Chapter 27: Iconic Scene

Chapter 27: Iconic Scene

"Izayoi-kun, time to wake up—Team Assignments start soon."

The next morning, Izayoi once again awoke to Hinata Hyuga's voice.

Somewhere along the way, this disciplined guy had developed a chronic case of oversleeping, relying on Hinata’s daily wake-up service.

Hinata Hyuga, meanwhile, had grown used to rising early, bringing lunch and waking him each morning. Both secretly relished their routine.

"You drained all my chakra yesterday—I can’t move."

Izayoi didn’t sit up. Instead, he stretched out his hands toward Hinata, pouting. "Hinata, pull me up."

"You’re lying", she replied, blushing. "The chakra we took yesterday wasn’t even half of what you regenerate."

Still, she reached out to help him up. But the moment her fingers brushed his wrist, Izayoi reversed their grip, yanking her forward.

Hinata stumbled forward, landing square on top of Izayoi. Her mature figure—at least a head taller than most peers—cushioned the fall perfectly, leaving her unharmed but sprawled across him.

"Ah!"

Though unharmed, the sudden move made Hinata gasp.

Izayoi shifted, flipping their positions with ease. Now pinning her beneath him, he propped himself up on either side of her head and stared down at the flustered girl turning redder by the second.

"T-Ten… Izayoi-kun…"

Years of built-up immunity to his antics vanished in an instant. Hinata’s gaze darted away, utterly unable to meet his eyes.

Seeing her so adorably flustered stirred something in Izayoi.

But remembering their ages—and how their relationship remained undefined—he quickly tempered his impulse.

As Izayoi moved to get up, his eyes caught the black fishnet undershirt he’d worn yesterday. A memory sparked, and he blurted out his wish in his native dialect: "Hinata, I wanna cop a feel."

"Huh?"

Hinata tilted her head cutely, not understanding.

The next second, her face turned crimson. Her Byakugan, usually pale lavender, spun into whirling spirals like twin Rinnegan.

Her emotions skyrocketed toward critical levels.

Izayoi bolted up and dashed into the ensuite bathroom.

Hinata, meanwhile, sat up with a gasp, clutching her chest as she tried to steady her racing heart—and the faint ache beneath her ribs.

When Izayoi emerged from the bathroom, Hinata had already left the room.

He didn’t head out immediately. Instead, he opened his wardrobe and pulled out a battle kimono he’d custom-ordered at the start of the year but never worn.

It matched Indra Otsutsuki’s signature white long coat.

The only difference? Izayoi’s lacked the broad collar and black tomoe markings.

After fastening the black obi belt, he retrieved yesterday’s purchase—two white wristbands with storage seals. He tucked shuriken and kunai inside them, slipping them onto both wrists. The kimono’s wide sleeves concealed his hands completely from prying eyes.

Fully equipped, Izayoi stepped out.

Hinata sat at the dining table, lunchbox open. Her eyes lit up as she saw him, her heartbeat spiking again.

She couldn’t blame herself. Today, Izayoi was devastatingly charming—jet-black hair, sapphire eyes, a tall, athletic frame draped in that noble white coat.

Outwardly, he seemed like a refined nobleman, not the orphan who’d grown up parentless and untaught in etiquette.

Hinata suddenly regretted wearing just a plain white jacket and pants. She should’ve followed her sister’s example and had a kimono tailored instead. That way, they’d match perfectly.

Resolved, she decided to ask her sister about getting one the moment they got home.

Unaware of her thoughts, Izayoi finished breakfast. The two left for the Ninja Academy.

"Hey there, Izayoi! Hinata! Morning!"

"Still stuck together as ever. Hope you two get assigned to the same team!"

On the way, they met classmates heading to school. The ever-present duo endured endless teasing. Izayoi smiled wordlessly. Hinata ducked her head, recalling their earlier moment.

Inside the classroom, most students had arrived. While Naruto Uzumaki had initially failed the Graduation Exam, his recent success meant Class 1 of Grade 6 now had full graduation. Whether they’d impress Jonin supervisors was another matter.

With graduation secured, students clustered with friends rather than sitting at desks. Izayoi and Hinata grabbed seats casually.

Before they could share whispers, a familiar shadow plopped beside Izayoi.

Glancing over, Izayoi greeted him. "Morning, Sasuke."

"Morning", Sasuke replied, voice tinged with hope. "I hope we’re on the same team."

Barring Naruto—who occasionally stirred his competitive streak—Sasuke only respected Izayoi and Hinata. Training with them would sharpen his skills.

Izayoi chuckled. "Same here. But you know they won’t put all three top graduates together. Otherwise, other teams might as well skip the Chunin Exams."

"True."

Sasuke sighed, conceding the logic. As he propped his chin on his hands, a figure crouched before him.

The blond, fox-like face and cerulean eyes—narrowed to slits—made Sasuke inexplicably irritated. His blank face twitched with distaste.

Izayoi watched, lips curling upward.

Here we go…

"Dead-last’s so rude."

"Teach him a lesson, Sasuke-kun!"

The distant girls’ clique seethed as Naruto taunted Sasuke. They itched to intervene but held back, cowed by Izayoi and Hinata’s presence.

Suddenly, a boy behind Sasuke leaned back, elbows flailing during conversation. He didn’t notice Naruto crouched at the table behind.

The elbow jabbed Naruto’s crotch. He lurched forward. His face—already close—magnified in Sasuke’s vision. His eyes widened from slits to saucers.

So did Sasuke’s.

Mu~~a!

Under the girls’ stunned, petrified stares, Naruto and Sasuke collided in an iconic, face-melting kiss.

"Woo-hoo!"

Izayoi nearly whistled, cursing his lack of a camera. Hinata covered her mouth, flushed beet-red. This… this was too much!

Seconds later, the boys recoiled, gagging violently.

"Dead-last!" Sasuke snarled. "I’ll kill you!"

Before he could act, a black shadow engulfed them.

The Sasuke Fan Club, led by Sakura Haruno, stormed forward, shoving the boy aside. Ignoring Izayoi and Hinata’s presence entirely, they dragged Naruto off the table and into the hallway, where punches rained down.

"Ahhh! Mercy!"

Naruto’s screams echoed through the dust-choked air.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end