"Since you're so eager to see, then go ahead and look."
Feng An tossed the satchel to Sakura.
Thinking of the pendant she had meticulously prepared for Sasuke still inside the bag, Sakura glared at him fiercely.
Hmph, if it breaks, I'll beat you up!
But as she took the satchel, she immediately felt a sense of unease.
The satchel felt light, like an empty bag no matter how she touched it.
Her heart instantly turned cold.
Feng An smiled, "If you don't dare to look, then forget it. Give it back to me."
He was just trying to scare her. As for later, perhaps he might have some interest, but now, in every aspect, she was too young.
Would anyone really want to do anything to Sakura?
She's still an elementary school student, you know?
With that, Feng An reached out to take the satchel.
Sakura quickly stepped back, "Wait!"
So eager? There must be something suspicious!
Maybe there's even a hidden compartment inside!
Thinking this, Sakura couldn't help but show a triumphant smile.
"Haha, you're scared!"
Sakura yanked open the zipper and rummaged inside with her small hands.
Nothing, still nothing!
How could there be nothing!
Disbelieving, she poked her head inside, searching for her so-called hidden compartment.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Time passed minute by minute.
Feng An sat on the table, watching Sakura stubbornly rummage through her empty bag, and couldn't help but yawn.
"Several minutes have passed. Even if you were doing a magic trick, it should have appeared by now, right?"
Sakura gave him a resentful look and tossed the bag back to Feng An.
"Hmph, do what you want!"
With that, Sakura tightly closed her eyes, pouted her small lips, and a faint blush colored her delicate face.
The twilight sun streamed through the window, casting a glow on her, making her look quite adorable.
Feng An paused, then smiled faintly and walked out the door.
He hadn't expected Sakura to actually take him seriously.
A long time passed.
Sakura, who had been tense all over, started to feel her lips ache. It was then that she noticed how quiet it had become around her.
"Hello?"
She tried calling out, but no one responded.
Then, she secretly opened her tightly closed eyes just a crack.
Where is he?
Not seeing Feng An, she simply opened her eyes completely.
She then saw Feng An's back already at the school gate through the window.
Sakura pulled open the window and shouted in exasperation, "Feng An!"
Hearing this, Feng An turned to look at the window, waved to her, and then left.
"Bastard! Just left like that!"
Sakura pressed her slightly aching lips, her little heart pounding wildly.
"Feng An actually looks quite handsome..."
Then she quickly shook her head, scolding herself in a whisper, "Sakura Haruno, what are you thinking? Sasuke is your goal!"
...Feng An, with his small satchel, walked into a yakiniku restaurant.
His mother hadn't left much property, but since he was alone, he didn't have to worry about not having enough money. He could spend as he wished, and if he ever ran out, he could always take on some missions, hunt wild boars, which would pass the time and earn him money.
"It would be great if I could steal Hinata from the blonde-haired guy."
When he was little, he had already changed the blonde-haired guy's rescue of Hinata into a red-haired guy rescuing Hinata. Now it just depended on whether there would be an opportunity to interact later.
Feng An ate yakiniku while planning his future in his mind.
Just then, a gentle and pleasant voice came.
"Feng An...?"
Feng An looked up at the sound and saw Hinata walking in with three other people.
Just as he thought of Hinata, Hinata appeared.
"Hinata? Shouldn't you be resting at home at this time?"
Hinata shook her head, looking down, "Teacher Kurenai brought Team 8 to eat yakiniku... she said she wanted to get to know us better."
"Oh, I see."
Seeing Hinata appear, Feng An actually thought his cheat was 'speak and it comes true'.
Other children who traveled far had systems given by their Blue Star mothers, but what about him? He was like an unloved child, traveling so far, even across dimensions, and still not getting a big gift package.
"Feng An, Teacher Kurenai and the others are calling me over..."
Seeing Hinata's small hand tugging at his clothes, looking troubled, Feng An couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile.
"Go ahead."
Hinata then gently nodded and went to sit next to Kurenai Yuhi.
Feng An ate yakiniku, eyeing the sake on the adults' table next door with envy.
There was no Sprite in this world, and minors weren't allowed to drink sake, so he could only helplessly pair his yakiniku with juice.
Hinata, sitting next to Kurenai Yuhi, kept stealing glances in Feng An's direction while looking down.
"Feng An is so gentle and considerate, and a very good person, but why doesn't any teacher want to take him on...? Why is he always alone? Even at school... it seems he doesn't have many friends. I wonder if I count as his friend...?"
Kurenai Yuhi chuckled and said, "You seem very concerned about that Feng An, don't you?"
Hinata's face immediately flushed red at her words.
"Teacher Kurenai, I'm not..."
Kurenai Yuhi smiled, having seen Hinata's small actions clearly.
"Woof woof."
As their yakiniku was just served, Akamaru, in Inuzuka Kiba's arms, poked his head out, wanting to lick it.
"Akamaru!" Kiba grabbed Akamaru and stuffed him back into his arms, patting his head, "I'll get some for you later."
Akamaru let out a soft whimper, his ears drooping sadly.
"What a cute little dog, here you go."
Kurenai Yuhi took out a new pair of chopsticks from the side, picked up a piece of meat, and fed it to Akamaru.
Kiba looked at Akamaru and said, "Quick, say thank you, Teacher Kurenai."
"Woof woof, woof woof woof!"
"Good boy."
Kiba rubbed Akamaru's head.
Regardless of whether anyone else understood, Kiba clearly did.
"Alright, everyone, help yourselves."
As Kurenai Yuhi picked up a slice of yakiniku, the other two also began to pick up meat and eat.
Shino Aburame: "..."
Phew.
Feng An rubbed his bulging stomach.
Feeling great.
Although there was no Sprite, this yakiniku was really delicious.
He stood up, looked at Hinata, and waved with a smile, "I'm leaving, Hinata."
"Ah! Okay!"
Hinata suddenly stood up.
Feng An smiled at her and then left.
In class, he and Hinata were deskmates, so their relationship was a bit better, while his relationship with other classmates was quite average. He slept every day and didn't intentionally act goofy to attract attention like Naruto, so naturally, very few people paid attention to him.
The few people around were startled by Hinata's sudden standing, and their gazes involuntarily turned to her.
Feeling the eyes on her, Hinata's face flushed red, and she quickly sat down, stuffing a piece of yakiniku into her mouth as if nothing had happened.
But the blush on her face, which refused to fade, made her look anything but calm. She lowered her head, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.
Inuzuka Kiba asked, "Hey, Hinata, aren't you overreacting?"
"Did you hear what I said?"
Hinata kept her head down, mechanically stuffing yakiniku into her mouth. Her mind was completely filled with Feng An saying goodbye to her, and she couldn't hear any sounds from the outside.
"Have he and I already developed a friendship? He probably just casually said hello, right? No, that's not right, then why did he only say hello to me?"
The more she thought, the more confused she became, and the faster her movements of picking up yakiniku became.
Before long, Hinata had devoured most of the yakiniku.
Inuzuka Kiba shouted, "Ah, leave some yakiniku for me!"
Kurenai Yuhi looked at Hinata's flustered appearance and became somewhat interested in the departing Feng An.
"Did he really pass the Ninja Qualification Exam just because he was luckier than Naruto?"