002 Getting Discharged - Naruto’s POV

Naruto sat on the hospital bed, his legs swinging idly over the edge as he watched the doctor flip through a clipboard. The room smelled of antiseptic, and the steady beeping of machines filled the silence. Hinata stood nearby, her hands clenched in front of her, eyes downcast.

The doctor sighed, finally setting the clipboard aside. “Uzumaki-san, you have amnesia.”

Naruto blinked. “Uh… What’s that?”

The doctor adjusted his glasses. “It means you’ve lost your episodic memories—memories of your past experiences. You might remember how to talk, walk, or even how to do your hobbies, but you won’t recall specific moments of your life.”

Naruto stared at him. “So… I forgot everything?”

“Not everything,” the doctor reassured. “Your common sense, skills, and instincts should still be intact. It’s just your personal memories that are affected.”

Naruto frowned, rubbing the back of his head. “That’s… weird.” He glanced at Hinata, noticing the way she bit her lip, her shoulders trembling slightly. She looked so sad. Uncomfortably so.

And for some reason, that made his chest tighten.

If he could turn back time, he would have pretended everything was fine. Maybe if he had acted normal, she wouldn’t look like she was about to cry. But could he even pull off a lie like that? He wasn’t sure.

Hinata hesitated before speaking. “But… earlier, Naruto-kun said my name,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “How is that possible?”

The doctor nodded as if he had anticipated the question. “It’s rare, but not unheard of. Sometimes, familiar words or names can slip out through subconscious memory. A more common term for it would be muscle memory.”

Naruto mulled over that explanation, tapping his fingers against his knee. His body could remember things his mind couldn’t? That sounded like a load of nonsense… but at the same time, wasn’t that kind of like throwing a punch without thinking? His body just knew what to do.

Still, it didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t remember anything about himself.

And judging by the look on Hinata’s face, that truth hurt more than he realized.

Hinata shifted her weight from one foot to the other, glancing at Naruto before turning to the doctor. “Um… Is it possible for Naruto-kun to be discharged now?” she asked, her voice quiet but firm.

The doctor hummed in thought, flipping through Naruto’s chart. “He’s in good physical condition, and his vitals are stable. There’s no real reason to keep him here any longer.” He nodded to himself before looking at Naruto. “Alright, we’ll discharge you.”

Naruto watched as the doctor reached for the IV attached to his arm. “Hold still for a moment,” the doctor instructed. A small sting followed as he removed the needle, pressing a cotton swab to the spot before securing it with a bandage.

“There we go,” the doctor said, stepping back. Then, turning to the door, he called for a nurse. “Help Hyuga-san with the discharge paperwork, would you?”

The nurse, a young woman with a gentle demeanor, nodded. “Of course, doctor.”

Hinata bowed slightly. “Thank you.”

With that, the doctor and nurse exited the room, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone.

For a moment, neither spoke. Then, without a word, Hinata reached out and took Naruto’s hand.

Naruto blinked at the warmth that spread through his palm. He hadn’t expected it, but… it felt nice. Comforting. Even though he couldn’t remember anything, at least he had someone by his side. Someone who cared.

Their eyes met.

Hinata smiled—soft, hesitant, but undeniably warm.

A second passed.

And another.

Naruto thought she was about to say something, but instead, she suddenly looked away, her grip on his hand loosening. A second later, she let go.

He didn’t know why, but the absence of her touch left behind an odd feeling. A small, inexplicable disappointment.

“You should change into your clothes,” Hinata murmured, still not meeting his gaze. “I’ll wait outside.”

Naruto tilted his head. “Uh, sure. But… where are my clothes?”

Hinata hesitated before answering. “Your old clothes were torn up, so… I had to buy you new ones.”

Naruto blinked in surprise. “You did?”

Hinata gave a small nod before turning toward the door. “I’ll be right outside,” she said, slipping out of the room.

Naruto stared after her for a moment before sighing, rubbing the back of his head.

“…I guess I should get changed, then.”

Naruto sat on the edge of the hospital bed, staring at the door Hinata had just walked out of. His fingers flexed idly at his sides, still feeling the warmth of her touch.

His gaze drifted down to his hospital gown, and he frowned. Just what kind of accident had he gone through for his clothes to be torn up so badly? He had no memory of it—no flashes of pain, no blurred images of a fight or a fall. Just emptiness.

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With a sigh, he pushed himself up and glanced around the room. His eyes landed on a plastic bag sitting on top of the cabinet nearby. That must be the new clothes Hinata mentioned.

Walking over, he grabbed the bag and pulled it down. It was wrapped in something… smooth and slightly crinkly. What was the material called again? He frowned, trying to recall the word. Ah—paper. No, wait. Plastic.

He unwrapped the package, revealing a neatly folded set of clothes inside. A black tracksuit with orange trimming.

Naruto held up the jacket, his fingers brushing against the fabric. The color caught his eye, especially the orange. Something about it felt… right. Familiar, even.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

Yeah. He liked this color.

Naruto ran a hand over his forehead, his fingers pressing against the skin as an odd sense of absence settled over him. Something was missing. He didn’t know what, but the feeling lingered, nagging at him like an unfinished thought.

He rolled his shoulders, feeling stiffness in his neck, and tilted his head from side to side, eliciting a few quiet cracks. Stretching his arms over his head, he exhaled before making his way toward the door.

As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into something—or rather, someone.

“Oh—!” Hinata stumbled back slightly, blinking up at him in surprise.

Naruto immediately raised his hands. “Ah, my bad!”

Hinata shook her head, a small pink hue dusting her cheeks. “It’s okay, Naruto-kun.”

He rubbed the back of his head, still feeling that strange emptiness. His fingers drifted back to his forehead as he frowned. “I dunno… I feel like something’s missing.”

Hinata’s gaze flickered toward his hand, thoughtful. Instead of responding right away, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small, folded piece of leather.

Naruto stared at it, trying to recall what it was called. A… wallet? Yeah, that sounded right.

Hinata carefully opened it, checking inside. She muttered to herself, “I probably have enough…”

Naruto tilted his head. “Enough for what?”

Hinata hesitated, then shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she said softly, tucking the wallet away.

He felt a flicker of curiosity but didn’t push. Instead, he just watched as she met his gaze again.

“I think I know what’s missing,” Hinata murmured, a small smile forming on her lips.

Naruto and Hinata walked side by side down the quiet hospital corridor, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floor. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, and the dim lighting cast long shadows along the walls.

As they approached the elevator, Naruto glanced at her. “Hey… what was I like?”

Hinata blinked, looking at him with wide eyes. “You were… a lot of things,” she said, her voice holding a warmth he didn’t quite understand. A small smile curved her lips. “Brave, loud, determined… kind.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “I sound amazing.”

Hinata let out a quiet giggle, covering her mouth with her fingers. “You were.”

Naruto smirked, but before he could say anything else, Hinata’s expression shifted. The light in her eyes dimmed, and for some reason, that same sadness from before returned.

His smile faded. “What’s wrong?”

Hinata blinked, as if startled by the question. Then, she shook her head and shrugged lightly. “It’s nothing,” she murmured.

Naruto frowned but didn’t press. The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and they stepped inside. The ride down was quiet, the hum of the moving elevator filling the silence. When the doors opened, they stepped out into the hospital lobby.

As they walked, Naruto’s gaze wandered, taking in the people around them. A man and a woman stood near the entrance, the man’s hand wrapped gently around the woman’s as they talked. He was attentive, aware of her every movement—caring in a way Naruto couldn’t quite put into words.

What was that called again?

The word flickered in his mind. Being a gentleman.

Naruto looked down at his own empty hand before glancing at Hinata. Without really thinking, he reached out and took her hand in his.

Hinata yelped, her whole body tensing in surprise.

Naruto immediately panicked. “Oh—uh—did I do something wrong?” He started to pull away, only for Hinata’s grip to tighten around his palm.

He blinked, looking down at their intertwined fingers.

Hinata’s face was turned away, but her hold on his hand remained firm. Warmer. Steady.

Naruto wasn’t sure what to make of it, but for some reason… it felt right.

As Naruto and Hinata walked through the hospital corridor, something made him stop in his tracks.

He turned his head, his gaze settling on a pink-haired kid standing by the reception counter, filling out forms. There was nothing particularly strange about him, but for some reason, an uneasy feeling crawled up Naruto’s spine.

A sense of something… ominous.

His fingers twitched, and his instincts screamed at him that there was something wrong.

But just as quickly as the feeling appeared, it was gone.

“Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?” Hinata’s voice was gentle, pulling him back to the present.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the kid for a second longer before shaking his head. “I dunno… I just got this weird feeling from that kid. Like something was off.”

Hinata followed his gaze, then gave him a thoughtful look. “It’s probably the nature of their chakra.”

Naruto turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Chakra?”

Hinata nodded. “Some people naturally have a powerful presence because of their chakra composition. You might’ve sensed strong yin chakra just now.”

“Uh-huh…” Naruto scratched his cheek, only half following along. “And that means?”

Hinata smiled softly. “It means you have a lot to relearn.”

Naruto groaned. “Great. Homework.”

Hinata let out a quiet giggle. “Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it again.”

Naruto exhaled, glancing once more at the pink-haired kid, but the ominous feeling was long gone. Maybe Hinata was right. Maybe it was just a chakra thing.

Still, something about it didn’t sit right with him.

As Naruto turned back toward the hospital exit, a movement near the reception counter caught his attention. A black-haired kid approached the pink-haired one, standing close as they exchanged a few quiet words.

Beside him, Hinata suddenly tensed.

Naruto noticed the way her shoulders stiffened, the way her eyes locked onto the dark-haired boy with unmistakable wariness. Then, in a low voice, she murmured, “His chakra is… strong.”

Naruto tilted his head. “Okay, you keep mentioning this chakra thing. What’s the deal?”

Hinata didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she reached for his wrist. “Naruto-kun, we should go.”

“Huh?” Naruto barely had time to react before Hinata all but dragged him toward the exit.

“Whoa, hey—! What’s the rush?” he asked, stumbling after her.

Hinata didn’t look back. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Naruto blinked as they stepped out of the hospital doors. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but Hinata was acting… different. More urgent. She scanned the street, then quickly raised a hand to hail a cab.

As they waited, Naruto caught her muttering under her breath.

“…shouldn’t linger… not safe… priority is his welfare…”

Naruto scratched the back of his head, watching her with mild confusion. “Uh, Hinata-chan? What are you talking about?”

Hinata’s lips pressed together, but she didn’t answer.

The cab pulled up, and without another word, she opened the door and practically ushered him inside.

Naruto sighed as he slid in. In his eyes, Hinata… looked kind of paranoid.

After a moment, she exhaled softly and murmured, “The shinobi of this world are strange. They act differently from those back home…”

Naruto blinked. “This world?”

Hinata hesitated, then shook her head. “I’ve brushed against a few of them before,” she continued, sidestepping his question. “Their chakra feels… different. Almost unnatural.”

Naruto frowned. He wasn’t sure what she meant, but something about her tone told him she wasn’t comfortable talking about it any further. Before he could press, she suddenly looked at him, her expression softening.

“You know,” she said, her voice lighter now, “when we were kids, you always got into trouble.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “I did?”

Hinata nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You were loud, mischievous… but always kind.” She tilted her head. “You once got scolded for drawing on the Hokage Monument.”

Naruto blinked. “What’s a Hokage?”

Hinata paused before giggling. “Someone important.”

Naruto knew what she was doing. It was a poor attempt to distract him from whatever was really on her mind. But for some reason, he didn’t mind.

So, he leaned back and listened.