Ito Ni's Oath

The final attempt at gathering... failed.

Hanfu felt a little guilty. He really had been too impatient.

Teacher Daishi had smiled the whole time, but he must have been cursing Hanfu in his head. How could they possibly have succeeded with him gathering chakra under those circumstances?

"Well, that's all for today!"

After spending an hour and a half explaining chakra refinement to Hanfu, Hiramatsu Daishi realized it was past three o'clock. There were less than thirty minutes left before school let out, so there was no time for practical training... Ah, it hurt to even talk about it. Hiramatsu Daishi simply dismissed the class and walked away with a forlorn air.

"Hanfu, what was Teacher Daishi talking to you about? He spent a whole hour and a half with you." Iruka came over and asked curiously.

"Oh, that? I was actually asking Teacher Daishi for help with something." Hanfu answered as he headed back to the classroom.

"Hanfu!"

Anko and Inuzuka Sa came over, supporting each other.

"What happened to you two...?" Seeing them, Hanfu couldn't help grinning. "Did you get beat up?"

Inuzuka Sa grimaced. "Yui hit me with her shuriken. It really hurt."

"Woof, woof." Shiromaru, the little puppy, was perched on Inuzuka Sa's shoulder, its head the only part showing. It whimpered as if protesting on its little owner's behalf.

"Hanfu! You jerk!"

Anko glared at him and snapped, "I just remembered—during yesterday's entrance test, you asked me to teach you how to throw kunai, even though you're already so good. Were you trying to take advantage of me?"

"Of course not!"

Hanfu answered righteously, "Anko, I know you're very proud. I only said that because I wanted to help you improve your kunai throwing!"

"Really?"

Anko looked doubtful.

"Really." Hanfu nodded vigorously. He couldn't very well say that yesterday he still hadn't learned Ninja Tool Throwing, could he?

No one would believe him anyway.

The Six-Person Small Group was chatting when an unwelcome guest came hobbling over. It was none other than Ito Nipan.

First, Hanfu had hit Nipan in the knee with a senbon. Then, during practical training, Nipan hadn't escaped his bad luck either. He'd used his chubby body to take hit after hit from kunai, shuriken, and senbon raining down from above. But the pain hadn't dampened his spirits!

"Gekko Hayate, I won't let you leave me in the dust!"

Nipan gazed at his former Dead Last ally, now the rising star of tomorrow, with complicated feelings. Still unconvinced, he declared, "Next Theory Exam, I'll beat you fair and square!"

As one of Class 8's top students in theory, a powerhouse who could stand alongside Aburame Yui, Ito Nipan spoke with confidence and resolve.

In his Previous Life, Hanfu had heard a saying: The people more handsome than me aren't as tall; the people taller than me aren't as rich; the people richer than me don't have as much class; and the people with more class aren't as handsome!

In short, no matter who you were competing against, you should play to your strengths and target your opponent's weaknesses. That way, you'd never lose.

Nipan couldn't beat him in practical training, so now he wanted to beat him in theory?

How naive!

Hanfu had been driving for years. He wasn't falling for that, so he replied with righteous indignation, "If it's fair and square, then forget the Theory Exam. Let's just fight one-on-one. If you think I'm picking on you, I'll fight with one hand and both legs tied up. How about it?"

"I... No!"

Nipan's face flushed red with anger. "You! You're shameless!"

Hanfu sighed. "We're both the same."

"We're... not the same."

Nipan's voice lacked conviction.

"So, are we fighting or not?" Hanfu teased.

"I... I..." Nipan felt awful. He wanted to cry.

"Okay, Hanfu, stop picking on Nipan," Iruka cut in.

"Iruka, now you're calling me Nipan too..." Nipan felt so wronged.

"Huh? Did I?" Iruka hurriedly apologized, then passed the blame to Hanfu. "Sorry, sorry. It's all Hanfu's fault, calling you Nipan all day long. He's got me doing it too."

"Iruka, that was a pretty quick attempt to pass the buck," Hanfu remarked.

"But it's true," Iruka said with a grin.

"Enough chatting. Don't forget, we're having a picnic at Beishan after school today," Anko reminded them.

"We know, we know. It'll just be desserts like red bean paste and red bean buns again." Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane couldn't help complaining.

The Six-Person Small Group chatted and laughed as they returned to the classroom. With only a few minutes left before school let out, they gathered their things and left together.

Nipan stood off to the side, feeling utterly insignificant as he realized they'd ignored him completely.

"You all ignored me today. I'll never forget this humiliation. One day, I, I... I'll win you over with sushi!"

Nipan solemnly swore an oath.

Hanfu waited at the school gate for a few minutes before he saw his little brother bouncing over to him.

"Big brother!"

Gekko Hayate was in high spirits. "I made friends with lots of classmates at school today!"

In the two days since school had started, Gekko Hayate had gotten to know quite a few people in his class, and they seemed to be getting along well.

"What are their names?" Hanfu asked, pretending not to care.

Gekko Hayate immediately rattled off four or five names.

Hanfu didn't recognize any of them. They must be from the bronze class too. He lost interest.

When they got home, Hanfu was surprised to find Keiko back as well.

"Mom, did you just get off work, or are you about to go in?" Hanfu asked. His mother had worked the night shift at the hospital last night, and she hadn't been home when he and his little brother left for school that morning.

"Aunt Keiko," Gekko Hayate greeted her too.

Keiko smiled. "Mom's been working the night shift these past few days, so after dinner, I'll have to head to the hospital."

That was how hospital work went. People often had to switch between day and night shifts, so Hanfu wasn't surprised.

"Feng-chan, how did you like today's lunch?" Keiko asked expectantly.

Hanfu's facial muscles twitched. What are you looking so hopeful for? Don't you know what your own sushi tastes like?

But he could only say that in his head.

"Mom, I think lunch should be a little more conventional. Rice balls and sushi and things like that are too fancy," Hanfu suggested tactfully.

"That's not true, Big Brother! Aunt Keiko's sushi is delicious. I ate it all today!" His little brother eagerly piped up.

"Keep your mouth shut!"

Hanfu snapped.

"Feng-chan, don't talk to your little brother like that. And about your lunch, Feng-chan..." Keiko said seriously. "You mustn't be a picky eater~"

"I..."

Hanfu was at a loss for words.

Never mind. At least he could mooch some lunch from Anko and Inuzuka Sa. That way, he wouldn't have to choke down Nori Sesame Rice Balls and sushi until he was sick of them.

"Oh, right, Mom. I'm having a picnic with my classmates later, so I won't be home for dinner."

Hanfu said as he headed toward the entrance.

"Come home early, okay?" Keiko said.

"Got it."

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