Back to the Beginning (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 28

Minato was sitting at home when he noticed a messenger hawk sitting on the window sill. It's from Lord Third. I wonder what he wants.

---Minato, I would like to inform you that Naruto has discharged himself from the hospital. He seems to have left sometime earlier this evening. My assumption is that he has just returned home since he has been gone for some time. There is no need to be worried.---

Minato was shocked after he finished reading the message. Naruto left by himself?! But he was barely conscious only earlier today.

"Minato, is something wrong?" Kushina had just entered the room when she noticed Minato's alarmed expression.

"Oh, no, it's okay. I just got a message from Lord Third saying that Naruto has woken up and left the hospital to go home." Minato tried to make light of the situation so he wouldn't make Kushina suspicious of anything.

"That's good to hear ya know!" Kushina was happy to hear that Naruto was doing okay.

"Kushina, I am going to go and see Naruto. I would like to talk to him about the last mission we went on." Minato stood up and started to walk over to their front door as he spoke.

"Alright." Kushina gave Minato a kiss on the cheek before he walked out. "Go easy on him ya know."

Minato laughed as he walked out of his house. "I will."

Minato was thinking about what he wanted to say to Naruto as he was walking through the village towards Naruto's apartment. He knew that there was so much he wanted to ask, but he had no idea where he would even start. By the time he found himself standing in front of Naruto's door, he was no closer to figuring it out.

"Naruto? Are you home?" Minato called out as he knocked on the door.

Naruto had been looking at maps of the surrounding area when he heard the knock on the door, and he froze when he recognized the voice as his dad's. Dammit...

"Are you going to talk to him, Naruto? He knows the truth now." Kurama spoke in Naruto's mind.

"You don't have to remind me of that ya know!" Naruto mentally spoke to Kurama as he watched his front door. "Ah man! No, I wasn't planning on talking to him any time soon. The thought of doing that kinda freaks me out right now ya know!"

"Ha! Then you had better think of something to do. I'm sure he heard you moving in here." Kurama started laughing at Naruto's shocked expression.

Oh shut up you stupid fox. Naruto was thinking to himself as he blocked out Kurama's laughter. I wish I still had my balcony. It would really come in handy right about now. Using the window would be too loud and he would just follow me outside. Naruto continued to look around his apartment as he tried to find a way to hide from his dad.

Minato was starting to get worried as he waited outside. He decided that he would try knocking just one more time. "Naruto?" I'm sure I heard him in there. Minato continued to listen for any sounds coming from inside the apartment, but to his dismay all he heard was silence.

Naruto listened from inside his apartment with a feeling of guilt rising in him. He wasn't sure how long he waited, surprised that his dad hadn't tried to come in, but eventually he noticed his dad's chakra fading away from the apartment building. I'm sorry dad...

"Why don't you want to talk to him, Kit?" Kurama spoke up in curiosity.

Naruto sighed as he began to answer. "I love mom and dad, ya know. It's just... after everything, I don't know how I'm going to face them. It was easy when they didn't know who I was, but now, all dad will want to do is ask questions to figure everything out, I don't want to have to tell him how badly I failed."