A few months back, in October, along with the letter that'd spoken of it, I'd sent Naruto a package containing a new jumpsuit. When he'd told me of how he'd both outgrown and torn his original one to shreds, I'd already bought him one but planned to give it to him when we both returned to the Hidden Leaf. It'd only been coincidental...

I'm just glad he's put it to good use since then. I feel bad for leaving Sakura and the others so far behind me, but I couldn't stop once I started.

"Naruto!" I shout, beckoning at him with my frantically-waving arm from the ground below. He's standing on top of an electricity pole, hands on his hips, taking in the village. At the sound of me calling, he turns around, and even from a distance away, I can still see that smile of his.

"Kari!" He leaps down, running toward me and grinning. But before he can even get ten feet away from the pole, I've already got him in my arms, holding onto him tightly, the dam holding back my emotions crumbling between us. And he's holding me back, just as tightly, if not tighter.

"I'm s-so g-glad you're back," I say through my sobs. Naruto lets out a light laugh before releasing me and holding onto my shoulders at arms-width.

"When did you get here?" he asks me. I quickly wipe down my cheeks – at this point, it's difficult to tell which is more wet: my face, or his jacket – and beam at him.

"Less than an hour ago!" I tell him.

"Sen, too?"

"Mhm!" I examine him. "I'm so glad the outfit fits you," I say. "As soon as I'd seen it, I just had to get it for you."

"It was about time for a change," he tells me. "My old clothes were barely able to hold themselves up, so your present came just in time!"

"Well, they look great on you," I say. Naruto does the same back to me, looking me up and down and grinning.

"You look so... different," he eventually says, seemingly surprised. I raise an eyebrow at him, and he panics—we've been down this road many times and years ago, and where they ended up leading to hadn't been a good thing. "N-Not bad different, I'm just... You were just... always in dresses and sweaters..."

"Hey, just because the rest of us Yamada are a great bunch of prudes, doesn't mean I am," I reason lightly.

"Naruto!" He glances over my shoulder, most likely at Sakura and Konohamaru and his group, who'd finally caught up. "When did you get back to the village, Naruto?" Sakura asks.

"Oh, just now!" he says, turning to face her. "Long time, no see, huh, Sakura?"

"Wait a minute," she says, narrowing her eyes at him. "You've gotten taller than me, haven't you?"

"Huh?" Naruto levels out their height with his hand. "Yeah, I guess I have! Kari got us all beat, though, that's for sure," he adds. I groan.

"Don't remind me," I murmur.

"So... what do you think?" Sakura says. "Do I seem more womanly to you now?"

"Are you kidding?" Naruto says, still grinning. "You haven't changed at all!" My lips part, mid-warning, but nothing comes out. To my surprise, Sakura holds back, and instead turns away from him.

"Hey, Naruto!"

"Huh?"

Konohamaru disappears in a small tuft of smoke, and in his place, to my embarrassment, is a half-naked, dark-haired woman. I sigh into my hands, keeping my eyes covered, though I wish I could do the same to my ears; the equally-as-embarrassing noises coming from Master Jiraiya's mouth are beginning to make me feel uncomfortable.

"Sexy Jutsu," is what Konohamaru calls this technique. He reverts the Jutsu, returning to his child form. "So, what do you think? Not too bad in the curves department, huh?"

I don't want to know how he figured that one out, I think. What is it with men? There's never an in-between with them; they're all either perverts or prudes!

Naruto chuckles, something that surprises all of us.

"Konohamaru, I'm not that scrawny little kid anymore," he says. "And you shouldn't be using Jutsu like that, either. It's beneath you."

I'm stunned into silence at Naruto's words. I never thought I'd see the day.

"I mean... Come on, Konohamaru! Is that all you got?! Now step aside, and get a load of my brand-spanking-new Pervy Ninjutsu!"

I deadpan at him, and look to Sakura, expecting the same reaction from her. Instead, my eyes widen exponentially, and I step far out of the way.

"Here we go—""Are you kidding me!?!"

One punch—that's all it takes to send Naruto flying down the long dirt road. The few villagers walking down and lining it jump out of the way to avoid him. He's landed face-first in the earth, bent like a scorpion's tail. Clearly, that hadn't been enough for Sakura, but this time, I'm not going to stop her; he has this one coming.

In a fit of rage, fists clenched and teeth ground together, Sakura stalks over to him, picks him up by his ankle, drops him back on the ground, and then grabs him by the collar of his jacket.

"What the heck is wrong with you, you pervy little doofus! We don't see each other in over three years and you have the nerve to pull a stunt like that?! You have any idea how that makes me feel? Do you?!"

"Maybe she really hasn't changed," I mumble.

"If she's anything like Tsunade," Master Jiraiya starts, just as quiet, "I wouldn't let her hear you say that one."

I swallow nervously. "Right-o."

卍

"It's been a while, you two." Lady Tsunade leans into her desk. "All that training proved to be fruitful, I hope?"

"You think we'd come back without producing any results?" Master Jiraiya says, sounding playfully offended.

"Mission accomplished, Grandma," Naruto says, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," she says. "Show me what you got, kid."

Naruto blinks at her. "What, right now?"

"I have someone I want you to go up against," she says. "I kept him off missions the last few days so he'd been ready for just this moment. Your opponent will be..." Suddenly, there's a light knock at the door. "Come in!" It swings open, revealing two familiar faces.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Temari!" Sakura points excitedly at us. "Look what the cat dragged in!"

"Is that...? It is!" Shikamaru grins at us. "Naruto, Kari! It's you!"

"Hey! Shikamaru!"
"Hi, Shikamaru, how've you been?"

"Well, well, you're back, huh?" he says.

"Yep," says Naruto. "We both got back today."

"Well, look at you," Shikamaru gestures at Naruto. "Who would believe you were the same, idiotic... Well, the same... You've changed, haven't you?"

Naruto chuckles in agreement.

"He hasn't changed at all," Sakura says bluntly.

"I didn't think so," Shikamaru says.

"Give me a break, Sakura," Naruto mumbles.

"I think out of everyone, Kari's definitely the one who's changed the most," Shikamaru says.

"If anything's changed about me," I start, "I play a mean game of shogi."

He chuckles, crossing his arms in front of him. "Now that I've got to see to believe," he says.

"Hey, wait—does this mean you're my opponent, Shikamaru?" Naruto asks.

"Opponent?" Shikamaru repeats. "What're you talking about? I just came over here to drop off some paperwork."

"Oh... Well, if it's not you, is it... uh..." Naruto trains a pair of narrowed eyes on Temari. "... what's your name again?"

"You don't remember me?" she says, her lips pursed.

"Naruto, you won't find your opponent in here," Lady Tsunade says. Then, she gestures off to the right, toward the windows. "He's out there."

"Huh?" Naruto walks over to it, and shoves the window up so it locks in place. He then peers outside, only to laugh. "Kakashi-sensei!" I quickly run to his side and lean out to see him.

"And if anyone's changed the least, it's you, Sensei," I say with a laugh.

"Oh, wait a sec!" Naruto jumps out of the window, landing before him. Reaching into one of his packs, he chuckles. "I've got something for you, Sensei. A little present!"

"Just like old times, huh?" I hear Lady Tsunade says.

"Yeah," Sakura agrees. And when Kakashi-sensei goes wide-eyed and as stiff as a board, this is affirmed.

"No way!" he cries. "Is that? Is that really?!"

"The first new issue of the Make Out Series in three years!" Naruto announces. "Pretty boring if you ask me, but I know you like this stuff, so..."

Master Jiraiya huffs behind us, whereas Kakashi-sensei begins whimpering and hollering at the book.

"Oh, calm down," Lady Tsunade snaps with a shake of her head. "This is no time to be fooling around, Kakashi."

He closes the book and stands up.

"So, does this mean... you're my opponent?" Naruto asks.

"Well, you're half right," Kakashi-sensei answers. He then trains his one visible eye on me. "It's definitely been a long time, hasn't it, Kari?"

"It sure has, Sensei," I say. "It's good to see you again!"

"Welcome back," he says. "And, as to who my opponent will be... It's Naruto, and Kari, and Sakura. Three of you."

"Wha—?!"
"Huh?"
"All of us at once, Sensei?"

"That's right," Lady Tsunade says. "Kakashi will put you to the test. How well you do against him will determine your future status."

"Huh," Shikamaru says. "Their future status."

"Sakura. It's time to show that your training with me hasn't been a waste of time."

"Right," Sakura says.

"Kari, same goes," Lady Tsunade says. "I didn't let Minako steal you away for three years just to have a great big family picnic."

"Yes, ma'am," I say.

"Well then, shall we get started?" Kakashi-sensei says.

"What? Right now?" I ask.

"Oh, right—You guys just got back; you must be tired. I'll give you a chance to rest first."

"I'm not tired; I'm ready to go right now!" Naruto says. "Right, Kari?"

Speak for yourself!

"No, you take it easy," Kakashi-sensei insists. "I'll meet you later at the training grounds. So long."

Thank goodness...

With a poof of smoke, he disappears.

"That's odd," I hear Shizune say. "He seemed in a hurry."

"Bet I know why," I say.

"Probably couldn't wait to read that book," Shikamaru says.

"Really?"
"That explains it; that gleam in his eye!"

"Can't imagine why you guys are so surprised," I say to Naruto and Sakura, who sigh in response.

卍

"Kakashi-sensei... I'm sorry I ever gave it to him! That stupid book's more important to him than our training!"

"No accounting for taste," Sakura says. "At least now we'll have time to discuss strategy."

"You guys think it'll be something along the lines of the bell test?" I inquire. "I wonder..."

Naruto suddenly sidles out of view.

"So, are you guys going out yet?" he asks both Shikamaru and Temari behind us.

"Not even close, you idiot," Shikamaru answers.

"Hmph, you've got to be joking," Temari says. "Like I'd ever. The Chūnin Exams are about to start. I've been busy going back and forth between your village and mine, getting ready for it."

"Yeah, that's right," Shikamaru says, "and I'm her escort. It's a drag, so don't ask how it happened, but I've been put in charge of organizing the Chūnin Exams."

"The Chūnin Exams, huh? Man, that takes me back."

"Yeah, well, speaking of which—what are you guys gonna do?" Shikamaru asks.

"About what?" Naruto replies.

"What do you mean?" I say, confused.

"What do you think? About the Chūnin Exams? You two are only one in our year who aren't Chūnin. Everyone is but you."

It takes a moment, but when it finally sinks in, he explodes. My lips part, but only breathless gasps fly out.

"Sakura, you've been made a Chūnin?" Naruto demands.

"That's right!" she says.

"Oh, you haven't even heard the half of it!" Shikamaru pipes. "Kankuro, Neji, and Temari, here, they've all taken it a step further! They've all been made Jōnin!"

"Jōnin?!" I all but scream. Naruto gasps.

"What about Gaara?" he says. "What is he?!"

"Gaara?" Temari repeats. "Kazekage."

My jaw drops. For a moment, Naruto is stunned, but then he regains himself.

"I see," he says. "So Gaara was named Kazekage... That's great. Well, I'm not about to be outdone by him!" He points up at the Hokage Rock. "I'm still gonna be Hokage one day! Just you wait, Gaara!"