Ino and Little Ino

Kurenai Yuhi was in a great mood today. After completing a mission, she wanted to find a tavern to celebrate with a few drinks of sake. She didn't expect to run into some children ganging up on another child on the street, and they were being quite rough. Anyone who encountered such a situation wouldn't just stand by, right? Kurenai Yuhi walked towards the children.

"Are you Uchiha? Aren't you one of Konoha's prominent families? Aren't you a genius? Hahaha!! Say something, say something, why aren't you talking?" an arrogant voice rang out from among the children who were beating him.

"What are you doing? Stop it!" Kurenai Yuhi walked behind the group of children and reprimanded them.

Taichi the Idiot and the others heard the voice and looked back, seeing a woman with a ninja headband on her forehead and a ninja vest, frowning at them.

"Ah! Someone's here, let's go, let's go!" Seeing an adult arrive, the children immediately scattered like birds and beasts and ran away.

"Kid, are you okay?" Kurenai Yuhi crouched down, helped Chen up, and patted the dust off him. She asked him.

I'm fine, I was saved! Chen thought to himself, then looked up at the person who had helped him.

Black shoulder-length curly hair, red eyes... could this be Kurenai Yuhi? Chen thought in surprise.

"Sister, I'm fine!" Chen shook his head and said to Kurenai.

"Can you go home by yourself? Never mind, I'll take you home, lest those kids come back to beat you." Kurenai said as she took Chen's hand and sent him home. "Let's go, I'll take you back. Which way is your home?"

As soon as they reached his doorstep, Chen saw Sasuke running out of the house with a worried expression. Sasuke had returned home, prepared food, and brought it to Chen, only to find Chen wasn't in his room. His first thought was that Chen had been kidnapped. After all, Chen had never left the house in the past year, and last night, someone had also tried to take him away. He worried that Chen had also been taken by someone from that "Root" organization. So, without a second thought, he rushed out, intending to seek help from the Hokage. As soon as he ran out the door, he spotted Chen and Kurenai Yuhi, who was escorting Chen home, and immediately rushed over.

"You idiot, where did you go?" Sasuke, who had just rushed over, didn't pay attention to Kurenai Yuhi beside him and immediately yelled at Chen. Although his tone was harsh, the concern in his voice was evident.

"I... I saw Sasuke hadn't returned for so long, so I went to look for him," Chen said to Sasuke, putting on a timid expression.

Hearing Chen's words, Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, but still angrily said to Chen, "Idiot, who told you to come out looking for me? You're just a burden."

Chen could only lower his head, not daring to reply.

"Alright, your name is Sasuke, right? Don't blame him, he was also going out to look for you. It's fine now, no need to worry too much," Kurenai Yuhi said, trying to mediate.

"Who's worried about this idiot? I was just afraid this idiot would embarrass me by running out," Sasuke said stubbornly.

"Alright, since Chen is home, I'll be going now," Kurenai Yuhi said to both Sasuke and Chen.

"Regardless, thank you for bringing this idiot back. I apologize for the trouble," Sasuke bowed to Kurenai Yuhi in thanks.

"Mhm, it's alright," Kurenai Yuhi waved her hand and then turned to leave.

"Hmph! Go back with me!" After Kurenai left, Sasuke yelled at Chen. Chen could only obediently follow behind Sasuke into the house.

"Hm? What happened to you?" Back home, Sasuke finally noticed Chen's disheveled state, his clothes even torn. (Chen had torn them himself while making a torch.) He had been too worried earlier to notice, but now that they were home, he asked Chen.

"It... it was Taichi the Idiot, he hit me," Chen told Sasuke what had just happened. He knew that with Sasuke's personality, he would definitely go find Taichi the Idiot for trouble. He couldn't make a move on Taichi the Idiot himself right now, so he had to use Sasuke to teach that constantly provoking Taichi the Idiot a lesson.

"Taichi the Idiot! A mere dead last, daring to bully my Uchiha!" Upon learning that Chen had been bullied by Taichi the Idiot, a dead last, Sasuke was furious. He would definitely make Taichi the Idiot pay tomorrow.

Afterward, the two of them, for the first time in a long time, sat down to eat dinner together before retiring to their rooms.

The next morning, Sasuke, filled with rage, went to the Ninja Academy.

"Sasuke, good morning!" As soon as Sasuke entered the classroom, Sakura greeted him. However, Sasuke ignored her and went directly to his seat. Seeing that Sasuke still didn't acknowledge her, Sakura lowered her head in disappointment.

"Heh heh, ignored by Sasuke again, but it's okay, Sakura will definitely succeed someday," Ino, seeing her best friend so dejected, came over to comfort her.

"Mhm! It's okay, I'm used to it," Sakura said with a smile, assuring Ino she was fine. "And I'll keep trying, I must make Sasuke like me."

"Mhm, keep it up!" Ino encouraged Sakura.

"Mhm, you too, Ino!" Sakura encouraged Ino in return.

"Me?" Ino looked at Sakura, confused. "What about me?"

"Heh heh, Ino, you should also work hard to find someone you like!" Sakura whispered into Ino's ear.

"I..." Ino was momentarily stunned by Sakura's sudden words. However, after a moment, as she realized what Sakura meant, the image of Chen appeared in her mind. She then smiled and said to Sakura, "As for me, I already have someone I like!"

"Really? Who is it? Tell me quickly! Is it someone from our class?" Sakura asked gossipy.

"Heh heh, he's not in our class anymore," Ino said with a wry smile.

"Not in our class?" Sakura was a little confused. If not someone from their class, then who could it be? Suddenly, Sakura thought of someone and hurriedly asked Ino, "Ino, tell me, you don't still like that Chen, do you?" Ino and Sakura had always been very close best friends, so Sakura knew that Ino liked Chen. At the time, they had even made a pact: when they grew up, Sakura would marry Sasuke, and Ino would marry Chen. However, after the Uchiha clan massacre a year ago, Chen had suffered a severe mental blow and had become mentally incapacitated. Sakura had thought Ino would give up her feelings for Chen, but she never expected that even after more than a year, Ino still hadn't forgotten Chen.

Ino didn't deny it. Looking at Sakura, she said firmly, "Yes, that's right. I like Chen-kun. I've liked him since he first came to school, and I still like him even now."

"But... but Chen-kun, he... he's like that now... how can you still like him?" Sakura really didn't want Ino to still be infatuated with that Uchiha Chen.

"Yes, even though Chen-kun is like this now, I believe he will get better," Ino said.

"But... what if Chen never gets better? Aren't you being too foolish?" Sakura still intended to persuade Ino. "Only you would be so foolish."

"No, Chen-kun will definitely get better. I believe in Chen-kun. Besides, I'm not the only one waiting for Chen!" After saying this to Sakura, Ino's gaze shifted to a long-haired girl behind her. This girl was Xiao Jin, who used to sit with Chen. "If I give up now, I'll lose to Xiao Jin! So, I'll keep waiting for Chen until he gets better." Xiao Jin, who had been sitting in the back, seemed to sense Ino's gaze and looked back at Ino. The two girls smiled at each other, as if they understood each other's thoughts.

Yes, Xiao Jin had also liked Chen since he enrolled in school. At that time, Xiao Jin had no friends due to Taichi the Idiot. No one dared to talk to her, and everyone avoided her. So, she had always been lonely. This situation continued until Chen appeared.

Chen didn't avoid her like others did; instead, he was happy to talk and chat with her. However, Chen was challenged by Taichi the Idiot for talking to her. Xiao Jin felt guilty, thinking she had harmed Chen. Just when Xiao Jin thought Chen would be beaten by Taichi like the other children who had spoken to her, Chen, to her surprise, easily defeated Taichi the Idiot. The powerful demeanor Chen displayed at that time deeply captivated Xiao Jin.

It was from then on that Xiao Jin developed a special feeling for Chen. As she spent more time with Chen, that feeling gradually deepened, eventually turning into admiration.

However, compared to the cheerful Ino, Xiao Jin was much more reserved. Having never had anyone to talk to or play with since childhood, Xiao Jin had always been a very introverted girl and never dared to make bold moves towards Chen like Ino did. Every time Chen came to the classroom, Ino would run over and cling to him. Sometimes she would hug his arm, sometimes she would jump on his back, always acting very intimately. Xiao Jin could only watch from the side, envying Ino, and silently paying attention to Chen, without making any intimate gestures towards him like Ino did.

Although Xiao Jin never expressed her feelings for Chen, Ino, who also liked Chen, could see her thoughts. So, Ino would always pick on Xiao Jin, opposing her everywhere. After all, she couldn't possibly give Chen up to anyone. Anyone who dared to have designs on Chen was her enemy.

Later, Xiao Jin also understood why Ino always picked on her. It was because Ino knew she liked Chen and was afraid she would steal Chen away.