Peppermint Stone {Peppermint Book 2}

-33-

Tokyo, Japan 

Hinata

You would've thought that since I was dating a soldier, I knew all the rules. All the routines they had; all the rituals and the damn lies they have.

No, if you were wondering. No I didn't know.

I didn't know I had to pretend that Naruto was killed in a car accident rather than fighting for his country.

I didn't know I get to keep Naruto's ID dog tag.

And I didn't know that he doesn't get the right to call our son his.

Since he's dead, the higher officers didn't think it was necessary to put his name on our son's birth certificate. Of course, I didn't tell them that I did anyway.

For the first week or so, the news spoke of Naruto as a man of bravery; a man who didn't care what happened to him as long as those around him were safe and happy. A part of me was very happy to hear such perfect words for the man he actually was. I've heard from some of the older soldiers' widows. Some of them don't get such high praise let alone a complete news report dedicated to them.

He did get a funeral service where they buried an empty coffin. Shikamaru told me after the war in the country was over, they went back to find any identification of...Naruto. Sadly, they only returned with his helmet that he threw away when he was trying to save a dying Sasuke.

It's true the first month or so was hard. I was barely able to function as a normal person.  The hospital director gave me a three month leave so I could recover and mourn. I stayed with Sakura and Sasuke because, well; the two didn't trust me in Naruto's apartment alone anyway. I lost a bunch of weight and barely ate. It wasn't until all of my friends gathered and told me it was completely unhealthy for my unborn son did I eat a normal diet again. 

I wasn't back on my feet until about month three when I returned to work. The nurses and doctors made sure to never bring up any touchy subject and they do their best to steer clear of me completely. I didn't completely evolve into a devil but I preferred to be alone most the time. 

I even got into an almost fist fight with Minako because she wouldn't leave me alone. 

It wasn't until after Hanako-senpai and Hisao-senpai pushed me into an empty hospital room to scold me. Hanako-senpai never got around to it. Instead, she only wiped her eyes a few times before calling me a whole bunch of names I don't think parents would appreciate their kids knowing. Hisao-senpai simply said, "Continue this and everybody that is actually alive; the people that still love you will one day disappear as well."

Yeah I don't think I can handle that either.

So! I returned Naruto's apartment to the landlady, gathered all our stuff, Hajime and moved into a cozy three bedroom home a mile or so away from the hospital. 

Hajime for a few months after he learned how to crawl would make his way towards the front door and sit there for a few minutes before I entered the room to find him there. He looked at the door, his black eyes unmoving, watching.

Waiting.

Eventually, my son would notice me before pointing at the door and shouting a whole bunch of nonsense. I only faked a smile and take him back to his room without saying anything.

Boruto Uzumaki, born October eleventh, a day after his father's birthday helped me a lot. He looked like an exact clone of his father with the blonde hair and the ocean-blue eyes along with those cute whiskered birthmark. It hurt, you know, looking at him for his first few hours but nonetheless, I happily held him in my arms.