Naruto sat on the grass, arms resting on his knees, lips puffed into a pout. "Tch. I knew it. No one's coming to play…"
Hinata, sitting beside him, lowered her gaze. Her fingers nervously twirled the hem of her sleeve. "Maybe… maybe they're just shy…"
Kaizen stood a short distance away, casually kicking the ball with practiced control. He glanced up at the sky, the sun slipping behind a patch of clouds, then down toward the forest entrance with a subtle smirk.
They'll come. The bait's already been cast… and the fish is curious.
Right on cue—
"What is this game you're playing?" a new voice called out.
The three turned.
A blonde girl stood at the edge of the clearing, hands on her hips, head tilted with playful curiosity. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, that much was obvious.
Naruto blinked. "Huh? Who're you?"
"I'm Ino. Ino Yamanaka," she said, stepping into the clearing. "I've been watching you guys play this weird ball game for a while now. Looked kinda fun… so, what is it?"
Kaizen stopped the ball with his foot and gave a light smile. "It's called football."
Ino arched an eyebrow. "Football? That doesn't sound like any game I've heard of."
Naruto puffed up proudly. "That's 'cause it's new! Kaizen made it up!"
Kaizen didn't correct him. Better to let it be seen that way.
"I just thought it would be fun," he said with a small shrug. "You kick the ball, try to score points by getting it into the goal. There are rules, teams, and some strategy involved."
Ino folded her arms. "Sounds simple… but when I watched you guys play, it didn't look that easy. You've got moves."
Kaizen nodded toward Hinata. "She's picked it up fast. Naruto too. Want to give it a try?"
Ino hesitated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hmm… I guess I've got a few minutes."
She jogged over to join them, the hem of her light kimono lifting slightly as she moved. "Okay, so what are the teams?"
Kaizen glanced between the three of them. "For now, we just pass, shoot, learn control. Once there are enough players, we can try actual matches."
Ino's first few kicks were clumsy, but she was quick to adjust. She watched Kaizen's footwork carefully, imitating the way he curved his passes. Naruto ran circles around everyone, often tripping himself in the process. Hinata giggled softly whenever he did, her smile growing more confident.
"You're really serious about this," Ino said to Kaizen after a while, resting her hands on her hips. "Where'd you come up with the idea?"
Kaizen gave a nonchalant shrug. "Just thought it'd be good for teamwork. Helps with agility, coordination, decision-making…"
Ino raised an eyebrow. "You sound like my dad."
Kaizen only smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in amusement.
After a bit more play, the group took a break under the trees. Ino sat cross-legged beside them, her eyes thoughtful.
"You know," she began, "if we want this to be a real game, we need more players. I could ask my friends to come."
Naruto's face lit up. "Yeah?! That'd be awesome!"
Kaizen turned to Hinata, who gave a shy nod. "I… I wouldn't mind. If Kaizen's okay with it…"
He gave her a warm look of approval. "More people means better games."
Then he turned to Ino, eyes sharper than before—but still kind. "Who were you thinking?"
"Shikamaru and Choji. We've been friends since forever." Ino smiled. "They're always bored. I think they'd like it."
Kaizen's fingers steepled beneath his chin in thought. Shikamaru Nara… if he's even half the strategist he becomes later, having him onboard this early would be a huge asset. Pair him with Choji's loyalty and potential strength… yes. This could work beautifully.
He nodded, a rare glint of excitement in his eyes. "Invite them."
Ino blinked. "Just like that?"
"We'll be here again tomorrow," Kaizen said. "Bring them if they're interested."
Ino smirked. "You're a weird kid, you know that?"
Kaizen stood, brushing off his pants. "So I've heard."
As the sun began to dip behind the trees, the four of them resumed playing—laughing, kicking, and building the unspoken rhythm of what would soon become something far more than just a game.
And high above them, the clouds shifted again—softly parting as the third spark ignited beneath the surface.