Chapter 3 — Shuriken
Seeing Rin's smiling face, Obuya's expression briefly clouded with worry.
From the history of the ninja world he knew in his previous life, Rin would meet a tragic end in the Third Great Ninja War—and the one who would kill her was none other than her comrade, Hatake Kakashi.
"No… I absolutely cannot let Rin die, no matter what it takes," Obuya whispered to himself.
As his thoughts swirled, Rin had already reached him.
She stood only shoulder-height to him, tilting her gaze at a forty-five-degree angle.
Noticing his distracted expression, she waved her hand in front of him. Instinctively, Obuya reached out and grasped her wrist.
Rin flinched, a blush crossing her cheeks, gently pulling away from his hand.
"Rin… why are you here? Isn't tomorrow the graduation exam? Shouldn't you be at home reviewing for it?"
To hide his own awkwardness, Obuya broke the silence first.
At his words, Rin's momentary embarrassment vanished. She shook her head.
"It's just an exam, nothing special. I'll pass easily!"
"You say that… it sounds like you're deliberately trying to discourage me," Obuya pretended to be slightly annoyed.
The two were already familiar with each other, so Rin knew he was joking and gave him a sweet smile.
"By the way, it's so late—haven't you eaten yet?"
"I'm fine…"
Obuya had just finished speaking when his stomach growled loudly: "grrblrr".
He laughed awkwardly. "I wasn't hungry a moment ago, but now that you asked, I suddenly am."
"Oh~~"
Rin extended the last syllable of her word, smiling sweetly. "So it's my fault? Since asking made you hungry, then I'll treat you to a meal to apologize."
Obuya knew what was really happening. Rin was always thoughtful; she had obviously calculated that his living expenses for the month were nearly gone. Over the next few days, he might even go hungry, so she came to eat with him—essentially helping him through a rough patch.
Both understood the unspoken meaning, but neither mentioned it aloud. Obuya kept quiet because he held it in his heart; Rin remained silent to preserve his pride.
"I'm starving. Ichiraku Ramen is about to close. Let's go."
…
At Ichiraku Ramen, they sat outside along the street.
Obuya devoured a bowl of ramen in a storm, leaving not a drop of soup behind. Satisfied, he turned his gaze to Rin, who was savoring hers slowly.
After a thoughtful pause, he asked, "Rin… what's your dream?"
"My dream?"
Rin set down her bowl, looking at him in puzzlement. Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she adopted a thoughtful expression.
"My dream… I hope Obito can become the next Hokage as he wishes, I hope Kakashi can become a great ninja like his father, and I hope the village can remain at peace forever…"
Obuya shook his head helplessly. "You're always thinking of others… what about yourself?"
"Myself…"
Rin's spirit brightened, her eyes shining.
"I want to become a medical ninja as remarkable as Lady Tsunade. I will use my medical ninjutsu to protect the future of the village, even if it costs me my life."
Rin's face was filled with passion as she spoke, then she looked at Obuya seriously.
"And you, Obuya?"
"I didn't have one before… but now, after hearing you, I do."
"What is it?" Rin asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"My dream is…"
Obuya was about to speak when Rin suddenly cried out in excitement:
"Kakashi!!"
Following her gaze, Obuya saw a slender figure walking alone along the street.
Hearing Rin's shout, the person paused, tilting his head in their direction.
Also a student of Namikaze Minato, Obuya had met Kakashi before, but unlike his familiarity with Obito and Rin, the two rarely interacted.
At this moment, Kakashi had his lower face covered and had not yet obtained Obito's Sharingan. His eyes carried a hint of loneliness. Obuya understood the reason—Kakashi was experiencing one of the darkest moments in his life due to his father's death.
"Kakashi, do you still have the gift I gave you?" Rin asked cheerfully upon seeing him.
Kakashi didn't answer; he continued walking while using two fingers to hold a shell, raising it slightly toward her.
Seeing this, Rin's smile widened even more.
"What's that?" Obuya asked curiously.
Rin didn't answer. She reached into her pocket, pulled out an item, and placed it in front of him with a smile.
"This is for you. Keep it safe. It's a token of our friendship. No matter what, we can never betray each other."
Obuya picked it up, puzzled.
It was a small shell, about the size of a baby's fist, milky white and flawless, obviously carefully chosen. On its surface were two characters: Friendship.
"Rin… to others, I'm a complete loser, with nothing worth admiring. But you've always treated me as a friend. I will treasure this shell."
"Hehe… a loser is a loser, at least you know your place," a voice interjected from behind them.
The sudden voice made their faces darken. They turned to see who it was.
"Uchiha Kirito… we're all classmates. Please watch your words from now on," Rin said, annoyed that Obuya was often bullied by him, but careful not to speak too harshly because of his clan.
Obuya's expression also hardened.
Kirito was a typical bully, relying on his Uchiha status to act recklessly. Those he bullied often endured it silently, fearing the strength of the Uchiha. Even Obito, also from the Uchiha Clan, wasn't spared from his mockery. And here was Obuya, a powerless outsider.
Kirito strutted arrogantly, showing no restraint, unrepentant, continuing to mock:
"Why should I watch my words? This guy… Obuya, is just an outsider. Lord Minato took him in out of mercy, but he's hopeless. Like a dumb pig, failing at everything… oh wait, there is one thing he's good at—eating."
"Ha ha ha ha…"
The few students following Kirito laughed wildly with all their might.
"Poop boy… truly lives up to his name."
"Nohara Rin, let me be frank. Being kind is not wrong, but if your kindness extends to even the most detestable cockroach, then you are a fool through and through."
Rin's anger boiled, her face red and purple with fury.
Obuya tucked the shell into his pocket, slowly stood up from his seat, and turned to face Kirito.
"I can ignore your mockery of me, but you have insulted Rin for no reason. That is where my patience ends. You will slap yourself, apologize to Rin, and I will only strike you lightly. If not, you may struggle to survive on your own from now on."