章 43: Orientation

Morning classes had ended, and it was finally lunchtime.

Kushina's stomach growled softly, reminding her that she had left her lunch at home. Her face turned a deep shade of red as she nervously glanced around, hoping no one had noticed her mistake.

Chen, sitting beside her, caught her reaction out of the corner of his eye and smiled faintly. Without a word, he pulled out his own lunchbox.

"Hey, Kushina," Chen said in a calm voice, "want to share my lunch? I've got enough for both of us."

Kushina looked at him in surprise, her eyes filled with embarrassment. "I… well…" she stammered before curiosity got the better of her. "Wait, why do you have so much food?"

Chen opened the lunchbox, revealing a feast that could easily feed a small army: rice with seaweed, rice balls, pickled vegetables, and other delights.

"Let's just say I had a feeling you might forget your lunch," Chen replied with a mysterious tone, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Kushina frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? How old do you think I am?"

Despite her protest, the aroma of the food was too tempting to resist. She took a bite of the rice with seaweed, and as soon as she tasted it, her eyes widened.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her indignation. "This is the best seaweed rice I've ever had."

Just as Kushina was beginning to relax and enjoy the meal, a familiar voice interrupted the moment.

"Oooh! That smells delicious!" Nawaki suddenly appeared, his eyes shining with anticipation. "Chen, can I have some? Please! I bet it's incredible since Mikoto made it, right?"

The name dropped like a bomb into the conversation. Kushina, who had been about to take another bite, froze. Her previously relaxed face tensed visibly.

Chen, seemingly unaware of the shift in atmosphere, quickly handed Nawaki a couple of rice balls. "Here, take this and go," he said, clearly not interested in prolonging the interaction.

Kushina slowly lowered her food, her mind racing. Why did hearing that name make her feel so uneasy?

"So… Mikoto," Kushina said, trying to sound casual, though her voice had an edge that didn't escape Chen's notice. "Who is she? Your girlfriend or something?"

Chen looked at her with an enigmatic expression. "You'll find out tomorrow," he replied with a tone that suggested there was much more to the relationship than he was letting on.

Something twisted inside Kushina. Suddenly, the food that had tasted so delicious just moments ago now felt like ashes in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed up, not with food, but with an emotion she couldn't quite name.

"I'm full," she declared abruptly, pushing the lunchbox back towards Chen.

"Really?" Chen looked at her in surprise. "You've hardly eaten anything. Although," he added thoughtfully, "Mikoto doesn't eat much either. Maybe it's a girl thing."

Kushina felt something inside her snap. Why did he have to compare her to this Mikoto? And why did she care so much?

"You're so annoying when you talk, you know that?" Kushina blurted out, surprising even herself with the intensity of her reaction.

Chen, oblivious to the emotional storm brewing in front of him, shrugged and proceeded to devour the rest of the food at an astonishing speed. Kushina watched him in shock.

"Don't worry," Chen said as he finished, noticing her stare. "Even though I ate a lot, I didn't eat your share."

"That's not what's bothering me!" Kushina exclaimed, frustrated at not being able to explain even to herself why she was so angry.

---

Soon, the break ended, and the afternoon practical class began.

"All right, class!" Kuri announced, raising his voice so everyone could hear. "While I attend to our new classmates, you have some free time to practice. Use it wisely!"

As soon as he finished, Kuri walked away with the Uzumaki to explain the basics.

A buzz of excitement rippled through the group of young ninjas.

Chen, for his part, simply shrugged and headed towards a nearby tree.

But he hadn't taken more than three steps when he felt warm breath on his ear. "Psst, Chen," Nawaki whispered, his voice brimming with excitement. "I can use the technique I showed you the other day now. Want to try it?"

Chen jumped as if pricked by a needle, quickly distancing himself from Nawaki. "Nawaki!" he exclaimed irritably. "What do you think you're doing? Don't get so close to me! Do you have… other inclinations or something?!"

Nawaki blinked, confused for a moment, before his face twisted into an expression of indignation. "You're an idiot, Chen!" he shouted, his cheeks flushing. "Always thinking weird things! Forget it! I'll show my technique to Shikaku and the others. At least they'll appreciate my talent."

With that, Nawaki stomped off, leaving Chen with an amused expression.

"Wow, someone's touchy," Chen muttered to himself before continuing on his way to the tree.

As Chen began practicing with his sword, executing slow and precise movements, Nawaki gathered a small group of students in the center of the field.

"Watch and be amazed!" Nawaki announced with confidence bordering on arrogance. "Water Style: Water Turbulence!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, a jet of water shot out from Nawaki's mouth with the force of a fire hose.

The stream was so powerful that Nawaki lost his balance, spinning around like an out-of-control sprinkler.

"Waaaah!" Nawaki yelled as he spun, spraying water in all directions.

Within minutes, half of the training field had turned into a muddy mess.

Students were running in all directions, some laughing, others screaming, all of them soaked.

Chen, who had been watching the whole thing from the safety of his tree, couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Well, well," he murmured. "Looks like Nawaki's created his own water park."

The chaos drew the attention of Teacher Kuri, who came running back, his face a mixture of disbelief and fury. "Nawaki!" he roared. "You and everyone involved in this disaster will stay after class to clean up! And as an additional punishment, you'll spend the next hour standing under the sun!"

As Nawaki and the others received their punishment, Chen decided it was a good time for a break. He lay down on the grass, using his arm as a pillow, and looked up at the sky.

"How boring," he sighed. "Should I graduate early? Nah, too much hassle. Maybe ANBU? Pfft, like I'd want to follow more rules. 'Don't show your face,' 'don't reveal your identity.'"

Chen closed his eyes, letting the sun warm his face. "No," he finally decided. "I'm going to stay here, build up my strength, and when I graduate… that's when the real fun begins. No rules, no restrictions. Just me and my freedom."

With a satisfied smile, Chen got up, brushing the dirt off his clothes.

He took one last look at the training field, where Nawaki and the others were still standing under the sun.

"Good luck with the cleanup, guys," Chen murmured with a smirk before heading for the exit.

---

Chen arrived at the Hyuga residence. The smell of freshly cooked food greeted him even before he opened the door.

As he entered, he saw Mikoto in the kitchen, her small figure wrapped in an apron as she put the finishing touches on dinner.

"I'm home," Chen announced as he approached Mikoto.

Mikoto turned, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. "Welcome back, Chen," she responded softly.

Chen leaned in and kissed Mikoto on the cheek, a gesture as natural to him as breathing. Mikoto's cheeks turned a soft pink, and her eyes sparkled with affection.

"Dinner's ready," Mikoto said as Chen washed his hands. "I hope you're hungry."

After dinner, while Mikoto served tea, Chen decided to share the day's news.

"Two new students arrived at the academy today," he commented casually. "Kushina and Tomo."

Mikoto, who was pouring the tea, paused almost imperceptibly. "Oh, really?" she replied, her voice controlled. "Kushina… she must be very beautiful, right?"

Chen, surprised by Mikoto's tone, looked up. Mikoto's eyes, usually warm and full of affection, now had a cold glint.

For a moment, Chen thought he saw a dark mist surrounding her, as if her jealousy had materialized.

"Mikoto," Chen said, genuinely astonished, "are you… jealous?"

Mikoto blinked, and for an instant, the mist seemed to dissipate. "Me? Jealous?" she replied with a laugh that sounded a bit forced. "Why would I be jealous?"

Chen, still surprised by this side of Mikoto he had never seen before, tried to reassure her. "No one can compare to you, Mikoto. To me, you're the most beautiful in the world."

Mikoto smiled, but there was a hint of danger in her expression. "Oh, Chen," she said sweetly but with an underlying threat, "what would Tsunade say if I told her what you just said?"

Chen feigned a look of sadness. "Ah, Mikoto, you've changed. You're not the gentle person I once knew."

Mikoto laughed, this time with genuine amusement. "It's fine," she said, her voice softening. "As long as you don't forget me in your heart, I'll be okay."

Chen looked into her eyes, all teasing forgotten. "I'll never forget you, Mikoto, even if I forget myself."

"Mmm," Mikoto murmured, her tone turning playful again. "But you admit that Kushina is beautiful, don't you?"

Chen found himself at a loss for words, trapped in Mikoto's clever verbal snare.

Mikoto chuckled softly. "I'm just kidding, Chen. But remember," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "if you ever forget me, I'll follow you. Always."

Chen took her hands in his, sincerity filling his gaze. "You won't have to. We'll be together forever. My life will always belong to you, Mikoto."

Mikoto's eyes softened, and she leaned into him. "Thank you, Chen."

At that moment, Chen touched his eyes, deep in thought. Indeed, it wasn't impossible for him to make others immortal. But that would depend on his control over time and space with his Tenseigan.

He couldn't control time yet, but he had some mastery over space. If he could control time—stop it for others—he'd never die as long as no one killed him.

For Mikoto, Chen knew he had to work harder, to become stronger, to achieve full control over time manipulation as soon as possible.

After a moment of emotional silence, Chen decided to shift the conversation. "By the way, have you seen the Rokushiki techniques? I could share my experience in practicing them with you."

Mikoto nodded. "I'd love to learn from you, Chen."

As Chen began to explain the techniques, Mikoto listened intently, her eyes never leaving his face. In her gaze, there was not just love and admiration, but also a determination.

________

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