"Since you're so eager to see, then go ahead and look."
Feng An tossed the satchel to Sakura.
Thinking the pendant she had meticulously prepared for Sasuke might still be inside, Sakura shot him a fierce glare.
Hmph, if it's broken, I'll beat you up!
But as she took the satchel, an immediate sense of unease washed over her. The bag felt suspiciously light, almost empty no matter how she handled it.
Her heart sank.
Feng An smiled. "If you don't dare to look, then forget it. Give it back to me."
He was merely trying to scare her. As for later… perhaps he might have found some amusement in it, but in every aspect, she was still too young. Who would seriously want to do anything to Sakura? She was, after all, practically an elementary school student.
With that, Feng An reached out to take the satchel back.
"Wait!" Sakura quickly stepped back.
So eager? There must be something suspicious! Maybe there's even a hidden compartment!
Thinking this, she couldn't help but flash a triumphant smile. "Haha, you're scared now!"
She yanked open the zipper and rummaged inside with her small hands.
Nothing. Still nothing! How could there be nothing?
Disbelieving, she poked her head inside, searching for a nonexistent hidden compartment.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Time passed minute by minute. Feng An sat on a desk, watching Sakura stubbornly rummage through the empty bag, and couldn't help but yawn.
"Several minutes have passed. Even if you were performing a magic trick, it should have appeared by now, right?"
Sakura gave him a resentful look and tossed the bag back. "Hmph, do what you want!"
With that, she tightly closed her eyes, pouted her small lips, and a faint blush colored her delicate face. The twilight sun streamed through the window, casting a glow on her that made her look quite adorable.
Feng An paused, then smiled faintly and walked out the door. He hadn't expected Sakura to actually take him so literally.
A long time passed. Sakura, who had been tense all over, started to feel her lips ache. It was then she noticed how quiet it had become.
"Hello?" she called out tentatively. No one responded.
She secretly opened her tightly closed eyes just a crack. Where is he?
Not seeing Feng An, she opened them completely and saw his back already at the school gate through the window.
"Feng An!" Sakura pulled open the window and shouted in exasperation.
Hearing this, Feng An turned to look, waved casually, and then left.
"Bastard! Just left like that!" Sakura pressed her slightly aching lips, her little heart pounding wildly. "Feng An actually looks quite handsome from behind…"
Then she quickly shook her head, scolding herself in a whisper, "Sakura Haruno, what are you thinking? Sasuke is your goal!"
...
Feng An, with his small satchel, walked into a yakiniku restaurant. His mother hadn't left much, but since he was alone, he didn't worry about money. He could spend freely, and if he ever ran out, he could always take on some D-rank missions or hunt—passing the time and earning some ryō.
"It would be great if I could steal Hinata's affection from the blonde guy," he mused. He had already altered the childhood event where the blonde-haired boy saved Hinata, turning the hero into a red-haired one. Now, it just depended on whether future opportunities for interaction would arise.
Feng An ate his yakiniku while planning his future.
Just then, a gentle and pleasant voice called out. "Feng An...?"
Feng An looked up and saw Hinata walking in with three other people.
Speak of the devil.
"Hinata? Shouldn't you be resting at home at this time?"
Hinata shook her head, looking down. "Teacher Kurenai brought Team 8 to eat yakiniku... she said she wanted to get to know us better."
"Oh, I see." For a moment, Feng An wondered if his cheat power was 'speak and it shall appear.' Other transmigrators got systems from their Blue Star mothers, but him? He was like an unloved child, crossing dimensions without even a starter gift pack.
"Feng An, Teacher Kurenai and the others are calling me over..." Hinata tugged at his sleeve, looking troubled.
Feng An smiled. "Go ahead."
Hinata nodded gently and went to sit next to Kurenai Yūhi.
Feng An continued his meal, eyeing the sake on the adults' table next door with envy. There was no Sprite in this world, and minors weren't allowed to drink sake, so he could only helplessly pair his yakiniku with juice.
Hinata, sitting with her team, kept stealing glances in Feng An's direction. "Feng An is so gentle and considerate and a very good person... but why doesn't any jōnin-sensei want him? Why is he always alone? Even at school... he doesn't seem to have many friends. I wonder if I count as his friend..."
Kurenai Yūhi chuckled softly. "You seem very concerned about that, Feng An, don't you?"
Hinata's face immediately flushed red. "Teacher Kurenai, I'm not..."
Kurenai smiled, having seen Hinata's small actions clearly.
"Woof woof!"
As their yakiniku was served, Akamaru, in Inuzuka Kiba's arms, poked his head out, wanting to lick it.
"Akamaru!" Kiba grabbed the small dog and stuffed him back into his jacket, patting his head. "I'll get some for you later."
Akamaru let out a soft whimper, his ears drooping sadly.
"What a cute little dog. Here you go." Kurenai took a new pair of chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and fed it to Akamaru.
Kiba looked at his ninken. "Quick, say thank you, Teacher Kurenai."
"Woof woof! Woof woof woof!"
"Good boy." Kiba rubbed Akamaru's head. Regardless of whether anyone else understood, Kiba clearly did.
"Alright, everyone, help yourselves." As Kurenai picked up a slice of meat, the others began to eat.
Shino Aburame: "..."
...
Phew.
Feng An rubbed his full stomach. He felt great. Although there was no Sprite, the yakiniku was delicious.
He stood up, looked at Hinata, and waved with a smile. "I'm leaving, Hinata."
"Ah! Okay!" Hinata suddenly stood up.
Feng An smiled at her and then left. In class, he and Hinata were deskmates, so their relationship was a bit better. His relationship with other classmates was quite average; he slept every day and didn't act out for attention like Naruto, so naturally, very few people noticed him.
The sudden movement startled her teammates, and their gazes turned to her. Feeling the eyes on her, Hinata's face flushed red, and she quickly sat down, stuffing a piece of yakiniku into her mouth as if nothing had happened. But the persistent blush on her face betrayed her calm act. She lowered her head, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.
Inuzuka Kiba asked, "Hey, Hinata, aren't you overreacting? Did you hear what I said?"
Hinata kept her head down, mechanically stuffing yakiniku into her mouth. Her mind was completely occupied with Feng An's farewell. He only said goodbye to me? Does that mean we're friends? Or was it just casual? The more she thought, the more confused she became, and the faster she ate.
Before long, Hinata had devoured most of the yakiniku.
Inuzuka Kiba shouted, "Ah! Leave some yakiniku for me!"
Kurenai Yūhi looked at Hinata's flustered appearance and became somewhat interested in the departing Feng An.
"Did he really pass the Ninja Qualification Exam just by being slightly luckier than Naruto?"
*****
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