Evening, at Ramen Ichiraku.
Naruto and Kanon sat side-by-side inside the stall.
"Naruto, don't overthink things. The matches start tomorrow. I'll be there cheering for you."
"Thanks, Kanon..."
"Are you still thinking about what Gaara said?"
"Yeah... I just keep feeling like he's the same as me. It's just that I have you and Iruka-sensei to acknowledge me. Before that... I don't even know how I kept going."
Beside him, Kanon let out a soft giggle, covering her mouth.
"In that case, you'd better be extra grateful to me."
"Of course I am! Today, ramen is on me!" Naruto said, pulling money from his frog wallet and slamming it onto the counter.
"Hooray!" Kanon beamed.
Ayame, the daughter of the shop owner, Teuchi, handed over two bowls of ramen that looked even more loaded than usual.
"Whoa!" The two were taken aback.
Kanon looked at Ayame, confused. "Ayame-san... what's this?"
"Don't worry about it, just eat up," Ayame said with a wink.
Teuchi gave them an encouraging nod. "The finals are tomorrow, right? You two make sure to give it your all!"
"Alright! Time to dig in!"
After parting ways with Naruto, Kanon headed home. She needed to get a full night's rest for the competition ahead. On the way, however, she felt a slight prickle at the back of her neck, the feeling of being followed, yet not.
Is it an illusion?
She considered activating her sensory abilities to scan the area; there was definitely a strange chakra signature lingering nearby.
That night, Kanon prepared meticulously. She laid out her fresh gear: the familiar blue windbreaker, her pink headband, and she brushed out her long, jet-black hair, which framed her delicate face beautifully.
The next morning, Kanon was jolted awake by her alarm.
"Morning already? Well, I feel fully rested. Time to head out and find Naruto!" She paused, a thought occurring to her. "That guy probably didn't eat breakfast. I'll make him some, too."
Half an hour later, Kanon set out for their meeting spot, carrying her Uchiha-crested backpack and two bento boxes. When she arrived, she found Naruto with massive dark circles under his eyes.
"Were you so nervous you didn't sleep at all?" Kanon asked, looking at him with concern.
"I... I wasn't!"
"Liar. Look at those bags under your eyes. And I bet you haven't eaten, either."
"I... well..."
Naruto tried to come up with an excuse, but a bento was thrust in front of his face.
"Hehe, I knew it. That's why I made you one."
Naruto felt a sting of emotion behind his eyes at her thoughtfulness. They sat down together to eat.
"Kanon, what did you put in these rice balls? They're amazing!"
"Meat. You need the nutrition for today."
Naruto didn't overthink the explanation, simply shoving another rice ball into his mouth.
"Naruto, drink some water! You're going to choke!"
Watching him bolt down his breakfast, Kanon asked with a smile, "So, do you feel confident about beating Neji?"
"Of course!" Naruto stood up and pointed toward a specific direction. "Want to stop by the training grounds with me?"
"The training grounds? Sure," Kanon nodded.
They walked toward the practice field. Upon arrival, they spotted Hinata peeking from behind a tree, looking flustered.
The finals are today... why are Naruto and Kanon here?
Seeing that Hinata was alright, Naruto let out a relaxed smile. "I... just came to look at this place. Since this is where we became Genin."
"Wh... why?" Hinata asked shyly.
"No reason, it doesn't really matter, does it?" Naruto turned his head away, feeling a bit embarrassed. Kanon, meanwhile, walked up to Hinata.
"Hinata, how are you? Are your injuries better?"
"Much... much better. Thank you for asking, Kanon."
Naruto turned back to Hinata. "Hey, Hinata. Neji is your relative, right?"
"Yes... he is."
"Is he really that strong?"
"Yes... very strong."
"I see..."
"B-but... if it's you, Naruto-kun, you might win..." Hinata said, trying to encourage him.
"What do you mean 'might win'?" Kanon gave Hinata a light, playful tap on the back of the head. She held out a fist toward Naruto. "He's definitely going to win, right?"
"Haha! You bet!!" Naruto understood the gesture instantly, bumping his fist against hers. He laughed at the two girls. "I'm pretty incredible myself, you know! Hahaha!"
"Yes, Naruto-kun will definitely win!" Hinata said with newfound resolve, inspired by Kanon's energy.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata continued softly. "Um, when you and Kanon cheered for me last time, I felt like I became stronger than before. After the preliminaries ended, I... I started to like myself a little more. Maybe to others, I haven't changed at all. But I... I feel like I have. And I think that's thanks to you and Kanon."
"Is that so? Then you'd better keep working hard to get even stronger!" Kanon beamed. Though Hinata was a year older, Kanon often felt like the big sister in the group.
Naruto looked at Hinata, his jaw set slightly. "Hey, Hinata."
"Yes...?"
"Maybe to you and Kanon, I seem strong. But I fail all the time. I only act tough because I'm frustrated."
Suddenly, Kanon gave Naruto a playful boink on the head. Hinata smiled at him and said:
"That's not true at all! Even when you fail, in my eyes, you are a proud failure! Just watching you gives me strength... precisely because you aren't perfect..."
"Because you fail, you have the strength to stand back up and face it. I think that kind of strength is true strength. I think you are a very wonderful person, Naruto-kun!"
Hinata's words struck Naruto right in the heart. Kanon gently squeezed his shoulder.
"She's right. You have a strong heart, so you aren't weak at all. You just stand up when you fall. That 'never give up' spirit is your whole thing, isn't it?" Kanon gave Hinata a thumbs-up.
Moved by their words, Naruto felt a surge of determination. He would defeat Neji Hyuga!
"Thank you, Hinata! And you, Kanon. I was feeling a bit out of it, but now I've got my spark back! I was acting so pathetic just now, it wasn't even like me. I'm all fired up! Kanon, let's go! To the exams!"
"Good luck to both of you!" Hinata called out.
"Thanks, Hinata! We'll see you as Chunin!" Kanon waved as she followed Naruto toward the stadium.
Naruto suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Hinata.
"Hinata!"
"Yes?!"
"I used to think you were just a weird, quiet, indecisive person."
Kanon stared at him, bewildered. Really, Naruto? You're insulting her now?
"But someone like you... I really like!!"
Naruto raised a fist in the air. "By the way, I'm going to take Neji down! Make sure you're watching!"
With that, Naruto grabbed Kanon's hand and ran, leaving a beet-red Hinata standing alone, her heart racing as she replayed his words in her mind.