"Of course it concerns me." Shin-chan spoke with a serious look on his face. "I want to be Hokage someday too, so I want to know if people who become Hokage are really that amazing."
Asuma was silent for two seconds, then said quietly, "He really is pretty amazing. His Ninjutsu is powerful, and everyone respects him."
"Then why did you say he's no good?"
"Because he never has time for me." Asuma's voice grew even softer. "When I was little, I wanted him to teach me how to throw Shuriken, but he said he was busy. I wanted him to take me to see the fireworks, but he said he was busy. Even on my birthday, he said he was busy."
Asuma lowered his head. "But I just want an ordinary dad, too."
The classroom fell silent.
Obito opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
Shin-chan leaned toward Asuma. "Your dad doesn't play with you?"
"No."
"Then does he make you eat bell peppers?"
Asuma stared at him in confusion. "What?"
"Bell peppers." Shin-chan looked solemn. "My mom makes me eat them every day. If your dad doesn't make you eat bell peppers, then he's a little better than my mom."
Asuma's mouth twitched. "I don't hate bell peppers."
Shin-chan's expression instantly turned admiring. "Really? Your dad must be so happy!"
"He did say he was glad I wasn't a picky eater." Asuma's voice softened without him realizing it.
Shin-chan nodded, then turned to Obito. "Obito, why are you so mad?"
Obito's face flushed. "Because Hokage-sama is the village's hero. He protected all of us, and I won't let anyone say bad things about him."
"Have you met Hokage-sama?"
"I have. At the festival last time, he stood on the stage and gave a speech. Everyone was cheering." Obito's eyes shone.
"Do you like him?"
"Of course I do." Obito answered without hesitation. "He's the Hokage—the strongest person in the village!"
Asuma muttered softly beside him, "You're not the one he stood up."
"That's different." Obito glared at him. "Hokage-sama is so busy. If he stands someone up, he can't help it. He has to protect the whole village, so of course he doesn't have time for just one person."
Obito continued, "My grandma says that people with ability have to take on more responsibility. Hokage-sama is so amazing, so he must have a lot of things to take care of."
As he spoke, Obito's voice suddenly grew quieter. "And besides, isn't it nice to have someone who can wait? My mom and dad died when I was very little."
"So my grandma says that what Hokage-sama does is make sure people like my mom and dad don't have to sacrifice themselves anymore. I never got to meet them, but I think anyone who can protect others is amazing."
The classroom fell silent for a few seconds.
Rin's eyes grew a little red.
Even Kakashi turned slightly to look at Obito.
Asuma stood there, his expression changing again and again.
Obito himself grew a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "Why am I saying all this?"
Shin-chan tilted his head and looked at him. A few seconds later, he suddenly spoke. "Obito."
"Hm?"
"Were your mom and dad Ninja?"
"I guess so."
"What do you want to do when you grow up?"
Obito answered without the slightest hesitation. "I'm going to become Hokage—someone even more amazing than the current Hokage-sama."
Shin-chan blinked and tilted his head at him. "When you become Hokage, will you get rid of bell peppers?"
Obito froze. "Huh?"
"Bell peppers." Shin-chan looked serious. "When you become Hokage, can you order all the bell peppers in the village to be destroyed?"
Obito's mouth twitched. "That's not what the Hokage does."
"Then what's the point of being Hokage?" Shin-chan sighed in disappointment. "You can't even get rid of bell peppers."
"The Hokage protects the village. He doesn't destroy bell peppers!"
"But bell peppers are in the village." Shin-chan tilted his head. "They're in the fields, in the kitchen, and in my bowl. They hurt me every day. Why won't you protect me?"
Obito's face turned bright red. "Th-that's different. Bell peppers aren't enemies."
"They're enemies to me." Shin-chan put his hands on his hips. "You're not fit to be Hokage. I'm going to compete with you!"
"Compete over what?"
"Over becoming Hokage." Shin-chan was utterly confident. "Once I become Hokage, the first thing I'll do is get rid of bell peppers."
Obito paused, then got fired up too. "Fine, let's compete! Once I become Hokage, I'll make everyone acknowledge me."
Shin-chan pointed at himself. "Shin Nohara, future Hokage. My motto is: 'Goodbye, bell peppers! Long live Chocolate Sticks!'"
The children nearby finally burst out laughing.
Asuma stood off to the side, his mouth twitching, but there was a smile in his eyes.
Shin-chan suddenly turned to him. "Asuma, do you want to join us?"
Asuma blinked. "Join what?"
"Join our Hokage Competition." Shin-chan counted on his fingers. "Obito wants to be a Hokage everyone acknowledges, I want to be a Hokage who gets rid of bell peppers, and you can be your own kind of Hokage."
Asuma rolled his eyes. "Why would I want to be Hokage? My Old Man is annoying enough already."
"Then what do you want to be?"
Asuma thought for a moment, then turned his face away. "I don't know. I'm just not becoming Hokage."
"Then you can be the judge between us." Shin-chan clapped his hands. "You can see whether I get rid of bell peppers first or Obito gets everyone to acknowledge him first."
Asuma's mouth twitched. "What's there to compete over?"
"We'll find out when we compete." Shin-chan looked at him. "If you're the judge, you don't have to decide what you want to be. Just watch the two of us compete first."
Asuma paused.
That... might work?
Shin-chan looked at Obito again. "What do you think, Obito?"
Obito thought it over, then nodded. "Sure. It'll be better to have someone watching. Then you'll know who's more amazing."
"Great!" Shin-chan raised his hand. "From now on, we're the Hokage Competition Trio. Obito's the Hokage who gets people to acknowledge him, I'm the Hokage who gets rid of bell peppers, and Asuma's the judge Hokage."
"What kind of Hokage is a judge...?"
"As long as 'Hokage' is in the name, it counts." Shin-chan put an arm around each of them. "All right, from today on, we're friends."
Obito blinked. "We're friends just like that?"
"Why not?" Shin-chan tilted his head. "You're competing with me to become Hokage. How could we not be friends?"
Obito thought about it. That did make some sense.
Asuma didn't say anything, but he didn't shake off Shin-chan's arm either.
Might Guy suddenly rushed over and hugged all three of them. "Count me in! I want to join too."
Shin-chan could barely breathe from the squeeze. "Guy... let go first..."
Guy released them, flames rising behind him. "Competing to become Hokage is so youthful! I want to compete too."
Shin-chan rubbed his neck. "What kind of Hokage do you want to be?"
Guy clenched his fists, his eyes seeming to burn with flames. "I want to be the Youth Hokage and set the whole village ablaze with Taijutsu!"
Shin-chan nodded. "Then from today on, the four of us are Hokage Competitors."
Teacher Ibuki stood to the side, watching them, and let out a long sigh of relief.
Before you continue