Tutoring

Qianye Lan rolled his eyes at Kushina's theatrics and said dryly, "Has it occurred to you that you took yesterday off?"

Only then did Kushina realize and return to normal. She asked awkwardly, "Then when is the exam?"

"Next week," Qianye Lan replied.

"So Uncle Sakumo gave us a little vacation to prepare for the Chunin Ninja Exams."

Kushina's eyes lit up at the mention of a vacation, and she began planning where to go have fun during the break.

As Qianye Lan changed the subject, the somewhat heavy atmosphere in the courtyard lightened as well.

Looking at the excited Kushina, Qianye Lan guessed what she was thinking and threw cold water on her plans. "Don't think about playing. Sensei specifically stressed that if we don't prepare properly for the exams, we'll have to go on missions."

Hearing this, Kushina, who had been so excited a moment ago, immediately drooped, her little face full of displeasure.

Looking at the listless Kushina, Qianye Lan reached out and pinched her soft, smooth cheek to comfort her.

Caught by the sudden attack, Kushina looked at Qianye Lan indignantly and reached out to pinch his face too.

The two became entangled like this, pinching each other's faces.

Qianye Lan was the first to speak, his words muffled. "You let go first."

"Why don't you let go?" Kushina countered.

Qianye Lan's eyes shifted. "Then how about we let go together?"

"No problem."

"Then I'll count down from three, and we'll let go, okay?"

Kushina said nothing, only nodding her little head.

"Three, two, one."

As though in perfect accord, both pinched harder at the same time.

Qianye Lan asked, "Why didn't you let go?"

Tears had already welled up in Kushina's eyes from the pain in her cheeks. "You didn't either."

Feeling a little guilty, Qianye Lan did not answer and simply let go first.

Seeing Qianye Lan release her, Kushina let go as well.

But after seeing Qianye Lan's face, she suddenly started laughing.

Qianye Lan wondered what she was laughing at.

Seeing his puzzled expression, Kushina jogged inside and fetched a mirror. Suppressing her laughter, she said, "See for yourself."

Qianye Lan took the mirror and looked, only then discovering the red marks pinched into his face.

Looking at Kushina snickering beside him, he said irritably, "Want to take a look at your own?"

With that, he held the mirror in front of Kushina.

Only then did Kushina take the mirror and look, discovering that Qianye Lan had also pinched two red marks into her cheeks.

Her smile immediately vanished, and she looked at Qianye Lan with a stern little face.

Smiles never disappeared; they only moved elsewhere.

Qianye Lan looked at Kushina with a smug smile.

Seeing his smile, Kushina pretended to look utterly aggrieved. "All you do is bully me." She even remembered to squeeze out a few tears to make it convincing.

Seeing Kushina cry, Qianye Lan immediately panicked a little and hurriedly reached out to rub her cheeks gently until the red marks disappeared.

"All right, don't cry. Look in the mirror again."

Hearing Qianye Lan's words, Kushina checked the mirror again.

Finding the red marks gone, her expression changed in an instant, revealing a radiant smile.

Seeing Kushina's smile, Qianye Lan knew he had been fooled again, and the guilt in his heart immediately vanished.

He reached out and lightly flicked Kushina's forehead. "Very convincing, but could you keep the act up a little longer next time?"

Knowing she was in the wrong, Kushina did not get angry. She merely lowered her head guiltily, avoiding Qianye Lan's gaze.

She let him flick her forehead.

Finally, she made a face at Qianye Lan, then left with a smile and returned to her bedroom.

Kushina had not been in her bedroom long.

A knock came at the door, followed by Qianye Lan's voice from outside. "Kushina, I'm coming in."

Although Kushina was a little puzzled as to why Qianye Lan had come to see her of his own accord,

she still replied, "Come in."

Qianye Lan pushed the door open and entered, carrying several books.

Kushina looked at Qianye Lan curiously and asked, "Lan, what are you doing with so many books?"

Qianye Lan sat down in a chair and gestured for her to sit beside him.

Though puzzled, Kushina still found a chair and sat next to him.

Only then did Qianye Lan say, "I'm giving you some tutoring so you don't get eliminated in the written exam."

Hearing Qianye Lan's words, Kushina's little mouth fell open in surprise. "The Chunin Ninja Exams have a written exam too? Don't ninja just need to be good enough at fighting?"

Qianye Lan shook his head and replied, "It seems they specifically added this part as a reform for our year."

Unwilling to accept it, Kushina said, "Maybe it's just a rumor?"

But Qianye Lan's next words shattered her hopes.

"Uncle Sakumo specifically told me this. Do you think it's true or not?"

Kushina rubbed her hair and finally said with a miserable little face, "Fine, then."

Qianye Lan nodded and opened a book, preparing to tutor Kushina.

Looking as though she had nothing left to live for, Kushina could only prop up her head and listen to Qianye Lan explain knowledge that sounded like utter gibberish.

The hypnotic effects of the lesson soon became apparent. Her little head began nodding, and she eventually fell asleep.

Qianye Lan soon noticed her state as well.

He was about to tap her head with his pen, but hesitated as he reached toward her.

After a moment's hesitation, he put the pen down after all.

Qianye Lan stood and bent down, slipping one hand beneath her knees and supporting her shoulders and back firmly with the other.

He lifted her into his arms.

"Mm..." Kushina murmured unconsciously, her forehead resting against his collarbone as a few strands of red hair slipped into Qianye Lan's collar.

Qianye Lan gently laid her on the bed, tucked her in, and then left the room.

The next morning, Kushina woke groggily. She opened her eyes and looked around, discovering that she was lying in bed.

She muttered to herself, "Didn't I fall asleep at the table yesterday? How..."

Kushina carefully searched her memories, but had no recollection of lying down in bed.

She left her room and gently pushed open Qianye Lan's door.

Finding the bedroom empty, she then checked the time.

She discovered that it was already nine in the morning.

She could not help covering her forehead and commenting to herself, "Just how long did I sleep?"

While Kushina was talking to herself, a knock came at the front door.

Kushina walked over and opened it, then asked in puzzlement, "Mikoto, what brings you here?"

With a gentle smile on her lips, Uchiha Mikoto said, "Qianye Lan asked me to give you some tutoring."

Kushina first nodded, then seemed to realize something.

"Mikoto, you graduated so long ago. Why haven't you taken the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Hearing her question, Uchiha Mikoto patiently explained, "We were at war back then. How would the village have had time to hold the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Only then did Kushina nod in realization.

Uchiha Mikoto glanced around and asked, a little puzzled, "Where's Qianye Lan?"