Inside the Ninja Academy's Small Woods.
Mizuna shook his head vigorously, trying to shake the inappropriate thoughts (Naori Uchiha smells nice) out of his mind.
Kagami saw Mizuna shaking his head and assumed it was his evaluation of the Uchiha clan.
"Is that so... I understand, Mizuna-kun..."
Kagami lowered his head, visibly disappointed.
He was about to leave when Mizuna grabbed his hand.
"Wait! Kagami! Sorry... I was shaking my head because I thought of something else... It wasn't my opinion on the Uchiha!"
Hearing this, a smile instantly returned to Kagami's face.
"Then... Mizuna-kun, what do you think of the Uchiha..."
Before Kagami could finish, Mizuna interrupted.
"I think most of the Uchiha clan are very arrogant and hard to get along with."
Kagami lowered his head again.
"However, not every Uchiha is like that! Recently, I've discovered that there are very gentle people in the Uchiha clan."
As he said this, Mizuna blushed slightly.
"So the Uchiha clan isn't as arrogantly aloof as the rumors say. It's just that as a powerful clan, they don't know how to interact with outsiders."
Kagami nodded in agreement.
"Arrogance is often the privilege of the strong. But not everyone in the Uchiha clan has the strength to back up that arrogance. So, Kagami! What we need to do now is change the Uchiha's arrogant nature and integrate them perfectly into the village," Mizuna told him.
"But Mizuna... my clansmen's personality is deeply rooted... How can we change it just like that...?" Kagami said dejectedly.
Mizuna placed both hands on Kagami's shoulders and said firmly:
"Kagami! Don't worry. I will definitely find a way to help the Uchiha. I promised Big Bro Madara a long time ago. I will make every clan in the Ninja World unite! I promise!"
Kagami looked at Mizuna's determined eyes and nodded.
"En! Mizuna! I believe in you!"
"And I already have a preliminary plan. At the Lantern Festival next month..."
This conversation, seemingly normal and even righteous, sounded completely different to the two idiots hiding behind a tree.
Danzo and Hiruzen had secretly followed Mizuna and Kagami into the woods.
Because they were too far away, they couldn't hear everything clearly. So, in their perspective, the conversation went like this:
Kagami spoke first:
"Mizuna... I... noticed you are different... I want to ask... your feelings..."
Mizuna mumbled:
"My... feelings..."
Then he started shaking his head.
Kagami looked hurt and tried to leave.
Mizuna grabbed him, pulled him back, and said:
"Wait! Kagami! Sorry, I shook my head because I was thinking of other things, not my... feelings!"
Kagami looked happy again and said:
"Then... Mizuna, you..."
Mizuna:
"I think... easy to get along with..."
"...It's true! ...Gentle..."
At this point, Mizuna seemed to be blushing...
Mizuna:
"So... interact..."
"...Kagami! What we need to do now is... enter inside..." (Note: "Ru Qi Zhong" / Integrate into it).
Kagami:
"But Mizuna... I... am deeply rooted... how can I... change?"
Mizuna:
"Kagami! Don't worry! ...I will definitely find a way... So... we will definitely... be together!..."
Kagami:
"En! Mizuna! I believe in you!"
That was what they heard. The only sentence the two idiots heard clearly was the last one.
The eavesdroppers were dumbfounded.
What do you mean 'be together'? What promise?
While Danzo was still confused, Hiruzen's imagination ran wild.
"Danzo! Did you hear that! Mizuna and that Uchiha have a thing! Mizuna is Gay!"
Danzo immediately shushed Hiruzen.
"Shut up! We haven't figured it out yet, don't spread rumors..."
But Hiruzen wasn't listening.
"No wonder Mizuna isn't interested in those girls! It's because of this!"
Hiruzen started emitting an aura of resentment.
"And that Kagami Uchiha! He made me lose so much face! It's all his fault!"
Danzo was speechless.
"Oi oi... You were the one acting like an abstract cringe-lord... how can you blame others for that?"
"Damn Kagami Uchiha! How dare he play with a cute girl's heart!"
Danzo: "......"
"Lord Tobirama was right! No Uchiha is good!"
Danzo paused at this.
"Lord Tobirama said that? Then I agree!"
Danzo turned to look at Hiruzen, only to find the spot empty.
He looked up and saw Hiruzen sprinting into the distance like a madman, shouting, "I will make Kagami Uchiha pay!"
Danzo chased after him immediately.
"Wait! Hiruzen! There must be a misunderstanding! Don't do anything rash! It will end badly!"
But Hiruzen was already gone.
---
Inside the Classroom.
Kagami Uchiha had just returned to his seat.
Hiruzen burst in.
"All eyes on me! Look at me! Look at me! I have an announcement to make!" (Note: "Look at me" meme again).
Everyone looked at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen smirked triumphantly and glanced at Kagami Uchiha.
"Kagami Uchiha! If you like men, why didn't you tell Hana Kurama earlier? Why did you string her along like that!"
Everyone froze upon hearing Hiruzen's words.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Even the usually mild-tempered Kagami got angry.
"Am I wrong? Tell us what you and Mizuna were talking about in the woods just now!" Hiruzen demanded loudly.
"I... I..."
At this moment, Hana Kurama was also staring at Kagami.
Kagami faced two choices:
1. Tell the truth to save his reputation (and reveal Mizuna's plan/secrets).
2. Choose his clan and keep silent.
Obviously, Kagami chose option 2.
He turned his head away, avoiding Hana's gaze.
This silence was taken as admission.
Hana Kurama looked at Kagami in disbelief. She couldn't believe the person she liked actually liked men.
Then, Hana cried and ran out of the room.
Kagami raised a hand to stop her, but ultimately let it drop weakly.
He fell to his knees, eyes lifeless.
Hiruzen, meanwhile, was basking in glory. He stood triumphantly in front of Kagami.
Kagami looked up at him, gritting his teeth, and squeezed out two words:
"Damn... you..."
Hiruzen was delighted.
"Oh~~~~~"
Hiruzen hopped right in front of Kagami's face.
"I've always wanted to see that expression on your face~"
He leaned in closer.
"That expression of jealousy toward me~ Hahahahaha!"
Then he stood up slowly.
"Now... it's my turn to be popular! Hehehe."
However, voices from the surrounding girls reached his ears.
Hiruzen closed his eyes to listen to their adoration.
"It's that perverted baboon again! What is he trying to do?"
"Ew~ Breaking up someone else's relationship! So disgusting!"
"He was peeping at me earlier. Total pervert."
Hiruzen turned to stone.
At this moment, Mizuna finally arrived, fashionably late.
"What happened here?"
A girl walked over and told Mizuna what just happened.
Mizuna laughed when he heard it. Hiruzen must have gathered false intel again.
"Kagami and I just went to the back to discuss the Lantern Festival next month. We wanted to prepare a surprise for everyone. There's nothing else~" Mizuna waved his hand casually.
Hearing this, the girls realized the truth.
"So that's it~ I thought Mizuna and Kagami were in that kind of relationship!"
"Yeah! Yeah! It's all that stinking Perverted Baboon's fault! Spreading rumors!"
"That's right! Scum!"
......
Listening to the girls' descriptions of him, Hiruzen slowly sat down on his chair.
He was pale white, as if the color had drained from his world.
"Burned out..."
"Burned to nothing..."
"Nothing left... but pure white ash..." (Note: Ashita no Joe reference).
After saying this, Hiruzen's head tilted to the side. It was unclear if he had died or fainted.
Danzo rushed into the room and saw his best friend sitting there, head tilted, looking like a corpse.
"NO! HIRUZEN!"
Danzo rushed over.
The surrounding girls whispered:
"See? I told you Danzo is gay. He definitely has a thing with that Perverted Baboon!"
"What a pity~ He's quite handsome, but his taste is terrible..."
Hearing these words...
Danzo suddenly changed his movement mid-sprint.
He launched a flying kick at Hiruzen.
"How dare you spread rumors! Today I will enforce justice on behalf of Heaven!"
This kick stunned Mizuna. It also stunned Hiruzen back to consciousness.
Hiruzen, flying through the air, felt time slow down.
He looked at the sunset outside the window.
It looked just like his lost youth...
Faintly, one could see tears in Hiruzen's eyes.
......
---