Naruto was always a bright person... Okay, not the smartest person, but his personality and clothing choices were the brightest. He could always get someone to laugh at him and beamed a big, goofy grin.

It... looked so wrong now that this bright person was hooked up to machines to keep watch on him to make sure he live. The only odd thing was he seemed to be sleeping peaceful compared to the few "fits" as the doctors called what happened the first few days of his condition roughly a week ago.

A condition I caused.

"I should have known," My homeroom teacher sighed with coming into the hospital room. "Sasuke-kun, you can't keep skipping the academy like this. You may have great grades, but they only go so far if you don't attend."

"I am studying." I tapped my book, not looking up to see which of my homeroom teachers it was. I got their voices down okay, but I had to look at faces to recognize people for sure.

And right now, I was in no mood to look anyone in the eyes. Not after what I did to Naruto.

"I heard of it." My teacher sat down next to me. "You've joined the medic-nin program. Some of the medic-nin are impressed by how quickly you are adapting... But, I'm worried you'll burn yourself out... And I don't think Naruto would want that." Ah, this was Umino.

Only Umino Iruka called Naruto by his first name if not in school. The other teachers always referred him as Uzumaki or "the kid" or "boy" or the like. Even Mizuki kept to just calling Naruto his name when around him in class, never outside of it.

"I bet he would..."

"I don't want to be here."

Those were the last words I heard out of Naruto's mouth. He was brought back to reality for a minute or so... But, the cost was great.

The genjutsu he used on himself was the same that… that man used on me. It took me weeks to recover from that torture. However, I had Uchiha genetics on my side to aid my recovery.

Naruto, he didn't have such luck. Many of the doctors were stumped by the damage to his mind and brain. They said his fast healing was... well, it was confused somehow and not healing right.

Naruto may never wake up. And it was all my fault.

If he attempted suicide with his changed clone jutsu, then he might still be awake and had a second chance. Instead, I somehow changed his jutsu and he was possibly in a coma till he died. The Third Hokage already made it clear Naruto would be put on life support if his condition worsen. At least now he was still breathing on his own.

I refused to leave Naruto suffering for my mistake... So, I became a medic.

There was no treatment for Naruto's... illness as they were calling it. I will make one even if I had to ignore that traitor. He told me to live my life running away and clinging to my pitiful life.

Now... Now I understand those words all too well... And realized I was just dough in his palms with letting revenge take on everything. Worse, I've quite possibly marred my clan's name with being so stupidly blind to what was in front of me...

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" I snapped out of my torrent of thoughts and focused on Umino's face. A frown was on his lips, but his eyes reflected worry. "Have you slept or ate anything yet, today?"

I looked away bashfully when my stomach answered for me. "A little..."

"You're worse than Naruto," I flinched at his words. "Here." A riceball was put before me and I snatched it.

"Thanks." I opened the wrapper and bit into it.

"No problem... Any... news on Naruto's condition?" Umino looked over to his favorite student. It was no lie to all of the class Naruto somehow got into this Chunin's heart. I sometimes wondered if that brat also wormed into mine as well with realizing how much it hurts without him around to brighten everyone's day.

"He's stable." I said, "I shadowed during the examination earlier. His vitals are that of a trance state. Brain activity was the same as before... No signs of him responding to outside stimuli." Not even ramen.

I've eaten ramen at least once a day in the past week in hopes of maybe... Maybe Naruto had some resilience to the damage and wake up to his favorite food.

All for nothing.

"It's not your fault, Sasuke-kun." I let Umino put his hand on my shoulder. "Naruto... Naruto has had a rough life. That's how I understand him. There were times where I wanted to quit, too. He... He had it a lot worse."

"Because he's just a thing?" I snarled out, but not at Umino.

The past week had been eye-opening for me. And I might have realized why that man snapped when he did.

All the adults outside a few like the Hokage and Umino... They never once referred to Naruto by name. Always "that boy" or "him" or even sometimes "it" or "that thing." Never once as a person and the rumors that had been going around were just plain ridiculous.

The boy faked his death to run away?

The boy just wanted attention and was probably fine?

The boy wasn't hurt. He couldn't be considering what it was.

It eerily brought back my memories of before the massacre. Where odd rumors were whispered by the adults of the village... And everyone in the clan that were adults seemed on edge and quick to anger with some members.

Was it this kind of thinking that domino things into disaster and tragedy?...

And was I a part of it for Naruto's suicide? I would never know if Naruto couldn't wake up.

It was like Naruto somehow painted over a life of angst and mysteries with orange and smiles. How could he had hidden such things from everyone in class, I didn't know... No... Maybe we were so blinded by our own lives and how all the adults acted...

We just never really saw the real Naruto, didn't we?

"Sadly, I can't speak of why... But yes." Umino's eyes soften so much that I expected him to break into tears. "To be denied your own right to exist... The pain must be unimaginable."

My throat became a knot.

I knew what it was like to lose my whole family. My heart still ached badly for my family. To want everything to be like it was before... Sometimes I even wanted to forgive that man if it was possible to bring everything back together again.

Naruto never even had a family. I knew he was an orphan... But, I've only learned his parents died when he was born when he was brought to the hospital. And he never once had anyone adopt him or foster him. His guardian was the freaking Third Hokage for crying out loud!

I couldn't even begin to understand Naruto's hardships... Doing everything alone.Unable to ask for help to anyone... Of all the mistakes and falls he had to make just to learn something because there was not a soul who would show him how to do it.

It just made me realized just how lucky I was to at least have a... brother who used to help me... And parents to love me and scared the nightmares away for eight years.

Naruto had not a single thing a child should have had growing up. And a lot of his awkward ways became to be clear when viewed of the fact he learned every damn thing through observation and mimicking. Even his behaviors in class and such.

"Why... couldn't it been me instead of him?" At least Naruto had the abilities to create bonds with others. I was too damn scared and arrogant to let anyone close to me. I could see why he gave me such an angry look before he attempted to take his life.

Naruto must have been jealous of how I denied myself the very thing he wanted the most. I was a big jerk and I never realized it till it was too late.

"Sasuke, don't-"

"Surprise!" I actually fell out of my seat. I thought that was just a phrase, but apparently one could truly do so if frighten enough.

"What are you all doing here?" I got up and grimaced. Great, I didn't get a chance to mark where I was at and would have to search for where I stopped on anatomy and basic neurology.

"We heard Sasuke was in the hospital, so thought he needed a visit to help feel better." I frowned with finding some of my classmates at the door. Some of them were holding flowers.

"Ah, wrong," Umino sighed. "Sasuke joined the medic-nin program. He isn't sick... Though I wish he was considering at least that can be an official excuse for his skipping." Umino gave me the stink eye which I ignored.

"Hn," I grunted while picking up my books.

I was studying. It's not my fault the academy doesn't cover more medical subjects. Damn should consider how much I learned the past week. Probably drop the morality rates of ninja dying on missions if everyone knew more than just bare basic first aid.

"Oh... But, I heard rumors..." Ah, that pink hair girl... I think her name was Haruno or something? The Yamanaka heir was right next to her as well.

"Well, that mystery solved," Agh... Kiba. I know he's an Inuzuka, but he got damn close to being as annoying as Naruto. No, I shouldn't think that way.

I don't want to have someone else end up like Naruto.

"So, next one, where's Naruto at?" Kiba asked with a grin and my eyes widen. "I mean, I haven't seen the prankster anywhere for a week. Did he finally get arrested or-Hey!"

"Sasuke!" Umino pulled me back before I could truly connect my fist to his nose. This... This idiot! Was he blind? Heck, didn't any of these fools even ask who's room I was in?

"What was that for, jerk?" Kiba shouted and tried to grab me. Thankfully, it seemed the Aburame boy from our class held him back.

"N-N-Naruto... kun?" The Hyuuga Heiress... I think Hinata? Yes, she looked at Naruto with pure horror. My eyes went straight down as the others probably figured it out.

"What do you... What the... Naruto? Hey, buddy, that's a lame prank. Get out of the bed and-"

"It's not a prank, Kiba." Shikamaru was always identifiable by his slow and lazy voice. I never had to look at his face to recognize who he was. "What happened, Sensei?"

"He... attempted suicide," Umino said, his voice trembled slightly. "Sasuke-kun tried to stop him... But, it changed the jutsu. It was supposed to be a jutsu that drained all his chakra... Instead, he's stuck in a coma due to a genjutsu he accidentally created. The doctors have no idea how to cure the damage done."

"W-Wait... You mean," Kiba said before his face drained of all life. "Why?... Why would Naruto do that? I mean, he was always goofy and happy. Why would he take his life when was-"

"Kiba-kun, sometimes, those who are hurting the worse smile to hide it." I froze at the stern, cold voice that came from Umino. "Worse, in this case, no one saw it coming till it was too late. At least I had friends to kept me from ending up this far... Naruto... He had no one... Even I failed him."

"S-Sensei," Yamanaka whimpered, "H-He's gonna be alright, right? He'll wake up soon?"

"Noone knows." I said, "The damage done... Makes it impossible to tell. He could be a vegetable for the rest of his life." Kiba grabbed me by the collar and had his fist back.

"You jerk! How could you... you..." I stared at Kiba with a frown. Go ahead and punch me. I know I deserved that all too well.

Naruto wouldn't be a vegetable if I hadn't been so stupid.

"Stop it!" Umino hissed, "And out, all of you! This is a patient's room, not a sparring ring!"

"Er... Sorry, Sensei." Kiba let me go, "But... Is Naruto... Is Naruto seriously..."

"I will find a way to fix him," I said it low, but Kiba and Umino heard it. I saw their feet move in reaction to my words. "If the doctors or time can't fix him, I will. I promise that." I looked back at Naruto.

However, I got a bit of a shock.

For a moment, before Umino dragged me out of the room... I saw Naruto was smiling with joy.

That was the first expression Naruto has made since his first fit. Since a week ago, Naruto's face had been expressionless and doll-like. Even when he opened his eyes to expose no one home and still in a trance.

Was... Was that progress?

I didn't know. By the time I came back a few hours later... His expression was back to doll-like with his eyes open.

So much for hope.