A while after Hinata had departed from Naruto's apartment, Naruto went into his study and sat behind his desk thinking upon what had happened, and discussing the next steps with Kurama.

" Tell me, what will you do now? " asked the fox. " What do you mean? " Naruto replied slightly puzzled by the question.

" I was supposing you would want to make a move now... towards the Mizukage, or are you not? " said Kurama.

Naruto places the tip of his left hand index upon the silver laptop, and began to draw a imaginary circle upon it. " What am trying to say is, this whole affair thing is going to affect her too. The news must be spreading across the hidden mist as well "

" Yeah, I thought so too. But unfortunately there is not much I can do about the news, and I haven't seen any definite way to help her out, " said the blond, " then it might be best to leave it be and let the whole situation subside on it's own. "

" Any step I take towards her right now, will not do her any good. Considering her political standing with this village, my evolvement might result in the disannulling of the alliance between mist and leaf. I shouldn't undo the peace I fought for myself " said Naruto somberly.

" Hmm... ", " what is it? ". " Nothing "

" We're friends aren't we, say what's on your mind, " " you said this village. "

" Yeah, Something wrong? " He asked, " I'm not really sure, but when you say this village. It makes me think you don't consider it your village, "

" That's nonsense, this is my village. I grew up here, what other place will I consider my home " Naruto replied, finding Kurama's words to be humorous.

" Isn't where your heart lies your true home? " Kurama asked.

Naruto's conceived amusement fades, " am doing it again. I was just trying to deny something I already know, I guess I'm not fully cured yet " He said. " No. You're fine, I just think that you wanted to deny it because of everything this village means to you. But I have been around long enough to know home isn't where you are created or born into, rather a place that you have the most solace and your heart is in ".

Understanding what the fox is trying to say, Naruto felt the need to throw a question at Kurama he'd suddenly became curious about.

" Where is your home then? ", " Idiot. You of course. None of my previous vessels cared for me as you did. Kushina was a nice woman, however even she could not get through to me. But you did, I let you in because I eventually became comfortable with living inside the obnoxious unpredictable brat who thinks being Hokage will be the highlight of his life and the height of his existance " said Kurama.

Naruto chuckles with his palm down on the silver laptop. " I never knew you could be this corny, you must be getting old, " Naruto teased, Kurama growls. " You brat, I've lived for centuries. I'm already old, you infant ".

Naruto's chuckles turns into laughter, which he laughed for a little, before settling down with a small smile.

" Thank you for making me your home, for always healing me and keeping me from being sick. Your presence in my life gave me a perfect body constitution... But I think where I believed I belonged and the home I want, might be thrown into chaos if I decide to furnish the home I found " Naruto said.

" Which are you more worried about, a division between leaf and mist or getting rejected again by the Mizukage, " Kurama asked.

" I guess that is precisely why I can't do anything, plus there is something I'm still lacking. I doubt I can convince her looking like this, " said Naruto. " What's wrong with how you look, you're better than most. "

" Thank you, but that still doesn't boost my morale. Now that everything has been cleared with Hinata, I'm not sure what next to do. I know for a certain it's only a matter of time, before my friends or Kakashi sensei question me about the whole affair thing, and worst of all. Sakura " Naruto said.

" Hmm, the one with the brutal instinct. Till this day, i find it strange that you were attracted to her. Probably because she reminds you of your mother? Kushina was an hot head as well " said Kurama.

Naruto tilts his head back to stare at the ceiling, with a wistful smile.

" Those were amazing days, being pummeled by Sakura, being annoyed by Sasuke and the fact that she likes him... Meeting my mom, I realized she must have been the reason why I liked Sakura. I didn't know mom, but when I found someone like Sakura, my heart must have just attached itself to her because of the absence of my mom. Unfortunately, the story in which I liked Sakura ended with the war. Now, I just want to freely like someone without the influence of a manipulative force ".

" You've really grown up, had I not been in you the whole time. I would not believe you were actually the same obnoxious brat, who seriously wants to become Hokage and prove his worth. " said Kurama with a light-hearted voice.

" Yeah, I was pretty obnoxious wasn't I... ", " Hmm, now that I think of it. Maybe what you need is sometime off, everything must be weighing on you. Perhaps getting closer to achieving your dream of becoming Hokage, has got you somewhat cold feet. Some time away from, all this might do you some good, then you can be sure if being Hokage is still what you really want. " said Kurama.

" Tch, I never thought of it that way. But I mean, I can't return to Hidden mist, I really don't feel like staying here as well. So where in the world could I really go, that could offer me a solace enough to straighten out my thoughts. Any ideas? " He asked.

" Why don't you ask your friend, he might be able to accommodate you, " suggested Kurama.

Naruto looks down at his laptop with furrowed brows, " Sasuke? I'm not too sure about him, will he really allow me to break in upon his incognito. Wherever he may be, it seems unlikely ".

" You won't know unless you try, and if that doesn't work out. You can always visit mount myoboku, it has been a while ", " why not just go to mount myoboku, instead of incommoding Sasuke? " Naruto asked.

" Cause the Uchiha is less annoying than those fucking toads- " " Hey language, stop cursing in my head ".

" Fine, but you're getting me right? ", Naruto grunts.

Naruto opens his laptop and turns it on, after a little while he began to type his message to Sasuke, believing Sasuke might not be able to respond in a while, his reasoning being,

' It's not like Sasuke sits in front of a computer all day. '

With that reasoning, he wrote to the last Uchiha, saying...

[ I have a request to make... Do you think you can accommodate me for a while, I want to get out of the village and I don't have that many options on where to go. So what do you think. Plus, I'm a pretty good sparring partner. ]

" Very direct, not even a greeting ", " Hey, this is Sasuke we're talking about. He has no care for any of those formalities " Naruto defends.

Naruto clicks send, and with that stood up to leave the study. The blond Jinchuriki walked all the way to the exit, before hearing the notification sound he knew was only associated with messages. Perplexed, Naruto ran back, sitting back in his chair and staring with a comical expression at the screen.

" Unbelievable, what are the odds " says Naruto.

Naruto reads his friend's response, and it read...

[ It's only been a week, and you've already lost 80 percent of the little IQ you've acquired. What part of courtesy greetings do you find so hard... Anyway what is the nonsense about you wanting me to accommodate you, do you think I run a vacation home over here? You had best explain yourself. ]

" What did I say, you should have started off with greetings. But no, you think the Uchiha is an animal, like you, " " whoa whoa whoa, who's the animal here. Stupid fox! "

Whilst Naruto was frowning, another message from Sasuke drops, and Naruto's eyes swiftly reads through it...

[ Don't you start up an argument with that old fox of yours, and tell me your problem. A minute of delay, will warrant you a chidori spear. Got that? ].

" I think Sasuke is even more of a psychopath than her ever was, he's always threatening me- ", " you should just do what he says. Your clock is ticking, you know the Uchiha brat doesn't kid around ".

" Fine, fine, fine. I'm typing... "

Naruto writes what he wanted to say in less than a minute, moving his fingers as fast as he could to avoid his rented apartment from getting damaged. In his message, he summarizes the events that transpired earlier with Hiashi and Hinata, as well as the catalyst of the event, which was his (and I quote) affair with the fifth Mizukage.

It took about ten minutes, before Naruto got a response, and it was quite short, a very Sasuke like response...

[ Be ready to leave that village in an hour. ]

" Hmm, I don't think I'm going to get more than that. Will I? ", " nope. "

" Okay... I better start packing, and I have to come up with an excuse to leave the village, " said Naruto, " then you'll be going to the Hokage tower " Naruto nods.

" I know what you're thinking, and yeah. It's going to be troublesome ". . .

" Come on in ".

The door into the Hokage office opens up, and Naruto walks in; donned in a black undershirt, a dark blue open jacket, with rolled up sleeves and dark-blue pants with matching Shinobi sandals. He had one hand in his pocket, and closes the door behind him with the other.

Naruto approaches the sixth Hokage, whom was seated behind his desk, with the same newspaper containing the affair article in his hands. The blond noticed but decided to act like he didn't.

" Yo, Kakashi sensei. How are you holding up? " He asked, but unlike other times his face was stern.

" Have you seen this? ", Kakashi asked his eyes still glued to the article. " That? Yeah, old man Hiashi brought it over to me sometimes earlier, to harass me, " Naruto replied.

" And? " the former Sharingan user utters, " Hinata stepped in ".

" And I'm guessing this misunderstanding is settled? ", " hmm. I never said there was a misunderstanding, ".

" So you're saying it's true? " Kakashi asked, " shouldn't it be? "

Kakashi's placid expression came up, with the meeting of their eyes, coal black vs bright blue. Both student and sensei looked at each other, the student being stern and the sensei being placid. Then after a few more seconds, Kakashi chuckles.

" I never thought I would see something as thrilling as this, with how boring everything has gotten since the war... Now, " Kakashi got up and ran over to Naruto.

Being startled, and perplexed, Naruto steps back. Wondering, what was running through the Hokage's mind.

" Tell me, how did you do it. Did you perhaps, read through all of the volumes of master Jiraiya's books? I really need to know, "

" Wow, this man is crazy ".

Naruto cringes at the questions, and a thought came to him.

" Wait. Are you planning on taking up pervy sage's hobby of writing? ", " there is nothing wrong with doing something more fulfilling than the Hokage job. I mean, the highlight of writing is actually all the research. "

Kakashi withdrew, and returns to his desk, sitting down upon it.

" Tell me true, what are you going to do about this situation. Should I be worried? Cause this will have reached the hidden mist, and other villages by now " said Kakashi dropping the newspaper to the side.

Naruto sighs, dips his other hand into his pocket and smiles.

" I don't plan on doing anything, I'm just waiting for my moment. The fifth Mizukage isn't a easy woman, " Naruto replies.

Kakashi nods. " I can understand that, but how are you going to handle the heat. People are going to start talking, heck they already are. "

" The streets were loud about my business, on my way here. I've gone from hero, to cheater. So that's why I'm going to be taking a break from everything, I don't think this place needs me right now " said the blond.

" What do you have in mind? ", " Sasuke has offered to accommodate me for a while, I just want to get away for a while. "

" That's why you're here, now this makes more sense. Any thoughts on how long you'll be away? I'm only asking, in regards to what you have going on with the Mizukage "

" I won't take too long, I'm just planning on laying low for a while. Then I will surely see to the matters of my heart. " Naruto says.

Kakashi nods with a hidden smile.

" I knew you had grown up, from the report I got from Shikamaru, Kiba and Sai. Apparently you handled the situation in the mist magnanimously, I just had to see for myself. And they weren't wrong " said Kakashi.

Naruto chuckles. " I'm just trying to get better... Now then, I'm supposing this is you accepting my departure? "

" You're twenty years of age, a war hero, this village's hero. Jinchuriki of the nine tailed fox: I don't really think I can hold you in this village, so go on and grow up. You shouldn't be bounded. "

" You're still the best, Kakashi sensei " Naruto says, and both men laughed.

An hour passes and Naruto was standing at the entrance into the village, with all of his friends (excluding Hinata) behind him. Kakashi had made no delay in exposing the matter.

" So you're just leaving? " Sakura asked in a white hospital coat, Naruto was looking over his shoulder with his back turned to them.

" You shouldn't run from this, " said Kiba.

" You're all acting like I'm never going to return- ", " come on Naruto! "

Naruto hears the familiar voice of his best friend, he tilts his head and a few distance from him, had manifested a oval shaped portal. Naruto grins at the sight.

" Sakura, I'll tell Sasuke you said Hi! "

Sakura calls out Naruto's name, as the blond jumps into the portal, and before the portal closes, Sasuke speaks saying...

" I'll be returning soon, Sakura. "