Disclaimer : Who cares 'bout Kishimoto? If only I was the one who own Naruto, it'll be the best Yaoi manga ever created! I might not own him yet, but I will. Oh yes, I will.

A/N : …done. –takes a deep breath- DONE! ALL DONE! FINALLY! The midterm exams had finally finished! XD APTP had been in temporary hiatus since January 8 by the authoress in order to gather concentration and focus on the midterm exams, I've been restricting myself from touching my computer (and web life) and writing fanfics, but I am utterly happy to say, that I am now back into the business! XD I'm very sorry, my dearest readers and reviewers, also to those who had showered me with (lovely) death threats, for making you all wait for so long…I will try my best to cover the loss.

Extra long chapter, make up for the whole two months of waiting, ne? Warning; too lazy to go back and reread the story, beware of grammatical errors.

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Chapter 10 : Memories

It was a dim night.

Naruto walked down the bright hall alone. Beads of tears created small rivulets as it strayed down his reddened cheeks, splattering to his shirt and hands which he used to wipe it away. He was scared, he didn't know where he was, he didn't know where he had to go, which direction he should chose, he didn't know.

He couldn't see the way because the tears began misting his eyesight, he rubbed it hard and wiped it away, but new beads formed as soon as the last vanished. He cried hard, but silently. He was scared of this place, it smelled weird, he couldn't hear a sound, and there was nobody around him to ask for help, he was alone and he didn't like it.

"M-mommy…" Naruto whimpered softly, "Mommy, w-where are you? Naru's scared… mommy…"

He tripped on a hole in a cracked porcelain tile, and fell to the ground. His body quivered by the impact and he burst in loud cries because it hurt, his chin felt hurt, and his knees bleed, and the rough material of the jeans he wore made it worse. He fell and got hurt, but there was no one to help him, there was no mommy.

At that moment, he remembered his mother's advice that a boy should be able to stand on his feet by himself, without a help. He remembered his mommy told him every time Naruto came home with wounds he got from either fighting with another kids, or got hurt when he was playing. Mommy told him to be strong. Mommy wanted Naruto to be strong.

So Naruto had to be strong.

The little boy sucked on air as much as he could, he tried to hold his tears back, and he stopped whimpering. Using his quivering hands, he pressed it against the cold floor and pushed. He managed to raise a half of his body, but a sudden jolt of pain bolted through his body as his bleeding knees got in contact with a sharp edge of a shard from the cracked tile. He dropped his knees as he gasped in pain, only to have the edge dug deeper and it created a gaping wound.

Naruto cried out and felt hot tears escaping his lids as he closed them. It hurt, much worse than before. In agony, the boy overlooked to his wounded knee, frightened to see blood began creating a microscopic pond on the floor beneath it, little bullets of red fluid fell from the open wound.

More tears fell as he whimpered softly, trying to hold the pain. But it hurt. It hurt so much he wanted to quit. But another one of his mother's sayings came to his mind, his mommy told him he had to be strong so he won't have to depend on others, when he fell and no one could help him, he only had himself to rely on.

Naruto sucked on air again.

The second attempt had been a complete agony. The little boy tried to push his body up, trying to move his feet but another keen pain prevented him, every time he tried to move the injured knee, the shard seemed to cut him wider, not wanting him to get up. But he had to. Because Naruto was a strong boy.

He couldn't use the right feet, so he used the other. His palms supported his upper body weight as he slid the front of his shoe forward, carefully eased its sole on the floor. His arms and feet quivered at the sharp pain, but he tried to ignore it. He closed his eyes to prevent the tears from slipping out.

Naruto pushed.

The boy managed to uphold his body, but he had to lie his hands on the white wall. He tried to move, but it was a very hard thing to do. The wounded knee swayed in askew as he hopped. It still hurt, but it wasn't as much as before. He hopped around like a little rabbit, each hop struggling to restrain the pain, until he reached a familiar hall he and his mommy used to cross a lot. He remembered his mommy told him she worked in a place called 'hospital' and she usually played in a room called the nurse's office. Naruto hopped a little and he smiled. He couldn't wait to see his mother and tell her that Naruto had been a good boy and that he could 'stand on his feet all by himself' like mommy told him to.

She would be proud.

Naruto opened his eyelids slowly, and a dark ceiling met his gaze. He blinked the last vestiges of dream away, collecting his senses, before he moved his body to get up. Seconds later, he realized he wasn't able to.

One, two, three, and identical four and five bodies were draped on his own, each of them curled close, searching for warmth produced by Naruto's body. A bundle of strawberry-blond hair curled to his left thigh, while another bundle of pale blond curled to his right. Identical bundles of emerald each curled on each of his side, using Naruto's upper arms as pillows. And the last bundle of snowy white cuddled against his chest, sighing contently as she slept.

Realizing he couldn't move an arm, Naruto sighed and gave in.

He looked around and noticed they were in the children's room, vaguely remembered they had made him promise to sleep with all of them that night. Iruka had to pull out five futons from the cupboard. Funny he found them all over him when he awaked, while they supposed to sleep in a row, like Naruto had last checked before he went to sleep himself.

Was this what they call a 'night attack'?

Naruto carefully slid one of his arms off of Chirei's head, meeting difficulties because each of his limbs was caged in human chain. He placed one of the twins' head on the futon gently, feeling numbing stiffness in his freed left arm. He then used the freed hand to lift Yuurei's head on his right, then slowly eased it to the soft cushion. His arms were now free. Naruto silently lifted the small weight on his chest and got up, cuddling the little girl against his chest, getting up stealthily and quietly so he wouldn't accidentally hurt the other two near his legs.

After he had placed the children back to their rightful futons, Naruto flexed his drowsy muscles and relaxed, sighing sleepily. Really, the children had a frightening power to fool people with their innocent faces so they could slowly torment them in their sleep.

Actually, Naruto didn't mind. They were too adorable, his siblings.

His family.

Naruto fought back an ominous feeling, and instead, leaning down to place kisses on their foreheads. He pulled away and stared at them, the beautiful sleeping forms of his brothers and sisters, they looked so peaceful.

There were times when Naruto just wanted to go on a vacation with his siblings and father for a whole day, but in the past he couldn't. He had to work and sometimes didn't have time to take the kids play at the park. And now, in his current situation, the chance to even meet with them after this was nearing a non-existent. He had to go when morning came.

"Ichiro…Kazuna…Yuu…Chi…Yuki…Oniichan loves you." He whispered softly, though the words fell to deaf ears, he only wanted to say it. Quietly, Naruto stalked out.

He went downstairs to his room, Naruto sighed as he stood by the door, exhaling deeply. The dream he experienced, the memory he thought had forgotten long ago, surfaced again in a form of a dream. Naruto was surprised he still remembered a memory from years ago, when he was still a five-year old kid. When his mother was still around and sound.

Naruto knew not of his birthfather. His mother, Kushina, had never spoken of him. When the boy asked, she only smiled and said, "He always look over us." Naruto could only presume he already passed away, so his mom was too sad to tell him. A fatherless child who only recognized his mother made Naruto grew fond of Kushina, who he saw as a strong, independent woman, a most capable single-parent. He loved her and always did what she told him, she was the only one he had.

Naruto opened the door and went inside. He didn't bother to switch on the light, and just proceeded to sit on the bed. He sighed deeply, plopping his back to the bed with a fluent 'thump'. It felt strange he suddenly remembered of his long-deceased mother, maybe it was because of the dream? Possible.

Naruto remembered the last words she gave to him before she left him forever. 'Be strong', she said with a weak voice, he remembered how pale she looked, how a previously healthy, strong woman reduced to nothing but a fleshless body, covered only by a layer of skin, from a cancer that eating her body away bits by bits. 'don't be afraid of the future, do what you think is right and what your heart tells you. And—' Naruto paused for a brief second, quietly thinking of the continuation of his mother's last message. It was something sounded like…

'…And don't regret the things you've done in the past, even if it is wrong. Don't throw away the rotten fruit, live to repair the blemish, not to do nothing but weeping.' He remembered she smiled at Naruto, a lively, content smile, as if she wasn't sick, she didn't look like a woman in her dead bed. He remembered how beautiful she looked at that time.

'Be strong, Naruto, even if I'm not with you anymore, I'll always be with you, I'll always watch you.' She said weakly. 'I never regret the day I have you growing in me, Naruto. I love you..'

And she closed her eyes and she's gone. She looked so peaceful Naruto thought she was asleep. He remembered he cried for three days and three nights, until there were no more droplets to shed. He was only a six-year old boy around that time, he didn't have an idea what his mommy was telling him, he only cried.

And now, thirteen years later, Naruto had begun to realize the meaning behind her words. The basic principle she taught him; Be strong. It had been so long, Naruto had forgotten them. He was afraid of the future because he didn't know where and how it would lead him. He was scared when Sasuke forced himself on him. He regretted his actions because it felt so wrong that he lied, that he allowed his body for money. He regretted because he'd enjoyed it.

And he was ashamed.

Naruto noticed the dampness he felt on his cheeks, and he raised his hand to touch it. It was tears, he had been crying. He realized he had been stupid, he was weak because he was scared and he regretted what he had done. It wasn't supposed to be this way, he had to be strong, for himself, for his family.

Naruto got up.

He wiped the tears away, and stalked to an old cabinet beside his bed. He opened the top drawer after he'd unlocked it first. He lowered his hand in and searched, drawing out a small wooden box. He sat on the bedside, and opened its lid. A blue crystal necklace. It was his mother's inheritance after she passed away, the only one Naruto still possessed.

Naruto eyed the crystal clear gem in the middle, idly recalled how the color resembling his eyes', how it looked like a dazzling treasure when he saw his mother wore it around her neck. To him, his mommy was a princess. The one after she died, he didn't dare to look at, because of the unbearable memories. So he kept it hidden in his drawer for so long.

Naruto put it on.

He knew he was still a weak child, but he had to be strong. The necklace would remind him of his mother's words, and hopefully, it would help him gather his senses back.

'don't be afraid of the future, do what you think is right and what your heart tells you.'

He had to stop daunting the unknown. He shouldn't because he was the one who chose the path of his life, not the future chose for him.

'And don't regret the things you've done in the past, even if it is wrong. Don't throw away the rotten fruit, live to repair the blemish, not to do nothing but weeping.'

Naruto brushed away the last remaining of the tears. He decided he would live his life, as the way he had chosen himself. He'll live to repair his wrongdoings.

'Be strong, Naruto, even if I'm not with you anymore, I'll always be with you, I'll always watch you.'She said weakly.'I never regret the day I have you growing in me, Naruto. I love you.'

He smiled, fingering on the crystal. "I love you too." He murmured.

I'll make you proud, mom.

--------

The dimness of that night also dawned to another.

When he got out of the elevator, darkness met the only functional eye. The penthouse he entered was huge, it was wide stretched and rows of furniture neatly and beautifully arranged. Too bad he didn't see some color. Most in monochrome of black and white, or dark blue. The room was dark and it seemed dead.

Kakashi carefully stalked into the house, the elevator behind him making a 'ding' sound before it closed mechanically. He grabbed a hold on a few firm objects along the way occasionally, almost stumbling two to three times on his way. The fact that the darkness blinded him and he was exhausted and sleepy from hours of searching, finally caught him up. Perhaps, his age was catching up with him.

He carefully stepped into a room he presumed to be a study, unlike the others, it was lightened by a dim lamp on the desk. Kakashi sighed, at least he didn't have to bump onto things again.

"At last, I found you," He said tiredly, eying at a shadow of a person who stood by a wide window that overlooked the sight of the whole town in the night beneath. "I've been searching for you all over the place, you know. Think of my position as your assistant for once, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't reply, seemingly too preoccupied by the beautiful sight.

"Sasuke." Kakashi called him again, annoyed.

Sasuke paused for a minute, before he responded to his demand. "…what?"

Kakashi sighed deeply, placing a palm on his aching temples. "Explain why you weren't in the office today."

Sasuke cast a brief glance over his shoulder, replying with an enigmatic tone of voice uncaringly. "Taking a day off."

"…and what makes a workaholic like you, who scarcely took even a half of a day to rest his mind, even when you were sick, suddenly took a liberty of taking a day off?"

Sasuke didn't respond for quite a long time.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi called warily.

"…it's none of your business." The younger Uchiha said, giving him a cold shoulder.

Kakashi snapped.

"Stop being a damn brat!" He shouted indignantly, grabbing at Sasuke's shoulder and brusquely turned him around. "Can't you see I'm worried about you? You're not alone, Sasuke, stop being so selfish!"

Kakashi panted from his breathless spats, but the younger man in front of him merely stared at him with an enigmatic expression closed to his face, as if he hadn't hear a word. Frustrated, Kakashi increased his grip and pushed him further to a wall beside them.

"Was it because of Naruto?" He asked in a half-howling way, he was fed up with Sasuke's selfish behavior. "Just because he rejected you, Sasuke, like nobody else had, you withdraw to a corner and sulk? That's why you didn't show up in the office and got me in panic, looking for you all over the place, like searching a needle from a pile of straws?"

Sasuke didn't answer.

"You're pathetic, Sasuke." He continued, "Just because you are an Uchiha, you think you could do whatever you want, without caring for another person's feelings. I know you're still sad of your parents' death, but—"

Kakashi was shut and his body went stiff as two dark eyes flashed merciless crimson met his gaze. The previously lifeless orbs now filled with heated emotions like he had never exhibited before.

"It has nothing to do with my parents." He uttered coldly, Kakashi vaguely noticed the anger in his tone. "I am tired, and need a rest. Sometimes even a workaholic like me needs one, you should've known better, Kakashi. And about Naruto…" He paused.

"…It seems I've been too soft. That slave is forgetting his place, I will punish him when he returns. He needs to learn how to be obedient." He said, his face stayed indifferent. Using a hand, he slapped away Kakashi's loose grips. He briefly straightened his wrinkled front and collar, before began walking away from the elder.

"And you," He added, turning half-way to Kakashi. "As a Hatake, you know you're not supposed to do this to us, your superiors. But I shall overlook it this time, don't hope for another, next time."

"I'll go to the office tomorrow, if you really need to know." And then, quietly, Sasuke stalked out of the study, closing the door as he vanished from the view.

Kakashi stood wordlessly.

It was a song that broke the frozen tension, melodious tunes that came from Kakashi's cellphone. Aware, he quickly fished out the mechanical gadget from his pocket, placing it near his left ear and spoke.

"Hello? Kakashi Hatake is speaking….oh, it's you." A sheer relief suddenly washed his entire body and Kakashi felt his feet lost its previous strength, causing him to slump down to his feet. He was panting quite erratically, seconds later he just realized his heart were beating hard.

The person on the other side of the line spoke.

"…no, I'm okay, don't worry." Kakashi ensured, clutching at the front of his shirt, his body trembling. The person spoke again. "No, really…it's nothing…I was just…" He paused to collect some breaths.

"I…I'm sorry," He professed softly, lolling his head back and the curtain brushed against his hair, a hand clutched at silver bangs. "I hurt Sasuke. I've said awful things, I know he was tired and wasn't in mood to talk, but I—I don't know, I guess it's because I'm so tired…things at work driving me insane, so I unconsciously…said a taboo subject to him."

Kakashi sighed deeply. Things about his parents always angered Sasuke, he didn't like talking about them even to his own family member, much less to stranger. It was a sensitive topic, a taboo. And he had mentioned it in his tantrum, that's why Sasuke got angry. He always reacted in the same fashion every time the subject was touched.

"…….well, it was because of the kid I told you before. They had a fight this morning…but it wasn't his fault. You know Sasuke, he got irritated so easily, and now it's my fault he… I'm sorry, and when I'm supposed to take care of him while you're away…" The person spoke again.

Kakashi nodded slightly. "His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He's a good kid, he's from a good family, but unfortunately poor. He has a quite adorable guardian, though…" A smile expanded on Kakashi's lips as he recalled of the well-mannered man he met just this morning. Iruka seemed so kind and gentle, Naruto must've loved him enough to make him sacrificed himself for his sake. He was raised in such a loving family.

"…and he's… different… from Sasuke." He added. "…it's like seeing the complete opposite of him. He's like a ball of sunshine, while Sasuke could be said as a moon… they're very different."

A boy who doesn't recognize love, and a boy who sacrificed himself to protect the love itself… that's the biggest difference between them. Kakashi mused silently. Perhaps he could melt the ice that had solidified Sasuke's heart for so long.

Kakashi laughed. "……what? Oh sorry, nothing is funny, I was just thinking." He said, staring off to space. "What is it that I was thinking? It's nothing important."

He might be able to teach Sasuke how to appreciate those around him. Teach him how to love.

A smile expanded widely. "You know, Itachi. Maybe I'm just a Hatake, not an Uchiha, but I won't leave Sasuke." He said, "He's like a little brother to me too. I'll assist you to support him."

Perhaps it is only a low-rated chance, but…

"…yes, I love him too."

There was always hope.

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The midnight went like a sheer hell, cultivating utter exasperation as hours of searching flew behind, but not a single trace did they found. A bluish white-haired man shouted at a group of guys to search at the night district, while he ordered the other to search in the downtown. Both groups didn't waste time and immediately left after they've been ordered. The man in charge was left alone in a dark alleyway.

"Damnit!" A metal trash bin was being kicked forward, it fell with a loud clacking noise and rolled down along the ground floor. Suigetsu fluently cursed as he kicked its partner, and it fell in the same fashion, the insides spurt out.

A shadow of another man came up. "Don't pour your anger in such a likely place, Suigetsu."

The rough man whipped his head to the source of the voice, and the person stepped out of the shadow covering him, graceful silver hair glistened in the light met his gaze.

Suigetsu huffed indignantly, "Better than killing some worthless dogs, isn't it?"

Kimimaro tilted his head and rolled his eyes incredulously. "Fun for you is sick. I came here to report that I couldn't find Sai in the North and East, Juugo also told me he hadn't seen him at the under." He informed, crossing his arms as he sighed tiredly.

"Shortly, we still haven't found a shit." Suigetsu concluded. "Fuck, where the hell is he?" He cursed aloud, banging a fist to a wall nearby, almost cracking his knuckles.

"What merit did cursing and whining could give? Stop acting like a child who lost his toy. You need to be calm if you want to solve this and get Sai back in the picture." The silver-haired man calmly reasoned. For a minute Suigetsu stopped his ranting.

"And did you have any idea?" He narrowed his eyes daringly, Kimimaro only replied with a more challenging gaze.

"In the matter of fact, I do." He said.

Suigetsu almost immediately shot up. "What? Tell me!"

"Could you stop shouting so loud? You're destroying my ear drums." He said distastefully. "Alright, listen. The last time we saw him, we were persuading Orochimaru, but before it was over, you know he left the scene alone. Now I tell you, he was going to meet with Naruto that night."

"Naruto?" Suigetsu uttered, "Why did he go to him?"

"Personal business." Kimimaro said, slightly looking away. "Sai was returning his stuff which Orochimaru stole, that's all you need to know. I think we should go pay a visit and ask him." He concluded.

Suigetsu smirked. "Good idea. Been a long time since I last saw that kid, kinda missed him."

"…don't try to do anything unnecessary, I'll go with you."

"What a killjoy." Suigetsu huffed.

----------

The morning came quickly, and Naruto waked up by loud shouts stabbed in his ears sharply.

"Naru-nii! Wake up, wake up!" Yuu exclaimed jovially, shaking him on his right side.

"Or you'll miss breakfast! It's egg and bacon!" Chirei also exclaimed with as much vigor, pushing him on his left side.

"Chi, Yuu! Don't do that to nii-chan, you'll make him sick!" Ichiro warned them timidly, attempting to grab them and drag them away, but the twins slipped away easily, causing the twelve-year old to lose balance and collapsed against Naruto's chest.

"Umph!" The oldest blonde gasped as a weight fell to him, an elbow dug into his ribs.

"Ah! S-sorry, nii-chan!" Ichiro said apologetically, hurriedly removing his body from Naruto's stomach, when he suddenly stopped and gasped surprisedly. "Wh-? Where's my glasses? I can't see!" He exclaimed, hands flailing around randomly in desperate attempt to search for his missing spectacles.

"Yuu, look! I found a shiny pair of glasses; whose do you think it is?" One of the twins said, fingering on Ichiro's spectacles he'd picked from the floor a second ago. A feigned questioning displayed on his face.

An identical face mimicked his expression. "Oh! I think it's belong to our big brother, Chi! Should we return it?"

"Yes!" Ichiro's desperately cried, blinking his eyes several times to search for the twins' location. But the scenery around him was so blurry, that he didn't have an idea.

"…we think not!" The twins chorused teasingly. Ichiro's face turned horrified.

"We found it first, after all."

"Finder's keepers!"

"So it's not yours anymore, it's ours!" Laughing maniacally, the twins rushed out of the room, intending to leave the helpless boy, until they bumped onto Kazuna in their great escape, which only reached by the door sill.

"Having fun?" The blonde girl smiled radiantly, cradling Yuki in her arms. The twins were frightened. Ichiro was saved.

Naruto laughed hard as Kazuna tweaked the twins' ears, scolding at them with her thunder-like voice. He had never felt happier since the night when he bid his body away, he had never felt so relaxed. The things happened to him yesterday and the day before, and the day before that seemed like a mere nightmare to him, but Naruto fully realized that it wasn't. He couldn't run away. He had to keep his words and face the reality.

The whole morning went smoothly and peaceful. The twins, as usual, acted up again and began stealing Ichiro's sausage slices, Kazuna scolded at them, Iruka was cooking, while Naruto fed Yuki with some scrambled eggs and rice. It was very peaceful.

It only lasted short. After breakfast, Iruka left to drive the children to school, and Naruto was left alone in the house, waiting for someone—most likely Ren—to come and get him. Though Naruto didn't regret a thing because he already gave Iruka the money to make sure he left without a worry. The only thing he regretted was that he still hadn't told him the truth.

And he still hadn't apologized to Sasuke.

An hour later, Iruka was back, and so his escort, Ren, was already in front of the house, requesting for his presence in the car.

"So… you have to leave." Iruka uttered disappointedly, as Naruto bade his farewell.

"I have to, that money I gave you, it's… I-I borrowed it from an acquaintance, and I have to… to work at his place until I could pay it back." Naruto lied.

The brunette smiled, drawing his hand up and patted the unruly spikes. "I know, I know. Thank you very much, Naruto… Now I don't have to worry again. All thanks to you." He murmured gently.

"…Iruka."

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

The older of the two raised his eyebrows curiously, "For what?" He inquired.

Naruto overlooked at his feet. "Everything," He said. "I'm sorry… I couldn't be with you." …and I'm sorry I lied to you. Naruto added mentally.

"Oh, Naruto…" Iruka pulled at Naruto's shoulders and gently placed his head against his chest, like a little boy would to his mother. Iruka patted his head soothingly, "It's okay, as long as you're alright and healthy, it's fine by me you want to go wherever you want. We'll always wait for you here; this house will always be your home. As a family, my son…"

Naruto closed his eyes and breathed in Iruka's warm scents, he returned the embrace, before he pulled away, staring at the man he thought as father.

"Make sure you send us some news occasionally, okay? And visit us when you have time." Iruka said.

"I know. Thanks dad." Naruto smiled.

Naruto didn't glance back as he walked away, if he did, he knew it would be unbearable to leave his foster dad. He bowed his head and grasped the blue crystal hung on his chest tightly, while his heart was breaking underneath it. He approached the black car where Ren had been standing by the farthest passenger seat's door, waiting for him.

Realizing Naruto was close enough, he bowed his head slightly, and greeted. "Good morning, Naruto-san, do sleep well last night?" He asked politely.

"Pretty much." Naruto answered, minus the time I caught them mushing on me…

"I'm glad to hear that." Ren said, "Sasuke-sama is requesting for your presence inside, Kakashi-sama is accompanying him too."

Naruto felt his body got electrocuted. Sasuke was requesting his presence, Sasuke was inside the car right now. Did he want to talk about Naruto's misbehavior yesterday? Ren's voice calling for him broke his train of thoughts, he looked over, and saw Kakashi's head peeked out of the lowered window, he also caught a glimpse of Sasuke's cold expression.

"Good morning, Naruto! How's your sleep?" Kakashi asked radiantly, smiling soothingly.

Naruto sighed in relief, at least Kakashi was being cheerful and it really raised the tense atmosphere. "It was great, I slept well and we had breakfast together." Naruto answered, forcing a grin.

"Ah, good, good. Glad to hear that." Kakashi said, his only visible eye searching around and fell to Naruto's house, but the person he was looking for wasn't there. "So…how's your guardian doing?"

"Iruka?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "He's fine, why did you ask?"

"Ah, nothing." Kakashi easily encountered. "Well, hop in, don't be shy."

Naruto hesitated, but Ren already opened the door for him, and he quietly stepped in, settling beside Kakashi. He stole a glance toward the Uchiha, but he acted as if he hadn't seen him, he couldn't see him well because Sasuke was facing at the other side.

It was at that time, a sudden wave of discomfort pulsing in his stomach again. Like yesterday, an ominous feeling of remorse came back in full force, Naruto wanted to apologize, but he couldn't muster the words as if it were stuck in his throat. Clutching the crystal with one hand, he slowly opened his mouth.

"Sa—"

"Naruto." Sasuke finally spoke, still looking away. "I never recall permitting you to call me by my first name outside. We'll talk this at the home later, as slave and master." He said in a cold, indifferent tone of voice, as if he was talking to a lifeless stone, he even refused to look at Naruto while he talked.

Naruto was defeated and angered, but he hid it behind his silent. He did have hurt the Uchiha, so he didn't have the right to be angry. He felt a hand patted his shoulder and he turned to Kakashi, who smiled apologetically at him. He smiled back.

The car began to move away from the house, Naruto stared at the orphanage with longing within his blue eyes. As it vanished from view, he pulled his gaze and braced himself. He recalled the dream he had last night, and his mother's necklace around his neck.

'don't be afraid of the future, do what you think is right and what your heart tells you.'

'And don't regret the things you've done in the past, even if it is wrong. Don't throw away the rotten fruit, live to repair the blemish, not to do nothing but weeping.'

'Be strong, Naruto'

Naruto breathed in deeply.

I will.

---------

The car rushed across the empty street, intending to leave the neighborhood. A motorcycle, in the other hand, rushed in an excessive speed, about to enter the neighborhood. The man in front had bluish white hair stuck out of his helmet and flew wildly behind him, the other man in the back had a long, silvery hair flowed beautifully by the strong wind.

"How much further?" Suigetsu asked.

"Turn left at the corner and we'll be there in a minute." An answer came.

"Gotcha."

Suigetsu drove his motorcycle and sharply turned left, in almost the same time, a luxurious-looking car turned right in the opposite road. They met side by side. The wind blew hard, it made Kimimaro to face the car to avoid dusts, he blinked his eyes opened and saw.

Blond spikes and clear blue eyes slowly vanished from behind an ascending window, Kimimaro could hardly saw the entire face, but the pristine blue eyes and familiar blond spikes reminded him of someone he knew.

"Naruto…?"

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TBC…

A/N : A long chapter with a cliffy by the end. Am I cruel of what? Sorry I keep you all waiting! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. As for everyone who had been reviewing this little story of mine until this tenth chapter, I thank you all, SandmanAndKitsune loves you! XD And I miss my reviewers soo bad! And in respond of a lovely message I got from Nemu Ame, yes, dear, I've miss you too! x) I'm working on ST first because it's nearing its end, around two or three chapters more, so please wait for a bit, 'kay:)

Sincerely yours,

Zahra i.e. SAK

Ja, Mata!