When Kakashi heard this, his enthusiasm instantly vanished.
As he lowered his head in thought, he caught sight of Kirito watching him and Guy with curiosity. An idea suddenly formed in Kakashi's mind.
Seeing Kakashi's silence, Guy clapped a hand on his rival's shoulder and grinned. "What? Don't tell me you're too scared to accept my challenge? Then I win by default!"
Before Guy could boast further, Kakashi suddenly spoke up. "Anko, Kirito—how about taking me along on your mission? I haven't done one in a while, and I'm getting rusty." He winked at Anko as if negotiating a deal.
As a former Anbu and an elite Jōnin, Kakashi rarely accepted ordinary assignments—he typically took orders directly from the Hokage himself.
Anko caught on immediately and smiled. "Of course. Having you with us will make things a lot easier."
Then she turned toward Guy and added, "Guy, I'm borrowing Kakashi for a couple of days to finish a mission. We can have our duel when I return."
Kirito already guessed what was happening—Kakashi was clearly trying to escape Guy's endless challenges. Once they left the training grounds, he'd surely slip away.
Noticing Anko's slight hesitation, Kirito decided to stir things up. He cleared his throat and said mischievously, "Sister Anko, why don't we let Uncle Guy come with us too? We could take a higher-ranked mission for better pay. That way, I can take care of some… other things."
Kirito deliberately emphasized the words other things. Anko immediately understood his intent and agreed, "That's true, Guy. I'd feel safer if you came along!"
Upon hearing this, Guy's eyes sparkled with excitement. He leapt into the air and pumped his fist toward the sky. "Youthful teamwork! I accept!"
Kakashi stared blankly at Anko, speechless.
Tch. Women really are unpredictable.
He had fully planned to part ways after leaving the grounds, but his plan had just collapsed.
Nearby, Rock Lee looked around anxiously before shouting, "Teacher Guy, please take me with you!"
Guy placed a hand on his student's shoulder and shook his head firmly. "No, Lee. Your strength isn't enough yet. I don't want you to get hurt."
"But Teacher Guy, you always told me to believe in myself!" Lee cried with fiery determination.
…
After the school festival ended the previous evening, Chōji and Shikamaru escorted Ino home.
After greeting her parents, Ino trudged back to her room, her heart heavy.
Yamanaka Inoichi glanced at his wife and frowned. "Something's bothering Ino. Should we check on her?"
Mrs. Yamanaka looked equally concerned. After a moment, she raised a finger to her lips. "Let's quietly peek in. She's definitely not acting like herself today."
Inside her room, Ino threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in her hands.
Ugh, what's wrong with me today?! Being around Kirito and Anko-senpai had made her feel all kinds of strange—and she had done some embarrassingly weird things.
"Ahhh!" she groaned, pounding her pillow in frustration.
Outside, her parents exchanged worried looks before knocking. "Ino, we're coming in!"
"Ah! How did you—?!" Ino scrambled to sit up, glaring at them in panic.
Inoichi gently patted her head. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"..."
Mrs. Yamanaka quickly sensed what was going on. She pulled her husband back toward the door with a smile. "Ino, take your time, dear. Keep going."
"What…?" Ino blinked in confusion.
Inoichi frowned. "Why are we leaving? We haven't even figured out what's wrong with her yet!"
Mrs. Yamanaka sighed, exasperated. "You really are slow sometimes. Can't you see? I think our Ino has a boy she likes."
"What?!" Inoichi's face twisted as if he had swallowed something bitter. "No way! Ino? Falling in love? That's impossible! I haven't seen her get close to any boy!"
Mrs. Yamanaka rolled her eyes. "You just don't notice these things. Didn't she take four lunch boxes with her this morning? Remember?"
"I remember…"
Then realization hit him like a kunai. His mouth twitched. "Wait—don't tell me she brought one to that boy named Kirito today?"
"Yes, it was Kirito," Mrs. Yamanaka confirmed. "Let me tell you, he's actually—"
But before she could finish, Inoichi walked to the living room in a daze.
For ten years, he had nurtured his "precious little flower," only to realize it might soon be stolen by a wild boar!
How could a father not feel heartbroken?
Even after her parents left, Ino's face stayed bright red. She had overheard everything and felt mortified.
"Ahhh!" she groaned again and buried her face in her pillow. "Just sleep! Don't think about it anymore!"
But sleep didn't come.
She stared blankly at the ceiling all night, her mind spinning in circles.
When the alarm rang, she was utterly exhausted.
At breakfast, she ate absentmindedly, two dark circles under her eyes.
"I'm going to school," she murmured, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"Ino, are you okay?" her mother asked, worried. "Should I call the school and get you the day off?"
"I'm fine," Ino replied with a forced smile.
Inoichi placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and shook his head. Mrs. Yamanaka nodded and called out instead, "Then be careful and come home early."
Walking down the familiar streets, Ino kept thinking about yesterday—about how she'd acted, about Anko-senpai, and especially about Kirito.
Her head felt light, her legs heavy, her thoughts a mess.
Just before reaching the academy, she ran into Sakura.
"Ino?" Sakura blinked. "You look… terrible."
Ino didn't even have the energy to argue.
…
At the Ninja Academy, Class S was as noisy as ever. The girls crowded around Uchiha Sasuke as usual, gushing over him.
But today was different—Ino wasn't among them.
She sat slumped beside Shikamaru and Chōji, resting her head on the desk, barely awake.
From across the room, Uzumaki Naruto glared at Sasuke, his jealousy almost tangible.
After several minutes of glaring, he suddenly noticed Ino sitting quietly. Confused, he walked over.
"Ino? Why aren't you chasing after Sasuke today?"
Ino cracked one bleary eye open, saw who it was, and slammed her hands on the table. "Naruto! You just ruined my nap!"
End of the chapter.