I Want to Join Asagi-sensei's Group

The afternoon sun warmed the training field.

Children from the entire grade had gathered there, chattering noisily. Four tables had been set up at the edge of the field, with a teacher sitting behind each one.

They were the judges for today's exam.

Teacher Ibuki stood at the front, holding a stack of slips.

"Quiet down, everyone. We're starting the draw now. These slips have your group and number on them. There are four groups, and the top two from each will advance. Then the eight of you will compete for the top three spots."

"That means the top three will have to fight a lot of matches," someone muttered quietly, catching on quickly.

"That's right." Teacher Ibuki nodded. "So you'll need more than strength. Tactics, stamina, and willpower matter too. All right, line up and come draw."

The children began crowding forward.

Shin-chan rose onto his tiptoes, desperately trying to see behind the four tables.

Sure enough.

Behind the Third Table sat a female teacher with her hair tied in a high ponytail.

Yūnagi Asagi.

Shin-chan's heart began to race. He clasped his hands together and made a fervent wish. "Please, please, let me get Asagi-sensei's group."

Kakashi glanced at him, then silently edged away.

The line moved forward little by little.

When it was Shin-chan's turn, he reached into the box, closed his eyes, and kept murmuring, "Asagi-sensei... Asagi-sensei..."

Then he drew a slip and opened his eyes.

Group Three!

Shin-chan's eyes lit up at once. He looked toward the third table. "Group Three is..."

Asagi-sensei was smiling and nodding in his direction.

Shin-chan's heart nearly leaped into his throat.

"Asagi-sensei, here I come!" Clutching his slip, Shin-chan trembled with excitement and was just about to rush over.

"Nohara Shin." Teacher Ibuki's voice rang out behind him. "Read what's written at the bottom of your slip."

Shin-chan froze, then looked down.

Judge: Ibuki Toru.

His smile instantly stiffened.

"Group Three..." Shin-chan slowly raised his head. "That's Teacher Ibuki?"

"That's right." Teacher Ibuki's expression remained blank. "I'm in charge of Group Three. Asagi-sensei is in charge of Group One."

Shin-chan's expression crumpled before everyone's eyes.

"How could this happen?"

He looked at the slip in his hand, then at Teacher Ibuki's utterly unremarkable face, and finally at Asagi-sensei's gentle, lovely face.

"Teacher." Shin-chan suddenly raised his hand.

"What?"

"Can I switch groups?"

Teacher Ibuki's eyebrow twitched.

"Once the draw is decided, you can't switch."

"But I want to join Asagi-sensei's group."

"No."

"Just a tiny little switch?"

"No."

"There are fewer people in Asagi-sensei's group."

"I counted. They have the same number."

Shin-chan's face scrunched up.

Just then, Uchiha Toru came over after drawing his slip.

"Shin-chan, which group are you in?"

Shin-chan listlessly raised his slip. "Group Three."

"I'm in Group One."

Shin-chan's eyes flew wide open. "Group One? Asagi-sensei's group?"

"Yep."

Shin-chan looked at him, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.

Envy.

Jealousy.

"Xiao Che." Shin-chan suddenly grabbed Uchiha Toru's hand.

"What?"

"Let's switch."

Uchiha Toru blinked. "Huh?"

"Switch with me." Shin-chan shoved his slip into his hand. "You go to Group Three, and I'll go to Group One."

"B-but I don't think we can..."

"Why not? It's all the same competition."

"But..."

"Nohara Shin!" Teacher Ibuki's voice exploded behind them. "No switching."

Shin-chan turned around and met Teacher Ibuki's glare.

"Teacher, it's just one little switch."

"No. The draw is final, so give up on that idea."

Shin-chan wanted to say more, but seeing Teacher Ibuki's fearsome expression, he swallowed his words.

Standing in the Group One area, Uchiha Toru watched Shin-chan looking as if his life had lost all meaning and suddenly felt a little guilty.

But there was nothing he could do.

It was a draw, after all.

The competition began.

All four groups competed at once, and the field was as lively as a festival.

Over in Group Three, the first few matches went by quickly.

Some children were so nervous as soon as they stepped onto the field that they forgot how to move. Others fought fiercely, but without any real technique.

Shin-chan crouched at the back of the line, propping up his chin and keeping his eyes fixed on Group One.

"Asagi-sensei smiled..."

"Asagi-sensei is taking notes..."

"The wind blew Asagi-sensei's hair..."

Shin-chan was lost in his own world and didn't notice the line in front of him getting shorter and shorter.

"Nohara Shin!"

Teacher Ibuki's voice dragged him back to reality.

Shin-chan looked up and saw everyone staring at him.

"It's your turn." Teacher Ibuki pointed to the field. "Get out there."

Carrying his Wooden Sword, Shin-chan slowly stood up and walked onto the field.

A boy stood opposite him, taller than he was, with a Senbon clenched between his teeth and a cool expression on his face.

Shin-chan remembered him. Shiranui Genma, from Class B. He'd heard the boy was pretty strong.

"Begin," Teacher Ibuki announced.

Shiranui Genma clenched his Senbon between his teeth and took a stance. Then everything went blurry before his eyes.

A Red Shadow flashed past.

The Wooden Sword had stopped beside his neck, less than a centimeter from his skin.

Shiranui Genma froze.

"S-so fast..."

That was the only thought that flashed through his mind.

The sidelines fell silent for a second, then erupted.

"What happened?" someone cried, eyes wide.

"What just happened?" someone else asked, looking completely lost.

"Shiranui Genma lost?"

"It was over in one move?"

"That's Shiranui Genma!" a Class B student shouted. "I couldn't last three moves against him."

Teacher Ibuki's mouth opened, but no words came out for a long moment.

"Nohara Shin wins."

At the sidelines, Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

Obito's mouth fell open, and he couldn't close it for ages. Shin-chan had been this strong all along?

Might Guy trembled with excitement. "This is youth!"

Shin-chan lowered his Wooden Sword and looked at Teacher Ibuki.

"Teacher, can I go back now?"

"Y-yes."

Shin-chan turned and walked away. After two steps, he suddenly stopped and looked toward Group One.

Asagi-sensei was smiling as she recorded Uchiha Toru's match, completely unaware of what had happened over here.

Shin-chan's expression fell. With his head lowered, he slowly returned to the back of the line, crouched down again, and started drawing circles.

His classmates had been about to congratulate him, but seeing his face, they didn't know what to say.

"Shin-chan," someone asked quietly, "why aren't you happy that you won?"

Shin-chan looked up and sighed. "What does winning get me?"

"You advance!"

"But Asagi-sensei didn't even see." Shin-chan sounded utterly dejected. "She's been watching Group One the whole time."

The other child fell silent.

Looking at Shin-chan's face, which practically said "life is hopeless," he suddenly didn't know what to say.

In the distance, after finishing her notes on Uchiha Toru's match, Asagi-sensei looked toward Group Three.

A small red figure was crouched in the corner, with what looked like a dark cloud floating over his head.

Asagi-sensei tilted her head, puzzled.

That child had won his match. Why did he look so unhappy?