"Fox," Ginta said, voice falling low again. "Fox got him. So it was very big and noble. The funeral was very impressive. Of course Minato-sama's funeral was an even bigger deal, and there were a lot of funerals for a few weeks there. But Konoha sent Sakamoto Gousuke out in style. Let me out of the hospital for it and everything."

He hadn't thought about that since the anniversary last October. The annual cleaning of Grandfather's grave. The leaving of offerings. Ginta had burned tobacco for him, and poured out a bottle of the best sake he could get his hands on, drinking cups to his grandfather in the dark, after the official ceremonies were over, because Mother and Grandmother wouldn't. They liked to pretend that the man had been a saint.

Ginta felt more comfortable with him as a fellow sinner.

"He never even met the guy I ended up living with. I hooked up with him after. Well, around then. I already had one of those stupid crushes you can get on a guy who's totally wrong for you..."

Oh the bitter irony. History just loved to repeat itself, didn't it?

"He was hurt fighting the kyuubi, too. So we had rehab together. Actually, Grandfather would have hated him."