After this, they split up. Naruto went to his house—well, more like his cramped little apartment near the edge of the village. The dim lighting, the cracked walls, and the faint smell of mildew weren't exactly welcoming.
He reached his door, slipping the old, slightly rusted key into the keyhole. Click. The lock turned with a reluctant groan.
The moment he opened the door, a wave of stale air and dust hit him square in the face.
"Damn, nobody took care of my place… Then again, what did I expect?" he muttered, waving his hand in front of his nose as if that would help.
He stepped inside, his sandals brushing against a thin layer of dust on the floor. His old furniture was covered with sheets of gray powder, and cobwebs decorated the corners like unwanted party streamers. He dropped his travel bag by the doorway and sighed.
"Home sweet home, huh?"
Pulling up his sleeves, Naruto opened the windows, letting sunlight and fresh air flood the room.
The curtains fluttered wildly, sending more dust into the air. He coughed, then laughed to himself. "Guess the place missed me."
He grabbed his blankets and sheets, shaking them out before carrying them to the balcony to air out.
The breeze outside was warm, carrying the distant scent of ramen from Ichiraku's—something that made him smile despite the mess.
Back inside, he found an old broom and started sweeping, humming to himself as he went. The task turned into a full-on cleaning mission—wiping down shelves, scrubbing the floors, and tossing out anything that had been long forgotten. He even found an old frog-shaped coin purse lying under the bed, dusty but still intact.
"I think I should rearrange my room," he thought, staring at the crooked bed against the wall and the tiny table beside it. He cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, let's make this look less like a disaster zone."
For the next hour, Naruto moved things around, pushing furniture, wiping every surface again, and occasionally taking a break to admire his progress.
It wasn't much—just a small bed, a table, and a few drawers—but it started to feel a little more like his space again.
When he finally stepped back, satisfied, he walked to the fridge, hoping maybe he had something to eat left over. He opened the door—then immediately slammed it shut.
"Ugh—what the hell was that smell!?" he gagged, fanning his face.
Hesitantly, he peeked again to confirm, only to find mold-covered containers that looked like science experiments gone wrong.
"Fuck! I gotta clean my fridge now… Or," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "I could just throw it out and beg Tsunade to buy me a new one. Yeah… that sounds great."
He nodded confidently at his brilliant plan—then looked around at the rest of his half-cleaned apartment.
"…But maybe I should finish this first."
With a resigned sigh, Naruto grabbed a rag and got back to work, determined to make his place livable again.
After all of that, he finally put his blankets back on the bed, smoothing them out before collapsing face-first onto them. The fresh scent of sun and wind clung to the fabric, a welcome change from the musty odor that had filled the apartment earlier.
"Man… I forgot how tiring cleaning can be," he mumbled into the sheets. For a brief moment, he just lay there, his muscles melting into the mattress.
But then, as quickly as the relaxation came, it vanished. His eyes snapped open.
'Yeah, I can't relax. I'm still weak as hell,' he thought, sitting up abruptly. The room was silent except for the faint chirping of birds outside his window. He stared down at his hands, clenching them into fists. 'If I'm serious about getting stronger, then I can't waste a single day. What training am I going to do today?'
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, his expression firming into determination. Within moments, he began rummaging through his small wardrobe.
Most of Narutos old clothes were too tight or worn out.
"Figures," he muttered, holding up a shirt that barely reached his stomach. "Guess I need new clothes too."
He tossed it aside and slipped into his old orange training outfit, adjusting the weights strapped around his ankles and wrists.
The familiar heaviness settled against his limbs, and he grinned slightly. "Better. Let's get this started."
As he tied his headband around his forehead, his mind briefly wandered. 'I'll buy new clothes tomorrow. Early, before we head out on the Gaara mission,' he decided.
He could already imagine Sakura nagging him about looking "presentable," and the thought made him chuckle under his breath.
He took one last glance around his now-clean apartment—the sunlight pouring through the open window, the bed neatly made, the faint scent of detergent in the air. It wasn't much, but it finally felt like home again.
Naruto stepped outside, closing the door behind him with a click. He inhaled deeply, feeling the warmth of the village settle into his chest.
'Alright,' he thought with a grin, stretching his arms. 'Time to push my limits again.'
And with that, Naruto headed toward the training grounds, ready to begin another grueling session—because resting could wait, but getting stronger couldn't.
....
Early the next morning, the soft glow of dawn crept through Naruto's curtains, painting faint lines of gold across his wall. He stirred awake with a long yawn, rubbing his eyes as he leaned his back against the wall. His blond hair stuck out in every possible direction.
"Man… feels like I just closed my eyes," he muttered before cracking his neck and stretching his arms wide.
The morning chill nipped at his skin, making him shiver slightly.
'Time to get this paper,' he thought with a grin, pushing himself off the bed and doing a few lazy stretches to get his blood flowing.
His stomach growled immediately, loud enough to echo through the empty room.
"Alright, alright, I hear you," he groaned.
Unfortunately, one look inside his kitchen reminded him of yesterday's horror show—the fridge was gone, and the cupboards were practically empty. Not even a pack of instant ramen had survived.
With a sigh, he slipped on his sandals, tightened the strap of his headband, and stepped out. The cool morning air brushed against his face as he jumped over his balcony railing, landing lightly on the street below.
Konoha was still waking up—vendors setting up stalls, shopkeepers sweeping their doorsteps, and the distant crowing of roosters filling the quiet air.
Naruto took a deep breath, smiling softly. "I wish Naruto showed this more" he murmured, then made his way toward the nearest grocery shop.
After a short walk, he stopped at a small store run by an old lady who immediately recognized him. "Well, if it isn't Naruto Uzumaki! Back from your training trip, huh?" she said with a kind smile.
' Guess they never showed her. She seems nice though ' he thought.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh, yeah. Just trying to get my place back in order."
He bought eggs, rice, vegetables, and some fish—deciding to actually eat something nutritious for once.
' No more instant ramen for me,' he thought, though the words felt almost sacrilegious coming from him.
Once he returned home, he set everything on the counter and started cooking. The sound of oil sizzling filled the small apartment, mixing with the aroma of freshly cooked rice.
After a few minutes, he sat cross-legged in front of the table and began eating, savoring the meal like it was a reward after a long mission.
"Man, I could get used to this," he said between bites, then frowned slightly.
'Still… why'd Gaara have to inconveniently get abducted right when I came back?' he thought, stabbing a piece of fish with his chopsticks. 'Couldn't the world give me one quiet week?'
After finishing his breakfast, he cleaned up and opened his curtains fully, letting the bright morning sunlight fill the room.
He stood there for a moment, gazing out at the village rooftops before glancing at the empty space where his fridge used to be.
"Right. Time to get rid of that thing properly."
TO BE CONTINUED