"Kurenai-sensei, look at those two! They're getting more and more outrageous!" Inuzuka Kiba jumped up in frustration. This was a great offense to him, a single man.
"Didn't you hear what Feng An said? We are cabbages. Let's go, Cabbage No. 2." Kurenai smiled like a fond auntie and deliberately made more space for Feng An and Hinata.
"Damn, Feng An! I want to find a partner too!" Kiba glared fiercely at the intimate pair and stomped away angrily.
Kurenai, walking ahead, suddenly thought of something and called out, "Cabbage No. 3, why don't you leave?"
"Has it been noticed?" Aburame Shino put his hands in his pockets and walked out from behind a tree, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.
After everyone left, the two of them remained with their foreheads touching. They could clearly feel each other's breath. Hinata whispered, "The food will get cold."
"Yeah, I understand." Feng An reluctantly separated his forehead from hers. This was the first time since transmigrating to this world that he truly felt a sense of belonging with Hinata. For thirteen years, he had felt like an orphan adrift in a foreign land, knowing the plot but never trying to change it or seek any benefit.
The two sat together, leaning against a large tree. Hinata blushed and adjusted her bangs, then slowly, hesitantly, shifted slightly closer to Feng An. Her movements were slow, shy, and afraid of disturbing his meal.
Feng An had already noticed her little movements. So shy. He took the initiative to move closer to her. Feeling his movement, Hinata hugged her knees and shyly buried her face against them. In the quiet environment, her frantic, deer-like heartbeat was clearly audible.
Feng An ate the bento Hinata made for him in big mouthfuls. In truth, he wasn't as calm as he appeared; he was just pretending. He didn't even taste the vegetables he usually disliked. Seeing him wolf it down, Hinata shyly asked, "Is it… delicious…?"
"Delicious. Very delicious."
"I'm glad it suits your taste. I was worried you wouldn't like it… So, what do you like? I'll make it for you next time." Hinata buried her face even lower. Is cooking for a good friend normal? Will this make things difficult for Feng An? In her understanding, one must be at least sixteen to fall in love, so for now, they could only be good friends.
Feng An spoke between bites. "I don't have any particular favorites. If I had to say… scrambled eggs with tomatoes." Among the food in the ninja world, he didn't particularly like any of it. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes was the only exception, perhaps due to nostalgia from his past life.
"Okay. Next time, I'll make scrambled eggs with tomatoes." Hearing her serious tone, Feng An said with some concern, "Silly girl, you should rest more when you have time."
"It's okay. I'm very skilled. It won't take me long to make a bento."
"If there's a chance, call me, and I'll help you."
"Okay," Hinata responded before remembering her father's words. Her eyes dimmed. "No need… My father is very strict."
Feng An ate the last bite and closed the lunchbox. "You shouldn't hit a guest who comes with a smile. Next time I visit with a gift, your father will be too embarrassed to hit me."
"But…" Hinata couldn't bring herself to say that Hyūga Hiashi didn't approve of her closeness with Feng An. She didn't want him to be at odds with her father.
"Don't worry." Feng An smiled and ruffled her hair. He found he liked doing that more and more. Compared to his own coarse hair, Hinata's was surprisingly soft.
After Hinata carefully put away the lunchbox, the two leaned against each other in silence. Feng An, mentally exhausted, soon fell asleep on Hinata's shoulder. Noticing this, she didn't dare move, afraid of waking him. She remained perfectly still.
…
Some time later, Feng An's head slipped off her shoulder. The jolt woke him immediately. Was I asleep? He looked around; it had grown dark without him noticing. Then he noticed Hinata next to him seemed to have fallen asleep too. But her posture looked uncomfortable—she hugged her legs tightly, her hands clasped together. Even in sleep, her hands remained tightly locked, as if still exerting effort.
Huh? Feng An saw the red mark on Hinata's shoulder and remembered he'd been sleeping on it. No wonder he'd slept so soundly. She must have clasped her hands like that to avoid moving and waking me? "I'm the worst." He slapped his own forehead, feeling deeply upset.
"Mmm… Are you awake?" Hinata rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at him. Seeing he'd woken her again, Feng An felt even guiltier.
"Climb on." He took a step forward and crouched in front of her. Hinata, still groggy, was confused. "What are you doing…?" Feng An grabbed her small hands, placed them on his shoulders, and stood up suddenly. Hinata ended up on his back like a koala. He reached back, grabbed her ankles, and hooked them around his sides, then held her calves.
At this moment, Hinata fully woke up, her face instantly flushing crimson. "Feng An, what are you doing…?"
"Taking you home."
"Put me down, please… I can walk by myself…"
"No." Feng An carried her on his back and started walking. No matter how Hinata squirmed or struggled, he didn't let go. He loved her gentleness and kindness but disliked her tendency to please others at her own expense. He didn't want to see her efforts go unrewarded. Even if she didn't ask, he would do this.
"Hinata."
"Yes? What is it?" Blushing, Hinata stopped struggling and shifted her weight slightly higher to make it easier for him.
"Can you stop worrying so much about others and just be yourself?""Mmm…"
Feng An walked on with a determined look. He knew Hinata's personality wouldn't change easily, but he was resolved to help her change, at least a little. To make her more confident.
Since it was still early evening, many pedestrians were in the alleys. Feng An walking with Hinata on his back soon attracted countless stares. Hinata buried her head in his neck and whispered, "Put me down… There are so many people watching…"
"It's okay. I'll find a quieter path." Feng An leaped with all his strength, landing on the rooftops, and headed straight for the Hyūga compound.
"This way… more people will notice…" Hinata protested weakly.
Feng An laughed. "But they won't know who we are." That seemed to make sense… A slight smile touched Hinata's lips as she hugged him tighter.
As Feng An leaped away, a man's cursing voice rose from below. "Who the hell is that bastard jumping on the roofs again?! He got dust in my soup!""Forget it, forget it. It must be the Hokage's men on a mission," a young woman tried to calm the cursing man.The man looked furious. "What's it got to do with the Hokage! I'm cursing the Hokage! You ***Hokage***!" It was clear ninjas jumping on roofs had happened more than once; the man had accumulated quite some resentment, and now it was rebounding."Oh, you really are my ancestor…" The woman quickly covered his mouth and pulled him into the house, afraid others would hear.
*****
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