Author's Notes.

Here's today's chapter folks. Today's chapter was mostly slice of life type stuff. I plan on doing to more chapters like this one from a few different perspectives. I don't have much to say other than that. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you guys like it.

Feedback is always welcome.

I do not own Naruto.

Please enjoy.

Chapter 8

In my previous life I was a very heavy sleeper. I had an odd pride in my ability to sleep through anything, and only wake up past noon. Nowadays my sleeping habits have drastically changed, five years in Root will do that to a guy. Always waking up at the slightest thing, because everything can and probably wants to kill you, that was what Root ingrained in me, along with various ways to infiltrate and assassinate.

Ever since I left Root my sleep habits have been the same, if it was the previous me I'd probably just go back to sleep or laze around my apartment until I feel awake enough to do anything, but now I can't go back to sleep no matter how hard I try. It probably doesn't help that my building is right next to Might Gai's running route, and he doesn't seem to understand the word quiet, even when it's 6am.

Although it's not like sleeping is pleasant either. The few times I've been able to get into a deep sleep I would dream about my previous life, about people I'd never see again. My life was a good one and I was satisfied with it, but that doesn't make the sense of loneliness any less.

The oddest thing though, is that I can remember having dreams of a past that I don't remember. I never remember these dreams but when I wake up I just know, these are Kei's dreams not mine.

To be honest, I don't know much about him at all, the previous host of this body I'm in now. I don't feel guilty about taking his body, it's not like I got any choice in the matter either, but I do wonder what he was like. What was his goal in life? He was a shinobi, but what kind of shinobi did he want to be? I should at least know that much, he deserves at least that much.

Still lying in my bed, I sighed to myself.

"I wonder if Ichiraku serves breakfast."

Suddenly there was a knock on my door. I turned my head to stare at it for a second and then reluctantly got up to answer it.

Opening the door revealed an old man with white eyes, a Hyuga. He looked surprisingly gentle for a Hyuga, most old Hyuga's I've seen have all looked like they had sticks up their asses.

"Yes?" I asked. His face got a sad look at my question.

"So you really don't remember anything." He said. I didn't know what to say to that so I remained silent. "I had heard that was the case but I hoped it wasn't true. Ah, forgive me, my name is Toru Hyuga, I was your mothers father."

My eyes widened in realization. I didn't realize that Kei, that I had any family still alive, but a grandfather? I didn't know what to say and we stood there in silence for a moment before I realized he was waiting for me to say something.

"Ah, um, please, come in," I invited. "Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting any visitors." There were a few books lying around and I hadn't cleaned the dishes yet. Toru laughed as he walked in.

"It looks like some things never change," he said with a faint smile. At my questioning glance he continued, "Whenever I would visit, your room would always be a mess of books."

Oh, so that's what he meant. I wonder if-

I heard another knock at my door. Another visitor?

"Ah, those are for me," he started to move towards the door. When he opened it a few Hyuga men walked in carrying boxes. They placed them in front of me, bowed to Toru, and then left as quickly as they came.

Moving towards the boxes I sent Toru a questioning look, he nodded in response, and I opened the boxes.

Books. A lot of books. There were books from every genre I could think of, Romance, action, mystery. Isn't that the book Kakashi was reading the other day? I quickly moved that one out of sight, not that it would do anything, Toru had probably seen every book in here.

"Are these…" I started but trailed off. Toru decided to finish my thought.

"Yes, these are your old possessions," Toru said with a smile. "Normally they would have been sold or given away but I decided to hold on to them."

So he's the sentimental type huh?

I looked in the other boxes as well. It was mostly books but there were a few other thing, ninja tools, a notebook, and a family photo. I picked up the photo and looked at it for a bit. It was an odd feeling, like my head knew them but my mind didn't.

"Can you… tell me about him, about me, what I was like?"

Toru had a sad smile on his face as he nodded and began talking.

He was... Kei was very similar to me in a lot of ways, he liked reading that was for sure. He wanted to be a ninja since he knew what a ninja was, and enjoyed taijutsu. He was considered a prodigy by the clan, but surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, he didn't have any friends, although he was very popular with the girls at the academy. It felt like I was hearing stories about myself that I had just forgotten, in a way I guess that was true.

Eventually Toru had to leave, clan duties he said, turns out he's pretty high up in the ranks.

"Oh I almost forgot," he started as he began to leave, "The clan held a vote and you're welcome to come back if you wish."

I didn't need to think about that. I don't want to deal with all that right now. I simply gave a slightly bitter smile to Toru.

"I don't think I will, I kind of like it here, and I don't think I'm ready for the Hyuga clan," I said.

"Alright. But make sure you visit sometime." That surprised me a bit. I thought he'd be more disappointed, but after I nodded he just walked away muttering something about 'things really not changing.'

I looked back at the boxes sitting on my floor. I guess I know what I'm doing today.

I moved over to the boxes and picked up the notebook and began reading. It was as I had thought. The notebook was mostly for his academy notes. I skimmed through it to see if there was anything worth seeing and something caught my eye.

On the back page of the notebook was the word "GOAL" in big letters, and what was written under it made me smile.

'My goal for the future is to become so strong that nobody can tell me what to do!'

It was simple. It was childish, and most of all it was far-fetched. I couldn't help but laugh. But... that seems like a pretty good goal to me.