Friendship?

"Stop pushing!" Naruto gritted his teeth and banged his forehead against Sasuke's.

They were starring at each other so intensely that literally sparks could be seen. These two were like fire and oil.

"Idiot, how about you stop walking so slow. Wanna fight!?", replied Sasuke.

"Stop that nonsense already. Why are you even in such a hurry to want to see who has a bigger stomach? Don't go overboard or everyone will think you are both gluttonous morons.", sighed Kaito from the sidelines behind them.

"He started it!" Naruto complained. "He thinks just because I had a stomachache last time that I was wasting food at Ichiraku´s!"

"And that is why you want to see now who can eat more...? To prove you can eat a lot more? Why come to that idea?"

Kaito really felt that his own mental age was screaming alarm bells and calling them idiots - both of them. That even Sasuke was so easily swayed.

But in the end, they were still children and however much he found it idiotic, it also felt somewhat amusing. Their rivalry was going far beyond only being a ninja.

"Anyway, it's alright. But don't do that today at Hinata's birthday."

The three of them were currently moving to the location of her party.

"Remember that you owe me a spar for this later.", mentioned Sasuke when he looked back at Kaito.

"Just enjoy being with people, Sasuke...There is still enough time to train."

"That is what you say but I want to become stronger faster than this."

"And destroy your foundation? You already sound like my brother. He also wants to learn advanced Jutsu without having the basics."

"Him? He can't even do the clone Jutsu properly.", snorted Sasuke and actually was amused by the thought.

"That just goes to prove my point.", grinned Kaito and glanced towards Naruto.

"Hey, I am still here, you jerks! Why are you both so obsessed with training lately anyway?", rebuked Naruto.

"I thought you want to be the Hokage? With that attitude, we are going to leave you in the dust.", said Sasuke.

His words had some weight to them since Naruto looked a little bit grumpy now.

Naruto could keep up with Taijutsu and Ninjatools like shuriken since Kaito keeps him practicing those, but in Ninjutsu it was just a fact that Naruto was plain no good at it.

The control of his chakra was just so weirdly bad that even Kaito was wondering about the reason why. He himself did not have such problems. And therefore he searched for the reason why his brother had that problem.

But no matter what. Even with Kaito's new memories and current knowledge at his disposal he could not figure it out. He could only sigh at his brothers progress.

He would later have to push him really hard as soon as he finds a solution to it. At least he was determined to improve. And he knows very well that Naruto has a lot of potential in learning things fast.

It was a good thing they do start Genjutsu theory in their next academy year. Maybe he could find some solutions then. After all, in that subject, they also start studying hand signs more deeply. Until now they never bothered about it since the three basic Jutsu they got taught don't really need much of them.

To be precise every single one of them just needed one. But Genjutsu is more complicated and requires more.

Come to think, the last three years of the academy taught the most basic things like any other school from his old life would teach.

Only that there was put more importance on sports and knowledge of the military tactics.

Kaito already was wondering why it was so easy and they didn't get drilled more harshly. But he contributed that to the time of peace once more.

"Just you wait. I will show you that I will be the strongest Hokage! And that means being stronger than you. Then I will make you swallow your words back.", declared Naruto and hit his chest with his fist.

"Come now. Since you two got nothing better to do then you can carry these." Kaito gave each of them a bag. Inside them were the gifts for Hinata. "Besides, why am I the only one carrying them."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at the bags and then back at Kaito who was now walking leisurely in front of them. They then looked at each other and both sighed and followed him.

----------

Later they stood together with the others in front of Hinata and shouted happily at her. "Happy Birthday, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata saw all of them and smiled with a happy expression.

Shikamaru was the first to take the initiative and bumped Naruto. He only looked back at him with a confused look.

Kaito saw that and sighed. "Let´s go and present her gift."

"Oh, right! Let´s do that." With that, both went forward and gave her the bag with the present.

"Congratulations, Hinata-chan."

Hinata looked curiously inside the bag and took the object out. She was looking at it quite fiercely.

Kaito scratched his head when he saw her somewhat blank stare. "Sorry if it isn't much. We couldn't really think of anything better. I hope you like the design."

It was actually a coin pouch that was shaped in the form of an owl. It was in a mint green color and white circular marks around its black eyes. And what looked like two little ears was the mechanism to open and close it.

"N..no, it's cute. T...thank you very much." His words woke her up from her looking at it and she got a little bit nervous again. Well, in actuallity she was pretty nervous the whole time but now she started to stutter again.

"See, she liked it." Naruto smiled. He was the one that came up with it. Kaito wasn't good in things like that anyway. "Now you also got one like us, hehe."

Hinata looked a little bit confused. Kaito rummaged in his ninja pouch and showed his own coin purse. It was in the shape of a wolfs head. Naruto did the same and showed his frog.

Hinata became much happier seeing that they actually shared something in similarity. Just like armbands of friendship. She bowed to them. "Thank you!"

"Whoa, no need for that. You are the person that has the birthday. We are just happy to see that you like it, Hinata-chan.", responded Naruto hastily.

Kaito smiled and for the first time agreed to his brother's response given to Hinata. "He is right. Just enjoy this. No need to be formal, Hinata-chan.", he added with a nod.

After the two were finished the others also started to wish their congratulations and present their gifts. Only then did the festivities start.

One had to mention that Hinata´s father, Hiashi, was staring at the twins non-stop and his glare was pretty obvious to the two.

"Hey, Kaito...Do you also think that Hinata-chan´s dad is scary? Why is he looking at us so much? Is he one of those that hate us?" Naruto was a little bit frightened by him.

As for Kaito, he was pretty chill about it. "I don't think that is the case. He is probably only keeping an eye on us. Probably because of Hinata. Look, from time to time you can see him glance over to her."

Naruto noticed it as well when he mentioned that. "You are right. But still, why us?"

Kaito looked at his brother. "I wonder..." Of course, he knew why but this dunce should figure it out himself. Maybe he will help him out later so that Hinata her effort gets not blocked by a wall of ignorance.

...

Later they actually played the pinata game. It was actually a thing from the burger restaurant they used. By the looks, burgers were a thing with Mexican culture now. Come to think there were a lot of different cultures in this world as well. They weirdly enough got intermixed with a lot of other cultures.

It was actually something Kaito never gave thought about but now he got a slight cultural shock from all those weird mixes.

While Hinata was trying to hit the pinata Kaito came up with a weird idea and pushed his brother forward.

"Hinata, 40 degrees to the right and hit!" When he shouted that Hinata immediately moved and hit Naruto on his head with the wooden stick.

"Ouch!" Naruto just rubbed his head and looked back at his brother with a weirdly scornful look in his teary eyes. Hinata sure didn't hold back with that swing.

Everyone present started laughing at that moment.

"Huh? Naruto-kun!?" She took the blindfold off from her face and was surprised. She went to him and tried to apologize. "I...I am sorry! I didn't mean to."

"Urgh, its alright, Hinata-chan. You are not at fault. What the hell, Kaito!?", responded Naruto and now yelled at his brother slightly

Kaito just laughed "Sorry, I must have tripped." He just shrugged his shoulders.

"No, that was on purpose!"

"Was it?", smiled Kaito back. "Come, I am sorry. Everythin alright?" He stretched a hand to his brother that was still crouching from the initial pain.

He still grumbled but had to accept that. "I won't forget that.", pouted Naruto. Kaito only smiled at that.