hydrangeas
“Hana. How have you been lately?”
Kakashi’s voice was calm as he gazed at the garden, bathed in the warm glow of the orange sunset. Time always seemed to slip away whenever they painted.They had been painting since earlier in the afternoon, right after eating.
Kakashi added the finishing touches to his painting—two koi fish swimming in a lake, their movements swirling around each other in a delicate dance.
He hummed, pleased with the result. It had been a while since he last painted, but he was still good at it.
Hanako smiled at his question. It was endearing how Kakashi tried to be emotionally involved—proof that he was making an effort to reach out.
“Happy, of course,” she said softly. “I’m finally taking a step closer to my dreams. But… I’m a little nervous about how it’ll turn out.”
Kakashi clicked his tongue. “Are there people still bothering you? Tell me.”
Hanako chuckled nervously at that dangerous glint in his eye. She appreciated the sentiments nonetheless.
“It’s fine, really. It’s gotten better,” she said with a sigh, setting down her paintbrush. She couldn’t focus on painting anymore.
Her gaze shifted to the unfinished canvas—a sea shimmering beneath the sunset, a nearby cliff adorned with roses. Then, her eyes drifted to her real garden and the horizon beyond it. How serene. She would never tire of this view.
Hana leaned back to her chair, covering her eyes with her arms.
Ah, Hanako almost forgot about that, about how Nishinoya told her that he had met her nephew. Saved him even. She’s truly thankful for the Sawamura family, they’ve always looked out for them.
“You know Kakashi, I really hope that more people would’ve been so blind.” She told him after a while of comfortable silence as they stared at the sunset.
Kakashi sighed. “People are just stupid Hana. Unfortunately weeds don’t die so easily.”
Hana laughed at the metaphor. She agrees with that. Weed don’t really die so easily, they even grow from the concrete and are persistent.
“Kashi’ just send a note or letter next time alright? Take care of yourself more and come back alive you fool.” She faced him and squinted her eyes, poked his waist at the silvered haired guy who was lazily looking at her.
“Yeah yeah, M’sorry.”
“Wow the great Kakashi Hatake, apologizing? Apocalypse must be near.” She smirked.
“Ha ha very funny lil runt.” It was his turn to smirk now.
“Why you, you’re just 2 inches taller! It doesn’t make that much difference.” Hanako huffed in anger as she crossed her arms.
Kakashi snickered. He was actually pleased with his growth spurt. He was finally taller than her, a little payback after all the time she teases him with his height, calling him a runt.
“Well the tables have turned lil Hana. ” He immediately stood up and ran as he could see how her face was now red with anger, nostrils flaring.
“That’s it! You better come back here you asshole!”
Kakashi laughed for the first time in years. Hanako was always fun to tease.
—
In all honesty, the villagers had been divided in its opinions of her ever since that night.
Some pitied her. They looked at her with sorrow, mourning the loss of her brother—only to turn around and blame Naruto for everything that had happened.
She hated that. Hated the misconception that she blamed her nephew. It wasn’t his fault. Never his fault.
He had been born into this world with a tragic fate already waiting for him. He never even got to meet his parents. They were gone the moment he entered the world. And she knew that loss would weigh on him for the rest of his life.
But the worst part? She hadn’t even been there for him. When the village turned on him—when he became the pariah of Konoha at such a young age—she wasn’t there.
The first time someone implied she blamed Naruto, it had been at the market. A month had passed since she secluded herself in her home, drowning in grief. That day, when she finally stepped outside, she nearly hit the woman who said it.
If it weren’t for Cat, her ANBU guard, she might have.
Cat had reacted instantly, flickering to her side and whisking her away to the forest before things could escalate further. But Hanako had already lost control for a brief moment—her chakra flaring in anger. Vines had begun creeping along the ground, slithering toward the woman before she even realized it.
But the damage was already too late.
She rarely got angry. She had always been the Yellow Flash’s 'angelic' little sister, who had a gentle smile that could make you feel safe.
But the smile she gave to that woman had been short of cold and menacing. The woman hadn’t even noticed Hanako’s right eye—hidden behind her long bangs.
But when she did, she paled in fear.
She looked as if she had angered an angel. A fallen angel.
When Hanako started leaving her house more often, the rumors grew.
People whispered about the markings on her face when they caught glimpses of them. And yet, despite whispering behind her back, they cowered when she stood before them.No one dared deny her service at the market—not because they respected her, but because they were intimidated.
But there were still good people in the village.
Vendors who didn’t stutter in her presence. People who didn’t freeze when she approached them.
One such person was Daichi, a long time meat vendor in the Leaf market. He had watched the Namikaze siblings grow up. Once, they had even been neighbors, back when Minato was still an only child. He had seen Kiyoko—Hanako and Minato’s mother—pregnant with little Hana.
Daichi and his wife, Koushi, had been close friends with the Namikaze couple. They adored Minato and Hanako like their own.
He had seen how the youngins cope and grief when Kiyoko and Ryunoske’s death reached their ears and was one of the people that took them in for a while. He and his wife Koushi were good friends with the couple after all and they adore those two.
Now, as he looked at Hanako’s lifeless eyes, he hated what the village had done to her.
He didn’t care about whatever markings she bore. To him, she was still the little girl who had once declared she would become the best chef and baker ever.
He and Koushi always made time to talk to her whenever she visited. They never treated her like glass or a ticking time bomb—and over time, little by little, she began to heal.
Everyone grieved in different ways.
And while he and Koushi had been lucky enough not to lose anyone that night, they were still grateful to the Yondaime.
Minato had saved them from the Kyuubi.
Minato, the brilliant dork—handsome, warm, and kind. A shinobi so powerful he had a Flee-on-Sight order in every Bingo Book.
A Hokage who had only ruled for two years—yet had given his life to protect the village.
And how did the villagers repay him?
By hating his only child. By blaming a baby for their loss.
Daichi and Koushi had been furious when the rumors about Naruto began. They had tried to retaliate. But people, drowning in grief and hatred, could not be swayed.
They wanted someone to blame—someone they could see.
The Kyuubi was gone, sealed away. They couldn’t vent their anger on a monster they couldn’t reach.
So instead, they turned on the innocent child who bore its burden.
Daichi thought it was stupid. Immature.
Most of them weren’t even shinobi. They hadn’t seen war. Hadn’t known what it was like to wield power or bear the weight of an entire village.
What did they know?
The years passed.
The village's hatred toward Naruto only festered.
By the time he was three, the moment the villagers first laid eyes on him, they glared. Some even shouted when he came too close.
One day, a group of drunken men cornered little Naruto in the street. The silence in the orphanage was too much, so he decided to sneak out. They wouldn’t care about him anyways.
Daichi’s 19 year old son ,Nishinoya, had been nearby.The moment he saw what was happening, he immediately scooped Naruto into his arms—shielding the boy from their malice.
And then, without hesitation, he beat the drunkards into the ground.He hadn’t even cared if they recognized his face. He hated seeing innocent people suffers, especially a kid. Humans were so evil and disgusting.
He recognized Naruto of course.
He idolized the Yondaime and while he wasn’t a ninja, he valued the awesomeness of Minato. He was kind and warm, a good person who had great values.
But most of all he greatly admired a woman with great will and beauty, Kushina-sama the Red Hot Habanero who saved his ass once.
Naruto was their kid, he had sky blue eyes, golden blonde hair like Minato and had Kushina-sama’s face. A perfect mix of both of them honestly.
When the danger had passed, Nishinoya had knelt before Naruto and ruffled his hair.
He handed him an onigiri—his own snack, but he didn’t mind.
“Be careful out there, kid,” he had said warmly. “Look out for people like us.”
Then, for the next few hours, he stayed with him. He played with him at the nearby park—one that was empty as the sun set.
He had offered to walk Naruto back to the orphanage, but the boy had politely declined.
“I don’t wanna inconvenience you,” Naruto had said.
Even at that young age, he already knew how to be considerate.
Nishinoya had respected his wishes. But as Naruto walked away, he had caught sight of the silver-haired ANBU lurking in the shadows—watching over the boy.
Good. At least someone was looking out for him.
Nishinoya smiled.
He never saw Naruto again after that. He had gotten married soon after and moved to the Rain Village with his wife.
But even now, he still hoped Naruto would be safe.
—
As much as she wanted to introduce herself as Naruto’s aunt, Hanako settled on being his Hana-nee, the kind older sister who always visited him. The children at the orphanage knew her as the lovely blond nee-san with a flower on her eye, a volunteer who brought warmth and laughter into their bleak little world.
The orphanage welcomed her help—to a degree. While they were grateful for the extra pair of hands, the caretakers were wary. They cast her cautious looks, whispered among themselves, and warned her not to go near the "fox demon child."
Hanako had smiled at them—a fake, brittle thing—and asked, “What can a little child possibly do?”
They had no real answer.
She was persistent, unwavering. In the end, they let her be, so long as she contributed. And heavens knew they neededhelp. Too many children had been left orphaned—by war, by cruelty, by the Kyuubi’s rampage.
So Hanako cooked for them. She brought fruits and small treats, ensuring every child had something to eat. They would flock to her, a stampede of tiny hands reaching for food, their voices ringing with gratitude as they jostled for space.
The bigger kids always pushed forward first, unintentionally squashing the smaller ones in their eagerness.
Naruto was always among them—always watching, always waiting.
And when the other children shrank away from his presence, Hanako felt her chest tighten.
With determined little feet, Naruto ran toward her, his bright blue eyes filled with unspoken longing.
“Be careful, Naru-chan. You’ll get hurt,” she chided gently, ruffling his hair before patting his head. “Yosh, yosh.”
“I’m already big, Nee-san!” he huffed.
Hanako chuckled, unable to resist. She pinched his chubby cheeks, delighting in the way they squished beneath her fingers. The whisker marks made them even cuter. And yes—she was painfully aware that they were the Kyuubi’s doing.
She handed him some fruit, and Naruto munched on them happily.
All the while, the caretakers and the other children watched. They had always ignored him, treated him like a walking curse, a shadow to be avoided.
Fools.
She scooped Naruto up in her arms and carried him toward the backyard, away from the judging eyes.
Spring was just around the corner.
Hanako remembered his birthday—not long ago, when he had turned three. She had baked him a small cake, covered in white frosting and decorated with strawberries and colorful sprinkles.
The way his face had lit up—
She would never forget it.
For three years, she had made sure he felt his existence was important. That he knew he was loved.
She remembered how Minato had read baby books, worrying over every detail of childcare. Kushina had knitted tiny scarves and sweaters, pouring her love into each stitch.
They were robbed at the chance of them being good parents to Naruto.
So each year, Hanako made sure Naruto had something from them.
On his first birthday, a small golden dog plush and a toy kunai, the very ones Minato had bought impulsively on his way home from the Hokage Tower. On his second, a yellow turtleneck sweater Kushina had knitted, along with a pair of orange-and-green goggles.And recently on his third, the red scarf Kushina had woven, and a picture storybook—one Hanako and Kakashi had created together when they were thirteen.
That afternoon, she had something else to show him.
Naruto clutched onto her pants as they reached the outskirts of the orphanage, where a massive banyan tree stood tall, its bare branches stretching toward the sky.
“Nee-san, what are we doing here in the forest?”
Hanako lifted him onto her hip. “It’s almost sunset. Want to see something cool?”
Naruto gasped, his excitement bubbling over. “Yes!”
The air was crisp with the last breath of winter. Naruto buried his nose in his red scarf to block out the cold. He was dressed in his favorite sweater—the one she had given him.
She didn’t really have to worry too much because she could feel Shisui, Kakashi, Mouse, and Cat trailing behind her.
He looked at the big tree and it barely had leaves. But the cold has lessened. He really wasn’t fond of the cold. He likes spring and summer because it was warm and full of life.
“Alright then, watch this.”
Hanako faced one hand towards the ground. Golden-green chakra pulsed beneath her fingertips. Then suddenly, the ground rumbled.
Naruto gasped as thick vines sprouted from the soil, weaving together and lifting them gently into the air.
“Nee-san! You used chakra! Is this a ninjutsu?!” he babbled excitedly.
Hanako giggled, holding him securely with one arm. “You could say that. Is it cool?”
“Yes! The most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!”
She laughed, extending her hand toward the banyan’s thick branches. The vines stretched toward them, twisting together to form a bridge. Slowly, she stepped forward, carrying Naruto higher into the tree.
When they reached a thick, sturdy branch near the trunk, she set him down. “Sit tight.”
Naruto obeyed, still buzzing with excitement.
And then—
The sky bloomed before them.
Pink and orange hues painted the heavens, the fading sunlight casting golden streaks across the clouds.
Naruto’s breath hitched. “The sunset is so pretty, Nee-san!”
Hanako smiled, ruffling his hair.
He was utterly mesmerized.
“I can’t believe we’re so high up!” he said, beaming. “The clouds look so close, dattebayo!”
Hanako’s heart clenched.
He deserves this. He deserves to see the world from above, without chains, without shadows.
Then, softly—
“Ne, Nee-san… will you always be with me?”
Her breath hitched.
“Showing up and giving me nice stuff?”
There was something raw in his voice—small, but heavy. Like the weight of unspoken fears and wounds too deep for a child to name.
Hanako glanced down at her nephew. His bright eyes were dimmed with uncertainty.
No child should ever have to ask that.
She turned to him fully, cupping his small face between her hands.
“Look at me, Naru.”
He blinked up at her.
Her mismatched eyes—one golden, one deep as the sea—stared into his own, unflinching.
Then—pinch.
Naruto let out a small yelp. “Oww!”
She chuckled. “I promise I’ll always be beside you, no matter what. Supporting you in whatever you want to do, okay?”
Naruto pouted, rubbing his cheeks.
Then, Hanako held out her pinky finger.
Naruto huffed. She better not pinch him again.
But when he saw that little pinky, stretched out toward him, he grinned.
Without hesitation, he hooked his tiny pinky around hers.
“That’s a pinky promise!” he declared. “I’ll show you—I’ll become the best shinobi ever! I’ll become Hokage, dattebayo!”
Hanako smiled.
She knew he would.
She knew that this tiny boy—who burned with the Will of Fire, whose chakra was orange, warm, bright, and boundless—would one day surpass even his father.
Meanwhile, in the shadows—
Well at the bottom of the 10 foot tall group of vines actually.
The ANBU stared.
No, they gawked.
A tense silence stretched between them as they watched Hanako and Naruto ascend to the sky on living vines.
Shisui, usually the most quick-witted among them, could only manage a strangled, “...What the hell?”
Kakashi, for all his composure, was just as speechless. His visible eye was wide, staring at the unnatural yet elegant way the vines moved—as if they were responding to her very will.
Even knowing what Hanako was capable of, this was something else entirely.
Now you see, every genin had to learn tree walking. But climbing a 10 foot group of vines that were slithering and alive was something they couldn't do. They didn’t dare to try because it wasn’t clear if the vines this time weren't hostile like the ones at the graves of the Yondaime and Kushina-sama.
“I can’t believe she’s able to grow them like that.” Shisui mumbled. A few days ago, she had only summoned three vines. Seeing her command an entire forest floor—without so much as a flicker of hesitation—was an entirely different level.
Now usually they would use ANBU signals but fuck that, they just witnessed something crazy.
This wasn’t mere chakra manipulation.
This was life bending to her command.
Mouse, who had been silently watching all this time, finally whispered, “She didn’t even weave hand seals.”
A beat of silence.
Cat chuckled at their reactions. pleased. “My ward is amazing, isn’t she?”
She was strong, beautiful and hardworking. Shikaku would’ve been proud of her progress if he could see this right now.
Cat had seen many times how Hanako trained, she persevered especially with her chakra training. Practicing by using her plants to grow bigger and taller, giving them a boost in growing fruits and flowers blooming faster. She’s also practicing the amount of vines she could summon and her control of it.
But as far she can observe, somehow it still depends on her emotions. Seeing as she was able to summon and grow that much, well she’s sure that her lovely ward would pass out later.
“She’ll pass out later though. This is the most that I’ve seen her grow those vines of hers.” Cat spoke to the trio.
Kakashi turned to her, face laced with worry covered by the Hound mask. He didn’t like the sound of that.
“We should ask them to get them down then. I think it’s been 15 minutes.”
Just as he and Shisui were about to go up the tree, the ground rumbled again, vines slowly descending. They immediately scattered and hid themselves.
“Hana nee that was fun! We should do it again!”
Hanako smiled and nodded in agreement, ruffling his hair.
Naruto and Hanako were holding each other’s hands. Both smiling at each other. It was bright, damn bright.
Cat squealed internally, the aunt-nephew duo were stinking cute. She wishes that her ward would be able to get custody of the young jinchuuriki someday. It hurts seeing Hana cry suddenly in her sleep.
Kakashi and Shisui looked at the blondes and honestly they could feel the brightness of those smiles. Cute, but absolutely lethal.
Kakashi looked back at the banyan tree, to where the vines were.
She hadn’t grown these vines for battle. She hadn’t used them to lash out in grief or rage, the way she had at the Yondaime and Kushina’s graves.
She had done it for Naruto.
She had lifted him high, above the world, away from the pain and rejection below. Given him a gift that only she could provide—
A moment of peace. A moment of beauty.
He suddenly remembered something Minato-sensei had once told him, back when he was a boy.
"The strongest jutsu in the world isn't the one that destroys—it's the one that protects."
And here she was, protecting, in a way that was both overwhelming and heartbreakingly gentle.
Kakashi swallowed past the lump in his throat.
He saw them walking back—Naruto’s small hand held firmly in Hanako’s own. Their golden hair caught the fading sunlight, glowing like twin flames against the darkening sky.
And for a moment—
Just for a moment—
He swore he could see Minato and Kushina beside them.
Their hands resting on their son’s shoulders. Their eyes filled with warmth.
A family that should have been whole.
A life that had been stolen.
Kakashi looked away.
Because if he looked any longer, he wasn’t sure his heart could take it.
—
As the golden hues of the setting sun faded into the horizon, Hanako walked hand in hand with Naruto, guiding him back to the orphanage. His little fingers clutched onto hers, warm and trusting, and she felt a bittersweet ache deep in her chest.
She would have given anything to keep holding his hand like this forever.
The orphanage came into view, its worn-down wooden exterior bathed in the last rays of daylight. Hanako felt Naruto’s grip tighten slightly. He was always hesitant to go back.
She stopped in her tracks, crouching down to his level, making sure he was looking at her. “Hey, chin up, Naru. You’re strong, aren’t you?”
Naruto pouted but nodded, puffing out his chest. “Mhm! The strongest!”
Hanako chuckled, reaching out to fix the red scarf around his neck. “That’s right. But even the strongest need rest. I’ll come visit again soon, okay?”
“Promise?”
She smiled, holding out her pinky once more. “Pinky promise.”
Naruto grinned and eagerly linked his tiny pinky with hers, sealing their little pact.
They approached the orphanage entrance, where one of the caretakers stood waiting. The woman—a middle-aged civilian with sharp eyes—glanced at Naruto, then at Hanako, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Hanako resisted the urge to glare.
“Back before curfew,” the woman muttered stiffly, stepping aside to let Naruto in. The child gave one last wave to his Hana-nee before slipping inside.
Hanako’s face darkened the moment the door shut behind him.
“Don’t think I don’t notice how you all treat him,” she said coldly, her mismatched eyes gleaming in the dim light. The caretaker flinched, but Hanako didn’t wait for a reply. She turned on her heel and walked away, fists clenched.
She had to do something.