Disclaimer: Naruto, Iruka, and all character related to them belong to Naruto Uzumaki franchise. Which definitely wasn't mine.
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They were a childhood friend. But doesn't mean they attached to hips, though. They just spend more time together than any other child of their age. They still had their own different group of friends at the Academy.
Sayaka made sure of that.
That girl even deliberately set her prank-loving friend on him. Doesn't stop to do that until he promised to leave her alone in the Academy.
So he relented. Even though he loves her company, it doesn't save him from humiliation brought by the prank. And even he secretly elated when some nosy classmates brought about a non-existent romance between them to Sayaka's face (and get chewed for that), it just couldn't make him immune to Sayaka's scheme.
That's why, on the third day after the disastrous afternoon, when he found her lurking in the corridors and not between her friends, he immediately felt something off with her.
She shouldn't be here. She should be right there, huddling at the window with everyone else. Trying to catch a glimpse of the rising Hero of Konoha. They say he back to the village today, after all.
She should be arguing with her desk-mate about the impossibility of their classmate to surpass The Hero. Saying her trademark observation with finality, "They couldn't even hit me three times in succession when we were sparring." Nevermind that she was too small and fast to be caught in retaliation. Or that The Hero she looked up so much might began as the weak runt of Academy.
She should do that, and not staring into space. Seeing things that he can't see. All with blank look befitting of a doll. He couldn't deny the silent charm she literally oozed with right now. But at the same time, it felt weird. And creepy.
So to stave off that feeling, he opened his mouth. Prepared to call her.
Alas, she senses him before he got too close. Turn her face to him. Showing a dilated pupil, as if she was going to get panic attacks. And then, she's gone. Grumbling profanities, he moves to trail her.
Only to be stopped by a hand on the scuff of his shirt.
"Shouldn't you be in the classroom right now? The lunch has ended a few minutes ago."
"But, Iruka-sensei, she would be long gone just like the day before yesterday!" He exclaimed loudly. Tring to claw her way out from his teacher grasp. Slightly panicked, since he couldn't forget his childhood friend behavior the other day.
"No," said the man, hasn't let his grip loose. Walking to the destinated classroom at a leisure pace. Not affected by his student peculiar antics.
"What if she lost and never came back again?" He couldn't stop right now. What if she got disoriented like that day, and got taken advantage of?
"What if you search for her later, with me to help you?"
Isamu stops to ponder. His teacher right. There's a big chance he won't able to find her. And if the rumor about Iruka-sensei sensory ability was right, she would be found easily. 'And don't forget that he is a teacher. A teacher bound to have some special ability. Yeah. That sounds like a plan.'
"Okay. Don't try to break your promises."
"No. I won't. Now go back to your seat." said the man, dropping Isamu from his hold. Smiling slightly at the sight of his student that crouched on four like a cat thrown from the height.
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AN.Yay! Finally got figured out where we were in the timeline. There should be meetings with the canon character somewhere in the few next chapters. But sadly, the canon will stay canon, and I had no plan to touch them too much.
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And for EvanBig Knees: Thanks, it means so much for me to get a response and your review encourage me to continue this.