Setting Out

"You look hungry, Ye Yuexin," said the person sitting across from him.

Kurenai Yuhi held a glass of juice in her hand and watched Ye Yuexin wolf down his food.

"Of course I am. You have no idea—I haven't had a proper meal in two days." Ye Yuexin took a moment from eating to answer her.

The scene looked just like a date: Kurenai Yuhi held her juice, occasionally sipping it through her red lips as she watched Ye Yuexin eat at a furious pace.

After some time, Ye Yuexin finally picked up a napkin from the table and wiped his mouth.

Once he'd finished eating, he picked up the glass of juice Kurenai Yuhi had ordered for him, took a sip, and asked, "Are you going out again anytime soon?"

Kurenai Yuhi parted her red lips. "Forget it. I doubt I'll hear anything you'd expect to hear on a date from you."

She sounded helpless, with a touch of reproach. "It's wartime, and the village is short on funds. The missions definitely won't let up. Today's just a day off because I've only just handed in my mission report. I'll get a new assignment tomorrow."

"What kind of mission is it? Is it far away?" As soon as he'd asked, Ye Yuexin realized he'd been too forward.

Had he run out of things to talk about? He'd actually asked that.

The ninja code clearly stated that after accepting a mission, you weren't allowed to discuss its details with outsiders.

What he'd just done could already be considered an attempt to pry for information.

He was about to change the subject, but Kurenai Yuhi had already answered. "I'm delivering medical supplies to the border. It's not too far, and I won't be leaving the Land of Fire."

Kurenai Yuhi had shared details of the mission without a moment's hesitation. It was a sign of the trust she'd grown accustomed to placing in him.

She probably hadn't even realized that what she'd just said was supposed to be confidential.

Ye Yuexin was a little moved, so he took the initiative to change the subject. "What's it like out there? Have you had anything interesting happen on a mission?"

Only then did Ye Yuexin slowly get into the swing of things, and the two of them began chatting.

It was a long while later, when the shop had started cleaning up, that Ye Yuexin finally walked Kurenai Yuhi home.

They didn't say a word on the way, but Kurenai Yuhi took the initiative to hold Ye Yuexin's hand as they walked.

Honestly, Ye Yuexin had been exercising a lot of restraint.

Like most men, he liked beautiful women.

But the beautiful girl in front of him was just too young. So he'd managed to rein in his beastly urges.

And even if he hadn't, what could he do at six years old? Nothing at all.

On the way back, Ye Yuexin avoided the main road and followed the path along the woods. He seemed to remember seeing wild roses growing somewhere in there, and decided to pick a few.

Earlier, outside Kurenai Yuhi's home, she'd said he was like a block of wood.

He hadn't even given her a flower. But he'd been too embarrassed to talk back. Was he really a block of wood? He was trying to avoid a life sentence or the death penalty!

But since Kurenai Yuhi had brought it up, Ye Yuexin went to pick a few flowers.

He could put them away in a scroll after picking them, so they wouldn't wilt.

He was afraid he'd forget later—he had so much going on these days. He might forget all about giving her flowers by tomorrow.

Before long, he found them: white wild roses.

After picking a few, Ye Yuexin headed home, ready to get some rest and prepare for the mission the next day.

Early the next morning, Ye Yuexin had already washed up.

Since no one had told him where to meet, someone would surely come to get him.

Sure enough, not long after breakfast, he heard a knock at the door. "Is Ye Yuexin here?"

The voice was full of energy, so it probably wasn't someone from the Anbu. That meant it was likely one of the people taking part in the mission.

Ye Yuexin thought over who'd be on the mission and had a good idea who it was.

When he opened the door, a flash of green was the first thing that caught his eye. Sure enough, only the future Blue Beast could have a voice so full of youthful energy.

"Are you Might Guy, senpai?" Ye Yuexin asked the boy with a smile.

Guy looked surprised that Ye Yuexin knew his name.

He gave a textbook-perfect smile, showing eight gleaming teeth. Ye Yuexin even saw them glint.

"I never expected the famous young Genin prodigy of Konoha to know my name. I'm Might Guy, a Genin of Konoha as well. I look forward to working with you on this mission."

Then he even bowed.

Ye Yuexin hurriedly bowed back. "You're too kind, Guy. I should be the one asking you to look after me."

But Guy was a little surprised to see how polite Ye Yuexin was.

Perhaps spending so much time around Kakashi had given him the impression that all geniuses were proud and aloof, and difficult to get along with.

Seeing how modest Ye Yuexin was immediately improved Guy's impression of him.

"Let's head to the meeting point, senpai." Seeing that Guy was about to say something else,

Ye Yuexin beat him to it.

He was eager to meet more of the characters from Konoha's story.

"Oh, right. Let's go. By the way, we're both Genin, so you don't have to call me senpai. Just call me Guy."

On the way, Guy kept trying to strike up a conversation with Ye Yuexin.

He seemed very curious about Konoha's newly risen top prodigy.

Ye Yuexin was starting to get annoyed, but thinking of how this chatterbox would eventually become the Blue Beast, he patiently kept talking with Guy.

They were meeting at the village gates. When Ye Yuexin arrived, he saw that everyone else was already there.

No, not everyone.

The team leader hadn't arrived yet. In the distance, there was no sign of the person with short, golden hair.

It seemed the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, hadn't arrived yet.

"So you're the new Konoha prodigy, Ye Yuexin?"

Ye Yuexin had only just arrived when a boy wearing goggles came over to talk to him.

Judging by his outfit and the style of his clothes, which was similar to Itachi Uchiha's, Ye Yuexin had already guessed who he was.

Looking at Obito Uchiha, who still seemed a little slow on the uptake, Ye Yuexin wondered if he should try to suck up to him. After all, the guy would become a big shot on the final-boss level.

But after thinking it over, he decided against it. That would be way too strange. It didn't fit his character.

Faced with Obito Uchiha's question, Ye Yuexin wasn't sure how to respond. He awkwardly scratched his head. "I am Ye Yuexin, but I'm no prodigy. I'm glad to be joining you all on this mission."

Hearing Ye Yuexin's modesty, Obito Uchiha was taken aback too,

and even the others looked at Ye Yuexin with a little surprise.

Once Obito Uchiha recovered, he grew even more excited.

He glanced pointedly at his teammate Kakashi and deliberately raised his voice. "I heard your talent has already surpassed Kakashi's! In my book, someone as modest as you is the real prodigy—not like a certain self-important, cold-hearted Chunin." The implication was obviously directed at Kakashi.

Damn it, Obito Uchiha. I was thinking of becoming friends with you, and you're already using me as your topic of conversation. Ye Yuexin glared at Kakashi, who had slowly turned to look at him.

Ye Yuexin decided then and there that he would never show Obito Uchiha any kindness.

He finally understood: Obito Uchiha was the sort who needed a good kicking. If you didn't kick him a couple of times when you met, he wouldn't be satisfied. He'd go out of his way to cause you trouble.