"Shiki-kun, didn't you bring lunch?"
Ino Yamanaka pushed her lunch box toward him, her face slightly flushed. "If you don't mind, we can share."
Although she was bold, this sort of thing still felt far too intimate, no different from an indirect kiss.
"No, thank you."
Shihui Aburame stood up. "I'm going out to eat."
A conflicted look immediately appeared on Ino Yamanaka's little face.
She wanted to go too, but she couldn't waste the lunch her mother had prepared for her.
Shihui Aburame walked toward the front row.
He stopped as he passed Hinata Hyuga.
"Come with me."
Shihui Aburame spoke softly.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Hinata Hyuga summoned her courage and left the classroom with her lunch box.
"What's going on?"
Ino Yamanaka's expression immediately froze.
She had clearly been there first.
Shino Aburame suddenly found the lunch box in his hands much less appealing, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
What about me?
I'm your own little brother.
Forget it, just let someone beat you to death!
"Where... where are we going?"
Hinata Hyuga couldn't help asking.
They were heading farther and farther out of the way and had already reached a secluded corner of the school.
"Ichiraku Ramen."
Shihui Aburame stopped as he answered.
"Huh?"
Hinata Hyuga hadn't expected that at all.
"Can you climb over?"
Shihui Aburame pointed at the wall as he asked.
Hinata Hyuga was still a little dazed and instinctively shook her head at the sight of the wall.
The Hyuga Clan's rules forbade her from climbing walls.
That would be far too improper.
Shihui Aburame reached out and grabbed her shoulder.
His primeval essence circulated.
He leaped up, then landed steadily.
"Are you okay?"
Shihui Aburame released the dazed Hinata Hyuga.
Coming to her senses, she glanced at the wall, then at him, her little mouth opening slightly.
If Father found out, he would definitely scold me.
Naturally, Shihui Aburame noticed her conflicted expression.
Yes, he had done it on purpose.
He had taken a little advantage of Hinata Hyuga's personality.
This was a modern-day open stratagem.
"Hinata."
Shihui Aburame held out his hand. "Give me your lunch box."
Hinata Hyuga froze for a moment, then handed it over.
"I'll treat you to ramen in return."
Shihui Aburame spoke with a faint smile.
Hinata Hyuga followed him in a daze, a blush gradually spreading across her face.
She finally realized what had happened.
Looking at the lunch box in Shihui Aburame's hand, she bit her lip and felt as though she might faint.
She had already taken two bites of it.
It was a little... unhygienic.
"Teuchi!"
As soon as Shihui Aburame entered the shop, he called out, "Nine bowls of ramen."
"Nine bowls?"
Teuchi looked at the two little tots before him. "Are you sure?"
"Start with a bowl of chashu ramen."
Shihui Aburame nodded as he spoke.
He didn't explain.
Teuchi certainly wouldn't believe him.
After all, his surname wasn't actually Otsutsuki.
Hinata Hyuga kept her head lowered.
Her heart was pounding rapidly.
"Coming right up!"
Before long, Teuchi placed a bowl of chashu ramen in front of Hinata Hyuga.
He was about to ask Shihui Aburame what he wanted when he saw him open the lunch box.
Teuchi couldn't help widening his eyes.
It was the first time he had seen anyone bring their own lunch into his shop.
Wasn't that saying his ramen tasted bad?
You're deliberately looking for trouble, aren't you?
But since Shihui Aburame was a child, he said nothing more.
Soon, however, he realized just how outrageously mistaken he had been.
The unassuming little girl actually finished all nine large bowls of ramen. He had only ever seen ninja from the Akimichi Clan eat that much before.
Who knew there was another master out there?
And she was clearly from the Hyuga Clan.
With him staring at her, Hinata Hyuga couldn't help curling her toes.
This is so embarrassing!
She instinctively looked toward Shihui Aburame.
He had just finished her lunch, eating it clean without leaving a single scrap.
Her face immediately turned so red it looked as though it might drip blood.
He really did it?
Shihui Aburame said nothing.
He was worried Hinata Hyuga might faint.
If that happened, he wouldn't be able to explain.
Only after they returned to school did Hinata Hyuga return to normal.
Shihui Aburame gave her lunch box back.
The students in the classroom were already taking their afternoon naps.
But some were still hard at work.
Sakura Haruno, for instance.
She sat in her seat, leafing through a textbook.
Seeing Shihui Aburame and Hinata Hyuga, she couldn't help growing curious.
She had thought Ino Yamanaka had already gotten there first, but it turned out that, just like her, Ino hadn't even found a way into the race.
No, I'm still worse off.
Remembering how Sasuke Uchiha barely acknowledged her, Sakura Haruno clenched her fists.
She would definitely win him over!
"Wait for me after school."
Shihui Aburame glanced at Hinata Hyuga and returned to his seat.
Didn't lunch count?
Hinata Hyuga lowered her head again.
Once the lunch break ended, it was time for class.
The group headed to the training field.
"Taijutsu falls into two categories: Gentle Fist and Strong Fist."
Umino Iruka began introducing taijutsu.
Gentle Fist was the Hyuga Clan's taijutsu, used in conjunction with the Byakugan, and could be called invincible in close combat.
Strong Fist covered a much broader range; essentially, everything other than Gentle Fist belonged to Strong Fist.
The most typical examples were Might Guy's Konoha-Style Taijutsu and Eight Gates Released Formation.
What Umino Iruka taught was the former.
Konoha-Style Taijutsu was the most widespread form of taijutsu in Konoha.
Every Konoha ninja knew it.
Shihui Aburame glanced at Naruto Uzumaki.
Could this be the legendary art of flailing around at random?
His fundamentals were truly atrocious.
Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga, meanwhile, had the most textbook form.
That was the advantage of belonging to a major ninja clan.
They could get an early start on taijutsu and ninjutsu, with renowned teachers to instruct them.
Sasuke Uchiha turned around, his gaze meeting Shihui Aburame's.
For an instant, sparks seemed to fly.
He had already figured out where his classmates stood.
Hinata Hyuga's Gentle Fist was good, but her terrible personality left him unenthusiastic.
Apart from her, there was Shihui Aburame.
His movements were frighteningly precise.
Combined with his earlier swagger in the classroom, it made Sasuke Uchiha sense a kindred spirit.
After all, Stand ninja attracted one another.
"Practice hard when you get home. I'll have you spar in our next practical class."
Umino Iruka clapped his hands. "Class dismissed!"
The students scattered, each heading home to their mothers.
"Shi..."
Ino Yamanaka froze stiff.
She saw Shihui Aburame walk toward Hinata Hyuga again.
Naruto Uzumaki stopped and scratched his head.
He had been about to suggest walking home with his new friend.
"Naruto!"
Kiba Inuzuka waved to him from a distance.
Shino Aburame stood beside him.
"Coming!"
Naruto Uzumaki immediately ran over with a smile.
[Achievement "Blond Loser" unlocked. Reward received: White Boar Gu.] [White Boar Gu: A rank-one Gu worm that modifies a Gu Master's body, fundamentally increasing the Gu Master's physical strength.]
Shihui Aburame instinctively stopped in his tracks.
The White Boar Gu and Black Boar Gu had the same effect and were both quite valuable; only their colors differed.
But who was the blond loser?
(End of chapter)