Chapter 146: Confessing to Four People, but the Wisdom to Defeat Them One by One
The three girls looked at each other, stunned into a daze by the shocking news.
Hinata, thinking they hadn't understood, added fuel to the fire. "Um, Makoto-kun envies the life of a big family and wants to build one, so he wants to marry the four of us—"
It would have been better if she hadn't said anything. After she spoke, red steam erupted from the tops of all four girls' heads.
For an instant, the room fell silent. Even Akiyama Makoto's heart was in his throat.
He knew he was taking a risk, but as the saying goes, what if he succeeded? As for whether this would infuriate everyone and make them cut off all contact with him, he wasn't particularly worried. The other meaning of "cutting off contact" was just giving him a chance to start over. With the simulator in hand, it was only a matter of time before he won them all back.
At the same time, the two women outside the room revealed different smiles. Anko looked as if she were watching a play, even more excited than he was. As for Kurenai, while sighing at this youthful comedy, she felt a little empty inside. If she had agreed to his confession before, would he have settled for just her—impossible. Wasn't there still Anko?
"Akiyama Makoto!"
Tenten was the first to cry out. With red eyes, she grabbed him by the neck, looking as if she were about to strangle him.
She knew that he might like other girls, and she had even prepared herself to be abandoned. After all, compared to the others, she felt she didn't have much of an advantage. But she had never imagined that he would try to pursue all of them, and all at once! In his eyes, were they really such easy targets?
"Tenten-senpai! Makoto-kun is turning blue!"
Hinata wanted to step forward and intervene, but Ino and Sakura held her back. "Don't feel sorry for him! How could we not have known this guy was so bold and fickle?"
"That's right! To think we cared so much about him in our hearts, and he does something like this!"
Ino and Sakura were not to be outdone. At this moment, they even had the tendency to join forces and give this scum man a joint elbow strike.
But only they themselves knew that deep down, they were secretly delighted. Because he liked them, and not just Tenten. The situation hadn't reached the worst-case scenario. As for him being fickle... he was still only at the stage of "liking" and "confessing." It wasn't like he had actually cheated on anyone. In reality, they had no right to blame him right now.
On Tenten's side, seeing that he really wasn't resisting, she subconsciously relaxed her grip. She didn't want to actually hurt him, especially when he was still in the hospital.
He pretended to be losing consciousness, but in reality, he was sensing the girls' conditions.
Tenten was genuinely angry. As his first female friend, she had surely had many fantasies about him, and he had reciprocated her feelings. So, he had to comfort her seriously.
As for Ino and Sakura, they both knew his feelings for Tenten were deep, and right now, they were secretly happy. So, as long as his relationship with Tenten heated up quickly, that would be enough.
As for Hinata—her situation was special. There was a layer of political alliance in their relationship now. Therefore, he was least worried about her turning against him. And her personality also made her the easiest one to coax.
Having determined the plan to defeat them one by one, he acted.
He suddenly hugged Tenten tightly, pulling her into his embrace, and whispered in her ear, "Be good, Tenten. I really like you. I like you the most."
"No matter what, I will marry you. You don't have to worry about that, unless I die an untimely death."
Tenten froze, and tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.
So, the one he likes most is still me... At this thought, her anger suddenly wasn't so great anymore. After all, he hadn't hidden it from her and secretly met with other girls, had he?
Feeling his familiar warmth and scent, especially when his hand brushed through her hair, her body slowly went soft, and she leaned against him. She certainly wouldn't forgive him just like that, but hearing him say he liked her, at this moment, she was already intoxicated.
[Ding! Confirmed intimate relationship with the ninja Tenten. Simulation Attempts +5.]
Leveled up!
His eyes lit up slightly. It seemed that in the end, she couldn't refuse his affection. As for her, even if she didn't say it, she had admitted it in her heart. As the first to meet him, the one who had been with him the longest, and the one who had received his bloodline feedback once, it was indeed almost impossible for her to forget him, unless he did something truly outrageous. But clearly, he would not break his own character design.
At this time, Ino and Sakura stared at this scene, stunned. Weren't the four of them supposed to team up and give the scum man an elbow strike? Hinata pulling them apart was one thing, but Tenten, how could you surrender so directly?
Ino and Sakura exchanged a look. Their long experience of fighting over boys told them that their current situation was dangerous. If he were to give up on his idea of liking all of them, then Tenten would be the biggest winner. How could that be allowed?!
The two girls understood each other perfectly. They pulled Tenten away. "Tenten, you can't indulge him like this!"
"That's right! We have to correct his dangerous ideas and not let him become a playboy!"
"So you must refuse him! Say it out loud!"
Surrounded by Ino and Sakura, Tenten, who had just been enjoying his embrace, was a little bewildered.
Seeing her hesitate, Ino and Sakura once again acted in perfect concert and pushed her out of the room.
"Tenten, you're too soft-hearted! Leave it to us to teach him a lesson!"
"That's right, that's right! We'll definitely make him submit and only like you!"
"Huh? Is that so? I—"
Tenten was pushed out of the room in a daze, only to see Kurenai looking at her with a playful expression. Her face immediately turned beet red. Her mind was a mess, and she didn't know what to do. She simply sat down and faced Kurenai respectfully, as if waiting for a lecture.
Kurenai also had a headache. She had only stayed here in case the girls started fighting. She hadn't expected to have to counsel one of them. Her own thoughts were still in a jumble, and she didn't know how to sort them out.
Don't look at me... Kurenai knew she couldn't bluff her way out of this. She could only say, "Actually, you don't need to be so angry, Tenten."
"Love... you're still young. It's okay to bicker for a few years."
"Unlike us old women, we have to consider a lot more. Having children, housing, education—"
Tenten's confused gaze instantly became clear. The iron fist of reality made her quickly wave her hands and say with a laugh, "Um, Jōnin Kurenai, we haven't reached that stage yet! Hahahaha—I've made a fool of myself."
"It's nothing. As long as you young people are happy."
Having sent Tenten away, Ino and Sakura decided to make their move. They wouldn't give up just like that. Otherwise, how could they have fought for so many years in the Academy? The most important thing now was to make sure he didn't have the idea of only liking Tenten from now on. As for what to do after that, they could talk about it later.
"Akiyama Makoto, do you know you were wrong?"
"That's right, Makoto. You've really disappointed us."
He looked left, then right, and finally nodded with a dejected expression. "I understand. I shouldn't have been so extravagant as to think I could like you all at the same time."
"Indeed. I guess I'll just have to go up the ladder of life with Tenten step-by-step. I'm sorry. Just think of today's events as me daydreaming."
"Wait, that's not what we meant!"
"Right, what we meant was—"
Ino and Sakura looked at each other, both hoping the other would come up with a suitable explanation. But in their haste, what could they think of? In the end, Sakura bit the bullet. "It's not that I don't like you at all—actually, I like you too!"
Ino looked at Sakura in shock. Why did she charge ahead like that?
Sakura's face was the color of a peach, but she still gave Ino a look, trying to tell her it was a delaying tactic.
Ah, a delaying tactic... that's not a bad idea.
"Yeah, I actually have a good impression of you too. If you say it's 'like,' I guess that's not impossible—"
Ino twirled a strand of hair, her fingertips trembling slightly as she spoke. But she had to pretend to be nonchalant and critical of him. So she continued, "But, that doesn't mean you can confess to all of us at the same time! What do you take us for? We don't accept it!"
"That's right! We don't accept it!"
Ino and Sakura thought they had regained their rhythm, but they were still too far out of his league.
"You like me?"
"I don't believe you."
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