Chapter 86: Bridges Rebuilt

Ryu stood outside the classroom, his mind racing with thoughts of the unexpected confrontation that had just transpired. The hallway was quiet now, save for the distant murmur of lessons continuing in other rooms. Beside him, Saya fidgeted impatiently, her earlier anger seemingly replaced by curiosity.

Breaking the silence, she said, "So this guy... he is from your past."

Ryu nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah"

Kaito glanced up at Ryu, taking in his healthy appearance. "I can't believe you're here at the academy. After everything that happened, I wasn't sure..." His voice trailed off, uncertainty flickering across his face.

Ryu gave a small smile, hoping to put him at ease. "It's good to see you in the academy too, Kaito. I know we didn't part on the best terms, but I'm glad you're doing well."

Kaito nodded, then his expression became more serious. "I wanted to say...I'm sorry for everything back at the orphanage. I was a jerk to you and I regret it now. I've changed, I promise."

The sincerity in Kaito's voice was palpable, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that caught Ryu off guard. This was a far cry from the brash, unapologetic boy he once knew.

Ryu searched his face, surprised by the sincerity he found there. After a moment, he replied, "Apology accepted. We are just kids. I'm willing to put the past behind us if you have truly changed."

Relief washed over Kaito's face, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Yes i am," He paused, then continued, his words tumbling out in a rush of excitement. "After you left, I started working hard. I got a part-time job, trained in my free time. I managed to get into the B class here, so I'm one step closer to being a ninja!"

Ryu's eyes widened in surprise. The Kaito he remembered had always been more interested in causing trouble. This transformation was truly remarkable.

"That's great!" Ryu said enthusiastically. "I'm really happy for you, Kaito. You deserve it after working so hard."

Kaito grinned, then glanced between Ryu and Saya curiously. "So what are you two doing standing out here anyway?"

Ryu grimaced. "We got in trouble for being late on our first day. The instructor made us stand out here as punishment."

"Ouch, that's rough. Sucks that happened to you." Kaito replied sympathetically.

"Yeah, and on my first day too!" Saya huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms.

Kaito's attention shifted to Saya, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Oh, sorry, I don't think we've met. I'm Kaito!" He said cheerfully, holding out his hand.

Saya hesitated for a moment, eyeing Kaito's outstretched hand. She wasn't usually one for quick friendships, but something about Kaito's earnest demeanour made her relax slightly.

Saya shook it, giving him a small smile. "I'm Saya Uchiha. Nice to meet you."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Saya Uchiha? I've heard about you! Top 10 in the entrance test of the academy, right?"

Saya's cheeks flushed slightly at the recognition. She wasn't used to people knowing who she was, especially not with such enthusiasm.

"Yeah, that's me," she replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "But how did you know about that?"

Kaito chuckled. "Word gets around, especially about talented students. Everyone knows the names of the top 10 students. Plus, the Uchiha name carries weight."

Ryu shook his head in amusement. "Oye Saya, don't let it get to your head now." He yelled as Saya elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

"Shut it!" she growled.

Kaito let out a low whistle. "Wow. I always knew you were tough from the inside, but damn. S-class is really something." He paused, taking in Ryu's presence. "No wonder you're in the same class as Ryu."

Saya's eyes darted to Ryu, a mix of curiosity and competitiveness flashing across her face. "Oh? Is Ryu that good?"

Kaito nodded enthusiastically. "He's always been smart, even back at the orphanage. I'm not surprised he made it into the top class with his cunningness and spirit alone."

Ryu felt a warmth spread through his chest at Kaito's words. It was a stark contrast to their past relationship, and he couldn't help but feel happy of how far they'd both come.

"Thanks, Kaito," Ryu said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But you've clearly come a long way too. I'm impressed."

"You two seem close. So are you..." Kaito aksed with his eyebrows suggestively.

"No!" Saya exclaimed, glaring at Ryu. "We just met today."

Ryu felt his face heat up at Kaito's implication. He rubbed his side ruefully, trying to ignore the way his heart had skipped a beat at the suggestion. "Yeah, no need to jump to conclusions."

"Honestly, I'm still getting used to everything," Ryu continued, gesturing ruefully to the empty corridor. "As you can see, it hasn't been the smoothest start."

Kaito laughed. "No kidding. Getting detention on day one is rough, man." His expression grew serious. "But really, I'm glad you are okay, Ryu. You deserve this after everything you've overcome. After everything that happened, I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again."

"Thanks, Kaito. I'm glad I'm here too," Ryu replied softly. "It's been a long road, but I'm looking forward to what's ahead."

Just then, students began pouring into the hallway around them. "Ah man, I gotta run to my next class, in B-section," Kaito said. "But let's catch up soon, okay?"

Ryu nodded. "Definitely." With a final grin and wave, Kaito took off down the hall.

Ryu watched him go, marvelling at how much his friend had grown and matured. He seemed so driven and focused, like a totally different person from the troublemaking kid Ryu remembered. It gave him hope that people really could change for the better.

Saya watched him go, then turned to Ryu curiously. "So what exactly happened between you two? He made it sound like you almost died or something."

Ryu hesitated, his hand unconsciously moving to his chest, where the illness had once ravaged his body. He hadn't told anyone about his illness outside his circle. But looking at Saya's open, interested expression, he felt a strange urge to open up.

"I was really sick several months ago. A terminal illness, the medics said. They didn't think I'd recover." Ryu said.

Saya's eyes widened in shock. "What? But you seem totally healthy now. What happened?" she remembered when she first saw Ryu. When he was very sick and looked malnourished.

"I was dying, but the Leaf Medical Hospital developed some new experimental medicine, and I was selected as a trial patient. Somehow it worked, and I made a full recovery." Ryu explained.

Saya's eyes widened. "Experimental treatment? That sounds intense. You must be pretty tough to have survived that and made it to the top of our class."

Ryu chuckled. "I don't know about tough. Just stubborn, I guess. And lucky."

As Kaito disappeared into the crowd, Saya turned to Ryu, her expression softer than he'd seen it all day. "I'm glad you pulled through too," she said quietly. "And clearly, you've been working hard to get where you are."

Ryu felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. For the first time, he saw a glimpse of vulnerability in Saya's eyes, a hint that there was more to her than just the tough, competitive exterior she showed the world. "Thanks, Saya. I feel lucky to have this second chance."

A competitive glint appeared in Saya's eyes. "Well, don't think I'll go easy on you just because you had a rough start. I'm still aiming for that top spot."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ryu grinned. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a girl."

Saya smirked. "I wouldn't want that either. May the best ninja win."

As they bantered, Ryu felt a thrill of excitement. He had always pushed himself, but having a worthy rival might push him to even greater heights. And if that rival happened to be a fiercely intelligent, beautiful kunoichi? Well, that was just a bonus.

Just then, the classroom door opened, and the instructor stepped out. "Alright, you two, your punishment is over. Get back in here."

Saya and Ryu hurried back inside, taking their seats. As the lesson resumed, Ryu felt lightness in his chest. Despite the rocky start, today was turning out better than he could've imagined.

Feeling more alive than he had in months, Ryu smiled to himself.

The instructor's voice droned on about chakra control techniques. But Ryu's mind was elsewhere. He already had better than average chakra control, but his mind still automatically recorded everything said and processed it alongside the information he already knew, checking for any missing details. All this while he still processed his encounter with Kaito.

He asked himself, "Should I help him with training?" 

##PoWeR StOnEs##

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