Rin Nohara's Troubles

"Could it be... that he doesn't want to be friends with me?"

"Or did I offend him somehow?"

He felt rather dejected. It wasn't just the unsuccessful mission; there was also the unpleasant feeling of having his enthusiasm met with a cold shoulder.

Just as he was feeling down.

On the other side.

Might Guy was running faster and faster! His legs moved as if they were borrowed, sprinting for his life, kicking up a trail of dust wherever he passed.

As he sprinted, the wind rushing against his face distorted his features, but he didn't notice, focused only on swinging his legs.

"I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead!" Might Guy screamed internally.

"That guy Kakashi was right; turns out waking up too early really does make it easy to run into a ghost!"

Might Guy was terrified.

In the past, when he trained in the morning, he would barely see a soul in Konoha, let alone at the village entrance.

When he first spotted the figure earlier, he had been startled, but immediately dismissed it as his own overthinking. He figured he must have been so absorbed in his training that he hadn't noticed when the person approached.

But immediately after, he realized something was wrong.

When he turned around to continue his training, why was there no sound from the figure "morning exercising" behind him?

He looked back again!

Neat attire, an evil smile.

And a face that was unnaturally pale in the dim light.

Alarm bells rang in Might Guy's heart!

When the figure pretended to exercise again, he gathered all his focus, slowing his movements as much as possible.

Sure enough, the sounds of morning exercise behind him vanished again.

He simply stopped.

There was truly no sound behind him.

However, he felt as if a gaze, heavy as a physical weight, had landed on him.

In the pre-dawn morning, a strange guy with a pale face silently watching him do squats—when all these factors gathered together, every hair on Might Guy's body stood on end!

Run!

Run quickly!

If it were an enemy, he would have the courage to put up a fight, but a ghost lurking at the village entrance watching people do squats? He was scared to death!

Run! Run to the Hokage Building! Report to the Third Hokage!

Konoha Ninja Academy.

Rin Nohara sat at her desk, fiddling with the tip of her pen in boredom, her brows slightly furrowed.

She was troubled by the changes in herself.

Last night, she had stayed up for a long time before falling asleep, leaving her with no energy for school today. The reason for her insomnia was simple—every time she closed her eyes, the face of Nebula Kotetsu would flicker in her mind.

One moment, he was smiling gently at her.

The next, he was surrounded by a group of chattering girls at school.

Then, it was him saying "I like you" in the hall, looking at her with a sincerity that left her at a loss.

Finally, it shifted to Nebula Kotetsu embracing some unknown girlfriend, doing scandalous things in a secluded spot.

She hadn't even done anything, had she?

She had merely accepted a gift from Nebula Kotetsu after school.

She knew he had many girlfriends, and she had no intention of being with him.

It was just that, deeply influenced by the Third Hokage and infected by the Will of Fire, she had patiently answered a few of his questions about learning medical ninjutsu, provided some medical tools she barely used anymore, and guided him on how to use and practice with them.

Everything was perfectly normal! Why couldn't she get a good night's sleep?

Lost in her distress, she didn't even notice when Obito Uchiha stood before her.

"Rin!" A cheerful voice brought Rin Nohara back to her senses.

She looked at the grinning Obito Uchiha in front of her, her tone lacking its usual cheer.

"You're here."

"You're actually not late today."

Obito Uchiha scratched his head: "I'm not late every day, you know."

"By the way, Rin, I have something to tell you."

Rin Nohara lifted her eyelids: "What is it?"

Obito Uchiha put on a serious expression and said, "Rin, I've thought it over."

"What happened yesterday, it was my fault."

"I shouldn't have been so heavy-handed with that guy... with Nebula Kotetsu. I know I was wrong."

Rin Nohara looked up in surprise: "Really?"

"Of course!" Obito Uchiha said with great certainty: "How could I lie to you?"

"I really know I was wrong, and I want to formally apologize to Nebula Kotetsu for my rudeness earlier."

After speaking, Obito Uchiha watched Rin Nohara's reaction quietly. When he saw her expression clearly relax and brighten, he couldn't help but feel secretly smug.

As expected of me!

Although this method was a suggestion from an old lady who often helped him when he poured out his troubles, rounding it up, it was basically his own brilliance.

He looked at Rin Nohara, his eyes vaguely broadcasting a signal—praise me! Hurry up and praise me!

Rin Nohara smiled.

She said happily: "That's wonderful, Obito!"

"It's for the best that you think this way! We are classmates, partners, and future comrades who will fight together; of course, we should get along well."

"Nebula mentioned you to me last night, and I was still worrying about how to make you change your mind. I didn't expect you to give me such a surprise."

Obito Uchiha: "!!!"

His smug smile froze on his face.

The words "last night" and "Nebula" floated before his eyes, like two hammers banging away at his head.

Calling him "Nebula" so affectionately? She didn't even add the word "classmate"?

Last night? How could you two be together? Didn't you go straight home after school?

Before he could recover from the massive shock of information, Rin Nohara suddenly looked toward the door and waved excitedly.

"Nebula."

"Over here!"

"Obito has something to say to you."

Nebula Kotetsu, who had just walked in, saw Rin Nohara's greeting, and a look of surprise appeared on his listless face.

Did he hear that right?

Obito Uchiha had something to say to him?

Although he wasn't sure, since Rin Nohara called, he walked over.

He stood closer to Rin Nohara.

"Rin, what did you say? Obito has something to say to me?"

Insults?

"Mm-hmm." Rin Nohara nodded with a smile, then looked at Obito Uchiha beside her.

"Obito."

"Go ahead."

"You can say what you wanted to say now."

Obito Uchiha: "Uh..."

Nebula Kotetsu frowned and looked at Rin Nohara.

"What's going on?"

Rin Nohara explained: "Obito said he is very sorry about what happened before. Oh, Obito, why aren't you saying anything?"

Nebula Kotetsu raised an eyebrow.

He turned to look at Obito, whose face looked like he was constipated, and couldn't help but find it amusing.

"An apology?"

"Sure, as long as you say it, I accept."

Obito Uchiha: "..."

Under Rin Nohara's expectant gaze, his face turned redder and redder, yet he couldn't squeeze out a single word. The speech he had prepared yesterday, now that he knew Rin Nohara had been with Nebula Kotetsu last night, could no longer be spoken.

A moment later, Nebula Kotetsu shook his head.

"Looks like you left your vocal cords at home."

"Forget it, Rin, I'm a bit tired and need to catch up on some sleep."

He turned to head back to his seat, but suddenly remembered something. He leaned closer to Rin Nohara, his back to Obito Uchiha, and whispered in a volume just loud enough for Obito Uchiha to hear: "Oh, right, Rin."

"Thank you for your hard work last night."