Shira stood at the school gate, watching the girls' retreating figures disappear around the street corner. The slight annoyance at being ignored was quickly dispelled by greater excitement.
Rock Lee!
Shira turned around abruptly and looked at the school gate that seemed like an insurmountable barrier to him.
The door was open, but the kind-faced, dark-skinned gatekeeper stood with his arms crossed in the shadows of the porch, seemingly casually but actually carefully scanning the people coming in and out.
He would only nod slightly when a student or teacher returned late, without questioning them.
Shira had no doubt that her own sweaty, stinking face, with eyes gleaming with eagerness, would be stopped the moment she dared to take another step inside.
"Tsk..." Shira scratched his head in frustration. The lesson of climbing over the wall was still fresh in his mind, and forcing his way in was out of the question. He was like a bee trapped outside a glass window, clearly seeing his target buzzing inside, but unable to find a crack to get in.
I could only pace back and forth at the entrance, occasionally craning my neck to look inside like a giraffe, my gaze passing over the front yard, trying to catch any sounds from the direction of the playground.
Their ears were perked up, hoping to hear Rock Lee's voice amidst the lingering noise of school dismissal.
Hey, why are your ears so pointy?
Time ticked by, and the setting sun sank further, casting longer shadows of the school buildings. Only a handful of students and teachers remained, and the entrance grew increasingly deserted.
Shira's heart sank lower and lower. Could it be? Did Rock Lee plan to stay out until dark? Or had he already left through another door?
Just as he was hesitating whether to try his luck by going around to the side or back of the school, worried about triggering some strange barrier again or being mistaken for a suspicious person—
A figure slowly ran out from the golden-red light and shadow of the setting sun inside the school gate.
His short black hair was soaked with sweat and clung to his forehead, tied back with a gray headband. Beneath his bangs were a pair of thick, uniquely shaped, jet-black eyebrows.
The newcomer was wearing a white short-sleeved training uniform, which was now mostly soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his body and outlining his well-proportioned figure, which, although still young, already showed signs of hard work and training.
His cheeks, neck, and arms were covered in glistening beads of sweat, reflecting the dappled light in the setting sun.
But his eyes, those big, round eyes, were exceptionally bright and clear, without a trace of weariness or cloudiness, as if what he had just finished was not a long and arduous training session, but a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Grandma Li's, it's chapter 100! Rock Lee has finally appeared! This author is really dragging his feet...
Shira's heart felt as if it had been suddenly clenched and then pounded hard by an invisible hand!
Blood rushed to his head instantly, and all the anxiety of waiting all day, the fatigue of training, and the frustration of being electrocuted earlier were swept away in that instant by the surge of excitement and joy!
Found him! Finally! The living, breathing Rock Lee is right before our eyes!
Shira suddenly rushed towards the figure who had just run out of the school gate, was catching his breath, and was wiping sweat with his sleeve!
"Plum--!!!"
A loud shout, broken in voice, filled with barely suppressed excitement and relief, suddenly rang out at the quiet school gate at dusk, startling the security guard standing under the porch, who immediately raised an eyebrow and locked his gaze on Shira.
Shira paid no attention to the reactions of others; his eyes were only on the black-haired boy who had also been startled by the sudden shout, stopped wiping his sweat, and looked over with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Rushing to Rock Lee in a few strides, Shira's breathing was a little erratic from the sudden stop and excitement, but he didn't care. His eyes shone brightly as he stared into Rock Lee's large, bewildered eyes, and he blurted out, his voice urgent and rapid, tinged with a strange sense of grievance:
"Li! I've finally found you! Do you know how I've been these past few days?!"
Rock Lee: "..."
He was clearly completely confused; sweat was still streaming down his face, and his thick, dark eyebrows were slightly furrowed in bewilderment.
He blinked his overly bright and clear eyes, sizing up the unfamiliar boy who had suddenly rushed in front of him. The boy seemed a little taller than him, smelled even more sweaty, and had eyes that burned with an intense intensity. He opened his mouth and uttered a single syllable filled with pure doubt:
"Ah?"