Alternate Dimension

7

I had followed after Naruto to the dining room and we seated ourselves at the table. We spent our time eating and talking amongst ourselves or with his parents for half an hour until we were finished with our food.

"Thank you for the food," Naruto and I said as we set our bowls down on the table. Kushina had her elbow on the table and placed her hand under her chin, feeling exhausted as she closed her eyes. Minato stepped into one of the room and came back with a blanket and draped it over Kushina's shoulders.

I smiled at the sweet gesture and found his parents to be so loving and I grew to like them over this dinner.

They were a beautiful and perfect couple. For these people to die is just...a tragedy.

They deserved better.

"Menma, do you mind taking care of the dirty dishes?" Politely asked Minato who wore a pink apron over his blue attire.

"Do it yourself," huffed Naruto as he turned his head away from his father and I smacked his arm once again for his behavior towards them, but at the same time I found it understandable. He didn't trust them.

I cleared my throat and meekly said, "Um I'll help you out."

I really did want to help, but also because I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of this situation.

"Thank you (Y/n) although you really don't need to. You're our guest after all."

"It's fine," I dismissively said with a wave of my hand while getting up from my seat. I walked over to where I assumed their kitchen was to get started.

"You're certainly in a bad mood," uttered Minato as he kept his gaze on Naruto before he glanced over at my retreating figure then directed his attention back to Naruto again and innocently asked, "Is it because (Y/n) hasn't said yes?"

Having overheard this, I ran out of the kitchen with a wet plate and towel in each hand as Naruto and I both exclaimed with flustered cheeks, "No!"

"Really?" Minato slightly tilted his head as he stared at his son and I, but shrugged it off and left it at that.

Naruto got up from his seat and walked over to the living room and gazed around before his eyes fell on something.

I peeked over at where he was at and watched as he opened a book while I dried the plate that was in my hand.

"It's unusual to see you taking that album out," said Minato who watched his son grimly scan through the photos that were inside.

"So what if I am," huffed Naruto as he closed the album shut, but kept it in his hands. "About that conversation earlier...how come you got Granny to let me come along?"

"You had a reason, right? My son isn't the type to argue just for the sake of it. Am I wrong?"

"Oh, come on," sighed Naruto as his father gave him an amused smile.

"Well we are family after all," ended Minato and walked in my direction. He stepped inside the kitchen and began to wash and scrub the plates under the running water and handed them to me to dry.

I stacked the plates, bowls, and cups together before putting them inside a cabinet while storing the utensils inside one of the kitchen drawers.

"There we go," I dried my hands using a cloth as Minato did the same.

"Thank you for the help, (Y/n). I appreciate it. Kushina was really tired from the mission."

"It's not a problem at all! It's the least I could do after staying over for dinner."

Minato stepped out of the kitchen and called for Menma. "Menma, mind walking (Y/n) home? It's getting pretty late," he glanced over at the clock on the wall and it read that it was almost nine.

"Oh it's fine," I waved my hands in from of me not wanting to bother him since he was immersed in the photo album, but I heard Naruto close the photo album shut and stand up from the couch.

He placed it back where the other albums were and motioned for us to go.

"Well, thank you for the dinner you two prepared," I bowed to him and he chuckled.

"Anytime! Thank you for coming over and helping out. I hope you can join us again later this week. Oh! Which reminds me..." he glanced over at Kushina who was now asleep at the table and led us out the front door. He quietly closed the door to not wake her up and turned to me while Naruto turned away from us and stared at the village.

"Kushina's birthday is in a couple of days. I was hoping you could come over to celebrate, along with your parents of course."

"Oh..." I glanced over at Naruto who looked at me from the corner of his eye before coldly looking away from me and shrugged his shoulders leaving it up to me to decide. "...sure."

"Great! We look forward to seeing you again," he gave me a bright smile and I bid him farewell and walked down the stairs with Naruto following behind.

"Get her home safe, Menma!"

"Yeah, yeah."

We quietly walked down the street and passed by a few shops that were still open. The air was awfully silent between us and I would occasionally glance at him from the corner of my eye, but he wouldn't do the same.

My eyes fell to the ground and I merely looked at the ground as we continued to walk until he broke the silence.

"You sure are close with them despite not knowing them."

"I mean they're friendly and seem like great people. It's hard not to like them."

"I don't think you should get attached to them. We're leaving as soon as we can remember?" He finally glimpsed in my direction only to see my head turned away from him.

"Right...." I sadly mumbled. "Well, we may as well act the part to not seem suspicious. They aren't bad people."

"Well I don't like them one bit! They aren't the real deal and all I want is...to see my real parents...the one who were in my subconscious."

"I get that but...try to enjoy what you have while it lasts," I picked up my pace and rather than walking, I started jogging. I looked over my shoulder and waved at Naruto, "Well I'm off now. You can't walk me home if you don't even know where my old place was at!"

I looked straight ahead and jogged out the main gate. My legs started to pick up the pace and I was now running faster. A smile had reached my lips as I thought of returning to my old home.

I continued to run for another fifteen minutes and I stumbled upon a small village that was no longer in ashes and ruins, but was illuminating with light.

My steps died down and I walked in through the entrance to my village and saw a couple of people out walking and chattering or inside some shops filling it with laughter.

"Mom look!" A little girl who wasn't too far pointed at me and tugged at her mother's shirt. "It's (Y/n)! The heir!"

"Oh hello (Y/n)! We hardly ever see you anymore," the woman bowed to me and I awkwardly stood there and forced a smile. Others seemed to have noticed and began to greet me and bow to me as well, while I nodded my head at them and walked past them.

'Okay so people don't hate me here.'

As soon as I was away from the crowd, I dashed towards my home and was elated to see that my home wasn't burning in fire like that night. But it was the way I remember it before the tragedy.

I stepped up the front door and hesitantly grabbed the door knob before turning it and opening the door. I was greeted with my parents sitting at the table and their heads turned towards the door and my mother warmly smiled at me while my father acknowledged my presence.

"Welcome home, (Y/n)," softly spoke my mother. A warmth spread through me and my eyes became glossy once again, but I blinked it away and smiled at them.

"I'm home."

Maybe this place isn't so bad after all