Haruka (春花)

Haruka had finally figured out how to cast a Genjutsu. It was the start of her final year at the academy and she finally had gained the chakra control to cast Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu. It only took her mastering the tree climbing exercise. Of course that's not all, she also learned how to detect and dispel Genjutsu. She may not have an aptitude for it but she's at least better than the rest of her classmates.

This year they would be learning Bunshin no Jutsu, while also taking a more advanced form of the previous classes from last year. She found that Jutsu to be way too hard, when she asked Iruka-sensei about it he said she likely needs better chakra control, and told her about the water walking exercise. She figured by the name that it's the same basic thing as tree walking. Since she couldn't practice the new exercise during her self study she had taken to trying to learn more Genjutsu.

She was still at the bottom of the class, but she had surpassed Kiba now in Taijutsu and was firmly in third. She had even managed to beat Hina-chan a few times while the Hyuuga was going all out. The only reason she's at the bottom now is because of her poor test scores, and her inability to do the Bunshin. Because of that she's either barely passing or barely failing most of her theory classes. Which leaves her firmly at the bottom of the ranks (of kids who will actually graduate).

Haruka winces as she watches Hina-chan brutally disable Kiba in their spar. He had been extra mean to her yesterday and Hina-chan was expressing her displeasure physically in this morning's Taijutsu practice. Hina-chan had long stopped vocalizing how she feels about others making fun of the redhead. Most learned their lesson and only did so when Hina-chan wasn't within earshot, or right after Taijutsu practice hoping she'd forget by the next day. She never did. Kiba and Sakura never learned either lesson and still mocked Haruka whenever possible.

As the end of the day approaches so does Hina-chan, apparently she has something she wants to say to the Uzumaki. They head to the playground where they first met. Ko had stopped escorting them. When Haruka asked Hiashi why he simply said, "Hinata is far more ferocious when you're around than Ko could ever be." Haruka didn't fully understand but she can at least agree Hina-chan is strong, probably the strongest kid in class.

They sit next to each other on the swings. "So what did you want to talk about, Hina-chan?"

The white eyed girl looked right at her and said, "Haruka." The redhead is taken aback by that, the only time Hina-chan calls her Haruka is when she is scolding her, but she usually uses her surname too. The last time she'd simply been called Haruka without her surname by Hina-chan she was four. Before she can ask what that's about the lavender themed girl continues. "I like girls."

"So do I, what's your point?" She asked, confused, of course she liked girls, Hina-chan is a girl and she liked Hina-chan.

"No Haruka, I like girls like Sakura and Ino like boys."

"Oh."

"Do you not like me anymore, I know it's kind of weird." The white eyed girl asks with the smallest hint of worry in her voice.

"Naw, I still like you Hina-chan, I'd never dislike you for being you. I'm not sure if it's weird or not, but you're pretty weird Hina-chan." She meant no harm by it and Hinata knew it. Haruka had firmly decided she was weird the moment the white eyed girl had stood up for the redhead publicly.

"Would you think it weird if I told you I'm in love with you?"

"If you aren't in love with me I'd think it's pretty weird, because you don't typically lie to me."

"Would things change between us?"

"I don't really know, I've never thought about that stuff before, I guess it would change if I accepted. 'Cause if we started dating then we'd do things like kissing right? But I don't think it would change if I told you I don't feel the same way. At the end of the day you'd still be my best friend regardless of how I answer. Cause I wouldn't want to date you if it meant we can't still be best friends."

"Do you want to date me?"

"I'm not sure, like I said, I've never really thought about it."

Haruka could tell the conversation had stopped being hypothetical by that point. Hina-chan was asking her out, but she will wait until the other girl asks properly before she gives her answer.

"Haruka, I've been in love with you since we were five. I only realized it during our second year at the academy." Haruka blushes, she may have known it was coming but still hearing her best friend tell her that is enough to turn her red.

"Haruka will you go out with me?" A few moments pass as Hinata stares at Haruka before finally the still blushing redhead nods in agreement. She finally manages to gather her voice after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes, I may not be very good with this stuff, but I'd like that." She hadn't been sure a few minutes ago but when finally asked she found she was only able to say yes.

***

The two girls showed up to class the next day holding hands. They never cared about what other people thought before and they still don't now. Haruka could have sworn she heard Iruka-sensei mutter the words "Finally" under his breath. The rest of the class seemed weirdly mixed on whether they liked the two girls new relationship or not. Kiba and Sasuke had both seemed disappointed. She found it kind of weird that Sasuke would be disappointed given that he seemed to lose interest in her years ago. Sakura and Ino both seemed relieved, along with most of the other girls in class (and a few boys). Shikamaru and Choji along with Shino didn't seem to care. Mizuki seemed disgusted.

Iruka-sensei quiets the class down and spoke, "There's only a few more months before you all graduate and become fully fledged Ninjas. During the final exam we will cover all topics we've gone over these past six years. Your self study will be applied as bonus points if you can show something you gained from it." Most kids groan at that, bonus points are great and all but most of them hadn't even managed to learn a single extra Jutsu, having not realized there were a lot of other things that would actually produce results. "During the last month of class you will be given a form to turn in requesting what kind of team composition you think you will fit in. It will be taken into consideration when we are creating teams. But it does not ensure anything for you, just increases your odds. Try not to just pick your friends for this." After that he moves on to regular class. The preteens all move outside for their morning fitness classes.

The strength training class goes by relatively uneventfully, though Haruka did learn a new word thanks to Kiba. He even made it alliterative so it sounded kind of cool, if he wasn't insulting her. He had said it while laughing at her. "The deadlast's a dumb dyke!" he seemed to find it really funny because he was in hysterics at that. She didn't know what dyke meant but when she asked Hina-chan what it meant she said it was a rude term for girls who like girls. She doesn't really care that he insulted her but then he proceeded to call Hina-chan one as well. As luck would have it she was up against Kiba today. She briefly wonders if Iruka-sensei is just punishing him in advance for being mean. Stepping into the circle Kiba said,

"I'll show you how much better a man is when I kick your ass."

Haruka fires back automatically. "I don't see how you could show me anything about man, I only see a boy." Haruka flicks her eyes up to the white pup resting on the boys head, as soon as she does the pup stiffens and flees out of the ring, not wanting to go near the girl. "Also I fail to see why I would like man more if they hurt me." She knows it's what normal people do but she still doesn't like being hurt. Hina-chan never hurts her outside of sparring, and she likes Hina-chan a lot for that, and for so much more. Huh, now that she thinks about it there is a lot about the white eyed girl she likes, she just never really thought about. For example she liked how Hina-chan was super nice to her little sister, or would save the redhead from her mothers death cuddles (that's what Haruka had taken to calling them) or how Hina-chan would just look at her and smile sometimes and that would make Haruka feel like there are a million butterflies in her stomach. A weird feeling but weird isn't bad.

Iruka-sensei calls out. "Make the seal of confrontation." They both do so and Iruka-sensei calls for them to begin. Haruka rushes forward in the basic academy stance and throws a punch. Kiba side steps easily enough only to be caught unawares as Haruka whirls and connects a kick to his face, the added weights (She had steadily been upping them since she got them) throwing him back and out of the ring. Iruka-sensei calls out. "Winner Haruka! Now make the seal of reconciliation." Haruka offers it but Kiba slaps her hand away and walk off whining to Akamaru, his dog, about him running away. Iruka-sensei calls out to Kiba as he walks off. "Don't forget you have detention for the use of discriminatory language towards another classmate." The rest of the class learns the lesson well, don't insult Hinata in front of Haruka. And if they don't want detention they shouldn't talk like that in front of Iruka-sensei either.

Ninja villages were generally against acting the way Kiba did. The general consensus is that they lie, kill, and cheat for a living. So then why should they care if someone else chooses to spend his or her own free time dating someone of the same sex? The thing is civilians outside ninja villages tend to be more against it so the general attitude is to keep it inside the village. The last thing they need is some noble complaining about a gay ninja couple just because it's illegal in the rest of the country.

The last few months go by uneventfully and soon the day is upon them, the genin exam is today.