Hakushi didn't even know how to roast Obito's weird constitution. You could say he was fated for romance… but why did all the people attracted to him turn out to be old ladies?
Or maybe, it's actually the old ladies who attract him?
A hundred percent chance of running into grannies?
No matter how you look at it, he's just a really oddball kid.
"Hey, Obito, it's already so late. Are you really not going home?"
Hakushi tilted his head up, shouting to Obito who was doing physical training upside down on a snow-covered branch.
Recently, when Hakushi didn't have much to do, he'd sometimes join Obito for training.
Getting out and relaxing once in a while is good for both mind and body.
He really didn't want to go bald while he was still so young.
"Quit nagging. I've barely even trained for an hour yet."
Judging by the sky, there was still a while till sunset; Obito wasn't giving up on his workout yet.
"Isn't it all because this afternoon you got up to all those unspeakable things with those three grannies?"
"None of your business! If you wanna leave, just go back by yourself. You're just mooching off me anyway, what's with the attitude."
Obito was doing pull-ups while upside down, huffing and puffing all the while.
Even in the cold, he was sweating like crazy; you could tell he was really putting effort into his training.
"One hundred ninety-one… one hundred ninety-two… one hun—ah!"
With a panicked yell, the chakra on Obito's soles slipped up, he separated from the branch and went crashing down headfirst into the snow.
His head got buried in the snow, and his body twitched a little.
Hakushi blew a puff of white breath into his palms, rubbed them together, and just stood there watching. He made no move to help.
This kind of idiot always had a ridiculously strong life force and boundless energy.
"Cough, cough!"
Sure enough, Obito struggled out of the snow, spat out a mouthful of it, coughed violently, his face all red.
"Damn it! I was only eight reps away from two hundred!"
Obito said, looking frustrated as hell.
"Give it up, Kakashi could already do better than you two years ago. By now the gap's only bigger."
That was Hakushi's comment.
"So what if he's a Chunin, I'm totally graduating from Ninja School next year!"
Obito made his trademark bold proclamation.
Though Hakushi didn't really think Obito had that kind of talent, this sort of unyielding, fighting spirit was worth some respect.
"Well, keep working at it. If you unlock your Sharingan someday, who knows, you might just pull it off."
Hakushi didn't want to bruise Obito's confidence either.
This guy was always upbeat, but that kind of attitude meant he usually had a few screws loose. When it came to training, slogans alone were worthless.
Because Kakashi trained himself even harder than Obito did.
There's nothing scarier than a genius who works harder than everyone else.
So, just going by how things normally go, Hakushi didn't think Obito could catch up to Kakashi.
Obito was just about to smile at Hakushi's words, when Hakushi dropped a bomb on him out of nowhere: "But honestly, with your talent, I bet you'll never awaken the Sharingan your whole life. Especially since you're the worst student in school. Sharingan is the Pupil Technique only elite Uchiha Ninja can awaken."
"You bastard! How dare you underestimate me! Taste the wrathful Iron Fist of the Uchiha Clan!"
Obito bounced up from the snow and launched a savage punch at Hakushi.
Dealing with boneheaded kids like this really was a pain.
Still, as a playmate to kill boredom, he did bring Hakushi plenty of fun.
Without even thinking, Hakushi sidestepped, letting Obito crash into the snow in a gloriously face-first wipeout.
"I've told you a million times—if you can't control your body, don't go throwing punches like that. You did the exact same thing your first time fighting me. In an actual fight, that's basically suicide. An enemy would see that weakness and take you out in one blow."
"That's only 'cause you said I'd never awaken the Sharingan!"
Obito just sat in the snow like nothing happened, crossed his arms over his chest, and pouted at nothing in particular, like he was so over Hakushi.
Actually, thinking about it, Hakushi kinda got it.
For Uchiha Ninja, not awakening the Sharingan basically means you're dead last.
Obito was always trying to prove his strength, while the Sharingan is exactly what embodies the Uchiha Clan's power.
No wonder he got pissed off when Hakushi said that kind of thing.
"What I mean is, actually, not awakening the Sharingan is a good thing for you."
Hakushi walked over, pulling Obito out of the snow as he said that.
"Huh? Why?"
Obito looked completely lost.
"'Cause you're an idiot. If an idiot ever awakened the Sharingan, wouldn't that mean the end of the world? Come on, isn't that just how it is?"
Hakushi said it with a perfectly straight face.
"You mooching bastard! Eat another of my Wrathful Iron Fists!"
From out in the snow came Obito's powerful howls of rage.
...
"Just 'cause you bought me dumplings doesn't mean I'll forgive you! Listen up, once I awaken the Sharingan, that's your death sentence! You'd better be ready!"
On the way home, Obito stuffed the dumplings Hakushi bought into his mouth ferociously, threatening Hakushi between bites.
"No worries. Ruri will protect me. Your Sharingan's got nothing on me."
Hakushi played his strongest Shield at the moment—Uchiha Ruri.
"..."
Obito couldn't say why, but there was a strange bitterness in his mouth. It tasted a little… astringent.