Chapter .10 Home

Naruto accepted the candy, but his expression reflected disbelief. He seemed to be questioning why I wasn't preventing the children from interacting with the 'demon' child.

"Hello, I'm Rock Lee. These two are Aoi and Haruto. And what might your name be?" I asked, hoping to put him at ease.

"M-My name is Uzumaki Naruto," he said with hesitation.

"Aoi why don't you invite this new onii-san?"

"Yes, onii-san, come join us. We have a lot of candies, I'll give you some." before Naruto could say something she grabbed his arm and dragged him to a picnic spot.

Naruto was completely taken aback by how quickly everything was unfolding. He felt unsure of what to do in this unfamiliar situation. He was used to being disliked for no apparent reason, and it made him want to retreat to his familiar comfort zone. However, he couldn't ignore the kindness of the child in front of him. He looked at me for reassurance, and I responded with a thumbs-up and a smile.

"Come and join us for a meal," Aoi beckoned, indicating a spot for him to sit.

"..."

"Food always tastes better when shared with others." Seeing him hesitating, I gently nudged him to join us.

As he arrived at the picnic spot, he caught sight of the entire family gathered together with a special spot reserved just for him. Overwhelmed by the warm and friendly atmosphere, he found himself filled with emotion. Tears welled up in his eyes as Uzumi-san embraced him, offering a reassuring sense of calm as if he were in his mother's comforting presence. In that moment, all of his fears melted away and he let out all of his pent-up emotions. No one had ever shown him such kindness, a stark contrast to the hatred he was used to. It felt like a beautiful dream, and he cried as if he never wanted to wake up from it.

As the tears finally began to subside, he felt a sense of peace and belonging that he had never experienced before. The warmth of the family's embrace enveloped him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was truly a part of something.

Uzumi-san smiled at him and gently wiped away his tears, assuring him that he was safe and cared for. Feeling a renewed sense of hope and gratitude, he knew that this was the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

"Wow, look at his cat whiskers, so cool!" Haruto exclaimed, gently reaching out to touch Naruto's cheek with curiosity.

"Haru, it's not polite to touch someone's cheek without asking," she scolded, though she couldn't hide her curiosity.

Now that Naruto had calmed down, he felt a bit embarrassed by his earlier outburst, taken aback by the children's curiosity.

"Don't worry, they will get bored...maybe in an hour or so." Naruto sweat dropped at that.

As the sun began to set on the horizon, Naruto sat with the family, we ate together sharing stories and laughter, feeling like he had finally found a place where he belonged. And in that moment, he realized that he didn't want this dream to end. It was the beginning of a new family for him, one that was based on love and acceptance.

As the day slowly faded into the evening, I knew it was time to head back home. I saw the sadness in Naruto's eyes and reassured him, "It's time to go home, buddy. From now on, you'll be staying with us." Naruto looked at Izumi-san, unsure if he had heard correctly.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I'm adopting you. You are part of our family now, and families stick together. I'll take care of all the necessary paperwork tomorrow. Let's go home," Uzume-san said, gently holding his arm to emphasize the truth of her words.

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief, the weight of Uzume-san's words sinking in. With a sense of relief and joy, he nodded, finally feeling a sense of belonging that he had never known before.

"Wait, should I bring my clothes and toothbrush?" Naruto asked, shaking himself out of a daze.

"Don't worry, you can bring them tomorrow, but you probably won't need them," reassured Uzumi-san.

"....and you can call me Onee-Chan," I shivered at the thought of it.

"Onee-chan?" Naruto was still a little puzzled about the situation.

"Yes, now let's head home." Uzumi-san smiled warmly as she held Naruto's hand all the way.

As they made their way home, Naruto felt a newfound sense of hope and happiness filled his heart. This was the beginning of a new chapter in his life, one filled with love, support, and a true sense of family. And as they walked into the warm embrace of their home, Naruto knew that he was finally where he belonged.

"Welcome to your new home, my friend. You'll be living here with all of us," I assured him. He still couldn't believe his eyes; he had probably never seen a house this size before.

The grandeur of the place seemed overwhelming to him, but I knew he would soon settle in. As he looked around in awe, I could see the excitement in his eyes. I smiled, knowing that he would soon come to love it here.

After showing him around the house, I led him to his room, which was spacious and filled with sunlight. I could see a sense of relief washing over him as he realized that this would be his new home.

I assured him that he would be welcomed with open arms by everyone in the house. I could already see the beginnings of new friendships forming. I knew that he would soon feel like a part of our family. And I couldn't wait to see him flourish in his new surroundings.

"Dinner will be ready soon. Why don't you go take a shower and your clothes are in the drawers," I said, pointing in that direction.

"O-okay," he replied.

There's no need to be nervous. Just go and don't be late, we'll be waiting for you at the dinner table." I reassured him before leaving him to his own devices.

Aunt Ayame and Uncle Izumu had returned, and we were all gathered around the dinner table. Naruto joined us, and I proudly introduced him as a new member of the family. As we enjoyed our meal, the air was filled with laughter and lively conversation.

After dinner, Reena brought out a big cake to celebrate Naruto's arrival. It felt like he had finally found a place where he truly belonged. As the evening went on, we shared stories and memories, getting to know more about each other. I could see Naruto feeling more and more comfortable, and I knew that he had found a family that would always be there for him. And as the night came to a close, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this newfound bond that we all shared. It was a moment I would never forget.

After a fun-filled playtime with the kids, it was time for bed. I didn't want Naruto to feel left out, so I invited him to join the kids and sleep in my bed. It had certainly been a hectic day.

Tomorrow, things are going to get really intense. I'm confident that the higher-ups in Konoha are in a frenzy over Naruto being adopted by Uzumi-san.

They must be scrambling to come up with a plan to deal with the potential backlash from this decision. It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out.