Forging ones route

Back to the academy.

The next day Naruto entered the academy feeling depressed. Iruka would be absent due to his injuries not being healed meaning he was going to feel really alone today. As he entered the class room he could hear the students whispering to each other.

"Told you he'd be back." One of the boys seating 5 benches behind him sneered.

"I know man, it's just sad." Another one in the group commented.

"Did the dead last really think he could pass before us? I wonder where he gets the confidence from." This time it was a blond haired girl.

"Ino, he is just stupid and you should really stop wasting our time talking about him." A pink haired girl called Sakura who he used to have a huge crush on commented.

Naruto remained silent and tried to stay calm. This was one of the reasons he wanted to graduate early. He really hated most his so called classmates. The only ones he didn't hate were Shikamaru, Choji, Shino and Hinata. Unlike others they never insulted him. He may not have been good buddies with them but they had never participated with the rest of the class when they put him down.

'Now that I know the truth as to why they dislike me so much, it's more difficult to not react.' Naruto thought as he tried to remain calm. It was starting to get unbearable every passing second as the aching in his heart increased.

All of a sudden a memory resurfaced. "I have acknowledged him as one of my excellent student."

Naruto felt the aching dissipate immediately and he found himself thinking. 'Why am I so concerned about what they think of me? I mean I know now that all this time it hadn't been my fault that they hate me. Oji san and Iruka sensei both acknowledge me and my father entrusted me with a huge responsibility, so why am I allowing the comment of some blind people hurt me?'

Naruto sighed as he felt the negative emotions leave him. As the teacher finally entered the classroom fell into silence. Naruto felt relieve wash over him when he saw the substitute teacher. He didn't remember the name of the bearded man but he remembered that this man didn't pick on him like the other teachers. As the class begun Naruto tried to focus on the lesson forgetting all his worries for the moment.

A few hours later.....

Naruto ran towards his favorite food place. School had finally ended.

Naruto entered Ichiraku with a bright smile on his face. "Hello old man?" He partially yelled at the stall owner. "It's good to see you too Naruto, what would you like today?" He asked as he greeted him with a smile. "Three bowls of Miso Ramen." Naruto ordered. As Teuchi went started preparing his Ramen, Naruto silently observed him. 'He is also one of the few who treated me kindly' He thought as he recalled the fateful rainy day when he met the ramen chef.

Flashback...

He was drenched from head to toe and he was out of money. He peeped at the ramen stall. He could feel his stomach growl at the delicious smell of ramen. All of a sudden, he made eye contact with the ramen chef. Fearing the worst possible scenario he tried to run away but then the chief called out to him. Naruto noted the look in his eyes. It was not like the rest of the villagers. It was like similar to the Hokage's kind eyes. Naruto walked towards him uncertainly and prepared to bolt from there the second he sensed something wrong. Teuchi sensed his discomfort and smiled trying to reassure the young boy. The chief told him to take a seat. Naruto did so cautiously.

A few seconds later Naruto was surprised when the chief placed a bowl of hot streaming ramen in front of him. When the ramen chief had told him it was on the house, Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Gratefully he ate the ramen. Perhaps it was the hunger or perhaps it was the cold, Naruto didn't know why the ramen tasted really delicious to him. It was warm and filled him up with a feeling he was foreign with. His heart felt warm after a really long time. He eagerly finished the bowl in a matter of seconds. He looked at the ramen chief who had been observing him eat his heart out and gave him a smile.

.......

Ever since that day Naruto had loved Ramen. And to add to the fact the chief used to seek him out and drag him to the stall to feed him free ramen ever since he met him, till he could pay for himself. Naruto was grateful to the man.

"Old man, can I ask you something?" Naruto decided as he noticed that they were the only two people in the stall. The Ramen chef looked at the little boy in front of him as he served him his food. "Sure Naruto ask me anything." He smiled.

"Do you know what I contain?" Naruto asked straight to the point.

The grin on Teuchi's face vanished and he asked with a grim face. "When did you find out?"

Realizing that he knew, Naruto decided to tell him what happened with Mizuki. To say Teuchi was angry would be an understatement. He went on cursing the chunnin for five minutes before finally making eye contact with the boy who was look at him awkwardly as he had never seen the kind ramen chief curse before. Teuchi finally made eye contact with the boy.

"Naruto after the Kyubi attack, the third hokage explained clearly to the villagers what happened and how it was sealed into you. He was extremely specific when he said that you were its jailor and we are all safe because of you. Yet how people assume that it was your fault and treat you as such is beyond me. It's an insult to Lord Fourth whose only wish before he died was for the village to see you as a hero." He sighed rubbing his forehead.

"Thank you for always taking care of me." Naruto grinned at the chief.

Teuchi smiled at the boy. 'I guess the incident made him a bit mature.'

"You better start eating the ramen is getting cold." Teuchi reminded. Naruto's eyes widened and he began eating at a speed that would make his father proud.

Hinata Hyuga was upset. She felt bad how everyone was treating him again. 'Naruto kun.' She thought concern flooded her features as she eyed the boy three rows in front of her.

As class went on she noticed something off about him. He seemed a bit relaxed. This was unusual. Usually he was always hyper and tense. Deciding that she needed to focus on her lessons she turned her attention back to the board. As soon as the class had ended Naruto had left the room. 

"Hinata can I borrow your notes for a minute?" A plump looking boy asked the Hyuga.

 "Sure Choji san." Hinata handed her notes to him. As Choji copied the things he missed Hinata looked at the boy who was sleeping boy next to Choji. 

"Shikamaru san, do you have the notes?" Hinata asked the lazy Nara.

 "No, copying from the board is such a drag." Shikamaru answered without looking up. 

Hinata giggled at him, 'He has always been like that.' She thought mentally. 

"Naruto seemed unusually quiet today. Is think he is upset for failing a second time" Choji said to Shikamaru. 

"He doesn't know how to make a proper clone and his knowledge is still lacking. What was he thinking when he attempted the exams again." Shikamaru said in a bored tone as he finally raised his head. Choji looked at Shikamaru and sighed. 

"He is always trying; I wonder why he still can't make a clone." Choji asked out loud.

 "That's probably because he is a loser." A pink head girl interrupted the trio. Hinata looked to see Sakura standing next to her. She glared at the pike haired girl. Shikamaru sighed and whispered something about everyone being so troublesome.

 "That's not right Sakura." Choji said giving her a disapproving look.

 "What? I am right. The clone jutsu is one of the easiest jutsu, if he keeps on messing up on it; it's probably because he is really dumb." She stated folding her hands. Hinata wanted to defend Naruto but she didn't know what she could say. But then Sakura spoke again. "Unlike that Naruto, Sasuke kun is so amazing. It's a shame he didn't come today." Sakura stated with a sad look in her face and walked away. There was a silence for a few seconds until Hinata broke it. "He is not a loser." She whispered to herself.