"Kurenai, did you bring a bento today?"
Kurenai's cheeks flushed. It was the first time she'd been this close to a boy, and it made her nervous.
"I… did."
"Did you bring enough?"
The second he mentioned her bento again, Kurenai's lips tightened into a pout.
"Not really. It's barely enough for me—why?"
She quickly slipped her backpack off her shoulders and hugged it to her chest, eyeing Ryosuke warily.
"Kurenai, you just apologized to me, right? And an apology should show some sincerity, don't you think?"
A bad feeling crept up her spine, but she still mumbled, "Yeah…"
"Then it's settled. I'll take your bento for lunch today—consider it you making amends. Fair, isn't it?"
Her face went pale. "N-not really… but…"
The protest died on her lips. As much as she didn't like it, she couldn't argue with his reasoning.
After a short inner struggle, she unzipped her backpack, pulled out the bento box, and handed it over—reluctant but stubborn.
"I'll be taking this, then."
The box was packed full, the faint aroma of grilled fish escaping the moment it was opened.
Before Kurenai could react, Ryosuke tucked it neatly into his own bag.
"Thanks for the lunch, Kurenai," he said casually, already turning toward the academy.
Kurenai just stared after him, wide-eyed.
He actually took it…
Her stomach twisted at the thought of going hungry all afternoon. She stomped her foot, then hurried to catch up.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the Ninja Academy together.
"Isn't that Uchiha Ryosuke? Weird—he's never this early."
"Right? This guy's always the last one to show up. What's he playing at?"
"Doesn't matter. He's still one of the two biggest embarrassments in the Uchiha clan—can't do anything right except clean his plate."
The whispers carried easily through the hallway.
Ryosuke's eyes scanned the room until they landed on the loudest voice. The boy was moving between small groups, stirring them up like a human spoon in a pot of soup.
"What's your name again?" Ryosuke asked, walking straight up to him.
"The name's Ebisu. And you, disgrace of the Uchiha, had better remember—"
Ryosuke's lips curled into a faint smile. Another nose-in-the-air type, just like his "master."
"Kurenai, hold my bag for a second."
Kurenai hesitated, but remembering he'd already taken her lunch, she sighed and accepted it.
Ryosuke rolled his shoulders, eyes never leaving Ebisu.
"Ryosuke, what are you—"
Thud.
Ebisu folded over with a wheeze, arms clutching his stomach. The punches and kicks came fast and heavy, each one drawing a yelp.
The classroom froze. No one had expected Ryosuke to start a full-on beating in the middle of the academy.
As he worked, Ryosuke spoke evenly, almost conversationally.
"You want to run your mouth? Fine—but make sure you have the backing for it. I might be a dead-last, but I'm still Uchiha. Who are you to talk about my clan?"
Thud.
"Got a bloodline limit? No? Then why are you acting like you're better than me?"
Thud. Thud.
"You think being someone's lapdog makes you special?"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Kurenai had never seen him like this. His speed, his power—it didn't match the clumsy taijutsu she'd seen from him before. Was he… hiding his true ability all this time?
"Stop! That's enough!" she finally shouted.
But Ryosuke didn't let go until twenty more blows had landed. Only then did he wipe his knuckles clean on Ebisu's shirt and stand up.
"Anyone else badmouth me gets the same treatment."
The earlier gossips shrank like frightened quail.
Ryosuke dusted off his sleeves, eyes briefly meeting Asuma's in the crowd. The boy looked away almost instantly.
Taking back his bag from Kurenai, Ryosuke noticed she was chewing over something.
"What?"
"You hit him too hard," she said.
"Just surface wounds," he replied with a shrug. "He'll be fine in a few days."
He started walking toward the classroom.
"Hey—Ryosuke, wait for me!"
Kurenai chased after him. She still hadn't gotten her lunch back.
When they got to their seats, Ryosuke slid his bag onto the desk, dropped his head onto folded arms, and was asleep in seconds.
Kurenai sat behind him, pouting, sneaking glances at the peacefully sleeping boy.
By the time the bell rang for the end of morning classes, she was practically glaring holes into the back of his head.
[End of Chapter]