A Love Letter from Mitaraishi Anko

"What did you mean by that, Hyuga Sho?"

Someone immediately took offense.

"Hey, no, don't misunderstand."

Hyuga Sho wore a kind expression.

"I wasn't targeting you. I was saying... not many people here are stronger than Obito."

His words and attitude were simply too sincere.

So sincere that people almost believed Hyuga Sho truly felt that way.

Uchiha Obito was nearly moved to tears by Hyuga Sho's words~~!

He turned around and stared at a certain white-haired boy.

"Kakashi, you said Hyuga Sho was selling me out or something. I'm telling you, Hyuga Sho is Uchiha Obito's good buddy~!"

"What the hell is this..."

Kakashi crossed his arms, looking utterly baffled as he stared at Hyuga Sho.

He genuinely could not tell whether Hyuga Sho was truly shrewd or just an idiot.

"Hyuga Sho! Don't go blurting out the truth."

Morino Ibiki had somehow appeared beside Hyuga Sho.

The big guy patted Hyuga Sho on the shoulder and shook his head.

"Even if you're honest, honesty can hurt people sometimes..."

What the hell...

Kakashi's eyes widened.

This was unbelievable!

Even Morino Ibiki, with those thick brows and big eyes, had fallen for Hyuga Sho's trick?

Naturally, Kakashi had no idea.

Just how highly Morino Ibiki regarded Hyuga Sho.

Or how lush and wildly flourishing the jujube tree in his backyard had become.

"This Hyuga Sho..."

Sarutobi Asuma sized Hyuga Sho up from head to toe.

As though he wanted to see right through him.

Perhaps because Hyuga Sho had been too "arrogant," Funano Daihoku called on him next.

"Hyuga Sho."

"Yes!"

Hyuga Sho answered.

He walked up to the starting line.

A box of unopened shuriken sat on the tables around him.

"Hyuga Sho's all talk. Now that it's his turn, let's see what he can do!"

"Hmph! Maybe... he's worse than Uchiha Obito..."

"After all, his results last time were pretty average."

Having been mocked by Hyuga Sho.

The other boys immediately united against a common enemy, standing around making snide remarks as they prepared to watch Hyuga Sho make a fool of himself.

Hyuga Sho picked up the shuriken.

His gaze settled on the target ahead.

How could he not know what these brats were thinking?

In truth, this was part of the plan.

Hyuga Sho had deliberately taken this chance to make such "wild claims."

Perfect.

After Yūhi Kurenai, it was his turn.

"Hyuga Sho, my good buddy~~! Go for it~~!"

While most people doubted Hyuga Sho.

Uchiha Obito still did not forget to cheer him on.

"Hmph..."

Morino Ibiki looked even more disdainful, secretly laughing at how young and naive these classmates were.

Hyuga Sho could defeat even an Iwagakure genin. What was a mere Ninja Academy test...

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Hyuga Sho swung both arms.

Only after everyone got a clear look did they realize that he had not thrown four shuriken!

But...

Eight!!

He could hold one between each finger.

But throwing eight at once would create serious accuracy problems!

This was a problem that every Academy Student... even the Ninja Academy teachers found difficult to solve.

Unless that person belonged to the Uchiha Clan and had mastered the Uchiha Clan's unique throwing technique.

Thud, thud, thud!!

A series of impacts rang out.

Funano Daihoku's pupils contracted.

The scene...

Fell silent at once.

Even those who had mocked Hyuga Sho became completely silent.

"Three... Three shuriken hit the bullseye."

Funano Daihoku's mouth twitched.

He turned his head and gave Hyuga Sho a meaningful look.

Hyuga Sho, under his gaze, remained calm, as though it had merely been an ordinary warm-up throw.

In fact.

This was not even Hyuga Sho's limit.

Having mastered the Hardening Jutsu, supplemented by other taijutsu.

Hyuga Sho's control over his body had reached a level that most of his peers could only dream of attaining.

But Hyuga Sho's purpose today...

Was to draw Yūhi Kurenai and Asuma's attention.

Not to do anything else.

As long as he did better than Yūhi Kurenai, that was enough.

"He beat Yūhi Kurenai..."

"I never expected..."

"Damn it!"

Under the students' envious, jealous, resentful, and even incredulous gazes, Hyuga Sho slowly returned.

"..."

At the same time.

A pair of ruby-red eyes was also studying Hyuga Sho with great curiosity.

Yūhi Kurenai was astonished by this classmate who had surpassed her throwing score.

"Tch~!"

Sarutobi Asuma had one hand in his pocket, and his gaze at Hyuga Sho was somewhat displeased.

Nearby.

A boy who understood Asuma's look said.

"Hyuga Sho beat Young Master Asuma's girlfriend. He really doesn't give Young Master Asuma any face! I'm planning to give Hyuga Sho a beatdown. Who's with me?"

He raised an arm.

Many boys immediately answered the call.

"I'm in~!"

"Me too~!"

"I've hated Hyuga Sho for ages!"

Although Hyuga Sho had indeed defeated Shiranui Genma a few months ago.

So what?

Could his two fists really beat four hands?

And so...

A loudly plotted plan unfolded right in front of Hyuga Sho.

During the break.

The students who returned to the classroom gathered in twos and threes, or formed groups to discuss the details of beating Hyuga Sho.

But besides that.

Some girls cast shy glances at Hyuga Sho.

Of course.

The bolder ones.

Such as Mitaraishi Anko, began lying on her desk to write a love letter.

"Hyuga Sho..."

Mitaraishi Anko put pen to paper.

"I like you."

She wrote on the paper.

"It's not just because you're handsome. Your way of doing things suits my taste too."

Mitaraishi Anko was very satisfied with her wording.

Because...

She was a rather "savage" girl.

She had a bit of a tomboyish temperament.

The kind who bullied boys until they wailed their eyes out.

Of course... in terms of looks, she was evenly matched with Yūhi Kurenai.

But because of her terrible personality.

The boys in the class had rated her as "the beautiful girl they least wanted as a girlfriend."

It was unclear whether Mitaraishi Anko had any awareness of this.

Or perhaps.

Since none of the other boys had caught her eye, Mitaraishi Anko simply did not care about such things.

After finishing the love letter.

She waited for an opening.

Mitaraishi Anko passed by Hyuga Sho's desk and secretly tossed the letter inside.

Then...

She walked away as though nothing had happened.

She believed that after Hyuga Sho read the letter, he would definitely agree to date her.

Well, after all...

Mitaraishi Anko was not bad-looking either.