~Chapter 1~
"So~," the white-haired child, now twelve, leaned against the kitchen doorway. "Lord Hokage assigned you to a mission, but I have to attend the Ninja Academy for you to even officially accept it?"
"That's what he told me." Kakashi said casually.
The young teen frowned, not liking the idea of going to the Ninja Academy full of students he knew he surpassed in strength and skill. He pushed off the kitchen doorway and headed for the fridge. "That doesn't make sense to me..."
"It doesn't have to make sense," his father had his face-mask pulled down to his chin. "I may have homeschooled you and trained you, but now Lord Third wants you to finish at the Academy." he sat down at the kitchen table after getting a bowl of cereal.
"I don't want to finish at the Academy," the young teen closed the fridge after grabbing the carton of milk, setting it down next to Kakashi. "I'm so far ahead of the students I'll die from boredom!"
"Yoru," Kakashi's voice was firm, "It's best that you start to socialize with others of your age. Build up your experience for teamwork."
Yoru groaned at the word 'teamwork.' He never liked being around others other than his dad and Lord Third. He sat down at the table with his own bowl of cereal, though not feeling as hungry as he was before. "Why can't you finish my schooling?"
"Hokage's orders." Kakashi said.
Yoru looked down, frowning.
"Don't be like that, Yoru." Kakashi added, "Besides, Iruka will be your teacher."
Yoru brightened at the thought of his dad's friend teaching, but still wasn't thrilled about having to physically go to the Ninja Academy. He sighed, knowing that no matter how much he complained or tried to plead Kakashi was still going to say he was going. No exceptions or buts.
"Okay, okay... I'll go... BUT only if I can have Pakkun with me, too." Yoru tried to bargain.
"I'll treat you to Ichiraku ramen instead." Kakashi promised.
"Mm..." Yoru thought it over, snapped his fingers and grinned. "Deal."
About an hour later, Yoru wasn't feeling so confident like earlier. He and Kakashi stood outside the Ninja Academy, other students walking by laughing and chatting with each other.
"Okay... I change my mind. Let's go home." he turned on his heels and tried to bee-line it back in the direction of their home.
"Not so fast," Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him back towards the Academy. "We made a deal, remember? You attend the Academy and I'd treat you to Ichiraku ramen."
"Forget the ramen," Yoru nervously laughed, "I want to go home."
"Don't be like that," Kakashi struggled to keep Yoru from running off. "You'll have fun."
Before the young white-haired biy could say anything, their attention was brought to a young man about Kakashi's age. "Kakashi, Yoru. Glad that you made it!"
"Goodmorning, Iruka. You remember Yoru, right?" Kakashi introduced the boy.
Iruka smiled, looking directly at Yoru. "Of course, I remember him. You've grown a lot since I last seen you."
Yoru nodded, hiding behind Kakashi out of shyness than anything else. He remembered Iruka, but only seen him once or twice while Kakashi was out on missions and needed someone to watch over him. "Hi..."
"I understand that the other students have graduated, but I was given orders by Lord Third to have Yoru attend the Academy anyways." Kakashi told Iruka.
"I was already informed. Yoru'll have to take the final exams and then he can join the others."
Yoru glanced about, then caught sight of a flash of pink hair from the corner of his eye. He turned his head and saw two girls fighting who would get into the Academy first. One girl had pink hair, but the other was blonde and a bit more slim. "Okay." Yoru said.
"Are you sure?" Iruka questioned.
"Huh?" Yoru blinked, looking up to Iruka and his dad.
"As I was telling Kakashi, the room we usually use for testing is already taken by another class. You don't mind taking the exam in front of others, do you?" Iruka asked.
Yoru glanced back towards the pink-haired girl, but she was already heading inside the school building. He turned his gaze back up to Iruka. "I don't mind."
Kakashi was surprised in hearing this from his son. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
Yoru shrugged, "It's no big deal."
Iruka and Kakashi looked at each other and silently agreed not to question it further in case Yoru changed his mind again. Kakashi ruffled the boy's hair and chuckled. "Alright then. I'll see you later." He said goodbye to Iruka and Yoru, leaving for his "mission" Lord Hokage gave him.
"Well, shall we head in?" Iruka smiled.
Yoru nodded, following Iruka inside.