Chapter 7 Cleaning Work
Naruto paused, holding the garbage bag in his hand and a takeout box of Ichiraku Ramen pressed against his palm.
The question was an odd one, as Kyuubi seemed to be expecting a specific answer.
Naruto wasn't sure how to respond so he decided to just tell the truth.
"Uncle Shouda and Sister Acorus were the shop owners who didn't kick me out at first," he admitted.
When the Kyuubi didn't respond, Naruto added, "Besides, the ramen is really delicious."
Kyuubi let out a sharp breath.
"It must be genetic."
Naruto finished cleaning out the fridge and turned to the pantry.
"So does that mean I have to learn to cook?" he asked.
"I'm afraid so," Kyuubi replied, without a trace of sarcasm in his tone.
Naruto whined.
"I suppose you know nothing about this?" he asked tentatively, with a glimmer of hope.
"I'm made of chakra, boy, I don't need to eat." He paused, as if thinking, "But, Kushina is a great cook, I might remember something."
Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s great because the last time I cooked, I set off four fire alarms and had water sprayed twice.”
Kyuubi snorted as usual, but this time there was a hint of amusement in his laughter.
"You're a pretty persistent guy, aren't you?"
"Yes, trust me."
"I believe you, kid."
This feeling is amazing, someone believes in him. Even if he doesn't believe in himself, there are still people who have full confidence in him.
This was different from the trust that Ino and Iruka-sensei had in him.
Teacher Iruka believed in him, half out of kindness and half out of responsibility; Ino liked him and naturally believed in him; but the Sandaime Hokage was different. Sometimes, when he looked at Naruto, his eyes seemed to penetrate Naruto, as if he didn't exist at all.
He understood now that it was because Naruto reminded him of the people he had passed away.
But the Nine-Tails believed in Naruto. He did not regard Naruto as the shadow of Kushina or Minato Namikaze, but as an independent individual.
This trust gave Naruto confidence and allowed him to begin to believe in himself.
Kyuubi seemed to sense his thoughts and the change in his mood, because he suddenly spoke:
"I have seen those idiots in the village with my own eyes."
Naruto wasn't sure how to respond so he said nothing.
The tone in which Kyuubi said this was as if he was talking to himself.
Around 6:30 in the morning, Naruto finally finished cleaning his apartment.
Kyuubi didn't say much most of the time, only making a few noises of disgust when he complained about the stains on the stove or when he dug out expired food from under the bed.
When Naruto was done cleaning, wiping every surface that could be wiped, and sacrificing several rags, 90% of his apartment was wrapped in plastic bags, and the remaining 10% was sparkling.
He stared sadly at the nearest pile of trash, and through the slightly cloudy plastic bag he could see his ruined sportswear.
"Did you do that, kid?" Kyuubi asked curiously.
"Yes," he replied bitterly.
"Can you sew?"
"I often have to mend my own clothes," he replied. "It's one of the few things I know how to do."
"That orange outfit is a bit exaggerated, but what about the symbol of the Whirlpool Kingdom? You can embroider it on almost anything."
These words made Naruto feel much better.
He can embroider the logo not only on his clothes, but also on scrolls and backpacks if he wants.
After all, it was his family symbol and he should display it.
When Naruto went out to take out the trash for the first time, the Kyuubi interrupted his thoughts again.
"Where do you get your money, kid?" he asked, as if the question had just occurred to him. "You're not a genin yet, so you don't get a salary."
"Yes, but Grandpa Sandaime helps me pay the rent, and the children in the orphanage get pocket money every week."
"How many?"
"Two thousand taels."
"…Not much."
"It's enough. If you spend it sparingly, it can last a long time."
Kyuubi pricked up his ears and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Do you know how to manage money?"
Naruto blinked, not understanding what he had done to deserve such scrutiny.
"Of course I know. I have always managed it myself."
"You're only eight years old," Kyuubi said in an accusatory tone.
"…So what?"
The tailed beast muttered something that sounded like it was complaining about a stupid human child, but Naruto ignored it because he was sure it was not directed at him.
Naruto asked as he threw the last bag of trash into the trash can below the apartment building.
"You need money for training supplies," Kyuubi replied matter-of-factly, "and normal food. How much money do you have left?"
Naruto really wasn't sure.
"Wait, let me take a look."
He returned to the room, walked to the bed, reached under the mattress and pulled out the Toad Wallet.
When he managed to pull it out from its hiding place and looked through the bills and coins inside, the heavy weight was reassuring.
"Twelve thousand eight hundred ryo," Naruto proudly announced to the Kyuubi.
"You saved that much money with your 2,000 ryo allowance?" Kyuubi looked...confused? Naruto didn't understand what was so surprising about that. He used to have more money, and it only became less last week after he bought a new pair of sandals and a few strings of dango.
"I like to save money," he argued, "and after I bought my school supplies, I had to go hungry for several days. That was a terrible feeling. I don't want to do that again."
Kyuubi made an angry sound when he heard this.
"So, groceries and training supplies, what else do I need to buy?"
"New clothes and a sealing scroll."
Naruto grabbed a pen from the bedside table and wrote these things down on his arm so he wouldn't forget.
He was already starting to dread it, but if he wrote everything down, he could get the shopping done faster.
“I hate shopping,” he complained.
"I understand." Kyuubi snorted and said, "Can you use the transformation jutsu?"
Naruto frowned and capped his pen.
“Not very skilled.”
"Then sit back, kid, and we'll see if I can't get something useful into that stubborn head of yours."
"Bad-tempered fox..." Naruto muttered softly, but still sat down obediently according to the other party's instructions.
******
