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Uchiha Kanata considered himself as a very perceptive individual and prided himself with his intellectual prowess. He was not most Uchiha, who have amazing talents in shurikenjutsu or an arrogant one.

No, he can tell whether someone is lying or not, pick up the little details that give them away. All without the help of the Sharingan. And then, this anomaly called Nohara Ren came into his life.

They were teammates alongside another Uchiha called Shusuke. The time he dubbed Ren as an anomaly was when they had introductions at training ground two and when they had their first mission.

On the first day as a team, they met their sensei named Yuki Eita. At first glance, he was a clumsy and idiotic fool (in Kanata's words, that is) and the moment they arrived in training ground two, that person's demeanor changed.

He felt the air cool down in a scaringly fifteen degrees Celsius and he fearfully stared at him. Kanata took a peek at his teammates and found Shusuke in the same situation as him. And then, there was Hatake-Nohara Ren.

The younger boy merely brushed it off and excitedly stared at their sensei. At first, Kanata thought, what a freak. "I'm Yuki Eita but call me Eita-sensei and from now on, I'll be Team Twelve's sensei." Kanata felt pride bubble up in the pit of his stomach but vanished as soon as Eita smirked. it looked so wrong on his face.

"Of course, if you guys pass the next test is what I'm talking about." Shock was evident in Kanata's face and Shusuke's and yet, Ren took it all in as if he knew what their sensei is talking about.

"Oh, it seems like the brat knows about this." Kanata's attention averted to Ren, who nodded at their sensei's words. Ren did? That five year old does? How come they don't know this? The original graduating class?

"Out of all the 12 teams that passed, mostly, only three teams will truly pass and become an official Genin Team. There is a 75% chance of failure in this test." Kanata couldn't believe his ears. So... if they fail this test, they won't become Genins?!

"Wait, so what's the point of taking that test in the Academy then?" Shusuke demanded. Ren smiled and said, "It was a test to get rid of those who doesn't have a chance of being a genin."

Eita-sensei had nodded and Kanata was still confused. Why is there a need for a second test? Why did the Academy need to weed out those who doesn't stand a chance in being a Genin and then have those who passed take another test? Kanata, who had always believed he was incredibly perceptive, couldn't pinpoint out why.

He couldn't understand. "Now that's over and done with, you guys introduce yourself. State your name, your abilities, weaknesses and one truth about yourself. You, the one in the dark red shirt, go first." Frankly, the sudden personality change terrified Kanata.

"I-I'm Uchiha Shusuke. I'm above average in taijutsu and a little below average in genjutsu. I can also do a few Fire Release Techniques. I can't easily identify a genjutsu but I can get out of one when I realize I'm trapped in one. My throwing skills are also above average. And a truth about myself is that, I already unlocked my Sharingan." At first, he sounded unsure of himself and when he started talking about his abilities, he had gathered enough confidence to talk proudly of it.

Kanata sighed. That doofus would never change, would he? "And you, little brat?" At this, his ears perked up. He was mystified by this younger boy and Kanata wants to know more about him.

"I'm Hatake-Nohara Ren. I have excellent chakra control and I can already perform the Mystic Palm jutsu. I can heal various cuts and various degree of burns but mending bones is still out of my reach. I can easily identify a genjutsu and get out of one but I'm terrible at casting it. As for ninjutsu, I can only do the three Academy jutsu. Taijutsu is a bit hard for me so Kakashi-oyaji makes me focus on 'defend-and-evade' for the meantime. My throwing skills needs improvement, too. I'm not fast but I have good reflexes to get me by. As for a truth about myself... I have issues about social interaction sometimes."

He couldn't believe his ears. This boy, only five years old, can already do the Mystic Palm jutsu?! So, he's a prodigy in chakra control but he's only average on other aspects. At least, it makes him more human and not the perfect soldier.

Golden eyes bored into his coal black ones and Kanata inwardly gulped. How can Ren say anything about himself under the scrutinizing gaze of their sensei without breaking or botching up his sentence?

"My name is Uchiha Kanata. I pride myself in having keen eyes even without the Sharingan. I'm above average in Taijutsu and ninjutsu while being average in genjutsu. I can also perform various Fire Release Techniques. As for a truth..." his eyes landed on Ren. "... I am quite curious about Nohara."

"Eh?"

Their eyes met and Hazel eyes widened in shock. Kanata could honestly say that Ren is a puzzle he wants to solve. He knew that the truth he said was only a half-truth.

"Alright, the three of you are very unique in your own way. Tomorrow, we'll meet here at seven in the morning, sharp. I don't tolerate tardiness, alright?" With a nod from them Yuki Eita disappeared with a poof.

He faced his two other teammates. He wanted to see just how good of a healer Ren is. "Nohara."

"Y-Yes?"

"Can you demonstrate your Mystic Palm Jutsu?"

Shusuke placed his elbow on Kanata's shoulder and snorted. "Dude, you're gonna pressure the brat already?" He shot him an annoyed look. As if Shusuke would understand what's going on through his head.

Ren agreed, unsurprisingly. "So, where's he gonna practice on?" Annoyed, he slapped a hand over his friend's mouth and shushed him. The latter rolled his eyes and pushed his hand away from his mouth. Kanata pulled out a kunai from his pouch and sliced through his palm.

"Moron." Shusuke called out.

"Doofus."

"Masochist."

"Idiot."

"Blue man."

"That's not even an insult, Shusuke."

"Oh, shut up, masochist."

"Ano..."

The two of them faced Ren, who had remained silent all these time. "... can I um, heal your hand now?"

And just like that, Kanata admitted that Ren is something else.

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The next day, Kanata found himself pondering if he was obsessed with Ren. I mean, I want to know every detail about him and he's just that of a mystery. I haven't found a person this confusing since Itachi-sama and Shisui-san, with Mikoto-sama too.

To tell the truth, he had babysitted Itachi, the Uchiha clan heir, quite a few times when he was still a baby. Well, he was only two years older but Mikoto saw him as a responsible boy and the likes. He and Itachi were never really close and now, he babysits his little brother, that insufferable brat called Sasuke.

The boy was the definition of a mess. Come to think of it, Ren was the same age as Sasuke, wasn't he? Oh my god, don't tell me I'm a pervert!? I'm just curious about him! Nothing else, dammit! Why am I thinking about this?!

Kanata had been a calm individual... until he met Ren.

As he made his way through the village to get to training ground two, he found an old man carrying a bag of groceries, two on each hands and he felt conflicted. He left the compound ten minutes before seven and if he helps this old man with his groceries, he's gonna be late.

Ugh, he should have left earlier. He contemplated if he should help him or be on his way. I mean, there's a lit of people here. There's bound to be someone who helps him, right? Was what he thought before running to his destination.

He was surprised, that wherever he looks, there are old people who needs help but he steeled himself and told him that he should get to his destination because Eita-sensei doesn't tolerate tardiness.

Once he was there, he found Shusuke with a thoughtful look on his face. Actually... "Why di you look constipated?" He couldn't help but ask. If this was his thinking expression looks like, then he needs ro fix it. He looks like a constipated cat

"Oh, shut up, know-it-all. It's because when I woke up, everyone in my district needed help or something but I was gonna be late so I left immediately." Kanata curved an eyebrow. Doesn't that sound like what he had to go through but it was in the village? Something wasn't right, he could feel it.

At exactly seven o'clock, Eita-sensei shunshined in front of them but tripped a he did so. He fell on his face, making him and Shusuke deadpan. What was wrong with this man? "Ehehe, sorry 'bout that. Hmmm? Ren-kun still isn't here?"

It was only then did Kanata realize this his subject of interest still isn't there. After waiting for two hours, Shusuke had enough and exclaimed, "Come on! Where the heck is that brat!? It's been over two hours!"

There was a rustle from the trees on their east and they looked towards that direction in alarm. Ren jumped down from the trees with leaves and twigs stuck on his hair and clothes. He was holding something in his arms that Kanata couldn't make out.

Once he was near, Shusuke hit the younger boy upside the head. "You're late, idiot! Did you forget we have to be here by seven?! Not nine!" Kanata shook his head. Shusuke needs to control his temper.

"I'm sorry. I woke up late because Kakashi-oyaji didn't wake me up. Then, there was this black cat that was sitting at the middle of the road so I had to take another path. And then, I had to help these old people with their groceries. Again, I apologize for my tardiness."

Kanata gave the boy a blank look. Were those things more important to him than making it a Genin? They waited for their sensei's reaction but it came as a complete surprise when he suddenly changed personalities.

"I see... Kanata, Shusuke..."

"Yes, sensei?"

"You fail."

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"WHAAT?!"

Kanata couldn't believe his ears. They barely even started and now their sensei decides that they're not qualified to be genins and failed them without even testing them? "This is bxllshxt! How can you even decide that when we didn't even start the test!" Shusuke was merely brushed off by their sensei.

He clenched his hands and thought, what could possibly be sensei's test that we didn't pass but Ren did? We came here on time just like he said but Ren came in late two hours. Wait, the only thing that Ren did that we didn't do was—

"— we didn't help the elderly." He received a look from everyone but he couldn't care. He doesn't care because the only thing occupying his mind is how he didn't notice it. Like he said before, he prided himself with his keen eyes and intellectual prowess. Then, with his skills, how didn't he see through his sensei's lie?

Eita-sensei didn't even care Ren was late. So, when he said that they should be here by seven sharp, he was lying and he didn't see it. Kanata wasn't able to see through his sensei's lie. "That's right. You didn't. The team I want doesn't need to be strong, I only want to see you willingly help those in need. What's the use of a strong team if they don't even want to help those in trouble?"

He's right. Eita-sensei is right. He was having second thoughts about helping them, because he was too scared to fail the test and was confident that there will be someone else to help them.

"Ren-kun, why did you help the elderly?"

"Other than the fact that you lied about the time and your tolerance for tardiness? Helping comes naturally for me." He said it with so much confidence that he almost looked cool if he wasn't stuffing his cheeks with biscuits. Wait a second...

"Sensei also lied about that tolerance thing?" Ren nodded, making Kanata question his ability again. How could he not know? How did Ren see through pass their sensei? "Alright, let me just ask you two..." His Golden eyes bore into their onyx ones.

"... why didn't you two helped?"

It was Shusuke who answered first. "It's not like I didn't want to help them. I didn't want to remind them about someone who passed away during the war. That person always helped them, even though he was considered thrash in our Clan when he still hasn't activated his Sharingan." Obito. The name passed through his mind.

The guy had been helpful and was considered the black sheep since he was so different. "He's telling the truth, sensei." Their eyes averted to Ren before to him. Kanata gulped and answered with, "I left the compound ten minutes before seven and I was gonna be late if I helped them. A passing though crossed my mind that someone will eventually help them."

"Ren?" Eita-sensei called out.

"He's telling the truth, too."

There was silence embracing the entire training field. Suddenly, Kanata didn't care if he couldn't tell when his sensei lied to them. He didn't care if his abilities weren't enough. Guilt washed over him like a tsunami as he thought back to that poor old man.

"Alright, I'm going to pass you..." Both of their heads shot up in disbelief. "... because I'm not cold hearted as you think I might be. Next time, do whatever feels right, okay? Okay, we'll meet again here tomorrow as an official team, at eight o'clock. Ren-kun, Shusuke, Kanata, I have high hopes for you three."

And with that, their sensei vanished. "Man, I feel like a jerk now."

"Me too."

A smaller hand grab his, startling him out of his thoughts. When he looked up, he was surprised Ren was holding his hand. "Don't worry, Kanata-san. I can only tell he was lying because of a special ability that Kakashi-oyaji didn't want me to tell anyone about. If I didn't have it, I wouldn't be half as good as you."

And then, his face flushed red.

So yes, Hatake-Nohara Ren is such an enigmatic individual. And his beating heart just doesn't help with his obsession right now. He suddenly found Ren's smile adorable and he wanted to hug him as tight as possible but that wasn't so Uchiha-like.

Why am I so obsessed with Ren again? And when did I even start calling him Ren to begin with?

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A/n: I apologize if this isn't a very good chapter. And for that person who asked if Naruto likes Ren or was just blushing because of his smile, would it bother you guys if this was a BxB story? If yes, then I'll stop write away with all the hints and stuff.