Fate is a very intricate thing. A slight intersection, yet each unfolds their own story. And at an intersection, the three of them happened to meet.
"Ino? Sakura?"
"You guys..."
Tenten stared at Ino and Sakura walking together, her expression full of shock and confusion.
""Tenten?""
Ino and Sakura stood side by side, their expressions identical as they spoke in unison.
"Are you here to find Aoba too?"
"Hmph, I'm here to practice throwing techniques with Aoba," Tenten crossed her arms and let out a cold snort, tilting her chin up slightly with a proud expression.
She had a legitimate reason to be here. Besides, Aoba used to have only her as a friend, and they were always together every day.
But now, these two suddenly popped up, taking away all the time that Shirakumo Aoba used to spend with her... training.
Ino and Sakura were well aware that Aoba spent most of his time with Tenten since she had been learning throwing techniques with him from an early age.
Strictly speaking, they were the latecomers.
But who Aoba actually wanted to spend time with was something Ino and Sakura refused to acknowledge as Tenten.
From their perspective, Tenten was simply using her family's ninja tool shop background to buy Aoba's time with money.
Didn't they see that even without paying, Aoba was willing to play with them?
"I'm going to practice throwing techniques with Aoba later, so don't come and bother us," Tenten spoke in a slightly haughty manner before turning straight towards Aoba's house.
"How annoying!" ×2
Ino and Sakura gritted their teeth and cursed under their breath simultaneously.
But they weren't discouraged. Instead, they sped up, rushing straight past Tenten and dashing towards Aoba's house.
"Hey! You two are going too far!"
Tenten was furious as she watched Ino and Sakura sprint past her.
Seeing that they were about to reach the house, she panicked and ran even faster.
By the time Tenten arrived, Ino was already knocking on the door.
"Aoba! Aoba! Sakura and I came to play with you!"
Because of their height, they couldn't see inside, but from the sounds coming from within, they knew someone was home.
"Huff—huff—"
"You... you two..."
"I was clearly here first!"
Out of breath from running, Tenten glared at them, wanting to pull out a shuriken and hit them both.
"Bleh—", Ino stuck out her tongue and made a face at Tenten.
"Whoever gets here first, comes first."
"You—"
Tenten was just about to argue back when the sound of the courtyard door opening caught their attention.
All three turned to look, only to see a woman with purple hair in a white dress opening the door.
"I didn't expect it to be you three little troublemakers," Uzuki Yugao smiled like a gentle older sister, but her slightly squinted eyes made it hard to read her true thoughts.
In reality, seeing these three only made her feel inexplicably irritated.
'Ino, Sakura, Tenten...'
'It is truly frustrating to see someone eyeing the 'cabbage' I have watched grow up.'
'Little Aoba really have a way with the ladies.'
As Uzuki Yugao was lost in thought, Ino and the others quickly bowed in greeting.
"Good afternoon, Sister Yugao!" ×3
All three of them knew Uzuki Yugao. They had run into her often while visiting Aoba. She was practically Aoba's big sister, always taking care of him.
But even though she seemed like a gentle older sister, for some reason, they always felt a strange sense of coldness and pressure when she looked at them.
Uzuki Yugao snapped out of her thoughts, smiled, and nodded, "Come in with me."
She turned and walked into the house.
Her purple hair fluttered behind her, resembling a blooming violet.
"Yes..." ×3
The three exchanged glances before obediently following behind her.
But their mood had dampened considerably.
They had originally thought today would be a fun day, but now, with Sister Yugao around, the fun factor had definitely dropped.
It was like having a parent nearby while playing with friends. Things just weren't as carefree.
However, when they finally saw Shirakumo Aoba, their gloom lightened a little.
The moment Aoba spotted the three kids rushing in, he raised his hand to greet them.
"You guys—"
"Aoba, why haven't you come to practice throwing techniques with me these past few days?"
"Aoba, do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"
Tenten and Ino spoke in unison, their voices overlapping, making Aoba's head spin.
Even Uzuki Yugao frowned slightly, feeling more irritated.
Meanwhile, the always observant Sakura quietly noticed this detail.
She couldn't help but feel relieved, 'Thank goodness I haven't blurted out anything too loud. Otherwise, I would've left a bad impression.'
It wasn't that she didn't want to ask Aoba why he hadn't come to play.
But she understood that since Tenten and Ino had already asked, there was no point in repeating the question.
Compared to them, she had no advantages in personality, talent, or appearance.
Sakura was still in her self-doubt phase, and without Ino's 'ultimatum' pushing her, she didn't dare to openly express her feelings yet.
'Rather than directly questioning Aoba like the other two, it is better to stay obedient and leave a good impression on both Aoba and Sister Yugao.'
Once Tenten and Ino exhausted themselves from arguing, she could seize the opportunity to act.
This was the best approach.
'Sorry, Ino—'
Fighting over boys between best friends had always been this way.
So, when Aoba looked over, all he saw was Sakura standing quietly behind Tenten and Ino, flashing him a sweet smile.
Her short pink hair, adorned with a red ribbon, looked especially lively.
Before Aoba could respond, Uzuki Yugao answered for him, "Aoba has been training in ninjutsu these past few days, so he hasn't had time to play with you."
"Besides, Aoba's training is at a critical stage right now. If you're looking for fun, now might not be the best time," As she spoke, she propped her face on one hand and put on a troubled expression.
"Ah?"
"How long will his training last?"
Tenten and Ino's faces fell instantly, and even Sakura's smile faded as she pouted.
A sharp glint flashed in Yugao's eyes, and a sly smile tugged at her lips, "That depends. It'll only be over when Aoba succeeds."
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