"O-okay."
Anko hurriedly walked out.
Although the expectations in her heart had fallen through, she still mustered a smiling face and said, "Is there something you need from me, little brother? Do you want me to help you coax your Sister Kurenai into a good mood?"
Ryun naturally understood Anko's current thoughts. She probably felt like she was a complete clown, that no one liked her at all, right?
An Anko in this state naturally wouldn't go and harm or betray Ryun, but she could be taken advantage of by others. Therefore, Ryun naturally couldn't let her remain in a low mood.
It was also time to lay the cards on the table directly.
Ryun took her by the wrist and, under Anko's surprised gaze, pulled her back into his room, even closing the door behind him.
"I get it, private talk, right? Don't worry, Kurenai had her eyes closed when I came out."
Ryun, however, didn't respond to Anko's comment. He simply looked at Anko calmly like that.
That look made Anko start to get flustered. Past scenes flashed before her eyes, making her feel that maybe she hadn't done a good enough job atoning for her sins.
She lightly bit her lip, just about to apologize to Ryun again.
Ryun suddenly lowered his head slightly and kissed Anko on the lips.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Ryun stepped back half a step and looked at Anko again.
Anko's face was pale. Slowly, she brought her hands together in a seal, then released chakra, shouting "Kai!"
The result was that nothing before her eyes changed at all. Anko twisted her own cheek in confusion.
Was she under such a powerful Genjutsu?
Ryun kissing her... how was that possible? Wasn't she still in the stage of begging for Ryun's forgiveness?
Besides, Ryun liked gentle and beautiful older sisters like Yūhi Kurenai.
How could someone like her, a criminal who acted after getting drunk, be worthy of being liked—
Then Ryun made her understand that this wasn't a Genjutsu.
After a passionate, wet kiss, Anko lost her strength and plopped down onto the floor, her face flushing bright red.
Ryun crouched down, finally showing a smile, and said, "Sister Anko sitting down at a time like this... are you inviting me?"
"Nono nonono!"
Anko scooted back, only stopping when the back of her head bumped against the wall panel near Yūhi Kurenai's side.
"Wait, little brother—I mean, Nojuro-kun, I don't quite understand. What exactly is happening?"
"If you want to take revenge on me this way, that's also okay, but just tell me directly, alright?"
Anko truly didn't understand; she was completely baffled.
Shouldn't it be Ryun and Yūhi Kurenai's turn right now? How did she suddenly get pulled onto the center stage, performing the most intense and profound scene?
"Sister Anko, you're misunderstanding me here."
Ryun also sat down, sighed, and said, "Actually, I just wanted to try something out, to see what feelings we have for each other.
"Feelings?"
"Yes. I realized I don't dislike you. I even think Sister Anko has a great figure, that leaning against it would definitely be very comfortable."
Anko looked down at her second-greatest assets in the ninja world and couldn't help but straighten her back.
It was the first time she felt her figure was no longer a burden in battle, because it had actually become the nuclear weapon that changed the relationship between her and Ryun.
"And you, Sister Anko? Do you dislike me?"
The answer was already known to Ryun.
In the simulations, no matter what Ryun did to Anko, she wouldn't oppose it, let alone just a kiss.
Only, what Ryun needed to do now was pull Anko out of her atonement mindset, to turn the relationship between the two of them into one of affection.
This might be difficult with other people, but for Anko—not only was she an orphan, she was also betrayed by the person she trusted most. Any little bit of kindness from Ryun would become a spring nourishing her here.
"I... I don't know, and I don't understand..."
Anko stammered; her brain was almost fried.
"Didn't you like Kurenai? How did you suddenly come and kiss me?"
"Yeah, I do like Sister Kurenai, but she doesn't like me, right?"
Ryun sat shoulder to shoulder with Anko, then skillfully wrapped an arm around Anko's waist.
"I've said it before, I want to build a great clan. If Sister Kurenai doesn't like me, I can't force it. I can only turn to liking those who might like me instead."
"This person..."
Ryun looked at Anko, who finally understood what his strange look really meant.
He seemed to be asking, do you like me?
Anko's body went limp, slumping onto Ryun's shoulder.
She took big breaths, feeling as if she were under the pressure of a Kage-level powerhouse.
Seeing Ryun leaning towards her again, she hurriedly gave an answer: "Nojuro-kun, I—I don't know myself."
Then, as if worried Ryun would misunderstand, she quickly added, "It's not that I dislike you, it's just that I don't know what liking someone feels like either."
"And between the two of us... can there even be feelings of liking?"
Ryun also knew Anko's question was hard to answer.
Originally, he could have used time to smooth over the cracks between them, but forcing the pace now would naturally leave Anko confused.
However, Ryun understood that the two of them could get on the bus first and buy the ticket later.
They could even take the bus dozens of times before buying the ticket, and it would still be completely fine.
"Then let's leave it to feelings, Sister Anko."
"Leaving it to feelings means— · Mmph!"
Soon, Anko understood Ryun's meaning.
Time flew by; several hours passed.
A similar story played out again, only the emotions of those involved were now completely different.
Anko reached out and gently stroked Ryun's cheek, occasionally poking his arm as if confirming the Ryun before her was the real deal.
As for the things she couldn't figure out before, she didn't care about them now.
Just as Ryun said, everything could be left to feelings.
The facts proved that she felt good, very happy, even happier than she had ever been in her entire life.
Was this the feeling of being completely accepted, embraced, and held close by someone... Anko knew she probably could never leave this feeling now.
As for Ryun, he was also feeling extremely good.
Half of this feeling came from Anko's gentleness and cooperation, the other half came from the system prompts.
[Ding, more intimate contact with kunoichi Mitarashi Anko, simulation count +3.]
[Ding, confirmed intimate relationship with kunoichi Mitarashi Anko, simulation count +5.]
[Ding, deepest contact with kunoichi Mitarashi Anko, simulation count +10.]
[Congratulations, your favorability with Mitarashi Anko has reached Level 4.]
This series of prompts also made Ryun pleasantly surprised at the huge gains from this risky venture.
Originally, Ryun thought his favorability with Anko might reach Level 3, one level higher than Tenten, and that would be that. He never expected it to jump directly to Level 4.
This way, the divisions of the favorability levels became quite clear.
Level 1 is acquaintance, Level 2 is intimacy, Level 3 is a confirmed relationship, Level 4 is love that penetrates to the marrow—and by Level 5, Ryun felt it should be the level of following each other through life and death.
Even though the rewards for this level would obviously be plentiful, Ryun decided not to hope for such rewards for the time being.
Ryun knew he was outstanding and had enough emotional intelligence to maintain intimate relationships with more girls. But to have life-and-death-level emotional experiences with each one would also require finding that many people who could threaten Ryun!
Ryun glanced at his simulator. The simulation count there had leaped to 30 times.
He excitedly sat up, but Anko misunderstood his meaning and said in a panic, "Um, Nojuro-kun, no more, I really can't take any more!"
She didn't understand either why Ryun had such strong stamina.
She was a ninja famous for her endurance, yet now she had actually lost to Ryun.
Were men really such terrifying creatures?
Ryun was caught between laughter and tears. He helped Anko up and led her towards the hot spring, saying, "I just thought we should get up. Aren't you planning to have lunch with Sister Kurenai at noon?"
"Ah—is it already that time?"
Anko looked at the clock about to point to 11 o'clock, feeling a sudden sense of reluctance. Had the intimate time with Ryun passed so quickly?
"If Sister Anko still can't bear to leave me—"
Ryun supported Anko as they walked towards the hot spring.
"Wait, Nojuro-kun, I have no strength—"
"It's fine, I'll carry you."
Next door, Yūhi Kurenai opened her eyes helplessly.
She had woken up long ago. Now, leaning back against the wall panel, her face was flushed with a strange redness, yet her eyes held a hint of anger.
There was no helping it. The Ryun who had just confessed to her was now lying in the arms of her best friend.
Before she even had time to apologize for stealing the person her best friend liked, now the situation had completely reversed.
What infuriated Yūhi Kurenai the most was, besides the anger, what was this uncontrollable sour feeling in her heart?
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