C3 The Audacious Ino

"Good morning, Chouji."

"Good morning, Naruto. I'm not giving you any of my chips!"

"Heh, good morning, Shikamaru."

"Morning."

"And you, Ino..."

"Beat it."

After a brief episode, everyone in the class had arrived.

Luckily, Ye Fenng was also placed in this class.

But now, the classroom was echoing with the sounds of Naruto's mischief.

Well, that was to be expected.

Naruto's naive and foolish nature made him unique across countless anime worlds.

Seeking others' approval and a bit of presence, he resorted to pranks to draw attention.

Though it was somewhat sad, it was also quite irritating.

Ye Fenng decided it was best to steer clear of Naruto.

There was nothing to gain, and he risked attracting the unwanted attention of Sandaime and Danzou.

"Ugh, what a headache."

The thought of sharing a class with Naruto for years to come made Ye Fenng grimace.

This was going to be tough.

'Maybe I should take care of Naruto when I get the chance?'

'No, forget it. The guy's got the Nine-Tails inside him, and I'm hardly a match for him.'

Truth be told, I'm not even on par with Hinata's abilities.

The whole hero act was just because Hinata was too timid to fight back when bullied.

Such a depressing reality.

Ye Fenng mused silently.

"Silence!"

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Iruka entered the classroom and rapped the blackboard sharply.

"My name is Umino Iruka, but you can call me Mr. Iruka."

"From this point forward, I'll be in charge of overseeing you all until graduation."

Iruka spoke sternly, his eyes methodically scanning the room, lingering momentarily on Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Ye Fenng.

His instincts warned him that these students would be a handful.

As for Naruto... his reputation for troublemaking was well-known throughout the village even before he started school.

He was definitely on Iruka's radar.

"Sigh, to think I have to attend school even after transmigrating,"

"That's just not right."

Ye Fenng muttered under his breath, casting a nonchalant glance at Iruka.

"Now that we're enrolled in Ninja School, what we need to know is..."

"As a ninja..."

This guy was definitely on a mission to indoctrinate everyone, hardly uttering two sentences without invoking the Will of Fire.

All this talk about responsibilities, missions, and a whole bunch of other confusing stuff.

*Sigh.*

Ye Fenng let out a sigh and decided to close his eyes and rest.

With so many years left at Ninja School, he wondered how he'd ever get through it.

Before long.

"Um, classmate,"

"I'm really sorry about this morning."

Opening his eyes, Ye Fenng noticed that Ino had taken a seat beside him at some point.

Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

For a moment, Ye Fenng wondered if he had been struck by the Distinguished Heavenly Gods.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino,"

"And I haven't gotten your name yet."

Ino asked in a soft voice, her eyes twinkling like stars.

She was practically broadcasting her crush for all to see.

"Fenng, Uesugi Fenng,"

"Is there something you need?"

Ye Fenng's mouth quirked into a slight smile as he asked leisurely.

He took his time, enjoying the little girl's bashful demeanor.

After a short pause.

"Fenng,"

Ino gathered her courage and suddenly spoke up.

"What is it?"

Ye Fenng responded in a laid-back tone.

"I like you. Will you go out with me?"

Ino asked earnestly.

Her face was as red as a ripe tomato, but she managed to speak her mind boldly.

"Huh?"

Now it was Ye Fenng's turn to be taken aback.

He stood there, stunned, unsure of what to say next.

They had only just met that morning, and she was confessing her feelings in less than an hour, and they were only six or seven years old.

But after giving it some thought, Ye Fenng came to terms with the situation.

Considering that ninjas often didn't live past forty, it was rare to find one who had a long life.

During times of war, it wasn't uncommon for children as young as six or seven to be sent into battle, and many were married with children by their early teens.

In the original story, Sakura and Ino had been vying for Sasuke's attention from the moment they started school, engaging in a fierce rivalry with their classmates, full of intrigue and tactics reminiscent of a palace drama.

So, looking at it from that perspective, Ino's confession wasn't inappropriate at all.

Sasuke, who had gotten an early start, was already the center of attention, surrounded by a group of girls.

"Do you like me?"

"Ino, can you tell me why you like me?"

Ye Fenng scrutinized the little girl and asked in a gentle voice.

Ino was momentarily speechless.

Her lips quivered slightly, but ultimately, no words came out.

"You're still just a kid."

"Come find me when you've figured it out."

Ye Fenng patted the little girl's head, smiling faintly.

Even though he might like Ino, it was the grown-up, sexy, and cute version of her he fancied, not a clueless little girl.

After all, he could do without the complexities of refining copper.

Both Ino and Hinata were still too green for Ye Fenng's taste.

Too immature to pique his interest.

"Fenng."

"Hmm?"

Ye Fenng had intended to send Ino away, but the little girl suddenly looked up.

Without time to react, her soft, cherry lips pressed against his in a deep kiss.

Was I just forcibly kissed?

By such a young Ino?

And less than an hour into the school day?

At the moment their lips touched, Ye Fenng's heart exploded like never before.

After what seemed like an eternity.

"It's funny how you're the same age as me, yet you always sound so preachy,"

"Fenng, that's not right."

Ino said cheerfully, showing none of her earlier shyness.

She seemed utterly unconcerned by Ye Fenng's bewildered expression.

"Even though I can't answer your question right now, you're definitely mine,"

"Definitely."

The little girl bounced away with a spring in her step, leaving Ye Fenng standing there, silently touching his still-warm lips, unsure if he was reminiscing or feeling embarrassed.

......

The next day.

Noon.

"Okay, that's it for this morning's lesson. Everyone, take a break."

Mr. Iruka set down his chalk and made the announcement.

The once-quiet classroom erupted into a buzz of activity.

Watching the lively kids around him, Ye Fenng suddenly shared Shikamaru's sentiment.

School really could be dreadfully dull.

Shortly thereafter.

"Fenng, I'm here!"

Ino's voice rang out from behind him.

"Thump."

The little girl clung to Fenng's back, hanging there like a sloth.

"Get down."

Ye Fenng spoke in an even tone, betraying no emotion.

"Ah, Fenng, don't be mad. I'll get down right away."

Ino giggled and gracefully slid off Ye Fenng's body.

Her eyes were as tender as those of a kitten in a pet store.

With a resigned smile, Ye Fenng gently stroked Ino's head to soothe her.

"Would you like to have dinner together?" he asked softly.

"Absolutely," Ino replied cheerfully, her small hands already linked through Ye Fenng's arm.

To any onlooker, they might seem like a pair of precocious young lovebirds.

But having already shared a kiss, Ye Fenng tacitly acknowledged their relationship.

Besides, it wasn't as if he was losing out, right?

Ino was irresistibly adorable!