Run, Youth

The afternoon sun slanted into the classroom, dyeing everything in a warm, golden hue.

[Remember this site's domain name: Taiwan Novel Network → ⓣⓦⓚⓐⓝ.ⓒⓞⓜ]

Shin-chan finished his Buttocks High Push-ups and was now lying on his desk, eyes half-closed. Unlike yesterday at this time, when he was already counting down to the end of school, he hadn't even said a word.

Uchiha Toru packed his schoolbag and turned to look at him, feeling something was off.

"Shin-chan?"

"Mm."

"What's wrong?"

Shin-chan slowly sat up, propping his chin with his hands. He stared out the window, lost in thought, his expression surprisingly pensive.

"I was thinking, why do adults always say, 'If you promise, you have to do it'?"

He sighed again after speaking and looked at Uchiha Toru.

"Yesterday, I went to train with Might Guy, and it was really tiring. Today, when I came to school, I was actually thinking, 'Maybe I'll just go straight home after school.'"

"And then?"

Shin-chan pointed to his chest.

"Here, there's a 'want to go' and a 'don't want to go.' They're fighting each other."

"Which one won?"

"'No result yet,'" Shin-chan said, tilting his head, looking troubled. "'Want to go' says, 'If you promise, you have to do it.' 'Don't want to go' says, 'So tired.' They're fighting back and forth, it's so annoying."

Uchiha Toru thought for a moment. "Then who do you think will win in the end?"

Shin-chan was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up and slung his schoolbag over his shoulder. "I don't know, but my feet are already moving towards the door."

He then looked down at his feet, as if talking to them.

"I haven't decided yet, why are you moving on your own?"

His feet, of course, didn't answer.

Uchiha Toru blinked and tentatively asked, "Are you still going today then?"

Shin-chan looked down at his feet, which were still walking forward, a look of helplessness on his face.

"It looks like I am."

"Why?"

"Because my feet don't listen to me," Shin-chan said seriously. "They seem to be controlled by 'wanting to go'."

Shin-chan walked to the classroom door and waved back at Uchiha Toru.

"See you tomorrow, Xiao Che."

Uchiha Toru stood in the classroom, watching the red figure disappear outside the door, suddenly not knowing what to say.

At the school gate, two green figures, one big and one small, were already waiting.

"Shin-chan." Might Guy waved enthusiastically. "Here, here."

Shin-chan walked over slowly and looked up at Might Duy.

"Uncle, what are we practicing today?"

Might Duy squatted down, placed his hands on Shin-chan's shoulders, and said with a serious expression, "Shin-chan, today we will undertake a very important training."

"What training?"

"Village lap run."

Shin-chan blinked. "What's a village lap run?"

"It's running around Konohagakure," Might Duy stood up and pointed into the distance. "Run from east to west, from south to north, covering every street and every corner of the village."

"Okay." Shin-chan sighed, not even asking why they had to run.

Then the three of them began to run along the streets of Konoha.

At first, Shin-chan ran at the very back.

Might Guy led the way, with Might Duy accompanying him on the side, pointing things out as they ran.

"This is the road to the Uchiha Clan Compound, that's the flower shop of the Yamanaka Clan, at the fork ahead, left is to the training grounds, and right is to Ichiraku Ramen."

Might Guy ran while memorizing, muttering to himself.

Shin-chan ambled along behind, running a few steps and walking a few, also muttering, "So tired, so hot."

Might Duy glanced back at him and shouted encouragement, "Shin-chan, hang in there, youth is meant to be burned completely!"

"My youth... has already burned out..." Shin-chan replied weakly.

After running a bit further, they passed a flower shop.

A young girl stood at the entrance, wearing a floral apron, her hair tied up with a silk scarf, revealing her fair neck, as she arranged a bouquet.

Shin-chan's eyes widened instantly.

Whoosh.

Might Duy only felt a blur before his eyes; the red figure that had been slowly trailing behind him had already rushed to the entrance of the flower shop.

"Hello."

The girl looked up and saw a five-year-old little boy standing in front of her, hands behind his back, looking up with a bright smile.

"Hello there, little one," she said, squatting down with a smile. "Are you here to buy flowers?"

"No," Shin-chan shook his head and looked at her seriously. "I came to tell you that you're more beautiful than these flowers."

The girl was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. "You have such a sweet mouth."

"It's not sweet, it's the truth," Shin-chan said earnestly. "Big sister, what's your name?"

"My name is Yumi."

"Sister Yumi~" Shin-chan drew out the sound. "Are you married?"

Yumi shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then when I grow up, will you be my girlfriend?" Shin-chan's eyes sparkled.

Yumi smiled and nodded. "Okay, we'll talk about it when you grow up."

"It's a deal," Shin-chan said, giving a thumbs-up. "I'll come to the flower shop to find you then."

With that, he turned and ran.

Yumi stood at the entrance of the flower shop, watching the small red figure disappear, a smile never leaving her face. "This child is really interesting."

Shin-chan ran back to the group. Might Guy was still panting where he stood, while Might Duy stared at him in shock.

"Shin-chan, you just..."

"Uncle, let's keep running!" Shin-chan was already running ahead. "The next pretty big sister is waiting for me."

Might Duy opened his mouth, unable to say anything, and could only follow.

For the rest of the journey, they witnessed what could be called "intermittent sprints." Every time Shin-chan saw a pretty big sister, he would shoot out like an arrow released from a bow.

He'd strike up a conversation, compliment her beauty, ask her name, ask her to be his girlfriend in the future, and then run back.

Each time, his speed was astonishing.

Might Duy's initial reaction was shock, then confusion, and finally, numbness.

"What kind of physique does this child have?"

Might Guy was running breathlessly beside him, clearly nearing his limit: "Hoo... hoo... Shin-chan... you... you slow down..."

Shin-chan seemed not to hear, and dashed out again, his voice drifting back from afar: "Pretty big sister!"

Might Guy couldn't hold on any longer and stopped to rest, his face full of confusion: "How does he still have energy?"

Might Duy patted his son's shoulder, his expression complex.

Not long after, Shin-chan ran back again, a satisfied smile on his face.

"That big sister is Rie, she said I can look for her to play when I grow up."

Might Duy was silent for two seconds, then couldn't help but ask: "Shin-chan, you keep stopping and running like this, don't you get tired?"

Shin-chan tilted his head, a little puzzled: "Why would talking to a big sister be tiring?"

Duy fell silent.

This child... seems a little off.

Might Guy stared at Shin-chan with wide eyes.

This guy would dash out one moment and run back the next, covering more distance than him, and each time he dashed out, his speed was much faster than normal running.

How could he not be tired?

In the distance, another beauty appeared.

Shin-chan's eyes lit up, and he instantly dashed out.

"Youth!!!" Might Guy looked at his retreating figure and gritted his teeth, starting to run too, though his legs trembled even more.

Might Duy watched the two children, one chasing beauties, the other chasing youth, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Especially that red figure.

That speed, that explosive power...

What is this child made of?