A Subtle Shift

3| Troublemakers

"You need to get accustomed to working with these three, Naruto," Kakashi said, leading them all out of the Hokage's office and into the Konoha streets.

Naruto would prefer to be quite literally anywhere else at the moment, believe it, but he knew he didn't have much of a choice. Besides, this was pretty much free protection against whoever was trying to weaponize him (at the cost of pretty much his life, so not so free as he claimed).

"I would start off by putting you to the test," Kakashi continued casually, unaware of Naruto's racing heart, "but I think it's better for you to get to know them first. Besides, if you..." He trailed off, tossing Naruto a look over his shoulder.

"What are you doing, you moron?" Sasuke demanded, cocking a brow. Naruto, who had shamefully retreated into the shadows let out an aggravated huff, but he was more terrified than anything.

Going into the village? After all of this time of merely popping in to steal some bread and milk, and still staying unnoticed? He was sure to get tomatoes and eggs tossed at him, that's certain.

He reached up and adjusted his new headband (a habit he had gotten into just to remind himself that he was in fact not dreaming) before averting his gaze in embarrassment. "I-I can't... I can't just..." How was he supposed to explain the hate crimes? The way people reacted at the sight of him, reeling away or lashing out?

"Listen," Sai immediately said, catching on instantly, "if you supposedly died or went missing, then people won't recognize you. You're like a brand new person, in a way."

Was he right? Naruto wasn't sure he wanted to test that theory out. Still, hiding in the shadows wasn't going to accomplish anything, and he'd have to face the village someday, though preferably sooner than later.

And by village, he really meant Hinata.

Naruto let out a miserable sigh before walking forward to catch up with them. Sasuke shoved both of his hands into his pockets, and Sakura took that as an opportunity to link her arm with his, dipping her head onto his shoulder.

Naruto still found it hard to fathom how that had happened, and how he missed their being together prior to this day so completely.

"As I was saying," Kakashi said, but he didn't continue walking any further. "Your very first assignment is to spend the day with them, Naruto. The more you learn about your comrades, the more you'll be able to sync with them in battle. Understand?"

He sent them all a close-eyed smile. "Sasuke, you're in charge. Have fun." He disappeared in a cloud of smoke without a moment's notice, vanishing within a blink of an eye.

"Why's he so eager to leave?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms. It was rare to see Kakashi so hasty. In fact, most of the time he was late to just about everything.

"There's a girl," Sai said as he began walking. "Although he has a weird way of showing it, he secretly likes talking to her."

"A girl?" Naruto blurted.

"A woman," Sakura snapped, pulling away from Sasuke just to give the two boys a stern look. "Learn some respect, you two." She turned to Naruto. "She's a hardworking Jonin who just left the ANBU a month ago, and Kakashi happened to bump into her around then. Her name is Hayami."

"Hayami, huh?" Naruto asked as Sasuke also began walking. In Naruto's time of watching Kakashi, he never once saw him with this woman named Hayami. Though, it was hard to tail the Copy Ninja, if Naruto wanted to stay hidden. But from the way Kakashi acted around him, he was already well aware of Naruto trying to watch him.

So his idol probably thought he was a creep. Splendid.

Naruto hurried behind the other three as they got closer to where the village was the busiest—where he was sure to be rewarded with underserving glares and where he'd get promoted from a human with feelings like everybody else to an elite punching bag.