Chapter 8
Yona glanced around the classroom, feeling a mixture of excitement and anticipation in the air. Naruto, sitting nearby, was nearly vibrating with energy, drumming his fingers impatiently on his desk as he kept glancing at Iruka at the front of the room. “Come on, come on! Just tell us the teams already!” he whined, bouncing in his seat. Yona couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
On her other side, Shikamaru leaned back, looking unimpressed. “Like there’s any mystery to it,” he muttered, giving Yona a sideways glance. “They’ll put me with Ino and Chōji, just like they do every year with our families. And then, a Sarutobi will lead us.” He sighed deeply. “How predictable. How boring.”
Ino, hearing this, scoffed. “Oh, as if you're any fun to be stuck with, Shikamaru. You never take anything seriously!”
“And you never stop talking,” Shikamaru replied lazily, earning a glare from Ino. The two began to bicker, with Chōji watching them, munching on a bag of chips with mild interest.
Yona sighed, trying not to let her disappointment show. Can’t we go five minutes without arguing? she thought, but she knew her friends too well to expect anything else. Just then, the door creaked open, and her attention shifted.
Sasuke entered the classroom, his expression as impassive as ever, though Yona didn’t miss the way his gaze flickered toward the seats next to her. Realizing they were already full, he muttered something under his breath and went to the other side of the room, sliding into a seat in resigned silence. Unfortunately for him, it left an extra spot next to him, and in an instant, Sakura had claimed it, chattering away.
“Sasuke! Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were on the same team? I mean, think about it—us, together, working as a team!” she said eagerly, leaning closer than necessary.
Sasuke’s face remained a carefully controlled mask, though inwardly, he was already calculating his options. If we’re on the same team... is it worth defecting as a genin? What are my chances of survival as a rogue shinobi right out of the academy?
He could almost feel the headache forming. Sakura continued to babble beside him, oblivious to his inner turmoil.
Just as Sasuke was about to lose all hope of escaping Sakura’s endless chatter, Iruka-sensei entered the room, his expression warm as he looked out at the new graduates. "Congratulations to all of you," he announced with a smile. "You've worked hard, and I’m proud of every one of you. Today, I’ll be announcing the team placements, so please pay attention."
The room fell into an expectant silence, all the graduates on the edge of their seats. Sasuke leaned forward slightly, listening carefully, hoping to hear his and Yona’s names together. Beside him, Naruto was muttering fervently under his breath, “Please, please let me be with Sakura… please let me be with Sakura.”
Yona rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “As if that’s gonna help…”
Iruka continued to call out names, assigning teams one by one. Sasuke’s name and Yona’s hadn’t come up yet, and he felt a strange mix of impatience and anticipation. Finally, as Iruka reached the end of the list, he looked up.
“Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Senju Yona. Your sensei will be Hatake Kakashi.”
Naruto’s face fell as he processed the announcement. “Wait, Sakura’s not on my team?” he blurted out in disbelief, disappointment clear on his face.
Yona smirked, giving him a teasing nudge. “Try not to look too excited about it,” she quipped.
Naruto floundered, looking quickly between her and Sasuke. “No, no! It’s just, uh… well, I was kind of hoping…” He trailed off before flashing a sheepish grin. “But hey, Yona! We’re on the same team! That’s awesome! I’d just trade the teme for Sakura, though.”
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto, feeling a slight annoyance rise. The fact that he was on a team with Yona was a small victory, but now he’d be stuck dealing with Naruto every day. Of course, he thought dryly. Can’t have everything.
As Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glares, Iruka cleared his throat and turned to Sakura, who was still sitting at her desk, looking stunned. “Sakura, could you step into the room next door for a moment? I need to have a word with you.”
Ino, sensing an opportunity, leaned over with a smug smile. “Hey, Sakura, maybe you didn’t pass after all.”
Yona shot her a warning look, noting the distress on Sakura’s face. “Ino, enough,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. Ino huffed but fell silent, crossing her arms as she leaned back.
Sakura glanced at Yona, a flicker of gratitude passing through her expression before she quietly rose and followed Iruka out of the room.
Sakura stood at the entrance of the small room, her heart racing with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she had just passed the academy exams, but the uncertainty of what lay ahead made her uneasy. As she stepped inside, she noticed Shizune, Tsunade’s assistant, seated at a table, reviewing some papers.
“Ah, you must be Sakura Haruno,” Shizune said, looking up with a warm smile. “I’m Shizune, Tsunade’s assistant. Congratulations on passing the exams!”
“Thank you,” Sakura replied, still feeling a bit unsure. “What’s this about?”
Before Shizune could respond, Iruka entered the room, closing the door behind him. He looked serious but kind as he approached Sakura. “Sakura, I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk to you about your future as a ninja.”
Sakura shifted nervously. “Is something wrong? Did I do something to mess up?”
“No, no,” Iruka reassured her quickly. “You did well in the exams. It’s just that Shizune has been reviewing the students who showed potential for medical ninjutsu, and she thinks you could be a great fit.”
Sakura’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? Me? A medical ninja?” She had always admired the medical ninjas in Konoha but had never seriously considered it for herself.
Shizune nodded, her expression earnest. “Your chakra control is impressive, and you have a natural affinity for healing techniques. If you choose to accept, you could join us as an apprentice. This is a rare opportunity.”
“But…” Sakura hesitated, her thoughts drifting to Sasuke. “I was really hoping to be on Sasuke’s team. I thought maybe I could prove myself to him and be strong like him.”
Iruka placed a hand on her shoulder. “I understand that, but I have to be honest with you. While your chakra control is commendable, your fighting skills aren’t quite up to par with your peers. The fact is, children from clans often have advantages that you don’t, and as they progress, it might be difficult for you to keep up, especially at the Chunin level.”
Sakura’s heart sank at his words. She had always known that she was at a disadvantage, but hearing it out loud made it feel all the more real. “So you’re saying I should give up on being on Sasuke’s team?”
Shizune chimed in, her tone turning stern. “I’m saying this is a great opportunity, Sakura. If you choose to throw it away for a boy, maybe I was wrong about you. This is your chance to shine in a different way, to become strong in your own right.”
“But I wanted to prove I could be strong like Sasuke…” Sakura murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Iruka leaned in, his eyes kind but firm. “You can still be strong, Sakura. Just not in the way you originally envisioned. Being a medical ninja is a vital role in any team. You can save lives and make a real difference.”
Sakura thought about it, her mind racing. She had always admired Tsunade and her strength, and the idea of being able to help her friends on the battlefield appealed to her deeply. But the fear of being left behind by Sasuke and the others weighed heavily on her heart.
After a long moment of silence, Shizune broke the tension. “Take your time, but remember: this is about your future. You need to decide what you want for yourself, not what someone else wants for you.”
With a deep breath, Sakura finally looked up, determination shining in her eyes. “I want to be strong. I want to help people. I’ll do it. I’ll accept your offer.”
Shizune smiled, her expression softening. “Great choice, Sakura. You won’t regret it.”
Iruka nodded in approval, a proud smile on his face. “I believe in you, Sakura. You’re going to do amazing things.”
Sakura felt a rush of relief wash over her. Though she would miss the dynamic of her peers, she realized that this was her chance to forge her own path. As she left the room with Shizune, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. She was ready to become a medical ninja and prove her worth in her own way.
--
As the students shifted to gather next to their respective teammates, Naruto huffed dramatically, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can’t believe I’m stuck on the same team as Sasuke! This is so unfair! He’s going to bring the whole team down with his brooding.”
Sasuke shot him an irritated glare. “You’re the one who’s going to pull us down, idiot. If you can’t even master a simple jutsu, how do you expect to keep up?”
“Oh, like you’re one to talk, Mr. I-Only-Practice-My-Super-Secret-Training,” Naruto shot back, his voice rising. “At least I’m not brooding all day like some kind of emo weirdo!”
Yona rubbed her temples in exasperation as she stepped between them. “Guys, can we not start this already? We just got together as a team. Can’t we try to be… I don’t know, a little more civil?”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, folding his arms. Naruto smirked, leaning closer to Yona. “At least I have personality! You can’t just stare at a wall, Sasuke! It’s a team, not a funeral!”
“Yeah, yeah, just keep it down, Naruto,” Sasuke muttered, trying to maintain his composure.
“Speaking of team dynamics, do you know who our teacher is?” Yona asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “You know Kakashi?”
“Yeah, I know him a bit,” Yona replied, glancing sideways. “But I don’t really know how skilled he is or how good he’ll be as a sensei. I just know his taste in books is awful.”
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean by that?”
Yona crossed her arms, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “He reads Jiraiya’s books.”
“Wait, seriously?” Naruto gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief. “You mean the pervy sage’s pervy books?!”
“Yeah, those ones,” Yona replied, trying to suppress her laughter. “I can’t imagine how he could think those stories are entertaining.”
Sasuke’s expression shifted as he tried to process this information. “I don’t know how to feel about that. Is our new sensei really the kind of guy who reads that stuff?”
Naruto’s face scrunched up in disgust. “That’s just…gross! How can he even be a sensei if he reads that kind of stuff?”
“Maybe it’s a tactic to get us to focus during training?” Yona suggested, chuckling at the absurdity of it all. “You know, like ‘pay attention to your training or else!’”
“Or else what?” Naruto asked, still looking horrified. “He’ll read to us from those books? I’d rather fight a thousand ninjas!”
Sasuke couldn’t help but smirk at the mental image of their new sensei reading romance novels during a training session. At least Yona was on his team. That’s a silver lining in this disaster.