Ninja Academy Entrance
"Hey, hey, hey, Big Brother Kakashi, since you've become my family, is Big Sister Hikari my family now too?"
On the way to drop Naruto off at school, Naruto asked the same question tirelessly.
"Of course. Both Hikari and I are Naruto's family."
Kakashi understood Naruto's behavior very well, so he answered the question seriously every single time.
Although he took care of him, he couldn't guard Naruto's side every moment of the day. A Naruto left on his own would inevitably hear rumors and gossip.
Especially from children, who had no filter on what they said.
Many people spend their whole lives trying to heal the shadows of their childhood.
"I asked Big Brother Kakashi to take me to school as my dad before, but now that Big Brother Kakashi and Big Sister Hikari are married..."
"Then... Mama Hikari?"
Naruto scratched his head, looking a bit torn and hesitant as he glanced at Hikari, who was standing beside Kakashi watching them with a smile. The words that spilled from his mouth made Hikari's face turn bright red on the spot.
"You! You little brat..."
"D-Don't..."
Shyly, Hikari hurriedly crouched down, reaching out as if to cover Naruto's mouth. However, feeling that might be inappropriate, her hands hovered in mid-air, neither retracting nor extending, looking as if she were waving them around frantically.
Eventually, a wisp of white smoke seemed to rise from her head, and she buried her face in her knees, hiding away like a turtle retracting into its shell.
Because... if Naruto treated Kakashi as a father, and she was Kakashi's wife... wouldn't that make her his mom?
It wasn't just Hikari who was caught off guard by Naruto suddenly calling her "Mom"—even Kakashi was a bit surprised.
"Well, Naruto isn't wrong. But right now, for Big Sister Hikari, having Naruto call her 'Mom' is a bit too stimulating for her. Maybe we can switch to that address after some time."
Seeing this, Kakashi chuckled softly and patted Naruto's head, smoothing things over for Hikari.
"Oh, I get it!"
Naruto came to a sudden realization, punching his small fist into his palm.
"Big Sister Hikari is just shy!"
As soon as these words came out, Hikari immediately lifted her head, staring at Naruto with a flushed face. It was hard to tell if she was angry or embarrassed, but she spoke with a fierce expression:
"Brat, get your butt to school! If you dare skip class or show up late in the future, I'll spank you!"
Hearing Hikari's words, Naruto didn't look scared at all. Instead, he nodded obediently and ran toward the school gate. Before leaving, he waved at Kakashi and Hikari, shouting:
"I'll be very obedient from now on!"
Watching Naruto disappear into the school entrance, Kakashi smiled and helped Hikari, who was still squatting on the ground, back up.
"Lots of interesting things are probably going to happen at home from now on."
In response to Kakashi's teasing, Hikari blushed and gave Kakashi's arm a light punch—neither too heavy nor too soft.
"You bully me just like Naruto does."
Kakashi caught her hand in his, chuckling without saying a word, and pulled Hikari into the Ninja Academy.
He hadn't forgotten his main purpose for this visit.
Just as everyone in Naruto's class had arrived and the newly appointed homeroom teacher, Iruka, was preparing to start the first class of his life, the Ninja Academy's Director walked into the classroom.
"Director, is something the matter?"
Iruka looked at the uninvited Director with some confusion.
"Is Student Sakura here?"
Following the Director's words, the eyes of everyone in the classroom—except for Sasuke—fell upon a little girl with pink hair.
"Eh?"
"Me?"
Sakura Haruno, who was only six years old at the time, pointed at herself somewhat helplessly, her expression full of confusion.
"Student Sakura, someone wants to see you. Come with me for a moment."
Faced with the Director's words, Sakura didn't have a single thought of resisting. Instead, she looked toward her new teacher, seeking guidance.
"Student Sakura, go with the Director."
Although Iruka was very puzzled, he didn't ask any further questions.
"Oh, okay then."
Sakura Haruno nodded, feeling very strange inside.
In this classroom filled with students from family backgrounds, she felt like a transparent little nobody with zero presence.
She originally thought Naruto was just like her, but the wedding two days ago had let Sakura know that Naruto was actually different from her...
So sad.
Lord Hokage and Naruto were super close!
Why would the Director suddenly come looking for her?
Could it be...
She thought of her irresponsible father's teachings from ordinary days: You must be absolutely vigilant against those middle-aged men who look like gentlemen but are actually beasts inside; they are very likely wicked perverts obsessed with little girls!
Thinking of this, Sakura's face immediately turned green. But looking at the Director leading the way ahead of her, while she had the heart to run away, she tried to comfort herself internally—maybe she was just overthinking it.
Amidst her anxious journey, Sakura finally followed the Director into the school office.
There were only two people in the office, except...
"L-Lord Hokage!"
"And Lord Hokage's Lady Wife-sama!"
Seeing the Lord Hokage she had just seen two days ago, Sakura recognized him immediately.
Hikari heard this with a bit of confusion.
Lord Hokage's Lady Wife-sama? What kind of title is that?
"You may leave."
Kakashi looked at the Director and gave the order.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. If you need anything, just call me."
The Director immediately withdrew.
"Sakura, is it?"
Kakashi walked up to the little tyke with a smile and squatted down to meet her gaze level. This caused Sakura to take a fearful step back.
Is Lord Hokage a pervert too?
Huh? Why did I add a "too"?
"Yes, that's me."
Although she had rude thoughts in her mind, the aura of the Hokage's identity slightly relaxed the fear in Sakura's heart.
"Are you interested in becoming Lady Tsunade's disciple?"
Kakashi's words left Sakura stunned in place.
Lady Tsunade?
Who is that?
Why should I become her disciple?
In the end, under the buff of the Hokage's aura, Kakashi easily obtained the pink-haired girl's approval and brought her to the front of the Senju Clan grounds.
"What a magnificent gate!"
The pink-haired girl looked at the imposing Senju gate before her and couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise.
" The master I found for Sakura is right inside."
Kakashi patted Sakura's pink hair and spoke with a smile.
"Mhm, mhm! I'll listen to whatever Lord Hokage says!"
Sakura spoke with complete trust.
Although the scale of the Senju grounds was not small, it was unusually cold and deserted. The nearby corners were overgrown with weeds.
A breeze blew past, creating a whistling sound that, combined with the chilly surroundings, seemed rather desolate.
"Lord Hokage..."
Feeling the surrounding silence and desolation, Sakura subconsciously grabbed Kakashi's hand in fear.
"It's fine. She is a... relatively easy person to get along with."
Yeah, right.
Alcoholism, gambling, unemployment.
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