Umino's ominous thoughts

Being a Chunin is a cushy job. Kinda average in the Shinobi world, but still paid well.

Being a teacher, however, is a mind-numbing, soul-sucking, life-crushing job.

I had never been more devastated when the Kyuubi killed my parents.

I was young then.

I felt rage at all of life for taking away the people I loved.

I remember making young Naruto the target of my hatred. I would have killed him if it were not for the Hokage's orders.

Until I saw Naruto for what he was. The kindest, sweetest, and somewhat cute child.

I wasn't a big fan of the whiskers.

But he was a good kid.

Seeing how the others treated him, I realized that I was at fault as well. Just like them, I had put all my hatred on someone who was the farthest thing from the beast sealed within him.

I had put my hatred on A CHILD!

Disgusted at myself for doing so I tried to be a good teacher to him. Taking him to Ichiraku's Ramen and listening to him talk...well, shout....about becoming Hokage so that the rest of the villagers respect him made my heart ache.

He was just a child. A child who sought attention because nobody gave it to him.

"Iruka-sensei, is he related to me?" I set my chopsticks down. There was no doubt what the blonde boy was talking about.

Ryu Uzumaki....he was the excitement we never asked for.

Honestly, that boy is so polite to everyone except for Naruto.

Yes, he had an intense and dare I say, a violent, rivalry with Sasuke Uchiha. But they were mostly civil with each other.

Ryu hated Naruto despite not being a member of the village prior to a few weeks!

And the thing is....nobody knew why.

He claimed he disliked people like Naruto in his first introduction to the class.

Without ever having seen Naruto.

Maybe he saw someone like Naruto...but I dismissed that thought.

Naruto might as well be the only one like himself.

He was special.

Ryu was special in his own way.

He aced the weekly and surprise theory tests a day after joining, he won against Sasuke in multiple spars and quickly climbed up in ranks within the end of the first week.

The other teachers labelled him a prodigy when I mentioned this to them.

Kakashi not-so-subtly enquired about him and wanted to know of his progress....which was odd. But jonin like Kakashi have their quirks.

He became friends with Kiba Inuzuka, helps village civilians for free, which a few genin complained about saying that he was stealing their livelihood. The Hokage dealt with them himself.

Why? I do not know. Except for the fact that he confirmed his relation to Naruto.....

"Distantly. Yes." I smiled, a bit hesitant. It wasn't a secret, but it wasn't something you went around saying. The civilians might begin treating him like "The Other Uzumaki"

"Then why does he hate me?" My heart broke.

"He doesn't hate you Naruto." 'He despises your very existence. I know the look in his eyes. I had once shared it myself.'

"Maybe it's because he doesn't know you that well?" Even I did not believe that. It didn't seem like Naruto did either.

We went back to eating the delicious ramen in front of us.