You... You Mean It?!

"Hey, hey, stop pretending to sleep. I know you're awake."

Terumi Mei felt someone lightly teasing her nostrils with a blade of grass, making them unbearably itchy.

She reluctantly opened her eyes, only to meet a pair of dark eyes brimming with amusement.

Uchiha Sanpo snapped his fingers and flashed a brilliant smile. "Here's some good news: the war is over, and your Kirigakure has surrendered."

Terumi Mei instinctively reached for her waist, only to discover that her ninja tool pouch had already been confiscated.

As if performing a magic trick, Uchiha Sanpo produced her kunai from behind his back and spun it nimbly around his finger. "Looking for this? I'll be holding onto your weapon for now~"

"You bastard, give it back!"

Terumi Mei lunged to snatch it back, but her injured leg gave out, and she stumbled straight into Uchiha Sanpo's arms.

Uchiha Sanpo caught her steadily and grinned wickedly by her ear. "Whoa, so you're this enthusiastic? Sorry, though, I'm not interested in little runts."

Terumi Mei's face instantly flushed crimson. She shoved him away. "W-Who's interested in you?! You narcissist! Get lost!"

Uchiha Sanpo took no offense. Instead, he burst into loud laughter.

He moved in front of Terumi Mei, then abruptly changed the subject. "Your Terumi Clan is pretty interesting. The war just ended, and they're already in such a hurry to send you over for a political marriage."

Terumi Mei froze, disbelief written all over her face. "What did you say... a political marriage?"

Terumi Mei: You... want to marry me?

Uchiha Sanpo pulled out a scroll from his robe and waved it before her. "Now that the war's over, Kirigakure is about to enter a weakened period. Your father signed an agreement with me, trading you for some protection and a way out."

He looked Terumi Mei up and down. "Maybe because I captured you, your clan decided to use you as a bargaining chip. Honestly, if it was a political marriage, I'd have preferred your clan send someone more mature and prettier. As for you... oh dear!"

Terumi Mei trembled with rage, not because of her father's arrangement, but because of the contempt in the young man's attitude.

She suddenly formed hand seals and spewed out a stream of scorching mist. Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!

Uchiha Sanpo did not even activate his Sharingan. He casually formed hand seals. Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

A fierce gust blasted out and scattered the mist that had just begun to gather.

Terumi Mei tried to form hand seals again, but Uchiha Sanpo grabbed both her hands.

He lifted her like a kitten. "Save your strength, little wildcat. Come back to the tent with me. We have serious matters to discuss."

Inside a tent at Konoha Camp, Uchiha Sanpo sat cross-legged across from Terumi Mei, idly playing with the kunai in his hand.

He tossed a kunai into the air and caught it. "You have two choices. First, obediently return to Konoha with me and become the Uchiha Clan's little bride. Second... write a letter home and have Yuki Chie of the Yuki Clan marry me in your place."

(This book's setting: Yuki Chie is Haku's mother. Just look at Haku, and you'll know how beautiful she is!)

Terumi Mei's eyes widened instantly. "How do you know Sister Yuki?"

He suddenly leaned close to Terumi Mei, close enough to count every one of her eyelashes. "Yuki Chie, eighteen years old, possesses the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, has never had a boyfriend, and has a gentle, considerate personality. She's the perfect wife material. Most importantly, she's much prettier than you."

"Y-You bastard... stay away from me!"

Terumi Mei tried to slap him across the face, but he effortlessly caught her wrist.

Uchiha Sanpo casually released her. "Little wildcat, you really have quite the temper. But I can understand it. After all, you're about to be married off to a... man you don't know..."

"Who wants to marry you?!" Terumi Mei grabbed the kettle on the ground and hurled it at him.

Uchiha Sanpo tilted his head aside, dodging the kettle, then said with a grin, "Could it be that you've fallen for me? Is that why you don't want Yuki Chie to take your place?"

Terumi Mei's face turned bright red with fury, and it looked like her hair was about to stand on end. "Keep dreaming! Narcissist! Idiot! Pervert!"

Uchiha Sanpo clutched his chest as if wounded and spread his hands. "That's so cruel~~ I'm obviously this handsome. So many girls want to marry me. Look at you—no figure, no elegance, and your face isn't even as pretty as Yuki Chie's..."

Terumi Mei could not take it anymore. She pounced on him and bit down hard on his arm.

Uchiha Sanpo cried out exaggeratedly, "Ow! You really are a wildcat. What a wild temper!"

Terumi Mei released him and looked smugly at the teeth marks on his arm. "So what if I bit you? If you've got the nerve, let me go back!"

Thanks to the Uzumaki Clan's Sage Body, Uchiha Sanpo's recovery ability was quite formidable.

He gently rubbed his arm, and the teeth marks slowly began to fade while the bleeding stopped.

"Your clan has a marriage alliance with the Yuki Clan, and you're quite close to Yuki Chie. You should know that she loves peace. Unlike you, she doesn't enjoy fighting. If she comes back to Konoha with me, she can live a wealthy, peaceful life. That's the life she wants. If she doesn't take your place, then in a few years, when you grow up... you'll have to... marry me... and... bear my children!"

Terumi Mei hurriedly turned her face away and stammered back, "You bastard... w-who... who wants to marry you... who wants to... have children with you!"

Uchiha Sanpo burst out laughing, then suddenly reached out and ruffled her hair. "When you're angry... you're really cute~.~"

Terumi Mei secretly glanced at the young man beside her. His profile was clean and sharp, and his long lashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes.

She had to admit it—this guy... was actually... pretty good-looking.

Catching her gaze, Uchiha Sanpo struck what he considered a handsome pose.

Then, with a smile, he said, "Mesmerized, huh? Go ahead and admire me. Your lord here is just that handsome!"

Terumi Mei hurriedly turned away. "W-Who was looking at you... narcissist... don't touch me!"

She slapped his hand away, only to realize that she no longer felt as disgusted by touching him as before...

Seeing Terumi Mei's reaction, Uchiha Sanpo felt that he had a chance. He checked the system.

Dao Companions: Uzumaki Huiyi (Affection: 100%), Aoyama Yui (Affection: 60%)

There was no information about Terumi Mei on the system.

Uchiha Sanpo frowned slightly and pondered it. Could it require negative distance... but she's still... that would be too beastly... I wonder if kissing would work?

So, he walked in front of Terumi Mei. Seeing that she was spacing out, he lowered his head and forcibly kissed her.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Terumi Mei was startled and clamped down on his tongue.

The tongue was rich in nerves, and getting bitten there was extremely painful.

Uchiha Sanpo cried out in pain and wrapped both arms tightly around Terumi Mei, squeezing her until she could barely breathe. Only then did she release her bite.

"Ding, Dao Companion: Terumi Mei's affection has increased by 19%. Current affection: 63%..."

"You... you filthy pervert... you bastard... go die!"

"Ah... tsk... that hurts... y-you were serious?!"

Terumi Mei had viciously stomped on Uchiha Sanpo's big toe.