April arrived with quiet certainty. Shorai washed, then pulled on a new set of clothes—tactical in design, but refined: white and turquoise with flowing wind patterns that gave him a sharper, almost heroic silhouette. Aya had been relentless in her praise, insisting the outfit made him look "unrealistically handsome." He'd finally relented. For better or worse, it was time to face the Academy in full.
He stepped out just as Naruto locked his door.
"Good morning, Naruto. Ready for another year?"
"G-good… WOW!" Naruto's eyes widened, jaw dropping. "Shorai, that looks soooo cool! Where'd you get it? Please, please, please take me there!"
Shorai raised a hand, halting the blur of excitement. "Alright, alright. Calm down. I'll take you after class. Happy?"
"You promise? So cool!" Naruto bounced ahead.
As they entered the classroom, Naruto burst in with his usual noise, drawing groans from Shikamaru, Chōji, and Kiba. Sakura and Ino snapped mid-argument, scolding him for being so loud so early.
Then Shorai stepped in.
The room fell silent. Gasps rippled through the rows. Sakura and Ino froze, eyes locked on him. He offered a half-smile, waved casually, and made his way to his seat. The girls exchanged glances, then frantically flipped through a magazine—one with a soft pink-white cover. They stared at the pages, then back at Shorai, comparing.
"No way… it's really him?"
"It looks just like it…"
The whispering grew, drawing attention from the boys. Before it could spiral, the bell rang. Iruka entered, followed by Mizuki.
Sasuke only glanced, sizing Shorai up—curious, annoyed by the stir he'd caused.
"Everyone quiet!" Iruka clapped his hands. "Class is in session."
He scanned the room with a warm smile. "Welcome back from spring break. How is everyone?"
"Great, Iruka-sensei!"
"Good to hear." Iruka gestured to Mizuki. "This year, Mizuki-san will be joining me as a second instructor. You'll address him as Mizuki-sensei. He'll take over during Shinobi lessons as a permanent secondary instructor."
Mizuki bowed slightly. "I'm looking forward to working with you all."
They distributed sheets—curriculum outlines and forms for parental signatures, tied to the new Shinobi Life Exercise class.
Shorai took his from Sasuke and scanned the list:
Ninja Academy – Fourth Year
• Ninjutsu practice lessons
• Physical and taijutsu form
• Chakra exercises
• Genjutsu application testing and dispelling
• Shinobi Survival field training – Wilderness survival, navigation, cartography, foraging
• Shinobi Tactical theory and outdoor training – Small-unit tactics, mission simulation, strategy
• Academic (Advanced Part 2) – Will of Fire, chain of command, and mission ethics; mathematics and geometry; political tactics and negotiations; world history and geography; Calligraphy (Part 2)
He exhaled. So much… but at least it's survival-focused.
Outdoors meant more freedom. More time.
Maybe I can finally heal my body this year.
The priority had shifted. The tutor's warning echoed: 3 to 6 months to recover—after theory and practice align.
The class buzzed with mixed reactions to the new curriculum. Naruto leaned toward Shorai, already excited about the outdoor training.
"Silence, class! Take the top book from your desk and open to page three—mathematics begins now," Iruka said sternly, seeing off Mizuki.
Shorai flipped through the material in minutes, recognizing content he'd already mastered at the library.
At lunch, the girls' side erupted again. Shikamaru glanced over and asked, "Shorai, do you have a brother?"
Shorai blinked, puzzled. "Why?"
"Nothing," Shikamaru muttered, side-eyeing Sakura and Ino. "Forgot you're an orphan."
Shorai raised a brow as the girls flinched under his gaze.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"N-nothing," they stammered.
Later, mid-meal, a rush of footsteps approached. A crowd of girls swarmed their desk, magazines in hand.
"S-Shorai-kun—"
"Is that you in this magazine?"
They flipped open the pages—featuring a boy in his lightning-patterned and wind-designed outfits, eyes light brown and hair black as a night, expression sharp yet faintly smiling.
"Girls, one at a time," Shorai said, raising a hand with a helpless smile. "You're overwhelming me."
"Do you know him?" one asked.
"I don't," he said calmly. "But I bought these clothes from Heavenly Lotus. Maybe he's a model they hired."
Sasuke watched, annoyed yet intrigued.
Sakura and Ino bickered, comparing the photos to Shorai.
"Need help with something?" he asked, gesturing to his food. "Or would you like to join us?"
"S-sorry," Sakura stammered. "It's just… the clothes, and the resemblance…"
Ino leaned in, eyes narrowing. "Hm… but you do look alike…"
Shorai leaned back—unconsciously mirroring a pose from the page.
Ino froze, then jumped back, cheeks flushed. "He-he… I'll keep it a secret, Shorai-kun," she whispered, hugging the magazine before darting off with Sakura.
Shorai sighed. She knows it's me… what a drag.
Naruto returned from the restroom. "Why'd they swarm you?"
"Just questions about these clothes," Shorai replied, finishing his meal.
As the day ended, Naruto tugged his sleeve. "Don't forget—you promised to take me to the shop!"
Shorai brought Naruto to Heavenly Lotus, now expanded with more space and displays of men's and women's wear. Naruto's wide blue eyes darted around in awe.
Aya spotted them, rushed over, and ruffled Shorai's hair with a playful grin. He stiffened, then gently pushed her hand away. "Aya-san, please don't do that again."
"Oh? Not even a blush? A young man shouldn't be so stiff with his big sister," she teased, glancing at Naruto. "And who's this cute one? Adorable—but still no match for you."
Shorai ignored the jab. "We're here because he's interested in the… magazine," he said, catching himself as he remembered they weren't alone.
The shop buzzed with customers—mostly women, many stealing glances at the white-haired boy and the cheerful handler. Whispers rose: Was he her brother? Did he know the model?
"He wants to buy clothes," Shorai clarified.
"Cool ones! Like his!" Naruto added, bouncing with excitement.
Aya studied him, then smiled. "We have the new catalog. Take a look and tell me what you like. And over there," she pointed, "are pieces that didn't make the final cut."
Shorai waited patiently as Naruto flipped through the album, then explored the store. Aya split her attention between customers and light banter with Shorai. Some asked if he was related to the model. He denied it with a small smile.
Hours later, Naruto returned, holding a sporty orange suit with blue accents—nearly identical to his future canonical jacket, but bearing the Lotus logo.
"This one! I want this!" he declared.
Aya and Shorai exchanged glances.
"It's from an old collection," Aya said. "Why not go for something new?"
Naruto shook his head. "No! This one! I like it!"
Shorai stepped in. "Aya-san, wait. Could we modify it slightly? Make it even cooler for him?"
She blinked. "How?"
He took the jacket, pointing at the logo. "Naruto's from the Uzumaki clan. The village honors their alliance with the spiral symbol—on flak jackets, on the Hokage Monument. It's a sign of friendship, protection, and shared history between Konoha and Uzushiogakure. If he's going to wear it, let's make it complete."
Aya and Naruto stared, puzzled.
"It'll take a day or two," Shorai said, smiling. "But if he likes it now, he'll love it then."
"Sure! I'll wait!"
"For a friend of Shorai's?" Aya winked. "I'll make an exception. Pick it up tomorrow."