The morning sun brushes his blonde hair, he slowly opens his eyes seeing that he has been already awake. He gently positions himself to sit up, facing the yellow rays of sunlight that showers his face.

He walks slowly to the door, when he opens it, he finds himself alone.

He smiled sadly knowing that this always happen and always will, he just...needs to get used to it. He approached the kitchen and once again, he found himself alone, why does it hurt? He really wonders why it always hurt knowing he has to be alone.

Who wants a child with the most powerful demon sealed inside him anyways?

None..Even his father seemed to have rejected him as well. Even though he has his friends, he himself isn't sure if they still wanted him after they know about the Kyuubi. He grabbed a cup ramen from the cabinet and poured hot water to it. He waited for three minutes to let it cook. After three minutes, he grabbed his chopsticks and slurped a mouthful of noodles. Tears started to drip from his chin to his hands which is still holding the chopsticks.

With every drop of his tear, he can feel all the agony that envelopes his loneliness. He started to sob that he actually choked the noodles he was currently swallowing. He immediately drank a glass of water and coughed for a bit. He laughed sympathetically when he noticed that there was no one there to take care of him for his clumsiness.

After eating, he threw the cup in the trashbin when he was finish eating. He grabbed a towel and took shower, then after, he immediately went to a change of clothes. He went on with his usual clothing, he wore his orange jumpsuit, his blue sandals, and he tied his forehead protector to his forehead.

Walking to the front door, before opening it, he wore his mask firmly. He was just desperately sad a while ago, now he wore a big grin to hide his pain, no one even manage to look underneath it, except for some people who sees him as a normal kid and acknowledges what he is.

He then started heading to the usual training grounds where he usually meets his team. He didn't mind at all that he was already an hour and a half late because he knows Kakashi always arrive two hours after the designated time. He purposely came thirty minutes before the time Kakashi normally arrives.

But to his surprise, Kakashi was already there..leaning against a tree reading his precious literature, and he noticed he was the only one they were waiting for.

Sakura was already there who was eyeing Sasuke with full admiration, Sasuke just sitting next to the tree looking as stoic as he can be. But they were surprised when Naruto got there, his teammates didn't even sense him coming. They were all eyeing at Naruto as if they had just seen a ghost. He just grinned back and said.

"Ohayou, Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme, Kakashi-sensei!" He greeted them with his foxy grin getting bigger to mask the emotion of surprise seeing Kakashi was not late and he was later than him, but he flinched slightly which only came noticeable to Kakashi.

"Yo! Nice to see you're already here!" Kakashi greeted back he was smiling under his mask but they can determine it by the upside 'u' curl from his eye and eyebrow.

Sasuke, there stoic, brooding, same old Sasuke, he was annoyed Naruto was late, he didn't want to reply back but at least he manage to give him a "Hn."

There left Sakura, her face was red from the anger that was leaking out of her. "Baka! You're late than Kakashi-sensei! He arrived an hour ago before you. Now, why are you late? It better be a good explanation! It's really annoying that you're late, but you look like you don't even mind at all, Sssh!" growled Sakura angrily crossing her arms tightly to her chest, eyeing at Naruto as if he was a prey who was about to get caught.

Naruto sweatdropped, he chuckled shakily, thinking a way to answer the question of an enraging Sakura. If he gave her an answer that won't satisfy her, he will fly twenty feet from where he is standing by getting caught in her punch when she gets cranky. Oh well, might as well try than nothing, "Well..Uh..I, overslept?"

"Liar!" Sakura was about to smack him upwards to teach him a lesson when she noticed something when she got caught of his eye for a few seconds, Naruto noticed this and immediately avoided her gaze, this won't do good. "Say? Have you been crying? Your eyes are are a little sore..Hmmn."

Eyeing him for a long moment, "Well?" she was demanding, Naruto gulped silently, Sasuke was eyeing him as well, except for Kakashi who was busy with his book. He was glad that Sakura had come to change the subject, but way more complicated.

Should he tell them? What if they think he's just pathetic as the villagers think about him? No, he can't tell them. He just needs to come up with something to avoid suspisions, 'Come on! Think..Think..Think!' was the thought that was screaming in his mind, let's see..

"Well, you see.. The shampoo I used this morning when taking a bath reached my eyes and I have to let it cool down for a bit to simmer the pain which is also a reason for me being late.. It really is a pain you know? Who wants to miss practice anyway?" He reasoned nervously while scratching the back of his head. He is thinking that his team might not accept a stupid reason like this.

But Kami was on his side today, thank goodness and they just nodded to his dumb, pathetic excuse. But Kakashi didn't believe it, for some certain reasons he knows why, if there would be any particular reason for the blonde to cry.

Kakashi, same as Jiraiya, are well disappointed on Minato. It's true Minato is good leading the village but they come to realize how cruel and blinded he was when it comes to his only family now, Naruto.

Jiraiya have told Kakashi about his training with Naruto and about his request, he felt pity for his blonde student. But to his surprise today, it was the first time Naruto's teammates noticed his sore eyes or they are just looking for a good time to approach him about it..He guessed? He noticed every morning that Naruto's eyes seemed to be sore and reddish, not that of the Kyuubi's but indeed from crying.

He idolizes the kid when Jiraiya hadn't failed to mention that Naruto hasn't given up yet on his pathetic sensei. Yes, pathetic was the word for his sensei.. Because for him, Minato let himself be blinded by his hatred towards the Kyuubi because it killed his wife.

He, the Yondaime, Naruto's father, like the villagers puts their burden on a child who has no control for what happened to him when Kyuubi was sealed inside him which he himself doesn't approve off.

He just hoped his sensei is not yet too late when Naruto finally snaps out of it. 'Ugh..Life? Why does it have to be this complicated?' he complained to himself, he was lost in his thoughts when "Ne,Kakashi-sensei? You seemed to be spaced out there for a moment?"Naruto interrupted his thoughts, when he gazed on his student.

Naruto's grin just got bigger which pains Kakashi even more. Seeing his student's grin reminds him so much of how Naruto hides his sorrows behind that mask of a happy-go-lucky ninja. And also because of that mask, suppressing Naruto's emotion, was barely bad if he immediately snaps out. 'Oh goody! Why does he have to act like he's always okay? I hope Naruto can still manage, with that mask still on..He will never be able to make it when he finally snaps out in desperation..' was his thought eyeing Naruto more for a minute.

"No, I was just thinking if we could postpone our training for today?" Kakashi said smiling sadly behind his mask.

"WHAT?" to Kakashi's surprise, all of his students shouted the same thing in unison, even the stoic, calm and quiet student of his, Sasuke, was embrode by this statement. Sigh.. He was expecting this, half-expecting it actually.

"Yes, You could leave now, but I have things to take care of, I just waited for all of you to show up to be able to tell you this.." Kakashi explained receiving death glares from his students, while he just eyed them lazily, his eyes drifted from them to the book he was currently reading, actually, he wasn't reading it, he was waiting for yellings and blamings from his team, but none spoke.

Sasuke growled silently, he dashed off from the clearing, Sakura followed pursuit. Naruto was about to leave as well when a hand was laid on his shoulder, he turned around to see Kakashi who was crouching down looking at him on the same eye level.

"Naruto is there something that is bothering you? I 'am' your sensei, you could tell me.." Kakashi said in a softer tone, he emphasized the word 'am' because he knew Naruto would immediately refused to answer this question. Naruto was a bit shocked at his sensei's statement, it reminds him how a father would care for his son like that, unfortunately, he could only witness that from the villagers, but at least he found Iruka, he was like a father to him, but not the father he wanted to earn acknowledgement from.

"Nothing sensei, it's just..Life is rather rough on me though.." He said hoarsely, his voice was a little bit desperate from what Kakashi can describe, but he knew that that sentence had a deeper meaning into it, eyeing on the blonde, Naruto's eyes were showing nothing but nervousness.. Just the fact that he first saw from him..

"Naruto, please..I know about sensei's irresponsibility to you, I know that he's acting like a blind man..but Naruto you've got to stop acting like you can take everything in by always looking okay, but no, it pains me more and the others around who notices this. I am not a stranger to you, and you're certainly not to me..But just because sens-" He was cut off by a soft voice from his student..

"Kakashi-sensei..I know what you mean..But it 'is' my choice, I personally chose this purpose. At least I know I have this purpose to live here, to be here, to encourge my well-being..My father's everything to me..You know that." said Naruto rather sadly yet determiningly.. His eyes now showed determination and hope.. And most of all, pain.

"But you don't have to do everything by your own..I can help, why don't you let us help?" asked Kakashi sternly squeezing Naruto's shoulder a little bit tighter, eyeing at his student seriously, looking desperate to get him to talk about his problem.

"If I do accept the help you are offering, It means I didn't earn it on my own.. but you know what?" Naruto said trailing off a bit and leaned a little bit closer to his sensei and whispered something right to his ear.. "Every person has their own limits.." and began walking away from Kakashi, he stopped on his tracks and faced him turning his head.

"And it's about time, I am beginning to reach mine.." and with that he walked farther where he could calm for a bit. He left Kakashi more worriedly. His sensei looked at his retreating form, Naruto's back reminded him so much of his sensei's.

Naruto walked slowly, he was happy he has some other people who actually cared about him. He was smiling sadly, he walked further until he reached the Ichiraku's, he eyed on it for a moment..

And entered the stand slowly, he placed his mask firmly, he wore his big foxy grin upon entering the Ramen Shop, he was surprised he spotted Team 8 in there. He saw Kiba who seems to be eating ramen and feeding Akamaru with some, Hinata who was eyeing at him while blushing and twitching her fingers together, and Shino who was eyeing at him, he couldn't tell what the bug boy was thinking because of his sunglasses.

He grinned wider seeing them, bonding with his friends was another way forgetting about how painful it was being alone, how painful it was being rejected and hated.

"Yo! Kiba! I didn't know you eat ramen?" he asked Kiba with sarcasm, his voice was a happy croak getting the attention of the customers.

"Uh-huh..Hinata was the one who forced us to eat here..And of course, I eat ramen, most of the people do, I am still one of those people you know.." Kiba replied hastily earning looks from Shino and Hinata, but the main reason they were there is because Sakura and Sasuke asked them too, not only them when the other rookies also arrived.

Team 10 entered the stand as well with Shikamaru on the lead, wearing his chuunin vest. Ino who was looking at him annoyed and Chouji isn't bringing any chips as he ordered a kage size chicken ramen.

"Glad to see o-others ar-are also here.." Hinata managed to say looking at Naruto as she blushed even redder, Shikamaru sat beside Chouji who was eating, and Ino just sat next to Hinata and began gossiping, so much for bonding with friends.. Until Sakura and Sasuke arrived.

"Oh, seems that everyone is here, Lee's team isn't back from their mission yet, but I think this will do," facing Sasuke.."right Sasuke?" Sasuke nodded and gazed at the blonde who sat one seat apart from them, he was slurping his ramen happily.. Naruto imagined they weren't there because on the looks of it, he knew why there were there, he couldn't just make sure if it was..

"Naruto is something bothering you? I've called them here because you've been acting strange lately.." Sakura said eyeing at Naruto, Naruto just looked dumbfounded, they were expecting him to refuse like he always do even though he has problems, they almost played the infamous staring contest for they were staring at each other for almost fifteen minutes, no one spoke a word.

Naruto put down his chopsticks and his grin turned into a frown.. They stared wide-eye at the sudden change of expression from Naruto.

"How strange?" he asked breaking the silence.. They eyed for him at a moment, Sasuke was the first to snapped out, "What?" he managed to ask..Naruto sighed, and stood from his seat and let his mask slip a little bit at this moment.

"I said, How strange?".. No answer. His frown deepened.

"Your not acting like yourself lately..and you've been always late on our meetings and trainings.."said Sakura worriedly, receiving all the looks of the rookies who have no idea what was really going on, they have just been called there.

"What do you know about my real self that you are saying am not acting like the Naruto I've always been?" he asked, receiving weird looks from the rookies, Sakura thought for a moment having the same thought running through the minds of the rookies..

What do they really know about the real Naruto? All they know is that he improved, he's goofy, sometimes annoying, loud and happy-go-lucky. But what else? Besides that he is the son of the Yondaime, What do they know about the blonde who is now currently standing in front of them, frowning..

"You're a dobe, annoying, loud, and always seems to be happy about everything and the son of our Yondaime, the hero of our village, who killed the Kyuubi no Kitsune, besides from that nothing else.." said Sasuke sternly, even him was questioning his self of who Naruto really was..Naruto flinched a little bit by mentioning the Kyuubi no Kitsune being killed by his father..

His father, he felt sad, the man whom he's trying to earn acknowledgement was actually the on who made him a monster in the eyes of every villager who knew about it.

"Well yeah, I guess you know me after all." he said sadly scratching the back of his head, he felt sad because he can't still let them know all the truth behind him and his mask.. Not today, but someday.. He chuckled nervously..

"I guess I am just little bit sad because we don't get to spend times like this, where all of us are here, my friends, I really missed you guys.." he said smiling for real, earning smiles from them, they just know how to make the blonde soft..

Yeah, what Naruto said was half-true, its almost been never when they get to spend time like this, as complete.. They know how Naruto truly values friendship, that's why they considered his answer in approvement. They spent their entire day in Ichiraku's talking to each other, laughing and actually enjoying themselves.

Naruto wishes this time never ends, even though he feels like he lost his family, he has this family which only his heart could tell. His friends, was one of the precious people he swore to protect.

Meanwhile in the Hokage tower.. Minato was having a headache from the paperworks towering his desk. He sighed and took a sip from his coffee, he looked at the picture of the woman he dearly loved standing beside the mountaneous paperworks laying in his desk.

He smiled sadly, he really wished she was still here. His sad smile turned into a grin upon sensing someone's presence, it's been so long since this person has arrived. Then, a few seconds, as he expected, a figure jumped from the window into his office. He is a white-haired man with a large scroll strap to his back. That man was frowning just when he entered his student's office.

"Ne, sensei? It's been so long isn't it?" he asked the the white-haired man walking slowly to his desk. The man's frown deepened. Minato raised a curious eyebrow when he saw the frown on his sensei's face..It wasn't usual on Jiraiya to be like this, unless it is deadly serious, maybe he got beaten by women when he was peeping?

No, his face was more serious than those times. But What? It's also unlike him to just show up suddenly who would wear a face like that and greet his beloved student? Something isn't right. He could also feel the anger filling up the air, is it from his sensei? He can ask..

"Minato, we need to talk.." Jiraiya said sternly, his voice was hard and dead, for Jiraiya, seeing his student right now wasn't much of a pleasure for him, his disappointment and anger was rosing up seeing him happy sitting behind his desk while his son is desperate for his attention.

"About what?" Minato asked still grinning at the weird look on Jiraiya, he couldn't help but grin, its rare seeing Jiraiya serious as ever because he's always busy with his little research to continue the crap he's writing for Kakashi and the other perverts, but this was just not like him.

"Naruto..." his sensei said with anger rosing up, the room was filled with silence, the cold air brushes down on Minato's skin, Minato felt that something cold reach down his spine, it scared him. "We need to talk about Naruto, who was your son.."