Konoha: Naruto's abnormal life choices

Ino and Sakura shoved through the classroom door at the same time, bumping shoulders. They'd never gotten along well, and even something as petty as who walked in first was another battle in their ongoing rivalry.

But as they crossed the threshold, that usual tension shifted.

"Ino-pig, looks like I win again today," Sakura said with a smirk.

Ino didn't reply. No eye roll, no comeback. Just silence.

That was strange—and Sakura knew Ino well enough to sense when something was off. She glanced sideways and saw Ino staring at the trio ahead of them: Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto Uzumaki.

More specifically... Naruto.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Hah. No way," she sneered. "Ino-pig, don't tell me those rumors are true. Are you actually crushing on Naruto?"

Over the short break, the rumors had spread like wildfire.

According to the gossip mill, something had gone down between Ino and Naruto on the day they submitted their ninja registration papers—right in the middle of town. Some people swore Naruto had slapped Ino unconscious after a messy breakup. Others claimed he'd cheated, and Ino confronted him, only to be knocked out cold. The most dramatic version said she begged him not to leave her and was kicked in the stomach so hard she passed out in a pool of blood.

Sakura had dismissed most of it as typical schoolyard nonsense—until now.

Maybe it wasn't exactly how the rumors described, but clearly, something happened between them.

"You wide-foreheaded freak," Ino snapped, glaring at Sakura. "Spread one more lie and I'll tear that mouth of yours off your face."

In truth, Ino was still pissed that Naruto had knocked her out that day. But what enraged her even more were the ridiculous rumors that followed. She didn't even understand how it had spiraled like this. People were vicious.

A single moment could spark a hundred lies—but disproving them? That took real work.

Even Shikamaru and Choji—her childhood friends—were talking about it like it was some kind of juicy drama. She was furious. Couldn't they tell the difference between idle talk and what really happened?

She was about to walk up and shut it all down—when Naruto beat her to it.

"Cut it out, you two," Naruto said bluntly. "Everything you heard is just a bunch of made-up crap. I've got nothing going on with Ino."

Then, with a casual shrug, he added, "Besides, I don't have time for silly little girls obsessed with romance."

His voice wasn't angry, just resigned.

But to Ino, it felt like a slap in the face all over again. How dare he? First he teased her, then knocked her unconscious—and now he had the nerve to act like she was the one chasing him?

"Don't flatter yourself. Like anyone's interested in you," Ino snapped.

Her voice caught the boys' attention. They turned around and noticed Ino and Sakura standing behind them. Ino's eyes were red with frustration.

Shikamaru and Choji exchanged looks, clearly unsure of what to believe anymore.

Naruto blinked. "…"

Well. That was pointless.

With a sigh, he plopped down into the nearest chair. Choji and Shikamaru flanked him on either side, eyes lit up with curiosity. The gossip train wasn't slowing down any time soon.

Sakura gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up as she walked past. Ino stomped to the far back corner and sat down as far from Naruto as possible—but her eyes stayed fixed on him, practically shooting daggers.

Asshole. Asshole. ASSHOLE.

Meanwhile, behind Naruto, Hinata Hyuga sat quietly in her oversized cotton sweater—even though it was already April. She nervously poked her index fingers together, listening to the conversation.

Naruto-kun said he has nothing to do with Ino. (•‿•)Naruto-kun said he's not into silly girls. (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Her heart fluttered with mixed emotions, but she stayed silent. Hinata had never been bold with her feelings. She simply listened, blushing occasionally, and kept her head down.

Naruto didn't notice her—or Ino, for that matter. He wasn't really paying attention to anyone's feelings.

He meant it when he said he had no interest in love-crazed girls. Anyone who had shown romantic interest in him recently had already, metaphorically, been deleted.

404'd.

"BANG!"

A fist slammed against the desk in front of him.

Naruto looked up to see Kiba standing there, eyes burning with anger.

"Naruto! Let's fight again!" Kiba snarled. "Last time was a fluke. I'll beat you for real this time!"

The memory of being defeated in a single move haunted Kiba. He'd barely left his house since, training obsessively just to reclaim some dignity.

"No," Naruto said flatly.

"What? Scared?"

"You're too weak."

Naruto's cold stare made Kiba flinch. He wasn't even worth fighting—didn't even trigger a selector option. Naruto couldn't be bothered.

"What did you just say?!"

Kiba's face turned red with humiliation. The fact that the "class loser" was now dismissing him was almost too much to handle.

"You have to fight me!"

"Give it a rest, Kiba," Shikamaru sighed. "This is a Genin orientation, not a sparring match."

"Stay out of it!" Kiba shouted, brushing Shikamaru aside. "Naruto, you're fighting me. Today."

Behind them, Hinata tensed. She stared at the standoff, worry etched across her face.

"You're seriously annoying," Naruto muttered.

Kiba's confidence wavered—but he held his ground. "What? You too scared to accept a real challenge?"

He was betting Naruto was all talk. If he didn't beat Naruto now, everyone would remember him as the guy who got one-shotted in front of the entire class.

Kiba couldn't live with that.

By now, the whole classroom was watching, a buzz of excitement rippling through the students.

"Fight him, Naruto!"

"You scared or what?"

"C'mon, you beat him once, do it again!"

Most of them weren't even Genin yet. To them, Naruto's previous win was just a lucky shot.

They wanted to see a real fight.

Hinata stood up and tried to stop the escalating tension. "It's wrong to fight before class," she said softly.

But her voice was too quiet. It was lost in the growing roar of students egging them on.

Still, Naruto heard her.

He glanced back, locking eyes with Hinata—and smiled.

"Don't worry," he said gently.

Hinata's heart nearly stopped. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she quickly dropped her head and hid behind her arms like a startled bunny.

Naruto-kun… he smiled at me… so beautifully.

Ino, sitting in the back, caught the exchange—and it made her stomach twist.

You disgusting jerk.You reject me, but smile at Hinata?!

Kiba seethed.

"You're ignoring me now? Talking to girls while I challenge you?"

"Fine," Naruto said with a sigh, cracking his neck. "You're really eager to get your face smashed in, huh?"

He didn't want to waste time on someone like Kiba—but if the guy insisted on being humiliated in front of the class, Naruto was happy to oblige.

But just as he was about to stand, another voice cut through the noise—cool, cold, and commanding.

"Kiba, Naruto's right. You're not strong enough."

All heads turned.

"I'm the one who should fight Naruto," said Uchiha Sasuke, rising from his desk by the window. His eyes gleamed with challenge.

[Passive Selection Triggered…]