[Konoha]
Another spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom again.
This year, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki had finally made it, they had endured all the years and become the gate guardians of Konoha.
Looking at the bustling scene before him, the endless streams of people and traffic, the towering skyscrapers that now stood within the village, Kotetsu couldn't help but sigh.
"Konoha has changed so fast that I've almost forgotten… what it used to look like."
Izumo nodded in agreement, "Yeah. At this rate, we're about to be out of a job. Konoha's planning another expansion soon. When that happens, even this big gate will probably be torn down."
"After that, Konoha might not even have a 'gate' anymore," Izumo continued, "It'll all be connected. Open roads stretching in every direction, leading out of the village."
Kotetsu grinned, "Isn't that a good thing? Maybe we can catch some of that luck and get promoted to 'Chief Supervisors of Konoha's Import-Export Roads' or something."
But Izumo's eyes grew distant, "Sure, it's a promotion… but somehow, it feels like something's missing."
Just as they were chatting, a large bus suddenly approached from afar. Its entire body was painted black, with red clouds emblazoned across it.
Kotetsu's expression instantly turned serious, "The Akatsuki organization, arriving in full force. Be ready for reception."
Izumo blinked, a little stunned, "Isn't that kind of excessive? I don't remember any big events happening in Konoha lately."
Kotetsu replied, "There's one. Tomorrow, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin are getting married. Didn't you get an invitation?"
Izumo said, "Yeah, I got it. But still… even if Obito's in a high position now, Konoha's Black Fang and all, that whole 'ninja' thing's long gone. Is he still that famous outside the village?"
At that moment, a passerby from another town happened to overhear their conversation. He walked up and said, "You two are way behind the times. Nobody says 'ninja' anymore. This land's been called the City of Hope for years now. Who still calls it Konoha Village?"
He sighed, shaking his head, "You locals don't know how good you have it. Not like us outsiders, we have to build everything from scratch."
After saying that, he left, shaking his head as he walked away.
By then, the Akatsuki's large bus had arrived and stopped at the gate.
Yahiko stepped down first, holding an invitation in his hand. With a warm smile, he said, "We're here to attend Obito's wedding."
Kotetsu was stunned. He hadn't expected even the leader of the Village of Earth, Yahiko himself, to come in person.
He asked cautiously, "How many of you came?"
Yahiko glanced back at the bus and smiled, "Not too many. Just a few dozen, the official members of Akatsuki and their families."
'Not too many?'
Kotetsu quickly pressed the communicator clipped to his chest and spoke into it, "Notify the Hokage, every major member of Akatsuki is here!"
After that, Kotetsu turned to Yahiko, "Village Chief Yahiko, you may proceed inside. But please, be mindful of the impact."
Yahiko smiled, "Understood."
He returned to the bus, and soon, it slowly started up again, driving into the… City of Hope.
———
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Namikaze Minato was meeting with Obito and Rin to discuss the final wedding arrangements for tomorrow when he received the message.
He smiled at them, "Akatsuki's arrived. I've already prepared their rooms, they'll be settled in soon."
"If I didn't know the situation, I'd honestly be a little intimidated by this lineup."
Obito didn't seem surprised. He smiled, "Whatever you think is best, sensei."
Then he turned toward Rin, "Rin, have you picked out your wedding dress?"
Rin smiled softly, "Of course. My mom chose it for me. I love it."
Obito took a deep breath, a little nervous, "Rin… are you nervous?"
Rin shook her head, "We're already an old married couple by now. What's there to be nervous about?"
"But you," she teased, "you're way too tense. It's just a wedding. Honestly, we don't even need to hold one."
Hearing that, Obito relaxed and laughed, "We still should. At least we owe everyone some closure."
Rin gently nestled into his arms, feeling the warmth of him against her, "Still… it hasn't been easy, has it? The path we've walked together."
Obito smiled, "Rin, we're already more than happy enough. If anything was hard, it must've been for the other us."
Rin tilted her head, "You mean them? The ones from the other side? Yeah… one spent his life chasing the Infinite Tsukuyomi dream, running across the whole earth; the other waited in the Pure Land's gateway for who knows how long. That was truly hard."
"But in the end," she said softly, "they found each other and stayed together. From that moment, they'd already reached completion. All the suffering before that, it didn't matter anymore."
Obito chuckled, "Then why do you still say we had it hard? What's been hard for us?"
Rin laughed, "Of course I had it hard, having to deal with you always sneaking up and teasing me like some mischievous kid."
"Honestly, Obito, you're getting more childish with age. You weren't even this immature when you were ten."
Obito burst out laughing and hugged her tightly, "That's because, Rin, with you by my side, I can be childish. I can throw tantrums, complain when I'm hurt or hungry. I know there's always someone who'll care for me, who'll stay by me. So I don't have to keep everything bottled up inside anymore."
Hearing that, Rin's eyes filled with emotion, her smile trembling with tears.
"Now that you put it that way," she whispered, "I think that version of you really did have it hard."
But Obito pouted and leaned against her instead, "Hey, I went through the same things he did! Why do you only feel sorry for him?"
Rin pushed him away gently, like soothing a child, "Alright, enough nonsense. I've spent plenty of time with you today already. I still have a lot to handle for the wedding. Go entertain yourself for a while."
Obito said immediately, "Then I'll go help you with the preparations!"
Rin laughed and shook her head, "Nope. You'd just make it worse. Honestly, if you don't help, I'll be grateful."
Obito squinted playfully, "Rin, you're not hiding something from me, are you? Like… planning some huge surprise for the wedding?"
Rin burst out laughing. Looking him in the eyes, she said seriously, "Obito, are you still chasing after romance?"
Obito nodded, "Of course. I'm all about romance."
Rin smiled and spoke each word slowly, "Then I think…the most romantic thing in this world is growing old together with you."
Before Obito could even react to the warmth in his chest, Rin turned away and added lightly, "So apart from me, you probably shouldn't expect any more surprises."
Obito smiled, "Rin, you're right. Having you is already the greatest surprise of my life. There's nothing more I could ever ask for."
Rin's face softened with affection. She shook her head with a helpless smile and walked out of the Hokage's office.
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