Kids My Age ...

"I'm going off now, Kaa-chan!"

"Mnhm", Kaa-chan answered, head buried in medical texts. Seems like she's catching up on lagging work.

I left the house and took the familiar road to the Academy.

As I got closer, the more insecure I feel.

Walking beside, behind, and ahead of me, were children albeit shorter than me.

I ... don't look twelve, huh?

The closer I got to the gates, the more stares I got.

Because I am too tall and too ... not childlike, they probably were wondering why am I going to the Academy at this timing.

Ignoring the stares, I walked inside, asking a stray chunin where the teacher's lounge is.

*knock* *knock*

I slide the door open, and stuck my head in.

"Hello ... I'm supposed to report in. My name is Senju Kanako."

"Oh, you're the kid who Hokage-sama wants to place with this batch of new genins. Follow me, I'll bring you to the class."

"Hai", I then followed the chunin teacher to where he led me.

*shrrrk-tup* He slid the door opened and yelled. "Yosh~, I've got your team placements here with me. Ah, Senju-san, please find a sit."

I nodded, and looked about.

All I got were stares of curiosity back, so I just went ahead and sat at an empty table at the front of the class.

I listened while the teacher read out the names for each team.

" ... And Team 7! Hyuga Ko, Uchiha Naori ... and Senju Kanako!"

?

Oi oi oi ...

Let's not talk about me for a moment ... I know the situation between the Senju's and Uchiha's is not bad now, in fact, almost genial.

But seriously? Putting a Uchiha and a Hyuga together in a team? Minato-nii-sama, is this your plan to peace between both clans? You sure they won't go into a clan dojutsu kekkei genkai fight?

I side-eyed both directions where I felt animosity emanating from.

Hmm ... That's Hyuga Ko, Hinata's future guard, huh.

And her ... Uchiha Naori, ooh - one of the famed few Uchiha kunoichi's who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan!

But ... eh? Wrong era? Not canon again? Eh? Or just the same name? But the looks ...

Right. Okay then. Guess I'll find out later.

Something tells me that they would have been pressured to graduate early because of their clans, but ... guess this is one of the works of Nii-sama as well, huh?

"Alright!" The teacher clapped. "All of you, just wait here in this classroom, or come back here by 2 o'clock, and your jonin sensei's will come and collect you, ne?"

... What are we, lost goods?

Wonder who our jonin sensei is though ...

•

Somewhere in the streets of Konoha ...

"Aa! There you are, Shikaku-san!"

"Hokage-sama", Nara Shikaku nodded in greeting.

"You ready to meet the families of your team?"

" ... sigh", Shikaku tsked, and muttered out - mendokuse. "Of all the teams you assign me to, no - of all the team formation, you had to the create this one?"

"Ahahaha ..." Minato wryly chuckled out. "Well, let's go to the Uchiha's first."

Shikaku nodded, and both of them went towards the Uchiha compound.

When they reached the compound gates, the guards who noticed them smiled amusedly.

"Hokage-sama, back again?"

"Who's the kid this time?"

Minato held his neck and chuckled embarrassingly, "This is the last round for the Uchiha, I promise. And it's Uchiha Naori."

"Ah, Naori-chan huh? Well, just go down this road and turn right at that corner. Their house is in that area."

"Thanks, Koga-san."

Minato and Shikaku then went to Uchiha Naori's address stated on his handbook, with many Uchiha clansmen greeting their Hokage along the road.

"Here we are", Minato went forward and knocked on the blue door.

"Hai!", a female voice sounded from inside. "Who is it-"

The door opened, and the woman faced Minato and Shikaku.

"Ara! Is it our turn now?" She looked behind her and shouted, "Honey! The Hokage and Naori's sensei is here!" She turned back to Minato, "Hokage-sama, Nara-san, please do come in!"

She showed them to the living room and got them settled, and left to prepare some tea and snacks in the kitchen. While she did that, a man came down the stairs.

"Hokage-sama, nice to meet you. And ... Eh? Shikaku? You're my daughter's sensei?"

Shikaku looked up, "Oh, Koga. So my student's your kid?"

"Hahaha! Yeah, it's great that you are going to be teaching her ..."

"Honey! Be polite and take a sit! Hokage-sama, Nara-san, here's your tea, and some senbei", Naori's mother berated her husband while serving her guests.

On the sofa, Shikaku turned his head to the side, while mouthing out 'women', the two men next to him could only sweat-drop at that.

"My name is Uchiha Kaori, and he's my husband, Koga. It is an honor to finally meet you, Hokage-sama. And you too Nara-san, I've heard much about you from my husband. Ah, no - it should be Nara-sensei now!"

"Kaori, calm yourself down-"

*glares*

"... cough. Hahaha. Shikaku, I will leave my daughter in your care."

"Ara, don't you worry Honey, she'll do just fine." Kaori added. "She's named after her grandmother, after all!"

•

"Okay! Next house, the Hyuga's -"

*sigh*

"... Come on, let's get a move on." Minato patted the exhausted Nara's back.

"How troublesome ..."

When they reached the Hyuga compound, the Hyuga guards mirroring that of the Uchiha's, greeted the Hokage once more.

"Hokage-sama, this is probably the last round for us, right?"

"Yeah, the only one left is Ko."

Minato nodded, "Yes, could you direct me to his house?"

Moments later, both men arrived in front of a traditional house with a quaint wooden door.

After knocking, a demure lady answered the door.

"Hokage-sama, Nara-sama, we have been anticipating your arrival. Please." She gestured them in.

She led them to a room with a tokonoma, where a man was sitting in front of it and reading a book.

"Dear, the Hokage and sensei are here."

The man looked up and welcomed them with a smile. "Hokage-sama, Nara-sama. Welcome to our home. I'm sorry that I am unable to get up and receive you properly." He said, as he waved towards his legs, that were under a blanket.

"No worries, Kozuki-san. We are here to talk about Ko-kun's placement in Shikaku's team."

"Please, seat." The lady brought them to their seats, while carrying a tray of tea that she gotten from a maid that was outside the room. "Ah, right. I apologize for not introducing myself. My name is Hyuga Hisui." She then bowed towards them.

Hyuga Kozuki patted the cushion next to him, which Hisui proceeded to sit on, after bowing once more.

"Hokage-sama, Nara-sensei. I feel the need to inform you that, outside of his time for training, team matters, and missions, Ko will be also instructed by our Hyuga elders, in matters of personnel guarding and protection", Kozuki stated, with a grim look. "He's my son, after all. And he's to take up my mantle of being the caretaker and guard to the next clan head, as I can no longer do so anymore."

"Kozuki-san, Konoha is grateful for the meritorious deeds you have done, and sacrifices for both the village and your clan. Don't worry, apart from the matters regarding the Hyuga's training, Shikaku-san here will teach him well."

Hisui next to Kozuki, patted his hand with a loving expression. "Don't worry about Ko, dear. He'll be a great guard for Hinata-sama in time."