Naruto could be afraid of being seen as weak. In the ninja world, weakness is often frowned upon. He has a reputation to uphold, especially in front of his family. He doesn't want them to think that he can't handle his problems, so he hides his pain. He also might be trying to be strong for his family. If they see him in pain, it could affect their morale. So, he pretends that everything is okay to keep their spirits high and to give them the impression that they can rely on him no matter what.
In many fanfictions, Naruto might hide his pain by putting on a big smile. He's always been the type to try and be positive in the face of his friends. He could also distract others with his goofy antics, like making a joke or doing something silly to shift the focus away from his inner turmoil.
Well, in fanfictions, often the plot takes a different turn. Naruto might hide from his family because there could be some sort of misunderstanding. For example, there could be false rumors about him being involved in something bad. And he might think that his family would believe those rumors without giving him a chance to explain. So, to avoid the immediate confrontation and judgment, he chooses to hide.
Naruto might end up feeling extremely lonely. His family has always been an important part of his life. Without their support and presence, he could become depressed or start making even more reckless decisions. Also, if his family tries to search for him, they could get into danger themselves in the process, which would be an unintended consequence of his hiding.
Perhaps he has hidden the full extent of his Sage Mode abilities. He might be able to stay in Sage Mode for a much longer time than he has shown so far, or have some other undisclosed powers within that mode, like the ability to sense enemies from much greater distances.
One interesting plot could be Merlin hiding his pain from Arthur because he doesn't want to seem weak. He might endure the taunts of the knights in silence while secretly using his magic to heal his internal wounds. Another could be Merlin hiding his pain over his mother's absence or the fact that he has such a huge responsibility on his shoulders with his destiny to protect Arthur and Camelot.
He might use simple language on purpose. For example, he could pretend to be confused about things he actually understands well. He may also make silly mistakes intentionally to give the impression that he's not as smart as he really is.
The main character is Merlin, of course. He is the focus as he is the one with the hidden pain. Arthur Pendragon is a key figure too. Since Merlin is Arthur's manservant, Arthur's actions, words, or even his ignorance of Merlin's true self can be sources of Merlin's pain. Sometimes, the Great Dragon can also be involved. The dragon might be aware of Merlin's pain and offer some cryptic advice that Merlin has to decipher while still hiding his pain from others.
There were a few novels that could be recommended to readers who liked the female protagonist to hide her family identity. Among them were " Marriage Is Unpredictable "," Noble Academy's Naughty Daughter's Chronicle "," The Vicious Woman Becomes a Beautiful and Strong Big Boss "," Marriage "," The Long Wind Crossing "," Qingyun Terrace "," Madam Qin "," Yong Lai Make-up "," Birth Story ", and " Royal Marriage ". These novels covered different topics such as modern romance, aristocratic families, schools, ancient languages, and so on. The female lead had to hide her family identity. I hope these recommendations can meet the needs of the readers.