The Price of Love

They had looked at every object in those boxes for what seemed to be the tenth time in the past hour. Unsent letters of longing, pictures of childhood, primary, high and even Police college was scattered every where. Pieces of jewelry given on birthdays, Christmas cards that had sloppy childlike hand writing were replaced with cards that contained pictures of a fake happy family and women’s handwriting. Two small stocking etched with two names. Bunny ears and foxes’ one too. This was their dad’s history.



Clues to the mystery were themselves a puzzle.



Like who sent them? Whom, in this world, could know so much about their fathers?



It was someone who knew them since they were children or even worse, had stalked them to the extent of hunting these things down.



Somehow, it seems these boxes were a gift sent to them, but at what cost? What were the strings attached to it? Who was the man behind the scenes and what does he want in return?



Questions and more questions. Two things were for sure, it wasn’t Kakashi and Iruka, and it sure wasn’t the old head of the police. For first, they would have hand it to them directly, the second retired after that incidence ten years ago, and was hiding from civilization. He blamed himself and the guilt was eating away at him.



Oh well, it was a start.



“Our mothers are really determined huh? Why must women be so pigheaded about things like love?”



It was true, it seemed Sakura and Ino had the hots for the young boys even when they were less then four!



“Wonder if both our mums were born a Taurus”



”You can bet your bottom dollar they are.”



“You think our dads’ arms were going to be ripped off one day.”



Both laughed at the thought of their mothers’ demanding ways.



Minato suddenly spied a single loose sheet by the corner of the floor. It was discoloured with time. A small poem decorated its lines.



“What is this?”



“let’s me see. It seems to be one of dad’s poems:



Anger fed to my heart

Death was what I wish for

Responsibilities hold me tight

Yet, my love for you still hold strong



Years fly by with no happiness

Sadness and tears accompany me at night

I wither without blooming

Your Romeo is no longer here



I miss your laughter

I miss your pout

I miss your tender touch

I miss most your innocent blue eye



Are you happy, my sunshine?

The guiding light of my soul

Do you remember our love as I had done?

I should let you go but I can not.



We are the Romeo and Juliet of today

Yet they could be together in the end

May be death do we reunite

Till then fare you well, my Naruto



Shikamaru”



“You know what? I wish we could love that fully and that our love would last for ever” Shikaku, ever the romantic, sighed.



And for once, his playful partner had to agree. A love like that would be divine, especially if it was with this man right here by his side.



“Okay, that it! We are having a family meeting – well extended family. You go invite Asuma and Kurenai over for dinner on Friday night. I go give Iruka and Kakashi a call. I want to dig our father’s bones up…and after so many years, follow their final wishes. Then we finally some details out of them – and these six people we have photographs of”



Six photographs of six different men – all wearing tuxedoes and sunglasses and Shikaku had a feeling they were the six men that was paramount to their fathers’ deaths.



Sasuke Uchiha



Itachi Uchiha



Gaara Suna

Neji Hyuga



Kiba Inuzuka



Shino Aburame



Then there were three blank polaroids with names written in black ink



Sai (there was no surname: odd)



Hiruzen Sarutobi



Jiraiya Goketsu



All the key players of the past has now been revealed, time to set to work.



“Let start with Jiraiya – the former police commisioner and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the softie Yakuza boss of ten years ago.”



“Aye, aye captain”



“But first, well it was our day off. So let go to the movies, dinner and then maybe extra desert” Minato wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.





Mission accomplished.



Danzo could only hope they found out about his father, the man that betrayed the two men he called friends quickly. His father doesn’t have much time left, and he does not want to see him suffer till the day he dies.



Yes, Sai did betray them, but he did so because his own family was taken hostage. The Yakuza never did do things in half measures. When it comes to family and friendship, who could blame Sai for doing what he must have thought was right, even if it hurts him. Who would not chose family over friends, may I boldly ask?



But the past was the past. His father had finally succumbed to the guilt and began to show signs of dementia.



He only found out about it, when his father mistaken him for Shikamaru Nara, his partner in the police force for a whole six years. He had begged forgiveness over and over again, saying if he could he pay with his life.



Now all Danzo could do, was gather everything he could – steal, buy, beg and even shout to get. He had explained his reasoning to so many people – people who are too ashamed to meet directly with Minato and Shikaku. So this game had started, a jigsaw puzzle to be pieced together



All he was doing was mending something that his father had destroyed. And Sai must say it with his own mouth and receive forgiveness for it.



Danzo could not bare to see this once bright man die with that much regrets.