Chapter One
"Hmm. It appears we have a new guest-oh. Out of all the people, again?"
"Now now Master. If the wheel of fate has once again made a full loop and spun back to the very beginning then we have an obligation to fulfill our resident's needs.
"... You just love seeing me in unpleasant moods. Do you now, Margaret?"
"Fufufu. Indeed so, sir."
A groan was suddenly heard and both Master and Assistant turned forward.
"Ah. It appears our guest is waking up." Giving a sigh, the Master just shook his head with a light smile. "It seems that until our resident manages to follow his own path again, we are bound to serve him. Though I can't help but wonder. Is the road he will take part in be full of light or will it be full of darkness. The road to that answer may be treacherous, but is needed in order to find the truth."
Margaret covered her mouth with her hand and gave a small little laugh. "Destiny truly is intriguing, sir. Hm. In the words he once said… 'Ah, shit. Here we go again.' fufu."
Her Master then stared at her with a displeased look in which he had not shown in decades. "Please. Do not ever, and I mean ever, say that again." he patted his heart with a pout, "or my old heart won't take it."
Margaret crossed her fingers, "No promises, sir."
On the luxurious blue seat, a teenager with spiky blond hair mumbled as his eyes slowly open and close. Beneath eyelids revealed eyes that are as blue as the roof of the Velvet Room. "N-No…"
"Oh." Master leaned forward in interest.
"D-Don't… eat all the food without me… bastard."
Then suddenly the interest that came afloat drifted away into the wind.
Margaret giggled.
The Master rolled his eyes at his assistant. He soon looked at the blinking teenager with a smile, his chin rested on his hand. "Ah, hello there young man. Are you awake, yet?"
"H-Huh. Who-ah-wazzit?" the teenager blinked, he soon looked around. He found himself in a fancy room that was covered in blue, wine and drinks in fine glass cabinets. A round table sat before him and sitting behind it were two people.
Maybe because he has slept for too long, his mind was still groggy from waking up. "Oh my, Mister, what big eyes you have…"
The Master's eyes twitched and a giggle escaped right next to him.
"My name is Igor, and I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter…"
"Oh my, Mister, wh-what long ears you have. What. What's going on with them?"
Igor, the Master of the Velvet Room, took a deep breath. He had to strain his hand downwards in order to not slap his beautiful giggling assistant in the face. He continued on, "It is a room that only those who are bound by a 'contract' may enter. It may be that such a fate awaits you in the near future."
"Oh my, Mister what a long nose you ha-huh." the teenager blinked before squinting his eyes. He suddenly clapped his face two times before widening his eyes in pure disbelief, pointing a shaking finger in the Master's direction.
"Ah ah ah! Y-Your nose! It's so long! How is that possible!" the now awakened teenager got off from his seat, waving his arms while screaming. Pointing at the long nosed guy in shock, "H-Hospital. A hospital! We gotta get you there. Don't worry old man, we'll save you!"
Igor groaned into his palms.
It was at such a moment that Margaret let out a lovely laugh.
Soon the teenager finally noticed the beautiful woman on the side. She had platinum-blonde hair, pale skin. She was dressed entirely in a dark blue uniform. Her slender legs wrapped in black leggings with heel shoes at the end of it.
But the feature that caught blond's attention the most were her golden eyes, such eyes that stared at him with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Her body shook with mirth.
Igor blinked, and blinking was all it took for him to lose sight of the screaming teenager, who he then found that he teleported across the room, on his knees in front of Margaret with a red rose from which he pulled out from nowhere.
Margaret rolled her eyes, but accepted the rose. Pulling it close to smell the aroma it emits.
"My name is Margaret. I am a resident of the Velvet Room just like my Master Igor. I am here to accompany you through your journey, may I have your name, stranger?"
The blond teenager beamed, grabbing Margaret's soft hands in a gentle posture. "Uzumaki Naruto, age is 16! Status is currently single. Likes are my friends and family. Dreams, marrying a beautiful woman such as yourself. Ggggggrrrrrr~" Naruto growled, intoxicated by the lady.
Margaret placed a hand against her cheek, "Oh my."
From above, the soft light from the ceiling loomed over the pair, adding to the surroundings and the passing fog that they passed by which made the scene look like some kind of a romantic setting with a touch of mystery.
Igor twitched many times that day before snapping his fingers. "My boy. Look at this."
"Huh?" Naruto pulled his eyes away before remembering the situation, "Ah. Old Man, do you need to go to the hospital still? We can fix that nose, it's still possible. Don't… Don't give up hope!"
The room fell silent.
Before Margaret could laugh, Igor was getting more tired by the second. He wanted to finish it up quickly, "Ooooh~ Look, magic~" he waved his arms in a circle as a soft blue light appeared on the round table.
The light faded away to reveal a lone card stationed in the middle of its surface.
"Whoa! Magic!" Naruto gasped, "That's so hip and groovy, yo!"
"I swear to god, Margaret…" Igor shifted his head to the side, glaring his big wide eyes at his assistant, daring her to laugh.
"Pfft." Margaret's cheeks puffed out before coughing. She soon regained her composure as the elegant and mysterious lady that she was.
"So what's with the card, uh, Old Man Igor. And now that I think about it, where are we?" Naruto held the card in his hands, and asked.
Igor raised an eyebrow, "It seems you are pretty calm for what lies ahead of our transaction. Could it be that you were well aware of what will be brought to you."
"Huh." the blond visitor blinked, "Nah. Not at all. I don't have a single clue what's going on here. For one, if I were kidnapped I don't know why you guys didn't tie me up or something, and two, I am still not sure if this is a dream or not. After all, I did knock myself out on the train in tears while thinking about my old school. Depressed, so so depressed."
Naruto went back to his seat, dropped on it and deflated like a balloon.
"... Do you believe in fortune telling?" Igor asked. He slowly lifted his hand and the card that Naruto was holding flew out.
Naruto's jaw dropped, he rubbed his eyes, "Huh?!"
Grabbing it, Igor flipped it to show the picture that the card entails.
The picture shows a tall tower under the red sky. A cloud from above a lightning bolt emerged and struck the tower, leaving the top part of it to be broken off and turned into rubble. And on each sides, escaping from the tower even by means of jumping off were two people. A woman on the right, and a man on the left, each falling down.
Were they alive or have they perished. That remains uncertain to this current day.
And beneath it all were the letters XVI.
Igor merely chuckled at the stunned face.
"Each reading is done with the same cards, yet the result is always different… Life follows the same principles, doesn't it?"
Naruto furrowed his brows, scratching the back of his head, "I guess so."
"A card which shows a Tower in the upright position, a sign that represents the immediate future. And for you, Uzumaki Naruto, it seems like a terrible catastrophe is imminent. The card indicating the future beyond that is…" with a wave of his hand, to the guest's amazement, another card appears.
The picture that this card entails is that that takes place in the ocean, on the surface of the calm waves is that of a reflected image of a crescent moon hanging above the sky with a lobster swimming in the waters.
The moon has a face that was directed towards the left, as if overseeing someone or… something.
And beneath it, on the bottom were the letters XVIII.
"Ah yes. The Moon, in the upright position. This card represents 'hesitation' and 'mystery'... very interesting indeed. It seems you will encounter a misfortune at your destination, and a great mystery will be imposed upon you."
"Y-You mean!" Naruto opened his eyes in shock.
Igor, thinking Naruto got it, nodded with reassurance.
"F-FINALLY!" Naruto roared, shocking both Igor and Margaret. He rubbed his chin with sparkling eyes, "The answer to the mystery of why I have been single for many moons will appear. Alright." he clapped his hands looking fondly at the two residents. "So, Mr. Long Nose, Old Man, Sir? When will the answer come to me? I mean, I could wait. So what a few days a week? I can just stay back, watch television or eat ramen to pass the time."
"M-Mr. Long Nose…" before Margaret could finish, her Master gave another look at her. He picked up a cane from the side and started waving it as a warning.
Margaret blinked at him before shaking her head with a smile at her fellow blond, mumbling something to herself. "You never do change do you? But I prefer it this way, fufufu."
Taking another deep breath, Igor set the cane down before explaining to the loud idiot, "In the coming days, you will enter into a contract of some sort, after which you will return here. The coming year is a turning point in your destiny… if the mystery goes unsolved, your future may be forever lost."
"That can't be!" Naruto stood up again, "Mr. Old Man Long Nose, you saying I'll be single fore-"
"I'm about to make you be BOTH silent and single forever if you continue talking!" Igor had enough, no more nice nice Igor. Between Margaret's knowing looks and Naruto's squawking, his patience was turning thin.
He waved a gloved hand into the air forming a fist, shaking it vigorously.
Margaret gave an unlady-like snort while Naruto paled, quickly sitting down.
The Master of the room finally smiled again.
He spoke as he gestured to the cards before him and Margaret.
"Our duty is to provide assistance to our guests to ensure that does not happen, we may offer suggestions as well, but remember…" leaning forward, Naruto got a creepy angle of the old man's face, "that in the end it is your choice that either brings you into light or back into the darkne-oh has it been that long already?"
Igor looked at his pocket watch before nodding to himself.
He looked at the guest, making sure to remember the slightly repulsive face that is of Uzumaki Naruto.
"We shall attend to the details another time. Until then-"
"Wait. Can't I ask some questions!" Naruto raised his right hand like an elementary student.
Igor had the kindest of smiles on his face.
"Nope, farewell… Margaret, drop him!"
"Yes, sir."
"Huh? Huh? What?" Naruto smiled stupidly as the pretty lady proceeded to grab him and then casually opened the car's door before throwing the blond boy out.
"Waaaaaaaaaagh!" his scream echoed before disappearing.
Igor slumped back against the cushions with a tired look.
He lifted his hand to Margaret who placed a glass of Red Rosey wine in his hand.
Igor, the tired man he was, took the whole shot in one gulp.
"M-Mr. L-Long Nose… pttf~" Margaret smiled playfully. Her chest rising and falling from keeping her laugh in.
Igor smiled delicately at his assistant.
He opened his elderly mouth with the nicest of tones.
"Shut up, Margaret."
Naruto sat up covered in sweat, "Wh-Where?" he looked around.
"Arrived at Yasoinaba. I repeat. We have arrived to Yasoinaba." the speakers on train boomed out before stopping.
Standing up to stretch, the train doors open as people either started entering or leaving the train.
"Alright. Alright, Naruto." He clapped his face to wake up before giving his signature grin. "It's just a year right? And then we'll be back home to the city again. How bad can this be?" muttering to himself, he picked up his backpack before exiting the train.
Upon leaving the station, outside he saw many people either standing around, talking to others or on their phones, perhaps waiting for their family members or friends to join them.
"Hey! Over here!" Naruto turned to see the commotion until noticing a man with a little girl beside him, waving at him.
Naruto smiled, walking in their direction until pausing when he saw an old man walking in their direction.
"Oh, it must not be for me then."
Naruto pouted before placing his hands on his hips. "Man, wonder when my ride will be here."
On the other side, the man that was currently waving paused seeing his nephew look away from him.
The little girl gave a nervous smile at the old man walking their way.
"Dad." the little girl pulled on her father's pants, "Is that Naruto? He's soooo old."
"What?" her father stared at her before staring at the old man who soon walked passed them. "That's not Naruto."
"Oh." she soon quited down again.
"Hey! Over here!" the man once again waved in Naruto's direction.
Naruto looked over with a raised eyebrow, he started to walk over.
Only for a middle-aged woman to walk in the pairs direction.
"Nope. Not for me." Naruto whistled with his hands behind his head, looking up at the sky. "Hoooo. When it's gonna be here? I'm sweating like crazy!"
The little girl beside the man turned to look at the middle-aged lady walking in their direction. She pulled on his pants again.
"Dad." she tugged, "is that Naruto? But you told me he was a boy... and that he wasn't that old."
The Middle-aged woman heard the little girl before scowling, "Why I never!"
Her father slightly jumped, bending his head in her direction, "Sorry sorry sorry. We weren't looking at you, ma'am."
The lady glared at him then at the little girl before huffing, turning around to leave.
The dad sighed before trying one last time.
"H-Hey! O-Over here!"
Naruto peaked over again, frowning, "Could he be…"
The father of the little girl sighed in relief.
Finally, he got the boy's attention.
Now they can finally go home.
This was the father's thought until the blond boy stopped once again upon seeing an elderly old man being escorted by a lady. His wheelchair thumped against the road as they headed in the father and daughter's direction.
"Ah. Must not be for me." Naruto nodded to himself before turning away.
"God damn it!" the father groaned into his hands, "Come on, Nanako let's-.
"Daaad~" Nanako pulled her father's hand, looking at the old man in the wheel chair, being pushed forward from behind. She tilted her head, "I never knew Naruto was so old."
The Middle-aged man took a deep breath. Holding his daughter's hand he stepped forward. "Hey you, Uzumaki Naruto right?"
Naruto blinked, seeing the pair of strangers in front of him, "That's me, what's up old man. Want an autograph?"
"Well, you're more handsome in perso- wait. I'm not old." The Middle-aged man paused in the middle of his sentence to deny Naruto's sentence.
"Hah! Now you know how I feel!" the Middle-aged lady from before sneered at them.
"Quiet you." responded the Middle-aged man back before turning to Naruto.
"Hey!" Nanako's cheeks puffed up, "My dad's not old. And why do you look like a cat?"
"Nanako…" her father stared down at her child with a smile.
"But can I have your autograph instead!" She raised her concerns, wanting the autograph.
Her father almost fell to the ground. His eyes twitched, "That was what you're worried about!"
"Pow! And also I was born with these scars…" Naruto smirked, reaching into his pocket before revealing a signed picture of himself holding a microphone with black and white paint on his face, screaming into the air in front of a large crowd.
"From me to you. Trust me, it will last forever."
"Oh wow!" Nanako gasped. Taking a hold of the picture she looked at it with all her attention, "You were in a band?!"
"I was, I was, but now I am in the FBI." Naruto chuckled.
The father who was stunned looking at the picture suddenly perked up. "Wait… you are in the FBI? But you are so young."
Naruto smirked, "Well, I had to play my cards right in order to get into this position."
"Wow. Hahaha! That's so amazing! Wow, um, welcome to Inaba. I'm Dojima Ryotaro. I'm your mother's younger brother so that makes me your uncle. You'll be staying over at my place while you're here."
"Nice to meet'cha, uncle. Names Uzumaki Naruto!" The two men shook hands with smiles on their faces.
"I mean, wow." Ryotaro muttered looking up and down at Naruto in amazement. "I can't believe you are in the FBI. They are very strict in allowing people to join the agency, it's just seeing you so young makes me feel stunned. You might be very very special in order for them to bend the rules and allow you to join them in the ranks."
Nanako tilted her head behind her father's legs. Still so shy in front of the new family member, she peaked around to get a better look at him while clutching the signed autograph picture in her hands.
"Seriously. Why didn't my sister say anything? Wow, we haven't seen each other for years and she's already showing off her child to me? Hahaha. Oh, I forgot to mention I am also part of the Inaba Police Department, a detective actually. Great to see another fellow on the force coming in."
At this, Naruto was the one who tilted his head.
"What?"
"Hm? You know… on the force? You're part of the FBI and I am of the PD." Ryotaro Dojima smiled.
"Oh, old man uncle, I think you got me confused. I am with the FBI but not with the FBI." Naruto confidently puffed out his chest.
Dojima raised an eyebrow, "What does that mean, you're in a different division?"
Naruto smirked, cooly posing as he took out an official FBI Badge.
The badge had a shiny metal and a certain figure in it that made the detective of many years stupid.
The metal badge was a picture of a lady that was as nude as the day she was born, covering up her parts, looking in his direction with a wink.
Naruto proceeded to shake the badge revealing a few pockets. Each pocket had the abbreviation of letters from up to down.
F- Female.
B- Body.
I-Inspector.
Naruto held the badge proudly with his left hand and patted his chest with his right hand, "Allow me to introduce myself. Uzumaki Naruto, part of the FBI, the Female. Body. Inspector. An Agency that me and a couple of my guy friends made in school back in the city."
The cheeky blond put away the badge before shaking Dojima's hand. "Nice to meet you, uncle. Thanks for having me over."
Dojima stared at the handshake before looking at Naruto with the most constipated look he ever mustered.
"Nanako…" he whispered as Naruto's jolly nature had him jumping towards the car in the distance.
"Hmm. Yes, dad?" Nanako giggled a bit when she saw Naruto looking all over with excitement.
"What the hell did I sign up for?" Dojima muttered to himself. He was pulled from his daze by a slight pinch from Nanako.
Nanako put her hands on her hips, "No swearing!"
Before Dojima could answer back he saw Naruto gasping in wonder. "Uncle, this is your ride? So awesome!"
Naruto was facing in the direction of his car in wonder.
"O-Oh. It's nothing special," Dojima shrugged but pride flowed in his eyes. "This old piece of junk had been with me in the force for so long."
"Old piece of junk? Look at it!" Naruto spoke back in shock, this car was just an old piece of junk? Then what does that say about his family's car back at home, was that considered worse than junk!
Dojima rubbed his nose in embarrassment.
Nanako giggled, still shy, but very proud, "We had this car for a long time, it has been with us even before I was born."
Dojima nodded, lovingly patted her hair to which Nanako just smiled.
"Yup, what she says. This baby wa-" Dojima almost fell down in mid sentence when he saw Naruto not coming over to his own car, but to the car next to them which had its own hood shining bright, strong large tires, and a beautiful shade of white covered the vehicle.
"Alright." Naruto chirped, waddling around the vehicle, "Now we're talking~"
He stepped up to the door, "Come on, old man. Let's get a move on!"
Dojima's face darkened, "Naruto…"
Nanako on the other hand looked confused, that wasn't their car.
"Hmmm~" Naruto turned around with a smile so large that Dojima had the urge to slap it off of him.
"That's not my car." Dojima said.
Naruto froze, "Huh."
"Uh, yes. That is my car!" Then to Dojima's disbelief the Middle-age woman from earlier cockily looked at them before getting into her car and driving off.
Silence filled that area.
"S-So-u-uh." Naruto gulped upon seeing two pair of eyes staring at him.
One with annoyance and the other one still in confusion.
"N-Nice day. W-We have?" Naruto shrugged his shoulders with a hesitating smile.
"Oh, Naruto." Dojima groaned before gesturing to his own car. "Well then… Let's get going."
Naruto looked at the gray car which it's own colors were starting to fade, "T-This is a nice car too."
Another groan answered back to him, "Just… get in the car. You first Nanako."
"Oh… mmkay." Nanako said before sitting in the backseat.
Naruto sheepishly smiled. How was he supposed to know that wasn't his car? But just as he walked over he was stopped by an unfriendly voice.
"Hey…"
Naruto turned to the voice to see it was a girl calling him. Eh, kind of giving tomboyish vibes, and what was with that collar around her neck?
She held out a piece of paper, "You dropped this."
"Oh, um, thanks." Naruto took back the paper that had Dojima's address on it, which he dropped unknowingly, before taking out a familiar picture, "And you dropped this."
The girl raised an eyebrow, but took the picture anyway.
Naruto grinned at her before entering the car with a helpless sigh.
"I just got here and I'm already popular. Hehehe."
Naruto rubbed his nose in embarrassment.
Sensing his uncle's confused glance, Naruto smirked, "Gave her one of my signed, autographed and highly anticipated picture. I'm sure she'll like it."
Dojima raised an eyebrow, "Well, put on your belt. We're about to head onto the road." he then turned to adjust his mirrors when he caught sight of the random girl looking over at the picture in her hands with a confused look.
Said girl then crumpled the picture before walking away, tossing it over her shoulder.
Staring at the supposed littering act made Dojima's lips curve upwards, "Hahaha. She'll definitely love it for sure." sensing Naruto's confused look, his uncle smiled at him before starting the car.
And then, they were right back onto the main road.
Naruto looked out the window with a sigh, "Guess this is my life for now… one year. Just gotta wait for one year and I'm out of here."
Nanako meanwhile played around with the picture in her hands, tossing and circling her fingers around it.
One year… just got to wait until that one year is over.
Maybe the town or village life would be great compared to the city.
Besides, what could happen in a small place like this.
Surely nothing could go wrong…right?
Naruto stared out at the passing buildings, "So Nanako's your daughter, Old Man?"
"Hm," Dojima turned the wheel to enter into another lane, "Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce you guys. Um. So you know me, I am your uncle and this is my daughter, Nanako Dojima, which makes her your cousin."
Naruto looked behind him and smiled seeing Nanako play with his picture, "Nice to meet ya, Nanako, hope you like that picture." then he looked around as if vigilant of his surroundings and made a cheesy grin, rubbing his fingers together.
"You don't know how lucky you are to get a super awesome limited edition signed picture of myself! It's worth… a fortune!"
Naruto's eyes gleamed, shaking his hands in mysterious ways.
Nanako giggled while Dojima snorted.
"Huh?!" Naruto glared at his uncle, "Don't believe me, Old Man! I'll have you know that many girls were clamoring to get ahold of the goods back in the city!"
"Huh. Is that so?" Dojima shook his head in amusement, "You said you were in a band, so where did you perform? In your mother's garage?"
He tilted his head back and let out a laugh.
"You knew!" Naruto beamed before arrogantly looking at Nanako, "See that squirt! Even your Old Man heard of my fame!"
"Wow!" Nanako gasped, clutching the picture to her chest in amazement, "I didn't know you are so famous! Are you a star like Risette?!"
"Well…?"
Dojima just shook his head in disbelief, smiling as he drove.
Right when he was reaching the main road towards the south part of the Central Shopping District, a beeping sound was heard.
Dojima looked down… to see his fuel tank almost empty? He frowned, "I could have sworn I filled up the tank two days ago. That should've lasted a while."
He turned and drove the car into the Moel Gas station.
"Huh? What's up. Why we stopping yo?" Naruto turned his gaze from Nanako to the uncle he had not seen for a long time.
"Well. For your information, yo, I have to refill the tank up, yo." Dojima shot back before opening the door.
"Daaaad~" Nanako whined, "don't say it like that~"
"Huh! But he said it first!" Dojima was stunned.
"Yeah, but he's a kid. You're an adult." Nanako pouted.
Naruto chuckled, "Yeah it was kinda lame that you sai-Hey! I ain't no kid!"
Dojima smirked, "I'll buy you a popsicle sweety."
Nanako gasped in joy, "Really?!"
Before Dojima left he felt a tug on his sleeve.
He turned and to his disgust, Naruto was seductively fluttering his eyelashes at him.
"So…"
"Haha, no."
Naruto wept into his chair, "I'm being bullied! My uncle doesn't love me! Waah!"
Dojima twitched before spotting an approaching attendant who was wearing a red uniform.
"Fill up my car would ya? Regular's fine. I'll just pay inside."
The Attendant nodded with a stern attitude on her face before saluting.
"Right away, sir."
Dojima walked away, "Watch Nanako while I'm gone. I'll be quick, Naruto!"
"Yeah. Yeah." Naruto rolled down the window to reply.
When he was about to shut it, a hand tapped against his door.
He looked up to see the Gas station's attendant smiling down at him.
"So you new around here?"
"Huh. O-Oh yeah, Names Uzumaki Naruto, came strolling in from the city."
"Oh," The Attendant nodded with a strange look on her face, "The city, huh? Well unlike the city I doubt you might find something here to do especially in a small place like this."
"Yup!" She leaned back with crossed arms, "There's just so little to do. I'm sure you'll get bored fast. You'll either be hanging out with your friends or doing some part-time jobs here and there."
Naruto groaned into his hands, "Don't remind me…"
The Attendant chuckled, "Well, Welcome to Inaba. Nice to meet you, city boy!"
Naruto snorted, "Nice to meet you too, I guess."
Reaching out, the two made contact as they shook hands.
The Attendant looked at their connected hands with something akin to a smirk. Right when she was about to say something else, she saw the town's detective coming back.
"Well," She tipped her hat at Naruto, "Enjoy your day. Be safe out there… hehehe. Cause you might never know what you might get into."
Watching the lady walk away, Naruto shrugged. He playfully stared at Dojima, "Uncle, you…"
Dojima gave one popsicle to Nanako who started to enjoy it.
He started the car before smiling seeing that his tank was completely full.
Naruto whined before Dojima gave him the other popsicle that was in his hand.
Then, Naruto casually started licking it before freezing up.
A shock went through him causing him to hold his head in pain.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Nanako looked worried, "You shouldn't eat so fast even though it's yummy. Dad says if you eat so fast you get a brain freeze!"
"A brain freeze already? Geez, you city folk are so fragile." Dojima chuckled.
"Huh! What's that, Old Man!" the pain swept away from Naruto's head as he glowered over at the driver, "You calling me weak?!"
Dojima kept silent, but that smile on his face made Naruto angry.
"I'm telling Nanako about the donut experience!" Naruto threatened.
As if bringing back memories from the past, Dojima shuddered, "Please don't."
"Donut?" Nanako licked her popsicle.
What about donuts?
Perhaps because Dojima sensed his daughter's questioning look that made him drive a bit faster than usual, before they knew it they arrived in front of a two-story house.
Getting out of the car, Naruto already found that Nanako and Dojima went inside.
He stared at the door while holding the strap of his backpack over his right shoulder.
For the next year, this place will be his home.
Naruto clapped his cheeks.
Taking a deep breath, and with a smile, he opened the door.
"I'm home!"