It was an ordinary day in Konoha. The crisp autumn air carried the comforting aroma of freshly roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes from street stalls, as excited locals finalized preparations for the season's most anticipated festival. Ripe persimmons hung from many trees, enticing both children and adults eager to pick them. The temperature was cool — typical of November — and villagers dressed accordingly. Despite the lively atmosphere, the morning felt peaceful. At least, that's what Kakashi thought — until now.
"I don't want to train! I want to go to the park!" Naruto whined in a pitiful tone.
Kakashi dropped onto the living room couch, covering his face with one hand, struggling not to let out a sigh of exhaustion. It had been two weeks since Naruto and Karin began their ninja training under his and Kana's supervision. Both were making reasonable progress in most lessons, except for chakra control, which posed significant challenges — likely due to their immense chakra reserves. Despite the difficulties, their determination never wavered. That didn't mean they weren't prone to occasional outbursts or attempts to escape training, like now.
"No, Naruto. Stop insisting," Kakashi said for the fifth time.
"But I haven't been to the park in forever, Kakashi-nii! And since you don't have any missions today, we should go out and enjoy it! I want to play and eat roasted sweet potatoes!" Naruto knelt, clasping his hands in a pleading gesture, his blue eyes sparkling with innocence. "Please! Besides, Karin said she's going to Senju Park, and I want to play with her!"
"No. Today's my day off, and I'd rather spend it my way," Kakashi replied, casting a subtle glance toward the bookshelf.
Naruto didn't miss that detail and immediately frowned, his face darkening with annoyance. "I can't believe it. You'd rather read that filthy book than spend time with me, Karin, or Aunt Kana?! You're the worst, Kakashi-nii!" Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mischievous mind, and a sly grin spread across his face. Kakashi tensed at the sight of that grin, bracing himself for whatever trouble was brewing.
"If you don't take me to the park," Naruto began, his tone dripping with mock innocence. "Then the next time I see Aunt Kana, I'll tell her you chose those books she hates so much over making me happy. Let's see how she feels about that."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, panic flickering in his gaze. "You wouldn't dare." Ordinarily, Kakashi feared nothing, but since meeting Kana, he had learned firsthand how ruthless she could be when provoked. The memory of her threatening to burn his prized copy of Icha Icha for reading it in front of her still haunted him. The thought alone sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
"Oh, I'd dare. With all my might," Naruto shot back, his glare defiant.
Kakashi glared in return, but it was a losing battle. It didn't take a genius to realize Naruto had won, which was why they were now walking toward their destination: Senju Park, the most famous park in all of Konoha. Along the way, Kakashi bought Naruto a roasted sweet potato, hoping it would keep him quiet and stave off further complaints.
"It's not as good as ramen, but it's pretty good!" Naruto hummed contentedly as he munched on a piece of sweet potato. Looking around, his curiosity sparked. "Why does everyone seem so happy?"
The jōnin observed the bustling crowd on the street, his gaze settling on a poster advertising the upcoming festival's fireworks. Realization dawned as he pieced it together. "It's probably because the Golden Leaf Festival starts in about four days," he said.
Naruto tilted his head, his expression confused. Seeing this, Kakashi chuckled softly. "That's right, you've never celebrated a festival before, have you?"
"We should go to this one for once!" Naruto exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over.
"Normally, I'd say no, but…" Kakashi trailed off, then sighed in resignation. "Oh, why not. You've earned it, and besides, if I didn't agree, you'd just pester me until we went. Who knows? You might even meet some kids your age and make new friends." He smiled faintly, already thinking about the festival preparations. "The only thing is, we don't have yukatas or kimonos for the occasion, but I doubt anyone would mind if you didn't wear one."
"Awesome! We're going to a festival!" Naruto cheered, hopping up and down in excitement. "Can we invite Karin and Aunt Kana too?"
"Sure, why not?" Kakashi replied with a shrug.
With their plans to attend the Konoha Autumn Festival settled, the two continued their walk to Senju Park. Naruto's enthusiasm was uncontainable as he peppered Kakashi with questions about the festival — what kind of food they'd eat and what games they'd play when the big day arrived.
"Let me guess... your little monster dragged you here with some kind of lie too, right?" Kakashi asked, his gaze lifting toward the sky in resignation.
"Yeah…" Kana replied weakly, her voice tinged with defeat.
When Kakashi and Naruto arrived at Senju Park, they found Kana and Karin already there. The two little Uzumaki wasted no time wandering off to the children's area, giggling as they played with Karin's temari ball, explored the slides, and swung on the swings. Meanwhile, their caregivers slumped onto a nearby bench, united in their shared realization — they had been duped by four-year-olds.
Both adults lamented the loss of their day off, but any thoughts of punishing the children evaporated quickly. After all, they were only kids, and their antics, while frustrating, weren't malicious.
"I heard you were accepted into the Medical Corps. How's that going?" Kakashi asked, his eyes trailing after the children while his mind drifted longingly to his favorite reading spot — or, better yet, his bed.
"I'm doing well," Kana answered, her voice drowsy. "I had to pass a series of tests to prove my skills. Preparing for the written exam meant barely sleeping for three days, but I managed to get a high score and was finally accepted." She paused, a faint smile on her lips. "I've been working at the hospital for now, taking care of patients, since I'm still too inexperienced for missions outside the village. Oh, and I got promoted to chūnin."
"That's impressive. Congratulations!" Kakashi replied, though his enthusiasm wavered when he noticed the pronounced dark circles under Kana's eyes. "Have you found a place for you and Karin to live yet?"
When he didn't get a response, he glanced over and found Kana fast asleep, her head tilted to one side as soft snores escaped her. Kakashi chuckled under his breath. "Ha… You can't handle anything, can you, sleepyhead?"
It wasn't long before he too succumbed to exhaustion, leaning back on the bench and dozing off.
Meanwhile, the little Uzumaki were oblivious to their guardians' nap, fully engrossed in their play. After days of intense training, this brief escape was pure bliss. While they loved training — it was a necessary step toward their dreams of becoming extraordinary ninjas, and in Naruto's case, Hokage — they still relished moments like these, where they could simply be kids.
"Let's see if you can catch it this time!" Naruto shouted, throwing the temari ball with all his might.
"Of course I'll catch it! Just watch!" Karin declared, leaping into the air to intercept the ball. But it soared past her outstretched hands, landing in the sandbox.
"You threw it too hard, Naruto! I hope the ball's okay — it's new," Karin scolded, hurrying toward the sandbox.
"Sorry…" Naruto mumbled, trailing after her.
When they reached the sandbox, they found Karin's ball in the hands of a little girl flanked by two boys, all around the same age. The girl had short platinum blonde hair, held back by a clip, and bright green eyes that gleamed with curiosity. The boy to her left was chubby, with red swirl-like marks on his cheeks and messy brown hair; he clutched a bag of chips in one hand. On her right stood a boy with dark eyes and black hair tied into a spiky ponytail, his expression one of clear irritation, as though he'd rather be anywhere else.
"That's our ball," Karin stated firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"I know. I was going to give it back when I saw you," the blonde girl replied casually. But her attention soon shifted to Karin, her eyes lighting up with fascination. "Wow! I've never seen such a striking hair color. It's beautiful! It really makes your eyes pop."
Karin was momentarily caught off guard, unaccustomed to receiving compliments. "T-Thanks," she stammered.
"You're welcome! I like to speak my mind, though sometimes my honesty gets me into trouble," the blonde muttered, puffing out her cheeks in frustration. Her two companions exchanged knowing, sympathetic glances. "Anyway, here's your ball," she said, extending the temari toward Karin. "What are your names? We're Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chōji, and Nara Shikamaru."
"My name is Uzumaki Karin. And this is—"
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto interrupted exuberantly, practically shouting as he waved his arms. His voice rang out so loudly that a few other children in the park turned to look. "Remember my name well! One day, everyone will know me as the Hokage of the village — you'll see!" The other four children stared at him blankly, their expressions unreadable. Even Karin buried her face in her hand, clearly embarrassed. Naruto's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "You don't have to look at me like that!" he huffed, his voice tinged with frustration.
"I'm starting to think all blondes are loud," Shikamaru muttered, only to receive a sharp smack on the head from Ino. "Hey!"
"I heard that, Shikamaru! Don't make fun of him, or I swear you'll end up marrying a blonde someday!" Ino shot back with a warning glare, as if she could see straight into his future. Shikamaru groaned in annoyance but said nothing. Turning her attention back to Naruto, Ino's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Naruto… Naruto… Oh, I've heard your name before! You're the boy the adults are always telling us to stay away from!"
"Yeah, that's me," Naruto admitted, his voice quiet as his shoulders sagged.
Karin immediately stepped forward, positioning herself between Naruto and the others. Her expression hardened, her stance protective and unyielding. "I hope you're not planning to insult or bully him because of that. If you do, you'll have to deal with me first. And trust me, I know how to throw a punch when I want to."
"Whoa, calm down! Neither of us would do something like that," Ino said quickly, raising her hands in surrender.
"Great… another troublesome girl," Shikamaru mumbled under his breath. "This just confirms my theory that all girls are unbearable, no matter their age." Unfortunately for him, his muttered comment did not go unnoticed. Both Karin and Ino froze for a moment before turning to glare at him, their eyes narrowing dangerously as they began cracking their knuckles. Shikamaru's face paled. "How did you even hear me?!" he exclaimed, panicking.
"We are NOT unbearable, you pineapple-headed lazybones!" Karin and Ino shouted in perfect unison, their voices filled with righteous fury.
Naruto stood frozen, his eyes and mouth wide open as he watched the two girls berate Shikamaru with relentless energy. He was especially shocked by Karin's sudden fierceness — it was the first time he had seen her act this way.
"Relax, this is normal for Shikamaru," Chōji said nonchalantly, munching on another chip from the bag in his hand. He extended the bag toward Naruto. "Want some?"
"N-No, thanks," Naruto stammered, still transfixed by the chaotic scene unfolding before him.
After what felt like an eternity — but was actually only five minutes — the two girls finally relented and stopped tormenting Shikamaru. The boy, still grumbling about how 'girls have superpowers' and how 'troublesome' they were, quickly clammed up under another withering glare from Ino. Naruto, meanwhile, remained frozen in shock. Did Karin really have such a fiery personality, and he had never noticed?
"Hey, Naruto!" Karin called out suddenly, snapping him out of his thoughts. Her voice was cheerful and light, a stark contrast to the fiery temper she had displayed moments earlier. Naruto blinked in confusion at her sudden change in demeanor. "Ino suggested we play with them. What do you think?"
Naruto's jaw dropped. "You… you want to play with me? Even though all the adults say you shouldn't be around me?"
"Of course, we want to play with you! We don't care what the adults say," Ino interjected with a bright smile. "At least, it doesn't bother me. And Chōji and Shikamaru feel the same way. You seem like a nice guy, and above all, very funny — not dangerous like they say. Right, guys?"
Shikamaru sighed. "He may not be dangerous, but he sure is loud."
"I think we could have a good time," Chōji added thoughtfully, his expression unusually serious. "And besides, I've heard rumors about you eating ten bowls of ramen in one sitting. As a proud member of the Akimichi Clan, I need to evaluate any potential rivals in the field of food."
Naruto's eyes lit up with competitive fire. "Oh, so you want to challenge me to a ramen duel? Just name the time and place! I love ramen!"
The two boys locked eyes, sparks flying between them as if the fate of the shinobi world hinged on their appetite. Before things could escalate, Ino stepped between them, hands raised to separate the two. "This isn't the time for fights! We're supposed to be having fun!" When her words didn't immediately defuse the tension, she cast an exasperated look at Shikamaru and Karin, silently pleading for their support.
Shikamaru groaned. "Why am I always stuck with these situations…" He turned to Chōji. "Your dad's going to be mad if you challenge someone to another food contest. Remember the last time? That guy ended up in the hospital."
"And Kakashi-san won't let you eat ramen again if he hears about this, Naruto," Karin chimed in.
At these words, both boys froze, their faces going pale. For Chōji, the thought of a week without snacks was unthinkable — a true nightmare. Naruto, on the other hand, imagined a week without ramen and shuddered in horror. It was a punishment worse than any training exercise.
"What are you talking about, Karin? We weren't going to compete!" Naruto threw an arm around Chōji's shoulders, a nervous grin plastered on his face. "I was just going to tell him about the best dish to order at Ramen Ichiraku. By the way, it's definitely miso ramen."
"Exactly! That's what I was thinking too!" Chōji nodded eagerly, matching Naruto's nervous energy.
Ino raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but she ultimately let it slide. "Fine, whatever. Enough talking! Let's play! The first game is hide-and-seek!"
"YES!" Naruto, Karin, and Chōji shouted in unison.
Shikamaru groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What a pain…"
Ino spun around, her devilish grin returning. "Since you like to complain so much, it's your turn to count. Good luck!"
Before Shikamaru could protest, the rest of the group scattered, each darting off in a different direction to find a hiding spot. He stared blankly at the empty space where Ino had been standing, letting out a long, resigned sigh.
"Damn it, Ino…" he muttered, beginning the count.
"Where should I hide? Where?" Naruto muttered, darting through the park. He stopped to eye some leafy bushes but shook his head. "No, that'd be the first place he'd look for me."
Determined to find the perfect hiding spot, the blond boy ran around, inspecting every corner of the park. So focused on his thoughts, he didn't notice someone in his path until he collided with them head-on, sending both sprawling onto the ground with a loud thud.
"Ow, my back…" Naruto groaned, rubbing the sore spot as he stood. Extending a hand to the other person, he froze when he finally got a good look at him. The boy in front of him was the spitting image of Might Guy! Those thick, unmistakable eyebrows, the confident stance, even the spirited aura — though his features were slightly softer, with larger round eyes and long black hair tied in a ponytail.
For a moment, Naruto wondered if Big Eyebrows had secretly cloned himself or had a long-lost son he hadn't mentioned.
"You've been staring at me for a while… Let me guess — it's the eyebrows, isn't it?" the black-haired boy asked, his voice brimming with confidence. There wasn't even a hint of irritation; in fact, he seemed proud of the attention. "If that's the case, don't worry! I'm fully aware of how cool they are! By the way, my name is Rock Lee! My mother always says I should properly introduce myself!"
Naruto blinked, momentarily thrown off by the boy's unshakable enthusiasm. "Uh… okay? Sorry about that. You just look a lot like someone I know." Deciding this was definitely something he'd have to bring up to Guy later, Naruto shook his head. "I'd love to stick around, but I'm kinda in a hurry. See ya!"
Without waiting for a response, Naruto took off again, this time toward the slides. He had a new plan: he'd hide in one of the tunnel slides until the coast was clear.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of sharp eyes were watching his every move. High up in the branches of a nearby tree, a brown-haired girl with her hair tied in two buns sat perched like a hawk. A small bandage adorned her cheek, and she leaned forward, her interest piqued. Below her, two younger boys waited. One of them, leaning casually against the tree trunk, had red fang-like tattoos on his cheeks and a confident smirk. The other had messy black hair and round, dark glasses and was crouched low to the ground, his focus entirely on a line of ants crawling past.
"See anything interesting, Tenten?" the tattooed boy asked, his tone casual.
"Nah, nothing special, Kiba. Just some kid running around and bumping into another. Pretty boring, honestly," Tenten replied, hopping down from the branch with effortless grace. She dusted off her hands and sighed. "I'm counting down the days until the festival. At least that won't be boring."
"Well, duh. It's a festival. How could it not be fun?" Kiba said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "What about you, Shino? Are you going to the Golden Leaf Festival?"
Shino didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the ants with the intensity of a scholar studying a rare specimen. For a moment, it seemed like he hadn't heard Kiba at all, but then he adjusted his glasses and finally spoke.
"Of course, I'll attend," Shino said in his usual monotone. "Not only because my mother insists I engage in 'normal activities' for someone my age, but also because it's an excellent opportunity to observe new insect species and expand my notes." He gestured to the ground with a small nod. "By the way, please be careful not to step on the ants."
Tenten and Kiba exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing: Shino was definitely one of a kind. Shrugging in unison, they decided to let him be.
In a flower-filled meadow within Senju Park, a four-year-old girl sat among the blossoms, inhaling their delicate fragrance as she attempted to weave them into a crown. Her name was Haruno Sakura. She had shoulder-length pink hair and striking emerald-green eyes. It would have been normal for a child her age to be surrounded by friends in a place like this, but there was one problem — Sakura didn't have any.
At her age, she should have already made plenty of friends, yet that hadn't happened. Every time she tried to befriend other children, they ended up mocking her. They called her "gum hair" because of her unusual hair color, but the nickname that hurt her the most was "big forehead" or "forehead girl." Each insult left her in tears, chipping away at her confidence. The situation had grown so bad that her mother resorted to arranging playdates for her with the children of her employees.
That was something Sakura absolutely despised — her mother forcing playdates on her, and even worse, with civilian children. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, but she couldn't help it. Her family was relatively well-off thanks to her parents' professions. Her mother, Mebuki, designed high-quality clothing, while her father, Kizashi, not only managed the store but also traded various fine fabrics. Many of the civilian children her mother introduced her to already had their futures practically decided—either inheriting the family business or perhaps opening one of their own. Even her mother had already started talking about Sakura one day taking over the store.
The truth? Sakura hated it. She hated it with all her heart! She had no desire to inherit the family business — her dream lay elsewhere, a dream that felt almost impossible. She wanted to be a kunoichi. Ever since the day she scraped her knee and a medic-nin healed her wound with such ease, she had been captivated. Shinobi were admired, strong, and never let anyone push them around. And that was exactly what Sakura wanted. That was why she was determined to convince her parents to let her enroll in the Academy.
So lost in thought, the little pink-haired girl didn't notice someone tapping her shoulder. Startled, she let out a sharp yelp, tossing the flowers in her hands into the air.
"H-Hey, no need to scream!" a female voice exclaimed, sounding a little nervous.
Sakura clutched her chest, taking deep breaths to calm herself. When she finally looked up, her gaze landed on the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. She had platinum blonde hair and gentle green eyes that sparkled with kindness. The girl extended a hand to help her up.
Hesitantly, Sakura accepted the gesture, but as she stood, an uneasy thought crept into her mind. Maybe — just maybe — this time, she could finally make a friend. But almost as quickly as the thought appeared, she shoved it away. This girl was far too pretty to want to be friends with her. Surely, once she got a good look at her, she'd make fun of her too — just like everyone else.
Sakura bit her lower lip, trying desperately to hold back her tears, but in the end, she couldn't stop herself from sobbing.
"Huh?" Ino blinked in surprise, watching the girl suddenly burst into tears. She hadn't even done anything yet, and she was already crying as if her heart had been shattered! Was the scare really that bad? Well, she could think about that later — right now, she had to calm her down.
"Hey, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, okay?" she said, trying to sound reassuring. But her words didn't seem to help; the pink-haired girl kept crying.
Frowning, Ino decided to use her best weapon — honesty.
"Stop crying! You'll just make yourself look bad, and a girl as cute as you shouldn't let that happen!"
"C-Cute?" Sakura's crying halted as she looked up at Ino in shock, as if the blonde had just said something unbelievable. "Liar! I'm not cute! All the boys and girls say so!"
"Liar? I may be many things, but a liar isn't one of them!" Ino huffed, clearly offended. She resisted the urge to say a few choice words to the pink-haired girl. At least, she thought, the girl had stopped crying — that was progress. "I take pride in being honest — sometimes a little too honest for my own good! So, if I say you're cute, it's because it's true. End of story."
"You really think I'm cute? Like, actually cute?" Sakura's cheeks flushed pink, and a warm smile slowly spread across her face. "You're the first person — aside from my parents — to ever say something like that to me… Everyone else just makes fun of me, calling me 'gum hair' and 'forehead girl.'"
"Those people are idiots — huge idiots!" Ino declared with a dramatic wave of her hand. "Your hair doesn't look like bubblegum — it's way prettier! It reminds me of cherry blossoms, and I love those flowers. And as for your forehead? Don't let it make you feel self-conscious! Don't hide it behind your bangs — show it off like a crown, so everyone knows you're proud of how pretty you are! In fact…" Ino pulled a red ribbon from her pocket. "I want you to have this. Wear it to show off your forehead. Also, consider it a gift — to mark the start of our friendship."
Sakura stared at the ribbon, then gently took it in her hands, pressing it against her chest as a warm feeling bloomed inside her. No girl her age had ever said such kind words to her before. The rush of emotions was so overwhelming that she felt like she might cry again.
"Y-You want to be my friend?" she stammered, her lower lip trembling. "T-Thank you… really… My name is Haruno Sakura."
Ino laughed happily, relieved that she had managed to cheer her up. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I'm Yamanaka Ino." Then, a playful idea struck her. "Hey, Sakura, how about you help me hide from a really lazy boy? And I'd love to introduce you to my friends, too!"
"You… You'd introduce me to your friends?" Sakura asked in disbelief.
"Of course! Now that we're friends, I want them to meet you! You'll like them a lot!" Ino beamed, her smile so bright that, for a moment, Sakura felt like she was standing in front of the sun. Maybe that's what Ino would be to her — her sun. "Come on! Knowing Shikamaru, we have plenty of time before he finishes counting, but I'd like to find the perfect hiding spot. Will you help me?"
"Yes!" Sakura nodded eagerly, determined to help her new friend in any way she could. "There's a tree with a wide trunk nearby. We can hide there."
"Perfect! Then I'll follow you!"
With that, Ino took Sakura's hand, and the pink-haired girl, smiling, led her toward the tree she had mentioned. That day would remain in her memory as one of the happiest of her life.
It took a full hour for Shikamaru to find everyone's hiding spots. Those who didn't know him well, like Naruto and Karin, were shocked — it had taken him forever! Normally, a game of hide-and-seek lasted about 15 to 20 minutes, not a dull, never-ending hour. Ino and Chōji, however, weren't surprised in the slightest. Having known him practically since birth, they were well aware of how lazy he could be. Most likely, before actually looking for them, he had taken his sweet time watching the clouds — his favorite pastime.
Meanwhile, Ino was still holding Sakura's hand even after Shikamaru found them. The rest of the group eyed the pink-haired girl with obvious curiosity — it was their first time seeing her, after all. Ino, however, was grinning from ear to ear, practically trembling with excitement as she prepared to introduce her new friend.
"Guys, I want you to meet my new friend!" she announced enthusiastically. "This is Haruno Sakura, and you better get along with her — otherwise, you'll have to deal with me!"
"Hello." Sakura greeted them with a shy smile.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and one day, I'm going to be the Hokage of Konoha — you'll see!" Naruto declared boldly. If anyone still didn't know about his dream, there was no way they could ignore it now. "Don't forget my name!"
"Forgive Naruto — he always has to make a flashy entrance," Karin interjected, visibly embarrassed by her friend's theatrics. "I'm Uzumaki Karin. It's nice to meet you."
"I'm Akimichi Chōji," the chubby boy said, offering his bag of chips. "Want some?"
"No, thanks, but I appreciate it," Sakura replied politely.
"Nara Shikamaru," the dark-haired boy muttered dryly, his tone laced with exasperation. "I just hope you're not as annoying as the rest of the girls… especially Ino." At his words, Sakura lowered her head sadly. Ino and Karin both shot him pointed glares — especially Ino, who looked ready to scold him. Realizing his mistake, Shikamaru sighed and quickly corrected himself. "I mean… I'm sure you're not annoying at all. Nice to meet you," he added, albeit a bit awkwardly.
"The pleasure is mine. You all seem very nice," Sakura said with a slight bow before turning to the two Uzumaki. "You two have the same last name. Does that mean you're related?"
Naruto and Karin exchanged glances, unsure of how to answer.
"Well… um… how do I put this…" Naruto began, rubbing the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "We actually have no idea."
"I'm sorry, but I don't know what to say either," Karin admitted with a shy smile, looking somewhat embarrassed by her lack of an answer. "I don't have any information about my dad or his family — except that I know he's a bad person. My mom told me she's an only child, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that I have cousins somewhere in the world."
"Even if we aren't blood relatives, that doesn't stop me from thinking of Karin as family!" Naruto declared confidently. "To me, she's like my cousin."
"Not only do we share a clan and a friendship, but also a bond like family! I consider you my cousin too," Karin replied, just as happy as he was.
"Clan? As in a ninja clan?" Sakura asked in surprise.
Shikamaru nodded. It didn't take much insight to deduce that she came from a civilian family — children from such backgrounds were often unaware of the existence of shinobi clans until they were old enough. "The Uzumaki Clan was an ancient ninja clan," he explained. "And Ino, Chōji, and I also belong to shinobi clans."
That revelation didn't just surprise Sakura — it also caught the Uzumaki duo off guard.
"Shocked? Of course you are! I don't blame you, though. We're incredibly cool," Ino said proudly, basking in their reactions. Showing off was one of her favorite pastimes — right next to shopping. "Our clans — the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi — have been part of Konoha since its founding. We're famous for our teamwork and our legendary formation: the Ino-Shika-Chō!"
"That name sounds so cool! I bet it's super powerful!" Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement at the mention of ninja formations.
"Hey, guys! Why don't we tell you more about our clans?" Chōji suggested, thrilled that someone was actually interested. Usually, all the attention went to the Uchiha or the Hyūga, so this was a rare chance to hype up his own clan. "I'll go first!" He straightened up proudly before continuing. "The Akimichi Clan is known for our incredible physical strength and the ability to control and alter our body weight and size at will. In the Ino-Shika-Chō formation, we're the offensive force!"
"That ability is really useful," Karin noted, nodding in understanding. "You could grow huge and crush your enemies without a problem."
"Oh, oh! My turn!" Ino interrupted, jumping into the air to grab everyone's attention. "The Yamanaka Clan — which, by the way, is the best of the three — specializes in mind-related techniques. In the Ino-Shika-Chō, we usually take the support role. I even read the mind of a squirrel recently!" she added proudly, puffing out her chest. "Oh, and besides that, my family owns a flower shop!"
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is the point of reading a squirrel's mind? It's just going to think about food and sleep. It's an animal."
Ino gasped, fuming. "W-Well, I…! At least my techniques are cooler than yours, you lazy bum!"
"Don't make fun of Ino like that!" Sakura jumped in, quick to defend her new friend. "It might seem useless to you, but I bet Ino could get valuable intel on a mission by checking that squirrel's memories. She might even spot someone suspicious! Her abilities are perfect for spying and uncovering infiltrators!"
Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his temple. "Ugh, troublesome."
"Then why don't you tell us what your clan can do, huh?" Sakura challenged, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "I bet your abilities are rubbish compared to Ino and Chōji's!"
Shikamaru sighed deeply, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I knew you'd end up being an annoying girl…"
Despite his grumbling, he explained anyway. "The Nara Clan has the ability to manipulate shadows, and we're expert strategists with remarkable intelligence. My dad, Nara Shikaku, is the Jōnin Commander of Konoha. Oh, and we also specialize in medicine — we even wrote a book on the subject." He looked at Sakura with mild boredom, though there was a glint of pride in his eyes. "Satisfied?"
Sakura didn't answer immediately, clearly impressed by his clan's abilities. She pursed her lips, both annoyed at being put in her place and secretly admitting that the Nara were pretty cool.
Still, in her heart, she believed Ino's clan was the best.
"Come on, come on, let's not argue over something like that," Karin intervened, hoping to diffuse the tension. She glanced at Sakura, who looked away, clearly embarrassed by her outburst. Trying to steer the conversation in a different direction, she asked. "From what you've told us, the Ino-Shika-Chō formation must have been created a long time ago, right?"
"As my father explained, our clans actually developed this formation even before Konoha was founded," Shikamaru replied. "There have been many generations of Ino-Shika-Chō teams. Right now, our parents are part of the fifteenth generation, and the three of us are expected to be the sixteenth once we become genin."
Both Uzumaki and Sakura were visibly impressed. They had no idea their friends' clans had such a long and rich history.
"Though, honestly," Shikamaru added with a sigh. "It just sounds like a lot of work to me."
"So, your clans are already training you in ninja techniques? Since when?" Naruto asked, his interest piqued. "Karin and I only started a few weeks ago!" He puffed out his chest proudly, pleased that all his nagging had finally pushed Kakashi into training him.
"Our clans started training us about three months ago," Chōji answered.
Naruto knew he shouldn't feel envious, but like any kid his age, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Why hadn't Kakashi started training him sooner?! "That's great… though Karin and I are trained by my older brother, Hatake Kakashi, and supervised by Aunt Kana," Naruto added, a smug grin forming on his face.
"No need to brag…" Ino huffed, puffing out her cheeks in mock disapproval.
Naruto responded by sticking his tongue out and blowing a raspberry at her, earning an irritated glare from the blonde. Karin, on the other hand, just shook her head, already used to Naruto's antics.
"Um… Ino, do you think I could train with you?" Sakura asked suddenly, eyes shining with hope. "My dream is to become a great kunoichi!"
Ino blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Her irritation vanished, but her excitement was quickly replaced by hesitation. "If it were up to me, I'd have no problem training with you, Sakura," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "But I don't think my dad would allow it. Ninja clans are really secretive about their techniques and training — especially when it comes to civilians. I'm sorry."
She hated disappointing her new friend, but it was better to be honest from the start.
Sakura's shoulders drooped slightly, but Ino quickly added, "That doesn't mean you can't train on your own! I'm sure you can find books on ninja techniques in the Konoha Library or at one of the ninja supply shops."
Sakura's momentary disappointment was replaced with determination. "You're right! I'll do whatever it takes to get stronger and become a great kunoichi!" she declared, clenching her fists. She had to convince her parents as soon as possible to let her enter the Academy!
"That's the spirit!" Naruto grinned, his own excitement mirroring hers. "We have to train as hard as we can so we can get into the Academy and become real ninjas!"
The group nodded in agreement — except for Shikamaru, who let out a sigh but didn't outright disagree.
After spending more time together, they eventually said their goodbyes, parting ways with smiles and promises to meet again soon. The day had been so much fun that they were eager to repeat it.
What they didn't know was that their next reunion would come much sooner than expected.
Kakashi and Kana were completely lost in deep, blissful sleep, enjoying a rare moment of peace. It felt like paradise — no noisy children demanding their attention (though they adored them with all their hearts), no responsibilities, just pure, uninterrupted rest. But, as with all good things, their serenity came to an abrupt and unforgiving end.
"MAMA! KAKASHI-NII!"
Two high-pitched voices shattered the silence like a thrown kunai, ringing through the room with all the force of a battle cry.
The adults jolted awake, ears ringing from the unexpected assault. Kana clutched her chest, momentarily fearing she'd gone into cardiac arrest, while Kakashi, groggy and disoriented, barely had time to register what was happening before they were hit with an onslaught of excited chatter.
"You won't believe what happened! We made new friends, and most of them are from ninja clans! And—"
The silver-haired man and the red-haired woman exchanged a weary look, letting out a deep sigh in unison. Words weren't necessary. You didn't need Yamanaka mind-reading techniques to know exactly what they were both thinking: What cruel deity had cursed them with such energetic children?
Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay in posting! To be honest, I lost my motivation to write due to… well, some personal issues. Work hasn't been easy either, which didn't help. But now, I'm feeling more inspired and hope to bring you more chapters soon! Wishing you all a great day—see you in the next update! Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay in posting! To be honest, I lost my motivation to write due to… well, some personal issues. Work hasn't been easy either, which didn't help. But now, I'm feeling more inspired and hope to bring you more chapters soon! Wishing you all a great day — see you in the next update!