Now I Want It All

Chapter 11

"You two know each other?" Sasuke asked quizzically, looking back and forth between Naruto and his mother.

Naruto looked easily as confused. "Er, I don't think I know you."

Mikoto giggled. "I used to be really good friends with your mom, Kushina. How is she by the way?"

Both Gaara and Naruto visibly flinched at the question. "Uh, both my parents are dead."

"I'm so sorry." Mikoto sincerely apologized. "If you don't mind me asking, when did that happen?"

"In middle school. That's when I moved to Suna with Gaara, my cousin, and his family." Naruto replied.

"So how did you know Naruto?" Neji asked.

"Here, please sit!" Mikoto urged the group to sit at the kitchen table. "Let me just check on the food and I'll tell you guys all about it."

The guys watched as Mikoto checked on the food, adding some things to the pot on the stove. She then came back to the table, five pairs of curious eyes on her.

"Yeah, Kushina and I met in college. I just married Fugaku, Itachi and Sasuke's dad, and I was talking with some friends about honeymoon locations. She interrupted the conversation, like she liked to do," she laughed a little at the memories that played in her head. "She gave me a couple ideas and all were beautiful. After bringing the idea of Naples, Italy to Fugaku, he said his best friend picked the same place and so, we set Kushina and Minato on a blind date."

"You got my parents together?!" Naruto's eyes widened in fascination, curious to hear more about his parents.

Mikoto let out a loud laugh. "Not at first, actually. They hated each other and were constantly fighting. It wasn't until my baby shower with Itachi a year and a half later that they actually got together.

"They got married a year later, I found out I was pregnant with Sasuke and then she found out she was pregnant with you." She smiled at the blonde who blushed slightly at the attention.

"So how do you know me?" The blonde was leaning forward on the table, head resting in his hands. He gave her a confused look. "But I don't remember you."

Mikoto gave a sad smile as she looked down at the table, mindlessly brushing off non-existent crumbs. "Well, before school started, we saw each other constantly, you two became best friends, being practically inseparable. So when it was time to start registering you two for school, I suggested private school." She let out a tired sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. "We got in an argument, and I admit, I said some things that I wish that I could take back. Unfortunately, we never made up once I made the decision to put Sasuke in private school."

"I don't remember going to private school." Sasuke scrunched up his nose as he tried to recall the memory.

Mikoto chuckled. "I wouldn't think you would. You refused to go after a month. I homeschooled you for the rest of the year, too prideful to put you in public school. The next school year, it was in the back of my mind."

Itachi hummed. "I vaguely remembered a little annoying blonde kid in my early past."

"Hey!" Naruto glared at the older Uchiha. "I bet I was a pleasant child!"

"You were so sweet and kind, but you and Sasuke together," she laughed a little to herself. "Total chaos. I wonder how Fugaku would react to seeing you now. He always warmed up with you around."

Sasuke glanced at the blonde. He tried hard to remember anything about a blonde boy, but to no avail, nothing came up.

"Itachi, Sasuke, set the table for our guests!" Mikoto demanded after suddenly standing up. "I'm about to serve up dinner, and then I want to hear what you've been up to."