Here we go again... the new chapter... gomen... for the late update... here the story, ENJOY!

Disclaimer: Naruto is belonged to Masashi Kishimoto

Warning: a bit OOC, foul grammar... gomen.. -English is not my mother language-

Chapter 6 : The Past

"Where am I?"Naruko tried to catch her sight but she got nothing, everything was too dark to see. She turned her head aroundand lifted her hands, trying to find something she could held onto. It didn't take time for her to find the wall, she begun to walk as her hands kept tracing throughout the wall and finally she found this small gentle light from stood for a while, and decided to keep going although she didn't know what was waiting in that luminous light.

Slowly, she walked towards the light; this was strange, she didn't feel scare at all though she's in the dark, alone. The only thing she could do only kept walking until she found a way out from this darkness. Without she realized she's already stepped out from the darkness. Right now she stood in the middle of agarden, which filled with red crimson-colored flower. She's quite amazed with the enchanting scenery in front of her eyes just now. She looked around with curiosity, and finally her eyes stopped at the familiarthing that just passed her.

[What was that…? a butterfly?]

A blue butterflywas flying in slow motion in front of her. It looked like waiting for her to come approach to it. When Naruko stepped her left foot a bit to get close to it, the butterfly fled from her. And then stopped at the same range, again when Naruko tried to get closer the butterfly flew even farther. This is silly, thought Naruko. She didn't know why she does this stupid thing.

The only thing she knew, there's something… there's something familiar with the butterfly. So she kept chasing the butterfly until she got to a big tree. The butterfly itself already disappeared after she reached it.

The only thing left, only her stood alone under the big tree.

All of a suddenthe darkness came back and draw nearer to the place where Naruko stood still. All the flowers were withering and the wind blew harshly. Now she got this bad feeling. There's a dark figure appeared from the other side of the tree. At the first Naruko didn't notice whether it's a woman or a man because the shadow from the tree casted on the face.

The figure turned his head to her, showing his red crimson eyes, with three blackkotodama symbols in each of his eyes. The similar eyes she used to know.

Not long after the figure showed up the wind were getting calm, and this thick mist adjusted whereas the darkness stayed still. Naruko barely kept looking into that pair of eyes, which were glistening cruelly and yet cold.

"Sa-sasuke?" She called hesitantly, but the dark figure just sneered at her. She couldn't turn her eyes away from those red crimson eyes, which were looking at her as if its could ate her up wholly. He moved closer to Naruko at a slow pace and raised his right hand. At that time Naruko hardly to move her body, it's like those eyes hypnotized her. So she closed her eyes prepared to receive the pain. But, instead got hit, there's a warmth which came from a hand. That hand caressedNaruko's cheek gently. She recognized the warmth; it's the same warmth from the past, the warmth that she has been longing for so long. Actually she got the urge to open her eyes, but she scared if she opened her eyes right away, she probably will reach out her hand to hug him tightly. And if she does that thing, he would disappear. So she let herself drowned in momentary ecstasy, tried to memorize the warmth as much as she could.

"Sasuke... I missed you so much..." She whispered.

As the words slipped out of her tongue, the warmth faded away, she slowly opened her eyes and found nothing.

The figure no longer there, like it had never been there in the first place.

A single tear rolled down to her cheek...

"Could it be impossible to bring you back...?" She asked, but got no answer.

OoO

Naruko opened her eyes just to find that she was lying in the bed, in the familiar hospital room.

[Am I still in Konoha?]

She seemed in deep thought for a while and then she recalled what dream she had just now. She still could feelthe warmth on her left cheek and it felt so real. She closed her eyes to lessen the pains in her chest now.

[Why doI feel so broken about you?]She asked to herself. Again, the tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Naruko?" A deep voice startled her. Hurriedly she rubbed her face to hide the fact she was crying, and then she turned her head to the voice. She found the little fox was staring at her.

"Kyuubi-nii..."

Kyuubi smiled faintly, looked so glad that the girl he cares the most has awaken from the long sleep.

"Naruko, how do you feel now?"

"Err… not bad I guess. Anyway, Kyuubi-nii… how long have I been sleeping?"

"About three days..." He answered.

"How about…Sasuke?"

Kyuubi paused for a while, he knew that Narukowould ask about this sooner or later,

"He left in the middle of that night and escaped after beat up all the guards."

Naruko sighed deeply, and looked toward the ceiling; she has expected this will be happened.

"Ne, Kyuubi-nii..."

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"For not giving up on him."

Kyuubi sighed, "…Yeah, I know, it's okay, I will always be here to help you for everything that you choose."

"Thank you…Kyuubi-nii,"

After she spoke the words, Naruko closed her eyes and fell back into deep sleep once again.

Kyuubi remained in silent, he knew everything about this little girl, about the entire burden that she held and also the feeling that she have toward that young Uchiha. That's why; the fox will do the best to help the blonde girl. She deserved to be happy.

OoO

"I am glad to see you awake now," said Shizune, she stood in front of the door, smiled softly. As she walked into the room and stood besideNaruko's bed.

"How do you feel Naru-chan?" Asked Shizune.

"I am fine, just a little dizzy," said Naruko with faint smile on her face.

"Come on, we need to prepare you before you meet Tsunade-sama," Said Shizune,

Naruko frowned, she knew this would happen, that's why she wonder to herself if she brave enough to explain everything to Tsunade.

Shizune realized her worry; she took Naruko's hand and calmed her down.

"it's okay. Actually you should see how much she worried about you since you were gone two years ago."

Naruko looked at Shizune's eyes, she felt guilty, "I am so sorry..." She said.

Shizuneshaked her head, "No, not to me Naru-chan. You could say that when you meet Tsunade-sama." She said while smiled softly, "Okay now hurry, you need to clean yourself and change your clothes."

She nodded. It would be difficult, she even didn't she was ready enough to explain the whole thing happen since she left the village two years ago.

"Naru-chan…" the deep voice startled her. Her blue eyes moved to look at the puppy beside her. "I know it's difficult. I know you thought you not ready yet. But the fact you couldn't run away anymore like you did a few weeks ago. You could not say a single thing. You could keep your reason for yourself, but it won't be fair for those who worried about you for the past two years."

The blonde girl stood silently. Kyuubi was right. Every single word that he mentions was right. It's the time to solve the whole thing. She is not a loser, right? She should believe that everything would be okay.

"…Please, just do or say what you think that the best to say, you should know you could do this. You are stronger than you thought you are…" and with the last word, she smiled widely. It would definitely difficult, but she would pass this whole thing. She is strong.

…or at last it what Kyuubi thought about her.

.

.

-At Hokage's Office-

Naruko with Kyuubi in her arms stood in front of the Godaime. Fifteen minutes had left, and no one ever dare to spoke before the Godaime herself say something.

Tsunade sighed, "... Naruko." Said the Godaime, finally.

Naruko tried to keep her eyes look onto Tsunade's eyes. Both of them actually didn't really need a single word. For Naruko, Tsunade is just like a mother, a grandmother, a sister, everything. And for Tsunade, Naruko is her precious person, the one who she want to give the happiest life ever because that girl of hers also already through the most tragically life.

Tsunade stood from her chair, walked toward Naruko and without even the blonde girl noticed, Tsunade hugged her gently. A single tear began to rolling down to her cheek. How she missed her so much. "I am glad, you've returned..." Said Tsunade, without released the embrace.

Naruko hugged her back awkwardly. "I am sorry, baa-san..." She was choking back the tears but in the end she unable to hold back the urge to cry. She was actually missing this warmth, the family warmth hug. Everything that happened for these two years actually had shattered her body, heart, and mind, but she tried not to be so vulnerable. She seems strong, but actually she was sofragile inside. So easily to broke, just like when Sasuke broke her heart every time he turned down her

OoO

"Why did you leave us Naru-chan?" Asked the Godaime—Naruko sighed, she knew that someday she has to explain her reason. But still, she doesn't know what to say. That's why, the Godaime give up—the blonde girl someday will tell her the reason actually. Right now, there some important matter to be done.

"Ne, Naruko, actually Sakura had cleaned your apartment since you left. So I guess, the room must be still nice to live. You could go back to your apartment after you finish with your stuff, Fukusaku already brought some of your stuff from Myobokusan, and he said you are still welcomed to Myobokusan whenever you want. Ah ya, you will find your stuff in the hospital—at your room." Tsunade explain.

Naruko nodded her head. "Wakatta," she said.

"Oh, one more Naru-chan!" Said Tsunade before Naruko reached the door. Tsunade touched her hand slowly and suddenly smacked her on the head. " AWWW!" cried the blonde girl

"Baa chan! That hurt!"

"Actually I want to do that since the first time you enter this room," said Tsunade, "And that's because you had left me for 2 years, you will never could imagine how worried I am."

Naruko touched her head, stroked it gently, then looked at Tsunade's eyes, "I am sorry baa-chan... I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, the most important thing is you're back now, actually I should say thanks to Hebi, because of them, I got you back." She said bluntly—forgetting something important. The blonde girl's eyes slightly widened, her heart felt ache again, "I am sorry Naru-chan, I didn't mean to remind you about Sasuke," said Tsunade.

Naruko shook her head, "No, ... it's okay, baa-chan, I'm fine," Said Naruko—with her usual big grin showed up on her face, "Uhm... I guess, I need to go back to my apartment now, could I?"

Tsunade nodded her head, "Sure!"

Naruko smiled at her, then took Kyuubi who lies on the sofa, "Come on, Kyuu-nii," calledNaruko,

"Ah... Naru-chan!" called Tsunade.

"Yes?"

"I have something to asked to Kyuubi, could he stay for a while?" Asked the Godaime. Naruko looked at Kyuubi, looking for an agreement.

"Is it okay, Kyuu-nii?" asked Naruko, Kyuubi nodded.

"Yes, I'll be fine, I'll catch you later." Said Kyuubi. Naruko nodded, released Kyuubi from her arms.

"Jaa, Kyuu-nii, baa-chan!" Said Naruko—then exited the office.

Kyuubi and Tsunade turned their head from the door, where Naruko gone, then they looked each other, "Ne, Kyuubi, I really want to know why you protected her now? You have an ulterior motive don't you? You want to destroy the village again? Using her?" Asked the Godaime, the atmosphere kinda tensed up.

Kyuubi looked at her expressionless, "I am here to protect her, nothing else, I don't care about the others. Except—if the villagers try to hurt her again," still, looked at the godaime, "If that happen, I will make sure, that this village will be ended as a history." Said Kyuubi.

Tsunadecouldn't believe what she just heard. 'He cares about her a lot'. She thought.

"Why? ... Why you care about her?" Asked the Godaime.

Kyuubi sighed, "It's my fault that she lived in a lot of pain..." Said Kyuubi. Imagine how bad he crushed the blonde hair girl's life, "I knew that I had been become so selfish, I used to hate the human because they put me into a vessel and treated me as a monster—" his eyes saddened, it never come easy when you have to called back the bad memories though. "that's why I easily to be influence by Madara, but then I realized... Because of my selfishness, I had put that girl into a lot of pain..."

Kyuubi sighed again, tried to gathering the memories, "I had seen many expressions she had. She was the toughest girl I've ever seen. She showed me many things that could break off my selfishness and made me once again tried to understand the human. She never complain about her life, she kept smile while she felt like in hell, she kept help the other when she was treated like a trash. She... was an angel... just like her mother,"

Tsunade stood in silence, kept her eyes at the small figure in front of her. "When her father told her that she was actually born as a girl, she almost gave up her life—" Well, he felt everything that the girl felt when the secret revealed, still he couldn't help much. It hurt him like hell actually to bring back the memories, "but then she cheered herself up and kept smile like usual. That time, I promised to myself, that I will protect her, no matter what. Her pain should be removed and stopped. She deserves happiness, and I will guarantee that," said Kyuubi while looked at Tsunade.

The Godaime began to cry, "Thank you... for your kindness, and thank you... because you had understood her pain... thank you..." she loves the blonde girl too much. It pain her when a few years ago, it seemed that no one try to understand her. Just because she is a vessel of the Nine tailed fox, the cursed her to the end. But hearing those words from the nine tale fox, it such a relieved.

Kyuubi sighed, and then nodded his head.

OoO

Naruko walked toward her old apartment slowly, after took all her stuff from the hospital room. Naruko felt little awkward when she slowly walked in the village. Even thought this is the second time she walked over this village, it's still strange. She is different now, she is a girl. Suddenly, she felt many eyes looked at her, and she began to walk faster. She wished to arrive at her old apartment as soon as possible.

But, unfortunately, Kami-sama didn't grand her wish. Sakura and her other former friends walked toward her when they catch her in eyes.

Naruko stood in her place, she didn't show any expression. "Naruto..." said the pink haired girl, Sakura who carefully move forward the blonde girl. Her expression seems irritated.

Suddenly, she slapped Naruko's cheek. "S-SAKURA!" screamed the others. Shikamaru even moved to prevent the other action from the pink haired girl. She may slap or punched her right?

But Naruko still expressionless. It made Sakura get angrier. "Why?" said Sakura, "Why did you leave?" she screamed, tried to hold her tears.

Naruko said nothing, she just stood and looked down. She knew that Sakura was so worry about her, so she let her to blew away all the hatred. She knew from the first time she had left, she hurt her friend—who cared her happiness the most. But, still—she chose to leave the village. It really hard to accept that she is different from the past, she is not a boy—not same like the past. That's why she couldn't bear the worry that kept haunted her about her friend. The reality seemed to be so bad. Her friend would trust that she lied.

"That's it," Sakura said—making the blonde girl looked up. Sakura disappointed. All of them. But as much asNaruko want to explain it, she couldn't find any words to say.

"You don't trust me, don't you?—you don't trust us,"

No, I didn't mean it like that,Naruko thought. It difficult to explain, because actually she couldn't say no, and that mean Naruko didn't trust them. She couldn't said to herself that she believe that they will accept her as a girl.

That makes Sakura irritated.

"Why you don't say something, Naruto?" she said again, the others also waiting for her to say a single word. But no—unfortunately, she said nothing.

"Our friendship—yeah, I should know it… it's nothing for you, right?" Sakura gritted her teeth, Naruko could tell how much she hurt the red haired girl—and the others. She betrayed them. For almost two years, they were so worried about her, but Naruko left her without reason.

"N-Naruto…" called Hinata, the girl looked so disappointed. "W-why don't you …say something?"

She …wants. But, it seemed like her lips just kept locked. She is not ready yet.

But her friend couldn't understand it. They already wait for two years—and cannot wait any longer. Why they couldn't understand each other?

"…I-I am sorry," still—she didn't have any courage right now. Sakura sighed—she couldn't bear her disappointment.

"…That's it, Naruto," she said, gestured the others to turn back and leave the girl alone for now, "Let us know when you ready," then, they left.

It hurt—it goddamn hurt. They hurt each other, Naruko hurt them when she recognize herself that she couldn't trust them whole heartily, and they hurt her for not understanding the situation. Yet—they could fix it, later… maybe.

OoO

Kyuubi found his lovely blonde girl standing like statue in her apartment. Strange—it is. But, Naruko must face it, sooner or later. She cannot hide from the whole world forever, right? She also now has the duty to protect her birthplace—no matter how much misery from the memory while she grew up here, but she loves the village. And the village loves her now.

"Something bothering you?" said the nine tailed fox.

She smiled—shook her head slowly. "It's nothing—really,"

No. Something must be happened, Kyuubi knew it. Even though he's no longer stay in her body, he knew it—he always knew when something bothered her blonde girl's mind.

But there's nothing he can do. The girl will tell it when she thinks that he needs to know something. So the creature just sighed. "Listen, little girl—let me know when you need someone to share, okay? I'll just go out to talk to the Old Toad now," said Kyuubi.

"…Sure, thank you, nii-san,"

Kyuubi walked to the door—but then stood in front of the door, "Rest now Naruko—tomorrow must be a big day for you," then he left.

Naruko stood there for a moment, and then threw herself to the bed. Tomorrow really going to be a big day for her. Tomorrow—she must meet the elderly. She needs to explain everything. Sakura and the other must be there too. Perhaps—she told her first, but it's way too late.

…or, it is not?

A/N:

This is Dhie (a.k.a Tako). I am so sorry for the very late update. I am not surprised if there no one read or review this story again. My life had been shit even only for updating. I lost my inspiration. Then, I am so busy.

But, I promise, I will update the next chapter as soon as possible after this chapter. :)

Review?