Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Ten

Knocking, yelling, and exclaims of excitement is what I wake up too. One word comes to mind as I open my eyes to greet the day, 'Naruto'. Scrunching up my nose in annoyance I turn over and shove my face into my pillow. Why did he have to wake me up? I do not want this day to happen. I lie perfectly still for a couple of seconds as Naruto's noise continues. What is he doing? The only time that he is up before I am, is when he has a mission or training. Turning back around, I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. I might as well see what all the fuss is about.

The floor feels cold against my bare feet, but I welcome it, because I got all clammy from sleeping under all of my blankets. Last night I just wanted to hide and sleep the next couple of days away. So I buried myself in blankets, like how rabbits burry themselves in burrows for hibernation. But of course I am a human, not a rabbit, and hibernation is impossible for me. Even more impossible when adoptive big brothers like Naruto are involved.

Little time passes before I am standing in front of the door. Still a bit groggy I unlatch the deadbolt and slowly open the door to peak at Naruto's side of the floor. The first thing I see is the white haired man from yesterday standing in front of Naruto's open door with his arms crossed and a bemused expression on his face. What is he doing here?

I look over to Naruto's door again, waiting for him to make an appearance, but when all I hear is crashing and sounds of impatience I open up my door wider and said, "Excuse me", to the man waiting for my idiot neighbor.

He turns his head towards me in a slow motion that tells me he knew I was there all along. He is a grown shinobi; he probably knew that I was nearby even when I was still asleep. "Oh you're that little girl from before". He said before turning his whole body towards me.

I nod my head while propping my door open with my body. "Yes I was with Naruto nii-san yesterday". I said. Taking a small pause before I opened my mouth to ask, 'What are you doing here?' But the white haired man beets me to it.

"No before that", he said, as if that is enough to prompt my memory. "You were there when we were watching Naruto and Sakura fight Kakashi."

I stare off in the distance, recalling that specific memory. That was when I first thought that I was related to Kakashi because of his red eye. This white haired man was the man that was watching from the tree. And he was there in Tsunade's office the time that I first saw Naruto. "I remember now. You are the man that trained Naruto nii-san until he came back to his apartment from that long trip."

The white haired man nods his head, and makes, "umm hum", sounds out of satisfaction. From inside his apartment Naruto yells out, "I'm almost done Pervy Sage!"

The man smiles a Naruto's voice, but I flinch. It is a wonder that I get any sleep when Naruto is home. But that does remind me. "Excuse me", I said, causing the man to focus on me again. "The name that Naruto nii-san just called you, you were also called that yesterday. So do you know what pervy means?" I asked right as Naruto comes skidding out of his apartment with his travel pack slung over his right shoulder. Though some how he manages to freeze the moment he heard the "P Word". And all I get in response from the white haired man is an opened mouth, blank eyed stare. Why do people keep on refusing to tell me the definition of that word? I wonder if I can find it in a dictionary.

Naruto is the first one to snap back into action. "Oh look at the time", he said with a nervous smile, and even though there is no clock out here to tell time. "You don't want to be late for the academy, better go get ready Manami. I'll see you when I get back!" Naruto exclaimed as he started to push the white haired man down the stairs. I watch them go, only feeling a little amused. Their avoidance in telling me what the 'p-word' means only makes me want to know more.

Since I've already been disturbed in my day of hibernation I do not feel like going back to bed. Instead I grudgingly get ready for the academy. Maybe if I act like today in just like any other day I will not turn ten and I will never become older than my dead brother.

The walk to school goes by a lot slower than I would have liked as I seem to notice more blooming flowers, and more smiling faces of the villagers than I normally do. Why? Why is it that when I am in the worst moods I notice more things? I sigh as I reach up with my right hand to rearrange my hair so it is partially in my face as I round the corner, about three steps away from the front yard of the academy. I just want this day to be over. The sooner this day ends the sooner I can put it behind me.

The moment I am surrounded by the familiar sound of my peers at play Akio comes bounding at me from my right, yelling "Manami! Where were ya yesterday?"

I open my mouth to respond but for a few seconds nothing comes out as I am stuck thinking about the number ten. Though once I make eye contact with him I said, "I did not get out of the hospital until noon, and Naruto decided that we needed ramen".

Akio pauses at the mention of the hospital as he gets this, 'oh yay' as he clearly was not thinking about the recent events in our lives. Though as soon as he regains himself he said, "Well ya missed it! I went to train with Neji-sensei yesterday after the academy and his teammate was there. Ya know that really creepy eyebrows guy that helped me um ya know, talk to Sakura?" He waits for me to nod before going on. How could I forget that day? "They were sparring and totally destroyed most of the training field!" He said, throwing his hands up in the air as he said destroyed.

My eyes widen at his display. "Sorry that I missed it". I said as the bell rang, signally the start of school.

Akio leads the way into the building, nodding his head energetically as other students run past us, laughing. "Yeah, ya should have seen it! They were at it for so long that my mom was so mad at me when I got home. I didn't get back until after ten".

I flinch at the dreaded number and push past Akio to get to the class room faster. Why does that stupid number have to be talked about right when I get it out of my head?

"Manami? Wait up!" Akio calls after me, sounding confused.

I have been cursed by the number ten. Iruka-sensei starts out the day by having us complete ten trajectory problems. Next he has us split into groups of two to practice the shadow clone jutsu, and since some people are absent there are ten groups of two. Then Iruka-sensei gives us a riveting lecture on the different ninja villages, which are our allies and which are not before we are released for lunch. Of course I do not have lunch, because I failed to grab food from my apartment due to being distracted by Naruto and his actions. But Akio is kind enough to share his lunch with me. His mom packed his lunchbox with rice, steamed carrots and little hot dogs. He had plenty to go around. His mom had made ten carrots and ten mini hot dogs. When class resumed, the rest of the day is filled with physical lessons. First everyone has to run ten laps before we all form the familiar circle for sparring where we each get ten minutes to defeat our opponent. What's so great about the number ten? Why does it keep popping up? On today no less.

As the school day ended I have every attention of going back to my apartment and spend the rest of the day in misery. Maybe I would break into Naruto's place to take some of his endless supply of instant ramen. Akio, however, has other ideas. "Hey, ya want to head to the training field?" He asked walking out of the school building shoulder to shoulder with me.

I shake my head, while looking forward.

"What! Why not? Maybe that green guy will be there and ya could see Neji-sensei in action". He said with excitement in his voice.

I shake my head again. "No", I said, shoving my hands in my pockets.

Frowning, Akio runs in front of me and turns around so we are face to face, making me stop. "But we didn't do anything yesterday. Why don't ya want to do anything now?

I take breathe before snapping, "I just do not, okay!"

Akio just stands there; both of us glaring at the other as every other academy student are running off the school grounds. Suddenly Akio lunges forward with both of his hands and shoves me backwards. With it being un-expectant and my hands still in my pockets I am unable to save myself and end up falling and landing on my rear with oomph. My eyes must be showing the shock I am feeling as I stare up at Akio. "What was that for?" I demanded as I pulled my hands out of my pockets so I can push myself up.

Akio glares down at me and crosses his arms. "For being a jerk", he fumed "Ya been like this all day!" He told me as I stand up, and start rubbing dust off my clothes.

My eyes snap to stare into his. Next thing I know I am pushing him back, knocking him off his feet. "That does not mean you can push me". I said. Akio does not stand up, but he lunges from his spot on the ground and wraps his arms around my knees, tackling me to the ground. The next thing I know we are rolling around on the ground, each trying to gain the upper hand to successfully pin the other.

I hear other students gasp as we roll their way and they are forced to jump away. Akio has hold of both of my wrists and I am gripping his shirt, which means no one has the upper hand. Akio rolls over one more time to where I am on the ground and he is the one pinning me down. "Stop being a jerk!" He yells in my face.

I push all my weight to the left so we roll over again and switch positions. "I will stop when you do". I said glaring down at him.

Akio pushes against me until he has the upper hand again. "You started it". He spat. "None of this is my fault!" By now a circle of lingering students has formed around Akio and me, some just watching, some cheers for Akio, and even less cheering for me. Do any of these students have something better to do than watch myself and my best friend fight?

With what little energy I have left I flip Akio over so that he is the one on the ground, "Of course this is not your fault, it is not like you pushed me or tackled me to the ground", I said sarcastically.

This time Akio did not try to turn the table on me before giving his retort. He just glares up at me and asked, "Why are ya being a jerk?"

Having had enough of today I blurt out without thinking, "Because I do not want to be ten!"

Right as the familiar yelling voice of Iruka-sensei is heard yelling, "Break it up! Break it up", as he pushes through the crowd of students that had formed around us. Then there is a strong hand hauling me and Akio to our feet by the back of my shirt, since I am still holding on to Akio. And then there is another hand pulling us about. "What is the meaning of this?" A red faced Iruka-sensei asked as he shakes each of us slightly, as if that would force the answer out of this.

I look at Akio, to see that he is looking at me. His hair is all askew, and his clothes are covered in dirt. I am probably no better. A brief moment of truce passes between us, just long enough for us to both look Iruka-sensei in the eye and say at the same time, "We were practicing teamwork". Our answer was un-expectant, and a shocked Iruka-sensei lets both of us go. A sign to we both just avoided punishment.

"Why did you interrupt our practice?" I asked, but I did not want an answer so I turned around to head back to the apartments.

From behind me I hear Akio add, "Yeah Sensei! That was rude".

Akio catches up with me at the exit of the school grounds. We pause, and glare at each other before heading off in opposite directions. I shove my hands in my pocket, and take note of the tension in my shoulders. This is the worst birthday ever.