Ch 138

Naruto woke up a little later, making his way to us as we were talking. By that point Shikamaru's mom had delivered breakfast and Shikaku had joined us. 

Shikamaru's mom, the moment her hands were free, wrapped her arms around me, hugging and letting out a few tears as she smiled happily. "I'm so glad you're back," she kept saying. 

I returned the hug, apologizing over and over. After she left I turned to the food she gave. Tamagoyaki, Grilled fish, Rice and Miso soup for Naruto. A perfect meal that was filled with love and care. 

It was comfortable silence for the first few minutes of eating, everyone enjoying their first meal of the day. Then, came the discussion. It seems everyday is a new way to figure out what I have seen and what I know. 

"Ishi, you'll be meeting the Hokage later today," Asuma spoke up finally. "You'll be accompanied with a few shinobi but it won't be like last time." 

I didn't react for a few moments, still savouring the flavour of the delicious food. Once I was done with my bite, I looked up at Asume, nodding my head. "That's fine, I did want to speak with her." 

Naruto gave me a curious glance, a little grumpy pout on his lips. "Why do you want to speak to that granny? You should rest more." 

I chuckled lightly, petting his fluffy hair, "we have to speak, I need to prove my reliability." 

Naruto grumbled a little bit more but quickly dropped it as he was smart enough to know it was very important. 

The others in the room, particularly Ino and Choji, were also giving me curious looks, ones filled with wonder and suspicion, but not the bad kind. 

"Yes, do you have a question?" I addressed them, a tilt of my head showing my questioning gaze. Choji looked embarrassed but Ino was quick to take advantage of my willingness to answer. 

"Are you aware of the rumours around your name?" I raised a brow in surprise, quickly looking over to Shikaku and Asuma for confirmation. 

When I was given a nod from Shikamaru, I turned back to Ino curiously, "what is being said?" 

Ino looked even more suspicious now, like the fact I don't know what she's talking about is confirmation that all the rumours were false. 

While I did think maybe some would be exaggerated, she must've also forgotten I left this place like 8 years ago. I have no idea what's happened socially. 

"Many people talked about The child who stole the hearts of the clan leaders and who was well respected by them too," Ino explained, narrowing her eyes to watch my reaction. 

I, for one, wasn't too surprised, as this was told to me by Shikaku before. "This what you meant when I was younger?" I asked Shikaku. 

He only shrugged, "you had a way of being memorable." 

I rolled my eyes, addressing Ino, "I mean, I did catch their attention, but stealing their hearts might be a bit much." 

I heard a collective groan from three people in the room. 

Choji was the one to comment now, still eating, "you seem so different from when we first met." 

I hummed in thought, thinking back to a few days ago. While it wasn't even that long ago, I feel like a changed person. So much happened in one condensed moment that I almost got whiplash, it wasn't even funny. 

I answered him calmly, but very truthfully, addressing everyone, "I was going through a lot, you caught me at a bad time." 

All the younger ones gave me pitying stares and the older ones shared a few of them, but the years have shown how it didn't change much of what I did. 

Naruto leaned against my side, still chewing his miso thoughtfully. He didn't need to ask his thoughts out loud for me to get them, and I leaned into him as my answer. 

Yes, I feel better. 

As I went for a few more bites of food, Choji gave a thoughtful look, "You're kinda scary." 

I pushed the last bit of rice into my mouth, savoring the warmth before setting my chopsticks down with a soft clack. "How?" I asked, not surprised. 

Ino was the one to answer this time, "You just achieved so much by yourself." 

I raised a brow, a little amused how they knew so much about me. "Am I that well-known?" 

Shikamaru who had been listening in without putting much into the conversation finally stepped in to explain. "You got this powerful by yourself. You never went to the academy or had a teacher. Makes you wonder what if." Very blunt.

What if I had gone? The academy, the structure, the teachers—they could've shaped me into something different. Maybe more polished, more easily trusted. 

But would it have changed anything that mattered? Would I still have lost what I did, been forced to make the choices I made? 

Power came the hard way—through necessity, solitude, and pain. Maybe if I'd been trained properly, I wouldn't carry so much. Maybe I'd smile more easily. But then again... would I be sitting here now, being seen, being heard? 

They wonder what if. So do I. But maybe this is the version of me that was meant to survive. 

Besides, then I wouldn't have had as much time with my seals, and that is the true reason I survived. 

I smiled faintly, fingers tracing the rim of my empty bowl. "What if, huh..." I echoed, letting the words sit for a moment in the air. "Nah, I chose not to join the academy, though I know a few protested." 

Naruto poked me a few times, "Question, why didn't you go to the academy?" 

I smiled, shrugging my shoulders, "family influences." 

I don't need to say some people at the academy were rude, especially to my mother who had a bad time. I was protesting against them in my own way, and look at me now. 

"But yes, I am entirely self-taught if those are your questions." 

They all looked at me differently after that—like they were recalibrating who I was in their heads. I could see it in their eyes, the mix of awe and confusion. 

Ino leaned forward slightly, her curiosity not yet satisfied. "How did you even start learning on your own?" 

I gave a small laugh, not unkind. "With a whole lot of trial and error."

A/n Enjoy~