You were blessed with a gift beyond mortal limits, and the first thing you did with it was flirt with girls?
Sato Hideaka had only meant to use this "Crystal Lily" to thank Yuhi Kurenai for the generous lunches she'd packed for him over the past two days. But he had to admit it had sent seven-year-old Kurenai's affection for him soaring. After all, as a girl, she simply couldn't resist something so beautiful. www.wc.com
"This is... Wow, what a beautiful pink Crystal Lily!"
"Look how clear it is! And in the sunlight, it reflects dazzling red spots. It's absolutely brilliant!"
"It's so beautiful, Kurenai. This is the prettiest crystal I've ever seen. It doesn't have even the tiniest flaw—it's practically perfect. And the flower's details are so crisp. It's incredibly delicate!"
"..."
All the girls in class crowded around, gazing with shining eyes at the "Crystal Lily" in Kurenai's hands. It shimmered with a captivating red glow in the sunlight, crystal-clear, pure, translucent, smooth, and flawless, as if it had been crafted by nature itself, without a trace of human handiwork.
The girls chattered excitedly, making no effort to hide their envy!
"Hi... Hideaka, the 'Crystal Lily' you made is so beautiful. Could you make one for me too?"
At last, a girl of about seven or eight, wearing a leather jacket and glasses, couldn't contain her fondness any longer. She shyly sidled up to Sato Hideaka, her face flushed as she made her request.
Sato Hideaka looked a little troubled. "This 'Crystal Lily' is a gift for Kurenai. It's one of a kind, so I can't make another one to give away. But if you like, I could make you a crystal cartoon pendant!"
The girl looked disappointed at first, but as soon as she heard the second half of his reply, her eyes lit up. She nodded vigorously like a pecking chicken. "Yes, yes! I'd love a crystal pendant too. Thank you so much, Hideaka!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Sato Hideaka suddenly felt countless eyes fixed on him—wolfish stares. Then the girls surrounded him, chirping and pleading in his ears:
"Hideaka, I'd love a pendant too. Could you make one for me?"
"Hideaka's really going to make us something? Could you make a pendant for me too? I'll buy you lunch sometime!"
"Hideaka, Hideaka, I'd like a red crystal necklace. Could you make one for me? Thank you so much!"
When the girls in class heard that Sato Hideaka had agreed to make them pendants, nearly all of them crowded around his desk, chattering about what they wanted and thanking him. The boys watched, green with envy.
"Seriously, what's so great about him? Even Rin went over there..." Uchiha Obito pouted behind his goggles and grumbled.
"Tch. That new transfer student is way too full of himself!" Shiranui Genma muttered from his seat in the tone of a seasoned veteran, a Senbon dangling from his mouth.
"Youth requires constant training and improvement!" Might Guy crouched in a horse stance on his chair, steadying his trembling legs as he thought to himself.
"..."
Each boy had his own thoughts, but there was no doubt that Sato Hideaka's actions had earned him the hostility of most of the boys. At an age when they wanted the approval of others, anyone who overshadowed all the other boys was bound to provoke jealousy and resentment.
Of course, that didn't mean the children were bad by nature. Jealousy was a negative emotion people were born with, but if it could be turned to something positive, it could still motivate them. And as children gradually grew up and matured, they would learn to keep that emotion under control.
Using cartoon characters from his previous life as inspiration, Sato Hideaka made crystal ornaments in all kinds of shapes: Doraemon, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pleasant Goat, Wolffy, and the twelve zodiac animals. He made a pig for Shizune, a snake for Anko, and the ship's doctor Chopper for Nohara Rin. Each gift was tailored to the recipient's personality and appearance.
Every girl held her own crystal ornament, unable to hide her excitement and delight. They clearly loved their gifts!
Suddenly, one of the bolder girls gathered her courage and came up to Sato Hideaka. She bent down and lightly kissed his cheek, whispering, "Hideaka, my name is Hyuga Ningxiang. Thank you for the gift."
Her bold move set off an uproar among the girls!
"Ningxiang, you're so brave! That was amazing!"
"Does that mean Hideaka's lost his first kiss? I can't believe you beat us to it, Ningxiang!"
"..."
Hyuga Ningxiang was about six, with fair skin, a delicate nose, and cherry-red lips. She was adorable, but her courage was extraordinary. As another member of the Hyuga Clan, she was the complete opposite of the shy Hyuga Hinata!
At first, Yuhi Kurenai, sitting beside Sato Hideaka, had been delighted to hear the others praise her "Crystal Lily." When Sato Hideaka called it "one of a kind," joy bloomed in her heart.
But after Hyuga Ningxiang kissed Sato Hideaka, Kurenai suddenly felt restless and angry. A wave of displeasure rose inside her, as if someone had snatched away her most beloved toy!
"All right, all right. You've all gotten what you wanted, so stop crowding around here. Class is about to start!"
Yuhi Kurenai stood and shooed the girls away. Then she sat down with a pout, looking distinctly unhappy.
Sato Hideaka couldn't help asking, "Kurenai, what's wrong? Do you want another crystal ornament? If you do, I can make you one more."
Sato Hideaka genuinely thought she was upset because he'd made crystal gifts for her friends too, and that she felt he'd treated them equally. He wanted to make her another gift to cheer her up. How could he have known that a girl's heart was so complicated?
"Really? Then I want one, I want a four-armed, long-eared rabbit!"
Yuhi Kurenai's eyes lit up again. Sato Hideaka had only made one crystal item for everyone else, and he turned them down if they asked for more. But now he was making two for her, which meant she was different from the others.
"A four-armed, long-eared rabbit? You mean Stitch, from Lilo & Stitch?"
Hearing Kurenai's description, Sato Hideaka muttered to himself. Stitch was an animated character created by Disney, a cute little creature with a huge following. He hadn't expected Kurenai to like him.
But if Sato Hideaka had paid close enough attention to the gift he'd just made, he would have realized Kurenai had asked for the exact same pendant as Hyuga Ningxiang. A girl's heart really was impossible to figure out!
After he finished making Yuhi Kurenai's crystal pendant, it was almost time for the afternoon practical lesson. Yano Koji had arranged for them to study the Three Body Technique. Each student's practice focused on their individual weaknesses, with no rigid requirements.
Thanks to his Perfect Control gift, Sato Hideaka had absolute control over the flow of chakra and exceptional talent for Hand Seals. So learning the Three Body Technique wasn't particularly difficult for him. To everyone's amazement, he quickly got the hang of it.
Time passed minute by minute, and the afternoon flew by as they studied!
The students were all picked up by their parents. Sato Hideaka packed up his notes and books, then headed for Konoha's library. It held basic theoretical knowledge about Hand Seals. Such information wasn't useful to ordinary people, but it was extremely valuable to Sato Hideaka, who was preparing to develop Crystal Release!
With a notebook tucked under his arm and his hands in his pockets, Sato Hideaka made his way through the bustling crowds and busy streets toward Konoha's library...
As he crossed a street, he suddenly noticed a shadow flickering behind him, as though someone had been watching him all along!
Who was that??