not a simple mistake that can be expunged from your record in a few years. This is unacceptable, it's a breach of trust that should have never happened yet it did. How can you fail to understand that?" she responded. Neither her nor Shigemi took a seat, an open act of defiance on both their parts. Tsugumi's thoughts drifted to her sister, fully grown and thought to be somewhere in the massive Land of Fire, having carved out a spot for herself. Tsu knew better though, having tracked her sister's whereabouts to a new land, accompanied by another outcast of the family: their cousin Himizu. Stories told of a blonde and a white-haired woman reestablishing a nation and hidden village. Kurumi no longer a brunette while wielding a power that had remained elusive for decades. "That's just like her, making her own way," Tsugumi thought to herself. "Don't you dare try to fucking blame me for Kurumi's departure! If anything it was probably the genes of your sick mother finally showing up in our children. She killed men of this country! And for what. because she wanted to rebel against me? Men with children and families! And you're okay with that? Do you not realize how that makes me feel? Having to categorize my own daughter as missing nin. Then you go and blame me for all this as if she foresaw the affair. Get your head out of your fucking ass and use it for once." Kiyoshi threw back angrily. "Unreliable? Are you stupid? Me, leader of this nation, unreliable? Yes, It was a MISTAKE. As in something that should've never occurred, yet it did. I can't change that now! Tsugumi, I swear if you don't shut your damn mouth, I wi-" Kiyoshi suddenly stopped speaking, lifting his hand into the air gesturing a moment of silence. Kadan was at a lost for words, never before has he seen his mother and father fight this much at such an intense level, it almost broke his heart to witness them acting this way. "I'd rather not stay here for this, Mom and Dad." Kadan spoke up despite Kiyoshi telling him not to. "This isn't something I want to watch." Nukumi couldn't help but fell that the whole situation was her fault, if she hadn't been born, this family would not have be crumbling before her. "I just wanted to know why." She spoke ever so softly, but loud enough for the rest to hear. "Why wasn't I loved enough to be with my mother and father?" Nukumi raised her sights over to Kiyoshi, still attempting to fight the tears. The man exhaled softly, meeting Nukumi's doleful face and through their shared eyes he saw a truly broken individual. As if the eyes alone told the story of her past. He approached her patiently, with his ill demeanor now long dissipated. Kiyoshi kneeled before the young woman, grasping her hand lightly, acting as a comforter in some way. "I had no idea, the relationship I possessed with your mother was one very short lived. I had not the slightest knowledge of your existence." Kiyoshi said in response to her, rubbing her hand in a soothing manner. "What's your name? I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves." "I'm, uh, Nukumi. Nukumi Haruno." "I see. Well, Nukumi, I'm Kiyoshi Yuri, your father. And it is a pleasure to meet you." The impact of those words hit her hard, spending pain in her to her lower stomach. It was actually happening, Nukumi had finally found her family, a place where she would be belong. Even if that family was currently in pieces, it was still a family nonetheless. It was now that she desperately trued to keep the tears from.falling. It was a written pain all across her face as her cheeks began to heat up. "I can't make up for the past but from here on out, I swear love you unconditionally, just as I've loved all my children." Love was something that Nukumi had never really experienced until now. This very moment was one that longed for her entire life. She so badly wanted to hate him and bash his head against the rocks. But there was something in her that kept her from it. She could not progress what was happening nor fully understand how she felt. All she could do was cry. The tears streamed much harder than previously. As much as she fought it, the outcome was inevitable. Tugged by one powerful force, she was wrapped in a set of strong arms. She continued sobbing softly, soaking the man's shirt with her tears. Shigemi's fury ebbed. "No, I am not ok with that. I'm not fine with my daughter murdering people of this village. It should have never reached that point. However, I am fine with striking out on her own. For god sakes she is fully grown Ki. Kurumi needs to live how she sees fit, and she knew you would never let her leave the village. Not under any condition. You need to fucking realize that. Especially with that 'sick' mother of mine roaming about Konoha and the Land of Fire. You should have never sent those men after her. I knew from the moment she left that Kuru could not be persuaded to return. The only way she would return to this place is in a body bag and I'm sure she's taken steps to make sure even that remains impossible. Though at the end of the day, her actions are that of a missing-nin. Nothing I say changes that," Shi commented, her tone bitter and brittle. Tsugumi watched her mother's flames die one by one. Sadness replacing them. Her wayward daughter, Tsugumi's sister, having done everything she could to attain her independence. Perhaps the genes of their unhinged grandmother had finally surfaced in Sayuri's youngest granddaughter. Tsu thought of diversions and other misdirection tactics her sister could have used, even allowing a clone to be captured and brought back to the village. Then again, she remembered that Kurumi had likely tried these already and found them to be ineffective given Kumogakure's staunch approach to retrieving her. So she went to extremes in a way that would make their deranged grandmother proud. While she had never seen the monument, she had heard of its horror, of the corpses that remained within, preserved by the Wood Release trap that ensnared them while rising high into the sky. A sad truth that she didn't want to consider as she wondered why Kurumi had to make such a gruesome example of those anbu members. It made her look merciless and unscrupulous, terrifying to behold and ready to eliminate any who dare defy her convictions. Nevertheless, she turned and watched her newest sibling weep, whether they were tears of joy or tears of sorrow she did not know. However, Tsu suspected there was at least a little of both in the response. A genuine hug between father and daughter looked nice and may have been heartwarming, but it didn't change the fact that her father had committed adultery. "Why?" was all Tsugumi asked. A simple, opened question that contained the pain of what was discovered and the withering dialogue between her mother and father. The fury of both sides combined with the fallout from Kurumi's actions had raised unprecedented tensions between the married couple. The woman still remembered a time when her mother and father were happy, welcoming her into the world before her brother followed a few years later. Then Kurumi, her radiant violet gaze filled with a quick witted intelligence and philosophical musings. She then remembered things starting to fall apart after Kuru's accident; the girl confined to a wheel-chair indefinitely and losing her certification as a shinobi. Bitter, she turned her attention to the political arena, a child carving her way through the ranks while unaware of her body's reconstruction. Yet when her mobility was realized once more, Kuru left, setting up a whirlwind of insanity as she butchered anbu from Kumo after they refused to leave her alone. There was a rumor that some Konoha anbu suffered the same fate, though the village remained silent on the matter. She sighed heavily. "There's no easy way to explain why. It makes me remember a time that I'd rather not recall." Kiyoshi softly spoke upon finally being released from Nukumi's hold. "Your mother and I have always butted heads. And for a time, I had wonder if we'd even make it as married couple. Sometimes things would get so intense that I would be restless over constantly thinking she'd kill me while I slept." Kiyoshi laughed at his statement. "And as irrational as it sounds, for a time, I really thought Shigemi was going to murder me. But somehow, we pulled through. The after itself took place two decades ago, sometime after Kurumi was born. Shigemi and I had fallen out for a bit and I was actually staying else for the time being. We needed a break as one would call it. And around that time, I was summoned to meet with the Amekage. And while visiting, being a relationship that was on unsteady ground, I was beginning to lust after other women and eventually fell until the temptation." Sighing heavily, the man stood up straight, his light gray eyes glancing over to his wife. "It was something that shouldn't have happened but I can't change that. I'm truly sorry for it. What matters now, is how we move on from this." She sighed. That much was true. They were hot and cold, lighting and fire. Each clashing on a regular basis. That's probably why there were four children. When they were on the same wavelength, as crude as it sounded to her, they probably fucked. Tsu remembered asking her grandparents as a child why her parents were so dysfunctional, and if she happened at a bad time. Nevertheless, she remembered them choking when hearing this question. She would ultimately come to the conclusion that she arrived at a tumultuous time. Shigemi guffawed upon hearing his statement, "I did think about it once or twice, though I changed my mind because I was worried about Tsugumi growing up fatherless. Then when Kanata was born so I decided I'd lay that idea to bed." Tsugumi sighed again, her light gray eyes flicking towards her father as he admitted the temptation that he succumbed to. Even with the admittance of his guilt and the easing of all tension present she knew time would be needed. She could see the gears working in her mother's head as Shi wondered if there had been other affairs when things temporarily broke down. Kadan sat quietly, absorbing the dialogue and ultimately find out the real issue behind the dispute between his parents. He looked towards his father with a certain distain in his eyes. Their color, stormy like thundercloud. The most treacherous act, committed by the man he respected the most. Their just weren't the proper words to describe his disappointment. Rather than making his thoughts known, the boy chose to bottle them away. There was a deafening silence that went about the office. No one knew or seemingly had anything else to say, leaving an awkward pause among them. "Kadan, this there anything.you want to say?." The boy's father spoke up, finally breaking the silence. His curled downward slightly as with slowly rose from his chair. Still silent, Kadan headed toward the door, slamming it shut as he left. Tsugumi shook her head. "I think it finally dawned on him what Nukumi existence means. And what you did," she said. She remembered how Kadan looked up to Kiyoshi, believing him to be a great man and a role model. Something to aspire to. It was why he was infuriated when he found out Kurumi jeopardized the marriage between Shigemi and Kiyoshi. However, this shattered his idealistic image of his father. "I think Kadan's disappointed and somewhat pissed. Remember how he was angry about Kurumi's abandonment of the village and the fallout that followed? He was largely angry on your behalf, because of the position that she put you in by doing that. Then when he found out that you committed that, against mom, it tarnished how he viewed you," Tsu noted. Talking to break the thick silence that had taken place. "Way to point out he obvious, Tsugumi." Kiyoshi sneered, rolling his eyes at her statement. He sighed silently, knowing that the conversation with Kadan would probably twice as difficult as the one that just recently ended. "Anyway, Tsugumi, could you do me a favor and check up on him? I know he's probably not going to want to be a home so I need either you or Blu to watch over him for a bit. As least until I'm off duty." Kiyoshi stopped looking over to Shigemi and Nukumi. "Shi, I'd hate to bother you with this but could you please make sure that Nukumi has somewhere to stay. I'll tell my shinobi to stop tracking her and then figure out away to reveal her to the masses as my daughter." Tsugumi snorted when seeing her father's sneer. "Just want to make sure things are crystal clear. It will be simply terrible if anything fell through the cracks," she said, biting sarcasm present as she stood. "He's my little brother, of course I'm going to watch over him. Blu should be around so I'll find him as well," she continued. Then the door opened and closed, the woman disappearing with a whisper of wind as she went to track down her wayward baby brother. Shigemi took Nukumi into her grasp, "That's not an issue, she's staying with us. I don't blame her for her origins. She can't help the circumstances surrounding her birth." she said. Nevertheless, as she helped Nukumi to her feet, her sapphire gaze remained diamond hard, a hint of her own fury. Just because things had calmed externally didn't mean her internal anger and feelings of betrayal had be extinguished. A long road to redemption remained. Kiyoshi sighed a breath of relief as the troubling event had now subsided. While he knew that he and Shigemi were not on good terms as if yet, Kiyoshi hoped that with time, they could leave the past just as it is. "I'll see you all once I'm finished up here." Kiyoshi said taking his seat back at his office desk and resumed looking over the documents he had left. Nukumi was happy, finally having a place she could call home. She embraced Shigemi with a content smile, thanking the woman silently for uniting her with her father. As the two left the Raikage Palace, Nukumi was offered questioning stares by fellow citizens, followed be faint whispering. To which the girl it didn't bother her in the slightest. "I didn't think, it would be this simple." She laughed, playing in her bright pink hair. "I honestly thought their would've been more of a struggle for the truth. But I'm glad things turned out the way they did. I hope the little incident that happened at he gate can be forgiven though. I just couldn't have afforded to be stopped there." "I have no doubt it will be smoothed over. It's relatively minor when compared to what my youngest daughter has done," Shigemi responded as they left the office, the faintest of nods serving as her only acknowledgement of Kiyoshi's words. Her expression darkened as she remembered what Kiyoshi said about Kurumi. Saying that her behavior was a sign of Sayuri's sickness manifesting in one of their children. Given the brutally efficient tactics her daughter used, the cunning she displayed and the barbaric mosaic she left in the Land of Fire, one could be inclined to follow that opinion. Yet Shigemi felt Kuru's actions were that an animal backed into a corner. When pleas to be left alone went unanswered, when people tried to take her back by force, using subtle and overt maneuvers, it looked like her daughter responded in kind. Albeit overkill, but perhaps that was the intended effect. She was no longer a mere missing-nin, having wreaked havoc upon anbu-nin from various parts of the alliance as the problem of one village became all. It hurt Shigemi to see that S-ranked designation next to her daughter's name. Though what pained her most was seeing the kill on sight order. "Has she really become that dangerous?" Shi thought, unaware that her pondering was out loud. She ignored the stares and the whispering, as people began noting small similarities between Kiyoshi and Nukumi. With sensors noting a conspicuous absence of Shigemi in the girl. "Fucking busybodies," Shi sneered, the foul language surprising given her generally amicable public and even private persona. Tsugumi meanwhile tracked down her brother in a more remote part of the village. His discontent registering as she flickered into existence. "Ka," she began, using her nickname for him, "I know you're angry. Disappointed. Betrayed. Do you think I don't share those sentiments? How do you think our mom feels? Knowing that her husband, our father, committed infidelity. More importantly, she'll be reminded of that every time she sees Nukumi. Yet she can't blame her, the girl had no part in this affair and was destitute for years. However, doesn't mean it won't hurt. Especially if Nuku lives with us. Knowing mom, she probably will," Tsu said, taking a seat next to her baby brother. Silence had suddenly settled in among the two, Nukumi was deep in thought about the recent events and how they had taken a toll on Shigemi's psyche. "If you don't mind me speaking, I think I may have a way to rest the tension between you and your daughter." Though believing she was speaking out of turn, Nukumi was inclined to aid her new family in their troubling times. "Perhaps a meeting is long overdue. In order to fully understand why things occurred like they did you may want to understand her thought process. Get an idea of where her mind is. Of her ambitions and dreams. And then you could come to conclusion to put this squabble to rest." Despite her tough past, Nukumi's sense of companionship was always her best quality. "Shut your trap, Tsu." Kadan spit venomously. "Don't sit there and act like you held Dad in the same light as I did." He shifted slightly as Tsugumi took a spot next to him, folding his legs to his chest. "You and Blu have always been closer to Mom. While I held a stronger bond with Dad. He seemed so admirable. With his dedication to the village and it's people. I looked up to him in so many ways. Despite his hectic schedule he would still, sometimes above all else, found time to make for his family. Now it all seems like a facade to cover up for his misdoings. As naive as I may sound, this revelation proves that such perfect beings do not exist. Perhaps I admired him a little too much. I aspired to be just like him. Seeing our parents go through this is stomach churning. I really wish were a bad dream." "Shut up Kadan," she snapped back. "Do you think just because you put Dad on a pedestal you're free to wallow about? It's time you realized that perfection isn't a thing. The very idea is subjective. What you call perfect someone considers good, maybe even exceptional. Beyond reproach? No. You're right though, Blu and I are closer to mom, which is why it hurts us to see her deal with this. She has to hold it together while dealing with the constant reminder. Regardless, just because I didn't hold Dad in the same light as you did is no reason for me not to respect him. He had to deal with our sister going rogue, declaring her a missing-nin while still running the village. Even as the very act killed him on the inside. So yes, this sucks. It hurts mom, it hurts our new sister, it hurts us. You'll have to realize in life that you will meet good people who have done bad things. Terrible things with both small and large repercussions." Tsugumi softened as she she recalled his last statement. "It's not a dream," she responded, pulling him close despite his protests, her gaze mellowing to a gray the color of wolf's fur, "But we'll make the best of it. We have a new sibling to welcome. I'm not asking you to forgive him immediately, but to learn from his mistakes." Placing a kiss on his forehead, she hugged him. Shigemi sighed. "I wish it were that simple. However, your older sister has dropped off the map following that grotesque display," she responded. "Some reports have her traveling west, other reports have her going east. She was always a rather intelligent girl. Now that's matured into brilliance I suppose. Either way, some of the conflicting reports say she has a traveling companion, others say she has settled down. Either way, her strength is growing by the day," Shi noted. Part of her didn't feel like hiding anything after that betrayal occurred. Hence the divulging of some details surrounding her younger daughter's disappearance. "Either way, she won't appreciate the sudden appearance of individual related to her....speaking of which, where are you from? You never told us that." They reached the house once more, the area quiet after the tumultuous exit the angry family made. A small irrational part of her mind continued to despise Nukumi for existing, inflicting an unneeded mess on an already beleaguered household. "Are you still talking?" The boy sneered squirming while under Tsugumi's grip. "Man, you sure know how to irritate someone." He said in a more playful tone, showing that he had already began getting over the situation. "Speaking of Blu, doesn't he even know about our new sister yet? Though I honestly doubt we'd get much of a reaction for him. I've never really seen him angry or sad. He's always so calm." The boy stood up, looking over the horizon, watching as the sunset slowly set welcoming in the nightfall. "I'm hungry, let's go home!" Nukumi re-entered her new "home" quietly, somewhat surprised that the mess that was left had suddenly vanished. Something still weighed heavy on her mind and despite the tensions being somewhat soothed over, Nukumi felt that she was mainly responsible for this family's current grievances. Though she could not help that she existed, brought into this world unknown and unwanted. "Sunagakure." She replied softly. "I raised in an orphanage in Sunagakure. That was until was burned to the ground by a bunch of street thugs." Revealing her origins brought up the past Nukumi would rather not have remembered. "I've been all on my own since the age of ten. But of course that really none of your concern. I kinda just came along and ruined your family." She giggled dryly in an attempt to humor the situation. The rattling of dishes startled Nukumi, whipping her in the direction kitchen, she listened. "Damn it," the person whispered. Appearing from this kitchen was a none other than the eldest son of the household. "He's fucking jacked." Nukumi thought to herself admiring this man's physique. He's appearance somewhat explained the clean up and by the fact that he was holding a fresh prepared sandwich. "Tsu told me I should talk to Kay about something. I assumed he would've been here but I guess not." He stalked over toward Shigemi with a devilish grin plastered across his face. Without any indication of his intentions, Blu sat down right him his mother's lap. "Hey Mommy," "Of course I'm still talking, I'm you're eldest sister and you will do well to listen to me," Tsu responded. Though her tone softened significantly; indeed she found it difficult to stay mad at her brother, especially when he was beginning to cool off. Picking her brother up after he stood, Tsugumi grinned. "You're never going to live this down widdle brother," she cooed before taking off, running in the direction of home. Indeed her own stomach began to rumble as she ran. "Blu's too mellow. I doubt anything will be able to unbalance him. Even our sister's disappearance received nothing more than a shrug. Though I could feel his disappointment as certain exploits of hers became known on a larger scale. Regardless, he's possibly the most level-headed of us all." Part of her wondered what would be for dinner considering their schedules were impacted by this unexpected surprise. Regardless, she could already hear voices as they approached the house, meaning the other had already returned. "Welp, here goes." Shigemi turned sharply. "Never. Ever. Say that again. You did not ruin this family. If anything, you will test just how strong we are. And your addition will make us still stronger," she responded before pulling Nukumi close once more, still furious that Nukumi had to endure this. The woman's maternal instincts remaining a strong as ever. She stored away the information for a later date. Her stepdaughter abandoned in that godforsaken desert landscape before having her place of refuge burned down. Nevertheless, her irritation dissipated upon hearing familiar grumbles. A smile that was radiant as her favorite child exited the kitchen. As he sat down on her lap Shigemi hugged him. "My little Blu," she responded, her blue gaze peering into his own. He was the rock of the family, how they weathered the many storms that had befallen them. She turned serious as she recalled how her youngest son had left. "Yes, Kay didn't take it well when he found out we had a surprise addition to the family." She motioned Nukumi over. "Meet your younger sister Nukumi Haruno, daughter of your father and an Ame woman. Please treat her well love, she's had a very rough go at life and I don't want her to suffer anymore at our hands. Nukumi, this is your brother Kanata Yuri. Though everyone calls him Blu," Shi said. "Whatever really.. If you wanna carry me, by all means be my guess." Kadan said while hanging over his sister's shoulder. Usually very reluctant about getting carried, it was rather surprising for him not to throw a fit in that moments. "You're right. Blu is way too calm to be tickled off." Just then, Kadan remember back to all the failed times he attempts to get some sort of negative reaction out of his elder brother. "I find that someone can't always be so.... nonchalant. If I do nothing else in this life of mine, I will, one day, pissed Blu off." Leaping from Tsu's hold, Kay gracefully land of his feet, bowing before his sister. "Bet you wish you had moves as good as mine." Nukumi watched as the two embraced one another, observing the bond between parent and child. The love shared between them was astounding yet somewhat infuriating to a degree. Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity that brought her discomfort. The fact that she knew not of what such a bond felt like but was inevitably witnessing it. "Dang, I hope you're doing okay Mom. I really can fathom how you feel." Blu said, biting into sandwich midsentence. "Yeah, I'll most definitely make sure she feels right at home." Shifting in Shi's lap, Blu stretched out, placing his head in Nukumi's lap worth his leg now rested on his mother's. "Hey, how ya doing?" Nukumi smiled nervously in response, not know how to react to his peculiar sense of affection. "Um hi." Was all she managed to say before the door came bursting open. "HAAAAAAAAA!" A flash of blonde bolted toward them- landing right atop Blu- sending the partially eaten sandwich soaring into the air. "Hey Blu." Kay laughed expecting his brother to be enraged but instead he heard Blu call him rude and even that lacked enough salt to satisfy Kadan. Seeing her baby brother's dramatic entrance was rather amusing, especially after surprisingly not objecting to be carried. Normally he would have a major temper tantrum if someone tried that. Yet here he was allowing himself to be carried through the city on his sister's shoulder. She supposed that he didn't have enough energy for the matter. "Keep telling yourself that Kay," Tsugumi responded before entering the home. However, as soon as the sandwich was airborne Tsu's hand reached for it, singularly focused while plucking it out of the air. She then tucked the sandwich in her mouth. "Delicious, well done Blu," Tsugumi said as she gulped down the rest. She then peeled her brother off of Blu. "Sorry about that, he doesn't know how to control himself," she sighed, "Did he interrupt something?" Having diffused that, Tsugumi went into the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans making her intentions known. She planned on going a good meal and big one. Shigemi smiled. "Thank you for your concern Blu. I'll manage, it's what we all do," she responded. It was then that her youngest burst through the door, tackling her eldest son. The woman laughed, a wholesome sound that was both warm and inviting. She stood as they disentangled themselves. "Come along Nukumi, you don't plan on leaving your sister to do all of that cooking now do you?" she asked, making her way to the kitchen where her eldest was already busy, pots boiling while she vigorously cut up vegetables and herbs. Making something hearty that could also feed quite a bit of people. "Need help?" Shigemi asked, "Sure, can you two start on the bread? This stew will take a bit, so there should be plenty of time for the bread to bake fully," Tsugumi before turning her attention to chopping more ingredients. "And there goes my sandwich." Blu said, watching as his sister enjoyed his delicious creation. In this event, any other person would have been infuriated however Blu was obviously not like other people. "Come on dude, you have to be upset at least a tiny bit." Blu chucked at his younger brother. "You still haven't learned kiddo." Nukumi somewhat managed to slip away just before Kadan made impact. She peered around the corner, her cloudy eyes scanned the kitchen as she slowly enter. "I've never cooked a day in my life." Nukumi chuckled aloud. "When you've lived a life like mine ramen becomes your best friend." Realizing that her stories about her past were dimming the upbeat setting, Nukumi quickly attempted to take her words back. "Though, I am very will to learn. I just don't wanna mess up what you guys are doing here." "Then you will learn," Tsugumi declared, her mother following suit as they pulled out the already resting yeast. "You must knead this carefully so that there are minimal air pockets. That way the dough will bake and rise evenly," she continued, pulling Nukumi to an open space in the kitchen. Once everything was in place, Tsu overlaid Nuku's hands with her own, before directing her on the process. "Slow and steady wins the race, there's no hurry when making this," Tsu noted as her eyes remained the color of puffy clouds. Murmuring a few more instructions in Nukumi's ear as the two continued the process. Shigemi smiled as she turned to the stew, taking the finely and coarsely cut ingredients and placing them in the pot. She began preheating the oven for the dough before resuming her stirring of the large container of stew. Making sure that all included vegetables, herbs, pasta, and meat harmonized properly. "Alright." Nukumi replied shyly while carefully following Tsugumi's instructions. Suddenly, loud thuds and quake shook the very foundation of the house, soon followed by grunts and yelling of what was assumed to be playful wrestling. "Kay, that kinda hurts." Blu said, attempting to toss his brother on the couch. "DOES IT REALLY? BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL!" Kadan shouted. Leaping on top of Blu's shoulders, pubescent boy began picking at his face--downright torturing his older brother. Eventually Blu gave up on trying to cease Kadan's antics. "Mom, could you help me?" Blu asked in an annoyed yet homorous tone. Shigemi sighed. "Must I do it everything?" she said, shaking her head. "Do you two have the kitchen covered?" Tsugumi nodded before watching her mother disappear into the living room to deal with her youngest son. "You have the gist of the dough making?" Tsu asked her baby sister, gently removing her hands from Nukumi's to monitor the girl's progress. Satisfied, she turned to the stew which had began to bubble. Humming, Tsu stirred it once more before hearing silence in the other room. Sure enough, Shigemi peeled Kadan off his brother. Doing so with considerable ease. "How many times have I told you to leave Blu alone. Your efforts to irritate him are pointless and shallow. More importantly, they are not needed right now. So behave." she said, chastising Ka. Kadan face twisted sideways as he evilly glared at his older brother. "Yes, mother." Was all get had been able to force out. What else could he have really said? Momma was putting her foot down and he had to obey. With his grip fully release from Blu, Kadan headed up the stairs. However, before completely disappearing he mouthed the words: "I'll will get you", swearing his revenge. It would've been a shame not to chuckle at the baby's empty threats. And having finally been received of the baby brother, Blu turn toward his mother with a nervous smile. "I know this probably isn't the best time, but you know how you and Dad are always telling Tsugumi and I that we should consider settling down? Well, I have someone for you to meet." Shigemi shook her head again as she watched her son retreat to the upper level of the home. "One of these days he will need to learn humility and that torturing his older brother is a frivolous exercise," she said, sighing with a smile. However, this was banished from her mind as she heard Blu's statement. "Hmm? Someone for me to meet? I suppose we have been telling the two of you to find those special someones. Anything I should know before heading into this affair?" Shigemi asked, keeping an ear out while catching Tsu's humming as she continued cooking away. The woman would admit that she found this development a bit exciting, hoping that this someone was indeed worth her child's time. Otherwise, they would be dealing with her. As much as she had watched her son grow over these years, there were still times where she imagined him as the adorable child that giggled in her arms. Her precious little Blu. "When is all of this happening?" she asked. By the look in her eyes, Blu could tell easily that she was thinking of the past. With nothing but a smile, all of Blu's nervousness had long since dissipated. "Well, it's nothing insanely huge. We been dating for about four months now and things are getting pretty serious. And he's been begging to meet you guys. So I pretty much figured now was as good a time as ever." Blu replied, shrugging his shoulders. There was a sudden knock that caught the household's attention. Excited, and actually bothering to display it, Blu rushed toward the door. "Wait right there mom, I'll bring him in." Opening the door, Blu hugged his lover and pull him into the house. "Blu, have never seen you this excited. Geez, calm down." A small voice said, carrying a slightly humorous tone. Appearing from around the corner hand in hand, Shigemi would be meet with a small framed red haired male dressed in causals. "Mom, this is Ichigo, my boyfriend." Somehow, Shigemi took this in stride. Finding out she had a stepdaughter, that her husband had cheated, and that her missing child had assembled a monstrous reputation made everything else feel normal. So finding out her eldest son swung the other way was perhaps the most typical thing she had faced this day. If anything, she had her suspicions about where her son's preferences lie. This scene was only a confirmation. "Shigemi Yuri. Though Shigemi will suffice. I'm this ragamuffin's mother. A pleasure to meet you," she said warmly, extending her hand for a polite yet welcoming handshake. Smiling faintly as she noticed their hands intertwined. She turned. "Tsugumi! Nukumi! Come here, I'll finish in up in the kitchen," the woman called, Tsu appearing around the kitchen door. "Oh? What is this? Did Blu finally find someone? I thought I'd be an old hag by the time this day arrived. At least I look decent." Her light grey eyes studied the two with apparent interest. "Likewise, Shigemi-san. I've been waiting for this moment for ages now. It's about time that he lustered up the courage to introduce me." Ichigo joked, nudging Blu's stomach. "It's not that I lacked courage, it just slipped my mind." Blu replied. Hearing an unfamiliar voice and her stepmother's call, Nukumi exited with kitchen alongside her sister, laying eyes upon what she felt was an spectacular sight. Locking her sight on to their intertwined hands, she screamed, "Oh my GOD." Running oveer toward them, she practically the two over with a tight embrace. "Not only did I just meet my brother today but now I find out he's gay? This couldn't possibly get any BETTER!" She exclaimed, finally letting to two go. Blu and Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her excitement. "I'm Ichigo, it's very nice to meet you both." Nukumi couldn't contain herself after hearing his voice. "Honey you are gorgeous." Tsugumi laughed. "So you go gaga over the gays. Only you Nu-Nu. Only you." She nodded. "Tsugumi Yuri, nice to meet you. That's my newly discovered sister Nukumi, you decided to meet our household at a very...interesting time. Regardless, it's nice to meet you and good to see that my brother found someone. I was beginning to worry that he would grow old and be surrounded by nothing but some trees and a house." The woman smirked before nudging Blu playfully. As promised Shigemi was tidying up the kitchen, allowing the stew to simmer while the prepared bread was placed in the oven and timed. "Hm. That should do it. An hour or so and things should be about ready." she said to herself before returning to the living room with drinks. "Well? Sit down, don't be a stranger." Shi commented, placing the tray within easy reach of them all. "Trees? Really Tsu?" Blu said with a slight chuckle take a seat alongside Ichigo. "And yes, even though times are rather..... troubling, u thought this would a good of a time as any. Seeing as our family somewhat thrives around drama." He sassed, leaning back into the couch while his lover snuggled him. Unable to repress the squeal that swelled within her throat, Nukumi's feet repeatedly tapped the floor lightly as she broke. "This is so much cuteness for me! I wish I had a camera or something!" She crashed, falling over in dramatic sobs. "This is all too much to take in. So much is happening in such short time frames. I need a break already." She continued, wiping the tears from her eyes. Worry had snuck itself across Ichigo's face, he wasn't quite sure how to respond to Nukumi's incoherent sobbing. "Is she going to be alright!" He asked no one in particular. Nukumi shot her arms up in his direction. "I'll be fine, I promise." She assured getting this rest of her tears out. "She's fine. Nu-Nu had a busy day is all. A ton of information to take in, several people to meet and a whole mess that is our dysfunctional family. Having all of that compressed into a few hours would be trying for anyone," Tsu said while responding to Ichigo's concerns. Nevertheless, sidled over to her youngest sibling, rubbing her back while leaning the girl's head on her shoulder. Her blue-gray gaze wandered about the home for a bit, while she pondered what to do. Her sister still sniffling. Shigemi watched the scene unfold as part of her attention was devoted to the food cooking in the kitchen. Regardless, her mood remained light as she watched her son and his boyfriend. It was clear they were close. Part of her waited for the day when her eldest child brought a significant other. Something told her this day was not soon though, as Tsugumi was too absorbed in affairs pertaining to the Yuri and Kumo. Thus, she contented herself with this scene for the time being.
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