"Of course it's my business," Shin-chan said with a serious face. "I want to be the Hokage in the future, so I want to know if the person who becomes Hokage is really that amazing."
Asuma was silent for two seconds and whispered, "He is indeed quite amazing. His Ninjutsu is very strong, and everyone respects him."
"Then why did you say he's no good?"
"Because he has no time to spend with me." Asuma's voice grew even quieter. "When I was little, I wanted him to teach me Shuriken, and he said he was busy; I wanted him to take me to see fireworks, and he said he was busy; even on my birthday, he said he was busy."
Asuma lowered his head. "But I also want to have an ordinary dad."
The classroom suddenly fell silent.
Obito opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't find the words.
Shin-chan leaned in front of Asuma. "Your dad doesn't play with you?"
"Yeah."
"Then does he force you to eat green peppers?"
Asuma was stunned. "What?"
"Green peppers." Shin-chan looked serious. "My mom forces me to eat green peppers every day. If your dad doesn't force you to eat green peppers, then he's a bit better than my mom."
Asuma's mouth twitched. "I don't hate green peppers."
Shin-chan's expression instantly turned to one of admiration. "Really? Then your dad must be very happy, right?"
"He did say it's good that I'm not a picky eater." Asuma's voice softened unconsciously.
Shin-chan nodded and then turned to Obito. "Obito, why are you so angry?"
Obito's face flushed. "Because Hokage-sama is the hero of the Village. He protects all of us. I won't allow anyone to speak ill of him."
"Have you seen Hokage-sama?"
"I have. At the last festival, he stood on the stage giving a speech, and everyone was cheering." Obito's eyes were bright.
"Then do you like him?"
"Of course I do." Obito didn't hesitate. "He's the Hokage, the strongest person in the Village!"
Asuma muttered from the side, "It's not like you've been stood up by him."
"That's different." Obito glared at him. "Hokage-sama is so busy, it can't be helped if he stands you up. He has to protect the entire Village, so of course he doesn't have time to spend with just one person."
Obito continued, "My grandma said that those with ability must take on more responsibility. Hokage-sama is so powerful; he must have a lot of things to manage."
As he spoke, Obito's voice suddenly dropped. "And isn't it nice to have someone you can wait for? My mom and dad sacrificed themselves when I was very young."
"So my grandma said that what Hokage-sama does is so people like my mom and dad don't have to sacrifice themselves anymore. Even though I've never met them, I think anyone who can protect others is very amazing."
The classroom was quiet for a few seconds.
Rin's eyes were a bit red.
Even Kakashi turned his head slightly to look at Obito.
Asuma stood there, the expression on his face changing repeatedly.
Obito himself felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his head. "Why did I say all that?"
Shin-chan tilted his head and looked at him. After a few seconds, he suddenly spoke, "Obito."
"Yeah?"
"Were your mom and dad Ninjas?"
"I guess so."
"Then what do you want to be in the future?"
Obito replied without the slightest hesitation, "I want to be the Hokage and become someone even more amazing than the current Hokage-sama."
Shin-chan blinked and tilted his head at him. "Then after you become Hokage, will you eliminate green peppers?"
Obito was stunned. "Huh?"
"Green peppers." Shin-chan had a serious face. "Once you're Hokage, can you order the elimination of all green peppers in the Village?"
Obito's mouth twitched. "That's not what a Hokage does."
"Then what's the use of being Hokage?" Shin-chan sighed in disappointment. "You can't even eliminate green peppers."
"A Hokage is meant to protect the Village, not eliminate green peppers!"
"But green peppers are in the Village." Shin-chan tilted his head. "They're in the vegetable patches, in the kitchen, in my bowl. They hurt me every day. Why won't you protect me?"
Obito's face turned beet red. "That... that's different. Green peppers aren't enemies."
"They're enemies to me." Shin-chan put his hands on his hips. "You're an unqualified Hokage. I'm going to compete with you!"
"Compete for what?"
"Compete to be Hokage," Shin-chan said matter-of-factly. "When I become Hokage, the first thing I'll do is eliminate green peppers."
Obito was taken aback for a moment; then he got fired up too. "Fine, let's compete. When I become Hokage, I'll make everyone acknowledge me."
Shin-chan pointed to himself. "Nohara Shinnosuke, future Hokage. My slogan is: Goodbye green peppers, long live chocolate bars!"
Several children nearby finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Asuma stood to the side, his mouth twitching, but there was a smile in his eyes.
Shin-chan suddenly turned his head to look at him. "Asuma, do you want to join?"
Asuma was startled. "Join what?"
"Join our Hokage competition." Shin-chan counted on his fingers. "Obito wants to be the Hokage who is acknowledged, I want to be the Hokage who eliminates green peppers, and you can be your own Hokage."
Asuma rolled his eyes. "Why would I want to be Hokage? My old man is annoying enough as it is."
"Then what do you want to be?"
Asuma thought for a moment and turned his face away. "I don't know. Anyway, I'm not becoming Hokage."
"Then you can be the referee for the two of us." Shin-chan clapped his hands. "Let's see if I eliminate green peppers first, or if Obito gets acknowledged first."
Asuma's mouth twitched. "What's the point of comparing that?"
"We'll know once we compare." Shin-chan looked at him. "If you're the referee, you won't have to think about what you want to be. Just watch the two of us compete first."
Asuma was stunned for a moment.
"It seems... okay?"
Shin-chan looked at Obito again. "Obito, what do you think?"
Obito thought about it and nodded. "Sure, it's better to have someone watching. Then you'll know who's more amazing."
"Great!" Shin-chan raised his hand. "Then from now on, we are the 'Hokage Competition Trio.' Obito is the Acknowledgment Hokage, I am the Green Pepper Elimination Hokage, and Asuma is the Referee Hokage."
"How is a referee a Hokage..."
"As long as it has 'Hokage' in it." Shin-chan put an arm around each of them. "Alright, from today on, we're friends."
Obito was surprised. "Just like that, we're friends?"
"Otherwise?" Shin-chan tilted his head. "You're already competing with me for Hokage; how can we not be friends?"
Obito thought about it, and it seemed to make some sense.
Asuma didn't say anything, but he didn't pull away from Shin-chan's hand either.
Guy suddenly rushed over from the side and hugged the three of them. "Me too! I want to join too!"
Shin-chan was being squeezed so hard he couldn't breathe. "Guy... let go first..."
Guy let go, flames seemingly rising behind him. "Competing for Hokage is so full of Youth! I want to compete too!"
Shin-chan rubbed his neck. "What kind of Hokage do you want to be?"
Guy clenched his fists, eyes burning with fire. "I want to be the Youth Hokage and use Taijutsu to make the whole Village feel Youth!"
Shin-chan nodded. "Then from today on, the four of us are Hokage competitors."
Teacher Ibuki stood by, watching this scene, and let out a long sigh of relief.
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