My Name Is Shin Nohara, and I'm Five Years Old

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the trees of Konoha and dappled the windows of the Nohara House.

"Shin-chan, hurry up and get up! It's almost seven!"

Miya's voice came from the kitchen. She had called him five minutes ago, but still hadn't gotten a response.

That brat had definitely crawled back under the covers again.

Miya wiped her hands and strode toward the bedroom,

and sure enough.

A lump bulged beneath the tiny blanket, wriggling from time to time.

"Shin!" Miya yanked off the blanket.

Five-year-old Shin-chan was curled up in his pajamas like a shrimp, eyes squeezed shut, a suspicious trickle of drool at the corner of his mouth.

"Mm... five more minutes..."

"You've already asked for three more five minutes." Miya put her hands on her hips. "It's the first day of the Ninja Academy. Weren't you looking forward to it yesterday?"

Shin-chan rolled over and buried his face in the pillow, replying with a complete non sequitur. "Miya, you lied. You clearly said yesterday that I could have a Chocolate Stick for breakfast today."

"That was a dream. When did I ever say that?"

"But in my dream, Miya said yes."

A vein bulged on Miya's forehead. She grabbed Shin-chan by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up. "Enough talk. Get up!"

"How violent! I'm telling Dad that Miya abuses children."

"Your dad left for a mission ages ago. Get dressed."

Five minutes later, Shin-chan had finally squeezed into his signature red T-shirt and yellow shorts. After leisurely finishing breakfast, he started toward the door.

When he reached the genkan, he suddenly stopped.

"Mom."

"What is it now?"

"I need to use the bathroom."

The little schoolbag slipped from Miya's hand and hit the floor. "What were you doing just now?"

"I didn't need to go then. I do now."

"Go!!!"

Quite a while later, Shin-chan finally emerged from the bathroom at his own pace.

"Mom, I..."

Miya grabbed his hand before he could finish. "There's no time. Run!"

Two figures, one big and one small, dashed out of the house and raced along the streets of Konoha.

"This is all your fault. We're definitely going to be late," Miya panted. "It's your first day, and being late would be so embarrassing."

Shin-chan's feet barely touched the ground as she dragged him along, but he still looked completely calm. "It's okay. The teacher will forgive me."

"Keep dreaming!"

They crossed Konoha's main street and turned onto the narrow road leading to the Ninja Academy.

Then Miya slowed down.

A short distance ahead, a small crowd had gathered in an open space. Laughter drifted over to them.

"Those two 'Eternal Genin' again."

"Ha! Look at those green spandex outfits. What a sense of style!"

"Still going on about youth? They're too old to be doing this silly stuff. No wonder they'll be Genin their whole lives."

Miya frowned. There they were: two men in green spandex, one big and one small.

The older one had a bowl cut and thick eyebrows. Tears streamed down his face, yet he still held both hands high, thumbs up, showing off a dazzling set of white teeth.

That was Might Duy, Konoha's infamous "Eternal Genin." Everyone laughed at him for being an idiot.

The younger one looked about six or seven. He had the same bowl cut, the same thick eyebrows, and the same green spandex.

But now he hung his head, his face flushed red. His little hands clenched and unclenched as if he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

"Why are you crying? Youth is meant to burn bright, even amid ridicule!" Duy shouted through his tears, his thumb still held proudly aloft.

"Dad... stop..." Guy's voice was as quiet as a mosquito's.

The crowd laughed even louder.

Miya sighed and started to lead Shin-chan around them. In the ninja world, strength was everything, and the weak were often mocked. She didn't agree with it, but there wasn't much she could do to change it.

Then her hand was empty.

At some point, Shin-chan had slipped free.

"Shin!" Miya cried.

The small figure in the red shirt had already dashed beside Might Duy at lightning speed. He puffed out his chest, raised his right thumb, and flashed a row of little white teeth.

"Youth should shine bright!"

He shouted even louder than Duy.

The whole crowd fell silent for a second.

Might Duy froze, tears still on his face.

Guy jerked his head up and stared in disbelief at the boy who was about his age.

Shin-chan turned and met Guy's gaze, still holding his thumb up. "Hey, you have thick eyebrows too! Let's shout together!"

Guy opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Someone in the crowd snickered. "Where'd this brat come from?"

"Ha! Another idiot!"

But Shin-chan didn't care at all. He turned to Might Duy and tilted his head. "Mister, what kind of training are you doing? How about letting me join you? I have to go to the Ninja Academy today, but I can come after school."

Might Duy's tears flowed even harder, but this time they were different.

He dropped into a crouch, grabbed Shin-chan's little shoulders with both hands, and asked in a trembling voice, "What's your name?"

"My name is Shin Nohara, and I'm five years old." Shin-chan kept his thumb up. "I love Chocolate Sticks, and I hate green peppers!"

"That's a fine name." Might Duy threw his head back and cried out, "Oh, youth! Do you see? This is the passing of the torch!"

Guy stared at the scene, dumbfounded. The boy, even shorter than him, winked. "Your dad is so funny. He's way funnier than Miya."

"I... my dad..."

"Come on, come on. Together!" Shin-chan grabbed Guy's hand and raised it high. "One, two, three!"

"Youth!!!" All three of them shouted.

Might Duy was so moved that tears streamed down his face. He hugged Shin-chan and said, "From today on, let's burn with the flames of youth!"

The crowd gradually dispersed, having lost interest. Two idiots had become three, that was all.

Miya stood outside the crowd and covered her face.

Who on earth did that child take after...

"Shin! You're really going to be late!" Miya finally remembered he had to get to school.

"Coming!" Shin-chan wriggled free of Might Duy's embrace and ran a few steps. Then he turned and waved at the father and son. "See you this afternoon, Mister and Thick Eyebrows!"

Might Duy waved vigorously, his teeth gleaming in the sunlight. "See you this afternoon, young man of youth!"

Guy finally lifted his head and waved hard too. Watching the small red figure disappear around the corner, he said quietly, "Dad, he's amazing."

Might Duy patted his son on the shoulder. "Guy, remember today. That boy taught us a lesson: true youth doesn't care what other people think."

Guy nodded firmly, a light glimmering in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Shin-chan was being dragged along at a run by Miya, still muttering:

"Mom, that man's eyebrows are so thick. They look like two caterpillars crawling across his face. Do you think he can eat with his eyebrows?"

"Be quiet and run!"

"But I really can't run anymore..."

"Oh, please. Weren't you full of energy when you were shouting about youth?"

"That's different! Oh no, my shoe fell off."

Miya looked down. Sure enough, one of his shoes had fallen off.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then opened them again.

"Shin Nohara!!!"

Morning in Konoha was still noisy and warm.