Sharing The Sky

Chapter 5: Memories will fly apart and fade

She was an idiot. An absolute moron. A needy, greedy fool.

Slumped over the table, Naruto groaned into her arms.

She was already getting attached to her father. This was bad. Very bad. She couldn't get attached, because if she did, it would be so hard to leave. She couldn't stay here, not for long at least.

Naruto really wanted to see her mother before leaving.

At the same time, she had so much work to do. Once she confirmed at what time she had arrived, she would have to leave. No matter what plan she decided to follow, three things she had to do: kill Obito, kill Madara, and deal with Black Zetsu. She would most likely become an enemy of Konoha. That would definitely happen if Obito was still part of Minato's team.

Being hated by her father, her mother, and her sensei...

Naruto's chest tightened.

But she would do it. Had to do it. No more chances if she failed this one. She was already lucky to have an opportunity. If that would keep them all alive, she would shoulder their hate.

"Naruto?"

Naruto peeked over her arms at the woman in front of her. Right. She almost forgot the interrogation. She let her senses unravel, taking in all the emotions from her surroundings.

Swirling happiness from the chirping birds in the tree outside.

The lazy indifference from the Anbu hiding on the other side of the window.

The irritated weariness of the nurse hurrying along the corridor.

The friendly compassion from the woman on the opposite side of the table.

Blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly, eyeing the jounin. She looked familiar. Those eyes and the shape of her face. Emi Yamanaka. Where did she hear that name?

"Are you married?"

The woman blinked, completely caught off guard by such a random question. Then, a gentle smile settled on her lips. "Yes, I am," she replied. "My family moved to Konoha when I was just a little girl. And here, years later, I met my husband."

So, she married into the Yamanaka clan. Her eyes... reminded Naruto of Ino. Could she be Ino's mom?

"Do you also have a boy you like, Naruto?"

Naruto opened her mouth to deny—

I lied.

—and closed it in an instant.

Did Sasuke count? She wasn't quite sure what she felt for him. Something was going on between them, no doubt, but... Was it love for a friend? A brother? Or perhaps something deeper?

The lingering feeling of his finger poking her forehead was still there.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Naruto murmured under her breath as she stared somewhere to the side. More to herself rather than an answer to the woman. "He's dead now."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Naruto hunched into herself, half-hidden behind her arms. A few red strands fell across her face as she shifted in her place, bringing the faint smell of Kakashi's blood into her nostrils. Her chest tightened even further, something hot pressing against the back of her eyes.

She missed them.

In the next moment, Naruto straightened up, shoving all these emotions down more violently than she actually meant to, but at least it helped. She had to keep her head in the game. Couldn't allow all these feelings to take control of her now.