"How about Kakashi and Suzume?" Jiraiya asked, looking at his student. Minato let out a desperate sigh.

"Kakashi blamed Sakumo. He's training nonstop now."

"Understandable." The Sannin agreed, "And your sister?"

Minato groaned, covering his face with his hands. "She's taken it far worse. She's the one who found Sakumo after Kakashi. At that time, there was a storm, and it was raining heavily, just like when Mom and Dad died." He explained, looking down, "It was almost like that night, and it made her symptoms relapse."

"... Symptoms?"

"Insomnia. Nightmares. She was lucky her PTSD didn't get worse."

"Wait a minute, dattebane. Suzume has PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Are you serious?" Kushina asked, entering the room.

Minato weakly nodded, "That's why she remembers nothing from before her third birthday."

"And now Kakashi hates her, right, dattebane?" Kushina asked again, her voice full of concern.

"She deserves a break from Konoha. Too many bad things happened here." Minato said, looking up.

"About that... I was thinking of training Suzume... But of course she has to travel with me..."

"I think it's the best for her, dattebane. I hate seeing her staying in bed all day long."

"Then it's settled. When are you leaving?' Minato asked.

"Tomorrow, actually." The Sannin replied.

"I myself allow her." Minato confirmed, before giving his sensei a stern look, "I will not tolerate any of your perverted behavior around her. If you want to do your research, don't bring her. She's scared of thunder, and she hates rain. When any of her 'problems' relapses, give her hot chocolate, mixed with coffee and a little sugar. It always calms her down. Don't forget that she-..."

"Minato, you shouldn't worry! I know those things, too!"

The Namikaze gave him a flat look. "If you made one single mistake, I'm going to choke you to death, after ripping off your b-..."

"I get it!" His sensei shrieked in fear, raising his hands in defense.

"You'd better do." He growled, before he turned.

"Suzume! Can you come down here for a minute? I need to tell you something! Please?"

Quiet footsteps could be heard stepping down the stairs. The three ninja looked up at the small girl who appeared in their view.

"...What is it." Suzume mumbled. She really looked pitiful with her swaddled in her blue blanket and her hair in a messy bun. She looked like she hadn't slept well for days.

Minato sighed. "Come here for a moment Suzu, we have to tell you something."

The girl rose an eyebrow at her brother, and grumpily continued downwards. "What is it now, Nii-san?"

Kushina tapped her knee signaling Suzume to come, and the small Namikaze climbed onto her as the older teen wrapped her arms around her.

"We know that you've been feeling down lately," The Uzumaki started. "So perv-... I mean Jiraiya-sensei has a proposal, dattebane."

Jiraiya coughed, feeling uneasy when the two Namikazes and Uzumaki stared at him.

"W-well, now. I was just saying that maybe you would like to come train with me out of the village?"

He received no response.

"I know that you've been struggling lately with a lot of things, and I thought that you might want to leave the village so you could clear your head. Give yourself a break, y'know kid?"

Minato looked at his sister and noticed that her brows were furrowed. At least she was listening and actually thinking about it, he thought.

"... How long?" She asked quietly.

"Years. Maybe when you returned you were already 12 or around that age."

She looked down, playing with her fingers. Finally, she let out a sigh.

"Okay."

"We're leaving tomorrow, though. Get ready. I'll stay here for the night, and we will leave in the morning." Jiraiya said. She nodded, before giving the 3 adults a short bow and left the room.

But not going back upstairs. Much to Minato's shock, and fear, she went outside, to the backyard.

Where Kakashi was training.

•×•×•×•×•×•

"Kakashi." Suzume called, approaching her ex-best-friend.

"What, Namikaze?" He snapped, landing one last blow on the wooden pole in front of him. He then turned, still glaring at the blonde.

"I just want to tell you, that I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm going to travel with Jiraiya-san, maybe for years."

"Oh." Kakashi replied simply, turning his attention back on his training. Suzume nodded, and began to walk away.

"Don't come back." Her ears caught his voice said. Her eyes widened, but she only bit her lip and teleported away.

Suzume re-appeared in the graveyard. She could feel the wind blew around her, as if calming her.

'I love wind. I don't know why, but its presence is just calming.' She recalled her sensei said, 'It reminds me of this place. Konoha, our home.'

Is Konoha really her home? She's not sure anymore.

The young Namikaze walked through the gravestones, her eyes managed to caught some familiar names. She hates the place, but she felt like she has to told her sensei.

"Sakumo-sensei... I'm leaving." She reported, as she kneeled in front of the stone, "I have to be stronger to be able to protect everyone... I don't care if Kakashi hates me. He's like a brother, and I just don't want to lose him."

"And... That's all I have to say. Wish me luck, okay? I wish I can be as great as you... Or Nii-san..."

Suzume stood up, shoving her hands in her pocket. "I gotta go and pack. See you in a few years, Sensei."

She turned, and made her way out of the place. Her eyes caught 'Namikaze', and she paused, between the said 2 gravestones. 2 gravestones with same last name as hers.

'Mom... Dad...'

Suzume shook her head, and fastened her pace.

'Sorry. But for now, goodbye.'

•×•×•×•×•×•

"Hey, hey, have you brought everything imouto?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Stop worrying, nii-san."

"I can't help it! You're leaving me for a really long time, you know... But I guess it is for the best." The two continued to walk in a tense silence as Konohagakure's gate grew closer and closer.

Suzume stopped walking and faced her brother. She took in his sad yet still smiling face as he opened his arms for her.

"Y-you're such a baka..." The little Namikaze muttered as she hugged her sibling. "I may be going but stop acting like I'm dead! I'll be back before you know it."

"Hey! Don't forget about me, dattebane!" The two blondes heard. Quickly turning around they saw a running Kushina with her beautiful red locks flowing behind her.

"Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye to me, dattebane!" The redhead cried out as she skidded to a stop behind Minato. She immediately bent down and gave the small girl a giant hug, holding onto her tightly, as if afraid to let go.

Suzume looked up at the fiery haired girl. "Kushina-nee..." she muttered as her eyes widened in shock as small tears escaped from the Uzumaki's eyes. Kushina stood up, wiping her tears furiously.

"Damn it, I told myself I wasn't going to cry, dattebane! Traitorous tears, I haven't even said anything, dattebane!" Suzume watched as her brother held her crying girlfriend in a loose hug and sighed at the small girl in front of him.

"Suzume, no matter what---oof!"

Everyone stopped and took a glance behind Minato, seeing what had interrupted the blonde man. Jiraiya had smacked his head. Suzume and Kushina sweat-dropped.

"Sheesh, you two, stop acting like she's never coming back! We're leaving for a bit then we'll come right back, won't we Suzume?" The old man smirked at the little Namikaze making a tiny smile appear on her face in return.

Suzume walked towards and hugged her big brother and sister, giving them a small kiss on the cheek as well. She felt tears getting ready to fall but she never let them escape. Instead she gave two of her precious people, her family, a bright and cheeky smile. One that would be remembered.

"You guys really are silly. After I leave with him," Suzume pointed at Jiraiya. "There is no way that I still wouldn't be okay. I'll be safe so don't worry. Besides I think I'll be babysitting him some days too."

Jiraiya dead panned at that. "What did you say?!"

Suzume ignored him. "Seriously, Nii-san, Kushina-nee. This is not our goodbye this is our new beginning. At least I hope." She chuckled. The wide eyed and surprised expressions on Kushina and Minato's faces melted into one of happiness and acceptance as they nodded to the girl.

"You better come back safe and well like you promised, imouto." Minato said.

"Don't do anything that you know will endanger your life unless absolutely necessary, dattebane! Otherwise I will leave the village and come looking for you, dattebane!" The Uzumaki laughed but then turned serious as she stared at Jiraiya.

"Sensei..." She muttered as a dark aura started growing around her and her hair became more 'alive'. "You better not corrupt my sweet little Suzu-chan anymore than you already have, got it?"

Suzume, Minato, and Jiraiya winced. She didn't say her catchphrase...

Nervously, Jiraiya laughed it off. "She'll be fine Kushina. She'll be with me now won't she?" Kushina rolled her eyes.

"That's exactly why I'm worried, dattebane..." She muttered lowly so only Minato could hear, but Suzume heard it too and the two Namikaze's coughed to stifle their laughter.

Jiraiya glared at the lot of them, feeling suspicious. "What was that?" He pouted. Minato chuckled at his sensei's antics.

"Nothing, and don't pout Sensei, that's gross."

"What?!" The adult cried out. His reaction made both Suzume and Kushina start laughing, making Minato's heart swell in joy.

Despite it being sad, Suzume is already smiling... and laughing. Maybe it is the right choice to let her go for now... He thought.

After calming down Jiraiya coughed and looked at Minato and Kushina. "Well, we'll be off then." He stated, catching everyone, including Suzume by surprise, but they all nodded. They were ready to be separated for now, because they knew that they would reunite again someday.

"Well Kushina-nee, Nii-san," Suzume muttered. "I'll see you all in a couple years." Quickly the small Namikaze ran outside of the Konohagakure gate but not before waving at Kushina and Minato, as well as giving one last look at her home.

Suzume clutched the clothing covering her heart, feeling a numb pain settling in. She sniffed knowing why the pain suddenly appeared, but she didn't turn around anymore. She shook her head and continued walking forward alongside Jiraiya-sensei.

Kakashi wasn't there to see her.

But unbeknownst to them all, someone was watching.

Not so far away, a chūnin stood at the top of the Hokage building, staring at the gates of the village. The figure narrowed his eyes at the sight of the blonde girl.

"Tch." He muttered, crossing his arms, "It's always her. First she stole Dad's, then Minato-sensei's, Kushina-san's, and now also Master Jiraiya's attention."

He shook his head disapprovingly, as he jumped down, and swiftly blend with the crowds.

"Such annoyance."

•×•×•×•×•×•

Kakashi's P.O.V.

I entered my room, and sat in front of my desk.

Suzume had left... I hope Minato-sensei can focus on training me now... I want to be a jōnin, hopefully an Anbu, as soon as possible... I seriously don't want to be assigned to a Genin team...

I leaned back on my chair, grabbing a random pen and began to twirl it around my fingers.

Her absence felt strange. I feel free, as if someone, who was watching me, disappears. But also I feel like there's something missing. Someone that should have stayed. It confuses me, really.

My eyes suddenly caught the sight of a crumpled paper. A gasp escaped my lips, as I realized what it was. It was Suzume's note, which Minato-sensei gave me.

I took the paper, and began to read the content.

I'm tired of this. Living in this village is too stressful. My parents was killed when I was too young to understand the word 'family'. My best friend hates me for hiding a secret from me. My sensei seemed to fall into depression after his last mission.

At this rate, I'm gonna give up. What's the use of having the shinobi status, if I can't keep what I have? If I lost my friends, if I can't protect them?

I'm sorry, Kakashi, Nii-san, Sensei. I kept lying to you, every day.

I narrowed my eyes. Why did she mention me first? Not her brother?

Now this is certainly suspicious. What did Suzume mean by lying? If she really was lying, how come Sensei looked sad instead of mad?

•×•×•×•×•×•

It was such a late chapter...
But we finally updated! XD
Happy new year, too~
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-MidRav

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-Angel/Slay