"Oi, slow down or I'll drop the bento!"
Naruto jogged lightly behind Ino, balancing two boxes and a small thermos. She didn't turn, just tossed her hair with a grin.
"Should've woken up earlier, delivery boy!"
"It's your auntie's fault for making me eat two helpings of breakfast."
"My mom said you looked like a stick. I'm just doing my civic duty."
Naruto rolled his eyes but smiled. This had become their rhythm—banter, breakfast, delivery routes, and a lot of storytelling. Ino wouldn't let a single day pass without pestering him for the next part of "Luffy's stupid pirate journey."
They reached the academy gates together.
That's when the heads began to turn.
First Kiba. Then Sakura. Then everyone.
The laughter and morning chaos stopped mid-sentence.
Naruto walked into class not like a prankster or a clown—but like someone who belonged. His clothes were simple but clean: a navy-blue shirt rolled at the sleeves, dark pants, and a red swirl stitched at his back. His spiky blond hair now had streaks of deep red at the tips faint but striking in the sunlight.
He looked… cool.
Confident.
Different.
Sakura blinked in disbelief. "Wait… Naruto?"
Kiba muttered, "Did he… dye his hair?"
Hinata stared for a bit longer than the others, her cheeks tinting pink.
Naruto caught the reactions but didn't slow down. He handed the bento to Ino and greeted Iruka "Morning, sensei," then took his seat like it was just another day.
Ino sat beside him, casually flicking her ponytail over her shoulder. "Told you they'd freak out."
Naruto laughed. "You enjoy being right too much."
Sakura's voice cut through the awkward silence. "Don't think just because you dyed your hair like Sasuke-kun and copied his shirt style that I'll go on a date with you."
Sasuke, who had been ignoring the entire scene, looked up and stared at Naruto. Then his gaze shifted slowly to the mirror-like reflection on the window.
Black eyes. Black hair. Dark clothes.
Then to Naruto.
Golden blond hair tipped with red. Blue eyes. Bright shirt with a red symbol.
He squinted.
'n what way is he like me?'
'Is she color blind?'
'His hair looks like a tomato…'
'…Man, I want an onigiri with tomato paste now.'
Without a word, Sasuke nodded once, completely to himself.
Naruto caught it, laughed under his breath, and waved a hand. "Alright, alright. No date. Got it."
Sakura frowned. He wasn't supposed to agree. Where was the whining? The pleading? The "Sakura-chan!"?
She opened her mouth to say something snide—or maybe to punch him for being cheeky—but before she could lift a hand—
"Oi, what're you chuckling about?" Ino's voice cut across the room.
Everyone turned.
She was staring at Sakura now, arms crossed.
"And what's your problem with his clothes, forehead?" Ino added sweetly. "I picked them."
That dropped like a bomb in the class.
"You did?" Hinata mumbled, shrinking slightly.
Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji exchanged glances.
"Oh man," Kiba said solemnly, "my sister did that to me once. Made me wear a dress at the clan festival."
"I had to model a yukata," Choji said.
"I had to say 'kawaii' and mean it," Shikamaru muttered darkly.
All three turned to Naruto.
"You suffered, huh?"
He gave a slow nod. "She made me try on ten outfits. Said I looked like a 'lost ninja from a ramen stall.'"
The three of them patted his back like brothers in arms.
"You're one of us now."
"We understand your pain."
Ino's sweet tone sharpened like a kunai.
"You boys got something to say?" she asked, smiling dangerously.
"Nothing!" Kiba yelped.
"Praise be to fashion!" Choji said.
"Women are terrifying," Shikamaru mumbled as they slunk back to their seats.
Ino scoffed and sat back beside Naruto, looking proud.
Hinata watched from the corner of the room, her hands folded neatly on her lap. She couldn't help but think… he looked really good. And not just the clothes or the hair—he carried himself differently now. Quieter. More grounded.
But when she heard that Ino had picked the outfit, something in her chest twisted just a little.
Naruto glanced her way and smiled gently.
She quickly looked down.
Iruka cleared his throat and stepped to the front, voice firm enough to silence the lingering chatter.
"Well, now that fashion week is over… I have an announcement."
Everyone sat up straighter, the classroom buzzing with curiosity.
"We're starting sparring matches today. Each of you will be paired randomly and demonstrate what you've learned over the break."
A beat of stunned silence—then an explosion of noise.
"Wait, today?!"
"Aw man, I didn't even stretch!"
"Let's gooo!"
"Please not Sasuke…"
"Please let it be Sasuke…" Sakura whispered dreamily.
Iruka raised a hand, calming the room.
"I'll be announcing the first match shortly. The rest of the matchups will follow. Everyone, head to the training ground now. Warm up and be ready."
Chairs scraped. Bags swung. Excitement mixed with nervous energy as the students filed out in waves.
Naruto stretched his arms above his head, hiding a yawn.
"Guess it's showtime," he said, voice casual—but his eyes, just for a moment, turned thoughtful.
Ino nudged him playfully. "Don't lose, Redtip. I want to be the one to knock you down."
Naruto chuckled. "Sure, sure, Captain."
As they walked toward the field, the tension among their classmates grew heavier with every step. Sparring always brought out rivalries, bruised egos, and unexpected surprises.
None of them knew just how unexpected things were about to get.