The Legendary Teacher

Im glad I chose this job.

Until you were able to have that thought with pride surging through your chest, then your life wasnt truly a happy one. This was because a job was something you chose to live through for your own sake, as well as the sake of others.

Or at least, that was the way that Umino Iruka thought.

And, right now, Iruka was extremely happy. His chest was bursting with pride when he thought about it.

The trigger for this sudden burst of joy was simply this: hed glanced the three syllables on top of Ichizoku Ramens Most Popular Toppings list: Na-ru-to.

Just glancing at it made Iruka immediately think of Naruto and Hinatas upcoming wedding, and before he knew it, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

It wasnt because he was easily moved to tears with his old age. It was because the emotion overwhelming Iruka was likely something very close to parental love and affection.

And a certain something had happened to make him even more overwhelmed.

The other day day, Iruka had been in the Academys staff room as usual, working through some documents. Naruto had come to see him with an incredibly deferential look on his face. He said he had something to ask Iruka, something about the wedding.

Iruka had already let Naruto know he was definitely going to come to the wedding, so he didnt have the faintest idea what he wanted to ask.

Iruka asked him what he wanted to talk about, and Naruto abruptly blurted out:

Id like it if youd come to the wedding as my dad.

The second Iruka heard that, a giant grin spread over his face. He answered immediately:Leave it to me!

Iruka even cracked a joke as he was seeing Naruto off outside: You came in with such a serious look on your face, I thought you were gonna ask me to treat you to ramen again.

The minute Narutos figure disappeared out of his sight, Iruka found himself publicly bursting into tears.

In all his years of being a teacher, nothing else had ever made him feel this happy.

The path I chose wasnt wrong, Iruka thought as he wept, his tears overflowing seemingly without an end.

And now, even when it was just seeing the word naruto written at Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka felt his eyes starting to burn again. He even found himself ordering another topping of naruto.

It was because Naruto was a dearly beloved, special pupil to Iruka.

Of course, Iruka wasnt the type of teacher who gave special treatment to one pupil above the others. He never played favourites. But that being said, Naruto wasnt just his dearest pupil. Even amongst all the people Iruka knew, Naruto was a special existence for him.

Although, it hadnt always been like that.

When Iruka had first become Narutos class teacher, hed had mixed feelings.

Whenever Iruka looked at Narutos face, the faces of his dead parents would never fail to come to mind as well.

Iruka was an excellent shinobi. His parents had been excellent, as well, and that was partially why when Iruka was still young, theyd gone out to the battlefield and never come back.

When the village was being attacked by the Demon Fox, Irukas parents had headed to the frontlines to protect Iruka, and everyone else, from the assault. Theyd fought without rest until their very last breaths.

And ever since then, Iruka had lived through the rest of his adolescence without anyone to praise him, without anyone to acknowledge him. Every single time he returned to a pitch black home with nobody else inside, hed think of his parents.

The years passed, and Iruka became a teacher. And who would appear in front of him as a student but Naruto?

Iruka knew that the Demon Fox, the Nine Tails, was sealed inside of Naruto. And he was also perfectly aware that Naruto hadnt done anything wrong, and had nothing to be blamed for.

Even though he understood iteven though many years had passed and he shouldve been able to accept it his head understood, but his heart was discomposed.

His father had been a silent and severe man. His mother had been a composed woman, family-oriented and reliable. They had both been jounins who were deeply trusted by many people.

Whenever Iruka had hung out with his friends, hed never stop talking about his parents with a deep glow of pride. He wanted to quickly grow up and become a fine shinobi too, so he could support them.

But then, in the blink of an eye, the Demon Fox appeared in the village, with a blood curdling howl that sounded like it could pierce the very heavens themselves.

His mother had sustained injuries trying to protect him. His father had every inch of him covered in blood, but he was still scrambling to try and fight.

His parents worn and weary figures would start fading and slipping awayand then Iruka would wake up with a start, back in the dark of his room.

It was a nightmare hed see every now and then, every since he was young.

But after Naruto was made his pupil, Iruka started seeing that same nightmare every single night.

The nightmares made him completely emotionally drained, and Iruka found himself starting to unconsciously avoid Naruto.

Naruto would constantly pull pranks, and that made his other classmates dislike him.

But your classmates were supposed to be your comrades.

But Iruka couldnt bring himself to do anything. All he could do was watch.

His confidence as a teacher crumbled away.

He was completely useless.

Until one day, Iruka realised a certain fact:

Naruto is the same as me.

The pain of living day in and day out with no one to praise you, no one to acknowledge you I know that pain better than anyone, so why didnt I notice this until now?

After that realisation, Iruka never found himself avoiding Naruto again. Soon, his nightmares disappeared as well.

But what if? What if I hadnt had that realisation?

Even now, the thought occasionally bothered Iruka. If he hadnt had that realisation, then it was very possible that Iruka couldve become someone who thought about nobody but himself, who believed he was the only one in a pitiable circumstance. He couldve become the lowest of the low, an idiotic bastard who didnt notice the pain of anyone but himself.

Iruka believed it was thanks to Naruto that hed escaped that fate.

Meeting Naruto had been something that had changed his life.

It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that Naruto was the reason Iruka had decided to work as a teacher for as long as he lived. Thats how important Narutos existence was to Iruka.

At that moment

It was because he was thinking of old times. A certain mans face flashed briefly before Irukas mind.

The mans name: Mizuki. Hed been a man who held high grades, and been blessed with a talent for ninjutsu.

Mizuki was someone Iruka had known since childhood. Theyd applied for the teaching examination together, worked as teachers together, and helped each other. Mizuki had always been smiling and soft-spoken, unlike Iruka and his tendency to nag, so hed always been a popular teacher amongst the students.

But, Mizuki had another side to him, different from the smiling face he showed their students.

He had been full of deep jealousy, a man who couldnt believe in himself.

Nobody truly grasps the real me. The real me is far more amazing. Im not all that I appear to be. Im not some small human to be pushed into a tiny corner like this. Everyone in the village is underestimating me.

Mizuki only ever let those words spill past his lips around Iruka.

In a nutshell, Mizuki was another person who was troubled because he had no one who would acknowledge him.

That was why Mizuki turned into someone who viciously pursued things, only caring about the end results and nothing else. When things didnt go well, he blamed others. He grew jealous and resenting, and he didnt sever the wicked feelings that were leading him astray.

In the end, Mizuki had taken the wrong path as a shinobi.

Mizuki,Iruka thought,when it comes to being a teacher, theres no such thing as instant results.

Any results from your teaching will be seen in five or ten years no, for some cases, they may need even more time. It depends on how those children are taught and raised, and what kind of adults they grow to be. The results from teaching are seeing the lives our students live when they grow up.

But, if you couldnt see even that, of course you wouldnt understand.

Now, Naruto was so famous that there wasnt a single person in the village who didnt know his name. Everyone acknowledged him.

Naruto, who had been bullied and laughed at every since he was a child, who had lived his days isolated from everyone else. Naruto.

Would Mizuki have been able to predict this future for Naruto? No, he wouldnt have.

Someone who had hadnt spent their years as a teacher would never be able to see what Iruka was seeing now, the future of a student unfolding before his very eyes. This feeling, these emotions, nobody else could possibly understand them.

I had wanted you to feel this emotion as wellMizuki.

By the time Iruka left Ichirakus, it was already dark outside.bHe hurried on his road home, feeling the night wind pushing at his back.

The wedding present hed bought for Naruto and Hinata was inside his vests front pocket. It was nice to feel the heavy weight of something so important against his chest.

He thought that he really was a happy man. It wasnt just Naruto who still felt affection towards Iruka after graduating, but many of his other students as well. There wasnt a happier feeling in the world than that.

Naruto especially would frequently come to see Iruka, asking if they could go and eat some ramen together. But, in the future, Hinata would probably be making meals for him at home, so if Naruto still went out to eat as frequently, shed probably get mad at him.

Thinking about that, Iruka couldnt help but laugh. His good mood continued the journey home.

Iruka entered pitch-black house with nobody inside, and turned on the lights.

There was a single toothbrush sitting in the cup beside his sink. He thought he might have to replace it soon.

A half-drunk cup of tea lay, forgotten, on his coffee table.

Iruka realised hed forgotten to bring his laundry back in from where hed hung it out to dry, and moved to bring them back in. His underwear in particular was now freezing cold from hanging out in the night air.

There was a faintsplashas a drop of water fell from the kitchen sinks faucet.

It was a quiet night.

Iruka let out a sigh, looking up at the low ceiling.

It might be about time that I start seriously looking for a life-partner too

For some reason, the thought that entered his mind felt particularly strong today.

Iruka made a small fist, and murmured to himself:

Alright, lets not to lose to Naruto!

It was a very quiet declaration.

As for what happened with that matter, lets leave that for Iruka to find out.