The elder Hokage hummed. He was in serious thought. Particularly because of the upcoming exams, and most importantly of a certain someone. He had been wondering if that someone will be making at least a bit of an effort to pass these tests or...

He was so very concerned about this certain someone, and he could only hope that the problem would not become too large to handle. He wanted this certain someone to trust him, and it hurt to think that they didn't. Why didn't Naruto have trust in him? Why didn't Naruto trust anyone? Was it my fault somewhere down the line? God! He sighed and looked through the academy kids' profiles, he needed to form some teams.

"Maybe I could form a team with Naruto, Hinata Hyuga and Shikamaru Nara... but they don't match for teams. Although, it would probably be the most comfortable for the boy. Though then it would ruin the Nara's relationship with the Ino-Shika-Cho. Hinata might be fine to put with but there are some flaws there too..." He sighed once more and put his hand in a position so it would cover his face.

"Maybe I should put a similar person with similar problems then..." An idea popped in his head and he was back to work with teams.

He stopped to look up, as he thought he tapped the pen against the desk. "Then, if I put those two together, I have two options, either place another silent type like Hyūga Hinata on the team or perhaps someone who has better social skills. Their Sensei isn't the social type either, and placing another silent one on the team would make them socially awkward." He mumbled nonsense for anyone who walked through the door. Though being a little over dramatic with the social awkward topic. They weren't that bad...

"I'm going to have to choose Haruno Sakura then," he said, still having a few problems with his decision since Naruto hardly knew them at all. While he spied on Naruto, don't say it's stalking, he never talked to them at all. Though he noticed that Haruno Sakura was better than most and had equal grades to Hyūga Hinata. He got up and walked to see the view at the window. "So then. if you decide to pass today, Naruto, it would be you, Haruno Sakura, and... Uchiha Sasuke."

He sighed once more, "...And then their Sensei, Hatake Kakashi. I have a feeling this will be a problematic group." He looked at his reflection and realized something. "It's a bit weird that I'm talking to myself."

[-]

"What a drag." Shikamaru, of all the kids his age, said. Which wasn't a surprise, once again. They were currently sitting on the fence, well, they were sitting on the fence while Naruto stood. Before the others joined him, he was fond of whistling. It made him calm at the same time killed time. Now he unknowingly stopped because he wasn't bored any longer. It all started the beginning of the year.

Nobody would speak to him, but the years went past and the beginning of this new year, Hyūga Hinata had approached him shyly and Shikamaru along with her.

At first, it started out when Shikamaru spoke with Hinata, simple small talk. Their conversation ended up at the blonde boy. Shikamaru caught Hinata glancing at him when Naruto had just walked through the door. That's when they started to talk about him. They both thought of him as an interesting character. Both just wanted to meet him. So Shikamaru gave Hinata a small push to talk to him. Of course, he was also curious as to what kind of boy he was. They spoke to him.

Naruto was still having a hard time believing it through at that time. Slowly they started hanging out with him. They soon found out about Naruto's personality mask. They actually knew about this for a while. They always kept an eye on him and noticed his depressing, quiet side was left behind every time he was in public. He put on an act that he was a little dumber than most and that he was happy just the way he was, but that was a lie.

He wasn't happy the way he was. He thought of himself as a monster.

He accepted it, he says. Though how much of it, his thoughts, were true?

What is it really happening in that head of his?

"Are you really going to do this? Today is the day," Danny, the most talkative of the group, said.

The only one who was not too shy to speak and not too lazy to speak of the matter. "That's none of your business," Naruto stated, still looking up to the sky.

He glanced at Hinata seeing that she has lowered her head. Holding a frown on her face.

Is she upset because of something I said? What would possibly upset her?

They heard the bell that indicated it was time for the exams. Almost immediately everyone went inside to their classes.

"Well then...time to fail the test," Naruto mumbled to himself.

Those words were heard only by the present three. Rin and Sam were in a different class, but there was a chance that teams could be made from other classes since Naruto was an odd student, making the class uneven.

Everyone hurried into class.

Though Naruto stayed behind and trailed off for a second, thinking about something. The thought of yesterday, that flashback.

"You monster, you devoured my dad. You sicko."

"Just embrace it. Eat it. Eat human flesh."

"No, I'm not a monster. I'm not."

Those pictures, the thought, everything about it made his eyes go wide and hands shake. He looked at his now trembling hands. The words rang in his head over and over.

His head hurt, a painful migrate. He felt like screaming right now because of the pain. Naruto tried moving his hands, but they only twitched a bit up.

He looked at his hands, shaking far worse than before.

Those hands that apparently hurt everybody.

I wish I could just die, maybe then I don't need to worry about everything.

Being criticized for everything you do.

Being called a monster...

Be a monster and accept it, they said. And when I did, they said to kill me.

Just what do they want me to do?

What is it that they want from me!?

"I should just die."

His cold hands felt the warmth of wet tears. The problem was it wasn't his. He didn't recall crying, just pain. One thing he didn't recall is hands on his own.

He looked up to see the face full of tears. "Don't you dare say that again," she said softly.

Never has he seen someone cry for him. If she was pretending to be his friend, then she surely wouldn't have cried. That's what he thought. He stared into her eyes in shock. Soon his eyes began to water.

"Don't you dare! You hear me?" She was crying but her eyes still showed determination. She became bold and daring once she heard those words. She definitely didn't want Naruto to think suicidal thoughts.

He smiled.

For the first time in a long time.

He smiled.

Then he said in a cracked voice, unknowingly showing his weakness, "Hinata."