The three of them kept swinging.
They hit him through the end of the break and right up to the start of the practical period. Even Sasuke Uchiha, who had waited to see whether Konome would move, finally lost patience and left the room. One by one, the others drifted off too.
Only when the trio were tired did they stop. They pried the notebook from Naruto's arms, tore it to shreds, and let the scraps flutter to the floor.
"Loser."
They tossed the word over their shoulders, glanced at Konome who still had not moved an inch, and jogged out laughing.
Sunlight speared the classroom in gold. Paper scraps spun in the air. Dust motes danced.
Only Konome remained, and Naruto Uzumaki on the floor, one forearm over his eyes, filthy from head to toe. There was the faint, hitched sound of muffled crying.
"Does it hurt?"
Her cool voice made the sobs falter, then his body trembled harder.
Konome walked to him and crouched. His orange jacket was smeared with dirt and boot prints, his blond hair hung limp, his exposed skin blotched purple and blue.
"Konome, I… I messed up your notebook."
"That is not important."
Water flowed from Konome's sleeve and wound itself around the swollen, bruised places. The chill bled the sting away, and with the steady pulse of chakra a gentle warmth spread through his injuries.
Her pale hand drew his arm aside. His face was puffy and wet with tears. The water slid along his lashes and down his cheeks until it was impossible to tell where it ended and tears began.
Naruto went rigid. Those damp blue eyes stared up at the beautiful girl above him. No girl had ever treated him so gently.
"I will buy a new one tomorrow and make it up to you."
"I said it is not important."
Konome looked down at him. "Do you know why they bully you?"
He flinched and looked away. "I… they say I'm a monster."
"No."
She shook her head. "It is the opposite. You are not a monster."
"But everyone in the village says."
"I was called a monster too."
She cut him off and tilted her face toward the square of sky, as if chasing an old memory.
"After I killed all of them, no one called me a monster anymore.
"Now they call me a genius.
"To carry the name monster without having the strength of one… that is why they hurt you."
Naruto's heart jolted. Leaving the killing aside, the logic felt painfully true. If he had Konome's power, would anyone dare?
"But everyone in Konoha says I am a monster."
Konome finally smiled at the dazed boy who looked as if a door had swung open in his head. "Then get stronger. Stronger than all of them."
"I… I can't."
His chin dropped. He had not yet grown into the confidence and sunshine she remembered from another telling.
A white hand appeared in front of him.
He looked up, and the image seared itself into his life.
The girl was half crouched, her palm held out to him. The hint of a smile touched pink lips. The black band over her eyes could not hide the gentleness beneath. Sunlight rimmed her silver-gray hair with gold, bright and almost holy.
"I will help you."
Three simple words he had never heard. The pressure in his chest broke. Tears flooded his vision. The world blurred, except for that one figure standing in light, her hand waiting.
In that instant, a dim life met its first blaze of radiance.
"Konome… why didn't you help me earlier?"
"Boys your age care about pride. Hiding behind a girl is not a nickname you would enjoy. Come on, we are going to be late."
He glanced at the water still washing the grime from his clothes and the bruises from his skin, and his face burned. If it meant being protected by Konome, maybe pride was not so important after all.
…
"First bout, Sasuke Uchiha versus Hinata Hyuga."
On the training field, Iruka Umino read from his clipboard and started the next match. He already knew about Naruto and Konome. The academy was not a nursery. Fighting was the norm here. As long as no one went too far, students settled things themselves.
Whether Konome joined the practical did not really matter. Everyone in the elite class, including Iruka, would likely lose to her.
As for Naruto, he could consider that scuffle an early practical.
"Seal of Confrontation."
They formed the seal and faced each other.
Hands in his pockets, black-eyed, black-haired Sasuke brimmed with confidence. Blue-haired, white-eyed Hinata fell into the Jūken stance and pretended she had some too.
"Please advise." Two voices overlapped.
Bang.
Sasuke kicked hard off the ground, lunging forward, fist streaking for her face. Hinata flinched and tilted aside, slipped a palm to his belly, and Sasuke brought up a knee to block. They traded blows, the crack of contact popping like small firecrackers.
"Konome, how do I get stronger?"
Iruka was still scoring when Konome and Naruto came striding from the building toward the field. Heads turned.
Konome walked easily in front. Naruto followed, chattering, his jacket scrubbed clean of dirty boot prints. Aside from faint bruising around his eyes, the damage had almost vanished.
"Uh…"
Hinata's focus slipped when she saw them. Sasuke slammed a clean shot into her midsection and she folded, the small bun of her face tightening in pain.
"Hinata, I have told you so many times. Do not let your mind wander in a fight.
"Sasuke, well done. Ten points."
Iruka scratched notes onto his sheet.
"Sasuke is so strong."
Sakura and Ino cupped their cheeks and stared, green eyes practically shooting heart shapes.
Hinata forced herself up. Seeing Konome approach, she ducked her head and dared not meet her eyes.
Tap tap tap.
"Iruka-sensei."
Konome led Naruto to the boundary of the field.
The three boys who had started the bullying shrank their necks, ready to bolt if she complained.
"Naruto tripped. I walked him to the infirmary, so we are late."
Sure. He had tripped, onto his eye socket. And she, the transfer student who was blind, had escorted him. More importantly, the academy did not have an infirmary.
The flimsy lie made Iruka's mouth twitch. Whatever goodwill Konome had earned that morning evaporated. "Fine. You are not up yet anyway. Wait over there."
"Hold it."
A clear boy's voice cut across the field.
Sasuke eyed the silver-haired girl with the covered eyes. Fighting spirit flared bright on his handsome face. From the moment he heard she had beaten Instructor Kazama, he had wanted this match. At home, his father had spoken of the girl's strength with respect and told him to take her as a target to surpass. That stung.
If he beat her, Father would see me.
"Sensei, I want a practice bout with Konome."
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