Ⅰ

Before the lunch break, Iruka-sensei encouraged all the Genin to use the time to get to know their new teammates. He stressed that it would help to break the ice before meeting the Jounins.

For my team, though, we didn't really need that. Shikamaru and Chouji were close friends, so I had no problem with them. As for Ino, she was a good friend too, though we weren't as close. Still, I was comfortable around her despite her teasing attitude. She could be a bit annoying at times, but honestly, I found it kind of endearing.

Since we'd be working together as a team now, I took Iruka-sensei's words to heart and suggested we have lunch on the rooftop. It would be a quiet place to discuss our team's goals.

As we reached the rooftop, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. With a few clouds drifting by and a gentle breeze, it felt it was the perfect spot for our conversation.

Once we settled down to eat, Chouji wasted no time diving into his meal. "Mmmm~! My mom's rice balls are heavenly!" he exclaimed. His joy was contagious as he glanced around at us.

Watching Chouji's blissful enjoyment of his meal, I couldn't help but smile at his joy. "That sounds delicious, Chouji," I said, sharing a glance with Shikamaru. The Nara boy nodded in agreement with a soft chuckle, amused by his best friend's upbeat mood.

But as the conversation flowed, I noticed Ino wasn't her usual lively self. She sat quietly, picking at her food, her shoulders slouched—a far cry from her usual bubbly attitude. Concerned by this noticeable quietness, I mustered my courage and gently asked, "Hey, Ino. Is everything okay?"

She looked up slowly, meeting my gaze. "I'm fine," she replied, though her tone carried a hint of frustration. A long sigh followed her words.

"Are you sure…?" I prompted, hesitantly. "You don't seem quite your-."

"I said I'm FINE, alright?!" she snapped, her eyes narrowing as she shot me a glare.

Her sudden outburst hit me like a slap. I didn't expect her to react so harshly, especially not when I was just trying to help. I opened my mouth to respond, but the sharpness of her words froze me in place. I had never seen this side of her to be so defensive, so…bitter.

Before I could speak, Shikamaru, always the calm one, chimed in. "Are you still upset about the team's assignment, Ino?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

The Yamanaka girl lapsed into silence, her eyes averting from our gaze. Her response was clear.

"You are really troublesome, you know that?" Shikamaru said, his own irritation creeping in. "I already told you that the Ino-Shika-Chou formation would continue."

"It's not about that, Shikamaru," Ino denied, her tone sharp with frustration. "It's about Sasuke-kun being on Sakura's team. How did Forehead end up with him while I didn't? How is that even fair?! It's so frustrating!" She punctuated her words with a harsh bite into her rice ball.

Shikamaru shook his head, clearly caught off guard by the intensity of her response. With a sigh, he muttered under his breath, "What a drag…"

"And another thing," Ino added, shifting the focus of the conversation. "If we're sticking to the Ino-Shika-Chou formation like you said, then how come Darren ended up on our team?" She turned toward me, then glanced back at Shikamaru, clearly expecting further clarification.

"Well… umm," Shikamaru paused, searching for a response. "I don't really know how to explain it, and to be honest… I didn't expect him to be part of the group either, so…" He nudged my shoulder as if signaling me to jump in.

"Wait—me? You want me to explain?" I asked, caught off guard by the sudden attention.

"Yep." Shikamaru nodded.

"But… why?"

"Because you're the Third Hokage's grandson, Darren. "Chouji chimed in. "Maybe you know something we don't?"

Feeling the weight of their expectation, I slowly shook my head. "Sorry, guys. I'm just as curious as you all are. Only the higher-ups have the answers, and I'm not one of them. I wish I could help, but I'm in the dark too, so…yeah." I looked down, feeling a bit bad that I couldn't give a better explanation for this.

We were all pretty surprised when my name came up for Team 10. The moment it was announced, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino exchanged looks—none of them had expected me to be the one joining their team. And honestly, neither had I. Shaking up the tradition that's been around for centuries didn't really make sense. It doesn't add up why my grandpa would approve such a thing.

Ino's expression softened as she shook her head. "It's okay, Darren," she said, lightly touching my arm. "I'm just a little sad that I didn't end up on Sasuke-kun's team. I thought maybe you knew why, so…" She sighed, taking another bite of her rice ball. "Guess I'll never get the chance to be around him… even if it was just to work with him just a little…" she whispered, her voice tinged with disappointment.

I knew how much Ino had liked Sasuke. From the moment he was introduced to our class, her eyes were practically glued to him. It didn't take long before he became her favorite topic of conversation. She talked about him non-stop, always finding a way to bring him up. It was clear in her mind that the team assignments were set; no opportunity to get close to him.

Feeling her disappointment, I quickly remembered there might actually be a way for her to be a little closer to Sasuke.

"Well, there's actually a chance you could get close to him, Ino." I gently said, offering a gleam of hope.

"Really?" Her face lit up, curiosity sparking at the thought of.

"Yeah," I nodded. "There could come a time when Team 7 needs some extra hands on future missions. I've heard of two teams working together before."

Ino's eyes brightened with excitement. "So, you're saying I could still work alongside Sasuke-kun? Is it really possible?" Her voice filled with hope.

"Absolutely," I confirmed with a smile. "We just need to be patient and make sure we're prepared when the chance comes. I'm pretty sure your dad's mentioned something like that before."

She thought for a moment, mulling over my words. "Well…he did say that he had to work with other teams when he was a Genin. He even told me that it helped him to improve the Yamanaka's Mind-Control Jutsu."

I nodded, then turned to Shikamaru and Chouji. "What about you two? Did your dads ever talk about that?"

Shikamaru began, recalling his father's stories, "Yeah, my dad said the same thing. He always said it was a hassle, but he admitted it taught him a lot about being a ninja."

Chouji nodded, "Same with my dad."

I smiled approvingly as I quickly turned back to Ino and gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "So, you see? It's not the end of the world, Ino. There will be plenty of chances to get close to Sasuke. Nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine."

A sense of relief washed over Ino's face as she nodded, a faint smile forming. "Yeah, you're right," she said softly. "Thanks, Darren. I'll try to stay positive."

"No worries."

With that settled, Ino swiftly finished off her rice ball, rising from her seated position with renewed determination. Taking a deep breath, she slowly delivered her next words with conviction: "Alright! If we're going to make Team 10 stand out and grab the chance to work with Sasuke-Kun's team, then let's give it our all!"

Seeing her enthusiasm return, I felt relieved. Ino was back to her usual self, and I reassured myself that everything would be okay.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, Ino caught me off guard with her next words: "And with that in mind, I volunteer to take the lead of the team!"

Ⅱ

After our meal on the rooftop, I headed to the bathroom to wash my hands. As I processed Ino's surprising announcement, I caught my reflection in the mirror, thinking about her decision.

Ino as Team 10's leader? Could she handle it?

It was a bold move for her to want to take on that role. I knew she had a natural inclination to take chargeーshe'd been bossing Shikamaru, Chouji and me around when we were kids—but I wonder if this would either propel us to success or lead us into chaos.

As I dried my hands, I couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty that lingered in the air. Ino was a capable ninja, no doubt about that, but leading a team was different. She hadn't faced any tough decisions yet, and I wondered how she'd handle it when the time came. Would she stay calm under pressure?

She didn't seem like she would shoulder big responsibilities. Most of the time, she tends to take the easiest path to make life simpler for herself.

"Hmm…" I quietly muttered. My thoughts were still circling around Ino's decision as I left the bathroom and made my way toward class. As I walked along the rocky pavement, I spotted Sakura sitting alone on a public bench, looking deep in thought. Curious about her mood, I approached her slowly and offered a soft smile.

"Hey."

She looked up, slightly startled. Her eyes showed a trace of curiosity. "Oh, hey," she replied, her voice soft and a bit uncertain.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, a little unsure.

She gave me a small nod. "Yeah… I'm fine."

"Okay. I just noticed you sitting here alone, and…thought I'd check in so…"

"Thanks," Sakura said, shaking her head gently. "I was just… thinking, that's all."

"Ah, I see," I nodded, feeling a bit relieved as I managed a small smile.

For a moment, there was a pause, but then her expression shifted. She looked at me more intently, as if something had just clicked. "You're close with Naruto, right?"

"Yeah?" I answered, a little surprised by the sudden question.

She slowly leaned in, her eyes locking with mine. "Can I… ask you something?" She gestured to the empty spot beside her, inviting me to sit.

Ⅲ

After a few minutes of talking, Sakura fell into silence, lost in thought over what I'd shared about Naruto. Her gaze dropped, and she let out a soft sigh.

"I understand now…" she whispered, a hint of sadness in her expression. "I never realized how lonely Naruto's life has been…"

Seeing the guilt in her eyes, I gently shook my head. "It's okay, Sakura. Not many people know what he's been through. Don't be too hard on yourself."

"Okay…" she murmured, though I could still hear the regret in her voice, despite my reassurance. I had a feeling her guilt went deeper than just our conversation.

She told me about what had happened earlier with Sasuke. When he asked about Naruto, she quickly brushed it off, pushing the conversation back to where they'd left off. But Sasuke wouldn't let it go. As his persistence wore on her patience, she finally vented her frustrations about Naruto—blaming his personality on the fact that he grew up without parents. She even suggested that Team 7 would be better off without him.

That's when Sasuke snapped.

He told her, in his cold, quiet way, that she didn't understand what real loneliness was—the kind where you feel completely isolated from the world. And then, almost as an afterthought, he called her annoying. That's when the guilt really started to hit her.

Listening to her, I didn't hold any hard feelings about what she'd said. Most people didn't know the extent of Naruto's loneliness. What surprised me more was that Sasuke, of all people, had stood up for Naruto. Given their rivalry, I hadn't expected that

"Darren," Sakura's voice trembled, pulling my attention back to her. Slowly, she lifted her head, her face clouded with emotions. "What should I do?" she asked, her tone unsure. "Should I… apologize for what I said to him, or…"

"Sakura," I interrupted gently, "You don't need to do those things."

Her surprise was clear as she stammered, "W-why not?"

I offered her a reassuring smile. "Because Naruto doesn't want pity or apologies from anyone. You may have hurt him, but it's better to move forward and show him you are willing to understand."

A soft chuckle escaped me as I thought back to my own struggle with Naruto. "I used to have issues with him too. His pranks drove me crazy, and I couldn't figure out why he did them. But a good friend of mine told me to just talk to him. That's when I realized… Naruto's just like us."

Sakura tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Meeting her gaze, I softly replied, "He just wants to be accepted and understood, like everyone else. That's all."

I watched as Sakura's expression shifted, her face softening with understanding. My words seemed to reach her, and she let out a quiet sigh.

"I see," she said softly. "I'll try to be nicer to him when I see him again." She looked back at me with a small smile. "Thank you, Darren."

I felt a sense of relief knowing I had helped her understand. "Don't mention it," I replied. Then, with a grin, I added, "But… if he gives you or Sasuke any trouble, you have my permission to smack him on the back of his head."

"Are you serious?" Sakura's brow raised as she stared at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, he can be a bit cocky sometimes and tends to mess things up. A little reminder might do him good."

Sakura giggled. "Okay, Darren. If you say so." Then, the two of us softly chuckled with a mutual understanding. Just as we settled into our conversation, a familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Hey…what's up, you two?"

We turned to see Naruto walking toward us, one hand clutching his stomach. His face was twisted into a slight grimace, and I figured he must have eaten something that didn't sit well.

"Hey, Naruto," I waved. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…" he replied, wincing slightly. "I think the milk I had this morning was a little off…" his stomach growls.

"Oh, I see…" I glanced at Sakura and leaned in, whispering, "Why don't you take him to the school infirmary? It might be a good chance to start being nicer to him."

Sakura hesitated, her eyes flicking between Naruto and me. After a deep breath, she squared her shoulders with a determined look. "Okay, Darren," she said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of gratitude. "I'll take him."

With newfound resolve, Sakura turned to Naruto, her expression softening into a smile. "Hey, Naruto! Do you want me to take you to the infirmary? You don't look too good," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

Naruto's eyes widened, clearly surprised. He blinked at her in disbelief. "Wait… what?"

Sakura smiled again. "You're not feeling well, right? Let's get you checked out."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. He seemed taken aback by Sakura's sudden kindness, so much so that he was skeptical. "Oh, no!" he said, shaking his head. "I'm not falling for this again, Sasuke!"

"Sasuke…?" Sakura looked confused.

"You're trying to trick me into thinking you're really Sakura! Nice try, but I'm—" His stomach growled again, louder this time. "Oh no!" he yelped, clutching his stomach and rushing off toward the nearest restroom without another word. Stunned by the sudden turn of events, I hadn't expected Naruto to react like that. We were left speechless as he disappeared around the corner.

"Well, uh…" I began, glancing at Sakura and attempting to offer some encouragement. "At least you tried…"

But my words only seemed to fuel her frustration. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, and her whole body tensed as she glared in the direction Naruto had run off to. She couldn't hold it in any longer, "YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT, NARUTOOO!"

Her shout echoed through the open area, startling a flock of birds into flight as they scattered from the nearby trees. For the first time, I actually felt a bit sorry for Naruto—having to deal with such an… aggressive kunoichi on his team. I kind of believe that she is far more aggressive than Ino…