Welcomed Second Chance by Darashiko

Chapter 2: Jiraiya Couldn't Meet Me This Early

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. It belongs to Kishimoto-sensei.

OxoxO

"Hey guys, wanna know what I learned yesterday!?" Kiba said as we sat in academy courtyard to have our lunch. Our group consisted of me, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba and Hinata. The day I started attending academy after being discharged from hospital, I asked them to eat lunch together. They were the only classmates who visited me in the hospital. So as thanks, I bought some bentos from grocery store to give them. And they accepted.

Well Kiba wouldn't say no since the bento had some meat. Chouji couldn't say no to free food as it means he could spend extra coins on snacks and Shikamaru tagged along with him. As for Hinata, there is no need to tell.

"What did you learn? Must be exciting." I asked as I opened my lunchbox. I brought sweet potatoes, omelette and tempura.

"Yesterday one of my cousins taught me poker."

"But aren't you a little young to learn gambling?" Chouji asked in between his munching of potato chips. Hinata nodded at his words.

"So what!? Now I can teach it to you guys and we can play when we hang out. We don't have to bet our money or anything!"

"Drink soda instead of sake and act smoking with pochi, we will feel like adults." My words fueled Kiba's enthusiasm even though I didn't put any enthusiasm in them.

"See, Naruto gets it! Hey tomorrow is weekend. What do you say we hang out together tomorrow and play poker?"

"I don't know. If my Pa finds out he will have me grounded."

"And if my mom finds out she won't stop nagging. Which is troublesome."

"You guys can play at my place. No one lives in that building except me and another guy down stair." That was true. The place wasn't a bad place to live, but people avoid the place like plague. That shouldn't be too surprising considering I live there. The other person who lives there, a middle aged man named Ishi, came to Leaf village 4 years after the Nine Tails attack (I think I should call the attack Kurama Catastrophe. Has a nice ring to it.). He runs a food stand in the market district.

"Wouldn't that be a bit of trouble for you?" Hinata asked.

"Nope, I don't get many guests. So you guys are welcome to my place." I waved of her concern. "Although you guys would have to leave before three. My neighbor returns that time to take a nap. And he complains about noise even when I sleep."

That's was how I ended up becoming host for a gambling party of 8 years old kids this morning. Others agreed to bring their own candy but as a host, it was my responsibility to take care of other things for party. Like buying foods and drinks. Which I was carrying at the moment.

I looked left and right to see if there were people who could be paying attention to me. Not that I needed to. In my disguise I am not someone remarkable enough for them to notice. After entering the alley I was standing in front of, I let go of the transformation jutsu. This jutsu was very useful. It already helped me get inside the shops that refused to provide Naruto their service. If I didn't learn the jutsu from Fu's memory then I wouldn't have been able to buy the snacks that I was carrying for tomorrow's meeting with my friends.

You have guessed right. I am Naruto Uzumaki. Although, it wasn't always my identity. I became Naruto only a little more than 2 months ago. Before I became Naruto, I was someone else.

Who I was? How I became Naruto? Well, that's a story for another time. But since I have to start with something, let me tell you how I felt when I found myself in this…. World? Universe? Whatever.