After leaving Konoha Hospital, Mizuki and Tsubaki walked along the bustling street.
"Hey, Mizuki, are you really going to cut ties with Iruka?" Tsubaki couldn't help asking.
"Don't worry, Tsubaki."
"But you've been friends since you were little. Didn't you always look out for him?"
"You heard what I said to Iruka, right? I wasn't just saying those things to him. They apply to me, too." Mizuki spoke slowly.
"I still don't understand. What does that have to do with anything?" Tsubaki really couldn't understand the friendship between men.
"Tsubaki, I've told you before that Iruka and I weren't originally friends. Iruka used to be a loner who got picked on, so everyone and I always looked out for him. But now he's a Chunin, and an excellent Ninja Academy teacher, too."
Tsubaki seemed to understand a little. "So Iruka doesn't need your help as a friend anymore, right? But that doesn't have much to do with whether you're friends or not, does it?"
"It's fine, Tsubaki. You'll understand soon enough." Mizuki neither confirmed nor denied it. "See that kid over there with the ridiculous face paint? The one wearing mustard-yellow clothes?"
"Mustard-yellow? Is that really a color? Wait, he looks familiar. Isn't he that orphan everyone looks down on? I heard the Third Hokage put him in the Ninja Academy, too. I think he was the only one who failed the graduation exam this year. There are rumors he's the Nine-Tailed Fox, the monster that attacked the village over a decade ago. Why are you asking?" Suddenly, Tsubaki understood. "You're not the one who egged him on to attack Iruka, are you?"
Mizuki nodded. "That's right. Don't let the kid's stupidity fool you—he's pretty strong. An ordinary Chunin could get into serious trouble if they let him catch them off guard. Just look at Iruka."
"You're really taking a huge risk," Tsubaki said worriedly. "Won't Lord Hokage punish you for this?"
"If you do something wrong, of course you should be punished. But nothing serious happened in the end, so the punishment probably won't be too severe."
"Should we go over and say hello? Apologize?"
"No need to bother." Since he was already under suspicion, it was better not to have too much contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. "Don't say anything when we pass him. Just pretend we didn't see him."
Naruto didn't notice Mizuki, and the two passed each other.
Mizuki was about to put the whole matter behind him when he suddenly heard someone shout from behind.
"Hey, silver hair up ahead! Wait!"
A moment later, he heard rapid footsteps. Naruto rushed up to Mizuki, slammed on the brakes, and skidded to a stop in front of him.
"So it really is you, the big bad guy who bullied Iruka-sensei!"
"Naruto-kun, long time no see. You're as energetic as ever."
"Who asked you to care!"
"Naruto-kun, it's rude to point at people when you're talking to them."
"Who asked you to tell me what to do?" Naruto said furiously. "Why did you hurt Iruka-sensei?"
"Naruto-kun, you can't blame me for that. I didn't do anything. You were the one who hurt Iruka and sent him to the hospital, weren't you?"
"Is that so?" The kid was obviously not very bright. He was too easy to fool.
"No, Iruka-sensei wouldn't have been hurt if it weren't for you!"
"Naruto-kun, I just went to visit Iruka. He said he was lonely, all by himself in the hospital room. The culprit who hurt him hasn't even gone to keep him company. The graduates this year really don't have much compassion. It makes me worry about the village's future."
"Iruka-sensei would never say that! You're lying." Naruto looked at Tsubaki. "Big sis, you and this bad teacher are, like..." He gestured with his pinky finger.
"I'm Tsubaki Chie, Mizuki's fiancée."
"Your fiancée? Big sis, you shouldn't be with him. He's a bad guy. He'll definitely bully you someday."
Tsubaki only smiled.
"You've got some nerve, kid. Looks like I'll have to knock you down a peg," Mizuki thought.
"Oh, right. It's not true that nobody went to visit Iruka. When we were leaving, we saw Sakura Haruno go in. She's such a good kid, unlike some people." He glanced at Naruto.
"Sakura really is a good person! Hahaha."
"He didn't even notice I was mocking him. I'll have to lay it on a little thicker."
"Sakura also said she'd never let the bastard who hurt Iruka-sensei get away with it."
"Did Sakura really say that?" Naruto exclaimed.
Now for the finishing blow.
"I forgot to mention, Sasuke Uchiha was there, too. They get along so well—they make a great couple. Sakura also said she hates blond dead-last types. It's nice to be young."
"No way!" Naruto looked devastated, then shouted angrily, "Damn you, Sasuke! You're hitting on Sakura while I'm not around! I'll never forgive you! No, I've got to hurry and take a picture, then explain everything to Sakura."
Watching Naruto sprint away, Mizuki prepared to leave, too.
"Big bad teacher, thanks for helping me pass the exam. But next time, I won't let you off so easily!"
The voice faded into the distance. Mizuki said to Tsubaki, "See? Iruka and that kid are alike. They're both idiots, so everything's fine."
Tsubaki gave a quiet laugh. "Iruka's really unlucky to have a friend like you."
"How so? This is only the beginning. I'm not going to be satisfied with that. After looking after him for all these years, one beating isn't enough—especially when I wasn't the one who actually hit him. I'll get another chance to beat him up next time."
"Iruka's a Chunin now, and that kid will help him, too. You wouldn't stand a chance against the two of them."
"That's true. Iruka's always been more popular than me. If I got beaten badly enough to end up in the hospital, there wouldn't be many people coming to visit."
"Then I'll go keep you company."
"The hospital food is awful. I don't want to go."
"Good. You shouldn't." Tsubaki continued, "It's still early. Where do you want to go now?"
Mizuki pointed. "Over there."
"Huh, a barbershop?"
Ignoring the outrageous punk-rock vibe that hit him as he walked in, Mizuki plopped down and waited for a barber to come over.
"No matter what world you're in, barbers really do have the same vibe. Could some celebrity hairstylist have gotten bored and come to the Shinobi World to make a name for himself?"
A barber came over. "What can I do for you two?"
Mizuki looked up at the posters covering the walls. They were probably celebrities from this era. They certainly had character.
His gaze lingered on a portrait of a strange-looking samurai.
The barber hurriedly introduced it. "That's the general's hairstyle from the latest movie. It's called the 'chonmage'—a style worn only by samurai of great renown. It'd suit a mighty ninja like you perfectly. Want to give it a try?"
Tsubaki quickly tugged at Mizuki's sleeve. "Maybe not, Mizuki."
"Hmm. What about that spiky hairstyle over there? It's bold and imposing."
"No."
"How about that natural perm? No?"
"Forget it, then. Just wash my hair and straighten it all. Cut the front into short, wispy bangs." Mizuki's usual hairstyle looked too much like Kabuto Yakushi's once he put on his Forehead Protector. Matching hairstyles with a major villain wouldn't do. Dan Katō's look wasn't bad; he'd use that as a reference. This would do for now, and he could let it grow out later.
"Tsubaki, look at that princess-style haircut over there. It looks nice. Want to try it?"
"No. I'm fine as I am."
"You really are stubborn, Tsubaki. Then wait for me a little while."
Time always seemed to pass especially quickly when he was relaxing. The sun was about to set, and it was time for dinner. As Mizuki and Tsubaki looked for somewhere to eat, they suddenly spotted someone up ahead.
"Tsubaki, go on home first. I've got something to take care of."
"Oh. Be careful, then. I'll go ahead." She was a little puzzled, but the ever-gentle Tsubaki obediently left.
After watching Tsubaki go, Mizuki walked up to the man. "Were you waiting for me, Hatake Kakashi?"
"There's something I want to talk to you about. Come with me."
On the roof of a residential house, Mizuki and Kakashi sat side by side, watching the people below come and go.
"Why do ninjas love hanging out on rooftops so much? And there's an open-air hot spring not far away. How practiced do you have to be to find your way straight here?"
"What do you want to talk about, Kakashi?"
"I've been away on missions most of the time. I came back this time to lead a team of newly graduated Genin."
"That's a good job."
"Is that so? I've led teams of newly graduated kids before, but not one of them passed my test. They were all sent back to the Ninja Academy to repeat the year. Most of them probably gave up on being ninjas."
"You're strict, Kakashi."
"That blond kid from last night will probably be in my class. So will Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."
"Then you'll have your hands full."
"That's what I think, too."
"But what does any of that have to do with me? You didn't come here just to tell me that, did you?"
Kakashi was silent for a moment, then asked, "How did you feel when you killed your teammate?"
"You're not exactly being subtle about reopening old wounds," Mizuki replied. "I've forgotten how it felt."
"Forgotten?" Kakashi was taken aback. "That's an unexpected answer. It's a far cry from how resolute and certain you were in front of the Third Hokage."
"You've had a similar experience, haven't you? Otherwise, why would an ordinary person be interested in this?"
"You figured that out, too? I let it slip without realizing. You're a pretty crafty guy."
"That's called being clever and perceptive."
"Want to know what was going through my mind back then?"
"No."
"I already disliked people like you. Now I like you even less."
"Perfect. I'm not into men, either. I have a fiancée—the one you just chased off."
"Oh, that's a shame. But I'm not going to apologize."
"No need. If that's all, I'll get going."
"If something like that happens again, what will you do?"
"I don't know. What about you?"
"I don't know, either."
"Then why ask? Isn't that just what being a ninja is like?"
"Exactly. That's what makes being a ninja so helpless!"
Mizuki jumped down from the roof. "Stop staring at the women's bath. I'll let you in on a top-secret tip: Ayame at Ichiraku Ramen is looking for a husband. You could give it a shot. I heard she's secretly quite fond of you." Without waiting for Kakashi to respond, he hurried away.
"Kakashi, still troubled by the past? Heh. Before long, you won't have time to think about any of this. Peaceful days never last long, anywhere in the world."
Before you continue