---
Naruto POV:
The first rays of sunlight hadn't even kissed the rooftops yet when my eyes snapped open.
For a second, I just lay there—listening. The house creaked softly as it always did, the faint chirp of early birds outside. Nothing out of place.
Except…
'Still quiet, huh?' I thought, shifting onto my side.
The corner of my mind that usually pulsed with faint, constant energy was… muted.
Auravell—Bura—was still asleep.
Or drained. Same difference, I guess.
Ever since I let her real name slip during training yesterday… she'd gone unnervingly silent. Not gone, not absent. I could still feel her there. But faint. Like a candle struggling against the wind.
Kurama stirred lazily in the background, his voice a low, rumbling drawl. "You getting sentimental over that little shade again?"
I rolled onto my back, rubbing a hand over my face. "Says the fox who hasn't shut up about her being quiet."
"Her constant whining is irritating, sure. But the silence? It's worse."
I snorted quietly, sitting up. My room was still a cluttered mess of blueprints, wires, spare kunai, and half-finished gadgets. Organized chaos—just how I liked it.
But today wasn't a day for tinkering. Today was…
A test.
Not some kiddie Genin evaluation with henge and haphazard shuriken throws. This was Kakashi Hatake's test. Elite Jōnin. Copy Ninja. One of the best Konoha had to offer.
I wasn't arrogant enough to think I could stomp him. But I wasn't dumb enough to underestimate him either.
Pushing off the bed, I moved through my usual motions. Stretch, light warm-up, breathing steady. The familiar weight of my gear settled into place piece by piece.
Kunai pouch—check.
Smoke bombs—check.
Concealed wire, caltrops, flash seals tucked neatly along my belt—check.
Sword strapped to my back, hidden seal along the hilt humming faintly—check.
I paused, fingers ghosting over the hilt.
Kakashi wasn't going to hold back. He'd seen the reports. Felt my chakra. Hiruzen probably whispered warnings in his ear already.
So… play dumb. Not weak—never weak—but measured. Let him think I'm just another overachieving brat with flashy toys. Let him lower his guard.
Then…?
"Then you remind him why the fox sleeps in your head," Kurama offered, teeth glinting faintly in my mind.
I smirked faintly, padding toward the kitchen.
Breakfast was quick. Plain rice, eggs, a bit of fruit. Efficient. No ramen this time—today needed clarity, not a food coma.
The house was quiet as I ate. Familiar walls, old photos still tucked away in corners, remnants of the Namikaze name I never quite claimed.
Funny… Back home, this would've been the point where I was fumbling for instant noodles, running late, and pretending not to care.
Now? Now I was sharper. Calmer. Different.
Not entirely Naruto. Not entirely… whoever I used to be.
But enough of both to be dangerous.
I rinsed the plate, grabbed my jacket, and headed for the door.
The morning air hit cool and crisp. The village was barely stirring—market stalls unopened, streets mostly empty.
I adjusted the sword across my back, flexing my fingers.
Kakashi wanted a game?
Good.
I planned on playing to win.
---
Third POV:
The morning mist still clung low over the training grounds as Team Seven approached, their footsteps quiet against the dew-damp grass.
Training Grounds 87 looked the same as yesterday—sprawling, uneven terrain, clusters of trees, tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. Familiar. Predictable.
But the air? The air felt different.
Sasuke's sharp eyes scanned the perimeter, the faintest crease between her brows. Her steps were confident but cautious, the usual scowl tugging at her lips.
Beside her, Hinata moved in near silence, pale eyes active with the Byakugan's faint glow for brief flickers as she swept the area. Calm, quiet… but focused. The reserved uncertainty she'd carried at the Academy? Gone.
And Naruto…
The boy walked a step ahead of them, loose and casual, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, an easy smirk curling his lips. But beneath the surface—under the lazy posture and cocky grin—the tension sat coiled. His eyes, sharp and aware, didn't miss a thing.
The preparations last night, the hidden blades, the subtle seals along his belt… everything was in place.
Kakashi Hatake was late.
Of course he was.
Minutes passed. The breeze stirred. The girls exchanged a glance, Sasuke's frown deepening.
Then—
A faint poof of smoke by the treeline.
Kakashi materialized casually, a little orange book balanced in one hand, the other buried in his pocket. His head tilted as he regarded them, visible eye crinkled in a faint smile that didn't quite reach his expression.
"Ah, good, you're all early," he drawled, flipping a page. "Very promising."
Sasuke scowled. "You're late."
"Mm. Traffic," Kakashi replied smoothly, flipping another page, completely ignoring the empty streets and silent village behind him.
Naruto snorted softly, rocking back on his heels. "Nice of you to finally join us, cyclops."
Kakashi's lone eye flicked to Naruto briefly. Sharp. Measuring.
Hinata offered a polite nod. "Good morning… sensei."
Kakashi shut the book with a faint snap, slipping it into his pocket. His posture remained loose—shoulders relaxed, weight uneven, almost bored—but the atmosphere shifted.
It was subtle. No killing intent, no outward aggression. But the air pressed heavier.
The mask of laziness cracked, just a little. Enough for trained eyes to see it for what it was.
This wasn't a glorified schoolyard spar.
"Alright, my cute little Genin," Kakashi began lightly, though the weight behind his words anchored the air. "Normally, I run a simple pass-fail test. Grab the bells, show me you're not completely useless. That sort of thing."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed faintly. Hinata straightened slightly. Naruto's smirk deepened—measured, controlled.
"But… given your… unique circumstances," Kakashi continued, that lone eye lingering for a second too long on Naruto, "we're doing things a little differently."
He stepped forward, gesturing vaguely to the forest beyond.
"Your assessment starts now. Multi-stage. Tracking. Infiltration. Deception. Combat." His eye curved in a crescent of faint amusement. "The works."
No exaggerated rules. No jokes about skipping breakfast. Just… the test.
Kakashi let that sink in, watching their reactions.
Hinata's expression didn't shift—focused, quiet determination settling over her.
Sasuke's scowl deepened, but her jaw tightened in understanding.
And Naruto?
Still smirking. Still casual. But beneath that? Calculating. Ready.
Kakashi noticed. Of course he did.
"This isn't a game," Kakashi added simply. "This is a shinobi trial." His gaze swept over them, settling last on Naruto. "Survive it, impress me… and maybe we'll call you a team."
Silence.
The wind rustled through the leaves.
Naruto stretched his arms behind his head, tilting his head lazily to the side. "Tch… dramatic much, sensei?"
But his eyes told a different story.
Kakashi's hidden smile returned faintly.
Let's see what you've got, he thought.
"Begin."
---
Naruto POV:
Tracking a jōnin wasn't supposed to be this easy.
Which, obviously, meant it wasn't.
We moved through the forest like shadows, the faint rustle of leaves and the soft thud of our footfalls barely whispering against the morning air.
Sasuke was to my right, gliding along with that usual 'too-serious' frown stitched onto her face, eyes sharp and scanning. Hinata mirrored her on my left, Byakugan pulsing faintly to life every few seconds as she swept the area.
Me? I looked like I was barely trying.
Hands in my pockets, half-lidded eyes, casual stroll. Real convincing.
Kurama's voice rumbled from the corner of my mind, amusement curling through every syllable. "You playing toddler or genius today, brat?"
'Why not both?' I shot back, letting my smirk curl a little wider.
Because this? This wasn't some genin field trip. This was a chess match.
And the first move? Kakashi's.
We'd found his trail within minutes—obvious scuffs on the dirt path, faint impressions of chakra lingering along broken branches. Almost… too obvious.
"Northwest, fifty meters," Hinata whispered softly, eyes narrowing. "He's… fast."
"Sloppy for an elite," Sasuke muttered, crouching low near the base of a tree. Her hand ghosted over the ground, tracing a faint disturbance in the soil. "He's leading us."
Obviously.
But we followed anyway.
I let my fingers brush the cool steel hilt of Burakkumūn, the blade tucked neatly along my back. The weight was familiar. Comforting. My other hand dipped briefly into a seal pouch, fingers ghosting over the tags inside. Prepped.
"Alright," I yawned dramatically, glancing at the girls. "Shall we let him keep playing babysitter, or…?"
Hinata's eyes flicked toward me, unreadable. Sasuke rolled her eyes.
Still, they followed when I adjusted course.
It didn't take long to spot him.
Perched in the branches ahead, book in hand, that stupid orange cover practically glowing against the green leaves.
Kakashi Hatake. Reading. Relaxed. Bored.
Way too easy.
"Amateur," Sasuke muttered, already palming a kunai.
"Don't," I warned under my breath, eyes narrowing. "It's bait."
Hinata's Byakugan pulsed faintly again, her head tilting. "…Clone."
'Smart girl,' Kurama snorted.
I pressed my palm against a nearby trunk, subtle chakra pulse sliding under the bark—scanning.
The whole area hummed faintly. Chakra threads. Woven expertly. Hidden seals beneath the soil. Layered traps.
Classic Hatake.
"You two circle wide. Quiet," I ordered softly, slipping a pair of smoke bombs into my palm. "I'll poke the hornet's nest."
Sasuke didn't argue, melting into the underbrush. Hinata vanished beside her, eyes still faintly glowing.
I approached casually, fingers twitching with suppressed chakra as I primed the seals.
The fake Kakashi didn't even glance down as I approached.
"Yo," I greeted lazily.
Nothing.
I stepped forward, tossing a small pebble toward him. It clipped through his knee.
Illusion.
'Layer one,' I noted.
I triggered the first smoke bomb, dense clouds spiraling upward, masking my movements as I darted left, skimming low to the ground. A thin tripwire nearly caught my ankle—snapped it with a kunai, kept moving.
The clone's chakra flickered—layer two. It dispersed into mist.
That's when the real trap sprung.
Hidden tags along the forest floor ignited in a flash of light, chains of faint lightning crackling out, wrapping toward me—fast, silent, brutal.
But not fast enough.
My fingers snapped through hand seals, palm slapping the ground as a barrier seal flared to life beneath me. The lightning hit the dome, harmless sparks scattering across the forest floor.
'Layer three,' I thought, faint grin curling wider.
Kakashi was good. Subtle. Smart. Predictable, if you looked deep enough.
The smoke cleared. Sasuke and Hinata emerged from the treeline, both of them sharp-eyed, ready.
"The clone's gone," Hinata reported quietly.
"Traps are everywhere," Sasuke added, eyes flicking over the faint scorch marks along the grass. "But no real target."
I straightened, brushing dirt off my jacket. "He's not gonna make it that easy."
Kurama chuckled faintly in my head. "He's playing teacher. You're playing predator. Wonder which of you snaps first."
I rolled my shoulders, fingers brushing Burakkumūn's hilt again. The real game started now.
"Eyes sharp, team," I called softly, grin still lingering as I stepped ahead. "Kakashi-sensei's just getting warmed up."
And so was I.
---
The clearing held a strange quiet as Kakashi Hatake closed his book with a soft snap. The faint breeze stirred the leaves, but beneath it… tension.
Not childish nerves. Not Genin test jitters.
Something heavier.
Kakashi's visible eye swept over the three figures before him — Sasuke, sharp and tense; Hinata, quiet but steady; and Naruto… unreadable.
Not the grinning, impulsive loudmouth some might've expected.
Naruto stood still. Relaxed, but not sloppy. His eyes tracked everything — the subtle twitch of Kakashi's wrist, the shift of his stance, even the faintest pull of the wind through the grass.
Measured. Watchful.
Kakashi made his move.
It wasn't flashy. No dramatic declaration. Just controlled motion — feet whispering over the dirt, hand dipping toward his pouch. The kind of start only an experienced operative could pull off.
Sasuke reacted first.
Her kunai hissed through the air as she darted forward, crimson Sharingan spinning to life. Her form was decent — not perfect — but she compensated with raw focus.
Kakashi deflected with casual ease. His own kunai met hers, the faint clang of metal sharp in the quiet.
"Better," Kakashi remarked mildly, slipping past her next strike like smoke. "But you're leading with emotion."
Sasuke's scowl deepened, her blade angling tighter, but Kakashi was already gone — repositioning, minimal effort.
Hinata flowed into the space she left.
Her approach was quieter, subtle. A faint glow of chakra at her palms, steps placed with deliberate precision. Still a hint of hesitation… but underneath it? A dangerous edge of control.
Kakashi let his eyes flick toward her, noting the Byakugan's faint pulse beneath her lashes.
The Hyuga heiress struck — quick, clean. Aiming for his ribs.
Kakashi shifted effortlessly, wrist catching hers mid-strike, twisting — not harshly, but enough to redirect. Hinata rolled with the motion, grounded herself, reset.
Kakashi hummed. "Steadier than expected."
Through it all… Naruto remained still.
Not disengaged. Not nervous.
Calculating.
The faintest tap of his thumb along the hilt of his blade. Eyes unmoving, but tracking every step.
Kakashi noticed.
The boy didn't posture. Didn't fidget. His chakra… low, tight, controlled beneath the surface.
Not Genin level. Not even close.
Kurama's voice stirred faintly in Naruto's mind, dry as sandpaper. "How long you planning to spectate, little strategist?"
'When I see an opening.'
"Hn. Smart for once."
The next exchange unfolded — Sasuke pressing, Sharingan locked onto every flicker of movement. Hinata following, spacing clean, pressure coordinated.
Naruto… waited.
Kakashi finally addressed him, voice deceptively light. "You planning to stand there all day, Uzumaki? Or are you part of this exercise?"
Naruto's response was dry, flat. "Watching your habits. Easier before you start trying."
Kakashi's lone eye narrowed faintly. Beneath the sarcasm? Pure analysis.
A quiet, dangerous kind of patience.
"Mm. Fair."
The next moment, Naruto moved.
No flashy burst of chakra. No reckless dash. Just… presence folding into the fight — a seamless step forward, his weight low, footing clean.
The faintest shimmer of a seal pulsed beneath the dirt near Kakashi's feet. Placed earlier. Quiet. Subtle.
Burakkumūn slipped free with a muted hiss of steel, the black blade angled low, unthreatening… but ready.
Hinata and Sasuke adapted — their rhythm shifting as Naruto entered the space.
The test? Different now.
Kakashi adjusted.
Their first exchange came fast.
Steel met steel with a faint clash — controlled, efficient. Naruto's blade wasn't aggressive. It probed. Tested. Every angle clean, every movement layered with restraint.
Kakashi parried, eyes narrowing faintly.
The suppression seal flared beneath his foot — chakra dampening for the briefest second.
"Mm." Kakashi's brow rose slightly, impressed despite himself. "Subtle."
Naruto's face didn't change. "Supposed to be."
Their blades slid apart, angles shifting.
For the first time — real engagement.
Misdirection laced the fight. Naruto's footwork read terrain instinctively — spacing his allies, avoiding telegraphed movement. His traps layered the battlefield already — some sprung, some lying in wait.
Sasuke's strikes cut in — sharper now, Sharingan adapting.
Hinata flanked — quieter, but her timing no longer hesitant.
They weren't flawless. But they weren't children either.
Kakashi pushed.
Veteran technique flooded his stance. Pressure increased — enough to test, not overwhelm. He exploited tiny gaps. Forced reactions. Checked their limits.
And Naruto?
Steady. Calculated.
He absorbed the pattern. Saw the feints. Adjusted.
His blade met Kakashi's again — controlled. Pressure matching, never overextending.
Jonin-tier instincts, Kakashi noted silently. Not raw power. Discipline. Tactics.
For a heartbeat, it wasn't a test. It was chess.
Kakashi leaned forward, increasing speed — eyes sharp beneath the mask.
Naruto didn't flinch.
Seal lines pulsed faintly across his gloves — defensive arrays, minute chakra pulses cushioning angles. His foot slid across faint tripwire — set hours prior. A step backward repositioned him cleanly.
Minimal waste. Maximum effect.
Kakashi's smile, hidden beneath the mask, grew faint. "Not bad."
Naruto's reply was deadpan. "I'd hope so."
Sasuke and Hinata regrouped — adjusting to the flow, spacing tightening around Naruto's lead.
Kakashi disengaged cleanly, hands sliding back into his pockets.
"That'll do."
The clearing stilled.
No panting. No exhaustion.
Sasuke scowled faintly but straightened. Hinata steadied her stance, expression calm.
Naruto… exhaled. Controlled. Collected. His grip on Burakkumūn relaxed, blade lowered, eyes cool and unreadable.
For the first time that day — Kakashi's evaluation truly shifted.
Low to mid-jonin, easy. And experienced beyond his age.
More than that… dangerous in how quiet it all was.
"Hydrate," Kakashi instructed lightly. "We'll debrief in twenty."
With a faint flicker of movement, he vanished.
The forest fell still.
Sasuke ran a hand through her dark hair. "Still think you could've joined sooner," she muttered.
Naruto's lips curled faintly. "Would've been a waste of energy."
Hinata tilted her head, a ghost of a smile appearing. "But effective, in the end."
Naruto sheathed his blade. "That's the point."
As the tension bled from the clearing, Naruto allowed his gaze to drift up — sun filtering through the trees, warm breeze curling across the grass.
A test, yes. But not for kids. Not today.
Different world. Different stakes.
But for the first time…
His footing felt solid.
---
Naruto POV
We regrouped under the shade of an old tree near the training ground's edge, the faint rustle of leaves masking the sound of shallow breathing and shifting fabric.
Sasuke flopped down first, dropping onto the grass with the subtle grace of someone trying not to show how winded they were. Her Sharingan had faded, but the faint flush along her jaw betrayed how much the fight rattled her pride.
Hinata settled beside her, quiet as ever, posture calm… but I could see it—the slight tension in her shoulders, the reflection in her pale eyes. She was already replaying every hesitation, every second too slow, every strike not taken.
Smart.
I stayed standing, wiping the faint sheen of sweat off my neck with the edge of my sleeve. Not that I was untouched—Kakashi wasn't the type to give breathing room—but my head was clearer than expected. Controlled.
The man in question appeared a heartbeat later, dropping from the treeline with his usual brand of lazy arrogance, orange book tucked away this time. His lone eye swept over us, sharp beneath the drooping eyelid.
"You're not dead," Kakashi remarked casually, hands in his pockets. "Promising start."
Sasuke muttered something under her breath that sounded vaguely murderous.
Hinata kept her silence. Observing.
I just stared at him, letting the quiet stretch.
Kakashi didn't mind. He let the seconds drag, likely measuring how we reacted to the lack of structure—another layer of the test.
Finally, he spoke.
"You passed."
Sasuke's eyes snapped up. "You're serious?"
"Would I joke about sending you back to the Academy?" His voice stayed dry, but the undertone was steady. "The old bell test was designed for… different teams. You aren't them."
Hinata's expression barely shifted, but relief flickered across her face, quickly tucked away.
I kept my stance loose, but my mind was already filing through everything.
Kakashi's patterns. His feints. Where his weight shifted under pressure.
Low-level details most wouldn't catch—but I wasn't 'most.'
Kurama's voice rumbled at the edges of my thoughts, low and amused. "How long you gonna keep playing possum, brat?"
'As long as it takes.'
"Could've pushed him harder."
'Could've shown my full hand. Not stupid.'
Kakashi kept his gaze on me for a fraction longer than the others, like he could almost guess the calculation running behind my eyes. But only almost.
He turned, walking toward the stump near the clearing, gesturing for us to follow.
"You've got raw talent," Kakashi began, the familiar flatness back in his voice. "But that's not enough."
His hand hovered near the faint groove in the wood, fingers tapping idly.
"Strength without control? Gets you killed." His eye flicked to Sasuke, who bristled but didn't interrupt. "Potential without discipline? Wastes itself." His gaze drifted to Hinata, who absorbed the words with quiet thoughtfulness.
Then, finally, his eye landed on me.
"Hidden cards are smart… to a point."
The weight of his stare lingered a little too long to ignore.
I didn't flinch. I didn't answer.
The ghost of a smile tugged under his mask—barely noticeable.
"Potential's dangerous," Kakashi said, the words quiet but pointed. "Misused… it's worse than weakness."
The silence after carried weight.
Sasuke scowled faintly but nodded, the beginnings of reluctant respect edging into her posture.
Hinata dipped her head, processing, thoughtful.
Me?
I filed it away, neat and clean. Another data point. Another reminder that Kakashi wasn't fooled—but he wasn't pushing yet, either.
The game wasn't over. Not even close.
Kurama chuckled faintly in the back of my mind. "You're cautious for a brat."
'I've seen where reckless gets you.'
Kakashi straightened, posture loose again, the tension of the moment bleeding away like it never existed.
"We'll meet for proper drills tomorrow," he said, tone light once more. "Rest. Eat something real." His eye narrowed faintly at me, almost teasing. "No instant ramen."
I deadpanned. "Heresy."
A faint snort from Sasuke. Hinata's lips twitched.
Kakashi gave a lazy wave, vanishing a moment later in a flicker of chakra.
The quiet returned.
Sasuke stood, brushing dirt off her pants. "I'm hitting the river. Need to clear my head."
Hinata lingered a moment longer, offering a soft, steady, "See you tomorrow," before slipping after her.
I waited until their footsteps faded, rolling my shoulders, the cool afternoon air sinking in.
The world felt… sharp again. Edges defined.
Test passed. Game set.
But the match?
Still ongoing.
And I wasn't done hiding my cards.
---
The front door clicked shut behind me, the echo settling into the quiet hum of the house.
I toed off my sandals, dropping my gear onto the low table in the living room, letting muscle memory take over as I moved through the space.
The house still felt… foreign, in ways. Too clean. Too intact. Shadows of a family that existed here—just not mine. Not really. But the walls were solid. The windows locked. The floor didn't creak under the weight of uncertainty.
For now… that was enough.
I sank onto the couch, exhaling slow, fingers ghosting over the scrolls and half-assembled gadgets I'd left from last night. Trap components. Seal arrays half-sketched. Fine-tuned triggers for smoke bombs.
Quiet work. Familiar.
Auravell's presence stirred faintly at the edges of my mind—soft, sluggish. Still tucked away.
Itched to check on her. Didn't.
'Rest is rest,' I reminded myself, thumb brushing along the edge of a tiny chakra sensor as I soldered a seal into place. 'Pushing her awake now would just—'
"You're getting sentimental again," Kurama drawled, voice curling through my head like smoke. "It's disgusting."
I snorted softly under my breath. "Didn't hear you complaining when she was useful."
"Tolerable is different from useful." He huffed, but there wasn't real venom behind it. "Besides… you're deflecting."
I didn't answer, slotting another wire into place, adjusting the tiny seal along its casing.
The fight with Kakashi… replayed itself neatly in my mind. Every movement, every deflection, the brief clash of steel, the measured control under pressure.
Could've done more. Should've done less, maybe. But… for once? I held my own.
Didn't burn through half my arsenal. Didn't flinch when the test shifted. Didn't fold under real pressure.
The old me… the one buried under timelines and regrets? He'd have cracked already.
Kurama's rumbling snort pulled me out of it. "You going to sit there all night patting yourself on the back, or actually get some rest?"
"Just making sure the tripwires for tomorrow don't backfire."
"Your paranoia's getting unhealthy."
"It's been unhealthy," I deadpanned.
Outside the window, Konoha buzzed faintly. Lanterns flickered along the streets. A distant laugh from a vendor. The same village… but the rules? Different now.
Back home—my old home—everything felt inevitable. Prophecy. War. Death neatly slotted on a schedule.
Here? Fluid. Messy. Cracked wide open with opportunity.
I wasn't about to waste it.
"Never again," I muttered under my breath, setting the finished device onto the pile with quiet finality.
A groan rattled through my head like a pebble thrown at glass.
"Ugh… stars… that name of mine really does hit like a chakra bomb, huh…"
The sluggish weight in my mind snapped awake.
Auravell.
Or Bura, as I'd lazily nicknamed her for weeks.
She stretched through my headspace like a cat arching its back, the usual silk-smooth voice returning with full force.
"Miss me already, sweetheart?"
Kurama groaned like he'd been stabbed. "Stars save me, she's talking again."
I rolled my eyes, leaning back into the couch, letting the quiet smirk slip through. "Took you long enough."
"Hey, using my real name burns energy, genius," she teased, the weight of her voice curling like warm honey in my skull. "You can't just whisper sweet nothings like 'Auravell' and expect me to be functional after."
Kurama rumbled low, unimpressed. "You weren't functional before."
"And yet I still make your life more interesting, fuzzball."
They bickered like background noise—familiar static in the quiet.
I tilted my head back, gaze drifting to the window again, watching the faint clouds shift across the rooftops.
Konoha hummed beneath me. New rules. New games. Same predators.
But this time?
I wasn't walking in blind.
Auravell's voice dipped, quieter now, but genuine beneath the usual flirt. "…You good, Naruto?"
My eyes stayed on the window, lips curling faintly.
"Yeah." I exhaled slow. "I'm good."
Kurama snorted like he didn't believe me.
Auravell hummed, pleased but unconvinced.
The quiet wrapped around the room again.
Tomorrow? Another game. Another test.
But tonight…
I let the quiet settle.
Just for a moment longer.
---
---
Author's Note:
Hey guys, I just want to say sorry for not uploading in a while. Honestly, I got sidetracked—been spending a lot of time talking to some girls and also got deep into binging Dexter. I didn't plan to take such a long break, but sometimes life just pulls you in different directions. Thanks so much for your patience and for sticking around. I really appreciate it, and I'm working on the next chapters now. Should be back on track soon!
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