Finding Myself [Rewrite]

ch. 27: Chunin Exam pt. 3

I didn't have parents growing up. Nobody really raised me either. I had no family, no friends... No one wanted to be around me.

Everybody avoided me, and the kids who tried to play with me were scolded by their parents.

For as long as I can remember, I was probably the most hated child in the village and I don't even know why. The only person who didn't treat me like I had a disease was Sasuke.

Sasuke Uchiha, who everyone adored... I wanted to be friends with him, but being around him made me feel so... Small. I hated being compared to him and his smug attitude. I hated how Sakura, Ino, and all the other girls admired him and wanted to be with him.

Honestly, I was jealous of him. He always got so much attention, so much admiration, while I was just cast aside, being treated worse than if I didn't exist at all.

...I was... Lonely... Until Minaki arrived and turned my life upside down.

With her, I wasn't alone anymore. With her, I wasn't a monster to be avoided, or some garbage to be thrown out. I was just me. And I felt so... Seen.

I could do anything with Mina and she'd never make me feel stupid, or insult me. I tried my best to take care of her, but she ended up being the one taking care of me. Well, maybe we took care of each other.

What I guess I'm saying is, Mina is someone precious to me. She's the only one that's ever taken my side unconditionally, she was the shoulder I cried on when I couldn't take being hated anymore.

It was her hand that lead me away from the cold and lonely life I had and it's her hand that I intend to hold for the rest of my life.

No matter how many bodies we have to step over.

Yeah, I know what she's capable of, I've always known. Poison crafting, kidnapping attempts, assassinations, and black market trades, I could go on. But, uh... if she doesn't want me to know about it...

I don't know anything.

I just hope she knows that I'm always going to be on her side, just like how she's on mine.

__________

"... Who did this to you."

After the five days had passed, the remaining teams were gathered together for a preliminary round before the third part of the exam. Too many teams had passed the second part, and this was met to cut down the numbers yet again.

Team 7 had barely passed, which would have been alright if Mina hadn't been waiting for them since day 1.

She had passed within the first two hours, so she had a lot of time to herself and used her knowledge of medicinal herbs to treat the injuries of those who passed the test after her, much to Silver's displeasure.

Silver thought it was a waste of time to taking care of people inferior to her, but then again, she used to be one of them. Humans could never do anything on their own, could they.

Even though she wasn't on that team for the the exam, she still cared about them. Seeing them so badly hurt just made her feel guilty for leaving during such an important time.

Mina was beside herself with worry, and the heat radiating from her body reflected that. It was like the height of summer in that room.

Naruto held his hands up, trying to coax the girl into claiming down at least a little, just so they wouldn't sweat themselves out of their clothes. "Mina, hear us out-"