From Best Friend to Boyfriend

Now It's a Whodunnit...

"So...Kushina-san is..." [Mother's name] trailed off as she tried to make sense the words coming out of her mouth. Naruto and [Name] sat in silence across from the woman; [Name] fiddling with her thumbs and Naruto staring down at the marble countertop. "Okay. No problem. You can stay here as long as you like Naruto..." [Mother's name] reassured the blond boy who simply looked up and gave a quick nod before staring back down at the countertop. "I'll sort out the money for the funeral and stuff when your father gets home [Name]. You kids should just get some rest in the meantime."

"Okay, sure. No problem."
--*--
Of course preparing the beds was another issue. [Name] had another playful argument with her mother about who had the most blankets, while her mother couldn't care less and made Naruto's bed with the most blankets anyway. "Why would you complain anyway you dummy?! It's barely even cold! Now go sleep. Love you~"

"Good night Mrs. [Surname]." Naruto greeted kindly while [Name] let out a grunt which sounded like a mix between a buffalo and hippo. "Good night to you too [Name]." [Mother's name] chuckled and closed the door. As soon as the door closed Naruto got up out of his bed and made his way over to [Name]. "What are you doing?" She asked with her eyebrow raised and Naruto merely ignored her and got into the bed beside her. "Naruto?"

"I sleep better when I know you're next to me..." he said softly. [Name] froze but her cheeks heated up. And now is the time when I thank the world for having night time and darkness...

"Y-Yeah...okay...you should really get some rest though. You had a long day and you still have school tomorrow. A lot of people are going to want to know what happened and if you're okay and-"

"I'll worry about that tomorrow. Just cuddle me and tell me everything is going to be okay in the meantime." Naruto instructed, sounding like a complete brat.
[Name] simply smiled and held her best friend close as she listened to his breathing pattern. "Hai, hai Naruto-kun..." she whispered as he drifted off into sleep.
--*--
The following morning, [Name] was found seated on her couch in her living room while she ate oatmeal, which was prepared by her mother with love...and whatever else her mother felt toward her. The television was on, and as always [Name] was watching the morning broadcast. To her surprise the news segment was on the accident of Kushina and Minato Uzumaki. It was not as though it wasn't expected. Minato Namikaze-Uzumaki was the 4th Hokage of Konoha, which also means he was the mayor of his city and his wife, Kushina, was a very well known nurse and midwife in her community. Both were loved dearly by the people of Konoha.

"Well...Naruto's not gonna hear the end of this-" Before she could finish the reporter began going off onto a few other car crashes that had occurred over the past 5 months. [Name] rushed to grab the remote and once it was in her hand, she proceeded to turn up the volume. "Hey. What'cha doing?"

"Shhh. Sit down." [Name] scolded Naruto and urged him to sit down as the reporter spoke.

"Detectives of the Konoha Military Police Force have confirmed that this has been the 13th murder in the past 5 months."

"Murder?" Both teens chorused and stared at the television.

"How is it a murder you ask? Officer Tsubaki Hayashida says that at the crime scene, a piece of paper with a familiar symbol of a short, full line and beneath it a line of the same length, cut along the middle was found with an animal face mask in the passenger seat of the car.
It has clearly not been the first, as there have been these same items in the 5 other car crashes. In the remaining 7 murders, these two items are found in the homes of the victims."

As the reporter spoke, multiple pictures of the Hokage's aide members appeared as well as a picture of the deceased 3rd Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. "C'mon you two! No time for the news. You gotta get to school!" [Mother's name] called from upstairs leaving the disorientated teens to turn off the television and get ready for school.

[Name] was absolutely dumbfounded. All this time herself and Naruto had thought that this incident -- which was in fact a murder -- was an accident. "I wonder how Naruto's gonna cope with this...the media will be killing him for personal information on his parents." [Name] sighed. "Well I suppose he has grown accustomed to it. Afterall he is the great 4th Hokage's beloved son." She mumbled as she dressed herself in her school uniform.

She tried her best to get her mind off what was going on but the only question buzzing in her head was: 'Who would want to hurt -- or worse yet -- get rid of Kushina and Minato Uzumaki?'
"[Name] you ready to go?" Naruto called from the other side of the door. "Nearly!"

With nothing much else to do, [Name] left her hair loose to avoid any further hastles and sprinted downstairs with Naruto. Both teenagers slipped on their shoes before grabbing their individual skateboards, saying their goodbyes to [Mother's name] and skating their way to school.
~~*~~
Meanwhile, back at [Name]'s home, Mrs. [Mother's name] [Surname] sat in bed and read a magazine while she waited for her husband to return home from his business trip. Once he got back it would be easier for her to begin with the laundry and cleaning of the house. So she sat in silence, her foot twitching involuntarily as she began to get jittery and impatient. Suddenly the door was unlocked downstairs.

Knowing that it was probably her husband, she dismissed it and continued reading, waiting for him to call her for assistance. It was calm until the pans began to clatter and fall to the ground. "[Father's name]?" Mrs. [Surname] called from upstairs and got out of bed. She cautiously made her way out of her room and looked down the staircase trying to find whoever, or whatever, it was that had caused such a ruckus. Just as she was about to dismiss what happened for a second time, she turned around to face the dark eye holes of an animal face mark.

"My apologies, but orders are orders." The voice of a man spoke from behind the mask and shoved Mrs. [Surname] down the staircase leaving her to tumble and faint. Before she completely blacked out all she remembered was the figure walking up to her and poking her with a katana to possibly ensure that she was perhaps dead and placing a piece of paper with a symbol on it along with an animal face mask next to her. After it had completed the task, it left the house and it's victim behind. "[Name]...keep Naruto safe..."