Things we do for love

Chapter 17

Naruto went after him. When he reached his room, he saw the door was a little open, and Inari was crying while looking towards the ocean. Looking at him, all the anger he had dissipated. All that was left was sadness an sympathy.

He went back to the room.

"There was this photo he was looking at and crying. What happened?" asked Naruto in a quiet tone. Both Tazuna and Tsunami tensed. Tsunami went out of the room as Tazuna began the story.

"He... was Inari's father," said Tazuna.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I am going out," said Naruto as he walked out of the room.

'That bloody Gato!' thought Naruto.

"He... kid, don't lose your cool. Gato is most probably using Zabuza and the other guy. Don't lose your cool, and don't do anything stupid," said Kurama. Amaya meanwhile, was silent.

"Gato is so dead," said Naruto angrily.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the next week, Naruto trained relentlessly. He was currently lying under a tree, nearly unconscious.

A person who was picking some herbs found him. He went near him, and after a moment, woke him up.

"Huh? Who are you?" asked Naruto.

"Haku. I was here to pick some herbs but saw you. Say, are you a ninja?" asked Haku.

"Yeah. A Konoha ninja. I was training here, and I got tired," said Naruto.

'So she... is it she or he? His chakra is of a boy, but he is so cute. There are so many things to see in the world, it's so full of mystery,' thought Naruto.

"Why were you training?" asked Haku.

"Well, I need to get stronger and stronger," said Naruto.

"Why? You are already pretty strong," said Haku.

"I want to become Hokage. I want to achieve peace. But most importantly, I want to protect those precious to me," said Naruto.

"Then you will become strong. Because when a person has something precious to protect..." started Haku.

"... Only then can they become truly strong," completed Naruto.

"Yes. I need to go, bye," said Haku with a smile.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Naruto, Uzumaki, huh?" muttered Inari.

He was currently looking at the photo of his father. Tears threatened to fall out of his eyes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone was sitting at the table, except Naruto, who hadn't come back yet.

"Where is he now? He hasn't come back since yesterday," said Sakura.

"N-Naruto kun was training all day," said Hinata.

"You saw him?" asked Kakashi.

"Yes, he was practising Taijutsu," said Hinata.

"Yeah, but it's been a whole day," said Sakura.

"He likes sleeping outside," said Sasuke.

"But what about food?" asked Kiba.