Things changed at the Academy. Ise Hyuga had also graduated by passing the final exam. Fujitaro Uchiha was still in their class. He was telling everyone willing to listen that his parents had forbidden him to take the exam to not overshadow Itachi. Jun had another hypothesis. If Fujitaro happened to fail the final exam while the seven years old Itachi passed it with flying colors, it would definitely bring shame to his parents. They would develop an inferiority complex toward Itachi’s parents. That was the way the Uchihas reasoned.

Without Yugao, Jun and Iruka paid less attention in class. Iruka was always the type to slack off a little. But now, Jun was doing the same. Without the healthy rivalry with Yugao, his motivation went down. Iruka had other things going on in his life. He could leave the orphanage and find a place for himself though he was still a young teenager. Jun remembered Naruto was also living by himself.

The protocol to make that happen was simple. One condition was to study at the Academy for at least two years. The other was to have the orphanage approve the demand if there were no legal guardians. The village provided allowances for those orphans until they become genins and started getting paid. In most cases, the orphans inherited some money from their parents. The village was in charge of it until they reach the age of majority. Jun thought they could all live together as roommates. But it was a dream he wasn’t sure would become reality anytime soon. His mother wouldn’t probably sign off on it.

It was the last year of the Academy. The instructors were more demanding. Taijutsu fights became fiercer. All types of blows were allowed, even the one under the belt. By this time, they expected the students to be comfortable with the three basic Jutsus, Henge no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu and Kawarimi no Jutsu. Moreover, they were placed under Genjutsu until they escaped the illusion.

There were many complex situations presented to them such as infiltration of enemy territory, fighting outnumbered or cases of treason. The students also carry out mini-missions in the forest for several days without the slightest comfort. They fought as a team, with handicaps, on unfamiliar terrains, and against friends… Jun felt like he wasn’t wasting his time at the Academy this last year.

That feeling helped him bring his grades up. He hadn’t trained in Taijutsu with his mom since his father passed away. He trained on his own and started using his Sharingan when no one was looking. His reflexes improved considerably. Hitting Fujitaro during the sparring matches let him release all the frustration he had toward his grandparents and the Uchiha clan in general.

Jun began to use Jutsus taught by his father during team fights, sparring matches, or the mini-missions in the forest. The techniques were nothing flashy, a few D and C-rank Raiton and Suiton Jutsu.

He resumed his training with Izumi as well. They hadn’t done so since the death of their father. Jun was a bit apprehensive, but it was all in his head. Izumi was pleased to learn from her big brother. That evening after their training, their grandmother pointed out Izumi’s dirty dress. The girl offered her an explanation of what they were doing and promised she would wear pants in the future when she trained.

Reconnecting with Izumi boosted Jun’s morale. He worked harder to strengthen his weaknesses. He no longer focused his energy on explosives tags, preferring utilizing it on Taijutsu instead. He thought about going to Gai to ask him for tips. Recalling the man’s personality, he pushed the idea aside. His temperament was a bit too intense for him. Finally, his hard work paid off. He beat Fujitaro Uchiha and took his first place spot.

It was satisfying beating him. But he also drew attention to himself. His grandparents heard the news and praised him. During dinner, they brought forth a few girls’ names they believed would be a good match for Jun. The latter merely ignored them. His grandfather mentioned he could work for the Konoha Police Department after his graduation

Jun lost his patience. He detested them trying to manage his life and future. He put his chopsticks on the table so abruptly that the dishes rattled. His grandpa fell silent, shocked. He glared at Jun as if reprobating him for his rude behavior. The teenager didn’t care. He was fuming inside. He held Seichi’s gaze while controlling his anger not to activate his Sharingan. His mother was alarmed. She was worried her son might go too far.

“Let me be clear. I, and I alone, decide on my future. I will not join the police. I will get married only and only when I desire to do so. I will choose the person I want to be with. You will not be consulted on the matter. Your opinion doesn’t matter to me. I couldn’t care less. Do not try to impose your beliefs and desire on me.”

Her grandparents were shocked. Jun was usually calm and never misspoke. They weren’t expecting him to be so daunting. Izumi and Hazuki were also stupefied.

“I am a shinobi. I will serve the village and not your petty ambitions. Please keep your suggestions to yourselves in the future.”

The silence that followed was absolute. The air felt heavy as the tension was palpable. His grandfather was red with rage, and his grandmother’s eyes were filled with fury. Jun ignored them and sat back down. He grabbed his chopstick and continued eating the rice as nothing happened.

The silence ultimately broke. His grandparents and his mother were yelling at each other. Izumi looked at the scene with big eyes. Jun held back a nervous smile. He pretended to be calm while chewing his food. The truth was that his sweaty hands could barely hold on to the chopsticks. He almost regretted his outburst. Almost… because he was feeling good about it. He’s been holding back for too long. He was prepared to face whatever would happen next.

It took several minutes for the yelling to quiet down. Jun was finally able to understand what they were yapping about. Seichi was outraged by Jun’s ingratitude and insolence. Nao was upset her daughter hadn’t raised her son well. Hazuki defended her son fervently. She blamed her parents for his outburst. Jun’s heart warmed up seeing his mom looking after him.

“I will not tolerate being disrespected in my own house!” Seichi spluttered.

“I believe my son was respectful. You pushed him too far. I told you he was not going to agree to it. Yet, you have ignored me and only did as you see fit.”

“Too far? He should be honored to be part of the Uchiha clan. The least he can do is to contribute to the clan. Did he forget our generosity?”

Jun got up again.

“I am grateful to you for taking us in. I’ve brought no dishonor to the Uchiha name during my time here. On the contrary, I am at the top of my class. However, I will not give up my right to walk my own path for the Uchiha name.”

“Foolish boy, we are giving you a path to walk on.”

“I want to be a shinobi of Konoha, like my father Renzo.”

There was another silence. Their dad was never mentioned in this house before. It was some sort of implicit understanding Jun never understood. His father had become a taboo.

“And like me,” Hazuki added in a soft voice.

Seichi let out a grunt and looked at Jun.

“You’re the same as your mother. You don’t listen. Our lives would be easier if you just do what is expected of you.”

Jun was surprised his grandpa had given up so easily. Then, he realized it was because of his mom’s intervention. They knew Hazuki well. She had left once and would not hesitate to leave again… for good this time. She was their only child still alive after the war. However, Jun decided to add a few drops of oil to the receding fire.

“Our lives would be easier if you let people make their own choices.” The teenager retorted.

His grandparents were the type who thought that they would eventually obtain what they demand if they keep pushing. It was a common attitude among rich, capricious, arrogant people. Jun should have opposed them sooner. It was the best way to deal with this type of individual. The longer you remain silent, the more comfortable they get.

“Look…” Nao began.

Seichi raised his hand to interrupt his wife. He glared at Jun for a moment before opening his mouth.

“There are a few Uchihas who do not work for the police. There are other acceptable career choices. However, keep in mind that you are required to produce offspring for the clan. And that it’s better if you choose a partner within the clan to strengthen the bloodline.”

Jun was tempted to reply fiercely. The look his mom gave him made him reconsider. The conversation was calming down. Maybe it wasn’t wise to resume the hostilities. He gave his grandpa an icy smile.

“Your suggestion has been duly noted.”

Judging by the way Seichi’s eyes narrowed, he got the implicit message behind his words. Jun was basically telling him ‘I would do as I like.’ They stared at each other for a few seconds.

“The Uchiha clan only accepts excellence. I want you to graduate first in your class.”

Jun couldn’t believe the guy. Would it kill him if he didn’t get to have the last word? The teenager decided to be the bigger man and let him have this illusory victory. He had already made his point.