Fox Moon

Naruto's Case

"...." Talking

'...' Thought

... Naruto's Emotions

"...." Memories

"..." Music

Today I sing as always...

...thinking of you.

Songs of love...

My dear Neji...

"Stop it Naruto!"

'Oops!' thought the said boy as he turned to face his young looking grandmother Tsunade. The boy gulped as he laid his electric guitar down slowly.

"Grandma!"

"Music is so disgusting. It reminds me of your father and makes me ill."

Naruto looked down sadly.

"I'm sorry. But I..."

"Don't talk back to me!"

"Yes ma'am."

The woman sighed as she took a breath from her pipe.

"Dr. Umino is here. Behave yourself," she said as she exited the small blonde's room. A few seconds later, a brown haired man with a small horizontal scar on his nose and wearing a doctor's coat entered the room.

"Dr. Umino!"

"Hello, Naruto. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine!" the boy answered as he hugged his doctor.

Dr. Umino is my doctor. I'm always amazed that his name means Dolphin.

The hospital he works for doesn't usually make house calls. However, since Grandma says I can't leave the house...

'Don't know why.'

Dr. Umino makes a special trip for my check-ups.

Naruto gives a small sad smile in thought.

It's true...

I'm ill...

There is a malignant growth called a "Sarcoma" in my throat.

'It's like a cauliflower...'

"Naruto, let's go through with the operation. I've already asked you many times."

The boy smiled.

"No, doctor...I'm sorry..."

"If you don't have the operation, your life will really be in danger. At least take some medicine for it."

Naruto hugged his knees to his chest and rested his head on them.

"If I have the operation...I'll lose my voice, right?"

Dr. Iruka Umino looked to the side, avoiding making eye contact with his patient.

'Uh-Oh...'

"Yes...I'll have to completely remove your vocal cords."

"I-I'm not afraid of dying. I've always wanted to try dying once."

The brown haired doctor gasped as he looked at the young boy.

"What!?"

Naruto raised his head from his knees and looked at the doctor with his electrifying blue eyes.

"But what I'm really afraid of...is not being able to sing...ever again."

"Naruto?"

The boy smiled and lowered his head again.