Gift

The room instantly fell silent.

"Kurenai, come a little closer." Shinji beckoned to her, his tone utterly serious. "I have something to tell you."

Kurenai Yuhi blinked. Though she did not quite understand, she still gave a soft response.

"What is it?"

Trusting Shinji, she rose to her feet and took a few steps toward him.

The moment she finished speaking, Shinji suddenly raised his hand and lightly flicked her smooth forehead.

The force was not strong, but it was enough to startle her.

"Ow!"

Kurenai covered her forehead and glared at him with no real menace. "Shinji! What are you doing?!"

Yet she could not help muttering inwardly, Are you agreeing to help me train or not?!

"Kurenai, when did we ever treat you like a burden?"

Shinji folded his arms and spoke as if he were angry. "Even if you don't trust anyone else, don't you trust me?"

He paused, then softened his tone.

"As for helping you train, I promised you long ago. How could I possibly go back on my word?"

In truth, he wholeheartedly approved of Kurenai's request.

After all, Kurenai had a Side Quest attached to her. Completing it would earn him eighty thousand Points.

Besides, Kurenai was one of his romance targets.

He was a man who took the initiative and never turned opportunities down. Kurenai Yuhi was exceptionally beautiful; if he could, he would have invited her to stay the night and watch a cat do a backflip.

If that happened to trigger a new quest too, then he would have even less to worry about when it came to Points.

Hearing that, warmth spread through Kurenai's heart. She pressed her palms together and pleaded playfully.

"I was wrong, Lord Shinji. I should have trusted you more."

She quickly picked up the fruit platter from the low table, speared a piece of apple with a fork, and held it up to his mouth as though presenting a treasure.

"Lord Shinji, have an apple and calm down!"

Shinji kept his face stern. Looking at the fruit offered before him, he opened his mouth and ate it without ceremony.

Kurenai's cheeks warmed slightly as she added in a small voice.

"This is my first time feeding a boy. Lord Shinji, you should be over it now, right?"

Only then did Shinji wave a hand magnanimously.

"I forgive you, Miss Kurenai Yuhi."

Their eyes met, and neither of them could keep a straight face any longer. They burst out laughing together.

"Thank you, Shinji." Kurenai sat back down on the sofa and looked up at him, her tone earnest. "I don't know what I can do for you, but as long as it's something I can do, no matter what it is, I'll agree to it!"

At the end, she emphasized it again. "No matter what!"

Shinji quietly repeated those words under his breath. His gaze unconsciously swept over her before finally settling on her moist red lips.

Kurenai seemed to be wearing light lipstick today, making her look especially sexy.

Shinji's gaze was far too direct. Kurenai's cheeks instantly flared red, and she hurriedly turned her head away, scolding him coquettishly, "No improper thoughts!"

Yet inwardly, she could not help complaining, This Shinji—he's definitely doing it on purpose!

She gently bit her lower lip. The image of Shinji feeding her medicine while she was badly injured surfaced in her mind without warning, making her cheeks burn even hotter.

Shinji coughed twice and awkwardly scratched his head.

Was Kurenai's reaction really that intense? He had not even said anything. He had only thought about it—could she tell even that?

He quietly considered it. Given his current relationship with Kurenai, asking for something not too excessive should be fine, right?

Besides, he was still thinking about the Side Quest on Kurenai.

Shinji raised a hand to touch his nose and asked tentatively, "Kurenai, can I hug you?"

Kurenai shot him a reproachful glare. "Is that all you ever think about asking for?"

Yet a faint ripple quietly spread through her heart. Shinji is getting bolder and bolder. But strangely, I don't feel unwilling at all. If anything, I'm even a little... expectant.

There was a chance!

Shinji's heart leaped with joy. He immediately nodded decisively, his eyes full of anticipation. "Can I?"

Kurenai suddenly froze and fell silent.

Just as Shinji thought she was going to refuse, she abruptly stood up, turned her back to him, and seemed to gather all her strength before saying, "Come here."

Her voice was so quiet that Shinji froze, nearly thinking he had misheard.

So he stood as well and slowly moved over to Kurenai's side.

Kurenai had always been forthright by nature. She turned around and gently opened her arms.

Shinji hesitated no longer and slowly drew her into his embrace. Her soft, delicate body nestled against him, and once again he caught that familiar orchid fragrance, making him reluctant to let go.

"Shinji, keep your hands to yourself."

"I'm not doing anything. Don't worry."

"Isn't this enough? Let go already!"

"I've only held you for a little while. Wait a bit longer, I'm not done yet."

"Shinji, you—"

It was nearly ten minutes before Shinji finally let go, albeit reluctantly.

Kurenai Yuhi shyly and angrily pinched his waist. "You bastard, satisfied now?"

"Next, I'm going to work you hard and make you train with me!"

Shinji merely chuckled, completely unconcerned.

A system notification flashed before his eyes. Kurenai's Side Quest had been completed.

He closed the panel and looked at Kurenai Yuhi. "Kurenai, come with me. I'll take you somewhere—I happen to have a gift for you."

Feeling that the atmosphere was just right, Shinji decided to give Kurenai another small gift.

At the mention of a gift, anticipation immediately filled Kurenai Yuhi's eyes.

Shinji led Kurenai Yuhi out of the Uchiha Clan compound and turned into a deep alleyway at an intersection on Konoha's main street.

At the end stood a small shop without a proper signboard, marked only by a low-key wooden plaque carved with a black cat's head.

"This is?" Kurenai Yuhi asked curiously.

"Granny Cat's shop," Shinji explained casually. "She has close ties with our Uchiha Clan, and she has all sorts of rare things here."

Kurenai Yuhi nodded lightly. She had vaguely heard of the old woman before.

"Let's go in." Shinji naturally took her by the arm and pushed open the door.

The doorbell chimed, startling Granny Cat, who had been working an abacus behind the counter.

The old woman looked up and smiled. "Oh? Shinji, it's been a long time."

Granny Cat had always shown Shinji a great deal of care, and he respected her deeply as well.

"I'm here to support your business, Granny," Shinji said with a smile.

Granny Cat chuckled to herself. People around the village have been saying this kid earned great merit on the front lines recently. He must have made quite a fortune.

"A big customer has come today!"

"Just tell me what you want."

Shinji untied a cloth bundle from his waist, placed it on the counter, and spread it open.

"Granny, use this to custom-make a Ninja Sword for me."

Inside was the Chakra Metal he had obtained from the B-Rank Gift Box.

"Chakra Metal?!"

Granny Cat recognized it at once and sprang to her feet in shock. "You little brat, did you strike it rich? That's such a huge piece!"

Kurenai Yuhi covered her mouth as well, asking in astonishment, "Shinji, where did you get this?"

Such a large piece was worth at least twenty million Ryo.

"Spoils of war." Shinji smiled faintly, deliberately leading them to believe that he had obtained it from the battlefield.

He turned to Kurenai Yuhi and said, "Kurenai, is there any weapon you want? We can have it made at the same time."

Kurenai Yuhi understood immediately.

So this was the gift he had mentioned.

She had to admit that Shinji seemed especially dazzling at that moment, and her heart began to beat a little faster.