*Konoha Next Morning Academy*
The morning sun filtered lazily through the classroom windows as Yuto slumped at his desk, looking like he'd wrestled a bear (and lost). Dark circles under his green eyes suggested he'd either pulled an all-nighter or was just that done with life already. Beside him, Shikamaru nursed a headache, while Naruto vibrated in his seat like an over-caffeinated squirrel.
"You absolute menace," Shikamaru hissed, jabbing a finger at Yuto." You dodged the bill last night, then hit me with the wildest excuse I've ever heard!"
"Wild excuse?" Naruto perked up, always eager for drama.
"I sacrificed my dignity to save Shikamaru's mom from exploding, and this is the thanks I get?" Yuto sighed, pressing a hand to his heart like a betrayed soap opera heroine.
"WHO IN THERE RIGHT MIND WOULD BELIEVE THAT. My mom was fine all day yesterday" Shikamaru's eye twitched violently.
(For context: Last night, after Yuto left. Shikamaru had sprinted home like man possessed only to find her mother knitting peacefully )
"The eyes deceive, young Shika-boy," Yuto intoned sagely, stretching like a cat. "Truth is but an illusion."
"'Shika-boy' Stop Making up weird nicknames !" When Shikamaru's soul was halfway to pure land.
The classroom door slid open, and in strolled Sasuke, oozing "I'm too cool for this" energy.
"Oi, that smug bastard is staring at us again!" Naruto barked, pointing at Sasuke, who had just strutted in like he owned the place.
"Tch. Dead last," Sasuke muttered, flipping his bangs like the protagonist of a teen angst novel.
"WHO YOU CALLIN' DEAD LAST, YOU EMOTALLY STUNTED JERK?!" Naruto shot up, fists raised.
"The idiot who can't even spell emotionally," Sasuke deadpanned.
"YOU'RE ASKING FOR A BEATING!" Naruto lunged, only for Shikamaru to yank him back by the collar.
"Chill. Out," Shikamaru groaned, He shot Yuto a "DO SOMETHING" glare.
"Ah, youth. So passionate," Yuto sighed dreamily, resting his chin on his hand like this was the best soap opera ever. "Let 'em fight,I brought popcorn."
Then Sakura with Ino arrived in a flurry of pink,and Naruto's rage instantly morphed into awkward preteen crush mode.
Sakura side-eyed Yuto, then immediately huddled with Ino. "Hey, I heard we're getting a new teacher this year."
"Yeah, apparently they're gonna teach us the Will of Fire," Ino said, nodding politely at Yuto unlike Sakura, who couldn't be bothered.
"Wonder what they'll look like."
"Probably some nerdy bookworm type"
Naruto, eavesdropping, asked."Yuto, do we really need someone to teach us the Will of Fire?" Naruto whispered. "The village hidden in the leaves… where the fire blah blah never dies…"
He'd heard this from the Third Hokage since he was in diapers. At this point, he could recite it in his sleep backwards.
"You know the words, but do you get it?"
Yuto yawned, dead-fish eyes half-lidded. "And even if you do, it's your version not the village approved propaganda they're shoving down your throat."
"Huh? There's more than one way?" Naruto scratched his head.
"What they're teaching is the official brainwash, I mean, interpretation ," Yuto said smoothly." The one where you nod and don't ask why 8 year old toddlers got tossed into the Third Great Ninja War."
Naruto's face scrunched up like he'd bitten a lemon.
"Yuto, shut up," Shikamaru hissed.
"Fine, fine." Yuto closed his eyes, mentally checking out.
Just then Kushina's voice echoed in his head
"So…you don't believe in the Will of Fire"
"Nope. It's a fantasy like Naruto's love life," Yuto replied.
"HEY!"
"I mean," Yuto continued," your son's entire existence kinda proves my point."
".." Hearing this, Kushina fell silent
Just then a young man in a Konoha flak jacket stepped onto the podium, a headband tied around his forehead. His silver-blue hair was neatly trimmed, and his smile was suspiciously warm.
'Oh. It's him.'
Yuto's eyes narrowed slightly and he recognized this guy from the original story.
"Good morning, everyone," the new teacher said politely, writing his name on the board. "I'm Mizuki, and I'll be your instructor for the next three years."
"Wow, he's kinda handsome," Sakura whispered.
"Yeah, total gentleman vibes," Ino agreed.
"Pfft, I don't think he's that cool," Naruto muttered from the back. "Looks kinda… girly."
Though he thought he was being quiet, Sakura's ears were sharper than a ninja hound's. She whipped around and glared. "SHUT IT!"
"…Yes, ma'am," Naruto deflated like a punctured balloon.
"Naruto's into this type of girl?" Kushina mused. "Not sure she's the right fit."
"Too late. He's already fallen for her" Yuto sighed. "Honestly, it's like watching a clown audition for Gotham."
"Gotham?"
"A city infested with clowns."
"Pfft wait, that's my son! How can you laugh?!"
"You laughed first!" Just then, Yuto froze.
"What's wrong?" Kushina asked.
"Not this again. Curse incoming."
'That was random' kushina thought
A translucent golden screen visible only to Yuto popped up in front of him, displaying three glorious options:
[CHOOSE.]
[1. Go to the village square and expose how the Third Hokage used his crystal ball to peep on the meat vendor's wife using the bathroom this morning!]
[2. Use a memory stone to broadcast Sakura's parents role-playing as slimes in their bedroom last night!]
[3. Ask Mizuki—in front of the entire class if he was practicing CPR on a red koi fish by the river yesterday!]
'Wow just…wow' Yuto's eyes widened. 'Are these secrets… real?!Damn, this village is sick!'
The Third Hokage peeping on a meat vendor's wife? 'Bold choice, old man.'
Sakura's parents into slime play? Kinky.
But Mizuki oh, Mizuki was the real MVP.
'A fish?! How do you even DO that?!'
Swallowing hard, Yuto picked Option 3. 'For science and stuff'
Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and stood up.
As Mizuki began his lessons, smiling like a used-car salesman. Yuto's hand shot up. "Mizuki-sensei! I have a burning question!"
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P.S. If you enjoyed this wholesome chapter, don't forget to bookmark.(Or don't live your truth🌸)