Chapter 27: Iconic Moment

"Izayoi-kun, time to get up. Team assignments are soon."

The next day, Izayoi woke to Hinata's voice, as usual.

Somewhere along the line, the disciplined boy had caught a case of sleeping in, now reliant on his princess's wake-up call.

Hinata, too, had grown used to rising early, bringing breakfast to rouse him. Both found joy in the routine.

"Yesterday, you two drained my Chakra. I can't get up."

Instead of rising, Izayoi stretched out his arms toward Hinata, whining playfully, "Hinata, pull me up."

"Liar. The Chakra we took doesn't even match your recovery rate."

Hinata pouted but reached to help him up.

Yet, the moment her hand grasped his, Izayoi flipped her wrist, yanking her down.

Hinata tumbled onto him.

Her figure, unmatched among peers, cushioned the impact, leaving her unharmed as she sprawled across him.

"Eek…!"

Though uninjured, the sudden move drew a startled yelp.

Izayoi savored the sensation, then swiftly flipped their positions, pinning her beneath him. Hands braced on either side of her head, he gazed down at the girl now steaming like a kettle.

"I-Izayoi-kun…"

Despite years of building immunity, Hinata's defenses crumbled, her eyes darting away, unable to meet his.

Seeing her rare, flustered cuteness, Izayoi felt a sudden urge.

But, mindful of her age and their not-yet-fully-defined bond, he reined it in.

As he moved to get up, his eyes flicked to her black fishnet undershirt. A memory sparked, and he couldn't resist muttering in his native tongue, "Hinata, I want to cop a feel."

"Hm?"

Not understanding, Hinata tilted her head adorably.

A second later, her face blazed red, her lavender-tinted Byakugan swirling into mosquito-coil 'Rinnegan.'

Her emotions spiked, nearing a breaking point.

Izayoi bolted upright, dashing to the bathroom.

Hinata, gasping as if she'd held her breath too long, clutched her chest, soothing her pounding heart and a faint ache.

When Izayoi emerged, she was gone from the room.

He didn't leave right away. Opening his wardrobe, he pulled out a combat outfit custom-made earlier this year, unworn until now.

It was a white robe, styled like Otsutsuki Indra's.

Unlike Indra's, it lacked a wide collar and black magatama beads around the neckline.

Donning the robe and tying a black belt, Izayoi grabbed yesterday's purchases.

Two white wristbands with storage functions.

He loaded them with shuriken and kunai, slipping them on.

The robe's wide sleeves hid his hands—without x-ray vision, enemies wouldn't see what he was doing.

Fully equipped, Izayoi stepped out.

Hinata, already at the dining table with open bento boxes as usual, lit up at the sight of him. Her barely calmed heart raced again.

She couldn't help it—Izayoi was too striking now.

Black hair, blue eyes, handsome features, tall and lean, the white robe added a noble air.

Purely by looks, anyone would peg him as a refined young lord, not an orphan raised without etiquette lessons.

In that moment, Hinata regretted her plain white coat and pants.

She should've followed Hanabi's lead and gotten a custom kimono.

It would've made her and Izayoi look even more like a pair.

Resolving to ask her sister for advice, she tucked the thought away.

Izayoi, oblivious to her musings, joined her.

After breakfast, they left for the ninja academy.

"Yo, Izayoi, Hinata, morning!"

"So nice, still glued together. Hope you're teamed up too."

On the way, they met classmates heading to school, traveling in pairs.

The ever-inseparable duo drew the usual teasing.

Izayoi smiled without replying; Hinata lowered her head, blushing, her mind flashing to their earlier moment.

At the classroom, most students were there.

Originally, only Uzumaki Naruto had failed, but with his passing, Class 1's sixth graders all graduated.

How many teams would earn their Jonin instructor's approval, though, was anyone's guess.

No longer bound by assigned seats, students sat with their closest friends, chatting.

Izayoi and Hinata picked a spot at random.

Before they could whisper, a high-profile figure plopped down beside Izayoi.

Glancing over, Izayoi greeted him with a smile. "Morning, Sasuke."

"Morning."

Uchiha Sasuke nodded, a hint of anticipation in his voice. "Hope we're on the same team later."

Aside from Naruto, who occasionally stirred something in him, only Izayoi and Hinata mattered to Sasuke in the whole grade.

Teaming with them would mean constant challenges, boosting his strength.

Izayoi shook his head with a smile. "I'd love to be with you and Hinata too, but you know the top three can't be grouped. It'd make the Chunin Exams unfair for other teams."

"True."

Sasuke sighed, seeing the logic, a touch disappointed.

As he propped his chin on his hands, waiting for assignments, a figure crouched in front of him.

Staring at the whiskered blond face and eyes—same blue as Izayoi's but squinted into slits—Sasuke felt an inexplicable irritation. His blank expression twisted into distaste.

Catching this, Izayoi's lips curled, as if recalling something.

Here it comes…

"That Naruto's so rude."

"Yeah, Sasuke-kun, teach him a lesson!"

"…"

Watching Naruto provoke Sasuke, a gaggle of girls nearby itched to pounce and flatten him.

But spotting Izayoi and Hinata beside Sasuke, they held back, intimidated by the duo.

Just then, a boy in front of Sasuke, caught up in conversation, elbowed backward, unaware Naruto was crouched on the desk behind.

Bumped, Naruto pitched forward, his squinting eyes widening as Sasuke's face loomed closer.

Sasuke's eyes bulged too.

Mu~~a!

Under the girls' stunned, petrified stares, Naruto and Sasuke's lips met, staging the iconic kiss of the century.

Whoa…

Izayoi nearly whistled, regretting not buying a camera.

Hinata covered her mouth, cheeks pink, gawking at the pair.

The scene was just… too shocking!

"Ugh…"

Seconds later, they snapped out of it, pulling apart, gagging to the side.

Sasuke retched, radiating killing intent. "Dead-last, I'm gonna kill you!"

But he didn't need to act. A shadow loomed.

The fangirls, led by Sakura Haruno, having witnessed their idol's first kiss stolen, ignored Izayoi and Hinata's presence. They shoved the boy in front aside, yanked Naruto off the desk, and dragged him to the podium for a beatdown.

"Aaah… mercy!"

Amid the dust, Naruto's screams and pleas echoed.

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