KONOHAMARU SHIPPUDEN

The sun had risen higher than Konohamaru expected as he sprinted down the winding streets of Konoha. He clutched his school bag tightly, his breath coming in short bursts. The morning's experiments had run long, and he hadn't even realized how much time had passed until the bell for the Academy echoed faintly across the village.

"Great," he muttered under his breath, "Kosubo-sensei is definitely going to lecture me."

He rounded a corner sharply, skidding on the cobblestone. His tail flicked to balance him as he pushed off, regaining his momentum. But just as he turned onto the street leading to the Academy, he collided with something—or someone.

The impact sent both of them tumbling to the ground, books and papers spilling everywhere. Konohamaru groaned, rubbing his head as he sat up. "Hey, watch where you're—"

"Ow, ow, ow…" came a familiar voice, the other boy snapped, sitting up and rubbing his head.

"Hey, watch where you're going, will ya?" he said, his tone annoyed but not angry.

Konohamaru blinked, recognizing the spiky blonde hair and whisker-like marks on the boy's face instantly. Naruto Uzumaki.

For a moment, Konohamaru just stared. His heart thudded in his chest—not because he was nervous, but because seeing Naruto in the flesh stirred up memories from his past life as Bob Kimura. He remembered watching Naruto grow from an outcast to a hero, remembered cheering him on during countless episodes of the anime that had once been his escape.

"Hey!" Naruto's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "What are you staring at? Never seen an awesome ninja like me before?"

Konohamaru smirked, shaking off his surprise. "Awesome ninja? More like a walking disaster."

Naruto scowled, standing and dusting off his orange jumpsuit. "Oh yeah? And what's with the tail, monkey boy? You some kind of circus act?"

Instead of getting offended, Konohamaru grinned and flicked his tail, letting it curl around his waist like a belt before unfurling dramatically. "Jealous? This tail is the coolest thing you've ever seen, admit it."

Naruto blinked, momentarily caught off guard by Konohamaru's confidence. "Hah! Cool? It's just a tail. Bet it's useless in a fight."

Konohamaru's grin widened. "Useless? Watch this."

He crouched low, using his tail for balance, then leapt straight up onto a nearby lamppost, clinging to it effortlessly. He hung upside down, his tail wrapped securely around the pole. "Still think it's useless?"

Naruto's mouth hung open for a second before he quickly shut it, crossing his arms. "Pfft, big deal. I could totally do that if I had a tail."

"Too bad you don't," Konohamaru teased, flipping down and landing gracefully on his feet.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, stepping closer and jabbing a finger at Konohamaru's chest. "Alright, monkey boy, you think you're so great? How about we have a contest? A race, maybe, or a fight? I'll show you who's the better ninja!"

Konohamaru raised an eyebrow, considering the challenge. He knew from his past life that Naruto wasn't exactly the most skilled shinobi at this age, but he also remembered Naruto's relentless determination. Beating him wouldn't be as easy as it seemed.

Before he could respond, the academy bell rang in the distance, jolting both boys out of their standoff.

"Aw, crap! I'm late!" Konohamaru exclaimed, turning on his heel. "Wait, aren't you going to the academy too?"

Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nah, I'm done with that boring stuff for today. I've got more important things to do—like practicing my ninja skills! Someday, I'm gonna be Hokage, y'know!"

Konohamaru couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I know," he said quietly.

Naruto tilted his head again, giving Konohamaru a confused look. "You're kinda weird, y'know that?"

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Konohamaru replied with a grin.

Naruto shrugged. "Well, whatever. See ya around, monkey boy!"

He turned and jogged off, his bright orange jumpsuit disappearing into the crowd.

Konohamaru watched him go, a strange mix of emotions swirling in his chest. Seeing Naruto in person had been surreal, but it also reminded him of how much the boy had gone through—and how much he still had to face.

"I'll be rooting for you, Naruto," Konohamaru whispered, clenching his fists.

At the Academy

Bursting into the classroom, Konohamaru skidded to a halt, his tail flicking behind him. All eyes turned toward him, including Kosubo-sensei's, who was mid-lecture.

"Konohamaru," Kosubo said, her tone dangerously calm, "you're late. Again."

Konohamaru scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, about that… I was training this morning, and, uh, lost track of time."

Kosubo sighed. "Take your seat. And if you're late again tomorrow, you'll be cleaning the training grounds after class."

"Yes, Sensei!" Konohamaru chirped, hurrying to his seat by the window.

As he sat down, Udon leaned over, pushing up his glasses. "You're always late. What were you doing this time?"

"Training," Konohamaru replied with a smirk, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, and I met Naruto Uzumaki on the way here."

Moegi's eyes widened. "Naruto? Isn't he that loud Senpai from upper class who's always getting into trouble?"

"Yep," Konohamaru said, propping his feet up on the desk. "He's loud, alright. But I gotta admit, the guy's got… something. Not sure what yet, but he's definitely interesting."

Udon adjusted his glasses again. "You're not planning to skip class to hang out with him, are you?"

Konohamaru laughed, his tail swishing lazily. "Nah. But who knows? Maybe we'll end up working together someday."

As Kosubo resumed her lecture, Konohamaru's thoughts drifted back to his encounter with Naruto. Despite his loud and brash demeanor, Naruto reminded him of why he'd loved this world so much in his past life.