"You know Naruto I think we need to go shopping for some clothes." Kushina annouced as the family sat at the dinner table. They had just finished eating dinner and was eating some pie that Kushina had made for dessert. Her daughter Aiko had helped her make it. which was a surprise to Kushina. Never once in her life had her daughter ever volunteered to help her with dinner and it made her happy. Though Aiko was still mean towards her brother she has changed her behavior somewhat. It made her and Minato hopeful that their daughter will continue to change her attitude and they'll become a real family. Now all they needed was for Naruto to open up more to them. Their son, when asked, did spend time with them, but talking to the boy was like talking to a wall. Their son never spoke unless spoken to and his answers was more or less lifeless replies. They were hopeful yet. Naruto, despite lack of emotions, seem willing to try and work something out with his family.

"Why?"

"Well, I just thought that maybe you would like something new to wear to school." Kushina said hopefully as she stared at her son. Minato quietly siting besides his wife waiting for his son's response. Since walking his son to the Academy that day Naruto has been avoiding him. He had talked to Iruka-sensei about Naruto's progress and was mildly surprised that despite his neglect to his son Naruto was obviously very gifted when it came to ninjutsu and taijutsu. His grades just as good as Uchiha's son Sasuke. From what Iruka has told him the only thing they have not worked on was sealing. That was something he could help Naruto with. He was an excellent seal master. Now if only he could find the right time to bring it up. He didn't want Naruto to think he wanted to help him out of obligation or guilt.

"No thank you." Naruto replied quietly trying hard not to get up and leave the room. He was not used to being in a room with his family and he was fighting the urge to run away. He wasn't use to them speaking to him and he was finding it harder to respond by the minute. Naruto been trying his best to keep an open mind to their change of heart but he just couldn't let his gaurd down with change wasn't something he could understand and if he had his way in the matter he would avoid it altogether but after talking to Iruka-sensei about the situation he had decided to take his sensei's advise and give them a chance.

"Why, not?"

"I don't think I need new clothes."

"But-"

"Enough Kushina. If Naruto doesn't want new clothes then you shouldn't force him." Minato intervened he could tell how uncomfortable his son was from the way Naruto kept glancing at the door. He knew Kushina wanted to use clothes shopping as an excuse to bond with Naruto but their son wasn't ready for that yet. They needed more time for Naruto to get to know the real them. He may be their son but from Naruto's view they were nothing more than strangers that he's forced to live with.

"Yeah, mom. If the ba-, I mean Naru-nii doesn't want new clothes then he doesn't need new clothes." Aiko chimed in. She still didn't like her brother but she couldn't stand her parents looking at her as though she was a nuicance. She wanted her parents love back and was willing to do anything for it. Even if she had to play nice to her idiotic brother.

"Naru-nii? I think I'm hearing things, kit."

"No you heard right Kyuu." Naruto answered the fox just as surprise by the title his little sister gave him than anyone else. By all intent and purpose Aiko still acted like a spoiled little brat that refused to acknowledge him. When they walked by each other in the halls of their home she still ignored him and when they're seated at the dinner table she didn't talk to him nor looked his way. So, calling him 'Naru-nii' confused him and made him a little suspicious of the red haired girl. 'I wonder what she's up to?'

If Naruto was confused by Aiko then her parents was estatic. Finally, their daughter was acknowledging Naruto as her brother.

"Your right Aiko. I shouldn't force your brother to do what he doesn't want to do." Kushina saids smiling lovingly at her daughter not noticing the flinch that went across her son's face.

"I'm done." Naruto saids throwing his fork down and standing. Before anyone could say anything he walked out of the room and headed towards his room. Not the room his parents had made for him but the one he used throughout the duration of his life. It wasn't like he didn't like the room thay had made for him. It just didn't feel right for him to have such a room.

"You know kit. There's nothing wrong in taking the things they offer you. After all they do owe you for their neglect of you for 12 years." Kyuubi states as he curled up into a ball.

"I know, but it doesn't feel right. If I take what they offer now then they'll begin to think that I have forgiven them when in truth I really don't feel a thing but pain whenever I'm around them. I'm not sure that I've forgiven them yet, but like Iruka-sensei said I should give them a chance now that they've made an effort to change."

"If that's the way you want it then I'll support you."

"Thanks, Kyuu."

Its been an hour since Naruto left the dining area. As soon as he left Kushina broke down in tears while Minato gently held her hand while looking at the door that their son left through. They've tried so hard these past few weeks but nothing seem to help. It seemed like while taking one step forward they're being pushed two steps back and at the rate they were going they were running out of ideas.

Seeing her mother break down was not something Aiko cared to see so she got up and went to her room leaving her parents to themselves. She accomplished what she set out to do. Her mother finally noticed her instead of her brother and if she continued to pretend to be a good girl while Naruto still haven't forgiven them then her parents will finally give up and return to only loving her.

"What are we going to do now Minato?"Kushina asked finally calming down. She helped her husband clear the dishes from the table so that they could wash them.

"What we've been doing. Try our best to show our son that we love him and that we're sorry for not being there for him." Minata answered washing dish after dish that kushina past to him and putting them on the drying rack to dry. It didn't take them long to finish and after turning out the light to the kitchen. They headed up to their own bed. Before entering their room they decided to check in on their children to make sure they were alright. They first checked in on Aiko and found their little girl fast asleep in her bed. While asleep she looked like a lil red haired angel. If only she acted like it. They quietly closed the door and headed to Naruto's room only to find to their amazement that their son wasn't their. They looked in every room in the house frantically. Afraid that maybe their son ran away from them.

Finally, they came to the last room in the house. The room that used to be Naruto's room before they made him a new one. The opened the door with hope that their son would be in there. Naruto was fast asleep on an old bed with a tattered blanket thrown over him. When Kushina moved to enter the room Minato held her back. It was clear to him that Naruto had not accepted their gift in the new room they've made him and it left him feeling ashamed that he had thought that the room and furniture would be enough to get back into his son's good graces. Buying him things will not make up for their adandoning their son.

"Let's go to bed." He quietly saids wrapping his arms around his wifess shoulders.

"But Naruto-"

"It's obviouse he's comfortable in this room than in the one we've made him." He saids as he gently turned her away from their sons room not wanting her to think further as to why Naruto would choose this room over the one they've made for him. She had already broke down once this night he didn't want her to do so again.

"Okay." Kushina saids numbly as she walked away from the room and heading to her own. She was tired emotionally as well as physically. Minato closed the door quietly and followed his wife to their room. Praying that things would get better more for his wife's sake than his own. He now knew that it was going to be a lot of work for them before Naruto forgive them.