Chapter 12: A Fainting Spell
Kurenai Yuhi urged Shino and Kiba to hurry up and finish their food.
Shino, being more reserved, didn't ask questions. But Kiba was confused. "What's the rush, Kurenai-sensei? We're not done yet."
Kurenai sighed to herself. Her two straightforward male students were a bit clueless. Here they were, the same age as Takahashi, and he was already charming a girl while Hinata's face was as red as a cherry.
"We're leaving now," Kurenai said firmly. "I'll treat you to barbecue another day. Hinata, you can stay. Kiba, Shino, come with me. I need to talk to you outside."
The two boys left reluctantly. Being pulled away halfway through a meal was a real letdown.
But as a woman, Kurenai appreciated a good romance. Ignoring her students' empty stomachs, she gave Takahashi a meaningful look as she left.
He nodded in understanding, feeling grateful. That was a lifesaver.
Takahashi sat down next to Hinata without a word. He ordered a bowl of soy sauce ramen and ate slowly. The two of them enjoyed the quiet time together. They didn't speak, but the silence was peaceful and sweet. That's how young love is—a little awkward, but very warm.
After they finished eating, Takahashi paid the bill. It was what a gentleman should do.
The night air had grown cool. He took off his jacket and put it over Hinata's shoulders. "I'll walk you home," he said.
Hinata nodded lightly. A soft "Mm" escaped her lips, quiet as a mosquito.
They both unconsciously slowed their pace, not wanting this nice time to end.
Suddenly, Hinata spoke. "I heard your mission was very dangerous. And that you fought several jonin by yourself. That's... amazing."
Takahashi knew Neji must have told her. He would have had to report such an unusual event to the Hyuga clan. They would be deciding whether to try and recruit him or not.
He played it down. "It was okay. It wasn't just me. The others helped a lot. And Guy-sensei did most of the work. Without him, we wouldn't have made it back."
Hearing his modest words, Hinata gave a sweet smile. Anyone would be happy to see the person they admire become strong. Seeing Takahashi so powerful filled Hinata with a quiet pride.
When they passed a small park, Takahashi had an idea. "Want to go in and sit for a while?"
The moonlight made the park feel romantic. They sat on a swing. Hinata started talking about her memories, and Takahashi listened like a loyal friend, a smile always on his face. He looked at her lovely profile with deep affection.
It took Hinata a moment to realize she had been talking for a long time. "I've just been talking about myself... You must think I'm so talkative."
"Not at all," Takahashi said. "I just feel lucky to be here with you."
As he spoke, his hand found hers. She resisted for a second, then let him hold it.
Hinata's hand was warm. They looked at each other, with the moon as their backdrop. Slowly, they leaned closer, until they could feel each other's breath.
Hinata's eyes fluttered shut.
But the moment she was waiting for didn't come. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and found Takahashi looking at her with a playful smile.
Her face flushed a deep red. If a crack had opened in the ground, she would have jumped in right then.
Takahashi wasn't about to let her off the hook. "Why is your face so red, Hinata? And why did you close your eyes just now?"
That broke the last of her composure. She was completely flustered.
"You're... you're the worst! I'm ignoring you!" She stood up to leave.
But Takahashi was quick. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her gently into his arms, and softly kissed her lips.
He smiled. "Was that what you wanted?"
Hinata's eyes went wide, spinning like pinwheels. Her face was so red it seemed to glow, and a wisp of steam seemed to rise from her head.
Whoa, my power is too strong, Takahashi thought.
"Hinata? Hey, are you okay? Wake up!"
This girl was just too shy. She'd actually fainted from a single kiss. It seemed he still had a long way to go.
After a little while, Hinata slowly came to. The moment she woke up, she jumped out of his arms like a startled rabbit, covered her face with her hands, and ran away without another word.
Takahashi wore a smug grin. Heh. It seems my charm is still as strong as ever. In his past life, he'd been quite the expert in matters of the heart.
But then, the smile slowly faded from his face.
"Neji," he said to the empty park. "How long are you going to watch? Spying on people isn't a good habit. Especially when it's the young lady of your main family."
A figure stepped out from the shadows. It was Neji Hyuga.
Takahashi had sensed him a while ago but hadn't said anything. He didn't like putting on a show for others, but the moment had just felt right.
Neji hadn't been there for long, probably just saw the end of it. It didn't really matter.
Takahashi watched as Neji walked toward him, his face serious. He thought Neji was going to challenge him to another fight. He didn't mind teaching the guy another lesson, though he'd be sure to hold back this time.
What he didn't expect was for Neji to stop in front of him, bow deeply at a perfect 90-degree angle, and speak in a sincere, low voice.
"I have been unreasonable. I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you."
If Neji had been looking for a fight, Takahashi knew how to handle that. But this? This left him confused.
From what he knew of Neji, this guy wasn't one to admit defeat easily. He was as stubborn as they came. For him to apologize was simply unbelievable.
If Tenten and Lee saw this, their jaws would hit the floor.
But Takahashi accepted the apology gracefully. After all, Neji had his own pain and a hard life. There was no need to hold a grudge.
"It's fine," Takahashi said. "It's a small thing. I don't mind."
This moment also made a simple truth clear to him. In the world of ninja, strength was everything. With enough power, you could earn anyone's respect. It was as simple as that.
###################
Naruto or Luffy? Who wins?