Shikamaru and Sasuke woke up early the next day leaving Naruto snoring in his sleep. They knew that their hokage is not a morning person. So they did not bother to wake him up until breakfast. It was still 5 in the morning, so they went to the training room for a friendly spar. After working up a sweat, they washed to clean themselves then went about to make breakfast.

Sasuke went up the stairs to Naruto's room to wake him up and get ready for the day as Shikamaru set up the table. As soon as Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder to shake him up, he was immediately flung out the room from a kick. Sasuke crashed to the other side of the room and out of the house, hence a boy-shaped gaping hole formed on the wooden wall. Sasuke, who was flung into the trees and down the bushes got up, his outfit dirtied and leaves stuck in his hair. A tick mark appeared on his forehead. Who can blame him? Shikamaru was alarmed and quickly make his way upstairs. He burst out laughing at the scene unfolding before him.

"DOBE!!!" Sasuke shouted in rage. He stomped his way to the still drowsy Naruto, who had sat up by now after kicking Sasuke. Shikamaru still laughing his ass off. Sasuke, forgetting all courtesy, hit Naruto's head, hard. Thus, earning a grunt of pain from Naruto.

"Itta!" Naruto whined. He groggily opened his heavy eye lids and scratched his head, rubbing the pain away. He looked around and assessed the situation.

"Oh, it's just you Teme," Naruto simply said which earned him another punch to the head.

"Ouch!" Naruto cried.

"Hmph!" Sasuke grunted lightly and return to the kitchen, calming himself down. Sasuke understood Naruto's reaction. It was drilled into them. After all, it was just the other day when they were fighting for their lives in the battlefield. But he was still mad at Naruto for kicking him. Shikamaru also stop laughing and started towards the dining table.

"Anyway, hurry and tidy yourself up, or we will start breakfast without you," Shikamaru said. Naruto laughed sheepishly as he rubbed his head. He yawned then stretched his body before getting up and trotted to the bathroom to take a shower. Shikamaru and Sasuke patiently waited for their hokage to show up but when he did, they could only sweat dropped, seeing their hokage in that orange kill-me jump suit.

"Didn't you purchase some new clothes?" Shikamaru lazily asked as he grabbed a pair of chopsticks and hand it over to Naruto. Naruto took his seat as he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, well I plan to wear them after the graduation exam. Might as well keep up the façade for now. I might not end up with Sasuke's team if I suddenly do well in the academy. Plus, everyone will be suspicious. It's a bit early at this stage," Naruto explained. Sasuke and Shikamaru frowned at this. They don't like it when everyone underestimating their hokage. Naruto is the most powerful Shinobi in the world now. The only person who could rival him, is Sasuke. But even Sasuke admitted that he was defeated if it's Naruto. Because no matter how many times he falls, Naruto never gives up. But they complied with their hokage's decision nonetheless. After they are officially genin, Naruto can take off his mask for good.

"Hnn," Sasuke grunted in agreement.

"Tch, troublesome...," Shikamaru groaned but inwardly, they smirked imagining their comrades' reaction when Naruto drop his mask. They quickly ate their breakfast, clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes before they head to their respective gate seals. Shikamaru towards his room, Sasuke the Uchiha compound, and Naruto his apartment.

"Alright, meet you guys later at the academy," Naruto said with a huge grin. Shikamaru and Sasuke nodded. Sasuke left immediately but Shikamaru halted in his steps as his hand grabbed the doorknob. Once he opened it, he will immediately transported to his room at the Nara compound. Naruto noticed this, as well as the solemn and indecisive look on Shikamaru's face.

"Ah, that's right. Shikamaru must be feeling conflicted about facing his parents. His father died in the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and his mother died in the war against Orochimaru. And that was a long time ago," Naruto thought silently. He immediately understood Shikamaru's feelings. Naruto moved closer until he is right behind his best friend and placed a reassuring and comforting hand on Shikamaru's shoulder which effectively calm him down. Shikamaru had placed a shadow clone to take his place yesterday, so he have not properly met his parents.

"Shika...," Naruto called out. Shikamaru glanced up towards Naruto at his calling. Naruto smiled softly, his eyes showed understanding and encouragement. Shikamaru understood and smiled back nodding to his hokage. His eyes implicated a silent message that said, "I will be fine. Thank you Naruto."

"Cherish every moment you have with them, Shika... we came back to make a difference. We will make sure to protect everyone this time," Naruto finished and before Shikamaru could reply, Naruto opened the door with the gate seal that lead to Shikamaru's room and pushed Shikamaru towards it.

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Shikaku was puzzled. His son was acting strange lately. More like, there was something off about his son. His room was always quite. Not even a peep. Recently, in the morning, Shikaku had sensed a sudden spike in chakra signature. He recognized it as his son's but he couldn't help but wonder how his son's chakra suddenly shot up to ANBU level. Shikaku went upstairs to check up on him only to find his son to have just woken up, scratching his back and yawned with a bored face. Shikaku also noticed that his son's chakra had reduced to half of what it was moments ago but still plenty up to low-Jounin level. Shikaku narrowed his eyes in thought.

"What the hell happened?"

"What's up dad?" Shikamaru (clone) asked which brought Shikaku out of his thoughts.

"Ah, nothing. Come down and have breakfast," Shikaku replied with a smile.

"I have to report this to hokage," Shikaku thought silently.

"Okay, be right there," Shikamaru (clone) replied yawning again. Shikaku sweat dropped.

"Hmm, maybe it was my imagination. But no...it still did not explain his chakra...," Shikaku silently thought. He then shrugged and went to the kitchen for breakfast putting the matter at the back of his mind for now, but noted to himself to investigate it later.

The father and son duo went about the day as usual until the morning of the next day when Shikamaru, interestingly seemed flustered and nervous for no apparent reason. They were at the dining table having breakfast and Yoshino was encouraging her son to do well in the academy.

"What a drag..." Shikamaru simply said but there was slight mirth in his tone of voice. Shikaku noticed that unlike yesterday, where Shikamaru acted normal, his son now had a hard time in making eye contact with either him or even his mother, Yoshino. When Yoshino wasn't looking, Shikaku caught his son staring at her, various emotions danced in his son's eyes, joy, love, sadness, regret, loneliness and loss. Shikaku however did not understand why would his son held such feelings when he is not even a ninja yet. Those eyes only belong to war veterans who had fought countless battles, stained their hand with blood and lost their comrades. But then, Shikaku realized that his son held the same look when he looked at him too.

Then, as if his son had made a resolution, Shikamaru was seen nodding to himself once and smiled, as if his inner turmoil and turbulent emotions have settled. While Shikaku held numerous questions and speculations in his mind, his heart was glad that his son seemed better...and happier.

"Interesting..." Shikaku thought to himself. He definitely plan to get to the bottom of the matter. He did not know however, that the surprise and puzzle that he have to solve, will only get bigger. There was one thing that he took note however, his son's chakra return to normal that of genin (Due to the chakra seal placed by Naruto).