Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She had a family—a perfectly ordinary family: caring parents and a beloved pet. Sure, both of them were quite busy with their work, but for her, it was perfectly bearable.
She was still very young, so she didn't give much thought to what happiness meant. After all, children are carefree by nature—something as simple as a beautiful flower or a new toy is enough to bring them joy.
The girl was the only child in the family. Long-awaited and deeply loved. All in all, her life could only be described as absolute bliss.
One night, the little girl couldn't fall asleep. She could hear her parents' muffled voices through the thin walls. It seemed they, too, felt the uneasiness lingering in the air.
Clutching her plush puppy tightly, the girl felt a pang of fear.
Her mother didn't allow her real puppy to sleep in the bed with her but tonight she felt deeply lonely without the quiet sound of his breathing. The puppy wouldn't have been able to protect her from danger—he was just a baby himself. But his presence always brought her comfort.
Suddenly, sadness washed over her. He was out there all alone, probably just as confused as she was.
Summoning her courage, the little girl untangled herself from the blanket her mother had lovingly knitted for her. She sneakily crept toward where her friend slept.
"Yume, is that you?"
Of course, she couldn't sneak by unnoticed.
Her mother peeked out from the doorway. She looked a bit tired, but her ever-present smile hadn't faded even a bit. She was the kind of woman who never let herself feel defeated.
Even though the girl didn't say anything, her mother didn't rush her. She simply gazed at her with her deep, dark eyes.
"Mom, can I tell you something?"
"Oh, of course, sweetie."
The girl somehow felt that speaking her fear aloud might make something bad happen. The feeling was too big, too frightening for her little body to handle. Her heart was beating so fast that night.
Her mother leaned closer, her unruly hair brushing against the girl and tickling her cheek. The scent of soap and fresh linens—a smell only her mother seemed to carry—reached her nose.
"If I don't take Kuro out of his kennel now, I'll never see him again," she whispered, moving only her lips.
Her mother flinched, her hands instinctively landing on her daughter's small, delicate shoulders. She looked stunned, as if she couldn't believe what the girl just said.
Her mother seemed ready to ask a question—maybe scold her for such strange words or laugh at her frenzy imagination.
But then they both felt it.
That strange smell.
The girl had never experienced the scent of emotions before. But this—this was unmistakable. It was raw, wild, almost primal rage.
It burrowed under her skin, filling her with terror. She could feel her blood boiling beneath the skin.
Before she could utter a word, a wave washed over their cozy little home.
Red chakra seeped from everywhere—it spilled from the windows, streamed along the floor, and filled their vision.
The girl didn't even have time to scream. The air left her lungs, replaced by a viscous, suffocating substance.
Then came the noise.
It was everywhere, drowning out thoughts, colors, everything. It was like the static from an old TV her father had tried to fix countless amount of times.
"Noise. Out."
And then, it stopped.
The life of our sweet little heroine faded with it.
"Sensei, why hasn't she woken up yet?"
A soft, melodic voice reached my ears.
Unlike the other noises that surrounded me since I came around, this was undoubtedly a human voice. And without question, it belonged to a woman.
"We've received the examination results, Kurogawa-san."
This voice, though, grated on me. Don't get me wrong—every voice has its charm—but for some reason, every sound sent dull pain echoing through my head. Still, the woman's voice wasn't as sharp or jarring as the distinctly male one.
"Don't worry, she's just sleeping."
...Well, I do love sleeping. My favorite pastime in life is dreaming. There was even a time when I'd wake up only to look forward to my dreams at night. Judging by the concerned tone of the unfamiliar woman, this little habit of mine seemed to have caused some trouble.
Summoning all my strength, I tried to crack my eyes open. I felt utterly drained, even though it seemed like I'd slept for at least ten years straight.
"Hmm..."
A sigh slipped out involuntarily from the effort. I managed to open my eyes, but... it didn't help much.
Colorful blotches danced before me, muddling my vision. They blinded me even more than the darkness ever could.
Without overthinking it, I let my eyelids fall shut again.
"Yume!"
Ah, so my struggle hadn't gone unnoticed after all.
But thinking was hard too. My sluggish thoughts blurred together, becoming a thick mass that threatened to drag my consciousness back down.
I'll just sleep a little longer, alright? I promise I won't dream too much this time…
I slept. And slept. And… slept some more.
But it didn't make things any better.
A few times, the thought crossed my mind that something might be wrong with me. The white sealing confirmed my suspicions, but alongside the scent of medicine, I could also detect many other aromas. I had suspiciously quickly gotten used to the fact that I could now distinctly smell cement or wood. Since I had no other sensory inputs to rely on, this heightened sense of smell wasn't unwelcome.
Whenever I opened my eyes, all I saw were blurry patches and static. The voices of others were really getting on my nerves.
Come to think of it, I'd been in a sort of half-dream state all this time, and as it is known, making sense of anything in dreams is difficult.
And the chance to get some sleep? That's a gift you simply don't turn down.
"Excuse me, Kurogawa-san, are you absolutely sure your daughter has no clan affiliations?"
The owner of that unpleasant voice was pestering his conversation partner again and again.
"That's correct, Yasuda-sensei. If it troubles you so much, may I ask about the reasons?"
Her voice didn't betray any irritation. Throughout the conversations I'd witnessed, her once soft and gentle tone had lost all emotion. Now, it was as if she spoke to "sensei" on autopilot.
"I don't intend to sound rude, but typically... recovery from such a chakra system overload, for civilian children…"
...isn't really possible?
"…takes far longer."
Huh, couldn't say it outright? Didn't want to upset her?
"So she's getting better?"
The tiny spark of hope in the woman's voice pricked at my ribs. She needed only a single word to start believing in miracles again. I just hoped her hopes wouldn't be shattered once more.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not clueless. Obviously, they were talking about me. I'm not selfish; it's just that every conversation over the last… five awakenings? —they've all been about me.
I can already open my eyes and just stare at the ceiling. The white hospital walls are oddly soothing...
But that's about all I can manage—any noise or movement, and I'm dragged right back into that oppressive, sticky darkness. I'd rather just stay still.
"If her recovery continues at this pace, then undoubtedly."
Even I managed to find the strength to turn my head toward the source of the conversation.
I didn't want to get my hopes up for nothing, but those words warmed even my cold heart.
And not just those words.
The warmth of a hand was pressed against my cheek.
Drowsiness enveloped me once again. But… now, it was quiet and peaceful.
Maybe this time, I'd finally dream.
The doctor, whom they inexplicably call sensei here, wasn't mistaken.
A lot of time has passed since that momentous day, and it has not been in vain.
"Yume-chan, which book should we read today?"
The face of the woman—apparently my new mother—was lit up by a gentle smile. Her unruly brown hair brushed against my hands…
I didn't move yet; it was strictly forbidden. My last attempts to move ended in another slip into drowsiness. Any unnecessary effort led to the same result. And speaking wasn't going too well either… I feel like a vegetable…
I slowly turned my gaze to the books offered to me.
Kaji, cool, awesome, I totally understand everything.
At this point, it's clear: somehow, I can understand Japanese by ear, but I can't read it…
"You like this one?"
While I was deep in thought, my gaze lingered stopped on one of the books. Well, none of them really looked interesting to me.
But "mom" had already started reading:
""The Oath of Silence.""
…Did she intentionally choose this? Or is it normal to read such books to children here?
And what do I mean by "here"?
I got a hunch when the nurses, who looked after me, mentioned Uchiha-san, my attending physician.
"It's such a pity that now he'll only be attending to members of his own clan—what a loss…"
"Right, Yasuda-san put so much effort into his career, and all that for naught…"
Honestly, I refuse to believe that Uchihas exist anywhere outside of the Narutoverse.
But that was only the beginning…
"After the Nine-Tails attack, my sister and I had to move back in with our parents. Their compound wasn't affected half as badly as other areas—thank goodness we still have a roof over our heads. But my nephew is so noisy, he's driving me insane."
"Have you heard? Nozaki-san is resigning?"
"Poor thing, her entire family…"
"How awful…"
All these conversations were just killing me. In my past life, I had to go through something similar, but hearing about it here is even more disheartening…
So yeah, I'm pretty sure about my whereabouts.
"I'm very sorry, I hope you understand our situation…"
The nurse bowed apologetically.
"Of course, thank you for finding time for us…"
Saeko returned the bow.
For those who don't know—I'm being discharged. Prematurely.
Because of the Nine-Tails attack, there are too many injured in the hospital, so a civilian girl with chakra exhaustion clearly isn't a priority.
If I think about it, since my full awakening, all my activities included staring at the ceiling and sleeping. It feels awkward taking up valuable space… And Saeko (my "mom") is finding it difficult to go back and forth between home and the hospital.
I can't help but feel like a burden…
So I'm probably the one waiting for my discharge the most.
Or…
"Yume!3"
As soon as sunlight reached my face, I was swept away from my mother's embrace by a gust of wind.
This scent… Yes, I'm starting to remember.
"No one mistreated you at the hospital?"
Ah, this is so cringy.
I always despised open displays of affection…
Before, I only occasionally saw his silhouette, but now I finally have the chance to properly examine the man I now call "father".
Hmm, we don't really look alike.
His face, though slightly tired, held a youthful glow, and his honey-brown black eyes sparkled with energy.
For some reason, he hadn't visited me in the hospital, so his excitement now is more than understandable.
"Mmm…"
I still couldn't speak. Overwhelmed with the new information, my head began to ache again.
"Dear, calm down."
Saeko lightly scolded her husband.
That's right, this woman has been tiptoeing around me ever since I woke up. The reason: in my state, any extra disturbance leads to unconsciousness and a long sleep.
In it usually flash familiar faces and places —fragments of my previous life. But as dreams are meant to do, they would vanish by morning. I admit, I didn't want to lose them, because without all those memories, who would be left of myself?
Something told me that these dreams were the cause of my sickness.
Lost in thought, I didn't realize the silence that had fallen around.
"Father" anxiously scanned my face, apparently trying to read my thoughts and failing completely.
"Oh, Yume, don't zone out now."
"Mother" lightly patted my back, bringing me back to my senses. Her slender hand pointed somewhere in an attempt to gain my attention.
"Look at those cliffs, remember them?"
…Lady, if I look at the faces of the Fourth Hokage now, I'll once again get lost in a maze of thoughts. Let's do something else.
I shook my head sharply.
Then I decided to try my luck.
I pointed my index finger in a random direction.
"Oh, Yume can't wait to leave this nasty hospital, right? You must be homesick."
"Mother"'s expression darkened sharply. Surely she tried to avoid any disturbing topics and our old house was assumingly ruined during the attack.
"Oh, I mean, you can't wait to see our new home, right? I promise you'll love it! You even have your own room now!"
Well, good to know. Before, Yume used to sleep in the living room, but having her own room will be more comfortable. I love my privacy.
"It's a small house, but cozy"—Saeko added.
Their eyes were still fixed on me.
How awkward, I've never liked so much attention.
I impatiently waved my hand.
Enough standing around pitying me, let's move forward!
I think you might be curious to find out more what my parents' background is.
First of all, it's a huge (un)lucky break—both of them are shinobi! Of course, a high salary is cool, but they're both chunin for now, and this rank, as we all know, doesn't have a chance against any kind of enemy, unless it is a main cast we are talking about.
Thankfully, my "father", Hiro-san, is very ambitious, and judging by his rapid progress, it's only a matter of time before he'll achieve the desired rank of Jonin.
As for my new "mother"—Saeko-san—she unfortunately had to temporarily put her career on hold because of my health, but before that, she worked as a sensei at the Academy.
She doesn't let it show, but it's pretty obvious that she's deeply troubled by this prolonged vacation.
While her husband works non-stop, taking on every mission possible—after all, after the Nine-Tails attack, Konoha suffered major losses among the shinobi of all ranks— mother has no other choice but to look after me. The only thing that gives me some sort of comfort is that Yume and I are quite similar. Or maybe we're the same person? Two people from different worlds can't have such similar personalities and preferences after all.
From what I can tell, Yume was, in general, a quiet, reserved child—quite a contrast when you look at Hiro. He's such a shonen manga main character; how bad that, this is a story about Naruto.
As we made our way home, he didn't stop yapping for a second. Of course, it had been a long time since he'd seen his family, but the circle of acquaintances seemed pretty endless to me.
Social butterflies – such an interesting sort of people…
At home, the conversation continued the flow. At first, I was interested: while Hiro discussed his work with Saeko, I sat on the designated sofa, mouth agape. My parents never even thought that this would interest me, so they occasionally glanced at me, wondering if I had already dozed off.
In the hospital, my sleep hours were strictly limited, which, of course, was frustrating.
I'm so bored with this sick body. What a disappointment…
"Sae, there's such a backlog of missions right now… D and C ranks are barely being issued."
The tone with which my father said that was very different from his usual chatter. It was as if he was delivering bad news.
Apparently, for mom, they were that bad too. Before, she opted to let genins babysit me so that she could work in peace. But now this wasn't possible.
She didn't show it, but I think Hiro noticed how her shoulders immediately dropped.
"Well, it's not a big deal. I couldn't leave Yume-chan with anyone else right now anyway."
"I'm sure, once everything settles down, there'll be more genin available! We just need to wait a little longer, okay? And I can take over for you sometimes!"
In response to his fiery reassurance, Saeko smirked. I think, no matter how much she longs to go back to her little students, she won't sacrifice her husband's ambitions. That's the impression I've gotten of her so far.
To the delight of my family, ever since leaving the hospital, nothing has stood in the way of my recovery. Yes, I had to learn to walk again, but for some reason, I had an abundance of energy—more than someone who had recently even grown tired from lying down. As long as I didn't dwell on the past or sleep more than I should, I thrived.
"And how do we call that?"
The card with a kanji caught my attention.
""To go""
That's the nasty part. I understood only the words Yume knew before my awakening. No more, no less.
"Simple, right? And what about this one?"
...ugh
"…"
"No guesses?"
"…sorry"
Oops, here we go again.
"It means "new"!"
How do I cram all this information into my head when it's already crammed full?
The knowledge from my past life was carefully stored on a shelf in my mind and it took a good amount of my memory space.
"Don't get discouraged, you're already doing well by trying. I'm proud of you!"
She smiled genuinely, but I only felt more uneasy.
These people… they cared so much for me, always showering me with praise, words like "love," and acts of affection.
It was difficult for me to accept. Even after living with this family for a month, I still hadn't shaken off the feeling of guilt.
If I weren't so sickly, maybe Saeko wouldn't have to waste her time stuck at home with me. And the original Yume would've been able to return the love they kept constantly giving me. Children are innocent and naive, but in my adult mind, I couldn't come to terms with the thought that I was simply parasitizing their kindness.
The stream of thoughts was interrupted by a sharp headache…
"Ugh…"
I pressed my fingers to my temples, gritting my teeth. I didn't want Saeko to worry. It's my fault—thinking about the past again.
"What a cutie! Is that dyed hair?"
I had no choice but to hide behind my mom.
When we were walking together with my "dad", no one dared approach the off-duty shinobi. But now, as we were finally having a detour through Konoha streets, we were actively taken into account by strangers.
I thought in this world, the unnatural eye and hair color was a usual thing, but somehow it didn't apply to our appearance.
Nature really had its ways. At first glance, Yume was Saeko's dead ringer: her eye color and shape as well as facial features were a carbon copy of her mother's. But the only striking feature - the silver-white hair - didn't belong to any of her parents and needless to say raised many questions.
Saeko stepped into a protective stance and politely tried to shoo away the stranger. It wasn't too burdensome, but wherever we went - the same reaction was intact.
I tugged on Saeko's skirt.
At this rate, we won't even manage half the grocery list.
I'm starting to understand why Kakashi wore a mask throughout all anime. It's tough to endure this, especially after my weeks of isolation. The nurses were used to my appearance, and my attending physician, who was Uchiha himself, wasn't impressed by my looks. After all, according to Narutoverse laws, Uchihas here are ultimate beauty icons.
It took a lot of time before we finally made it to the main street. Now, I could scrutinize every sign and poster in detail.
""Ramen"?"
"Ramen stand."
""Flowers"?"
"Flower shop!"
"…"Po-li…ce""
I unconsciously stopped. Saeko, meanwhile, slowed down and quietly waited. This game went on for most of the walk, only resuming when we entered any shops.
I read everything in hiragana and katakana, occasionally even kanji, which I however tried to avoid.
""Police"..."station""
"Well done!"
Despite the shopping bags, Saeko clapped her hands.
I lowered my head trying to hide behind the long bangs.
Every time I learn new words, I feel like a child, which perfectly suits my body. But it feels strange to praise myself for such little things.
In truth, I know should be capable of more.
As of now, I'm facing a choice.
Once again, I see a stack of books with unfamiliar words. Pictures are great, but Japanese fairy tales are vastly different from European ones. So no matter how high-quality the illustrations are, they give me no idea about the plot.
By the way, I'm the type of person who should never be asked to make decisions on their own. It always ends up in an inner debate for hours before finally making a choice in the spur of the moment.
"...The problem is that Yume-chan doesn't read the sentences all the way through."
Oh, that's about me.
I quickly perked up my ears.
"How strange, usually kids her age aren't capable of distinguishing words by context..."
The librarian is genuinely puzzled. Yes, I'm a cheater —if I don't know the word, why not guess?
I quietly left my spot as my mother was busy discussing my reading skills with a middle-aged librarian.
The library itself was huge, but I wasn't planning on going far so they shouldn't have trouble with me wandering around for a bit.
There it is! The sacred section...
"Manga"— states the kanakana on the shelf.
Manga is literature too, you know, and illustrations mean I don't need to read! Aren't I a genius?
The next ten years (or so I felt completely immersed in reading) passed in bliss. All these clichéd phrases and sound symbols felt so refreshing in comparison to staring at a wall of kanji.
I was just finishing the second volume of a manga about some bird shinobi when I heard rustling behind me.
Odd, there are just shelves behind...
I turned around and spotted a rather strange sight.
In the two-sided cabinet where books should've been, there was a gap, and three pairs of curious eyes peered out.
As soon as I noticed them, the stalkers quickly closed the gap with a book.
Huh?
Confused, I grabbed it from my side and peered again. The trio still was there. Looks like they wanted me to find them.
I tilted my head to the side, trying to look innocent.
"Hello?"
The kids' faces showed a mix of surprise and excitement. The first to speak was a boy with short black curls.
"Let's be friends!"
"Yes!" – chimed in a girl behind, with red streaks on her cheeks.
"…Hm…Come here."
I dramatically placed the book back in its place, but in a moment, the kids finally came out. The first to lean toward me was the boy.
"Did you come with Kurogawa-sensei?"
Ah, so they must be Saeko's students! But they already have shinobi bandages, aren't they genin then?
I looked at them perplexed.
"Is Saeko-san your mom?" – again, the girl chimed in. She didn't dare sit down beside me but curiously examined the books on the floor.
"Yes"
"Is sensei also here with you?"
Finally, the third one spoke. If the first two clearly showed signs of the Uchiha and Inuzuka clans, I couldn't tell anything about this child.
"Are you lost?"
The boy sent me a soft smile and extended his hand.
Before I could respond to the gesture, a figure flashed into view.
"There you are!"
Even though it was said rather quietly, all my new acquaintances immediately turned toward the source of the sound.
"Sensei!"
The boy with short curls shouted first. Saeko's eyes widened, but in the next second, surprise gave way to joy.
The children surged toward her.
"Haha, calm down, you don't want to get us kicked out."
Though Saeko scolded her former students, she didn't try to free herself from their grasp.
This scene starkly contrasted with how anime depicted chunin senseis. Even Iruka-sensei, who was considered the coolest sensei, wasn't so close with his students, excluding Naruto of course.
A pang struck in my head...
...I shouldn't have thought about this.
I tried to focus on the sweet reunion playing out before me, but the sudden migraine wouldn't let me.
"Are you okay?"
I felt warmth in my hand.
Though my sight still hadn't fully recovered, the voice belonged to the Uchiha boy.
"We didn't mean to take your mom, don't be upset, please."
Oww, what a kind child. He thinks I'm jealous of them for distracting Saeko's attention.
I tried to smile, but my efforts probably didn't look convincing enough.
I turned my gaze to a worried Saeko.
"...In that the case, why don't we get some fresh air?", finally she said to her little former student.
And it really worked.
At first, I had to rest in Saeko's arms. Fortunately or not, I'd lost quite a bit of weight during my illness, and now I barely resembled a five-year-old. So I hoped it wouldn't be too difficult for her to carry me.
In such situations, eavesdropping on others' conversations always helped. While the students eagerly tried to tell Saeko what she had missed out on since their graduation, my vision gradually returned, and a few minutes later, I was already walking on my own.
Because of my young age, my parents never bothered to explain what exactly was causing my poor health. So I had to figure out ways to deal with it myself.
"Tch."
Rice with sugar— it even sounds unappealing, but I must admit, I expected something more interesting than the slimy balls they call "dango." Now I have no idea how people even eat this. Gladly, I seemed to be the only one suffering.
Saeko's students were devouring the treat, while she sweetly chatted with the shopkeeper.
"Sae-chan, you need to visit us more often!"
Sometimes I feel like all of Konoha is a village where everyone knows each other. Wait a second, this is a village.
"Well, well, I don't want to distract you from your work. You seem too eager to stop whatever you are doing to chat with customers, that can't be good for business."
Miri-san pouted. Although they were the same age, the shopkeeper looked a bit older than Saeko. The shopkeeper laughingly changed the subject.
"Yume-chan must be bored at home, right, little one? Come by, I'll always treat you two to something sweet."
She lightly brushed my hair, completely ignoring my aversion to food.
Oh, no thank you. Japanese food looks cute, but it totally clashes with my taste. After eating rice every single day—I start missing the pastries from my university cafeteria...
No offense to the cooks, but just the sight of those balls makes me nauseous...
"You're not eating?"
The voice sounded very close. Turning toward the source of it, I met deep black eyes. The child's face seemed familiar from my past life, but I didn't want to dig into my memories and provoke another seizure.
"Nah."
Not very polite, but I pushed the treat away with both hands.
"Yume-chan's tastes have changed a lot lately…"
Saeko finally broke away from chatting with the shop owner.
"Maybe she doesn't like the texture?"
A voice came from the boy without a clan. Everyone turned to him at once.
The boy's cheeks turned red.
"Uh, well, my younger sister doesn't eat dango either…"
He scratched his head nervously.
"You're right, how didn't I think of that myself."
Eh... guys, I just don't like rice, calm down. I buried my nose in the cup of tea, hoping our diverse group would discuss something more interesting than my peculiarities.
"Kurogawa-sensei, is it true you left the Academy?"
The Uchiha took the reigns of the conversation.
"...For now, yes."
"How sad. I already told all the younger kids about what a great sensei they'll have... They'll kill me when they come to lessons and you're not there."
It's not entirely clear if he's just flattering Saeko or not, but his words struck her right in the sore spot. She had wanted to return to work so badly.
"Shisui-kun, I would love to, but I have no one to leave Yume-chan with."
"But didn't you say your daughter also wants to become a shinobi?"
Oh, important lore from my predecessor. I perked up my ears.
"You have an excellent memory, Hana-chan. But Yume hasn't fully recovered from… the incident, so it's still unclear whether she will get into the Academy this year."
"Don't worry, Kurogawa-san! It's still only late November, and they take students from spring! I'm sure Yume-chan will be as fit as a fiddle by then!"
The Uchiha cheekily grinned at me. Together, our heads made an ideal contrast of black and white.
"By the way, why does Yume-chan have such hair?"
Inuzuka tilted his head curiously.
"Well… Imagine your family has a big treasure chest. It's called DNA and is filled with all kinds of "traits" like hair color, eye color, and even your smile. Every time a baby is born, the chest gets shuffled, and traits get passed down in all kinds of interesting ways.
Now, sometimes, the treasure chest has little surprises hiding inside—traits that belonged to your grandparents or even great-grandparents. Even if your parents didn't use those traits, the chest saved them for later. So when it's your turn, you might "discover" a trait that skipped over your parents, like your great-grandma's curly hair or your great-grandpa's dimples!
In our case, I didn't inherit the silver-hair trait from my mother – but Yume did!"
And here it is—the sensei mode. Until now, I thought that becoming a teacher in the Academy was just about being a chunin, but Saeko really is a good sensei.
I continued sipping my drink thoughtfully, trying not to connect this new piece of information with past life data.
So what if in this world, only one person has the same hair color as me? If Saeko's convinced we're not from a clan, then it must be true.
Even though I said I wouldn't think about the past, that's exactly what I ended up doing.
And I paid the price for it.
That evening, I got hit by a terrible headache, and after stuffing myself with painkillers, I finally drifted into sleep.
The next morning, it eased up, but my whole body ached relentlessly.
"Rise and shine—it's workout time!"
Hiro had returned while I was out cold, and now he was ready to shake my sluggish body awake.
So after finishing our breakfast, we started warming up.
Even though I'm a fervent sports hater, I have to admit—after finishing the exercises and practicing katas, I felt a strange lightness take over my body. My head felt empty and free.
"To succeed…You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you…."
Hiro crouched down to my height and started his speech. I hadn't even noticed how a smile reached my lips, and our newly minted jonin didn't miss the chance to agitate me into becoming a shinobi once again. Basically, every our training ended like that.
"Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like muscles of the body. And the best place for it is…
"*Cough*"
Saeko frowned in our direction.
This silent debate had been going on for weeks now: Saeko insisted that after my near-death experience, I shouldn't even think about becoming a shinobi. Hiro, on the other hand—whether deliberately or genuinely hopeful—believed I would continue "the family business." Hiro was absolutely convinced that with my talents, I could easily pursue this career, even though Yume before the Nine Tails attack wasn't known for her endurance or significant chakra reserves.
Unlike the other clan kids like Itachi, who could already split stones in two even before entering the Academy, Yume didn't even have a grasp on basic kanji before I took over. And now I had to close these gaps for her. Just how was I supposed to study at the ninja school without knowing the basics?
"I just wanted to say, in the Academy, they teach all needed skills! You'll have plenty to learn there and, of course, no one forces you to become a shinobi after graduation after all."
I glanced away thoughtfully, pretending to mull something over, then answered:
"What a drag…"
Hiro started to pout, while Saeko burst into laughter.
I knew I probably couldn't refuse Hiro, even though I wasn't really keen on all this fighting stick. As for Saeko – she only wanted for her child to be healthy and happy no matter what path it my choose. They were kind, caring, and—most importantly—genuinely loved Yume.
So yes, I'll take on her role if it makes their ninja life a little happier.