That Guy Is Proposing to Rin!

In the bushes.

The Youth wearing brown goggles was trembling all over.

"Let go of me!"

Uchiha Obito's eyes were red as if he had activated the Sharingan. He turned and glared furiously at the white-haired, dead-fish-eyed boy behind him. "Kakashi, why are you stopping me?!"

"This is Rin's personal business. You should calm down," Kakashi said evenly, gripping Obito's arm. "Besides, we're Peeping right now."

"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?!"

Uchiha Obito completely missed the last two words. Gritting his teeth, he stared fixedly at the figure in the distance.

"That guy... that guy is proposing to Rin!!"

He practically choked on the word "proposing."

He had known Rin for six years. From the very first day, he had fallen for that gentle girl.

He liked the cute, playful markings on her face. He liked the sweet little laugh she made with pursed lips. He liked how she comforted him whenever he failed an exam...

Whenever he thought of everything about her, Uchiha Obito could not help letting out a silly chuckle.

But now...

As he looked at Uchiha Chi in the distance, the smile on Obito's face instantly turned to hatred.

That guy who had come out of nowhere actually wanted to defile the angel in his heart?

"Damn it... all these years, I only ever dared to say the words 'I like you' in my dreams!"

Listening to Obito's devastated shout beside him, then comparing it to Uchiha Chi's direct all-out assault in the distance—

Even Kakashi, who had always been calm, wore a somewhat complicated expression.

This wasn't some novel. How could someone confess in his first sentence and propose in his second?!

He really wanted to say it aloud, but Obito was right beside him. To maintain his cool image, he could only swallow the words back down.

Just then, the two by Naka River moved.

Nohara Rin seemed to have finally understood what Uchiha Chi had just said. She lowered her head without a word, her entire face flushed crimson.

And Uchiha Chi...

He actually held out his hand directly toward Nohara Rin.

"..." Kakashi narrowed his eyes, feeling a hint of curiosity toward this unknown Uchiha Youth.

Meanwhile, the fury in Obito's eyes was nearly burning through his goggles.

He had never seen Rin make such a shy expression before!

Uchiha Obito clenched his fists and pleaded bitterly toward Nohara Rin.

"Rin, reject him already!"

Naka River.

Uchiha Chi cast a strange glance toward the small grove.

Why did he seem to hear people talking? Was it just an illusion?

Forget it. That wasn't important.

Uchiha Chi shifted his gaze to Nohara Rin in front of him.

"O-oh..." Nohara Rin still looked as though her brain had crashed. She nodded dumbly, just short of babbling nonsense.

But Uchiha Chi showed no impatience whatsoever.

Because he had already heard the sound of coins.

[Ding!]

Suppressing the slight upward curve of his lips, Uchiha Chi wore a gentle, sincere expression as he repeated, "Like you. Marriage."

This time, Nohara Rin finally reacted.

Her face instantly turned red.

Nohara Rin looked at Uchiha Chi helplessly. Though her voice still sounded fairly normal, her cheeks were flushed all the way to her ears. "Marriage?!"

"That's right." Uchiha Chi nodded heavily. At the same time, he bent his knees slightly and extended his palm toward Nohara Rin. "Marriage."

Now even Nohara Rin's neck had turned red. "...Eh? Eh?"

[Ding!]

[Ding!]

The evening breeze swept across Naka River, stirring ripples over the tranquil surface.

Like a girl's flowing hair lifted by the wind, the entire forest rustled.

While Nohara Rin remained silent, Uchiha Chi, who had lowered his head, finally found a little time to open the system notifications and collect his current rewards.

[Detected shock from Uchiha Obito!]

[Obtained 10 points. Damage Increase raised by 2%!]

[Detected shyness from Nohara Rin!]

[Obtained 15 points. Defense raised by 3%!]

[Detected anger from Uchiha Obito!]

[Obtained 15 points. Damage Increase raised by 3%!]

"Hm?"

Uchiha Chi's expression became somewhat strange.

He frowned as he looked at the unexpected name.

When had Uchiha Obito arrived?

Uchiha Chi glanced sideways toward the nearby grove. Recalling the faint commotion he had heard earlier, a flash of understanding passed through his eyes.

So it had not been an illusion. Someone really had been watching.

Then why had Obito not come out to stop him?

Clearly, someone was holding him back.

Hatake Kakashi's name flashed through his mind.

So that was it.

The corner of Uchiha Chi's mouth lifted slightly as an image formed in his mind: Uchiha Obito gritting his teeth at him, wanting to rush out but being held tightly by Kakashi.

Good grief!

At such a young age, why was he learning to Peep like the Third Hokage and Jiraiya?

Just as Uchiha Chi took down four people with a single remark—

Nohara Rin, who had stood before him in silence for a long time, finally made an extremely faint sound.

"Um..."

"You agreed, right?" Uchiha Chi quickly stood and asked.

[Detected anger from Uchiha Obito!]

[Obtained 15 points. Damage Increase raised by 3%!]

Seeing the tangible reward, Uchiha Chi no longer hid it and revealed a heartfelt smile.

Seeing Uchiha Chi smiling with such satisfaction, Nohara Rin became even more flustered.

"No, no!" she hurriedly waved her hands in denial.

Uchiha Chi quietly reined in his smile. "Oh?"

"This is too sudden." Nohara Rin did not dare meet Uchiha Chi's eyes. Her tone was uneasy but earnest. "I can't agree to you..."

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something else—perhaps, "We can try being friends first," or, "We've only just become Ninja"—but before she could speak, Uchiha Chi interrupted her.

"Is that so? I think I understand." Uchiha Chi nodded calmly. "Thank you for being willing to listen to me. I hope you become an outstanding Ninja someday... Nohara Rin."

With that, as though nothing had happened, he walked straight past Nohara Rin and left.

Watching Uchiha Chi pass by her, Nohara Rin's breathing stopped for a beat.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but she could not sense even the slightest reluctance in his eyes. On the contrary, his gaze was terrifyingly calm.

It was as if he were looking at a passerby with whom he would never cross paths again.

But wasn't he the one who had been rejected? Why did he seem so relaxed?

Unless—

From the very beginning, he had not cared whether she agreed or not.

Then why had he confessed to her?

Watching Uchiha Chi's retreating back, Nohara Rin blinked as a conclusion gradually formed in her heart.

This was a clumsy prank.

He had merely acted on a whim because she happened to pass by, playing with her feelings.

How could he do this...

Nohara Rin silently clenched her fists. Even someone as gentle as her found it difficult to accept such a prank.

She had thought for so long, struggled for so long, and carefully chosen her words so as not to hurt his feelings... yet from beginning to end, it had all been meaningless.

This was far too cruel...

Nohara Rin was so angry she felt as though her stomach would burn through. The corners of her eyes quickly reddened as she glared indignantly at Uchiha Chi.

"Uchiha Chi, do you think this kind of prank is funny?!"

"...?" Uchiha Chi paused slightly.

In Uchiha Chi's view, as a Youth whose heart had just begun to stir, this confession had already been sincere enough.

And after being rejected, he had chosen to offer his heartfelt blessing. Uchiha Chi believed he had handled it well enough.

If he went on with some lovesick attempt to make her stay, wouldn't that make him a pathetic simp like Obito?

Therefore, he stopped not because there was a hidden sob in Rin's voice.

It was because...

His gaze settled on the azure words before him.

[Detected displeasure from Sarutobi Hiruzen!]

[Obtained 10 points. Damage Increase raised by 2%!]