Anniversary

Author: IcyZephyrGirl

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

-

In the Hidden village of Konoha, life seems perfect and prosperous. It was a time of peace and well…hidden secrets. The festival of celebration of the defeat of the Nine-tails Fox is coming up. All is happy…all but one.

-

"It's that time of the year again." a woman whispered.

"Really? What is it?" another female voice asked.

"Don't you remember? It is the anniversary of…you-know-what…" The woman shifted her eyes to a blond head and dull blue-eyed boy sitting on a swing slowly rocking it in front of the academy. The woman glared at the boy with intense hatred.

"Oh, that day. That boy." The other woman frowned as Naruto slowly rocked with his face hidden due to the shadows of the trees.

Unknown to the whispering women, Naruto heard everything they said. He could even feel their glare directed at him.

Today… Naruto thought.

"That boy bought so much disaster to our village! I can't believe that the Hokage would even allow him to stay in this village much less breathe the same air as us."

"My husband is dead because of him!"

"This demon-boy shouldn't be tolerated any longer!"

Please stop… Naruto shut his eyes.

"Today is a celebration of the Yondaime who sacrificed his life to save our village. Having a demon still walking around in his celebration is a dishonor."

"Good thing my children don't hang around him. Who knows what he will do to them. My precious kids."

"I heard he pretends to eat lots of ramen just to cover up that he eats human souls."

Don't talk about me like that… Naruto bit his lips.

"Such a demon should not even be a shinobi!"

"It's his entire fault that so many of us died!"

"He is a murderer…….."

Stop it…Stop it…STOP IT!!!!!!!!! Naruto brought his hands to his ears in attempt to block off what he was hearing. But it was no use. He knows the whole conversation by heart. It was the same every year. Even with his ears blocked, his mind repeats the conversion to him non-stop, torturing him. Today is a special day to everyone but not to him.

Sakura walked by and saw Naruto rocking the swing and walked over.

"Naruto, why are you sitting on the swing? You were supposed to meet with us at the bridge today. We had to do the mission without you." Sakura said.

"Sorry…I forgot." Naruto replied dully. Sakura eyed him curiously.

"Are…you okay? Did you eat some bad ramen?"

"No. Just for today, could you leave me alone?"

"Fine. Look, it's Sasuke-kun! SASUKE-KUN! Can we go out on a date! We can go to tonight's festival." Sakura smiled, jumped and waved.

"No. Leave me alone." Sasuke snorted. "Oh yeah, dobe, you missed a mission, Kakashi-sensei wants to have a word with you."

"I see. Sorry to make you do all the work." Naruto replied and got off the swing. "I'm going to see Kakashi-sensei now."

"Whatever." Sasuke shrugged and left with Sakura chasing after him.

-

"So you wanted to see me? Sorry I didn't come to today's meeting." Naruto said.

"I don't think I ever heard you say 'sorry' before." Kakashi chuckled. When he saw that Naruto wasn't getting mad, he stopped laughing and became serious.

"What did you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Today is Konoha's thirteenth anniversary festival for the defeat of the Kyuubi and the sacrifice of the Fourth Hokage and I know this sounds weird…but please come to tonight's festival and try to have some fun." Kakashi smiled weakly at Naruto but Naruto kept his head down.

"Maybe next time. I just need to be alone today. Naruto emphasized the word need to show Kakashi that he didn't want to talk about this day anymore.

"I see. Well, I expect to see you tomorrow then." Kakashi pulled out his Icha Icha Paradise and disappeared with a poof.

Naruto slowly walked back to the academy swing. Every year, it's the same. The villagers will have a celebration festival and Naruto, as the host for the demon, will be excluded. He remembered when he accidentally went in the festival one year and the trauma he had faced.

Flashback

"Wow, so many lights and fireworks…I wonder what is today's special occasion?"

4 years old Naruto walked up to a booth and climbed up the chair and asked the person behind it. The person was frosting cakes and putting them on shelves for sale.

"Hey, Mister, what's so special today? Why is everyone celebrating?"

The person behind the booth saw him and instantly pushed him off the chair. With a glare, he resumed his work but not before throwing a piece of cake at Naruto.

Naruto sat on the soil ground and wondered what had happened. He didn't do anything and yet this person just shoved him to the ground and caked him. Naruto brushed off the cake pieces and walked up another booth and asked the lady inside. The lady within shrieked and called him 'demon' and that drew everyone's attention. Suddenly the whole festival ground was silent and Naruto stared at everyone with surprised azure eyes.

"Um, hi?" Naruto smiled and right after that innocent grin, hell broke loose.

"He's cursing us with those fox's eyes!" some one shrieked.

"He is ruining the festival that is in the honor of the Yondaime!"

"Make him leave!" the villagers chanted.

Naruto saw the advancing mob and ran out of the festival grounds terrified. He ran to the safety of the academy swing and just sat there rocking while fireworks, music, laughter resume in the festival.

No one cared.

No one came to him.

No one saw the flow of tears that steady dripped down his face.

No one will know that today was also his birthday.

End Flashback

"If I had never existed, I wouldn't have to feel the pain of dying bit by bit on the day I came to this world." Naruto whispered to the wind as he slowly rocked the swing.

"Happy Birthday to me…"

-

It's just a short beginning. Let me know what you think.