❝you are still you, ❞

be Kakashi-sensei's replacement?" Naruto opened the conversation as they headed to a place for their meeting with Kakashi's replacement captain team. After they finished the mission in Sunagakure, the silver-haired jounin was immediately taken to the hospital. That's because he used her Sharingan for too long and had to be hospitalized for several weeks. Moreover, it was because he was trying to use the new Sharingan version.

Kakashi was too careless. Like three years ago during their mission at the Land of Waves.

"Hopefully he's good," Sakura wishes. She turned her head to Shizuka who was standing beside the girl. "Shizuka, do you know who the replacement is?"

"No," she replied curtly.

Naruto groaned, pouting when realizing that nobody knows about it. Then he glanced at Shizuka who was carrying a red scissor in her hand. Hee chuckled, she and her weird quirk. Somehow, the teen was used to seeing it. Rather, he seemed to be slightly amused. Weird, he know..

Not long after, the three of them arrived at the meeting place. There was already a young teen with very pale skin. Dressed all in black with a high-collared midriff shirt.

"You!" Naruto narrowed his eyes towards the teen. His sapphire blue eyes were twinkled dangerously. His body was on alert, who knew he would attack him like a few days ago.

"Do you know each other?" Asked Sakura, looking at them in turn. Then looking at Shizuka who was just shrugged.

"He attacked me the other day," Naruto explained, clearly annoyed by seeing that teen.

"What?!"

"Ah, you guys are here," a new voice made them turn their attention to the source of the sound. A man dressed in jounin standard uniform came out of the pillar's shadow. "I am Yamato, who will be the temporary Captain of this team."

Shizuka slightly widened her eyes seeing that man. Obviously, she already knew the man. She couldn't believe that he was the one who will replace Kakashi's absence.

What kind of coincidence is this? It's like a reunion.

In short, this meeting really annoyed everyone. The new member, Sai, seems like he really likes to piss off people. With his words as well as with his fake smile. Even though Shizuka didn't seem affected, it couldn't be denied that she was annoyed too.

"Long time no see, Shintarou," Yamato opened the conversation as the two of them walked towards the hospital where Kakashi was being treated.

"It's Shizuka," she corrected, pushing her glasses up. "And yes, long time no see, Tenzou."

"Please call me Yamato," corrected Yamato. After they reached the hospital gate, Tsunade and Shizune were already waiting. "Sorry, we're late. There's a problem."

"Whatever. Let's go."

Tsunade opened the door to Kakashi's nursing room slowly then entered followed by the others. "Long time no see, Kakashi-senpai," Yamato said with a smile.

"Ah, so you are the one who is called Yamato." Kakashi nodded lazily, then he noticed the green haired girl next behind him. "It's like a reunion."

"Yes, while I'm replacing you, my name is Yamato," Yamato said firmly.

"I brought Yamato here because there was something he should know when he was acting as Team Kakashi's captain," explained Tsunade.

"Is this about Naruto-kun?"

"You already know that the Kyuubi is sealed inside Naruto's body, right?" Jiraiya trailed off. "There were times when the Kyuubi's chakra flowed out of Naruto's body and started taking on the form of a fox demon. We call it the 'Nine Tails' Cloak'."

Shizuka winced slightly, almost unnoticeable. "This happened on the previous mission. As his emotions increased, more and more of the Kyuubi's chakra came out until it covered his entire body and formed the Nine-Tails' Cloak," she explained. "And just as the second tail took shape, I was able to squeeze the chakra with my wood."

"As the chakra builds up, it's likely that the next tail will pop up over and over again," said Kakashi. "And it will eventually form up to nine." Then he glanced lazily at his side." Jiraiya-sama, how many tails have you seen?"

Jiraiya sighed, his hand gripped his vest. "In my entire life, I almost have died twice," he trailed off as he pulled down his upper clothing. "The first one, six ribs and both my arms were broken and several of my internal organs were badly damaged. It happened when I tried to peek at the girls in a hot spring and Tsunade beat me out."

And when his net shirt put off, everyone could see a large scar on his chest. "And the second one, was when I was training with Naruto, and the fourth tail was formed."

"No wonder I feel the Kyuubi's chakra when I'm training," muttered Shizuka.

"And just like what Shizuka once said, anger is the trigger," he nodded to Shizuka. "He can control himself up to the third tail. But when the fourth tail appeared, he was unable to distinguish friend and foe. He looks really like a mini Kyuubi."

"Luckily the seal given by Shizuka can return it even though it's almost weak against it."

"That's why we need you, Yamato," said Tsunade when Jiraiya finished telling them everything he knows. "Even though Shizuka is there, we still have to be aware of what will happen. We still don't know all the abilities and strengths of the Akatsuki, plus the ability of the Kyuubi itself."

○○○

Shizuka sat cross-legged on the cliff, overlooking the entire village while smoothing her nails. To prepare herself so that her nails would not interfere while she was on a mission.

"Naruto-sama!!" a shrill voice reached the girl's ears. She lowered her nails and leaned down to observe the source of the sound. There were a dozen girls who were crowding Naruto, with hearts on their eyes. While those who were being surrounded looked overwhelmed.

"-sama?" she scrunched her nose at the honorific they use towards him.

The girl shook her head slowly and returned to her original activities. Not interested in seeing or helping her friend.

"Haaa ... I'm so tired," Shizuka glanced at her side when suddenly Naruto was beside her. "They are so crazy."

"You're popular huh," she said blankly.

Naruto groaned.

"You don't sound like you like it," she commented. "Why? One of your goals are to be noticed by the villagers, right?"

He huffed, slicking back his hair with his fingers. "Maybe back then I used to like getting attention like this," he trailed off. "But I don't like being flattered like that. I want them to notice my strength, my hard work as a ninja. Not by my external appearance."

Shizuka stopped her activity to properly stared at him. She seemed a little surprised that the teenager would say such words. "You're right. After all, you're still you. It doesn't matter how bad or how good you look."

The blond widened his eyes, clearly dumbfounded by her comments. "...Shi-chan?"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" she huffed, pushes up her glasses.

Naruto chuckled lightly as he leaned back to feel the warm evening gazes. "Somehow ... I feel the calmest being with Shi-chan."

"Eh?" Shizuka stared at him in confusion as well as in shock at the sudden words that left their topic of conversation.

He turned then smiling gently toward her. The warm spring breeze blew softly, filling the void of their conversation that completely catching the pastel green haired girl off guard.

"Stop saying nonsense!"