Uzumaki Menma was looking over the balcony of his apartment, musing over the thing that, even to this day, still left him intrigued.

Konoha has changed with time.

The village, it was now bathed in the sunlight. A yellow, almost orange, glow that can be seen coming from the east enveloping Konoha. As usual, sunrise was breathtaking. He could admit that to himself.

He looked away for a moment and found different things.

Little birds chirping, cats meowing down below, messenger birds flying about, the Konoha Police officers patroling the streets, women shopping at the market to make today's breakfast, and many more things he could hate or appreciate about.

It was how life supposed to be without constant fighting. The sight was something that Hashirama probably would grin over and be excited about.

Shaking his head at the thought, he went back to see how the sun emerged to take over darkness.

The sun. It reminded him of Hashirama and Naruto. Their presences, their smiles, their convictions, their overwhelmingly optimistic opinions. It was no wonder, really, as both are Ashura's reincarnations.

The corner of his lips tugging upward involuntarily at that thought.

Menma breathed in the morning air. Fresh oxygen entered his lungs and he found no scent of blood in the vicinity of the neighbourhood he lived at.

He could say that in no way was he an early riser. But seeing the sunrise always gave him strength to live, and so he forced to see it every day unless he wanted to be a hikikomori.

He was, however, interrupted from having this moment of peace.

"NII-CHAN! BREAKFAST!"

Menma felt his eyebrows twitch involuntarily, frustration was all he could feel as the brat had ruined the moment.

"I've told you many times, Naruto! There's no need to shout!" He had almost roared, but that would make him a bigger hypocrite than he usually was.

"But, Nii-chan! I'm hungry!"

Damn Naruto for being an early riser. The brat could wake up this early without the help of an alarm clock.

"Feed yourself for once!"

"You said I can't touch the stove anymore!"

'Yeah, because yesterday you had almost burn down this apartment when you tried to boil water to cook instant ramen,' Menma thought inwardly, eyebrows twitching again.

Sighing, Menma stood up and stomped in to the apartment. Naruto was sitting at the edge of his bed. Giving the brat only a brief glance, he proceeded to the kitchen. After turning on the stove, he turned around to inspect the inside of the fridge.

"Tch, why am I bothering myself with this..." he muttered, eggs in hand.

"Eh, Nii-chan, you always say that and you still cook for the both of us!"

"That's because I need you alive," Menma said, letting out an exasperated huff. He planted one hand on his hip as he focused on Naruto. "Your inability to turn on the stove without it burning this building baffles me." Menma couldn't help it, he sent a disappointed look at the brat. Naruto was already three years old. The kid should be independent right now... maybe. He didn't really know. At what age a child should be independent, anyway?

Eyes prickling hot, Naruto ducked his head low. "Sorry, Nii-chan..." he mumbled out, his lips jutted out.

Menma grimaced. That reminded him of Hashirama's random bouts of depression.

"It's fine..." he said, quite loudly for Naruto to hear.

Honestly, it really was fine. But he needed Naruto to be independent. And that will start with the ability to feed oneself properly through means of cooking.

But first, he ought to teach Naruto how not to burn this apartment.