✔️Heal My Heart {Kakashi Hatake}

62 | parent teacher meeting

I carried Naruto back to my house. He could stay in one of the guest rooms while his leg healed, which thanks to my medical ninjutsu would only be a day or two. I was concerned about his behaviour at the Academy. I had specifically told him on his first day to be good for Iruka, who was young and inexperienced, yet he seemed to be giving the Chunin grief.

Naruto had settled without complaint. I think he felt bad for doing that stuff, and hopefully the broken leg would be punishment enough for him. I had certainly never seen him so sullen and moody. Being the concerned mother that I was (pretty much), I had spent the night in the room next to Naruto's instead of my own, just in case something happened in the night.

I was woken at a crazy hour in the morning by loud wailing coming from Naruto's room. I had barely pushed the duvet away to go and see what was wrong when he came bursting into the room and flung himself into my side.

"Hey, what's wrong, buddy?" I asked, stroking his head gently as he buried himself in my neck.

"I had a bad dream." Naruto sniffed. Even in the dark, I could tell that he had been crying. "There was a big mean fox and it ate me up."

"There, there. It's okay," I murmured. "Do you get bad dreams a lot?"

"Sometimes."

This could only be the work of the nine-tails that was sealed inside him. I pulled Naruto a little closer to me. I hated that fox for what it did to him. Most of the villagers saw him as a demon, but since knowing him I'd come to believe that having a demon in him didn't make him one.

"Can I stay here?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Yeah." I pulled the sheets up over us. "Get some sleep, 'Kay?"

"'Kay." Naruto mumbled. I watched as his big, blue eyes closed slowly and he drifted off to sleep. The poor thing was exhausted. Maybe I'd let him sleep through tomorrow, and go to see Iruka by myself.

"Good night, Naruto," I whispered.

I woke the next morning to find that Naruto was still fast asleep. It was pretty late, as Naruto's episode in the night had made me tired enough to sleep in. I carefully manoeuvred my arm out from under his head, not wanting to wake him just yet.

In the kitchen, I noticed just how late it was. I had slept until past noon, something I hadn't done since I was little. It seemed that breakfast would have to double up as lunch - and I'd be making instant ramen. No need to poison Naruto.

As if my thoughts had summoned him, Naruto ambled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. "Are you making ramen?" he asked.

"Only because I can't cook. Otherwise I'd make something healthier." I slid a ramen cup across the table to him. Naruto wasted no time in emptying it into his mouth. I ate mine more sensibly.

"Hey, Miyoshi, do I have to go to school today?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"No." I put down my chopsticks. "You've got today off, but in a bit I'll go and see Iruka about your behaviour." I sighed. "Naruto, I thought you were going to be good? Why are you misbehaving?"

Naruto looked at the floor. "Because... because... I don't really want to say."

"Look, Naruto, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." I told him gently. "I'm going to go in a minute, and if you don't tell me what's up, I won't be able to sort this out."

"Because I want them to see me!" Naruto yelled. I was taken aback. I hadn't expected such an outburst of anger. Naruto's anger was spent, though, and when he continued his tone was full of sadness. "None of the other kids ever talk to me, except to call me a loser and tell me I'm worthless. They don't even look at me except with disgust. It's like I'm not even human. At least when I pull pranks, they look at me." His head snapped up, and his blue eyes bored into me. I was reminded of his mother, Kushina. "You can't tell anyone. Especially not Iruka-sensei."

"Of course I won't tell." I assured him. "But you know, there are better ways to make friends."

"Like what?" Naruto mumbled bitterly.

"You should try smiling more." I suggested. "And little acts of kindness might help, too. You can't hurt anyone by being nice."

"Maybe. But one day, I'll be the Hokage, and then I'll be acknowledged by the whole village, believe it!" Naruto exclaimed. I smiled fondly. His eyes always lit up at the mention of his dreams.

"You'll be a great Hokage, Naruto," I said. "But I need to get going. I'll try and sort this out. You sit right here, 'Kay? You can use the training ground if you want."

"Okay." Naruto pushed himself down from the table and headed out through the back door. I slipped out through the front door. Academy classes would finish in ten minutes, so I didn't have long to get there. It wasn't too tight; ANBU pacing would get me there in five.

I ended up getting there just as the bell rang. I'd taken the rooftop route, wanting to avoid the mass foot traffic of Academy kids hurrying home after school. I walked straight in through the gates, dodging a few early runners. Iruka taught in Classroom 2, so I headed down the corridor to the left and waited outside the first door on the right, which was labelled '2'.

The door opened and a flood of kids burst out. First among them were two girls, one blonde and one with rose pink hair. They were arguing loudly. Following them were a collection of kids; a girl who looked like a Hyuuga, a boy with a dog on his head following a boy with sun glasses and an odd coat. Near the back of the group, I recognised Choza-sensei's son, Choji, eating potato chips alongside Shikamaru, the Nara boy.

"Hey, you're Naruto's guardian, aren't you?" Shikamaru said, noticing me. "Why wasn't he in school today?"

"He broke his leg," I answered truthfully. "I've been healing it though, so he should be back tomorrow."

"Okay." Shikamaru shrugged and continued walking.

Last to emerge from the class, to my surprise, was Itachi Uchiha's younger brother Sasuke. He was accompanied by a gaggle of girls, and looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. He didn't even look at me as he walked past.

The classroom was now completely empty, except for the brown-haired teen who was organising stacks of papers. I knocked on the doorframe to announce my presence, then let myself in. If the kid had a problem, he could take it up with me.

"Ah, you're Miyoshi, right?" He said, noticing me.

"Yeah. I've come to talk about Naruto."

"Naruto." Iruka's shoulders sagged at the very mention of his name. "Yes, you may want to take a seat."

I pulled a chair up and sat at the other side of the desk. I decided that if the ANBU didn't work out, I'd like to be an Academy teacher, or at least a Jonin sensei.

"Naruto has been difficult since the beginning," Iruka explained. "He's by far the worst behaved in the class, and if he were a bit older, some of his pranks might even be classified as crimes. It's a good thing Lord Hokage seems to like him, otherwise he'd be in trouble with more people than just me."

"He's that bad?" I was appalled. "He's never been like that before."

"I've tried to talk to him about it a few times, but he just doesn't listen to me." Iruka sighed.

"I was talking to him earlier," I said slowly. "And he told me his reasons for doing all that stuff. Unfortunately he made me promise not to tell, and I'm true to my word."

"That's fair enough, I suppose." Iruka massaged his temples. "But he's never been so disruptive with you before?"

I shook my head. "Yesterday was the first I heard of his behaviour."

"What is it that you do that I don't?" Iruka wondered aloud.

"Honestly?" I laughed. "I buy him ramen."