【𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍】

𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

          𝐓he afternoon sun bled gold across the wooden panels of the academy floor, stretching long, lazy shadows that curled between desk and chairs. the classroom was quiet, not tense, just still, like the whole room was waiting for something to begin.

inside, team 7 waited.

          𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐇𝐀 sat near the center row, arms folded, elbows resting on the desk, chin propped against interlaced fingers. his face gave nothing away, but the tap of his one foot against the floor showed just the slightest edge of impatience.

          across the room, 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐎 lay slouched on a nearby desk, watching a certain blond blur pace back and forth like an impatient man.

          𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐙𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈 huffed loudly, his sandals thumping against the floor as he paced. every few seconds, he peeked his head around the doorframe, then pulled it back with an exaggerated groan.

          “he’s late!” he whined.

          sakura let out a sigh. “naruto! sit still already!”

          naruto spun around dramatically. “why is it just our team whose teacher hasn’t shown up yet? the other squads already left with their teachers! even iruka-sensei’s gone!” he threw his hands up in frustration. “this is totally unfair!”

          sakura sat up straighter, frowning when she saw him reach for the chalkboard. “wait, what are you doing—?” before she could stop him, naruto tiptoed to the door and carefully balanced an eraser right in the top crack.

a prank.

          sasuke looked over, unimpressed.

          in the farthest row by the window, a flutter of lavender fabric moved slightly as a girl shifted in her seat. 𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐈𝐊𝐎 𝐊𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐎 sat still, her hands folded lightly in her lap, the sleeves of her haori draped gently over her wrists. her gaze was tilted toward the window, where clouds drifted in the afternoon sky like soft cotton.

she hadn’t said a word.

          “ahhh... it’ll be his fault for being late,” naruto giggled, stepping back with a proud little smirk.

          sakura sighed, planting her hands on her hips. “man, you’re seriously asking for it.” but her inner voice was already celebrating, ‘i love stuff like this!’

          from behind his fingers, sasuke scoffed. “a jonin wouldn’t fall for something that lame.” sakura nodded. “yeah, you’re so stupid.”

          ameiko finally spoke, her voice quiet, but clear. “sometimes... a little mischief keeps the silence from feeling too heavy.” her tone was soft, almost playful like someone commenting on the breeze rather than defending the prank.

they all turned to glance at her.

naruto blinked. “huh?”

          ameiko just rested her chin on her hand, eyes following a bird gliding outside. her smile was small, unchanged.

then, a noise. thud.

the eraser fell.

          a hand had pushed open the door just enough to knock it loose and it landed squarely on the head of a young man—who looks a little older than them, with slouched posture, half-lidded eyes, and wild silver hair that pointed toward the ceiling like a tuft of grass after rain.

          naruto exploded with laughter. “i got him! i totally got him!”

          sakura looked at their teacher, apologetically. “i-i’m sorry, sir! i tried to stop him, but naruto did it all on his own!” her hands were pressed together in apology, but her inner self cheered anyway, ‘it’s all good!

          sasuke narrowed his eyes. ‘a jonin got hit by that? seriously?’

          the man stood there, looking at them blankly as he picked up the eraser. his head tilted, as if deeply considering something. then he brought one hand to his chin. “...as for my first impression of you guys...” he said slowly.

a beat of silence.

“...well, i hate you.”

          the mood in the room dropped like a rock. he tossed the eraser onto a nearby desk, turned around, and started walking away. “rooftop. now.”

the door creaked shut behind him.

          for a few seconds, no one moved. even naruto’s smile froze in place.

          ameiko stood up calmly, dusting off her sleeves. without a word and second glance, she stepped past them all. her haori fluttering behind her like it was catching the breeze that hadn’t even reached the classroom yet.

          at the rooftop, the weather was nice.

          the sky stretched wide above them, painted in soft blues and the fading brush of afternoon light. clouds drifted slow and aimless. a gentle breeze moved between railings, catching loose strands of hair and the corners of sleeves. it smelled faintly of leaves and warm metal.

          and there it was the team 7— seated in the stairs, facing their teacher for the very first time.

          𝐊𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 sat casually on the railings, one leg bent over the other, his weight balanced effortlessly like he’d been there a thousand times before. his hands were tucked loosely in his pockets, silver hair catching the sun, spiking toward the sky like it had a mind of its own. his forehead protector slanted over his left eye, mouth half-hidden behind a black mask.

lazy, unreadable, somehow handsome, and somehow, quietly sharp.

          “first off,” he said, glancing at them with one visible eye, “let me have you guys introduce yourselves.”

          sakura blinked. “introduce ourselves...? how should we do it?”

          kakashi gave a light shrug. “your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future... hobbies. stuff like that.”

          naruto suddenly raised his hand. “hey! before that, please tell us about yourself!”

          kakashi pointed to himself. “me? my name’s kakashi hatake. i don’t really feel like telling you my likes and dislikes.”

both naruto and sakura perked up.

          “i’ve never really thought about my future dream,” he added, gaze drifting lazily to the side. “as for my hobbies... i have many.”

          sakura blinked slowly, deadpanned. “in the end... all we know is his name.”

          “yeah,” naruto agreed, unimpressed. then he leaned forward, squinting at kakashi suspiciously. “but sensei... you look way too young to be a jonin. are you really one?”

          kakashi blinked once. “i graduated early.”

          naruto and sakura both sweatdropped at his nonchalance.

          he continued, “anyway, now it’s your turn to introduce yourselves.” his eye drifted toward naruto. “let’s start with you.”

          naruto smiled, full of energy. he adjusted his headband proudly. “my name’s naruto uzumaki! i like instant ramen, but what i like even more is the ramen from ichiraku that iruka-sensei treats me to! i hate the three minutes you have to wait after pouring in hot water! my hobby is eating and comparing ramen!”

          his expression changed — determined, serious. “and my future dream... is to surpass the hokage! and then, i’ll make everyone in the village acknowledge my existence!” his words echoed slightly in the open air.

          kakashi stared at him for a quiet moment. ‘i see... this kid grew up alone in an interesting way.’

          “okay,” kakashi said, turning to sakura. “next.”

          sakura smiled brightly. “i’m sakura haruno. what i like—i mean, who i like is...” her fingers curled near her face shyly. her eyes shot quickly to sasuke, who didn’t even glance her way.

          “and my hobby is... i mean...” she trailed off, eyes flicking again to sasuke. then, unexpectedly, to the girl seated quietly beside him.

ameiko kocho.

          just the edge of her sleeve brushing the wind seemed to throw sakura off. she hesitated.

          “m-my future dream is...” again, her gaze moved between the two — sasuke’s cool silence, ameiko’s quiet presence— as if her eyes doesn't know where to land. the blush never left her face, even as she squealed and hid behind her hands.

          kakashi blinked. “and your dislikes?”

          sakura’s whole mood shifted. she turned cold and snapped, “it’s naruto.” naruto let out a small noise of despair. “why me?!”

          kakashi gave a sigh. ‘girls this age... more interested in love than jutsu.’

“next.”

          sasuke was still looking straight ahead. his voice was even, quiet, confident. “my name is sasuke uchiha. i have a lot of dislikes, but no likes in particular,” his eyes — sharp and distant — moved for the briefest moment. a flicker, almost unnoticeable, in ameiko’s direction. a glance. then it was gone.

          “i don’t feel like summing up my ambition as just a dream,” he went on, but the atmosphere suddenly dropped in dangerous way. “but i do have one. to restore my clan... and without fail to kill a certain man.”

a sharp pause followed his words.

          sakura stared at him like he was carved from legend. naruto shivered. ‘it’s not me… right?’ while, kakashi’s expression didn’t change. but he understood. ‘i knew it.’

          then he looked to the girl who had yet to speak. his gaze lingered, just a moment too long.

          “you,” he said. “butterfly girl. you’re up.”

          ameiko kocho sat perfectly still, hands folded gently in her lap. her lavender-white haori stirred softly around her, the silver-stitched butterflies on her sleeves catching the sun’s light. her eyes — soft as moonlit glass and lined with kindness too quiet to name —  were tilted to the clouds.

everyone turned to look at her.

          she turned her head slowly toward kakashi. her expression unreadable, but her smile was still there. soft, like it had always been.

their eyes met.

and for a breath, he forgot to blink.

          "my name is ameiko kocho," she said gently. her voice was soft, but clear like still water that knew how to cut stone.

          "i like rare herbs that bloom in the shade. the silence before sunrise. and learning what poisons can’t be seen." she folded her hands neatly in front of her. her sleeves drifted like pale wings at rest. and she smiled as if everything she said was just ordinary.

          "i dislike rushed hands. and people who take without asking." a pause. not heavy but quiet, like the hush before something falls. "my hobbies are studying poison. memorizing footsteps. and writing things down before they disappear."

          sakura raised a brow. “...that’s specific.” naruto tilted his head. “studying poison? that’s kinda… creepy. but cool?” sasuke didn’t react outwardly but his gaze stayed on her longer than it had for anyone else. not just curiosity but also something closer to caution.

          kakashi gave the smallest shift of posture. almost like he was... listening more carefully now.

          "and your dream?" he asked.

          ameiko looked up at the sky , soft clouds moving slowly, like they didn’t know where to go. "to rebuild something in the silence they left behind," she said. "and to carry my clan’s name without letting it rot in someone else's hands."

her smile didn’t falter. not once.

          sakura looked away, arms crossed but quieter than before.

          naruto opened his mouth, then stopped himself.

          sasuke watched her closely now. not just curious, but alert. like he recognized something in her.

kakashi didn’t blink.

          “hm,” he murmured, eye never leaving hers. “interesting.”

and that was all.

but for a moment, just one, his voice sounded like it understood.

          kakashi faced the four of them, arms folded across his chest as a mild breeze tugged at his vest. "good," he said. "the four of you are very distinctive... and interesting."

          then, a pause. a shift of tone. "we’ll have a mission tomorrow."

          "yes, sir!" naruto leapt up, a grin stretched ear to ear. "what kind of mission?! something big? like a patrol? or capturing bandits?!"

          kakashi remained unfazed. "first," he said, "we’ll do what we can with just five people."

          "what, what, what is it?!" naruto is practically bouncing on his feet.

          kakashi’s reply was calm, almost too casual. "a survival exercise."

          "eh?" naruto repeated. sakura furrowed her brows. "why are we doing an exercise even though this is supposed to be a mission?" she folded her arms, irritated. "we’ve already done plenty of exercises in the academy!"

          kakashi’s tone didn’t shift. "this isn’t a normal exercise."

          naruto tilted his head, raising one hand like he was checking attendance. "huh? what do you mean?"

          a low, ominous chuckle slipped out of kakashi. he brought a hand to his stomach like the thought genuinely amused him.

          "what’s so funny, sensei?" sakura demanded, suspicious.

          he giggled a little more. then he brought one hand up to his face, voice dipping ominously beneath the shadow of his mask. "out of the twenty-eight graduates... only ten will be recognized as junior ninjas."

the mood crashed.

          "the remaining eighteen," kakashi continued, "will be sent back to the academy."

          "w-what...?!" naruto choked out.

          "in other words," kakashi said, "this exercise is an extremely difficult test... with a failure rate of sixty-six percent or higher." his tone was light. his eye crinkled like he was smiling. but the weight of the numbers hit hard.

          naruto's jaw hung open. sakura’s mouth tightened into a line. sasuke’s eyes narrowed.

          ameiko kocho, however, remained smiling. not untouched but somehow undisturbed like a petal floating calmly above the surface of a stormy river.

          "see?" kakashi added cheerfully. "you got disenchanted."

          "that's crazy!" naruto yelled, arms flailing. "to have suffered so much— then what the heck was the graduation test for?!"

          kakashi replied smoothly, "oh, that? it was just to select those who might have the potential to become genin."

naruto and sakura both cried out in disbelief.

          kakashi only shrugged, not unkindly. "i'll be the one determining whether you pass or fail. so bring your full ninja gear." he turned away casually, giving one final instruction.

          "we meet tomorrow at five in the morning."

          naruto dropped to his knees in horror. "five?!"

          "ehhh...!!" sakura wailed beside him. "that's so early!"

          but kakashi wasn’t done. he paused by the stairwell, head turning slightly. "oh... and you’d best skip breakfast,"

          his voice dipped once again into something darker. "you’ll throw up."

silence.

          sasuke’s brows had furrowed further, arms crossed.  sakura was frozen mid-groan. naruto seemed to be spiraling internally, a mental breakdown forming in real time.

but ameiko...

          she sat with that same quiet composure, looking toward the now-empty sky where clouds had thinned.her smile remained faint. thoughtful. and as the breeze curled beneath her sleeves, she murmured something almost to herself.  "butterflies are born starving... and still, they learn to fly."

kakashi paused.

his eye shifted,just briefly, back toward her.

and then, without a word, he vanished down the stairs.

【𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄】

HELLLOOOO, PEOPLE! omayghad! first of all, thank you so much for the votes, comments, and follow! you guys, i love you so much! i’m so eager now to make a lot of chapters! thanks, truly!

whenever i post an update, i always look forward to your votes/comments and thoughts in every chapter. so thank you so much for those kind souls who actually made an effort to left some comments of appreciation. it seriously motivates me to do more! so thank you!

and, OMAYGHAD when i was polishing this chapter, i was watching the kny trailer too yk! OMAYGHADD shinobu looks so good! everyone is looking extra good, maybe the theory of “people be looking extra hot when they're about to die” is actually true.

LMAO i’ll think about making new fanfic with demon slayer next time.

once again, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒! 🫀