"Hey, Naruto," Satsuki turned her head, naturally asking Naruto beside her, her voice instantly shedding all its coldness.
It became lighthearted, even carrying a hint of a spoiled tone, "Why hasn't our Jonin instructor arrived yet? All the other teams have already been led away."
"It's simple," Naruto shrugged, "It seems the guy guiding us is a 'problem' Jonin who likes to be late."
Sakura, standing nearby, looked somewhat dejectedly at the unhindered, warm, and natural interaction between Satsuki and Naruto, a stark contrast to the cold treatment she had just received.
She felt a little bit of jealousy, but it wasn't surprising. She had long heard that Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Satsuki had grown up together since childhood; they were true childhood sweethearts, so their close relationship was perfectly normal.
…Then, if she spent more time with Satsuki in the future, would she also be able to become familiar with her and chat as naturally as this?
Sakura couldn't help but harbor such expectations.
"As a ninja, to be late on such an important day," Satsuki's tone carried clear dissatisfaction and complaint, "What kind of person is our Jonin instructor, anyway?"
Facing Satsuki's complaint, Naruto began to try and recall Kakashi's initial appearance in the original story.
"Hmm… based on my conjecture," Naruto stroked his chin, "Someone who chooses to be late for an occasion like this is very likely a person who is usually lazy, unmotivated, always likes to be late, seems a bit unreliable, and might even be a bit two-faced…"
At this moment, outside the classroom door, a silver-haired, masked ninja who had just arrived and was reaching out to push the door, heard the clear evaluation from inside, and his outstretched hand suddenly paused. "…"
However, Naruto hadn't finished speaking; he paused, then added another sentence.
"But, since he passed the strict selection to become a Jonin and was assigned to guide us… he should be the kind of person who, though usually a slacker, becomes surprisingly reliable and powerful at critical moments."
Satsuki listened to Naruto's analysis, nodding thoughtfully, and just then—
"Oh dear, oh dear…" A male voice, with a hint of laziness and helplessness, suddenly came from the doorway.
The classroom door was pushed open with a "whoosh."
A man with silver hair, wearing a standard Jonin vest, half his face completely covered by a mask, revealing only one lifeless, fish-like eye, lazily walked in.
"To evaluate your future teacher like that behind his back right after meeting, you truly are unlikable brats."
The eye Kakashi revealed curved into a crescent shape, "It's not a good habit to randomly guess and evaluate others, you know."
— — — — — —
Naruto looked at the lazy, silver-haired Jonin before him, a strange feeling stirring in his heart.
This was his second time "seeing" Kakashi… The last time was when he played as Menma, caused chaos in Konoha, and even threw out the Great Spiraling Ring to intimidate the whole world.
At that time, Kakashi was also one of the elite ANBU, standing ready for battle, a stark contrast to his current relaxed demeanor.
The four moved to the rooftop of the school building. The scene was as familiar as in the original story; Kakashi leaned casually against the railing, while the three newly promoted Genin sat side by side on the steps opposite him.
"How should I put this?…" Kakashi scratched his unruly silver hair, "Anyway, let's all introduce ourselves first, to get to know each other."
Sakura, hearing this, tilted her head in confusion. "Self-introduction? But, what should we say?" She tried to appear polite and cooperative.
"Well…" Kakashi gazed at the sky with his visible dead-fish eye, "Things you like, things you dislike, your future dreams, and hobbies… something like that."
Seeing Kakashi's clearly unmotivated demeanor, Sakura felt a wave of helplessness. Naruto had been right… he really was a lazy and perfunctory teacher.
She couldn't help but make a suggestion. "Isn't that just the usual way of introducing ourselves in the Ninja Academy? Also, shouldn't you introduce yourself first, Sensei, to set an example for us?"
"Me?" Kakashi seemed to just remember this point. He tapped his finger on his forehead protector and began his self-introduction.
"My name is Kakashi Hatake. As for things I like and dislike… hmm, nothing I particularly want to say. Future dreams?…"
He deliberately drew out his words, building suspense, then slowly said, "…As for hobbies, I have many."
What is this guy doing?! In the end, we still only know his name, don't we?! He didn't say anything else at all! He's completely stringing us along!
In Sakura's inner world, another furious version of her was already flipping tables and roaring wildly.
But on the surface, she still tried to maintain a polite yet awkward smile, her lips twitching slightly as she said, "I…I see… hehe…"
Kakashi casually raised his hand and pointed at Naruto, "Alright, now it's your turn. Hmm… let's start with you."
"Oh!"
Naruto had a sunny smile on his face, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto! My favorite thing is ramen, and as for things I dislike… it seems I don't particularly dislike anything for now. As for my dream…"
"If there's any danger in the future, I want to have enough strength to protect the people important to me."
Not like a child his age…
Kakashi silently made his assessment. He turned his gaze to Sakura.
"Alright, next."
"Yes!"
Sakura immediately sat up straighter, "My name is Sakura Haruno! The things I like are… red bean mochi soup! And…" She quickly and secretly glanced at Satsuki beside her.
"I don't particularly dislike anything! My dream is…" She mustered her courage and said, "To become a beautiful and strong kunoichi!"
Kakashi nodded noncommittally, his gaze finally falling on the black-haired girl sitting at the very end.
Uchiha Satsuki felt his gaze, her expression still that indifferent look, but her tone was relatively calm. "My name is Uchiha Satsuki. Things I dislike… there are many."
For example, people who get in the way, those who try to get close to Naruto, overly sweet pastries, and that woman who betrayed everything…
"Things I like… are the meals Naruto makes."
"My dream is…" She paused there, subconsciously stealing a glance at Naruto beside her, a faint blush uncontrollably rising on her small face. She then turned her head away somewhat awkwardly, her voice also dropping. "…I can't say."
Naruto understood. It seemed that this time, because Satsuki had both parents and a warm family, she didn't make "revenge" her dream and ambition like in the original story…
Although unspoken, the goal of "taking down Uchiha Itachi" was definitely still on her list… even though the current Itachi was already being watched closely by Shisui, living a secluded life in the underground base of the [Cinder] organization.
His thoughts couldn't help but drift, thinking of Shisui in that secret base in the Land of Hot Springs, where every day after completing his ANBU training and management duties, he would unfailingly go to that special confinement room, accompanying the girl who had lost both her eyes and was renamed "Yuzu," patiently and repeatedly doing "ideological work."