Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Obito's Ridiculous Way to School

**The Next Day, Early Morning.**

Haneda woke up early to wash up. He wasn't like Obito, who had the bad habit of being late every day.

After breakfast, Haneda walked out of the Uchiha district, remembering how Obito had been called out by the teacher the previous day.

"Ugh, better call for Obito so he doesn't end up late again."

Arriving at Obito's house, Haneda politely knocked on the door.

"Granny, I'm here to get Obito to go to school together."

Soon, an elderly, hunched-over grandmother opened the door. She recognized the familiar face and called upstairs:

"Obito, little Haneda is here to pick you up for school."

"Huh? Haneda? Let me sleep a bit longer, Granny," came Obito's sluggish voice from upstairs.

"This child..." Granny shook her head and said gently to Haneda, "I'll go wake him up. Little Haneda, why don't you come inside and sit for a bit?"

"No need, Granny. I'll go wake him myself," Haneda smiled.

"Alright, go ahead. He's in the room at the end of the hall on the right."

*Tap, tap, tap...*

Haneda walked quietly down the hallway, imagining the trouble he was about to give Obito, unable to suppress the smile creeping up on his face.

He tiptoed up to Obito's bed and, with a sharp "smack," yanked the blanket completely off.

"Oww, what are you doing?!"

The groggy Obito didn't react at first. Seeing Haneda's familiar and mischievous face, he suddenly remembered something. Rubbing his now-reddened face, he huffed angrily:

"Damn you, Haneda! I, Uchiha Obito, will never forgive you!!"

With that, Obito, in his frustration, swung his fist, ready to strike.

Haneda dodged Obito's punch with ease and grabbed Obito's fist with one hand.

"Get up, Obito. Who told you to sleep in?"

"Besides, you can't beat me anyway! *Baa-baa-baa*," Haneda laughed smugly.

"Argh!!! Damn you, Haneda!!!"

Just as the two were about to start a full-on brawl, Granny came upstairs. She saw the two boys about to fight and smiled warmly:

"Breakfast is on the table, Obito. Take it with you on the way to school, don't be late."

"Alright." Obito nodded, glaring at Haneda with gritted teeth, but said nothing and headed straight downstairs.

Haneda followed him down shortly after.

Watching her grandson and Haneda leave, Granny smiled softly, lost in thought.

"Ah, youth... so full of energy..."

...

**On the way to school.**

"What's wrong, Obito? Are you mad already?" Haneda teased, noticing Obito's blank expression.

"Damn you, Haneda!!!"

Upon hearing this, Obito flared up instantly.

Just then, an elderly woman with a cane came into view, walking unsteadily.

"Granny, let me help you!"

Obito, always kind-hearted, immediately abandoned Haneda and helped the elderly lady across the street.

Haneda, standing nearby, simply watched and thought to himself, "*Maybe Obito is late sometimes because he's helping grannies across the street?*"

But one time wouldn't take that long...

*No, it's probably because Obito sleeps in... like today.*

After Obito helped one granny, they hadn't gone far when another elderly lady, also with a cane, approached them.

"..."

*Two people shouldn't take too long...*

Haneda stood by silently, bored, waiting on the side of the road.

But then...

Another granny appeared, needing help across the street...

"Granny, let me help you!" Obito exclaimed, eager as ever.

"You're such a good boy, little Obito," the granny smiled.

"Granny, let me help too!" Haneda couldn't stand it anymore. He figured it wouldn't happen more than three times—*the sooner they help, the sooner they can get to school.*

He couldn't believe it. How could there be so many grannies needing to cross the street? Was this a group effort?!

The two boys helped the granny across the road together.

When they turned back, yet another unfamiliar granny, cane in hand, appeared, wobbling toward them.

"What the...?!"

...

*Tap, tap, tap...*

The hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway outside the classroom.

Two boys, one after the other, pushed open the door, standing at the entrance, looking slightly embarrassed as they both said in unison:

"Sorry, for being late, sensei."

Obito, already familiar with the routine of being late, quickly explained:

"Sensei, on the way to school, I helped—"

Before Obito could finish, the teacher cut him off:

"I know, Obito. You were helping grannies cross the street again, right?"

Without acknowledging Obito's embarrassed look, the teacher turned to Haneda.

"And you, Haneda? What's your reason?"

"Uh..."

Haneda scratched his head, feeling thoroughly awkward. Seeing the teacher's stern face, he reluctantly explained:

"I was helping grannies cross the street with Obito."

At this, the entire class burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became lively with amusement.

Haneda felt even more embarrassed, wishing he could disappear into the floor. 'Seriously? Obito's walk to school is ridiculous!

On a road just a few hundred meters long, every few steps there's a granny needing to cross the street.

Does Obito have some kind of strange ability to always run into grannies needing help?!'

"Uchiha fools," Asuma muttered under his breath, biting on a pencil. He had always been rebellious, even toward his own father, the Third Hokage.

The Uchiha clan was always in the spotlight at the ninja academy, so for Asuma, mocking the Uchiha brought a certain satisfaction.

As for Kakashi, one of Haneda's targets, his opinion of Haneda and Obito had improved a bit after last night.

But now? Their image collapsed in an instant—like a broken chicken coop...

'Punctuality is a fundamental rule for ninjas.'

No matter what mission they were on, the first thing a ninja must ensure is punctuality.

After all, you can't keep your employer waiting, right?

What Kakashi despised most were those who lacked the discipline of a true ninja.

Luckily, affection points wouldn't drop, and rewards wouldn't be revoked. Otherwise, Haneda would definitely regret going to school with Obito.

The teacher, listening to the two boys' explanations, had an increasingly dark expression.

But after seeing their genuine faces, he relented and let them into the classroom.

He had no choice; the teacher just had a soft heart...

The morning classes quickly passed, and before lunch break, the teacher left them with one final instruction:

"This afternoon is practical training. Be prepared."

...

**Lunchtime.**

Haneda stood by the hallway railing, eating his bento.

Just then, Kakashi walked over.

With a black mask covering his face, it was hard to read his expression, but Haneda could sense a bit of confusion in Kakashi's eyes.

"Kakashi, did you come to talk to me for something?"

Haneda paused his chopsticks, already having a good idea why Kakashi had sought him out.

After all, the affection points increase from last night had already told him everything.

Kakashi rested his hand on the railing, gazing into the distance.

"Haneda, you know about my father, right?"

Haneda nodded and smiled.

"The White Fang of Konoha, Sakumo Hatake, a master of kenjutsu."

"However, there's been a rumor going around recently that Lord Sakumo abandoned a very important mission to save his comrades."

"As a result, the village lost a lot, and people have been criticizing him. Even those he saved are doing the same."

When Haneda finished, silence fell over them.

Perhaps the rumor brought back painful memories for Kakashi. He remained silent for a while before finally speaking again.

Staring intently at Haneda, Kakashi asked the question that weighed heavily on his heart:

"Haneda, for a ninja, what's more important—missions or comrades?"

***

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