Chapter 1

The air was crisp that afternoon, but Naruto barely noticed as he walked aimlessly through the streets of Konoha. The hurt from the villagers' cruel whispers clung to him like a shadow, refusing to leave his mind.

Demon boy.

Stay away from him!

Naruto kicked a pebble down the street, pretending it didn't bother him. He was getting good at that—pretending. It wasn't like he understood why they hated him. He didn't even know most of their names. And yet, every time, it hurt all the same.

Lost in thought, Naruto found himself in a part of the village he hadn't visited before. The streets were quieter here, with large houses surrounded by tall walls. He noticed something different in the air—a soft, sweet scent.

Naruto's eyes widened when he spotted the source: a flower shop. The window was filled with the brightest colours he had ever seen. Yellows, reds, blues, and pinks... They were nothing like the cold streets he'd come from. Without thinking, his feet carried him closer, and before he knew it, he was standing inside the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

"Welcome," a kind voice greeted him.

Naruto froze. Behind the counter stood a tall man with blonde hair tied back in a long ponytail. His eyes were gentle, curious but not judging. Beside him, a woman with warm eyes and a soft smile was arranging a bouquet.

Naruto shifted nervously, unsure if he should leave.

But the woman spoke next, "You like flowers, young one?"

Naruto blinked, then nodded shyly. "They're... pretty."

The man stepped around the counter, motioning Naruto toward the rows of vibrant plants. "Each of these has a story. Want to hear one?"

Naruto hesitated. No one had ever offered to teach him something before. Slowly, he nodded again, and the man smiled warmly.

"This one here is a peony," Inoichi said, gesturing to a pink flower. "It stands for bravery and honor. They're strong, just like you."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Strong? No one had ever called him that before. For a moment, the world outside didn't matter. There was only the shop, the flowers, and the quiet kindness of these strangers.

Over the next few weeks, Naruto found himself returning to the flower shop whenever the weight of the villagers' glares became too much. There was something soothing about the shop's quiet atmosphere, the way the flowers swayed gently in the breeze, and the warmth of Inoichi and his wife. They never asked him questions about why he wandered alone or why he avoided the crowded parts of the village. Instead, they simply taught him about the flowers—about their meanings, their history.

Each visit, Naruto learned something new. He discovered that lilacs meant first love and that sunflowers symbolized adoration. He found out that cherry blossoms stood for fleeting beauty, while irises represented hope.

The knowledge of the flowers fascinated Naruto, but what mattered more to him was how the Yamanakas treated him. In their shop, he wasn't the "demon boy." He was just Naruto.

Ino, meanwhile, had been hearing about this mysterious "helper" from her parents for days now. At first, she thought nothing of it, brushing it off as one of her father's projects. But as time passed, she couldn't help but notice the way her mother spoke about their helper—almost fondly.

"Do you think he'll like this arrangement?" her mother asked one evening, holding up a bouquet.

"I think he'll appreciate the colours," Inoichi replied, glancing at the flowers. "He's been learning fast."

Ino, sitting nearby and pretending to play with one of her dolls, frowned. "Who's this 'he' you keep talking about?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Her mother smiled, but didn't answer right away. Instead, she exchanged a glance with Inoichi. "He's a boy who's been helping us around the shop. You'll meet him soon enough."

Ino wasn't satisfied with that vague answer. She wanted to know more. She wanted to meet this boy her parents seemed to like so much. The next time she had the chance to join her friends, she hesitated. Instead of leaving the house with Shikamaru, Choji, and the others, she decided to stay behind at the flower shop, determined to meet this mystery helper.

A few days later, Naruto returned to the shop, not expecting anything different. He walked through the door, already feeling the familiar sense of calm wash over him.

"Welcome back, Naruto!" Inoichi called from behind the counter, his voice as friendly as ever.

But this time, there was someone else standing beside him. A blonde girl with sharp, curious eyes. She looked about Naruto's age, with her hair tied in a ponytail.

Naruto hesitated at the door, unsure of what to do. He hadn't met her before.

"This is my daughter, Ino," Inoichi introduced with a smile. "She wanted to meet you."

Ino crossed her arms and looked Naruto up and down. "So you're the one who's been helping my parents, huh?"

Naruto, caught off guard by her directness, scowled. "Yeah, so what?"

Ino raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "You don't look like much of a helper. You sure you know anything about flowers?"

Naruto felt his cheeks heat up. "I know plenty! I've been coming here for weeks."

"Oh yeah? Then what's the name of that one?" Ino pointed at a plant nearby, a smug grin on her face.

Naruto followed her finger and saw a row of daisies. He recognized them instantly. "Those are daisies," he said, standing up straighter. "They mean innocence."

Ino blinked, surprised for a moment. But she quickly recovered, her grin widening. "Hmph, lucky guess."

Before Naruto could argue, Ino's parents stepped in, clearly amused by the exchange.

Inoichi chuckled, shaking his head. "You two argue like an old married couple already."

Ino's mother laughed softly, covering her mouth. "Maybe we should start planning a wedding."

Both Naruto and Ino turned bright red at the comment.

"N-No way!" Naruto spluttered, waving his arms in embarrassment.

Ino looked just as mortified, but she tried to hide it behind a defiant glare. "I'd never marry someone like him!"

Naruto's embarrassment only grew, and the teasing, though light-hearted, made him feel too self-conscious after that day, Naruto avoided the Yamanaka Flower Shop. As much as he enjoyed being there, the memory of Ino's teasing (and her parents' playful comments) made him cringe with embarrassment. He didn't want to deal with that again, no matter how much he liked learning about the flowers.

But the peace he had found in the flower shop didn't last long. The villagers' glares and whispers followed him wherever he went. One afternoon, as Naruto wandered the streets alone, a group of older villagers spotted him near the market.

"There's that kid again," one muttered under their breath.

"Why don't they just keep him locked up?" another sneered.

Naruto clenched his fists, trying to ignore them, but it was no use. They weren't afraid to show their disgust, and it stung, just like always. One of the villagers even tossed an empty fruit peel at him, hitting his shoulder.

Naruto could feel his chest tighten, anger and sadness bubbling up inside him. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve their hate, but he didn't want to stick around to hear more.

Without a word, Naruto turned and ran, his feet carrying him to the one place where he knew he could find comfort.

Naruto burst into the Hokage Tower, his breath heavy from running. He made his way to the top floor, where the Third Hokage's office was. The guards didn't stop him—they knew Naruto came here often.

Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up from his desk, his wise eyes softening as he saw the small figure enter.

"Ah, Naruto," the Third Hokage said, setting aside the scroll he had been reading. "What brings you here today, my boy?"

Naruto tried to hide the tears that threatened to spill over, but he wasn't fast enough to wipe them away.

"Nothing," Naruto muttered, his voice shaky. "I just... I wanted to see you."

Hiruzen nodded, as though he understood everything with that simple sentence. He didn't ask any questions. Instead, he gestured for Naruto to sit beside him.

"Come, tell me how you've been," the Hokage said gently.

And for the first time that day, Naruto felt like maybe, just maybe, someone cared.