Beautiful Girl Elbows

The Ninja Academy provided lodging but not meals. After class, Qiushui did not return directly to his office, choosing instead to head to a small shop outside the village to settle his lunch.

After eating his fill, he strolled leisurely back to the school.

Matsumoto Mie noticed Qiushui walking in and greeted him with a smile, "Teacher Qiushui, I passed by Class 1 of the fourth year this morning and noticed that not a single student was sleeping or skipping class. There were so many hands raised to answer questions, too—it was completely different from before. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I truly wouldn't have believed this was your first time teaching."

Qiushui shook his head and responded modestly, "Not at all, I still have a long way to go compared to a senior like you, Teacher Mie."

Matsumoto Mie naturally knew this was just polite talk, but who doesn't like hearing compliments?

In high spirits, she took out a stash of her favorite candies and offered them to Qiushui.

Qiushui accepted them with a word of thanks and, right in front of her, unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth—it was sweet.

Mizuki, watching from the side, felt a sudden sourness in his heart.

It wasn't that he couldn't afford such snacks; Matsumoto Mie occasionally gave him some too. But the ones she had just given away were from her favorite jar. He had been her colleague for several years and had never even tasted them. A trace of jealousy toward Qiushui flickered in his eyes.

Iruka, standing nearby, felt a sense of realization. He discovered that he might truly not be suited for being a homeroom teacher; his previous decision had been the right one.

Qiushui returned to his desk, pulled a blank notebook from the drawer, and fished out a pen.

He intended to write a novel.

Although the Qiushui of his past life had never written any serious novels, he had read plenty—from "cool" power fantasies with invincible protagonists to harem stories where the hero was surrounded by beauties.

As for the cultural entertainment in this world... how to put it? It was barren, with plenty of room for development.

In any case, he had nothing to do during lunch or his free periods, so writing a novel would be a perfect way to kill time. Who knows, he might even earn some money to improve his future living conditions.

Thursday, early morning.

As the first rays of sunlight climbed onto the windowsill, Ino Yamanaka woke up in her bed with the pink sheets. She rubbed her eyes, lingered for a few seconds, and then threw off the quilt to get up.

In front of the vanity, she groomed herself meticulously. She studied her reflection in the mirror over and over, adjusting the angle of the bangs on her forehead three times—a little to the left, a little to the right—until they were finally in the perfect position.

She turned sideways, checking from the left and then the right. Satisfied that every angle was impeccable, she nodded and turned to head downstairs.

In the dining room, Yamanaka Inoichi and his wife were already seated.

Hearing the footsteps on the stairs, Yamanaka Inoichi immediately set down his chopsticks. A look of characteristic fatherly warmth appeared on his face, a smile containing three parts doting, three parts pride, and four parts of an irrepressible "precious daughter" complex.

"Ino," he called out enthusiastically, "come over quickly! Your mother made your favorite fried eggs and pan-seared beef this morning, and it's still hot!"

Ino Yamanaka's mother, Yamashita Chie, was a plump woman in her mid-thirties. Hearing this, she immediately went to the kitchen to bring out the eggs and beef.

Ino Yamanaka gave a soft "Mm" in response. She walked slowly to her seat, picked up her chopsticks, and took a small piece of beef. She chewed it, poked at the fried egg, and after two or three bites, set her chopsticks down and stood up.

The smile on Yamanaka Inoichi's face faltered slightly. "Why are you only eating this much? You've barely had a few bites."

"Dad, you don't understand—" Ino drew out the end of her sentence, tilting her head. "If a girl eats too much, she'll get fat. If my figure loses its shape, I won't look good anymore."

Yamanaka Inoichi grew anxious. "But you can't just eat this little! You have classes and physical training at school. With only these two bites, how will your body hold up?"

He had fathered her late in life, and she had been held in the palm of his hand since she was a child; it pained him to see her eat even one mouthful less.

Ino Yamanaka didn't reply, simply sticking her tongue out at her father with a playful grimace before skipping out the door.

Ino had only walked a few steps from her front gate when she saw a familiar figure approaching from not far away.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a meaningful smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Yo—" she drawled, her tone laced with provocation. "Isn't this Sakura? How are you always so punctual every day?"

They used to be best friends, shopping together, eating delicious food, and sharing little girl secrets.

But ever since they both fell for Uchiha Sasuke, everything had changed.

From best friends to romantic rivals, there was only the distance of Sasuke between them. Now, whenever the two met, there was nothing left in their eyes but sparks.

Sakura Haruno was not the type to take things lying down.

She didn't stop walking, meeting her gaze head-on, and retorted with equal sharpness, "When I come to school is none of your business. The school isn't owned by your family, is it? What right do you have to care?"

Ino Yamanaka was choked by this retort, her face flushing slightly as she immediately countered, "I think you just want to get to school early so you can suck up to Sasuke!"

Sakura Haruno didn't show weakness: "Hmph, and I suppose you aren't thinking the exact same thing?"

Their gazes locked, and it was as if sparks were flying in the air.

The next second, they simultaneously picked up their pace and began walking toward the school.

"Walking" was a loose term; it was more of a shove. Shoulder against shoulder, elbows subtly jostling, neither was willing to yield even half a step.

They entered the school gate, still elbowing.

They crossed the courtyard, still elbowing.

By the time they reached the entrance of the school building, both accelerated at the same time. Whoever got into the classroom first would see Sasuke first.

Ino Yamanaka lunged toward the classroom door, but how could Sakura Haruno let her succeed? She immediately sped up to catch up. They arrived at the door almost simultaneously and got stuck there.

Ino Yamanaka braced her arm against the doorframe, pushing Sakura Haruno's face with her other hand, and mumbled, "Big Forehead, my left foot stepped in first, let me go first!"

Sakura Haruno didn't give an inch, wedging a leg into the doorway and squeezing her body in, whining, "Ino-pig, my right hand reached in first, why should you go first?"

The two remained deadlocked at the door, pushing and shoving each other.

The students in the classroom were long used to this scene. Since the second month of school, this had happened every week. Some glanced up and continued chatting; others didn't even lift their eyelids, as if the noise at the door were merely background static.

Just as the two were pushing each other with great intensity, a voice suddenly came from behind them.

"Um... what are you two doing here?"