The moment the gift was placed in Iruka's hands, Naruto suddenly took a deep breath, his blue eyes unusually serious. He bowed his head slightly, as if organizing his thoughts.
"Iruka-sensei... this past year, thank you so much."
His voice was a little lower than usual, carrying an undeniable sincerity. The classroom suddenly fell silent. Even the usually boisterous Kiba closed his mouth. Akamaru tilted his head, his dark, beady eyes darting back and forth between the two.
Iruka was stunned. He saw Naruto look up and meet his eyes, asking the question that had been weighing on him with guilt.
"By the way, sensei, you blame yourself a little for what happened in the past... is that true?"
Iruka's throat tightened. The self-blame he had buried deep in his heart was suddenly brought into the light, leaving him nowhere to hide. His fingers trembled slightly, and he finally gave a slow nod.
"...Mhm, I'm really sorry... Naruto. I was an unqualified teacher."
The moment he said it, Iruka felt a sharp pain. He remembered his distance when he first met Naruto, the deliberate space he had kept, his stiff replies whenever Naruto had greeted him—
But unexpectedly, Naruto just let out a "tsk," a look of both annoyance and amusement on his face.
"Honestly, sensei, your moral standards are way too high," he said, scratching his golden hair, his tone carrying a helpless affection.
"But later, didn't you come to acknowledge me? There's no need to be troubled by the past anymore."
Iruka opened his mouth but couldn't speak. He had never thought that his past hesitation and mistakes would be forgiven in this way—not ignored, but understood, and then gently told "it's okay."
Naruto looked at his teacher's red-rimmed eyes, his voice unconsciously softening.
"Sensei, everyone has their imperfect moments. But it's these hesitations and the choices made later that make [Trust] all the more precious."
Naruto flashed a big smile. "So, please don't blame yourself for not doing well enough. For me..."
"You've long been the best teacher."
Iruka's body began to tremble uncontrollably. He hastily lowered his head, not wanting his students to see his pathetic state. But tears had already blurred his vision, dripping onto the gift box in his arms, leaving a small, dark stain.
So... just how lucky am I?
The realization made his heart pound violently, both sour and warm. It was his duty to accompany Naruto, to teach these children, but why... was he the one being saved, being warmed?
So many emotions were churning in his chest—surprise at Naruto's maturity, a touch on the softest part of his heart, a strengthening of his resolve as a teacher, and that warmth that was almost overflowing...
And an unprecedented pride.
Pride in being the teacher of these children.
Pride in witnessing Naruto grow into such a gentle person.
Pride in standing here at this moment, surrounded by such pure emotion.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and open the gift," Naruto said, a rare hint of embarrassment on his face. "Actually, in terms of luxury, my gift might not be as precious as the others, but I hope you'll like it."
Iruka didn't hesitate for a moment, his fingers reaching for the beautifully wrapped gift box. He gently untied the ribbon. The box was lined with soft silk cloth, on which two items lay quietly.
The moment Iruka's gaze fell on the first gift, his breath caught for a moment.
It was a handmade, painted clay model, about the size of his palm. He held it with trembling hands, the unique, warm touch of clay on his fingertips. The model was exquisitely made, every detail handled with great care.
It was two chibi figures, standing hand in hand.
The figure on the left wore a Konoha forehead protector, its hair tied back in a pineapple shape, a gentle smile on its face. The figure on the right had a head of golden, spiky hair, grinning from ear to ear. The two figures' hands were clasped tightly, and the base was engraved with the childish handwriting: [THE BEST TEACHER]
Iruka's thumb unconsciously stroked the miniature version of himself.
This is... us?
"What do you think? This way, sensei, you won't be alone anymore!" Naruto grinned. "Even after I graduate, when you see this model, you won't forget me so easily."
On the other side of the classroom, Satsuki's gaze fell on the two chibi figures, her dark eyes flickering slightly. Her mind unconsciously went to the well-protected gift in her own room.
It was a gift Naruto had given her for her birthday a while ago. The chibi Satsuki on that model had her arms crossed, looking away with a tsundere expression, while the chibi Naruto was grinning beside her.
I have one too... so why does seeing sensei receive the same gift still make my chest feel a little tight...
"...Mhm! Thank you, Naruto..."
Iruka's voice was barely audible. He carefully placed the model back in the box, his movements gentle. His fingertips lingered on the words "the best teacher" for a moment before he reluctantly moved them away.
To hide his red-rimmed eyes, Iruka quickly turned to the second gift—the high-end notebook. The words [THE STRONGEST TEACHER'S GUIDE] shone on the cover. But a closer look revealed that these words were not factory-made but had been hand-stamped on later.
I see...
His memory suddenly flashed back to the stationery store a while ago. The things Naruto had been sneakily hiding were the materials for these gifts... this child had been carefully preparing since then?
He took a deep breath and slowly opened the first page of the notebook.
And then he froze completely.
On the title page was an exaggerated drawing of Naruto's head, with a line written in a wobbly but energetic script beside it.
"Record all the students you're proud of—I may not be the first, but I definitely won't be the last!"
The words were like a key, suddenly unlocking a tightly shut gate in Iruka's heart.
An unprecedented emotion surged forth like a tide, instantly overwhelming all his defenses. It wasn't just being moved, not just being gratified, but something deeper, warmer.
A teardrop fell onto the page, smudging the ink. Then a second, a third...
"Uu..."
A long-suppressed sob finally broke through his throat. Iruka hunched over, crying his eyes out like a child. Tears soaked the title page of the notebook.
The classroom was silent. Shikamaru's yawn was frozen halfway, the potato chip in Choji's hand stopped at his mouth, and even the usually boisterous Kiba's eyes were wide. They had never seen an adult show such a vulnerable side.
Just then, a crisp notification sound rang in Naruto's mind.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: You have established a bond (Level 7) (Max) with the original character "Iruka Umino"!]
Just as Naruto was about to step forward and comfort him, the system's voice sounded again.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host: You have established a bond (Level 8) (Qualitative change! Family) with the original character "Iruka Umino"!]
-------
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