"Naruto? What are you doing here?"While I was quietly sitting and observing the classroom, Shikamaru suddenly walked up to me and asked that question. He looked genuinely surprised—after all, he had seen me fail the exam.
"Heh-heh, I managed to pass it later. Iruka-sensei gave me my forehead protector," I replied with an awkward smile. "I'm a ninja now too."
"Haa?"The lazy genius dragged out the sound in disbelief. Judging by his expression, my answer only gave him even more to think about.
"…"Meanwhile, I looked around the classroom, taking in familiar faces—yet feeling something completely different toward them now.
By pure chance, my gaze met Hinata Hyuga's. She immediately looked away, flustered—but there was a soft, gentle smile on her face.What am I supposed to do about this? I asked myself.
I wasn't just looking at her as Naruto anymore. I felt it as who I had become here and now—old emotions intertwined with new understanding. I felt like an idiot for never noticing her feelings before. In the end, I grew embarrassed myself and looked away, focusing on other familiar faces.
When I glanced at Kiba and his partner Akamaru, a smile appeared on my face. Even if young Inuzuka didn't see me that way yet, I was sure we'd become good comrades in the future.Then my gaze shifted to Shino Aburame. Despite his quiet nature, I knew he was kind and reliable at heart.After that, I noticed Choji, happily munching on his favorite potato chips. I figured he'd be the easiest to befriend—just as long as I never used forbidden words like fat or chubby around him.
Finally, I looked at Sasuke and studied him carefully.The emotions I felt toward him were… complicated. Envy, irritation, understanding, sympathy, and the urge to kick his ass—all mixed together like parts of a single whole rather than two separate personalities.Now I understood that I could feel both what Naruto had always felt and what my own experience brought with it—and that made me different. A completely different Naruto.
My thoughts were interrupted when two noisy classmates entered the room.
"No! I'm sitting next to him!" declared the blonde girl with long hair tied into a ponytail.
"Get lost, Ino-pig!" Sakura-chan snapped back.
Damn it… this is bad, I thought as I noticed the girl Naruto had fallen in love with for the first time. Since we had become one, I felt drawn to Sakura as well. It was honestly hard to tear my eyes away from her.
"Like hell you will, Forehead!" Ino shot back.The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder until they stopped right next to me. Why? Simple—I was sitting next to their favorite target: Sasuke.
"H-hello, Sakura-cha—" I greeted her awkwardly, my voice full of embarrassment. I felt ridiculous.
"Move it, Naruto! I want to sit next to Sasuke," she said, practically forcing me out of my seat.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Forehead! I'm sitting there!" Ino refused to back down.
"Hey! Why do you two get to decide who sits next to Sasuke-kun? That's not fair!"Almost all the girls in the class gathered around us, unwilling to be left out.
"…!"The situation was seriously irritating. That damn pretty-boy Sasuke! Why him?!
"So annoying…" Sasuke muttered quietly, glancing at the girls.
Why is it always the ones who don't appreciate it that get all the attention? The world's so unfair, I continued my internal rant—but didn't interfere. No way was I repeating canon and accidentally kissing Sasuke.My first kiss in this world will be with a girl, I nodded firmly to myself.
Thankfully, the circus ended when Iruka-sensei entered the classroom and ordered everyone to sit down. Sakura managed to snag a seat next to Sasuke, and I ended up sitting beside her.From time to time, I glanced her way, while the pink menace whispered to Ino behind my back. Both of them desperately wanted to be on Sasuke's team.As for me—I already knew exactly who I'd be teamed up with.
Soon, Iruka-sensei began announcing the teams. The first six were filled with classmates I barely knew—just like in canon, they weren't particularly noteworthy.Then came the moment.
"Team Seven will consist of… Uzumaki Naruto… Haruno Sakura…" Iruka-sensei began.
"…I'm with Naruto?" Sakura muttered unhappily.
"…Uchiha Sasuke."
"Yaaay!" Sakura cheered, jumping to her feet triumphantly. I could practically feel the jealousy radiating from the other girls.
Iruka continued.Team Eight: Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino—honestly, a perfect tracking team.Team Nine was filled with unfamiliar names.Team Ten consisted of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji. There was no way that team was formed by chance—their fathers had been teammates too. I refused to believe otherwise.
Sakura spent the rest of the announcements teasing Ino nonstop.Yeah… girls' friendships are weird.
"That's all! I'll introduce your instructors after lunch," Iruka-sensei concluded.
Lunch break began. Everyone scattered—some alone, others in groups. Sasuke, as expected, wasn't the social type. I didn't even notice when he left.Mostly because I couldn't stop watching Sakura.
Damn it… I really need to do something about this.She liked Sasuke. Hinata liked me. Sasuke liked no one.A love square? Triangle? Something messy.I'll figure it out later, I decided as my stomach growled. Thinking on an empty stomach wasn't a great idea.
About thirty minutes later, we gathered back in the classroom. Iruka-sensei informed us that the team leaders—our instructors—had arrived and would pick us up one by one.No changes from canon so far.
Eventually, we were left alone, waiting for our sensei. Sasuke sat silently with his eyes closed, resting his head on his hands. Sakura gazed at him dreamily.Even they were getting uncomfortable with the wait.
He's so damn annoying… Kakashi's even worse than Sasuke in some ways, I thought, finally snapping. I grabbed the chalkboard eraser and headed for the door.
"Naruto! What are you doing?" Sakura asked, slightly alarmed.
"…" Sasuke looked at me silently.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to teach our sensei a lesson for keeping us waiting!" I declared.
"Hm… I don't think that's a good idea," Sakura said, though I caught a faint smile on her face.
"Hmph. A real jonin would never fall for such a childish trap," Sasuke scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah! Naruto, don't be stupid," Sakura immediately agreed with him. Ugh.
Bam!
Just as expected. Kakashi walked in—and my trap worked. The eraser fell straight onto his head, dusting his hair.
"Hehehe! That's for being late!" I declared proudly, staring at his exhausted expression—somehow noticeable even through the mask.
"U-um, we're sorry, sensei! I tried to stop him, but—" Sakura rushed to explain, her face red as she struggled not to laugh.
"…"Sasuke remained silent, though I caught a flash of surprise in his eyes.
"Hm… well," Kakashi finally said."My first impression of you all… is that I don't like you."