CHAPTER 18
After school, Chirei Hyūga sat alone at her desk, lost in thought.
The lively classroom bustled with noise as a few boys laughed and wrestled playfully. However, every so often, their glances would drift toward Chirei. Young crushes were always clumsy and obvious.
Among her classmates, Chirei had always been seen as delicate and soft-spoken—traits that naturally invoked a sense of protectiveness in young boys.
But today, her thoughts were elsewhere.
Her pale lavender eyes occasionally flicked toward the classroom door.
I heard that Tunan-kun's parents also died on the battlefield…
He's an orphan, just like me. We're the same…
Just then—
"Boom!"
A pair of boys tumbled over a desk, one pinning the other to the ground.
"I'm not giving up!"
"Hah, then try again!"
"You're just mad because—" the boy suddenly grinned mischievously. "Hey, Asuma, didn't you say last time that you like Chirei?"
"I—I never—! That's not—!"
Asuma Sarutobi shot up from his seat, his face turning bright red as he stammered in embarrassment. His gaze darted nervously toward Chirei.
Chirei, however, barely reacted. She simply lowered her head, resting her chin on her arms.
Is she... shy?
For a moment, Asuma felt his heart race.
Does this mean she likes me too?
Thoughts flooded his mind at once—visions of the future, of growing stronger, of their son one day awakening the Byakugan. Would he belong to the Sarutobi clan or the Hyūga clan?
But his daydream shattered as the classroom suddenly hushed.
Uchiha Tunan and Uchiha Mina had just walked in, side by side.
For a few seconds, the silence lingered.
Then, the boys erupted into teasing laughter.
"Woooo~ Tunan and Mina are together!"
"Didn't expect you two to be a couple!"
Uchiha Mina didn't refute the teasing—she simply lowered her head, her cheeks tinged red. Her reaction only fueled the class's assumptions.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Tunan merely offered a mild, polite smile.
He neither confirmed nor denied anything. Instead, he simply greeted the class with his usual composed demeanor.
"Good morning, everyone."
From her seat, Chirei Hyūga's hands clenched tightly into fists.
Her nails dug into her palms.
Her eyes—normally serene—were fixed solely on the two Uchihas.
No…
Tunan-kun and I are the same.
He belongs to me.
He couldn't possibly have feelings for Mina.
And as for Mina…
If she dares to take him from me…
A flicker of something dark crossed Chirei's expression, sharp enough to be noticed by Asuma, who had been watching her closely.
"Chirei, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
Chirei didn't answer.
---
The day passed quickly. Almost every break, Uchiha Mina would find an excuse to talk to Uchiha Tunan.
And every time, from the back of the classroom, Chirei Hyūga would watch them, her gaze unwavering.
Like watching someone trying to steal something precious from her.
During the break before the final class of the day, Uchiha Mina was absent.
Uchiha Tunan, uninterested in the boys' usual sparring matches, remained at his desk, reviewing advanced shinobi theory.
Then, in his peripheral vision, he noticed a figure approaching.
Chirei Hyūga stood before him, a textbook clutched tightly in her hands.
"Tunan-kun… I didn't understand the last lesson. Could you… help me?"
Uchiha Tunan looked up, his smile effortless and warm.
"Of course. Students should help each other. Have a seat."
Chirei hesitated for a moment before carefully sitting beside him.
As she did, Uchiha Tunan leaned slightly toward her, flipping open her book to the correct page.
The faint scent of soap from his freshly laundered uniform reached Chirei's nose.
Her mind buzzed.
So close…
"The last lesson was on explosive tags—their placement and remote detonation conditions. What part didn't you understand?" Tunan's voice was gentle, yet direct.
Chirei froze.
She had been so distracted by his presence that she hadn't actually processed what he had said.
"I… I…"
Uchiha Tunan chuckled lightly.
"Didn't understand anything at all, huh?"
His finger traced over the page.
"It's fine. I'll explain it from the beginning, and if you still don't get it, I'll go over it as many times as needed. Don't hesitate to ask questions."
"Y-Yeah…"
Chirei Hyūga's face turned scarlet.
Behind them, standing just outside the classroom, Uchiha Mina watched in silence, her fists clenched at her sides.
That bitch…
She always acts so weak, but now she dares to seduce Tunan right in front of me?
No. I have to stay calm.
Tunan-kun doesn't like aggressive or overly jealous girls.
She exhaled slowly, unclenching her hands.
Fine. I won't cause a scene here.
But I won't let her get away with this.
---
The class ended.
As students packed their things, Uchiha Tunan turned slightly toward Chirei.
"It's getting late. I'll teach you more tomorrow."
Chirei smiled, her voice soft.
"Thank you… Can I treat you to dinner as thanks?"
Uchiha Tunan hesitated slightly before responding with a pleasant expression.
"After school, I'm heading to Kakashi's place to train. It might be a bit late for dinner."
"That's fine. I'll wait for you."
Tunan glanced at her, his smile unchanged.
"You don't need to feel obligated to treat me just because I helped you."
"I want to. What do you feel like eating?"
"Hmm… how about ramen? Simple and delicious."
"Okay."
Chirei nodded. Clutching her book, she rose from her seat—only to come face to face with Uchiha Mina.
The two girls locked eyes.
No words were exchanged, but the meaning was clear.
A silent war had begun.
---
After school, Uchiha Mina originally intended to ask Uchiha Tunan to walk home with her.
But before she could, Kakashi Hatake appeared at the door, hands in his pockets.
"You coming or not?" he asked lazily.
Kakashi wasn't particularly interested in the subtle drama unfolding at school. However, he had noticed the way the girls kept swarming around Tunan.
From his perspective, Tunan was just like him—dealing with annoying admirers.
It was a little amusing, but also a bit tiring.
"Of course, I'm coming with you to practice," Uchiha Tunan responded, feigning innocence. "Where else would I go?"
Kakashi nodded, satisfied.
The two boys walked off together, leaving Uchiha Mina standing there, watching as Chirei Hyūga silently followed them with her gaze.
Her grip on her bag tightened.
This isn't over.