Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/inkshield <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 44
"Alright, enough of that. You look pretty relaxed these days—which one of these is your little girlfriend?"
Jiraiya quickly changed the subject, shifting his attention to the two girls beside Ling Yu.
Although Mikoto and Kushina hadn't fully matured yet, it was already clear they would grow into exceptional beauties.
Jiraiya had noticed them the moment he walked in. In his eyes, both girls had some kind of unclear relationship with Ling Yu, and he saw a perfect chance to mess with him.
Let's see how this little brat handles a love triangle showdown.
After all, Ling Yu had pranked him many times before—this was the perfect opportunity for revenge.
"Hehe, since you've already figured it out, I'll be honest."
Seeing through Jiraiya's sneaky plan, Ling Yu instantly came up with a countermeasure. He grabbed both girls' hands and spoke to Jiraiya with a half-joking grin:
"They're both my girlfriends. How's that—jealous?"
"Pffft… N-no way!"
Watching Kushina and Mikoto blush shyly without pulling away, Jiraiya was so shocked he spat out the drink he'd just taken.
He wanted to mess with Ling Yu, but instead ended up force-fed a mouthful of dog food. Jiraiya instantly shut down.
"Tch, unlike you, Pervy Uncle, who's so creepy even girls won't hold your hand."
With that, Ling Yu deliberately intertwined his fingers with both girls and raised their joined hands right in front of Jiraiya's face.
For the rest of the meal, Jiraiya didn't say another word. The moment he finished his ramen, he grabbed Orochimaru and bolted without looking back.
But right before leaving, Orochimaru subtly glanced at Mikoto—puzzled why someone from the Uchiha clan was mingling so closely with the Senju, and why the Uchiha clan showed no reaction at all, as if Uchiha Mikoto didn't even exist in their eyes.
The only explanation he could think of was the boy always by her side—Ling Yu. According to intel from Danzo, Ling Yu was far from ordinary.
(Of course, this was the result of Ling Yu using Kyōka Suigetsu to hypnotize the Uchiha clan, completely erasing Mikoto's presence from their perception.)
After Jiraiya and Orochimaru left, Kushina immediately let go of Ling Yu's hand and pretended to be disgusted:
"Hmph! You promised to cover my pocket money for the whole next week."
Back when Ling Yu grabbed her hand, he had secretly written the character "七" (seven) in her palm—a secret code. Others might not understand, but Kushina—who frequently extorted money from Ling Yu—immediately got the message.
To play along with the act (and because she genuinely liked him), she went along with it.
This was also the result of Ling Yu having built up so much affection with her. Anyone else who dared touch Kushina would've gotten their head bashed in.
As for Mikoto—being the understanding girl she was—she had clearly seen through Jiraiya's intentions and happily cooperated with Ling Yu's little performance.
Though she felt a tiny pang of dissatisfaction seeing Kushina involved, she let it go since Ling Yu was obviously just messing with Jiraiya.
"Of course. I, Ling Yu, always keep my word."
Ling Yu patted his chest confidently.
"Come on, we finished eating. Let's hit the snack street you love."
After paying the bill, Ling Yu led Kushina and Mikoto to the next destination. Now it was Kushina's time to shine.
A boy with two girls walking down the street might not have stood out on its own, but the trio's exceptional looks drew attention everywhere. Especially since they wandered from stall to stall looking so close and comfortable together.
They quickly attracted the gazes of many ordinary Konoha citizens. Even some older folks watched with warm, auntie-like smiles, sighing:
"Ahh, youth is wonderful!"
"Hey! Isn't that Minato-kun and Rina-chan? Why are they walking together?"
After strolling for a while, Mikoto suddenly spotted two familiar figures not far away. Finding it interesting, she quickly pointed them out to Ling Yu and Kushina.
"Wow, really? The world works in strange ways. Even though I stole Kushina, Minato still ended up with someone from the Uzumaki clan."
Ling Yu followed Mikoto's direction and indeed saw Minato and Rina walking down the street together.
Though they kept a polite distance, their shy expressions made it obvious their relationship was far from ordinary.
"What world… Uzumaki clan? What are you talking about, Ling Yu?"
Hearing her clan mentioned, Kushina leaned in curiously.
"Nothing. I meant Minato and Uzumaki Rina."
"Hehe, you guys don't understand—this is something only I know!"
Hands on hips, Kushina lifted her proud little chin, acting mysterious like she knew everything.
"Kushina, you're so amazing! Tell us!"
Mikoto instantly understood her game. After praising her, she urged Kushina to continue.
"Actually, Rina likes Minato. I even found a notebook in her room filled with his name!"
Satisfied with the attention, Kushina leaned close to the other two and whispered excitedly:
"And after school, she often stares at that notebook and smiles like an idiot."
Living with Rina, Kushina had noticed her strange behavior recently. At first thinking someone was bullying her, Kushina secretly followed her to find the culprit and beat them up.
To her surprise, Rina wasn't being bullied—she was just in love with Minato, and Kushina discovered her secret.
"Wow! Really?" Mikoto looked shocked. She hadn't expected their relationship to be so real.
"Hehe, according to the great love master Kushina-sama's analysis, there's a very high chance those two will end up together."
Kushina put on a random hat from a nearby stall, struck a thoughtful pose, and declared confidently.
"You? A love master?" Ling Yu looked at her with open disdain.
"What's wrong with me? I've never dated, but I've read tons of romance novels. My love experience is super rich, okay?"
Catching the contempt in Ling Yu's eyes, Kushina fiercely defended herself.
"Whatever. You don't even have a girlfriend. You wouldn't understand anyway."
Kushina still didn't know about Mikoto and Ling Yu's relationship, so she boldly mocked him.
"Who says I don't? I have Mikoto. If I confess to her, I'm sure she'll accept me, right?"
Saying this, Ling Yu pulled Mikoto into his arms and looked at her with exaggerated affection.
"No way!"
Kushina shouted immediately and yanked the two apart.
For some unknown reason, seeing Ling Yu and Mikoto together made her feel uncomfortable—especially the moment she thought they might leave her behind.
"Alright, we're just teasing you."
"Yeah, it's a joke."
Ling Yu and Mikoto exchanged a glance, realizing they'd gone too far. Seeing Kushina's unstable mood, they quickly comforted her.
Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/inkshield <<
----------------------------------------------------------