---2---

I woke up to the sound of wagon wheels rolling over stones, the sound of donkey's hooves plodding along and the birds chirping. I sat up and stretched, my eyes widening at the sight of the giant gates approaching us. I shuffled towards the front of the cart, a grin spread across my face as I recognized the familiar writing and symbols that decorated the gates.

'Konoha!' I whispered, grinning from ear to ear. The cart driver slowed down as we drew nearer to the gates, and a woman with black, layered and ruffly hair, mine and my mother's red eyes, stood outside the gates.

'Auntie Kurenai!' I grinned. Wow, had she changed in seven years!

She wore a short red dress, with one long sleeve and one short sleeve, and a bandaged wrapping over it, as wells as bandages wrapped over her arm which left the short-sleeved arm of the dress. She wore a Konoha Leaf Head band across her forehead and she had a smile on her face, reminding me of Mom.

'Your Mother said that you'd have someone meet you outside Konoha, and I'm guessing that's her, right?' The old cart driver said, bringing his donkey to a halt.

'Yup, that's her alright,' I nodded, as Auntie Kurenai began walking towards us. I jumped down from the cart and stood there, as Auntie Kurenai stood a few feet in front of me.

'Misaki, there's no mistaking that it's you. You've barley changed at all!' she grinned, giving me a hug.

'I can say the same for you too, Auntie Kurenai,' I said, glomping her back. She laughed and turned to the cart driver.

'Arigato for taking my niece this far. If you don't mind, I'll take her luggage and you can be off again,' Auntie Kurenai said, heaving my two suitcases off of the cart. The man helped and he re-moutned the CRT and set off again. I took one suitcase and Auntie Kurenai took the other, wrapping her free arm around my shoulder.

'Well Misaki, I'll admit that you have gotten taller,' she smiled as we walked towards the village gates.

'Auntie Kurenai,'

'Hmm?'

'Is it still the same?'

'Oh honey, it hasn't changed a bit! And you don't need to keep calling me Auntie, if you want, just say my name,' She laughed. I nodded.

'Okay then Kurenai-sama' I said, holding my breath as the large gates began to slowly open...

-----

After having a quick de tour down Memory Lane, Kurenai-sama took me to see the Third Hokage, to check everything was okay.

Auntie Kurenai knocked on the door and we were called in. The Old Man's face lit up when he saw me walk in.

'Ahh! Misaki Yuhi! Long time no see, seven years now, am I right?' He asked.

'Yessir!' I grinned, saluting. The Old Man chuckled.

'I can see that you haven't changed a bit! Of course you've grown taller, but my, don't you look like your Auntie!' The Old Man chuckled. I gave a closed eyed smile.

'Well now, let's get down to business. You graduated whilst you were living and training in the Land of Waves, am I correct?'

'Yes my Lord,'

'Excellent! And now you're back in the Leaf to stay. You'll be living with you Aunt, and you have been assigned a squad already, your new team have already began training and soon will be ready to take on their missions, which I trust you will be ready for anyway. But your training will officially begin tomorrow. So I hope you're ready. I'm sure you will but for now, I think you should go and settle in, catch up with some friends? After all it has been seven years,' the Hokage said. We were dismissed.

'Kurenai-sama...would it be okay if I went to see someone?' I asked, looking up at my Auntie. She stopped in her tracks.

'A boy, by any chance...?' She joked. 'No, don't worry honey, I know what you mean. But why don't we get back to my place so we can sort your room out, and then you can go out,' she smiled. I nodded. We went back to my Auntie's house and I was greeted by the familiar smell of her perfume and the flowers that were in her lounge.

'Misaki sweetie, you're room's up here,' she said, leading me through the hall. She slid the door open and I walked into a bright bedroom with wide windows and silky curtains with butterflies printed on them. The walls were purple and had lilac and turquoise butterflies printed onto them too. I turned to my Auntie and hugged her.

'Arigato Auntie Kurenai!'

She chuckled and helped me unpack.

'So are you going to head off now?' She asked placing her hands on her hips. I nodded, smiling.

'Do you have an idea where he'd be?'

'I have an idea, yeah,'

'Know where to go? It has been seven years since you've lived here so-'

'Auntie, I could walk through this village blindfolded and tell you which street I was on, which market or shop I was near, easy! Well I'm off now Auntie, wish me luck!' I said, running out of the door. I ran through the streets, following the smell of BBQ...finally I heard laughing, a laugh that was a laugh in a trillion. A laugh that I'd know anywhere, any time, any place. His laugh...my heart began racing as I pulled back the droopy banner curtains of the BBQ restaurant.

And there sitting with his back to me, scoffing down his food...was...

'Choji,' I whispered