Ginjiro sat on the branch above Naruto, idly scratching the bark while Naruto swung back and forth.

"Hey Gin-chan, do ya think we'll pass?" Naruto looked up from the ground at his fellow orphan.

"Naruto I told you to stop calling me that." Gin spoke softly, looking at his best friend.

"Yeah yeah, so do ya think we're gonna pass?" Naruto tugged at Ginjiro's foot, nearly pulling him off the tree.

"Of course, now stop pulling my leg or I'll kick you in the face." Naruto chuckled and quickly stopped. Scratching his head he spoke again.

"Do you think we'll be on the same team dattebayo?" Gin looked down again.

"I dunno Naruto, we might." He smiled slightly. "C'mon little bro, we should get home now." The other grinned right back and jumped up from his swing while Ginjiro jumped down from the tree. The two walked back home, ignoring the glares sent their way in favor of a conversation about the Academy jutsu.

Naruto had finally managed to make three acceptable clones but was having trouble making any more. Gin, on the other hand, was proficient in all the jutsu, even if he did tire way faster.

"Naruto, you know there's always a chance were on different teams right?" Gin was frowning. Something he did often enough for frown lines to form.

Naruto frowned as well before brightening.

"That won't matter, cause we're brothers dattebayo! We'll always stay with each other right?" He smiled and looked at the taller boy.

"Yeah, that's right." Gin smiled back, before ruffling Naruto's hair and running off.

-----

"Gin-chan wake up! It's graduation day!" The black haired boy groaned and turned over.

"Go away Naruto. Let me sleep." His words were muffled by his pillow but still discernible.

"Giiiiiiiin! Wake up!" Naruto flipped over the futon, throwing his brother to the ground. At some point in the night Gin's hair tie had come loose, so when he went flying his hair did as well.

He sat up and looked in Naruto's general direction from behind the curtain of his hair. Gin calmly spoke. "If you ever do that again I will murder you."

Naruto laughed quietly before helping his brother to his feet.

"I'll go make some toast, get ready." He ran out of the room they shared, closing the door behind him.

Ginjiro groaned before getting dressed and grabbing a brush. He walked into the kitchen with a hair tie in his mouth while brushing his hair back.

By the time he was finished Naruto had thrown a piece of toast at him and was halfway out the door.

"Why are you so hyper this morning? Usually, I have to drag you out of bed." Gin grumbled into his toast.

"We graduate today! How can I not be excited!" Naruto pushed his toast forward and grabbed his arm. "C'mon let's go, I wanna talk to Iruka-sensei, dattebayo!"

-----

It turned out that Naruto simply wanted to ask if Iruka-sensei would buy them ramen if they passed. Which didn't seem important enough to wake him so early if you asked him. Especially since the man had been promising that for months to make them study.

"Alright class, settle down."Iruka sensei silence the class, then smiled. "The first exam will begin shortly."