Rising Sun

Kakashi

Team Placement Day.

Naruto groaned even as he focused on his breathing to stay calm. The other night, when he learned more about his origin, they caught Mizuki escaping with the Forbidden Scroll while heading home after the Hokage had to cut his storytelling short in favor of his never ending paperwork. Even with a Shadow Clone, he's still flooded with work. Naruto and Tanjiro had made quick work of the man in blazing flames.

Mizuki tried to break Naruto's mind by calling him the Kyuubi in human form. Infuriated by the insult rather than becoming depressed. Naruto hit the man with a head butt, "Don't insult the Fourth's ability you baka!"

Tanjiro was both flustered and proud that he taught Naruto the versatility of the head butt. Iruka, who had tried to stop Mizuki, managed to catch up to them and was shocked that Mizuki further sealed his fate by breaking the Third's Law. Fortunately Naruto had just found out and didn't think that he's what was sealed inside him.

Hiruzen was proud that Naruto said nothing more than the Fourth's ability in Fuuinjutsu being greater than what they all think. He didn't mention about the Fourth's relation to him, only allayed that he knew about the seal on him. He also added as the traitor fell down with a concussion, "If I'm the Kyuubi then Konoha would have been razed with the smallest provocation, dattebayo!"

He wasn't wrong, Naruto was pointing out the fatality of provoking him had he really been the Kyuubi. Honestly, they can be downright stupid...

He groaned in impatience beside Hinata who giggled at him. He blushed. The older he grew the more he noticed her. When they were just kids, Naruto had found her weird and gloomy. Then he found her timid fidgeting cute and tried to make her do it more often. He especially liked it when he managed to make her mad enough that she flushed in annoyance and talked back at him. Once he made her mad enough that she pulled him by the ear straight to the entrance and huffed, flipping her hair as she stalked back into her home. Basically she just told him to go home.

He came back that evening with a box of cinnamon rolls and an apology for taking his teasing too far. He didn't know why Hanabi started giggling around him whenever he visited the Hyuuga and Hiashi has been giving Naruto that weird look that he just doesn't get. Tanjiro just as unhelpful when he asked about them to the man. He just patted Naruto's head and told him to treat Hinata right. Well, it wasn't like he's ever going to hurt her so he gave Tanjiro his word.

Lately he has been finding her cuter and cuter. It helped that Hinata never fawn over Sasuke and when they sparred, she was quietly cheering him. His trained ears had caught her timid call of "good luck, Naruto-kun" under all the other screeching Sasuke fan girls. He never understands why they think making that kind of noise will make Sasuke notice them better.

Naruto asked, "Do you think they will pair us up in one team?"

He sure hoped so. He never found camaraderie with the other students. He supposed he doesn't mind Shikamaru and Chouji either. But he certainly would be depressed if he's paired with someone like Sasuke. Ever since Naruto apprenticed under Tanjiro, Sasuke has been unbearable. He kept challenging Naruto for every spar during Taijutsu. He really showed his dislike as Naruto slowly managed to face him strike by strike instead of an instant knock out like before.

Iruka finally entered the class and announced the team placement. When he announced Team 7, Naruto moaned, "No! I want to work with Hinata! We're a team! This is unfair, dattebayo!"

Hinata blushed, "But N-Naruto-kun..."

He pouted as he turned to her, "Huh?"

She poked her index together, "You are more o-of a heavy assault. I-I work better as a t-tracker,"