Kino was feeling good, actually he was feeling the best he had in a few years now. He knew what he wanted, was chasing that goal, and even was starting to feel like he was making the correct choices in his day to day. It wasn't like he was a bad kid or anything, actually once you got to know him it was arguable he was one of the kinder kids his age, but he had a tendency to make mistakes and get himself into trouble. There is something to be said about starting life with unstable footing that can make or break someone, and he was trying to be the former.
He looked up to the Hokage Rock, the faces of those who had chosen to chase this same ideal dream and make it their whole lives. While Kino had no aspirations to chase that exact dream, he certainly could respect that sort of ambition. He let out a sigh, looking down at his feet and wondering if his training was going to lead him into the kind of life he dreamt about, or if he was going to be just another kid with big dreams. Why was he stuck on that though, it wasn't like him to start to worry about a future he was never guaranteed in the first place? Where was this suddenly coming from?
He shook his head, "Ya no thanks, stop that already I'm not trying to be another sad kid from the leaf village." He grumbled to himself and kicked a rock, "Damn it.. Come on already." His frustration of being lost in thought was becoming evident as he continued his walk. He was feeling happy sure, but happy wasn't certain. Happy wasn't something that was going to keep him alive, or keep his head clear on his goals. All happy ever did was make him forget that life he was choosing to leave behind, nothing more was to be gained from happy. What right did he even have to feel happy? He was just another shinobi wannabe, it wasn't like it fixed everything to be in the academy. All it did was move the needle in the direction it should, why should he celebrate that?