Capítulo 10: Class
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Izumi's face lit up with joy. Her big eyes curved into crescents as she smiled brightly. "Let's go."
Itachi smiled faintly as well. He was trying to adapt to something he had ignored for so long. A part of him, the child he once was, felt a sense of happiness.
Together, they walked into the Academy's first-floor classroom, where the freshmen gathered.
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The classroom buzzed with the chatter of students getting to know each other, laughter and loud voices filling the room. Children at this age made friends quickly.
Itachi and Izumi found seats in a quieter corner, sitting side by side. As they settled down, a black-haired boy sitting in front of them turned around and greeted them.
"Hey, my name's Youshu Mukuro," he introduced himself with a friendly grin.
Izumi returned his smile. "I'm Uchiha Izumi."
Itachi was a little slower to respond, but he finally said, "Uchiha Itachi."
"Whoa!" Youshu's eyes widened. "You're the ones who got perfect scores on the entrance exam!"
It wasn't until now that he noticed the Uchiha crest on their clothes. The new students all knew that two of the top performers came from the Uchiha clan.
Izumi nodded, her smile calm, as the boy's exclamation drew the attention of the other students. They began gathering around their seats, eager to greet Itachi and Izumi.
Izumi handled the attention gracefully, chatting with everyone who came by with a smile. Itachi, however, felt out of place. The thoughts of these children seemed so far removed from his own.
Still, despite his awkwardness, there was something about the moment that made him feel a little… happy. He quietly memorized the names of the children introducing themselves, knowing that one day these names might be important.
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Soon, a slightly heavyset teacher wearing a Konoha flak jacket entered the classroom, trying to quiet the chatter.
"Alright, everyone, settle down," he said, his voice patient. But the noise persisted—these young students had little sense of discipline yet.
The teacher remained calm, walking around the class and gently guiding the students back to their seats. Finally, when everyone had returned and the noise had subsided, he introduced himself with a warm smile.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Yamashita Takashi, and I'll be your homeroom teacher from today. It's a pleasure to meet you."
His sincerity was evident, and despite his ninja status, he had an almost fatherly air about him.
"Now, let's start with introductions. Please introduce yourselves one by one," Takashi continued, gesturing toward the student nearest the door.
But the boy he pointed to only muttered to his friend, clearly uninterested. "Our teacher looks kind of dumb," he whispered.
The atmosphere in the room grew awkward, and Itachi noticed the teacher's expression falter. Just as Itachi was about to stand and ease the tension, Izumi raised her hand first.
"I'll go first, sensei," she said with a kind smile.
Takashi's face lit up with relief. "Thank you. Please go ahead."
Izumi walked to the front of the class confidently. "My name is Uchiha Izumi. I'm five years old. My favorite food is dango, and I enjoy flower arranging and reading."
Takashi nodded appreciatively. "Well done. Who's next?"
Still, the rest of the class was hesitant. Izumi noticed this and turned toward a boy seated by the door. " Mashimo, you're up! The teacher's waiting for you," she said, her tone encouraging.
Taken aback, Mashimo quickly stood and walked to the podium. Izumi had already memorized his name during their earlier conversations, and her encouragement had made him feel comfortable enough to step forward.
Takashi gave Izumi a grateful smile as she returned to her seat next to Itachi.
"You're clever," Itachi remarked, impressed by how she handled the situation.
Izumi giggled. "Well, our classmates are a little mischievous, and Takashi-sensei has his work cut out for him."
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After about an hour, all the students had introduced themselves. The next class wasn't about ninjutsu or chakra control but about Konoha's history.
The teacher began by discussing the past Hokages, including the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. For many of the students, these stories were new and exciting, filling their minds with heroic images of the village's leaders. They listened eagerly, hanging on Takashi's every word.
Izumi, resting her chin in her hand, listened attentively, though her expression remained calm. It was clear that she already knew the material, yet she showed no signs of boredom.
Itachi noticed this. Izumi's ability to remain engaged, even with information she was familiar with, intrigued him. He had always overlooked these subtle qualities in her before, but now he was starting to see them.
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Takashi spent the entire morning recounting the history of Konoha and its previous generations of Hokage. The students, previously restless and mischievous, were captivated by the stories of their village's past.
Takashi's deep knowledge and skillful storytelling drew them in as he shared tales of legendary heroes, epic battles, and the foundations of the village.
"Alright, class, that concludes our morning session. Be sure to have a good lunch," Takashi said with a warm smile. As he left the classroom, he glanced at the corner where Itachi and Izumi sat, nodding gratefully at the latter.
If Izumi hadn't stepped in earlier, he would've struggled to manage the class.
Izumi returned his nod with a gentle smile.
Once the teacher exited, the quiet classroom quickly came to life.
"That was amazing! I could listen to those stories all day!"
"Yeah, only a real ninja could live like that!"
The students chatted excitedly. For many, this was the first time they truly grasped what it meant to be a ninja. Until now, enrolling in the Academy had been more of a parental decision, with little understanding of the responsibilities and challenges ahead.
Hearing their chatter, Itachi allowed himself a small smile. A "real ninja," he thought. These children had no idea what that truly meant. Not everyone could live the kind of life the Hokage led. Most shinobi operated in the shadows, silently protecting the village, often sacrificing everything without recognition.
At that moment, the boy with dark hair who had introduced himself earlier turned around, eyes wide with excitement.
"Hey! I can't believe the blonde guy we saw at the gate this morning was the Fourth Hokage!" he exclaimed.
He was referring to Namikaze Minato, the Yellow Flash of Konoha.
While the First and Second Hokage had long since become legends, the Fourth Hokage was still fresh in everyone's minds, especially since the Third Shinobi World War had ended just over a year ago. To these children, Minato's deeds were not ancient history—they were current events.
Izumi smiled at the boy's enthusiasm and turned to Itachi.
"Itachi-kun, would you like to have lunch together?" she asked.
Itachi stood up, shaking his head apologetically. "I'm sorry. My younger brother, Sasuke, was sick last night. He still wasn't fully recovered when I left this morning."
Izumi's expression shifted to one of concern. "Is Sasuke alright now?"
Her genuine worry for his brother caught Itachi off guard. He offered her a gentle smile. "It's just a fever. It was already going down when I left."
"That's a relief," Izumi said, her smile returning. "You should go check on him. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"
Itachi blinked, surprised once again by her kindness. "You haven't even met Sasuke. Why do you care so much?"
"Because we're friends, Itachi-kun," Izumi replied simply, without hesitation. "Friends care about each other's family. If your brother's sick, of course I'm going to worry."
"Friends..." Itachi murmured, feeling something stir in his chest. It was an unfamiliar but welcome warmth.
"Thank you," he said softly before turning to leave.
As Itachi made his way out of the Academy and into the village, he moved swiftly, leaping through the streets toward the Uchiha compound. The cool air brushed against his face, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of peace.
In just under ten minutes, he reached the Uchiha district on the village outskirts. Entering the courtyard of his home, he quickly made his way inside.
"Mom, how's Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he saw Mikoto preparing lunch.
Mikoto smiled gently. "He's much better now. He's resting."
It wasn't surprising—Sasuke, even at his young age, was resilient. The strength of the Uchiha clan ran deep in his veins.
"I'll go check on him," Itachi said, walking quietly into Sasuke's room. Seeing his younger brother peacefully sleeping, the worry that had weighed on him all morning finally lifted.
Satisfied, he returned to the dining area, where Mikoto had set the table. Itachi joined her, offering a small prayer of gratitude before beginning his meal.
"So, how was your first day at the Academy?" Mikoto asked, placing more food into his bowl.
"It went well," Itachi replied.
Mikoto's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Did you make any friends?"
Itachi paused before nodding. "Yeah, I did."
The soft joy that flickered in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by Mikoto, who smiled warmly.
"I'm glad to hear that," she said softly. "I think the Academy will be good for you."
Itachi glanced at her, realizing why his mother had insisted he go to the Academy. She had sensed that something was missing in his heart—a gap that could only be filled by the bonds of friendship. It wasn't something he had recognized until now.
He had once known this feeling, long ago, when Shisui was alive. But after Shisui's death, Itachi had buried that part of himself, choosing instead to focus solely on his duties as a shinobi.
But now, he was beginning to remember the value of companionship. The warmth of friendship that had once filled his heart was slowly returning, and it felt like a part of him that had been lost was being restored.
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