Ruination. The world he knew crumbled around him. Nothing made sense. He couldn't understand what was happening at this moment.

The walls that surrounded and sheltered him his whole life appeared as nothing more than a mere sculpture of wood and concrete. The clothes on his back, which he had cherished since his birth, now looked nothing more than a quagmire of low-class cotton threads.

He couldn't believe the words that came out of the snake's mouth. Never did he dare to hope to find out anything about his parents. There was an opportunity in front of him. He could learn about his...

Family.

"You...you know my parents?"

The strange word rolled around in his mouth. It brought about a euphoric feeling and joy, something that he never thought he would experience.

It was astounding how a single word had the power to both ruin and make his day. He was disheartened that knew about his parents yet still chose to keep it a secret from him. On the other hand, this was an exciting moment, he would finally learn about his family.

"Yes, Naruto-sama."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. "Who?" He immediately asked the serpent. "Who were they? What were their names?" Question after question began to evacuate his mouth at a rapid pace and before he knew he was standing right in front of the very creature he was afraid of a while ago.

The tiny snake hissed at him in mirth, "You are just like your mother, Naruto-sama. Reckless and bold." Aoda whispered. "If Kushina-sama were alive, she would be overjoyed to see how you've grown up to be just like her."

"Kushina…"

A strange emotion stirred inside Naruto's heart as he whispered the name. It was lovely and cool, just like his. Just saying the name out loud filled him with incomprehensible joy.

"Yes, that was her name."

Naruto looked down and smiled, his eyes filled with tears and countless emotions. Sadness being at the forefront, but with underlying happiness. He still found it difficult to form words to respond to Aoda's statements. They were shocking, heartbreaking, and enlightening all at once.

Once Naruto had learned how to speak, he regularly asked the Hokage for any information regarding his parents. Despite his best efforts, all his inquiries were evaded or ignored by Hiruzen.

Anyone who knew of Naruto could see the sheer desperation emanating from him. Orphaned children all had an intense desire to know of their parents. Even more so with Naruto since no one would speak anything about his parents. Not a single word.

"Kushina." He whispered again and smiled all the while stifling the whimpers that were beginning to escape his mouth. "I...I always wanted to know her name. My mother's name." Tears finally escaped the confinement of his eyes and began to trickle down his dry cheeks, wetting them with shades of grief and suffering.

Aoda couldn't help but sympathize with him as there were very few individuals who had suffered a fate as horrible as Naruto. Orphaned from the very day of his birth and marginalized by the village. It was a life of hardship that would break anyone. Yet his own master's son had to live that life.

"What was she like? What was her favorite food? What did she use to do to pass time? Was she a powerful ninja?"

The excitement and sadness in Naruto's voice resonated with Aoda. The same people, whom his master sacrificed his life for, had tortured the boy's soul. The happiness of learning about his parents was overshadowed by his overwhelming loneliness.

"S-she…" The serpent paused and closed his mouth. The emotions rolling off of Naruto were affecting his self control and reasoning. 'Calm yourself, Aoda.' He berated himself. "She was an amazing and beautiful individual, Naruto-sama." He finally managed to speak something naturally, hiding the tinge of sadness. "Like you, ramen was her favorite food. It was a trait that your father shared with her. They both were ramen enthusiasts." A small smile slithered its way to the serpent as he saw tears vanish from the child's face.

"She chose to pass time by sewing clothes for you. Shirts and trousers were her choices. She wanted you to be 'as cool as Minato'." Aoda couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping his mouth as he remembered how much time Kushina used to spend stitching and sewing. The amount of devotion she had towards her family was truly admirable. Minato and Kushina were inseparable, even death couldn't break them apart.

Naruto's mind paused yet again. "Minato." He blinked at the snake in confusion but that didn't last long as he finally realized the connection between the two. "That's my father?" His eyes widened as he connected the dots.

"That is correct, Naruto-sama. Minato-sama was your father and my summoner." The snake complimented the boy for guessing it right. "You are the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

More tears descended down Naruto's face. "My parents…" The small boy fell down to the ground. "Kushina…" His body shivered as he whispered the name of his mother and before he knew he was crying uncontrollably on the cold floor of his apartment. "Minato… Kushina-Minato." A loud whimper escaped his lips and echoed throughout the room but he didn't care. Right now, he wanted to savor the moment.

In his short and scarred life, there were very few moments when he had cried in front of others. The act made him look weak in their eyes but it didn't matter today. He just wanted to cry his heart out.

Why?

He finally learned about his family. The knowledge he desperately searched for his entire life.

The name of his parents.

Kushina.

His mother, his lovely mother had a great name just like him and he was glad that they shared the same surname. It made him feel closer to her.

Minato.

Although the name wasn't as cool as Kushina, it was still pretty awesome too and Naruto was sure his father was just as awesome as his mother.

"..."

Who he was kidding? Both the names were awesome in his books and he was sure he would adore them for the rest of his life. The names were precious, even more than his own life because unlike his life, they actually held importance to him.

Tap.

A single tear trickled through his cheek and fell down to the ground, staining it with sadness.

Tap.

Another one followed soon.

Tap.

Another.

Tap.

Soon his whole face was covered in tears, with some still trailing down his cheeks.

"Naruto-sama…"

Tear filled blue eyes veered towards the small snake who was now resting on his arm, something that made him flinch but he managed to control his reactions. "Hmm?" He hummed.

"Would you like to know more about your parents?"

More?

"Y-yes…"

The wheels of destiny began to swirl ominously as Aōda opened his mouth to narrate the story of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

-oOo-

The natural beauty of Konoha never failed to mesmerize Naruto. It didn't matter the time of year, nor the season for him to appreciate the village. Yet, there was something unique about Spring. The gentle colors emerging from a cold winter added another layer of charm on Konoha.

Those colors made it even more beautiful in his eyes.

Lush green meadows covered with tall evergreen trees, lakes, and pink flower petals. 'Beautiful' was the only word that he could use to describe the beauty of his home. Even then, he admitted it wasn't enough.

If he had to elaborate his thoughts somehow, then he would describe the beauty of spring to be similar to Sayuri's smile.

Mystical and strangely calming.

Yes, that's how it was. Beautiful and calming. It didn't matter what negative emotions coursed through his body, her smile would always cheer him up, just how spring does.

"Naruto…"

A smile, far more beautiful than the cherry blossoms surrounding him, blossomed on his lips when he heard Sayuri call out his name. It always felt nice and calming hearing it. "Yes?" He didn't want to make her wait and immediately responded.

"What's on your mind?"

Naruto blinked as a small wave of confusion quarreled within his eyes. "Huh? What are you talking about?" He couldn't help but ask.

"You shuffle your feet when you're thinking about something...as rare as that is. So, what's on your mind?"

As fast it came, the wave of confusion dried away from his eyes when he finally understood what she meant. Typical Sayuri, always worrying about him. "You're worrying over nothing, Sayuri! I was just thinking what I would do if Shisui-nii stopped helping with the dishes and cleaning."

Fireworks of joy exploded inside his heart when a small smile slithered its way towards Sayuri's lips. "Hmph!" The explosions ceased when the smile morphed into a pout as she glared at him with those pale eyes of her. "Idiot. I don't worry about you because I like doing it. I do so since you don't look after yourself or your well-being! You're my best friend. We don't hide things from each other." Even though she couldn't see him, Naruto was sure she could hear his smile as she gently bonked him on the head.

"Aww… you care about me, Sayuri!" He mewled at her and before she could move an inch, he engulfed her in a tight hug. "I'm lucky to have a friend like you!" The battle of strength between the two lasted for a few more seconds before Sayuri finally gave up and relaxed in his embrace.

"I know..." She whispered, her voice as soothing as ever. "I also feel the same as you."

"What?"

Countless pink petals swirled around the thin cherry blossom branches and rustled past Sayuri, contrasting with her raven hair as it rippled harmoniously in the breeze. "I'm also lucky to have a friend like you. You're not only my best friend. You're all I have." Her gorgeous pale black orbs met his cobalt blue eyes and for a moment, Naruto was unable to speak or even think of a single word.

"I-" He opened his mouth to respond but words wouldn't form. Though short and to the point, Sayuri's words held something that he had no hope of rivaling.

Affection.

He knew there was nothing he could say that could match the amount of affection that she had for him. It was boundless, something that people around him hadn't failed to tell him countless times, especially his brother.

Just after a week of moving in with him, Shisui had told him about a very unique curse that afflicted the Uchiha clan. Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't scared of it.

The Curse of Hatred.

Contrary to its name, the curse had nothing to do with hate, well not in the beginning at least. It all started with an emotion that the people of his world called 'Love' and ended with the widely known 'Hate'.

"The Uchiha love and cherish more than any other clan, yet we hide it as if we are ashamed of it. When an Uchiha cares about someone, they will do everything to keep that person safe and will shower them with an unimaginable amount of affection. But… If they end up losing that person then the curse begins to take over their mind and grants them these eyes that see nothing but hatred. We are shinobi, and well...the curse is inevitable."

Those were the words that his brother had recited to him on that day and since then, the amount of affection and respect he had for Sayuri reached higher levels.

Why?

Because those who could see refused to be his friends or treat him like a human being. Sayuri came into his life and befriended him. She became his light, even though she had none in her own life.

He would never be able to care about her as much as she did him. His skepticism of people kept everyone at an arm's length, even those he considered precious to him. Sayuri on the other hand was just pure. Despite being blind, she didn't let that dictate how she wanted to live. She befriended him when no one else would. He knew she cared for him deeply, and the fact he couldn't do the same terrified him.

"Naruto…"

Sparkling white pearls of liquid stained the green grass beneath him as a silent whimper escaped from his lips. "Hmm?" He hummed softly and looked away from her so that she couldn't hear his heavy breaths.

"Why are you crying?"

Naruto froze when her small hands made contact with the soft skin of his cheeks and wiped away the remains of tears that were left there. "..." He couldn't speak. His mind was refusing to ruin this instance and wanted him to just enjoy this moment with his friend.

His lips quivered as his heart and mind waged a war against each other. His heart begged him to open up to his friend and let her in. His mind demanded he remain silent and strong for Sayuri's sake. In the end, he listened to his mind and bit back the remaining sobs that threatened to escape his mouth. "I-I'm fine…" Even when he tried his best to sound normal, he couldn't hide the cracks in his voice, and they only increased when she gently flicked his nose with her finger.

"Idiot." Sayuri smiled. "How many times do I have to tell you that you shouldn't hide your pain from me?" She knew her words had the desired effect when he went completely silent. He could hide his presence from her when he put in the effort. Now she couldn't even hear his breaths.

"I'm not hiding anything- oww…"

Her smile widened slightly when he yelped in pain as she pinched him on the cheeks. It was his weak spot and she could tell it had something to do with the whiskers there. "Liar." She scolded him in a stern tone, something she had picked up from her father. She knew very well how much her friend feared her father. It was rather funny. "I know when you're crying, Naruto." Her smile wavered a little when he didn't respond. "Naruto?" Her voice took a soft turn as she turned in his direction.

"Hmm?"

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "What happened? You're not being yourself." She was concerned. Naruto had been acting incredibly strange all day. He didn't fight back against her verbal jabs. The biggest warning sign was when he didn't vehemently deny that was crying. He claimed only weak people cry in front of others, and he wasn't weak.

"Nothing. There's just a lot on my mind right now."

As much as he wanted his words to appear believable, Sayuri could still tell he was lying but she didn't interrupt him. "Hmm…" She murmured softly and turned her head towards the supposed direction where the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom.

A comfortable silence fell upon the clearing as the two began to cherish the scenery around them. From the lush green grass beneath them to the small creek that was running through the labyrinth of the cherry blossoms, nothing was left untouched by their eyes, at least that was the case for one of them. The other was happy simply enjoying the company of her friend.

"Naruto…" Sayuri finally opened her mouth, choosing to break the comfortable silence. Her voice was as sweet as the chirping of birds around them.

Naruto, who was enjoying the beauty of the spring, blinked and turned his eyes towards his friend when he heard her whisper. "Yes?" He responded quickly as he could see she was uncertain about something. It was written all over her face.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Sayuri. You know you can just ask right?"

"Ehh… ok." Naruto's heart slowed down for a second as he noticed slivers of uncertainty flickering on her face. She was sad, he could see that something was bothering her. Otherwise, she wouldn't sound so miserable in front of him. "Can you tell me what the cherry blossom trees look like?"

'Cherry blossoms…'

A wave of sadness drowned Naruto's heart as he listened to her sorrowful words. Her words yet again reminded him of the reality that they had been trying to ignore.

Her blindness.

A sad reality that they couldn't avoid, even when they tried their best. It was an unfortunate part of Sayuri's life and therefore, a part of his life too. Naruto knew he could run away for a while but sooner or later, it would always catch up with him and hurt him.

The only way he could help her was by curing her eyes and to accomplish that, he needed to become as powerful as the first Hokage of their village and the God of the Shinobi world.

Hashirama Senju.

The man was his idol and something in his heart told him that if he tried hard he would be able to achieve the feats that man used to perform when he was alive. That included healing organs without making a single hand seal.

Some might think Naruto was being a naive daydreamer for thinking he could become as powerful as the First Hokage. For him, it wasn't a farfetched dream. They already had many things in common. The primary reasons being, having multiple chakra natures and being a friend with an Uchiha. Now the only thing he needed to do was start to hone his skills in medical ninjutsu and find someone who could guide and teach him about natural energy.

It was a faraway dream and until he could gain the strength to make his promise true, the least he could do was become Sayuri's eyes. With a small smile on his face and a fresh mind, he turned his eyes towards her. "Sure." He whispered and grasped her hand gently to soothe her worries.

"You know darkness right?"

The girl tilted her head. "What kind of question is that? I know it very well."

Naruto tightened his hold around her hand. "Just hear me out. That's how the bark of the tree looks like. A pole covered in the beautiful colors of the night with gashes decorating the whole body. As for the petals." He paused and raised his other hand to gently brush the side of her face. "They are just like your cheeks when you get embarrassed. Pale and fluffy clouds of white, that can often be found flushed in the blushing color of pink. Also, they are as erratic as you are and when their mood worsens, they fall from their branches and meet the cold ground where dew takes over them."

"Tears?"

"Morning dew, I meant." Naruto stuck his tongue out sheepishly.

"Ohhh…" Sayuri murmured, truly thankful for everything that he had done for her just now. What he had described was incredible. Even though she couldn't see, she could visualize what they looked like. It was a beautiful sight. She was sure she may cry at any given moment but she steeled her resolve. She didn't want to ruin the moment her friend had created for her. Gaining control over her emotions again, she was about to praise him but stopped when an amusing question popped into her mind. "Naruto…" She immediately turned towards him.

"Hmm?"

"Can you describe yourself too?"

Once again, Naruto was surprised by his friend's request. It was unusual for her to act like this. She never cared about her blindness since she had met him. But then again, it was a small request and him being him, he could never deny her anything. "Sure." He smiled at her, this time more brilliantly as he couldn't see any traces of sadness on her face. It was still as vibrant as ever.

"Ok, describe myself huh…?" He paused and began to ponder over potential ways he could describe himself to his friend while not using colors. "Aha!" An excited cry escaped his mouth as he placed his fist on the palm of his hand.

"You can feel the heat on your skin, right?"

Sayuri blinked, confused with the words her friend was using for the explanation. "Y-yes."

"Well, the color of my hair is as warm and bright as the sunlight," Naruto mumbled, pleased with himself for coming up with an analogy as good as that. "As for my eyes… they are as gentle and cool as the water that is running inside that stream."

"And what about your cheeks?"

A shade of red exploded on his cheeks as Sayuri gently grasped them with her hands. "E-ehh… they are…"

"Soft and sensitive."

Red turned scarlet. "H-hey they are not sensitive- oww! Why did you pinch them?"

"To prove my point. They are sensitive."

"No, they aren't!" Naruto huffed and tried to get away from her but Sayuri stopped him by increasing the strength behind her hold.

"Cute."

"Oi, what was that?"

"My mother calls you cute."

"W-what?! Shut up."

"I think she's right."

"Sayuri, stop."

-END-

A.N: Sorry for the delayed update but I'm busy with old projects who need to be republished.

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Thank you.

Stay safe.