Quiet Summer

Arriving Home

"Hey Shizuka," Kazumi called out asking. "Are you okay? You haven't really spoken much."

"Oh sorry, it's just... I'm really tired that's all, "I lied. In reality, I am trembling on the inside by just the thought of going back home. This mission has been nothing like my previous ones. How am I going to face my family after the things I had to do? I would like to imagine that they would be proud of me. Why do I feel so much guilt? I had to do those things to protect the village. I had no other choice... right?

"What's the first thing you're going to do once we get back in the village?" Akihiro asked interrupting me from my train of thought.

"Go home, eat, take a shower and just sleep for the rest of my life," I sighed tiredly avoiding eye contact. My team and I were assigned to an S rank mission which has lasted a little over two years. Even though I have been an ANBU for almost seven years this was my longest mission yet.

"I swear once we're inside the gates I know none of you guys until our next mission. Which better not be anytime soon!" Kazumi exclaimed trying to lighten up the mood. But even I could tell that she wasn't doing okay either, there was fear in her eyes.

     Unlike myself, Kazumi and Akihiro have been in the ANBU for five years. They came around the same time and I later found out that they have been dating for a while. The luck of them being on the same team is purely by chance but one thing is for sure. I'm surprised and impressed by how professional they can be with each other especially on missions like this one.

"Agreed," the rest of us responded speeding up our pace to not fall behind. As we kept making our way through the slowly clearing path I found myself running my hands over the newly formed scar next to my right ear. My fingertips grazing my mother's earrings as well as my own in the process.

     'Do I really want to continue being an ANBU?' Recently I have been asking myself this same question over and over again. As quickly as those thoughts came I shook them out of my head. 'Maybe I am just homesick...'

     "Come on guys I can practically see the village from here!" I exclaimed forcefully putting on a cheerful face. 'Hopefully seeing my family can lift my spirits...'

-------

     " 'Come on' they said 'just around the corner' they said," Akihiro muttered annoyingly in the back sending daggers my way. "You did not just make me run two miles after a long mission in this heat." Okay so maybe I was stretching the truth when I said I spotted the village... just a little though.

     "Oh please stop complaining-look you can see the gate from here," I commented relieved to finally see the gates to Konoha so close.

     "Alright team quiet down," Eiji, our team captain, ordered waiting for us to obey allowing him to continue. "Alright once we make it inside go home... please this has been a long mission and like Kazumi said I also don't want to see your faces anytime soon," he joked trying to lighten up the mood. "I will be giving the mission report. Remember rest up and wait for your next mission but always be on alert."

     "Hai!" we all agreed before walking up towards the gate. 'Mm weird why are the Hokage's faces covered with paint?' Seems like I'm not the only one thinking this as the rest of my team stares up in confusion on why someone would do this! 'How much have we missed in these past two years? Seems to me like the youth nowadays doesn't know how to be respectful... oh how I miss Guy.'

     "Well I'm done here, bye guys see you around," Kazumi called out catching my attention back towards the group.

     "Same here, bye!" Akihiro spoke out catching up to Kazumi as they walked into the crowd of villagers. I, on the other hand, was a little more reluctant to go inside.