Hi. Yes it is me.

Everyone reading this: BOOOO!

I know. Before I am pelted with an assortment of rotten fruit and veg (which I fully expect and understand) I would like a pathetic attempt to explain myself.

Whenever it was I last updated it was having difficulties in writing the next/this chapter. For a while I tried to write and I couldn't so I slowly gave up even though you readers out there were the cause of me receiving on average one review a week STIIL after weeks and months even up to this week. It was also only recently I saw how many C2's this story was in and I felt v.bad and I didn't want to give up on this story even though so much time had passed. I don't even know if my writing style is still the same.

So here I am, back again and ready to receive countless reviews saying 'you're a bum' which would true.

This chapter is short without any real drama but it was pretty tough to write and was spread across more then one day. I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things.

Official apology: I'm sorry for the delay. Now I will flee!

-

Naruto managed to get through the rest of the day without incident as shortly after the story of his graduation they were allowed to leave (Asuma acting as though he hadn't noticed what was going on) to fill the rest of the afternoon with individual training. Everyone could see in the jounin's face that Asuma just wanted to get rid of them.

Not that Naruto was complaining…he actually preferred the cold stares and hostility to the questioning looks and interested muttering.

They were finally paying attention to him but not in a good way, or in a 'he'd just pulled a prank and got caught' way. They were interested in his secrets which he had no intention of spilling even if the older shinobi that fought against the kyuubi already knew.

He bid Shikamaru and Chouji a quick goodbye before making a hasty exit from the clearing, feeling the eyes burning into his back absolutely certain that a pair of them belonged to Sauske.

Seeing that confident bastards face was the last thing he needed right then. He wanted to go train but the blond genin got the feeling that if he did the teme might follow him, so Naruto headed to the only place he felt certain no one would bother him: home.

No one wanted anything to do with 'the demon fox' when he was in his shabby lair.

So hunched over with his hands in his pockets and eyes lowered the fiery blond walked at a decent speed through the bustling streets, the heat of the sun beaming down on the exposed skin on the back of his neck.

Why did he answer Shikamaru's questions? It wasn't as though he was the only one who knew but the whole of Asuma's and Gai's team along with Sauske and Sakura!

Not even the alluring smell of ramen from his favourite stall could persuade him to linger in the streets with other people, other ninja's.

That was when he heard it…

"NARUTO! NARUTO!" An all too familiar voice called out to him.

Unable to stop himself the blond looked over his shoulder in search of the person who'd called out to him.

"Naruto." Sakura said a little breathlessly as she fell into step along side him.

"Sakura chan?" he said quizzically.

She actually wanted to talk to him?

"I-I just wanted to see if you were ok. You left very quickly." Sakura said as she watched him with interest.

Instantly Naruto's trademark grin was fixed in place.

"Everything's great Sakura chan! I was just eager to continue my training!" he beamed.

Well, a half truth. I do want to start thinking on how to work for my possible idea for my jutsu…

"I just wanted to say congratulations on your graduation; I know I didn't say it to you then." She said awkwardly not quite meeting his eyes. "I guess I shouldn't have been surprised; you always do everything with a bang." Sakura said with a slight laugh.

Come to think of it, he probably didn't remember the day we were assigned into teams…

"Uh, yeah thanks. I'll catch you later as I gotta go train." The blond said awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, bye!"

With a final grin he dashed away into the crowd, disappearing as completely as a shadow merging into the black of night, leaving Sakura to stare sadly after him.

There was so much the village didn't know about him and that was how it was going to stay.

-

Back at his apartment Naruto clicked on the kettle as he pulled an instant Ramen from the vast stock in his cupboard. His usual upbeat demeanour was already starting to return having decided that there was nothing really wrong with people knowing how he'd graduated as long as they didn't ask anything further.

Before recounting the story of his graduation he'd actually been having a good time just talking to Shikamaru and Choji. The sense of wrongness hadn't yet left him at seeing all of his friends looking older and (annoyingly) taller.

He wondered if he'd done anything great or learned any awesome jitsu's over the last couple of years. He'd come to accept what they had said about his memory but that didn't make it any less strange.

With the click of the kettle a stream of steam rose up from the spout. Mixing the boiling water with the dried Ramen the blond settled down to his favourite meal as he tried to think of where to start with the forming of his possible jitsu.

-

When I said short I meant it. I'll try and get back into the swing of it and see this through!