Akari Uchiha

Ch. 54 Jutsu Without Handsigns

"The chunin exams!?" Akari looked up at Kakashi with wide eyes. "The one in which the Sound Village attacked two years ago?"

Kakashi sweat-dropped. "Is that how your generation recognizes these exams now?"

"That's what the senseis at the academy taught us," she shrugged. "But... so if I manage to pass then I become a chunin?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed. "I recommended you for the exams, you can fill up the application form once we get back at the village. That is if you want to apply. The exams are completely voluntary."

"Of course I want to apply!" she squealed.. 

"You need to team up with two other members to participate," Kakashi informed her.

"Haru!" she instantly exclaimed. "And... anyone else is fine as long as it's not Akio," she nodded to herself.

"Haru... Anko's brat right? The Mizuhi?"

Akari scowled. "Just remember him by his name already!"

"I've barely spoken to him," Kakashi defended.

"He's my best friend!" Akari protested.

"Ah," Kakashi muttered, before frowning slightly. "Wait, that brat? He's about this tall, joins you when you're randomly screaming, has brown hair, was almost always present in the hospital when you were admitted there, that one?"

"And now you remember him?" she deadpanned.

Kakashi hummed. "I remember a boy matching the exact same description trying to get his hands on my book, with a voice that I could've sworn sounded so much like yours cheering him on."

Akari winced. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about, it must've been someone else who's as curious as I am... you know?"

"Remind me to never put the two of you up in the same team."

"WHAT!? You can't do that! You can't separate two best friends!" she protested.

" Oh? Give me one good reason after that stunt the two of you tried to pull back at the hospital," Kakashi's amused eye glanced at the sulking Uchiha trotting after him.

 "He is literally the one person besides my roommate who remembers my birthday," she justified.

Kakashi faltered for a second, God was this kid good at guilt-tripping without even knowing it, before raising a mocking eyebrow as casually as he could pretend, "So?" he drawled. "What did you want? A birthday cake? Wanna blow candles and have people cheer for you?" he asked sarcastically.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, focusing on the way ahead of him.

Since Itachi came after his apprentice, twice in a row, and spared her life, he knew two things.

One, Itachi was an asshole who did everything for a reason.

Two, he needed to protect his apprentice.

So he hadn't been just taking his frustration out by accidentally destroying random training grounds, no, at least that hadn't been all he had been doing while his apprentice was admitted in the hospital.

He knew that he could never keep her confined to the village and keep an eye on that brat 24/7.

So he did the next best thing. Which was to know what exactly he needed to prepare her for.

So he seeked out Itachi Uchiha.

He snapped out of it realizing something felt... different. He glanced back at the abnormally quiet midget behind him.