Author's Note: I do an original series of ninja stories called "Seishin", and so I've decided to do a "fanfiction counterpart" of that. This story will not "officially" begin until the NARUTO comic ends in Japan as this is a full alternative retelling/tribute story. I still have other stories (my signature is still Monster Rancher), and I'm going to casually take my time on this. For now, I will give you two teaser chapters: This prologue and, soon, a short chapter about the Fourth Hokage.

Masashi Kishimoto, thank you for the many years of NARUTO.

Enjoy.

Prologue: What are friends?

(永遠とは?)

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot!?"

Sasuke Uchiha continued through the veranda; he was certain he had closed the door behind him, but it wasn't enough to subdue the shout. After the loud derision came the sound of the door flying open, violently slamming against the wall from a shove.

"What the hell! We've spent all this time preparing for your birthday and you leave!?"

Sasuke's steps continued. He would not turn to look at his teammate. He was too accustomed to the headstrong and straight-arrow traits that arranged the "Number One Idiot of Konoha Village". But it was the Number One Idiot who was calling one of the most gifted children of the village the "idiot".

Because the Uchiha didn't say anything, Naruto Uzumaki continued shooting off his mouth. "Look here," he said, "I don't know anything about the Uchiha Clan, but it doesn't mean you gotta be an ass! We're teammates!"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks. "Teammates?" he repeated the word with a hint of scorn. "Humph, don't say that word so casually. Like we're friends."

"What do you mean?" Naruto sounded disappointed.

"Sasuke! Where are you going?!" The uppity voice of the other teammate intruded, the pink-haired girl Sakura Haruno. She ran out of the room and stopped behind Naruto. Sasuke still didn't face his teammates. Naruto's irritation grew, since he felt that the Uchiha had no excuse, after so many moons and missions, to still keep a distance from others. A year had passed, and the reason for Sasuke to feel so uncertain evaded Naruto.

As for Sakura, an expression of concern appeared on her face. "Sasuke, did we do something wrong?" she asked. The good question provoked Sasuke's thoughts to form an answer. He turned his body, but his head was bowed to avoid eye contact. His answer wouldn't emerge yet as he continued to think about it.

"Heh," Naruto smiled, "I get that you don't like to talk much and you're into revenge and stuff, but you can still try to fit in." He said it with a natural enthusiasm, like he spoke with something of close intimacy. Again, like to a friend, and with no thought of consequences; Sakura knew that and was quick to grab Naruto by his collar. In that short moment, Sasuke lost focus.

"Why care?!" The Uchiha raised his head and gave Naruto and Sakura an indignant glare.

"Don't you see anything wrong with this?" Sasuke's question felt like criticism.

"Hell no," Naruto grimaced at Sasuke, and he wondered over the question. "It's a birthday party. Nothing's wrong with it at all. It's supposed to be a happy event; you're just being a sagging bag of poop."

"Sasuke, you're not trying to say that you can't have friends, are you?" Sakura asked. Her words were hollow like it pained her to ask the question. She released Naruto's collar as a morose feeling began to congest her body.

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest. He recalled what Naruto had said about "being an ass", and it was at that moment when he felt like his family received a potshot. Among the Konoha adults, there were stories of how the Uchiha Clan brought misfortunate among themselves, including their massacre. Afterward, Sasuke committed himself to a bright future for his family. He hated that his name was analogous to something "foul". It wasn't necessarily pride from being so strong.

"Don't get too close into my affairs. We're not in an age of peace and I can't let you hamper me. I am an Uchiha after all." Sasuke told his teammates, turning his head away. Despite his wishes, he still cared about being stronger, which worsened his personality. Also, he disliked the idea of Naruto and Sakura behaving like a pseudo-family. It was the main trigger of his irritation and was what caused him to walk out the door: seeing Naruto and Sakura smile, filling the atmosphere with an abundant cheeriness. It was like there was nothing wrong.

Sasuke wanted to be alone because it was all an acute reminder of what he had lost five years ago. The other two had little or nothing to lose.

"Hey, pipe down." Appearing from the door was Kakashi Hatake, the team's appointed ninja sensei. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke turned their full attention to him. Despite the tension from the children, the jonin carried an aloft air to him, like he was a part of a common situation of kids bickering over minor things.

"You may be Uchiha," Kakashi said, "but you're still a young man whose life is ahead of him. With your abilities, perhaps you can bring peace?"

Sasuke turned away again.

Kakashi continued. "Also, you're a human being?" His face looked easy. He closed his only disclosed eye, which was the only thing that could show if Kakashi's facial muscles stretched when he smiled.

"You can spare time to do other things," he said.

From Kakashi's words, a bit of Sasuke's mind revealed itself in a few words:

"Stop sounding like a father." After that, he walked away. Such bitter words made Sakura's heart freeze and she felt like there was a cryptic meaning. Naruto didn't have a second's thought.

"Hey! Come back!" He lunged, but his shoulder was grasped. He turned his head.

"Sensei!"

Kakashi let out a sigh and shook his head, "Leave him, okay?"

"Why?! That's bullshit what he said!" Naruto protested.

"Let him clear his head and maybe he'll come back."

"Kakashi-sensei, why would he say that?" Sakura asked in a voice full with disapproval. Her eyes were wide.

"I think he said that," Kakashi paused and watched Sasuke move further away, "because he does care."

The trio returned to their room, but Naruto and Sakura couldn't eat. Their minds and hearts were too heavy from various emotions: Sadness, curiosity, anger, impatience. On Sasuke's strawberry whipped cream cake, the candle continued to burn. The tea was getting cold; so was the rice covered in natto beans, which were alongside plates of sushi on rice.

Across the cream cake was black icing: "Otanjoubi omedetou gozaimasu." (お誕生日おめでとうございます)

Eventually, Sasuke returned to his team. He closed his eyes and sat down in front of his birthday cake; he remarked that he wasn't sorry, and only came back because he was hungry. To which, Naruto countered with:

"Your empty stomach didn't put shit your mouth! Apologize, you idiot!"

"Naruto, shut up!" said Sakura.

"Think he can just come back here and start eating! The warm food is probably cold now!"

"Now now now," Kakashi waved his hands, "it is his party after all."