"I'm coming, I'm coming! Hayashi, wait for me!"
Naruto bounded to the door, planted himself beside Hayashi, and broke into a wide grin.
Sakura got up and hurried after them. Her eyes were still a little red, and when no one was looking, she quietly wiped their corners with the back of her hand.
Sasuke was the last to stand.
With both hands in his pockets, he strolled over slowly and glanced at Naruto blocking the doorway.
"Loser, stop blocking the door."
"Huh?! You're the one dragging your feet!"
The two started bickering across Hayashi.
Caught between them, Hayashi's head buzzed. He quickly pushed them apart, one with each hand.
"All right, all right. Let's go."
"Sakura! Do your best!" Ino waved vigorously at them from inside the classroom.
By the door, Shikamaru lazily moved aside, muttering, "What a pain..."
With one hand in his pocket, Kakashi ambled along at the back of the group.
They left the classroom and trooped downstairs.
All along the way, Naruto circled Hayashi with an endless stream of questions-where were they going? What were they doing? Would there be anything good to eat?
Hayashi couldn't answer a single one.
He didn't know either.
By the time they walked out of the school gates, the sun was already high overhead.
Hayashi couldn't help looking back.
The Ninja Academy's sign hung above the entrance, gleaming in the sunlight.
The tree by the gate looked the same as ever, its leaves rustling in a chorus whenever the wind blew.
Since the day he had transferred in, he had spent quite some time coming and going from this building, attending classes, training, and horsing around with a bunch of kids.
In the blink of an eye, his days as a student were over.
"What is it?" Sakura leaned