their new beginnings

I leaned against the academy wall, watching Yuna practice her shuriken throws alone. Her movements were precise, mechanical - nothing like the passionate rival who used to challenge me at every turn. The playful spark in her eyes had died that night, replaced by something cold and distant.

"Still stalking your girlfriend?" Naruto plopped down beside me, his orange jumpsuit as loud as his personality.

"Shut up." I smacked the back of his head. "I'm just making sure she doesn't work herself to death."

Our sparring sessions had changed too. What used to be friendly competition now felt like genuine killing intent. Last week, she'd come at me with such force that I had to actually use my Limitless technique to avoid serious injury.

"Hey, you coming to Ichiraku?" Naruto jumped up, grinning. "I'm gonna fuel up before tomorrow's exam!"

I waved him off, my eyes still fixed on Yuna. She'd noticed us watching - I could tell by the slight tension in her shoulders. For a moment, she hesitated, her hand hovering over her weapon pouch. Then she turned and walked away.

The next morning, excitement buzzed through the Academy halls. I strolled in late, hands in my pockets, already knowing I'd ace whatever they threw at us.

"You're gonna fail if you keep that attitude," Iruka-sensei scolded.

"Please." I dropped into my seat. "I could pass this in my sleep."

Across the room, Yuna sat perfectly still, her face a mask of indifference. But I caught her glancing my way when she thought I wasn't looking.

"Listen up everyone!" Naruto jumped onto his desk. "After today, I'm one step closer to becoming Hokage! Believe it!"

"Sit down, idiot." Yuna's voice cut through the chaos like ice.

I caught her eye and we shared a rare moment of mutual exasperation. For a split second, I saw a ghost of her old self - the girl who would've joined me in making fun of Naruto's antics. But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by that familiar emptiness.

"For your final exam, you'll need to demonstrate the Clone Jutsu," Iruka-sensei announced. "Create three functioning clones to pass. We'll test each of you individually in the next room."

I stretched in my seat, already bored. Child's play. The Clone Jutsu was one of the first techniques Dad had taught me.

"Kazami Hatake," Iruka called.

I sauntered into the testing room, where Iruka and Mizuki-sensei sat behind a desk. The empty space felt oddly formal.

"Whenever you're ready," Mizuki smiled.

I formed the hand signs without even thinking. My chakra flowed effortlessly, splitting into three perfect copies of myself. They stood in formation, each wearing my signature smirk.

"Excellent work," Iruka noted. "You may go."

I lingered in the hallway, curious to watch the others. Yuna entered next, her face set in stone. Through the crack in the door, I watched her hands flash through the signs. Three clones materialized instantly - her chakra control as precise as ever.

Then came Naruto's turn. I couldn't help but peek through the window.

"Clone Jutsu!" he shouted.

I stifled a laugh as a single, sickly-looking clone appeared beside him. It lay face-down on the floor, pale and malformed. The real Naruto's face fell as Iruka shook his head.

"Fail," Iruka declared.

"But I-" Naruto started.

"You can't even create one proper clone," Iruka cut him off. "Everyone else managed three. I'm sorry, but you'll have to try again next year."

I watched Naruto trudge out, shoulders slumped. Part of me wanted to say something encouraging, but right now wasn't the right time.

I adjusted my new headband, the metal catching the afternoon sun. Most students had already left, their proud parents taking them out to celebrate. Dad was probably still on his mission - not that I expected him to show up anyway.

Through the academy gates, I spotted a familiar orange figure slumped on the swing. Naruto sat alone, his feet barely scraping the dirt as he swayed back and forth. No headband. No parents. No celebration.

I walked over, hands in my pockets. "That clone was pretty awful."

"Go away." He kept his head down, but I caught the slight tremor in his voice.

"You know, having massive chakra reserves isn't always a good thing." I leaned against the tree. "Makes it harder to control small techniques like the Clone Jutsu."

He looked up, eyes red-rimmed but defiant. "What would you know about it? Everything's easy for you."

"Because I work at it, dummy." I flicked his forehead. "You think I was born knowing how to control chakra? Dad had me practicing for years before I even started at the academy."

"But-"

"And you've got more chakra than anyone in our class. Probably more than most of the teachers too." I crouched down to his eye level. "You just need to learn how to use it right."

"Really?" A hint of his usual spark returned.

"Would I lie to you? Well, actually-" I dodged his half-hearted punch with a laugh. "But not about this. You'll figure it out, Naruto. Maybe not today, but you will."

"Thanks, Kazami." He managed a small smile. "You're not as much of a jerk as everyone says."

"I take offense to that. I work very hard at being a jerk."

I strolled into class the next morning, ready for another boring day - but froze mid-step. There sat Naruto, grinning from ear to ear with a shiny new headband.

"What the-" I dropped into the seat next to him. "How'd you pull this off?"

"You're not gonna believe it!" He bounced in his chair. "So after you left, Mizuki-sensei told me about this secret test. Said if I could steal this special scroll from the Hokage's office and learn a jutsu from it, I'd pass!"

"You did what?" My jaw dropped. "And they just let you?"

"Well..." He scratched his head. "Turns out it wasn't really a test. Mizuki-sensei was trying to trick me into stealing it for him. But I learned this awesome new jutsu called Shadow Clone Jutsu before he showed up!"

"Shadow Clone? That's not academy level."

"I know! But it's perfect for me because it uses way more chakra than regular clones. Then Mizuki-sensei attacked me, but Iruka-sensei showed up to protect me. You should've seen it - I took Mizuki down with my new jutsu! Created like a hundred clones!"

I leaned back, impressed despite myself. "So that's why Mizuki-sensei isn't here today."

"Yeah, he's probably in jail or something. But check this out-" He tapped his headband. "Iruka-sensei gave me his own headband after I saved him! Said I earned it!"

"Not bad, knucklehead." I smirked. "Guess what I said about your chakra control wasn't complete bull after all."

"Hey! You knew about this the whole time?"

"Of course not. But I knew you'd figure something out eventually." I flicked his headband. "Though stealing from the Hokage wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Well, it worked didn't it?" He crossed his arms, pouting. "And now I'm one step closer to becoming Hokage myself!"

"Sure, sure." I waved him off. "Just try not to get arrested before then, okay?"

I lounged back in my chair, watching the daily ritual unfold. Sasuke strode into class, hands in his pockets, face set in that perpetual scowl. He perched on the edge of his desk, and like clockwork, his fan club swarmed.

"Sasuke-kun, sit next to me!"

"No, sit here!"

"I saved you a spot!"

The girls circled him like vultures, pushing and shoving for position. Sakura and Ino led the charge, their usual friendship forgotten in the daily battle for Sasuke's attention.

Naruto growled beside me, his earlier good mood evaporating. He jumped onto Sasuke's desk, crouching down to glare directly into his face.

"What's so special about you anyway?" Naruto's nose nearly touched Sasuke's.

"Get out of my face, loser," Sasuke muttered.

The guy behind Naruto shifted in his seat, his elbow catching Naruto's back. Time seemed to slow as Naruto pitched forward.

Their lips crashed together.

I lost it. My laugh echoed through the suddenly silent classroom as both boys recoiled, gagging and spitting. Tears streamed down my face as I clutched my sides, nearly toppling out of my chair.

"Oh my god," I wheezed between fits of laughter. "That was - that was beautiful!"

"I'll kill you, Naruto!" The fan club's killing intent filled the room.

Through my tears, I caught a glimpse of Yuna. Her usual stone-faced expression cracked just enough for a small, amused huff to escape. Our eyes met for a split second before she looked away, but I'd seen it - that tiny spark of her old self.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Naruto gagged, while Sasuke continued trying to wipe his mouth clean.

"Naruto and Sasuke, sitting in a tree," I sang, dodging the eraser Naruto threw at my head.

I doodled in my notebook, barely registering Iruka-sensei's voice as he rattled off team assignments. The usual combinations - a strong student paired with average ones for balance. Boring.

"Team eight..." Iruka paused, shuffling his papers. "Due to special circumstances and your exceptional abilities, this team will consist of only two members."

That caught my attention. I lifted my head, pencil freezing mid-sketch.

"Kazami Hatake and Yuna Uchiha."

My heart skipped. I whipped around to stare at Yuna, a grin spreading across my face. She sat rigid in her chair, shoulders tense, but didn't say a word. No protests, no demands for a different partner - just that steel-wall expression she'd perfected since the massacre.

But I knew better. Under that icy exterior, her chakra flickered with... something. Uncertainty? Anticipation? The Six Eyes never lied, and right now they showed me every micro-expression she tried to hide.

"Just us?" I called out, unable to contain my excitement. "No third wheel to slow us down?"

"Given your advanced skills," Iruka explained, "the Hokage felt it would be more beneficial to-"

"To let the two best students work together?" I stretched, shooting Yuna another glance. "Works for me."

Still no reaction from her, but that was fine. The fact she hadn't immediately demanded a different partner spoke volumes. Maybe somewhere under all that ice, she remembered our old rivalry - the way we used to push each other to be better.

This was going to be interesting.

I sauntered over to Yuna's desk as the other teams filed out for lunch. Her chakra swirled with subtle tension - visible only to my Six Eyes - but she didn't move away as I perched on the edge of her desk.

"Guess you're stuck with me now." I tapped my headband, metal clinking against metal. "Just like old times, huh?"

The silence stretched between us. Three years ago, she would've shot back with some biting remark about my attitude. Now she just sat there, staring straight ahead as if I didn't exist. But she didn't leave either - and for Yuna, that was practically a warm welcome.

I studied her chakra patterns, fascinated by the way they twisted and coiled beneath her calm exterior. The Six Eyes revealed every micro-expression she tried to hide: the slight clench of her jaw, the barely-there twitch of her fingers, the almost imperceptible shift in her breathing. She wasn't as indifferent as she wanted everyone to believe.

"You know," I drawled, "most people would kill to be on a two-person team with me. I'm kind of a big deal."

Still nothing. But her chakra flickered - was that annoyance? Amusement? Both?

The familiar dance of our old rivalry hummed in my veins. Back then, every taunt had been met with fierce competition. Now the steps were different, more careful, but the music was still there - buried under layers of trauma and practiced indifference.

I hopped off her desk, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Well, partner, looks like we've got work to do."