Chapter two: Sakura's Parents
Flashback
After the conversation with Sai and Shikamaru, Sakura went home to pack a few items, and to tell her mother where she was going. It was late in the afternoon, so she found her in the living room, reading a book of medicine.
"Mom, I have a mission in the Land of Iron, I'll probably be gone for a couple of days" she said.
"Ok sweetheart, but who is going? And what is it for? I heard that the Kage Summit is going to be held there" Mebuki answered, without leaving the book. She was a chunin same as Kizashi, with civilian jobs at the village, but still, the news of the first Kage Summit in decades, spread all over Konoha.
"Umm... Kakashi-sensei, Yamato, and Naruto went there to talk with the Raikage. It's about the situation with Sasuke-kun, and Akatsuki" Sakura muttered. She knew she wasn't telling the real truth, but it was not like it was a complete lie.
"Well, I suppose it must be important... Was already hard to believe that boy would do something like that, attack the brother of the Raikage!..." her mother responded. "But wait, you're not going alone are you? Kakashi and the others already left?" she asked.
Sakura should have known her mother was perceptive. She inherited that from her after all. Anyway, she had everything planned. "No mom, I'll go with Sai, Kiba, and Lee. Kiba is helping us to track Kakashi and the others, Lee is going as back up, and Sai is part of my team, remember?"
"Right, well... I was just worried. Never mind, good luck sweetheart" Mebuki said.
Sakura was about to open the door, but while thinking, she remembered something she wanted to ask her mother. She turned around, and returned to the living room. "Mom?"
"Yes dear?" her mother asked, surprised her daughter was still there.
"Can I ask you something?" Sakura seemed pensive.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Well... it's about love actually" she said, and went to the couch. "I'm confused... with all the things that happened with Sasuke-kun... the things he did. I thought I knew what love is, I thought that if Naruto and I could get him back, things could work out, and that would mean love can beat everything. But lately... I don't know anymore... Time passed, and the last months with Naruto mean something. I realized I care about him much more than what I thought. So... I wanted to ask... how did you know you loved dad? When did you know it was real love?"
Mebuki was staring at her, listening carefully. She dropped the book on the table.
"I see... Well, you know I met your father when we became chunin, though we were not in the same team. Eventually we got jobs at the village. It wasn't fast, but we spent time together every now and then, he always knew how to make me laugh... We dated for several months, and I could see that he wasn't happy with his job. When I asked him, he said that despite his job, he was actually happy because he was with me... He could be often a funny man, but he also made me feel as the most wonderful woman in the world. I realized he needed me as much as I needed him. I helped him to get a better job, and he'd always be there to support me, or hold me when I stumbled. That was when I knew it was love. I could not spend the rest of my life without him" she sighed deeply. "That never changed. I still hold his back, and he holds mine".
"Wow..." Sakura muttered. "I didn't know dad could be so romantic"
"Of course he is, but I'm the lucky woman to see that side of him... Maybe you should ask more often..." Mebuki said. She took a breath and continued "Anyway, love is to think about the other one's happiness, not your own. Means to care more about him than what I care about myself. And it works because I know he feels the same way. I make him happy, and he makes me happy... I guess what you should ask yourself is,... Who's the one who makes you feel like the most wonderful girl in the world? Who needs you to be happy? And do you feel the same way about him? You care about him the most because you know he will always hold your back?" she pondered.
Sakura was left thinking. She remembered what Naruto told her at the hospital, after she healed his broken arm given the side effects of the rasenshuriken. 'Hey, it's no big deal so long as I've got you around to fix me' 'I like the things the way they are now' 'It feels like you and me together... we're getting closer to Sasuke' This reminded her of the next day, when she offered to feed him with the chopsticks at Ichiraku, before Sai interrupted. She knew Sasuke never told her something like that. Before leaving Konoha, he thanked her for everything, and those were the kindest words he ever said to her. But at the end, he prioritized revenge, and he didn't need her for that. They were on different roads. Even when she saw him at Orochimaru's hideout, she felt he was different, like oblivious. She used to think that after achieving his vengeance he'd return, but he didn't. Sure, what happened to his family was awful, but still... he often called her annoying, and didn't recognize her talent as a kunoichi. He didn't care about her career as a medical ninja, he didn't make her a better person. And Naruto... he was always there for her. When she needed him the most, during the fight with Gaara, when Sasuke left, when she needed comfort, when Pain attacked the village. Besides, he needed her. Every time she had to heal him, especially the time at the Tenchi bridge, all the times she had to scold him for being immature... He appreciated her skills as a medic ninja. He could be a better person thanks to her. She tried to remember when she started to see him in a different way. The day he returned from the trip with Jiraiya. She didn't think much about it back then, but slowly her feelings started to grow, even more after learning of his life as jinchuuriki and what would happen if Akatsuki captured him.
"Sakura? Are you here?"
Sakura blinked. Her mother was staring at her. "Yes... I'm sorry, I was just thinking..." she answered.
Mebuki guessed that, as she knew most of what happened during the last months. Sakura always told her about the missions, the relevant events, and the results. The day her daughter returned from Suna, she was questioned about Naruto, the Kyuubi. They had a long talk back then. And not long ago, she and her husband witnessed the joyful welcome for Naruto after Pain was defeated. They proudly saw their daughter's hug with the hero, in front of everyone. They all were excited that time. So now, she had a very good idea of what her daughter was thinking.
"Look, I know you are still young, so I'm not saying you should marry the guy... That kind of commitment takes time. Love takes time. I'd be lying if I said that things were always easy with your father... We had rocky times, our ups and downs... but in the end, our love for each other, and for you, prevailed. So I'm just telling you how it starts" Mebuki explained.
"Thanks mom. I think I understand now" Sakura said, before going to give her mother a hug. Mebuki welcomed her.
"I better get going"
"Sure, the others might be waiting for you" Mebuki said. They broke the hug, and Sakura went back to the front door.
"Sweetheart?" her mother asked. Sakura turned around.
"I know it's just a diplomatic mission, but, please be careful"
"I will mom" Sakura said, while opening the door. "I'll be back in a few days. Bye!" she added, and walked through the door before closing it. Mebuki saw her daughter leave, and was left alone again in the house. It was always hard to watch her leave for missions.
That was how Sakura left home a couple of days ago. Now she was returning, with Naruto, after all the things that happened. And it was a miracle. That could have been the last time she talked to her mother. She needed to see her again.
Naruto calmly carried Sakura through the streets of Konoha. There were many buildings in reconstruction, still uninhabitable given the damage caused by Pain. When the rebuilding started, a couple of weeks ago, the center was given priority. Thanks to Yamato and several other workers, more than half of the houses were restored. There was still a way to go, but the villagers were overall satisfied with the progress. Each owner had to deal with the inside of their properties, but as they were shinobi, there were not many troubles.
Sakura's house was rebuilt in the same place where it was before the attack, so Naruto knew where he was going. Soon, they reached the populated part of the village. Some villagers were confused to see the hero of Konoha carrying his teammate, as she seemed unconscious, but no one dared to ask or interrupt him, after all, this wasn't unusual for shinobis from the same team. Besides, now most of the people respected Naruto, they trusted him.
When he turned around a corner, a couple of blocks away from his destination, Choji was walking on the same street. The Akimichi was surprised at the picture, and approached Naruto.
"Hey Naruto, what happened to Sakura?" he asked.
"Hi Choji, see... we were walking around the village, going to Ichiraku, and then she suddenly passed out. She said she was really tired after the trip to the Land of Iron, and asked me to take her home. Makes sense, on the way back, Kiba, Sai and the others had time to take a nap... even I had a break, but she didn't. I guess she really needs to rest" he explained. Sakura had her eyes closed, and pretended to be asleep.
"Oh, I get it. It's a long trip, I surely would have needed a nap if I went there... I hope she recovers. You may need to rest as well" Choji said.
"Yeah, but first I need to do this, and then get to Ichiraku" he said, almost chuckling, and his friend laughed.
"I'm going home to have a big dinner too... It's good to see you back, Naruto" Choji muttered, happily.
Naruto grinned. "Thanks Choji. I'm glad to be home..."
"See you later" Choji said, with a grin on his face, and turned around to leave.
"Wait... If you see Shikamaru, tell him not to worry too much about Sasuke. I know things seemed uneasy at the meeting, but I promise I'll do my best to protect Konoha" Naruto assured, trustingly.
"It's ok Naruto. I'll tell him. Don't worry, I trust you" Choji answered, unconcerned, and left.
Naruto was left smiling. There was no doubt, Choji was surely the kindest friend he had.
He kept going, until he finally reached the Haruno's porch. The house seemed undamaged, completely restored, at least from the outside. When he stopped, Sakura opened her eyes, and realized they had arrived.
"You can put me down now" she said, while watching him closely. She knew the situation was a little awkward, and would raise desperate questions if her parents saw her in Naruto's arms.
He obeyed without hesitating, and placed her back on the ground. She struggled a little, given the numbness of her legs, but managed to stay on her feet. He glanced at her, she nodded, so he gave a few knocks on the door.
After a little while, the door opened, revealing Mebuki standing behind.
"Oh... sweetheart, you're back" she said, before giving her daughter a hug. "How did everything go?" she asked before turning to her partner. "Hi Naruto, how are you? Did something happen? I haven't seen you since Pain was defeated"
Before Naruto could answer anything, Sakura spoke.
"Mom, can Naruto come in? she asked, still standing on the porch.
"Sure, sure... Please, come inside" Mebuki answered, glancing over at Naruto, giving a gentle smile. She was concerned given her daughter's seriousness, but realized there was no need to insist. Sakura seemed distressed.
Naruto thanked her, and then entered the house with Sakura, while Mebuki closed the door. They went straight to the spacious and luminous living room, where Naruto saw a long couch in the middle, next to a table, a couple of armchairs, and a small library on the back. There were some portraits in the walls, a chest drawer, and some furniture full of archives, and papers. On the top of the chest drawer there was a family picture with Kizashi, Mebuki, and Sakura, from the day she became a chunin. Next to the picture there was a vase full of blossoms. The window in the living room was oriented to the front of the house. The walls seemed recently painted, which is logical considering two weeks ago the house was seriously damaged.
This was the first time Naruto had entered the Haruno's house. He already knew Sakura's parents, given all the missions as a team, and the times he'd find them in the academy waiting for their daughter when she was little. Sometimes he saw them when he accompanied Sakura home after a mission, and he'd never forget when they greeted him the night after being trapped in the mysterious genjutsu world. Still, he never really had a real conversation with them. He knew this time would be different, and guessed things could change from now on.
Sakura was wondering what to say, what to tell, since her mother would never expect she could find Sasuke when she left. She had told her about the mission to the Land of Iron, and seeing the Raikage.
Kizashi Haruno, came from the kitchen to happily welcome his daughter and Naruto. He noticed the silence in the room, and when he looked at his wife's expression, realized something happened.
Naruto and Sakura sat next to each other on the couch, while her parents headed to the armchairs.
Mebuki broke the silence. "So... What happened?"
Sakura wasn't really in the mood to explain everything, but she knew her parents needed answers. They surely noticed her swollen eyes. She glanced at Naruto, so he spoke.
"Mr and Mrs Haruno, thanks for welcoming me into your house. See... the reason I'm here is because some things happened in the mission... Danzo is dead" he blurted. Naruto was never really good at explaining, so he figured he'd start with the easy facts.
Both parents were stunned.
"But how... he has been recently appointed as Hokage by the daimyo. What happened in the Kage Summit?" Kizashi questioned.
"It's a long story, and we were not there. But when I talked to Gaara, the Kazekage, he told me Danzo was alive, and that had left the Summit. He was returning to Konoha. The thing is... Akatsuki infiltrated the Land of Iron, and... Sasuke was there. He killed Danzo" Naruto explained.
"That's terrible" Mebuki said, raising a hand to her head. "I knew that boy was in the dark, but I'd have never expected... kill the Hokage" she added.
"Those are really bad news for the Root. I heard a lot of ugly stories from Danzo and his subordinates. I didn't like him as Hokage, but still... how could a boy like him commit such crimes? Does he really have the power to murder someone like Danzo?" Kizashi pondered.
Sakura was halfly paying attention to her parents. She didn't want to hear nothing more about Sasuke, and would have liked to be sleeping in her bedroom, in silence. But she knew that her parents deserved to know the truth.
"He became really powerful. Gaara fought with him after the Kage Summit, it's clear that his Sharingan reached the higher levels" Naruto said, remembering Gaara's words.
"I shouldn't be surprised. He became just like his brother. The Uchihas always had blood thirst, and that never is going to change" Kizashi muttered, in anger.
"Kizashi, don't talk like that in front of them. You know things were different. I knew Sasuke's mother, none of them were monsters. Her husband Fugaku was a serious man, but they were a family like any... The Kyuubi incident changed everything, and later Itachi. He is responsible for what his brother is doing" Mebuki stated.
Naruto was startled by their words. Now he understood all the things the masked man said about Itachi. Things were getting clearer. However, he knew he couldn't reveal anything, as Kakashi ordered.
Sakura already knew her father's ideas about the Uchiha, so she expected this kind of reaction from him. She usually sided with her mother regarding Sasuke, but she recently realized why her father resented the Uchihas. Still, when her mother mentioned Itachi, she remembered what Naruto said to Sasuke at the bridge. He knew something, the reason behind Sasuke's later actions, and the intention to destroy Konoha. Before she could decide to ask him, her mother spoke again.
"I sense there's something else you are not telling us yet... we could have heard those news tomorrow morning" she observed. Then she turned to her daughter "Why are you so quiet dear?" she asked gently. Kizashi was also looking at his daughter, with a concerned expression.
Sakura avoided their glances, and looked down. Naruto caught her expression, and realized it was the moment to tell the complete truth.
"You're right Mrs Haruno, there's something else... the truth is... we found out about Danzo's death because we met Sasuke in the Land of Iron" Naruto revealed.
"You what?" both parents exclaimed. "What about the others? Was Kakashi there?" Kizashi asked.
"Yes, he was... but still... a fight ensued... and Sasuke tried to kill Sakura" Naruto finally let out.
Sakura's parents were shocked. Her mother covered her mouth in horror.
"Oh God, my dear..." Mebuki said. She got up and approached her daughter, taking her hand.
Kizashi was left completely stunned, and speechless.
"I'm ok mom... I'm fine... I'm here" Sakura said, while looking at them, and squeezing her hand.
"But what... how..." Mebuki mumbled.
"I saved her, I arrived right in time" Naruto said.
"But why did this happen?" she asked.
"Well..." Naruto tried to answer, before Sakura glanced over at him.
"Naruto, let me... there are things you don't know either since you have arrived later" Sakura said. She looked at her parents, stood up, dropped her mother's hand, and took a deep breath. "The truth is... I arrived first at the bridge where Sasuke was. I asked Kiba to track his smell, and when he gave me the location, I left him and the others behind... We had split from Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, and Yamato..." she sighed. "I met Sasuke at the bridge, and pretended to join him... There was another girl there, gravely wounded, lying on the floor. She was a member of his team... He asked me to finish her, that way he'd accept my request, but when I went there, with a kunai in hand, I doubted... I had wanted to get the chance to kill him, but I guess he saw through me... and... If it wasn't for Kakashi who got there at the right time, I probably wouldn't..." Sakura looked down, unable to face them, or continue.
Naruto was stunned to hear this. On the way back, neither Kakashi or Sakura bothered to tell them this, so he assumed they had arrived at the bridge together. He noticed she was saddened, but he thought it was because of the murder attempt he witnessed. He didn't imagine that Sasuke had already tried to kill her before he got there. Even if Sakura committed a foolishness, he knew why she did it. He wasn't mad at her, it was the opposite, he felt dejected because his own words inadvertently led her to make that decision. If he had listened to her and returned to Konoha, none of this would have happened.
Mebuki was staring at her daughter, saddened. Kizashi was dazed, trying to make sense of things.
"But why did you go there alone? You should have gone with Kakashi and the others. How could you do something so reckless?" he questioned. He was upset and worried.
Sakura looked back at him, with renewed strength. "I'm sorry dad... I just wanted... to feel useful, to protect those I care about... on the mission to retrieve Sasuke, three years ago, six friends almost died. Neji and Choji were brought back on critical state. Naruto was seriously injured. And I stayed behind, useless, after making him promise to bring Sasuke back. I swore next time things would be different..." she sighed. "I know years passed, and I grew stronger... Before leaving this time, me and the others decided to eliminate Sasuke for the sake of Konoha. Kiba, Sai, Lee, Shikamaru, everyone agreed... You heard the news, the reasons for the Kage Summit, and the Raikage's message. The whole village was aware that Sasuke had become a criminal. I know I should have waited for the others, but I also wanted to protect them.." Sakura explained, and looked at Naruto, before turning back to see her parents. She seemed regretful.
Mebuki was staring at her daughter with a compassive expression. On top of everything, she was glad Sakura was back home, safe.
"I know what you're saying... the will to protect our fellows has always been strong in our village... But I want you to promise us that you'll never do something like that again. Don't leave your teammates behind, much less your sensei. We couldn't live if something ever happens to you" Kizashi stated. He was having a hard time, being rough for the sake of his daughter. He was usually gentle, kind, and joyful towards her. The idea of losing her would completely tear him down.
Shaken by the moment, Mebuki went to embrace her daughter.
Sakura held her mother as well, and some tears rolled in her face. "I promise dad" she said, gazing at him.
Kizashi nodded, and rushed to join the family hug.
They stayed like that for a little while, and Naruto realized it was time to leave. He quietly stood up, trying not to interrupt the Harunos. But still, Kizashi and Mebuki noticed him. They broke the hug, and then Mebuki spoke.
"Wait... if Kakashi saved Sakura that time, why did you have to save her then? There's more isn't it?" she observed.
"You're very perceptive Mrs Haruno" Naruto said.
"Thanks" she answered, taking the compliment.
"I guess I'll have to tell you the rest, mom..." Sakura said.
Mebuki glared at her, while her husband was waiting to hear what was left.
"Ok..." Sakura sighed deeply. "After Kakashi-sensei saved me, he went to fight Sasuke at the bottom of the bridge. Before that, he ordered me to heal the injured girl, Karin. Once she was stabilized, I decided to help my sensei, so I tried to surprise Sasuke from behind, but when I reached him... I stopped... I wasn't able to stab him... the memories, as a team... I know how he used to be... and I just couldn't..." she said, looking through the window, at the streetlights.
"Oh dear... I'm sure it must have been really hard" her mother told her, while placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I see... you're still too young to make those decisions. And your mother is right. To take the life of a former teammate, someone who used to be your friend... I can't imagine how hard it must be... In any case, we're not a family of cold blooded killers. Clans like the Hyuuga, the Uchiha, the Aburame, the Inuzuka, even the Nara, are more merciless" Kizashi explained. He glanced over at Naruto, and added "I'm noy saying all of them are bad, but they are not as soft and gentle as the Sarutobi clan, for example. In that way, we're more similar, same as the Akimichi, or the Yamanaka. Naruto, your parents also belonged to that kind of clan"
Mebuki glared at her husband, and he realized he talked too much. Naruto and Sakura were confused.
"Mr Haruno, did you know my parents? Naruto asked.
"Umm... yes but..." Kizashi said before his wife interrupted him.
"Yes, Naruto, we knew your parents, but... we cannot tell you about them because the Hokage forbade us... it's a state secret" she said nervously.
Sakura was startled, and curious, but Naruto spoke first.
"Don't worry, I know why, I just wanted to know about my mother" he responded, calmly.
"So, you know?" Mebuki asked, surprised of his words.
Naruto nodded.
"Can anybody tell me what are you talking about? Who were Naruto's parents? And why is it a secret?" Sakura questioned, beginning to lose patience.
"I'm sorry dear, but as your mother said, there's nothing we can do, it's a state secret" Kizashi stated. He then turned to Naruto. "You should talk to the Hokage, whoever is appointed. Still, I hope Tsunade-sama can recover, we all need her experience in this situation"
Before Naruto or Sakura could keep raising questions, Mebuki decided to change the subject.
"By the way, sweetheart, you didn't finish the story... I want to hear the rest, we still don't know what happened to..." she recalled.
"Right... Well, when I reached Sasuke, he noticed me again... Kakashi-sensei was not close enough this time, and I guess he needed a break from the fight. Sasuke tried to kill me... again, but Naruto got there just in time to save me..." Sakura said, now feeling calmer. She gave a warm look to Naruto, and he smiled gently. The tension in the living room had diminished without doubt. She was glad to have such loving parents, they were making the healing process more easy. To talk about what happened, and have Naruto supporting her, was helping her. She felt like a weight out of her shoulders.
"Well thank God, the hero of Konoha was there when you needed him." Kizashi said, and winked at Naruto.
He wasn't used to being praised, so he didn't really know what to say. He was just grateful for being there, at their house.
"Anyway, after that, Naruto and Sasuke had a brief encounter, but it was interrupted by two members of Akatsuki. The masked man, who calls himself Madara, escaped with Sasuke, who I guess was weakened after so many fights" Sakura sighed. "Kakashi took the girl Karin as prisoner, and then we came back, after reuniting with the others" she added. She didn't want to enter into details, her parents wouldn't understand much about high level jutsu, and if they did, they wouldn't really mind. She also decided to avoid the part where Sasuke vowed to destroy the village, or Naruto's answer, as she couldn't give them more things to worry about.
"Huh... so they got away after all..." Kizashi grunted. "Well, if something came out right from the Kage Summit, I hope that Madara never returns. No one can battle the five great nations. As for that Uchiha boy, he may rather never appear in Konoha again, otherwise... he's a dead man. No shinobi should ever raise a hand against the village, much less my daughter. Right Naruto?" Kizashi pondered, defiantly.
"Don't doubt it Mr Haruno" Naruto tried to sound serious. He knew things were not that simple, but realized there was no point in arguing.
"Your father is right sweetheart, with all the things that happened, I don't think we'll ever see Sasuke again. I hope we can get through this nightmare and forget about him" Mebuki said. It's true she had defended the Uchiha before, blaming Itachi for his tragedy, but after learning what he did to her daughter she wished to never hear that name again.
"I know mom, I'm just going to need some time, that's all." Sakura answered. It was the truth, if she wanted to recover from such a traumatic event, she'd need time, and company. The bad part was that she knew Sasuke was planning to return to Konoha sooner or later. She just hoped that day would never come.
Naruto was still standing next to the couch, and decided it was time to leave.
"Well, it's getting late, I should get going..." he muttered.
"Are you sure? you can stay a little longer, for dinner if you want..." Mebuki said.
"It's ok Mrs Haruno, but it's been a long day, and I also would like to see my family before having a meal" he told her, before walking through the living room.
Mebuki seemed confused by his words, but decided not to ask. Kizashi accompanied him quietly to the front door. At the edge of the room, Naruto turned around to see his partner, so Kizashi stopped.
"Sakura... I gotta go, you're safe now." he said. She nodded slightly, so he asked "See you tomorrow?"
"Sure..." she said, and before he could turn back, she spoke again. "Naruto... thanks"
"Your welcome" he nodded, looking directly at her beautiful green eyes. She gazed, never losing sight of him. He smiled, turned to Mebuki, thanked her, and left. Kizashi followed him to open the front door.
In the living room, Sakura stayed looking at the space where Naruto was. Mebuki noticed this, and broke the silence.
"He really is a nice young man... though I wonder what he meant by wanting to see his family"
"Oh, he surely referred to Iruka-sensei. He's the closest thing to a family he has left in the village, since Jiraiya died" Sakura answered, plainly. Her mother seemed to understand, so she soon got lost in thoughts. For some reason, she felt saddened the moment he left. They have been together the whole time since the moment he saved her, so now it felt strange to see him go. But at the same time, she knew they both needed to rest in their respective houses. She'd have to wait til tomorrow to see him again.
Mebuki was not surprised by the way her daughter looked at Naruto. She already knew about her feelings, and considering the recent events, it was obvious for Sakura to feel safe around him.
At the front door, Naruto stepped outside, and turned around to greet Mr Haruno. But Kizashi had some words to say.
"Naruto, I want to thank you for saving my daughter, and also for bringing her safely to us. My wife and I will be forever grateful because of all the things you did for her. We may not be powerful shinobis, but we know she's in danger every time she leaves the village on a mission. It's not easy to stay behind and wait for our beloved daughter to come back unharmed. The life of ninjas is harsh" Kizashi explained.
"It's no problem Mr Haruno, it has been a pleasure" Naruto answered, scratching the back of his head.
"I know. That's why I also want to apologize, and on Mebuki's behalf as well..." Naruto was surprised. "You've been in Sakura's team for more than three years, but we never had the chance to welcome you in our house or to talk like we did today... In the past, we got carried away by the rumours, and didn't allow our daughter to get near you" Kizashi said, with regret. He took a break, and continued "When you were placed in team 7 with our daughter, we didn't know what to think, but eventually, she'd tell stories about her missions... we realized we were wrong about you. You were just a normal kid, like many others, suffering the absence of your parents. Our daughter helped us to see that, who you truly are... And now more than ever, we're grateful. You always supported her, even though sometimes she was unfair to you, like the rest of the village. Fortunately, things changed for good. You have become the hero of Konoha, against all the odds... And we're glad that you are part of Sakura's life, and so, part of our life as well. I want you to know that the Haruno's door is open, if you ever need us"
"Thanks Mr Haruno, this means a lot to me" Naruto said. He was a little shaken by the nice words. He knew that most of the villagers treated him much better since Pain's defeat, so he didn't guess that Sakura's parents thought highly of him even from before. He reached their hearts sooner than he thought. For some reason, it was hard to believe.
"No, please, don't thank me... I just wish we could have told you this before" Kizashi said, with an honest tone.
"It's ok, Mr Haruno" Naruto answered.
"Well... I better let you leave" Sakura's father offered his hand.
"Bye Mr Haruno" Naruto said, shaking it gently.
"From now on you can call me Kizashi, just promise you'll keep taking care of Sakura"
"I will" Naruto stated, before breaking the handshake. Then he turned around, and left.
Kizashi watched him go, then entered back home and closed the door, satisfied.
AN: With this chapter, I focused on solving one of the biggest questions of Naruto. Sakura is one of the main characters, the only one who has two parents alive and kicking. Yet, during the whole manga they didn't have one single appearance, and Kishimoto only portrayed them in Road to Ninja. This version I wrote is based on what I saw from them in that movie. I imagined they must be chunin, with civilian jobs in the village like Iruka for example. So, they're not really powerful, don't go on high rank missions, live a peaceful life at Konoha, and they'll only enter battle if the village is attacked. Now, I addressed Sakura's relationship with them the best way I could. They mustn't be ignorant of her life as ninja, Konoha and the world's daily news, or Naruto's personal story.
The flashback is meant to explain the why of the confession scene. I'm sure most of viewers, and fans, agreed it came out of nowhere back then. Sakura haters preferred to bash the character like if she was an horrible girl, playing with Naruto's feelings, instead of analyzing the situation. I think she was just confused, like many girls of her age. So, if she has a mother to talk about this stuff, then perfect. Realistic and all.
Then, I wanted to address thoroughly how the events at the Land of Iron affected Sakura, and the impact on her parents. I know she has been in danger several times during the story, like in the chunin exams, Orochimaru's assault on Konoha, the fight against Sasori, but those were duty missions. Kakashi was responsible for her safety, then Yamato, and overall, she was acting under Tsunade's orders since she became Hokage. This time was different. She acted by herself, without any permission or guidance. Plus, all the other times, the enemy was Orochimaru (including the Sound ninjas), or Akatsuki. Now, it was Sasuke. I think this should have been a traumatic event, and she had to forgive herself for her mistakes, and try to forget about Sasuke. Her parents love her, so they should always be there for her. It's natural. I don't know why Kishimoto chose to ignore their role in the manga, but I think it's important. The main characters are all young, they're just teenagers, immature, selfish, and act guided by emotions, feelings, hormones. That's why the role of parents, teachers, senseis is crucial for their growing process.
Another thing to deal was the Harunos' point of view regarding Naruto. From what I saw in the anime, and Road to Ninja, I figured out what I wrote. They were not haters, just ignorant, carried by the villagers attitude. Also, as they're all about the same age, I think it's very likely for the Harunos to know about Naruto's parents. But of course, they didn't know anything about jinchurikis, or the Kyuubi, it was a state secret. Then, it would make sense of why they never approached Naruto when he was a child, they were scared. And honestly, after seeing the transformations in Shippuden, no one should blame them.
Overall, I think this chapter came out well. I also considered Naruto and Sakura's interactions, how they know each other so well, that with just a look, they know what to tell, and what not. They know how they feel. Thank you for the reviews, and be patient, I'll try to fill a lot of gaps, as the relationship between the two main characters evolves, and takes the key steps.