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The early morning sun had just begun to spread its golden fingers across Konoha, washing the rooftops and narrow streets in soft light.
On the other side of Konoha, inside a modest restaurant tucked along one of the main streets, two figures sat opposite each other at a wooden table.
One was bent over his bowl with unrestrained enthusiasm, while the other looked like he'd been dragged there against his will.
Naruto slurped loudly, eating his ramen. The steam fogged up his whiskered cheeks, and his grin was one of sheer bliss.
Across from him, Sasuke tapped his fingers against the table, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Are you done yet?" He asked, voice clipped, his patience thinning.
"Nah!" Naruto replied through a mouthful of noodles, his voice muffled. He raised the chopsticks high and shoveled another bite into his mouth. "Let me eat in peace. This ramen is good!"
Sasuke stared at him in disbelief. His lips tugged into the faintest scowl. "Who the heck eats ramen in the morning?"
Naruto paused mid-slurp, tilted his head like Sasuke had just said something absurd, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I had breakfast with Mom, but it wasn't enough. I need more energy!"
He pointed at himself with his chopsticks. "And what's wrong with having ramen for breakfast anyway? It's not like it's unhealthy or something."
"Hmph." Sasuke crossed his arms, turning his head away. "Finish it fast, loser."
Naruto smirked. "You just don't get it. Ramen fills the soul, not just the stomach."
Sasuke gave him a flat look. "Your soul's going to be nothing but noodles one day."
"Better noodles than arrogance!" Naruto shot back, grinning.
A few minutes later, Naruto drained the last of the broth with a satisfied slurp! He leaned back, patting his stomach with a bright smile.
"Ahhh, that hit the spot. Thanks!" He called out to the waiter, his voice brimming with gratitude.
The waiter chuckled warmly, used to the boy's boundless energy. "Come revisit us again, Naruto-kun!"
"Count on it!" Naruto grinned, hopping to his feet.
Sasuke sighed and rose more gracefully, giving the impression that he was indulging his teammate rather than joining him.
The two stepped out of the restaurant, the air outside crisp and lively with the sound of morning chatter.
Naruto stretched his arms over his head. "Let's go!"
Whoosh!
"Mm." Sasuke gave a short nod, and in the next moment, the pair vanished, racing through the village at high speed, rooftops blurring beneath them.
As they leapt from one tiled roof to the next, Naruto glanced sideways. "Hey, Sasuke… are your parents coming to watch you today?"
A smug smile tugged at Sasuke's lips. His eyes gleamed with quiet pride. "Of course. And I'm going to defeat you right in front of them and everyone else."
Naruto rolled his eyes at the familiar boasting. "Yeah, yeah. Keep dreaming."
The wind brushed past their faces as they continued forward, but Sasuke's curiosity flickered. "What about Aunt Kushina? Is she coming?"
Naruto let out a sigh that carried both affection and exasperation. "What do you think? Of course she's coming."
Sasuke raised a brow at Naruto's tone. "You don't sound thrilled. You're not happy about it?"
Naruto's lips curved into a wry smile, eyes softening despite his words. "It's not that. She's just… too enthusiastic, you know? I'm worried she'll cheer so loud it'll embarrass me in front of everyone."
For a moment, Sasuke pictured Kushina with her fiery-haired, full of boundless energy, probably leaping onto the railings and shouting encouragement until her throat was raw. His lips twitched. He didn't laugh outright, but he gave a quiet nod. "Yeah. That… sounds like her."
Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Guess I'll just have to deal with it."
"Or win quickly," Sasuke said smoothly. "That way she won't get the chance."
Naruto smirked. "Tch, like you'll even give me the chance to lose."
The two of them exchanged a sidelong glance mid-leap, the competitive spark already flaring in their eyes.
The village was alive with noise and excitement, but for Naruto and Sasuke, the world was already shrinking down to each other.
------
At the same time, inside the Hidden Leaf Inn, a heavy silence hung in the air, disturbed only by the faint creak of wood and the muffled laughter of villagers outside preparing for the day's festivities.
The contrast between the cheer beyond the inn's walls and the suffocating seriousness within the room could not have been sharper.
"Today… we execute the plan!" Baki declared, his voice firm, sharp like a blade slicing through hesitation. His single eye gleamed beneath his headwrap as he looked at the trio before him.
Temari sat stiffly, her fan resting against the wall. Her fingers fidgeted unconsciously at the hem of her skirt.
Kankurō slouched against the chair, arms crossed, the painted lines on his face unreadable.
And Gaara sat apart, as if the shadows themselves gathered around him, silent and still.
Baki's gaze lingered on the youngest sibling. "Gaara! I hope you are ready."
At the mention of his name, Gaara's pale eyes lifted. A storm of something unspoken stirred within them.
'Gaara…' Kankurō thought uneasily, watching his little brother. He had seen that look before.
It was a quiet, dangerous calm that was never a good sign.
"I will not destroy the village," Gaara said suddenly, his voice steady, cold, and final.
The words struck like thunder.
"What!?" Temari shot to her feet, her chair screeching back. Her fan clattered lightly against the wall.
Baki's single visible eye widened as he froze mid-breath.
"Oy, Kankurō!" He snapped, his voice laced with disbelief. "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"
Kankurō shifted uncomfortably under the weight of both their stares.
"This…" He began, but the words faltered. His jaw clenched as he exhaled. "I… I don't know everything. Just… that Gaara's been different since the exams."
Temari's hands trembled as she clenched them together. "Gaara! This is not the time to joke!"
Her voice cracked, desperation seeping through. "The entire village is counting on you... Father is counting on you! Do you understand what's at stake?"
Gaara's gaze slid to her briefly, emotionless, before falling back into silence.
"Gaara!" Baki's voice hardened as he strode forward, gripping the boy's shoulders firmly. His fingers pressed in, as if trying to shake sense into him. "Be serious! We did not come here for exams. We came to destroy this village!"
His voice dropped, venomous with conviction. "There are no Chūnin Exams. There are no results. All that matters is the annihilation of Konoha!"
But Gaara's expression didn't so much as twitch. He blinked slowly, unbothered by Baki's tightening grip.
"Hmph."
A faint snort left him as he brushed past, stepping toward the door. His footsteps echoed hollowly in the tense room.
"Gaara!" Baki barked, half-panicked, half-furious. "Are you going to help us or not!?"
The boy stopped at the threshold. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with his silence. Then, without a word, Gaara pulled the door open. Light spilled in, illuminating his outline like a ghostly silhouette.
He left, and the door shut behind him with a final thud.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
"Why…" Baki muttered at last, his hand dragging down his face. A bead of sweat traced the side of his temple beneath his headwrap. "Why does he have to do this now? Orochimaru-sama and the others are counting on him!" His tone slipped from anger into unease.
Temari turned slowly toward her older brother, her voice sharp but laced with worry. "Kankurō. Do you… know anything about this?"
Kankurō avoided her eyes, his fingers drumming against his crossed arms. He wanted to say no, to deny everything outright, but the truth gnawed at him. He knew Gaara was changing. He had seen it in the exams, in the way his brother had spoken, even in the subtle restraint he showed.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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