(Konan 2nd POV)

I was living in the alleys of the second village I found after my clan was exterminated. I hadn't eaten anything for days and was getting weaker and weaker. But since it rained constantly, I wasn't thirsty.

Walking down a specific alley, I was heading towards the garbage can where I usually pick up food scraps. When I reached the garbage can I was happy to finally get something to eat.

As food is becoming increasingly scarce, it has become more and more difficult to get hold of leftovers. Taking the leftovers in my hands I was about to eat, but I felt a hand touching my shoulder and turning me sharply towards it.

Turning my face toward the hand that held my shoulder I came upon a group of boys. I immediately recognized them as a gang of older children who stole food from beggars and other children who were not in their gang.

Once I tried to join them in order to survive, but because I was a very thin and weak girl, they decided to throw me out.

"Pass your food for better or worse" spoke the boy who was now holding my shoulder tighter and was holding out his hand for me to hand the food to him.

I had no idea what to do, if I hand over these scraps it will be the same as literally starving to death in the mud. But if I don't hand them over, they will probably beat me to get them from me and that will be no different than dying too.

I was trembling. I don't know if it was because of hunger or the fear of death for making any kind of decision. But since I left my clan I promised, if I am going to die anyway then I will die fighting with my last strength.

"NO" I shouted to surprise them.

 Seizing the moment, I detached my hand from my shoulder and started to run towards the exit of the alley. I ran like I had never run before in my life in order to live for even one more day. When I reached the corner of the alley to run out into the street, I lost all hope.

Another group of boys appeared in front of me, I think they were from the same gang because I could hear laughter coming from behind me.

"hahaha, she really tried to run away from us hahahaha"

"well, well, let's settle it on the basis of force then!"

What appeared to be the leader of the front group came toward me and punched me in the face, causing me to fall to the cold, muddy ground.

When I fell to the ground, I felt a pain in my leg and realized that I had fallen on some shards of glass that were on the ground. Looking at my leg I realized that there was a huge bruise that was bleeding and hurting very badly.

At the same moment the two groups of boys gathered around me and started kicking me with all their might.

 "hahaha, that's what you get for not cooperating you bitch"

They all seemed to be going crazy, their faces were grinning as if they were enjoying beating me, who was weaker than they were. They kept kicking me for a while longer until they were out of breath and decided to leave, taking my food with them.

"Let that be a lesson not to go against us again you bitch!" their leader said before leaving.

I was already weak from hunger and couldn't go another day without eating something. I can't feel my body because it is all sore and numb.

The only things I feel is the coldness of the ground and the rain hitting me as I lay there unable to get up. The only things I could hear were the sound of the rain and some cries for help coming from outside the alley. Probably this small village has been invaded.

My consciousness was slowly fading and I felt that my death was getting closer and closer. Then suddenly I felt something hit me and pass over my body, but I didn't care anymore, because my end was near.

"hey, are you okay?"

Just as I was about to sleep forever, I heard a beautiful voice. I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but this voice brought me some hope and comfort that he or she had shown the slightest bit of concern for my condition. Maybe it was because I desperately wanted to survive or because I was already in my last moments, but I wanted to see this person's face.

When I turned my face to look up, I saw the face of a boy about my age, he had plate hair and light green eyes as if they were lit by a light, his skin was pale and his eyelashes were a bit long.

For some reason his face was surprised, but when our eyes met, he gave me the kindest smile I have received since I started living on the streets a little over 3 years ago.

His smile brought a little warmth to me and raised my hopes, even a little.

"Can you walk?" he asked me while he had a gentle expression on his face

I know I couldn't trust any stranger in the middle of an alley in normal situations, but I was already on my last legs and he was probably my last hope to live.

Without reluctance, I shook my head to the side and right then he said "so hold on to me, all right?"

I hesitated a bit, but I couldn't afford to think too hard about this risky situation for both of us.

I nodded, and just then this boy crouched down in front of me with his back to me so that he could carry me, and put me on his back. For some reason his back was big for me, even though he was a little smaller than me.

"Hold on because I'm going to run a little fast." He said.

Then I put my arms around his neck to steady myself and rested my head on his shoulder.

After a while of running, he entered a cave that appeared out of nowhere. I had a little fever and a lot of pain from my injuries and didn't notice anything around me.

He put me down and went a little deeper into the cave, after returning he took off my raincoat and put it on a nearby rock.

"can you show me your wounds?" he asked with a worried expression on his face.

I nodded and showed him my cut on my leg and my bruises from the beatings. Suddenly I was very surprised when he pulled out a strange box from the air. But I decided not to ask what it was because I was in a lot of pain and didn't want to intrude.

"This is a first aid kit, I'm going to use it to treat you, okay?" he said while keeping his worried expression, but with a bit of relief.

"Y-Yes" I replied a little hesitant that I was being a hindrance to a stranger who helped me.

"you're a little warm, are you feeling feverish?" He asked in a worried tone

"I think" I am feeling warmer and weaker than before, so I guess I really do have a fever.

Suddenly he took off his cape, turned it inside out for the part that wasn't wet, and lined the floor with it forming a sort of blanket on the floor.

"sit here and rest while I disinfect the wound"

I followed what he said and sat down on the dry part of the cover. I was comfortable as the earth was surprisingly fluffy and I relaxed the moment I sat down.

Suddenly I was surprised when, just as he took out his doctor's kit, he took out dried meats and a bowl of water and delivered it into my hands.

"eat, I'm sure you're starving" he said

I was extremely happy and didn't take long to start eating, I was so hungry that I don't care if this is poisoned.

"Eat slowly, the food won't come out of your hand" he said with a gentle smile at me.

Realizing how ungrateful I was being, I felt embarrassed so I said "T-thank you" I spoke shyly.

I then went back to eating to kill the hunger I had been feeling all this time.

After that he disinfected my cut leg and bandaged all my bruises. Then he pulled twigs out of nowhere again and lit a fire.

He laid me down on the blanket and put a cloth with alcohol on my forehead saying it would bring my fever down.

Why is he being so kind to me? Why does he care about me and is taking care of me without asking? Nobody has ever been kind to me like this since I went to the streets.

"Why?" I asked him.

"Why what?" he asked me confused.

"Why did you help me and why are you helping me?" I asked him wanting to clarify my doubts.

"I'm not sure"

"you don't know?" I asked in confusion

"I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not sure why I saved you. I think it was just out of pure sympathy since we are in similar situations" he replied with that warm smile he has given me since we first met.

"Similar?" I was confused because except for his clothes, he looked healthy and happy.

"Yes, I lost my parents to an Iwagakure ninja and have been left to survive only on what has been left for me to this day" he replied with a very sad expression on his face.

"I'm sorry" I was saddened by your situation.

"No problem, I should say that since you probably suffered more than I did because of this stupid war"

I don't know why I felt this way, but I felt like telling him about my past and getting it off my chest.

"Yes, my clan was killed by konoha ninjas and I had to flee so as not to suffer the same fate. Because of that I started living on the streets while trying to find food to survive..." I was in doubt if I should continue but I think it was okay "These injuries I have were caused by a fight with other kids to get food from a garbage dump" I said as I remembered how painful it was at that moment.

I was surprised when I suddenly felt a warm hand caressing my head. Turning to look in his direction, he was giving me a warm look and a gentler smile than before.

"it's going to be okay, let's help each other from now on" he said.

I don't know what came over me at that moment, but I felt a warmth grow inside me and my heart beat as fast as it had never beaten before.

Without thinking about what I was doing, I found myself in his arms as I shed tears on his chest and hugged him tightly. I felt as if I belonged back home. I felt as if I had found a new home in his arms.

When I realized what I was doing, fatigue overtook me and I fell asleep in his arms.

LordX

chapter to give more depth to the character and i will post one more chapter today. Thanks for read this chapter