"I have to be in the same class as Ying! I have to be in the same class as Ying!" Ino chanted, hands clasped together, a pious look on her face, inside the Ninja Academy classroom.
"You're being so dramatic, Ino," Sakura said. Perhaps realizing they wouldn't see each other as often after being assigned to different teams, she was unusually agreeable with Ino today.
"Not dramatic at all! What if, by some chance, Ying isn't in my Genin team? Some other girl might snatch him up!" Ino had heard from her mother that many ninja couples started their relationships as Genin teammates.
"Oh, really?" Sakura glanced at Uchiha Ying, who was sitting next to Hinata in the back row. Come to think of it… Hinata probably liked Ying just as much as Ino did.
"Sakura, look!"
*Smack!*
While Ino and Sakura chatted idly, waiting for their Jonin instructor to arrive, an unexpected commotion erupted in the classroom.
Naruto, unable to stand Sasuke's aloof, arrogant demeanor, jumped onto his desk and started glaring at him. Unexpectedly, a classmate in front of them bumped Naruto, causing the two to accidentally kiss.
And it was quite… a long one.
"Ah! Naruto, how dare you do that to Sasuke!" The classroom exploded as the girls who had crushes on Sasuke began to berate Naruto.
"Oh, so… so Sasuke-kun likes Naruto-kun," Hinata, the little fangirl sitting beside Uchiha Ying, mumbled, covering her face with her hands shyly.
"Perhaps this is fate," Uchiha Ying mused. He hadn't expected Naruto and Sasuke's first kiss to happen like this.
"Quiet down!" Iruka finally entered the classroom, silencing the chaos. "From now on, you will be formed into three-person Genin teams, each led by a Jonin instructor to carry out missions…"
After calming the class, Iruka began to read out the team assignments.
"…Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto!"
*Two dead weights,* Sasuke thought to himself upon hearing the team assignments.
*Yes! I'm actually on Sasuke's team! But that annoying Naruto is there too… and could Sasuke actually like Naruto?* Sakura shuddered, recalling Sasuke's coldness towards her and the other girls, and how he'd been walking home with Naruto lately. *No, no, that's impossible!*
"Of all people, it had to be that Sasuke. I wish I were on Ying's team," Naruto grumbled.
"Hmph, Ying is going to be on *my* team!" *That Naruto can go bother Sasuke; he'd better stay away from my Ying!* Ino pumped her fist. Sakura had gotten her wish, so she…
"Team 8: Uchiha Ying, Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata… Team 10: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji."
"Oh… how could this…" Ino was instantly deflated.
*I… I'm on the same team as Ying!?* Hinata was both shy and excited after hearing the assignments.
*Did I somehow displace Kiba?* Ying thought. *But being with Hinata isn't bad, and Shino is a solid teammate too.* Uchiha Ying was a little surprised by the team arrangements but readily accepted them.
"Uchiha Ying… seems like a capable guy," Shino muttered, staring thoughtfully at the insects in his hand.
"It seems I have three promising students." Unlike a certain tardy ninja, Kurenai Yuhi was the first to arrive and collect her team. Looking at the three young ninja before her, she, who had initially been somewhat unenthusiastic about becoming a Jonin instructor, now felt a spark of anticipation.
An Uchiha, a Hyuga, and an Aburame specializing in secret techniques. If she could successfully train them, their future would be extraordinary.
And from a purely aesthetic standpoint, all three were her type, especially Uchiha Ying… the Uchiha clan really did produce handsome boys. Kurenai had a very favorable first impression of her three students.
"You're very beautiful, Sensei," Uchiha Ying said, also observing his new teacher. *Those bandages are impressive… no, I mean, she's so fair-skinned…* Though not as well-endowed as Tsunade or a mature Hinata, Kurenai's figure was certainly noteworthy. Skin like snow, long, flowing hair, a tall figure, and a mature, feminine voice—yes, she was a classic older-sister type.
"Thank you." *What a polite Uchiha. It seems this handsome young man is very good at communicating.* Kurenai glanced at Hinata and Shino, immediately recognizing their shy and reserved natures.
"Now, we'll begin a survival exercise. Whoever can grab a bell from me gets a reward."
*Jingle, jingle.* Kurenai dangled the two small silver bells, smiling at her three students. Although she didn't intend to eliminate anyone, as their teacher, she needed to assess their abilities.
Panting after the survival exercise, Uchiha Ying finally obtained what he wanted. Unfortunately, he only received chakra fragments from Hinata and Shino, not Kurenai. It seemed that not only had he held back, but his teacher hadn't gone all out either.
Also, Hinata seemed… like she was hiding something. She kept her legs pressed together and excused herself to go home immediately after the exercise. He had wanted to chat with Hinata a little longer…
"Alright, as the only one who touched a bell, I'll give you your reward as promised." After seeing Hinata and Shino off, Kurenai called out to Uchiha Ying, who was about to leave, a smile on her face.
Although he hadn't yet awakened the legendary Sharingan, this young Uchiha's strength could be considered top-tier among this year's Genin. Flawless Substitution Jutsu, proficient and powerful Great Fireball Jutsu, and even the Shadow Clone Jutsu… While Hinata and Shino had also performed well, they were overshadowed by Uchiha Ying's brilliance.
No wonder teachers favored talented students. Kurenai realized that on her very first day as an instructor, she might already be showing favoritism.
"What reward?" Disappointed that he hadn't gotten Kurenai's chakra fragment after all that effort, Uchiha Ying only mustered a little interest at the mention of a reward.
"What do you like?" Neatly cut hair, clear eyes—the boy's every smile seemed to carry a strange allure. Kurenai, looking at Uchiha Ying again, felt a playful urge to tease him.
"There are many things I like…" Speaking of likes, Uchiha Ying subconsciously thought of Tsunade and Hinata's ample bosoms.
"What do you like *most*?"
"Bigger is better, of course, but small ones are cute too," Uchiha Ying said, glancing at his bandage-clad teacher. Well, this above-average size seemed pretty good too.
"What's big and small?" Despite being in her twenties, Kurenai was rather innocent and naturally, didn't understand what Uchiha Ying meant.
"Do you mean powerful jutsu?"
"Hmm… something like that." Large breasts *were* indeed a force to be reckoned with.
"Unfortunately, I don't know any jutsu like that. Oh well, consider this your reward." Stepping closer, almost face to face with Uchiha Ying, Kurenai gave him his reward: a light kiss on his forehead.
"Sorry, you're just so cute, I couldn't resist."
"Oh." *Damn it, why isn't this kid blushing? This is a kiss from an older woman!* Kurenai felt a little defeated by Uchiha Ying's indifferent expression.
"Here, take this. Study it well and don't disappoint my expectations of you." Flustered after her failed attempt at teasing, Kurenai hastily tossed Uchiha Ying a jutsu scroll and disappeared with a Body Flicker.