The Story of Kumiko (A Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 3 ~ First day in a new world

I guess I should have been expecting the news.

“You have amnesia…”

I know, I thought. Don’t remind me. But maybe I did need a few reminders now and then, so that I would never forget. Never forget the heart-wrenching feeling of having your memories torn away from you.

I nodded slowly. My face was drained of emotion and color. I knew I wasn’t myself anymore. The lady with long red hair looked down at her clipboard with a sigh, tapping her pen on a part at the bottom that I couldn’t read. The boy next to her with similar red hair stared at me with empathy. My face softened just thinking about if anyone truly cared about me. It was hard to visualize.

“Since you have no identity and we weren’t able to find where you’re from, you’re going to stay with an escort here in the leaf village. He’ll take care of you and you’ll go through special daily routines to exercise your brain and hopefully get some of your memories back,” her voice was firm and reassuring. “Do you remember anything of your past? Your name? Anything?”

I shook my head.

She sighed again. “Alright, well, your attendant will be here shortly. You should be good enough to leave; you’ve been fully healed so doing normal things such as walking shouldn’t be a problem.” Then she stood up and left the room.

All of the information was thrown at me so fast that I couldn’t comprehend it all. Is that really it? Am I just leaving now? I guess I was expecting more to the explanation. As if I wanted her to say my family was here to see me and they were worried sick. Or that I had to live the rest of my life in the hospital and in therapy since my case was so severe. But she didn’t say that. So I guess I’m just leaving now.

The boy that sat in the chair across from my bed continued to stare at me. His glowing amber eyes were narrowed while gazing at me and I wondered what was going through his mind. Maybe he thought I was never going to survive. Or maybe he just was really interested in me for some reason. I couldn’t really tell; his face was blurry.

I managed to force a small smile as time stretched and I grew uncomfortable. Suddenly he stood up and walked out. I was seriously confused at that point.

As a test, I twitched my fingers and watched my hands move slowly towards my face. I felt my nose and my lips and cheeks and hair and neck. I felt weird; unfamiliar. As I felt more and more I realized that I couldn’t recognize myself. I didn’t need a mirror to see I was somebody totally different. Tears filled my eyes and poured out and I knew I couldn’t stop them if my life depended on it. I wish I could cry and hide forever. Then at least I wouldn’t have to face the world in someone else’s skin.

“Kouena-sama,”

Kouena turned around at sound of her name and looked surprised when she saw me.

“Rokumaru? What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously. I guess she read my thoughts. She was always good at reading people.

“I was wondering…” I hesitated, unsure how to convince her. “Can I maybe… take care of the amnesia case rather than Gou?”

Her eyes widened and she stared at me as if I’ve gone insane. “Roku, you are not nearly old enough to take care of a disabled individual by yourself! You’re only sixteen and you haven’t even had much experience yet.”

I forced a calm expression “Please. Just let me prove myself. I’ve been trying for who knows how long to jump to the next training level and nothing’s been working for me, but I know this can help me. Please, Kouena! I’m more responsible than you think! And I live by myself; I’m not completely immature.”