Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Just like five years ago, the interior of Yakiniku Q still had a rustic and cozy style. Most of the decor was wooden, but many of the tables and chairs looked a bit worn.

In the private room, Haneda and the other four casually took seats. A middle-aged woman came in, holding a menu, and with a smile, she bent slightly and asked, "Welcome! What would you kids like to order?"

"Hey lady, we're not kids. We're ninjas, okay? Ninjas!" Obito corrected loudly.

"You must be this year's new graduates. You look so young. My apologies, gentlemen and lady," the waitress replied with a smile, handing the menu to Haneda, who was closest to her.

Haneda glanced at the menu, noting it hadn't changed much, then passed it to Obito.

"Order whatever you want to eat or drink. I'll just get the set I usually like."

"I'll have the usual too," Kakashi said, following Haneda's lead.

Obito, holding the menu, suddenly suggested, "Why stick to drinks…? How about we all drink alcohol instead? We're adults now, right?"

"Obito, drinking alcohol isn't a good idea. Ninjas aren't supposed to drink before turning 20," Rin pointed out.

"It's just for fun, Rin! Besides, it's our graduation day, a little celebration won't hurt. Isn't Haneda always saying rules are meant to be broken? The no-alcohol rule is just to make sure it doesn't interfere with missions. What kind of ninja doesn't drink?"

After saying this, Obito stood up, holding the menu, and asked one by one, "Watermelon-head, you don't mind, right?"

Guy didn't usually drink, but seeing Obito's enthusiasm, he didn't feel like refusing. So he stayed silent, which Obito took as agreement.

"Hey, Kakashi, how about you?"

Kakashi glanced at Haneda. He didn't mind alcohol; after all, his father liked to drink. But he often looked to Haneda for guidance.

"We can try it once, Kakashi," Haneda said. In his past life, he had drunk alcohol and didn't care much for it. To him, beer tasted no better than plain water, only with a slightly bitter aftertaste. He preferred sweet drinks over that.

"Alright!" Obito cheered, holding up the menu, then turned to Rin.

"Rin, don't feel pressured. We guys will handle the drinking."

Rin smiled and nodded, "Okay. Just order me the C set, and for the drink, strawberry milk."

Obito marked down everyone's orders and handed the menu back to the waitress.

"That's all for now. If we need anything else, we'll let you know. Thanks."

Once the waitress left, Obito suddenly remembered something and stood up. He smiled and asked, "So now that we've graduated, what do you all plan to do besides missions? Like, what are your dreams?"

"For example, my dream is to become Hokage and have my cool goggles and eyes carved into the Hokage Rock! By then, I'll have awakened my Sharingan for sure, and it'll scare off any villages that try to start a war! That way, the village will be peaceful, and no one will get hurt or die from war!"

"You can talk about that after you actually become Hokage and awaken the Sharingan," Kakashi shot back, immediately pouring cold water on Obito's enthusiasm.

"Idiot Kakashi, I, Uchiha Obito, will definitely achieve it! Don't underestimate the name of Uchiha!!" Obito declared, clenching his fists.

"I believe Obito's Sharingan will indeed intimidate the other villages," Haneda chimed in with a smile.

"See? Even Haneda believes in me!" Obito retorted, pleased. "So, Kakashi, since you like to shoot down others' dreams, what's yours?"

"My dream?" Kakashi hesitated for a moment. After thinking for a while, an image of Haneda standing in the sunlight came to his mind. "To be like the moon, watching over the sun," Kakashi replied quietly.

"That's cryptic," Obito commented, then turned to Rin. "Rin, what about you?"

Rin rested her chin on her hand, having already thought about it. She quickly replied, "I think I want to become a medical ninja. Healing people sounds great. And if I can master medical ninjutsu, I can protect everyone."

"As expected of Rin! So kind and always thinking of others!!" Obito blushed slightly at the thought of Rin protecting everyone, especially himself.

Realizing two more hadn't spoken, Obito shook off his thoughts and turned to Guy.

"Watermelon-head, you work so hard. You must have some goal, right?"

"Of course! My goal is to improve myself and defeat my lifelong rival, Uchiha Haneda!" Guy exclaimed passionately, his eyes locking onto Haneda. This fateful rivalry always resurfaced in his mind. Given his bond with Haneda, Guy declared his goal without hesitation.

However, remembering Obito's question about dreams, Guy scratched his head and added,

"As for a dream… I guess it's to protect my comrades and the village."

Suddenly recalling his father's words, Guy clenched his fist and passionately declared,

"Yes! I'll burn with the flames of youth and protect what's most important to me!"

"Same as always, can't stop talking about youth," Obito muttered under his breath. Still, he respected Guy's dream. After all, Obito also had things he wanted to protect. He glanced at Rin before finally turning to Haneda.

"Haneda, though I hate to admit it, with your talent and strength, your dream must be something incredible, right?"

"A dream?" Haneda had initially intended to brush the question off. But seeing how serious everyone was, he rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment.

Memories from the past flashed through his mind, overlapping with the future he knew. Obito turning dark for the sake of Rin and to change a hopeless reality…

The lonely scarecrow being saved by his former Team 7…

The kind-hearted Rin sacrificing herself for her comrades and the village…

Guy burning with the flames of youth for the peace of the ninja world…

Everyone's eventual fate was bittersweet, yet somehow fitting. But Haneda didn't want things to end that way. He wanted to break free from that predetermined destiny.

Lifting his head with a gentle smile, Haneda said, "Seeing everyone safe and sound—that's my dream."

"That's it? I thought you'd want to be Hokage and compete with me for the title. How boring," Obito joked.

"Heh, if Haneda wanted to be Hokage, you'd have no chance. Be glad, Obito," Kakashi teased.

"Shut up, idiot Kakashi! I'll be Hokage one day and prove myself!!"

"Not likely, since you'll never pass the written exam for the Chūnin Exams."

After some playful banter, the waitress returned with a cart of food and drinks. She placed their grilled meat and beverages on the table and left.

Obito raised his glass and shouted, "Alright! Here's to our dreams—cheers!!"

…

***

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