"Hey, big brother! Teach me shurikenjutsu today!"
"Hm… Sorry, I've got something really important to do today, no time…"
"Ehh…?! Again? You said the same thing last time!"
"Well, it can't be helped… I really can't get away right now…"
"Forgive me, Sasuke. I'll teach you next time when I'm free."
"…"
"Tch. Always 'next time.' That's all he ever says now… Back then, no matter what I asked for, he'd always smile and say yes…"
In the bustling main street of the Hidden Leaf Village, filled with the comings and goings of people, Uchiha Sasuke pouted with frustration after being brushed off again by his older brother who refused to train him in shurikenjutsu. He muttered complaints to himself while lightly kicking pebbles along the road to vent his irritation.
"…Big brother… Could it be that he doesn't like me anymore? No, no, that can't be… That's impossible… I don't think I've done anything to make him mad…"
Rejected again and again by his brother, Uchiha Itachi—so unlike his usual self—this little brother-obsessed Uchiha couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion, wondering if he'd done something to make his brother hate him. Folding his arms and resting his chin on them, he began to seriously reflect on whether he had pulled some prank to upset him.
"…Phew. Forget it. I'll just ask him again next time… Hm? Why are there so many people gathered over there?"
Unable to make sense of it, Sasuke sighed and shook his head. He looked up to try and find the road home, but was surprised to see the once-bustling crowd had all stopped in their tracks, gathering along the sides of the street, cautiously stepping back now and then. On their faces were expressions of disgust, fear, resentment—a mix of complex emotions—as if some terrifying beast were in their midst.
"Why do they all look so weird…? Hehe, well, it's still early, so I might as well take a look."
Sasuke's childish curiosity kicked in. After thinking for a moment, he changed direction and used his small size and nimble movements to weave through the crowd. Soon, he found himself at the very front, panting lightly from the effort.
"Hm? Isn't that… that weird kid I saw before?"
Standing on tiptoes and shielding his eyes with his hands, Sasuke looked around, searching for the center of attention. To his surprise, he caught sight of a familiar head of blond hair.
If he remembered right, he'd often seen this kid walking home, covered in dirt and grime. Probably didn't even need to worry about getting scolded for coming home late—he always played with his friends until sundown.
Compared to himself, who spent every day alone because his brother didn't have time for him… That seemed kind of nice.
In a way, he even felt a little envious…
"This monster… still hasn't died, huh?"
"…Huh?"
Sasuke froze mid-smile as he overheard a chilling whisper. He blinked, wondering if he'd misheard, but more disturbing words continued flowing into his ears.
"Hey, I heard it's all because the Ichiraku Ramen guy couldn't mind his own business. Said something like 'he's just a kid, it's pitiful no one's taking care of him,' and he keeps giving him ramen to eat."
"Hah? Is that guy crazy? That brat is the Ni—tsk. Everyone in the village wishes he'd just die already. That ramen guy is such a bleeding-heart fool…"
"Well, no one's gonna look after a monster like that. He's always been alone. A kid that age can't do much—he'll be dead soon anyway…"
"Monster? Are they talking about… that weird kid?"
"They wish he'd die…? What… what does that mean…?"
The words reached Sasuke's ears and made his curious expression stiffen. He glanced up, taking a closer look at the adults around him who were whispering those vicious things with such calm hatred.
That boy—he looked to be about the same age as Sasuke. Why were all these adults glaring at him like that, cursing him, wishing for his death, as if it were completely normal?
Those eyes—sharp as blades and just as cold—sent an intense chill deep into Sasuke's small heart.
"Hey! Kid! When did you get here?! Step back! Don't let that monster get a chance to hurt you!"
"Ah? O-oh…"
Startled, Sasuke instinctively backed up a few steps. His gaze returned to the blond child standing alone in the middle of the road.
He was shocked to realize that just seeing the anger and disgust on the people's faces had made his skin crawl… But that boy—despite being the target of all that hate—seemed completely unaffected. Arms behind his head, he strolled forward casually, whistling off-key and pulling funny faces at the angry villagers around him.
"…Is this guy seriously that thick-skinned? Even when everyone's glaring at him like they want to kill him… he can still smile like that…"
Watching him goof around so cheerfully, Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle. As he whispered to himself, the fear he felt earlier quietly melted away. Without realizing it, the corners of his lips curled into a small smile.
"You really are a weird one…"
"Huh? I didn't know this path led straight into the training ground… I never noticed it when I came here with big brother…"
As the blond boy gradually moved away, Sasuke didn't head straight home as he'd planned. His curiosity got the better of him, and he quietly followed at a distance. That's when he discovered a hidden entrance to Training Ground Three, where he and his brother often practiced shurikenjutsu.
"Looks like he's done this before… So this is why he always looks like a mess when he gets home…"
Muttering softly, Sasuke awkwardly squeezed through the barbed wire fence. Without even fixing the wrinkles left on his clothes, he glanced around and continued trailing Naruto.
But what the blond kid did next completely caught Sasuke off guard.
"This guy… He's running that fast through a place full of giant trees? Isn't he afraid of hitting something?!"
Earlier, Naruto had walked so slowly that Sasuke had to stop a few times to let the distance reset. But now, inside the maze-like training ground, he was moving with incredible ease, even speeding up, leaving Sasuke genuinely surprised.
"Did he notice me following him and decide to shake me off? Hmph… Now I'm even more curious about you…"
Driven by his childish curiosity and competitive nature, Sasuke forgot all about being stealthy. A smirk appeared in his eyes as he also picked up his pace.
"You're not getting away that easily! Let's see who's faster!"
"Crap… You've gotta be kidding me. Not only did I fail to shake him off, but now he seems even more excited?!"
As he channeled chakra into his feet to run faster, Naruto couldn't help but groan inwardly.
"Was I too flashy earlier and made people suspicious? I knew I shouldn't have shown off so much…"
Excited about finally being able to start training a new ninjutsu after days of basic drills, Naruto had rushed straight to the training ground after finishing his routine stroll through the village. But on the way, he couldn't shake the feeling something was off. Once inside the training ground, he finally noticed the shadow trailing behind him.
"Tch… If someone sees me, I won't be able to practice that technique…"
He had thought his familiarity with the area would help him easily lose his tail. But clearly, this kid knew the forest just as well—he must've been here plenty of times too.
"No choice… I'll just have to go faster. If we're talking chakra reserves, I should be able to last longer. I should be able to shake him off…"
I've got to lose him!
I've got to catch him!
With similar thoughts in mind, both Naruto and Sasuke pushed forward, each determined not to lose.
By pure coincidence, these two who would one day share a deep, complex bond—and view each other as rivals—began their very first race toward victory.