Kasi sat quietly on a high branch, watching the village below. Naruto was training in the yard, laughing as he tried to land a jump just right. Kasi's lips twitched into a small smile.
He had been observing the boy for a week now. Naruto was loud, reckless, stubborn… but kind in his own messy way. Kasi knew he needed to figure out how to introduce himself. He couldn't just show up out of nowhere — it would scare the boy.
As he thought, something clicked.
Tomorrow…
Naruto's eighth birthday.
Kasi leaned back, letting the idea settle. Maybe… maybe he could do something small for him. Nothing big, just a gesture. A way to let Naruto feel seen, even if the boy didn't know who he was yet.
He thought further. Maybe invite some of his little friends… the ones who are genuinely kind to him.
Sasuke? No. Too emo and distant. Sakura? Hmm… the pink-haired one. She might be okay, but Kasi wasn't sure yet. Ino? Maybe.
Sika, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata — yes. Those kids were good to Naruto.
He started visiting their houses one by one.
At Sika's home, the parents opened the door, surprised. "Kasi…? You're back?"
"Yes," he said simply. "Would it be alright if Sika visited Naruto tomorrow?"
The parents blinked, stunned. "Of course… anything for him," they said quickly.
He nodded and moved to Choji's house. Same reaction. Choji's parents were surprised but agreed without hesitation.
Kiba, Shino, Hinata — all reacted the same way. Shock, then agreement. No one refused. Kasi only smiled faintly at their reactions. They had no idea he had returned, yet they trusted him enough to let their children visit Naruto.
Good, Kasi thought. This will be fun. And… maybe a little safe for him too.
He closed his eyes for a moment. Tomorrow, he would start slowly. No sudden reveals, no risks. Just small steps to make Naruto's day better.
By the time he reached school, he was trying to shake off the feeling.
Then something happened that made him freeze.
"Hey! Happy birthday, Naruto!"
Shika ran up to him, bowing in his own quirky way. Behind him came Choji, Shino, Kiba, and even little Hinata, shyly peeking from the back.
Naruto's jaw dropped. He had never been greeted like this before. Other kids nearby muttered and whispered in groups, but he barely noticed. Sasuke glanced at them for a second and looked away, as usual. Sakura made a small, mean comment under her breath. Even Ino, who usually ignored him, piped up with a quiet "Happy birthday, Naruto."
Naruto's chest tightened. For the first time in his life, he felt… he had friends. Real friends.
His eyes started to water. The tears burned a little, but they were good ones.
"Th… thank you," he stammered, voice choked with emotion. "Really… thank you!"
The other kids froze, stunned. The loud, brash Naruto — always teasing, always joking — had never reacted like this.
From the shadows, Kasi watched quietly, a faint smile on his face.
"Happy birthday, buddy," he whispered softly. "Wait till your birthday party… it'll be fun."
Naruto blinked, sniffled, and smiled again. He didn't wonder how they knew it was his birthday — he was just too happy.