The warmth of the Yamashita family dining room was a sharp contrast to the life of a newly-formed Genin. Here, within these walls that smelled of wood and home cooking, the world of missions and danger felt so distant. At the same dining table where Yuji had spent thousands of meals in his life, there was now often an extra seat filled.
"I can't believe it," Naruto began, interrupting the comfortable silence with a loud grumble. He had just swallowed a large clump of rice with incredible gusto. "I'm chasing cats! Cats! Yuji." He said the word 'cats' as if it were the foulest curse word.
He turned to Kaori, who was smiling with amusement. "Auntie Kaori, can I have more rice? Chasing cats burns a lot of calories."
"Of course, Naruto-kun," Kaori said, taking Naruto's bowl and refilling it with steaming rice. "Eat up."
Yuji swallowed a piece of his grilled fish before answering. "It's boring," he said with a shrug. "But what can you do? Besides, those missions will teach us responsibility. And how to approach a wary target without making it run."
"The target is Tora!" Naruto retorted fiercely. "She's not a target, she's a furry demon! She scratched me! Right on the nose!" He pointed to a small, barely visible red scratch on his nose.
In his mind, Yuji wasn't really thinking about the cat. His thoughts were elsewhere. These boring D-Rank missions were the beginning of everything. He didn't know if the storyline he remembered would play out exactly the same. He didn't know if the mission Naruto would face to go to the Land of Waves and fight Zabuza Momochi would happen. The butterfly effect of his own existence was an unknown variable. But if it did happen... then peaceful days like this would soon be over. He'd better enjoy moments like this more, enjoy Naruto's silly complaints about a cat, before his friend was confronted with the harsh reality of a real killer ninja.
His father, Kenji, who was sipping his miso soup, chimed in. "Well, Yuji is right, Naruto. Those boring missions will make you more patient when it comes to waiting. Being a shinobi isn't just about great fights. Most of your time will be spent waiting. Waiting in an ambush. Waiting for a target to appear. Waiting for orders."
"I've waited for years to become a ninja..." Naruto said quietly, his usual spirit dimming slightly. His voice was softer, more introspective. "I thought... I thought there would be more action."
A moment of silence fell over the table. Naruto's simple words carried the weight of the years of loneliness he had endured.
Kaori placed Naruto's rice bowl back in front of him, her smile gentle and understanding. "In that case," she said in a soothing voice. "Waiting a little longer won't be a problem, right? Think of it as a rest before the real adventure begins."
Kaori's words seemed to work. Naruto's face brightened again. "You're right, Auntie! This is just a warm-up! A warm-up for when I become Hokage!" He picked up his chopsticks and started eating again with renewed vigor. "When I'm Hokage, there will be no more cat-chasing missions! All Genin will get missions to fight bears or guard princesses!"
"And you'll face a booming feral cat population and a drastic decline in the number of available princesses," Yuji said flatly. "Have you thought about the logistics?"
"Logistics are for people like you and Shikamaru!" Naruto replied with his mouth full. "I'm the ideas guy!"
"That explains a lot," Yuji muttered.
"I heard Team Ten got an interesting mission too," Kenji said, trying to change the subject. "Shikaku-san's son, he had to babysit someone's baby for a day."
Naruto burst out laughing so hard he almost choked. "Shikamaru?! Babysitting?! The baby probably moved more than he did!"
"It's a mission to train patience," Kaori said with a smile. "Every mission has its purpose, even the strangest ones."
Dinner continued in a warm and cheerful atmosphere. Kenji told a story about a strange customer who requested a mask that looked like a radish. Naruto recounted with great exaggeration how he had almost caught Tora before the cat used a cunning "disappearing jutsu," which was actually just jumping up a tree. Yuji occasionally threw in a cynical comment that somehow made the atmosphere even livelier.
For Yuji, this was his little piece of heaven. A bubble of normality that he cherished more than any jutsu.
After dinner was finished and Naruto had helped, or rather, tried to help Kaori with the dishes, the two of them went up to the roof of Yuji's house. It had become their spot. A place to escape from the world of adults, a place to talk about things they couldn't talk about anywhere else.
The night was clear and cloudless. The sky was a black velvet tapestry sprinkled with thousands of glittering stars. They lay on their backs on the cool roof tiles, gazing up at the endless majesty above them.
"Time flies so fast," Naruto said suddenly, his voice sounding strangely calm and mature.
Yuji turned his head, looking at his friend's profile in the dim starlight. Naruto had never been nostalgic before. He was always focused on the future, on his big dream of becoming Hokage. This reflective comment felt out of character, but it also felt... right.
"What do you mean?" Yuji asked, following his train of thought.
"I don't know," Naruto said, his eyes still fixed on the stars. "It feels like just yesterday we entered the academy. I remember how scared I was on the first day. I was afraid no one would talk to me." He let out a small, slightly bitter laugh. "And now... now we're Genin. We have teams. We're doing missions. Even if they're just cat-chasing missions."
"I remember the first few days," Yuji said quietly. "You were shouting so loud I thought the windows would break."
Naruto laughed again, this time more genuinely. "I had to make sure everyone knew I was there! It was my strategy!"
"A very loud strategy," Yuji said. "But I guess it worked."
They talked about many things under that starry sky. They talked about their classmates. About how Shikamaru seemed to have been born old. About how Choji could probably identify twenty different types of potato chips just by their smell. They talked about how creepy Shino Aburame's stare was and how kind Hinata Hyuga was.
They talked about their teachers. About Iruka-sensei, who always seemed tired but clearly cared. About Tsukasa-sensei, who was a walking enigma, a mix of a powerful Jonin and a child trapped in an adult's body. And about Team Seven's notoriously late teacher, whom Yuji had never seen but had heard plenty of complaints about from Naruto.
"He's weird," Naruto said about Kakashi. "He reads that weird book all the time and he always has some lame excuse for being late. But... he's strong. Really strong. He makes me feel like I still have a long, long way to go."
"We all do," Yuji said quietly.
A comfortable silence settled over them again. The cool night breeze rustled around them. Yuji felt at peace. Here, on this roof, looking at the stars, the world felt simpler.
Then, Naruto spoke again, his voice so quiet Yuji almost didn't hear it.
"Hey, Yuji."
"Yeah?"
Naruto didn't look at him. His eyes were still fixed on the brightest star. "I'm glad," he said. "I'm glad you came up to me at the swing set that time."
The words hit Yuji with a force greater than any jutsu. His heart seemed to stop for a moment. He looked at Naruto, who was still staring at the sky, but Yuji could see a hint of vulnerability in his profile, a raw and unguarded sincerity.
All those years. All their interactions. All the silly fights, all the training, all the shared dinners. It all started from that one moment. One impulsive decision made by a cynical man trapped in a child's body, whose treacherous heart couldn't bear to see another kid alone.
Yuji had never thought about the impact of that act. To him, it was just a beginning, a point where his new, strange life truly began. But for Naruto... it was everything.
"I... I was so alone back then," Naruto continued, his voice still a whisper. "I thought... I thought it would always be like that. Just me. But then you came. And you gave me a candy. And you didn't look at me weird. You were just... there."
He finally turned his head, looking at Yuji, and in his blue eyes, under the starlight, Yuji could see a gratitude so deep, so sincere, it almost took his breath away.
"You were my first friend," Naruto said. "And that... changed everything."
Yuji didn't know what to say. All his cynical retorts, all his flat jokes, they all felt inappropriate and hollow. He could only look back into his friend's eyes, feeling the weight of that confession.
He looked away, back at the stars, his throat feeling a little tight.
"Well," he said finally, his voice a little hoarse. "That swing set... looked boring with just one person."
Naruto didn't say anything. But Yuji could hear the smile in his silence. And under the endless sky, on the roof of a small mask shop, two boys just lay there, knowing that sometimes, the strongest friendships can start with the simplest things. Like a lemon candy, and a swing set that was no longer empty.
…
After a day filled with pulling weeds in the academy yard, and helping a merchant rearrange his apples after Naruto accidentally crashed into his stall. Every morning, Yuji would see Tsukasa-sensei grab a new mission scroll from the administration office, and every morning, Kiba's hopes would be dashed to pieces.
This morning was no different. Yuji stood beside Masami, watching as Tsukasa cheerfully picked up a scroll from the D-Rank mission pile. Next to him, Kiba was glaring daggers at their teacher's back. He said nothing, but his entire posture radiated restrained fury. His jaw was clenched, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. Yuji knew it. Kiba was on the verge of exploding.
Even Masami, who was usually as calm as a still pond, was showing signs of annoyance. Yuji saw her roll her eyes slightly. A movement so subtle it was almost invisible, but Yuji, who had become an expert observer of his strange teammates, caught it. Yuji... just felt it. He felt the same frustration, though he hid it behind his usual mask of indifference. They were Genin. They were supposed to be doing ninja things, not being the village's volunteer labor force.
Tsukasa, who seemed to have a sixth sense for impending mutiny, turned from the administration desk. His usual smile faltered slightly as he felt the simmering rage from Kiba. He smiled awkwardly.
"Alright, my little soldiers!" he said, his voice a little too cheerful. "Good news! Today we're going to—"
"If you say 'help bathe the Inuzuka dogs'," Kiba interrupted, his voice low and threatening, "I swear I'm going to bite you."
Akamaru barked in agreement from inside Kiba's jacket.
Tsukasa held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Easy, easy, guard dog. I wasn't going to say that." He cleared his throat and turned back to the Chunin behind the desk, who was looking at them with amusement. "Excuse me," Tsukasa said, his smile now turning into a charming, negotiating smile. "It seems my team is craving a little... challenge. Is there perhaps something... a little more ninja-like available for this very eager group of Genin?"
The Chunin shrugged. "All the C-Rank missions have been taken by more experienced teams, Tsukasa-san. All that's left is..." He paused, his eyes scanning a different, thinner pile of scrolls.
As Tsukasa glanced at the papers on the desk, his eyes suddenly widened. A genuine, excited smile replaced his awkward one. "That one," he said, pointing to a particular scroll. "I'll take that one."
The Chunin looked surprised. "Are you sure? It's... a bit of a long trip. And the client is a little... Well."
"Perfect!" Tsukasa said. Without waiting for further approval, he grabbed the scroll, signed for it quickly, and turned to face his tense team.
He held the scroll up high like a trophy.
"I have great news, my cute soldiers!" he exclaimed, his excitement now feeling genuine. "We now have a C-Rank mission! Look! We're going to be impressive bodyguards!"
Kiba's face immediately transformed. His anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a childish glee. "For real?! A C-Rank mission?! Does that mean we're going to do real ninja stuff?! Like fighting?!"
"Maybe!" Tsukasa said.
"I must say, even if I'm not as vocal as Kiba, I was getting bored too, Sensei," Masami said, her flat voice containing a hint of relief.
"We've been looking more like a labor union than a shinobi team lately," Yuji added dryly.
"Hahaha! Of course!" Tsukasa laughed heartily, his loud laugh making a few people in the office turn their heads. "Your boring days are over! We're leaving Konoha village! Our client is an old man named Koji. He's a blacksmith, and he's requested a safe escort to the Capital!"
"Leaving the village?! The Capital!" Kiba exclaimed, his eyes shining. "Awesome! You hear that, Akamaru? We're going on a trip!"
Akamaru barked happily, jumping out of Kiba's jacket and running in circles around his feet.
Tsukasa rolled the mission scroll back up and tucked it into his vest. "Alright, listen up," he said, his tone becoming more serious. "This is no longer a game. The journey to the Capital will take several days. That means we'll be camping in the wild. We'll be facing unpredictable roads. You have to be ready for anything."
He looked at them one by one. "I want you all to go home now. Pack a backpack. Fill it with standard gear: a sleeping bag, emergency rations, a basic medical kit, and of course, your weapons. Bring a change of clothes. We meet at the village main gate at eleven o'clock sharp. Don't be late."
Kiba didn't even wait for the order to be finished. "I'M GOING TO PACK NOW!" he yelled, before running out of the office like a madman, with Akamaru chasing after him.
"At least he's enthusiastic," Tsukasa said, shaking his head. He looked at Yuji and Masami. "You two understand?"
Masami nodded gracefully. Yuji just gave a short nod.
"Good," Tsukasa said. "Now go. And Yuji," he added as Yuji turned to leave. "Try to pack something other than that bored expression in your backpack. A little enthusiasm won't kill you."
Yuji just glanced at him over his shoulder before walking out. Enthusiasm. What a strange concept.
At exactly eleven o'clock, Team Eleven reassembled under the grand main gate of Konoha. Kiba, of course, was already there, bouncing on the spot impatiently, his oversized backpack making him look like a hyperactive turtle. Masami stood quietly near a gate pillar, her medium-sized backpack looking neat and efficient.
Yuji arrived a few moments later, his silly mask hanging by the side of his head. He walked with a relaxed pace. His backpack looked the smallest of them all, almost empty.
"Is that all you're bringing?!" Kiba asked, looking at Yuji's backpack suspiciously. "We're going to be gone for days! Where's your sleeping bag? Your food? You're going to starve on the first night!"
Yuji just patted his backpack lightly. "It's all in here," he said. He had spent the morning carefully sealing everything he needed into a few small storage scrolls. Food, clean water, a change of clothes, a small tent, a more complete medical kit, and even a few books to read. Storage seals were the best invention ever. It made traveling so much lighter.
Tsukasa arrived a few moments later, walking leisurely as if he had no care in the world. He wasn't carrying a backpack at all. Just a small pouch tied to his waist.
"You're not bringing anything, Sensei?!" Kiba asked, now shifting his confusion to their teacher.
"A good shinobi always travels light," Tsukasa said with a mysterious smile. "Besides, I have you guys to carry all the heavy stuff, right?"
Kiba could only gape.
"Alright, before we set off," Tsukasa said, "let's do a gear check. Kiba, what did you bring?"
"Everything!" Kiba said proudly. "I have three different kinds of jerky, twenty kunai, a big bag of ration pills for me and Akamaru, and a super warm blanket!"
"Good. Masami?"
"Standard gear, Sensei," Masami replied. "Plus a few poisoned senbon and a flute, just in case."
Tsukasa raised an eyebrow. "A flute?"
"Music can soothe a savage beast," she said with a straight face. "Or make an enemy's ears hurt."
Tsukasa laughed. "I like the way you think! And you, Yuji? Besides the seals, what's in that little backpack of yours?"
"A backup plan," Yuji replied. "And a pillow."
"A pillow?" Kiba repeated in disbelief. "We're going on a mission, not a sleepover!"
"A good night's sleep is crucial for a shinobi's peak performance," Yuji said with the tone of an expert. "I will not sacrifice the quality of my sleep just because we're in the wild."
Tsukasa just shook his head, his cheerful laughter echoing under the gate. "I have a feeling this is going to be a very, very long trip."
He turned and faced the road that stretched out beyond the village, the road that led to the wider world. "Alright, team! Time to move out!"
As Tsukasa and the others started walking, Yuji paused for a moment. He looked back, towards the village. His eyes landed on the Hokage Monument carved into the mountain cliff, the stone faces he had stared at with a mixture of annoyance and resignation for years.
Twelve years. For twelve years he had been confined within these walls, within a life that wasn't his. And now, for the first time, he was stepping out.
He gripped the strap of his backpack, feeling the weight of all the preparations and hopes he carried. Then, with one last breath of the familiar Konoha air, he turned and started walking, following his team down the unknown road.
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