Haku Is a G-G-Girl! Important Enough to Say Three Times

"Mr. Zabuza, how are you feeling?"

At Zabuza's hideout, Haku gently helped Zabuza sit up from the bed, fed him some food to restore his strength, and asked softly.

"Just a little more and I'll be recovered."

Zabuza clenched his fist. Without the bandages concealing it, Haku could see his smile.

"Mr. Zabuza, are you happy?"

"Haku, you've been with me for so long. Do you know why I never taught you the Silent Killing Technique?"

"Because I am Lord Zabuza's tool. A tool only needs to obey orders."

Haku lowered her eyes and answered in a deep voice.

"Wrong. Your personality isn't suited to the Silent Killing Technique. You're too soft-hearted. Even if it were my order, you would only kill the target and spare the witnesses."

"But he's different. That brat's eyes are so pure, without a trace of impurity. For the first time, I had the urge to take on a disciple—to teach him everything I know, every assassination technique I possess."

Zabuza recalled Naruto's eyes that day. Ten years ago, during Kirigakure's ninja exam, a boy had slaughtered a hundred classmates from the same class with those same eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he killed anyone he saw.

"Do you think he'll agree?"

"No. But dying at that brat's hands wouldn't be too bad."

People like Zabuza, who did things that risked their heads every day, had long since grown indifferent to life and death. If he could even choose a burial plot for himself, that would be nice enough.

"Mr. Zabuza, you really know how to joke. I'll go gather some medicinal herbs to help with your recovery."

Haku smiled, left Zabuza's room, and entered the room next door. She removed the hairpin from her head, letting her waist-length black hair fall loose around her waist. After changing into a pink kimono, she left the hideout.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, white mist filled the air. It was different from Mr. Zabuza's mist, making Haku's exposed arms feel chilly.

"This is the place."

Haku crouched down, her fair fingers gently snapping off medicinal herbs and placing them into her basket. The beauty and the scenery seemed to merge into one. A bird that had come out to forage landed on Haku's shoulder, earning a faint smile from the girl.

"Chirp chirp!"

The bird did not remain on Haku's shoulder for long. It flew away with a cry, and only then did Haku notice a boy lying on the ground just a few steps away. He seemed to have fallen asleep from exhaustion.

"It's him? What a coincidence."

Even Haku found it unbelievable. She had merely come out to gather herbs, yet she had run into this brat all alone and completely defenseless. It was as though his face had "Come kill me" written all over it.

Haku quietly walked to Naruto's side and slowly reached toward his young neck. With just a little force, Naruto's neck would snap like a medicinal herb. Unfortunately, a beam of sunlight happened to break through the clouds and shine onto Naruto's dazzling blonde hair, waking him up.

Riiip.

The sound of fabric tearing rang out. Naruto grabbed Haku's kimono and yanked her in front of him, staring at her with a strange look in his eyes.

"What is it, little ninja?"

Haku did not panic despite being pulled in front of Naruto. She looked directly into his eyes and asked. Their eyes reflected one another, their noses nearly touching, and Naruto could feel the girl's warm, fragrant breath.

"Wah! Sorry, sorry! I was half asleep."

Naruto hurriedly released her and rolled backward. He had just sensed a faint trace of Killing Intent, so he had reacted instinctively.

"I was going to say that sleeping here would make you catch a cold. I kindly woke you up, and this is how you treat me."

Seeing Naruto's flustered expression, Haku smiled sweetly. Unable to resist teasing him, she put on a pitiful expression as she spoke.

"I'm really sorry. Your clothes... I'll compensate you for them."

Naruto apologized repeatedly. When he saw Haku's torn collar and the chest wrap exposed beneath her kimono, his face turned bright red. Embarrassed, he turned away and stopped looking at her.

"Don't worry about it. I was going to wear it for the last time anyway."

Haku shook her head and spoke so quietly that even she could barely hear herself.

"Why are you here, big sister?"

"I came to gather herbs. How did you end up asleep here?"

"Well, Sasuke and I practiced tree climbing last night. I climbed until I was completely exhausted and collapsed. Ah! Now that I think about it, that guy didn't wake me up and tell me to go back to sleep. Damn it!"

Seeing the basket in Haku's hand, Naruto no longer had any doubts. He clenched his fists and viciously cursed Sasuke to choke on his food.

"Your hand is injured."

Haku noticed a red wound on the back of Naruto's clenched hand. It was not deep, but leaving it untreated could still be dangerous.

"Oh, I probably got scratched by a branch. It's nothing."

"How could it be nothing? What if it gets infected? Ahm..."

Haku took a medicinal herb for external injuries from her basket and put it in her mouth, slowly chewing it into a pulp. She gently took Naruto's hand, spat the chewed herb onto the wound, then took out a bandage and wrapped it for him.

"What is it? Do you think it's disgusting? In an emergency, this herb and saliva can both treat wounds!"

Seeing Naruto stare at her in surprise, Haku raised her index finger and waved it as she explained.

"No, no. It's just that this is the first time someone has bandaged me so gently. I kind of want to cry."

"Isn't that what parents usually do?"

"I don't have parents."

"I see."

"Not just parents. When I was little, I didn't have a single relative or friend. Everyone in the village looked down on me, ignored me, and hated me."

"But that was in the past. Now, I have lots of people behind me. I have friends I compete with, friends I play with, and most importantly, Hinata."

"After going through that, you can still smile so brightly?"

The smile Naruto showed when he spoke of Hinata was like the sun itself, making it impossible for Haku, who had lived in darkness, to look away. Their experiences were so similar—both ignored like abandoned dogs—yet Naruto had used his own strength to carve out a path to happiness. It was something she could never compare to.

"Because of Hinata. From the first time we met, she accepted me. After that, she's always, always stayed by my side. Without Hinata, I might really have become a bastard."

"You really are happy."

"That's right. This time, I also promised that I'd return safely. No matter what happens, I'll go back to Hinata's side. For that, I need to become stronger!"

"But I think you're already very strong, little ninja."

"Not enough. I have to become stronger, even stronger—strong enough that the entire village... no, the whole world notices me."

"I believe you'll definitely do it. When people want to protect something important, they can become very strong."

Bathed in sunlight, the boy's determined words were dazzling. Haku could not help reaching out and patting his head encouragingly.

"Big sister, you smell really nice."

Naruto shyly avoided Haku's hand. Perhaps because she had just gathered herbs, a faint and elegant fragrance drifted from her body, making Naruto a little lost in it.

"How could someone as stained with filth as me possibly smell nice? Goodbye, little ninja. I look forward to seeing you reach the top of the world."

Haku smiled and denied Naruto's words. Carrying her basket full of herbs, she left. At the same time, Sasuke, who had come to call Naruto back for breakfast, happened to arrive, and the two passed each other.

"Naruto, what were you doing here just now?"

"Nothing. Ah, I tore big sister's clothes, and I don't even know where she lives..."

"..."

From Sasuke's perspective, Naruto sat on the ground looking regretful, like someone whose good time had been interrupted before he was satisfied. Combined with the girl in torn clothes Sasuke had just seen, all sorts of thoughts immediately filled his head.

"What's with that look? Why are you looking at me like I'm non-recyclable trash?"

"Nothing. I was just marveling at the Land of Waves' sanitation. Such a large piece of garbage has been left outside for so long, yet no one has disposed of it."

"Damn it, are you talking about me? Why didn't you wake me up and tell me to go back to sleep last night?"

"Houses are for people to live in."

"What did I ever do to you?!"

The two began their usual bickering again. Sasuke was acting like he had eaten gunpowder today, and Naruto had no idea what he had done wrong. Depressed, he walked back to Tazuna's house.

"Nice work. You really did it within a day."

Naruto and Sasuke's kunai had already been stuck into the tops of the trees. Kakashi clapped in satisfaction, though there was no real praise in his lazy eyes.

"Sakura, go teach Naruto Water Walking. Sasuke is with me."

Sakura was very smart. She had mastered walking on water in a short time, enough for her to serve as Naruto's instructor for now.

"Huh? You're not taking me too?"

"I'd rather be alone with Sasuke..."

"Naruto, you're already strong enough. Practice Water Walking first. What I'm teaching Sasuke is Sharingan-specific Genjutsu. You can't learn it."

"Fine... Sasuke, don't cry if you can't learn it."

"You think I'm you, Dead Last?"

PS: Please bookmark and vote.