Naruto: The White Spider of the Leaf

The morning light pierced through my window, nudging me awake. I groggily opened my eyes, my body protesting every movement as I dragged myself out of bed. Rushing through my usual routine, I grabbed my books and sprinted towards the academy. My lungs burned, and my legs felt like lead weights. Well, they did have weights on them, but I couldn't afford to be late again! Not only will the kids laugh at me, but the teacher will be all bitchy about it too! If he got bitched at by the medical-nin already, then it'll be even worse...

As I rounded the corner, the academy came into view, and my pace quickened. But when I finally reached the gates, I was met with an eerie silence. No students milling about, no teachers hurrying to their classes—nothing. Confused, I checked the time on a nearby clock. Everything seemed normal, but where was everyone?

Panting heavily, I walked around the empty courtyard, my confusion growing. It wasn't until I saw a familiar face, one of the academy's janitors, that I finally got my answer.

"Hey, what are you doing here so early on a Saturday?" he asked, a curious look on his face.

I stared at him, my brain slowly processing his words. "Saturday...?" I echoed, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over me.

The janitor chuckled. "Yeah, kid. No classes today. Go home and enjoy your day off."

"Right… Day off… Thanks, mister," I muttered, blushing as I turned away.

God, that was embarrassing!

I felt incredibly dumb. All the rigorous training, the lack of sleep, the constant drive to improve—I guess it really was all taking a toll on me. My schedule had become such a monotonous blur that I couldn't even keep track of the days anymore.

Sighing, I headed home. The streets were surprisingly quiet, a stark contrast to my usual hurried mornings. The serenity of the village on a weekend was something I rarely got to experience, always too busy with my grueling routine. I allowed myself to slow down, taking in the sights and sounds that I usually ignored. The chirping of birds, the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze, the occasional laughter of the normal children playing in the distance—all of it felt oddly soothing.

As I walked, my mind wandered back to the training sessions with Minato, the countless hours spent practicing alone, and my pursuit of strength. It was exhausting, but it was also my way of coping with this new life. I had goals, nothing the like of dreams yet, but definitely goals. To stay alive. To get strong enough to change the fate that awaited Minato.

But maybe, just maybe, I needed to remember to take a step back sometimes. To breathe, to relax, and to enjoy the little moments that made life worth living. I could practically hear Minato's voice in my head, telling me to take it easy for once.

Reaching my home, I paused at the door, a small smile tugging at my lips. Today was supposed to be a break, but my body was already itching for more training. My mind kept replaying the techniques I hadn't yet mastered, the weaknesses I needed to overcome. Could I really afford to waste a whole day doing nothing? 

Hell no! I'm taking the twenty kilo weights and sprinting around the village today!

Opening the door, I stepped inside, only to be met with the mess that I saw every evening.

"Right... I said I should clean this up, didn't I?" 

"Wow, you really should!" A girl's voice tickled my ear.

I cried out as I moved away and inside my home. "Y-Yukino-chan!? You scared the daylights out of me!"

"Sorry, sorry," she giggled as she entered my abode, spinning around in wonder as she looked around. "Ho-hooo..." 

"Hey, wait, I never said you could come inside!"

Where did she even come from?

"Too late," she crouched down and pulled on some of the dirty clothes I had on the floor, pinching her nose to avoid the smell. "Okay, wow... You actually live like this?" 

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a mix of embarrassment and irritation. "It's not usually this bad. I swear. I've just been... busy."

Yukino raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Busy training and reading books with Minato, I assume? You need to take better care of yourself, Shirokumo. Living in a mess like this can't be good for your physical or mental health."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll get to it, eventually."

Yukino sighed and started picking up some clothes, folding them neatly and setting them aside. "Eventually isn't good enough. You need to do it now. Come on, I'll help you."

I blinked in surprise. "You don't have to do that."

She shot me a stern look. "And let you live like a slob? No way. Besides, what are friends for?"

I couldn't argue with that. Reluctantly, I joined her in cleaning up my mess. We worked in silence for a while, and slowly but surely, the clutter disappeared. As we cleaned, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Maybe this was the break I needed after all.

After a good hour of cleaning, the place looked much better. The couch was clear, the dishes washed, and the floors got swept too. 

Yukino stood back, hands on her hips as she admired our work. "There! Isn't that better?"

She was beaming.

I nodded, a small smile creeping onto my face. "Yeah, it is. Thanks, Yukino, I owe you one."

She waved it off. "No big deal, just promise me you'll keep it this way."

"I'll try," I said, knowing it was the best promise I could make.

"Don't try," she turned to me. "Do." 

I had a hard time looking her in the eyes. "Right. I'll 'do'." 

Yukino glanced at all the books about Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Medicine I had left on the desk. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

I followed her gaze and nodded. "I have to be. There's nothing else I can do but show results to the Village. No one wants orphans roaming the streets, much less the kids of outsiders."

Yukino grew quiet, she seemed to mumble something but I couldn't quite hear her. She turned to me, her expression softening. "You're going to make it, you know. I believe in you."

Her words touched me more than I wanted to admit. "Thanks, Yuki."

She grinned. "Of course. Now, what do you say we go out and enjoy the rest of the day? It's beautiful outside. We should go play a bit!"

"But… I need to train..."

"No buts! Take a day off with me."

"Yuki, I appreciate the offer, but I really…"

She stared at me intensely. "You're too harsh on yourself. Come on." 

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, let's go."

As we stepped outside, the fresh air felt invigorating. We wandered through the village, taking in the sights and sounds that I usually ignored. For the first time in a while, I felt like a normal kid. Yukino chatted about a lot of random things from her own daily life, though at any point we reached to talk about what it's like at the Hyūga estate, she seemed to actively avoid mentioning anything about her family. 

She didn't seem pressured by them or the sort, but more like she didn't want to talk to an orphan about family matters. If that's really the case, honestly, it meant a lot to me. Even though I spent less time with my second parents than my first ones, I still missed them and cried when the accident happened. 

We strolled through the market, with Yukino pointing out her favorite vendors and reminiscing about past adventures. "See that stand over there?" she said, pointing to a brightly colored booth selling dango. "They have the best Mitarashi dango in the entire village. I always come here with my... well, with friends," she corrected herself, glancing at me with an awkward smile.

I noticed the hesitation, but decided not to press her. Instead, I smiled back. "Let's grab some, then," I suggested. We approached the stand, and Yukino's face lit up as she placed our order.

After getting our dango, we found a quiet spot near a fountain to sit and enjoy the treat. The sweet, sticky rice balls were delicious, and I couldn't help but laugh as Yukino made a mess trying to eat hers. "You've got syrup all over your face," I teased.

She stuck out her tongue playfully. "You're one to talk! Look at your shirt!"

I looked down and, sure enough, there was a syrup stain spreading across my chest. "Oops," I chuckled, trying to wipe it off with a napkin. "Guess we're both hopeless."

We fell into a comfortable silence, savoring our treats and watching the world go by. It was a rare moment of peace, different from the usually oppressive atmosphere weighing down on me from morning to nightfall.

I guess Konoha can also feel like this.

"Thanks for today, Yukino. I really needed this," I admitted, glancing at her.

She smiled warmly. "Anytime, Shiro-kun. You know you can count on me."

As we finished our dango, Yukino's expression grew a bit more serious. "Hey, Shirokumo, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," she began, her voice soft.

I looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

She hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I know you've been through a lot, losing your parents and all. And I just want you to know that... well, that you're not alone. Even if it might feel like that sometimes, know that you have friends who care about you. I care about you."

Her words touched me deeply, and I felt a lump form in my throat. "Thank you, Yuki, that actually means a lot. Like a lot."

She nodded. "And if you ever need to talk about anything, anything! I'm here. Even if it's just to listen."

"Same goes for you, Yukino. If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here."

The moment felt like a silent promise between us, marked by shared smiles. 

I turned to Yukino and asked, "Do you ever think about the future? What you want to do when you're all grown up?"

She tilted her head, considering the question. "Sometimes. I want to become a strong kunoichi, of course. I want to genuinely help others with a smile, to be able to tell them something like… 'I'm here now, so don't worry anymore, everything will turn out just fine,' that's who I want to grow up to be." 

She paused, then spoke in a vague whisper. "And I really want to help my clan members, too."

I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but I listened along.

"What about you, Shiro?"

I looked up at the sky, her words made me remember that it all still weighed heavily on my shoulders. "Honestly, right now, I just want to survive." 

Yukino pouted. "You'll be fine, snowflake. Add some positivity to your outlook! You should think of a proper dream." 

I smiled wryly. "Hard to do, hard to do." 

She jumped up and pointed a finger at me, grinning. "Just say the first thing that comes to mind!" 

"Uh! I... Uhm..," being put on the spot, all I could do was stutter. "Well. Maybe... Maybe I want to change things for the better?"

"Buzzz!" Yukino made an X with her hands. "You just copied me, didn't you? There wasn't a thought behind those eyes of yours!" 

I also stood up, protesting against her accusations. "Hey, I'm serious! I want to be a strong shinobi who can help others too!"

"Really? You really mean it?" Yukino smiled, her eyes shining. 

"I really do."

"Then we'll do it together." She raised her hands up high, smiling as wide as she could. "We'll become strong, and we'll make a difference!"

I returned her smile, "Yeah. Together."

She extended her hand, offering two fingers. "I swear!"

The ninja world's version of a pinky promise.

I of course, returned the gesture, and the two of us laughed giddily as we made such a promise.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the village, I knew that this unexpected day off had been exactly what I needed. It reminded me I wasn't alone in this journey and that there were people who believed in me. It wasn't just Minato I needed to save, there was also another girl right in front of me that deserved just as much protection.