Naruto is more mature now. He sees and understands things he hadn't before. He knows that the village hates, and he knows why. He knows that some would never get over their prejudice against him, and he doesn't care. He knows that no matter what he does, not everyone will accept him, but that's fine because no one is perfect.

But it's Father's Day again, and this year he knows who his father had been. But the happiness and joy was mixed in with the pain and the hurt. It's dark, and late, and it's pouring rain. Naruto is standing on the open roof of the academy staring at the stone figures of the past Hokages.

He hasn't moved from the spot since the morning, because it's father's day and there is no picture of his father except for the one in the Hokage's office, which he hasn't earned the right to go into yet, and the stone carving in front of him.

He's looking up at the Forth, and asking 'Why'. About what, he doesn't know. He doesn't understand how the village could love the man, and hate the son, for something his father had done.

: - :

Sakura is growing up. She's not a little kid anymore, and her childishness behaviour is slowly being left behind. She's getting better results in her missions, and in her training. Her money, which she had been saving up, was amounting to a fair amount and she would soon be able to buy herself something very nice, she just doesn't know what it is yet.

Her friends were growing up too, and the girls talked to her more often. They were all slowly leaving their childhood behind, and walking forward in their path of life. The men were leaving more and more often for missions, and the women were starting to talk of houses.

It was almost their marriage time. Sakura doesn't know what to do. She used to say she would marry Sasuke, but she doesn't know now. So many things have changed, and it just wasn't the same anymore.

: - :

Sasuke is wandering down the street of the village. He's walking down Market Lane, and it is as busy as ever. The streets are crowded with people and it reminds him of the days when the Uchiha sector of the village had been much the same. He walks by the police station and he's doesn't have a reason for being here, neither does he have one for leaving.

He's just wondering because there's a hole in his heart that's slowly getting bigger, and he doesn't know what to fill it with.

: - :

Hinata wanted to go home.

She had always thought home was where your Father was. Home was where your Mother was. Home was where your family lived and loved, and maybe hated. Home was home, no matter how screwed up and messed up and undeniably whacked the circumstances were.

Home was where they loved you, in the end.

Hinata opened the shoji doors and walked through the empty hallways, lingering in places where her childhood memories were. Yet, her heart was heavy.

She didn't know where home was, but home was not here.

Taking a few steps at a time, Hinata left the Hyuuga house behind.

: - :

Jiraiya stands leaning on a training post. The training ground is damp, and muddy, and deserted. His arms are crossed and he stares down at a puddle. He sees the white haired, face-streaked man in the reflection, and somehow wishes for more.

Jiraiya remembers days when he hadn't stood alone on these grounds and how he had been weaker but so much happier. There had been three of them, and one teacher. Him with his jokes, her with her innocence, and him with his smarts. They had been the misfits, brats, completely untameable and absolutely perfect together.

They hadn't expected to succeed, not that far. They had been teased, underestimated and pushed down. But that was okay, because they had each other. When the Third chose, it didn't matter Orochimaru wasn't chosen but then he wanted Jiraiya

– 's student.

And the three pieces of the puzzle drifted apart. The pieces of that beautiful reality shattered. And then Orochimaru left. Then he left to drag him back. Then she left because they weren't going to come back for her.

And everything just broke apart from there.

Jiraiya has his back to the Tablet. He can't bring himself to look at it. On it is the name of his teacher – mentor – father. He can't look at it because a part of him doesn't want to look on the name and realize again what is lost and will never be regained. And also a part of him is ashamed, of the man they called Professor, who was smart enough to know who not to pick – but not for the right reasons.

: - :

Neji is still training, even though he's powerful enough, and others acknowledge him as being powerful enough. The sun is setting behind him and he was there when the sun rose up.

In his heart is the picture of the small girl who shyly hid behind her father's kimono when she had first met him, and in his mind is the image of the same girl older, more mature and the slowly growing look in her eyes that get stronger everyday. And all he can think about is the hurt, betrayed, yet weary look in her eyes that she would probably wear when she hears of the news.

Neji's hand hurts because he just smashed it into a tree and the tree comes tumbling down, but his heart still aches more than his fist.

: - :

Hinata already knew before the whispered took over her life. There had been all the signs.

She knows they are watching her, waiting for a reaction, but what is she supposed to do? It wasn't within her power to change their minds and it wasn't her place to tell them what to do. She had never wanted to be their Heir and Leader.

So she lives each day passively, going about her activities. She ignores the stares, and looks and whispers. There is nothing left to be done, all she can do is wait. But she doesn't lie to herself, and she knows, that everything that she had been building towards, was crumbling around her.

She also ignores the outstretched hands and words of comfort, because they don't really understand what and there is no comfort to be found in being second to something again. And they watch her, helplessly frozen as she falls into herself more and more each day. The walls are made and grow higher with every passing moon. There is something to be done, but they just don't know what it is.

: - :

Naruto spends his free time in the forest. It is very easy to get lost there, and sometimes, he just needs to know that what he's feeling on the inside is what's around him. He jumps from tree to tree and they all start looking the same at some time or another. And sometimes, the demons inside are the only companions you want.

He feels like he should be heading towards a goal, or maybe realize that he was wandering somehow, but he wasn't. He was at a stand still. He's standing still on the path he has chosen to walk, and there is a fork in the road. There are two choices and he doesn't know which road to pick at all.

: - :

Sakura's hair is getting longer, it's long enough to tie back in a ponytail but still not as long as before. She's looking in a mirror again, and as she brushes her hair this morning and ready to put it back with a hair tie, she stops. She realizes that it might never be that long again, because she finds long hair a hassle these days.

She doesn't have enough time to look after it, and neither has she made time for it. The brush lowers slowly to the table as she looks at the growing girl in the mirror, and she feels a pang on the inside.

She's moved on from something without really knowing.

: - :

Sasuke comes back everyday and walks through deserted streets and rows on rows of empty houses. There are small bits cobwebs starting to collect on some of them, but Sasuke shields away. There is only one house in use within the whole neighbourhood, and if some of the other places were falling into shambles, it didn't really matter.

The streets are silent and the noises of the market seem so far away. The moon is the only light available in the night, and he doesn't get lost even if there is no light coming from the windows of the rooms he walks past. His feet knows the way and he can't afford to get lost, because there is no candle lighting the way to the door he's heading for.

He knows. If he needed a candle, he'll have to light it himself.

. : - : .