At 8:20 the next morning, Hinata Hyuga appeared at the door to his apartment.
"If you come to my place, you can just ring the bell."
Kitahara Kaede said.
After waking up that morning, he had sensed someone outside the door and come over to open it.
Yet Hinata had been sitting quietly by the staircase for half an hour, which was a little frightening.
"I was a little nervous," Hinata said. "I mean, if I could be in the same class as Kaede, that would be wonderful."
"Yeah," Kitahara Kaede said. "But it's better not to."
"Huh?"
"W-why?" Hinata felt that Kaede did not dislike her.
"I'll definitely be grouped with Naruto," Kitahara Kaede said.
"Huh? Huh? Huh?" Hinata was utterly confused.
Hadn't Iruka-sensei said they would only find out the class assignments today?
So why was Kaede always so close to Naruto?
Just as Hinata was thinking that—
"Yo!"
She discovered a greeting as bright as the sun coming from downstairs outside Kitahara Kaede's home.
"Kitahara!"
"Morning!"
"Let's go to school together!"
It was Naruto Uzumaki.
"..." Hinata.
???
Naruto had actually come all the way to Kaede's doorstep specifically for him.
And Kitahara was so attentive toward Naruto...
So was she actually the third wheel?
!!!
Overwhelmed by the shock, Hinata fainted on the spot. Kitahara Kaede lowered his hands and caught her.
Naruto climbed up the stairs and saw the scene.
"Huh?" Naruto looked stunned.
"What happened to Hinata?"
"..." Kitahara Kaede said. "She probably imagined something strange. She'll be fine."
Kitahara Kaede carried her on his back, then headed to the Ninja Academy with Naruto.
"Team 1..."
"Team 7—"
At the Ninja Academy, only two of Iruka's students had fallen behind. Most of the students were still in the classroom, but they all wore forehead protectors, indicating that they had passed the exam.
Naturally, before Iruka-sensei announced the team assignments, everyone noticed that Naruto, the Dead Last, had also received a forehead protector.
That meant he had passed the exam.
"Tch!" Naruto's high-profile behavior displeased Sasuke, the top student.
Because...
The moment Sasuke entered the classroom, he saw Naruto showing off his twenty-three clones.
So what if he had a few more clones?
Besides... if someone else had more clones, Sasuke would not have cared. But Naruto was the Dead Last, and the Clone Technique he had displayed was... the strongest in the class.
As the class's top student, Sasuke was rather disdainful.
"Now then, Team 7."
Iruka read from the assignment information he had received from the Third Hokage. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Kitahara Kaede."
"You three are a team."
"..." Sasuke.
"..." Naruto.
"..." Kitahara Kaede.
"Tch!" Sasuke clicked his tongue.
Naruto, on the other hand, cheered. He was grateful to Kitahara Kaede, so being on the same team as him made him feel completely at ease.
Kitahara Kaede remained calm, since he had known this would happen all along.
Normally, it should have been Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
But... he possessed Wood Release, which had appeared specifically to restrain Naruto, so he would definitely be assigned to act alongside Naruto.
As for Sasuke, he was still a revenge-obsessed, chuuni teenager. He was immature and needed a brutal lesson from society too.
That being the case.
Sakura was unnecessary.
The only thing worth noting was that Miss Hinata, whom Kitahara Kaede had carried into the classroom, had just regained consciousness. Yet she seemed to have suffered another blow and was lying limp across her desk.
She looked truly pitiful.
"Team 8: Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame—"
"Team 9..."
"Team 10: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi—"
Iruka-sensei quickly finished reading the remaining team assignments.
While Iruka read from the front, Kitahara Kaede kept watch and discovered that things were basically the same as in the original story. However, the Hyuga Clan girl he had carried over was in terrible spirits.
"Are you all right?"
Kitahara Kaede gently brushed the back of her hand.
"Ugh—"
Hinata looked utterly despondent.
There was nothing she could do about it.
She had already felt that Naruto and Kaede were very close.
And now... Naruto had not only come to find Kaede that morning, but they had even been assigned to the same team... Didn't that make her the unnecessary one?
Hinata knew there were cute girls in the class too, such as Ino Yamanaka, and Sakura also seemed interested in him.
If she lost to those two... then although it would hurt, she could only accept it.
But...
Why was she losing to a boy now?
"..."
Hinata slowly lifted her head from her folded arms.
"..."
Iruka continued assigning teams.
There were more than fifty students in their year, so the assignments were not over yet.
Kitahara Kaede took hold of one of Hinata's hands and pulled it beneath the desk.
"?"
Hinata's long eyelashes trembled softly.
She did not understand what Kaede wanted to do.
But she soon found out. Kitahara Kaede guided her hand beneath the desk, had her spread open her palm, then began writing on it.
Writing?
[Naruto and I have a different relationship from the one I have with you.]
Different... it was different!
Whew—
Hinata felt as though she had suddenly been comforted.
The assignments continued.
Iruka glanced toward Kitahara Kaede and Hinata.
As a teacher, from the podium, he could see every little movement the students made.
So of course Iruka had noticed Kitahara Kaede holding Hinata's hand.
Yet rather than calling them out, he felt a little envious.
He was still single, after all. He was thinking that if he had been smarter back when he was in school, perhaps he would not have to go home alone now.
The team assignment announcements soon ended. Iruka told everyone where to go, saying that their Jonin Instructors would be waiting there.
Kitahara Kaede, Naruto, and Sasuke remained in the classroom together.
Meanwhile, Kitahara Kaede's Observation (^_-) group chat had also activated.
Hashirama Senju: Looks like the team assignment is set. Kitahara Kaede and Naruto are together. This Sasuke really leaves an impression—are you sure he isn't Izuna Uchiha?
Tobirama Senju: Big Brother, do not mention that disgusting name.
Hashirama Senju: Well... we clearly made peace with the Uchiha Clan.
Minato Namikaze: It may be a little early, but I need to head over.
My stamina is rather poor, so once I get there and start acting, I won't be able to chat in the group.
Kakashi said.
Tobirama Senju: Go on.
Tobirama Senju seemed to nod, but then suddenly stopped Kakashi.
Tobirama Senju: Wait, who are you?
As he asked, he also glanced at the number of people in the group (4).
That was right.
There were four people.
Then this "Kidney-Deficient Hokage" was...
Minato Namikaze: Kakashi, is that you?
Minato Namikaze: Yes, sensei. It's a long story.
Kakashi seemed unwilling to discuss it further, but he was immediately met with sympathy.
Hashirama Senju: Poor thing. Kidney-deficient at such a young age.
Before you continue