Chapter Text
The University of Konoha stretched across hectares of land, a mix of modern and historic architecture blending spanning across the city of Konoha. Large, tree-lined walkways cut through the campus, connecting towering glass buildings with older, traditional structures that reflected the university’s long-standing history. It was the first day of class for the new school year. Students rushed and buzzed in every direction. You could immediately pick apart the freshmen from their dazed and hesitant movements. Some were clutching printed maps of the expansive campus, while others were pretending to scroll frantically through phones.
Among these freshmen was Inuzaka Kiba. He trudged alongside his older sister, Hana, an alumna of the university. Kiba’s backpack hung lazily over one shoulder, and the expression he wore was a mix of irritation and embarrassment.
"You don’t have to come here," he grumbled, kicking at a stray pebble. "It’s not like I can’t take care of myself."
Hana, walking with an air of casual authority, shot him a knowing look. She had just graduated from this very university last year with a degree in Biology. She was now working for a large pharmaceutical company and was supposed to be at work. However, their mother had pestered her relentlessly to take a leave of absence just to escort Kiba to his first day.
“Mom was worried you’d get lost,” she said, adjusting her wristwatch. “The University of Konoha is a big place.”
Kiba scoffed. “The Architecture building isn’t hard to find. It’s the one that looks like a Frankenstein building.”
He waved vaguely ahead, gesturing toward the towering, Gothic-inspired structure in the distance. The Architecture Building was a striking contradiction—at first glance, it looked like an old cathedral, complete with soaring spires, pointed arches, and intricate stone detailing. But years of expansion had transformed it into something else entirely. A sleek steel-and-glass annex jutted out from its side, modern and unapologetic, creating a stark contrast against the historical façade.
Back then, Kiba had only one way to describe it: Frankenstein-ish. Lacking the eloquence of a future University of Konoha architecture graduate, he couldn’t yet appreciate the juxtaposition as a deliberate attempt to craft a postmodern edifice.
As they walked, a group of girls passed by, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Kiba’s eyes instinctively strayed, trailing after them with undisguised curiosity. Having spent the last few years in an all-boys high school, the very presence of girls in an academic environment felt novel—almost distracting.
He wasn’t used to the lilting sound of their laughter mixing into the usual campus chatter or the effortless way they carried themselves, their skirts swaying as they walked. It wasn’t just attraction; it was sheer fascination. This was a whole new world.
Hana sighed, not even needing to look at him to know what had just happened. “You just got here, and those eyes of yours are already wandering.”
Kiba snapped his gaze back, feigning innocence. “Wha? Ummm—”
Hana smirked. “You should focus really hard on your studies. Getting a girlfriend will just distract you.”
“I thought it would inspire me,” Kiba shot back, grinning.
“Nope. I know you.”
Kiba frowned. “Oh, come on. You met your boyfriend in college.”
Hana raised an eyebrow, her smirk deepening. “And? Unlike you, I can multitask.”
They fell into their usual rhythm of bickering, the kind only siblings could engage in, equal parts teasing and exasperation, but never truly hostile.
They continued past the central courtyard, where students lounged on benches or hurried to their next destinations. Eventually, Hana stopped in front of a grand, arcaded building with wide double doors. Above the heavy wooden doors, Senju Hall was carved into the stone, its bold lettering worn slightly with age. Students milled about the steps, some entering, others just loitering.
“This is it, Kiba.” Hana said, pointing towards the entrance. “Your department orientation will be held there. What time does it start?”
Kiba let out a small sigh, pulling out his phone with zero urgency. He scrolled through his inbox lazily, his thumb moving at a frustratingly slow pace. “Uh… 10 AM.”
Hana stiffened. “It’s 10:24, Kiba!!! You’re late!” Hana’s sharp voice cut through the morning air like a whip, making a few students nearby glance their way.
Kiba blinked. “Oh, shit—”
And this was exactly why their mother had sent Hana with him.
Kiba slipped inside the dimly lit auditorium as quietly as he could, though the large double doors still let out a soft creak as they shut behind him. Rows upon rows of seats stretched down toward the stage, where a middle-aged man in a crisp gray suit—probably the dean or some other faculty member—stood behind a lectern. His voice echoed through the hall as he droned on about school policies, flipping through a thick stack of notes, deep into a speech about school policies.
“…the University of Konoha prides itself on its commitment to excellence. As aspiring architects, you will be expected to uphold the highest standards—”
Kiba exhaled in relief. Boring stuff. He hadn’t missed much.
Moving quickly, he slid into an empty seat at the very back, sinking low as if that would make him invisible. His eyes darted around. Most of the other students sat upright, some nodding along, others already looking dead inside.
Right after him, the doors creaked open again and another latecomer walked in. Kiba turned his head to the direction of the door and nearly did a double take. He expected a lost freshman or maybe someone who came in as frantic as he was.
Instead, a celebrity walked in.
Or that was what Kiba thought for half a second.
The guy who entered was tall and lean, dressed from head to toe in black. His dark hair was effortlessly tousled, framing a sharp face with cool, assessing eyes that flicked around the auditorium with disinterest. The lighting from the auditorium had seen to frame him like a scene straight out of a high-budget romance drama.
Kiba had seen enough k-dramas. It wasn’t by choice at first. His mom and Hana dominated the TV at home, so unless he wanted to hole up in his room all day, he had to sit through endless marathons of romantic dramas. At some point, he had gotten invested.
The guy who just entered looked the part of the male chaebol protagonist.
Of course, Kiba wasn’t the only one that noticed. He caught a few girls turning their heads and sneaking glances.
Ah, this guy is never going to have any problems in the love department.
The guy sat down next to him, his movements smooth and precise, like even sitting was something he did with purpose.
Kiba took that as his cue.
“Man, talk about making an entrance,” he said with a friendly grin.
The chaebol said nothing. He didn’t even glance his way.
Undeterred, Kiba leaned slightly toward him. “I was late too, by the way. My sister—she’s an alumna here, got too carried away with her private tour of the campus that we forgot the time.”
Still nothing.
Kiba shuffled in his seat uncomfortably. He wasn’t used to being outright ignored, and something about the silence made him itch. If there was one thing he hated, it was awkward tension, so he did what he did best—kept talking.
“I mean, it’s not a big deal, right? It’s just orientation. Not like that would be graded or anything.” He chucked, as if that would be enough to break the ice.
Nothing.
Kiba exhaled through his nose, refusing to give up. “Anyway, I’m Kiba. And you are…?”
No response, once again. Kiba’s eye twitched. Maybe this guy was just shy?
“You know, you’re sitting next to me, so we might as well be friends. I mean, imagine if we get paired up for a project—”
“Shut up.”
The words cut through the air like a blade, sharp and unyielding.
Kiba froze mid-sentence.
For a second, he wasn’t sure he heard it right. But then he met the guy’s gaze—dark, cold, and utterly disinterested.
Kiba blinked, then let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright, alright, message received, Mr. Ice King.”
The dean had just wrapped up his slides. He adjusted his glasses, scanned the room before clearing his throat.
"Alright, now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s go around and have everyone introduce themselves. Name, and what you hope to achieve at the University of Konoha."
A few students groaned under their breath, but the introductions began.
"Uh, I just wanna take good electives and not get stuck with boring professors."
"My goal? Honestly, just to graduate and get a decent job."
"Meet new people and have fun!"
Kiba smirked. Now that's a solid plan.
When it was his turn, he stood up with confidence, hands in his pockets. “Yo! I’m Inuzuka Kiba.” He flashed a grin. “And my goal? Simple—I want to get a girlfriend.”
A few students chuckled. Some shook their heads.
Hana’s voice echoed in his head. "Focus on your studies, Kiba. A girlfriend will just distract you!"
Whatever, Hana. You hypocrite. Kiba thought, remembering that Hana had gotten together with her current boyfriend in her second year.
She always gave him crap about focusing on his studies, lecturing him about priorities and responsibilities, but the moment he so much as mentioned a girl, she acted like he was about to throw his entire future away. Like she hadn’t been sneaking off to see her boyfriend between lectures back in the day.
Just as Kiba sat down, the next student stood up—a tall, scrawny guy with thick glasses. He looked serious, the complete opposite of Kiba.
“Aburame Shino,” he started, but his voice barely carried past the first row.
A few heads turned toward him expectantly, and that was when it happened—his fingers tightened around the hem of his jacket, and his posture stiffened ever so slightly. Kiba, from his seat, immediately recognized the signs.
Shino cleared his throat, trying again. “My goal is to—uh—um, to…” He trailed off as the weight of the room’s attention bore down on him. His eyes flickered toward the professor, then to some random spot on the wall, as if he could escape there.
Kiba could practically hear his internal suffering.
“My goal is… to…” Shino adjusted his glasses in what looked like an attempt to stall. “To—uh—make my mother…” He inhaled sharply, then blurted out in one rushed breath, “Proud.”
The silence stretched for a beat too long.
“…Alright,” the professor said, clearly unimpressed. “Next.”
Shino sat down so fast it was like he wanted to disappear into the floor.
A few more students stood up after him—some nervous, some overly enthusiastic. Kiba barely paid attention, more entertained by how some of them tried too hard to sound impressive. One guy droned on about his five-year plan; another girl confidently declared she’d be the next big name in sustainable design.
Then, finally, it was the handsome guy’s turn. The one who looked like he belonged in a chaebol family, with his expensive-looking clothes and effortless air of self-assurance.
He stood with a quiet sort of confidence, his dark eyes scanning the room as if the whole exercise was beneath him. Unlike Shino, he wasn’t fidgeting, and unlike the others before him, he didn’t waste time on filler words.
“Uchiha Sasuke,” he said, his voice even and cool. “My goal is to become a world-renowned architect… and to surpass my brother.”
The room seemed to hold its breath for a moment. There was no hesitation in his tone, no doubt in his posture.
Kiba raised an eyebrow. Damn. Who the hell is this guy’s brother?