"By the way, you dismissed your caretaker too. So I'm the only one who knows how strong you are now, right? I think you should graduate from the Ninja Academy based on your abilities."
Kakashi and Yin Xiang sat together beneath a tree, chatting.
"I want to graduate at the same time as Naruto. That way, I can be with him every day."
"Even if Naruto graduates on schedule, he'll still be a year behind you. Your graduation exam is coming up soon. The strongest students in your class are that Hyuga Clan prodigy, Neji Hyuga, and a guy called Rock Lee, who's very strong in Taijutsu."
"Of course I know that. My Shadow Clone has been doing pretty well at school. I'm always at the top of the class, and neither Neji nor Rock Lee is a match for me. The teachers have wanted to let me graduate early several times. I've only waited this long because I was waiting for Naruto."
"Once the graduation exam starts, you won't be able to avoid graduating," Kakashi said with a laugh.
"I could fail on purpose."
"Don't be ridiculous. With your grades, the Third Hokage would see right through you. Just graduate. It's only a year's difference, and you'll still have plenty of chances to see each other."
"I want to go see Naruto. I start school earlier than him and get out earlier, so I've never actually seen him."
"He's in Room 301. Go ahead," Kakashi said, standing up.
Yin Xiang nodded. Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished before his eyes.
After Kakashi left, Yin Xiang picked up the black jacket from the ground. Dressed all in black, he hurried toward the Ninja Academy. He soon reached the roof, then made his way along the walls to the window of Room 301. But he couldn't find Naruto anywhere.
"Don't tell me the kid's run off again." Yin Xiang frowned, then disappeared from the wall. He moved across the rooftops of Konoha until he finally spotted Naruto on Kage Rock. The kid was drawing all over Minato's face.
"You little brat." Yin Xiang pursed his lips and jumped down beside Naruto.
"Whoa!!" Naruto was so startled that he nearly fell off the lift. Yin Xiang grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Why are you scribbling all over Kage Rock?" Yin Xiang asked, looking at Naruto.
"You're... Wait, I know! You're the Fourth Hokage's son!" Naruto squinted at Yin Xiang, then suddenly realized who he was. Naruto often wandered the streets looking dejected, while Yin Xiang was welcomed wherever he went. Of course Naruto had noticed him.
"..." Hearing Naruto say that made Yin Xiang feel awful. He was Minato's son, too.
But when Yin Xiang noticed what Naruto was wearing, he frowned. It was the same yellow outfit Naruto always wore. Hadn't Kakashi told him Naruto was wearing the new clothes he'd given him?
"Why are you still wearing those old clothes?" Yin Xiang asked.
"Huh?" Naruto held a paint bucket in his left hand and a brush in his right, then glanced down at his paint-splattered clothes.
"I only wear these when I'm painting. I don't know who sends me new clothes every year, but I can't get those dirty, you know? Hehe." Naruto rubbed his nose with the hand holding the brush.
"'You know'... Just like Mom." Yin Xiang listened and let a faint smile show.
"Listen, Naruto. You can't scribble all over Kage Rock, especially not on the Fourth Hokage."
"Why not? Just because you're the Fourth Hokage's son doesn't mean you can boss me around!" Naruto said, not the least bit bothered.
"You little brat!" Yin Xiang couldn't hold back and punched Naruto on the head, knocking the paint bucket and everything else to the ground. "You're coming back with me right now. If I catch you scribbling on Kage Rock again, you'll be sorry." As he spoke, Yin Xiang tied Naruto up.
"Shadow Clone Technique." Yin Xiang formed Hand Seals and created a Shadow Clone to clean up Kage Rock. It was the least he could do to bail Naruto out.
Then Yin Xiang took Naruto back to the Ninja Academy. "You'd better pay attention in class, got it?" He opened the door, tossed Naruto inside, and shut it.
"What's his problem? Acting all high and mighty! When I become Hokage, I'll make sure he pays for this!" Bound up, Naruto wriggled along the floor, shouting at the door.
"Naruto!" Iruka shouted from behind him.
"I-Iruka-sensei..." Naruto slowly turned around and saw Iruka glaring at him.
"Pay attention in class!" Iruka roared.
"Yessir!!" Naruto shouted back.
Yin Xiang smiled from the doorway. "Naruto, you'll become Hokage." Then he returned to his own classroom. He knocked on the door, and the Shadow Clone inside vanished. Yin Xiang appeared in the doorway.
The teacher looked puzzled, but still let Yin Xiang in. After all, he was an excellent student with a special background. The teacher wouldn't say anything even if he skipped class.
"When did Namikaze Yin Xiang leave?" Neji Hyuga asked, frowning as he looked at Yin Xiang.
Yin Xiang still went by Insoro, but that was being kept secret. Everyone knew he was Minato's son, so they naturally assumed his surname was Namikaze and called him by it.
Yin Xiang walked straight to his seat in the very middle of the back row. Whenever he crossed the classroom, everyone's eyes followed him. Yin Xiang was handsome, and the girls in class were all watching him.
"Hey, Tenten." Yin Xiang returned to his seat. Tenten was his deskmate.
"When did you leave? How come I didn't see you?" Tenten asked him quietly.
"I was only gone for a bit. Don't worry about it." Yin Xiang smiled. He'd always sent a Shadow Clone to class, but when the clone disappeared, all its memories returned to his real self, so he could still keep up with the lessons.
"We have our graduation exams tomorrow. Afterward, they'll assign us team leaders. I wonder who I'll end up with." Tenten rested her head on the desk, sneaking glances at Neji from time to time.
"So you like Neji Hyuga." Yin Xiang leaned close beside Tenten, his head nearly touching hers, and whispered in her ear.
"Huh?" Tenten turned bright red, partly because Yin Xiang had said she liked Neji, and partly because he was so close to her.
"W-Who said that? I don't like him," Tenten blurted out.
"If you like him, just admit it. There's no point denying it." Yin Xiang pursed his lips and rested his chin on his hand as he looked at the knowledge on the blackboard. It was all simple stuff; he'd already taught himself all of it.
Before you continue