A/N:
Aight I'm done playing—no more breaks, I'm locked in now
Team 7's in full chaos mode, Kakashi's already tired, and I'm just getting started 😤
Next chapter's about to go crazy, stay tuned
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3rd POV:
The early morning sun cast long shadows over the training grounds as birds chirped beyond the high walls of the Hidden Leaf Village. In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the window, hands clasped behind his back, watching the slow awakening of the village he had sworn to protect.
His eyes flicked toward the scrying orb behind him, where mist swirled into shape—revealing the Academy's exam hall.
Hinata Hyuuga performed a flawless Clone Jutsu, her form calm and composed. The orb shimmered again—Shikamaru yawned mid-seal, Sasuke executed hers with sharp precision, and Kiba nearly tripped over Akamaru.
A smile tugged at Hiruzen's lips.
"They've grown," he muttered, voice tinged with pride… and unease.
---
Outside the Academy, the newly minted genin gathered in the courtyard. The air buzzed with excitement, tension, and post-exam chatter.
Shikamaru slouched against a tree, muttering about how "everything's such a drag." Ino and Sakura bickered over who did better. Kiba recounted his performance far too loudly. Hinata stood quietly beside Shino, listening, searching for someone in the crowd.
Then, whispers rippled through the students.
"Yo," a lazy voice called.
Naruto strolled into the courtyard, hands in his pockets, Burakkumūn strapped across his back. His entrance drew looks—half admiration, half confusion.
From a distance, Iruka crossed his arms, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he glanced at the spot Naruto had once occupied.
"Already graduated, huh?" he murmured.
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Hinata POV
She stood with her peers, arms loosely folded—not trembling, not fidgeting. No Byakugan. No stammering. Her silence now held presence.
She watched Naruto appear—his grin, his casual strut.
Then her eyes slid toward Sasuke, lounging in the shade of a tree, arms tucked into her sleeves, expression unreadable. Most still assumed she was a boy.
Hinata smirked faintly.
'If only they knew.'
---
Inside the Academy, Iruka scanned a scroll and cleared his throat. The room quieted.
"Alright everyone, here are the official team placements."
Groans. Murmurs. One loud "About time!"
"Team 10: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi."
A dramatic groan from Ino followed.
"Team 8: Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Sakura Haruno."
Kiba blinked. "Sakura? Really?"
"Suck it up," Shino muttered.
Iruka continued.
"And finally... Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuuga."
A beat of silence.
Then Naruto grinned. "Heh. Called it."
---
Later...
Time passed. Slowly.
The classroom had mostly cleared out, other teams already fetched by their instructors. Team 7 remained, alone and growing more impatient by the minute.
Naruto lounged in the back, feet up on a desk, Burakkumūn sheathed across his lap. Hinata sat beside him, tracing lazy circles on the wood with her finger. Sasuke had, at some point, claimed the seat on Naruto's other side—and was now very casually leaning against his shoulder.
Neither said anything.
But Hinata noticed. And smirked. Just a little.
Naruto stretched. "How long has it been already?"
Hinata glanced at the clock. "Two hours, seventeen minutes."
Sasuke scoffed. "Pathetic."
Naruto sighed. "He's gonna show up in a puff of smoke and call it 'the art of anticipation' or something dramatic."
'Like you don't love the drama,' Kurama grumbled from deep inside.
'You and that Uchiha girl are starting to remind me of Madara and Hashirama. Clingy, dramatic, and overly sentimental.'
'We're not like that,' Naruto muttered internally.
'Right. Just swap a cliff for a classroom and call it a love story.'
Naruto scowled, mumbling under his breath.
And then—
Poof!
A cloud of smoke exploded at the front of the room.
When it cleared, a tall man stood there—one hand in his pocket, the other holding a tiny orange book. A mask obscured the lower half of his face, and his silver hair looked like gravity had given up.
"...Yo," he said.
The trio blinked.
"You're late," Sasuke said, her voice sharp.
Kakashi didn't even glance up. "Mmm. You're all very early."
Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "Old man Hiruzen said you were 'reliable.'"
"That's slander," Kakashi replied evenly.
Then his eye shifted—landing on Sasuke, who was still leaning into Naruto. Arms crossed. Expression unreadable.
Kakashi blinked once.
"...Ah," he said lightly, "young love in the air already? I suppose I'll have to update the team dynamic chart."
Sasuke stiffened.
Naruto choked on his own spit.
Hinata made a sound—somewhere between a cough and a laugh.
"I-I'm not—!" Sasuke sat up so fast she nearly fell off the bench.
Kakashi waved a hand. "No need to explain. I don't judge. Ninja life is short. Enjoy yourselves."
Sasuke twitched again.
'I already like him,' Naruto thought with a grin.
Kakashi snapped his book shut and turned toward the window with practiced indifference.
"Meet me on the roof in five. We're doing introductions."
He paused mid-step, glancing back over his shoulder.
"I dont like repeating myself. Get a move on."
Poof. He vanished in a puff of smoke.
Naruto stood slowly, blinking at the spot Kakashi had disappeared from.
"...What was that guy?"
"Insane," Sasuke muttered.
"Kinda funny," Hinata added.
Naruto grinned. "Definitely our kind of sensei."
---
They climbed the stairwell in silence at first.
The rhythmic sound of sandals against old wooden steps echoed between the walls, steady and unhurried. Dust motes floated in the slivers of sunlight breaking through the windows as the three walked side by side—Naruto in the middle, Sasuke on his right, Hinata on his left.
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Hinata POV
She kept her gaze forward, but her thoughts moved faster than her steps.
'He really is different now...'
The Naruto she'd known—the loud boy desperate to be noticed—was still there beneath the smirk and swagger. But now there was something else. Something quieter. More grounded. She liked it.
A lot.
Maybe too much.
They reached the final flight, just a few steps from the rooftop.
Without looking, Hinata reached out—and gently hooked her fingers through Naruto's hand.
Not tightly. Not desperately. Just enough that he'd notice.
He stiffened for a second, then relaxed, letting their hands stay joined as they walked.
'Oooh, smooth,' came Bura's sly voice in his head.
'Playboy alert. One leaning on your shoulder, the other holding your hand? What's next, Uzumaki? Matching kimonos?'
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