Two days after Naruto unveiled his new orange jacket—now proudly bearing the Uzumaki spiral—the class buzzed with mixed reactions. Some laughed at his bold taste, but Naruto didn't care. He loved the look. Shorai, however, caught Ino's knowing glance—a sly smile confirming she'd figured out his secret. Sakura, oblivious, remained focused on Sasuke, frustrated by his continued indifference, especially after he'd ignored her birthday invitation during spring break.
Iruka announced that with all survival training forms signed, the class would begin their first outdoor session the next morning. Lessons continued, and Shorai monitored progress: most students could now perform the three basic jutsu, though still with full hand seals. Chakra control varied wildly—only Hinata, Shino, Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino showed real mastery. Shikamaru remained indifferent, content with just passing. Naruto had improved in Transformation, reducing it to a single seal, but his Clone and Substitution techniques remained weak—his massive reserves making control nearly impossible.
In every spare moment, Shorai immersed himself in medical theory. At night, locked in his room, he practiced Yang chakra transformation, slowly mastering the intent to heal and accelerate cell recovery—first on fish, then on other small animals. He even used the Reality Stone to sneak into Konoha Hospital, testing his skills on unconscious patients, growing confident but still hesitant to try it on himself.
The next day, Iruka and Mizuki led the class to a forest training ground for survival exercises. Over time, sessions expanded from half-day to full 24-hour missions. They built tents, lit fires, and cooked fish—Shorai using the cover to refine his healing technique. Progress was slow at first, but by June, he could convert chakra into Yang energy efficiently. Cautious of his Yin-Yang imbalance, he minimized taijutsu training, focusing only on form.
Sasuke repeatedly asked to resume their spars, but Shorai refused. "I need a few more months to recover. I'll tell you when."
By summer's end, Iruka praised the class's growth, urging them not to slack off.
Throughout the break, Shorai balanced training with visits to Heavenly Lotus, now a growing brand. The debut of the Heavenly Spring album had sparked village-wide fascination—especially the mysterious male model. Speculation followed Shorai wherever he went, a constant source of quiet frustration.
By September, he was ready. His experiments had succeeded. He could finally begin healing himself.
Back in his room, he stared at his calendar, Ino's upcoming birthday marked. He glanced at the portrait she'd drawn of him nearly a year ago.
"I should get her something meaningful… not just flowers," he mused.
Activating the Reality Stone, he warped in a concept—then set out to make it real.
September 23 was Ino's birthday, and Shorai arrived at the Academy with a carefully wrapped lavender box in his bag. After classes, as the group—Shorai, Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino—headed out together, Shorai slowed and turned to Ino.
"Ino… can we talk? Privately?" His usual calm softened into a rare, sincere half-smile.
She froze, flustered. Sakura blinked in surprise. Sasuke watched, intrigued.
"Sorry, Sakura-chan," Shorai said gently, "I'll borrow her for a moment."
Ino stumbled forward, mind racing, until he handed her the box. "I didn't forget what you did for me last year. Happy birthday, Ino."
She stared. "I… didn't expect this…"
"Open it."
Inside: a deep purple lotus, hand-sewn by Aya, and a free pass to Heavenly Lotus.
Her eyes widened. Then, squealing, she lunged forward and hugged him—sudden, tight, full of joy.
"Thank you! Thank you! It's perfect!"
Just as quickly, she pulled back, face burning. "S-sorry…"
Shorai, stunned, smiled. "And thank you… for keeping my secret. It would've been a nightmare otherwise."
She clutched the gift, then narrowed her eyes with that familiar sly look.
"Just say it. Today, I might make an exception," Shorai noticed something off, and guessed: "Need a shopping partner?"
"Can you come with me to the shop?" she asked, blinking sweetly.
"Of course. Right now. Let's not keep them waiting."
He noticed a flicker in her expression—disappointment? Not quite what she'd hoped for?
Still, she skipped back to the group.
Sakura immediately pulled her aside, whispering. Sasuke gave Shorai a long, unreadable look before walking off with a quiet farewell.
Shorai waited patiently as the girls bickered.
One secret, one bond, carefully kept.