CH_124

Tōji's thoughts were too scattered, and he couldn't even remember how he'd followed Natchi out of the arena.

Along the way, Natchi said he'd go inform Kenji and told Tōji and Neru to head to the Akimichi family's barbecue restaurant first.

"Natchi's nose is practically as good as a dog's now—he can track people by scent." Tōji tried to make small talk.

"What's wrong—really wanted to get into the Hokage Guard Platoon?" Neru, of course, steered the conversation right back to Tōji's sore spot.

"…" Tōji shot her a gloomy look—sure enough, she wore that gloating expression. "Yes, yes, I really did. Satisfied?"

"What's so great about the Guard Platoon anyway. Don't be so down—you can try to get into the medical corps too." Neru patted Tōji's shoulder hard, imitating Natchi's usual gesture.

"Sigh—you don't get it." Tōji didn't explain, and Neru wouldn't understand anyway—not until the Flying Thunder Formation trio made a name for themselves.

"The medical corps isn't that hard to get into. Mastering the 【Healing Palms Technique】 is tricky, but for you—it shouldn't be a problem." For once, Neru spoke to him like an actual friend.

"Maybe." Tōji didn't want to keep looking like he'd missed out on a fortune. "I hope we end up as colleagues someday."

Tōji never thought he'd say something like that to Neru.

It was like how, the moment you graduate, you suddenly see a classmate you never got along with in a completely new light.

And it was genuine, too.

Neither of them was the type to crave power or high status. As long as they weren't in mortal danger, just being colleagues—they could get along just fine.

And at Konoha Hospital, for the most part, doctors just did their own work.

"That Auntie Haruka of yours—didn't she teach you the 【Healing Palms Technique】?" Neru was suddenly being gossipy.

"Auntie Haruka said I'd have to wait until I became chūnin to learn it… I only learned the 【Chakra Scalpel】 earlier." Tōji found the topic helpful—it was slowly dulling the sting of missing out on the 【Flying Thunder God Technique】.

"Then we're about at the same level. I didn't learn the 【Chakra Scalpel】 either—my relatives told me the 【Healing Palms Technique】 is the 'exam question' for the medical corps." Neru said.

Tōji found it strange—had she really changed that much? Suddenly acting like a normal person? Just because the pressure of life and death was gone?

Either way, he wasn't used to Neru's personality shift over just a few days.

Ever since they'd been desk mates at the Academy, Neru had always been cold and distant.

But back then—that was probably right after she'd lost her parents…

"Why so quiet—what are you thinking about?" Neru noticed he wasn't responding. "Even if you can't learn the 【Healing Palms Technique】, knowing the 【Chakra Scalpel】 could still get you into Konoha Hospital… as a doctor's assistant."

"Forget that—my family would kill me! They're counting on me to revive the clan…" Tōji tried to set aside his old "prejudices" against Neru and talk to her like a normal person.

"Don't even bring that up—talking about clans and all that stuff drives me crazy!" Neru looked up at the sky.

They were already walking down Konoha's main street.

Tōji stole a glance at Neru—could people really change that quickly?

War could change a lot of people in an instant… he wondered how much Itachi Uchiha had changed by now.

Catching himself zoning out, Tōji snapped back to the present.

"Looks like a lot of people are celebrating today—the ones who won money betting on the Chūnin Exams…" Tōji could clearly hear the laughter and loud chatter from the shops lining the street—people discussing the exam results and how they'd placed their bets.

"Did everyone who bet on you lose money?" Neru covered her mouth with a light laugh.

A genuine smile…