A Little Note

Kashima Isamu's final decision regarding Hanfu not doing his homework was to make him turn in an essay today. As for Hanfu getting beaten up...

Kashima Isamu wasn't stupid. How could he not see that the ones who'd beaten Hanfu were the very students in class who'd pleaded on his behalf?

Hanfu may not be good at school, but he's got a pretty good grasp of people.

Thinking this, Kashima Isamu continued, "All right, let's begin class! Today we'll be learning about Trap Manufacturing Principles!"

"Iruka, is Ito Ni really dreaming of becoming a chef?" Hanfu asked quietly, pretending to listen attentively to the lesson after narrowly escaping trouble.

"Ito Ni... Ahem, Ito's family runs a sushi shop. He grew up there and is determined to become the best sushi chef in the village," Iruka replied.

Hanfu was puzzled. "Then why does the teacher seem to think so highly of him? Does he really love sushi that much?"

"No, it's because Ito Ni... Ahem, Ito's theoretical knowledge is the best in our class." Iruka covered his forehead and said in anguish, "Hanfu, please don't give Ito Ni... Ito all sorts of ridiculous nicknames."

Hanfu glanced at him sideways. "You say it pretty naturally yourself."

"I do not!" Iruka snapped, embarrassed and angry. He was a man of principle!

Just then, the student sitting in front of Iruka suddenly tossed a little note over his shoulder.

Iruka froze. He picked up the note and unfolded it. His expression turned remarkably animated, and then he copied Hanfu, giving him a sideways glance.

"What?" Hanfu immediately sensed a strong air of malice coming from Iruka.

"It's for you." Iruka handed him the note.

Hanfu was baffled. What was this supposed to mean? Was someone confessing to him?

Hanfu silently unfolded the note. It read: "Gekko Hanfu, don't run away from Combat Training Class this afternoon!!!"

"Hm?"

Hanfu raised an eyebrow. Those three exclamation marks didn't look like a confession.

Then the student sitting in front of him tossed down another note.

Hanfu caught it instinctively and opened it: "Gekko Hanfu, one-on-one this afternoon!!"

Three black lines appeared on Hanfu's forehead. Which little bastard was stirring up trouble?

But before he could identify the "suspect," one little note after another started coming from every direction. Including the first two, there were fourteen in all!

Their whole class only had thirty students!

Hanfu read them one by one. Every single one was looking to take him on.

Hanfu held his head in his hands, utterly exhausted.

"Hanfu, are you okay?"

Iruka tried to hide his laughter as he feigned concern, but he couldn't conceal the delight in his eyes.

"I just want to be a low-key handsome man. Why is that so hard?"

Hanfu propped his chin on his hands, secretly glad he'd completely mastered Ninja Tool Throwing last night. Otherwise, he'd have been in for another beating this afternoon.

But...

These bronze-rank amateurs sure are stubborn. Fine. Big brother Hanfu will teach you all a lesson in how to behave today. You'll thank me once you're out in the real world.

There was still one problem.

Would Kashima Isamu suspect anything if his Ninja Tool Throwing suddenly improved so much?

Hanfu thought it over. No, he had to hurry up and finish the essay and hand it in. Ideally, he could make Kashima Isamu "notice" his talent for Ninja Tool Throwing!

With that in mind, Hanfu immediately rummaged through his desk and pulled out a workbook, only to discover he hadn't brought a pen. He quickly borrowed one from Iruka.

At the front of the room, Kashima Isamu rambled on about the finer points of trap-making. Below, Hanfu wrote freely about his insights into Ninja Tool Throwing.

For someone who had completely mastered Ninja Tool Throwing, writing a five-hundred-word essay was a piece of cake.

In less than forty minutes, Hanfu had finished.

As soon as class let out, Hanfu took the essay straight to Kashima Isamu.

Kashima Isamu read it over, his expression full of admiration. He praised Hanfu without holding back. "Hanfu, I didn't expect you to have such a deep understanding of Ninja Tool Throwing!"

Hanfu replied modestly, "It's all thanks to your teaching, teacher."

"No matter how well a teacher teaches, it's no use if the students don't listen."

Kashima Isamu's words carried a pointed meaning. The only reason Hanfu had written his thoughts down so quickly was that... he hadn't been listening to the lesson at all. He'd been busy writing instead!

Hanfu gave an awkward smile.

"All right, go back."

Kashima Isamu said no more. He waved Hanfu back to the classroom.

When Hanfu returned, everything seemed normal. But remembering the fourteen little notes in his desk, he smiled to himself. He'd better eat a little more at lunch so he'd have enough strength to beat people up.

During the next few theory classes, Hanfu wasn't the only one who couldn't focus. Half the class was just as distracted, silently waiting for time to pass.

At last!

"All right, that's it for this morning. Class dismissed."

Kashima Isamu watched the restless students and couldn't help reminding them, "Everyone, this afternoon's Combat Training Class will be taught by Hiramatsu Daishi, the homeroom teacher of Class 1. Pay attention and don't cause trouble for Teacher Daishi, understood?"

"Yes!"

The bronze-rank students shouted excitedly.

Kashima Isamu shook his head and left the classroom.

As soon as he was gone, the classroom erupted with activity.

Anko was the first to grab her lunchbox and hurry to the back row.

"Hanfu, you're done for! Latest intel: you'll be facing more than a dozen opponents in this afternoon's training class. The situation is dire!" Anko tried her best to look grave.

"Don't worry."

Hanfu took out his sushi lunchbox and declared, "I'm the strongest!"

"Hey? Sushi!"

Anko saw what was inside Hanfu's lunchbox and exclaimed in surprise, "Hanfu, you're not eating rice balls anymore?"

At that, Hanfu's face darkened. Pointing at the seaweed and sesame sushi in his lunchbox, he asked, "Anko, is there any difference between this sushi and rice balls?"

"Of course there is!"

A voice rang out, brimming with passion. It was Ito Nipan, the student who was studying and striving tirelessly at the Ninja Academy with his dream of becoming a chef.

"How can rice balls possibly compare to sushi?"

Ito Nipan spoke with obvious displeasure. "Sushi comes in so many varieties: Box Sushi, Roll Sushi, Futomaki, Hosomaki, Temaki, Uramaki..."

As he spoke, Ito Nipan had already reached Hanfu's desk and spotted the Nori Sesame Sushi in his lunchbox.

"Th-this isn't sushi!"

Ito Nipan was furious. "Sushi isn't supposed to look like this! You're just being lazy. You've sullied sushi! Sushi made like this has no, no..."

"No soul?" Hanfu prompted.

"Exactly! Sushi made like this has no soul!" Ito Ni was worked up.

Hanfu was at a loss. He looked at Iruka. "What's wrong with him?"

"Hanfu, I told you earlier: Ito Ni's family... Ahem, Ito's family makes sushi," Iruka said quietly.

"I see."

Hanfu looked down at the Nori Sesame Sushi in his lunchbox and began to understand.

Sushi was probably sacred and inviolable to Ito Ni. It was his faith, the dream he'd pursued his whole life. And the sushi Keiko had made... Well, no need to say more. Hanfu felt wronged too.

"Anyway!"

Ito Ni glared at Hanfu and said, "Gekko Hanfu, you'd better be ready for this afternoon's Combat Training Class!"

Ito Ni glared at the readers who hadn't voted: Where are my recommendation votes?!