The bell finally rang, marking the end of class.
"All right, that's it for the morning." Teacher Ibuki closed his textbook and reminded them, "Shin Nohara, don't forget your essay on the Will of Fire tomorrow. At least three hundred words."
Shin-chan slumped over his desk like a puddle of melted wax.
"Three hundred words? I'll die."
Uchiha Toru packed up his books beside him and couldn't help laughing when he glanced over.
"Three hundred words isn't much. It's only a few sentences."
"A few sentences?" Shin-chan lifted his head. "Then if I say, 'The Will of Fire means not eating bell peppers,' how many words is that?"
Uchiha Toru counted. "Ten."
"Then how many times do I have to say it?"
"Thirty."
Shin-chan fell silent, then slumped back onto his desk.
Looking at Shin-chan's utterly dejected expression, Uchiha Toru suddenly remembered something. He took a small paper packet from his schoolbag and set it in front of Shin-chan.
"Here."
Shin-chan lifted his head and looked at the packet.
"What's this?"
"Open it and see."
Shin-chan opened the packet curiously. Inside was a Chocolate Stick.
"Chocolate!" Shin-chan's eyes lit up at once.
"Yeah." Uchiha Toru turned his face away, a little embarrassed. "Didn't you say yesterday that you liked Chocolate Sticks? We happened to have some at home, so I brought you one."
Shin-chan stared at the Chocolate Stick, practically drooling, then looked at Uchiha Toru. "Xiao Che."
"W-what?"
"You're my best friend!"
Uchiha Toru's face turned slightly red. "D-don't make it sound so dramatic."
"I mean it." Shin-chan threw his arms around him. "Xiao Che is the best, ten thousand times better than bell peppers."
"Don't compare me to bell peppers!"
"Ten thousand times better than natto."
"That's basically the same thing!"
Shin-chan let go of him and picked up the Chocolate Stick. His expression was so solemn, it was as if he were performing some kind of sacred ritual.
Then he took a bite.
"Mmm."
Uchiha Toru watched him nervously. "How is it?"
Shin-chan closed his eyes and chewed slowly, his face alight with bliss.
"It's delicious! So delicious! This is the best Chocolate Stick I've ever had."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Shin-chan opened his eyes and looked at Uchiha Toru. "Xiao Che, you should have a bite too."
"No, it's for you."
"No way. Half each." Shin-chan broke the Chocolate Stick in two and offered Uchiha Toru the longer piece. "Here."
Uchiha Toru stared at the half in his hand, momentarily stunned.
"It's yours."
"Friends are supposed to share." Shin-chan had already popped the other half into his mouth. "Besides, you treated me, so of course I should give you half."
Looking at the half a Chocolate Stick in his hand, Uchiha Toru suddenly felt something strange well up inside him.
Warm, like sunlight shining on him.
Uchiha Toru took a bite.
"Is it good?" Shin-chan asked.
"Yeah." Uchiha Toru nodded. "It's good."
Shin-chan smiled, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Xiao Che, do you like bear-shaped cookies?"
"They're okay."
"Then I'll bring you some next time. My mom bought a whole bunch."
"Okay."
The two of them sat together, eating the same Chocolate Stick.
Outside the window, the sun shone brightly.
Might Guy walked by and saw them. His eyes grew damp again.
"Youth! This is the youth of friendship!"
Shin-chan and Uchiha Toru both looked at him.
"Guy, want some?" Shin-chan held up the last little piece. "There's just a tiny bit left."
Might Guy froze, then tears spilled from his eyes.
"Shin-chan!"
He rushed over and threw his arms around Shin-chan.
"You're my best friend!"
"L-let go! I can't breathe!"
Teacher Ibuki was gathering his things at the front of the classroom, watching the children with a smile just beginning to form on his lips.
"What did you say?"
Obito's roar exploded from a corner, startling everyone.
Teacher Ibuki's smile froze. He looked toward the sound and saw Obito spring to his feet, his little face flushed as he glared at a boy in the back row.
"I said," Asuma repeated leisurely, "what's so great about the Hokage? He's busy all the time, never around, and doesn't even take care of his son."
Obito clenched his fists. "Hokage-sama is the greatest ninja. He protects the village. How can you say that?"
"He's my Old Man." Asuma rolled his eyes. "I know better than you do. All he ever does is work, work, work. He never cares about his family. What's the point of being great if he doesn't even have time to spend with them?"
Obito trembled with anger. "He does it for the village. Hokage-sama sacrifices himself for everyone."
"Sacrifices?" Asuma stood up and faced Obito. "Who cares if he sacrifices himself? I'd rather he weren't the Hokage. I just want him to be an ordinary dad."
"You don't deserve to be the Hokage's son!"
"You think I want to be?" Asuma's voice rose too. "People stare at me everywhere I go. I have to watch how I act all the time. It's so annoying!"
The two of them stood face-to-face, their eyes blazing.
The children around them fell silent, watching anxiously.
Seeing what was happening, Teacher Ibuki panicked and hurried over. "Hey, hey! What are you doing?"
But neither Obito nor Asuma paid him any attention.
"Apologize!" Obito shouted. "Apologize to Hokage-sama!"
"Why should I apologize? I'm telling the truth."
"You!"
Obito threw a punch. Asuma dodged to the side and shoved him back, and the two began grappling.
"Stop it! Both of you, stop!"
Teacher Ibuki rushed over to pull them apart, but he was a young teacher in his early twenties, facing something like this for the first time, and had no idea what to do.
He had only just grabbed Obito's arm when Asuma kicked out, nearly hitting him.
"Stop fighting!" Teacher Ibuki's voice rang with worry and helplessness.
But the two boys were seeing red and couldn't hear him. Some of the children huddled together in fear, while others cheered excitedly.
Kakashi sat at his desk, watching expressionlessly, with no intention of stepping in.
Rin stood up anxiously. "Stop fighting! You'll get hurt."
Might Guy tried to break them up too, but the two boys shoved him away.
The scene grew more and more chaotic.
At some point, Shin-chan appeared between them. "Why are you fighting? Is it over a Chocolate Stick?"
"No," they answered in unison.
"Then is it over a Pretty Big Sister?"
"No."
"Then is it over who gets to use the bathroom first?"
"Of course not."
Shin-chan tilted his head, confused. "Then why are you fighting?"
Obito pointed at Asuma. "He insulted Hokage-sama."
Asuma sneered. "I told the truth."
Shin-chan blinked. He looked at Obito, then at Asuma, and asked, "Your dad is the Hokage?"
"Yeah."
"Then is your dad really strong?"
Asuma paused and turned his face away. "What does it matter to you whether he's strong or not?"
Before you continue