[You trained diligently and earned a favor.]
[Reward: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms (Beginner) x 1]
[Skill XP: Tenketsu Striking +1]
[Skill Upgraded: Tenketsu Striking (Master)]
[Skill XP: Basic Gentle Fist +1]
[Skill Upgraded: Basic Gentle Fist (Master)]
[Reward: Energy Crystals x 30]
Another 30 crystals for free. What a beautiful day.
Aokawa grinned. With the Thirty-Two Palms officially learned, he could now petition the Main House to learn Rotation.
Hyuga Fu went to the market to buy groceries for a "celebratory dinner." Aokawa walked home alone.
He hadn't gone far when two figures approached from the opposite direction.
One was sleek, graceful, and visually stunning.
The other was... well, let's just say she had a great personality.
The graceful girl had silky black hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders. Her eyes were like translucent red agate—clear, bright, and striking.
Kurenai Yuhi.
Her nose was high and delicate, her features sculpted perfectly. She wore a mesh shirt under a red-and-white outfit that hugged her developing curves. Bandages wrapped her long, slender legs.
She deserved the title "Second Most Beautiful in Konoha."
This was the second time Aokawa had seen her since arriving in this world. She was breathtaking. He understood why his predecessor had fallen for her at first sight.
They used to be close. Kurenai didn't know Asuma well yet; that romance wouldn't bloom until they were Chunin.
Seeing her look his way, Aokawa smiled habitually and nodded.
"Ohayo, Kurenai."
But when Kurenai saw his smile, her beautiful face clouded over. She deliberately turned her head away, ignoring him completely.
Hmph.
Last time, she had greeted him first, and he had just given a perfunctory nod and walked away. No "how are you," no "let's catch up."
She was still mad about it.
She puffed out her cheeks like a hamster hoarding food, letting out a soft "Hmph!" before looking pointedly at a nearby tree.
The pout made her look less angry and more adorable.
Aokawa wasn't offended. He naturally shifted his gaze to the "great personality" beside her.
"Ohayo... uh..."
Aokawa froze mid-sentence.
Awkward. I don't remember this girl's name.
Who is this "Thousand-Pound Miss"?
He scanned her ample figure and brown hair. Before the silence could become offensive, a generic title popped into his head.
"Ohayo, Akimichi-san."
Akimichi Hanahana's face lit up instantly. The gloom that had started to gather at his hesitation vanished.
She jumped up happily, the ground trembling slightly.
"Good morning, Aokawa-kun! I didn't expect you to remember me!"
"How could I forget? You are very... distinct to me," Aokawa replied with a polite, practiced smile.
Kurenai was still sulking nearby. Seeing the situation, Aokawa didn't linger. He nodded again and walked past them.
She was cute, but if she wanted to ignore him, he wasn't going to force a conversation.
As soon as Aokawa was out of earshot, Hanahana leaned into Kurenai.
"Hey! Kurenai, are you two fighting?"
Kurenai scoffed.
"Just because I rejected his confession when we graduated last year, he hasn't come to find me once."
She pursed her lips, looking aggrieved.
"Even when I said hello last time, he was cold. It's too much! So now I'm ignoring him back!"
"That's terrible! You absolutely shouldn't talk to him!" Hanahana agreed indignantly.
But then, curiosity got the better of her. "But... why did you reject him? You guys were so close."
"It wasn't a full rejection..."
Kurenai's tone faltered. "I just said I didn't want to think about romance right now... I didn't say never! But he just took it as a 'no' and ghosted me!"
"So you're in a cold war?" Hanahana looked at her with pity.
"Hmph! From now on, we are strangers," Kurenai declared stubbornly. "I'm cutting ties."
"Really?" Hanahana's eyes widened. "You're letting a handsome guy like that go?"
"I don't want him! Whoever wants him can have him!" Kurenai huffed.
"Really?!"
Hanahana's eyes began to shine like she had found a diamond in the rough. "Kurenai, are you serious?"
"Of course!"
"Then... if you're not going to pursue him, I will!" Hanahana's voice trembled with excitement.
"Huh? You?"
Kurenai blinked, her brain short-circuiting.
Hanahana flipped her hair confidently.
"I'll give it a try! Sometimes, a handsome guy's taste is... unpredictable."
She blushed, stars in her eyes.
"Didn't you notice? His attitude toward me was different just now."
"Different how?" Kurenai was baffled.
"He calls you by your first name... but he called me 'Akimichi-san'. It was so polite."
"And before he said it, he hesitated! That means he was careful! He wanted to leave a good impression on me!"
"What does that mean? It means he cares about what I think!"
Kurenai stared at her friend. She tried to follow the logic.
He hesitated... because he cares?
Wait. Maybe... maybe Hanahana was right?
Before she could process it, Hanahana turned around, looking ready to sprint back toward Aokawa.
"Wait! What are you doing?" Kurenai grabbed her arm.
"What do you think?" Hanahana winked. "Strike while the iron is hot. I'm going to win his heart!"
Win his heart?
Kurenai's jaw dropped.
Are you serious? I just said that out of anger!
He... there's no way he likes Hanahana's type.
Absolutely not!
But... what if?
Her confidence evaporated. Aokawa had been rejected. Maybe the trauma changed his preferences? Maybe he now wanted... more to hold onto?
Panic surged.
Kurenai threw both arms around Hanahana's thick waist. Since her hands couldn't meet, she grabbed the girl's sash and leaned back with all her weight, digging her heels into the dirt.
Like a tug-of-war against a boulder.
"NO! YOU CAN'T!"