Mr. Kakashi! She's Calling You Out

Early morning.

A thin mist still rose from the stone pavement, but the mission hall in the Hokage Building was already packed with freshly graduated ninja academy students. The new Genin crowded around the noticeboard, chattering excitedly as they looked forward to receiving their first missions.

The first team to arrive had already received their assignment and was getting ready to leave.

"Itachi!"

Kokoro eagerly hurried after Itachi, who was walking at the front. "Was that person yesterday really your younger brother?"

Itachi nodded calmly. "His name is Uchiha Qing Xuan. He's my uncle's son."

He'd already heard about what had happened yesterday, but he didn't know what to make of Qing Xuan's actions. Judging by Kokoro's reaction now, though, things seemed to have turned out all right.

"But you look so much alike! I couldn't tell yesterday!"

"Hmph!"

Tenma's face twisted with anger. As he seethed, those words surfaced in his mind once again.

So if I ever die in front of you on a mission, you won't be sad, right?

He glared fiercely at Itachi. If it hadn't been you yesterday, then what had all that been about?

He'd finally managed to let go of his hatred, but Itachi had made a fool of him.

"I heard Qing Xuan said some pretty strange things to you yesterday?"

Itachi fell silent for a moment, then spoke up of his own accord. "I don't know what he said, but since he was speaking on my behalf, you can take it as though I said it."

"No!" Tenma finally snapped. "You can't speak for him!"

He continued glaring at Itachi. "There are Uchiha I don't hate, but you're definitely not one of them!"

"But I just saw him being taken away by the Anbu again! Is that okay?" Kokoro asked anxiously.

"That was Hatake Kakashi." Yuki, who'd been silent until then, suddenly spoke. "He wasn't even wearing a mask, so he probably wasn't on a mission."

Then the easygoing older man scratched his head and grumbled under his breath, "He can just wander around in his Anbu uniform like that? Doesn't he have to keep it secret?"

"Anbu?!" Yuki's answer completely stunned Kokoro and Tenma.

The boy, who'd never liked Itachi, immediately forgot all about him. "I knew those two girls standing beside him looked familiar! They're the prodigy from the Hyuga branch family—Hyuga Kikyo!"

"Hyuga Kikyo?" Kokoro asked, bewildered. "Is she famous?"

Tenma snorted again and shot Itachi a look. "She's a lot more famous than the Uchiha beside you, at least. She graduated at ten, passed the Chunin exam at eleven, and has already completed three B-rank and ten C-rank missions!"

"That's amazing!"

"This is probably the selection for new Anbu recruits," Yuki said, once again revealing the village's secrets at a crucial moment. He gazed at the morning sun and sighed, his stubbled chin framed by blue sky and white clouds. "It's that time of year again, huh?"

"New Anbu recruits?" Tenma exclaimed in disbelief. He looked at Yuki. "But Itachi's younger brother looks so young!"

"Qing Xuan is only six, but he's already as strong as a Chunin," Itachi said mildly. His two teammates both gasped.

For some reason, hearing them express their amazement made him feel a little proud.

At a forest training ground atop the Hokage Monument.

"Uh... how should I put this? My first impression of you three... was pretty ordinary."

Kakashi leaned against a tree in the shade, looking utterly listless as he regarded the three people standing or sitting around a large rock.

"Well, let's go through the usual routine first. Introduce yourselves. Say whatever you like—it can be anything."

The familiar opening, just like Team 7's, made Qing Xuan exclaim, What a nostalgic blast from the past!

But his attention remained fixed on the black-haired girl beside him, who looked about Kakashi's age. There was something familiar about her that he couldn't stop noticing.

"M-my name is Kato Shizune. I'm sixteen. I graduated from the Ninja Academy at nine and became a Chunin at thirteen. My dream is to become a great Medical Ninja like Lord Tsunade! And, and... I hate eating pork!"

Well, there it is! Qing Xuan thought. Kato Shizune—Kato Dan's niece. She loved wearing high-heeled sandals, was good at dodging debts, and apparently enjoyed wandering from place to place with Tsunade. But shouldn't she have left the village with Tsunade ages ago? Why was she still here? And how had she ended up in the Anbu?

"Before we continue, could I ask something?"

As soon as Shizune finished introducing herself, another clear, lilting voice came from nearby.

"Isn't this a meeting for new Anbu recruits? Then why is there a Uchiha here who isn't even a ninja?"

The speaker was a beautiful, cool-looking girl with long, straight black hair and clear white eyes.

Her Byakugan revealed who she was, while her cool, challenging tone made it clear she had a problem with him. As she swept her gaze over him, Qing Xuan sat on the large rock and glared right back without a hint of politeness.

Kakashi seemed to have expected this. He raised a hand, still wearing that same deadpan expression, with not a trace of youthful energy. "You all know how rigorous the Anbu selection process is, so I won't go into detail. But there's one thing you need to understand..."

He leaned lazily against the tree, the warm breeze blowing over him. He looked as if he might fall asleep at any moment. "Even as a Chunin being trained early as a reserve, a recruit must have exceptional potential!"

His words were listless, but left no room for argument. Though he hadn't said it outright, they made his point clear. The Hyuga girl's gaze grew even more doubtful as she looked at Qing Xuan.

"Go on," Kakashi reminded her.

The girl bit her lip and spoke unwillingly. "My name is Hyuga Kikyo. I'm twelve. I graduated from the Ninja Academy at ten and became a Chunin last year. My dream is... I suppose it's to protect the main family's rights from being violated. I really hate people who ignore the rules, act recklessly, have no ambition, and do nothing but cut corners!"

Qing Xuan immediately raised his hand. "Mr. Kakashi! She's calling you out!"

Kakashi's face darkened instantly, and he seemed to wake up a little.

Being disliked by a girl and then having someone point it out in front of everyone was embarrassing even for him.

"Uchiha Qing Xuan, I don't need you to remind me. And please call me Class Leader!"

What was with the study-group vibe?

"Class Leader!"

"What?"

"Can you really get a girlfriend acting like that?"