Chapter 17: Ino

Chapter 17: Ino

Hinata, the adorable and gentle girl, was simply too kind.

Even when Sasuke held Sakura's small hand in the crowd, becoming the subject of countless whispers, Hinata's delicate and pretty face, adorned with those pure, pearly eyes that evoked sympathy, remained solely focused on Uzumaki Naruto.

'Naruto-kun must be so heartbroken!'

In their class, it was no secret that both Sakura and Ino liked Sasuke.

However, Sasuke had always been distant, cold, and unapproachable. He never showed anyone a kind face.

Similarly, Naruto's crush on Sakura was also common knowledge. His relentless pursuit of Sakura often left her enraged, causing her to explode in anger time and time again.

…

But now, shockingly enough, the icy Sasuke was actually together with the lovestruck Sakura, and the two seemed so sweet that it almost felt like something inappropriate had happened between them.

While Hinata felt sorry for Naruto, Yamanaka Ino approached Sakura and Sasuke.

Deeply in love with Sasuke, Ino didn't dare to direct her frustrations toward him.

Instead, she vented all her discontent on Sakura.

"Ino, let me tell you something. Sasuke-kun and I are together now."

"I'm his girlfriend, and he's my boyfriend."

Sakura's smug display in front of Ino was like a sharp knife to Ino's heart.

The pain of losing someone she cherished tore at her, leaving her on the verge of tears.

In the original series, when Sasuke defected from the Hidden Leaf Village, Ino had cried too.

Although her love for Sasuke was more reserved compared to Sakura's fanatical obsession, it was still genuine and deep.

But Sakura's love for Sasuke in the original series had been so intense, so unrelenting, that it overshadowed Ino's more restrained feelings.

…

"This is going to be good!"

Kiba Inuzuka was actually a bit envious of Sasuke. However, being straightforward, he wasn't jealous of Sasuke's popularity with girls but rather his incredible talent.

Sasuke was a genius, excelling in ninjutsu and taijutsu, always ranking first in class.

And, of course, Sasuke was ridiculously handsome!

"Two girls fighting over one guy—how incomprehensible," Shino Aburame remarked with his usual lack of emotional insight, unable to grasp the drama.

Meanwhile, Choji Akimichi munched away on his chips.

"Ino… Should we step in to stop her?"

Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru had grown up together as part of their clans' strong bond.

At the moment, the scene appeared as though Ino was causing trouble for Sakura, but in reality, with Sakura already with Sasuke, Ino's actions seemed more like self-humiliation.

Shikamaru sighed. "That foolish girl, Ino, has loved Sasuke for years."

"I have no idea what kind of charm Sakura used to make the cold Sasuke agree to be her boyfriend."

Even with Shikamaru's sharp mind, he couldn't guess the truth behind this situation.

Unbeknownst to him, Sakura had actually been the one actively pursued by Sasuke!

"But right now…"

"This might be the perfect time for Ino to feel the pain of heartbreak and let go."

"I've always thought Ino's feelings for Sasuke were a mistake!"

Sasuke's cold demeanor and ever-present aura of killing intent marked him as far from an ideal romantic partner. He was a vengeful spirit, not someone who could bring happiness to anyone, even if he accepted Ino's feelings.

…

The current situation was painful, but short-term pain was better than prolonged agony.

If Ino completely gave up on Sasuke and let go of her fantasies, she could begin anew.

Honestly, in the original series, Ino's eventual relationship with Sai wasn't exactly the best outcome either.

'In the original series, Ino only liked Sai because he somewhat resembled Sasuke. Her feelings were more of a compromise than true love.'

That sense of settling for less was pitiful!

…

Back to the scene, the escalating tension between Ino and Sakura caught Sasuke's attention.

Sasuke began considering his options:

1. Sakura was now his woman. Even if it was Ino, he couldn't let anyone wrong her. He could defend Sakura and humiliate Ino.

2. Ino was also destined to be part of his future harem. Abandoning the forest for one tree was something only a fool would do. As a transmigrator, Sasuke had the mindset of taking it all—every beauty belonged to him.

3. …He hadn't yet figured out a third option.

The first option meant protecting Sakura but offending Ino. While it could solve the immediate problem, winning Ino over as part of his harem later would become challenging.

The second option involved appeasing Ino, but that would undoubtedly upset Sakura.

Yesterday, Sasuke had spent time doing unspeakable things with Ayame, the ramen shop owner's daughter, and Sakura had no idea.

Ayame was content being Sasuke's secret lover and didn't want Sakura to know.

Ino, on the other hand, had a completely different personality. She would never agree to be a mere secret lover, especially not in front of Sakura—it was too degrading for her.

…

'Since there's no perfect solution!'

Sasuke decided to be bold and reckless instead.

Activating his [Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan], he used genjutsu on Sakura for the first time, implanting a belief in her heart: she was one of Sasuke's harem consorts, and as such, she must accept the existence of other beautiful women around him in the future.

If she was to enter the palace, she had to follow its rules.

Having no perfect solution, Sasuke resorted to using genjutsu on Sakura to ensure she wouldn't cry, rage, or cause unnecessary drama when he added more women to his harem.

…

After successfully casting the genjutsu, Sasuke boldly stepped forward in front of the entire class and gently caressed Ino's soft cheeks.

Why didn't he use genjutsu on Ino instead?

Because using genjutsu to win a woman's heart was beneath him.

Sasuke wanted to win over not just their bodies but their genuine affection. Sakura already loved him, so he used genjutsu on her only to smooth things over as he expanded his harem.

Winning Ino's heart in real-time, watching her gradually fall for him, brought far more satisfaction.

Resorting to genjutsu to force Ino's love would not only feel sleazy but also ruin the fun of the chase.

Every shy moment and heartbeat from a beautiful girl during the courtship process was worth savoring.

"…"

Ino was stunned.

"…"

The entire class of soon-to-be ninja was equally dumbfounded.

"Sasuke…"

"He… he just touched Ino's face…"

"And he did it right in front of Sakura!"

"Yet Sakura isn't angry or freaking out. How is this possible?"

Naruto was equally shocked. He couldn't understand what Sasuke was trying to do.

Even Hinata, who usually stayed in the background with little presence, was curious now. Her heart was usually fixated on Naruto, but the unfolding drama between Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino was just too captivating.

"Is this really Sasuke? He seems so different from before."

Hinata observed Sasuke closely. While his appearance remained unchanged, his demeanor had completely transformed.

Not only was he with Sakura, but now, he was brazenly touching Ino in front of the entire class.

"…"

Ino's heart raced chaotically.

'This is Sasuke…'

If it had been any other boy touching her soft cheeks like this, she would've broken his hand.

"Sasuke…"

Ino was astonished to feel both of Sasuke's hands cupping her cheeks as he gently parted her hair with his fingers.

"Ino, this hairstyle doesn't suit you. Change it."

At that moment, Ino froze, her wide, shocked eyes locked on Sasuke.

It felt as though countless electric currents surged through her body, leaving her paralyzed, her heart pounding wildly.

A mix of emotions overwhelmed her:

Joy.

Surprise.

Disbelief.

And even a hint of sorrow…

Tears began to stream down Ino's face in that moment.