Something came to mind so this happened.

(This took me a week to make so... yeah, and I write my A/N's in the moment)

Update while making this: Some… can I be blunt?

If you don't wanna hear out my reason for making the chap this way, the chap's just down there. If you wanna know, continue reading the Author's Note.

Okay… here it goes. See, I talked to my crush again. I thought I had a chance… again… so, yeah, I did the most stupid thing, I asked her out earlier this year again.

Too late. Her heart was taken.

Of course, this wasn't why I decided to write this. Don't worry, for those of you who don't want to hear/read this emotional break down of mine, the real chap is below.

Anyway, today, November 14, 2016; Philippines; 16:45 or something hours, I just realized who her boyfriend is. They were obvious, but she told me it wasn't him when I asked her who she liked. Seventeen year old male here so I know that it was stupid, but I couldn't help it.

I'm a hopeless romantic which is why I've written this, because as pleasurable as smut stories are, I just couldn't see myself smiling while writing them.

Good thing was that I don't know her boyfriend, but I just want her to be happy, even if that means that I have to give her up.

That being said, her boyfriend had a fever and so, without my knowledge of him being her boyfriend (I had my suspicions), I helped him, along with a few of our mutual friends. It wasn't long before I realized that the way she treated him was… more than her "we're just friends" shit.

I was used to this treatment, still am, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. I got some confirmation soon after her boyfriend left. I'm happy for them… but damn I just feel so down. I mean…

"Can I talk to you a bit?"

"Uh… sure…"

Taking a deep breath, I spoke, not even bothering to look her in the eye. "Judging by the way you were with him… I'm guessing he's your boyfriend."

"Oh… yeah…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, and as much as I want to say I didn't look at her, I did.

"It was only recent."

"Well… I'm used to this anyway." I said, telling half the truth.

The rest is… well, I didn't cry, but writing it might make me cry. Also, while I didn't see them kiss, I know she kissed her last boyfriend, but that's… going to be a story for another time.

And no, I don't want the guy dead. That's too childish, even for me, unless my crush was my wife, which she isn't. Also, yes, I'm fine with him and her being together knowing that he might be better than me, personal reasons considered.

So yeah, as you can guess, there will be some pain for Naruto here. It's apparently normal for authors to write about things that affected them in their lives. As my teacher said, "How can you write about something you don't know about on a personal level?"

Sorry for the long Author's Note, I just really needed to get that out. I'll… leave you guys to this then, and please review. Your reviews, especially good ones, will help cheer me up.

For those who will review, thanks. (I don't care if you review even after the next chapter is out, as long as it's sensible and not flaming because… yeah… sensitive.)

Update (November 20, 2016): Now that I've reread my A/N up there, I look a little stupid, but what the hell. XD

(Finding Love)

It has been a month since Naruto allowed his walls to fall. It didn't affect him immediately, but he was slowly beginning to get reacquainted with society. Ino was also there to help him out by bringing him to their peers. What needed to be noted was that Naruto was more open to Neji, Lee, Shino, and Shikamaru after letting his walls drop.

However, what really improved was his ability to hold a conversation, albeit not on the same level as a normal person, but he's getting there.

Now, we can find Naruto walking towards a river bank, sweat glistening from the sun's light.

"You should let your hair grow again."

Naruto turns with a raised brow. "Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi gives him the usual eye smile before walking over to him. "But that's just my opinion. Anyway, I send a package over to your place. Consider it as a parting gift."

"Parting gift?" Naruto asks. He wasn't the curious type, but this got his attention.

"Yeah, Tsunade was thinking of making me Hokage… yeah, I know, stupid, but I can't help it."

Naruto shrugs before sending a small shockwave of chakra to clean him. "I'd gladly take orders from you, more than her, actually."

The Scarecrow chuckles before placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Well, in that case, my orders are… try to open up more."

Naruto sighs before looking to the sky. "I'll try. No promises."

The rest of the day turned out to be uneventful. It was sad, most of the interesting things always happen at night, but perhaps it was a good thing. After all, it represented the life of a shinobi; the darkness.

And so, we find Naruto entering his apartment. It was dark as there was no moon this night. His eyes glowed blue as he searches for the package Kakashi sent him. When he found it, he smirked before shaking his head and changing into them. He leaves using a wind element Shunshin.

Naruto reappears on a cliff side overlooking the sea. The salty wind brushes against him as the stars shine. He frowns in disappointment seeing the place was not as beautiful as it should be since the moon was not out. He leaves in disappointment. He didn't know why, but he sure as hell didn't have a good feeling about the next day.

That being said, the next day came and Naruto wakes in his room with a sigh. Ino didn't stay with him anymore, and it's been this way for the past week. He didn't mind, he taught her everything he could without causing any mental changes so it worked for him.

He got out of bed, did everything he needed to do, and then decided to go get a mission. He stops by the Yamanaka flower shop though and goes in to drop a few of the rose buds that Inoichi asked him to bring. He didn't mind, it was a fairly simple task. He hears giggling and perks up to say hi to the only person he knows can create such a giggle.

His open mouth doesn't utter a single thing as he sees Ino kissing a black haired man. He didn't know the man by name, but he knew him by face.

"I'll see you, Sai." Ino says as she pulls her hair over her ear. She then notices a Jounin make his way out, leaving behind a box. "Sir, I'm sorry, was I—" She wasn't able to finish her sentence as the Jounin left via Shunshin. She never noticed Naruto's hair as Sai's sideward glance caused the pale man's nose to block the hair.

Sai turns his attention back to Ino with a raised brow. "Hey, everything alright?"

Ino shrugs. "Hey, it just means more time with you, I mean… you can hold off the meeting for a while, right?"

However, the male blonde who walked and disappeared on her store was not feeling as happy as Ino was. No, he was furious. He let his walls down, because Ino wanted his walls down. Ino brought his walls down! It was all thanks to her, and sure enough, he knew that he had feelings for her, but he wasn't sure if he was ready…

He was afraid…

And rightly so. He created those walls to stop the emotional pain! And now… they were gone.

Naruto could only turn to his true friend in the entire village for support.

Kakashi.

Once he arrived at the silver-hair man's apartment, he dropped to his knees making Kakashi come running to him. "Naruto? What's the matter?"

"Sensei…" Naruto says with a dead look in his eyes. "I want to go back to ANBU."

"What? Why?"

"It's Ino! She wanted me to break my walls! I did! Now look at me! LOOK AT ME! I let them fall because she wanted them down! It was because she said that I was too closed up! Now look! She and some—" Naruto's thoughts were cut off as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Oh how he'd love to just shout out everything his mind was thinking. How he'd love to just scream his problems away.

But he couldn't.

So he did the next best thing. "Ino… has all the things she—"

"I'm not going to buy that, Naruto!" Kakashi scolds with his arms crossed. "If you've been alive for as long as I have, you'd know that I—"

"JUST LET ME BACK IN!" Naruto shouts, as if the life in his eyes bounced back in, if only for a moment. He never noticed the single tear roll down his face until Kakashi wiped it away. "Please…" He says as he looks at the ground. "I just… need some time away from all this…"

Kakashi sighs. He didn't know how to deal with this. He wasn't a fucking psychologist, and he sure as hell wished he was right now. "How long?"

"Until this is all over." Naruto says before falling to the floor, lying on his side. "Mind if I stay?"

Kakashi sighs. He walks over with a sorry look in his eyes before crouching down. "If I can get you back in, you'll be assigned new recruits."

"So?" Naruto asks, not really caring.

"Sakura will be under you."

"Do I look like I care?"

Kakashi paused. That response was not what he was expecting. Naruto hated Sakura, more so Sasuke. He wanted to ask why. Why had Naruto changed? Perhaps a better question should be asked.

What changed Naruto Uzumaki?

No, an even better question, with the most painfully obvious answer. "Who changed you?"

Naruto hesitated. He knew the answer. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want anyone to know, that out of all the people, it was his apprentice. It was a girl.

"Naruto?" Kakashi prodded.

With a shivering sigh, Naruto looked his Sensei in the eye before looking to the floor. "Ino…"

"Naruto…" Kakashi says making sure Naruto listened. "I know where this is going. I have to tell you that you're too late."

In a tone that shows just how much hope he lost, Naruto replies with a very small amount of sarcasm. "Yeah, like me seeing both her and that boyfriend of hers kiss."

"They've been together for nearly half a month." Kakashi states.

"Was that why Ino kept on asking me if she could leave earlier during the last week of our training?"

"I really don't know, Naruto." Kakashi says and tries to place a comforting hand on his student's shoulder. However, what the blonde said next stopped him.

"Kakashi…." Naruto pauses as he stands. "Can I die?"

(TBC)

So yeah, there ya go. It's short but… please, review.

I also believe that I've now reached the point in life where I'm bitter, but am also accepting the fact that I might just be single. I don't want to do what they call a "rebound" since I find it a dick move if I just use someone.

I'll be honest, I thought about it, but then I realized that that would make me an asshole.

Anyway, next chap is coming, but I don't know when since school has us doing research.

Until next time.

Finished on November 20, 2016| Philippines| 19:19 hours