Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I just own my OCs.

Pre-Team 7

Sarutobi Hiruzen peered over his desk at the kunoichi kneeling before it. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride every time he saw her. Five years ago, she was practically a child who had lost all sense of purpose but, standing before him now was a woman… no, she was a kunoichi that was more than deserving of the will of fire that every shinobi of Konohagakure harbored.

"I'm sorry to have summoned you so soon after your recent nuptials."

Her head tilted to the side in confusion. "By recent, you mean three months ago, Hokage-sama?"

"You're still considered newlyweds."

She merely shrugged in indifference. "How may I serve you?" she asked as she stood back to attention.

She was of average height with bold purple-hued eyes that seemed to stand out even more against her fair complexion and ebony hair. Hiruzen remembered when he first met her. Despite being pale and scrawny all those years ago, he knew she would grow up to be beautiful.

He retrieved a sealed folder from the top left drawer of his desk and held it out for her to take. After opening the folder, her eyes moved from the paper to the photo that was clipped to the upper right corner.

Client: Minami Hitomi
Age: 22
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Height: 167 cm.

She skimmed over the physical description and quickly moved onto the details of the mission.

Mission Rank: C
Mission Detail: Safely escort client back to Konohagakure from Kusagakure

And that was all that was provided. The kunoichi's eyes scrunched in confusion. While she read over the file, Hiruzen had prepped his pipe and lit it. He took a deep inhale and let the smoke linger in his lungs for a few seconds before slowly exhaling.

"This cannot be it…" she murmured.

"I know it's not your typical assignment, but they requested the best I had to offer – paid top ryō for it too."

"I see… and... who is this person?"

Hiruzen looked to the kunoichi with a look of disbelief. "You're telling me you don't recognize the Minami family name?"

"Am I supposed to?" she asked, her facial features placid – borderline bored and disinterested.

The Hokage sighed. "Minami Hitomi is the sole heir to the Minami Corporation."

"I do not know who that is, Hokage-sama…"

A look of disbelief crossed his wrinkled features. "Really?! The Minami clan is the wealthiest family in Hi no Kuni!"

"So… she gets special treatment because she comes from an affluent family…?"

He cleared his throat. "The Minami clan played a vital part in creating Konoha into the village that you see today. Like the other clans in the village, the Minami clan is highly valued."

"For their money…"

Ignoring her comment, Hiruzen continued to explain. "The Minami clan is not as large as the other clans in the village, but they are as important as Hi no Kuni's Damiyō and his family. As a member of Anbu, we must take precautions to protect your identity. Therefore, during this mission, you will be given a temporary identity."

She patiently waited as he moved to pull out another scroll for her to take while taking another deep drag from his pipe. She had long ago given up on suggesting that he quit; remembering his reasoning.

"In this life that we've chosen to live, tobacco and nicotine are the least of our worries."

And he was right. As shinobi of a hidden village, she and her comrades faced danger and the possibility of death every time they accepted a mission. All for the greater good of the village and in the name of their Hokage.

"Hitomi's location is actually in a smaller village – Aomori village. It is just outside of Kusagakure – it shouldn't take you long to get there."

"Perhaps there is someone more suitable for this mission than me, Hokage-sama. Maybe someone who is more… informed about the client and their familial ties?"

"Not for what they are asking for in an escort. Everyone else that is as qualified as you for this mission is currently out doing other missions. Now, your temporary identity and background are encompassed in that scroll. I have sealed it and made it so that only you are able to read it. You just need to bind it to your blood."

"Understood," she said before biting into her thumb. She imprinted her bloody print into the scroll before she stored it away. "What of her grandmother? The mission does not mention her."

"Sadly, her grandmother recently passed due to her illness."

She nodded.

"I apologize again for giving you such a tedious mission so soon."

"It is alright, Hokage-sama. Honestly, you are making a bigger deal than we are."

His face fell into a frown and his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Can you blame me?! The two of you just showed up in my office one day and asked that I marry you!"

"As Hokage of the village, it was easier and less time consuming for us if we just went directly to you to sign our license," she said in her usual deadpan manner. "We cut out the unnecessary extra steps. With your signature, it made our marriage instantaneous."

"I didn't even know you two were dating!"

"Are you still upset about that?"

"Of course, I am! How long have we known each other?! How long have you been working directly for me?! All these years and you never once thought to mention that you and he were dating let alone interested in each other!"

Her face remained impassive as she listened to his outburst. "I have already apologized for that. And you also never asked, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen sighed in defeat. There was no use in scolding someone when they felt as if they had done nothing wrong. "Will you be informing him of your departure?"

She nodded. "He would be upset with me if I did not."

Hiruzen hummed in agreement.

She bowed before disappearing from his office. Hiruzen turned his chair to face the windows that looked out to the village. Three months had already gone by since the two of them signed the document that bound them for life, and he couldn't help but smile as he reminisced about it.

'She's certainly come a long way'

She appeared at one of his frequented spots when she didn't find him at the memorial stone. Standing at the base of a tall tree in training field three, she looked up and found him sitting on one of the many thick branches, his nose buried in the pages of a light orange colored novel with a big red circle on the back. The ever scrutinized 'Icha, Icha Paradise'.

He'd been hooked the day he came across the series and she never complained about his choice of reading material. After all, there were worse hobbies he could have.

His back rested against the tree's trunk, his right leg was bent at the knee, and his left stayed outstretched and straight along the length of the branch. "C'mon up," he called down to her. "it's very nice in the shade." His single exposed eye never strayed from the pages.

She propelled herself to the branch with ease and stood before him. "I was just coming to tell you that I have been assigned a mission and will be departing soon."

He read one more page before closing the novel and storing it safely back into his pouch. He stood and smirked down at her. With about 13 centimeters more in his height, she sometimes felt like a child being teased, especially when he smirked the way he was right now.

"Did Hokage-sama tell you to come and seem me before you left the village, my ningyō?" he teased while rubbing the top of her head.

"No.." she muttered. "… I was already planning to when he asked…" Her eyes turned serious. "It is a C-rank mission so, I should not be gone long."

"Been a while since he's given you one of those, huh?"

"Yes."

She suddenly found herself pressed against his solid chest and felt his arms wind tightly around her head.

"I'll miss you every second you're away and will continue to miss you until you come home, my anata!" Kakashi exclaimed in a childish tone while keeping her in his playful embrace.

She managed to free herself from his arms and his sudden display of affection. "You are ridiculous sometimes," she said as she recomposed herself with a small huff.

"But, my sweet dango, who knows when I'll see you again!" he playfully whined while gently pinching her cheeks.

She slapped his hands away from her face as she readied to leave. "I just told you that I will not be gone long."

Before she could take a step, she once again found herself against his firm chest. She didn't resist this one. This one was serious. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; allowing her mind and her senses to become enveloped by him. His embrace warmed and comforted her body as his scent calmed her mind; an intoxicating mix of woods, earth, and musk.

Her arms wrapped around his waist as her mind drifted. They tightened when she felt his bare lips press and linger against her forehead. Neither spoke; no words were needed. The embrace and gentle kiss said it all.

"Be safe"
"I love you"
"I'll miss you"

His hands slowly glided up and down her back as he inhaled her scent, the light aroma of cherry blossoms and peaches. His right hand deeply buried itself in her dark thick tresses and pressed her deeper against his broad chest, his heartbeat thrumming against her eardrums. She felt the long chain around her neck lightly move against her skin while his left hand continued to gently fiddle with it, causing the centerpieces to clink against each other.

The tip of his nose slowly and gently followed the bridge of her nose before his lips found hers in a deep firm kiss.

"I'll see you when you get back," he breathed against her lips. His hands moved from her back to the sides of her body where they traced and re-familiarized themselves with all her curves.

She brought her right hand up to gently trace the vertical scar on his face. "I will return as soon as I can," she promised. Her fingers traveled down his left cheek before they reached his lips. He left sweet pecks on her fingers before they reached his small beauty mark.

"I'll be here," he breathed out before giving her one more kiss.