Iemitsu stood at the front gate of the Hatake estate, wondering if he should knock on the door or not. He had a plain face with spiked light brown hair and a Leaf headband on his forehead. His teacher told him at the academy that his new sensei would meet him at the Hatake estate, but he didn’t know what that meant. Too many possibilities ran through his mind.

Was his teacher in the estate, or was it used as a landmark so he knew where to go, and his teacher would meet him in the area? The Hatake estate was the home of the legendary White Fang and his son. Would one of them be his teacher?

Iemitsu doubted that, as the White Fang had retired years ago and was also a great shinobie. Iemitsu was nowhere close to being worthy of being a student of a man such as him, but then there was his son. Iemitsu hoped the son wasn’t his teacher. He couldn’t remember the name of the man but remembered that the man was young and also a genius. If the son of the White Fang were his teacher, people would have way too high expectations of him.

If his teacher was not either of the Hatakes and his teacher was not inside the estate and instead was just using it as a landmark to meet up at. Iemitsu would look ungrateful and arrogant, as if he deserved to be taught by such legendary shinobi, and people would think he was disappointed by not getting either of the two.

“I only have one chance at this,” Iemitsu whispered to himself. He only got one first impression with his new sensei and team leader. If he blows this, It could be really bad. To knock or not to knock? If he does knock, how loud of a knock should it be? If he knocked loudly, then he could look like he was boasting. “No, no, I can’t do that.” A soft knock, it's definitely a soft knock. If he does soft, then if someone answers the door, he could introduce himself and relay the instructions he got from his teacher. If he were going to be a student of one of the Hatakes, they would welcome him in. If not, he could quickly apologize, move away from the door, and wait patiently for his team leader to show up, hoping no one thought he was expecting to be taught by the Hatakes. It's a perfect plan.

With a nod, he resolved himself to act. Raising his hand, he clenched it into a fist and lightly tapped on the door three times. WAIT, tapped? No, no, he was supposed to have knocked on the door, not tap on it. Iemitsu barely made any noise with his door tapping. How would anyone hear him tapping on a door if he could barely hear it himself?

Iemitsu went and tried again before he stopped himself. This was a house with a minimum of two great ninjas in it. They could have heard him tap on the door and could be on their way to answer it right now. If he knocked louder than before, people would think he was being impatient, a quality that could get you killed on the battlefield. His first impression could be ruined if he knocks now.

If a great ninja from the Hatake clan is going to answer this door, Iemitsu should bow to show respect. Does he bow now or later? If he bows too late, then it would look like he’s only bowing because he is obligated to; too early, and he bows his head to everybody, making him look weak and disrespecting the honor of Leaf ninjas everywhere.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

WAIT, sometimes ninja senseis would test their students in elaborate ways. Could this be a test? Has Iemitsu already failed the test? Was he not supposed to knock on the door? He was told “at the Hatake estate,” not inside the estate. Does it look like he can’t follow simple instructions? What point in having a ninja who can’t handle simple instructions?

Iemitsu could feel his stomach turning. He was going to throw up if this went on for much longer. His future teacher could be watching him right now and shaking his head in disappointment for failing such a simple test.

“Yo Iemitsu, how is it going?”

“I have failed!” Iemitsu wined.

“What, I thought you passed? You even have a headband.” The girl with long, curly pink hair said in alarm.

“I passed the graduation test only to fail the secret test sensei has set for me,” Iemitsu said, now on his knees, pounding his fist into the dirt.

“Do you know who our sensei is?”

“No, but I bet they are already disappointed in me. I have already let them down.” Iemitsu was getting close to crying right there on the road at this point but turned his head to the girl. “Wait, Rei, why are you here? Oh my god, did they know I was going to fail and have already set you to escort me back to the academy?”

“Hmm, no. I think we are going to be teammates. Please take care of me.” The girl replied with a generous and kind smile.

“Rei, you would still have me as your teammate?” Iemitsu said, wiping away the tears threatening to appear on his face. “I’m so lucky to have such a kind and beautiful teammate like yourself.”

“Pathetic!” A shout came from an alleyway opposite from which Rei came.

Iemitsu spun around, recognizing the voice. “Oh no,” he said aloud.

“Oh yes, I saw everything. And to think you call yourself a Leaf ninja.” Said the short blond girl with twin hair buns in the shape of cute animal ears. Iemitsu was frozen in terror as the girl glared at him from the alleyway. “I saw you slam your fist on the gate. You were way too loud. You are going to wake up the whole village.”

“No, no, no. I was too light. It was more of a tap, a light tap, a gentle tap.”

“A TAP! You called that a TAP! Any harder, and you would have knocked the gates off its hinges.”

“I didn’t mean to Moko. I’m sorry.”

“Are you claiming you didn’t? Are you trying to gaslight me?” Moko said as she stomped over to Iemitsu and grabbed his shirt collar.

“No,” Iemitsu said while on his knees, looking like he was going to cry.

Moko started to shake Iemitsu violently. “Saying you aren’t gaslighting me is gaslighting you manipulative womanizing bastard. Have you know shame?”

“I have shame, I have shame.” Iemitsu pleaded, with the short girl.

While Moko was strangling Iemitsu and Rei watched her two teammates, the gate opened up to reveal Amon standing there stretching, causing the three to turn their heads to him.

“Hmm, oh, was that today? Hello, I believe you three are my students starting now. Nice to meet you, team five. Let's get along,” Amon stepped to the side and welcomed them into the estate. “Shall we start?”

The newly created team 5 looked at one another and, in unison, stood up and bowed to their teacher. “Yes, Sensei!”