— You two, don't you dare ignore me.
Irritated by the sudden closeness between Yashin and Ino, Sakura immediately tightened her grip on her dishonest younger brother's arm.
— Ugh… brat. Do you really want to be intimidated by me that much?
— Go ahead and try.
Her defiant, yet endearing, green eyes weren't what Yashin wanted from her.
Instead…
— Forget it. Arguing with a commoner is far beneath me.
The frivolous, twisted smirk on her younger brother's face made the veins on Sakura's forehead bulge.
— You… Just try saying that again.
— I don't think so. I'd rather spend my time chatting with your friend. I mean, look at her—she's so… dazzling. Between her and you, it's obvious who I'd choose—don't you agree?
Despite his words, Yashin's eyes never strayed from Sakura; he simply shifted his body closer to the blonde as he clearly saw the pallor beginning to replace his twin sister's cheerful complexion.
That's why he didn't notice the blush that, once again, was troubling Yamanaka—though that wasn't of much importance to him either.
— Besides, she's the heiress to a great clan. I'm sure she's got a fortune. You can't compete with that.
— Then…!
The words got stuck in the pink-haired girl's throat.
— Then… what?
Then, stay with her and leave me alone.
Then, get lost.
Then, never come looking for me again.
…
She couldn't say any of that.
Although all she wanted was to completely cut ties with Yashin and go home, she couldn't bring herself to do it. He was her younger brother, the annoying brat she'd grown accustomed to carrying on her back—the same arrogant brat who, even in his own peculiar way, had never let her feel abandoned.
No matter how hurtful his words were, leaving him there, abandoning him with Ino, was never a real possibility.
Still… it hurt to hear him say it.
Aware of the force her frustration was exerting on her younger brother's arm, she decided to let go before she did something she might regret.
Instead, she fixed her gaze on the smiling face of her so-called friend.
That small detail made Yashin's smile turn just a little more insidious.
— Well, if it's any consolation, you were just unlucky. She got everything you want, solely because of the family she was born into.
Those supposed words of comfort did nothing to quell the… spite behind the pink-haired girl's gaze.
— Although, I suppose her charm has nothing to do with where she was born. You should know that better than anyone, shouldn't you? She's so good at making friends. That has nothing to do with her parents.
Instead, it intensified to the point where even the distracted and embarrassed blonde noticed her hostility.
— On the other hand, being considerate of others isn't in your nature. Honestly, you don't have any advantages.
— Y-Yashin…
Before Ino could even begin her feeble protest to stop the pink-haired boy's flattery, Sakura finally decided she was done just listening.
— I…! I'm better than her at some things, too.
— Really? And what are those things?
The pink-haired boy's insinuating tone only made her sister even more irritated.
— I-I'm much stronger, and I get better grades.
Immediately, as if she'd flipped the wrong switch, the Yamanaka's gaze grew just as sharp as Sakura's.
In the end, Yashin was unable to hold back his laughter.
Children—always so capricious, always wanting to stand out and prove they're better than everyone else, always so… easily manipulated.
Although the pink-haired boy's laughter was one of pure satisfaction, to his twin sister's ears, it sounded as if he were mocking her virtues.
Inevitably, her eyes reddened again as she tried to find something to add to her argument; however, before she could come up with anything, Yashin himself answered for her.
— You're right—your strength and your grades are something neither Ino nor any other brat in our class can even come close to matching.
Especially her strength.
Or rather, her unconscious control of chakra, which is what generates that strength.
Although the chakra stimulation he used on his sister was something… revolutionary for the archaic Shinobi world, that didn't mean it was all-powerful. A monstrous natural force was still far beyond his capabilities.
After all, the biology underpinning that force was something he had never seen and could not imagine with his logical mind.
Even so, and without realizing it, his petite little sister was capable of lifting a bed and cracking the floor with a single stomp, subtly enhancing her power with her limited chakra.
Whether she'd learned it from him before he fell ill, developed it on her own, or simply did it one day—unintentionally and instinctively—it only proved that his disappointing little sister wasn't as useless as he'd once imagined.
— I'm sure that if you set your mind to it, you could become the best kunoichi of all.
The helpless frustration in Ino's gaze stood in stark contrast to the triumphant gleam in Sakura's green eyes.
Although the blonde wanted to protest, the memory of Sakura defeating several boys with a single blow and her subsequent challenge to see who was stronger forced her to swallow her words.
— Besides, being a member of a small clan is an advantage because you don't have major responsibilities or expectations to live up to. You can be whatever you want, unlike Ino, who's obligated to become the next leader of her clan.
— Huh? Seriously?
Yashin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.
Such a stupid question, coupled with the even stupider look of surprise on her face, was hard to swallow—especially after he'd just complimented her.
Before Yashin could open his mouth to teach his sister a little manners, an irritated Yamanaka decided to speak up.
— No. There's no way she's better than me. Even though I have responsibilities that hold me back, I also have my clan's support.
— Huh? So what if you have your clan's support if you're still weaker than me?
— That means once I start my training, there'll be nothing you can do against me. Becoming the strongest kunoichi of all is easier for me than for someone who only has brute strength like you.
Sakura's gnashing of her teeth only served to underscore the sense of superiority Yamanaka was feeling.
However, the eldest of the Harunos didn't even let the other girl finish brushing her short blonde hair back before opening her mouth to dampen her renewed vanity.
— In the end, without your clan's support, you wouldn't be able to do anything. As for me, even as a civilian, I can still become a great Kunoichi.
— Yeah, but you'll never be as good as me.
— Want to bet?
— Why not? If anyone here should be afraid, it's you—you've got nothing to fall back on.
— You… Ino-sow.
— Billboard forehead.
The space between the two girls was practically crackling with sparks.
Yashin, quite pleased with the result, didn't bother to say another word.
He simply settled back on the grass, his smile widening with every new exchange of words.
He could already picture them rolling around on the ground like a pair of territorial cats, rather than just cats in heat.
It wasn't a huge difference, but at the same time, that small change would surely set many things on a different course.
After all, from his perspective, pride had always been much more… stimulating than love—especially when that love was just a superficial crush.
At least, from now on, those two brats wouldn't prioritize keeping their hair perfectly styled to look good in front of someone who wouldn't even give them a second glance.
If they used that time to sharpen their claws to scratch each other…
Somehow, the pink-haired's smile grew even more wicked.
— And you? What the hell are you laughing at? In case you don't remember, you're a civilian too. Can't you see that this silly blonde is looking down on you as well?
Back to reality, the first thing the pink-haired encountered was his sister's furrowed brow, along with his friend's surprised and nervous expression.
— Y-you, big-forehead, idiot, I never said that he…
— Are you putting me on the same level as you two, brat? Don't forget that I'm a genius. I'm way above both of you, so don't drag me into your nonsense.
Ino's defense fell apart before it even reached her lips.
Ignoring the gloomy expressions on both girls' faces, Yashin decided to press on and do his part one last time before calling it a day.
He was tired and wanted to go home now that he was in a good mood.
— Anyway, if you're both so upset, instead of yelling at each other like a couple of old magpies, you'd better try to prove which one of you is better.
Immediately, both girls snorted and turned their heads away.
— Hmph. Ino doesn't stand a chance against me.
— I should be the one saying that. Besides, even if I win, you're so pathetic I wouldn't get anything out of you.
— So, how about the winner gets to keep Sasuke?
A headache… No. Sakura's words felt more like a kick in the balls while someone was churning his guts, and the voice inside the pink-haired boy's head only amplified that sensation.
However, before he could utter a single curse, the only other intelligent person in the room, besides himself, spoke up.
— Hmph. Sarada's right. You're way too childish.
— Huh?
— I'm not going to compete with you for Sasuke. Instead…
Suddenly, the blonde's gaze turned mischievous.
After shifting her dazed gaze to the pink-haired boy beside her, Ino moved to rest her shoulder against the unsuspecting boy.
Despite the subtle blush on her cheeks and the rapid beating of her heart, she spoke again.
— Stealing your brother sounds way more fun, plus it's a better chance to prove that even at this, I'm better than you.
The twins' minds went blank.
— What do you think, Yashin?
When he met the Yamanaka girl's shy, expectant gaze, the pain in the pink-haired boy's gut grew even worse.
What the hell was going on with this turn of events?
Damn it. He knew the blonde's need for validation bordered on the pathological; however, he never thought that the crap he spouted to provoke his sister would end up backfiring on him like this.
Where was the brilliance and confidence he'd presumed that brat had?
A couple of superficial compliments and she was already smitten with him?
Either the blonde had a real mental problem, or things at home and within her clan were way more fucked up than he'd imagined.
After all, if she received enough validation and support from her parents, she wouldn't need that kind of external validation, let alone be so enthralled by the trash she spouted.
Now her jealousy toward Sakura made a little more sense.
Or maybe Yamanaka was just too superficial by nature.
Before Yashin could step away on his own, his hysterical sister took it upon herself to pull them apart.
— You damn Ino-sow, who do you think you're hitting on?
— Broad-forehead, why are you butting in? Didn't you always complain about Yashin? What's it to you if I'm getting close to him now?
— No. You're not allowed to get close to him. He's mine.
— You already have Sasuke. What difference does it make if I take your brother?
— I don't care. You can take Sasuke, but leave Yashin alone.
Although the pink-haired boy was moved almost to tears, it wasn't because of the girls' words or attention, but because of the pain of being constantly yanked around while having to endure their screams.
Tired of being treated like a rag, the pink-haired boy channeled his chakra to strengthen himself and escape from the clutches of those two brats.
— You two…
Although he wanted to curse them out, he didn't even know where to start.
After letting out a sigh, Yashin stood up before pulling his sister toward him and climbing onto her back in one fluid motion.
— I don't care. Come on, take me home. I'm starving to death.
— Huh? But…
— Yeah, yeah. Don't argue with me.
Although Sakura wanted to keep arguing, when she saw that Ino was about to stand up to intervene, she immediately panicked and ran off.
— You… I'll remember this.
The pink-haired didn't know if those words were directed at him or at the blonde left behind in the park.
He should have been more careful.
It was all his treacherous mouth's fault.
Why didn't he just say less?
But who would have thought the blonde would be so emotionally needy?
Come to think of it, that's how Ino's relationship with the cheap version of the vengeful emo guy started, didn't it?
The guy complimented her once, and the silly girl chose him just so she wouldn't be alone.
The mere realization that he was on the same level as that guy made Yashin feel even worse.
Before he could get even more depressed, Sakura's bitter voice rang out again.
— Why the hell do I have to carry you?
— I'm tired and I don't have any chakra. If you don't carry me, how am I supposed to get home?
— Tired and out of chakra? You didn't seem that tired when Ino was all over you.
Not at all interested in dealing with his older sister's whims, Yashin turned his gaze toward the sunset over Konoha.
He felt as if he'd wasted the whole day.
— Besides, you didn't seem that tired or low on chakra when you were putting on airs to climb down from the tree where you were spying on us. I'm sure you were just trying to impress Ino.
— First of all, I'm not interested in your friend. Second, I wasn't spying on them; I was just waiting for them to finish arguing about their nonsense so you'd take me home. And third, walking home is much more demanding than climbing down from a lousy tree, step by step.
After all, the inconceivable challenge of walking on a vertical surface—following his "inexplicable" increase in chakra reserves—had become a slightly more manageable challenge.
Or at least manageable enough to be comparable to walking on flat ground.
Who would have thought that a little more leeway in his reserves would allow him to manipulate his chakra to the point of turning the act of adhering to a surface into an art… a spectacle of efficiency.
Or how else could he describe the fact that he wastes no chakra at all—even after expelling it, channeling it, and reabsorbing it through his tenketsu, just before pulling away?
Robert Fludd would be delighted with his flawed version of the closed waterwheel, though in this case it would be a chakra wheel, wouldn't it?
— Hmph. Show-off. Just admit you wanted to show off in front of Ino.
— I'm not so idle as to want to impress some brat.
— Liar. You already said you think she's prettier than me.
Although the pink-haired didn't remember saying anything as explicit as that, he saw no need to correct Sakura.
— Cute or not, it doesn't matter. In the end, you're still my sister.
Although she tried to suppress it, the Haruno eldest's sullen expression inevitably turned into a smile.
— Besides, physical beauty is secondary when compared to spanking your butt. The softness of the flesh and the bounce—now that's something I can appreciate, and it encourages me to stay with you.
— Y-you… Shānnarō, you pervert.
— Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Instead of thinking about this kind of nonsense, you should be more worried about the punishment waiting for you at home.
— Huh? Punishment?
— Yeah, or did you forget that you made her angry this morning?
The sound of his older sister audible gulp reached Yashin's ears.
— W-what are you going to do to me?
— I don't remember. Maybe clean the whole house.
Anticipating his little sister's indignant scream, Yashin covered both ears with his hands.
— Yashin, you have to help me. I don't want to clean anymore.
Honestly, it had been a really long day.
And the worst part was that it didn't seem to be over yet.