A/N: First of all, did you guys notice that I changed the cover of Unknown? Now, instead of Kakashi it's a SHOCKED SAKUMO! Isn't he adorable? This pic alone says a lot about his personality. Btw, sorry guys. I got no inspiration this month so this update was slow. Writer's block also played an important role so I'm not really proud about this chapter... But anyways, onto the chapter!

As the Second Shinobi World War was coming to a halt, much to everyone's relief in Konoha, many, if not most, of the shinobi partaking the battle had finally gone home to reunite with their families. Sakumo, for one, with almost a three-week separation from Kakashi, came home just in time for the Academy Entrance Exams.

Much to Kakashi's relief, Sakumo only sustained minor injuries that would heal up easily. As much as Kakashi didn't want to admit it, he had missed his father and had been constantly worried for him.

Now, perched on his father's shoulders, Kakashi dismissed the beautiful morning of Konoha in favor for playing with his father's small ponytail, or "back beard," as Sakumo would like to call it because ponytails sounded too feminine in his opinion.

Kakashi pursed his lips from behind his mask in curiosity. He always did wonder why his father kept his hair in a ponytail. Whenever Kakashi had tried to convince Sakumo to just cut it off, Sakumo would wave his hand, never budging in the slightest.

The curiosity became too overwhelming for the boy, and finally induced him to ask his father. "Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?" Sakumo was lightly astounded. It was rare for Kakashi to start a conversation with him. Kakashi was a very independent boy for his age, and in most cases only talked when others asked him something—not the other way around.

"Why do you keep your hair long?"

This was a new question for Sakumo. Even though Kakashi would occasionally ask about his hair, Kakashi would only ask for Sakumo to cut it, not why Sakumo kept it long. The older of the two cleared his throat and replied, "Well…"

Kakashi, who was on his shoulders, eagerly awaited the answer, holding his breath.

"I keep my hair long because I want to. That's all there to it."

Kakashi deflated in disappointment. Of course that would be the answer. The young boy had always thought his father as amazing, so he had thought that the reason for Sakumo's hair preference would have some important reason to it.

Sakumo continued down the dirt road, keeping a complete poker face. He didn't want to tell Kakashi that his reason for his long hair was for losing a bet. The father inwardly sighed. The bet was with Kakashi's late mother, stating that if Kakashi were a girl, Sakumo would win, and vice-versa. In his case, Sakumo lost, and in his wife's early demise, Sakumo didn't have the heart to cut his small ponytail.

To lighten the mood, Sakumo said, "Hey, isn't that Dai-san and his son... Was it Gai-kun?" Sakumo chuckled wholeheartedly when he saw both the father-son duo train with each other.

Kakashi groaned, "Look, Dad. We don't have time for chit-chat right now."

"Relax, Boy. It doesn't hurt to be friendly."

"I don't want to be late again for my first day of class because of you."

"And look, we're thirty minutes early. I'm pretty sure we have a little time to chit-chat." Sakumo headed towards Dai.

"Thirty minuets my as-" Before the boy could finish saying the last word, the older of the two put Kakashi down from his shoulders and scrunched up his eyes in both agony and anger. Agony because Kakashi was turning into a foul-mouthed ungentleman, and anger because Kakashi was actually swearing at him.

Sakumo miraculously maintained a quiet voice, slowly saying, "Now, Kashi-chan, who taught you that language?"

Kakashi answered cautiously, "You."

Sakumo frowned. "Now, who do you think you're accusing?"

"It's true! Remember the Chunin Exams?"

Sakumo widened his eyes. "Get off your a** and beat them!" This was one of his lines he used as motivation for a Konoha boy against a Suna boy in the Chunin exams four years back.

The father laughed incredulously. Sakumo couldn't believe he said that in front of his son. "How the heck do you remember that, Kashi? That was four years ago for crying out loud! You were only two!"

It was now Kakashi's turn to glare at his father. "I just do."

"Fine morning, isn't it?" Dai said jollily, casually approaching the father and son duo.

Kakashi groaned. Gai and his father just had to come to them. Sakumo flashed a smile to the pair, masterfully hiding his conflict with Kakashi, and replied, "It sure is. Say, is your kid also attending class today? Maybe he and Kashi can become friends-"

Dai cut in. "I'm afraid not, Sakumo my friend."

Sakumo was in shock. Was Dai always as unmotivated to Gai like this?

Kakashi chuckled next to Sakumo and explained for Dai. "Gai failed this year's Entrance Exam. It would take a miracle for him to even attend class.

Sakumo scratched the back of his head and reasoned. "Because you two were in front of the Academy... I thought..."

Dai erupted in laughter once again. "No, no! That makes perfect sense!"

"Is that really something you should be laughing about?" Kakashi crossed his arms, directing his lazy glare to Gai's father.

Sakumo widened his eyes and sharply barked, "How rude! I didn't raise you to be like this, Kashi!"

Kakashi ignored his father. "Why would this kid even take the exams? He has no talent for ninjutsu. He only got in last year cause having chakra wasn't a requirement." He looked at his dad. "If we don't go now, we're going to be late dad."

Sakumo sighed and grudgingly agreed with Kakashi. He bowed his head in apology to Dai and Gai.

"Your name's Hatake Kakashi, right?" Kakashi looked back at Gai. Gai got in his good guy pose and flashed a pearly white smile. "Thank you for cheering me on!"

"Haah?" Kakashi knitted his eyebrows. Dai proudly patted his son on the head, and they were off.

Sakumo crouched so that he was head to head with Kakashi. "Look, Kashi, just because Gai-kun isn't in class today, doesn't mean he won't be in class tomorrow." Sakumo patted his son's head. "Don't get too bigheaded either that you begin to slack in enhancing your abilities, Kashi. Maybe, one day, Gai-kun will surpass even you."

Kakashi frowned. He hated his father's morals and scolds.

"If I'm correct, the waiting list isn't posted yet, right?" Sakumo got up. "The Academy isn't blind either..." He held Kakashi's hand and led the toddler to the Academy gates. "You'd do best if you remember Gai-kun's name. He would make a great rival..."

Three Days Earlier

Naruto's face scrunched up at the sight of her ramen bowl. She attended to one of the green stools in Ichiraku Ramen while being accompanied by the other customers. The blond Jinchuuriki placed a steady hand on one of the bamboo chopsticks on the stand's table, but receded her hand from touching the sticks.

However, after her last bit of willpower dropped, Naruto took a handful of chopsticks and carelessly slathered them on the table's flat surface, not caring who would see her.

Teuchi, pulling some noodles across Naruto looked puzzlingly at the said blond. "Naruto-san, would you mind if I asked if there is something bothering you?"

Naruto recognized the voice's owner to be and stopped. She sighed and answered the ramen shop owner while she still cast her actions, "It's just a habit of mine I created soon after this war started," Naruto picked up the thin sticks and neatly put them straight, horizontally across the surface. "When I get anxious or nervous, I tend to clean up. And if there isn't any mess, then I'll make one and then clean that mess up." She took each chopstick pair, one at a time and placed them back in their cylinder container.

Teuchi nodded as stopped pulling noodles and placed them inside a white, porcelain bowl. "It's only normal, I would say," Teuchi mixed in some spices inside the broth. "The war makes everyone delirious and anxious. It's only natural for humans to cope around a mess and adapt to it. In your case, Naruto-san, cleaning helps you."

After Naruto finished tidying up, she looked at Teuchi and got in a comfortable position on the couch. "Yeah, but this stuff only happens when I'm extremely frustrated. Thought I had gotten rid of this bad habit after not using it for so long. Maybe I jinxed it." She jokingly said with a foxy smile.

"And you're extremely frustrated because of what?"

"Frustrated because of, I don't know if you know this, but, the Academy Entrance Exam. Its gonna start an hour from now," Naruto answered and stood back up as she was reminded of the dreaded entrance exam once again. However, before she was able to grab another bundle of chopsticks, Teuchi spoke in time to stop her.

"There should be nothing to be afraid about, Naruto-san. If I'm not mistaken, you were in Iwa a couple months back. You know their abilities." He paused for a second and remembered that Naruto had just become a teacher a little less then a month ago.

The first day Naruto became a teacher was also the day she came to Ichiraku Ramen a second time. Ever since that day, Naruto came to the ramen stand at least three times a week.

"As thoughtful and encouraging as you sound, you have to place yourself into my shoes." Naruto remembered her final exam and Mizuki. Although this exam was just the entrance exam, Naruto still felt anxious when exams were brought up. Through her final exam, which she didn't pass traditionally, she felt like she shouldn't be one to judge which students should become next year's batch of shinobi-to-be.

It would be only hypocrisy for her to do so. The Academy, as much as it held beautiful memories, was a sore subject for Naruto as the Academy symbolized how she was the bane of the villagers in Konoha. This was one of the many reasons Naruto hadn't wanted to teach.

"I guess you're correct, Naruto-san. If only one can put themselves in other's shoes." Teuchi poured chicken broth inside a bowl and garnished it with chicken and vegetables. "Hmm, I once heard from a drunken shinobi sensei one night that golden rule in teaching young shinobi." Teuchi frowned,"If I remember correctly I think that shinobi said not to be... flexible! oh yes, it was not to be flexible because you're teaching assassins and seduc-"

"Seductress!" Naruto bottomed her fisted hand in her palm. Customers next to her looked at Naruto weirdly.

"Yes, seductress. I don't know if this golden rule is real or anything, but I hope this helps."

Assassins and seductress. Two very different occupations that serve two different genders. Naruto knew that during this time, there was served sexism. Kunoichi were seductress and shinobi were taught the art of assassination. If they were bad at their occupation, they were killed without a second chance.

Although sexism still took place back in Naruto's timeline, it was never as bad as the current timeline.

Naruto's body shifted into a calmer stance. "Thank you, Teuchi-san and your brain! Why are you so wise? That really helped!"

Teuchi smiled,"I'm only a simple ramen maker."

She looked at the stand's clock and cursed,"Sorry, but I'm gonna have to leave now. Bye!" She put the given amount of money on the table and left.

Teuchi chuckled and resumed pulling ramen noodles.

The Entrance Exam

Naruto got into her seat. It was finally the last stage in the Entrance Exam. The students were to properly create a henge and create three E-ranked clones. The blonde frowned. The Entrance Exam for second year students was the same as her graduation exams.

Remembering her failure in the Final exams, the blonde sighed in anxiety. She reached for a bundle of pencils, but stopped herself. Naruto sighed in relief when another teacher was in the room helping her test the would-be students.

"Hello, I'm Naruto."

The teacher next to Naruto returned the greeting,"Hello, Naruto-sensei, I'm Hiroshi."

After formally greeting the teacher, Naruto looked at her clipboard in which shows the students attending the exam. In all, there were about fifty children, and only about half will sit inside the Academy class rooms. The children will be judged on their taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. This part of the exam was to test the children on their ninjutsu.

Naruto cursed mentally,"It's starting. Lets get this over with, Naruto."

Naruto announced the first name. "Akiko Hana!"

Hana came from the door, looking nervously at the girl. Naruto ordered her to create a henge of herself (Naruto) and then create three clones. Hana did so successfully, causing Naruto to brighten up.

"Good job, Hana! That was perfect!" Naruto praised. "After everyone is done with this part of the exam, results will be posted on the chalk board." Hana nodded and walked out with more confidence than when she came inside the room.

More students were called in, and most did this part of the exam perfectly. Judging the exam turned out more easier than what Naruto expected, athough seeing the downcast faces of the children made Naruto sick to the stomach.

The next student that came in was Kakashi. Naruto looked at the child who was ironically fourteen years younger than her. Naruto looked at the boy, in interest of what the outcome may be, "Make a perfect henge of me and create three perfect clones." Naruto spoke tensely, though not without making sure to have a bit of authority in her voice.

Without even looking at the teachers, Kakashi created a perfect henge of Naruto and made three perfect Shadow Clones. He then walked out of the room without anyone's consent.

Naruto shook her head. How much Kakashi has changed in the future was still a mystery to her.

Hiroshi complimented the boy, "What amazing abilities that Hatake Kakashi has."

Naruto shook her head in dissent. "He was just being cocky."

The next few students came in and out, boring Naruto as she had already tested twenty-three students in all. The blond didn't even bother to look at the clipboard of next students' names when she said, "Next!" Naruto started to hate the word as it was becoming very repetitive.

However, who came in soon interested Naruto—it was a younger version of Gai. This Gai, however, looked more unyouthful than what he would become in the future. He had a frown on his face, drawing out premature wrinkles.

Breathing in, she told Gai what to do. Then, it hit Naruto. Gai wouldn't pass this year's Entrance Exam. She looked wearily at the boy clad in a forest green skintight body suit and felt pity for the boy.

Gai bitterly went through a few hand signs and shouted, "Bunshin no jutsu!", but not even a whiff of smoke appeared around the child. Heartbroken at his failure, hung his head and trotted out to the exit.

Naruto stood up suddenly, startling the teacher next to her. "Wait, Gai!" She held her breath, wondering if the young boy would halt and listen to her. To Naruto's relief Gai stopped, showing his back to both teachers in the room.

Naruto settled down in her seat once again, signing in relief. "Gai, remember to never stop trying. Don't let this exam fool you into thinking this is your limit. I know you meet all the requirements needed to enter this Academy. And from the looks of it, all you need is a little push in the right direction and everyone will regret underestimating you."

Gai turned around to face the two teachers with thick pools of tears dramatically coming down his face. Naruto sweat dropped, reminiscing The Green Beasts of Konoha. Gai wiped his tears, and mumbled a "thank you." Naruto smiled and dismissed him.

"How very nice of you, Naruto-sensei."

"I just have a feeling in my heart that he will surpass even his own dreams, Hiroshi-sensei." She quietly, but firmly, spoke her mind.

Hirsoshi raised his eyebrows. "And why is that?"

Naruto quoted a line Gai and Lee would come to use very often. "Because he has the Springtime of Youth inside of him." She laughed as Hiroshi looked incredulously at her.

"Yeah," Hiroshi stretched the word. "But, Gai-kun has a talent in taijutsu." He took a look at Naruto clipboard and saw Gai's skill set. "Actually, he has the best score in taijutsu, surpassing even Kakashi."

Naruto smiled. "Why don't we put him on the waiting list, then?"

Hiroshi took out a small sticky note and added Gai's name to it. "Yeah, I was thinking the same. Now, all we have to do is test the next thirty or so students."

The blond groaned irritably and called out the next name.

Present Day

Naruto sighed. She remembered her early Academy days and how she hated them. It's ironic now that she became a teacher. Naruto walked up in from of her classroom and greeted the children.

She frowned when there was not a single reply. "Why are you guys so quiet?"

No one answered her. Naruto looked at the two female students she confronted the first day she became a teacher. Two girls noticed Naruto's stare and broke eye contact with her immediately, staring down at their tables.

Naruto widened her eyes in realization. The students feared her! She mentally laughed. First impressions really do count. She only taught for a week, and the children were already scared of her. If only Iruka could see her right now, his jaw would drop to the floor.

Naruto looked at the curriculum paper, given to her by the Hokage, and she raised a brow. "Kunai wielding, huh?" She brushed her hair backwards with her hand.

"Okay class," the blond looked across the class and Gai was nowhere to be spotted. She still held her head up. "get up and let's go down to the fields."

Once everyone got down the fields, Naruto ordered the children to sit down on the ground. She held the class's attention to her as she said, "To hold a kunai, one must grasp the weapon on its handle. Be sure not to touch the bladed edge of the kunai."

Naruto held the kunai in a basic position. "This is one position..." She hugged her hand on the blunt side of the kunai. She then put her thumb to the kunai's hole. "This hole is used to reinforce your grip on the kunai." Naruto swiftly slashed professionally on a straw dummy in front of her, effectively cutting the dummy in half.

"Even with a blade so short, the kunai is very effective in shinobi's and kunoichi's everyday use." She shifted the kunai's position by putting her pinky on the hole. "Now this position is used to strike upwards on an opponent. Different positions," she said as she shifted its position once again, placing her index finger through the hole, "means different attack positions too." She slashed sideways on another dummy.

"Any questions?" Naruto saw a hand raised. "Yes Obito?"

"That was so cool, Sensei!" He exclaimed, eyes literally sparkling at her performance.

"Thank you for the compliment, but that wasn't really a question."

Obito quickly added, "Will we learn how to throw the kunai today, Sensei?"

Naruto shook her head. "No, Obito."

"Aww-"

"Why don't you just shut up and grow up, Dobe?" Kakashi said with crossed arms. He rolled his eyes at Obito's outlandish and annoying behavior.

"What was that, Kakashi?!" Anger flooded into Obito's face as he balled his fists until they turned pale. Obito stood from his seat and stomped to where Kakashi was at.

Kakashi, in turn, stood up himself, and was face to face with Obito when he shouted, "I said shut-"

"Kakashi! Obito!" The two clamped their mouths shut at their teacher's voice. "You both are acting childish."

Kakashi tch-ed while Obito humph-ed.

Naruto shook her head. "Look, I know you both are still academy students, but you guys have to take a stand. No shinobi would explode as easily as you both during a mission unless they want to commit suicide." Her azure eyes softened. "Look, and this goes to everyone. You guys better take this profession seriously. Just because you're children doesn't mean that enemy shinobi won't strike their kunai on you."

"As a matter of fact, it's quite the opposite," She walked to a table that was already preset on the field." Enemy shinobi will strike you down without hesitation. They'll prematurely kill you just so they won't reap the consequences for when you'll be old enough to kill them." She took a box on top of the table and opened it, smelling the fresh scent of wood. Taking the box, she manually handed what was inside the box—kunais—and gave one to each student.

Some of the children gave Naruto an incredulous stare, not believing what they were hearing. Naruto frowned. It almost broke her heart to break some of these children's naivety. "I'll tell you now. Once you get out of this village, you'll see things you may not want to believe—especially during a war."

Naruto hooded her eyes halfway, and when she gave the kid a kunai, she solemnly disclosed, "So if you're here because there a boy or girl you like that's in this class or you're here to brag about being a shinobi, then this isn't the class for you."

The class stayed deathly silent. Some were in shock, never having heard of the hardships of being a shinobi. Others were neutral, already knowing the consequences through their shinobi families.

Naruto relaxed her face and felt a pang of guilt. It was good that she told the children what true reality was. She didn't want any innocent children dying because of their naivety. But however sad it was, there was a class to be led, and so she decided to change the gloomy atmosphere.

"Now, what we will do is get into five even lines in front of these straw dummies. I will time each of you two minuets to cut off a limb from the dummy. When the alarm rings, I want the front people to get to the back of the line so that the next person can have a chance to use the kunai." Naruto shut her eyes tightly, then opened them again to face the ocean of children in front of her.

As much as she hated to say it, Naruto announced, "By the end of the week, you guys will be taking a test on this. All you need to do is cut a limb off of the dummy. If you can't, then you'll be getting a zero!" Naruto never thought she would be the one to say that the students were going to take a test. "You may begin now!"

Naruto sighed. She placed a flat hand over her eyes, effectively blocking out the August sun. Heat radiated off Naruto's skin, causing Naruto to roll up her navy blue sleeves.

"Sensei!"

"Huh?" Naruto looked back at her students and ran to where the problem was. "What's going on?" She didn't see anyone injured, only piles of shredded straw sparred on the grassy floor.

The same student who called Naruto had a frown on his face, almost as if he regretted calling the teacher. "What happened?" Naruto said carefully, coaxing the student to spill out what had happened before.

The student looked back to his fellow classmates, who also looked at him with pleading eyes. Naruto noticed this and slowly said, "It's okay. If you're ready to tell me, then I'll be right here."

"Umm well," he said timidly, looking down at the ground, "we all just need help on trying to cut off the limb of th-the straw dummy."

Naruto widened her eyes and apologized with a small smile on her face as she scratched the back of her neck. She walked to the kunai box and took out a spare kunai and held it with index finger in its hole.

"It's much harder than it looks right?" She slashed the dummy horizontally. "All of you need to gain more strength. However, you also need grace." She made another incision, this time vertically, effectively cutting the dummy in half again. "The only advice I could give you all is to practice at home on a tree. If you can successfully make an indent of at least four inches, then you're ready to cut this," she motioned to the straw dummy, "with more ease."

The teacher smiled, "Now, did everyone take a turn?"

A girl shook her head as she pointed to Kakashi. Naruto frowned and thanked the girl for her cooperation. "Kakashi, come here." Kakashi sighed and walked to her.

Naruto stared down at him with a frown. She crossed her arms and told Kakashi,"Why aren't you cooperating, Kakashi?"

Kakashi stared at her with both of his navy blue eyes, a new feature to Naruto. The younger boy muttered, "I already know how to do this."

A tick mark appeared on Naruto's face. This Kakashi reminded her of Sasuke. She opened her mouth to say something but cut herself off by putting a hand under her chin. She didn't know how to talk to this Kakashi. It was the same for everyone she already knew in the future like the Hokage and even her own mother, Kushina.

"Okay, look, Kakashi."

"Yes, woman in the supermarket?"

Naruto barely held back a groan. What an annoying little brat Kakashi was. She grunted and took a deep breath. "Look, Kakashi. I don't care how good at something you are. It doesn't change the fact that you're a part of this class." Naruto felt uncomfortable. It was weird teaching and scolding Kakashi. "Now show me what you've got, boy." She handed him a kunai.

Kakashi frowned and glared at the ground, almost feeling shameful and embarrassed from his past actions, "Fine, Sensei."

Naruto smiled proudly and slapped Kakashi's back. "Good!"

Kakashi stumbled forward, but regained his footing and ran to a straw dummy, cutting it cleanly in half.

Naruto loudly clapped once, gathering the attention of the children. She smiled to her students and told the class, "Okay guys! It's lunchtime!"

After class was dismissed, Naruto sighed to herself and said, "What a doting father you are, Hatake-san."

Sakumo came from an outside window. He scratched the back of his neck and smiled in greeting. "Long time no see, Naruto-sensei."

Naruto hummed, acknowledging his presence, as she was reading the second year's curriculum paper. "Wow," she widened her eyes slightly, "the curriculum is very advanced."

Sakumo nodded, finally taking a seat in front of Naruto's desk. "Well, of course. Especially with times as hard as this, we as humans need to adapt."

The blond sighed, rubbing her head. "What were you doing here all day?"

"All day?" Sakumo stared at her for a few seconds before putting his hands up in submission when Naruto glared at him. "Okay, okay, you caught me. I was just here to observe Kakashi and how he is at school."

"Do you really have that much time on your hands?" Naruto laughed at his short-lived glare.

The elder Hatake sighed. "Well, as you know, Kashi..."

"Kakashi isn't very cooperative during class unless I tell him to do so." Naruto finished the sentence for him. "Look, Hatake-san. Just like every child, what Kakashi needs is a slight push in the right direction." Naruto took a bowl of nuts from her desk and plopped some in her mouth.

Sakumo raised a brow and reached out for an almond. "Yes, but this morning- Ow!" Sakumo cradled his stinging hand from a glaring Naruto. "Why'd you do that, Woman!?"

"You're not supposed to eat my almonds, cause they were made exclusively and were totally overpriced." She protectively shielded the bowl from the man.

Sakumo hissed. "Well? How was I supposed to know? Nuts are a finger food! I thou-"

"Shhhh!" Naruto hissed back. "There's a teacher meeting four doors away next to this one."

"Then why aren't you there?"

"Cause I don't like boring meetings, and that's all there to it, dattebayo."

Sakumo used his inside voice again,"Suuureee." Naruto glared at his sarcasm. "But as I was saying, this morning, Kakashi showed unacceptable behavior."

"And what can that be?" Naruto inquired as she munched her almonds.

"Kakashi said a bad word to me." Sakumo said depressingly. He took a deep breath and gave an elongated sigh. "And what's the worst is that I was the one who taught him."

Naruto furrowed her brows and yawned. She tapped her fingers on the wooden teacher's desk and said, "Well, I don't know if I can help you on that one. When a child is influenced, it's going to be very hard to break it." The teacher stopped her tapping and got up to clean the erasers.

"By the way, speaking of habits, did you know that you can break a habit if you stop yourself from doing it for at least ten days?" Naruto finished dusting her erasers and sat back down on her leather seat.

Naruto rolled her eyes when she saw Sakumo's helpless look, "Well, that was irrelevant, but, Kakashi is a very complicated kid. You would only know what's going on when you ask him directly."

"That's true. This morning, he also talked bad about this kid called Gai for not passing the exam right in front of his face." Sakumo sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Just before this morning, Kashi was acting better before, even starting our conversation first. Maybe if only his mother were still here..."

He drifted off, leaving Naruto to stare at him. She shoved her bowl of almonds in front of Sakumo and said, "Do you want one? They're slow roasted and covered in chili powder."

Sakumo looked at her and cautiously took an almond, checking if Naruto were to smack his hand again. Naruto rolled her eyes and set the bowl down. The silver-headed jounin gave a quick thank you to the blond.

"Speaking of Gai-"

"So you know him?"

"Yes. And..." Naruto reached out for a paper in her desk, "and if any of the students quit for any reason," Naruto showed Sakumo the paper, "Gai will be the first one in the waiting list to be in the class." She flashed him a foxy grin as he stared at the paper.

"I knew it!" Sakumo announced.

Naruto nodded her head. "Yup, this paper will be posted tomorrow first thing. And now," Naruto looked at the sun from the window, "it should be about a quarter till five." Naruto got up and put her belongings in a seal in her arm. "It's been great seeing you a second time Hatake-san, but I'm hungry right now and I want to eat and I also have children to feed, sooo..."

Sakumo got up and gave her a lazy two-finger salute. "Yeah, yeah, Naruto-sensei, I get the gist. Anyways, I think Kakashi's already home by now and I don't want to keep him waiting for too long. See you soon!" And with that, Sakumo body flickered out of the room, leaving a trail of green leaves.

Naruto sighed. "Just like Kakashi-sensei." Maybe that was why it was so easy to speak to Sakumo. The blond looked at the trail of leaves on the floor and cursed the Hatake for making her clean up after him.

"Mmm, smells delicious, Teuchi-san," Naruto greedily smelled the ramen's aroma. She quickly ate the chewy noodles and drank its broth, finally finishing her meal. "I'll take three more to-go."

Teuchi smiled warmly and prepared to package the order.

Naruto patiently waited for the bowls to come, wondering whether she should eat another bowl before she left for her house. Just as she was about to order again, someone tapped her on the shoulder, making the woman turn from her seat.

When Naruto saw who it was, the familiar face smiled in greeting. Said familiar person also grabbed Naruto by the arm and turned her around to face the ramen stand. "Naruto-san, right?"

Naruto's throat ran dry, causing her to stammer her words. "He-hello?" Naruto pretended to forget the girl's name.

"Remember? We met over four months ago right here." The girl positioned her green, standing-out hair clip on her flaming-red hair. "I've always had a good memory, 'tbane. But if it's the opposite for you, Naruto-san, I'll introduce myself one more time!"

The eccentric girl pointed a thumb to herself and cheerily said, "The name's Uzumaki Kushina! Remember it cause one day I'll become the next Hokage!"

A/N: I think everyone can agree with me that in this chapter, Kakashi was acting like a comple shart. Like seriously, I admire Gai for keeping up with Kakashi ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)? Anyways, I got a lot of info about the Academy from NarutoWikia, and I'll be showing more of it later on in the story. Y'all better have a nice day!