Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Thump. Th-thump.

Kiba could hear it.

Despite the deafening noises of the war, the quaking of the Earth, the crackling of Lightning, the swooshing of the Wind, he could hear it.  

Th-thump. 

It can't be--

"Naruto-kun!" 

Beside him, Hinata dashed, desperately trying to reach the Blonde who's being taken away by a blob of sand, tripping and falling on the ground.

Th-th-ump. Th--ump

Sakura was pulsing all of her chakras in him, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes as she cursed. Kiba had to force his gaze away as he glanced at the Young Kazekage. In all the years he'd known the Redhead, Kiba couldn't remember the last time Gaara had ever looked so utterly defeated and afraid.

They were talking in hushed tones, whispering of transporting Naruto somewhere. To where? The Inuzuka didn't have the slightest clue. In fact, Kiba couldn't give any shit, especially when he's too busy concentrating, stretching his hearing to listen to the rhythmic beating of Naruto's heart. But even with his ears, the superior hearing of the Inuzuka, it was getting harder - fainter.

--ump. Th-th-thump. 

Next to him, he heard Akamaru whimpered softly as the atmosphere of the battlefield unceremoniously dropped like a flipped switch, enveloping the warzone with nothing but deafening silence.

Every shinobi halted, frozen in their places as they watched the cloud of sands drifting away, farther away from them. All of them could still sense the green chakra flaring dangerously, almost angrily as it tried to save their fallen comrade, the one they’re supposed to be protecting and not the other way around.

It's no use. The Inuzuka silently despaired. Naruto's heart is barely beating. Is this the en--

Before Kiba could finish his thoughts, Shikamaru's words pierced through him. The Nara was now standing next to him, back slightly hunched, as he awkwardly limped with Chouji supporting him in his left. Ino was not far behind them, silently following her teammates with her right arm touching the other, almost like she's hugging herself in comfort. 

"He'll pull through."  Shikamaru murmured in a gasp, breathlessly. His onyx orbs were centered at the pair of sand puddles slowly disappearing from their sight.

In an attempt to lighten the situation, Ino huffed. "Of course, He will! Naruto has always--" 

"--He has to." Shikamaru cut off, not bothering to spare his teammate a glance.

Ino pursed her lips, frowning like she's been offended. However... there was an evident tension on her shoulders while Chouji and Shino-who had just arrived-stilled. Kiba didn't know where are the remaining members of Konoha 12. Nonetheless, he sensed Hinata and the Sand siblings gravitating towards them. 

"This is so troublesome. But--" Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, "--Naruto's not called the No. 1 Most Unpredictable Ninja for nothing. Besides, he still needs to be our Hokage." The Nara nonchalantly commented with a forced grin, which ended more of a grimace in his attempt to pacify their worries.

But to Kiba's ears, it sounded like the Shikamaru was reassuring himself rather than the rest of them, almost as if he needed to hear those words. Nevertheless, the Inuzuka caught his message loud and clear. Every standing, breathing Shinobi understood the implication of the Nara's words.

They all needed Naruto.

It was the undeniable truth. Instinctively, Kiba bit the sides of his cheeks, his fangs drawing a copper-like taste in his mouth. Without any warning, a spine-chilling shiver went down their spine, an irrational fear crawling in their every vein. 

And there it was - an intense killing intent.

Spinning around, every abled Shinobi switched in a defensive stance. In just a few meters away, before the Kages and the reanimated Hokages apart from the Yondaime (Kiba couldn't sense the Fourth anywhere nearby), Madara stood in all his glory, arms crossed over his chest, with the Rinnegan flaring ferociously under the blackened sky.

Madara had never been this close before, so dangerously close to them.

Despite his opportune location, the rogue Uchiha - Madara was just standing there, silent and motionless, almost as if he's waiting for something like a hawk watching its prey.

Kiba shuddered at the thought.

Looking closer, the Inuzuka realized something amiss. Madara's eye, the Rinnegan, was glistening. The Uchiha was looking at them without seeing any of them. Around him, Kiba guessed some of the Shinobis noticed it too, particularly Shikamaru. In spite of the fear he could smell from the Nara, the other's eyes were gleaming calculatingly.

“Madara! Your opponent is me. Stop chasing that Child!” Hashirama exclaimed (or so Kiba believes to be the name of the Shodaime. He’s never been good with history or academics for that matter).

And in a snap, Madara was back, glancing at his rival with an unreadable expression.

Without tearing their gaze away from the predatory Uchiha, everyone saw him centered his gaze in the direction where Naruto was taken. And a second later, Madara smiled, a smile full of malice.

"Foolish Girl. Wasting such a great amount of chakra for such a fruitless endeavor... But now, it doesn't matter. The Kyuubi brat is dead.”

Kiba felt his breath hitch as he heard Tenten gasped in horror. Shikamaru lost his hold on Chouji, causing the Nara to fell to one knee (Kiba didn't know if it's due to chakra exhaustion or the bombshell that was just dropped on them. Maybe it's both). Kankuro and Temari, on the other hand, were slightly crouching next to Shikamaru, seemingly ready to assist him but were both frozen into place. Ino also attempted to help the Nara, only to fail miserably and bump into the sides of Shino and Sai, who were both quivering.

With just a few words, the entire field plunged into despair, weapons slipping from their hands as their body shook. Some were uttering disbelief. Kiba looked at his own trembling hands, a whirlwind of emotions bubbling from the deepest pit of his stomach.

Out of the blue, a realization dawned unto him.

It’s not fear.

The Inuzuka privately concluded as he began to scan his surroundings, observing his fellow soldiers.

We’re not trembling because we’re afraid. It’s rage.

In a split second, Kiba caught a glimpse of Hinata and Tsunade dashing towards Madara, both hands coated with chakra sharpened to kill, only to be intercepted by the First and Third Hokage, respectively. Nonetheless, this was enough to break them out of their stupor. One by one, the Shinobis picked their fallen armaments, hands preparing to conjure some Jutsus. 

Everyone was ready to fight again.

“Let me go sensei! This bastard--”

“Tsunade! Rushing to him won’t--”

“Sh-Shodaime - sama, p-please-e. I--”

“Temari, Kankuro, it’s okay. I can--”

“Idiot! Your Chakra is still--”

“LEE! Show me the Power of You--”

“YOSH! Gai-sensei--”

Madara laughed cruelly. His deep, guttural voice filled with nothing malevolence resounded in the entire warzone, effectively silencing the rest.

“Impatient bunch, aren’t we." The rogue Uchiha grinned ferally, pleased at the animosity directed at him. "Nevermind. This is not the final stage. Isn’t--" He shot the Shodaime a piercing gaze, “--it funny? I’ve always been the one chasing you, even beyond death, to finish our fight. And now, it’s the other way around. No matter--” Again, a wicked smirk graced his lips, “--This is the end.”

“The Will of Fire is not easily defeated, Madara!" The Shodaime resolutely declared. "It will only burn brighter the more you try to extinguish it. It will always live on!”

Madara sighed disappointingly.

“Shame. Hashirama, You’ve never really have been the bright one.” The rogue Uchiha shifted slightly, focusing his gaze on the Niidaime.  

"But you, on the other hand--” His grin turned even more feral, lightly licking his lips. ”--would understand. Here’s a hint: The essence of a character is made, not born. This will help me change the entire tide of the game. And, once all the pieces are placed--” Madara’s Rinnegan flared furiously, causing some of the Shinobis to step back warily. ”--once the new stage has been set. We’ll have the grand finale, we all have been waiting for.”

Simultaneously, the First and Second Hokages’ eyes widened in horror before they screamed. “Kai!” 

Fuck. Kiba mentally cursed.

All this time, they were under a freaking Genjutsu.

This realization hit everyone hard. But the real question was - How long? 

How long has it been since they were under his spell?

Kiba could clearly see the difference now.

Madara was crouching at the center of some kind of seal-a seal encompassing everything within their vision-with his hands furiously forming signs, which was too fast for anyone to follow. A single thought passed through the mind of every Shinobi. 

Run.

As most of the Allied Shinobi Forces started to scramble, desperately trying to leave the range of the Jutsu, the Kages, led by the Reanimated Hokages were casting a unified Jutsu, a  fuinjutsu barrier to counter the other.

Beside him, Kiba heard Shikamaru cursed.

“A seal this complicated can only be countered by altering the markings. Fuck! If only Naruto or the Yondaime is here to understand the workings--” 

Madara rudely interrupted his ramblings.

“--a fascinating deduction. As expected from a Nara." He condescendingly praised, earning a murderous glare from Shikamaru. "As a reward, I'll leave a gift. Just to make sure that some of you will remember. After all, the next time we’ll meet... I’m not even gonna be the one to destroy this world--"

From his periphery, Kiba saw the Niidaime's eyes widen in understanding. However, it was already too late. 

The Jutsu had already been completed. 

"--Jigyaku no Jutsu!” Madara cried. 

Every single symbol glowed before a blinding light engulfed them. The Inuzuka's last thought was--

Shit.

And then, Kiba woke up.

To be continued... 

Chapter Text

Recap:

Every single symbol glowed before a blinding light engulfed them. The Inuzuka's last thought was--

'Shit' 

And then, Kiba woke up.

Kiba woke up gasping for air, his right arm awkwardly reaching the ceiling while the rest of his body twitched in anxiety. 

Beside him, little Akamaru shifted away, grumbling, annoyed at the sudden disturbance.

Wait a minute...

Little?

It was only then did Kiba noticed his small, plumply hands. Instinctively, the Inuzuka touched the ends of his hair, idly playing on its strands. Albeit his hair was shorter than what he had during his Genin days, it was certainly longer than the one he had in his dream. 

Kiba stilled, his thoughts wandering back to his dream.

What was it? The Inuzuka began to ask himself. Was it really just a dream? A crazy nightmare? Or...

His mind drifted back to the unfamiliar symbols glowing on the ground, the unknown seal that enveloped them into nothingness. 

Did the Jutsu really bring me back to the past?

However, if his latter theory held any truth, the next question would be why.

Ughh. Kiba inwardly groaned. All this thinking was making his head hurt. He was never the type to think things through or analyze stuff. That job went to Shikamaru or Shino, or maybe... the women. 

(The Young Inuzuka shuddered, hugging himself as he felt a chill crawl down his skin. He’ll always thank every Deity that Hinata ended up as their teammate.)

(Unfortunately) Kiba was cut off his musings when his mother, Inuzuka Tsume, slammed his door open with a furious expression painted on her face. 

“Kiba! I--" The Inuzuka matriarch roared, a spatula on her left hand, "--told you to get up early! If you’re not done within 10 minutes, there will be no breakfast for you, Young Man. We’re leaving at 8."

And so, Kiba scrambled, dragging the poor, half-asleep Ninken along with him.

Shikamaru groaned as the bright light passing through the window touched his face. 

It’s too early for anything.

The Young Nara snuggled further in the comfort of his blanket, trying to get another ounce of sleep. Unfortunately, it was now just a farfetched dream as he heard his mother screeched. 

“Shikamaru! I swear if you’re not up by the time your father arrives, I’m dragging your lazy ass out!”

Grumbling, Shikamaru groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes to consciousness. Privately, he sighed. 

No use trying to get more sleep. 

For some inexplicable reason, he was still exhausted despite just being woken up from a deep sleep. It must've something to do with his dream. 

In all his years, Shikamaru had to admit that's got to be his weirdest dream. Why?

Because it simply didn't make any sense. 

Recalling his dream, all he could garner was fragments, unknown puzzle pieces that simply wouldn't fit. 

Shikamaru remembered being older, old enough to be a Jounin in his teens. It was dark with only the moon and stars acting as their light. The Nara Heir also remembered the stench of blood permeating the area, a smell that's so strong to the point Shikamaru could taste the iron in his mouth. 

However, there was also grief, fear, and anger, which seemed to fill the every air he breathed. And Shikamaru knew it was true. He recalled feeling all those emotions, swirling deep in his insides all the same time. 

Still, it wasn't what perturbed the Young Nara the most. It was the fact that in his dream, he saw the First and Second Hokage, alive. 

(Shikamaru was absolutely positive that they're dead and no Jutsu in existence could've brought them back to life. It was completely illogical.)

In fact, he could've sworn that the Nidaime was looking directly at him, mouthing something indiscernible.

But what?

Shikamaru silently echoed in frustration. No matter what he did, the Nara Heir just couldn't seem to decipher the other's message. 

Another puzzle.

He concluded. Shikamaru decided he'll think about it later. For now, he’d have to do something about his harping mother. 

“Shikamaru! One more call and--”

What a drag.

“Sai, what are you drawing?”

Sai glanced up and saw his older brother, Shin, approaching.

The ash-gray-haired kid knelt beside him with his back leaning against the wall. The duo was currently on a break from training along with the other root children, who were presently minding their own businesses. His foster brother scooted closer to him as he probed.

“Is that--” Shin pointed at his drawing, voice hesitant. “--a flower?”

Sai simply shrugged in response.

In all honesty, the raven-haired lad didn't know what he just sketched. Sai just woke up with that image on his mind, haunting him.

There, at the center of his notebook, was a gigantic stalk, twisting in unfathomable ways with a budding of an unknown flower at the tip. The bud was pointing directly towards the moon as if heaven was just within its reach.

Sai knew the art was supposed to be cosmic. However, even he couldn't deny the diabolic sensation it was sending like a bad omen. Nonetheless, he wasn't one to question these types of things. 

After all, Sai was training to be a Root, a real ninja devoid of any emotions, a soldier who could only follow orders.

It’s been 3 days since the first anniversary of his clan’s annihilation, the infamous Uchiha Massacre.

The class has been suspended for the rest of the week. Based on the rumors, it was due to the death of one of the instructors. From what Sasuke heard, it was an assassination with no leads, zero signs of struggle or intrusion, just a slit in his neck - a swift death. 

Funny. Sasuke humorlessly laughed. Another ninja killed in his own home on the very anniversary of my clan's massacre. The Young Uchiha sarcastically commented.

Personally, Sasuke barely knew the instructor, which was a given since he's only been a student for a year at most. However, he did meet him on several occasions with the most notable one being the month after the massacre. For almost a year following his clan's annihilation, the Sandaime ordered that at least a Chuunin ranked ninja should stay with him for his protection. Unfortunately, the Hokage had somehow gotten the idea that the young Uchiha might be suicidal, which prompted the aforementioned order.

(Sasuke privately scoffed at the ridiculous thought.)

Slowly closing his eyes, he began to joggle his memory. Sasuke remembered the scarred face ninja as one of his guards and as an adult, he was different. The Young Uchiha recalled him sitting by his bedside, offering him some books to read whenever the days seemed to be painfully long. Albeit his voice was always laced with a tint of sadness, the scarred face ninja never once pitied him despite Sasuke's silent and crude treatments. And the Young Uchiha greatly respected him for that.

His patience and understanding, it was almost like Ita--

Abruptly, Sasuke snapped his eyes open, his thoughts halting with a screech. Shaking his head sideways, he desperately attempted to erase the memory of that traitor, the image of that cruel murderer as a caring and loving brother. However... no matter what Sasuke did, no matter how many times he tried to bury their memories together deep within his consciousness, it was never enough. 

Sasuke didn't know when he started to doubt his hatred for his brother that man, the time when a traitorous voice began nagging him that vengeance is not the answer. But everyone in his clan was still dead and Sasuke needed to do something, anything to give his family the justice they deserve.

He loathed Itachi even more for making him feel this way.

Sasuke knew he’s missing something - something extraordinarily big. And one day, the Young Uchiha would get his answers. But for now, he’ll train. 

Somewhere outside Konoha...

Kakashi and his team were currently staying in a town located on the outskirts of the Fire Country. After completing their mission yesterday, the Sandaime was expecting them today. However, a certain complication arose so the silver-haired Jounin opted to call one of his summons to inform the Hokage of the delays.

“Pakkun, deliver this to the Sandaime--” Kakashi handed a sealed scroll to the Pug, which the other accepted. “--Inform him that we’ll be traveling back to Konoha at dawn.” The Ninken nodded in understanding.

As the Pug got ready to depart, he shot Kakashi a pointed look. "You know, Kakashi--" Pakkun started in a chiding tone, "--ignorance is not a bliss. You're just delaying the inevitable."

Unsurprisingly, Kakashi ignored him, drawing his beloved Icha-Icha book as he shooed his summon away. Seeing that the other still refused to bulge, Pakkun just sighed and left. 

When the Ninken was finally out of his range, the silver-haired Jounin promptly closed and pocketed his novel, his hand unconsciously travelling towards his left eye. His scarred eye, the one which held the famed Sharingan given by a dying comrade, suddenly evolved, making it stronger than ever. 

Truthfully, Kakashi was absolutely clueless at what to think. 

However, his bafflement, unfortunately, didn't end with just the transformation of his dōjutsu. Almost at the same time, Kakashi's mind was assaulted by a knowledge of numerous Jutsus he'd never heard nor seen before. Kakashi just knew it. But what spooked him the most was the fact that his body adroitly moved when he tried one of the Jutsus, almost as if he'd been using it for years.

A few days ago, Kakashi attempted to replicate some of the techniques with little success. And unexpectedly, the problem was due to his chakra. From the looks of it, his current chakra reserves were insufficient to utilize the new techniques in his arsenal. In fact, just activating his (new) Sharingan was draining him too much to the point Kakashi couldn't use it for more than 10 minutes. Kakashi had the Sharingan since he was thirteen. His lack of chakra just didn't make any sense. Moreover, he still couldn't figure out how his dōjutsu evolved without him noticing. 

And now, they expect me to deal with it?

Kakashi privately grumbled as his fingers combed his silvery locks in frustration.

From his left, the silver-haired Jounin sensed one of his teammates, Genma, approaching. “They’re healing quite well. I’m pretty sure we can travel today. No need to wait for dawn--” The senbon Jounin idly kicked the sand on his feet, “--but you’ve already informed the Hokage of the situation, right?”

Kakashi mutely nodded in affirmation, subduing his earlier annoyance. 

“Shame. Looks like we’ll miss the funeral.”

“What funeral?” Kakashi replied a bit too hastily, startling his companion.

Genma eyed him contemplatively, his hazel-hued orbs scanning him in confusion. Kakashi realized his abruptness must've been out of character, but nonetheless he couldn't care any less. Something about the news was rubbing him the wrong way.

“Haven’t you heard? Kakashi--” Genma looked at him straight to his eye, onyx-irises clashing with hazel ones and Kakashi just felt his heart drop. “--Umino Iruka is dead.”

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Recap:

Genma eyed him contemplatively, his hazel-hued orbs scanning him in confusion. Kakashi realized his abruptness must've been out of character, but nonetheless he couldn't care any less. Something about the news was rubbing him the wrong way.

“Haven’t you heard? Kakashi--” Genma looked at him straight to his eye, onyx-irises clashing with hazel ones and Kakashi just felt his heart drop. “--Umino Iruka is dead.”

It was barely 8 in the morning. 

The sun was bright, high in the sky with touches of clouds suspended above. All in all, it was a perfect day to sleep in, in Shikamaru's humble opinion.

Today seemed to be in the middle of the week. But for some reason, all the classes were suspended. The Young Nara idly wondered why, not that he was complaining. Shikamaru just couldn't fathom why his mother made him rise this early if that was the case. Nonetheless, he dragged himself to the dining room, back slouching with his hands pocketed. 

When he entered the room, the food had already been served. His father, Nara Shikaku, was silently sipping his coffee, eyes closed, relishing its rich aroma. As Shikamaru sat across the table from his mother, she instantly shot him a pointed look, which the Young Nara gladly ignored in favor of his food. Yoshino rolled her eyes at her son's antics before she turned to Shikaku.  

“How’s the investigation coming? Are there any leads?”

Shikaku shook his head sideways as he sighed. “Sadly, No. Whoever--" Shikamaru continued to focus his gaze on his meal, but his ears were listening in rapt attention. "--did it, they definitely covered their tracks well - extremely well, in my opinion."

Upon hearing the news, Yoshino was visibly disheartened. "I just hope they'll figure it out soon. I heard he only started in the Academy this semester. I might not know him well, but--" The Nara matriarch paused momentarily as she took another bite, "--nobody deserved what happened to him." 

Nodding at her statement, the Nara patriarch replied. "I know. The T&I division was already tearing their hair out. Inoichi’s a total mess. The whole thing has been a drag.”

With a crestfallen look, Yoshino added. "Poor, Inoichi. The Yamanaka Clan already had their hands full of--”

Remembering the presence of her son, the Nara matriarch halted. Hesitantly, she continued after rephrasing her words.

“--I mean, It’s only been a year since that incident. And for this to happen on the exact same date, I fear...“ Yoshino trailed off, the rest of her words were left unspoken.

From his periphery, Shikamaru saw his mother glance at him with a hint of worry. The Young Nara's brows unconsciously creased, something about his mom's words just felt off. Whatever it was, Shikamaru had a nagging feeling that he should've known.

“Anyhow--" Yoshino waved a dismissive hand, steering the conversation to a different topic. "--I heard the Council called for another meeting. The Elders seem to be too concerned about these events.”

“You’re right." Shikaku concurred, swallowing the food in his mouth. "In fact, the Sandaime was forced to convene another meeting right after the funeral.”

The Nara patriarch was about to add something when Shikamaru beat him into it. 

“Who died?” Shikamaru inquired. 

The Nara Heir tried his best to look disinterested, to ask the right question to avoid suspicions. But judging the expression of his parents, his tone unfortunately betrayed. Plus from the looks of it, an interrogation was about to commence. 

How Troublesome. 

And so, Shikamaru surrendered to his fate. 

“Shikamaru--" Yoshino accentuated, placing her utensils down as she stared down her son with a look of confusion. "--it’s the academy instructor, one of your teachers.”

Shikaku could hear the exasperation and incredulity in his wife’s statement.  Nonetheless, he knew that Yoshino noticed it too, something was amiss with their son. For the meantime, Shikaku allowed her to handle the conversation, observing their interactions keenly. 

Shikamaru, on the other hand, simply continued on with his business, grabbing a glass of water for a drink. Seeing that their son was too smart and lazy to fall for her insinuations, Yoshino sighed before she supplied. 

“It’s Umino-sensei.”

Shikamaru stilled almost imperceptibly, hiding his recovery behind the glass of water he was consuming. Still, it was not enough to escape Shikaku's trained eyes. 

Their son was about to comment on when he abruptly closed his mouth, a small frown forming at his childish face, as if he’s trying to find the right words but failing miserably. Albeit his son tried to conceal it, Shikaku noted there’s a hint of sadness in his voice

“Iruka-sensei?" Shikamaru fixed his plate, getting ready to leave. His ebony-hued irises were reflective yet remorseful as he added. “How?”

Shikaku instinctively arched an eyebrow.

Since when did Umino-sensei change into Iruka-sensei?

The Nara patriarch pondered, but nonetheless, he let it go. Today was not the right time to question him, at least not yet. They still had a funeral to attend to. Fortunately, Shikaku had a minute to spare. To further test his hypothesis, Shikaku indulged his question.

“A slit throat. Severing the trachea and carotid artery, effectively silencing the victim within seconds while stopping the oxygen flow. But, there’s an injury at the base of the skull, where the brain stem appears to be cut.”

Yoshino was just about to open her mouth to protest, most likely to nag him for his overly detailed response to their child.

However, a flicker of understanding glinted in their son's eyes as he remarked. 

“A swift, clean death.”

Shikaku confirmed, nodding in agreement.

Now, Shikaku was positive that something is definitely up. After all, a nine-year-old brat should not recognize an assassination technique and its medical implications.

Genius or not.

Naruto had to admit he didn't know a lot of things.

For instance, he didn't know how to distinguish spoiled food and milk until he has consumed it, nor did Naruto have the idea to cook without burning half of the food. And so, he settled with ramen.

Even at this age, his handwriting was basically a chicken scratch. Heck, Naruto could barely read (but he’s learning. He’s still considered somewhat illiterate at this point (not that the Academy was helping). 

But it’s okay.

Naruto understood.

These were the stuff you learn from your parents, which he obviously didn't have. The Young Uzumaki grew up alone with nobody to confide in. And although there’s Jiji and Teuchi oji-san, the duo was busy running the village and their business, respectively. 

So it's okay. He didn't want to be a burden any longer. The Blonde could cope. After all, Naruto's always been a survivor.  

However, there were still things that Naruto wishes he could understand.

Like how everyone-which was basically Jiji, Teuchi oji-san, and the Anbu guards-was evading the topic of his parents. Hence, Naruto never got a chance to know their names. Or why kids around his age were not allowed to play with him. In fact, none of the children were permitted to interact with him, except for the usual insults and jeers. 

Above all, Naruto wanted - no - he needed to understand why the Village hated him.

Because Naruto was fully aware of it. He might not be the brightest kid in the bunch, but Naruto's not stupid.

On the contrary, the Blonde was good at this kind of stuff - sensing people. This was actually the reason why Naruto could easily evade his Anbu guards or pick them apart from one another. It was like a gift, an ingrained ability he had for as long as he could remember. But of course, the one thing he's naturally gifted at was meant to torment him. 

Because all humans always have emotions. 

In other words, Naruto could sense it. He could detect every emotion oozing from the villagers - the hostility, malice, grievance, and hatred - all directed at him, every single day of his life. There were also others, such as guilt, regret, and pity, which were mostly coming from the elite ninjas.

However, Naruto never gave it much thought. He couldn't afford to be bothered, especially when he’s too busy trying to stay alive.  

Out of a sudden, the skies roared along with the crackling of lightning as cumulonimbus clouds started to gather, blanketing the entire village. A second later, the rain began to fall.

Slowly, Naruto raised his head towards the sky, the cold droplets of water dampening his whiskered face. As he closed his eyes, the Blonde could smell the tears and grief filling the air coming from a far distance, the place where the funeral was held. From what the Young Uzumaki could sense, it seemed like the people were now offering their speeches. He promptly swerved his body toward the direction of the wake, anger flashing in his cerulean orbs.

The rain fell harder almost as if it was mourning with the rest of them, and the Blonde felt his fury bubbled inside him.

It might be petty, but Naruto loathed the unfairness of it all. He never felt anyone got pleased with the day of his birth, or the fact that he was born at all. With gritted teeth, the Young Uzumaki shoved both of his hands in his pockets before he mumbled in defeat.

“It’s not my fault people die the day I was born.” 

With that, Naruto turned around and walked away.

"--an exemplary ninja who guided the young. He was a Beacon to our Kings, stolen from us--"

Hinata tuned out the rest of the Sandaime’s speech as the rain drizzled.

She knew it’s highly impolite and unbefitting of the Heir Apparent to do such things. Yet, Hinata just couldn't make herself focus, to grasp what was happening before her. Her mind was in a complete turmoil, repeating the same sentence over and over again ever since she first learned about the funeral.

He should not have died.

These were the words that kept replaying in her mind like a broken record, echoed by a foreign voice coming from deep in her consciousness. It sounded a lot like her, but more confident and refined. Moreover, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that someone was missing, someone very important to the deceased instructor, almost like a family.

And so, the Heir Apparent decided to look around, searching for that individual.

Scouting the area discreetly, Hinata noted that all of the clans were present with the exception of the Uchiha and Hatake Clan for obvious reasons. As her pale eyes landed on the other clan kids, it was the expressions of the male Inuzuka and Yamanaka heir that concerned her the most. Kiba-kun (Hinata couldn't figure out why his name rolled perfectly in her tongue like she's been saying it for years) appeared to be lost while the latter had a look of denial, her aquamarine eyes were as wide as saucers, darting from left and right. Sadly, Hinata had to avert her gaze to continue her search.

When the Heir Apparent finished scanning the vicinity, she privately let out a dejected sigh. Whoever she was searching for, it seemed like he wasn't here. At that realization, Hinata's mood became more somber. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but ask why.

In the back of her mind, the unknown voice answered. 

How can somebody mourn, if they’re unaware of their loss?

After the Funeral...

For the past few days, there has been a tense atmosphere circling the entire Konoha Shinobi Forces. Shikaku could understand the concerns of the Council, and the reason for the successive meetings.

The Assassination of Umino Iruka was certainly alarming. It spoke volumes of the Village's security. Nevertheless, it didn't mean Shikaku would gladly attend these gatherings. After all, the Council has always been too troublesome to deal with. 

It’s two hours away til dusk, and all the Clan Heads were still here, waiting.  Looks like he’ll be late for dinner. Shikaku mentally sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned further. The Nara patriarch just wanted the day to end, to laze around in the comfort of his wife. On his left, he heard the Akimichi Clan Head, Chouza, speak to Inoichi.

“What’s with the grim face, Inoichi?” Shikaku couldn't help but smirk at the teasing tone of his friend, “Did Ino finally get a boyfriend?” 

Inoichi made an indignant scoff, eyes rolling at his friend's stupid remark as he crossed his hands over his chest.

“No. But yes, It’s about Ino. Thank you for asking." The Yamanaka Clan Head sarcastically replied before concern started to paint his features. "Ino--” Inoichi's voice mellowed in worry, “--she seems to be under the impression that Umino-san can’t be dead.”

Now, that caught everyone’s attention. Shikaku immediately perked up with that statement. In fact, even the most apathetic Clan Heads, Shibi Aburame and Hyuuga Hiashi, were not exempted, a spark of curiosity was dancing in their eyes. Before Inoichi could elaborate further, the Inuzuka Matriarch chimed in.

“Hey! Kiba’s the same!" She rambunctiously declared, causing some of the occupants to wince at her volume. "He was so confused with the funeral, even after it ended. Spouting nonsense that it’s impossible. Cause’ he remembered his Iruka-sensei announcing the team assignments, which--” At that, every Clan Head quirked an eyebrow inquisitively, “--was a complete bogus. Considering that he’s almost three years away from graduating." 

Tsume promptly turned to the Hyuuga Clan Head before she demanded. “Given your obvious interest, what about your brats, Hiashi?”

Hiashi did not bother hiding the distaste with the 'brat’ remark. Regardless, he answered with both of his hands clasped together, hidden inside his robe. “They’re perfectly normal--” The Inuzuka matriarch rolled her eyes at that comment, “--as always. It’s just that… Hinata was unaware of the funeral.” Tsume was just about to open her mouth to interject when the Hyuuga beat her into it. “When they had been informed two days prior.”

So it’s not just Shikamaru. 

Shikaku mused, mentally noting the similarities and differences he observed with his son. It was truly intriguing. Unfortunately, before anyone could comment any further, the Sandaime entered the room with the Elders trotting behind him.

Hence, the meeting commenced.

Later that night...

Hinata jolted awake at an ungodly hour, a voiceless scream escaping her lips. The Young Hyuuga gradually sat up, a palm touching her wet cheeks. To her bewilderment and surprise, silent tears were continuously streaming down her face. As minutes passed, Hinata felt all air was being sucked out of her lungs while her throat felt dry and constricted. She was drowning with grief, sorrow, guilt, and fury.

And Hinata just couldn't fathom why.

Meanwhile...

On a counter of an unknown bar located in Tea Country, a Blonde woman was greedily consuming the bottle of sake in her hand despite her assistant’s desperate attempts to stop her. After finishing another bottle with a large gulp, her eyelashes began to flutter with all the alcohol before her eyes eventually closed.

And there it is again. 

In an instant, the Blonde snapped her eyes open. In spite of her assistant's protests, she ordered another bottle to drown herself again, ignoring the murmurs and the silhouette of her dead lover.

“Tsunade, You have to remember…”

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Recap:

In an instant, the Blonde snapped her eyes open. In spite of her assistant's protests, she ordered another bottle to drown herself again, ignoring the murmurs and the silhouette of her dead lover.

“Tsunade, You have to remember…”

Kiba groaned, furiously mopping the den of newborn Ninkens filled with shits. 

Why the hell did he have to do this again? 

The Young Inuzuka lamented. Right, it was his punishment for his stupid remarks the other day.

As the stench of feces pervaded the air, Kiba grimaced in disgust. He was seriously regretting opening his big mouth. But in his defense, his reactions were completely normal and justified. After all, how was one supposed to act after learning that their teacher, Iruka-sensei (Kiba was positive the Chunin was alive and kicking when he's 15) was suddenly dead? 

And now, he's being dragged to his sensei's funeral? 

Yup. Kiba was not being delusional or anything despite what his mom and Akamaru (that traitor) believed. The traitor nudged the back of his leg in apology. Nope. Kiba mentally shook his head. He's not gonna budge, at least not yet. 

Unconsciously, Kiba rubbed the spot where his mom smacked him, grumbling in annoyance. His mom was definitely being stupid for retaliating that way. Recalling his dream with its vivid clarity, Kiba was pretty confident that he should be at least a Genin by now. So, how was he supposed to know that he’s nine, approximately three-years shy from graduation? 

“Stupid moms, stupid dreams” The Young Inuzuka grouchily mumbled.

Again, Akamaru nudged him with his puppy whine. Kiba sighed in defeat. He knelt down to the pup's level and gave him a comforting pat. To which, Akamaru eagerly nuzzled his nose in return. 

“Alright, alright. I’m not mad with you anymore." Akamaru gleefully yipped, earning a hearty laugh from the Inuzuka. "But you better help me solve my mystery dream.“ The Ninken nodded in agreement, which made Kiba chuckle even more.

Moving on, the real question was how will they go about it? The dream was, for a lack of a better term, an enigma. It felt too real to be simply dismissed as a dream. At the same time, none of the events made any sense, particularly how Kiba ended up where he is now.

Ughh. Kiba moaned as he felt a headache coming. This was why the Young Inuzuka hated thinking too much. He’s always been the action-oriented kind of guy. Meanwhile, Shikamaru was the smart one in the group, being the Nara Heir and all.

Consequently, his eyes widened in realization. “That’s it! I know what we’ll do, Boy!”

Now, Kiba only needed to wait for the weekend to pass and corner the Young Nara. He smirked at his brilliant plan. 

At the Nara Household...

Shikamaru sneezed. 

“You’re not coming down with a cold, are you?” His father asked with a raised eyebrow. 

The Nara Heir frowned before he responded, “No. It’s too troublesome to catch a cold at this time of the year--” He sacrificed a pawn to capture his father’s lance, “--It’s your turn.”

It’s been two hours since the game has started. Shikamaru could see the satisfaction and entertainment in his father’s features. He was definitely posing to be more of a challenge. However, this was a risky move. There was no doubt that his father has noticed the subtle changes in his tactics, no matter how minimal it was.

Too troublesome.

Shikamaru saw his father make his move.

Ever since the breakfast affair the other day, Shikamaru opted to lay low for the meantime before continuing his investigations, at least until his parents’ suspicions officially subsided. Regrettably yet not unexpected, his father already figured out something was amiss and immediately pulled him into a game of Shogi - the Game of Generals, the Nara Clan’s favorite game to dissect the thinking process of others. A very dangerous game to be engaged in, especially with his father. Despite this fact, the Young Nara had no choice but to indulge the Nara Patriarch.

After all, Shikamaru couldn't have evaded a game with his father without raising more suspicions, could he? And so, he succumbed (Besides, Shogi is fun).

After a couple more exchanges, Shikamaru cursed under his breath, earning a loud laugh from Shikaku. 

He lost again.

“That was a great game." Shikaku reassured as his chuckles died down. "You could have won in the next three moves. But if you’ve used--” His father held the sacrificed pawn in his fingers, “--this to corner my knight, it will pressure my generals to withdraw.”

“Right--” Shikamaru barked sarcastically, lazily drawing the syllables, “--It’s not like it’ll change much how it ends. You’d still win.” He grumbled petulantly.

Shikaku chuckled at his son's childish expression. 

“Touché. I’d still win--” The Nara patriarch smirked at that statement, but a gentle smile immediately found its way on his lips, “--But it will alter the flow of events. I told you: Never forsake a pawn for the other. You’ll never know how a single piece can--”

“--change the entire tide of the game. Right. You’ve told me.” Shikamaru ended, finishing his father's sentence before he slumped on their matted floor.

With his eyes still focused on the ceiling, Shikamaru heard his father putting the pieces back on the board. “Good. You’re learning. Care for another match?”

Sitting up straight again, the Nara Heir shrugged as he gazed at the newly rearranged board game. Truth to be told, Shikamaru preferred not to, especially after seeing the eager, calculating glint in his father’s eyes. However, a 'No' was definitely not an option.

Thankfully, before Shikamaru was subjected to another evaluation in a form of shogi, his mother interrupted them. “Shikaku! Inoichi and Chouza are here for you.”

“Guess, We’ll have to postpone the game for some other time." His father promptly stood up before he waved a goodbye, "See you later at dinner.”

With that, Shikaku left while Shikamaru released a relieved breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Somewhere in Konoha...

“Sorry, I wasn’t able to visit for a while. I just got back from a mission. I--” Kakashi paused for a few moments, “--missed the funeral. Do you guys remember Umino Iruka?  I bet you’d remember him clearly, Obito. He was three years our junior, cute kid. I guess. So umm. Yeah. He died.” The silver-haired Jounin ended lamely.

Nonetheless, he carried on with his tale.

“It was his funeral that I missed. I met him a couple of times, exchanged drinks with the other guys. Iruka-san… We were--” Kakashi’s features slightly contorted, searching for the right word yet failing miserably, “--acquaintances. Or okay. Maybe almost friends. I don’t know, I never really got the chance to hang out with him a lot. I mean, with all the missions and everything. And now…”

The words 'he's dead' were left unspoken. Kakashi could almost feel Minato-sensei giving him a comforting pat, while Obito and Rin looked at him somberly, eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. Kakashi ignored them in favor of talking.

“He was kinda famous among his peers. Actually Rin, I think you remembered him, the black-haired kid in a ponytail with a scarred face--” Kakashi could almost see Rin nodding in agreement, her chocolate orbs sparking with recognition, “--a little bit of a prankster during the old days. He’s now an academy instructor. Or was. I bet you would’ve liked him, Minato-sensei. Both You and Kushina-san. Our last conversation was actually him nagging me to get a genin team since I failed another one. Iruka-san--"

Kakashi's mind instinctively wandered back to their last conversation with two of them casually sitting on a bench, conversing in soft voices as they watched the sun painting the horizon with a symphony of orange, yellow, and red. He eye-smiled at the memory.

"--he said he became an instructor, just this year, to pass on the Will of Fire to the next generation, that maybe I should consider it too." His teammates were nodding in agreement, which Kakashi effortlessly ignored as he added, "He's a very dedicated ninja. I like him.”

Instantly, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“And no--" Kakashi shot an icy glare toward the imaginary figure of his friend, "--Obito, I don’t have a crush on him or anything. It’s not like that.” He could have sworn, he heard Obito snickering at that comment while the others chuckled.

With a more sullen and troubled expression, he continued. “It’s just... It feels wrong for him to die." Kakashi confessed, his gaze centering on the memorial stone. "His name is not even carved in this stone. He may not have died in a direct line of duty. But, he definitely deserved it, not the dying part obviously. Anyhow, I heard--” Kakashi’s face turned more grave, focusing his attention on the ghost of his mentor, “--he was murdered, in his own home, Sensei. This--" Minato's ghost appeared to be reflective, but nonetheless, allowed him to continue, "--brought chaos to the Shinobi Forces. Everyone’s questioning the Village’s Security.”

Kakashi heaved a weary sigh. “I get it though. Still, I can't shake this ominous feeling like something big will happen. Ne--" The silver-haired Jounin tentatively paused, eyeing his mentor's ghost. Translucent cerulean irises met his ebony-hued ones. "--Minato-sensei, do you think something big is coming?”

As expected, his question was answered with silence.

Kakashi did not expect anything different. He guessed that the story of his new Jutsus and evolving Sharingan was destined for another time. Kakashi had talked enough for today. One by one, the concocted ghosts of his team started to dissipate, leaving him with nothing but the whispers of the wind.

Finally, Kakashi averted his gaze from the memorial stone and glanced up. He saw multiple cumulonimbus clouds beginning to form. 

Looks like there’s gonna be another storm tonight.

“So--” Inoichi started as the trio walked into the local pub, “--from the looks of it, You got your game. How’s little Shikamaru?”

The trio sat by the counter and ordered their drinks. The Nara patriarch was positive that his wife's gonna nag him about how irresponsible it is for him to drink in broad daylight. But Shikaku could deal with it later.

There were quite a number of ninjas hanging around today, mostly resting from their missions. Scanning the room by habit, Shikaku noticed that majority of the occupants were Chuunin in rank, albeit there were also a few Jounins in the mix, such as Shiranui Genma and Namiashi Raidou. Seeing his old pupils, Chouza waved his hand amicably as a greeting, which was returned by a smile and a respectful nod, respectively.

Shikaku sipped his drinks before he answered, tone a little bit pretentious.

“He’s too smart.”

This earned a chuckle from the Akimichi while Inoichi groaned. The Yamanaka was so close to face-palming.

“Be serious, Shikaku. I didn’t come here to listen to you boast about the brilliance of your son. We know--" He accentuated in exasperation, "--He’s a fucking Nara for Pete’s sake. Worst of all, your spawn.”

“We listen to you sing praises about Ino, all the time. Your beautiful, smart, little girl.” Chouza playfully countered, causing Shikaku to snigger beside them.

Inoichi's eyebrow twitched in irritation. Rolling his eyes, he retaliated. 

“Shut up, Chouza. It’s different. Besides, I hear you talk about Chou--”

“--He's too smart." Shikaku cut in, effectively saving Chouza from the incoming tirade. "Shikamaru knows I’m into him. So he’s playing carefully.” Seeing their eager and curious gazes, the Nara continued. “When we were playing, there was a minuscule change in his strategy, although he definitely put an effort to be discreet about it. Shikamaru used the Anaguma System wisely - too wisely in my opinion.”

The Nara paused as he took another sip from his glass. Chouza and Inoichi were intently listening, patiently waiting for him to elaborate. "It’s a castle system for ultimate defense. The Anaguma System is a fairly popular technique. Hence, it was a good diversion. But to use it to that degree of efficiency--" Shikaku emphasized, "--it shows a great level of experience, an experience that could only come from someone who had witnessed and lived through a war.” 

Shikaku ended, stressing the last word of his sentence. From the corner of his vision, he saw Inoichi rubbing his temples, another migraine forming because of his revelations. Chouza, on the other hand, took a gulp of his sake almost as if the Akimichi was trying to drown his incoming headache away.

“Well. I’m glad Chouji’s not affected by whatever’s spreading to your kids. All three of them having it is bound for chaos.” Chouza commented jokingly in an attempt to diffuse the tension in the air, not that it worked much.

Nevertheless, Shikaku nodded in affirmation.

Recalling how both the Inuzuka and Hyuuga brats were also affected, the Nara guessed he'll have to observe the other Clan kids as well. 

What a drag.

Drip. 

The rain started to fall, pitter-pattering across the roof. Most of the people began to disperse, hiding in the shelter of their homes. In spite of it, Naruto was still running, the raindrops soaking his jumpsuit.

Splash.

Naruto stepped into another puddle. He has no idea how long he’s been running nor what was his destination. The Young Uzumaki didn't have one when he started scampering away from the market.  Naruto just wanted to get away from everyone.

When he was out of the residential area, and finally alone (Again, Naruto escaped from his Anbu guards), the Blonde stopped in his tracks before he rested his back on a tree, slumping on the ground. At last, the Young Uzumaki let out a sigh of relief.

Great. I lost my groceries, again. Naruto depressingly noted, noticing the absence of weight from his side.

After a few more minutes, just to catch his breath, his hand cautiously touched the small bruise along his jawline. The moment his fingers came in contact, Naruto winced slightly. Despite the pain, he observed that at least, it was beginning to heal nicely.

Drawing his hand away, Naruto allowed his eyelids to momentarily fall as he recall the earlier events

Flashback

A few moments ago, Naruto was in the market, restocking his groceries for the month.

The Blonde was fully aware he was unwanted here, as always. Hence, Naruto learned to cope. He did whatever he could to erase his presence, anything to avoid being spotted by anyone lest he wanted to get hurt (which was definitely a 'No' if the Blonde could help it). Eventually, Naruto learned-primarily out of necessity-how to exploit a person’s blind spot, to effectively hide his presence. Fortunately, the fact that he's a natural sensor was a huge bonus in detecting blind spots (at least, it was useful in these kinds of situations. Naruto idly regarded). 

Going back, Naruto effectively hid his presence the entire time, adroitly maneuvering behind the Villagers' blind spots. For once, Naruto felt proud of himself. He might actually leave this place unscathed. Everything was going so well until... it wasn't. 

As always, Naruto was simply minding his own business. He was almost finished with his task when the Blonde sensed a toddler looking at him.

Turning his gaze to the child, the Young Uzumaki saw the toddler wiggling on its steps, arms outstretched towards his direction as if he was trying to reach him, a giant toothy grin plastered on the tyke's face. Meanwhile, his parents were completely oblivious to the scene, happily chatting with a store clerk.

Sensing the pure innocence and bliss emanating from the toddler, Naruto couldn't help but smile at the young child. He was almost tempted to pick up the little tyke and give him some raspberry kisses. However... Naruto knew the kid's parents wouldn't appreciate it. 

Twisting his torso, the Blonde was just about to leave when the toddler tripped, prompting Naruto to dash towards his side. Thankfully, he was able to prevent the poor toddler's face from smacking on the hard concrete. Unfortunately, the Young Uzumaki wasn't fast enough to save him from a small scratch on the knee.

As blood began to seep from his wound, the child instantly burst into tears, causing Naruto to panic. Before he could do anything else, a blood-curdling scream echoed in the marketplace.

“HIROTO! My poor baby! And--” The woman scrambled toward her son, abruptly snatching him from Naruto’s hand as she shrieked accusingly at his face. “--You! What have you done to my child, You Filthy Demon!”

“No. I didn't. I was just--” Naruto never got the chance to finish his sentence when a man-who appeared to be the child’s father-punched him hard in the jaw, causing the Blonde to fall on his butt. 

“How dare you touch my child with your cursed hand!" The man venomously spat, his every word laced with animosity and disgust. "Leave, before you infect us all.”

Naruto was just sitting on the ground, refusing to meet anyone's eyes as his fingers instinctively drifted towards the forming bruise on his face.

And splat.

A rotten fruit was thrown at him, staining his left shoulder.

“Leave. You, Demon Child. Nobody wants you here.” Another person snarled.

There was an agreement in the crowd. Naruto could sense that his Anbu guards were about to intervene. At this point, the Blonde couldn't find himself to care.

Naruto just wanted to be anywhere but here.

With quivering legs, the Young Uzumaki collected himself, gradually standing up.

Before anything else could happen, Naruto ran away, leaving his hard-earned groceries forgotten in the ground.

End of Flashback

“It’s not like I wanted to be here either.” He muttered under his breath as the memory ended.

The rotten fruit in his left shoulder had already been cleansed by the rain. Naruto knew that giving in to his anger was no use. He promised himself he will never stoop to their levels. Besides, he trusted Jiji to do something about it (not that it was ever enough. A traitorous voice in his mind promptly countered).

Nonetheless, Naruto promised and an Uzumaki never backed down on their promises.

From his west, the Blonde could sense his Anbu guards approaching fast. From the looks of it, they'll be arriving in a few minutes, most like to bring him to Hokage-Jiji or escort him home.

As he waited for the Anbu, Naruto's attention was drawn to the bird, endlessly flapping its wings despite the heavy rain, flying beyond the Konoha's gate, farther away from here. Slowly, the Young Uzumaki closed his eyes. Someday - No. Naruto instantly amended -  one day, he'll be free like that blue-feathered bird.

And when that time comes, maybe…

Naruto will finally be home. 

Somewhere in Amegakure...

The incessant rain was still pouring unforgivingly as a roaring thunder reverberated in the sky.

Amidst all of it, a masked man with a flaring Sharingan was sitting comfortably in his quarters, playing with the shogi piece in his hand. The word 'bishop' could be read from the said piece. He kept on flickering it back-and-forth with his fingers, ultimately disregarding the cries of the heaven above. 

When another crackle of lightning flashed, the masked man crushed the bishop in his hand, reducing it into nothing but dust. 

“Now that it’s out of the way, the stage is finally set." A maniacal laugh escaped his lips as the sky howled harder. "Let the Shinobi world dance towards its downfall.”

Here Lies Umino Iruka

A Beacon of the Kings, Extinguished before his Time

A Soldier who Served their Village well

May your Fire Burn Brightly Beyond Death

May 26, 1984 - October 10, 2004

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Recap:

When another crackle of lightning flashed, the masked man crushed the bishop in his hand, reducing it into nothing but dust. 

“Now that it’s out of the way, the stage is finally set." A maniacal laugh escaped his lips as the sky howled harder. "Let the Shinobi world dance towards its downfall.”

Drizzle. Drizzle.

“Uzumaki-san, the Sandaime wishes to see you.”

The Anbu announced in an apathetic voice the moment he arrived.

It’s only been ten minutes since then (and Naruto silently commended the Anbu for his efforts). Glancing at his new companion, the Blonde noted that it was Tiger - the Wood Guy. As usual, it was Tiger who found him first, which was not surprising.

Some might not believe him, but Naruto knew all his Anbu guards by heart, his constant shadows who were never cruel to him. There was Tiger, Dog, Hawk, and Weasel; sometimes Cat was also present. But a year ago, Hawk and Weasel's chakra completely vanished into thin air while Dog quitted being one of his shadows, always taking long-term missions outside the Village.

[On a separate note, something about Dog had always bothered Naruto. Similar to the other shadows, Dog was, for a lack of a better term, neutral.

But from time to time, whenever the Anbu believed Naruto was asleep, the Blonde could sense some sadness, regret, and fear radiating from the other. And that's the thing, the fear he sensed from Dog has always been different, almost as if the man was afraid for him rather than of him. Unfortunately, Dog always disappeared too fast for the Blonde to fully grasp it.]

Going back, the only shadow that could've caught up on him was either Tiger or Cat.

Standing up from his spot, Naruto nodded and followed him. With a light touch on his left shoulder (to which Naruto inwardly flinched), the duo body-flickered to the Hokage’s Tower. 

At the Tower...

Upon their arrival, a towel was instantly offered to them by the Sandaime. However, Tiger immediately left them the moment he was safely escorted. Naruto, on the other hand, accepted it, mumbling a faint 'thanks' in return.

As the Young Uzumaki mutely dried himself, he could sense the sadness and disappointment emanating from the Sandaime, although the latter was not directed to him (thankfully). He heard Hokage-jiji clear his throat.

“Naruto--” The Sandaime began, tone remorseful and apologetic. “--I heard what happened today in the market. And for that, I would like to--”

“--It’s okay, Jiji." Naruto promptly interjected, cutting the Hokage's apology before he supplied. "Doesn’t really matter much. I’m used to it.”

While Hiruzen didn't seem to mind his interruption, his words only seemed to worsen his earlier emotions, adding a silent fury to the list.  

“That’s the problem, Naruto--” Hiruzen took the towel from his hand to help Naruto dry himself, “--you’re not supposed to get used to it. As such, I apologize for my inability to prevent such events.” The Sandaime set the wet towel at his table before continuing, “I’ve inflicted proper retribution on your offenders. I’ll make--”

“--but there’s no need for that, Jiji!” Naruto interjected in panic before reasoning, “They didn’t have to be punished. Besides, it doesn’t even hurt anymore. Just… leave them be,” Refusing to meet the Sandaime in the eye, he added. “You shouldn’t give me special treatment.”

Hiruzen sighed but his eyes softened. “Naruto, you are truly a kind child--" To which Naruto inwardly snorted, "--I’m not favoring you or anything. Look at me--” He gently urged the Blonde who reluctantly complied, “--what those citizens did borderline child abuse. This is your Village, your home, your sanctuary. I want you to feel protected, to know you’re safe--”

“--Really. Safe like what happened to the Academy Instructor?” Naruto spat sarcastically. He really didn’t mean to snap at the Hokage. But all the talk about home, protection, and shit were grating his nerves. Accepting his mistake, he immediately mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

At that, the Sandaime looked resigned before sternly supplying, “I understand. You must have been exhausted for today. What happened to Umino-sensei was truly unfortunate. The Council is taking appropriate measures to tighten the Village's Security. You shouldn’t worry too much about it. I’ll let you go now.” Hiruzen gave him a comforting pat on the head as he added. “Good night, Naruto.”

The Blonde petulantly murmured a soft ‘Good Night’ which earned a chuckle from the Sandaime. In an instant, Tiger was back to accompany Naruto back to his apartment. With that, they Body-flickered away.

Later that night, Naruto let the pouring rain lull him into slumber.

At the Academy (Monday)...

Kiba's plan was absolutely flawless. 

His brilliant plan basically consisted of: Attend the Academy. Corner Shikamaru, alone. Tell him his current predicament (aka dream); and finally, let the Smart Guy do the planning. Problem solved. Simple and Efficient. Kiba mentally smirked at his brilliance.

(Akamaru begs to differ.)

Arriving at the class with a few minutes to spare, he noticed some of the Gang (read: Rookie Nine) were missing--like Ino, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Naruto. Wait. Then, Kiba's eyes widened in realization.

We were in separate classes!

Great. The Inuzuka inwardly grumbled, remembering that First Years were divided alphabetically by surnames. He glared at the nonexistent air. Why the hell did the other class had to start at N? He mentally groaned in frustration.  Glancing at the Akimichi heir who's gleefully munching his chips away, Kiba decided. 

Oh well. Guess he'll just add 'Follow Chouji' to the plan.

Shikamaru had a bad feeling. 

Ever since he woke up this morning, he had this inkling sensation that something dreadful (read: troublesome) was waiting for him at the Academy. He absolutely wanted to skip for today. If only his mother would let him, Shikamaru sighed dejectedly. 

Yawning as he observed his classmates, he detected the small changes in both Ino and Sasuke's aura.

Or was it their persona? He mused.

Focusing on the two, Ino seemed to have suddenly graduated from her fangirl phase, if her non-drooling look towards the Uchiha was any indication. Meanwhile, the latter appeared to have calmed down a bit? Shikamaru couldn't really pinpoint it out. He was never close to the Uchiha, to begin with, unlike a certain Uzumaki.

Drifting his thoughts to Naruto, he wondered what class the Blonde had this year. Before Shikamaru could continue his chain of thoughts, the bell rang.

Kriiing. Kriiing.

Shikamaru nuzzled deeper into his arms as the class started, snoozing the lessons away.

Someone’s messing with their minds.

That was Ino’s definitive conclusion. Ever since she woke up three days ago, the Yamanaka Heir felt completely lost and baffled. She might have overreacted a bit on the day of the funeral, making her father believe that she have a serious case of denial.

Ino inwardly scoffed at her father’s stupid supposition. If the adults won’t help, she’ll just have to do it herself.

Sasuke-kun doesn’t seem to be that appealing anymore? Ino noted, gaze following the Uchiha who was leaving for lunch. Well. He’s still attractive, physically.

Ino guessed, with his pale complexion and cool demeanor. But, he’s kinda dull? Like he’s lacking some--

Her inner monologue was rudely interrupted by a lazy, “Ino.”

Turning toward the source, she saw Shikamaru standing grouchily in front of her. “I need you to gather some information for me.”

At this, Ino arched an eyebrow.

The Nara Heir never went to her for any favors despite being childhood friends, always deeming her to be too troublesome to deal with. “Can you snoop around, ask about Naruto’s schedule and the incident with Iruka-sensei?”

Slyly, Ino responded, “Oh? And why should I do that, Shikamaru?” She challenged her friend.

Truth to be told, Ino didn't mind snooping around. She actually planned to do that, in case it might give her some answers. But hey, where's the fun in that? This earned a breath of exasperation from the Nara heir.

“This is too troublesome to explain right now. I’ll tell you more when I’ve garnered more facts. Something’s wrong with Iruka-sensei’s death.” Shikamaru paused momentarily before prodding, “So… Will you do it?”

“Fine.” Ino begrudgingly agreed before demanding, “I want the full detail of your analysis. Whatever it is.” She stood up to set off, “I’ll let you know what I have by the end of the day.”

And with that, Ino left Shikamaru, the latter mumbling ‘Troublesome Blonde’ as she disappeared.

Somewhere at the Academy Backyard...

“Shika--” Chouji wheezed out in-between his munchings, “--somebody’s watching us.”

“Yeah. It’s Kiba.” Shikamaru sighed, discreetly eyeing the Inuzuka, who's poorly hiding behind the bushes. 

“Kiba?” Chouji asked before he clarified, “The Inuzuka in my class? Why would he be spying on us?”

Shikamaru shrugged n response. Finally had enough of the Inuzuka's conspicuous hiding, he lazily called him out from their spot. “Kiba, what do you need?”

At that, the Inuzuka visibly jumped from the bush he was attempting to camouflage. Akamaru was comfortably veiled behind his hoodie. Scratching his cheeks sheepishly for being caught, Kiba answered, “Can I talk to you? Umm--” shifting his eyes between Shikamaru and Chouji before adding, “--alone?”

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow at the odd request. Beside him, he noticed Chouji getting ready to give them their privacy. He stopped his friend and stared Kiba dead serious in the eye. “Whatever you need to tell me. Chouji here can listen.” Shikamaru paused before commenting, “He’s good at keeping secrets if that’s your concern.” 

The Akimichi Clan heir, who’s situated between them, looked confused. He honestly doesn’t mind leaving. All that mattered to him was to finish his lunch. Although, Chouji won’t deny he’s curious. After a few more seconds of inner debate (for Kiba’s part), the Inuzuka finally conceded. 

“Okay. Well, You see...”

And so Kiba began recounting his dream.

Meanwhile...

At the cafeteria, Ino was straining her ears to gather some intel, listening to every available gossip.

“--really shocked my parents with Umino-sensei’s--”

“--Oh! Mine too. They said it was truly unnatural--”

“--yaa. I wonder when Sasuke-kun will look at me.” 

“Pleaseeee. As if he’ll ever look at--”

Ino mentally sighed.

All she’s hearing were stupid speculations of what she already knew. Ino just learned how annoying tittle-tattle talks and fangirling could be. She absolutely blames Shikamaru and Sakura. The former for its lazy attitude toward everything while the latter for her intense dedication to Medical Ninjutsu. This made Ino focus on improving their Clan Jutsu’s and lessening the gossiping, which was actually a good thing until now.

“Sasuke-kun sure is dreamy today--”

“--agree. He’s so perfect, as--”

“--was really weird. Cause’ why would they target--”

“--mom said something about the curse acting up--”

At that, Ino instantly perked up. Interrupting the entire conversation at the table, she directly addressed the last speaker. “Hey, Rei. What did you mean by a curse?”

The person in question immediately looked bewildered. In fact, everyone at the table who had heard her. Nevertheless, Ino received multiple answers.

“Ehh? But you already know this Ino-chan? How--” Ino was honestly tempted to smack her for that stupid question. Of course, she’s asking because she didn’t know. “--could you forget the curse?”

“Rei-chan’s right, Ino. It’s the curse of October 10th. The death of Umino-sensei is actually the third tragedy.” An auburn-haired girl supplied. Ino believed her name was Nina?

Beside her, another girl nodded before adding, “The first one was the Kyuubi’s attack nine years ago. It was followed by--” The girl lowered her voice in a whisper,”--the Uchiha massacre last year. And now this, Iruka-sensei’s death. All happened on the night of October 10th,” she ended gravely.

Huh. That was definitely too bizarre to be a coincidence. Ino silently mused. Wait.

She started to ask them, “Isn’t October 10 the birthday of--”

Ino never got a chance to finish her question as the mere mention of ‘Birthday’ triggered a series of negative reactions. A hand instantly found itself in her mouth, effectively silencing Ino while the others cried,

“Ino-chan! You mustn't!” 

“SHHH!” 

“OhmyGod. What if the curse suddenly befell unto us?!”

When Ino finally managed to get free, the culprit (aka Tsubasa) explained. “Ino-chan, Rei-chan’s right--” As silent as a feather, she murmured, “--you mustn't mention the name of the Cursed Child. Or else, you might end up dead.”

The other girls nodded, which Ino dutifully ignored in favor of satisfying her curiosity. She clarified, “Cursed child? Do you mean?” 

“Yeah. It’s the Uzumaki from the upper class. I heard he’s in Neji-sama’s class.” The auburn-haired girl, Nina, supplied.

Beside her, a unison of ‘Poor Neji-sama’ can be heard in agreement. 

That sounded nothing but bullshit to Ino’s ears -- both the curse and the ‘Neji-sama’ shits. She desperately wanted to smack some sense to her frivolous companions. Inwardly lamenting at her situation, Ino wished Sakura was here.

Speaking of her pink-haired rival - slash- best friend, Ino wondered how the other is. Guess, I'll just have to figure it out later. For now, the Yamanaka heir has to deal-- 

Another girl interrupted her thoughts, pulling her out of her pondering.

“Ino-chan. You have to believe us--” Ino surmised the incredulity in her face must've been too evident given the other's insistence. “--He’s the only one born on the night of October 10th. And the series of tragedies started on the very day of his birth. It’s a curse.”

Tsubasa nodded beside her before summating, “Yeah. Actually I heard that Iruka-sensei tried to talk to him. To stop him from skipping his classes. Now, look where it got him.”

At that, everyone (except Ino) agreed solemnly. The Yamanaka heir, on the other, decided she had heard more than enough. Fortunately, before she could rudely ditch her companions which will most likely blemish her reputation, the bell rang signifying the end of lunch.

Ino walked back to her room silently, completely transfixed with her new information.

Tick. Tock.

Shikamaru kept glancing at the clock. He couldn't wait for the classes to end.

Tick. Tcck.

Two more minutes. The Nara Heir silently groaned. He never knew how taunting counting down the remaining minutes can be. A few meters in front of him. He noticed Ino’s in a similar state. Judging from her expression, it seemed like the Yamanaka had successfully acquired valuable information. 

Tick. Tock.

One more minute. Idly, Shikamaru let his mind wander back to his earlier conversation with Kiba. The Inuzuka's dream definitely matches the fragments he remembered. Now, they simply had to make sense of the puzzle. Shooting his best friend a side-glance, he also noted that there were no changes on the Akimichi. Chouji neither showed any signs of having that weird, futuristic war dream nor uncomfortable nagging sensations. 

Kriiing. Kriiing.

In an instant, both Shikamaru and Ino abruptly stood up the moment the bell rang -- onyx orbs clashing with light blue ones, before simultaneous nodding.  

With that, the duo left without bothering to wait for their Instructor to finish his final announcements.

Now.

Sasuke was definitely perturbed.

While it was never in his nature to pry on other’s businesses, there were rumors that the current heirs of the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi Clans are being bred to be the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho. But for the entire time the duo had been his classmates, Sasuke had never once witnessed the Yamanaka and Nara Heirs to be so... so synchronized.

Well... that was until today. Sasuke had the irrational urge to follow them. However… Neither of them was his friend, they were simply classmates -- nothing more, nothing less.

And for that reason alone, the Young Uchiha decided to turn his heel and head home to train.

At the Academy’s Rooftop...

When Shikamaru and Ino arrived, Chouji, Kiba (and Akamaru) were already waiting for them. Ino crossed her arms at the new additions, silently demanding an explanation from her companion. Shikamaru let out a deep breath before drawling,

“Ino. Just--” Shikamaru closed his eyes as if he’s too tired to deal with them (which might be true), “--just sit down and let Kiba explain. It will all make sense in a minute. ”

Ino begrudgingly followed with a stubborn puff. After everyone was comfortably assembled in a small circle, she immediately insisted, “So?”

At that, Kiba turned to the Nara heir before inquiring, “Uhh. Shikamaru, are you sure--”

“Yeah” Shikamaru interjected. “She’s our informant of the local news and current events. Plus, Ino’s father--”

“--Oi. Stop talking like I’m not here” Ino grumbled while visibly twitching in annoyance. 

(Predictably, she was dutifully ignored by the rest. Somewhere between their conversations, Akamaru fell asleep, blissfully napping at Kiba’s lap.)

“--is the current head of T&I Division. Besides, Ino already had valuable information” Shikamaru glanced at the Blonde for confirmation. To which Ino agreed with an indignant ‘Hmph!’

Despite looking quite reluctant, Kiba regaled his tale. “Well, It all started with a weird dream, which I had the day of Iruka-sensei’s funeral--”

At that statement, Ino and Chouji were instantly hooked. Although the latter managed to hear some of it during lunch, it was still very brief in his opinion.

“--so basically, in my dream, we were older, at least 15 to 17 yrs. old? Anyways, the big thing was the war. It was called the Fourth Shinobi War. All Ninjas were united, regardless of their Village. And, we were at the center of it. One of the front-liners. All of us, Hinata, Neji, Sakura, Lee, Sai--”

Ino perked an eyebrow at the last name. She knew it was her first time hearing it. For some unknown reason, the name ‘Sai’ felt important to her.

“--and of course, Naruto. He was the main force, a literal One-Man-Army. Naruto--”

“Naruto? As in Uzumaki Naruto?” Ino clarified insistently. Both Shikamaru and Chouji looked inquisitively at her odd emphasis while Kiba seemed to be bewildered. 

“--Umm. Yeah? Why?” Ino simply waved her hand, signing him to continue on his tale.  “Okay? Where was I? Right. So Naruto, he was kinda the key to it all? I still can’t--” Kiba rubbed the back of his neck apologetically, “--make sense of it all. But it seems like the main villain was after him? And then, the evil guy started performing a Jutsu--”

“Can you remember the name of the Jutsu, Kiba?” Shikamaru urgently probed. 

Kiba scrunched his nose before shaking his head. “Not really. But I believe it’s something--” pausing for a few more minutes, “--something similar to Gyaku?” 

“Gyaku? You mean Reverse or Reversal?” Chouji further inquired. 

Before Kiba could answer, Ino cut in. “Reverse or Reversal, does it really matter? In the end, it’s Gyaku no Jutsu right?”

“No.” Shikamaru abruptly corrected. The trio’s eyes instantly snapped at him, urging him to elaborate further. How Troublesome. Should have kept my mouth shut. Shikamaru mentally complained. Still, he gave them the answer.

“Reverse and Reversal might be similar, but its meanings and implications can be totally different. For instance, consider the word ‘war’. The reverse of war is technically ‘peace’. However, its reversal denotes the ‘state of being in peace’. These--” his glances shifted between his three companions, “--two are distinctively varying. Was it clear to all of you?”

Receiving three nods of confirmation, Shikamaru gestured Kiba to continue. Kiba cleared his throat before resuming his story.

“Going back, the Jutsu. So the villain casted it then the Hokages--” At that, the listeners raised their eyebrows inquisitively. “--I know. It may sound weird, but I vividly saw them in my dream. The First, Second, and Third Hokage were all present. Together with the other Kages, they were forming some kind of barrier?” Kiba touched his chin as he tried to remember further details, “Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to stop the Jutsu. And then, I woke up.” 

At the end of his tale, all occupants were silent, seemingly in deep thought. It was Shikamaru who had broken the silence.

“Ino, could you tell us your discoveries for today?” The Blonde in question appeared to be startled at being called. Giving Ino more time to gather her bearings, Shikamaru proposed “Did it have something to do with your sudden fixation on Naruto?” At the mention of the Uzumaki’s name, Chouji glanced at him questioningly. “What is it Chouji?” the Nara asked.

“Well, Shika. You never called him Naruto before. It was always Uzumaki-san. Although, we never indulged the rumor about--"

"What rumor?" the Nara heir instantly inserted before his friend could finish, completely ignoring the inquiry about his sudden change in addressing the Blonde. Chouji was just about to explain when another voice beat him. 

"The rumor about him being the Cursed Child. " 

This time, it was Ino who answered him. As expected, Kiba and Shikamaru were absolutely stunned at her announcement. The former accidentally woke up Akamaru with his abrupt movements. Kiba was also the first one who voiced his incredulity. 

"Wh-what the hell?! Cursed Child?! What--" Kiba spluttered. Next to him, Chouji looked at him sympathetically. The Akimichi heir somewhat foresaw this kind of reaction from them. 

"I was getting to it Dog-brain. Now, if you boys would stop interrupting me--" Ino gave the boys a pointed look, "--Uzumaki Naruto or simply Naruto as you fondly call him is in a year ahead of us. He's currently in Neji's class. People deemed him as the Cursed Child due to the series of unfortunate events--" Ino held up three fingers, "--which all seemed to occur on his birthday: The Kyuubi's attack--" As she listed it, one by one Ino brought her fingers down."--the Uchiha Massacre, and lastly, Iruka-sensei's assassination." She concluded solemnly.

“W-WHAT THE--” Kiba’s outrageous screams were easily muffled by Shikamaru. 

“So they needed a scapegoat.”

Ino nodded at his assessment before summating, “Personally, I don’t believe any of those 'curse' bullshits. However, even for me, this seems to be too much of a coincidence.” 

At her little comment, the Nara heir looked pensive. Before he could ask Chouji for more inputs of this Naruto’s character, an unknown voice permeated the area.

“What the heck--” An Academy Instructor began in surprise, “--are you kids still doing here at this hour--”

In which, the Instructor’s reprimands died in his throat as the four kids scrambled at their feet in retreat. Guess, they’ll just have to continue their discussions tomorrow. Shikamaru conceded.

How Troublesome.

On his way home, Sasuke unknowingly made a detour, leading him to the Naka River. Near the riverbank of Naka, he was just about to turn around in fear of memories suffocating him when Sasuke saw him. 

There. 

Sitting alone at the riverside was a Blonde kid clad in a horrendous orange jumpsuit. Instinctively, Sasuke scrunched up his nose in the obvious distaste for the color. But when the kid shifted in his direction, Sasuke visibly jolted in surprise. And it wasn’t because of the fact that the Blonde easily detected his presence. After all, it was not like Sasuke bothered to hide his presence anyway. But rather, his surprise was because foreign familiarity he felt with the Blonde. 

Scanning the other's features, Sasuke noted that the Blonde kid appeared to be younger? Or smaller than he originally thought. However, the moment his gaze landed on the kid's eyes, it just felt so wrong. His cerulean orbs just looked so... resigned. For some unfathomable reason, Sasuke expected -- No. He knew the Blonde's eye should've been vibrant and full of life, certainly not what he's seeing. 

Before the Uchiha could register it, he had unconsciously mumbled.

“Naruto…”   

In an instant, both of their eyes widened but for different reasons.

For Sasuke, it was the fact that he knew the other kid’s name when he was positive this was their first encounter. He had absolutely no idea where the name ‘Naruto’ came from. However, before he could recover from his initial shock and interrogate the Blonde, the other immediately scuttled in a hurry, leaving Sasuke with nothing but an empty spot by the river.

At the Yamanaka Household...

As Ino recalled the earlier events in the academy, her hypothesis was firmly solidified. She was right.

Whoever did it, also affected her peers, but not all of them. Ino decided, she’ll research more about the names Kiba had mentioned tomorrow. The ‘Sai’ one was really bugging her the most, something about the name was...

Ino mentally shook her head to stop her current train of thoughts. She was going off tangent again. Moving on, Ino knew Shikamaru had caught up.  

Someone was playing mind games with them.

At that conclusion, the Yamanaka couldn't help but make a silent, indignant scoff. Ino swore she'll teach that Idiot a lesson for messing with their minds. After all, the Nara Clan might always be the smartest one, but the specialty of the Yamanaka's had always been the human psyche.

And Ino’s not just any Yamanaka.  She's the heir of their Clan. 

She'll prove to that Idiot why she’s worthy of that title.

To be Continued...

Chapter Text

Sorry! It’s not an update. Please take the time to read this. I’m willing to entertain more questions and confusion. Hahaha

I’ve just realized something as I was scrolling down the comments. I’m really new to this writing thing so maybe I have been more confusing than I intended to? Basically, I’m writing this chapter to clear up some of your questions and ensure that we’re on the same page. So I kinda wrote the possible questions for this fic (?) 

What Really Happened:

EVERY living Shinobi accidentally time-traveled. However, only 11 of them had their memories locked while the rest were erased. The memories (which includes the emotions) of the chosen 11 need a trigger to slowly resurface (This is the reason why not all of the pawns and knights were not yet revealed.) So basically, when Iruka-sensei died, Konoha shinobis with locked memory were set off. 

How exactly did they time-travel and what were the side-effects?

I’ll try to answer this as much as I can without spoiling too much. I am under the impression that only the soul is transported when travelling back through time. Since their soul is connected to their chakra, essentially, they should be as strong as their future (past?) selves. However, since their chakra storage during the Fourth Shinobi war was too large for their younger counterparts, it had adapted to the level their body could contain. This explains why Kakashi had a hard time utilizing the Mangekyo Sharingan.

How does the trigger work?

The extent (or impact) of the trigger varies from everybody. For instance, Kiba tends to remember a lot cause’ I assumed that being a troublemaker in the Canon led him to many detentions with Iruka. Hahah. 

If only the living Shinobi’s time-traveled, how come the others like Shikaku seemed to be remembering stuff when they already died during the start of the Canon's divergence?

Well, they’re only skeptical. The sole reason for that is Shikaku’s too smart not to notice the minuscule changes in his son. For the case of the others, they’re kinda obvious and stupid (for Kiba’s case. Hahahah)  

Are the Villagers really that cruel?

Well. Most of the time, they try to avoid physical assaults because Naruto’s still under the protection of the Hokage. However, ever since the Uchiha Massacre, they were under the impression that he’s a cursed child. This belief was further reinforced by Iruka-sensei’s assassination on the exact same day.  It was all a butterfly effect kind of thing.

How are the pawns and knights determined?

These are based on their role in the Fourth Shinobi War. Hence, the revealed pieces are as follows:

Knight = Kakashi 

Pawn = Shikamaru, Kiba, Ino, Sai, Sasuke, Hinata, and Tsunade

Questions about the exact time they reappeared in the past, other changes aside from the death of Iruka-sensei, the moment when the other pieces will be revealed, and among others are stuff that I cannot answer or else I’ll spoil stuff. Hahahaha.

Anyways. That’s all for me! Let me know if it helps. Thank you so much.

PS. I would absolutely be grateful if you guys could point out my flaws so I can improve my writing. Once again, thank you soooo much <3

Chapter Text

Recap: 

The Nara Clan might always be the smartest but the specialty of the Yamanaka’s had always been the human psyche. And Ino’s not just any Yamanaka. She’s the heir of their Clan. 

She will prove to them why she’s worthy of that title.

Meanwhile…

The Akimichi Household was having a typical dinner affair. Chouji was gleefully devouring his dinner, almost as fast as his father, while his mother was casually whipping out new batches of servings for the father-son duo. 

Munch. Munch.

In between his bites, Chouza glanced at his son who’s blissfully inhaling his food while paying no heed to the rest of the world. Pushing down his food with one large gulp, the Akimichi patriarch began.

“So…how’s your day, son?” 

Chouji swallowed his food before answering, “It was good.” Turning his head towards his mom, he raised his empty plate as he asked “Can I have another one?” To which, the Akimichi matriarch replied with a smile, giving Chouji another helping. Chouza watched his son gobble the food without a care. Cautiously, he inquired.

“Did anything interesting happen today?” Seeing that his son will undoubtedly ignore him in favor of his food, he offered. “Maybe something weird? Or unnatural?” 

Chouza knew his question was too opinionated. But, he needed to know if his son was coming down with whatever Inoichi and Shikaku’s brats had. He certainly hoped not. The Akimichi patriarch would rather have his son stay gullible as he is now.

Pausing his eating frenzy, Chouji glanced at his father as he responded. “Nothing really--” finishing another bite, he curiously asked. “--and weird...how?”

Attempting to appear subtle so as not to raise any concerns, Chouza replied nonchalantly. “I’m not sure...weird dreams? Or if you noticed anything different from your friends?” He paused momentarily before adding, “Like maybe…Shikamaru? Or Ino?”

At the end of his question, Chouji scrunched up his nose as he put his utensils down, seemingly pensive. Chouza’s glad his son’s reaction was nothing unusual. In fact, the young heir only appeared to be recalling his day, which further added relief.  

However, unbeknownst to the Akimichi patriarch, his son had other thoughts regarding that matter.

Contrary to the popular belief, the Akimichi heir wasn’t all brawl and muscles.

Although forming plans and maneuvering interrogations might not be his role with Shika and Ino in his team (Yes. He’s completely aware they're being groomed to be the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho), Chouji knows an interrogation when he sees one, especially when he’s the one under the hot seat. So instantly, he knew whatever came out of his mouth, his father will definitely relay it to his former teammates. Luckily, the young heir was knowledgeable enough to know his way around it. After all, with Shika as his best friend, he tends to pick up a thing or two.

‘Tomorrow.’ Chouji decided he’ll inform Shika about this tomorrow. But for now, he’ll have to deflect his father.

“Nothing really--” Chouji began indifferently “--Ino’s always with the girls. So, I wouldn’t know. Although Shika’s even more tempted to skip classes today. But that’s nothing new. He tends to have those extremely lazy tendencies, once in a while. I mean, he’s always too lazy to stay awake during lectures.” 

The moment those words left his mouth, the young Akimichi mentally apologized to his friend. He knew his best friend would get another scolding from his mother. 

(Somewhere, the Nara heir sneezed. Thankfully, he’s alone this time in his room. For some unknown reason, he felt like his mom's gonna be extra troublesome tomorrow.)

However, Chouji knew he needed to rat on his friend’s habit if he wanted his father to get off their case. To further redirect their conversation, he immediately added.

“Umm. Don’t tell his parents about it?” Chouji remarked with a sheepish smile. At that, both his parents burst into hearty fits of laughter.

“Can’t make any promises, kiddo.” Chouza responded with a teasing smile, to which the young heir simply returned with a frown (read: pout). 

Still, his father wasn’t done with his little questioning as he probed. “What about the others? Anything particularly unusual with the Clan kids?”

His thoughts briefly drifted to Kiba, his dream, and how the Inuzuka was too baffled with the cursed child rumor. But, it wasn’t Chouji’s story to tell. Besides, he’d rather not have his new friend to be subjected to the same scrutiny.

Remembering Shika’s words: ‘less talk, fewer mistakes’, Chouji guessed his best option was not to say anything. In response, he dismissively shrugged his shoulders, implying nothing particularly note-worthy to be said. 

Satisfied at his response, his father simply nodded and the dinner went on without any hitch.

The Next Day…

Shikamaru yawned as he sluggishly walked towards his classroom. His mother was particularly difficult this morning, yapping something about sleeping during classes. Letting out another large yawn, the young Nara mused. 

‘As if that will change anything.’

When he’s about to enter the room, he heard Chouji call out for him. 

“Morning, Shika.” The Akimichi heir greeted while munching on his bag of chips. To which, Shikamaru returned with a lazy wave. Stopping in front of his friend, Chouji solemnly warned. “Dad’s into us.”

In realization, Shikamaru released a frustrated sigh. “Great. You tell Kiba while I’ll get Ino. Let’s--

Kriing. Kriing.

Hearing the bell’s interruption, the young Nara paused as he rephrased his next words, “--We’ll talk about it later.”

At that, Chouji simply nodded and walked towards his room. Watching his friend walk away, there’s only one thought running his mind.

‘This could get even more troublesome.’

At the T&I headquarters… 

Inoichi was already at his nth coffee for the day. 

He honestly lost track at this point. The Yamanaka patriarch had been drowning himself in caffeine for the last few days just to stay awake. Beside him, Shikaku was massaging his temples to relieve some stress. Truthfully, even Inoichi could feel his incoming migraine. 

Around them, papers were scattered everywhere in the room. Mission reports, medical notes, investigation records - anything that could pinpoint any leads to Umino Iruka’s assassination. But so far, they’ve got nothing. 

At another dead lead, Inoichi groaned in annoyance. “It just doesn’t make sense. There’s literally nothing. If the Killer’s this good in hiding their tracks, they could have gone after somebody important. For fuck’s sake, why the hell would they target a new academy instructor? Why him? He’s not even part of any Bingo Books. There’s just--” 

“--we should take a break.” Shikaku interrupted, which effectively stopped his best friend’s outbursts. To which the latter responded with a weary nod before stretching his arms upward.

Meanwhile, the Nara patriarch stood up and walked towards the window to smoke. As he was lighting up a stick, he casually inquired. “How’s your little girl? Anything new?”

“Nothing much. Although, I think she finally grew out of her little fangirling to the Uchiha--” both men chuckled at that comment “--but she’s also been quieter.” Shikaku arched an eyebrow as he blew another smoke. But before he could question it, Inoichi already added. “I think she’s snooping around. Ino’s not the type to just sit tight. What about yours?” 

Dismissively, he replied. “Still the same. However, both Yoshino and I noticed something off since the funeral. Shikamaru had been addressing Umino-san as Iruka-sensei.” 

Instantly, sparks of realization flooded the Yamanaka’s features. He muttered almost in a mix of horror. “Ino’s the same. She’s been calling him as Iruka-sensei.” Glancing at his friend, he inquired. “Shikaku, do you think--”

The rest of his words were left hanging. Needless to say, the Nara patriarch still understood his question. With a last puff, Shikaku put out his cigarette to get back to work; but not before remarking:  

“Looks like we’ve got ourselves another puzzle to solve.”

Lunchtime...

Shikamaru’s definitely gonna have a headache after this.

“-- I told you, Dog-breath! We--”

“--Ino, I don’t really think--”

“--See! Even Chouji agrees! The Anbu guards--”

After taking another bite from his lunch, the young Nara exhaled a tired breath. Briefly, he wondered. 'How the hell did he end up in this situation again?' 

Flashback

Somewhere at the academy, in one of the boys’ hideouts for cutting classes, the four clan kids convened as per the order of their de facto leader, Shikamaru.

Sitting comfortably in a small circle, the boys began to open their bentos and eat eagerly (mostly Chouji and Kiba). However, the sole female of the group wasn't sharing their enthusiasm. 

Instead, Ino demanded (as always) for an explanation. "So speak up." Focusing her gaze at the Nara heir, she insisted. "What did you boys discover?" 

Glancing at Shikamaru, who only nodded in response, the young Akimichi began, "Dad's getting suspicious. Somehow, he knew or at least had an idea about the dream. In fact, Shika and I believed it's all of the Clan heads." 

Kiba's eyes immediately sparked in recognition.  Softly, he mumbled, "It was my mom." Swiftly, all eyes turned to him. Next to him, Akamaru, who's blissfully eating his meal, paused before blinking owlishly at the sudden attention. Noticing the curious and prying looks of his companions, the Inuzuka supplied. "They must've heard it from my mom." Shyly scratching his tattooed cheek with a finger, he confessed. "I maybe, kinda blurted it out when she said Iruka-sensei was dead?" 

A vein automatically appeared in Ino's temples as she screamed. "YOU IDIOT--" 

Raising both hands in defense, Kiba interjected. "I didn't tell her all of it! Just bits and pieces! I--" 

"Cut him some slack, Ino." The Akimichi heir defended. Unfortunately, the Yamanaka heir refused to bulge which forced the young Nara to cut in.

"Chouji's right. Plus--" Shikamaru supplied before pointing out, "--last time I checked, you were even under more scrutiny because of your little denial tantrums that day."

At the Nara's daunting remark, Ino visibly twitched, confirming the former's claims. Slightly embarrassed, she inquired. "H-how did you know?" 

Shikamaru simply shrugged his shoulders in response. However, the smirk gracing his lips spoke the rest of it, which earned some snickers from the others. 

Tsked. Ino clicked her tongue in annoyance as she mumbled under her breath "Mr. Know-it-all." Changing the topic, she added. "So…with our parents and most likely other clans watching our move, what now?"  

Swooosh.

Anyone could literally hear the passing of the wind. Shooting quick glances at his companions, Kiba decided to break the silence. 

"Maybe--" the Inuzuka offered, "--we could talk Naruto about it? I mean he's somewhat the center of it. So--" 

"--No." Chouji interrupted. At their questioning looks, the young Akimichi clarified in between his bites. "I dunno how you guys remember him. But--" taking another snack on his food, he continued "--I highly doubt this Uzumaki-san will appreciate us barging into his life." 

"But we're not--" the rest of Kiba's protests were cut short as the Akimichi heir added. 

"He's different," Chouji said almost apologetically, which earned an arched eyebrow from his best friend. He's positive Shikamaru's gonna ask him about it later. Shaking his head, the Akimichi simply concluded, "It just won't work."

Despite being unsatisfied, Kiba stood down as he grumbled (read: pouted) at the rejection of his idea. Seeing as none of them will be speaking soon, Ino took this opportunity to propose her plan. 

"Well, since you boys don't have any more ideas--" with a Cheshire smile, she suggested "--I say we spy on the next Council meeting for more information." 

And that was the beginning of Shikamaru’s headache.

End of Flashback

"--be more suspicious. Let’s just continue scouring information around the academy--” Chouji contended against Ino’s proposition. 

"--what do you think I was doing? There's nothing more we could--" Ino rebutted, crossing her hands over her chest in complete defiance.

“--how about we gather the others? Like Hinata or Sasuke or--” Kiba recommended, completely unhelpful.

Presently, they were arguing over their next course of action, which was basically Ino’s insane vs Chouji’s safe play reconnaissance plans (with Kiba chiming in from time-to-time about involving the other Konoha 12). Shikamaru sighed. He’s been listening to their nonsense (in Shikamaru’s humble opinion) for more than 10 minutes. And lunch’s about to end in a few minutes. The young Nara could literally feel the throbbing of his temples. Deciding he had enough, Shikamaru tried to butt in (Keyword: tried).   

“Hey guys--” He began but was instantly cut-off.

“--that's got to be even more stupid--” Ino countered as she rolled her eyes, completely drowning the Nara’s words. 

“--But they could help! What’s the--” Kiba retaliated. On his lap, Akamaru yipped in agreement.

"--Kiba, I told you they're different--" the Akimichi heir pointed out exasperatedly. 

For the first time, not even Chouji noticed the Nara's (futile) attempt to mediate them. Shikamaru inwardly groaned. 'What a total drag.' Seeing that none of them will listen the easy way, he did the only thing he could do to catch their attention. 

Shikamaru took a deep breath and yelled: “GUYS!” In a flash, three pairs of eyes blinked at him in surprise. Wearily, he explained.

“We’re nine. There’s really nothing we can do much about it.” When some of them (aka Ino and Kiba)  were about to protest, Shikamaru immediately countered  “Or do you wanna risk catching the attention of the entire Council? ”

“Why would--” At the Nara’s dry look, Ino instantly retracted her question before muttering under her breath “--never mind. Stupid question.” 

“ Wait. ” Kiba interrupted before adding, “I get that Ino’s stupid suggestion could definitely get us in trouble. But--” the Blonde kunoichi’s objections of ‘Hey!’ were completely ignored “--why was mine shot down? More heads are always better than 1 or 4. The Council's not gonna care about us. Like you said, we're kids."

At the Inuzuka's insistence, Shikamaru sent the Akimichi a pleading look as he was too tired (read: lazy) to elaborate further. Understanding his best friend's plea, Chouji decided to intervene.

"Kiba, I told you--" 

"Oh no--" the Inuzuka rudely interrupted "--not they're different excuse again. Not buying. Nu-uh." He affirmed, shaking his head sideways to show his defiance. 

This time, it was Ino who spoke up.

"Dog-brain. In case you haven't noticed, we're already acting out of ourselves--" 

"--Ha? What the hell--"  Kiba immediately inserted in confusion, which was effortlessly cut by the Blonde.

"--I was getting to it, okay? So zip it." Ino sarcastically remarked, which earned multiple (internal) eye-rolls from her companions."Going back, the point is it's weird for us to be friends all of a sudden. "

"It's not that--" (Once again) the Inuzuka's words were abruptly refuted. This time, courtesy of Shikamaru. 

"It is." The Nara heir firmly stated.

"Fine. So what?" Kiba exclaimed, completely bewildered as he added "Are you saying we'll just go back as classmates even with that knowledge? We all know Iruka-sensei's not supposed to be  dead. " 

Instead of replying, the Genius simply eyed his impatient friend, signaling her to continue. 

"If you boys would just let me finish--" Ino began in a condescending tone "--then, you wouldn't get so off track." She pointed while shooting Kiba a dry stare. "Anyways, the four of us could probably pass it off. With the three of us--" gesturing each hand towards her future (read: past) teammates "--being groomed as the next Ino-Shika-Cho while you…Well you'll easily fit in with the other two, being one of the class flunkies." Ino ended, sticking her tongue childishly at him, which effectively riled up the Inuzuka. 

(Ino's completely aware of how immature her actions might be. But hey, she's nine. Who said she can't act her age for calling her plan 'stupid'?) 

Before their (not-so) little teasing escalated into a fight, Chouji decided to step in. 

“I believe--” he began pacifyingly, “--what they’re both trying to say is: if we started mingling with the others, particularly the Clan kids. For instance, the Hyuugas or the Uchiha Sasuke--” He paused momentarily, emphasizing their names, “--the Council will be watching our every move like a hawk.” The young Akimichi ended solemnly before opening a bag of chips to munch on. 

“Chouji’s right.” Shikamaru swiftly interjected before adding, “The Clan heads already knew something’s wrong with us. And they all connected it to Iruka-sensei’s death and the dreams. We certainly don’t need them theorizing conspiracies about us suddenly being friends.”

That finally convinced Kiba. But, he’s still a little bit lost about what to do. Eyeing Ino at the corner of his eyes, the Inuzuka’s positive she’s the same. There’s absolutely no way they’re just gonna lie low.  

“So--” Kiba drawled before inquiring (stupidly), “--what are we doing again?”

“Nothing.” Shikamaru clipped while cleaning up his empty lunch, which predictably earned a negative reaction from the Kunoichi.

“You can’t honestly--” 

 “--Ino, we can’t,” Shikamaru stressed. Exhaling a deep breath, the young Nara eyed them carefully as he clarified.  “For now, we do nothing. Are we all clear?” 

At that, the rest of them reluctantly agreed, finally concluding their lunch.

A few days later…

Ino was grumbling. 

Ever since that meeting, Shikamaru had been observing her in class. Just to make sure she doesn’t do anything. She’s positive Chouji’s doing the same with the Dumb Dog (read: Kiba). Ino mentally rolled her eyes. Her future teammates were really underestimating her skills. 

‘As if their watchful eyes gonna scare her.’ She inwardly scoffed.

Ino was currently on her way to the library to find something, or more specifically, someone. Sure, they can’t approach the other Clan kids nor snoop around the Council. However, there’s somebody who could do it for her. 

The moment she entered the Library, her eyes immediately spotted the person she was looking for: Haruno Sakura. Ino’s longstanding best friend/ rival. The pink-haired Kunoichi was simply reading a book alone in a corner with an air of timidness. 

Ino didn’t like it. 

Sakura’s always been a fiery individual, vicious yet compassionate Not like this. She inwardly noted. The Yamanaka heir guessed there was some truth in Chouji’s words. Nevertheless, it only fueled the motivations for her plan. 

(The fact that Ino also misses her best friend was another contributing factor. Not that she’ll ever admit it.)

Besides, Sakura’s father could help them. Last time she checked, he’s a desk-mission Shinobi, which means he probably knew what’s going on within the Council. Still, Ino could think about those stuff later. For now, she’d better do something about her friend’s meek attitude.  

When she was in front of the (quiet) Sakura, Ino affectionately greeted. “You’re Haruno Sakura from Kiba’s class, right? Can I sit here?” The Yamanaka heir inquired pointing at the empty seat beside her. 

At Sakura’s shy nod, she instantly sat down. And with a warm smile, Ino remarked.

“Haruno-san, I’m Ino. Wanna be friends?”

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

Nebulochaotic (adj.) - A state of being hazy and confused.

Recap:

“You’re Haruno Sakura from Kiba’s class, right? Can I sit here?” The Yamanaka heir inquired pointing at the empty seat beside her. 

At Sakura’s shy nod, she instantly sat down. And with a warm smile, Ino remarked.

“Haruno-san, I’m Ino. Wanna be friends?”

At the Library… 

Sakura blinked owlishly in response.

Truthfully, the pink-haired Kunoichi didn't know what to make out of it. For the most part, she's just confused. It was, for the lack of a better term, too random. However, that didn't mean Sakura's opposed to the idea. On the contrary, she’s absolutely thrilled. The pink-haired Kunoichi never had (real) friends before. Most of the kids called her names like 'teacher's pet' or 'large forehead'. Sakura learned to ignore them (in most cases). After all, there were nicer ones - those who'd share notes and snacks with her. But, she really wouldn't count them as friends. 

Basically, Sakura has absolutely no issue with being friends with anyone who'd want her. It's just… This was Yamanaka Ino, the Heir of her clan and one of the most popular kids. 

'Why on earth would she seek me out as a friend? We're not even in the same class. Although she does sound sincere.'

The pink-haired Kunoichi mulled over, deep in thought. She couldn’t deny the instant connection she felt with the Blonde. However, before Sakura could ponder it further, Ino’s voice finally reached her. 

“--runo-san? Hello? You kinda spaced out.” Ino noted with a hint of concern. 

'Oh yeah. She's still waiting for an answer.' Sakura honestly forgot. Noting the eager (and hopeful) look from the Blonde, she finally reached her conclusion. 

Chuckling nervously, Sakura replied. "Sorry, you just surprised me. But sure, I'm happy to be your friend, Yamanaka-san." She ended with a smile. 

At her response, Ino's eyes twinkled as she gleefully exclaimed. 

"Yay! And enough with the formalities. Yamanaka-san makes me feel old. Just call me Ino. Can I call you, Sakura?" Seeing her nod, Ino clasped her hand in excitement as she added. "I just know we're gonna be the best of friends." The Blonde ended with a huge grin, which the other returned with a little more confidence. 

At their matching grins, both girls burst into hearty fits of laughter, earning them a stern warning from the librarian. As their giggles quiet down, Ino curiously inquired. "So what were you reading?" 

Instantly, Sakura's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she began retelling the history book she was reading. 

"--imagine sprouting out trees from your very palm. The Shodaime's wood release is truly one-of-a-kind, with its versatility and power. Too bad, history said it ended with him--" 

Presently, Ino’s (semi) listening to the other’s account. With her chin nestled on both hands, head slightly tilted on the left. Sakura’s going on about the Kage's abilities (or something). The Blonde vaguely remembered hearing it in class. Ino was just glad she's finally seeing a glimpse of the Sakura she remembers. 

"--the Yondaime's Hiraishin still tops it all. He definitely deserves the flee-on-sight title--" 

Noticing the Blonde's faraway look, Sakura abruptly stopped. Sheepishly, she apologized. 

"Sorry. I must be boring you out.” Scratching the back of her ear in embarrassment, she confessed. “It was kinda nerdy of me." Sakura ended shyly to which Ino dismissively waved her hand in return before commenting. 

"Naaah--" drawling her syllables, she assured. "--I don't mind. It was actually a good history crash course." At her remark, Sakura cracked a small smile. Ino commented, “You sure love to study, don’t you?” 

Casually flipping another page of her book, Sakura replied “I guess... I just really love reading.”

Instantly, an idea popped into the Blonde’s head. Ino's positive Shikamaru’s gonna disagree. But honestly, who cares. It’s not like it ever stopped her before. She’s certainly not gonna stop, now. Besides, if Sakura became interested and started to be a Medic Nin in training (to which, there’s no doubt in Ino’s mind she will), then her friend will be even more of a badass. Plus, having a Medic Nin on their side, even a trainee, was always an advantage.

‘Seems like a good plan’ the Yamanaka heir mused while silently praising herself.

Humming flippantly, Ino asked (read: insinuated) "Sakura, have you ever heard of Medical Ninjutsu?" 

Meanwhile...

Shikamaru and Chouji left (read: escaped) the Academy to spend their free period together. Presently, the duo was hiding at one of the Nara’s favorite spots by the Senju Park (They’ll probably end up skipping for the rest of the day). Shikamaru was casually lying down on the grass with Chouji happily munching beside him, both enjoying the forest’s hymn.

However, there’s this one thing that’s been bugging the Nara for quite some time, preventing him from fully relishing the peace. Deciding to confront his best friend, Shikamaru began.

“Hey, Chouji--” the Akimichi glanced at him curiously as his friend sat up “--could you tell me more about Naruto? You were quite adamant about him being different.”

From the looks the other was sending, Shikamaru reckoned his friend must’ve expected this question. The Akimichi swallowed another bite before responding.

“Uzumaki-san...He--” Chouji momentarily paused, seemingly looking for the right word before supplying “--he’s too guarded, distancing himself from everyone, shrinking away from any attention--” 

Shikamaru visibly quirked an eyebrow at that comment. Because if anything, the Uzumaki Naruto he knew always craved for attention, or better yet, acknowledgement from anyone.

“--Basically, Uzumaki-san’s wary of both adults and kids alike.”  The Akimichi concluded.

Absorbing the information, Shikamaru clarified. “Was he…Has he always been like that?” 

Shaking his head, Chouji replied. “Not really, he used to be bubbly. A little bit loud, but nice. Uzumaki-san once stood up for me...Umm--” the Akimichi squinted his eyes as he tried to remember the date “--two years ago? It was during one of the playdates our moms set up. I was waiting for you at the playground when one of the kids showed up and began taunting me. And--”

Instantly, Shikamaru’s irises darkened. He never really understood the other kids’ reasons for bullying his friend. Chouji had always been polite and kind, the perfect counterpart of Hinata (minus the shyness and infatuation to Naruto). 

“--so Uzumaki-san defended me. When you heard about it, we ended up pranking the bullies together. It was really fun.” The young Akimichi smiled while he reminisced. His best friend, on the other hand, had other thoughts about his little story.   

Huh. Shikamaru had absolutely no recollection of such event. Still, he didn’t probe any further and decided to contemplate his missing memories later. For now, information gathering on Naruto. The young genius heard his friend continue.

“Although the Villagers weren’t always kind to him, it wasn’t until after the Uchiha massacre their treatment of him got this worse. ” Chouji solemnly ended.

“So it all goes back to the cursed child rumor, doesn’t it?” Shikamaru deduced to which the Akimichi nodded in affirmation. Despite matching Chouji’s account to Ino’s, there were still too many holes. Shikamaru loudly groaned.

“Man, this is just so troublesome.” The Nara heir exclaimed while rubbing the back of his hair in frustration.

At the Genius’ obvious vexations, Chouji glanced at him with a mixture of pity and amusement.  In an attempt to help his friend, he offered.

“Well--” the Akimichi heir began as he munched through his chips “--I believe the rumor itself began before the massacre--”

“--Chouji, tell me more about it.” Shikamaru urgently interjected, his eyes glinting calculatingly while his mind was working overtime.  ‘This might just provide me some answers (or more questions).’ The Nara inwardly thought. 

Nodding at his request, Chouji continued, “Okay so...Nobody truly knows when the rumor started. But, a week prior to the massacre, something weird happened.” 

At Shikamaru’s questioning gaze, a flicker of realization flashed through the Akimichi. Nevertheless, he carried on with his story.

“While Uzumaki-san was at the market, out of the blue, a random villager attacked him, definitely with an intent to kill, yelling obscenities that ‘he’s cursed.’ Predictably, an Anbu intervened and apprehended the man. However, when the assailant was interrogated, he remembered none of it. Like he was a different person entirely.”  

‘Great. More questions than answers.’ Shikamaru inwardly complained. Still, he mused. ‘Maybe he should stop bothering at all. Saves him from all the trouble and--’

“Oh yeah. Shika--” the Akimichi called, effectively interrupting his companion’s train of thoughts,  “--I just remembered something important. The attacker said something before he was taken away. I--” Chouji momentarily paused, eyeing the Nara critically as if he’s looking for something. 

‘But what? ’ Shikamaru inwardly thought. He heard his friend sighed before resuming his tale.

“--Anyways, he screamed at the Anbu who intercepted his attack, claiming that protecting that child will curse him. If I remembered it correctly, I quote--” the Akimichi had a pensive look “--the attacker declared that You will deliver your Clan to their damnation. ” He ended solemnly.

“Let me guess, the Anbu was Uchiha Itachi?"  Shikamaru speculated, putting the pieces together.

At that, the Akimichi nodded in affirmation. The moment Chouji confirmed his suspicions, another question arose within the Nara's mind.

"Wait. So you saw it happened?” Shikamaru inquired with a hint of shock and bewilderment. 

Much to his surprise, the Akimichi heir shook his head in response, only adding to the Nara’s confusion. However, before the young genius could further question the other, his best friend beat him into it.

“No, Shika. It was you.” Chouji revealed, dropping the bomb on him.

What. This was the sole thought running through Shikamaru’s head. Unfortunately, the Akimichi wasn’t done.

“You were there when it all happened, doing groceries with Aunt Yoshino. The T&I division even interviewed you as one of the witnesses. Shika--” his tone turning sympathetic “--You’re the one who told me this story.” Chouji looked at him worriedly before adding, “I kinda figured there’s a gap in your memories considering the reactions I got from you. But, Shika... you really don’t remember anything, do you?” He asked in a voice full of concern.

And that’s when it all dawned into him. 

Shikamaru can’t remember a single thing prior to the dream. 

Boom. Bang. Kaboom.

Kakashi slumped on the ground in defeat, completely and utterly exhausted. The silver-haired Jounin was currently at Training Ground 7 attempting to recreate some of his (new) Jutsus, which (obviously) failed horribly.

“Wow--” Pakkun began (sarcastically)“--you actually blew yourself up more than you did for the last ten years. That’s got to be a new record.” Pakkun commented in total mockery.

Kakashi rolled his eyes at the Ninken. 

As much as the silver-haired Jounin hated to admit it, the pug was somewhat correct. He honestly lost count on how many times the technique literally exploded in his face. It’s like infusing his Rasengan with his Lightning affinity all over again. Well, at least he managed to learn some, like the Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique. Kakashi heard his little companion speak again.

“Although I have to admit it’s a good distraction. I doubt anybody would expect you to purposely blow sparks of lightning at your face.” The pug added in (fake) contemplation before concluding, “I still believe you should at least tell the Hokage about your Sharingan.” 

“Pakkun, shut up.” Kakashi irritatingly barked at his Ninken. 

Sighing at his summoner’s stubbornness, Pakkun trotted towards him as he inquired. “Seriously, what were you even trying to achieve? If you’re not exploding some Chidori at your face, you’re only glaring at the thrown Kunai with your Sharingan.” Before Kakashi could hush him, the pug defended. “And I ought to know, considering you’ve been at it for days.”

Seeing as his summon refused to let it go, Kakashi breathed wearily as he elaborated. 

“I’ve been trying to replicate the Raikiri (Translation: Lightning Cutter). It’s an S-rank Jutsu that’s basically a modification of Chidori, but more deadly and precise.” The silver-haired Jounin sat up before continuing, “And I wasn’t glaring at the Kunai, Pakkun-- ” Kakashi uttered his name exasperatedly as if the pug was being stupid, to which the latter returned with a dry look. "--I'm trying to conjure Kamui with my Sharingan, which is a Space-Time Ninjutsu that travels its target into different dimensions." He paused, seemingly reflective before adding, "I have a feeling it's not limited to inanimate objects. Wanna help me test that theory?" The silver-haired Jounin slyly suggested, his one eye glinting dangerously. 

(Kakashi might absolutely adore his summons, but even he had his limits. Since he'd been training the new jutsus, the pug had been nothing but an irritating pest buzzing into his ears with his smart-ass remarks. Kakashi might as well put him into good use.)

"Not really." Pakkun wisely replied (After all, he knew about Kakashi's sadistic tendencies). Clearing his throat to divert the topic, the pug cautiously inquired. "Okay. So how did you know all of these, again?” 

And there was Silence …

The two of them could literally hear the flapping of an insect's wings at their stillness. At the pointed look of his companion, the silver-haired Jounin heaved a heavy sigh before answering. 

" I… I don't know." Kakashi lamely admitted.

Pakkun laid a paw on Kakashi's leg as if to console the silver-haired Jounin. Predictably, the latter’s eyebrow twitched. Nonetheless, the pug ignored him effortlessly. With another sigh, Pakkun (once again) proposed.

“Will you now consider filing a Leave of Absence for a while? Just to train until your stamina reaches acceptable levels?” The Ninken urged.

At that, Kakashi had no other choice but to concede, grumbling a petulant ‘Fine’ in return.

Later that Night…

Kiba was sitting on his bed, both arms and legs crossed, wearing a pensive look. 

Truthfully, the Inuzuka still believed that their best bet was to gather the rest of the Gang or, at least Naruto. 

(Kiba's still completely baffled at the cursed child rumor. Since he still hasn't met the Blonde, he's absolutely clueless on how the rumors affected his friend. And maybe, just maybe, the Blonde might need a friend. Kiba could be that friend.) 

After all, if there was one thing he learned from his mom, it was: 

"If the strength of the pack is the wolf, then the strength of the wolf is the pack."

However…

Shikamaru and Chouji were pretty insistent with their warnings. Kiba definitely didn't want to be the Idiot, who'll draw the Council's attention. 

Next to him, he felt his oh-so-faithful partner, Akamaru, nuzzled his nose further into his sides. Glancing at the Ninken, the Inuzuka brightened up as he thought of something good.

Sure. He might not be allowed to approach the Blonde Uzumaki. But, that didn't particularly apply to everyone, which means Kiba just needed someone who could bridge him to Naruto.

Hastily grabbing a pen and paper, Kiba began jotting down names while Akamaru curiously peeked at the words. In the paper, the words: Naruto. Shino. Hinata. Neji. Sakura. Sasuke. Sai. Lee. and Tenten. were written, wherein the first name (Naruto) was highlighted with an underline. When he was done, Kiba turned to his companion and grinned.

“Alright, Boy. We’re gonna do some planning tonight, are you up for it?” Kiba asked his Ninken who exuberantly barked in return, earning a jovial laugh from the Inuzuka. 

First things first, he had to limit his options. With that, Kiba immediately crossed out all the female names with the exception of Hinata. He'd really not deal with any more women. Ino's already a big pain, alone. 

The next name he removed was Sai for very obvious reasons. The Inuzuka had absolutely no idea where-in-the-world that guy was. 

And that left him with - Shino, Hinata, Sasuke, Neji, and Lee. 

If Kiba's gonna consider the people closest to Naruto (based on his memories), then the answer was Sasuke and Neji. 

But… 

Nope. Kiba mentally shook his head. There's absolutely no way he's gonna deal with Broody Prodigies. The Inuzuka firmly decided, crossing out the names of Sasuke and Neji. 

Intently looking at his paper, only three choices were left. 

Naruto.  Shino.  Hinata.  Neji. 

Sakura.  Sasuke.  Sai.  Lee.  Tenten.

Wait a Minute. Two of them were members of Team 8, his (future) team. Kiba almost smacked himself for forgetting. Why didn’t he think of reconnecting with his teammates in the first place? Shino and Hinata were the (apparent) best choices. After all, Kiba knew them, even their weirdest eccentricities.  Besides, if Team 10 was in this together, then it’s only fair for the rest of Team 8 to join in. 

Still, Kiba had to consider their warnings. The Inuzuka put a hand on his chin, deep in thought. If he recalled it correctly, Chouji specifically noted that involving themselves with the other Clan Kids will undoubtedly raise suspicions. In other words, he can’t approach them. But that doesn’t mean the other Clan kids can’t approach them, does it? 

Kiba smirked as he silently applauded himself. Whoever said he’s incapable of thinking things through is an Idiot (Somewhere, Ino and Sasuke sneezed). The Inuzuka knew (future) Shikamaru would be so proud he managed to find such a loophole.

With that settled, the next question was: who to bait first? Hinata has always been shy (as a child and a teenager). She’ll never be the type to confront someone, no matter how much it bothers her. So that means... it's gonna be his good ol' buddy, Shino. Kiba grinned, widely.

(At the Aburame household, a shiver ran down Shino’s spine, abruptly stopping his tracks. His father glanced at him and asked “Is there something wrong?” The Aburame heir fixed his glasses before replying, "Nothing. it was probably nothing, Father." Despite his words, for some unknown reason, Shino had a foreboding feeling that his quiet life was about to be disturbed.)

“Hey, Buddy--” Kiba eagerly called his partner before adding, “--Are ya ready to make some bug friends? ”

At Akamaru’s blank stare, Kiba exploded into laughter, leaving his Ninken even more bewildered than before.

Operation 'Befriend (read: Annoy) Shino officially starts now (or tomorrow).

Meanwhile, At the Nara Household...

Shikamaru can't sleep.

He's already been trying for the past hour, rolling and shifting in his bed, but still to no avail. Ever since Chouji dropped his big revelation, the young genius can’t seem to settle down. The Akimichi’s words kept on bugging him throughout the day. 

Truthfully, the Nara knew beforehand that their memories might be tweaked considering their unawareness of the cursed child rumor. But, he’d never predicted it to this extent. Hence, his only theory was either their memories were replaced or it was removed. Maybe even a combination of both. However, with his current facts, there’s really nothing Shikamaru could deduce from. 

So that means, in order to move forward in this (head-splitting) mind game, the next question he’d have to answer is: What does he remember?

Heaving a deep sigh, Shikamaru began digging through his memories. 

He remembered the war - all Shinobis united against one (or two?) enemy, Naruto being the target (another question) yet still ended up as their protector, a bud with a gigantic and disgusting stalk, dead people coming back to life both as enemies and allies, and of course, the blinding light. 

Speaking of the Dead, Shikamaru’s pretty sure the Niidaime was specifically mouthing something at him. Unfortunately, the Nara heir wasn’t able to pick it up before they were engulfed by the freaking light, which led them to their current situation (and his perpetual headache). If Shikamaru's hunch was correct, it was probably a warning (or something close). 

All in all, it matches Kiba's tale. There were minimal differences, but it might just be a matter of perspective. Shikamaru could work on that.

Going back, what else does he recall? 

Okay. So… Ino-Shika-Cho (of their version) was definitely a thing. The Uchiha massacre did happen. However, Shikamaru had a faint inkling that it wasn't supposed to happen on that night (October 10th). A probable reason why none of them (aka Shikamaru, Kiba, and Ino) remembered the cursed child rumor. Lastly, Iruka-sensei was most certainly not dead. 

Synthesizing all these information together, the young Genius hypothesized that Iruka-sensei’s death could be the trigger. If his memory served him right, Shikamaru and the others had the dream (memories of the war) a few days after their instructor’s death. There’s got to be a connection between his death and everything else. Still, this is just a theory. Shikamaru needs more information if he’d ever want to decrypt this puzzle. 

On another matter, the cursed child rumor, the Uchiha massacre, and gaps in his memory - it all pointed to the day Naruto was assaulted. Shikamaru knew the answer lies in the report of that event. Plus, the Nara heir was also curious about his own testimony. However, only the T&I division had the copy of the reports. What’s worst, it was most likely under the jurisdiction of Ino’s father. This means he’d need to take the matters into his own hand. Besides, informing the others (aka Ino and Kiba) was definitely not an option. Those two will probably do something stupid, where he’d end up cleaning their mess. So... the young Nara had to find another source.

In other words, Shikamaru had to talk to his father.

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

Team (n.) - a team is more than a collection of people.

Recap:

This means he’d need to take the matters into his own hand. Besides, informing the others (aka Ino and Kiba) was definitely not an option. Those two will probably do something stupid, where he’d end up cleaning their mess. So... the young Nara had to find another source.

In other words, Shikamaru had to talk to his father.

The Next Day…

Poke. Poke.

Kakashi twitched as he felt something (read: someone) jabbing his cheek. 

Poke. Poke. Poke.

The silver-haired Jounin turned to the opposite side in favor of getting another ounce of sleep, completely ignoring the disturbance. 

(Unfortunately, the disturbance also refused to be ignored.)

"Oi. Kakashi, wake up." A… voice commanded, prodding his cheek, again. 

Visibly grumbling, the silver-haired Jounin groggily sat up. Eyeing his Ninken wearily, he (petulantly) asked. 

"Couldn't this wait til Monday? It's already the end of the week, Pakkun. And I'm really tired." As if to prove his point, Kakashi let out a large yawn. Rubbing his eye, he added. "Besides, it's rude to drop by unannounced--" 

"--You'd always drop by unannounced.” Pakkun (read: rudely) pointed out. Still, it didn’t deter the Jounin as he countered.

“--Okay, I might have done it before. But I was young and naive. Today--" Kakashi drawled to emphasize his point, "--I’m a changed man.” His companion shot him a look, which clearly said what-the-fuck-are-you-saying. 

Kakashi effortlessly ignored (again). Pulling his covers closely, he continued “So… Let's just file the request on Monday or someday.” He ended, mumbling the last word more to himself (which the Ninken still heard). 

Predictably, the pug rolled his eyes at his stupid excuse. But before the Jounin could lie down, Pakkun yanked his pillow as he accusingly inquired, “Did you have a cat contract I was unaware of?” 

Picking his assaulted pillow on the floor, Kakashi's face scrunched up in confusion as he faced the Ninken. "No. Why?" He replied, completely bewildered by the absurdity of the question. 

Without missing a beat, his small companion replied, "Cause' you're acting like a big damn pussy." The pug deadpanned. 

Unsurprisingly, Kakashi's eyebrow twitched in irritation. One of these days, he's gonna strangle his dog just to shut him up. Without giving him a chance to counter, the Ninken added.

"Out of the kindness of my heart--" the Jounin scoffed as he rolled his eyes, "--I already informed the Hokage that you'll be seeing him today. So no worries about your dropping by unannounced bullshits--" 

Again, Kakashi's eyebrow twitched. 

"--the Sandaime's already expecting you before lunch." Pakkun ended, his tone turning sternly. 

The message 'Get Your Lazy Ass Off The Bed' was left unspoken, but Kakashi still heard it loud and clear. The Silver-haired Jounin shot the Ninken an icy glare, which the latter returned with a pointed look. 

Three minutes later… 

Seeing as the other refused to back down, Kakashi just felt stupid for engaging in a staring contest with a dog. With a resigned sigh, he reluctantly left the comfort of his (sweet) bed and got ready for the meeting with the Hokage. 

At the Hokage Tower… 

While waiting for the Sandaime's decision, Kakashi wore the most stoic face he could muster. There were two other Shinobi in the office who were helping the Hokage review and sort the paperworks.

A few minutes later, Hiruzen put his request down to look the Jounin in the eye. 

“Alright--” the Sandaime began “--I’ll approve it. But tell me, Kakashi. Why the sudden request?" He curiously inquired, puffing out a cloud of smoke from his cigar.

Truthfully, the silver-haired Jounin expected this question. But, Kakashi being well… himself, predictably, didn’t prepare for a response. Which means, he'll just have to wing it (as usual). 

“I have...issues that need immediate attention,” Kakashi responded with a straight-faced, refusing to meet anyone in the eye. 

Kruu. Kruu. 

Kakashi could literally hear the dove passing by two blocks away as everyone sent him a blank look. The fact that the Silver-haired Jounin always had issues since he's old enough to hold a Kunai was hanging heavily in the air. Thankfully, nobody was frank (read: rude) enough to point it out.

Clearing his throat to break the (awkward) tension, Hiruzen replied. “Indulge me, Kakashi. What are your so-called issues?” 

Okay. Kakashi knew he could have worded it better. Considering that he's still unwilling to reveal his newly-acquired knowledge and Sharingan, it was definitely the best he could come up with (Plus, he’s too lazy to think of anything else). Besides, the Silver-haired Jounin somewhat expected (read: hoped) that since the Sandaime was so used to his insane excuses, he wouldn't bother questioning it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. 

However, this wasn’t enough to stop Kakashi from spouting new excuses (read: nonsense). After all, he had an image to keep.

“I feel old, Hokage-sama.” Kakashi began, putting a hand behind his neck as if to relieve stress. 

Everyone looked at him like he’d grown another head. However, the Silver-haired Jounin wasn’t finished. With a (fake) pained expression, Kakashi added. 

“Some of my joints are really starting to hurt. I hope you’ll give me time to recuperate.” He ended in his most exhausted tone. 

And there it was again, the deafening, awkward silence.

At the scandalized looks of the two Shinobi, Kakashi knew it was caused by the ‘old’ comment. After all, nobody should have the gall to use age as an excuse for their Hokage, especially since the other was still in duty despite being way past his prime. Even the Sandaime was shooting him a dry stare. 

[Truthfully, their stares did bother the silver-haired Jounin, not that he’ll let it affect him. Besides, in Kakashi’s defense, if they wanted an explanation, then an explanation (read: bullshit excuse) is what they’ll get.]

Finally had enough, Hiruzen decided to break the suffocating silence as he laid down his pipe. 

With a defeated and exasperated sigh, he looked at the Jounin dryly in the eye and remarked. “Fine. You can now take your leave.” 

At that, the Silver-haired Jouin gave the Hokage a respectful nod before Body-flickering away. 

(Kakashi had never left the Tower in so much of a hurry before in his life.)

At the Academy… 

The students were chatting away amongst themselves, happily eating their lunch. However, there were a few individuals who weren’t sharing their enthusiasm. 

Hinata entered the cafeteria nervously. Glancing around, her pale eyes zoned in at the farthest corner where she had a glimpse of his big brother figure/ cousin, Neji.

The young Hyuuga had always dreamed of uniting her Clan, to break the tradition and remove the silent animosity between the Branch and the Main House. Even as the Apparent Clan Heir, Hinata never understood the reason for the division. There was no need for such a thing. After all, they were one Clan. 

But at her current state, Hinata acknowledged that there’s only so much she could do. Hence, she decided she’ll start with befriending her cousin (again). Gathering up her courage, Hinata cautiously approached her elusive brother figure in the corner. 

Gulping nervously, Hinata clutched the bento in her hand as she asked.

“N-Neji-nii-sama, d-do you m-mind if we e-eat toge--”

Without giving her a chance to finish, the older Hyuuga harshly replied. “Yes.” Standing up, Neji began to gather his stuff, signifying his leave. Before the female Hyuuga could add anything else, he instantly supplied. “If you have nothing else to say, then I’ll take my leave.”

And with that, Neji left, not bothering to wait for his cousin’s response. 

Hinata remorsefully sighed. The Hyuuga heir guessed she’ll just have to try again on another day.

Meanwhile...

Under a large tree in the Academy’s backyard, the young Shika-Cho duo was blissfully munching their meals in a comfortable silence. 

"So Shika--" Chouji softly began, "--what's the new plan?" He inquired before swallowing another mouthful of rice. 

Glancing at his friend, Shikamaru began to ponder for a response. Truthfully, the young Nara didn't have much. And judging from their last conversation, it was safe to surmise that his friend had pretty much told him everything he knew. 

Shrugging, he nonchalantly replied. “Nothing much. Although, I do plan to talk to my father some time tomorrow.”  Remembering how their last talk (read: interrogation) went, the young Nara groaned as he grumbled. “Man, this is such a pain. What a waste of a weekend.”

At his friend’s childishness, Chouji laughed as he offered. “Just let me know if you need anything. I could always help try to fill in the gaps, Shika.” He amicably ended before stuffing food to his face again.

"Sure. Thanks, Chouji." Shikamaru sincerely replied, which his friend returned with a large grin before proceeding to gobble on his meal. 

Based on the exuberant smile he received, Shikamaru knew the other understood the true meaning of his words that his ‘thank you’ wasn’t just meant for the offered help. But also to the fact that Chouji had taken the role to look out for them. Because as a team, Shikamaru and Ino needed someone to ground them to reality. Almost like a guide or an anchor.  After all, if it wasn't for his best friend, the young genius was positive they'd be completely disassociated with reality (with all the new memories and stuff). 

When their eyes met, Chouji instantly caught up on his train of thoughts. With eyes twinkling of mirth, he commented. “Just imagine if it was Ino, Shika.” The Akimichi mused jokingly.

At the mere mention of her name, Shikamaru’s face instantly morphed into a mixture of horror and dismay. Although he knew the Blonde Kunoichi could be reliable and trustworthy, the Nara still wouldn’t deny she’s too troublesome.

[Somewhere, Ino unconsciously stabbed her meal a little too hard, surprising (read: scaring) her companion. Eyeing the poor meat warily, Sakura carefully asked “Umm. Are you alright?” The Blonde blinked at her friend before responding. “Oh. It was nothing. Just thought it was a Deer meat. You know how hard it is to cut a venison. Haha.” She ended with a nervous laugh. For some unknown reason, Ino had a sudden urge to smack Shikamaru (and Chouji) to oblivion.]

Cringing visibly, Shikamaru lazily replied. “She’s not even gonna bother. Ino will just give us a one-way ticket to the T&I division--” he paused momentarily before continuing, “--or asylum.” The young Nara added as an afterthought.

One. Two. Beat.

The duo burst into hefty fits of laughter, both eyes twinkling mischievously as they playfully mocked their female teammate til’ the bell rang. 

The Next Day (aka Saturday)…

It was a beautiful afternoon. 

The birds were chirping, soaring freely to the azure sky while the clouds drifted idly.  In other words, it was a perfect moment to laze around. Unfortunately, Shikamaru had a puzzle to solve. And to do so, he needed information. Information which he could only get from his father.

So here he was, sitting by their veranda with a Shogi game readily set, willingly offering himself for another round of interrogation as he waited for his father to finish his talk with Ino’s dad. When he saw the Blonde Jounin waved a goodbye, the Nara heir released an exhausted sigh.

As his father sat down in front of him, he asked. “Ready for a game?”  

The young Genius simply let out a yawn in response, gesturing for his father to make the first move. Complying to his son’s request, Shikaku picked up the black bishop and began his assault.

A few moves later...

“How are you adapting so far?” The Nara patriarch began, his eyes completely transfixed at the board. “With all the changes due to your instructor’s death?”

“It’s okay. We weren’t affected that much.” Shikamaru admitted casually before supplying, “Besides, Iruka-sensei wasn’t directly handling my class.” 

His father hummed indifferently. At that moment, the young Nara had a bad feeling. Warily glancing at the other, Shikamaru noticed that his father was still engrossed in the game, seemingly uncaring. He mentally sighed in relief, his shoulders slightly relaxing to release some (unknown) tension.

(Unfortunately, Shikamaru relaxed too soon.)

When it was his turn to move, he heard his father speak again.

“If that’s the case, then why did you suddenly begin to call Umino-san as Iruka-sensei two days after his death?” Shikaku curiously pondered, meeting his son directly in the eye. 

Shit. Shikamaru inwardly cursed. He almost dropped the piece he was holding in surprise. His father sure caught him off guard. But, this wasn’t enough to make the young Genius fall in his trap. After all, two could play that game. 

“Iruka-sensei substituted for my homeroom classes a couple of times--” Shikamaru began while twirling the Shogi piece in his fingers “--In fact, he scolded me multiple times for sleeping in class.” At that, the Nara heir gave out a sheepish grin as his father laughed “--but, he wasn’t a teacher per se as Iruka-sensei was still an instructor-in-training. So--” 

The young Nara momentarily paused. Despite the other’s laugh and casual smiles, he knew his father was analyzing him, particularly the roundabout way of his response. And that’s how he planned to deflect him. 

(After all, a genius mind’s downfall has always been overanalysis of irrelevant details.)

“--most of us just called him Umino-san. When his death finally sunk in, I realized he was really more of a sensei to me--” Shikamaru placed his white lance, successfully capturing his father’s gold general to the latter’s surprise “--so I unconsciously switched. Besides, don’t you think the name’s just fitting, dad?”

His father, who’s still a little astonished for suddenly losing his general, sent him a look of approval. Shikamaru guessed his father had finally caught on to his little misdirection (not that he would've expected nothing less). 

Nodding in satisfaction, the Nara patriarch replied. “I agree. He could have been a great teacher."

He was. Shikamaru silently confirmed. 

When his father made his move, the Nara heir's eyes widened as he heard him say. 

"Checkmate." Shikaku proudly remarked, a smirk gracing his lips, which earned a (childish) grumble from the other. 

The Nara Clan Head fondly ruffled his son's hair as he added. "Good Job. It was a great game."

At his father's praise, Shikamaru knew the other wasn't only talking about their game of Shogi. Still wearing a frown, he answered (almost petulantly). 

"I want a rematch." The young Genius proclaimed (read: demanded), seemingly acting his age. 

In response, Shikaku simply chuckled as he began rearranging the tiles into the board. When they had finished setting the game, the Nara patriarch looked at his son and asked. “Do you wanna go first?” He offered, which the other returned with a nod.

Picking up the black pawn, the young Nara began to ponder on his strategy. Now that his father was done with his little questioning, it was finally his turn. 

Shikamaru made his first move.

“Hey Dad--” Shikamaru casually opened as he placed the tile  “--have you ever believed the cursed child rumor?”

Shikaku quirked an eyebrow at the odd question. However, knowing it was his son, the inquiry was definitely deliberate.  

“Why’d you suddenly bring it up?” The Nara patriarch countered, intently observing the other.

Shikamaru shrugged as he elaborated “It was the only talk in the Academy. Just remembered how it all started--” the young heir paused before supplying, “--with the market assault and all.”

At that, a flicker of recognition flashed through Shikaku’s eyes as he commented. ”Right. I remember. You were even one of the witnesses.”

The young Genius nodded in affirmation, not bothering to look up from the game. Judging from the other’s expression, he figured his son wasn’t done.

“Personally, even after all these incidents, I still don’t believe it. Although, most adults seemed to. So now--” Shikamaru met his father’s eyes “--I’m asking you, did you? ”

Privately, Shikaku smirked as a flutter of pride (once again) began to bloom in his chest. From that single question, Shikamaru had managed to silently probe not only where the Clan Heads (and maybe the Council itself) stand with the cursed child rumor but also if they found a connection between the three events - Kyuubi Attack, Uchiha Massacre, and Assassination of Umino Iruka. 

At a mere age of nine, his son just managed to flawlessly and discreetly switch their places. And now, he’s the one under scrutiny. The Nara patriarch couldn’t be any prouder. However, Shikamaru’s still too young to be joining the adult’s table. 

(Still, Shikaku decided to indulge the other as a reward. Besides, it wasn’t everyday anyone could impress the Genius Jounin Commander, twice.)

“I don’t. After all--” Cornering his son’s bishop and knight, he elaborated. “--rumors are baseless assumptions.”

Shikamaru grimaced at the breakage his father’s move brought to his defenses. If this continues, there’s no doubt he would lose. But, he’s definitely not going down that easily. As the young Nara prepared for his counter, he heard the other continue.

“Let me guess--” His father drawled “--you’re also wondering what happened to the Uzumaki kid’s attacker.” The Nara patriarch remarked more as a statement than a question (or suggestion).

He’s baiting me. Shikamaru mentally concluded. However, denying his interest would only be a blatant lie, raising more suspicions.  With no other choice, the young genius simply nodded in response. 

“He’s been released 6 months later--” Shikaku supplied as he promoted another general, “--with an additional 2 years of community service, which I believe he’s still serving.” 

“Why?” The young Genius inquired in return. Despite his cryptic response, he knew his father understood his message as the other explained.

“Aside from that incident, the guy’s clean. We all agreed the punishment would suffice. Besides--” he could feel his father’s eyes on him, gleaming calculatingly “--as you said, it was like--” 

“--he’s possessed.” Shikamaru interjected, finishing his father’s sentence.

At his interruption, the glint on his father’s eyes was replaced with approval. The young Genius mentally sent a thank you to his best friend for informing him about these stuff beforehand.

And with that, the father-son duo proceeded to play their game in silence with Shikamaru losing at the end (but it was a close call.)

Six Days Later (aka Friday)...

Somebody’s stalking him. 

Or better yet, the Inuzuka kid was stalking him.

Shino knew he’s making a big accusation. However, it’s already been five days since he first sensed the other’s presence near him. Despite his eccentricities, the Aburame heir had always been a rational individual. Even if he wasn’t, anyone (with a brain) could arrive at that conclusion, especially when the Inuzuka kid (and his pup) was literally everywhere he went.

Discreetly eyeing his classmate (read: stalker), who’s currently pretending to read a book (badly, he might add), Shino was absolutely tempted to send some bugs, preferably fleas, just to drive the other away.

However, his mother had always warned him against using their Kikaichū for such purposes. Still, the obvious side-glances (and stalking) were starting to irk him. Completely fed up with the Inuzuka’s antics, Shino decided it was time for answers. 

Closing his book on hand, he returned it to the shelves before proceeding to exit the room. As the Aburame heir left the library, he could hear the other scuffled to follow him. Shino walked aimlessly along the hallway, maintaining a certain pace to ensure that his stalker wouldn’t lose him.  

When he found the perfect place, where nobody would disturb them, the young Aburame turned right and waited for his classmate’s arrival, but not without hiding his scent with the help of his bugs. The moment the Inuzuka appeared, Shino pinned him with a gaze as he inquired (read: accused).

“Why are you stalking me?”

“--stalking me?”

Uh-Oh. Shino looks absolutely pissed. Kiba mentally gulped. From the looks of it, he might have overdone his follow-Shino-until-it-annoyed-him plan a little bit. 

But… at least it worked. Unfortunately, this also led to another problem. 

Now. Kiba was stuck in a dilemma. He did plan for the Aburame heir to approach him. However, the Inuzuka haven’t really thought much about anything beyond that, particularly how their actual confrontation would proceed.  

In other words, Kiba just had to improvise. Good thing he’s always been a flexible individual. After all, with the unpredictability of (past) Naruto, the rest of the Gang (aka Konoha 11 + Sai) learned to roll with the punches.

“I...I wasn’t exactly stalking you.” Kiba lamely defended, which the Bug User returned with a pointed look, completely-and-utterly unamused. 

In a (futile) attempt to diffuse the other’s growing impatience, he admitted. “Okay, I might’ve been following you for a while now. But--” At that, Shino’s dry stare only intensified, which (predictably) caused the Inuzuka to protest. “--Oh come on! Stop giving me those looks and let me explain first!” 

Kiba could literally feel the Aburame eye-rolling at him. Still, the other remained silent and gestured for him to continue.  Praying to whatever deity that the other would buy his excuse, he explained. “I just--” he began sheepishly “--I kinda wanted to ask for your help--” 

“--And you couldn’t have asked like a decent human being?” Shino flatly (read: sarcastically) interrupted.

Kiba inwardly cringed. Unfortunately, the Aburame heir wasn’t done with his little interrogation (read: roasting) as he added.

“So tell me--” Shino monotonously started “--what help could I possibly offer that made you resort to stalking.” He bluntly stated with a piercing gaze, challenging the other to refute his claims.

The Inuzuka flinched. Yup. Kiba totally went too far this time. He clearly needed to up his game lest the Inuzuka wanted his (future) friend to explode on him. And that’s currently the one thing he’s trying to avoid the most. After all, Angry Shino + Bugs was never a good combination. Kiba vaguely remembered how he learned it the hard way.

Chuckling nervously, he began his excuse “Umm. Well--” 

‘Oh, who was he kidding’. Kiba literally got nothing, as in nothing, nada. Shit. At this rate, he’s gonna be bug-food. The Inuzuka thought in horror. And so, he mentally panicked. 

As Kiba frantically scanned the surrounding for an idea (or escape), another individual caught his eye. It was his other teammate, Hinata. A couple of meters away, the young Hyuuga passed by with both shoulders sagged, completely sullen. 

(Unfortunately, Kiba failed to notice how Shino mutely followed his gaze. Despite the Aburame’s obvious curiosity, he didn’t bother to ask about it. After all, Shino was here to uncover the reason for other’s stalking, not the relationship between the two.)

To others, the Hyuuga’s current posture and ambiance might seem pretty normal, especially how timid Hinata had been as a child. But, Kiba knew better - something definitely happened. His expression instantly furrowed in worry, momentarily forgetting his (inner) panic. However, remembering the other’s warnings, there’s really nothing he could do. Kiba mentally groaned. He really hated being a kid (Well, a kid with future memories). Wait, maybe---

“--well?” Shino (not-so) patiently probed, effectively snapping the Inuzuka back to reality.

Right. I forgot about him. Kiba mentally mused. However, in fear of the other’s growing impatience (and the possible flea infestation), he ended up blurting the first thing that came to his mind.

“I was observing you?” Kiba inwardly winced the moment those words left his mouth. That’s gotta be his worst excuse (yet). In an attempt to salvage his reasoning (read: self), the Inuzuka blabbered. “I mean, I--” his thoughts wandered to his female teammate “--I needed help with Hinata.” Shino quirked an eyebrow at the name. “--it was absolutely harmless. I--”

Okay. That seriously didn’t make sense even to him. But he already said it so… Kiba’s just gonna roll with it. 

“--I was taking cues. So I had to follow you which… Yeah, it was kinda stalkerish but I was gonna stop after a week (a total lie). I just needed cues since I didn’t know how to... ummm befriend her--” Kiba knew he was rambling. At this point, he honestly hoped the other will stop him before he said something stupid (or stupider). Thankfully, the deities decided to take pity on him as he heard the Aburame speak.

“--What does it have to do with me?” Shino interjected.

But Kiba being Kiba, his eloquent response was “Uhh. What?”

"--What?"

The Aburame released an exhausted and irritated sigh. Still, he repeated his question.

“So again I ask, What--” 

Oh. Shino finally understood. The Inuzuka needed a help with his crush. Since the other was obviously too tongue-tied (read: coward) to approach the Hyuuga heiress, he settled on observing the closest thing next to his probable mate - him. Someone who’s also quiet and would rather stay on the sidelines, justifying the Inuzuka’s explanation of taking cues.

(Somehow, Shino misinterpreted Kiba’s earlier worried looks to a lovesick daze.)

However, the Aburame didn’t want to jump into conclusions (read: He already did) so he clarified.

“So you want me to help you with the Hyuuga heiress, am I correct?” Shino inquired, subtly insinuating his knowledge of the Inuzuka’s infatuation.

Kiba blinked a few times at the strange emphasis on the word ‘with’. He had a feeling that the Bug User had misunderstood something. Nonetheless, the Inuzuka simply nodded. After all, it was probably nothing. His teammate had always been weird in a mysterious way.

(In the future, Kiba will regret not listening to his gut feeling when he had the chance, especially with how weird it affected their team dynamics.)

Unbeknownst to him, Shino’s assumption was completely solidified by his silent nod.

“Okay. I’ll help.” The Bug-user stoically replied while his mind worked overtime on how he should play as a match-maker. Shino might not appear like it, but similar to his peers, he enjoys a good challenge. 

(To Shino's mind, the matchmaking of Kiba and Hinata was equivalent to the crossbreeding of two entirely different insect species - a scientific breakthrough in entomology.) 

The moment those words reached the Inuzuka's ear, he privately grinned.

Despite not really knowing how he managed to convince his friend, Kiba concluded Operation 'Befriend (read: Annoy) Shino was a success.

(Too bad, Kiba was absolutely clueless with how badly Shino misunderstood his actions.)  

Later that Day...

When Shino arrived at their dining room, his father just returned from his mission while his mother was serving their dinner.  He nodded at his parents respectfully before sitting down. As they ate in comfortable silence, the Aburame patriarch turned his attention to his son.

“How was your day, son?” Shibi monotonously inquired as he took a bite.

Briefly, Shino recalled today’s event - the confrontation with the Inuzuka, his puppy love affections towards the Hyuuga heiress, and how he agreed to help Kiba with his crush. A mission the Aburame heir has yet to figure out how to execute. Shino decided he’ll seek his parents' advice later. For now, he answered.

“I made an associate. ” Shino carefully replied, not really knowing how to describe the Inuzuka. 

“Oh. ” His mom’s eyes enthusiastically perked up before adding.  “So you’ve finally made a friend.”

Does he consider Kiba as a friend? Truthfully, Shino didn’t know despite being on a first name basis (He still had absolutely no idea how it happened). It’s not like he had anything against the Inuzuka. Well, aside from his stalking tendencies. It’s more of - Shino didn’t really get the chance to acquaint himself with the other. However, seeing his parents’ eager looks, the Aburame heir simply nodded in acknowledgement.  

“Who was it?” His mother asked, visibly delighted.

“Inuzuka Kiba.” Shino automatically clipped. 

Instantly, the Aburame heir could feel their eyes on him, which he had undoubtedly expected. After all, Kiba and Shino had literally nothing in common. Adding up the fact that the former was an infamous troublemaker and loud, the two of them being friends was pretty unnatural. Unless, they were somehow stuck with each other’s company. Without waiting for their inquiries, he supplied. 

“The boisterous son of the Inuzuka matriarch? Yes.” Shino momentarily paused before continuing, “And if you’re wondering why, the answer is simple. It’s because we were together for a project.” He concluded, stiffly.

[At the (almost) indiscernible hesitant tone of his son, Shibi predictably raised an eyebrow. Still, he didn’t bother commenting on it. Also, his wife seemed to accept their son’s reasoning.]  

A minute passed before Shino (finally) decided to ask for his parents’ help.  

“Father, I would like to ask for your guidance about our project. Can I?” Shino asked with a hint of expectancy and hesitation.

 His father took a bite before replying. “What is it, son?”

Staring directly to his father’s eyes, Shino not-so-subtly dropped the bomb. 

“How do dogs procreate?”

Everyone paused. 

Both of his parents were looking at him strangely as if he had a second head. His mother didn’t even manage to eat the food that was already half-way towards her mouth, blinking at him owlishly as she set her meal. 

Shino briefly wondered if it was a mistake to ask them or it was something in the way he cryptically phrased his sentence. Looking at it objectively, he surmised it was probably the latter.

(And for the first time today, Shino didn’t jump to the wrong conclusions.)

“--procreate?”

Shibi froze before eyeing his son incredulously. 

He had always known that Shino was a curious child. However, that was by far the least question he was expecting. It was, for a lack of a better term, oddly specific. In all honesty, it sounded like his 9-yr. old son was asking for the birds and bees talk (which they had been deliberately delaying), only in a canine's perspective. And considering Shino's new involvement with the Inuzuka kid, whatever project the two of them were working on - it was highly concerning. 

Thankfully, his wife responded in his place. "Why would you ask such a question, dear?" 

"It's for the project." Shino parroted before expounding, "Akamaru, Kiba's pup, had its first crush--” 

The Aburame heir knew he was lying straight to his parent’s face, which was an improper trait for an Heir Apparent. However, what he divulged was technically half-truths. Hence, it wasn’t totally a lie. Plus, it wasn’t his secret to tell.

“--and was now acting like a lovesick puppy, literally. Since we're renowned for our Kikaichū, he figured I might be well-versed in animal behaviours or biology in general. Also, Kiba refused to seek his clan’s assistance in fear of teasing. So, I agreed to help. We would highly appreciate it if none of you will disclose this information to his relatives, particularly his mom.”  

When his son was finished, Shibi couldn’t deny it was (surprisingly) reasonable. Even his wife seemed to agree as she engaged their son in the conversation of “matings” and “seasons”.

Still, it wasn’t enough to appease his worries (not the slightest bit).

Two Weeks Later...

Shikamaru was spending his Saturday afternoon by the Senju park, doing his favorite activity - cloud watching, as he waited for his best friend. Both hands at the back of his head as lazily lounged on the grass. 

After a few minutes, he heard some rustlings and footsteps approaching.

“Shikaaa--” Chouji almost whined "--they're not listening. Ino's suddenly best friends with Haruno-san while Kiba… he had established some weird relationship with the Aburame heir and I don’t even wanna know what’s their plan with Hyuuga-san - the female one by the way. And--” The Akimichi heir grumpily plopped down beside him before continuing “--whenever I tried to remind them, Ino and Kiba freaking disappeared. I’m pretty sure they Body-flickered away. We’re not even supposed to know that yet!” Chouji ranted in distress before ripping his bags of chips open, gobbling down like no tomorrow (read: stress eating). 

Shikamaru sat up, facing his friend with a hint of mirth. That’s gotta be Chouji’s longest speech yet (which was not related to food). He inwardly mused. As entertaining it is to see the imaginary steam of frustrations seeping through his friend’s ears, almost like an angry pufferfish, he’d rather not have the Akimichi develop an aneurysm.   

“I’ve expected that much. Don't worry too much, Chouji. Let them be--” Shikamaru waved a dismissive hand to emphasize that he didn’t really mind,  “--those two will still contact us if they discover something noteworthy.” The young Nara calmly pacified.

However, the Akimichi still looked at him skeptically, completely unconvinced. A beat later, Shikamaru tried another approach. “I wanted them to do this, Chouji.” The Nara offered in reassured before casually remarking.  “Can I have some chips?”

“No.” Chouji blurted out. Realizing his response, his eyes widened as he quickly amended. “Wait. I mean sure but… Explain.” 

A little amused, Shikamaru supplied. “Truthfully, I agree with all of you. We need information and forces. At the same time, with all the eyes on us, our moves are undoubtedly restricted. As you said, involving the others will only raise more suspicions. But this way--” Shikamaru purposely drawled for emphasis, “--since Kiba and Ino will be wary of us, at least until we're in the same class--” Which will not be long. His brain mentally added. “--none of the adults would come into conclusion that we are working together.” He gave him a childish grin as he rhetorically commented. “Pretty good plan, wasn’t it?” 

Understanding instantly flashed through Chouji’s features. However, there’s still one question that’s been bugging him. “But, then--”

“--how did I figure out they’re gonna react this way?” Shikamaru interjected, finishing his best friend's sentence. 

At the other’s nod, he elucidated. “Ino had always put her nose where it doesn’t belong--” Chouji snorted ”--so our little warning would have never deterred her. Plus, she's smart. If Ino's befriending a potential ally, it's gotta be somebody who's not a member of any Clan."

"A wild card. Haruno-san--" Chouji mumbled in realization "--she's perfect: a civilian girl with no remarkable record in her ancestry."

Shikamaru nodded in confirmation. Although he knew Ino's main reason was because Sakura is her best friend, even if the Blonde refused to admit it. Nevertheless, he concluded. "With Sakura on the equation, the Council cannot just point the finger at us - the Clan kids. Kiba, on the other hand--" The Nara let out a deep breath "--the answer is simple: it's because he's an Inuzuka. For them, the Pack is everything. It's in their instinct to protect. Seeing how bleak the future is or was--"

Shikamaru paused momentarily. The words -based on our dreams- were left unspoken. Still, both of them understood. 

"--it's predictable he'll approach one of his old teammates like how he did with us." Chouji scrunched his face in confusion.

At that, he clarified. "We might be members of the pack, but outside his Clan, Kiba’s first pack will always be his Genin Team. He’ll do whatever it takes to ensure their safety, whether consciously or not. Although--” The Nara put a hand on his chin as he muttered. “--I've got to admit. I'm curious how Kiba managed to convince Shino. I was positive he would've gone to Hinata first.” Shikamaru mumbled mostly to himself but was still enough for his companion to hear. 

When he was done with his explanation, all Chouji could really say was: “So you planned it all out.” The Akimichi dryly accused. 

Shikamaru smirked as he confessed, "Guilty as charged." He admitted, not a bit repentant for his little act of deception. Eyeing the food on the other's lap, he (teasingly) inquired. "So can I have some chips now?" 

Chouji playfully rolled his eyes at him as he offered the chips. “Great. So, I was worrying for nothing.” With an exasperated sigh, the Akimichi added. “Couldn't you inform me about your little plan, Shika?” He grumbled petulantly. 

Shikamaru simply shrugged indifferently in response. 

This time. Chouji did whine at his friend. “Oh. Come on, Shika. You know I could keep a secret.”  And to further strengthen his argument, he used his secret weapon. “Besides, aren’t I your best friend?”

Ahh. The best-friend card. Shikamaru pondered amusedly. He had to admit that was a good tactic to make him feel guilty for keeping his best friend in the dark. Unfortunately (for Chouji), he had always been multiple steps ahead. 

Coolly, Shikamaru countered. “It's a logical ruse. Besides, as they said: To fool your enemies, you must first fool your friends.”  He ended with a sly grin. 

The young Nara laid down, once again, relishing the calm breeze as he watched the clouds drift aimlessly in the sky, not at all bothered by his friend’s pout. Meanwhile, Chouji released a resigned sigh as he copied his friend. After a minute, he called for the attention of his friend.

“Hey, Shika--” Chouji pondered out loud which the Nara acknowledged with a soft hum, “--any tips for the final exams, next week?” The Akimichi nonchalantly inquired.

Shikamaru laughed before he offered. “You’ll do fine, Chouji. Plus, if I told you--” he side-glanced his friend with Cheshire smile “--then that would be cheating.”

Predictably, Chouji gave him an eye-roll for the Nara’s lame excuse. After all, he perfectly heard crystal clear what his friend truly meant, which was - where’s the fun in that?

So in response, Chouji could only complain “Stingy.” 

And so, the Shika-Cho duo spent most of the afternoon playfully bantering with one another, almost like kids of their ages.

When their teasing remarks finally died down, the duo just lazed around, listening to the chirping of birds and crickets, Shikamaru's mind began to wander elsewhere.

Despite his words of comfort, the Nara knew it failed to fully ease his friend's mind. If he'd be honest, his plans were all formed half-baked at best. Still, the young Nara couldn't find himself to act more on it, not because he's too lazy to do it (although it might have been a factor), but rather Shikamaru just wanted to enjoy these peaceful moments while he still can.

After all, he had a (foreboding) feeling that once all of the Rookie 9 are in the same class, things could get a little messy.

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

"Only when you've talked to an old friend will one truly realize how much things had changed." 

Recap:

Still, the young Nara couldn't find himself to act more on it, not because he's too lazy to do it (although it might have been a factor), but rather Shikamaru just wanted to enjoy these peaceful moments while he still can.

After all, he had a (foreboding) feeling that once all of the Rookie 9 are in the same class, things could get a little messy.

Timeskip: The day before the exam…

“--okay. That’s it for today.” The instructor concluded when the bell rang, signalling the end of the class.

Predictably, majority of the students cheered, overjoyed to be finally free from the gruelling review. Unfortunately, their happiness was short-lived as their instructor reminded them of the finals.

“But--” He accentuated, raising a finger up as he eyed his students critically. “--you'll still have to prepare on your own for tomorrow’s examinations--” At that, the students groaned. “--and remember. If any of you failed the finals, you will be required to take remedial classes or worse repeat this year.” The homeroom teacher warned. 

While a few remained undeterred, most of the class complained against their instructor. On his periphery, Naruto sensed the braided guy with bushy eyebrows gulping in fear.  

Truthfully, the Blonde didn’t care about the exam. He just wanted to be out of this place as soon as possible. Still, a part of him hated the flicker of disappointment flashing through Jiji's eyes whenever he failed a test. Even if the Hokage did conceal it, Naruto could still sense his emotion. So maybe… He will try his best just for the Old man's sake.

Naruto just hoped the exam wouldn't contain the accursed Bunshin test. 

"--stop complaining. I’ll be back in a second." The teacher announced as he temporarily left the room.

The moment their instructor was out of the door, the Blonde promptly stood up to leave. He didn’t bother waiting for their teacher to return. After all, classes had officially ended. As he mutely left his seat, another jeer was casually sent his way. 

“Pleaseee--” A raven-haired kid with squinted eyes drawled mockingly, “--only the cursed blonde is stupid enough to fail this exam.” 

At the other’s obvious provocation, Naruto mentally grimaced.

He really hated this place.

Nevertheless, the Young Uzumaki continued walking, not bothering to spare his tormentor a glance. 

“Oi--” The kid sitting next to the raven-haired hissed in a whisper. “--Yoru don’t be stupid, he’s--”

“Hey Blondie--” Yoru called jibingly from his seat, “--does your curse work after the night of October 10th?” 

This caused Naruto to momentarily stiffened, stopping in his tracks.

At this point, most of their classmates were intently listening, shamelessly eavesdropping but none of them attempted to intervene. Some were even murmuring among themselves, whispers jammed with fear pervading the air. Inhaling a deep breath, Naruto calmed his nerves as he proceeded to leave, ignoring the raven-haired taunts. Insulted by the Blonde’s reaction, Yoru gritted his teeth as he goaded.   

"That's right--” The raven-haired sneered, a condescending laugh escaping his lips. “--run away like a scared little rat, back to your momma. Oh right--" Yoru smiled evilly as he pretended to recall “--You didn't have one.” 

This time, Naruto swirled to face his offender in reflex. But to his surprise, a girl wearing Chinese-styled buns stood near the ‘Yoru’ kid as she defended.

“Will you cut it out! He’s not doing any--”

“--Oh, shut it, Tenten.” Yoru cut off as he contemptuously added, “Nobody asked for your opinion, Ms. Goody-Two Shoes.”

Naruto could feel his fellow classmates starting to get antsy. In fact, another kid-the bushy-eyebrowed one-was just about to join in the fray. However, he had enough. The Blonde just wanted to go back home. Before any of them could say anything further, Naruto interjected in a dead tone.  

“Shut your trap--” Most of the class stilled as they felt the Blonde’s silent rage, “--nobody asked for your fucking opinion either.” Naruto ended, hissing. 

Unfortunately, their teacher decided to return at this very moment, when Naruto retaliated to defend the girl with a Chinese bun hairstyle. Taking just one look at his class, the tense atmosphere, and the people involved, then adding up the Jinchuuriki’s last words, he automatically concluded.

"Uzumaki! Stop threatening your classmates or we’ll give you detention!”

Naruto inwardly scoffed. Of course. He’s always the one to blame. Seriously, what did he expect? 

The girl named ‘Tenten’ was just about to speak up when Naruto simply bolted out of the classroom.

He was just so done.

Neji closely watched the scene with a calculating gaze. His bland eyes never once left the Uzumaki’s features until the Blonde was officially out of sight. 

What he had witnessed was undeniably an act of abuse, particularly verbal bullying. With the exception of the Chinese girl and the thick-eyebrowed kid, the rest of his classmates were just too immature and petty. Neji had even begun questioning the credibility of their instructor for him to arrive at such conclusions without any form of validation. Nonetheless, it was none of his concern since all of these individuals were beneath him. 

Without wasting another second, the Hyuuga prodigy impassively left the room.

As the door closes behind him, he managed to hear some tidbits of the Chinese girl’s explanation to their teacher. The former emphasizing that ‘Yoru was the instigator and the Blonde simply defended her.’ His mind promptly wandered to their elusive classmate - Uzumaki Naruto. 

Looking back, there was nothing remarkably special with the Blonde, albeit the other did change dramatically in just a year. And yes, Neji was well-aware of the cursed child rumor. However, a rumor is just a rumor and nothing more. He wasn’t one of the simple-minded fools who'd join the bandwagon of oppression based on hearsays and mere suppositions. 

In other words, Uzumaki Naruto was not the kind of individual who would've typically garnered his attention. Because fundamentally, the Blonde was just another orphaned kid from the Kyuubi’s attack. In fact, Neji’s sudden curiosity towards the other was all due to his cousin - Lady Hinata. 

Flashback

It’s been weeks since his timid cousin started her incessant invitations as if she was befriending him.

Even at their Clan’s territory, Lady Hinata was spending more time at the Branch House, using academy requirements and alike as an excuse to bother him. It was preposterous in the young prodigy's opinion. Fate had dictated that the Main House was the elites while the Branch House was the slaves, a mere sacrifice entitled to serve the former. As such, the members of the two Houses could never be anything more than that. 

However, what surprised him the most was that Neji never knew his seemingly weak cousin could be so persistent. 

The young prodigy had to admit, it was beginning to get on his nerves; Yet at the same time, it wasn’t. Technically, the members of the Main House could always make the Branch House abide to their wishes. However, even at the Hyuuga grounds, Neji was always given a choice. And for some unfathomable reason, his cousin always seemed to know when to and not to push his buttons almost as if she could read him. The Hyuuga prodigy found it agitating (and intriguing), especially since Lady Hinata used to easily clam up. 

But given the Clan's division, this obviously caught the attention of the Clan Elders, which was the beginning of another controversy. After all, why would someone from the Main House, particularly the Heir Apparent, go out of her way to visit a mere member of the Branch House? 

Predictably, this simply fueled Neji's hatred towards the members of the Main House and to Lady Hinata even more so. As the Heir Apparent, she should have known the implications of her actions, her disregard of the division between the two Houses. However, this was instantly replaced with confusion after the incident a few days ago. 

A few days ago… 

Neji masked his annoyance with indifference. 

They were currently in one of the training fields of the Clan near the Branch House (again). Somehow, Lady Hinata managed to rope him and the other kids from both Houses into a game of Hide-and-Seek in the guise of training their tracking skills without their Byakugan. She even brought her 4-yrs. old sister, Lady Hanabi, into the game. 

At first, there was an unspeakable tension between the children of the two Houses. Most of the kids from the Main House refused to participate due to the involvement of the Branch members using the restricted use of Byakugan as an excuse.

Silently, Neji's right hand curled into a fist at their stupid reasonings. To his surprise, Lady Hinata managed to smoothen the situation with just a single explanation. In a soft tone, the Heir Apparent stammered, unconsciously fiddling hem of her clothing. 

"I-I know it m-might be im-p-practical not t-to use the Byakugan-n when we have-e one. But--" Hinata momentarily paused, straightening her posture before patting her little sister's head who's looking at her in concern. “--our greatest s-strength could also be used as our weakness. Wouldn’t it be better to be adept with or without our Byakugan?” She fluidly ended, finally overcoming her stutter.  

Neji had to admit, it was a logical argument. Similar to the Sharingan, their dōjutsu was not exactly a secret. The Byakugan was a well-known Kekkei Genkai in the Five Villages and enemies will always be looking for a way to defeat it. Hence, they should be prepared against it. So maybe… Neji had discounted his cousin too soon. 

However, that was all until Neji was tagged as ‘it’.

Lady Hinata recommended him to be the ‘seeker’ by virtue of seniority. To which, the rest of the players unanimously agreed on. When the game began, the young prodigy made sure to find Lady Hinata first as a (childish) form of revenge. Even if Neji would not partake in the succeeding games (He refused to be dragged in this nonsense any further), this would at least ensure that Lady Hinata would be the next ‘it’.

Once the first round of the game ended, Neji was just about to excuse himself (read: escape) when the Elders arrived with the Clan Head in tow. Subsequently, the previously warm atmosphere among the children became strained as they all bowed in respect. 

"Hinata-sama." One of the Elders greeted before switching their gaze to the younger child holding the Heir Apparent’s hand, “Hanabi-sama. We’re glad to see the two of you well.” He ended with a warm smile, completely disregarding the rest of the children, particularly those belonging to the Branch House. 

In return, Hinata equally greeted them with a pleasant smile before inquired in a gentle tone. “Is there anything we could help you with?”

This time, it was their father, the Clan Head, who spoke up. “The Elders wish to speak with you regarding your duties. We hope we could talk to you somewhere private.”

Hinata nodded in understanding before giving Hanabi’s hand a gentle squeeze. Kneeling in front of her little sister, the Heir Apparent smiled gingerly as she remarked. “I’m sorry for cutting our game short, Hanabi.”

At the younger Hyuuga’s sour expression, Hinata’s face turned even more apologetic as she promised, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. And then, we can play again. For now--” If there’s one thing Neji began to approve of his cousin, it was how Lady Hinata seemed to find time for her little sister. “--you can stay with Neji nii-sama and we’ll all play together when I return. Unless--” The Heir Apparent looked at him expectantly, “--nii-sama had prior commitments?”

Neji really hated his cousin. She always found ways to pull him into her pace. He wanted nothing more to do with his relatives from the Main House. But now, even Lady Hanabi began bothering him (read: seeking his company) even without Lady Hinata.

[In reality, Neji hated the warm, bubbling feeling he’s beginning to feel whenever they sought him, looking at him as if they were equals and a family.]

With a mental sigh, the Hyuuga prodigy replied. “I could look after Lady Hanabi for the meantime, Lady Hinata.” 

Instantly, Hinata beamed at her cousin as she responded, “Thank you, Neji nii-sama. I’ll--”

“--Actually, we could bring Hanabi-sama with us back to the Main House.” One of the female Elders, Hyuuga Ayame, interjected before adding, “She could stay with her nanny instead.” 

Without missing a beat, Hinata countered. “I believe that would be unnecessary, Ayame-sama.”

Standing up, Hinata wiped the dust from her knees before she ushered her little sister towards their cousin's side. “After all, my sister absolutely adores Neji nii-sama. You--” Hinata glanced at her younger sister before asking for confirmation, “--do prefer this arrangement don’t you, Hanabi?”

“Mm!” Hanabi gleefully exclaimed in agreement, earning an affectionate smile from the Heir Apparent. 

And there it was again, the foreign sensation creeping the young prodigy’s nerves.

Neji truly found his cousins to be annoying.

“Lady Hinata.” Hyuuga Hideyoshi, their eldest advisor called, disrupting the interaction of the siblings. Face devoid of any emotion, he continued. “What Ayame-san just said was not up for discussion. The two of you had been frequently out of the Main House for the past weeks. And this is becoming quite a concern.”

At that, Neji’s face darkened. Everyone understood the meaning behind their words - Do not associate yourself with the Branch House. 

[If Neji wasn’t too focused on his rage, he would have noticed the flicker of defiance that briefly flashed in Hinata’s pale orbs. However, this did not miss the trained eyes of the Clan Head and their grandfather, which were both caught by surprise.]

Politely, Hinata clarified. “I apologize, Hideyoshi-sama. I’m afraid I fail to understand your concern. What--" 

Neji uncharacteristically blinked multiple times, attempting to decipher the sudden change in how Lady Hinata held herself. Meanwhile, Hanabi had stars in her eyes as she watched her older sister, physically vibrating in awe.

"--could be the problem with how I choose to spend my time outside training?” Before any of them could respond, she promptly added. "Is there any rule that we are unaware of, which explicitly states that we are restricted within the domain of our respective Houses?"

When one of the Elders was just about to retaliate, their grandfather, the Elder with the highest power, (fondly) placed a hand on top of Hinata’s head, causing the latter to look at him inquisitively. Their grandfather’s gaze swiftly flitted among the children from both Houses before zeroing into Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi. 

“I heard your message loud and clear, Hinata.” Their grandfather reassured with a kind smile as he continued. “We apologize for the sudden disturbance. I believe--” He turned to his fellow Elders, “--this surmises what we wanted to discuss with you.”

“But--” Hideyoshi cut in, which was immediately interrupted by their grandfather. 

“--this conversation is closed for good.” He stressed with a pointed look, silencing the rest of the Elders. 

Neji noticed his uncle’s lips imperceptibly twitched, almost as if to quirk a smile(?). However, his attention was stolen by the murmurs around them before he could delve further into it. The young prodigy was astonished to see quite a number of spectators around them - people from both Houses. He heard his grandfather speak again. 

“You kids, can continue on what you’re doing. I have to agree, it’s an ingenious way to train one’s tracking skill without developing an over-reliance on our Byakugan--” This time, he gave the children a smile, dissipating the tense atmosphere that once enveloped them. “--we’ll be now taking our leave. We’ll see you in our training sessions, Hinata.”

And with that, they left. 

The rest of the kids (read: his playmates) were back to their old selves. In fact, they became even more excited with the game due to the previous Clan Head’s praise. Neji, on the other, didn’t know what to feel. However, one thing he’s certain of was that it will bring a new change to their Clan. 

As his eyes centered on Lady Hinata who was merrily interacting with the other kids, the young prodigy couldn’t help but acknowledge that maybe… 

His cousin did have what it takes to be the next Head.   

Later that night...

Neji still couldn’t erase the earlier events from his mind.

He was too confused with everything (read: himself). Everything has already been pre-determined by fate, destinies written in stone. Neji had always believed that no matter how skilled he becomes, he will forever be bound to serve the Main House. All of his skills, his hard work and efforts will simply go to waste, and Neji despised his Clan because of this. He detested the Main House and their hold over them. He hated the Council of Elders, his grandfather, his uncle, and his cousins.

He loathed all of them for stealing his father.

Unconsciously, the Young Prodigy found himself in front of an empty room. And if he remembered it correctly, this place would give him a good vantage of his cousin's bedroom. 

Without much thought, Neji activated his Byakugan and saw his cousin sound asleep.  But what caught his attention the most was the (familiar?) scarlet scarf Lady Hinata was hugging close to her chest. The Hyuuga Prodigy could've sworn he saw that scarf somewhere. 

He was just about to switch off his Kekkei Genkai when he saw a tear fall from his cousin's left eye as Lady Hinata mouthed a word. 

And that's when it all clicked. 

The reason the scarf felt familiar was because he saw one of his classmates wearing it a year ago. It was the Blonde kid with whisker marks - Uzumaki Naruto.

End of Flashback

Neji might not be too adept in lip reading. However, there was no denying that Lady Hinata mumbled the word 'Naruto-kun' in her sleep who was the owner of the scarf. And so, the Young Prodigy decided to observe his classmate. 

Even after watching the Blonde for quite some time, there was still nothing significantly remarkable about him. Almost everything about Uzumaki Naruto revolved around the cursed child rumor -  the Kyuubi attack and alike.

And in all honesty, Neji couldn’t care any less about it. Unconsciously, his hand wandered towards the band on his forehead, fingers idly caressing the fabric while his eyes closed. 

After all, Uzumaki Naruto wasn’t the only one with a cursed fate.

The day of the exam…

Naruto wearily woke up from his slumber. 

Truthfully, he didn’t want to go to class today. In fact, he never wanted to go back to the Academy ever again, especially with yesterday’s event fresh on his mind. Unfortunately, he couldn’t skip today because of the exam. Hence, the Blonde forcefully dragged himself out of his bed. 

As he walked towards the fridge, the young Uzumaki idly mused about his classmates, the prodigy kid from the Hyuuga Clan in particular. If he recalled it correctly, the name sounded like ‘Heiji’ or something. Either way, Naruto didn’t care much about their names. Besides, it's not like anybody could blame him. After all, none of them even bothered to know him beyond the ‘cursed child’ .

Although, there were some kids from the Academy who were decent enough not to call him names, like the girl with a Chinese-bun hairstyle from yesterday (Tenten), the pineapple-haired kid, and his swirly-cheeked best friend (Shikamaru and Chouji), and… Okay. Naruto could probably list at least five kids who weren’t mean to him. Nonetheless, they were nothing but strangers to him. Plus, it wouldn’t be too long until they got sucked up by the stupid rumor. 

Naruto has survived on his own up to this point. He didn't need to associate himself with anyone. And this brought him back to the question - why would the top student of their class be interested in him? 

The Hyuuga kid has been observing him for at least a week. Thus far, the Blonde never sensed any hint of hostility from the other, just apathy and confusion. Well... As long as the other kid didn’t bother him, then the Young Uzumaki could do the same. 

Glancing at his clock, Naruto heaved another deep sigh at the reminder. He just hoped today wouldn’t be as worse as yesterday.

At the Academy...

Naruto was just sitting in the farthest corner, waiting for his name to be called for the practical exam. Most of his classmates had already been through and gone for the day. There were only a few of them left in the room. The Blonde was just about to lay his head on the desk when he heard a reverberated call of ‘Uzumaki Naruto’.

Leaving his spot, he followed their homeroom teacher into another room. Inside, there were already two instructors present - a fat man with a goatee wearing a bandana and a woman wearing a kimono with long, curly hair and oval glasses. Naruto briefly remembered them substituting in some of his classes, particularly the woman. 

The Blonde stood in the middle of the room, facing the three instructors. Looking directly at the trio, Naruto sensed that although neither of them held any malice, all of them were extremely wary of him. Clearing his throat, his instructor began explaining the mechanics of the exam. 

Once he was done, his teacher inquired. “Are you ready?”

In return, Naruto responded with a nod.

And so, his test began.

A few minutes later...

A series of gasps escaped his lips. 

Naruto huffed and puffed as beads of sweat rolled down his face. He just finished his Taijutsu exam, wherein he faced the clones of the two male instructors. Who knew the fat guy could move so fast?  He will never judge his opponent based on their physique ever again. Moving on, since he’d already been tested in Genjutsu and Taijutsu, this meant that he’s in the last component of the finals - the Ninjutsu exam. 

Recalling the last two, Naruto inwardly cringed as he recalled his performance in the Genjutsu test. But at least, he’s positive that he did well in Taijutsu. In other words, the deciding factor will definitely be his score in the Ninjutsu test. 

“--you might have realized by now that the last test will assess your skills in Ninjutsu--” Naruto mentally begged for it to be anything but the Bunshin test. “--to pass this evaluation, you must produce at least two stable clones--”  

And Naruto just drowned the rest of his words out.

Fate just loved making his life miserable. As if it wasn’t pitiful enough to begin with.

The Young Uzumaki sarcastically barked in private.

By this point, the Blonde knew how this would end. There was absolutely no way he could pass the exam. However… that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.  

Executing the necessary hand seals, Naruto yelled. “Bunshin no Jutsu.”

An hour after the exam...

“Suzume. Daikoku. Welcome--” Hiruzen warmly greeted as the duo entered the Tower, looking up from his reports. “--I’ll skip the pleasantries. Tell me about your findings.”

In response, the plumped Chuunin instructor with a bandana stepped up as he reported. “It’s like how you predicted, Hokage-sama. Uzumaki Naruto still couldn’t conjure a single Bunshin. He--” Hiruzen listened with an unreadable expression as he puffed a smoke. “--the Jinchuuriki kid had too much chakra for his little body. Based on his current progress, it would be impossible for him to control it. Is it really the right choice to make him a ninja?” Daikoku inquired skeptically before he pointed out, "There's a high chance he might lose control."

This time, it was the black, curly-haired Kunoichi who provided her input. “I believe it might be too soon to judge his potential as a ninja. Indeed, his chakra control is completely abysmal. But--” Her glasses gleamed under the light. “--I think the kid had a knack for hiding his presence.” 

Now. That caught everyone's attention in the room. 

Placing his pipe on the sides, Hiruzen put both hands under his chin, obviously in deep thought as he clarified. “Can you elaborate on it further, Suzume-san?”

The Kunoichi nodded before she expounded.  “As you all know, my expertise lies in teaching undercover techniques to young Kunoichis. Hence, I have yet to be assigned to him directly. But from time-to-time, I was asked by their homeroom teacher to take over. He was always late but I--” Suzume momentarily paused, brows creasing as she searched for the right word. “--I never once realized when he joined the class. The Uzumaki kid was just there. I would like to request permission to observe him further.” 

At this point, Hiruzen’s mind was working overtime at the implications of the Chuunin’s words. It was good to know that Naruto had some latent skills that would be vital in their profession. However, this might also capture the interest of the wrong individuals. The Sandaime would have to hide it from the Council. 

“Suzume. Daikoku. What you just reported will not leave this room--” Instantly, the duo straightened up as they gave their word. “--Continue on monitoring his progress. Once the new term starts, I expect a monthly report from the two of you.” 

“Hokage-sama. If I may ask--” Daikoku began, “--what would be the verdict with the result of Uzumaki Naruto’s exam?”

Hiruzen released a deep sigh before he replied, “Unfortunately, he’ll have to repeat this year. Do not worry, I’ll be the one to relay the news. If you have no more queries, then you are dismissed.”

The Academy instructed made a respectful bow before body-flickering away, leaving the Hokage alone in the room. 

Silently, he turned around to gaze through the window of the tower, watching the Village with tired eyes. Contrary to the popular belief, Hiruzen was not blind to Naruto’s detestation of the Academy. However, the young Uzumaki's lack of chakra control will be a danger to both the Village and to the kid itself. 

If only Jiraiya was here to teach his godson. 

The Hokage inwardly contemplated. However, Hiruzen needed ears and eyes outside the Village. And there's no better candidate than his perverted pupil. Plus, the two of them already had an agreement. For now, the Blonde will be in his care. Naruto needed to learn more about the basics before he could advance, both as a Konoha Ninja and an individual. Even if this will make his pseudo-grandson hate him, some things were just meant to be done.

Besides, as the Hokage, Hiruzen had made crueler decisions in the past. This was absolutely nothing in comparison.

[If only they truly realized what Naruto needed, then Konoha might not have lost their Jinchuuriki.]

Meanwhile...

Sitting on the center of his bed, Naruto hugged his knees closely, burying his head. Right after his test, the Blonde just went straight back home, locking himself inside his apartment. Although the examiners said they still have to check his written exam, the Young Uzumaki knew he'd most likely fail, especially with how his Bunshin test went. Still, it didn’t mean that accepting his failure was any easier. 

(For once, Naruto just wanted to prove everyone wrong.) 

Tap. Tap. 

Naruto heard a soft knock on his window. Without raising his head, the Blonde immediately knew it was Cat based on her chakra signature. Instead of moving, he simply hugged his knees tighter. A minute later, a monotonous voice permeated the room. 

“Uzumaki-san--” Cat lightly called through the window. “--the Hokage requested for your presence.”

Of course. Jiji would’ve wanted to talk to him about the exams. Besides, what else could be the reason for Cat to address him directly, offer her sympathies? Naruto almost laughed at the ridiculous thought. 

Albeit Cat was never one of the cruel ones, she was, for the lack of a better term, too detached. Cat just accomplished her task and that was it. The same goes for Tiger and Dog, although the latter occasionally looked at him with a tint of longing among others (which Naruto never understood nor had the chance to figure out. Dog was always out of the Village).  Out of everyone, Hawk had always been Naruto’s favorite. The Anbu never talked to him, but the Blonde somehow knew the other cared. As his mind wandered to the old days, an unknown (read: traitorous) voice murmured.

Too bad. Your curse drove him to insanity. 

Instantly, Naruto raised his head, searching for the voice. Before he could delve any deeper. Cat once again called. “Uzumaki-san?”

At that, the Blonde just let out a long sigh before getting out of his bed to meet the Hokage.   

At the Hokage Tower...

When they arrived, the Hokage had his back on them, looking thoughtfully through the window. Turning around, he immediately dismissed Cat with a soft ‘thanks’ before zeroing in on the young Uzumaki. Despite the eyes on him, Naruto still refused to meet the other's gaze, eyes rooted on the floor. He heard the Sandaime sighed. 

“Naruto--” The Sandaime gingerly began, “--I heard about the exam.”

At the reminder of his failure, the Blonde involuntarily flinched. He hoped Jiji didn’t notice anything. But as usual, Fate hated him as he sensed the Hokage approaching with a hint of pity. 

“Hey, I’m not mad at you, Naruto--” The Hokage gently nudged, “--please look at me--” 

This time, the Blonde reluctantly followed. The instant he looked up, emotions of regret, sorrow, and guilt flushed over him (and he was focusing so hard to keep Hokage’s emotion at bay). Great. Now, Naruto didn’t know what’s worse - the fact that Jiji’s feeling sorry for him or the Old man’s sorry for what he's about to do.  Either way, the young Uzumaki didn’t like it. 

“--And I’m not disappointed in you either--” A lie. Naruto’s traitorous mind supplied. “--In fact, I heard you did a spectacular job in the Taijutsu test and you’ve managed to garner enough points to pass the written exam.”

At that, the Blonde immediately perked up, hope blooming deep in his chest as he clarified, “I did?”

Hiruzen smiled, giving him a soft pat before replying, “Yes. You did. However--” His face turned grim, “--it has come to our attention that your chakra control is extremely lacking. It’s not your fault but it does have some implications.”

Naruto felt dread creep into his skin. Without any warning, his cerulean eyes widened in panic as the words of his homeroom teacher echoed in his mind.

‘… or worse repeat this year.’

The Blonde shook his head, pulling away from the Hokage as he frightfully mumbled. “No.”

Seeing his pseudo-grandson’s horrified reaction, Hiruzen couldn’t help but inwardly grimace, his expression softening in sympathy. “Naruto--” The Sandaime started in a sorrowful tone, “--I’m afraid we’ve got no other choice but to--”

“--Jiji, please--” The Blonde begged, his voice cracking. “--I’ll train harder. Just give me a week. I-I promise I’ll perfect the Bunshin Jutsu. Just please don’t--”  

“--I have no doubt you can do it, Naruto.” The Hokage interjected, reassuring the child. “--but even so, this is the second time you’ve failed the Bunshin Jutsu.” The Sandaime paused. 

Naruto could hear his heart throbbing in anxiety as he waited for the Hokage to continue. Truthfully, he was beginning to have a panic attack. The Young Uzumaki didn’t want to stay any longer in the Academy than necessary. He barely survived the last two years and adding another one would surely not help his case. 

(More than anything, Naruto just wanted to be free.)

“I cannot allow you to advance to the next class. This is for your own safety.” Hiruzen solemnly affirmed. The Blonde felt his breath hitched as he weakly protested. 

“Jiji, I...”

However, the rest of his words died out. Eyes filled with sadness and guilt, Hiruzen met his eyes directly as he softly muttered. “I’m so sorry, Naruto. But you’ll have to repeat this year.” 

Golden locks fell into his face as he slightly bowed his head, shrouding his eyes. Without giving the Hokage a chance to touch him, Naruto just nodded and left the Tower wordlessly, ignoring the worried looks sent his way.

Timeskip:The night before the first day of class...

It was almost nine in the evening. 

Hinata was helping her mother with the dishes while their father and grandfather conversed by the table. Hanabi was just sitting over the counter, dangling her feet as she waited for her big sister to finish. 

However, every move of the Hyuuga Apparent was performed robotically, completely lost in her own thoughts. It wasn't until her mother spoke up that Hinata snapped out of her reverie. 

"Is something the matter, sweetheart?" Her mother asked, handing over another plate for her to dry. 

“Oh. Umm… It’s--” Hinata’s mind briefly drifted to her elusive cousin before shaking her head, “--it’s nothing, Mother.” Mustering up a small smile, she reassured. “Neji nii-sama is just… He’s just being more distant than usual. I--”  Hinata's hands momentarily stopped drying the dishes, her expression turning a bit somber. “--I wonder if I did something wrong.” She explained, mumbling the words in the end. 

Her mother hummed in understanding before she commented, “Neji… He’s pretty stubborn like his father, Hizashi. In fact, your father is also the same sometimes. They can be thick-headed but--” Hinata side-glanced to her, a little bit curious. “--their heart is in the right place. Personally, I think the best way to get through their thick skull is--” Her mother looked at her with a hint of humor, “--by proving them wrong.” 

Out of nowhere, Hinata heard a very familiar yet unknown voice repeated.

‘...told me I'm a failure, I'll prove them wrong!’

Clank.

Sounds of glass shattering echoed in the room, alarming everyone, especially the adults. Hinata blinked, dissolving the voice and the silhouette of a boy. It was then the Heir Apparent realized that she had accidentally dropped the plate. In an instant, she scrambled to clean up her mess, stuttering apologies. However, her mother immediately stopped her. 

“I’ll handle this, sweetheart. It’s also getting late.” Her mother eyed Hanabi, who’s looking at her older sister anxiously “Just take little Hanabi to bed, will you?” She paused before adding, “Are you okay?”

In response, Hinata silently nodded before walking towards her sister. Extending her hand, she offered. “Let’s go to bed, Hanabi.” This was enthusiastically returned by the youngest Hyuuga. 

The Heir Apparent gave adults one last apologetic look as she muttered. “Goodnight Father, Mother, and Ji-chan. Again, I truly apologize for the mess.”

And with that, the siblings resigned for the night.

As the two children left, the three adults eyed the eldest in worry. 

When they were positive that the kids (or Hinata specifically) were out of earshot, Hiashi turned to his wife and asked. "Have you found out what's bothering her this time?"

The Hyuuga matriarch nodded before she supplied, "It's about Neji-kun again."

"Ahh--" The previous Clan Head murmured in understanding, "--Neji is indeed difficult to deal with. Hizashi's kid seemed to be intent on pushing everyone away. It's honestly a miracle he has yet to make young Hanabi cry." He ended jokingly. 

Hiashi massaged his temples as he replied in exasperation. "Father, please don't jinx it." This earned a hearty laugh from the Elder Hyuuga, even his wife had a fond smile on her lips.

When his laughter finally subsided, he looked at the couple critically before commenting. "The two of you should give your daughter more credit. Hiashi--" The Elder Hyuuga remarked almost in a chastising tone. "--you were there when Hinata stood up against the Clan Advisors in broad daylight covered in dirt and leaves. It was not a fluke. There's a fierce lioness hiding behind her timid persona. This kind of deterrence would not stop her. Besides, I believe you've already witnessed the beginnings of her reign - the change she's bringing to our Clan."

"I do, Father." Hiashi confirmed. His tone laced with a hint of pride. "Children from both Houses are freely interacting with one another, blurring the lines dividing the Main and Branch House."

His father nodded. "Believe in your daughter, Hiashi. It's just as you said. It might be too late for our generation to make amends for the sins of the past. However--" The Elder Hyuuga purposely paused, signifying his son to continue. 

"--it's not too late for them." Hiashi ended, completing the sentence. He put a palm over his wife's hand before expressing his gratitude. "Thanks for the reminder, Father."

Later that night…

After tucking little Hanabi to sleep, Hinata returned to her room before plopping into her bed. 

Staring at the ceiling, her mind inevitably drifted to the events earlier this evening. Unknowingly, Hinata parrotted the words that have been circling her mind. 

"Prove him wrong, huh?"

Recalling her past interaction with her elusive cousin, Hinata honestly believed she was getting through Neji nii-sama. But for some unfathomable reason, the older Hyuuga had suddenly become even colder and more distant the past few weeks. In fact, this was her cousin’s treatment to all the Clan members with the exception of Hanabi. And no matter how much she reflected on it, the Heir Apparent couldn’t decipher the reason behind it. 

On a completely separate matter, now that she had the time to ponder over things. That Voice. Hinata had no doubt it was Naruto-kun. Still, the question remains - what was it? A vision? A mere imagination? Or was it another memory? These were the thoughts that had been bugging her. The Hyuuga Apparent sighed in distress. 

Turning to her side, her pale eyes roamed to the scarlet scarf neatly folded next to her pillow. Ever since she came across that scarf a couple of weeks ago, she's been having arbitrary flashbacks at random times. Whether it was real or not was something Hinata has yet to confirm. However, one thing was certain. The Young Hyuuga didn’t want to commit (read: repeat) the same mistakes, to experience the same feelings of regret. For that reason alone, she will try even harder. Hinata will find a way to bridge the gap between the two Houses. But this time, without sacrificing her precious time with her little sister. 

And so… Even if Hinata had to befriend her cousin a hundred times all over again, she’ll do it just to prove him wrong. Smiling to herself, the Heir Apparent mumbled to herself, hugging the scarf closer as she went into slumber.

“Isn’t that right, Naruto-kun?”

The next day (First day of class)...

“Come on, Akamaru!”

Kiba yelled excitedly when his Ninken shortly fell behind, earning a high-spirited ‘Arf’ from Akamaru. As the duo sprinted through the gates of the Academy, wisps of wind whisked over them, blowing the young Inuzuka’s hood out of his head. His veins were fueled with exhilaration and thrill. 

He just couldn’t wait to be in the same class as everyone (again). 

Seeing that the classroom door was already sprung open, Kiba hastened his pace with his partner following his speed. The moment his foot passed through the door, he rambunctiously announced ‘Goal!’ before reaching an abrupt stop. Both hands on his knees, head bent downwards as he tried to catch his breath. 

“Kiba--” Instantly, Kiba’s ears perked up as he heard his name, “--Over here!” 

Chouji called from their seat with a wave, his other hand holding a bag of chips. Next to him, Shikamaru made a lazy greeting of ‘Yo’. At that, the Young Inuzuka grinned as he approached the Shika-Cho duo.

“Well--” A cocky, female voice called from his left, causing the trio to glance at the source. “--aren’t you boys having fun without us?” Ino teasingly commented, hands crossed over her chest with Sakura walking beside her, a book on hand. 

“Ino!” Kiba greeted loudly before his gaze shifted to the pink-haired Kunoichi. “--and S--”

Thankfully, before Kiba could even finish uttering the first syllable, Ino’s glare shut him up, reminding him of their situation. To which, the latter immediately took the Inuzuka’s silence as an opportunity.

“So meet my new friend, Haruno Sakura--” 

The Yamanaka heir gestured a hand towards her companion for emphasis. At that, Sakura smiled at the trio, white teeth showing before making a small wave as a greeting. This gesture was warmly returned by the Akimichi heir.

“--and Sakura, this is Kiba, the idiot, while--” She waved a hand at the direction of the Inuzuka, dutifully ignoring the other’s protest. “--these two are my future teammates, whom I’ve been  unfortunately stuck with since diaper days.”

“Great. The troublesome woman is here.” Shikamaru mumbled under his breath.

Unfortunately (for the Nara), this didn’t escape the other’s hearing as Ino demanded in a huff. “What was that, Shikamaru?!” 

And so, the trio began a playful banter with Kiba and Ino exchanging insults while Shikamaru lackadaisically dismisses them. 

“Are they always like this?” Sakura randomly asked as she watched the trio act like very old friends.

Still munching his chips, the Young Akimichi shrugged before replying, “Pretty much.”  His eyes glazed over the book the other was holding. “Hey, Haruno-san--” Chouji called, drawing her attention towards him. “--what’s that book?” 

Visibly, the pink-haired Kunoichi perked up at the question as she explained. “Oh! This is a book in Medical Ninjutsu. I’ve been trying--”

Somehow, the young Nara managed to overheard their conversation despite the noise around him, courtesy of one Inuzuka and Yamanaka. The moment he caught the words ‘Medical Ninjutsu’, Shikamaru shot Ino a pointed look, which clearly states ‘Seriously?’.

In which the Blonde Kunoichi returned with a defiant gaze, which can only be translated as ‘Got a problem with it?’  

While the duo had an internal conversation, Kiba saw the empty seat next to the Nara heir.  “Wait. Is this seat free?” He inquired pointing at the said space. When Chouji and Shikamaru nodded, the young Inuzuka beamed. “Awesome! Can I seat--”

“--Kiba.” Shino apathetically stated out of nowhere, spooking the rest of them.

“Shino!” The Inuzuka exclaimed in utter shock (read: fright) when he saw the Bug User behind him (again).  “What the hell, Man. Stop--” Kiba put a hand over his head, calming his erratically beating heart “--creeping up behind me like that.” He ended in a whine.

Meanwhile, Shino arched an eyebrow at the Inuzuka’s remark. It was absolutely ridiculous in his opinion. How the Inuzuka failed to realize him approaching with his nose would forever be beyond him. Nevertheless, the Aburame heir paid zero attention to the other’s comment as he commented. 

“You’re sitting with us.” He flatly pointed out (read: ordered). 

Ignoring Kiba’s confusion, the Aburame gave the rest of them a respectful nod before he proceeded to drag the Inuzuka away, Akamaru trotting silently behind them. Stopping at the row where a certain female Hyuuga was seated, Shino respectfully inquired.

“Are these seats taken?”  

Hinata, who was previously too absorbed in her own world, glanced at her new companions before shaking her head in a ‘No’.  And for the third time today, Kiba was ignored by his teammate as the Bug User thrust him in their seat with the Inuzuka in the middle. 

Through it all, the rest of them just blinked as Ino blurted out. “Did that just happen?”

All the while, Shikamaru watched.

He silently watched as Kiba was not-so-gently shoved towards Hinata before the duo began interacting, albeit a little confused. Then, his gaze went to Shino, who had a strange glint in his glasses, and back to Kiba and Hinata. 

And clicked. 

The Nara heir finally figured out how Kiba convinced Shino without appearing suspicious. Hence, as the most logical person in the room, Shikamaru did the most rational thing. 

He laughed. 

The young genius laughed so hard, tears were brimming in the corner of his eyes. Unsurprisingly, this earned an incredulous look from his companions. 

Beside him, Chouji questioned hesitantly. "Uhh, Shika?" 

But of course, the other was still too busy trying to control his chuckles (keyword: try) to hear him. Ino just shot her (future) teammates an annoyed look as she huffed. 

"Come on, Sakura. Let's just--" The Yamanaka heir called as she began to walk away. "--take our seats before we catch his stupidity." 

The pink-haired student eyed her friend inquisitively before clarifying, "Umm. But--" her emerald orbs briefly flickered at the almost hysterical Nara "--isn't the Naras known for their--" 

"--Sakura.” Ino abruptly interrupted.  “--this is a universal fact: boys are stupid.” The Blonde kunoichi deadpanned.

Again, Sakura blinked owlishly at her friend before bursting into giggles, following the Yamanaka heir to their seat.

“Shika, are you okay?” Chouji repeated in concern. 

In return, Shikamaru simply made a dismissive wave with his hand to appease his best friend. Glancing at the direction of Team 8 (again), the young Nara inwardly snickered. 

Oh well. Ignorance’s a bliss.

Two weeks later…

Shikamaru mentally clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

It's been two weeks since the class has officially started. But up until now, there's still no sign of Naruto. And this was starting to affect the rest of them. Kiba was shooting glances at the entrance every-now-and-then as if expecting the door to burst open with their Blonde friend strolling in. Ino’s even worse. Shikamaru’s positive that his Blonde teammate’s about to demand an explanation from literally anyone regarding the Uzumaki’s absence. Sasuke, on the other hand, was too troublesome for Shikamaru to read (always has and always will be… Or maybe not). Needless to say, those two idiots were making Chouji and Hinata antsy, although the latter tried to hide it. 

And Shikamaru?

Oh. The Nara heir was beyond pissed. None of their instructors even once bothered to question the Blonde’s prolonged absence. If it was any other student, the Academy would've surely done something to contact the missing student. In fact, two consecutive weeks of no-show should definitely warrant some action from the Academy. 

But of course, since the person of interest is the infamous cursed child, then nada. No action has been taken to address this anomaly. 

At this point, Shikamaru believed that the Academy would be oh-so-willing to expel his friend without prior notice. Instinctively, the young Nara clenched his fist under the table, concealing his anger. As he listened to their teacher ramble on about some useless stuff (Shikamaru already knows all of it), he couldn't help but compare him to Iruka-sensei. 

If it was Iruka-sensei, the Chuunin would've scoured the entire Konoha the minute the Blonde was late. In fact, the young Nara could totally imagine their favorite teacher dragging Naruto to class kicking-and-screaming. Shikamaru found himself smiling at that mental image.  

(If only Shikamaru dwelled on his whims, then they might have found a reason to make their friend stay.)

Almost an hour later… 

Kiba’s right foot was relentlessly making soft ‘taps’ on the wooden floor. On his periphery, he saw Shino shot him a warning look while Hinata sent him worried glances. Meanwhile, Akamaru settled himself between his legs, ready to bolt any minute, sensing the Inuzuka’s eagerness to leave. 

Since their teacher was on the final reminders of his lecture, Kiba was impatiently waiting for the former to finish and leave. So consequently, the Young Inuzuka could escape (read: ditch the class) and search for Naruto. It’s already been two weeks and he has yet to glimpse a hide nor hair of the Uzumaki. If he didn’t know any better, Kiba would’ve assumed that the Blonde had left Konoha (which was absurd). 

And so, Shikamaru and the Council be damned. Kiba's gonna search for his friend.

When their instructor finally departed (Thank God. He thought he'd never leave), the Young Inuzuka waited a couple of minutes just to be safe. The moment he deemed the coast was clear, Kiba grinned and hastily went to the exit, ignoring the looks he received from his friends and other classmates. 

However…

As his childish hand reaches for the knob, the door slammed open, revealing a young, scowling Uzumaki Naruto. 

(Unfortunately) Kiba was so surprised that he ended up backing a few steps away before landing comically on his butt. All the while, staring at the Blonde like he'd seen a ghost. His Ninken rushing to his side while eyeing the newcomer warily. Predictably, this created a chain of reactions, causing the room to fall into an eerie silence. 

Naruto, on the other hand, was just as surprised as the other kid. Although he didn’t sense any animosity from his new classmate, the reaction of the hooded kid told it all. As usual, people only saw the identity created by the rumor-the cursed child-rather than him.  

And in the end, that’s all that matters. 

He might as well draw the line between him and his classmates. Inhaling deeply, the Young Uzumaki painted his face blank. His eyes flitted over his classmates momentarily before returning to the hooded kid.

“Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.” 

This effectively snapped Kiba out of his stupor. Still, he just couldn’t believe what he just heard. Those words seemed to come out from the Uchiha’s mouth rather than... Well, the person in front of him. And so, Kiba instinctively responded with how he would’ve retorted to Sasuke's grouchy remarks. 

“Dude, who died on your ass.” He thoughtlessly (read: stupidly) blurted out. 

[Somewhere in the room, Ino and Shikamaru simultaneously cursed ‘That idiot’ in hushed tones while the rest of their classmates stilled, Hinata and Chouji mostly due to concern. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Shino watched the scene with vigor, the former even more so.]

But alas, it was only when Naruto spoke up did the young Inuzuka truly understood Chouji’s warning.

“Apparently--” Naruto flatly began, cerulean eyes slowly becoming shadowed. “--a lot of people did.” He retorted in a cold and distant tone, stunning Kiba into silence. 

Pocketing both of his hands, the Blonde nonchalantly entered the room. Adding more gravity in his voice with just enough volume for everyone to hear, Naruto advised.

“So if I were you, I'd rather keep my distance.”

To be continued...

OMAKE

First Attempt:

Kiba groaned. 

This was not how he planned his Sunday morning. The young Inuzuka was currently dragging his feet as he (begrudgingly) followed Shino through the market with Akamaru blissfully snoozing on his hoodie. For some inexplicable reason, the Bug User showed up at their gates without prior notice, blabbering some shits about projects and shopping. 

Kiba had absolutely no idea what he's talking about. 

Nevertheless, he was forcefully awoken from his sweet slumber, courtesy of his dearest sister. He swore, he'll get back to Hana later. 

"Stop dawdling and let's go.” Shino (unremorsefully) remarked, earning a silent grumble from the Inuzuka.

The moment they entered the store, Kiba's nose wrinkled in disgust. The strong scents were giving him an itchy feeling and he couldn’t help but cover his (poor) nose in an attempt to minimize its effect. Even Akamaru whimpered as he woke up, digging his muzzles deeper into Kiba’s clothes. 

In a muffled tone, Kiba requested (read: pleaded). “Shino, can we go to a different--”

“--No.” The Bug User clipped, not bothering to glance his way as the former continued to inspect the bottles of perfumes.

With his hand still on his face, Kiba complained. “But why are we even--”

“--you asked for my help didn’t you?” Shino countered. At the Inuzuka’s quizzical look, he mentally sighed at the other’s slow-wittedness as he elaborated. “With the Hyuuga heiress.”

“How the hell is that even related--”

“--Because to attract her, you need to make her notice you.” Shino pointedly interjected. Ignoring Kiba’s confusion of ‘why would I want to attract her?’, he continued. “Pheromones are the most basic means of insects to attract the opposite sex. And since it's physically impossible for you to exude pheromones--” Yhe Bug User raised a bottle at the Inuzuka’s face, causing Kiba to further scrunch up as he added. “--we’re getting you a cologne.”

“But, I don’t want--”

At the dangerous gleam that swiftly flickered through Shino’s sunglasses, Kiba abruptly zipped his mouth shut. There’s no way he’s gonna risk pissing the other off. Because a pissed Shino was always equal to a pest (fleas) infested Kiba.

And so, he silently whimpered as Shino began scanning bottles and bottles of perfume.

The Next Day…

As he impatiently waited for the bell to rang, Kiba was sweating bullets (in fear). He could literally feel Shino’s eyes, burning a hole in his back. 

The Young Inuzuka involuntarily gulped. 

He knew it was a bad idea not to use the cologne but… He couldn’t help it. The scent was just too strong. It was gonna send him into a sneezing frenzy, which was a literal torture. Plus, Akamaru couldn’t handle it either. 

So… the smartest move Kiba could think of was to avoid the Bug User until the other dropped off the cologne-shit-plan. How the hell did it involve Hinata would forever be beyond him. 

(In the future, Kiba would bang his head on the wall hard when he finally realized just how he missed all the signs of Shino’s stupid matchmaking.)

Okay. Four, three, two... He mentally counted until the bell rang. Two and three quarters, two and... Goddammit. Kiba cursed as he internally lamented. When will this class end?

Kriiiing. Kriiiing. 

(Kiba never knew the sound of the bell could be so angelic.)

Promptly, the young Inuzuka stood up, ready to bolt out the room. (Unfortunately) Before he could move an inch, Kiba felt the death’s hand (read: Shino’s hand) touch his left shoulder, sending goosebumps down his spine. 

“Kiba.”

(With just one word, Kiba saw his life flashed through his eyes.)

He heard Shino apathetically called behind him. At that, the young Inuzuka had no choice but to robotically turn around and face the Bug User. The moment their eyes met, a dangerous gleam flickered through Shino’s dark glasses. 

“It seems you’ve forgotten to use your cologne. But--” Out of nowhere, Shino managed to materialize another bottle of the cursed perfume. “--no worries. I’ve brought you a spare.” He remarked, bringing the cologne at the Inuzuka’s face. 

In response, Kiba scrunched his face in disgust before covering his poor nose, slowly backing away, preparing for his tactical retreat with Akamaru whimpering at the back of his neck. 

(Unfortunately, Shino read through his mind.)

While Kiba was still waiting for an opening, his evil teammate sprayed the damned water literally on his face (without mercy) before dragging him to where Hinata was seated. Subtly, the Bug User pushed the other in front of the Hyuuga Heiress, completely unconcerned.

And so, Kiba’s very first word to Hinata (in this life) was...

“ACHOOO.”

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Time moves in one direction, memory in another.

- William Gibson

Recap:

“Apparently--” Naruto flatly began, cerulean eyes slowly becoming shadowed. “--a lot of people did.” He retorted in a cold and distant tone, stunning Kiba into silence. 

Pocketing both of his hands, the Blonde nonchalantly entered the room. Adding more gravity in his voice with just enough volume for everyone to hear, Naruto advised.

“So if I were you, I'd rather keep my distance."

Rewinding a few minutes back...

“Dude, who died on your ass.”

The moment those words slipped through his mouth, Kiba inwardly cringed. 

Without a doubt, his ears were going to bleed later from Ino’s harping or maybe… the Yamanaka Heir will murder him instead. 

And Kiba wasn’t entirely wrong.

[From her seat, the lead of her pencil broke with a loud snap the second she heard the Inuzuka’s stupid remark. Sakura promptly glanced at her worryingly and warily, but the Yamanaka Heir paid her no mind as she was so busy shooting daggers at Kiba. 

Privately, Ino swore. When she got her hands on that Dumb Mutt, the Yamanaka’s gonna throttle him to kingdom come.] 

In an instant, the Young Inuzuka felt hairs on the back of his neck stand from a very intense death glare courtesy of Ino. But in Kiba’s defense, his words were completely harmless-maybe a little inconsiderate-but overall an innocent, rhetorical comment. It was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.

In other words, Kiba had never ever expected any response in return.

“Apparently--” 

He heard the Blonde murmured in a very distant tone that sent shivers down Kiba’s spine. The Uzumaki’s voice was so utterly resigned and apathetic, almost like it was dead. It was the kind of tone that should have never belonged to him. Because while the Blonde could be loud and annoying at times, the Young Uzumaki was also warm and vibrant. Naruto has always been full of life.

“--a lot of people did.”

What?

Kiba could barely form any coherent thought. In fact, his mind didn’t even register when Naruto started walking, finally entering the room before ultimately stopping in front of him. 

[The moment the Blonde was in full view, Sasuke’s eyes uncharacteristically widened in recognition. Luckily, the rest of his classmates were too preoccupied with the scene before them to pay any heed.]

“So if I were you, I'd rather keep my distance.” Naruto promptly added with a tint of bitterness lacing in his words.

This time, Kiba failed to process a single word the Blonde had uttered. His mind just simply rejected it, lost in the turmoil of denials. The Inuzuka just didn’t - couldn’t comprehend how the person in front of him could be the same bubbly friend he remembered in his memories.

Everything was just so wrong.

Before Kiba could even get a chance to recompose himself, their instructor arrived through the front door and immediately halted at the palpable tension in the air. 

“Hey, what’s...” The Chuunin trailed off in confusion. He barely spared his class a glance before his gaze zeroed in on the Inuzuka kid and the cursed Kyuubi brat. “Uzumaki! What did you--”

“So if I were you--”

Ever since Shikamaru first heard Chouji’s warnings, the Nara Heir knew that the change in Naruto must be too drastic, too serious for someone whose last memory of him was a smiling, self-sacrificing, idiotic Blonde. He had already acknowledged this fact. However, Shikamaru never expected it to be this bad.   

“--I’d rather keep my distance.”

Instinctively, the Nara Heir bit his inner lip hard, opting to analyze his friend further lest he fell into shock. He was just like Sasuke after he–No. Shikamaru immediately corrected himself. It was so much worse. Naruto’s antagonism and social withdrawal, the desperation to protect himself from others, almost reminded him of Gaara before… Huh?

Shikamaru’s thought process came to a halt. 

Suddenly, a silhouette of a four-pigtailed girl holding a gigantic fan enveloped his vision. However, it disappeared as soon as it came.

What the – Who? There’s this name on the tip of his tongue, the identity of an individual who had a special connection with Naruto, someone who was in the same situation as the Blonde. But no matter how hard the Nara racked his brains out, he just couldn’t figure it out. 

The creaking sound of the class' door opening snapped the Nara out of his reverie. A Chuunin instructor entered and abruptly froze in his tracks due to the silence and rigidness in the air. 

“Hey what’s…” 

Hesitantly, he began, following the gazes of the other students. The instant the instructor’s focus centered on Naruto, the Young Nara clearly caught the flicker of hatred and disgust in the other’s irises.

“Uzumaki! What did you--”

Shikamaru gritted his teeth, inwardly seething towards their instructor, his hands curling into a fist masked by the shadows of the table.

Damn these adults and their stupid prejudices. 

Shooting the stunned Inuzuka a fleeting glance, he doubted Kiba could recover and defend their Blonde friend on time. The Young Nara was just about to intervene when somebody beat him into it.

“--You’re jumping into conclusions, sensei.”

The voice was calm, spoken in a neutral tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to cut their instructor off. 

To everyone’s surprise, it came from none other than Uchiha Sasuke. And if Shikamaru didn’t have any close exposure to the Uchiha (even if it’s just a dream or something), he would’ve missed the carefully concealed anger hidden in his words. 

Any doubts Shikamaru had with the Uchiha falling to the same mind games as them (aka Kiba and Ino) were promptly erased. He was positive that this Sasuke saw Naruto as more than just another classmate. Otherwise, why else would he bother to defend the Blonde? Still, one crucial detail that remained unanswered was… 

How much did Sasuke know and believe to be true?

“--jumping into conclusions, sensei."

Silence enveloped the room.

Every single occupant in the room glanced at him in bewilderment. Some were even eyeing him ridiculously, almost as if he’d grown another head. In all honesty, Sasuke was just as surprised as the rest of them. 

The Young Uchiha was absolutely clueless why he decided to intercede. The words were already out of his lips before he could process it. However, what baffled him the most was the hidden fury masked in his sentence.   

(Sasuke vehemently rejected it had something to do with the sudden image of a grinning whiskered Blonde slinging a friendly arm over his shoulders, two fingers raised into a V-sign, when the Uchiha’s eyes landed on the newcomer.)  

Sasuke felt another pair of eyes land unto him. 

Although the rest of the class was literally looking at him, this particular gaze, the intensity it held caused something in his insides to ignite. Even with his back facing the source, the Uchiha knew it came from Naruto. And despite those cerulean orbs no longer holding the same radiance, the Blonde’s gaze just seemed to burn.

But how did he know all of these?  

The Young Uchiha had no answer to his question. Seeing that nobody was courageous (or dumb) enough to break the palpable silence, Sasuke reiterated. 

“You were going to jump to conclusions, sensei.”

He restated wearing his aloof demeanor. Yet, in spite of his seemingly nonchalant air, the Uchiha’s eyes spoke differently, eyeing the Chuunin instructor defiantly while refusing to elaborate any further. Nonetheless, the message that ‘it-wasn’t-the-Uzumaki’s-fault’ was heard loud and clear. 

“He’s right, sensei.” Shikamaru added in a bored tone, supporting the Uchiha. “Besides, haven’t we wasted enough time already?” 

“But isn’t he threaten--”

“--How troublesome.” The Nara Heir grumbled under his breath, but it was still loud enough for the class to overhear. “So long story short, Kiba dashed to the exit and ended up bumping on Uzumaki-san in surprise. Hence--” Shikamaru lazily gestured towards the Inuzuka, “--the butt landing. Isn’t that right, Kiba?”

At the call of his name, the Inuzuka abruptly snapped out of his stupor. Rubbing his neck sheepishly, Kiba replied. 

“Yeah. I kinda got a bit too excited. So I wasn’t looking at where I was going.” Turning to face the Young Uzumaki, he ruefully remarked. “Sorry bout’ that N--” When another shiver run down his spine courtesy of one Yamanaka Heir, Kiba hastily amended. “--U-Uzumaki-san.” 

This promptly earned an imperceptible arched eyebrow from Naruto before he settled on a mute nod. Still, Kiba’s mistake didn’t escape the ears of Shino, Sasuke and Shikamaru with the latter mentally face-palming at the Inuzuka.

“Oh.” The Chuunin instructor dumbly responded. Ignoring their conversation, he focused on the Inuzuka. “So where were you planning to go?”

"Uhh. I--" 

"--he's planning to ditch the class, sensei." Ino chimed in, a sly smirk playing on her lips.

“O-oi! Stop spouting lies, you--” Kiba instantly protested as he (childishly) retaliated. “--you harpy!”

“That’s it!” Ino stood up, slamming her palms over their desk, startling Sakura. “You’re going down, Mutt.” She not-so-kindly threatened, causing the Inuzuka to gulp.

“Ino! Kiba! Quit it or it’s detention for both of you!”

“But sensei, it’s her--”

“Kiba’s the stupid--”

The Chuunin instructor shot them a dangerous look, which could only be translated as ‘one-more-word-and-it’s-detention. As the two loudmouths begrudgingly resigned, petulantly grumbling under their breaths, the class erupted into laughter with the earlier tension long forgotten.

All the while, Naruto silently watched, observing the exchanges with keen, vigilant eyes as he adroitly blended in the sidelines. 

While his body language barely changed, still wrapped with wariness that prepared him to bolt any second, the Young Uzumaki couldn’t hide his shock. If he’d be honest, Naruto was the most surprised with the turn of events. Although the Young Uzumaki was grateful for his classmates’ intervention, which effectively stole the attention away from him, none of their actions made any sense. 

He might not be aware of their names, but there was no doubt in his mind that all the speakers are members of Konoha’s renowned Clans. Due to his unpleasant experiences with the civilian kids, he opted to stay away from Clan kids (or basically everyone) just to save himself from future harm.  

After all, Naruto learned the hard way that kids can be crueler due to their ignorance. 

[Author’s Note: The correct term is empathy blind spots, which occurs when children decide that certain people’s feelings don’t ‘count’ and therefore feel justified in being mean to them. But since this was in the perspective of Naruto, the closest thing I could think of was ignorance.] 

And so, the Young Uzumaki decided to learn how to distinguish the non-civilian kids, which brought him back to his dilemma.

Why, in the world, would the last Uchiha spare a breath to defend someone like me?

In addition, Naruto sensed a tinge of fury emanating from the raven-haired lad which was surprisingly not directed at him. He also perceived it from the others who backed up the Uchiha. It was almost as if they were angry for him. And if the Blonde thought he was hallucinating, then the Inuzuka’s apology was a big slap of reality augmenting his confusion.

Again, it just didn’t… there was no reason for them to--

A drowsy voice snapped him out of his somewhat unpleasant train of thoughts.

“It’s vacant.” 

Naruto turned towards the source. He was met with a pineapple head resting his head over the desk (Shikamaru) and a swirly-cheeked plumped kid who’s happily chomping his chips (Chouji). If he’s not mistaken, the Young Uzumaki once helped the munching kid in the playground; and together, they pranked the big bullies during the good, old days. 

(He remembered that the pineapple head kid was particularly crafty in devising their escape plan.)

“In case you’re wondering.” The raven-haired added, shifting his head to glimpse at him as his gaze fell on the empty spot next to them. 

Sensing nothing amiss, Naruto returned the gesture with an appreciative nod while the swirly-cheeked kid smiled back. And so, he settled himself comfortably on the offered seat, following the pineapple head’s lead by nestling his head on their desk.

As the lecture began, Naruto nuzzled deeper in his arms, drowning out all the noises around him. With his eyes closed and mind preoccupied with earlier events, he couldn’t help but idly wonder (read: hoped).

Maybe… this class wouldn’t be as bad as he originally thought. 

Somewhere in the Academy… 

Unsurprisingly, lunch was a quiet affair. 

Shikamaru idly let his gaze roam around his companions. Similar to him, Chouji was discreetly eyeing the loudmouths to gauge their reactions. Kiba, on the other hand, was too absorbed in his own world, even Akamaru was silent, ears drooped as he worryingly looked at his owner. The Nara Heir guessed that Kiba must’ve been too shocked beyond belief considering he’s the most optimistic and negligent of Chouji’s warnings. And lastly, Ino. From the looks of it, the troublesome woman was silently psychoanalyzing their classmates. 

The Young Nara believed it was time to break this (uncomfortable) silence and get down to business. Shifting towards the Yamanaka Heir, Shikamaru instructed.

“Ino, report.”

It was barely a sentence, yet these two words had successfully crossed the message without the need for elaboration. 

“These are all conjectures but--” Twirling some of her platinum locks, Ino reminded, “--body language-wise, Uzumaki Naruto’s entire demeanor screams ‘fight-or-flight’ that’s mostly leaning to the latter. This was obviously due to the ostracization of the Villagers. Adding up the ‘cursed child rumor’, I’m positive that he’s more cautious around people his age and that’s why--” Her pale blue orbs became sharp. “--your statement was utterly mindless!” She fumed, screeching at the Inuzuka and his partner.

“I just--” Kiba instantly defended but the rest of his words died down, “--I didn’t…”

Seeing the somber expression on the Inuzuka’s face, Ino relented her tirade before she continued, her forehead crinkling in worry. “It’s just a hunch but if this continues--” 

Shikamaru straightened up. Whatever she was about to disclose, he knew it will have dire consequences. But the Young Nara already had an idea what it was.

“--there’s a high possibility that Uzumaki Naruto will be labeled as flight-risk.” 

“But then--”

“--Most likely, especially when the Council gets a hold of it.” The Young Nara confirmed, cutting the Inuzuka off. Scratching the back of his head, he carried on. “But before that, I have a question for you Kiba--” The other perked up at the mention of his name, “--you said they were after Naruto? Can you remember why the Fourth Shinobi war happened?” 

“Oh yeah--” Kiba put a hand under his chin, crinkling his nose while he tried to recall as much as he could.“--there’s this group who wanted Naruto because... Huh?”

The Inuzuka abruptly halted, eyes widening in horrible realization.

“What--” Ino began condescendingly. “--Did you accidentally fried your brain again from thinking too much?”

For once, Kiba didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he was grumbling to himself in an attempt to uncover the answer from the tip of his tongue.

“I can’t… I knew the reason, they needed Naruto because ARGHH--” He screamed in frustration, scratching his head vehemently. “--I just can’t get the reason out. It’s like there’s something blocking me from remembering it.”  

And pieces began to click in Shikamaru’s mind. 

I knew it.  

While their first (official) meeting with Naruto was definitely not ideal, it revealed the flaw in their current approach – Everyone was so busy trying to shake the suspicions out of their shoulders that they forgot to ask the right questions. Dilly-dallying was no longer an option. Shikamaru knew they had to alter their tactics, pronto.

With that realization in mind, he tuned the rest of his friends out, opting to focus on formulating his hypotheses.

Everyone who’s been affected by this time-mind-manipulation Jutsu–which was basically him, Ino, Kiba, and Sasuke (Shikamaru believed there are others he had yet to meet.)–had their memories locked that needs a specific key or more appropriately a trigger(?), such as Iruka-sensei’s death.  

Following that line of thought, then the differences in the scope of their memories might be due to their previous relationship with Iruka-sensei. If he’d remember it correctly, Shikamaru was positive that Kiba spent more time with the scarred Chuunin due to his detentions.

Still, it begged the questions –  what are the triggers? Does it always involve a person’s death? How many truths are still hidden, dangling just within their grasps? 

Above all, what is the caster’s objective and how does it involve Naruto?

But no matter how much he dwelled over his thoughts, Shikamaru knew all these questions will remain unanswered given their insufficient information.

Intentionally, Shikamaru let his eyes wander towards Ino – obsidian orbs clashing with teal-hued ones. Without words needing to be exchanged, the Yamanaka Heir nodded, a satisfied smirk finding its way on her lips.

“What’s with that creepy smile?” Kiba inquired warily, squinting his eyes in suspicion. “You’re planning something evil, aren’t cha?”

“Oh shut it, Your brain couldn’t handle it even if I told you.” Ino retaliated with a huff.

“Hey! I’ll have you know--” 

Now that he got the Troublesome woman to handle the intel, the next most pressing concern was preventing Naruto from being a flight-risk.

“About Naruto--” Shikamaru chimed in, halting the ongoing banter between Ino and Kiba. “--I think it’s better to befriend him again--” A cheer erupted from the Inuzuka with Akamaru happily howling beside him. “--I understand your concern Chouji but it will be even more troublesome if he became more socially withdrawn. But, we have to be cautious about it and respect his space.” The Nara shot Kiba a pointed look as he accentuated the last word.

“Got it! Leave it to Akamaru and me!” Kiba proudly declared, flippantly dismissing their pointed stares.

"I mean it, Kiba. He's not the same Naruto." Shikamaru reiterated. "Don't confuse him with a memory."

Before anyone could add anything else, there was a resounding Kriiing.

The bell rang, signalling the end of their break. The Gang started to pack up and return to their class.

(If only one of them remembered the truth behind the Tailed Beasts and told Naruto, then maybe… just maybe the Young Uzumaki would’ve handled the knowledge of his status as a Jinchuuriki a bit better.)

After School Hours...

Crash.

Once again, Hinata landed harshly on the floor as she received another blow from her cousin. They were currently training with their Byakugan, exchanging jabs while defending their chakra points. 

While Neji’s skills were indeed above hers, Hinata wasn’t a pushover either.

For the past weeks, she’s holding herself better against him. However, with her mind preoccupied with the earlier events, she wasn’t faring very well. In fact, this was the fourth time the Heir Apparent was knocked out of her feet in less than an hour. 

Wiping the beads of sweat forming her forehead, Hinata wobbly stood up before she took a defensive stance, Neji immediately following her suit. But before any of them could move, the Hyuuga Clan Head interjected, clearing his throat.

“It’s enough. We’ll continue after an hour.”

And with that, the Hyuuga cousins were momentarily dismissed from their training.

Hinata decided to pass her time by the porch betwixt the two houses, idly observing their inner garden. From the looks of it, the rain just subsided, leaving small puddles on the ground. The tune of flapping wings caught her attention, her pale orbs following the avian’s movement.

As the bird landed on the bough of their longstanding birch tree, its sudden weight caused some droplets to fall. Oddly enough, it reminded her of the winter before the Uchiha massacre, the first (and last) winter she had a glimpse of Naruto’s smile.

Flashback

The snowflakes were crystalline, falling in a certain rhythm of harmony. This year's winter was relatively milder, neither too cold nor too warm. Yet, the cold blanketed Hinata's every vein. She felt trapped as the three goons blocked her path, laughing condescendingly. 

“If you’re really a Hyuuga, then show us your Byakugan!”

“Yeah! If you’re not gonna do it, then don’t look this way--”

“--Your eyes are creepy! You’re a monster--”

As she silently listened to their taunting, the Young Heir Apparent bowed her head to hide her eyes, trying her hardest to stop the tears from falling.

“--Hey! Cut it out!” The Blonde screamed, literally barreling himself in-between them as he stood protectively in front of the Hyuuga. 

“Huh?! Who the hell--”

“--Let’s get him!”

Naruto attempted to create a clone to help him deal with the bullies. (Unfortunately) Given his abysmal chakra control, the Blonde ended up conjuring two mini clones that were easily defeated with a stomp.

With the situation against his favor, Naruto was completely-and-utterly defeated by the trio. He was sporting a black eye, his golden locks jumbled into a mess of dirt and snow while his scarf was ruined. When their tormentors finally left, Hinata tentatively approached, clutching a scarlet scarf with trembling hands.

“Your scarf--” Hinata held up the battered scarf, “--Umm. Those guys…”

Seeing the mangled status of the garment, loose threads sticking out, she shifted her gaze towards the floor in shame as she weakly muttered. “I’m sorry…”

Despite his black eye and the tattered look, Naruto grinned, a wide blinding smile painting his lips. For some reason, Hinata didn't feel cold anymore. She felt safe.

“Don’t worry about it.”  Wiping the dirt and snow from his pants, he stood up and waved amicably. “See yah around!”

“T-thank you so much.” Hinata hastily cried out as she hugged the garment closer to her chest, a pink tint coloring her cheeks, perfectly contrasting her pale complexion and the whiteness of the surroundings. 

End of Flashback

When the memory ended, Hinata found herself smiling unconsciously. However, the picture of a sunny, grinning Blonde was instantly replaced by a jaded one, a look of someone who was forced to live and swallow the bitterness of life. 

Hinata faltered, inhaling sharply. 

A dichotomy of emotions began raging inside her, making her mind swirl in the juxtaposition of helplessness and hope – one telling her that ‘she’s too late, the deed has been done’ and another nagging her to fight back. In the end, amidst these conflicting emotions, Hinata just felt lost.

Luckily, another presence sat beside her, momentarily drawing Hinata out of her inner turmoil. It was her Grandfather. 

“You look like you’ve got something in your mind.” The Elder Hyuuga gingerly commented both hands hidden in his loose kimono sleeves. Without glancing at his granddaughter, pale eyes focused on the serene sky, he casually added. “A penny for your thoughts, Lady Hinata?”

Her Grandfather’s tone was neither intruding nor coddling. It was just curious and good-natured in an old grandfatherly way that almost felt foreign and familiar to Hinata at the same time. Despite her status as Heir Apparent (and maybe it's because of it), she’d never been close to her relatives apart from her mother and Hanabi. The relationship of the clan members – their closeness with one another – had always been marked and dictated by hierarchy, which she’s been attempting to dissolve. 

In other words, Hinata’s uncertain how she should respond, whether as the Heir Apparent or as a grandchild. 

As the silence began to stretch, Hinata fiddled with her nails, somewhat self-conscious. Gathering her resolve, she decided to go with honesty. 

“T-There’s someone… a f-friend. N-Naruto-kun--” The Elder Hyuuga arched an eyebrow hearing the Kyuubi’s Jinchuuriki’s name, which was fortunately missed by Hinata “--he’s different. In my memory, I always see him smiling.” At this point, the edges of Hinata’s lips softly turned up, overcoming her shy nature. “Naruto-kun’s always smiling even when the odds are against him. But now…”

The Young Heiress trailed off, the beginnings of a frown started to knit her forehead, perturbed. Nonetheless, the Elder Hyuuga waited for her, encouraging and patient. 

“He’s too guarded, almost like a--” Hinata inaudibly gulp, pushing the gnawing lump of dread down her throat.  “--a s-stranger. I know he’s hurting but I d-don’t know how to help. It feels like, no matter what I do, he’s just out of my r-reach.”

Neji found himself wandering, seemingly restless. 

Yet, despite the lack of destination in mind, his feet seemed to have a plan of its own, trudging along hallways and corridors until a familiar setting greeted him. Somehow, he wound up near the quarters where his cousin – the older, pesky one – normally resides.

At that realization, Neji contemplated falling back, swerving his heels and pivoting towards the opposite direction. However, the faint undertones he managed to grasp – which suspiciously sounded like Lady Hinata – made him reconsider, carrying on with his venture instead. Since he’s already here, he might as well investigate what’s plaguing his cousin’s mind.

And No – Neji’s not doing this cause’ he’s worried about her or anything, but rather because it’s… inconvenient to have a distracted sparring partner.

“--no matter what I do, he’s just out of my r-reach.”

The Prodigy Hyuuga stopped in his tracks, forthwith. Slowly and discreetly, he backstepped behind the nearest fusuma within earshot, concealing his presence while watching like an owl.

(But of course, it’s always a futile endeavor to sneak behind a Hyuuga, particularly the previous Clan Head. Nonetheless, the Elder Hyuuga didn’t call out his grandson and was rather amused by his eavesdropping.)

Neji heard their grandfather hum thoughtfully.

“Your friend, he’s a bit similar to Neji, isn’t he?” 

The Prodigy Hyuuga arched an eyebrow at the comparison, curious. Who are they talking about? 

“Naruto-kun? I guess...” Now, Neji was beyond intrigued. Because why, in the world, would he be similar to the Uzumaki dropout? God forbid, it had something to do with their cursed fate. “They can be a bit too stubborn--”

Neji privately scoffed, absolutely offended. However, he missed the soft quirk of Hinata’s lips given his location. 

“--but they’re also too kind for their own good.”

He felt a foreign sensation bubbling in his stomach, but Neji immediately shut it down before it could be anything more, squishing it like an insignificant fly. 

“It's just that... with Naruto-kun, I... d-don’t know if I could be of any help. Maybe it’s better if I...”

The rest of Hinata’s words died on her lips, yet everyone distinctively heard the unspoken message behind the sorrow in her tone while Naruto’s warning kept replaying in her head, mocking her that she’s nothing but a burden.

Unbeknownst to the cousins, their grandfather purposively steered the conversation in this direction.

“If that’s the case--” The Elder Hyuuga intentionally dawdle to ensure that his grandson was listening with rapt attention. “--are you giving up on Neji?” 

Both Hinata and the eavesdropping Neji were visibly startled by the question. Without waiting for his granddaughter’s response, their grandfather continued. 

“From how you describe your elusive friend, he seems like your cousin, isn’t he? The silent treatment and cold shoulder--"

The Elder Hyuuga chuckled softly. On the other hand, Neji was not amused, not to a single bit.  But for some unfathomable reason, the Prodigy Hyuuga became tense at the question, trepidation unknowingly crawling in his veins.

"--If you’re hesitating, does that mean you're also giving up on Neji?"

“No!” Hinata promptly objected, eyes widening in horror at her rather churlish response. “I-I mean… it’s--” The Heir Apparent stammered, flabbergasted by her own outburst.

Seeing his granddaughter trip on her own words, the Elder Hyuuga guffawed, heartily laughing that very rare for a Hyuuga. And Neji?

The blooming sensation from earlier came back stronger than ever, twisting horribly in his gut, and Neji loathed it. It was unnecessary, and annoying – truly an unwanted inconvenience. But the more he lingered, the more these infuriating emotions spiralled out of control.

In a split second, Neji left without his cousin’s knowledge he was even there in the place.

The second he felt Neji’s presence disappear, the Elder Hyuuga inwardly heaved a disappointed sigh.

So his wayward grandson escaped again.

Well, it’s not like it was unaccounted for. After all, Hizashi’s son seemed to be allergic to anything related to emotions. Truly a shame. And the Elder Hyuuga was just about to ask his granddaughter to elaborate. Regardless, he’s satisfied with the outcome. There’s no doubt in his mind that Hinata’s confession still did its magic, igniting the bond between the cousins. 

His gaze drifted to his granddaughter who’s still anxious about her little outburst, fumbling the hems of her sleeves unconsciously. Before the other could utter another apology, he added in confidence. 

“Then everything will just work out fine.” 

The Elder Hyuuga gingerly tousled her hair, making the heiress flush at the fond gesture. Still, the tensions on her shoulders were instantly relieved. “Just a little advice, Hinata. While memories are precious--” His voice became distant like he’s seeing faraway memory, missing the curious glances sent by his granddaughter. “--don’t let it cloud what’s in front of you.”

He concluded with a cryptic smile. Nonetheless, it was enough as a new light seemed to dawn on her. At that very moment, the Elder Hyuuga knew that he had already accomplished his objective, and whatever doubts that were haunting her had already dissipated.

As his granddaughter expressed her appreciation with a reinvigorated determination blazing in her ivory orbs, the Elder Hyuuga was certain that the future of their Clan will be in good hands. 

Later that night...

“Will you just leave me alone!”

Tsunade cried in a series of puffs, swerving around as she threw the sake in her hand towards the image of her dead lover, her voice rough from all the drinking and anguish. 

The bottle shattered, bits and pieces of glass scattering all over the room with its content staining the floor. 

It was only then did Tsunade see her loyal assistant standing behind Dan's ghost, a mixture of hurt and surprise painting her features. 

Realizing the implications of her actions, Tsunade stuttered, hastily attempting to correct her mistake. "S-Shizune… I--" 

"--it's okay, Tsunade-sama." Shizune replied with a strained smile, hugging Tonton a bit tighter for comfort. "I'll leave you for a while then. Good Night." Her assistant bidded, leaving Tsunade alone.

Despite the mess she’d made, the Blonde couldn’t find herself to care. Her entire attention was drawn to one thing, or rather someone. Seeing the pity in the other’s eye, Tsunade wanted to scream, thrash, and wreak havoc until everything around her was reduced to nothing but rubbles.

As her golden locks began to shadow her eyes, a palm covering her face, all she could really do was ask. “Dan, why--” Tsunade murmured, tears streaming down her face as her voice. “--why now?”

“--why now?” 

A wave of guilt engulfed him, eating up his insides. Dan wanted nothing more but to hug Tsunade, soothe her sadness and take away her pain, but his ethereal body prevented him from doing so. 

Tsunade’s muffled sobs and hiccups continued to fill the silence. 

He moved closer, offering a comforting hand. Similar to his previous attempts, his touches simply slipped through thin air. Dan couldn’t help but curl his right fist in his uselessness. No matter what he did, all his attempts to reach her proved to be futile.

Dan was just a phantom, a lingering memory from the past.

“When will you stop haunting me, Dan?” 

Tsunade murmured just barely above a whisper. Yet, it was still loud enough to cause another surge of guilt inside him. As much as Dan wanted to stop his endeavors, it was not an option.

Tsunade had to remember that they were still in war.

Until now, the dead Jounin couldn’t figure out how they ended up in the past or more specifically, him. Dan remembered being reanimated as a soldier without control, kissing Tsunade’s forehead in his incorporeal form before ultimately descending to the Pure Land.  

But one day, he suddenly found himself here in some conjured past, wherein his lover was still in the prospect of dreams, wasting away her life as she hides in the comfort of sake. It was an event that occurred around half a decade before the war. And the sole reason Dan knew the Fourth Shinobi war wasn’t just a fictional dream was because he could sense the change in Tsunade’s chakra as well as the seal ingrained in her soul. 

Whatever Jutsu befell unto them, it had something to do with time and souls, dragging Dan in this time displacement because his spirit was, in a way, tied with Tsunade. 

Glancing at his lover who had already fallen asleep, exhausted from her silent crying, Dan inched closer and left a phantom kiss on her cheeks, whispering.

“Please wake up to the truth and sweet dreams, my Hokage.”

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

True bonds transcend all barriers, including time and space.

Recap:

Whatever Jutsu befell unto them, it had something to do with time and souls, dragging Dan in this time displacement because his spirit was, in a way, tied with Tsunade. 

Glancing at his lover who had already fallen asleep, exhausted from her silent crying, Dan inched closer and left a phantom kiss on her cheeks, whispering.

“Please wake up to the truth and sweet dreams, my Hokage.”

A week later (Past 9 PM)… 

Hinata laid silently on her bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling as she let herself get lost in her own thoughts.

It's been a week since her talk with her grandfather; and yet, the Heir Apparent still hasn’t figured out what she should do. Or more specifically, what Hinata could offer to make things right. But no matter how much she tried, there was just nothing -– absolutely nothing coming up on her mind.

Heaving a tired sigh, Hinata turned to her side and came face-to-face with a neatly folded, scarlet scarf. Instinctively, Hinata gently reached for it, her pale fingers tracing the poking stitches along its battered form.

Knock. Knock. 

Hinata sat up, a hand remained idly on top of the mangled garment as she glanced questioningly at her door, momentarily forgetting about the scarf. While the night is still young, just barely past 9, it was still a bit uncommon for anyone to visit her during this time of the day. 

A second later, the door slowly opened, her little sister peeking through the space of her half-opened door. 

"Nee-chan?" Hanabi shyly called.

Blinking owlishly, Hinata’s lips then formed a small smile as the Heir Apparent gingerly inquired, “What is it, Hanabi?”

Timidly, her younger sister came into full view. She was already in her PJs with a stuffed lion–its orange mane protruding like flower petals–held tightly on her chest. Softly, the younger Hyuuga asked. 

"Can I sleep with you tonight? It's too quiet in my room." Hanabi mumbled, clutching her doll closer.

At that, Hinata’s smile simply widen as she patted the space beside her, encouraging her little sister. In a blink, Hanabi’s shy demeanor was erased in a flash as she jubilantly joined her older sister in the bed, grinning ear-to-ear. 

The moment Hanabi was comfortably situated in the bed, her gaze landed on the scarlet garment, which her older sister had a palm on top.

“Is that yours?” She curiously prodded, head tilted slightly to the left.

Recalling the scarf, Hinata carefully picked it up. Her previously warm smile tainted with rue as she mumbled, “No, it’s…” The word ‘friend’ was hanging on the very tip of her tongue, yet Hinata couldn’t utter it. After all, did she still have the right to call Naruto her friend?

And so, the Heir Apparent settled on the closest, real thing, “Someone very dear to me lent it to me years ago. I--” Gingerly, her fingers began caressing its fabric. “--I just haven’t found the right time to return it yet.”

Hanabi’s mouth formed an ‘O’, understanding dawning unto her before the Youngest Hyuuga added with a scrunched expression, “But it’s already too tattered, Nee-chan. Wouldn’t it be better to buy a new one before you return it?”

Hinata was just about to disagree with her little sister’s statement and point out that some things are irreplaceable when an idea popped into her mind. So instead, she gently placed the scarf on her bedside table before hugging Hanabi and tucking her for the night. 

“You’re a genius, Hanabi. But for now--” The Younger Hyuuga visibly beamed at the praise, “--let’s go to sleep and we have a big day tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Hanabi.”

“Night, Nee-chan.” Hanabi replied with a large yawn while Hinata turned off the lights.

As Hinata waited for drowsiness to fully consume her, silently listening to the rhythmic breathing of her little sister, her mind idly wondered about her new plan. While Hinata was fully-aware that creating a new scarf will not only be taxing but also time-consuming, she knew it was worth it. 

And hopefully, her unspoken words and feelings stitched on the handmade scarf will be enough to reach him.

The Next Morning…

Hinata woke up at the wee of dawn, the first light of the day caressing her cheeks out of slumber. Blinking slowly, Hinata discreetly rolled out of their bed, careful not to disturb Hanabi.

As she mutely closed the door, carefully-paced footsteps began to approach her, causing the Heir Apparent to turn towards her new companion. 

“Oh. You’re up early, Hinata.” Her mother greeted her with a warm smile. Her gaze briefly flitted to the closed door as she asked, “Did Hanabi sleep in your room again?”

“She did, Mother.” Hinata softly replied.

The Hyuuga Matriach sighed, “It’s been already the fourth time this week. At this rate, we might as well move her bed into yours.” She remarked jokingly.

“I don’t mind, Mother.” Hinata honestly replied, “ I like spending time with Hanabi.”

Her mother fondly shook her head as she commented, “You’re spoiling her, Hinata.” To which, the Heir Apparent simply returned with a smile.

As the duo trotted towards their kitchen, a comfortable silence filling the air, Hinata spoke up, recalling her idea from yesterday. “Hey, Mom? C-can--”

“--ey, Mom? C-can I make a r-request?”

The Hyuuga Matriach momentarily faltered, a look of surprise adorning her features before it was instantly replaced with happiness. It’s been so long since her little girl called her without a hint of formality. And in all honesty, she couldn’t remember the last time Hinata ever asked for anything. 

(After all, their Clan forced never gave her little girl a chance to be a child and she hated it.)

“Of course, you can sweetheart.” She gently assured, noticing Hinata’s subtle discomfort. “What is it? I’ll help you as long as it’s within my ability.”

“Will you please teach me how to make a scarf?”

At the Academy…

Kiba was physically vibrating in his seat, twitching in impatience. He just couldn’t wait for their class to end. Ever since their lunch meeting, the Young Inuzuka had been attempting to invite Naruto to socialize with them.

(Kiba still haven’t really figured out what they’ll do but he’ll come to that later. For now, he had to convince the Blonde to hang out.)

Much to his chagrin, Kiba had been failing miserably in his endeavors. For some unknown reason, the Blonde was always gone before the Young Inuzuka could even leave his seat.

This time… Kiba mentally swore. This time he’ll catch Naruto, and then they’ll hang out and be buddies again.

He felt another harsh glare from his right, courtesy of a certain Bug-User. As usual, Kiba effortlessly ignored him as well as his other warnings.

Flashback

Earlier this lunch, Shino not-so-subtly cornered the Young Inuzuka before he could move an inch, pinning him with a very intense stare that could make Sasuke’s glare appear like child’s play (read: in Kiba’s very biased opinion).

With a barely contained annoyance, the Aburame Heir gritted, “Listen to the damn class, Kiba.”

And with that, Shino went on his way, leaving Kiba in a surprised daze. But a second later, when the Inuzuka finally regained his bearings, all Kiba could really do was groan in frustration, realizing that he missed Naruto again.

End of Flashback

Again, Kiba heard a very displeased and faint ‘tsk’ escaping from his teammate’s lips, just loud enough for the Inuzuka to pick up. 

Kiba mentally rolled his eyes.

Shino and his insects can go fuck themselves. He’s a man on a mission, dammit. 

Besides, Hinata was also reading a book–something about crochets or whatever–under the table during their History class and Shino didn’t even bat an eye. So, how come only Kiba received a reprimand when Hinata was obviously not listening to their teacher either?

What’s with the blatant favoritism, huh?! He inwardly demanded.

[Unbeknownst to Kiba, the sole reason Shino even bothered to chastise him was because the Bug User believed it will further reduce his (nonexistent) chances with the Hyuuga Heiress. After all, who’d ever want to fall in love with a dumb Mutt?]  

But before Kiba could continue his one-sided (mental) argument with his male teammate, the bell rang, signalling the end of their lesson (read: torture). 

Kriiing. Kriiing.

At the sound of the bell’s ringing, Kiba abruptly turned his head—which should have given him a whiplash—towards Shikamaru’s table, only to see Naruto’s seat to be empty again.

As the ringing of the bell reach his eardrums, Shikamaru hazily aroused from his nap, yawning as he straightened himself. He sensed someone approaching, heavy footsteps mixing with the chatters of his nearby classmate. Without glancing at his advancing companion, the Young Nara already had a clear idea who is it.  

“Shikaaa--” Kiba boisterously called, face scrunched in a scowl while Akamaru remained safely tucked in his hoodie. “--why didn’t you stop Naruto from leaving?”

Fleettingly, his onyx orbs zeroed in on the empty spot beside him before ultimately returning his gaze to face the displeased Inuzuka. Since Kiba seemed to be waiting for his response, the Young Nara gave him the best explanation he could —  Shikamaru shrugged.

Predictably, this seemed to rile up the Inuzuka even more while Chouji opted to remain silent, watching their interaction with amusement.

“ARGGH! How am I supposed to befriend him if--”

And Shikamaru tuned him out. 

Knowing Kiba, the Young Nara was positive that the other just needed a good release of his pent-up frustrations regardless of whether anyone was listening. Plus, Chouji is more than enough should he need guidance. 

Now moving on to more pertinent matters, one thing that had been bothering Shikamaru the most about Naruto was his elusiveness. For some unfathomable reason, the Young Nara couldn’t seem to detect the Blonde apart from the moment Naruto’s already settling beside him. In fact, there was an instance when the Blonde was able to slip away without him or Chouji noticing; and Shikamaru wasn’t even sleeping at that time. Heck, he’s sure that even the infamous Shunshin of Uchiha Shisui or the Hiraishin of the Fourth Hokage would leave some kind of trail.

One moment, the Blonde was sitting next to them, sometimes dozing like Shikamaru. Then the next second, he was just gone. It was almost like Naruto disappeared.

The Young Nara has tried rationalizing this phenomenon to the point he even checked the library for Jutsus only to come out empty-handed. 

(There’s also this nagging voice in the back of his head reminding him that Naruto can literally vanish without a trace if the Blonde wanted to.) 

Tsked. 

Shikamaru privately clicked his tongue in annoyance. The situation was becoming more delicate and troublesome. 

He knew that if—Shikamaru vehemently denied the voice inside his head warning him that it’s not if but when—the Council gets a hold of this, then Naruto would most likely be subjected to harsher treatment and scrutiny, which he honestly doubted the Blonde needed at the moment. Even more so if Danzo and–-

Shikamaru abruptly stood up, slamming his palms against the table, drawing everyone’s attention to him. 

There is it again.

While the Gang should refrain from activities that may catch the Council’s eye, the Nara knew there is someone—an individual with immense power working in the shadows—inside the Council that they should be extremely wary of.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth before heaving a frustrated sigh. Ignoring his classmates’ inquisitive looks, the Young Nara zeroed in his gaze on Ino who’s looking back at him with equal fervor — ebony eyes clashing with azure ones. 

A second later, Ino flipped her hair with a huff before glancing back to Sakura, urging her to come along. And with that, the duo officially left the classroom.

It was Chouji’s voice that snapped him out of his reverie. 

“Shika? Are you okay?” 

The Nara Heir then turned to Kiba and Chouji, both looking at him in a mixture of confusion and concern. Shaking his head, he dismissed their worries.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go.” He replied, turning to walk towards the exit. 

Shikamaru seriously hoped Ino was making more progress than him.

Meanwhile…

Naruto just arrived at the door of his apartment, sighing in relief as he unlocked the entrance. (Unfortunately) Before the Young Uzumaki could even set foot inside his unit, he felt Tiger materialize behind him, halting his movements. 

“Uzumaki-san, the Sandaime is requesting your presence.” The Anbu monotonously reported. The unspoken ‘again’ was echoing loud and clear in the air. 

Naruto inwardly flinched.

In all honesty, he felt absolutely horrible for avoiding the Old Man. However, the Young Uzumaki just couldn't bring himself to face the Hokage lest he wanted to be eaten by his own guilt. Although Naruto fully understood the Sandaime's decision to hold him back for another year, he still couldn’t erase the sense of betrayal he felt since that fateful day. 

And Naruto hated it. 

He loathed the ugly feelings bubbling in his stomach, causing him to be somewhat resentful and cynical of the Old Man.  

Because in the end, Hokage-Jiji was the closest thing Naruto had to a family.

Maybe, they were right.  The Young Uzumaki mentally conceded, self-loathing began crawling in his every vein, suffocating him from the inside out. Maybe I am cursed like--  

"--Uzumaki-san." Tiger repeated, unknowingly pulling the Blonde out of his self-deprecating thoughts.

Naruto blinked, recalling his predicament. Seeing that the other will not leave him alone, the Young Uzumaki let out a resigned sigh. Pocketing both hands, he grumbled.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

At the Hokage Tower…

The moment Naruto and Tiger set foot inside Hokage’s office, the Blonde could instantly sense the surprise emanating from the Sandaime. Nonetheless, there was also some happiness and relief mixing in. 

(It only made Naruto’s stomach churn further, ashamed of his actions.)

“I’m glad you could come, Naruto.” Hiruzen warmly greeted, setting his reports aside while ushering the Blonde to come in. “How’ve you been lately?”

The Young Uzumaki was fully aware that the question meant well. However, he could also sense the other's expectation for good news considering Naruto finally decided to show up. 

And that's the thing, he didn't have a single good news to share. Well… maybe apart from not being verbally attacked in Class since the first day, which Naruto honestly considered a small win. Nonetheless, the Uzumaki didn't want to add more guilt to his shoulders for lying. 

And so, Naruto remained silent, his voice lost in his inner turmoil as he fidgeted from where he stood, refusing to meet the other’s gaze. 

As the silence between them became stretched, Naruto heard the Sandaime sigh softly, a tint of remorse building on the Old Man. The Young Uzumaki instinctively bit the inner side of his cheek. 

He really hated it when he became like this, tongue-tied in self-disgust.  Naruto already knew he was unwanted, almost everyone in the Village communicated it to him with their glares and hisses. He honestly didn’t want to be a burden to the sole person that ever cared for him

(Even if Naruto sometimes felt like nothing but an obligation to the Old Man.) 

Get a fucking grip. Naruto mentally berated himself before opening his mouth just to shut it again. Just answer the damn question. Inwardly, he cursed in frustration.

“How’s the Academy?” The Sandaime tried again, ginger and patient. 

This time, Naruto thankfully found his voice again, shuffling uncomfortably.

“I… It was fine.” The Young Uzumaki replied a bit meekly. 

Sensing the anticipation from the Hokage, Naruto forced himself to continue. After all, it was the least he could do. With a bit more volume, he added. “It could’ve been worse.”

Which was true, his mind unconsciously drifting back to his new classmates, the Clan kids in particular.  

First, the hooded kid he accidentally bumped into during his first day, the one from the Clan known for their partnership with Ninkens. Whenever the other noticed his presence, the hooded kid was pumping with some kind of energy. While it was never hostile, Naruto could sense the other was planning something, something which obviously involved him; and he’d rather avoid it, which was getting harder each day. 

The female Hyuuga—Naruto’s positive she’s a Hyuuga if her pale, bland eyes were any indication—was also in a similar boat, albeit more reserved. However, there’s always a touch of sadness whenever she glances at him. While it was never pitying, the Young Uzumaki still wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Plus, he didn't have the time to figure it out, too busy evading the other kids. 

And then, there were his seatmates — the pineapple-haired and swirly-cheeked Heirs. Although the duo was never imposing, always greeting him with nothing but goodwill and cordiality, Naruto could still detect the barest hint of curiosity, particularly from the Nara (Yes, Naruto did eavesdrop in one or two conversations to get their names). More often than not, the inscrutable gaze the Shikamaru guy tended to give him, it felt like the Nara was seeing someone else in his place, which absolutely didn’t make sense.

And don’t get him started with the Uchiha. Every single time those onyx orbs glazed over him, lingering a tad bit longer whenever the last Uchiha believed he wasn't looking, Naruto could feel the hairs in his neck tingle, something about the other's stare unnerved him. 

As Naruto continued to get lost in his own thoughts, the Sandaime silently observed, wrinkles creasing into little mountains.

Truth to be told, Hiruzen was intrigued. 

It's been a while since his ward showed any emotion in his presence. Ever since he decided to delay the kid, Naruto became more guarded than ever. 

Waiting for the kid to break out of his reverie, the Sandaime inwardly sighed. He really missed the days Minato's kid would ramble incessantly about his day, very much like the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. 

(Hiruzen could never have imagined Kushina's child ending up this way.)

But before the Sandaime could say anything further, he sensed Cat arrived hiding behind a tree with a scroll in her hand, the report he's been waiting for for weeks now. 

(Unbeknownst to them, Naruto also detected the Anbu's arrival, pulling him out of his reverie.)

Without any other choice, Hiruzen heaved another sigh, making a seemingly insignificant gesture with his hand which prompted Cat to materialize inside the Tower. 

The Anbu bowed, respectfully handing the scroll. As he accepted the report, Hiruzen glanced at Naruto apologetically. 

"I'm sorry we had to cut our conversation short. But I hope I'll see you again soon?" 

At that, Naruto absentmindedly nodded in response, calling it a day. 

Inside his Apartment… 

Naruto went straight to the kitchen, opening his fridge for a cold drink, only to find it empty. 

The Young Uzumaki closed the fridge with a sigh. Recalling the pitiful state of his cupboard, Naruto guessed he had to restock his groceries again. Ignoring his grumbling stomach, the Blonde simply left the kitchen and plopped down on his bed. The Young Uzumaki decided he’ll just grab food at Ichirakus tomorrow. It’s also been a while since he had Teuchi Oji-san’s cooking. And then, he’ll go shopping. 

He could only hope that there wouldn't be any incident this time. 

In the streets of Konoha…

“What was that, Ino?”

Sakura curiously asked on their way back home. 

Even without further elaboration, Ino instantly knew her friend was pertaining to meaningful gaze earlier in the classroom. 

I’m perfectly aware of what I’m supposed to do, Mr. Lazy Genius. I don’t need you to remind me. Thank you very much.

Ino inwardly bit back, eyes mentally rolling at the memory.

(Somewhere, Shikamaru sneezed before mumbling a faint ‘Troublesome’ under his breath.)

Nonetheless, the Yamanaka Heir understood the other’s impatience. From the looks of it, Shikamaru’s overworking brain had once again figured something out even without the information she was supposed to provide him. Besides, it’s not like Ino was dilly-dallying either. 

Since their last lunch meeting, she had already been working on how to acquire the official reports the Nara Heir wanted – the investigation of Iruka-sensei’s assassination and Shikamaru’s testimony during the market assault on Naruto. Given that storming the Council’s basement and T&I division were definitely out of question, the closest source was her father’s private library. Without a doubt, the information she needed was safely hidden in one of his scrolls.

But of course, Ino just couldn’t sneak in without any preparations, can she? If she was anything like her father, then the Yamanaka Heir was positive the scrolls are laced with chakra-binding traps. And so, Ino decided to upgrade their Shinranshin no Jutsu to ensure that no one can ever trace it back to her.

“Ino?”

The Yamanaka Heir snapped out of her musings, remembering she still had company. “It’s nothing. That Lazy Bum was just being impatient.” She replied, waving a dismissive hand.

 “Impatient about what?”

Ahh. Realizing her misstep, the Yamanaka Heir pondered for a moment, preparing to deflect her question. But… Sakura is her best friend. If there’s anyone she’ll trust with this secret, then it was definitely her best friend. Nevertheless, Ino will still have to filter some stuff. 

Humming thoughtfully, the Yamanaka Heir replied. “I’ll tell you some other time.” When her pink-haired friend pouted, Ino added, “When it’s less crowded.”

At that, emerald eyes beamed with excitement as Sakura firmly stated, “Okay. But just so you know, I’ll be holding you on that.” 

Before Ino could quip a response, Sakura halted on her heels, pointing a finger to the next corner,  “I need to turn around here.” 

Imitating her friend, the Yamanaka stopped in her tracks, confusion evident on her face.

“Why? Your street is still a couple of blocks away.”

“Well, I–-” Sakura trailed off, bashful. Ino quirked an eyebrow at her friend’s sudden sheepiness. The Yamanaka was sure she had already given Sakura more than enough pep-talks about her diffidence to last a lifetime. “--I kinda decided to volunteer at the Hospital.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ino turned to fully face her friend, silently urging her to continue.

“I’ve already told you that I wanted to be a Medic Nin, right?” The Yamanaka Heir nodded, “As the Clan Heir, you’ve already been training to be a Shinobi since day one. So, if I wanted to keep up, then I have to start as early as now. After all,  I can’t afford to lose, you know?” She ended with a grin.

For a second, Ino saw the older version of her friend, the Sakura who had spilled countless blood, sweat, and tears under the tutelage of the Sannin, the Sakura she had always known.

“Ino?” Sakura called in worry, afraid she might have offended her friend.

“Don’t think I’ll wait for you, Sakura.” Ino challenged, flipping some of her golden locks. “I’ll be the top Kunoichi of our year.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

When Sakura was finally out of sight, the Yamanaka Heir grinned, smiling widely like a Cheshire cat. Now, not only Ino have an excuse to demand her father to up her training but also she got her rival back.

It was perfect.

At the Konoha General Hospital…

The moment Sakura entered the premises of the Hospital, she let her emerald eyes scan the place in wonder. As Sakura went on her way, walking along the long, white hallways, a pungent stench of blood filled her nostril, her nose scrunching instinctively in distaste. But before she could put a palm on her face, Sakura stopped herself. 

No. Sakura firmly reminded herself, resisting the urge to cover her nose. After all, if she wanted to be a Medic Nin, then the unpleasant scent of blood was just one of the few things she had to stomach.

Fortunately, Sakura finally arrived at her destination — the Office of the Medical Department Head. Inhaling a deep breath, Sakura knocked once, twice. 

Knock. Knock. 

A soft muffled ‘come in’ was heard from the other side of the door. Gently, the Pink-haired student twisted the knob as she entered. Inside, Sakura was greeted by a sight of a stern-looking, middle-aged woman in glasses wearing a messy bun, her pitched black hair protruding from almost every angle.

“Ahh. You’re here.” She greeted, temporarily setting aside the report she was signing before pulling out a folder from her desk drawer. “Please take a seat for a moment.” She asked, gesturing towards the empty chair on her right. Her entire focus was centered on the file in her hands.  

Without wasting a second, Sakura silently obliged as she waited for the other to finish her business, emerald eyes idly scanning the room. 

“Haruno Sakura-san, was it?” The Head Medic inquired, causing Sakura to perk up in confirmation.

The Head Medic put her folder down, staring at Sakura straight to the eye, which made the latter a little unnerved.

Without breaking eye contact, she continued, "While your desire to volunteer is very much appreciated, your Letter of Intent has specifically stated that you also wanted to train to be a Medic Nin. Tell me--" Placing both elbows on the desk, the Head Medic rested her chin on the back of her palms, "--Haruno-san. What are your aspirations? Why do you want to be a Medic Nin?"

Instinctively, Sakura gulped, swallowing the imaginary lump in her throat. She honestly didn't prepare for an interview, but nonetheless… 

"I--" 

"--Please don't tell me it's because you want to save lives." The Head Medic (rudely) cut off.

Without waiting for Sakura's response, she carried on. "More often than not, the blood on your hands will be from someone you know. And trust me when I say this – we, Medic Nins, have more deaths on our hands than your average Ninja. Unless of course--" 

At this point, Sakura honestly didn't know what to think. She just couldn't figure out the logic behind the Head Medic's seemingly roundabout discouragement, particularly when Medic Nins are in high demand. 

Unless…

"--you're some kind of psychopath. Or maybe Anbu." The Head Medic added as an afterthought. "So--" 

"--Are you trying to scare me away?" Sakura blurted out, a hint of surprise painting the Head Medic's features at her frankness. 

Sakura knew her query was borderlining an accusation, which was downright rude and impertinent for an applicant. Nonetheless, the pink-haired gal held her ground, the advice of her best friend echoing in her ears. 

✵✵✵

"You should be more assertive, Sakura." 

Ino randomly pointed out. Before Sakura could say anything else, the Yamanaka Heir interjected. 

"After all, how can anyone truly see you if you never let yourself be heard? Get your nose out of those books, Sakura."

✵✵✵

Swatting down the nerves crawling deep in her skin, Sakura exhaled softly. Her best friend was right.

Sakura will let herself be heard. 

"I… I’m a civilian." She started as a preamble. Unsurprisingly, this earned an arched eyebrow from the Head Medic but nonetheless captured her attention.

“My ancestry had no secret Jutsu nor Kekkai Genkai. In fact, none of my living relatives are Shinobis. Most of them only had the basic Shinobi training from the Academy. I am a civilian through and through.” Sakura momentarily paused, unconsciously fiddling with her nails. “Statistics showed that *while a lot of children aspire to be a Shinobi, almost half–if not more–tend to drop out once they get exposed to the real world, civilian-raised kids even more so. My best friend--" A soft smile instinctively found its way to her lips. "--Ino is the Clan Heir. Whenever she's with Shikamaru and Chouji, anyone could see that they're a team. Each--" 

A flicker of surprise flittered on the Head Medic's face. Because while almost every adult in Konoha was fully aware that the trio is being groomed as the new Ino-Shika-Cho, it wasn't explicitly stated. Above all, it was surprising that the children are catching up. The Head Medic guessed that the kids of this generation weren't as oblivious as the adults believed them to be.

"--of them has a role and they rely on one another without a single shred of doubt on each other's capacity. And I wanted that." Sakura firmly resoluted, her emerald orbs glistening with determination. "I want my future teammates to see me as someone they can rely on. While I still can't say anything about my Chakra control, I love studying and I'm willing to learn more. Becoming a Medic Nin is my conviction to be a Shinobi. I refused to be the member who needs to be saved."

By the end of her speech, Sakura was almost out of breath. She had never spoken this openly before, especially to someone she barely knew. Yet, it felt so liberating and Sakura never regretted a word she said. 

Sakura just hoped she got her message across. 

The Head Medic adjusted her glasses, the silence between them becoming more palpable as the seconds passed. “Sakura-san--” The person-in-question perked up, a bit hopeful and bewildered. She didn’t know what caused the sudden in her name, “--the Shinobi world is crueler, you know? Medic Nins have a larger target on their back compared to an average Shinobi because of our specialties, I take it you understand its implications.”

Sakura nodded in confirmation. 

But before she could add anything, there was a knock and the door opened revealing the Head Nurse. She was a blond, middle-aged woman, someone in her late thirties or early forties. The Head Medic promptly glanced at her, acknowledging the other’s presence, before refocusing her attention on Sakura. 

“Well then, Ms. Reiki here will take you to your station.” She momentarily paused, eyeing Sakura with an intense gaze, an inscrutable emotion flittering in her eyes. “I look forward to the day you officially become one of Konoha’s Medic Nin.”

And the Head Medic smiled.

Her smile was so warm and encouraging, which made Sakura's heart soar, her cheeks flushing in glee. The Academy student honestly didn’t know she was waiting for the other’s approval until she got it. 

Grinning so widely to the point it should’ve hurt her cheeks, Sakura beamed. “Thank you very much, Ma’am! I won’t let you down!”

As the duo continued the long, white hallway, the Head Nurse spoke up, breaking the comforting silence between them. 

“She must’ve been harsh to you at first. Don’t–-” Sakura perked up, intrigued. “--worry about it. It’s kinda like her ritual. She had already driven-away multiple Genins in the past, but the Head Medic means well. It’s her peculiar way of informing you kids of what you’re signing for. Quoting her, ‘you can’t be a Medic Nin if you didn’t have the spunk to back you up,’ which couldn’t be any truer. It’s been a while since the Head Medic smiled like that to a newcomer. So–-” The Head Nurse grinned before she continued, “--You must’ve impressed her a lot.” She mused, once again causing Sakura’s cheeks to flare. 

“But normally, we would’ve waited until you kids are at least a Genin. You’re actually the second one she’d approve of. Nonetheless, an extra hand is always welcome.”

Second? Sakura mentally echoed. So there’s another Academy student apart from me?

But before she could ponder any further on her thoughts, the Head Nurse announced their arrival. "Here we are.”

When Sakura entered the laboratory, she came face-to-face with another kid wearing a pink, sleeveless qipao-style blouse. Her dark, mahogany-hued hair was neatly styled into two Chinese buns. Her steely-grey orbs brightened the moment she noticed their presence. 

“Hello!” She enthusiastically greeted with a wave. “I’m Tenten and nice to meet you! Looking forward to learning with you, Umm--” 

“--Sakura. Haruno Sakura. Pleased to meet you, Tenten.” Sakura returned with equal fervor, a smile plastered on both the kids’ faces.

And that was the beginning of the duo’s journey to becoming a Medic Nin and the blooming of their friendship.

The Next Day...

Sasuke just finished his morning training in the open forest and was now traversing the streets of Konoha, barely acknowledging the looks of admiration he received. 

He was, for a lack of a better term, brooding while strolling aimlessly, completely ignoring the fact he should be in class today. Although it was highly uncharacteristic of him to skip class, the Young Uchiha couldn’t help it. For the past few days, something about the Uzumaki kid bothered him; and despite his efforts, Sasuke just couldn’t figure it out. It was maddening. Plus, the Inuzuka’s annoying screeches of ‘Naruto’ were also getting on his nerves.

(Translation: Sasuke may or may not be jealous of the fact that Kiba can openly attempt to befriend Naruto.) 

Sasuke kicked the small clouds of dust on his feet in frustration. He was just about to retreat to his compound when a speck of gold caught his attention.

Somewhere at the supermarket…

The streets were once again buzzing with people. 

After eating brunch at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto proceeded to get his groceries. He was almost finished with his errand and noted from the clock nearby that he could still attend his afternoon classes. Shrugging it off, Naruto decided to ditch his classes for today. Besides, it’s not like anyone would care if he missed a class or two. He had already skipped the entire first two weeks of the term and nobody even informed Hokage-jiji. 

When Naruto finally bought the last item on his list, only receiving a scornful glare from the store clerk since he was able to successfully maneuver through the blind spots of the other Villagers, the Young Uzumaki mentally smiled at himself, glad that this torturous task was officially over. 

He was already on his way to the apartment, the closest place Naruto would feel comfortable and safe.

With his entire focus centering on maneuvering the Villagers' blind spots, the Young Uzumaki missed a pair of onyx orbs watching his movements like a hawk while waiting for the opportune time to confront him.

"Hey." Sasuke called, appearing behind the Blonde without any warning.

Predictably, Naruto jumped at his place, surprised that he missed the Uchiha's presence. Cerulean eyes widening, he was just about to leave (read: escape) when the other grabbed his elbow, causing the Blonde to flinch. 

Sasuke immediately released his arm, noticing the Uzumaki's discomfort. Instead, he asked what he came here for. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Naruto clarified warily, his brows crinkling in confusion.

"How did you move without anyone noticing you?" Sasuke explicated, curious.

Minutes passed between them, onyx black orbs staring intently at cerulean ones with only the howling of the wind and rustling of leaves filling the palpable silence. 

Naruto was first to avert his gaze.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The Blonde flimsy lied.

Sasuke felt a spike of anger bubble inside him. 

However, the second he saw the other wince at the change of his aura, wanting nothing more but to flee from him, the Young Uchiha felt himself calming down. He couldn’t fathom why he hated that scared look being directed at him

“I…” 

Sasuke faltered. After all, what was he supposed to say – I want you to teach me that? He honestly doubted the Blonde would appreciate such demands, seeing as how the other was seconds away from bolting out. His lips further thinned into a grim line. 

Out of nowhere, a memory of that traitor assaulted him.

✵✵✵

“Nii-san!” 

A four-year-old Sasuke zealously called, causing the older Uchiha to stop his training and turn toward the source. But before Itachi could fully swerve around, he felt another weight on him, small limbs circling his waist. 

Cheeks puffing, Sasuke demanded, “Teach me how you did that! I wanna be able to throw shurikens like you!”

The Older Uchiha’s lips twitched into a small smile. Playfully, he pinched his little brother’s cheek, earning a faint grumble, as he reprimanded.

“If you want me to teach you, then you have to ask nicely Sasuke.”

✵✵✵

Sasuke mentally shook his head, erasing that awful (read: fond) memory. But, the Young Uchiha guessed he can still follow the other’s advice.

Heaving a deep breath, he said the closest thing to the truth.

“I need help in evading my fangirls. If--” Although Naruto's wariness remained, sensing that the Uchiha wasn't telling the full story, some of the tension in his shoulders left. “--if you agree to teach me, then I promise to do something for you in return.”

The seconds of silence passed agonizingly slow.

While Sasuke’s expression remained neutral, his palms were starting to sweat (in nervousness). In all honesty, he didn’t know why the Uzumaki’s decision would bother him so much.

“I… I don’t know.” Naruto meekly replied after what felt like a century to Sasuke, eyes still glued on the ground. 

Sasuke vehemently swatted down the pang of disappointment (read: hurt) he felt from the Blonde’s incoming refusal. Fortunately, the Uzumaki wasn’t finished. 

“I mean... I don’t really know how I did it.”

“--don’t really know how I did it.”

If he’d be honest, Naruto didn’t know what prompted him to admit the truth. He could feel the other’s inquisitive gaze bore into him. 

But now that he had a chance to solely focus on the Uchiha, to fully understand the other’s emotion, he knew that the other didn’t mean any harm despite sensing that his explanation was only a half-truth (or an excuse). Both of them were fully aware that the Uchiha could learn to evade his fangirls without necessitating Naruto’s assistance. After all, he did manage to sneak up on him, albeit the Blonde was too immersed in his mission to detect non-hostile energies.

Going back, what truly convinced Naruto that the Uchiha didn’t have any ill intents was the trepidation the Young Uzumaki sensed in his silence. It was almost as if the Uchiha Sasuke was afraid that Naruto would reject him. Since he couldn’t find anything amiss with the other’s request, the Young Uzumaki guessed he might as well accept his proposal. Plus, he did say that he’ll do something in return, right?

(Because while Naruto preferred to be left alone, a manifestation of his evasiveness and social withdrawal, he is still, at the very core, a lonely child. And his acceptance of the Uchiha’s offer had absolutely nothing to do with it.)

[Unbeknownst to the Blonde, Sasuke was just one of many more to come. The Young Uchiha might be the first to reach out, but he wouldn’t be the last. Too bad, it still wasn't enough to make him stay.]

“But I can try to teach you.” Despite the Uchiha’s obvious effort to conceal his anticipation, Naruto could still sense how the other perked up. And so, he continued, “As long as you uphold your end.”

“Hn.” Sasuke grunted, which sounded like a confirmation to Naruto's ear before the Uchiha added, “We’ll start this Saturday.” 

To which, Naruto returned with a nod. And with that, the duo went on their separate ways.

Saturday…

It was barely past 9 AM in the morning. 

The sun was already high and the sky was devoid of any signs of rain. Indeed, it was the perfect time to conduct his training with the Blonde -– if only Sasuke knew where they were supposed to meet.

For the nth time today, the Young Uchiha inwardly grumbled in annoyance, scouring the streets of Konoha for a trace of the Uzumaki. He had already checked the Academy, the Ichirakus, and Hokage Rock—Why the hell did he even go there? Sasuke had no explanation for his actions—as well as the place where they met the other day. 

Yesterday, Sasuke planned to inform the Blonde of their rendezvous point. But alas, the Young Uzumaki was already gone before he could even move from his seat. With no other option left, Sasuke ended up strolling the streets aimlessly in search of the Blonde.

Without his knowledge, his feet somehow led him to the trail toward the Naka River. 

Because of the memories connected to that place, Sasuke wanted nothing more but to turn around and leave. However, there was something willing him to continue and so he did. When the Young Uchiha finally arrived at the end of the trail, Sasuke was completely baffled to see the person he was searching for, waiting for him by the riverbank.

Moments passed between them with Sasuke staring at Naruto in disbelief while the latter shifted his gaze uncomfortably. 

Surprisingly, it was Naruto who broke the silence.

Shuffling, the Blonde explained. “You didn’t say where we’re gonna meet so…”

The Uchiha inwardly scoffed, walking towards the other. “I was planning to tell you yesterday after class.” When cerulean eyes widened in realization, Sasuke decided to change the topic and ask the one thing that’s been bothering him,  “Why did you decide to wait here anyway?”

Naruto blinked owlishly before he nonchalantly shrugged, “It was the first place I met you.”

Ah. Understanding dawned on him as Sasuke recalled that day. Seeing as his companion wasn’t gonna elaborate any further, his gaze centered on the black bandana hanging from the Blonde’s pocket. 

Noticing the shift in the Uchiha’s attention, Naruto pulled out the bandana and earplugs from his pocket, “It’s for training.” When Sasuke’s eyebrow arched inquisitively, he continued. “I’m not really sure how to explain this so… I’ll just show it to you.”

Putting the earplugs on while he wrapped the bandana like a blindfold, Naruto instructed. “Throw a shuriken at me.”

If his eyebrow was already high before, now it fucking skyrocketed. In any other circumstances, Sasuke would’ve been insulted –-  No. He should be offended by the Blonde’s proposition. Yet, all the Uchiha could feel was confusion (and concern). But for pretense purposes, he snarkily replied.

“Are you mocking my aim?”   

(Unfortunately for Sasuke) With Naruto being a natural sensor, he instantly saw through his act, releasing a sigh. “You won’t hurt me.”

The way Naruto uttered those words it couldn’t be anything but a statement.

[In the future, every time Sasuke had a kunai on Naruto’s neck, Sharingan flaring furiously, the Blonde will let out a tired smile as the very same words escape his lips, echoing over and over again — You won’t hurt me. ]

Predictably, Sasuke flushed in embarrassment, a pink hue tinting his cheeks. He’s just… Sasuke’s no longer used to the idea of anyone trusting him. 

(Yet, it still felt right coming from Naruto.)

Without thinking, the Young Uchiha hastily pulled out the two shurikens from his pocket, flinging them towards the Blonde. Realizing what he had done, Sasuke opened his mouth to warn the other only for Naruto to evade it effortlessly, the weapons embedding themselves on the ground

Huh?  

Sasuke was speechless beyond belief. He was sure that not even his Ita—that man was capable of such stunt. When Naruto removed his blindfold (and earplugs), he was greeted by a dumbfounded Uchiha, eyes widened and lips parted.

Sasuke blinked, clearing his throat as he gathered his bearings. Afraid to make a fool of himself, he uttered the safest question. “How?” 

Sensing the awe emanating from the Uchiha, Naruto scratched the back of his neck almost bashfully, eyes squinting like a fox.

Why did that image look so familiar? This thought was instantly forgotten when the Uzumaki replied.

“It’s because of the intent. Sometimes emotions work too. Basically--” Naruto plucked the nearest shuriken, holding it to their eye-level for emphasis, “--the shuriken became an extension of yourself and your intent. The intent is stronger when it’s nearer, which was how I avoided your attack.” 

At the Uchiha’s silence, Naruto took it as a sign to carry on, “So, I thought that before you can see the people’s blind spot--” Blind spot? Sasuke mentally echoed, but nonetheless remained silent.  “--you gotta learn to sense intent first. So…”

Naruto held out the bandana and the earplugs, which the Uchiha accepted. The Uzumaki then picked up a fallen branch, which was neither too thick nor too thin, before plucking its protruding parts to make it blunt. 

“In the meantime, I’ll use this stick to hit you while you try to avoid it.” The Blonde explained. Which, Sasuke returned with a nod before putting the bandana and earplugs on. 

[Disclaimer: This is basically a slightly modified version of Haki training from One Piece (modification: earplugs. Lol). Gotta give credit where it's due. Hahah.]

Thrilled at how much this intent sensing will make him stronger, Sasuke believed that training with Naruto might be the best decision he had in a long time.

.

.

.

Sasuke is retracting his statement, biting down another painful hiss after failing to evade the strike for the nth time. He could already feel the bruises and bumps forming on his head.

The Uchiha was just mentally preparing himself for the incoming attack when Naruto spoke, loud enough for him to hear.

“Let’s take a break.”

Swiftly, Sasuke removed his blindfold and earplugs, tucking it inside his pocket. Discreetly glancing at his companion, Naruto was sitting about a meter away from him, reserved. His cerulean orbs were distant, gaze focused on the running water.

For some reason, Sasuke didn’t like the distant look on the Blonde’s face.

“What do you want me to do in return?”  The Uchiha asked suddenly, prompting Naruto to look at him.

“Ahh. Well–-” The Blonde started, recalling their deal. “--you could buy me my groceries.”

Swoosh.

The rustling of the leaves and the soft whispers of the wind could literally be heard in their silence.

“Groceries.” Sasuke clipped before he repeated blasély, “You want me to buy you your groceries.” 

His incredulity must’ve been evident on his face because Naruto blushed, his whiskered cheeks reddening as he defended.

“I’ll provide the money, Bastard! I--” Sasuke’s lips morphed into a smirk, enjoying the Blonde’s mortification. “--just need you to go to the market and buy it like literally!”

Despite the other’s explanation, Sasuke’s smirk remained in its place. Much to the Uchiha’s delight, Naruto’s stomach grumbled in protest when the Blonde was about to continue his defense.

And predictably, Naruto flushed even further in mortification.

Huh. Sasuke never knew anyone could be that red before, almost like a ripe tomato. 

Sparing the Blonde of further embarrassment, the Uchiha removed the smirk from his face as he stood up, wiping the dust from his shorts and knees while wearing his default expression. Glancing over his shoulder, Sasuke remarked. 

“Follow me. I’ll cook something up.” When Naruto remained still, reluctant and uncertain, Sasuke added. “Just consider it part of my repayment.” 

[From that day onwards, Saturdays became their thing until... Naruto left. And sometimes, there are Saturdays when Sasuke instinctively cooked for two people.] 

Timeskip: A couple of weeks later…

Hinata fidgeted in her seat, clutching the paper bag tightly under their desk. After countless weeks of sleepless nights, the Heir Apparent finally finished the scarf. She let her pale orbs wander to the clock – two minutes til’ the end of class.

While the Heir Apparent couldn’t turn to check if the Blonde was still around, she could somewhat sense that the Young Uzumaki had yet to leave the class. 

[Fortunately for Hinata, Naruto and Sasuke had plans after class hours, which is why the Uzumaki had yet to disappear like he usually did.]

In essence, it was the opportune day to give Naruto-kun the handmade scarf if only Hinata could control her wracking nerves. 

As another minute passed, Hinata swallowed an invisible lump in her throat before biting her lower lip in a futile attempt to calm herself. With how much she’s instinctively squirming on her seat, Hinata could feel the Inuzuka eyeing her from time to time, gaze filled with concern drifting to her bandaged fingers.

Thirty seconds. Hinata mentally counted, inhaling a deep breath. If she wanted to reach him, then Hinata couldn’t back down. It’s now or never.

Kriiing. Kriiing.

The moment bells rang, the Heir Apparent was instantly on her feet faster than anyone else, startling her nearby classmates. Even Kiba could only blink in surprise, momentarily forgetting his mission. 

Brisking toward her destination, Hinata held the paper bag closer, willfully ignoring some of the curious looks sent her way. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Naruto were completely immersed in their own silent conversation. The Young Uzumaki made an imperceptible nod before the duo almost simultaneously got up from their seat, walking towards the exits. 

(It was only Shikamaru who caught their exchange, mentally filing it on his mind for future references.) 

Naruto was just two steps away from the door uncharacteristically cried out, causing literally everyone to pause and shift their attention to them.

“N-Naruto-kun!”

The Uzumaki abruptly stopped on his track, mechanically turning to the direction of the sound. From the opposite exit, Sasuke was in the same boat, onyx orbs narrowing in suspicion at the Hyuuga.   

Ignoring the looks sent her way, Hinata self-consciously approached the Blonde until they were just barely a meter apart. Naruto was a few inches taller than her, expression neutral yet his cerulean eyes spoke differently – it was wary and weary. 

Such expressions shouldn’t belong to him.

At that thought, Hinata used her every will to stop the wave of hurt from reflecting on her face.

“U-um… N-Naruto-kun.” Hinata stuttered, her gaze focused on the ground while her bandaged hands fidgeted, holding the paper bag tighter until crumples became more evident. 

“H-Here.” Hinata hastily pushed the paper bag to Naruto’s chest, the latter clumsily catching it. “I-I m-made it. It’s a r-replacement… for the o-one you l-lent me before.” The Heir Apparent bashfully explained, suddenly way too self-aware of her surroundings.  

She could literally feel everyone’s eyes on them. In fact, the entire Class held their breath as they watched in a mixture of bewilderment, fear, and anticipation. Hinata felt her face starting to heat up, her heartbeat thrumming rapidly in her chest. 

From her periphery, Hinata noticed the Nara leaning closer, a knowing look on his face, the edge of his lips twitching into a minuscule smirk. Finally realizing how her actions appeared like a love confession, the Heir Apparent’s cheeks flared like no tomorrow. 

To make matters worse, Naruto remained unresponsive, cerulean eyes concentrated on the half-opened paper bag thrust in his arms.

Hinata wanted nothing more than to be swallowed by the earth itself. Fortunately, before she melted into a puddle of embarrassment, a disinterested voice permeated the room.

“This is boring. Let’s go.”

Rewinding a few minutes back…

While Ino wasn’t particularly close to Hinata, she knew the other must’ve exhausted all her self-confidence in this stunt. And Naruto’s silence as well as the noisy stares of their classmates were definitely not helping. Plus, with their clique being dominated by morons (Yes, she’s counting Shino, Shikamaru and Sasuke to the list), girls hav’ta stay together don’t they?

And so, Ino intervened. 

“This is boring. Let’s go.”

Her words worked like magic. In a blink, everyone’s attention was on her, particularly the tale-tellers. 

“Girls, let’s go. There’s nothing particularly interesting going on anyway.”

“But Hyuuga-san is--”

“--just returning what Naruto lent her. It’s--” Ino promptly corrected, ignoring the exaggerated gasps she received when uttered the Blonde’s name. “--not like she’s professing her undying love or something.”

Cue. A blushing Hinata, an oblivious Naruto, a giggling Sakura, and a snort from Shikamaru and Kiba.

But given the narrow mindset of her frivolous classmates, the Yamanaka Heir knew that the ‘cursed child’ rumor will be brought up. So before any of the girls could open their mouths, Ino interjected, her azure eyes showed no fear as she purposively stared straight into the Blonde’s eyes. 

“You don’t mind me calling you Naruto from now on, right? You don’t seem like the type to care about formalities.” The Yamanaka (rhetorically) asked, accentuating the words ‘from now on’ much to her frivolous classmates’ horror.  

Predictably, Naruto’s eyes widened in disbelief. It took the Blonde another second to formulate a response. With everyone’s attention on him again, the Young Uzumaki shifted uncomfortably before he settled on a scowl, wanting nothing more but to be out of this place.

“I don’t really care.” Naruto replied apathetically.

At the other’s response, Ino couldn’t stop the satisfied smile on her face. Because while Ino may not be a natural sensor, she is a Yamanaka – reading emotions based on subtle cues is a child’s play. She knew for a fact that Naruto was glad to have someone acknowledge him as an individual, someone who will call him by his name. 

And so, the Yamanaka Heir childishly shot Kiba a smug look.

Ha! Hear that stupid Mutt?  

Almost as if the Inuzuka could read her thoughts, Kiba glared in return. From the corner of her eye, she also saw Shikamaru smirking in approval. Since the Nara seemed to be enjoying himself, Ino decided she might as well use him as a diversion to let Naruto escape.

“Speaking of borrowed stuff…” Ino trailed off, loud enough for the entire class to hear, “Shikamaru! I’m charging you 500 ryos if you didn’t return my favorite book this instant.” The Yamanaka intentionally screeched, huffing in false annoyance.

Shikamaru just gave her a dead stare, both of them fully aware that such book did not exist. Nonetheless, Ino was confident that the Young Genius would get her message. 

And he did. 

Because Mr. I’m-too-lazy-to-do-anything had the fucking gall to flip her off. If Ino was acting earlier, now she was on a full-blown warpath.

This triggered a chain of reactions. Hinata and Sakura hid a smile, Chouji choked on his chips in a futile attempt to stifle his laughter, while Kiba guffawed like no tomorrow, tears brimming in the corner of his eyes as he clutched his stomach. In fact, even Sasuke smirked before he left to follow the Blonde. Fundamentally, everyone's attention was on them just as planned, giving Naruto the chance to escape.

However, there was one individual who failed to fall for their theatrics.

Behind his tinted glasses, Shino narrowed his eyes, displeased at the course of events, his lips thinning into a straight line. When the Class started to disperse, the Aburame decided to kick the laughing Inuzuka in the ankle, earning a screech of pain and protest from the other. 

Shino simply clicked his tongue in response before walking away. The Aburame Heir surmised he had to change his tactics fast. 

[Unfortunately for Kiba (and Sasuke), Shino had once again misinterpreted the situation on a whole new level.]

A few days later…

"Okay, Class.” The Chuunin Instructor clapped his hands, “For today, I want everyone to find a partner for a history project.”

Everyone groaned in displeasure, everyone but a certain Uzumaki, who froze like a deer in headlights.

The Chuunin Instructor continued, tutting his forefinger to the groaning class. “Now, it’s for your own good. Learning history is important, you know. Plus, it can be fun--”

Shikamaru felt his best friend shoot him and Naruto a concerned look, which the Nara returned with a reassuring nod. 

If only the project was a three-man team, then they would’ve invited the Blonde in a heartbeat. But as it is, the Young Nara just couldn’t abandon his best friend. Nonetheless, Shikamaru wasn’t worried much. Excluding Ino and Sakura, he was positive one of the Gang will invite Naruto. While his bet was on Sasuke or Kiba, he wasn’t discounting Hinata so fast either if the Hyuuga did pluck up enough courage in time.

“--so go pair yourselves up. I'll give--”

Before their Instructor could even finish his announcement, someone was already walking toward their seat. And despite the Young Nara’s famed brilliance, not even Shikamaru could have predicted this (mind-boggling) turn of events.

“Uzumaki-san. Will you pair up with me?” Shino monotonously inquired the moment he stopped by their seat, shocking the entire Class (including their Instructor). 

But above all, Naruto was the most surprised out of everyone else, completely-and-utterly dumbfounded.

It took another minute for the Blonde to snap out of his surprise. Sensing that the Aburame was serious with his inquiry, Naruto weakly replied yet the confusion in his tone remained.

“Okay.”

Meanwhile, Sasuke clicked his tongue in vexation, burning holes in the back of the Aburame’s head for stealing his supposed partner. Now, he had to deal with the rabid fangirls requesting to be his partner. At the same time, the Uchiha was also a tad pissed at the Blonde for agreeing so easily. He should've at least hesitated a bit longer or denied the other's offer.

Hence, the Uchiha did what he was known best -- Sasuke (petulantly) sulked. 

On their way to the library…

“Why did you choose me?” Naruto asked when he was finally alone with the Aburame.

At his query, Shino halted his movements, glancing at Naruto over his shoulder before ultimately turning around to face the Blonde. 

“I have absolutely nothing against you, Uzumaki-san. However--” Shino paused, eyeing the Young Uzumaki carefully. “--you’re a hindrance. Recently, you’ve proven to be detrimental to my current project.”

“D-Detri-what?” Naruto echoed in confusion, his tongue tripping over the Aburame's intricate lingo.

“Detrimental. It means harmful, dangerous, or damaging.” Shino clarified.

Instantly, cerulean eyes narrowed believing it had something to do with the ‘cursed child’ rumor. Without giving the Blonde a chance to retaliate, the Aburame Heir nonchalantly continued.

“Kiba had requested my assistance to woo the Hyuuga Heiress.”

What?  

Naruto’s mind promptly short-circuited. Shino, on the other hand, carried on with his explanation, completely-and-utterly oblivious to the Blonde’s confusion.

“Given his obnoxious attitude, it was no wonder he needed my intervention. Unfortunately, my observations suggest that Hinata had apparently taken a liking to you, which consequently reduces Kiba’s chances close to nil, not that he had much to begin with--”

Again, Naruto’s mind failed to process anything. Because how, in the world, did the Aburame reach such conclusions? As far as he knew, the female Hyuuga only returned the scarf he lent the other a few years back, which was the nicest gesture he received from anyone since the cursed rumor started (apart from the free ramen he got from Teuchi Oji-san once in a while. And Sasuke's free meals didn't count. It was kinda part of the bargain). 

“--hence, I’ve decided to grab this opportunity and request your cooperation in my project.” Pausing for a moment, Shino extended a hand, surprising the Uzumaki. 

“So, will you accept a truce?” Shino offered.

While he was still a bit lost, not fully comprehending the Aburame’s explanation and how he fits in the equation, Naruto could accept the other’s honesty.

“Truce,” Naruto confirmed, accepting Shino's outstretched hand.

Thus, this was the start of a beautiful friendship between Naruto and the Aburame Heir as well as the (one-sided) rivalry between Sasuke and Shino.

(The Uchiha refused to share their Saturdays with an outsider even if it was for a class project.)

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

We were like silent, clear skies - beautifully unpredictable. But like any clear skies, we didn’t know that we were just the calm before the storm.

-  Unknown

Recap:

While the Young Uzumaki was still a bit lost, not fully comprehending the Aburame’s explanation and how he fits in the equation, Naruto could accept the other’s honesty.

Accepting Shino’s hand, Naruto repeated in confirmation. “Truce.”

Thus, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Naruto and the Aburame Heir as well as the (one-sided) rivalry between Sasuke and Shino. 

At the Academy Library…

The second Naruto and Shino stepped inside, the occupants began staring. Some were whispering, while the others–including the librarian–were outright glaring, scrunching their nose in distaste at the mere sight of the Young Uzumaki.

From the corner of his eye, the Aburame Heir saw the Blonde instinctively duck his head, hunching while his golden locks shadowed his eyes. 

When the desk officer was about to open her mouth, Shino swiftly interjected. "Uzumaki-san is my partner for a class project. It’s a report about Konoha’s History.” Pausing momentarily, he eyed the librarian with an unreadable gaze before adding, voice apathetic. “Now if you’ll excuse us…” 

Without waiting for her response, the Aburame quickened his pace–but not too fast for the Blonde to follow–barely giving the desk officer a second glance before leading his companion to a more secluded section of the library, away from their prying and hateful gazes. 

Because while Shino may not be the brightest when it comes to social cues, as an Aburame, he was not foreign to prejudices and discrimination. Even at the mere age of 11, he can attest that being on the receiving end had never been a pleasant experience. 

And so, Shino vowed that he alone would be the judge of one’s character.

“--my partner for a class project. It’s a report about Konoha’s History.”

There was a certain edge laced in his words. It was virtually indecipherable, concealed behind the Aburame’s indifferent persona. Nonetheless, Naruto heard it loud and clear. 

Curious, the Young Uzumaki slightly raised his head, glancing at his companion. Shino’s expression remained stoic. While he didn’t know much about his classmate, particularly with today being their first interaction, Naruto was positive the Aburame Heir was displeased.  

“Now if you’ll excuse us…”

When the Aburame began to move, Naruto swiftly followed his suit, trying his hardest to ignore the harsh murmurs and the burning glare of the librarian sent his way. His companion then turned to the nearest shelf, obscuring them from the crowd’s view, allowing Naruto to let out a staggered breath. 

Passing through multiple aisles of towering shelves, the Young Uzumaki–out of pure curiosity–squinted his eyes in an attempt to read the plastered headings on the shelves, only to fail miserably. He let out an inaudible, frustrated sigh, disappointed at his illiteracy. And so, Naruto opted to follow the Aburame in silence until their earlier conversation replayed in his mind.  

When he was positive that no one could hear them, Naruto hesitantly began. “About your side project-–” Shino sent him a sideways glance, “--the one involving the--”

“--the insufferable mutt?” The Aburame Heir finished with a click of his tongue before stopping in his tracks and proceeding to scan the scrolls located at their left.

[Somewhere at the Academy…

Kiba loudly sneezed, earning a concerned lick from Akamaru who’s snuggled under his hoodie. Rubbing his itchy nose, two of his companions–namely Hinata and Chouji–looked at him worriedly.

“A-are you okay, K-kiba-kun?” Hinata asked in concern, which the Inuzuka dismissed with a casual wave. 

“Maybe someone just remembered my awesomeness!” Kiba proudly announced, earning a snort from Shikamaru.]

Naruto blinked, not expecting such a reaction from the other. He was going for the term ‘Inuzuka kid’ but… whatever works. After all, he didn’t know the Inuzuka that well apart from his incessant attempts about something.

With a hesitant nod, the Young Uzumaki continued. “Uhh, Yeah. We had a truce so I was wondering--” Unsure how to proceed, Naruto paused, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “--is there something I have to do?”

Shino halted his search, focusing on the Uzumaki. “Nothing really.” The Aburame Heir went back on his task before he added. “However, it would be highly appreciated if you could refrain from spending some time alone with the Hyuuga Heiress.” 

Pulling a scroll from the third upper row of the shelf, Shino handed it to the Blonde who accepted it with curiosity. “We can refer to this document for our current assignment.”

Naruto unfurled the said document, wherein a timeline of pertinent events in Konoha was listed. While some terms were still foreign to him, he was still able to catch the words ‘Senju and Uchiha Clans’ and ‘world wars.’ 

For a moment, the Young Uzumaki just let his eyes hover over the texts, attempting to find something of his interest. However, the moment his cerulean orbs landed on his birth date Naruto instinctively flinched.

And while the Blonde couldn't fully comprehend what was written, some of the words he could read like "Demon" and "Uchiha Clan" were more than enough to leave a bitter taste in his mouth, his gut wrenching uncomfortably as his fist clenched.

Naruto knew it all along. Ever since he was brought to this world, nothing good seemed to come out of it — it only created tragedies over tragedies.  

And maybe that’s why… Naruto was destined to be alone.

(This, of course, didn’t escape the Aburame’s trained eye.)

Following the Uzumaki’s gaze, Shino read the words ‘Attack of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.’

And if he wasn’t mistaken, it was also the birth date of the Blonde, which was also one of the triggers of the Cursed Child rumor. Albeit the Aburame Heir never indulged those hearsays, he was still vaguely aware of it, as well as its implications. 

Subtly eyeing the Blonde, Shino noted the stiffness of Blonde’s shoulders and a mixture of emotions in the Uzumaki’s eyes, which he couldn’t quite decipher.

As silence reigned over them, the Aburame unconsciously pondered over his companion. Despite their short span of interaction, Shino could fully attest that the Uzumaki was an acceptable company. He wasn’t loud like a certain Inuzuka nor broody like the surviving Uchiha. Although the Blonde was a tad bit too skittish, even more so than the Hyuuga Heiress, which was honestly a big surprise to Shino, the Young Uzumaki behaved almost as if the entire universe was out to get him.

He was just about to recommend a topic to get back on track when Shino saw something oddly familiar. 

“Uzumaki-san.” The Aburame called, consequently pulling the Blonde out of his (self-depreciative) reverie.  “Would you be amenable to teaming up whenever there’s a group activity? Through this, I can force Kiba to pair up with the Hyuuga Heiress.” 

Shock painted the Blonde’s features, utterly surprised that someone would be willingly associated with him. For a moment, Naruto appeared to be lost for words, biting his lower lip in uncertainty.

“I… I would like that.” The Young Uzumaki replied, his lips twitching into a small smile.

The Aburame nodded, pleased with the other's response before he proceeded to their task; all the while, critically observing the Blonde from his periphery. “Moving on to the class project…”

(Because while Shino would never admit it til’ the day he died, he was, once upon a time, a lonely child before a certain Inuzuka and his Ninken came barrelling into his peaceful life.)

[Unbeknownst to the duo, this seemingly innocent proposition of mutual benefit will create a chain of events leading to a highly confused Inuzuka and Hyuuga Heiress, an amused Yamanaka, another sulking episode of the surviving Uchiha and the suffering of one Nara Shikamaru.]

Meanwhile… 

Taking advantage of the free period, Sakura dragged Ino to the back of the Academy, determined to get her answers. The pink-haired student was fully aware that they should be using this time to prepare for the project however… 

It’s been weeks since the Yamanaka Heir mentioned her little side project. And her best friend’s purposive delays were certainly not helping her thinning patience and budding curiosity. So when Sakura was sure they were alone, away from their nosy peers and instructors, she stopped.

“I think this will be a good spot.” The pink-haired student commented, head turning left to right for a final check before turning to her Blonde companion–who appeared to be curious and amused–and demanded. “Okay Ino, spill.”

“--kay Ino, spill.” 

When the Yamanaka Heir opened her mouth, Sakura eyed her critically, arms crossed over her chest with a childish pout. "No. You promised."

If she'd be honest, Ino found her best friend's demands to be quite amusing. But at least, the pink-haired student was finally growing some spunks. It was also a good reminder that unlike them, Sakura is still a child. She wasn't one of the anomalies who seemed to be displaced in time. 

Flicking her golden locks, Ino pretended to concede, a hand on her left hip as she mumbled. "Okay." 

At that, emerald eyes brightened in excitement, almost like a kid waiting for her treat. "But this has to remain a secret no matter what, kay?" Ino shot Sakura a pointed look. To which the latter returned with an eye roll before making a zipping mouth gesture, a promise of her silence. 

Heaving a deep sigh, the Yamanaka Heir dropped the bombshell. “We are investigating Iruka-sensei’s--” 

At the mere mention of their deceased instructor’s name, Sakura’s eyes widened as a childish gasp almost escaped her lips if Ino didn’t cover her mouth in time. 

“--shhh. Remember, Sakura. Nobody can know.” Ino reiterated, words filled with urgency and emphasis. When the pink-haired student nodded in understanding, the Yamanaka Heir promptly released her mouth before continuing, “So yeah, we are investigating his death. And one of the pieces of information we needed to acquire from my father discreetly is the…”

And so, Ino recounted her little mission from Shikamaru, the reports she needed to obtain (read: steal), as another means to get to the bottom of the ‘Cursed Child’ rumor, subtly hinting at its absurdity.

Because while Ino isn’t as close to Naruto as the others, they were — are still friends. And if she could convince another person to treat the Uzumaki decently like a human being, then it was the least she could do. Plus, Sakura has always been quick-witted and sharp. Ino had, little to no doubt, that the other will see her way.

Rewinding a couple of minutes, somewhere in the Academy…

“Kiba--” Shikamaru uttered his name with a long-suffering sigh, weary. “--why are you still following us?”

Kiba blinked, stopping in his tracks. Beside him, Hinata fidgeted on her feet, mouth opening before promptly closing it, almost as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the right words. Meanwhile, Chouji appeared to be amused, happily munching on his chips while his gaze volleyed between his best friend and the Inuzuka.

Truthfully, he didn’t have an answer to the Nara’s query. It was, for a lack of a reason, an impulse – something purely on instinct. With Shino and Ino disappearing to God-knows-where with their respective partners and the Uchiha brooding like no tomorrow, he wisely decided to latch on to his remaining packmate.

“Uhh. Well--” Kiba scratched his left cheek as he replied, unsure. “--we were hoping you could help us with the project?”

The Nara Heir let out another tired sigh, mumbling his signature ‘Troublesome’ under his before he continued.

“Is that a question or a statement?” When the Inuzuka opened his mouth, Shikamaru promptly interjected, waving a dismissive hand. “Nevermind. Have you even discussed it with your partner-–” His onyx orbs flitted to the Hyuuga Heiress before volleying back to the Inuzuka, eyeing him critically. “--beforehand?”

Oh. So that's what I forgot. 

Realization instantly dawned unto him like lightning before Kiba turned to his partner and sheepishly asked. "Any ideas for the project, Hinata?"

"--for the project, Hinata?" 

Hearing those words, Shikamaru was so tempted to slap his forehead in exasperation. But since it would cause him more effort, the Nara Heir settled with letting out another weary sigh.

Next to him, Chouji chuckled at their antics (and by extension, his expense), which Shikamaru returned with a very withered look, clearly unamused.

Because best friend or not, schadenfreude is unacceptable.

Which, the Akimichi returned a not-so-apologetic grin before jumping in to save the Hyuuga Heiress who appeared to be somewhat abashed at the sudden attention.

“Let’s just discuss it during lunch. The period’s about to end soon after all.” Chouji surmised based on the time–which was plastered on the clock near the board–before they left the room. This, of course, earned a very rambunctious agreement from the Inuzuka.

Like a prophecy, the bell did ring the next minute, signalling the end of their free period and the start of lunch. As Kiba and Chouji began walking to their new destination (aka the cafeteria) with the former leading the way, their respective partners had no choice but to follow. 

With a shy smile, Hinata suggested, gesturing towards their partners. “Shall we, Nara-san?”

The Young Prodigy waved a hand, dismissive. “Shikamaru’s fine.” He reassured, scratching the back of his neck before he added. “Calling me Nara-san makes me feel old.”

In response, a soft giggle escaped the Heir Apparent’s lips. “Well then--” She started gingerly, another smile found its way on her face. “--please call me Hinata.”

Shikamaru simply made an acknowledging shrug in return before the duo fell into a comfortable silence, the former had both hands pocketed. 

Scrutinizing the Hyuuga from his periphery, Shikamaru began to note her subtle differences from (the Hinata of his memory) his knowledge about her. While her (signature) shyness still persisted, she was no longer as timid as before. This Hinata held her chin higher, walking with the poise that reminded him of a lioness. 

And that’s as good as any confirmation he’ll ever get.

Hinata’s just like them. But to what extent?

Idly, his mind drifted back to Kiba's question, wondering if the other did indeed have an answer. Unable to control his curiosity, the Nara Heir asked. "You already have a topic in mind, don't you?" 

Hinata blinked owlishly at his rather leading query. Nonetheless, there was a hint of recognition in her pale eyes. And so, Shikamaru continued. "Care to share?" 

Ignoring Kiba's impatient calls for them to hurry up, the pair trotted towards them languidly. 

"I guess-–" Hinata dawdled, a pondering look painting her face. "--The Kyuubi's attack." 

The Nara's eyebrows arched, inquisitive. Shaking her head, she replied with a far-away look. "I can’t really explain it Shikamaru-kun." A sad smile graced her lips as she carried on. “I just hope Kiba-kun will agree to my unreasonable request.”

At that, Shikamaru couldn’t help but snort. “Kiba’s gonna be on cloud nine once he learns you’ve got the project all figured out.” Recalling how the Inuzuka begged him for anything scholarly-related in the past, he teasingly added. “He might even worship you for it.”

Hinata softly chuckled, waving away his joke. “Enough about us-–” Diverting the conversation, she probed. “--what about you and Akimichi-san? Do you guys have a topic on mind?”

The Nara Heir shrugged nonchalantly, yawning.

While the instructions for their project–which was to analyze chronicles of Konoha and propose what could’ve done differently (if possible)–were quite interesting, none of the recorded events appeared to be appealing to him. 

And so, he wisely delegated the task of selecting a topic to his best friend. Besides, Shikamaru would rather expend his energy resolving their current predicament than anything else.

Back to Sakura and Ino…

After the Yamanaka Heir regaled her secret mission, Sakura remained silent, her lips pressed together while her forehead creased in deep thought. 

“Then--” The Pink-haired student drawled in contemplation, a hand under her chin before Sakura’s emerald orbs met her aquamarine ones. “--how about we report on the Uchiha massacre?”

Ino’s eyebrow rose at impossible levels, her shock and bafflement were clearer than the winter night skies. 

Averting her gaze, Sakura expounded. “I mean… Uzumaki-san’s attacker was apprehended by Uchiha Itachi, right? It was a well-known fact supporting the ‘Curse Child’ rumor. Then--” She paused, head tilting slightly to the left. “--maybe we can use the project as an excuse to borrow Shikamaru’s testimony?”

Like a flash of lightning, an idea struck Ino, making her grin a Cheshire smile. 

[Somewhere, Inoichi felt a shiver crawl down his spine, making him scour his surroundings warily. 

When he detected nothing amiss with only some Villagers greeting him along the road, the Yamanaka Patriarch shrugged before proceeding on his way. Plus, he had more important matters to worry about than a mere chilly breeze of July.]

Somewhere in Konoha…

“Welcome!”

The waiter gleefully greeted as Inoichi entered their favorite (hangout) pub, the wind chime by the entry echoing as the door gradually closed. 

Barely scanning the bar, the Yamanaka Patriarch immediately spotted his ex-teammates sitting by the counter, each holding a frothy drink – a beer for Chouza and a whiskey for Shikaku. Inoichi promptly went towards them, waving amicably to his other associates like Raido and Hayate who nodded respectfully in return.

As he sat next to the Nara Patriarch, he ordered his drink with a raised forefinger. “The usual, please.”

“Another one for me.” Shikaku swiftly added.

Amusement swimming in his eyes, Inoichi playfully teased. “Trouble in paradise? Or is it your little spawn becoming more devious?”

Unsurprisingly, this earned him a deadpan look from the Nara before he replied. “Neither. And it’s even worse.”

And so, Shikaku chugged half of his booze (again). 

The Yamanaka Patriarch arched an eyebrow at the Nara before sending a look to Chouza, which clearly translates as ‘Yoshino’s-gonna-kill-us. Shouldn’t-we-stop-him?’ To which, the Akimichi Patriarch (telepathically) returned with ‘Shikaku-looks-like-he-needs-it. We’ll-just-cross-the-bridge-when-get-there.’

Inoichi did not particularly like that response. He was just about to ask for a clarification when the Nara beat him into it.

“The Vultures are being a pain again,” Shikaku remarked, exasperated.

The Council Elders? Inoichi mentally echoed, forehead creasing in worry. While the Nara’s use of their codes–or the childish cipher the trio developed when they were mere Genins–could be attributed to their location, the Yamanaka highly doubted it. The Elders must’ve demanded something confidential (and illogical. Inoichi didn’t think Shikaku would drown himself in liquor in broad daylight otherwise) from his friend. 

“When haven’t they been a pain?” Inoichi shot back in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. “It’s basically part of their job description.”

Beside them, Chouza snorted behind his drink, barely concealing his laughter. Yet, the Yamanaka could detect a hint of concern from the Akimichi. Shikaku, on the other hand, simply rolled his eyes. Nonetheless, one cannot deny the mirth twinkling in his onyx orbs. 

Taking another sip of his drink, the Nara carried on. “Ever since the Lone Wolf went on his soul-searching journey--” Recognition promptly dawned unto his companions, the Akimichi and Yamanaka recalling the story about Hatake Kakashi’s absurd reasoning for his indefinite leave. “--they’ve been pestering me to keep a close eye on him, or better yet, put a leash on him lest he becomes a fugitive.”

At that statement, neither of them could stop the incredulity painting their features. In fact, Inoichi couldn’t help but blurt out. “That’s beyond ridiculous. It’s fucking lunacy.” The Blonde almost said in barely concealed hysterics. “The Lone Wolf is loyal to a fault. And it’s been proven and tested countless times before.”

In response, Shikaku just shot him a knowing look, which can only be translated as ‘exactly-my-point’. 

“So how did the Lion react?” Chouza probed, steering the conversation to a more delicate topic. “He did have a say on it, didn’t he?”

“--have a say on it, didn’t he?”

For a minute or two, Shikaku just transfixed his gaze on his drink, idly twirling the glass while watching the ice cubes swirl, concurrently holding his friends in suspense.

“He didn’t agree to it.” He blasély remarked.

The Nara then heard both of them audibly sigh in relief. But when they noticed Shikaku wasn’t sharing their enthusiasm, Inoichi groaned as Chouza continued with his probing.

“We can hear the unspoken ‘But’ there, Shikaku.” The Akimichi said in his matter-of-fact tone before adding as an afterthought. “Loud and clear.”

Heaving a deep sigh, Shikaku raised his concerns. “Regardless of his stance, the Lion still entertained the Vulture’s whims, particularly the one-eyed Vulture.”

“That’s--” Chouza preambled, searching for the right word.  “--actually a bit concerning.” 

From his periphery, the Nara saw Inoichi rub his temples, muttering about ‘ignorance-is-a-bliss’ while lamenting why he agreed to meet with them. Truth to be told, Shikaku found the Yamanaka’s reactions to be quite amusing if the situation was different. 

Finally deciding he had enough of this topic (After all, there’s really nothing they can do about the situation), Shikaku decided to divert their conversation. “So what’d Ino do that got you preening like a peacock?”

This, predictably, earned an eye-roll from Inoichi as Chouza chuckled before ordering another glass, completely dissipating the previous atmosphere of gloom.

Ignoring his obvious jab, the Yamanaka took another sip from his drink before a smug look painted his face. “Well, for one–-” Shikaku and Chouza arched an eyebrow at Blonde’s somewhat taunting tone. “--Ino’s finally taking her training seriously. And she’s making tremendous progress. Plus, she made a new female friend. And finally, it’s someone who does not just talk about boys and their looks. In fact--”

Another snort escaped the Nara and Akimichi’s lips, fully aware of Inoichi’s dilemma with the girl’s previous cliques.

“--she’s actually the reason Ino’s taking her training seriously. They have a friendly, healthy rivalry of some sort.”

“So who is it?” Chouza asked before playfully adding, “Maybe you can introduce Chouji to her. My kid basically mastered the art of escaping from his training.”

Inoichi let out a hearty laugh while Shikaku shook his head fondly at their antics. When the Yamanaka’s peals of laughter finally subsided, he answered.

“Haruno Sakura.” When Chouza and Shikaku’s foreheads creased in an attempt to recall a Shinobi family with that name, Inoichi supplied. “A civilian born and she’s interning at the Konoha Hospital.”

“A civilian willingly training in her spare time and it’s Medical Ninjutsu?” Chouza blurted out, almost incredulously. Heck, even Shikaku couldn’t hide his surprise. “I’m definitely rooting for that kid.”

“I know.” Inoichi solemnly agreed before he turned to the Nara. “So what about your spawn? Any interesting updates? Haven’t really heard anything from Ino for a while now. Had he finally tamed down?”

Shikaku shrugged before he nonchalantly replied. “Maybe. But it’s more like the calm before the storm.”

“Stop that. That’s just fucking ominous, Shikaku." Inoichi swatted the Nara's arm, reproaching. He's positive the other was simply overthinking the situation as always. Rolling his eyes, the Yamanaka Patriarch threatened lightheartedly. "And don't you dare jinx us."

His remark only earned a chuckle from both his companion as they swigged the last of their drinks.

[In the near future, when an emergency Council Meeting was abruptly called because of some History Project reports, these exchanges will flashback in the trio’s mind, and Inoichi–as an act of petty revenge–will forever blame Shikaku for jinxing their situation.]

Timeskip: Saturday…

Crossed legs, Naruto sat on the tatami mats, his fingers clasped around an empty cup lying on the chabudai* as he waited for the Uchiha’s return. 

It’s already been 20 minutes since the other left the Blonde to his devices with only a cup of water for company. And any minute now, he knew Sasuke would arrive with their meal — just like he did every single time the Uzumaki was invited into his abode. Indeed, the door slid open revealing Sasuke carrying a tray with two bowls of steaming white rice, some utensils, and a large platter of mixed vegetables(?). 

As the Uchiha placed the tray on the table, the ambrosial aroma of the dish filled Naruto’s nostrils. And while he had never tried this meal before in his life, the scent was more than enough to induce another grumble from his stomach in anticipation. 

(Unsurprisingly) Naruto flushed in embarrassment, absolutely mortified. The Blonde caught a twitch from the Uchiha's lips. Normally, Sasuke would shoot him a smug and teasing expression, smirking as laid the dishes. But this time, the Uchiha forcefully schooled his expression, preventing any sort of amusement from painting his features. 

And at that very moment, Naruto instantly knew something was wrong. The prickly sensation he caught from the other earlier this morning–which the Blonde dismissed by assuming that Sasuke woke up at the wrong side of the bed–came back in full force, bristling his skin with the coldness of a snake's scales. 

The Young Uzumaki felt a certain dread pooling in his stomach and Sasuke's detached remark of 'Dig in' wasn't helping his nerves.

As the palpable silence continued to reign over them, Naruto decided to put down his chopsticks. With his meal barely being touched, Sasuke arched an inquisitive eyebrow, almost as if he was asking if there’s something wrong with the food. 

Naruto just looked him straight in the eyes and commented. "You’re angry." 

The words 'At Me' hung heavily on the air. Sasuke twitched, almost like a deer caught in the headlights. It was imperceptible but he knew the Uchiha long enough to detect his quirks. Yet, the raven-haired just carried on with his meal, feigning ignorance.

“Why?” The Young Uzumaki asked, standing on his ground.

However, Sasuke just averted his gaze, glaring at his half-finished plate. All the while, Naruto waited in silent trepidation.

(Because while Naruto may vehemently refuse to acknowledge and continue to bury the part of him that considers Sasuke as a friend, he still wanted and hoped their bizarre arrangement would last.)

A couple of moments passed before the Uchiha spoke again.

“I’m not.”

When Naruto heard those words, something inside him just snapped. 

The Uzumaki felt like he had eaten another batch of spoiled goods, which was utterly ridiculous since his rice was still steaming. And truthfully, Naruto didn’t know what to do. He wanted to rage, spit the lies back to the Uchiha’s face, and make him confess. Because all along Naruto believed he and Sasuke were the same, just two sides of the same coin — Their circumstances may be different but they knew early on that trust and truth are hard to come by. Thus, living in a Village where adults had long forsaken them, spouting lies left and right just to protect their egos and pride, both of them learned to put honesty above all else. And after all their training, the unspoken doubts and wariness they both have against the world, the least Sasuke could do was to tell him the truth regardless of how it would affect him.

[Unbeknownst to the Blonde, Sasuke also had his inner turmoil. While the Uchiha was fully aware that he’d been giving the Blonde a silent treatment, it was only because Sasuke still couldn’t reconcile his frustrations with how easily the other accepted the Aburame’s invitation (Translation: Sasuke was still brooding about the History Project).

Also, the Uchiha was positive that the Uzumaki would tease him if he knew the truth. And so, he settled with an indifferent ‘I’m not’, hoping the other would drop the topic.]

Guess this is it.  

He really shouldn’t have expected anything different. Naruto always knew it was a matter of time before the other got fed up with him or the rumors got to him. He just didn’t anticipate it to be this quick. 

Golden locks shadowing his eyes, Naruto abruptly stood up, surprising his companion. “You’ve already learned the basics. You–-” He paused, swallowing the invisible lump in his throat while bitterness started filling his mouth. “--You don’t have to force yourself to associate with me.”

“--associate with me.”

Sasuke’s thought process came to a screeching halt, eyes widening uncharacteristically in shock.

What?

(Unfortunately) He didn't have the chance to process his thoughts when Naruto tersely added. “Thanks for the meal."

Something deep inside the Uchiha began to tug, making his insides churn for some unfathomable reason. But whatever that was, Sasuke knew one thing — He couldn’t just let Naruto go.

Following his instincts, Sasuke abruptly stood up, reaching out to the Uzumaki only to catch nothing but air, missing the Blonde’s arm by a hair's breadth. Naruto swiftly turned his back on him. Sasuke would've chased after him if Naruto's next words didn't feel like a punch in his gut, paralyzing him in his place. 

“I don’t need your goddamn pity, Uchiha.”

And with that, Naruto hurriedly left, leaving nothing but air and dust in his place. All the while, Sasuke remained frozen, lost, hurt, and confused. Despite all his brilliance, he just couldn’t figure out what went wrong.

At the Akimichi Household…

“I’m home!”

Chouza announced the moment he slid the door open, which was returned by a distant yet warm reply of ‘Welcome Home,’ courtesy of his loving wife. After removing his footwear, the Akimichi Patriarch, led by the enticing aroma of food, went to the kitchen where he found his wife preoccupied with cooking. 

“Dinner’s gonna be ready in a few minutes.” She remarked the moment he entered the room, not bothering to look up from her task.

Chouza gave her a swift kiss on the cheeks as a greeting before he asked, “Where’s Chouji?” 

His wife paused her chopping, forehead creasing worried lines while her lips pursed, causing the Akimichi Patriarch to touch her shoulders in concern, probing gently.

“He’s just been sitting on the veranda the whole day, not even asking for a snack.” She began, placing her hand above his, appreciative. “I think something happened during class the other day.”

And that was more than enough for Chouza to look for their son, but not without giving her a reassuring smile. 

When he arrived at their veranda, Chouji had a faraway look, completely-and-utterly lost in thought. The Akimichi Patriarch tapped the nearest shoji* to draw his son’s attention as he greeted him.

“Hey, kiddo.”

Chouji looked up and saw his dad approaching with a wave, which the Akimichi Heir returned with his own. 

“Heard your head has been on clouds the whole day. Your mom’s getting worried. Care to share?” Chouza gingerly prodded, settling on the empty spot beside him.

Chouji tore his eyes away from his father and stared far into the horizon, deep in thought, "It's not a big deal. Just thinking about a topic for a history project." He flippantly remarked.

It was the truth. And yet, the Akimichi Heir couldn’t stop stressing over it simply because Shika entrusted it to him. While he knew his best friend would just roll with anything he decided, Chouji wanted to choose something that would be intellectually challenging for the Nara.

“Just wondering what kind of topic will interest Shika.” He casually added.

From his periphery, he could glimpse his father nodding in understanding. Because while his best friend tended to complain about almost anything being too troublesome, there’s always a certain glint in his eyes, a spark of his burning curiosity, whenever the Nara encountered a new puzzle — a trait he shared with Uncle Shikaku.

His reverie was cut short when two of their clan’s Shinobi returned to the compound, waving and greeting in cordiality and respect, which the Akimichi father-son duo returned with equal fervor. As their clan members bid farewell and went their respective ways, Chouji couldn’t stop staring at the red insignia on the back of their uniform. 

“Hey, Dad?” Chouza glanced at his son who’s still watching their fellow clansmen, piqued.  “I’ve always wondered, what does that--” The Akimichi Heir gestured at the insignia on the Shinobi’s uniform. “--symbol mean?”

A series of emotions flickered on his father’s face. First, there was surprise, followed by a mixture of sadness and uncertainty(?) before it settled into something akin to remorse as he gazed into the horizon. For a moment, Chouji worried if he had somehow overstepped his boundaries. Despite being a child, Chouji was well aware that the Village had unspoken rules and secrets; and as children, they should pretend to be oblivious about it, something he picked up from Shikamaru.

Chouza, on the other hand, was stuck in a little predicament. While there isn’t any gag order about the Fall of Uzushiogakure, it was, for lack of a better term, an avoided topic mostly because of the guilt and how it was a cruel reminder of Konoha’s failure. 

But after witnessing his son’s ignorance about Uzushiogakure… Well, it’s his duty as a Konoha Shinobi and father to rectify that shortfall, isn’t it? And so, with a sad smile and faraway look, Chouza remarked. 

“Let me tell you a story, Chouji. Once upon a time, Konoha had a sister–-” 

Seeing the utter surprise on his son’s face, the Akimichi Patriarch found himself torn between amusement at his boy's innocent and curious demeanor and frustration at the Academy's curriculum.

Seriously, just what the hell are they teaching the kids these days?

Nonetheless, Chouza opted to mentally file it away as something to mention to Shikaku and Inoichi as he carried on.

“--and her name was Uzushiogakure. Her people were free-spirited but some would rather call them obstinate--" A ghost smile found its way on his lips, remembering a certain redhead. "--but nevertheless, they were a formidable ally. And for that reason alone, the others feared her. We lost her at the hands of war and time. And that symbol is their insignia. So, we kinda wear it out of their memory.”

Chouza had, little to no doubt, that his son had multiple questions and would’ve asked him if his stomach didn’t beat him into it.

And Grooowl.

He let out a rambunctious laugh while Chouji sheepishly smiled as he rubbed his growling stomach. Luckily for the duo, the Akimichi Matriarch’s voice just echoed from the kitchen.

“Boys! The food’s ready!”

Stretching his arm, the Akimichi Patriarch stood up as he remarked. “Come along, son. You’re not gonna figure out anything with an empty stomach.” He playfully teased.  

Recalling his son’s earlier concern and apparent lack of knowledge about Uzushiogakure, Chouza guessed he could nudge them to consider it for their history project. After all, it would not only expand their education but it would also honor the memory of their lost allies. No matter how he looked at it, the Akimichi Patriarch was confident it was a win-win scenario. Plus, what’s the worst that could happen?

(Famous last words, Chouza.)

“And if you’re so curious about those insignias–-” The Akimichi Patriarch preambled, “--why not try figuring it out? Maybe it’s something that will interest even little Shikamaru.”

Chouji visibly perked up at the suggestion before he chirped, “Thanks, Dad!”

[The next time Chouji met his best friend, the Akimichi Heir would be grinning ear-to-ear as he proposed the topic for their History Project. 

As the Nara Heir listened to his friend, glimmers of excitement intertwining with curiosity kept on flickering on his onyx orb. When the other was finished, Shikamaru couldn’t help the grin finding its way on his lips as he muttered. “That’s actually a good one. Good job, Chouji.”]

Meanwhile…

At the Yamanaka household, the warm aroma of a home-cooked meal enveloped the cozy dining room. Ino, with her platinum blonde hair cascading down her shoulders rather than her usual high ponytail, greeted her father with a peck on the cheek before accepting a bowl of steaming white rice from her mom. Before them, an array of side dishes—colorful vegetables and savory meats—was set, courtesy of the Yamanaka Matriarch.

Once settled around the table, the family engaged in the comforting ritual of sharing a meal. Inoichi leaned back in his chair, his gaze filled with paternal curiosity as he glanced at his daughter.

“So how’s your school? Anything interesting?” He inquired, his voice warm and inviting. But Ino knew her father — it was an interrogation. 

Well, two can play that game. Plus, it’s high time she collected the information needed by Shikamaru. Nibbling her rice with chopsticks, Ino offered a nonchalant shrug.

“Mmm. Nothing much.” She replied, but anyone could see her azure eyes glinting mischievously. "We just have a big history project due the next month. It’s in pairs, so Sakura and I teamed up."

Inoichi's eyebrows lifted with interest, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Oh really?" He chuckled, his wife following along. "What is it about?"

Ino took another moment to respond, the weight of the topic resting heavily on her shoulders. “It’s about the Uchiha Massacre.”

Her words lingered in the air, oppressive and tense. The air seemed to thicken with unspoken emotions, and Ino saw her parents exchanging knowing glances with one another, their expressions shifting from curiosity to concern. This time, it was her mother who led the conversation. 

"The Uchiha Massacre," She repeated, her voice subdued but ginger. "That's a very sensitive topic. What made you choose it, honey?”

From her periphery, Ino caught her father's keen gaze, undoubtedly scrutinizing her every movement and word. All the while, the room seemed to crackle with an unspoken tension as she felt the weight of his scrutiny. It made Ino wonder — Is the person before her still her father? Or is it the Head of Konoha T&I Division? But either way, her stance wouldn’t change. 

With a spark of ember in her eyes, Ino steeled her gaze, briefly fleeting from her mother before meeting her father's with unwavering resolve. 

"If we're gonna do a project, then we want to do it right," She declared, refusing to back down. "Sakura and I want to understand the untold stories, the perspectives that often get overshadowed. It's not just about the tragedy; it's about the lives and narratives that are often forgotten in the broader historical context. Plus, isn’t it the least we can do for the Fallen Clan?”

"--least we can do for the Fallen Clan?”

Inoichi silently leaned back, neither negating nor concurring with her statement. The heavy air continued to envelop the room. Nevertheless, the Yamanaka Patriarch was privately surprised and a tad bit proud of his daughter’s mature declaration. He was starting to see Ino in a new light, positively impressed by her growth. Inoichi's definitely gonna rub her little girl's growth on Chouza and Shikaku's faces the next time they meet. Regrettably but unsurprisingly, his enthusiasm was short-lived, cruelly crushed like a swatted fly the moment Ino decided to open her (big) mouth again.

"Hey, Dad--” A nagging sensation crept into the back of his mind, sparking the early embers of another headache “--do you still have the copy of the report on Shika's testimony?"

Massaging his temples, Inoichi sighed, weariness shadowing his features, all too well familiar with his daughter’s stubbornness. "You know I can't just hand it over. It's classified information."

As if she were anticipating his response, a sly, fox-like grin spread across his daughter's lips, and Inoichi felt a sinking sensation in his stomach (again).

"Don't worry, Dad." Ino waved her hand reassuringly, though it only heightened his concern. "You won't even miss it."

[The next day, it was Inoichi who dragged Shikaku and Chouza for a drink, lamenting about his daughter while simultaneously fretting over whether his documents had already been compromised.]

Timeskip: Somewhere at the Academy…

The Gang, now officially included Sakura and Hinata, huddled together forming a tight circle, surrounded by books and scrolls strewn across the ground. Engrossed in their individual tasks during the free period, a serene silence enveloped them. That was… until Kiba decided to break it.

“I have a question.” The Inuzuka said out of the blue, raising a hand like a dutiful student.

“Oh, that’s new,” Ino commented in feigned surprise. "Who knew you had the capacity to think?” She playfully taunted, smirking at the Inuzuka. 

“Shut it, Witch." Kiba retaliated, bristling at the Blonde. “I--”

Shikamaru had, once again, pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. From his periphery, Chouji and Sakura continued with their business without care, flipping another page. While Hinata did pause, she only shook her head fondly before sparing an apologetic glance at the Nara, carrying on with her task. Thus, the role of the mediator had unfortunately fallen unto him.

Heaving another tired sigh, Shikamaru wisely interjected. "--so what's your query, Kiba?"

His interference effectively quelled the Inuzuka’s temper, as well as his incoming tirade, rolling his eyes at the female Blonde when he heard her muttering ‘spoilsport’ under her breath.

“Can you kill a chakra?" 

Everyone was caught off-guard by the question. 

Shikamaru's brow furrowed in contemplation; even he couldn't come up with an answer. Almost reflexively, all eyes turned to Hinata, the de facto chakra expert by virtue of her heritage. Sensing their stares, Hinata pondered over the question. Her brow furrowed slightly, forming a delicate line of concentration, her lips settling into a thoughtful line. For a moment, she remained silent. Then, with a tentative tone, she began. “A-At its simplest sense, Chakra is… another form of energy. It is something that flows in both physical and spiritual worlds. And like any energy…”

“--it cannot be created nor destroyed.” Shikamaru promptly supplemented. “It’s the Law of Conservation of Energy. But moving on-–” The Nara waved his hand dismissively, changing the topic. “--you’ve got another question in your mind right, Kiba? What is it?”

Unaware of the bombshell that he was about to drop, Kiba nonchalantly asked. “Then, how did the Yondaime kill the Kyuubi?”

And just like that, a single puzzle piece slowly fell into place as a shared understanding rippled through the group. Shikamaru, seized by a surge of realization, almost stood up, eyes widening in disbelief as he whispered.

“He can’t. He couldn’t have.” The Young Nara murmured, the gears of his genius mind working overtime. “Following the logic that all Tailed Beasts are made up of pure chakra, then the Kyuubi or any other Tailed Beasts… None of them were killed like what the scrolls say. So where are they? Hinata can--”

Hinata perked up, following the Nara’s train of thought (unlike her partner). “--Kiba-kun and I will check the scrolls about the other Tailed Beasts. It’s just a hypothesis but-–” The Heir Apparent bit her lower lip in uncertainty. “--my guess is that they must’ve been sealed.”

“That’s… that actually makes a lot of sense,” Ino admitted, albeit reluctantly. “Then the next question is — why bother lying about it? Why would anyone go through all the troubles of--”

Chouji, who’s been silent through the entire discourse, chimed in. “--it’s to protect the Tailed Beasts, isn’t it? As weapons of mass destruction, isn’t the easiest way to hide them is by telling that they no longer exist?”

"Or to stop people from looking for it?" Sakura offered.

Out of the blue, Shikamaru erupted into uncontrolled laughter, startling the rest of the Gang as they eyed him warily. Ignoring their stares, the Nara heir continued cackling like a madman, face buried in his hands. Shikamaru couldn't believe how much of a fool he was. All this time, the cards were already laid in front of him, staring at him mockingly for his blindness. At this point, Shikamaru wouldn't be surprised if all their chosen topics were interconnected. Scratch that — he was positive it would be correlated, one way or another. Anticipation crackled through his veins, sending shivers down his spine. Shikamaru just couldn't wait to decipher this game.

“Great job, everyone." The Nara Heir praised, much to their confusion, before he added. "Especially you, Kiba.”

After Class Hours…

Sakura’s mind was still reeling from the earlier revelations. Lost in her own world, the Pink-haired student mechanically performed her assignments in silence.

Today was one of the volunteers’ reporting days at the Konoha General Hospital. Since the institution was experiencing a slower schedule than usual, all the volunteers were simply tasked to practice their chakra control rather than shadowing the medics in administering treatments. 

And since chakra control training was something Sakura was inherently adept with—which honestly surprised and thrilled her at the same time—her mind had the freedom to explore on its own, which kept on returning to their discussion about chakras and tailed beasts.

The Pink-haired student let out a dejected sigh. Seriously, she shouldn’t be this invested in another group’s project, especially since Ino and Sakura had yet to make a breakthrough on their own.

Still, the mere thought that both adults and history books fabricated the truth about the Tailed Beasts, even if Sakura could understand the logic behind it, she couldn’t help the seeds of doubt from implanting itself in her mind, her thoughts circling to one question: 

What else had the history books lied to them about?

Thus, the more she read reports about the Uchiha Massacre, the more she began to question the events leading to the incident and—

“--psst, Sakura.” A murmur came from her left, pulling Sakura out of her reverie.

Tenten peered over her shoulder, looking at her work in amazement. “Woah. You’re so natural at this, Sakura-chan.” Wiggling her eyebrows, she asked. “Are you sure you’re not some medic prodigy?”

Sakura felt her cheeks warming at the compliment, but nonetheless kept her cool. Playfully rolling her eyes, she quipped. "Oh, come on, Tenten. You know I’m not. Stop teasing me.”

“Either way--” Tenten drawled, collapsed into the empty chair in front of her, “--you're definitely improving. Me, on the other hand…” 

Tenten then slumped forward the desk, disheartened. Realizing her friend’s predicament, Sakura halted, gaze softening in concern. 

Shaking her head, the Pink-haired student pumped her fist into the air, catching Tenten off guard, before offering words of encouragement with a wide grin. “You've got this, Tenten! Just keep pushing forward. Hard work always beats talent after all.” 

For a moment, Tenten stared blankly at her, making Sakura worry if she managed to get her message across. Before she could reopen her mouth, Tenten suddenly slapped her own cheeks, the action startling Sakura. But then, Tenten simply grinned back at her, the air of gloom previously enveloping her had completely dissipated. 

“Thanks. I needed that, Sakura. Now--“ Tenten leaned in, elbows placed on the desk with her palm supporting her chin, expectant and curious. “--wanna share why your head has been up in the clouds this entire time?”

Was I really that transparent? Sakura idly wondered, head cocked to the side. Almost as if the other could read her mind, Tenten raised her eyebrow knowingly.

While Sakura was confident that Tenten is no blabbermouth, she’s not entirely sure of the other’s stance on controversial topics, such as the Cursed Child or the Uchiha massacre. There’s also a high chance that Tenten was like her before their discovery of the Tailed Beasts, a pliant individual who easily trusted books and adult teachings, naive and ignorant to the workings of the real world. Plus, given the sensitivity of the information they’re unraveling, it was smarter to continue their search discreetly. Still, another set of fresh eyes couldn’t hurt, right? 

“I was just wondering…” Sakura preambled, her tone hesitant. Tenten, on the other hand, leaned closer, curious but patient. “Do you think a prodigy, someone who just entered his teens, can single-handedly wipe out an entire clan? A clan with an insanely powerful Kekkei genkai overnight?”

And kruu kruu.

Tenten just stared at her with glassy eyes, unblinking. Realizing how mad she must’ve sounded, Sakura tried to salvage the situation (and her dignity) by adding, “You know… Hypothetically speaking.”

“Hypothetically speaking.” Tenten parroted, expression remaining vacant.

“Mmm.” Sakura confirmed, nodding her head in affirmation. 

Although Sakura kept a relatively calm facade, she could feel the beads of sweat rolling down her neck while Inner Sakura screamed internally and hysterically as time passed by. Sakura honestly doubted she could last another minute before her smile cracked. Fortunately, Tenten decided to break off their (intense) staring session.

“Right,” Tenten replied, tone drier than the sands of Sunagakure, making Sakura inwardly wince. “Well… Whatever it is, leave me out of it. But to answer your question, hypothetically speaking--” As Tenten accentuated the word, Sakura felt like she was struck with a lightning bolt. “--I don't think it's possible--“

 “--What do you mean?” Sakura promptly snapped up on the other with much vigor, momentarily forgetting her embarrassment. Even Tenten was caught off guard by the sudden intensity in her tone. 

“I mean… It’s just as you said, the Fallen Clan was insanely powerful with its Kekkei Genkai. And the assailant, even if he/she is a prodigy, is still a teenager, someone who’s just a couple of years older than us. What I’m trying to say is--” Tenten paused, nibbling her lower lip while searching for the right phrasing. “--the attacker must’ve had some outside help. I’m pretty sure it already crossed your mind, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought up this topic, right?”

Sakura instinctively jerked back like a child caught stealing from a cookie jar. And at the same time, she felt confused — Yes. Sakura has her doubts. Still, it wasn’t to the point where she’d completely overhaul the chronicles and speculate something so contentious. Or… could it be that she’s really just waiting for a confirmation similar to what Tenten has said? 

“--enough of this gloomy matter. Anyways, did you hear about the new Instructor? He’s…”

While Tenten began to veer the conversation in another direction, Sakura remained engrossed in her reverie, barely listening. At this point, most of the words were drowned out as Sakura reached one conclusion.

I have to tell Ino about this.

Meanwhile, at the Konoha Library…

Shikamaru was nonchalantly browsing across the vast shelves of books, eyes scanning through each label to spot anything relevant to their research. 

But as he turned to the next corner, the section on foreign Villages, he felt a pair of eyes boring into his back. The Young Nara let out a weary sigh, resigned. Shikamaru shifted, left shoulder leaning to the nearest shelves, facing his stalker, with the nearby window casting a sliver of light across his face.

“I’d say fancy meeting you here, but I doubt this is a coincidence. So--“ The Nara Heir purposively dawdled in emphasis, “--to what do I owe this pleasure, Uchiha-san.”

Unsurprisingly, there was a scoff before Sasuke revealed himself, both hands stuffed in his pockets, accompanied by his thick, humongous cloud of brood.

Well… It’s not like I was expecting anything less. Shikamaru privately commented before adding as an afterthought, How troublesome.

For a moment, the two of them were just in a strange stare-off — One scowling like no tomorrow while the other wore a bored expression, both waiting for the other to break the growing silence. And it certainly wouldn’t be Shikamaru. Plus, the Nara Heir already tried. He just called out Sasuke earlier on his stalkerish ways. Shikamaru refused to waste another breath just to get the other spit out whatever the Uchiha came for. 

Another minute passed before Sasuke dropped his gaze, glaring at the floor instead while grumbling under his breath, something the Young Nara couldn’t quite catch. He only heard the words ‘you,’ ‘talk,’ and ‘Naruto.’

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow, asking him to elaborate.

Sasuke’s eyebrow twitched, breathing deeply. “I need…” He trailed off, hesitant. 

“Could you assist me to--”

And Shikamaru’s mind short-circuited. He did not just hear The Uchiha Sasuke ask for help, didn’t he?

“--talk with Naruto?”

The Nara Heir blinked. Once, twice, thrice, and five times. But nothing. The Uchiha didn’t dispel as he hoped. Sasuke firmly remained in front of him, waiting for his response. Shikamaru was honestly tempted to perform a chakra release just to confirm he wasn’t stuck in some kind of Genjutsu, but ultimately decided against it. After all, he wasn’t supposed to know that technique yet.

But just to make sure, he clarified. “Let me get this straight… You’re asking me to help--" Once again, the Uchiha’s eyebrow twitched violently at his emphasis. “--you talk with Naruto.”

And silence.

Sasuke’s scowl deepened, glaring daggers at the air next to him, almost as if it had committed a grave offense against his clan. His lips thinned into a straight line before nodding stiffly at Shikamaru like he was physically in pain to admit it. 

Now. If Shikamaru was more of a frivolous type like a certain Inuzuka (or the Old Uzumaki), then he would’ve definitely laughed at the Uchiha’s face in a heartbeat. But as it is, the Naras have always been ruled by logic and reason; and thus, settled on the most rational query.

“Why me?”

Sasuke just stared back at him, completely unimpressed. Shikamaru had to, once again, suppress another weary sigh from escaping his lips. Instead, he glanced out the window and gave the sky a look. 

Because Yes, the Young Nara did notice that Naruto has been avoiding the Uchiha for quite some time now, the latter becoming more like Kiba in his attempts to talk with (read: corner) the Blonde, just more subdued and broody. 

But Shikamaru already had way too much on his plate, from researching the Fall of Uzushiogakure and its connection not only to the topics selected by Ino and Kiba’s team but also to the bizarre, puzzling situation they’re currently stuck in due to the time-mind-manipulation Jutsu; all the while, keeping the adults off their necks. He certainly didn’t want to go in-between whatever pubescent quarrel Sasuke and Naruto found themselves into and play mediator. He already does it excessively for Ino and Kiba. And unlike those two, Shikamaru was positive Naruto and Sasuke could work their problems without his interference. 

Sensing the growing impatience from his (unwanted) companion, Shikamaru was on the verge of glaring at the sky just for the hell of it. But then again, it would cost him too much effort. All he wanted was to return to his investigations—was that really too much to ask?

As he turned to face the Uchiha, he couldn’t help but think.

I should’ve gone home with Chouji.

At the Academy Library…

Chouji just finished reshelving their previously borrowed scrolls and opted to linger in the library, eyes half-heartedly scanning the columns of books and scrolls around him, searching for anything that might be related to Uzushiogakure. Thus far, all they had learned was:

• Uzushiogakure was the shinobi village in the Land of Whirlpools. 
• It was destroyed by the combined forces of major shinobi villages sometime between the Second and Third Shinobi Wars. This coalition most likely included Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure. 
• Uzushiogakure had strong ties with Konohagakure, dating back to the founding of Konoha.

Despite their combined efforts, Chouji and Shikamaru still couldn’t figure out why Uzushiogakure had to fall into ruins.

(The Akimichi-Nara pair theorized that the annihilation of Uzushiogakure was something all other shinobi villages, apart from Konoha, deemed imperative. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have banded together just to defeat them, would they?)

While it could be argued that the fall of Uzushiogakure was due to its ties with Konoha, Chouji didn’t need the brains of a Nara to discern that this argument was severely lacking, which… brought him back to his current predicament.

If he were honest, the Young Akimichi doubted he would find anything new. After all, he and the rest of the gang had already scoured the Academy Library before, and there was barely anything about Uzushiogakure. At this point, he was fully convinced that they had already exhausted all related selections.

Or at least…. Those accessible to Academy students. His mind idly supplied.

Chouji was just about to leave when he stumbled into the Jutsu section, accidentally knocking one of its scrolls off the shelf, causing it to fall haphazardly onto the floor. The scroll was archaic and dusty, secured tightly by a scarlet string-like rope. The whiteness of the parchment was mostly faded, blemished by the trials of time. However, what caught his attention the most was the metallic object attached to the string — it was engraved with a whirlpool, the very same symbol embroidered on their shinobis’ uniforms.

Hastily, the Young Akimichi unknotted the scroll; nonetheless, still careful enough not to tear the edges. The moment it was unfurled, the phrase “Introduction to Fuinjutsu” greeted him, which was full of foreign characters. 

Sealing Techniques? Chouji silently echoed. 

The young Akimichi scrunched up his nose, trying to recall where he had first encountered the term. While pondering it, Chouji, driven by pure curiosity, tentatively checked the nearby racks for documents related to Fuinjutsu before ultimately deciding to gather all of them for Shikamaru’s perusal. 

Just as he was about to grab the last Fuinjutsu-related scroll, Chouji remembered the history book on Fuinjutsu in the special collections and promptly went to retrieve it. Located at the upper, left corner of the shelf—a place easily bypassed unless you’re intentionally looking for it—the book was heavy, leather-bound, and worn. Like the scrolls, it was evidently ancient, caked with dust and soot from being left untouched. Gingerly opening the book, Chouji, once again, found the symbol of a whirlpool, followed by the passage:

Echoes of the Seal: A Historical Exploration of Fuinjutsu

Written by:

Uzu—

And the rest of the words were obscured by a chaotic blend of faded ink blots, smudged soot, and grime, leaving the page darkened and uneven, making it completely indecipherable. Chouji couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The author’s name felt relevant, but there was really nothing he could do about it. The Young Akimichi simply hoped that the other portions of the book weren't faded. Carrying on, he flipped to the Introduction section, silently reading the excerpt below:

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT

Hailing from the  Land of Whirlpools, Fuinjutsu–the art of sealing–is one of the most ancient, revered, and sophisticated practices in the shinobi world. This technique, which utilizes intricate seals to contain, control, or manipulate objects, chakra, and even living beings, has its roots deeply embedded in the history of the Uzumaki Clan and their homeland, Uzushiogakure—

Uzushiogakure was a village of the Uzumaki Clan? The realization hit him with a jolt, his mind reeling from the startling discovery as it began to connect the dots. Uzumaki Clan... as in Uzumaki Naruto-san?

And so, his mind instinctively drifted to their elusive, blonde classmate. 

While Chouji had never been cruel to the Young Uzumaki nor partaken in any of the harassment, he couldn't say he had been particularly kind to him either. He was, for lack of a better term, a neutral party, a detached observer drifting through the chaos like a ghost. 

Because of the Akimichi's distinct physique, Chouji learned from a very early age that kindness was not given freely, particularly among kids. He could list a thousand reasons why he chose to sit back — He wasn’t like Ino and Kiba, who were both natural social butterflies, or Shikamaru, who was smart enough to navigate any social situation thrown his way. Nor was he like the Uchiha Sasuke, whose charisma (and scary glare) kept everyone at a distance, or Shino, who was eccentric enough to be left alone. But really, it boils down into one thing: 

Silence is easier than drawing the fire to yourself. 

But after seeing his friends and classmates reach out to Uzumaki-san, making an effort to do what’s right in their own peculiar way, Chouji couldn’t just stay on the sidelines anymore. A voice in the back of his mind—the logical, rational part—whispered that there was nothing wrong with self-preservation. But this time, Chouji refused to be a coward. Plus, it wasn’t just him and Shikamaru. They were now part of a team. And thus, he made his decision. 

He’ll do better.

With newfound conviction, Chouji snapped the book shut, tucking it close to his chest along with the other scrolls and volumes he'd deemed useful. And so, he headed to the front desk to check out his selections, only to find a very irate librarian in a nearby section, grumbling furiously under her breath as she rearranged a haphazard pile of returned books and scrolls, obviously misplaced. 

Her annoyance was so palpable, it made Chouji pity the selections bearing the brunt of her frustration. He hesitated, debating whether to find another staff member or wait for her to calm down, both of which seemed unlikely. However, all thoughts vanished when he overheard her muttering about a 'cursed child' and 'demon.' Stepping forward, Chouji handed over his stack, pulling the librarian out of her spiral of accusations.

“I’d like to take these home please.”

The librarian looked up from her work, startled, a book in hand. She blinked at him, as if momentarily confused by his presence. "Oh, right. I'll stamp these documents at the counter--" She set the volume aside and accepted the books and scrolls. "--in a bit. Sorry about that. Just got caught up with all this extra work. Fuinjutsu, huh. What an interesting choice. Still, I’m glad you kids are finally taking an interest in books."

Chouji nodded in thanks, sending her a polite smile while silently hoping it would be the end of the conversation. Unfortunately, his silent plea went unanswered as the librarian mistook his friendly demeanor for an invitation to keep talking.

"Really, I am. It kinda gets lonely around here, you know? If only it didn’t mean a certain someone--" Chouji winced internally at the venom in her voice, knowing exactly who she meant. "--visiting the library and misplacing all these selections--" She gestured to the stacks of books in the corner, "--adding to my workload, as if his presence hasn’t caused enough troubles already–-”

“--I can help you reorganize this stuff,” Chouji wisely offered, trying to defend the Young Uzumaki subtly. After all, any defense he could come up with will undeniably fall on deaf ears. At the very least, he hoped to divert the librarian's attention away from her one-sided condemnation of the Blonde. “My parents won’t be expecting me home for another hour or two.” 

The librarian looked surprised for a moment, then a flicker of appreciation softened her features. "Aren’t you a sweet one," she said, her earlier spite had completely faded away, almost as if it never existed in the first place. Chouji couldn’t help but be mildly concerned by her rapid mood swings.  “Guess I’ll take you up on that offer, kid.”

As he assisted the librarian in rearranging the misplaced books, the Young Akimichi noticed something odd. There was a pattern—books were returned to sections close to their original spots, almost as if the characters had been confused with one another. Suddenly, pieces began to click in his mind.

Could it be… Uzumaki-san is having difficulty reading?

Two Days Later...

The Class was in its usual chaos with students chattering and exchanging stories, while others crammed for their last-minute homework. 

Shikamaru yawned, utterly bored out of his mind. Beside him, Chouji’s nose was burrowed into some scroll under the desk, lost in his own little bubble. The Nara Heir let him be, trusting Chouji’s judgment. He knew his best friend would reach out with any important findings in due time. Fleetingly glancing at the clock, Shikamaru reclined further in his seat and closed his eyes with a contented sigh. There’s still 5 minutes left before the bell rings he intended to savor every second of nap time he could get.

Moments later, Shikamaru was awakened from his slumber when the front door opened, signalling the arrival of their instructor. Once again, Naruto somehow managed to slip into the empty seat beside him, unnoticed. He would’ve been surprised if only it didn’t happen every single time. The Nara Heir inwardly sighed. He’d been trying to catch the other for quite some time now but to no avail. Guess he’d just have to try again the next day. After giving the Uzumaki a nod of acknowledgment, Shikamaru re-settled back into his seat, opting to resume his nap.

“Hello, Class. How’s your little project coming along?”

Most of the students groaned at the reminder, causing their Instructor to chuckle. Nonetheless, he continued. “Oh well, you’ve still got a couple of weeks before the deadline. Anyways—” The Chuunin Instructor made a dismissive gesture before ushering his companion to step forward.

It was only then did the Class noticed the white-haired man standing beside their Instructor. 

“--I want to introduce Mizuki-san over here. He’ll be joining me as a teaching assistant starting today.”

The white-haired man who wore his forehead protector like a bandana smiled at the students. “Hi, Everyone. I’m Mizuki.” His green eyes flitted from one student to another, discreetly focusing on the Clan kids and Naruto. “You may call me Mizuki-sensei or Mizuki-san and I look forward to spending time with all of you. 

Shikamaru snapped his eyes open, something about the new instructor rubbed him the wrong way.

“--call me Mizuki-sensei or Mizuki-san--”

The moment their new instructor’s gaze landed on him, the white-haired man smiled and Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine, sending a prickling sensation across his skin like an icy finger tracing the path of his nerves. 

FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER—FAKE—DANGER 

All his instinctive warning bells were blaring, roaring at him to run away. Everything about their new instructor screamed Fake and Danger. It was suffocating. Naruto knew he needed to leave now, but the white-haired man's unwavering attention made it impossible to slip away undetected.

Naruto had never been fond of Fate or Luck, nor did he believe in any higher power given his circumstances. However, he secretly hoped, or rather, prayed for a chance to escape. All he needed was a single moment, just one fleeting opportunity to escape.

(And maybe for the first time ever, his prayers were answered.)

“Ne, sensei…”

A female voice called out casually from the front, jolting Naruto from his silent fretting as if he’d been splashed with cold water. He was nonetheless grateful for the interruption. As everyone’s attention shifted to the speaker, Naruto seized the opportunity and silently slipped away.

Once outside the classroom, it took him a moment to recognize the speaker: the Yamanaka heir. Naruto realized he’d need to come up with something to repay the favor. Because intentionally or not, the Yamanaka Heir did save him twice diverting everyone’s attention away from him.

Rewinding a few minutes…

Earlier, when the instructors arrived, the white-haired man’s introduction was met with a range of reactions, mostly curiosity and boredom. But to Ino, their new instructor just felt familiar and dangerous. He wasn’t strong per se; however, Ino instinctively knew he was someone to look out for. 

To confirm her suspicions, the Yamanaka Heir tilted her head slightly, expanding her peripheral vision to gauge Shikamaru’s reaction. Instead, her gaze zeroed in on a silently panicking Uzumaki Naruto, caught in a quiet frenzy.

“Ne, sensei--” Ino purposively drawled, drawing everyone’s attention to herself. When the Blonde had successfully escaped, she carried on. “--tell us more about yourself.”

Their new instructor appeared to be taken aback by the question, but quickly schooled it with a patient, smiling expression as he replied, “Well, what do you wanna know?”

Ino furrowed her eyebrows, appearing to be pensive, before discreetly side-eyeing her best friend. Understanding her message, Sakura immediately took over. 

Cocking her head curiously to the left, the Pink-haired student asked. “Why’d you decide to teach, Mizuki-sensei? Also, will you be handling specific classes in the future?”

“And while you’re at it--” Ino offhandedly interjected before the white-haired man could open his mouth to respond. “--what’s your specialty, sensei?”

The rest of the Class seemed to take it as a cue and began bombarding the new instructor with questions.

While Shikamaru listened to the class, allowing the Yamanaka’s interrogation to unfold, Chouji softly called for his attention. “Hey, Shika?”

The Nara Heir tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment, his gaze never wavering from their new instructor as he watched the white-haired man with cautious curiosity. Taking this as a signal to continue, Chouji pressed on.

“So, remember the other day when you went to the Konoha Library while I returned our finished books?” Shikamaru inwardly grimaced, recalling his encounter with the Uchiha, before he made a non-committal hum, encouraging his best friend to continue. “Well, I found something really useful for our report, but wait. That’s not what I wanted to talk about.”

Shikamaru turned his attention fully to Chouji, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. Chouji scratched one of his cheek swirls, looking sheepish. “Right. So, what I really wanted to say is that…”

He hesitated, his expression thoughtful. “...I think Uzumaki-san might be having trouble with reading.”

Timeskip: At the Hokage Tower…

There was a knock on the door. 

Not bothering to tear his eyes away from his report, Hiruzen casually ordered a soft ‘Enter,’ which revealed a curly-haired who promptly knelt in respect. 

“Ahh, Suzume. I’m glad you could arrive at such a short notice.” Hiruzen greeted in acknowledgment, laying his pen and report down while the curly-haired Chuunin stood up.

With a knowing nod, the Sandaime silently ordered the other to report her findings. “As expected, the Clan kids are teaming up for a history project with the exception of the Aburame Heir, who decided to pair up with the Jinchuuriki.”

Oh? 

This revelation certainly piqued his interest, his mind idly wandering to Shibi’s kid. Hiruzen had only met the kid a handful of times, quiet and reserved like a typical Aburame. All in all, he appeared to be the same as Shibi, which was practically good news. 

Pleased with the report, Hiruzen allowed the slight quirking of his lips as he replied. “Is there anything else you’d like to add, Suzume?”

The curly-haired Chuunin was silent for a moment, her lips pursing into a thin line. The Sandaime detected a hint of uncertainty in her features, but nonetheless let her continue at her own pace.

“I might be reading too much into it, but if I may--” The curly-haired Chuunin tentatively began, “--I believe some of the topics selected for the said project are a bit disconcerting, particularly the younger generation of Ino-Shika-Cho. For one--”

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, evidently intrigued. He tried to remember the Young Heirs from their past interactions and nothing noteworthy came about, albeit it might have been due to the briefness of their meetings. 

“--the Yamanaka Heir and her civilian partner had decided to cover the Uchiha massacre while the Young Nara and Akimichi pair decided to talk about the Fall of Uzushiogakure.”

Touching his goatee pensively, the Sandaime clarified. “And the project was designed to test their analytical and tactical skills since it prompts the students to choose a different path, am I correct?” 

When Suzume gave him a firm nod, Hiruzen got all the confirmation he needed, opting to silently ponder over her words. Now. While the Sandaime could admit that the kids indeed have peculiar choices, Hiruzen doubted it had any deeper meaning, even if Shikaku's kid was rumored to be the most promising Nara in terms of intellect and brilliance. Plus, the partner of Inoichi's kid is a civilian who's undeniably more ignorant than a Shinobu-raised child. 

All things considered, even the other three are Clan Heirs, by the end of the day, they are nothing but a mere child — that fact alone was more than enough to silence any of his concerns. With that in mind, Hiruzen gave the Chuunin a reassuring smile, appeasing her worries, before dismissing her for today. 

[Little did Hiruzen know, he played right into the (devious) machineries of Shikamaru's deflection. After all, it would be a pain if the adults started snooping around before they finished their assignments (read: war declarations).]

PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER

Hiraeth

When Shikaku entered the council room, following the rest of the Clan Heads, the Hokage and the Elders were already inside with the Old War Hawk standing proudly near the podium where three scrolls lay still and furled.

For some unfathomable reason, Shikaku could already sense the beginnings of another migraine. He really should’ve stayed in bed today.

The moment everyone had settled on their respective seats, Hiruzen stood up and welcomed them. “I’m glad everyone could attend despite the short notice. So without further ado, Danzō…”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama.” The Old War Hawk promptly replied with a half bow, almost in respect.  But every Clan Head in the room knew it was only for appearances. “On behalf of the Elders, it has come to our attention that apart from the Aburame and the Uchiha-–”

Everyone raised an eyebrow at the distinction. 

“--the rest of the Clan kids submitted a rather disconcerting paper pertaining to our Village for a mere History Class Project.” Leaning on the podium, Danzō picked up one of the scrolls and carried on. “The report of the Inuzuka and Hyuuga–-”

[“Your kid has corrupted my Hinata.” Hiashi (childishly) accused, eyes narrowing at the Inuzuka Head.

“Excuse me?” Tsume bristled instinctively in response before she countered. “It’s obviously the other way around.” She ended with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.

(Her defense would’ve worked if only she didn’t mutter the following words under her breath.) 

“What the hell did you do this time, Kiba.” Tsume groaned softly, which (unfortunately) did not escape the other Clan Heads, earning an eye-roll from the Aburame and Hyuuga, as well as snorts from the Older Ino-Shika-Cho.]

“--in particular, had violated the gag order on the Kyuubi.”

To Be Continued...

Chapter Text

Hiraeth (n.) - homesickness for a place you can’t return to, or that never was; a feeling of nostalgia or yearning for something that no longer exists.

Recap :

Now. While the Sandaime could admit that the kids indeed have peculiar choices, Hiruzen doubted it had any deeper meaning, even if Shikaku's kid was rumored to be the most promising Nara in terms of intellect and brilliance. Plus, the partner of Inoichi's kid is a civilian who's undeniably more ignorant than a Shinobu-raised child. 

All things considered, even the other three are Clan Heirs, by the end of the day, they are nothing but a mere child — that fact alone was more than enough to silence any of his concerns. With that in mind, Hiruzen gave the Chuunin a reassuring smile, appeasing her worries, before dismissing her for today. 

[Little did Hiruzen know, he played right into the (devious) machineries of Shikamaru's deflection. After all, it would be a pain if the adults started snooping around before they finished their assignments (read: war declarations).]

At the Yamanaka Household…

“Mom! We’re home!”

Ino called out upon their arrival. Today marked Sakura’s first sleepover ever. When she mentioned she had a rather controversial theory, the Yamanaka Heiress suggested staying over to discuss it further in a safer place.

Just as they finished removing their footwear, a beautiful, fair-skinned brunette appeared by the doorway, wiping her hands with a kitchen cloth.

“Welcome back,” she greeted warmly, her smile gentle and inviting.

Sakura couldn't help but think, No wonder Ino’s so pretty. Her mom’s gorgeous. She watched as Ino gave her mother a peck on the cheek. When the woman’s amber-hued gaze turned toward her, Sakura felt a twinge of self-consciousness.

“And you must be Sakura-chan, the one I’ve heard so much about,” the woman said, her smile deepening. “Hope you’ll enjoy your stay. I’m still preparing dinner, so you kids go ahead and get settled in Ino’s room. I’ll bring some refreshments in a bit.”

“Thanks, Mom!”

And that was the sole warning Sakura received before Ino whisked her upstairs.

As soon as they entered the Yamanaka heiress’s room, Sakura blurted out, “Your mom’s really beautiful, Ino.” Her comment was so genuine, it earned a snort from the Blonde.

“Thanks,” Ino said, settling in and gesturing for Sakura to follow. “But don’t let her demure, princess-like persona fool you. Mom’s a total badass kunoichi and can kick Dad’s ass anytime, any day. Anyway--” Ino flopped onto the center mat in her room and patted the floor. “--you can put your stuff anywhere you want.”

Sakura pulled out a couple of scrolls from her backpack along with the notebook where she kept her notes. Just as she was about to share her discussion with Tenten the other day, the door swung open again, and Ino's mom entered, carrying an assortment of snacks and drinks.

"I'll just leave these here," she said, setting the refreshments down on Ino's study desk before departing. 

Once Sakura was positive that the Older Yamanaka was out of earshot, she dropped the bomb.

“I think… Uchiha Itachi had an accomplice, and that person is a traitor to the Village.”

“--accomplice, and that person is a traitor within the Village.”

Ino blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting such a bold claim. Huh. Sakura wasn’t kidding when she said her theory would be controversial. Nevertheless, Ino motioned for her to continue.

As the Yamanaka Heiress listened intently, mentally filing away key points—the estimated time of the massacre, when it was discovered, the distance between the Uchiha district and the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters, and the quantity of renowned Uchihas who perished during the slaughter—Ino felt a surge of anticipation bubbling up inside her. She idly wondered if this is what Shikamaru felt whenever he was given a particularly fascinating puzzle. 

With all this information, they could write a report that would shake the Council to its core. No—Ino Ino would ensure that they had no choice but to reopen the investigation, digging up the buried truth behind the massacre. 

“--So, what do you think?” Sakura asked, her tone tense but laced with anticipation.

Ino flashed a Cheshire grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “We’re totally doing this! There’s no way we’re letting that Mutt’s report hog all the limelight–-”

“--You know that’s also Hinata-chan’s work, right?” Sakura interjected, barely containing her amusement.

Ino waved her hand dismissively while reaching for the refreshments. She handed Sakura one of the juices and popped a cookie into her mouth. “Collateral damage. Can you imagine, though? We’ll blow even Shikamaru’s mind! But first, we need a killer title.”

The two friends fell into thoughtful silence, pondering over it.

“I’ve got it!” Ino’s eyes lit up with excitement. “How about: In Defense of Uchiha Itachi?”

Sakura beamed. “That’s brilliant, Ino! I love it!” Her shoulders slightly became sagged, recalling their objective for selecting their topic. “Too bad I couldn’t find anything connecting it to Umino-sensei’s assassination, though.”

“You’ve already uncovered so much, Sakura,” Ino reassured with a calming smile. “And who knows? Since it happened on the same date, we’re bound to learn something soon–-” 

Ino abruptly froze, her gaze sharpening as her mind raced through the implications.

“Ino?” Sakura asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“It happened on the same date,” Ino repeated, her tone growing more intense. “The Uchiha massacre took place on the night of October 10th, Sakura!”

“Yes?” Sakura replied, her confusion deepening. “We’ve already established that. So what--”

And Oh.

Her eyes widened in realization as she looked at Ino with awe, as if her friend had just revealed the greatest secret in the world. Sakura’s voice soared with excitement. “It happened on October 10th, the night of the Kyuubi Festival!”

Ino’s grin stretched wider as they both burst into giggles, exhilarated by their breakthrough. When their laughter subsided, their eyes met, azure orbs locked in with emerald ones in a silent, unspoken agreement.

They needed Sasuke’s account of the massacre.

[At the Uchiha District, Sasuke—who was grouchily tending his garden—felt a sudden chill crawl down his spine. He warily scanned his surroundings, half-expecting an ambush from his fangirls, before shaking his head at the absurdity of the thought.]

Meanwhile, at the Nara Household…

Shikamaru dumped his schoolbag, containing the new documents from Chouji, into a corner of his room before collapsing onto his bed, eyes unfocused as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

His thoughts kept circling back to his conversation with Chouji. It made him wonder—had Naruto always struggled with reading and writing? Was that why he consistently ranked at the bottom of the class? Did his (past/future) teammates know about his difficulties? 

The Nara heir frowned, realizing that if anyone had known, word would have gotten around. Surely, their tutoring sessions with Naruto would’ve reached his radar somehow. And Shikamaru was sure as hell this was the first time he’d learned about it, and by extension, the rest of the Gang. While some of them wouldn't have been the best tutors—like Kiba, who could use some help himself; Ino, who lacked patience; and Shino, who had difficulty reading social cues—the rest would’ve offered their assistance. Also, there was the question of how long this had been a problem. Could Naruto have been struggling even after they became Genin? But then, it wouldn’t explain how the Blonde was capable of writing mission reports prior to his training trip with Jiraiya-sama.

So, somebody must’ve known. If that’s the case, then who—

And then it hit him. The Nara Heir abruptly sat up in epiphany. Iruka-sensei must have known all along. All those hours spent with the Blonde, their (previous) Instructor must’ve been the one to teach Naruto how to read and write at a functional level.

But now that he’s gone…

Shikamaru shook his head, forcing those intrusive thoughts away. After all, Chouji’s already working on how they could rope Naruto into a study session. For now… 

His gaze drifted to the discarded school bag in the corner, focusing on the scrolls sticking out from its sides. The Nara retrieved the documents, spreading it out haphazardly on his floor.

Shikamaru had a couple of theories on how Uzushiogakure, or the Uzumakis in particular, are connected to the Tailed Beasts. However, the one he and Chouji were betting on was that it takes an Uzumaki seal to contain the Tailed Beasts–the Yondaime’s seals being the exception to the rule–causing the other Shinobi Villages to fear them. And wasn’t there a rumor about the Uchihas being responsible for the Kyuubi’s attack? While it could, in a way, explain the Fall of the Uchiha Clan, he doubted Ino and Sakura would take this approach. 

For now, Shikamaru would just devour every piece of literature related to Uzushiogakure, even if it meant learning a tad bit of Fuinjutsu. On the plus side, it might also be useful in unraveling time-mind-manipulation jutsu casted upon them. And with that, Shikamaru fell into deep concentration, meticulously perusing each document. 

It was in this very state that Yoshino found him a few hours later, calling him for dinner. He should have known his mother would have his head if he didn’t clean up—homework or not.

The Next Day…

It was nearing the end of the second period, the session before the 30-minute morning break when Naruto arrived at the Academy. But instead of proceeding to the classroom, the Blonde headed to the library to return and borrow some books Shino recommended for their project. 

The moment he stepped inside, Naruto quickly spotted one of his seatmates, the Nara Heir. Shikamaru sat at the edge of a long reading table near the window, his left cheek propped on his palm as he lackadaisically flipped through the pages of a book. Curiously, Naruto glanced at the wall clock situated just above the entrance, wondering if he had somehow miscalculated his arrival time.

“Second period ended early.” 

The Nara's signature lazy voice pierced through his thoughts as if answering his unspoken question. When Naruto gazed back, Shikamaru was already on his feet, the book firmly tucked under his arm, as he gestured toward the main aisle of the library.

“I’m planning to look for Chouji. Wanna come?”

Both of them knew the invitation was unnecessary, given that Naruto would likely go about his business once they were outside the glaring librarian’s field of vision. Nonetheless, the Young Uzumaki appreciated the gesture, finding it oddly reminiscent of his Aburame partner. 

With a nod, Naruto tucked the books in his arms and followed the Nara heir. Together, the duo disappeared behind the towers of bookshelves and scroll racks.

Somewhere in the Academy….

Sakura was panting heavily. She had never run so much in her life until now. Beside her, Ino wasn’t faring any better, and the Yamanaka Heir was practically fuming. Her cheeks flushed not just from exertion but also from irritation. And really, Sakura couldn’t blame her.

The two of them were discreetly following Sasuke to ask him a few questions for their project, hoping to catch him while the other students were still in class. But somewhere along the way, Sakura could’ve sworn Uchiha-san had just vanished. And now, they were chasing after his shadow for God-knows-how-long and their free period was about to end.

Sakura let out a defeated sigh, frustration settling in her chest. She guessed they’ll just have to try again tomorrow. She just hoped none of the Instructors caught them running in the hallways.

Unbeknownst to the duo, Sasuke was simply perched in a nearby tree, watching them with a bemused expression as they scrambled after him. It was his first time attempting the technique Naruto had taught him about exploiting blind spots, and he hadn’t expected it to work so effectively. Nonetheless, Sasuke knew he still had a long way to go before he could execute it as efficiently and precisely as Naruto.

Now, if only he could use the same technique to find (read: corner) a certain Blonde.

[This one-sided cat-and-mouse chase carried on, until one fateful Saturday when Naruto managed to persuade Sasuke to give them a chance.]

Back at the Library…

Flipping another page, Chouji briefly skimmed through the book before placing it back on the shelf. Just as he did, he heard footsteps approaching.

“Ahh. Was I taking too long--” The Akimichi Heir turned around, fully expecting to see his best friend. “--Uzumaki-san?” He blurted, surprised to see Naruto instead.

Naruto dipped his head in acknowledgment before retreating behind a nearby shelf. Shikamaru greeted him with a lazy wave before addressing Chouji’s silent question. “Break’s about to start. Bumped to Uzumaki-san along the way so invited him to look for you.”

Chouji hummed in response, his gaze drifting to the book tucked under Shikamaru’s arm. “You done with that?”

“Nah,” Shikamaru replied, shaking his head with a yawn. “Still got a couple of chapters left. You good?”

Chouji nodded, and the duo began making their way to the exit. Purposefully, they passed through the aisle where Naruto had disappeared. There he was, standing by the shelves with a scrunched-up expression, almost as if he were trying to decipher something impossible. His hand gripping a book, hovering uncertainly near shelves. Some might find it baffling, but the two of them knew the truth. 

“Need help with that?”

The student in question swiveled around, wide-eyed and tense. When the Blonde instinctively took a step back, Shikamaru inwardly winced. He should’ve known better than to startle him. They should’ve made their presence known first instead of speaking so abruptly. After all, he was the one who had advised the gang to tread carefully when interacting with Naruto.

Luckily for them, Chouji—ever the peacemaker—stepped in smoothly, his tone warm and disarming. “Relax, Uzumaki-san. We didn’t mean to startle you. But do you need any help? Also with, uh…” His gaze briefly flicked to the book Naruto was fumbling with, the title just visible. The Akimichi-Nara Pair was fully aware that the Blonde was about to misplace the book again. “...reading?”

Naruto’s body went rigid, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. He looked like a cornered animal, coiled and ready to flee. Shikamaru resisted the urge to curse under his breath.

They’d pushed too far, too fast.

“What do you mean?” Naruto asked cautiously, his voice guarded.

Shikamaru was about to respond, but his best friend beat him to it, tone gentle and inviting.

“You… you have trouble reading, don’t you?” Chouji said, careful not to sound accusatory. “I think that might be why you’re falling behind in class. If you want, Shika and I can help you out. We could teach you.”

The Uzumaki’s grip on his book tightened, eyes darting between the two of them, seemingly searching for something. Shikamaru tried his best to appear casual and laid-back while Chouji smiled. When Naruto couldn’t seem to find what he was looking for, the Blonde finally muttered. “What’s the catch?”

This time, Chouji glanced at Shikamaru, silently seeking his guidance.

The Nara heir gave a nonchalant shrug, effortlessly stepping into the conversation. “Nothing. But now that you mention it–-” Shikamaru drawled, earning Naruto’s wary attention, “--think of it as payback. For that time in the park, remember? A couple of years ago. When you helped us prank those bullies. We never really returned the favor, did we, Chouji?”

There was a flicker of recollection in the Blonde's cerulean eyes and Shikamaru knew they've hit the jackpot.

And thus, this marked the beginning of Uzumaki Naruto’s study sessions with Chouji and Shikamaru—a simple offer that quietly began weaving their lives together, much to Sasuke’s displeasure. Still, even the Uchiha had to reluctantly admit, this duo was infinitely better than that partner-stealing Aburame. 

A couple of days later…

Shikamaru could feel the weight of Uchiha’s gaze boring into him—sharp, accusing, and relentless—which was utterly illogical, considering Sasuke was seated in the front row. It was as if the Uchiha had developed a pair of eyes on the back of his head.

Privately, Shikamaru wondered if this was what Shino had to endure with Kiba. If so, no wonder the Aburame was furious with the Inuzuka’s stalking antics. Troublesome wouldn’t even cover half of it—it was downright exhausting. And it’s not like Shikamaru could just waltz up to Naruto and say, “Hey, maybe let Sasuke explain.” That would only make things worse.

Then, a thought clicked.

You know what? Screw it.

He cursed silently as he turned to Naruto, who shot him a confused look. Shikamaru wasn’t paid—or emotionally equipped—for this endless drama. If they wanted help, fine. He’d give them the most logical solution.

“Ne, Naruto,” Shikamaru said, skipping any pleasantries. “You and that Uchiha got into a fight, didn’t you?”

Naruto stiffened, but Shikamaru kept going. “Honestly? I don’t particularly care. But the guy’s been a goddamn pain in my ass with all his sulking. So can you just talk to him? You can kick his ass for all I care, but please, just deal with him.”

Chouji, beside him, choked on his chips while Naruto continued to stare at him like he’d just sprouted another head. Shikamaru simply rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, resigned.

"Alright, how about this," He said, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "In Taijutsu class, Sasuke will definitely try to pair up with you. So, take out all your frustration on him until he's a bloody pulp. I’ve seen your dodging skills—you’ll have no problem. I’ll even distract the teacher and toss a kunai or two to throw him off-balance. That should do the trick.”

Naruto blinked, unsure if Shikamaru was joking or not; But Chouji, despite his near-choking incident, managed to snicker, knowing him all too well. Because yes, Shikamaru had always chosen the most logical and rational solutions, but he was still technically a kid. And the Uchiha’s silent harassment deserved some retribution.

The Young Uzumaki simply eyed him for a moment, his gaze calculating, before muttering, “I think I can handle him on my own.”

Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly. “Just know the offer’s still on the table if you need it.”

The Next Day, During Taijutsu Class…

Like premonition, when their Professor instructed the class to pair up, Sasuke was immediately in front of their seat with his signature scowl, which was an amazing feat considering Shino–who was closer to them being seated in the mid-row—didn’t even have the chance to stand. The Uchiha glowered at Shikamaru who blankly returned his stare, utterly unimpressed.

Naruto, blissfully oblivious to the silent conversation between them, blinked in surprise. If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Sasuke had body-flickered to appear in front of their seat.

[And, in truth, Sasuke did. This fact, however, was lost to everyone except Shikamaru and their instructor, the latter simply dismissing it as just another ‘Uchiha prodigy thing.’]

Sasuke opened his mouth, only to shut it again. Taking a deep breath, he finally announced, “You’re with me.” 

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel, casting an icy glare across the room—daring anyone to protest. His piercing gaze lingered a fraction longer on a certain Aburame, who merely raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll see you at the grounds,” Sasuke added curtly before striding out of the room.

“He’s certainly impatient,” Shikamaru remarked lazily beside Naruto. With a yawn, he added, “Just deal with him, would you? I’ll even treat you to a bowl of Ichiraku’s as repayment.”

Well... Naruto wasn’t about to say no to free food, especially if it was Ichiraku’s ramen. The Blonde hasn’t been able to visit them for a while now. He shot an apologetic glance at Shino, who was supposed to be his partner for the exercise, causing the Aburame to nod in silent understanding.

In all honesty, Shino didn’t particularly mind losing his partner. After all, he could still push Kiba to pair up with the Hyuuga Heir Apparent. What irked him, however, was the disdainful look the pompous Uchiha had thrown his way.

Eyes narrowing behind his glasses, it seemed Shino had to be wary of the Uchiha from now on.

At the Academy Grounds…

With the rest of the Class scattered around the field, distantly circling around them in groups, Sasuke could feel their Instructor’s (and his fangirls’) worried gaze on him, but he paid them no heed. All his attention was solely centered on Naruto who’s still refusing to meet his eyes.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the Uchiha promptly formed the Seal of Confrontation, silently willing their Instructor to hurry up with an internal glare.

As if on cue, their Instructor began, “Remember, each pair will only be given 5 minutes to spar. No weapons or tricks, just pure Taijutsu. Any questions?”

Hearing none, the Instructor shot the Uzumaki a pointed look. Sensing their growing impatience, Naruto resigned to his fate and mimicked the Seal of Confrontation. The moment their gaze locked, the Instructor coincidentally announced, “Start.”

And Sasuke lunged at Naruto, a jab ready in hand, attempting to drag him into a fistfight. 

[At the sidelines, Shikamaru sighed. 

Of course. The Uchiha had taken the ‘Beat-Naruto-Until-My-Message-Gets-Across’ approach, not that he was expecting anything different given the raven-haired’s social ineptness. Still, his unspoken duty to ensure no interruption in their (animalistic) reconciliation remained.

And so, Shikamaru strategically positioned himself, and by extension, the Gang near the Instructor, ready to intervene in case the fight is abruptly stopped.]

Quick on his feet, the Blonde swiftly dodged, skidding back to widen the gap between them. But the Uchiha was relentless, a lion on the hunt. Until, Sasuke–out of sheer desperation–managed to tackle Naruto into the ground, even resorting to biting just to keep him from slipping away.

It was savage and raw. 

Dirt filled Sasuke's mouth and stung his eyes, yet he pressed on. The Uchiha didn’t bother to defend himself, fighting as if his life depended on it, delivering every kick and punch with such ferocity and emotion he didn’t know he was capable of. Because finally, Sasuke understood.

Naruto didn’t need coddling; he needed the truth.

A Couple of Minutes Later…

“It’s--“ Sakura paused, emerald eyes glued on the fight before them. Struggling to find the right words, she finally settled on, “--intense.” 

Beside her, Ino snorted. 

“That’s one way to put it.” The Yamanaka Heir flicked her bangs, as she commented with a haughty tone. “They’re barbaric, fighting like animals or… rabid dogs to be more precise. Just look-–” She gestured to their female classmates (aka Sasuke’s fangirls) with a deadpan, “--some of them are close to tears at this disgusting sight.”

“Bold words, Ms. Oh-Sasuke-kun.” Kiba teased, mimicking her swooning tone (in the past),  hands clasped over his chest as he playfully batted his eyelashes.

Unsurprisingly, Ino flushed, recalling the truth in his words. But before she could retaliate (read: smack Kiba to oblivion), someone beat her into it.

And Stomp.

“The HELL, Shino!” 

The Inuzuka cried out, massaging his assaulted foot, while glaring at his attacker. Akamaru momentarily poked his head out of Kiba’s hoodie, startled by the sound. Seeing nothing amiss, the Ninken nestled into his clothes, drifting back to sleep. Shino, on the other hand, fixed him with an eerily blank stare.

Ino blinked at them before shrugging, “Thanks–-” She directed to the Aburame, who nodded in acknowledgment, before childishly sticking a tongue at Kiba, “--serves you right. And No, Sakura. I prefer artistic men.“

[Unbeknownst to the duo, the sole reason Shino intervened was because he was concerned that the Hyuuga Heir Apparent might misinterpret their playful teasing as flirting, further reducing the Inuzuka’s nonexistent chances.

These are the moments when Shino is tempted to forego his project seeing the futility with Kiba, but No. The Aburame refused to give up too soon. After all, every breakthrough requires patience.]

“Although….” Chouji began, munching on his chips while casting a critical eye over the fight. “Never thought Uchiha-san had it in him to fight like that.”

While Sakura wholeheartedly agreed that this fighting style didn’t fit the elusive and arrogant Uchiha, it seemed that the Akimichi Heir’s remark meant something more.

Despite the popular opinion, she’s firmly convinced that Uchiha Sasuke is a self-entitled prick. And no one, not even the Sandaime himself, could ever change her mind.

When Sakura tried to approach him politely by slipping a note under his desk, asking if they could talk after the bell rang, the (conceited) Uchiha barely spared it a glance before crumpling and tossing it to the nearby trash can.

Wasn’t that just beyond rude?

The Pink-haired student was brought out of her musings when Hinata, ever perceptive, noticed her earlier confusion and kindly elaborated.

“While each clan does have inherent distinctions, there are unspoken expectations placed upon clan-born shinobis, particularly among noble ones. And Uchiha-san had just foregone all elegance expected from someone of his lineage.”

“Their spar became more or less a brawl,” Shikamaru chimed in, his voice laced with a lazy nonchalance. “Dirty and uncoordinated, like two animals fighting for survival. But--” He let the words hang in the air, and as Sakura glanced at him, she caught a flicker of approval and something akin to relief in his eyes. “--it works.”

It works?

Sakura silently echoed. But she didn’t have a chance to dwell on her thoughts, as their Instructor blew his whistle, signalling the end of the spar.

“Time’s up!”

These words were accompanied by a resounding thud as Sasuke executed one final flip, sending Naruto crashing onto his back with a jarring impact, causing a hazy smoke of dust and dirt to erupt around them.

Naruto groaned, wincing as he felt every bruise and cut throb in protest while he pushed himself upright. The air around him settled as the puff of dust cleared, revealing a hand stretched out toward him.

It was Sasuke. 

Bruised, scowling, and sporting a busted lip—a well-deserved one, if Naruto had anything to say about it. After all, the Uchiha’s bite on his wrist would surely take longer to heal. Even so, the Uchiha held out his hand, awkwardly avoiding his gaze.

And so, Naruto reacted the way any reasonable individual would in his situation. He stared at the hand, blinking and utterly dumbfounded. 

When the Young Uzumaki felt Sasuke’s glare, he almost burst into laughter. Naruto could practically hear the Uchiha’s impatient, silent demand of ‘Hurry the hell up.’ Internally rolling his eyes, the Blonde accepted the outstretched hand, hauling himself up just as the instructor called out, 

“Next pair—Hyuuga vs. Inuzuka.” He gave them a quick once-over, his gaze sweeping over their battered forms, before adding as an afterthought, “Get your wounds checked. Somebody--”

Before the sentence was even finished, Naruto wisely let go, much to Sasuke’s horror, and retreated to the sidelines. Not even a second later, the Uchiha was swarmed by overzealous fangirls eager to escort him to the clinic.

Typical.

However, what Naruto didn’t expect was for someone to reach out to him as well. He also pointedly ignored the betrayed look sent to him by the Uchiha.

“Can I help with those?”

Naruto jumped in surprise, making Sakura wince. Perhaps, she should’ve waited a little longer before speaking. Ino and the others did mention that Uzumaki-san tends to be skittish.

With a deep breath, Sakura repeated, pointing at the Blonde’s cuts and bruises. “Can I help with those, Uzumaki-san?”

[“You’re staring,” Ino heard Shikamaru mumble under his breath, almost chiding. The Yamanaka heir paid him no mind, gaze still fixed on her best friend and Naruto.

Earlier, when Sakura moved right after the match without much of a word, Ino had expected her to offer medical assistance to Sasuke. To her surprise, however, Sakura had instead distanced herself from the crowd, slipping into the sidelines as she made her way toward Naruto.

And wasn’t that the most interesting development as of late?

When an annoyed, weary sigh reached her ears—once again, courtesy of Shikamaru—Ino rolled her eyes but nonetheless turned away. Still, she kept them in view from her periphery.]

When her query was met with silence, she elaborated. “I know some basic medical ninjutsu. I might not be able to heal everything, but I can at least take care of the bite marks and some cuts. Maybe even speed up the healing process?”

Naruto glanced between Sakura and Sasuke, silently questioning why she wouldn’t offer her help to him as well.

Sakura internally scoffed, but kept her expression neutral. Instead, she deadpanned, “He obviously doesn’t need my help. Plus, I really don’t want to get between him and his fangirls.”

[If her refusal to offer medical aid to Sasuke was her petty revenge for the way he had continuously evaded her and Ino, that was nobody’s business but hers.]

Naruto nodded in understanding, before looking down at his own injuries and shrugging. “I’m good. It’ll heal overnight anyway.”

"That’s… not how bruises and cuts work," Sakura said gently, her brows pinched in concern as she tried to tread carefully, not wanting to accidentally start an argument.

Fortunately for Sakura, her eavesdropping friends (aka Shikamaru and Ino) decided to intervene. 

Seemingly out of nowhere, a small, sharp-edged rock came hurling toward them. While both Naruto and Sakura managed to avoid a direct hit, the stone still grazed the pink-haired girl’s cheek, drawing a sharp breath from the blond.

Out of instinct, Sakura summoned her chakra—green light glowing faintly at her fingertips—as she gently dabbed the scratch. Within moments, the wound vanished completely, and a small, proud smile tugged at her lips. 

Progress.

When she turned back to Naruto, she caught him staring—wide-eyed, equal parts awe and curiosity. Sakura blinked, then remembered: she’d just healed herself.

Realizing the opportunity, she smiled and held her hand out to him. “See? It didn’t even hurt,” She said, tilting her head to show the now unmarked cheek. “Can I try on your wounds?”

Naruto blinked, biting the inside of his cheek, before conceding with a small nod.

Sakura beamed, her grin curving like a crescent half-moon, as she gently stepped closer. Silently, Inner Sakura was fist-pumping in triumph.

And that was the day Sakura officially declared herself Naruto’s personal doctor, tending to his wounds, even when they no longer stood on the same side.

(All the while, Hinata was kicking Kiba’s ass spectacularly, much to Shino’s quiet dismay.)

Timeskip: One Saturday in Konoha...

Sasuke’s eyebrow twitched, sensing the impending arrival of two very unwanted newcomers. Beside him, Naruto paused mid-throw, a shuriken still in hand, and turned to him with a silent question.

The two of them were by the riverside of the Naka River, resuming their usual Saturday training. Earlier that morning, as Sasuke left the Uchiha compound, he had noticed the Yamanaka heir and her pink-haired friend actively searching for him—clearly attempting to corner him for something. He made sure to shake them off before meeting up with Naruto.

But now, as the rustling of leaves grew louder—footsteps crunching against twigs and underbrush—the Uchiha clicked his tongue in annoyance. Who would’ve thought Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were more persistent than cockroaches?

And while he could begrudgingly commend their tenacity, Sasuke certainly didn’t appreciate them barging in on his and Naruto’s training.

“There you are!” Ino cried, popping out of the bushes with Sakura right behind her—both of them covered in twigs and leaves.

As they hastily brushed dirt from their clothes and hair, the two girls shot matching glares at Sasuke. “Do you know how long we’ve been trying to find you?” Ino snapped, irritation flaring in her voice.

Before the blonde could explode further, Sakura wisely stepped in. “Look…” She sighed, reining in her irritation. “We just want to interview you for our History Project. It won’t even take ten minutes, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

Sasuke was just about to open his mouth—likely to tell them to piss off—when Naruto stepped forward, placing himself directly between Sasuke and the girls, blocking his view.

“Maybe we should hear them out, Sasuke.”

The two locked eyes in a brief, silent standoff before Sasuke looked away with a begrudging huff. “Fine.”

Sending Naruto a grateful look and offering a reassuring nod to Ino, Sakura launched into an explanation of their project and the angle they were taking for their defense.

The moment Sasuke heard the topic, his jaw tightened, fingers curling into a fist as the discussion carried on. Red-hot fury began to churn inside him like magma threatening to erupt. He hadn’t fully made peace with his clan's downfall, but he had buried it all deep, locked away in the recesses of his mind where it couldn’t reach him.

He didn’t need anyone—especially not outsiders—messing things up by spewing crap about that man being innocent. 

“--So we were hoping you could recall the time or--”

“--I don’t,” Sasuke cut in sharply, his voice cold and edged with venom. He’d heard enough. “If that’s all, then--”

“--Wait!” Sakura blurted, trying to salvage the conversation. “There has to be something--”

“--How about this?” Sasuke snapped, eyes narrowing. “Either way, it’s none of your fucking business.”

A vein ticked at Sakura’s temple, her frustration on the brink of boiling over. But before she could fire back, Ino stepped in, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s go, Sakura,” The Yamanaka Heir said evenly, not bothering to hide her disappointment. “There’s no point in dragging this out any longer.”

And with that, the duo turned and walked away, their footsteps fading into the rustle of the trees, leaving Sasuke behind, stewing in a storm of emotion he couldn’t quite name.

“Aren’t you being too harsh?”

Naruto pointed out when the Haruno-Yamanaka pair was officially out of sight. Once again, Sasuke’s eyebrow twitched, but nonetheless, remained lost in his brooding. “They’re basically trying to prove your brother’s innocence--”

“--Don’t call him that!” Sasuke snapped, bristling and glaring harshly at him.

The intensity of his anger and frustration was so palpable, a sour bitterness that Naruto could taste in the air. The Uzumaki didn’t need to be a sensor to know that those emotions weren’t aimed at him. Swirling together with fear, hope, confusion, and longing, these were the storms within Sasuke himself, trapping him in a perpetual state of denial.

Naruto might not be the brightest one in the block, but as a sensor, he’s well-versed in emotions. And the ones brewing inside the Uchiha right now? They were destined to lead only to regrets, and he didn’t want that for his (best friend) sparring partner.

And so, Naruto met his gaze head-on, but with patience and understanding.

“I don’t claim to understand your circumstances… but--” He paused, inhaling softly, treading carefully around the other's raging emotions. “--he’s still your family, your only--”

"--He's not. He lost that right on the very night of the massacre. My brother died along with the rest of the Clan," Sasuke stubbornly argued with a tone of finality.

Without waiting for a response, he rose to his feet and strode toward the wooden target dummies they’d set up. The sharp sound of kunai hitting wood soon filled the air as the Uchiha resumed his practice.

Naruto left Sasuke to his devices because, as he had said, Naruto didn’t and wouldn’t understand. Instead, the Blonde glanced up at the sky, watching the birds flock together against the horizon, their silhouettes weaving a tapestry of freedom.

He wondered... what he wouldn't give to have a family of his own.

Timeskip: Somewhere on the outskirts of Konoha…

Echoes of faint scribbling nudged Shikamaru from his blissful nap, the gentle caress of the wind tempting him to drift back into slumber. Reluctantly, he cracked an eye open and turned toward the source of the sound.

A few meters away, Naruto was immersed in his reading and writing assignments from the Akimichi-Nara duo, scrolls and papers sprawled haphazardly around him. Catching Shikamaru’s gaze, the Blonde glanced up and quipped.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

Shikamaru yawned, stretching lazily. “How long was I out?”

“About half an hour, maybe,” Naruto replied with a shrug before returning to his task.

Not bad. Shikamaru mused approvingly.

It was one of the rare days when Chouji couldn’t join their study sessions, caught up with his obligations as a Heir. Shikamaru didn’t study with them per se. He was more of a tagalong who drifted between daydreams, occasionally tossing out pointers. 

But somewhere along the way, he somehow became their de facto tutor—not that he minded. To his own surprise, he’d found a strange satisfaction in designing lesson plans, and Naruto, contrary to expectations, needed less supervision than he’d thought. In fact, the Blonde tended to thrive best in an environment where he had the most freedom, which made Shikamaru’s job even easier.

Seeing how dedicated the Blonde was, Shikamaru felt a twinge of guilt for dozing off. He pulled out a memoir of Uzumaki Mito, the only surviving anecdote about any Uzumaki—Shikamaru made a mental note to thank his friend properly, maybe treat him with a barbecue or two—and other scrolls in Fuinjutsu before annotating their essay draft, settling into actual work for a change. 

With both of them fully engrossed in their tasks, time slipped by unnoticed, the comfortable silence between them remained undisturbed. It was Naruto who finished first.

Surprised to see the usually lazy Nara so focused, Naruto inched closer, squinting to make sense of the text. From what he’d garnered, Shikamaru was reading something about Uzu (Whirlpools), or more accurately, the Land of Whirlpools. A place entirely unfamiliar to him, one that hadn’t even been touched on in their Academy lessons. Naruto might still be a beginner at reading, but he’s positive that place sure as hell wasn’t on any map he’d seen.

Curiosity piqued, the Blonde couldn’t help but inquire. “There’s a land full of whirlpools?”

“No, it’s a country, Naruto,” Shikamaru corrected mechanically, barely sparing him a glance as he continued reading. “Similar to the Land of Fire or Earth. Or at least, it was. The Land of Whirlpools has been erased and its shinobi village, the Uzushiogakure. We think it has something to do with Fuinjutsu.”

Fuinjutsu. Another completely foreign word. 

If he’d been with anyone else, Naruto might’ve dropped the topic, despite his growing curiosity. But he was with Nara Shikamaru, and in the short time they’d known each other, the lazy genius had proven to be surprisingly generous with sharing his knowledge.

“What’s Fuinjutsu?”

“It’s sealing techniques,” Shikamaru explained patiently. “Think of it like a container—imagine a jar with a lid. You can put something in or take something out by activating the seals with your chakra. And it works on both living and nonliving things. It’s the Jutsu the Uzumaki Clan was known for--”

“--Wait. The what?” Naruto sharply cut in, voice filled with disbelief. His heart thundered in his chest, trepidation coursing through his veins. He must’ve misheard it, right?

“--The Uzumaki Clan,” Shikamaru carried on. For once, seemingly missing the entire point. “They’re infamous masters of Fuinjutsu and the most prominent clan in Uzushiogakure. And now, Fuinjutsu is becoming more of a lost art--”

But the Blonde could no longer hear him. All his thoughts circled into one thing:

“--I… I have a c-clan?” Naruto asked, almost hopeful.

Shikamaru’s instinctive information vomit came to a halt, drawing his attention away from the book to look at him, finally seeing Naruto for the first time since his spiel.

Ahh. Realization dawned upon him. It was Jiraiya-sama who taught Naruto all about his ancestry and Fuinjutsu. For a fleeting moment, Shikamaru hesitated, caught in a dilemma whether he should reveal it already or not.

But then again… who was he to keep this from Naruto? What right did he have to withhold even a shred of information about the Blonde’s heritage, no matter how little he actually knew?

In the end, it wasn’t really much of a choice. 

“They might be,” Shikamaru admitted, ignoring the sharp inhale in the background. “But I’m not sure about your direct relatives. Uzushiogakure, and by extension, the Uzumaki Clan, fell sometime between the Second and Third Shinobi Wars. That’s actually our topic for the history project. Here.”

He handed over his finished scrolls for Naruto to take home, deliberately overlooking the slight tremor in the Blonde’s hands. Without missing a beat, he unfurled their draft essay, guiding Naruto through the key points.

While Shikamaru had chosen to do the right thing, he had overlooked one critical detail—the fact that Naruto had yet to find a true anchor in Konoha. 

Little did he know, because of this one, seemingly trivial miscalculation, Naruto would never come to see Konoha as a home.

A Couple of Days Later…

Naruto was, once again, inside the Hokage Tower, one foot jittering as he stared agitatedly at the landscape of Konoha through the window, waiting for the Sandaime to finish reading his last report.

Today was one of his bimonthly check-ins with the Old Man, and Naruto had firmly resolved to badger him about the Uzumaki Clan until he revealed everything.

Ever since he learned about the Uzumaki Clan from Shikamaru, he had scoured every inch of Konoha for additional documentation about his clan. It didn’t matter that he was still a beginner at reading—Naruto just needed proof that they had existed.

And maybe, he could finally learn why it had been kept a secret from him.

(Once upon a time, these bi-monthly meetings were something Naruto eagerly looked forward to, often getting himself into trouble just to be summoned to the Office earlier. But that was all before he became the cursed demon child.)

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Naruto-kun,” Hiruzen began kindly, placing his pen down with a soft thud. “How’ve you been doing lately?”

The Young Uzumaki immediately tore his gaze away from the window, glancing at the Hokage. He opened his mouth, ready to demand answers about his lineage, the rage and betrayal he felt from the secrecy simmering fiercely within him.

Yet, the instant his eyes met those of the Old Man, Naruto faltered, words caught in his throat. The Sandaime looked weary, his forehead etched with stress lines from the weight of responsibilities while dark shadows marred his eyes, remnants from his sleepless nights.

Naruto silently swallowed, forcefully suppressing the questions and accusations threatening to spill out. He mentally shook his head, resolving to uncover the mysteries of Uzushiogakure and his Clan on his own. He would just pick up where the Akimichi-Nara pair had left off.

Because at the end of the day, Naruto’s just another orphan from the Kyuubi’s attack, albeit more hated than others. And maybe, that was the reason the Old Man had failed to mention that Naruto once had a Clan — a home and family to call his own.

(It was just insignificant information to anyone, but him.)

And so, Naruto replied to the Sandaime’s query with a blasé tone, revealing little beyond what the ANBU had already observed.

Despite noticing the detachment in his tone, Hiruzen didn’t press further, opting to give the Blonde the space he likely needed.

Besides, the Hokage had other matters to attend to: the growing gossip about Hatake’s indefinite leave and the troubling report he’d just received from Jiraiya.

Once again, his gaze fell on the letter from his student. Disguised as yet another request for feedback on a new story, Hiruzen re-read Jiraiya’s message.

Black clouds gather under the crimson moon, leaving the world in an eerie stillness.

Translation :  It seems that the Akatsuki is bidding their time.

Timeskip: The Day After the Submission…

When Shikaku entered the council room, following the rest of the Clan Heads, the Hokage and the Elders were already inside with the Old War Hawk standing proudly near the podium where three scrolls laid still and furled.

For some unfathomable reason, Shikaku could already sense the beginnings of another migraine. He really should’ve stayed in bed today.

The moment everyone had settled on their respective seats, Hiruzen stood up and welcomed them. “I’m glad everyone could attend despite the short notice. So without further ado, Danzō…”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama.” The Old War Hawk promptly replied with a half-bow, almost in respect.  But every Clan Head in the room knew it was only for appearances. “On behalf of the Elders, it has come to our attention that apart from the Uchiha and the Aburame–-”

Everyone raised an eyebrow at the distinction. 

“--the rest of the Clan kids submitted a rather disconcerting paper pertaining to our Village for a mere History Class Project.” Leaning on the podium, Danzō picked up one of the scrolls and carried on.

“The report of the Inuzuka and Hyuuga–-”

[“Your kid has corrupted my Hinata.” Hiashi (childishly) accused, eyes narrowing at the Inuzuka Head.

“Excuse me?” Tsume bristled instinctively, hissing. “It’s obviously the other way around.” She ended with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.

Her defense would’ve worked if only she hadn’t muttered the following words under her breath. 

“What the hell did you do this time, Kiba.” Tsume groaned softly, which (unfortunately) did not escape the other Clan Heads, earning an eye roll from the Aburame and Hyuuga, as well as snorts from the Older Ino-Shika-Cho.]

“--in particular, had violated the gag order on the Kyuubi.”

The Old War Hawk handed the scroll to Aburame Shibi, who, being the unfortunate soul nearest to the podium, had little to no choice but to unfurl it. Purely out of curiosity, the rest of the Clan Heads edged closer, eager to catch a glimpse of its contents.

Where is the Kyuubi?

By

Hyuuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba

Exactly eleven years ago, on the fateful night of October 10th, Konoha was ravaged by the devastating attack of the infamous Kyuubi, a catastrophe claiming the lives of countless comrades, including that of our beloved Yondaime.

While the origins of the Tailed Beasts remain unknown, shrouded in a mystery that even the wisest minds have failed to unravel, it is a well-established fact that these creatures are pure manifestations of chakra. Created from the fusion of physical and spiritual energies, chakra is fundamentally another form of energy, and thus adheres to the Law of Conservation of Energy. This entails that the Kyuubi–a majestic being entirely composed of chakra–cannot be created nor destroyed, thereby debunking any claims that the Yondaime annihilated the Kyuubi.

Nonetheless, those accounts still withheld the truth, hiding it in plain sight. Although the Yondaime was celebrated as Konoha's Yellow Flash for his lightning-fast speed, the world seems to have forgotten that he was also a master of seals, rivaled only by the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya-sama. The infamous Hiraishin no Jutsu is just one of many feats in his Fuinjutsu arsenal. Considering these facts, the Yondaime did subdue the Kyuubi, but this was accomplished in the only way it was truly possible — Fuinjutsu.

So, this begs the question: Where did the Yondaime seal the Kyuubi?"

“Huh,” Tsume mumbled, taken aback by the surprising logic of their argument. “Who knew that brat could make such valid points?”

Hiashi cleared his throat, coughing into his fist to hide his delight, but no one was fooled. It was clear he was (subtly) preening like a peacock. “I’m quite certain it was Hinata who made those arguments.”

Inoichi leaned closer to Chouza and Shikamaru, whispering, “And I thought they were blaming each other’s kids for this mess.” This earned a few snickers from the duo.

Acknowledging the prowess of the Tailed Beasts, it’s highly unlikely that any Shinobi Village would willingly forsake such an asset. In fact, it is not far-fetched to assume that the major Shinobi Villages, at the very least, possess a Tailed Beast as a weapon and deterrent of war. This—

“—Now that we’ve covered the gist of this report, let’s move on to the next two, shall we?” Danzo said, grabbing the remaining scrolls from the podium while urging the Aburame to hand over the document. 

Gaze steeling under his glasses, Shibi’s lips thinned in evident displeasure but still surrendered the scroll without a fuss, which was consequently given to Utatane Koharu. One of the scrolls was then handed to Mitokado Homura, to which Danzo sent a knowing nod.

Homura stepped forward, unfolding the document like an (entitled) orator addressing the crowd. Shikaku resisted the urge to roll his eyes, masking his expression with a look of boredom and indifference—a feat the rest of the Clan Heads struggled to achieve, their faces displaying varying degrees of displeasure. For one, Inoichi and Tsume did roll their eyes, while Hiashi let out an inaudible huff, eyes narrowing. Chouza and Shibi, on the other hand, were both sporting a frown, the latter being more subtle. All the while, the Sandaime remained inscrutable, his expression betraying nothing.

But before Homura could proceed, Danzo interjected. “While the Inuzuka and Hyuuga report breached the gag order on the Kyuubi, the accounts submitted by the Akimichi-Nara Pair and the Yamanaka are borderlining mutiny.”

Out of the blue, memories of his interaction with Shikamaru from the previous night began flooding into the Nara's mind, forcing itself with vivid clarity.

Flashback

Before they had officially retreated to their respective rooms for the night, Shikamaru called him out.

“Hey, Dad.” 

His son was standing by the entrance of his room, idling. There was something indescribable flickering in Shikamaru’s eyes. For some unfathomable reason, he seemed older—wiser beyond his years. But whatever it was, it vanished as quickly as it appeared, as if it were nothing more than a trick of the light. It was replaced by a childish grin, somewhere between smugness and mischief—the same grin Shikamaru wore when he and Chouji pranked some kids at the park a couple of years ago.

“You’ve always got our back, don’t you?”

Shikaku sighed, massaging his temples. He could already see his blissful days slipping away, drifting beyond his reach, as the storm of trouble Shikamaru had likely stirred began brewing steadily on the horizon.

"You’re a smart kid, Shikamaru. I’m sure you can figure out how to get out of any tricky situation. But just in case--" 

He paused, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Because while he wanted Shikamaru to be resilient and independent, to tackle his challenges in his own way, the selfish (doting) part of him—the man who had cried when Shikamaru took his first breath—would always long for his son to lean on him, just like any other father. 

"--try not to give your old man too much trouble, alright?"

“No promises, Dad.”

End of Flashback

As soon as the memory faded, Shikaku straightened himself and remarked, “That’s a serious allegation, Shimura-sama. What makes you say that?”

The temperature of the room dropped. 

His tone was calm and even, neither rising nor falling, but the undercurrent of challenge and threat was palpable. This was no longer the easygoing Nara or the laid-back but strategic Patriarch. It was the Konoha’s Jounin Commander who would ruthlessly devour his enemies without so much of a blink. Whenever Shikaku was in this phase—which Inoichi had witnessed only twice in all the time he had known him: once when Chouza had been nearly killed, and another when Yoshino was in grave danger—not even Hyuuga Hiashi nor the late Uchiha Fugaku would dare to provoke him. 

Crossing him now would be, to put it simply, a foolish and dangerous move. As the saying goes: let sleeping tigers lie. But alas, the Advisors, either oblivious to the danger they had stirred or overconfident in their position, proceeded without a care.

The Lost Uzushiogakure: How Konoha Silenced its Dead Ally

By

Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru

Chouza nearly toppled out of his seat but managed to catch himself just in time. Fortunately—or unfortunately—everyone else looked just as flabbergasted as he was, including the Sandaime,  who appeared to be rudely awakened from a blissful slumber. In any other circumstances, Chouza might have snorted at the scandalized expressions of Koharu and Homura–the latter being momentarily rendered speechless–or at the stunned Hyuuga Hiashi. He was certain that Tsume and Inoichi would have laughed along if their jaws weren’t hanging open in shock.

Hearing the title alone, Chouza instantly knew this report would directly challenge the authorities of Konoha, particularly the Sandaime’s administration. Seeing that the authors are his son and Shikamaru, the duo wouldn’t have chosen such a controversial title if it wasn’t their intention. But this certainly wasn’t what Chouza had in mind when he subtly recommended Uzushiogakure as a research topic.

Renowned for its unparalleled mastery of Fuinjutsu, Uzushiogakure—a once-thriving village in the Land of Whirlpools—has been reduced to nothing more than a ghostly echo in the annals of history.  Between the end of the Second Shinobi War and the onset of the Third, this powerful Village met its tragic end. Despite its close ties to Konoha, Uzushiogakure was razed beyond recognition by a coalition of envious Shinobi villages, leaving behind barely any remnants of its legacy. 

With a bond tied by blood and friendship dating back to the very beginnings of Konoha, one might wonder: Did Konoha play a part in its ally's downfall?

“Such insolence!” Koharu cried in outrage. “How dare they insinuate such travesty! We have done–-”

“--Aren’t you being awfully defensive, Utatane-sama?” Shikaku calmly interjected. 

The female Advisor spluttered while Homura’s nostrils flared, evidently taking offense to the statement. Hiruzen knew he had to intervene soon, lest it evolve into an official dispute—or worse, a civil war. With the Nara leading the confrontation, it was certain the Akimichi and Yamanaka would support him. While the Hyuuga Elders would most likely advise remaining uninvolved, it wasn’t far-fetched for the Hyuugas to join in as well, given Hiashi’s personal resentment over the Kumo affair. Considering the Uchihas were already out of the picture, that’s two-thirds of the noble clan heads potentially against the current administration. 

In other words, Konoha couldn’t afford a rebellion, not now nor ever.

[Contrary to popular belief, the Sandaime was not blind to the Clans’ quiet dissatisfaction with his Advisors. He was simply too old to lead the Village alone.]

“I believe such supposition is inevitable,” Shibi chimed in with his usual detached demeanor. “Why? Because information is scarce, while chronicles remain untold. As far as I’m aware, Uzushiogakure isn’t even glossed over in Konoha’s historical discussions. And children, by nature, are curious. They theorize about things they don’t fully understand.”

“Indeed,” Hiruzen added quickly, offering support. “This only reflects the brilliance of the next generation. Now, if you would continue, Homura?” The Sandaime’s voice carried a quiet authority, effectively stomping down any incoming arguments.

But that's a question that is neither here nor there. After all, any potential evidence would have been scattered like ashes in the wind, lost to the passage of time. However, the real tragedy is the stony silence Konoha maintained for decades following Uzushiogakure’s obliteration. Their silence did more than overlook the fallen village; it inadvertently erased a vital part of its history. 

To truly honor Uzushiogakure, Konoha should have embraced a more proactive approach. This includes integrating Uzushiogakure’s contributions and sacrifices into Konoha’s traditions and education, ensuring that the next generation learns about the legacy of their deceased ally rather than simply embroidering their symbols on Shinobi uniforms like mere decorations. Uzushiogakure is more than—

“--That’s enough, Homura.” Danzo rudely interrupted, causing another wave of silent annoyance among the Clan Heads for cutting off the discussion at the most gripping section. “Now, if you found the previous reports alarming, then brace yourself--”

[“You old crooks are the only ones troubled by these reports,” Tsume muttered under her breath, fortunately escaping the Advisors' ears. Yet, almost instinctively, all the Clan Heads side-eyed the Yamanaka Patriarch with a knowing glance.

Inoichi paled as a (cruel) realization sank in. “Oh no.”]

“--as this one surpasses them all.” The Old War Hawk paused, uncurling the last scroll. “I quote: In defense of Uchiha Itachi by Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino. Let’s skip to the main argument, shall we?” 

Without waiting for their response, Danzo recited the report.

In Defense of Uchiha Itachi 

by 

Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino

Yes, Uchiha Itachi is an exceptionally talented Shinobi, a prodigy among prodigies. But at the end of the day, he is still just one person—nothing more than a mere boy.

Inoichi buried his face in his hands, already hearing Ino's voice in his head, confidently saying those words while flipping her golden locks. Chouza casted a sympathetic glance at his other best friend, recalling how he had been in the exact same position just moments earlier.

Even if we argue for quality over quantity, the Uchiha Police Force was not and has never been a pushover. Similar to the Hyuuga Clan, the Uchiha were renowned for the prowess of their Kekkei Genkai. And yet, it wasn't until the next morning that the crime was discovered. To think it happened on the very night of the Kyuubi Festival, when most of the villagers—both shinobi and non-shinobi—were outside commemorating the fall of the Kyuubi. 

Right. Shikaku’s features morphed into a grim smile, reminiscing how, once upon a time, the 10th of October used to be a night of both mourning and celebration.

This could only mean one thing: Uchiha Itachi could not have committed the massacre alone. There had to be someone aiding him from the shadows—someone powerful and intimately familiar with both the inner workings of the Village and the Uchiha Clan.

But as history recorded, Uchiha Itachi was the sole perpetrator of the clan's downfall. He alone was condemned to bear the weight of their blood and sins. But why, some of you might ask? The answer is as plain as day—Uchiha Itachi carried this burden by himself because it was the convenient truth.

An impressed whistle sounded from the background, courtesy of an Inuzuka who shot Inoichi a wolfish grin. “Your kid’s got guts. I like her.”

This earned silent nods of approval from the Hyuuga and Aburame. Even Shikaku had to admit, that was one hell of an argument, his earlier ire shimmering down with amusement. The Nara Patriarch doubted anyone else could have pulled it off besides Ino.

Unsurprisingly, Inoichi wasn’t sharing their enthusiasm. Still, he couldn’t deny the swell of pride blooming in his chest.

[Unbeknownst to the adults, while Ino might have been responsible for fanning the flames, fueling the fire of revolution, it was Sakura–the one easily dismissed as nothing more but a civilian–who first struck the match, igniting the spark that set everything ablaze with a single, daring idea.]

In light of this, we propose a reinvestigation of the case and a thorough "clean house" of the upper echelon. Because in case it wasn’t clear, the Uchiha massacre could have only been possible with a traitor amidst our forces.

The scroll snapped shut with an audible finality.

Danzo stood motionless, radiating smug self-importance, as though graciously offering the council a moment to absorb his words.

“Can you see now?” Danzo’s gravelly voice broke the silence, his tone laced with self-assured superiority. 

The One-eyed Advisor gestured grandly, his goons humming in unison. Once again, more than one Clan Head resisted the urge to roll their eyes. Hiashi, in particular, couldn’t believe how something so trivial had been deemed worthy of an emergency council meeting.

“These academy documents are--“

“--Apologies, Danzo-sama, but I still fail to see your concern.” Shikaku’s casual interruption sliced clean through Danzo’s theatrics, his tone light yet pointed. The room collectively stilled, save for the ripple of scandalized expressions spreading among Homura and Koharu. Threatening glares shot toward the Nara Patriarch, but he remained unbothered, reclining lazily in his seat.

“As you’ve said, these are academy-level essays. And as much as we dote on our kids--”

[“--Did he really have to say that?” Tsume hissed at the nearest Clan Head, who was unfortunately Inoichi.

“I’m sure Shikaku knows what he’s doing,” The Yamanaka patriarch placated, though his tone carried an edge of doubt, before he added as an afterthought, which was lost to everyone but Chouza. “He’d better be.”]

“--we are, first and foremost, a Shinobi,” Shikaku continued, undeterred. “We’re fully aware of our duties and responsibilities, Danzo-sama. Besides, we’re living in times of peace. There’s no reason to fret, no imminent threat or war looming on the horizon. Unless–-”

Shikaku’s gaze sharpened, a glimmer of something unreadable flickering in his eyes, sending a chill down Inoichi’s and Chouza’s spines.

“--you wish to instigate one.”

The room fell into an oppressive silence, the Advisors stiffening in shock and indignation. Inoichi had to physically restrain himself from sighing in resignation. Of course, Shikaku had to fuel the flames. If that wasn’t a veiled civil war declaration, then he didn’t know what else to call it. You’d have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to miss the threat woven into the Nara’s words.

When the gravity of the Jounin Commander’s statement finally sunk, the Advisors bristled, ready to defend, murmurs of outrage began to rise among them. But before anyone could speak—or escalate matters further—the Hokage wisely intervened.

“Enough.”

His voice was calm but laced with steel, demanding immediate obedience. Hiruzen’s gaze roamed around the chamber, sharp and unyielding, before settling on his Advisors. “Danzo, your concerns have been duly noted. However, these essays have only proven the brilliance of the next generation and the lapses in our system. While substantial amendments are needed in our current curriculum, I trust the Academy Instructors and their judgement in shaping our next generation. Unless you have specific, immediate threats to disclose, this discussion is permanently closed.”

Danzo’s mouth opened as if to protest but quickly closed again. His fellow Advisors were in a similar state, shuffling their toes in discomfort and uncertainty. Bowing their heads slightly, the Advisors replied, “As you wish, Hokage-sama.”

Shikaku allowed a faint smirk to grace his lips, the Clan Heads exchanging knowing glances of triumph. Because while neither of them would verbally admit it, none of them would ever tolerate anyone insulting their child.

[If only the same courtesy had been extended to the Young Uzumaki, perhaps the Jinchuuriki might have found a pillar to anchor him in Konoha.]

Somewhere in Konoha…

Strokes of brush on the paper surface continue to fill the air, a rhythmic melody. 

Another stroke to the left before pale fingers dropped the fude* on the ground, manually smudging the ink to give more depth to his art. 

“What are you drawing, Sai?” 

A warm voice interrupted, causing the kid-in-question to pause before giving his new companion a brief look of acknowledgment. 

Unsurprisingly, it was his brother — Shin. 

As usual, the ash-gray-haired kid sat beside him, knees bent as he watched Sai continue his art, completely transfixed. 

“You’ve only been drawing flowers lately,” Shin commented, observing in fascination how the other polishes his drawing. "Do you know what it's called? I heard flowers have meanings too."

"Forget-Me-Not." Sai replied, still focused on his art. 

Shin made an appreciative hum at the response. As he continued to look at the artwork, eyes glossing over the intricate lines and shades, Shin couldn't stop the small smile painting on his lips, proud of his brother's skill. It was truly another masterpiece. 

However, it was also the cause of the worry painting on his face.

"Hey, Sai?" Shin hesitantly started, voice softer than usual, his brows furrowing in worry. "I think you should hide some of your ink techniques."

Sai stopped, the tip of his brush hanging awkwardly. The raven-haired looked at his brother, face devoid of emotion. 

"Why?"

Shin pondered, looking for the right words before he decided to settle on the truth. “I'm just worried. I don't want you to attract his attention so soon. It's-–"

"--R00281. It's your turn."

That was Sai's Code, his brother's identification number. Shin's expression became grim, lips pressed into a thin line. He always loathed those numbers — Shin was R00264 while Sai was R00281. 

A few years back, Sai—or more appropriately R00281—randomly asked him about names, and why none of them were given names apart from those codes. At that query, all he could do was give the raven-haired a remorseful smile rather than the cruel truth. 

And so, Shin and Sai were the names they gave to themselves out of brotherhood and a promise.

However, Shin was fully aware of the cold, hard reality. As long as they stayed in this place, within those people's grasp, all they'll ever gonna be are numbers, just another dispensable number trained to be a soldier. 

Shin felt Sai move beside him, silently closing his sketchbook before handing it to him for safekeeping. 

To appease his anxiety, Shin decided to review Sai's artwork, scanning each page. As he reached his brother's drawings from last year, the pages were sketched with flowers – starting from the hideous, gigantic one which was pointing towards the moon up to today's Forget-Me-Nots. 

Flipping from one page to the next, what caught his attention the most was the signature on the lower, left bottom of each page. There was no doubt it was the flower's name. To name a few, there was Coreopsis, Irises, Pink Carnations, and White Chrysanthemums–Shin idly wondered how Sai could've identified the colors if all the sketches were depicted in black and white–Sunflowers, Zinnias, and so on. 

The more Shin skimmed through the pages, the more curious he became, a single question running through his mind. 

Since when did Sai become knowledgeable about flowers? 

Click.

The metal door shut tightly behind him, leaving Sai alone with their Liege. On instinct, the raven-haired lad knelt in a solemn display of loyalty, executing the salute of a Root soldier with practiced grace. While waiting for the acknowledgement of their Liege,  his eyes discreetly roam around the room, assessing his surroundings. 

Devoid of any windows, it was relatively well-lighted for a cavern office. Opposite the sole passageway—the door he had just gone through—was a high-end wooden desk, its corners piled with stacks of paper, while Danzo-sama sat in a high-backed chair, perusing a report. This setup was… oddly reminiscent of the Hokage’s Office, just that the room felt colder—not in the temperature kind of sense, but with the eerie coldness of the dead. And instead of the glass windows, there were shelves of books and scrolls. But all in all, the Office exuded an aura of an impenetrable fortress.

(Privately, Sai idly wondered how he knew about it when he’d never stepped a foot outside of this place.)

Danzo-sama (finally) looked up from his document, setting it aside as he acknowledged his presence. “Rise.” 

Sai swiftly stood up, silent and obedient, his expression betraying no hint of emotion. His Liege seemed to be pleased for some reason, nodding to himself as if satisfied. 

“R00281--” Danzo-sama began, authoritative and commanding. “--I’ll be assigning you to a covert mission. In the coming term, you’ll transfer to the Academy and spy on the Clan kids.”

Timeskip: Two Weeks Later…

Somewhere deep in the Land of Fire, just a few hours shy of midnight, Kakashi sat at a dimly lit bar, pondering over his next steps. It’s been quite a while since he requested an indefinite leave. And although he still accepted small missions, here and there, within the area, the silver-haired Jounin doubted the Sandaime, or the Advisors to be more specific, will allow his prolonged inactivity. 

Last he’d heard, there were murmurs and whispers questioning his allegiance, which was thankfully stomped down, rather brutally according to the rumors, by their Jounin Commander. Kakashi made a mental note to bring back some sake for the Nara Patriarch. Nonetheless, they’re bound to send someone soon to summon him back. 

Clink. Clang.

The wind chime rattled against the door, signalling the entry of someone new. When he caught a glimpse of the newcomer, Kakashi couldn’t help but snort in irony. 

Speak of the Devil.

Genma stood near the entrance, gaze roaming across the room. Gone were his uniform and signature Senbon, only to be replaced with a civilian outfit and a cigarette, appearing like any other bachelor looking for a drink. 

When one of the hostesses approached him, giggling seductively, Kakashi raised a hand out of pity, revealing his position. Genma immediately caught on, courteously prying off the woman’s hands in his arm, before walking towards him. If it was anyone else, they would’ve missed the pure relief from the Tokubetsu Jounin, but certainly not Kakashi. 

“Finally here to drag my ass back to Konoha?” Kakashi rhetorically preambled when Genma was in earshot.

“That, and Gai’s inviting everyone to a party to meet his Genin team.” Genma explained, sitting on the empty seat beside him as he gestured for a drink to the bartender. “Thanks for the save earlier.”

Humming noncommittally, Kakashi idly played with his half-filled glass and said, “So it’s that time of the year** again.”

“Yeah. And Gai’s been talking everyone’s ear off about how perfect his team was since he got them, which has been going on for almost a year***. You’re lucky you weren’t there in the first few months. Even Kurenai reached her breaking point–-” Kakashi snorted, mentally picturing their typically calm and patient colleague, “--and body-flickered away in mid-conversation.”

“If not even Kurenai can handle his excitement–-” Kakashi drawled, asking for another refill. “--what makes you think anyone would willingly attend such a party?”

The Bandana-wearing Jounin shrugged as he replied, “I, for one, ain’t saying no to free food and drinks. Plus-–” Genma grinned at him mischievously, “--with you there, as Gai’s eternal rival, everyone else will be free to enjoy the night in peace.”

Tempted to roll his eyes at his colleagues' childishness, Kakashi settled for eye-smiling at his companion in a challenge, causing Genma to narrow his eyes suspiciously, and they fell into a weird stare-off.

It was Genma who broke their silent contest first.

“Also, you might want to ask Gai how to handle a Genin team soon. You might have escaped this time because of your soul-searching journey, which we still have absolutely no idea how you managed to get the Sandaime to approve--” The Bandana-wearing Jounin grumbled mostly to himself, “–-but the next batch has an Uchiha. The Council ain’t gonna assign him to anyone but you.” 

Although Genma used the word ‘Council,’ both of them knew he was alluding to the Advisors. Kakashi let out a weary sigh, resigned. 

“If it makes you feel better--” The Silver-haired Jounin was honestly tempted to say ‘No,’ but opted to keep his mouth shut, allowing the other to continue. “--everyone from our generation is worried about being lumped with a Genin team next year due to the number of Clan kids graduating. Well, Anko’s an exception, of course, ’cause she’s more likely to traumatize the kids than teach them anything. Heard Asuma was coming up with ways to con his Old Man to skip him–-”

While Genma continued to chatter, an angry, feminine voice rang out, loudly demanding the waiter refill her drink before brusquely shooing away her persistent suitors. Kakashi, curious about the commotion, tilted his head slightly to get a better view. At the far end of the room, he spotted a busty, raven-haired woman scowling at every man who tried (keyword: tried) to approach her.

However, what truly caught his attention was the translucent figure of a long-haired man standing beside her, seemingly trying to gain her attention.

What?

Kakashi blinked, his sharp eye narrowing. There was only one man he knew with that distinct shade of pale blue hair — Dan Katō.

“Hey, Genma--” Kakashi interrupted, his gaze now fully locked on the strange figure next to the woman. “--do you see that man? The one standing next to the raven-haired woman who looks ready to bite someone’s head off?”

Genma squinted in the direction Kakashi indicated, his brows furrowing briefly before he leaned back, unconvinced. “What are you talking about, Kakashi? Nobody’s standing next to her. She’s clearly bad news. Looks like you’ve had one too many if you’re starting to see things.”

Ignoring the jab, Kakashi kept his gaze fixed on the strange figure for a few more seconds, before ultimately tearing his eyes away with a soft sigh. 

“You’re right,” The Silver-haired Jounin nonchalantly said, rising to his feet with practiced indifference. “Let’s go.”

[If Kakashi had used his awakened Sharingan, he would’ve realized that the lone, curvy raven-haired woman drowning herself in sake, the very same individual who’s the late Dan’s look-alike had been trying to talk to in no avail, was none other than Senju Tsunade in an advanced henge****.]

PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER

Shadows of Promises

Shikamaru inwardly cursed.

He’d been searching for hours now, and still, there’s not a single trace of a certain Uzumaki, not even a glimpse of the Blonde’s shadow or hide. Worst of all, no matter how much he racked his brain, Shikamaru just couldn’t figure out why Naruto started avoiding him.

Lost in his thoughts, Shikamaru absentmindedly bumped into someone, stumbling and barely catching himself, the (awfully) nostalgic whiff of cigarette filling his nostrils. 

“Sorry, I--“ 

And the rest of his words died on his lips the moment his eyes met the man before him. His vision blurred, the figure before him flickering as colors swirled and bled together, reshaping into a hauntingly familiar image—it was the very same man (Asuma-sensei), bloody and broken, in his final moments.

“Take care... of my King.”

The memory surged like a tidal wave, crushing his chest, flooding his lungs. And suddenly, Shikamaru couldn’t breathe.