Naru: Misty Eyes (A Naruto Fanfic) [Complete]

Chapter Fifteen: Ready or Not

A couple of weeks after their return from the Land of Waves, Team 7 had finally settled back into the routine of training and D-Rank missions. Kakashi bemoaned having to live with Naru because she never let him sleep in. Sasuke continued to play at the strong and silent type. Sakura began her tutelage at the hospital. Naru practiced the seals from the book Karasu gave her when she wasn't busy keeping Kakashi on schedule, goading Sasuke to break his brooding, or listening to Sakura talk about theories and training she'd learned from the medic-nin.

Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing, so it was a bit of a surprise when Kakashi offered to take them all out to dinner on a day that he'd given them off. Naru immediately voted for ramen, denied in favor of BBQ, but decided to wait to question Kakashi until after they got their food.

"So, Kakashi-sensei," Naru tilted her head to the side, grabbing a piece of meat with her chopsticks, "what's the occasion?"

"Occasion? Why do I need an occasion? Can't I just treat my students to a meal?" Kakashi chuckled, but Naru knew he was just trying to hide his nerves. The man was too easy to read at times, probably on purpose. No doubt he wouldn't have let on that much if he didn't mind or even invite further questioning.

"You could, but you don't," Naru said.

Sakura spoke up as well. "She has a point, Kakashi-sensei. You normally aren't around more than you need to be. You'd be around even less if Naru didn't drag you to training on time."

Naru snickered. "If he just learned to get up when his alarm went off..."

"You set it for five a.m. That's not funny, Naru! Stop laughing!"

"What's wrong with that?" Sasuke asked. "That's about when I get up."

"I sleep in until six," Sakura admitted. "Five is just a little too early for me."

"Six isn't too bad, Sakura," Naru laughed. "If Kakashi-sensei had his way, he wouldn't get out of bed until noon."

"That isn't true! Naru!" Kakashi groaned. "How can any of you expect me to want to be around you when none of you bother to give me any respect?"

"We call you sensei," Naru pointed out helpfully, still supressing a few giggles. "Anyways, back to the matter at hand. Why're we all here, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Now that sounds like a question on the purpose of life. I'm afraid no one can answer that but yourself, each person individually..."

"Not what I meant, and you know it," Naru said, smiling a little at Kakashi's attempt at a joke.

"Fine, fine," Kakashi said, sounding like he was relenting. "I wanted to ask you three if you were interested in participating in the chunin exams."

"Yes," Sasuke said immediately.

Sakura agreed a bit more hesitantly. "If you really think we're ready, Kakashi-sensei."

"No thanks," Naru said. She felt all of them look at her, question her, making her lean back in her seat. "I see no point in becoming a chunin for Konoha when I'm going to be back in Suna in just six months."

Kakashi sighed lightly. "I see your reasoning, but... Sasuke and Sakura can't enter the exams without a third teammate. You are their teammate."

Naru pondered it a moment. "On one condition."

"And that is?" Kakashi sounded curious.

"I get to wear my mom's headband, even if I'm on a Konoha team."

"... I'll ask the Hokage."

Naru smiled, even though she didn't particularly want to take the exam. It certainly wasn't what she'd thought Kakashi would take them out to dinner to discuss. Either way, she'd gotten a free meal out of it. 'Ready or not, Chunin Exams, here comes Team 7.'