Amaya Uzumaki POV
Kakashi stopped near the other students, as well as the sensei and Shisui. Some of our classmates started whispering, but I quickly pushed their voices out of my mind. I need more concentration than before to try this..., I thought.
I raised the bow in front of me and pulled the string back as subtly as possible, bringing it to the side of my face. I could feel the slight vibration of the string from the pressure of holding it taut against the arrow.
I closed my eyes for a moment and focused on my surroundings. The moment the wind slowed, I opened my eyes quickly and released the string all at once.
The arrow shot towards the target, heading for the bullseye. My arrow hit the shaft of Kakashi's, splitting it in half and hitting the center of the target, even piercing the guard a little. I think I overdid it with the strength, I thought.
As soon as I turned towards the class, I saw most of them had surprised expressions, their eyes alternating between me and the target behind my back. I really ended up drawing a lot of attention with that, I concluded, dropping the bow with the other training weapons.
The sensei made his notes like he did with the other students, and they themselves started whispering among themselves. I walked past them without paying much attention and stopped closer to where Shisui was.
– I take back what I said before – He spoke softly to me – Now that was a perfect shot – I couldn't help a weak smile.
While the sensei gave some final instructions and reinforced the points some needed to work on, I looked at Kakashi, finding him with a still slightly surprised look. I gave a soft laugh at that and turned my attention back to the sensei.
After the final explanations, we were dismissed. Since I was going to study with Shisui and he was still talking with my class's sensei, I decided to wait for him at the Academy exit.
And since I didn't want to keep him waiting, I was the first to leave the classroom, not even waiting for Kakashi. Anyway, he already knows I'll be with Shisui, I thought.
Just as I was about to exit the Academy gates, I heard someone running in my direction.
– Amaya-san! – I heard a female voice call me and stopped, turning around.
Two girls and a boy approached me, and I recognized them quickly. We're in the same class, I remembered.
The girl who called me had black hair, slightly untidy, and dark red eyes. Her name is Kurenai, I thought.
The other girl had short, straight brown hair, brown eyes, and two rectangular purple marks on her cheeks. Her name is Rin.
And the boy closest to Rin had short, spiky dark hair, black eyes, and a pair of glasses with orange lenses. And he's Obito, I noted, an Uchiha.
– You walk really fast – Rin commented – Oh, sorry... – She gave a weak smile – We didn't introduce ourselves.
– You're Kurenai-san, Rin-san, and Obito-san – I said quickly.
– You know who we are? – The Uchiha boy asked.
– We're in the same class – I clarified – And even though I don't interact much with the class, I'm already familiar with your faces and names.
– Well, that saves us the introductions then – Kurenai said, and I agreed.
– We wanted to tell you something after today's class – Rin said, and I looked at her.
– You're amazing! – The girls said in unison, excited, and Obito agreed.
– What...? – I asked, unable to hide my confusion.
– You were incredible! – Kurenai said – You were perfect in all the tests and when it came to the last one...!
– You even managed to beat Kakashi-san, the best student in our class! – Rin said excitedly.
– Best until the tests – Obito pointed out.
– True – Kurenai agreed – They updated our class scores and you aced the written exam.
– You're a genius! – Rin said.
– No, I'm not a genius – I said quickly – I... – But I stopped the next moment.
They don't seem to know about me, I pondered, much less where I'm from or what I am. I think it's better not to say anything, like the Sandaime suggested.
– You don't have to be modest – Kurenai said.
– At least she's not full of herself... – Obito said, and he seemed to have someone specific in mind with his comment.
– Anyway... – Rin took charge of the conversation – You seemed to be in a hurry, so we won't hold you up any longer – I gave a weak laugh.
– Thank you – I said with a weak smile as I started to move away.
– See you tomorrow! – Kurenai said, waving along with Rin and Obito.
I waved back to them and turned my attention to the path leading out of the Academy. The weak smile didn't leave my face at that moment. I didn't expect something like this, I thought, being, in a way, treated like any other person my age.
Kakashi Hatake POV
After the tests, I didn't even get to talk to Amaya. What she did was unbelievable, I thought. Managing to break my arrow to hit the target... It was incredible. But I won't admit that to her.
I also needed to check with the redhead how our competition stood, since we had the same score in all the tests, as well as give her the house key.
As I passed through the Academy gate, I saw Amaya sitting on a bench further away. She's probably waiting for Shisui, I thought. She had a soft expression and a weak smile on her lips.
– Someone's in a good mood – I said, getting the Uzumaki's attention – Here – I tossed her the copy of the key – Debt paid – She gave a weak laugh.
– That's the first of ten you'll have to pay me – she said in a challenging tone.
– Now who's being overconfident? – We both laughed.
– And about our competition... – Amaya brought it up.
– I think we reached a stalemate – I said, and she agreed.
– We could have another competition to settle it – she suggested.
– But I don't think we'd get a different result – I admitted – At least for now – I looked at her – What do you say we call it a tie?
– I didn't think you'd suggest that – she said – After all, that still leaves me with the advantage – I crossed my arms.
– Having the advantage doesn't mean you'll beat me in the end – I said, and she gave a weak laugh.
– Okay then, it's fine by me – She looked at me – What do you want? – I didn't need to think much.
– What did my father tell you about my mother? – She looked at me, a little confused.
– About your mother? – The Uzumaki pondered the question and her expression changed, as if she remembered – You mean about the day Sakumo-sama left for his mission? – I nodded.
– He didn't want to tell me what he said, he told me I'd have to ask you – I explained – But since we weren't talking yet, I wasn't going to ask.
– Yes... – she commented – Although Sakumo-sama talked about your mother, our conversation wasn't exactly about her – I looked at her, confused.
– What do you mean? – I questioned her – Then what was it about? – She gave a weak laugh.
– About you.
Amaya Uzumaki POV
Flashback
– And the last thing I wanted to talk to you about, well, it's not exactly talking... – He sighed – I wanted to ask you something and ask you a favor – I looked at him – How do you see Kakashi's behavior towards you since you started living with us?
– That's a bit of a difficult question to answer simply... – I commented, turning my eyes to Sakumo.
– Try to explain it the best way you can – I gave a weak nod.
– Initially, he seemed completely against my presence. He just seemed to want me to disappear from near him as soon as possible. But the very next morning after I arrived at the residence, he tried to treat me less coldly – I looked in the boy's direction – But over this past month, it seems he's changed a bit more, though it's a little complicated to understand exactly... Unlike the people in the village, he doesn't look at me as a threat, but he also doesn't see me as a... person. He's completely indifferent to my existence. Regarding my training and studies, however, he seems to want to observe them – I lowered my gaze for a moment – As if he wants to know how far I'll go and what I know.
I turned my gaze back to Sakumo and found him with a weak smile on his lips. Then he started laughing, and I kept my confused look directed at him. Did I say something far-fetched?, I wondered. Or did I see the situation wrong?
– Sorry... – he said then, looking at me smiling – I just found it funny how you managed to read my son without even really talking to him.
– What? – I asked, still not quite understanding.
– You managed to see Kakashi completely, all his reactions regarding you – Sakumo looked at me – It usually takes me a while to understand him, but you... – He gave a weak smile – You remind me a lot of Hideaki.
– Was she Kakashi-san's mother? – He nodded – What was she like?
– Very grumpy – He laughed – And Kakashi ended up taking after her in that – I also ended up giving a weak laugh – But she was a fantastic woman – Sakumo smiled genuinely, touched – In every way. Intelligent, a great and skilled kunoichi, and very thoughtful of others. But just like Kakashi, she had a lot of trouble letting people get close to her – He looked at his son – That's why I wanted to know how you perceived his behavior these past few days – He looked at me – Because it might be the first time Kakashi has observed and been so intrigued by someone.
– He's intrigued by me? – Sakumo gave a weak laugh and nodded.
– Very much. You're like him, in a way. Your minds are beyond your age, and your skills are too. But he'd never met someone his own age who was as good as him.
– So, about what you wanted to ask me... You want me to open up to him? – I asked.
– More or less that... – I looked at Sakumo – I know that, like my son, you also don't like to talk unnecessarily, but it would be good, for both you and Kakashi, if you got along. I know that underneath all that coldness, my son is like Hideaki, and he really cares about people.
– And how can I do that? – I asked him – Even though I can read things around me, as well as people, understanding is something completely different.
– I'd advise finding something you both have in common – Sakumo looked at me – Something you both like – I looked in the boy's direction.
Something we both like?, I thought. That might be a challenge...
– He seems competitive – I commented, and Sakumo laughed.
– He doesn't seem it, he is very competitive – He looked at me – The bigger the challenge, the more he'll persist.
– Then I guess I'll have to think of something challenging...
Flashback End
– After that, Sakumo-sama went to talk to you – I finished narrating.
– He always talks too much... – Kakashi muttered lower, slightly sulky – And I'm not grumpy – I gave a weak laugh.
– Of course not... – I commented cynically, and he looked at me.
– So that's why you suggested these competitions? – Kakashi asked, and I looked at him – Because my father asked you to?
– Partly – I admitted honestly – But also because of what I told you when I suggested it – I looked at him – I'm interested in seeing how far you'll go, because that way I can learn how to be like a normal person.
Kakashi looked at me, slightly surprised by my last comment, but soon averted his eyes from me. He gave a weak laugh and looked back at me.
– It would be a great idea if you had chosen someone normal – The Hatake commented, and I gave a weak laugh.
– And less grumpy.
– Hey! – He complained, and we laughed again – And you – He looked at me – What will you choose?
– Well... – I thought for a moment – I think... – But I couldn't finish speaking.
– Amaya-kun!
I stood up immediately upon hearing that voice and saw Shisui coming towards where Kakashi and I were. He stopped in front of me, hands clasped together as if pleading.
– Sorry I'm late! – He said quickly, and I gave a weak laugh.
– We'll get back to the competitions later – I said to Kakashi.
He just gave a weak nod, with a slight expression of displeasure directed at Shisui. These two always act like this around each other, I mused.