Konoha, Year 54.
"Uzumaki Naruto! Inuzuka Kiba!"
"You two sleeping in class?! Get out and stand in the hallway!"
Iruka's roar thundered through the classroom and down the corridor, thick with fury.
"Tch. Got caught, huh."
Kiba sat up from his desk, casually wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, looking completely unfazed.
Shin: "..."
Kiba got to his feet and walked out under Iruka's seething glare. Naruto followed right behind him, equally nonchalant.
"I want everyone else to pay attention!" Iruka barked, snapping several sleepy classmates back to full alertness.
"If I catch anyone else dozing off again..."
"..."
"Nara Shikamaru! Out!"
"Akimichi Choji! No eating during class. Out. You too."
The spiky-haired boy yawned as he strolled out the door, Choji trailing behind, chewing.
"You little brats never let me catch a break." Iruka's voice still held an edge of anger, though it was softened by resignation.
"You're the worst class I've ever had."
The whole class: "…"
"Now, let's continue our lesson on the three taboos of a shinobi…"
Outside in the hallway, Naruto and Kiba stood side by side, a short distance apart.
When Shikamaru and Choji came out too, Kiba raised an eyebrow.
"You guys again? What'd you do this time?"
"I fell asleep. He was eating," Shikamaru muttered, scratching his head in annoyance. He leaned back against the wall beside Kiba, folding his arms behind his head.
Choji followed suit, plopping down next to him.
"Do you two always coordinate this? Every time you get kicked out, Choji's right behind you."
Kiba chuckled.
Shikamaru glanced sideways at Choji but said nothing.
"Hey," Naruto suddenly spoke up, drawing all three gazes his way.
"Wanna go somewhere? It's boring just standing here."
"Skipping class?" Shikamaru frowned. "No way. If we get caught, we're screwed. The teacher will definitely tell our parents. My mom would…"
He shuddered at the thought, as if recalling some trauma.
Kiba imagined what would happen if his mom found out he skipped class and instinctively flinched.
"I'm not going either. My mom would kill me."
Choji glanced at Shikamaru and nodded solemnly.
Naruto's expression shifted with a flicker of disdain. "Tch. You guys are such cowards."
That hit a nerve.
Kiba scowled. "You've got no idea how scary my mom is, punk."
Naruto just curled his lip and turned away without a word.
They were standing near the window outside the classroom. From there, they could see Sasuke sitting by the window inside.
Naruto's eyes lit up as if spotting something amusing. He leaned in toward the glass and started making faces at Sasuke.
Sasuke noticed immediately, shooting him a glance before turning away without a reaction.
Undeterred, Naruto pressed on tongue out, eyes rolled back, tugging at his cheeks to make grotesque shapes.
After a while, he got tired, paused to catch his breath, then continued.
Sasuke: "..."
Sasuke finally had enough. He turned and silently mouthed a word.
Idiot.
Naruto froze for a beat, annoyed. He slapped his palm against the window.
That slap echoed through the room.
Everyone turned.
Uh-oh.
Naruto looked up and met Iruka's blazing eyes.
Naruto: "…"
"Naruto!!"
"You're not going home today. Clean the classroom and the entire courtyard!"
…
After school, students streamed out of the building one after another.
Naruto stood at the doorway with a broom in hand, dazed, while passing students pointed and laughed.
His grip on the broom tightened.
"Hey! Shikamaru!"
He spotted the spiky-haired boy and Choji getting ready to leave and called out.
"You guys are just gonna leave? That's cold! We got punished together, at least help me clean!"
"Nope," Shikamaru replied flatly. "It's your own fault. Why should I deal with your mess? Such a drag."
With that, the two of them left.
"…"
"Need a hand?"
A voice came from behind him.
Naruto turned and saw Shin, standing beside Kiba and Shino.
"Shin!" Naruto's face lit up with joy.
Shin smiled gently.
Naruto opened his mouth to accept the offer but stopped when he noticed Kiba and Shino with him.
"Nah, I'm good. This is nothing. I'll finish up in no time."
He laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head while waving the broom with the other hand.
"Tch. Show-off." Kiba clicked his tongue.
"You guys go ahead. I'll be home once I'm done," Naruto said with a grin toward Shin.
Shin looked like he wanted to say something, but Kiba cut him off.
"Come on, Shin. He doesn't want help, so don't bother. My sister's got dinner ready at home."
Shin gazed at Naruto a moment longer, then finally nodded and left with Kiba and Shino.
"He's not finishing all that in one night," Kiba muttered as they walked. "Not unless he stays up until midnight."
Shin understood too. He let out a soft sigh.
Naruto stood still, watching them walk away.
Elsewhere, a certain boy with a fan crest on his back glanced over his shoulder at Naruto.
"Damn it! Get lost, Sasuke! This is all your fault!"
Naruto yelled furiously when he noticed Sasuke looking.
Sasuke didn't respond. He turned and walked away.
"…"
Soon, the entire school was empty except for him.
The sun dipped below the horizon.
Naruto sat alone on the swing at the school gate, slowly rocking back and forth with the broom in hand. The bristles scraped against the ground with every swing, making a soft shhh sound.
"Ugh."
He stared off in a daze, then growled in frustration.
"Damn it!"
He jumped up, flailing the broom around in a fit.
"Stupid Sasuke! Looking down on me like that?!"
Clenching his teeth, he suddenly shouted at the empty air.
"Get lost, Sasuke! Don't you realize you're wrong?!"
Then he jumped to another spot and imitated a cowering voice.
"Ah, Naruto-sama, I'm sorry! I never should have defied you!"
"Hmph! Too late for apologies! Take this!"
"Ahh! Nooo, Naruto-sama! You're too strong!"
"Pow! Bam! Boom!"
He made sound effects with his mouth.
"Hmph! That'll teach you a lesson."
"I won't mess with you ever again!"
"Wow, Naruto, you're amazing!"
He changed to a different voice. "You're my best friend."
"What about Inuzuka Kiba?"
"Kiba? Screw him. I only need you, Naruto!"
"Ha! Not bad, Shin. When I'm Hokage, you'll be my right-hand man!"
"Ha ha ha…"
"Ha ha ha!"
He burst into wild laughter, completely lost in his own one-man show.
"…"
…
"Tch."
Silence. No applause. Just the sound of his own voice echoing back.
He looked like a clown.
"…"
Quietly, he picked up the broom and began sweeping the fallen leaves again.
The last light of day fell across his back, offering a hint of warmth.
…
Iruka stepped out of the office. The sky had already gone dark.
"So late already?"
He looked up at the stars, muttering to himself.
Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye.
In the dim light, a lone figure moved across the courtyard.
Huh?
He squinted.
Naruto? He's still here?
Iruka blinked, then smacked his forehead.
"This kid's more earnest than I thought."
He sighed, torn between frustration and guilt.
"Maybe I went too far with the punishment."
After a moment of hesitation, Iruka went back to the classroom, grabbed a broom, and walked toward the courtyard.
Naruto was silently sweeping when he suddenly heard a similar rustling nearby.
He jerked his head up toward the sound.
"Iruka… sensei?"
Iruka looked up too when he felt the boy's eyes on him.
"Well? Get to it. The sooner you're done, the sooner you can go home," he said gruffly.
"O-oh… okay…" Naruto stammered, snapping out of his trance.
They said no more.
The two of them swept in silence.
As time passed, more stars appeared in the sky, bright enough to light the ground beneath them.
"…Naruto."
Iruka's voice came after they'd gradually moved closer.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked at him in confusion.
"Do you think… making you clean the whole school was too harsh?"
"Uh? Oh… maybe?"
Naruto tilted his head, unsure where this was going.
"What?! I give you a punishment and you still complain?!"
Iruka suddenly shouted in mock outrage.
Naruto: "???"
"…Sigh." Iruka rubbed his forehead. "Just get it done."
Time passed again.
Eventually, Naruto threw the broom aside and collapsed onto the ground.
"Finally! I'm dead!" he cried out in relief.
Iruka picked up the broom, put it back where it belonged, and returned.
"Don't fall asleep. You'll catch a cold."
"I can't move. I've got nothing left," Naruto groaned.
"Get up!" Iruka barked.
Naruto leapt to his feet with a snap. "Sir!"
"…Geez, you…" Iruka sighed.
Grrrr~
Naruto's stomach growled loudly, making him flush in embarrassment.
"Hungry?" Iruka chuckled.
"Yeah…" Naruto nodded sheepishly.
"Let's go eat." Iruka clapped him on the back with a grin.
"Really?! Woohoo! Iruka-sensei, you're the best!"
"Brat. You better behave from now on, got it?"
"Got it, got it. Heh heh."
"Don't just say it. Mean it."
Iruka's irritation returned briefly when he saw Naruto's carefree face.
"Iruka-sensei, what are we eating?" Naruto asked curiously as they walked out of the school.
"It's late. We'll just go with whatever's still open. I think there's a ramen shop that stays open real late."
"Ramen? Is it good?"
"Good or not, we're eating it!"
"Oh…"
"Hey… Naruto?" Iruka's voice faltered a little. He scratched his chin.
"What?"
"S-sorry…" he mumbled, face slightly red.
"…Huh? What was that, sensei?"
"N-nothing!"
"Hee hee! Ramen time!"
Naruto beamed, grinning from ear to ear.