Sorry for not updating often, readers.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Naruto.

Almost a full year after my family and I moved from Konoha to Grass, my parents informed me that would be moving back to Konoha. Immediately, almost absent-mindedly, a smile broke out on my face, and I turned my head so that my parents wouldn't notice it.

"Alright," I said, faking indifference. "I'll go pack then." As soon as I entered my bedroom the smile returned and ignored the idea that this sudden happiness may have been because of a certain person.

Instead of packing I threw myself onto my small, unmade bed and sighed happily. The happiness did not last for very long, however; it turned into something along the lines of confusion. There was no reason to be joyful; I was only in Konoha for a handful of days. My first day of school was uneventful, I had to dissect a frog, and I even skipped the last hour. Yet I was beaming like a fool.

I had not changed a lot, appearance-wise, in the months that I had been away from Konoha. But my hair was shorter, up to my shoulders, and thicker. I wore the ninja uniform that my parents always wanted me to wear. It was a fishnet body suit with khaki shorts and a loose, dark green shirt that hung off me shoulders. My ninja heels were old and worn.

Approximately an hour later, I stood in our empty soon-to-be-ex-living room with my parents, who were in their old ANBU uniforms, complete with the mask.

"All good to go?" My dad asked. I nodded.

"Yeah; let's go."

"Rin, we're going to Hokage-sama's office to see if we'll be accepted as Konoha ninja, alright?" My father asked.

"Alright. Just make sure my hitai-ate is small enough to fit around my arm," I said quietly.

"Here's your schedule, Rin; welcome back." The secretary gave me the same fake smile she had last time I was here. Once again, I wordlessly took the piece of paper and left, and this time I was able to find my homeroom class without assistance.

"Nice to have you back, Rin. Where have you been?" asked Kakashi, who, surprisingly, was my homeroom teacher this year, too. I shook my head.

"That's confidential," I answered shortly. Kakashi nodded in understanding.

"Alright. You may sit in your old seat." I ignored the stares I received as I approached my seat. Once seated, I tuned everything Kakashi was saying out and looked out the window, just like before.

I jumped as I felt someone poke my side.

"What?" Eyes half-closed, I turned to meet eyes with a blonde boy, who was obviously overexcited.

"What are you doing back-ttebayo?" he asked. I looked at him strangely.

"May I know who's asking?" I shot back.

"Uzumaki Naruto! Back to my question, though-ttebayo. Why are you back?"

"Confidential, my friend."

"So we're friends, now?" He grinned a foxy grin. I couldn't help but smile slightly at him.

"I guess so, Naruto-kun."

"Just Naruto-ttebayo!"

"Okay, Naruto. You're officially my first friend here." His expression changed into one of puzzlement. I decided that, since we were friends, I could tell him. "Can you keep a secret?" I whispered.

"Of course-ttebayo!"

"But you have to promise not to tell Hokage-sama until I say you can, okay?"

"OKAY!" he said loudly.

"Shhh!" I scolded. "Long story short, my parents are missing-nin and we move very often. There was never a point in making friends, becoming attached, then suddenly having to leave them." The sweet blonde looked as if he was about to cry.

"That's so sad!" He sniffled and I eyed him warily.

"Alright class, you may do whatever you wish until homeroom is over; there are no more announcements," Kakashi spoke loudly. Naruto grinned, most likely because he no longer had to keep his voice down.

"Oiii, SASUKE!" Naruto called.

"ITAI. Naruto, stop yelling!" I hollered in his ear. Everyone turned to look at us. I laughed slightly, nervously, and rubbed the back of my neck as I sank into the seat.

"Well, this is a bit awkward…" Sasuke said. I felt a slight pain in my chest when I noticed Sasuke greatly resembled my deceased older brother, Ren, and I was unwillingly taken over by reminiscence.

-Flashback-

"Rin?" Ren was lying on the hospital bed, looking out the window at the outside world.

"Yeah?"

"Don't the birds look so free? I wish… I wish I had that much freedom," he said softly, longingly in a voice that broke my heart even further. "Rin."

"H-hai?" I had been fighting my tears back all day.

"Promise me.. promise me, you'll live your life, alright?" He coughed once. "You have to…" He was interrupted by another cough. "Live it to the fullest. For me, okay?" Before I could respond, he began to cough violently and as I went to go call a doctor, he fell unconscious and I felt my heart pound faster and faster as the pace of the heart monitor slowed. A flat line showed on the EKG and everything after that was a blur to me, and even when the doctors and nurses rushed in I allowed myself to be pushed aside.

-Flashback End-

"Rin? Why are you crying-ttebayo?" asked Naruto.

"Huh?" I lifted a trembling finger to my face and felt that a few drops had escaped from my eyes. I wiped them away and forced a smile. "It's nothing to worry about, Naruto; I'm okay." He looked at me doubtfully, but I just turned my attention back to the birds outside. I had to live my life to the fullest and allow myself to be free, like the birds. For him…

I was later informed that Pein and the remaining Akatsuki had gone to Ame, a non-shinobi village. I felt relieved; this saved me from the numerous awkward moments that were sure to occur if Pein and I had met again.

"So, what are you doing today, Rin-ttebayo?" asked Naruto after school. I thought for a second.

"Nothing," I replied bluntly.

"Then would you like to go to the mall with Gaara, Sasuke, maybe Hinata, and me?"

"Hold on; let me ask my parents." I pulled out my phone and texted my mother and received a reply almost immediately.

'Of course, just make sure you don't spend all of your money. That's your allowance for the month, you know.' I smiled.

"I can go." Naruto grinned and jumped up.

"LET'S GO-TTEBAYO!" yelled Naruto. My hands shot to the sides of my head.

"Naruto, you don't have to yell; I'm sitting right next to you," I nagged.

He laughed sheepishly and apologized. I swear, the boy is so loud, I bet the entire village can hear him, and, if he tried, I bet his voice could spread at least to Kumo.

"Let's go here," Gaara suggested. He was pointing to an amazing store filled with wonderful shoes. My eyes lit up, almost like a typical child's eyes would upon entering a candy store.

"Sure." I tried not to sound too excited. I desperately needed knew shoes; mine were old and worn.

"Welcome. How may I help you?" One of the store employees asked nicely. I suddenly had an idea: the others seem only to have seen the quiet, blunt side of me, I would play a trick on them.

"Just leave me alone!" I cried dramatically and sprinted out of the store, and slowed down as I neared the restrooms. I went into an empty stall in the women's restroom and performed the hand signs.

"Henge no Jutsu," I whispered. I smiled sinisterly as I thought of what this could possibly lead to.