Chapter 39: The Tomato and the Punishment
"I've already introduced your names. Now it's your turn to introduce yourselves properly—your likes, dislikes, and dreams. Let your new classmates get to know you."
"Kushina, you can start."
Ueno Kuri, knowing Tomoko was too shy, decided to let the bolder Uzumaki Kushina break the ice.
Uzumaki Kushina showed no trace of stage fright. She slammed her hand on the desk and stood up with a defiant energy.
"My name is Uzumaki Kushina! I like ramen. I hate tomatoes, crybabies, and... this guy." She pointed a sharp finger directly at Hyuga Shinra.
Shinra blinked, a mental question mark appearing over his head. What did I do?
"My dream is to become Konoha's first female Hokage! That's all!" With her declaration made, she plopped back into her seat, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.
The classroom erupted.
"Hahahaha! She wants to be Hokage? That's hilarious! Nawaki, Minato, you've got competition!"
"A girl? Calling Minato a crybaby? Well, Minato does kinda look like one..."
"And this guy Shinra, the so-called 'Prince,' who has all the girls swooning, actually got put on her hate list!"
No sooner had Kushina finished than a wave of ridicule and laughter followed, even managing to drag Shinra, Nawaki, and Minato into the mockery.
"Hmph! Just a girl, and she wants to be Hokage? Don't make me laugh," Uchiha Ken sneered, though he secretly harbored the same ambition. His personal roadmap involved first becoming the Uchiha Clan Head.
"I'm the one who will become Hokage!" Nawaki declared, his eyes blazing with competitive fire. The mere mention of the title always ignited his spirit.
"Let's all strive for the position of Hokage together!" said Minato, who had initially been embarrassed by the "crybaby" comment, but quickly recovered with his signature sunny smile.
"Hmph! Crybaby," Kushina muttered under her breath, glaring at Minato's gentle expression. She had a profound disdain for anything she perceived as weak.
Minato's smile became slightly strained as he sat back down.
"Tough on the outside, fragile on the inside. The complete opposite of Mikoto, who's soft-spoken but iron-willed," Shinra murmured, almost to himself.
His voice was low, but Kushina heard every word. She whipped her head around, shooting him a look of pure fury. Her face, with its slight, round baby fat and vibrant red hair, did, in fact, bear a striking resemblance to a ripe tomato.
"Truly, a nickname is never given without reason," Shinra mused, sealing his own fate.
Kushina gave him one last death glare before sitting down, fuming. She was already planning to ambush him after school and teach him a lesson for calling her fragile. In truth, Shinra had hit the nail on the head. Having just survived the destruction of her homeland, she was in a strange village with only Tomoko as a familiar face. Her tough act was a shell, a desperate attempt to protect a deep-seated sense of vulnerability and insecurity.
But being called out so bluntly was infuriating. What she didn't realize was that while she claimed to "hate" Shinra, she didn't truly despise him. Instead, she felt an inexplicable, familiar warmth from his presence, a feeling of closeness that confused her.
"Tomoko, your turn. Don't be nervous," Ueno Kuri said gently, while simultaneously scanning the class with a look that promised retribution. These kids were testing his patience, treating his warnings as background noise. He was seriously considering a major disciplinary action to re-establish his authority.
Under Ueno's stern gaze, the students quickly settled down, putting on their best "model student" faces.
Tomoko Uzumaki stood up hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper. "M-my name is Tomoko Uzumaki. I... I like doing housework. I don't really hate anything. My dream is... to live a quiet, peaceful life."
Her introduction was met with silence. No one mocked her. The stark contrast between her timid vulnerability and Kushina's fiery bravado made bullying her feel wrong.
"If any of you dare to bully Tomoko, I'll punch your heads off!" Kushina declared, trying to look menacing. But with her round, baby-faced features, the threat landed with all the force of a fluffy pillow.
Woof! Kuromaru barked at Kushina, as if offended on principle.
"Quiet, Kuromaru! I snuck you in here, don't get us in trouble," Inuzuka Tsume whispered, pushing the dog's head down. Kuromaru grumbled but settled.
Ueno Kuri massaged his temples. Class A was, without a doubt, the most troublesome first-year class. A fight on the first day, a clan heir in the hospital... and it was only getting worse with the addition of these two. Managing a class full of clan children was a special kind of hell.
"Pay attention to the lesson! And that means you, Hyuga Shinra and Nara Shikaku! If I see you sleeping one more time, I'm throwing you out!" Ueno barked.
Those two were his biggest headaches. They slept through every lecture yet aced every exam.
Shinra lifted his head with a sigh. With his eidetic memory and advanced mental capabilities, the basic theory lessons were child's play. He had absorbed the entire curriculum weeks ago.
"A lazy bum like you doesn't deserve to be a ninja. You should just go home and be a farmer!" Kushina hissed under her breath, her voice dripping with venom.
Thump!
Shinra flicked his finger sharply against the side of Kushina's head. It wasn't hard, but it was enough to make her eyes water from the surprise and sting.
To her credit, she didn't make a sound, only gritting her teeth so hard they creaked.
"Behave," Shinra said with a infuriatingly calm smile.
"You... just you wait," Kushina snarled, shooting to her feet. "Teacher! He bullied me! He hit me on the head!" she accused, pointing dramatically at Shinra.
SNAP.
The piece of chalk in Ueno Kuri's hand broke in two.
"Hyuga Shinra! Bullying a new classmate! Detention! Go stand in the hall, now!" He then turned his glare. "And you, Akimichi Choza! Don't think I can't see you sneaking snacks! I have a perfect view from up here!"
Shinra gave Kushina a triumphant smirk. He then walked over to Nawaki and plucked the handheld game console right out of his hands.
"I'll be borrowing this. Choza, bring the snacks. Let's go."
Under Ueno Kuri's seething gaze, Shinra swaggered out of the classroom, game console in hand, followed by a dejected-looking Akimichi Choza carrying a stash of confiscated treats.
"Hey! Shinra, you jerk! That's the newest model! I saved up for months! Don't break it!" Nawaki yelled after him.
"Senju Nawaki!" Ueno Kuri roared. "You can join them outside too!"