I get up early in the morning.
Go to the toilet.
Brush my teeth. Take a shower.
Bring out a fresh set of clothes.
I see Haku tending to the chicken while walking into the dining.
Breakfast is served.
Haku and Jabuja sit.
"Ittadakumas", and we eat.
"Dressed to impress?", Jabuja asks.
I look at Haku, he is ....wearing a Yukata.
"It seems I'm not the only one with an exam today", I say while pointing to my chopsticks.
"Thanks for lending it to me", he says.
"It's okay...she never wore it anyway", I say dismissively. Itachi nee 's Yukata. Mom made it for her during the festival.
"Finally decided to join the academy", Jabuja scoffs.
I nod.
"All is good on your end? Is there any word from the mist?" I ask.
"Yeah...like I would tell you!", Jabuja says.
"Woo....I thought my compound was the embassywhatever", I shrug.
"Lady Mei is sending exchange students to Konoha", Says Haku. Oh...so that's why.
"And establish the Yuki clan as a recognised clan in the Konoha", he adds.
"We still considering it", Jabuja has a sharp tone.
"Oh...I thought you wanted peace with Konoha" Haku is calm, but there is ...anger.
"Yeah.. by selling you out to the grasshoppers", Jabuja slams the table.
"It's the only way the mist will accept someone that killed their kage, and if your name isn't cleared, this whole thing falls apart", Haku says calmly.
So this is how it feels like to be the 3rd wheel.
Jabuja looks at me.
"Oh come on. It's Haku's decision if he wants to get married, have kids and live a good life in a shinobi village. Or, do the same thing somewhere else", I shrug.
Jabuja holds down his head.
"What did I get myself into?" he laments.
I get up and walk out.
Now that's a way to start a morning.
It seems peace with the hidden mist is on the horizon.
I reach Ichiraku.
See Naruto wolfing down ramen.
"Oi!", I call.
"Just lemme finish my meal", he says.
He backflips by me.
"Ready for the big day?".
"Ready as I will ever be", he says while pumping his fist.
Then I reach Sakura's house.
"Sakuraaaaaa...Chaaaaaaan!" me and Naruto call at the top of my lungs.
Sakura peeks through the little window from the 2nd floor.
"Hei boys .....just a minute ", she waves and gets back in.
The door opens.
The humongous black Anbu guy wearing a pink apron is glaring at us.
"Edo san!', I bow slightly.
His eyes are sharp and deadly.
"Look after her", he orders.
"Yes, sir", me and Naruto Say in unison.
"Oh. Eddi, move ...", Sakura is here.
The big guy moves away. Fixes Sakura's hair and pin. Kisses her on the forehead.
"Be safe", he says.
"Yes, Eddi!", she jumps as she says.
That....looked odd. Feels nostalgic. Mom used to kiss me when .....well...
"What? You boys want to kiss, too?" she asks.
We shake ouheadsad. No thanks.
"Then let go", she runs past us.
It's refreshing to see someone more excited than Naruto.
We make our way to the academy building.
The rustle and bustle.
Meet up with some old "accomplices".
Glare at some old bullies whose limbs I broke.
Then we make our way to the 3rd floor.
And there is the village guard duo, whose names are really hard to remember.
Look at those adults, taunting random kids.
Is that part of the the test?
My gang just slips past the duo.
"Hei, where do you think you're going?", they scream in unison.
"Oh, I thought the exam was on the 3rd floor", I say.
"Yeah, but this is the 2nd floor. So, Scram!" the one with the bandages says.
"Eeee? Really? I thought I counted correctly. Right Sakura Chan?" I muse.
"Hai", then she puts a finger on her chin." Maybe someone is playing pranks on the examinees ", she adds.
"Woo, that's despicable ", Naruto says ." Not even I would do something so bad!".
The twin glares at us.
"Look this isn't a prank. Just admit that you guys are braindead and go upstairs!" the other guy replies. We ignore them.
"Yeah, that's outrageous. Who would do such a dumb and selfish act?" I say with a sigh." would you mind clearing this out?".
"With pleasure", Naruto clasps his hand. Rattles the humongous amount of chakra he has.
A burst of the shock wave outright dispels all the genjutsu in the floor, the windows and the balconies, including the twin's transformation jutsu.
All other participants gawk at the jutsu Naruto pulled.
"Hei, you!", I hear an unusually excited voice.
Lee Senpai is looking this way.
"Seeeeennnpaaaaiii!", I yeet myself at him.
He stops me by the face. Those hard palms make my forehead bleed.
"As happy as I am to see you participating, Kohai Kun, I am now your adversary. And I shall yuthfully treat you as such!", he says with a "humph".
"Hei, bushy brows!" Naruto says with a wry smile. He has his eyes on Senpai's hands. That's my senpai for ya. The epitome of training.
"Naruto kun. It's nice to see you", Lee senpai greets.
"And who that beautiful lady might be?", Lee asks.
"Aah...konnochioa. My name is Sakura . I'm .....".
"She is our guardian angel", I finish.
Sakura blushes at my remark.
"Oh! That would be my honour to offer my youthful love to the angel. Please, will you go out on a date with me?", Lee senpai makes the move.
"Yeah! Senpai...way to go !", I scream.
I am cheering Senpa with my clan fans. Naruto is growling like a feral fox, and Sakura is blushing.
I can see the flying hearts all over the hallway.
They are....not attacking Sakura like we saw in the anime. Just hovering around. Now, that's odd.
"If ....if you make it chunin?!... Eddi won't let me marry anyone below Jounin though....", she somehow blurts.
She ....looked awfully cute. Even Naruto is blushing. Those flying hearts turned around and Hit Lee Senpai right in the stomach. Beating the air out of him and knocking him unconscious.
"For love, he died" I clasp my hand and pray for the passing of his soul.
"I ain't dead! My youthful Kohai!" Lee Senpai jumps back up.
"I will become Chunin! And I will win Sakura Chan's heart", he says with determination.
"Over my dead body. I won't let some tights-wearing bushy brows weird guy date Sakura Chan", Naruto screamed at last.
"Oh my! Who are you to speak for her?" Lee Senpai has raised eyebrows.
"I'm her brother. Naruto Uzumaki, I will be Hokage by the time you make it chunin! Believe it!", Naruto points his finger.
"Oh...then you must be very strong to make such a bold claim. Have the backbone to back it up?", Senpai taunts Naruto.
"Wanna go outside and find out?" Naruto is visibly angry.
I creep behind Sakura. Get close to her ear.
"Two boys are fighting over me. Oh no! What do I do? I like them both. So, I don't want them to fight...but I can't date Naruto. He is my brother; he will hate me if I date Lee ", I whisper in her ear as I wiggle like a snake.
I see Sakura blushing furiously. Her locks hid her face.
I open my mouth for another dose.
Someone kicks my head away as I fly and hit the walls hard.
Ino comes and covers Sakura's ears.
She looks at me like I'm the worst kind of bug and snarls.
"Get your dirty hands off my girl", she orders.
I take a second to get my bearings.
"Ino chaann!".
"Sakura chaan!".
They hug.
Unlike the canon, they are still friends. Best of friends it seems.
I see the whole gang is here.
The top 9 and the senior 3.
Naruto, in the meantime, decided to make up and postpone the fight.
They greet each other while I remain flat on the floor.
Nobody came to pick me up, while I emotionally bleed away.
I look at Kiba's dog. Looks delicious, to be honest.
Ate one of those wild dogs once. Those Inozuka bastards chased me for 3 days. It was a feral dog, for god's sake.
"Need a hand?", I look at the voice.
Kabuto, with his roundass glass and smile, offers me a hand.
"I will take it", that's a promise.
I get up.
"Sasuke Uchiha!" he greets with a smile.
"Kabuto", I say while having a handshake.
"Oh! Do we know each other? ", he asks.
"No, but it's just that I happened to know everything about participants, at least from my own village. One of them in particular failed 6 times", I say.
Kabuto's smile vanished for a second.
Two medic ninjas are staring down at point-blank range.
One move and one is dead. The air gets heavier by the milliseconds. But, not now....not when I want the bigger game.
"7th times the charm, right?", I say to break the tension.
"Yeah...7th times the charm", his smile is back.
And we let go.
"Will be seeing ya!", he gives a slight salute.
"Will do, boss!" I give a slight salute, too.
And he walks away. Didn't introduce himself to Naruto, or anyone in particular. Just walks away.
I guess, he has his assessment of me.
I couldn't help but laugh. Did I scare him? Did I make him wary of me?
Doesn't matter.
"What are you smiling about?", Naruto asks.
"Nothing", I reply.
A chunin comes in and orders us to go into the gallery.
"Oi Naruto", I call.
"Yeah?", he asks.
"You got my back, right?" I ask.
"What? You nervous or something?" he asks with a chuckle.
It's too late for second thoughts now.
"No", I reply.
"Then get your ass movin' ", Naruto huffs and slaps my back.
"Come on, Sasuke Kun", Sakura rubbed on the spot Ino kicked me. Not a scratch there though.
Sakura and Naruto are at the front, and I follow.
The exams start.