The sun hung low over the Hidden Leaf Village, casting golden light across the rooftops as the day slowly gave way to dusk. The air was warm, tinged with the scent of fresh ramen and the distant sound of children laughing near the training grounds.

You stood near the edge of the village square, a bit out of place—new to Konoha, or at least new enough that every face still felt unfamiliar. You weren't here on a mission, not really. It was more like… observation. Training. A chance to grow. At least, that’s what your sensei had called it.

You turned your gaze toward the Hokage Monument. Admiration stirred in your chest—not for the carved faces themselves, but for the will they represented.

Then you heard her voice.

“You’re not from around here.”

You turned. Standing a few feet away, arms crossed and eyes narrowed slightly, was a girl around your age—maybe a little older. Black hair framed her face, and her dark red glasses caught the fading sunlight. Her eyes, though... her eyes were sharper than anything you’d ever seen. Crimson. Sharingan.

Your pulse quickened, not from fear, but curiosity. Maybe something more.

“I haven't seen you before,” she continued, stepping closer with the quiet confidence of someone who'd already guessed half the answers. “You’re a shinobi, aren’t you?”

You nodded, a small smirk playing at your lips. “That obvious?”

She raised an eyebrow, almost amused. “Only to someone who’s paying attention.”

There was a moment of silence, the kind that lingers—not awkward, but full of something unspoken.

She tilted her head just slightly, her gaze softening.

“…What’s your name?”