The clash of Ace's powerful punches against Kaza's swift dodges echoed through the training ground. Both brothers were intensely focused, their movements a blur as they sparred. Ace's determination was palpable; he knew that to be ready for the chunin exams, he had to push himself beyond his limits, especially against an agile opponent like Kaza.

Kaza, on the other hand, was fully aware of Ace's strategy. He knew that his brother was working to keep him off guard and find a moment where he could use his overwhelming strength and power to win the match. However, he wasn't going to fall into those traps. Kaza was a smart cookie and could see what was coming a mile away. He used his quickness, his agility to keep out of harm. He could make a guess on Ace's attack about three or four attacks before it happened. He was just far too used to fighting against his brother at this point. Still his brother could keep him on his toes with the unpredictable or near unpredictable style he would mix in from time to time.

Their father, Ryota, observed them with a critical eye. He could discern the strengths and weaknesses in both their styles. "Your left foot is off, Ace. Watch your footwork more closely," he called out, his voice steady and authoritative. "Kaza, you had an opening and let it slip. In the exams, you can't give your opponent multiple chances to rebound."

Despite the intensity of the match, the brothers absorbed Ryota's advice. They had grown up under his meticulous training, and his insights were invaluable. Ace adjusted his stance, grounding himself more firmly, while Kaza sharpened his focus, determined not to miss another opportunity.

The fight continued, their movements becoming more refined and precise. Ace's punches became more calculated, aiming not just to overwhelm but to corner Kaza, limiting his mobility. Kaza, in response, used his agility to weave in and out of Ace's reach, searching for the perfect moment to strike back.

Ace threw a powerful punch aimed at Kaza's midsection. Kaza sidestepped just in time, the force of the punch whistling past him. Using the momentum, Kaza spun and aimed a quick kick at Ace's side. Ace blocked it with his forearm, but the impact made him stagger slightly.

"Better, but keep your guard tight, Ace," Ryota instructed, his keen eyes missing nothing. "Kaza, capitalize on those moments when your opponent is off balance."

Kaza nodded imperceptibly, his eyes locked on Ace. Kaza knew that his dad was right, he had to seize the chance he was given or he would lose it. He moved forward with urgency as he feinted his first strike to the left before he aimed a quick powerful punch towards Ace's right side.

Ace grunted, feeling the impact but refusing to back down. He countered with a low sweep, aiming to take Kaza's legs out from under him. Kaza jumped, avoiding the sweep, and landed lightly, already moving to press his advantage. As Kaza came down with a quick spin kick, Ace grabbed his foot and attempted to throw him, but Kaza's second foot slammed into the back of Ace's neck. Both brothers crashed to the ground, breathing hard.

"Well, you two got a bit intense there, but remember, no matter what, you're brothers and you support each other," Ryota said as he looked at them. "Now, Ace, I believe I want to have a match with you. Let's see if I can show you some real speed to counter," he added with a smile.

Ace nodded, eager to test himself against Ryota, his adopted father. He welcomed the challenge, knowing it would reveal opportunities for improvement in his fighting style.

Kaza watched attentively as Ryota sparred with Ace, observing how their father deliberately prolonged the fight to teach Ace new strategies for close combat against a swift opponent. Throughout the morning and afternoon, Kaza and Ace trained rigorously under Ryota's guidance, pushing themselves to prepare for the Chunin exams. Ryota often used Kaza as a demonstration partner, showcasing effective counters and techniques to Ace.

Their father's lessons were punctuated by stories of his own experiences in the Chunin exams, particularly recalling his missed opportunity against Minato due to illness—a tale that resonated deeply with both Kaza and Ace.

Later that day, after their intense training session, Ace and Kaza cleaned up and prepared for their double date that evening. They dressed more casually than usual: Ace in black shorts, a black button-up shirt adorned with flames on the sleeves, and his signature orange hat. Kaza opted for white pants paired with a short-sleeved button-up shirt trimmed in teal. He carefully selected a couple of Togusa Roses, the clan's distinctive teal roses, to bring along.

As they made their way to the movie theater to meet their double dates, Kaza felt a mix of excitement and nerves, eager to spend time with Ino and Sakura outside of their usual mission settings. The prospect of a relaxed evening with their friends filled him with anticipation as they approached the meeting spot.

Kaza felt his heart skip a beat as he saw Ino standing there with Sakura. Ino looked stunning in a purple dress, her hair flowing freely. Ace smiled and patted his brother on the back, nudging him forward as he waved at Sakura. She wore a red dress with white trim that complimented her well.

"Hey, you two look pretty good tonight," Ace called out with a friendly tone, taking the lead in the conversation. "Ready for the movie?"

Ino smiled warmly at Kaza, noticing the teal roses he was holding. "Thanks, Ace. You both look great too," she said, her eyes twinkling as she glanced at Kaza. "Are those for me?" she asked, pointing to the roses.

Kaza nodded, feeling a bit shy but managing a smile. "Yeah, I thought you'd like them," he said, handing her the flowers. "You look amazing, Ino."

Ino took the roses with a delighted smile. "Thank you, Kaza. They're beautiful."

Sakura stepped forward and gave Ace a playful nudge. "Thanks, Ace. You clean up nicely yourself," she said with a grin. "I'm definitely ready for the movie. What are we watching?"

Ace grinned back. "Well, we were thinking of that new action movie that's out. Lots of cool fights and a great story."

"Sounds perfect," Sakura replied, looking excited.

Kaza nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I heard it's really good. Let's go get our tickets."

Kaza moved quickly to get the tickets while Ace walked with Sakura and Ino. As Kaza handled the tickets, Ace took his place in line for drinks and popcorn. He turned to the girls, flashing a charming smile.

"You look pretty good, Sakura. And Ino, I think Kaza froze up when he saw you with your hair down. I thought I was going to have to reboot him," he joked.

Sakura laughed, playfully nudging Ace. "Thanks, Ace. You look great too. And yeah, Kaza seemed pretty speechless. It was kind of cute."

Ino blushed slightly, glancing in Kaza's direction. "Well, I'm glad he liked it. He looked really nice tonight too."

Ace grinned, giving Ino a wink. "He was definitely impressed. You two make a good pair."

Ino smiled, feeling a warm flush of happiness. "Thanks, Ace. You and Sakura look good together too."

Sakura's cheeks turned a light pink as she smiled at Ino's comment. "Thanks, Ino. It's nice to have a night out like this."

Ace nodded as he walked up to the counter and placed the order for the snacks. He paid as he waited for the snacks to be brought out. "Well, I agree, having time to relax with friends it he best."

Kaza returned with the tickets, his face lighting up when he saw Ino. "Got the tickets! Ready to head in?"

Ace handed Kaza the other drink and box of popcorn to hold as they were going to sit a bit apart close to their dates for this night. As they walked in, they found a place to sit and ended up on the same row just on opposite ends from one another.

Ace and Sakura sat on the far end opposite of Kaza and Ino. The pair shared their snacks and a large drink. Ace, excited for the movie, turned to Sakura with a grin. "Thanks for agreeing to this. You're a pretty solid first date," he admitted before popping some popcorn into his mouth.

Sakura smiled back, her eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Thanks, Ace. I'm having a great time. This movie is supposed to be really good."

Not far from them, Kaza glanced at the screen, curious about the movie but more focused on spending time with Ino. He leaned closer, holding out the flowers he had brought. "The flowers are the symbol of my clan, Ace's too now. The teal represents us, so I wanted you to have something special. I can also give you some seeds to see if you and your dad can grow them in your gardens," he commented nervously.

Ino's face lit up as she accepted the flowers, their vibrant color reflected in her eyes. "They're beautiful, Kaza. Thank you. I'd love to try growing them. My dad will be thrilled to add something new to the garden."

Kaza relaxed a bit, feeling a warmth spread through him at her response. "I'm glad you like them. They're pretty resilient, just like you," he said, his nerves giving way to a shy smile.

Ino giggled softly, her hand squeezing Kaza's. "That's sweet of you to say. I think they'll do just fine with a little care."

As the movie played before them the two pairs enjoyed themselves in different ways. Ace and Sakura talked about the movie quietly in whispers. They were having fun, but there was a bit of a spark or two when their hands would accidentally press against each other when going for their drink or some popcorn.

Kaza and Ino, in the meanwhile, were just enjoying the company as much as the movie. Slowly Kaza got used to being close to Ino as he felt her nerves fade completely, his hands soon holding her own as their fingers were interlocked with each other. Kaza found himself in a space where he could be more himself near Ino and relax and not be nervous.

When the movie ended, the four of them stepped out of the theater, the night air cool and refreshing. Ace stretched his arms above his head. "That was awesome! Thanks for coming, everyone. I had a blast."

Sakura nodded; her smile bright. "Me too. It was a great choice, Ace."

Kaza, feeling more confident after the evening's events, turned to Ino. "I had a wonderful time, Ino. We should do this again sometime."

Ino smiled warmly, her eyes meeting his. "I'd love that, Kaza. Tonight was really special."

"Little brother, we have training with Dad in the morning, so best we get home, and then training with Sakura and Aoba in the afternoon," Ace reminded Kaza as he noticed his usually quiet brother looking happier than ever. He knew this double date had been a great idea. "Sakura, see you then," he called out, waving as he looked over at the pair.

Sakura waved back, smiling. "See you tomorrow, Ace."

Kaza turned to Ino, still beaming from the evening. "Bye, Ino. I can't wait till we have time to go out again, maybe just the two of us next time, or the four of us."

Ino smiled warmly, her hand giving his one last squeeze. "I'd love that, Kaza. Have a good night."

When they got home, they found both Tia and Ryota sitting and reading. Ryota looked up with a playful smirk. "So, our two Casanova sons have gotten home," he said, trying to sound harsh and mean but failing completely as he grinned at them.

Tia smiled warmly, her graceful and kind voice filling the air as she looked at her two boys. "So, how did it go?"

Ace spoke up first, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, I did fine, but Kaza here was being rather lewd—he held a girl's hand tonight," Ace teased, nudging his brother. "Inoichi's daughter too, Dad," he added, knowing that Ryota and Inoichi were long-time friends.

Ryota's eyes widened slightly in surprise before he chuckled. "Inoichi's daughter, huh? Well, well, looks like you've got good taste, Kaza," he said with a proud smile. "I hope you treated her well."

Kaza blushed but nodded. "I did, Dad. It was a really nice evening."

Tia's eyes twinkled with delight. "I'm so glad to hear that, Kaza. And Ace, I'm glad you had a good time too."

Ace grinned. "Yeah, it was great. Sakura is really cool. We all had a lot of fun."

Ryota put his book down and looked at his sons. "I'm proud of both of you. But remember, we've got training tomorrow morning, so get some rest. The chunin exams are coming up, and you need to be ready."

"Got it, Dad," Ace said, giving a mock salute before heading towards his room. "Goodnight!"

Kaza followed suit, giving his parents a hug before heading to bed. "Goodnight, Mom, Dad."

"We are getting old, aren't we, Tia?" Ryota said with a wistful smile as he watched his two sons, his pride and joy, heading to bed. Ryota let his eyes linger on his elegant and graceful dark-haired wife. He had met her seventeen years before when he saved her life. He married her fifteen years before, and now was in his mid-thirties with them having two sons. One adopted but that mattered not to them. He knew if Tia would have been able to have more than one, they would have had a house filled with them. So, they were going to make the most of the pair they had. They would make the most of the chance they were given to help their beloved children.

Tia looked back as she smiled. Her hero Ryota was a man who was peerless to her, and good. She knew they were no longer kids, but that was okay. "Maybe just a little," she replied softly. "But seeing our boys grow up and become such fine young men makes it all worth it."

Ryota nodded, reaching out to take her hand. "I couldn't agree more. They make me so proud. Tia, we have done a good job. I know that without you though this wouldn't have worked out so well. Having a beautiful shrine maiden as a mother had to set a high standard for women for both of them," Ryota commented playfully before pausing "Honestly I couldn't have ever handled them without you by my side."

Tia squeezed his hand gently. "And I couldn't have done it without you, Ryota. We've been through so much together and look at what we've accomplished. Our boys are a testament to our love and hard work."

"I guess we are stuck together as a team to the end, my love," Ryota said softly as he leaned over and kissed Tia on her lips quickly. He smiled as he caressed her cheek, his fingers pressing softly against her as he rubbed his thumb over her chin for a moment. "To a greater future for our little team. Maybe someday we will have some adorable grandkids to dote upon."

"I am sure we will, if those boys are anything like their father," Tia chuckled, shaking her head, as she looked into Ryota's eyes, her heart filled with love. "Now, let's get some rest ourselves. You have a busy day ahead with training the boys for the chunin exams."