It was only about 400 meters from the Hyūga residence to the Ninja Academy.
Though Konoha was vast, the outer districts were reserved for newer arrivals. The Hyūga, one of the early clans to settle, had been allocated in the central territory.
Deeper in lay the Uchiha and Senju districts.
Konoha didn't have modern vehicles, so the academy entrance wasn't clogged like a modern-day kindergarten in the city—no one blocking the street with cars.
Still, the modest academy gate was crowded—parents with their children lined up, filling out forms. Once done, parents left and the small "pods" of kids were led by teachers into neat formations.
They were waiting to hear the Hokage's opening speech.
With a city population of 200,000 and an approximate birthrate of 0.1%, around 2,000 children were born annually. But not all attended ninja academy.
Firstly, it wasn't free—tuition fees deterred nearly 70% of families.
Then: attending ninja academy didn't guarantee becoming a shinobi. Some parents didn't want that path for their children, knocking out another 10%.
Additionally, many clan families had their own internal academies. Sending kids to the Ninja Academy was more a formality—proof to the Hokage—than necessity. The Hyūga had followed this tradition.
So after filtering, only about 10% of the cohort remained—still a notable achievement tied to the Hokage's prestige.
"Once you arrive, make sure to get along with your classmates," Hyūga Miwa reminded, handing Yuuto's registration slip to the staff.
"Got it!" Yuuto replied, scanning the small crowd for familiar faces.
There were about 250 students—likely a post-war baby boom class. Familiar faces? One look at the corner of his eye.
They stood out: a father and son, both in tight green gear and cup-style bangs—like clones, hugging each other while crying.
"Papa, I'll do my best—let everyone see my ninja way!"
"Yes, son. I believe in you. Go and show them your youth!"
Yuuto turned away with a smirk.
Ah, so this was this cohort.
There were some big names: Asuma Sarutobi Hokage's son, Yūhi Kurenai, Ibiki Morino, Fū Yamanaka, Mizuki, Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Obito, Shizune, Uchiha Tetsuo—and even Mei Terumi, though she's from another village. Love knows no borders, right?
"Yuuto, look—someone's wearing sunglasses!" Shinta Shinrei tugged on Yuuto's arm, pointing.
Sunblock? No—those were goggles.
"And a ping-pong paddle emblem too."
"That's not sunglasses, that's protective goggles!" Yuuto corrected, turning—he wasn't interested in shinobi who hid behind fashion. He had better things to do—like meet Kurenai.
Yūhi Kurenai! He spotted her right away—tall and handsome, Shinku Yūhi; at her side, little Yūhi Kurenai, black hair and red eyes, looking adorably clueless.
He blinked.
"Was she always this cute?"
Nothing creepy—just a kid who preferred girls' company over boys.
(Translator: Should the ref give him a warning or straight for the yellow card?)
In elementary school, that was usually ruined socially. But Yuuto had been reborn—he didn't care.
"Bro," he said to Shinta, grabbing his wrist. "Our friendship? On hold for now."
"Huh?" Shinta looked puzzled.
"Pro-tip: start a school romance early. Once you graduate, finding a 'little sister' becomes ten times harder."
Shinta mumbled, "Uh…"
With that, Yuuto darted into the school after Kurenai. Miwa had just finished submitting his form; typically that would've violated regulations, but seeing his Byakugan told the ninja guards all they needed—no need to stop him.
Yuuto sprinted, taking three strides at a time, catching up to a little girl heading in.
"Kurenai!" he called out.
"Hm?" She turned in surprise as the unfamiliar boy grabbed her hand.
He grinned.
"I'm Yuuto—we're in the same class!"
"Oh, really?" She blinked, drawing her hand back.
"How did you know my name?"
"I saw your registration slip!" He beamed. "Red eyes and white eyes—classic combo. Want to be my girlfriend?"
Straight to the point. Fast and effective. Even rap battlers and school toughs used this approach.
Of course, there were other methods—respect, support, thoughtfulness. But Yuuto wasn't a whipped puppy.
Looks could be deceiving—maybe Kurenai didn't like that. He noticed Asuma wasn't a pushover either.
Kurenai's eyes widened: "But…but…uh…"
She thought it over—girlfriend? Maybe it wasn't so bad. "Dad said to make lots of classmates." Wasn't this just making a friend?
She didn't understand the nuance between "friend" and "girlfriend," but that'd come in time. For now, she was fine.
A chunin instructor approached and asked, "What are your names?"
The two were striking—white eyes and red eyes.
"Hyūga Yuuto!"
"Yūhi Kurenai!"
"Ah, come with me—so you two are on my roster." He smiled. Big family politics were a no-go—just do your job.
(Don't ask me I don't know what he meant by that.)
"Okay!" They echoed.
Outside the gate, as he waved goodbye to Kurenai, Shinku Yūhi met a senior shinobi.
"Kakashi's at school age already?"
"Yes!" Shinku smiled kindly. Who'd suspect this gentle youth would be a ruthless killer on the battlefield.
"Where's your daughter?"
"She's inside!" He glanced back, but his smile froze.
That rascal Hyūga boy—why was he holding her hand?!
"Hey, kid. Let go—now!"