Mask Off, Spot On

Chapter 2.1

You wake up hearing an exasperating knocking on your apartment's front door, making you go up to it without even bothering to change from your pijamas.

You open it up a little to check on who it was that seemed too desperate to meet you, and you don't hesitate to open the rest once you see Naruto standing on the other side.

"Good morning, Naruto." You say in a still sleepy tone.

"[Y/N]...! You won't believe this, Kakashi-sensei is pulling one of these on us again, y'know?!" He whined in response.

"...No, I don't know, tell me what's wrong. Did he ask you to come get me?" You calmly answer back.

"Yeah! He said today we're having extra hard training, so hard that we mustn't eat breakfast, or we might--"

"Don't. I get it already, I'll get ready right away. Let me guess: bring lunch with us? Come inside, I'll give you some toast." You state back. With such an exasperated tone on the message Naruto was sending back to you, you instantly thought on the 'test' Naruto's Team 7 had to go through, in order for Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke to become gennin at last. You figured that when Kakashi-sensei said not to eat breakfast for stomach endurance, it's probably when you should do so the most.

"Well, yeah, bring lunch..! But if I eat, Kakashi-sensei will--"

"If you don't, something will go wrong with your stomach because you didn't. You'll need energy if we're going to train so hard first thing in the morning... don't worry, I'll only make you eat one piece..." You calmly affirm to him. The last time this happened, which you weren't there to see, Naruto's rashness earned him a very empty and grumbling stomach, most likely due to the fact that in that time as well, Kakashi-sensei advised them to skip their first meal.

You quickly went to your bathroom and did your morning routine, dressed your ninja gear, and went back to the kitchen to prepare some toasts, and for yourself, a warm drink, along with your bento for lunch.
You sat with Naruto as you calmly ate your food, listening closely to Naruto's rambling and whatever more he had to say.

"Y'know, Kakashi-sensei was always late for every team assembly since day one! On the day we were supposed to meet him, he was suuper late, even after all the other teachers assembled with their teams already! And then, we found out that even though I'd finally passed the academy's exam--which was a piece of cake-we still had a chance of going back if we didn't pass Kakashi-sensei's test! The situation was pretty similar to this one." Naruto explained enthusiastically, as he chomped down on a piece of toast you'd given him. Once you're both done, you leave your apartment, and walk towards the training field.

"...So, on that time, what kind of test was it?" You asked, although you already knew the answer.

"Hmm.. we had to get a bell from him. But it was easy, y'know? I...almost got it." Naruto answered, his head falling down in remorse. You simply laughed in response.

"Well, in the end, did you figure out the key for the lock?"

"What key?"

"I mean, the answer to how you should've went for the bells."

"Oh, ah yeah! Kakashi-sensei gave us a big lesson on team work... and y'know what? He was right! It was easier that way." Naruto answered, a surprising humbleness shown in his voice. Oh, how you didn't expect to hear him admit defeat so easily... just showed how much respect Naruto had for his sensei.

"...I see..."

For the rest of the way to the training grounds, you walked silently as Naruto hummed a good spirited song, and once you arrived, Sakura and Sasuke were there, already waiting for you both.

"Ah, [Y/N]-chan, Naruto! There you are!" Sakura called out to you, waving her arm up in the air.

"'Morning, Sakura-san--" You greeted.

"--chan." She corrected you.

"Gooood morning, Sakura-chan~!" Naruro greeted enthusiastically.

You greeted Sasuke by waving a hand at him, only recieving a "Hm." as a response, and as Naruto and him went on their usual bickering, and Sakura went on her usual 'Naruto against Sasuke is a no-no' rampage, you couldn't help but smile wryly at the scene. Those three were the perfect imperfect team. Together they were the sky, the ocean and the earth, bound together by gravity itself, and seperated from each other by the same force.

You could watch those three bicker with each other all day long: to the bickering of three friends who cared deeply for each other.

"...You seem tired."

You jump backwards when you hear a voice  right behind you, speaking so close to your ear you could almost feel their breath, and notice Kakashi-sensei, with his book open in his hand. You sight as you see him, placing a hand behind your own neck.

"M-Morning, Kakashi-sensei. I'm fine..."

"You're late, sensei!" Sakura and Naruto cut you off unintentionally, their rage for their behind the schedule teacher boiling their veins.

"Sorry. A black cat stood in my path so I had to take the long way." Kakashi said, his voice smiling with his own statement.

"You said that one already." Sakura retorted, crossing her arms on her chest.

"So then, since I was late, let's begin today's training already." Kakashi-sensei states, lifting only his eye to look at you all.