A/N Just to clear up the little confusion from the last chapter, it was Naruto who started the kiss and not Kuruto. Again, this will be one of the major things for the drama later on. Let's focus on Team Seven and the Chunin Exams now. Enjoy guys!
Disclaimer: …I get it now…
WARNING: Angst, bashings here and there, yaoi, fluff, OOCness, etc.
"The Chunin Exams are getting near," Kakashi announced with an eye-smile. "Team registrations are going on right now. I trust that you all know what this means."
"Um, when do we sign up, Sensei?" Sakura asked, nervously.
"Signings aren't until tomorrow morning from 6 A.M.," Kakashi answered. "It ends at the end of this week. From now, we'll just take a small break. You're all dismissed. Remember, it all weighs on your decisions so choose wisely."
He poofed before his team could say anything. Jin was a bit disappointed while the other two just stared at the place where their sensei disappeared.
"Well, Sasuke-kun," Sakura spoke up, shattering the small silence. "Are you going to register?"
"Hn," Sasuke scoffed. "What do you think?"
"Oh, uh – do you want to do something? Oh! I know! Let's go on a date!" Sakura beamed.
Jin and Sasuke stared at the girl, disgusted with the lack of passion she had for her ninja career.
"Going on a date during this week is trivial," Jin said, voicing in both of their opinions. "Actually, going on a date during this time of your life is useless. The Chunin Exams are important and you know it. At least, I hope you do."
"What does that mean?" Sakura screeched, stepping forward in front of the boy. "Are you saying I'm stupid? Just to let you know, I was the top kunoichi of my class and kunoichi of the year."
"Yeah, was," Jin muttered.
"What did you say?" Sakura growled, taking another step forward. "I dare you to say it again."
"The people must be crazy to think that you are the top kunoichi," Jin continued, ignoring the visible threat. "You're not even a kunoichi. You're just a mindless, guy-obsessed bitch who never knows when to shut her mouth. Everyone clearly can't see that; unless you did something to them. Oh, I don't know…seduction maybe? But they're crazier if they fell for that face of yours."
Sakura's face was red in anger. "You're useless! You can't do anything for this team!"
"Look who's talking!" Jin retorted, his calm demeanor breaking. Kami, this girl – no, disgrace of a kunoichi – was practically an idiot.
"What?" Sakura glared. "Are you jealous of Sasuke-kun?"
Jin gaped at her. "Since when was Sasuke involved in this conversation?"
Said Uchiha just nodded slightly, not bothering to step in. He thought it was amusing and just stuck around to watch.
"I knew it!" Sakura screamed, jabbing her finger at Jin's chest. "You're jealous that you couldn't be like Sasuke-kun! You're weak, pathetic, and inexperienced in the shinobi arts! Why don't you go back to the Academy and learn from point zero again!"
Jin's face grew dark and his eyes shifted into a dark maroon color before going back to deep brown, startling Sakura for a second. "Don't touch me with your filth."
A shiver went up Sakura's spine and Sasuke didn't miss the tension in the air.
"I suggest you do the same," Jin growled. "I bet you can't even do anything to save your own pathetic little ass."
Sakura flushed. "O-of course I can! You just never saw me in action."
Jin smirked, which made Sasuke and Sakura feel uneasy. "Alright then let's do a little practice session. It'll be good for the Chunin Exams. You are signing up for it, aren't you?"
"Of course I am!" Sakura stuttered out. "I was thinking about going tomorrow morning and signing up at the top of the list."
"Good," Jin smiled, "'cause if you chickened out, we wouldn't be able to take part in the exams anyway."
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Kakashi did say choose our decisions wisely," Jin answered, shrugging his shoulders. "If one teammate doesn't sign up for the exams then the whole team sits out. It's pretty simple as it is. You can't go as a two-man squad. Imagine what would've happened if I didn't replace your past teammate. You wouldn't get your revenge against the man you're chasing."
Sasuke wondered how he even knew of the Uchiha massacre but just brushed it aside. He also dismissed the fact that the boy called their sensei by his first name. Sakura looked hesitant, probably thinking about the exams over again until Jin interrupted her thoughts.
"Let's begin our practice session," Jin smirked, taking out a kunai.
Sakura widened her eyes. "W-what are you doing?"
"Getting ready for the session," Jin said. "You run away while I try to kill you. Simple as that."
"W-wait!"
But it was too late to back down when Jin already appeared in front of her. Sasuke was too slow to reach for her and cursed at that. Inside, he was surprised at how fast Jin was. His speed was practically high-Jounin level. He wasn't the only one surprised.
Ching! Sakura closed her eyes, waiting stupidly for the blow. When she felt nothing, she slowly opened her eyes to see her sensei's back looming over her, blocking Jin's kunai with his own.
"What are you doing?" Kakashi growled.
"Teaching her a lesson is what I'm doing," Jin glared. "She clearly needs to know her place."
"Put the kunai down."
They both entered a staring match until Jin reluctantly put the kunai back in his holster and walked away, leaving his team behind. Kakashi really hoped that his team would mend during the Chunin Exams, but it seems like Kami-sama didn't hear his silent prayers.
In the heavens, a white-haired man sneezed while throwing his cards on the table. He rubbed his nose with a tissue that Kushina gave him, cursing loudly when he realized he lost again.
"Who's up for a rematch?"
(First Day of Chunin Exams)
Sakura signed up anyways just to be with her dear Sasuke. After a disturbing scene with Rock Lee and his team and a little genjutsu business, they were finally in the examination room, but not before Kakashi wished them luck.
"Sasuke-kun!" a blonde-haired girl screeched. "I've missed you so much!"
Ino practically appeared out of nowhere and jumped onto Sasuke's back who grunted slightly from the weight. Sakura glared heatedly at Ino, grabbing Sasuke's arm.
"Back off, Ino-pig!" Sakura hissed. "Sasuke's mine!"
"Well, Billboard Brow," Ino replied with a smirk. "It looks like I have to take him away from you."
"Hey, where's Naruto?" Chouji asked.
Sasuke tensed but Sakura answered for him. "He's dead." It created quite an uproar among the Konoha Twelve.
Jin walked off into the corner and pretended he didn't know who they all were. He sat down on a seat in the far corner and looked out the window, his thoughts drifting to Kakashi. He was clearly in love but he always was. It hasn't been long since he arrived from his dimension.
"Hey," a high-pitched female voice said. "What are you doing here?"
Jin looked up, annoyed, to see a black-haired girl look down at him. She had very long black hair that was tied at the end and black eyes. She wore her forehead protector that had a symbol of a musical note, a pale green vest, and snake patterned pants and scarf.
"My name is Tsuchi Kin," the girl introduced. "What's yours?"
"Endo Jin," Jin answered indifferently.
"May I sit here?" Kin asked, gesturing at the seat next to him.
"What about your team?" Jin asked suspiciously.
"They're acting like total retards," Kin replied, rolling her eyes. "You're the only one around here who seems sane. A girl needs her space sometimes and being stuck with a bunch of dimwits isn't helping clean the air for me."
"Sure. Take a seat."
They struck up a pleasant conversation, surprisingly to Jin. They were interrupted when an ash grey-haired teen brought attention to himself by claiming he could find out any shinobi's information with some deck of cards. After it all ended, Kin left to her assigned seat by the proctor Ibiki.
Jin thought the test was ridiculously easy and finished in no time, waiting for the exam to end. He leaned his chin onto his hand and wandered his eyes over the other test takers. Sakura and a pineapple-head boy finished rather quickly with two Hyuuga following after. He was a bit surprised that they could cheat so well despite their lack of…field experience. Maybe they do have some hope after all, maybe. His mind wandered back to Kakashi.
"Alright, pencils down!" Ibiki barked. "We will grade your exams and if we find one mistake, one mistake, then you'll have to take it again next year. Raise your hands if you can't handle it right now. If you raise your hand, you will also be kicked out with your teammates."
An uncomfortable, tense silence hung in the air until one boy raised his hand, mumbling an apology to his teammates when they left the room together. Others started to raise their hand not because of the pressure but because of Ibiki's intimidating stare.
Sakura gulped nervously and slowly started to raise her hand, but her hand dropped loosely by her side as if she couldn't control herself. Jin's sharp eyes could see a faint chakra rope around her wrist yet did not see the one who caused it. He was quite surprised that the ninjas monitoring the room didn't notice nor did Ibiki.
"Alright," Ibiki nodded. "You all pass."
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed – well, more like the Konoha teams.
Jin ignored Ibiki's explanation about a shinobi's willingness and such. He felt his head start to droop when a sudden crash alerted him.
"Heads up, boys and girls, this is no time to be celebrating! I'll be your next proctor. Mitarashi Anko. Huh? Why the hell is there so many brats, Ibiki?"
Jin glared at the woman. No matter what relationship she had with Kakashi, she will pay for interrupting their moment days before.
"Supposedly, the will of fire is familiar to you?" Ibiki groaned. "And please, no more flashy entrances."
Anko grinned. "Thank you for the compliment."
"It wasn't one. Your entrance was unnecessary."
Anko pouted, causing a few guys to swoon. "That's so mean, Ibiki. Anyways – " She turned to the genins. " – follow me for your second part of the exam."
(The Forest of Death)
Really, all they did was talk and talk and talk. Jin leaned himself back against a tree, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He found himself start to close his eyes again, leaning his head to the side to avoid a thrown kunai.
"You should pay attention, kid," Anko whispered in his ears behind him. "You might get killed."
"I didn't, did I?" Jin snapped.
Anko was shocked when he easily vanished from her grasp, reversing their position.
"And just to let you know," Jin whispered in her ears. "Kakashi's mine."
Anko shivered at his darker tone and stumbled to regain her balance when he shoved her away. She flushed in embarrassment when all eyes were on her. She cleared her throat and shouted, "Now that you all got your scrolls, get ready – "
Jin walked over to his teammates, ignoring their looks.
" – set – "
Everyone prepared themselves to sprint once the gates opened.
" – go! – "
Everyone dashed inside the forest, the gates closing behind them, telling them that they couldn't return.
A/N Got that done, finally! Anyways, Naruto will FINALLY appear in the next chapter! And, yes, Jin is not really supposed to be there…He's from a different dimension. Ah, so many questions. Well, hope you enjoyed it although it being a bit rushed.
Review, please! ~