Hey! Happiness Is the Keynote...

For the first time ever, Iruka proposed having Yu teach his class's shuriken lessons. Any ordinary student would probably have been overwhelmed by the favor and considered it an honor!

Yu saw it differently: Mizuki kicked the bucket, and hiring another teacher would cost extra, so you want free labor? Dream on!

He fumed, and the little pinwheel on the back of his collar started spinning along with him.

But Yu wasn't foolish enough to argue with a teacher in class.

I'll talk to him after class.

Yu opened his textbook, ready to pay attention.

Tap!

Suddenly, a paper ball struck him!

Yu looked over. In the seat diagonally ahead of him, Sasuke rested his chin on both hands. His profile looked cool and aloof, but little bubbles of resentment were rising around him!

The paper ball was blank, with nothing written on it.

Yu used Amenosagume to listen to his thoughts.

Sasuke: Hmph, he promised to give me candy, then forgot all about it. I even agreed to be his friend!

"Pfft..."

So that was what he was sulking about.

Yu folded a paper airplane, tucked a piece of candy into the gap in the middle, breathed on it, and sent it flying!

Whoosh!

The paper airplane swooped around the classroom in a wide arc before floating gently down in front of Sasuke, candy and all!

Heehee!

Sasuke eagerly unwrapped the candy and ate it! His little face instantly turned a dark purplish red!

It had a... indescribable flavor.

Sweet, foul, salty... all clashing together in an entirely unprecedented combination!

It was none other than last night's shit curry!

"!!!!!!!"

Sasuke slumped over his desk, desperately holding back the turmoil in his stomach. He was terrified he would lose control and throw up even yesterday's dinner. If that happened, his cool little genius persona at school would be utterly ruined!

Little bubbles of resentment bubbled up around him. He gave Yu a wounded look and thought, I treated you as a friend, and you made me eat this???

Just then, Yu passed him a piece of candy along with a note.

"You got it wrong. This is the one I meant to give you. That last one was for a randomly selected lucky classmate to taste..."

Fine, I believe you...

Sasuke ate the candy. It was a flavor he liked, and the churning in his stomach eased considerably.

He passed another note over. On it, he had written:

-Why didn't that "idiot dead last" show up today?

Yu replied: Are you worried about Naruto?

Sasuke replied: Hmph! Why would I worry about someone like him? I was just asking. What happened to him? Is he sick? I remember that guy never gets sick...

Yu: Hey, let's go see him after school today. We can have some fun together while we're there!

Sasuke: Have fun? But I still need to train...

Yu: Anyway, it's a fun, exciting game you've never played before. Whether you come is up to you.

Sasuke crumpled the note in his hand, growing restless inside...

After class, Yu found Iruka. "Iruka-sensei, why do you want me to teach everyone shuriken?"

Iruka said, "Well, everyone has seen your Shurikenjutsu. Classmates make more progress when they work together and help one another!"

Oh, please. You've got all the pretty words covered!

It wasn't a big deal to begin with. He had nothing else to do anyway, but Yu had no intention of being taken for a ride and helping count the profits afterward.

"Looks like you're treating me like a three-year-old, sensei. I'm not interested. Find someone else..."

With that, Yu turned to walk away in a huff.

"Wait..." Iruka stopped Yu and admitted frankly, "I'll be honest with you. The Academy is having some difficulties. Funds are tight. In fact, even if that business with Mizuki hadn't happened, the administration was already planning layoffs..."

Yu stressed, "That still doesn't mean you can turn to the students, does it? I'm here to get through school, not to be taken for a sucker!"

"In other words..."

Yu rubbed his fingers together. "If you want someone to work, shouldn't you pay them accordingly? That's how the rules work in your adult world, right?"

Iruka said, "You want money??"

Yu shook his head. "No. My family's rich. My weekly allowance is more than your monthly salary..."

There goes that mouth again!

Bubble, bubble... several little bubbles of resentment appeared above Iruka's head.

His eyebrows twitched. "Th-then what do you want?!"

Yu pinched his chin. "Hmm, power? Status?"

Iruka smiled wryly. "Only Lord Hokage can give you those. How about this, Yu? Just do your teacher a favor, all right? I'll owe you one."

Yu said as if it were obvious, "What good is a favor from a chunin? If I'm going to spend my time on that, I'd be better off investing in a genin..."

"You..." Iruka was left speechless!

Every time he squared off against this child, he suffered invisible wounds, both mentally and physically!

But he also knew he was in the wrong here. "Sigh, forget it. I'll speak to the principal later. If there's no other way, I'll teach the shuriken lessons myself as well!"

Yu was an understanding child; he simply responded better to a soft approach than a hard one.

Try forcing me? Sorry, we'll settle it with our fists!

A gentle approach? Well, we can sit down and discuss it.

Of course, discussion was one thing. No free labor-that was an unchanging principle!

Yu scratched his head and thought for a moment. "When we graduate from the Ninja Academy, you get a say in assigning the genin teams, right, sensei?"

Iruka considered it. "Strictly speaking, Lord Hokage has the final say in that matter. Still, my opinion as your homeroom teacher carries some weight!"

That'll do...

Yu smiled. "Hey, how about this? If the Hokage still hasn't changed by the year I graduate, I'd like you to put in a word for me so I can choose my own team and jonin leader..."

Iruka bristled at the impropriety. "What are you saying?! The Third Hokage is powerful and a man of noble character. You'll graduate from the Ninja Academy in five years at most, won't you? Why would the Hokage change? Is there any ninja in this village stronger than Lord Third Hokage? You shouldn't say things like that carelessly, even as a joke!"

"But as for team assignments, if you have specific teammates in mind and the lineup is sensible, I can put in a word for you."

Yu readily agreed. "All right, leave the shuriken lessons to me. I'll need to prepare, though, so let's start next week!"

Iruka said, "Really? That's a huge help!"

Yu said, "But you know, sensei, being able to do something yourself and teaching others are two different things. I'll teach them my way. If they end up hopeless at it, that's their own problem."

Another happy day for Yu at the Ninja Academy came to an end.

Evening.

Naruto lay forlornly on his bed at home.

Ever since waking up last night and learning what had happened to him, he had been deeply depressed.

"School should be out by now..."

"Did Yu have a good day?"

"He got kidnapped by Mizuki because of me. He won't hate me for that, will he? But knowing Yu, he probably won't, believe it..."

"I didn't go to school today. Will he worry about me? Will he be bored? He will, right? Will he? But he's friends with Sasuke now too. Even without me, he won't be lonely..."

"Come to think of it, does someone like me, someone who burdens his comrades, really deserve... to have friends?"

"Forget it. Just let the world forget about me, all alone..."

Just as Naruto was sinking deep into despair, a cheerful shout suddenly came from outside his window.

-"Narutooo, let's plaaaaay~~~~~!!!"