Nohara Rin arrived at school early today. After setting down her bag, she glanced at Ryoto-kun's seat.
He's not here today either... she thought with a touch of disappointment.
As Rin was preparing her textbooks for the next lesson, she felt someone sit down beside her. Turning around, she smiled. It was Aburame Yui, cloaked from head to toe in a hooded mantle. She rebuffed Rin's attempt to speak with her, shrinking even further into her corner. Seeing that the girl was rejecting any form of communication with her entire being, Rin stared at her textbook in embarrassment.
Soon, Yūhi Kurenai arrived, with noticeable dark circles under her eyes—it seemed she hadn't slept well. Upon taking her seat, she immediately slumped in her chair as if her very soul had been drained from her.
"Rin, how is Miyoko? Is she all right?"
"The doctor said she's fine," Rin replied confidently, placing her full trust in his words.
But Kurenai was filled with doubt. The classroom gradually filled with students, growing noisy as the boys began to fool around. Kurenai turned, looked at Miyoko's empty seat, and asked again, "Are you sure she's okay? Is she coming to school today? If not, maybe we should visit her after classes? Should we buy some fruit? I don't have much pocket money, and I didn't dare ask Dad for more yesterday. What should we do, Rin?"
The questions rained down on Rin one after another, and she didn't know which to answer first.
"I have quite a bit of money," Rin said, her eyes shining. "And yesterday, we saw Princess Tsunade! Did you see her?! Princess Tsunade is so beautiful! Mature, gentle, and..." she hesitated for a moment, "...large."
"That's exactly why!" Kurenai turned to Rin, her dark-circled eyes flashing. "Don't you find that strange?! It's Princess Tsunade! The best medical-nin in the village! And she's Miyoko's attending physician! What she said yesterday about everything being fine—that must have been just to reassure us!"
"But it's Princess Tsunade; she'll definitely heal Miyoko," Rin countered. "I believe in her."
"That's what's so strange! If she could be cured, she would have been cured long ago! She's Princess Tsunade!" Kurenai insisted. It seemed to her that the woman who smelled of alcohol, looked exhausted, and had a large chest wasn't entirely reliable.
"Huh?!" Rin suddenly exclaimed.
Kurenai followed her gaze and saw Uchiha Obito walk into the classroom.
What?! Kurenai's eyes widened. That idiot isn't late!
"Obito-kun!" Rin called out, standing up.
"Huh?" Obito stopped and pointed at himself, bewildered.
Rin waved him over with a smile. Without a second thought, Obito ran to her, but his expression instantly changed, shifting into one of arrogance.
"What do you want? Spit it out."
Rin took out a bento from under her desk and offered it to Obito.
"This is for you. Make sure you eat it all, and don't forget to return the box to me."
You really brought it?! Kurenai's gaze shifted from Rin to the stunned and disbelieving Obito. This guy is done for! Definitely!
Obito dazedly reached out and took the bento, staring at Rin's beaming, smiling face.
She likes me? No way!
Obito's ears began to turn red, a blush slowly spreading across his face. In a panic mixed with embarrassment, he pushed the bento away and shouted loudly, "I don't need it!"
This won't do! Rin grew anxious and tried to press the bento into his hands. If you don't take it, I'll be upset!
Noticing their argument, their classmates turned to look.
"I said I don't need it!" Obito's face was burning with embarrassment. He roared and, with a sharp movement, knocked Rin's hand away.
The bento box flew into the air. Kurenai deftly caught it.
"You don't want it, but I do!" she said, guiding a still-stunned Rin back into her seat.
Obito looked at Rin…
"Um..." Rin blinked. "I'm sorry, Obito-kun."
"Hmph!" Obito spun away abruptly and, seething with anger, plopped down in his seat. He clutched his head in his hands and buried his face on the desk.
What are you doing, Obito!!! Beneath his goggles, his wide-open eyes were filled with regret.
"Obito..." Rin asked Kurenai quietly. "Does he not like me?"
"Don't pay any attention to him..." Kurenai replied, opening the bento box.
Wow! Her eyes filled with envy. Rin's mom is such a good cook!
"Rin, can you bring a bento for me too?" Kurenai asked.
"Of course~."
Amidst the laughter and chatter of their classmates, the bell for the first lesson rang.
Just as the bell rang, Sato Takeru entered the classroom. He slapped the lesson plan down on the desk and said, "I am very angry. You are no longer children, but the future ninja of the village. Yet some of you still don't understand the situation and try to skip class, only to get caught by senior teachers. Let me tell you something," he swept the class with a stern gaze. "If you don't know how to skip, then don't! But if you have the talent for it and don't get caught, then feel free to follow Ryoto's example!"
"Huh?!" the students stared at their teacher. Did that mean it was okay to skip?
"If someone lacks the skill to catch a rule-breaker, I won't say a word! But if I catch you again, I won't let you off so easily. I'll make you sweep the entire grounds, and you won't go home until it's spotless!"
Obito felt wronged. But I didn't skip!
"This is a crucial time. Study hard, master your techniques. If you slack off now, it seems some of you are eager to find yourselves on the battlefield, crushed by an enemy's Earth Style technique. Paralyzed for life. That would be fun, wouldn't it?"
Who could be that stupid? That's definitely not me, Obito thought and raised his head.
"Alright, that's enough of that! Now, pull yourselves together and listen carefully! Watch and learn!"
Teacher Takeru clapped his hands, a smile appearing on his face.
"Come in."
The classroom door opened, and a girl entered. The boys immediately started to murmur, eyeing the new student in her white, floral-patterned dress and her red eyes.
She's so cute!
"Please introduce yourself," the teacher said. "Tell us about your hobbies and your dreams."
The girl spoke coldly, "Kageyama Mai, five years old. Hobby: earning money. Dream: to inherit the family business and expand it across the entire shinobi world."
"That's right, meow," a cute face suddenly peeked out from behind Mai's head. It was a tabby ninja cat. He scanned the classroom and added, "Anyone who dares to offend my mistress, I'll scratch their face to ribbons, meow." As he spoke, he raised a paw, unsheathing sharp claws. "You can call me Musashi. My hobby is killing."
An awkward silence fell over the classroom for a moment.
Realizing this girl was no simple matter either, Teacher Takeru coughed and said, "Mai-san was ill, which is why she couldn't attend class these past few days. Please get along with her." He nodded to Mai. "Take any empty seat, Mai-san."
Mai scanned the empty seats in the classroom and headed for one by the window. All the students were watching her. Noticing their stares, she looked up in puzzlement.
"That's Ryoto-kun's seat, Mai-san," the teacher explained.
Mai stood up impassively and moved to a seat by the aisle. She didn't like sitting in the middle, didn't like being protected, and didn't like being watched all the time.
"Mai-san..." the teacher interjected again. "That's Miyoko's seat. She's sick today and took the day off."
Sick? Mai felt a pang of sympathy. After a moment's hesitation, she sat down in the center seat.
"Alright, let's begin the lesson. Open your textbooks to page..."
But... Mai felt out of place. Her classmates were still stealing glances at her. And the looks from both the boys and the girls were somehow... strange.