In the blink of an eye, the three-day break that Kurenai had given Team 8 ca to an end.
During those three days, Izayoi and the Hyuga sisters had practically visited every scenic spot Konoha was known for. Each of them had begun compiling a photo album – they already had a ton of pictures. Seeing the smiles on both their faces, Izayoi felt the cara purchase had been well worth it.
Once the break was over, Izayoi threw himself into work with new vigor, practically becoming a model of hard work. Even Kurenai and Shino were surprised. Hinata, though, was reminded of sothing else and felt a pang of guilt.
"Izayoi-kun, please take my share of the mission pay," she said as she handed over an envelope stuffed with bills, after Team 8 finished a day’s work.
"Nah, I’m not going to starve," Izayoi replied, pushing the envelope back. Then he pinched her cheek with a smile. "If the day cos when I truly can’t afford a al, I’ll co find this rich ’lady’ of mine to keep ."
"Mm."
This ti, Hinata didn’t flush with embarrassnt because her mind was elsewhere. Seeing Izayoi’s refusal, she didn’t insist. Instead, she planned to use her own earnings entirely on groceries.
Only now did Hinata realize Izayoi had wanted a cara for ages but simply couldn’t afford it—mostly thanks to her massive appetite. Ever since Hanabi started tagging along, they rarely ate out, and it was Izayoi who went shopping for food.
Hinata, living a comfortable life, never gave it a second thought until now, suddenly reminded that Izayoi’s living conditions couldn’t compare to hers.
The realization made her eyes glisten with emotion. She decided she would start working harder to make money, so Izayoi wouldn’t shoulder all the burden.
anwhile, Izayoi himself had no clue what Hinata was thinking. He hadn’t even noticed her mood shift, because his gaze had locked onto soone else entirely.
The person wasn’t so handso guy or pretty girl – but rather an old man with dark, weathered skin. Next to him was a wooden box, and he clutched a bottle of liquor that he sipped only in tiny doses, as though not wanting to waste it. He sat on a bench, apparently waiting for soone, or maybe lacking the funds for an inn.
At a glance, it was obvious he was an out-of-towner. Such out-of-towners ca and went in Konoha every day, either from other Fire Country locales or from beyond its borders.
Izayoi had seen countless such strangers growing up, but none had seized his attention quite like this old man. Seeing him, a long-buried mory hidden deep in Izayoi’s mind—so hazy he could barely recall—suddenly beca crystal-clear.
Even though it was his first ti laying eyes on the old man, Izayoi could say his na outright:
Tazuna.
He was the bridge-builder from the Land of Waves, the client of Team 7’s first C-rank assignnt, a key figure from the early arc. A string of iconic scenes flashed through Izayoi’s mind like a slideshow.
"Izayoi-kun, what are you looking at?" ca Hinata’s voice, pulling him back to reality.
He smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing—just zoning out, reminded of sothing."
"What was it?"
"In about a month or so, the village will hold the Chūnin Exams. Do you think we should sign up?"
"Of course," Hinata said, nodding resolutely. "I want to beco a Jōnin as soon as possible."
"Oh?" Izayoi’s curiosity piqued. "Why’s that?"
"Secret."
Hinata suddenly imitated Izayoi’s usual gesture, placing her index finger to her lips. Izayoi blinked in surprise.
"Hee-hee..."
Seeing him briefly at a loss, Hinata giggled happily.
"Oh, so you’ve learned to tease now, huh?" Izayoi recovered, playfully pinching her cheek with an exaggerated scowl. "Careful, or I’ll punish you by turning you into my hand-strength trainer!"
"Huh? Hand-strength trainer? What’s that supposed to be?" Hinata mumbled, cheeks compressed in his grip.
"If you really want to know, I’ll tell you once we’re back ho," Izayoi replied with a mischievous grin, about to drag her away for so "training."
Just then, a distant shout interrupted them.
"Yo, Izayoi, Hinata—long ti no see!"
They turned to see four figures: tall silver hair with a lazy eye, spiky blond with whisker marks, a cool-looking black-haired boy, and a pink-haired girl in a red qipao top. It was Team 7.
Naruto Uzumaki waved. Izayoi lifted a hand in response, smiling, "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura—long ti no see."
Nearly two months had passed since graduation—indeed, it’d been quite a while. In the Academy, a year was split into three sesters, with only sumr break being sowhat lengthy.
"You two on a date?" Sasuke’s opening remark imdiately made Hinata flush, cheeks turning pink. Sakura cast a longing glance in Hinata’s way.
Despite them both being in the sa class, each with a "top boy" on their team, when would her relationship with Sasuke beco as natural as Hinata’s with Izayoi?
Izayoi didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, "You guys headed off on a mission?"
"We’re going to pick one up," Naruto said, pointing to the silver-haired man reading his adult novel in plain sight as he walked. "That’s Kakashi-sensei—our Jōnin instructor."
"Greetings, Kakashi-san," said Izayoi and Hinata courteously.
"Yo," Kakashi replied, slipping his copy of Icha Icha Paradise closed. He eyed the pair—both taller and more physically developed than Naruto, Sasuke, or Sakura.
Even without raising his headband, it was clear they possessed greater chakra reserves than Sasuke or Sakura. So he looked at Izayoi and deliberately stirred the pot. "So you’re the so-called top student, huh? Not bad. I guess Naruto and Sasuke can’t compare."
Kakashi had assud that comnt would irritate Naruto or Sasuke, but to his surprise, they seed unbothered. Even Sakura and Hinata looked as though they thought he had a point.
That told Kakashi a lot. Even with Sasuke’s newly awakened and upgraded Sharingan allowing him to throw around skills like Phoenix Flower and Great Dragon Fire, it was evidently normal for him to be behind Izayoi. A "brilliant civilian talent" in this new generation—Kakashi silently took note.
Izayoi responded with a disarming smile. "Kakashi-san is too kind. Naruto and Sasuke are exceptional, and Sakura’s one of the top academic achievers. I just happen to lead them in overall scores. You’re the famous ’Copy Ninja’ of the shinobi world, the ’Konoha’s Technician’ who’s copied over a thousand jutsu, the direct student of the Fourth Hokage, a master of the Lightning Release rumored to have cut through lightning. Give them a couple months under your tutelage, and they’ll master countless jutsu and easily surpass ."
"..."
Kakashi’s half-lidded eyes suddenly sharpened. Sweat trickled down his neck. Sure enough, he glanced sideways to find Team 7 gaping at him in disbelief. Uh-oh.
"Kakashi-sensei, you’re THAT strong?!" Naruto yelled, pointing in accusation. "You studied under the Fourth Hokage, learned over a thousand jutsu, but you never taught us any ninjutsu?"
"Kakashi-sensei, that’s so unfair!" Sakura chid in, glaring too.
Sasuke said nothing, but his eyes—burning bright—were also tinged with a hint of disdain. Kakashi realized, yep, no more lazing around for him.
As for the instigator, Izayoi was already leading Hinata away while Kakashi scrambled to do damage control.
~~~
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