I Read It In A Book

Chapter 4

(2 years later)

Naruto, now fourteen, stood outside the academy with his hands in his pockets. His appearance hadn't changed much over the past two years. It hadn't changed at all actually. The only key differences being his gain in height and the loss of his once favorite jacket. He simply grew out of it, so he gave it to Minato to one day give to Menma when he could fit it. Other than that, nothing had changed. His hair was still the same with the right side still shaven down more so than the rest. He still wore his black T-shirt and ANBU pants with black sandals.

An addition to his ever present look however was the necklace he wore that brandished the Uzumaki spiral symbol, a gift from his mother for his recent birthday a few months back. You could argue another addition was the new book he had shoved into his face. After so many years of reading and rereading the one he received from his friend all those years ago, people had come to associate it with his apparel. This book was green.

As he read his new novel, he noticed the parents and other adult commoners beginning to chatter and mutter among themselves in awe. Looking to see what the commotion was, he turned to see Itachi walking his way. The brunette hadn't changed in the slightest. He still wore the same Uchiha high collared shirt with his ANBU pants and sandals, and he still maintained that ponytail of his. His fame within the village was the only thing that altered.

Itachi became the true essence of what it meant to be a Konoha shinobi. He was recognized publicly throughout the village for his accomplishment of making ANBU commander at the ripe age of thirteen, just a few months ago. Ever since, his popularity was rivalling that of the Hokage himself, which is a position most people said he was close to reaching.

"Hello Naruto." Itachi said, leaning against the wall next to the blonde as he waved at the group of parents waiting on their children to get out.

"Hello to you as well, Itachi." Naruto replied, not looking up from his book. "Here for Sasuke?"

"Yes. My mother is attending Yoshino-sama's baby shower as well." He replied as the blonde nodded. That was the reason he was going to be taking Mito and Menma for the remainder of the day. "What do you have planned for them?" Itachi asked.

Naruto looked up in thought. "I am unsure. I imagined a bit of training and possibly something to eat a little later."

"Would you mind us joining? Izumi and I are watching over Sasuke for the day as well."

Naruto nodded. "Of course. I must confess, I was not too interested in trying to entertain Mito and Menma all day anyways. Not alone that is." Itachi chuckled at that, understanding completely.

With a resonating slam, the doors of the Academy swung open. Kid after kid funneled out to their waiting parents or began their journey home with their friends. All of course pausing at the spectacle that was Itachi Uchiha. Eventually, the class holding all of the clan children was finally released.

Sasuke was one of the first kids out. After greeting Naruto, Itachi said they were going to go on ahead and pick up Izumi and that they'd meet up later. And there, Naruto waited with his book in hand, unaware of the leering eyes upon his form. Eventually Mito and Menma came out and immediately began explaining their day down to the minor details. Naruto just listened in false interest all the way back to the Namikaze compound.

When they arrived, Naruto began their training by having them do their normal warm up routine while he read his book. When they finished, he instructed them to work on their chakra control by performing the tree climbing exercise as they balanced a leaf on their forehead simultaneously. They were of course disappointed as they were hoping for something a bit more deadly. Or at least new.