Chapter 2 - Graduation

...

Iruka looked at the two who are bickering with each other and sighed as he thought 'Why can't these two just get along'

"Hey! You two! I told you this was a taijutsu match! What's with that shurikenjutsu and ninjutsu?!" Iruka scolded as he walked towards the two

"You can't scold me, sensei... Sasuke used shurikenjutsu first. I just fought back! I don't have any shurikens with me..." Naruto argued back at Iruka's scolding

"No talking back!" Iruka said as he sighed

"Get off me!" Sasuke shouted at Naruto who was still sitting on his back while he flung his hand at Naruto

"Yes... yes..." Naruto said messing with Sasuke

"You..." Sasuke just got angry at Naruto

"Enough! You two are graduating already! Act like ninjas that are about to graduate! What would you do if you two had to team up together because the enemy is stronger than you? Will you rush by yourselves or work together?!" Iruka scolded telling them about the situation that they might face in their future work as ninjas

"Hmp!" Sasuke said after he looked at Naruto and looked away

Naruto also looked at Sasuke then responded to Iruka while scratching his head "Yes..."

Iruka sighed looking at both of their reactions and told them "This match is a draw because you two both used something other than taijutsu..."

Naruto just walked towards the seat while he replied half heartedly "Yes, yes..."

Iruka sighed and ignored him and continued with the next match "Next match! Chouji vs..."

...

*ringggg*

"Class dismissed. All of you better rest for today so you'll have energy for tomorrow's graduation exam!" Iruka reminded as the class was over

"Yes...!" Everyone in the class said together

...

Class ended and Naruto went towards Shikamaru who came back, Chouji who was eating chips and Ino who was looking at him but looked away when he saw her looking at him

"Yo Shikamaru! Chouji! What are you gonna do after this? I don't have anything to do." Naruto said saying he was free after class

"What a drag... I was gonna sleep but Chouji asked me to eat bbq with him together with Ino" Shikamaru said as he yawned whereas Chouji nodded at Shikamaru's statement

"You're sleepy again, Shikamaru... You just woke up..." Naruto sighed at Shikamaru

"I wish I could sleep forever..." Shikamaru commented as he looked at the sky

"Enough of that, Shikamaru... anyway, can I come too?"

"Yeah, sure..." Shikamaru replied

Chouji also nodded in response while Ino just nodded again and again like she was really excited

'A date with Naruto, just before graduation... Although we're with Shikamaru and Chouji It can be called a date right? Shikamaru is too lazy to bother with it and Chouji is pre-occupied with food...' Ino thought as they walked towards Yakiniku Q

...

They reached Yakiniku Q, and ordered food

Chouji and Shikamaru sat together leaving the other side for Ino and Naruto but Ino just stared at the seat while blushing

Naruto then asked Ino "Aren't you gonna sit Ino?"

"A-ah... Y-yeah..." Ino replied nervously

"What are you so nervous about?" Naruto asked in confusion

"N-nothing!" Ino replied while blushing as she sat down on the end of the sit

Shikamaru yawned and said "Don't you know, Naruto? Ino has a crush on you..."

"Shikamaru!" Ino yelled while she was still blushing

Naruto then nodded in understanding as he smiled at Ino and said "I see... That's what's going on huh...?"

Ino just blushed on the side while she heard Naruto tease her as he smirked "Want me to feed you food too?"

Smoke came out of Ino as her eyes circled as her embarrassment reached its limit

"Hahaha! I'm just kidding" Naruto said as he laughed lightly

"Oh..." Ino replied disappointedly

"If you want me to, I guess... Why not..." Naruto teased again

"Naruto! Stop teasing me!" Ino shouted in embarrassment

"I'm not teasing you though..." Naruto said as if he was confused at Ino's statement

Shikamaru just looked at them and asked Naruto while he yawned again "You like Ino?"

"Yeah, she's pretty. Stop yawning again and again, Shikamaru!" Naruto replied

"I can't help it! I'm sleepy!" Shikamaru replied as again yawned

Naruto just sighed at Shikamaru

"P-pretty...?" Ino blushed at Naruto's statement as she looked at him

Naruto just looked at her and said like it's a matter of fact with his face changing "Yeah. You are pretty."

"T-thanks..." Ino thanked bashfully and thought excitedly 'Naruto said I'm pretty!'

Naruto and Ino-Shika-Cho ate their food with Naruto occasionally teasing Ino with her cute reactions

"Thanks for the food!" Naruto said as he clasped his hands after they finished eating and continued "What are you guys gonna do after this?"

"I'm gonna go home... I'm sleepy..." Shikamaru said as he yawned

"I'm gonna go home too. the sun will set soon" Chouji said in response while Ino nodded as she as well was gonna go home

"Well... Okay! I'll go home too..." Naruto said as he looked at the sky

"Be careful on your way home!" Naruto said goodbye to them

Shikamaru and Chouji nodded while Ino said bashfully "B-be careful on your way home too!"

Naruto just smiled and waved his hands in goodbye

...

A day passed and morning came

"Finally... the time when I became a ninja came!" Naruto smiled as he jumped up from his bed directly standing up on the floor

Naruto made his bed and closed his house and directly went to the academy

...

Shikamaru yawned and saw Naruto on the way to the academy "Yo... Naruto..."

Naruto heard Shikamaru and looked at his way "Yo! Shikamaru!"

"You're loud as usual... Naruto..."

"I'm not loud. You're just too sleepy for your own sake, Shikamaru." Naruto replied with an annoyed face

...

They reached the academy and it was the graduation day where a lot of people of Konoha come together to watch their kids try to pass being a ninja

As Naruto was walking towards the hall, he heard voices "Isn't that the demon fox kid? Why's he still not dead?"

Naruto just sighed at the villager's dumbness and said "I can hear you, you know?"

"..." The people who were talking stopped talking and just looked at Naruto with disgust

Shikamaru saw this and was worried about Naruto "Naruto..."

Naruto just replied when he saw Shikamaru worried about him and smiled "It doesn't matter... People like these will always be present but I can have people like you in my life and that's enough, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru looked at Naruto in a bit of shock and sighed as he smiled "I guess, I worried for nothing."

"Yeah!" Naruto said as he laughed lightly

...

A while passed and the graduation exam began

"Next, Naruto! Come in!" Iruka called out

"Yes! Sensei!" Naruto smiled and came in

"Just perform the Bunshin no Jutsu and pass already! I don't have anything else to teach you!" Iruka scolded Naruto

"Geez, is that any way to treat your student?" Naruto responded in an annoyed tone

Naruto weaved hand seals required and said as he made 4 perfect clones "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Smoke appeared for an instant and revealed 4 other Naruto beside him

"How's this? Sensei? Is this enough to pass?" Naruto said as he smirked

"Don't show off in front of me!" Iruka scolded as he smacked Naruto in the head but it turns out it was a clone

"Hehe... Sensei... I switched places when I was in the smoke because I thought you might do that..."

Iruka sighed and said "You pass! Perfect score!"

"Here's your forehead protector" Iruka handed Naruto a forehead protector

"Thanks, Sensei!" Naruto said while he put on the forehead protector and left the room

"Don't forget to come again tomorrow, to meet your genin team and don't be late!" Iruka reminded Naruto

"Yes... Yes..."

"You only need to answer once!"

"Yes..."

...

Outside the room was Shikamaru waiting for Naruto with his own forehead protector "Did you pass?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Naruto said with an annoyed tone as pointed his thumb at his head with a forehead protector on.

"Oh yeah..." Shikamaru said as he smiled and yawned

...