CHAPTER 27

Naruto Uzumaki couldn't see it, but Haruno Sakura and the others could clearly sense the difference between Ye dou and Hyūga Hanabi compared to the previous week.

On the surface, Ye dou seemed unchanged—still maintaining his distance from everyone, his cold demeanor making it seem as if the people and surroundings in the classroom were nothing more than air to him.

Even this week, that had not changed. His classmates remained like air in his eyes.

However, Sakura and the others keenly noticed that Ye dou's attitude toward Hanabi was different. Unlike before, where he completely disregarded her presence, now he no longer treated her as if she were invisible. While his expression wasn't particularly warm, there was a subtle acknowledgment of her presence—something that made Sakura and the others envious.

Involuntarily, some of the girls glanced at Uchiha Sasuke's direction, contemplating.

"Maybe… if I take the initiative, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle?"

At that moment, Sasuke suddenly felt an eerie chill below his waist. Instinctively, a certain part of his body tensed up, and he clamped his legs together, his expression sharpening.

He scanned his surroundings warily but found nothing unusual. His brows furrowed in suspicion.

"Tch… Is this some kind of Genjutsu attack?"

---

Meanwhile, at the back of the academy, Ye dou arrived at a secluded spot beneath a large tree near the rear entrance. This was his usual hiding place, far from the bustling main entrance where excitable young shinobi gathered to perform flashy jutsu in desperate bids for attention.

Here, the scenery wasn't as picturesque, but Ye dou was content with the quiet.

Before long, the Hyūga sisters arrived.

Hinata Hyūga hesitated as she approached him, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her jacket, unsure of how to act in front of him. In contrast, Hanabi Hyūga was much more assertive. With a bright smile, she knelt down in front of Ye dou and opened an elegant bento box, revealing a neatly prepared sandwich—a dish originally from the western lands.

Ye dou remained indifferent, though he wasn't surprised. The shinobi world was an odd blend of technological eras. Despite being a world where kunai and shuriken were primary weapons, the presence of street lamps, movie theaters, and even airships in later years defied logical consistency.

"Try this," Hanabi said, sliding a large sandwich toward him.

Inside the bento, there were three sandwiches—two smaller ones and one significantly larger. The small ones were clearly meant for Hanabi and Hinata, while the oversized square sandwich was unmistakably intended for Ye dou.

Glancing at Hanabi, Ye dou quickly saw through her transparent excuse of "accidentally making too much food."

Compared to the dainty triangle-shaped sandwiches in the hands of the Hyūga sisters, his portion was absurdly massive—akin to a full meal rather than a snack.

Hanabi remained unfazed, her smile unwavering. She even opened a thermos flask, and the aroma of freshly brewed seaweed soup wafted through the air, filling the secluded corner with a pleasant scent.

As the fragrant soup was poured into a cup, Hinata's nervousness slowly faded. She clutched her own cup with quiet anticipation, looking forward to enjoying the meal.

But before she could take a sip—

Swish!

Her sandwich vanished in an instant, and the seaweed soup was swiftly sealed back into its thermos.

Before she could process what had happened, Hanabi had already grabbed her hand, pulling her away.

It turned out that Ye dou had no interest in sitting with the two sisters. Without a word, he had taken his meal and moved to another tree, putting even more distance between them.

"Where are you going, Ye dou?!" Hanabi called out, pouting slightly.

Still, Ye dou remained silent, settling down elsewhere.

But Hanabi was persistent. Within moments, she had tracked him down again, resettling beside him and reopening the bento as if nothing had happened.

Ye dou frowned, got up, and relocated once more.

Yet Hanabi followed him effortlessly. Her agility, honed by the Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist training, allowed her to keep up with him seamlessly. No matter how many times he moved, she would quickly set up the bento again, her hands moving with almost imperceptible speed.

After a few rounds of this, Ye dou finally gave up. He exhaled sharply, resigning himself to his fate, and wordlessly accepted Hanabi's offering. He ate the sandwich and drank the soup, much to Hanabi's delight.

Off to the side, a small mongoose watched the scene in misery, unable to retrieve the snack hidden in Ye dou's pocket due to Hanabi's presence.

After finishing his meal, Ye dou leaned back against the tree, shutting his eyes as if to rest. He ignored the girl beside him, pretending she wasn't there.

Hanabi, however, was unfazed. She continued talking to him while eating, fully aware that Ye dou found her presence annoying but determined nonetheless. She knew that if she didn't take the initiative, Ye dou would never willingly engage in conversation. If she wanted to enter his world, she had to force her way in.

Predictably, Ye Dou opened his eyes, clearly irritated, and leapt up into the tree to escape her chatter.

Unbothered, Hanabi followed him, perching nearby with her chin resting in her hands, continuing to talk as if nothing had happened.

Below the tree, Hinata watched the scene unfold in silence. The sandwich in her hand suddenly tasted like ash, and she nibbled on it absentmindedly, feeling as though she had been hit by an invisible force.

For a fleeting moment, she contemplated returning to class, but her body refused to move.

She knew why Hanabi had insisted on dragging her here—it wasn't just about sharing lunch.

Despite her outward confidence, Hanabi was also feeling nervous and uncertain. She needed the support of her older sister.

Looking up at the two figures in the tree, then at the pair of birds perched atop the academy's rooftop, Hinata sighed to herself.

"This… is too difficult for me."

---

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky blazed in hues of crimson and gold. Konoha's streets were filled with parents who had come to pick up their children from the academy.

Having spent too much time around classmates obsessed with romance, Hanabi found herself impulsively wanting to walk home with Ye dou to get closer to him.

She clenched her fists and hyped herself up.

"Come on! You can do this!"

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, ready to call out to him.

But before she could speak, members of the Hyūga clan's household appeared, arriving to escort her and Hinata home. As the heir to the Hyūga Clan, her status was prestigious—but at times, it felt like a cage.

By the time she turned back toward the academy gates, Ye dou was already gone, having disappeared without a trace.