A/N

Damn… I damn slow… Sorry!!!! I got delayed cos I found this really nice Harry Potter fanfic and I was reading them. Actually I read a lot of them… Then I was reluctant to start writing cos I was happily engrossed in reading… SORRY:D

Anyway here's Chapter 13… Haha… Happy reading!!! Enjoy!!!

'thinking'

'inner Sakura or Kyuubi talking'

Arc 3: Forgiveness and Regret

Chapter 13

Training grounds

It was around 12 noon and Konoha 12 was gathered here with the exception of Team 8. All of them were lazing around talking about Naruto and his jounin test. For the pass week, after the blonde's spar with the Kazekage, Konoha 12 were given leave to bug the hell out of Naruto. They were constantly either at his house or at the training grounds with him. They were all impressed by his stealth, speed, and kenjutsu, as they all had a turn of sparring with the jinchuriki. Even with Konoha's greatest tracking team he would often loose them and then they had to run around Konoha looking for him, though they gave up doing it after the second time it happened. They never found him it is always the other way round. They mostly just sat around waiting for him to appear. He would suddenly appear before them and sat down with them without a word. These disappearance were getting lesser nowadays, which they all presume was a good sign.

"So how many parts are there in his test?" Neji asked Sakura.

"Two. The first is steal and reconnaissance. He will be tested by Team 8 and another tracking team." Sakura explained.

"They'll never find him. He's great at hiding." Chouji commented proudly.

"YOSH!!! You are right Chouji-kun!!!! His youthful sneakiness is the greatest!!!!" Lee shouted.

"What a bout the other part?" Sasuke said ignoring Lee's outburst.

Sakura heaved a heavy sigh before saying, "He will have combat testing. He's fighting Kakashi-sensei, Kurenai-sensei and Gai-sensei."

"All at once?" TenTen said with a gasp.

"I'm afraid, yes." The pink haired kunoichi answered softly.

"That's too much!!!" Ino exclaimed.

"I think he would be able to beat them. Beside I think he was not meant to beat them." Shikamaru said.

"What do you mean by that?" Sakura asked,

"Well, combat with that three jounin is an overall test. Kakashi-sensei to test his ninjutsu, Kurenai-sensei to test his genjutsu, and Gai-sensei for taijutsu." Neji interrupted when the lazy shinobi took too long to answer.

An "Oh…" was chorused.

"When do you think he'll be back? I'm starving and I want to go for yakiniku…" Chouji whined. All of them except for Lee rolled their eyes at his antics, while Ino slapped him on the head and said, "You just eat five packets of chips and now you say you're hungry?!?! God, Chouji stop being greedy!!!"

"But I'm not…" Chouji protested weakly under Ino's scrutinizing stare.

"It'll be soon I guess…They started at eight and it's now after 12." Sasuke said hoping he could placate the arguing pair. None of that happen as Ino ignored Sasuke and started berating Chouji for eating too much. Shikamaru rolled his eyes, took out earplugs, plugged his ears and went to sleep promptly. Then Ino realize that the lazy jounin had his ears plugged, she pulled out his earplugs harshly and started berating him for having no respect for her, being lazy and such.

The rest of them save Lee heaved a sigh as the trio fell into their normal routine. Lee then, as always, started to interfere with the argument and got a lecture full in his face for his fashion sense and busybody attitude. Ten minutes into her lecture for the three of them, Neji suddenly said, "They're here."

Sakura turn around excitedly and caught a glimpse of four people walking towards their direction.

"So did you pass?" she asked Naruto eagerly.

"Yes." Naruto said indifferently. Sakura squealed happily, tackled and hugged the very surprised blonde. His body stiffened visibly as she held him squeezing the breath out of him. Once again Naruto's now infamous 'I'm-very-very-confused' look is plastered on his face, as he raised his shaking hands and started patting awkwardly on Sakura back. At this moment Ino deduced two things. No1: Naruto still loves Sakura. Although he tries hard not show it as he didn't believe Sakura loved him too. No2: Sakura is hopelessly in love with her blonde ex-teammate, and she doesn't know it. And that is when Ino vowed to help this clueless duo get a clue.

On the way to Sakura's house

After a celebration at Chouji's favourite restaurant, Ino insisted for each girl to be escorted home by a male. She then proceeded to shoo Naruto and Sakura out of the restaurant while hanging onto Sasuke's arm like a leech, with Sasuke trying to pry her hands of him with a disgusted look on his face. This was the ultimate test, if Sakura would have started protesting then Ino might have just forget about her plan to unite the clueless duo. On the contrary, Sakura sent a sweet smile at their direction before tugging on Naruto's sleeve in the direction of her house, proving Ino's suspicions. A Kenji was kept hostage behind Chouji's bulk with Shikamaru restraining him lazily, both under orders of their female teammate.

Currently the pair was walking down the street leading to Sakura's house in total silence. The breeze that blew on them sounded like the howling wind. Sakura tried to speak but found the silence intimidating. She struggled for a while looking for a subject to talk about, mentally crossing off non-potential issues.

'Ok I already knew he didn't win again the four senseis, maybe I can ask him how it went…'

'You think he'd be able to narrate the whole story without choking?' inner-Sakura teased.

'Stop that. He speak more often now, I'll have you know that.'

'Yeah speaking more than 10 words a day is a feat…'

'Shut up!!!'

'Just ask him on a date.'

'Wha- Ah- why… how… I mean, ermmm...'

'Stop rambling in your mind fool.'

'Stop insulting yourself stupid… Get out and let me think!'

Snapping out of her reverie she contemplated for a moment before finally finding the courage to speak, "Ermmm… Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"If you're free and don't have missions in the morning, would you mind coming for training sessions with my team?" she blurted out, crossing her finger hoping he'd agree. He didn't response in any way, and she gave up hoping, knowing that he was still reluctant to spend time with her. Without realizing, they had come to a halt in front of her apartment building. Naruto was looking at her, as if asking whether he should escort her up to the door. The kunoichi open her mouth to say thank you but was interrupted by the blonde speaking.

"I would be glad to." He said flatly.

"Huh?" she asked, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"I would accompany you for the morning trainings if I can make it." Naruto stated indifferently.

"Thank you!!" She said before giving him a quick hug, and ran off into the apartment building shouting, "See ya then!!!" leaving Naruto staring at her direction looking confused again.

Naruto's residence

Jingling of keys could be heard as Naruto took out his key to open his apartment door. He was greeted by a blur of purple and a shout "Otou-chan", before he was barely holding on to quite a heavy Kenji preventing the boy from falling.

"They kept me hostage…" He wailed and continued enthusiastically "So, How was your date with Sakura-sensei? Is it fun? Did you kiss?" Kenji kept on rambling until Naruto threw him on the couch.

"So so so so?"

"It wasn't a date. It was fine not fun. We didn't kiss." He said while walking back to the door to lock it.

"Oh…" the boy said with a pout on his face.

"I did promise her I'll train with her team in the morning if I can make it." Naruto added as he walked into the kitchen and started making tea.

Kenji face lighted up like a Christmas tree, and shouted, "YOSH!!!! Oh yeah… Oh yeah… Oh yeah…" He cheered while running around the house doing a victory dance.

"Go to sleep." Naruto said dispassionately.

"No way… I'm celebrating!!! I want hot chocolate!!!"

"No. Go to sleep."

"Please… Please? Pretty pretty please??" he begged, sending one of his best puppy eye no jutsu at his father.

"That won't work. Go to sleep." Naruto held on but the jutsu was working itself into his mind poisoning it with Kenji's cuteness.

The blonde took a deep breath and finally said, "Fine. But you have to promise me you'll go to sleep once you finish drinking it."

"YOSH!!! I promise…" the boy shouted and started laughing at his father weakness to his jutsu, catching a serene smile gracing his father's normally expressionless face.

'Well, he seems to be adjusting well. I did get him to smile. Damn I cannot lose to Gaara oji-chan… I will make him laugh again… I have him here with me, now that oji-chan has gone home to Suna after the jounin test. I'll definitely make him laugh… YOSH!!! That shall be my mission!!!!'

While mentally declaring his mission, Kenji had punched his fist into the air in a very determine sort of way, puzzling Naruto who just stepped out of the kitchen holding a cup of tea. Realizing what he did Kenji smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"It'll be done in 5 minutes." The blonde said sending apprehensive look at his son.

"Oh goodie…" the boy said rubbing his palms together greedily. "So will you teach us kenjutsu tomorrow?" he added

"I said I'll train with you not teach you. Haruno-san is your sensei. She'll teach you." Naruto said flatly.

"But Minori and Naoki said they want to learn kenjutsu from you. You style is amazing." Kenji tried to persuade his father.

"I've told you I have no style. It's all reflex and counter moves." The blonde explained quietly to the boy.

"You could name it Uzumaki style and it'll be a syle. You created it, so you should give it a name." Kenji retorted.

"No one would want to learn it if it's named Uzumaki. Besides even if I don't name it Uzumaki once they knew the creator was me nobody will want to learn it. So it's best I do not pass on my kenjutsu style." Naruto reasoned.

"But there are people like my teammates who'll be glad to learn it. I'll be glad to learn it. Why won't you teach me?" the boy asked furiously.

"If they knew the style you used was from me you'll be a marked man." Naruto said coolly.

"But-" Kenji tried but he was interrupted by Naruto standing up abruptly.

"It's five minutes already I'll get the hot chocolate. Remember your promise." The blonde said as he walked into the kitchen to retrieve the drink. Kenji heaved sigh at his father stubbornness and decided to leave this debate for another date as usual.

A/N

Yes!!!! I finally finished… I was stuck for a while. Anyway thanks for reading!!! R&R please!!! Thanks!!! Sorry again for the delay. This chapter was not checked so…