The guardian chronicles : Nirvana (Todoroki Shoto x Uzumaki Naruto)

Chapter 64

Why don't I have a family?

It was a question Naruto asked after starting the Academy. A question that haunts and looms over her shoulder whenever school ends and it was time for the parents to pick up their kids. All of the parents ignored her, their eyes looking at her like she was one of those bugs they wished to squish, as they picked up their kids with smiles on their faces and their hands clasped together.

Naruto understands she was an orphan but most of the orphans had some form of family to pick them, from their adopted parents to even the caretaker that looks at her like she was a monster. She plasters on a smile and bows her head because that was what polite people do, or so Mikoto tries to explain to her when Naruto tells her about going to Hinata-chan's home.

Hiashi Hyuga still didn't like her even though Naruto does what Mikoto-obaachan tells her what to do.

"I can't believe the Hokage allows her to become a shinobi." The matron scowls at her, dark eyes looking at her like she was a pest. Naruto trembles and hunches her back as if a cold blast of wind was thrown at her, before forcing herself to smile at the woman. Naruto knows the matron can't hurt her anymore. That she was safe because of her small apartment, but sometimes she dreams she will come in and hit her again.

Her fellow orphans ran passed her, giggling and laughing as they clasped the matron's hand. Bright smiles plays on their faces and Naruto feels a burning ache in her heart as the woman kneels down, smiling gently at them and asking about their day in school.

Why does she treat them like they were her own kids? Why am I always different?

"We had fun!" They cried and Naruto just stares at them, watching as the children skip and laugh. She wanted that. To have someone ask her about her day. To have someone pick her up and make her smile like there was no tomorrow. All she wanted was to have some form of family.

"Bye-bye, Naruto!" Choji cried, waving his hand at her before rushing to his father. She smiled so tightly that she thinks her cheeks were crying for her to stop. Her blue eyes fixates in the way Choji's father ruffles his hair and hands him a snack for him to eat, earning cheers from the boy.

"Oniichan!" Sasuke whizzed past her and clasps his brother's hands, dark eyes twinkling with joy at the sight of his brother. Just when he was only a few steps away from his big brother, did the boy turn around and look at her. Black eyes looks at her hesitantly as if silently asking her if it was okay for him to have some alone time with his big brother.

Naruto understands Itachi was rarely around and how her friend just wants to spend time with him. She wants to join them. She likes them. They were nice to her. They play with her and takes her back to their home at times, but their father always gives her those cold eyes. And today she doesn't want to deal with his eyes.

So she smiled, closed her eyes and lies. "I'm going to play in the playground so you can go back home with Itachi!"

Sasuke beams at her and waves his hand before dragging his brother away from her. Naruto watched them with a smile plastered on her face, body trembling and there was a stinging sensation in her eyes again. She rubbed her eyes, wiping away her tears and just stand in the side.

"They let her enter the Academy?" The words weren't loud, barely loud enough for Naruto to hear but she still hears it. Her. That is what the other parents called her. Most of them look at her like how the matron did. Not a single one of them looks at her like she was a child.

The parents looks down at her and Naruto feels herself whither at their eyes. Blue eyes turned completely blank as the parents proceeds to drag their pink-haired daughter, who smiles shyly at them and tells her about her day. Blue eyes focuses on the tight grip and locks onto how the shy little girl seems to get louder and happier around her parents.