Always Thought of You as a Little Brother

Results day.

When Asuma saw his name on the list, the knot of worry in his stomach finally loosened.

Passing the third-round assessment didn't mean automatic promotion; candidates were judged based on their performance in battle.

So until the results came out, no one knew whether they had passed.

...Of course, that didn't apply to Genye, the freak!

"That's wonderful, Genye! All three of us passed!" Yuhi Kurenai said excitedly, pointing at the list.

After learning the results, the three turned and headed for Training Ground 8.

"Hahaha, what do you think Shimura Hofu will say? I can't wait to find out." Asuma draped an arm around Genye and grinned mischievously.

"I'm giving you half a month off, then making you work overtime for another half month?" Genye said, imitating Shimura Hofu's tone.

"Damn, are you a demon, Genye?"

Asuma was stunned. "How can a mouth at a normal body temperature say something so ice-cold?!"

Genye laughed. "I'm no demon, but Teacher Hefeng is. Hahaha."

The three chatted and laughed their way to the training ground. Shimura Hofu was leaning leisurely against a tree, apparently having waited for them for quite some time.

"Hey, Shimura Hofu! All three of us became chunin. It's time to make good on your promise!" Asuma called from far away.

Shimura Hofu didn't say a word. Once the three reached him, he pulled three porcelain bottles from his robes and casually tossed one to each of them.

"What's this?"

Asuma caught his bottle quickly and opened it. Inside lay three purple pills.

"Hey, these are pretty slippery."

Watching Asuma pour the pills into his hand and fiddle with them, Shimura Hofu said flatly,

"These are poison sacs I had Orochimaru prepare. Crush one, and the released poison gas is enough to kill a jonin on the spot."

Holy crap?

Asuma's expression stiffened. He hurriedly poured the pills back into the bottle, crouched down, and frantically rubbed his hand against the ground.

"Why would you suddenly give us something so dangerous?!" Asuma complained.

Hefeng ignored him completely and continued speaking as if to himself:

"Congratulations on becoming chunin. These are celebration gifts I prepared for you—and, well... farewell gifts."

Farewell gifts?

All three froze. Yuhi Kurenai was the first to ask, "Teacher Hefeng, are you leaving us?"

"Mm." Shimura Hofu answered mildly. "The fighting at the front is getting fierce, so I've been reassigned to the main battlefield. I won't be your jonin instructor anymore."

After all, not everyone can be as thorough as Namikaze Minato. Hefeng sighed to himself.

"Teacher Hefeng..."

After Shimura Hofu confirmed it, the three exchanged glances, their feelings complicated.

Though Hefeng was usually cold and strict with them, they could feel how much he cared.

"Then... will we ever see you again?" Yuhi Kurenai couldn't help asking.

"Hmm." Hefeng tilted his head and thought for a moment before answering, "Probably. After this war ends, though I can't say exactly when."

"We definitely will." Genye spoke with utter certainty. "Konoha will win this war within three years at most."

Hefeng was taken aback. Looking at the three youngsters' determined gazes, his expression softened, and before he knew it, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Mm. Then I'll see you three years from now."

"Okay, it's a promise!"

Although they had promised to meet again, after Shimura Hofu left, he never came back.

The sun sank in the west, painting half the sky red and turning the clouds from pure white into a brilliant sunset.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

"Why can't I be like Kakashi? Why didn't I pass the assessment?!"

Obito lay alone on a bench, tossing and turning in frustration like a wriggling caterpillar.

"So this is where you are."

A girl's adorable, slightly chubby face appeared in Obito's field of vision.

"Waaah!"

Obito froze, then hurriedly wriggled backward to put some distance between himself and the girl before flipping up into a sitting position.

"I-It's Rin! What are you doing here? You scared me."

Obito felt a little uneasy. Had Rin heard what he'd just said?

"Oh, you."

Rin sat beside Obito and smiled gently as she comforted him.

"Of course Kakashi passed the exam, but we'll definitely pass too."

Hearing Rin's words, Obito lowered his head and said glumly,

"But when I look at Kakashi, I just can't seem to find the motivation..."

"Obito! What are you saying?"

Rin's voice rose sharply, and she seemed a little angry. "I told you I'd always be watching you. And didn't you promise me you'd become Hokage?"

Obito raised his head and looked at Rin's serious expression. His heart thumped wildly.

"So please, cheer up!"

Rin placed a hand on Obito's shoulder and looked straight into his eyes. "Let me see you become Hokage and save the world! Show me how amazing you'll be!"

Rin!

Obito's eyes grew moist. He nodded firmly. "Yeah!"

Only after the surge of emotion passed did Obito realize how close he and Rin were.

What's more, Rin seemed to be inching closer to him, little by little.

Their faces were almost touching!

"R-Rin..." Obito swallowed nervously.

Rin smells so nice, and we're so... close...

Obito could make out every one of Rin's eyelashes and feel her gentle breath against his face.

He felt like he was about to suffocate, and his face was red as a monkey's behind.

"Obito, do you know?"

Rin leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Actually, I've always felt..."

Obito went rigid on the bench, not daring to move. He was nervous and hopeful, his heart about to burst.

Could it be... could Rin have actually liked me all along?

Just thinking about the possibility made him so excited he could die.

"Actually, I've always felt warmly toward you because I've always thought of you as a little brother," Rin said.

Obito froze, dumbfounded.

What did Rin say? She's always thought of me as... her little brother?

Without giving Obito time to react, Rin continued,

"I know you've secretly liked me for a long time, but I'm sorry, Obito. I don't have those feelings for you."

"The person I really like is Kakashi!"

Boom!

Obito felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. His lips trembled, but he couldn't speak.

I don't have those feelings for you...

The person I really like is Kakashi...

The two sentences echoed over and over in his mind. Suddenly, he clutched his head and let out a pained, low howl.

"Why... Why... Aaaaaah!"

"I'm going to create a world without Kakashi!"

When Obito raised his head again, his eyes were bloodred, and a pitch-black tomoe spun endlessly within them.

"Holy crap, Genye, come look! This kid actually awakened his Sharingan!"

Rin's voice suddenly turned gruff as she shouted in shock toward the bushes beside her.

"Damn, he really did!"

A figure sprang out of the bushes and stood beside Rin, looking astonished.

Obito: "???"