[Mad Tiger] Chapter 44

Before the operation, which the boys dubbed "The Bento Mission," I flawlessly executed the neutralization of Akamaru. We bumped into the pup and his blissfully unsuspecting owner, Kiba, on the way to the Academy.

"Hey, kid, got a minute? I’ve got something really cool to show you," I said, oozing intrigue.

Akamaru barked, wagging his tail, and dutifully followed his senior and oh-so-wise companion—me, obviously. I led him away from Kiba and strategically positioned us on the Academy’s window ledge, right outside the classroom for the soon-to-be graduates. The poor pup needed a little help getting up there, so I grabbed him by the scruff and hauled him up.

"Watch and keep quiet," I instructed with the gravity of a ninja sensei. "This is advanced shinobi knowledge, and you’re a future ninken. Wrap it around your mustache.”(1) (TN: it means take notes)

"Uh… I don’t have mustache to take notes on," Akamaru muttered, glancing at his muzzle before shooting an envious look at my glorious whiskers, which I flicked for emphasis.

"Then just pay attention and soak it in," I said sternly. "You’re responsible for your master, got it? He can’t take a step without you, so don’t mess up."

"Got it, Tora-san!" Akamaru yipped, his tail wagging excitedly. I smacked a paw over his head to keep him from drawing attention.

A few moments later, Sasuke entered the classroom, followed by our carefree target. Nyaa-ha-ha!

Another few minutes passed, and Naruto strolled in—disguised as Tsume Inuzuka, Kiba’s mom. He slammed the door for dramatic effect, instantly silencing the classroom. The tension? Palpable.

Naruto had the sense to keep his distance from Kiba, so the boy wouldn’t sniff out anything suspicious. Tsume-san’s voice is distinct—deep and growly—so we’d agreed Naruto would keep quiet.

"Kaa-san?" Kiba’s eyes bulged as "Tsume-san" narrowed her "wolfish" eyes, radiating the fury of a very angry mom.

Naruto nailed it. Honestly, I think some subconscious memory helped him channel a convincingly terrifying maternal rage. Even Akamaru flinched. "Tsume-san" growled and raised a fist at her pale-faced son.

"It wasn’t me! Your favorite mug broke itself!" Kiba yelped, stumbling back.

Ah, silence. The best interrogation tool. You learn so much when you just stare dramatically.

We hadn’t planned on a confession, but Sasuke and Naruto adapted to the unexpected turn brilliantly. "Tsume-san" planted her hands on her hips and growled again—panicked pantomime for the win!

"Ahem, Tsume-san," Sasuke cut in, drawing attention. "You should know that, starting today, Kiba will be bringing extra bento lunches for Naruto and me."

"Huh?!" Kiba’s jaw hit the floor.

"Gotcha!" Naruto yelled, breaking the transformation technique and laughing.

The look on Kiba’s face was priceless. Even Akamaru snickered at his master’s expense.

"I get it now, Tora-san!" Akamaru said, suddenly serious. "My master totally fell for a simple trap! Without me, he’s hopeless."

The class erupted in laughter. To Kiba’s credit, he wasn’t mad—in fact, he laughed the loudest.

"Man, Naruto, you almost made me pee myself! That was awesome!" Kiba admitted, grinning.

The kids buzzed with excitement, and a few clapped Naruto on the back.

"Hey, Naruto, what’s with your outfit?" Ino suddenly asked. "It’s… unique. Did someone—?"

"It’s all thanks to Namaiki-chan," Naruto replied with a grin. "Sasuke said that ninja cats think it’s super stylish and cool."

By the end of the week, everyone in class knew that "Sasuke and Naruto shared a cat." Some even claimed to have seen me and gave detailed accounts to others. I made a point to stay out of sight from adults and teachers, sticking to my favorite spots: the windowsill and the big oak by the sports field.

I don’t know if it was the magic combo of "Sasuke," "stylish," and "cool," but by lunch, the class buzzed with curiosity. During the break—after Kiba treated my boys to ramen at Ichiraku—Ino approached Naruto with a request.

"Um, Naruto-kun…" she began, bashfully avoiding his gaze. "Do you think… maybe… your cat could make some of my clothes stylish too? Please?"

I’m positive Naruto’s face contorted into the epitome of dumbfounded confusion. Standing behind him, I could only see Ino, who wore a pleading expression.

And then it hit me—what if Ino used her clan’s mind-transfer jutsu on the boys? Could that unlock their memories?

I darted out of the bushes like a furry missile.

"Say yes! She could be useful!" I commanded, forgetting for a moment that Naruto couldn’t understand me.

"Oh, Namaiki-chan!" Naruto knelt down to pet me. "Why are you so worked up?"

"So this is your famous cat?" Ino smiled, kneeling as well.

I stared her down, mentally screaming, Use the jutsu! Talk to me! Let me explain everything! But no. Instead, she scratched under my chin like I was just an ordinary cat. Some "mind specialist" she turned out to be.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

"Let’s talk after class, okay?" Naruto said diplomatically before they both ran off.

The idea of pawprint-themed clothes spread like wildfire. Even Kiba jumped on the trend, claiming Akamaru needed to learn from a "master of textile design" like me. Yeah, sure. I think he just wanted to hang out with old friends, filling the void left after losing touch with Naruto. Their past friendship had revolved around him, and when that was severed, Kiba ended up as the odd one out.

The day after Naruto’s double shock to the class was a weekend, so the kids planned to meet up.

The unofficial "fashion headquarters," decided by near-unanimous vote (Sasuke being the exception), was Sasuke’s apartment. It was centrally located, convenient for everyone, and close to shops and markets where they could buy inks, fabrics, and food. Ino, as payment for her custom "fashion upgrade," even volunteered to cook for the group.

Naruto, by the way, had never been to Sasuke's apartment before. His usual hangout was closer to the Uchiha compound, and Sasuke often ended up eating and sleeping at Naruto’s place instead. He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the three of us cramming into one bed—though, to be fair, I claimed most of it, while the boys clung to the edges. Sasuke made up for it by always buying groceries, which Naruto cooked. They lived off a combination of Sasuke’s purchases, whatever they found in the Uchiha district, and occasionally… what I pilfered. After "merging their resources," it became easier to stay fed. Plus, it made keeping an eye on them much simpler, and they enjoyed each other’s company, even in silence.

Sasuke only put up a token resistance when Naruto invited the group over to his place. Honestly, I think he just liked hanging out in Naruto's cozy little den. But his reaction when Naruto finally saw the Uchiha’s two-bedroom apartment with its massive balcony overlooking the stadium? That was something. Naruto was immediately impressed and made sure everyone knew.

We arrived early to prepare. The boys pushed the bed aside, rolled up the rugs, and scrubbed the floors together, clearing space for my "creative endeavors."

Tail puffed and a song in my head, I strutted around supervising. Who’d have thought I’d end up as a fashion designer? But hey, art brings people together, right? Now I just needed a brand name... Tiger Paw School? Classic-Nya? Cat’e-Style? Art of Meow?

My deep thoughts about branding were interrupted by a knock at the door.

It turned out the guest list had expanded. Along with Kiba and Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, and Hinata Hyuga had shown up.

"Hinata-chan, let’s go!" Ino chirped, taking charge immediately. "We’ll handle lunch while the boys unpack everything!"

"O-okay, Ino-chan," Hinata squeaked, blushing as she carried a bag brimming with greens past Sasuke and into the kitchen.

"We wanted to see the cat," Choji said around a mouthful of chips, gesturing to the enormous snack bag in his arms. The enticing smell of junk food wafted through the room, and Akamaru, perched on Kiba’s head, twitched his nose and swallowed hard.

"Hn. Come in," Sasuke said, stepping aside. "The cat’s right there. Namaiki-chan, they’re all here to see you."

I puffed out my chest and purred with pride. Not quite like the old days, but oh, we’re getting close…

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The phrase "мотай на ус" can be translated as "Take note of this" or "Keep this in mind", depending on the context. “Ус” is translated as a mustache but can also mean whiskers