Snow blanketed the village in thick, pillowy layers, turning rooftops into frosted domes and alleyways into winding tunnels of white. The Mist's ever-present fog had lifted slightly, letting pale sunlight shimmer off icicles that clung to every eave. It was the kind of day that felt almost peaceful, a fragile, temporary calm before the gathering storm.
Kumio stood at the academy gates, scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. His breath rose in slow, ghostly puffs as he watched his classmates gather, cheeks pink from the cold. The teachers had declared the afternoon free, urging the children to enjoy the rare clear weather. For once, there would be no drills or lectures.
He spotted Shien leaning against a post, arms crossed, eyes sweeping the street. Beside him, Kuriko hopped from foot to foot, visibly buzzing with energy.
"Is everyone here yet?" Kumio asked as he approached.
Kuriko pointed across the courtyard. "There's Gakuto yelling at Daisuke, again."
True enough, the two were nose-to-nose near the academy fence, arguing over who had the stronger punch. Around them, the rest of the group trickled in, Sayo clutching a small basket of rice balls her mother had packed; Aya and Kimi playfully shoving each other; Rin hovering just outside the group, hesitant but drawn by curiosity. Even Jun swaggered up with a grin, bragging about his father's latest mission.
For the first time since entering the academy, Kumio felt like a child among friends, not a prodigy under constant scrutiny.
They decided on a snowball fight.
Shien divided them into teams, Kumio, Kuriko, Aya, Sayo, and Rin on one side; Gakuto, Daisuke, Kimi, Jun, and Nari on the other. Shien declared himself the "neutral observer," claiming his strategic genius was too valuable to waste on snow-throwing, though everyone knew he just didn't want to get hit.
The academy's training ground became their battlefield. Snowbanks turned into makeshift forts, and fallen branches served as flags. The rules were simple: capture the opposing team's scarf from their base without getting "frozen", hit by three snowballs.
"Ready?" Shien called, perched atop a tree branch like a smug crow. "Begin!"
Kuriko shot forward like a blur, scooping snow as she ran. Kumio moved to flank, his sharp eyes tracking Gakuto barreling straight toward them with a roar. Aya and Sayo ducked behind a fort, packing snowballs at lightning speed. Rin hovered near the rear, calling warnings in a stuttering voice that still managed to be helpful.
Gakuto charged too far ahead, catching a snowball to the face from Kuriko. He stumbled, wiping slush from his eyes, only to get tagged twice more by Kumio's precise throws. "I'm out?!" he howled.
Kuriko stuck her tongue out. "You're too predictable!"
On the other side, Daisuke laughed boisterously, snow flying as he threw with wild abandon. Kimi used his speed to dart between snowdrifts, pelting Kumio's teammates with startling accuracy. Jun hung back near his team's flag, guarding it with exaggerated bravado.
Kumio's breath came in calm, steady puffs. The cold never bothered him; instead, it sharpened his senses. He sprinted across the field, sliding behind a snowbank just as Daisuke's snowball sailed overhead. He signaled to Kuriko with a quick hand gesture, and she nodded, darting off to draw Kimi's attention.
With their best defender distracted, Kumio slipped around a snow-laden pine, eyes locked on the scarf fluttering atop Jun's fort. He weaved between snowballs, ducking and rolling, until he vaulted the last drift and grabbed the scarf.
"Got it!" he shouted.
Cheers rose from his team. Sayo and Aya exchanged a surprised high-five, Rin clapped with a wide grin, and even Gakuto, slumped on the sidelines, managed a reluctant smile. Kumio sprinted back, scarf streaming behind him, just as Daisuke tackled him into a snowbank. They tumbled together, laughing breathlessly.
"Time!" Shien called from his perch. "Victory goes to Kumio's team!"
The field exploded with laughter and playful groans. Gakuto grabbed Daisuke in a headlock, scrubbing snow into his hair. Kuriko tackled Kumio from behind, sending them both sprawling into a fresh drift. Even Shien cracked a small, rare smile.
Once the chaos settled, the eleven of them sat together beneath the academy's old pine, the branches drooping with icicles that chimed softly in the breeze. They shared Sayo's rice balls and the pickled plums Nari had brought, hands pink from the cold but hearts warm from shared triumph.
"It's strange," Aya said, wiping sticky rice from her cheek. "I thought we'd all just compete. But this… this feels like family."
Kimi chuckled. "Speak for yourself. I still plan to be the first to graduate."
Jun scoffed, mouth full. "Please. We all know I'll be the top genin."
Gakuto rolled his eyes. "I'll smash both of you before that happens."
As the friendly bickering carried on, Kumio leaned back against the pine trunk, letting snowflakes drift onto his face. For a moment, he let go of the future he dreaded. The Second Great Ninja War loomed, he could feel it like a thundercloud beyond the village walls, but here, right now, he was a child among other children, free to laugh without fear.
Kuriko nudged his side. "You're always thinking too hard," she teased. "Lighten up."
He managed a small smile. "I'm just… glad we're together."
Their sensei appeared on the far end of the field, calling them back inside as dusk painted the sky in shades of pale lavender. Groans rose from the group as they stood, brushing snow from clothes and hair.
"Tomorrow we're back to training," Kumio reminded them quietly as they shuffled toward the academy doors.
"Then we'll train together," Shien said firmly, eyes glinting. "No matter what comes."
That night, Kumio walked home with Kuriko and Shien at his side, the rest of their classmates scattering toward their own homes. The village was hushed under its snowy blanket, each lantern glowing like a small star in the mist.
Kuriko swung their captured scarf in circles. "Hey, tomorrow after class, let's meet near the river. I know a spot with the best view of the moonrise."
Kumio nodded. "I'd like that."
Shien fell into step beside them, hands tucked in his sleeves. "Me too."
In the distance, Kirigakure's frozen river glinted under the rising moon, its icy surface unmarred. For a fleeting moment, Kumio allowed himself to hope that they might share more nights like this, nights filled with warmth, laughter, and the promise of bonds strong enough to weather any storm.
But beyond the village walls, darkness gathered.
The next day, rumors reached the academy that a Mist border patrol had clashed with scouts from the Land of Waterfalls. Though the teachers tried to shield the children from the details, whispers of wounded shinobi and missing scouts spread like wildfire through the halls.
Kumio felt his heart sink. He looked around at his friends, Shien quietly analyzing every rumor, Kuriko trying to lighten the mood, Gakuto ranting about how they'd all become heroes one day. Each face was precious to him now. Each one a promise he refused to break.
That night, Kumio stood alone in the courtyard of his family's compound, Nidoka sleeping peacefully inside. Snow fell in slow, heavy flakes. He raised his face to the dark sky, eyes hardening as he thought of his new friends.
I will not let this war take them from me, he swore. I will be strong enough to protect every one of them.
The wind whispered through the frosted trees, and the moon watched in silent witness as Yuki Kumio steeled his resolve beneath the eternal snow.