Iruka led the way after carrying Sasuke down from the rooftop, his steps noticeably heavier than usual. Sasuke and I followed close behind while the others slipped in from their respective positions one group at a time.
No one, not even Kiba, spoke during the short walk.
The silence made the trip back from the market painfully quiet, which was understandable given what the group had just witnessed. Thankfully, the walk itself was short. We regrouped in one of the quieter back alleys branching off the market.
The spot was shaded enough that the harsh summer sunlight didn’t scorch us, and secluded enough that the bustling noise of the crowd faded into a distant murmur.
After all, the discussion that was about to ensue was not exactly public conversation material.
The atmosphere on the gathering was gloomy, a stark contrast to the sunny day around us. Some of the girls still looked like they are about to cry, while most of the boys have their fists clenched, quite hard if their pale knuckles are any indicator.
I leaned against a wall, still taking it all in. My real body, nor my real identity, hadn’t been the one walking through that market, but the clone’s memories still affecting me somewhat.
Though seeing that no one want to be the opener, I decided take that role upon myself as the initiator of this observation.
I inhaled deeply and asked softly, “You all saw that, right?”
Every head turned toward me.
“Seeing your reactions, I guess my own reaction these past two days was not excessive, huh?” I asked rhetorically while acted out a bitter smile on my face.
The question plunged the group into another round of heavy silence.
“…Yeah.” Shikamaru was the first to break it. “That wasn’t normal.”
Damn right it wasn’t.
“That skewer stall uncle...” Choji muttered. “He just… lied about being out of stock…”
“The fish seller also did similar thing.” Shino added while adjusting his sunglasses.
“That woman too,” Aki continued, her voice noticeably shaky. “The one with the little girl.”
“She looked genuinely scared,” Sora said slowly. “Like Naruto was actually dangerous.”
Ino crossed her arms tightly. “It was disgusting. She looked at him like he was going to eat her daughter.”
“They treated him like he was contagious.” Sasuke said in a low and edged voice. “Like one touch from him would ruin them.”
“Exactly,” I replied. “That’s what happened.”
“But he wasn’t even doing anything!” Kiba growled, finally unable to hold back.“He literally just walked around!”
Sakura nodded, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I felt sick watching it. And no one helped. No one said anything. It was like… like it was normal.”
“Actually,” Shino said calmly, “that is likely the most troubling part.”
Shino adjusted his glasses again.
“It’s possible people no longer see the behavior as unusual.” He looked at me. “That is also what happened when you see it the first time two days ago, right?”
“That’s right, Shino.” I said softly. “Also, the incident two days ago was actually the second time I witnessed how people treated Naruto.”
“Wait, what?” Sora blurted out.
Everyone else also stared at me.
I continued slowly. “The other reason I want to do this observation was to see if it will happen for the third time.”
“To see if it’s not just a coincidence.” Shino interjected.
“Yes. And turns out it wasn’t. Especially because the first time I saw it, it happened at a different place, near the school ground.”
“…How long has this been happening?”
The question immediately drew everyone’s attention. Which is valid, as it was a really good one.
Seriously, leave it to Shikamaru to ask the important question.
“At least fifteen months at this point.” I answered weakly. “The first time I saw that, it was sometimes between our entrance exam and the entrance ceremony last year. Though, I feel like it’s not impossible that it had started before that.”
That sent another wave of shock through the group. Their faces paled as they probably imagined how long Naruto had been enduring this treatment.
Well, except for Iruka, who still staring at the ground all this time, jaw tight and fists clenched, while the other expresses their reactions of their observation.
Honestly, it was quite a relief that nobody here blamed me for not acting or saying something sooner after seeing all of that more than a year ago. Maybe they are in such a shock that they can’t even complain about my inaction.
“…Why?” Hinata finally whispered, so softly and quietly. Thankfully, everyone still hears it as they turned toward her.
Including Iruka apparently, whose shoulders stiffened slightly.
And that… is the million-dollar question, isn’t it? The most important question, really. Which… unfortunately can’t be answered right now if there’s the same gag order as in the show.
Still, a little push wouldn’t hurt, right?
“That’s the questions that made me requested Iruka-sensei to join today’s observation.” I said as I turned toward Iruka. “So, Iruka-sensei… why? Why does Naruto received that kind of treatment?” Find the original chapter at novelping dot com.
Iruka flinched again at that question. "It’s... complicated, Takeshi. I’m afraid I can’t answer that.”
Confusion, and some irritation, visibly showed on the other’s faces after hearing that. Though I didn’t give them any chance to retort.
“Okay, then. Let’s take a step back.” I raised my hands in surrendering gesture, offering another compromise. “The treatment that we see Naruto received, is it more widespread outside of just this market and the school ground?”
Iruka didn’t answer even after ten seconds passed. So I can only goad him again a bit. “Sensei, it’s literally just either a yes or a no.”
Iruka looked at me and sighed. “… Yes.” He said weakly.
Aki covered her mouth with both hands, asking in horror, “Is it the whole village?”
“…No.”
Before any relief could settle in, I asked the next question. “Is it more than half the village?”
“…Yes.”
“T-then what about in the academy?” Choji blurted. “Does other teachers there also…”
The unfinished question hung in the air, but the others still get what Choji wanted to ask. Especially Iruka, judging by that scrunched face of his.
Probably also stemmed from the fact that it’s not “other teacher” but “every teacher”, including himself, to a lesser degree.
“…Yes.” Iruka answered quietly.
The mood sank even lower.
“How long has Naruto been treated like that?” Kiba suddenly asked, half growling.
“No, let’s change the question.” I interject. “Has Naruto been treated like that for more than two years?”
“…Yes.”
“More than three years?” Ino asked firmly.
“…Yes.”
“M-more than four?!” Hinata asked weakly with a gasp.
“…No.”
“So, Naruto has been treated like this since he was around three or four years old.” I concluded.
“That’s…” Sakura gasped.
“That’s horrible!” Aki cried.
“What could Naruto have possibly done… No. Has Naruto done anything to deserve this kind of treatment?” Shikamaru asked another great question.
“He was three or at most four years old back then, like us. What could he have done?” Kiba cut off angrily.
“Calm down, Kiba. I know that,” Shikamaru said slowly. “But we still need the full picture. So, Iruka-sensei… has he?”
“…No, Shikamaru. He hasn’t.”
“So, he’s done nothing bad, yet people still treat him that way?” Sora frowned deeply.
“That’s messed up.”
“It is.” I agreed immediately.
“Is it because of Naruto’s parents?” Ino pressed. “Have his parents done something that makes people treat him this way?”
Yeah, what could the Fourth Hokage possibly have done to have his son treated this way? Heh.
“That… Honestly, I don’t even know who Naruto’s parents are, Ino. All I know is that he’s an orphan.”
Yeah, that’s what I thought. If Iruka knew the full truth, that Naruto wasn’t just a random baby the esteemed Fourth pull outta his ass to seal the Kyuubi into, he probably wouldn’t feel so conflicted toward Naruto.
Probably.
… Though the fact that no one ever infer if that kid is related to their esteemed Lord Fourth until the end are seriously beyond me.
“Even IF Naruto’s parents have done bad things, doesn’t make it okay to resent a child for the sins of his parents.”
…And everyone is a child of the sea. Sigh…
Oh, Edward New-Sasuke… You sweet summer child.
“Then, does people’s attitude toward Naruto have anything to do with his parentage?” I continued immediately, not responding to Sasuke’s comment.
“No, Takeshi. It doesn’t.”
“Then, really, why is Naruto being treated this way?” Choji asked, his face unsettled.
"It’s wrong," Hinata said, her voice small but surprisingly firm. "It’s... it’s cruel.” The source of this chapter is g.com.
"It’s more than wrong," Sasuke said again, his hand tightening into a fist. "It’s pathetic. If they can do this to him, who else will they turn on?"
That deep cut remark from Sasuke predictably making the others’ faces, including Iruka, become uneasy. Inwardly though, I gave a double thumbs up to Sasuke for that.
But before the discussion could veer towards village ideology and others dangerous stuff, I asked the next question.
“Then, Sensei,” I said quietly, “do Naruto himself knows why people hate him?”
“I don’t think he knows.” Iruka said softly.
“He definitely knows people don’t like him.” Ino muttered.
Most nodded at that remark.
Because after what we saw today, there was absolutely no way Naruto failed to notice looks, whispers, and avoidance. Even more so if it has been going for more than three years.
He might be depicted as not the brightest academically in the show, often gets called “idiot” because of it, but he’s not retarded.
“He probably thinks something’s wrong with him,” Aki whispered.
That visibly hit Iruka hard. Probably because mindset like that can happen.
When someone get treated like that long enough, especially when they do not know nor understand the exact reason behind it, eventually they started assuming they deserved it.
I think gaslighted was the term, wasn’t it?
That is, before they “rebel” and ended up saying “screw it.” Which, in my opinion, is kinda what Naruto outwardly shows in the beginning of the story.
Sakura looked visibly shaken.
“But… Naruto always smiles,” she said softly.
“…I think,” Hinata said timidly, “he’s probably trying very hard.”
Everyone looked toward her.
Hinata shrank slightly under the sudden attention, but she still continued.
“To make people paid attention to him.”
Silence followed her words.
Internally, I gave Naruto’s future wife a double thumbs-up. Because of what she said, Naruto’s behavior starting this second year should make sense now to everyone here.
Iruka went quiet again.
Shikamaru then step forward, his usual "troublesome" attitude has long been visibly set aside. "It’s not about what he or his parents did. It’s about what he is, isn’t it, Sensei? Or at least, what they think he is. That woman... she called him a 'monster.' Not a brat, not a loser. A monster."
There it is. The keyword.
Again, good job, Shikamaru.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group began to ponder as that point was brought up.
Then Kiba added angrily, "Another also called him the 'demon.'"
“I… I think I also heard someone called him ‘fox.’” Choji said weakly.
Neat. All three keywords have been brought up naturally. And that’s without me saying it directly.
As they say, it’s really easy to talk with smart people, eh?
I looked at Iruka, whose face has tightened further with every matching keyword the group said. He looked cornered, by a truth he seemed to wished he did not have to confront.
And a truth that he was probably forbidden to reveal.
Now, to skirt around the Kyuubi topic and just focus on Naruto’s problem.
“Sensei, when you said it’s ‘complicated’, do you meant it’s ‘classified’?”
Before I can start trying to redirect the focus to Naruto, Shino, seemingly begun to realize something, beat me to the punch with his question. To which Iruka just nodded in apparent confirmation.
The others' faces twisted instantly. The alley fell into another uneasy silence after Iruka confirmed the matter was classified. After all, the class already covered what it means. And everyone here was smart enough to understand the implication of it.
So, do I stop here?
… Hell, no!
Note
I hope you survived the cringe fest lol. Not to mention the cliff at the end… I'm quite ruthless, eh?
Thing is, I also barely survived writing this part. I want some tension and drama, then somehow I went the soap opera route. Definitely overdone it, but I want to keep it to show that it's part of my learning journey, mistake and all.
And yeah, I said "part". There's more chapters of cringiness waiting.
That's another reason for the cliff: to stagger the damage. I don't think anyone will survive if I put it out all at once.
So… yeah. Sorry…