Impossible to Foretell

Chapter 42: Thank You Thank You Thank You

I signed the last legal document with a flourish.

Okotte Zankokuna glared at me with pure hate. I had figured out the name of Anzu's old orphanage's owner after dropping the bomb of wanting to adopt the pre-teen. And my opinion of Okotte had only decreased the longer that I was in her presence.

I turned to Anzu again, "Are you sure that you don't want to keep your old last name? Midoriki is a very nice name, you know."

She shook her head, "I like Anzu Nakahara much better."

I shrugged, "Okay, if you say so." I turned back to a seething Okotte, "Alright, I believe that we are done here, Ms. Zankokuna."

With a huff, she gathered together all of the legal documents and started to make her way out of the room.

"I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into. She's a little hellion. Besides," her eyes wandered down to my wheelchair, "are you sure that you're in any fit state to take care of someone?"

"Thank you ever so much for your most kindhearted concern," the honey in my voice couldn't mask the sarcastic barbs, "but I'll be just fine."

Slam. The door closed, leaving Anzu and I alone in the small meeting room that the hospital had let us use.

Tears flowing from her eyes, Anzu flung herself onto my lap. Being a tall twelve-year-old, she really didn't fit, but I didn't care.

"Thank you thank you thank you!"

I patted the top of her head, "You don't have to thank me." She looked up in confusion as I sent her a little smirk, "I did it for purely selfish reasons."

That got her laughing and wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "So, what actually caused you to adopt me, then?"

I began to wheel us out with her still sitting in my lap, "Well, this is a secret so don't tell anyone because it will ruin my cold reputation, but I've always wanted children."

"Then why don't you just go and get married then? I'm sure that Kakashi would marry you."

I blushed crimson because she did not understand the full implications of her comment. However, I did.

"That's not the problem. You see, the same injury that ruined my hip took away another thing from me." Her head cocked to the side in confusion. "I can't have children now."

"Oh... So you adopted me because you're lonely."

"No, not really. I couldn't bear sending you anywhere with that heinous lady, and I've really grown to like you over the past couple days. At this point, I'd be even lonelier if you went away."

She started balling, and I was suddenly very worried that I'd said something wrong.

"Anzu, I'm really sorry if I said-"

"No, don't be sorry. It's just that, no one's ever said something that nice to me before!"

"Really? Well, I'm going to have change that now, aren't I?" This only made her cry more. Maybe this whole thing was going to be more difficult than I had originally thought.

Smiling at the overly emotional bundle on my lap, I wheeled us out of the hospital.

I got some strange looks as I moved myself through the village with sleeping girl on my lap with the biggest smile that I've ever had in public, but at this point, I really couldn't give a damn what they thought.

Kakashi did a full on double take as he walked by towards the Hokage building. The pervy book almost dropped out of his hand.

"Kaiyo?" He pointed at the bundle asleep on my lap, "Is there a reason why Anzu is sleeping in your wheelchair?"

"Well, I'm just taking us home."

"Huh?"

I sighed, "I adopted Anzu."

"Huh?"

I ignored his surprised look, "Speaking of which, I was wondering if you could pull some strings to get her enrolled in the Ninja Academy if she wants to go, of course. She'd be about a year older than her fellow classmates, but I don't think that that should be a problem."

He shook head a little as he visibly collected himself, "I don't know if-" I sent him my brightest smile, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Kashi."

He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah sure, anytime, Kai. So, uh, you're going to raise a teenage girl all by yourself?"

"Yep."

"Alrighty then. I'll see you around."

"Don't think that this means that I'll stop working."

"Kaiyo, I know you. I never expected that to be the case."