The first period of the day was Ninjutsu class with Daiko, and as usual, it began with a round of questions to test the students' knowledge.

His gaze swept the room, settling on the group led by Kaigo. Those guys had a reputation for slacking off, and the teacher expected them to struggle with the answers.

But to his surprise, Kaigo was ready.

He answered each question confidently. When he finished, he returned to his seat with a swagger, shooting a proud glance at Kagami.

The other boy, however, was lost in his own world. His nose was buried in his textbook, his eyes scanning the pages with an intensity that bordered on obsession.

Daiko shook his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Those two were always at odds, always trying to one-up each other.

It was a rivalry that could push them to great heights... or lead them down a dangerous path.

Only time would tell which it would be.

----------

Daiko cleared his throat to get the class's attention. "Today, we begin our study of Ninjutsu in earnest. And we start with one of the most fundamental techniques: the Transformation Jutsu."

He stepped out from behind his podium, his hands moving through a series of signs almost too fast to follow.

"The Transformation Jutsu lets a ninja change their appearance, taking on someone else's form. Like this."

With a puff of smoke, he vanished. In his place stood Itachi, his dark eyes scanning the room with a cool, appraising gaze.

"As you can see," he said, his voice a perfect imitation of the young prodigy's, "the transformation is complete. Not just in looks, but in mannerisms and speech too."

The class erupted into excited chatter, the students marveling at the sudden appearance of their classmate at the front of the room.

But for Kagami and the real Itachi, this was old news. They had mastered the Transformation Jutsu ages ago, along with the other two basic techniques.

The textbook in Kagami's hands was open to the final pages, the sections on advanced Ninjutsu that were still years beyond their classmates' grasp.

He glanced over at Itachi, wondering if the Uchiha heir was as bored as he was. But his gaze was distant, his eyes fixed on some point beyond the classroom window.

Daydreaming, Kagami thought. Even a genius could get lost in his own thoughts, it seemed.

A rustle of paper caught his attention. A note had appeared on his desk, slipped there by the person sitting in front of him.

He unfolded the paper, his eyebrows rising as he read the short message.

"Meet me in the woods by the school's west gate after class."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

There was no signature, but he had a pretty good idea who had sent it. Hana, the only person in class who regularly talked to him.

But why the secrecy? Why the need to meet in private?

His mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. And then it hit him.

The day of Orochimaru's escape. They had been in the forest together. And when the alarms had sounded, when the danger had become clear...

He had knocked Hana out cold. A single, precise blow to the back of the head, just enough to knock her out without causing lasting harm.

He had told her she had fallen, that she must have hit her head in the chaos.

But Hana was no fool. She knew she had been struck from behind, and with Kagami the only other person in the woods...

The note wasn't an invitation or a confession. It was a confrontation. A demand for answers.

He sighed, slipping the paper into his pocket. It seemed his peaceful school life was about to get a lot more complicated.

'Should've come up with a better excuse...' he thought to himself.

----------

The woods were quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Kagami made his way to the clearing, his footsteps silent on the mossy ground.

Hana was already there, sitting on a worn wooden bench. She looked up as he approached, her eyes dark and serious.

"Kagami," she said, her voice low.

"Hana," he replied, his tone equally quiet.

They stood there for a moment, the silence between them thick and heavy. Then Hana patted the bench beside her.

"Join me?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle. "Please?"

He hesitated, then nodded. He took a seat, keeping a small distance between them.

Hana took a deep breath, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "I wanted to talk to you about that day," she said. "Last weekend."

His face remained calm, but his eyes gave away his unease.

"You knocked me out, didn't you?" Hana asked, her words direct. "After the alarms went off, and we realized something was wrong... you hit me from behind."

He searched for a way out. A lie, an excuse, anything to deflect the truth. But before he could speak, Hana continued.

"My mom told me what happened. About the rogue ninja who defected from the village. He passed right by the Inuzuka training grounds."

Hana's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Kagami.

"You did it to protect me, didn't you?" she whispered. "You knocked me out so you could lure him away, so you could face the danger alone."

Kagami's eyes widened, caught off guard by Hana's words. He hadn't expected this conversation to take this turn.

"Hana, I..." he started, but his words trailed off. He didn't know what to say.

But she wasn't finished. Tears streamed down her face, leaving shiny trails on her cheeks.

"Promise me," Hana urged, her voice shaking but firm. "Promise you won't put yourself in danger like that again. Not for me, not for anyone."

She reached out and grasped his hand, her fingers wrapping tightly around his.

"Promise me, Kagami. Please," she whispered.

He looked at Hana, at the girl who had become his friend. She cared for him, not for his skills or potential, but for who he was.

Just him.

"Okay," he said, his own voice rougher than he would have liked. "I promise, Hana."

Hana's face broke into a smile as she scrubbed at her cheeks with her free hand, wiping away the tears.

"Good," she said, giving his hand a final squeeze before letting go. "Because if you ever do something like that again, I'll kick your butt myself."

Kagami couldn't help but laugh, a real, genuine laugh that he rarely allowed himself.

"I don't doubt it," he said, grinning. "You're kind of scary when you're mad."

Hana's giggles echoed through the quiet woods. She stood up, brushing off her pants, and held out a hand to him.

"Come on," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let's grab lunch together... Kagami-kun."

He groaned at the honorific, but he took Hana's hand anyway, letting her pull him to his feet.

As they strolled back towards the school, their shoulders bumping companionably, he felt a strange warmth spreading through his chest.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, but not an unpleasant one.

----------

In the forest shadows, a figure lurked, hidden from the two children. It was a massive spider, unlike any natural creature.

Eight beady eyes followed the boy and girl as they made their way back to the Academy.

The spider had been watching for a long time.

Watching, and waiting.

For now, it would continue to observe, biding its time.

And when the time was right, when the moment came, it would...

For the spider served a purpose beyond human understanding, and the boy was the key to it all.

The key to a future of darkness and terror, of madness and despair.

The Old Ones would rise again, and the spider's twisted mandibles curled into a grotesque smile.

It could afford to wait.

It had all the time in the world.