My Name is Shin Nohara, I'm Five Years Old

The first rays of dawn pierced through the leaves of Konohagakure, dappling the windows of the Nohara residence.

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

Miya's voice drifted from the kitchen. She had called five minutes ago, but there was still no response.

That brat must have burrowed back under the covers again.

Miya wiped her hands and strode towards the bedroom.

As expected.

A lump formed under the small quilt, occasionally squirming.

"Xiao! Xin!" Miya yanked the covers off.

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

"Mmm... five more minutes..."

"You've already said 'five more minutes' three times," Miya said, hands on her hips. "Today is the first day of Ninja Academy, weren't you excited yesterday?"

Shin-chan rolled over, burying his face in the pillow, and asked irrelevantly, "Miya lied. You clearly said I could have a Chocolate Stick for breakfast today."

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

"But in my dream, Miya agreed."

A vein throbbed on Miya's forehead. She grabbed Shin-chan by the scruff of his neck and hauled him up. "Enough nonsense, get up!"

"So violent, I'm telling Dad. Miya is abusing a child."

"Your dad left for a mission long ago. Hurry and get dressed."

Five minutes later, Shin-chan finally put on his signature red short-sleeved shirt and yellow shorts. He ate breakfast unsteadily and started walking towards the door.

He stopped abruptly at the entrance.

"Mom."

"What is it now?"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

The small schoolbag in Miya's hand dropped to the floor. "What were you doing just now?"

"I didn't want to go then, but I want to now."

"Go quickly!!!"

After a while longer, Shin-chan finally emerged slowly from the toilet.

"Mom, I..."

Miya grabbed his hand, not giving him a chance to speak: "No time, run."

Two figures, one large and one small, rushed out of the house and sprinted through the streets of Konoha.

"It's all your fault, we're definitely going to be late." Miya panted, "It's the first day today, how embarrassing to be late."

Shin-chan was being dragged, his feet barely touching the ground, yet he remained calm: "It's okay, the teacher will forgive me."

"Dream on!"

The two passed through Konoha's main street and turned into the path leading to the Ninja Academy.

Then Miya's steps slowed.

In an open space not far ahead, a small crowd had gathered, and faint laughter could be heard.

"It's those two 'Eternal Genin' again."

"Haha, look at their Green Spandex, what taste!"

"Still 'youthful,' how old are they and still doing such foolish things? No wonder they'll be genin their whole lives."

Miya frowned. She saw them: two men in Green Spandex, one large and one small.

The larger one had a Watermelon Head, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. At this moment, he was in tears, but he still held his hands high, gave a thumbs-up, and revealed a mouthful of sparkling white teeth.

That was Might Duy, the village's famous "Eternal Genin," whom everyone called foolish.

The smaller one looked about six or seven years old, also with a Watermelon Head, the same thick eyebrows, and the same Green Spandex.

But at this moment, he lowered his head, his face flushed red, his small hands clenched and unclenched, as if he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"Why are you crying? Youth is meant to burn amidst ridicule!" Duy shouted through tears, but his thumb remained firm.

"Dad... stop talking..." Kai's voice was as small as a mosquito's.

The onlookers laughed even harder.

Miya sighed, wanting to pull Shin-chan away. The ninja world was about strength; it was normal for the weak to be ridiculed. Although she didn't agree, she couldn't change anything.

But her hand felt empty.

Shin-chan had already broken free from her grasp at some point.

"Shin-chan!" Miya exclaimed.

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

"Youth should shine brightly!"

He shouted even louder than Might Duy.

The entire place fell silent for a second.

Might Duy was stunned, tears still streaming down his face.

Might Guy looked up sharply, staring at the child who was the same size as him in disbelief.

Shin-chan turned his head and met Might Guy's gaze, still giving a thumbs-up. "Hey, you have bushy eyebrows too! Let's shout together!"

Might Guy opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

Someone in the crowd snickered, "Where did this kid come from?"

"Haha, another idiot!"

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

Might Duy's tears flowed even more fiercely, but this time it was a different kind of tear.

He suddenly crouched down, grabbed Shin-chan's small shoulders with both hands, and trembled, "What's your name?"

"My name is Shin Nohara, and I'm five years old," Shin-chan said, still giving a thumbs-up. "I love Chocolate Sticks and hate Chinjao!"

"Good name," Might Duy roared to the heavens. "Youth, do you see this? This is the inheritance of youth!"

Might Guy stared blankly at the scene. The child, who was a bit shorter than him, was winking at him. "Your dad is so funny, much funnier than Miya."

"I... my dad he..."

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

"YOUTH!!!" This time, it was three voices.

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

The onlookers gradually dispersed, finding it uninteresting. Two fools had just become three fools.

Miya stood outside the crowd, covering her face.

Who did this child take after...

"Shin-chan, you're really going to be late!" Miya finally remembered school.

"Coming," Shin-chan wriggled out of Might Duy's embrace, took a couple of steps, then turned back and waved at the father and son. "Uncle, Bushy Eyebrows, see you this afternoon."

Might Duy waved his hand vigorously, his teeth gleaming in the sunlight. "See you this afternoon, youths full of passion!"

Might Guy finally looked up too. He waved back with all his might, watching the small red figure disappear around the street corner. He murmured, "Dad, he's so amazing."

Might Duy patted his son's shoulder. "Guy, remember today. This child taught us a lesson. True passion doesn't care about others' gazes."

Might Guy nodded vigorously, a light glinting in his eyes.

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

"Mom, that uncle's eyebrows are so thick, like two caterpillars crawling on his face. Do you think he eats with them?"

"Shut up and run!"

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

"Don't give me that. Weren't you full of energy just now when you were shouting about passion?"

"That's different! Oh, my shoe came off."

Miya looked down and saw that one shoe had indeed fallen off.

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

"Shin Nohara!!!"

Konoha's morning was as noisy and warm as ever.