"Izanami-kun, it's time to get up. The class assignments are about to be made."
The next day, Izanami woke up to Hinata's familiar voice calling him. He didn't know when it had happened, but the disciplined routine he once had had long been replaced by the cozy habit of sleeping in. Now, he enjoyed the princess-style wake-up service every day.
Hinata, too, had become accustomed to waking up early, bringing food to his room and waking him up with a gentle touch. The two of them had settled into this rhythm, both of them secretly enjoying it.
"Yesterday, you guys drained all my Chakra; I can't get up," Izanami murmured, not immediately rising from bed. He stretched out his hands toward Hinata, giving her a playful, languid look. "Hinata, pull me up."
Hinata smiled but playfully scolded him. "Liar. The Chakra we absorbed wasn't even close to your recovery speed." She reached out to help, but just as her hand touched his, Izanami seized her wrist, pulling her toward him.
Before she could react, Hinata found herself tumbling onto his chest. Her superior reflexes absorbed the impact, and she ended up comfortably lying on top of him, unscathed.
"Ah..." she let out a surprised cry, more from the suddenness of it than any harm.
Izanami, with a mischievous glint in his eye, quickly swapped their positions. Now, he was pinning Hinata beneath him, hands braced on either side of her head, gazing down at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her face a portrait of surprise, and a faint steam seemed to rise from her in her flustered state.
"I... Izayoi-kun..." she stammered. After all these years, Hinata had grown much stronger and immune to many things, but in this moment, it felt as if her emotional resilience had reset, her gaze darting away from his, avoiding eye contact.
Seeing Hinata in this rare, endearing state stirred something in Izanami. However, considering her age and the delicate nature of their relationship, he forced himself to suppress the impulse, telling himself to be patient.
Just as he was about to move away, his eyes inadvertently shifted to the black fishnet lining of her clothing. Something clicked in his mind, and without thinking, he let slip in his hometown dialect, "Hinata, I want to touch your chest."
"Huh?" Hinata blinked in confusion, her head tilting cutely as she failed to comprehend what he had said.
But in the next instant, her face flushed a deep crimson, and her Byakugan shifted into the telltale swirl of a Rinnegan. Her emotional state soared as she struggled to comprehend the situation. The intensity of her emotions was overwhelming, teetering on the edge of breaking her composure.
Before she could fully react, Izanami scrambled out of bed and dashed into the bathroom.
Hinata, left stunned, took a moment to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to calm her racing heart. The slight ache she felt from the emotional overload was nothing compared to the storm of feelings swirling within her.
By the time Izanami returned from the bathroom, Hinata had already left the room, likely to collect herself.
Unfazed, Izanami moved to the wardrobe and retrieved the custom-made combat uniform he had received earlier that year. The white robe, inspired by Ōtsutsuki Indra, fit perfectly and gave off an aura of nobility. Unlike Indra's version, however, Izanami's robe had no wide collar, nor the black magatama around the neckline.
After donning the robe and securing the black belt, he took out two white wristbands with storage functions—items he had purchased the previous day. He filled them with shuriken and kunai, then slipped them on. The wide sleeves of the robe would easily conceal any movements, making him prepared for anything.
Once ready, he left the room and headed to the dining area, where Hinata was already seated at the table, her bento box opened. When she saw Izanami, her heart skipped a beat. His appearance, clad in the white robe, was nothing short of striking. The robe's elegance, paired with his black hair, blue eyes, and noble presence, made him look like a young master from a distinguished family, despite his humble origins.
For a moment, Hinata regretted wearing her simple white windbreaker and pants. Seeing Izanami so regal, she wished she had worn something more fitting, perhaps a kimono like her sister. She silently promised herself that next time, she would seek her sister's advice on a more appropriate outfit to match Izanami's.
Izanami, oblivious to her thoughts, sat down to breakfast. After a peaceful meal, the two of them headed out to the Ninja Academy.
"Yo… Izanami, Hinata, good morning!" A few classmates greeted them on the way.
"Still inseparable, huh? I hope you two end up on the same team when the assignments are made!" another classmate teased.
The teasing was inevitable, given how often the two of them were seen together. Izanami smiled in response, remaining silent as always, while Hinata shyly lowered her gaze, remembering the moments of intimacy from not long ago.
When they arrived at the classroom, most of the students had already gathered. Uzumaki Naruto, who had previously been the only one yet to graduate, had now passed his exam, meaning all of Class 6-1 had officially graduated.
Although graduation was complete, there was still uncertainty about which teams would be assigned under the guidance of a Jonin instructor. For now, the students were seated together, chatting with their closest friends, waiting for the next step.
Izanami and Hinata found a random spot to sit down in the classroom. Before they could even begin to whisper to each other, a familiar figure who had captured everyone's attention settled beside Izanami.
Glancing at the newcomer, Izanami smiled and greeted him warmly, "Morning, Sasuke."
"Morning," Uchiha Sasuke replied, his tone measured but carrying a hint of anticipation. "When the teams are assigned later, I hope I can be placed in the same one as you two."
Aside from Uzumaki Naruto, who occasionally resonated with him, Sasuke had paid attention to few others in the entire year. But Izanami and Hinata were two exceptions. If he could be on the same team as them, he could challenge them frequently and sharpen his skills.
Izanami chuckled softly and shook his head. "I wish it were possible, Sasuke, but you know it's unlikely. The top three students in the year can't be on the same team. Otherwise, by the time the Chunin Exams roll around, the other teams wouldn't even stand a chance."
Sasuke paused, then nodded thoughtfully. "That's true."
He leaned back slightly, propping his chin on his hands, as they waited for the team assignments to begin.
At some point during their conversation, a figure squatted directly in front of him. Uzumaki Naruto—his signature golden hair and fox-like grin ever-present—stared up at Sasuke. His eyes, the same color as Izanami's, were narrowed into playful slits, but Sasuke couldn't help but feel a wave of annoyance surge up within him. His normally expressionless face betrayed a flicker of disdain.
Izanami, observing the interaction, couldn't help but smirk. "Indeed..."
"That Naruto guy is really too impolite," Hinata muttered under her breath, a slight frown on her face.
"You're right! Sasuke-kun, quick, deal with him!" another voice piped up, and a chorus of giggles followed from a nearby group of girls who had witnessed the exchange.
However, despite their frustration, the group of girls didn't dare to approach. The sight of Izanami and Hinata sitting beside Sasuke seemed to hold them back, as if the trio was a force too intimidating to challenge.
Just then, one of the male classmates sitting near Sasuke got caught up in the conversation. Without realizing Uzumaki Naruto had squatted on the desk behind him, he nudged his elbow backward. The result was entirely unexpected.
With a sudden shift, Uzumaki Naruto's rear end was nudged by the elbow, causing him to pitch forward. His eyes widened in shock as his vision filled with a much-too-close face.
And just like that, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto—the two most unlikely people—found themselves face-to-face.
Mu~~ah!
For a few seconds, time seemed to freeze. The girls watching in the background could hardly believe their eyes. The famous scene of the Kiss of the Century had just unfolded before them.
"Whoa..." Izanami could barely hold back a laugh, almost wishing he'd had a camera to capture this priceless moment.
Beside him, Hinata covered her small mouth with both hands, her face flushed a deep red. "T-T-This is... too shocking!"
A few seconds later, both boys broke apart, quickly turning their heads in disgust. Uzumaki Naruto gagged dramatically, while Sasuke, his face twisted in irritation, growled, "Dead Last, I'm going to kill you!"
However, before things could escalate further, a wave of dark figures came rushing over, blocking their view. Sakura Haruno and her fan club—the very same group of girls who had been watching the scene unfold—moved with surprising speed.
Ignoring the palpable pressure coming from Izanami and Hinata, they shoved the male classmate out of the way and dragged Uzumaki Naruto off the desk. Without a second thought, they yanked him under the podium and, in the blink of an eye, began to administer a very enthusiastic—if not brutal—beating.
Amidst the dust and the commotion, Uzumaki Naruto's screams of "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" echoed throughout the room, though his pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.
... patreon Seasay